Penelope Ford’s apparent injury during AEW Dynamite didn’t just raise concern for her health — it forced immediate changes behind the scenes that altered the course of the women’s tag team championship match.
Ford and Megan Bayne of MegaBad were challenging Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron, collectively known as The Babes of Wrath, for the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships on the February 25, 2026 episode of Dynamite. However, the match did not play out as originally planned after Ford was hurt during the bout.
According to Fightful Select, AEW officials were forced to call an audible mid-match once it became clear Ford could not continue. The company quickly pivoted to a disqualification finish involving Lena Kross, avoiding a situation where Bayne would have been left competing in an uneven two-on-one scenario.
“During Babes of Wrath vs. Megabad, Penelope Ford sustained an injury that took her out of the match. An audible was called during the match that Lena Kross would run in and cause a DQ, instead of leaving a match as a 2 on 1 where the heel in Bayne had to fight from underneath.”
Ford was evaluated during the commercial break and ultimately ruled out of continuing. The injury was serious enough that the rest of the match structure had to be adjusted in real time.
“During the commercial break, Penelope Ford was checked on and ruled out of the match. After Harley Cameron tagged out, she largely stayed out of the match as well.”
The report also confirmed that the finish was changed specifically to protect the flow of the show and cover for the unexpected injury. Plans for the original outcome were scrapped entirely.
“The audible was called mid-match from the back to help cover for the original plans. We’re working to find out who was originally supposed to win the match. The move caused some immediate adjustments on the show, but we haven’t heard of anything else drastic.”
Ford’s injury immediately became the top concern backstage, and her status remains uncertain as AEW evaluates the situation further. Ringside News will continue to keep you updated as information becomes available.
Do you think AEW handled the situation well with the last-minute audible, and how big of a loss would Penelope Ford be if she misses significant time? Share your thoughts and feedback.