Welcome to After 48 on GrapPro where we discuss an All Elite Wrestling pay per view two days after it aired. That way the hot takes cool down and we can think about it with a clear perspective. At least that’s the idea.
On Bluesky I gave this take about AEW Dynasty:
If you look at my predictions I didn’t do too well in knowing which way Tony Khan was going to go with a lot of matches. Ricochet beat Chris Jericho in his return. The Conglomeration won the Trios Championship from The Dogs. I don’t know if that was spurred by the injury of Gabe Kidd or the plan the whole time (likely latter) but it was pretty funny I thought Kyle O’Reilly would be the one Canadian who didn’t walk out with a win and instead he’s the only one. I went against my better judgment and went with Brody King winning the Casino Gauntlet over Kevin Knight (Brody wasn’t even in the match), was wrong on Cope and Cage winning the tag titles, and of course got Kenny Omega winning the title wrong.
But not being able to predict the winners doesn’t mean I disliked the pay per view. Far from it. It’s once again another great All Elite Wrestling pay per view. We still got three exceptional matches which could make best of lists at the end of the year. We got Thekla once again proving she’s the best wrestler in the women’s division.
I have a lot of questions for where AEW goes next with some of these choices which I’ll get to in more thoughts, but I think the main thing is that didn’t see this Dynasty as a moment of great change. I think we might have the first Dynasty which had Swerve Strickland winning the AEW Men’s World Championship and Willow Nightingale winning the TBS Championship in our heads to think this was the time to make a big early spring change and the past few years haven’t worked that way. Tony Khan saw this as a one month turnaround from Revolution and a set up to Double or Nothing. That’s fine.
Also, you can tell that Hades and Tears of the Kingdom are the most popular videogames for AEW wrestlers and staff from this show. Lot of Tears of the Kingdom vibes on the Dynasty imagery. Lot of Hades in the gear for the women.
Favourite Wrestling Match
Mark Davis versus Jack Perry (c) for the AEW National Championship
The moment this was announced I was excited for it. This is a perfect matchup of contrasting styles. Mark Davis is one of the best power wrestlers in the game, and while he doesn’t have the charisma or height of Mr. Brodie Lee, he absolutely fills his role as an agile big man who can work wrestlers of any size. He’s a gem on the roster and I’m glad he’s getting these moments even in defeat.
Jack Perry is having a nice little run since returning where the fans are back to accepting him the way they used to and I think he’s coming through in the performances. He was a phenomenal babyface in this match and didn’t have to work the Darby Allin or Orange Cassidy style come from behind. Perry instead worked his speed and cunning into the match as his advantages in order to beat Dunkzilla. I loved everything about this match and if Tony wants to just repeat it on TV sometime? I’m cool with it.
Best Wrestling Match
Young Bucks versus Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita
It’s either this or Darby versus Andrade and I decided to give this the edge. AEW really plays with fire when they have a Young Bucks match on the same pay per view as the AEW Men’s World Tag Team Champions and it’s not them. FTR versus Cope and Cage was a different match with different stakes but it also just wasn’t as good as this.
Okada and Takeshita worked together just long enough to make sense before both men’s egos and hatred for each other got the best of them. It was also a master class in showing two great singles workers can absolutely hang against the Bucks but you have to have some sort of bond if you want to finish the job. Hangman and Kenny Omega had it way back at Revolution 2020. Okada and Takeshita are only bonded by having a part of their paycheque taken by Don Callis.
I read some criticism on the finish being way too performative, that Konosuke Takeshita should have just walked out on Okada, but I think that defeats the point of it. Yeah, this is once again something Elite related with someone to the outside doing a big stare (Kenny to Ibushi, Bucks to Hangman, etc.) and it’s going to that well but I thought the crowd reaction exactly how they wanted. Sometimes a little theatrics is okay. If Takeshita just let go of the leg and walked off or even just wasn’t there to stop it? It would have felt like a missed moment.
This is probably the best tag team match of the year in 2026. Let’s see if it stays there all year.
More Thoughts After 48
Kenny Omega: I’m sorry Cleaner fans. I tried to will this. You tried to will this. It truly felt like the time to belt up Kenny Omega. It was now or potentially never. Now, of course you could do it down the road, but it’ll feel like a missed opportunity. This had everything going for it. Maxwell Jacob Friedman is basically out of babyface opponents after Darby Allin. Unless you have Andrade turn babyface and face him you’re out of contenders. Kenny Omega had plenty of heel opponents, from an MJF rematch to Swerve Strickland to having Kazuchika Okada challenge him thinking he could win the world title from him. You also could have had Kenny defend against someone in New Japan Pro Wrestling for Forbidden Door before getting to the inevitable match at All In London against Will Ospreay. The torch pass. Well, that’s not likely happening now. If it does? It just won’t be right.
Honestly I should have seen it coming with how it was an excellent program with MJF, well built up, with one exception: the gut. All of the diverticulitis talk. MJF pushed it hard and the announcers pushed it hard. Then, the Dynamite before Dynasty, we got Doc Sampson getting a segment to say Kenny is 100%. We get Kenny calling out commentary about it. They don’t do that unless Kenny has to lose and Max is feeling like it hurts his victory over Kenny if we’re once again talking about Kenny’s tummy. And then, of course, it works right into the finish! Kenny is holding his side again and Max is punching it with his diamond ring. It ends up part of the reason Kenny loses anyway. So Max not only doesn’t beat “The Cleaner” Kenny Omega but he took advantage of his weakness as well. Good win for Max. Doesn’t look good for Kenneth.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman: I saw people trying to say MJF is having his own REIGN OF TERROR and let me tell ya, MJF would love the fact you claim that. That’s why the 666 on his jack was with HHH’s old logo font. He wants you to hate him and hate it and find every reason to minimize it and claim it’s actually BAD FOR BUSINESS because that fuels him. It always gives his character the chip on his shoulder that never comes off. Once he drops the title he can talk about how he did all this great business and beat all these big stars but it didn’t matter because he was on a REIGN OF TERROR and never got the respect he deserved. You’re just fueling his next title run. Good job!
Of course, it’s not that. MJF is having a very good run and it has been well booked for the most part. That’s really the issue with Max. There’s always something holding it back from being clean. There’s always something a little messy about him. But I’d say it’s been a very good run overall. The problem is I didn’t see it lasting much longer after this. There is that match with Darby Allin tonight which people think MJF could lose. If he does? I wouldn’t be surprised.
Darby Allin: Darby defeated Andrade el Idolo is a really good match to become number one contender. I’ve been critical about Darby since his return at Y’All In Texas. First he was in a never ending feud with Death Riders which had him losing his first pay per view match back. Then he got hooked into a never ending feud with Gabe Kidd and The Dogs, which mercifully ended in the middle of March to free him. This freedom is so Darby could completely change gear and say no, he does want to become champion, and yes, it does mean something to him.
I wasn’t crazy about the feud with Andrade because it was all based on the Don Callis Family trying to stop Darby for MJF. It made little sense. Now that’s over (because it failed) and Darby can get his shot. If he wins? It’ll mean I was right to think Kenny could win due to MJF running out of contenders. It just was the wrong guy. I also see if Darby does beat Max? They run the rematch at Double or Nothing.
Andrade el Idolo: Great match and performance from him and I’m glad they are looking to turn him babyface. Andrade and Takeshita need to get out of the Don Callis Family at this point and provide some fresh babyface contenders. I think Andrade against MJF is a fresh feud they could run after Double or Nothing for Max.
Thekla: I can’t say enough good things about Thekla. She is by far the most consistent women’s wrestler on the roster, and honestly up there with the most consistent with the men. Her promos have been good and she’s making gold out of anyone she works. Jamie Hayter isn’t her original opponent, and it feels to me like Mercedes Moné could return as a babyface to face her at All In London. That would be a really big match, and one I think Thekla deserves for how good the run has been. A lot of people online like to slag on the AEW women’s division because it’s a popular thing to do, but if you don’t support the programs happening? Your criticism’s are pretty hollow.
Brawling Birds: Alex Windsor won but Jamie Hayter lost in the singles matches, but I don’t see AEW making it to All In London keeping them separate from Divine Dominion. Divine Dominion has to work two women with no wins in AEW on the pre-show as a title defence. They have to have these two teams face each other at Double or Nothing. You can do a rematch at All In London but the division can’t wait. You gotta put the two biggest teams against each other.
The Dogs: Poor Dogs. A one day title run? It’s frustrating, and not only that but they lose Gabe Kidd. So there’s no more Trios for them. It’s really too bad. I don’t know if they go tag team with David and Clark, or if they go singles. Singles could be interesting. Clark Connors versus Jack Perry? David Finlay versus Kenny Omega? Some options there.
Kyle O’Reilly: Congratulations KOR. Big win in Vancouver returning from injury. I don’t want to go too long here, but back when Kyle first came to Ring of Honor? I couldn’t stand him. His association with Davey Richards, Team Ambition, the fake MMA stuff? It was everything I hated in wrestling at the time. He eventually won me over in ReDragon and I became a big fan of him. I’ve been rooting for him ever since (I was even nice about him in NXT) and I’m glad he’s been able to return from all of his health scares and made it to the Trios championship. The Conglomeration isn’t Paragon, but I’m sure Adam Cole is still proud.
Jon Moxley: I was still holding hope on a Kenny Omega win but the moment Moxley retained the AEW Continental Championship I knew that meant he was still staying out of the main event picture. He’s kind of on his own island with the Continental and I think that’s intentional.
Will Ospreay: AEW did a good job setting up the redemption arc for Will Ospreay. He came back too early, he needs to heal up, and he needs to be less bull headed. His thirst for revenge against Mox was starting a war he wasn’t ready to finish. As Moxley said in the preview, he didn’t have to beat Will. Will was going to beat himself. Commentary pushed it that Ospreay bit more than he could chew. This to me sets up Ospreay making the climb of redemption. When he faced Adam Page in the Owen final he said it was Ascension versus Redemption. Now he’s going to try and be both.
Also, I’m not saying you have to love Ospreay’s style. You don’t. But stop trying to say it’s unrealistic. Nobody is real in pro wrestling. Almost every criticism I heard of Will in his match could have been put to Moxley as well (spamming Death Riders, no selling signatures, etc.) but Mox doesn’t do it with an athletic flourish so it’s all on Will. At least be fair.
Kevin Knight: AEW had been building up Kevin for weeks in singles matches, much to the detriment of his Trios teams. It was pretty clear he wanted to break out as a singles star more than a tag partner of JetSpeed or Trios champ. Knight is now TNT Champion and did it essentially over the downed body of his partner Speedball Mike Bailey. I don’t know if Bailey turns heel on him but I doubt he’s truly happy with how this all transpired.
Funny thought: what if Speedball joins Hurt Syndicate as their third member? That’ll get the fajitas sizzling.
Cope and Cage: Maybe they realized winning the tag titles in Vancouver was a little too on the nose. Maybe they felt they needed to do more to earn it. I’m not sure, but delaying this win was a surprise. I still think it’s happening and I wonder if the goal is to make it a three way with the Bucks. I don’t know if they do that at DON or All In London but it must be in the cards.
Ricochet: Great win by Ricochet. I actually hope they go back to The Demand in Trios and have them face The Conglomeration now that The Dogs are out of it.
Chris Jericho: Jericho’s choice to lose this match was a surprise but a welcome one. Jericho is establishing early he isn’t going to be a world beater on this run. He’s got a lot of options to go with going forward. It would be funny to see him take on David Finlay since I think David worked a similar style to Jericho when he was in NJPW. Jericho might need a partner if he’s fighting The Dogs. You can think about that one.
Konosuke Takeshita: It’s time for Take to leave the Don Callis Family. My guess is Don Callis tries to cancel the title match against Kazuchika Okada because Takeshita cost them the match. Would Kenny Omega help out his old friend?
Kazuchika Okada: The perfect pro wrestler. No notes.
Kamille: She was dressing like she’s trying to audition for Divine Dominion. Wear different gear. Wasn’t very convinced with her as an opponent for Willow but I guess they needed someone.
Road to Double or Nothing
It’s hard to start the road until we know what happens tonight.
Called Spring BreakThru, we are going right into a major AEW Men’s World Championship match between Darby Allin and Maxwell Jacob Friedman. It’s getting booked here instead of Double or Nothing because Darby wants to win in Everett, Washington where his career started.
I really feel like they are doing this tonight for a title change so the intrigue going into Double or Nothing is MJF as the challenger. Going with Darby instead of Kenny Omega has its positives and negatives. It’s frustrating we never get that big Kenny Omega babyface title reign, or rather they keep holding it off. But this is the company going with their in prime guys instead of someone about to enter their mid 40s. Should we not be happy about that? It’s tough, because Kenny Omega never getting that run would be a major miscalculation by the company.
But Darby is also someone who after planting the AEW flag on top of Mount Everest, it just feels right he gets to be champion at this point. It doesn’t have to be long. Hell, I hope it isn’t long. I hope it’s like his TNT Championship runs. I hope he’s a fighting champion burning at both ends of the candle.
Once we know how this shakes out we can figure out the rest of the road to Double or Nothing. There’s a lot feeling in place. Kazuchika Okada versus Konosuke Takeshita. Young Bucks possibly getting another tag title shot. Kevin Knight having to prove himself as TNT Champion and deal with Speedball Mike Bailey wanting a shot. The Conglomeration have multiple trios they can face and hopefully defend the title regularly. Brawling Birds have to be getting their title shot soon. I figure someone interrupts Jericho’s interview with Renee tonight.
We still don’t know when Hangman Adam Page returns to the company, and we haven’t seen Swerve Strickland in some time. Some big stars that need to get back into the rotation. We also have a lot of injured wrestlers likely to return soon like Jay White and Samoa Joe. Mark Briscoe likely gets back into the rotation as well.
As of course, we need Mercedes Moné back now that she’s beltless. There’s no better challenger for Thekla going forward.
Dynasty is always going to be in a tough spot with such a quick turnaround. Double or Nothing is going to get a lot more time to build up the stories. I think Dynasty ended up a strong foot forward in AEW’s 2026, but it didn’t end up the big shift we thought it could be. Or at least I thought it could be. We will have to look to Double or Nothing for that, which sets up the summer.
Last year we had Double or Nothing leading right into Y’All In Texas. This time, there’s Forbidden Door with All In London not until late August. We won’t get the Owen until likely after Double or Nothing, so a lot more time to build up the rest of the card before getting into the tournaments.
We didn’t get a new Men’s World Champion at Dynasty. Maybe tonight instead?
