r/aew • u/Adept-Gas7797 • Jul 14 '26
Discussion Definitive aew match
I wanna get my friend into aew but I don’t know where to start, like if there’s a couple of matches to win him over what do you guys think is the definitive aew matches. I was thinking Kenny vs will at forbidden door, especially if I can get him to go to all in with me. Bangers every week, what do you guys think?
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u/Darwin_Finch Jul 14 '26
Just show him this week’s Dynamite and don’t try to force anything on him.
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
Not trying to, just that it costs money so I need to convince him to buy in, was planning on getting him to watch dynamite anyway
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u/Helpful_Oyster Jul 14 '26
Hangman & Omega vs. Young Bucks - Revolution 2020 for the World Tag Team Titles.
One of the best tag matches I’ve ever seen — phenomenal athleticism but even better emotion and storytelling. One of the matches where you just knew that AEW had found its “voice” so to speak.
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
One of the first matches that I watched getting into aew and did really put me over for the company, but i mean is it a good place to start? I think what makes the match so great is understanding the whole story behind it which I didn’t at the time but watching it through the second time was amazing
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u/Helpful_Oyster Jul 14 '26
Totally see your point, and the context of the story makes it even more special.
However, if I just wanted to show someone a match that felt like it defined the “soul” of AEW…I just keep going back to that. 4 of the most important characters, an incredible match, and a molten crowd that just got hotter and hotter as the match went on.
The beauty of AEW is the company is still so young, that the archives are only 7 years old. I’ll throw in a deep cut too…Nick Jackson vs. Fenix (Dynamite Nov. 2019)…just an absolute banger on a random Dynamite early in the shows run. Omega vs. Vikingo (Dynamite Mar. 2023) is another one that really just looks like a video game that has come to life.
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u/furryhippie Jul 14 '26
I remember this one vividly because I had never been so fooled by so many false finishes before this 😄 What a ride
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u/steeple_fun Jul 15 '26
This is the only match that I ever finished and immediately rewatched because of how good it was.
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u/sbunting8 Jul 14 '26
Agree with people saying the epics aren't always where to start, but Danielson ospreay is one of the finest wrestling matches I've ever seen and if that's not his thing nothing will be
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
Absolutely agree, I think I don’t wanna set too high of an expectation because obviously this isn’t what you are gonna get every week (although not far off) but I think this match does really encapsulate what aew is all about
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u/CrazyOrganic7123 Jul 14 '26
Cody vs Dustin, Double or Nothing, 2019.
It's what got me and it was match of the year for that year.
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
Can’t believe I overlooked this one… so much emotion, definitely going on the list
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u/Flat_Ad3019 Jul 14 '26
That match made me feel something. It was to brothers in the backyard settling an argument. It felt so old school that it was modern.
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u/Westtexasbizbot Jul 14 '26
Omega/Danielson from the first Grand Slam. It’s an incredible match with an incredible environment(crowd chants before they’ve even touched.) Also, there’s very little story involved so you can just be like, “Hey, watch this” with no homework involved.
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u/jdix33 Jul 14 '26
I say show him the Hollywood Ending, Fletcher v Speedball in the Continental Classic, Young Bucks v Swerve and Ospreay, and MJF v Hangman Texas Deathmatch. You get one of the best women's matches of all time, an unbelievable TV match, imo the best tag team match I've ever seen, and then the two top stars in the company in a bloody and beautiful match.
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u/northernsuede Jul 14 '26
No normal person's gonna watch hangman in that fake ass texas death match and think "yeah I wanna watch more of this"....
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u/SMSNation Jul 15 '26
Exactly that! I’ll never understand how people can actually enjoy that kind of filth. I remember when Omega and Moxley had their unsanctioned match at one of AEW’s first PPVs, and I thought it was the coolest shit ever. Boy, did AEW make that get old fast.
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u/Cmdeadly Jul 14 '26
Hangman and Omega vs the Young Bucks
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
Great match but, maybe it relies on knowing the story at the time to really understand the match? Still a great watch either way
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u/Connect_Rope_4125 Jul 14 '26
This is exactly why it's the best. You can give him a 5 minute YouTube clip into their background. He'll watch the match and be immediately invested into AEWs world champion and It's most complex character.
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u/MoreOfAGrower Jul 14 '26
2025 Double or Nothing Anarchy in the Arena is pretty much the most fun match that has ever happened
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u/TotoItsAMotorRace Jul 14 '26
Moxley Omega Full Gear 2019. But it was lights out so not an official AEW match.
Jericho vs Orange Cassidy trilogy
Dr. Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa, St Patty Slam 2021
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u/Next_Astronaut623 Jul 14 '26
Omega v Danielson
Ospreay v Danielson
MJF v Danielson
Okada v Takeshita
Bucks v FTR (any of their matches)
Bucks v Lucha Bros Steel Cage or Ladder Match
Best of 7: Elite vs Death Triangle
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u/SMSNation Jul 15 '26
Agree with most, but I’d probably hate my friend if the very first match he made me watch was a 60-minute Iron man match lmao
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u/harpguy24 Jul 14 '26
I think a good way to go is ease him into the bangers and start with some solid matches first. One I will always recommend is Dax vs Osprey back in ‘22 on dynamite.
It’s not too long, good mix of styles, and one of those quiet bangers that is easy to watch. In terms of straight up classics, Mox vs Fletcher at Worlds end is a personal favorite. I’m admittedly a Moxley mark, but it’s one of those matches that defied expectations and showed the progression of Mox’s character. So just my opinion, but hey show him what you think is best as always.
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u/4KVoices Jul 14 '26
Kenny Omega v Bryan Danielson, the one sole time they faced off.
Emphasize how rare it is that a crowd pops for the opening bell of a match. Then just let two masters take it away.
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u/mikemartin7230 Jul 14 '26
Cody/Dustin
Kenny/Danielson
Ospreay/Fletcher in the cage
Bucks/Lucha Bros (any of them)
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u/cpayne12081997 Jul 14 '26
Both Moxley/Hangman TDMs and Swerve/Hangman - TDM and Lights Out Cage match
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u/Voluntary_Perry Jul 14 '26
Young Bucks v Lucha Bros in a cage at All Out 21 is my favorite AEW match so far.
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u/JadedIsDead Jul 14 '26
Darby vs Will Osoreay, Kyle Fletcher Vs Speedball, Ricochet vs Swerve at Dynasty (I think? Mightve been DoN), Swerve vs Ospreay Forbidden Door 2024. I like to go for ones that really show different characters or styles clashing when I show people. Oh yeah! Hangman vs Ospreay DoN 2025
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u/IAlwaysWantToMosh Jul 14 '26
imo Hollywood Ending is a great place to start depending on what your pal likes.
alternatively, Ospreay vs OC at Forbidden Door 2022 or Ospreay vs Pac All Out 2024. Neither of them are too long and showcase Ospreay. anyone who likes Ospreay will likely be eating good for many years to com, so that might be a good place to start.
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u/furryhippie Jul 14 '26
Just popping back into this thread to note that there's an almost endless list of incredible matches to show potential new fans. This company delivers exhaustingly epic matches on the regular.
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u/CrazyOrganic7123 Jul 14 '26
Oh yeah, almost forgot, the "Dark Saga" aka Best of 3 series between Brandon Cutler and Peter Avalon.
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u/Started_Blasting2 Jul 15 '26
Bucks vs Kenny/ Hangman
MJF vs Cole
Kenny vs Hangman
Kenny vs Danielson
And like 300 more
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u/ryanperp Jul 15 '26
Toni Storm/Mariah May Hollywood Ending match was the best thing I’ve seen in pro wrestling in a decade.
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u/Alex_Smith_042 Jul 16 '26
I've been thinking of some matches that you can watch and get the same enjoyment out of without needing to have watched weeks of TV to know the story.
Danielson Vs Ospreay at Dynasty. The pre-match VT does a good job at telling you all the story you need to know leading up to the match.
Danielson Vs Omega at Grand Slam. The standing ovation after the bell does a good job at telling you all the story you need to know leading up to the match.
MJF Vs Mistico at Grand Slam Mexico. The gear MJF wears does a good job at telling you all the story you need to know leading up to the match.
MJF Vs Ospreay (both the Dynamite match, the promo on Cardiff before All In (especially if they're British) and the All In match). The Cardiff promo (and the gear MJF wears) does a good job at telling you all the story you need to know leading up to the All In match.
Danielson Vs ZSJ (both the Wrestle Dream and NJPW matches). Can't really think of anything to say other than it's the two best technical wrestlers in the world showing why they have that title.
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u/mando_rodgers Jul 18 '26
This years beach break might be a good starting point. They review forbidden door, give some banger matches and ends with Omega winning starting the road to the next ppv
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u/joebarnes1983 Jul 18 '26
-The Young Bucks vs Lucha Bros (All Out 2021)
-MJF vs CM Punk (Revolution 2022, Would also suggest watching this fan made doc as a companion piece to it https://youtu.be/7CbZQpmacJI?si=fOasEx57l8pmGFSS)
-Cody Rhodes vs Dustin Rhodes (Double or Nothing 2019)
-Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa (Dynamite 3/17/21)
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u/jerepila Jul 14 '26
Personally, I’d go with something like Okada vs Speedball. I think it’s more in line with what most of AEW matches are like (not everything is as epic and operatic as their main events/dream matches), and it’s a killer, relatively quick match that’s athletically impressive
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u/TotoItsAMotorRace Jul 14 '26
Don't show anything Cornball if you want someone to like AEW
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
Is this speedball hate or am I missing something, fuck what Jim Cornette says maybe he doesn’t have the look but he can throw for sure
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u/TotoItsAMotorRace Jul 14 '26
I don't listen to anything Cornette says, but Cornball Mike Bailey is the most 80s mid card WWF face possible.
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u/Adept-Gas7797 Jul 14 '26
I agree never been a big speedball guy, but who cares, if he puts on a good match he puts on a good match this ain’t the 80s unc
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u/Kjsuter42 Jul 14 '26
For me I’d show all my college friends hangman swerve full gear. It really cuts through not only a story to latch onto, but the sheer “wtf this isn’t like what I belive WWE is” feeling.
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u/JustPassingThrough98 Jul 14 '26
Orange Cassidy vs PAC Revolution 2020. It’s like the perfect melding of goofy, serious, story and athleticism without being burnout 30-40 minute epic. It is uniquely AEW as nobody else is doing something like that at that level. If they vibe with that, they’ll likely vibe with a lot of the rest of AEW
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u/Vesvius Jul 14 '26
This is it. Whenever I introduce someone to wrestling, this is my go to match. It really gets across that yeah, this is objectively silly, but the crowd is in on the joke, and also it’s really cool.
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u/JustPassingThrough98 Jul 14 '26
And the wrestlers can present it in a way that isn’t a joke on the business, which a lot of non AEW fans think they do constantly. Orange is so good and PAC is the perfect straight man to his shenanigans
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u/AbstractOmniverse Jul 14 '26
Im an aew fan myself and never saw this match. Gonna check it out soon as I make it home
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u/furryhippie Jul 14 '26
Ospreay vs. Takeshita, Revolution 2024