Photo: AEW
All Elite Wrestling makes its return to the Wolstein Center for the first time since January on Wednesday, August 24th. The show will continue the build to the All Out Pay-Per-View (PPV), which is scheduled to take place in Chicago Labor Day weekend.
On August 10, AEW’s “Quake By The Lake" was held at the Target Center in Minneapolis, The main event featured AEW Interim World Championship Jon Moxley defending the strap against the Lionheart Chris Jericho. The match was physically demanding for both guys. At one point in the match, Jericho ripped out one of Moxley's earrings, which subsequently caused the champion to bleed. As the match neared its end, Jericho hit Moxley with the Judas Effect, a finishing move nobody had ever kicked out of. Moxley kicked out at the very last second. He then locked in the choke, forcing Y2J to submit.
Although the bell ringing signaled the end of the match, the post-match pandemonium was just the beginning. Members of the two combatants’ factions, the "Jericho Appreciation Society" and the "Blackpool Combat Club", came running down to the ring and began throwing fisticuffs. Suddenly, during the melee, "Cult Of Personality" rang through the Target Center and outcame the current AEW World Champion CM Punk, who made his return to the ring after suffering a foot injury. Punk cleared the ring until he and the interim champ were standing together in the squared circle.
Right away, the scene seemed to be set: CM Punk and Jon Moxley would headline All Out to determine who is the "real" World Champion of AEW. However, the situation between Punk and Moxley became so combustible and volatile during the August 17th episode of “Dynamite” that it would later be announced the title unification match would be happening this week here in Cleveland!
This announcement has set the wrestling world ablaze and triggered a ton of questions. Will we get a clean finish where we have a definitive winner? Will the match end in a disqualification? Will there be a screwy finish that warrants a rematch at All Out? Will it end in a time limit draw? Could this be a setup for the return of Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) after the bell to set up a triple threat match at the PPV? How is this match taking place on free television?
This match is going to decide who the true AEW World Champion is. It's a PPV headlining match, yet somehow, someway, it's happening this Wednesday on TBS at the Wolstein Center on the campus of Cleveland State. How?!
Being that the title unification match is happening on this week’s Dynamite, it has received most of the attention which is warranted. However, there are other intriguing matches happening Wednesday night as the time ticks closer to All Out. At the PPV, we're getting a trios match between FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) and Cleveland's own TNT champion Wardlow against Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt. On this Wednesday's episode of Dynamite, a singles match between Jay Lethal and Dax Harwood will occur. Both wrestlers are crafty, and they utilize a lot of different techniques, so it should be a very competitive match with multiple near-falls.
Recently, the Trios Championships were introduced by AEW. It was announced that the inaugural champions would be decided in a tournament, and the finals will be at All Out. On Dynamite this Wednesday, "Death Triangle" (Pac, Penta El Zero Miedo/Penta Oscuro, Rey Fénix and manager Alex Abrahantes) will go up against Will Ospreay and Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis) in a semifinal match to see who moves a step closer to being crowned the inaugural champions.
This match might be the best match on the card Wednesday night. It's honestly mind-blowing AEW is putting this match on Dynamite instead of saving it for All Out. There will be people flipping, diving, and doing other moves they should not be doing to their bodies!
Other matches and segments we're getting on this Wednesday's episode of Dynamite include:
Dr. Britt Baker (DMD) vs. KiLynn King (My prediction is this match will set up a post-match angle where Britt gets added to the AEW Women's World Championship match at All Out).
Billy Gunn vs. Colten Gunn (Father vs. son).
Ricky Starks is set to speak (Starks is on a collision course to face "Powerhouse" Will Hobbs at All Out).
The fact Cleveland is getting two PPV quality matches on cable tv is mind-boggling. Furthermore, if Cleveland is getting PPV quality matches on TBS, then what are the actual PPV matches going to be like? There's only one way to find out!
Before we get to the PPV though, we need to figure out who the real AEW World Champion is. We'll find out when AEW Dynamite goes down Wednesday night from the Wolstein Center.
Make sure you check out our fine sponsors!
Use promo code BELIEVELAND for $20.00 your first ticket purchase with Seat Geek!