Full card, match previews, picks

Hook over Jack Perry (c.) to win the FTW world championship

AEW has done a good job of letting his feud simmer in between its high points, which concluded with Hook crashing the pompous Perry’s ceremony to retire the FTW championship on Collision. Perry, who is starting to settle into being a heel, cheated Hook out of the title back in mid-July. Given that short time, I can see AEW wanted to continue this feud a little more. But it winning would be a cool moment for Hook and it’s hard to see him losing again this soon.

Darby Allin and Sting over Swerve Strickland and Christian Cage (Coffin Match)

Taking this feud to Nick Wayne’s house and Stickland’s wrestling school for vignettes has added plenty of extra heat to this match. Strickland even replaced his original partner, AR Fox, with Cage after they lost to Allin and Nick Wayne on Dynamite. It’s hard to imagine Sting and Allin losing for a few reasons. One, it’s a coffin match and if Allin is going to lose one it will be a much more meaningful feud than this. Two, Allin is in a match for the TNT Championship next week against Luchasaurus at All Out and a loss would be a blow. Fox’s falling out with Strickland gives him a reason to help his old friend Allin out. Lastly, you want Sting cheered as a winner by 80,000 people.

Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Santana and Ortiz over Eddie Kingston, Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta, Pentagon (Stadium Stampede match)

Before the addition of Santana and Ortiz and the loss of Ray Fenix to a visa issue, this match was a toss-up. Now, it feels like the Black Pool Combat Club side needs to win this, or Santana and Ortiz’s return could fall flat. A win and if the duo sticks with BCC could elevate the group even more. Either way this match could be tons of fun and hopefully gets us to Kingston vs. Moxley at All Out.

Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega, “Hangman” Adam Page over Konosuke Takeshita, Juice Robinson, and Jay White.

Ibushi and Omega teaming again is such a new and important thing that I’m not sure AEW should be messing with it, too much. Nor should either one of them be getting pinned right now. Having them do so feels like the only way for this to be a meaningful win for Bullet Club Gold and the Don Callis family. AEW can still possibly get to Omega vs. Jay White or Omega vs. Takeshita at All Out even if the heels are defeated here. 

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn over House of Black’s Malaki Black, Brody King and Buddy (c.) (AEW Trios Championship)

This one feels like the simplest call on the card — as much as it’s a shame House of Black’s title reign will have to come to an end. It’s hard to see AEW doing the big Billy Gunn retirement angle when the act is still hot, bring him back for one more shot at redemption to continue his career and not pay it off with a win.

Will Ospreay over Chris Jericho

There feels like a lot of following in Kenny Omega’s footsteps right now for Ospreay, who is now linked with Don Callis. Beating Jericho on a big stage continues that track for Ospreay, who’s New Japan contract is up in six months, as he and Omega still need to finish their trilogy. All of this could lead to Jericho and Sammy Guevara vs. Ospreay and Takeshita potentially All Out and the Jericho Appreciation Society coming back as babyface.

Saraya over Hikaru Shida (c.), Toni Storm and Britt Baker in a Fatal Four Way (AEW Women’s World Championship)

There are only two right winners here in Shida or Saraya. Yes, Shida just won the AEW women’s title two weeks ago, and yes, Saraya isn’t someone who will likely wrestle a ton once she wins it. But All In needs to be about the big moment. And other than an AEW world title change, there may not be a bigger one than Saraya becoming a world champion again in her own country. She should screw fellow Outcast teammate Toni Storm out of it somehow to create a little tension in the group.   

CM Punk (c.) over Samoa Joe (Real World Championship)

Punk and Joe’s feud deserves a stage like this. But “The Best in The World” has too much ahead of him as the Real World champion — Ricky Starks and then MJF — to lose it here to Joe. Punk gets a much more definitive win than his one on Collison.

Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood of FTR (c.) over Matt and Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Team Championship)

This is about a toss-up as it gets on this card in the sense that there is no wrong winner and we don’t know if Wheeler’s legal issues play a factor at all. But if this truly is the blowoff for bragging rights for who is the best tag team ever, a victory clearly means more to FTR. Their entire existence is being able to say they are the best team in the world and maybe ever. Also, keeping the tag titles and champ on Collision regularly is too important to AEW right now. 

MJF (c.) over Adam Cole (AEW World Championship)

Cole doing something dastardly to steal the most important thing in the world to MJF shouldn’t be off the table. It would be an intriguing strain on their friendship short term. But it doesn’t make sense long term with AEW telling the “real” world champion story with CM Punk. MJF will squeak by, maybe with a low blow or a pull of the tights — gamesmanship and not high-level cheating. Cole will raise his hand in victory and congratulations and then unload a super kick to the champ. It will push the story forward and set up one final meeting at All Out or Grand Slam.