All Elite Wrestling presents “All Out” from the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois tonight and will be the upstart’s second pay-per-view event and last stop before going onto TNT.
In some ways, tonight’s show is the calm before the storm but in other ways, a vital last impression to create necessary buzz to send everyone into the promotion’s next stage of development.
The card was dealt a blow last weekend with the news that Jon Moxley was out of his match with Kenny Omega due to an MRSA infection in his elbow. The belief is Moxley will be sidelined for four weeks and was unable to travel, therefore removing his show from Starrcast, as well.
In his place is PAC, who will wrestle he first match with the promotion opposite Kenny Omega. The replacement was met with positivity as the two should tear down the house while keeping Omega and Moxley as the prime focus for a later date.
On a day that features lots of wrestling options, AEW has the lion’s share of the interest serves as the baseline heading onto TNT and what effects the added exposure will provide. The business they have generated through social media and strong word-of-mouth without television has been extraordinary.
The live event success has seen immediate sellouts in Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, Boston, and Philadelphia with Dave Meltzer reporting approximately 111,000 buys for Double or Nothing this past May. In theory, TNT should widen their base by a strong margin with the optimal outcome being like UFC’s appeal when they launched on Spike TV in January 2005.
For the UFC, they had a hot series in Ultimate Fighter that trickled over to the product itself. When coaches Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell fought at the end of the season at UFC 52, the number was through the roof and it was beginning of the golden period. Conversely, when Impact Wrestling moved to Spike that same year, their television viewership was very healthy, but it didn’t come close to the UFC’s success on pay-per-view.
Tonight’s show is another strong one on paper, but it’s also imperative to create as much buzz so when the show is over people are circling October 2nd on their calendars and counting the days until this product launches on cable. The expectation of a great wrestling show has become commonplace with an audience that is exposed to so much on a weekly basis that it’s become the standard instead of the hope.
The show kicks off at 7 pm Eastern with the Buy-In pre-show followed by the main card at 8 pm. Wai Ting and I will be going live with our All Out POST Show right after the card wraps up. If you are a Double Double, Iced Capp, or Espresso members of the POST Wrestling Café then you can tune in and watch the show live, as well as call in with feedback to the show.
RESULTS:
*Nyla Rose won the Casino Battle Royale in 20:34
*Private Party over Angelico & Jack Evans in 11:34
*Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky over Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy & Marko Stunt in 11:42
*PAC over Kenny Omega in 23:41
*Jimmy Havoc over Joey Janela and Darby Allin in 14:57 in the Cracker Barrel Clash
*Dark Order over Best Friends in 13:46
*Riho over Hikaru Shida in 13:23
*Cody over Shawn Spears in 17:23
*The Lucha Bros. over The Young Bucks in 24:10 of the ladder match to retain the AAA tag titles
*Chris Jericho over Hangman Page in 26:17 to become AEW heavyweight champion
BUY-IN PRE-SHOW
Excalibur and Alex Mendez are calling the pre-show.
CASINO BATTLE ROYALE
Nyla Rose, Faby Apache, Priscilla Kelly, Leva Bates, and Shalandra Royal
Bates landed on top of library books that Peter Avalon set up, so she never hit the floor. Royal was the first one out followed by Apache. Then, Rose lifted and dumped Kelly to the floor. Bates attacked with a book and Rose sent her over the top. Rose also threw Avalon over the top.
The next five consist of Penelope Ford, Shazza McKenzie, Sadie Gibbs, Big Swole, and Dr. Britt Baker as “The Diamonds”.
Rose eliminated Big Swole and Ford
Ivelisse, Bea Priestley, Awesome Kong, Tenille Dashwood, and Brandi Rhodes were the next group out.
Baker stormed Priestley on the ramp following the match at Fight for the Fallen in July.
Brandi hit Rose with a stunner while Kong placed Ivelisse on her shoulders and attacked the others with her. Kong was playing the bodyguard of Brandi in the match.
The next five are Allie, Nicole Savoy, Teal Piper, ODB, and Jazz.
Jazz and ODB received big reactions on their way to the ring. Allie attacked Brandi immediately.
Piper poked ODB in the eyes and applied a sleeper. Kong was sent out and then Jazz was knocked out.
The Joker was Mercedes Martinez as the last entrant.
Brandi was tossed out while Martinez was walking down the ramp. Rose shoved Allie to the floor.
Gibbs attempted to skin the cat and Priestley shoved her out. Martinez was superkicked off the apron and out.
It came down to Rose, Priestley, and Baker.
Rose attempted a cartwheel kick from the edge of the apron to avoid elimination. Baker hit a Destroyer to Priestley. Baker eliminated her with a forearm strike to send her out.
The end was the Ric Flair, Sid Justice, Hulk Hogan spot from the 1992 Royal Rumble. Priestley grabbed Baker’s arm from the floor allowing Rose to eliminate Baker.
WINNER: Nyla Rose at 20:34
Rose will face the winner of Riho and Hikaru Shida on the first episode on TNT to crown the first women’s champion.
This was a better execution of the concept than the first Casino Battle Royale. There was a lot of sloppy spots mixed throughout this match and it was a lot of people to pay attention to in a short period of time. That gets accentuated by five people entering at once and you lose track of the eliminations.
The audience seemed familiar with most of the women and the key ones all got big reactions. Martinez and Savoy stood out and Gibbs received a spotlight near the end. They emphasized the program between Baker and Priestley as the major one coming out of this match.
PRIVATE PARTY VS ANGELICO & JACK EVANS
Marq Quen did a flip and lost his glasses, which Evans kicked to the floor.
Isiah Kassidy was tagged in, was sent to the floor and hit Angelico with a huracanrana and followed with an Asai moonsault.
Kassidy flipped over Quen to hit a blockbuster on Evans and then an assisted shiranui.
Evans came back and hit an assisted 450 splash onto Kassidy for a two-count.
The finish saw Quen leap onto Evans with an Avalanche poison ‘rana, Kassidy hit another one to Evans, and then a flying ‘rana sent Angelico off the turnbuckle into a cutter (Gin & Juice) for the win.
WINNERS: Private Party at 11:34
They were pushing Private Party’s opening round tag title tournament match with The Young Bucks on October 9th.
It was a collection of impressive high-flying maneuvers that were executed well. The audience went nuts for the finish and the win by Private Party.
Angelico and Evans attacked Private Party after the match and the audience booed them.
There was a vignette for a new character called Wardlow. The spot was shot on a rooftop where he took out four guys and immediately established the chokeslam as his finisher.
Jenn Decker interviewed MJF, who said he didn’t want a match on this card and cut a promo on Shawn Spears.
Jim Ross came out ahead of the pay-per-view portion beginning.
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS, FRANKIE KAZARIAN & SCORPIO SKY VS LUCHASAURUS, JUNGLE BOY & MARKO STUNT
SCU did their opening promo and were complete babyfaces. Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy, and Marko Stunt are now “Jurassic Express”.
There were a series of dives from Jungle Boy and Stunt followed by a step up somersault by Luchasaurus onto the three on the floor.
They got the advantage on Jungle Boy and Daniels mocked Stunt by trying to floss. The hot tag was made to Luchasaurus and he attacked all three SCU members. He hit a pair of spinning wheel kicks and a chokeslam onto Kazarian for a two-count.
Luchasaurus is going to be a big star on TNT.
A triple-team Celebrity Rehab was delivered to Luchasaurus. They took him out on the floor after Daniels leaped to the floor with a huracanrana. SCU won after hitting a double BME to Stunt and Jungle Boy with Stunt taking the fall.
WINNERS: SCU at 11:42
Jurassic Express is going to be a big hit when they move to television and Luchasaurus has been a huge signing for AEW. The opener had a lot of fun spots incorporated built around triple-team spots from each and Luchasaurus’ big man offense that is the standout.
KENNY OMEGA VS PAC
The announcers are pushing that Omega was the best wrestler in New Japan, then lost to Chris Jericho and is trying to get back to his previous greatness.
Omega attempted the Kotaru Krusher and PAC countered it by flipping forward and landing on his feet.
PAC landed a big missile dropkick and Ross criticized him for not going for the cover. Omega fought back and hit a tope con giro crashing into the guardrail coming down.
Throughout the early part, they are explaining that Omega is a step off and not on his game.
PAC hit a top rope moonsault to the floor and smashed his leg into the guardrail coming down. He was selling the right ankle and hit a 450 splash for a two-count.
Omega hit PAC with a buckle bomb and Lo-Down for a two-count. PAC used referee Paul Turner to create a distraction but Omega still caught him with an Ushigoroshi and V-Trigger. Omega went for the One-Winged Angel, PAC fought it off and Omega hit Croyt’s Wrath for a two-count.
Each attempted a reverse huracanrana with PAC countering and attempting his own but didn’t hit it properly.
Omega went for the One-Winged Angel again, PAC turned it into the Brutalizer submission, they went down to the mat Omega passed out.
WINNER: PAC at 23:41
It was a surprising finish and the audience appeared to be stunned by Omega losing.
The story is that Omega is not 100% and is in a slump, so this plays into it and that his mind is on Jon Moxley.
I didn’t think this hit the high level of a big Kenny Omega or PAC style of match, but it was strong outside of the reverse ‘rana spot near the end.
JIMMY HAVOC VS DARBY ALLIN VS JOEY JANELA IN THE CRACKER BARREL CLASH
Jimmy Havoc brought a staple gun into the ring and began stapling himself. Allin and Janela placed him on a chair on the floor, placed thumbtacks into his mouth and taped it shut.
Allin leaped off the top with a somersault dive on top of Havoc, who was seated in the chair.
Janela took Allin and hit the Emerald Flowsion onto the edge of the apron. Janela looked for more weapons and found a tennis racquet.
Janela took a staple to the forehead, and then a monkey flip while sitting in a chair and landed on top in the seat. Janela followed by landing a powerbomb to put Allin through a table on the floor from the apron.
Janela hit a top rope moonsault to the floor and hit nothing. The audience was chanting “Cracker Barrel” and they used the cornbread and barrel provided.
Allin used a skateboard with tacks on the bottom to drive into Janela’s back and lodge the tacks.
Allin attempted the Coffin Drop with the barrel and landed on the steps on the floor and the barrel shattered.
It ended with Havoc superplexing Janela partially onto the barrel and the Acid Rainmaker onto the barrel for the win.
WINNER: Jimmy Havoc at 14:57
This was insane on every level and if it’s your cup of tea, you would love it.
There was no shortage of creativity when it came to the spots they came up with and was as violent as you could imagine.
DARK ORDER VS BEST FRIENDS
The winners will receive a bye in the first round of the AEW tag title tournament.
Dark Order came out the creatures and they looked as goofy as ever. The presentation of this act needs an upgrade.
Dark Order got the advantage on Trent and cut the ring off. Stu Grayson yanked Chuckie T. off the apron to prevent the tag.
Grayson yelled that he wants Trent “to die”. He should have put him in the last match.
Taylor was tagged in, they double-teamed Stu Grayson including a reverse Border Toss into an Ace Crusher, which Jim Ross said he was not going to identify by that name any longer.
Dark Order with the senton/cannonball combination and Trent kicked out from Grayson’s cover. Taylor shoved Grayson off the top to stop them from hitting Fatality.
Taylor hit Grayson with the Awful Waffle and Evil Uno was late pulling Trent off the of Grayson. They took out Taylor on the floor and tossed him into the steps before hitting Fatality on Trent for the win.
WINNERS: Dark Order at 13:46
The work was fine but the audience had a hard time getting into it after the hardcore match and too much going on with the Creatures near the finish. I’d say this didn’t hit with what was intended.
After the match, the Dark Order tried to leave with Trent when the lights went out and Orange Cassidy appeared to a massive pop. He hit a dive onto the Creatures and the Best Friends hugged him. The Cassidy appearance got over big.
HIKARU SHIDA VS RIHO
The winner of this match faces Nyla Rose on October 2nd to crown the first AEW women’s champion.
Shida had the size advantage and it was Riho fighting from underneath at the start as the underdog. Riho was able to place Shida onto the apron and landed a double stomp onto the edge.
Riho had a 619 blocked as Shida went for a stretch muffler and Riho rolled her up with a sunset flip for a two-count.
Shida caught her on the shoulders into a big backbreaker for a near fall. They were struggling with engagement from the audience but there were bursts where they got behind Riho or into a near fall.
Riho spun around with a crucifix into an arm drag with her legs and caught Shida with a roll-up for the upset victory.
WINNER: Riho at 13:23
Nyla Rose walked out and pointed at Riho.
The match told a great story with Riho as the underdog, but it was tough to get the audience behind it at specific points. I liked the match and I think both women could be great assets. Riho is a fantastic babyface with terrific facial expressions that will endear her to the audience.
SHAWN SPEARS VS CODY
Spears came down with a chair with a well-choreographed entrance alongside Tully Blanchard.
Cody had a more choreographed entrance with DDP, Brandi, and MJF in Star Trek outfits. MJF is going to be in his corner.
Cody immediately landed a tope suicida to the floor and struck Blanchard. They brawled into the crowd before the bell rang.
Spears crotched Cody running him into the post on the floor. Spears hit him with a draping DDT onto the edge of the apron.
Blanchard passed Spears his belt and he began to whip Cody. He stood up to Spears and then fired up and hit an OsCutter.
Cody returned to the ring after teasing the countout, stopped the Tye Breaker and hit Cross Rhodes but Blanchard distracted Earl Hebner.
Blanchard and MJF went to fight in the ring and Spears laid out MJF with a boot to the face. Blanchard and MJF were on the floor and Arn Anderson came down to a massive reaction and hit Spears with a spine buster. This got over big.
Cody grabbed the chair, didn’t use it, he did the Dusty punches and elbow and then tossed the chair at Spears and hit the Disaster Kick and Cross Rhodes for the win.
WINNER: Cody at 17:23
Cody hugged MJF after most assumed he was turning on Cody.
This match worked, it just hit all the notes it needed to and had the great Arn Anderson cameo and gave Cody his revenge. The audience loved it and Cody’s matches have become great stories at the pay-per-views that suck the audience in and give them a big payoff by the end.
THE LUCHA BROS. VS THE YOUNG BUCKS IN A LADDER MATCH FOR THE AAA TAG TITLES
The Bucks teased the Indie Taker within the first two minutes but were stopped.
They went through tandem spots where Pentagon and Matt Jackson took cutters off the ladders followed by Fenix and Nick Jackson being speared off the apron and through tables on the floor.
Nick came back where he leaped off a ladder in the corner and hit a corkscrew to the floor onto Pentagon.
Nick climbed the ladder, it was tipped, and Nick balanced on the top rope and dove onto Pentagon on the floor. Fenix balanced on the top rope and hit a moonsault onto them on the floor. Matt was alone climbing the ladder, Pentagon returned and swung around the ladder to him Matt with a sling blade.
Fenix did a slingshot through the ladder into a Destroyer on Matt.
In one of the craziest ladder spots ever, Pentagon hit a Destroyer to Matt off the top of a ladder through a table.
There was an aerial shot of Fenix and Nick on opposite sides of the ring diving off ladders to put the opponents through tables.
Nick was on the ladder, it was tipped by Pentagon, and he caught his legs on the top rope and crashed through the tables on the floor. This looked terrible for Nick.
Matt removed Pentagon’s mask, who tipped the ladder, and Matt fell sideways on the ladder in brutal fashion.
Pentagon recovered the mask and they hit the foot stomp package piledriver onto Matt on a ladder draped against the guardrail and apron. The Lucha Bros. climbed and retrieved the tag titles.
WINNERS: The Lucha Bros. at 24:10 to retain the AAA tag titles
This was utter insanity but also one of the best ladder matches you will ever witness, it was at a different level when it came to risk, danger, and their ability to pull off those feats.
Immediately afterward, a pair of masked men ran in and attacked both teams. The unmasked to reveal Santana and Ortiz, the former LAX.
They announced their next pay-per-view will be called “Full Gear” on Saturday, November 9th at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
HANGMAN PAGE VS CHRIS JERICHO TO BECOME THE AEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
Page came out on a horse, as promised.
Aubrey Edwards is the official for the match.
Page went for the shooting star elbow off the apron and Jericho attempted to counter it with the double knees. Page was knocked off the apron and flew into the guardrail.
Jericho focused on the left arm until Page came back with chops and a fallaway slam. Jericho went for a lionsault and was stopped with a Russian leg sweep off the middle rope.
Page landed a discus forearm and busted Jericho open above the left eye. Jericho was bleeding a lot as Ross teased that the match could be stopped.
Page hit a swinging neck breaker off the top and they were trying to get the crowd going, they were very subdued.
Page connected with a superkick from the apron as Jericho leaped off the turnbuckle. Page hit the Buckshot Lariat but the Dead Eye was countered into the Walls of Jericho. Page was out and Jericho got into Edwards’ face and shoved her.
Page hit a moonsault off the top to the floor and smashed his knee on the ramp. Page went for the Buckshot Lariat and it was countered with the codebreaker for a near fall.
Page finally hit the Dead Eye and Jericho kicked out.
Page hit the Buckshot Lariat, went for another Dead Eye and it was countered with a backslide attempt, Page reversed and went for a discus clothesline, and got nailed with the Judas Effect for the win.
WINNER: Chris Jericho at 26:17 to become the AEW heavyweight champion
The match didn’t have the crowd heat of the prior match but I thought it was a really well-worked match with the timing on point and plotting out a strongly structured match. The ending sequence had several twists and the Judas Effect out of nowhere was the best usage of the move since Jericho incorporated it.
There was a great shot of the defeated Page staggering by his family in the front row.
