AEW Dynamite Surprises Before Redemption 2026

AEW

All Elite Wrestling is on the road to the first ever AEW Redemption pay-per-view from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Sunday, July 26.

Over the next few weeks, AEW Dynamite will be looking to add more hype behind this new event at the end of the month.

Whether it be returning stars or new champions being crowned, Dynamite should offer some noteworthy surprises that might just alter how Redemption will look.

Here are seven potential AEW Dynamite surprises before Redemption 2026.

7. MJF Beats Kenny Omega & Makes Sure He Never Challenges For The AEW World Title Again

On the July 1 edition of AEW Dynamite, MJF defeated Mark Briscoe to retain the AEW World Title. After the match, MJF attacked Briscoe until Kenny Omega made the save.

This led to Omega challenging MJF for the title, but Maxwell Jacob Friedman had other ideas and wanted to face ‘The Cleaner’ with added stakes.

Now, if Omega loses to Friedman on the July 8 Beach Break special of AEW Dynamite, he will never be able to challenge for the AEW World Championship ever again.

While it is a realistic scenario with this stipulation, it would still be very surprising to see MJF defeat Omega and stop him from ever being the world champion.

6. Darby Allin Once Again “Shocks” Kevin Knight

At AEW Forbidden Door 2026, Team Briscoe defeated Team DCMJF to win the 12-man tag team Death’s Door steel cage match.

During the course of this bout, Darby Allin set up a booby trapped backpack for Kevin Knight who was electrocuted and fell off the top of the cage.

Then on the July 1 episode of AEW Dynamite, Allin challenged ‘The Jet’ to a TNT Title match, but Don Callis denied this challenge and said it would never happen as long as he had a say.

After saying he will regret this decision, fans could see Darby once again deliver a shocking surprise for Knight in the weeks leading to AEW Redemption 2026.

5. Kay Lee Ray Makes Her Debut In The Women’s Casino Gauntlet

The July 8 Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite will feature the women’s gauntlet to determine the number one contender for the AEW Women’s World Championship.

With the winner of this bout receiving a shot at AEW Redemption 2026, there could be some debuting talent making their presence felt during the Casino Gauntlet.

On April 24, WWE had its latest round of talent cuts with over 30 wrestlers being released, including Alba Fyre. Since her release, Fyre has made her return to the independent scene as Kay Lee Ray.

While she may be under a 90-day clause, KLR might find her way out of her contract early to make an impact in the women’s Casino Gauntlet at AEW Beach Break.

4. Willow Nightingale Returns To Win The Women’s Casino Gauntlet

On the May 20 episode of AEW Dynamite, Willow Nightingale shared the heartbreaking news that she had suffered a serious shoulder injury that would sideline her indefinitely.

This forced Nightingale to relinquish the TBS Championship and remove herself from the Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament.

Over the past several weeks, there have been some vignettes airing to tease Willow on the road to recovery and making a return in the near future.

Nightingale may just show up in the women’s Casino Gauntlet at Beach Break to win and become the number one contender for the AEW Women’s World Championship at Redemption 2026.

3. Will Ospreay Turns On The Death Riders

Following AEW Dynasty 2026, Will Ospreay was given an invitation to start training with Jon Moxley and The Death Riders.

Despite the group being responsible for breaking his neck in 2025, Ospreay put that aside to rebuild his neck and work on his overall game inside the squared circle.

This has led to Ospreay winning the Owen Hart Foundation men’s tournament final at AEW Forbidden Door and then being given a patch to join The Death Riders officially.

After making the choice to join the stable and earning their trust, Ospreay could show his true intentions and finally get revenge on The Death Riders on the road to AEW Redemption 2026.

2. Kyle Fletcher Becomes The New AEW International Champion Over Konosuke Takeshita

At AEW Double Or Nothing 2026, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the AEW International Championship.

After the match, Kyle Fletcher made his return from injury, looking like he was siding with his best friend over the Don Callis Family, but he then turned on Takeshita and laid him out.

Now, Takeshita will defend the title against Fletcher on the July 8 Beach Break special of AEW Dynamite.

Despite his reign just starting, Takeshita is on his way to Japan for a month to compete in the G1 Climax 36 tournament and could lose his title at Beach Break to free it up for his upcoming absence.

1. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page Returns To Cost MJF The AEW World Championship

At AEW Revolution 2026, MJF defeated ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in a Texas Death Match to retain the AEW World Championship.

Thanks to this loss, Page can no longer challenge for the AEW World Title as long as he lives due to a prematch stipulation.

‘Hangman’ has been absent from AEW TV ever since then with many fans expecting him back in the near future.

With his friend Kenny Omega set to meet his same fate, ‘Hangman’ could make his return to cost MJF the AEW World Championship and get a measure of revenge against his longtime rival.

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• AEW
• Dynamite

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