All Elite Wrestling is back with is latest new PPV event — Redemption! The first annual (we assume) edition comes our way from Montreal, with the usual 8 p.m. Eastern start time.
Including a streaming pre-show that starts an hour earlier, the event will feature xx total matches as of this writing. It’ll build to a big Men’s World championship main event, the last of xx title matches!
It’s a lot to process. But we’ve got your backs. Cain previewed the whole affair here, and our motley crew is back to make
predictions about the matches coming our way this evening, and muse about all things AEW along the way. Editor’s note: Either because they were late adds, or because they inadvertently weren’t added until late (my bad, that one’s on me – SR), a few matches are light a pick or two.
Let’s get to it.
AEW REDEMPTION PREDICTIONS
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Kevin Knight for the AEW World championship
Sean Rueter: Part of me admires Tony Khan for the way he’s booking the AEW World title heading into his third Wembley show. Part of me worries it’s bad enough short-term business is doesn’t matter how good it could be for the long-term. We shall see. As for this match, putting The Jet over with anything other than a great match would be much nuttier than the way TK’s sticking to his guns about Ospreay vs. Omega at All In. Pick: Kenny Omega
Claire Elizabeth: I have no doubt that Kevin Knight will be AEW Men’s World Champion when all is said and done, and quite likely a multiple-time champ, but right now he’s cocky, he’s entitled, and he’s about to learn that all of Kenny’s nicknames and epithets have been quite well-earned. Pick: Kenny Omega
Cain A. Knight: Barring injury, there is no chance in hell Kevin Knight is winning the world championship this close to AEW’s biggest show of the year at Wembley Stadium. Pick: Kenny Omega
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Swerving into Knight versus Will Ospreay for All In could be one of the worst booking decisions of all-time. Nothing against Knight. There has been too much time invested in the idea of Omega versus Ospreay, and that’s the match people want to see. Pick: Kenny Omega
Marcus Benjamin: This is a big deal for Kevin Knight. It’s part of a larger story for him as he’s definitely getting that belt…eventually. This is Kenny all day, but I want to see what comes of Kevin after the L. Pick: Kenny Omega
Kyle Decker: I like Kevin Knight, but there’s no way he’s going into their biggest show of the year as champion. Pick: Kenny Omega
Thekla (c) vs. Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women’s World title
Sean Rueter: Thekla’s popular enough that, with the AEW audience more than willing to embrace a heel and the way wrestling fans get protective of their face, having her lose could backfire. She retains via shenanigans, leading Mick Foley to lobby Tony Khan to make Wembley a Triple Threat for the Toxic Spider there (where I’m guessing Willow wins to set up a program with Mercedes where the title will likely change hands again (strapping The CEO can’t really backfire, because many of the people who hate Moné hate her so much they’ll tune in to hate on her. Pick: Thekla
Claire Elizabeth: Their little face-to-Foley-to-face on Dynamite has me convinced— Willow Nightingale is cool, collected, and she’s gonna squash herself a Toxic Spider to pick up the big one. Pick: Willow Nightingale
Cain A. Knight: The women’s world title match at Wembley Stadium could end up being a 3-way fight with these two stars and Mercedes Mone. But just in case that’s not the plan, there needs to be a popular babyface standing across the ring from The CEO. Pick: Willow Nightingale
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Analysis for most of these matches is based on how it affects All In. I don’t see the signs for Thekla versus Mercedes Moné one on one. The Triangle of Madness won the Stardom titles for a reason, and that could be for an All In showdown against Joshi wrestlers. I can buy in to the idea of a triple-threat at All In. Willow needs to win the gold for Thekla to force a rematch with Mercedes in the mix at Wembley. Pick: Willow Nightingale
Marcus Benjamin: It’s time. I’d love to see Willow get the title at a bigger stage but that bigger stage is set for a rematch between her and Mercedes. The real question for me is what kind of reign does Willow get? Is this long term or is she just the perfect opponent for Mercedes? Pick: Willow Nightingale
Kyle Decker: My theory is All In is going to play out the opposite as planned. I bet Willow was supposed to win the Owen, Mercedes was going to come back and win the title prior to All In and they would have Willow challenge for the title at the big show. Instead, Willow got hurt so Mercedes won the Owen and Willow returned to win the title. Pick: Willow Nightingale
Death Riders (Jon Moxley & Will Ospreay) vs. The Young Bucks
Sean Rueter: Is it too early for the cracks to start showing in the Death Rider duo? Or is Bruv going to full break bad? I think a month before we get to Wembley is the right time to start seeing more intrigue about this mentor/mentee relationship, which will also help the Jackson Boys get ready for whatever their big match in London ends up being. Pick: The Young Bucks
Claire Elizabeth: It feels wrong to pick a superteam over the Young Bucks, but I can’t help but lean that direction here. Young Will is zeroed in, Mox is Mox, and I feel like they got something here and they’re gonna put it together. Pick: Death Riders
Cain A. Knight: I think the Bucks will be challenging for tag team gold at Wembley Stadium, and losing this match would be a dumb way to get there. Pick: The Young Bucks
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Moxley seems like the pick to eat the pin. I think the finish will have storyline drama. Perhaps Moxley takes a bullet to save Ospreay’s health for All In. Pick: Young Bucks
Marcus Benjamin: I’m picking the Young Bucks but I don’t have a reason why. Well, scratch that. The Death Riders need a little adversity going into All In; I can’t see Bruv being a part of their crew while holding AEW’s richest prize. Pick: Young Bucks
Kyle Decker: I think the Bucks are going to have a big match at All In — maybe against C&C or a three way with FTR. And they’re going to feud with the New Day when they inevitably debut for AEW — maybe in England. Meanwhile, this bromance between Mox and Ospreay has to eventually fray. Pick: The Young Bucks
Cage & Cope (c) vs. Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & PAC) for the AEW Tag Team titles
Sean Rueter: As soon as they didn’t get Mox & Will, this one was pretty clear. Pick: Cage and Cope
Claire Elizabeth: Speaking of zeroed in, Cage and Copeland are old-man tough, dad strong, and weird uncle feisty, and as much as I’d love to see the Very European team Death Riders have put together here win the tag titles (and maybe be joined by a certain Fella for a Very European trio in a few months), it’s just not gonna happen. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Cain A. Knight: It’s evident from AEW programming that the old guys aren’t dropping these belts before they defend them against the Young Bucks. Also, PAC rarely ever wins on Dynamite anymore, and it’s even harder to win on PPV. Pick: Christian Cage & Adam Copeland
Manolo H. Pizzazz: C&C will have a music factory of conchairtos. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Marcus Benjamin: There’s no way these two lose these titles already. Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Kyle Decker: You can see in the prior prediction that I think C&C have a big match ahead of them in Wembley. Pick: Cage & Cope
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Bandido for the AEW International Championship
Sean Rueter: Can Okada cost his teammate without being at ringside? A coin drop sound effect could do the trick? This show needs some surprise. Pick: Bandido
Claire Elizabeth: Part of me really wants to see the International Championship, the workhorse title in a company absolutely jam-packed full of workhorses, have a nice little hot potato summer, but Fletcher is a liar and a cheat and poor Bandido is too innocent to scout his tricks ahead of time, alas. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Cain A. Knight: Being a ROH world titleholder doesn’t help much when going up against one of the many All Elite champions. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Bandido has a great record on ROH PPV. Not so hot on AEW PPV. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Marcus Benjamin: I just don’t think it’s time for Kyle to lose this title, even against Bandido. There’s plenty of drama around Kyle considering his group (duh) but he survives to fight another day. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Decker: Should be a blast but I think Kyle has to keep his title to eventually do a title vs. title bit against Kevin Knight. Pick: Kyle Fletcher
Mark Davis (c) vs. Andrade El Ídolo for the AEW National championship
Sean Rueter: Really not sure The Real Latino Man is winning any more prominent singles belts in the next year, but he should win this one from Fletcher’s old tag partner. Pick: Andrade El Ídolo
Claire Elizabeth: Andrade’s hot and he’s hungry and the man needs some gold already. Pick: Andrade el Idolo
Cain A. Knight: Maybe one of the other 497 Callis family thugs screws Andrade over here, so he can instead win the championship in less than two weeks at Grand Slam Mexico. Pick: Mark Davis
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Unless it’s interference from MJF, a loss here cuts the legs out from the ladies man. Pick: Andrade
Marcus Benjamin: Andrade might be the hottest wrestler in the territory. Sometimes these things are very simple. Pick: Andrade el Idolo
Kyle Decker: There are way too many titles. But this is the one that makes sense to change hands at the PPV. Pick: Andrade El Idolo
Redemption can be purchased on HBO Max, Amazon, YouTube, PPV.com, and DAZN, or you can buy it on traditional PPV.
In Canada, the UK, and other international markets, it will be available on the new MyAEW.com service.
Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Maya World for the TBS Championship
Sean Rueter: She’s gotta win one of these opportunities, and it’s probably about time for the current champ to head back to Japan for those glammed up Medieval Times performances she does every year. Pick: Maya World
Claire Elizabeth: This one’s a tossup to me— Maya’s earned her spot several times over, but I have The Fear about picking too many title wins on one card, so I’m playing it safe and staying away from the upset. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Cain A. Knight: Shida should have a long run with this belt, and World can keep being the underdog babyface who takes losses like this for a while. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Shida is developing well into a remorseless heel as TBS champion. It’s too soon to end her run now. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Kyle Decker: This could be a spot to continue the rapid rise of Maya World, even if it is only a short reign. Pick: Maya World
Marcus Benjamin: This is Maya’s summer. Once again, don’t overthink these things. Pick: Maya World
“The Painmaker” Chris Jericho vs. Tommaso Ciampa in a No Holds Barred match
Sean Rueter: I think sometimes-call-me-Chris has too much invested in the lore he’s come up with for this goofy gimmick to have it lose on PPV. Pick: The Painmaker
Claire Elizabeth: I’m at a place where I unironically love the Painmaker and I’m looking forward to seeing his particular brand of late-90s cable TV hardcore match cosplaying as a deathmatch put ol’ Tomato Camper through the ringer and well, may the bald man win. Pick: Tommaso Ciampa
Cain A. Knight: The Painmaker gimmick is here to get this feud back to 50/50 before the Psycho Killer wins the eventual rubber match. Pick: Chris Jericho
Manolo H. Pizzazz: No holds are barred, so the Painmaker can dig deep into Jericho’s list of 1,004 holds to execute outlawed maneuvers. Pick: Chris Jericho
Marcus Benjamin: I’m torn on this. I don’t like Ciampa taking an L but everything prior to this match says an L he will take. I’ll go with what’s presented on television rather than what I hope happens. Pick: Chris Jericho
Kyle Decker: Painmaker’s gotta win so that can be part of his newest NFT scam he promotes. Pick: Chris Jericho
Jack Perry vs. The Beast Mortos vs. Komander vs. Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Nick Wayne vs. El Clon in a Ladder Match
Sean Rueter: Winner gets a shot at the winner of Fletcher/Bandido, I picked the luchador, and we’re headed to Arena Mexico. So it could be a luchador, but we’re in Quebec. The Quebecois in the match has been trying to get back in the groove since his partner turned on him a couple months ago. Seems like a good way to do it, while giving a win to a guy who I’m pretty sure is one of TK’s faves. Pick: Speedball Mike Bailey
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Surprise pick for Beast Mortos. In challenging Fletcher, that could be the opening for Rush and LFI to align with Andrade in battling the Callis Family. Pick: Beast Mortos
Marcus Benjamin: Let’s ride with Speedball here. White Sho’Nuff for the win. Pick: Speedball Mike Bailey
Bang Bang Gang (Jay White & Juice Robinson) vs. The Dogs (David Finlay & Clark Connors) in a Double Chain Match
Sean Rueter: The Dogs feel kinda DOA, and the responses Switchblade’s getting since coming back mean he should not lose his first PPV appearance in I-can’t-even-remember-how-long. Pick: Bang Bang Gang
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Gabe Kidd hasn’t been around due to alleged visa issues, but does that apply to Canada? Pick: The Dogs
Marcus Benjamin: What Sean said. Almost verbatim. Bang Bang Gang are hot right now so ride them until you can’t. Pick: Bang Bang Gang
The Conglomeration (Kyle O’Reilly, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong) (c) vs. The Lethal Twist (Jay Lethal, Blake Christian, and Lee Johnson) for the AEW Trios titles
Sean Rueter: Yeah, the popular good guys aren’t dropping the belts to ROH regulars on the pre-show. Pick: The Conglomerators
Manolo H. Pizzazz: The champs can make prudent financial plans for new backpacks on discount at back to school sales Pick: Conglomeration
Marcus Benjamin: Never picking against The Conglomeration in a spot like this. Pick: The Conglomeration
That’s who we’ve got. Who are you taking, Cagesiders? Tell us in the comments, and there’s still time to jump into SoManyBirds contest for Redemption in The Feed!
