In a defining moment on AEW Collision, Kyle Fletcher captured the TNT Championship in a brutal Chicago Street Fight against Dustin Rhodes, marking Fletcher’s first singles title in All Elite Wrestling and establishing him as a powerful force in AEW’s singles division.
The landscape of the TNT Title changed dramatically at All In: Texas on July 12, 2025, when Adam Cole was forced to vacate the championship due to injury. AEW responded with a high-stakes Fatal Four-Way Match, in which veteran icon Dustin Rhodes overcame three top contenders to win the vacant title—securing his first singles championship in AEW and delivering a career milestone more than five decades into his career.
Rhodes’ first successful defense came on the July 20 edition of AEW Collision against Lee Moriarty, the reigning ROH Pure Champion. Moriarty dissected Rhodes’ legs with a calculated offense, looking to force a submission, but the veteran managed to roll him up for a surprise win. It was a gritty and clever display of experience prevailing over youth, and it reminded AEW fans that Rhodes’ championship reign was more than just a sentimental story—it was earned.
This week’s title defense was Rhodes’ second since winning the belt, and it ultimately saw the torch passed to a hungry, determined, and now truly ascendant Kyle Fletcher.
Fletcher’s path to singles glory has been shaped by years of success, struggle, and self-reinvention. As one half of the celebrated tag team Aussie Open with Mark Davis, Fletcher dominated promotions such as NJPW and ROH, collecting the IWGP Tag Team, ROH World Tag Team, and NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships. Under the leadership of United Empire, Fletcher was a consistent standout, combining striking precision with agile ring generalship.
When Davis was sidelined in 2023 and again in 2024, Fletcher embraced the solo spotlight. His singles performances quickly turned heads, thanks to matches against stars like PAC, Orange Cassidy, and Daniel Garcia. The technical poise and high-impact aggression that defined his tag work translated seamlessly into one-on-one competition.
In 2025, Fletcher aligned with Don Callis, joining the sinister and calculated Don Callis Family. That alliance amplified his ruthless edge and provided the platform he needed to climb the AEW ranks. Now, as TNT Champion, Fletcher is positioned as one of the promotion’s most dangerous and well-rounded champions.
With this win, Fletcher enters the upper echelon of AEW’s mid-to-upper card, alongside current standouts like Daniel Garcia, Ricochet, Wheeler Yuta, Sammy Guevara, and others. All are legitimate threats to his reign and represent a generation hungry to define AEW’s future.
Meanwhile, Bandido and Powerhouse Hobbs, both of whom currently hold titles in AEW and ROH respectively, may also set their sights on the TNT Championship—especially if the belt’s prestige continues to rise under Fletcher’s reign.
As for Dustin Rhodes, his short but emotional run as TNT Champion was not just a tribute to his legacy but a testament to his enduring in-ring ability. At 56 years old, he proved he could still go with the very best. If this proves to be his final title reign, it was a meaningful and honorable chapter in a legendary story.
Kyle Fletcher didn’t just claim a title tonight—he claimed a legacy. From global tag team accolades to AEW singles gold, Fletcher’s evolution is now complete.
The Protostar has risen—and he’s lighting the way for the next era of AEW.
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