By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW WrestleDream “Tailgate Brawl” Pre-Show
St. Louis, Missouri, at Chaifetz Arena
Simulcast live October 18, 2025, on TNT and HBO Max
Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary and set up a video package on the I Quit match between Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley… Schiavone was joined on commentary by Nigel McGuinness and Matt Menard…
The Death Riders scheduled for the opening match were shown backstage with Maria Shafir. The group made their entrnace through the crowd. Shafir slapped hands with all four men, and they headed to the ring without her. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions. The Conglomeration made their entrance via the stage…
1. “The Conglomeration” Orange Cassidy, Tomohiro Ishii, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. “The Death Riders” Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli in an eight-man tag. Menard said Garcia was looking at him. “Shove it up your ass,” Menard said. Pac was getting the better of Cassidy before the first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Cassidy caught Castagnoli in a sleeper, but Castagnoli broke free. Castagnoli tried to counter with a cutter, but Castagnoli stuffed it and then performed an airplane spin. Castagnoli into an F5-style move. Castagnoli covered Cassidy, but his teammates ran in and broke up the pin. [C]
Cassidy knocked Castagnoli off the apron with a Superman Punch. Legal man Ishii turned Pac inside out with a clothesline. Ishii hoisted up Pac for a brainbuster. Garcia distracted the referee while Yuta clipped Ishii’s leg. Pac hit Ishii with a running knee strike and then pinned him…
“The Death Riders” Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli beat “The Conglomeration” Orange Cassidy, Tomohiro Ishii, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly in 15:30 in an eight-man tag match.
A video package spotlighted Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship… [C]
Powell’s POV: AEW has run eight-person tag matches into the ground, but this was one solid. As much as I think AEW would be wise to trim at least one match off the pre-show and dedicate that time to promos and video packages intended to sell the pay-per-view, at least they have found time for a couple of brief video packages before and after the match.
Hook made his entrance and stood on the stage, and then Eddie Kingston joined him before they headed to the ring. An “LFI” promo aired with Sammy Guevara, Rush, The Beast Mortos, and Dralistico. Guevara spoke about being in charge, and Rush did his usual bit about what you get if you mess with the bull…
2. Eddie Kingston and Hook vs. “The Frat House” Griff Garrison and Cole Karter (w/Jacked Jameson). The entrance of the Frat House was not televised. Garrison held Hook, who escaped, which led to Carter accidentally hitting Garrison. Kingston hit Carter with a back fist, and then Hook put Carter in Redrum for the win.
Eddie Kingston and Hook beat “The Frat House” Griff Garrison and Cole Karter in roughly 3:00.
After the match, Sammy Guevara, Rush, The Beast Mortos, and Dralistico were shown watching Kingston and Hook from the floor…
Powell’s POV: A quick squash win for Kingston and Hook.
Big Boom AJ and Big Justice hosted a tailgate party in Boca Raton, Florida. They spoke about a few of the pay-per-view matches and said they were coming to the Full Gear pay-per-view to take out Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta, and any other Callis Family member who wants to get in their way.
Romero and Trent entered the picture and interrupted the “boom” sendoff. Romero said maybe he’d team with Mama Justice. AJ hit Romero and Trent. AJ got the better of Romero, but Trent picked up a server’s tray and slammed it over AJ’s head. Romero held AJ, and then Trent hit him again…
3. Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron vs. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford. Both entrances were televised. Excalibur announced that no one would be allowed at ringside during the Thekla vs. Jamie Hayter match, and the trios match would be for a future shot at the AEW Trios Titles. Ford performed a moonsault off the top rope onto both opponents on the floor going into a PIP break. [C]
Willow hit Bayne with the Pounce. Willow followed up with a spinebuster on Ford for a near fall. Willow set up Ford for a Dr. Bomb, but Ford raked her eyes and took her down. Bayne tagged in and had Willow pinned, but Cameron broke it up.
Cameron put Ford down with a Backstabber. Bayne clotheslined Cameron. Willow hit Bayne with a Death Valley Driver. Ford put Willow down with a cutter, which left all four wrestlers down. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. A short time later, Bayne hit both opponents with a diving double clothesline from the middle rope. Ford tagged in, and the heels went for a Doomsday Device, but Cameron escaped.
Moments later, Willow took out Bayne with a cannonball from the apron. In the ring, Cameron ran into a big boot from Ford, who followed up with a gutbuster for a two count. A “Harley” chant broke out. Cameron suplexed Ford. Willow tagged in and hit Ford with the Dr. Bomb for the win…
Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron beat Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford in roughly 12:00.
Excalibur said the FTR vs. JetSpeed match was up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: A nice tag match that had good fan support. Unfortunately, the first three matches didn’t leave much time for the FTR vs. JetSpeed match.
FTR and Stokely Hathaway made their entrance. Schiavone said there were only six minutes remaining in the pre-show, and it was possible the match would still be going when the pay-per-view starts. Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey made their entrance…
4. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. “JetSpeed” Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey. FTR jumped JetSpeed, and the referee rewarded them for it by calling for the opening bell. It sounded like there was thunder, so I’m not sure what was up with the audio, but the announcers could still be heard.
Schiavone pointed out that they were a little over two minutes from the start of the pay-per-view. FTR set up for a double suplex on Knight, but Bailey caught his partner. Harwood suplexed Bailey over the ropes on one side of the ring, and then Wheeler suplexed Knight over the ropes on the other side of the ring. Excalibur said the match would not end during the pre-show.
With both teams down at ringside, they cut to a video package on WrestleDream to end the pre-show.
In the end, Bailey tried to suplex Harwood from the apron into the ring, but Harwood landed on him and then Hathaway held Harwood’s legs for leverage while he got the pin…
FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler defeated “JetSpeed” Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey in roughly 13:00.
Powell’s POV: It’s an interesting strategy to not deliver a finish to what I considered to be the most appealing pre-show match to the pre-show viewers. The match was good, but it didn’t have any stakes, so I don’t know how many viewers would be motivated to make a last-minute impulse buy to see the finish. I guess AEW officials will find out. If it works, I suspect we’ll see them use this approach again. By the way, I misunderstood the earlier announcement about no one being allowed at ringside during one of the pay-per-view matches. That’s actually for the Thekla vs. Jamie Hayter match, not the AEW Women’s Championship. I switched it above to avoid further confusion.
Check out my AEW WrestleDream review available via the main page.
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