11 Ups & 4 Downs From ALL IN 2018

Downs...

4. A Curious Opener

ALL IN opened with an unadvertised MJF vs. Matt Cross match, which, itself, was fine. The duo worked hard for the spot they were given, as Cross countered his opponent's rampant heeling with the smooth-as-silk high-flying he has built his reputation on, eventually taking the 1-2-3 with a Cutter and a Shooting Star Press. Still, going with this as the appetiser for an evening of wild action was a curious choice.

They had a building full of fired-up, rabid wrestling fans, dying for a hot opener, yet kicked things off with the coldest match on the show. None of that makes sense, and what's most confusing is that the rest of the night was extremely well-paced.

This was the kind of bout that'd be best placed between two bigger contests later in thenight. Give the crowd 6-8 minutes to cool themselves down before getting right back into the show's closing stretch, with Cross and MJF effectively buffering the billboard matches. Instead, ALL IN jammed a **½ bout into a spot tailor-made for a barnburner.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.