Wrestling
AEW Dynamite preview: MJF targets All In advantage as Chris Jericho challenges for gold
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The road to AEW All In continues on Wednesday night as Dynamite heads to Las Vegas with MJF, Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley among the biggest names in action.
With All In at Wembley Stadium now less than three weeks away, the card is beginning to take shape and this week's Dynamite could have a major impact on what happens in London on August 30.
MJF will compete for a potentially crucial advantage in the Casino Gauntlet, while TNT Champion Kevin Knight puts his title on the line against Chris Jericho.
Two more first-round matches in the new Continental Challenge Cup will also take place, with Jon Moxley facing Jack Perry and Jay White renewing his rivalry with David Finlay.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of AEW Dynamite.
MJF targets huge All In advantage
MJF wasted little time making his intentions clear after making his return to AEW at Grand Slam: Mexico last week.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Komander and Tommaso Ciampa to secure the coveted No. 1 entry in the Casino Gauntlet at All In, only for MJF to make a surprise appearance following the match and attack Andrade.
MJF subsequently declared his intention to enter the Casino Gauntlet himself and now has the opportunity to secure the No. 2 position.
To do so, he must overcome two dangerous opponents on Dynamite.
MJF will face Nick Wayne and "Speedball" Mike Bailey in a three-way match, with the winner guaranteed to enter the All In Casino Gauntlet immediately after Andrade.
The stipulation makes this far more significant than a standard qualifying match. The Casino Gauntlet's staggered entry format means there is no guarantee every announced competitor will even enter the match before a winner is crowned, making one of the opening positions a potentially huge advantage.
For MJF, victory would ensure he is right at the heart of the action when the bell rings at Wembley.
Chris Jericho challenges Kevin Knight for TNT Championship
(AEW)
Chris Jericho has the chance to add another championship to his remarkable AEW résumé when he challenges Kevin Knight for the TNT Championship.
The match stems from events at Grand Slam: Mexico, where Jericho hit Knight with the Judas Effect during a trios match, helping Darby Allin secure the victory.
Allin subsequently challenged Knight to a Falls Count Anywhere TNT Championship match at All In, but the champion has another piece of business he wants to deal with first.
On Collision, Knight responded by offering Jericho a title opportunity in Las Vegas, pointing out that despite everything the inaugural AEW World Champion has achieved, Jericho has never held the TNT Championship.
That could change on Wednesday.
A Jericho victory would immediately throw the TNT Championship picture into uncertainty just weeks before Wembley, while Knight will be looking for revenge and another successful defence before turning his attention back towards Allin.
Jon Moxley and Jay White begin Continental Challenge Cup campaigns
Getty Images
The inaugural Continental Challenge Cup continues with two more first-round matches on Dynamite.
AEW introduced the 16-man single-elimination tournament ahead of All In, with the eventual winner set to leave Wembley with both the Continental Cup and the AEW Continental Championship.
Unlike a conventional tournament, there is no fixed bracket. The opening matches were determined through a blind draw, with the eight winners set to be drawn again for the quarter-finals. Outside interference is also prohibited under Continental Rules.
Three wrestlers have already booked their places in the last eight after Collision, with Claudio Castagnoli defeating Ace Austin, Orange Cassidy overcoming Matt Sydal and Eddie Kingston beating Jake Doyle.
On Dynamite, Jon Moxley begins his campaign against Jack Perry.
Moxley enters the tournament as Continental Champion, but the title itself has effectively been placed on the line through the competition, with whoever wins the Cup at Wembley becoming champion.
The pair already crossed paths on Collision when the Death Riders defeated Perry and the Bang Bang Gang in an eight-man tag match, adding another layer to their first-round meeting.
Elsewhere, Jay White faces David Finlay in a match loaded with history.
Finlay made his intentions clear on Collision, insisting he would be the man to eliminate White as the two former Bullet Club leaders prepare to meet again.
With a place in the quarter-finals on the line and the tournament final set for Wembley, both Continental Challenge Cup matches carry major consequences.
