SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
“Hangman” Adam Page & Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy & Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Pac & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Demand (Ricochet & Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. The Dogs (David Finlay & Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd) vs. Wild Card entrant – Trios Royale Roulette for the AEW World Trios Championship
Preview: This match was obviously designed as a way to debut the former New Day (mostly likely to now be Kofi & Austin Creed) alongside established AEW star Swerve Strickland to win the Trios Titles. That being said, the fact that Swerve has history with “Hangman Page,” Bandido and Brody King is an added bonus as it adds more for the fans to sink their teeth into for the storylines that are likely to be visited and re-visited in this match. There is a ton of talent in this match to highlight and it doesn’t feel thrown together for the sake of getting a bunch of wrestlers on the card. This is the most credible that the Trios Title has felt since its inception in AEW and, if you’re going to have the titles, you might as well make them feel as important as possible.
Prediction: Wild Card Entrant (Swerve Strickland & Kofi & Austin Creed) defeat “Hangman” Adam Page & Brodido (Bandido & Brody King) (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy & Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Pac & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Demand (Ricochet & Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) vs. The Dogs (David Finlay & Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd) to win the AEW Trios Titles
If you’re going to debut Kofi and Austin Creed in your biggest show of the year alongside one of your already established biggest stars, you can’t let the air out of the room and not have them win the belts.
Andrade El Ídolo vs. MJF vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Mark Davis vs. Chris Jericho vs. Participants TBA – Men’s Casino Gauntlet match for a future AEW World Championship match
Preview: This match has been built around the MJF and Andrade rivalry for months now and they should have numerous interactions throughout the match. It would be great if AEW breaks formula and has one of the two winning before anyone else is able to enter the ring, but I don’t see that happening. That would keep the match stipulation more unpredictable than it has been. I expect a debut or two and perhaps a few returns, as usual. I hope they use this as a springboard for future feuds, as well.
Prediction: MJF defeats Andrade El Ídolo vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Mark Davis vs. Chris Jericho vs. Participants TBA to win the Men’s Casino Gauntlet match and a future AEW World Championship match
My predicted winner of the main event may be heavily influencing my decision, but an MJF vs. Will Ospreay match for the AEW World Title makes too much sense. They have a storied history and Ospreay might be AEW’s strongest face while MJF is clearly their strongest heel. This would be a great first feud for Ospreay to sink his teeth into post-being crowned the AEW Champion for the first time in his home Country.
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Jon Moxley (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness – Continental Challenge Cup final for the AEW Continental Championship
Preview: This tournament was made to get Nigel, the hometown legend, in a fun match on AEW’s biggest show of the year in his home Country. Nigel certainly feels like an opponent that Mox would have on his bucket list so I am sure that he was greatly in favor of this happening, as well. I expect a pure technical showing that the crowd will eat up, not necessarily for the volume or athleticism of the match, but the moves in-between.
Prediction: Jon Moxley (c) defeats Nigel McGuinness to win the Continental Challenge Cup final and retain the AEW Continental Championship
I’m leaving open a very small window that Nigel pulls the upset off simply because it would be a feel good moment on a big show and, I could see Mox moving on from the Continental Title scene to the World Title scene as I don’t think that the story between Mox, Ospreay and the Death Riders is over, by any means.
Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) (c) vs. The Brawling Birds (Alex Windsor & Jamie Hayter) – AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship
Preview: This match’s simple, yet effective build has been “two badass teams who are going to hit each other hard and without remorse.” While others have complained I, personally, am glad that they didn’t muddy the waters with unnecessary, confusing layers to a tale as old as time. The Birds will be the heavy favorites as the hometown wrestlers and Divine Dominion will be the “Goliaths” who must be taken down.
Prediction: The Brawling Birds (Alex Windsor & Jamie Hayter) defeat Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) to win the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship
Kevin Knight (c) vs. Darby Allin – Falls Count Anywhere match for the AEW TNT Championship
Preview: The heated rivalry between Knight and Darby since Knight turned on Darby after Darby lost his World Title back to MJF at Double or Nothing has slowly escalated to the point that a Falls Count Anywhere match feels appropriate. The real life history and similar career progression between Knight and Darby feels like an enhancement to the story rather than an unnecessary addition. The pyro mishap angle may have been a bridge-too-far but everything outside of that, in the build has been good to great.
Prediction: Kevin Knight (c) defeats Darby Allin in Falls Count Anywhere match to retain the AEW TNT Championship
Knight is a young star that Tony Khan clearly sees as a future main eventer. His momentum up the card has been incremental and appropriate but he definitely needs a big win on a big stage. Darby is the perfect guy to give him that win at Wembley and Darby’s bump-taking and daredevil nature will certainly be used to accentuate Knight’s skills.
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazuchika Okada – AEW International Championship
Preview: The use of Don Callis and the Don Callis Family in the build for this feud has been masterful. The dynamic between all three wrestlers and Callis has felt like true layered storytelling. Fletcher clearly doesn’t trust Callis or Okada. Okada is clearly playing the “good guy for the family” role that is favored by Callis while simultaneously maintaining subtle body movement ticks and verbal sarcasm that signals that he might not be as genuine as he’s trying to pretend. Fletcher and Okada both hate Takeshita and Takeshita feels the same about them and Callis. Great acting and writing all around in this build making this match feel important.
Prediction: Konosuke Takeshita defeats Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada to win the AEW International Championship
The growing distrust Fletcher has for Okada and Callis has been apparent for months. I believe that Takeshita winning this match will be used as a catalyst to have Fletcher break away from the grasp of the Don Callis Family. I do hope that Fletcher remains heel as he breaks away from the Family. It’s time for him to be on his own, but I also think that there is more juice to squeeze from this heel character. Ospreay-Fletcher is another appealing World Title matchup on the horizon after All In.
Christian Cage & Adam Copeland (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) – AEW World Tag Team Championship
Preview: Two legendary tag teams of two different generations is the obvious headline of this match. What team is the best and what era is the best? That is what the fans want to find out. The old school, traditional style of Copeland & Christian and the more frantic pace of the Bucks should make for a compelling stylistic matchup. This match has been teased since Copeland & Christian returned at Revolution back in February before they even defeated FTR for the AEW Tag Titles.
Prediction: Christian Cage & Adam Copeland (c) defeat The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championship
With the recent and predicted arrivals in the AEW Men’s tag division, I believe that Copeland & Christian have more in mind for their tag title reign swan song. Meanwhile, I think that the Young Bucks along with Kenny Omega will bring the band back together, as The Elite, to face the newly crowned Trios Champions in Swerve, Kofi, and Austin Creed at a long sought “dream match” at All Out in September.
Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Moné – AEW Women’s World Championship
Preview: Mercedes wants to disappoint the fans of Willow, take her AEW Women’s Title and, ultimately, take her smile when all is said and done after this match. This has been the best build to All In, in my opinion. Mercedes has been the consummate, spoiled, jealous heel. Willow has been a loveable babyface (and hasn’t gotten too syrupy). I just want to see Willow beat the snot out of Mercedes and that is how I should feel going into the biggest women’s match on the biggest show of the year.
Prediction: Willow Nightingale (c) defeats Mercedes Moné to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
This is the closest match on the card to call but I don’t think that Tony Khan would cut the legs of Willow from under her with such a short reign after the great work that she has done in this feud to get the fans firmly behind her. Mercedes is an established star and doesn’t necessarily need the title while Willow could still use the boost that it gives her.
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Will Ospreay – AEW World Championship
Preview: Somewhat similar to Copeland & Christian vs. The Young Bucks, this match is about a star from one generation coming out of his prime passing the torch to the star of the more recent generation who is just entering his prime. That is a true “sports-like” story. Like Magic to Jordan and Jordan to LeBron. They also followed a very similar path. Some beats were missed along the way but Will evening the odds for Kenny against MJF at Beach Break and the promo between Will and Kenny in Detroit after Redemption were home runs that far outweighed a few strikeouts. I have a feeling I might get goosebumps before, during and after this match and I’m sure Tony Khan will pull out all the bells and whistles to make it feel special.
Prediction: Will Ospreay defeats Kenny Omega to win the AEW World Championship
Opposite of the Women’s Title match, this is the easiest call on the card. This story has been being told for nearly two years now since the last time that All In was in London at Wembley. Ospreay is the hometown hero looking for his coronating moment as “the guy.” Kenny is the generational legend who has headlined across the world and was one of the accelerants who made AEW possible. They briefly crossed paths at a different time and have found each other again for arguably the most epic moment in AEW history, to this point. Needless to say, I can’t wait.
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