MJF vs. Adam Cole Instant Classic at All In Was Everything We Ever Wanted From AEW
August 27, 2023
Many pro wrestling fans understandably expected the AEW All In 2023 main event between MJF and Adam Cole at Wembley Stadium in London to be a fantastic showcase.
But few might have dared suggest it would be peak AEW.
And yet so it was, as two main-eventers linked in a personal storyline put on a show onlookers won't soon forget.
Somehow, what ended up being undeniable proof that MJF remains pro wrestling's next big thing also doubled as what was by far Cole's best performance to date in AEW, harkening back to his legendary NXT days—and it would be hard to blame some for feeling like it was his best work ever.
That's a lot of praise, but none of it unwarranted. The two entered as best friends, but given what fans know about each, there was an air of undeniable betrayal well before the bell rang. The two donned new t-shirts together before really playing into this.
Take, for instance, MJF being the one unwilling to tombstone his opponent outside the ring, only for Cole to be more than willing to do it. Or the callback to their first match, with MJF screaming the match would go on until they had a winner.
And best of all, the chair spot. It's one that will go down in memory for a long time, as the friends-turned-rivals hot potato'd a chair back and forth while the official was down, channeling their inner Eddie Guerrero to the fullest extent.
Cole eventually went down, trying to make it look like MJF finally did the expected nefarious thing, only for the champ to shrug, wrap the chair around his neck and do the same.
It turns out the big betrayal or turn never really arrived, even with the shrug-worthy appearance from Roderick Strong in an attempt to egg it to fruition.
Instead, MJF ended up winning, both men remained friends and it's pretty clear the two will again be headed for big things in the future.
Sure, detractors could accuse the whole thing of having a little over-booking going on, especially when it comes to a double clothesline that lead to a supposed draw or the brief outside interference. Or, really, even the fact a small package rollup decided the match.
But as a whole, it was pro wrestling at its finest. It was proof that, while WWE has one of the best stories in the sport's history going on with Roman Reigns and the Bloodline, AEW is more than capable of the same thing.
Not that there was ever any doubt that AEW could commit to heartfelt, long-form storytelling, but it was nice to see it pulled off so cleanly on such a massive stage.
It also puts the company in an interesting position as things proceed. There's the CM Punk thing lurking in the background given that he's walking around with the "real" title, but it's pretty clear MJF and Cole should continue to stick in the main spotlight. And it's especially interesting that, just like that, Cole is back in the driver's seat after a serious lack of momentum.
This has plenty of legs too, considering MJF didn't seem to have any ill intent throughout, to the point there wasn't even a hint that he put something nefarious in the match contract itself. How many fans really had MJF still as champion and a good friend by show's end?
Don't forget the additional layers to this friendship-based tale added earlier Sunday when the duo became tag team champions after defeating Aussie Open for the ROH tag team titles, a nice bow tie of sorts after they lost in the finals to FTR back in the Blind AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament. That shared accomplishment will need worked out too, depending on how this story evolves.
In a way, it was nice to see that the big swerve can be a lack of a swerve at all, which is something that can keep happening for quite a while. Given the struggles AEW seems to have at building storylines for events lately (All Out is still happening next week right?), it's nice to at least have something at the very top to properly headline things.
When it comes to MJF specifically, he's one of the very best on the planet, in large part because he's story first, action second. Sunday embodied that to the point of an unforgettable match.
It's enough to qualify the match as an instant classic and a rather large example of what many fans had hoped AEW would become. With MJF at the forefront and Cole not far behind, the company has a refreshing main event nailed down in a way that makes it must-see material each week.