Nearly a year after John Moxley held the AEW World Championship—mostly symbolized by the briefcase—his reign at last concluded on Saturday during AEW All In, with "Hangman" Adam Page capturing the title. On today’s episode of "Busted Open Radio," WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray expressed his view that the main event truly lived up to the hype.
Bully Ray described the main event as delivering "everything you could have hoped for," especially highlighting the Texas Death Match format and how the storyline threads all came to a satisfying conclusion. Although he personally did not enjoy the storyline, he acknowledged that everything came together well thanks to the performers’ efforts.
However, Bully Ray pointed out some issues with the main event, particularly regarding Darby Allin’s role. He liked the concept of Allin promoting Moxley from the top of Mount Everest, but felt the video lacked proper buildup and initially confused the audience.
He noted how the crowd was electric during the portion where they lowered Darby from the rafters, but felt the placement of that moment could have been more impactful. According to Bully Ray, more focus should have been given to Allin’s involvement to better utilize his talent.
Despite this critique, Bully Ray believes that the match’s high quality largely made up for the shortcomings in the broader Death Rider storyline’s execution.
Fan Take: This moment is pivotal for AEW fans because it marks a major title transition that can usher in fresh storylines and character growth. Judging by the positive reception of the main event, AEW continues to raise the bar for in-ring storytelling and match quality, which is crucial for the sport’s evolution.
