Every wrestling promotion has a season finale wrestling event (usually a PPV/PLE) that marks the finite end of yearlong feuds and plot threads– the biggest stage for the biggest feuds. For All Elite Wrestling, this Sunday marks one year since their last appearance in London, England, and they’re set on bringing all their 2023-2024 stories to a close in one giant Wembley Stadium-sized showstopper: ALL IN.
In anticipation of this massive event, here’s a guide to help you navigate the ALL IN card, the feuds, the expectations, and the possible results. This will get you ready for a Sunday to remember. Let’s get it.
ZERO HOUR: WINNERS GET TO SET THE STIPULATION FOR ALL OUT’S CMLL WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH
WILLOW NIGHTINGALE & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. KRIS STATLANDER & STOKELY HATHAWAY
The Willow Nightingale/Kris Statlander feud brewing over their friendship fallout and circling around Willow’s CMLL Women’s Championship goes comedy for Wembley with a sick guest appearance by Tomohiro Ishii. AEW booker Tony Khan (hereafter: TK) elevated the stakes with the winner getting to set stipulation for the CMLL Women’s title match at ALL OUT. Aside from a three hoss, one manager tag, expect Big Stokely Hathaway to get what’s coming to him.
PREDICTION: Seeing as this card takes place on a Sunday night instead of Saturday, I see TK starting the crowd off happy with a babyface win. What stipulation Nightingale will want certainly has more question marks than if this narrative device was in the hands of her rival’s heel/manager tandem.
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
THE YOUNG BUCKS [c] vs. THE ACCLAIMED vs. FTR
The AEW Tag Team scene has seen better days prior to being devastated by the Trios title scene. So, this April, after Jack Perry came back to AEW and gave TK a piledriver, our EVPs began a short-lived stint calling the show from backstage, which included cutting Max Caster’s mic during Acclaimed entrances. While this feud has lost the plot in July, the Young Bucks and the Acclaimed had the match moved up to the 8/14 Dynamite where a DQ finish injected FTR into the tag title program for a possible Wembley runback with the Bucks. When the Acclaimed and FTR met on the 8/17 Collision, they went to a time limit draw while displaying trickery and strong style spirit on both sides. Now, all parties assembled, the Bucks & Perry lost their 50/50 booking to FTR & Darby Allin at the 8/21 Dynamite, so we’ll see how that bodes for the champs– usually, champs retain when the go-home meeting in 50/50 booking has the challengers standing tall.
PREDICTION: I can see our EVPs stealing a win here after the Acclaimed lock in a visual pin on FTR. This helps build a Bucks/Acclaimed rematch at ALL OUT; possibly with a stip.
CASINO GAUNTLET MATCH FOR A GUARANTEED WORLD TITLE SHOT
Announced: ORANGE CASSIDY [#1], KYLE O’REILLY, HANGMAN ADAM PAGE, EVIL UNO, and ROH WORLD CHAMPION MARK BRISCOE
Usually on season finale shows, it’s difficult getting everyone on the card (for that sweet PPV bonus paycheck) with all the title feuds keeping it 1v1. However, TK, who takes a great deal of inspiration from NJPW booking, loves to stack bigger cards with multi-man tags. Even still, not everyone can make the main show in this manner, so why not take an opportunity to showcase talent, get some entrance (debut/return) pops, and foreshadow a future title feud with a Gauntlet match! AEW’s Casino Gauntlet runs different than a battle royale, because the match can end at any time by pinfall or submission with entrants coming in on timers. This incentivizes entrants to go on first, go big, and go home.
Orange Cassidy won the #1 entrant spot on the 8/14 Dynamite by beating out Roderick Strong and fellow Conglomeration member, Kyle O’Reilly. Since then we’ve seen Hangman Adam Page announce his intention to “erase Swerve Strickland from history,” and that he will be a part of this match. So, look to see AEW stars that didn’t field any bigger programs like ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe, Evil Uno, and the handful of talented flyers (Hologram?) and bases (Beast Mortos?) on-staff to turn this into a spectacle showcase. Also, with reports coming in of signing with AEW, this is the match with the highest potential to catch a shot of Ricochet.
PREDICTION: Hangman Adam Page; I have not lost my fucking mind.
FTW [“FOR THE WORLD”] CHAMPIONSHIP – IF HOOK LOSES, HE CAN NEVER CHALLENGE JERICHO FOR THE FTW TITLE AGAIN
CHRIS JERICHO [c] vs. HOOK
With cautionary orange written all over, the FTW Championship match screams ‘bathroom break.’ Though polarizing, Chris Jericho’s stint as FTW champ has seen him amass a cadre of followers with “Redwood” Big Bill and “Bad Apple” Bryan Keith. While Jericho won the title from previous champion HOOK, we’ve seen Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata involved at multiple stages of this feud. Blinded in his left eye by Jericho, missing his friends, and his title belt, if HOOK loses he can never challenge Jericho again for the FTW title. If the 8/21 Dynamite Cardiff crowd is any indication of AEW fans feelings, we could hear some call/response PLEASE RETIRE chants overtake any in-ring work going on here.
PREDICTION: HOOK leaves the Jericho Vortex. The Learning Tree, unfortunately, grows.
AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP – LONDON LADDERS
THE PATRIARCHY [c] vs. HOUSE OF BLACK vs. BANG BANG GANG vs. PAC/CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI/WHEELER YUTA
With TK mouthpiece, Christopher Daniels, dropping the Freebird rule that allows titles to be defended by any member of the championshipped faction, Bang Bang Gang had their title vacated in July. At the 7/20 Collision, Christian Cage’s Patriarchy sniped the resultant shot at Trios gold by besting the BBG. Not for nothing, the title-switching had more to do with a legitimate injury to Switchblade Jay White (BBG), but injecting the Patriarchy into this division has rejuvenated an otherwise trite lineup between BBG and the House of Black who walked into 2023’s ALL IN as Trios champs…and subsequently lost. Add to this match a ladder stipulation and a fourth team to qualify the day before? These 12 men are about to put on quite a show.
SPOILERS for 8/24 Collision ahead: the likely pairing of Blackpool Combat Club mates, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta pair with the Bastard, PAC, after defeating Top Flight and Lio Rush for the spot. Could this be a tacit reveal that PAC’s Death Triangle stablemates, Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo, have gone to greener pastures? Could this be a minute reveal of what’s to come for BCC member, Bryan Danielson, later tonight? These are the smarky details that will be narratively played with during the match!
PREDICTION: The Patriarchy have been recycling character work– an unfortunate signature of the Trios title– so if there’s anyone who can turn that title scene on its head, it’ll be Christian Cage and no one else.
AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP – COFFIN MATCH
JACK PERRY [c] vs. DARBY ALLIN
As far back as May’s Double or Nothing, Jack Perry and Darby Allin have been engaged in a blood feud that heavily featured over-the-top hardcore spots like running Allin over with a truck and lighting Perry on fire more than once (!). This feud predicates on Perry being AEW’s Scapegoat and using that chip on his shoulder to piledrive TK, which Allin sees as proof of a bad actor that provides nothing to AEW.
Though most of the feud has been backstage brawls and winks to Perry’s involvement in the pre-show backstage altercation at last year’s ALL IN, the feud isn’t without its luster: Perry has been making the rounds on social media for free-pouring molten metal into a mold to forge his custom TNT title belt in non-reflective black and blood red. With no Sting to back Allin up, does he finally lose a Coffin match?!
PREDICTION: Allin goes to Coffin Drop Perry into the bin, Perry rolls out, slams that lid shut, ding-ding-ding AND STILL.
AEW TBS CHAMPIONSHIP
MERCEDES MONÉ [c] vs. BRITT BAKER
On the other side of the AEW Women’s division, the recently returned Britt Baker has been the only person stepping up to Mercedes Moné (or rather, the only person in line). Since returning Baker has only notched wins vs Hikaru Shida and Harley Cameron, so most of the program has been built by Moné having in-ring promos/matches, then being attacked by Baker; most notably at SDCC ’24! Kamille, added as Moné’s heavy during Blood & Guts, squashed Baker on the 8/17 Collision, which creates a narrative need for Baker to have her own heavy. Aside from the numbers advantage, this vacuum builds anticipation for missing Brit & former AEW Women’s World Champion, Jamie Hayter, so watch for her to back Baker up.
PREDICTION: Hayter spends the match championing for Baker in a losing effort. Next, she turns on Baker; good first feud back for Hayter and Baker. Moné & Kamille have the night of their lives.
AEW INTERNATIONAL [“AMERICAN”] CHAMPIONSHIP
MJF [c] vs. WILL OSPREAY
Mirroring Will Ospreay’s IWGP United States Heavyweight run where he rebranded NJPW’s international belt as the “IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship,” MJF has rebranded the title as the AEW “American” Championship, and has gone ALL IN on the gimmick. From a title defense in CMLL to another in RevPro, MJF has taken the belt international as an unrepentant American asshole with all the flag imagery to boot. On Ospreay’s side, he’s been quietly feuding with Don Callis on whether or not to use a screwdriver or the voluntarily retired Tiger Driver ’91 to win matches. With, at bare minimum, new video packages every week to sell this program’s importance, chalk this one up to a later slot.
Also of note, PAC holds the rights to an International title match at ALL OUT (ignorant of winner), so look for him to scope out the competition; possibly for his big Wembley moment.
PREDICTION: As inevitable as Bianca Belair winning at the Showcase of the Immortals, Will Ospreay does not lose in Wembley Stadium, bruv.
AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
TIMELESS TONI STORM [c] vs. MARIAH MAY
As far back as November 2023, Timeless Toni Storm has been feuding with Mariah May. May debuted feuding with Storm. Or rather, Storm didn’t know it yet, but May did. Welcome to the longest running, most explicitly gay storyline heading into ALL IN– a story long enough to garner cinematic segments and set to the tune of 1950’s All About Eve. The premise is simple enough: a star in the spotlight upstaged by her stalker/protégé who has had enough of sharing. Storm has been foreshadowing the entire affair with her catchphrase “watch for the shoe,” so at every turn (including the heel turn), May has been attacking Storm with her literal heel.
Yes, May teased a break-up with Storm during the latter’s feud with Mina Shirakawa. Yes, May beat Saraya, Shida, and Nightingale to win this title shot through the Owen Hart Cup. Yes, this may be the best written, performed, and explicitly platformed queer narrative in professional wrestling history, where being queer isn’t coded layers deep or simply a character facet. But the real winners here are the fans.
PREDICTION: Anything less than Mariah May winning sacrifices the gift this storyline has become.
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TITLE VS CAREER
SWERVE STRICKLAND [c] vs. BRYAN DANIELSON
Winner of the Owen Hart Cup, Bryan Danielson looks to become AEW World Champion or call it a career at Wembley Stadium. Aside from the natural trajectory of winning #1 contendership to becoming more personally embroiled with your title match opponent, this main event is fairly impersonal for Danielson and Swerve Strickland– and a rematch.
On the 10/10/23 Dynamite, “Title Tuesday,” Danielson and Strickland faced one another for the TNT #1 Contendership. The match: a high speed chess game of transitional offense and diverse wrestling vocabulary (strikes, submissions, power moves). The finish: Prince Nana handing Strickland his crown, distracting the referee, and Hangman Page ripping it away. The winner: Danielson.
Since then, Strickland has had a volcanic rise clocking in banger after banger with the top of the card talent (Ospreay, OKADA, Christian Cage). Danielson, besting Shingo Takagi, PAC, Hangman Page, however has been more loose-lipped about his non-kayfabe medical journey. From needing neck surgery again to winding down his career to keeping a promise with his daughter to retire in-ring to be a dad, Danielson has been looking back more than looking forward– the journey here longer than it felt, the path ahead shorter than before.
With his family ringside, look for Strickland to take the Greatest Of All Time to the limit, look for YES chants, look for Strickland playing the heel, look for smaller gaps in defense leading to bigger offensive swings. But above all else, look for another Bryan Danielson-involved storybook ending; for better or worse.
PREDICTION: Say your goodbyes. I’m sorry. We love you, Bryan Danielson. But I took a look around and this is still Swerve’s House.