All In was a fantastic PPV. I wound up watching a replay late Sunday and on Monday, and was happily impressed with the show. I know many will call me an AEW mark, and that’s fine. I’m a wrestling mark to be honest. I like watching wrestling. WWF, NWA, AWA, WCW, ECW, WWE, NJPW, AEW, and the list of promotions go on.
The MJF/Cole match delivered. They put on a story-telling show. Sure, it had its humor moments such as chair throwing and eye-pokes, but it kept the fans guessing who would come out as winner. I really enjoyed the House of Black vs. The Acclaimed trio championship. The Stadium Stampede match was bloody fun, mostly because it featured Eddie Kingston and the returning Santana and Ortiz. While the internet is focus on juvenile matters, I choose to focus on the wrestling show. FTR vs. Young Bucks, fantastic. Elite vs. Callus Family, fantastic.
It felt like “a spectacle.” It felt big. I had vibes familiar from when I watched SummerSlam 1992. All In delivered.
The live crowd was vocal, into every match.
With many individuals opting to attend the funeral of Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt), tonight’s Dynamite felt a little low-key, which is perfectly fine. Coming off a huge PPV, I think everyone could use some R&R.
AEW Dynamite 8/30 kicks out with Jon Moxley defeating Komander. I like Mox, he’s good as a heel on the roster, but I can’t help but notice he never loses, and even when the BCC does lose, he doesn’t take the fall. He’s the tough guy, but his matches would be more believable if he lost once in a while. Right after that, we cut backstage to FTR and The Young Bucks appearing to make amends after their tense All In post-match face off. However, Jay White, Juice Robinson, and the Gunns interrupt, challenge to an eight-man for All Out this weekend.
Toni Storm has a meltdown with Renee Paquette due to the breakdown of the OutCasts at the PPV. Shoe is thrown.
Chris Jericho invites Sammy Guevara to the ring for an apology, which is half-assed of course. Jericho wishes “someone would have done more” which then leads to some serious verbal shots about failures and missteps in recent memory. Jericho proposes to reunite Le Sex Gods in a quest for tag team championships. While they aim to pursue the AEW Tag Team Championships, I am surprised they wouldn’t aim for MJF/Cole – ROH Tag Belts. That match would print money.
As much as Jericho and Sammy are great as a team, their feuds have been fantastic and another one with Don Callis lurking would be epic.
Adam Cole and MJF backstage in a post-match taped segment from All In. Funny stuff with MJF complaining Cole nearly broke his neck six times. MJF reveals he is taking the week off, but on Rampage there will be a tag team battle royal to determine number one contenders for the ROH Tag Team Titles, and then next week a tournament will begin to find a challenger to the AEW World Championship at Grand Slam.
In the ring, Adam Cole starting cutting his promo, however is interrupted by a whining Roderick Strong, flanked by The Kingdom, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. The interlopers cut a promo, which we have heard before about Cole being conceited and selfish, using others in various promotions, speaking about the indys, ROH, and hinting without specifically naming NXT. Cole tries to smooth things over, but is unable to sway them. Instead, Roddy declares his entry into the championship contender’s tournament.
Roderick has never been the strongest on the mic, but his promo tonight wasn’t bad. Pairing him with stronger skilled in Bennet and Taven.
Wonder which team will challenge MJF and Cole? The Kingdom are not on the graphic for the battle royal. Perhaps The Outrunners? Dark Order?
Next up, TBS Champion Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida, and Dr. Britt Baker, DMD defeated Nyla Rose, Marina Shafir, and Emi Sakura
Good match. Enjoyable. It appears some miscommunication between Baker and Shida almost caused disaster, but Statlander overpowered the opposing team, hitting Wednesday Night Fever on Shafir for the win. Post-match Statlander’s opponent at All Out, Ruby Soho, attacks from behind. It is announced on Collision, Statlander, Baker, and Shida will face the Outcasts in trios. My guess is a breakdown of both teams will happen.
The Acclaimed Championship Celebration
Oh man this was perfection. The Acclaimed make some great cracks, but the real treat is the reveal of their new custom-made Trios championship belts, in hot pink with scissor-shaped straps.
The best part, it’s all courtesy of The House of Ass.
We get a rundown of all matches announced for this Sunday’s All Out PPV. It looks like a solid show. Omega vs. Takeshita is a big draw.
Main Event of AEW Dynamite 8/30: Orange Cassidy retains the AEW International Championship against Penta El Zero Miedo
Great match, and of course we all knew Cassidy would win, given the gradual build of the ongoing feud between him and Jon Moxley. However, there was ONE moment I thought we were getting a major swerve, when after dueling Destroyers, Penta crushed Cassidy with the Made in the Japan and then Fear Factor on the ring apron, but only got a two count. Even after a second Fear Factor in the ring, Cassidy kicked out and managed to roll up Penta for the win. Again, a fun and enjoyable match to watch. A few goofy moments rounded out a solid main event of wrestling.
In a major twist, post-match, the AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy cuts a promo about defending the championship. He’s tired, he’s hurt, but he’ll keep going on. Also, he’s Orange Cassidy and he doesn’t have a catchphrase!
I know many prefer a jam-packed or big show right after a PPV, but I don’t mind the volume turned down to gradually hype towards the next big event. Granted, there is a PPV on Sunday, but given the circumstances, there is not a whole lot AEW could do.
As always, stay off social media! It’s toxic!
