2023 was another elite year for All Elite Wrestling. While definitely not without controversy, this young company continued its four year streak of being a hard-hitting, can’t-miss wrestling promotion that seems to be incapable of putting out a bad product. Whether it was their brand new show in Collision, shocking signings, or an unrelenting barrage of bangers, AEW has helped usher in a golden age of professional wrestling for fans everywhere. Join us here at AIPT as we walk down memory lane as we reflect on what made 2023 All Elite.
Kenny Omega defeats Will Ospreay at WrestleKingdom for the IWGP United States Championship
This dude Kenny Omega came out to Sepiroth’s One-Winged Angel theme from Final Fantasy VII, smashed Will Ospreay’s face through a table, and took Ospreay’s IWGP United States Championship from him. As per usual, New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom event provided us with a match of the year candidate four days into the year (one that was arguably topped only by its rematch, which is another Omega classic). Omega’s body may not be up for more matches of this caliber for too much longer, as Omega has actively worked to wrestle an easier style on his body in AEW (especially with the notably softer ring, which helps his knees), but it is undeniable that there is something special about him in a certified, hard-as-bricks New Japan ring. Bringing back the old Kenny Omega aided Will Ospreay’s story, too, because when Ospreay and Omega ran it back later in 2023, Ospreay wasn’t fighting a legend on the way down. He was fighting the Best Bout Machine.
– Darius Melton
Jay Briscoe passes away
Jay Briscoe, one half of the legendary Briscoe Brothers, sadly passed away. He was driving his daughters to cheerleading practice when another driver struck his vehicle head on, instantly killing him and severely injuring his children. The entire wrestling world mourned the loss as stories of his kindness and warmth filled social media. He was a Ring of Honor stalwart who had been with the company since its inception 2002 and was a staple in the independent wrestling world ever since. Rest well, Jay Briscoe.
– Jay Barrett
Bryan Danielson and MJF have instant classic, 60 minute Iron Man Match at Revolution 2023
Very few wrestlers can have an engaging 60 minute Iron Man Match, but The American Dragon and MJF did just that. Fueled by a great storyline that saw Danielson seeking to avenge his fallen mentor and MJF seeking to legitimize his reign, these two warriors went to war for over 60 minutes till Dragon fell to MJF. Truly an incredible match.
– JB
MJF and Adam Cole ignite the bromance of the year
MJF and Adam Cole were put together as unlikely tag team partners during yet another tournament put on by AEW and almost instantly became the most over act in all of AEW. Can you say “Sportsmanship”, “Double Clothesline” and “Kangaroo Kick”? Better Than You Bay-Bay had hilarious video package after hilarious video package after hilarious video package. Their in-ring chemistry is undeniable and the pair eventually won the ROH Tag Team Titles at Wembley Stadium. But, what makes this pairing even more interesting is the fact that MJF and Cole were winning Tag Titles in one company while feuding for the main championship in another. Unfortunately, Adam Cole suffered another legit injury and we haven’t quite seen the payoff of this long term program. Yet.
– Shane Martin
CM Punk returns after Brawl-Out 2022 to Usher in AEW Collision
Look, it’s a year-end article. We were going to talk about CM Punk’s tumultuous time in AEW. This time, we’re discussing his bizarre (and short-lived) return after Brawl Out made Mr. Brooks persona non-grata with half of AEW locker room. The Elite didn’t want anything to do with him, half of the back office was not allowed to be near him. What’s a boy billionaire to do when his two favorite toys can’t be on the same show? Buy a new one, evidently. The ridiculousness of creating a new night of television built entirely around your most contentious and controversial performer only for him to be fired before the show is even a year old is some cosmic comedy. On a side note, Saturday is an awful night for weekly wrestling. As an event to attend in your local town, great, but as appointment viewing on TV? Ask WCW how that worked for them. All it means is now I never see House of Black or Miro.
– Jason Segarra
AEW All In at Wembley Stadium is a massive success
AEW announced back in April that they were not only headed to the UK, nor were they just bringing back the All In name for that show, but that All In: London was going to be held in Wembley Stadium. AEW sold 36,000 tickets the first day they were on sale, already beating their previous record of 21,000+ at Grand Slam 2021, but the numbers didn’t stop there. The show would sell out, then AEW would put out more tickets, and then they’d sell out again. By the time the show started, over 80,000 tickets had been sold, garnering $9 million for All Elite Wrestling. Though the reported attendance of 81,035 ended up being lowered to 72,265 thanks to the turnstile count (which made poor Will Ospreay look real dumb with his new tattoo), it was still a landmark event in AEW history and is impressive without having to be THE most attended wrestling show ever.
– DM
Hollywood Jack Perry uses “Real Glass”; CM Punk Fired after Brawl-In 2023 for Cause
To be fair to Punk, I think the blame for this particular debacle rests comfortably with Jack Perry. Allegedly, Jungle Jack wanted to use real glass in a stunt to help write himself off for a vacation, but was told no by higher ups – one of whom was Punk. Some stories claim he was asked to talk to Jack, others claim he took it upon himself to say something, but all agree it wasn’t a very cordial conversation.
Fast forward to the pre show of All In 2023, and Jack Perry yells into the camera “It’s real Glass, cry me a river!” while performing a stunt, knowing full well Punk would be at Gorilla when his match wrapped (as his tilt with Samoa Joe was next). It turns out when you eff around with Punk, you do in fact find out. Now, I don’t condone physical violence as a means of solving a workplace spat, but I’m inclined to agree with Jim Cornette on this one. You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes, and Jack Perry antagonizing a guy who already has a history of attacking coworkers only to get attacked himself sounds like a prophecy self-fulfilled. Of course you have to fire Punk at that point, but I’m surprised Jungle Jack didn’t get let go too. He absolutely provoked it, and now Punk is going to headline night 4 of a buy-one-get-one extravaganza against Seth Rollins and make a stupid amount of money for the competition while Jack sits out an indefinite suspension and falls even further into irrelevance.
– JS
Miro continues to feud with God as CJ Perry joins AEW
Miro had largely been absent from AEW since November of 2021 but returned in June of 2022 alongside the debut of AEW Collision and immediately began a feud with Powerhouse Hobbs and, well, God with a capital G. Claiming that his savior had forsaken him back in October of 2021 when he lost the TNT Title to Sammy Guevara, Miro has been on a warpath to find his Maker to seek vengeance. Sure, his plan doesn’t make much sense, but along the way his wife, CJ Perry, debuted in AEW seeking to become a prominent manager. She has since started managing Andrade El Idolo much to the chagrin of Miro and dammit, can’t we just have Miro smash people? It doesn’t have to be that complicated.
– JB
Jade Cargill leaves AEW to join WWE
In a rather sizable blow to AEW, Jade Cargill jumped ship to WWE. Cargill had been one of AEW’s true homegrown success stories as they successfully were able to take her from being an untrained commodity to one of the bigger stars in the company. She was gifted an undefeated streak and was the inaugural TBS Champion with promises of future success. However, Stamford came calling and the WWE machine too much to resist for Jade Cargill.
– JB
Toni Storm becomes “Timeless”
Out of almost complete obscurity, Toni Storm debuted a new gimmick and became exactly what the AEW women’s division has been missing since the company started. Toni went from being just a member of the Outcasts who could wrestle very well to a Marilyn Monroe-esque character that has become one of the most entertaining aspects in all of AEW. One might even argue that “Timeless” Toni Storm is the most compelling and entertaining woman in all of sports entertainment. AEW has a women’s roster full of talented wrestlers, but very few characters. Hopefully, with the success and attention Toni Storm is receiving AEW’s women’s roster will get more of the attention it deserves. Chin up, tits out, and watch out for the shoe.
– SM
Samoa Joe experiences a career resurgence
In times of volatility, stability is golden and that is what Samoa Joe is. AEW’s 2023 was a turbulent one. They were still reeling from Brawl Out in September of 2022, CM Punk’s future was still in question, and they were in clear and present danger from a resurgent WWE. They need an attraction and they needed it fast and they found it in Samoa Joe. Joe was already on the roster but was not being used to his full potential. It wasn’t till the debut of Collision that we saw Joe’s stock rise as he was immediately placed into a feud with CM Punk, had a banger with him at All In at Wembley Stadium, and entered a long-running feud with MJF for the AEW Championship. Joe owned the second half of 2023 and it was a long time coming for the Samoan Submission Machine.
– JB
Bryan Danielson announces the end of his full-time career in 2024
Back in September, Bryan Danielson told the Collision crowd that he promised his 6-year-old daughter that he would pump the brakes on his career when she turned 7. Danielson later clarified in interviews that this didn’t mean he would stop wrestling entirely, and he already has an appearance penciled in for August 2024’s All In: London event, after the past few years of Danielson proving that he’s still arguably the greatest wrestler alive, his absence will be felt. However, between the various ill-timed injuries Danielson has suffered in the past year, including a broken arm and broken orbital bone this year, perhaps it’s for the best that Danielson sits down for a while.
– DM
Eddie Kingston defeats Claudio Castagnoli to win ROH World Championship
Jon Moxley asked Eddie Kingston on Dynamite who cares about Kingston and Castagnoli’s “Chikara B.S.,” and after a year and some change of careful storytelling, the answer ended up being at least a Grand Slam-worth of people. Without context, AEW fan-favorite Eddie Kingston simply had a grudge against new guy Claudio Castagnoli the moment he debuted in June 2022, and when Claudio went and won the ROH World Championship, all of the pieces were in play for Kingston to finally win a world title off the guy he hates.
With context, though, this was a storyline that started before Claudio was ever “Cesaro” and lasted so long BECAUSE of “Cesaro.” Kingston needed to not only beat Claudio but expose Claudio, and he never thought he’d get the chance, especially not with gold on the line. Kingston failed to get the job done back in March, but after winning the NJPW Strong Openweight title, having a great G1 run, and meeting his hero Toshiaki Kawada, Kingston capped off his big summer by finally pinning Claudio with Kawada’s folding powerbomb, walking out with two belts around his waist. This was for the old school indie fans, the forum readers, the magazine subscribers, and even the video essay watchers. It took a long time, but Eddie Kingston beat Claudio Castagnoli, and he got that handshake.
– DM
Ronda Rousey leaves WWE; wrestles in Ring of Honor
Ronda Rousey in WWE just wasn’t working. After last being seen in the main event of WrestleMania 35 in 2019, Rousey returned to the WWE at Royal Rumble 2022, won the match, and went on to dethrone Charlotte Flair for the WWE SmackDown Women’s championship much to the audience’s ambivalence. Rousey had an incredible rookie year in 2018-2019 but didn’t seem to be able to carry that momentum as she became road weary, frustrated with fan opinion of her, and decided to take a break from the squared circle to become a mother. However, she was met with more of the same from fans when she returned as no one seemed interested and she had apparently regressed in the ring. She carried along through 2022 and into 2023 by working with Liv Morgan and helping to refurbish Shayna Baszler, her real life good friend, but she and WWE mutually parted ways in 2023. Since then, she has, surprisingly, worked a handful of independent dates and even appeared in Ring of Honor. Who had that on their 2023 bingo card?
– JB
Christian Cage becomes Father of the Year
Christian Cage is the best heel in all of sports entertainment. Ever since he entered into his feud with Jack Perry and started to target his dead father, everything he has touched has been gold. If there is a wrestler with a deceased family member, Cage has more than likely exploited the death for his gain. It is hard to believe that just a few short years ago, Christian Cage was all but retired from in ring action. Cage is arguably more relevant now than he has ever been. And this is all because of being a dick to people with dead fathers (and a great TNT Title Program).
– SM
Adam Copeland signs with AEW
Adam Copeland, formerly known as Edge, made his AEW debut at AEW WrestleDream this past October. In a shocking move, Copeland for the first time in well over 20 years decided to leave the WWE to pursue a career in AEW. He immediately entered into a feud against his longtime wrestling life mate, Christian Cage.
Sting announces retirement match for Revolution 2024
Sting made his AEW debut in December 2020, and he made his wrestling return in a cinematic match at AEW Revolution 2021. Sting didn’t remain a cinematic wrestler for long, looking great in his in-ring return at Double or Nothing 2021 and not looking back since. Between jumping off of balconies and going through tables — both of which happen on a surprisingly regular basis for a man in his 60s — it seems like Sting has learned more from tag partner Darby Allin during this run than Darby has learned from him, and both men have had fun the whole time. However, time has caught up to the Stinger, and after a 2015 retirement that he couldn’t control, Sting wants to go out on his own terms now and announced on the October 18, 2023, edition of AEW Dynamite that he was retiring for good at next year’s Revolution event, which would later be announced to be taking place in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since then, Sting has added long-time frenemy Ric Flair to his squad and teamed with real-life friend Edge for the first time, so even if it’s all over soon, Sting is going out making as many memories as he can with his remaining time as an active competitor.
– DM
Somehow, Ric Flair returned
Who was this for? Like, is he doing numbers? Do casuals tune in to watch a septuagenarian dude in a peacock suit somehow avoid a SA charge for like 50+ years running? Flair came back to be in Sting’s corner until old man face paint hangs it up, but it’s all an elaborate excuse to promote Flair’s garbage energy drink that isn’t sold outside of the seediest gas stations in North Carolina? AND he made a lewd joke about banging married women younger than his daughter despite losing his spot in WWE because of the Dark Side of the Ring episode that revealed the extent of his creepiness to a more woke generation of wrestling fans who hadn’t heard of the Plane Ride from Hell? Is anyone talking to Tony Khan about how he spends his money?
– JS
AEW Announces “Continental Classic” tournament for AEW x ROH x NJPW Triple Crown
The moment AEW was announced, fans started fantasy booking the aspects of New Japan that they wanted to see in a new American promotion, and chief among those aspects was the G1 Climax tournament. With Tony Khan’s notable affection for tournaments being well-documented, it was only a matter of time before he borrowed New Japan’s legendary round robin tournament rules, doing so just in time for Bryan Danielson to get a G1-esque tournament under his belt before the end of his full-time career in 2024. The start of the tournament was a bit controversial, with Eddie Kingston’s on-screen decision to put both of his non-AEW titles — the Ring of Honor World Championship and New Japan’s Strong Openweight Championship — on the line; the creation of yet another AEW Championship in the “Continental Championship,” which would be awarded to the tournament winner as part of a modern day Triple Crown; and a day-of announcement of both the tournament’s participants and its bracket. However, once the tournament started, it created compelling TV and gave viewers a reason to continue watching AEW during the typical December lull.
– DM
Will Ospreay signs with AEW
In his quest to be recognized as the undisputed best wrestler in the world, Ospreay spent the year in the IWGP United States/United Kingdom Championship scene, entering the year as champion and regaining it from torch-passer Kenny Omega in June. Coming off the huge victory over Omega, Ospreay spent the rest of the summer running through the G1 — where he scored a major victory over Kazuchika Okada — and acting as a main attraction at AEW’s record-setting All In event, where he defeated a legend in Chris Jericho. Outside of kayfabe wins, Ospreay was also the object of a high-profile bidding war between every promotion in America, as Ospreay’s contract with NJPW ends in early 2024. With a social media feud with Seth Rollins propping up the WWE option and an underrated run in IMPACT that got Anthem to offer Ospreay a 7-figure deal, Will Ospreay announced at AEW Full Gear 2023 that he had signed with the company and would be appearing regularly on the road to Revolution 2024 once he’d finished tying up loose ends in Japan. An all-timer year in and out of the ring for 30-year-old Billy G.O.A.T.
– DM
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