Greatest AEW PPV Main Events, Ranked & Reviewed By Quality

Ever since day one, AEW has been all about workrate and putting together show-stealing matches, particularly when it comes to the main event of a PPV. Headlining a major AEW event comes with a lot of pressure given how strong the majority of AEW’s PPV cards are, so being given the task of closing out the night on a high shows a clear sign of Tony Khan’s trust.

TheSportster’s rating system will take a look across every PPV main event in AEW history to determine the select few which stand out as being the absolute greatest. These ratings will be compared to those from Cagematch.net and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

8

Bryan Danielson Vs. Jon Moxley (WrestleDream 2024)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.59

In what is perhaps the most underrated and unsung matches in AEW history, Bryan Danielson’s AEW World Title defense against Jon Moxley stole the show at WrestleDream 2024. Perhaps due to The Death Riders’ poor spell in the aftermath, this thrilling main event goes under the radar.

In front of a red hot hometown crowd, Danielson put in a hard-hitting, resilient, and high stakes underdog babyface performance against a Jon Moxley who was unforgiving, brutal, and nasty in his attacks. The whole thing carried a big fight feel, was wrestled at a strong pace, and ended with Moxley’s heartbreaking win to end Danielson’s career.

7

Sting & Darby Allin Vs. The Young Bucks (Revolution 2024)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.46

Sting’s retirement match was near-perfect at Revolution 2024. He and Darby Allin defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks in a match that had an electric crowd, countless spots which paid homage to Sting’s entire career, death-defying bumps from Darby Allin (including an all-timer crash through glass), and one last showcase of Sting’s larger than life character in AEW.

In the end, Sting & Darby Allin were handed a fairytale victory and ending to their reign as champions, with Sting standing tall after a Scorpion Death Lock. The whole thing was wild, consistently fun, and one of the best retirement matches you’ll ever see.

6

Swerve Strickland Vs. Will Ospreay (Forbidden Door 2026)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.82

In the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament, the stakes were high as Will Ospreay & Swerve Strickland headlined the Forbidden Door PPV for the second time. There will be some fans who preferred their first meeting, but this was arguably a step ahead in terms of their world class in-ring work and the thunderous atmosphere given to them by the audience.

There may have been one-too-many kickouts in the latter stages, but given the stakes of the match and how invested the crowd were, this wasn’t an issue in terms of enjoyment factor. Ospreay & Strickland are a match made in heaven, and this was another example of that. The Death Riders arrived late on to give Ospreay the push he needed to fight through the punishment and defeat Strickland.

5

Will Ospreay Vs. Adam Page (Double Or Nothing 2025)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.58

Given the context of AEW’s main event scene at the time, the stakes of this Owen Hart Tournament final between Adam Page & Will Ospreay could not have been higher, with the winner going on to face Jon Moxley for the world title in the main event of All In. This whole match was unpredictable, giving the crowd ultimate investment in every moment, sequence, finisher, and near-fall. The atmosphere was stunning from the entrances to the ending.

Page & Ospreay put in a flawless in-ring display that was paced to perfection and only got better and better as it continued, leading to a thrilling final few minutes which featured a cowboy-esque standoff and huge lariats on the part of Page which handed him a massive victory in the main event of Double Or Nothing 2025.

4

Swerve Strickland Vs. Bryan Danielson (All In: London 2024)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5.25 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.65

With Bryan Danielson’s full-time career on the line, the atmosphere for this main event inside Wembley Stadium for All In: London 2024 was one of the best in the history of the company. The levels of intensity, hatred, and authentic-feeling animosity was palpable, with both Danielson & Swerve Strickland putting in unbelievable performances.

On top of their incredible character work, the match was expectedly wrestled tremendously, and while it wasn’t always perfect in places, it was as close to perfect as you could hope for in the main event spot of AEW’s biggest PPV. With his family ringside, Danielson conjured up enough strength to absorb Strickland’s punishment to rise up with a big knee and LeBell Lock to secure one of the greatest title wins in AEW history.

3

MJF Vs. Bryan Danielson (Revolution 2023)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.62

MJF came into Revolution 2023 wanting to prove himself as being a world class in-ring worker, and he did exactly that. Going toe-to-toe with Bryan Danielson for over one hour in one of, if not the greatest Iron Man match in professional wrestling history, he delivered an absolute classic.

The pacing of this match, the crowd control, the character work, and the in-ring psychology was like nothing ever seen before in this stipulation. The result of this matchup being predictable, and MJF cheating his way to victory after such a long match were perhaps the only downsides you could take away from an otherwise perfect fight.

2

Jon Moxley Vs. Adam Page (All In: Texas 2025)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.63

At All In: Texas 2025, the best babyface title win in AEW history took place as Adam Page overcame Jon Moxley and The Death Riders to end a reign of terror and stand tall as the AEW World Champion in a brutal, violent, gruesome, and legendary Texas Death match.

It might have been too sickening for some, but there is no denying that Page & Moxley put their all into this match to ensure that it lived up to expectations. In a match that had memorable spots, returns from Bryan Danielson & Darby Allin, Swerve Strickland giving Adam Page a chain despite being sworn enemies, and Moxley’s electric submission, this was an all-timer PPV main event.

1

Kenny Omega Vs. Will Ospreay (All In: London 2026)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 10/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 6.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.67

Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay had one of the greatest matches of all time in the main event of AEW All In: London 2026. From start to finish this had a big fight feel and was treated as a classic by the crowd, elevating what was a perfectly wrestled struggle for the AEW World Title. Omega & Ospreay competed in a match that had incredible sequences, bloody and brutal brawling, flawless character work and psychology, insane kickouts, and the among the best final sequences ever seen in an AEW ring.

Ospreay’s victory was an incredible moment, coming after the best PPV main event AEW has ever put forth.