AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam Preview and Match Predictions

All Elite Wrestling comes with another edition of AEW Dynamite Grand Slam which should be a big night of professional wrestling.

All Elite Wrestling will hold one of its annual attractions this Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City as it presents its Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite.

The promotion has done an excellent job of putting together a pay-per-view-worthy card with a decent build over the short amount of time that existed between All Out and Grand Slam.  With five different titles up for grabs and the increasing speculation that Adam Copeland (aka Edge) will be making his AEW debut, this version of Grand Slam may be the best one yet.

Let’s take a look at the announced matches for AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam and what to expect from each.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston in a title vs. title match

Years of animosity will come to a head when Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston do battle in the very definition of a grudge match.  And as if bragging rights were not enough, both Castagnoli’s Ring of Honor World Title and Kingston’s NJPW Strong Openweight Title will be on the line.

Eddie Kingston has long been one of the most popular performers in AEW.  His connection with the fans is very unique because of the way that Eddie Kingston keeps it real.  When Kingston speaks you can hear the emotion in every word and that makes him someone that most fans can relate to.

But for whatever reason, Tony Khan has been hesitant to pull to trigger on giving Kingston that career-defining win.  If there was ever a time for AEW to pull the trigger on a signature win for Eddie Kingston it is on this Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite in his home state against a heated rival.  Winner: Eddie Kingston

Jon Moxley vs. Rey Fenix for the AEW International Title

Coming off a successful title defense last week against Big Bill, Jon Moxley will face a very different challenge at Grand Slam when he takes on a revenge-minded Rey Fenix.

This Jon Moxley International Title run should be short.  Having a top star hold a mid-card title really doesn’t serve much of a purpose in this scenario.  But the dilemma that Tony Khan faces is finding a way to get the title back onto a mid-card performer while protecting Moxley.

Rey Fenix would be an excellent choice to dethrone Moxley.  Fenix puts on excellent matches every time out and his style in the ring always makes for entertaining bouts.

But putting a title that has been defended weekly for the better part of this year on half of one of the best tag teams in AEW does not seem like the way to go here.  Look for Moxley to retain after a highly competitive match.  Winner: Jon Moxley

Chris Jericho vs. Sammy Guevara

While most of the matches on this card carry a good amount of animosity, the match between long-time friends and teammates Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara has a different feel.

The match between Jericho and Guevara is more about a young wrestler trying to show he belongs at the top of the card and stepping out of the shadow of his mentor by earning a career-defining win.

Picking a winner in this match is difficult, but no matter the winner, the end result needs to be Guevara separating himself from Jericho.  Guevara and Jericho have been linked since the very first episode of AEW Dynamite, and it is time for Guevara and AEW to see what Sammy can do outside the considerable shadow that Chris Jericho casts.

While this match could go a lot of different ways, but what makes the most sense is Guevara becoming the newest member of the Don Callis family when Callis interferes and costs Jericho the match.  Winner: Sammy Guevara

Saraya vs. Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Title

Saraya will make her first title defense since winning the AEW Women’s Title at All In in her home country.

Saraya winning the title was met with a lot of feedback, as she hadn’t wrestled much since joining AEW and in the opinion of most, had yet to knock off the ring rust that her near five-year layoff had caused.

Whether Tony Khan decided to put the AEW Women’s Title on Saraya because he thought she was deserving or because he wanted a memorable moment for All In will probably always be a question without an answer.  But the onus is now on Saraya to validate the faith that Khan has put in her as the champion.  And Saraya will take her first step towards validation against her former friend, Toni Storm at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam.

Toni Storm is doing some of the best character work in AEW right now and it will continue to be very entertaining to watch her delve further into madness whether she is the AEW Women’s Champion or not.  Winner: Saraya

MJF vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Title

Despite the abbreviated build that Samoa Joe and MJF had, this match still has a big fight feel to it.

While Samoa Joe did not come into AEW with as much fanfare as Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, or Jeff Hardy, you could argue that the work Joe has put out has been as good or better than any of them.

Samoa Joe is the perfect heel.  When he speaks he commands attention and he can be more menacing with a mere look than most can be with a live microphone.

Samoa Joe should be on the short list of wrestlers that should get an AEW Title run in the near future.  But there is just too much story still to be told with MJF and Adam Cole, and that story needs the AEW Title at the center of it.

On Wednesday, despite all that Samoa Joe throws at him, MJF will find a way to retain his title.  Winner: MJF