This is the grandest stage that AEW has to offer. Last year, the company sold a staggering 81,035 tickets for “All In.” This year, they sold over 50,000 tickets — making it the second largest audience in AEW history.
A few wrestlers made their triumphant return, some wrestlers made their debut, and multiple titles changed hands. Did this show live up to its spectacle, though? Let’s dive in:
Ranking the Matches on the Main Card
9. HOOK defeated Chris Jericho
8. PAC & The BCC defeated The Patriarchy, House of Black, and Bang Bang Gang
7. Jack Perry defeated Darby Allin
6. Mercedes Moné defeated Dr. Britt Baker DMD
5. The Young Bucks defeated FTR and The Acclaimed
4. Christian Cage won the Casino Gauntlet Match
3. Mariah May defeated Toni Storm
2. Will Ospreay defeated Maxwell Jacob Friedman
1. Bryan Danielson defeated Swerve Strickland
Hits and Misses
MISS: Jamie Hayter’s Return
Jamie Hayter was the most beloved women’s wrestler during her reign as AEW Women’s World Champion. However, she’s been absent for the last 15 months — losing her title to Toni Storm at “Double or Nothing (2023).” Being a Southampton native, Hayter’s return at “All In” seemed imminent. Many fans expected Hayter to make her long awaited return to aid her old friend, Dr. Britt Baker DMD — evening the odds against Mercedes Moné and her partner, Kamille.
Hayter did make her triumphant return at “All In,” but it was on the “Zero Hour” pre-show — attacking Saraya and her family shortly before the main show began. What an odd decision by Tony Khan, which signals one of two things: (1) Khan doesn’t have a definitive plan for Hayter going forward or (2) she’s going to be feuding with Saraya. Either option doesn’t sound very enticing.
Whether Hayter returned during Baker and Moné’s match or after Mariah May defeated Toni Storm, the return of a former world champion should have been important enough to include on the main show. Especially one as beloved as Hayter.
MISS: The Card’s Structure
The way a wrestling show is organized largely determines the amount of excitement the crowd will have throughout the show. Naturally, some matches, moments, and moves warrant more excitement from the crowd than others.
This main show opened with the “London Ladder” match, where The Patriarchy defended their titles against The House of Black, The Bang Bang Gang, and PAC & the BCC. There were no ring entrances, either. The show opened with all 12 men surrounding the ring, waiting for the bell to ring. There were few establishing shots to truly emphasize the scope of the event, nor did the crowd get to immediately react to anyone’s entrances.
Mariah May and Toni Storm have told the most compelling story of any two wrestlers on this card. Their match easily should have opened the show or been billed as a co-main event. Instead, they had to follow up this “London Ladder” match.
Mercedes Moné and Dr. Britt Baker DMD had the unenviable task of following Will Ospreay and Maxwell Jacob Friedman. It was obvious that the crowd was fatigued, which only exacerbated the awkward in-ring exchanges between Moné and Baker. Had this match followed Hook versus Chris Jericho, for example, I think it would have been more well received by the crowd than it ultimately was.
HIT: Mariah May defeats Toni Storm
“Timeless” Toni Storm’s 281-day reign as women’s world champion ended at the hands of her former protege, the “The Glamour” Mariah May. These two women told the most compelling story in the build towards “All In,” reaching its climax when May won the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament and betrayed her former mentor. The finale certainly did not disappoint.
May received little fanfare from her fellow Londoners, who were overwhelmingly in support of Storm. That only made May even more ruthless, going as far as to smack her own mother who was sitting ringside.
Near the end of the match, Storm had an opportunity to finish the match by attacking May with the same shoe that the “Glamour” used to betray Storm. However, Storm couldn’t bring herself to use it and her hesitation ultimately led to her downfall.
May’s time impersonating Storm’s might be behind her, but she employed many tools in the champions arsenal in this bout — including the hip attack and a decisive Storm Zero.
This was an extraordinary match, concluding one of the most compelling stories in AEW history. I can’t wait to see where these women go, moving forward.
MISS: The Young Bucks Retain the Tag Team Championships
The tag team division has felt like an afterthought in AEW, since FTR lost the titles to Ricky Starks & Big Bill last Oct. Under the stewardship of the Young Bucks, the division has hit rock bottom. While both FTR and the Acclaimed entered this match with very little momentum, either team would be a vast improvement upon the Young Bucks — whose gimmicks are ridiculous and barely defend their titles.
While all three teams slowly won the crowd over, the finish fell completely flat. This felt like an opportunity for Tony Khan to hit the reset button on the tag team division and begin restoring it to its former glory. Instead, we’re stuck with the Bucks. What a wasted opportunity.
HIT: The Casino Gauntlet Match
I love the “gauntlet” format. Two wrestlers begin the match, with a new participant entering at random intervals. 21 men could potentially enter the match and it ends when someone is pinned. It’s such a fun formula, especially for a show like “All In.”
We were treated to the in-ring return of Nigel McGuinness, an appearance from the United Kingdom’s own Zack Sabre Jr, and the debut of former WWE superstar Ricochet. Not to mention, wrestlers like Kazuchika Okada, “Hangman” Adam Page, Jeff Jarrett, and many more. This was a beautifully chaotic spectacle, giving 12 wrestlers the opportunity to appear on AEW’s grandest stage. Tony Khan should insert one of these on every major AEW Pay-Per-View show.
MISS: The Casino Gauntlet Ending
Killswitch was the 12th and final entrant in the match, making his long-awaited return to his “Luchasaurus” gimmick. However, Killswitch’s betrayal of Christian Cage was merely a ploy — manipulating the audience’s anticipation. Killswitch ultimately helped Christian win the Casino Gauntlet match, earning the “Patriarch” another shot at the AEW World Championship.
Christian Cage has already unsuccessfully challenged Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland for the world title. Do we really need to see him fail to defeat yet another champion? This could have been a phenomenal opportunity to give a new challenger a main event opportunity. Instead, 50-year-old Christian Cage has another chance at winning gold.
HIT: Will Ospreay defeats Maxwell Jacob Friedman
This match was everything I expected and more.
The connection that Will Ospreay had with the crowd was magical. His cross-promotional entrance with the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise was a little long-winded, but the crowd was enamored with Ospreay from start to finish. Maxwell Jacob Friedman was the perfect foil for the “Aerial Assassin,” happily alienating himself from the British crowd.
Late in the match, MJF had Ospreay dead to rights — preparing his brass knuckles for the final blow while the referee was incapacitated. However, Daniel Garcia made his return, stopping MJF from attacking Ospreay. Garcia’s interference set the stage for Ospreay to use a decisive Tiger Driver ‘91 to end the match — defeating MJF and regaining his AEW International Championship.
Now that Garcia has returned, we can only hope that a feud with MJF is imminent.
MISS: Mercedes Moné Retained Her TBS Title
On paper, this should have been one of the most spectacular matches on the card. The end result was decent at best. There’s something about the way Britt Baker moves in the ring that just seems awkward. Her match against Hikaru Shida a few weeks ago on “Dynamite” was similarly awkward. Here, Mercedes Moné struggled to establish any real rhythm with Baker.
Ultimately, Baker tricked Kamille into being ejected by the in-ring official, but the good doctor couldn’t withstand the CEO’s Monémaker.
Whether or not this feud continues after “All In” remains to be seen. Hopefully, Moné finds another challenger for “All Out,” because these two just don’t seem to have great chemistry in the ring.
HIT: The Icon Returns
In my AEW “All In” preview, I predicted that Jack Perry would retain his TNT Championship against Darby Allin. What I didn’t expect was the return of the “Icon.” This is where wrestling shines brightest as a medium of entertainment. Sting’s return was a sheer rush of endorphins, saving an otherwise forgettable match and creating a truly iconic moment (pun intended).
HIT: Bryan Danielson wins the AEW World Championship
This was utter perfection.
Billed as the “Final Countdown,” Swerve Strickland defended his AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson in a career versus title match. Danielson was unable to compete in last year’s “All In,” due to an injury he sustained at “AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door (2023)” against Kazuchika Okada. Everything Danielson has been involved with over the last 12 months, has led him to this very moment.
Swerve Strickland promised that he would dissect Danielson, menacingly, scientifically, and purposefully. He didn’t fail to deliver his promise. Strickland dominated the majority of the match, using the ring bell early in the match to injure Danielson’s neck.
While the fans’ support of the “American Dragon” was overwhelming, ultimately it was Danielson’s family — his wife Brie, daughter Birdie, and son Buddy — who gave him the strength to withstand Strickland’s onslaught. Danielson is the first competitor to withstand Strickland’s finisher, Big Pressure, kicking out at two. The other factor at play was “Hangman” Adam Page, who tried to enter the ring and distracted the champion. Page’s interference helped even the playing field for Danielson, who landed a timely Busaiku Knee. After a series of exchanges, Danielson landed another Busaiku Knee to stun Strickland — finishing the affair with his patented LeBell Lock.
After the match, over 50,000 fans performed Danielson’s famous “YES” chant, while the “American Dragon” celebrated with his family and the Blackpool Combat Club. Finally, Bryan Danielson is the AEW World Champion. This felt momentous.
From top to bottom, “All In” was a fantastic Pay-Per-View event, well worth the $50 price of admission. Ricochet made his highly anticipated debut, several wrestlers returned from injuries, and five championships changed hands. The stage has been set for a tremendous two weeks of programming, leading up to “All Out” on Sep. 7th. However, it was Bryan Danielson’s coronation as the eighth AEW World Champion that highlighted the evening.
The fans aren’t ready for Danielson to retire, yet. Thankfully, neither is Tony Khan.
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