Breaking tradition, AEW takes its biggest show across the border
In short: For years, All Out was a staple of the Chicago wrestling scene. In 2025, the promotion shattered that geographic mold, moving its premier event to Toronto. This shift wasn't just a change of scenery; it marked a strategic pivot in broadcasting, timing, and international expansion.
The 2025 All Out event, held on September 20 at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, represented a significant departure from the promotion's established history. While the 2020 event was an outlier held in Florida due to the pandemic, all other previous iterations were hosted within the Chicago metropolitan area. By moving to Canada, AEW marked its first time holding the event outside of the United States, specifically choosing Toronto for its second Canadian pay-per-view after the 2023 Forbidden Door.
The move was accompanied by a high-stakes broadcasting strategy. All Out became the first AEW pay-per-view to livestream on HBO Max, featuring a special 3:00 p.m. ET start time. This specific timing was a tactical maneuver to avoid direct counterprogramming from WWE's Wrestlepalooza. To facilitate this, the promotion also utilized a simulcast pre-show, the Saturday Tailgate Brawl, which aired across both HBO Max and TNT.
The card featured several high-profile narrative conclusions and debuts. In the main event, "Hangman" Adam Page retained his AEW World Championship against Kyle Fletcher, who faced the added risk of being stripped of his TNT Championship for any stable interference. The event also saw Kris Statlander become the first woman to hold both of AEW's major women's titles, and a notable return for Eddie Kingston. While the show received generally positive reviews—with critics praising the main event and the Tables 'n' Tacks match—some noted that the five-hour runtime for fourteen matches felt slightly overextended.
Beyond the ring, the event served as a milestone for long-standing feuds. It featured the first time Adam Copeland and Christian Cage teamed on a Canadian pay-per-view since 2011, and a Coffin match between Jon Moxley and Darby Allin. These storylines, built over months on Dynamite and Collision, highlighted the promotion's shift toward diverse stipulations and international reach.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: All Out (2025)
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