Tommaso Ciampa isn’t getting much time to enjoy his new championship. Just days after capturing the AEW National Title, he’s already being thrown into his first title defense against someone looking to bring the gold right back to the United Empire.
AEW has announced that Ciampa will defend the National Championship against “Speedball” Mike Bailey during the November 11, 2026, three-hour Dynamite and Collision special. The match comes after Ciampa defeated Andrade El Idolo to capture the championship during the November 7 episode of AEW Collision aboard Chris Jericho’s cruise.
Bailey isn’t challenging Ciampa for no reason. As a member of the United Empire, he wants to bring the championship back to his faction after watching his teammate Andrade lose the belt. AEW confirmed the match while explaining what’s at stake.
“After Ciampa won the title from Andrade El Idolo, the former champion’s teammate Speedball Bailey seeks to bring the belt back to the United Empire THIS WEDNESDAY!”
Ciampa’s championship victory came after a physical match against Andrade, with the former WWE Superstar finding a way to secure the pinfall and walk away with the gold. Bailey entered the ring afterward to check on Andrade, setting the stage for his own shot at the championship.
The November 11 episode will combine Dynamite and Collision into a three-hour broadcast from the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. With the National Championship match now confirmed, the updated lineup includes:
- AEW National Championship: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
- AEW World Champion Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher face-to-face
- Brodido (Bandido and Brody King) vs. The New Level (Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed)
- Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir vs. Jay White and Mercedes Moné
Ciampa’s reign is barely underway, and he’s already facing a challenger with a personal reason to take the championship away from him. Bailey has a chance to bring the gold back to the United Empire immediately, while Ciampa will be looking to prove that his victory over Andrade was only the beginning.
Do you think Tommaso Ciampa will successfully defend the AEW National Championship against Mike Bailey, or will the title return to the United Empire? Let us know your predictions and feedback in the comments below.
