AEW Dynamite on February 18 featured a major return as a respected veteran re-emerged after months away from television, immediately stepping back into faction warfare.
The show opened with promos centered around the TBS Championship four-way, along with words from Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland.
However, the tone shifted backstage when Orange Cassidy addressed Roderick Strong’s recent turn on The Conglomeration. Cassidy made it clear the group would move forward — and he had backup on the way.
That backup turned out to be Tomohiro Ishii.
Tomohiro Ishii Returns to AEW Dynamite After Shoulder Injury Layoff
In a backstage segment with Renee Paquette, Cassidy revealed that “big Tomohiro Ishii” would replace Strong in his scheduled tag team match against Bullet Club War Dogs’ Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors. Later in the night, Ishii officially returned to AEW television, aligning once again with The Conglomeration.
Ishii had been sidelined since October 22, 2025, when he suffered a dislocated right shoulder during a match against PAC on AEW Collision in San Antonio. New Japan Pro-Wrestling confirmed the injury on Nov. 5, forcing him out of the World Tag League.
After a two-month recovery, he resumed in-ring competition at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 on Jan. 4, 2026.
Now back under the AEW lights, Ishii returns not just as a veteran presence but as the reigning NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. He is also set to defend that title against Boltin Oleg at NJPW New Beginning USA on February 27 in Trenton, New Jersey.
With The Conglomeration depleted due to injuries and Strong’s walkout, Ishii’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. When the Stone Pitbull steps in, things tend to get hard-hitting fast. The Bullet Club War Dogs may have just found themselves barking up the wrong tree.
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