It has officially been five years since AEW Dynamite debuted on TBS. The revolutionary episode set the tone for what AEW was going to be — an alternative to the multi-billon dollar media juggernaut known as WWE. This new company shared an emphasis on tag team wrestling, younger stars, and a budding women’s division. AEW immediately established itself as something fun, fresh and exciting at a time that wrestling as a whole was in pretty dire straits.
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With the help of AEW President Tony Khan, the promotion — All Elite Wrestling — was built around The Elite, a group of men that were, at the time, the biggest stars that had never stepped foot inside of a WWE ring. Now the company is on the verge of announcing a groundbreaking television deal that will make them them second most profitable wrestling company ever.
The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), Kenny Omega, and “Hangman” Adam Page helped revolutionize wrestling, and five years later their legacy is engrained in the very ethos of AEW. In honor of the historic anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of the best AEW Dynamite moments!
Where It All Began
You can’t write about the “best moments of AEW Dynamite and not inclue the very beginning, the first episode of the show. It can’t be understated how revolutionary a wrestling show getting a huge television deal was at the time. Especially with wrestlers that weren’t ex-WWE guys — they were just performers passionate about wrestling that made a huge name for themselves in Ring of Honor, Japan, and all over the independent scene.
While the episode isn’t anything to ride home about in retrospect, the moment accompanied by the biggest stars signed to AEW — Chris Jericho, the Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Pac, and Adam Page — all being prominent on that card compared to today where almost all of those names are still huge players on the roster is incredible.
Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega at Grand Slam
Although these two faced off on the independent scene before Danielson made his way to WWE, this was one of those “dream matches” that fans could only hope for. A lot had changed since then and both men were certifiable stars in their own right. From the moment the bell rang and they stood across the ring from one another, the energy was electric. It didn’t really matter who won or lost because at the end of the day the fans were the true winners. The match ended in a time-limit draw and they have yet to run that back before Danielson’s retirement, but when you talk about the greatest moments of this era of AEW, there’s a zero percent chance this doesn’t make the list.
Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker Lights Out Match
Thunder Rosa and Britt Baker were two of the key players in the AEW women’s division in 2021, and they really made a statement with their Unsanctioned Lights Out match. Sure, it wasn’t a technical masterpiece or anything, but it was the first time that the women in AEW got to go out there and give it their all in that environment. Britt’s bloody face is something people continue to have discourse over, and whether or not the violence and blood was really necessary. While that can be debated, what can’t is how many doors this helped open for the women of AEW and television wrestling in general. It also led to so many more street fights and other hardcore matches for the division, which is something that has set it apart from competition.
The Elite Reunite
The Elite had been at odds for quite a while as the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega turned heel and feuded on and off with “Hangman” Adam Page. This continued through Omega’s return after losing the AEW World Championship, but the group was at a point where they needed another ally to help them defeat the Blackpool Combat Club. When it seemed like all hope was lost, Hangman’s music hit and he reunited with the group — barbed wire broom, an eyepatch and all — which was a heartwarming moment, albeit short-lived. Regardless, The Elite’s story is one that will forever draw blood to the heart of AEW.
Mercedes Moné’s Money-Making Debut
Earlier this year Mercedes Moné put the rumors to rest and debuted in AEW which was an immediate huge deal for the company. It was the first time a women’s wrestler of her caliber had jumped ship from WWE to AEW. The women’s division was in pretty dire straits at that point as there wasn’t a ton of time allotted to them to tell their stories. Her debut changed that for the better and now there are opportunities for the women of AEW to have multiple matches on television and backstage segments weekly, as well as marquee matches on pay-per-view.
CM Punk and MJF’s Promo Battle
It is hard to believe that it’s been a year since CM Punk was let go from AEW. While things didn’t end on the best of terms, Punk’s promo battle with former AEW World Champion MJF remains one of the greatest segments in the company’s history. Fans had been clamoring for these two to come face-to-face since Punk debuted that August, and the near 20-minute segment didn’t disappoint. There were jabs at Punk’s UFC career, John Cena, Triple H, Punk calling MJF a “less famous Miz” and so much more. It was by all accounts an instant classic and it led to the iconic Dog Collar match between them and Punk’s use of “Miseria Cantare: The Beginning” by AFI. Simpler times…
Brodie Lee’s Tribute Show
For years wrestling has honored its fallen, but perhaps not always in the way they deserve. When Brodie Lee tragically passed away in 2020, the wrestling world mourned the loss of an incredible talent, father, and person. AEW personnel swung into action to honor his legacy which featured a touching moment between Lee’s son, Brodie Lee Jr, and Cody Rhodes who passed the TNT Championship — a title that Lee held — onto his son. While it was an emotionally-charged show, AEW showed how much of a class act they can be when it comes to honoring wrestling legends. This was only reaffirmed during the special Jay Briscoe celebration of life in 2023.
Sting’s AEW Debut/Final Dynamite
Sting’s debut in AEW is one of the most unforgettable and surreal moments in company history. Debuting on the Winter is Coming television special, it was the first time he’d been in a wrestling ring since a freak accident in WWE back in 2015 that very nearly ended his career. He was paired with rising star and AEW original Darby Allin and for the entirety of his AEW run that never changed. Sting changed the game in terms of veterans betting on themselves and still competing at a high level. Right now this is evident with Adam Copeland who left WWE last year and has been putting on some of the best matches of his career.
That brings me to his final episode of AEW Dynamite. It felt rather wrong to discuss the impact that Sting had on AEW and not mention both the beginning and the end, because that final television appearance really showed just how respected he is to the company. He came to Darby and Ric Flair’s aid and attacked the Young Bucks by flying in from the rafters one last time, which was a really emotional moment for fans that have followed his career from WCW, TNA, WWE and now AEW.
“Hangman” Adam Page Burns Down Swerve’s House
Khan said it himself, this is a moment that’s going to define AEW moving forward. Two of the biggest stars in the company — Hangman and Swerve Strickland — have been in a bitter rivalry over the last year. From breaking into homes, to deeming the Cowboy complacent and burning Swerve’s house down, it’s clear that the new era of AEW is going to have these two men at the forefront. Not only was the video package incredibly well shot, the symbolism and Hangman reaching into the deepest depths of himself that now he’s struggling to come back from. It is undoubtedly one of the most well-produced, interesting stories that AEW has put out this year, and certainly in wrestling as a whole.
What are your favorite moments from AEW’s history? Let me know your thoughts on X and Bluesky @haleyanne_! As always, stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW.
