AEW Dynamite: Spring Break Thru Review - April 15, 2026

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

AEW World Champion MJF and Darby Allin Went Face-to-Face

Allin already announced at Dynasty that he was cashing in his AEW World Championship opportunity on this show in his hometown, so MJF was the only one who was surprised. This was a strong segment to start the show as they were able to remind viewers of their history and make the main event more meaningful. Bryan Danielson, a fellow Washington native, also played his role really well.

Tommaso Ciampa def. Dezmond Xavier

Although Ciampa's booking has been questionable at times since he signed with AEW, he's largely been having an excellent run. As I've said before, I appreciated that he's splitting his time between Dynamite and Collision so he remains relevant. This was another really enjoyable outing from him and Xavier got to showcase his skills afterward. Ciampa made it clear afterward that he has his sights set on the AEW World Championship.

AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR and Stokley Addressed Adam Copeland and Christian Cage

Although this wasn't a memorable promo from FTR and Stokley at all, it was logical for them to boast about beating Copeland and Christian at Dynasty. The fact they spent an entire segment talking about it means the feud isn't over, which is the right call. I figured Copeland and Christian would interrupt them and get physical, but apparently not and I have no complaints.

AEW TNT Champion Kevin Knight def. Claudio Castagnoli

Knight is the perfect person to be holding the AEW TNT Championship right now if the idea is for him to defend the title fairly regularly and have fun matches. Granted, I didn't think Castagnoli was dethroning him here, but he's a notable name in his own right, so Knight received a credibility boost from beating him. This was an entertaining affair for the time it was allotted.

The Demand Attacked Jericho

It looks like Chris Jericho is going by just Jericho now. Yes, seriously. I'm sure this is part of some sort elaborate story that will lead to him turning heel, but the problem is, like a lot of what Jericho's done the last few years, it sucks. This was another segment with him and Ricochet that fell flat. I thoroughly enjoyed their outing at Dynasty, but I have no interest in this being a full-fledged feud.

Will Ospreay def. CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Hechicero (Non-Title)

I dig Hechicero's work, but there was virtually no chance of him winning here, especially after Ospreay lost to Jon Moxley at Dynasty. Despite that, they had a quality contest, though I don't know that this needed to last as long as it did. Mark Davis attacked Ospreay afterward, so I'm sure we'll get that match soon, possibly as soon as next week's Dynamite.

NJPW Strong Women's Champion Alex Windsor Challenged AEW Women's World Champion Thekla

When Windsor knocked off Marina Shafir on the Dynasty Zero Hour pre-show, I was wondering what was next for her and if she'd be thrown right back into the tag team mix. I'm shocked she'll actually be challenging Thekla for the AEW Women's World Championship, and it makes sense because Thekla just beat her tag team partner Jamie Hayter at Dynasty. This was quick, but it was effective.

AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale def. Kamille

When Kamille randomly returned on the Dynasty Zero Hour pre-show, I thought AEW would take their time building her back up and giving her some wins before going after Nightingale's AEW TBS Championship. Well, I was wrong. They had a decent match and told a solid story, but I'm disappointed Kamille was conquered so soon after her return. I don't even know what you do with her at this point, if anything.

Darby Allin def. MJF to Win the AEW World Championship

Holy shit! I've seen all the negative feedback online, and I understand where fans are coming from in calling this a squash and whatnot (I probably wouldn't have had Brody King squash MJF on Dynamite back in February in retrospect), but I thought this was really well done. Yes, I would have liked more of a match from them, especially since we know what they're capable of together, but I assume they're saving that for the expected rematch at Double or Nothing. This was a hot angle and an awesome moment for Allin in his hometown. Sting coming out to celebrate with him post-match was a nice touch.

Overall Show

The AEW World Championship changing hands at the end was obviously newsworthy, but even on the whole, this was a really good edition of Dynamite. We got some setup for future matches, two other title matches and storyline progression. It was a lively crowd throughout, too. I appreciate that Tony Khan is doing more to make Dynamite more must-see, even if not everyone is satisfied with every development.

SEE MORE: Dynamite Reviews