The AEW International Championship is one of the promotion’s many championships and similarly to the TNT Championship, it is a secondary workhorse title. The championship was unveiled on the June 8th, 2022, episode of Dynamite and was originally named the AEW All-Atlantic Championship.
The initial concept of the title allowed it to be defended in other promotions around the world. However, after a few months, this concept was dropped and the title was given a new name. The rebranding of the All-Atlantic Championship to the International Championship coincided with cross-promotion for the upcoming Shazam: Fury of the Gods movie. Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of AEW, requested “something big” to cross-promote the new movie, and Tony Khan, the CEO of AEW, had the idea to “level up” the title.
Since the rebrand, the title became a mainstay of Dynamite. The title was regularly defended on AEW’s flagship show, which in turn increased its importance and saw it established as one of the promotion’s most respected championships.
Let’s take a look at every AEW International Champion so far…
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Notes |
| 1 | Pac | June 26th, 2022 | Forbidden Door | Chicago, IL | 1 | 108 | Defeated Clark Connors, Malakai Black, and Miro in a four-way tournament final to become the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion. |
| 2 | Orange Cassidy | October 12th, 2022 | Dynamite | Toronto, ON, Canada | 1 | 326 | The title was rebranded as the AEW International Championship on March 15th, 2023. |
| 3 | Jon Moxley | September 3rd, 2023 | All Out | Chicago, IL | 1 | 17 | |
| 4 | Rey Fenix | September 20th, 2023 | Dynamite: Grand Slam | Flushing, Queens, NY | 1 | 20 | |
| 5 | Orange Cassidy | October 10th, 2023 | Dynamite: Title Tuesday | Independence, MO | 2 | current |
1st AEW International Champion: PAC
- Number of reigns: 1
- Reign timeline: 06.26.2022 – 10.12.2022
- Reign days: 108
Following the introduction of the title it was announced that AEW’s top crop of international stars would compete in a tournament to become the inaugural champion. At the first-ever Forbidden Door pay-per-view the Bastard PAC conquered Malakai Black, Clark Connors and MIRO in the four-way tournament final to lift the new title.
Upon winning the championship PAC defended it in several promotions outside of the promotion. Successful defences in the UK’s Revolution Pro Wrestling and Ireland’s Over the Top Wrestling certainly lived up to the title’s premise but apart from those three overseas matches, the title hasn’t been defended outside of AEW since.
PAC was the ideal first champion for the innovative title. He was an international star who wrestled outside of AEW. However, the company changed course the title’s concept and dropped the exterior defences. Overall PAC made six title defences, the first three were outside of AEW while his final three were on US soil in an AEW ring.
After 108 days as champion PAC lost the title to Orange Cassidy on the October 10th, 2022 edition of Dynamite in Ontario, Canada.
2nd AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy
- Number of reigns: 2
- 1st Reign timeline: 10.12.2022 – 09.03.2023
- 1st Reign days: 326
- 2nd Reign timeline: 10.10.2023 – Current
- 2nd Reign days: current
In October 2022 Orange Cassidy defeated PAC for the All-Atlantic Championship. The win kickstarted his 326-day reign and saw him become the longest-reigning International Champion in AEW history.
Cassidy spent the best part of a year elevating the championship, defending it every week in increasingly tougher and tougher matches. Cassidy competed in a whopping 31 valiant defences of the championship, successfully fending off a diverse array of challengers becoming more and more broken down as a result but establishing himself as one of the company’s toughest performers.
Cassidy’s fortitude was put to the ultimate test when he clashed with AEW’s resident tough guy, Jon Moxley All Out 2023. Although he gave Moxley as good as he got, the wear and tear of his multiple defences took its toll and his historic title reign came to an end.
However, despite the rather poetic end of his run Cassidy wasn’t finished with the the title. After an unfortunate turn of events, Cassidy regained the championship on October 10th defeating Rey Fenix to become the only wrestler to have held the title twice.
3rd AEW International Champion: Jon Moxley
- Number of reigns: 1
- Reign timeline: 09.03.2023
- Reign days: 17
In a typically blood-soaked battle, Jon Moxley defeated Orange Cassidy to become the third International Champion in AEW history. Upon winning the title set out to continue the legacy set by Cassidy and be a fighting champion. After defending against AR Fox, Action Andretti, and Big Bill Mox was set for a match with Rey Fenix at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
At AEW Grand Slam, Moxley put his title on the line against Fenix in a controversial match that was marred by an injury to the champ, a seemingly botched finish, and an unplanned title switch. According to reports Mox suffered a concussion early on in the title bout, but it was at the close of the match that garnered the controversy.
Rey Fenix hit his Black Fire Driver finishing move on Moxley, but Moxley’s head was positioned too low, causing it to be driven into the canvas. The referee stopped counting the pin, even though Moxley didn’t kick out. Fenix hit the move again, and this time the pin was counted, making Fenix the new International Champion. After the match, it was reported that the finish was changed on the fly, as Moxley was originally scheduled to win.
4th AEW International Champion: Rey Fenix
- Number of reigns: 1
- Reign timeline: 09.03.2023
- Reign days: 20
Rey Fenix’s International Championship run shouldn’t have happened. When he faced Jon Moxley for the title at Grand Slam, the champion was not supposed to lose but due to an injury sustained during the match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, an audible was called to crown him as the new champion.
Upon winning the title, Fenix defended it twice before being scheduled to defend against former champion, Jon Moxley. Originally, there were plans for Moxley to regain the title in a rematch on the October 10th edition of Dynamite, but the leader of the BCC was still not cleared to compete. Cassidy was then inserted as a last-minute replacement and re-captured the championship ending Fenix’s 20-day run as champion.
According to Fightful Select, sources close to Fenix have revealed that the former champion is facing visa issues that will force him off of TV until further notice. The report concludes by confirming that Fenix was never set to be International Champion.