A little AEW ALL IN recap, some ALL OUT build, and predictions for WWE Bash in Berlin and NXT No Mercy!

 

Good Morning!

It’s been another week here in the old blog mines, with the SlashGear gig assigning me a list ranking brands of framing nailers. A framing nailer, if you’re unaware, is a nail gun that shoots big, full size nails into studs for framing houses, although it can also be used to affix subfloors or roofing. Maybe not the most exciting thing in the world, but it beats using a hammer and nails, doesn't it?

But I digress. Since last we spoke, ALL IN happened, along with Dynamite, which served to move us along to next weekend’s ALL OUT show. I still don’t love the way they have these shows set up with just two weeks between -- especially since AEW still charges $50 per show for these things -- but at least they did a better job of setting up storylines that were able to develop in London and cleanly segue into matches for the upcoming Chicago show.

We’ve also got WWE and NXT shows this weekend, with Bash at Berlin and NXT No Mercy coming up on Saturday afternoon (for us here in the states) and Sunday night from right here in Denver, respectively. I remain on the fence about attending the NXT show…on the one hand, NXT rarely travels, and even rarelier shows up here in Colorado. On the other hand, NXT is my soap opera, my telenovela. As such, it’s not something I really want to spend money on. I like supporting AEW, but NXT is basically developmental, and it’s not like the Fed needs my money. I guess we’ll see how much tickets cost and go from there, assuming I don’t end up doing anything else Sunday night.

SO let’s get into it! I was thinking a little post-ALL IN recap, with some Dynamite notes built in to start. Then we’ll get to previews for both weekend shows, since the cards aren’t super big. There’s also a six movie marathon that starts tonight and rolls into Saturday, which might mean I, a 44-year-old, might try to just stay awake for that whole thing AND the Berlin show. And then I will pass away afterward, gently going into that good … afternoon.

ALL IN fallout, and ALL OUT build

ALL IN was incredible, full stop. I have watched most of that show back three times after enjoying it live last week, and there’s a non-zero chance I’ll put it on again while I try to take a lil’ pre-game nap this afternoon. Zero Hour was a nice way to get a lot of people on the card, featuring a ten man tag team match, a SIXTEEN man tag team match, and the announced battle between Tomohiro Ishii & Willow Nightingale against Kris Statlander & Stokely Hathaway. Stoke hitting a spinebuster on Ishii was probably a top-ten life achievement for him, and all four participants seemed to have a lot of fun with this showcase. I’d guessed the baddies would win, but the good guys prevailed, and we’ll be getting a Chicago Street Fight (I love that wrestling always gives you a location for your street fight) between Willow and Stat at ALL OUT. 

The show itself had a couple all-timers in Toni Storm vs Mariah May, and Bryan Danielson vs Swerve Strickland, albeit for very different reasons. The match for the Women’s Championship was the best storyline AEW has ever produced for that division, and arguably the best, period. It had a good build and an interesting twist, and the moment Mariah attacked Toni to set this rivalry into overdrive, I was fully sold. Sure, Mariah has had some weak promos when she’s out there on her own (the one this week included) but she’s getting more comfortable and I only see her improving. I don’t know that she’s got a match for ALL OUT yet, but there’s still another Dynamite, along with a couple Collisions, so we’ll see.

Danielson and Swerve told a hell of a story in the ring. Swerve’s confidence was well earned, and he absolutely embodies a proud, deserving champion. Danielson as the desperate warrior, a man who made a promise he has all but admitted isn’t what he wants, managed to keep his career alive while also winning his first AEW World Championship. Swerve’s bravado and intelligence in that match, working Bryan’s weaknesses while also telling the crowd that HE is the best man in that ring right now, really came through in his swagger, and that moment when Danielson pulled motivation from his family while he was eating kicks to the chest was perfect. As was the follow up, when Danielson had a comeback culminating in a vicious Busaiku knee that Swerve simply brushed off in a move so calculated and dismissive that I said, “Welp, he’s fucked.”

So those two matches were the high points for me, but nearly every other match was really good and entertaining, and full of great moments. Nigel McGuinness returning, Ricochet debuting, and Christian Cage winning that Gauntlet match made it feel as important as a Royal Rumble -- although I didn’t love that they used the Luchasaurus graphic for Killswitch only for him to…not turn on Cage. PAC getting his Wembley moment and winning the Trios Championship alongside Castignoli and Yuta felt like a nice “thank you” to the man who gravity forgot. The Tag Team match had some fun spots even though I wasn’t super invested in the outcome, and the TNT championship Coffin match felt like it ended kinda abruptly but featured a Sting appearance post-match, so it’s hard to complain. And Ospreay/MJF hit all the right notes, and also reintroduced Daniel Garcia to AEW.

The only low points, for me, were the Jericho/HOOK match, which was fine but didn’t end a feud that just feels super stale, and the TBS Championship match. That one had a lot going against it. I’m a fan of both women to some degree, but the placement of this one on the card, just after the exciting Ospreay/MJF battle, didn’t do it any favors. The crowd was a little gassed, and it was later in the night. The buildup featured A LOT of Mercedes on the mic, which I really don’t think does her any good…she’s just not good at it. And it’s not like she’s getting better. I feel like somebody got her onto that Mandalorian show and folks just decided she must be a good actress for Disney to want her. But she’s just awkward, and that was evidenced on the “celebration” that happened on Dynamite, too. 

Baker was just returning from a serious back injury, and being thrust into one of the most important matches for the AEW women maybe wasn’t the best idea. To say nothing of the fact that she was put into the ring with a woman that was in the ring when Paige/Saraya suffered a career-threatening back injury, although that’s just part of wrestling and I’m not putting any blame on anybody. 

In short, the chemistry wasn’t there, the timing was wrong, the participants both had shortcomings exposed, and the match -- the part of the rivalry that could have saved the whole thing -- failed to deliver. Cagematch, that bastion of reserved, thoughtful criticism, seems to have trouble placing the blame too, with as many Mone supporters claiming she carried Britt as there were fans of the dentist blaming her performance on ring rust and lingering injury.

BUT! That’s one little dark spot on a bright sunshiney day of a show. For our loose record-keeping, I went 6/10 for the night, and that makes us 64/84 for the year, bringing our correct predictions to a tidy 76.19%. As we move on, we’ve already got some stuff brewing with Jon Moxley apparently starting a new faction, and Hangman Adam Page (who did nothing wrong) is set to face Swerve Strickland in a steel cage match. 

Jack Perry accepted an open challenge from Bryan Danielson, giving us a match the internet seems really pissed off about but I’m open to enjoying. AEW has been gifted a really hateable bad guy in Perry, and he’s going to hear it from those Chicago fans. MJF versus Garcia and Ospreay versus PAC were also announced via promos and some violence, meaning we’ve already got a solid five-match card with the aforementioned Nightingale/Statlander street fight. I’m really glad Triller had that two-pack deal to save me a little money, because I’m loving how this show was booked and look forward to another five matches or so getting added between now and next week.

WWE Bash in Berlin Predictions!

Speaking of five matches, that’s like the whole Berlin card! WWE keeps chugging along, with some stuff like the Wyatt Sicks holding my attention. I don’t keep up with SmackDown religiously, mostly watching a fast-forwarded version on Saturday morning or catching a Simon Miller recap on YouTube if there’s a PPV that day. With the big scary movie marathon coming up tonight, and with my sweet Cinnabon son Konosuke Takeshita appearing on Rampage, the Fed is definitely coming in third this evening. But that’s not to say I’m not interested in the Bash. Three of those matches are for championships, and while I’m pretty confident in my picks I wouldn’t be mad at some surprises. So let’s get to it before its too late!

Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley versus Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan in a Mixed Tag Team Match

This one seems like a gimme for the baddies. Priest and Ripley are super over, and their Terror Twins thing has made WWE fans believe in platonic relationships (that last part may not be true). Liv and Dom are showing some great chemistry as the trashy couple that broke the Judgment Day, and it’s still too soon for those scumbags to get their comeuppance. 

Finn Balor, JD McDonaugh, and Carlito will be around to mess with the good guys, and since WWE good guys tend to have no friends (Cody being the exception) Ripley and Priest will end up on the losing end of this one. The chase will continue, and with the next premium live event going by the name Bad Blood it seems like Rhea/Liv and Priest/Balor will end up on that card.

CM Punk versus Drew McIntyre in a Strap Match

This feud has been fantastic, with Drew and Punk matching each other in petty hate for months. I will admit that the whole friendship bracelet thing has been leaned on a bit heavily, as the pure disdain these two have for each other should be enough to carry a feud. But WWE loves a McGuffin, and so we’re stuck with a brutal strap match based off a little string with some beads on it. 

Punk is smart enough to know his limitations, and gimmick matches are a great way to cover them up. His dog collar match with MJF at AEW Revolution 2022 was one of the best of both men’s careers, and happened to be the only time I’ve attended both an AEW PPV and a CM Punk match live, so it set a high bar for your beloved writer pal. This match should be as brutal as WWE will allow, and both guys are gonna look like they walked through hell afterward. Punk should pick up the win to even the records and lead the pair into a Hell in a Cell match, or something equally vicious, at Bad Blood.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn © versus Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

This one might be the toughest call of the night, which seems counterintuitive considering that WWE has all but told us that the Unholy Union is the weakest tag team when compared to their challengers. I still feel like the eventual endgame of the Bianca - Jade team up is a breakup and match at WrestleMania, but we’ve got a ways to go to build that. I loved Bianca’s heel work in NXT, but Jade can play the gorgeous, statuesque villain too. Regardless, they’re good guys now, and while it’s never too soon to start planting seeds, I don’t think they need the titles to sew that field. (That’s a lot of farming metaphors.) 

Blair Davenport has also been floating around the spooky ladies, and we know how HHH loves a group with one consistent trait (see: LWO, Legado del Fantasma, the Pride, Bianca & Jade) and the European-ness of those three is enough to unite them in his eyes. I’ll say the witches wetain -- er, retain -- and we see who gets screwed by, and in turn feuds with, Davenport.

Cody Rhodes © versus Kevin Owens for the Undisputed WWE Championship

How is it undisputed when there are two WWE championship matches on this card? 

But enough pedantry. Cody basically had to beg Owens to accept this match, but recent weeks of Bloodline fights have seen KO team up with Rhodes as often as he’s stared him down. Owens has also run down the fact that he turns on just about everybody, and he has nearly whacked Cody with a chair on a few occasions. So while I don’t think a heel turn is coming, Owens and Rhodes should still put on a decent match, with Owens turning up the heat as time goes on and Rhodes responding in kind. Some kind of Bloodline interference seems inevitable, but Rhodes isn’t losing the title here or anything. I’m more interested in seeing if the two remain pals afterward, maybe after fighting off some Samoans post-match.

Gunther © versus Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

I cannot imagine WWE would let the “hometown” hero (Gunther is as hometown to Berlin as Drew McIntyre was to Wales) lose his only-just-won championship IN Germany. But champions need challengers, and Randy has proven to be a worthy adversary before. The promo battles between Orton and Gunther have been a lot of fun, too. I imagine Gunther wins and Randy just moves on to Cody Rhodes, maybe popping up on next week’s SmackDown acting like Cody is just handing out title shots to his pals and he’s due. The match promises to be a good one, and I don’t think we’ll see much in the way of interference from Ludwig Kaiser. Just a clean win after some brutal chops from our champion, Gunther.

…and NXT No Mercy Predictions, too!

Wes Lee versus Zach Wentz

I’m honestly a little surprised this whole TNA/NXT crossover has gone as well as it has. Sure, NXT seems to be getting the better half of the draw, but it’s still a fascinating thing to see WWE even try to cooperate with, well, anyone. 

So far the Wes Lee heel turn is going well, although I always feel like guys with flashy flippy move sets have trouble being EVIL. Turning on your best friends that you haven’t worked with in years helps move that hate forward, though, and so we end up here. Wes Lee will pick up the win in what promises to be a pretty fun match, one that has the potential to steal the show. 

Ridge Holland and Andre Chase © versus Nathan Frazier and Axiom for the NXT Tag Team Championship

The story of Chase U rumbles on, as the venerable number one institution of learning based in wrestling promotion faces off in a rematch against the former champs. Axiom and Frazier have shown some displeasure with each other as they look into singles championships, and I think that discord will lead to Chase U retaining its belts while the flippy guys continue to argue.

Kelani Jordan © versus Wendy Choo for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

The Women’s North American Championship is still too new to be passed off just yet, and it really doesn’t need to go to spooky Wendy Choo. Sleepy Choo was a cute gimmick, but Sleep Paralysis Demon Choo is just kinda … man, I hate to say dumb because that’s exactly why I like NXT. I just don’t get what’s happening. Is she a demon? Possessed? Did Fred Kreuger get into her dreams? WHO’S TO SAY? 

Whatever the reason, Jordan won’t be dropping the belt here. She and Sol Ruca put on a helluva match recently, but Choo doesn’t have the same gymnastics background as those two. Jordan has proven to be a good matchup with plenty of other women, though, so we’ll see what the champ can get out of the Jack Skellington-faced nap enthusiast. 

Oba Femi © versus Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Men’s North American Championship

The Don of NXT and head of America’s favorite mafioso wrestling good guy family (godDAMMIT I love pro wrestling) takes on the very large, very intimidating Oba Femi in what should be a good fight. Oba Femi has been incredible as champ, showing off a good skill set for such a new performer, and I feel like Tony D gets better with every match too. I really liked Oba Femi showing up at the Family restaurant, too -- made him look like a fighting champ that wasn’t gonna back down to the wrestling mob. 

They’re both at a point where neither guy would look bad with a loss, but I think Oba Femi will retain. I’m gonna want one of them BIG MEATY MEN SLAPPIN MEAT matches for him to drop the title, and Tony D doesn’t tip the scales.

Roxanne Perez © versus Jaida Parker for the NXT Women’s Championship

No, I don’t think Roxanne will be losing here. HOWEVER, as a developmental show, it’s important to reward people who have shown development and growth, and I think Parker fits the bill as a challenger. Her mic work is good, and her in-ring style shows she understands that while the gymnasts can stick with the flippy stuff, this former soccer star should lean into her character’s streetwise background with a more grounded approach to wrestling. Also, she legit did what she said she’d do and slapped the taste outta Roxanne’s mouth on last week’s NXT:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BROp-2d9RSo

DAMMMMMN SON! So, yeah, Roxanne will come away with the title, but Jaida should put up a good fight and hopefully come away looking like she was a legit challenger.

Ethan Page © versus Joe Hendry for the NXT Championship, with Trick Williams as Special Guest Referee

This one is interesting. On the one hand, I really like this whole matchup: Page is barely an NXT guy at this point, and Hendry coming in representing TNA against him seems questionable. On the other hand, Ava went and added NXT lifer and former champ Trick Williams as guest ref, meaning the most legit contender for the NXT Championship is really the guy in the stripes. 

Hendry has made a name for himself with TNA and on the independent scene, so it’s not a surprise that WWE has latched onto him as a challenger. However, there’s a TNA pay-per-view looming. One might think WWE would say there’s no way one of its championships can appear on another brand, much less loan the belt to talent from that brand. BUT it’s Hendry, who may or may not be signing with NXT/WWE soon, so maybe it’s in everybody’s best interests to let Hendry look awesome here, possibly after getting attacked on tonight’s TNA Emergence show. It’s unlikely, but also possible, and since that’s more fun than an expected win, I’m going with that outcome. Hendry wins due in no small part to some Williams interference, then drops the title to Trick soon in the match he promised Williams. Page can then swoop right back in if they want to keep him hot.

There, everybody ends up happy and TNA gets a nice bit of acknowledgement. 

Closing Up Shop

…in which I say goodbye for now

And that’s it! If you have questions, concerns, or comments, drop 'em in the comments section below! And follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, BlueSky and/or Instagram using the links on the right. Have fun this long Labor Day weekend, whatever you end up doing!

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

The SPOILER-FREE Let's Watch Some Wrestling AEW ALL IN Preview Blog!

 

Good Morning!

So it’s been tough sitting down to write lately. I don’t think I’ve been down on the products I keep up with -- if anything, I’m more excited for ALL IN than I’ve been for any show in a few months. I think it’s just a matter of the writing itself, you know? When I started things came really easily. I had a lot to say, AEW and WWE were doing interesting stuff, and I quickly found paying work in the field, so I was knocking out listicles for a website while also doing the blog as often as I could.

I don’t think I’m burnt out, per se. I still enjoy writing, and even though the paid work has gone from pro wrestling content to the tech, automotive, and tool articles I now write for SlashGear, I’m still having a good time writing those things since they’re in my wheelhouse. Also, I’m appreciative that ANYONE is willing to pay me to do this -- I’ve got limited experience and even less professional training, much less a degree. 

At the end of the day, though, it’s on me to keep doing this or to find something else. I’m incredibly fortunate in my personal life that I’m able to try to make this something, or to keep it what it is as I figure out what to do next. At nearly 45 years old I’m no spring chicken, but I also don’t want to believe that I can’t do anything new. I worked every position there was at an animal hospital for a decade after high school, until we got bought and I was replaced and forced out. Then I decided I’d learn to work on cars, spent an ungodly amount of money going to Lincoln Tech (because of a 3am commercial I watched while living with my dad) and working at four different shops over about 15 years. It was great, but it did a number on my body and really led me to have a different view of hard work -- going from more of an “I got mine” attitude to wanting to teach and help my younger coworkers and clients alike. And when that philosophy didn’t line up with what my last employer believed, I quit. My wife sent me and my best friend to a Royal Rumble, I started a blog, and here we are. 

The last several months have been a lot, which also makes it hard for me to settle down and write. My little friend Zelda -- we’ve talked a lot about her lately -- just brought me a tennis ball and is staring up at me as I write while enjoying a cigar in my garage, and keeps looking up hoping I’ll take a break and play. So, I’m gonna do that real quick, and then we’re going to get into the pro wrestling section of the Let’s Watch Some Wrestling blog -- a preview of this weekend’s big All Elite Wrestling show, All In, happening on Sunday in London, meaning a nice midday PPV for us here in the States.

It’s The Let’s Watch Some Wrestling ALL IN Preview!

[Ball was thrown, treats were distributed, Zelda is asleep at my feet.]

This year’s version of the show looks great. The crowd is, expectedly, smaller than last year’s, but that’s okay. AEW has had some smaller crowds and weaker storytelling over the last year, but I really feel like they’ve been on a roll these last few months. It’s still a big stadium show in an incredible venue, and this time around it feels like less of a showcase and more of a real card with long standing feuds coming to a head. As of this writing (an hour before Dynamite) we’ve got NINE matches set, with another one scheduled for the two hour (!) pre-show. I’d be willing to bet we’ll end up with at least 15 total when all is said and done, but that doesn’t preclude us from starting the preview now and adding more before I publish this on Friday…and I guess we’ll just hope Collision doesn’t add much more. 

ZERO HOUR: Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway versus Willow Nightingale and Tomohiro Ishii

This is the semi-finale of this long feud -- well, long for an AEW women’s rivalry anyways. The woman on the winning team will get to choose the stipulation for what I assume is the big blowoff match at All Out, the next AEW PPV that is coming in a couple weeks. One of the big complaints about last year’s All In / All Out setup is that there were literally six days between the shows, making ALL IN feel way more like an exhibition than a real fight card. This is the first in a number of rivalries that really feels earned, with Statlander relishing her heel character and Hathaway just leaning into his slimy manager persona. 

I think Statlander and Stoke will pick up the win here, because it makes more sense for the baddies to pick the stip and the most lovable face in all of pro wrestling to have to overcome the odds one more time. Ishii will chop the everloving shit out of Hathaway’s chest, and it’s gonna be hilarious/terrifying to watch -- and it’s important to remember that his reaction would be the same one 99% of us watching would have to a single one of those chops from the Stone Pitbull.

A Casino Gauntlet Match for a future AEW World Championship Match

With Orange Cassidy being the only named competitor in this gauntlet, it’s tough to pick a winner. However, AEW CEO Tony Khan made a point to say that there will be a ton of surprises appearing in this match, which always makes for a fun time. Popular opinion seems to be that Ricochet might make his debut for AEW here, and with talent from Mexico and Japan regularly appearing on AEW TV, who’s to say who’ll pop up? Smart money is on “Hangman” Adam Page to get the win and force his way into a match with longtime rival and current AEW champ Swerve Strickland, so I’ll go with him since HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG in his quest for vengeance against a man who literally did a home invasion and threatened his (admittedly unsupervised) baby during their last feud. 

“Timeless” Toni Storm © versus “The Glamour” Mariah May for the AEW Women’s World Championship

This might be the biggest storyline in All Elite Wrestling right now, Danielson’s retirement match notwithstanding. Toni Storm took a kinda dumb premise and transformed it into a heel you couldn’t help but love, a movie star from the silent era that somehow decided to become a pro wrestler. When Mariah May was folded into that story as Storm’s protege, we all knew the turn was coming, we just didn’t know who would do it or when. Mariah attacking Storm as May celebrated her victory (and the title shot that went with it) left Storm a bloody mess, and instantly elevated that partnership into a rivalry that these two earned. This match should be incredible, as both women are great wrestlers and storytellers. 

I think Mariah May almost has to win, as she’s a London native and deserving up-and-coming star. She’s also a legit star everywhere else she’s been, and while her promo work has been a little shaky she’s also not been given a lot of time to hone that skill in front of American crowds. I know folks more knowledgeable than me who followed her in Stardom, a Japanese women’s wrestling promotion, have more insight than me on her history, but as an AEW fan I think she’s just getting started, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next as her own superstar, rather than just Storm’s understudy. 

Maxwell Jacob Friedman © versus Will Ospreay for the AEW American Championship

MJF won the former AEW International Championship in a surprisingly (to me, anyway) divisive  hour-long match on Dynamite’s 500th show. The problem is that there are a number of fans that don’t like MJF OR Ospreay for a number of reasons, some personal and some professional. For someone who writes about this stuff on the internet, I guess I’m in the minority in that I don’t follow a whole lot of what these folks do outside of the TV shows. Which, while making me slightly uninformed on these behind-the-scenes goings-on, does mean I get to enjoy things without the specter of the performers being bastards in real life affecting my opinion. 

MJF has renamed the International Championship and, in the process, has become a jingoistic, thinly-veiled MAGA stereotype. Will Ospreay, a true generational talent in the ring, has been a baby-kissing, fan-loving good guy ever since he signed on to AEW’s full time roster. And even though Max just won the title a few weeks ago, the whole time-crunched storyline seems to be leading to our UK hero getting his win and his title back. The match will have a lot to live up to, and I can’t imagine they go another hour, so MJF and Ospreay will have to come up with a violent, hard-hitting affair that shows off both men’s strengths while also realizing that they aren’t the main event of this show. Given the pedigrees of both wrestlers, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Jack Perry © versus Darby Allin in a Coffin Match for the TNT Championship

I predicted Jack Perry bringing out a “real glass” coffin for this match, despite my general disdain for the Young Bucks’ insider jokes that seem to have leaked into most of AEW. But I like the Bucks aside from that. I like the Elite. I like Jack Perry, and this heel run has been incredible for him. Darby Allin is gonna get super murdered in this match, I think. After all, Perry just introduced a new title that he forged himself, reminiscent of that one guy we all know who learned how to make knives during the pandemic.

The match itself is probably going to be the most violent of the night, as these two have built up a healthy hatred of one another since Perry’s return. Darby doesn’t need a win here, and Perry is a great baddie who should hang on to gold (or whatever that belt is now) for a while.

Mercedes Moné versus Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. for the TBS Championship

You know, it’s okay to admit when you’re wrong. It’s also okay to change your opinions on stuff. I was VERY down on this match from the start, but the last couple weeks reminded me of a couple things. One, Mercedes is great in the ring, and that’s where the match takes place on Sunday. Her unending, insufferable promos will come to an end and we’ll see her in a real match against a real opponent with a real chance of winning, something we haven’t really had since Willow Nightingale lost the TBS Championship to Mercedes. And Britt Baker is doing her part to keep this interesting as well, carrying that contract signing on Dynamite and generally letting Mercedes heel it up and play to her strengths. I love the Diesel/HBK dynamic between Moné and Kamille too, and I’m really hoping Baker gets her muscle back in a returning Jamie Hayter, in Wembley Stadium, to a huge pop. 

All that being said, is it too soon for Moné to lose? I don’t think so. I don’t think it tarnishes her in any way to lose to the best homegrown performer in her division, and I think she’ll have a lot of fun blaming anyone and anything other than herself for her loss. So I’m going with Dr.  Britt Baker for the win here, with a returning Jamie Hayter to boot. One last note -- on her graphic, it says “Hayter Hits Hard,” but “Hayter Hits Harder” just rolls off the tongue better! But I digress…

Chris Jericho © versus HOOK in a Last Chance Match for the FTW Championship

Full disclosure: I jump around a lot when I write these previews. Sometimes I just have an idea of what I want to say, other times I just don’t want to write about a match. This one falls squarely in the latter category, and it’s the last entry for me. I do not like this version of Chris Jericho. And it’s not that I don’t “get” what he’s trying to do with the character, I just think it’s shitty to take a natural fan reaction to a real problem with a performer, and to decide the best way to address it is to just let said performer hang around and eat up TV time while acknowledging the fans’ dislike. 

But whatever. Jericho remains, as always. I love Big Bill and Brian Keith in their roles, and the inevitable breakup of yet another Jericho stable will hopefully lead to some great pushes for both of those guys. 

One-eyed HOOK hasn’t been super great either, but we already knew he wasn’t great on the mic. He’s a silent killer, a man so confident in his abilities that he turns his back on his opponents before his matches. His character has betrayed that lately, and it’s suffered for it. Give the kid an eyepatch, let these two have a short, hard-hitting match with the usual Jericho hijinks, interference, and creative weaponry. Get Taz’s title back in the family with a HOOK victory. Maybe bring Shibata and Samoa Joe back (if possible) to even the odds.

The Young Bucks © versus FTR versus The Acclaimed in a Three Way Tag Team Match for the AEW Tag Team Championship

I want to care about this match, since AEW was built on the importance of the tag team division when it was born. But with the cartoonishly evil corporate Bucks only popping up part-time, the unending FTR push, and the Acclaimed just not doing it for me lately I can’t. I’m sure I’ll enjoy the match, as all three teams can go in the ring. But does it matter if the Bucks keep the gold? They’ll still be EVPs, with all the rules-bending that allows. FTR holding the titles again means more of the same matches they’ve had before. And the Acclaimed seem closer to a breakup than a championship run. So I’ll go with the Young Bucks retaining, and hope I have some fun while watching this one.

The Patriarchy © versus Bang Bang Gang versus House of Black versus TBD in a Four Way London Ladder Match for the AEW World Trios Championship

This one is gonna rip. I know a lot of folks say they’re over ladder matches but this collection of talent is perfect for this format. Christian and sons are gonna have their hands full with teams consisting of *checks notes* a cocaine-addled gremlin and Billy Gunn’s kids, a literal death cult, and whatever other trio is pulled from the aforementioned gauntlet match to toss themselves around for this.

I don’t feel like there’s any straight-up good guys in this fight, although recently the Bang Bang Gang has been the closest to “morally upstanding.” I would rather the Patriarchy retain here, and save the big face pops for big face wins. 

Swerve Strickland © versus Bryan Danielson in a Title Versus Career Match for the AEW World Championship

I love that I have no idea what’s gonna happen here. We’ve been told Bryan Danielson’s family will be at ringside, and this whole year has put the American Dragon’s work in the looming shadow of his impending retirement from full-time work. (Speaking of, I thought it was great of Swerve to mention that little caveat by promising to hunt Danielson down on the indies or internationally if he ever decides to set foot in a wrestling ring again.) I respect the hell out of this obsessed professional wrestler who promised his daughter that he would call it quits when she reached a certain age, and I hope he’s able to do so. 

That being said, maybe now isn’t the time. Maybe Danielson, so well known for wanting to put his opponents over and refusing to win a championship time and time again, deserves to have a run as AEW World Champion before he’s done, both for the fans and for his own legacy. Maybe a few months as champ before dropping the title and calling it a career closer to home at Wrestle Dream is the move. 

I don’t feel like any of this would affect Swerve Strickland in the slightest. He’s got an angry cowboy hellbent on revenge nipping at his heels. He’s never been a truly upstanding champ, more of the “shades of gray” type of character that AEW loves to push. And Hangman Page, who has done nothing wrong, deserves his pound of flesh after this man literally invaded his home and threatened his child! Strickland has had a strong title run, albeit one that had a rocky start as (mostly bad-faith) arguments said he was booked weakly by not opening and closing every show immediately after winning the title from Samoa Joe. He’s looked like a true champ every time he cuts a promo, his matches are entertaining, and he rarely resorts to the cheap wins that many a heel champion relies on to retain their titles.

I keep going back and forth on this one. Danielson’s passionate promo after Swerve once again brought up Danielson’s family didn’t help matters -- I was locked in on Strickland prior to that. Now, I see Danielson winning clean in front of his family. Or the Hangman somehow costing Strickland his championship, keeping his promise to take everything Swerve cares about, no matter the cost. AEW often has a problem with its TV matches in that we can guess the winner pretty easily. Their pay-per-views, this one in particular, have been more nuanced, leaving people who write or fantasy book a ton of wiggle room to argue about plausible outcomes. 

But, in the name of accountability, I’ll say Bryan Danielson wins the AEW World Championship to close out ALL IN with the biggest YES! chant in recent memory.

And that’s it!

Enjoy the weekend, and I hope you’re as successful avoiding spoilers for Rampage and Collision as I’ve been. I’m really looking forward to ALL IN and I hope I see some of you liveskeeting on BlueSky. I tend to be quieter for PPVs because I have my buddy Adam over for them, but I’ll still pop in. And if you’ve got predictions, post them in the comments or mention me on social media with yours!

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