AEW Fright Night Dynamite delivered a new champion, faction warfare, and some seriously good wrestling. Tim and Dug are checking the heat on a show that has them feeling pretty good about AEW's momentum!

Queen Aminata dethroned Persephone to become the NEW TBS Champion in an emotional main event. Was it the match of the night? The guys have different answers.

Meanwhile, the Death Riders and The Cut continue to beat the hell out of each other, with Anarchy in the Arena now on the horizon at Full Gear. Kyle Fletcher delivers another standout performance against Jack Perry before calling out AEW World Champion Will Ospreay. But where does Samoa Joe fit into the championship picture?

Plus:

• Tommaso Ciampa and Ilja Dragunov set the stage for a potentially brutal rivalry.
• FTR and the Motor City Machine Guns deliver another terrific tag team match.
• Darby Allin and Josh Alexander put on a wild TNT Championship battle.
• Marina Shafir and Mercedes Moné bring the heat as Claudio Castagnoli goes on a rampage.
• Dug fantasy books a Don Callis Family championship takeover.

And Tim manages to watch Dynamite AND the Brewers win the World Series. Priorities!

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• (00:00) - Ciampa vs. Dragunov cold open
• (00:20) - AEW Fright Night Dynamite review begins
• (01:37) - Checking the Heat: Hot, Mild & Mayo
• (07:34) - Death Riders vs. The Cut
• (10:48) - Women's Blood and Guts preview
• (11:03) - Jack Perry vs. Kyle Fletcher
• (14:19) - Fletcher, Ospreay & Samoa Joe's title ambitions
• (16:59) - Dean Malenko and the Blood and Guts promo
• (17:47) - New Level, Hangman, Brody King & Bandido
• (20:30) - Don Callis Family and FTR vs. Motor City Machine Guns
• (22:14) - Britt Baker and the TBS title build
• (22:49) - Tommaso Ciampa vs. Ilja Dragunov
• (25:58) - The Conglomeration
• (26:14) - Marina Shafir vs. Rachel Armstrong
• (27:29) - Mercedes Moné, Marina Shafir & Claudio Castagnoli
• (32:23) - Darby Allin vs. Josh Alexander — TNT Championship
• (34:38) - Steven Borden and Blood and Guts
• (35:20) - Queen Aminata vs. Persephone — TBS Championship
• (36:50) - Don Callis Family fantasy booking
• (39:10) - Final thoughts, Brewers celebration & Doich Foods

AEW came out swinging on the first Dynamite after WrestleDream, and Tim and Dug have plenty to say about it!

The Don Callis Family absolutely dominated, the Young Bucks got demolished, and Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight scored a massive victory over Will Ospreay and Adam Copeland. With Steven Borden back and Blood & Guts on the horizon, AEW is setting up some serious chaos.

Meanwhile, Swerve Strickland wants another piece of Hangman Adam Page, the Bang Bang Gang makes a shocking decision, and a potential Adam Copeland vs. Kazuchika Okada showdown has us intrigued.

Plus:

• Is the Swerve/Hangman feud running out of steam?
• The Dogs and Bang Bang Gang turn the Death Riders' world upside down.
• Marina Shafir steps up to Mercedes Moné.
• Queen Aminata gets her opportunity.
• Is the Chris Jericho/Nick Wayne story overstaying its welcome?
• Ilja Dragunov and Speedball Mike Bailey steal the show!

It's a Dynamite full of surprises, and a remarkable amount of enthusiasm from Dug.

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• (00:00) - Cold Open
• (00:13) - Welcome to Elite Heat!
• (01:21) - Heat Check: The Best and Worst of Dynamite
• (07:00) - The Young Bucks Get Demolished by Doyle & Davis
• (08:41) - Ospreay & Copeland vs. ProtoJet
• (11:15) - Steven Borden Returns for Blood & Guts
• (13:02) - Swerve Strickland Makes a Statement
• (14:37) - Orange Cassidy & Jay White vs. Garcia & Yuta
• (15:35) - Has Swerve vs. Hangman Gone Too Long?
• (24:24) - Nick Wayne's New Shirt and Pyro
• (25:01) - Marina Shafir Confronts Mercedes Moné
• (27:17) - Jon Moxley vs. Roderick Strong
• (28:41) - Bang Bang Gang Turns Against the Death Riders
• (33:29) - Women's Blood & Guts and Tag Team Chaos
• (35:06) - The Rascalz and AEW's Trios Division
• (36:58) - Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne: Is It Time to Move On?
• (39:02) - Queen Aminata vs. Maya World
• (43:39) - Don Callis Family Prepares for Blood & Guts
• (44:55) - Samoa Joe, The Opps and Jack Perry
• (46:26) - Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Ilja Dragunov
• (47:02) - Match of the Night and Dynamite Reactions
• (49:30) - Adam Copeland vs. Kazuchika Okada at Full Gear?
• (51:39) - Final Thoughts and Outro

AEW WrestleDream 2026 exceeded our expectations!

Tim and Dug break down a loaded WrestleDream card that earned an A from both hosts. From the debut of Clockwork Carnage to the arrival of Ilja Dragunov, AEW delivered an entertaining night that leaves some fascinating questions heading into Dynamite.

Will Ospreay survived Clockwork Carnage to retain the AEW World Championship, but is Adam Copeland about to turn heel and make a run at the title? We discuss what worked about AEW's newest match concept, what we'd change, and why it deserves another appearance.

Meanwhile, Tim picks the Young Bucks vs. ProtoJet as his Match of the Night, while Dug makes the case for Jon Moxley vs. Mark Davis and its powerful emotional storytelling.

Plus:

• Ilja Dragunov is All Elite! Could Tommaso Ciampa be his first rival?
• Hangman Page and Brodido shock New House to capture the Trios Championships.
• Mercedes Moné vs. Thekla delivers, even if Tim needed a nap.
• Motor City Machine Guns and FTR launch their best-of-five series.
• The TBS Championship four-way showcases AEW's emerging women's stars.
• Nick Wayne beats Chris Jericho, but where does the feud go from here?
• Andrade, Ciampa, and the pants.

And Tim's dog Kaia makes her presence known throughout the episode.

Support Elite Heat! Visit https://DoichFoods.com and use promo code ELITEHEAT at checkout to save 20%.

Find us at https://eliteheatpod.com Subscribe, like, review, and most importantly SHARE the show with your wrestling friends!

• (00:00) - Cold Open: Is a Heel Turn Coming?
• (00:10) - AEW WrestleDream 2026: First Reactions
• (02:04) - WrestleDream Heat Check: The Hot List
• (09:10) - Mild List: Squash Matches and the 12-Man Tag
• (14:21) - HBO Max Streaming Problems
• (15:38) - Tailgate Brawl: Divine Dominion, Wardlow and Jay White
• (18:38) - Motor City Machine Guns vs. FTR
• (19:28) - Mercedes Moné vs. Thekla
• (22:20) - Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne
• (24:17) - Young Bucks vs. ProtoJet: Match of the Night?
• (27:57) - TBS Championship Four-Way
• (33:14) - Andrade vs. Tommaso Ciampa: The Pants Return
• (40:25) - Ilja Dragunov Debuts! What's Next?
• (43:56) - Trios Championship: Brohangdo vs. New House
• (50:04) - Jon Moxley vs. Mark Davis: An Emotional Story
• (54:14) - Clockwork Carnage: What Worked and What Didn't
• (01:00:08) - Is Adam Copeland Turning Heel?
• (01:02:38) - Who Challenges Will Ospreay Next?
• (01:06:40) - Final WrestleDream Grades and Match of the Night
• (01:10:06) - Final Thoughts and Outro