The Young Bucks are no longer Executive Vice Presidents of All Elite Wrestling (at least, as far as kayfabe storytelling is concerned—in reality, they still hold those positions) after losing to Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland in their tag team match at AEW All In: Texas on July 12, 2025 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
How did this go down tonight, what led to this, and what could be on the horizon? Let's break it all down!
How We Got Here:
Both Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay have had issues with The Young Bucks going back months, particularly with Matthew and Nicholas Jackson supporting The Death Riders. Tensions eventually boiled over with a match between Ospreay and Strickland at Summer Blockbuster, but a strengthened alliance was forged after Ospreay sacrificed himself to take a hit for Strickland from a thumbtack-covered kick intended to strike Swerve.
Eventually, a challenge was put out against The Young Bucks for a tag team match at this show, where they would be stripped of their status as EVPs of All Elite Wrestling if they were to lose. With no benefit worth putting their powers at risk, The Young Bucks declined, until Ospreay had put out the alternative that if he and Strickland lost, they would be unable to challenge for the world title for one full year.
Match Details:
This was a back-and-forth affair, with a story about how The Young Bucks have been a tag team much longer and have that brotherly connection that would be too much for Ospreay and Strickland to overcome. However, the further the battle went on, the closer the bond grew between those two, and Ospreay's save of Strickland from a few weeks ago was even referenced in reverse today.
This was definitely a match to go back and check out if you missed it and you're a fan of near-falls, as these four traded blows and got the crowd to anticipate a three-count on numerous occasions. Ultimately, it was a dual House Call and Hidden Blade that put down The Young Bucks for good.
Personal Reactions & What Happens Next?:
This was easily my preferred outcome. Not only did I think it would be foolish to take two of the top babyfaces out of the mix for the world title scene for a full year, and I didn't want to see any kind of twist with Ospreay and Strickland turning on each other to reset that feud, I also have been long over the whole Young Bucks EVP storyline, too. I'm ready for that to end.
I think we'll see The Young Bucks disappear again for a while and not come back until the next phase of whatever happens with Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and others who are Elite-tangential. Meanwhile, Ospreay and Strickland will continue to have respect for each other, but will undoubtedly face each other at some point down the line as both do eventually want to win that top title.
What repercussions do you think will be felt coming out of this? How is this going to change the roster going forward? Was this the right call, or should the opposite result had taken place? Keep the discussion going!