The shadow of expectation at All Out 2026
Grab a cold one, because we are less than a month away from All Out 2026, and the smell of panic in the air is thicker than a stale locker room towel. Last time the promotion visited Chicago, we got a clinic in how to build a card that keeps fans glued to their seats. But this year? The atmosphere feels different, like the moment right before a pyro malfunction at a secondary show.
The biggest story isn't the main event; it’s the lingering disaster of the Continental Championship booking. We are looking at a title that has been bounced around like a hot potato at a backyard barbecue. It feels less like a prestigious prize and more like a participation trophy for guys who didn't make the cut for the world title picture. If the match card for September doesn't put some weight back on that strap, we are looking at total apathy.
The hangman and the inevitable collision
Let's talk about the world title scene because that's the only thing keeping the needle moving. Hangman Page is currently running through the roster with the kind of intensity that makes you wonder if he’s actually going to snap a spine in half. He has always been the heart of this company, but he has become a jagged, rusted blade recently. Seeing him take on whoever survives the scramble match in the opener is the only true hook they have.
We have seen these collisions before, but there is a nastiness to the current iteration of the Hangman character that wasn't there during his initial run with the gold. He’s not wrestling to prove he belongs; he’s wrestling to ensure no one else can even stand in his shadow. It’s the closest thing to the 1997 era grit we get these days, even if the pacing of recent episodes has been flatter than a pancake.
Surprises that aren't actually surprises
Everyone is whispering about that potential return, the one everyone thinks will save the PPV from being just another Tuesday night special. If a former multi-time champion walks through that curtain, the crowd will pop, sure. But pop nostalgia isn't the same as long-term storytelling. We need that massive return to have a reason to exist beyond just shaking the rafters.
The booking in 2026 has been erratic. Remember the utter mess of the trios tournament last summer? That felt like wrestling news sites were struggling to fill column inches because nothing of substance was actually happening. All Out 2026 needs to correct that course by giving us a clean finish, something we haven’t exactly been drowning in lately. Interference-heavy, dusty finishes are a crutch for bad creative.
The tag team division needs a pulse
The tag division used to be the gold standard, the reason you tuned into Dynamite. Now? It’s a mess of hodgepodge pairings and guys who clearly aren't on the same page. If we don’t get a legitimate, blood-feud style tag match at All Out, the entire division is officially entering the 'dark ages' phase. You cannot expect people to pay premium price for a card that treats tag team wrestling like a filler segment.
I am looking for a desperate, scramble-for-the-titles match where the losing team actually breaks up. No more friendly handshakes after the bell. We want raw, unadulterated competition. The fans aren't buying the 'all-friends-in-the-back' aesthetic anymore; we are buying the violence and the stakes. If the card doesn't deliver that, the social media backlash will be immediate and brutal.
Final thoughts on the September classic
All Out is supposed to be the crown jewel of the autumn slate. This year, it’s being treated like an afterthought. Tony Khan needs to wake up, look at the roster he has, and stop focusing on the next signing. Focus on the guys getting their chests caved in by a clothesline RIGHT NOW. We need fewer promos about 'the future' and more segments about who is going to dominate the present.
My prediction for the night? We’ll see a title change that makes zero sense, followed by a post-match beatdown that goes on for 12 minutes too long. Hopefully, I’m wrong. I want this company to hit the heights it did two years ago, but hope is not a strategy. If the main event doesn't hit a 4-star threshold, it’s a failure. It really is that simple. Put up, or shut up, boys.