Darby Allin defends the AEW World Championship against MJF in title versus hair at Double or Nothing, but he almost gave MJF an early haircut. The three-hour go-home episode of Dynamite (May 20, 2026) also featured Jon Moxley battling to a time-limit draw to set up his PPV match, Willow Nightingale relinquishing the TBS Championship, Chris Jericho teaming with the Young Bucks for the first time, Tommaso Ciampa grating blood from Mark Briscoe’s head, and more from Cross Insurance Arena in Portland,
Maine.
Greatest feeling in the world
No, I’m not talking about seeing MJF bald. That is in reference to Darby Allin’s motivation to be a fighting champion. Allin isn’t taking it easy through to Double or Nothing. He put the world title on the line against “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Allin explained that being the world champion is the greatest feeling in the world. As for why the request to take MJF’s hair, Allin would relish in MJF’s misery as a vain man without his hair for all the world to see on the red carpets.
MJF played mind games to enter right before the opening bell to join commentary. Speedball blitzed for early offense and took Allin to deep waters. I wouldn’t say the match reached the point of truly feeling like an upset was going to happen, but the action was still exciting. Allin had tricks up his sleeve for a Scorpion Death Drop onto the top of the barricade.
Allin showed an edge to dropping the ring steps on Bailey’s bare foot, then he followed for a suicide dive.
MJF was desperate for Bailey to win, so that would cancel title versus hair. So much so that he placed Bailey’s foot on the ropes to break the pin off a Coffin Drop. Kevin Knight arrived ringside to keep MJF honest.
Bailey found success with a variety of kicks. He connected on the tornado kick several times to stun Allin’s senses. Allin gained control in the end for a Scorpion Death Drop then the Scorpion Deathlock. Knight encouraged his teammate to reach the ropes, and Bailey did so. Allin kept on the pressure for a Coffin Drop and another Scorpion Deathlock. This time, Bailey tapped out.
That world title defense served it’s purpose. The common assumption is that MJF will win at Double or Nothing. Allin and Bailey had an entertaining fight. Bailey is the level of competitor that a win over him has value. It was a win Allin had to earn, and he looked like he is peaking into top form for the PPV. That gives fuel to believe that he will beat MJF. Due to Allin’s hot streak, I don’t think it’s such a foregone conclusion anymore that MJF is the favorite.
There was more activity after the match. Knight delivered a pep talk about how much the people want to see MJF shaved bald. He urged Allin not to let them down. As soon as Knight and Bailey exited, MJF struck with a sneak attack on Allin. Maxwell pulled out hair clippers. Allin turned the tables to snatch the clippers and almost give MJF a buzz.
AEW did a great job there to get fans hyped about MJF being shaved bald. AEW often delivers the happy ending. I can’t think of a happier ending to this feud than Allin winning title versus hair. Once again, this all adds to the shadow of doubt to diminish the assumption that MJF is a lock for victory at the PPV.
For what it’s worth, MJF chimed in.
Let’s jam through the rest of Dynamite. Catch up on all the details with excellent play-by-play from Claire Elizabeth.
Ricochet, Mark Davis, & Andrade defeated Chris Jericho & Young Bucks. Jericho and the Jacksons chatted by the lighthouse to clear the air with apologies for past transgressions. They also bantered about a team name for their first-time partnership. I wish wrestling had more scenes with the local landscapes.
Andrade was sure to get his selfie with the ladies, then he turned around into a chop from Jericho.
In the end, the match broke down. The Bucks hit a stepping stool Destroyer and a BTE Trigger on Andrade. Ricochet landed the Ricosault on the pile to break the pin. Jericho engaged in fisticuffs and hit a back suplex to Ricochet through the timekeeper table. Andrade accidentally blasted Davis with a back elbow. The Bucks hit another BTE Trigger, and Andrade kicked out. Davis distracted the referee, so the Dogs could run in and clock Matt Jackson with the shillelagh. Andrade pinned Matt to win. Afterward, a donnybrook erupted as a sneak peak for Stadium Stampede. Bobby Lashley speared Toa Liona to close the segment.
Nifty little match to tease the chaotic element of Stadium Stampede. Jericho and the Bucks worked well together with teamwork offense, poses, and vests. It was fun to see Jericho serving some payback on Ricochet with that suplex. I’m glad Andrade didn’t eat the pin. It sure felt like that was on the menu. I think he still has juice to be on the cusp of a world title shot, and it would have been a downer to burn his momentum there. El Idolo boosted his stock by kicking out of that BTE Trigger. The crowd reacted with a pop. I think that was partly a combination of surprise, impressive, and his appeal right now.
As for Jack Perry, I want some backstage journalism about why he was wearing yellow pants and carrying a bag of onions.
Is that a Simpsons joke? I’m also wondering if maybe Perry got a deal on the street, like from a stolen truck in Goodfellas.
Mark Briscoe defeated Tommaso Ciampa in Anything Goes. Plunder was aplenty with a mouse trap, barbed wire, and a cheese grater to make Briscoe bleed.
Ciampa’s downfall was his thirst to hurt Briscoe. He blasted a running knee with a knee pad full of tacks. Instead of a pin, Ciampa set up chairs for an avalanche Psycho Driller. Briscoe gained the upper hand, rotated the chairs, and pulled Ciampa off the turnbuckles onto the chairs. That spot made me grimace, and I don’t know how they do it “safely” for the spine. Briscoe continued the momentum for a Jay Driller through a barbed wire table and a froggy bow to win.
The level of enjoyment for that match will vary depending on your preferences for professional wrestling. The cheese grater and Ciampa beating up the stuffed chicken was a bit much for my taste. That match certainly delivered as a blow-off to the feud. Briscoe provided the happy ending in victory. Hats off to those two tough SOBs. This was their PPV moment, albeit on TV.
AEW Continental Championship eliminator: Jon Moxley (c) versus Kyle O’Reilly ends in a time-limit draw. Twenty minutes on the clock. This technical wrestling duel became interesting when Moxley blasted a body shot. O’Reilly crumpled in pain, and Mox went to work on the midsection. The body shot isn’t something we see often in AEW, so that was an interesting touch.
O’Reilly had success attacking the left leg. With under one minute remaining, O’Reilly trapped Moxley in an ankle lock. Mox knew that time was running out, so he grit through the pain to survive. Draw. O’Reilly earned a title shot, and he wants no time limit at Double or Nothing.
The eliminator match was a smart play, because this feud was ice cold due to O’Reilly’s injury absence. The draw was predictable, but it did the job of adding heat for the PPV rematch. O’Reilly has the edge by submitting Moxley before and almost doing it again. In theory, there should be doubt about Moxley retaining the title. It was interesting to see O’Reilly gouge Mox’s eyes to escape a submission. That’s not a tease for a heel turn, since Moxley did that dirty tactic earlier. However, it is a tease that he is willing to maim Moxley to win. That intensity adds an extra layer to the drama. As for Moxley, I like how he did pushups at the end to take his mind off the ankle lock. That shows growth from last time he faced O’Reilly.
Backstage, Moxley took the draw in stride with more pushups. He expressed gratitude to O’Reilly for pushing him to be better. This is Mox’s opportunity to practice what he preaches. When the championship is on the line, Moxley does not miss.
Willow Nightingale injury. Willow was happy for all the success as TBS champion. She wants to be a fighting champion, and she has ten successful defenses. Unfortunately, Willow injured her right shoulder in her previous match. She has to withdraw from the Owen Hart tournament, and she will relinquish the TBS title. That’s a bummer. Willow had a good run going as the comeback killer. Best of health to Willow.
Later, Renee Paquette asked Kris Statlander for reaction about Willow. Hikaru Shida cut Stat off to talk about the world title bout. The best part was Shida pulling her glasses down then doing the same for Statlander. StatDaddy lost her patience and snapped verbally at Shida. This scene continued to build tension for when their partnership inevitably explodes.
Thekla, Julia Hart, Skye Blue, & Athena defeated Jaime Hayter, Alex Windsor, Mina Shirakawa, & Thunder Rosa. The 8-woman tag team belt ended with black mist. Thekla grabbed her title belt with the intention of cheating. The referee intervened. Hart was on the backside spitting black mist in Thunder’s face. Roll up by Thekla to win. I’m a sucker for mist. That gimmick never gets old.
Will Ospreay defeated Katsuyori Shibata. Ospreay worked the ground game, and Shibata dealt back that hand. Shibata gained the edge with aggression. Ospreay rallied with athleticism. Anthony Bowens created a distraction, but Marina Shafir and Claudio Castagnoli arrived to have Ospreay’s back. Shibata struck with a Hidden Blade. When that didn’t get the job done, he went low for a blow. Shibata slapped on an armbar. Ospreay muscled out on a powerbomb. A Styles Clash led to a Hidden Blade for victory.
Ospreay exchanged words with Samoa Joe to hype their Owen Hart quarterfinal showdown. Joe will make Ospreay suffer the consequences for not choosing to be his friend. Ospreay touted how much it means to win the Owen, so he has a chance to win the world title at All In in Wembley Stadium. That would be a dream.
The chess match between Ospreay and Shibata was interesting. In storyline Ospreay showed his improving skills on the mat thanks to Death Riders training. He blended that approach to finish with the style that makes him special. Ospreay is leaning less aerial and more assassin. That promo was a passionate rallying cry for the fans to get behind his quest to win the world title in London.
Rush defeated TJ Crawford. Squash via Bull’s Horns and hit the catchphrase. Earlier in the evening, Rush made his direction clear. If Allin keeps the gold, then he wants next shot on Dynamite. I like AEW playing up more challengers, because it clouds the assumption that MJF will win at Double or Nothing.
AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship eliminator: Divine Dominion (c) defeated Kayla Lopez & Elle Valentine. Five minutes on the clock. Megan Bayne and Lena Kross make a squash look good. The champs played with the meal, such as suplexing opponents onto each other. A double chokeslam closed the win with 2:10 left on the clock.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) defeated Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong to retain the titles. FTR isolated Cassidy, and that led to the hot tag for Strong to run wild. Cassidy scored a variety of roll-ups to ratchet up the drama of an upset. In the end, Stokely Hathaway punched Cassidy with Christian’s watch. Dax Harwood made the pin.
This match was solid, but the ending was a dud. After three hours and change, the show closed with the shock of Stokely’s cheating ways. The crowd deflated. It probably would have been better if FTR hit the Shatter Machine after Big Stoke’s loaded punch. Give some zip to the result. As it played out, the final image was low energy heading into Double or Nothing. Speaking of the Shatter Machine, FTR tired to execute earlier. I laughed when Cassidy was too lazy to fly through the air and he fell short on purpose, so FTR couldn’t hit their finisher.
Notes: Swerve Strickland was attacked by Bandido in payback from the ambush at ROH Supercard of Honor. Bandido teased a 21 Plex onto a chair, but Swerve escaped.
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage want the best version of FTR for the satisfaction in making them say, “I quit.” Christian dropped a F bomb.
Stud of the Show: Mark Briscoe
Dat Boy took a lot of punishment and dished out his fair share to Tommaso Ciampa. Basically, whoever won that match would earn the nomination.
Match of the Night: Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata
I plead guilty to bias. Ospreay and Shibata are two of my favorites right now in AEW, so this match captured my attention. It was entertaining for a TV bout.
Grade: B
Most of the storyline work was already done, so this episode kept the iron hot heading into Double or Nothing.
Share your thoughts about AEW Dynamite. How do you rate it? What were your favorite moments from the show? Who impressed you the most?
