AEW Dynamite Highlights: MJF Forms Team for Forbidden Door, Omega Returns, and a 12-Man Steel-Cage Main Event

On a scorching Saturday night in Sugar Land, Texas, AEW’s flagship show Dynamite unfolded a series of high‑stakes bouts that set the stage for the upcoming Forbidden Door pay‑per‑view on June 28 at the SAP Center in San Jose. The episode, broadcast on TBS and streamed on HBO Max, began with a dramatic reveal that would place the AEW World Champion at the center of an inter‑promotion clash.

In a moment that felt almost cinematic, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) emerged from the ring alongside Don Callis to announce his roster for the Forbidden Door steel‑cage showdown. MJF’s squad—comprising himself, Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Doyle, Kazuchika Okada, and Andrade El Ídolo—was presented as the ultimate force that would challenge Mark Briscoe’s team. The announcement immediately positioned MJF as the linchpin of AEW’s narrative as the brand readies for a marquee event.

MJF’s first test came inside a 12‑man steel‑cage match against Briscoe’s roster, which featured Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, Konosuke Takeshita, and Darby Allin. The stipulation that a disqualification would strip a member from the upcoming Forbidden Door match added a strategic layer to the bout. During the chaos, Andrade’s hesitance was noted by commentators, but the match culminated in MJF securing victory via a submission finish on Roderick Strong, thereby ensuring his team’s place in the looming cage clash.

A brief but electrifying intermission saw Kenny Omega return to Dynamite for a short encounter with Tony Nese. Omega’s dominant performance—highlighted by a Snap Dragon suplex, a knee strike to the apron, and a One‑Winged Angel—served as a showcase of his renewed presence on the program and a reminder of his storied rivalry with Briscoe.

The tag‑team division received a spotlight when Bandido and Brody King, billed as Brodido, faced the Death Riders (Jon Moxley and Daniel Garcia). Brodido’s aerial assault and a decisive 21‑plex on Garcia secured the win, cementing their status as top contenders in AEW’s tag‑team hierarchy.

In the women’s division, Mercedes Moné squared off against Hazuki in a semifinal of the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament. Moné’s victory came via the Statement Maker submission, marking her third loss to Hazuki in the tournament—a narrative thread that adds tension heading into future encounters.

The singles card highlighted a verbal sparring session between Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland. Strickland questioned Ospreay’s recent alignment with the Death Riders, setting up a psychological backdrop for Ospreay’s retention of his spot in the tournament.

Additional segments added texture to the episode. Tommaso Ciampa delivered a frustration‑laden promo targeting Chris Jericho, while Christian Cage and Adam Copeland exchanged a brief altercation with the Dogs—both scenes feeding ongoing storylines without culminating in a match.

The centerpiece of the night—the 12‑man steel‑cage match—served as a narrative fulcrum for the Forbidden Door build. Commentators highlighted the stipulation that a disqualification would remove a team member, a tactical element that could influence the outcome of the inter‑promotion bout. MJF’s triumph positioned him and his allies for a decisive role in the upcoming event, where the AEW World Champion would face Briscoe’s squad in a high‑octane cage confrontation.

Overall, the June 17 episode of Dynamite delivered a blend of marquee talent, storyline momentum, and a clear focus on the impending Forbidden Door pay‑per‑view. By reaffirming MJF’s prominence and outlining the stakes of the upcoming cage match, the broadcast reinforced AEW’s strategy of building audience engagement through inter‑promotion storytelling. While viewership figures were not disclosed, the episode’s content aligns with the promotion’s aim to sustain interest leading into a major event.