Jake Doyle and Mark Davis have placed themselves directly in the AEW World Tag Team Championship picture after a dominant victory over reigning champions The Young Bucks on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. The Don Callis Family representatives overwhelmed Matt and Nick Jackson from the opening moments, leaving the champions unable to mount meaningful offense and securing a future match for the titles.
The result was an emphatic statement from Davis and Doyle, who did not simply defeat the champions but dismantled them through a sustained attack that began almost immediately outside the ring. The Young Bucks entered Dynamite after a demanding title defense against Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight at AEW WrestleDream on Saturday, and Davis and Doyle exploited every sign that the brothers had not fully recovered from that battle.
For Matt and Nick Jackson, the defeat creates an immediate problem at the top of AEW’s tag division. They remain the AEW World Tag Team Champions, but the challengers now have a championship opportunity in hand after demonstrating that they can overpower and isolate the titleholders. Davis and Doyle’s performance also gave the Don Callis Family another major foothold in a division that has frequently been among AEW’s most competitive.
A Violent Start Outside the Ring
The Young Bucks were never allowed to establish their usual pace. Before Matt and Nick could build momentum or use the quick-strike tandem offense that has defined their success as a team, Davis and Doyle took the action to ringside. That decision proved decisive, as the challengers controlled the environment and prevented the champions from getting their footing.
For more background on this topic, read David Finlay Says AEW Pay Is ‘Way Better’ Than New Japan Money.
Davis and Doyle drove the Bucks into the ringside barricade and the steel steps, turning the opening stretch into an extended assault rather than a traditional exchange of wrestling sequences. The physical advantage of the Don Callis Family duo was evident throughout the match. Rather than allowing the champions room to regroup, they kept the pressure on and ensured neither Jackson brother could create separation.
Nick Jackson absorbed one of the most damaging moments of the contest when he was powerbombed off a table in the timekeeper’s area. The spot further reinforced the challengers’ strategy: keep the fight outside of the champions’ preferred rhythm, force them into a survival situation, and make a rapid comeback impossible.
That approach denied The Young Bucks any chance to turn the match into the kind of fast-moving contest in which they are especially dangerous. Matt and Nick are accustomed to using timing, speed, and coordinated attacks to shift bouts suddenly. On this night, however, Davis and Doyle controlled the tempo from start to finish.
Davis and Doyle Finish the Job
When the action returned to the ring, the challengers remained firmly in command. Mark Davis delivered back-to-back piledrivers to Matt Jackson, continuing the focused punishment that had defined the match. At the same time, Jake Doyle neutralized Nick Jackson with a bear hug, cutting off any possibility that Nick could break up the fall or come to his brother’s aid.
The combination left the champions vulnerable on both sides of the ring. With Matt battered by Davis and Nick trapped by Doyle, Davis and Doyle were able to score the pinfall and claim the win that earned them their future AEW World Tag Team Championship match.
It was a quick victory in terms of the competitive portion of the match, but it came after the challengers had methodically broken down the champions with their ringside attack. The result did not resemble a narrow upset or a victory created by a single opening. It was a complete shutout, with The Young Bucks unable to land any meaningful offense during the bout.
That distinction matters as AEW moves toward the eventual title match. Davis and Doyle will not enter as challengers who merely caught the champions on an off night with a surprise pin. They now have a clear blueprint for attacking Matt and Nick Jackson: deny them pace, divide their attention, and use their physicality to keep the brothers from operating as a unit.
The WrestleDream Factor
The timing of the match also cannot be separated from The Young Bucks’ recent championship defense at WrestleDream. Matt and Nick had defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight on Saturday, coming through what was described as a tough encounter before returning to action on Dynamite.
There is no indication that the WrestleDream match alone decided Wednesday’s outcome, and Davis and Doyle deserved credit for the ruthless execution of their plan. Still, the champions’ recent workload was an obvious factor in the story of the match. They entered against a fresh and aggressive opposing pair, while Davis and Doyle immediately targeted them with an attack that gave the champions no opportunity to settle in.
For titleholders, the burden of defending championships often extends beyond the match itself. Every successful defense can leave physical damage, and every challenger studies the conditions surrounding the champions’ next appearance. Davis and Doyle did exactly that on Dynamite, recognizing a chance to strike after WrestleDream and making the most of it.
The fact that the Bucks were beaten so comprehensively could force them to reassess their preparation before the title defense. Their usual experience and chemistry remain major advantages, but the loss showed how quickly those strengths can be diminished when opponents successfully turn a tag match into a physical ambush.
Another Important Win for the Don Callis Family
The victory carries significance beyond the immediate championship implications. Davis and Doyle represent the Don Callis Family, and their win over AEW’s tag champions gives the group a major accomplishment on Dynamite. A future title match now gives the faction a direct path toward adding the AEW World Tag Team Championships to its influence.
Davis’ role in the finish was especially important. The back-to-back piledrivers to Matt Jackson supplied the decisive in-ring damage, while Doyle’s bear hug on Nick ensured the champions could not rescue one another. Their ability to work simultaneously against both members of a celebrated team demonstrated the coordination that will be needed when the championships are at stake.
The Don Callis Family pairing also established a more punishing identity than the champions encountered at WrestleDream. Fletcher and Knight had challenged The Young Bucks in a hard-fought defense, while Davis and Doyle imposed themselves through heavy offense and control of the ringside area. The contrast makes the upcoming title opportunity particularly interesting, because the champions will need to prepare for a different kind of threat.
What Comes Next for the AEW World Tag Team Championships
AEW has not established a date for the championship match in the information available following Dynamite. What is clear is that Davis and Doyle have earned the right to challenge Matt and Nick Jackson, and they did so in a manner that should put the champions on notice.
The Young Bucks still hold the titles, and a future championship setting gives them the chance to respond after a night in which virtually nothing went their way. Championship matches often bring a different level of urgency, and the Bucks have built their reputation on adapting to elite opposition. But they will have to overcome the memory of being controlled from the first moments at ringside through the final pinfall.
Davis and Doyle, meanwhile, have every reason to enter the title match with confidence. They identified the champions’ vulnerabilities, kept them separated, and executed their offense with authority. Most importantly, they left Dynamite with the result they needed: a victory over the AEW World Tag Team Champions and a guaranteed opportunity to take the gold.
Wednesday’s opener therefore reshaped the immediate landscape of AEW’s tag division. The Young Bucks remain champions, but their next major challengers have already proven they can beat them. Jake Doyle and Mark Davis did not merely announce themselves as contenders. They made a forceful case that the AEW World Tag Team Championships could soon be headed to the Don Callis Family.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.