AEW Dynamite visited Winnipeg, Manitoba on April 1, 2026, as the promotion built toward the Dynasty pay-per-view. The show featured a hot main event, a hometown return, and several matches that pushed ongoing feuds forward.
Main event: MJF defeats Mike Bailey
The main event saw AEW World Champion MJF face Canada’s Mike “Speedball” Bailey in a high-energy Eliminator match. MJF won after hitting a Tombstone piledriver on the apron and following with a Heatseeker for the pin.
The match served as a strong non-title bout in the build to Dynasty. Kenny Omega, the scheduled challenger at Dynasty, appeared on the show and was a focus of the segment before the match. Commentary and segments on the show also raised questions about Omega’s health after past diverticulitis, a topic used in storyline by MJF.
Women’s trios and title picture
The Triangle of Madness teamed with the Brawling Birds and Mina Shirakawa in a trios match. Jamie Hayter won the fall with a pin on Julia Hart. The bout pushed several names closer to the AEW Women’s World Championship picture.
Thekla and Mina Shirakawa showed strong chemistry in the match. The report noted that Shirakawa faced Thekla for the title on the March 25 episode of Dynamite, and another meeting between them at Dynasty remains possible. Alex Windsor and Jamie Hayter were mentioned as possible future contenders for Thekla’s title.
The show also acknowledged an off-screen angle: Toni Storm (“Timeless”) was attacked and may be out for a lengthy period. Commentary kept the focus light on that attack, likely to avoid overexposure of a serious injury angle so early in the year.
Feuds and returns: Ospreay, Moxley, Jericho, Omega
Will Ospreay continued a violent, high-risk series of interactions with The Death Riders and Jon Moxley. The Ospreay–Moxley storyline plays up two contrast styles: Ospreay’s athletic, risky offense and the ultraviolent approach of Moxley and his allies. Matches like Ospreay vs. Pac were praised as treats for fans and reminders of past indie rivalries.
Chris Jericho made a one-off hometown return in Winnipeg. He came to the ring, soaked in the crowd reaction and said simply, “I’m home.” Some felt the appearance was undercut by a lack of a longer promo or clear direction, since it was his only segment on the show.
Commentary and promos also leaned into Kenny Omega’s health history. MJF used Omega’s past diverticulitis as a storyline angle, suggesting Omega’s condition could be a factor at Dynasty. The handling of that subject drew mixed reactions from fans and writers.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| MJF | Defeated Mike Bailey (Tombstone on apron, Heatseeker) |
| Mike Bailey | Lost to MJF |
| Jamie Hayter | Pinned Julia Hart in trios match |
| Chris Jericho | Returned in Winnipeg; brief in-ring appearance |
The show kept things simple: big moments for major names, progress on several storylines, and an emphasis on building heat for Dynasty. Some segments landed better than others, but the episode delivered strong in-ring work and clear setup for the upcoming pay-per-view.
