11 Ups & 0 Downs From AEW All Out 2021
AEW All Out 2021, much like headliner Christian Cage, is an instant classic.
The build to All Out 2021 - and the first draft of its actual card - was afflicted by travel woes, scheduling conflicts, and the deflating politic byproduct of the Forbidden Door.
Hangman Page had family commitments.
NJPW either didn't want Hiroshi Tanahashi to lose or they needed him in their stricken, freezing cold domestic arm.
PAC was pulled as a result of reported "travel issues".
And to illustrate just how white-hot AEW is, and how much expansive thought is applied to making it white-hot, the build was mostly fantastic nonetheless.
Kenny Omega Vs. Christian Cage didn't patronise the audience; knowing that it just wasn't the same as Hangman's grand emotional moment, AEW instead crafted an hilarious, irreverent story premised on an ancient Christian Vs. Don Callis beef elevated by an undefeated Cage removing the Impact World Title from Omega's waist. If MJF Vs. Chris Jericho felt like a match too far, a phenomenal pair of go-home promos dispelled that feeling entirely. Eddie Kingston and Miro sold their TNT Title match with incredible economy. In just 54 seconds of a pre-tape, they looked like the coolest badasses on the face of the planet.
The Young Bucks were just begging for the Lucha Bros. to make them stare at the lights, they were that obnoxious, and the cage stipulation made sense in U.S. pro wrestling for the first time in decades.
As for the show itself...?