Another WrestleDream in the books! AEW WrestleDream 2025 was a wild, action-packed show from start to finish. AEW delivers hour after hour of total nonstop action which surely will have a long-lasting impact as the road to Full Gear begins!
The pre-show consisted of four big matches, one of which technically became part of the main show!
The Death Riders defeated The Conglomeration
PAC pinning Ishii was not on any bingo card I ever had. Regardless of who took the pin, this was a wildly fun match. The Death Riders getting the win did make sense, while upsetting the early attendance, gave an impression the Death Riders are on a dominant streak, and continue to be an imposing stable in AEW.
The Conglomeration is a fun group, one which doesn’t appear to be affected one way or another by taking a loss. Roderick Strong is fantastic as the angry straight-forward character who can’t take this nonsense. But he still breaks backs.
KingHook (Eddie Kingston and Hook) defeated The Frat House (Cole Karter and Griff Garrison)
Not entirely a squash, but certainly felt like it. In ROH, the Frat House seems to be getting over, however the appearances on AEW programming seem to fall in the jobber category. I assume this is to gradually get Eddie more comfortable back in the ring and in a tag team role. A run for the tag team championships could be in the future, but I can’t see it if a babyface team holds the belts.
Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale defeated Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford
Another fun match. Bayne and Ford doing the Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn cosplay was pretty cool. As usual, Ford eats the pinfall. Constantly protecting Bayne from looking anything but dominant. Bayne does have a loss or two, but none clean. Harley Cameron continues to get better with each match. Willow is among the top workhorses of the Women’s Division. She is a champ, without or without a physical belt.
FTR defeated JetSpeed
While Stokley helped Dax and Cash get the W over the insanely over babyfaces of “Speedball” Bailey and Kevin Knight, the multi-time tag team champions seem to be embracing the heel heat they are garnering with these underhanded tactics. JetSpeed, despite the loss, looked like true winners. I imagine FTR will challenge for the tag titles soon. Not too many more teams to separate them from the current champions.
I thought it was pretty cool how their pre-show match bled into the start of the PPV. Felt very circa-1990s WWF and WCW.
At the start of the main show, Charlie Thesz, wife of the late Lou Thesz was shown and introduced at ringside. Very cool.
Jamie Hayter defeated Thekla
I was surprised, expecting Thekla to get the win and push since she is relatively new to the company. However I was not disappointed either to see Hayter, a bona-fide beast in the ring, get a clean and decisive win over the Toxic Spider. Thekla is no stranger to hard-hitting matches, as evidenced with Queen Aminata. Having Hayter continue to deliver her hard-strikes and display of endurance and power actually helps continue to make Thekla look equally strong. Hayter looks like a million bucks, while Thekla appears as the villain to slinks away in the shadows to strike another day.
Jurassic Express defeated the Young Bucks
Speaking of looking like a million bucks, Matt and Nick Jackson most certainly did, but financially are very much not. A hilarious intro on the big screen showing their near-deficit, and poor spending decisions leading to a measly $32.17. The crowd laughed, and the Bucks even took a few photos and impromptu autographs for some quick cash.
Perry and Luchasaurus looked better than ever and boy do I mean it. Unreal match. Could be a MOTY contender. All four worked hard, fast, and seriously. Bucks did their cynical antics, often thwarted by Perry and Luchasaurus breaking out moves never seen by the duo before. Sure, some might be turned off by spot-fests, but both teams made them look DAMN GOOD. Luchasaurus went on a literal tear, mauling both Bucks and sending fans into frenzies with standing moonsaults and kip-ups.
Finishing off the Jacksons with a Doomsday Device followed by the Extinction Level Event firmly asserts Jurassic Express as 100% back.
Post-match: The Don Callis Family strike, and Kenny Omega rushing out for the save, dismayed Nick and Matt refused to help. Could the Bucks be indebted to Don Callis?
The Hurt Syndicate defeated The Demand to become #1 Contenders for the AEW Trios Championships
This was a sudden stipulation added before the match. I would have thought Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun would win, it seemed they are getting a push. However, just because they lose here doesn’t end their run. I imagine this may not be the last we see of the Demand interfering in Hurt Syndicate’s business. MVP looked great alongside Benjamin and Lashley. However, the MVP of the match has to go to Shelton Benjamin. The dude was on fire for most of it, and while Lashley threw bodies, Benjamin dropped bodies left and right with suplexes, slams, and even some crazy dives.
Hurt Syndicate vs. The Opps? Big Meat Match incoming!
Kyle Fletcher defeated Mark Briscoe to retain the AEW TNT Championship
If any championship would change hands tonight, I really thought it was happening here. While Briscoe and Fletcher put on yet another wrestling clinic, I was disappointed Briscoe couldn’t have been written to win the title. I’m sure he probably had a say in that, but it would have been such a feel-good moment for a guy who continues to claw his way up the ladder. He could win here, then lose it back to Fletcher at Full Gear. Which would still be disappointing, but at least he’d hold a championship.
Fletcher and Briscoe have near-perfect chemistry. They’ll have another go-around soon enough. Given the result, there are lingering questions of: Where does Mark Briscoe go from here? Who is next for Fletcher? Will he be dethroned this year? In 2026, or 2027?
AEW wrestlers do seem to enjoy long reigns, will Fletcher benefit from this too?
Kris Statlander pins “Timeless” Toni Storm to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
It appears “The Timeless One” has found her murder in Kris Statlander. I am happy to see Stat retain the Women’s World Championship. It shows winning the title in a fatal four-way was no fluke, and can hold her own individually. She’s been built as the threatening underdog, often coming close. Statlander’s run as TBS Champion thankfully has mostly been forgotten as for whatever reason she wasn’t booked very strongly during her run. This time, she’s come off a long feud with Willow Nightingale, fended off Marina Shafir and the Death Riders and seems to have once more found her niche as a strong powerhouse of a woman whom none dare antagonize. I’m enjoying her current babyface run, it feels more organic than her time as a heel. I think she just fits the babyface persona a lot better.
As for “Timeless” Toni Storm, she remains in good standing. As one to chase a championship, she was brilliant in her storytelling. As champion it continued naturally as only Toni Storm does best. Her multiple personas, from comical, to violent, to outright sexual in nature, it’s pretty clear she’s got a lot more in the tank back without the championship. I feel her character can organically mold itself into whatever the moment needs to be.
After the match, Mercedes Mone interrupted and demanded someone, a champion, answer her open challenge. It was answered by Ring of Honor Interim Women’s TV Champion, Mina Shirakawa.
Unfortunately, we could see how this would play out. However, this was a ridiculously great match in which at multiple points one could believe Shirakawa had a legit shot at taking the TBS Championship away from Mone. However, with some underhanded tactics, Mone wins by cheating the pinfall, and claiming the Interim ROH Women’s TV Championship. This brings her belt total to 11, and thus breaking the record held by Ultimo Dragon.
However, I would be remiss to point out the Owen Hart Memorial Cup is more a trophy than championship belt to be defended, plus the RevPro British Women’s Championship comprises two belts. If we follow logic, then Mone only has nine defendable championships. However, if they are counting physical title belts, then yes, she has 11.
After the match, Kris Statlander then interrupted her celebration. Tease for a potential title fight? Yep.
Brodido defeated Kazuchka Okada and IWGP World Champion Konosuke Takeshita to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships
So cool seeing the IWGP World Championship on AEW programming. This was a fun match. Brody and Bandido make a fantastic duo. It’s rare to see two wrestlers of such size and style to mesh well. They do an excellent job of being a cohesive team. Sometimes Bandido will fly, and sometimes Brody will fly. It seemed the new IWGP Champion and the Unified Champion were working together, until Takeshita had enough of Okada’s gloating antics. Late in the match, Bandido dodged a Rainmaker Lariat, causing Okada to level Takeshita. Instead of trying to help, we saw the familiar “I’m so sorry” expression followed by a smirk and the flipped finger. It was all Brodido needed to gain the advantage and win the match.
Don Callis appeared appalled and irate. I smell collusion.
“Hangman” Adam Page defeated Samoa Joe to retain the AEW World Championship
Page felt more like an underdog throughout the match. Commentary made good work on reminding us Joe has wins over Page, while the champ cannot say the same. Joe at times seemed to take a brutal stance, as one would when challenging for a title. But, this seemed a bit more, vicious in nature. Late in the match Joe was unable to keep Page down, fell prey to a Dead Eye, followed by numerous Buckshot Lariats for the win. Joe and Page kept the crowd fired up, and the post match even most certainly added fuel to said fire.
Post-match, Joe showed respect to Page, and then decked him. Hobbs and Shibata immediately pounced. Clearly there was no shock and surprise, but a planned event should Joe lose.
This seems to indicate Page will feud with The Opps. Page vs. Hobbs? Yes please. Page vs. Shibata? HOT DAMN.
“I Quit” Match: Darby Allin forced Jon Moxley to say “I Quit” to win the main event
I have no words, but yet I do. Carnage. Mayhem. Murder. Insanity. ECW Originals who haven’t become cranky old bastards would have loved this. This might not make the ballot for Match of the Year, but it will certainly be up there for being one of the most insane wrestling + brawls to date. What started as a fight, turned into grotesque and bloody craziness. Mox tried ripping Darby’s fingernails off. Belt whipping. Tasers. Chairs and tables were used. Claudio interfered, lifting Darby over his head, ran across the ring, hurling him through the announce desk. Despite being brutally beaten, battled, and bloodied, Darby refused to cave in. Mox pulled out everything he could, even trying to drown Allin in a fishtank.
The Death Riders would not cease interference.
The lights go out.
IT’S STIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!
Old Man Sting has arrived! He destroys the fish tank, single-handedly takes out the Death Riders, then tosses his trademark bat to Darby. Seeing red, Darby Allin goes to town on Mox, beating up senseless with the bat, bashing his legs and back repeatedly. With Sting looking on, Darby hits a Scorpion Death Drop, followed by trapping Mox in the Scorpion Death Lock while laying on top of glass and lighter fluid. After a brief struggle, Mox is forced to say the two words out loud for all to hear – “I Quit.”
Wow. What a finish. This match might not be to everyone’s taste, but given the near-year long feud this has built up to, it certainly fits.
Darby, proudly waves the AEW flag as it appears Mox and the Death Riders may retreat for now.
An excellent PPV, with a lot of meat to dig into. Some feuds appear to have been wrapped up, while others appear to be brewing. With Full Gear just a month away, it is not a lot of time to start new feuds, but certainly a conduit to build them up.
