By Rox Blackburn@RoxBlackburn
I’m only at the opening of All In and I’m already buzzing. The anticipation is palpable and you can’t help but feel the excitement. This event sold out 10,000 seats in under thirty minutes and is described as ‘A love letter to professional wrestling’ So fasten your seat belts, grab a handkerchief and keep your arms and legs tucked in whilst on the ride. I’m all in. Are you?
It’s probably worth noting at this point that I’m a WWE girl. Don’t get me wrong, I follow other promotions and I watch and enjoy other promotions. I love The Bullet Club and the talent in NJPW is off the scale. I also know there is a sea of incredibly talented wrestlers in ROH and various other companies that I’m well aware I’m missing out on.
For me this PPV is a big leap out of my comfort zone.
I love how invested the commentary team are in this whole thing. They make some incredibly insightful and intelligent comments which are timed perfectly.
‘Talent over Tenure’ is one of my favourites.
So the opening match is MJF v Matt Cross and I gotta be honest, I don’t know much about these guys. MJF is introduced as ‘Better than all of you and you know it’ which instantly has me in stitches. And Matt Cross is a 20 year veteran, a prolific name on the European wrestling circuit.
The match is incredible. It has a nice ebb and flow and the crowd are quickly invested. The pace is clever with some big spots, nicely timed to break the match into chapters. The Corkscrew Suicide Dive, the corner to corner pace and then the classic heel sell, where MJF puts a move over so well you honestly believe it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to him.
MJF is a confident and believable heel but then he breaks the MO by heading to the top rope. And in a quick turn of events Matt Cross picks up the pin after a solid Shooting Star Press. Classic match composure but with some new twists and turns thrown in.
I’m hooked already.
Nick Aldis looks a million dollars and delivers a simple, clean-cut promo. This PPV doesn’t need to drag out a painfully long-winded hype towards a title match, the quality of what’s coming speaks for itself.
Next up Christopher Daniels v Stephen Amell. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this match as it started but the crowd were hyped and it’s clear Cody thinks a lot of Stephen Amell, so with an open mind, I was once again ‘All In’
The match itself was OK. The pace was good at times but at other times felt a little fragmented. Amell pulled off a couple of athletic moves and he clearly isn’t afraid to take the bumps and sells them well. I kinda got the feeling that Daniels was holding back a little but this is not intended as a criticism, as it took nothing away from the match.
Amell with the text-book Suplex and then the breath-taking Coast To Coast. Followed by Daniels off the top rope, not quite landing the Moonsault.
The crowd gets louder when Daniels is laid out on the table, Amell flies off the top turnbuckle as Daniels moves and the table explodes as Amell crumbles into a heap on the floor. Absolutely awesome!
Jerry Lynn throws them both back in the ring to ensure a clean finish, which I loved.
The continued back and forth between them is brilliant and I’ve all but forgotten Amell is a TV super hero. Yeah, he isn’t the best wrestler but he tries, really hard and he put on a great match despite not winning. Daniels delivers another Moonsault, securing the victory.
Next up the ladies. Tessa Blanchard, Chelsea Green, Madison Rayne and Britt Baker in a 4 corner survival match. When I watched this match I wrote a really long commentary about the intricate details of each move, each spot, each back and forth but I actually don’t think I can put into words how phenomenal these women are.
Tessa Blanchard is a fortress.
Madison Rayne is a technically gifted, badass momma.
Chelsea Green’s split personality character is nothing shy of genius.
And Britt Baker is a Slingblade master, executing picture perfect moves with fluid precision.
This match is beautiful to watch. Each woman brings something different to the table, they make each other look good and you can tell how invested they are and how proud they are to be there.
This match is what defines a women’s revolution and it’s absolutely stunning. I’m trawling You Tube right now for all their individual history. A bit of a botched ending as Tessa won but I couldn’t help but think the match was supposed to go on a little longer
I get shivers as we head into Cody v Nick Aldis. Cody’s entrance is awesome, the man is a living God as he makes his way down to the ring. The crowd is going bananas!
Aldis looks like a champion in every possible way and carries himself with such poise and confidence.
I love that they both take a moment to breathe as they’re stood in the ring. They take a moment to look around and soak it all up.
You’ll notice Cody didn’t make himself the main event. He stayed humble. I love that. This match was positioned perfectly on the card.
The match starts off on a solid footing and it was great to see a Suicide Dive quite early on. Things are simmering nicely in the opening minutes and Aldis slows the pace in true heel fashion, which rattles the crowd even more. Cody sells the Fisherman’s Suplex well, further intensifying the heel status of Aldis.
There’s some nice nods to the Rhodes family in there. Earl Hebner throwing up the X was a very tongue in cheek moment. The cameo from DDP was good. And then next thing you see is Cody covered in blood, which was so random and looked to come out of nowhere but somehow it makes you more invested. On review I’m not sure if he knocked his head or if this was a work, but either way, it worked.
The pace of this match is immense, Cody has such an incredible intuition for what he’s doing. He has his finger on the pulse of the match and on the crowd.
The reversal sequence of the Figure Four makes my nostalgic heart flutter. It’s brilliant!
There is a very natural calm in the middle of this match, almost like the eye of the storm passing. We all knew the lid was about to come off.
Cody delivers an Alabama Slam and then Aldis attempts to lock in his submission move but can’t quite get it to stick.
A Pile Driver by Aldis is solid and he leaves the ring slowly, drawing out the spot. Brandi comes into the ring, lies on Cody and finds herself on the receiving end of a flying elbow.
The crowd pop so hard at this, I popped so hard at this and then Cody kicks out. Furthering the suspense, Aldis kicks out of the Crossroads and Cody looks done.
They trade blows again and counter each others pin attempts and then after a Sunset Flip counter… 1,2,3….CODY WINS!!!
What a moment. The emotion is tangible. Everyone in the front row looks about ready to burst into tears.
You can see and feel how much this title means to Cody. His Dad wore it once and it means the world to him to wear it too.
At this point ‘All In’ is trending no 1 worldwide and Cody is crowned the 94th NWA World Heavyweight champion.
Next is Bad Boy Joey Janella v Hangman Page.
I watched the build up a little and these guys are insane and this match is going to be bats**t crazy. Someone is leaving in either a coffin or a straight jacket.
There is something really special about Adam Page.
Suicide dives, Moonsaults, Fallaway Slams all within the first few minutes.
Then the barrel comes out or gets used or comes into view and they use this in every possible way it can be used. This match is nuts. I keep having to remind myself to breath.
Big spot coming with the ladder set up and Janella has Hangman in the Torture Rack position. Yet somehow they both end up bouncing off the ladder which has absolutely no give in it.
Penelope Ford is now in the ring and she gives Hangman the most spectacular Stunner I’ve ever seen in my life. This girl is nimble and fierce. She gets super kicked square in the face by Page.
In a world where women are fighting for equality in sports and work, agree with me or not, there is no greater show of respect than a man putting a woman over. He sells the stunner, she sells the Superkick. It is all just so poetic. How many times am I gonna pop in this match?!
The best spot of the night for me was when Page throws Janella off the stage and through a table. I pop again. Breath…. Must remember to breath.
Page wins but as the match is closing the lights dip to reveal a genuine Res-erection (another good one from the commentary table)
A sea of inflatable penis erm…druids, fill up the stage as a newly resurrected Joey Ryan appears and puts a beat down on Page. I’m sat here giggling as he pulled a sugar lollipop out of his trunks and shoves it in Hangman’s mouth.
Do you see what happens when you let stories develop and what happens when you don’t take yourself too seriously? It was bizarre and a bit out there but it was hilarious!
Next up is Flip Gordon v Jay Lethal for the Ring of Honor title (It’s the best looking title in wrestling today)
Hubby is a Jay Lethal fan and I like Flip so we’re already torn.
Straight away we can tell this is going to be a mix of high-speed, high-flying, technical brilliance mixed with ground and pound style and acrobatic showmanship.
And that is exactly what it was. Jay is in brilliant shape and Flip is an absolute joy to watch.
I actually struggled to write quick enough for this match and even going back to watch again, I end up so captivated by it, I can’t pen a cohesive thought.
These guys have unmatched stamina to maintain this pace and technical precision. At times I thought Lethal slowed the pace a little which actually makes Flip look even more spectacular. Wanna see a picture perfect Slingblade? Look no further than Flip Gordon.
I am on the edge of my seat again as Flip gets a near fall but after a Lethal Injection, Jay is victorious, retaining the title.
At the end of the match Bully Ray puts a beat down on them to a chorus of boos and the day is saved by Colt Cabana who corrects the situation. What a lovely moment between him, Lethal and Flip who stand strong in the ring raising each others hands.
And then comes the match for international bragging rights Penta El Zero v Kenny Omega.
Penta’s entrance is awesome and he gets a great reaction from the crowd. Kenny Omega comes out and the roof comes off the place. Omega is the best wrestler on the planet right now, no doubt about it. This match has a big fight feel.
Penta is aggressive and ruthless. He’s technically solid as well as an instinctive showman and incredibly likable.
Omega has a great ring awareness, a great anticipation of the flow of a match and always appears to be thinking two moves ahead. He knows what it takes to make moves look good. He works hard, takes the bumps, sells, but he’s a true heel and wears his heart on his sleeve. He has incredible control in the ring and moves with such purpose and conviction.
Penta is giving him a great showing and these guys work so well together. They are natural showmen.
Penta’s finisher is a Piledriver and the way Omega lands it makes it look absolutely brutal.
This is another match where I was so captivated I haven’t got a whole lot else to say about it.
Omega is tenacious. At one point I thought Penta was gonna do it and when he scores that near fall, the crowd come unglued but it’s Omega that picks up the victory after they both kick out of numerous signature moves.
Kenny’s victory is a short-lived celebration as the lights go out.
As they come back up Penta is still laid out on the edge of the apron. He stands up starts beating on Omega. The mask comes off to reveal Chris Jericho, standing tall over Omega. Arguably, the biggest pop of the night.
The penultimate match is Marty Scrull v Okado and there is something about this match that didn’t click and I can’t put my finger on what it is. Could it be that it followed Omega v Penta and it felt a bit flat? Someone needs to enlighten me.
I like Scrull, he’s British and he’s climbing the peak of his career. He’s a convincing and cowardly heel. I love the guys who play these types of characters. Marty gives up quite a physical difference so it’s clear he needs to use his speed and ingenuity to get the upper hand.
Okado is methodical. He’s cool and collected and level-headed, almost to the point where you think he doesn’t care but then he strikes with emphatic precision and his nonchalant manner all of a sudden becomes utterly terrifying.
There is a point in this match where they sense the need to kick it into gear and the crowd gets behind them and things pick up a little.
Okado is a beast and the Rainmaker is a thing of beauty. Scrull and the finger pops cement his heel status. The combination of 2 counts and near falls are exciting but even as Okado picks up the win, I still can’t help but feel these two weren’t quite right together.
The final match is a 6 man tag. The Young Bucks & Ibushi v Bandido, Rey Fenix & Rey Mysterio Jr.
On reflection the previous match was pretty intense and this was a fun way to end and showcase some extraordinary talent.
Bandido is flip hot.
The Bucks are so in tune.
Fenix is high-flying gold.
Ibushi……Mysterio. Face to face. I’m marking out right now!!
The pace is quick. Each combination of stars works. Each move is executed with perfectly choreographed intent.
Ariel spots, high-flying action, tandem offence and strong style. Strong style works when it’s displayed at pace and with purpose It doesn’t work if it’s just kicking someone in the face all the time.
Ibushi and The Young Bucks work so well together. Mysterio is in great shape.
I can’t tell you how spectacular this match is. It’s a showcase of the some of the best, most relevant, most innovative and exciting talent in pro wrestling today.
Conclusion
All In was a special moment in the modern era of wrestling. An independent pay per view sold out an arena. Multiple promotions came together to showcase their talents, to open the doors for each other and to celebrate their love for the business.
All talent came across strong regardless of the match outcome. It serves to prove that you don’t have to bury talent and make them look weak in order to make someone else look strong.
You don’t need squash matches as time fillers. One match doesn’t need to be belittled in order to make another appear more important.
You don’t need to overwork and water down talent. Everyone needs to be given the freedom and creativity to influence their characters and the production, style and presentation of a match.
All In illuminated independent wrestling and lit it up, bringing it to center stage in a display of glory.
It also put a spotlight on everything currently wrong with WWE.
Should WWE be worried? Yes they should. I can’t help but think they won’t even acknowledge that All In even happened. Hopefully someone in their ranks saw it and it inspires them to sort some things out but after the embarrassment of Raw last night, it would appear not.
