AEW Backstage Shake-Up: Why Swerve Didn’t Win, What’s Up With The Bucks, and Who’s Really Pulling the Strings

The end of AEW Dynasty had fans heated—and now we’re getting answers. After Jon Moxley retained the AEW World Title over Swerve Strickland in the main event, social media exploded with theories, rumors, and plenty of finger-pointing. But sources say there’s only one man behind the call: Tony Khan.

Despite whispers that Bryan Danielson had influence backstage, one source dismissed that idea to Fightful Select with a laugh: “If Bryan had that much pull, he’d probably have been champion himself last year.” In other words, Khan is still the final word on creative decisions, and Swerve’s loss was no exception.

As for The Young Bucks’ shocking return? Even some people in AEW didn’t know it was happening. While they’d been spotted backstage recently—like in California and at Christopher Daniels’ farewell match in Cincinnati—they left before showtime both times. One insider said they hadn’t heard “any real plans in motion,” while another noted that the groundwork had “been quietly laid for a while.”

When it came to Swerve, insiders confirmed there were never serious talks about giving him the AEW World Championship. The plan was always to extend Moxley’s title reign. “This was mapped out before he even got the belt,” said one AEW source.

And while fans may not agree with the booking, AEW execs are happy with the results. According to internal reports, Moxley’s reign is pulling in strong numbers—not just live, but DVR viewership too. The street fight with Adam Copeland was one of the biggest spikes in engagement all night.

Dynasty’s lineup also took a hit from some major injuries. Jay White’s rumored heel turn was scrapped after he got hurt, which may have changed plans for the show’s final moments. Add Orange Cassidy and Brian Cage to the list of last-minute injury outs, and AEW had to pivot fast behind the scenes.

At the end of the day, Moxley remains on top, The Bucks are back, and Swerve’s fans are still wondering what’s next for their guy.