Why AEW Changed Plans For World Title Winner At WrestleDream Revealed

At AEW WrestleDream 2024, Jon Moxley defeated Bryan Danielson to become the AEW World Champion for a record fourth time, ending the full-time career of Danielson.

It had been reported previously that the original plan was for Darby Allin to be the one to defeat Danielson at the Tacoma, Washington show, partly because Allin and Danielson both grew up in the state (Danielson being from Aberdeen and Allin being from Seattle). It was noted that the possibility of Allin winning had been spoken about strongly internally. 

Plans changed after Moxley turned heel and led the Blackpool Combat Club on an assault of Danielson at the All Out 2024 PPV. The reported reason for AEW’s change in direction, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, was to try and generate as much heat as possible for Moxley and the BCC. With Moxley beating Danielson instead, the idea was to try and jump-start some more interest in the promotion following a drop in both attendance and viewership. 

At AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 2024, Moxley defeated Allin for his guaranteed world title shot. In the time since, Allin has been presented as a foe to Moxley and his faction.