Whilst AEW may have had an up-and-down year when it comes to storytelling, controversy, and backstage shenanigans, it has consistently still been the best in-ring product in professional wrestling. The caliber of competitors, the time dedicated to wrestling action, and the freedom to go the extra mile have ensured a high-quality show each and every week on Dynamite.

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There are many matches to pick from when looking at the very best that AEW stars have to offer, but we'll look at the absolute elite battles of the year that bests them all. Without further ado, here are the 10 best matches AEW had to offer in 2022, with each one being a testament to the greatness of All Elite Wrestling.

11 Adam Page vs Konosuke Takeshita, May 18

adam-page-konosuke-takeshita

Before Konosuke Takeshita was signed with AEW, he was already stealing the show when he made an appearance. One of his very first appearances saw him face off with “Hangman” Adam Page.

Going face-to-face with the AEW World Champion was a big ask, but he lived up to the occasion, and in just over 10 minutes he became a huge star. This match accomplished a lot by allowing Takeshita to make a name for himself whilst also adding momentum to Page ahead of his title defense at the upcoming PPV.

10 The Young Bucks vs Team Taz vs Swerve In Our Glory, July 13

Swerve In Our Glory

AEW put forth quite a few triple-threat Tag Team Title matches throughout 2022, but this one may be the best of the bunch due to the incredible finish when Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee shockingly picked up the win.

There were a lot of moments throughout this match that made the building erupt, and even though there was tension between the eventual winners, their win felt like a monumental moment.

9 Blood & Guts, June 29

AEW Blood & Guts 2022

AEW’s second Blood & Guts match was more violent, brutal, and bloody than the first, living up to the expectations of the name. The Blackpool Combat Club and their allies took on The Jericho Appreciation Society in a match that did end up getting messy, but it all added to the chaos and theme of the match.

Claudio Castagnoli was the standout here, with some big spots and high-energy offense, including a terrifying Giant Swing atop the Blood & Guts structure. For a TV match, this had everything and more.

8 The Elite vs United Empire, August 31

The Elite vs United Empire AEW

The AEW Trios Championship tournament was jam-packed full of incredible matches, and this bout between The Elite and United Empire may be the best in the entire bracket.

To some, it did feel like a classic PWG-style spotfest, but there was an undertone of emotion and storytelling added to it, which gave it an extra level of quality. Six of the best in the world put on an incredible display of athleticism here to close out an episode of Dynamite.

7 Dax Harwood vs Will Ospreay, June 15

Will Ospreay vs Dax Harwood AEW

There are few who had a year in 2022 quite like Dax Harwood, who just kept delivering week in and week out in multiple different promotions. He took on Will Ospreay in the lead-up to the Forbidden Door PPV, and it was a show-stealer.

Their two completely different styles worked well in contrast to one another, with Harwood’s aggression working well to counter Ospreay’s speed, and vice versa. This was a good precursor to the brilliant clash between AEW and NJPW at Forbidden Door.

6 Bryan Danielson vs Daniel Garcia, August 17

Bryan Danielson vs Daniel Garcia AEW

Following on from their great match a few weeks prior, Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia ran things back with a 2-out-of-3 falls match, and it ended up feeling like a classic.

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It was a technical masterclass mixed with stiff blows and a great teacher versus student dynamic, with Danielson ultimately using his experience to pick up the victory. Garcia looked like a star even in defeat.

5 Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara, January 26

Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara AEW Ladder Match

Whilst some viewed this simply as a spotfest, it was one of the more incredible spotfests in AEW history. Cody Rhodes’ last match with the company saw him and Guevara compete in a breathtaking ladder match to unify the TNT and Interim TNT titles.

This had brutal spots all throughout, with a notably sensational moment in which Guevara catapulted himself off a ladder to deliver a springboard cutter from 15 feet in the air. It was one hell of a way for Rhodes to bow out.

4 Jamie Hayter vs Hikaru Shida, December 21

Jamie Hayter vs Hikaru Shida AEW

On a rare occasion in which AEW’s women were given the main event spot on Dynamite, they delivered in a major way. Jamie Hayter’s good form continued with this slugfest against former champion Hikaru Shida, with this meshing their styles wonderfully.

This didn’t let up from the opening bell, with the two going at 100mph for 16 straight minutes. The sequences and back-and-forths at the end were brilliant, and they brought the crowd to their feet despite the result never really being in doubt.

3 CM Punk vs MJF, February 2

CM Punk wrestling MJF

AEW put forth a PPV-worthy match on free TV when CM Punk took on MJF in Chicago. MJF would pick up two victories over Punk in his hometown (with the first win being canceled due to him cheating), in what was a bold yet brilliant way to add heat to their feud.

Everything about this had a massive big-fight feel, with brawling around the arena, great sequences, flurries of well-worked action, and a runtime of nearly 40 minutes, making it earn the worthy title of being an “epic”.

2 FTR vs The Young Bucks, April 6

FTR vs Young Bucks AEW Dynamite

There were once again a lot of expectations for this match going in, but FTR and The Young Bucks once again delivered with an incredible tag team match for the ROH and AAA Tag Titles.

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The chemistry on show here was stellar, and it helped to further push FTR’s face turn into one of the most over acts in professional wrestling today. Whilst fans have yet to see a third and decisive match, this set the floor for what will surely be yet another classic.

1 Adam Page vs Bryan Danielson, January 5

Adam Page vs Bryan Danielson AEW Dynamite

After an incredible 60-minute time limit draw at Winter is Coming, Adam Page and Bryan Danielson ran it back with a thrilling rematch on the first episode of Dynamite on TBS at the start of the year, offering up an instant “Match of the Year” candidate.

They set the bar high and it could be argued that nothing else surpassed it. It was intense, with it very much feeling like there was an extra level of urgency following their draw. This developed into a bloody affair between two tremendous workers.