Rebel Heart was a professional wrestling television special co-produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and 1 Fall Wrestling (1FW). The event took place on September 9, 2026 at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia. The event aired live as a special episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite on TBS and HBO Max in the United States with additional matches airing on tape delay as episodes of 1FW TV in syndication and on MyAEW.
The event was named after, and dedicated to, the professional wrestler Rebel, following her having been diagnosed with ALS.
Production Background
In November 2025, Tanea Brooks, better known by her ring name Rebel, who had been absent from AEW programming since 2022, had been diagnosed with primary pulmonary lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lung cancer, following prolonged period of misdiagnosed symptoms initially treated as pneumonia.
On May 7, 2026, while undergoing treatment for her lymphoma, Brooks was also diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). On July 27, 2026 AEW announced that they would be presenting a television special titled Rebel Heart which would be held at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia on September 9, 2026 with the profits from the event being donated to I AM ALS, the leading organization dedicated to ending ALS and Team Gleason, an organization founded by former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason to provide equipment and care services to people living with ALS and others through advocacy, research, and support to bringing an end to the disease.
On the July 30, 2026 episode of Saturday Night Collision, The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) participated in an ice bucket challenge in which the stable were joined by the Detroit-based hip-hop group Insane Clown Posse and Rhino who assisted in dousing the trio. On July 31, 2026, AEW owner Tony Khan took the ice bucket challenge. On August 3, 2026, Harley Cameron, the Jurassic Express, and Anna Jay took the ice bucket challenge. On August 9, 2026, Jeff Jarrett took the ice bucket challenge. On August 10, 2026, RJ City took the ice bucket challenge.
On August 11, 2026, it was announced that 1 Fall Wrestling, an independent promotion owned by AEW wrestler QT Marshall, would be holding TV tapings in conjunction with the special.
Storylines Rebel Heart featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds and storylines. Storylines were produced on AEW's weekly television programs, Dynamite and Collision and 1FW's weekly syndicated television program 1FW TV.
Results
References