What is the best match of AEW’s two-year history?
That is the question I sought to find out when I reached out to a who’s who of AEW and wrestling commentators from across the Internet Wrestling Community to compile The Definitive AEW Match Guide: a collection of the top fifty matches to take place in an All Elite Wrestling ring between Double or Nothing 2019 and Double or Nothing 2021.
Each of the thirty-two contributors were able to nominate their top ten-to-fifteen matches with each match earning between 15-1 points depending on where they were ranked (1st = 15 points, 15th = 1 point). Ties have been decided by firstly which match had the most voters and if that’s even, then which has the highest individual rank, if that couldn’t split them then a tie would be called.
As the votes rolled in it was exciting to see endorsements for such a broad range: 82 matches spread featuring over 60 different wrestlers, across every show that AEW has had: PPVs, Dynamite, Dark, Elevation, the Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament. It was also fantastic to see some of the contributors putting pen to paper about why they voted for who they voted for, I’m just sad that with this top ten I can’t include every single contribution that came through.
Now you get to see the results. Today it is my great pleasure to conclude the countdown with the top ten matches of, The Definitive AEW Match Guide. In case you missed them, here are the matches that didn’t make the top ten and make sure you check out the commentary for 50 – 31 and 30 – 11 by clicking those links. We have also produced a special edition podcast featuring yours truly along with Imp and Pro Wrestling Musing’s Gareth Ford Elliot with some in-depth commentary on all the matches.
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50. Nyla Rose (c) v Hikaru Shida – No DQ, AEW Women’s Championship, Double of Nothing 2020
48. (tie) The Young Bucks v Proud & Powerful, Full Gear 2019
48. (tie) The Young Bucks v Proud & Powerful, Dynamite 22.04.2020
47. Riho v Nyla Rose, NO DQ, AEW Women’s Championship, Dynamite 02.10.2019
46. Darby Allin (c) v Miro, TNT Championship, Dynamite 12.05.2021
45. Jon Moxley (c) v Yuji Nagata, IWGP US Heavyweight Championship, Dynamite 12.05.2021
43. (tie) Emi Sakura v Venny (Asuka), Women’s Title Eliminator Tournament
43. (tie) Darby Allin (c) v Jungle Boy, TNT Championship, Dynamite 21.04.2021
42. Cody (c) v Eddie Kingston – TNT Championship, Dynamite 22/07/2021
41. Hikaru Shida (c) v Tay Conti – AEW Women’s Championship, Dynamite 21.04.2021
40. The Young Bucks (c) v PAC & Rey Fenix, AEW Tag Team Championships, Dynamite 14.04.2021
39. Cody v M.J.F., Revolution 2020
38. Cody v Wardlow, Steele Cage Match, Dynamite 19.02.2020
37. The Inner Circle v The Pinnacle, Blood & Guts Match, Dynamite 05.05.2021
36. Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy v Miro & Kip Sabian, Arcade Anarchy, Dynamite 31.03.2021
35. The Young Bucks v Private Party, Dynamite 09.10.2019
34. Kenny Omega & Adam Page (c) v Lucha Bros, AEW Tag Team Championships, Dynamite 19.02.2020
33. Jon Moxley (c) v Darby Allin, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Dynamite 30.07.2020
32. Kenny Omega & Adam Page (c) v F.T.R., AEW Tag Team Championships, All Out 2020
31. Chris Jericho (c) v Jon Moxley, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Revolution 2020
30. M.J.F. v Jungle Boy, Double or Nothing 2020
29. Nick Jackson v Rey Fenix, Dynamite 20.11.2019
28. The Young Bucks (c) v SCU (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels), AEW Tag Team Championships, Dynamite 14.05.2021
27. Adam Page, John Silver & Alex Reynolds v M.J.F., Santana & Ortiz, Dynamite 30.12.2020
26. Kenny Omega v Adam Page, Full Gear 2020
25. Cody v Darby Allin, Fyter Fest 2019
24. Sting & Darby Allin v Brian Cage & Ricky Starks, Street Fight, Revolution 2021
23. Cody (c) v Darby Allin, TNT Championship, Full Gear 2020
22. Seerena Deeb (c) v Riho, N.W.A. Women’s World Championship, Double or Nothing 2021
21. Cody (c) v Brodie Lee, TNT Championship, Dynamite 22.08.2020
20. Jon Moxley (c) v Kenny Omega, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Dynamite 02.12.2020
19. Jon Moxley (c) v Eddie Kingston, I Quit Match, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Full Gear 2020
18. The Lucha Bros (c) v The Young Bucks, AAA Tag Team Championship, Double or Nothing 2019
17. Jon Moxley (c) v Brodie Lee, No DQ, AEW Championship, Double or Nothing 2020
16. Kenny Omega (c) v PAC v Orange Cassidy, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Double or Nothing 2021
15. Kenny Omega (c) v Jon Moxley, Exploding Barbed-Wire Death Match, AEW Championship, Revolution 2021
14. Orange Cassidy v PAC, Revolution 2020
13. Chris Jericho (c) v Cody, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Full Gear 2019
12. Kenny Omega (c) v Rey Fenix, AEW Heavyweight Championship, Dynamite 06.01.2021
11. Brodie Lee (c) v Cody, Dog Collar Match, TNT Championship, Dynamite 07.10.2021
10. The Young Bucks (c) v Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston, AEW Tag Team Championship
Double or Nothing 2021
Total points: 130 (12 votes)
Highest rank: 3rd
This match just kicked ass. The inclusion of the crowd in Daily’s place may mean this match is higher on this list than it may deserve BUT the performers absolutely nailed it. The Bucks are such great heels, Mox is an amazing crazy bastard and Kingston is a gangsta. I was shocked to see Mox continually playing the “Face in Peril”, as I would of guessed that would be down to Eddie, but no. Mox played his role to perfection and the ending was fantastic, as everyone including myself guessed the good guys would come out on top. Kingston continuing this feud with Death Triangle filling in for Mox is just delightful also.
Stuart Gosling – @StuGosling
Maybe it was the jam-packed crowd reacting to each and every punch thrown or maybe it’s ‘recency bias’ but this match blew me away on first watch. Eddie Kingston is a star!
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
The perfect juxtaposition of characters. A long-term story between Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley leads to them teaming up to take on a team who, in that same time, had one of the most detailed heel turns in wrestling history. This all led to an explosion in one of the greatest tag team matches ever. The story to build this match meant that it couldn’t fail, and it still overdelivered. This match solidified for me, beyond any doubt, that The Young Bucks are the greatest tag team in wrestling history.
Gareth Ford-Elliot – Pro Wrestling Musings – @RHWGareth
Perfect heel Vs Babyface dynamic. Young Bucks have been the MVPs of AEW ever since it’s inception and their current heel run has been amazing. This was just the perfect classic to greet the returning crowd and they didn’t disappoint.
Ashutosh – @RainmakerSZN
9. FTR (c) v The Young Bucks, AEW Tag Team Championship
Full Gear 2020
Total points: 156 (17 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
While nothing compared to the pre-match hype and years of subtle internet build this was a tremendous match that only sets up bigger matches in the long term.
Keep Up with Kayfabe – @KeepUpWithKFabe
A Dream Match 5 years in the making. Did it deliver on all the hype and expectations of fans around the world? The answer is yes. This match was a tribute to tag team wrestling, and it was a battle of two wrestling ideologies, a clash of styles, and it delivered in every single way. The very best match of the pandemic era of AEW.
Adil Mughal – @adilwarismughal
For 5 years there had been this debate of who the best tag team in the world is. And it was always between two teams. Young bucks and FTR (The Revival). When they finally met each other it was magic. A beautiful tribute to the history of tag team Wrestling. The contrast of styles gelled together so well.
Ashutosh – @RainmakerSZN
I believe this match was quite divisive at the time, but as a wrestling nerd I absolutely loved it. All of the call backs to great tag-teams of the past just made me smile, and the clash of styles worked as magnificently as the years of build-up promised. The amazing thing is that they probably have a better match left in them as well.
Dan Humphrey – Pre Wrestling Musings – @WrestlingRhymes
The build-up over the years to this match could have easily overshadowed the wrestling. It did not. No flips, just fists? Tell that to Cash Wheeler.
Mags – Five Rounds, A Change In Attitude & Radio Tekkers on Chairshot Radio – @PodfatherMags
8. Kenny Omega v PAC, Iron Man Match
Dynamite, 26.02.2020
Total points: 168 (19 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
An intense iron-man match that was a surprise match of the night. Pac and Kenny Omega already had amazing chemistry together. Their bout at All Out 2019 was a great replacement for the planned Moxley/Omega match, and it proved that there was still potential to tap into future match-ups. The storytelling in this match was fantastic and the action was perfectly paced. It was 30 minutes of fantastic wrestling and I recommend it to any fan looking to get into AEW. It is the best match in Dynamite history, in my opinion.
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
The conclusion of the feud between Omega and PAC took place in a fantastic 30 Minute Iron Man Match. This match had several memorable moments including PAC performing a Shooting Star Press to Omega who was laying on a table outside. PAC was a great despicable heel. He cut every corner possible to get the advantage over Omega. Omega was the valiant babyface who desperately fought back and overcame all of PAC’s antics. There was a lot of drama with the close near falls and the match going into overtime. There was never a dull moment in this match. One of the best TV matches I’ve ever seen.The conclusion of the feud between Omega and PAC took place in a fantastic 30 Minute Iron Man Match. This match had several memorable moments including PAC performing a Shooting Star Press to Omega who was laying on a table outside. PAC was a great despicable heel. He cut every corner possible to get the advantage over Omega. Omega was the valiant babyface who desperately fought back and overcame all of PAC’s antics. There was a lot of drama with the close near falls and the match going into overtime. There was never a dull moment in this match. One of the best TV matches I’ve ever seen.
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ In Strong Style on Social Suplex Podcast Network – @JeremyLDonovan
This was like the perfect Match to show someone to understand the modern day wrestling Match. These two nailed everything from the epic spots, to the pacing, to the brilliant kick outs, to psychology that was through the roof.
David Brill – @TheDaveFather
A perfect Iron Man Match. Ahead of his tag team match with Hangman Adam Page against The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega faces PAC to finally put an end to their long-standing rivalry. For the majority of the match the result is 1 – 1, thanks to PAC getting disqualified for using a chair on Omega and subsequently pin him the next point. The result remains the same until the end of the 30 minutes. During sudden death, something interesting happens. With his back against the wall, Kenny Omega, who has previously used his best friend’s move when times when his haven’t been working, hits PAC with a Kamigoye for a near fall. His current partner is Hangman Page, but the move he used is Kota Ibushi’s. This and the lack of Hangman at ringside to support his partner, while the Bucks, the two guys Kenny and Hangman are facing that Sunday are there to support their friend, symbolizes just how the tag champions are not focused and with their end somewhere else. In the end, Kenny Omega hits the One-Winged Angel and wins.
Daniele Cacciatore – @quasde09
7. Best Friends v Proud & Powerful, Parking Lot Brawl
Dynamite 10.09.2020
Total points: 170 (22 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
The Best Friends, Chuck Taylor, Trent, and Orange Cassidy, are no strangers to comedy, however, what makes them so popular with fans across the globe is their ability to deliver striking offence and obliterating finishing moves despite any notion of it not being ‘serious wrestling’. In this ‘Parking Lot’ match, anything in the parking lot could be used as a weapon, with no DQ, and a single pin needed to get the win. With weeks of build-up, giving the match a personal spin with the insult of Trent’s mother, nothing was off-limits. Splintering plywood boards, giant bins, real cars, and guard rails were all used throughout in brutal and innovative ways. One car was even completely destroyed hood, bonnet, and windscreen as decimated by different variations of violent bodily contact. Proving their point, nobody messes with Trent’s mum, the match came to an end after Cassidy popped out the boot of the car to deliver a throttling Orange Punch, which was then followed by double pile driver’s to Santana and Ortiz by Taylor and Trent for the win. To top it off, Sue drove them away post-match, but not without a middle finger out the window first. Utterly fun-filled and ridiculous violence that culminated in an iconic way – the pandemic presented many problems for AEW, but these teams had no problem delivering something totally entertaining and new despite it all.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
Def Jam Vendetta come to life. Santana and Ortiz have always brought the street-life persona, attitude, and move-set to their characters throughout their careers, but what they were able to pull from Trent and Chuck was some next level energy. This could have catered to more than just wrestling fans as the brawling felt real, authentic, and justified. Add in the greatest side-character of all-time (We Love You Sue!) and you’ve got yourself a match that deserved all the accolades it was given.
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
A backlot brawl done right. Brutal, creative and violent. Reminiscent of the early Smackdown games. Sue is a goddess in these streets.
Mags – Five Rounds, A Change In Attitude & Radio Tekkers on Chairshot Radio – @PodfatherMags
So far, what seems like the best kind of story AEW can tell is a face and heel fighting for respect. It is a theoretically simple approach but one so deeply sewn into the fabric of all sports that it is instantly understandable. The Best Friends and Proud and Powerful parking lot brawl was an outstanding resolution to a story like this, two groups looking to unpack their hatred of each other by proving not just who is the best but who is the toughest, too.
Brian – Wrestle Inn – @hey_brian
This match wouldn’t have felt out of place in the Attitude Era, and I mean that in the best way
This Is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
It will be rightly forgotten that this was a blow-off to a fairly terrible feud that had dragged on for ages. But when this is the denouement? Who cares! Funny at times and skin-blisteringly violent at others, it came out of nowhere and slammed everyone through a car door. Compared to NXT’s laughable attempts to do something similar with Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream, this showed which company had learned how to do cinematic matches.
Dan Humphrey – Pre Wrestling Musings – @WrestlingRhymes
6. Jon Moxley v Kenny Omega, Unsanctioned Lights Out Match
Full Gear 2019
Total points: 175 (20 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
This is high up on my list because I wanted Kenny to win so badly lol. Similar to the first place match it’s not I get seriously invested in the outcome of a rivalry quite like this. I saw this live too and Kenny and Mox didn’t disappoint. In the end, I wasn’t even as upset as I should have been. Kenny missing a phoenix splash on the hard exposed boards of the ring made it so he didn’t look weak in defeat. Only someone who lost by a hair and this tied into his later character arc too.
Greg Records – Grave Consequences Podcast – @xmauserratte
A violent masterpiece that used props and in-ring psychology to paint a nasty portrait of a long-awaited rivalry. I remember this match being pretty polarizing when it happened at Full Gear; some even dismissed it as “garbage hardcore wrestling” that “failed to tell a story”. But the story unravels when you look at the small touches placed in this match. The significance of Kenny saving the glass from the table dating back to the first episode of Dynamite, for example, emphasized Kenny’s tendency to hold grudges against the people who cross him, a trait he still carries well into his current character in AEW. This is a match that truly signified so much between Kenny and Moxley. Being there live, the crowd was super into it, wincing at every intense spot and constantly chanting “Holy Shit” and “Fight Forever”. Moxley wanted to give everyone true wrestling violence that no one had seen in decades, and based on the accolades and criticism the Lights Out match received, he absolutely accomplished this goal.
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
Just the idea of one of WWE’s biggest stars in the last five years clashing with THE biggest start not in WWE was enough of a draw for this match to work, but AEW had done a terrific job at building up a legitimate blood-thirsty feud between both men. Add in some weaponry, barbed wire, tacs, and you’ve got yourself a fight that lives in the same universe as Cactus Jack and Triple H from Rumble 2000.
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
This match is very controversial and polarising for obvious reasons, but I personally believe that this match is very misunderstood by the fans, and it wasn’t just about violence and spots. Jon Moxley & especially Kenny Omega told a fantastic story of Kenny’s fall from grace, his struggle to live up to his reputation, his struggle to become what he was supposed to since day one, calling his other half in desperation in the form of a Phenix Splash after not being able to beat his foe, and failing to do so in the end. Just incredible.
Adil Mughal – @adilwarismughal
When Jon Moxley came out on the first Dynamite and DDT’d Omega through the glass table you just knew they were going to have an epic rivalry. This match was violent but it set the tone of what AEW could be very early on.
Don Franc – LOP Forums – @donfranclop
5. The Young Bucks (c) v The Lucha Bros, AAA Tag Team Championship, Escalera De La Morte
All Out 2019
Total points: 186 (18 votes)
Highest rank: 1st
There is a time for psychology in wrestling, and there is a time for absolute non-stop, brain-melting bangers, and this was the best kind of the latter. Looking back it’s incredible that someone didn’t get horribly injured in this, but should it be surprising with four such incredible wrestlers involved?
Dan Humphrey – Pre Wrestling Musings – @WrestlingRhymes
One of the best ladder matches ever, full of amazing spots. The Destroyer from the ladder through a table… chefs kiss.
Mags – Five Rounds, A Change In Attitude & Radio Tekkers on Chairshot Radio – @PodfatherMags
Quite possibly the most insane ladder match I’ve seen on a grand stage, four absolutely mental lads carrying out crazy spots in a stunt fest like no other. To say this was an escalation from their previous effort would be putting it lightly! Including a spot never to be repeated, instead replayed every week on AEW Dynamite: a God damn Canadian Destroyer off the top of a ladder and through a table. JAYZUS. A moment of madness I’ll never forget.
The Implications – Wrestling Headlines – @TheDamnImplicat
Best tag team ladder match ever. These two teams have tremendous chemistry and pulled out all of the stops here.
Keep Up with Kayfabe – @KeepUpWithKFabe
The best ladder matches always use the ladders in the most creative way possible, making it like a third opponent in the ring. This match did just that. It was wildly fast paced and didn’t over stay its welcome. It just came in rocked our world and gave us the correct winners.
David Brill – @TheDaveFather
4. The Elite v The Inner Circle, Stadium Stampede
Double or Nothing 2020
Total points: 216 (22 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
2020 was the year of the cinematic matches. Due to the pandemic and lack of crowds promotions felt the pressure to be creative and provide fans with something unique. Most of the cinematic matches didn’t land for me. However, AEW knocked it out of the park with the Stadium Stampede. The Stadium Stampede was the perfect blend of wrestling, brawling, spots, and comedy. Everybody worked hard to make this a very memorable match. I know this is not a traditional wrestling match but I loved everything about it. This will be one of the highlights of the pandemic era of wrestling.
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ In Strong Style on Social Suplex Podcast Network – @JeremyLDonovan
In a history-changing pay-per-view this ‘Stadium Stampede’ entertained, elicited emotions, and delivered gasp-worthy moments in an unprecedented type of match. If unsure, the rules were as follows: falls count anywhere in the whole of the Daily’s Place Stadium (offices, amenities, and football pitch included) with no DQ. Together, they managed to show unseen magic, with situations that audiences could have dreamed of as children came true. Page galloping in for the recuse on a horse, Hardy going through his various iterations of characters whilst fighting in a pool, a bar fight with a quick celebratory milk and whisky toast, a death defying One-Winged Angel from stadiums seats at heights unknown: this wasn’t just a match, it was a high-end instalment of television that told the story of the physical rivalry between the fractured but positive ‘Elite’ and ever confident heel Inner Circle. Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, this match furthered narratives between each faction member, and between the two groups as a whole. And lest we forget, Omega and Hardy barrelling down the backstage area of Daily’s Place in a golf cart after a scampering Guevara? Simply iconic.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
Created during a time of world-wide chaos, the Stadium Stampede was an adrenaline shot of joy during a time where it was hard to smile. While AEW always advertised itself as the pro-rasslin company instead of the sports entertainment one, this was the perfect combination of both. All 10 men deserve praise for the concept, execution, and madness that followed. Special shout out to perhaps the greatest One-Winged Angel of all-time.
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
This came exactly when we needed it during the pandemic. A purely delightful match
This Is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
Just an absolute blast!! When I played with my wrestling figures as a child, I would have these crazy wild matches that would go all over my house. This match literally was like my childhood matches being played out in reality!
David Brill – @TheDaveFather
3. Britt Baker v Thunder Rosa, Unsanctioned Lights Out Match
Dynamite 17.03.2021
Total points: 236 (25 votes)
Highest rank: 1st
Britt Baker’s initial push in AEW was a busted flush. She wasn’t nearly as experienced as they wanted her to be, something that she freely admits and that the crowd sensed. By 2021 she had risen to the point of the division’s biggest star, but only just making a comeback to important TV matches following significant injury. In the meantime, building a feud quietly in the background with one of AEW’s most significant acquisitions, a symbol of their desire to spread their wings and work with other companies – the former NWA Women’s champion. Highlighting the faith that AEW as a company puts into Britt Baker as their soon to be (and at time of writing NEEEW) Women’s champion, as well as Thunder Rosa’s ability in ring, this violent, bloody match is a beacon for what an as yet underwhelming division will soon become. A growing limb of the company, behind the others sadly, but teeming with life. Soon to build upon genuine stars with incredible talent and a slew of younger assets who only need to garner the trust of management to end up on TV. This matchup was hope, at a time when the problems with AEW’s handling of its Women’s Division were at their most talked about. There were also like, some really sick spots (piledriver on stairs, powerbombs on tacks, reversing the Lock Jaw on tacks, a Thunder Driver through a table). Oh, and it spawned one of my favourite T-shirts.
Sam Roberts – NEARFALLS Media – @RCADE_Sam
History is covered in blood. While AEW has been rightly criticized for the issues with their women’s division the promotion has shifted not only towards the light, but towards the surface of the sun. Rosa and Baker had the “Big Fight Feel” ever since they first interacted, and it was only fitting for them to be the first women to headline an episode of television. No two competitors deserved the spotlight more.
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
With vibes similar to Cactus Jack vs HHH at WWE’s 2000 Royal Rumble, these women put their blood, sweat, and tears into this match in a story that was emotional and raw and everything we had been crying out for in AEW’s Women’s Division.
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
In the first Light’s Out match on AEW broadcast television, Baker came to clash with Rosa, known enemy for her, who had managed to anger Baker, a territorial alpha, seeing Rosa as an uninvited outsider. If unaware, a Lights Out match means that the lights go off and, and once back on, all rules are out the window. This match was violent, bloody, aggressive, and steaming with a heat that can only be omitted by two life-long rivals, audiences could not take their eyes off their screens. Baker ultimately lost, but the rub was huge, as fans were undoubtedly thrilled to see Baker thriving, and gave her an unexpected boost towards the title. Perhaps seemingly odd as Rosa was the winner, but she also came out established as a fierce competitor and had her legacy as representative for underdog’s across the globe stamped into history that day, levelling up the prestige of women’s wrestling scene for everyone.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
A long-awaited match that finally showed off the AEW Women’s division at its peak. What made this feel so meaningful to me was its main event slot on the Dynamite card. It symbolized the importance of Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa to AEW, two wrestlers I consider to be prominent to the division’s development in the last year. After months of AEW fans vocalizing their concerns about the lack of consistency and care put towards storytelling in the women’s division compared to other wrestlers in the company, Tony Khan answered everyone’s valid concerns with a women’s tournament, and this was the beginning of a rejuvenated optimism I’ve been happy to experience lately. The Lights Out match was the cherry on top, as I’d like to think it was symbolic of how much AEW trusts Thunder Rosa and especially Britt Baker as being company faces. Both wrestlers knocked it out of the ballpark with their performances and chemistry. By far, the best women’s match in AEW’s short history. I’m so ecstatic that it was successful.
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
This match is important, but also brutally entertaining
Sergei N. Alderman – Pro Wrestling Musings, Styles Make Fights – @SergeiAlderman
2. Cody v Dustin Rhodes
Double or Nothing 2019
Total points: 345 (28 votes)
Highest rank: 1st
It was the match that said “Ok, we’re AEW, and you’ve already seen all of the cool, acrobatic off-the-wall stuff we can offer, but in terms of storytelling and builds, THIS is what we’re about”. It was a match with a story that you just can’t write, it vindicated Dustin Rhodes as being much more than the ageing lower-card guy WWE were using him as, and it showed that AEW could do a dramatic, old-school influenced NWA-esque match just as well as they could do a Young Bucks/Lucha Bros style spotfest.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
No wrestling match I have ever seen has matched the pure emotion of this match. This was a match I was screaming for the WWE to do at a WM, but they dropped the ball. Dusty’s kids showed them all what they missed. Pure brilliance from top to bottom.
David Brill – @TheDaveFather
This is the best story that the company has told to date.
David Fenichel – Wrestling Headlines – @FFFightLeague
It was a match that the IWC had been clamouring for, for what seems like forever. The emotion from the get go, with Cody smashing up a throne in a fuck you HHH moment of symbolism, to the outstanding in ring work by both but most surprisingly Dustin. Then top that off with the addition of blood and a family embrace at the end. For me this was the perfect match to kickstart AEW’s upward trajectory.
Stuart Gosling – @Stu_Gosling
Brotherhood! Cody needs his brother dammit! AEW first bloody display and it was used to such emotional perfection, driving home the animosity between the two brothers of two different wrestling eras. As their wrestling beliefs came head to head with the fractured relationship. The first time AEW hit me with real emotion as Cody & Dustin hugged in the middle of the ring following this bloody war.
The Implications – Wrestling Headlines – @TheDamnImplicat
Emotional investment in a match is always the key to making it better than it can possibly be. Two brothers finally getting that stage to fight like they wanted to, to tell a story and the crowd ate it all up. Incredible stuff.
Ashutosh – @RainmakerSZN
A long-awaited, emotional bout which weaved the story of two brothers lost in the industry without each other. This was a dream match that exceeded the expectations rightfully set. Cody and Dustin developed their characters thoroughly to paint a meta portrait of their frustrations and insecurities. Living in the shadow of wrestling’s earlier years, Cody promised to “destroy” the Attitude Era with a mindset that symbolically represented what AEW stood for at its inception: a new era in professional wrestling, even going as far as destroying a replica of Triple H’s infamous throne. This match was a reset button for the wrestling industry, signifying that AEW would ensure its longevity as an alternative promotion.
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
The first five-star match in the company’s first PPV. As simple as brother vs brother if you watched very little of the YouTube output. As complicated as a difference of wrestling ideology, a determination from both to prove their visions of wrestling’s golden age were the most significant. Dustin broke out moves I’d have never expected from a 50-year-old. Cody did enough heel shtick for the live audience, but not so much he couldn’t pull it back in the post-match. Brandi on the outside acted as the perfect irritating second. An excellently well-crafted match. Undoubtedly, the defining moment of the match: Cody wiping a hand drenched in his brother’s blood, right across the tattoo bearing their father’s moniker.
Sam Roberts – NEARFALLS Media – @RCADE_Sam
My personal favourite wrestling match ever. I waited years for this match and it didn’t disappoint. It was perfect. One of few matches that I can genuinely say saved my interest in wrestling.
Gareth Ford-Elliot – Pro Wrestling Musings – @RHWGareth
1. Kenny Omega & Adam Page (c) v The Young Bucks, AEW Tag Team Championship
Revolution 2020
Total points: 398 (28 votes)
Highest rank: 1st
Greatest tag team match of all time.
Wrestling Wizard – @Wrasslinwizard
Just because it’s the easy choice, it doesn’t mean it’s not the right one. It’s the perfect distillation of the AEW tag team style: a melding of Southern tag team wrestling, NJPW style long term booking payoffs in the style of AJPW and NJPW, and PWG style indie spots – all combining to make one of the best tags of all time.
This Is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
An unparalleled epic of long-term storytelling, callbacks, and pure athleticism combined into one of the most engaging wrestling matches I have ever seen. It’s one thing for all 4 men to have history with each other; this boosted the potential for great storytelling going into this match. However, no one expected it to blow the roof of the Wintrust Arena off. As a stand-alone test of wits and athletic skill, it’s a breathtaking 30 minutes with perfect pacing. If you are a fan of The Elite, especially if you consistently follow the online show Being the Elite, the match was chock full of easter eggs and callbacks. I felt immensely rewarded for paying attention to these minor details throughout the years, and it added to the emotional intensity of this match. Out of all the wrestling matches that I have ever seen live over the years, this was, bar none, my favorite. I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the building for this match, and I consider it a personal badge of pride as a wrestling fan.
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
I absolutely loved this match! What an emotional rollercoaster this was! The story and build going into this match were great. It reminded me of the story that was told in the great feud between Golden Lovers and the Young Bucks. This time Omega was stuck between the Bucks and Hangman Page. Long time Elite fans like myself were rewarded with callbacks, classic signature moves, and references. The match was well-paced and had the fans in attendance sitting on the edge of their seat. This was a star-making performance for Hangman which helped him break out from the shadow of the Elite. This was an instant classic and one of the greatest tag team matches of all time.
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ In Strong Style on Social Suplex Podcast Network – @JeremyLDonovan
It really is just THE match. Between the hype package and the actual match itself, it’s the perfect thing to show anyone who wants to get into wrestling. Nuanced storytelling? Check. Off-the-chart acrobatics? Check. Hard-hitting action courtesy of a drunken cowboy? Check, check and check again, and it shows that there are stories you can tell in tag team wrestling that you just can’t tell in singles action. I’m not actually that much of a fan of three of the guys in this match and even I think it’s the best thing AEW have done, so yeah.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
As a fan who had only returned to wrestling in late 2018, the melodrama of this match was done appropriately. The Bucks and the overall Elite story arc has been talked down because of that particular word by detractors the entire time it’s been a part of AEW – but as a new fan to their world, it introduced me to the core elements of the story perfectly. All the interviews, the in-ring segments, every interaction was teeming with tension. The match itself delivered on that drama. Even coming into this match as someone who didn’t understand their entire history, I was made to understand each person’s position in the match – in the friendship – and how it progressed. Case and point: I did not know who Kota Ibushi was. I did not know about The Golden Lovers. I did not know about The Golden Trigger. But Omega bursting out at a one count, accompanied by the reaction of the live crowd for what has become my favourite PPV of all time, filled me with excitement. Those four words could describe the whole match.
Sam Roberts – NEARFALLS Media – @RCADE_Sam
The story telling was amazing, and it combined one of the best tag teams in the world with one of the best wrestlers in the world and one of wrestling’s brightest future stars.
Howard E. Schilling – @Howard_E_Schill
This is my favorite match of all time. There are callbacks to stories and matches years before, dazzling wrestling, and a kickout-at-one for an all time great crowd pop. Top tier wrestling from hands down superstars.
Brian – Wrestle Inn – @hey_brian
The psychology and the story telling in the match was some of the best I’ve ever seen. There were call backs and references to spots/matches and history that added some extra flavor for long time fans of the Elite from back when they were in NJPW. My favorite spot of the night was when Kenny kicked out at 1 after eating a Golden trigger. And the best part is Hangman was OVER. This was the rare match that made the jaded long term fans shout at the tv in excitement at the tv forgetting it’s predetermined.
Greg Records – Grave Consequences Podcast – @xmauserratte
This is everything I look for in a Wrestling match. Four amazing athletes putting on a breathtaking contest with Amazing Storytelling beats, an incredible crowd and emotions off the charts. My favourite tag team match of all time.
Ashutosh – @RainmakerSZN
Quite possibly not just the best AEW match, but Omega & Page vs the Bucks is arguably one of the best tag team matches EVER. One of the greatest stories ever told inside the squared-circle, and the match that cemented Adam Page as the next top guy. Absolutely phenomenal.
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
This match is so much. A story about a beautiful friendship and what can happen to that friendship if we don’t talk about our feelings to our friends. A story about insecurity, anxiety, sense of validation. I don’t have much to say regarding this match because it has all been said before. Kenny kicking out at one from the Golden Trigger is amazing and shows how the Bucks know that Kenny’s heart is still in Japan. While Hangman wins the match for his team with The One-Winged Angel, showing that even if he doesn’t show it and hasn’t let anybody in a few months, he trusts his partner enough to rely on his moves to win, something Kenny doesn’t do, as the match against PAC illustrated. Yes, he thought about turning on Kenny after the match, but so did Kenny himself and the Bucks towards Hangman. Every choice Hangman has made is influenced by his paranoia, the paranoia caused by his fear that he is not good enough. I think that in an environment like wrestling, and let’s say it, in a world like ours, where men are called weak if they show their feelings towards their friends, it’s great that AEW isn’t afraid to make of real men with real feelings, their main selling point.
Daniele Cacciatore – @quasde09
I honestly don’t think that the “Best Match in AEW history” is really up for debate. The storytelling in this match is absolutely unreal, the action is fast paced, and the drama is spine-tingling, it’s an emotional roller-coaster ride with so many layers and depth to it, it’s an all-time classic, and of the greatest matches in wrestling history, IMO.
Adil Mughal – @adilwarismughal
Despite how their prowess was rarely matched as singles stars, Omega and Page were bonded by their broken spirits and string of losses at AEW’s inception. Therefore, they found themselves unintentionally capturing the AEW tag team titles, and facing long time friends, The Young Bucks as their challengers. The match particularly stunned with its use of psychology, with moments such as when the Bucks attempted to end the match by administering the Golden☆Trigger to Omega, a finishing move dripping in emotional weight for the receiver – something the Bucks were well aware of. But the real insult to injury came from how the Bucks were on the cusp of debuting their own spin on the move, the BTE Trigger, which most likely evolved from how Kenny then reacted – kicking out at just the count of 1. This ascended his character’s motivations to win to new heights and leaving audiences mouths hanging open in the process.
Hangman equally ascended his character in this match, whether you knew his ‘role’ in the Elite or not, anyone watching could tell Page had come to the end of his patience with the Bucks and felt equally tested by Omega – but the win and the belt meant everything to Page, as his fractured ego was well aware how it was only his second-ever title. Throughout the match, he would begrudgingly tag in but then move with such aggression and force that the whacking great skin on skin thwacks of his strikes made audiences chests twitch with pain, allowing a glimpse into the anguished man inside. And so, Page went on to secure the winning pin with a double Buckshot Lariet, which he had yet to do during his and Omega’s tag team run. A staple in the psychology of this match again, Omega looked to congratulate the Bucks post-match, when Page briefly considered attacking Omega only to walk off arm around waist together. A small crumb in the eventual leaving of Page from the group. Utterly deserving of it’s No. 1 spot, this match put AEW in the history books as one of the greatest tag matches of all time.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
That wraps things up for the list. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to it, read it or commented on it. I think we have created something amazing here and I hope to continue with similar projects in the future.
I will simply leave you by asking, do you think we got it right? What would you have picked as the best match of AEW’s history?
Make sure you check out and follow everyone from the list below, they all contributed to this list and are excellent people to chat to about wrestling.
Adil Mughal – @adilwarismughal
Ashutosh – @RainmakerSZN
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
Brian – Wrestle Inn – @hey_brian
Brooklyn Ike – @Brooklyn_Ike
Caro – carotaro.com – @caro__taro
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
Dan Humphrey – Pre Wrestling Musings – @WrestlingRhymes
Daniele Cacciatore – @quasde09
David Brill – @TheDaveFather
David Fenichel – Wrestling Headlines – @FFFightLeague
Don Franc – LOP Forums – @donfranclop
Gareth Ford-Elliot – Pro Wrestling Musings – @RHWGareth
Greg Records – Grave Consequences Podcast – @xmauserratte
Howard E. Schilling – @Howard_E_Schill
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ In Strong Style on Social Suplex Podcast Network – @JeremyLDonovan
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
Keep Up with Kayfabe – @KeepUpWithKFabe
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
Mags – Five Rounds, A Change In Attitude & Radio Tekkers on Chairshot Radio – @PodfatherMags
Mizfan – LOP Forums – @SpectralGent
Patrick Feehan – @PatrickEireAew
Sam Brown (me) – Wrestling Headlines – @Sir_Samuel
Sam Roberts – NEARFALLS Media – @RCADE_Sam
Sergei N. Alderman – Pro Wrestling Musings, Styles Make Fights – @SergeiAlderman
Stuart Gosling – @Stu_Gosling
The Implications – Wrestling Headlines – @TheDamnImplicat
This Is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
Wrestling Wizard – @Wrasslinwizard
‘Young Boy’ Joshua Smith – Keepin’ In Strong Style on Social Suplex Podcast Network – @KIStrongStyle
