All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) All In: Texas 2025 event took place on Saturday, July 12, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, drawing nearly 30,000 fans in attendance. The show has been hailed as AEW’s most lucrative event in the United States to date, with ticket sales surpassing $2.5 million and expectations to exceed $3 million, according to AEW President Tony Khan.
This milestone underscores AEW’s continuing growth and popularity in the professional wrestling arena, highlighting the brand’s expanding footprint across North America while generating notable buzz within the wrestling community.
Clarification on AEW Unified Championship Defense and Referee Authority
Tony Khan addressed important updates regarding the AEW Unified Championship following the event. AEW has established that title matches will be governed strictly by AEW rules, where the referee’s decision remains final and binding. The enforcement of these regulations ensures the integrity of matches by preventing outside interference, a principle that was underscored during AEW’s recent tenure with the Continental Championship under Kazuchika Okada.
Khan emphasized that any interference in matches involving the AEW Unified Championship would result in immediate termination. He explained that while the match at All In: Texas operated under AEW rules with a focus on referee authority, moving forward, the Continental rules will be applied to unified title defenses. This change guarantees that no outside parties will be allowed to influence match outcomes.
“In this case, the referee had no way of knowing who pulled him out of the ring or who did anything after you [Callis] incapacitated them. If we had been under Continental rules, I would have fired you for that. Going forward, as the Unified Champion, the prevailing rules will be the Continental rules, so there will never be outside interference ever again in a Unified Championship match, now that the Continental rules apply, with the Continental Champion winning.”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
New Guidelines for Casino Gauntlet Title Cash-ins Expected Soon
AEW’s innovative Casino Gauntlet concept, which grants winners the opportunity to cash in for title shots, will see new procedures regarding when and how these challenges will occur. Khan disclosed that he will be introducing a structured approach to the timing of cash-ins, considering input from both the winners and current champions. This approach aims to bring clarity and predictability to the process, balancing storylines and competitive fairness.
“I will be giving more clarity to that on the TV shows. Last year, [cashing in] was the format. It’s been treated different times different ways. I’m going to sit with the winners, sit with the champions, sit with the schedule, and I’m going to put some real thought into when I’m going to make those announcements. I think there is a cadence that makes a lot of sense for this. It would be safe to say that the challengers have earned some say into when they cash these things in so I will be making those announcements very soon.”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
Red Velvet’s Injury and Its Impact on the Women’s World TV Title
Red Velvet, the Women’s World TV Champion in Ring of Honor, sustained an injury recently that prevented her from competing at All In: Texas. Khan praised her representation of the company, especially highlighting her impressive performance at Arena México, a prominent partner venue for AEW. Despite her injury, the expectation is that this setback is manageable and short-term, allowing Red Velvet to return to competition sooner rather than later.
Khan explained the circumstance surrounding Red Velvet’s injury, noting the significance of the ongoing rivalry between the new Interim Ring of Honor Women’s TV Champion and the long-standing champion who was teaming with Red Velvet at the time.
“But speaking of the great TV Titles, the Women’s World TV Championship in Ring of Honor, Red Velvet, she’s done a great job representing the company as a World TV Champion. She’s gone to Arena México and made a great impression, and really, for a relatively new championship in the world of wrestling, the Women’s World TV Title has had a great profile. She’s really raised the profile being a great ambassador. That’s something I really value. Somebody who’s gone down to an Arena México, which has been a great partner to AEW, and to go down there and to put in a great shift, that’s gonna score huge points with me and even really raise the prestige of the title, I thought Red Velvet has… I was disappointed that Red Velvet couldn’t wrestle but also, it was the right thing to do because it seems like it hopefully could be a manageable injury. It’s not gonna be years and years that she’s gonna be out or anything. We’re eventually, hopefully gonna have a match and if Mina Shirakawa can keep retaining…”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
“Interestingly enough, with a brand-new Interim Ring of Honor World Women’s Television Champion getting pinned by the Ring of Honor World Women’s Champion who’s held the belt for years and was actually teaming with Red Velvet in the match she got hurt in against Persephone who’s another great wrestler who was in that match and Thunder Rosa…”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
Adam Cole Injury and Its Implications for AEW’s Championship Scene
One of the most significant updates came regarding Adam Cole, a major figure in AEW. Following an injury, Cole has taken time off, a decision fully supported by Tony Khan. Due to his condition, Cole vacated the championship temporarily to focus on recovery, impacting upcoming matches and storylines.
Khan revealed that preparations were made for Cole to defend his title against Kyle Fletcher at an upcoming pay-per-view, but health concerns forced a reconsideration. Discussion between Khan and Cole indicated that the wrestler was not in a condition to compete, prompting the mutual decision for Cole to step back and prioritize his health.
“I fully support his decision to take some time. I felt like the right thing to do would be to vacate the championship and give Adam Cole time off, but also give him time to talk to the fans. Last night, when I was at ROH Supercard of Honor, planning for the pay-per-view, we put everything in place for Adam Cole to defend the championship against Kyle Fletcher.”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
“Coming out of Collision, Adam Cole came back, we talked, he was definitely planning to be at the pay-per-view, and even yesterday we had talked, somewhere between late last night and early this morning, we talked, and he just wasn’t feeling well. That is the unpredictable nature of some of these injuries and it’s really important that Adam Cole takes the time to get right because he’s a great figure in AEW.”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
“We talked last night and both of us immediately reached a conclusion that it makes a lot of sense when he was not feeling right to go out for this. He’s one of the greatest pro wrestlers in the world, we both know it’s not good. He doesn’t feel very well if he’s not able to wrestle a championship match on the biggest show that AEW has ever done in North America. Adam Cole is a big part of AEW and hopefully he’ll be here forever. I just don’t know when the next time he’ll be wrestling is. He’s definitely still part of the team and the family.”
— Tony Khan, AEW President
AEW’s Strengthened Position and Future Outlook
The success of All In: Texas 2025, combined with the strategic decisions on title defenses and talent management, reflects AEW’s commitment to maintaining competitive standards while safeguarding the health and integrity of its stars. With nearly 30,000 attendees and record gate revenue, AEW continues to solidify its presence as a major wrestling promotion.
Adjustments to title rules and clearer protocols for the Casino Gauntlet cash-ins indicate the company’s intention to streamline storytelling and preserve fairness. Injuries to key figures like Adam Cole and Red Velvet, though setbacks in the short term, are being managed with caution to ensure long-term viability.
The focus on delivering high-quality matches under clear regulatory standards, alongside the cultivation of new talent and international collaboration—such as with Arena México—signal AEW’s determination to grow its global appeal.
Fans can anticipate announcements regarding Casino Gauntlet cash-in timings soon, while watching closely for Adam Cole’s return timeline. In the meantime, AEW’s champions and contenders will continue to uphold fiercely contested titles under the newly reinforced AEW and Continental rules.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Adam Cole apologize to Pat McAfee?
A. McAfee criticized Cole’s time as NXT Champion and his height, among other things. In response, Cole angrily threw a microphone and shouted at McAfee. He also pushed McAfee’s co-host before leaving. Today, Cole expressed regret on Twitter, apologizing and saying he’s embarrassed about how he responded.
