Major AEW Matches That Were Possible But Never Happened

AEW has put on plenty of dream matches and major showdowns over the years, resulting in wild matchups such as Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson, CM Punk vs. MJF, Mercedes Mone vs. Toni Storm, and so many more. However, Tony Khan has sometimes left certain showdowns on the table or not managed to get round to booking them due to injuries and exits.

Some of the potential and possible matchups in AEW that were at one time a plausible reality are more prominent and notable than others, and it is interesting to go back and look at what could have been in an alternate reality.

6

Bryan Danielson Vs. Jay White

• Danielson faced almost everyone in AEW.
• This was one of the biggest Danielson matches that never happened.
• White & Danielson only ever wrestled in multi-man action.

Throughout Bryan Danielson’s run in AEW, and particularly in his final year before his retirement, he faced pretty much everyone that the promotion had to offer. He had major battles with top stars in Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, MJF, Kazuchika Okada, Chris Jericho, Adam Page, and so many more… but there was one big first-time-ever match that never took place.

Jay White is arguably the most notable name in the company who never got into the ring with Danielson, which was a missed opportunity. White has had strong matches with a variety of talent, and would have no doubt had a terrific match with Danielson, but their only time in the ring together came in an eight-man tag team clash.

5

Jon Moxley Vs. Cody Rhodes

• Moxley & Rhodes were AEW’s biggest babyfaces early on.
• They never crossed paths in AEW.
• AEW didn’t do enough with Rhodes in the promotion.

Coming out of AEW’s first ever PPV, Double Or Nothing 2019, there were two clear babyfaces bigger than the rest; Jon Moxley & Cody Rhodes. Throughout AEW’s first year, these two men carried both the AEW World Championship & TNT Championship, and were both incredibly popular… only Rhodes never really engaged with many top talents during his run.

Rhodes vs. Moxley was never teased, they never crossed paths, never teamed together, and before anything ever had a chance of happening, Rhodes left AEW. This could have been a major money match for AEW at some point, but Rhodes’ time in the company was full of missed opportunities.

4

The Elite Vs. CMFTR

• CM Punk’s real-life feud with The Elite caused major issues.
• FTR & The Young Bucks have had a great feud.
• AEW could’ve been saved with this matchup.

In an alternate reality, CM Punk and The Elite settled their differences in AEW and agreed to work together, leading to an era-defining rivalry between The Elite and CMFTR. These trios of friends on opposite sides of the spectrum in AEW would have been one the most anticipated showdowns in the history of AEW due to the real-life aggressions that existed behind the scenes, and it might have driven AEW forwards in unprecedented ways.

Unfortunately, the relationship between Punk and the likes of Kenny Omerga & The Young Bucks never ended up healing, and what would have been the biggest six-man tag team match ever since Bash At The Beach 1996 never ended up taking place, despite them all remaining the same promotion for a year after their big fallout and fight.

3

Mariah May Vs. Mercedes Mone

• Mariah May and Mercedes Mone didn’t face off in AEW.
• Mone & May were both champions at the same time.
• May left AEW before she could wrestle bigger stars.

One of the biggest matches left on the table during Mariah May’s run in AEW was a showdown between Mercedes Mone, which would have no doubt been excellent in quality. May’s AEW run was dominated by her storyline with Toni Storm, and at the same time Mone was busy defending the TBS Championship in a record-breaking reign. At most major shows, May was the reigning AEW Women’s World Champion and Mone held the TBS Title, so they never crossed paths and got in each other’s way.

Mone has faced almost all of AEW’s biggest women’s division stars such as Willow Nightingale, Hikaru Shida, Toni Storm, Britt Baker, and even managed to face Stephanie Vaquer in the promotion, but a match with May didn’t end up happening despite being possible.

2

Jeff Hardy Vs. CM Punk

• Hardy & Punk is an all-timer feud.
• AEW could’ve revisited this program at least once.
• Hardy & Punk both had controversial runs in AEW.

In 2009, Jeff Hardy and CM Punk had the best feud of the year in WWE, developing incredibly rich personal animosity and hatred. For a couple of years in AEW, both Hardy and Punk were under the same roof in AEW and fans would have undoubtedly eaten up any sort of face-off, showdown, or rematch with one another given how iconic this rivalry is.

However, Tony Khan never deemed it necessary to delve down this particular route of revisiting this former WWE rivalry, though it was definitely possible. Punk would end up leaving AEW after multiple backstage issues and fights, and Hardy’s time in AEW wound down after more legal issues. It wasn’t meant to be for Punk vs. Hardy, but it would have certainly been fun for a one-off!

1

Sting Vs. Darby Allin

• Sting never had a singles match in AEW.
• Allin vs. Sting could’ve been a wild match.
• AEW booked Sting perfectly, and there was no need for this singles bout.

Sting and Darby Allin had a phenomenal tag team run in AEW, going unbeaten and reigning as AEW World Tag Team Champions. Sting’s run in AEW was perfectly handled and booked, but that doesn’t mean certain matches weren’t still possible.

For instance, a match between Sting & Darby Allin was a legit possibility if AEW wanted to go down that route, and it would have been a major match for both men. In fact, when it comes to singles matches for Sting there were so many possibilities that would have been legit dream matches such as Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, MJF, Adam Copeland, Adam Page, Swerve Strickland, and countless others!