Predictions: AEW WrestleDream
“There was a time when men were kind, when -” On second thought never mind. I was going to start this article with lyrics from I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables, but I somehow think the reference wouldn’t land for many readers.
This Sunday, October 1st, AEW will put on its newest pay-per-view, WrestleDream. Now do you get the thin connection? Other than being another added PPV to AEW’s expanding lineup, the event will also be a tribute to the late great founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Antonio Inoki. This adds even more pressure when predicting the outcome of the nine matches slated to take place in Climate Pledge Arena. If we make the wrong predictions here, we will not only be letting ourselves down, but spitting on the grave of one of the greatest and most important figures in wrestling history. No pressure.
The last time we came to you with predictions was for a doubleheader in early September when AEW and WWE put on their All Out and Payback shows on the same weekend. After the dust settled, Adam emerged victorious on the weekend with a score of 11 – 10. This means we are now tied on the year at 44 correct match predictions a piece. Things have officially gotten real in this competition as we have officially hit the halfway mark on the WrestleMania to WrestleMania calendar. Since we are tied and Adam was victorious in the most recent prediction weekend, for the first time in a long time, he will be starting things off.
Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
ADAM: Two hometown boys against each other in the Beattle of Seattle. The winner gets crowned the best wrestler in the world, loser has to go work at Starbucks. D-Bry is notoriously on his way out and the one rule of wrestling is that when you go out, you go out on your back. But that doesn’t apply if it’s not yet your last match.
BRYAN DANIELSON
MIKE: It feels like as Danielson winds down his full-time career, he’s going to be checking off matches on his bucket list. I was surprised that he beat Okada at Forbidden Door, and was also surprised that had him go over Starks again in their Texas Death Match. However, I think that plays into this outcome. The string of big dubs for D-Bry B-Dan, both prior to and after his injury, gives him the credibility cushion he needs to give ZSJ a big boost by putting him over here. To quote Taka Michinoku “Anyone who challenges Zack Sabres Jr., you will JUST TAP OUT!”
ZACK SABRE JR.
AEW World Tag Team Championships:
FTR(C) vs. Aussie Open
MIKE: Tough spot for Davis and Fletcher, They dropped their belts on the All In pre-show show adding a layer to Better Than You Bay Bay’s story, Then they gave them some wins real fast so they would look somewhat credible challenging FTR. With the talent involved, this should be really good and add another 5-star match to FTR’s resume. Unfortunately for the Aussies, it will have a very familiar result when it comes to FTR matches. TOP GUYS, OVER.
FTR
ADAM: Who the fuck are Davis and Fletcher? They sound like the extra characters in Archer that just exist to get killed by Archer in the third act. FTR has been putting on bangers since most people on the AEW roster were in pampers…. So like 4 years. This match won’t be any different. FTR will put on a great match but I don’t expect much luck for guys who can’t break into real TV time.
FTR
“Hangman” Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland
ADAM: I feel like Hangman has been trying to get his groove back since CM Punk turned him inside out multiple times on national television. That definitely left its mark as Hangman doesn’t seem so tough anymore. Swerve on the other hand is all money. He’s crushing it on the mike, he’s killing it in the ring and all I want is to hit the Prince NaNa. Swerve might be the coolest wrestler on the card and Hangman might be the lowest-T.
SWERVE STRICKLAND
MIKE: Did Hangman ever seem tough? Besides the CM Punk match, where he decided out of nowhere to go after Punk for backstage rumors, most of the time the build to his matches have the theme of Page doubting himself. One of his official AEW shirts says “Anxious Millennial Cowboy ” which I find extremely relatable as a fellow anxious millennial, but I’m also about as tough as Jack Perry at gorilla position. Scored that fight 10-9 Punk by the way.
Focusing on this match though, I am once again asking Tony Khan to push Swerve Strickland. If MJF is basically gonna be your biggest babyface until his friendship with Cole breaks down, then fill that top heel spot on the card with Swerve.
SWERVE STRICKLAND
ADAM: Sing it with me Top rope, catch a vibe / Catch a foot when I drive
Handicap Match ROH World Tag Team Championships:
MJF(C) vs. The Righteous
MIKE: Could TK use Adam Cole’s ankle injury as an out to get the ROH tag belts off Better Than You Bay Bay? Probably. Will he? Dear god, I hope so. I’ll just go ahead and CC my rant from the All Out predictions to express my opinion on AEW’s world champ and biggest star not being in a bigger match on a PPV card. MJF battles, and when he is on the cusp of overcoming the numbers advantage to retain the straps for him and his best bro, suddenly the most over-neck brace in the biz hits the ring. Roddy Strong interferes to cost MJF the match. This also adds another important level of protection to make the visual of Vincent or Dutch pinning MJF somewhat practical. It also adds yet another wrinkle to the MJF/Cole story. MJF can question if Cole knew Strong was going to get involved, or even worse if Cole sent Roddy to do it.
THE RIGHTEOUS
ADAM: I want this to cumulate in a Neck Brace on a pole match. If nothing else, your head might explode if they have MJF climbing a ladder to grab a neck brace as his only match at Full Gear.
To TK’s credit, the man is doing everything to manifest caring about ROH. I, honest to god, don’t know who The Righteous are and I will forget who they are by about 11:45 PM CST on Saturday, September 30th. I think this will be an interesting way to put MJF in a new situation, I’m just worried that he’ll be tagging with the devil in this match.
THE RIGHTEOUS
Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, & Kota Ibushi vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, & Will Ospreay
ADAM: Okay look I’m not gonna go all IWC agro-pissy about wrestling. Wrestling is fun and entertaining. It doesn’t need to be a life-defining thing the way we treat it sometimes. It’s easy to forget that these people are putting on MULTIPLE SHOWS every week of the year. They’re top-tier athletes and sometimes top-tier storytellers. Sometimes they have to push stuff until way past expiration for it to work and sometimes they have to throw shit at the wall and see if it sticks. We don’t get Koffi-Mania, Becky Lynch, Better Than You Bay Bay, or Austin 3:16 without higher-ups taking shots on something that might flop and it’s well past time that we voice our appreciation for the highs. Did I hit my character quota so I didn’t have to talk about how fucking dumb the build to this match was?
KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, SAMMY GUEVARA & WILL OSPREAY
MIKE: It’s crazy how time flies. I didn’t even realize it was time for Jericho’s yearly heel/face turn. On the upside, at least it saves us from AEW turning the most unlikable-looking person in the world, Sammy Guevara, babyface again. Now if I could just understand why someone as exciting in the ring, and great at fighting from underneath as Will Ospreay, is a heel.
I was hoping after All Out that Omega and Takeshita would go their separate ways for a while before their paths eventually had them cross again. Unfortunately, TK pulled a Hogan and said, “That doesn’t work for me brother.” You can make arguments for why both these teams could use the win here, so just to be a contrarian, I’ll gamble on a chance to pick up a point in this close competition.
THE DON CALLIS FAMILY
ADAM: Gaming the system for Ws? What has become of you?
MIKE: For some reason, I want to answer that I have become Judas, Judas in my mind.
Four-way Tag Team Match:
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros. vs. The Gunns vs. Orange Cassidy & Hook (Winner receives a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championships)
MIKE: Okay, let’s break this down using logic and reason. Bucks vs. FTR just happened a month ago, so that’s out. Luchabros vs. FTR would be face v face and it feels like we’ve gotten that match a couple of times already. Cassidy and Hook is a cool idea, but a recently put together make-shift team. That leaves the Gunns who are part of the Bullet Club Gold, a group that’s been getting pushed big time. Also, imagine the heat if those chicken shit ass boys actually beat the greatest tag team in the world for the belts. Or they could set The Gunns and Jay White’s cardboard cutout vs. the Acclaimed for the trios’ titles. God damn can that cardboard cutout work.
THE GUNNS (PEW PEW)
ADAM: I swear to god I was gonna come in here and pick Orange Cassidy & Hook, but you made such a compelling case. The other two members of BCG put on a BANGER series of matches with the members of FTR and I feel like that’s a story we shouldn’t move on from yet. The Gunns have already held the belt so we know they can carry the gold with honor and respect.
THE ASS BOYS
2 out of 3 Fall for the AEW TNT Championship:
Christian Cage(C) vs. Darby Allin
ADAM: Fuck me do I love me some Christian Cage. Putting the TNT belt on him wasn’t my favorite move but they couldn’t just keep him running around holding Luchasaurus’s belt forever. I feel like my Darby stock fluctuates a lot but it’s a little higher right now than normal and I’m quietly getting excited for this match. If I was a gambling man I would bet that Christian gets the first pin by cheating Darby fights back and then who knows what will happen for the third pin?
DARBY ALLIN
MIKE: Christian appropriating Luchasaurus’ TNT title run and pinning him for the belt last Saturday, is all part of the longer-term story. Cage will keep using and abusing Luchasaurus until he snaps. I can’t wait for Christian to go after Luchasaurus’ dead dad by bringing up the meteor that took out the dinosaurs. In the meantime, the big half-dinosaur man gets involved here to help Cage keep his belt.
CHRISTIAN CAGE
ROH World Championship & NJPW Strong Openweight Championship:
Eddie Kingston(C) vs Katsuyori Shibata
MIKE: Kingston is en fuego right? Walked into his home state of New York to face Castignoli, and walked out a double champ. He’s all over the place right now too. ROH, AEW, and NJPW Strong are all booking the Mad King. Eddie’s recent announcement that he’s no longer taking indie bookings due to some lingering back injuries could throw up red flags for some, but he said he was doing it to keep himself healthy for the aforementioned promotions. This should be a fun strong-style match-up. Kingston will chop, Shibata will kick, and when the dust settles the pride of Yonkers will still be the champ champ.
EDDIE KINGSTON
ADAM: GIVE ME SHIBATA/YUTA YOU FUCKING COWARD. With that point being elegantly made, Kingston seems to never cool off, once he steps on TV the crowd goes nutso. He’s earned some title love in the past couple of years and it’s not like Shibata needs any wins to boost his career the man is *Googles it* 43?! Why the fuck is he in such good shape?
EDDIE KINGSTON
AEW TBS Championship:
Kris Statlander(C) vs. Julia Hart (w/ Brody King)
ADAM: Check out our podcast, where I said that I think this match has real low-key banger potential. I feel like they’ve been really quiet and calculated with Julia Hart and her usage and this feels like one of those moments where backstage TK walked up and asked if she was ready and then Julia hit like a step up insiguri that took out two people at once and then the trainer looked over with a toothpick in their mouth and went “Yeah she’s ready.” Krissy S is also a woman on the rise and, while I do wish she still accepted her roots as an alien, I dare say she’s the best worker in the division. You heard it here first folks, this match is getting the official Talent Alone BANGER WATCH tag.
KRIS STATLANDER
MIKE: Should probably run that tag name by our legal department. Just to make sure it’s not trademarked by any other “entertainment” companies. I like Statlander, and I’m intrigued to see how Julia Hart pans out. She has a teenager going through a goth phase look that really screams, “Nobody gets me! I hate my parents!”
KRIS STATLANDER
Ricky Starks vs. Wheel Yuta
MIKE: So after two grueling matches with Bryan Danielson, Starks gets challenged by Wheeler Yuta. That’s kind of like if The Joker had two back-to-back battles with Batman and came up just short each time. Then Robin stepped to Joker for a fight next. Losing to Batman is understandable, but don’t let the kid beat your ass too.
RICKY STARKS
ADAM: Wheeler Yuta eats so many pins that some people might start mistaking him for Dolph Ziggler. I’m not sure what purpose this serves besides getting Starks on pay-per-view and honestly, I’m not complaining. This match will be good-to-great and Starks will win and then I guess they’ll have to figure out what to do with Ricky until he’s in his mid-40s and getting way over in WWE.
RICKY STARKS
Beer Bet: What Jersey Will a Wrestler Wear at the Show?
ADAM: Fucking lay-up pick of the day. Some heel is coming out in an OKC Durant Jersey to catch some boos. I’ll take my payment in a 6-pack of Malort.
KEVIN DURANT
MIKE: That’s honestly a really good pick. Initially, I was thinking of a Seahawks jersey, but I couldn’t envision any babyface on this card coming out in one of those ugly things. My mind then went to the ultimate heel and hockey fan, Christian Cage, wearing the jersey of the Kraken’s rival team. However, the team has only existed for two years and has no rival. Then it hit me. Break out that old-school Green and Gold baby. Somebody’s getting that cheap pop by wearing a Gary Payton SuperSonics jersey.
GARY PAYTON
