Top 5 Matches We’re Most Excited For at AEW WrestleDream
AEW WrestleDream is just that: A wrestling fan's dream come true. Here are 5 matches we can't wait to see, and how to watch it live with Sling.
Given the highly successful working partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling, it should come as no surprise that AEW CEO Tony Khan held its legendary founder, Antonio Inoki, in high regard. Now, on the one year anniversary of the passing of wrestling’s greatest dreamer, AEW presents WrestleDream, live from Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 8:00 PM ET. If you ask us, the “Dream” could very well stand for dream match, with any of these matches on the card vying for the honor of instant classic:
- Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Hangman Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
- FTR (c) vs. Aussie Open – AEW World Tag Team Championship match
- MJF (c) vs. The Righteous – 2-on-1 Handicap match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship
- Chris Jericho and The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) vs. The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara and Will Ospreay)
- Christian Cage (c) vs. Darby Allin – 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the AEW TNT Championship
- Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata – ROH Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship match
- Kris Statlander (c) vs. Julia Hart – AEW TBS Championship match
- Young Bucks vs. The Gunns vs. Lucha Bros. vs. Orange Cassidy and Hook – Winning team gets a future AEW World Tag Team Championship match
- Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta
We wouldn’t be shocked if more matches are added, but as it stands right now, here are a few we will be dreaming of. To order AEW WrestleDream live on PPV with Sling TV, follow this link.
Match #1 - Christian Cage (c) vs. Darby Allin – 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the AEW TNT Championship
The story - Given this storyline also headlined our All-Out preview, you can tell we are invested. The latest twists in this story have involved Christian Cage winning the TNT championship from his muscle, Luchasaurus, and finally becoming the actual TNT Champion (not that that changed anything in his head). Furthermore, Cage continues to try to get in Darby Allin’s head, feigning a desire to mentor Darby’s friend Nick Wayne, while even bringing up Darby’s uncle who tragically passed in a drunk driving accident (as if things couldn’t get anymore personal/real in this story). Now the action shifts to Darby’s hometown in Seattle, where he has captured TNT Championship gold before. Does Allin have in it him to finally silence the menace that is Christian Cage? We'll find out Sunday.
Why we’re excited - Christian Cage is the best villain in wrestling today. There we said it. His talent for making the audience and his fellow competitors just want to unload on him is a master class every week. Even though he has been feuding with Darby for a while now, this story still has plenty of burn, and we will be tuning in to see if the classic babyface of Darby Allin can finally silence the dastardly heel Christian Cage. After all, Christian has to be running out of family members to insult at this point, right? Yeah, we didn’t think so either.
Match #2 - Kris Statlander (c) vs. Julia Hart – AEW TBS Championship match
The story - Julia Hart is on an impressive winning streak, stacking 25 W’s in a row. It just so happens that the last person to defeat her is her opponent at WrestleDream, Kris Statlander (funny how it always seems to work out that way). In addition to stacking wins, Julia has been stacking bodies, with fan favorites Skye Blue and Willow Nightingale counting as the latest victim of the Black Hart of the House of Black. It will take more than a misty cheapshot and the presence of the indomitable Brodie King at ringside, to overcome the power advantage Kris Statlander wields in this match. Does Julia have another trick up her long sleeves, or will Statlander avenge her fallen friends?
Why we’re excited - These two are easily some of our favorite wrestlers on the roster. The transformation of Julia Hart from her innocent cheerleader persona to the corrupt mistress of the House of Black has been enthralling. Heck, her entrance alone gives us goosebumps (and kudos to her for being willing to go in such a dramatic direction with her character). Statlander’s transformation has been a bit more subtle. She comes across more as a hero with an edge, and we are consistently wowed by her athletic feats in the ring. It takes more than a knee injury to slow down the TBS Champion, though we are sure Julia would be happy to contribute that as well.
Match #3 - MJF (c) vs. The Righteous – 2-on-1 Handicap match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship
The story - This match would have been interesting enough as a regular tag team match, with the team of Better than You Bay-Bay stacking up against ROH mainstays the Righteous. As with anything MJF is involved in, it can never be that straightforward. Adam Cole suffered an injury, forcing him to pull out of the match (at the beckoning of his also injured friend: Roderick Strong). This would be intriguing enough, but something fishy is going on, as a man in a devil mask attacked MJF’s latest singles opponent, switchblade Jay White. Subplots aside, the Righteous would be a brutal challenge for any two wrestlers, let alone one. The enigmatic seemingly cultists bring a creepy demeanor and lots of ring experience. That being said, we have a feeling the twists and turns aren’t over in this one.
Why we’re excited - We will be honest, other than a few ROH matches, we weren’t overly familiar with the Righteous. That has changed in recent weeks, as we find the pair to be absolutely captivating and a heck of a promo. It would be a feel-good story for ROH mainstays to recapture the ROH Tag Team Championship (that is also probably the first time the Righteous have ever been categorized as a feel-good story). What has us most excited is the fate of MJF. We struggle to believe this will proceed as a straightforward 2-on-1. It is fair to say we are tuning in just as much for the intrigue as we are for the wrestling in this one.
Match #4 - Hangman Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
The story - The term "spot" can mean several things in wrestling. Sometimes, it refers to a move, but a more nuanced definition refers to a wrestlers place on the card, the opportunities they get. In this case, it is Swerve Strickland gunning for the Hangman’s spot, feeling like he should have been given the opportunities handed to the millennial cowboy. These attacks have gotten quite personal, awakening a fire in Hangman that even he himself admitted has been missing. The result is a classic “I want what you have” or more accurately “I’ve earned what you’ve been given.” There's no title on the line here, just two men with a lot to prove to the world, each other, and themselves.
Why we’re excited - Swerve Strickland’s work on the microphone has been absolutely immaculate. His ability to come off as a cocky while also making us legitimately see his argument is masterful. That’s to say nothing about his insane ability between the ropes. He will need that ability, as a fired up Hangman is no slouch. We haven’t seen Page reach this level of emotion since his battles with Kenny Omega for the world championship. One thing is for sure, a fired up Hangman is something we will pay to see. But will it be enough, or will Seattle truly be Swerve’s house? Oh and stabbing Swerve in the hand with a pen, making their contract signed in blood was chef’s kiss.
Match #5 - Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
The story - Bryan Danielson has long been regarded as one of, if not the best technical wrestler in the world. Zack Sabre Jr. takes issue with these claims, being a technical maven himself who plies his trade in NJPW. The fact that this match has been delayed previously due to a Danielson injury only adds to the intrigue. This one is simple, just a contest of who can lay claim to the title of the best. Either way, we fans are sure to win.
Why we’re excited - When a match is advertised as the dream match on a show called WrestleDream, you have our attention. Strap in for a display of next-level wrestling talent.
To order AEW WrestleDream with Sling TV, hit the link below!