5 takeaways from AEW in 2021

2) The forbidden door is open in AEW

The end of 2020 saw AEW World Champion Kenny Omega debuting in IMPACT Wrestling and setting his sights on the top prize. The first Dynamite of 2021 ended with IMPACT Tag Team Champions, the Good Brothers arriving in All Elite Wrestling to reunite with their former Bullet Club stablemates, Omega, and The Young Bucks.

A month later, AEW Dynamite's Beach Break special ended with another shocker. The 'forbidden door' between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling was finally kicked open. Bullet Club's KENTA shocked the world by showing up at Daily's Place, attacking the IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley.

Fans have always wanted a partnership between AEW and NJPW since the former was introduced. 2021 saw it finally go to fruition. Moxley appeared on NJPW Strong, while Omega and Christian Cage both became IMPACT World Champions this year. Lance Archer also beat Moxley to win the IWGP US Title on an episode of Dynamite.

With all the crossover and how the once forbidden door flung open, this year will be remembered. From the big moves working with IMPACT and NJPW to their association with AAA and NWA, AEW has changed how a mainstream pro wrestling company works.

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1) Anything can happen, and anyone can show up in AEW

WWE's Attitude Era helped the company win the Monday Night War and become the biggest promotion in the business. One of the most remarkable traits about this time was how fans felt anything could happen on the shows. Somehow, AEW has been able to replicate this feeling with 2021.

There have been great returns from injuries and absent talent. Trent returned in March to help Best Friends defeat Miro and Kip Sabian in an Arcade Anarchy Match. PAC came back from a five-month-long absence to reunite the Death Triangle stable and confront Eddie Kingston.

Hangman Page was well on his way to his ultimate goal until he stepped away for paternity leave. On the Second Anniversary of AEW Dynamite, he returned to win the Casino Ladder Match and earn the AEW World Championship shot that he always wanted.

It wasn't just the returns that made AEW a must-watch product, but some memorable angles that transpired. MJF revealed that he was conning the Inner Circle to create his own faction with Shawn Spears, Wardlow, Tully Blanchard, and FTR as the Pinnacle. Eddie Kingston turned babyface after saving his frenemy Jon Moxley at Revolution 2021.

While the returns and angles worked, the debuts of various talents gave AEW a feeling that anyone could show up at any moment. Christian Cage arrived at Revolution 2021 after the hype of a Hall of Fame-caliber star signing with the promotion. "The Big Show" Paul Wight and Mark Henry both made the jump from WWE to All Elite Wrestling.

Andrade shockingly asked for his release from WWE in March, which was granted. The former United States Champion debuted on AEW Dynamite two months later alongside Vickie Guerrero. Aleister Black went from vignettes promoting his return to being released in June. On Dynamite's July 7th Road Rager special, Malakai Black made his debut and kicked off a feud with Cody Rhodes.

This was a preview for the summer, where everything went into high gear. Following a seven-year-long absence from wrestling, CM Punk returned and debuted on the First Dance special of Rampage at Chicago's United Center. At All Out 2021, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole moved from WWE to AEW in one of the greatest endings to a pay-per-view ever.

All Elite Wrestling evolved and went from an excellent crop of talent to one of the most star-studded rosters of all time. A lot of this came down to feeling like anything could happen, and it did. That's why all the surprises and landscape shifting moments were the biggest takeaway from AEW in 2021.