‘AEW: Wrestledream 2025’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of AEW’s latest PPV, Wrestledream, which was broadcast live from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. This pay-per-view opened with a Tailgate Brawl pre-show that saw The Death Riders (PAC, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta) defeat Roderick Strong & The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly and Tomohiro Ishii); Eddie Kingston & HOOK defeat The Frat House (Griff Garrison and Cole Karter); Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron defeat Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford; and JetSpeed (“Speedball” Mike Bailey “The Jet” Kevin Knight) defeat FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) in a mtach that bled into the main pay-per-view! Now, let’s get into the review of the main show…
Match #1: Jamie Hayter def. Thekla
Jamie Hayter and Thekla opened with a brutal exchange, trading strikes until Hayter overpowered her with chops and a shoulder tackle. The fight spilt outside, where Hayter dominated until Thekla fired back with a big boot and a crossbody on the floor. Showing attitude, Thekla mocked the crowd and toyed with Hayter, landing repeated kicks and submissions to wear her down. Hayter battled back with a suplex, dropkick, and knee strike, but Thekla’s speed kept her in it – countering a suplex and trapping Hayter in multiple submission holds. The pace quickened with near falls and heavy strikes, each woman refusing to stay down. Thekla nearly won after a spear, but Hayter’s foot saved her. When Thekla tried her eerie spider walk, Hayter was ready – crushing her with two massive lariats, including the Hayterade, to score the hard-fought victory.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: $500K Match – Jurassic Express (Jack Perry & Luchasaurus) def. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
Jurassic Express entered to huge cheers, with the crowd chanting for Luchasaurus. Jack Perry opened against Matt Jackson, countering early double-team attempts and tagging in Luchasaurus, who dominated both Bucks with power and agility – including a standing moonsault from the apron. The Bucks used their trademark trickery to isolate Perry, landing a flurry of double-teams and near falls while keeping Luchasaurus out of the match. Perry finally broke free with a hurricanrana and tagged in his partner, who tore through the Bucks with chokeslams, kicks, and power moves. Momentum swung back and forth with creative counters, superkicks, and close pin attempts. Both teams pulled out their biggest moves – including Perry surviving a BTE Trigger and Luchasaurus saving the match at the last moment. After several breathtaking exchanges, Jurassic Express finally hit Countdown to Extinction on Matt Jackson to score the three-count and win the $500,000 prize.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: The Hurt Syndicate (Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley and MVP) def. The Demand (Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona and Ricochet)
There were no tags in this chaotic brawl, and The Demand attacked The Hurt Syndicate before the bell even rang. MVP was isolated early as Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin fought to regain control, but The Demand’s numbers proved too much. Ricochet’s speed and GOA’s (Kaun and Liona’s) power kept the advantage firmly with them, including a brutal spot where Benjamin was thrown through a table onto Lashley. MVP was left alone and overwhelmed until Lashley stormed back, cleaning house with suplexes and spears. The match descended into nonstop mayhem with everyone trading high-impact moves – Benjamin hitting a dive over the top rope and Ricochet nearly stealing it after a shooting star press. In the end, after chaos inside and outside the ring, Lashley, Benjamin, and MVP regrouped. MVP booted Kaun into the corner, Benjamin nailed a knee strike, and Lashley finished it with a thunderous spear to seal the victory for The Hurt Syndicate.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: TNT Championship Match: “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher def. Mark Briscoe
Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe met for their fifth and deciding battle – with the TNT Championship on the line. The match began technically, but soon turned into a fight, with Briscoe controlling early and landing dives and suplexes on the outside. Fletcher turned the tide with a brutal powerbomb onto the steel steps, nearly winning by countout. Back inside, Fletcher dominated with heavy strikes and suplexes, but Briscoe kept fighting back, landing a fisherman’s buster and a near fall. The intensity built as both men traded bombs – Fletcher hitting a powerbomb and superplex, while Briscoe responded with a devastating Jay Driller on the apron. Briscoe connected with three Froggy Bows but still couldn’t finish Fletcher. After several counters and close calls, Fletcher escaped another Jay Driller with a low blow and a crushing brainbuster. One final brainbuster from the top rope finally kept Briscoe down, giving Fletcher his sixth successful TNT Title defence.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: AEW Women’s World Championship – Kris Statlander def. “Timeless” Toni Storm
Kris Statlander and Toni Storm opened with technical mat work, each trying to outmuscle the other. Storm gained the edge with a hip attack and DDT attempt, but Statlander countered, hitting a catapult and a standing moonsault to the floor that showed her growing confidence. Back in the ring, Statlander dominated with power moves – a Vader Bomb and tornillo – before Storm swung momentum with a tornado DDT and Tiger Driver. Both women traded near falls and submissions, each refusing to stay down. Statlander’s strength met Storm’s resilience in a series of reversals, with Statlander hitting a 450 splash that nearly sealed it. Storm answered with a German suplex and Storm Zero, but Statlander barely kicked out. In the final stretch, Statlander powered through Storm’s offence, landing a discus lariat, two Staturday Night Fevers, and a brutal leg submission before hitting one last Staturday Night Fever to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: TBS Championship and Interim ROH Women’s World TV Championship – Mercedes Moné def. Mina Shirakawa
Mina Shirakawa challenged Mercedes Moné in a double title clash – Shirakawa’s Interim ROH Women’s TV Championship vs. Moné’s TBS Championship. Coming off a title defence just a day earlier, Moné looked fatigued as Shirakawa dominated early with submissions and kicks. Moné rallied with a backstabber, meteoras, and the Statement Maker, but Shirakawa kept escaping. Momentum swung back and forth as Moné hit the Three Amigos and attempted a frog splash, only to crash onto Shirakawa’s knees. Shirakawa capitalised with a Cloverleaf, tornillo, and the Glamorous Driver for a close two-count. Moné fought back with a sunset flip powerbomb and another Statement Maker, but Shirakawa countered repeatedly with figure-four attempts and heavy strikes. In the closing moments, Moné survived a brutal spinning backfist, escaped another submission, and hit the Moné Maker – but Shirakawa reached the ropes. Frustrated, Moné used the ropes for leverage on a backslide to steal the pin and retain her TBS Championship.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #7: AEW World Tag Team Championship – Brodido (Brody King & Bandido) def. The Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita)
This tag team clash was pure chaos and heart, with Bandido and Brody King showing unreal chemistry against Okada and Takeshita. Despite being taped up from Hechicero’s assault, Bandido fought through the pain like a man possessed. King’s power and agility were on full display – that crossbody through the barricade was monstrous – while Bandido’s fearless high-flying made the perfect counter to the Callis Family’s calculated cruelty. Okada and Takeshita played the arrogant villains to perfection, punishing Bandido’s shoulder and trying to outsmart their opponents, but the turning point came when Okada’s Rainmaker hit Takeshita instead. From there, the tide turned, leading to Bandido hitting a one-armed 21 Plex on Okada for the huge victory. This wasn’t just a statement win – it was defiance personified. Bandido pinned the AEW Unified Champion, and the St. Louis crowd erupted. Outstanding match.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #8: AEW World Championship – “Hangman” Adam Page def. Samoa Joe
This AEW World Title defence was a gritty, old-school war between two heavy hitters who refused to back down. Samoa Joe came in solo and brought his trademark swagger and violence, punishing Hangman Page with bruising strikes and mind games. Page, ever the fighter, answered back with fierce chops, high-risk dives, and pure defiance, even as Joe’s power and ring IQ kept tilting the match his way. The tension built perfectly – every counter, every close fall drew the crowd deeper in. Joe nearly put Page to sleep with the Coquina Clutch, but Hangman’s resilience shone through. The final stretch was a masterclass in grit, as Page escaped the Muscle Buster, hit the Deadeye, and finally sealed it with three Buckshot Lariats. A brutal, hard-earned win for the champion and one that reminded everyone why Hangman Page sits atop AEW’s mountain.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #9: “I Quit” Match – Darby Allin def. Jon Moxley
This was pure mayhem – a violent, emotional, unrelenting war that only Darby Allin and Jon Moxley could deliver. From the opening moment when Moxley stomped on Darby’s AEW flag, this “I Quit” match turned into a statement of defiance, punishment, and pride. Moxley bled and brutalised like only he can – wrapping chains around Darby’s mouth, driving skewers into his fingers, and whipping him bloody with a belt – yet Allin refused to die. Every time Mox thought he’d broken him, Darby got back up, driven by sheer madness and heart. The interference from the BCC and PAC only made it worse – until the arena erupted when Sting returned, shattering the aquarium and the odds. In the end, Darby’s relentless willpower and symbolic choke with the AEW flag forced Moxley to say “I quit.” A savage masterpiece: violent, emotional, unforgettable.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
AEW WrestleDream 2025 delivered everything its name promised – intensity, emotion, and spectacle in equal measure. From the pure brutality of Jon Moxley and Darby Allin’s “I Quit” war to the technical precision of Hangman Page’s hard-fought World Title defence against Samoa Joe, every match carried purpose and passion. Bandido and Brody King’s stunning win over Okada and Takeshita was a show-stealer, mixing heart, power, and chaos, while Mina Shirakawa’s clash with Mercedes Moné brought fierce athleticism and storytelling to the women’s division. The night was filled with moments that reminded fans why AEW remains the home of creativity and grit – shocking comebacks, jaw-dropping risks, and a crowd that lived and breathed every second. WrestleDream wasn’t just another pay-per-view; it was a celebration of wrestling’s extremes: pain, pride, and perseverance all rolled into one. One of the best PPVs of the year!
