We’re less than two weeks removed from the largest event on the AEW calendar, “All In,” so the build towards tonight’s show has been brief.
Still, Tony Khan has managed to promote eight exciting matches.
Here are my predictions:
Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander (Chicago Street Fight)
Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander will end their feud tonight, in a Chicago Street Fight — a stipulation chosen by Nightingale, after defeating Statlander in tag team action at “All In.” However, Nightingale’s CMLL World Women’s Championship is not on the line. Instead, this match is for glory.
This feud began in May, at “Double or Nothing,” shortly after Nightingale lost her TBS Women’s Championship to Mercedes Moné. Nightingale and her manager, Stokely Hathaway, entered the match in Nightingale’s corner, but betrayed her after the match. Since then, these women have wrestled on four separate occasions. The first was in tag team action at “Forbidden Door,” where Nightingale’s team prevailed. Then in singles action in the Owen Hart Cup Tournament, which Nightingale won. Their third bout was on Wednesday Night “Dynamite,” in a CMLL World Women’s Championship eliminator match, which Statlander won. And, most recently, the two wrestled in an aforementioned mixed tag team match to determine the stipulation for this match, which Nightingale and her partner won.
What’s interesting to note here is that the CMLL World Women’s Championship is not on the line tonight, in this Chicago Street Fight. So, it sounds like even after their match tonight, this feud isn’t over. Statlander still has a guaranteed shot at the CMLL World Women’s Championship, because she won the title eliminator match in July. So, I expect Statlander to win this Chicago Street Fight, and lose whenever the next match takes place.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Mercedes Moné [c] vs. Hikaru Shida
Mercedes Moné will be defending her TBS Women’s Championship against the “Ace of the Division,” Hikaru Shida.
Shida defeated Queen Aminata, Serena Deeb, and Thunder Rosa on last week’s episode of Saturday Night “Collision” to become the number one contender. Last night, she defeated Deonna Purrazzo in preparation for her bout against Moné. While that’s an impressive two week run, it doesn’t change the fact that Moné just beat Shida less than a month ago. I don’t think this result will be any different. Moné isn’t finished being the TBS Women’s Champion yet.
Winner: Mercedes Moné
Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Orange Cassidy
Given this match’s participants, it’s sure to be a show-stopper.
Still, if last year is any precedent, then the “Continental Classic” is only two months away and I expect Kazuchika Okada to enter the round-robin tournament as the champion and prohibited favorite.
I’m sure he’ll retain his title this evening.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
The Young Bucks [c] vs. the Blackpool Combat Club
Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta are already AEW World Trios Champions. Can they leave Chicago as double champions? I doubt it. The Young Bucks seem destined to lose their titles to Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi, ending this story that began last year at “Full Gear (2023).” So, unfortunately, I expect the Bucks to retain their titles.
Winner: The Young Bucks
Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Daniel Garcia
This feud began when MJF betrayed Daniel Garcia on “Dynamite” at the beginning of July. MJF broke Garcia’s neck (kayfabe), leaving him out of commission until “All In,” when Garcia made his triumphant return to intervene in the former’s match with Will Ospreay.
Over the last two weeks, these two have had incredible back-and-forth promos — establishing Garcia as a worthy opponent for the former AEW World Champion. I don’t expect this feud to end anytime soon, though. While I don’t expect either man to break the other’s neck, I do expect Garcia to win this match — beginning a brief program that will continue until “Grand Slam” later this month.
Winner: Daniel Garcia
Will Ospreay [c] vs. PAC
PAC has been on a collision course with Will Ospreay ever since he won the “Global Glory Four Way” match in July, defeating Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, and Tomohiro Ishii. Even though MJF was the AEW International Champion at that time, the outcome of his feud with Ospreay seemed inevitable.
Since then, PAC has forged an alliance with the Blackpool Combat Club, winning the AEW World Trios Championships at “All In.” Not only was PAC the inaugural International Champion, but he also simultaneously held the Trios titles for a month — making him AEW’s first double-champion. PAC’s chances of defeating Ospreay and repeating history are slim, though. With the Tiger Driver ‘91 back in Ospreay’s arsenal, it’s hard to imagine that any man in AEW can defeat the “Aerial Assassin.”
Winner: Will Ospreay
Bryan Danielson [c] vs. Jack Perry
Three years ago, Bryan Danielson made his debut at “All Out (2021),” coming to the aid of Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Jack Perry. Their enemies were Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, the Good Brothers, and Adam Cole: the Elite. Tonight at “All Out,” Bryan Danielson will be defending his AEW World Championship against the Elite’s youngest member, Jack Perry.
This match will be a full circle moment for both men. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the outcome is predictable. Thankfully, Perry has little to lose here, considering he’s already the TNT Champion.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
On Wednesday, “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland delivered one of the most exciting endings in “Dynamite” history — with Page setting Strickland’s childhood home on fire. Arson is just the most recent criminal offense in this longstanding feud. This will be their seventh meeting in the squared circle in the past year and their fourth on pay-per-view.
Tonight, both men will be locked in a steel cage, in a “Lights Out” match. Page has yet to actually defeat Strickland in single’s competition. In their first two matches, Strickland won via outside interference, and their third bout ended in a time-limit draw. Unfortunately, I don’t expect Page to begin recuperating his losses tonight. I think Strickland is on a collision course with Bryan Danielson, building towards his inevitable rematch at “WrestleDream” in his hometown of Tacoma, WA. Can Strickland afford to lose here? Possibly. Will he? I don’t think so. Page’s blind rage will be his undoing.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
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