Match Predictions and Heat Index Anticipation Levels
Temperature Scale = Scorching > Hot > Lukewarm > Temperate > Chilly > Cold > Freezing
Heat Index is my assessment of how interesting the segment is, including how excited I am for the match and how intriguing the feud has been. The hotter, the better. Scorching translates to not being able to wait to see it, while Freezing means I couldn’t possibly care less and think it will be awful.
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Jon Moxley (c) vs. CM Punk
Heat Index = Temperate
Prediction: CM Punk wins.
Thoughts: This was the grand plan? I’m underwhelmed. I guess the philosophy was to swerve everyone with the Dynamite match, give Moxley a win in Cleveland and then, give Punk the win and title back in Chicago. Forgive me for not caring about the Chicago thing after milking that cow as often as they have. I don’t typically care about “guy is from location” to begin with. This would have been better without the TV match. Now, I just assume Punk is winning and will have to climb a hill to prove himself as champion, but that’s a story I don’t particularly feel interested in watching unfold, so…yay?
INTERIM AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR-WAY MATCH:
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm
Heat Index = Temperate
Prediction: Storm wins.
Thoughts: Thunder Rosa’s title reign has been a bust for me. Nothing she’s done has wowed me or been memorable. If they had just had another match between she and Toni Storm, after watching that at Forbidden Door, I would have been even less interested. At least here, with the interim title, that’s more intriguing. Admittedly, though, I’m SO over watching Storm feud with Baker and Hayter, too, that even that isn’t a must-see. Shida’s also just randomly here. K. Four talented women, but no buzz from me. I’m only interested in whether the interim champion beats Rosa.
AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FINAL:
The Elite vs. TBD
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: The Elite wins.
Thoughts: At this particular moment, Rampage hasn’t aired. However, I think it’s pretty obvious we’re getting Dark Order in the finals, rather than Best Friends, so I’m judging based off that. If something else goes down, I’ll update this. This doesn’t match up to Adam Cole and reDRagon against The Elite, but it’ll do. Then again, it seems Bobby Fish’s contract isn’t being renewed, so I guess that’s out the window. Lame.
TRIOS MATCH:
Wardlow and FTR vs. Jay Lethal and The Motor City Machine Guns
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: FTR and Wardlow win.
Thoughts: Truth be told, I’d rather see Wardlow against Jay Lethal and FTR against MCMG separately, than in this trios match. Still, this could be fun, even if it feels like total filler that would be better served on television, rather than a pay-per-view. Let’s give the win to the babyfaces.
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Swerve in Our Glory (c) vs. The Acclaimed
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Swerve in Our Glory wins.
Thoughts: The Acclaimed have been feuding with The Gunn Club. What’s up with the random babyface versus babyface tag title match? I want The Acclaimed to win those belts, but it isn’t happening here. Frankly, this seems like this should have been a Triple Threat with Austin and Colten Gunn involved. There wasn’t a good enough build for me to get invested in this particular match, even though I’m a fan of both teams. It just strikes me as Tony Khan saying “I don’t know. This team against that team. Both are popular. Good enough, right? Don’t you want to see the match?” which has been a longstanding problem I’ve had with AEW. I’d like to see more effort than just announcing a match and banking on fans wanting to see those wrestlers face each other. Give me story.
SINGLES MATCH:
Chris Jericho vs. Bryan Danielson
Heat Index = Scorching
Prediction: Bryan Danielson wins.
Thoughts: Two of the greats. They’ll have an amazing match and Daniel Garcia will be involved in some fashion, possibly turning on The Jericho Appreciation Society and even joining Blackpool Combat Club. I’m so down for this.
SINGLES MATCH:
Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy
Heat Index = Hot
Prediction: Jungle Boy wins.
Thoughts: Ever since they randomly paired up, I’ve wanted to see these two against each other. It’s time to put it all out on the line, have the best possible match, and then move on to a new feud. I want to see Jungle Boy win, but I’d be okay with Christian Cage coming out on top. That’s a win-win for me, most likely. The match itself will probably be among the best of the night and I’m really looking forward to seeing what they’ve cooked up after all this time.
SINGLES MATCH:
Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Powerhouse Hobbs wins.
Thoughts: This is overshadowed by Jungle Boy against Christian Cage, when it comes to two former teammates battling each other. However, I’m still interested. It’s been a long time coming. Starks is the sentimental pick, as I like him better, but I think the smarter move is for Hobbs to win. That way, he can be built up to challenge Wardlow for the TNT Championship at some point in the future. Starks can take the hit. People will still be invested in him.
AEW TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Jade Cargill (c) vs. Athena
Heat Index = Temperate
Prediction: Jade Cargill wins.
Thoughts: Athena’s one of those talents that I will always argue had a major up-side to her, but will never deny somehow didn’t make it to the next level. She’s a perfectly valid option to beat Jade Cargill, but I actually don’t think it’s going to happen. More so, I think Cargill is sticking with this belt for at least a few more months to have a truly long, record title run, and Athena’s just the big name for her to beat along the way. This feud’s had some stops and restarts, so I’ve lost major interest compared to when “Ember Moon” first popped up and there was more potential.
CASINO LADDER MATCH:
Participants: Andrade El Idolo, Claudio Castagnoli, Dante Martin, Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix, Rush, Wheeler Yuta and TBD Joker
Heat Index = Hot
Prediction: Joker wins. If not, Andrade.
Thoughts: Ladder matches are almost always fun. There’s a lot of talent in this match, too. Andrade stands out to me as a challenger for Moxley, but since I assume Punk is winning the title back, I’m leaning a bit more toward Yuta. Andrade could still work, and he’ll still be my pick outside of the Joker (as that’s just the smart option), but I do think Yuta has a solid shot.
TRIOS MATCH:
House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews) vs. Miro, Darby Allin, and Sting
Heat Index = Temperate
Prediction: Miro, Darby Allin and Sting win.
Thoughts: How long has this feud between Darby Allin, Sting and House of Black been going on? Randomly putting Miro in there freshens it up a bit, but not enough for me to be wowed. This is yet another match that feels less important for the segment itself than it does for the idea of just putting some of these names on the card in general. If I’m going to criticize WWE doing that, I have to be fair and criticize AEW. Same deal. It doesn’t matter who wins, so I’ll just go with House of Black losing since they’re the heels.
[ZERO HOUR] SINGLES MATCH:
Eddie Kingston vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Prediction: Eddie Kingston wins.
Thoughts: Here’s where everyone goes nuts about “these two guys fighting”, but I can’t help asking why it is happening. Isn’t this just killing time for no reason while that Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo vs. Eddie Kingston and Ruby Soho match gets pushed even further away? Just do that. Put Kingston vs. Ishii on television, or maybe don’t do it at all since it’s happened already and there isn’t any deep story worth telling here? But if you want to draw the “I want to see these two guys fight, even if there’s nothing more to it than just that” audience, get them to tune in to the TV show, rather than the free part of the pay-per-view wherein other people who should be on the card and weren’t just suspended won’t miss out.
[ZERO HOUR] AEW ALL-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Pac (c) vs. Kip Sabian
Heat Index = Chilly
Prediction: Pac wins.
Thoughts: I like Pac and Kip Sabian, but, say it with me, this is just another match. The feud’s as borderline non-existent as you can get, just basically being that Sabian was ringside for months, covering his face, and eventually started messing with Pac on other shows. I’m sure it’ll be a fine match, but I like steak with my potatoes.
[ZERO HOUR] FTW CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:
Hook (c) vs. Angelo Parker
Heat Index = Cold
Prediction: Hook wins.
Thoughts: Unnecessary. Make it quick.
OVERALL PPV:
How excited am I for the event as a whole?
Heat Index = Lukewarm
Thoughts: There are 14 matches on this card. Since over half of them are kind of filler, in my mind, and I’ll already be burned out from watching Clash at the Castle and Worlds Collide, I imagine I’m not going to enjoy this as much as I would if it were just the best of the best, with proper feuds and storylines, and not what will feel like a 9 hour event. I’m hoping they end at 11pm and that these matches can be kept to the highlights, rather than stretching everything out. This should be the biggest event of the year for AEW, but it is giving me more of the vibes of how WWE approaches these Peacock events of “Well, TV matters more, and the pay-per-views are the loyalists who will buy anything anyway” rather than trying to go, you know, all out with it.
What do you think is going to happen at AEW All Out? Which matches are you most excited to see? Keep the discussion going in the comments below!
