When AEW holds a Casino Gauntlet match, you just know it's going to be impressive, as Tony Khan has practically turned the match type into AEW's signature bout, but when AEW holds a Casino Gauntlet match at All In? In front of 50,000 fans? Yeah, you'd better believe it's going to be filled to the brim with exciting twists, turns, and surprises.

Opening the show up with Orange Cassidy wrestling Kazuchika Okada, fans were met with an absolutely incredible shocker early on when the music of none other than Nigel McGuinness hit, and the former Ring of Honor World Champion marched down to the ring not in a suit but in his wrestling trunks.

Now granted, no one was really surprised to see McGuinness in the building, as he literally called the Mariah May match second on the show, but after hiding in plain sight, the silver-tongued, former liberty-spiked technician emerged from the back to get in the ring with some of the biggest stars of the current generation, many of whom he's never actually wrestled with due to their generational divide.

Have you always wanted to see McGuinness in the ring with Kazuchika Okada? Tony Khan made that happen. How about Zack Sabre Jr., the man currently considered the best British technical wrestler in the world? Tony Khan made that happen, too. No, across the board, McGuinness was able to work a greatest hits match not just with his moves but by executing them on brand new stars like Orange Cassidy, who were working local indie matches the last time the Collision commentator was allowed to wrestle matches before a Hepatitis B diagnosis effectively ended his career in his prime.

Did McGuinness secure the win at Wembley? No, but frankly, after spending almost 13 years away from the ring, he looked just fine working alongside some of the best in-ring stars in the world today, and if he plans to wrestle any more matches in the future – basically every fan can think of at least one more – it's safe to say that bout will be must-watch television.

Nigel McGuinness has been open about returning to AEW action

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Was it shocking to see McGuinness make his triumphant return at All In Wembley Stadium? Yes, he hasn't wrestled a match since taking a loss to TJ Phillips at APWA Holiday Grand Prix in December of 2011 and has been open about enjoying his time as a commentator, but in the past few months, the London, England native has softened his stance somewhat, letting Chris Van Vliet know on Insight that he would be open to closing out his in-ring career on his own terms, especially against his most heated rival in the sport, the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson.

“That's definitely a possibility. I mean, you mentioned before we started filming that you watched the documentary, it was rather an ignominious end to my career. I was very grateful to all the independent promoters who booked me on my final retirement tour. But I certainly never imagined that my last match would be in a small volunteer fire department in West Virginia. But yeah, you just don't get to choose it sometimes,” McGuinness told Chris Van Vliet via Fightful.

“It certainly feels like that. You know what I mean? It certainly feels like that. All roads, to me, I think certainly aim towards him. Because there's so much talent in AEW, so many young guys who deserve those spots. I'm very inspired by Christian Cage, obviously, and Adam Copeland, as much as I'd hate to admit it [laughs]. These guys can show that they haven't lost a step. They can still go and all the knowledge that they have, they can convey and pass on to the next generation by being in the ring with them as well I've been like, wow. Getting back in the ring, I felt like, wow, it is a strange realization when you figure out that the only thing stopping you from being a wrestler is you. Now, having said that, I've certainly got no desire to step away from the announcing booth. I don't want to become a full-time wrestler. I don't really want to wrestle anymore, to be honest with you. Other than beating Bryan, obviously, because there's our story. There's our history.”

While it would have been cool to see McGuinness secure the win in the Casino Gauntlet match to guarantee him a World Championship shot against whoever leaves the show with the promotion's top title – with that W borderline guaranteeing a Danielson victory – sure, the crowd would have loved that more than Christian Cage, but hey, even if Ricochet was the clear favorite among the crowd, but in the end, it's safe to assume the two former Ring of Honor World Champions will duke it out before the “American Dragon” calls it a career, as that match is just too money to pass up.