2022 AEW Matches of the Year.

[Matt D]

5 minutes ago, HarryArchieGus said:

Looking over a cagematch list I choose the Full Gear 2020 bout vs. Omega?  

Hey, I said no Elite. I'll go through the motions of this for the sake of science but not with Omega or a Buck or, I don't know, Brandon Cutler, either. Cody's ok.

[Octopus]

2 hours ago, Matt D said:

He consistently has no mid-level offense. Just saying.

I’ve seen him do a kick to the midsection once.

1 hour ago, Matt D said:

Pick me a random 2020 or 2021 (before Punk shows up) singles Page match vs someone that's not part of the Elite to watch and I'll see what I can do.

Mainly doing this for the Matt style write ups. So I’ll pick at random and cheat to include 2019

 

- vs Chris Jericho 8/32/2019
- vs Sammy Guevara 10/30/2019

- vs Colt Canana 10/21/2020

- vs John Silver 11/19/2020

- vs Matt Hardy 3/7/2020

- vs Powerhouse Hobbs 6/26/21
 

5 paragraphs each match, MLA citation.

Edited April 15, 2022 by Octopus

[Matt D]

20 hours ago, Octopus said:

- vs Powerhouse Hobbs 6/26/21

I watched this. I liked it. I thought Hobbs was good asserting himself, especially on the outside and his cutoffs were well-timed and super credible too. Page was sympathetic in his selling as he worked most of the match from underneath but it did not at all dissuade me from my thoughts in the least. He went from kicks and punches and one clothesline early, and a Buckshot tease, to backflips off the top and springboard shots and a moonsault press on his hope spots and most of what he got at the end were big boots, a deadlift German, and the Deadeye. He could work Bret's exact five moves of doom into his arsenal to help fill out the middle of his matches and he'd be way better for it.

Edited April 15, 2022 by Matt D

[Big Z]

On 4/14/2022 at 7:09 PM, Matt D said:

Pick me a random 2020 or 2021 (before Punk shows up) singles Page match vs someone that's not part of the Elite to watch and I'll see what I can do.

Really liked the match against Brian Cage at Double or Nothing last year. Also enjoyed the Ricky Starks matched on Dynamite where unfortunately Starks took a bad bump off a suplex that jacked his neck. Both matches in 2020 Eliminator tournament prior to the Omega match were also good, especially the one against Wardlow. Going back to the very early days of AEW, his series of matches against Pac were a lot of fun as well.

For some non-AEW matches, really liked the IWGP U.S. title match against Jay White as his breakout performance and also Hangman was one of the better things about a very mixed 2018 G1.

[The Natural]

On 4/15/2022 at 1:09 AM, Matt D said:

Pick me a random 2020 or 2021 (before Punk shows up) singles Page match vs someone that's not part of the Elite to watch and I'll see what I can do.

• Adam Page vs. Brian Cage from last year's Double or Nothing.
• Adam Page vs. Lance Archer on Dynamite, 9th February 2022.
• Adam Page vs. Adam Cole on this week's AEW Rampage.

Page/Archer is the best of the three.

[Big Z]

I'd actually rate Page-Cole from this week's Rampage higher of the two really good Texas Death Matches, and include that match in the next tier of awesome AEW matches this year right below Page-Danielson and Bucks-FTR.

[The Natural]

17 minutes ago, Big Z said:

I'd actually rate Page-Cole from this week's Rampage higher of the two really good Texas Death Matches, and include that match in the next tier of awesome AEW matches this year right below Page-Danielson and Bucks-FTR.

Adam Page/Adam Cole was my least favourite of the three Texas Death Matches. Adam Page/Lance Archer is still my #1. One of the best finished to any AEW match with Page using the ref to do the vault into the Buckshot Lariat through two tables as Archer/Jake Roberts removed the top ropes. Match also had Page bounce off the ring steps from the Blackout. Jon Moxley/Lance Archer in second place. That didn't go long but made the most of the time it went.

Edited April 17, 2022 by The Natural

[The Natural]

Update after Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler in the early hours of this morning UK time on AEW Dynamite, 27th April. That makes the list as does another match:

10. Adam Page vs. Lance Archer. AEW Dynamite, 9th February.

9. Minoru Suzuki vs. Samoa Joe. AEW Dynamite, 13th April.

8. Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho. AEW Revolution, 6th March.

7. Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta. AEW Rampage, 8th April.

6. Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler. AEW Dynamite, 27th April.

5. Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson. AEW Revolution, 6th March.

4. Dax Harwood/Cash Wheeler vs. Matt Jackson/Nick Jackson. AEW Dynamite, 6th April. *****.

3. CM Punk vs. MJF. AEW Revolution, 6th March. *****.

2. MJF vs. CM Punk. AEW Dynamite, 2nd February. *****.

1. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson. AEW Dynamite, 6th January. *****.

Edited April 28, 2022 by The Natural

[The Natural]

So Anarchy in the Arena from AEW Double or Nothing 2022, 29th May last Sunday. Where does it place for you? I thinking #1-3 range so it might replace Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson from AEW Dynamite, 6th January 2022 as my worldwide MOTY.

Edited June 3, 2022 by The Natural

[Brandon Bones]

7 hours ago, The Natural said:

So Anarchy in the Arena from AEW Double or Nothing 2022, 29th May last Sunday. Where does it place for you? I thinking #1-3 range so it might replace Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson from AEW Dynamite, 6th January 2022 as my worldwide MOTY.

For me.  The BCC vs The League of Extraordinary Ice Cream Men is a solid #2 behind Bryan/Hangman.

[Big Z]

I'd have Anarchy in the Arena 3rd-4th overall in 2022, definitely behind Hangman-Bryan and Jericho-Kingston, and coin flip with MJF-Punk dog collar match. It was definitely best mat h at Double or Nothing and arguably five-stars, but not quite as the top two matches of 2022.

[The Natural]

Going to rewatch some AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door matches that will likely appear on my update:

Spoiler

Orange Cassidy vs. Will Ospreay, Claudio Castagnoli vs. Zack Sabre Jr and Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Outside shot: Chris Jericho/Minoru Suzuki/Sammy Guevara vs.Eddie Kingston/ Wheeler Yuta/Shota Umino and Sting/Darby Allin/Shingo Takagi vs. Nick Jackson/Matt Jackson/El Phantasmo.

There's also Blood & Guts on this week's Dynamite: 

Spoiler

Jon Moxley/ Claudio Castagnoli/Wheeler Yuta/Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz vs. Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara/Daniel Garcia/Matt Menard/Angelo Parker.

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by The Natural

[Shartnado]

@The Natural asked for my Top 10 AEW matches and while I still haven't seen many of the classics I'd need to, in order to make a better (or more informed) selection, here's the list of stuff that made me go, "that was fucking amazing".

10 The Acclaimed vs Swerve & Keith Lee (All Out '22)

9 Adam Page vs Lance Archer (Texas Death Match?)

8 Jon Moxley vs Wheeler Yuta (the bleeding match)

7 Sammy Guevara vs Cody Rhodes Ladder Match

6 Jurassic Express & Christian vs Young Bucks & Adam Cole (Full Gear '21)

5 Kenny Omega vs PAC vs Orange Cassidy

4 Adam Page vs Kenny Omega (Full Gear '21, or '20, whichever)

3 CM Punk vs MJF (either one, really)

2 Kenny Omega vs Bryan Danielson (Grand Slam '21)

1 Jon Moxley vs Eddie Kingston Submission/I Quit (Double or Nothing '20)

 

And because tag team wrestling is awesome, here's a list of just tag team matches for good measure:

10 Sting & Darby Allin vs FTR

9 Young Bucks vs Roppongi Vice

8 Jurassic Express vs Dark Order (Silver and Angels)

7 Young Bucks vs Lucha Bros (their latest match)

6 Young Bucks vs Lucha Bros (cage All Out 21)

5 FTR vs Young Bucks I

4 FTR vs Young Bucks II

3 Young Bucks vs Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley

2 Adam Page & Kenny Omega vs Young Bucks (Revolution '20)

1 FTR vs Briscoes II (technically ROH, but whatever)

 

And this could change constantly and I'm probably forgetting like half of what's supposed to be on here.

 

...Holy shit! There is a chance that I appreciate Young Bucks quite a bit, huh?

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by Shartnado
more bang for my Buck?

[The Natural]

Thank you, @Shartnado. Interesting our similarities and where we differ. My #1, Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega from AEW Dynamite Grand Slam 2021 is your #2. Cool seeing Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston from Full Gear 2020 as your #1 reminding me to bump it up mine. It's such an underrated match. Yes, Adam Page vs. Lance Archer was a Texas Death Match. Like you, I prefer #FTR/Bucks II to their predecessor. Thanks again.

[Shartnado]

Yesterday evening, after watching this week's Rampage, I watched the episode that had Eddie Kingston vs Bryan Danielson, holy shit, that was hardcore! Eddie flipping Bryan off while passing out and the spontaneous standing ovation after the desperation spinning backfist, that was quite a ride! Bryan's chest looked a lot like Jericho's chest after this week's match. This is a wonderful companion piece to the Mox submission match, as well as the Punk match from Full Gear, the Jericho match from Revolution, hell I should watch the Cody match, also!

Damn, if things had gone a little bit differently, then those guys could be the most fucked up version of AEW's SmackDown Six having every possible variation of Bryan, Mox, Punk, Cody, Eddie and Jericho on Weekly TV and PPV's. Well, that could still happen with Adam Page (or Miro) and Claudio taking the spots of Punk and Cody, and eventually Jericho, because despite this apparent rejuvenation he has to step back eventually.

[Curt McGirt]

Well he has to tour again sometime.

[The Natural]

Final top ten for 2022:

10. Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta. AEW Rampage, 8th April.

9. Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler. AEW Dynamite, 27th April.

8. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita. AEW Battle of the Belts III, 5th August.

7. Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida. AEW Rampage Holiday Blast, 21st December.

6. Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter. AEW Full Gear, 19th November.

5. Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson. AEW Revolution, 6th March.

4. Dax Harwood/Cash Wheeler vs. Matt Jackson/Nick Jackson. AEW Dynamite, 6th April. *****.

3. CM Punk vs. MJF. AEW Revolution, 6th March. *****.

2. MJF vs. CM Punk. AEW Dynamite, 2nd February. *****.

1. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson. AEW Dynamite, 6th January. *****.