Sometimes I forget how young AEW still is. It has not been around that long, yet it already has a backlog of matches that feel historic. These are the kinds of matches you rewatch on a random weeknight on HBO Max or send to a friend with a simple message: you have to see this.

Once Forbidden Door became an annual event, the number of dream matches only grew. This is not a technical breakdown or star-rating list. This is a fan list. Some matches are left off, and that’s okay, they are still great. These are the matches people still talk about, rewatch, post clips of and hold onto years later.

Let’s count it down.

10. Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Will Ospreay,
Forbidden Door 2024

This one can get overlooked because Forbidden Door cards are always loaded, but it delivers. Two elite athletes move at full speed with no hesitation. Once Ospreay arrived in AEW, this matchup felt inevitable, and it delivered.

Each sequence builds on the last, faster and more intense. By the end, it feels unreal. It also felt like a preview of AEW’s main event scene for the next decade.

9. MJF vs. CM Punk
Dog Collar Match, Revolution 2022

Pure hatred defined this match. Chains, blood and old-school callbacks made it feel deeply personal. Not storyline personal. Real personal.

This was also the night MJF cemented himself as a top star. After this, there was no denying it.

8. Mariah May vs. Toni Storm (c)
Hollywood Ending Falls Count Anywhere, Revolution 2025

This match still feels surreal. It blended cinematic storytelling with chaos. The action moved through the arena and into complete disorder, yet it never felt over the top. It felt dramatic, emotional and intense.

Storm fully embraced her Hollywood persona, while May matched her at every level. It felt bigger than a title match. It felt like the climax of a film.

It also served as a fitting sendoff for May and capped what may be the best feud in AEW history. This stands as the top women’s match in company history and proof the division can headline.

7. Kenny Omega (c) vs. Bryan Danielson,
Grand Slam 2021

A dream match that lived up to expectations. The atmosphere in New York felt massive as two of the best faced off. Danielson was fresh from leaving WWE, and the dream matches could finally come to life.

Thirty minutes of wrestling with no wasted motion. Even the draw felt right. It felt epic, like two gods testing each other.

6. Bryan Danielson vs. MJF (c)
60-Minute Iron Man Match, Revolution 2023

MJF proved himself again here. Going an hour with Danielson is a test few can pass. He did.

The pacing, storytelling and final stretch kept the crowd engaged throughout. It had a classic, old-school feel that worked perfectly.

5. Young Bucks (c) vs. Lucha Bros
Steel Cage Match, All Out 2021

One of the wildest tag matches ever. Blood, near falls and unforgettable moments defined it.

By the end, no one was sitting. I was there live and by the end I had no voice. This is the match to show anyone that doubts tag team wrestling can deliver the best matches.

4. Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland Texas Death Match, Full Gear 2023

This match was violent and relentless. It was not about technique. It was about damage.

Barbed wire, glass, staples and more turned it into a brutal spectacle. It also solidified Strickland as a true main event star. This match helped solidify this feud as one of the best ever.

3. Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay,
Dynasty 2024

A showcase of elite wrestling. Counters, strikes and constant motion made it impossible to look away.

Danielson’s technical style blended with Ospreay’s speed and creativity. Every near fall felt significant. It is the kind of match that reminds you what peak in ring storytelling looks like when two of the best push each other to the limit.

2. Hangman Page and Kenny Omega (c) vs. Young Bucks,
Revolution 2020

For a long time, this stood at the top. It remains AEW’s best tag team match ever.

The storytelling carried everything. Friendship, tension and rivalry played out in every move. It was not just a match. It was a story that touched every emotion.

1. Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega (c),
Forbidden Door 2023

This is the one.

From start to finish, it delivered at the highest level. Ospreay entered as the outsider, while Omega defended both his championship and his ground.

The match featured constant momentum swings, creative offense and near falls that kept the crowd engaged throughout. Ospreay’s speed matched Omega’s precision, creating a near perfect balance.

It felt like two of the best in the world pushing each other to the limit. Every sequence raised the stakes.

When it ended, it left a lasting impression. The kind of match that defines a company. The kind you recommend every time. Only time will tell if we get a third match.

Maybe All In 2026?