Heading into the Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite
tonight (July 8) from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the wrestling world was focused on the main event. After CM Punk beat Sami Zayn for the WWE title to close out Raw two nights ago, even non-sickos had to be wondering if we’d get World title changes on the flagship television/streaming shows of both the world’s biggest pro wrestling companies this week.For sickos and others who follow and enjoy the AEW product, Kenny Omega’s challenge of Maxwell Jacob
Friedman was more than just a possible future trivia answer. An Omega loss would lead to him joining Cody Rhodes and his old tag partner Hangman Page in the “can’t challenge for the AEW World title again” club. It would also likely change the main event of All In at Wembley Stadium from a classic face vs. heel dynamic between MJF and Owen Hart Cup winner Will Ospreay, to a passing of the torch moment between Ospreay and his old New Japan rival-turned-mentor Omega.
AEW turned up the heat on a possible Ospreay/MJF main event with a pre-taped scene on Beach Break. In it, Will also makes it clear his preference is to have his big moment in England against Kenny.
Bruv also teamed up with Jon Moxley as a Death Rider again, this time beating The Workhorsemen. We didn’t see him again until after the champ and challenger had already brawled through the crowd and taken the action onto Beach Break’s themed stage.
In and closer to the ring, Friedman was sent through an announce table and sold a knee issue for most of the final third of the match. Each man hit moves that should have ended it, like this one…
That led to Max bringing his Triple B (Big Burberry Belt) into the ring, and even Omega considering using it against him out of desperation. But the Best Bout Machine’s better angels prevailed, and his friend from the UK got involved when MJF tried to use the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Three V-Triggers and Kenny’s One Winged Angel, and we have a new champ.
AEW sold this as essentially official for All In on Aug. 28, but they also have July 26’s Redemption PPV in Montreal to book. Will good guy Kenny Omega give someone a shot in his home country, like Quebecois Mike Bailey? Or find himself in need of a tag partner against Death Riders Ospreay & Mox? Where has Hangman been, anyway…
And what’s next for MJF? Is he hurt? Hollywood-bound again?
Talk about it below. And if you’re looking for more on everything from tonight’s big Beach Break edition of Dynamite, the one and only Claire Elizabeth is your hook-up. Her live blog is here.
