Tossing Salt Presents:
ALL IN Thoughts & Predictions
August 31, 2018
DougMaynard.com

It is being billed as “the largest independent wrestling event in history” and it’s coming up tomorrow night at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates (Chicago), Illinois. It’s “ALL IN” and it’s the hottest ticket in professional wrestling in quite a while. It will be available for viewing on PPV, FITE.tv and ROH’s Honorclub. With an event this big, that means prediction time. So let’s get to it and do it and away we go…

IWGP Champion Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr.

This should be one amazing and fantastic match. Omega is arguably the best all-around wrestler in the world today not affiliated with the WWE and his opponent, Pentagon Jr., is definitely no slouch either. Two really good performers who are at the top of their game and in their primes. I don’t think that we’re going to see a title change here, at least not in this match. I keep hearing stories that Pentagon is on the WWE’s radar and might be signing with them sometime in the next few months. Omega though is under contract to New Japan until January of 2019 and it looks as if he’s planning on staying put. This match will be high-flying and fast paced and probably have more than two counts than Vince Russo says bro, bro. Look for Omega to win and retain.

Winner and STILL Champion: Kenny Omega

NWA Champion Nick Aldis vs. Cody.

Look for history to be made with this match. If this was simply another show, I wouldn’t be looking for a title change, but this is a big event and probably NWA Champion Nick Aldis’s biggest defense since winning the legendary ten pounds of gold. Cody is, as we all know, the son of “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, a three-time NWA World Champion in his own right, and one of the hottest talents in wrestling today. Since leaving WWE, Cody has really taken the wrestling world by storm and has reinvented himself as “Cody”, no last name needed, leaving the thoughts and memories of “Stardust” and “Dashing Cody Rhodes” far behind. This should be, as they say, a match for the ages and I think that both men will bring their A-game and give a match that will make “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes look down from wrestling heaven and smile. Bottom line is this. There is a pay-per-view coming up in a couple of months for the NWA celebrating 70 years. What better main event for that event than a rematch with the NEW NWA World Champion defending his title against the former Champion, Nick Aldis, the man he captured the title from at ALL IN. Sounds good to me. And I think that is exactly how it’s going to be. Look for Cody to win the gold, raise that belt high and take that trip to the pay window, if you will. Rematch at the NWA PPV in October.

Winner and NEW NWA World Champion: Cody

ROH Champion Jay Lethal vs. Battle Royal winner.

Earlier in the night on WGN America, on a show called “All In – Zero Hour”, there will be a 15 Man Battle Royal and the winner will face Lethal in this match for the ROH Championship. My prediction for the Battle Royal winner and challenger against Lethal is Colt Cabana. Look for a sympathy win for all of the problems with CM Punk. I’ll go more into that when I talk about the Battle Royal. As for Lethal and Colt, a great match and I think Colt will use his talents and experience to push Lethal to the limit. But in the end, Lethal will win and retain. No doubt in my mind about that.

Winner and STILL ROH Champion: Jay Lethal

Kazuchika Okada vs. Marty Scurll.

I’m not too familiar with Okada and his work. Only slightly more familiar with Marty Scurll, but I really like and have been impressed with what I’ve seen of this man. And for this match, I think it will be a good and tight match. I don’t know enough about either to make any kind of real decision about who is and isn’t winning. I’ll go with Scurll.for the victory.

Winner: Marty Scurll

The Young Bucks & Kota Ibushi vs. Rey Mysterio & Rey Fenix & Bandido.

More action between Jim Cornette’s favorite tag team and one of Japan’s top stars against the new version of the LWO, led by Rey Mysterio making one last Indy shot before he heads back to the WWE later this year. Okay, they’re not the Latino World Order, but I wish they were. Maybe I’d have more interest in this match if they were wearing over-sized t-shirts and bringing in a million other luchadores to hang out with. It’ll be a good match most likely and I’m sure that we’ll see a million and five super-kicks and I’m sure that the fans will scream and shout and be happy little campers and all of that hoopla. Look for the Young Bucks and Ibushi to win. They’re the bosses after all, right?

Winners: The Young Bucks & Kota Ibushi

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

Four women ready to come in and do their thing. It’s the WWE’s “women’s movement” come to the world of Indy and I think they picked the right ladies to have this match and do their part to prove that women are as tough and bad-ass as the men. I’m not too familiar with Baker or Green, but I know of Rayne from her days as a Knockout and Tessa is the daughter of Tully Blanchard and step-daughter of Magnum TA. She belongs in the WWE, alongside Charlotte Flair as a “Horsewoman”… Believe that. Right now, she’s the current Impact Wrestling Women’s Champion and it’s well deserved. She’s walking out this one with her arms raised.

Winner: Tessa Blanchard

Chicago Street Fight
Joey Janela vs. Adam “Hangman” Page

Look for lots of plunder and shenanigans and wild & crazy times. The fans will scream and we’ll most likely see the crimson mask make a return to the national wrestling stage. Anything goes and I think that others will get involved as well. Look for ultimate OINGO BOINGO from bell to bell with this match. And look for Adam Page, bruised, battered and beaten, to walk out with his arms raised in victory.

Winner: Adam “Hangman” Page

Christopher Daniels vs. Arrow star Stephen Amell.

Daniels is one of the best wrestlers in the world and the wrestler should always beat the actor… always. But it’s Stephen Amell, aka The Green Arrow. It’s freakin’ ARROW! I think this will be a better match than most people would expect because Amell gets it with wrestling. He respects the business and takes it very seriously. And as he showed a few years ago in the WWE at SummerSlam, he can actually work a match. Daniels should win because the wrestler should always beat the non-wrestler, but it will be a good match. The wrestler should always win.

Winner: Christopher Daniels

For the first hour of the event, it will air nationally on WGN America, starting time at 6:00 pm EST. It’s “All In – Zero Hour” and there are two matches scheduled for this event. One is the Battle Royal I mentioned earlier and one other match. And here at the predictions for those matches.

The Briscoes vs. Scorpio Sky & Kazarian.

Why are the Briscoes on the post-game show and not on the big event? I would think they’d be on the main card, but then again, it’s not WWE and they’re on the card as one of the first things that wrestling fans wanting to watch this show will see. The Briscoes are such a top team and so damn good and this will be a really good match to get the crowd going and really start the show off right. I like Kazarian, but Scorpio Sky doesn’t really do much for me and maybe I’d rather see Kazarian teaming with his regular partner, Christopher Daniels, instead of Sky. This is the Briscoes match to win or lose. I think they’re going to win.

Winners: The Briscoes

15 Man “Over Budget Battle Royal” featuring Jordynne Grace, Moose, Rocky Romero, Colt Cabana, Ethan Page, Brian Cage, Billy Gunn, Jimmy Jacobs, Marko Stunt, Brandon Cutler, and ROH TV Champion Punishment Martinez.

What a great way to start the event with a Battle Royal with fifteen top names of the Indy scene. I won’t go over the list of participants announced because it’s not really necessary. I’ll say it here and now. He’s a popular favorite and he’s known around the world. With his current situation, the legal battles that just ended fighting WWE and their Dr. Amann and this new legal battle against his former best friend, CM Punk, he’s the ultimate underdog. It’s a night that Colt Cabana will remember forever. And a night that he will walk the walk, talk the talk, get a shot at the ROH Championship and win this Battle Royal.

Winner: Colt Cabana

And there you go. Those are my thoughts and predictions for this event. Will it be a big show? Absolutely. Will it be a big success? Absolutely. And am I “All In”? Damn straight, I am. And there you go. So what do you think? Will you be watching? Will you be “all in”? Let me know what you think. Comments, questions and thoughts welcome and appreciated. I’m down and gone. Until the next time, take care and I’ll catch you later.

Ubuntu!