Championship reigns and heel turn (2025–present)
In April 2025, at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru, Joe, Shibata, and Powerhouse Hobbs (substituting for an injured Hook) defeated the Death Riders for the AEW World Trios Championship. [7] The next night at Collision: Spring BreakThru, Joe inducted Hobbs as a member of The Opps. [8] On May 14 at Dynamite: Beach Break, Joe unsuccessfully challenged Death Riders leader Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship in a steel cage match. [9] On May 25 at Double or Nothing, The Opps teamed with Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, and Willow Nightingale to defeat the Death Riders and The Young Bucks in an Anarchy in the Arena match. [10] On July 12 at All In: Texas, The Opps successfully defended the AEW World Trios Championship against the Death Riders and Gabe Kidd. [11] After the match, Joe was attacked by the Death Riders and stretchered off; the angle was used to allow Joe to go on hiatus to promote season two of Twisted Metal. [12] Joe returned the following month, with the Opps successfully defending the AEW World Trios Championship against Bullet Club War Dogs at Forbidden Door: London. [13] At All Out in September 2025, Joe and Hobbs defeated the WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry and JD Drake). [14] In the same month, Hook returned from injury but departed The Opps. [15]
On the October 1, 2025 episode of Dynamite, Joe and Hobbs teamed with AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page to defeat the Death Riders. Following the match, an argument broke out between Joe and Page, leading Page to challenge Joe to a match for Page's World Championship at WrestleDream later that month. [16] After Page defeated Joe at WrestleDream, Joe and the rest of the Opps turned heel and attacked Page, [17] leading to a rematch at Full Gear on November 22, 2025, [18] where Joe defeated Page in a steel cage match with the assistance of Hook, winning the AEW World Championship for a second time. [19] On December 27 at Worlds End, Joe defended the AEW World Championship against Page, MJF, and Swerve Strickland in a four-way match; MJF pinned him to win the title, ending his second reign after 35 days. [20]
On January 14, 2026 taping of Collision: Maximum Carnage, the Opps lost the trios titles to Page and JetSpeed (Kevin Knight and "Speedball" Mike Bailey), which aired on tape delay on January 17, ending their reign at 273 days (276 days as recognized by AEW due to the tape delay). [21] [22] This would also be Hobbs' last appearance in AEW and as a member of The Opps due to his AEW contract expiring on January 15. [23] On the February 7 episode of Collision , Hook announced that he would temporarily take leadership of The Opps due to Joe suffering an undisclosed injury. [24]
