SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW ALL OUT PPV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 7, 2024
HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. AT THE NOW ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON PPV
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 8,582 tickets had been distributed; arena was set up for 8,305. More tickets have been sold since then. Subscribe to WrestleTix on Patreon for detailed up-to-date information.
Join Wade Keller hosting a special Sunday night episode of “Wrestling Night in America” focused on All Out on Sunday night, Sept. 8 at 8 ET / 5 PT.
He’ll be joined by PWTorch contributors Chris Lansdell and Eric Krol as they break down AEW Forbidden Door LIVE with video callers, chat room interaction, and emails.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH (or set a reminder)
To be a video caller during the show, the invite code is exclusive for our VIP members and Patreon supporters, so check out Wade’s AEW All Out PPV report at www.pwtorchvip.com for the code or our Patreon page. Anyone can chat live during the show.
[PRE-SHOW]
-Renee Paquette, Jeff Jarrett, R.J. City, Nigel McGuinness
-When they showed a clip of Swerve Strickland arriving, R.J. City said “Hangman” Page should be in jail for arson, not on PPV. Then they showed Hangman arriving. Jeff Jarrett said the cage match would be the main event.
-Nigel joined the other hosts of the pre-show and chatted about his return to the ring at All Out. Nigel said his tank is still full and if another opportunity presented itself, he might take it.
(A) THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens w/Billy Gunn) vs. IRON SAVAGES (w/Jacked Jameson)
No rap from Max on the way to the ring, but Bowens did his usual mic work about The Acclaimed arriving. Jameson yapped on a live mic on the way to the ring about Savage Sauce. For the finish, Caster and Bowens moved out of the path of a double cannonball by the Savages. Billy yanked Jameson off the ring apron, crotch chopped him, and loudly yelled, “Suck my dick.” (Classy.) The Acclaimed then quickly won with the Arrival/Mic Drop combo. As the Acclaimed celebrated, they cut to MxM Collection watching backstage.
WINNERS: The Acclaimed in 8:00.
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(B) THE PREMIERE ATHLETES (Tony Nese & Ari Daivari & Josh Woods w/”Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. DUSTIN RHODES & HOLOGRAM & SAMMY GUEVARA
Schaivone talked about Hologram doing moves he’s never seen, and noted he’s seen a lot of moves over the years. The commentators talked about Sammy Guevara coming back to the ring after becoming a father and saying Texans stick together, thus he return to side with Dustin. Dustin gave Nese a Canadian destroyer. Hologram and Guevara then leaped off of corner turnbuckles at the same time and flipped onto Daivari and Woods on the floor. Guevara played to the crowd. Nese and Daivair nearly finished Dustin a minute later, but Guevara shoved them off of Dustin at the count of two. Chaos followed with all six wrestlers. When Starling stood on the ring apron and distracted the referee, Gueveara and Hologram yanked him into the ring. Dustin then gave him a Cross Rhodes. Dustin then finished Woods with Final Reckoning.
WINNERS: Dustin & Guevara & Hologram in 10:00.
(C) JUICE ROBINSON & AUSTIN GUNN & COLTEN GUNN vs. THE DARK ORDER (Evil Uno & Alex Reynolds & John Silver)
Austin took an extended beating. Colten got the hot-tag. After some chaos with all six, Juice eventually gave Uno a faceplant for the win.
WINNERS: Juice & The Gunns in 8:00.
-Schiavone interviewed Skye Blue who came out on crutches and giggled a little. She asked Chicago if they thought they could have an All Out without her. She said the arena is sentimental to her because it’s where she got to enter the Casino Battle Royal years ago. He asked about the timetable for her return. She took a pensive deep breath and said she’s doing everything she can, but it’s a waiting game. Mariah May’s music interrupted and May strutted out. She said she came out there to have her AEW Women’s World Championship celebration. She asked: “Why do they call this the Windy City when no one here has ever ever been blown again.” Skye said, “Baby, well, you’d certainly know a thing or two about that.” (Classy.) Mariah took digs at Chicago and said they share a lot in common with Sky. “You’re both broke, filthy, and you have to lower your standards to make it enjoyable,” she said. Skye said, “Thanks, skank.” (Oh, goodie, that term is back from TNA’s most tawdry days. That got zero reaction, which should let Tony Khan known this stuff is just pitiful and trashy and a turnoff to people watching.) Mariah attacked Skye. Skye clutched her ankle. Queen Aminata made the save as Mariah was about to hit Skye with a crutch.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was embarrassing on a number of levels. AEW should be better than this crap.)
(D) TOP FLIGHT (Dante & Darius Martin) & ACTION ANDRETTI (w/Leila Grey) vs. THE UNDISPUTED KINGDOM (Roderick Strong & Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. THE BEAST MORTOS & SHANE TAYLOR & LEE MORIARTY
Matt Mendard joined in on commentary. Late in the match, Taven leaped onto a crowd at ringside. Mortos then followed up with a running tornado dive through the ropes. More dives followed. For the finish, Strong interrupted a move between Mortos and Andretti and pinned Andretti.
WINNERS: Undisputed Kingdom in 11:00.
-A video package hyped the line-up with a focus the Hangman-Swerve match.
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[MAIN SHOW]
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuiness, Matt Menard
-Excalibur introduced the show as the camera panned the audience.
(1) MJF vs. DANNY GARCIA
A video package set the stage for the match including MJF’s brutal beatdown of Garcia leading to him being stretchered out and loaded into an ambulance. MJF made his entrance. Garcia attacked MJF. The ref separated them. Garcia charged at MJF, but MJF ducked and sent Garcia into the middle turnbuckle. Nigel said Garcia’s neck isn’t 100 percent. MJF went on a sustained beatdown. When Schiavone complimented the big crowd, Nigel said they were there to see the final match of Bryan Danielson’s career. As MJF vertical suplexed Garcia, Garcia shifted both of them over the top rope to the floor. MJF took a nasty fall, but entered the ring first. Garcia barely beat the ten count.
Garcia made a comeback. MJF made a comeback a few minutes later and delivered a nasty powerbomb of Garica onto his knee. MJF grabbed Garcia’s ears and bit at his face. After some punches to his forehead, Garcia began to bleed from his forehead. MJF set up a tombstone piledriver off the second rope. Garcia broke free and yanked at MJF’s jaw and nose. Garcia was bleeding heavily and caught glance of himself on the big screen. He then landed a diving DDT out of the corner. Garcia eventually crawled over and draped his arm over MJF’s chest. MJF put his boot on the bottom rope.
Garcia pulled himself and began seething. He shook off some of MJF’s attack and turned toward him. MJF spit at him. Garcia exploded with a barrage of strikes. MJF thumbed Garcia in the eyes. They each exchanged stiff German suplexes and then Garcia landed a lunging clothesline. Both were down and slow to get up at 18:00.
Garcia applied a couple submission holds, but MJF countered and applied Salt of the Earth and then a figure-four lock on Garcia’s arm. MJF torqued Garcia’s arms back in a wishbone hold. Garcia draped a boot over the bottom rope to force a break. “What a war,” said Schaivone. They zoomed in on bloody snot on Garcia’s face. (Yuck.) Garcia surprised MJF with a jackknife cover. Garcia stood and chopped MJF’s chest fiercely. He applied a front chancery. MJF’s arm dropped. Garcia lifted MJF’s arm so the match didn’t end. Nigel said it was a mistake. Garcia then delivered a jumping piledriver for a near fall at 23:00.
On the top rope, MJF bit Garcia to reverse momentum. After shifting the referee’s position, MJF then gave Garcia a low-blow and jackknife covered him for a leverage three count. Garcia and MJF lay on the mat afterward soaking up the moment.
WINNER: MJF in 24:00.
-After the match, MJF offered a handshake to Garcia. Garcia shook his hand and raised MJF’s arm. MJF tried to kick Garcia, but Garcia caught his boot and gave MJF a low-blow. He shook with intensity and then put MJF on the top turnbuckle. Garcia spit in MJF’s face, then delivered a leaping piledriver off the second rope. “Wooo!” exclaimed Menard. Nigel said, “What a sore loser.” Garcia smiled and shook MJF by his neck. He then kissed his forehead and walked through the crowd. The ringside doc checked on MJF. Another medic put a brace around MJF’s neck.
(Keller’s Analysis: An excellent intense grudge match. Garcia appeared to potentially have MJF defeated when his arm was dropping. MJF was despicable throughout the match. If this match and feud was meant to move Garcia out of the silly dancing stage of his career and cast him as a rising young star with incredible fighting spirit, I think it succeeded.)
-They showed Swerve and Hangman in their locker rooms, with security surrounding them to keep them apart until the main event.
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(2) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI & WHEELER YUTA – AEW Tag Team Title match
Nigel talked up the Bucks and said that if not for them, Schaivone would be sitting at home this weekend. Yuta went on a flurry of early offense against Matthew. Claudio tagged in a few minutes in and rallied against both Bucks. Nicholas tripped Yuta which led to a double-team spot and a near fall on Yuta by Matthew. Nicholas flipped off the ring apron onto Claudio at ringside.
Claudio set up a Giant Swing, but the Bucks double-teamed him and landed a BTE Trigger for a near fall, broken up by Yuta. When they went for another BTE Trigger, Claudio blocked it. The Bucks set up a suplex, but Claudio countered by suplexing both of them. Claudio gave Matthew his Giant Swing mid-ring and scored a two count. Claudio superplexed Matthew, but Matthew lifted his knees when Yuta went for a top rope splash. Nicholas held Claudio back from making the save, and the ref counted to three.
WINNERS: The Young Bucks in 16:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: A good match that delivered precisely what you’d expect from these two teams with a good amount of time to tell their story. It didn’t leap out as a particular important match or one that many will remember and easily could have been a nice match on a Collision.)
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(3) WILL OSPREAY vs. PAC – International Title match
A video package set the stage for the match before ring entrances. The bell rang an hour into the PPV. They showed Ricochet watching on a monitor backstage. They went at each other with stiff, consistent back-and-forth action early that the crowd was into. Pac landed a top rope superplex for a two count at 5:00. Excalibur speculated Ospreay suffered a stinger. Pac settled into a side headlock. Ospreay folllowed Pac to the floor and landed a leaping forearm to the side of Pac’s head off the ringside barricade. The ref checked on Pac. Ospreay landed a handspring flip over the top rope on Pac at ringside.
Back in the ring, Ospreay landed a handspring corkscrew Pelé kick. Pac came back with a Liger bomb for a two count. they countered each other for the next minute. Ospreay went for a Hidden Blade, but Pac ducked. Pac then went for a German suplex, but Pac elbowed out of it. Ospreay then landed a springboard OsCutter. He was a little delayed making the cover which led to a two count. Both were slow to get up.
They battled on the ring apron. Pac suplexed Ospreay onto the back of his neck and head on the ring apron. Ospreay clutched his neck afterward. Pac then delivered a Poison Rana on the ring apron. Pac threw Ospreay back into the ring and applied a Brutalizer. Ospreay draped his leg over the bottom rope to force a break.
They exchanged big moves and near falls as the pace picked up. Pac landed another Poison Rana for a near fall and then a brutalizer at 17:00. Ospreay countered a Pac attempt at another Poison Rana and then landed a Hidden Blade for a believable near fall. Fans chanted, “Fight forever!” Pac went for a Poison Rana off the top rope, but Ospreay landed on his feet. He then hit a Hidden Blade for a near fall at 19:00. Ospreay played to the crowd as Schiavone said they’d never forget this match. Ospreay landed a top rope cutter, but Pac countered his Storm Breaker into a two count. Ospreay landed a Styles Clash and a Hidden Blade for a three count. Nigel called “the absolute pinnacle of our sport.” Excalibur called it a classic.
As Ospreay celebreated, they cut to Ricochet who smiled and applauded once he knew he was on camera.
WINNER: Ospreay in 20:00 to retain the AEW International Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Spectacular battle between two world class athletes in their primes that the crowd ate up. Nicely paced, with increased pace and intensity as it progressed, with resets followed by flurries of big moves and counters, concluding at just the right time without belaboring the near falls.)
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(4) KRIS STATLANDER (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. WILLOW NIGHTINGALE – Chicago Street Fight
The bell rang 26 minutes into the second hour. Willow landed an early cannonball in the corner. She went for a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron, but Statland blocked it and then hit Willow across her back with a chair. Statlander then powerbombed Willow on the Spanish announce table, which collapsed out from under Willow.
Statlander put Willow on the table at ringside and then leaped off the top rope toward her. Willow moved and Statlander crashed through the table, although Statlander’s legs clipped Willow. Willow delivered a pounce, sending Statlander through the ringside barricade toward some conveniently empty seats in the front row.
They brawled up the aisle. Willow broke three light tubes taped together over Statlander’s head. (Recycle those, by the way.) Statlander came up bleeding from her forehead. Stokely fled the scene when Willow made a move toward him. Statlander speared Willow off the stage through two tables below.
Back in the ring, Willow grinded a chain in the forehead of Statlander and bit her forehead. Statlander caught Willow with a suplex. Statlander dumped hundreds of thumbtacks out of a black bag. Willow knocked Statlander out of mid-air and she did the splits on the tacks after an attempted axe kick. Willow delivered a Death Valley Driver onto the tacks. Several tacks were stuck in her back and thighs.
Willow and Statlander battled on the top turnbuckle. Statlander landed a Spanish Fly. She then wrapped her forearm in a chain and hit Willow with a discus lariat for a believable near fall. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” They stood and exchanged wild swings. They hit each other mid-ring and just slumped to the mat. They seemed to “share a moment” of warrior respect. Statlander then landed a tombstone and then wrapped the chain around Will0w’s neck and mouth and pulled up on her. Willow tapped.
Stokley joined Statlander in celebrating afterward.
WINNER: Statlander in 15:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A hard-hitting, well-executed intense bloody brawl with big spots and a decisive finish. Well done and an effective change of pace after the prior match that kept the crowd invested throughout.)
-Renee interviewed a smiling Ospreay backstage. He said if Pac ever wants a rematch, he can have one. He told Ricochet he saw he was watching it backstage. Ricochet walked up and looked irked. Ricochet said he was trying to have a good time, but he heard him talking shit. Ospreay told him to stack up some wins. Ricochet said he got them lined up. Excalibur said the friendship between them seemed to have cooled.
Commentary: Taz joined Schiavone and Excalibur
VOTE IN OUR POLL:
POLL: What do you think about Hangman Page setting Swerve Strickland’s house on fire?
(5) KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. ORANGE CASSIDY vs. MARK BRISCOE vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis) – AEW Continental Championship match
A video package set the stage for the match. The bell rang 50 minutes into the second hour. After four-way action, Okada and Takeshita squared off. Cassidy stood between them and was about to make a big production of putting his hands in his pockets. They attacked him. Cassidy fought back and DDT’d Okada for a one count. Briscoe entered and went after Okada.
Briscoe and Cassidy took turns leaping off the ring apron onto Takeshita and Okada at ringside. Back in the ring they both went for covers at the same time. The ref counted both at once. Taz wondered if they’d share the title if they both won. Fans taunted Callis, which the other commentators needled him about.
After a whirlwind of action, including Orange and Briscoe finally going at each other, Takeshita and Okada squared off. Okada landed his a signature leaping dropkick. Takeshita fired back with a sitout powerbomb. Cassidy and Briscoe got back involved. Briscoe left eye was bloodied. Okada landed a top rope elbowdrop and then gave the crowd a middle finger. Briscoe countered a Rainmaker and set up a Jay Driller. Okada blocked it, but Briscoe took him down with a short-arm lariat. Takeshita kicked Okada.
Cassidy then gave Okada a leaping Orange Punch (that showed light). Takeshita blocked a Stun Dog Millionaire and gave him a German suplex. He played to the crowd. Briscoe entered and gave Takeshita a leaping Jay Driller. Okada yanked Briscoe off of Takeshita during the ref’s count. Briscoe fought him off and went for a top rope elbow, but Takeshita lifted his knees. Takeshita delivered a running boot to Briscoe, but Cassidy broke up the cover. Cassidy gave Takeshita a Beach Break. Takeshita came right back with a lariat and set up Raging Fire, but Okada intervened.
Cassidy rolled up Okada for a two count. He swung with an Orange Punch, but Okada ducked and then he hit the Rainmaker for the win. They showed Callis and Takeshita at ringside staring down a celebrating Okada.
WINNER: Okada in 16:00 to retain the Continental Championship.
(Keller’s Analysis: Chaotic all-action match, with some fun stretches of two wrestlers paired off. It delivered a solid mid-card match at this point of the show.)
CHECK OUT JASON POWELL’S REPORT AT PROWRESTLING.NET…
AEW All Out results: Powell’s live review of Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page in a steel cage match, Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Perry for the AEW World Championship
(6) MERCEDES MONE vs. HIKARU SHIDA – AEW TBS Title match
A video package set the stage for the match. Excalibur said Shida wanted to be the first women to have held both of AEW’s women’s titles. The bell rang 13 minutes into the third hour. Mercedes went after Shida aggressively the bell. Mercedes took control a few minutes in and settled into a chinlock at 6:00. Shida stood and yanked Mercedes over her shoulder hard to the mat. Shida took Mercedes down with a head scissors. Mercedes took over quickly in the corner, but Shida reversed whipped her face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Mercedes came back and applied an STF. Shida reached the bottom rope to force a break.
Shida leaped up and landed a quick clothesline. Both were down and slow to get up. Shida rallied and scored a near fall after three Falcon Arrows at 13:00. Mercedes caught a Shida kick and delivered a Dragon Screw followed by a back stabber. Mercedes declared, “That’s why I’m the champion!” Shida recovered quickly and delivered a back suplex and a running knee for a near fall. Shida landed several kicks to the side of Mercedes’s head. The last one might’ve caught Mercedes stiff, as Mercedes said something to her as she cowered on the mat. Mercedes kicked out and rolled to ringside.
Mercedes grabbed a kendo stick. Shida yanked it away and brought it into the ring. The ref warned her not to use it. Shida wound up, but decided not to. She turned her back. Mercedes went after her, but Shida back elbowed her. She went for a top rope move, but Mercedes moved. Mercedes chop-blocked her knee and hit the Money Maker for the win.
WINNER: Mercedes in 16:00 to retain the AEW TBS Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Not a lot of chemistry, flow, or crispness in this one. The final minutes felt like there was legit tension between them that got in the way of the flow into the climax. There’s not a lot of investment in Mercedes or Shida emotionally by the fans, either, which didn’t help.)
Commentators: Jim Ross joined Excalibur, Schiavone, and Taz
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(7) BRYAN DANIELSON vs. JACK PERRY – AEW World Hvt. Title match
A video package set the stage for the match. Exacalibur called this the first half of a double-main event of All Out. They cut to the parking lot where a blackened shuttle bus drove up with “Scapegoat” painted above the windshield. The Bucks greeted him along with security wearing helmets and masks reminiscent a riot squad. Nicholas said, “You got this.” They entered the arena. Perry made his formal ring entrance. Ross wondered what was up with the riot squad accompanying Perry. Danielson made his entrance to “Final Countdown.” Ross said when he first signed Danielson 25 years ago, he never dreamed of this.
Justin Roberts did formal mid-ring introductions. Excalibur said if this is Danielson’s last match as a full time wrestler, he seems at peace with it for doing things his way. Fans applauded as they approached each other. Perry wore black jeans and an arm wrap that said “Scapegoat.” Perry gloated after an early arm drag. When Danielson made a move toward him, Perry bailed out to ringside. Taz said Perry was trying to set the pace and he thought it was smart. the announcers talked about Danielson’s neck being taped up and that Danielson had enough neck issues he had to change his training and even calorie intake.
Perry took over for a sustained stretch with methodical but persistent attacks including at ringside. Back in the ring, he bit Danielson and then punched away at him in the corner. Danielson made a comeback. Excalibur said Danielson needs neck surgery before the end of the year and he’s wrestling on borrowed time. Danielson threw hard roundkicks to Perry’s chest. Danielson applied a Yes Lock mid-ring. Perry squirmed toward the bottom rope and finally reached it with his boot. Danielson released the hold.
Perry took over and applied an Cattle Mutilation. Danielson stood and back elbowed Perry. Perry delivered two full nelson suplexes. Ross said the match would be over soon if that continued. After battling on the ring apron, Danielson tossed Perry to the floor.
Back in the ring, Perry pulled Danielson into the path of the referee. Danielson suplexed Perry and then pulled on his arms and set up stomps. With the ref down, the Bucks charged into the ring and attacked Danielson. Excalibur said Dnaielson’s career cannot end like that. They delivered a spike tombstone piledriver that (wisely, probably) showed a ton of light (although if that was the plan, the camera should have had a different, more concealed angle). Claudio and Yuta ran out to chase the Bucks through the crowd.
Perry delivered a running knee to the side of Danielson’s head. The ref counted really slowly and Danielson kicked out before three. Danielson hit a charging Perry with a Busaiku Knee. Perry bumped half way across the ring after impact.
They stood in the ring and exchanged slaps. Danielson landed another Busaiku Knee for a near fall. Danielson sat up and smiled. Danielson grabbed Perry’s arms and stomped away at him. Fans chanted “Yes!” with Danielson’s encouragement. Perry sat up and extended his arms as if to sacrifice himself. Danielson charged with a Busaiku Knee for the win. Excalibur said the career of Danielson continues.
WINNER: Danielson in 28:00 to retain the AEW World Hvt. Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: This had a steady persistent intensity, but lacked urgency for most of the match, which was longer than it really needed to be by quite a bit. It was well wrestled, and Perry seemed sufficiently sinister in his nonchalant style. The crowd was into Danielson, especially as they teased finishes near the end. Overall, a good match, but there just was no doubt Danielson was going to win despite all the talk by the announcers about the condition of Danielson’s neck.)
-Fans sang “Final Countdown” as Danielson celebrated. Killswitch entered from behind Danielson and headbutted him. He turned to Perry as the announcers talked about their history. Then Christian Cage’s music played and he led Nick Wayne and Mother Wayne to the ring. Jon Moxley appeared at ringside and blocked their path. Claudio, Yuta, and Pac joined Mox. Christian and his cohorts turned and walked to the back. Danielson led the crowd in “Yes!” chants. Claudio entered the ring and raised Danielson’s arm, then gave him an uppercut. Mox put a plastic bag over Danielson’s head. (Come on, now. Seriously?) Pac then held Yuta back from trying to save Danielson’s life. Yuta cried in agony. Marina Shafir surveyed. Fans chanted, “This is murder.” Ross said it’s uncalled for. Mox released his grip as Danielson gasped for breath. Mox, Shafir, Claudio, and Pac left through the crowd. Yuta ran over to Danielson. The medical team gave Danielson oxygen. “Geez, what the hell just happened?” said Taz. Ross said whatever happened should never happen again. Excalibur said that was not professional wrestling.
(Keller’s Analysis: It might be nothing to give a second thought to in front of a few hundred fans at a CZW show, but AEW is really narrowing their audience with a suffocation angle with a plastic bag. There are so many reasons not to go there, including that it showed up the main event in a way. I mean, Hangman burned down Swerve’s house, and anything short of attempting to suffocate Swerve will seem like he doesn’t have the ruthlessness of Mox. Setting that aside, what is Mox’s motivation? I’m definitely curious to hear from him. How does Darby get incorporated into this, given Moxley calling him out. I like the idea of Pac and Claudio as definitive heels. Poor Yuta is probably going to be a victim of some brutal TV beatdowns now that he’s been left out of Mox’s plans. I’m not sad to see the end of BCC, which never found a groove that made sense in a way that got fans invested in their purpose, whatever it was.)
-They cut to Taz, Excalibur, Ross, and Schiavone at ringside. Ross said it has no place in their business. “Think about what you could have done if someone didn’t intervene?” an exasperated Ross said. The medical team carried Danielson to the back with Yuta’s help as he still had an oxygen mask on. Ross said, “That’s a game you don’t play… Are you kidding me?” Excalibur said the show must go on. Ross said it was sickening and embarrassing for pro wrestling. Excalibur said the sanctioned part of All Out was over.
-A video package set the stage for the cage match.
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(8) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana) – Unsanctioned Cage match
Hangman made his entrance first. Nana came out next and did his dance while drinking from a cup. Swerve joined him. Excalibur said he was tense and nervous for the first time in his career as an announcer, and he said he might be on edge because of what happened after the last match. Swerve charged at Hangman and kicked him before the cage was lowered. He beat him up at ringside, then threw him into the ring. Nana slid a table into the ring. As Swerve held Hangman’s head against the ring apron, Excalibur said the cage could decapitate him. The bell rang 25 minutes into the hour. The cage got stuck about a foot or so above the mat. There were chairs, a bag, and a storage crate in the ring, too. Ringside workers finally cajoled the cage so it lowered completely.
Hangman took a staple gun out of the crate. He stapled Swerve’s chest several times. Swerve smiled and then grabbed Hangman and stapled his back several times, then executed a backbreaker. The camera zoomed in for the sickos to see Swerve pulling the staples out of his skin. Fans chanted “You sick f—!” Swerve took out old photos of his family in their family home. Swerve then stapled photos to Hangman’s cheek. Blood streamed out of the holes in Swerve’s chest from the staples.
Hangman went into a stretch of several minute tossing Swerve around the ring and into the cage. Swerve landed a House Call. Hangman landed a Buckshot. Swerve came back with chairshots to the back of Hangman. Swerve lawn dart tossed Hangman in a chair wedged in the corner. Swerve went for a cover and scored a two count, the first of the match. Swerve pulled a cinder block out of the storage crate. Taz said he got hit in the nuts with one once. Ross thanked Taz for informing them of that. Swerve tried to drive Hangman onto it. Hangman countered. Swerve countered and drove Hangman back-first onto the cinder block. That led to a near fall. The camera zoomed in on the scraped on Hangman’s back from the landing on the edge of the cinder block.
Swerve set up a table. They battled on the top rope. Swerve landed double knees onto Hangman through the table for a near fall. Hangman hit Swerve with a sudden Dead Eye for a near fall. Swerve jabbed Hangman with a wooden spike. Hangman powerbombed Swerve on the cinder block.
Swerve made a comeback and threw Hangman into the side of the cage with a release powerbomb. Then he connected with a House Call for a near fall. Swerve climbed to the top rope. He then decided to climb higher. Hangman got up and powerbombed Swerve to the mat. A “Cowboy Shit!” chant rang out. He then gave Swerve a Dead Eye for another near fall.
Hangman rammed the side of the chair into the head and neck of Swerve and then told him to beg for mercy. He did it again. Swerve sat up laughing and held up two fingers. He leaned into Hangman, then collapsed onto his chest. Hangman lifted Swerve and told him he was going to finish him. He yanked off his tooth grill. He then pulled out a hypodermic needle and stuck it into Swerve’s cheek. The crowd gasped. Excalibur said it’s a horror movie unfolding before their eyes. Hangman then smashed a chair over Swerve’s head. The chair broke. The ref called off the match, awarding Hangman the match via knockout.
WINNER: Hangman via knockout in 31:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: I do not enjoy this level of violence.)
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