Top 10 greatest AEW matches so far

AEW is slowly approaching three years since the fledgling promotion's start. All Elite Wrestling has brought a significant amount of buzz to the wrestling landscape. Their momentum is at an all-time high right now following the signings of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole in the past two months.

Whether it be on AEW Dynamite, Rampage or their pay-per-views, the company has delivered a level of quality that hasn't been seen in the business on a mainstream level outside of WWE in 20 years. Not only have storylines and angles produced some magical moments, but their matches have been among the very best in the industry.

With the AEW Dynamite Second Anniversary on the horizon, now is the perfect time to remember all of the classics that All Elite Wrestling has delivered to the fans. In this article, let's take a look at the ten greatest AEW matches so far.

Honorable mentions:

• The Elite & Matt Hardy vs. The Inner Circle (Stadium Stampede Match) - AEW Double Or Nothing 2020
• Rey Fenix vs. Nick Jackson - AEW Dynamite 11/20/2019
• The Young Bucks vs. PAC & Rey Fenix for the AEW World Tag Team Championships - AEW Dynamite 4/24/2021

---

#10. Best Friends vs. Santana & Ortiz in a Parking Lot Fight - AEW Dynamite 9/16/2020

The rivalry between Best Friends and Proud N Powerful was probably one of the most underrated in AEW since its inception. The two tag teams went back and forth in matches for well over nine months. The pandemic paused the supposed blowoff contest, but they finally came to the conclusion of their story on the September 16th, 2020 episode of AEW Dynamite.

Trent, Chuckie T, Santana and Ortiz finally went at it with no rules in the first Parking Lot Fight in AEW history. This quickly became one of the most memorable spectacles in wrestling in quite some time. It was insanity with weapons being used inside the car circled ring. The highlight saw Santana and Ortiz deliver a double powerbomb to Trent through the windshield of the car.

Thanks to help from Orange Cassidy, Best Friends pulled out the win with Trent hitting the Crunchie on a wooden platform in the trunk of a pickup trunk on Ortiz for the win. The final visual of Trent's mom giving the Inner Circle members the middle finger, was one of the best endings to AEW Dynamite ever.

#9. Kenny Omega vs. PAC in a 30-minute Iron Man Match - AEW Dynamite 2/26/2020

Kenny Omega had a slow start to his time at AEW with some key losses to the likes of Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and PAC. The latter targeted Omega and wanted to prove himself as the unquestionable best wrestler in the promotion. Following his loss to PAC at All Out 2019, Omega got his win back in November of that same year to even their series.

To finally settle the score between the two rivals, AEW announced the two men would meet in a 30-minute Iron Man Match. It was another first in the history of the promotion and they chose the two perfect competitors for this type of stipulation.

Kenny Omega took part in this landmark showdown just a few days before a huge title match against The Young Bucks at Revolution 2020.

Despite that high profile pay-per-view bout, Kenny Omega was accompanied to the ring by his fellow Elite members for this clash with PAC. The two men held nothing back and brought a level of intensity that they kept up for the entire thirty minute duration. PAC earned the first disqualification in AEW history to give up the first fall with a steel chair shot to Omega.

However, that was done purposely to give him an advantage. PAC followed with the Black Arrow to even things up. He hit huge moves like a Shooting Star Press from the top rope through Omega on a table, but Omega got back in the ring before the ten count.

Back in the ring, PAC locked in the Brutalizer to get the submission victory, but Kenny Omega held on as time expired. Sudden death was made to give us a winner. The Cleaner came out firing on all cylinders. He delivered several V-Triggers and finally the One Winged Angel to win this historic contest. This was an excellent encounter that showed why both men are among the best in wrestling.

#8. The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers in an Escalera De La Muerte Ladder Match for the AAA World Tag Team Championships - AEW All Out 2019

AEW promised to give the fans the greatest tag team division in all of wrestling from the very beginning. To set the tone for what the division would offer, The Young Bucks were challenged by the Lucha Brothers at one of their first press conferences. The Young Bucks beat Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix in a AAA event to win the AAA World Tag Team Championships before AEW's first event.

Matt and Nick Jackson then successfully retained the gold against the Lucha Brothers at AEW Double Or Nothing 2019 in a tremendous contest. At the next AEW event, Fyter Fest 2019, The Elite beat Laredo Kid and the Lucha Bros, but Penta and Fenix defeated The Young Bucks to win back the AAA World Tag Team Championships shortly before this.

This set the stage for AEW All Out 2019 when the Lucha Brothers defended the AAA World Tag Team Championships against the Young Bucks in an Escalera De La Muerte Ladder Match. It was an unreal spectacle full of high spots, spectacular high flying displays, drama and intensity. All four men put their bodies on the line to entertain the Chicago fans and have them on the edge of their seats.

The most insane moment saw Penta El Zero Miedo hit an avalanche Canadian Destroyer off a ladder through a table on Matt Jackson. The Lucha Brothers hit the double stomp-package piledriver combo on a ladder bridge to Matt and finally climbed the ladder to retrieve their titles for the win. This was one of the most sensational ladder matches in wrestling history at AEW All Out 2019.

#7. Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix for the AEW World Championship - AEW Dynamite: New Year's Smash Night 1

Kenny Omega shocked the world on the "Winter Is Coming" special of AEW Dynamite when he aligned with IMPACT Wrestling VP Don Callis to defeat Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship.

This marked the relationship between All Elite Wrestling and IMPACT Wrestling that allowed Omega to become a belt collector. However, Omega had business in his home promotion first.

In his first AEW World Championship defense, AEW announced Rey Fenix would be Omega's challenger. It happened on the first AEW Dynamite episode of 2021 entitled "New Year's Smash Night 1".

Fenix was originally scheduled to face Omega in the World Title Eliminator Tournament that Kenny won to get a shot at the title, but he was injured in his first round match against Penta El Zero Miedo.

Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix had one of the greatest AEW Dynamite matches of all time. The two men are among the most exceptional athletes in All Elite Wrestling and showed that here. The sequences in this bout were awesome and awe inspiring. Fenix displayed his brilliant high flying ability and had the fans wanting to see him pull off a huge win.

Rey Fenix hit some breathtaking moves like a moonsault German suplex and a diving foot stomp to Omega's back. The most amazing sequence saw Omega hit the V-Trigger with Fenix doing a kip-up after and hitting a superkick seamlessly. However, Kenny overwhelmed Fenix with the V-Trigger, a Tiger Driver '98 and the One Winged Angel to retain the AEW World Championship.

#6. Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. vs. Thunder Rosa in an Unsanctioned Lights Out Match - AEW Dynamite: St. Patrick's Day Slam

Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., has had one of the best character evolutions of any star in AEW. From a cookie cutter babyface to a confident full of themselves heel, she has become a complete package and a bonafide megastar for the promotion. However, she didn't have a star-making matchup and rival until this year.

Thunder Rosa came to AEW as the NWA Women's World Champion, challenging Hikaru Shida in a losing effort for the AEW Women's World Championship. From there, she left a mark on the company with several great outings. Britt Baker took exception to Rosa stealing some of her spotlight, which started a rivalry between the two women.

Following Britt Baker's victory over Thunder Rosa at Beach Break, the hostilities only grew and led to an Unsanctioned Lights Out Match. This was the first time the stipulation would take place on AEW Dynamite and the first female main event in company history. The anticipation was at an all-time high and the ladies more than lived up to the hype.

This became one of the most violent matches to ever take place on cable television. Baker and Rosa used steel chairs and ladders to batter one another. In the most brutal moment, Thunder Rosa powerbombed Britt Baker onto thumbtacks. Both women were bleeding with Baker's crimson mask becoming an iconic image for 2021 in wrestling.

The conclusion to this Lights Out Match saw Thunder Rosa deliver the Fire Thunder Driver to Britt Baker through a table at ringside for the win. This contest put both women on the map and gave us one of the greatest AEW Dynamite matches of all time on the St. Patrick's Day Slam edition. This was unquestionably the best women's encounter in company history and one of the best of the year.

#5. FTR vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships - AEW Full Gear 2020

The rivalry between The Young Bucks and FTR was strictly confined to social media before arriving in full form in AEW. The two tag teams defined two different philosophies on what tag team wrestling could present. FTR were more of an old school throwback to the 80s style and traditional tag team rules, while The Young Bucks delivered a more high-risk and high-spot style to excite fans.

After years of tensions between the four men, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler debuted in AEW in May 2020 and immediately confronted The Young Bucks. There was a growing conflict between the two tag teams for the months that followed. FTR defeated Kenny Omega and Hangman Page to win the AEW World Tag Team Titles, while the Young Bucks earned the number one contenders spot.

The AEW World Tag Team Championships Match at Full Gear 2020 told a simple yet captivating story. The Young Bucks were known for their high flying, so FTR worked over the leg of Matt Jackson preventing his aerial exploits. FTR were known for their "just fists, no flips" mantra, so The Young Bucks worked over the hand of Dax Harwood after he struck the ring post.

It also wrote a beautiful love letter to tag team wrestling and the past of the two teams. There were finishers from the Steiners, the Dudley Boys and the Hardy Boyz all used. FTR even called back to their greatest rivals, using DIY's Meet In The Middle finish.

In the closing moments, Cash Wheeler went against their own philosophy using a springboard 450 splash trying to beat The Young Bucks at their own game, but Matt Jackson moved and hit a superkick to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships. This was a superb clash of styles that is among the best tag team matches fans have ever seen.

#4. Cody Rhodes vs. Dustin Rhodes - AEW Double Or Nothing 2019

When fans think about the most emotional contest to ever take place in AEW, they will always think of AEW Double Or Nothing 2019. In the very first pay-per-view for All Elite Wrestling, Cody Rhodes challenged his older brother Dustin to the singles encounter that they were never able to have on a huge stage in WWE.

Both brothers had something to prove. Dustin wanted to show the world that he had a lot left in the tank despite his usage in WWE during his latter years, while Cody was one of the pillars of AEW and wanted a showstealing battle that fans would remember for years to come. Both men delivered on what they wanted to accomplish.

This was an old school wrestling conflict that most long-time fans beg for nowadays. Dustin was a valiant and determined babyface who wanted to put it all on the line in an effort to overcome his younger, in his prime, little brother. Cody was a cocky heel who underestimated what his older sibling still had left in his career.

Dustin bled profusely after going head first into an exposed turnbuckle, but he fought tooth and nail to secure the win. No matter how hard he fought, Cody wouldn't go down without a fight. He finally ended the contest with the Cross Rhodes to get the victory.

Following the match, Cody cut a powerful promo, challenging the Young Bucks and saying he needed his brother, which made many fans cry in attendance cry. AEW Double Or Nothing 2019 showed everyone that the company was here to stay and this match stole the show.

#3. Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson - AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam

The most recent entry has been called by many the greatest AEW Dynamite match and best television match of all time. Bryan Danielson debuted for AEW at All Out 2021 to the shock of most fans. This was a man who was just in the main event of WrestleMania 37 after all. However, he made it clear that he was here for the best professional wrestling in the world and wanted his first contest to make a mark.

Danielson challenged AEW World Champion Kenny Omega to a non-title match because it wasn't about the title for him. Bryan wanted to prove that he was the greatest wrestler in the world and had to do so by beating the Best Bout Machine. This set the stage for a showdown on the most attended event in company history at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.

Two of the best wrestlers of their generation stood across the ring from one another in front of a sold-out crowd at New York City's Arthur Ashe Stadium for a nuclear reaction before they had even touched at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam. Once the fans settled down, Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson gave them a pro wrestling clinic in every sense.

They started off with strikes and then gave us signature callbacks and big moments. Bryan Danielson brought back his "I Have Til 5" and Cattle Mutilation submission. Kenny Omega hit a wicked snap dragon suplex on the ramp and followed with a running V-Trigger. Both men hit huge moves off the top rope and sold wonderfully to one another.

This outstanding encounter also gave the New York City fans the perfect ending. They traded strikes and headbutts as their 30-minute time limit expired. Neither men were able to prove themselves to be the better wrestler and gave purpose to a highly anticipated rematch. This gave fans everything they could have asked and then some at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.

#2. The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Brothers in a Steel Cage Match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships - AEW All Out 2021

Following their classic at AEW All Out 2019, The Young Bucks and the Lucha Brothers didn't meet again until two years later. Despite these four men not clashing, they met in multi-man matches with the Lucha Brothers, finding other partners to face Matt and Nick Jackson with. This is what made the hype very high for All Out 2021.

The Young Bucks were on a stellar run as AEW World Tag Team Champions, but they were heavily helped by the Elite in many of their title defenses. AEW President Tony Khan got sick of this and made their next title defense a steel cage match. Lucha Bros won the World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament to earn the opportunity.

All four men outdid their performances from two years prior in front of the same Chicago crowd at AEW All Out 2021. This was an insane display of tag team brilliance with some lucha libre influence. Both tag teams used the steel cage as a weapon and looked to punish their opponents. Penta El Zero Miedo bled after taking a thumbtack superkick to the face.

Rey Fenix made an amazing comeback, fighting off both Young Bucks with the thumbtack sneaker and his extraordinary arsenal. His death-defying dive off the steel cage was a crazy spot that brought the contest to a fitting climax. The Lucha Brothers dropped Nick Jackson with an assisted package piledriver to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships.

The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers is arguably one of the greatest tag team feuds in the history of the business. Every time out, they have tried to top their previous meetings and did that again at AEW All Out 2021. There is only one other match, also with The Young Bucks, that takes the top spot in AEW's history.

#1. Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships - AEW Revolution 2020

The Elite are the building blocks for which AEW was born. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks were the original members, but they soon welcomed in Hangman Page. The four men, along with Cody Rhodes, were among the first signings for All Elite Wrestling and many fans believed they were destined for success in the new promotion from the start.

Kenny Omega and Hangman Page both experienced failures in big-time singles matches and didn't reach their own potential in the first few months of AEW. To turn their fortunes around, the two men decided to form a tag team. They found immediate success, became number one contenders and then defeated SCU to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships in January of 2020.

Thanks to his biggest loss against Chris Jericho to become the first AEW World Champion at All Out 2019, Hangman Page experienced a crisis of confidence. Page believed that he wasn't worthy of being a member of the Elite and left the group. He also decided to start drinking excessively even before and after matches.

The Young Bucks became number one contenders to face Kenny Omega and Hangman Page for the AEW World Tag Team Championships at Revolution 2020. This made Page bitter and he believed that his former friends were trying to take away the first good thing that happened to him. The buildup gripped the fanbase and made anticipation high.

The four men came in determined to deliver an all-time classic and it felt like that from the start. Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks wanted a friendly competitive bout, but Hangman Page came in with animosity toward Matt and Nick Jackson. He spat in Matt's face when they went toe to toe. This totally changed everyone's intentions here.

The intensity ramped up and both tag teams were looking to do whatever was necessary to walk away from Revolution 2020 as the AEW World Tag Team Champions. The Young Bucks took Hangman Page out of the equation at one crucial moment and looked to put away Kenny Omega.

Adding insult to injury, Matt and Nick used Omega's Golden Trigger finisher with his Golden Lover teammate Kota Ibushi to get the win, but Kenny kicked out at one in a magical moment that received a molten hot reaction from the Chicago crowd. With Omega out of commission, Hangman Page looked to take matters into his own hands.

Page used Omega's One Winged Angel and only got a nearfall. A few minutes later, Hangman hit a Buckshot Lariat on Nick Jackson on the ramp and followed with another on Matt in the ring to get the win to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships. The post match was almost as great as the contest with teases of turns by The Elite and Hangman Page before everyone went their separate ways.

This was an epic encounter that had so many notable moments that were compelling and memorable. All four men were at the top of their games, especially Hangman Page, who had a star-making performance. This is not only the best AEW match so far, but it just might be the greatest tag team match in the history of the business. No one will ever forget this classic from Revolution 2020.