AEW All Out 2026: Success Or Failure?

AEW headed to the NOW Arena in Chicago, Illinois for the eighth annual All Out PPV, with the promotion putting forth a show that featured major title matches such as Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley, big title changes, debuts, twists, turns, and more. All the fallout from All In: London 2026 was well felt, but was everything across the show positive?

Whether it be certain creative choices and booking decisions, those who stood tall as champions by the end of the night, the quality of matches across the show, or something more, there were both successes and failures at AEW All Out 2026.

8

Failure: Andrade Vs. PAC Falls Short

• Fans had high hopes for Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC.
• This match was one of the most disappointing at All Out 2026.
• Andrade retained the National Championship.

Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC was not a bad match by any means, with some fun moments involving the likes of Marina Shafir, Andrade’s usual antics which sparked up the crowd, and some well-executed offense… but something was missing.

The pacing of this match was well off, failing to deliver the excitement and energy needed for the opening match of an AEW PPV. Going into All Out 2026, there was a belief that Andrade & PAC could steal the show – and they certainly have the capability to! However, this was way more suited to weekly programming.

7

Success: The Brawling Birds & Divine Dominion End Feud With A Bloody Banger

• The Brawling Birds & Divine Dominion have feuded for months.
• They competed in a Street Fight at All Out 2026.
• This was one of the best matches at All Out.

Ending a multi-month feud in the right way can be a tough job to do, but Divine Dominion & The Brawling Birds did a very good job. The Street Fight stipulation felt deserved and earned, and they all put their best into the match to ensure that it was violent, bloody, and hard-hitting, delivering a great matchup at All Out 2026.

Jamie Hayter & Alex Windsor continued their AEW Women’s World Tag Team Title reign which began at All In, beating Divine Dominion for a second time to put this feud to bed once and for all.

6

Failure: Steven Borden’s Injury Came In A Difficult Spot

• Steven Borden is new to his professional wrestling career.
• Borden was injured in a huge spot with Kevin Knight.
• There is an argument to suggest that it is too soon for Borden to perform these moves.

Professional wrestling injuries can happen at the finest of margins, often taking place when no one is at fault and during a sequence that they’ve performed hundreds of times. However, Steven Borden’s injury at All Out came in a spot in which both he and Kevin Knight jumped from opposite turnbuckles in a move that wouldn’t be tried by most wrestlers due to its difficulty and danger.

Unfortunately, Borden landed poorly and suffered what many assumed to be a concussion, suggesting that he was not yet ready to be put in such a difficult spot under the bright lights of a PPV. Borden’s recent weeks in AEW have been fantastic and he’s shown incredible natural ability, but this was one step too far for his still early career. Regardless, we wish him a full recovery.

5

Success: Tommaso Ciampa & Kazuchika Okada Save All Out

• The first three matches of All Out 2026 were weak.
• Ciampa & Okada delivered a showstealer for the International Championship.
• These two saved the All Out PPV.

After three pretty underwhelming and below par matches to kick off AEW All Out (plus a scary injury), Tommaso Ciampa and Kazuchika Okada were tasked with getting the PPV back on track. In their clash for the International Title, the pair put on a clinic.

This match had incredible in-ring work, intensity, funny moments (such as Ciampa’s daughter flipping off Okada), wild near-falls, and so much more! In just one match, Ciampa & Okada turned the momentum of this PPV around and added serious energy into the show. With how the match played out, Ciampa losing was a shame, but given Okada’s reign is only a month old, it made sense for him to retain.

4

Failure: Dani Luna’s AEW Debut

• Dani Luna received an underwhelming reaction.
• Her debut in AEW came immediately after Steven Borden’s injury.
• Persephone vs. Luna had too much interference.

Following reports confirming her signature from the likes of Fightful Select, Dani Luna made her arrival in AEW at the All Out 2026 PPV, answering the TBS Championship open challenge of Persephone. Whether it be due to the subdued energy in the building due to the injury of Steven Borden, or due to the fact that fans were unaware of Luna, the energy around her arrival was low.

She put in a decent showing, but this match was one that dragged for too long, was too slow, and featured way too much interference on the part of Britt Baker. Baker did a good job of generating heat, but there were one-too-many spots of Baker getting involved.

3

Success & Failure: The Young Bucks Win The Tag Titles Again

• The AEW World Tag Team Title ladder match was fantastic at All Out.
• The Young Bucks won gold for a fourth time.
• AEW going with The Young Bucks again was arguably a negative call.

The Young Bucks are the best tag team in AEW history, without a doubt. However, winning the gold for a fourth time is a move that will be a decisive one, especially since Cage & Cope were having such a strong reign with the belts.

However, their victory came in a fantastic ladder match that was jam-packed with phenomenal spots, wild landings, and plenty of excitement, and seeing them overcome two of the other best tag teams ever was a nice moment. There was both good and bad to this decision, and the real result will be determined in the aftermath of this PPV.

2

Success: AEW World Trios Title Match Steals The Show

• Swerve Strickland & The New Level faced Adam Page & Brodido.
• Strickland & Page added another chapter to their epic rivalry.
• The reigning AEW World Trios Champions retained their belts.

Arguably the match of the night at AEW All Out 2026 came in the form of Swerve Strickland & The New Level vs. Adam Page & Brodido for the AEW World Trios Championships in a match that had just about everything; world class in-ring work, inspired character-driven performances, funny moments, brutal offense, and an electric atmosphere, making this not only one of the best matches of All Out, but one of AEW’s best trios matches ever.

Swerve Strickland & The New Level have been on an absolute roll as the AEW World Trios Champions, putting in banger after banger. This successful defense was the latest in their great match catalog.

1

Failure: On Overbooked Will Ospreay Vs. Jon Moxley Main Event

• Ospreay & Moxley collided in All Out’s main event.
• The All Out 2026 main event was overbooked.
• Moxley vs. Ospreay should have been a far different matchup.

Back at Dynasty 2026, Jon Moxley & Will Ospreay showed just how incredible of a match they can have with one another. Unfortunately, All Out 2026 was not the same. After a slow and methodical start, the match was unable to elevate in terms of in-ring quality, and it was instead hampered by referee bumps, incessant interference, overdramatic moments, and too many near-falls.

AEW doesn’t often book this style of main event, and while it is fine to have some chaos and shenanigans at times, this was simply overkill. Ospreay’s first PPV title defense as champion deserved better.