Event Countdown

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CM Punk returns to the squared circle in one of the most anticipated events of 2021. Here are our predictions and prognostications.

21-woman Casino Battle Royale

Matthew Byer

Contributor

The build by AEW of Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. into a true star has been extremely well done.  Now AEW needs to select a challenger for Baker’s AEW Women’s Title the audience can see as a legitimate threat.  Out of the announced participants for this match so far that would include Nyla Rose and Hikaru Shida.  However, the winner is likely to be someone not yet announced such as a debuting Ruby Soho.  Though if I had to pick a surprise participant to win that would garner the biggest crowd reaction it would be AJ Lee.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Wow. This is some field of participants. My pick is coincidentally one of my favourites, man or woman, wrestling today. If she loses, she’s still gonna kick some ass.  Winner: Thunder Rosa

 

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

Perhaps even more fun than trying to pick a winner is guessing who the mystery “Joker” will be. While Ruby Soho seems an obvious choice, I’d like history to repeat itself and see Mercedes Martinez come in and take that spot again, like she did in the last women’s Casino Battle Royal in 2019. I’m a big fan of Jade Cargill, and even though she’s still way too green for a title shot, she’s my pick.

 

Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima

BETONLINE.AG

John Moxley: -500. Satoshi Kojima: +300. Winner: John Moxley.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

This will be a pretty hard hitting affair that will go back and forth throughout the bout.  While Moxley could use the win it’ll be Kojima picking up the duke.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

It would be amazing if the veteran Kojima took this bout but I cannot see AEW not putting Moxley over. Winner: Draw?

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

I really don’t know Kojima other than his brief stint with Impact wrestling earlier this summer, which was rather unimpressive.

 

Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall 

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

Paul Wight: -600. QT Marshall: +350. Winners: Paul Wight.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

Due to the rumours surrounding Paul Wight finally having the match against Shaquille O’Neil it seems likely he will triumph over QT Marshall here.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Every time I read the name Wight, I think of Dungeons and Dragons but that’s just me. AEW is going to give Wight his feel good moment here as he trounces Marshall. Winner: Paul Wight

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

After what happened on Wednesday, this seems to be building towards a future match between Wight and Billy Gunn, which would have been boring even back when they were in their primes. So look for Gunn to get involved, giving Wight the win over QT by DQ. 

 

Chris Jericho vs. MJF

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

Chris Jericho: -250. MJF: +175. Winner: Chris Jericho.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

This is a feud that really should have ended after the last bout between these two and I’m not sure no matter who wins here if it will really end.  Being Jericho put his career on the line for this match it seems highly unlikely Le Champion fails to get the win, but weirder things have happened.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

I think the unthinkable is going to happen. Jericho will lose cementing MJF as a main event talent. Jericho will commit to commentating and then return at a later date through shenanigans. Winner: MJF

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

This feud has been interminably long and backwardsly-booked, and hopefully they can move MJF up and out of this mire. It looks like Jericho is heading off for a Fozzy tour, so look for him to lose, and they’ll bring him back later when the tour is done.

 

Miro (c) vs. Eddie Kingston – AEW TNT Championship Match

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

Miro: -400. Eddie Kingston: +250. Winner: Miro.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

The chances of one or both of Arn Anderson or Brock Anderson not interfering in this contest are very small.  Therefore they will probably be responsible for Kingston getting the win over Miro, but not the TNT Title.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Eddie Kingston is incredible in everything he does. Miro is on a tear though so expect this to be brutal but The Mad King won’t prevail. Winner: Miro.

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

This is actually the match I’m looking forward to the most. This is the best Miro has ever been, and Eddie is always fun to watch and see. I don’t see Miro losing quite yet, so I see him putting on his submission finisher, and a defiant Eddie passes out vs. tapping out. 

 

The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) vs. Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix) – Steel Cage AEW World Tag Team Championship Match

 

BETONLINE.AG

Young Bucks: -225. Lucha Brothers: +165. Winner: Young Bucks.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

The Young Bucks will get the win as the Lucha Brothers really haven’t been built up sufficiently as a credible threat to their Tag Team Championship reign.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

This will be a Match of the Year contender, no doubt. Lucha Brothers are finally going to beat those Bucks for the belts. Winners: The Lucha Brothers.

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

This will be a fast-paced exhibition of choreography and gymnastics complete with overbooking, outside interference, and silly comedy. Also, the Lucha Brothers, who are great. After Christian Cage beat Kenny Omega for the Impact title, they should be building to a larger storyline of the Elite imploding. That continues here, with a win by the Lucha Brothers and new champs.

 

Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) vs. Kris Statlander – AEW Women’s World Championship Match

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

Dr. Britt Baker: -300. Kris Statlander: +200. Winner: Dr. Britt Baker.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

Statlander will make a spirited effort, but Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. is the biggest female star in AEW at the moment and will not be dropping the AEW Women’s Championship on this night.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Baker is one of AEW’s brightest stars. She ain’t losing until she faces Thunder Rosa. Winner: Dr. Britt Baker

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

The problem they have with Baker is that she’s booked like a heel but the fans love her. So it puts Statlander in a bad position, because she’s not good enough in the ring to win the people over. Too early for Baker to lose the title, so her hired goons help the D-M-D gets the W-I-N .

 

Kenny Omega (c) vs. Christian Cage – AEW World Championship

 

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

Kenny Omega: -600. Christian Cage: +350. Winner: Kenny Omega.

Matthew Byer

Contributor

While it was a genuine surprise to see Christian Cage defeat Kenny Omega for the Impact Title, history will not repeat itself on this night.  Instead Callis will distract Cage just enough so that Omega can escape with the AEW World Title.  However, if you are looking for a moment for Bryan Danielson to debut in AEW it would be at the conclusion of this match.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

This will blow the roof off the place but Omega isn’t ready to give up that strap and when he does it will be to Hangman. Winner: Kenny Omega

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

Cage’s win over Omega for the Impact title should be the catalyst for a larger Elite breakdown. Ultimately, the Elite should be all in-fighting with each other and the Bullet Club and stay in their own bubble so they don’t taint the rest of the company with their self-indulgent nonsense. A good way to do that would be for Cage to overcome the odds – perhaps with Frankie Kazarian’s support – and beat Omega. Looking forward to a new champ on Sunday.

 

CM Punk vs. Darby Allin

 

 

 

 

BETONLINE.AG

CM Punk: -500. Darby Allin: +300. Winners: CM Punk

Matthew Byer

Contributor

Is it possible that CM Punk loses in his very first AEW match?  The very idea seems absurd and wouldn’t be a great booking decision.  Yet the fact that it can even be raised as a question at least leads to some intrigue with the outcome of this bout.  In the end Punk should win, but Darby Allin will come close before the contest is decided.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

That Sting and Punk moment on Dynamite was amazing. The perfect scenario would be for both men to fight to a draw and after a crazy bout shake hands in the end but… Winner: CM Punk

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

After what happened on Dynamite and Rampage, I’m hoping they don’t change this mid-way into a six-man tag match with Allin, Punk, and Sting going up against 2.0 and Garcia. Hopefully they refrain from that kind of cliched swerve. I don’t think having Punk go up against one of the rising babyfaces is the way to go, frankly, but it would seem that Punk is more being treated as a spectacle than a traditional heel-face alignment in actual storylines. This should be a fun one. But if there’s any sense, Punk gets the win, while still giving the rub to Allin by having a strong, competitive match.