AEW Dynamite airs live tonight at 8pm ET on TBS and HBO Max from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
On most nights, Brody King pinning AEW World Champion MJF in under two minutes would dominate the conversation coming out of AEW Dynamite. Instead, Wednesday’s show in Las Vegas is being remembered far more for what happened before the opening bell than the shock result that followed.
As MJF stood in the ring awaiting the start of the match, the crowd erupted into a loud and sustained “F**k ICE” chant aimed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The chant immediately caught attention—not only because of its volume, but because it was allowed to continue uninterrupted until referee Bryce Remsburg finally rang the bell.
It turns out that delay wasn’t accidental.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Remsburg responded on X to a viral clip of the moment, jokingly acknowledging his role in letting the chant breathe. “It seems like the referee may have waited to ring the bell so these could resonate longer?” Remsburg wrote. “Oh no. Whoops.”
Remsburg wasn’t the only one who appeared to step back and let the moment happen. On commentary, Tony Schiavone stopped speaking as the chant broke out, with Excalibur also staying silent until it ended. Notably, AEW made no visible effort to censor the profanity, which is often muted during live broadcasts when chants cross that line.
The chant itself reflects a broader wave of political protest that has recently surfaced within the wrestling world. ICE has faced heightened criticism following the reported deaths of two citizens in Minnesota involving ICE agents last month, and several wrestling personalities have used their platforms to speak out. WWE’s Becky Lynch previously made subtle comments aimed at the agency on social media, while former NXT General Manager Ava was far more direct in her criticism over the weekend.
Brody King, whose in-ring win was ultimately overshadowed, has been one of the most outspoken critics. He previously wore an “Abolish ICE” shirt during AEW Grand Slam: Mexico City and has helped raise funds for Minnesota families affected by ICE-related actions.
While King’s lightning-fast victory over MJF will still go down as a rare and surprising result, the night’s lasting image is the crowd-driven moment that AEW chose not to silence—adding another example of how wrestling crowds, and sometimes the performers themselves, continue to blur the line between the ring and real-world issues.
AEW referee Bryce Remsburg posted a follow up after receiving lot of attention:
“Will donate ALL proceeds from Cameos until 2/13 to Lancaster Neighbor Fund, who supports immigrants right in my city of welcome. Kindness onward.”
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Psalms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The AEW World Tag Team Championship bout on the January 28 episode of Dynamite was shaping up to be a big moment for Jake Doyle, but it appears the night took a rough turn far earlier than anyone expected. During the title match pitting FTR against Doyle and Mark Davis, Doyle seemingly suffered a serious injury that forced AEW to change course on the fly.
According to reports, the issue occurred after Doyle took a DDT on the ring apron. He was later heard telling Cash Wheeler that he believed he had torn his right biceps. From that point on, Doyle was quietly removed from the match and never returned, with FTR and Davis finishing things in short order. Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the crowd immediately sensed something was off, describing the arena as going silent as it became clear the situation was legitimate rather than storyline-driven.
Dave Meltzer added more context regarding what Doyle could be facing recovery-wise. If the injury doesn’t require surgery, a return in roughly four months is possible. However, if surgery is needed, the timetable could stretch to six or seven months, which would be a significant setback—especially given how early Doyle is in his AEW run. Meltzer also pointed out how unfortunate the timing is, calling AEW the biggest opportunity of Doyle’s career to date and noting how easy it can be to lose momentum on such a stacked roster after a long absence.
There is at least some optimism for Mark Davis in the meantime. Meltzer suggested Davis is still likely to appear on AEW programming, potentially aligned with The Don Callis Family, though perhaps not in the same featured role the team would have had if Doyle were healthy. For now, fans will have to wait and see just how serious Doyle’s injury is, but it’s an undeniably tough break for a talent who was just starting to gain traction on a major stage.
The “Psycho Killer” Tommaso Ciampa is officially All Elite.
Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite closed with a moment few fans expected so soon, as Ciampa made his surprise debut for the company and immediately set his sights on championship gold. The former WWE standout appeared moments after Mark Briscoe successfully defended the TNT Championship against El Clon, turning what seemed like a routine post-match segment into a major talking point.
After retaining the title, Briscoe grabbed a microphone and announced an open challenge for this weekend’s AEW Collision. That’s when the arena lights dropped. When they came back on, an unknown video graphic and theme music played, then Ciampa appeared on the entrance stage, drawing a loud reaction from the crowd. The two men locked eyes in a tense staredown in the ring, and it didn’t take long before AEW made it official — Ciampa vs. Briscoe for the TNT Championship is set for Saturday night’s AEW Collision.
The debut comes just days after Ciampa’s WWE departure became official. Earlier this week, his profile was quietly moved to WWE’s alumni section, ending an 11-year run with the company that began in 2015. While there had been speculation about where Ciampa might land next, AEW wasted no time positioning him as a serious player.
Ciampa leaves WWE with an impressive résumé. He is a two-time NXT Champion and held tag team gold multiple times alongside longtime rival-turned-partner Johnny Gargano as part of #DIY. Their run together defined an era of NXT, with Ciampa carving out a reputation as one of the brand’s most intense and compelling performers.
Now, Ciampa steps into a new environment with immediate momentum and a title opportunity waiting for him. Whether his AEW run becomes a short-term shockwave or the start of something long-term, his debut has already added another layer of intrigue to AEW’s ever-evolving roster — and Saturday’s Collision just became must-see television.
AEW Dynamite Live on TBS and HBO Max from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas
AEW Dynamite live on TBS and HBO Max from the Addition Arena in Orlando, FL.
AEW Dynamite ‘Maximum Carnage’ airs live tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, beginning at 8:00 pm ET.
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
An unfortunate situation appears to be developing for one of AEW’s most recognizable big men.
During AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash, Luchasaurus was seemingly written off television following a post-match angle tied to Ricochet’s successful National Championship defense. While the segment played out dramatically on screen, new information suggests the injury involved is very real.
According to Fightful Select, Luchasaurus is dealing with a legitimate shoulder injury and is expected to be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time. As of now, there’s no word on the exact nature of the injury or whether surgery will be required, but AEW officials are reportedly preparing for him to miss some action.
The warning signs appeared even before Wednesday’s Dynamite. Luchasaurus was only briefly involved during Jurassic Express’ match on the Zero Hour portion of Worlds End, where he was helped to the back by Bishop Kaun. He later returned with his shoulder heavily taped to finish the bout, raising early concerns about his condition.
On Dynamite, Luchasaurus accompanied Jack Perry to ringside for Perry’s National Championship challenge against Ricochet. After Perry came up short, Toa Liona targeted Luchasaurus at ringside, setting the stage for a more vicious attack moments later. Liona and Kaun ambushed him on the stage, with Liona placing part of the barricade onto Luchasaurus’ shoulder and smashing it with a steel chair. Even when security intervened, the damage continued, as Liona slammed one of the guards onto the barricade, crushing Luchasaurus’ arm underneath.
The angle served as a clear on-screen explanation for Luchasaurus’ absence moving forward, but behind the scenes, it appears AEW is dealing with a genuine injury concern. There’s no official timeline yet for his return, and updates will likely depend on further medical evaluation.
For now, fans may be seeing less of Jurassic Express as a unit, while AEW waits to see how serious Luchasaurus’ injury turns out to be.
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