AEW All Out returns to Chicago for its fifth edition of the annual pay-per-view.
It is one of AEW’s “Big Four” PPVs, along with Double or Nothing, Full Gear, and Revolution. It is always a major event, and coming off the historic All In at Wembley Stadium the 2023 show is expected to be no different. However, the PPV has been overshadowed by yet another backstage altercation featuring CM Punk, who famously starred in last year’s debacle. This time around the fallout is from the fracas at Wembley Stadium in which Punk got into a fight with Jack Perry. The physical altercation resulted in Punk’s suspension and ultimate release from the company.
The full card is as follows:
- Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks – Strap Match
- Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley – International Championship
- Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita
- FTR & The Young Bucks vs. Bullet Club Gold
- MJF & Adam Cole vs. Dark Order – John Silver & Alex Reynolds – ROH Tag Team Championships
- Kris Statlander (c) vs. Ruby Soho – TBS Championship
- Luchasaurus (c) vs. Darby Allin – TNT Championship
- Miro vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
- Eddie Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Blackpool Combat Club – Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
- Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shane Taylor – ROH World Television Championship
- Athena, Mercedes Martinez, and Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida, Willow Nightingale, and Skye Blue
- The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, & Jay Lethal – World Trios Championship
- Over the Budget Battle Royale
Let’s pick our winners…
The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, & Jay Lethal – World Trios Championship
On the September 2nd edition of Collision, a segment with Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman was interrupted by Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh. The interruption turned physical and the Acclaimed ran down to even out the odds. The two trios will clash in a Trios Championship match at AEW All Out with Rodman in The Acclaimed’s corner.
Prediction: Despite the obvious result of the match this will be a fun match with a tonne of madcap moments including Rodman and Singh having an interaction. The Acclaimed retain.
Athena, Mercedes Martinez, & Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida, Willow Nightingale, & Skye Blue
The dominant ROH Women’s Champion Athena joins the destructive duo of Mercedes Martinez and Diamante to take on former two-time champion Hikaru Shida, fan-favourite Willow Nightingale and hometown hero Skye Blue.
Prediction: All six women have had interactions recently leading to this heated affair. The trio of Athen, Martinez and Diamante are tough customers but Shida, Nightengale and Blue will persevere to claim the victory.
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shane Taylor – ROH World Television Championship
On the August 10th episode of ROH on HonorClub, Shane Taylor won the ROH World Television Championship Eliminator Tournament to earn a shot at Joe’s title. The match between Joe and Taylor was announced on the August 30th episode of AEW Dynamite.
Prediction: Both Joe and Taylor are known for their power and aggression, so this match is going to be a hard-hitting affair. But despite Taylor’s best efforts Samoa Joe will retain.
Eddie Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Blackpool Combat Club Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
Eddie Kingston’s long-running rivalry with the Blackpool Combat Club and in particular Claudio Castagnoli shows no signs of slowing down despite several violent and bloody battles such as Stadium Stampede at All In. However, their beef still remains and Tony Khan announced that Kingston would team with Shibata to face Castagnoli and Yuta in Chicago.
Prediction: Kingston and Shibata are two of the toughest and most hard-hitting wrestlers in the world, and Castagnoli and Yuta are no strangers to violence either. Therefore this match will no doubt be another brutal and physical encounter with BCC left standing to win.
Luchasaurus (c) vs. Darby Allin – TNT Championship
After winning the Royal Rampage Battle Royal on the July 21st edition of Rampage Darby Allin gets the chance to become a three-time TNT Champion when he challenges, Luchasaurus in Chicago.
Prediction: Allin’s tenacity can never be underestimated but by his own admission he is banged up as heads into this match after a particularly gruelling Coffin match at Wembley Stadium. This is a factor Luchasaurus and Christian Cage will exploit en route to retaining the title.
Miro vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
Hobbs and Miro first came to blows when the Powerhouse called out the Redeemer, and after a physical altercation, the match was set. A contract signing for the match took place on the All In: Zero Hour pre-show and also resulted in a brawl between the two.
Prediction: This is a match neither can really afford to lose as they both need a win to make a statement and steer their careers in the right direction. However, with that being said Miro seems to have the most momentum heading into the match and will emerge victorious.
Kris Statlander (c) vs. Ruby Soho – TBS Championship
After threatening Kris Statlander that her time as TBS Champion was soon to be over, Ruby Soho challenged her to a match for the title. Statlander accepted the challenge, and the match was made official for All Out.
Prediction: Since winning the title Statlander has made a decent champion and had a string of successful defences but Soho is her toughest to date. However, Soho’s partnership with Toni Storm and Women’s World Champion Saraya is falling apart and will definitely come into play during this match leading to Statlander’s victory.
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley – International Championship
Orange Cassidy incurred the wrath of Jon Moxley after getting involved in Blackpool Combat Club business. Following pinfall victories over Moxley’s BCC stablemates Yuta and Castagnoli, Cassidy declared he wanted the master of Death-Jitsu next. Now, the King of Sloth Style gets his wish with the International Championship on the line.
Prediction: During his 300+ day title reign Cassidy has proven himself to be a formidable and seemingly indestructible champion with 31 successful title defences. Each defence has been increasingly difficult as the role of a fighting champion has severely taken its toll on him and the incessantly violent force that is Jon Moxley may be one defence too many. However, expect to see buckets of blood, stomach-churning violence and Cassidy retaining to continue his rise as one of AEW’s premier performers.
FTR & The Young Bucks vs. Bullet Club Gold
After another brilliant battle at All In FTR extended their hands in a show of respect to their longtime rivals Nick and Matt Jackson. However, the brothers didn’t reciprocate the gesture and walked away. Backstage footage showed Dax and Cash questioning the Young Bucks about their actions before mutual enemies Bullet Club Gold approached them and goaded them into an eight-man tag team match at All Out.
Predictions: The difficult relationship between the Young Bucks and FTR will feature heavily through the match and be fully exploited by the Bullet Club Gold on the way to a big victory.
MJF & Adam Cole vs. Dark Order – John Silver & Alex Reynolds – ROH Tag Team Championships
One of the best and most surprising moments of All In was MJF and Adam Cole capturing the ROH Tag Team Championships. Later the new champs faced off in the main event match at Wembley Stadium, and after an intense fight for the World Championship, the two hugged it out with the ROH Tag Titles held high. It was then announced they will defend the titles against the winners of the ROH Tag Team Battle Royal the Dark Order Alex Reynolds and John Silver.
Prediction: AEW has a great thing going with the MJF and Cole friendship storyline and with Roderick Strong and The Kingdom feuds in the pipeline it seems highly unlikely they will lose them in their first defence. Expect a great match, interference from the aforementioned trio of Strong, Bennet and Taven, a double clothesline and possibly a Kangaroo Kick on the way to a Better Than You Bay Bay victory.
Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Ever since Don Callis betrayed Kenny Omega back in May he quickly took Konosuke Takeshita under his wing as his next protege. Takeshita then cost The Elite the Anarchy In The Arena match at Double or Nothing. He then teamed with the Blackpool Combat Club to face them in the Blood & Guts match before teaming up with Jay White and Juice Robinson at All In. At Wembley Stadium Takeshita pinned Omega in the match, which led to Callis demanding a singles match between the two men.
Prediction: AEW clearly has big plans in store for Konosuke Takeshita and facing off against Kenny Omega is a prominent position for the young star, but one he deserves. His heel turn has given him a much-needed edge and the victory here against Omega will be another huge step in making him one of the promotion’s top stars.
Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks – Strap Match
After losing to former AEW employee CM Punk in a match for the “Real” World Championship, Ricky Starks took out his frustrations on Special Guest Referee Ricky The Dragon Steamboat and viciously whipped him with his own belt. As the PPV approached Starks challenged the legend to a Strap Match in Chicago. On the September 2nd episode of Collision, Steamboat revealed that Starks will be facing a Dragon, but the one he expected. The American Dragon Bryan Danielson made his surprise return to sign the contract to face Starks at All Out.
Prediction: Danielson’s return is a great answer to the shocking (but not surprising) departure of CM Punk and a perfect opponent for Starks, who deserves a big-time match at the PPV. The stipulation of the Strap Match adds a painful aspect to this match and one Starks with the help of Big Bill will take advantage of. However, Danielson is a different breed of wrestler and will persevere and get his first win since Forbidden Door.
AEW All Out is available to stream live on FITE TV.