How AEW's All In: Texas Outshone WWE's WrestleMania 41

AEW's All In: Texas not only matched WrestleMania 41 -- it outshined it in multiple critical ways. So, let's break it down on how AEW stole the spotlight!

Event Scope and Atmosphere

AEW's first major U.S. stadium show at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas drew over 25,000 fans (projected number is north of 27,000) creating a fresh, energetic atmosphere. WrestleMania 41 was at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and while they doubled AEW's fan attendance at 61,000 fans, the fans at WM felt disengaged especially during tag and undercard matches. The fans at All In seemed to be engaged in every match, even the main event after having been there for over 3+ hours.

Storytelling

If you follow the IWC on social media, the story around AEW is they do not tell stories, which is total bullcrap. Let's look at the main event from All In: the AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley, who has held the title for 273 days and has taken fans on an emotional ride through this reign. Hangman Page, who won the Owen Hart Tournament got his chance to try and defeat Moxley in a brutal Texas Death Match. This match was filled with many spots that would make one cringe if they have a weak stomach. It was brutal and violent, which is what you expect from a Texas Death match. This match finally gave the fans the emotionally satisfying payoff.

Omega and Okada have had a great history of matches against each in New Japan Pro Wrestling over the years, but this is the first time they have met in AEW. This match was a tension-filled Title Unification that elevated stakes and delivered strong in-ring storytelling. These two are probably two of the best in wrestling and have great chemistry in the ring with each other. Giving the medical condition of Omega, this could be the last time these two face each other and it delivered.

While I am not a fan of women's wrestling, the Toni Storm versus Mercedes Mone was a technical showcase that ended Mone's undefeated streak. Storm has been doing outstanding storytelling for over a year now. With her feud with Mariah May to now, Storm has showcased why she should be Women's Wrestler of the Year. Fans have been complaining about Mone, who has been the female belt collector if she won this match what would happen with the women's division. Well, I suppose we do not have to worry about that now, as Storm won who's next opponent is the #1 contender, Athena.

Overall, AEW combined 12 full matches plus a 2 hour pre-show, seamlessly blending dramatic finishes, surprise returns and debuts (like Adam Copeland, Bryan Danielson, Syuri, Alex Winsor, and Darby Allin) which setup for future arcs.

While there were some standouts for WM 41, like Iyo Sky versus Bianca Belair versus Rhea Ripley were the emotional and in-ring highlight. WrestleMania's pacing and crowd engagement suffered from length and inconsistent match quality. Which seems to be a major problem for WWE, not just for their PLE's but for their regular television shows.

Emotional Stakes and Storytelling Depth

AEW effectively concluded major storylines with Mox, the Young Bucks, and Mercedes. They did launch new arcs with MJF on his quest to get his triple B back, and fan favorite Athena chasing Toni Storm. Fans are anticipating the Storm/Athena match and what these two ladies can bring to our screens.

AEW also leverage surprise returns and creative storytelling like Hangman getting help from Swerve, (which I think there is more to that). These surprise returns and storytelling made the matches feel meaningful and invested.

In contrast, WWE's WM main event- Cena cheating to reach 17 titles with help from Travis Scott's interference - felt overly contrived and drew backlash. Meanwhile, major story beats, like The Rock's absence from Cena's heel turn, undercut narrative impact.

Production and Presentation

AEW took bold risks-- stadium, afternoon slot, live streaming - all done with confidence, resulting in a crisp presentation and engaging coverage. Could this mean AEW will attempt another stadium show in the future....I hope so! Meanwhile, WWE's production is polished and have been steady for years, it was weighed down by a bloated program, filler matches, and mixed crowd energy.

Fan Engagement and Replay Value

AEW's All In sparked immediate buzz. Its Texas Death Match, surprise returns, and massive unification bout left fans talking and anticipating future AEW stories.

WrestleMania's fallout centered on Cena's scripted heel turn- leading fans to question its sincerity and momentum due to lackluster build-up.

AEW's All In: Texas did not just compete with WrestleMania 41 - it surpassed it in narrative cohesion, match quality, and emotional payoff. AEW offered a tightly woven, thrilling, and impactful card. WrestleMania 41 struggled to maintain consistent energy and storytelling momentum across its bloated two-night arc.

Intrigued by AEW’s momentum or WWE’s next direction? I’d love to dig into match ratings, backstage buzz, or fan reactions—let me know what interests you!