Well, I got some right and I got some very wrong. AEW WrestleDream 2025 from St. Louis delivered one of the most story-centric shows of the year, and brother, they threw some curveballs I didn’t see coming. Let me break down what happened versus what I predicted.
The Main Event Shocker: Darby Allin Defeats Jon Moxley
MY PREDICTION: Jon Moxley wins, Darby never says ‘I Quit’ but loses via knockout.
ACTUAL RESULT: Darby Allin wins. Moxley says ‘I Quit.’
I was dead wrong. And you know what? I’m okay with being wrong on this one because what we got was incredible.
The match was everything you’d expect from an ‘I Quit’ match between these two – violent, brutal, with weapons, a taser, an aquarium spot, and multiple table spots. The Death Riders were interfering left and right – Marina Shafir, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta – they were all over Darby.
And then it happened. The moment nobody saw coming.
The bat has been passed!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 19, 2025
Watch #AEWWrestleDream on HBO Max PPV pic.twitter.com/N4hoIW6Utb
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Sting came back dramatically to help Darby even the odds. The Icon finally armed Allin to topple Moxley after a relentless assault. Moxley, who had refused to surrender the entire match, finally said ‘I Quit.’ Darby got the emotional victory and potentially ended this brutal rivalry.
STING. RETURNED.
This was perfect storytelling. The student needed the teacher one more time. Sting passed the torch to Darby months ago, but here he was when Darby needed him most. That’s the thing about wrestling when it’s done right – it makes sense emotionally even when you didn’t predict it logically.
The big question now is: where does Moxley go from here? His psyche has to be shattered. This was supposed to be his moment, his reign of terror, and Darby Allin just ended it with an assist from a retired legend.
World Championship: Hangman Retains, But Then…
MY PREDICTION: Hangman Adam Page retains the AEW World Championship.
ACTUAL RESULT: Hangman retains… but gets destroyed after the match.
I got the match result right. Hangman retained against Samoa Joe after a hard-fought contest that required three Buckshot Lariats to keep Joe down, just like I predicted. Joe had never been beaten by Page before, and this was Hangman’s moment to prove he could beat him when it mattered most.
But what I didn’t see coming was The Opps turning on Page.
After the match, The Opps – Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata – attacked Page as a group, leaving him laid out. They formed a new heel faction alliance with Samoa Joe, launching a major narrative for the AEW World Title picture, leaving babyface Hangman vulnerable.
This is huge. Hangman just got the biggest win of his title reign, and now he’s got three dangerous guys gunning for him. The Opps weren’t even in my prediction radar, and now they’re established as major threats moving forward.
Women’s Championship: Statlander Retains, Moné Sets Up Full Gear
MY PREDICTION: Kris Statlander retains the AEW Women’s Championship.
ACTUAL RESULT: Statlander retains, then Mercedes Moné interrupts.
Got this one right. Statlander successfully defended the title in her first singles match against Timeless Toni Storm. The match played out like a chess game, with mutual respect passing the torch to Statlander as the new leader of the women’s division.
But immediately after, TBS Champion Mercedes Moné interrupted, making her intentions clear to challenge for the ultimate top spot and belt at Full Gear. Classic escalation setup. Moné also won her open challenge earlier in the night against Mina Shirakawa, cementing her legacy by breaking Ultimo Dragon’s record for most titles held simultaneously.
The women’s division just got really interesting. Champion versus champion at Full Gear? That’s money.
The $500,000 Upset: Jurassic Express Wins
MY PREDICTION: The Young Bucks win. Jurassic Express doesn’t get the $500,000.
ACTUAL RESULT: Jurassic Express wins and gets $500,000.
I was wrong. Dead wrong. And you know what? Good for Jurassic Express.
I said The Young Bucks would win because they’re EVPs, they’re former champions, and they’d continue being obnoxious heels. But AEW went the other way. Jurassic Express scored a significant victory – their first tag win since reuniting – and earned that cash prize.
This was the right call. The babyface underdogs are getting their moment. The crowd went home happy. And it opens up new Elite drama with Kenny Omega and the Bucks refusing to unite. That’s compelling television as we advance.
Don Callis Family Implosion: I Called It
MY PREDICTION: Brodido & Kyle Fletcher win due to Don Callis’ Family dysfunction.
ACTUAL RESULT: Brodido wins due to Okada’s accidental Rainmaker on Takeshita.
I got this one right. Okada and Takeshita’s failed teamwork, capped by Okada’s accidental Rainmaker to his own partner, set up the next chapter in Don Callis’ Family dysfunction. This is leading to a likely Okada versus Takeshita feud, which is exactly where I said it was heading.
That match is gonna be incredible when it happens. Two of the best wrestlers in the world going one-on-one with personal stakes? Sign me up.
I genuinely think this is one of the best reversals of the year.#AEWWrestleDream pic.twitter.com/t3hBAQkNlZ
— Santielagüサンティ✮ (@santielagu) October 19, 2025
Other Notable Results
Mercedes Moné Open Challenge
Predicted: Mercedes Moné wins. Result: Mercedes Moné defeated Mina Shirakawa, using heel tactics to break Ultimo Dragon’s record.
Got it right. Moné is now the most decorated active champion in terms of the number of simultaneous titles held. She’s a clever villain, and that immediate confrontation with Statlander wove together the women’s singles and mid-card title stories perfectly.
Jamie Hayter vs Thekla
Predicted: Jamie Hayter wins. Result: Hayter won as expected.
No surprises here. The match paid homage to St. Louis wrestling heritage with a Lou Thesz shout-out and continued the blood-and-guts tone of AEW. Hayter is being positioned as a top contender, just like I said.
The Hurt Syndicate
Predicted: The Hurt Syndicate wins. Result: They won and became number one contenders for the trios titles.
Called it. The Hurt Syndicate’s trios win established them as key players and leveled up their credibility. This promises future tension with the newly turned Opps. That’s gonna be interesting.
Pre-Show Quick Hits
FTR vs JetSpeed: Predicted FTR, FTR won. Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood delivered a technically sound tag match.
Eddie Kingston & Hook: Predicted they would win, and they won against their mystery opponents.
Death Riders multi-man: Predicted Death Riders win, they won. Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Daniel Garcia, and Wheeler Yuta secured the victory in the Tailgate Brawl pre-show.
Women’s tag: I predicted Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale, and Willow Nightingale did pick up a key victory on the pre-show.
The Big Picture: What WrestleDream Accomplished
AEW WrestleDream 2025 was precisely what I said it would be – a show where most matches had bigger implications than the results. It was about personal vengeance, factional power struggles, cementing legacies, and passing the torch.
What I got right:
- Hangman retaining the world title
- Statlander is keeping the women’s championship
- Don Callis’ Family dysfunction is costing them the match
- Mercedes Moné winning her open challenge
- The Hurt Syndicate is bouncing back
- Most of the pre-show matches
What I got wrong:
- Darby winning the main event (I had Moxley)
- STING RETURNING (nobody saw that coming)
- The Opps turning on Hangman post-match
- Jurassic Express winning the $500,000
The event left multiple long-running feuds either closed or dramatically escalated, setting up a new status quo for AEW’s winter season. The crowd went home buzzing with twists, betrayals, and reunions.
What’s Next?
The biggest storylines coming out of WrestleDream:
1. Where does Jon Moxley go after saying ‘I Quit’ to Darby? His psyche has to be shattered. This could be a major character shift.
2. Hangman vs The Opps is now the main storyline for the world title. Three dangerous guys – Joe, Hobbs, Shibata – all coming for the champion.
3. Mercedes Moné vs Kris Statlander at Full Gear. Champion versus champion for the ultimate women’s title.
4. Okada vs Takeshita is inevitable. The Don Callis Family is fractured.
5. The Elite drama with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega refusing to unite.
Final Thoughts
That’s the thing about wrestling – you think you’ve got it figured out, and then Sting shows up. You think Moxley’s gonna dominate, and Darby gets the win. You think the Bucks are gonna be obnoxious heels with their money, and Jurassic Express takes it all.
AEW WrestleDream was a damn good show. It had violence, it had emotion, it had surprises, and it set up compelling storylines for the rest of the year. I got some predictions right, I got some wrong, but what matters is that the show delivered.
And that Sting return? Come on. That was incredible. That’s why we watch wrestling for moments like that.
