AEW WrestleDream 2023 was a first for AEW as they honored Antonio Inoki. In a night of top matches like the main event. Bryan Danielson Vs Zack Sabre Jr. and Hangman Adam Page Vs Swerve Strickland. The rest of the match was good enough, but a number of matches had potential injuries. Some of the matches lacked a strong story coming into the show such as the fatal four way tag match, Wheeler Yuta and Ricky Starks, and the Shibata Vs Kingston match to name a few. The show structure was fine but overall a 14 match show including the zero hour is still a very long show.
AEW WrestleDream 2023 a PPV built to honor the founder of NJPW, Antonio Inoki. Main evented with the AEW TNT championship in a 2 out of 3 falls match between Christian Cage and Darby Allin. Bryan Danielson gets his dream match against Zack Sabre Jr. Hangman Adam Page looks to get his killer instinct back against Swerve Strickland. MJF defends the ROH world tag team championships against The Righteous. All this and so much more.
The Buy In / Zero Hour:
Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Mercedes Martinez and Diamante Vs Satoshi Kojima, Keith Lee, Billie Starks and Athena:
Results: Satoshi Kojima By Pinfall via Lariat on Lee Moriarty
Josh Barnett Vs Claudio Castagnoli: Summary
Results: Claudio Castagnoli by Pinfall via Leg Trapped Crucifix Roll Up.
Luchasaurus Vs Nick Wayne: Summary
Results: Luchasaurus by Pinfall via clubbing clothesline to the back of Nick’s head.
TMDK Vs The Acclaimed – AEW World Trios Championship Match: Summary
Results: The Acclaimed by Pinfall via Max Caster’s Mic Drop
Main Show:
GREAT MJF Vs The Righteous – ROH World Tag Team Championship Match: AEW WrestleDream 2023 Opening Match
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
A common theme with MJF tag matches since he and Adam Cole started was an electric crowd and basic but effective tag team storytelling. MJF cut a promo before the match stating that his Devil mask was in fact stolen but also that he was going to shove Vincent’s head up Dutch’s ass. Its effective storytelling and psychology and MJF had the crowd in the palm of his hands. But The righteous losing in a handicapped match is not a great move. But the booking decision can’t influence the rating.
Results: MJF by Pinfall via Heatseeker on Dutch
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
GOOD Eddie Kingston Vs Katsuyori Shibata – ROH World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
As a whole this match is fine. Nothing to complain about. Great work from both men but there wasn’t much of a story between them and it wasn’t too innovative. But the crowd was solid for it, the wrestling was good and the selling from both men was good.
Results: Eddie Kingston by Pinfall via Powerbomb
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
GREAT Julia Hart Vs Kris Statlander – AEW TBS Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.50
This wasn’t the best women’s match of the weekend, nor of the companies year. Kris and Julia had a good enough match that had a crowd that was great for both of them. Kris and Julia are both getting over and Julia Hart is putting the pieces of her puzzle together.
Results: Kris Statlander by Pinfall via Sunday Night Fever
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50
GOOD Lucha Brothers Vs The Gunns Vs Orange Cassidy and HOOK Vs Young Bucks – For A Future AEW Tag Team Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.75
In a match that might have injured International Champion Rey Fenix and overall lacked psychology and a story. The high points of this match is a great crowd and some unique spots. Orange Cassidy and Hook while being over with the crowd we can’t not say that Cassidy deserves better. The Young Bucks win the match by pinning Penta.
Results: Young Bucks by Pinfall via BTE Trigger on Penta
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
MUST WATCH Hangman Page Vs Swerve Strickland:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 1
This as a whole is a perfect match, it’s a flawless match with Hangman really being put in a shocking spot to need to play a heel against a heel Swerve Strickland. Crowd was hot, the match had dramatic spots and everything was laid out nicely. While there was solid selling within the match, some of the nearfalls irked me. Not only does Hangman Page take a Swerve Stomp onto the apron, he took a 450 to his arm and kicked out of it. Hangman went for another buck shot lariat before being hit with Prince Nana’s crown. Page kicked out and it took two house call kicks and the JML Driver to put him away. The psychology in this match was really great with the selling but some of the kick outs were not great.
Results: Swerve Strickland by Pinfall via JML Driver
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.75 Stars
GREAT Wheeler Yuta Vs Ricky Starks:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
This match probably didn’t need to be a PPV match. This was just a solid match between Yuta and Ricky. A good enough crowd and solid wrestling between both of them. There wasn’t much of a story in the match aside from Ricky doing stuff that Danielson does.
Results: Ricky Starks by Pinfall via Roshambo
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
MUST WATCH Zack Sabre Jr. Vs Bryan Danielson – Dream Match:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
In another flawless match this match is going to be remembered because it was a dream match for most. Zack and Bryan took it to each other in amazing wrestling, a hot crowd that enjoyed every minute of this match. The only thing is there wasn’t a one star story to this match. And that is fine because this match wasn’t going to have the storytelling as one of the high points for it.
Results: Bryan Danielson by Pinfall via Running Knee
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.75
GREAT The Don Callis Family, Sammy Guevara, Konosuke Takeshita, and Will Ospreay Vs Chris Jericho and The Golden Lovers, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi:
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.50
Innovation: 0.75
This match is a mixed bag. With a number of neck bumps that don’t look good and Kota’s rust still visibly here. The second of this match was filled with zero tag team psychology, no tags and Aubrey Edwards doing absolutely nothing. Don Callis used Floyd to get the win as Sammy Guevara pinned Chris. How am I supposed to believe Will Ospreay could stop Kenny and Kota with Takeshita on the other side of the ring?
Results: Sammy Guevara by Pinfall via Don Callis’ Using Jericho’s bat on Chris Jericho
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
GOOD FTR Vs Aussie Open – AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: AEW WrestleDream 2023 Semi Main Event
Fundamentals: 0.50
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
Well, Mark Davis confirmed snapping his wrist within the match. We see Aussie Open fail to hit a shatter machine and just a number of spots that just don’t look good. The match lacked a story but had good action within the match. Last year’s match was miles better and this just wasn’t in a good spot.
Results: FTR by Pinfall via Super Shatter Machine
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
AMAZING Darby Allin Vs Christian Cage – AEW TNT Championship 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match: AEW WrestleDream 2023 Main Event
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
Boy… This match is a mixed bag, a completely opposite style of match to how Christian Cage Vs Kenny Omega was. That was Christian’s last PPV main event. From an electric and fully invested crowd. Christian Cage does amazing heel work. I liked the first fall being a jackknife roll up with Christian’s turtleneck being used against him. The second fall being a count out from Darby selling his back. But the fact that Christian struggled for the first body slam off the apron to the steps, he chose to hit a suplex and then try the body slam once again resulting in three nasty bumps for Darby. I expected but didn’t think the kick out after the killswitch was needed from it being on the exposed wood. And the heel turn was very well done.
Results: Christian Cage by Pinfall via Nick Wayne’s Belt Shot to Darby (2-1)
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
Overall…
AEW WrestleDream 2023 was a first for AEW as they honored Antonio Inoki. In a night of top matches like the main event. Bryan Danielson Vs Zack Sabre Jr. and Hangman Adam Page Vs Swerve Strickland. The rest of the match was good enough, but a number of matches had potential injuries. Some of the matches lacked a strong story coming into the show such as the fatal four way tag match, Wheeler Yuta and Ricky Starks, and the Shibata Vs Kingston match to name a few. The show structure was fine but overall a 14 match show including the zero hour is still a very long show.
Matches: 0.75/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere…: 1/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.75/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 1/1 Stars
Overall Rating. 4.25/5 Stars
Photo Credit: AEW – October 1 2023For inquiries about the rating criteria check out the article announcing the new system here:
