Violent & Bloody AEW Matches That Made Us SICK!

5. Thunder Rosa Vs. Dr. Britt Baker - St. Patrick's Day Slam 2021

Jon Moxley
AEW

One of the best matches in AEW history, Thunder Rosa Vs. Dr. Britt Baker was absolutely shocking.

A women's main event? On Dynamite?!

Yes, but beyond that, the extent of the violence was unsettling. It didn't lack for spectacular set-pieces, but it was a match better for its tone and sense of struggle; even when doing something as simple as re-entering the ring, Baker was smothered by Rosa. There was nothing clean here. She scratched at and shoved Rosa away just to find enough space to throw a thrust kick at her jaw. The masterpiece of the AEW women's division, every second counted.

One sequence in particular churned the gut. More so than a brutal collision into a ladder, the sort of thing that adrenaline could override in the moment, watching Rosa tear her own back up in thumbtacks to reverse the Lockjaw into a pin attempt was shudder-inducing. The spot put over her sheer will to win in a match that can often act as an excuse to perform cool spots.

Nasty and attritional, the violence was not always glorious - but all the more effective as a result.

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!