By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW All Out “The Buy In” Pre-Show
Aired live September 5, 2020 on BR/Live and social media
Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place
Tony Schiavone and Dasha checked in while shots aired of the mask wearing, socially distanced fans. They ran through the pay-per-view lineup…
A pre-taped MJF promo aired. He said no one ever gets one up on him and he proved that on Wednesday’s Dynamite. He said he would keep Jon Moxley in the ring like a dog on a leash. MJF said Moxley is a goon, so he wouldn’t allow them to go to ringside or to brawl. He noted that the Paradigm Shift finisher was banned. MJF said bad things happen to people who stand between him and his goals, and his goal is to become the AEW World Champion…
Schiavone and Dasha hyped the Casino Battle Royale being for a future shot at the AEW World Championship. They set up clips of some of the entrants delivering brief promos. Christopher Daniels, Santana and Ortiz, Lance Archer and Jake Roberts, Frankie Kazarian, and Darby Allin were featured…
Powell’s POV: Those were all good promos. Santana and Ortiz spoke about bringing the AEW Championship back to the Inner Circle, and Kazarian focused on the belief that big men are favored in battle royals. He said he was out to prove that he was more than a tag team wrestler and will be AEW Champion. Allin spoke briefly before skating away on his skateboard.
Powell’s POV: Miro (f/k/a Rusev)? Just a guess.
Schiavone said there was one wildcard in the battle royal. Schiavone and Dasha both used the word “surprise” while talking briefly about it. They transitioned to setting up a video package on the Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy feud…
Schiavone and Dasha spoke about the AEW Tag Title match. A video package spotlighted Kenny Omega and Hangman Page vs. FTR for the AEW Tag Titles…
An AEW Heels ad aired. There were some female fans shown holding up AEW Heels signs in the crowd…
Another batch of Casino Battle Royale promos aired. Eddie Kingston did the talking while Pentagon Jr., Rey Fenix, The Butcher, and The Blade stood behind him. The Blade wore a Gimp mask (or something). Tully Blanchard sat next to Shawn Spears and said that intelligence was the key to winning. Jake Hager said he’ll win because his name is Jake Hager. He asked if any of the other wrestlers were professional MMA fighters or have a wife as hot as his. Taz spoke while Brian Cage and Ricky Starks stood by. Chuck Taylor and Trent spoke. Taylor said he was going to win because he was throwing everyone over the top rope. Trent shot him a look. “One of us is definitely going to win,” Taylor said…
Powell’s POV: Another good batch of promos. I wasn’t a big fan of the previous Casino Battle Royale matches, but AEW has done a nice job of making this version feel important. The big brawl on Wednesday was rough, but the previous week’s build and tonight’s promos have been strong.
Schiavone and Dasha set up a Jon Moxley promo. Schiavone said he would be joining Excalibur for the pre-show matches, while Dasha would move to the Spanish broadcast…
AEW Champion Jon Moxley stood in front of a sports car (I believe it’s the one he stole from Chris Jericho, which apparently belongs to Shad Khan). Moxley said he will scratch and claw his way and do what’s necessary. “When it comes down to it, you ain’t the bad guy, I am,” Moxley said to MJF…
Powell’s POV: Short and sweet, and a great closing line. I love Moxley promos.
Excalibur and Schiavone spoke from the broadcast table. They acknowledged the fans watching on Sky Germany…
1. Joey Janela (w/Sonny Kiss) vs. Serpentico (w/Luther). Justin Roberts was the ring announcer. Janela hit Serpentico before the bell to start the match. Janela had a bandage on his head to sell cut from his match with Chris Jericho on Dynamite. Luther roughed up Kiss at ringside, which distracted Janela, who was on the top rope. Serpentico capitalized on the distraction and sent Janela to ringside briefly.
A short time later, Luther worked over Janela at ringside while Serpentico distracted the referee. Back inside the ring, Serpentico performed a snap suplex. Serpentico teased a double stomp and then went to the top rope, but he just dropped down and kicked Janela instead. The broadcast team explained that Serpentico may have realized that he took too much time.
Serpentico picked up a one count on Janela, then went back to the ropes. Serpentico performed a swanton, but Janela put his knees up. Janela took over offensive control and hit a Death Valley Driver and performed a Blue Thunder Bomb moments later for a near fall. Janela went for a top rope moonsault, but Serpentico rolled out of the way.
Serptentico performed a DDT and covered Janela haphazardly for a two count. Serpentico went up top again, but Janela cut him off. Janela took offensive control, but Luther grabbed his legs while he was running the ropes. Janela and Kiss took out Luther. Janela fought off Serpentico and then performed a top rope elbow drop and got the three count.
Joey Janela beat Serpentico in 7:35.
After the match, Janela looked into the camera and said he hoped that Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle were watching…
Powell’s POV: A decent opener. It felt a little random and like something that would normally be on AEW Dark. I was surprised to hear Janela bring up Jericho and the Inner Circle afterward given that Jericho basically squashed him on Dynamite. I guess there’s more to come with them.
2. “Private Party” Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen vs. Alex Reynolds and John Silver. Dark Order members 5 and 10 walked out with Reynolds and Silver, but they headed backstage in between entrances. Silver and Reynolds worked in their Dark Order masks. There was a cool spot a few minutes in where Silver powerbombed Kassidy onto the knees of Reynolds, then covered him for a two count. Kassidy was isolated by the heel duo.
Quen eventually tagged in and worked over both opponents. Quen had Silver pinned, but Reynolds broke it up. Private Party set up for their Silly String move, but Reynolds performed a double stomp onto them from the top rope. Silver hoisted up Quen and tossed him from his shoulders so that he spun before landing on the mat. Silver covered Quen for a good near fall.
Reynolds and Sliver hit Quen with a series of rapid fire strikes followed by a Stunner and a German suplex that led to another strong near fall. Reynolds and Silver set up for their finisher, but Kassidy broke it up. Quen hit a Pele kick on Silver. Quen performed a hurcanrana that pulled Silver from the ropes into a cutter from Kassidy, who scored the pin…
“Private Party” Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen defeated Alex Reynolds and John Silver in 10:25.
Powell’s POV: As much as Reynolds and Silver are portrayed as Dark Order underlings, they are a very good tag team. It’s too bad for them that the AEW tag division is so loaded. I really enjoyed their work in this match and it was nice to see both teams crack the pre-show lineup.
Schiavone and Excalibur ran through the pay-per-view lineup. The Oklahoma fight song played and then Jim Ross made his entrance and joined the broadcast team heading into the main card. Ross said it would be one hell of a pay-per-view. He said when you’re around as long as him you can feel it. This concluded the pre-show…
Join me for my live review of the AEW All Out main card via the separate review on the main page.
The AEW tag division is “loaded” with flippy midgets who can’t work a believable match, so I guess the 3’7″ Silver fits right in.