AEW All Out 2021 Preview
John: Welcome to the TJRWrestling AEW All Out 2021 preview. We are bringing the TJRWrestling team together to preview the third AEW PPV of 2021. Some people might think it’s their biggest PPV of the year because it is CM Punk’s first pro wrestling match in over seven years.
There are a lot of talented AEW wrestlers doing nothing for this PPV. Some of those names include Sammy Guevara, Malakai Black, Ricky Starks, Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky, Brian Cage, Powerhouse Hobbs, Jake Hager, Lance Archer, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, Santana & Ortiz, FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Frankie Kazarian and plenty more. “Hangman” Adam Page is another one, but we know he’s off because his wife is about to give birth, so he’s out for now until he’s ready to come back. I’m not going to include Andrade El Idolo and Pac since their match was pulled due to “travel reasons” or whatever reasons people want to think. My point is that the AEW roster is so big right now that when you only have four PPVs a year, a lot of talented people are going to sit out. Frankly, I think having nothing for Guevara is a huge miss considering how popular he is. It’s going to be interesting in the next year or two when some AEW guys have expiring contracts and they choose to leave because there isn’t a lot of TV or PPV time for everybody especially when they hire so many ex-WWE guys that are going to get paid a lot of money.
Anyway, I am looking forward to CM Punk’s wrestling return and the AEW debut of Bryan Danielson should be a lot of fun to see in Chicago. I think AEW leaked that information out on purpose. If they want to keep something a secret, they can like when Christian Cage debuted earlier in the year. When they don’t want to keep a secret, they will leak it out as they did with Punk and now Danielson. That’s not a complaint at all. I just think it’s their strategy. I could be wrong, but I think I’m right.
If you need info on how to order All Out on PPV, check out AEW’s website for info on how to watch it in your country whether it’s on B/R Live, Fite TV or some other method. It’s different depending on where you live. I’ll be using Fite TV in Canada, most likely.
Joining me for the preview are Kurt Zamora, Marc Madison, Matthew Fowler, Lance Augustine, Joel McIntyre and Alex Podgorski. It’s really long with seven of us writing, so let’s get to Alex’s intro and then the matches begin.
Alex: This is the big one, my friends. I haven’t been this genuinely interested in a wrestling show in a very long time. Even with AEW’s penchant for silliness and sometimes nonsensical obsession with acrobatics, they’ve built this show up incredibly well. And they did thanks to what I like to call ‘predictable unpredictability’. They gave us a taste of this with CM Punk’s return. It was an open secret yet the creation was historic all the same. And now, not only is Punk wrestling at All Out, but his match might be overshadowed by at least one other big debut. Will All Out mark the debut of Bryan Danielson? Or even Bray Wyatt in a new persona? And what about the fall-out from the matches? This show will be genuinely exciting and I cannot recommend watching it enough.
(Note: All graphics are from AEW.)
Matt Hardy, Private Party and TH2 vs. Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta and Jurassic Express
Kurt: It truly speaks to the overall depth of AEW, when you have this much talent in a pre-show match that was a last minute replacement for the card. Otherwise these guys wouldn’t have been on the PPV. Then you think about the likes of Malakai Black, Sammy Guevara, FTR, Santana/Ortiz, Dark Order, Hangman, Cody, all acts that have been a big part of AEW in the last few months, not on this show. Tony Khan truly has assembled a dream team roster. I like Matt Hardy by himself in AEW. I think his heel persona is entertaining and he gets his point across in every promo on what his issues are with the babyfaces he’s going against. The HFO stable as a whole though, doesn’t do it for me. It’s a hobnob group of tag teams, and I believe Private Party is the only one they truly explained on TV why they joined Matt. I think for a pre-show match, it would be good to get the crowd kicked off hot and give a big babyface win here.
Prediction: The Best Friends & Jurassic Express
Marc: In what was a last-minute addition this past week, this eight-man tag team match brings together eight exceptionally talented athletes. The ongoing rivalry between Matt Hardy and Orange Cassidy went up another notch as Jurassic Express would come to the aid of Cassidy at the end of his Match against Jack Evans.
What appeared to be a six-on-one attack, including The Blade, would be thwarted when Jungle Boy Jack and Luchasaurus would stop them from doing any more damage. Cassidy seems to be on a trajectory to move further up on the card, and this match will help further that along. Add to the fact that Jungle Boy is also being elevated; the Hardy Family Office helps to boost their opposition.
Winners: Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta) & Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy)
Matthew: This match was thrown together on Dynamite in the last minute, most likely due to Andrade vs. Pac having to be cancelled. If this match shows anything it is that AEW currently has to many wrestlers and are letting some amazing talent be wasted. At one time Orange Cassidy looked to be a huge breakout star for the company, and now is regulated to a nothing preshow match on the biggest PPV of the year. If this was WWE, fans would be screaming that they were burying and miss using him, and he should go somewhere else. This match means nothing but since I have to pick a winner I will go with Cassidy, Taylor, Yuta and Jurassic Express.
Winners: Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta and Jurassic Express
Lance: This was a last-minute addition to the card after Andrade vs. Pac was called off due to travel issues. There is not a lot of heat going into this match, obviously, so I assume the faces will go over to start the show off hot. A ten-man tag team match I think would be a nightmare to book, so I look for this to be a mess at times.
Winner(s): Jurassic Express, Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Wheeler Yuta
Joel: I’m sorry. I was really into Matt Hardy when he first showed up in AEW because I was a fan of the Broken gimmick. Hardy Family Office just seems like a waste of time and a excuse to get more people on the show. Private Party have been one of the most wasted pieces of talent since they arrived in AEW and it’s sad because they have so much talent. Wheeler Yuta seems to be the replacement in Best Friends while Trent is out and he’s a great talent. Jurassic Express is generally more protected so I’m going to go with them here but I would be lying if I said I was interested either way.
Winners: Jurassic Express and Best Friends
Alex: This will be your typical ‘hot opener’ that starts pretty much every wrestling PPV. There isn’t much story here and the match’s main purpose is to put more people onto the show. It’s hard to make a match involving ten people interesting without it becoming convoluted. Expect a lot of what makes AEW, AEW: tons of flips, some wackiness, interactions between strange characters, and lots of chaos. It won’t be the best match, but at least it’ll set the tone for the rest of the show.
Winners: Matt Hardy, Private Party (Isaiah Kassidy & Mark Quen) & TH2 (Angelico & Jack Evans)
John: It’s just a ten-man tag team match to get a bunch of guys on the pre-show even though it wasn’t originally scheduled for it. It makes more sense for the faces to get the win to set the tone for the show with the fans cheering loudly for them. Matt Hardy’s Family Office stable tends to lose a lot of matches, so here’s another loss for them. I think Cassidy will get the win for his team.
Winners: Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta and Jurassic Express
Women’s Casino Battle Royal
(Note: The winner earns an AEW Women’s Title match.)
(Announced Participants: Hikaru Shida, Jade Cargill, Nyla Rose, Emi Sakura, Tay Conti, Julia Hart, Big Swole, The Bunny, Red Velvet, Penelope Ford, Thunder Rosa, Abadon, KiLynn King, Leyla Hirsch, Rebel, Anna Jay, Jamie Hayter, Kiera Hogan, Diamante…and more!)
Kurt: This match was moved to the main card after Pac & Andrade were bumped due to travel issues, seemingly for Pac although not confirmed by Tony Khan. As of this writing there are 19 names announced and these style of battle royals for AEW have 21. The one name that is expected to show up is the former Ruby Riott, now known as Ruby Soho. That would be a great addition to a division that has done wonders for itself over the last year. Soho immediately stands out as someone that could show up & win. Other than that, I think it comes down to Thunder Rosa & going ahead and starting the process of the big rematch with Britt Baker, or Jade Cargill. Jade is someone they’ve been protecting, but also being made to look like a big deal. Is she ready for a big time spot like this? I’m not sure, but I also don’t know that they want her to lose this match, unless they do the “everyone gang up on the big guy” elimination for her.
Prediction: Thunder Rosa
Marc: The list of names involved in this match opens up the next possible challenger for the AEW Women’s Champion. If Britt Baker retains the title after this night, who walks out of this match as the next threat for her title? With names like Thunder Rosa, Rebel, & Jamie Hayter all a part of the battle royal, another threat has emerged this past week. While Penelope Ford and The Bunny were attacking Tay Conti, Anna Jay returned to come to her friend’s aid.
Although it was after the match, the question that should be asked is if it’s every woman for herself, could Anna turn her back on Tay? Also, the undefeated streak of Jade Cargill can’t be ignored either. If anyone emerges with the best chance to win, it will be a surprise…could it be Ruby Soho?
Winner: Ruby Soho (Riott)
Matthew: Throughout AEW’s short history they have had several innovative match concepts that I have enjoyed, but the Casino Battle Royal is not one of them. The weird playing card system and multiple wrestlers coming down at once always comes across as confusing and awkward to me. Therefore I am not very excited for this match, even though it will likely have a big debut in it. I predict that Ruby Soho (Riott) makes her debut during this match and goes on to win the whole thing.
Winner: Ruby Soho (Riott)
Lance: The winner of this will get a shot at Britt Baker and the AEW Women’s Title down the line. They are adding pretty much every piece of women’s talent on the roster, plus a couple of surprises. The most notable surprise seems to be Ruby Soho, the former Ruby Riott. It’s hard for me to pick anyone in particular, but there are a few standouts. I will go with Thunder Rosa since she has a history with Britt Baker and they can make callbacks to their match a few months ago.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
Joel: I don’t have the numbers in front of me but other than Rebel(who manages Britt Baker every week), I would be shocked if all of these women combined had made more than 10 appearances on Dynamite the last 6 months. AEW has a ton of momentum but one of their major flaws since Day One has been the Women’s division where it seems like they’re only interested in focusing on Britt Baker and the rest just fall in to a pack. I really like that Anna Jay has returned. She can be a really solid babyface in a division that needs more top babyfaces. Jade Cargill is a STAR. No two ways about it. I’m going to go ahead and predict Ruby Soho as the Joker and the winner. If she is indeed signed to AEW, this would be a perfect way to debut her with an impact. Do it, Tony.
Winner: Ruby Soho
Alex: There are 21 women in this match and the winner earns a women’s title shot. Unfortunately, the field of competitors isn’t really that deep. Leyla Hirsch, Kiera Hogan, Red Velvet, and Jamie Hayter are relative unknowns in the match. Julia Hart, Abadon and KiLynn King are too new to the company. Penelope Ford and The Bunny lack in credibility. Nyla Rose is boring. Anna Jay has potential but is still too inexperienced. I don’t see either Tay Conti or Diamante winning. And I think AEW should try and build up a new star instead of pushing established outsiders in this case like Shida or Sakura. That leaves Big Swole, Thunder Rosa, and two women TBD. Personally, I predict one of those two will be Ruby Soho making a surprise AEW debut. But she won’t be shoehorned into the title picture right away. Instead, I think she’ll enter a feud with Thunder Rosa (the former NWA Women’s Champion) after the two eliminate each other. That’ll leave one person left to get the surprise win and the title shot.
Winner: Big Swole
John: They have a lot of options here. Jade Cargill has been booked like an undefeated superstar that could roll through everybody and get a title shot, but she’s kind of a heel the way Britt Baker is a heel, so I doubt Cargill wins. I like the Ruby Soho (Riott) prediction because it would put her over in a big way and she would probably get cheered as a familiar face that can easily slot in as a title contender. They could certainly go with Tay Conti, Leyla Hirsch, Anna Jay or any of the other faces, but there is a better choice. I think Thunder Rosa makes a lot of sense as the winner due to her history with Baker, so it’s just a matter of when they do the title match. I’ll go with Rosa here.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall
Kurt: The only interest I have in this match, is it feels so much like a non-PPV match, that I feel they put it on the card for some sort of big surprise. What that is, I don’t know. If I didn’t think that, I’d just keep asking myself how did QT Marshall end up in a singles PPV match and why was he Paul Wight’s first opponent in AEW? Although, maybe they blew the big surprise by having Gunn Club turn on Wight for no reason on Dynamite. Is this Tony Khan ribbing the fans? Instead of having Wight turn over and over again like he did in WWE, AEW is going to just have everyone around Wight turn over and over again. Maybe QT will turn babyface by the end of this match.
Prediction: Paul Wight
Marc: Of any match on the night that is the least likely to catch the interest of anyone, it may sadly be this one. With disrespect intended, as a viewer, unless I’m following the shots Marshall has taken towards Wight or Tony Schiavone, why would I care what they say or do to one another? Also, seeing a near Wight compete now really doesn’t interest me.
It has nothing to do with his age or how he’s likely in the best shape of his career but simply a willingness to care about this match. A win for Wight, who is about as part-time as they come in AEW achieves nothing, so this could be the night The Factory and QT Marshall get the rub and walk away with the win.
Winner: QT Marshall
Matthew: Yawn. A match between a 49-year-old past his prime Wight and a guy who only has a job because his friend is the Executive Vice President of the Company. Wight should win this match quickly, but hopefully not so quick that I cannot take a bathroom break during this likely long show.
Winner Paul Wight
Lance: What a shame that the first match Paul Wight has in AEW is this one. I don’t have anything against QT Marshall and he seems to be a guy you want around, but come on. This is going to be one of the shorter matches on the show and for anyone who has seen AEW PPVs in the past, that’s a feat in itself. If this match goes longer than 7-10 minutes, it’s a mistake. QT isn’t winning.
Winner: Paul Wight
Joel: There are about 15 guys on the AEW roster who I would rather see in this spot than Paul Wight and QT Marshall. Nobody is asking for a Paul Wight match in 2021. It all started because QT was being mean to Tony Schiavone and now Paul Wight is sticking up for his buddy. Add in the totally unexpected and unnecessary heel turn of The Gunn Club and it’s like 2000 all over again but less entertaining. I do like what QT has done as far as producing the show and training talent. I’m just not interested in him as a character and you just know him using the Diamond Cutter and the symbol is going to lead to DDP making an appearance. Oh joy.
Winner: Paul Wight
Alex: It’s pretty obvious that Paul Wight is winning this one. Even though he’s past his prime, he’s still something of an attraction. He’s in pretty good shape for a 49-year old legitimate giant. And while no one expects him to do any of that crazy acrobatic stuff that AEW is famous for, he can at least still do some proper giant shtick. I think that will help him become something of a draw for AEW. There are still some wrestling fans that prefer seeing larger-than-life people demolish smaller guys around them. And Wight fits that role perfectly. I doubt he’ll squash Marshall in a way that harms Marshall’s career in a major way. But it would be asinine for AEW to not use Wight as much as possible, which includes letting him wrestle a handful of squash matches and prove why he was so important to WWE for so long.
Winner: Paul Wight
John: My interest in this match is low. Good for Paul Wight getting in shape to wrestle again for the first time in over a year, but I don’t know if this is an appealing matchup to most fans. Wight was aligned with The Gunn Club briefly and then they already turned on him, so Wight is against Marshall’s stable and The Gunn Club at this point. I expect a short match under ten minutes, Wight to sell for a few minutes and then hit the Chokeslam/KO Punch for the win. I also expect JR to say “Big Show” at least once during the match. It’s okay Jim, I’m used to it too. There will come a time when Paul Wight will put over younger power wrestlers like a Powerhouse Hobbs, but this isn’t it. They are going to give Paul his first AEW win here.
Winner: Paul Wight
Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima
Kurt: The initial disappointment of this not being Hiroshi Tanahashi has worn off and now I’m settled in on the feel good feeling of having a Japan legend on the show and continuing to show off that AEW/NJPW collaboration. Kojima won’t blow anyone away at this point in his career. However, much like Yugi Nagata who had a solid showing against Moxley earlier this year on Dynamite, I know Kojima will want to show a massive American audience that he may not be as good as he once was, but he’s as good once as he ever was. With Moxley having his homecoming in Cincinnati next week, maybe we’ll get a nice surprise on who Mox’s next challenger from Japan will be.
Prediction: Jon Moxley
Marc: Since losing the AEW World Championship, Moxley has been in search of facing the best in the world, past or present. He’s faced Yuji Nagata, KENTA, and now will come face to face with Satoshi Kojima. For those unaware of Kojima’s career, he’s not only made a name for himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling and more recently in IMPACT Wrestling.
However, with the forbidden door firmly open between AEW and other companies, this match is going to be a treat. Both men will strike and strike hard at one another. They will come at one another with everything they have but, most importantly, will present a North American audience a chance to see Kojima live in an American ring.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Matthew: For several weeks, AEW seemed to be building up to a huge match between Jon Moxley and Japanese Legend Hiroshi Tanahashi. That match would have been a huge deal and one of the marquee matches on this show. Instead, however we are getting a match with no build up between Moxley and a guy the average American wrestling fan has never heard of. With all the huge additions to the AEW roster, Moxley is in danger of being forgotten even more then he was in WWE. After Moxley wins, I hope Tanahashi appears to help bring Moxley back into relevance.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Lance: I admit I have little knowledge of Japanese wrestling or its stars. I have heard of Kojima’s name, but haven’t seen him in the ring. Tony Khan has been doing a good job of getting them into the mix and I have enjoyed what I have seen. Moxley’s matches have been hard-hitting battles for the most part and this shouldn’t be any different. Moxley can lose here, and I think he will.
Winner: Satoshi Kojima
Joel: This match should be good. I can’t hide my disappointment that it’s not Tanahashi, but the match should be good. They need to find something for Jon Moxley to do after All Out. He’s done basically nothing since Double or Nothing. So again, while the opponent is not what we asked for, I still think the match is good. No way Moxley loses here because I do think the match with Tanahashi happens sooner rather than later.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Alex: This match would’ve been much more important if it happened fifteen years ago when Kojima was still in his prime. Back then, the guy was a beast that delivered a lariat that made JBL’s look like it couldn’t break wet toilet paper. Alas, this match is happening in 2021 and Kojima is far slower and wearier. Sure, he moves well for a 50-year old with 30-years’ experience, but he’s no Jushin Liger. He isn’t as threatening now as he would’ve been in previous years. To that end, I think that he, like Yuji Nagata before him, will be another ‘New Japan Dad’ brought to the US to be sacrificed to Moxley. NJPW wants to keep their working relationship with AEW alive, and it’ll be a while before NJPW send their big guns over to the States. As a result, Moxley should have a relatively easy night, provided he ducks as many lariats as he can.
Winner: Jon Moxley
John: Moxley has had nothing interesting to do for the past several months. Yeah I know he has teamed up with Eddie Kingston and even Darby Allin a few times, but it’s not like anything they did was that exciting. They beat up some guys who are not at the same level. It’s not that exciting. Moxley should be in one of the bigger feuds in AEW at every PPV, yet they didn’t come up with anything for him here. I’m sure Kojima will put up a fight and earn the respect of the crowd, but this should be a win for Moxley. A handshake post match is likely too.
Winner: Jon Moxley
AEW Women’s Championship: Dr. Britt Baker (c) vs. Kris Statlander
Kurt: Baker is one of the hottest acts in all of AEW. I attended Fyter Fest Night 2 where she defended the title against Nyla Rose, and she had the most signs in the crowd BY FAR. I love everything about her right now. The only issue with her title reign right now, is that everyone knows we’re just biding time until the massive rematch with Thunder Rosa. So you get a match like this, where Statlander is a very credible challenger, but no one believes she can actually win the title. It takes away from the suspense of the match, but I have no doubt the in ring action between these two will be beyond solid. I would assume to protect Statlander, since she’s going into this match undefeated, Jamie Hayter will make her presence felt and that will be a feud moving forward while Baker transitions to her next challenge.
Prediction: Britt Baker retains
Marc: Unlike the Women’s Casino Battle Royal, this match pits the two most popular women in AEW. Baker’s title run is tied to the rising popularity that she has had in the company. For Statlander, the Alien has had a run of bad luck as it applies to injuries, but this time will be different. While Baker will likely have Rebel & Jamie Hayter accompanying her to the ring, will that be enough to lead to her succeeding and retaining the title?
Or could this be the night Statlander can get past all the outside interference and make her the new AEW Women’s Champion? Of course, she will have her back against the wall if outside interference could lead to a title being retained. However, if anyone would be able to overcome the odds, it would be Statlander.
Winner: AND STILL AEW Women’s Champion, Britt Baker
Matthew: AEW’s resident alien is getting a title shot. Britt Baker is by far the best thing that AEW’s Women’s division has, and is easily its biggest star. Therefore, unless Tony Khan has completely lost his mind, I see zero chance that he has Baker lose to the silly alien girl. I expect Baker to win this match easily, setting up a bigger match with the former Ruby Riott in the future.
Winner: Britt Baker
Lance: Britt Baker might be one of the most over women in the industry right now. If you don’t believe me, just watch the tape from the Pittsburgh shows. It seems like AEW loves Statlander and while I think she is a good worker; she shouldn’t be the one to take down Baker. That should be saved for the next big star that comes through. I do expect a good match though.
Winner and STILL AEW Women’s Champion: Britt Baker
Joel: Kris Statlander has been one of the few women on the roster besides Britt Baker that AEW has actually put time into developing. She’s doing well as her character and the association with Best Friends has certainly helped. It is too soon to take the title off Baker. She’s easily in the top two or three of most over superstars on the entire roster and I expect a very lengthy reign for D.M.D.
Winner (STILL AEW Women’s Champion): Britt Baker
Alex: Kenny Omega has NOT done a good job of booking AEWs women’s division. If he did, then they would have more than just Britt Baker as a star. Baker is a treat to watch in AEW, but sadly she sits far higher than basically everyone else. That division lacks in other big stars, even with the joshis from Japan being part of it (and let’s face it, these aren’t the joshis of the 1990s either. AEW had Aja freaking Kong and they didn’t use her). And Kris Statlander proves this. Her gimmick is silly and doesn’t connect with fans in a positive way. She thinks she’s an alien, like people are going to get behind that. Why not just tell people she’s a big science nerd? It’s not like that has any real stigma anymore. Anyways, Baker will have an easy time with Statlander, both because Statlander is hard to take seriously and because she recently returned from injury. It wouldn’t make any sense for Statlander to beat someone as dominant and smart as Baker so soon into her return. Call me naïve, but I still have some faith that AEW still believes in common sense, rare as that is in pro-wrestling.
Winner and STILL AEW Women’s Champion Dr. Britt Baker, DMD
John: They have built up alien girl Kris Statlander strongly with an undefeated record this year, so she has earned the right to get a title shot. While I can see Statlander winning this title at some point in the next year or two (much to the delight of aliens everywhere?), it still seems early in Baker’s title reign. I just don’t see AEW taking the title off Baker after she won it at the last PPV they had. Hopefully it’s a good match because it’s the only women’s singles match on the show, but I would be shocked if there was a title change.
Winner: Britt Baker
AEW TNT Championship: Miro (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
Kurt: Let me just first say that Eddie Kingston is THE MAN. I got to meet him twice over the last month or so before the Dynamite shows I attended, and he’s just everything you’d hope for with what you see on TV. Miro has done an INCREDIBLE job making everyone forget about the “Best Man” role he was in, I mean does anyone even remember he was with Kip Sabian at this point? This is the type of character we all knew he could be & wanted to see when he left WWE. His promos are beyond believable and he just comes across as a cold-blooded killer. I like the subtle storyline they’re running with Miro where he’s susceptible to a DDT & Kingston even going a step further and saying Miro has a weak neck. You have the find the chink in the armor for a monster like this, so when whoever does dethrone Miro, it all makes sense on how they got there. I think this will be a little longer than Miro’s last few matches, but not by much.
Prediction: Miro retains
Marc: If any match on this stacked card could fall under the radar, it would be this one. Every time Kingston has a chance to deliver a promo, he does! There is nothing he could say that would not want me to watch one of his matches. As a fan of the late Misawa, Kingston will channel the late hero’s spirit in a decisive battle.
The newly invigorated Miro as the redeemer has a religious tone to each promo he delivers now. To Kingston’s credit, he too could play along with Miro’s calling for God is coming for him. If anything, fans can be assured that an absolute war will take place here. This is easily Miro’s most significant threat as AEW TNT Champion since he faced Lance Archer.
Winner: Miro
Matthew: After starting his AEW career floundering in a ridiculous storyline over an arcade game, Miro has gotten his career on track in recent months. Since defeating Darby Allen for the TNT Championship in May, Miro has been dominating every opponent he has faced. I do not see that stopping at All Out, with Eddie Kingston just being another person that Miro can destroy.
Winner: Miro
Lance: This one could be a great match if their styles work together well. Miro has been an unstoppable force when he has been on TV and the best thing that has happened to him since coming to AEW was getting away from Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian. This guy is a beast, and I don’t think there is any other way to put it. Kingston is a really good promo but hasn’t had a signature match in AEW yet. This one could be it. I don’t think he will dethrone Miro, though.
Winner and STILL AEW TNT Champion: Miro
Joel: I haven’t been impressed with Miro’s title reign. It’s not because he hasn’t been booked strong. He’s finally being booked how AEW should’ve booked him all along. It’s just none of his title defenses really mattered. When Cody did his open challenge, you felt that he might lose at any time, and did to Brodie Lee. Having Miro defend against guys like Lee Johnson and Fuego Del Sol takes the believability out of it for me. Eddie Kingston is his first real test in my opinion. I like Eddie as this no-nonsense badass who can rip you to shreds on the microphone. The match will be good because of the talent involved. I just hope this is the start of Miro getting decent feuds under his belt. He hasn’t had one single memorable rivalry since he joined AEW.
Winner (STILL AEW T.N.T. Champion): Miro
Alex: I’m not particularly sold on this match, Miro is alright and Kingston’s fine, but I just don’t see this as an exciting feud. I think this will go no more than ten minutes with some intense brawling and Miro overpowering Kingston. But Kingston isn’t the kind of wrestler to tap out and instead, he will pass out to Miro’s finish to make himself look strong in defeat. At least with that Miro can continue winning and Kingston can take a loss without it hurting him too much.
Winner and STILL AEW TNT Champion: Miro
John: I like the matchup because both guys wrestle a physical style, they are believable in everything that they do and the fans should be invested in it. My issue is they didn’t really build up Kingston by having him get significant singles match wins to earn this shot. For the Tag Team Title and AEW World Title match, at least you are basing the title matches on guys that earned it. In this match, Miro just mentioned Kingston in a promo and suddenly Eddie gets a title shot? AEW is usually better about making people “earn” their title shot. Also, Tony Khan said on a media call this week that this is not a midcard title. I disagree considering it’s in the midcard of this show and that’s where it usually is in PPVs. There’s nothing wrong with it being a midcard title, either. I’m just saying Tony’s perception of it is different than mine. Anyway, I assume Miro wins here although if he lost I think Kingston would be a fun champion to watch. Want another prediction? Okay. I think Miro’s wife CJ Perry (former Lana in WWE) debuts here too. Just a hunch.
Winner: Miro
Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Chris Jericho
(Note: If Jericho loses then he will retire from wrestling.)
Kurt: At first glance, it makes zero sense for Jericho to win. This isn’t a rubber match as MJF is up 3-0. So if Jericho wins, what does it actually accomplish? MJF still has his number 3-1. MJF put Jericho through a grueling five labors, Jericho couldn’t get through them all, but then because Jericho put his career on the line, MJF could still lose to Jericho and make the labors meaningless? On the flip side though, if Jericho doesn’t win this match, why did they have it in the first place? Jericho put over MJF clean as a whistle in the 5th labor, tapping out even, which is something we hardly ever have seen Jericho do in his career. MJF couldn’t get a bigger feather in his cap. It really is a tough match to call, because it can’t be argued that Jericho is the type of guy that would step away like this with little fanfare. He knows he helped build AEW and he would be leaving it far better than when he arrived. All that being said, now that he has his full arsenal again, unlike that 5th labor, I can see Jericho hitting the Judas Effect this time and getting one over on MJF.
Prediction: Chris Jericho
Marc: If anyone on this card had the possibility of facing themself twenty years ago, it would be this one. The uncanny ability that MJF has to be everything Chris Jericho was is amazing. He’s been able to push his buttons time and time again. This match and this stipulation are no different. MJF came out recently sporting a shirt that would make Ralphus proud MJF 3 – Jeriblow 0 was just another example of something Jericho would do.
With each defeat, Jericho was further pushed to the limit. On this night, Jericho has reached his breaking point. The stipulation suggests that this is the end for Jericho. A loss here will spell the end for Jericho. Tonight is the night Le Champion walks away. But will the retirement last? That’s a question for another day.
Winner: Maxwell Jacob Friedman
Matthew: If Jericho loses then he will retire: Throughout my 30-year history of watching wrestling I can not count how many “retirement” matches I have seen. I can count however on one hand how many times I’ve seen a wrestler stay retired if he actually loses the match. Therefore, this stipulation does not excite me very much, because even if Jericho does lose I expect him to still wrestle again someday. I also expect the point to be moot however, as I see Jericho finally defeating MJF to end the feud.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Lance: I have mixed feelings about this feud. I have been so confused with the booking of it. This has been going on for the better part of a year and while there have been some great moments, there have also been some moments of questionable decision making. Jericho is doing everything he can to put MJF over, but I feel like they have had some missteps and MJF might have been better off doing something else. This will be good either way. Jericho has a way of stepping up in big moments. This is a hard one to pick, but I can’t see Jericho hanging it up just yet.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Joel: I think this feud has far overstayed its welcome. This should’ve been the fifth labor match with MJF making the stipulation that you can’t wrestle again If you lose. Having Jericho be the one to add the stipulation just makes him look weak. The match will be fine. I don’t know what they can possibly do that they haven’t done in the previous three matches, but we’ll see. MJF should win. Chris has looked his age and a lot slower this year. However, the story has been set up for Chris Jericho to win. I just don’t think it’s the right call. I hope I’m wrong.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Alex: I’ve seen the ‘retirement’ stipulation thrown around so much over the past twenty-something years that, when I first saw this announcement, I laughed it off as just another desperate marketing ploy. But when I looked into it further, I realized that Jericho retiring actually might make sense here.
Jericho has already done everything there is to do in wrestling, and he peaked in AEW with his Inner Circle faction and his time as world champion. He had his 30-year anniversary celebration and is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. If he beats MJF at All Out, what does he gain and where does he go from there? MJF, on the other hand, would gain a lot from retiring Jericho. Many fans see Jericho as a hero for helping build AEW up and cheer him regardless of whether if he’s a face or a heel. Now imagine the genuine heat on MJF if he became the guy that ended Jericho’s career for good. He would further cement himself as the most despicable man in wrestling and would give AEW even more buzz. Plus, Jericho would be able to move onto other projects and wouldn’t have more damage done to his body. It really is a win-win situation for everyone.
Winner: MJF (Jericho retires on the following episode of Dynamite)
John: I don’t expect Chris Jericho to retire from wrestling after Sunday’s match. I think he should consider it within the next year or two for sure since he’ll turn 51 years old in two months, but not yet. Jericho is looking his age, yet he’s still capable of putting on good matches. Since he hasn’t wrestled in a few weeks, I think they’ll have an interesting match here. MJF has beaten Jericho three times including a few weeks ago. Maybe they do something here where Wardlow tries to help MJF, then Wardlow screws up or MJF blames Wardlow for something and Jericho capitalizes to get the win. I don’t know if they want to do the MJF/Wardlow split yet, but it’s a way to give Jericho a win without hurting MJF that much. Anyway, it should be an emotional match and I think the great Jericho will remind us of how awesome he has been for the past 30 years. Go Jericho Go.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Steel Cage Match for the AEW Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson (c) vs. Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix)
Kurt: I went back and watched the epic Ladder Match these two teams had at this same PPV two years ago. It was truly breathtaking, even scary at some points. Specifically the insane Destroyer piledriver that Penta hit on Matt Jackson off the top of a ladder through a table. When I saw what they did with ladders, I couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of what they’ll do with a cage. I didn’t care much for the finish of Dynamite with The Elite making a ton of babyfaces look bad. Very reminiscent of NWO booking back in WCW when that group started to get too big. I know The Elite aren’t recruiting members like the NWO did, but their group already does include the likes of Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa, so they’re playing it a little fast and loose with the word “Elite”. They have to get some retribution handed to them after that scene on Wednesday, and since I don’t see any way Omega loses twice to Christian, this has to be the match that it happens. If the Bucks win, it hurts the Lucha Bros tremendously since the cage is there for their benefit. The Lucha Bros have been on a hell of a run and I think it needs to culminate with a win here.
Prediction: New AEW Tag Champions, The Lucha Bros.
Marc: This past week on Dynamite, when the cage was lowered upon Christian Cage and Lucha Bros with The Elite in the ring, it gave me nWo gang attack vibes as a viewer. While the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega may currently be the most polarizing performers on the brand or even wrestling today, the setup for this Match on Sunday has me excited. These teams aren’t strangers with one another. In fact, when they faced each other in the past, their bell to bell action was a lot to take in. When brothers team together, it’s undoubtedly remarkable.
However, when brothers team together and face other tag teams? That’s special. These four men will go for broke. So while it is a concern that it will keep others out of the cage, the possibility of it also preventing the rest of the Elite from getting into the cage also presents itself. However, with the ride they are on, it’s hard for me to believe the Bucks won’t retain.
Winners: AND STILL AEW Tag Team Champions, The Young Bucks
Matthew: If you like matches with lots of high spots and guys flipping all over the place, then this is the match for you. This match should be an amazing spectacle, and could be the match of the night. My prediction is that The Young Bucks will finally win after about 45 false finishes and 12 “this is awesome” chants, in a match that will likely get an 8 star rating from Dave Meltzer.
Winners: The Young Bucks
Lance: Two things I can tell you right now about this match. There will not be an ounce of selling, and someone is coming off the cage. That’s not a bad thing all the time, but sometimes things roll out of the control quickly when it comes to these two teams. The cage stipulation will help because we don’t have to worry about these guys blatantly ignoring the rules. I am sure Rick Knox will be the referee, so that wouldn’t matter anyway. It feels like a title switch is on the horizon, or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part.
Winner(s) and NEW AEW Tag Team Champions: Lucha Bros
Joel: These two always seem to deliver. The Steel cage allows them to throw tag rules out the window because they’re never followed when these two teams wrestle. The Young Bucks are approaching a year as tag team champions but they haven’t really done much to elevate the other tag teams. Both of their PPV defenses have been against makeshift tag teams that aren’t teams anymore. This should be the Lucha Brothers night. They should’ve been Tag Team Champions already. I just don’t think they’re the ones who take the titles off the Young Bucks.
Winners (STILL AEW World Tag Team Champions): Young Bucks
Alex: This will be your token demolition derby match. The Bucks are determined to prove they are the best tag team of all time (laughs in Four Pillars) and hope to prove that by having another stipulation tag match with the Lucha Bros. Two years ago, it was their ladder match and now it’s a cage match. I don’t think it’ll be MOTYC-level, but it’ll definitely appeal to those fans that love high-risk craziness. You can be sure more than one person will try some insane dives or dangerous moves off the cage. My money’s on Rey Fenix doing some Kota Ibushi-level batshit insanity to make the crowd lose their minds. And I think that willingness to go the extra mile will lead to a big victory for the Lucha Bros. AEW needs a team to rise above the level of the Bucks, and I think the Lucha Bros are the ones to achieve that feat.
Winners and NEW AEW Tag Team Champions: The Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix)
John: This should be a great match like all of their matches. The Ladder Match they had two years ago was amazing as Kurt mentioned and they have wrestled so many times in the last few years. I think doing a tag team Steel Cage match is hard, but it makes sense for the story since The Young Bucks have had so much help in the past few months, so it keeps their heel friends from interfering. That should mean a win for the Lucha Bros and that’s where I’m going with my prediction. It just feels like the right time for The Young Bucks to lose since they won the titles ten months ago, so it’s been a long run for them. I enjoy heel Young Bucks way more than when they are faces since they are good at being jerks. I’ll be happy for Fenix and Penta if they win. They’re amazing.
Winners AND NEW AEW Tag Team Champions: Lucha Brothers
AEW World Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Christian Cage
Kurt: I loved the booking of their first encounter at the debut episode of Rampage. It set the tone for the new show, showing that anything can happen. Omega just doesn’t lose on TV, so it was a huge deal to see Christian outsmart him and win the Impact World Title. The reaction from the crowd showed that it worked and was a big deal. The only issue with that is that they’ve gone way strong to the other side since that match and made Omega absolutely abuse Christian and if it didn’t already once Christian won the first match, it now clearly shows that Christian stands no chance of winning this match for the AEW Title. I’m sure they’ll put on a clinic, but since we can expect no interference in the tag title match, that leaves it all for this one & The Elite will find a way to keep the title on Omega. Just bring me Hangman/Omega already please!
Prediction: Kenny Omega
Marc: These two have had some fun exchanges, especially when Don Callis gets involved. From the carnie piece of s**t nickname Cage bestowed on Callis to Omega repeating to Cage ‘you think you know me, you think you know’ thus channeling Edge’s theme song its had its moments. Omega really is working to cement himself as the top heel in the company.
While many have called his run nothing special or lackluster, a cowardly heel tends to be…cowardly. A win here for Cage seems awkward as it doesn’t really mean anything as he’s currently the IMPACT Wrestling Champion. The double-champion was already achieved, and replicating it appears to be a bit of a stretch. It’s hard not to see Omega not walking out with the gold on this night.
Winner: AND STILL AEW World Champion, Kenny Omega
Matthew: Omega and Cage just wrestled each other a few weeks ago, with Cage getting the victory over Omega to capture the Impact World Championship. I do not see history repeating itself here, as I see Omega winning this match to retain the title. This is one of the rare occurrences that the World Championship match does not feel like the main event the show. Despite this I do think this match will go on last with a certain “American Dragon” showing up to confront Omega after the match and end the show on a huge note.
Winner: Kenny Omega (Daniel Bryan debuts to challenge Omega after match)
Lance: Since Christian won The Impact Title a few weeks ago and got a win over Omega, I have a hard time believing he is going to win the AEW World Title here. Christian is a great worker and he can have a good match with anyone, but for me, this is one of the more predictable matches on the show. Coming out of this, it’s either Punk or Danielson time for Omega and that’s when we will get to see what he is made of. For now, he retains, but I feel like a switch with this title is coming down the road rather quickly.
Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: Kenny Omega
Joel: This is weird to me. They just faced each other a few weeks ago and Christian won the Impact Title. Now they’re facing each other again for the AEW Title. Christian owns two victories over Omega so I’m pretty sure he’s not winning this match. Anybody beating Omega besides Adam Page would be a mistake to me. Kenny Omega hasn’t really had an exciting World Title reign but he’s good at getting people to hate him. This is just a placeholder until Adam Page returns.
Winner (STILL AEW World Champion): Kenny Omega
Alex: There is no way Christian is winning another world title off Omega. They’ve built Omega up as an almost Vader-level title collector and he already lost one championship to Christian not too long ago. With Omega still positioned as AEW’s top singles wrestler, it makes little sense for him to lose, especially with his increased involvement in other companies. But it wouldn’t make sense for Christian to lose so quickly, either. That’s why I think there will be some sort of Dusty finish. Maybe they’ll pin each other. Maybe Omega will go for a pin while Christian has a submission hold locked in. Maybe they’ll hit some big move out of the ring and both fail to get back into the ring in time. Or maybe they’ll pummel each other so hard that both men will collapse from sheer exhaustion. That way, Omega can keep his title and Christian can fail without being pinned. It’s as close to a win-win situation as we can get with this scenario.
STILL AEW World Champion via Dusty finish: Kenny Omega
John: I think Kenny Omega retaining the AEW World Title is a lock. I think AEW has booked Christian well as an undefeated veteran that has shown he hasn’t missed a beat in pro wrestling. When Christian Cage beat Omega for the Impact Wrestling World Title, it was a way to tell the audience that Kenny can be beat and Christian did it right there on Rampage. However, beating Omega for the AEW World Title is another story and I don’t expect it to happen. The most logical future for the AEW World Title is for Omega to drop it to Adam Page just based on that long term story. However, considering what AEW is probably paying CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, maybe they want one of them to be AEW World Champion? I don’t know. Anyway, it should be a technically good match in the 20-25 minute range. Maybe they’ll tease the same finish that happened on Rampage (Killswitch on a chair), but Omega will get out of it and then Omega should get the win.
Winner: Kenny Omega
CM Punk vs. Darby Allin
Kurt: The match that we’re all here for. It’s finally happening. I’m not a CM Punk fanatic, I wanted him back for sure, but he wasn’t some sort of icon to me. He was my wife’s favorite wrestler, so I was excited for her to see him come back. I say all that to say that even though I wasn’t busting at the seams for him coming back, I’ve watched his return entrance at Rampage in Chicago at least 100 times. From all different vantage points. The TV broadcast, fan cams in the arena, the footage that BTE & Sammy Guevara’s vlogs had on YouTube. It was truly a magical moment. Let us not forget what a big moment for Darby this is though. This isn’t going to be a, “well it’s a big deal to be in there with Brock” and then get squashed in 20 seconds. This is going to be a highly competitive, wild at times I’m sure, battle. They’re going to make Darby look like the top star that he is. If AEW books this correctly, it can easily be a moment for Darby where he wins by losing. I cannot wait to lose myself in this match, the electricity from the crowd and just the feeling of seeing Punk in a ring again. In my mind, I see Punk putting on a “HBK Summerslam 2002” performance where it truly is just like riding a bike for someone as good as Punk is in the ring even after multiple years away. Congratulations to AEW for pulling this off.
Prediction: CM Punk
Marc: Somewhere in Chicago on September 5th, a fan will be watching All Out and say to the person next to me, ‘pinch me, is this really happening? CM Punk is wrestling in 2021’. His return has been met with tons of fanfare, and how could it not be. Regardless of the debates on how a big of a reaction he received last month, the fact is THIS is the match people are coming to see. It has nothing at stake other than bragging rights.
But if the world doesn’t feel like it’s against Darby Allin right now, I don’t know what is. Imagine one of the most notable performers of the last two decades returning to the ring in THEIR HOME CITY after not wrestling for nearly a decade, has to weigh on Allin. Any team going into enemy territory has to have that feeling of what did I/we get myself/ourselves into here? Even in a loss, Allin can still look like a million bucks. He’s the future of AEW but on this night? He loses his voice.
Winner: CM Punk
Matthew: On January 26th, 2014, I witnessed the Royal Rumble PPV live from Pittsburgh PA. At the time I would have thought the event would be remembered for the negative crowd response to Batista winning, and not that it would be CM Punk’s last match in more then seven years. CM Punk will now once again compete in a wrestling ring in front his hometown Chicago crowd. His opponent Darby Allin is probably AEW’s biggest homegrown talent, and a future main event star. I expect the energy of the crowd of this match to be to the levels of Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock WM 18, with neither wrestler needing to do much to get a huge response. In the end despite Allin being 14yrs younger and the future of the company, I do not see Punk losing in his hometown after a seven-year absence.
Winner: CM Punk
Lance: This match should headline the show. It’s Punk’s first match in 7 years and I feel like it’s the most intriguing one heading into the show. This is a rare instance where a face vs. face match won’t matter much, but I could also see Allin getting booed by the vocal Chicago crowd. This will be interesting and it’s hard to see where they want to go with it. Will Punk have any ring rust? I don’t think so, but this show will tell us everything we need to know. The idea of Punk picking up some wins while shining up younger talent seems the way to go. Allin won’t win here, but I do think he will get one on Punk in the future.
Winner: CM Punk
Joel: This is the match I’m really looking forward to. Darby Allin is one of the brightest young stars in the company. CM Punk is wrestling his first match in seven years. Allin should be good enough to pick up the slack if Punk has any ring rust. I know some might want Darby to get the win here but unless they want to turn Darby heel, having him beat CM Punk in Chicago in his first match back might not be the best idea.
Winner: CM Punk
Alex: Let’s be realistic here. With all due respect to Darby, he might as well be a warm body in this match. His only purpose in this match is to be sacrificed to CM Punk. And while there’s some merit in arguing that Allin would benefit from winning, that finish just wouldn’t make sense here. Allin already got over huge by being the first AEW wrestler that Punk mentioned in his return promo. Winning at All Out would be a case of too much too soon. He would be hot-shotted as a big deal and there would be no way for him to live up to the expectation set after beating someone like Punk. And besides, that’s not what the fans want to see. This is CM Punk we’re talking about. And while I’m not the biggest Punk fan in general, even I can’t deny how important he has been and still is to pro-wrestling. This is one of the few times when fanservice is basically required in wrestling. Everyone wants to see Punk get a win in his first wrestling match in (at least) seven years. With AEW having so much momentum right now, I see no reason for them to give the fans the opposite of they want. This is a dream match for many people; let them have their fun at least one more time.
Winner: CM Punk, whose post-match celebration is interrupted by ‘The Final Countdown’ and an arena full of fans losing their collective shit over Bryan’s debut
John: I’m excited about this just like most fans are. I think CM Punk will be in great physical condition because even though he left pro wrestling (or sports entertainment, pal) over seven years ago, he’s obviously stayed in shape due to his MMA training for many years now. At 42 years old (43 in October), Punk is at an age where he should be able to be great at pro wrestling for several more years. I think Darby Allin is a smart choice for Punk’s first opponent since he’s a smaller guy that will sell everything Punk does and make Punk look like a badass. I expect Punk to have more MMA strikes in his game while also applying submission holds a lot. They have also had several weeks to plan the match, so I’m sure Punk has been in a ring getting ready. I don’t know if they are the type of guys to want to practice the whole match, but I’m sure they have worked on some of the big spots.
My prediction for the match is a win for CM Punk. If he doesn’t win then I would be surprised to see that. It seems unlikely that AEW is going to bring him back to have him lose his first match, but I mean it is a possibility. If Allin wins then that’s the biggest win of his career arguably, so it would do a lot for Allin. I just think it makes more sense for Punk to win. Book it in a way where Allin comes close to winning multiple times, Punk kicks out of everything and Allin is relentless in his attacks. Eventually, Allin makes a mistake, Punk catches him in a submission or the GTS and that’s the end of the match. What I would do also is have Allin become obsessed with the fact that he didn’t beat Punk, maybe they work a couple of tags together (with Sting in a six-man tag too) until Punk finally agrees to give Allin another match a few months down the road. That’s where Darby can get the win in a cheap way or something like that. Anyway, for this match, I think they will get around 15-20 minutes with Punk looking like he hasn’t missed a beat and they’ll have a very good match. It may not be the match of the night, but it should be a great atmosphere with a hot crowd in Chicago. I’m excited about it.
Winner: CM Punk
I think the show will end with Punk celebrating and that’s when Bryan Danielson debuts. Danielson will go in the ring, shake Punk’s hand and hug him. Then Danielson hits him with a running knee. A shocking debut with a heel turn too. Why not? It gets people talking. Then again, if Danielson comes in as a face there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I just think coming into AEW as a heel right away would be a lot of fun. If they have Bryan debut after the Kenny Omega match then that’s fine too. I’m just happy Bryan Danielson is coming back. I miss that dude.
BONUS TOPICS!
The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most
Kurt: Punk vs. Allin.
Marc: Much like most fans, take anyone out of the industry for seven years and maintain chants and speculation of his return, and it’s hard to ignore the return of CM Punk. So, therefore, the CM Punk vs. Darby Allin would be the match I’d most be looking forward to.
Matthew: Punk vs. Allin.
Lance: It’s Punk vs. Allin. I think it should be for everyone.
Joel: CM Punk vs Darby Allin.
Alex: CM Punk vs. Darby Allin.
John: I’ll join the party in saying CM Punk vs. Darby Allin too, but that Tag Team Title Steel Cage Match intrigues me a lot too especially if Lucha Bros get the win.
The Match I Care About The Least
Kurt: Wight vs. Marshall.
Marc: Maybe I should care with the Gunn Club’s last-second swerve on him, but it feels that the well has been exhausted with Wight, with all due respect. Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall is my pick.
Matthew: Wight vs. Marshall.
Lance: QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight by a long shot.
Joel: Paul Wight vs QT Marshall.
Alex: Casino Battle Royale.
John: It’s Wight vs. Marshall for me too.
Longest Match
Kurt: Steel Cage Match (AEW LOVES long tag title matches on PPV).
Marc: It feels like these two teams will use the cage to be as innovative as possible. They could likely use weapons and have creative spots set up throughout the match. It has the possibility of being the most fun match to watch too. Steel Cage Match for the AEW Tag Team Championships is my choice.
Matthew: Omega vs. Cage.
Lance: I will go with The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros.
Joel: Young Bucks vs Lucha Brothers.
Alex: Young Bucks vs. Lucha Brothers (25-30 mins).
John: I think Omega vs. Cage is going to go about 20-25 minutes, so that’s my pick. In AEW it’s tough to pick because a lot of matches go long.
Shortest Match
Kurt: Wight/QT, maybe Miro/Kingston.
Marc: Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall. Odd that the match I care the least about is also likely the shortest? Maybe I subconsciously want to see this match? I hate myself right now.
Matthew: Wight vs. Marshall.
Lance: QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight.
Joel: Paul Wight vs QT Marshall.
Alex: Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall (>5 mins).
John: Wight vs. Marshall. Please don’t book 49-year-old Paul Wight in a long match.
Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)
Kurt: I gave Revolution 2021 a 10 in that preview. I don’t think I’m quite there for this show since there are some critiques I have on this card, but it’s still CM Punk’s first match back & some surprises expected/planned. I’ll go 9.5 here.
Marc: 8
Matthew: 7 – CM Punk wrestling his first match in seven years and Daniel Bryan possibly debuting makes this a must-watch show for me. Besides those two things however, the only other match that truly excite me is The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros, with the rest of the card being seemingly underwhelming and predictable. Overall, I think it will be a good show, but will likely drag in parts and overall be too long.
Lance: I have to go with a 9 here. AEW always seems to deliver with these shows and with Punk making his in-ring return and Bryan Danielson rumored to be coming in, I can’t give this show a low mark.
Joel: 6. Most of that is seeing how CM Punk does in his first match back. The card itself is rather weak in comparison to other pay-per-views. CM Punk is selling this show but it seems like just a placeholder show for the most part.
Alex: 9. This will be a back-heavy show. The undercard has largely forgettable matches but the final four matches will be very interesting. Plus, there’s the elephant in the room that there’s at least one more debut expected on this show. Will it happen for sure? And if it does, how will it impact the show and the roster? This is a show you definitely don’t want to miss.
John: It’s a 7.75 for me. I recently did a ranking of the first nine AEW PPVs and I’d say my average score for most of them was around 8 out of 10. I think this card has some potential for three or four matches at the four-star level or higher, plus the excitement of CM Punk and if my favorite wrestle Bryan Danielson appears as expected then that’s going to make me enjoy it even more. I still think they could have built up some matches better and some talented people that are missing should be on the show, but I like the lineup. I’m assuming it goes close to four hours like most AEW PPVs too. Bring it on.
In Closing
John: I’ll be back with a review of AEW All Out on TJRWrestling.net after the show. Check that out during the show or after it’s over.
You can also tweet me @johnreport, Kurt is @KTankZamora, Marc is TheMarcMadison, Joel is @GiftedMoney, Matthew is @fowlerwrestlin1, Lance is @Collectiveheel with any comments as well. Alex is not on Twitter, which is cool.
If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com as well. Thanks for reading.