AEW – All In London 2024
In late 2022, when Tony Khan announced his first ever UK date for AEW would be at Wembley Stadium, the world laughed. How could an unproven commodity in the UK as a touring entity with unimpressive TV coverage thanks to haphazard late night scheduling expect to fill an 80,000-seat stadium, when even the more established WWE could only draw 55,000 to Cardiff?
To the shock of everyone, tickets for the show, named after the event that spawned AEW, All In, was announced as a PPV (unwisely held one week before a US based PPV All Out) sold like hot cakes and they ended up with an attendance north of 75,000 people. And it was a great show to boot. As soon as All In ended, AEW announced that they would be back for All In again in 2024. Was this a smart move or would it bite Tony Khan on the backside?
A bit of both really. Whilst AEW’s fortunes are on the slide in the US with 10,000 seat venues being hard to fill and TV ratings half what they once were, the UK came to the rescue once again – All In 2024 won’t top the 2023 attendance but 50,000 plus is still not to be sniffed at. All they have to do now is deliver in the ring and there is a lot of pressure there given the creative heading into this show.
All In London took place on August 25th 2024, at Wembley Stadium, London, England before an estimated attendance of 50,000 fans. Commentary is provided by the revolving team of Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone, and Nigel McGuinness, with a guest spot from Jim Ross.
AEW Trios Title London Ladders Match – The Patriarchy (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang vs. House Of Black vs. Pac, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
With the Lucha Bros apparently on the way out of AEW, Pac had to form an alliance with the BCC to get a spot in this match despite none of them having any beef with The Patriarchy which the other two teams do. But, it’s a ladder match so it will be dangerous and chaotic, so the more people to distract us from any injury related disappearances the better I guess.
Everyone gangs up on The Patriarchy to start causing Christian to run away, then they all pair and the fight spills to the outside. HOB set up tables on the outside then various people start climbing the ladder with someone else bringing them down again. Brody King knocks down one of the Gunns with a ladder then they end up outside again for series of dives from Black, Yuta, and a Black Arrow from Pac.
You’ll have to forgive me as 12 guys going at it is chaotic and hard to follow. The Gunns do the Wassup headbutt on Pac then King wipes them as Christian returns to set up a ladder and start climbing but is brought down by King who, along with Claudio, toss him onto the pile outside, where they all beat on him. Meanwhile Mother Wayne tries to climb the ladder but the Gunns stop her which brings in Killswitch with chokeslams for everyone.
As he fights King on the apron, Nick Wayne comes off the top with a cutter through the table at ringside, as Cage and Killswitch climb the ladder in the ring, but are toppled by Yuta and Juice Robinson. Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews take them out with King joining in, before the Guns hit 3:10 to Yuma on King. Claudio comes in with uppercuts for the Guns and a Giant Swing on Juice, with Pac hitting the Black Arrow on his prone body.
Pac and Yuta hit dives to the outside as Claudio and King climb the ladder, stopped by the Gunns with chair shots, then with Juice they each set up tables in the ring. The Gunns jump on King and Claudio’s backs but they scale the ladder anyway, then drop backwards, putting the Gunns through the tables. Nick Wayne and Buddy face off with Nick hitting Wayne’s World by Black comes in and dispatches of Wayne.
Juice and Black face off briefly but Wayne comes back and puts Black through a table at ringside with a Canadian Destroyer. Juice sets up a giant ladder in the ring and climbs but Christian topples the ladder, crotches him first onto the top rope, then waffles Pac with a chair in mid air, following with the Killswitch. Yuta returns and climbs the ladder but Cage sprays him in the face and pounds him with a chair.
Cage and Juice face off with duelling chairs then Mother Wayne gets on the apron to spray Juice but he blocks it with the chair then turns the spray on her. He is about to piledrive her through a table when Killswitch makes her save and Juice goes through the table instead. Cage climbs the giant ladder but is met up top by Buddy who fights off Killswitch then climbs a smaller ladder.
Sensing danger, Cage spears Buddy off the ladder through a table then Killswitch helps him climb the ladder but Pac scoots up the other side and boots cage off then grabs one of the belts to win the match and the trios titles! Post match, Cage berates Killswitch who storms off. A typical car wreck with some really dangerous spots but a lack of cohesion with so many bodies out there, but it made for a fun opener.
Winners: Pac, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta at 19:10 – New Champions!
AEW Women’s World Title Match – Timeless Toni Storm (c) vs. Mariah May
She said from the start it was all about Mariah but nobody would listen, least of all Toni Storm. But after Mariah had enough cosplaying as Toni’s old personae, she revealed her true colours after winning the Owen Hart Tournament and turned on Toni, bloodying her with her own show. By dint of winning the tourney, Mariah got this title shot and in front of a home town audience too, whist there is the small matter of Mina Shirawaka and where her loyalties lie.
Intense stare down to start with Storm acting upset and May not showing any emotion then they throw down with the Frye-Takayama spot. May quickly goes for the May Day but Toni slips out and tries for the Storm Zero which May blocks. Toni avoids a corner charge but May hits a shotgun dropkick then stomps away in the corner as Mina Shirakawa and Rachel Ellering are shown in the crowd.
Mariah chops Toni but this only riles her up and they enter into a chop battle which Toni wins then hits a sneaky DDT. She misses a Hip Attack in the ropes so May takes her to the floor with a Sunset Flip powerbomb, then spits at Luther for good measure. Back in the ring, May hits the spinning sidewalk slam followed by a basem*nt dropkick but etas a boot when she charges. May recovers and hits the handstand headscissors which gets two.
Locking in a underhook body lock, May wears Toni down by she gets to the ropes. Mariah mounts Toni with some head punches which Toni reverses with her own but May fights back with a backdrop suplex. Toni rolls to the floor so May follows with a knee strike off the apron then kisses Nigel McGuiness at the announce desk before knocking Luther down with a dropkick.
Then, in a weird spot, May finds her own mother in the front row and slaps her in the face! May sits on the apron where Toni gets a hip attack then slams her head into the ring steps followed by Storm Zero on the steps. She then goes over and comforts Mariah’s mum and Mariah is now busted open. Back in the ring, Toni opens up the cut with the corner ten punches, followed by a hair toss across the ring. May spits in Toni’s face so she slaps her then hits a Tree Slam for two.
Colliding in the corner, May goes and hits a Missile Dropkick followed by three Hip Attacks but Toni hits a lariat before she can hit a fourth followed by a German Suplex and a Hip Attack of her own. Storm Zero gets two then they trade slaps before kicking each other low and hitting stereo headbutts. Toni fakes a punch then goes for Storm Zero but Mariah ducks and hits May Day for two.
A Mariah goes for the title bet, Luther grabs it first and flips her off so Mariah grabs the bloodied shoe but Toni takes it and is about to strike Mariah with it, but she begs for forgiveness. Toni relents and goes for Storm Zero which May gets a jack knife cover off for two then quickly follows with a knee strike. She kisses Toni then hits Storm Zero for the win and become the new AEW Women’s champion.
Really good match that was a perfect blend of wrestling and storyline drama although the crowd was pro-Toni yet they gave Mariah a polite response to her win. Plenty of opportunities for Mariah as a heel champ but wither Timeless Toni Storm?
Winner: Mariah May at 15:16 – New Champion!
FTW Title Match – Chris Jericho (c) vs. Hook
Another long running feud, Jericho beat Hook for the FTW title at Dynasty and again in a three way at Double or Nothing. On Dynamite, Jericho threw a fireball in Hook’s face, temporarily blinding him in his left eye. Hook wanted revenge and Jericho agreed to put the FTW belt on the line but it would be Hook’s last time whilst Jericho is champion.
Jericho sung his way to the ring with his band Fozzy but it wasn’t Judas but a song called Spotlight, so it got no reaction. As this is FTW Rules, Big Bill and Bryan Keith jumped in at the start for a three-on-one beat down. Jericho hits a Codebreaker but only gets two. Hook tries to fight back to Keith and Bill interfere but Hook takes care of them then drops Jericho with a series of suplexes but Jericho fights back.
Lionsault gets two then Jericho gets a kendo stick and a bag of cricket balls. He tries to suplex Hook but Hook blocks it and drops Jericho instead but missed the balls. Hook finds a cricket bat under the ring with “Hi Guys” written on it then attacks Keith and Bill with it before throwing the cricket balls at Jericho which had to hurt as those things are hard.
Hook uses the bat to hit a T-Bone suplex but Keith hits him with a bin lid, allowing Jericho to jump Hook and apply the Walls of Jericho which Hook reverses but Bill breaks it up to a big reaction for some reason. As Keith beats Hook on the outside, Bill sets up a table then Keith lays a barbed wire board on top of it. Bill goes for the chokeslam but Hook wriggles out and posts him then kicks Keith in the nuts.
Back in the ring, Jericho hits Hook in the head with a rubbish bin but Hook ducks the Judas Effect an hits a suplex before revealing the eye patch was fake and he could see. Hook goes for Redrum but Bill grabs him so Jericho can hit him with the kendo stick, but Hook moves, Jericho hits Bill and he falls through the barbed wire table. Hook gets Redrum but Jericho shoves him into Keith and gets two off that.
Ducking a kendo stick shot, Hook gets Redrum again as Keith jumps up on the apron, prompting Taz to leave the announce table and apply the Tazmission on Keith just as Jericho taps out to give hook the win and make him FTW champion again. Post match, father and son hug.
Winner: Hook at 10:15 – New champion!
AEW World Tag Title Three Way Match – The Young Bucks (c) vs. FTR vs. The Acclaimed
In a life imitating art scenario, the Bucks as heel EVPs have refused to defend the tag titles on TV, but after it was rumoured they have been given a lighter schedule this has irritated fans in real life who don’t want this tired act holding the belts hostage, especially since part of AEW’s mission statement was to rebuild tag team wrestling. The Acclaimed did manage to get a title match on Dynamite which FTR interfered in, hence this three way.
Dax and Max start and do a quick sequence then Cash tags in for a standoff which the Bucks try to incite further so they unite to beat on the Bucks, then resume the match. Acclaimed were about to hit Shiver Me Timbers when Matthew gets a blind tag then tags his brother in and they double team Cash then Caster. Nicholas gets a chin lock on Cash then misses a double superkick with his brother, but Matthew pulls Dax from the apron before cash can make the tag.
He survive a beating for a bit longer before tagging in Bowens who goes to work on the Bucks then brings Caster in for a double Shiver Me Timbers. Dax is back and hits three German Suplexes on Max and a double German on both Bucks at the same time. Cash return for a simultaneous Germans on the Bucks which gets two. FR sets up the Powerplex on Matthew but he fights back so Bowens comes in and helps with the Superplex as Cash hits the splash, but Matthew gets the knees up.
Everyone tries to hit a finisher which they miss leading to a three way double clothesline spot and everyone is down. We reset to Dax and Matthew, with Dax scoring with a DDT but Nicholas thwarts a double team spot, bringing Cash down from the top rope with a Frankensteiner. The Bucks go for the TK Driver but Cash pushes Nicholas off the top into a moonsault onto the Acclaimed on the outside.
FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Matthew but Nicholas pulls the ref out of the ring before he can count to three. Daddy Ass chases him into the ring where he eats a Superkick, then Nicholas sends Bowens to the floor and hits Cash with a springboard Facebuster. He follows with a tornado DDT on Bowens on the floor. Cash stops The Bucks hitting the EVP Trigger on Dax by taking out Matthew, so Nicholas recruits Caster to help.
They hit the EVP Trigger but Nicholas then tries to attack Caster who helps Cash hit the Shatter Machine. Bowens comes off the top with a Blockbuster on Cash to break up the pinfall, then The Acclaimed went for their finisher but The Bucks escaped via low blows, then Superkick Cash off the apron and hit Bowens with one to but only get a two count. Nicholas is about to hit Bowens with the tag belt when Daddy Ass comes in and hits the Fameasser on the belt.
Mic Drop follows but Matthew breaks up the count. The Acclaimed are sent outside where Cash hits a dive, allowing Matthew to sneak in and take a swing at Dax with the belt, but he ducks and sends him to the apron. Nicholas charges but runs into his brother, leaving Dax to get the roll up for two, but Dax is sent into a belt shot from Matthew then Nicholas rolls him up for two. One EVP trigger on Dax later and the Bucks retain the tag titles.
Post match Grizzled Young Veterans show up and stare down The Bucks but then attack FTR. I didn’t even know they were in AEW.
Winners: The Young Bucks at 13:32
Casino Gauntlet No 1 Contender for the AEW World Title Match
This is an interesting concept from Tony Khan – it’s basically a Royal Rumble match with a new participant every few minutes BUT the difference is it one fall therefore it can end by pinfall at any time. In other words, if someone is pinned or submitted in the first five minutes, the match is over and whoever hasn’t come out yet gets the night off. There have been two so far on Dynamite, both won by Will Ospreay but as he is busy elsewhere tonight, he won’t threepeat just yet.
Orange Cassidy is #1, winning a match to earn this spot, whilst Kazuchika Okada is #2. They hug but then Okada turns on Orange and beats him down so Orange puts his hands in his pockets and does his usual routine. Okada gets a Flapjack then Nigel McGuiness comes out at #3 to a massive pop and in great shape. They trade blows then Nigel schools Okada with some old British wrestling. Okada tries to emulate his moves but Nigel is too smart. Orange tries to jump Nigel but eats a lariat for two.
Kyle O’Reilly is #4 and we gets some grappling between him and Nigel. Kyle gets two off a knee strike as Okada breaks the count and they trade moves on each other, leading to a triple submission spot until Orange comes in for a double team. Zack Sabre Jr is #5 which means more technical wrestling, unheard of for a Rumble-style match. He faces off with Orange and Kyle straight away but then Nigel gets in his face and they go at it trading pinning spots until Okada gets in Zack’s face.
Zack gets an Octopus so Okada counters with an Air Raid Crash and an elbow drop before flipping off the fans. Zack goes for a leg lock but Kyle interrupts so he locks him up too. Roderick Strong is #6 and goes right for Orange then after former friend Kyle who gets a Dragon Sleeper which Okada breaks up with a dropkick. A few second later Mark Briscoe is #7 and we get some Redneck Kung Fu until Zack ejects him from the ring.
Briscoe is thrown a chair by Orange and hits a dive on the others as Hangman Adam Page is #8, coming out to a huge firework display. He takes out anyone and everyone as the story is his intense despite to get a title shot. Orange ducks a Buckshot Lariat so Page hits the Dead Eye but Briscoe breaks up the count. Jeff Jarrett is #9 and goes right after Page, taking out everyone else before going back to Page for the corner ten punches, but Page powerbombs Jeff onto the others on the floor.
As Page threatens Karen Jarrett, newly released from WWE Ricochet is #10 and does a fast sequence with Page and Kyle which ends with a Shooting Star Press off the top to others on the floor. Back in the ring, Ricochet goes up but Page goes for a Superplex as Christian Cage is #11, met by Ricochet with a dive off the top rope. Back in the ring, Page decapitates Ricochet with a lariat but Okada breaks up the count and the two Elite members go at it.
Page goes for the Buckshot Lariat but Karen grabs the leg allowing Jarrett to hit him with the guitar but Okada hits him with the Rainmaker. Sabre comes in and counters a rainmaker with an armbar but Orange rolls him for two. They exchange bridging pins until Cassidy hits the Orange Punch only for Strong to hit the Broken Hearted back breaker.
Mark Briscoe comes off the top with an elbow but is jumped by Nigel, but Briscoe fights back and sets up the Jay Driller, which Nigel counters only to be stopped by Kyle. He and Briscoe go for the Doomsday Device but Nigel slips out and hits a double Tower of London on both, which only gets two. Strong saves Kyle from a Lariat but is quickly ejected as Nigel hits a rebound lariat but can’t make the cover as Christian spears him.
Luchasaurus is #12, playing babyface to get revenge on Cage but of course, it is a swerve and he chokeslams Kyle then lets Cage get the win and the contract for the World title match that can be cashed in at any time. Flat ending to a fun match.
Winner: Christian Cage at 26:00
AEW American Title Match – MJF (c) vs. Will Ospreay
On the 250th episode of Dynamite, MJF defeated Ospreay to win the International Title in 59 minutes 58 seconds, then the following week, rebranded it as the American Championship with a bespoke Stars and Stripes themed belt. Ospreay still wants the title back and had to jump through hoops before MJF agreed to this rematch. Since everyone expected Will to challenge for the AEW World title on this show, I suppose this is the next best thing.
Punch fest opens the match, with MJF sent to the outside and Will hitting a pescado and a Space Flying Tiger Drop. Back in the ring, MJF jumps Will then sends him to the outside, slamming him into the barricade and hitting a running big boot. Will fires back but MJF hits a back drop, which gets two back in the ring. MJF gets a rest hold but Will breaks out and goes for a Oz Cutter, but MJF catches him and goes for a tombstone, which Will counters with a roll up and they exchange two counts from rolling cradles.
MJF blocks a Poisonrana with a Powerbomb then taunts Ospreay who hits an Enziguri and again looks for the OZ Cutter but MJF grounds him, then hits the Kangaroo kick to mock the crowd. Will blocks a Heatseeker and follows with a flying forearm and both are down. Will pops up and goes for the Pip Pip Cheerio but MJF pokes him in the eye. Will hits a handspring kick for two then unloads with short kicks to the face followed by a standing Sky Twister Press.
Retreating to the outside, Will targets MJF with another Space Flying Tiger Drop but is caught and MJF hits the Tombstone on the floor. He follows with an Asai moonsault, landing on his feet when Will moves but he runs into a Spanish Fly. Will drapes MJF on the top rope and hits a Shooting Star Press which gets two. He hoists MJF up for the Stormbreaker but MJF counters it into a cheeky Cross Rhodes for two.
Will escapes a suplex with Stundog Millionaire and an Os Cutter but only gets two then hits a top rope Os Cutter but MJF gets his foot on the ropes. Another Stormbreaker attempt is blocked by MJF with a snap Pildedriver for two, A suplex by MJF is countered with a small package for two but MJF rocks Will with a right fist, but Will blocks a lariat with a Stormbreaker, and that gets two. MJF rolls to the apron to avoid a Hidden Blade, and Will follows and misses a Cutter.
Seizing the opportunity, MJF hits a Panama Sunrise on the apron then rolls into the ring hoping for a count out win but Will makes it back in just in time. MJF teases going for the Hidden Blade but Will collapses so he goes for the Heatseeker which Will blocks and hits a Superkick and an Os Cutter on the apron. MJF rolls to the floor clutching his neck so Will goes for the Hidden Blade but hits the cameraman instead.
This affords MJF time to grab the title belt to use as weapon but Will catches him and goes for the Hidden Blade but MJF clocks him with the belt then hits a Brainbuster but gets 2.9. MJF misses his own Hidden Blade and the ref is bumped to the outside, during which time MJF goes for the Tiger Driver 91 but Will reverses it but can’t bring himself to hit the move so MJF capitalises with a low blow.
Apparently someone stole MJF’s gold ring so he brings out some knux instead but a masked man jumps on the apron and stop him, revealing himself to be Daniel Garcia. This distraction lest Will hit the Hidden Blade which he follows with the Tiger Driver 91 and despite the ref being groggy, gets the three count to regain the title, refusing MJF’s US belt but taking the old International belt instead.
Winner: Will Ospreay at 25:45 – New Champion!
AEW TBS Title match – Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Britt Baker
Right after Mone defeated Stephanie Vaquer to become a double champion at Forbidden Door, Baker returned and set her sights on the TBS title before being suspended for causing trouble backstage. Mone at first refused to face Britt but after she attacked Britt at a Comic Con event, Tony Khan made the match, so she got herself a big girl heater in Kamille.
Guess who arrived on stage in a gold carriage with two corgis, a royal robe, and flanked by Grenadier Guards? Clue: it wasn’t the dentist. Mone taunts Britt at the bell but runs the ropes when she fights back. They do the universal with Mone hitting a dropkick but then they go again, Britt almost gets the lockjaw and Mone rolls out onto the floor, (well onto Kamille’s shoulders).
Back in the ring, Britt starts throwing punches so Mone tries to fluster her with some Lucha lite stuff but Britt again goes for the Lockjaw which Mone turns into a pin. She bridges out then Mone blocks a Panama Sunrise then Britt goes up top where Kamille distracts her long enough for Moen to bring her down by dropping her back first on the top turnbuckle.
Mone works the back, getting two off a side slam but as Britt tries to fight back, Mone hits a back breaker which gets two. Britt knees her way out of a backbreaker submission and hits a ripcord forearm but can’t follow up with a suplex because of her back. Mone hits the Three Amigos which gets two, then continues to work the back. Mone goes up top and Britt goes up to meet her but Mone bodyslams her to the mat then goes for a splash but Britt gets the knees up.
Selling the back, Britt goes for a Curbstomp by Mone turns it into a sort of Powerbomb for two but Britt bounces back with a cutter for two. Mone misses a corner charge and Britt hits a second Ripcord forearm and a neckbreaker, followed by a slingblade and an Angel’s Wings for two. Britt puts the glove on but Mone avoids the Lockjaw with a bridging pin for two a straitjacket neckbreaker for two, but she somehow ends up with the glove.
A powerbomb is turned into an Air Raid Crash for two allowing Britt to steal the glove back. She goes for another Air Raid Crash which Mone reverses into the Money Maker but Britt counters that with a cradle for two. Mone goes up top where Britt catches her with a superkick and tries to bring her down, but Mone goes for a bodyslam again, this time with Britt flipping over and landing on top of Mone for a two count.
Now the crowd have woken up as Britt hits the Curb Stomp but Kamille puts Mone’s foot on the ropes. Whilst Britt argues with Kamille Mone grabs the title belt but the ref sees her and calls for a DQ but Mone pleads with him. Meanwhile, Kamille goes to hit Britt with the NJPW belt but Britt blocks her then pulls the Eddie Guerrero paying dead stunt to get Kamille ejected from ringside.
This leads to Britt’s comeback, hitting a Panama Sunrise followed by a Curb Stomp for two then the Lockjaw but Mone fights her off by biting Britt’s fingers and gets a roll up for two. Britt reapplies the move but Mercedes gets to the ropes and hits the Money Maker for the win. Not a bad match but they had an uphill battle following the Ospreay match, plus Baker is not the reliable worker she thinks she is.
Winner: Mercedes Mone at 17:25
TNT Title Coffin Match – Jack Perry (c) vs. Darby Allin
Having done everything to kill each other, like Jack running Darby over with a car or Darby setting Jack on fire, this TNT Title match will be a Coffin match where the loser is stuffed inside a coffin. Darby – who has drawing pins stuck to his face – dives on Perry as he makes his entrance to start, then wallops him with a chair before hitting a missile dropkick off the top rope.
Darby sets up the coffin so it stands vertically then hits a running dive where Perry moves at the last moment and Darby crashes into the coffin. Back in the ring, Perry fetches a bag of broken glass and tries to powerbomb Darby into the pile but Darby backdrops Perry on it instead, then comes off the top onto Perry’s back with a foot stomp using the skateboard wheels side down.
As Darby goes back up, Perry knocks him to the floor then grabs some duct tape and binds his hands together and beats him bloody before trying to stuff him into the coffin. Perry misses a charge and hit the steps, allowing Darby to go up top for the Coffin Drop to the floor. He stuff Perry in the coffin but can’t get the lid closed and Perry kicks his way to safety.
They brawl up the ramp where Perry powerbombs Darby then steals his belt and whips him with it, before tying his legs together and throwing him off the stage though a table. Perry produces a body bag and stuff Darby in it, the drags it to the coffin at ringside and puts Darby in it but he sits up, so Perry hits a running knee strike to KO Darby and slams the lid shut to get the win.
Post match, the Bucks some out with a can of petrol as Perry dances on the coffin then pour it all over Darby. Just as Perry takes out his lighter, the lights go out and STING makes his return! He marches past the coffin (!) and into the ring where he clobbers the Buck and no sells a chair shot from Perry. Jack flees leaving the Bucks to eat stereo death drops, then Sting free Darby from the coffin.
Match was short burst of unnecessary violence but seeing Sting again was sufficient compensation.
Winner: Jack Perry at 9:35
AEW World Title Match – Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Bryan Danielson
Quite why Tony Khan can’t settle on a direction for Swerve I don’t know – he is over as a face yet booked as heel. However, in this case it is to build sympathy for Danielson who has vowed to retire if he doesn’t win the title here, although he already plans to retire last year. Also, he is working on a temporarily extended contract since August 1st and badly needs neck surgery so win or lose, Danielson is on borrowed time already.
Tony Khan forked out for the rights to The Final Countdown as Danielson hugged Brie Bella and his kids at ringside whilst the crowd sung along with Europe. Some rappers accompanied Swerve whist Jim Ross is on commentary. They lock up and start throwing chops then Swerve gets under Bryan’s skin by staring at Brie so Bryan unloads on him with kicks and punches.
He goes to the LeBell Lock but Swerve slingshots Bryan out of the ring and follows with a kick. He goes for a dive but Bryan moves yet Swerve was able to flip off the apron but Bryan was just as quick and hit a dive that took Swerve out. Bryan rolls him back in the ring and targets the arm. Swerve reverses a whip so Bryan runs the turnbuckles but Swerve catches him with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker and a suplex.
Swerve catches Bryan in the corner here he works the leg and the arm. Bryan takes the Bret Hart chest first turnbuckle bump but catches Swerve as he floats over onto the apron and gets a triangle choke. Swerve hoists Bryan up on his shoulders, hitting the ref in the process, bringing Prince Nana over with the ring bell which Swerve drops Bryan onto with a DVD.
Now busted open, Bryan crawls back into the ring where Swerve meets him with some kicks then takes him out to the floor where he stomps on Bryan right in front of his family whilst Brie didn’t even bother to act to sell it. At least his kids cried. Swerve brings Bryan back in the ring with a backdrop off the top rope the went for a Stomp but Bryn moved and went for the LeBell Lock which Swerve managed to break.
Bryan fights back with a flying lariat then gets two off a backslide, before hitting the running corner dropkicks, but Swerve hit back with a leaping Flatliner. Swerve misses a kick allowing Bryan to hit a Tiger Suplex followed by the Yes kicks sending Swerve into the corner where Bryan took him up top and brought him down with an avalanche Tiger Suplex for two.
Danielson hits the stomps then Cattle Mutilation which Swerve remarkably bridged his way out of and hit a Vertaebreaker to escape, with Bryan landing on his neck to bring the medics in s it eh norm for Bryan’s matches now. Swerve is less compassionate and hits a Swerve Stomp but only gets two. Swerve hit three consecutive House Calls which only gets two to a huge pop.
Infuriated, swerve hits his own yes kicks with the crowd chanting “No” which only causes Bryan to hulk up and slap the stuffing out of Swerve, with some kicks thrown in for good measure. Bryan gets a triangle Choke but Swerve picks him, yet Bryan escapes and drops Swerve with a backdrop suplex. He rallies the crowd and hits the Busaiku Knee but Swerve no sells it and hits a House Call in return.
Grinning maniacally, Swerve hits Big Pressure but Bryan kicks out at 2.9. Swerve taunts with the yes chants a Hangman Page appears at ringside, fuming after losing the Casino Gauntlet earlier. Security drag him away as Swerve watches, giving the Bryan a chance to hit the Busaiku knee again, this time for a 2.9 count. Bryan hits a third Busaiku Knee then a fourth to the back of the head, followed by the LeBell Lock and finally the Regal Stretch and Swerve taps!
Well, it might have been best for Danielson to have put up a good fight and give Swerve a huge scalp to legitimise his title run then retire and gets surgery, but this story also needed a happy ending and this was probably the right call in the end, especially for a huge PPV like this.
Winner: Bryan Danielson at 27:40 – New Champion!
Bottom Line:
First off, kudos to Tony Khan for keeping the show under four hours (excluding the pre-show, but even then, there were only three matches) and just nine matches instead of 17. It still went a bit long but the action was consistent and the booking most part, the storytelling made sense although some of it made more sense in TK’s head.
An example of this is Christian Cage winning the Casino Gauntlet and being a challenger for the AEW world title. No offence to him or new champ Bryan Danielson but is having two 40-somethings vying for your top belt the way to go? I know they can both still go but five years in the company should be running on youth power by this point.
I do think if there was maybe one less match and a couple were shorter, the TBS title match wouldn’t have suffered as much as it did, although anything following the Ospreay match was going to struggle regardless. There as generally a good mix of matches and surprisingly less blood, chops and dives throughout, whereas this would usually be four hours of the same thing ad infinitum.
Wrestling is an odd business in that is deemed perfectly acceptable for a man to bleed like a pig in front of his toddler children and be brutally beaten up whilst 50,000 plus people cheer this. I don’t how early is too early to smarten them up to the business but this is a heck of a trial by fire for the Danielson kids. But, there was a bigger story being told here and within the bizarre diegesis of pro wrestling, everything worked out in the end and everyone got their big ending.
The attendance may have been down by a third from last year, but the crowd was still on fire and this felt like a major league, important PPV which few companies can put on these days. It might be a few years before All In can be considered to be on a par with Wrestlemania (if AEW hasn’t imploded by then) but for the moment, they are two for two with this PPV.
Best match – Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
Rating – ****
Man In Black
