Review: All Elite Wrestling takes over Globe Life Field with All In: Texas event
In its first stadium show in the United States and first pay-per-view event in Texas, All Elite Wrestling brought All In: Texas — its marquee show of the year — to Globe Life Field.
Founded by Tony Khan and Shahid Khan, the billionaire owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, AEW aims to provide an alternative to WWE. And despite the promotion’s relative youthfulness, it has successfully provided fans with a unique and authentic style of professional wrestling while it continues to grow.
AEW drew more than 27,000 fans to All In: Texas, making it the company’s most attended show in North America.
“It’s great to be at Globe Life Field here in Arlington, Texas,” Tony Khan said.
AEW All In: Texas review
AEW All In started with an homage to pro wrestling’s extensive history in North Texas. Kevin Von Erich, a member of the famous Von Erich wrestling family, made an appearance and, at 68 years old, even got involved in a match with his signature Iron Claw finishing maneuver.
Von Erich, played by Zan Efron in the 2023 film The Iron Claw, helped Texas natives Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes, the son of the wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes.
The show delivered plenty of star power and a “big boom” thanks to the Costco Guys: Big Boom A.J. and his son, Big Justice. The father-son duo, who have more than 2.1 million TikTok followers, showed up with The Rizzler, who is known for viral social media moments.
As the main card began, the action became more hard-hitting and fast-paced, starting with the AEW World Trios Championship match, which was won by Samoa Joe and The Opps. Then came surprises and twists with the Men’s Casino Gauntlet match, which granted a future championship opportunity to the winner, Maxwell Jacob Friedman.
Adam Cole, the previous TNT Champion, tugged at the audience’s heartstrings, announcing his indefinite leave of absence due to health issues. Rhodes, in his second match of the night at 56 years old, won the vacant championship.
“I’m still kind of shocked, to be honest,” Rhodes said. “It feels incredible. To finally get my hands on this thing. We’ve had some prestigious champions — and now I’m one of them.”
The real fireworks started with Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland’s victory over The Young Bucks, which delivered AEW’s signature style: Flips, tricks, no-sells, piledrivers, destroyers, countless kickouts of finishing moves, and a ridiculously impressive fast pace.
The highlight of the AEW World Tag Team Championship match won by The Hurt Syndicate was the crowd-popping return of Cope, formerly known as Edge in WWE. He saved Christian Cage, his former longtime tag team partner, from an attack.
In the Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match, Garland native and Ring of Honor Women’s Champion Athena, stunned the hometown crowd with a surprise appearance. Before All In weekend, she told the Star-Telegram she was hopeful that she would be on the card.
With her last-second opportunity, Athena capitalized with a victory — it grants her a future match for the AEW women’s world championship, which was defended by Timeless Toni Storm to start a trio of high-profile main events.
Athena said her goal is to bring AEW to new heights and has her sights set on Storm’s title.
“I am here not only to make a legacy for myself, I am here to show the world that I have been the best wrestler in the entire world for years,” Athena said.
Next, fan favorites and longtime rivals Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega competed for the inaugural AEW unified championship in a match that spawned loud crowd reactions from beginning to end; Okada got the upper hand with the help of outside interference.
To close the show, AEW World Champion Jon Moxley put his title on the line against “Hangman” Adam Page in a violent, Texas street fight. The match was grueling and intense, which fits the edgy vibe AEW has become known for. After barbed wire, broken glass and nail bed spots, Page got the victory to send the crowd home happy.
With tears in his eyes, Page thanked fans at the post show press conference.
“(AEW) is something that I could never have imagined it would become,” he said. “And I’m so proud of that.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2025 at 8:40 PM.
.jpg)