Major star to return, Jon Moxley’s next challenger revealed? - 5 surprises Tony Khan could pull off on AEW Dynamite

The upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite is set to be a high-stakes affair. The show will deal with the fallout of the Wrestle Dynasty pay-per-view, an event that featured several prominent AEW stars.

After a groundbreaking return at Worlds End 2024, Kenny Omega will make an appearance on Dynamite this week. The Cleaner wrestled Gabe Kidd at Wrestle Dynasty this past Sunday and is now ready to shift his attention towards All Elite Wrestling.

Moreover, the show will feature a high-stakes Casino Gauntlet match. The winner of the contest will receive a guaranteed World Title shot on AEW Dynamite: Maximum Carnage.

From the return of a former International Champion to the revelation of a surprising challenger for Jon Moxley, Tony Khan could have many swerves in store for this week's Dynamite. In this article, let's look at five surprises Khan could pull off on Wednesday night.

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#5 Rey Fenix could make his return to AEW

During the latest episode of WWE RAW on Netflix, WWE aired another vignette to tease the arrival of Penta El Zero Miedo. Later in the night, Chad Gable asked Adam Pearce to find him the "best luchador" in the world for a one-on-one bout next week.

All signs point towards Penta being the individual who would answer Gable's challenge on RAW next week. WWE has done a great job in building hype around the debut of the former AEW star, and Tony Khan would be eager to counter Penta's debut with a surprise of his own.

The head booker of AEW could bring back Rey Fenix on the upcoming episode of Dynamite. The former AEW International Champion recently took to X/Twitter to criticize the Jacksonville-based promotion for not providing him with the required medical treatment for his injuries.

The 34-year-old star was rumored to leave for WWE alongside Penta El Zero Miedo, but Tony Khan reportedly decided to add injury time to his current deal with All Elite Wrestling. The talented luchador has not been featured on television in months, which has done no good to either party.

Khan could take a step towards improving his equation with Fenix by bringing him back on Dynamite this week. The former Death Triangle member could appear as one of the surprise entrants in the Casino Gauntlet match and leave the crowd stunned.

It will be the perfect scenario for the re-emergence of Rey Fenix, who would be frustrated about not being featured on television.

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#4 The Undisputed Kingdom could rescue Mark Briscoe from The Hurt Syndicate

Mark Briscoe will lock horns with Bobby Lashley on the latest episode of Dynamite. The tag team legend will have to deal with the numbers game in this contest, as Shelton Benjamin and MVP would leave no opportunity to inflict damage on him.

While Briscoe might not win this contest, he would be eager to make a statement against The All Mighty. If The Hurt Syndicate launches an assault on the 39-year-old star, Daniel Garcia will likely come to his aid against the heel faction.

If Garcia fails to fend off the villainous trio, we could see The Undisputed Kingdom coming to the rescue of the babyfaces. Kyle O'Reilly and Mark Briscoe were stablemates not too long ago, and The Violent Artist could save the Conglomeration member from The Hurt Syndicate.

Bobby Lashley would be agitated with the intervention of The Undisputed Kingdom, who also came to protect Swerve Strickland from Ricochet last week. The incident could compel The Hurt Syndicate to recruit The One and Only, while the Adam Cole-led faction could align with The Realest.

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#3 Ricochet could win the Casino Gauntlet match

The last few days have been quite eventful for Ricochet. At Worlds End 2024, The One and Only came up short against Kazuchika Okada in the semi-finals of the Continental Classic.

After the match, Swerve Strickland humiliated the former WWE star by instructing the Orlando crowd to throw toilet paper rolls at him. The Future of the Flight was justifiably infuriated with Swerve's actions, prompting him to launch a heinous assault on The Killshot on Dynamite.

Ricochet busted open Strickland with a pair of scissors and cemented his heel turn in the process. A few days later, The One and Only featured in the main event of Wrestle Dynasty 2025 against Zack Sabre Jr. Although he could not win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, the contest certainly elevated Ricochet's credibility.

The former WWE United States Champion could continue his hot run by winning the Casino Gauntlet match on this week's Dynamite. The Highlight of the Night could enter the contest late, and pick up a sneak victory to set up a match against Jon Moxley.

While he is unlikely to dethrone The Purveyor of Violence, battling an established star like Moxley would certainly boost The One and Only's momentum.

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#2 Maxwell Jacob Friedman could come face-to-face with Jon Moxley on AEW Dynamite

At Worlds End 2024, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) finally concluded his rivalry with Adam Cole. After the match, The Salt of the Earth cut a backstage promo, where he expressed his desire to reclaim the AEW World Championship.

The Devil specifically mentioned in his promo that he did not care about the future of All Elite Wrestling, and his sole intention was to get his hands on the World Title again. The upcoming episode of Dynamite could put MJF on a collision course with The Death Riders.

The 28-year-old star could cross paths with Jon Moxley, who has a storied history with the Long Island native. The two stars could have a war of words, where The Devil could remind Moxley how he ended his previous World Championship reign.

The segment could help set up a singles bout between the two stars down the line. The Death Riders could try to attack MJF during this segment, only for The Salt of the Earth to escape at the right time.

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#1 Kota Ibushi could make his return on the latest episode of AEW Dynamite

Kota Ibushi has been absent from AEW television since November 2023. The Golden Star has been active in other promotions in the past few months, but Tony Khan has seemingly refrained from bringing him back to the Jacksonville-based promotion.

The head booker of All Elite Wrestling might have been waiting for Kenny Omega to return to call back the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. In a recent interview with Tokyo Sports, The Best Bout Machine revealed that Ibushi was the only individual to support him during his year-long absence from the squared circle.

With Omega set to appear on Dynamite, he could bring the 42-year-old star along with him. The Cleaner needs a trustworthy ally for his feud against The Elite, and Ibushi perfectly fits that bill.

Fans would be delighted to witness the reunion of The Golden Lovers, who last teamed up with each other in November 2023.