10 Match Star Ratings For AEW All Out

4. Riho Vs. Hikaru Shida

Hangman Page Chris Jericho
James Musselwhite/AEW

Much like the previous match, this suffered from a burned-out crowd - a byproduct of AEW's strange decision to structure All Out like a WWE pay-per-view, on which matches are fated to die by following something that cannot be followed.

The story was absorbing enough to pull the crowd into it by the finish; Hikaru Shida brutalised Riho's back, which Riho sold with an authentic agony. The dynamic was worked well; Shida, having just made one AEW appearance, positioned herself as the superior and stronger (storyline) performer by cutting off Riho's fiery babyface offence. When Riho attempted an arm drag, Shida stopped still and applied an arm bar.

This eventually picked up and erupted into a festival of backbreakers and foot stomps traded at a gripping tempo, but the lack of build undermined the heft of the story; the audience was asked to receive and get behind Riho as a spirited babyface, but the emotional connection simply wasn't there.

Neither was a true, masterful sense of craft, which again, was showed up by the decision to present Kenny Omega and PAC so early. Shida clung to the ropes for the Alberto Del Rio foot stomp, revealing the artifice after a true showcase of the art.

Star Rating: ★★★½

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!