By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW WrestleDream Zero Hour Pre-Show
Streamed live October 12, 2024 on social media
Tacoma, Washington at the Tacoma Dome
-The pre-show was hosted by Renee Paquette, Jeff Jarrett, and RJ City from a desk set up on the main floor. Paquette said there are 13 matches (only 12 are listed).
-Chuck Taylor joined the panel briefly to break down a couple of matches.
-Nyla Rose joined the panel and also broken down a couple matches.
-Darby Allin delivered a promo from a backstage set. Allin said he’s spent a lot of beautiful nights in the Tacoma Dome, but tonight won’t be so pretty. He mentioned his match with Brody King, then said he doesn’t know where or when, but he will eventually face Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship. “It’s showtime,” Allin said.
-The 13th match will be a pre-show match featuring Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum vs. Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese in an eight-man tag.
-Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Nigel McGuinness were on commentary. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered the introductions for the opening match.
1. Atlantis Jr. vs. Brian Cage for the ROH TV Title. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Atlantis had his neck heavily taped. Excalibur said he was stretchered out of Arena Mexico last weekend. Several minutes in, Atlantis put Cage in torture rack position and then flung him into a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Atlantis put Cage down with a superkick and then hit a frog splash for another near fall.
Cage came back with an Avalanche Liger Bomb. Cage went for the Drill Claw, but Atlantis countered into an inside cradle for a two count. Atlantis superkicked Cage, who then put him down with a lariat. Cage hit the Drill Claw and scored the pin.
Brian Cage defeated Atlantis Jr. in 11:00 to win the ROH TV Title.
Powell’s POV: Cage won a meaningful singles match? I’ll be damned. Is that a first since he left TNA?
-Alicia Atout interviewed “MxM Collection” Mason Madden and Mansoor and played up having the mystery third man in their corner. “How do we look, Rico?” Mansoor asked. Rico Constantino walked onto the set and said something about them looking good (the closed captioning isn’t working for some reason).
2. Anna Jay vs. Harley Cameron. Cameron bit Jay’s hand and then performed an early crossbody block from the middle rope and got a one count. Jay applied the Queen Slayer over the ropes and was clotheslined over the top rope. Jay kicked Cameron through the ropes and then went to ringside and suplexed her on the floor.
Jay wrenched Cameron’s back around the ring post. Jay grabbed Cameron’s legs, but Cameron used them to pull Jay into the ring post. Later, Cameron performed a step-up enzuigiri and then hit a knee strike that led to a two count. After back and forth pin attempts, Cameron hit Sole Food for a two count. Jay tripped up Cameron on the ropes and then hit a Gory Bomb. Jay covered Cameron, but her shoulder wasn’t down initially. Once it was, the referee made the three count…
Anna Jay defeated Harley Cameron in 8:20.
Powell’s POV: It looked like the referee actually helped put Cameron’s shoulder on the mat before he counted. Anyway, the match was solid and I’m high on the upside of both wrestlers. Jay has really improved in the ring and on the mic.
The panel spoke briefly and then entrances for the next match took place…
3. “The Acclaimed” Max Caster and Anthony Bowens (w/Billy Gunn) vs. “MxM Collection” Mason Madden and Mansoor (w/Rico). Caster rapped on his way to the ring. Billy Gunn got the mic mentioned that Rico nearly roped him into marrying another guy. “No offense, Effy,” Gunn said.
MxM performed a double team sequence that concluded with Madden slamming his ass into the face of Caster. MxM isolated Caster. Rico threw a punch at Caster from ringside while the referee was distracted. Caster eventually made a hot tag.
Bowens had a run of offense and then MxM got the better of him. Caster tagged himself in and the broadcast team called it a questionable move on his part. MxM hit a double team move on Caster for a near fall. MxM went for Scissor Me Timbers on Caster, but Bowens crotched Mansoor on the top turnbuckle. Caster put Madden down and then Bowens tossed Mansoor onto his partner. Caster and Bowens hit Scissor Me Timbers.
Moments later, Bowens performed a dive onto both opponents at ringside. Rico entered the ring and tried to pull Mansoor back in. Gunn entered the ring behind Rico, who begged off. Rico threw a kick that Gunn stuffed. Gunn hit the Fameasser on Rico. Bowens hit The Arrival on Mansoor and then Caster hit the Mic Drop and got the three count…
“The Acclaimed” Max Caster and Anthony Bowens beat “MxM Collection” Mason Madden and Mansoor in 11:25.
Powell’s POV: Mansoor and Madden work well together, but I just can’t get over them bringing Vince McMahon’s last sports entertainment gimmick to AEW. Although the gimmick gets some chuckles from fans, it feels out of place in AEW. The Acclaimed were over with the crowd and yet their popularity is clearly down from their peak. On the bright side, it was fun to see Rico again.
-Mercedes Mone and Kamille arrived backstage. Mone asked a crew member where her dressing room is. Queen Aminata told Mone she didn’t need to be rude.
-Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and introduced Tony Khan for a tribute to Antoni Inoki. Khan introduced Inoki’s sons and then led the crowd in a “Ichi Ni San Da” chant…
-A video aired with Adam Copeland and Dax Harwood talking about the damage done to their home city of Asheville, North Carolina. They plugged ashevillepolicefoundation.org and the Brother Wolf animal rescue bwar.org along with other organizations helping with the hurricane relief effort.
-Entrances for the final pre-show match took place.
4. Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum (w/Rocky Romero) vs. Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling, Evil Uno, Josh Woods). Woods hit Cassidy with a cheap shot at ringside while the referee was distracted. The heel extras at ringside put the boots to Cassidy, who was then isolated.
Floyd took a hot tag and did a crowd pleasing series of bodyslams on his opponents. The Outrunners did their handshake and elbow drop spot. Woods tried to trip Magnum from the floor. Romero attacked Woods, but Uno ran Romero into the ring steps. Daivari performed a frog splash for a near fall.
Floyd no-sold punches from Daivari and then put him down with a clothesline. Cassidy hit Daivari with the Orange Punch and had him pinned, but Sterling put Daivari’s foot over the bottom rope. The Outrunners threw Sterling inside the ring where he was dropkicked by Cassidy. The Outunners hit a double team move on Daivari and then one of them pinned him…
Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum beat Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese in 11:30.
Powell’s POV: Mission accomplished in terms of getting more people on the show. The crowd did have some fun with The Outrunners and Cassidy. This pre-show was needlessly long and overstuffed with matches like all AEW pre-shows. It was fine for those who saw it, but I wouldn’t encourage anyone who missed it to go back and watch any of the matches.
-The broadcast team spoke at ringside and gave a final push for the pay-per-view.
-Backstage, Paquette interviewed Kazuchika Okada and noted that he didn’t have a match on the show. Kyle O’Reilly approached Okada and challenged him to a match. Okada told him to let him think about it. “Hmm, hell no,” Okada said before walking away. Okada turned around and called O’Reilly a bitch. O’Reilly said maybe next time he would try a different approach. O’Reilly punched Okada. They traded punches until security intervened. Christopher Daniels showed up and had both men ejected from the building. The pre-show wrapped up moments later.
A match for the ROH TV title in 2024 isn’t meaningful.
Fair point.