By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW All Out Zero Hour Pre-Show
Chicago, Illinois at NOW Arena
Aired live September 7, 2024 live on social media
-The pre-show was hosted by Renee Paquette, RJ City, and Jeff Jarrett from the entrance ramp.
-Madison Rayne joined the hosts to discuss the women’s matches.
-Footage aired from earlier in the day of Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana arriving in an SUV. Hangman Page was shown walking through the backstage area while flanked by security guards.
-Nigel McGuinness joined the hosts to preview the Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page steel cage match. The hosts brought up his appearance in the Casino Gauntlet and asked about the potential for more. He said if an opportunity presents itself, he might take it. Jarrett noted that Page has never been in a singles cage match.
-The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn made their entrance. Arkady Aura was the ring announcer. The Iron Savages’ entrance followed and Jacked Jameson talked smack on their way to the ring.
1. “The Acclaimed” Anthony Bowens and Max Caster (w/Billy Gunn) vs. “Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Jacked Jameson). Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Matt Menard were on commentary. “MxM Collection” Mason Madden and Mansoor were shown watching the match on a backstage monitor.
Caster swept the legs of Bronson on the apron, then hit a springboard missile dropkick on Boulder. The Savages came right back. Boulder splashed Caster in the corner and then Bronson dropped him with an elbow.
Bronson knocked Bowens off the apron. Caster tried to tag out, but Bowens was still down. Boulder hit a Bossman Slam on Caster and then dove onto Bowens at ringside. Boulder hit a second rope moonsault for a two count.
Bronson tagged in and went for a top rope headbutt that Caster avoided. Caster tagged out and then Bowens worked over both opponents. Caster tagged in and went for a top rope elbow on Bronson, but Boulder broke it up. Boulder slammed both members of The Acclaimed simultaneously.
Boulder put Bronson on his shoulders and then dropped hm on Caster, but Bowens broke up the pin. Boulder shoved Bowens in the air and let him hit the mat. Boulder splashed Bowens. The Savages set up for a double cannonball that Caster and Bowens avoided.
Jameson climbed on the apron and had his legs swept by Gunn, who then dropped him with a punch. Caster took out Boulder. Bowens hit The Arrival on Boulder and then Caster followed up with the Mic Drop and scored the pin…
“The Acclaimed” Anthony Bowens and Max Caster defeated “Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder in 8:10.
Powell’s POV: A nice tag team match to open the night. The Savages got more offense than I anticipated before the expected outcome occurred.
-Entrances for the first trios match took place…
2. Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara, and Hologram vs. “Premier Athletes” Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, and Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling). Hologram took an early tag and performed some flash spots until he went for a springboard move and Woods caught him with a knee strike, which led to a near fall. A “we want Dustin” chant broke out.
Dustin tagged in a short time later and got the better of all three heels. Dustin performed a Destroyer on Nese. Hologram tagged in and then he and Guevara went up top, which led to simultaneous dives on the heels.
Sterling provided a distraction, allowing Nese to hit Rhodes with a cheap shot. After several superkicks from various wrestlers, Rhodes put Woods down. Sterling climbed on the apron again and was pulled into the ring by Guevara and Hologram. Rhodes hit CrossRhodes on Sterling. The babyfaces all hit moves on Woods, including Dustin hitting The Reckoning before getting the three count…
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara, and Hologram defeated “Premier Athletes” Tony Nese, Ariya Daivari, and Josh Woods in 9:50.
Powell’s POV: Exactly what one would expect with Dustin being the most popular wrestler in the match and getting the win for his team.
Entrances for the second trios match took place. The crowd popped for the Bullet Club Gold trio and were quiet for the Dark Order…
3. Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn vs. “The Dark Order” Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver. The Dark Order members worked over Robinson early on. Juice battled back and dropped Uno with the Left Hand of God. Robinson hit all three seated opponents with a cannonball in the corner. In the end, Robinson hit his finisher on Uno and then pinned him..
Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, and Colten Gunn defeated “The Dark Order” Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver in 7:35.
Powell’s POV: The match didn’t overstay its welcome. Silver has gone from being really over with AEW crowds to now coming across like just another guy.
-“Costco Guys” AJ and Big Justice joined Paquette and City. AJ confirmed he once wrestled on the independent scene with Sonjay Dutt. They said “boom” a lot, which is apparently their thing (sorry, I’m not familiar with them).
-Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and introduced Skye Blue, who used crutches while joining him on the stage. Blue said she’s playing the waiting game when it comes to her recovery.
AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May came out and said she was going to hold her championship celebration, but she didn’t want to do it in Chicago. May questioned why it’s called the Windy City when no one there had been blown before. Blue said May knows a lot about that.
May said Blue needed some glamour. May kicked one of Blue’s crutches out from under her and then shoved her down. May mounted Blue and threw punches at her. May picked up one of Blue’s crutches.
Queen Aminata came out and took the crutch away from May, who ran backstage. Aminata and Schiavone helped Blue to her feet and gave her the crutches. Aminata raised the arm of Blue…
Entrances took place for the three-way trios match. Top Flight wore coveralls rather than the stripper quality pilot outfits they previously wore during their entrances…
4. Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti (w/Leila Grey) vs. Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and The Beast Mortos vs. Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett in a three-way trios match. Down the stretch, Taven and Taylor stopped Darius and Andretti from performing dives. Taven took out Taylor with a springboard kick and then dove onto a pile of wrestlers on the floor.
Mortos followed up with a corkscrew dive onto a pile of wrestlers on the floor. Grey sat on the apron and motioned before Dante and Andretti performed dives. Back in the ring, the wrestlers took turns hitting rapid fire spots. Taylor caught Andretti with a knee strike and a uranage slam. Mortos tagged in and speared Andretti.
Strong touched Mortos to make a blind tag. Mortos set up Andretti for a powerbomb, but Strong drilled Mortos with a knee to the head, causing Mortos to hit a backbreaker on Andretti while falling to the mat. Strong covered Andretti for the win.
Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett defeated Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti, and Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and The Beast Mortos in 10:55 in a three-way trios match.
Strong, Taven, and Bennett ran around the ring and had an over the top post match celebration…
Powell’s POV: The pre-show matches were a little tamer than usual, which I consider a positive. They didn’t have a million near falls and wisely save things for the main card. That said, it continues to feel like AEW pre-show matches are more about getting wrestlers on the show than pleasing viewers.
Join me for my live review of the AEW All Out pay-per-view via the main page.
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