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Plenty of people complain about AEW having too many spot-reliant wrestlers and high-flyers. That's an argument for another day but what cannot be argued is that AEW has some of the best technical wrestlers in the world.
Now, many might wonder, what exactly is technical wrestling? One of wrestling's purest forms, technical wrestling involves mat wrestling, chain moves and crisp counters. Wrestlers rely on holds and ground-based moves over acrobatic and power-based moves. Strikes are used primarily to wear an opponent down and there's a greater emphasis on submission holds.
Technical wrestling is associated with an old-school style of wrestling and there is a section of people who prefer high-octane wrestling matches over methodical, mat-based wrestling. While everyone is entitled to their preferences, technical wrestling is an art in its own right.
We have seen some all-out classics in AEW's two-year history. Having understood what technical wrestling means, let's rank the 5 best technicians in AEW today.
#5. Maxwell Jacob Friedman in AEW
Maxwell Jacob Friedman, or MJF, is a wrestler best known for his character work. He is undoubtedly the biggest heel in the company and possesses supreme ability on the mic. However, his in-ring ability often goes under the radar.
Look no further than MJF vs. Jungle Boy at AEW Double or Nothing 2020 or MJF vs. Jon Moxley at AEW All Out 2020 to see his excellent wrestling skills.
MJF vs. Jungle Boy, in particular, was a great show of technical wrestling. MJF worked on JB's arm which prevented JB from executing many moves, including his Snare Trap submission. Fittingly, MJF picked up a hard-fought win via roll-up after a series of roll-up attempts from both stars.
MJF vs. Sammy Guevara was another example of MJF's technical prowess between the ropes. MJF claims to have studied the likes of Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard and it shows in his work both inside and outside the ring.
He has all the tools needed to go down as a modern great heel with his promo skills and the in-ring skills to back it up.
#4. FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) in AEW
FTR is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tag teams of all time. They can mix it up with any team in the world and already have a catalog of great matches in AEW. They defeated Kenny Omega and Adam Page to win the AEW tag team titles.
Both Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood have mastered the craft of tag team wrestling. Their technical prowess, pacing and strategy is always impeccable in every match and their tandem offence is masterful. Their in-ring psychology is off the charts, as we saw in WWE when they produced great matches against the likes of DIY, American Alpha and The Usos.
What sets them apart from most tag teams is their ring-work. Neither of them are flashy workers. They rely on rest holds, powerful strikes and a methodical double-team offence to pick up wins.
#3. PAC in AEW
Most people associate PAC with a high-flying style, but that does a disservice to the Englishman's technical skills between the ropes.
PAC has a huge moveset and is a proficient submission specialist. His strikes are as clean as they come and his mat game is second to none. PAC's finisher is the Brutalizer, which is essentially a double-underhook crossface. He has beaten the likes of Orange Cassidy, Hangman Page and Kenny Omega with the Brutalizer.
Look no further than his matches against Finn Balor, Sami Zayn and Tyson Kidd in WWE NXT to get an idea of how great of a technical performer he really is.
#2. Serena Deeb in AEW
Serena Deeb might be the most underrated wrestler in AEW at the moment. She's unquestionably the best female wrestler in North America.
Serena Deeb's ability between the ropes is almost unparalleled. She can turn any hold or counter into a painful submission hold. Her wrestling is some of the most crisp and clean of any promotion. If there's one wrestling legend she resembles most, it's Dean Malenko.
It says a lot about Serena that despite her character being poorly defined by AEW, all her matches end up being must-sees. Deeb vs Riho and Deeb vs Allyson Kay were pre-show matches on pay-per-views, yet Deeb made them one of the best matches of the night.
Hopefully, AEW does a better job of utilizing Serena Deeb after she returns from injury.
#1. Kenny Omega in AEW
There wasn't much doubt, was there? Kenny Omega is one of the finest wrestlers to have ever stepped foot in a wrestling ring. His combination of speed, agility, athleticism and in-ring awareness make him a once-in-a-generation superstar.
Kenny Omega vs PAC on AEW Dynamite was arguably the greatest match seen in AEW Dynamite history. He has had classics throughout his AEW career but his best work was in Japan.
Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega at Dominion in 2018 is widely regarded as the greatest pro-wrestling match of all time. The match went on for over 35 minutes and told a superb story. The technical prowess of both men was off the charts.
Kenny Omega calls himself the Best Bout Machine and the number of classics he's churned out over the past decade absolutely justifies the moniker.
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