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HOUSEKEEPING
• Daniel Garcia is believed to have signed a lucrative new deal with AEW.
• Collision was back on the road this week, taking place from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dynamite was in Champaign, Illinois. AEW has had attendance issues for the bulk of 2024 even as the creative output has increased. Going to small markets like Sioux Falls and Champaign or Savannah, Georgia like they did earlier in the year is the wrong move to make. AEW should be booking college arenas in bigger markets for Dynamite so that their A-show looks as good as possible. Find a location for another residency for Collision so that they only have to worry about drawing one audience a week.
INTRO
It’s the go-home for All Out! It feels strange to say that so close to the last go-home show. At least there was an extra week between the two shows this year. Seriously, though, back-to-back PPVs is a little much.
That said, they’ve put together a pretty good card in the last week.
In addition to the final build for All Out, tonight’s Dynamite will feature a Continental Championship match between Kazuchika Okada and Kyle Fletcher. I think this is Tony’s opportunity to do something unexpected: Book Fletcher to win. Okada has been hidden in the Elite and relegated to saying the word “bitch” for a laugh. A loss to someone with a very bright future in Fletcher simultaneously elevates him and lights a fire under Okada.
Okada still has a chance to turn this around and show why he was the cornerstone of New Japan for so long and one of the best to ever to do this. To do that he needs to get frustrated and get away from the Bucks who are only pulling him down. We shall what Tony chooses to do.
Jon Moxley
Latest Developments
Jon Moxley returned to AEW for the first time since Forbidden Door in June. He had a very different demeanor, called out Darby Allin, and told Tony Schiavone, “This is not your company anymore.” Later he revealed his alliance with Marina Shafir.
Analysis
Well, this was certainly interesting. Mox started off the show “impromptu” coming out to his New Japan theme with much more restraint than usual. In fact, he was eerily calm, cerebral even. Him calling out Darby was interesting. I initially thought he wanted a match, but it’s just as likely he wants to align with Darby. Obviously the big moment was him telling Schiavone that “it’s not your company anymore.”
A lot of people speculated that he could be talking to Tony Khan through Tony Schiavone. Whatever the case may be, what did he mean by that? Later in the show he was approached by a cameraman and questioned at which point he got in the face of a security guard who happened to be nearby. That’s when Marina Shafir appeared and proceeded to tear through that guard and several more, looking like a absolute killer in the process. It would have been even effective if we hadn’t seen security wiped out in a segment earlier in the show.
Mox forming an MMA-adjacent fight club works for me. It does seem like Mox has designs on taking over AEW, which would be a nonstarter for Darby, I think. It’ll be interesting to see who else links up with Mox and how this effects the BCC.
As a soap opera fan, this kind of story feels familiar. A character comes back and starts creating chaos, maybe setting the stage for a corporate takeover, and then the previously unseen mastermind is revealed. Mox may be a leader, but he’s never come across as guy interested in taking over. If there is an secret mastermind, it could be Shane McMahon. Shane certainly has a thing for MMA (remember Raw Underground) and would be a candidate for wanting to take something over. He’s a McMahon, it’s in his genetics. Even if it’s not Shane, this story is still intriguing. Jen Pepperman has experience with these kinds of stories from her time on soaps and I definitely trust Mox to actually care more than Bucks, so I’m interested to see how this plays out.
Grade: N/A
Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Perry
Latest Developments
Bryan Danielson announced that he would defend the title until he lost it at which point his full time career will end. He then issued an open challenge for All Out, answered by Jack Perry.
Analysis
Bryan cut a promo talking about how great it felt to win the AEW World Title and how it was the favorite moment of his career because of his daughter. He then teased the idea that he might retire and vacate the title before decreeing that he had more heads to kick in and will the title until he loses at which time his full time career ends.
Bryan’s promo was great. It was emotional and he set up what should be a really fun final stretch likely to WrestleDream in Tacoma in October.
He issued an open challenge for All Out which was answered by Jack Perry via a video on the tron. Perry cut a decent promo recounting his 2024, including pinning Bryan in the Anarchy in the Arena match. He then weirdly threw to himself attacking Bryan from behind in the ring.
The promo was fine. Jack Perry has actually greatly improved on the mic and he continues to be the only member of The Elite with any forward momentum. Him throwing to himself attacking Bryan was bizarre. Gregg Kanner from the All Elite Conversation Club podcast posited that Jack could’ve learned from the Bucks that Bryan was going to issue an open challenge. It’s a little complex and a little meta, but it’s the only plausible explanation.
A more effective, logical way to do this would’ve been to have him cut that same promo backstage live, call for his music to be hit, and then sneak attack Bryan. In any case, I think this is a fine little program for a ten day turnaround. Perry referring back to the Anarchy in the Arena match shows some forethought which I like. Perry will likely have the best match of his career opposite the GOAT and Bryan gets the W.
Grade: B+
Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Page
Latest Developments
Swerve Strickland finally confronted “Hangman” Page, challenged him to a steel cage match, and then challenged his manhood.
Analysis
Hangman defeated Tomohiro Ishii in a match where beat the living hell out of each other. Afterwards, Swerve came down to the ring and confronted Hangman. He initially pitied Hangman and his obsession with him. That led to Hangman exploding and yelling about the home invasion and how Swerve didn’t beat Hangman on his own. That led to Swerve challenging Hangman to the cage match. He then moved into challenging Hangman’s manhood. He revealed that he had gone back to Hangman’s home following Revolution and watched him take his pregnant wife to the hospital. He said that’s when he realized that Hangman was better as a family man. He concluded by questioning what kind of man Hangman was going to show his kids in the cage.
This promo was great. Swerve was menacing and dark without overtly making any heelish threats. I know the reminder of the home invasion and the revelation of watching Hangman take his wife to the hospital ruffled some feathers, but Swerve is a dark, edgy, antihero babyface. That’s why people cheer him. Maybe that says something about us fans, but it doesn’t make him a heel, especially if the crowd isn’t treating him like one. If anything it flips the traditional babyface model on its head.
The other thing that helped was the announce team. Unlike the Raw announcers who heavy-handedly push C.M. Punk as the babyface in his feud with Drew McIntyre, the AEW announcers laid out and didn’t put their thumb on their scale one way or the other. They just reacted to Swerve’s words. In that way, even though he’s been more overtly heelish, Hangman wasn’t explicitly cast as the heel, which makes sense given that his hatred for Swerve is justified.
This feud has been phenomenal. It made Swerve and revitalized Hangman. Roles have changed and the story has become more nuanced over time. This feud has also been extremely violent and I don’t expect the cage match to be any different. It’s not going to be for the weak at heart.
Grade: A
MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
Latest Developments
MJF cut a promo threatening Daniel Garcia before being attacked by the man himself.
Analysis
MJF opened his promo disavowing all of America except for Long Island before telling Ospreay he would catch him down the road when he least expects it. He then transitioned to threaten Daniel Garcia. Garcia then hit the ring and brawled with Max. He choked him out in a front face lock and put him on the top rope to set him up for a piledriver. Security intervened. He dispatched them and tried again but Christopher Daniels and other officials halted it, allowing MJF to escape the ring. Garcia then cut a promo on MJF in which he challenged him to a match at All Out and told him that getting even with him was his fetish.
This was great, mostly. The first little bit of MJF’s promo was unnecessary. Speaking on Ospreay was fine, but he should’ve just moved on from the nationalistic shtick. Once he turned his attention to Garcia, it was like the old normal heel MJF was back and that’s a good thing.
Garcia was great here. He cut easily his best promo and set up a move to pay off in the near future. It’s the simplest thing in wrestling. We just saw it with Will Ospreay and the Tiger Driver ’91 at All In, but you can go back to something like The Dudleys teasing putting Trish Stratus through a table. Though it would never happen now, it got a huge pop when they finally succeeded at Backlash 2000. When Garcia finally piledrives MJF off the second rope, it will get the same kind of reaction.
I expect MJF to steal the win at All Out which will set up the rematch at Grand Slam in which Garcia can get a huge win in front of his fellow New Yorkers.
Grade: A
Mariah May vs. Nyla Rose
Latest Developments
Nyla Rose won a squash match and was then announced as Mariah May’s first opponent.
Analysis
This isn’t really a feud, per se. Mariah’s going to beat Nyla who has become the obligatory first opponent for a new champion. It’s what happens after this. Who sets themselves up as Mariah’s first real opponent? Mina Shirakawa also won a squash on Rampage so that’s something to keep an eye on.
Grade: N/A
Mercedes Moné vs. Hikaru Shida
Latest Developments
Mercedes successfully defended her New Japan Strong Women’s Title against Momo Watanabe on Friday at Capital Collision. On Collision, Shida won a hard-hitting four way match to earn a second shot a Mercedes and the TBS Title at All Out.
Analysis
Mercedes Moné is a walking conundrum. It’s mind-boggling how she can go from a painfully cringe segment on Dynamite to having a great match with Momo Watanabe two days later. What’s even more flummoxing was how good her promo after that match was. If you haven’t seen it, go find it. It’s the exact lane Mercedes should be in – short, straightforward, to the point, but not over the top while still being cocky and egotistical. With Mercedes, less is more.
On the Shida front, the four-way match between her, Serena Deeb, Queen Aminata, and Thunder Rosa was a lot of fun. It was well-built, well promoted throughout the show with each women getting a video and some promo time. The match delivered. Those women really laid it in and it was hard to pick a winner.
In the end, Shida pinned Aminata to earn her rematch against Mercedes. I think this was a wise choice. No sense burning a new rival on a seven day feud. There’s already history with Shida. Give these two 15-20 minutes uninterrupted and they can cook.
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)
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
Latest Developments
Willow chose a Chicago Street Fight for the stipulation for her match with Kris Statlander.
Analysis
This was pretty clear cut. Willow referred to her history in street fights as the reason she chose that stip. She also slipped in that CMLL would not sanction the street fight as a CMLL World Women’s Title match. I don’t know if it’s actually the stipulation or of CMLL just doesn’t want their title defended, but the title isn’t on the line which creates a bit of an issue as Statlander earned a title shot. I guess we’ll see how they address this.
Grade: B+
FTR vs. GYV
Latest Developments
GYV won a squash on Rampage and then attacked FTR after their match on Collision.
Analysis
GYV ‘s arrival feels like a shot of adrenaline for the tag division. GYVs and FTR should have an excellent match at All Out. GYV should win, go through the Acclaimed if necessary, and then beat the Bucks for the tag titles. Really reset the division. It desperate needs it.
Grade: B+
Roderick Strong vs. Hook
Latest Developments
Roderick Strong attacked Hook after an eight-man tag thus setting up a match between the two.
Analysis
Mercifully the Hook-Chris Jericho feud is over. They just happened to on opposite sides of an eight-man tag that also featured Roddy Strong. The finish saw Hook submit Roddy with the RedRum with the caveat being that Roddy’s foot was under the bottom rope and the ref missed it. Roddy attacked Hook after the match. Voila, match.
Hook should dispatch of Roddy quickly and with ease and hopefully retire the title afterwards. It’s time for Hook to move on up, to steal a line from “The Jeffersons” theme song.
Grade: B
Jamie Hayter vs. Saraya
Latest Developments
Jamie Hayter returned at All In looking to get her hands on Saraya.
Analysis
Last week on Dynamite she made short work of Harley Cameron. Before she could get her hands on Saraya, Saraya took off through the crowd. I assume that this match gets added to the All Out card. Hopefully Hayter wins quickly and decisively.
I’d be remiss though if I didn’t mention something that Friend of the Torch Stephanie Chase brought to light on her Twitter feed. Saraya’s boyfriend, “Falling in Reverse” frontman Ronnie Radke, has said pretty awful things online.
This is relevant not just because he’s Saraya’s boyfriend, but more importantly because AEW pays him for the song Saraya uses as her entrance theme. Who Saraya chooses to be with is fully her business, but Tony has an obligation to make sure that the people he’s paying licensing fees to aren’t saying hurtful or harmful things with seemingly no remorse and if they are, to cut ties with them.
Grade: B
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW COLLISION REPORT (8/31): Conglomeration and Hologram in action, GVY makes a statement, Fletcher vs. Ishii slugfest, a huge four-way TBS Title contenders match
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Rampage rating: Konosuke Takeshita vs. The Beast Mortos vs. Komander vs. Lio Rush in a four-way
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