Folks, just when you thought the wrestling world had settled into a nice, quiet groove, AEW Dynasty stirs the pot with a matchup that’s got more backstory than a soap opera. Roderick Strong, fresh off a win against Rocky Romero at “Battle of the Belts X,” is now set to defend his AEW International Title against none other than his longtime friend—and occasional frenemy—Kyle O’Reilly.
Here’s the scoop: After Strong clinched his Eliminator match, O’Reilly popped out to offer up some congrats, like any good pal would. These two have been tiptoeing around each other since O’Reilly’s return to AEW, given their shared history and the fact that they’ve both dipped their toes in the waters of Adam Cole’s Undisputed Kingdom. Remember, these guys have a friendship that’s been through more twists and turns than a mountain road, dating back over a decade in the wrestling world.
But here’s where the drama kicks in—just as O’Reilly was helping Romero back on his feet, Strong and his Undisputed Kingdom buddies decided it was the perfect time for a beat-down. O’Reilly, playing the hero, tried to break it up, only to catch a surprise knee strike from Strong. Talk about a friendship left in the dust!
With that explosive encounter, the stage was set. Dynasty announced that Strong would defend his title against O’Reilly, marking their first singles showdown in nearly a decade since their days locking horns on ROH’s Winter Warriors tour in 2015. These two aren’t strangers to championship gold either, having snagged the “NXT” Tag Team Championships back in their WWE days.
So, as we gear up for Dynasty, it’s clear we’re in for a clash that’s been brewing for years. Will old alliances hold or will it be every man for himself? One thing’s for sure, the AEW ring is about to get a whole lot hotter with these two veterans going head-to-head for the first time under the AEW banner. Grab your popcorn, folks—this one’s gonna be a barnburner.