All In – Star ***** Ratings #AllIn

First, let me say All In was amazing! It was really, really, fantastic. Anyone that says that it was not well...must not have seen it. Of course, there are some spots that I cannot just get with…but for the most part, it was great. Here are my match ratings and reviews:

Over the budget Battle Royal

Okay, I am not going to rate this match because I do not think that was the spirit of the match. I think the spirit of the match was not to put on a good match but to entertain fans. It was nice to see Bully Ray and Billy Gunn and the match gave us all the cute little spots that put a smile on our face. 

I put this match on my reviews to express how much I enjoyed this match; it was an excellent battle royal. One of the few that kept my attention throughout the match. Of course, it was not a Royal Rumble; but for a battle royal, it was pretty good. It made me laugh and gave me a little happiness on my face.

Matt Cross v. Maxwell Jacob Friedman 

This is the first match on the official card. It is the first match that should have a star rating, however, again I do not think that was the spirit of the match. I heard that this match may have been placed here to ensure that there were no issues with the production of the show and to protect the main card that people wanted to see. So if production was off this match could happen while things were fixed and no one at home would miss anything. 

While I appreciate that, the problem with that is it confused people like me who just weren’t sure what to expect from this event. I had not seen many of the people on the card and when this match came on it almost made me turn All In off. I think the fans in attendance felt the same way because they seemed lost and disinterested. Show openers are usually barn burners that prepare us for all the good things to come. Wasn't great...but wasn't awful. 

Star Rating: 1 Star *

Christopher Daniels v. Stephen Amell 

This is the first match that felt like a true pay-per-view match. I, of course, have heard of Christopher Daniels, however, I had never seen him wrestle. Additionally, I heard of Stephen Amell but I did not know that he was not a professional wrestler I had just heard his name thrown around a bit. Christopher Daniels and those chops, Christopher Daniels and those spots. Man, Christopher Daniels will put you through some punishment, but he did walk Amell through the match and put on a very decent match all things considered. However, at this point in the card, we still have a few little botches. Like the table spot on the outside of the ring where it was clear Daniels jumped onto the table. Also, the coast to coast fell short and Daniels had to lean his head in to make it seem like there was any contact. All in all...decent match.

Star Rating: 2 Stars ** 

Madison Rayne v. Britt Baker v. Chelsea Green v. Tessa Blanchard

I   I know that I am probably the only person in the world that thinks this but…the WWE’s women’s roster is just better than the women displayed here. This match for me was not up to par. It was filled with botches and high spots and to me, I just didn’t see really good wrestling. Could have been much better.
    Based on what I saw, these women could not hang with the likes of Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Nattie, and Becky Lynch. They are good... much better than the WWE's women’s wrestlers of the past. But now, no change
    A highlight of the match was Tully Blanchard accompanying his daughter to ringside. Of course, I am a sucker for nostalgia. 
    Star Rating: 2 ¼ Star **(put in the ¼ lol)

Cody v. Nick Aldis 

The build to this match was EVERYTHING!!! Now this is how you create a big fight feel. WWE can take a lesson from Cody right here. WOWZIERS! DDP and Tommy Dreamer were in Cody’s corner Jeff Jarrett was in Aldis’ corner. This gave the match the extra mmph that it needed. For me, this is where the pay-per-view really kicked off at. This is where I was like HERE WE GO! Cody’s entrance with his dog, the legends and family, Brandi’s outfit. It gave the NWA title all the prestige the title deserves. 

Now, the two of them are not going to put on the best wrestling match of the night considering who else was on the card (Cough cough Kenny Omega and Okada) but boy did they deliver. I was so invested in this match, so enthralled in this match, I was like come on Cody you better win!

Oh yes, and Earl Hebner was the referee, oh yea! Diamond Cutter Diamond Cutter Diamond Cutter to Davari. Oh, and blading, blading in reference and respect to his father’s blading. It was so beautiful it added everything to the match. Cody is a genius for this match. The pink attire (I have to think it was an omage to Nattie and her family and what they are going through); the figure four to reference his father’s battles with Ric Flair; and the blood such an omage to tradition. 

I know many places give this match under 4 stars, but the story told during this match was something golden and for that….I just wish the match was later on the card.

Star Rating: 4 Stars ****

Adam Page v. Joey Janela

This isn’t my kind of match. Some people think this was their match of the night. When it came on I thought, please Jim Cornette don't see this I don't want them to give you a stroke. The penis spot (rolls eyes). Joey Ryan dead (rolls eyes). The wrestling wasn’t bad. The blow-up penis’ (sigh). The desire to put their body on the line was evident there was a point where the crowd chanted “safety first”. This is the comedy wrestling we all see the clips from online smh. I am just glad everyone was okay, and I get it…it has to be something for everyone so for that:

Star Rating: 1 ½ *(add the half star)

Jay Lethal v. Flip Gordon 

Okay, this match was a little silly but the nostalgia and the reference to Macho Man was pretty cool. Lanny Poffo’s presence in Jay Lethal’s corner gave us even more WrestleManiaesque nostalgia. Further, I love when wrestlers pay tribute to the favorites of yesteryear. The people that helped popularize wrestling to the level it is now.

Also, Jay Lethal thinking Brandi was Miss. Elizabeth. Classic! I never have really seen Jay Lethal wrestle before…but now I am a fan. 

Really, really fun match. 

Star Rating: 3 ½ Stars *** (add the half)

Kenny Omega v. Pentagon Jr. 

This match was everything!!! I fall in love with Kenny Omega more and more every time I see him. The piledrivers!!! Every time a piledriver was done I flinched. I was thinking please don’t kill Kenny! But Kenny, don’t kill Pentagon Jr. either. 

This match was every bit of awesome and it made me fall in love with the indy scene. I have always been a WWE girl even during the Monday Night Wars I NEVER put on Monday Nitro unless my mom made me watch it with her and that was literally one or two times.

However, Omega and Pentagon Jr. changed my life with this match and I now see what the hype around Omega is about. However, Pentagon Jr. demonstrated why we miss good ole Mexican wrestling in the WWE. 

Star Rating: 4 ½ Stars **** (add a half a star)

Rey Mysterio, Fenix and Bandido v. The Young Bucks and Kota Ibushi 

REY MYSTERIO!!! Rey frickin Mysterio. Wow. Rey has still got it...he is just fricken amazing! If he signs to WWE they better use him well because he is just so good he is more than a talent enhancement the man can still go!!! 

Rey and Ibushi in the match was just life. I literally tweeted Mysterio v. Ibushi is life…I got a whiff of life right there. 

This was a rushed match but they gave us all the high spots and moments we wanted to see so it still left us all satisfied. 

Star Rating: 4 Stars (****)

Conclusion 

Cody and the Young Bucks demonstrated that they could not only sell 10, 000 seats on the indy scene they showed they could put on a stellar pay-per-view. This was like the WrestleMania of the indys and it made me so so happy. It opened my eyes to people I had never heard of and gave me all the nostalgia that I needed from the past. All In was EVERYTHING! I haven’t felt this satisfied after a pay-per-view in a long, long time. 

I am so anxious for there to be an All In 2 and I can’t wait to see what amazing things they come up with for next time. Cody and the Young Bucks say they will only break even at this pay-per-view...if that is true they have nothing to worry about. Because they just hit a Vince McMahonesque gold mine that will fix all of that very, very soon. It even inspired me to be more entrepreneurial....oooo us millennials.