AEW kicked off its WrestleDream pay-per-view with an hour-long Tailgate Brawl special featuring four tag team matches.
The main event, however, overran the hour and did not finish until several minutes into the pay-per-view.
The TBS broadcast from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis featured victories for the Death Riders, FTR, Eddie Kingston & HOOK, and the team of Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron. The show also included video packages building up the main card and a segment involving Big Boom AJ and Rocky Romero.
The opening contest saw the Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Wheeler Yuta & Daniel Garcia) defeat The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Tomohiro Ishii). The match concluded when PAC pinned Ishii following a running knee. The pin was set up after Daniel Garcia distracted the referee, allowing Wheeler Yuta to clip Ishii from behind.
The show featured video packages previewing the “I Quit” match between Darby Allin and Jon Moxley, as well as the AEW World Championship match between Hangman Adam Page and Samoa Joe.
In the night’s second match, Eddie Kingston & HOOK won a quick bout against The Frat House (Cole Karter & Griff Garrison). Kingston hit Karter with a spinning backfist, which allowed HOOK to apply the Redrum for a submission victory.
Following the match, members of LFI, including Sammy Guevara and Rush, were seen watching Kingston from the stage area.
A segment from a tailgate party in Boca Raton, Florida, featured Big Boom AJ & Big Justice. Their party was interrupted by Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta, who attacked AJ, seemingly setting up a future match at Full Gear.
Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron defeated Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford. After a competitive match that included a moonsault to the floor from Ford and a Pounce from Nightingale, the finish came when Nightingale hit Ford with the Doctor Bomb for the pin.
The final match of the hour saw FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) face JetSpeed (Speedball Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight). The match began just minutes before the pre-show concluded and continued into the main WrestleDream pay-per-view.
After a fast-paced continuation on the main card, FTR secured the win with help from Stokely Hathaway. As Bailey attempted to suplex Harwood from the apron, Hathaway swept Bailey’s legs and held his feet, allowing Harwood to get the pinfall.
AEW Tailgate Brawl Results
- The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Wheeler Yuta & Daniel Garcia) def. The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Tomohiro Ishii)
- Eddie Kingston & HOOK def. The Frat House (Cole Karter & Griff Garrison)
- Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron def. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
- FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) def. JetSpeed (Speedball Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight)
