AEW Wrestle Dream “Zero Hour” Pre-Show Results 10/1/23
Tonight is the night dreams come true!
The inaugural AEW Wrestle Dream 2023 premium live event in Antonio Inoki’s honor goes down tonight from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA. with a jam-packed lineup full of high-profile matches.
On tap for tonight’s show is FTR vs. Aussie Open for the AEW Tag Titles, Eddie Kingston vs. Katsuyori Shibata for the ROH & NJPW STRONG Openweight Titles, MJF vs. The Righteous for the ROH Tag Titles, Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart for the TBS Women’s Title, Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin for the TNT Title in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls match, as well as Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in a dream match.
Also scheduled is The Young Bucks vs. The Gunns vs. Lucha Bros vs. Orange Cassidy & Hook in an AEW Tag Title Eliminator, Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho & Kota Ibushi vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara & Will Ospreay, Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland, Wheeler Yuta vs. Ricky Starks, Luchasaurus vs. Nick Wayne, Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Barnett, as well as Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Diamante & Mercedes Martinez vs. Keith Lee, Satoshi Kojima, Billie Starkz & Athena.
Featured below are complete AEW Wrestle Dream “Zero Hour” pre-show results from Sunday, October 1, 2023. The following report was written by Gerweck.net reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 6:30pm EST. / 12am EST. on pay-per-view.
AEW WRESTLE DREAM “ZERO HOUR” RESULTS (10/1/2023)
The “Zero Hour” pre-show is now officially off-and-running on AEW’s YouTube channel and other digital and social media outlets, as well as the YouTube player embedded below.
Renee Paquette, RJ City and Stokely Hathaway welcome us inside the Climate Pledge Arena from the entrance ramp. The trio introduce themselves and then inform fans how they can purchase tonight’s show across the globe.
Now the trio run down the scheduled lineup for the “Zero Hour” pre-show, as multiple matches will take place on this, the official pre-show for tonight’s inaugural AEW Wrestle Dream 2023 premium live event. Then they run down the lineup for the PLE.
A video package looking at Bryan Danielson’s announcement regarding him wrapping his career up within the next year airs. Afterwards, we return to the pre-show co-hosts, who give their thoughts on the technical wrestling fans dream match tonight between Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr.
We see a pre-show package for the Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta match scheduled for tonight’s PLE. We then shoot live backstage where Starks is interviewed arriving to the arena. Starks calls Yuta a high school marching band wannabe who is the whipping boy of the Blackpool Combat Club. He boasts being a star and vows he will tap dance all over Yuta’s face.
Paquette and Co. give their thoughts on that bout and then they move on to the AEW Tag Team Championship showdown between FTR and Aussie Open. The video package telling the story leading up to this match airs now. The talk then shifts to the four-way tag-team title eliminator scheduled for tonight. The video package for this one airs next.
The pre-show co-hosts give their thoughts on the bout. Stokely doesn’t want to talk about anything HOOK-related. We see a live shot of The Young Bucks arriving to the arena with their bags. RJ City points out Orange Cassidy and HOOK are the only non-brother duo in this one. Stokely picks The Lucha Bros to win. RJ City picks The Gunns. Next they talk about the MJF vs. Righteous handicap ROH Tag-Team Title bout.
After that, they bring up the TBS Women’s Championship showdown between Julia Hart of The House of Black and Kris Statlander. The video package for this one airs. Paquette mentions Julia Hart is riding a 28 match win-streak heading into tonight’s match. They give their thoughts on the bout and then we hear the crowd roaring in the background as Jim Ross makes his way to the commentary position.
From there, we move on to the video package for the Trios showdown pitting Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi against The Don Callis Family trio of Will Ospreay, Konosuke Takeshita and Sammy Guevara. After that, we see the video package telling the story leading up to tonight’s Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland showdown. We then shift to the Eddie Kingston vs. Katsuyori Shibata package.
Lexy Nair is shown live backstage with the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston talks about respecting Shibata. He looks forward to honoring Antonio Inoki with his match tonight. Stokely Hathaway approaches “The Mad King” and he tells him not to touch him. Stokely tells Kingston he’s got something to say about his ROH World Championship. He says he’ll tell him on Wednesday. Wait, what if Shibata wins tonight?
There seems to be some technical issues after that, as the screen goes to black for a good 10-20 seconds before we return in the middle of a video package with AEW, ROH and NJPW stars talking about the late Japanese icon, Antonio Inoki, who is the inspiration for tonight’s AEW Wrestle Dream PLE. Very cool package.
In the Climate Pledge Arena live now, Excalibur sends us into the ring where AEW and ROH President Tony Khan is standing in a suit with a red velvet-style towel /scarf around his neck, ala the late, great Antonio Inoki. Khan talks about Inoki and then introduces NJPW talent and students of Inoki, including Rocky Romero, Katsuyori Shibata.
Inoki’s grandchildren are introduced and he thanks them for the gift of Inoki’s scarf. He then welcomes us to the first-ever AEW Wrestle Dream PLE. Khan gives flowers to the aforementioned people in the ring as the fans applaud in a sign of respect. Khan promises a great night of wrestling. He says tonight is all about Antonio Inoki. “Let’s hear it one more time for the Inoki family! Let’s have a great Wrestle Dream!” He then does Inoki’s “Ichi Ni San Da!” chant.
Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Diamante & Mercedes Martinez vs. Keith Lee, Satoshi Kojima, Billie Starkz & Athena
We see the video intro for tonight’s show and then we head back inside the arena where the team of Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Diamante and Mercedes Martinez make their way out and head to the ring. Jim Ross is welcomed on commentary by Excalibur and the gang and then the Shane Taylor Promotions team settles in the ring.
After they settle inside the squared circle, the theme for their opposition hits and out comes the Keith Lee-led group consisting of Satoshi Kohina, Billie Starkz and Athena.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our first of multiple “Zero Hour” pre-show matches. Starkz gets worked over in the corner early on by Martinez and Diamante, who tag in and out frequently. As the action continues, we see “The Fallen Goddess” Athena and Starkz fire up on offense and hit a pair of dives at the same time to Martinez and Diamante on the floor at ringside. The crowd popped big for that one.
Keith Lee and Shane Taylor each tag in and the crowd reacts to that big in and of itself. Lee jumps into the early offensive lead, taking it to Taylor. Taylor stuns Lee briefly. Lee hoists Moriarty up but Taylor blasts him with a cheap shot. From there, Taylor and his team work over Lee, who is isolated in their corner of the ring.
Kojima and Moriarty tag in for their respective teams next, and the crowd roars as the Japanese veteran works over Moriarty with rapid-fire shots in the corner of the ring. Moments later we see Lee and Kojima hit a big spot to finish this one off. Good opener.
Winners: Keith Lee, Satoshi Kojima, Billie Starkz & Athena
Josh Barnett vs. Claudio Castagnoli
After a quick break, we return inside the arena and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and MMA legend Josh Barnett makes his way out to the ring. He settles inside the ring and his music dies down.
From there, “Wild Thing” plays and out comes Claudio Castagnoli accompanied by Jon Moxley. The two make their way through the crowd for our next match of the evening here on the “Zero Hour” pre-show. Mox joins the gang on special guest commentary as the bell sounds to get this one off-and-running.
The two begin grappling almost immediately coming out of the gate. Barnett gets the better of things, controlling the Blackpool Combat Club member before hoisting him up and launching him. Back on the mat, Claudio is on top now, but Barnett rolls for a kneebar from the bottom, MMA-style.
Mox gets worked up on special guest commentary, yelling out instructions to Castagnoli as he elbows the crap out of Barnett. Barnett grabs a leg of Claudio and again drops down to the mat looking for a kneebar. Claudio gets back to his feet and starts lighting up Barnett with European uppercuts in the corner until he slumps down to the mat.
Barnett gets mount on Claudio on the ground as Mox yells for Claudio not to give Barnett his back. Claudio ends up getting Barnett’s ankles and he proceeds to hit the giant swing on him before dropping down into a straight ankle lock / kneebar of his own. Castagnoli hits a neutralizer and then locks Barnett in an odd submission, which he transitions into a pin attempt for the three count.
After the match, Barnett gets on the mic and tells Claudio he has heard a lot about him from training partners and friends about how tough he is. He says they were all correct. Barnett tells Claudio that Antonio Inoki would be a fan of his if he were alive today. With that said, he says Claudio owes him more time, and one day he will be back. He tells Claudio he has a long way to go but he’s proud of where he’s at. Claudio tells Barnett any time, any place.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
Luchasaurus vs. Nick Wayne
Following a quick break, we return inside the arena where the theme for Luchasaurus hits and out comes the big monster heel. He settles in the ring to a chorus of boos. His theme dies down and he awaits the arrival of his opposition.
Now the theme for Nick Wayne hits and the youngster makes his way to the ring for our next pre-show match here on AEW Wrestle Dream “Zero Hour.” The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
Straight out of the gate we se Luchasaurus manhandling and Donkey Kong’ing Wayne all over the place. He brings him in the corner and chops the living crap out of him. He hoists him up and plants him into the mat with a big side slam. Nick Wayne’s mom is shown looking on from the front row.
Wayne starts to fire up on offense, blasting the big man with kicks as the fans in Seattle rally behind the rookie prospect. Luchasaurus knocks him silly and cuts his offensive momentum short. He takes back over as the crowd energy dies down. He chokeslams Wayne over the ropes and onto the hard part of the ring apron. He crashes and burns right in front of his mom.
Luchasaurus slams Wayne face-first into the steel barricade literally inches away from his mom. Wayne’s mom starts screaming at Luchasaurus as he continues to maul her son in front of her. Back in the ring, Wayne comes to life again as he connects with a moonsault for a close near fall attempt.
Nick Wayne looks for his Wayne’s World finisher but Luchasaurus avoids it and blasts the smaller Wayne with a big shot to the back of his head. He covers him and scores the pin fall victory. We see Wayne’s mother looking emotional seeing her son laid out in the ring.
Winner: Luchasaurus
AEW Trios Championships
The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn (C) vs. TMDK
Now we return inside the arena after another quick time out, as the TMDK (The Mighty Don’t Kneel) team of Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste and Bad Dude Tito settle in the ring. Their music dies down and they await the arrival of their opposition.
The theme for The Acclaimed hits and out comes Max Caster doing his freestyle rap gimmick as he and Anthony Bowens and “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn head to the ring for their scheduled AEW Trios Championship defense. Bowens finishes with his “Scissor me, Daddy Ass!” line and their entrance wraps up.
From there, the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with the final pre-show match here at AEW Wrestle Dream: Zero Hour. Caster kicks things off for his team as a loud “Oh, scissor me, daddy!” chant breaks out. Caster and Big Man Tito lock-up and Tito gets the early jump on The Acclaimed member.
Gunn tags in for his side, while Haste comes in for TMDK. Gunn runs him over with a shoulder tackle and then continues to beat him down, toying with him at times to play to the crowd. TMDK starts to take over after that and we see the team hitting several multiple-man high spots for close near fall attempts.
Gunn helps his team fire up. Bowens hits the Arrival after Gunn hits a Fame-Asser. Caster heads to the top-rope and connects with a Mic Drop for the pin fall victory. With the win, The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn retain the AEW Trios Championships.
Winners and STILL AEW Trios Champions: The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn
