AEW Dynamite June 17th, 2026 Results & Recap: Mercedes Moné Reaches Owen Cup Final, MJF’s Team Leaves Mark Briscoe Lying

Last night’s AEW Dynamite rolled into Sugar Land, Texas, with Forbidden Door only 11 days away and an increasingly complicated collection of stories to organize before the pay-per-view. AEW delivered strong tournament wrestling, one of its best talking segments in weeks and a frantic 12-man main event built around several overlapping rivalries. Last night’s show successfully added Jon Moxley against Bandido and Adam Copeland and Christian Cage against The Dogs to Forbidden Door, while Kenny Omega and Zack Sabre Jr. made their singles match official. However, the episode also exposed the central weakness of this year’s build: an event promoted as AEW’s crossover with NJPW, STARDOM and CMLL still feels overwhelmingly like a regular AEW pay-per-view with a few international names inserted around the edges.

The wrestling carried last night’s show, especially Brodido against the Death Riders and Mercedes Moné against Hazuki. Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland also gave the men’s Owen Hart Cup final the personal tension it desperately needed. Yet with less than two weeks remaining, AEW is still attempting to assemble the identity of Forbidden Door rather than presenting a fully formed interpromotional event.

Here are the full match results

• Kenny Omega defeated Tony Nese
• Brodido defeated AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley and Daniel Garcia
• Mercedes Moné defeated Hazuki (Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament semifinal)
• AEW World Champion MJF, Andrade El Ídolo, Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher, TNT Champion Kevin Knight and Jake Doyle defeated Mark Briscoe, Darby Allin, AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita, AEW World Trios Champions Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong

Breakdowns & Reactions

MJF and the Don Callis Family Reveal Team DC MJF

Grade: B

Last night’s Dynamite opened with MJF surrounded by Don Callis and his increasingly unstable collection of talent. Callis revealed Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, Kazuchika Okada and Andrade El Ídolo as MJF’s partners for the Forbidden Door steel-cage match.

MJF complimented Knight while deliberately slighting Fletcher, immediately planting another small fracture inside the team. Andrade was even less interested in pretending everything was fine, questioning why he should help MJF when he wants the AEW World Championship himself.

The segment established that Team MJF possesses overwhelming individual talent but very little genuine loyalty. Unfortunately, MJF’s comments about Mark Briscoe’s late brother crossed from effective cruelty into material that felt needlessly exploitative. There are ways to make MJF despicable without repeatedly returning to the most painful real-life loss of Briscoe’s life.

What worked:

• Team MJF immediately felt powerful, dangerous and unstable.
• Andrade’s reluctance created a clear long-term conflict.
• MJF manipulating Knight and Fletcher added another internal layer.

What didn’t work:

• The reference to Jay Briscoe felt cheap rather than creative.
• Six heels connected primarily through Don Callis still feels assembled instead of unified.
• Jake Doyle remains the least-developed member of a major pay-per-view team.

Kenny Omega vs. Tony Nese and the Zack Sabre Jr. Confrontation

Grade: B-

Tony Nese attempted to catch Kenny Omega cold, but this was ultimately an efficient showcase designed to get Omega into the ring. Omega quickly took control, delivered the V-Trigger and finished Nese with the One-Winged Angel.

The real purpose came afterward when Zack Sabre Jr., Bad Dude Tito and Mikey Nicholls confronted Omega. The Young Bucks and Jack Perry emerged to support Kenny, but Omega rejected the possibility of outside interference and challenged Sabre to keep their Forbidden Door match one-on-one.

Omega against Sabre is one of the most naturally compelling matches AEW can present. It offers a genuine contrast between Omega’s explosive offense and Sabre’s ability to dismantle an opponent hold by hold. The confrontation was simple, direct and effective, although the actual match against Nese was too brief to become meaningful.

What worked:

• Omega looked sharp without wasting time.
• Sabre’s appearance gave Forbidden Door an authentic NJPW presence.
• The one-on-one agreement protected the match from unnecessary faction interference.
• The stylistic contrast between Omega and Sabre sells itself.

What didn’t work:

• Nese was treated as a disposable obstacle.
• The Young Bucks and Perry appearing added bodies the segment did not need.
• AEW waited late in the build to begin developing one of the card’s strongest matches.

Brodido vs. Jon Moxley and Daniel Garcia

Grade: A-

This was the best match on last night’s show.

Bandido and Garcia opened with a fast technical exchange before Brody King and Moxley turned the match into a fight. King absorbed Moxley’s strikes, Moxley attacked the eyes and face, and both teams gradually abandoned the feeling-out process for increasingly physical combinations.

The Death Riders isolated King after a floor attack and spike piledriver, creating a strong comeback for Bandido. Bandido’s ability to lift Moxley, Garcia and even Marina Shafir gave the match its biggest crowd reactions without completely breaking the contest’s competitive tone. Brodido eventually neutralized Moxley, allowing Bandido to pin Garcia with the 21-Plex.

The result protected the Continental champion while giving Bandido enough credibility to challenge him. Moxley later accepted, insisting that their Forbidden Door match take place under Continental rules with Brody King and the Death Riders removed from the equation.

The action was excellent, but Garcia taking another defeat reinforces the feeling that he is increasingly becoming the Death Riders’ designated fall guy. His aggression has improved, yet his position has not.

What worked:

• The match blended technical wrestling, physical striking and tag-team creativity.
• King and Moxley felt like natural opponents.
• Bandido’s hot tag brought the match to another level.
• Garcia and Bandido produced several crisp counters.
• The finish created a logical Continental Championship match.

What didn’t work:

• Garcia absorbing another loss continues to weaken him.
• Marina Shafir’s involvement briefly pushed the match toward unnecessary chaos.
• Bandido’s title challenge came together very quickly for a pay-per-view match.

Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada Attack Tomohiro Ishii

Grade: B-

Fletcher and Okada were shown standing over an injured Tomohiro Ishii backstage after attacking his neck. The assault removed a potential member of Mark Briscoe’s team while advancing their issues with Konosuke Takeshita.

It was concise and useful, although Ishii being sacrificed before the team reveal also highlighted the strange shortage of visible NJPW talent in a Forbidden Door build. AEW used one of New Japan’s recognizable veterans primarily as an injured body on the floor rather than as an active part of the event.

What worked:

• The attack made Fletcher and Okada feel calculating.
• Ishii’s removal created uncertainty surrounding Briscoe’s team.
• The segment advanced several connected rivalries at once.

What didn’t work:

• Ishii was reduced to a plot device.
• The attack happened backstage instead of becoming a memorable confrontation.
• Another NJPW representative was used to support an AEW-centered story.

Tommaso Ciampa Challenges Chris Jericho

Grade: B

Ciampa delivered a focused response to Chris Jericho, explaining that he once respected the world-traveled Lionheart and inaugural AEW World champion but despises the desperate version standing before him in 2026.

The strongest part of Ciampa’s promo was its clarity. He did not bury Jericho’s entire career or pretend Jericho had never mattered. He separated the wrestler he respected from the current personality he cannot tolerate. Jericho later invited Ciampa to meet him face-to-face on Collision.

The story remains uneven because Jericho’s current presentation often drifts into comedy and self-parody, but Ciampa gave the rivalry a more serious foundation.

What worked:

• Ciampa explained his hatred clearly.
• Jericho’s history was acknowledged rather than ignored.
• The Collision confrontation was established without overcomplication.

What didn’t work:

• The feud still lacks a major inciting incident.
• Ciampa is carrying most of the dramatic weight.
• Jericho’s current character makes it difficult to determine the intended tone.

Adam Copeland and Christian Cage Confront The Dogs

Grade: B

David Finlay and Clark Connors never received the opportunity to deliver their planned statement because Copeland and Christian attacked them from behind and fought them onto the stage.

Christian mocked The Dogs’ name before Copeland admitted that Finlay and Connors reminded him of a younger version of himself and Christian. That comparison gave the challenge more substance than a routine revenge match. The AEW World Tag Team champions then offered The Dogs a title opportunity at Forbidden Door.

The match is an appropriate use of NJPW talent and gives the champions a legitimate interpromotional defense. The problem is that The Dogs have only been appearing in fragments, meaning AEW has depended on video packages and attacks instead of fully establishing their personalities for viewers who do not regularly follow New Japan.

What worked:

• Copeland and Christian responded aggressively instead of waiting for another attack.
• The comparison to a younger E&C gave the rivalry meaning.
• The title match fits Forbidden Door’s original concept.
• Finlay and Connors bring a different style to the tag division.

What didn’t work:

• The Dogs still feel underdeveloped on AEW television.
• The match was officially assembled with limited time remaining.
• Christian’s comedy briefly undercut the intensity of the confrontation.

Starlight Kid and Thekla Exchange Messages

Grade: B

Starlight Kid promised to punish Thekla for disrespecting STARDOM and spitting on its logo. Thekla answered by dismissing Kid’s heroic reputation and promising to defeat her, remove her mask and humiliate her.

This was a promising continuation of their AEW Women’s World Championship program. Both women communicated a genuine philosophical difference: Starlight Kid views the championship match as defending STARDOM’s pride, while Thekla refuses to be defined by the promotion she left.

The issue is that AEW still has not dedicated enough live television time to making Kid feel like a major championship challenger. Video promos can support a rivalry, but they cannot replace physical interaction indefinitely.

What worked:

• The history between Thekla and STARDOM gave the feud substance.
• Thekla’s response was spiteful and character-driven.
• Starlight Kid represented a promotion rather than merely filling a challenger’s slot.

What didn’t work:

• Neither woman appeared live in front of the crowd.
• The rivalry needs a face-to-face confrontation.
• AEW is asking viewers to understand history it has only partially explained.

Mercedes Moné vs. Hazuki

Grade: A-

Hazuki gave Mercedes Moné her most difficult match since returning as the tournament’s Wild Card.

The match began with quick counters and pinning combinations before Moné slowed the pace and attacked Hazuki around the ropes and apron. Hazuki answered with three consecutive dives, a Codebreaker, a senton and a brainbuster that sent Moné rolling to safety.

The final stretch was excellent. Hazuki repeatedly escaped the Statement Maker and countered the Moné Maker, while Mercedes survived La Casita and eventually trapped both the arm and head to force the submission. Hazuki even drew blood from Moné, adding visible evidence that the favorite had been dragged into a fight.

Mercedes advancing was predictable from the moment she entered the tournament, but Hazuki made the result feel uncertain. That is the difference between an obvious outcome and an ineffective match. Hazuki lost without being diminished, while Moné now awaits Athena or Maya World in the final at Forbidden Door.

What worked:

• Hazuki wrestled like a legitimate threat.
• The escalating submission counters created genuine suspense.
• Moné sold the physical damage and desperation.
• STARDOM received meaningful in-ring representation.
• The clean submission gave Mercedes a decisive victory.

What didn’t work:

• Hazuki’s AEW introduction has been too brief for the loss to carry maximum weight.
• Mercedes becoming the immediate favorite made the result fairly predictable.
• AEW could have spent more time explaining Hazuki’s accomplishments before the match.

Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland Go Face-to-Face

Grade: A

This was the best segment of last night and arguably the first moment when the men’s Owen Hart Cup final felt bigger than another excellent match placed on a crowded card.

Swerve accused Ospreay of changing after beginning to train with the Death Riders. Ospreay admitted he had not forgiven Moxley’s group but accepted their help because the training improved his neck and ground game. He then turned the accusation around, asking why Swerve failed to help when the Death Riders destroyed him.

Their argument expanded beyond personal loyalty. Ospreay framed winning the tournament, challenging for the AEW World Championship at All In and competing at Wembley as the realization of a lifelong dream. Swerve responded that he was finished stepping aside for other people after watching previous sacrifices produce nothing.

The most important line was not an insult. It was Swerve reminding Ospreay that he has never beaten him. Their history created a competitive foundation beneath the anger. Once Swerve targeted Ospreay’s fragile neck verbally, Ospreay punched him and the confrontation became physical. Prince Nana introduced a chain before the Death Riders intervened.

The material was compelling, although Ospreay’s opening joke about his wedding night was crude and unnecessary. It delayed a segment that became significantly better once both men stopped trying to entertain themselves and started addressing each other seriously.

What worked:

• Both men had understandable motivations.
• Their shared history was used effectively.
• Swerve’s undefeated record against Ospreay added competitive stakes.
• Ospreay’s association with the Death Riders finally received direct scrutiny.
• The confrontation made the Owen final feel like a major match.

What didn’t work:

• Ospreay’s opening joke weakened the initial tone.
• The Death Riders’ intervention prevented the conflict from ending naturally.
• Ospreay training with the group that broke his neck still requires more explanation.
• Nana handing Swerve a chain escalated the situation too abruptly.

MJF’s Team vs. Mark Briscoe’s Team

Grade: B+

Mark Briscoe revealed Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, Konosuke Takeshita and Darby Allin as his partners. The lineup gave almost every participant a direct issue with someone on the opposing team, which helped the 12-man match avoid becoming completely random.

Tony Khan added a stipulation stating that anyone disqualified would also be removed from the Forbidden Door steel-cage match without replacement. It sounded meaningful, but AEW’s long-established tolerance for interference and chaos made the threat difficult to believe.

Once the match settled, it became an entertaining preview of the cage match. Kyle O’Reilly and Kyle Fletcher traded technique, Takeshita and Okada renewed their tension, Darby hunted Kevin Knight, and Briscoe repeatedly attempted to reach MJF.

The closing sequence was strong. Briscoe hit MJF with the Jay Driller and appeared to have the world champion beaten, but Don Callis distracted the referee. Strong tagged himself in and was immediately trapped in the Salt of the Earth.

Afterward, the heels overwhelmed Briscoe’s team. Andrade initially refused to help MJF until Callis pressured him, then held Briscoe in place for the Dynamite Diamond Ring shot. That moment kept Andrade’s dissatisfaction alive while leaving MJF standing tall at the end of last night’s show.

The match was fun, but presenting nearly the entire Forbidden Door cage lineup in a long free television match reduced some of the novelty. The steel cage and Briscoe’s title opportunity remain important differences, yet AEW gave viewers a substantial version of the pay-per-view attraction 11 days early.

What worked:

• Nearly every pairing advanced an existing rivalry.
• Takeshita’s dive was one of the match’s best moments.
• Briscoe visually pinned MJF before Callis interfered.
• MJF submitting Strong made the world champion look dangerous.
• Andrade’s hesitation remained an important thread.
• The post-match attack gave Briscoe’s team adversity to overcome.

What didn’t work:

• The disqualification stipulation never felt credible.
• Twelve wrestlers made portions of the match difficult to follow.
• The pay-per-view attraction was partially given away on television.
• Strong taking the loss was predictable.
• Briscoe’s team remains almost entirely composed of AEW wrestlers despite the event’s crossover identity.

The Forbidden Door Problem

Grade: C+

AEW made tangible progress last night. Zack Sabre Jr., Hazuki, Starlight Kid, David Finlay and Clark Connors were all involved in meaningful developments. The Omega-Sabre match and the tag-title defense against The Dogs both fit the Forbidden Door concept.

That still does not erase the larger issue.

CMLL’s presence remains minimal. Bandido is a CMLL-associated talent, but he is presented primarily as an established AEW and ROH wrestler. Persephone has already been eliminated from the Owen tournament, and there is still no major CMLL-centered rivalry driving the card.

STARDOM has Hazuki and Starlight Kid involved, but Hazuki is now eliminated and Kid’s championship program has largely unfolded through separate video messages. NJPW has Sabre, Okada, The Dogs and TMDK represented, although Okada has spent years as a full-time AEW wrestler and therefore does not make the show feel more international by himself.

Forbidden Door should feel like several wrestling worlds colliding. Instead, the current card feels like AEW stories supplemented by visiting names. The matches may still be excellent, but match quality alone cannot replace identity, representation and coherent promotion-versus-promotion stakes.

What worked:

• Omega against Sabre feels like a genuine international attraction.
• The Dogs challenging for AEW gold fits the event.
• Hazuki delivered a standout performance.
• Starlight Kid and Thekla have legitimate shared history.

What didn’t work:

• CMLL remains badly underrepresented.
• Too many international wrestlers have appeared only through videos or brief cameos.
• The steel-cage main event is overwhelmingly AEW-centered.
• Several crossover matches were finalized too late.
• The event still lacks the scale and unpredictability associated with its name.

Best Match and Segment of the Night

Best match: Brodido vs. Jon Moxley and Daniel Garcia

Mercedes Moné and Hazuki produced the stronger closing stretch, but Brodido against the Death Riders was the most complete match. It featured distinct personalities, logical tag-team structure, physical exchanges and a result that directly created a Forbidden Door championship match. Garcia taking the pin was unsurprising, but everything before it felt competitive and energetic.

Best segment: Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland go face-to-face

Once Ospreay moved beyond the unnecessary opening joke, this became an excellent confrontation built around loyalty, resentment, sacrifice and professional ambition. Swerve did not suddenly become irrational, and Ospreay was not presented as unquestionably correct. Both men exposed the other’s hypocrisy while explaining why winning the Owen Cup matters to them. That complexity gave Forbidden Door its strongest piece of storytelling.

Current Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Standings

Men’s tournament:

• Will Ospreay defeated Samoa Joe in the opening round.
• Will Ospreay defeated Mark Davis in the semifinal.
• Swerve Strickland defeated Bandido in the opening round.
• Swerve Strickland defeated Brody King in the semifinal.
• Will Ospreay will face Swerve Strickland in the final at Forbidden Door.
• The winner receives an AEW World Championship match at All In.

Women’s tournament:

• Mercedes Moné entered as the Wild Card and defeated Alex Windsor.
• Hazuki defeated CMLL Women’s World Champion Persephone.
• Mercedes Moné defeated Hazuki in the semifinal.
• Maya World advanced to the semifinal after defeating Skye Blue and Sareee.
• Athena advanced after defeating Mina Shirakawa.
• Athena will face Maya World in the remaining semifinal on Collision.
• Mercedes Moné will face the winner at Forbidden Door.
• The tournament winner receives an AEW Women’s World Championship match at All In.

Current AEW Forbidden Door Card

• Team DC MJF (AEW World Champion MJF, Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher, TNT Champion Kevin Knight, Andrade El Ídolo and Jake Doyle) vs. Team Briscoe (Mark Briscoe, Darby Allin, Konosuke Takeshita, AEW World Trios Champions Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong Steel-cage match. If Team Briscoe wins, Briscoe receives an AEW World Championship match)
• Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland (Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament final)
• Mercedes Moné vs. ROH Women’s World Champion Athena or Maya World (Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament final)
• Jon Moxley (c) vs ROH World Champion Bandido (AEW Continental Championship)
• Adam Copeland and Christian Cage (c) vs The Dogs (AEW World Tag Team Championship)
• Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
• Thekla (c) vs Starlight Kid (AEW Women’s World Championship)

What Was Announced for AEW Collision This Saturday

• ROH Women’s World Champion Athena will face Maya World (Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament semifinal)
• Chris Jericho and Tommaso Ciampa will meet face-to-face

Final Thoughts

Last night’s AEW Dynamite was an entertaining show with three meaningful strengths: Brodido and the Death Riders delivered an excellent tag match, Mercedes Moné and Hazuki elevated the women’s Owen tournament, and Ospreay and Swerve finally gave their final the emotional weight it needed.

Last night’s show also moved the Forbidden Door card forward more effectively than most of the previous build. Omega and Sabre became official, Bandido earned a Continental Championship opportunity, The Dogs received their tag-title match and both steel-cage teams were revealed.

Yet the episode could not hide AEW’s broader promotional failure. Forbidden Door is less than two weeks away, but CMLL remains nearly invisible, STARDOM’s involvement is limited and much of NJPW’s representation is concentrated in isolated matches rather than a show-wide invasion or collision of wrestling cultures.

Last night’s Dynamite succeeded as an episode of AEW television. It was less successful as the penultimate Dynamite before an event that is supposed to open wrestling’s most important international doors.

Overall show grade: B

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