One of All Elite Wrestling’s original PPVs is back! All Out comes our way for the eighth year in a row, back in its usual Chicagoland environs. The 2026 edition will be in Hoffman Estates, Illinois’ NOW Arena, and it’s going down tonight (Sat., Sept. 26).
After free streaming YouTube pre-show at 7 p.m. Eastern, the main card action starts an hour later. This year’s All Out will feature at least seven title matches, which include the new World champ vs. arguably the promotion’s biggest star, a Ladder
Match with three all-time great tag teams, a Chicago Street Fight between last two women’s tag champs, a MYSTERY CHALLENGER and another women’s belt… plus two #1 contenders matches and more!
It’s a lot to process — and that’s without even factoring in WWE’s CM Punk lucha show across town that most of us won’t see until next Wednesday at the earliest. So we’ve assembled our motley crew of pro wrestling blowhards to give thoughts & predictions on everything booked the show!
Let’s get to it.
Will Ospreay (c) vs. Jon Moxley for the AEW World championship
Sean Rueter: Saw somewhere that Mox hasn’t lost a singles match all year… if that’s true, that’s a benefit to starting Bruv’s reign with his old Death Riders sensei. It doesn’t add more suspense to the outcome, though. Pick: Will Ospreay
Claire Elizabeth: This is it, it’s graduation day at Death Rider University. For a year, Will Ospreay has climbed every summit put in front of him, and now he has to take the Ace out to cement his reign as AEW Men’s World Champion. And I think he’s gonna do it. Pick: Will Ospreay
Cain A. Knight: It would be a hell of a swerve for Ospreay to lose the belt to Moxley in his very first title defense. I suppose MJF could show up to screw Will over, but I don’t think it’s the likely outcome. Pick: Will Ospreay
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Moxley will be conflicted about letting other Death Riders pull the trigger on Ospreay, and that will be his downfall here. I think that Moxley deep down wants Ospreay to win to pass the torch to him. Bruv will have to earn it though. Pick: Will Ospreay
Marcus Benjamin: This is a perfect first big defense for Bruv. Moxley fashioned him into the man capable of taking the title off Kenny Omega. Now, the student has to go through teacher. I expect a brutal and punishing match filled with enough pints of blood to make a vampire blush. Pick: Will Ospreay
Kyle Decker: Will Ospreay is not losing the title a month after winning it at All In. Pick: Will Ospreay
Jon Velez-Jackson: There will be blood, yes, but not a title change after all the build for Ospreay’s title win at All In. Pick: Will Ospreay
Christian Cage & Adam Copeland (c) & vs. FTR vs. The Young Bucks in a Ladder Match for the AEW Tag Team titles
Sean Rueter: While I continue to enjoy their bickering old married couple schtick, I’m not seeing the vision (lower case, no pun intended) for their reign yet. Maybe it’ll become clearer after they give the Top Guys and the Jackson boys this dream match. Pick: Cage & Cope
Claire Elizabeth: On Dynamite this week, the Young Bucks said a thing I kept circling around without thinking out loud— the last time Adam Copeland jumped off a high thing, he crippled himself for a year. Now, that’s not to say I think the champs are gonna lose — triple threat math favors them for one, as does the fact that the Bucks and FTR are long-time rivals, and furthermore just the fact that Copeland and Cage are wily old coots who have shown an increasing willingness to cut corners. But I just keep thinking to myself… victory at what cost? Pick: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
Cain A. Knight: I think it’s a little strange that Bucks and FTR each lost their Dynamite matches during the build to this PPV title match. Maybe that’s because it’s time to hot potato the belts between all of AEW’s great tag teams for a while. Pick: Young Bucks
Manolo H. Pizzazz: It should feel like a big deal if the Young Bucks or FTR wins. Heading into the match, it doesn’t feel that way to me. Their momentum has been derailed. That’s why I think the legends retain. Pick: Cope & Cage
Marcus Benjamin: I can’t see the innovators losing the match they made famous. At least not yet. AEW’s tag team scene feels vibrant at the moment, with a lot of potential heirs to the throne. Let the current kings cook for a while until a truly worthy team becomes undeniable. This should be a lot of fun though. Pick: Cage & Cope
Kyle Decker: Tough call here as I don’t have a true inkling. I think they’re already planting some seeds for C&C versus Darby Allin & Steven Borden, and I don’t see a reason to do the change just yet, so the team who helped pioneer this match will win it. Pick: Cage & Cope
Jon Velez-Jackson: While I’d be all for Cage & Cope passing the torch to the very-deserving FTR, I can’t see Tony Khan booking the legendary duo to lose in a ladder match. Pick: Cage & Cope
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the AEW International championship
Sean Rueter: It’s cool Ciampa’s getting another chance to show off on pretty big stages at this stage of his career. And sharing a ring with someone like New Japan’s most recent Ace after all the surgeries and rehabs has to feel good. Me, I’m just waiting for the International champ to shift his AEW run into a higher gear. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Claire Elizabeth: It’s not even that I don’t think Ciampa can get the win here, or that I think the Don Callis Family will muck it up for him, or any of that. It’s that I think his TNT Championship reign showed that at this point in his career, he’s good enough to take it, but not good enough to keep it, and I think that’s somewhere in the Sicilian Psychopath’s head, rattling around… Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Cain A. Knight: Ciampa is a lot more interesting than Okada and could really use this kind of win, but The Rainmaker isn’t dropping the belt in his first title defense. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Pfft. Pick: Rainmaker!
Marcus Benjamin: I can’t curse. Oh, actually we can? Well, I’ll save that for later. Just know this was a one-word prediction with a four-letter word Okada loves, followed by “please.” Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Kyle Decker: I don’t think Okada loses the title until he defends it against Kyle Fletcher… I assume. Fletcher could also be challenging Kevin Knight instead. Don Callis has some issues on his hand. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Jon Velez-Jackson: Let’s be realistic about this one. Tony Khan spent a lot of money signing Okada, and while Ciampa certainly has an impressive pedigree, he’s not going over on a Japanese legend. Pick: Kazuchika Okada
Swerve & The New Level (c) vs. Hangman & Brodido for the AEW Trios championship
Sean Rueter: It’s past time for Swerve to get back into the World title scene, but I think we’ll get this group vs. The Elite before they drop the belts (or maybe as their last program as a trio, at least for a while). Pick: Swerve & The New Level
Claire Elizabeth: New Level have their eyes locked firmly on the prize and not on whatever… stuff… Swerve might deem necessary to win a match. What’s a little crime here and there between pals, eh? And in the end that all adds up to the trios belts staying firmly where they are for the time being. Pick: Shane “Swerve” Strickland & the New Level
Cain A. Knight: This is the part where Hangman loses another title match and then has to figure out what his purpose is in AEW going forward. It’s also a good time for Swerve to resort to some underhanded tactics to win that might not be cool with Kofi and Creed. Pick: Swerve Strickland & New Level
Manolo H. Pizzazz: I think Hangman & Brodido will dethrone the trios champs. It just won’t happen on this night. The scene on Dynamite opened a lot to explore among the characters. That story needs time to marinate. The titles changing hands muddies that water for now. Pick: Swerve & New Level
Marcus Benjamin: The New Level and Swerve retain these titles until someone (Swerve) breaks them up. They’re already sowing seeds for discord down the line. Until then, let’s all bask in the newness. Pick: Swerve & The New Level
Kyle Decker: I don’t think Swerve & the New Level lose the titles until they feel it’s time to break them apart. You could argue that could be any time, and I think the New Level should be part of the regular tag scene sooner or later, but it’s a bit soon for them to lose it. Pick: Swerve & The New Level
Jon Velez-Jackson: Like others have said, the New Level won’t be losing the belts until Strickland turns on them, and it seems like that story needs more build first. Pick: Swerve & The New Level
The Brawling Birds (c) vs. Divine Dominion for the AEW Women’s Tag titles
Sean Rueter: This feels like a show full of new champs validating their reigns, and I’d be shocked if Megan Bayne & Lena Kross won back the belts here. Bayne seems like someone Mercedes can feud with for a PPV cycle while waiting for a Timeless return, so the tag act may be going on the back burner soon. Pick: The Brawling Birds
Claire Elizabeth: It’s gonna be a slice of good friendly violent fun and the champs are gonna come out on top. Pick: Brawling Birds
Cain A. Knight: Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor aren’t losing the belts in their first title defense. I forget how many times I’ve reiterated that idea throughout these predictions. It would come off like a burial of the babyface champs if they lose given how the heel challengers have kicked their asses in every segment on TV leading up to this title match. Pick: Brawling Birds
Manolo H. Pizzazz: There are a lot of easy picks in title matches for this PPV, so I think this will be the upset, in a sense. Not that Megan Bayne and Lena Kross winning would be a surprise. More that Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor losing the titles so soon would be unexpected. This feud rages on for another round after All Out. Pick: Divine Dominion
Marcus Benjamin: I’m going with my heart here, simple as that. Pick: The Brawling Birds
Kyle Decker: May as well do a title change somewhere & I didn’t pick it anywhere else. Pick: Divine Dominion
Jon Velez-Jackson: I don’t have a strong sense on this one, but I do feel Hayer and Windsor deserve a longer title reign. Pick: The Brawling Birds
Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla in an AEW Women’s World Title Eliminator
Sean Rueter: We don’t need another chapter of Nightingale/Moné yet. The Toxic Spider’s rivalry with Willow is worth slowly establishing in AEW too, so this outcome gives us the more interesting program now and a big name nemesis the Babe with the Powerbomb can pick up a win against when it comes time to book her back to another World title reign. Pick: Thekla
Claire Elizabeth: Thekla is for the children, baby! Pick: Thekla
Cain A. Knight: Any dumb bitch can see that Thekla vs. Mercedes is a fresh world title match that needs to happen ASAP. Pick: Thekla
Manolo H. Pizzazz: We’ve seen Mercedes Moné versus Willow. We haven’t seen Mercedes versus Thekla yet. Fans are hot for the idea of that fresh matchup. Pick: Thekla
Marcus Benjamin: As much as I love Willow, Thekla is too hot at the moment to not get this win. Pick: Thekla
Kyle Decker: I wouldn’t go back to Mercedes/Willow this soon. They can use that hand injury to protect her and allow Thekla to get her shot against Mercedes, which is where it felt like they were going to begin with. Pick: Thekla
Jon Velez-Jackson: Not only does Thekla deserve a marquee match against Mercedes Moné, but that’s where the money is right now. Plus, AEW fans will be treated to some fun Thekla promos along the way. Pick: Thekla
Darby Allin & Steven Borden vs. Kyle Fletcher & Kevin Knight
Sean Rueter: Starting El Hijo del Sting with a PPV loss just seems more interesting to me. Let’s see Allin actually coach up his partner in-story for a bit. As Cope said, the kid’s not ready for a title shot. Pick: Kevin Knight and Kyle Fletcher
Claire Elizabeth: Fletcher and Knight are putting something together here, and that this mathc has obvious implications for the tag title scene means Don Callis is gonna want his boys to bring home a win more than if just Steve’s first loss was on the line. I think they find a way to exploit the rookie’s lack of experience (and maybe inherited familial naivety) and get the win here. Pick: Kevin Knight & Kyle Fletcher
Cain A. Knight: Sting was undefeated throughout his entire AEW career, so Sting Jr. might as well follow in his footsteps and do the same damn thing. Pick: Darby Allin & Steven Borden
Manolo H. Pizzazz: I think Borden’s first loss will come when challenging for the tag titles. That is full circle on the idea of Sting vacating the belts upon retirement. Sting Jr. will go for the gold that his father never lost. Pick: Darby Allin & Steven Borden
Marcus Benjamin: Darby and Steve are quickly becoming huge fan favorites. There’s so much story between them and so many stories to tell with them as a team. When does Steve wear the face paint? Pick: Darby Allin & Steven Borden
Kyle Decker: It sounds like this is at least an unofficial #1 contenders match (they may have made that official). Darby & Steven make the most sense for that. Fletcher & Knight barely get along. Pick: Allin & Sting Jr.
Jon Velez-Jackson: Steven Borden’s rapid rise after his father’s retirement has been big news for AEW, and his push will likely continue here. Pick: Darby Allin & Steven Borden
Andrade (c) vs. PAC for the National championship
Sean Rueter: Dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase, dontuseorriffonhiscatchphrase… I’ll tell you how I know! Dangit, I said I wasn’t gonna do that. Anyway, not a good night to be a Death Rider. Pick: Andrade El Idolo
Claire Elizabeth: They’re gonna beat the hell out of each other but it’ll all be over the second Andrade takes his pants off. Pick: Andrade el Idolo
Cain A. Knight: This match only exists because Tony Khan needed to find a match for Andrade on the PPV. And Andrade is clearly not losing to a random (but excellent) Death Rider henchman on PPV, especially while he’s holding on to that contract for an AEW world title match. Pick: Andrade
Manolo H. Pizzazz: How you know? El Idolo is not losing until he cashes in his world title shot. Pick: Andrade
Marcus Benjamin: Andrade can’t lose this title because he’s the number contender for the big title. Easy pick. Pick: Andrade
Kyle Decker: Andrade shouldn’t lose the National title as long as he’s holding that #1 contenders contract. Pick: Andrade
Jon Velez-Jackson: Andrade will win, and AEW will push a video of him getting a ringside selfie on its social media accounts. Pick: Andrade
Persephone vs. mystery opponent in open challenge for the TBS championship
Sean Rueter: If it’s anyone other than Kairi Sane, and it doesn’t sound like it is… Pick: Persephone
Claire Elizabeth: Perse and her trusty doctor/manager have this one in the bag, I reckon. Pick: Persephone
Cain A. Knight: Let’s get strange and pick a mystery opponent who Persephone will never see coming. Pick: Britt Baker
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Unless it is AJ Lee for a nuclear meltdown in Chicago, I don’t anticipate Persephone losing the title so soon into the relationship with Dr. Britt Baker DMD. I’m guessing that Mara Sade answers the call. Pick: Persephone
Marcus Benjamin: Hmmmm. I mean, the mystery opponent could be a big name. Let’s roll the dice. Pick: Mystery Opponent
Kyle Decker: There’s no reason to do a change here. Pick: Persephone
Jon Velez-Jackson: If Mara Sade is the mystery opponent, I think Persephone retains. But what if it’s Kairi Sane? No disrespect to Sade and the work she put in at TNA, but Sane showing up —and winning her first AEW match — would dominate headlines in wrestling media. Pick: Kairi Sane (fingers crossed)
The Bang Bang Gang (Jay White, Juice Robinson & the Gunns) vs. The Dogs’ Dave Finlay & Clark Connors and Death Riders Danny Garcia & Wheeler Yuta in a Tailgate Brawl
Sean Rueter: Since TK’s said doing say increases buys, my main question is, “How this is going to bleed over into the pape”? I think they’ll start the show with the National title match, and that will somehow spill out of this. Oh, see my earlier “bad night for Death Riders”. Pick: The Bang Bang Gang
Claire Elizabeth: Babyface preshow tag rule prevails over all other considerations. And have you noticed that Juice is a coach now? The deal is sealed, folks. Pick: Bang Bang Gang
Cain A. Knight: Blood & Guts is coming up soon and I assume the Death Riders will be part of it. They should probably win this match, if that’s the case, but I feel strange picking that loser Daniel Garcia to actually win something. Pick: The Dogs & Death Riders
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Juice Robinson will call the right plays for the Collision Cowboys to ride for victory. Pick: Bang Bang Gang
Marcus Benjamin: I gotta go with the team with the theme I like more. Pick: The Bang Bang Gang
Kyle Decker: I think if you’re putting the Death Rider’s C team in there, they’re going to be the ones taking the loss. Pick: The Bang Bang Gang
Jon Velez-Jackson: This will be a mess of a match. Pick: Bang Bang Gang
Jack Perry vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Sean Rueter: Nope. Nothing against Dylan’s kid, but I will not pick him over The Wrestler, no matter what the obvious outcome. Pick: Katsuyori Shibata
Claire Elizabeth: Jungle Man’s got a jungle plan to kick Shibata’s can. Pick: “Jungle Man” Jack Perry
Cain A. Knight: There are too many matches on this card, and we haven’t even hit Khan’s preferred number of 13 or 14 yet. Perry’s tune-up match ahead of his eventual slaughter at the hands of Samoa Joe certainly doesn’t need to be here. Pick: “Jungle” Jack Perry
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Jungle Man will trap a killer in his snare to get the bigger game. Pick: Jack Perry
Marcus Benjamin: If this is all about Jack getting to hunt Samoa Joe, then it’s obvious how this works. Pick: Jack Perry
Kyle Decker: This was set up as an obstacle Perry needs to clear before facing Samoa Joe. I assume he’ll make it to the final boss of this venture. Pick: Jack Perry
Jon Velez-Jackson: Samoa Joe will show up and put the boots to Perry, though (I guess?) giving a loss to Shibata via DQ. Pick: Jack Perry
That’s who we’ve got. Who are you taking, Cagesiders?
