The Elite “haven’t heard anything” from AEW regarding the ongoing investigation into their backstage altercation with CM Punk and Ace Steel at All Out.
Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks have been suspended from the promotion since the incident. Our own Dave Meltzer addressed the situation in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“Regarding the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, they all hadn’t heard anything from the company at least as of a few days ago,” Meltzer wrote.
It is believed that potential legal action and another unknown hold-up are preventing things from moving forward.
Meltzer continued, “the belief is that their situation is on hold pending potential legal action, which unless cleared up, could delay things for some time and there is also a second hold up that hasn’t been made clear.”
Matt Jackson recently caused some speculation regarding the Young Bucks potentially returning to AEW in the near future. He posted a short message to Instagram Stories saying that he looked forward to seeing fans “very soon.”
“Thank you so much guys for everything and the last 18 years. You guys have supported us and been so great to us, and I really can’t wait to see you guys very soon,” Jackson said.
According to Dave Meltzer in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the total pay-per-view buy estimate for last Sunday’s AEW All Out is between 135,000 and 142,000.
Regardless of where the final number rests in that range, it marks a substantial drop from last year’s event which generated 205,000 buys.
The range includes both streaming and cable/satellite, the latter of which is estimated on early returns because of the longer time period in which those linear providers take in finalizing everything. Meltzer did say the estimate is based on less information than usual.
A key difference between the two years is that WWE ran two shows during Labor Day weekend with Saturday’s Clash at the Castle and Sunday’s WWE NXT Worlds Collide — a move AEW head Tony Khan took umbrage with at the post-event press conference.
Last year’s show also was was CM Punk’s first in-ring action in seven+ years.
Tony Khan was not happy that WWE ran 2 shows during All Out weekend!!
All Out drew 9100 (8800 paid) and over $1 million at the gate — the company’s third-straight PPV that has hit or that dollar mark. Meltzer noted AEW became the second North American wrestling company in history to do three $1 million gates in a calendar year.
“It was about 150 to 200 tickets shy of a sellout as not all the late released tickets were sold. From a secondary market standpoint, the pricing and interest level was the best for a company show this year,” he wrote.
Meltzer also offered the following:
“(The PPV number) was well below both Revolution and Double or Nothing, but it would have been considered a very good number for a show prior to last year’s All Out. The reality is the company is not as hot. WWE putting on two shows that weekend didn’t help. It broke the streak Tony Khan was so proud of where every show in AEW history has beat the same named show from the prior year.
That streak was going to be broken because there was no way this was getting near 205,000 buys which they got due to it being CM Punk’s first match back.
At the press conference, Khan noted that digital buys indicated a number above Forbidden Door and at or near Double or Nothing, and said three major shows over the weekend instead of one was part of the reason. Others with knowledge of digital numbers indicated the range is probably where it will wind up or perhaps a bit higher than that estimate.
On the flip side, this number would be lower than expected and hoped for because there was not as much interest in the show as compared to the other shows other than Forbidden Door which was going to do a smaller number overall but actually was considered a great success for the nature of the show.”
Bobby Fish has issued an “invitation” to CM Punk for a fight.
Fish addressed the confrontation between CM Punk and the Elite backstage at AEW All Out during an episode of The Undisputed podcast released on Tuesday.
“Let’s just make this a formal invitation to Phil,” Fish said. “I’m down, if that’s the direction he wants to go and I mean, he can pick the time, the place, we can do it in Chicago.”
Fish was then asked to clarify if he was challenging CM Punk to a fight.
“I mean that would be kind of fun, right? It can be boxing, it could be kickboxing, it can be MMA. I mean, we can do this bare-knuckled, whatever sounds good to Phil. He can pick the weight, he can pick the place, like I said, whatever he wants to do but yeah, let’s make it official.”
Fish also revealed that he had pitched for AEW to allow him to do a kickboxing fight while he was under contract to the promotion.
“Since May, I have tried to get Tony Khan to sit down with me, no less than five times, to ask permission to do a kickboxing fight. It was actually something that I talked with other people in the company about but I could never nail Tony down. In Tony’s defense, he’s a busy man, especially on TV days. It is what it is but I wanted permission to do a fight and I couldn’t get there with Tony. Now, it’s no secret I don’t need anyone’s permission at this point, so yeah, let’s make this s**t official, Phil.”
“Phil, let’s f***ing go! I think that’s how someone else would say it,” Fish continued. “CM Punk, Bobby Fish, let’s fight, why not?”
Fish also spent some time on the podcast speaking about his relationship with The Young Bucks.
“I love those guys, I love them. They are good people, they got kids, they got wives, they are God-fearing good human beings.”
He also clarified that he’s not challenging Punk to a fight, he’s issuing an invitation.
“It’s not even a challenge, dude, it’s an invitation. It’s an invitation because at the end of the day, like, who am I? I’m nobody.”
Fish also addressed Ace Steel allegedly having thrown a chair at Nick Jackson and bitten Kenny Omega.
“I know Ace and that’s surprising to hear,” Fish said.
There are differing stories as to who started the fight between CM Punk, Ace Steel, the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega after Sunday’s AEW All Out press conference.
Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez gave some additional updates and discussed the situation on Monday night’s Wrestling Observer Radio which you can listen to on YouTube.
They said there is no dispute that Punk punched the Bucks’ Matt Jackson (Meltzer said multiple times), that Steel threw a chair that hit the Bucks’ Nick Jackson, or that Steel bit Omega and pulled his hair.
However, there is one side that claims Punk threw the first punch when the Bucks came into the room where the brawl broke out while the other side claims the Bucks were the aggressors and Punk and Steel were defending themselves.
Both Meltzer and Alvarez said they have reached out to all principals involved, but no one is allowed to talk pending legal issues. Meltzer said in talking to neutral parties, all but one person had the same account of what happened.
Meltzer said he was told there was still yelling between all sides even after the fight was broken up. He could not confirm the rumor that Punk was hurt during the fight.
They reiterated this situation is not a work and that police were involved that night.
Alvarez said at first, there were a small number of people in the room and then a large amount of people when the fight broke out. Both Meltzer and Alvarez said those who witnessed what happened will have to talk to AEW personnel and legal regarding what happened.
Both were unsure how Tony Khan and his team are going to handle the situation before Wednesday’s Dynamite in Buffalo, New York. Meltzer opined that if something happens to Steel, Punk will want to walk given it’s his longtime friend and original trainer.
On Sunday, Punk regained the AEW World title while Omega & the Bucks won the inaugural Trios titles.
More details have emerged regarding an altercation between CM Punk, Ace Steel, Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks following the explosive Punk AEW All Out post-event press conference.
Punk didn’t mention the Bucks or Omega by name in his pointed comments, but mentioned issues with the executive vice presidents of which the Bucks’ Matt & Nick Jackson are along with Omega.
According to multiple sources that lined up with some of Fightful’s reporting, there was a fight backstage afterward with Punk allegedly starting things by swinging fists at the Bucks’ Matt Jackson. Punk trainer/friend and AEW producer Steel (part of the storyline that got Punk into Sunday’s Jon Moxley match) threw a chair that hit the Bucks’ Nick Jackson in the eye and blackened it. Steel (Chris Guy) allegedly bit Omega and grabbed his hair.
As of this writing, no one involved, nor AEW, has commented publicly about the alleged incident, part of which is due to potential legal issues.
Fightful reported Monday night that Steel isn’t expected back with the company.
Some other notes from a Fightful report Monday night:
FTR, who are friends with Punk, weren’t in the building when all this was happening.
Steel’s wife was there taking care of Punk’s dog, Larry
During the aforementioned media session, Punk targeted Colt Cabana, “irresponsible people that call themselves EVPs,” Hangman Page and even MJF.
After bringing up and expounding on his issues with Cabana (Scott Colton), Punk said the following:
“Now, it’s 2022. I haven’t been friends with this guy since at least 2014, late 2013. The fact that I have to sit up here because we have irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs and couldn’t f*cking manage a Target and they spread lies and bullsh*t and put into the media that I got somebody fired when I have f*ck all to do with him, want nothing to do with him, do not care where he works, where he doesn’t work, where he eats, where he sleeps. And the fact that I have to get up here and do this in 2022 is f*cking embarrassing. And if y’all are at fault, f*ck you. If you’re not, I apologize.
What did I ever do in this world to deserve an empty-headed f*cking dumb f*ck like Hangman Adam Page to go out on national television and f*cking go into business for himself? For what? What did I do? What did I ever do? Didn’t do a goddamn thing.”
AEW Tag Team Champions Swerve In Our Glory were talking to the media after Punk and a reporter caught security running backstage around the time the incident likely would have taken place.
An injury to Christian Cage led to his match against Jungle Boy being kept short at All Out on Sunday.
Our own Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer addressed Christian’s status on Sunday’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
“I don’t know what Christian Cage’s injury is but Christian Cage is hurt,” Alvarez said. “He couldn’t do the match and I was told it’s serious.”
“The reason there was no match was because Christian couldn’t wrestle,” Meltzer added.
Christian came out for the match with his arm in a brace. In storyline, his arm was injured when Jungle Boy slammed it into the steel steps on the August 17 edition of Dynamite.
At All Out on Sunday, Christian defeated Jungle Boy in a match that went 33 seconds. During his ring entrance, Jungle Boy was attacked by Luchasaurus and choke slammed on the stage area. Luchasaurus would then powerbomb Jungle Boy through a table. Once Jungle Boy was able to get to his feet and the match began, Christian speared him and gave him the Killswitch for the win.
The AEW President isn’t commenting on what Malakai Black’s current status with the company is.
Following the six-man tag match between the House of Black and Sting, Darby Allin, and Miro at All Out, Black took a bow and blew a kiss to the crowd. This did not air on the pay-per-view broadcast. Tony Khan was asked about Black’s actions during the post-event media scrum.
“I’m not sure, I can’t comment on that, though. That was for the live fans and it definitely got some people talking, so it is a thing that happened but no I can’t comment on that,” he said.
Our own Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer addressed the situation during Sunday’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
“I think he’s done,” Meltzer said about Black.
“I don’t know if he’s done because Tony was asked about it and Tony didn’t answer, he said he couldn’t talk about it,” Alvarez added. “And if he’s not leaving why didn’t he just say, ‘No, he’s here.'”
“What’s interesting about it is that like two weeks ago, a week and a half ago, when it was brought up, ‘Oh, Triple H is back and he’s going to want all these guys back,’ and the two names [Khan] mentioned were Adam Cole and Malakai Black and he said they are under contract for five more years, four more years basically,” Meltzer said.
“Here we are two weeks later and Malakai Black’s waving goodbye or seemingly waving goodbye. If it was him just blowing a kiss and it means nothing, Tony wouldn’t have said, ‘I can’t talk about it,'” Meltzer continued.
“We are under the presumption he’s gone, it is not official that he’s gone. I’ve heard his name mentioned as far as rumors about wanting to be gone so a lot of stuff seems to add up. But we can not confirm that he’s gone but he certainly gave the impression that he was and Tony didn’t say anything that would make you think differently.”
After winning the AEW World Championship in the main event of All Out, CM Punk continued to make headlines at the post-show media scrum.
There was a moment near the start of the scrum where Punk questioned if one of the reporters was friends with Colt Cabana. That led to Punk addressing his issues with Cabana, Hangman Page, and “irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs.”
I haven’t had anything to do with Scott Colton [Colt Cabana] in almost a decade. Probably wanted nothing to do with him even longer than that. It’s f*cking unfortunate that I have to come up here and speak on this when I’m on my time and this is a f*cking business. Why I’m a grown ass adult man and I decide not to be friends with somebody is nobody else’s f*cking business. But my friends, if I fall backwards, will catch me. Scott Colton, I felt, never would have.
My problem was I wanted to bring a guy with me to the top that did not want to see me at the top, okay? You [can] call it jealousy, you call it envy, whatever the f*ck it is. My relationship with Scott Colton ended long before I paid all of his bills. I have every receipt. I have every invoice. I have every email. I have the email where he says — and I quote, ‘I agree to go our separate ways, I will get my own lawyer and you do not have to pay anymore.’ That’s an email that I have. And the only reason the public did not see is because when I finally had to countersue him, through discovery we discovered he shared a bank account with his mother. That’s a fact. And as soon as we discovered that fact and we subpoenaed ol’ Marcia, he sent the email ‘Oh, can we please drop all this?’
Now, it’s 2022. I haven’t been friends with this guy since at least 2014, late 2013. The fact that I have to sit up here because we have irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs and couldn’t f*cking manage a Target and they spread lies and bullsh*t and put into the media that I got somebody fired when I have f*ck all to do with him, want nothing to do with him, do not care where he works, where he doesn’t work, where he eats, where he sleeps. And the fact that I have to get up here and do this in 2022 is f*cking embarrassing. And if y’all are at fault, f*ck you. If you’re not, I apologize.
What did I ever do in this world to deserve an empty-headed f*cking dumb f*ck like Hangman Adam Page to go out on national television and f*cking go into business for himself? For what? What did I do? What did I ever do? Didn’t do a goddamn thing.
It’s not [Tony Khan’s] position to make it very f*cking clear [that Punk didn’t have anything to do with Cabana being moved to ROH]. There’s people who call themselves EVPs that should have f*cking known better. This sh*t was none of their business. I understand sticking up for your f*cking friends, I f*cking get it, I stuck up for that guy [Cabana] more than anybody. Okay? I paid his bills until I didn’t and it was my decision not to.
I’m trying to run a f*cking business. And when somebody who hasn’t done a damn thing in this business jeopardizes the first $1 million house that this company has ever drawn off of my back and goes on national television and does that, it’s a disgrace to this industry, it’s a disgrace to this company. Now, we’re far beyond apologies. I gave him a f*cking chance. It did not get handled, and you saw what I had to do, which is very regrettable, lowering myself to his f*cking level. But that’s where we’re at right now. And I will still walk up and down this hallway and say, ‘If you have a f*cking problem with me, take it up with me.’ Let’s f*cking go.
Punk said later in the scrum that Cabana doesn’t deserve to have Punk say his name. Punk said Vince McMahon and Cabana are the two people who have made the most money off of the name CM Punk.
This May, Cabana signed a new contract with AEW and it was noted that he was “earmarked” to be part of the ROH roster. Dave Meltzer wrote at the time that Cabana being moved to ROH “may be in some form be related to his issues” with Punk. Meltzer wrote that AEW EVPs The Young Bucks pushed for Cabana to be signed to the new deal.
Punk saying that Page went into business for himself is a reference to a promo that Page cut prior to their AEW World Championship match at Double or Nothing this May. During the promo, Page talked about saving AEW from Punk.
Punk defeated Page to win the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing but had to vacate the title just days later due to a broken foot. After losing a unification match to interim champion Jon Moxley on Dynamite two weeks ago, Punk defeated Moxley at All Out to again become AEW World Champion.
After more than three months away, MJF has returned and has new AEW World Champion CM Punk in his sights.
Minutes after Punk had defeated Jon Moxley to regain the title for a second time, the lights went out and a voicemail from Tony Khan to MJF played. The AEW head told MJF that being gone was screwing over the fans and for his final offer, he would give him a spot in the Casino ladder match, more money, and he didn’t have to sign a contract extension if he would return at All Out.
It then cut to footage of a Punk promo from his ROH days talking about “the devil you know” followed by another cut to the masked figure that won the Casino ladder match to open the PPV. He removed the mask but didn’t immediately show his face. He then said he was the devil before putting on his Burberry scarf.
MJF then walked out on the stage and motioned around his waist for the title, saying it was his. Punk raised the title up and the show ended.
While the group didn’t come out at the end, it appears MJF is aligned with Stokely Hathaway, Ethan Page, Gunn Club, W. Morrissey and Lee Moriarty given what happened in the aforementioned ladder match.
The two had a notable feud earlier this year that ended when Punk defeated MJF in a dog collar match at March’s Revolution.
Following his loss to Wardlow at Double or Nothing that punctuated a weekend where it was unclear if MJF would even appear due to contract issues, MJF cut a scathing promo on Tony Khan and AEW on the subsequent Dynamite and then disappeared for three months. That led many to wonder what his status with the company was as he went dark on social media and Khan didn’t answer questions about him.
Punk regains the title
The angle followed a violent battle between Punk and Moxley that saw Punk bleeding profusely from a shot into the stairs on the outside, opened up further by Moxley’s elbows.
Moxley rolled for most of the early portions of the match with Punk favoriting his foot at times. Punk regained the advantage, but by the end, both men were exhausted with a defeat coming at any time.
After a first GTS knocked Moxley out on top of a kneeling Punk, Punk later hit a second GTS that got him the win. The loss ends Moxley’s short reign as undisputed champion after defeating Punk in three minutes on Dynamite nearly two weeks ago to unify the lineal and interim titles.
Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks are the first-ever AEW World Trios Champions.
Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson defeated Hangman Page, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds in the World Trios title tournament finals Sunday at All Out to become the first champs.
The finish of the title match left plenty of room for interpretation and future stories, as Page clipped Silver with a Buckshot Lariat when Omega rolled out of the way to lead to the finish. Page is a former member of The Elite, and once held AEW’s World Tag Team titles with Omega. The two also faced off for the AEW World title at Full Gear in November 2021, with Page defeating Omega for that championship in Omega’s last match before a nine-month hiatus due to injury.
The Elite defeated Andrade El Idolo & Rush & Dragon Lee in the eight-team tournament’s first round, United Empire’s Will Ospreay & Aussie Open in round two, then defeated Page and Dark Order in the finals on their way to the Trios titles.
After taking an extended absence due to a storyline injury while he was filming Peacock’s Twisted Metal, Joe returned at Sunday’s All Out to help back up FTR and Wardlow.
Joe was last seen in action at July’s Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view picking up a title defense win over Jay Lethal.
Following their win over Lethal and the Motor City Machine Guns, Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh and the heels were about to jump FTR and Wardlow when Joe’s music hit. He walked down to the ring and nailed Singh in the stomach and hit him with the title belt on his back while everyone else ran away.
Lethal, Dutt and Singh had taken out Joe after the Dishonor match in an attack shown on the following Dynamite.
They were able to grab Dutt and throw him back in the ring which brought out Dax Harwood’s eight-year-old daughter as Dutt had insulted her as of late. She snapped his pencil, the faces took out Dutt, and she pinned him with her foot on his chest.
Filming wrapped last month on Twisted Metal where Joe is co-play the character of Sweet Tooth alongside Will Arnett.
In a story that may play out before the night is over, the joker in the Casino ladder match that opened Sunday’s AEW All Out won the bout while both never climbing the ladder and never revealing himself.
Just before time ran out for the joker spot, six fully masked men in black stormed the ring and took out the other competitors (Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Rush, Penta El Zero Miedo, Dante Martin, Rey Fenix and Andrade).
One climbed to the top of the ladder, retrieved the poker chip, and revealed himself to be Stokely Hathaway. The rest of the group then revealed themselves to be the Gunn Club, Ethan Page, Lee Moriarty and W. Morrissey — all recent Hathaway signings.
Hathaway then climbed down and as the time ran out for the joker, the Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil played and a masked man, also in black and wearing a white devil mask, walked down to the ring and took the chip from Hathaway to officially win the match and a future AEW World title match.
Speculation on social media is that the masked man is MJF.
AEW’s Ruby Soho suffered a broken nose in the opening match of Sunday’s All Out Zero Hour event.
Soho’s injury came at the conclusion of the Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo vs. Ortiz and Soho AAA Mixed Tag Team title match as Soho took a Tay KO from Melo directly to the face. Soho immediately covered her face with her hands as Melo pinned her, then was checked on by referee Rick Knox. Soho continued to hold her hands over her face as she left the ringside area.
Earlier in the contest, Soho took an awkward landing on her neck, and also landed awkwardly on a superplex to the floor spot, appearing to land with her tailbone directly on the floor.
Melo and Guevara won the match to retain the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship, concluding the Guevara and Melo vs. Ortiz and Soho trilogy that began on the August 26 Rampage episode.
AEW All Out, historically their best selling pay-per-view of the year, returns to the Chicago area, headlined by a rematch between AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and CM Punk.
The inaugural AEW Trios Champions will be crowned as The Elite’s Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks will face Hangman Page & Dark Order.
An interim AEW Women’s Champion will be crowned as former champions Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida join Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm in a four-way.
TBS Champion Jade Cargill defends against Athena, and AEW Tag Team Champions Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland defend against The Acclaimed.
There will also be an eight-man Casino Ladder match featuring a mystery joker enrant.
In a quadrant of grudge matches, Bryan Danielson battles Chris Jericho; Christian Cage takes on Jungle Boy; Darby Allin, Sting & Miro go up against the House of Black; and Ricky Starks goes one-on-one with Powerhouse Hobbs.
In another trios match, FTR & TNT Champion Wardlow take on Jay Lethal & the debuting Motor City Machine Guns.
The pre-show will feature four matches that include Eddie Kingston, an AEW All-Atlantic title match, and more.
**********
Zero Hour report —
Excalibur and Tony Schiavone were on commentary for the Zero Hour pre-show.
Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo were backstage, and Guevara thought Chicago just wanted to see them kiss. They were interrupted by some loud honking, which ended up being Ortiz and Ruby Soho on a golf cart. Ortiz practically ran Guevara over and he and Ruby brought their opponents to the ring to start the match.
AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championships: Sammy Guevara & Tay Melo (c) defeated Ortiz & Ruby Soho [7:22]
With the match underway, Guevara was able to dispatch Ortiz, but Ruby continued to attack him. Guevara countered a hurricanrana attempt and Tay kicked her out for a hard landing. Ruby returned fire with a backdrop suplex, allowing her to reach Ortiz for the tag.
Ortiz strung together some offense, but then Guevara and Tay worked together to allow Tay hit an assisted destroyer on Ortiz. Guevara, busted open, followed it up with a senton bomb for two.
Anna Jay ran out and tried to interfere, but Ruby sent her into the steel steps. Ortiz and Ruby countered their opponents’ respective finishers into a slam for two. Ruby climbed the ropes but was met up top by Tay, who superplexed her to the floor onto Guevara and Ortiz.
Back in the ring, Jay grabbed Ruby’s foot on a rope run, allowing Tay to hit a buckle bomb and the Tay-KO for the win.
**********
A video package hyped Bryan Danielson vs. Chris Jericho.
**********
Action Bronson, who performs HOOK’s theme, was shown at ringside.
HOOK outwrestled Parker after an aggressive lock-up. After a HOOK slam, Menard distracted the official, which allowed Parker to hit a closed-fist punch and a suplex for two. Parker beat down HOOK and jawed at him. HOOK stopped another Menard distraction and made a comeback with judo throws and an exploder.
Parker went for HOOK’s eyes again, but HOOK came back with another exploder. He locked on Redrum and Parker tapped immediately.
– After the match, Menard attacked HOOK and stomped him down in the corner. Action Bronson emerged from ringside to dispatch both members of 2point0. The heels were sent packing up the ramp as HOOK and Bronson celebrated.
**********
A video package hyped Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk for the AEW World Championship.
This match was strange. Both men hit some cool offense but the crowd didn’t really seem to know what to make of Kip Sabian.
Sabian outwrestled PAC early on, but taunting allowed PAC to get back into it. After a fast-paced exchange, a springboard enzuigiri allowed Sabian to take control. He followed it with an Arabian press to the outside. PAC returned fire with a brainbuster on the floor.
There was a long control segment for PAC. Sabian eventually came back with a strike combination and a German suplex, but PAC fired back with one of his own. He wanted the Black Arrow, but Sabian rolled out of the way and hit a tornado DDT followed by a slingshot suplex for two. Something like a Northern Lights bomb followed for two.
Sabian talked to the box at ringside. PAC dropped him with a strong forearm and laid in stomps. The Black Arrow followed for the win.
– After the match, PAC was about to be interviewed by Schiavone, but Orange Cassidy’s music played and he walked out. PAC cut Orange off before he said anything, saying “You are not a wrestler, you are a joke.”
Meanwhile, in the ring, Sabian was screaming at the cardboard box.
**********
Eddie Kingston defeated Tomohiro Ishii [13:43]
Exactly the match you’d expect from these two. It was great!
This was a rematch from their NJPW encounter back in May, which Ishii won. They immediately started trading chops, and continued to do so for a couple minutes. Ishii hit a series of chops, then Kingston fired up and smashed Ishii with one for a double down.
Ishii laid in his chop-forearm combination in the corner before eventually hitting the first suplex of the match. Kingston popped up and hit a suplex, a DDT, and a sliding D for two. He laid in even more hard chops, but Ishii shrugged them off and fired out of the corner with a shoulder block.
Kingston popped up off a soccer kick and they laid into each other with slaps, which the crowd loved. Kingston went for something off a rope run that didn’t work at all, so he sold his shoulder as if he was injured. They traded backdrop suplexes before Ishii hit a strong standing lariat. Simultaneous lariats led to the double down.
Once both men got back up, Kingston hit the Baba-esque falling lariat and a Tiger Driver for a near fall. Ishii popped up out of a half-and-half suplex but ran into a lariat for another two count. Ishii blocked the Uraken and hit an enzuigiri followed by a lariat for two. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for two more.
Kingston fought out of Ishii’s brainbuster and hit the Uraken for a great near fall. They traded more slaps, Kingston hit another Uraken, Ishii fired back with a headbutt, and Kingston hit a Northern Lights bomb for the win.
**********
AEW All Out report —
Commentary stayed with the team of Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz for the start of the show.
The unidentified Joker won the Casino Ladder Match [14:15]
The action was great and hard-hitting up until the finish, which was completely baffling. Someone unidentified (potentially MJF) getting a shot at the title you’ve promoted as the top championship in the business? Someone who’s part of Stokely Hathaway’s group, which has been presented as jobbers and jokes? I don’t get it. We’ll see. (Note after the main event angle: I’m glad we got the reveal before the show ended.)
The winner earns an AEW World Championship shot.
Wheeler YUTA and Rey Fénix were the first two entrants. Fénix immediately set up a ladder bridge, but YUTA sent him crashing into it before landing a tope suicida. Rush was next in as Fénix prevented YUTA from climbing the ladder. He sent YUTA into a ladder with an overhead belly-to-belly before taking out Fénix with a tope con giro.
Andrade El Idolo joined his partner Rush as the next man in the match. Rush was about to climb the ladder, but then he backed off, and he and Andrade set up a ladder bridge. before sending Fénix into it. They both started to climb, but YUTA pulled Rush down and met Andrade at the top. Andrade took out YUTA with a sick sunset powerbomb off the ladder onto a bridge.
Claudio was in next, and he pushed Andrade up and off the ladder to the floor. Dante Martin made his entrance, and he fought off both Fénix and Claudio. While he wrestled, YUTA set up a ladder in the ring, but Dante sprung to the ladder and dispatched YUTA. Claudio went for the pop-up uppercut, but Dante landed on the ladder on the exchange before they both spilled to the outside.
Penta was next in and he immediately crushed Dante with a destroyer on the ramp and Rush with a sling blade on the floor. He continued to run wild on everyone, taking out YUTA with a superkick and Claudio with a backstabber. Fénix cut off Rush with the rope-run kick before Penta hit Andrade with a destroyer on a ladder bridge. Fénix then hit a frog splash off the top turnbuckle, sending Rush through a table.
Claudio and YUTA climbed the ladder in the ring, but Dante sprung onto Claudio’s back. A group of masked men then ran into the ring and completely cleared the ring. One of them climbed the ladder in the center of the ring and grabbed the poker chip, and he unmasked as Stokely Hathaway. Everyone else unmasked as Lee Moriarty, Ethan Page, and the rest of Stokely’s crew.
A Rolling Stones song played, and someone in a devil mask walked out, taking the poker chip from Stokely. He was the Joker, and he won the match. He was about to unmask, but then he didn’t. What an odd ending.
**********
Don Callis joined commentary.
AEW World Trios Championships: The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson) (w/ Brandon Cutler & Michael Nakazawa) defeated Hangman Page & The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) [17:02]
This was, for my money, the best match of the stellar trios tourney and a match that even exceeded my already sky-high expectations. One of the best American trios matches in a long time.
Nick and Page wrestled to a stalemate at the start. Matt spat at Reynolds, which pissed him off. Eventually, we finally got our Omega/Page standoff, but before they could really get started, Silver tagged himself in and the Dark Order targeted Omega’s arm. Page hit a fallaway slam on Omega but ran into a superkick on a springboard clothesline attempt. The Bucks ran wild and took out the Dark Order.
The Elite cut the ring in half, isolating Page in their corner. Omega hit the Kotaro Crusher for two. Eventually, Page fought back and hit a Death Valley driver, allowing him to reach Silver for a tag. Silver ran wild on everyone including Cutler and Nakazawa before running into a soccer kick from Nick. Silver recovered and he and Reynoldss hit a tope suicida into a vertical suplex. The spin doctor followed for a near fall.
Matt fought off the Dark Order with a double Northern Lights suplex. Omega tagged in and hit a diving crossbody on Silver followed by snap dragon suplexes on Reynolds and Page. Silver cut Omega off and hit a kick combination, but Omega recovered to hit a third snap dragon.
Dark Order hit their quick combination concluded with a German into a jackknife pin for a good near fall. The Bucks stopped the Dark Order’s run, allowing Omega to hit the Terminator dive on all three opponents. Reynolds fought out of a powerbomb and Page took landed an Orihara moonsault, leading to the Dark Order hitting the pendulum bomb for another near fall — broken up by a senton bomb from Nick.
The Bucks and Silver and Reynolds all took each other out with a four way superkick. Page and Omega faced off in the ring and pulled their respective partners to the corner, tagging themselves in. They traded forearms and then running strikes before Omega hit the Jay Driller for a near fall.
Omega climbed the ropes, but Page met him up top and landed a moonsault powerslam. Page hit the Buckshot Lariat to the back of the head, then went for it to the front. Matt distracted Page, Omega collapsed on Page’s attempt, and Nick leveled Page with a Buckshot of his own. The Bucks hit the BTE trigger, but Reynolds broke it up at the very last second for a super hot near fall.
Page collapsed, avoiding a V-Trigger from Omega. Silver rolled up Omega for another great near fall. He went for the Brodie Lee discus forearm, Omega caught him and put him in the electric chair, but Silver rolled him up for yet another awesome near fall. Silver set Omega up for the Buckshot, but Omega rolled out of the way and Page smashed Silver, allowing Omega to cover to win as the Elite are the inaugural champions.
**********
There was a sit-down interview between Jade Cargill, the Baddies, and Athena moderated by Mark Henry. Athena said she’d win the TBS Championship for every woman in the back, but Jade wasn’t having it.
I thought this was the best Jade match yet. It wasn’t perfect by any means but it was very fast-paced and featured tons of high-impact offense, just like a classic Goldberg match.
Athena took the fight to Athena right away with a meteora. She hit the O-Face, but the Baddies pulled her out of the ring. The distraction allowed Jade to hit a Samoan Drop and a spear for two. Jade smashed Athena with a forearm and just tossed her across the ring, but Athena countered Jaded into a pinning predicament for two.
Jade countered another O-Face attempt into Jaded, but Athena reversed it and hit a thrust kick and a stunner for two. Jade reversed a spring board into a bicycle kick and hit Jaded for the win.
**********
Earlier today, Alex Marvez intercepted CM Punk and Ace Steel walking into the arena. He asked Punk if he was 100%, and Punk said he wasn’t, but Moxley isn’t just fighting Punk — he’s fighting Chicago.
**********
Wardlow & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) defeated Jay Lethal & The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) (w/ Sonjay Dutt & Satnam Singh) [17:59]
This was a strong trios match, albeit perhaps not quite as excellent as it seemed on paper. The post-match was so sweet.
Early on, Wardlow teased a powerbomb on Lethal, leading to MCMG running in and allowing Lethal to escape. FTR and MCMG faced off, with Dax fighting off both Guns and landing a short-armed clothesline on Sabin. Dax chased Sonjay all over the ring, allowing Sabin to hit Dax with a cutter.
FTR regained control and hit an assisted senton. Wardlow tagged in and took out both Guns with a double suplex. Dax locked on a Sharpshooter, but a distraction from Sonjay allowed Lethal’s team to take control and cradle Dax for two. They isolated Dax on their side of the ring with frequent tags and double teams.
Dax eventually reached Cash for the tag, and he ran wild on Shelley with a lariat and a bulldog. He countered Sliced Bread into a Gory bomb for two. Shelley fired back with a dropkick to Cash’s knee, which became the target of his team. Lethal locked on the Figure Four, but Cash fought out and reached Wardlow for the hot tag.
Wardlow tossed around all three opponents before hitting the F-10 on Lethal for a near fall. The Guns took out FTR with superkicks and a distraction from Sonjay allowed Satnam to whack Wardlow in the head for a near fall. Sabin landed a suicide dive on both of FTR as Lethal tied Wardlow up in the tree of woe.
After a triple team, Lethal landed a top rope elbow drop for two. FTR got back involved but were cut off with a double Lethal Injection. Wardlow crushed Lethal with a headbutt and a lariat before pulling the straps down. He set Lethal up and started with the Powerbomb Symphony. Four powerbombs later, Wardlow got the pin.
– After the match, Lethal and co. teased getting back in the ring, but Samoa Joe’s music played and he ran out. He took out Satnam with belt shots and they cornered Sonjay in the ring. Dax’s daughter snapped Sonjay’s pencil, Dax leveled him, and Dax’s daughter put her foot on Sonjay’s chest as the official counted three. What a great moment.
**********
Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Ricky Starks [5:12]
This was a dominant win for Hobbs, practically an extended squash. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Starks was on his way out.
Starks went right at Hobbs but was leveled as the big man targeted Starks’ midsection. It was all Hobbs in the early goings until Starks avoided a corner attack and laid in strikes. Starks hit a tornado DDT for two. He ran the ropes looking for the spear but Hobbs smashed him with a spinebuster for the quick win.
**********
Jim Ross joined commentary — but he didn’t replace Taz, who stayed.
AEW World Tag Team Championships: Swerve in our Glory (Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee) (c) defeated The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) (w/ Billy Gunn) [21:00]
This was the best Acclaimed match of all time by a country mile. They are maybe the most over act in the company. Swerve in our Glory did a great job working as heels and the crowd desperately wanted a title change. This exceeded even my highest expectations of what this would be.
The Acclaimed were so popular. After a quick Swerve and Bowens exchange, Lee and Caster tagged in. Caster laid in a strike combination and took Lee down with a hurricanrana. He and Bowens sent Lee and Swerve to the floor before “scissoring” in the ring.
Swerve cut Caster off and mocked The Acclaimed as he and Lee wrestled a bit heelish. Lee landed his hard overhand chops. Caster eventually escaped and reached Bowens for the hot tag. Bowens hit a neckbreaker on Swerve followed by a crossbody for two. He followed it with a Famouser, but couldn’t cover as he hurt his knee.
Bowens tried to recover with Billy, but Swerve kept up the relentless attack and mocked them. Swerve targeted Bowens’ injured knee as Swerve in our Glory isolated Bowens. Bowens eventually fought back with a blockbuster on Lee and reached Caster for the hot tag.
Caster fought off both of Swerve in our Glory with dives. A crossbody on Lee got two. Caster tried to put Lee up on his shoulders. Lee fought out, but he inadvertently Pounced Swerve out of the ring and Bowens nailed a shining wizard for two.
Bowens and Lee were alone in the ring. Bowens tried to string some offense together, but his knee gave out. Lee climbed the ropes, but Caster popped up and met him at the top. The Acclaimed took Lee down with a superplex, but Swerve cut Bowens off with a diving stomp and a single leg crab. Caster broke it up with a diving dropkick.
Swerve went for a springboard, but Bowens pulled him down and allowed Caster to hit a Mic Drop to the floor. Lee and Billy faced off, allowing Caster to hit an awesome Attitude Adjustment on Lee. Caster hit the Mic Drop on Swerve but Lee broke it up at the last second for an awesome near fall.
Caster and Swerve fought on the apron, where Swerve hit a Death Valley driver. Swerve hit a backbreaker on Bowens, who valiantly tried to fight off both of Swerve in our Glory. Lee had it under control, but Swerve inadvertently kicked Lee and Bowens rolled him up for yet another great near fall.
Swerve in our Glory recovered to hit the doomsday double stomp for the win.
– After the match, Lee and Billy “scissored,” but the crowd didn’t like it.
**********
AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm defeated Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D, Jamie Hayter, & Hikaru Shida [14:50]
This was a decent four-way match. The crowd was not into it at all for the majority of its runtime as they had to follow that wild tag title match, but they did get into the Baker and Hayter near falls at the end.
It was Shida and Hayter alone in the ring early on, but Baker got involved and then the four women traded cradles. There was lots of in-and-out offense with no one woman maintaining control for any extended period of time. Hayter hit a double suplex and then a double lariat on both Shida and Storm.
Storm and Shida had a back-and-forth exchange in the ring, laying into each other with shoulder blocks and forearms. Rebel got involved, leading to Shida and Storm taking her out with simultaneous headbutts. Baker and Hayter attacked Shida on the ramp, leading to the trainers coming out to check on her. Shida was brought to the back.
Back in the ring, Hayter and Baker choked out Storm. They took turns dominating Storm in the ring until Shida finally returned and started a comeback by dispatching Baker and hitting an outside-in suplex over the ropes on Hayter for two. They lost the crowd a bit until Baker and Hayter locked on a double pin for two.
Hayter and Shida were left standing in the ring, with Shida hitting a step-up enzuigiri and a falcon arrow for two. There was a parade of big moves with the women interrupting each other’s pinning predicaments, concluded with Baker hitting the curb stomp for a good near fall.
Storm sent Baker to the floor, then Hayter dispatched Storm and hit the ripcord lariat. She had it won, but Baker pulled the official out of the ring. Hayter was incensed. Storm hit her with the Storm Zero, but Baker pulled her away and covered for a great near fall. Storm sent Baker packing with a DDT and hit the same on Hayter for the win.
*********
Before the match, Jungle Boy’s mom gave Christian a slap at ringside.
Jungle Boy was billed as “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry. During Jungle Boy’s entrance, Luchasaurus turned on him and chokeslammed him on the steel grates on the ramp. He then planted him through a table with a high cross.
Christian Cage defeated “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry [0:33]
The bell rang, and Christian hit a spear, but Jungle Boy kicked out. Christian then hit the Killswitch for the win.
**********
Death Triangle vs. Best Friends was announced for this week. The two teams were backstage, and PAC continued to dismiss and mock Orange Cassidy.
*********
William Regal joined commentary.
Chris Jericho defeated Bryan Danielson [22:59]
This was not as good as its billing. The crowd wasn’t invested, the work was often a struggle (not in a hardworking way but in a “this is difficult” way), and the finish was deflating. A low blow finish on PPV? I get the Garcia angle that Jericho won the “wrong way,” but I prefer PPVs to have great matches that conclude stories in a natural way. This was the 2nd straight match with a TV angle disguised as a PPV finish.
During their lockup, Daniel Garcia was shown backstage looking on. Danielson was able to attack with some quick stomps, forcing Jericho to roll to the floor and regroup. He continued to outwrestle Jericho, gaining mount control, but backing off. Danielson fought out of a submission and laid in ground and pound before Jericho negated an armbar attempt.
They traded chops until Jericho hit a double underhook backbreaker. Danielson briefly fought back, but Jericho cut him off and hit his springboard dropkick. Danielson countered a plancha with a knee before following it up with a diving knee strike.
Back in the ring, Danielson laid in Yes kicks, but Jericho countered into the Walls. After a long fight, Danielson escaped and landed a tope suicida. Danielson climbed the ropes, Jericho avoided a diving headbutt, but Danielson avoided the Lionsault and went for the LeBell Lock. They jockeyed for position until Jericho hit a tombstone piledriver and a Lionsault for two.
Danielson fired back and kicked Jericho’s head in. He applied the LeBell lock, but Jericho somehow fought out of it and got the Walls. Danielson transitioned into a triangle, forcing Jericho to reach the ropes. Danielson ran the ropes, but Jericho turned it into something of a Codebreaker for two.
Jericho applied the Liontamer, but Danielson reached the ropes. Danielson mostly flipped out of a German suplex and hit the Busaiku knee for a near fall. Danielson locked on Cattle Mutilation, but Jericho reached the ropes. He laid in repeated kicks until Jericho rolled him up for two. Danielson laid in hammer-and-anvil elbows, but then Jericho low blowed Danielson with the official’s view obscured. He covered for the win.
– After the match, Jericho celebrated with the Jericho Appreciation Society.
**********
Darby Allin, Sting, & Miro defeated House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, & Buddy Matthews) [13:25]
This was a fun match with lots of cool spots, Darby bumping all over the place, and Sting being Sting.
Miro and Black started off. Buddy quickly tagged in but was back body dropped by Miro, who wouldn’t tag Darby in, instead planting Buddy again. Darby finally got in and he and Buddy had a rapid exchange, but Malakai tagged in and took Darby out with a high kick. House of Black completely dominated Darby, ragdolling him around the ring and the ringside area.
Darby eventually reached Sting for the hot tag. The big man ran wild on everyone, hitting repeated Stinger Splashes. He fought off Buddy and King to lock on the Scorpion Deathlock. Sting shrugged off repeated strikes until Malakai applied a knee bar. Miro tried to drag them to the ropes, but Buddy cut him off with a kick.
Buddy avoided a tackle from Miro and sent him into the steel steps. Darby took him out with a tope suicida. Inside the ring, Black set up for the spin kick, but Sting hit him with the mist and Darby locked on the Last Supper cradle for the win.
**********
Daniel Garcia was backstage with Schiavone and asked about being absent during Jericho’s celebration. Jericho walked up and asked where he was. Garcia didn’t give him a satisfactory answer, so Jericho said they wouldn’t be at ringside for his ROH Pure Championship match this week.
AEW Dynamite (7/7) lineup —
ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler YUTA (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
Death Triangle vs. Best Friends
**********
AEW World Championship: CM Punk (c) defeated Jon Moxley [20:03]
This was a classic AEW pay-per-view main event with a ridiculously hot crowd and some stellar near falls. The post-match angle was exactly what the fans wanted.
They jockeyed for position right away before Punk hit the high kick — this time, his foot didn’t go out. A quick exchange later and Punk hit the GTS for an awesome early near fall. Punk was so popular, as expected in Chicago.
Punk landed a tope suicida and they brawled into the stands. Back towards the ring, Punk sent Moxley into the steel steps, but Moxley returned fire and busted Punk open. Punk was bleeding all over the place, a true crimson mask. Moxley continued to lay in chops and forearms until Punk came back with his rising knee. Moxley stopped the bulldog follow-up and attacked Punk’s surgically repaired leg.
Moxley locked on a modified deathlock, and Punk was only able to escape by raking at Moxley’s eyes. That wasn’t enough to gain control as Moxley continued to target Punk’s leg. Moxley hit a piledriver for two. Punk regained control by sending Moxley into the ring post and applied the Anaconda Vise. Moxley escaped and kicked Punk’s head in.
Punk climbed the ropes and went for a diving elbow, but Moxley locked on a rear naked choke before transitioning into the Bulldog choke. Punk escaped and hit another high kick, but Moxley quickly fired back with a rebound lariat for the double down.
They traded finisher attempts before Punk laid in punches and hit a neckbreaker. Moxley blocked the GTS and hit the Death Rider for a great near fall. Moxley locked on the Bulldog. Punk tried to power out and eventually rolled through before hitting the GTS — but he couldn’t follow up as Moxley collapsed.
Punk hit a second GTS and regained the championship.
– After the match, the lights went out. A voicemail played from Tony Khan talking to MJF about paying him a lot of money to show up at All Out. The camera cut to the Joker from earlier in the show, with MJF saying “I am the devil himself,” unmasking, and putting on the Burberry scarf.
MJF’s music played, and he walked out to the ramp to wild “MJF” chants. Punk posed in the ring with the AEW World Championship as MJF made a belt signal and flipped off the crowd. MJF sulked off as the show went off the air.
**********
Final Thoughts —
AEW All Out 2022 was a wildly entertaining show from start to finish. It wasn’t perfect — the FTR and Jericho/Danielson matches didn’t quite live up to expectations and there were points throughout the show where the crowd just wasn’t that invested — but the highs (the trios title match, the tag title match, and the main event) were as high as it gets.
To me, this was more like a really hot double edition of a special Dynamite (like Winter is Coming or Grand Slam) than a true banger-after-banger PPV, but when you have three classic matches and the return of one of the company’s top stars all on one show, it can’t be considered anything but a massive success.
This is my last F4W review for the time being. Thank you all for reading~!
