‘All Out’ Goes All Out!

Wrestling relies on the build from one show to the next. It gets the masses interested in the drama surrounding an angle and the main event matches.

The uninspired booking over the last several weeks suggested AEW was so concerned with the 81,035 fans that packed Wembley Stadium that they forgot about the 9,495 fans in the United Center.

While All In was a tremendous spectacle, All Out was the better professional wrestling event.

All Out was a last-minute purchase in the Ringside Logic household. In fact, it was ordered 10 minutes into the show as the pre-show was as uninspired as the build-up to the show.

It was going to be an early night until the sudden urge of “Why not” took control of my hand and pressed the order button on the remote control.

All of the matches on the main card provided plenty of entertainment value. Some more than others, which isn’t a dig, but an endorsement of the action bestowed upon the viewing audience.

Miro beat Powerhouse Hobbs in an epic hoss battle. AEW’s overall roster is smaller in physical stature. Seeing two big men clubbing each other with thunderous shots while unleashing an array of power moves was a refreshing site.

Ring of Honor’s Television Championship was on the line as Samoa Joe retained against a game Shane Taylor. AEW stars holding ROH gold feels like major league players dominating the minor leagues.

That line of thinking suggested Joe would roll over Taylor, but it was a 50/50 match that saw Joe battling off his back foot, which made Taylor come off more as a threat until Joe turned it up in the final frame to score the submission.

Kris Statlander finally defeated Ruby Soho to retain the TBS Title. The match started off quite nicely and got better as it progressed. The intensity in the last five minutes was turned up to an eleven where Statlander was great and Soho shined.

Statlander and Soho need to go at it again. However, that will have to wait as Soho’s stable, the Outcasts, is in disarray. The new world women’s champion, Saraya is on a massive ego trip while Toni Storm looks like she’s going insane.

Ricky Starks signed a contract to face “The Dragon,” believing he would beat up a 70-year-old Ricky Steamboat in a strap match. Instead, the cocky Starks faced “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson.

Leather was flying, and there was blood. Starks and Bryan beat the hell out of each other. When you thought they couldn’t whip each other any harder, they’d upped the violence factor.

Once Danielson gained control to take it all home, the beating he gave Starks looked like a crime scene. Bryan recreated the moment that got him fired from WWE in 2010. He applied the LeBell Lock with the strap wrapped around Starks’ throat and pulled back. Starks put on a master class in selling as he passed out, giving Danison the win.

Main event time! Jon Moxley looked to end Orange Cassidy’s 320-day reign as International Champion. Many believed this match was not a worthwhile headliner. Yours truly was 50/50 on the matter.

It had great potential to be either a hit or a flop. How well their characters complimented each other would be the key.

Moxley defeated Cassidy to become the new International Champion in one of the best pay-per-view main events in years. Character work alone with phenomenal wrestling made for a fantastic story.

Cassidy’s lazifaire gimmick thrills some fans and irritates others. Regardless of one’s opinion, a universal truth is that Moxley’s no-nonsense, violence-fueled attack dog persona would not allow Cassidy to do his lethargic kicks or pocketed dropkick. However, most times, that line of thinking falls by the wayside in wrestling because no matter what logic dictates, wrestlers must get their stuff in.

Not this time.

Cassidy went to put his hands in his pockets, but Moxley attacked him before he could. It was a fantastic way to open the match because Moxley’s character would never let some silly call-out occur at his expense.

Moxley took Cassidy to the woodshed for the first part of the match. When Cassidy gained control, he went to throw the lethargic kicks but called an audible and delivered several stiff kicks.

The depth that moment carried spoke volumes. It was not only the first time Cassidy put aside the antics but got mad. It was clear the cool, calm, and “whatever” version of Cassidy would not beat Moxley. This new version, however, could.

Cassidy hit all of his big moves but to no avail. The two traded a series of nearfalls that were well-timed, adding drama to the match. The match fell to the floor, and Cassidy dropkicked Moxley’s head into the steel steps and rolled back into the ring, hoping to get the count out.

Typically, a babyface trying to get a count out win doesn’t occur. It risks making the good guy look like they want the easy way out. However, Moxley’s dastardly deeds took their toll on Cassidy to the point where no one blamed him.

Moxley came back and took his head off with a lariat. Cassidy got right up. Moxley hit a second and third lariat, but Cassidy got right up each time. Finally, Moxley delivered a Death Rider, but Cassidy barely, and I mean BARELY, got his shoulder up. Moxley hit a high-angle Death Rider for maximum impact and scored the 1-2-3.

Jon Moxley is the new International Champion, and Orange Cassidy accomplished the rare feat of getting over in a loss.

Moxley continues to be the guy AEW goes to when times are tough, and he never ceases to amaze. Cassidy put on the best performance of his career. Anyone who doubted Cassidy in between the ropes has now been silenced.

AEW’s first major show in a post-CM Punk era exceeded expectations while simultaneously making an emphatic statement that despite what was, everything is going to be alright.

As for the Chi-town faithful, many expected them to hijack the show in response to CM Punk’s firing. Chicago fans proved that despite their love for their hometown hero, they love pro wrestling even more.

-AEW All Out Results 9/3/23

Adam Cole & MJF defeated The Dark Order to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.

Samoa Joe defeated Shane Taylor to retain the ROH TV Championship.

Luchasaurus w/ Christian Cage defeated Darby Allin to retain the TNT Championship.

Miro pinned Powerhouse Hobbs.

Kris Statlander defeated Ruby Soho to retain the TBS Championship.

Bryan Danielson defeated Ricky Starks in a Strap Match.

Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta beat Eddie Kingston & Katsuyori Shibata.

Konosuke Takeshita pinned Kenny Omega.

Bullet Club Gold defeated FTR and The Young Bucks in an 8-Man Tag Match.

Jon Moxley defeated Orange Cassidy to become the new AEW International Champion.