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Housekeeping
• AEW announced a new show, Grand Slam: Australia taking place in Brisbane, Australia at Suncorp Stadium at the end of February next yera.
• AEW also announced officially that Forbidden Door will take place in London, England next August.
• Ricochet officially signed a multiyear deal AEW and made his debut in the Casino Gauntlet. (More on that later)
• The Grizzled Young Veterans are also officially All Elite, and not a moment too soon because the tag division needs them.
• Two returns at All In: Jamie Hayter returned after a 15 month injury layoff to confront Saraya and Nigel McGuiness returned to the ring in the Casino Gauntlet match after 13 years inactive.
• Swerve Strickland signed a new multiyear contract live during All In’s Zero Hour pre-show which will keep the former world champion in AEW for the foreseeable future.
Intro
The opening strains of “The Final Countdown” continue to play in my ears as the image of the GOAT, Bryan Danielson, holding the AEW World Title over his head while his family surrounds him, flashes in my end. It was a truly amazing scene. This must be how Tom Brady fans felt after his seventh and final Super Bowl win.
All In was a wildly successful show. The matches that really needed to hit, hit. Stories were finished, moments made. It felt like the biggest show of the year. AEW found its answer to the Royal Rumble with the Casino Gauntlet match. All In also setup some matches and potential matches for All Out which was smart given the short two-week time frame for the show in Chicago.
Tonight’s fallout show should further establish some of the All Out card. Bryan Danielson is scheduled to speak. Additionally, Ricochet makes his AEW Dynamite debut against Kyle Fletcher in what should be an absolutely spectacular match. Jamie Hayter also returns to the ring against Harley Cameron. Sorry Harley, this one’s gonna hurt. There’s one match on the card I could do without but otherwise this should be a fun show.
The Young Bucks vs. The Acclaimed vs. FTR
Latest Developments
The Young Bucks retained the tag team titles in a perfectly fine match. Afterwards, the Grizzled Young Veterans arrived to put all three teams on notice.
Analysis
The final buildup, a trios match and so-so promo, was appropriately nothing for a feud that was barely there in the first place. The match was perfectly fine. Nothing more, nothing less. The Bucks retained as they should have. The arrival of GYV post-match hopefully portends a rehabbing of the tag division.
They stared down the Bucks and attacked FTR. GYV are here and they don’t care who they beat up. While a match with the Bucks may be in the medium-term, obviously the immediate match is with FTR, which yes please! As for the Acclaimed, please break them up. Max Caster’s has run out of material for his raps and the act is stale. Anthony Bowens could have singles run if given an opportunity but it’s time to move on from the Acclaimed.
Final Grade: C+
Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
Latest Developments
Following a great go-home segment on Dynamite, Swerve and Bryan put on a MOTY candidate in the main event of All In. In the end, Bryan defeated Swerve clean tapping him out with the LeBell Lock.
Analysis
The final promo segment between the two closed out Dynamite last week. Swerve cut a promo promising to among other things pick apart Bryan “menacingly, purposefully, and scientifically” in front of his family. Yes, Swerve was more heelish, but he’s always been an edgy guy. That’s what drew fans to him in the first place so I wouldn’t say this is a heel turn. Bryan came out and was as fired up as he’s been in a long time. He delivered an impassioned promo vowing to win the title. He then led the Cardiff crowd in a massive “Yes!” chant.
Even before rang for the match on Sunday afternoon the ambiance was perfect. The opening chords of “The Final Countdown” set the crowd off. There’s just something special about 55,000 people singing “it’s the final countdown” in unison.
Swerve got his own special entrance with performers of his theme music performing him to the ring live. The match itself was phenomenal. Swerve was a perfect menacing, vicious champion and Bryan did what he does best fought back resiliently. He used the presence of his family in the front row to fire himself up. He survived two House Calls and became the first person to ever kick out of Big Pressure. At one point, a wild-eyed “Hangman” Page appeared at ringside but was immediately swarmed by security and dragged away from the area.
Swerve kicked out of the Busiku knee he turned around into. The match continued on. Eventually Danielson hit two Busaiku knees back-to-back and then locked in the LeBell Lock. When Swerve attempted to break out of it, Bryan trapped his free arm. That forced the submission and the crowd exploded. Bryan’s family joined him in-ring for his big moment. It’s easily the first time I’ve been happy to see Brie Bella.
Bryan Danielson as AEW champion just feels right. The GOAT gets one last world title on his already impeccable resumè and Danielson’s name is on the AEW World Title lineage.
So what’s next? Christian Cage pulled a surprising win in the Casino Gauntlet match which earned him a title shot whenever he chooses to cash in. Given that Christian is a weasley opportunistic heel, it’s unlikely he directly challenges Bryan but he’ll remain a specter in the background. Darby Allin has a shot against Bryan in a month at Grand Slam. The thing to keep an eye on though is Nigel McGuiness.
Nigel returned to the ring for the first time in 13 years in the Casino Gauntlet match. He received a massive pop from his hometown crowd. He looked like he’d been living in the gym when he wasn’t on commentary badmouthing Bryan. His moves looked sharp. With Nigel back in the game, it immediately puts a Bryan-Nigel match on the table. It could come as soon as All Out or as late as WrestleDream, but it’s happening. As for Swerve, he’s got a Hangman problem to deal with. I think we might finally be getting that Hell of War match I’ve been predicting and that one won’t be for the faint of heart.
Final Grade: A
MJF vs. Will Ospreay
Latest Developments
Ospreay and MJF had a face-to-face on Dynamite. Ospreay defeated MJF to regain the International Title at All In.
Analysis
Will Ospreay and MJF had electric albeit controversial face-to-face on Dynamite. The crowd made this segment something special. MJF and Ospreay traded barbs before Ospreay prodded Max into an outburst that revealed his real jealousy. Eventually MJF crossed the line by bringing up Ospreay’s wife. The threat of potential fines loomed over the segment, so Ospreay asked Tony Schiavone to ask Tony Khan how much the fine was. When the answer was $127,000, Will decided it was worth it and attacked MJF. Security got between them and ensuing chaos MJF bloodied Ospreay with the Dynamite Diamond ring.
The match itself was unsurprisingly fantastic. The intro alone was deeply memorable. Ospreay came out to an Assassin’s Creed-themed video (Ospreay took his nickname “Aerial Assassin” from the game) voiced by the original voice actor from the Assassin’s Creed series whose been unaffiliated with the game for a decade. That’s a hell of a get for Tony Khan.
Ospreay was given a hero’s welcome by the Wembley crowd. Conversely MJF came out looking like Apollo Creed from Rocky IV sans “Living in America” and any adoration whatsoever. As the man himself pointed out on TwitterX, MJF looked like he had borrowed a pair of Lex Luger’s trunks from his “Made in the USA” era.
Once the bell, rang these two picked right up where they left off in their last match. I cannot possibly recount the entire match here but a couple of the key spots were Ospreay crash landing on the apron in a failed Os Cutter attempt, MJF kicking out of the Storm Breaker, and Ospreay potentially committing involuntary manslaughter when he accidentally annihilated a cameraman with a Hidden Blade off the apron that was meant for MJF. The ref got bumped. MJF pulled a Ric Flair-style pair of brass knuckles out of his trunks and that’s when Daniel Garcia, disguised in Assassin’s Creed gear, made his return. Ospreay nailed MJF with a Hidden Blade and then, at last, employed the Tiger Driver ’91 to a thunderous pop for the win. The “American Title” was discarded after the match and the International Title restored to its rightful place.
Coming out of this match, the Battle of England is set for All Out as Ospreay will defend his title against Pac in what should be a spectacular match. Daniel Garcia and MJF are also on a collision course. MJF tried to break Garcia’s neck and end his career. There’s no question Garcia would want revenge. It’s likely a first match between them happens at All Out. Reports on Garcia’s contract status have been murky but this kind of major feud following a return on the biggest stage of the year seems to be a good sign that he made the wise decision to stick around.
Final Grade: A-
Toni Storm vs Mariah May
Latest Developments
Toni Storm defeated Saraya before being attacked by Mariah May. After very physical kick-ass match, Mariah May defeated Toni Storm to win the AEW Women’s World Title.
Analysis
The less said about the Saraya match the better. Mariah blindsiding Toni with a shoe felt appropriate for the final segment on Dynamite. Collision featured a fantastic video package narrated by TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz.
The match was the second one on the show which surprised me. I really felt like this match deserved to go on after the TBS Title match given the storyline and the fact that it was for the primary women’s title. That said, things probably worked out for the best because the crowd was hot for everything including Luther’s return. Yes, Luther is alive! Mariah cemented her evilness by slapping her own mother who was in the front row to watch her daughter live for only the second time. She didn’t just lightly slap her either. She lit her mother up.
Toni gave her a Storm Zero on the stairs which split her open and then comforted Mariah’s mother. They battled for a while, with Toni kicking out of Mayday and Mariah kicking out of Storm Zero. Eventually it came down to Toni with the high heel in her hand not being to bring herself to do to Mariah what Mariah did to her. Mariah used this to advantage, hitting a running knee strike and a Storm Zero, pinning Toni with her own move. Following the match Toni vacillated between despondence over losing the title and delirium from the audience’s cheers. A video released on Twitter showed her wandering out of the stadium into the streets of London with Luther trailing behind her. Mariah meanwhile eulogized her former mentor at the press conference:
“Toni Storm’s career is — dead. Today, Aug. 25, 2024 at 6:48 p.m., Toni Storm’s career passed away in the middle of Wembley Stadium in a pile of blood, spit, and embarrassment. She died of natural causes, because I am naturally better than her in every way. She is survived by her bumbling, bald butler, Ben Mankiewicz, and anyone who pretends to love old movies because they can not deal with their own pathetic realities. There will be no funeral service. A donation can be made in her name at ShopAEW.com/MariahMay. Toni, thanks for everything — you stupid, washed up twat. May you rest in peace, and rot in hell.”
As for what happens next, Mariah is scheduled for a championship celebration on Dynamite. I feel pretty confident that Mina Shirakawa will be there. If I were Mina, though, I’d watch my back. She bludgeoned a woman she considered her mentor and slapped the taste out of her own mother’s mouth. Mina means nothing to her. I suspect that’s her first feud and I’m here for it. I just hope Luther caught up to Toni and she’s not still wandering around London.
Final Grade: A+
Mercedes Moné vs. Dr. Britt Baker, DMD
Latest Developments
Mercedes and Britt delivered a great contract signing on Dynamite but a not so great match at All In, that Mercedes eventually won.
Analysis
The contract signing was fun. Both women were on their promo game, and it certainly got the audience excited to see the match. At the PPV Britt her normal entrance while Mercedes was brought out in carriage with some corgis and flanked by Buckingham Palace guards… and then the bell rang.
Look, this match wasn’t awful by any means but it wasn’t good either. The crowd being spent from the preceding Ospreay-MJF match didn’t help matters, but these two didn’t have the in-ring chemistry people were hoping for. It was smart to have Britt sell for long stretches of the match and the top rope slam reversal was slick move but they weren’t enough to save this one.
I did appreciate Britt employing the old Eddie Guerrero trick to get Kamille ejected from ringside. It was a smart way to address the Kamille situation without leaving the audience wondering why Jamie Hayter didn’t come out to help Britt. Mercedes won with the Moneymaker. Ultimately, though, this match was a disappointment and I think most of the blame rests on Britt Baker.
Mercedes is one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world. Britt couldn’t quite keep up. The division has vastly improved in terms of workers since Britt became the first woman signed so Britt may keep running into this problem. For now, though, I hope these two are going to go their separate ways.
Final Grade: B-
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
Latest Developments
Willow & Ishii defeated Statlander & Stokely to give Willow the right to pick the stipulation for the All Out match.
Analysis
Shout out to Stokely Hathaway for his gear which was inspired by Michael Jackson’s attire in his classic “Remember the Time” music video. Willow and Stat wrestled most of the match. When Ishii tagged in and Stokely was forced to come in, Stat attempted to give him an advantage, but it didn’t really matter in the end. Ishii no-sold Stokely’s offense and wiped him out with the sliding clothesline for the win.
Grade: B+
Darby Allin vs. Jack Perry
Latest Developments
Jack Perry defeated Darby Allin in a coffin match to retain the TNT Title.
Analysis
The match was violent, but not as violent as it could’ve been. There was a backdrop on broken glass and Darby diving into the closed coffin. Perry taped Darby’s wrists together, tied his ankles together with a belt, threw him 10 feet off the ground through a table, put him in a body bag, and dragged him to the coffin. He put him down with a running knee and closed the lid. The Bucks came down with a gas can. They doused the coffin with gas but, before Perry could drop the lighter, Sting made his return to AEW, baseball bat in hand. Perry bailed as the Bucks got a two-for-one special of Scorpion Death Drops and Sting rescued Darby.
This was good for what it was. It did have some time cut because the show was running long and Wembley has a hard out. Sting’s first appearance since his retirement drew the biggest pop of the match. Darby will be fine. Jack Perry needed that decisive victory. Surprisingly, he’s the only person in the Elite with any kind of real forward momentum and at some point in the future has a match with Adam Copeland whenever Copeland broken leg heals.
Final Grade: B+
“Hangman” Page vs. Jeff Jarrett
Latest Developments
Hangman and Jarrett interacted in the Casino Gauntlet match.
Analysis
Hangman was already cleaning house in the ring when “My World” hit to an crazy pop. Jeff Jarrett was insanely over in the UK. At one point, Hangman grabbed Karen Jarrett by the throat. I’m no fan of the woman, but that moment was uncomfortable to watch. Hangman got control of himself and released her, though he paid for it a short time later when Jarrett cleaned his clock with a guitar shot. I’m not sure where this feud stands. Obviously getting his hands on Swerve is Hangman’s primary goal, yet tonight on Dynamite he’s in a match against Ishii. If nothing else there’s unfinished business between Hangman and Double J.
Grade: B+
Chris Jericho vs. Hook
Latest Developments
Hook defeated Jericho to reclaim the FTW Title.
Analysis
Jericho had a just okay match against “The Dynamite Kid” Tommy Billington on Dynamite. Hook fought Big Bill on Collision and Bill was so over with the crowd that Jericho, who was torturing everyone on commentary, didn’t know how to handle it. That was an omen for the next day.
When it came match time Fozzy played live and Jericho – well, I can’t call what he did singing, but he put a mic to his lips and belched out words to what I think was supposed to be a tune. It was awful and I wouldn’t have been shocked if the spirit of Freddie Mercury mourned for sullying that hallowed ground with that pitiful attempt at a performance.
Speaking of pitiful performances, this match was not good. Jericho wisely relied heavily on Bryan Keith and Bill to help him triple team Hook. Hook did manage to take out Bill. Taz, after growing tired of watching his son be outnumbered, left commentary, pulled Bryan Keith off the apron and into a Tazmission. Hook applied the Red Rum and Jericho tapped.
This was dreadful. This whole damn feud has been dreadful. The Learning Tree gimmick is hot flaming garbage. The fact that the most over person involved was not the babyface, but the lackey of the heel is an absolute indictment of this angle. It’s been a miserable failure.
Hook gained nothing in defeating Jericho and Jericho actively damaged his own legacy. This should be over, but Jericho and Hook are on opposite sides of an eight-man tag. I don’t get it. Jericho and Tony need to take the L, make like Idina Menzel, and let it go. Please just move on!
Grade: F
Bang Bang Gang vs. The Patriarchy vs. House of Black
Latest Developments
Pac and the Blackpool Combat Club qualified for the four-way ladder match which they then won when Pac retrieved the titles.
Analysis
Pac and the BCC qualifying for the ladder match was little surprising given that there was no real explanation for how they came together especially given that they were at odds last year. Pac and the BCC winning the ladder match was even more surprising given that the story that existed between the other three teams.
The match itself was a ladder match. Given the frequency of ladder matches between both companies, they’ve sort of lost their luster. That said, there were some nifty spots like Nick Wayne hitting a Canadian Destroyer from the apron to the floor through a table and Juice Robinson deflecting Mother Wayne’s hairspray with a chair. The ending with Christian’s ego costing him and leading to a spat with Killswitch that setup the swerve in the Casino Gauntlet was fine.
There were rumors that Triangulo de la Muerte were supposed to win the Trios Titles prior to the Lucha Bros choosing to go elsewhere. I’m curious as to how that was supposed to go down. As it stands, Pac is now a trios champion with the BCC and, since his previous faction is no more and he certainly fits with the aesthetic, I wonder if he’s properly invited to join the group.
Final Grade: B+
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kazuchika Okada
Latest Developments
Okada and Claudio went to a 20 minute draw.
Analysis
The match was pretty good. It was just a sample of what Okada is capable of when he’s not being hidden inside the Elite. There was really no justification for a second draw in four days. Okada could’ve and should’ve went over Claudio clean.
Grade: B-
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW ALL-IN PPV ON-SITE REPORT (8/25): In-stadium perspective, match thoughts, crowd energy observations, media scrum notes, more
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s AEW All In Hit List: Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship, Toni Storm vs. Mariah May for the AEW Women’s Championship, MJF vs. Will Ospreay for the American Title
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