25 Best Wrestling Shows EVER

2. AEW All Out 2021

25 Thumb Final
AEW

Wrestling fans are fond of marking different distinct time periods as “eras”: New Generation, Attitude, etc. 

This hasn’t really happened with AEW yet, but in the spring and summer of 2021, All Elite Wrestling was Invincible. 

All Out 2021 was the night on which CM Punk returned to the squared circle for the first time in seven years. Special well before the bell rang, the match was incredible. Punk told the story of a diamond-sharp veteran mind who was very fortunate not to lose beautifully. The best Tag Team title reign in modern history was brought to an end when the Lucha Bros. went over the Young Bucks. The match was as spectacular as its ceiling - which was even higher than that scary AEW steel cage - but more impressive was the intense emotion and crowd psychology. The babyface comeback worked so well that the result felt like an audible was called. 

The undercard was relentlessly great - Dr. Britt Baker had her best ever straight singles match - and while it wasn’t the most fashionable of programmes, MJF and Chris Jericho generated high drama. 

Kenny Omega Vs. Christian Cage wasn’t as lean and incredible as their TV classic on Rampage, but it was a worthy closer. And then, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole debuted. It was a scene so iconic and amazing that it felt like the war was over forever there and then. 

All Out 2021 was too good to be true, ultimately. 

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!