5 Best AEW Matches Of 2020 So Far

After two pay-per-views, a few TV specials, and some pretty awesome fare from the bog standard episodes of Dynamite itself, All Elite Wrestling has had a pretty fruitful six months. A promotion that pretty much guaranteed that it was going to be a haven for great wrestling upon its inception has not disappointed in the slightest. What's difficult, though, is sifting through the expanse of excellent bouts and picking just five for this list.

In a six-month stretch that has included golf carts, goal post Moonsaults, entrance stages being broken, (very) good lucha things, drone-related voyeurism, inspirational dentists, and commentary augmented by a Canadian's outspoken dislike of the erstwhile-likeable Pineapple Pete, just taking a moment to comprehend it all causes the mind to reel. Fortunately, I've taken some of that guesswork out of it for you, and have narrowed down AEW's impressive match list to five sturdy choices.

As we wait to see what the second half of 2020 brings in terms of All Elite content, here are my choices for the five best matches to come out of the non-"sloppy shop" so far this year.

After two pay-per-views, a few TV specials, and some pretty awesome fare from the bog standard episodes of Dynamite itself, All Elite Wrestling has had a pretty fruitful six months. A promotion that pretty much guaranteed that it was going to be a haven for great wrestling upon its inception has not disappointed in the slightest. What's difficult, though, is sifting through the expanse of excellent bouts and picking just five for this list.

In a six-month stretch that has included golf carts, goal post Moonsaults, entrance stages being broken, (very) good lucha things, drone-related voyeurism, inspirational dentists, and commentary augmented by a Canadian's outspoken dislike of the erstwhile-likeable Pineapple Pete, just taking a moment to comprehend it all causes the mind to reel. Fortunately, I've taken some of that guesswork out of it for you, and have narrowed down AEW's impressive match list to five sturdy choices.

As we wait to see what the second half of 2020 brings in terms of All Elite content, here are my choices for the five best matches to come out of the non-"sloppy shop" so far this year.

5. Chris Jericho Vs. Jon Moxley (Revolution)

Not a technical classic by any means, but a good, heated blowoff to a World title rivalry that had brewed for months. After Jericho tried to take Moxley's eyeball out with a spike, "Mox" went on a revenge streak that demonstrated why Dean Ambrose is best left in the past.

Jericho could not put Moxley away, despite interference from all the other members of the Inner Circle. He then tried to blind Moxley's good eye, only to fail on the ensuing Judas Effect attempt. The reaction to Moxley pulling off the eyepatch was a perfect prelude to the finish.

4. Kenny Omega/Adam Page Vs. The Lucha Bros (Dynamite)

Ten days before Omega and "Hangman" defended the titles against estranged friends The Young Bucks, they had to first get through the always dangerous Pentagon Jr and Rey Fenix. As far as "tune up" matches go, it was far more exciting and competitive than most.

Really, any match with Fenix's particular brand of athletics has a very high basement to begin with. Factor in the friction between Omega and Page, along with Omega's fired up, supercharged comeback in the closing minutes, and you've got a killer TV bout.

4. Kenny Omega/Adam Page Vs. The Lucha Bros (Dynamite)

Ten days before Omega and "Hangman" defended the titles against estranged friends The Young Bucks, they had to first get through the always dangerous Pentagon Jr and Rey Fenix. As far as "tune up" matches go, it was far more exciting and competitive than most.

Really, any match with Fenix's particular brand of athletics has a very high basement to begin with. Factor in the friction between Omega and Page, along with Omega's fired up, supercharged comeback in the closing minutes, and you've got a killer TV bout.

3. MJF Vs. Jungle Boy (Double Or Nothing)

On a night with more than its fair share of insanity and absurdity, a textbook match between a classic underdog babyface and a God-tier villain shone brightly. The year 2020 has seen lots in the way of wrestling gone berserk, but the old school can clearly still thrill.

Sure, there was a gnarly Apron Poisonrana at one juncture that looked like it flattened MJF's scalp, but otherwise, you had two consummate pros (both under the age of 25) delivering a pure wrestling match that would've been a treat in any era.

2. Stadium Stampede (Double Or Nothing)

Anything I write here will inevitably fail to properly convey the surreality of what, at its core, still managed to constitute a competitive match. Given the abstract minds of the participants and an entire stadium in which to create, surreality was the expectation.

The Elite and Matt Hardy's multi-faceted, multi-vignetted brawl with The Inner Circle inspired some (but definitely not all) to go past five stars when rating this spectacle of horses, bar fights, golf carts, and coneheaded cackling. Polarizing? Yep. Unique? Unquestionably.

1. Kenny Omega/Adam Page Vs. The Young Bucks (Revolution)

Recency bias after Double or Nothing would've had one believing that the Stampede was frontrunner for match of the year. That's doing a disservice to the Tag Team title match at Revolution, which is one of the greatest traditional tag matches, anywhere and ever.

The storyline layers (Page's booze-addled paranoia and the breeding of discontent among all parties) was the cement that allowed all four men to stack up a tag team wrestling masterpiece, with teases and payoffs that had fans hanging on the story and the action alike.