11 Ups & 0 Downs From AEW All Out 2021

AEW All Out 2021, much like headliner Christian Cage, is an instant classic.

by Michael Sidgwick
Adam Cole
AEW

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...?

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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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!