The event was a tribute show in honor of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) founder Antonio Inoki; it took place on the one-year anniversary of his death.

In the main event, Christian Cage defeated Darby Allin by 2–1 in a two out of three falls match to retain the AEW TNT Championship.

On October 1, 2022 (September 30 in Eastern Time), Antonio Inoki, the founder of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), died.

[3] Prior to his death, the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) began a working partnership with NJPW in early 2021.

[9] WrestleDream featured 14 professional wrestling matches, including four on the pre-show, that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds and storylines.

Bryan Danielson was originally set to face NJPW's Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door in June 2022, but was unable to due to an injury and was replaced by Claudio Castagnoli.

[11] Over a year later on the September 9, 2023, episode of Collision, Danielson said that with his career winding down, the next person he wanted to face was Sabre.

[16] After racking up wins and taking out her opponents in post-match attacks, on the September 23 episode of Collision, The House of Black's Brody King announced that Julia Hart wanted to face Kris Statlander for the AEW TBS Championship, and if Statlander did not accept, Hart would continue laying waste to her opponents.

[17] After Luchasaurus won the AEW TNT Championship in June, his accomplice Christian Cage claimed that he himself was the real champion and carried around the title.

On the September 23 episode of Collision, Luchasaurus defended the title against Cage and Darby Allin in a three-way match.

In the first match, Athena, Billie Starkz, Keith Lee, and Satoshi Kojima faced Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty and Shane Taylor), Diamanté, and Mercedes Martinez in an eight-person mixed tag team match.

[22] In the final match of the pre-show, Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) defended the AEW World Trios Championship against TMDK (Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nicholls, and Shane Haste).

[22] Next, Kris Statlander defended the AEW TBS Championship against Julia Hart (accompanied by Brody King).

Julia then locked in the Heartless submission, but Statlander impeded it with the Sunday Night Fever and then pinned Hart to retain the title.

The Young Bucks then hit superkicks to Hook and Colten and then performed the BTE Trigger to Penta and pinned him for the win.

[22] In the fourth match, Swerve Strickland (accompanied by Prince Nana) faced "Hangman" Adam Page.

Strickland then hit a snap German suplex, but as he attempted another Swerve Stomp, Page moved out the way and delivered the Buckshot Lariat for a nearfall.

Danielson then performed an avalanche butterfly suplex and locked in a single-leg crab, but Sabre reached the bottom rope.

Kicks/Roundhouse Kick combination, but as he attempted the Busaiku Knee, Sabre blocked it and hit a European Clutch for a nearfall.

Sabre then performed a Zack Driver and locked in a double armbar, but Danielson reached the bottom rope.

Omega then delivered a dragon suplex to Ospreay, who then hit a powerbomb to Ibushi, and Guevara performed a Judas Effect to Jericho for a one count.

[22] In the penultimate match, FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) defended the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis).

Aussie Open then hit the Shatter Machine and the Coreolis on Wheeler, but Harwood broke up the pin attempt.

FTR then delivered an apron assisted spike piledriver to Davis and an avalanche Shatter Machine to Fletcher for the win to retain.

[22] In the main event, Christian Cage defended the TNT Championship against Darby Allin in a two out of three falls match.

Christian then inadvertently delivered a spear to referee Bryce Remsburg, and while the ref was down, hit a low blow to Allin.

As Christian attempted a con-chair-to to Sting, the lights went out and a vignette aired of a mysterious man driving around Seattle.

[23] During the post-event media scrum, Tony Khan revealed that WrestleDream would continue as an annual pay-per-view for AEW.

[25] On the October 4 episode, after listing off names of potential opponents he had never faced, Copeland explained that he came to AEW because he saw an opportunity to reunite with Christian Cage one last time and end their careers together as a team, and also warned him that Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne would eventually turn on him.

[27] This would then lead to a trios match at Full Gear, pitting Copeland, Sting, and Darby Allin against Cage, Luchasaurus, and Wayne.