Every AEW PPV Main Event (So Far) Ranked Worst To Best

The finish aside, Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley's take on the exploding barbed wire deathmatch was near-brilliant.

They were close to paying total respect to masters of the craft - Atsushi Onita, Terry Funk, et al - with the drama, key spots, and overall violent aesthetic combining neatly to create this nasty blend of proper deathmatch wrestling. They didn't spam barbed wire spots like it was a CZW Tournament Of Death, either, instead spacing them out and making the build to the spots constantly worth it.

Moxley was a genius throughout. He exploded first, having become used to the deathmatch lifestyle during his CZW days, while later on, he nudged his foot towards the explosives, thus throwing Kenny Omega off as he attempted a One-Winged Angel. It was such a subtle feature that could only exist in this intricate sphere of AEW main events.

It was let down solely by its finishing shot.

Eddie Kingston covered Jon Moxley's prone body. Once enemies, Kingston and Mox had developed this mutual respect for one another that led them to this moment.

Except it wasn't needed. There was no explosion, but rather a failed fireworks attempt on a dismal Bonfire Night.

It was lame beyond lame, but AEW salvaged their own credibility with post-match comments. Still, though, without it, this had potential excellence.