AEW All In At Wembley Is Going To Succeed For One Obvious Reason
AEW All In is taking place this Sunday, August 27, in front of a record-breaking crowd at Wembley Stadium in London, England. With the show now just days away, the card has finally taken shape, including a few last-minute changes on last night's "AEW Dynamite." Opinions seem to be split on the quality of the build, including among Wrestling Inc's own writers. However, it can't be denied that All In has already given AEW its largest gate ever by a wide margin and an anticipated crowd of around 80,000 people — not to mention the number of fans who will order AEW All In on pay-per-view.
In order for All In to be considered a creative failure, the company would have to fall flat on its face in terms of booking and performances — something that seems unlikely based on the caliber of talent involved. Despite the hemming and hawing over the build to Sunday's show, the lead-up hasn't been all that different from other major wrestling shows in the past, and the undercard is full of gems that are sure to leave AEW fans walking away from the show entertained.
AEW All In will be considered a success for one reason: it's already a massive financial success; all that's left is to deliver a memorable and exciting night of pro wrestling, and here's why it will.
A Huge Main Event
If there is one storyline that towers above the others heading into All In, it's the friendship/rivalry between AEW World Champion MJF and challenger Adam Cole. The story began in June, with Cole challenging MJF for the world title, and the match ending as a draw. Since then, the two have gone from begrudging tag team partners to fast friends, leading up to a pair of matches this Sunday. Cole and MJF will first team up on the Buy-In to challenge for the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship, currently held by Aussie Open. After that, win or lose, the two will go on to face each other during All In's main event with the AEW World Championship on the line.
Fans have been asking to see another side of MJF for years now, and this storyline seems to finally be bringing something new out of the AEW World Champion. Not only have their segments been straightforwardly entertaining, but the tension in the relationship, knowing that one is inevitably going to turn on the other, has helped maintain a high level of interest among viewers. The question is: who will betray whom?
It's the biggest story on the card, and the one likely drawing the most interest from viewers. However, it's far from the only story being told in the lead-up to All In.
Breaking Down the Undercard
The build to All In has certainly not been perfect, but there is a lot more story on the undercard than many are giving the show credit for. Yes, many of these matches were booked over the last several weeks, but looking at the entirety of the card, there's a great deal of historic rivalries in play.
The addition of Eddie Kingston, and now Santana and Ortiz, to the Stadium Stampede match adds a great deal of intrigue, for example. The five-on-five match is full of performers with interconnected histories, such as the more recent tension between Orange Cassidy and Jon Moxley, or the long-standing hatred between Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli.
Outside of Stadium Stampede, the match between CM Punk and Samoa Joe has received a steady build over the last month, and calls on a past that dates back to their classic Ring of Honor rivalry. Darby Allin and Swerve Strickland have a lengthy rivalry of their own, from their time on the independents to their current AEW runs.
Has the build felt unorganized, and maybe a little chaotic? That's a fair assessment. However, when it comes time for the performers to do what they do best, All In has the potential to knock it out of the park.
This weekend's All In is built around MJF vs. Cole, with a lot of depth on the undercard. If previous AEW events are any indication, expect some surprises, exhilarating matches, plenty of drama, and, ideally, a satisfying conclusion to the main event, no matter who wins. If AEW's All In has the impact it's full potential, the promotion will be able to carry the momentum from this Sunday into their next major event — All Out, just one week later in Chicago, Illinois.
Disagree? So did another Wrestling Inc. writer, who said AEW All In will fall flat. Either way, stay tuned to Wrestling Inc. for the latest All In news and updates, including our upcoming staff predictions and live coverage.