Nick Wayne, at just 21 years old, pulled off a second massive win over Chris Jericho at WrestleDream, sealing their rivalry and setting himself up for a true ascent in AEW. In what was surprisingly the least anticipated match of the night, Jericho actually let The Prodigy show out, giving him the spotlight to defeat the legend again. This isn’t just a win, this is a declaration from a guy who could totally define the next era of AEW.
The Prodigy’s Unexpected Takeover
Seriously, who saw this coming? After Wayne had already beaten Jericho at Grand Slam: France, most of us figured Y2J would step up at the pay-per-view to re-establish himself. But nope, Jericho played it totally different, basically handing the kid the keys to the future. Wayne didn’t just win, he looked like a superstar doing it, taking the rivalry and running with it. These two wins over a legend? That’s the kind of momentum that launches a career straight to gold and glory. If AEW is smart, they’re already plotting how to get this kid on a rocket ship to the top of the roster. He’s got the talent, and now he’s got the wins that scream “main eventer in the making.”
Tag Team Chaos: New Contenders Rise, Old Families Fall Apart
While Wayne was busy making history, the tag team division was a straight-up rollercoaster. The Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, finally made their presence known, and holy smokes, did they deliver. Their match against FTR was supposed to be their real intro to AEW, and it sure as heck was. That battle against Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler started on the Tailgate Brawl and just kept going for 15 minutes into the main show. They grabbed the first win in a Best of 5 series, which is cool, but what really mattered is they looked like one of the absolute best tag teams in AEW right now. You can bet your bottom dollar this series is gonna lead straight to The Young Bucks, and by the end of it, AEW fans are gonna be all-in on MCMG.
On the flip side, Don Callis’s whole family just had a meltdown. He took a huge gamble putting Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight up against The Young Bucks, and it totally blew up in his face. Just like all his other alliances, this one crumbled when it counted most, letting Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson run right over them. That tag title match didn’t just cost Fletcher and Knight the win, it probably cost one or both of them a spot in the Clockwork Carnage match. Callis was left with only Kazuchika Okada in that contest, and guess what? Okada didn’t win. Mark Davis couldn’t snag the Continental Championship either. So, The Callis Family walked out of WrestleDream with zero new gold and no clear path to any more anytime soon. They’re looking weaker than ever, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a “frustrated Protostar” starts looking for a new fam.
The CEO’s Unstoppable Reign
And then there’s Mercedes Moné. The CEO just keeps proving she’s on another level, period. Every single time she steps into the ring, she delivers a match that could go toe-to-toe with the top guys in AEW right now. She pulled out the absolute best from Thekla in her run, which is no small feat. It’s super rare for a heel versus heel match to connect so well, but Moné and Thekla’s personalities had the crowd hooked. This was a definitive win for Moné, putting her miles above the rest of the women’s roster. Until Toni Storm gets back, honestly, no one else even looks like a serious contender to dethrone her. What AEW needs to do now is build some seriously strong stories around her. Who’s gonna be tough enough, charismatic enough, *built* enough to step into the ring and truly challenge The CEO?
WrestleDream just dropped some massive hints about the future of AEW. We’ve got a new prodigy ready to explode, a veteran tag team finally hitting their stride, and a dominant champion waiting for a worthy challenger. The question isn’t *if* things are changing, it’s *how fast* they’re going to happen. You know we’ll be watching every single minute to see who rises next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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