Mox dethrones Cassidy, solidifies status as top-tier main eventer

One of the men in the main event this year’s AEW All Out — Jon Moxley — was no stranger to closing big shows. The other — Orange Cassidy — was in this spot for the first time on Sept. 3 in Chicago. But the fresh face Cassidy is on a heck of a run, making the 32nd defense of his International championship reign. And his opponent Mox has talked about how much he believes in OC, and wants to use this opportunity to help him prove he’s the real deal.

Doing so involved blasting Orange with a forearm before he could do any of his early match slacker shtick.

Cassidy fought back, but the aches, pains, and injuries he’s accumulated as a fighting champion provided Mox with plenty of targets. And when the Blackpool Combat Club member bloodied him up with his fists and teeth, it looked like OC might not be quite as real as Moxley hoped he was.

Cassidy fought through the blood, but it didn’t impress Mox, who reacted by mocking his opponent’s laid-back approach. But Orange got his attention by taking a page out of Moxley’s playbook and raking the challenger’s back and biting his head. That offensive led to an Orange Punch, but Mox kicked out. He also fought free of a Beach Break to lock in the Bulldog Choke — the first of several submissions he tried, but the champ would fade but not tap, eventually getting his feet on the ropes to force a break.

Frustrated, Moxley pulled up the pad on the floor and looked to spike his opponent’s head into the concrete. But Cassidy reversed and hit a Beach Break! Mox barely avoided the countout, but had no defense for a pair of Orange Punches from a suddenly fired-up OC. He countered a follow-up into a cutter, but the champ responded with another Orange Punch and a SPEAR!

Mox wasn’t going out like that, which set up Cassidy for his usual lazy kicks. This version got vicious quick…

…and brought out the worst in Moxley, who hit a series of lariats and a Death Rider, but OC kicked out! He took one more page from his opponent’s book, flipping Mox off! That earned him a high-angle Death Rider, and the International title reign of Orange Cassidy is over.

The BCC helped their newest champion to the back, and the Chicago crowd acknowledged the former champ’s accomplishment by chanting his name and thanking him. He gave the crowd his signature thumbs up, and All Out was a wrap.

Get complete All Out results and coverage of the entire show here.