Tony Khan announced the latest addition to AEW’s event calendar, with the new AEW WrestleDream pay per view coming later this year.
AEW WrestleDream 2023 will take place on Sunday, October 1 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. This is the first AEW PPV to take place in Seattle.
The show comes after AEW sought to expand the number of pay per views in the calendar, following the immense success of shows like All In and Forbidden Door.
The show was announced by Tony Khan on the AEW All In post-show scrum, revealing the event was put in place to pay tribute to NJPW legend Antonio Inoki.
The event is taking place on October 1st, 2023 – exactly a year after the death of the late-Inoki. Khan is also hoping to include some NJPW talent, like Will Ospreay, in the show.
“I can announce here for the first time that on October 1 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, it will be the first-ever WrestleDream.
WrestleDream, one-year anniversary of the passing of wrestling’s greatest dreamer. I thought it would be very fitting and after All Out, you won’t have to wait for Full Gear in November.”
Tony Khan announcing the first ever WrestleDream pay per view.
The name “WrestleDream” is a clear reference to the WWF/SWS Wrestle Dream in Kobe show that took place in the 1990s.
AEW WrestleDream 2023 Predictions
Here are our predictions for AEW WrestleDream 2023, giving our view at what will happen at the first edition of the event.
Let uus know what you think about the WrestleDream predictions, in the comments section below this article.
Bryan Danielson vs Zack Sabre Jr
The only match announced for AEW WrestleDream is the dream match between Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr.
We predict Bryan Danielson will win that bout, following on from his victory over Ricky Starks at AEW All Out 2023.
This match will be a technical masterpiece, and will be unlike anything else AEW fans have seen before.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland managed to goad a singles match out of Adam Page for WrestleDream 2023, Page’s second in only six months.
While Page really needs a singles win, if he is to progress into the main event them Strickland needs it even more.
We predict that Swerve picks up the win over Hangman, driving him further away from The Elite and back into depression.
Prediction: Swerve Strickland beats Adam Page for his biggest victory yet.
FTR vs Aussie Open
FTR will defend their AEW Tag Team Championships against Aussie Open at WrestleDream, although there is little chance they drop the titles.
Aussie Open recently lost the ROH Tag Team titles at All In to MJF and Adam Cole, so having them win more gold so quickly seems like a bit of a silly idea.
This is a rematch from last year’s NJPW Royal Quest show, so expect a fantastic match but without a title change.
Prediction: FTR wins the match after a five-star performance.
Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi vs Sammy Guevara, Konosuke Takeshita & Will Ospreay
After Don Callis declared war on Kenny Omega’s former tag team partner Kota Ibushi, the trio of Ibushi, Omega and Chris Jericho are set to do battle with “The Callis Family” at WrestleDream 2023.
Jericho and Omega issued the challenge to Callis on this weeks AEW Rampage, although their opponents were not made clear.
While Guevara and Takeshita were implied to be a part of the match, the third member was not mentioned – although it is likely that Will Ospreay will be the third man in the team.
Ospreay defeated Kenny Omega at Forbidden Door this year, before beating Chris Jericho at Wembley Stadium in All In. He also won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Kota Ibushi in NJPW, so has a long history with all the men in this match.
Prediction: Will Ospreay pins Kota Ibushi to win the match, and sets up a match with Kenny Omega for Wrestle Kingdom 18.
Better Than You BayBay vs The Righteous
After Adam Cole suffered an injury last week on AEW Grand Slam, he will no longer be a part of this match. A broken ankle and ligament damage means that he cannot wrestle for up to a year, ending his tag team with MJF – maybe for good.
However, MJF is clinging on to his friend. He will be defending the ROH Tag Team Championships in a handicap match, unless a partner comes forward to join him.
I think Roderick Strong will come to his aid, and help defend the titles with MJF – leading to tension with Adam Cole sometime in the future.
Prediction: Roderick Strong and MJF pick up the win and retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.
Christian Cage vs Darby Allin (TNT Championship)
After Christian Cage won the TNT Championship at AEW Grand Slam 2023 (don’t even ask…), he has booked himself a title match against Darby Allin at WrestleDream 2023.
In his third consecutive title shot, this surely must mean that this is time for Allin to win his third TNT Championship. However, this current run for Christian Cage has been so good, it seems impossible that he would drop the title quite yet.
This one could go either way, but one things seems for sure after Grand Slam – Luchasaurus will turn on Christian Cage.
Prediction: Christian Cage retains his title, but Luchasaurus turns on him after the match.
Eddie Kingston vs Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW Strong Championship)
New ROH Champion Eddie Kingston is putting his other title – the NJPW Strong Championship – on the line at WrestleDream against one of the best Japanese stars of all time.
In a match with little build, he’ll be facing Katsuyori Shibata for the belt in a dream match for many, inclduing Kingston himself
With NJPW’s reluctance to book Shibata after his horrendous injury, it looks to us like a safe Eddie Kingston win.
Prediction: Eddie Kingston picks up the win and retains his title.
Kris Statlander vs Julia Hart
Julia Hart got her title match against Kris Statlander after Brody King issued a challenge on her behalf. Not quite the way she’d have liked it to happen, ad nor the fans – for a good story, it does not make.
Based on this, and Statlander’s lack of storylines in the interim since winning the TBS Championship, I can’t see her dropping the TBS Championship quite yet.
Prediction: Statlander retains after some spooky stuff.
Young Bucks vs Orange Cassidy & Hook vs The Gunns vs Lucha Bros
Prediction:
AEW WrestleDream 2023 Match Card
The current match card for AEW WrestleDream 2023 that has been announced is:
- Bryan Danielson vs Zack Sabre Jr
- Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland
- FTR vs Aussie Open (AEW Tag Team Championship)
- Better Than You Baybay vs The Righteous (ROH Tag Team Championship)
- Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi vs Will Ospreay, Sammy Guevara and Konosuke Takeshita
- Christian Cage vs Darby Allin (TNT Championship)
- Eddie Kingston vs Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW Strong Championship)
- Kris Statlander vs Julia Hart (TBS Championship)
- Young Bucks vs Orange Cassidy & Hook vs The Gunns vs Lucha Bros
Keep checking on this page for the AEW WrestleDream 2023 match card, and find out who stars like CM Punk, Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay will be taking on at the big event in Seattle.
