- Miro (c) defeated Eddie Kingston
- Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) (with Jamie Hayter and Rebel) defeated Kris Statlander (with Orange Cassidy)
- Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) (with Alex Abrahantes) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) (with Brandon Cutler) - Steel Cage match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship
- CM Punk defeated Darby Allin
- Kenny Omega (c) (with Don Callis) defeated Christian Cage
All Out 2021: AEW's Roster Revolution Becomes an All-Time Pay-Per-View
The factual record, historical context, match-by-match analysis, and WrestleFile verdict.
- PROMOTION
- AEW
- DATE
- September 5, 2021
- VENUE
- Now Arena
- LOCATION
- Hoffman Estates, Illinois
- ATTENDANCE
- 10,126
- EVENT TYPE
- PPV
All Out 2021 is the night AEW's pandemic survival turns into expansion. The show has an all-time tag-team cage match, CM Punk's first professional wrestling bout in seven years, several strong championship defenses and a Chicago-area crowd treating the entire card like a breakthrough. Then the post-main-event angle adds Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson to a roster that already feels transformed.
Read the Full FileContinue the event-level analysis
Paul Wight versus QT Marshall is disposable and the battle royal is more functional than great, but those dips barely slow an event with exceptional peaks, enormous atmosphere and historical consequence. This is AEW operating with maximum momentum.
Event ContextBackground, stakes & historical setting
All Out was AEW's first pay-per-view outside Daily's Place since the start of the pandemic, and the change in setting feels symbolic. The Now Arena crowd in the Chicago market arrives with unusual anticipation because CM Punk has already returned to wrestling and is scheduled for his first match since 2014. That alone could have carried a major event. Instead, AEW surrounds the comeback with meaningful title matches, roster debuts and one of the promotion's most celebrated tag-team rivalries reaching a violent peak.
Miro opens the main card against Eddie Kingston, Jon Moxley faces Satoshi Kojima, and Britt Baker defends against Kris Statlander. The Young Bucks and Lucha Brothers then enter a steel cage with the tag titles at stake, giving a long-running rivalry the stipulation and championship payoff it deserves. Ruby Soho debuts by winning the Casino Battle Royale, Chris Jericho puts his in-ring career on the line against MJF, and Punk finally wrestles Darby Allin. Omega and Christian Cage provide a strong world-title main event, but the night is not finished when the bell rings: Adam Cole appears before Bryan Danielson debuts to oppose the Elite. The closing stretch makes the roster feel bigger in real time.
Watch, Skim or Skip?
- Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Wheeler Yuta) and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) defeated Hardy Family Office (Matt Hardy), Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen), and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) (with The Blade)
- Jon Moxley defeated Satoshi Kojima
- Ruby Soho won by last eliminating Thunder Rosa - 21-woman Casino Battle Royale for a AEW Women's World Championship match
- Chris Jericho defeated MJF
- Paul Wight defeated Q. T. Marshall (with Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto)
The Card, On the Record
01Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Wheeler Yuta) and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) defeated Hardy Family Office (Matt Hardy), Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen), and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) (with The Blade)C
Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Wheeler Yuta) and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) defeated Hardy Family Office (Matt Hardy), Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen), and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) (with The Blade). The match is framed as 10-man tag team match and runs 9:25. As a pre-show match, it has to create momentum before the pay-per-view proper while still feeling worthwhile on its own. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the extra urgency or memorable escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.2 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A solid match that works in context without becoming essential viewing.
02Miro (c) defeated Eddie KingstonB+
Miro (c) defeated Eddie Kingston. The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW TNT Championship and runs 13:25. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The score reflects an excellent performance whose central idea lands cleanly and whose finish gives the surrounding story useful weight. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.0 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
An excellent match that materially raises the event's ceiling.
03Jon Moxley defeated Satoshi KojimaB
Jon Moxley defeated Satoshi Kojima. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 12:10. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing, the outcome matters, and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.5 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A strong match with clear value on the complete card.
04Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) (with Jamie Hayter and Rebel) defeated Kris Statlander (with Orange Cassidy)B+
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) (with Jamie Hayter and Rebel) defeated Kris Statlander (with Orange Cassidy). The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW Women's World Championship and runs 11:25. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The score reflects an excellent performance whose central idea lands cleanly and whose finish gives the surrounding story useful weight. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.0 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
An excellent match that materially raises the event's ceiling.
05Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) (with Alex Abrahantes) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) (with Brandon Cutler) - Steel Cage match for the AEW World Tag Team ChampionshipA+
Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix) (with Alex Abrahantes) defeated The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) (with Brandon Cutler). The match is framed as Steel Cage match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship and runs 22:05. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The steel cage match is one of AEW's signature tag bouts. The stipulation contains outside interference, the rivalry has enough history to justify the violence, and the Lucha Brothers' title win creates an emotional payoff. The title change gives the result lasting consequence beyond the immediate match. At 9.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A defining match and one of the strongest reasons to revisit the event.
06Ruby Soho won by last eliminating Thunder Rosa - 21-woman Casino Battle Royale for a AEW Women's World Championship matchC+
Ruby Soho won by last eliminating Thunder Rosa. The match is framed as 21-woman Casino Battle Royale for a AEW Women's World Championship match and runs 21:00. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is solid and useful, but it lacks the extra urgency or memorable escalation needed to reach the top tier. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 6.8 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A solid match that works in context without becoming essential viewing.
07Chris Jericho defeated MJFB-
Chris Jericho defeated MJF. The match is framed as Singles match; Had Jericho lost, he would have retired from in-ring competition. and runs 21:15. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The match is strong rather than transcendent: its structure is convincing, the outcome matters, and its flaws never take over. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 7.1 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A strong match with clear value on the complete card.
08CM Punk defeated Darby AllinB+
CM Punk defeated Darby Allin. The match is framed as Singles match and runs 16:40. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Punk's first match in seven years succeeds because it does not hide the significance behind excessive gimmicks. Darby tests him with speed and resilience, Punk works a measured return match, and the clean finish allows the moment itself to remain the attraction. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 8.2 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
An excellent match that materially raises the event's ceiling.
09Paul Wight defeated Q. T. Marshall (with Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto)F
Paul Wight defeated Q. T. Marshall (with Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto). The match is framed as Singles match and runs 3:10. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. The short Wight-Marshall match functions as a reset between major attractions, but reset value is not the same as match quality. It is simple, brief and harmless, yet far below the competitive standard established by the rest of the card. The result does not rely on a championship change for its importance. At 3.5 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
A poor match that drags on the event more than it contributes.
10Kenny Omega (c) (with Don Callis) defeated Christian CageB+
Kenny Omega (c) (with Don Callis) defeated Christian Cage. The match is framed as Singles match for the AEW World Championship and runs 21:20. On the main card, its value comes from how well the wrestling, stakes and finish support the larger rhythm of the night. Omega and Christian deliver a strong world-title main event even though the event's emotional peaks have already been enormous. The champion retains cleanly enough to preserve the title story, then the post-match debuts become the true final movement. The championship retention keeps the existing title direction intact while asking the match to justify the defense bell to bell. At 8.4 out of 10, the rating reflects how the match works inside All Out 2021 as a complete show, separating historical consequence from immediate bell-to-bell quality.
An excellent match that materially raises the event's ceiling.
BOOKING VERDICTA
The event makes aggressive choices without losing clarity. Miro retains in a hard-fought opener, Baker survives Statlander, and the Lucha Brothers finally beat the Young Bucks for the tag titles in the night's best match. Jericho ends his losing streak against MJF under career-threatening stakes, while Punk's first match back is built to make Darby Allin credible even in defeat. Omega retaining against Christian keeps the world championship stable enough for the post-match angle to become the true final statement. Ruby Soho's immediate battle-royal win gives another debutant direction. The Wight-QT match is intentionally small and forgettable, but it is almost the only segment with no significant long-term upside.
CROWD & PRESENTATIONA+
The crowd is extraordinary and gives the event a scale that AEW had been unable to reproduce for more than a year. The cage match benefits from a reaction pattern that makes every escape attempt and major risk feel consequential. Punk's entrance and first bell carry the emotional weight of a genuine return rather than a normal roster debut. Even the main event, which follows several larger emotional peaks, retains enough energy to support the closing angle. Production keeps the major moments visually distinct: the steel cage feels dangerous, Punk's match is comparatively simple and intimate, and the final sequence is staged like a roster-changing reveal.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCEA+
Few AEW events have more obvious historical importance. CM Punk wrestles his first match in seven years, a comeback that dramatically expands mainstream attention around the promotion. The Lucha Brothers win the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a cage match that becomes one of the signature bouts of the company's early years. Ruby Soho debuts and wins immediately, while Minoru Suzuki appears after Jon Moxley's match and extends AEW's willingness to blur promotional boundaries.
The closing debuts of Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson make the event feel like a talent-acquisition landmark. In one night, AEW presents Punk as an active wrestler and adds two major stars at the end of the show, reinforcing the perception that the company has become a genuine destination rather than merely an alternative. The event also proves that excitement built during the Daily's Place period can transfer to a touring arena. Later roster changes cannot erase what the night represented in September 2021: AEW looked capable of growing faster than almost anyone expected.
WHAT AGED WELL
- The Lucha Brothers and Young Bucks cage match remaining an AEW tag-team benchmark
- CM Punk's first match back being presented with restraint instead of overbooking
- The Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson closing debuts making the roster feel transformed in minutes
WHAT AGED POORLY
- Paul Wight versus QT Marshall feeling like a television-level detour on an elite pay-per-view
- The Casino Battle Royale functioning more as a debut vehicle than a memorable match
RESEARCH VERDICTWhere the Evidence Lands
All Out grades as an elite event because the show combines one genuinely exceptional match with several strong supporting bouts and historic moments that improve the live viewing experience. The cage match is enough to anchor a very good card, but Punk's return, the crowd atmosphere and the closing debuts turn the night into something larger. The weak Wight-QT segment and the merely serviceable battle royal prevent perfection, yet they occupy too little of the event to outweigh the highs. The result is one of AEW's clearest examples of match quality, booking momentum and historical timing all reinforcing one another.
RESEARCH SOURCESSources & Methodology10 sources
These sources support the event record, historical context, critical reception, and streaming information used throughout this Event File.
- All Out (2021) - WikipediaEvent identity, card structure, business-context and historical-context corroboration.
- 7/28 AEW Dynamite results: Powell's live review of Fight For The Fallen with "The Painmaker" Chris Jericho vs. Nick Gage in a No DQ match, Adam Page and Dark Order vs. The Elite in an elimination match, FTR vs. Santana and Ortiz, Lance Archer vs. Hikuleo for the IWPG U.S. Championship - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- 8/11 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of Chris Jericho vs. Wardlow, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Evil Uno and Stu Grayson for the Impact Tag Team Titles, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson vs. Matt Sydal, Mike Sydal, and Dante Martin, Nyla Rose vs. Kris Statlander - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- 8/13 AEW Rampage results: McGuire's live review of the premiere edition with Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage for the Impact World Championship, Britt Baker vs. Red Velvet for the AEW Women's Championship, Miro vs. Fuego Del Sol for the TNT Championship - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- 8/20 AEW Rampage results: McGuire's live review of CM Punk's returns to pro wrestling, Private Party vs. Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy in an AEW Tag Title Eliminator tournament match, Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia, Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- 8/25 AEW Dynamite results: Barnett's live review of CM Punk's first appearance on AEW Dynamite, Varsity Blonds vs. Lucha Brothers in an AEW Tag Title Eliminator tournament match, Chris Jericho addresses his future, Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet, Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy, Malakai Black vs. Brock Anderson - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- 8/27 AEW Rampage results: McGuire's live review of Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix vs. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus in the AEW Tag Title eliminator tournament final, Kenny Omega and Brandon Cutler vs. Christian Cage and Frankie Kazarian, Tay Conti vs. The Bunny, CM Punk and Darby Allin video package - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- AEW All Out results: Powell's live review of CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros in a cage match for the AEW Tag Titles, Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage for the AEW Title, Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander for the AEW Women's Title, Chris Jericho vs. MJF - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent results, match-order and later editorial match-quality evidence.
- Powell's AEW All Out Hit List: Big surprises, CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, The Young Bucks vs. Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix in a cage match for the AEW Tag Titles, Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage for the AEW Championship, Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander for the AEW Women’s Championship - Pro Wrestling Dot NetEvent build, card, identity or historical-context corroboration.
- All Elite WrestlingFirst-party event results and match-by-match recap.
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