Young Bucks vs. the Hardys and the Dream Matches Coming Up in AEW, WWE

The term "dream match" is thrown around a lot these days. It even became the selling point for AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania 34. Nevertheless, the current landscape in pro wrestling has set the table for so many high-profile contests.

It feels like anything possible right now. CM Punk is back inside the ring with All Elite Wrestling, and Cody Rhodes has returned to WWE.

The largest companies have gathered the most diverse and multi-talented group of wrestlers spanning different generations. Additionally, AEW and smaller promotions are more willing to work together and share talent.

It may sound like a cliche, but it is such an exciting time to be a wrestling fan. There is so much great content readily available that caters to viewers from different walks of life. It's hard not to get wrapped up in all the potential for new and engaging storylines and rivalries.

So, let's take a look at five dream matches that could be coming up in AEW and WWE.

Cody Rhodes seems destined to collide with Roman Reigns in pursuit of his first WWE Championship win. The two have shared the ring several times in tag and multi-men matches, but they've never faced each other one-on-one.

However, another first-time matchup seems slightly more interesting, and that's an encounter with AJ Styles. The Phenomenal One made his WWE debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble, when Rhodes competed in his last men's Rumble match at the event as Stardust.

Styles has gone on to enjoy great success with the company, while The American Nightmare reinvented himself with promotions such as Impact, Ring of Honor, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He even became a member of Bullet Club, like The Phenomenal One, which led to his stint with AEW.

So, it makes so much sense for the two men to finally have a match together now that they're under the same roof again. Rhodes even said Styles is his dream opponent during an appearance on Steve Austin's The Broken Skull Sessions.

The Horsewomen of WWE vs. The Horsewomen of MMA seemed inevitable during Shayna Baszler's run in the inaugural Mae Young Classic in 2017.

WWE promoted it extensively throughout the tournament, and Ronda Rousey, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke cheered on their friend and taunted the NXT stalwarts. However, plans fizzled out and the company released Shafir and Duke after an unimpressive run on the black-and-gold brand.

That leaves Rousey and Baszler as the last two remaining members. It's only a matter of time before they work together now that they're both on SmackDown, and a feud could be just what they both need at this point.

The Queen of Spades hasn't been in a title match as a singles competitor since she challenged Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women's Championship on Sept. 13, 2021. It's a shame that the former MMA fighter hasn't had much success on the main roster, but she remains one of the most believable heel characters on the roster.

Baszler would be a perfect opponent for Rousey, who has been struggling as a babyface since she returned to WWE in January. This could be a win-win situation that helps them both to reestablish themselves. SummerSlam would be the right stage for such a marquee contest.

With Forbidden Door quickly approaching, fans have been speculating about who their favorite AEW and NJPW wrestlers will take on. It's almost impossible not to fantasy book this exciting event.

AEW hasn't announced or teased any match yet, but Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi already seems like a safe bet. After all, Tanahashi kind of coined the term "forbidden door" in the build to his showdown with Chris Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom 14.

In an interview with Tokyo Sports in December 2019, the Ace of NJPW said: "If I win and the other side says, 'one more time,' I can say 'If it's a belt, then the forbidden door will open.'" 

Now that AEW and NJPW have made their partnership official, the Japanese star must be a no-brainer on the list of potential additions to the upcoming show.

Fans have been hoping to see Tanahashi and Moxley lock horns for over a year. The former IWGP United States champion has been calling out the NJPW legend for some time. There were even reports that Mox was supposed to get his wish last year at All Out but plans fell through and he wrestled Satoshi Kojima instead.

However, Moxley reissued his challenge at NJPW Windy City Riot on April 16 after his bout with Will Ospreay. Now, he's a step closer as he's set to compete in a Fatal 4-Way for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship with Ospreay, Tanahashi and Juice Robinson this weekend at Capital Collision.

This will more than likely lead to the anticipated one-on-one match at Forbidden Door on June 26.

After a nine-month absence, Asuka finally made her return to WWE on the April 25 episode of Raw.

The Empress of Tomorrow quickly reignited her rivalry with Becky Lynch, but it would be nice to see her wrestle some fresh opponents this year. As such, Io Shirai is the first name on our list of dream matches.

The two have a history together in Japan as they were a part of a trio called Triple Tails along with Shirai's sister, Mio. However, they've surprisingly never stood across the ring from each other in a one-on-one match.

WWE has the opportunity to host this first-time bout featuring two of the best in-ring competitors on the women's roster. The Genius of the Sky could also use a change of scenery because she has done just about everything there is to do with NXT.

Maybe 2022 will be the year when Shirai and Asuka deliver an instant classic.

Ever since Matt Hardy expressed interest in teaming up with his brother, Jeff, for one last run as a tag team, our imagination has run wild with all the matches we want to see.

Nevertheless, there is no bigger contest than a rematch with The Young Bucks. Their feud with ROH produced two matches, including their highly acclaimed encounter at Supercard Of Honor XI. On the following night, the Hardys made their surprise return to WWE at WrestleMania 33.

If this truly is the legendary tag team's last hurrah, we need to see them work with the Bucks one last time. Matt and Nick Jackson have made it no secret they idolized The Hardy Boyz and patterned so much of their act off of them.

Even more, this is like a showcase of the best tag teams of their generations going head-to-head.

Luckily, we won't have to wait too long for this dream match as AEW has been teasing it for weeks on television and Being The Elite.

We could see The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks in a few weeks at Double or Nothing at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 29.