AEW Revolution 2021: The Buy In

AEW Revolution 2021: The Buy In serves as the high-energy kickoff that primes the crowd for the second annual Revolution pay-per-view. Shot at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, the preshow stitches together short matches, backstage interviews, and heated promos that raise the stakes for the evening. Familiar faces like Jonathan Good as Jon Moxley, Tyson Smith as Kenny Omega, Steve Borden as Sting, Samuel Ratsch as Darby Allin, and Brian Button as Brian Cage make appearances, trading blows and words that sharpen rivalries. Instead of resolving storylines, the program focuses on momentum, giving undercards time to shine while steering attention toward the main card without revealing how any title scenes will finish.

Produced by All Elite Wrestling and released in 2021, this preshow was staged at Daily's Place as part of AEW's Revolution weekend. It was created to run immediately before the pay-per-view and to showcase emerging matchups and guest appearances.

As a broadcast preshow and streaming offering tied to the Revolution pay-per-view, it wasn't released in theaters and therefore has no box office gross. Revenue would be counted through PPV buys and streaming metrics with AEW and its partners, but no public theatrical numbers apply.

The Buy In helped crystallize several visual moments that fans still reference, from Darby Allin's intense entrances to Sting's veteran presence alongside younger talent. It amplified story threads that carried into the main event, and for many viewers the pacing and quick segments made it feel like a necessary bridge between weekly shows and the pay-per-view spectacle.

Viewer response leaned toward favorable among the AEW audience, reflected in a modest vote average of 6.8 out of 10 from available ratings. Critics and fans noted the program's focus on action and tension building, highlighting themes of rivalry, resilience, and showmanship that define AEW's televised presentation.