Darby Allin Returns to AEW Dynamite, Attacking Kevin Knight After MJF Title Loss

Q: After her shocking upset, can underdog Maya World's tribute-fueled run overcome the formidable Athena?

Maya World can make this competitive, but Athena should remain the favorite. World has real momentum. In the news account, she entered as a late replacement for Sareee and upset Skye Blue, advancing with a smart counter and pinning combination. That result, combined with recent wins in ROH and a victory over Hazuki, shows this is not a fluke underdog story. The emotional element of wrestling in tribute to her late brother also gives her run added focus and crowd support. But the evidence still points to Athena as the tougher obstacle. The searched material confirms Athena is the ROH Women’s World Champion and had already advanced by defeating Mina Shirakawa. More importantly, Maya World’s prior history with Athena suggests how hard this matchup is: she previously survived Athena in a Proving Ground setting, but when they met for the ROH Women’s World Championship, Athena retained. That match reportedly required World to absorb major punishment, and Athena still found a way to win, even amid controversy. So the path for World is clear but narrow. She likely needs to avoid a power-based fight, force counters and flash-pin situations, and capitalize on any opening before Athena can impose her experience and finishing offense. If the question is whether she can do it, the answer is yes in theory. If the question is what the evidence suggests, it suggests Athena’s track record, championship pedigree, and prior success against Maya World make the champion the more probable winner.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 13

Darby Allin resurfaced on AEW Dynamite by blindsiding Kevin Knight with a skateboard and a Coffin Drop after Knight opened the show calling out MJF.
Knight had mocked Allin’s failed bid to keep the AEW world title at Double or Nothing and was the wrestler who attacked Allin after that hair-vs.-title loss.
MJF’s title picture also shifted when Mark Briscoe beat Pac and secured a path to Forbidden Door: if Briscoe’s team wins a 12-man steel cage match, he gets a championship shot.
Forbidden Door’s Owen Hart men’s final was also set, with Swerve Strickland beating Brody King to face Will Ospreay on June 28.
Elsewhere, late replacement Maya World upset Skye Blue in the women’s Owen Hart tournament and advanced to a semifinal against Athena.