AEW WrestleDream 2024: Where Do We Go From Here?

It's the question that whispers in the ear of every wrestling fan, compelling them to change the channel away from football or spend $50 on a pay-per-view. It's the question that hounds wrestling bookers and promoters as they plan their shows and plot out their stories, trying to keep viewers engaged while juggling an absurd number of variables. It's the question that drives all storytelling period, with wrestling being no exception: What happens next?

AEW WrestleDream 2024 may have sent the wrestling world into a collective fit of nostalgia over the career of "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson, but that was three days ago; here at Wrestling Inc., our attention has turned to the future. What can we derive from the way WrestleDream went down? To what new heights are the show's winners preparing to ascend, and how far will the losers fall? How are the championship pictures shaping up as we head toward Full Gear and Worlds End, the last big events on AEW's 2024 calendar?

You've got questions, the WINC staff has answers. WrestleDream is over — where do we go from here?

When "Switchblade" Jay White returned to All Elite Wrestling at the fifth anniversary of "AEW Dynamite," he made it very clear that he was coming for the AEW World Championship. However, White also wanted to right the two wrongs that eliminated him from the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament in July, starting with "Hangman" Adam Page and their match at WrestleDream. Getting revenge on Page is one thing, but it's the second of his two wrongs that gives White a much better chance of getting back on the track to the AEW World Championship.

Through all of the blood that Page spilled and the injury White sustained during their first meeting, some people may have forgotten that the reason he lost the match was because of Christian Cage, who at the time wanted the Unified (and later just the AEW) World Trios Championships for The Patriarchy. Cage speared White, giving Page the chance to pick up an easy win; since that match, Cage has earned himself a guaranteed shot at the AEW World Championship following his victory in the Casino Gauntlet match at All In London.

White's match with Cage has already been announce for "Dynamite" this week, but no matter how that goes, it's a win for while. Cage has already proclaimed himself as the next AEW World Champion, and has almost cashed in his opportunity on two separate occasions. If White scores back-to-back wins over both Cage and Page (a former world champion who recently beat Swerve Strickland in the main event of All Out) you'd have to think he'd be well on his way to finally carving out a place for himself in AEW's top tier. If he loses, there's a high chance of that loss coming as a result of Patriarchy shenanigans, meaning there's a case for the feud to continue — possibly into Cage's title reign, should he have one.

Page's immediate future is a little more uncertain. Getting his win back over White in a short-term feud seems like it would undo the work the company has put into "Switchblade" so far, and with his recent motivation being to hunt down the people who stood between him and Swerve Strickland, that list is running a bit thin now that Jarrett and White are out of the way. Strickland himself appears to have other fish to fry, and it's difficult to see Page in the world title picture any time soon. There are logical reasons for him to enter new programs with Darby Allin, Mark Briscoe, and Samoa Joe, but in the end, the only one who knows the identity of "Hangman's" hitlist is "Hangman" himself.

Written by Sam Palmer

Mariah May collected the biggest scalp of her AEW women's title reign last weekend as she successfully retained over Willow Nightingale at WrestleDream. After just over 10 minutes of action, May completed her third title defense with her predecessor's Storm Zero finisher, much as she has continued to do since dethroning Toni Storm at All In. If only for the fact that the former champion has yet to get her rematch for the belt, it certainly seems as if May will hold it until the "Timeless" one makes her return. And Storm is just one of three potential challengers to have made themselves clear over the past 50 days, alongside May's former Club Venus partner Mina Shirakawa and Britt Baker, who was booked to face Nightingale for the WrestleDream title shot during last week's "AEW Dynamite," only to be ruled out with strep throat.

Shirakawa appears to have made her stance on May's new attitude as champion clear, standing in Storm's corner for her recent IWGP women's title challenge in Stardom and ultimately declining to celebrate May's treachery when asked, so there's a strong chance she will factor into May's title reign as an opponent or as a bystander. One could surmise the rematch will likely take place at Full Gear or Worlds End, possibly setting the stage for Shirakawa vs. May when AEW, NJPW, and CMLL join forces for Wrestle Dynasty in January. Baker and Hayter both have arguments to be in the running, so they can slide into the picture as and when the moment calls for it, but for now there's plenty for the champion to get stuck into over the next few months.

As for Nightingale, last weekend's failed attempt at the title marked a second consecutive PPV defeat, and it makes sense to wonder where she may go from here, assuming she's finished with May. With seemingly little space in either of the women's title pictures and her former friend and arch-rival Kris Statlander suddenly and inexplicably turned babyface, Nightingale has neither a clear vendetta nor a clear goal. She might end up going back to the drawing board, stacking up wins against her fellow upper midcarders until it's finally time for her to get another PPV push.

Written by Max Everett

At WrestleDream, Jack Perry successfully retained the AEW TNT Championship against Katsuyori Shibata in a match that didn't light the world on fire, with an ending that was slightly infuriating — but with a post-match segment that a lot of people excited about a future TNT title contest. When was the last time you could say that?

Perry was looking to hurt Shibata even more when Daniel Garcia hit the ring to make the save, and given that Garcia looks to be getting a big push after re-signing with the company, it's clear as day that Perry vs. Garcia is the next feud for the TNT Championship. The question of where this match will take place is very easy to answer: AEW Full Gear on November 23. Not only is that AEW's next scheduled PPV, but the show takes place in New Jersey; considering Garcia is from Buffalo, he would get a quasi-hometown reception at the Prudential Center (in addition to the cheers he gets just for being a babyface).

The ultimate question really is, is now is the time to take the belt off Perry? He won it at Forbidden Door, made it look the coolest that it ever has (sorry Scorpio Sky), and given his links to The Elite, the TNT Championship has been involved in some of the biggest matches in AEW over the past few months. However, I personally can't see anything Perry can do with the belt that Garcia can't also do, and then some. Garcia has come close on so many occasions, but he has firmly broken out of that class of wrestlers who are good, but not as good as the top guys. He is ready for something bigger, and giving him a run with a singles title would make a statement to the world that AEW has finally invested in Daniel Garcia.

AEW could always pivot with Garcia and have him ready for bigger things, considering he was one of the many people who tried to save Bryan Danielson from being murdered by the Blackpool Combat Club. For now though, let's start off by putting Garcia on a pedestal, and beating Perry for the TNT Championship is that pedestal.

Written by Sam Palmer

WrestleDream saw the culmination of what has turned out to be a double-double turn in the tale of "Better than you Bay-Bay," Adam Cole making his return as a babyface to chase off the also-returning heel MJF. It was a sharp departure from the last time the pair shared the ring at Double or Nothing, almost six months after Cole had been revealed as The Devil, when MJF triumphantly appeared to drop his former partner.

Irrespective of the hero/villain dynamic, what's abundantly clear is that the rivals are on a collision course to face one another. In an ideal world, they would be locking horns a full year from the original turn at Worlds End, but there a fair few weeks of TV and an entire PPV before getting to Orlando. But there is a way that the December event could be factored in — MJF currently leads his saga with Cole 1-0 after his win at All In last year, so assuming they lock up again at Full Gear in November, a Cole victory could set up the rubber match for Worlds End.

Daniel Garcia does sit on the periphery of this picture, placed somewhere between MJF and a potential feud with TNT Champion Jack Perry, given he was the one that had — in storyline — put MJF on the sidelines after his All Out loss to the Long Islander. But what also cannot be ignored is how the Undisputed Kingdom is going to take the fact that Cole returned without them, and that's a question sure to be asked and answered in the coming weeks.

Written by Max Everett

Will Ospreay finds himself in the cross hairs of Don Callis, Konosuke Takeshita, and Kyle Fletcher following his three-way title loss at WrestleDream. Following up on weeks of "Will he?/Won't he?" teases over Fletcher's turning on Ospreay, the Aussie Open star drove the "Aerial Assassin" into the mat with a Tiger Driver after costing him the International Championship to fellow Don Callis Family member Takeshita.

The new International Champion is likely to go the route of delaying the potential rematch, especially with the manipulative Callis in his ear, so it stands to reason that the immediate future calls for Ospreay and Fletcher to settle their differences while Takeshita at least attempts to move forward. There were a number of matches set up by the WrestleDream treachery, and with the three-way also involving Ospreay's long-time rival Ricochet, there is an obvious precedent for them to team up against either Fletcher and Takeshita or — Mark Davis' health permitting — a reunited Aussie Open.

Callis was recently shown to trade Rush and La Faccion Ingobernables for Lance Archer with Jake Roberts, leading one to surmise that Archer will factor into hostilities with Ospreay as the hired muscle to 'soften' him up for Fletcher, especially considering their own history dating back to their NJPW runs. Much in the same way he did after turning on Kenny Omega, I would guess that Callis is going to turn this into a cat-and-mouse game of Ospreay seeking vengeance on the Family, the Essex sword having to cut through the brambles that obscure that goal. That even sets the stage for another team-up between Ospreay and a former rival in "The Cleaner," with hopes that he will be able to return as soon as January for the Wrestle Dynasty event. A feud with Callis and Fletcher is likely to run into next year, so the storyline could call for Ospreay and Omega to join forces against a common foe. Point being, at least for the next few months, Ospreay is going to be tied up with at least one member of the Don Callis Family, with more sure to join in.

Written by Max Everett

Who do MVP and Shelton Benjamin think they are, running roughshod in Swerve's House? Frankly, MVP and Benjamin appear to have no qualms about walking in and rearranging the house Swerve Strickland built. The lesson here is: Never tell someone to make themselves at home, mainly if they belong to The Hurt Business. Swerve made his intentions clear in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, at WrestleDream, that he never turns his back on family (even if it's his caffeinated, fly-dancing manager, Prince Nana) despite their most recent setbacks. Accordingly, MVP's efforts to lasso Strickland to join his establishment have ceased.

Possibly upset with how much effort and breath he wasted to make this now financially failed domineering moment happen, how does MVP get his revenge? By sending his henchmen to get the job done on obviously! But who? And how many times will Strickland have to pay for turning away what could have been a historic partnership? I like to think that to really make someone pay for their sins, they must go through three stages of hell to recognize their mistakes. Of course, the stakes will rise with each match, and the men he faces will be mightier. But if any man can handle the unbearable heat and come out vigorous from it all, it's Strickland. After all, Strickland is like a chameleon; he can adapt his skill set to match anyone's, including Benjamin's, when the time comes. This match in itself would be high-caliber based on the technical prowess Benjamin has had in his back pocket for years. As Strickland noted, Benjamin is an inspiration to his career, so there's honor beneath the surface, but rage will most certainly command the match.

Now, mind you, MVP only has one man working for him at the moment. That could soon change with predictions mounting that Bobby Lashley is soon on his way to reunite with his former faction. Lashley would ultimately be the final boss in this three-staged hell sequence, but who could fill the role that Cedric Alexander once held? My guess? Former RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion Michael Oku.

As of August, reports have circulated that Oku is on the verge of signing with AEW. The imminent red carpet is ready to be laid out for Oku's television debut, with perhaps MVP waiting at the other end with a business card. Joining MVP and Benjamin wouldn't hurt Oku's star potential; instead, it could bolster him to be viewed as a million-dollar player. Oku's contest with Strickland would immediately put him on the map, and the storyline as a whole could benefit everyone in the long run.

Written by Brie Coder

In the Lucha Libre tradition, there are two codes to live by: Following and establishing honor and a compelling origin story. In the case of Hologram, who remains undefeated after his AEW WrestleDream match with The Beast Mortos, 15-0 is an impressive record after making his debut in July. If anything, Hologram is proving that he is the cream of AEW, meaning that he has risen to the top; however, soon the cream will turn rancid, and that's where my analysis comes in.

Hologram remains loyal to following and establishing honor by winning his matches cleanly. However, regarding the compelling origin story part, we still don't know enough about him to put our finger on whether his origin story matches the relatability or interest of the crowd. His wrestling technique is on point, there's no question about that. Much of his storytelling is told in the ring, which is what any wrestling fan wants, but a good backstory doesn't hurt. It adds depth and relatability, which, so far, Hologram does not have. I want to be proven wrong! At this point, the most interesting angle that could happen in Hologram's story is who puts the inevitable "1" to his loss record. My picks center not only on machinability but also on who could add more character depth to Hologram.

If we could rewind the clock, my first pick would have been Penta El Zero Miedo, specifically the Penta Oscuro side of his character as showcased on "Lucha Underground," but that possibility appears to have passed us by. With uncertainty on how soon he'll return, my second pick would be Bandido. Without question, the solo outlaw and Hologram would tear it up in the ring, and both take pride in their high-flying abilities. At this stage in the game, however, the best man available might be "El Toro Blanco" RUSH. There is no honor in what RUSH does. If anyone was looking for an assassin to get the job done with no hiccups, it's him. RUSH would bring the yin to Hologram's yang, and he has connections to Mortos, who appears to have joined RUSH's new LFI. He just needs the green light to go.

Written by Brie Coder

The Young Bucks defeated Private Party to retain the AEW World Tag Team Titles at WrestleDream, but Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy put up a good fight against the champs. The story was built around the idea that the challengers are disappointments who've failed to build on the promise they showed when they beat Matt and Nick Jackson five years ago. This has all of the makings of an underdog story about Quen and Kassidy overcoming the odds.

AEW has a habit of letting talents go missing for months at a time, so don't be surprised if Private Party is relegated to bloated roster purgatory again, and the recent focus on them amounts to nothing. However, there are reasons to be optimistic about the duo breaking out. A few weeks ago, the Blackpool Combat Club attacked them with a hammer, with Moxley claiming it was a gift, as the pain would give them an obstacle to overcome and allow them to better themselves. Meanwhile, the feud with the Bucks saw the Jacksons repeatedly call Private Party losers, and that can't stand.

Quen and Kassidy are currently at rock bottom, recent events have instilled them with grit and a desire to prove their detractors wrong. A storyline about rising from the proverbial ashes and beating their oppressors for tag team gold writes itself, and AEW has given us enough breadcrumbs to imply that's how this saga will unfold.

Stokely Hathaway will undoubtedly try to derail Kassidy and Quen's success after he turned them down, which will keep them away from the gold for the time being. However, they'll return to the Tag Team Championship hunt as maturer competitors afterward, ready to fulfill their potential. Otherwise, they'll look like losers, and that will lend weight to the opinion that AEW's storytelling is unfocused and illogical.

Written by Kieran Fisher

Have we all recovered from that ending yet?

So Bryan Danielson's full-time career has come to an end, and Jon Moxley is the AEW World Champion, but it's what happened afterwards that has everyone wondering what's next, and there is a lot to unpack. Right off the bat, Danielson has retired from wrestling on a full-time basis, but not all of wrestling, meaning that there is every chance that he eventually comes back to wrestle sporadically, or even do what Sting does and shows up whenever one of his friends is outnumbered. However, that won't happen for a while. The man needs neck surgery before the end of the year, so anyone hoping Danielson might show up in the next six months needs to settle down. My honest guess would be that we don't see Danielson anywhere in 2025, or at least the majority of 2025 as far as a match goes. 2026, on the other hand — that's a different story. Danielson still hasn't wrestled Zack Sabre Jr. for a third time, he hasn't had a rematch with Kenny Omega, and Darby Allin presumably still wants to face him for the AEW World Championship. Danielson has more to do, it just won't be for a while.

Speaking of Darby, what's next for the Blackpool Combat Club? Moxley is the AEW World Champion, Wheeler Yuta, PAC, and Claudio Castagnoli are the AEW World Trios Champions, and Marina Shafir could kick anyone's head in if given the chance. They are the biggest heels in the company, and Allin has positioned himself as the flagbearer for AEW virtually all year, so yes, Darby is 100% getting a shot at the AEW World Championship in the near future — but he isn't the only one. Throughout the WrestleDream pay-per-view, Orange Cassidy was told multiple times that he is "the man" and will get his chance at greatness one day, and let me tell you, if Jerry Lynn says it to you, you better believe it's true.

Every champion in AEW right now is a heel, and the Blackpool Thanos Club have inadvertently brought together the young, babyface Avengers of AEW to fight the good fight for the sake of the company. Look at the names that came out to help Danielson: Darby, Orange, Daniel Garcia, Private Party, HOOK, Jeff Jarrett ... okay maybe not him, but you get the idea. The BCC was founded on the basis that they would help the young guys get better, and this is the story that will be told over the next few months: The future of AEW coming to conquer the company's present, with Allin playing the lead role, and Moxley finally getting what's coming to him at some point down the line.

At least, that's how everything looks right now. There are still potentially more twists in Moxley's tale, and if they're big enough, they could irreparably alter the shape of the future.

Written by Sam Palmer