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Kevin Knight Defeats Lio Rush On AEW Dynamite, Darby Allin Denied Title Shot

July 1, 2026 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
AEW Dynamite Kevin Knight 7-1-26 Image Credit: AEW

Kevin Knight retained his TNT Championship against Lio Rush on this week’s AEW Dynamite before shooting down a challenge from Darby Allin. Knight put his title on the line against the Blackheart on Wednesday night’s episode in about that went just under nine minutes. Rush’s bizarre antics kept Knight off kilter and the challenge got some good offense in, but Knight was able to get the win when Jake Doyle got involved for a second time.

Rush shoved Doyle into the ringpost after the Don Callis Family member pulled Knight to safety, but the distraction allowed Knight to take over and he picked up the win with a uranage slam.

After the match, Allin came out to the ring and demanded a TNT Championship match against Knight, threatening to continue his reign of terror on the champion until he got one. Knight nearly said yes before Don Callis took the mic and said Allin’s exploding trap at Forbidden Door was criminal and he would not get a TNT Championship match as long as Callis had a say. Allin told Knight that he had dug his own grave in response.

You can see highlights from the match below. Knight has held the TNT Championship for 81 days, having won the vacant title in a gauntlet match at AEW Double or Nothing on May 24th.