10 Best Moments In AEW History

1. The Dark Order Make Their Entrance At Fight For The Fallen 2021

Sting Revolution
AEW

If the essence of AEW can be distilled into a single scene, this is that scene. 

At Fight For The Fallen 2021, unfancied wrestlers the Dark Order, acting as surrogates for the fans, believed in and teamed with Hangman Page. Together, they took on the Elite and the Good Brothers. 

This was an only-in-AEW masterpiece before the bell rang. In a moving, endearing video package that approached masculinity in wrestling with a refreshing new perspective, Page and the Order told fans that you don’t need a hat to be a cowboy. AEW - mostly a nice company - added a lone spotlight in remembrance of Mr. Brodie Lee. 

This wonderful earnestness was contrasted by the Elite pissing about, treating Page with contempt, making their entrance to the main theme from ‘Space Jam’ - which, being AEW at its dorky, super-detailed best, was a tease of CM Punk’s basketball-themed First Dance debut. 

This use of licensed music, another AEW signature, was an exercise in spending money to make a moment for the sheer love of it - an infinitely better improvement on cheapo in-house fare designed to save a few pennies for the sake of shareholders. 

The exhilarating multi-man action was another AEW staple - crystallising the beautiful idea that the pro wrestler could express themselves and go all out on free TV because free TV need not be a phoned-in infomercial for the money you are asked to spend. 

The match also distilled the brilliance of peak AEW’s storytelling principles: Page, the main character, lost cleanly because, in a bold sports-oriented twist, he was still out of form. 

Clean finish. Licensed music. True, sporting drama, expertly-worked sense of panic. The Elite being Elite, at the top of their game, drawing big and underscoring their ability to change the world. White-hot crowd heat. Detail. Passion. 

That’s what people talk about when they talk about AEW. 

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!