AEW WrestleDream 2026: Preview and Predictions

The 2026 edition of AEW WrestleDream features 10 matches with 7 championships on the line. The show comes 3 weeks removed from All Out, and because of that the card appears to have come together fairly hurriedly. Nonetheless, with the headlining 8-man Clockwork Carnage match for the AEW championship and almost every other major title on the line in both the men’s and women’s divisions, AEW WrestleDream has a good lineup of matches from top to bottom.

Now, before we go on, the elephant in the room after Money in the Bank. I’ll get into this separately for both the men’s and women’s ladder matches from last weekend eventually, but I think it’s just safer to not pick Bron for anything ever again. Only then can he move on to the next level. Not HHH nor Nick Khan, nor even Oba Femi stand in his way. Me. I stand in his way, that much is clear to me now. For Bron to reach the summit of wrestling, I can never pick him again for anything.

And so, because of last weekend’s abomination of good sense, my little predictions tally fell to 88-33 (88/121; 73%) for the year. Here’s a quick look ahead at the lineup for AEW WrestleDream.

AEW WrestleDream Match Lineup

• FTR vs. the Motor City Machine Guns (Match #1 Best of Five Series)
• Divine Dominion (Lena Kross and Megan Bayne) vs. Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart and Skye Blue)
• Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne
• AEW TBS Championship: Persephone (c) vs. Dani Luna vs. Hyan Vs. Queen Aminata
• AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Mark Davis
• AEW National Championship: Andrade El Idolo (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
• AEW Trios Championship: Swerve Strickland and the The New Level (c) vs. Hangman Page, Bandido and Brody King
• AEW World Tag Team Championships: Young Bucks (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight (Don Callis Family)
• AEW Women’s World Championship: Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Thekla
• Clockwork Orange Match – AEW Men’s World Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Samoa Joe vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. Adam Copeland vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Ricochet vs. Darby Allin

Predictions

FTR vs. the Motor City Machine Guns (Match #1 Best of Five Series)

I think given that we’re likely getting five matches from these two teams, there’s plenty of reason to assume Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin will take match one. These two teams have never met before in tag team action, although they have met once before in trios action in a losing effort alongside Jay Lethal against FTR and Wardlow. There are two important aspects to this conversation. First, despite the Young Bucks being the first four time champions, FTR hold the record for wins by a tag team with 82 wins out of 103 matches, and they have the most successful tag team title defences with 18 to the Bucks’ 13.

That will likely be eclipsed by the end of their reign, but this is to say FTR is a prime opponent for a relative new team on the scene because of their successful history in AEW. Secondly, this will only be the third match under the AEW banner for the MCMG. Their most recent match was against Blake Christian and Lee Johnson. I think MCMG need a statement match, and I think given the series format Shelley and Sabin take this first match against FTR. It instantly puts them on the level of the Bucks and FTR, which is a status most who have ever watched them know is valid. Winners: Motor City Machine Guns

Divine Dominion (Lena Kross and Megan Bayne) vs. Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart and Skye Blue)

Hands up anyone who thought Bayne and Kross wouldn’t be a team after they lost their tag titles? This is an odd pairing for what’s effectively a number one contenders match. Because the field is so sparse it’s difficult to really judge the outcome when considering the champions are babyfaces; either could win to set up the next challenger. I’m leaning toward Hart and Skye picking up the win if only because it’s a fresh feud for the Brawling Birds, whereas on top of defeating Kross and Bayne at All In, they successfully defended the titles against Divine Dominion at All Out. I’d find it hard to believe they’d book a third match so soon. For their part I don’t expect Hart and Blue to actually win the titles, but inserting new teams into the mix is essential for the division’s health. Winners: Sisters of Sin

Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne

Do you remember that time Nick Wayne beat Chris Jericho?

Since his return to AEW it’s felt like his mission was to either work with young talent, or work with people who have upside and room to grow. Further to the point, since his return in April he has been booked 50-50 with a 6-6 record. For example over the last while he has dropped matches to Wayne, Kevin Knight and Tommaso Ciampa. I think that continues here, because otherwise what’s the point? Perhaps one win for Wayne over Jericho is enough to propel him, but I think this situation is the kind you want in building up a young wrestler. I think Wayne wins, but win or lose I think it’s only a matter of time before he knocks on Darby Allin’s door for a TNT title shot. Winner: Nick Wayne

AEW TBS Championship — Fatal 4 -Way: Persephone (c) vs. Dani Luna vs. Hyan Vs. Queen Aminata

Since Persephone won the TBS title she has proven her value and is growing each day. In this case though with three opponents that changes the dynamics of her defence. Of those in the match I don’t think we’ll see Dani Luna walk out afterwards holding the TBS title, nor do I think Hyan reclaims the TBS title for her friend and former champion Maya World. However, I do think there’s an opportunity here to launch Queen Aminata’s push with a title reign. At a minimum I’d like to see Persephone win but feud with Aminata heading into Full Gear. Winner: Persephone

AEW Continental Championship – Jon Moxley (c) vs. Mark Davis

Jon Moxley’s title reign is currently at 294 days and counting, and although Mark Davis pinned him this week on Dynamite, “today is not that day” where Mox will lose the Continental title. While I do think Mox loses the title in the Continental Classic, I think this match is purely to serve the current story focusing on Mox’s grief and injecting that very authentic realism into the character, and through that work through the loss of PAC. I think there is a degree of therapy here.

For Davis’ part he’s as game as ever, and to be honest I never imagined he’d be this solid as a hoss singles competitor when I first started watching him and Kyle Fletcher in NJPW. I’m not sure how much longer the Callis Family-Death Riders story can run, but here I’m expecting a physical, emotional match between them that pushes Mox to his limit before getting the three count. Or… maybe this is just fluff and he blows him out in the first 5 minutes CM Punk style. Winner: Jon Moxley

AEW National Championship – Andrade El Idolo (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa

This is another title defence on the show where we’ll likely get a good match from the people involved, but also where I doubt we see a title change. Andrade has been on a great run since his return to AEW and this championship is his reward for the work he’s put in both in-ring and in getting himself over. I’d be surprised to see a change, even as a short means to give Ciampa a tangible accolade in the short-term. I believe Andrade will hold onto the championship for quite some time, and when he does lose, that’s when we need to start watching for the world title shot. So long as Ospreay is champion I just don’t see that happening, therefore Andrade takes this one. Winner: Andrade

AEW Trios Championship – Swerve Strickland and the The New Level (c) vs. Hangman Page, Bandido and Brody King

I think this feud maybe hasn’t gotten its due, at least from me, based on the assumption it’s a far gone conclusion that Swerve, Kofi and Creed are destined to match up with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega. I think my mistake is in assuming this will be a short stop-gap feud, and the longer it goes in my eyes it feels less the case. The feud between Page and Swerve in this form is serving as a latest, worthwhile chapter in their history.

Whereas formerly I assumed Swerve and New Level would just hold the belts indefinitely, I’m starting to entertain the possibility that Page, Bandido and King could win this one to set off a longer feud to keep the belts fresh, front and centre. I think trading the belts back and forth for a bit before crowning the ultimate winner is worthwhile, and I’m sold on that solely based on how Page and Swerve have been handling each other in their segments. Winner: Hangman Page, Brody King and Bandido

AEW World Tag Team Championships – Young Bucks (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight (Don Callis Family)

I’m not sure why this is the route we went for in their first major defence, but here we are. There’s no telling if the original plan was for Darby and Steven Borden to be in this match. While the match seems thrown together, where it lacks in a deeper narrative emphasis it overcompensates in the in-ring work. At a minimum the Bucks and Knight will likely see each other move for move, while Fletcher as the biggest man in the match will turn up the physicality and complement the other three’s work.

Overall though this is another example of the Don Callis Family stretching itself across multiple divisions to access as many title chances as possible, and I feel like this is going to be a vehicle to stoke tensions between Fletcher and Knight. I think the Bucks probably hold onto the titles for at least as long as the best-of-five series is going on between MCMG and FTR, taking on the winner from there. Winner: The Young Bucks

AEW Women’s World Championship – Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Thekla

Out of the gate I think this is going to be a great match. It should be on paper given Mone’s history and track record, and Thekla on her own merit can keep pace with what Mone can do in the ring. Thekla is getting her chance to regain the title she lost in the summer, but to do that she needs to defeat arguably the best North American women’s wrestler today. I do think though that the odds of Thekla regaining the championship are quite low and this is more of a courtesy to reintegrate Thekla into the top-shelf singles title picture and give her that opportunity to reclaim her right to the throne.

I am of course a Thekla fan and wouldn’t hate a second reign, but being honest there’s no realm or reality where it makes sense to take the belt off Mone after waiting so long to anoint her as the Queen of the division. Her reign may be a long one, and I don’t see it ending here without good reason. This should be a great match ahead of us, but Mercedes Mone should successfully defend her AEW title. Winner: Mercedes Mone

AEW Men’s World Championship – Clockwork Carnage Match – Will Ospreay (c) vs. Samoa Joe vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. Adam Copeland vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Ricochet vs. Darby Allin

Match Rules

For those unclear on the match’s rules, here is a quick rundown.

The match itself was employed in EVE over in the U.K. in the promotion that Ospreay works with on the creative side of the curtain. Clockwork Carnage is a two-stage match featuring eight people, with two starting the match in the ring. Thereafter new people are added every three minutes at random. During the period where entrants are arriving, anyone who is pinned or submits is eliminated from the match. That means the field of eight potentially may not all be in the ring at the same time nor make it to Stage 2. This includes the champion who can theoretically lose the championship before that latter stage begins.

Once the final entrant is in the match, the second stage begins and the match shifts to a 15-minute Iron Man-style match where the remaining wrestlers compete for points. The wrestlers with the most decisions at the end of the 15 minutes wins the match and the championship. The match also has the caveat that there are no seconds or interference permitted.

Clockwork Carnage

As for the result, barring injury I wouldn’t expect Ospreay to lose here. The field is rounded out with championship royalty with all members but Bailey having held a world championship — or a promotion’s top title — at a minimum, with those other 7 having 38 world title-level reigns between them. Because this is a first time in AEW match I’m expecting everyone to make it through to stage two, although if someone were to be eliminated I’d lobby for either Speedball getting knocked off, or maybe Okada and Takeshita cancel each other. Darby could also “Darby” himself and take himself out. Yes, I’m using his name as a verb here. I’m expecting a fun match and don’t expect much to change other than having a new match type added to Tony Khan’s rolodex of matches to run. Will Ospreay wins here. Winner: (redundantly) Will Ospreay