25 Best Wrestling Moments Of 2024

11. Darby Allin’s Balcony Dive

Darby Allin
All Elite Wrestling

The wider Elite Vs. Team AEW feud was nonsense. No stakes, no suspense, no emotion. Why were they fighting? Who really held power? Why couldn’t Tony Khan simply overrule the Young Bucks? Who honestly asked for Christopher Daniels: onscreen authority figure? 

This late 2010s WWE storyline failed to inspire much enthusiasm within the AEW fanbase. It was a desperate attempt to play to the promotion loyalists, and the soul of AEW was never really in any danger - except it was. In booking it, Tony Khan was the heel ruining its sanctity. 

Still, Anarchy In The Arena, as pointless as it was, was a total blast. Brimming with AEW’s signature thought, the first five minutes was an injection of pure wrestling dopamine. The Young Bucks demanded their music be played over the match, as is tradition. Then Bryan Danielson kicked their ass, and the Final Countdown played. This was awesome - as was Matthew Jackson’s dejected plea to stop it, saying “It costs us like $200,000 every time” - but the real “This is AEW” moment happened when Darby Allin leapt off a balcony and onto the Elite at the exact time the chorus kicked in.

Only in AEW - the preeminent “fist pump” company - will you see something that cool. 

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!