DAPC Wrestling Roundup: Free-Agent Frenzy, a Fallen Goddess, and a Texas Death Match Turns Five
Welcome to the DAPC Wrestling news roundup for Tuesday, July 21, 2026 — seven stories worth your time across WWE, AEW, and AAA, my takes included. Let’s get into it.
1. Sheamus Set to Become a Free Agent October 1 (Plus New Day & MCMG Timelines)
Fightful Select reports that Sheamus remains under WWE contract but is set to become a free agent on October 1, 2026, closing out a 20-year run with the company (2006–2026) that included a reign as WWE World Champion. Two other notable acts hit the open market around the same window. The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who exited in early May, are working through the standard 90-day period most main-roster talent carry (they’re still paid and can talk to other promotions during it), which puts their availability around SummerSlam weekend, August 1–2. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) are reported to reach free agency this month (July), with AEW — riding real momentum lately — the widely rumored landing spot.
Source: Fightful • 411Mania • Global Force
The DAPC Take: I would expect all five of these men to join AEW in some capacity. The Motor City Machine Guns are heavily speculated to be at AEW Redemption in Montreal this weekend, and I doubt Kofi and Xavier are far behind them. Sheamus is the interesting one, he is a bit older with injury concerns, but AEW has proven that they can work well with older talent in the past and extend careers/give proper sendoffs. I am one of the many hoping for a reunion with Claudio Castagnoli.
2. Five Years Ago Today: Moxley vs. Lance Archer, Texas Death Match
Today marks five years since one of AEW’s nastiest brawls. On July 21, 2021, at Fyter Fest Night 2, Lance Archer defeated Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match to win the IWGP United States Championship. Archer put Moxley through barbed-wire-wrapped tables off the apron and left him tangled in the wire, unable to answer the 10-count. Forks, chairs, trash cans, exposed concrete — the works. Five years on, both men are still central AEW figures, which makes it a clean anniversary hook.
Source: AllEliteWrestling.com
The DAPC Take: This match stands out even among many great Dynamite main events. As a side note, how this was five years ago is beyond me. Where has the time gone?
3. Paige on Why AEW “Never Felt Like Home”
On the Nikki & Brie Show, Paige (Saraya) opened up about her AEW run (2022–2025), saying that despite a good experience, her heart wasn’t fully in it — and that it showed in the ring. She called herself “a WWE girl” at heart, noting WWE has been her home since she joined at 18, and summed up her loyalty with “I gave my neck for this company.” She left AEW on good terms and thanked Tony Khan, before returning to WWE and later holding the Women’s Tag Team Titles with Brie Bella.
Source: F4W/WON
The DAPC Take: It’s really a shame that it didn’t work out with Paige and AEW. When she was able to get cleared and came in to the company it seemed like a perfect fit, but it never really came together. Knowing her heart wasn’t in it finally makes that make sense. It is genuinely nice to know she is in a better place for herself, and I hope her WWE run goes great.
4. Updated SummerSlam 2026 Card (Minneapolis, Aug 1–2)
SummerSlam 2026 is a two-night show, August 1–2, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (I got into why WWE is betting on Minnesota). The announced card so far: CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship; Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship; Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky for the Women’s World Championship; Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi inside Hell in a Cell; Penta vs. Chad Gable for the Intercontinental Title; a ladder match for the interim WWE Women’s Championship (Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill among the entrants); and a six-man tag, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa & Royce Keys vs. Jacob Fatu & The Usos.
Source: WWE.com
The DAPC Take: I haven’t been fully up on what WWE has been doing, but this card isn’t so bad on paper (albeit the top of the card feels a bit stale). Here’s hoping they give the wrestlers time to put on a good performance and cut back on some of the insane amounts of ads.
5. Athena Is Now the Longest-Reigning Champion of the Modern Era
As of July 19, 2026, Athena’s ROH Women’s World Championship reign reached 1,317 days — one day past Roman Reigns’ 1,316-day Universal Championship run — making her the longest-reigning champion of the modern era. The “Fallen Goddess” has held the title since ROH Final Battle 2022, a run of more than three and a half years. She marked the milestone on social media: “Longest reigning champion of the modern era belongs to me and me only!! #ForeverROHChamp #FallenGoddess #AmericanJoshi.”
Source: Fightful
The DAPC Take: It’s cool to see that Athena is still a dominant champion, but at some point Tony has to get her up to the AEW roster, one would think.
6. AAA Update: Rey Mysterio’s Signing, a Vacant-Title Tournament, and Dom/Grande Americano
On the July 18 episode of AAA on FOX, GM Rey Mysterio welcomed Andrea Bazarte back to the promotion with a new contract. With El Hijo del Vikingo out after knee surgery, AAA launched a tournament to crown a new Latin American Champion, culminating in a four-way at Triplemaniá 34 (September 11–13); El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. took the first qualifying spot. Meanwhile AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano are teaming at Verano de Escándalo (July 25) — Dom openly acknowledging the two are on a collision course for Triplemaniá. (Worth watching given WWE’s ownership stake in AAA.)
Source: Wrestling Headlines
7. The Great Khali Confirms He’s Retired
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet (July 7, 2026), the Great Khali confirmed he’s retired, citing his bad knee: “Yeah, I retired… I can’t go full time,” though he left the door open for a one- or two-day WWE cameo if asked. The 2021 WWE Hall of Famer won the World Heavyweight Championship in a 20-man battle royal on July 17, 2007 — a near-anniversary of this news — before dropping it to Batista at Unforgiven that September. His last match was the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble.
Source: Men’s Journal via Yahoo Sports
More from DAPC Wrestling
- AEW Redemption Predictions: Ten Matches in Montreal, and We Want Your Picks — every match on Sunday’s card, with a pick on each one.
- DAPC Wrestling Roundup: Tickets Move, Bayley’s Clock Ticks, and Please Not Tom Brady — the follow-up on SummerSlam ticket sales.
- DAPC Wrestling Roundup: Tay Melo Walks, AEW Returns, and SummerSlam Takes Shape — the SummerSlam card nearly doubles in a night.
- AEW’s Best Number Since 2024 Has the Most Boring Explanation: It Got Good. — what a record Dynamite number actually proved.
