10 Most Important Matches In Modern Wrestling History

In and of itself, the Elite versus the trio who weren't yet named Death Triangle was an exhilarating if hardly emotionally resonant match.

Insofar as execution and state-of-the-art action, it was thrilling. Kenny Omega was on sensational individual form; in one incredible moment, as Rey Fénix flew into him with a corkscrew plancha, he managed to blast him (safely) in the face with a pinpoint-accurate V-trigger despite the velocity of the rotations he had to account for.

Omega was bound and determined to remind the audience that he was the best wrestler on the planet. He sort of had to; in selling for a Dark Order creeper on the infamous December 18 Dynamite, he had surrendered his star power. This was less than ideal; the Elite as a collective had already planned to lose (and often) in a sort of coming-of-age arc designed to peak at least a year from that moment. It was a bold strategy, one that asked much in the way of patience from the audience, but it was taken several steps too far on a night that inspired a backlash.

Had AEW f*cked it?

Between December 18 and January 1, Tony Khan broke up the booking committee. The Elite had input, but Khan gave himself final cut over the holidays. In a booking masterstroke, the January 1 show was themed on phase one of the Elite's grand comeback.

Are the Elite still Elite?

That was the question posed, and, in a much-needed exercise in reassurance, answered with the feel-good win in crowd-pleasing banger.

Hangman Page provided commentary, and was on priceless form. The Elite were still great, but not whole: Page was left out. That development - the first truly great night for Page and his range - was the cliffhanger.

Khan's first Dynamite as lead booker was awesome, a restorative night, and the goodwill returned at the perfect time: amid such reassuring scenes, AEW was awarded the rights fee from Warner that ensured its medium-term future.