All In's Success Casts a Glimpse into the Future of Wrestling Outside of WWE

It is not an overreaction to suggest that the landscape of professional wrestling in the United States changed forever on Saturday night with the Cody Rhodes and Young Bucks-promoted show All In.

Doubts were hanging over the show up until it went live in Chicago, with questions persisting about whether the collection of some of the world's best independent wrestlers could prove to be a hit in the U.S. without WWE CEO Vince McMahon's backing.

But a star-studded card delivered on every level and almost certainly changed the dynamics of professional wrestling's future.

For decades, WWE has dominated the industry in the United States. That won't change on the strength of one pay-per-view in Chicago, but it has made people aware that there is life outside McMahon's promotion.

The industry has been slowly building for some time away from WWE, and perhaps nobody illustrates that better than Cody Rhodes.

For a time, anyone leaving WWE to head to the independent scene was seen as taking a backward step, but Rhodes' request for his release two years ago illustrated that the tide was turning in professional wrestling.

Rhodes could have faded into obscurity, wrestling for various independent promotions like so many other former WWE stars have in the past. But he backed his ability, and it has paid off. Now an NWA world heavyweight champion, as well as being the top guy in Ring of Honor, Rhodes has a more impressive resume outside of WWE than he could have wished to assemble while under McMahon's guidance.

Attitudes that WWE is the be all and end all for a wrestler's aspirations of making it at the highest level are shifting. While a number of big names like Finn Balor and Kevin Owens have been successfully lured to the company in recent years, there are others who may feel there is no need to head to WWE to be regarded as a big name.

Look at Kenny Omega as an example. With the freedom to do what he wants whenever he wants in a number of different promotions, Omega was able to put on a stellar contest against Pentagon Jr. on Saturday before reviving his feud with Chris Jericho. Who knows what promotion that could be held in. It's even possible it will be held on the open seas after Jericho promoted his cruise while attacking Omega.

And Jericho underlines the changing landscape of the industry. His showing up in Japan was important enough for the industry given how WWE had seemingly allowed him to wrestle for New Japan Pro-Wrestling against Omega.

But Y2J's appearance in the United States for a show and promotion that had nothing to do with Vince McMahon? You wonder how many other part-time WWE competitors looked at those events on Saturday night and started to think about whether they could follow in the Canadian's footsteps and venture away from WWE.

But most importantly, the success of All In, attended by more than 10,000 fans, shows there's an appetite for professional wrestling away from WWE.

Professional wrestling doesn't begin and end with WWE any longer. That can only be a good thing for the industry. As the sun sets on All In, you suspect this could be just the start.