By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
AEW presents its annual WrestleDream event tonight in St. Louis, Missouri, at Chaifetz Arena. OK, I’m going to come off as an AEW hater here, but I really am not. I want this company to succeed and heck, there have been a good number of times that I have enjoyed the product. If you’ve read my past blogs and reviews of Collision, you’ve see that when I like something, I say so. And we know the event will deliver in the ring. That’s rarely an issue for the company, and I can usually find one or two matches on a given pay-per-view that draws me in from a storyline standpoint. But for this one, I’m struggling.
Yes, there are what I guess you can call stories but they just haven’t been constructed in a way that appeals to me. With that said, I’ll also acknowledge that I am only one person. It’s not about me. If the masses are into this, what does my opinion matter? The numbers over the last several weeks are telling me I’m not alone. Yes, I know that the ratings system has changed, I know there are always outside factors affecting the ratings, and I know that we don’t know the HBO Max numbers. Maybe the stories coming out of WrestleDream will change my tune. Maybe the action speaking for itself will be enough to hook me – time will tell. Now then, let’s run down the card!
Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship. This is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Page is clearly the face of the company. AEW put the time in to make him a relatable babyface character, and his title journey was well-received with a satisfying payoff. Joe, over the years, has been an excellent, badass heel, and if this had been booked properly, I would really be looking forward to this match and consider Joe a threat to take the title. Instead, he’s spent the better part of the year in a meaningless trio and is just now reverting back to what made him great before. It just feels too rushed and doesn’t give me thought of him walking away with the title. I also don’t need to be reminded by the babyface that he couldn’t have won the title without having some help. With all of that said, there is a chance to salvage this. After Page goes over, Joe could lay a savage beatdown on him, which would require a rematch. And if you told that story over several weeks, I’d be all in. But this first chapter has, sadly, fallen flat.
Don Predicts: Hangman Page retains the AEW World Championship.
Kris Statlander vs. Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s Championship. Now this is a situation where the story makes sense but one of the characters is lacking. It makes sense to have Storm try to get her title back and I am sure the match will be fine. I just need to see more character work out of Statlander or at least some promos that tell me what she’s about. The in-ring segments between the two have been fine. But again, it feels rushed and I would like to see them run this back once they have some time to build it properly and define Statlander’s character a little bit more.
Don Predicts: Kris Statlander retains the AEW Women’s Championship.
“Brodido” Brody King and Bandido vs. Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The story of this match is whether Okada and Takeshita can get along? With King and Bandido just winning the titles, the logical thought here would be for them to retain the straps. That would be OK, but I’m enjoying the slow build to the implosion in the Callis Family. Having Okada and Takeshita as reluctant partners would be a bit WWE-like, but I think it would be fun and a nice way to draw out the inevitable.
Don Predicts: Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita win the AEW Tag Team Titles.
Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe for the TNT Championship. It was a good move to have Briscoe get a high-profile win over MJF at All Out as it makes him more of a credible contender for the TNT title. The match will be fine, but I don’t see plans to take the title off of Fletcher just yet. I wouldn’t be surprised to see MJF reemerge to cost Briscoe the match, but I also think it’s time to move on from that feud.
Don Predicts: Kyle Fletcher retains the TNT Championship.
Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley in an I Quit match. Where do I begin? Look, I like the slow build to this showdown. It’s been built as a blood feud, and the old school guy in me loves a good blood feud. It just loses something for me when you factor in all the over-the-top stunts like blow torches, tasers, and Molotov cocktails. And unfortunately for me, I’m sure they’re saving the biggest stunts for the pay-per-view, which will further take me out of the moment.
Don Predicts: Darby Allin defeats Jon Moxley.
“The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. “Jurassic Express” Jack Perry and Luchasaurus for $500,000. I can do without the story that the Bucks are broke and need the money. That aside, the match should be good, and the crowd will likely be up for Jurassic Express’s first pay-per-view match since they reunited.
Don Predicts: Jurassic Express defeats The Young Bucks.
Jamie Hayter vs. Thekla. This is another example of what I was talking about before. From an in-ring standpoint, this will be fine. But there has been no character development at all. I don’t know who Thekla is outside of being able to do the spider walk. Hayter had potential and was over with the crowd, but has cooled off immensely.
Don Predicts: Thekla defeats Jamie Hayter.
“The Hurt Syndicate” Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP vs. “The Demand” Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun in a tornado trios match. Since they just did this match on Dynamite, I can’t say I’m all that excited to see them run it back. But, I do feel that The Demand needs to go over here to have any chance of being relevant moving forward.
Don Predicts: The Demand defeats The Hurt Syndicate.
AEW Collision Tailgate Brawl Pre-Show
“FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler vs. “JetSpeed” Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey. I’m actually surprised this match didn’t make the main card, but I guess it’s a nice hook to get people to tune in to the pre-show and could potentially lead to some last-minute buys. This one should be good.
Don Predicts: FTR defeats JetSpeed.
Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron vs. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford in a Tailgate Brawl. The fans will be into this as Nightingale and Cameron are over. I can’t say this will go anywhere moving forward, but it should be fun for what it is. Bayne could mean more than she does.
Don Predicts: Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron defeat Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford.
“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. What? No all stars? This is your standard pre-show spot fest.
Don Predicts: The Death Riders defeat the Conglomeration.
Eddie Kingston and Hook in tag team action. This will be a glorified squash.
Don Predicts: Eddie Kingston and Hook win their match.
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