10 AEW Matches We Most Want To See
Best Bouts Machine.
AEW's upcoming match programme inspires much anticipation and optimism.
At Fyter Fest, Jon Moxley Vs. Joey Janela is an almost harrowing prospect. On the scant evidence of his superb NJPW bow, this spiritually restored version of Moxley, the Death Rider, is a gruesome, head-chewing killer. His opponent offers a different foil to that of Juice Robinson, whose authentic, old school selling put over Mox so effectively. Janela, in contrast, is a demented new school psycho bumper. His recklessness, and Moxley's willingness to exploit that, promises/threatens a legit video nasty.
On the same show, the six-man tag promises jaw-dropping adrenaline, even in the unlikely event that Orange Cassidy deputises for PAC. At Fight For The Fallen, the Young Bucks Vs. Cody and Dustin Rhodes represents a very promising fusion of classic and modern sensibilities, and a platform for Dustin to deliberately fail to keep up with an act several generations removed from his - only to level up at the euphoric finish.
ALL OUT's main event, Chris Jericho Vs. Hangman Page, is set to maintain AEW's form in the traditional classic genre of pro wrestling - not as spectacular as the more fashionable headliners of 2019, but rich in emotion and pure in dynamic.
Looking beyond, to AEW's TV era...
10. The Young Bucks Vs. Private Party
Private Party are a superb, under-the-radar get for AEW.
Young, extremely creative, and very charismatic, they are also inexperienced and not over-exposed. In short, they are in a neat position to get over with the sought-after 18-30 demo, even in defeat. Especially in defeat. There is storyline justification - a requirement, really - for Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen to take the Young Bucks to the limit in an adrenaline-fuelled proving ground.
Private Party represent the perfect opponents for the Bucks. Their raw speed and state-of-the-art aerial work would overwhelm in the early going, as Nick and Matt Jackson suffer a confidence crisis - before using composure and big-fight experience to overcome in a sugar rush of a match with real narrative depth. This holds potential for a series, too, as Kassidy and Quen gradually refine their act throughout each chapter.
Such a match doesn't just generate a ludicrous number of champagne-cork pops; it establishes the Bucks as both division doyens and a crafty, veteran presence - a welcome, crucial character development and another F*CK YOU to the spot monkey naysayers.