MARCH 30 · CHICAGO DYNASTY 2026

AEW Dynasty 2026
Casino Gauntlet Match

One entry every 90 seconds. A suit drawn from the deck. The last person standing earns a future AEW World Title shot — and a chance to become the next challenger.

Entrants

March 30

Dynasty Night

1 Shot

Title Opportunity

How the Casino Gauntlet Works

The Casino Gauntlet is one of AEW's signature match types, designed specifically for the Dynasty PPV. It combines elements of a battle royal with the tension of a gauntlet match — here's the format:

Entry Format

Competitors draw a playing card suit (♠ ♥ ♦ ♣) before the match. Each suit enters at a set interval — roughly 90 seconds between entrants — creating waves of fresh challengers.

Elimination Rules

Elimination occurs by pinfall, submission, or going over the top rope. Once eliminated, you cannot re-enter. The match continues until one competitor remains.

The Prize

The winner receives a future AEW World Championship match contract, redeemable at any time. This is often one of the most coveted prizes outside of the title itself.

Wildcard Joker

One entrant traditionally draws the Joker card — entering at an unexpected moment. AEW uses this as a surprise return slot, adding drama and unpredictability to the match's runtime.

Predicted Entrants

AEW has not officially announced every participant, but these names have been circling in the lead-up to Dynasty March 30:

Adam Page

Former AEW World Champion — returning from injury, desperate for title redemption

♠ Spades

Swerve Strickland

Reigning AEW World Champion before Moxley — wants another title shot

♥ Hearts

MJF

The Salt of the Earth — the most calculating entrant in any gauntlet match

♦ Diamonds

Chris Jericho

The Wizard — veteran cunning makes him dangerous at any number

♣ Clubs

Powerhouse Hobbs

Pure physical threat — dominant in any multi-person environment

♠ Spades

Claudio Castagnoli

Swiss Superman — power and technical ability, BCC wildcard

♥ Hearts

Orange Cassidy

AEW's most popular crowd-favourite — his title shots always mean something to fans

♦ Diamonds

??? (Joker Card)

The wildcard entry — could be a returning star or surprise debut to pop the Chicago crowd

🃏 Joker

Casino Gauntlet History at Dynasty

2023

Samoa Joe wins

Joe entered at number 6 and dominated the final stretch, eventually cashing in his title shot against MJF in spectacular fashion.

2024

Adam Page wins

Hangman entered as the Joker wildcard to a massive crowd reaction. His win set up a memorable AEW title programme and marked his return from absence.

2025

Swerve Strickland wins

Swerve's victory at Dynasty 2025 launched his path to the AEW World Title. The Chicago crowd was electric for every near-elimination in the final four.

Prediction: Who Wins?

The Casino Gauntlet winner often signals AEW's next major programme. Given Jon Moxley holds the title and the BCC is dominant, AEW needs a credible challenger outside that circle.

MJF is the most likely winner — he's been building toward a title shot all year and the Chicago crowd (MJF is a Chicago villain who the city loves to hate) would explode for him facing Moxley. His cunning makes it believable that he'd survive 8+ entrants through manipulation rather than brute force.

Dark horse: Adam Page. Hangman has unfinished business with Moxley going back years. A Page win sets up a deeply personal rivalry that AEW has teased but never fully delivered.

Predicted winner: MJF

40% probability