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With Controversy Behind the Curtain and Excitement in the Ring, All In Delivers Full AEW Experience

The ongoing story of MJF and Adam Cole closed out AEW’s historic All In pay-per-view

Justin Barrasso

With Controversy Behind the Curtain and Excitement in the Ring, All In Delivers Full AEW Experience
With Controversy Behind the Curtain and Excitement in the Ring, All In Delivers Full AEW Experience /

The original All In took place in 2018, and it served as an emphatic statement about the power of pro wrestling.

Five years later, the second incarnation reinforced that notion as over 80,000 people packed Wembley Stadium in London.

AEW brought out its star power, starting the show with three matches that featured a combination of Kenny Omega, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, FTR, and the Young Bucks. There was also a shot of Mercedes Moné in attendance, and it was hinted later in the show that she will soon be involved.

There was also behind-the-scenes controversy, and yes, CM Punk was involved.

The main event captured the storytelling of AEW. MJF defeated Adam Cole to retain the world title, and the crowd at Wembley Stadium erupted as the two men ultimately decided to embrace instead of turn on one another after the match. It extends a very entertaining storyline, one that could exist in WWE, but stands out as a far different finish from what would close out a major WWE pay-per-view.

AEW stands out as an alternative to WWE, and that finish was a textbook example of why that is true. Instead of a villain continuing a title reign, or a babyface finally overcoming the odds, this was an example of two men who are both teetering on the edge of babyface and heel. Having the two opponents, with one destined to eventually turn on the other, hug as a sea of confetti fell on top of them was an ambitious way to close out All In–but it undoubtedly unfolded in a manner that the live crowd loved.

Another moment of note occurred when Nigel McGuinness left the broadcast table and entered the ring to announce a crowd of 81,035 at Wembley Stadium, which AEW immediately championed as a new worldwide record for pro wrestling in paid attendance.

Naturally, WWE will somehow find a way to set a new number, adding a new wrinkle in the AEW-WWE feud. Also of note, AEW announced that it will return to London at Wembley Stadium again next summer for All In.

Also, on the subject of the commentary booth, it was a rotating cast with Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz, McGuinness, and Don Callis all taking turns on headset. It reminded me of the seven-person broadcast booth from the baseball scene in Naked Gun (and there is a wrestling connection–the star of that film, Leslie Nielsen, enjoyed a brief run in WWE in the summer of 1994 leading up to that year’s SummerSlam). There was no real rhyme or reason for the changes, which primarily served as a distraction.

Overall, however, this was an extremely entertaining show. Here are the results:

  • MJF and Adam Cole defeated Aussie Open to win the Ring of Honor tag titles on the Zero Hour preshow
  • Hook defeated Jack Perry to win the FTW title on the Zero Hour preshow
  • CM Punk defeated Samoa Joe
  • Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Hangman Page
  • FTR defeated The Young Bucks to retain the AEW tag team titles
  • Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, Orange Cassidy, and The Best Friends defeated The Blackpool Combat Club, Santana, and Ortiz in a Stadium Stampede match
  • Saraya defeated Hikaru Shida, Toni Storm, and Dr. Britt Baker in a four-way to become the new AEW women’s champion
  • Sting and Darby Allin defeated Christian Cage and Swerve Strickland in a Coffin Match
  • Will Ospreay defeated Chris Jericho
  • The Acclaimed defeated The House of Black to win the Trios titles
  • AEW champion MJF defeated Adam Cole

The show opened with CM Punk defeating Samoa Joe. Off-camera, before the start of the pay-per-view, it was reported that Punk engaged in physicality with Jack Perry. To Punk’s credit, the altercation did not affect his performance whatsoever. Controversy continues to follow Punk, but all details to emerge thus far paint Perry as the instigator.

Tony Khan admitted during the post-show scrum there was a backstage incident, which he said was still under investigation. This is a clear sign that there are problems in the AEW locker room, and it is not as simple as pointing all blame onto Punk. All In marks the biggest show in AEW history, so Perry–who PWInsider reported was sent home–should have been more professional in this setting.

As for the match, Punk entered wearing a ring jacket like his Ring of Honor days. He paid tribute to the legendary Terry Funk throughout the match, including with a spinning toe hold. Bloodied and beaten, and with Joe getting in a tremendous amount of offense, Punk won with a Pepsi Plunge. The match puts a punctuation mark on their storied rivalry.

There was no shortage of star power at All In, as the second match saw Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi and “Switchblade” Jay White, who all headlined New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Wrestling Kingdom event on separate occasions at the famed Tokyo Dome. This was a six-man pitting White, Juice Robinson, and Konosuke Takeshita defeating Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, and Hangman Page. Though it had its moments, this was a chance to highlight Omega as a singles star.

Unfortunately, perhaps because of a combination of ring rust and injuries accumulated over the years, Ibushi has yet to look like himself in the ring. That was again the case here, which is especially deflating in a multi-man match.

The finish came when Takeshita rolled up Omega, continuing their feud and building to a singles match. But this was the first flaw of the show. Even if he lost, a star of Omega’s caliber should have been in a singles match. That will occur next week at All Out, where Omega will face Takeshita one-on-one.

The anticipation continued in the third match, which was the trilogy between the Young Bucks and FTR. Two teams in love with tag team wrestling, the story of the match saw both teams desperately attempt to beat one another, yet were unable to overcome the other.

The finish was a surprise, beginning with a sequence where Cash Wheeler kicked out of a BTE Trigger. The Bucks then attempted a Meltzer Driver, but Dax Harwood was able to catch Nick Jackson in a Shatter Machine, giving FTR the winning pinfall.

After Wheeler’s arrest last week, it looked like the beginning of the end of FTR’s title reign. That could still be the case, but this finish was unexpected. Neither Matt nor Nick Jackson were willing to shake hands with Dax and Cash after the match, a clear indication that this rivalry will continue.

The tag title bout was followed by the Stadium Stampede match. If you prefer your wrestling in between the ropes, this was not for you. Instead, it was an outrageous combination of brawling, gore, and comedy spot as Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, Orange Cassidy, and The Best Friends defeated The Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, and Santana and Ortiz.

The Stadium Stampede chaos included skewers jammed into Moxley’s head, barbed wire, a cameo from Trent’s mom, Sue, who drove her minivan out toward the ring and brought cookies (the pans were then used to hit one another), a Moxley tribute to Funk when he used a branding iron, and brawling all around the ring. While this was not for everyone, a prerequisite of the Stadium Stampede match is that it needs to be over-the-top.

This was an important showcase for Cassidy, especially with the pinfall win over Castagnoli. It was announced during the post-show that Penta will challenge Orange Cassidy for the International championship on Dynamite. The winner of that bout will defend the belt next Sunday at All Out against Moxley.

A feel-good moment of the show occurred in the women’s title match, where Saraya defeated Hikaru Shida, Toni Storm, and Dr. Britt Baker in a four-way to become the new AEW women’s champion. She came to the ring with Queen’s We Will Rock You playing (that and Metallica’s Seek & Destroy, which was played for Sting and Darby Allin, added a great deal to Tony Khan’s expense sheet), then celebrated the win with her family. While this is a win she will always remember, that does not change it was bittersweet.

Saraya has dedicated the majority of her life to pro wrestling, but significant injuries now prevent her from being the talent in the ring she was at her peak. For five years, it appeared a serious neck injury ended her career. It must have been especially emotional to have one more moment like this in the ring, though frustrating she cannot perform at the level she could before the neck injury.

This was designed to be a special moment for Saraya, who grew up just outside of London in Norwich. Potential exists for Shida to eventually regain the title, though it was interesting that commentary immediately focused on Mercedes Moné after the match, with hardly a mention of two-time champ Shida.

The tag team Coffin Match pitting Sting and Darby Allin against Christian Cage and Swerve Strickland delivered on what it set out to do. Sting, at 64, hit a leg drop onto a table, and Allin was his typical fearless self. A lot of focus was centered around Swerve and Sting, a great spotlight for the emerging star.

Will Ospreay’s rise in AEW also continued. He defeated Chris Jericho cleanly, using a second Storm Breaker for the victory. This was a physical bout, and Ospreay has now notched wins on pay-per-view against AEW staples Jericho and Kenny Omega. It certainly appears that Ospreay is preparing for a full-time run in AEW where he will have a reign as world champion.

In the second-to-last match, the House of Darkness entered the ring with a tribute to the late Bray Wyatt. The Acclaimed defeated them to win the titles, but a moment that especially worth watching was Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews, and Brody King initially refusing to hand over the titles.

They eventually relinquished the belts to Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, and Billy Gunn, highlighting that for all the intense spots throughout the show, it is still those smaller details in storytelling that make a lasting impression.

The show built to the main event between MJF and Adam Cole. It initially ended in a double pin draw, but both Cole and MJF quickly agreed to a sudden death finish.

Not all the titles changed hands, which I had predicted. It was a surprise to see FTR retain, and I expected a title change to close out the show, which did not happen. But this was an outstanding four hours featuring some of the best pro wrestlers in the world, and every match made a real attempt to steal the show.

In signature AEW fashion, the show ends with just as many questions as answers. Next week’s All Out pay-per-view will help change that, but All In succeeded in its mission to present the best of AEW.

Published
Justin Barrasso
JUSTIN BARRASSO

Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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