AEW is capping off 2023 with the upcoming Worlds End pay-per-view event. The show will go down at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on December 30. The PPV is the final chapter of what’s been a monumental year for the Jacksonville-based promotion.
From legendary arrivals to career-defining matches, AEW managed to keep the internet buzzing with their product. Of course, there have been some backstage shenanigans, but that’s a story for another time.
That being said, let’s take a look at the five best AEW moments of 2023:
Stokely Hathaway announces his retirement
Stokely Hathaway is arguably the funniest promo in AEW. The former Malcolm Bivens gave fans a hilarious training montage ahead of his No Disqualification Match against HOOK on the March 22 episode of Dynamite.
When the time for the fight came, Stokely claimed he was medically unclear to compete. The mouthpiece for The Firm also handed Justin Roberts a receipt as his doctor’s note. Referee Bryce Remsburg tore the receipt and the rest was history.
The Cleaner & The Devil
MJF had teased a match with Kenny Omega on Being the Elite’s episode 368. The Devil made it clear he wanted to surpass the Cleaner’s streak with the AEW World Championship. Omega officially challenged Max for his title at the October 25 episode of Dynamite.
It was truly a great moment to see two of the best in the business not only acknowledge each other, but deliver a warning for things to come. Both men would go on to deliver a critically-acclaimed match on Collision.
A Rated R arrival (AEW WrestleDream)
AEW presented WrestleDream from the Climate Pledge Arena on October 1. The main event pitted Christian Cage against Darby Allin in a Two out of Three Falls Match for the TNT title. Darby took some brutal bumps during the match.
The young star, however, refused to submit. It took a heel turn from best friend Nick Wayne to put Darby down. Sting attempted to make the save but was taken care of as well. Then, Metalingus blasted through the speakers as the Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland became All Elite.
Joe wants Punk
Samoa Joe and CM Punk were part of arguably the greatest era in Ring of Honor history. Both men were involved in some of the greatest matches on the independent circuit at the time. When Collision debuted, they reignited their historic rivalry.
Punk teamed up with FTR to take on Joe and Bullet Club Gold in an epic six-man tag action. The whole United Center jolted with fan roar as the Samoan Submission Machine tagged in to take on the Straight Edge Superstar.
For Jay Briscoe (AEW Dynamite)
Jay Briscoe tragically lost his life in a car accident in January 2023. AEW put together a great tribute show for the late, great tag team specialist. Tony Khan also honored Jay on Dynamite with a special main event between Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal.
Both men honored the fallen ROH legend inside the squared circle. It was truly an emotional night for the pro wrestling industry. After the match, both men shared an emotional hug to a huge ovation from the crowd.
Honorable Mentions
- Adam Cole returns (January)
- Eddie Kingston wins ROH World Title (September)
- Will Ospreay confronts Kenny Omega (June)
- Jay Briscoe tribute show (January)
- CM Punk arrives on Collision (June)
Also read: Best AEW Holiday Bash Matches
