AEW has been in existence for 5 years now and here, we take a look back at AEW’s very first year and look at some of the memorable moments.
The 1st Dynamite
The very first AEW Dynamite took place in Washington on October 2nd, 2019. The show opened to fireworks and a sold-out crowd of over 14,000 fans. JR, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur talked us through the card and the event kicked off with Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara.
One of the most emotional moments of AEW’s debut year was Cody Rhodes’ homecoming to AEW. Rhodes had left WWE in 2016 and had been a key figure in the creation of AEW. His return to the company was met with a huge ovation from the crowd, and Rhodes delivered a powerful promo that promised a new era for professional wrestling.
The first Dynamite had 5 matches:
| Cody Rhodes w/Brandi defeated Sammy Guevara | Singles Match |
| MJF defeated Brandon Cutler | Singles Match |
| PAC defeated Hangman Page | Singles Match |
| Riho defeated Nyla Rose | AEW Women’s World Championship |
| Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz defeated Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks | Six-Man Tag Match |
After Cody defeated Guevara, Chris Jericho came out and destroyed Cody. The crowd were pumped up for this first Dynamite. The show also had MJF, showing what was to come from him in the future, cutting a promo on Cutler before beating him.
The show also featured Riho defeating Nyla Rose to become the first AEW Women’s World Champion.
The inaugural episode of Dynamite had 1,409,000 viewers, being 16th most viewed cable show and the 2nd most viewed show for the 18-49 key demo.
“The moment you flip to our show, I want it to take one frame to go, ‘Oh, I’m watching AEW,’” said Jackson, one of AEW’s four executive vice presidents and a member of The Young Bucks tag team with his brother Nick. “We should immediately have the ability to be and look different. … Everything about us should be different, so you know at least this one’s AEW and this is the other wrestling show.” (NY Post)
Dynamite would go head-to-head with NXT and promised to focus on the wrestling to differentiate themselves.
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers
The rivalry between The Young Bucks and The Lucha Brothers was one of the highlights of AEW’s inaugural year. The two teams faced off in a series of incredible matches, including a ladder match and a “Blood & Guts” match. The rivalry was praised by fans and critics alike, and it helped to establish AEW as a company that was willing to take risks and put on exciting matches.
“I remember telling Tony what I was going to do and he loved it because he was such a fan of our prior work. He was familiar that I did it back in PWG, and he was like, ‘YES!’ That lives on as an AEW moment, and that moment is synonymous with the Young Bucks,” Matt said in an interview with Sneaker History regarding the bloody sneaker.
“It’s probably one of our top three moments in our career in AEW. For me especially. I look back fondly at that cage match. Probably that match, and Sting and Darby, those are my two favorite matches of my career. I look back at that moment and think, man. That specific aesthetic with the orange gear. That look might be my favorite look and my favorite time in the company, 2021. It was an exciting time. That match, too” (h/t: Fightful).
The Casino Battle Royale
The first Casino Battle Royale occurred during the pre-show of AEW’s inaugural event, Double or Nothing in May 2019, and was a men’s match. The winner of this first match was entered into the match to determine the inaugural holder of the AEW World Championship at All Out in August of that year.
The Casino Battle Royale is a modified rumble rules battle royal that features 21 entrants. It begins with a group of five wrestlers, and every three minutes, another group of five wrestlers enters, while the 21st and final entrant enters alone. The wrestlers are grouped based on the suit they drew from a deck of cards—spades, diamonds, clubs, or hearts—and the order of when each group enters is based on a random draw of the cards.
The 21st and final entrant is the wrestler who drew the joker.[7] The winner receives a world championship match of their respective gender’s division—either the AEW World Championship or the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Adam Page won the first Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing 2019, entering as the 21st ‘Joker’ entrant. Nyla Rose won the first women’s match at All Out 2019.
The First Double or Nothing Pay-Per-View
The first Double or Nothing PPV event took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and was certainly a memorable one!
Chris Jericho vs Kenny Omega was the headline act for a shot at the AEW World Championship, and at the conclusion of the match, we saw the arrival of one Jon Moxley, through the crowd. The crowd went insane and this was a huge moment for AEW.
You can catch a full review of Double or Nothing 2019 right here.
The Formation of The Inner Circle
The Inner Circle is a faction of wrestlers that was formed by Chris Jericho. The group includes Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, and Ortiz. The Inner Circle has been involved in some of the most memorable storylines and matches in AEW history, and they have become one of the most popular factions in the company.
Jericho introduced every one of them, putting them all over in the process. The group would dominate for some time, before eventually disbanding.
The AEW Full Gear Pay-Per-View
AEW’s Full Gear pay-per-view was another major milestone for the company. The show featured a number of high-profile matches, including Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship and The Young Bucks vs. FTR. The event was praised by fans and critics alike, and it helped to solidify AEW’s position as a top-tier professional wrestling promotion.
AEW’s debut year was a remarkable achievement. The company introduced a new style of professional wrestling, and it quickly gained a loyal fanbase. The moments listed above are just a few of the many memorable moments from AEW’s inaugural year. As AEW continues to grow and evolve, it is sure to produce even more unforgettable moments in the years to come.
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