DATE: September 5, 2021
VENUE: NOW Arena (Hoffman Estates, IL)
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross, Excalibur, & Tony Schiavone
VIEW METHOD: Bleacher Report (Fire TV 4K App)
AEW All Out 2021 is poised to be the biggest event in AEW history as CM Punk proves that Hell can indeed freeze over by returning to the ring to take on Darby Allin. Also on the show Christian Cage attempts to wrestle the World Title away from Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley and Satoshi Kojima throw bombs at each other for the f*ck of it, and Eddie Kingston tries to get Miro to redeem DEEZ NUTS when he challenges for the TNT Championship. All that plus SO MUCH MORE because goddamn man this is a stacked event.
CHAMPIONS
- AEW WORLD CHAMPION: Kenny Omega
- AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
- AEW TNT CHAMPION: “The Redeemer” Miro
- AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
LINEUP
- Miro [c] vs. Eddie Kingston for the AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP (13:22)
- Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima (11:50)
- Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. [c] vs. Kris Statlander for the AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (11:35)
- STEEL CAGE MATCH: The Young Bucks [c] vs. The Lucha Brothers for the AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (22:04)
- The Women’s Casino Battle Royal (21:53)
- THE FINAL FIGHT: Chris Jericho vs. MJF (18:20)
- CM Punk vs. Darby Allin (16:39)
- Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall (3:10)
- Kenny Omega [c] vs. Christian Cage for the AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (21:18)
*****
MATCH RESULTS
Miro [c] defeated Eddie Kingston via pinfall after a pump kick to retain the AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP (***3/4)
Jon Moxley defeated Satoshi Kojima via pinfall after two Paradigm Shifts (***1/2)
- After the match Minoru Suzuki came out to “Kaze Ni Nare” and laid Moxley out with a Gotch Piledriver. It was announced later in the show that Moxley vs. Suzuki will happen this Wednesday on Dynamite in Moxley’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. [c] [w/ Rebel & Jamie Hayter] defeated Kris Statlander [w/ Orange Cassidy] via submission with the Lockjaw to retain the AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (***1/2)
STEEL CAGE MATCH
The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) [c] via pinfall to win the AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (****3/4)
Ruby Soho won the Women’s Casino Battle Royal, last eliminating Thunder Rosa (***)
- The other participants: Hikaru Shida, Skye Blue, Emi Sakura, The Bunny, Abadon, Anna Jay, Kiera Hogan, KiLynn King, Diamante, Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, Riho, Jamie Hayter, Big Swole, Tay Conti, Red Velvet, Leyla Hirsch, Jade Cargill, & Rebel
THE FINAL FIGHT
Chris Jericho defeated MJF via submission with the Walls of Jericho (***)
- MJF initially won the match with the Judas Effect as referee Aubrey Edwards did not see Jericho’s foot on the rope; a second ref came out and told Edwards what happened, leading to the match restarting and Jericho locking in the Walls to get the submission victory.
CM Punk defeated Darby Allin via pinfall with the GTS (***1/4)
- Sting came out after the match and shook hands with Punk. Allin recovered from the GTS and shook hands with Punk as well. Everybody seems cool with everybody.
Paul Wight defeated QT Marshall [w/ Aaron Solow & Nick Comoroto of The Factory] via pinfall with the Chokeslam (**)
Kenny Omega [c] [w/ Don Callis] defeated Christian Cage via pinfall after an avalanche One-Winged Angel to retain the AEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (***3/4)
- The Elite (Omega, Callis, The Young Bucks, and The Good Brothers) commenced with a post-match beatdown on Christian. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, & Marko Stunt) attempted to help but were beaten down as well. Omega got on the mic and bragged that no one was on his level, the lights suddenly wait out and ADAM COLE made his debut. Cole entered the ring, did his “BAYBAY” thing…and proceeded to join The Elite after superkicking Jungle Boy. Cole celebrated with his friends as Cole tried to end the show…but then Flight of the Valkyries hit and out come the debuting BRYAN DANIELSON to come to the aid of the babyfaces. Omega immediately bailed, everyone else brawled and Danielson laid Nick Jackson out with a Busaiku Knee before celebrating alongside Christian & Jurassic Express to close the show.
OTHER NOTES
Alex Marvez interviewed Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero Jr. about the former’s now-postponed match against PAC. Marvez asks about PAC’s questionable “travel issues” and Chavo plays dumb when Andrade asks if he caused PAC to miss his flight. The match has been rescheduled for this Friday’s Rampage episode.
Malakai Black made some threats towards Dustin Rhodes ahead of their match on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Dan Lambert appeared during the Buy-In alongside The Men of the Year (Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky) and some MMA fighters I don’t care about, teasing involvement later in the show. It never happened.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Top to bottom AEW All Out 2021 is not only the best PPV I’ve watched this year, but one of the best pro wrestling PPVs in recent memory. Every match delivered in one form or another, and even the weaker matches on the card paid off stories that were being told weekly on TV. Everything had purpose and energy, helped greatly by a rabid Hoffman Estates (it’s NOT Chicago y’all, come on) crowd. More importantly than the wrestling is the perception of AEW coming out of this show; with high-profile returns and debuts littering the entire show (including two legitimate surprises in Cole and Danielson) it makes AEW look like the place to be, like a wrestling company that actually has some f*cking energy to it. And that’s correct, this is a company that is coming out guns blazing and ready to be the mainstream pro wrestling company a lot of fans (myself included) have been foaming at the mouth for. AEW All Out 2021 is an easy (and HIGH) recommendation for anyone who’s missed giving a sh*t about pro wrestling.
-FAVORITE MATCH: Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros. They tore the absolute HOUSE down with their steel cage match, full of insane spots and a truly feel good ending with Penta and Fenix unseating the Bucks. One of the best tag team matches I’ve ever seen, and they made great use of the comedically giant cage.
-FAVORITE MOMENTS: Usually I pick one but this show had so many so I’m going to cheat. LIST TIME:
- Bryan Danielson’s AEW debut. Yes it was discussed on the internet ad nauseum and pretty much a done deal but for me it’s not real until it happens and BY GAWD IT HAPPENED. A tremendous moment made even better by AEW debuting another sought-after free agent, Adam Cole, who joined his longtime friends in The Elite after briefly teasing a fight with Omega.
- Seeing CM Punk return to the ring for the first time in seven years. Punk got me back into pro wrestling during his WWE run in the early-2010s so he holds a special place in my heart, so seeing him actually come back for real was a surreal moment. He was understandably rusty but his slower more methodical approach to wrestling worked and Allin was the perfect opponent to play off of.
- Rey Fenix. That’s it. Just…Rey Fenix. That man is INSANE and every match he’s in feels like a highlight reel. AEW better give this motherf*cker a “thank you” World Title run in the future. What a generational talent.