AEW All Out 2023 went into this show with their backs to the corner. Coming out of All In London and terminating a top merch seller. AEW needed to make a statement that a Punkless AEW was going to be fine. And Boy did they. AEW proved that great in ring wrestling and everything delivering makes up for an amazing show. There were matches that were designed to give the crowd breaks but it wasn’t obvious. The show flowed from start to finish tremendously and Chicago brought the heat. Multiple things were done, including MJF and Samoa Joe gaining tension. Omega took another big loss. Orange Cassidy lost the biggest match of his career. Danielson had a successful return. The excitement for the show wasn’t there so the storylines coming into the show didn’t have enough juice to provide perfect storytelling throughout the night.
AEW All Out 2023 looks to be AEW’s statement that CM Punk’s termination isn’t going to leave a void within the company. With a lack of World championships being defended. Including the AEW World, AEW Women’s World, and the AEW World Tag Team championships. The marquee matches being Jon Moxley Vs historical champion Orange Cassidy. Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita and Bryan Danielson returning early to face Ricky Starks in honor of Ricky The Dragon Steamboat. And way, way more.
Zero Hour Results:
Over Budget Battle Royal:
Results: Hangman Page by Last Eliminating Brian Cage via Deadeye on Apron
Athena, Merces Martinez, Diamante Vs Hikaru Shida, Willow Nightingale, and Skye Blue:
Results: Skye Blue by Pinfall via Code Blue Sunset Bomb
The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass with Dennis Rodman Vs Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal – AEW World Trios Championship:
Results: Max Caster by Pinfall via Mic Drop on Jay Lethal
Fine Zero Hour. Trios match was fine, and the battle royal had the crowd firmly behind Hangman.
Main Show:
AMAZING The Dark Order Vs Better Than You Bay Bay – ROH World Tag Team Championship:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.50
I say this time and time again surrounding Adam Cole and MJF. It is phenomenal stuff. We have MJF making “sportsmanship”, “double clothesline”, and “Kangaroo kick” chants. And its greatly done tag team wrestling. Having the Dark Order work on Adam Cole while MJF has an injury angle. MJF getting the hot tag and still selling the neck is phenomenal. Nothing truly innovative in this match but it was a hot start with a fun and enjoyable tag team match.
Results: Better Than You Bay Bay by Pinfall via Double Clothesline
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
With MJF walking up the ramp, Adam Cole barely in the camera shot. Samoa Joe comes out and shoves MJF. Cole consulting MJF before a hurting Maxwell storms down to the ring. Him and Joe get into a brawl that needs a lot of security to keep them apart. Great moment and got me excited for a future Joe and MJF match.
GREAT Shane Taylor Vs Samoa Joe – ROH World TV Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
Fun action in this match. I enjoyed all of it. I felt the crowd was good but not on the level of other top matches. Good selling from both men and the strikes were great. Fine match overall but there isn’t too much else to say about it.
Results: Samoa Joe by Tap Out Submission Via Coquina Clutch
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
GREAT Luchasaurus with Christian Cage Vs Darby Allin with Nick Wayne – AEW TNT Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
First off props to Darby Allin. Someone that puts in the work and is easily one of the better “davids” in wrestling. His selling, his work to make Luchsaurus’ offense look menacing succeeded. I enjoyed the finish including both Christian and Nick Wayne. Christian threatened Darby if Darby jumped for the coffin drop. There was one whiff where Luchasaurus was late or almost late to kick out and it was a rough part of the match. But overall a fairly entertaining match.
Results: Luchasaurus by Pinfall via Snake Eyes and Clothesline Combo
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
MUST WATCH Miro Vs Powerhouse Hobbs:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
BIG MEATY MEN BUMPING AND SLAPPING MEAT. The fact we got two big men just having an intense, hard hitting and impactful match was amazing. Completely blew over the expectations the match had. The crowd was truly electric for this match. This is one of the ones to go out of your way to watch.
Results: Miro by Tap Out Submission via Game Over
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.50
GREAT Ruby Soho Vs Kris Statlander – AEW TBS Championship:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 0.75
Ruby and Kris have the history and they played into it. The story of Kris never beating Ruby Soho and now Ruby would be harder to beat. There was solid action and a good build. In typical outcast fashion, Ruby went for the spray paint as Saraya distracted the ref. Toni Storm comes out from underneath the ring and steals the spray paint from Ruby. It’s an odd ending since the outcasts won last night.
Results: Kris Statlander by Pinfall via Sunday Night Fever
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
PERFECT Ricky Starks Vs Bryan Danielson – Strap Match:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
Its the final countdown and once again, Bryan Danielson puts on an absolute clinic. Within the Zero Hour mentioning the last time he was in a strap match being with someone he loved. Ricky Starks and Bryan Danielson bled for our enjoyment in what it was, using the strap to truly beat each other to a pulp. Hot crowd, safe match in terms of nothing going wrong. Great story of Danielson defending Ricky Steamboat and wanting to beat the dragon. You could hear the lashes, you could hear the agony and this was perfect.
Results: Bryan Danielson by Pass Out Submission via Strap Assisted Lebell Lock
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 5.00 Stars
GREAT Eddie Kingston and Katsuyori Shibata Vs Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 0.75
Storytelling: 0.50
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 0.75
Another match from an in ring standpoint that was just really solid all around. Good moments but the psychology stood out from the story of the match. Enjoyable moments include Shibata eating Claudio’s strikes. A very weird but a good surprise finish with an uppercut. Wheeler Yuta and Eddie Kingston have good chemistry together for their moments in the match. This match proves two things, Shibata wrestling is a great feeling and Kingston still hates Castagnoli.
Results: Claudio Castagnoli by Pinfall via European Uppercut on Eddie
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
MUST WATCH Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita with Don Callis:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
Phenomenal match from start to finish where the crowd attempted but didn’t hijack the show. Kenny and Takeshita have great chemistry together even after it being nearly 10 years since their last singles match. Takeshita looks so good with being explosive in the ring and he can be this explosive at his young age. Kenny selling the neck was really great as well as Takeshita worked on him. They had an awesome blue thunder bomb from the top rope and it was electric. Great kickouts and the finish which I didn’t expect to end the match did. An exposed knee strike and Takeshita got the win. Wow.
Results: Konosuke Takeshita by Pinfall via Running Knee without the Knee Pad.
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.75 Stars
AMAZING Bullet Club Gold Vs FTR and Young Bucks:
Fundamentals: 0.75
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 0.75
Psychology: 0.75
Innovation: 1
A match that had time to grow and build and a lot of really good wrestling and counters happened. There was a great nearfall before Jay White’s bladerunner got the victory. All men in this looked really good and Chicago didn’t hijack the match again. Sequence’s a plenty and this was really fun. A number of moments between FTR and The Bucks doing each other’s moves.
Results: Colten Gunn by Pinfall via Jay White’s Bladerunner on Dax Harwood
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 4.25 Stars
PERFECT Orange Cassidy Vs Jon Moxley – AEW International Championship Match:
Fundamentals: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Storytelling: 1
Psychology: 1
Innovation: 1
A perfect match for a different reason than the strap match. Here we have Jon Moxley putting over Orange Cassidy by showing the man respect. Orange Cassidy put the International championship on the map and Jon Moxley knew that. Jon came into this match wanting to prove it was better. From the mind games of Cassidy, to Orange truly giving it his all. They both sold the offense, and the spots made sense. I loved the beach break on the concrete and overall the ending was amazing. The crowd gave all the respect to the former champ, this was a star making performance, despite having them with PAC and Will Ospreay.
Results: Jon Moxley by Pinfall via Death Rider
Coby Galenzoski WR Star Rating – 5.00 Stars
Overall…
AEW All Out 2023 went into this show with their backs to the corner. Coming out of All In London and terminating a top merch seller. AEW needed to make a statement that a Punkless AEW was going to be fine. And Boy did they. AEW proved that great in ring wrestling and everything delivering makes up for an amazing show. There were matches that were designed to give the crowd breaks but it wasn’t obvious. The show flowed from start to finish tremendously and Chicago brought the heat. Multiple things were done, including MJF and Samoa Joe gaining tension. Omega took another big loss. Orange Cassidy lost the biggest match of his career. Danielson had a successful return. The excitement for the show wasn’t there so the storylines coming into the show didn’t have enough juice to provide perfect storytelling throughout the night.
Matches: 1/1 Stars
Show Structure: 1/1 Stars
Atmosphere…: 1/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.75/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 1/1 Stars
Overall Rating. 4.75/5 Stars
Photo Credit: AEW – Sept 3rd
For inquiries about the rating criteria check out the article announcing the new system here:
