25 Best Wrestling Moments Of 2024

15. Kris Statlander’s Splits Bump

Kris Statlander All Out
AEW

Across 2024, something became very hard to ignore - not that Tony Khan didn’t ignore it. 

The women’s division, to use Cody Rhodes’ old catchphrase, evolved from undesirable to undeniable. And yet, Chris Jericho commanded more television time as he scrambled, desperately, to revive his increasingly pathetic career. FTR seem to have a weekly half-hour match as a clause in their contracts. There remains just one non-squash women’s match on Dynamite, which is a bizarre, unfair and increasingly stupid rule (who enforces it?).

Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander did that which Chris Jericho is now incapable of: they tore the roof off the arena at All Out, generated an avalanche of noise, and they did it after Will Ospreay Vs. PAC. 

The match itself was incredible - a non-stop, breathless war, the flow of huge spots driven by a “F*ck you, I’m not dead yet” sense of urgent defiance - but in the moment that makes the list, Kris Statlander ate a smattering of thumbtacks after a phenomenally ill-advised and unsuccessful axe kick. 

This awesome visual and sheer commitment to doing cool sh*t was emblematic of the best year yet in the AEW women’s division. 

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!