AEW brings All In to Wembley Stadium for the second year in a row. Over 53,000 fans will make London ground zero professional for pro wrestling with four marquee bouts headlining an eleven-match card.
-Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara, The Von Erichs (Ross & Marshall) and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett:
It seems like a mishmash of thank yous just to get these wrestlers on the show. While I’m glad they get to perform at Wembley, I can’t help but think that the Zero Hour slot could have been utilized more effectively. I’m envisioning a scenario where we witness a five-way iron claw to send the heels packing.
–Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway vs. Willow Nightingale and Tomohiro Ishii:
Zero Hour gets a mixed tag team match with title implications. If her team wins, Statlander gets a shot at Willow’s CMLL Women’s Championship. Stokley’s involvement is the draw here, so expect the shifty manager to pin Willow or Ishii somehow. That sounds absurd, but I want to see how he does it.
Casino Gauntlet Match:
The winner gets a future AEW World Title match. Orange Cassidy is first entrant, which is good because the match can end before everyone enters the fray. Narratively, “Hangman” Page makes the most sense considering he’s on a mission to destroy Swerve Strickland.
My dark horse pick is Mark Briscoe. ROH’s World Champion has been getting significant crowd reactions on TV over the past few months. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Ricochet make his AEW debut, as he just signed with the promotion and these gauntlets usually have a surprise of two.
– FTW Championship – Chris Jericho vs. Hook:
This feud has kept Hook a hamster wheel for months. Jericho is usually a star maker, but his work here, not so much. Even if the Jericho aspect was engaging, Hook trying to get the FTW Title back is old hat. A win here will make it the third time he’s rescued his father’s belt. However, it beats the alternative. Hook chops down “The Learning Tree.”
– AEW World Trios Championship – The Patriarchy vs. Bang Bang Gang vs. BCC vs. House of Black:
The Trios Titles is a waste of space and TV time. Christian Cage’s Patriarchy recently won the titles. The Bang Bang Gang and House of Black already had a run with the titles, and the BCC trio is too random for anyone to be emotionally invested in their journey. I expect Christian and company to retain.
– TNT Championship Coffin Match – Jack Perry vs. Darby Allin:
Darby gets nothing out of winning the TNT Title for a third time. This year’s All In is a chance for Jack Perry to exercise the ghost of his Wembley past. Hopefully, Perry can be remembered for a good match instead of the infamous backstage fight with CM Punk that changed the course of AEW. The Elite’s control over AEW feels like it’s not ending anytime soon, which means Perry will retain.
– AEW World Tag Team Championship – The Young Bucks vs. FTR vs. Acclaimed:
Now we’re getting to the meat and potatoes of the card. Three teams with different styles that work well with each other. This has the goods to be match of the night. Bucks/Acclaimed have been feuding all summer while FTR are a welcomed but shoehorned addition to the program. The Bucks will abuse their authority to retain the titles, causing the Acclaimed to turn heel.
TBS Championship: Mercedes Moné vs. Britt Baker:
It’s CEO vs. D.M.D.. Baker is AEW’s biggest homegrown female star, and it’s her first high-profile match since she returned. Moné was never supposed to be a heel, but her work as of late has shed light on her weaknesses that WWE was able to hide. Baker is a good character, but she’s hit or miss bell to bell. Kamille’s arrival as Moné’s muscle will prevent Baker from making history as the first woman to hold both titles in the division.
–AEW Women’s World Championship – Toni Storm vs. Mariah May:
AEW’s biggest blood feud is rife with betrayal. While May turning on Storm was seen coming a mile away, the execution of the turn was tremendous. Toni Storm is arguably the most entertaining wrestler in AEW, whose star has soared higher and higher with every outing. Mariah May has also been a standout performer, and Wembley is where she becomes the queenpin of the division.
–American Championship – MJF vs. Will Ospreay:
Remember in 1987 when the Road Warriors lost in Chicago, forever killing the town? Will Ospreay losing in Wembley would kill London for AEW. With all due respect to Swerve, Ospreay is the company’s North Star. In TV show terms, Ospreay is the series lead. Ospreay/MJF’s one-hour match on Dynamite 250 excited many fans. Ospreay gets his win back in another classic.
AEW World Championship vs. Career – Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson:
Swerve’s being dubbed the most dangerous man in AEW has created a sense of dread for Bryan Danielson’s health and safety. AEW has done an excellent job of blurring the lines with Danielson’s neck injury, which has legitimately plagued his career. That will most likely be the story of the match. How nasty will Swerve get as he targets Danielson’s neck? Can Danielson overcome such peril? As much as Swerve deserves to be AEW Champion, giving Danielson his crowning moment is the perfect fairytale ending.
RingsideLogic.com 