WrestleDream 2023: Danielson-Sabre and Christian-Darby Launch a Strong New AEW PPV

Athena, Billie Starkz, Keith Lee, and Satoshi Kojima defeated Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor), Diamanté, and Mercedes Martinez by pinfall. The match is framed as Eight-person mixed tag team match and runs 5:45. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is mixed: the purpose is understandable, yet the material never consistently becomes compelling viewing. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 5.5 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Claudio Castagnoli (with Jon Moxley) defeated Josh Barnett by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 8:15. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.2 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Luchasaurus defeated Nick Wayne by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 4:55. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is weak because the idea is clearer than the payoff. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 4.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) (c) defeated TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nicholls, and Shane Haste)) by pinfall. The match is framed as Trios match for the AEW World Trios Championship and runs 9:20. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 6.3 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

MJF (c) defeated The Righteous (Dutch and Vincent) by pinfall. The match is framed as 2-on-1 handicap match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship and runs 9:40. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is mixed: the purpose is understandable, yet the material never consistently becomes compelling viewing. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 5.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Eddie Kingston (c) defeated Katsuyori Shibata by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the ROH World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship and runs 11:00. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Kingston and Shibata work a compact championship match built around credibility rather than spectacle. The strikes and grappling fit the Inoki-themed atmosphere, and Kingston's retention continues the strongest stretch of his dual-title run. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.3 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Kris Statlander (c) defeated Julia Hart (with Brody King) by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW TBS Championship and runs 9:00. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 6.7 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix) (with Alex Abrahantes), The Gunns (Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn), and Orange Cassidy and Hook by pinfall. The match is framed as Four-way tag team match for a future AEW World Tag Team Championship match and runs 12:40. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.6 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) defeated "Hangman" Adam Page by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 20:15. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Swerve's victory over Hangman is more important than a normal non-title win because it changes how the audience can position him. The match is strong on its own, and the result creates the foundation for a rivalry that becomes one of AEW's defining stories of the next year. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 8.9 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Ricky Starks defeated Wheeler Yuta by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 9:55. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the urgency or escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Bryan Danielson defeated Zack Sabre Jr. by pinfall. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 22:45. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Danielson and Sabre treat technical wrestling as conflict rather than exhibition. Counters have consequences, small advantages accumulate, and Danielson's pinfall victory settles the night without pretending the philosophical argument between them is permanently finished. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 9.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Will Ospreay, and Sammy Guevara) (with Don Callis) defeated Chris Jericho and The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) by pinfall. The match is framed as Trios match and runs 22:35. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The score reflects an excellent performance whose central idea lands cleanly and whose finish gives the surrounding story useful weight. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 8.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) (c) defeated Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis) by pinfall. The match is framed as Tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship and runs 20:25. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. FTR and Aussie Open give the tag titles a serious, physical defense late on a long card. The champions are pushed hard enough that the retention feels earned, while Aussie Open look like more than visiting challengers. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.6 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.

Christian Cage (c) defeated Darby Allin 2–1. The match is framed as Two out of three falls match for the AEW TNT Championship and runs 25:25. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Christian and Darby use the two-out-of-three-falls format to extend a television rivalry into a true pay-per-view main event. The violence escalates naturally, Nick Wayne's turn changes the story, and Copeland's debut makes the post-match scene historically bigger than the title result alone. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 9.1 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside WrestleDream 2023 as a complete show rather than treating historical importance and immediate match quality as the same thing.