[3venflow]

I've compiled a list of the top 30 rated AEW matches from 2021 via the popular Cagematch site. I think it's a good reference for those who may be new to AEW or want to reflect on the year gone by. These are voted on by hundreds of people so a good variety of opinions.

I've included the average score for the match (out of 10) and when two scores are equal, I've ranked the one with the most votes higher. All of these scores are accurate as of January 2nd.

30-21

30. Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (12/8) (8.04)
29. Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood & MJF vs. CM Punk, Darby Allin & Sting (12/22) (8.05)
28. Adam Page, Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, John Silver & Stu Grayson vs. Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (7/28) (8.06)
27. Hikaru Shida vs. Ryo Mizunami (3/7) (8.06)
26. Emi Sakura vs. VENY (2/15) (8.12)
25. Jon Moxley & Lance Archer vs. Kenny Omega & KENTA (2/4) (8.13)
24. Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian & Miro (3/25) (8.14)
23. Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix (8/25) (8.17)
22. Adam Page vs. Andrade El Idolo vs. Jon Moxley vs. Lance Archer vs. Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy vs. PAC (10/6) (8.20)
21. Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage (9/5) (8.23)

20-11

20. Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage (8/13) (8.23)
19. Emi Sakura, Maki Ito & VENY vs. Hikaru Shida, Mei Suruga & Rin Kadokura (2/28) (8.31)
18. Jon Moxley, PAC & Rey Fenix vs. Karl Anderson, Kenny Omega & Luke Gallows (2/3) (8.31)
17. MJF vs. Sammy Guevara (6/30) (8.33)
16. Kenny Omega vs. Jungle Boy (6/26) (8.51)
15. CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston (11/13) (8.51)
14. Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC (10/16) (8.61)
13. Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb (10/27) (8.64)
12. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston (5/30) (8.64)
11. Darby Allin vs. MJF (11/13) (8.67)

10-1

10. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. PAC & Rey Fenix (4/8) (8.68)
9. Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Thunder Rosa (3/11) (8.78)
8. Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix (1/6) (8.84)
7. Kenny Omega vs. Orange Cassidy vs. PAC (5/30) (8.89)
6. Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston (10/27) (9.05)
5. Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki (10/15) (9.23)
4. Kenny Omega vs. Adam Page (11/13) (9.28)
3. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix (9/5) (9.50)
2. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson (12/15) (9.53)
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega (9/22) (9.54)

 

[thorwold]

Sad that Bryan and Nick is not on here, but happy he dominates the top 10. I also think Serena's matches with Riho and the most recent one with Shida probably deserve spots too.

 

[3venflow]

Sad that Bryan and Nick is not on here, but happy he dominates the top 10. I also think Serena's matches with Riho and the most recent one with Shida probably deserve spots too.

There are so many good matches in the 7s that could've been in the top 30. Riho vs. Serena from the DoN buy-in, which I thought was incredible, is currently at 7.85. The street fight from Rampage is at 7.77.

Matches like Dax vs. Jungle Boy also didn't make the top 30. It's all subjective, though it's nice to see some of the stuff from the women's eliminator tournament Japanese bracket get some love.

I'd be interested to see similar data from the GRAPPL app, but my phone sucks so I don't have it installed at the moment. I was also thinking of doing a worldwide list for 2021, but there's very little activity on the 'Other Wrestling' board.

 

[LifeInCattleClass]

This is a great list of matches for sure

i think my personal top 5 would’ve been

1. Bryan v Omega
2. YB v Lucha cage match
3. Punk v Eddie
4. baker v thunder
5. Bryan v suzuki

for pure emotion

kenny v hangman

 

[Geeee]

Danielson barely here and he is dominating the list. Incredible

 

[thorn123]

I think this list is bell to bell wrestling - and that is fine. But with the build up and story, hangman and Kenny is number one for me.

also notice how not many multi tag matches feature very high - slow down with those AEW.

 

[3venflow]

Okay, here is the 2021 worldwide top 30 from Cagematch for those interested.

30-21

30. Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Takuya Nomura (BJW, 10/18) (9.05)
29. Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 10/27) (9.05)
28. Josh Alexander vs. TJP (IMPACT, 6/3) (9.07)
27. Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Masato Tanaka (NOAH, 12/27) (9.10)
26. Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW, 3/21) (9.10)
25. Jay White vs. Kota Ibushi (NJPW, 1/5) (9.10)
24. Kazusada Higuchi vs. Yuji Okabayashi (DDT, 11/14) (9.12)
23. Giulia vs. Tam Nakano (Stardom, 3/3) (9.12)
22. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yuji Okabayashi (DDT, 12/26) (9.14)
21. Alex Colon vs. Atticus Cogar (GCW, 6/5) (9.15)

20-11

20. Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, 11/16) (9.17)
19. Momo Watanabe vs. Syuri (Stardom, 9/25) (9.19)
18. Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW, 1/4) (9.19)
17. Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 9/18) (9.22)
16. Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, 3/14) (9.22)
15. Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW, 1/5) (9.22)
14. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Kenou (NOAH, 11/28) (9.23)
13. Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki (AEW, 10/15) (9.23)
12. Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, 9/23) (9.25)
11. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Kenou (NOAH, 10/3) (9.27)

10-1

10. Adam Page vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 11/13) (9.28)
9. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW, 7/25) (9.37)
8. Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW, 5/4) (9.38)
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW, 1/30) (9.40)
6. Syuri vs. Utami Hayashishita (Stardom, 6/12) (9.48)
5. Syuri vs. Utami Hayashishita (Stardom, 12/29) (9.50)
4. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix (AEW, 9/5) (9.50)
3. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 12/15) (9.53)
2. Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 9/22) (9.54)
1. Ilja Dragunov vs. WALTER (WWE NXT, 8/22) (9.64)

 

[AthleticGirth]

No Cody, Miro, or Jericho in there, but two spots for ASUKA VENY. The argument about athletic workrate can't be made because Kingston cracked the top 10.

I personally thought Kingston's best match of the year was against Miro, and Danielson's matches against Dustin and Miro were better than Kingston and the Suzuki chop fest - far better in fact.

Can't argue with top spot, I'd have Darby MJF in second and Darby Punk in the top 10. Cody's first match with Black should be top 30 as should Christian Kaz.

 

[A PG Attitude]

Bucks vs Lucha Bros Steel cage should be number one.

 

[Prosper]

That’s a damn good list, I’d probably add Moxley/Kingston vs Young Bucks to the top 10 in the #10 spot though in place of the first Bucks/Lucha Bros match that happened in April. (Not the cage match)

 

[LifeInCattleClass]

For sleeper hits or ‘much better than i ever thought it would be’

i would add Hangman v Brian Cage at the PPV

that was a banger - and i have zero love for cage

 

[Geeee]

For sleeper hits or ‘much better than i ever thought it would be’

i would add Hangman v Brian Cage at the PPV

that was a banger - and i have zero love for cage

Also, their match on Dynamite was really good. I think they just have really solid chemistry because they have similar wrestling styles. Some power moves, some flips

 

[thatonewwefanguy]

1. Ilja Dragunov vs. WALTER (WWE NXT, 8/22) (9.64)

i am glad NXT is number 1

 

[SayWhatAgain!]

Dominates the list after 5 minutes with the company. GOAT gonna GOAT.

 

[Lorromire]

The list is good, I'd make a few changes here and there but overall it's about right. I'm happy to see that Ilja Dragonuv vs WALTER got some love, hitting that number one spot, damn bois.

 

[PavelGaborik]

Don't really agree with much of the orders here quite honestly.

 

[Ultimo Duggan]

Don't really agree with much of the orders here quite honestly.

I think the order was strictly by the average match score on their scale. Had the list been calculated by readers sending in their top 10, 20, 30 matches Individually ranked lists the match average would get thrown out the window and the their Top 30 2021 AEW Matches rankings would be much different.