All Elite Wrestling presents its third annual WrestleDream PPV, emanating from the Chafetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday October 18. The show will kick off with the second ever “Tailgate Brawl” which airs at 7 p.m. on both TNT and HBO Max. WrestleDream 2025 will air on traditional PPV, YouTube, Amazon Prime and HBO Max.
The show will be the first PPV in a long time without AEW headliners Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland, nor as of the publication of this column any match for Mercedes Mone. However, this match will feature one of the first non-title Women’s Matches in years for the company (Jamie Hayter vs. Thekla) and a trio of marquee main events — Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW Men’s World Title, Kris Statlander vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Title and Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin in an “I Quit” Match.
Here’s Pop Break’s predictions for this weekend’s show.
Tony Khan on WrestleDream 2025, Andrade, Women’s C2, DC Comics & An AEW Training Center
Tailgate Brawl: FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) with Stokely vs. JetSpeed (“Speedball” Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight)
Thoughts: Why put a killer match like this on the pre-show? If AEW has proven anything over the years, it’s that the pre-show is an extremely important piece of marketing and promotion to get people to buy the PPV. Also, given the fact WBD is putting this pre-show on HBO MAX and TNT, means there’s even more importance put on these matches. So, yes, let’s put this potential banger on here. Potential is the wrong word, these four are going to kill it. Now given the addition of Harley & Willow and Bayne & Ford to this match, it won’t be surprising to see all four get involved and bleed into their match.
Prediction: FTR takes the W, as this feud is far, far from over. I can only hope and pray that this one leads to a stipulation match that puts JetSpeed into a more FTR-friendly environment (Bunkhouse Brawl, etc) that will allow them to showcase a different side to this phenomenal tag team.
Eddie Kingston and Hook Open Challenge:
Thoughts: Not the biggest fan of Eddie Kingston returning to be in a tag team as he should be thrust into a much bigger role. However, with Kingston coming back from injury and them still trying to figure out Hook, it makes some sense. Not sure if this will be a guest team from New Japan or CMLL, a Don Callis family amalgam, or a debuting team.
Prediction: No matter who it is, Eddie & Hook will come out on top.
Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale vs. Divine Vanity (Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford):
Thoughts: This is going to be one of the sleeper matches of the night. Harley Cameron has shown amazing in-ring improvement this year, and her teaming with the ace known as Willow Nightingale is a match made in wrestling heaven. Divine Vanity has been great together since the jump. AEW is definitely priming the pump for the Women’s Tag Tournament with this one for sure.
Prediction: Given that Harley lost on Dynamite, I’m going with Harley & Willow.
Roderick Strong and The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and Tomohiro Ishii) vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, and Pac)
Thoughts: All eight of these men will deliver in the ring, without a question. However, it’s fairly obvious who’s coming out on top here.
Prediction: The Death Riders are not losing.
Tornado Trios Match: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona)Â
Thoughts: We’ve all seen the rumor and innuendo on the internet about the Hurt Syndicate and their stance on “losing.” Well, if there’s anything we’ve seen over the past month or so, it’s that they aren’t afraid to lose to The Demand, while also making them look like absolute killers. Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun are doing some of their best work right now, and the Hurt Syndicate have been fabulous dance partners for them.
Prediction: The Hurt Syndicate is going to take this one. This will then free up (potentially) Shelton and Ricochet to enter the C2 and maybe we get a Hangman/Lashley title match at Full Gear.
Jamie Hayter vs. Thekla
Thoughts: This is going to be an absolutely stiff, hard-hitting match. Thekla, like many of her Class of 2025 signings, has fit in AEW like a glove. Hayter is back, and is quickly regaining all the ground she’s missed via injury. I think this match, while good, is essentially a table-setter for Women’s Blood & Guts.
Prediction: Thekla gets the W thanks to help from her Triangle of Madness Sister, thus fueling Blood & Guts.
$500,000 Tag Match: Jurassic Express (Jack Perry and Luchasaurus) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)Â
Thoughts:Â Money matches in AEW have lost their efficacy unless they revolve around The Young Bucks. This match, on paper, might not be the most exciting for many, but given the streak of excellence The Bucks are on, I expect this one to outkick its coverage. This is going to a PWG-riffic match in the best way possible.
Prediction: Jurassic Express is freshly reunited, so going with them to get the win although my confidence on this pick is 50/50.
AEW World Tag Team Title Match: Brodido (Bandido and Brody King) (c) vs. Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita) with Don Callis
Thoughts: Tough one to call. On one hand, do you take the titles off the red-hot Brodido, who’ve been at the forefront of restoring tag team wrestling in AEW in order to further an Okada/Takeshita program? On the other — who takes the pin for the DCF? The new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion or the undefeated Rainmaker?
Prediction: Brodido retains due to a “malfunction at the junction” between The DCF.
TNT Championship Match: “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Mark Briscoe
Thoughts: Kyle Fletcher is killing it in AEW. Mark Briscoe got his big W against MJF at All Out. This one is going to be another notch on the belt for both men, but only one can be the victor. And that man is Kyle Fletcher. As much as Mark Briscoe is an emotional favorite of the AEW crowd, they need to keep the gas on Fletcher.
Prediction: Kyle Fletcher wins clean.
AEW Women’s World Championship Kris Statlander (c) vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm
Thoughts: Oh this is going to be a great one. Statlander and Storm are going to tear each other apart. These two are some of the best wrestlers in the world, and they are going to deliver on a hard-hitting, dramatic match that will continue their tense storyline.
Prediction: Statlander retains. You cannot cut Stat’s run off at the knees by having her drop it immediately. Toni is bulletproof and a loss to the champ will only elevate Kris, while allowing the Timeless one to move onto the Tag Tournament.
AEW Men’s World Title Match: “Hangman” Adam Page (C) vs. Samoa Joe
Thoughts: Hangman vs. The Man as Thick as a Christmas Ham is going to be awesome. Hangman is on a God-tier run in 2025, and Samoa Joe is someone due for a big time singles match. This, like the Women’s Title Match, will be stiff, hard-hitting, psychological and drama. These two will go to war, and the victors will be the fanbase.
Prediction: You’re not betting against Hangman in 2025.
I Quit Match: Darby Allin vs. Jon MoxleyÂ
Thoughts: This one is going to be scary. I Quit Matches have a tumultuous run. For every Flair vs. Funk at New York Knockout, there are dozens of matches with dopey finishes that undercut the seriousness of the stipulation. Mox and Darby are not afraid to put themselves through fire, nails, glass, barbed wire, suffocation, etc. So, I can imagine what these two have planned, and it makes me nervous because of the actual disregard they have for their bodies and the love they have for pro wrestling. Careful of your blood pressure, everyone, this is going to be a batshit crazy one for the ages.
Prediction: Last year at WrestleDream Jon Moxley ended Bryan Danielson’s career. One year, somehow, someway, Bryan Danielson is going to get the better of Jon Moxley. So, I’m going with Darby Allin.
