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AEW Dynamite has developed quite the history since its inception in late 2019. The weekly program from All Elite Wrestling has made a habit at creating magic, whether with its logical storytelling or brilliant in-ring action. This has made Wednesday night the most anticipated night of the week for most wrestling fans.
In the first six months of 2021, AEW Dynamite has delivered again on both ends. From The Elite's descent into evil to the elevation of the women's division to Darby Allin's TNT Title stretch, the pacing of the stories has been compelling from week to week. However, the stars of AEW have shined the most inside the squared circle.
With All Elite Wrestling hitting the half-year mark for 2021 and returning to live touring this coming week, it seems like an ideal time to look back on the year so far. In this article, let's take a look at the top ten best AEW Dynamite matches of 2021 so far.
Honorable mentions:
- Darby Allin vs. Brian Cage for the TNT Championship (January 13th AEW Dynamite - New Year's Smash Night 2)
- Lance Archer vs. Rey Fenix (February 24th AEW Dynamite)
- Rey Fenix vs. Matt Jackson (March 10th AEW Dynamite)
- Jon Moxley vs. Yuji Nagata for the IWGP United States Championship (May 12th AEW Dynamite)
- The Young Bucks vs. SCU for the AEW World Tag Team Championships (May 12th AEW Dynamite)
#10 Jungle Boy vs. Dax Harwood (January 27th AEW Dynamite)
2021 has been a breakthrough year so far for All Elite Wrestling as far as competitors rising to superstardom. One of those rising stars has been Jungle Boy. On the January 27th AEW Dynamite, Jungle Boy had his first breakout opportunity against Dax Harwood. Tensions between FTR and Jurassic Express have been boiling for weeks with things coming to a head here.
Dax Harwood is a tag team specialist and hasn't been given a lot of singles matches in his entire career. This was his first one-on-one contest in AEW. He showed his experience and technical acumen in this encounter. Harwood had a hard-hitting arsenal that was on full display in this matchup as he tried to ground his younger opposition.
Jungle Boy used his speed and athleticism to keep Harwood on his toes. With Tully Blanchard, Cash Wheeler and the rest of Jurassic Express looking on, this became a hidden gem TV classic on AEW Dynamite. Jungle Boy applied his Snare Trap submission to get the submission win over Harwood. It was his first huge singles victory of the year and showed what was to come for the young star.
#9 Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs. Jon Moxley, PAC & Rey Fenix (February 3rd AEW Dynamite - Beach Break)
AEW Dynamite - Beach Break was another special episode for All Elite Wrestling. This was the first time that AEW World Champion Kenny Omega would team with the IMPACT Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows. They faced a dream team of Jon Moxley, PAC and Rey Fenix in an all-star six-man tag team contest.
Six men clashed in a high octane battle that highlighted all involved on AEW Dynamite. In particular, Rey Fenix showed his array of high flying expertise. He flew through the air with ease and had the opposition searching for answers to overcome the masked superstar. Moxley and PAC also brought the heat to their opponents, making this a very entertaining closer to AEW Dynamite.
Although the babyfaces made for a great team, the former members of Bullet Club had the experience advantage due to their time teaming in NJPW. They used that to immediate success in this AEW Dynamite - Beach Break main event. Omega, Gallows and Anderson got rid of Moxley and PAC to focus on Fenix. They then dropped the luchador with the Magic Killer to get the win.
Following the match, the two teams continued to brawl with one another, with Lance Archer joining the festivities here on AEW Dynamite - Beach Break. Moxley cornered the AEW World Champion and looked to get revenge, but a masked man attacked him from behind.
The masked man revealed himself to be known other than NJPW's own KENTA. The Bullet Club star dropped Moxley with the Go To Sleep to close AEW Dynamite. This marked the first New Japan star to appear in All Elite Wrestling and signaled "the forbidden door" being opened.
#8 Kenny Omega & KENTA vs. Jon Moxley & Lance Archer in a No DQ Falls Count Anywhere Match (February 10th AEW Dynamite)
The end of Beach Break set up the main event for the very next episode of AEW Dynamite. Following the arrival of KENTA from NJPW, he teamed with the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega to face the IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley and Lance Archer in a No Disqualification Falls Count Anywhere Match.
The brawl went all over the Daily's Place in Jacksonville. The fight went all over the backstage area and into the kitchen where Moxley literally potatoed the AEW World Champion. The intensity in this AEW Dynamite main event was on another level. It lived up to the expectations set by previous Falls Count Anywhere matches that have taken place in All Elite Wrestling.
The Bullet Club's KENTA came in with clear goals to stand out in his AEW Dynamite in-ring debut and deliver punishment to Moxley ahead of their IWGP United States Championship Match. He came through on both especially with the highlight of this encounter with his insane diving Foot Stomp from the stage into Moxley through a table.
Lance Archer had his own statement to make. His up-and-down position in AEW has been debated by many, so the big man looked to prove that he could hang in the main event. Archer continuously used his size to his advantage and was a thorn in the side of his opponents.
With KENTA incapacitating Moxley on the outside of the ring, Omega looked to have put away Archer. However, Lance would constantly get the upper hand on "The Cleaner" until The Good Brothers got involved. Omega used the numbers game to hit an assisted One Winged Angel for the win in this great AEW Dynamite main event.
#7 Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy for the TNT Championship (April 21st AEW Dynamite)
The aforementioned rise of Jungle Boy continued on the April 21st AEW Dynamite where he got his first singles title shot. Darby Allin has become not only a future top star for All Elite Wrestling, but a ratings mover as TNT Champion. His title defenses against Brian Cage and John Silver delivered terrific main events and consistent ratings for the show. He looked to continue this against Jungle Boy.
The two men pegged as the future of the company came in with chips on their shoulders. It was an impressive clash of similar strategies. Both Jungle Boy and Darby Allin have high flying arsenals that put their bodies on the line, but they each brought something new.
Jungle Boy threw an assortment of high impact suplexes to put the TNT Champion away. Both a German and Tiger Suplex got him close nearfalls. He also used a dangerous body scissor driver for a two count. Meanwhile, Allin used dirty tactics to get control. He pulled the hair, used the ropes to choke and gaged at Jungle Boy's eyes at different points in the AEW Dynamite main event.
Darby Allin got the win using his Last Supper cradle on Jungle Boy. The two babyfaces showed respect to one another following the AEW Dynamite contest. This showed that there are plenty of top notch matchups to come between the two young stars.
#6 MJF vs. Sammy Guevara (June 30th AEW Dynamite)
In another battle of future of All Elite Wrestling stars, our next entry was the main event of last week's AEW Dynamite. MJF and Sammy Guevara have shown animosity to one another for months. Since Maxwell Jacob Friedman infiltrated The Inner Circle, Sammy was always weary of his intentions.
MJF always described these tensions as jealousy from Guevara, but it turned out his feelings were valid when MJF turned on The Inner Circle to create his Pinnacle stable. Months and months of trash talk came to a head on the June 30th AEW Dynamite episode, which was their return to Wednesdays after a month and the final Daily's Place episode before their return to live touring.
The two men pulled out all the stops in this highly anticipated grudge match. Sammy Guevara had arguably the match of his career. His double springboard cutter and springboard Canadian Destroyer stunned the capacity Jacksonville crowd on AEW Dynamite, while his springboard flip dive into the crowd on MJF might be among the best highlights of the year in all of wrestling.
MJF kept up with his athletic opponent and used his smarts to gain an advantage at various points of this AEW Dynamite main event. His top rope super tombstone piledriver almost took him and Sammy out of this one completely. His selling and facial expression were incredible, especially as he begged off Guevara on his 630 senton finisher.
The Pinnacle came to MJF's save at the end of this AEW Dynamite main event. First, Wardlow attacked Chris Jericho who was on commentary. Shawn Spears then used the referee's distraction to nail Sammy with a steel chair to help MJF get the victory. This match delivered in every way possible despite a shady finish. The two men showed exactly why they have been pegged as the stars of the future.
#5 The Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle in the Blood & Guts Match (May 5th AEW Dynamite - Blood & Guts)
From the latest clash between The Inner Circle and The Pinnacle, let's take a look back at the first battle between the two stables on the May 5th AEW Dynamite Blood and Guts episode. Following MJF's betrayal of The Inner Circle to form The Pinnacle with FTR, Shawn Spears, Wardlow and Tully Blanchard, the two factions were at each other's throats.
The Inner Circle made the challenge and wanted to rip apart the members of The Pinnacle. Over a year since the first Blood and Guts was preempted due to the global pandemic, it felt like the perfect time to have this landmark bout and had lofty expectations to exceed.
This turned into a bloody war inside of the two-ring steel cage with a roof to close the AEW Dynamite Blood and Guts episode. Sammy Guevara had a star-making performance, starting the match from the beginning and pulling out spectacular moves throughout this bout. Each member of the two groups stood out in different ways.
The conclusion of the Blood and Guts Match saw Chris Jericho and MJF battle to the top of the roof of the steel cage. MJF took advantage using a baseball bat and looked to throw Jericho off the roof. Sammy tried to save his mentor by surrendering on behalf of The Inner Circle to give The Pinnacle the victory in the Blood and Guts Match on AEW Dynamite.
MJF proved himself to be a despicable individual by still pushing Jericho off the roof anyway. The final shot of a bloody Friedman saying "thank you" and smiling at his handy work is among the iconic visuals on AEW Dynamite of 2021 so far.
#4 Kenny Omega vs. Jungle Boy for the AEW World Championship (June 26th AEW Dynamite)
Jungle Boy's rise up the card in All Elite Wrestling hit its peak on the June 26th AEW Dynamite. The main event of the evening saw the young star face Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. He earned this opportunity by last eliminating Christian Cage in the Casino Battle Royale at AEW Double Or Nothing.
After weeks of buildup, this contest delivered in a big way on AEW Dynamite. The workrate on display was intense, physical and stellar for nearly 20 minutes of action. Jungle Boy showed everything he had and countered Omega on several occasions. His poison-rana and Snare Trap reversals of the One Winged Angel kept the fans on the edge of their seats in Daily's Place.
Kenny Omega has been banged up throughout his AEW World Championship reign, but he showed no ill effects in this AEW Dynamite main event. He kept up with his faster opposition and hit all of his signature moves with precision. The conclusion saw Omega hit the One Winged Angel for the win.
Jungle Boy showed that he had what it took to take the AEW World Champion to his limits. His future is bright and this match proved that he can become the champion one day. This stands as one of the best main events for AEW Dynamite of the year.
#3 The Young Bucks vs. PAC & Rey Fenix for the AEW World Tag Team Championships (April 14th AEW Dynamite)
On the April 7th AEW Dynamite, AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks turned heel on Jon Moxley and re-aligned with Kenny Omega. On the next episode of AEW Dynamite, the opener was the Bucks defending their titles against the Number One Contenders, PAC and Rey Fenix of Death Triangle. This followed PAC and Fenix winning a tag team battle royal at Revolution 2021.
With two of the most athletic and versatile tag teams in All Elite Wrestling, this AEW Dynamite opening contest delivered extraordinary action that is not regularly seen on mainstream wrestling television. PAC and Rey Fenix were on fire in this one. They flew through the air seamlessly and showcased their chemistry that was right on par with the Lucha Bros team.
Meanwhile, The Young Bucks seemed revitalized as heels in this encounter. Their new gear immediately showed their brand new cocky personas. They showed their arrogance in the way that the Jackson brothers clearly thought they were the better team. Matt and Nick showcased just why they were at their best in this role.
This AEW Dynamite opener had Canadian destroyers, superkicks, springboard cutters and German suplexes that made every fan more invested in this tag team masterpiece. The action went back and forth with neither team gaining control for long.
Nick Jackson took out PAC with a low blow behind the referee's back and then removed Fenix's mask. With the luchador hiding his face, The Young Bucks hit a double superkick on Fenix for the win to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships. This was one of the best tag team matches of the year in all of wrestling. However, it wasn't the best match with Rey Fenix this year.
#2 Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix for the AEW World Championship (January 5th AEW Dynamite - New Year's Smash Night 1)
Rey Fenix kicked off a superb 2021 of Match of the Year candidates on the first AEW Dynamite of the year. Fenix received a shot at Kenny Omega's AEW World Championship on the New Year's Smash Night 1 special on January 6th. The main event clash displayed some of the most amazing action and sequences seen in All Elite Wrestling all year so far.
This gem of an AEW Dynamite match proved why Rey Fenix is considered the best highflier in the business today. The jaw-dropping offense of the luchador wowed everyone watching. His moonsault into a german suplex was awesome and created a great nearfall. His double stomp to Omega's back was also another stunning maneuver.
The most outstanding sequence of this AEW Dynamite main event saw Omega nail Fenix with a V-Trigger, which Fenix immediately kipped up from and hit a superkick to put both men down. Just when it looked like Fenix had the upper hand, Omega hit the Tiger Driver 98 and V-Trigger for a two count.
Omega then followed with the One Winged Angel for the victory to retain the AEW World Championship. After revealing that Death Triangle was attacked backstage, Omega looked to attack Fenix some more until Jon Moxley intervened. This led to the arrival of IMPACT World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers to AEW Dynamite.
The final scene with Omega, Gallows, Anderson and The Young Bucks teaming up to fight off members of the roster and do the Too Sweet signal was a defining visual of 2021 for AEW so far. The Omega/Fenix fantastic AEW World Championship Match is not only one of the best main events of the year, but probably in AEW Dynamite history. There was only one main event just as great.
#1 Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. vs. Thunder Rosa in an Unsanctioned Lights Out Match (March 17th AEW Dynamite - St. Patrick's Day Slam)
The rivalry between Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. and Thunder Rosa had been a consistent highlight on AEW Dynamite since the start at the tail end of 2020. The two ladies clashed for the first time back at the Beach Break with Baker pulling out the win. However, things were far from settled following that matchup. This led to Tony Khan making their rematch an Unsanctioned Lights Out Match.
This was not only the first women's and AEW Dynamite Unsanctioned Lights Out Match, it was the first women's main event in the company's history on the St. Patrick's Day Slam special. The two women battled with a physical intensity that was unmatched by anything we had seen on mainstream professional wrestling in the past decade.
The hatred between Baker and Rosa was unparalleled and on full display in this encounter. With the history of Lights Out matches in AEW, the two ladies had to live up to the hype in a big way. That is exactly what they did.
They fought all over ringside and used any weapons at their disposal in this AEW Dynamite main event. Both women bled with the visual of Britt Baker's crimson mask being used in the same vein of Stone Cold Steve Austin's at WrestleMania 13 on shirts immediately following this battle.
Rosa gave Britt Baker a death valley driver off the top rope into a ladder bridge and powerbombed her onto thumbtacks. This was insane not just for a women's match but for any match that we had seen on AEW Dynamite before. Rosa and Baker were tremendous in any context that any fan could give them. They put everything on the line in an effort to deliver a career-making performance.
Thunder Rosa gained the win by giving Baker a Thunder Driver off the apron into a table at ringside. Despite Rosa's victory, Britt Baker gained just as much in defeat. She proved that she could take things to the extreme and deliver a brutal encounter that made death-match fans proud.
Rosa vs. Baker was clearly the best women's match in AEW history. It elevated the company's much maligned women's division and women's wrestling in general. For these reasons, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. vs. Thunder Rosa Unsanctioned Lights Match is the best AEW Dynamite match of 2021 so far.
