5 Superstars Who Can Make Surprising Last Moment Entry At AEW Wrestledream 2023

AEW’s next big event for 2023 is called AEW Wrestledream, and it’s happening this weekend on October 1st at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. The main event will feature Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland.

In the past year, many new stars have joined AEW, but Wrestledream is the grandest stage for introducing a new wrestler. Tony Khan, the president of All Elite Wrestling, is sure to have some surprises up his sleeve as he aims to put on an unforgettable show.

With several former WWE Superstars now available in the free agency market and contracts expiring in rival wrestling companies, there’s speculation about some of them defecting to AEW.

In this article, we’ll discuss five possible surprises that fans might realistically witness at Wrestledream.

#5. Eric Young Takes Control of the Dark Order

Eric Young is currently signed with IMPACT Wrestling. After being released from WWE a few years ago, he reinvented himself in his former home promotion and even formed his faction known as Violent by Design.

When the concept of a “Forbidden Door” in wrestling emerged, it led to a partnership between AEW and IMPACT Wrestling. However, this partnership had mixed success, and Eric Young had his thoughts about it. He expressed his belief that there were missed opportunities during this collaboration.

Recently, Eric Young returned and reunited with his old faction, Team Canada. During his time leading Violent by Design, he recruited former Dark Order member Alan Angels into his faction. Could we witness a role reversal at Wrestledream? With Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland set to have a singles match, it’s possible that the Dark Order could make an appearance.

Imagine a scenario where Eric Young takes over the struggling faction and becomes their new leader. This move could breathe new life into the group and allow Hangman to sever his ties with them, especially since he is already the ROH 6 Man Tag Team Champion with The Young Bucks.

#4. Mandy Rose Joins AEW as Support for Saraya

There has been talk of reuniting Mandy Rose with Saraya in AEW, and Mandy has shown some interest in the idea. She also mentioned her previous partnership with Dustin Rhodes but clarified that wrestling again isn’t her main focus at the moment.

When asked if she would consider joining AEW, Mandy Rose gave an interesting response. She mentioned that while wrestling isn’t her primary focus right now, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility, saying, “Definitely for the future, maybe.”

Mandy Rose now has the option to explore new opportunities after being released by WWE earlier this year, following her 413-day reign as NXT Women’s Champion. Her release was reportedly due to content on her FanTime page, which was said to be outside the terms of her WWE contract.

In contrast, Tony Khan and All Elite Wrestling are more lenient when it comes to their talent’s activities on third-party platforms. This means Mandy Rose’s FanTime page should not be a barrier to her potential signing by AEW.

At Wrestledream, Mandy could interfere in the three-way match between Jamie Hayter, Saraya, and Ruby Soho for the AEW Women’s Championship. It’s worth noting that Rose made her WWE main roster debut under Saraya’s guidance as part of Absolution.

#3. Goldberg Makes a Surprise Appearance

WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg recently stated that WWE owes him a farewell match to conclude his career. According to a new report, Goldberg is no longer under contract with WWE.

In 2016, Goldberg made a sensational return to WWE, defeating Brock Lesnar in less than two minutes at Survivor Series. This marked the beginning of a feud with Lesnar that culminated at WrestleMania 33, where Goldberg lost his Universal Championship to Lesnar.

Now that Goldberg is a free agent, there’s speculation about him potentially making a surprise appearance at AEW Wrestledrem. This could be an exciting development for wrestling fans and add a new layer of intrigue to Wrestledream.

A recent report reveals that the 56-year-old superstar is no longer under contract with WWE. He mentioned that if not in WWE or AEW, his final wrestling match might take place in Israel. Furthermore, there are discussions about the WCW legend possibly signing a contract with Tony Khan to appear at Wrestledream this weekend during the Wrestledream PPV event.

#2. Mercedes Mone Faces Off Against Britt Baker

“I believe the world is ready to see Mercedes Mone back in action. What will she do next? I sincerely hope to see her in some capacity in AEW. And if there’s a chance I could be part of it, I’m all for it.”

Sasha Banks, a highly regarded wrestler, shocked fans when she left WWE in May 2022. This departure sparked much speculation about the reasons behind it. Later, Banks resurfaced in NJPW under the ring name Mercedes Mone, solidifying her status as a significant figure in professional wrestling. In February, she became the IWGP Women’s Champion by defeating KAIRI at NJPW Battle in the Valley.

Recently, Britt Baker expressed her desire to see Mercedes Mone in AEW, even if only in some capacity. Baker, also known as “The Doctor,” mentioned her desire for a match with Mone during a tag team bout on AEW Dynamite in January. Mercedes Moné had previously used the “The Boss” moniker while in WWE. Her mystery partner for that match turned out to be Toni Strom.

In an interview with the New York Post, Baker called out Mercedes and expressed her interest in a match with her in All Elite Wrestling:

“It’s interesting to see her [Mercedes Mone] out and about now. She’s not entirely out of reach. These are very real matchups that could happen, and I think the world is ready to see Mercedes Mone back in action. What will she do next? I hope and pray that someday, we see her in some capacity in AEW. And if there’s a chance I could be part of it, I’m all for it.”

Mercedes Mone’s future in professional wrestling remains uncertain, as she has indicated that she isn’t interested in a long-term deal with AEW. However, she did make a brief appearance at AEW’s biggest PPV event, AEW ALL IN, where she was acknowledged as a Former 8 Time World Champion. At that time, she was recovering from an injury, but now she might make her debut at Wrestledream.

Mone has hinted at the possibility of working with Kenny Omega in the future, which could open the door for her AEW debut. Given the positive relationship between New Japan and AEW, this could become a reality sooner rather than later.

#1. Edge’s Potential Debut at Wrestledream

WWE Hall of Famer Edge could make his debut for AEW at WrestleDream since his WWE contract is set to expire the day before AEW’s newest event.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that Edge’s contract will expire this weekend, making it possible for him to appear at WrestleDream. He said,

“I mean, his contract expires on Saturday, so he could show up on Sunday [for WrestleDream].”

There are two potential scenarios for Edge’s debut:

A) Edge makes his AEW debut and confronts Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson is scheduled to face NJPW star Zack Sabre Jr. in a dream match. Considering WrestleDream is an All Elite PPV and Danielson recently returned from injury, he’s likely to win. However, Bryan could be surprised by WWE Hall of Famer Edge if he makes his AEW debut on Sunday. There have been strong rumors of Edge joining AEW since his last match on SmackDown, and recent reports suggest it’s closer to happening.

B) Edge Interferes in the TNT Championship Match

There’s speculation that Edge might get involved in Christian Cage’s two-out-of-three falls match against Darby Allin for the AEW TNT Championship to help his longtime friend retain the title.

Additionally, there was a mysterious masked stable attack on Jay White backstage during a recent episode of AEW Dynamite. Speculation is rife about who’s under the mask, and it could potentially lead to Adam Copeland (Edge) appearing in AEW. It’s worth noting that Edge almost joined AEW in the past but opted for another WWE deal instead.

Edge’s last WWE match took place on August 18, 2023, on SmackDown, where he defeated Sheamus in his hometown of Toronto.

For fans wondering why recently released WWE wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Emma, Dana Brooke, and others aren’t mentioned, it’s because WWE contracts prevent them from wrestling elsewhere for 90 days after their release. This restriction is expected to last until the end of December, making it impossible for them to appear in the aforementioned Wrestledream event.

With a stacked match card and potential surprises, Wrestledream promises to be an exciting show. Only time will tell if these predictions come true.