The 15 AEW Matches Every Wrestling Fan Must Watch

All Elite Wrestling celebrated five years of AEW Dynamite this October, reaching a milestone not many companies get to. AEW has asserted itself as a dominant alternative to WWE in the wrestling space, and has carved out a niche for its high workrate matches.

Some of the greatest technical wrestlers in the history of the industry have worked matches for AEW in its five-year history, providing for some of the most memorable bouts of the last decade. With at least five more years of AEW TV ahead of us, there are 15 matches in particular both new fans and old fans alike should go out of their way to watch to prepare for what’s to come.

1. Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay

If there were any doubts about Will Ospreay’s ability to become a big star in AEW, his match at AEW Dynasty against Bryan Danielson in April of 2024 put those to rest.

Ospreay had started with the company full-time not long prior, and wasted no time going after one of the greatest wrestlers to ever live. He challenged Danielson to a match at the pay-per-view a month out, and AEW fans had to anxiously wait for the encounter. It lived up to the hype, with the crowd chanting “This is Awesome” before the match even began. Ospreay outlasted Danielson in a bout that went more than 30 minutes, full of incredible counters and an epic finish that resembled a war charge.

2. Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland

Bryan Danielson put his career on the line against Swerve Strickland in the main event of AEW All In in August of 2024, with Strickland’s AEW World Heavyweight Championship up for grabs as well.

The former WWE Champion Danielson had his family ringside for the match (including his wife, former WWE star Brie Bella), and Strickland promised to send their father home in retirement. The match was one of Danielson’s finest, harkening back to his days as Daniel Bryan in WWE, fighting from underneath as the ultimate underdog. Strickland was ruthless in his attempts to put Danielson away, and mustered several close two-counts. Danielson ultimately got Swerve to tap out for the first time in more than a year, winning the AEW World Championship for the first time.

3. Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Adam Page vs. The Young Bucks

Wrestling fans were treated to an all-time classic tag team match right before the world shut down due to COVID-19, when The Young Bucks battled Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Adam Page at AEW Revolution in 2020.

The match was a battle of former members of The Elite stable going at it, with Omega and Page putting their AEW Tag Team Championship on the line. An emotional story between the two sides unfolded, with Page playing well into Omega’s mentorship against his former friends. The bout was compelling, hard-hitting, and full of classic Young Buck tomfoolery — all the elements needed for one of the best tag team matches in modern wrestling history. Omega and Page would ultimately retain.

4. Bryan Danielson vs. MJF

Iron Man matches are difficult to innovate with. You put 60 minutes on the clock, and see who can score the most falls in that time. Sometimes the points are kept low, and other times, you may see four to five per wrestler.

MJF and Bryan Danielson fought in one at AEW Revolution in 2023, and produced an Iron Man match for the ages. The match was structured in a way that went against many of the tropes the stipulation often produces, with the first fall not coming until more than 30 minutes in. MJF nearly squandered his AEW World Championship when he tapped at the end in a 3-3 score, but it came a second after the bell. It ultimately went to overtime, where Max would end up cheating to secure the decisive fall.

5. Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay

What happens when you put the “Best Bout Machine” against one of the greatest pure athletes in wrestling history? Well, you get a pure classic, just as AEW got at Forbidden Door in 2023.

Kenny Omega defended the IWGP United States Championship against New Japan’s will Ospreay in their second matchup together. The near-40-minute affair was brutal and bloody, with Omega’s manager Don Callis playing a critical role in the storytelling. He would get a screwdriver involved, and Ospreay would even hit Omega with his own “One-Winged Angel” move. Omega would muster out to a standing ovation, but Ospreay would end up leaving with the title.

6. Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega

Dream matches are hard to come by in pro wrestling these days. Each major company has several hours of television to fill every week, and by that virtue alone, you will burn through matchups. That was not the case with Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega in 2021 though.

Danielson made his debut in AEW at All Out in September of 2021, targeting The Elite as Omega ran wild on AEW’s roster. A match was made for just a few weeks later at the first Grand Slam show at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the two opened the card. The bout was extremely physical, and showcased a side of Danielson that hadn’t been seen since long before his WWE days. They would wrestle to a 30-minute draw, leaving open the possibility for a rematch in the future to settle the score.

7. The Lucha Bros. vs. The Young Bucks

The cage match for the AEW Tag Team Championship at All Out 2021 between The Lucha Bros. and The Young Bucks was nothing special. I mean after all, who hasn’t used a sneaker covered in thumbtacks as a weapon before?

In fact, the match wasn’t just special, but rather, it was a total spectacle. Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix got superstar live entrances ahead of the match, while the Bucks were at the very top of their game. The two teams had several epic fights to that point, but their feud climaxed inside the cage in one of the most buzzworthy matches in AEW history. This match had everything, from acrobatics off the structure, to thumbtacks to the face, to dramatic saves that had the crowd on its feet. The Lucha Bros. would finally win the big one, pinning the Bucks for the titles.

8. FTR vs. Juice Robinson and Jay White

Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood are in contention for greatest tag teams of all-time, and their 2 out of 3 Falls match with Jay White and Juice Robinson in 2023 may be the best TV match in AEW history.

The two teams battled on the July 15 episode of AEW Collision, and went 58 minutes from start to finish. FTR’s ability to mix in a classic style of offense, combined with elite selling abilities, made them the perfect babyfaces for this contrast in a match. Jay and Juice played their roles to perfection as well, with each team hitting just one finishing move a piece in the contest. FTR would win 2-1, and many look back on the match as Collision’s finest.

9. Cody Rhodes vs. Dustin Rhodes

AEW didn’t have any weekly television before its first pay-per-view in 2019, so it had to rely on a story built on blood. Literally and figuratively, it turned out.

Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes were a headlining match on the inaugural Double or Nothing show, and told the classic story of fighting for brother supremacy. It was an emotional match that got extremely violent and bloody early on when Dustin sustained a deep gash on his head. The 50-year-old pushed his brother to his breaking point, and Cody was able to barely scratch out a win. Cody would then grab a microphone and praise his brother, and the two would embrace in one of AEW’s most memorable moments.

10. Sting and Darby Allin vs. The Young Bucks

“The Icon” Sting probably never envisioned his last match would come at nearly 65 years old, but his sendoff to the wrestling would was absolute perfection.

He and his protege Darby Allin entered his final match at AEW Revolution as AEW Tag Team Champions, defending the belts against The Young Bucks at the historic Greensboro Coliseum. The match was extremely violent, with Allin even going through a panel of real glass off a ladder at one point. But as he had done for more than three decades, Sting managed to rally the crowd for one final big comeback. The Bucks were perfect opponents, feeding off every one of the moves in his last stand. He earned a submission victory, sending the sold-out crowd into a frenzy one last time.

11. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland

The feud between “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland has been going on for more than a year, and it may end up being the case they are truly made to fight forever. But one of their most brutal bouts came at AEW Full Gear in 2023.

Swerve and Page engaged in a vicious old-school Texas Death Match. It was one of the most violent matches from a mainstream wrestling promotion this century, with Page at one point quite literally drinking Hangman’s blood. It is certainly not the type of match that is for every wrestling fan, but its pure shock value alone made it memorable for years to come. Swerve got one up on Page in the end, but it would be far from the last time they’d quarrel.

12. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay

Will Ospreay’s first match upon signing with AEW full-time was one of his very best, and he helped elevate one of the company’s up-and-coming stars in the process.

Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita both had ties to Don Callis, and agreed to face one another at AEW Revolution in March of 2023. Takeshita’s striking ability proved to be the perfect compliment to Ospray’s athleticism and aerial combat, and he had him on the verge of defeat multiple times. A vicious brainbuster from the top rope seemed to take Ospreay out, but a late rally allowed Ospreay to squeak away with a win.

13. Stadium Stampede I

Stadium Stampede was a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it ended up being one of the most innovative wrestling match concepts of the modern era.

AEW was conducting its television tapings in Jacksonville, and utilized the Jaguars-owned EverBank Stadium to hold a unique contest at Double or Nothing 2020. Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle battled The Elite and Matt Hardy in a brawl that took place all over the stadium. There were horses, golf carts, swimming pools, replay tents, and even a 100-yard Northern Lights Suplex. The Elite would win the match, and it would inspire another the following year.

14. Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Throw two of the most technical wrestlers to ever step foot in a ring together, and you better believe you’re going to witness one of the best matches of both of their careers.

That’s exactly what happened in the dream match between Bryan Danielson and Zack Sabre Jr. at WrestleDream in 2023. The two traded submission holds for nearly 23 minutes, with brutal chops and blows leaving both their chests red. Danielson managed to lock Sabre Jr. in a twisted Regal-Plex, before finishing the job with two running knees for the win.

15. Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa

Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa were engaged in a war of words throughout late 2020 into 2021, and they fought each other to the brink of exhaustion each time they matched up. That’s why their blowoff match called for big stipulations.

The two had a Lights Out match at St. Patrick’s Day Slam, with the rules being thrown out. It was the first time two women had been in the main event of an AEW show, and they delivered majorly. It was a bloody and physical affair between the two, with Baker wearing a crimson mask in a losing effort to Rosa.