Kevin Knight challenges Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship at Redemption on Sunday, and after watching him close out Wednesday’s Dynamite standing over a bloodied champion, Tommy Dreamer thinks the title is coming his way eventually regardless of the result.
Breaking down the go-home show on Busted Open After Dark, Dreamer said the finish did its job.
“That was one hell of a way to set up your Redemption main event. It really did work,” Dreamer said, adding that Knight “really does prove to be a formidable challenger for Kenny.”
Knight retained the TNT Championship over Darby Allin earlier in the night for a record 10th defense, then ended the show by cracking Omega with the TNT title during the post-match chaos and holding both belts over him as Omega bled.
“I do see Kevin Knight as your future AEW World Champion,” Dreamer said. “He has gotten so much swagger ever since he has turned heel, and he has quickly escalated up in the rankings, winning titles, betraying friends, doing something that is hard for a younger talent to do, get heat.”
Dreamer said drawing genuine heat is the hardest part of the job for someone with Knight’s tools.
“It’s harder for younger talents to do when you’re so good in the ring, because people just want to cheer for your cool move set,” Dreamer said. “But he just has different ways about him, talking in third person.”
He was also struck by how the belt shot landed.
“A springboard, or just a running, very well timed smash with the title into Kenny’s head, and at that moment, Kenny gets busted open,” Dreamer said. “Red means green still to this day. It’s a hell of a hit. A lot of times when people get hit with the belts, you always see them put their hands up. Why? Because you’re getting hit with sharp metal, and sometimes there’s jewels in it. And Kenny just took that thing.”
Dreamer also noted that Knight has started causing problems inside his own faction, pointing to the tense exchange he had with Kyle Fletcher after the TNT title match.
“Nobody seems to be happy right now in AEW, but it’s also because of all personal greed,” Dreamer said. “Don Callis does nothing to keep his family at bay. He’s kind of just gees up everybody and tells them what they want, but it is breaking down within the Don Callis family, and that’ll be interesting on the back end of Redemption, leading into All In.”
AEW Redemption takes place Sunday, July 26 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
