Kenny Omega’s Title Win Was Originally Planned for AEW Redemption, Main Event Now Up in the Air

Kenny Omega’s AEW World Championship victory over MJF on the July 8 episode of Dynamite may have been a surprise to fans, but it was apparently a surprise to the pay-per-view calendar as well. The match had originally been slated as the centerpiece of AEW Redemption, scheduled for Montreal on July 26 — complete with a significant stipulation: had Omega come up short, he would have been permanently banned from ever competing for the AEW World Championship again.

Instead, the bout was moved to weekly television. Dave Meltzer, who first reported the situation, indicated he believes MJF was the one who pushed for the change, though the specific reasoning was not made available to him. Regardless of whose idea it was, AEW President Tony Khan signed off on the decision — and, according to Meltzer, did so with confidence that Redemption would still have a main event capable of carrying a pay-per-view.

That confidence now raises the obvious question: what headlines Montreal?

Meltzer floated several possibilities. The most visually compelling scenario in recent weeks has been the brewing tension between Will Ospreay and MJF, which has generated notable fan reaction. However, Meltzer raised a concern that attaching a world title shot to that feud could hurt ticket momentum for AEW All In at Wembley Stadium — an event he suggested has not yet met internal sales expectations.

A rematch between Omega and MJF is another option on the table. There’s also the possibility that Omega could move to have the championship restrictions placed on Adam Page lifted, potentially clearing the path for Page to face MJF — a matchup Meltzer has long viewed as a natural fit for the Wembley show.

With Redemption just over two weeks away, AEW will need to move quickly to establish the top of the card. How the promotion fills that void — and whether it uses the opportunity to set the table for All In — will go a long way toward defining the next chapter of the AEW World Championship picture.