We are just a little bit over a month before AEW All Out goes live and All Elite Wrestling’s fourth PPV is already shaping up nicely.
The steadily growing promotion is already picking up a heap of momentum heading into the big show in Chicago, Illinois. Yesterday, the AEW on TNT Twitter account revealed the premiere date for the AEW television debut: Oct. 2, so mark your calendars, boils and goils! But first, for the time being at least, we are on the road to All Out.
After producing three massively critically acclaimed back to back Pay-Per-Views in Double or Nothing, Fyter Fest and Fight for the Fallen and the first PPV being a much bigger financial success than originally anticipated, All Out arrives with the highest expectations that the brand has had yet. Especially considering that the show will fall on the same day at the exact same time as WWE’s next NXT UK TakeOver show in Cardiff, Wales.
Whether the show lives up to high expectations when the lights are beaming brighter onto the brand than it has ever beamed yet remains to be seen, but there is certainly plenty to look forward to so far. Clearly, there are still plenty of matches left to be added to the card and with the show not going live until Aug. 31, there is still plenty of time for those matches to be added. However, looking at the six matches announced so far, All Out already looks pretty exciting.
In fact, we are going to take some time to preview those announced matches so far, as well as predict who wins each match-up.
Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega
Slightly over a month after his departure from greener pastures, Jon Moxley made his first post-WWE appearance by waltzing into AEW Double or Nothing after the main event between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. Following Jericho’s win, Moxley stormed through the crowd – reminiscent of a certain group he used to run with during his time in those greener pastures – and hit Jericho with a Dirty Deeds once he hit the ring.
To make an immediate impact upon his debut, Moxley then did the same to the referee before attempting the same move on Omega, although the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion put up more of a fight. They brawled up the ramp, but the PPV would close out with Moxley hitting Dirty Deeds on a stack of poker chips. A month later at Fyter Fest, Omega got his revenge by beating Moxley up after his main event against Joey Janela. Now, they are set to go head-to-head for the first time.
It seems as though both men have different intentions going into this match, judging by their build on the latest Road to All Out episode. Mox wants to shed whatever stench is still on him from playing a goofball in WWE while exposing the legend of Kenny Omega in the process. Meanwhile, Omega likely hopes to live up to that same legend with a win over one of WWE’s biggest stars in the last decade. All things considered, the Death Rider seems to have more riding on him coming out of the Connecticut based promotion and needs a win more than ever.
Prediction: Moxley
Cody vs. Shawn Spears (w/ Tully Blanchard)
When the former Tye Dillinger signed a contract with his buddy, Cody’s new promotion, excitement was in the air for what Shawn Spears could do under new waters. None of us expected him to make the impact that he made for his first major appearance.
After first stepping into an AEW ring for the Double or Nothing pre-show, Spears made his first main card appearance after Cody vs. Darby Allin went to a time limit draw at Fyter Fest. Following the match, Cody would walk right into what would be considered by a bulk of the wrestling world as a “controversial” chair shot from a man who once looked up to him as a brother.
When explaining his actions on the first episode of The Road to All Out, Spears would tell Jim Ross that all it took was Cody publicly calling him “a good hand [in the ring]” in passing to offset this quite literal blood feud. Being called a “good hand” to Spears is like being given the kiss of death in the professional wrestling industry and it was enough to believe his former best friend had changed into a corporate hotshot.
As if this rivalry wasn’t personal enough, Spears has acquired the managerial services of Tully Blanchard, a WWE Hall of Famer who wrestled alongside Ric Flair as members of the Four Horsemen in several wars against Cody’s father, Dusty Rhodes.
Given there is so much in the tank, story wise, between these two, don’t expect their first encounter inside of an AEW ring to be their last. With that mind, I expect the heel to win, going on to intensify their feud in the coming weeks and leading to a rematch at the next PPV. In fact, to officially smear the stench of mid-card Tye Dillinger off of him to realize his potential as a main eventer, I think Shawn Spears needs to win his first main singles AEW PPV match.
Prediction: Spears
Lucha Bros (c) vs. The Young Bucks – Ladder Match – AAA World Tag Team Titles
This match has been several months in the making. In fact, as far as AEW storylines are concerned, outside of some more personal rivalries, this match might have more history to it on AEW TV than any other match on the All Out card given that it started way back at the AEW Double or Nothing Rally back in February, where these two tag teams brawled.
A month later at AAA Rey de Reyes, the Lucha Bros won the AAA World Tag Team Championships, only to lose them to the Young Bucks later that same night. A rematch was booked for Double or Nothing in May where the Bucks retained in a show stealing contest. Although, in June, the Lucha Bros finally won their titles back shortly after at AAA Verano de Escándalo before both teams stole the show again in a Six Man Tag at Fyter Fest alongside Kenny Omega and Laredo Kid.
Fight for the Fallen saw the Lucha Bros challenge the Bucks to another match at All Out, but this time, the match would be an Escalera De La Muerte, which translates to Ladder Match. Of course, Nick and Matt Jackson accepted and now we are on course for yet another show stealing contest in August. It could easily go either way, but for some reason – perhaps because Lucha Bros just won their titles back and because the Bucks won their last two-on-two match in AEW – my gut tells me that the champs retain.
Prediction: Lucha Bros
Best Friends vs. The Dark Order – Winners get a Bye in AEW Tag Team Tournament
A big reason why we have been seen two of the best tag teams in AEW compete for AAA tag team gold is because the AEW World Tag Team Titles have yet to be instituted. We are currently on the road to make the AEW Tag Team Titles a reality with a tournament. Although, before the tournament takes place, we have had a pair of tag team matches where the winners of each team receive the opportunity to get a bye in the first round.
The first match saw the Best Friends defeat Private Party and SCU at Fyter Fest before being blindsided by The Dark Order, much like they were at Double or Nothing. The following PPV, Fight for the Fallen, saw The Dark Order pick up a win over their own against Angelico and Jack Evans and A Boy and His Dinosaur. Now, after winning their qualifying matches, the two feuding teams finally go at it at All Out with the winning team getting a bye in the AEW Tag Team Tournament.
Traditionally in wrestling, getting a bye in a tournament has been a means used to get heel heat on to the heel competitor as it gets them easier access to the finals. Plus, it gives the heel(s) something to gloat about while the babyfaces are fighting to get to the second round. Keeping that proud wrasslin tradition alive, I say that The Dark Order win this one.
Prediction: Dark Order
Joey Janela vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Darby Allin
These three are practically the faces of the mount rushmore of hardcore independent wrestling, if there ever was one. They served as a dream team at Fight for the Fallen a couple weeks back. Now, since they brawled backstage after losing that Six Man Tag, they will go head to head to head in a dream match at All Out next month.
I feel like this one – as far as winners are concerned – is down between Joey Janela and Jimmy Havoc. No disrespect to Darby Allin, but anyone who has seen his work knows that Allin is at his best when he is playing that underdog itching and scratching for a win, selling like crazy, and bumping like mad. To build that underdog reputation that helped boast a cult following for himself on the indies, he needs to win this match.
Between Janela and Havoc, I think Havoc is the most likely to win, or at least I think he’d be the smarter choice to win. Both Janela and Allin already had the spotlight shined bright on them in AEW. The Bad Boy when he main evented Fyter Fest against a former WWE Champion, and Allin when he went to a 20-minute draw vs. the son of the Son of a Plumber. Havoc has yet to be afforded such a big, memorable moment on AEW TV and there is no better time to give him that shine than with a win at All Out.
Prediction: Havoc
Chris Jericho vs. Hangman Page – AEW World Heavyweight Championship
And last but not least, the main event of the evening to crown the first ever AEW World Heavyweight Champion.
This match has been set up ever since AEW’s first PPV, Double or Nothing. In the very first match in AEW history, Hangman Page won the right to compete in the main event of All Out to decide the inaugural champion by winning the 21-man Casino Battle Royale. Later that night, in the first ever AEW main event, Chris Jericho won the right to become Hangman Page’s opponent at All Out when he defeated Kenny Omega with his brand new AEW-exclusive finisher, the Judas Effect.
As if the stakes were not high enough, Jericho added some personal stakes to the match when he attacked Page at Fight for the Fallen following his match vs. Kip Sabian. However, as he admitted on The Road to All Out, Page welcomes the intensity as he was reminded just how badly he’s willing to bleed to become the AEW Champion.
I fully believe that Hangman Page should walk out of All Out as the first ever AEW Champion. I don’t hate the idea of Jericho winning and I understand the benefits and logic behind him winning. However, for such a big moment as crowning an inaugural champion, I think that honor should go to a babyface. The spectacle of the big fireworks and confetti for a first time ever crowning is better suited for a babyface like Page.
Plus, I feel like AEW can go a long way in establishing its own identity by immediately creating a new star in Page rather than going with the safer pick in a pre-established star like Jericho. Not only that, but in the biggest match of his career, I think Page himself has more to gain from beating Jericho than losing against Jericho. In fact, I think a loss harms him because it could signal he’s not ready for the big leagues. I say give him the big win and continuing building him as a babyface champion on television.
Prediction: Hangman Page.