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This month, AEW Dynamite celebrates its one year anniversary. The company are commemorating the occasion throughout October.
In just 12 months, AEW Dynamite has become a hugely popular and highly-successful show.
The popularity can be judged by the impressive numbers they get each and every week, which sometimes reaches the million viewership mark.
The reason for its popularity stems from their ability to create new and exciting matches and feuds. AEW's tag team division might just be the best tag team division in the history of wrestling.
The wealth of talent at their disposal is astonishing, from invaluable veterans like Chris Jericho and Christopher Daniels to the future of the business such as MJF, Jungle Boy, and Ricky Starks.
The first year has not been without its faults, but the good had by far outweighed the bad. This is mainly due to the company's ability and eagerness to listen to the fans. When angles were received poorly, AEW will change and alter it for the better.
AEW Dynamite has revolutionized the wrestling business. For the first time in decades, WWE has some serious competition on their hands.
AEW Dynamite is a genuine alternative to WWE. Fans who have been dissatisfied by WWE's product can watch and enjoy a new and different wrestling show that tailors to their particular fandom.
With AEW's arrival, WWE and NXT specifically have to make drastic changes to their format and programming. NXT changed from a one hour pre-recorded show on the WWE Network to a live two-hour presentation on the USA network. The change was to counter-program AEW Dynamite on TNT.
AEW Dynamite has gone from strength to strength. Even during the pandemic, AEW has managed to innovate and continue to put out consistently great and entertaining programming every Wednesday night.
Throughout their first year, AEW Dynamite has provided us with a plethora of unforgettable moments. To celebrate Dynamite's first birthday, I have put together my top ten moments in its one-year history.
#10 Cody's Moonsault from the top of the cage in AEW Dynamite's first-ever steel cage match
MJF had double-crossed Cody a month earlier. Pretending to his friend, MJF accompanied Cody to ring for his AEW World Championship match against Chris Jericho at Full Gear last year. MJF would turn on Cody towards the end of the match by throwing in the towel, ending the latter's only chance of winning the title.
Cody sought revenge on MJF and called him. After dodging the call multiple times, MJF would grant Cody his wish, but he must first complete three challenges. They were:
1. Cody cannot touch MJF until the PPV; otherwise, the match will never happen.
2. Cody must face Wardlow inside of a steel cage.
3. MJF gets to lash Cody with his belt ten times on a future episode of AEW Dynamite of his choosing.
Cody readily accepted, and on the February 19th episode of Dynamite, Cody would meet Wardlow inside a steel cage.
The match was everything a company's first-ever steel match should be. Intense, violent, and brilliant.
A simple story was perfectly executed. Cody, as the mega babyface, was destroyed by the monster heel, Wardlow. But Cody's passion, drive, and heart battled against the odds to defeat his enemy. Cody would do this by climbing to the top of the cage and performed a death-defying moonsault onto Wardlow for the hard-fought victory.
Incredible, thrilling, and captivating stuff.
#9 So Cal Uncensored become first-ever AEW Tag Team Champions
One thing that makes AEW stand out from WWE is their stellar tag team division. On the fifth episode of AEW Dynamite, SCU's Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian became the first tag team champions after they defeated Lucha Bros in the finals of a thrilling and exciting tag team tournament.
SCU was extremely popular as both a tag team and as characters on Being the Elite. SCU is a highly-talented and well-respected trio of wrestlers. Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian are veterans of the business, and Scorpion Sky is a talented yet often overlooked wrestler.
En route to the finals, SCU had beaten Best Friends, Trent, and Chuck Taylor in the first round. In the second round, they would defeat Evil Uno and Stu Grayson of The Dark Order,
It was a great moment for two reasons. Firstly, AEW crowned their inaugural tag team champions, and secondly, it marked the career breakthrough for Kazarian and especially Scorpion Sky.
#8 Riho becomes first-ever AEW Women’s World Champion
AEW crowned their first-ever AEW Women’s World Champion on the first-ever episode of AEW Dynamite.
Riho and Nyla Rose put on a great match that stood out due to the size dimensions and clash of styles between the two competitors.
Both wrestlers were mainly unfamiliar to American audiences, which brought fresh and exciting competition to the premier edition of AEW Dynamite and kicked off the women’s division with a bang.
Nyla was the monster heel that everyone expected to destroy the smaller Riho. But Riho brought all of her Joshi tenacity to withstand Rose’s offense and shock the wrestling world by getting the win and becoming the inaugural AEW Women’s World Champion.
#7 The AEW Dynamite debut of FTR
Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood were one of the tag teams fans yearned to see in AEW. Formerly known as The Revival, they have an incredible run in NXT, however, it was not replicated on the main roster. Due to being poorly booked and criminally underused, they were out of the WWE door as soon as they got their chance.
Upon their release from Titan Sports, they were very coy as to where they were headed.
The old school duo made the long-awaited debut on Dynamite when they saved the Young Bucks from a beatdown from The Butcher and The Blade.
FTR and The Young Bucks have long been odds via social media fighting over who was the best tag team in the business.
The fact the former WWE Superstars came to help Nick and Matt Jackson and not join in with the beating was fascinating and more intrigue into their debut.
Since debuting on AEW Dynamite, FTR are now AEW Tag Team Champions and owning the entire division.
#6 Thunder Rosa makes a surprise appearance on AEW Dynamite
NWA Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa made a surprise appearance on the August 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite. In the vignette, Rosa challenged the AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida to a match at the upcoming pay-per-view, All Out.
The appearance came out of nowhere and was a complete shock. This was the first time a champion from another company had shown up on AEW and competed.
The surprise and shock of the arrival sent waves through business and garnered much attention on Rosa, Shida, and AEW’s All Out PPV.
Thunder Rosa’s appearance and subsequent matches were a brilliant showcase for her on the main stage while giving AEW’s women’s division a desperately needed shot in the arm.
Since appearing on AEW Dynamite, Thunder Rosa has become one of the most sought-after wrestlers of 2020.
#5 That Cody promo
Cody quickly became the face of AEW and, therefore, the leader of the revolution. Channeling all of his passion, all of his fire and all of the invaluable wrestling knowledge he has ever learned, he delivered a promo of epic proportions.
The son of, the son of a plumber stood in front of a crowd that hung to his every word and syllable.
Cody whipped them into a frenzy mentioning the wresting greats of old, including his father. He said how they pioneers in the business because they were both wrestlers and managers just like he was.
He spoke of how proud he was of AEW, its inclusivity, schedule, and their willingness to listen to the talent, ”This is Ellis Island for a professional wrestler. This is freedom!”
Yes, it was a “rah-rah” speech, but it was one of the best in years. Delivered confidently, coherently, and with such raw emotion, the promo on AEW Dynamite not only built up his upcoming match with Chris Jericho, but it summed up everything about the company.
#4. Hangman Page with the 100-yard dash
In the lead up to AEW’s second Double or Nothing pay-per-view, The Inner Circle and The Elite with Matt Hardy were getting ready to clash in the first-ever Stadium Stampede match on AEW Dynamite.
The Elite was a fractured unit. Cody was dealing with Lance Archer and the TNT Championship while Adam Hangman Page distanced himself from the group.
On the go-home AEW Dynamite show, Hardy took on Sammy Guevara. Hardy won the match, but then Jericho came on the big screen, gloating as the rest of the Inner Circle destroyed Kenny Omega.
The Young Bucks, who had been off AEW programming for the last couple of weeks, returned to help their outnumbered comrade. Hardy would join the fray, but the Inner Circle would get the better their opponents.
Suddenly, a lone figure would appear in the distance. We could see the figure approaching at a furious speed. Hangman Page sprinted the full length of the Jacksonville Jaguars football field to even the odds and lay waste to the Inner Circle.
It was a great moment to see Hangman hurtle into the action at full speed while in jeans and cowboy boots. Plus, it was even better to see the Elite back together once more.
#3. Chris Jericho creates The Inner Circle on AEW Dynamite
Chris Jericho was and still is the biggest name in AEW. He is the biggest heel in the company, and as the first-ever AEW World Champion, he had a rather large target on his back. To combat this, he surrounded himself with the best crew. Santana and Ortiz are rough, tough, and loyal soldiers, Sammy Guevara is a future star, and Jake Hager is not anyone to mess with.
The crew formed during a beat down of The Young Bucks, Cody and Dustin Rhodes. But it wasn’t until the following week that Jericho christened the group and the “Inner Circle”.
They were created to counteract The Elite and them down to reign supreme on AEW Dynamite. The heel faction ran roughshod over AEW Dynamite for the remainder of 2019 and still continue to do so a year on. A true monumental moment in AEW Dynamite history.
#2 Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley take AEW Dynamite to the extreme
Jon Moxley made an emphatic debut at Double or Nothing, attacking both Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. The attack was especially vicious on Omega, who ended up thrown off a stack of gigantic casino chips.
Omega would return the favor and attack Moxley after his match with Joey Janela and a match between the two was set for All Out. However, an elbow injury to Moxley postponed the match.
Moxley was absent from AEW programming until he made an epic return on the debut of AEW Dynamite. Omega remained in the ring after he and The Young Bucks battled it out with Jericho, Santana, and Ortiz in the main event.
Moxley would enter through the crowd and into the ring as the crowd exploded. Omega would turn to face his foe, and a wild brawl ensued that would end when Moxely would drive Omega headfirst through a glass table.
The return was perfect, the crowd ravenous and the moment was amazing.
#1 The TNT Championship Open Challenge
Cody became the first-ever AEW TNT Champion when he defeated the Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer on the finals of the tournament.
As the brand new champion, Cody issued an open challenge. An open challenge isn’t a new concept in the world of wrestling, but something about this one made it stand out. The challenge wasn’t just available for AEW talent; it was open to anyone.
The challenge gave us some great matches on AEW Dynamite from AEW wrestlers such as Jungle Boy, Marq Quen, Jake Hager, Sonny Kiss, and Scorpio Sky. But when wrestlers from outside of the company such as Ricky Starks, Eddie Kingston, and WARHORSE came in to challenge Cody, it gave the matches a unique air of excitement and intrigue.
The open challenge has had a profound effect on AEW Dynamite. Cody proved himself to be credible, and fighting champion and Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston were both signed have become majors players in AEW.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
