Protect Ya Neck | AEWeekly #213

Welcome to the #AEWeekly review discussion where PWM contributors reflect on the highlights of the last week in AEW. The eligibility week always includes the most recent episode of Dynamite and Collision, plus any social-media exclusives up until publication.

This week’s contributors are Abel [@loza3.bsky.social] covering Match of the Week and the week's MVP, Lauren [@sithwitch.bsky.social] exploring a key Story Beat, special guest Greyson [@greysonpeltier.bsky.social] talking about the Best Interview, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] discussing Moment of the Week, as well as editing and organizing it all.

 A page of links to prior installments may be found here: #AEWeekly

We'd love for this and any and all of our content to be the beginning of a conversation with our readers. To interact with any and all of our contributors please accept our invitation to join the Pro Wrestling Musings Community Discord. Then follow this link to the #AEWeekly Discord Thread.

Will Ospreay vs Pac

"...We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...."

by Abel.

Will Ospreay has returned and hit the ground running. This is only his second match back since his neck fusion surgery, yet Ospreay is already keeping pace with top talent in the ring. His latest opponent is Pac, one of the most polished, physical, and high-paced wrestlers in the world. It's a small miracle that Ospreay is back, let alone back so quickly. That makes the things he does in the ring post-surgery even more unbelievable. Pac and Ospreay share undeniable chemistry and a 'je ne sais quoi' that always produces a fantastic match. This is the third singles match between the two Englishmen, and Ospreay is now 2-0-1 against Pac (the time-limit draw occurring 7 years ago in RevPro.) Once again, AEW has brought us a PPV-quality match on weekly television. For these reasons, Will Ospreay vs Pac is our choice for match of the week.

​Every time Ospreay and Pac get in the ring, there is this sense of wonder. Your eyes and brain can't comprehend what is actually going on in the ring. There is so much power and aggression in their punches, as well as wonder in their jumps and flips. Pac and Ospreay’s style mesh so well, since, well, it's almost the same style of English wrestling – a mix of physical grappling and acrobatic lucha. The reason Ospreay and Pac work so well together, aesthetically and logistically, is that the counters are a huge part of the matches, and when they each know what the other is doing, it makes it so much more interesting. ​The match's dynamics are awe-inspiring. From the quick start to the fast, roll-up ending, and everything in between, Ospreay and Pac know how to control the pace and the crowd to perfectly put on a match that will have us begging for more.

​After what was a very angle / dialogue - heavy episode of Dynamite – with only a trios match before this – Ospreay and Pac had the stage set for them to blow the roof off the place with a match that was expected to be great. We didn't have to wait long for the match to get started as Pac immediately attacked the Aerial Assassin, going for his neck. It was only natural to make Ospreay the center of the story. There is no reason to overcomplicate things, so making Ospreays’s neck the body part that Pac aims for makes total sense.

​Pac’s Brutalizer used as the ultimate submission – due to Ospreay’s neck – was a great way to continue to thread the plot. This is no doubt something we will see at Dynasty, as Moxley will look to take advantage of his neck as well. However, the Brutalizer was Pac’s ultimate downfall. He kept going to the for it and went to the well one too many times, and Ospreay used it again on Pac for the pin, to win the match. As dismayed as Pac was, the mission was ultimately accomplished: he softened up Ospreay before his title match at Dynasty.

The match between Pac and Ospreay served its storytelling purpose and reminded us that even after neck fusion surgery, Ospreay can still compete with the best in the world. On the other side of the ring, Pac’s era of winning single titles is (probably) over, and his role will be more of a Death Rider's henchman. However, matches like that on Wednesday prove that the Englishman can still go with the best in the world. He will serve, wonderfully, as one of the Death Riders’ level bosses. If this match is any indication of how that will go, I think it's safe to say that Pac has job security not only within the Death Riders but also in AEW.

​The post-match angle was intriguing. Mox didn't want to pillmanize Ospreay again. Moxley wanted to send Ospreay a message for Dynasty. Moxley is always great, and when given a juicy angle to play with — such as this one — we really get to see Moxley flex his storytelling muscles as a “tweener”.

​Ospreay was given the opportunity to prove to the world that he still has it. No disrespect to Blake Christian, who is a fine wrestler, but he is no Pac. We, as the AEW faithful, needed to see with our own eyes that Will could still compete with the best in the world. And that is exactly what he did with Pac, one of the most athletic beings on the face of the Earth. Ospreay looks ready to take on Moxley, in what may well be the match of the night at Dynasty.

Kenny Omega & Speedball Mike Bailey

"AEW = Authentic Expression in Wrestling"

by Greyson.

It is undeniable that the past few months have shown significant growth in popularity for AEW. However, one could make an argument for more than one theory on what created this boom, and a kayfabe version of such a disagreement was the main subject of discourse at the contract signing on Dynamite for our Dynasty main event. On one hand, you have the current Men’s World Champion MJF – the consummate sports entertainer who was in the Netflix film Happy Gilmore 2 and has the attention of Hollywood and the press – showing how having a World Champion with mainstream appeal might be the key to that success. On the other hand, you have his challenger, AEW EVP and co-founder Kenny Omega asserting very plainly and poignantly that this booming audience is simply “here to watch the best wrestle.” I agree with Kenny. The very high-quality product, both in-ring and in terms of storytelling, sets AEW far apart from its competitors whose focus is solely on chasing mainstream appeal. And there is one aspect that AEW brings to that quality that especially sets them apart: authenticity.

I believe it’s time to expand the definition of the (relatively new) AEW tagline of “where the best wrestle,” in line with the broader conceptualization of an AEW champion as a leader outlined by Adam Page in his many championship-related feuds, as standing for “competition, creativity, compassion, passion and the human dignity with which we all treat each other,” and what Kenny himself declared in The Elite’s feud with the Blackpool Combat Club: "heart, passion, soul, friendship, love." Being the best is not just about in-ring ability, and being the best athlete and fighter. It’s not just about being entertaining. It includes (and, I would argue, requires) expressing oneself fully and authentically, which builds a strong bond with fans that brings them fervently behind you. It is also about the very ideal AEW was founded on from the early days of Being The Elite: a passion and drive to Change the World. 

Besides MJF's Hollywood forays, there's been another source of press attention for AEW: Brody King’s bold expression of his political stances in relation to immigration. This dates back to MS NOW’s Chris Hayes last year declaring him “one of America’s top professional wrestlers,” (which was quite prescient ahead of Brody's tag championship win with Bandido) after he wore an "Abolish ICE" shirt on the same Mexico City show where Adam Page cut a promo in Spanish about his respect for immigrant farm workers. Now with unmistakable “Fuck ICE” chants happening at AEW events regularly and going viral on social media, AEW has garnered coverage in outlets ranging from progressive-leaning local media like LA Taco … to CNN, NBC, and even high-minded publications like The Atlantic that many wouldn’t have imagined ever saying anything even vaguely positive about pro wrestling. This attention was not the product of a carefully curated public relations media tour, nor a contrived "social responsibility" campaign designed to self-consciously capitalize on shifting public opinion, but rather of the kind of free expression only possible in an alternative sports culture like that cultivated by AEW. 

Trios champion Speedball Mike Bailey has clearly shown himself to be the kind of leader who keeps the Adam Page ideal alive in his absence. Bailey came out to support Omega during the contract signing – preventing him from getting physical with MJF, which would have resulted in their match being called off. 

“Without Kenny Omega there is no AEW, and without AEW there is no MJF,” Bailey extolled: “respect is earned, and you need to respect that this man is a living legend,” counterbalancing the ever self-important MJF. Bailey then proceeds to call out MJF’s “ego and arrogance” and challenge MJF to a match that night, in his and Omega’s home country of Canada. After Omega concedes his own weaknesses due to his health, he returns MJF’s insults with his own rather personal insults, saying “I’d rather be missing my intestines than missing my balls.” MJF accepts the match, then proceeds to invoke nationalistic insults (as he has in the past), by calling Canada a “dump,” saying he is from “the only country that matters, the United States of America,” and returns yet again to his self-righteousness by calling himself an “American hero.”

Sadly, Bailey lost his match to MJF and hence did not secure a shot at the AEW Men’s World Championship for himself. However, Bailey’s actions did help preserve the title shot for his “Canadian comrade,” (as MJF would say) and that, in and of itself, is a win in my book. It is clear that AEW allows the best wrestlers to tell the best stories, and Omega and Bailey certainly did just that with their words on Wednesday.

Will Ospreay

"Use. Your. Head. Or you're gonna lose it..."

by Lauren.

Will Ospreay is currently about 75% less Golden Retriever than he was before getting his neck surgery. And as someone with chronic neck issues, I absolutely get it. Having a person you can target all of the anger, stress, exhaustion, and changed expectations that come along with injury and surgery recovery … would be nice, honestly. Will Ospreay has someone to blame, and he's come back looking to pay it back to Jon Moxley… with interest.

But first, he had to go through PAC, who attacked him on Dynamite while Ospreay was still on the ramp, targeting his neck with a brainbuster. Selling, or performing pain, is one of the ways that wrestlers control the crowd: showing how powerful an opponent is, or inspiring empathy, or giving the audience catharsis when the bad guy is hurt. Will Ospreay used this masterfully to re-establish his character.

Before he left for a neck fusion, Ospreay  had been pointing out how badly his neck was injured, to the extent that one of his arms was affected. Since coming back, he has both the x-rays and the surgical scar to act as visible reminders. Commentary – particularly from Bryan Danielson, who also famously suffered neck injuries that eventually caused his retirement – has driven the danger of the situation home at every opportunity.

Ospreay's own reputation adds an additional layer for those who are familiar with him. As one of the newest AEW signers, David Finlay, once tweeted: “You are the dumbest person I know, and I know Ospreay.” He is aware of this history, and leveraged it for comedy back when he and Swerve beat the Young Bucks and then emphatically agreed that he absolutely should not be responsible for a wrestling company. (Amusingly enough, he has been working backstage for EVE: Riot Grrrls of Wrestling in the UK.)

Since returning, fans and critics alike have been joking and commenting about the possible lack of sense in immediately doing high-risk moves that could have potentially caused re-injury. Mox has called this out, during his condescending, gentle parenting promos towards Ospreay, treating him like a toddler who hasn't thought things through. After defeating PAC, after the Death Riders swarmed Ospreay and threatened to break his neck, as Ospreay lay senseless in the middle of the ring with his head through a folding chair, Mox paused the attack. “Did I put you here, or did you put you here?” He went on to tell Ospreay, “Next time? Use. Your. Head,” in exactly the same tone as so many parents dealing with the aftermath of a small child's poor decisions.

Naturally, this made no difference. Ospreay ran out after Mox's match on Collision to double down, making yet another questionable decision: challenging Mox to a No Holds Barred match at AEW Dynasty. Ospreay, with his anger and pain and broken neck, versus Mox in a type of match that Mox excels at, one in which causing the opponent as much pain and damage as possible is the whole point.

While not exactly the same, papers have been written about people living with chronic pain who participate in BDSM, particularly painplay. The chance to experience pain in a controlled way is a common response among masochists with chronic pain. Edge-play, the desire to do things more physically painful and dangerous, was reported at a higher rate among those with chronic pain, and what is a death match if not platonic edge-play? Pain can make people do extreme things in an effort to stop or control it. And, for Ospreay, there is also the catharsis of returning that pain quite literally to the person who inflicted it.

Will Ospreay may have more courage than sense, but he also has the talent to back him up, the ability to fight through pain, and 20 minutes with Mox and any number of weapons. It may not be smart, but it's going to be good!

(Jungle) Jack Perry

"The Rule of Three..."

by Sergei.

Wrestling has always made for strange bedfellows – last month's deadly enemy may become this month's uneasy ally against a common enemy. But there have been few turns as extreme as Jack Perry joining Brody King to come to the aid of Darby Allin this past week. Brody and Darby had been longtime foes, but as Perry poignantly (and repeatedly) phrased it during the three men's backstage conversation on Collision: "he tried to set me on fire!" This was my Moment of the Week because it made me laugh, and I could just stop there, but… at risk of being that guy (who overexplains the joke) let's talk a little about what made that a funny and memorable moment…

One aspect is Perry turning directly to the camera to seem to address the television audience. On a typical fictional show, this move would be referred to as "breaking the 4th wall" – the imaginary wall between the performers and the audience. But since pro wrestling is a faux live sports broadcast – since the characters knowing that they are on television is fundamental to the premise – they can't break a fourth wall that's already demolished… technically. There are situations where it seems "normal" for characters to speak straight into the camera: like a reality-TV style confession booth or a backstage promo like Copeland's Interview of the Last Week. And yet, they don't usually turn to the camera in the midst of speaking to each other. When they do that, it gives a funny little emphasis: "hey, I want you – yes, you sitting at home – to really think about this for one second."

Another aspect that gave it extra impact is the writing and comedy concept of "the rule of three." This works in different ways in different contexts. Comedic or not, giving three examples almost always works best: two could be coincidence, four is beating a dead horse, where three establishes a pattern. Or in comedy writing specifically, you'll often repeat something three times, with a twist that lands the joke on the last repeat.

But Jack Perry is doing something a little different: if there is usually a twist on the last repeat, the biggest twist is no twist at all. Emphasizing that no twist is needed – the original statement is already twisted enough: "he tried to SET ME ON FIRE."

lol

Will Ospreay 

"ELEVATED"

by Abel.

AEW television in 2026 has been defined by a bold strategy: Tony Khan and creative consistently single out one performer, giving them repeated opportunities on live television to elevate their character. Those showcased use this spotlight to build a storyline or, in this case, hype the upcoming pay-per-view. Two weeks ago, Speedball staked his claim as a main eventer. Last week, Kenny Omega reminded everyone he remains the best in the world, building up his world title match against MJF. This week, it's hard to imagine anyone else but Will Ospreay as AEW's MVP. Not only did he prove he remains dominant in the ring—despite what critics may say—but also demonstrated he can drive an engaging storyline outside it.

​However, unlike the last two MVPs, Ospreay did it on two different shows, Dynamite and Collision. He appeared on both weekly shows — sure, it helps that they were filmed on the same night — but the point got across: Will Ospreay is here not only for revenge, but also for the Continental title. The one possession in Jon Moxley’s life that he truly cares about (in kayfabe). Besides the world title picture, this had been the most exciting match for Dynasty and the most consistent in terms of TV time.

Ospreay didn't stop there. His influence was worldwide last week, as he also made an appearance in New Japan Pro Wrestling, trying to recruit his former United Empire running mates for help against Moxley and the Death Riders. So this story has now gone international, just in time for Dynasty, and to see his old friend, Callum Newman, crowned the new NJPW champion. 

​Ospreay’s two different attacks on Moxley– on two different shows– make their rivalry a two-way feud, as Moxley saw it as business. Obviously, Ospreay does not see it that way. But not only that, it made it seem like the most important thing on AEW television last week, making sure to drive home the point that Ospreay is looking for blood, the Continental champions were just the tool to get the closest to Moxley to try and beat the brakes off him. This continues to destroy the narrative that AEW, or Ospreay, can't tell stories. It's quite the opposite, actually.

​These weeks, which are centered on one particular talent and their story, have been very consistent and very good for Tony Khan and the highlighted talent — especially for those with World Championship aspirations. We know some guys can do it already – Omega, Hangman, MJF – but when you are trying to build new world champions, runs like these help build the profile, and while we know that Ospreay has IT in the ring, this past week, he proves he has it outside of the ring as well – if he hadn't proved it already. Ospreay works well as the pissed-off babyface, and his justified rage is a welcome sight to the AEW fan.

​All of Ospreay's hijinks have raised the stakes for his match against Moxley. That means his mission was accomplished, and it was well done. There wasn't much to add to this matchup. Much was already set up back at Forbidden Door 2025, when Moxley and the Death Riders left Ospreay (in Kayfabe) with a possible career-ending injury. This was always going to be personal for Ospreay. Moxley would care no more or no less than before.

​This will be unlike anything either man has ever faced. Believe it or not, this is only the second singles match between the two, and the first since their first-ever match-up in NJPW all the way back in 2022, where Moxley beat Ospreay. This time around, both competitors have matured and advanced a level as professional wrestlers.

​Ospreay will eventually become an AEW World Champion. It's inevitable. However, these sorts of build-ups, where he has to go through some of AEW's finest, are essential to building not only a lasting champion but a believable one. Moxley has become the ultimate kingmaker in AEW – see Hangman – and if Ospreay is going to reach the heights he can, he has to step over Moxley first. This week has proven that he is ready to do so.