Tommaso Ciampa came up short at AEW Dynasty in the TNT Championship Casino Gauntlet Match. He’s not happy about that loss and is looking to take out some frustrations!
But, a man who didn’t even get a chance to get a shot in the Casino Gauntlet, one third of The Rascalz, Dezmond Xavier. Surely, Dezmond is looking to prove that he can become a TNT Champion if he’s able to pick up a win over a former champion.
Ciampa was visibly frustrated and even yelled at the crowd for calling him bald, telling them to save that for Ricochet. Then, Dezmond Xavier started getting in some big offense with a tornado DDT, a big topé and a 450 splash, but it wasn’t enough.
In the end, Tommaso Ciampa drilled Xavier with a devastating knee and picked up the victory! After the match, Ciampa grabbed the microphone and said what happened tonight was an example. He’s sick of waiting and he wants all the gold. And if he’s not clear, Darby, MJF, he wants next.
AEW Forbidden Door is back and it’s coming June 28, 2026 live from San Jose, California at the SAP Center. The event will not only feature stars from AEW, but also wrestlers from CMLL, New Japan Pro Wrestling & STARDOM.
Mercury News, a California based news channel, was first to announce the event. This will be the fifth anniversary of AEW Forbidden Door, where dream matches come alive! Premium Seating Early Access begins Tuesday, April 21 at 10am ET, in addition to tickets going on sale on Monday, April 27.
https://x.com/aew/status/2044464524757975184?s=46
In years past, we’ve seen the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Zack Sabre Jr and even Stephanie Vaquer walk through the Forbidden Door. Who will end up kicking the door down this year? We’ll soon find out! Forbidden Door will be live on Pay-Per-View and available for purchase on HBO Max.
AEW’s relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling and STARDOM have spanned years, since AEW’s inception. Then, in recent years, we’ve see a partnership with AEW and CMLL which has landed talent with dual contracts such as Hechicero, Mascara Dorada, Mistico, Persephone, Thunder Rosa and Claudio Castagnoli.
This partnership has seen these talent often compete on each others shows. But, there’s a good chance some new CMLL talent step into an AEW ring for the first time this June.
AEW presents Dynamite Spring Break Thru tonight. The event will take place at the Angels of the Wind Arena in Everett, Washington.
The advertised card currently features three championship matches and a Jericho interview.
Below is the current advertised card for tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
AEW World Championship: MJF vs Darby Allin
For weeks, Darby Allin has made it known that he had his eyes on the AEW World Championship. At AEW Dynasty on Sunday, Allin defeated Andrade El Idolo to become number one contender for the AEW World Championship. Allin stated in an interview with Renee Paquette later on in the night that he would be cashing in the opportunity to challenge for the AEW World Championship on AEW Dynamite in Everett.
TNT Championship: Kevin Knight vs Claudio Castagnoli
Last week, Kyle Fletcher had to vacate the TNT Championship due to injury. As a result, Tony Khan announced that there would be a Casino Gauntlet Match to determine a new TNT Champion at AEW Dynasty. Kevin Knight entered the Casino Gauntlet Match and would go on to pin Daniel Garcia to become the new TNT Champion. It was later announced that Knight would be defending against Claudio Castagnoli tonight on AEW Dynamite.
TBS Championship: Willow Nightingale vs Kamille
At AEW Dynasty, Kamille made her return to All Elite Wrestling after a 529 day hiatus and attacked TBS Champion Willow Nightingale backstage. Kamille was looking to send a message at the expense of Nightingale and it worked as she was given an opportunity for the TBS Championship tonight on AEW Dynamite.
Renee Paquette interviews Jericho
Two weeks ago, Jericho made his return to All Elite Wrestling after almost a year away from the company. Jericho made his in-ring return this past Sunday at AEW Dynasty against Ricochet in a losing effort. Renee Paquette is set to interview Jericho on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite to see what’s next.
Ricochet’s run in All Elite Wrestling feels fresh, sharp and impossible to overlook. Once known mainly for his highlight-reel ability, he has grown into one of the most complete performers in the business today. His earlier stops in NJPW and WWE showcased his athleticism, but his debut at AEW All In Wembley in 2024 marked a true shift in direction.
Since that moment, Ricochet has reshaped how he is viewed. The in-ring brilliance has always been there, but now it is paired with confidence, presence and purpose. He no longer feels like a performer trying to stand out. He feels like one that can lead the show.
AEW Fight for the Fallen.
His rivalry with Swerve Strickland played a major role in that transformation. That specific program pushed him to another level, bringing out the Ricochet many believed had always been there. On the January 1, 2025, episode of Fight for the Fallen, Ricochet viciously attacked and bloodied Strickland with a pair of scissors, cementing his heel turn. To make matters worse, on the February 5 episode of Dynamite, Ricochet defeated Strickland and proceeded to steal the Embassy robe bestowed upon Strickland by Prince Nana in honor ofEmbassy member Jimmy Rave. Feuds of this caliber also gave him the opportunity to talk on the mic.
For years, Ricochet carried the stigma that he could not cut a promo. Whether it wasbrought up in feuds, or from the basement dwellers on the internet, that label was always attached. That label now feels misplaced—gone.In AEW, he has found a voice that connects. His delivery is sharper, more confident and far more natural. As a heel, the reaction from the crowd is all it takes to know you got it. It is hard to ignore the contrast with his time in WWE, where his character often felt restricted and carefully managed—like there was a leash on at all times.
That difference is clear today. In AEW, Ricochet has the freedom to define himself. He is no longer boxed into one dimension. It’s no longer “go out there and do some flips!” He is evolving in real time, and the results speak for themselves.
That evolution has led to his emergence as one of the top heels in professional wrestling. Ricochet has embraced the role, adding layers to his character while maintaining the dynamic style that made him special in the first place. The reaction from crowds reflects that shift. He is not just respected, ( the internet will tell you otherwise ) he is a focal point. Whether it’s hundreds of rolls of toilet paper being thrown into the ring, chants of “BALD!”, or the deafening “shut the f*ck up!”, it is obvious that what Ricochet is doing is working.
Along side his character work, Ricochet’s rise reached another level when he became the inaugural AEW National Champion. The moment served as both recognition and validation. It confirmed that Ricochet is not just thriving, he is essential—proof that he is thought highly of to Tony Khan, and his peers.
Most importantly, this run feels like a revival. The move to AEW has not only elevated his career, but it seems to have restored his passion. There is a clear energy in everything he does, a sense that he is fully invested in his craft again.
Ricochet is no longer defined by what he was. In AEW, he has become what many believed he could be all along.
Stardom is having the 2nd annual American Dream show live in Las Vegas Nevada inside Pearl Theater as their part of Slam Palm Festival. Stardom kicks off at 3PM local, 6PM ET on Friday, April 17 and will be available on TrillerTV+.
Here is the line up for American Dream
6 Woman Tag Team Match:
Empress Nexus Venus (Hanako & Maika) & Mina Shirakawa vs. Mi Vida Loca (Rina Yamashita & Suzu Suzuki) & Hazuki
Artist Of Stardom Champion Rina vs. Athena
Tag Team Match: Cosmic Angels (New Blood Tag Team Champion Sayaka Kurara & Natsupoi) vs. Brittine Brooks & Saki
NJPW Strong Women’s Title Match: Alex Windsor (c) vs. Saya Iida
6 Woman Tag Team Match: Neo Genesis (Starlight Kid, Mei Seira & AZM) vs. Babes Of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale) & Kris Statlander
The show starts at 3pm Pacific time & 6pm est & can watch this show on TrillerTV+ (Under a PPV).
Also joining Slam Palm Fest
House Of Glory, Maple Leaf Pro, TJPW & CMLL. You can buy the 2-day pass to see all of the events here.
Don Callis isn’t interested in playing by anyone else’s unwritten rules—and if there was any lingering doubt about that, his latest comments put it to rest.
During a recent interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Callis opened up about his mindset when it comes to expanding his growing faction, The Don Callis Family. While some within the industry have questioned the optics of continuously adding high-level talent to one group, Callis made it clear he sees the situation through a very different lens.
“I think there was a sense backstage of, okay, he can’t have anymore top guys in his group, this is just very unusual and not right. I think you have to look back to, who do we work for? We work for Tony Khan, who is the owner of several professional sports franchises. Like Tony Khan and like people that own sports franchises, I keep the money on the field. If you’re running the Jacksonville Jaguars, do you think Tony Khan goes, ‘We’ve got too much talent, I think we’re going to stop acquiring.’ I mean, it’s ridiculous. It’s only in professional wrestling. So I operate this like I’m Pat Riley, I operate this like I’m Phil Jackson. More talent, give me everyone. People go, ‘Why do all your guys look the same?’ Because it’s the Lou Thesz approach. Six three, lean, athletic, strong, and aggressive. All my guys are like that.”
Callis’ comments reflect a philosophy rooted more in traditional sports management than in the conventional balance often sought in wrestling factions. Rather than limiting the ceiling of his group to preserve parity across a roster, Callis is doubling down on the idea that stacking elite talent is not only acceptable—but necessary.
The comparison to major sports ownership and coaching icons underscores how Callis views The Don Callis Family: not as a storyline convenience, but as a dominant, ever-evolving powerhouse designed to control the landscape. His references to NBA legends Pat Riley and Phil Jackson further reinforce a championship-driven mentality, one where acquiring and maximizing top-tier talent is the ultimate priority.
Equally notable is Callis’ emphasis on a specific prototype for his recruits. By invoking the “Lou Thesz approach,” he highlighted a preference for athletes who fit a mold—physically imposing, technically sound, and aggressively competitive. It’s a throwback ideology blended with a modern presentation, aligning with the group’s identity as a unified, high-performance unit.
In an era where faction balance and distribution of star power are often debated among fans and analysts alike, Callis is unapologetically taking the opposite route. If there’s elite talent available, he wants it—and he’s not interested in hearing why he shouldn’t.
With The Don Callis Family continuing to grow and assert itself across AEW programming, Callis’ comments offer a clear look into the strategy behind the expansion. It’s not about fairness or optics—it’s about dominance, depth, and, above all, winning.
You can watch the complete interview with Don Callis below.
Kevin Knight would love to battle his brother for his TNT Championship.
After the news broke that Kyle Fletcher would have to vacate the TNT Championship, the announcement was made that the now vacated gold would be held in a Casino Gauntlet in Vancouver at AEW Dynasty with Tommaso Ciampa and RUSH being the first two involved.
In the end, Kevin Knight would capitalize on the opportunity with a splash on Daniel Garcia and the pin to secure the victory and be crowned the new TNT Champion, his first singles title in his pro wrestling career.
During the media scrum for AEW Dynasty, Knight spoke about the pressure it was going to bring to be the face of the TNT division, but that he was prepared for anyone, including his own tag team partner, Speedball Mike Bailey.
“Well, this being my first singles (title) ever, whether it’s on the indies, in New Japan and AEW, so for the fact that it happened on the anniversary of my pay-per-view debut here in AEW, a year later, with my tag team partner in the match, it certainly means a lot for me to be the new face of TNT. It’s a lot of pressure but I think The Jet is built for it. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. It’s so crazy because me and ‘Speedball’ are a tag team but we’ve won trios, we’ve won singles so, I think this is the next thing between us and being tag champs in the future so, I think it’s a great step in the right direction.”
“This is a team win for me and ‘Speedball’ (Mike Bailey). I’ve known him before I got here, and we’ve had great chemistry. He only wants the best for me. I only want the best for him, and I would love to defend this against my tag team partner if you (Tony Khan) would allow it. If we can set something up because me and ‘Speedball,’ we bring the best out of each other. Any time we get together, it’s like brothers just going at it, cousins just going at it so, we love to go at it.”
Before the two can make that happen, Knight will have to get through Claudio Castagnoli at AEW Dynamite’s Spring BreakThru show on Wednesday, April 15.
All Elite Wrestling’s women’s division features a mix of emerging talent and established stars, making any “next up” discussion a crowded one. Even so, one name continues to separate from the pack. Megan Bayne looks ready for that defining moment. It’s not if she reaches the AEW Women’s World Championship, it’s when, and when she does, she has the profile to hold it for an extended stretch.
The Megasus
Bayne is currently one half of the AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions, teaming with Lena Kross as Divine Dominion. The pair captured the titles in March, giving Bayne her first championship in AEW a little more than a year after joining the roster in February 2025.
Her presence stands out immediately. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, Bayne carries a size and intensity that few in the division can match. She projects dominance before the bell rings, with a look and style that feel built for main-event moments. The facial expressions, the gear, the body language, she has the complete sense of presentation locked in.
Bayne’s experience also adds to her case. From dominating intergender matches to winning independent championships and creating viral moments, she has built quite the resume. She is approaching 10 years in the ring, yet has not fully broken through as a top champion on a major stage, yet. Most wrestlers at 27 are very green and inexperienced. That is not the case for Megan.
With the right direction, Bayne has the tools to anchor the division as champion. Her in-ring work continues to impress, and while her microphone skills are still developing, that gap is not uncommon and can be addressed through presentation and creative support. AEW has shown it can elevate talent into credible contenders, giving audiences a reason to invest in their rise. Many top talents in the industry have made their name in AEW, and she looks to be no different.
The broader landscape of women’s wrestling has shifted. The days of bra and panty matches are dead. There are no longer matches booked purely on sex appeal. The females are able to show their true talents, and that they have just as much skill as the men, if not even more. Matches now are longer, the competition is deeper, and expectations are higher. While booking can still improve, performers like Bayne make a strong argument for more consistent placement in headline spots. You simply cannot deny or ignore women of her caliber, making main events inevitable.
Final Thoughts
At 27, Bayne’s trajectory points upward and beyond. She is setting the standard of what the women’s division of the future will be. It is no longer a question of if she becomes a world champion, but how often she reaches that level.
This Wednesday live on TBS, AEW Dynamite will be a special Spring Break Thru edition. This will also be a two night event that carries on to a special Thursday edition of AEW Collision just one day later. Coming out of the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view, this Wednesday’s Spring Break Thru is loaded with now three championship matches, all piggybacking off of things that took place on Dynasty.
First, it was revealed that MJF will defend his AEW World Championship once again after successfully retaining the championship against Kenny Omega in the pay-per-view main event. MJF’s opponent will be Darby Allin, who earned his shot by defeating Andrade on Sunday. Now, Darby and MJF will clash for the World Title.
https://x.com/aew/status/2043556081893532160?s=46
Also on Wednesday, the AEW TBS Championship will be on the line when Willow Nightingale defends against the newly returned Kamille. During the AEW Dynasty Zero Hour, Kamille attacked Willow backstage, revealing that she’s back. Then, Kamille had a match where she dominated a local opponent. After the match, Nightingale came out to confront Kamille, but was once again laid out. Later into the show, Willow threw out the challenge to Kamille for Spring Break Thru, and was willing to put her title on the line. It’s official.
https://x.com/aew/status/2043548950419107991?s=46
Lastly, we have a brand new AEW TNT Champion and it’s ‘The Jet’ Kevin Knight. Kyle Fletcher was forged to vacate the TNT title due to injury and thus, the title was up for grabs in a Casino Gauntlet Match on Sunday night. After many competitors entered, Kevin Knight stood tall as the new champion. In the gauntlet match, Death Riders members Wheeler Yuta, PAC and Daniel Garcia were all in the match. But, there was one interesting omission, which was the Death Riders’ Claudio Castagnoli.
Because Claudio was not in the match but the other team members were, he will get a chance at the gold. Tony Khan announced during the post-Dynasty scrum that Kevin Knight will defend the TNT Championship against Claudio Castagnoli this Wednesday.
https://x.com/aew/status/2043549750310711395?s=46
As of now, no matches have been announced for the Collision portion. Stay tuned to Bodyslam.Net for more updates on AEW Spring Break Thru, and results following the event(s).
AEW Dynasty was live from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. The event was headlined by MJF versus Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship and also featured a Casino Gauntlet to crown a new AEW TNT Champion after the gold was recently vacated.
After a great night of pro wrestling, a few champions retained and some new champions were crowned. You can see the full results for AEW Dynasty 2026 below.
AEW Dynasty Results
AEW World Championship: MJF(c) def. Kenny Omega
AEW Trios Championships: Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong and Orange Cassidy def. The Dogs (Clark Connors, Gabe Kidd & David Finlay) *Gabe Kidd was hurt during the match and helped to the back*
AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley(c) def. Will Ospreay
AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla(c) def. Jamie Hayter
AEW TNT Championship Gauntlet Match: Kevin Knight becomes TNT Champion
AEW Tag Team Championships: FTR(c) def. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Darby Allin def. Andrade *Darby is now #1 contender for the world title, cashes that opportunity in for Wednesday*
Ricochet def. Chris Jericho
Young Bucks def. Konosuke Takeshita & Kazuchika Okada
AEW Dynasty: Zero Hour
AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships: Divine Dominion(c) (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) def. Hyan & Maya World
Kamille def. Big Anne
AEW National Championship: Jack Perry def. Mark Davis
Alex Windsor def. Marina Shafir
AEW Dynamite: Beach Break is live this Wednesday on TNT and will roll into a special Thursday edition of AEW Collision. So far, Kamille vs. Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship and Darby Allin vs. MJF for the AEW World Championship have been announced.
