All Elite Wrestling kicks off 2026 with a stacked episode of Dynamite, and the wrestling world is watching closely.
Tonight’s show from Tulsa, Oklahoma promises chaos, championship implications, and a rare Lights Out match that’s guaranteed to get violent.
With AEW World Champion MJF addressing a locker room full of challengers and Jon Moxley defending his Continental Championship status once again, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Plus, legendary commentator Jim Ross returns home to Oklahoma to call the action alongside the announce team.
Violence Without Limits: Lights Out Match Headliner
The main event delivers exactly what fans crave: no rules, no disqualifications, and pure brutality.
“Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland team up against HOOK and Powerhouse Hobbs of The Opps in a Lights Out encounter. This unsanctioned match type means anything goes, and given the bad blood between these competitors, restraint won’t be part of the equation.
Both Page and Strickland have their sights set on reclaiming the AEW World Championship from MJF, but first they need to settle scores with HOOK and Hobbs, who’ve repeatedly interfered with their championship aspirations.
Lights Out matches exist outside official AEW records, allowing wrestlers to push boundaries that regular matches won’t permit. Expect weapons, blood, and moments that’ll have social media buzzing for days.
Moxley Faces Another Dangerous Challenge
Jon Moxley’s reign as AEW Continental Champion continues to be a grueling gauntlet of elite competition.
Just one week after defeating Josh Alexander in a Continental Championship Eliminator, Moxley faces another formidable opponent: Shelton Benjamin of The Hurt Syndicate.
The stakes are crystal clear. If Benjamin defeats Moxley or survives the 20-minute time limit, he earns a shot at the Continental Championship itself.
Benjamin, a decorated veteran with decades of experience, confronted Moxley immediately after last week’s victory. The confidence wasn’t bravado—Benjamin possesses the technical skills and athletic prowess to genuinely threaten Moxley’s championship standing.
This marks the first singles encounter between these two competitors, adding an element of unpredictability. Moxley thrives under pressure, but his relentless schedule of Eliminator matches tests even his legendary durability.
MJF Addresses His Growing List of Challengers
The AEW World Champion has a lot of explaining to do.
MJF revealed his new “Triple B” last week during his second reign as champion, but that announcement was overshadowed by the parade of contenders demanding their shot at gold.
Kenny Omega wants a rematch after MJF defeated him in their only previous encounter back in October 2023. Meanwhile, former champions “Hangman” Adam Page, Swerve Strickland, and Samoa Joe have all vocally proclaimed their intentions to reclaim what they’ve previously held.
Adding to the chaos, Darby Allin, Brody King, and ROH World Champion Bandido all threw their names into the mix last week.
Bandido gets first priority, challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship at next week’s Maximum Carnage event. How MJF navigates this crowded field of contenders while preparing for Bandido will reveal much about his championship strategy.
Bandido’s Final Test Before Maximum Carnage
One week before the biggest match of his AEW career, Bandido faces a dangerous obstacle.
Sammy Guevara, one-half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions, wants to derail Bandido’s championship opportunity entirely. Guevara seeks revenge for his injured partner RUSH and believes defeating Bandido positions him for his own world title shot.
Last week, Bandido defeated The Beast Mortos as part of his momentum-building march toward Maximum Carnage. Tonight’s match against Guevara represents his final hurdle before facing MJF.
The timing creates maximum drama. An injury or devastating loss could compromise Bandido’s title match next week, giving Guevara enormous motivation to inflict serious damage.
Storm vs. Shafir: Philosophy Meets Violence
Two completely different approaches to wrestling collide when “Timeless” Toni Storm battles Marina Shafir.
Storm draws strength from love—particularly her partnership with Mina Shirakawa, her Timeless Love Bombs teammate. Shafir, nicknamed “The Problem,” claims love represents weakness inside the squared circle.
This ideological clash has fueled months of escalating tension between the competitors, and tonight they finally settle their differences one-on-one.
As a member of the Death Riders, Shafir brings a submission-based, brutal style designed to break opponents mentally and physically. Storm counters with theatrical flair and genuine in-ring excellence that’s earned her championship gold multiple times.
Additional Matches Round Out Loaded Card
The action doesn’t stop with the marquee matches.
“Jungle” Jack Perry teams with JetSpeed (Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight) to face The Demand (AEW National Champion Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kahn) in trios action. This grudge match stems from the brutal attack on Luchasaurus at New Year’s Smash and Ricochet’s involvement in the bounty placed on JetSpeed’s heads.
Perry and his partners want revenge, pure and simple.
Plus, Willow Nightingale celebrates her historic championship achievement. Last week, she defeated Mercedes Moné to become the first two-time TBS Champion and the first woman to simultaneously hold two AEW titles (she’s also one-half of the Women’s World Tag Team Champions).
Her celebration promises to be memorable, though in wrestling, celebrations rarely go uninterrupted.
How To Watch Tonight’s Dynamite
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on TBS and streams simultaneously on HBO Max.
With Jim Ross returning to call the action in his home state of Oklahoma, the presentation adds an extra layer of nostalgia and authenticity that only JR can deliver.
From championship eliminator stakes to unsanctioned violence to a locker room full of contenders circling MJF’s world title, tonight’s episode positions itself as essential viewing for wrestling fans.