Published: 4 minutes ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 10 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
AEW
AEW Grand Slam: France takes place on Tuesday, October 6, marking the first time the company has run a show in Paris.
With five matches announced for the upcoming show and AEW WrestleDream approaching on October 17, let’s see what might be about to happen:
Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada
Having retained the AEW World Championship against Jon Moxley at All Out, Will Ospreay issued a challenge to Kazuchika Okada during the post-show panel, with the star accepting.
That match is set to take place at Grand Slam: France, with the pair having last faced off at Worlds End in December 24, a match that the Continental Champion would win.
A rivalry that has existed for over a decade, Ospreay vs. Okada is bound to be the match of the night, with The Aerial Assassin retaining and going on to defend the title in the Clockwork Carnage match at WrestleDream.
Mercedes Mone vs. Queen Aminata
With a victory over Willow Nightingale at AEW All In on August 30, Mercedes Mone is over thirty days into her first reign as Women’s World Champion.
Queen Aminata is a champion in waiting, with Grand Slam: France marking the first time they’ll face each other singles action since Mone retained the TBS Championship on October 16, 2024.
Aminata walking out with the championship would shake Mone, but perhaps it’s a moment best saved for a major PLE.
Mone has a target on her back, and the likelihood of Aminata winning by disqualification but the champion retaining is high.
Darby Allin vs. Kyle Fletcher
A three-time TNT Champion, Darby Allin defeated Kevin Knight at AEW All In to claim the title once again.
This defense sees Allin face Knight’s tag team partner, Kyle Fletcher, despite claims from the Australian star that they are “not a tag team”.
Whatever the outcome, Fletcher and Knight head to WrestleDream to face the Young Bucks for the World Tag Team Championship. Fletcher carrying two championships would be quite the flex, but it’s difficult to see Allin losing the title in a match without a stipulation.
Samoa Joe vs. Jungle Jack Perry
Jungle Jack Perry asked for Samoa Joe, and a victory over Katsuyori Shibata saw the leader of The Opps deliver.
The winner of the match moves forward to the Clockwork Carnage match for the AEW World Championship at WrestleDream.
With Perry setting his sights on becoming World Champion, he’s been met with limited success against former title holders, and there’s something satisfying in the idea that this will be yet another loss on that journey.
Bandido vs. Kofi
Since debuting alongside Austin Creed (previously Xavier Woods in WWE) at AEW All In, Kofi has become World Trios Champion with the aforementioned star and Swerve Strickland.
AEW Grand Slam: France sees Kofi challenge for the ROH World Championship, facing Bandido for the first time ever in singles action.
Strickland & The New Level retained the World Trios Championship against Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) and Adam Page at All Out.
There’s little doubt that The New Level & Strickland make quite the unit in AEW, but Kofi has shown that he has an eye on singles competition, scoring a win over Lee Moriarty recently. Seeing the former WWE star claim the ROH World Championship would see him meet fresh challenges over in Ring of Honor.
Over 540 days into his second ROH World Championship reign, Grand Slam: France may be the end of the road for Bandido and the title.
The implications for WrestleDream
At the time of writing, AEW WrestleDream has three matches announced, with competitors dependent on the results of Grand Slam: France.
Thekla will challenge the winner of Mercedes Mone vs. Queen Aminata, with the AEW Women’s Championship on the line.
With six competitors still to be announced, the Clockwork Carnage match will see the AEW World Champion enter, whether that be Ospreay or Okada, along with the winner of Jack Perry vs. Samoa Joe.
As previously noted, The Young Bucks put the AEW World Tag Team Championship on the line against Kevin Knight & Kyle Fletcher, both members of The Don Callis Family, and still not called FletchKnight.
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