International Star Michael Oku Wins Untelevised AEW Debut In Pre-Dynamite Dark Match

The August 21, 2024 episode of "AEW Dynamite" is a landmark moment in AEW history, as it marks the first time an episode of the company's flagship show will take place outside North America. Fans in Cardiff, Wales are the lucky ones to see all of the action unfold live, with the show airing on tape delay on TBS later today. What fans won't see on TBS is the dark match that took place before the taping, which featured the AEW debut of English star Michael Oku.

Oku is the current RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, and has even been linked to a full-time move to AEW in recent weeks, especially given his recent match with MJF on August 11, and his long-standing friendship with former rival and current AEW star Will Ospreay. The 31-year old arrived accompanied by Amira (who has also been linked to AEW as Oku's manager), as he went one-on-one with Serpentico, where after the masked man missed a diving foot stomp, Oku rolled through and locked in a single-leg Boston Crab and forced Serpentico to submit, much to the delight of the fans in attendance.

Despite the rumors of a potential AEW move, Oku is not currently booked for the taping of the August 24 "AEW Collision," which takes place immediately after the taping of "Dynamite" concludes, or the All In pay-per-view on August 25 at Wembley Stadium, but that doesn't mean he won't be busy this weekend. On August 23, he will defend his Riot Cabaret Championship against Mark Andrews and Nico Angelo at Riot Cabaret's All Singing, All Dancing event, before defending the RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship at the company's 12th Anniversary Show on August 24 against PROGRESS World Champion Luke Jacobs.