What is the best match in AEW history?
This is the question I set out to answer when I put together The Definitive AEW Match Guide last year. I reached out to a who’s who of AEW and wrestling commentators from across the Internet Wrestling Community to find out. The answer rolled in and I was able to reveal a definitive list of the top fifty matches to take place in an All Elite Wrestling ring between Double or Nothing 2019 and Double or Nothing 2021.
A year has now gone by, crowds have returned to shows, touring has begun again, new wrestlers have joined AEW and some have left, I even started a podcast reviewing the matches from the first volume of the list. However, one thing has stayed the same, AEW is a company that consistently produces exceptional pro-wrestling matches. So now it is my great pleasure to announce The Definitive AEW Match Guide Volume 2, a list of the top 50 matches to take place in AEW between Double or Nothing 2021 and Double or Nothing 2022.
As per last year, each of the 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.
The results that have rolled in are even more diverse than last year, 85 matches received votes across every show AEW produces be it PPV, Dynamite, Rampage, Battle of the Belts, Elevation or Dark and 11 matches earned number 1 rankings. It was also fantastic to see some of the contributors putting pen to paper about why they voted for who they voted for.
Now you get to see the results. Over the we’ve been counting down the top fifty AEW matches from its third year, The Definitive AEW Match Guide Vol 2, first matches 50 – 31, last week 30 – 11 and today we will reveal the top 10! You can read full commentary here and also tune into the AEW Match Guide Podcast for full analysis of the choices and some interesting facts and reflections with the list.
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50. Sting & Darby Allin v FTR, Dynamite September 22, 2021
49. Sting & Darby Allin v 2.0, Dynamite August 18, 2021
47. (tie) Miro v Lee Johnson, TNT Title, Dynamite August 4, 2021
47. (tie) Thunder Rosa v Nyla Rose, AEW Women’s Championship, Battle of the Belts April 15, 2022
46. Britt Baker v Riho, AEW Women’s Championship, Battle of the Belts January 8, 2022
45. Eddie Kingston v Daniel Garcia, Rampage November 24, 2021
43. (tie) Tag Team Battle Royale, Dynamite February 2, 2022
43. (tie) Yuka Sakasaki v Riho, Rampage May 4, 2022
42. Jon Moxley v Lance Archer, IWGP US Championship Texas Death Match, Dynamite July 21, 2021
41. Jamie Hayter v Toni Storm, Dynamite May 11, 2022
40. Miro v Bryan Danielson, Full Gear 2021
39. Thunder Rosa v Jade Cargill, Dynamite December 29, 2021
38. Darby Allin v Jeff Hardy, No DQ Match, Dynamite May 11, 2022
37. Andrade El Idolo v PAC, Rampage September 10, 2021
36. Kenny Omega v Christian Cage, AEW World Championship, Rampage August 13, 2021
35. Bryan Danielson v Dustin Rhodes, Dynamite October 23, 2021
34. The Bunny & Penelope Ford v Anna Jay & Tay Conti, Lights Out Match, Rampage December 31, 2021
33. Dustin Rhodes v CM Punk, Dynamite April 20, 2022
32. CM Punk & Jon Moxley v FTR, Dynamite February 9, 2022
31. Minoru Suzuki v Samoa Joe, ROH TV Title, Dynamite April 13, 2022
30. MJF v Sammy Guevara, Dynamite June 30, 2021
28. (tie) Adam Page v Adam Cole, AEW World Championship, Revolution 2022
28. (tie) Sammy Guevara v Darby Allin v Andrade El Idolo, TNT Title, Rampage March 4, 2022
27. Andrade El Idolo v PAC, Rampage October 16, 2021
26. Britt Baker v Thunder Rosa, AEW Women’s Championship, Steel Cage Match, Dynamite March 16, 2022
25. Adam Page v Lance Archer, AEW World Championship, Texas Death Match, Dynamite February 9, 2022
24. Dax Harwood v Cash Wheeler, Dynamite April 27, 2022
23. Adam Cole & The Young Bucks v Christian Cage & Jurrasic Express, Falls Count Anywhere, Full Gear 2021
22. Miro v Eddie Kingston, TNT Title, All Out 2021
21. Adam Page v Konosuke Takeshita, Dynamite May 18, 2022
20. Hikaru Shida v Serena Deeb, Dynamite October 27, 2021
19. Jurassic Express v The Young Bucks v reDRagon, AEW Tag Team Championship, Revolution 2022
18. The Super Elite v Adam Page & The Dark Order, Dynamite July 28, 2021
17. CM Punk v Darby Allin, All Out 2021
16. Bryan Danielson v Jon Moxley, Revolution 2022
15. CM Punk v MJF, Dynamite February 2022
14. Minoru Suzuki v Bryan Danielson, Rampage Buy-In, October 15, 2021
13. Darby Allin v MJF, Full Gear 2021
12. Chris Jericho v Eddie Kingston, Revolution 2022
11. Bryan Danielson v Eddie Kingston, Rampage October 27, 2021
10. Cody Rhodes (c) v Sammy Guevara (ic), TNT Title Unification Ladder Match
Dynamite, 26.01.2022
Total points: 159 (23 votes)
Highest rank: 3rd
Give me ladder match mayhem and I will give you all the stars! This is one with THAT ladder Springboard Cutter from Sammy, a truly special spot that was built upon really well for the TNT ladder sequel against Sky. Remembered for that one moment, but a match that was already a home run before they hit it. Only fitting that a match this good turned out to be Cody’s last hurrah in AEW.
Matt Maher AKA Imp – Wrestling Headlines – @TheDamnImplicat
Quite a number of AEW fans sought for Cody Rhodes to turn heel in 2021, thinking, swearing time and time again that it was going to happen. Yet it never did. For one night though, fans got that glimpse of the American Nightmare they had been clamoring for in a promo reminiscent of a version of Rhodes from a bygone era. Contract situation aside, this match was an amazing final showing for the grandson of a plumber. Fitting, for Cody and Sammy opened the first episode of Dynamite in 2019, and now they were there for the end of Cody’s time in the company.
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
Say what you will about Cody, but at least he knows that you’ve to go out of the territory “on your back.’ An all time ladder spot and a career highlight for an AEW founder and one it’s four pillars. The last great TNT championship match.
This is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
The rumors about Cody’s wrestling future were already swirling around, but these two focused on putting on a show in this Ladder Match to crown an undisputed TNT Champion. A super hot crowd and some all-time highlight reel spots make this one extra memorable.
Hustle – Wrestling Headlines – @HustleTheSavage
9. FTR v The Young Bucks, ROH Tag Titles
Dynamite, 06.04.2022
Total points: 181 (24 votes)
Highest rank: 2nd
When The Young Bucks vs. FTR was announced I was hyped, but I tempered my expectations and didn’t expect them to surpass their first match. Especially not in a simple TV match. I was wrong to do so, they went above and beyond in a match
Gareth Ford-Elliott – Pro Wrestling Musings – @Gareth_EW
Slightly over shadowed by a match the week before (against the Briscoes not in AEW but possibly match of the year) FTR comes back with another instant classic, showing why they are the top guys
Rich Bagu – @RaguJJ
This match followed the battle royal of all the main tag teams in AEW and in it we saw the Bucks eliminate FTR with (I believe it was) Dax emoting the most let down look on his face. The story telling for storylines involving Kenny, The Bucks, and/or Hangman have often had very subtle story beats and this was incorporated here. FTR felt dejected like they should have performed better. This led to a slow and gradual face turn for them and led us to this match between them and the Bucks. This was possibly their best match between the two. It lived up to the hype and had amazing call backs and spots throughout and went to the wire. As with the best matches at one point it had so many believable false finishes and ended with a satisfying defeat of the bucks. The only match you could have thought was better that week was the match FTR had with the Briscoes in ROH.
Greg Records – The Grave Consequences Podcast, Social Suplex – @xmauserratte
This was a clinic in the art of tag team wrestling. Both teams are at the tops of their games, and delivered a rudimentary classic.
Lizzy Flanagan – NEARFALLS Media – @lizzyxlucha
Their second encounter blew the first away. With the Bucks as heels the dynamic worked much better. These are the two best teams of the modern era (only the Lucha Bros are in the conversation with them) at their pinnacle.
Jeremiah Pond – @Rambones_Slampig
8. Jon Moxley v Wheeler Yuta
Rampage April 8, 2022
Total points: 220 (28 votes)
Highest rank: 3rd
The star of Yuta Wheeler has seemed undeniable since he first debuted on our television screens. Not only is he gifted in the athletic and technical wrestling department, he has this natural ability to connect with all audiences that watched. But as tension rose between him, Trent, and the Best Friends, Wheeler was ignited by a slap from William Regal in an effort to at least gain his respect. And it should be noted, the slap is exactly that. With this energy, before the bell even rang, Wheeler was possessed by an unhinged motivation as he catapulted himself into the fight at hand. Previously Mox has squashed a hesitant but enthused Wheeler in seconds. Now, even in the moments where Mox provided almost no escape, Wheeler kept finding a new wind for each for his comebacks. Kicking out not one but two DDT’s had people leaping from their seats, it’s simply an electric watch. More than anything in wrestling, the losses are what make characters who they are, and the dawn of each new wrestling future.The crowd, his persona, and most importantly, the eyes of William Regal were officially glued to him from then on. In this match, bathed in blood, an unforgettable new Wheeler Yuta was made.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
At the time I described Mox vs. Yuta as “perfect TV wrestling” and that’s exactly what it was. It was a super fun, expertly wrestled match which built an ongoing story whilst making a star in the process.
Gareth Ford-Elliott – Pro Wrestling Musings – @Gareth_EW
A star-making performance for Yuta, and no better person to bring that out of him than the Purveyor of Violence. Moxley has remained incredibly consistent since his departure from WWE, and the intensity he brings in every appearance is so rare that it’s hard to root against him. Yet on this night, Yuta matched him beat for beat. Blood for blood. He may not have gotten his hand raised in the end, but he won.
Joey G. – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
The advent of the Blackpool Combat Club was brought about with the notion of shining up fresher stars under the tutelage of three of wrestling’s biggest names. Like feral beasts, the hungry young lion in Yuta tore as hard as he could in the wild Moxley. This was the Yuta everyone knew from the independent scene, but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Wheeler ascended from the pool of blood spilling out of him, his presentation forever altered.
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
The Blackpool Combat Club is the best thing in all of wrestling, in my opinion. This is what wrestling should be in my view, it should be stories told through violence and conflict. Hell, wrestling is basically a shonen battle anime that you get to watch live. No wonder so many wrestling fans like Dragon Ball Z… But I digress. Ever since Moxley and Danielson joined forces with Regal, there was talk about making stars, and I think we all hoped it wouldn’t be long until they did so. Enter Wheeler Yuta. He’d been doing alright as a technically impressive pseudo-jobber as part of the Best Friends, but he was in danger of maybe being lost in the shuffle. Cue an attitude change and suddenly he’s front and centre in Regal’s crosshairs. After standing nose-to-nose with Regal after the latter slapped him in a rejection of Yuta’s show of respect, it’s safe to say that he’d had Regal’s curiosity, but now he had his attention.
Yuta put in a hell of a showing against Danielson, but ultimately came up short. Not one to back down, he then went into a match with Moxley, a beautiful display of fortitude and determination, again told through the medium of violence, to the point that Yuta was bleeding like the proverbial stuck pig. Not only did he kick out of both the Paradigm Shift (Fair enough) and the elevated Death Rider variant (MAYBE a step too far, but ok), but he refused to tap out to the Bulldog Choke which, alongside the bloody lengths he went to to stand up to Moxley, ultimately earned the BCC’s respect, and a spot alongside them. Star. Made.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
7. CM Punk v Eddie Kingston
Full Gear 2021
Total points: 229 (28 votes)
Highest rank: 3 x 1st votes
Built in an incredibly organic manner off the back of Eddie’s loss to Bryan Danielson, within seconds this felt like the most heated program in all wrestling despite it being between two figures beloved by the AEW crowd. The pair backed up the best promo segment of the year with an out-and-out fight at the PPV that only went for ten minutes but packed as much hate-filled action into it as any match in memory. These two may well be mates backstage but the grudge between them felt so genuine and in a master stroke has continued on even beyond this match. This was when CM Punk got out of the kiddie pool he was wading around in upon his return and into a proper wrestling feud. What a splash he made.
Sam Brown – AEW Match Guide Podcast – @Sir_Samuel
This is a story of two different perspectives. These two men had two different matches with each other at the same time. This match made me feel stuff. I like when matches do that. CM Punk is fighting to win. Eddie Kingston just wants to fight. Punk goes for the handshake because he still doesn’t get it. He thinks just because they had a match that their beef is squashed and they can be cool now. Punk is out of touch with Kingston’s perspective but he thinks Kingston is out of touch with his reality because wins don’t matter to him. The build to this was on-point and the match nailed every beat. There’s some great post-match footage as well that color it even deeper.
I know it’s a work but Eddie Kingston made me wanna see CM Punk get his teeth kicked in. I love that this match is so heated without a true heel/face dynamic. The match is all about perspective. There’s many layers in particular but I like to focus on how neither man is wrong but the viewer’s perspective changes what you see. Just like both guys have different perspectives. Kingston does not care about winning. He just wants to beat up Punk. Punk thinks that everyone can have their differences and if they settle it in the ring like men then everything is all good. The match is here. Punk is sporting shorts for the first time in AEW but what stands out to me is that they are white shorts. White is a blank canvas for color. These two proceed to have a clunky, awkward brawl. It’s so refreshing to see something like that. Most brawls nowadays are furniture rearrangement and just building to contrived spots. This match felt real in a way few can. I’d also like to point out something here that NOBODY seems to be getting. For those not aware this show is taking place 16 years to the day of Eddie Guerrero’s death in the same city in which he passed away. There were many tributes throughout the night but in this particular match the crowd was chanting ‘Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! ‘ for Kingston but as we’ve learned CM Punk is a self aggrandizing asshole who takes it upon himself to do an awkward tribute. This only causes Kingston to become more pissed off. The most over guy in the company, who many people were just happy he was back, was getting GENUINE boos by the end of the match, not in an ironic way but as a response to the person he decided to be in this fight. That is a testament to CM Punk to walk that line but also to Eddie Kingston to become that person that can have that raw emotional connection with a crowd. Truly masterful stuff.
As modern wrestling fans we often look for great matches and look for great booking but Eddie Kingston made us want him to win. Eddie Kingston was able to make wrestling the way it should be for 11 minutes and the result was one of the absolute greatest wrestling matches I have ever seen. Punk goes for a handshake after the match because the guy is so oblivious and in his own head that he misses the entire point. This ain’t over.
Darren R – @the_drrn
The best promos, the best build, the best pacing and structure, just incredible.
Mizfan – LOP Forums – @SpectralGent
The best way to watch this match is to go back and watch the promos and segments leading up to it so that you can completely feel the tension in there. When you’re invested there’s nothing better than this. This is just a raw war. I regularly say that Eddie Kingston is the realest wrestler that I have ever seen and there’s a reason for it. In this day and age he manages to blur the lines between kayfabe and reality and man it’s a cathartic experience when you experience that ride in its entirety. The spinning backfist to start the match as Eddie knocked Punk out was enough to convince me that it was going to be special. From that point it’s a fight. An unhinged brawl. This goes just 11 minutes there’s no unnecessary bloating whatsoever. A match that respects your time. The whole bout is a moment. Doing the five knuckle shuffle tease was amazing and it was a symbolic representation of how far we’ve come from 2011. It’s ugly. It’s messy. It’s purifying. Two weeks of great build up culminating in a match that only two of the best ever can deliver. One of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all time.
Ashutosh – Wrestle Purists – @AshLovedPuro
This is the match equivalent of Willem Dafoe in Boondock Saints screaming “THERE WAS A FIREFIGHT” and I am here for it. The second that we realised CM Punk and Eddie Kingston were heading for a collision course, I think we all knew we were going to see something special, especially in the promo department. Two A+ talkers absolutely ripping into each other became a weekly highlight, and by the time the bell rang, Eddie Kingston had done the impossible. He had taken CM Punk, the people’s hero, the man who finally came back to professional wrestling… and got him BOOED. As much as CM Punk may be the Voice of the Voiceless, Eddie Kingston is what happened when the Voiceless get a Voice, and that Voice is loud, caustic and infused with that New York spirit. Punk is the people’s hero, but Eddie is THE people’s hero. Sometimes, feuds like this run the risk of blowing the payoff, but nope, as I stated before, this was a straight-up fight of epic proportions. Both men played to their strengths wonderfully, brawling like all hell, and genuinely making me question at points whether Punk would actually win, a result that in hindsight was very obvious, but that’s the beauty of good pro wrestling.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
Hearing Punk get booed, as a face, only two months after returning to wrestling after 7 years away, against *Eddie Kingston* is the most surreal experience I’ve ever had as a pro wrestling fan. I’ve been a fan of Kingston for almost 10 years at this point, and this is the quintessential Eddie Kingston match. It’s an insane brawl that has unexpected moments of technical prowess, a righteously angry Eddie Kingston who doesn’t actually care if he wins, and an opponent he has a real grudge with. Eddie has the uncanny ability to make everything feel incredibly real, and even in the loss didn’t lose even an ounce of credibility. Punk doing Cena’s move-set for this match is absolutely incredible character work, and it really feels like the character of CM Punk *loathes* the crowd for booing him. The fact that his very next opponent, that he starts a feud with, is a guy he feels he could never be booed against in MJF is not lost on me. There’s a moment, right before the finish, when the crowd starts to really boo Punk while he’s in control, and he looks around like, “Wait, are you *actually* booing me? Against *this* guy!?” As if he thought they were just playing around prior to this. It’s a phenomenal character moment.
Mike Provencher – @RevilFox
6. CM Punk v MJF, Dog Collar Match
Revolution 2022
Total points: 281 (31 votes)
Highest rank: 2 x 1st votes
A match perfectly embedded within the fabric of wrestling history, and a great example of the long-view perspective AEW’s booking – a brutal fight calling on the ghosts of Piper, Brodie Lee *and* ROH CM Punk that gave mega heel MJF the greatest win of his career yet while setting up two of his biggest matches yet to come. The only question is: who will be AEW champion at the end of these intersecting stories between Punk, Max and Wardlow?
This is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
This battle can only be described as brilliant, violent poetry. After exchanging rousing promo’s over time, Punk was down a brutal loss in his hometown to MJF. Cheated out of a fair fight, Punk was constantly reaching to find the real Max. In this effort, he seemingly let himself get caught in a spider’s web, playing along, until the line was finally crossed after Punk’s heart strings were pulled and snapped by MJF’s manipulative display of faux vulnerability. Punk’s response to being toyed with so viciously was to revisit the scars of his ROH past and turn to something that provided no escape and guaranteed violence, it was time for a dog collar match. Despite MJF cowering in the corner as Punk made his way to the ring, he nonetheless went in for the attack and revelled in its brutality. However, in MJF’s mountains of smug offence, beaten and covering blood, sweat, and tears, when MJF crushed down on Punk’s chest to tell him to quit, Punk breathlessly uttered into the mic ‘eat shit Max’ and the found the resilience to turn the tables from then on out. The ultimate payoff came when Wardlow ‘forgot’ the almighty diamond ring that packed a knockout punch. In the end, MJF cost himself the loss and the satisfaction level for this feud reached an all-time high, catapulting Punk into the title belt scene. A wonderfully violent ending to a deeply personal and dramatic feud, a new ruthless CM Punk was unlocked.
It should be noted, the only other dog collar match in AEW has been between Cody and Brodie Lee. These sit together beautifully in the deep driven narratives of AEW history and continues to bestow this stipulation with great honor.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
Violence in wrestling matches is somewhat controversial. Many adore it, many think it has no place in wrestling, many others think it should be contextualized and earned. While I, myself always love violence in my wrestling, when it is treated with the proper gravitas and relevance it would have, if wrestling were true, I think it’s even better. It’s the case for the dog collar match between CM Punk and MJF. A blood feud built on vengeance. A kid who looked up to CM Punk and felt betrayed, when The Best in The World left Professional Wrestling (or Sports Entertainment) in 2014. And even after Punk came to know about the truth behind MJF’s hate for the Chicago born and tried to make amends, MJF didn’t want to hear it and kept nurturing his disdain for Punk. The Dog Collar is the only logical solution for a bullied, turned bully, who fancies himself Piper in Portland, as CM Punk so elegantly puts it. Every punch, every move, every spot, every drop of blood in this match is earned, through incredible storytelling that span off for 4 months. My favorite spot being the war to maintain the equilibrium and not fall onto the thumbtacks. Never have I seen a better use of these objects. Fatal to Punk’s success in the end, is MJF’s lackey, Wardlow, who proves to be much more than that, and doesn’t hand the *beautiful* Diamond Ring to MJF, but instead gifts it to Punk, who uses it for the win. Bullies never win.
Daniele – @quasde09
Honestly, what more could you ever ask for? An excellent build with reality-based promos that paid homage to wrestling’s history? Check. A deep story that made you re-analyse everything you ever thought you knew about the characters? Check. A stipulation worthy of the hatred these two felt for each other? Big ol’ check. And the entrances. Not only did we finally get MJF doing the Punk bait ‘n switch, but we got something that made my cold, dead, emo heart warm up, as Punk came out to AFI’s “Miseria Cantare: A New Beginning” in his old ROH gear, every inch the man that MJF once looked up to, mocking his fandom, but at the same time making you wonder whether Punk was trying to prove to MJF that he was still that guy deep down, as opposed to the PG sell-out coward MJF had proclaimed him to be.
And then the match. Chef’s kiss. It was violent, it was methodical, it was downright cathartic. We’d NEVER seen MJF subjected to this level of violence before. Finally, the chickens were coming home to roost. And no chicken did roost more than Wardlow coming down to the ring, and cementing his stellar face turn by giving the Dynamite Diamond Ring to Punk to use against his soon-to-be former employer. If Cody vs Dustin at Double or Nothing 2019 was the perfect AEW story of two people fighting each other and finding common ground, this is it’s perfect mirror reflection of two people fighting each other out of pure hatred. This is my favourite wrestling storyline of all time, and boy, they stuck the landing. This IS wrestling.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
A great end to one of the best feuds in AEW history. Awesome psychology and selling throughout, and plenty of blood to satisfy the little deathmatch gremlin inside of me. Awesome stuff. I don’t know if we’ll see these two tangle in the ring again considering Punk’s age and all of the strange happenings surrounding MJF at present, but it did exactly what it set out to do, and was worthy of the gimmick.
Daisy – Triple Friends Podcast – @boutmachines
5. Adam Page (c) v Bryan Danielson, AEW World Heavyweight Championship
Dynamite, 05.01.2022
Total points: 283 (28 votes)
Highest rank: 2 x 1st votes
They say the sequel is never as good as the original, and while they may be right most of the time, this match certainly extends the argument that it is not an all-inclusive statement. When Bryan Danielson and Hangman Page collided in a rematch for the AEW World Championship a mere three weeks after their first epic encounter culminated in a 60 minute time limit draw, expectations were certainly high. On Dynamite’s debut on TBS, this bout opened the show to athunderous ovation. This time around fans would be assured of a winner as it was announced that should the match reach the time limit, a panel of judges would render their decision and award the AEW World Championship accordingly. It was clear from the opening bell that the gameplan for both men had changed. In the first encounter, Danielson was content to toy with the Champion, but this time around it was clear that there was more fire and desperation in the challenger who showed a sense of urgency he hadn’t in the first encounter.
Meanwhile, Hangman Page was determined to prove he was no fluke Champion – this time around he was focused on one thing – defeating his challenger in a decisive fashion. At one point, Danielson had been beaten so mercilessly and bloody that when Hangman attempted to hit the Buckshot Lariat, the American Dragon simply crumpled to the mat due to blood loss and exhaustion, narrowly escaping what would have been certain disaster. Hangman had a moment of weakness which allowe dBryan to roll up the Champion for a two count and then apply the LeBell lock, but unlike the first encounter, this time Hangman would power out of the hold. The two men traded vicious headbutts, further cementing the idea that both had reached a new level and would go to greater lengths to prove their superiority. The end came the only way it could, with Hangman delivering the Buckshot Lariat to a beaten Danielson, and with plenty of time left on the clock on this occasion, Hangman covered the American Drtagon and secured the three count. Bryan Danielson would walk away a beaten man, but one that had a renewed view on the ocean he was now swimming in. The American Dragon would adjust and come back stronger next time. Meanwhile the AEW World Champion stood alone at the top of the mountain, having proved to the world; and perhaps moreso to himself; that he truly belonged and that he was no fluke titleholder.
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
Fantastic match, nearly as good as their first meeting.
Dan Coffin – Social Suplex – @coffin_dan
After their classic three weeks earlier, both “Hangman” and the “American Dragon” had big shoes to fill here, but they were able to do it and do it quite easily.
Hustle – Wrestling Headlines – @HustleTheSavage
AEW loves to play with your expectations: after their hour long draw weeks prior elicited the need for ringside judges (a Jerry Lynn sighting!), Page and Danielson speed ran through their hard hitting main event, making sure that the Hangman’s win, clean in the center of the ring after a blood splattered Buckshot Lariat, would cement his status as THE MAN in AEW.
This is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
4. Adam Page (c) v Bryan Danielson, AEW World Heavyweight Championship
Dynamite, 15.12.2021
Total points: 356 (29 votes)
Highest rank: 4 x 1st votes
The greatest non-ppv match ever broadcast live in the US. I was riveted for 60 min, and at the time limit was begging for more. The peak of Professional Wrestling over the past year.
Dan Coffin – Social Suplex – @coffin_dan
This match was the making of Hangman Page as a champion. After being solely focused on finally overcoming Kenny Omega for a whole year he suddenly had a championship to defend and standing across the ring from him was one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time, a man who had been a champion in every company he had been in and a man who had taken pleasure in running through Page’s Dark Order support like a knife through butter.
Danielson wrestled early exactly like the champion he was, supremely skilled and with a confidence that often crossed into outright arrogance as he wasted time showing off. However, the genius of the match would kick in when Danielson began to realise he had underestimated Page and discovered just how deep the champion was willing to go. Suddenly the time that had been on The American Dragon’s side became his enemy and the heart of Hangman started to shin through. The final half an hour was then wrestled at an ever-escalating pace as both wrestlers fought through fatigue and tried desperately to put their highly skilled opponent away.
Two of the very best anywhere in the world putting together a legacy-enhancing performance that reveals more details every time it is rewatched.
Sam Brown – AEW Match Guide Podcast – @Sir_Samuel
This was a dream match which delivered in every aspect. Could this be the greatest match in Dynamite history? That’s definitely a huge call but the argument can be made. These men fought to a draw in an exasperating affair and proved that Hangman Page could hang with the best.
Don Franc – LOP Forums – @donfrancLOP
When Bryan Danielson won the tournament to challenge for the AEW World Championship, and Adam Page won the AEW World Championship on the same show, many fans were drooling over the idea of seeing Hangman face off with the American Dragon for the AEW World Championship. When it was announced that their encounter would take place at the Winter is Coming Dynamite special, fans rejoiced but couldn’t help feel like perhaps Hangman’s time as Champion would be shorter than any other AEW World Champion in history. When the bout opened the show, it would be safe to assume that most fans watching and in attendance assumed the match was destined to run the distance and finish in a 60-minute draw, and after some spots of stalling early on, their thoughts only grew stronger. What followed was a spectacular bout that had even the fans doubting themselves and sitting on the edge of their seats. The rematch would be epic, but this match solidified Hangman Page as a gutsy fighting Champion who wouldn’t back down from any sort of challenge.
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
So much has already been said about this match, and it’s pretty astounding that we got this on LIVE TV. In Hangman’s first title defense, he not only defended the title against Danielson (albeit due to a draw), but also elevated his stock in the main event. This was the first in a long string of successful title defenses that proved how far Hangman had come in the professional wrestling scene. Bryan Danielson was also protected in this match too; a loss never took away from his star power. Strong storytelling was present here too. At first, Danielson was unfazed by everything Hangman threw at him, jokingly throwing everything off as a light warmup. Gradually, we see Hangman’s vengeance develop, exploding with tenacity after 30 minutes of fighting. Like with Omega v Danielson, I don’t think the story is over between these two is over either, despite fighting a second time nearly a month later.
Caro – Wrestle Inn – @caro__taro
Put the exact same match on PPV and it’s my MOTY, but setting and moment matter to how I rank and file wrestling lore. The best TV match I’ve seen in years. Legendary. One of AEW’s truly all-timers right now, full stop, won’t budge an inch as the years go by.
‘The Doc’ Chad Matthews – The Doc Says Podcast
3. Kenny Omega (c) v Adam Page, AEW World Heavyweight Championship
Full Gear 2021
Total points: 380 (34 votes)
Highest rank: 7 x 1st votes
I have been invested in many wrestling stories over the years, but only 3 have made me emotionally invested to the point where I shed a tear at some point during the build: Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker 2, The Golden Lovers, and Hangman Page’s acclaimed climb to the top. This match was the climax of 2 years of storytelling that AEW had built up since the promotion’s infancy. And personally, I think it’s the best story told in a wrestling promotion in the last 5 years. We all knew that Hangman was going to win the title from Kenny Omega, but sometimes the destination doesn’t matter in a wrestling match.
The journey to this Full Gear main event was shocking, bittersweet, and hopeful, and this match tugged on those exact emotional strings. There was still a tiny part of me that believed Kenny still had a chance to retain his title, and this small hinge of uncertainty maintained the unpredictable nature that was in the air. Everything about this match was perfect from start to finish, and I popped for Hangman performing the OWA on Omega, a spot that I had been waiting to appear again since Revolution 2020. All the accolades are well-deserved. Not many wrestling stories end on a high-note, from start to finish, and I’m delighted this was one of the few that did.
Caro – Wrestle Inn – @caro__taro
The culmination of nearly three years (or six, depending on your point of view) of storylines was a cathartic, emotionally satisfying epic. You knew what was coming, and it didn’t matter. And isn’t that wrestling at it’s finest? The most wholesome group hug in wrestling history (Sorry, Kliq).
This is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
Uncomparable, this match is the result of AEW’s first long-running storyline, and boy did it deliver. Where Hangman’s prematch VT showed him now able to simply ride on his horse past the haunting visages of his past failures, Kenny came to the ring to be confronted with his past by a sign that read ‘What would Kota think?’. Where Hangman had healed, this reminded us how refractions of broken hearts and unhealed scars were untreated in Omega ever since his tag team break-up with Ibushi. Hangman had even called out the mess in their bloody contract signing promo, and it felt like all signs pointed to Omega’s downfall – with his one and only belt left, Omega truly had everything to lose.
Hangman, his shame resolved, dug deep into different innovative moves; spring board liger bomb, to an avalanche block buster, to even removing the ring post camera to perform a gravity defying lariat off the ring post. As all this happened, Omega’s only escape seemed to be Don’s constant opportunity to interfere, a reminder Kenny is always a sum of his toxic parts in an effort to fill a devoid gap inside himself. To no surprise, the Young Buck came out, but their faces swam with sadness as they almost waddled, ice packed strapped to their backs, and a choice was made to free themselves and Kenny on the path of ultimate destruction. Hangman had once begged the Young Bucks to back him and be in his corner, but they refused and noted they only ever seconded Kenny. Matt was poised to grab his foot much like Nick did in Kenny and Adam’s title elimination match the year prior, and much like Hangman did to them on the night of their first tag belt match against FTR, but didn’t. The Buckshot landed and a new era began. Importantly, Hangman refused a beer in his celebration as the Dark Order came out to celebrate, the devoid gap inside Hangman was instead no more, and the arch was complete
Minds were cast back to their infamous G1 meeting – Hangman was dominated by Kenny and took a V-Trigger so brutal he couldn’t even remember half the match. No doubt now he, and everyone who watched, will never forget this.
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
It’s the culmination of the best story in AEW history to this point. The shot of Hangman passing on the beer to embrace Dark Order post match is the cherry on top.
Howard Shilling – @Howard_E_Schill
This match was the culmination of a years+ storyline about one man overcoming his demons and self doubt to rise to the top and defeat the top guy in the promotion. They spent so much time subtly playing up Kenny and Hangman’s rise as tag team champs and implosion when Hangman’s demons cost them everything. He lost his friends and his belt and found himself alone until the Dark Order came by and helped him dust himself off with the support and wisdom needed to become champion.
Greg Records – The Grave Consequences Podcast, Social Suplex – @xmauserratte
The crowning of Hangman Adam Page as AEW world champion has been in the works since the company launched back in 2019, and the moment felt worthy of the journey. When Page returned on Dynamite to win the title opportunity at Full Gear he received one of the biggest pops in AEW’s short history, proving that the one mission had been completed…make Page the ultimate babyface in his showdown with Kenny Omega. The match was as excellent as one could imagine from these two, and is only elevated further when you realize that Omega was restricted due to lingering injuries. Hangman’s run as world champ may be over, but that journey towards his first reign will never be forgotten.
Joey G. – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
Culmination of *THE* story AEW has been telling since their inception. Expectations going into this were like Okada/Omega which were very unrealistic and set a bar this match was never destined to reach. This didn’t need to be anything other than what it was. Kenny and Hangman didn’t have to go out of their way to tell a fantastic story. Their story was already fantastic and in this match, they just had to tell the right one. Hangman needed to look his most confident self here and the way to tell that story was just not let him show many emotions. One emphatic “Is that all you got mf*r” was enough to sum Hangman up as of this match. My personal MOTY of 2021.
Wrestling Wizard – @wrasslinwizard
2. The Young Bucks (c) v The Lucha Bros, AEW Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match
All Out 2021
Total points: 403 (33 votes)
Highest rank: 8 x 1st votes
Every time I watch the Young Bucks and the Lucha Bros wrestle they find a way to blow my mind. This All Out steel cage match was incredible. It was refreshing to watch a cage match where the participants weren’t trying to run out of the cage. Instead, they just wanted to beat the crap out of each other. There were so many great spots and double team moves in this match. I popped for the return of the infamous shoe full of thumbtacks which left Penta a bloody mess. I’ll never forget Fenix’s insane Crossbody off the top of the cage. This is easily one of the best cage matches I’ve seen in my 30 years of watching wrestling.
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ It Strong Style, Social Suplex – @JeremyLDonovan
Much like their Ladder Match in 2019, this 5-star classic sequel combined the awesome elements of its gimmick, dazzling physical aesthetics, and top notch pro wrestling storytelling to become one of truly great matches of the last decade. Tough thing to top in a competition like Match of the Year.
‘The Doc’ Chad Matthews – The Doc Says Podcast
When these teams square off, you can pretty much set the bar at four stars, then just wait and see how much higher they go than that. They have otherworldly in-ring chemistry together, and the emotion was off the charts here.
Hustle – Wrestling Headlines – @HustleTheSavage
There are wrestlers who have great chemistry, and then there are wrestlers who are so good at bringing the best out of each other that it never gets tiring watching them fight over and over again. The Young Bucks and the Lucha Bros are athletic twin flames, They are soulmates that somehow, in some way, one-up their previous matches. Going into All Out, I was certain that both tag teams would deliver my match of the night, but I never expected that accolade to come with innovating the fundamental landscape of the steel cage match. This was a violent brawl where both teams exemplified the love they share for tag team wrestling. The Lucha Bros’ entrance pumped the whole crowd up, and we practically chanted “Zero Miedo” every chance we could. It was a thrilling match to watch live. Compatible chemistry like this comes once in a generation. I am immensely blessed that the Bucks and the Lucha Bros are able to share this.
Caro – Wrestle Inn – @caro__taro
This is easily one of the best cage matches I’ve ever seen, and will probably (understandably) top a lot of people’s lists. The storyline surrounding the match wasn’t super strong, but as a match all on its own it is right up there with anything else. Mikey Ruckas is the unsung MVP of AEW, and I’m happy to say this performance is my favorite entrance so far for the company. Also Nick Jackson is undefeated when it comes to heel facial hair. This match is fast-paced, brutal, and emotional. I never thought I’d see the tumb-tack shoes again, but I’m glad to say I was wrong.
Mike Provencher – @RevilFox
Disclaimer: I’m not a Young Bucks fan. I also prefer Pentagon Jr and Fenix as singles performers. I also am not crazy on overbooked spotfests with convoluted weapon setups, or contrived sequences of moves, though I do think the Bucks get too much bad faith flack for that. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, this is my favourite cage match of all time. This match is the match that broke my brain. Despite all my preconceived tastes, I loved every second of this mad concoction of apron piledrivers and thumbtack-covered Jordans.
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
The greatest cage match of all time.
Dan Coffin – Social Suplex – @coffin_dan
1. Kenny Omega v Bryan Danielson
Dynamite Grand Slam, 22.09.2022
Total points: 484 (37 votes)
Highest rank: 12 x 1st votes
For me, this is the best AEW singles match of all time. It perfectly encapsulates the dreamland all fans had envisioned when AEW was conceived. The best wrestler in WWE vs. the best wrestler in New Japan (arguably). They left a lot on the table, this isn’t the greatest match of all time and it’s definitely the best these two can do. But it is still the definition of “elite”.
Gareth Ford-Elliott – Pro Wrestling Musings – @Gareth_EW
This felt like one of the biggest matches of all time. Legendary. Kenny and Bryan’s thirty-minute fight felt like deities from different mythologies clashing, leaving the wrestling world without breath, but leaving an indelible mark on what we’d ever thought possible.
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
The setting. The event. The anticipation. The anticipation. The dream match. All of this coupled together made Kenny Omega vs Bryan Danielson from Grand Slam such a special match. From the moment Bryan Danielson arrived in AEW just a few weeks earlier the mood changed. His first match in the company being against the AEW World Champion in a Non-Title Match at Grand Slam was a monumental deal. It didn’t take long for fans to realize that the man who would point to the sky and shout “YES!” was gone and in his place was one badass wrestler who just enjoyed kicking people’s heads in. Meanwhile, the Best Bout Machine was on his game and competed in one of the best TV matches in wrestling history.
The idea that this match could go either way helped keep the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout. It looked like things might turn in Danielson’s favour when he applied the Cattle Mutilation but Omega barely forced a break by making the ropes. Shortly thereafter when Omega backed up the ramp to charge at a reeling Danielson and connect with a vicious V-Trigger, many thought that the American Dragon was finished. Soon after, in one of the sickest moves ever witnessed, Omega drilled Danielson with a top rope dragon suplex that still lives rent-free in the heads of many fans. When Omega missed his Phoenix Splash, allowing Bryan to regain control and drill the Champ with stiff shots, fans anticipated that the tide had turned once more and when the Dragon locked in the LeBell lock, fans were certain they were about to see the Champion submit. Moments later when the bell rang and it was announced the time limit had expired, the fans finally exhaled for the first time in 30 minutes. 98 times out of 100, fans will feel cheated by a draw, but not only did this one make sense, it was the most satisfying time limit draw many had ever witnessed and served to only make people hungrier for a rematch. When you have two of the best to ever set foot in a wrestling ring square off, the result is one of the best wrestling matches one could ever hope to witness. A pure masterpiece.
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
The dream match between two of their generation’s greatest in-ring talents. It someone surpassed all expectations! They had the crowd eating out of their hands. Every move mattered. They hit so many big spots that the crowd just had to give in and respect them both! Just a masterpiece.
David – @TheDavefather
A beautiful venue, brand new to the sport of professional wrestling. A giant AEW crowd full of rabid fans. Two of the greatest in-ring workers of this generation. Just a fantastic match from start to finish, so much so that a Time Limit Draw did absolutely nothing to take away from the overall rating, as it might in a lot of other situations.
Hustle – Wrestling Headlines – @HustleTheSavage
Standing ovation before they ever locked up, time limit draw, old school rasslin
Ted Hill – The Heel Truth Podcast – @HillbillyHeel
When I put this match as my favorite of 2021 for another site’s project, I described it as a love story to 2010s wrestling. Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson: two of the most important wrestlers of the modern era, who had last clashed in the independent scene over a decade prior to their Grand Slam bout. One took the Japanese professional wrestling scene by storm, amplifying New Japan’s international reach to a wide audience. The other took his talents to the largest wrestling promotion in the world and proved that great, high-quality matches can still happen in a company that had been struggling with its creative. This match was a clash of those two different worlds that both changed wrestling for the both in the 2010s. From Omega’s long-distanced sprinted V-Trigger to Danielson’s unforgiving physicality, this match was a war. 30 minutes of storied wrestling, culminating in a draw. The story between these two is far from over, and I highly anticipate that this will continue should Omega return from rehabbing his injuries.
Caro – Wrestle Inn – @caro__taro
I was 1 of the 20k+ in attendance at Ashe Stadium over in Queens. I don’t attend many live wrestling events, but this 1 was memorable. I got a chance to see Sting, a guy I rooted for since I was an elementary school kid in the 80s. I was also pleased to see Danielson live. A wrestler I caught my 1st glimpse of in the early 2000s via vhs tapes. He and Kenny Omega put on an excellent showcase in front of a loud and excited crowd.
Brooklyn Ike – @Brooklyn_Ike
Close to wrestling perfection with two living legends at a historic venue. I’ll remember this one for the rest of my life for the spectacle it was.
Daisy – Triple Friends Podcast – @boutmachines
This match served as the formal reintroduction of Bryan Danielson to the world of pro wrestling. It was hard-hitting, technical, and brutal from start to finish. It’s a timeless match between two generational athletes.
Lizzy Flanagan – NEARFALLS Media – @lizzyxlucha
While the match does have exhibition vibes to it, the match is still a fantastic match. Just watch the crowd at the start and the combatants, Danielson is smiling and confident, Omega is nervous. It tells both wrestlers psychology going into the match. Danielson has nothing to lose. Omega has his reputation on the line if not his title. This makes the match what it is.
Peter Edge – Pro Wrestling Musings – @PeterEdge7
“Sweet dreams are made of this” (Eurythmics) comes to mind. In his AEW debut we go straight to a dream match. In maybe the best 30 minute draw you will ever see these two never stopped. And was an incredible welcome to AEW for “The American Dragon”
Rich Bagu – @RaguJJ
That wraps things up for this year’s list. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to it, read it or commented on it. If you enjoyed the list make sure you check out my podcast the AEW Match Guide Podcast where a guest and I break down and discuss the matches that appeared in this and the original Match Guide.
I will simply leave you now by asking, do you think we got it right? What would you have picked as the best match of AEW’s history?
Also a huge thanks to all the people who contributed to this project, you can find all of us below.
Arpit Arsh – @arpitarshhh
Ashutosh – Wrestle Purists – @AshLovedPuro
Brad White – @elmuchacho101
Brooklyn Ike – @Brooklyn_Ike
Caro – Wrestle Inn – @caro__taro
‘The Doc’ Chad Matthews – The Doc Says Podcast
Corey Michaels – Wrestle Inn – @coreymacdazzle
Craig – Pro Wrestling Musings – @craigpwmusings
Daisy – Triple Friends Podcast – @boutmachines
Dan Coffin – Social Suplex – @coffin_dan
Daniel Humphrey – Pro Wrestling Musings – @WrestlingRhymes
Daniele – @quasde09
Darren R – @the_drrn
David – @TheDavefather
Don Franc – LOP Forums – @donfrancLOP
Gareth Ford-Elliott – Pro Wrestling Musings & Eno Wrestling – @Gareth_EW
Greg Records – The Grave Consequences Podcast, Social Suplex – @xmauserratte
Gregory M. Guity – Greggie’s Got Ideas – @WriterComicNYer
Howard Shilling – @Howard_E_Schill
Hustle – Wrestling Headlines – @HustleTheSavage
Jame Boyd – One Nation Radio, Social Suplex – @Jamesboyd87
Jeremiah Pond – @Rambones_Slampig
Jeremy Donovan – Keepin’ It Strong Style, Social Suplex – @JeremyLDonovan
Joe – The White Hot Tag Podcast – @InsideTheMark_
Joey G – Wrestling Headlines – @TheLuchaJoe
KMA Jackson – @KMA_Jackson
Libby Cadman – Wrestle Inn – @Libby_Cadman
Lizzy Flanagan – NEARFALLS Media – @lizzyxlucha
Maddie – @watnowmaddie
Matt Maher AKA Imp – Wrestling Headlines – @TheDamnImplicat
Mike Provencher – @RevilFox
Mizfan – LOP Forums – @SpectralGent
Muhammad Bilal Badar – @oreganojackson
Patrick Feehanm – @PatrickEireWres
Peter Edge – Pro Wrestling Musings – @PeterEdge7
Rich Bagu – @RaguJJ
Sam Brown – AEW Match Guide Podcast, Social Suplex – @Sir_Samuel
Sam Roberts – NEARFALLS Media – @QuantumRoberts
Sergi Alderman – Pro Wrestling Musings, Styles Make Fights – @SergeiAlderman
Ted Hill – The Heel Truth Podcast – @HillbillyHeel
This is Awesome? Podcast – @TIAPOD
Warren Hayes – The Warren Hayes Show – @MrWarrenHayes
Wrestling Wizard – @wrasslinwizard
