AEW made history with AEW All In on Wembley Stadium on August 27. One week later, AEW had the challenging task of holding AEW All Out, a second pay-per-view so soon after such a monumental show. This challenge was exacerbated by the fact that the entire week leading up to the event, the conversation was dominated by CM Punk following his latest incident backstage at AEW All In. AEW then officially fired Punk the day before All Out, leading some fans and critics to wonder whether the move would overshadow the pay-per-view.
Instead, with a chance to begin a new era, AEW’s roster capitalized on the opportunity. In practically every match, it seemed like the competitors had something to prove. Everyone brought their “A” game and drowned out the noise. By the end of the night, fans were buzzing about what had become one of AEW’s strongest pay-per-views so far.
Jon Moxley Is The Face of AEW
Over and over again, Jon Moxley has put AEW on his back when the company needed a hero. In 2022, when CM Punk went down with a foot injury right after he won the world title, Moxley stepped up. He had a strong reign as the interim champion, and he helped the company weather the storm. Likewise, when Punk got suspended for “Brawl Out”, Moxley carried AEW through a period that was filled with uncertainty.
With that in mind, it’s very fitting that Moxley both headlined the first post-Punk show and ended the night standing tall. Moxley is unquestionably the heart and soul of AEW, and his value to the company cannot be overstated. He and Cassidy closed out AEW All Out with a thrilling main event, and Moxley is more than capable of continuing the elevation of the AEW International Championship.
It’s also important to highlight Orange Cassidy’s amazing reign. Cassidy defended the AEW International Championship 31 times and routinely delivered Match-of-the-Night contenders. In doing so, he cemented himself as a genuine top-level star and an elite wrestler.
Bryan Danielson’s Return Is A Major Boon To AEW
Bryan Danielson‘s return could not have come at a better time. After being sidelined with an arm injury for the majority of the summer, Danielson returned on the September 2 episode of AEW Collision, hours after Punk’s termination. At AEW All Out, he battled Ricky Starks in a Strap Match. It’s fair to assume one of the best wrestlers in the world wouldn’t have any ring rust. However, few could have expected that he would help deliver one of the best strap matches of all time.
Danielson and Starks brutalized each other, and both men were bleeding by the end of the bout. “The American Dragon” was a bloody mess, and the sight perfectly added to the intensity of the match. The bout was a showcase of how to build someone up, even in a loss, as Danielson made Starks look like a million bucks.
Starks was indirectly a victim of the Punk scandal, as they had been feuding. They were likely going to headline AEW All Out. An excellent match with an all-time wrestler is a nice consolation prize, though. In some ways, Starks looked better against Danielson than he did against Chris Jericho, despite the fact he lost to Danielson and beat Jericho.
“The American Dragon” is seemingly set to replace Punk as the face of AEW Collision. If so, he’s the perfect choice. Like Moxley, he has been a constant, aside from some injuries, throughout his time with AEW. His win at AEW All Out reestablished Danielson’s momentum right away, and it will be exciting to see what his future holds.
AEW All Out Marked The End Of The CM Punk Era
CM Punk‘s latest scandal overshadowed AEW All In, a historic show that should have been a banner moment for AEW. The controversy, followed by the news of his termination, threated to dominate the buzz around AEW All Out. Thankfully, the pay-per-view delivered a show that overcame the discourse. Still, Punk’s absence still loomed large, as the event officially marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.
Punk’s arrival in AEW was an electric moment. He then had several great promos, unforgettable feuds (namely the MJF rivalry), and some good matches too. But it all fell apart so quickly, and in such an ugly way. Dating back to All Out 2022, Punk and his conflict with The Elite shook AEW to its core. The drama led to constant negativity, if not toxicity, that may have threatened AEW’s existence.
The situation dramatically worsened with the initial reports about Punk’s confrontation with Jack Perry at AEW All In. Ultimately, it reached the point of no return. His exit leaves a lot of dream matches on the table, but it seems like AEW didn’t have a choice. By cutting ties with Punk, there’s surely reason to hope that AEW will be better off. Maybe it won’t be perfect, but we can hope that it will be a big step in the right direction.
Given the challenge it inherently faced coming so soon after AEW All In, AEW All Out had no right to be as good as it was. It would have been easy for the show to get drowned out by the conversation about CM Punk. Instead, AEW over-delivered and issued a mission statement that proclaimed that a new era is underway, and there is plenty of hope in the air.
