AEW Dynamite airs tonight (Jan. 7) with a live show from BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the second episode of Dynamite during the seven week build to Grand Slam Australia, which takes place on February 14.
AEW is turning the lights off on Dynamite
Tonight’s main event is a Lights Out match pitting Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page against Powerhouse Hobbs and HOOK. That means it is an unsanctioned fight that happens after the lights go out on Dynamite at the end of the show.
Swerve and Hangman both desperately want to get their hands
on AEW World Champion MJF, but Samoa Joe is putting this obstacle in front of them before that can happen. Anything goes in this unsanctioned fight, so it could potentially turn into a blood-soaked hardcore war on the very first Dynamite of 2026.
The babyfaces are big favorites to win on paper, as Hangman and Swerve are both main event stars in AEW, while Hobbs and HOOK are at least a couple levels below them as Joe’s henchmen in The Opps. Even so, shenanigans can’t be ruled out in this sort of match, because interference is legal from Joe, MJF, or other outside parties who may have a bone to pick with any of the participants.
Does AEW have a big angle planned in the main event to kick off a new year of being the best promotion in the world, or will the babyfaces pick up the expected win and that’s the end of it? Tune into the first Dynamite of 2026 to find out.
The rest of the card
AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley faces Shelton Benjamin in a title eliminator match, which is AEW’s way of trying to shine up a non-title fight. Babyface Mox knows that Shelton’s wrestling skills outclass his own in the ring, but Benjamin will have to do a whole lot more than hurt Moxley in order to win this match and earn a future title shot.
“Timeless” Toni Storm goes one-on-one with Marina Shafir. Both stars picked up wins in tune-up tag team matches over the weekend on Collision, after splitting wins in mixed tag matches the week before. This fight could go either way as part of their ongoing feud.
ROH World Champion Bandido vs. ROH World Tag Team Champion Sammy Guevara is also on the lineup. Sammy says he plans to win this match and then take Bandido’s spot next week at Maximum Carnage in his world title match against MJF. Guevara is almost certainly losing tonight, but I think this is his first match on Dynamite since 2024, so it’s a big deal for him to remind Tony Khan and AEW fans why he should be back on TV every Wednesday night.
JetSpeed and “Jungle” Jack Perry are in trios action tonight against AEW National Champion Ricochet and GOA. The babyfaces are looking for payback after The Demand injured Luchasaurus last week. Will Kevin Knight or “Speedball” Mike Bailey be in line for a title a shot against Ricochet if one of them scores the pin in this match?
There is a title celebration planned tonight for newly crowned TBS Champion Willow Nightingale, which probably means the rest of The Conglomeration will be there for a big party in the ring. Will former champion Mercedes Mone or Sisters of Sin try to ruin it? Will AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander be there to support her former best friend?
AEW World Champion MJF will make an appearance tonight’s show, likely in a promo segment. The long list of AEW stars coming after his Triple B already includes Bandido, Swerve, Hangman, Samoa, and Kenny Omega. Will anybody else add their name to that list tonight?
Finally, Dynamite is in Oklahoma tonight, and that means legendary broadcaster Jim Ross will be back on AEW programming. Hopefully he won’t say anything racist.
Other stuff to keep an eye on
– Now that NJPW WrestleKingdom 20 is over with, Don Callis will soon have to sort out his family’s problems between Konosuke Takeshita (who is no longer IWGP World Heavyweight Champion), AEW International Champion Kazuchika Okada, and maybe Kyle Fletcher. If tonight isn’t the best time for that tense conversation, could we instead get Andrade’s return to AEW and the Callis Family?
– Is Darby Allin finally done dealing with the Death Riders after he made Wheeler Yuta tap out on Collision? It sounds like Darby still needs to beat “The Bastard” PAC before he’s ready to move on.
– Hechicero is getting a title match against TNT Champion Mark Briscoe on Collision. Will either star get some promo time tonight to hype up the fight?
– Stokely Hathaway says he was injured at Worlds End, and is requesting donations from fans for his $400K+ medical bills. Wouldn’t it be easier to ask Tony Khan to book AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR in a money match for at least $400K?
– Matt Taven, Mercedes Martinez, and Alex Abrahantes are gone from AEW and no longer listed on the official roster page. But hey, Chris Jericho is still there and not yet breaking the walls down in a WWE return. How much longer will that be true?
– Where the f*** are Britt Baker, Keith Lee, Danhausen, and Hikaru Shida?
What will you be looking for on Dynamite?
