Add as a preferred source on Google Kenny Omega’s AEW World Championship win has sparked speculation that AEW moved up the title change to take some shine off CM Punk’s recent title win in WWE.
Punk defeated Sami Zayn on Monday Night RAW on July 6 in Chicago to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship. Just two days later, Omega beat MJF in the main event of AEW Dynamite Beach Break to begin his second reign with the company’s top title.
However, according to Fightful Select, this sequence wasn’t AEW’s response to what happened in WWE. Sources reiterated to Sean Ross Sapp that Omega’s win had been planned for months — well before Sami Zayn even won the world title at Night of Champions on June 27.
The match between Omega and MJF, in fact, had been part of AEW’s plans for well over three months. It was originally set to take place at Redemption, the pay-per-view scheduled for July 26 at Bell Centre in Montreal.
There was a talking point that AEW did their title change on TV to "steal thunder" from CM Punk's title win.
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) July 12, 2026
It was repeatedly reiterated to @SeanRossSapp that this wasn't the case, and Kenny Omega winning the AEW Championship from MJF had been planned for months.
The plan… pic.twitter.com/FiK9sy8ZGi
The move to television reportedly came about after a suggestion from MJF that Tony Khan signed off on. In other words, while the location of the match changed, the finish — with Omega walking away as the new champion — was already locked in before WWE’s recent title moves.
At Beach Break, Omega went into the match under the stipulation that he could never challenge for the AEW World Championship again if he lost. After Will Ospreay helped stop MJF from using the Dynamite Diamond Ring, Omega hit three V-Triggers and a One-Winged Angel for the win.
With the result, Omega will defend the title against Ospreay at AEW All In, which will take place at Wembley Stadium.