Dave and Ben Simon delivered their comprehensive verdict on Saturday’s marathon of professional wrestling, with AEW All Out earning the decisive victory over WWE’s Wrestlepalooza in a tale of two very different approaches to sports entertainment. Despite All Out’s grueling five-hour runtime, the quality of wrestling and memorable moments gave Tony Khan’s crew the edge over Triple H’s ESPN debut.
WWE Wrestlepalooza: ESPN’s Expensive Disappointment
WWE’s first ESPN+ exclusive event carried enormous expectations, but “Triple H started this show, and he said Welcome to Wrestlepalooza. This will be on ESPN, the first show on ESPN. This will be the final form of sports and entertainment,” Dave noted with clear disappointment. “And I was like, what do they have planned? Do they have something crazy for the end of this show? You know, like when you say that you kind of go Oh, that means but he was just being like Hey, we’re on ESPN, and look at wrestling because that’s all it was. It was just wrestling. It was just a WWE show.”
The financial barrier to entry became a significant talking point. “It was not worth $30. American. That’s a lot of money,” Dave emphasized about ESPN’s additional subscription fee. “If you’re a WWE fan, right, you’ve got to pay for Netflix to watch Raw. You’ve got to get USA Network to watch SmackDown. You have to get the ESPN package to watch the PLEs, which costs around $30. So you’re paying $40, $50, $60 a month if you want to watch all the WWE stuff.”
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena: Same Match, Different Day
The show opened with Brock Lesnar defeating John Cena in what Dave characterized as a recycled encounter. “They basically gave you a version of a match that you’ve seen before from them,” he observed. “Brock just kind of beat the hell out of Cena. Cena had a moment, hit an Attitude Adjustment. But it was like a bunch of F5s until he just pinned them.”
The controversial aspects surrounding Lesnar’s return weren’t lost on the audience. “There’s a sign every time Brock’s out there, people are in the crowd. He shouldn’t be here. And we all know why,” Dave pointed out, referring to the ongoing legal issues that have followed the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Stephanie Vaquér Steals the Show
The evening’s lone bright spot came from the women’s division, with Stephanie Vaquér capturing the Women’s World Championship from Iyo Sky in what both hosts agreed was the match of the night. “Stephanie Vaquer and Iyo Sky. Yeah, I would agree it was a good match. That spiral tap she did at the end was cool. Quite impressive,” Dave praised.
The victory positions Vaquér for a potential Crown Jewel showdown with Rhea Ripley, leading to Dave’s observation about WWE’s future: “I think WWE in the next five to ten years should adapt and become a mostly women’s wrestling promotion… the women are more interesting. They’re better. There are more stars.”
Mixed Tag Drama: CM Punk and AJ Lee’s Controversial Victory
The mixed tag team match featuring CM Punk and AJ Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch provided intrigue but raised eyebrows with its execution. “We had Punk attacking Becky Lynch a lot. Yeah. Like putting his hands on her like a strange amount,” Dave noted with concern.
The booking decisions seemed to contradict established character motivations. “His kind of storyline has been like I’m not going to put my hands on a woman. Yeah. Then he was all too happy. Yeah. He really did quite a bit in this match. It was surprising. It was odd.”
The moment 👏 #Wrestlepalooza https://t.co/PvUVUGlpIS pic.twitter.com/CcjWhkSX2V
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 21, 2025
Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre: A Lackluster Main Event
The WWE Championship match that closed Wrestlepalooza proved to be the evening’s most disappointing moment, with Dave delivering harsh criticism of what he characterized as a glorified house show match. “Cody and Drew close the show in a really uneventful, pointless match. They did the things. Yeah. It was boring. Oh my God. It was a house show match,” Dave stated bluntly.
The match followed a predictable formula that failed to generate excitement. “Drew went to kick Cody’s head in the announce table like he did. And SmackDown to start this feud back in Montreal months ago. And he missed this time, and he hurt his ankle, and then he went to Claymore Cody in the ring, and he fell because his ankle was hurt. And then Cody hit a Cody cutter and a Crossroads,” Dave recounted the basic sequence.
What frustrated Dave most was the anticlimactic finish and lack of follow-up. “One two three, and that was it, like he didn’t have to hit the multiple crossroads. He didn’t have to do it. It was just like a crossroads. That’s it. Let’s go. And then there was nothing after. There was no indication that this guy would be next for Cody or anyone else. It was just like good night folks.”
The choice to close with this match instead of the more compelling mixed tag team bout drew particular criticism. “Shouldn’t have closed the show. AJ, Punk, Becky, and Seth should have closed the show. Yeah. That was the more… It had the most heat,” Dave argued, pointing out the logical booking error.
The disparity in championship importance also bothered the hosts. “AJ’s return match. Punk’s there. Seth Rollins is the world champion. Cody’s the Intercontinental Champion, like so what Cody’s the WWE champion. Drew’s like a nothing dude. It was a nothing match,” Dave concluded with characteristic brutality.
The lackluster main event served as a microcosm of WWE’s broader issues on the night – prioritizing star power over storytelling substance, resulting in a forgettable conclusion to what was supposed to be a landmark ESPN debut.
AEW All Out: Five Hours of Peaks and Valleys
While AEW’s offering stretched viewer endurance, the quality of wrestling and shocking moments ultimately justified the investment. “AEW wins the day as far as I’m concerned. They have a better show,” Dave declared decisively.
After his rough night at #AEWAllOut, what's next for @The_MJF? pic.twitter.com/TcJKGfIexb
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 21, 2025
Mark Briscoe vs. MJF: Thumbtacks and Tables Masterpiece
The most talked-about match of AEW All Out came from an unlikely pairing that delivered what Dave called his match of the night. MJF faced Mark Briscoe in a brutal thumbtacks and tables match that had Dave questioning the stipulation before becoming completely captivated by the execution.
“The match starts. There are tables around the ring. It’s a thumbtack and table match. OK, I’ll go. What the hell is this?“ Dave admitted his initial skepticism. “And then I was immediately like hooked because on paper I was like thumbtacks and tables, like what is this, like what the hell is this. What is this match? This seems dumb, like MJF is cool, but what’s Mark Briscoe? What is this going to be?”
The visual spectacle began immediately with Mark Briscoe’s aggressive opening. “There are four buckets of thumbtacks in each corner. MJF Mark Briscoe comes out first, gets in the ring. MJF’s making his entrance as he’s on the ramp. Mark Brisco starts emptying the four buckets in the ring.“ Dave described the chaotic setup.
The result was a wrestling ring transformed into a weapon itself. “So the whole ring is thumbtacks. There’s nowhere you can step, nowhere you can bump, nowhere you can go without getting thumbtacks in you everywhere. The bottom of their boots were solid thumbtacks, solid, both of them bloodied, beaten, and just filled with thumbtacks, their whole bodies.”
The brutality reached levels that reminded Dave of the golden era of hardcore wrestling. “It was nuts, and he went and let the eyes of a tongue hang back of the head. I mean, Mark Briscoe had thumbtacks in the back of his head that looked just nuts,” he recounted with amazement.
Dave’s enthusiasm reached a fever pitch as he delivered his verdict: “This match was incredible. They killed it, literally five stars like five. You know what I mean, like fucking perfect, unbelievable, and Briscoe one in the end, like wow. A hardcore classic. Yeah, like a Mick Foley would be proud.”
The match’s impact extended beyond just the violence, as Dave recognized its place in wrestling history. “Oh, it’s so good that match was so much better than anything on Wrestlepalooza. Oh, I imagine like by far by far it was so good, and I think that was my match of the night on all out.”
The 20-minute war showcased both wrestlers’ commitment to the hardcore style while elevating Mark Briscoe’s profile significantly. For MJF, it demonstrated his willingness to step outside his comfort zone and engage in the type of hardcore wrestling that built legends like Mick Foley and Terry Funk.
Dave’s final assessment captured the match’s significance: “If you missed it, you got to see it… I was kind of like on the fence but I was hooked like as soon as they started I was like oh man crazy match. They went like 20 minutes, and it was super violent.”
Look at the SMILE on @DarbyAllin's face as he jabs @JonMoxley repeatedly in the head!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 20, 2025
Watch #AEWAllOut LIVE on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/3wIwLm4b4Z
Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley: Coffin Match Chaos
The coffin match between Darby Allin and Jon Moxley delivered another contender for match of the night, showcasing the kind of violent storytelling that has become Darby’s signature while elevating Moxley’s sadistic persona to new heights. The stipulation itself carried inherent drama – victory could only be achieved by placing your opponent in a coffin and closing the lid.
“At one point, they had multiple coffins. It was a coffin match. At one point, they had a coffin standing up, and Moxley wound up standing right in front of the coffin. Then Darby dove through the ropes,” Dave recounted the spectacular spot that demonstrated both wrestlers’ commitment to creating memorable moments.
The match featured the kind of high-impact sequences that have made Darby Allin a cult favorite among hardcore wrestling fans. His willingness to sacrifice his body for the sake of entertainment was on full display, with each bump and crash building toward the inevitable conclusion. Moxley, meanwhile, embraced his role as the sadistic veteran, methodically dismantling his younger opponent with calculated brutality.
The violence escalated throughout the contest, with both men using the coffins as weapons rather than simply viewing them as victory conditions. “At one point, Pac came back, and he helped Moxley win. Hook Razor’s edged Darby from inside the ring outside the ring onto a coffin, and that thing looked like it was dented. It was like wood. Yeah or no, like aluminum or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah, crazy like that match was very violent,” Dave described the destructive climax.
The violence escalated throughout, culminating in a shocking post-match angle: “Later in the night, after Darby had been beaten and put in the coffin, he escaped the coffin, attacked Jon Moxley, put him in a body bag, and then lit the body bag on fire.“
The match also featured moments of pure brutality that reminded viewers why both men have built reputations as fearless performers. “God, at one point, Darby takes a fork and just starts ping ping ping, and Moxley’s head, and like the blood just starts gushing, and you go, there’s nothing fake, like there’s no work in there. It’s just the butcher. This is just a guy stabbing another guy in the head with a fork, and he just starts busting out bleeding,” Dave described with the kind of visceral reaction that separates great hardcore wrestling from mere stunt work.
.@CallMeKrisStat is your NEW AEW Women's World Champion and "Timeless" Toni Storm is stunned!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 20, 2025
Watch #AEWAllOut LIVE on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/aBEQwpJaa9
Chris Statlander’s Shocking Championship Victory
The women’s four-way delivered the night’s biggest surprise with Chris Statlander defeating Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Tekla to capture her first AEW Women’s World Championship. The victory represented both a shocking upset and a long-overdue recognition of Statlander’s contributions to AEW’s women’s division since the company’s inception.
“This elevates her. This is a shocking win. I think everybody expected Toni to retain,” Dave noted about the upset victory that caught both the live audience and viewing public completely off guard. Toni Storm had been positioned as the dominant champion, and her reign seemed destined to continue through at least the following major pay-per-view cycle.
The four-way format allowed each competitor to showcase their distinct styles while building toward the climactic finish. Jamie Hayter brought her hard-hitting approach, Tekla contributed her technical precision, Toni Storm displayed the character work that has made her one of wrestling’s most entertaining personalities, and Statlander demonstrated the athletic ability that has always set her apart from her peers.
“With her move thing there. I forgot what it’s called. But yeah, she pinned Toni,” Dave described the finishing sequence that saw Statlander execute her signature maneuver to secure the victory.
SPEAR OFF THE APRON!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 20, 2025
Watch #AEWAllOut LIVE on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/coeC1U6gby
The crowd’s reaction told the story of how unexpected this outcome truly was. “Chris, that was a bit like the crowd was shocked. Toni sold it great, super shocked,” Dave observed, noting both the genuine surprise from the Toronto audience and Toni Storm’s professional reaction to the title change.
“But the fact that Chris Statlander won and is the champion was like a big shocking moment on the pay-per-view,” Dave emphasized, recognizing that this victory could serve as a launching pad for fresh storylines and new championship programs.
.@RatedRCope and @Christian4Peeps receive words of wisdom from the Green Bastard before their clash with FTR!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 20, 2025
Watch #AEWAllOut LIVE on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/0YoFkHkkaE
Celebrity Cameos and Reunion Moments
AEW’s celebrity integration proved far more successful than WWE’s approach. “Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys was on AEW tonight or this afternoon. It was incredible. Bubbles did a backstage segment with Edge and Christian. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in the world’s collide,” Dave praised enthusiastically.
The return of Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus as a reunited team provided a genuine nostalgia moment. “Seeing them back together is kind of like it is nice, and it does have some nostalgia because we haven’t seen them together in a while, and I think everybody really loved them as a tag team,” Dave observed.
WWE’s Age Problem Becomes Undeniable
The evening’s events highlighted a concerning trend for WWE’s long-term sustainability. “Who’s up next? Because Roman, Seth, and all your main guys are 40-plus. CM Punk is what, 48? Yeah, he’s pushing 50. Your legends that are still in the game are 50-ish, pushing 50. And your current top guys are all in their 40s,” Dave analyzed.
The roster breakdown painted a troubling picture: “Other than Braun Breaker? Right. And you think he’s probably a slam dunk, but is he? John Cena is retiring. He’s 48 years old. Brock Lesnar is looking jacked, but also 48 years old. Bronson Reed, 37 years old.”
This demographic crisis contrasts sharply with AEW’s younger talent base, as Dave noted: “Swerve Strickland… he’s born in 1990. So he’s 34. Turn in 35 September… still younger, though, than the AEW main event scene. Still a good 5, 10-ish years younger than the WWE main event scene.”
The Verdict: Quality Over Presentation
Despite WWE’s superior production values and ESPN platform, Dave’s final scores reflected the in-ring product quality. “I’m giving this thing a six on 10. You’re giving a six and a half, which is generous,” he concluded about Wrestlepalooza, while awarding All Out “like a seven and a half. Like I’m giving it a full point and a half over because just the quality of wrestling.”
The length issue remained AEW’s primary weakness. “You don’t need to put everybody on every show. I just wish that they could learn to do three and a half hours tops because a five-hour show is ridiculous,” Dave emphasized.
The evening perfectly encapsulated the current state of professional wrestling: WWE’s corporate polish versus AEW’s authentic athletic competition. While both companies succeeded in their respective approaches, the verdict from the Ringside Report crew was clear – when it comes to pure wrestling entertainment, All Out delivered where Wrestlepalooza disappointed.
