WrestleDream explained

AEW WrestleDream
Promotions:All Elite Wrestling
Firstevent:2023

AEW WrestleDream is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Established in 2023, it is held annually in October as a memorial show to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) founder Antonio Inoki; AEW and NJPW have had a working partnership since early 2021. The name of the event is a reference to Inoki, who AEW President and Chief Executive Officer Tony Khan called "wrestling's greatest dreamer".

History

On October 1, 2022 (September 30 in Eastern Time), Antonio Inoki, the founder of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), died.[1] Prior to his death, the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) began a working partnership with NJPW in early 2021.[2] This resulted in the annual co-promoted event,, which was first held in June 2022.[3]

In April 2023, AEW filed to trademark "AEW WrestleDream".[4] During the All In media scrum on August 27, AEW president Tony Khan officially announced that AEW would hold a pay-per-view (PPV) event titled WrestleDream, which would be held in honor of Inoki, who was someone Khan looked up to in the professional wrestling industry. The event was scheduled to take place on October 1, 2023—the one-year anniversary of Inoki's passing—at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, marking AEW's first PPV to be held in the state of Washington.[5] The name of the event refers to Inoki, who Khan called "wrestling's greatest dreamer".[6] Despite not being a co-promoted event with NJPW, the event saw the participation of NJPW wrestlers Satoshi Kojima,[7] TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nicholls, and Shane Haste),[8] Katsuyori Shibata,[9] Zack Sabre Jr.,[10] and Will Ospreay,[11] who would later sign with AEW, as well as Inoki's former student Josh Barnett.[12]

On April 11, 2024, a second WrestleDream was confirmed to be held on October 12, 2024, in Tacoma, Washington, thus establishing WrestleDream as an annual October event for AEW.[13]

Events

Event[14] DateCityVenueMain EventRef.
1WrestleDream (2023)October 1, 2023Seattle, WashingtonClimate Pledge ArenaChristian Cage (c) vs. Darby Allin in a Two out of three falls match for the AEW TNT Championship[15]
2WrestleDream (2024)October 12, 2024Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma DomeTBA

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Antonio Inoki Passes Away At Age 79. Defelice. Robert. Fightful. September 30, 2022. October 1, 2022. October 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221001013224/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/antonio-inoki-passes-away-age-79. live.
  2. Web site: AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling Established Working Relationship. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Josh. Nason. February 4, 2021. April 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20210204143003/https://www.f4wonline.com/aew-news/aew-new-japan-pro-wrestling-establish-working-relationship-332261. February 4, 2021. live.
  3. Tony Khan Announces First-Ever AEW, NJPW Joint Pay-Per View Event. Justin. Barrasso. Sports Illustrated. April 20, 2022. April 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220421005905/https://www.si.com/wrestling/2022/04/21/aew-njpw-joint-pay-per-view-tony-khan. April 21, 2022. live.
  4. Web site: AEW files to trademark 'AEW WrestleDream'. April 24, 2023. Carey. Ian. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. August 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230829031806/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/aew-files-to-trademark-aew-wrestledream. August 29, 2023. live.
  5. Web site: Lambert. Jeremy. AEW WrestleDream Announced For October 1, AEW Full Gear To Take Place On November 18. Fightful. August 27, 2023. August 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230828045934/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aew-wrestledream-announced-october-1-aew-full-gear-take-place-november-18. August 28, 2023. live.
  6. Web site: Tony Khan announces AEW WrestleDream PPV, Full Gear date & location. August 27, 2023. Carey. Ian. Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. August 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230829040612/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/tony-khan-announces-aew-wrestledream-ppv-full-gear-date-location. August 29, 2023. live.
  7. Web site: Lambert. Jeremy. Keith Lee, Satoshi Kojima, Athena, And Billie Starkz Victorious In Eight-Person Tag At AEW WrestleDream. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  8. Web site: Lambert. Jeremy. The Acclaimed And Billy Gunn Retain AEW Trios Titles At AEW WrestleDream. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  9. Web site: Defelice. Robert. Eddie Kingston Retains ROH World And NJPW STRONG Titles Over Katsuyori Shibata At AEW WrestleDream. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  10. Web site: Defelice. Robert. Don Callis Family Beat Golden Lovers And Chris Jericho At AEW WrestleDream; Sammy Guevara Pins Jericho. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  11. Web site: Defelice. Robert. Don Callis Family Beat Golden Lovers And Chris Jericho At AEW WrestleDream; Sammy Guevara Pins Jericho. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  12. Web site: Tessier. Colin. Claudio Castagnoli Beats Josh Barnett, Jon Moxley Appears At AEW WrestleDream. Fightful. October 1, 2023. October 16, 2023.
  13. Web site: AEW Announces Dates And Locations For 2024 PPV Events. Fightful. Lambert, Jeremy. April 11, 2024. April 11, 2024.
  14. Web site: All Elite Wrestling Event Results. April 11, 2024. All Elite Wrestling.
  15. Web site: Tessier. Colin. Nick Wayne Betrays Darby Allin, Helps Christian Cage Retain TNT Title At AEW WrestleDream. Fightful. October 2, 2023. October 16, 2023.

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