It’s a busy weekend ahead for wrestling fans the world over!
AEW
All Out is this weekend, September 5th, at the NOW Arena in Chicago. Will you be watching? What matches are you looking forward to the most? Can CM Punk still go in the ring, and who might Andrade El Idolo be facing, if anyone, now that PAC can’t make the flight from the UK? He was teasing something on Twitter, anyway.
2021 AEW All Out match card
- AEW World Championship — Kenny Omega (c) vs. Christian Cage
- CM Punk vs. Darby Allin
- Chris Jericho vs. MJF
- AEW Women’s Championship — Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) vs. Kris Statlander
- AEW Tag Team Championship — The Young Bucks (c) vs. Lucha Brothers (Steel Cage Match)
- AEW TNT Championship — Miro (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
- Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima
- Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall
- 21-woman Casino Battle Royal for a future title shot (Buy-In pre-show match)
More wrestlers have been announced for Chris Jericho’s Covid Cruise in October, including Lance Archer, Anna Jay, and Will Hobbs. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy, Frankie Kazarian, Christopher Daniels, and Colt Cabana will also be on the cruise, which is sailing Thursday, October 21 to Monday, October 25.
WWE
According to the Wrestling Observer, in addition to the new look NXT will soon be sporting, Vince and Bruce Pritchard will now have a direct hand in making the show, and a “chopping block” of names to go has already been made. The days of the brand being THE place to watch good wrestling outside of Japan seem like a long, long time ago already!
Probably some other stuff happened too.
NEW JAPAN
The wounded giant struggles on with a two-night card this weekend, the WRESTLE GRAND SLAM at the MetLife Dome in Saitama, Japan. There will also be matches from Stardom wrestlers on both shows too!
Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night one (Saturday, September 4) —
- IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defends against Kota Ibushi
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
- Chase Owens defends the provisional KOPW 2021 trophy against Toru Yano in an I Quit match
- YOH vs. SHO
- Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask IV
- Momo Watanabe & Saya Kamitani vs. Maika & Lady C
Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night two (Sunday, September 5) —
- IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against EVIL
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Robbie Eagles defends against Hiromu Takahashi
- IWGP Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi defend against Tetsuya Naito & SANADA and Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI in a three-way match
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo defend against El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
- Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jeff Cobb & The Great-O-Khan
- Momo Watanabe & Saya Kamitani vs. Giulia & Syuri
There are some very appealing matches in those cards, it’s just a shame that EVIL is back there again headlining.
OTHER
Ring of Honor’s RUSH was reportedly in a “serious” condition following surgery this week, and apparently he will be out for the rest of the year at least.
The legend Awesome Kong retired last week during all-women’s NWA EmPowerrr pay-per-view.
Major League Wrestling is returning to the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia for their Fightland in October, with the main event being a title versus title match as MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu takes on National Openweight Champion Hammerstone!
On Thursday, SHIMMER Wrestling made the announcement through their digital platforms that Shannon Spruill, known in wrestling as Daffney had passed away at the age of 46.
And in case you missed it, the boys from OSW have begun their newest story arc, that of the Ultimate Warrior’s stint in WCW!