Shane McMahon to stop Christian Cage, New Hurt Syndicate member? 5 game-changing twists for AEW WrestleDream 2024
The next pay-per-view on the AEW calendar will be WrestleDream 2024. The high-profile event will emanate from the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, on October 12, 2024, and will feature several exciting matches.
As of this writing, a total of 11 matches have been announced for WrestleDream 2024. Mariah May will be up against one of her toughest challengers when she defends her AEW Women's World Championship against Willow Nightingale at the Washington pay-per-view. Meanwhile, Bryan Danielson will look to redeem himself when he puts his AEW World Championship on the line against his former stablemate, Jon Moxley.
Other prominent title holders like Jack Perry, Mark Briscoe, and Will Ospreay are also set to be in action on the high-stakes show. Fans have huge expectations from the upcoming AEW pay-per-view, and Tony Khan would not want to disappoint his audience.
The head booker of All Elite Wrestling may have some great surprises in store that no one might see coming. In this article, let's look at five game-changing twists for WrestleDream 2024:
#5. Wheeler Yuta could turn heel and attack Bryan Danielson
Wheeler Yuta has been very conflicted since The Blackpool Combat Club turned its back on Bryan Danielson. Although the former ROH Pure Champion is still in the corner of The American Dragon, he may show his true colors at WrestleDream 2024.
In the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, Yuta joined forces with his mentor to battle the team of PAC and Claudio Castagnoli. Even though he won the match, Yuta took a significant amount of damage in this contest. However, Bryan Danielson did not show much concern for his tag partner, as he was too busy taking out his frustrations on Jon Moxley.
At WrestleDream 2024, Yuta could pledge his allegiance to Moxley by launching an assault on The American Dragon. The 27-year-old could beat down his mentor behind the referee's back, giving The Deathrider an advantage over his vulnerable opponent.
The former ROH Pure Champion would be eager to make Danielson regret not treating him with the respect he deserves. The AEW World Champion might not be prepared for Yuta's betrayal, which would put him at a major psychological disadvantage at WrestleDream.
#4. Willow Nightingale could become the new AEW Women's World Champion
Mariah May captured the AEW Women's World Championship at WrestleDream 2024. The Fighting Princess ended Toni Storm's record-setting title reign to become the new face of the AEW Women's Division.
Since then, May has defended her title successfully multiple times. However, her reign has not been as eventful as one would have expected. While May is due for a long reign at the top, Tony Khan might pull off a shocker at WrestleDream 2024.
The head booker of AEW might crown Willow Nightingale as the new AEW Women's World Champion at the Washington pay-per-view. The Babe with The Power is one of the most beloved babyfaces on the roster and is credible enough to take the title off The Glamour.
It would not be a bad booking decision to relieve Mariah May of her responsibilities as a champion, considering the lack of viable challengers for her at the moment.
Nightingale could hold on to the AEW Women's World Championship for a few months before eventually losing it back to The Fighting Princess. It would be a great way to reward the former TBS Champion, who has emerged as a reliable asset to Tony Khan in recent years.
#3. Swerve Strickland could turn on Prince Nana
A few weeks ago, MVP made his shocking AEW debut, confronting Prince Nana on Dynamite. The 50-year-old praised Nana's client, Swerve Strickland, for all his remarkable achievements in All Elite Wrestling. The former United States Champion also criticized Prince Nana himself, calling him the reason behind Swerve's recent shortcomings.
As per recent reports, Bobby Lashley has signed a multi-year contract with AEW, much like MVP and Shelton Benjamin. The trio is expected to appear at WrestleDream 2024, where they would likely have a confrontation with a returning Swerve Strickland.
The newly formed Hurt Syndicate is expected to offer Strickland a membership in their faction, which fans don't see Swerve accepting. However, The Realest One may have a major swerve in store for the audience.
In a surprising turn of events, Swerve Strickland could terminate his partnership with Prince Nana to join The Hurt Syndicate. The King of Swerve could attack his current manager viciously, much to the disbelief of the Washington crowd. The former AEW World Champion could vent out his frustrations on Nana, who closely witnessed Swerve's back-to-back losses at All In and All Out.
Swerve's heel turn would be an unexpected visual for fans in the crowd, considering the admiration he has shown for Prince Nana over the years.
#2. Jay White could defeat Hangman Adam Page
Hangman Adam Page is on a rampage at the moment. After almost ending Swerve Strickland's career at All Out 2024, The Cowboy has now entered a rivalry with The Bang Bang Gang. The Hanger engaged in a fierce battle with Juice Robinson a few weeks ago on Dynamite, where he somehow managed to secure the victory.
After the match, Page tried to choke out Robinson with his belt, only to be attacked by a returning Jay White. The Switchblade made his first television appearance since July 2024 to prevent The Hanger from destroying his fellow stablemate.
The two top stars are set to lock horns at WrestleDream 2024, where The King Switch will look to end Adam Page's reign of terror. Meanwhile, Hangman would be eager to continue his dominance by taking down another credible threat in the form of Jay White.
Although Hangman Page seems like an unstoppable force, it could be The Catalyst who escapes with the win at WrestleDream 2024. The Switchblade could cut short Hangman's momentum by handing him a crushing defeat at the Washington pay-per-view.
The Anxious Millennial Cowboy would not be too glad about losing to Jay White, resulting in another match between the two stars down the line.
#1. Shane McMahon could prevent Christian Cage from cashing in his title shot
Christian Cage won the Casino Gauntlet Match at All In 2024 to earn himself a future shot at the AEW World Championship. Since then, The Patriarch has tried to cash in on his opportunity on several occasions, but outside forces have always come in his way.
At WrestleDream 2024, Bryan Danielson will defend his AEW World Title against Jon Moxley. Considering their mutual hatred for each other, the contest will be no less than a war.
Christian Cage is likely to make his presence felt after the main event of WrestleDream 2024. The Fatherly Figure could launch an assault on whoever emerges as the victor in this contest.
However, a debuting Shane McMahon could crush the World Championship desires of The Patriarch. After months of speculation, The Prodigal Son could finally arrive in AEW to protect Jon Moxley from falling victim to Christian Cage's cash-in attempt.
It would be the most unexpected way for Shane O'Mac to make his debut for All Elite Wrestling. While fans expect Shane to attack Bryan Danielson, the former SmackDown Commissioner could take Christian on his target instead.