‘AEW: WrestleDream’ PPV Review

Welcome to this review of AEW’s brand new PPV, Wrestledream, which was broadcast live from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. We’ve got a pre-show AND the main pay-per-view to check out, so let’s get into the review!

ZERO HOUR

Match #1: Athena, Billie Starkz, Keith Lee & Satoshi Kojima def. Diamante, Lee Moriarty, Mercedes Martinez & Shane Taylor

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Athena ducked a kick from Diamante and then suplexed her. Athena and Billie Starkz hit tandem tope suicidas on Diamante and Martinez. Shane Taylor charged into Keith Lee but Lee barely budged. Lee took down Taylor with a hurracanrana. Taylor walloped Keith Lee with a cheap shop. Lee Moriarty tagged in, but Keith Lee hurled him across the ring and tagged in Kojima. Kojima lit up Lee Moriarty with rapid fire chops. Kojima spiked Moriarty with a DDT for a near fall. Athena rocked Lee Moriarty with the O-Face. Keith Lee planted Moriarty. Kojima nailed Lee Moriarty with a lariat and pinned him for the victory!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #2: Claudio Castagnoli def. Josh Barnett

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Barnett and Claudio grappled to the mat. Barnett went for a knee bar. Claudio spun out of it. Claudio began to connect with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Barnett fired back with a dragon screw leg whip. Barnett kicked to the inside of Claudio’s leg. Claudio retaliated with European Uppercuts. They traded forearms. Barnett blasted Claudio with a spinning leg kick. Claudio grabbed the legs of Barnett and put him in the Giant Swing. Josh Barnett threw Claudio with a double underarm suplex. Claudio transitioned from an octopus submission to a crucifix and pinned Josh Barnett!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #3: Luchasaurus def. Nick Wayne

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Luchasaurus planted Nick Wayne on the back of his neck with a German Suplex. Nick Wayne’s mother was watching from the front row. Nick Wayne connected with two thrust kicks. Luchasaurus headbutted Nick Wayne in the midsection. Luchasaurus picked up Nick Wayne and choke slammed him over the ropes and onto the ring apron. Nick Wayne used a moonsault to take down Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus countered Wayne’s World with a nasty shot to the back of the head and pinned Nick Wayne.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #4: AEW World Trios Championship Match – The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass def. TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nichols & Shane Haste)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Max fought out of TMDK’s corner and tagged Billy Gunn into the match. Billy Gunn hit a shoulder tackle on Shane Haste. As the ref was distracted, TMDK double teamed Bowens. Bad Dude Tito sent Bowens soaring with an exploder suplex. Bowens peppered Bad Dude Tito with elbow strikes. Tito cracked Bowens with a spinebuster. Billy Gunn tagged in and cleaned house on TMDK. Bad Dude Tito German Suplexed Billy, but Caster was there to break up the pin. Bowens smashed Bad Dude Tito with the Arrival. Max Caster hit the Mic Drop and pinned Bad Dude Tito!

My Score: 2 out of 5

WRESTLEDREAM

Match #1: ROH World Tag Team Championship 2-on-1 Handicap Match – MJF def. The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

When the match started, the Righteous swarmed MJF and stomped a mudhole into him. Dutch connected with a rip cord lariat and Vincent followed up with a low flatliner for a near fall. MJF tried to go for a tag, his tag team instincts kicking in, but then he realized his partner Adam Cole was out with an injury. Dutch power bombed MJF and then Vincent swooped down with the Death From Above senton for a two-count on MJF. Vincent drilled MJF with the Bossman slam. Dutch distracted the ref while Vincent grabbed the block of wood and a steel chair, intending to break MJF’s legs. MJF grabbed Vincent in the groin before Vincent could swing the chair. Vincent rattled MJF with a pump kick. Vincent tried for a senton, but MJF sat up, dodging it in time. MJF chomped down on Vincent’s forehead. MJF body slammed Dutch. MJF grabbed Vincent by the hair and rammed him into Dutch’s backend. MJF followed up with a double kangaroo kick! MJF drilled Dutch with the heat seeker and pinned Dutch with his feet on the ropes!

My Score: 2.5 out of 5

Match #2: ROH World & NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match – Eddie Kingston def. Katsuyori Shibata

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Shibata put Eddie in deep water with a knee bar. Kingston managed to crawl to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Shibata locked on the figure four in the center of the ring. Eddie grabbed the ropes, managing to escape again, but he was wearing agony on his face. Shibata put Eddie in a bow and arrow. He transitioned to a side headlock. Kingston threw Shibata with a high angle back driver. Kingston fired off machine gun chops. Shibata rocked Eddie in the corner with a running dropkick. It broke down into a slugfest with Shibata and Kingston exchanging strikes. Kingston nailed Shibata with an exploder. Shibata swept Kingston’s leg and drove him into the mat. Shibata applied a cobra twist. He transitioned into a ground octopus submission, and Kingston was fading. Kingston forced the rope break, grabbing the bottom rope. Kingston walloped Shibata with a spinning backfist. Kingston drilled Shibata with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall! Kingston came back with another spinning backfist and then a powerbomb for the pin on Shibata!

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #3: TBS Championship Match – Kris Statlander def. Julia Hart

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Statlander charged with a knee, but Julia moved out of the way. Kris plowed into Julia Hart with a shoulder tackle. Julia Hart connected with a thrust kick to Statlander. Julia pulled Kris out of the ring with a handful of hair. Statlander picked up Julia and carried her up the ring steps. Julia escaped after a distraction from Brody King and swept out Kris’ legs on the apron. Julia whipped the TBS Champ into the steel guardrail. Julia mounted Kris and bounced her head off the mat repeatedly. Julia rammed her knee into Kris’ ribs. Julia launched herself off Kris’ back and squashed her with a senton. Out of desperation, Kris powerslammed Julia Hart. Statlander charged into the corner with a knee to the side of Julia’s head. Statlander rattled Julia with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Julia was about to spray the mist into Kris’ eyes, but Kris slapped it right out of her mouth! Kris climbed to the top rope, but Julia met her up there and launched Kris into the ring with a spider German suplex. Julia connected with a moonsault press and went for the pin, but Kris got her boot on the ropes. Julia applied the Heartless submission, but Kris stood up and smashed Julia with Sunday Night Fever, scoring the pinfall victory over Julia Hart!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #4: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) def. The Gunns (Austin & Colten), The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) and HOOK & Orange Cassidy

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Nick Jackson and Rey Fenix traded forearms, then superkicks. Cassidy tagged himself in and dared tried for the Orange Punch on Rey Fenix, but Fenix countered with a thrust kick. The Gunns swarmed the Lucha Bros outside the ring, battering them with cheap shots. Colten blocked a DDT from Orange Cassidy. The Bucks served up a pair of superkicks to the Gunns. Hook tagged in and lit up Matt Jackson with big right hands. Matt Jackson sent Hook overhead with a Northern Lights Suplex. Hook retaliated with a Northern Lights Suplex of his own. Hook sent Matt Jackson for a ride with a high crotch suplex. Orange Cassidy and Hook double suplexed the Gunns. Orange flew out of the ring with a tope suicida on the Young Bucks. Penta entered the fray and staggered the Gunns with thrust kicks. Colten hit Penta with a blindside shot. Penta El Zero Miedo jumped off the top rope with a double cross body press to the Gunns. Penta dropped Austin Gunn with a thrust kick. He planted Colten with the Made in Japan for a near fall. Austin Gunn got rocked by the Orange Punch from Cassidy. Hook locked in RedRum, but Nick Jackson grabbed a tag and hit a 450 on Austin and Hook! The Bucks superkicked Hook, and then Colten Gunn. The Bucks bashed Penta with the BTE Trigger and Nick pinned Penta!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #5: Swerve Strickland def. “Hangman” Adam Page

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Swerve cracked Page in the face with a strike. Page sent Swerve overhead and to the mat with a fallaway slam. Hangman connected with a lariat. Hangman power bombed Swerve onto the apron and then onto the barricade. Page soared from the ring post and crashed onto Swerve with a moonsault. Hangman followed up with a pop-up Liger Bomb for a near fall. Hangman smashed into Swerve with a tope. Hangman went after Swerve’s injured hand. Hangman nailed Swerve with a flying forearm off the top rope. Swerve took down Page with a flatliner. Swerve rattled Hangman with a backbreaker. Swerve squashed Page with a double foot stomp and then rocked Hangman with the House Call for a very close near fall. Swerve was looking for a piledriver on the steel ring steps but Page countered with a Dead Eye! Page bit Swerve’s injured hand. Page went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Swerve countered with a drop toehold. Swerve snapped back Page’s arm, hyperextending Page’s elbow. The AEW medical staff were checking on Hangman, but Swerve didn’t care, hitting the double foot stomp. Swerve drilled Page with a 450 on the injured arm. Hangman shocked Swerve with the comeback lariat. Swerve retaliated with an arm bar. Page escaped and hammered away at Swerve’s damaged hand. Hangman dodged the double lariat and countered with the Buckshot Lariat! Hangman was clutching his injured right arm. He covered Swerve for the pin, but Prince Nana pulled Swerve’s boot onto the bottom rope. As Prince Nana was arguing with the referee, Page went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Swerve countered by hitting him with Prince Nana’s crown! Swerve covered Page but Page kicked out at two! Swerve blasted Page with the House Call! Swerve served up a second House Call! Swerve planted Page with the JML driver and scored the pin!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #6: Ricky Starks def. Wheeler Yuta

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Starks and Yuta chain wrestled during the early goings of the match. Starks and Yuta turned it into smashmouth wrestling, trading stiff strikes with one another. Starks suplexed Yuta. Big Bill walked down to the ring. Starks rolled up Yuta for a two-count. Starks spiked Yuta with a DDT! Starks power bombed Yuta! Starks used the hammer and anvil elbows on Yuta, but Yuta grit his teeth and got to his feet. Yuta shoved Starks off the apron, but Big Bill caught Starks. Yuta applied the seatbelt on Starks for a near fall. Starks speared Yuta. Starks followed up with the Rochambeau and pinned Yuta!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #7: Bryan Danielson def. Zack Sabre, Jr.

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Zack tried to work over Bryan’s arm. They exchanged submissions and Zack was looking for an arm bar. Danielson escaped and put an Indian Death Lock on Sabre. Zack escaped and went into a full mount. Danielson escaped a bow and arrow from Sabre. Danielson went for a European Uppercut, but Sabre countered and then stomped on Danielson’s arm! Danielson battered Zack’s leg with a dragon screw but then Zack cranked Bryan’s neck. Danielson had Sabre in the tree of woe and brutalized him with body shots. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Danielson drilled Zack with an avalanche butterfly suplex. Danielson followed up with a single leg crab, but Zack reached the ropes with his boot. Danielson nailed Sabre with stiff kicks! Danielson captured Sabre’s wrists and stomped on his head! Danielson and Sabre traded European clutches. Danielson applied Cattle Mutilation, but Zack countered, cranking on Danielson’s wrist. Danielson spat at Sabre and slapped him in the mouth. Sabre uppercutted the inside of Danielson’s arm. Zack blistered Bryan with the PK kick to the inside of the arm. Danielson escaped a submission attempt from Zack by reaching the bottom rope with his boot. Danielson stopped Sabre in his tracks with a roundhouse kick. Danielson stomped Sabre’s head. Danielson nailed Sabre with a shoulder capture suplex. Danielson scored with the knee strike and pinned Sabre!

My Score: 5 out of 5

Match #8: The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara & Will Ospreay) def. Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho & Kota Ibushi

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Jericho chopped Sammy’s chest. Sammy tagged out to Will. Jericho chopped at Will’s chest, taking Will right off his feet. Jericho and Omega used a double suplex to further punish Will. Both teams entered the ring, and a hockey fight broke out! The ref restored order in the ring. Takeshita connected with a Takeshita-line to Omega. Ospreay tagged in and put Omega in an abdominal stretch. Omega back body dropped Ospreay. Takeshita planted Omega with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Ibushi drilled Sammy with a high round kick and followed up with a moonsault for a near fall. Jericho dropped down on Sammy with a lionsault! Jericho was looking for the lion tamer, but Takeshita entered the ring and sent Jericho flying with a German Suplex. Takeshita walloped Ibushi and Omega with suplexes. Omega flew over the top with a tope con hiro onto Ospreay and Takeshita. In the ring, Sammy rocked Jericho with a Spanish Fly. Sammy jumped off the top rope with a shooting star press onto Omega outside the ring. Sammy clocked Omega with a cutter off the ropes. Ospreay power bombed Ibushi onto the back of his head. Takeshita and Ospreay hit Jericho with a pair of high boots. Sammy used a Code Breaker on Jericho. All three members of the Don Callis Family attacked Jericho. Ibushi decked Ospreay. Ibushi decked Sammy. Ibushi and Takeshita traded strikes and then Takeshita leveled Ibushi with a lariat. Ibushi fired back with a lariat of his own. Ospreay countered Omega’s One-Winged Angel and then collided with Omega with the Sky Twister Press. Jericho was looking for the Judas Effect on Sammy. Ospreay shoved Sammy out of the way and ate the Judas Effect from Jericho for his troubles. Jericho took down Sammy with a hurracanrana. Jericho covered Sammy but Ospreay held the ref back long enough for Sammy to gather himself. Jericho countered Sammy’s GTH and was looking for the Walls. While Will had ref Aubrey Edwards distracted, Don Callis cracked Jericho with Jericho’s baseball bat! Sammy covered Jericho and scored the pin while Takeshita held back Omega and Ibushi from making the save!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Match #9: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) def. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Cash sent Fletcher towards the sky with a back body drop. Dax tagged in and he and Davis traded chops. Davis body slammed Dax and stuck him with a senton. Dax hit a snap suplex and then a snap leg drop on Fletcher. FTR double teamed Davis with chops. Aussie Open lifted up FTR and rammed them together, smashing the spins. Davis threw Cash into Fletcher and Fletcher power bombed Cash! Cash superplexed Fletcher from the top. Dax tagged in and jabbed at Kyle. Dax neutralized Davis and focused his firepower on Fletcher. Dax German Suplexed Fletcher and followed up with a diving headbutt but Fletcher moved out of the way. Dax drilled Fletcher with a slingshot powerbomb for a near fall. Fletcher hoisted up Cash and Davis jumped off the top turnbuckle with a straight crescent kick to Cash! Dax superplexed Davis and Cash splashed him. Fletcher broke up the pin attempt. Aussie Open sandwiched FTR with lariats. Aussie Open smashed Cash with the Shatter Machine! They followed up with the Coriolis, but Dax ran in to break up the pin. FTR rallied back with a spiked piledriver on Davis on the apron! After a super shatter machine, Cash pinned Fletcher!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #10: TNT Championship 2 Out of 3 Falls Match – Christian Cage def. Darby Allin

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Christian Cage sent Luchasaurus to the back to prove he could do it alone. Darby used a back heel kick on Christian. Darby followed up with an arm drag. Darby held onto a side headlock. Christian Cage got to his feet and punished Darby’s chest with chops. Darby pulled Christian’s turtleneck over Christian’s head and scored the first fall with a jackknife pin. Christian Cage stomped on Darby’s head. Darby dodged a diving headbutt. Darby surprised Christian with the Code Red for a near fall. Outside the ring, Christian whipped Darby into the steel barricade. Christian approached Nick Wayne’s mother and she threw a drink into his face! Darby rocketed out with a Coffin Drop! Darby tried for another Coffin Drop, this time in the ring, but Christian countered by raising his knees. Christian charged at Darby, knocking him off the edge of the ring and down onto the announcers’ desk. Christian suplexed Darby onto the steel ring steps! Christian slammed Darby off the apron, driving him into the edge of the ring steps! Darby was counted out and the second fall was awarded to Christian Cage.While Doc Sampson and the referee were checking on Darby, Christian began tearing the padding off the ring. The medical team brought down a stretcher and placed Darby on it. Christian frog splashed Darby who was on the stretcher!. Christian Cage picked up Darby and placed him back in the ring. The pine boards were exposed. Christian nailed Darby with the Kill Switch on the exposed pine boards! Darby side stepped a spear attempt. Christian Cage applied a Scorpion Death Lock on Darby. Darby was able to crawl and reach the bottom rope, forcing the ref to break the hold. Darby gouged Christian’s eyes. Darby planted Christian with a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby nailed Christian with the Coffin Drop for a near fall! Darby went up for a second Coffin Drop, but Christian pushed him onto the turnbuckles. Christian rocked Darby with a sunset flip powerbomb on Darby. Christian tried for the spear, but Darby moved, sending Christian into the ref! Christian dropped Darby with a low blow. Christian grabbed his TNT Title, but Nick Wayne ran down and pulled it away from him. Nick Wayne took the title and clocked Darby in the head with it! Christian Cage covered Darby and pinned him, retaining the TNT Title!

My Score: 4 out of 5

News of the Night:

1. Jon Moxley joined the commentary team for the BBC matches on the card – outshining everyone else on the mic!
2. Adam Copeland made his AEW debut at the climax of the main event

Final Verdict: 4.5/5

This was a near-perfect pay-per-view for AEW. It built from the fun but throwaway tag match all the way to my much anticipated Eddie Kingston match, and then we got a fantastic PPV debut (can you believe that?) of Julia Hart who had a brilliant showing against the TBS Champ. The action then levelled up with the Swerve/Hangman match, which showed a side of Swerve I don’t think we’ve truly seen in AEW – he needs to keep this up and head into the title scene right now! Danielson versus Zach Sabre Jr. was everything anyone could have wanted in what could be the match of the year! The tag title match kept up the high standard, with Aussie Open really giving FTR some great competition, and showed – like Swerve – just what they REALLY can do in the ring and for the tag division. Then we got to the main event. The TNT title gets to main event a PPV in a 2-out-of-3 falls match – and a real battle between Christian Cage and Darby Allin. Darby went into this one saying he needed the TNT title and he didn’t get it but what he did get was – remarkably given how good he’s been in AEW so far – elevated by Cage, whose heel work was truly evil… And we got not one, but TWO surprises – a heel turn from Nick Wayne and the AEW debut of Cage’s long-time tag partner Adam Copeland… And he brought his theme tune with him! The pop was huge and I’m hoping Copeland gets the kind of run Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley got, and are still getting, with their move to AEW. Fingers crossed. Ultimately, WrestleDream is an UNMISSABLE pay-per-view and here’s hoping we get more top-shelf stuff like this on AEW television going forward too!