The Inner Circle formation, Sting's astounding debut: Top 5 Historic Moments in the history of AEW Dynamite

AEW Dynamite has only been on the air for three years, and Tony Khan's promotion has already made history in pro-wrestling. The fledgling promotion has been spoken about in the same breath as WWE, which remains to be a household name since the 50s.

WWE's history is undoubtedly longer and filled with far more memorable moments. The promotion has been around for so long it's even had different "eras." Regardless, All Elite Wrestling has already had quite a few memorable moments.

AEW currently has two different shows that air two days apart, and the Dark shows that premiere on YouTube. With a roster as stacked as the All Elite one, there's only so much they can show in a week. Regardless, Rampage has had its share of historic moments of their own.

However, this list will only focus on the significant events that happened on AEW Dynamite. If there are any moments you wish were covered here instead, sound off in the comments below.

5. Jon Moxley appears on the first AEW Dynamite episode

Jon Moxley was the first famous former WWE wrestler to jump to AEW. The former WWE Champion was a part of “The Shield”. However, he became disillusioned by WWE’s booking and instead jumped ship at Double or Nothing 2019.

An injury halted the start of his run, and the star would then return on the debut episode of Dynamite. Moxley began by attacking Kenny Omega by delivering a Paradigm Shift on Omega through a glass coffee table.

Moxley’s debut shocked the wrestling world and showed that WWE were no longer the only credible promotion. All Elite Wrestling became the alternative and competition to the established WWE. If Jon Moxley, who fans thought was a WWE-lifer, could leave - who would be next to jump ship?

The uncertainty, coupled with the rush that anything was possible, made this one of the best moments in AEW Dynamite’s history.

4. Chris Jericho forms the Inner Circle

During the main event of AEW Dynamite episode one, Chris Jericho and Santana & Ortiz took on The Elite. Moxley would debut and take out Kenny Omega, changing the match to a 3 on 2. Jericho pinned Matt Jackson after hitting him with the Judas Effect.

The trio would then beat up the Young Bucks before Cody Rhodes rushed in to save them. Sammy Guevara would then follow and align himself with Jericho and Proud 'N Powerful.

The run-ins continued with Dustin Rhodes trying to even the odds. However, Jake Hager would come to the aid of his future stablemates and beat down the Elite.

The five men stood together and towered over their foes. A week later, Jericho would announce that the five would be called "The Inner Circle" from then on.

3. Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa - Lights Out Match

Britt Baker faced Thunder Rosa in one of the most memorable matches in Dynamite history. At the time, Baker was not Women's Champion yet, and Thunder Rosa still had to prove herself to the AEW audience.

The two wrestlers put on a grueling fight, which ended in a blood bath. Baker took a loss to Thunder Rosa, and the Mexican star stood triumphant. In one of the biggest twists of 2021, Baker was somehow more over after the loss. She'd use this momentum to build straight into defeating Hikaru Shida and becoming the Women's Champion.

2. CM Punk takes his first-ever loss in All Elite Wrestling to MJF

CM Punk debuted on AEW during the first Rampage episode. Since his first match against Darby Allin, the Straight Edge star was undefeated. This all changed when he stepped into the ring against MJF on the February 3rd episode of Dynamite.

After weeks of back-and-forths with Punk, Friedman ended up stealing the victory and ending Punk's streak. This moment showed fans that even though MJF cheated, he was a star in the making.

The Salt of the Earth fought long and hard against the veteran even though he resorted to cheating. Friedman's attitude will end up putting him alongside some of the biggest heel names in wrestling history.

1. Sting debuts at AEW Dynamite Winter is Coming

The Man Called Sting was "The Icon" of WCW and one of the most recognizable wrestlers of the 90s.

The wrestling legend first returned to wrestling in WWE after a long layoff. The Hall of Famer's return quickly became one of the worst fan-received runs ever. Since his debut, Sting has not only proved that he can still wrestle but that he's a massive draw for the company.

The Icon will likely retire with AEW, and that in itself will probably be another historical moment for a list such as this.