AEW ALL IN PPV PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS: Storm vs. Mercedes, Moxley vs. Hangman, Men’s and Women’s Casino Gauntlet, Cole vs. Fletcher, Tag Title Three-way

By Jerud Buhagiar, PWTorch contributor


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AEW’s “All In” PPV can be purchased at PPV.com. 

“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – AEW Women’s World Championship

Toni Storm has arguably been on the greatest run in AEW’s women division history since she transformed into her “timeless character” in August of 2023. Mercedes Mone has also been a key player in the women’s division just over a year now. Mercedes’ brash, arrogant, “modern Hollywood” character is a great foil to Storm’s flamboyant, funny, classic movie character and I think they have done a good job highlighting that contract on TV while also explaining the difference in journeys and motivations for needing the title. I like how the feud has seemed to peak in intensity the last few weeks leading into the long anticipated culmination at “All In”

Prediction: Mercedes Moné defeats “Timeless” Toni Storm

I think that the next incredibly compelling women’s story in AEW is Mercedes winning the AEW women’s World Title only for Athena to return and call her shot. Athena and Mercedes already have a bit of history and Athena is ready for the big time. The powerful character of Storm is strong enough to be compelling and top-tier without the title.

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Jon Moxley (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page – Texas Death match for the AEW World Championship

The title reign of Jon Moxley along with his “Death Riders” since last October has been polarizing – to say the least. The start of the “Death Riders” angle looks completely different now than when it started many months ago and it is in a much better place now, in my opinion. The return and rise of babyface “Hangman” Adam Page has been nothing short of exhilarating. The organic fan support that he is able to garner from the audience, regardless of his booking, is what separates him as a very good to sometimes great pro wrestler. It makes sense that AEW has decided to task homegrown Hangman with the responsibility of slaying the polarizing dragon that is Moxley. Perhaps it is by luck – by I actually think the culmination of the Death Riders story was worth the journey if it means original, fan favorite Hangman takes the belt as the moment will feel righteous and momentous and be the perfect segue to the second half of 2025 for AEW.

Prediction: “Hangman” Adam Page defeats Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title

Everything in AEW has been building to this moment since last October. Several times, Moxley has left PPV crowds disappointed by retaining the popular face which is exactly what you want in a heel and a long-term heel angle. It should feel like a big deal when Hangman takes the belt off Mox and it almost certainly will barring any booking malfeasance in their match at All In. I expect a ton of Shenanigans in this match with the Death Riders, The Opps, perhaps, the Bucks, Ospreay and, especially, Swerve. The Hangman/Swerve staredown this last Wednesday on Dynamite was very telling and it makes me believe that Swerve may play the most critical role in Hangman finally earning the title. It will show both growth and integrity. Perhaps, we even get the return of a certain someone who we last heard was summiting Everest. I believe that Mox’s next feud is with a returning Darby Allin


Kazuchika Okada (Continental) vs. Kenny Omega (International) – Winner Takes All match to unify the AEW Continental Championship and AEW International Championship into the inaugural AEW Unified Championship match

Okada and Omega arguably have one of the most storied rivalries in professional wrestling history and that isn’t hyperbole. Now, one could argue that rivalry and story hasn’t translated incredibly well to AEW proper, particularly, with Okada’s lackluster, comedic-like role since joining AEW full-time and the booking, in general. All that being said – I have, generally, liked the build to this match. I enjoyed the major angle where Okada elbow dropped Kenny through his stretcher and exacerbated his known instances of diverticulitis. I’ve also really enjoyed the video packages highlighting the history and the importance for each meaning in winning what might likely be the final match in their storied history. I do wish we would’ve gotten a bit more face-to-face interaction and dialogue between the two and I wish that Okada would have had a few more serious matches in AEW to show that he is and still can be on Kenny’s level.

Prediction: Kenny Omega defeats Kazuchika Okada for the inaugural AEW Unified Championship.

I always expected the relationship between the Callis Family and Okada would be short-lived and I expect that Okada losing this match will lead to a quick dissolution of that arrangement. I’m also hoping that this lose will be a change in Okada’s story and temperament and AEW and foster a new, intense, motivated Okada who is then inspired to not only overcome this loss, but even beyond, earn a shot at the AEW Title now theoretically owned by Hangman. Okada won’t turn full-face, quite yet, until after the Hangman feud, but we will start to see real seeds being planted of that inevitable turn. Kenny will go on to be a workhorse in defending the new Unified Title credibly establishing its initial run and reputation.


Men’s Casino Gauntlet match for a future AEW World Championship match

Mark Briscoe and MJF earned the right in their respective qualifying matches to start the Men’s Casino Gauntlet. Other participants that we currently know are in the match include Mistico, Brody King, Ricochet and Bandido. I imagine that, as is usual for AEW in these matches, there will be several surprise returns and/or debuts. I imagine that MJF will further his two active feuds with Briscoe and Mistico in this match. Brody King will be the strong base while Ricochet and Bandido will be the high-flyers. The action should be palpable.

Prediction: MJF wins the Men’s Casino Gauntlet match for a future AEW World Championship match

Heel MJF Vs. Face Hangman in Hangman’s first feud after becoming AEW World Champion again has money written all over it. The only issue I can foresee is that MJF simultaneously has feuds with Briscoe and Mistico and Forbidden Door season is right around the corner as it relates to Mistico. AEW will have to do a careful job of balancing out these simultaneous feuds so the story makes sense and they don’t all individually burn out too early without the adequate conclusions.


Women’s Casino Gauntlet match for a future AEW Women’s World Championship match

Kris Statlaner and Megan Bayne won both of their respective qualifying matches to earn the one and two spots in the Women’s Gauntlet match. These two, alone, should provide a women hoss battle, at some point. Other contenders include active wrestlers, surprise returns and debuts (much like the men’s) such as Thekla, Willow Nightengale, Julia Hart, Hikaru Shida, Athena, Dakota Kai and Jamie Hayter.

Prediction: Athena wins the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match for a future AEW Women’s World Championship match

As I predicted earlier – I expect Mercedes Mone to win the AEW Women’s Title from Toni Storm. This would lead me to believe that a strong and established face has to win the Women’s Casino Gauntlet to act as Mone’s first feud after winning the title. Athena and Mercedes certainly have some unfinished business to settle.


Swerve Strickland & Will Ospreay vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) Tag team match: If Ospreay and Strickland lose, they cannot challenge for the AEW World Championship for one year. If The Young Bucks lose, they will be stripped of their Executive Vice President titles.

Swerve and Ospreay have been a pleasantly surprising “strange bedfellows” tag team with the common goal of bringing the Young Bucks reign of rarely checked executive power to an end. At the same time – Ospreay and Swerve have had disagreements as it relates to supporting Hangman in beating Mox for the title and Ospreay putting both of their title opportunities on the line for the next calendar year for the greater good. Meanwhile – The Bucks remain as arrogant and drunk with power, as ever, even aligning with the Death Riders to maintain their places. The possibilities coming out of this match are numerous because of the volume of storylines that could be influenced by the outcome of this match for this year and potentially beyond.

Prediction: The Young Bucks defeat Swerve and Ospreay maintaining their EVP statuses and eliminating Swerve and Ospreay from AEW World Title competition for the next 365 days.

This is the outcome that makes the most sense to me because, if Hangman wins the title from Mox on Saturday, it would be very difficult to make sense of keeping the faces in Swerve and Ospreay out of the title picture, and away form the face champion Hangman, for so long without some sort of logical stipulation. I would actually really like the creativity in booking here if it didn’t mean that The Bucks would maintain their poorly explained and often altered “executive powers”. I am hopeful that Tony Khan can find a different way to eliminate those powers, in the meantime.


Adam Cole (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher – AEW TNT Championship match

From headlining what was arguably the most highly attended show in Pro Wrestling history in World Title match to wrestling on the undercard and defending the TNT title in a thrown together match in just two years – the “overness” of Adam Cole has undoubtedly hit a very low valley. Meanwhile, I’d argue the rising star of the “Protostar” Kyle Fletcher is very much on an upwards trajectory. This will assuredly be a very well wrestled match and should serve as a useful vehicle in advancing Fletcher’s placement on the card as we move to the second half of 2025 in AEW.

Prediction: Kyle Fletcher defeats Adam Cole for the TNT Title.

It’s quite simple really – Fletcher is heating up, if not already hot, and Cole is ice cold. Cole certainly still has a certain amount of value but I remain adamant that, in no universe, does it make sense to sacrifice Fletcher for Cole on a stage like this.


The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) (w/MVP, MJF) vs. JetSpeed (Kevin Knight & “Speedball” Mike Bailey) vs. The Patriarchy (Christian Cage & Nick Wayne) – Three-way tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship

The Patriarchy being added to this match on the penultimate Collision certainly changes my predictions and view on this match. You now have the clear heels in the Patriarchy, the tweeners in the Hurt Syndicate and the clear faces in Jet Speed. I did enjoy Jet Speed looking competent on the go-home Dynamite. The Patriarchy have their own internal issues brewing between Nick Wayne and Christian. The Hurt Syndicate has potential trouble on the horizon with MJF and Lashley/Shelton and MVP (I could see MVP going with either side). To me – this opens up the possibility that these two teams issues might, unintentionally, lead to JetSpeed leaving All In as the AEW Tag Team Champions in a feel good moment.

Prediction: Jet Speed defeat The Patriarchy and The Hurt Syndicate to win the AEW Tag Team Titles

This match will be a vehicle to certify dissension in the Patriarchy and the Hurt Syndicate. In the crosshairs – the surprisingly lovable JetSpeed will benefit and will get a well deserved crowd pop. I am most curious about whether the dissolving of the Patriarchy will sometime lead to Christian and Edge tag teaming against FTR at All Out in their hometown of Toronto in September and how the rift between MJF and the Hurt Syndicate will ultimately shake out.


The Opps (Katsuyori Shibata, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Samoa Joe) (c) vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta) and Gabe Kidd – Trios match for the AEW World Trios Championship

The Opps Vs. The Death Riders has been an ancillary feud that has intertwined in many storylines across AEW for many months now. It is a perfect rivalry because both teams are tough, hard-hitting and refuse to give up any ground. They’re authentic and believable as badasses.

Prediction: The Opps defeat The Death Riders for the AEW Trios Championship

With my prediction of Mox being uncrowned for the AEW championship by Hangman at All In – that leads me to believe that the Death Riders, as we know them, aren’t much longer for AEW. It would make little sense to weaken the Opps to put the titles back on a team that has seemingly worn out their welcome and likely won’t be around much longer anyway.


Matches on Zero Hour:


FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. The Outrunners (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)

FTR and The Outrunners have been feuding for months and the contrast has led to a strong and well-executed heel turn by FTR. The Outrunners are a beloved comedy act in the AEW ecosystem and are very valuable in getting cheered and the opposition booed. FTR will remain critical in the AEW tag division moving forward

Prediction: FTR defeats the Outrunners

AEW has big things planned for FTR, likely at All Out in September, as I mentioned earlier in my preview for the Tag Title match. They need to win here more.

Big Boom A.J. & Tomohiro Ishii & Hologram & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Don Callis Family (Lance Archer & Rocky Romero & Hechicero & Trent Beretta)

Every company’s biggest card of the year needs a “celebrity” act, right? I know that not everyone is the biggest fans of the “Costco Guys” of TikTok fame, but it is my anecdotal experience that they do get eyeballs and have attracted a few of my friends to give AEW a chance when they wouldn’t have otherwise. I think it’s perfectly harmless to have them on the pre-show and they get very minimal screen time so I don’t want to hear about how they’re squeezing the oxygen out of the room for potential other acts.

This is the card as of around 1:15am ET on 7/11/2025. As always, it is subject to change.

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