WingedEagle

The Casino Gauntlet might have been one of the most fun matches I've seen in a damn long time. So many great moments and surprises.

I don't think 80k was ever the goal. They passed 50k in the last couple days so whatever number they land on will still be incredibly impressive.

Until that spot on the steps and ensuing juice this was just a television match and it seemed the moment was much bigger than the match. Let's see what the back half has to offer.

Blood! More!

Loved the opener as it had some fun bumps, minimal dead time/set up spots and they did a good job shifting focus to different folks throughout. But what I love even more is an afternoon PPV! No getting tired for the biggest matches or conflicts about staying up super late ahead of work. As far as I'm concerned all PPVs should be from Europe.

Didn't even realize it was offered there but this is very much the move as it lets me watch on the big screen. Working like a charm!

Doesn't look like BR PPV is available through Max in the US but can certainly go straight to BR.

What's the best site to order the show from online? I seem to recall people had issues with certain providers the last time around but can't recall which. If I end up watching live I won't be home and will need to watch on the computer.

He absolutely could. But are they going to have Kingston and perhaps others cut those promos to end up with egg on their face?

Surprised to see Roman & Jacob get so physical so soon. Wargames is a lock but hopefully their first singles meeting is as big a deal as possible. Not sure it gets a Mania slot but hopefully an extended build. I assume Wargames is Roman/Usos/Sami vs. Solo/Jacob/GOD but we'll see how Hikuleo or anyone else fits in there. Really great Smackdown though -- Andrade/Melo 3 was the second best match of their trilogy and still great. Andrade is the Carmelo whisperer we never knew we needed. DIY/Profits was also a super strong TV match. High marks for both that along with the closing angle made for a great TV show.

Kingston cut a great promo last night and it felt right having him back on TV. But am I crazy or did it just hammer home that Dragon is absolutely winning at All In? I was actually thinking about arranging things so I could buy and watch the show live, but with his win seemingly locked in it feels like something I can catch later or the next day.

I can't rate this quite as highly as Survivor Series, but I was blown away by how good it was. Sid's mobility, presence and selling stood out here and while you can probably give Hart all the credit in the world for the skeleton of the match, Sid was not a broomstick. Good stuff!

Also, how long has main roster Gunther been German? Is that new or have I not been paying attention?

That was a hell of an angle for Bronson. Hopefully it leads to a more than a TV loss. Thiccer E? Definitely played out better than I would've thought but not holding my breath on anything.

Whether the conflict is with a coworker or a child who got in the way of a drink he was looking to spill, MJF can seemingly matrix his way out of any internal heat. Pretty impressive.

Who would've ever guessed that Andrade is the Carmelo Hayes whisperer?

I'll withhold judgment until actually seeing it, but the result of today's Stardom main event and accompanying angle reek of Evil/House of Torture nonsense.

He doesn't have main events for national promotions with the accompanying stakes, drama and promotional machines behind him. But he does have nearly 20 years of absolutely crushing it in big and small match settings up and down the card in a variety of roles and styles. Why isn't he among the top few dozen to ever do it?

Any chance they've hired Nick as a driver for this week?

Mami, respectfully. Is that how its done?

Fatu is very much that guy. But it feels like Roman/Solo is being slow cooked for Mania so Jacob is going to have a while for his turn.

I loved this and thought the mat work and way they attacked and fought for holds was incredible stuff that would look next level today. It feels state of the art for the style but I just can't think of it as an all time classic pro wrestling match as while it was an incredibly compelling display of technique, the lack of escalation and drama along the way holds it back. ****1/4

Why does it feel like Moxley is no longer a featured act in AEW?

Bryan Danielson is the absolute GOAT. Its an arms race with him vs. Ospreay for Most Outstanding this year and I look forward to them continuing to try and top each other. That was an unbelievable match and Page is on the short list of Dragon's best ever opponents.

This has been a really good show. Both MITB matches hit, and most importantly, didn't overstay their welcome. Sami/Bron had a shockingly clean finish in a most unexpected direction, and Drew/Priest extended the company's hottest program without undermining the Summerslam world title match. Good stuff all around! I'd love to know how they smuggled Fatu into Canada given his prior issues. Plus, Cena's promo hit me way too hard. Not cool.