Will Ospreay’s first title defense ended the way AEW had to hope it would for its new champion: with the AEW World Championship still around his waist. On Sept. 26, 2026, Ospreay defeated Jon Moxley at AEW All Out to retain the title and close out the latest chapter of his rivalry with The Death Riders.
The result mattered for more than just the belt. It was the clearest sign that Ospreay’s recent run has moved past the buildup and into the reality of being champion. He had already beaten Kenny Omega at All In to win the AEW World Championship, and Tony Khan chose Moxley as Ospreay’s first opponent ahead of AEW All Out.
What the win means
Ospreay’s victory also fits into the broader story of his connection to The Death Riders. He had been training in their dojo for months before the title match, and the All Out result gives him a clean break from that immediate rivalry. In practical terms, it also gives AEW a straightforward next step for its top title picture.
That next step may already be taking shape. In the post-event media scrum, Ospreay said he wanted Kazuchika Okada to challenge him for the title. That points directly to Grand Slam France on Oct. 6, where the match between Ospreay and Okada is set to take place.
For Ospreay, the sequence is simple: beat Kenny Omega to win the championship, defeat Jon Moxley in the first defense, then move toward Okada. It is the kind of progression that gives a champion momentum while also keeping the title scene moving quickly.
There was also some added symbolism to how this run has unfolded. Before All In, Moxley handed Ospreay the Union Jack before he entered Wembley Stadium, and that detail now sits inside a title run that has already produced one major defense. AEW now turns the page toward Grand Slam France, where Ospreay’s reign could face its next major test.
