Swerve Strickland defeated Bandido to advance in the 2026 Owen Hart Cup at AEW Double or Nothing. 

Strickland and Bandido were facing off in the second of the Men’s Owen Hart Cup openers, with Will Ospreay previously defeating Samoa Joe to advance on his side of the bracket. The winner of the Owen Hart Cup will challenge the AEW World Champion at All In in August. 

The match itself kicked off with back-and-forth action from the “Most Wanted” and “Most Dangerous.” Soon enough, the action was taken to the outside with Bandido crashing Strickland into the barricades at ringside. 

He dumped him back in the ring but Strickland rolled out of the other side for breathing room, ultimately never getting some as Bandido followed him and delivered a superkick before setting him up on a chair. He then delivered a senton to the sat Strickland from the top rope. 

Once again he dumped Strickland back in the ring, driving him into the corner before Strickland sidestepped to send him crashing into the buckles. Strickland followed up with a release German suplex to send Bandido into the top buckle, targeting the neck and upper back in the middle of the ring. 

Bandido rallied with a Tornillo from the top rope, following up with a superkick and German suplex before going to the top rope to hit a frog splash, making the cover for a two-count. Strickland came back and hit a House Call while stood on the shoulders of Bandido, following up with a Swerve Stomp for a two-count. 

Bandido delivered a poisonrana to Strickland off the apron onto the floor. He followed up back in the ring with a 21-Plex to a prone Strickland, deadlifting him into it and bridging for the cover. Alas, the damage to the neck saw him collapse two seconds in and break the cover. 

He still managed to rally looking for another 21-Plex, getting caught this time by Strickland and receiving the Vertebreaker and a House Call for the winning pinfall.