ALL OUT VI - 9/7/2024

[The Natural]

Just now, SirFozzie said:

We're discussing it on the discord, the only American match from one of the big 3 we could compare it to was Sabu/Funk (Born to Be Wired). That was Faces of Death. This was Saw. Just psychological horror. I almost feel.. unclean having watched two people do that to each other.

I really liked Sabu vs. Terry Funk from ECW Born to be Wired 1997 even though it was hard to watch at times. This went too far for me like the last Strickland/Page Texas Death Match. That needle spot was fucking stupid.

[SirFozzie]

Coach Tony, if you're reading this, all I can do is quote Major League and say. "Nice job. Don't ever fucking do it again".

[HumanChessgame]

The preshow was the typical "get as many people a ppv spot as possible" deal. Nothing was bad but not all that noteworthy either; basically just matches that would have been home on one of the weekly shows.
It was nice seeing Skye Blue get a segment but I'd rather have seen another women's match on the preshow.

Garcia/MJF opened hot and was consistently good. Both guys, Garcia especially, looked like they were legitimately struggling with eachother and desperate to win. In a promotion where headdrops and high spots are the norm, they even made a fairly simple piledriver look devastating. MJF even took a step back from his usual cocky heel self to wrestle more viciously than normal, up until going back to his usual underhanded tricks to win.

Tag title match was fine but nothing groundbreaking. They really need to have a fresh team holding the tag titles. 

Osprey/Pac was very much the shit.

I'm pretty over every AEW ppv having some homogonized sports entertainment hardcore match, but I have to say this one far exceeded the normal offerings. Both women are great and they really brought the rage along with some innovative spots (I cringed at Stat's thumbtack bump). This was one of the best women's brawls in AEW.

The four way match for whatever random singles title was what it was.

TBS title match had a weird ending to an otherwise average match. The last minute or two of the match were really awkward. It looked like Mercedes was trying to dodge or block the Katana but didn't completely, so she kicked out at one and rolled out? As always, the Moneymaker finisher looked like crap. She's just too small to hit a move like that. I don't know if that was a miscommunication or what but the finishing stretch was awkward at best. People were quick to blame the last match on Brit, but after this I'm not so sure.

Jack Perry's strength is in his bumping and selling and he did an admirable job of that here. This kind of reminded me of the 123 Kid/Bret Hart match on Raw where Waltman came off looking like he could hang with Bret, though not quite as good. I still think Perry peaked as an underdog face. When Moxley showed up at the end I figured his turn was coming but didn't predict Claudio joining him.

With everything Swerve and Page have done to eachother, it's hard to really call either the heel or face, but that didn't matter so much as they just went in looking to kill eachother. Unlike most of the AEW brawls, this didn't come off as a watered down version of an actual deathmatch. I've seen plenty of cinder block bumps in deathmatches, but Page's back hitting the corner of that block was just painful. The powerbomb on it looked almost as bad. It didn't look to be gimmicked either. I figured they'd continue with showing that no matter what Page tried he wouldn't be able to beat Swerve but him winning by KO was a good way to conclude this.

Great show overall with the TBS title match being the only thing that under-delivered. The four way was nothing special but it was perfectly fine as a cooler/filler match. Osprey/Pac was my favorite of the evening.

[porksweats]

When Swerve got the splinter from the burnt down house and started stabbing away at Hangman, a guttural hell yeah creeped from my mouth and yelled out into the air. Everyone brought the heat tonight, I'm happy with it all.

 

Bloodlust satisfied, glad they pushed the envelope tonight.

[SirFozzie]

The sad thing about the level of violence in the main is that it completely overshadowed Stat/Willow, which is a goddamn shame. They deserved for us to be saying at the end of the night "That was the craziest, go the extra mile match in months". Instead, it pales compared to the torture video that was the main event.

[SirFozzie]

This is a face of a man who won a fight, but lost his humanity in the process:

 

https://twitter.com/WrestlePurists/status/1832630277807518111/photo/1

[The Natural]

7 minutes ago, SirFozzie said:

The sad thing about the level of violence in the main is that it completely overshadowed Stat/Willow, which is a goddamn shame. They deserved for us to be saying at the end of the night "That was the craziest, go the extra mile match in months". Instead, it pales compared to the torture video that was the main event.

Statlander/Nightingale was one of my favourite matches. Probably my MOTN.

Edited September 8 by The Natural

[Casey]

Am I just desensitized, or did the main event not seem as “sick” or whatever as everyone here is making it out to be? Like at no point was I uncomfortable or anything. The only spot that sticks out as truly gross was the needle bit, and even that didn’t land like they wanted to since it didn’t seem like it actually went through Swerve’s cheek.

I stil loved that match, though. I don’t think it’s over, since this was unsanctioned and that’s the time when Hangman finally gets his victory (when it doesn’t count for anything). I smell exploding barbwire in our future.

[John E. Dynamite]

First half was an all timer. Second half was Mercedes *really really really doing a bad job trying to ad lib over a busted weave???* and some shock spots that I have seen too many times over the last 20 to 30 years. The bag callback, ok, Terry Funk fanboyism is fine. The syringe thing never grossed me out, I've just seen the same thing happen since buying Big Japan VHS when VHS was the only way to buy it.

[Jenalysis]

I play Night Lords in Warhammer and that was too much for me.

 

 

[just drew]

This ruled. Folks on twitter calling it the PPV of the year. These guys agreed to this beforehand. Shit, Danielson probably came up with the idea for the bag. I don't need to see it in another match for a long time, but we joked for weeks about how a steel cage seemed like a downgrade in violence from what Page & Swerve had already done to each other. Not so much anymore. 

Rest of the card ruled. 

[elizium]

That needle spot was the safest thing in that match. Maybe its just because I work with them every day, but everything else in that match was way more hardcore than getting a tiny ass needle poked through your cheek. I've stuck much bigger ones in kittens

 

e: as part of my job, I'm not just wandering the streets giving random cats injections

Edited September 8 by elizium

[porksweats]

4 minutes ago, Casey said:

Am I just desensitized, or did the main event not seem as “sick” or whatever as everyone here is making it out to be? Like at no point was I uncomfortable or anything. The only spot that sticks out as truly gross was the needle bit, and even that didn’t land like they wanted to since it didn’t seem like it actually went through Swerve’s cheek.

I stil loved that match, though. I don’t think it’s over, since this was unsanctioned and that’s the time when Hangman finally gets his victory (when it doesn’t count for anything). I smell exploding barbwire in our future.

I'm in agreement, it satisfied my bloodlust but the only "sick" thing was the needle. It was just a blast.

[John E. Dynamite]

Yeah I'd rather take the syringe spot than a superplex at this point in my life. I get my blood drawn just fine. Probably would as a teen, I'd take the bump better but the acne would hide the wound.

[Zimbra]

9 minutes ago, SirFozzie said:

The sad thing about the level of violence in the main is that it completely overshadowed Stat/Willow, which is a goddamn shame. They deserved for us to be saying at the end of the night "That was the craziest, go the extra mile match in months". Instead, it pales compared to the torture video that was the main event.

It's one of the things that drives me the craziest about AEW booking.  At least they were pretty spaced out on the card.

MVP of the night was Stokely's dope as shit Belly shirt.

[HumanChessgame]

8 minutes ago, Casey said:

Am I just desensitized, or did the main event not seem as “sick” or whatever as everyone here is making it out to be? Like at no point was I uncomfortable or anything. The only spot that sticks out as truly gross was the needle bit, and even that didn’t land like they wanted to since it didn’t seem like it actually went through Swerve’s cheek.

I stil loved that match, though. I don’t think it’s over, since this was unsanctioned and that’s the time when Hangman finally gets his victory (when it doesn’t count for anything). I smell exploding barbwire in our future.

 

8 minutes ago, John E. Dynamite said:

First half was an all timer. Second half was Mercedes *really really really doing a bad job trying to ad lib over a busted weave???* and some shock spots that I have seen too many times over the last 20 to 30 years. The bag callback, ok, Terry Funk fanboyism is fine. The syringe thing never grossed me out, I've just seen the same thing happen since buying Big Japan VHS when VHS was the only way to buy it.

I don't get the pearl clutching over the main event either, but having watched far worse deathmatch stuff both when trying to view a blurry Big Japan .mov clips on dialup or watching IWA-MS later on this wasn't that bad. That said it had the right level of violence and intensity for a big name show. And yeah, it's too bad it took some of the focus from Stat/Willow because that was probably top 5 or 10 in AEW women's matches for me.

Edited September 8 by HumanChessgame

[Greggulator]

That main event was jarring and disturbing. I loved it. The needle into the cheek doesn’t sound as bad on paper but the history of wrestling promotions suggests those guys were not concerned at all about infection control before the match. Hangman getting the shit scraped out of his back was so fucking gnarly. Loved that they went into the “stapling family photos onto each others flesh” at the same point of the indie match where they do all the roll-ups like Eddie/Dean. A+. Only thing this needed was for someone’s arm to somehow get sliced up accidentally so Nana could glue the wound close.

[John E. Dynamite]

The point of the violence is to shock the crowd and make them feel things. But every time you do that, a certain segment of the populace will take the trick the wrong way. Some inadvertently, some will be "performatively ignorant" and rail against it in a way that has become common in this weird, modern propaganda war that blights most forms of wrestling discussion across the lower rungs of social media.

The last time I tried to express this, I worded it as poorly as I've worded anything on these boards. I haven't got my thoughts together on it, but... I don't know. Something about being mad at a magician for sawing a lady in half. Maybe it is sexist. Her intestines are fine, though.

Edited September 8 by John E. Dynamite

[SirFozzie]

Here's the thing. We're not talking 25 year old semi out of focus Big Japan VHS videos that we giggled/gasp watched over. We know these guys in and out.  We get to see this in 4K. We know what this shit has done to people's bodies. And we're not the target audience. We're part of it, but the vast majority of AEW PPV buyers never heard of Big Japan, Pirahna's cactuses, etcetera. This was a level of violence and just plain sadism that again, the only things we could compare it to be is Born to Be Wired. It's a visceral reaction, and I hope it doesn't backfire. I'm pretty sure WWE put the highlights from this on their server for trotting out the next time a wrestling panic happens.

[The Natural]

I hope AEW stick to 8 PPV matches like here, felt the show paced better and I wasn't sagging as much due to the stupid time difference. I think Statlander/Nightingale was my MOTN.

[The Natural]

Most disappointing matches for me were Young Bucks vs. Castagnoli/Yuta and Mone/Shida.

[Gordi the recovering AEW f]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

The use of the needle and the plastic bag on Bryan Danielson soured me on AEW.

Agree with you there, buddy. 

 

I can really only speak for myself and I am sure a lot of people super enjoyed this entire show and if so I am happy for them. 

 

Speaking for myself personally, I would have LOVED this show without the plastic bag, cinder block, and needle.

I mean, PAC vs Bruv and Stat vs Willow! The grappling in MJF vs Dancy Pants! Some of those complex sequences and crazy spots! All the storytelling! That HAWT Chicago crowd! American wrestling fans marking the hell out for Okada and Takeshita facing off... And so on.

 

WITH those extra steps...  Yeah, me too. A little bummed out. A little soured. Glad to know I am not alone in feeling that way. I

 

I would have been SO HAPPY if they ended the Dragon match with him and Mox hugging. It's not like Bryan lacks challengers for the belt! 

 

Related, but...

This is maybe more JUST me but I might as well get it off my chest here:

In particular, I LOVED that AEW used to be all about good guys being friends and having each others' backs and I mourn to see that they have shifted entirely to stale WWE "strong men stand alone" and "your friends will always betray you in the end" trope booking. I LOVED the loose hang-out feel of the TV shows with the commentators just kind of being themselves. But, nope. Can't use pronouns. Need to have bullshit heel commentators... They really had something special going, a chance to "change 'the business' for the better" but nope. Have to do it the way it's always been done. Breaks my heart. "Because that's how it has always been done" is the WORST reason to do something. 

 

w/r/t the ultraviolence, maybe I'm just getting old. I get free tickets to Big Japan when they come to Osaka. I have seen all kinds of crazy shit live... I dunno. Was NOT in the mood for that much of it, this morning.

 

Little bummed, little soured, glad to know I am not alone. Still love wrestling. Still well-entertained overall, today.

 

Anyway, going to a BBQ party with Cooger tonight! That'll drown my minor old man sorrows!

Edited September 8 by Gordi the recovering AEW f

[Octopus]

Fantastic event. I had a blast the entire show. Sadly had to step away to drop something off so I missed Willow va Statlander and the Four Way. 

Loved the world title match. Maybe the best Jungle Boy match? I’d have to double check. The post match with the BCC stopping Christian’s cash in was really well done. Perry and Killswitch staring at each other was a fun moment too. The swerve (which I predicted but not how it was done) with the European Uppercut out of nowhere was cool. I loooooved the bag. Being AEW there’s always a fun homage somewhere, and seeing the bag made me smile like Funk suffocating Flair. Yuta still being with Danielson added to the moment. I’m excited for another Moxley vs Danielson match. Maybe Regal shows up again

The after event unsanctioned cage was what it needed to be. They promised this and to me truly lived up to how great and heated this feud was. I think the Texas Deathmatch was probably still a better match but this is exactly what it needed to be in this moment of their story. The brick was icky but taken well. The house spike fit the story they were telling. I didn’t have a problem with the needle, but I understand people getting the willies over being poked as opposed to smashed or cut traditionally. Great match, I’m fully on board with everything. 

The opening match was great. Is it the best Garcia match? 

Pac vs Ospreay too! Good stuff.

[Phantom Lord]

I thought this was a pretty good show for the most part. Every match was good in their own right. My match of the night was Osprey vs. Pac with Willow vs. Statlander a close second.

Bryan vs. Jack Perry was better than it had any right to be. Bryan did great as usual and I loved the post match angle with Christian coming down to the ring only to be stopped by Moxley and company. Soon as I saw Mox I knew what was gonna happen to Bryan. Didn't expect them to keep poor Wheeler out of the loop though so at least Bryan still has one friend. Moxley going all Terry Funk with the bag was something else. I loved how morally outraged the commentary team was. JR seemed really pissed about it which put it over the top.

The cage match was all right. But I think it was lacking something and I don't know what. I think they went too heavy on the gimmicks. Like you watch a cage match like say The Last Battle of Atlanta, all they needed to do was beat the shit out of each other with their fists. I would have preferred to see that than say seeing someone powerbombed on what looked like a real cinder block.

I almost tapped out at the needle spot though. That was just too much. The sickening chair shot was enough on it's own.

But yeah aside from that a pretty good show tonight.

[Octopus]

I don’t know why people are mad at AEW for the cage match. They literally didn’t sanction it.