Adam Cole, Jon Moxley, Actual Winners and Losers From AEW WrestleDream 2024 Match Card

AEW returned to pay-per-view Saturday evening with its WrestleDream occasion, a present devoted to Antonio Inoki’s reminiscence and headlined by world champion Bryan Danielson defending towards former Blackpool Fight Membership teammate Jon Moxley.

As is the case with most main wrestling occasions, there have been stars up and down the cardboard who had higher nights than others, rising as winners or losers each actually and figuratively.

One such winner was a returning star injected again into the combination as one of many prime and most recognizable performers within the firm.

Who gained the encounter between the champion and No. 1 contender, which rivals left Tacoma, Washington as winners, and which have been losers for one purpose or one other?

Discover out on this recap of the October 12 extravaganza.

“Switchblade” Jay White defeated “Hangman” Adam Web page within the opening contest of WrestleDream in what can greatest be described as a momentum-builder for the previous IWGP heavyweight champion.

White had super success in New Japan Professional-Wrestling. He was a prime star there and chief of the storied Bullet Membership. He carried the mantle

After shedding a world title match towards MJF at Full Gear final November although he spent a substantial period of time wallowing away on the undercard in AEW, in a spot that was not essentially reflective of his abilities or stature.

A latest return following a hiatus as a result of harm put him ready to reignite his push within the firm and Saturday’s clear win over former world champion Web page solely additional helps the concept ol’ King Change may very well be reheated for a renewed run at or close to the highest of the cardboard.

Contemplating the shortage of recent most important occasion expertise on the prime of the cardboard, the thought of a reinvigorated White mixing it up in the identical realm as Web page, Swerve Strickland, Jon Moxley, and Bryan Danielson is mighty interesting.

Jack Perry retained his TNT Championship over Katsuyori Shibata within the third match of Saturday’s card. Inside a minute of the choice, one could be hard-pressed to recollect something concerning the match or the champion’s profitable retention.

As a substitute, he was overshadowed instantly by an look from Daniel Garcia, who despatched him scurrying away from the squared circle.

By the point MJF made his shock return and bodily confronted Garcia, Perry’s victory grew to become that rather more insignificant.

Throw in an excellent greater shock return and the thunderous ovation that acquired (extra in a second) and you’ve got a champion who was carried out soiled by the location of his match in relation to these appearances.

Even when there are nonetheless huge reserving plans for Perry, which can embrace defending his title towards the rivals immediately concerned within the post-match actions, it’s tough to say his star energy didn’t take successful Saturday when he was handled just like the clear No. 4 to each different star who both shared the display with him or adopted his exit.

The final time we noticed Adam Cole, the previous Ring of Honor and NXT world champion was left mendacity by MJF in what most assumed was a feud-ending phase.

Saturday, we came upon that is probably not the case as Cole made a shock return, making the save for Daniel Garcia and chasing his sworn enemy away from the squared circle.

Cole helped Garcia to his toes, confirmed him respect, after which basked within the adulation of the Tacoma followers.

If there was any doubt as as to if Cole would return as a babyface or heel when he was cleared to take action, that was erased by the overwhelming cheers of the followers primarily based on how his comeback was booked.

Whereas Cole is historically at his strongest as a heel, the choice to e book him as a babyface if the intent is for him to renew his rivalry with MJF, as soon as once more a despised heel, is sensible.

What meaning for the Undisputed Kingdom stays to be seen however Matt Taven and Mike Bennett exhibiting respect to Hook at Dynamite: Grand Slam suggests a babyface flip for all concerned is on faucet.

Regardless, Cole’s return to tv and finally the ring is nice for the corporate, his followers, and the performer. His star bolsters the roster, provides AEW one other most important occasion participant to work with, and will get Cole again to doing what he was born to do: carry out between the ropes towards the corporate’s greatest.

Particularly given what number of hardships he has encountered since arriving within the firm in 2021.

Konosuke Takeshita has spent the second half of 2024 rebounding in AEW, rising again up the ranks after months spent showcasing his huge ability however shedding to extra distinguished stars.

That revitalized rise culminated at WrestleDream along with his victory over Will Ospreay and Ricochet for the AEW Worldwide Championship.

It got here by the hands of Kyle Fletcher, who shockingly betrayed his United Empire teammate Ospreay and robbed him of a clear win. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a denying what a win of that magnitude means for Takeshita and the belief Tony Khan and Co. have in him as one of many stars of the long run.

What is going to in the end decide how profitable Takeshita is in his position as champion would be the power of competitors that he faces popping out of WrestleDream and whether or not he’s the focus of any story he’s concerned or if he’s however a heel foil biding time till Ospreay regains his gold.

Or Ricochet dethrones him.

A very gifted competitor who seems to be like a man able to starring on the prime of AEW for the subsequent decade, this was an important step towards stardom. Hopefully, Khan and his inventive workforce can construct on it and keep away from the identical errors which have plagued Takeshita’s journey at completely different factors.

Mariah Might efficiently defended the AEW Girls’s World Championship towards Willow Nightengale in the one ladies’s division match-up on the complete most important card of the WrestleDream pay-per-view.

Positive, Anna Jay bested Harley Cameron and TBS champion Mercedes Moné arrange a match for Wednesday’s Dynamite towards Queen Aminata.

Nonetheless, the shortage of one other match on the PPV card was unacceptable contemplating the standard of labor and the corporate’s latest emphasis on the ladies’s division.

Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander, Saraya, Aminata, and Moné are all rivals missing a match on the cardboard who may have been afforded that chance.

It’s clear primarily based on the TV product that AEW is actively trying to construct its ladies’s division and put these rivals ready to succeed as a legit a part of the present, however to depart them a card that was not less than partially thrown collectively briefly order threatens to unravel these efforts.

Within the firm’s protection, it usually does have not less than two matches, with the TBS and ladies’s titles represented. Maybe that’s the reason it was extra apparent Saturday when that was not the case.

Given the size of the PPVs, there is no such thing as a purpose to not have not less than two matches representing the jam-packed division on every of these playing cards.

If no more.

Particularly when a star of Moné’s stature is proper there.

The rivalry between the undefeated Hologram and The Beast Mortos wrote its remaining chapter in a Finest Two-Out-of-Three Falls Match Saturday evening.

Regardless of missing the profile of a number of the different stars and match-ups on the cardboard, the luchadors tore the home down, delivering a rattling good match that noticed the masked babyface overcome his first pinfall within the promotion to defeat Mortos and lengthen his unbeaten streak.

Not solely did the match get some recent faces on the cardboard, but it surely additionally proved that the rivals concerned may come off of Collision and onto a pay-per-view and stay as much as the expectations set by the earlier encounters.

Mortos stays one of many hidden gems on tv. He was that manner throughout his time as Black Taurus in TNA and that has carried over to AEW, the place he has gained consideration and respect for the standard of his ring work, even when his win-loss document is nothing particular.

Each males are potential breakout stars and performing as much as the extent they did right here solely solidified that sentiment.

Jon Moxley is the AEW world champion for the fourth time after defeating Bryan Danielson with the bulldog choke in the primary occasion of WrestleDream by way of referee stoppage.

A grueling match-up between two rivals who’ve been associates, companions, and adversaries at completely different factors of their careers, it was one of the best match on the present, and in accordance with a stipulation set by The American Dragon himself, his remaining one as a full-time energetic wrestler.

Moxley’s standing as a winner transcends the title victory, although.

It contains the brutal assault that occurred after, an assault that included a heel flip from Wheeler Yuta, who laid out Darby Allin with a operating knee to stop him from saving the previous champion earlier than putting a plastic bag over Danielson’s head and trying to suffocate him.

The gang’s shocked silence because the heels stood triumphantly earlier than lastly being pushed from the squared circle, adopted by its scornful jeers, suggests AEW has a scorching heel act on its palms, led by the brand new champion.

The way it manages to observe up on that, and which babyface it selects to fight them will decide how profitable the angle was within the long-term however for now, the corporate and its prime star can relaxation comfortably understanding the brutality of the closing moments of the present positioned Moxley and Co. because the faces of the promotion and probably the most harmful risk on the roster.

And all of it got here on the expense of a legendary competitor who would need his swan music to be utilized to assist get others over.