Why Tommy Dreamer Likes AEW's Blood & Guts Match From A Branding Perspective

The latest installment of Blood and Guts was a spectacle for the ages, with the months-long rivalry between The Elite and Blackpool Combat Club culminating in an epic showdown on "AEW Dynamite" in Boston. After a myriad of matches between the two polar-opposite factions, the addition of Kota Ibushi to the babyface lineup alongside longtime partner Kenny Omega was enough to get them over the line, with the two teams shaking hands once the show went off the air on TBS. After battles involving The Pinnacle, Jericho Appreciation Society, and The Inner Circle in past years, Blood and Guts 2023 was perhaps the most violent yet.

On "Busted Open Radio," ECW legend Tommy Dreamer praised the match and believes the special attraction element has made it a must-watch for AEW supporters. "I really like how AEW has made their own Hell in a Cell or War Games, made it special and made it unique to AEW," he said. "I enjoyed the top of the cage almost having a platform and when the wrestlers went up there, they were able to do moves. I love the opening of the cage, where Matt Jackson made it rain tacks — I thought that was brilliant and into the double back-drop. I enjoyed that because also for branding purposes, the fact they do it once a year, really makes it special. They did an excellent job in the four years of existence of AEW to make this match mean something. You don't always have to fall off the top of the cage, you don't always need to do these certain things."

"They had a uniqueness within the match ... there aren't a whole lot of parameters, but the people of Boston really enjoyed it. It was a packed house, everybody was on their feet ... all the men delivered, it was a great match."

Due to the absence of Bryan Danielson with an injury, Blackpool Combat Club were forced to recruit PAC for the bout, with the former AEW Trios Champion turning on the group and leaving them a man down, before Konosuke Takeshita also walked out to give The Elite further ascendancy. With the heels showing a sign of respect in front of the live fans inside TD Garden, Dreamer suggested some possible angles moving forward for all parties involved in Blood and Guts. 

"Going forward — PAC has an issue, Don Callis has an issue and now the BCC could probably turn babyface, which they kind of were, and go after Don so you don't immediately have to still do Kenny and Takeshita," he said. "There's a lot of places you can go and plus, we have Kota Ibushi — they said he's going to return, he got an insane reaction when he came out and that's kudos to the AEW audience to know who he is and all that stuff."

Following the events of the July 19 "Dynamite", PAC went on to challenge Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Title at Friday night's Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view in Trenton, New Jersey. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.