My thoughts on All Out rough and short
I mean, look how excited she is. That about describes the feelings of everyone watching the show.
* It had the matches of something that felt like a cross between 2016-19-NXT Takeover and 1990s FMW, two of my favourite brands of all time.
* The brutality and strong style wrestling of FMW - this event felt visceral, like an Asuka kick to the face.
* The “What the fuck is going to happen next” of an Attitude era RAW show — because that’s where the surprises happened, the PPVs were not that great in the AE until around the tail-end in 2001-2002 of the Attitude era - with a few exceptions like the Terri Runnels tag team bout, Taker vs Foley HoaC, Angle vs Jericho vs Benoit at Wrestlemania 2000, triangle ladder match also at WM2000, and Foley vs Triple H at Royal Rumble 2000.
* It had the crowds of ECW and NXT combined in greater numbers - holy SHIT were they were loud.
* One of my favourite wrestlers from the last 10 years debuted - Ruby… Soho? I loved the Riott Squad and now Ruby is in AEW. And holy fuck, the reception she got was nuts. I really hope Logan and Morgan make it over.
* CM Punk vs Darby Allin wasn’t bad, I was worried Punk was going to royally fuck up Brie Bella style, but everything was solid. So the match had me on the edge of my seat.
* Everyone was too happy to contain their smiles on the show, how could they not be? If you’re a fan of wrestlers, damn, what a fucking show.
How does it compare to others? I’ve seen a lot of wrestling PPVs and there’s not one show I can think of that compares other than the bits and pieces. But damn! What a light after these last few years.
It really feels like the dawn of a new era. Historic feeling. I don’t know if it’s the greatest of all time, but it’s my favourite. The moment reminds me of (the later forever tarnished moment) when Benoit and Guerrero won the titles.
Also, what a way to end the show,
And for those who want to listen a bit more about the event. The post-PPV press event - multiple videos, so I put them in the spoiler box.
I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.