Nick Wayne has now done something few AEW competitors can claim: defeat Chris Jericho twice in successive high-profile encounters.
At AEW WrestleDream 2026, Wayne earned another victory over the veteran in a wild singles match that moved from an early Jericho assault into a frantic closing stretch full of counters, near falls and questionable tactics. The finish came after Jericho missed a Judas Effect, allowing Wayne to catch him in a roll-up and secure the pinfall.
The result follows Wayne's prior win over Jericho on the Grand Slam France edition of AEW Collision. Wayne had taken considerable pride in that breakthrough, but WrestleDream presented a new test: proving that the earlier result was not a one-off against one of AEW's most decorated and experienced names.
He did exactly that, although the road to the second win was anything but straightforward.
For more background on this topic, read Motor City Machine Guns Take 1-0 Lead Over FTR at AEW WrestleDream.
Jericho Controls the Opening Minutes
Jericho took command immediately and spent the opening phase of the contest punishing Wayne around ringside. He sent Wayne into the steel steps and then took the fight out into the crowd, establishing a physical advantage over his younger opponent before Wayne could build momentum.
Never one to pass up an opportunity to perform for the audience, Jericho also paused to enjoy his own handiwork. Mardi Gras beads became part of the spectacle, with Jericho handing some to Paul Wight at the commentary desk. He later grabbed a photographer's camera and used it to take a selfie, displaying the kind of confidence that can make Jericho especially dangerous when he has an opponent under control.
That confidence, however, also created an opening. Jericho went to continue his assault with punches from the corner, but Wayne shoved him off the top rope and sent him crashing to the floor. With Jericho down outside, Wayne capitalized with a moonsault, changing the tone of the match and giving himself a chance to finally dictate the action.
Wayne's control was meaningful but brief. Jericho soon recovered and answered with a big lariat after failing to connect with the Judas Effect. Jericho then avoided a kick and drilled Wayne with a Codebreaker, nearly ending the match in the process.
Wayne Keeps Finding Answers
The action continued to accelerate as the two exchanged strikes. Wayne was able to gain another opening with a running bulldog, but neither wrestler could sustain an advantage for long. Jericho lost his footing while attempting the Lionsault, an uncharacteristic miscue that prevented him from adding another major move to his offensive run.
Wayne looked to take advantage with a senton bomb, only for the attempt to go awry. Jericho quickly turned the tables again, using a crossbody to the outside to regain the upper hand and force Wayne to keep fighting from underneath.
That became one of the defining themes of the WrestleDream match. Jericho consistently used his experience, strength and familiarity with high-pressure situations to create openings. Wayne, meanwhile, had to keep surviving long enough to exploit the rare mistakes Jericho made.
Jericho appeared to be closing in on victory when Wayne attacked him in the corner and tried for an avalanche hurricanrana. Jericho stopped the move in mid-execution, catching Wayne and driving him down with a powerbomb. The impact earned Jericho a two-count, and he immediately transitioned into the Walls of Jericho after Wayne kicked out.
Wayne escaped the submission, a crucial moment considering the pressure Jericho had placed on him throughout the bout. Rather than remaining in the ring to absorb further punishment, Wayne rolled outside and reached for water. He then spat the water into Jericho's face, buying enough time to set up a Sliced Bread on the apron.
Back inside the ring, Wayne followed that sequence with a 450 Splash for another near fall. The young wrestler was now creating his own sustained offense, and Jericho was being forced to withstand the kind of rapid, aerial attack that Wayne is built to deliver.
Near Falls and a Chaotic Finish
Wayne then hit a modified Wayne's World, but Jericho kicked out at one. The emphatic kickout fired Jericho up, and he went right back to the Walls of Jericho. Wayne again escaped, but Jericho maintained his aggression by catapulting him into the corner after Wayne rolled free.
The match became especially chaotic when Wayne attempted a low blow. Jericho had prepared for that possibility by wearing a protective cup, which prevented Wayne's strike from having its intended effect. Jericho then used the cup as a weapon, beating Wayne down with it before referee Bryce Remsburg intervened and attempted to remove it from the equation.
Jericho used the distraction and confusion to deliver a low blow of his own. It was an opportunistic choice that fit the increasingly desperate nature of the match, but it ultimately helped set the stage for his loss.
With Wayne compromised, Jericho went for the Judas Effect. Instead of connecting with the signature back elbow, Jericho missed because Wayne fell over. It was an unexpected opening, but Wayne reacted instantly. He caught Jericho in a roll-up and held him down long enough to score the three-count.
The pinfall gave Wayne his second victory over Jericho, extending a noteworthy run against a wrestler whose career has been defined by championship success and major-event experience. The Grand Slam France result had already given Wayne an achievement he could celebrate. WrestleDream made it a trend.
A Major Statement for Nick Wayne
Wayne's WrestleDream victory was not a dominant win in which he overwhelmed Jericho from bell to bell. In fact, much of the contest showed the opposite. Jericho controlled the opening, repeatedly halted Wayne's momentum, survived Wayne's best aerial offense and came close on multiple occasions to forcing a submission or landing a match-ending strike.
That context makes the result all the more significant for Wayne. He endured being sent into the steel steps, battling through the crowd and being trapped in the Walls of Jericho more than once. He also had to survive a Codebreaker, a powerbomb from the ropes and a match that became increasingly unpredictable once the protective cup and low blows entered the picture.
Wayne was not able to put Jericho away with the 450 Splash or the modified Wayne's World. But he kept fighting, kept creating moments and, most importantly, remained alert when Jericho made the final error. Missing the Judas Effect gave Wayne a split-second opportunity, and the roll-up proved enough to settle a match in which a single opening could decide everything.
For Jericho, the defeat will stand as another painful missed chance against an opponent he appeared capable of defeating for long stretches. His early control, close near falls and ability to counter Wayne's offense all indicated that he had the contest within reach. Yet the veteran's decision to lean into the match's more chaotic elements did not lead to a win, and his final Judas Effect attempt left him exposed at precisely the wrong moment.
For Wayne, the message is much simpler. He beat Chris Jericho at Grand Slam France. Then he beat Chris Jericho again at WrestleDream 2026.
After a match filled with beads, cups, crowd brawling, submission escapes and a series of momentum swings, Nick Wayne left WrestleDream with the result that mattered most: another pinfall victory over Chris Jericho.
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.