AEW ALL OUT 2022 Predictions: Jon Moxley will defeat CM Punk

AEW’s biggest pay-per-view of the year, ALL OUT, takes place this Sunday, September 4. It’ll be live from the NOW Arena in Schaumburg, IL.

The two biggest stories heading into the show is Jon Moxley’s shocking win over CM Punk to become the undisputed AEW World Champion. Thunder Rosa was forced to bow out of the pay-per-view due to an injury and an interim Women’s Champion will be crowned on Sunday.

The pre-show will be called Zero Hour, a nod to the pre-show from ALL IN. The name has been used for two Ring of Honor shows since being purchased by Tony Khan and the first time AEW has used the name.

Here are the matches thus far:

Zero Hour

Eddie Kingston vs. Tomohiro ISHII

Originally scheduled to face Sammy Guevara, Kingston has upgraded. This will be a rematch from NJPW’s Capital Collision. It was a hard-hitting affair (as expected) and part deux should live up to its predecessor.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

HOOK vs. “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker (FTW Championship)

Parker has been telling Taz to send his son. Parker is probably HOOK’s most legit challenger thus far. It might take more than three minutes to put him away, but HOOK will remain undefeated.

Winner: HOOK 

PAC vs. Kip Sabian (All-Atlantic Championship)

After spending months sitting ringside with a box on his head, Sabian finally has a meaningful stortyline and match. PAC removed the box from “Sabian’s” head, except it was a decoy. Sabian attacked PAC from behind and cost Death Triangle their Trios tournament match.

PAC has defended his All-Atlantic Championship in England since winning it at Forbidden Door. Sabian was in attendance for his match against LJ Cleary. That’s where this feud began. Sabian should win here, but PAC has been the perfect person to carry the title.

Winner: PAC 

AEW ALL OUT

Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy

Cage has spent weeks dodging Jungle Boy after taunting his former protege and saying highly inappropriate things about his family. Luchasaurus seemingly joined Cage, only to turn on him after a few weeks.

Jungle Boy responded with a controversial promo in which he used a word that shouldn’t be used on TV and is completely out of character, even for a man being pushed past his breaking point. With shades of Rikishi, Jungle Boy has tried running Cage down with a vehicle. He’ll finally get his revenge this Sunday.

Winner: Jungle Boy 

Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

We have another grudge match on the card. On the night he lost the FTW Championship, Ricky Starks was betrayed by his partner, stablemate, and best friend, Powerhouse Hobbs. Hobbs went right for his surgically repaired neck. On Rampage, Hobbs mocked Starks‘ patented pose before hitting a spine buster.

Starks cut a very emotional promo on Dynamite and he is looking to end Hobbs. Unfortunately for him, Hobbs will get a dominant win over his former friend.

Winner: Hobbs

Swerve in Our Glory vs. The Acclaimed (AEW Tag Team Championship)

The Acclaimed has grown to be one of AEW’s most popular acts, a far cry from where they started out. They joined forces with Billy Gunn and The Gunn Club and then unceremoniously got turned on. Daddy Gunn seems to still have love for Anthony Bowens and Max Caster.

Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland remain fan favorites, but haven’t had a a very memorable run thus far. Swerve in Our Glory gets back on track and retains their title, in part to The Gunns. The Acclaimed helped Daddy Gunn last week, but Colten was still able to get the win. They’re still going to be looking for payback and will interfere in their title match.

Winner: Swerve in Our Glory

Jade Cargill vs. Athena (TBS Championship)

This match has been building since before Athena ever stepped for in an AEW ring. The two have traded barbs over Twitter before and after Athena became All Elite. They’ve mostly been kept apart, sans a few run ins.

Cargill is sitting at 36-0. Losing this close to 40 seems counterproductive. The inaugural TBS Champion retains and racks up 40 Ws. Perhaps “The Fallen Goddess” gets a rematch at Grand Slam. 

Winner: Jade Cargill

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson

Let’s just get this out of the way: Lionheart ≥≥≥≥≥ Wizard. And Le Champion.

The “Last Student from Stu Hart’s Dungeon” thinks he’s the best Sports Entertainer and better than Danielson. He is also jealous of his opponent. He wants to keep his protege, Daniel Garcia, from joining his childhood idol, the “American Dragon”. Danielson has been in Danny’s ear reminding him who he truly is–a wrestler.

This has now become a fight for Daniel Garcia’s soul, as my fellow writer, Chris Jeter, declared in an above article. If young Daniel tunes out “Judas” long enough, he can listen to his idol and find out who he really is. He will turn his back on J.A.S. and join Danielson and maybe the rest of Blackpool Combat Club.

Winner: Bryan Danielson 

FTR & WARDLOW vs. Jay Lethal and Motor City Machine Guns

Motor City Machine Guns are finally making their long-awaited AEW debut. It’s not quite the dream match fans have been clamoring for against FTR, but it’s a step closer. They will join their old pal, Jay Lethal. Except, he’s a heel and they’re not. This match would be better without Lethal for several reasons. Too bad their Time Machine partner, KUSHIDA, isn’t in this match instead.

WARDLOW and Lethal have been at odds for weeks. FTR has come to his rescue so he’s not the dumb babyface with no friends (you would think the man that helped run MJF out of the company would have all the friends, but I digress). WARDLOW is the TNT Champion, yet isn’t defending his title on the biggest show of the year. He will still be part of the winning team.

Winner: WARDLOW and FTR

Toni Storm vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Britt Baker vs. Jamie Hayter (Interim AEW Women’s Championship)

As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, Thunder Rosa is no longer cleared to compete this Sunday. While the AEW Interim World Champion got a big tournament that included Hiroshi Tanahasi vs. Hirooki Goto, the women are getting a thrown together four-way so an interim champion could be crowned at ALL OUT.

The match includes to former champions and two new women. Prior to Thunder Rosa’s injury, Storm was set to face her (and win) at ALL OUT. It’s possible she still gets the win here, but her first title shouldn’t be as an interim champion.

Shida was champion during the No Fans Era and really deserves a title reign with full arenas. She is the current Regina Di Wave champion and frequently travels to Japan to wrestle. The division is so much stronger when she’s featured in stories.

Baker has been lurking around the title picture since losing to Rosa. However, this isn’t the time to make her a two-time champion. There have been seeds planted since Hayter aligned with Baker that she would eventually turn. Now is the time to make it happen. Hayter should cost Baker the title and take it for herself.

Winner: Jamie Hayter

Casino Ladder Match: Wheeler Yuta vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Dante Martin vs. Rey Fenix vs. RUSH vs. Penta El Zero M vs. Andrade vs. the Joker

The Casino Battle Royale began on Zero Hour way back at ALL IN. It has evolved to be a ladder match. This year it will feature eight competitors with the winner getting a shot at the AEW World Championship.

There is a very strong field even without knowing who the Joker’s identity. Any of these wrestlers would have a great match with the champ.

The Joker spot has been a way for AEW to debut a new signee, including Ethan Page and Lio Rush. Blake Christian is a new signee and has mostly been on Elevation and Dark. Speaking of Page, he cut a promo about not being on TV and said he “hate(s) this place”. He hasn’t been on TV since. He could make his return here.

Another possibility could be Samoa Joe, who hasn’t been seen since retaining his ROH TV Championship at Death Before Dishonor. Guevara no longer has a match now that Kingston is facing ISHII. He also didn’t come out to save Jericho after his match with Danielson. KUSHIDA could follow Time Machine to AEW. Shota Umino teased joining the BCC on Twitter. Perhaps it’s someone from ROH or NJPW or even IMPACT.

It could also be the way MJF returns to AEW.

Winner: The Joker 

MIRO, Sting, and Darby Allin vs. House of Black

MIRO and House of Black have been entangled for several months now. “The Redeemer” distracted members of House of Black during their Trios tournament match and kept them from advancing in the tournament.

Along with MIRO, Sting has also been hit with Malakai Black’s “Black Mist”. Allin has been feuding with Brody King, including beating him in a Casket Match. MIRO will finally defeat the pagans and maybe be less mad at his God.

Winner: MIRO, Sting, and Darby Allin 

AEW Trios Championship Tournament Finals

On the go-home Dynamite, the semi-final matchup of The Elite vs. United Empire was the main event. It was a crazy match with an epic intro for Kenny Omega, a lot of flying bodies, and a One Winged Angel for the win. The Elite will face either Best Friends and Orange Cassidy or Dark Order.  We’ll know the winner on Friday on Rampage. 

Best Friends and Orange Cassidy have been the one true AEW tag team since 2019. Although The Elite has competed often as Trios, they have mostly been tag teams and singles competitors. It would be nice for Best Friends and Cassidy to be acknowledged with gold.

Dark Order will look a little different on Friday. Preston “10” Vance was injured during their match last week. During a backstage segment on Dynamite, Evil Uno was talking with 10 when they were interrupted by Andrade and Jose the Assistant. Andrade tried to recruit 10 to join him, but Evil Uno wasn’t having it. Andrade beat him up and, he too, is out of the match. Never fear, Hangman Page is here.

On Being the Elite, Page has been “training” his friends for victory. Now we come full circle and “The Anxious Millennial Cowboy” has the opportunity to win gold with his true friends against his former friends. After he turned down the Bucks to support the Dark Order. (Side note: going back to BTE, Matt Jackson has written and deleted texts to Hangman and Hangman seemingly misses his friends)

Regardless of who they face, The Elite will win. That was obvious the day that Tony Khan said they were waiting on Omega to return to introduce the Trios titles.

Winner: The Elite 

Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk (AEW World Championship)

Last week on Rampage, the former champion hinted that he might have broken his foot again in his title match with Mox.

On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Moxley issued an Open Challenge for ALL OUT. Fortunately for Mox, Toru Yano did not answer this challenge. He left the contract in the ring and it was picked up by Ace Steel, Punk’s trainer, mentor, and long-time friend.

Punk addressed the crowd in a clunky (perhaps by design) promo and seemed ready to give up. Steel wasn’t having it and pushed Punk around. It seemed to work and “The Second City Saint” seemed to snap out of his funk and into the “punk kid from Chicago”. He went into the crowd of his people and cut an impassioned promo that some are saying is an all-timer.

This should set Punk up to win. Hometown boy comes back and wins the title he lost in his first defense. Except “The Death Rider” isn’t just anyone. He destroyed Punk in three minutes. Mox is ready to show Punk he is the better wrestler, fighter, and champion. Jon Moxley is the only man to defeat Punk clean in AEW. He can do it again.

This would also be the perfect spot for MJF’s return. He can make more impact here by costing Punk the title than being the Joker.

Whether or not MJF returns, Moxley retains and pushes Punk to fully turn heel.

Winner: Jon Moxley

Tune into Zero Hour this Sunday at 7 PM ET on YouTube and Bleacher/Report. ALL OUT  begins at 8 PM ET on Bleacher Report, cable and satellite providers, and select movie theaters in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Outside of the U.S., it will be available on FITE and PPV.com.

As always, stay tuned to Daily DDT for the latest.