The shadow of the United Center

Pull up a stool, clear the coasters, and let's get real. AEW is heading to the Sears Centre for All Out 2026, and if you think this is just another Sunday pay-per-view, you haven't been paying attention to the ticket sales. The vibe in the company right now feels like a guy trying to fix a leak in a submarine with duct tape and positive vibrations. We are reaching the point where the booking needs to stop being cute and start being violent.

The biggest story isn't the matches themselves; it is whether the product can regain its identity. For two years, they have been chasing a ghost of the promotion that debuted in 2019. If they don't find a reason for fans to care beyond the 'work rate' label, the next quarterly report is going to be written in blood. Tony Khan needs a main event that feels like a fight, not a gymnastics routine.

The hangman and the house of cards

Adam Page represents the only consistent emotional anchor they have left. Watching his trajectory since that brawl in the parking lot has been the highlight of my wrestling calendar, but we are at a pivot point. He cannot just be the guy who loses the final hurdle at every major event. If the finish of the main event implies another cycle of heartbreak for him, the crowd in Chicago is going to vent their frustrations right on the pristine canvas.

We need a definitive shift. Either put the belt on him and let him run through the roster with that unhinged, cowboy-chasing-demons energy we know he has, or turn him full-blown villain. There is no middle ground left. Hiding the belt in endless title eliminator tournaments is how you kill momentum, and we have seen them flirt with that disaster since last February.

The return of the forbidden logic

There is a persistent rumor circulating about a guest entrance from outside the walls. Everyone wants a game-changer, but look at the track record involving outsiders. Bringing in a name just to have them lose in a 12-minute technical masterpiece that nobody remembers by Tuesday? That is the old playbook. If they bring in a titan from Osaka or a rogue element from the indies, it needs to mean something for the belt.

I am looking for a disruption, not a dream match. Give me someone who interferes, destroys a set, or makes the world title feel like the most important object on the planet. If the surprise is just a fun exhibition match, the internet will have the roasting pipes ready before the final pin count occurs. We need heat, not a rating on a star-based scale.

The tag division is gasping for air

The tag team landscape has become a cluttered mess of mismatched partners and temporary alliances. Where are the long-term teams that actually hate each other? The Young Bucks and FTR had their run, but the division has essentially become a graveyard for displaced singles talent. The booking here feels like they are just filling time for the heavy hitters to get to the main card.

We need a violent blow-off to the current confusion. I want to see a chaotic ladder match or a dog-collar stipulation that actually forces teams to work as units. If the tag titles are just an accessory for guys who don't have a singles program, put the belts on the shelf until someone credible emerges. A stagnant division is a drain on every episode of Dynamite.

Tony Khan's mirror test

Ultimately, the elephant in the building is the booking style itself. We all get that Tony loves the sport, but sometimes you have to tell the talent to stop doing superkicks for five minutes and actually tell a story in the ring. The reliance on the 'all-in' high-spot style is wearing thin. We are approaching the third quarter of the year, and I have seen more Canadian Destroyers on pre-shows than I have seen compelling character arcs.

If All Out isn't the night where they tighten the screws and prioritize character over high-spots, then we are just watching window dressing for the inevitable decline. The promotion is deep enough that they could run the best show of the year, but they keep tripping over their own desire to please everyone. It's time to stop pleasing the people who are already watching and start grabbing the casual eyes who walked away years ago.

The final verdict

I genuinely want this company to succeed; I have a closet full of their old pay-per-view shirts to prove it. But being a fan doesn't mean being a blind defender. If you want to see a company reach its potential, you have to be willing to call out when the product gets soft. All Out is supposedly the cornerstone of their year. If this event doesn't deliver a 9.5 out of 10, the talk isn't going to be about storylines; it's going to be about the end of an era.

Keep your eyes on the closing sequence. If the show ends with everyone standing tall and smiling, they have failed the assignment. I want to leave that arena feeling like I witnessed something that changed the hierarchy of the company forever. Give me a surprise that makes sense, give me a main event that sticks, and for the love of everything, keep the title off the people who don't deserve it.