Composition for the first The Clockwork Carnage game is officially scheduledand eight AEW performers will put their bodies to the test at AEW WrestleDream 2026 to win the AEW World Championship. Will Osprey is set to defend his crown against Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, Samoa Joe, Speedball Mike Bailey, Ricochet, Darby Allyn and Adam Copeland, but the lineup has undergone a major shakeup in recent weeks.
During Ricochet’s tag team match with Ace Austin at AEW Collision last Wednesday, it was mentioned that “Switchblade” J.W. White was scheduled to wrestle Ricochet, and on the latest edition, “Wrestling Observer Radio,“Dave Meltzer reported that White was scheduled to attend the meeting and that his place would eventually go to Adam Copeland.
“Jay White was originally supposed to be in it but he got hurt and Adam Copeland wasn’t going to be in it but because Christian (Cage) got hurt they were supposed to be a tag team but because Christian got hurt they moved (Copeland). Brian Alvarez confirmed this report, noting that Copeland was, in fact, walked to replace White due to his injury. However, no one confirmed if Ricochet’s participation in the match also changed due to White’s injury.
Copeland announced Wednesday night that Christian Cage suffered three broken ribs and a collapsed lung at AEW All Out 2026; the same show when Spitak suffered his own injury. With Cage out for the foreseeable future, Copeland has stated that he wants to win the AEW World Championship before he retires, with 2027 being his last year as an in-ring performer.
Please credit Wrestling Observer Radio when using quotes from this article and give H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
