All Out is almost here! The stacked pay-per-view card features five championship matches and there's several potential match of the year candidates on paper. Let's get started with the first match.
AEW World Championship match: Adam “Hangman” Page (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher
I’m trying to think of a scenario where Kyle Fletcher walks out as champion and I just don’t see it. The only thing I can think of is that MJF helps Fletcher win because the TNT Champion seems like the “easier” wrestler to cash his Casino win on. After all, Fletcher only loses his title if anyone in the Don Callis Family interferes.
I do think MJF will become a two time AEW World Champion. But not now. This is Page’s time to shine and he’s barely gotten started as champion. There’s no reason to clip his wings here, even if Page won back the AEW World title quickly. I don’t expect Fletcher to honor the gentlemen’s agreement because he’s a heel. Hopefully, Page sees it coming too. Either way, it’s going to be a nice showcase for the TNT Champion, but the title is not going anywhere.
Winner: Adam “Hangman” Page
Four-way match for the AEW Women’s World Championship match: Toni Storm (c) vs. Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Thekla
I wouldn’t be surprised if this match spins into a singles bout between Jamie Hayter and Storm. There’s still the possibility of Megan Bayne as Storm barely got a win over her at Dynasty.
Why am I focusing on Storm’s future opponents more than the four way match? Because she’s not losing here. The only person that could maybe walk out is Kris Statlander, and that’s due to the will she/won’t she thing she has going with the Death Riders. This is a four way match so it’s No Disqualification, so it’s quite possible that the Death Riders help Statlander, who finally reveals that she’s a new member.
Not big on that because Statlander’s character is a mess, but it is a possibility. But I feel that Storm will drop it in a singles match. Bayne, Hayter (as a heel), or Statlander are the likely candidates. I wouldn’t be too surprised if she drops the belt here, but again, it just doesn’t feel like a match that Toni’s going to lose.
Winner: Toni Storm
TBS Championship match: Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Riho
Mercedes Mone. It’s clear that they’re building towards another Alex Windsor match and realistically, I do see her beating Mone for the TBS Championship. I hoped it would be Willow, but she’s nowhere in sight when it comes to the TBS title. Riho is simply the challenger of the month. She’ll have a good showing, but “The CEO” is still walking out with belt No. 857.
Winner: Mercedes Mone
Thumbtacks and Tables match: MJF vs. Mark Briscoe
The thumbtacks part seems convoluted, but…sure. This reads as the perfect match to give Mark Briscoe the win without MJF taking a pinfall loss. MJF is not winning the world title anytime soon, so he needs a long distraction. Mark Briscoe is that distraction. They’ll have another match and the former AEW World Champion will likely win, but Canada will be a feel good day for Mark as he’s putting Mr. MJF through a table first.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage vs. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler
It would be too easy to give Adam and Christian the win here. I don’t see this match as one and done. Of course, the heels are going to cheat to win, though it would be cool if they got a clean win. But this is in Canada, so FTR has to get heat for doing something heinous and cheating is the way they’ll do it.
It wouldn’t be impossible for Christian and Adam to get the feel good win, but then what? I guess there’s the AEW World Tag Team titles, but that all feels too rushed. FTR wins because of heel shenanigans.
Winner: FTR
Coffin match: Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin
This is going to be a spectacle match of 1000 ways in which Darby Allin and Jon Moxley will try to kill each other. I continue to be surprised by the continuation of the Death Riders. The group is still dead right now since a new mission statement hasn’t been defined. What is the purpose of the Death Riders now that Moxley is no longer the top dog? I wish Mox and crew would answer that question so I can get a better read on the stories going forward.
As it stands, it feels like payback season for all of the babyfaces. This match is perfect for giving Allin the win without Moxley needing to be pinned, though honestly, I would’ve preferred Mox to take a pinfall or submission loss. Still, this should be a huge win for Allin. It’s not impossible that Mox wins, especially with Daniel Garcia’s recent turn, but how long can AEW keep this story running? Like I said, it’s dead.
Now is the time to pull the trigger on Allin finally getting that big win. In fact, a loss here can finally trigger some much needed changes for the Death Riders going forward. I can see Allin going after the TNT or Unified titles next. Then again, I don’t see Kyle Fletcher or Kazuchika Okada dropping the belts to him, so maybe that’s not for the best. Likely, I can see AEW squeezing one or two more matches out of this feud.
Technically, it makes more sense for Mox to win if that’s the case, but Moxley has been getting wins left and right over Allin the last several years. There’s a good story to be told with The Death Riders being unable to win big these days and I just think it’s time that the former AEW World Champion does the job here.
Winner: Darby Allin
Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun vs. “The Hurt Syndicate” Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP
You know what, I don’t know about this one. Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun could use the big win. But The Hurt Syndicate not taking the pinfall at Forbidden Door has my doubts that they’ll take a loss here. This doesn’t feel one-and-done; Plus, MVP is in the match and I can easily see him taking the loss for his team. The Hurt Syndicate needs to lose here if AEW wants fans to take this feud seriously. I expect a dirty win from the heels.
Winner: Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun
Triple Threat match for the AEW Unified Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Máscara Dorada
I can genuinely buy Takeshita beating Okada for the AEW Unified Championship. AEW clearly see Takeshita as the future and what other way to do it then to beat the longest reigning champion in AEW history. But Takeshita is not winning it in a triple threat match. Máscara Dorada is simply here to take the pin. That’s it. I guess for bragging rights, Okada can pin Takeshita and it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he did. However, the money is to get to Takeshita vs. Okada, and the best bet is to make sure that neither man takes the pin here.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
Eddie Kingston vs. Big Bill
Eddie Kingston. AEW could totally swerve us and give Big Bill the win here, but Eddie Kingston is the star and AEW wants to keep it that way. Now I can see Bill getting a win after All Out, but the pay-per-view is all about the return of the “Mad King”.
Winner: Eddie Kingston
Four Way Ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships: Brody King and Bandido (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. JetSpeed (Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight) vs. Josh Alexander & Hecichero
Realistically, this comes down to The Young Bucks and Brody King and Bandido. There’s a case to be made for the Bucks winning back the belts. Their work feels very inspired these days and they’ve been one of the more entertaining acts on the roster.
However, Brodido offers a freshness that the Bucks are missing. I don’t expect Brodido to hold those belts for long, but a decent sized run until Full Gear is likely. I can see FTR being the team that beats them for the belts. Not exactly a fresh team, but how else will Cope and Christian win those titles?
The Bucks don’t need the belts. They’ll be fine. This is going to be a non-stop crash that ends with the champs retaining. There’s a small case for Alexander & Hecichero to win, just to run the story that the Don Callis Family now runs AEW. It can also help fans falsely believe that Kyle Fletcher might walk out as AEW World Champion. But, I like my original pick, so…
Winner: Brodido
Eight-Woman Tornado Tailgate Brawl (Pre-Show): Willow Nightingale, Mina Shirakawa, Harley Cameron, and Queen Aminata vs. Megan Bayne, Penelope Ford, Julia Hart, and Skye Blue
Honestly, this match can go either way. It feels that these women are spinning their wheels until Tony Khan officially announces the AEW Women’s Tag Team titles. I’ll go with the babyfaces here, but there’s a case where Megan Bayne gets the win and moves back into the AEW Women’s World title picture. I don’t get the sense that she's fighting Toni Storm for the belt again soon, so…
Winner: Willow Nightingale, Mina Shirakawa, Harley Cameron, and Queen Aminata