All In Is AEW's WrestleMania, the WWE Star Who Should Beat Gunther, More Quick Takes

Adam Cole and MJF headlined All In, AEW's biggest event of all time, for the AEW world title.Credit: All Elite Wrestling

AEW All In was always going to be considered a financial success regardless of what the card consisted of, thanks to the 80,000-plus tickets sold for the show in advance. It just so happened to be a highly enjoyable event to boot.

The atmosphere alone inside London's Wembley Stadium made it a must-see spectacle, and with a sequel already announced for August 2024, All Elite Wrestling may have found its version of WrestleMania with All In.

Both WWE and AEW have been firing on all cylinders on pay-per-view throughout the year, and Sunday's show was no exception. The question now becomes whether WWE can keep its streak of strong premium live events alive with Payback this Saturday.

Despite a solid lineup, the build has been clearly lacking since SummerSlam, and it will be WWE's first pay-per-view in many months to not take place inside a stadium or on international soil.

This installment of Quick Takes will discuss Payback's potential, how the Adam Cole and MJF storyline has only scratched the surface, remembering Bray Wyatt, and more.

The pressure was high for AEW to deliver a WrestleMania-worthy spectacle with All In after filling Wembley with over 80,000 fans, and it did not disappoint.

While far from flawless, the epic PPV featured everything from memorable moments, exceptional action and an electric audience that enhanced everything on the card. The newsworthy night left fans looking forward to AEW returning to London for another installment next summer.

It's been apparent in the past that AEW president Tony Khan was hesitant to label any one of the company events as its flagship. Double or Nothing was the premiere PPV under the AEW banner and All Out has had some stacked cards over the years, but none were ever intended to be their version of WrestleMania.

The pomp and circumstance of All In certainly gave it that vibe and put it on that same level, in addition to it being the highest-attended paid pro wrestling event of all time.

The card came together on relatively short notice, but that didn't stop AEW from producing a show that could be enjoyed by all and will be remembered forever.

With a longer buildup similar to WWE's Road to WrestleMania, All In could feel even more like a historic happening next year.

All In was nothing short of a smashing success, but the jury is still out on whether Payback will receive rave reviews for WWE as well.

Of course, compared to All In, the lack of historical significance and marquee matches makes a significant difference, but as a basic event, Payback can and should still be an entertaining and worthwhile show this Saturday.

Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus will finally finish their feud inside a steel cage, while Seth Rollins defends his World Heavyweight Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in what should be an excellent affair. In other action, LA Knight and The Miz settle their differences, and Austin Theory and Rey Mysterio meet again for the United States Championship.

After all, given the string of standout shows Triple H has produced as WWE head of creative, there's no reason to doubt it will be of equal quality. The bigger-arena atmosphere will be missed, but the booking, the pacing and the performers consistently going above and beyond should be more than enough to make up for it.

In the grand scheme of things, shows such as Payback and Fastlane are not necessary in the slightest, but WWE has excelled under the bright lights and a better-than-expected Payback can further prove that point.

The conclusion to All In with MJF and Adam Cole remaining friends and hugging it out may have been viewed as a disappointment to some, but it was also the smartest call AEW could have made.

It would have been easy for the company to end the evening with either Cole or MJF turning on the other and walking away as AEW world champion. Instead, it was left open-ended with Cole's refusal to cheat being what cost him the title, and MJF interpreting his post-match actions as Cole never wanting to be genuine friends in the first place.

Both men have played their respective roles remarkably well throughout this storyline. There's no one predictable path AEW will take with it, which makes whatever comes next with them post-All In all the more compelling.

There's no harm in keeping them on the same side for now as they reign as the ROH world tag team champions and tease tension in other ways. Simply put, it's storytelling at its finest and an angle that will ensure viewers continue to tune in on a weekly basis.

Cole and MJF are to AEW what the Bloodline saga has been to WWE, but unlike with Roman Reigns and Co., the newer promotion must be careful to not drag out the endgame of Cole vs. MJF for too long and risk of it losing its luster.

Gunther is just days away from becoming the longest-reigning intercontinental champion of all time, and following his latest title defense against Chad Gable, all signs point to him breaking the record.

His feud with Gable isn't finished, though, as he won their match by count-out. It wasn't explained on that episode, but it should be revealed that he is owed another opportunity at the title.

The Olympian's recent rivalry with Gunther has made it clear that he's the perfect person to ultimately dethrone him as intercontinental champ–after the record's been broken, of course.

WWE could be doing a better job of presenting Gable as someone to be taken seriously and less of a comedy character, but otherwise, he's come off as a legitimate threat in his matches with The Ring General and had stellar showings every time.

Gable is long overdue for a meaningful singles push and could benefit big time from handing Gunther his first pinfall loss on the main roster, especially at a time when no one else on Raw seems to make nearly as much sense for such a spot.

Last week, the wrestling world lost a real one in Windham Rotunda, best known to WWE fans as Bray Wyatt.

The generational talent arrived on the scene over a decade ago and immediately captivated the audience with his awe-inspiring entrance, iconic character and sheer presence. Everything about him made him a star from the start and led to years of championships, pay-per-view main events and unforgettable feuds.

In addition to his unparalleled creativity, Wyatt was a huge fan favorite, as seen when he returned to WWE at Extreme Rules 2022 and received a raucous reaction. But by all accounts, he was even more beloved by his colleagues and many more worldwide as a human being.

The outpouring of love and support since his passing have served as a reminder of just how special he was. He had a Hall of Fame-worthy career and accomplished a great deal, but at the age of 36, he was taken from us far too soon and robbed of the chance to make more memories.

Wyatt's legacy as one of wrestling's most brilliant minds will live on forever, and the indelible mark he left on the industry will never be forgotten. His fireflies will always light the way.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.