2022 was an overwhelmingly successful year for professional wrestling as a whole. It seems the wrestlers and promoters were at the top of their game creating a wrestling space packed with action and jaw-dropping shows like never before. A year this big had countless of show-stealing moments and match of the year’s a plenty, but these are 22 of my personal favorite wrestling moments of 2022.
** in no particular order**
GCW Hammerstein
Taking it back to January 2022 for this one, GCW ran The Wrld on GCW live from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. This was my first GCW event and one of my favorite shows I have ever attended. For me it kickstarted a year of watching GCW in my girlfriend’s attic every Saturday night and school days skipped for traveling to the nearest show. Which leads me to….
GCW Don’t Tell Me What to Do
GCW and the Showboat Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey are synonymous. Like peanut butter and jelly, like salt and pepper. After attending the Hammerstein show my next move was clear: GCW at the Showboat. It felt like coming home- a home I had never set foot in before but a home where I instantly knew I had a place. These are my own personal feelings of course, and it doesn’t even touch on what great wrestling went on that night. GCW was one of my favorite promotions to watch this year, and a big part of that was being able to get to so many live shows. Sure, GCW Saturday nights in my girlfriend’s attic was a wonderful time, but nothing compares to the feeling of being there live and nothing compares to the feeling of GCW at the Showboat.
Forbidden Door
I think this is a PPV that made many people’s end of year lists, and how could it not? It was a super wrestling crossover special: AEW x NJPW. And it was glorious. Despite all of the injuries and illnesses cursing the card and causing changes up until the very last minute, Forbidden Door solidified it’s place as one of the top shows of 2022 almost immediately. I was lucky enough to be there live, a fact I don’t think I’ve stopped sharing since I stepped foot in the arena that hot June day. It was everything I could have ever dreamed of- a dream for many other wrestling fans as well. Promises of Forbidden Door 2 lay ahead as we enter 2023, and the greatest part of it all is all of the possibilities that come with it, dream matches that don’t seem too far-fetched anymore and the history-making moments no one ever could have expected.
Jon Moxley vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
With Forbidden Door came a match of epic proportions. A match that has been so within reach the past three years and yet, was always just out of grasp. Jon Moxley vs Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event of Forbidden Door, the AEW Interim Championship on the line. It was the perfect main event for the PPV albeit not the original choice. The match held a lot of weight for Moxley, a fact that made the match even more important. It was his dream match, and he revealed- for it to happen at the time it was happening- it was a culmination of a lot of personal things for him. This added another layer to the match, something more fans could grasp onto if the simple thought of these two wrestlers wasn’t enough to get one excited. This is my favorite match of all time. And I say that with a tear in my eye and a smile of my face. An instant classic, a match for the ages. I could have watched these two wrestle forever, and I practically have in the amount of time I have spent replaying this match in the days, weeks, months that followed the PPV.
Nick Wayne vs Wheeler Yuta
Defy Wrestling’s Fightwave in early December. Nick Wayne. Wheeler Yuta. Two of the hottest professional wrestlers in the game. Wayne, at only 17 years old, has wrestled all over the country (and parts of the world) and has an AEW contract that starts the moment he turns 18. I have a soft spot for wrestlers who are close to me in age and watching Nick Wayne do the damn thing was a 2022 highlight in its own, add in a match with Wheeler Yuta- AEW star and another one of my personal favorites- and my entire year was made. It was an exceptional match from a wrestling standpoint, but for me it was just fun. What’s better than watching two people you thoroughly enjoy face off in a classic wrestling match? Not much.
Jon Moxley vs Nick Gage (GCW World Championship)
I think any and all matches Jon Moxley and Nick Gage have had would land somewhere on my master list of favorite matches ever. I love storytelling more than anything in professional wrestling. I love to feel things. While people focus of the technicality of wrestling matches and the move sets and pacing, I focus on the stories. What are they trying to say? What do they need us as fans to feel? There’s a reason behind every move they make, every word the speak, and every breath they take. It’s deliberate. It tells a story. And no one told a story this year quite like Nick Gage and Jon Moxley. The match was set as Title vs Career at GCW’s Fight Club event in October. The rules were simple. If Moxley retained the GCW Championship, MDK’s career was over. And it made sense because if anyone was going to end Gage’s career it would be Mox. Talk about a fucking story. The days and weeks leading up to the match were so exciting for me, my only regret being that I frequented the internet during this time and thus saw the details of Moxley’s new AEW contract. The news broke a few days before the scheduled matchup, the fine details revealing Moxley will work almost exclusively with AEW going forward. This was great, of course, but did all but flat out say Nick Gage was winning the GCW title. But those are things I chose to ignore as I rewatch the promos leading up to their battle, grinning like an idiot. Eventually I would like to write a whole series of Nick Gage, Jon Moxley, and all their history but for now all I’ll say is this was one of my favorite stories of 2022.
MJF Wins AEW Championship
[Insert heavy sigh here]. I know okay. Giving praise to MJF should be forbidden but my God if he wasn’t one of my favorite parts of AEW in the later part of 2022. And as much as the Jon Moxley fan in me wanted MJF to lose miserably, I couldn’t help but literally jump for joy at his AEW Championship victory at Full Gear. I actively enjoy every single one of his promos and will get fired up every damn time. The Burberry belt he showcased a week after his win made it even better for me. He is quite the asshole but he’s also very, very good at his job and is someone I don’t see myself ever tiring of. The wonderfulness that was (and what could have continued to be) William Regal betraying fellow Blackpool Combat Club member Jon Moxley, and literally making a deal with the devil by helping MJF win was expectedly unexpected and something that had so much potential. MJF as champion has been everything one could have dreamed up, a.k.a, the bare minimum. But it’s MJF! Come on! I am personally very, very excited to see where the coming months take the Devil himself.
Seth Rollins’ Royal Rumble Entrance
Seth Rollins is always in the end of year talks, and he always will be. But instead of talking about his year in a whole, I want to focus on what was very much my favorite wrestling moment of the year. Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns at the 2022 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event was destined to be a battle, a pretty emotional one at that. Former Shield brothers fighting it out for the most coveted prize in WWE. The best part of all was Rollins’ entrance. “Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta,” filled the arena as Rollins descending down the arena stairs and made his way to the ring to the sound of The Shield’s former music, donned head-to-toe is black SWAT-like gear. It was a moment for the ages, one that had my mom and I screaming in the living room for days. It was the perfect fit for the match and for the moment, and you’d be hard pressed to find an entrance better than this one. It was surprising and fun and made the match that much more important.
The Blackpool Combat Club
The Blackpool Combat Club came as sort of a surprise. The group, headed by William Regal, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta began forming at AEW’s Revolution PPV in early March. Danielson and Moxley were facing off in the main event, the stipulation being the two had to first fight before joining forces as a team. The surprising part came after the match when former mentor of both wrestlers, William Regal, came out. It was pretty clear then what was happening, the three men were creating a group. The three would turn into four with the addition of Wheeler Yuta, and then became five when Claudio Castagnoli made his AEW debut at Forbidden Door. Over the course of the year the Blackpool Combat Club (BCC) dominated any situation they were thrown in, and at one point Moxley, Yuta, and Castagnoli all held AEW and ROH championships. The were posed to be a threat, yes, but also a training club of sorts- the veterans Moxley, Danielson, and Claudio mentoring Yuta just like Regal had mentored them all in the beginning of their careers. It was perfect. The backstories, the storylines, how each and every member had some kind of connection to each other. The future of the group seems to be up in the air now, with Regal’s AEW departure and Danielson’s absence from BBC segments, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the group take off- together or individually- in the new year. A group as special and as talented as this one won’t be on the back burner for long.
Claudio Castagnoli’s AEW Debut
As mentioned beforehand, Claudio Castagnoli made his AEW debut at the Forbidden Door PPV in June. This was a moment I was lucky enough to be there live for, and I still hear the cheers for Claudio in my head every day. It was the definition of a feel good moment, everyone happy for Castagnoli and excited for his AEW future. He joined the BCC almost instantaneously and it made perfect sense. The week following Forbidden Door he wrestled with the BCC, Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz. Right off the bat it was known that Kingston and Claudio don’t get along, and while brief, this was one of my favorite parts of AEW this year. If Eddie Kingston doesn’t like you, you’re screwed. But somehow Claudio escaped unharmed and the two tolerate each other now. Overall, Claudio is one of my favorite signings in 2022, and in the entirety of AEW history. His impact will be greatly felt in the coming months and years he spends a part of the AEW locker room.
The Bloodline
I’ll be honest, I didn’t watch too much WWE this year. It’s impossible for me to watch all of the wrestling I want to watch- there’s simply too much of it and not enough time. However, I’ve made it a point every week to catch up on the Bloodline, a WWE faction headed by Roman Reigns. This was easily, the best thing WWE had going on this year, and the addition of Sami Zayn- sorry- Sami Uso, has only strengthened the group and it’s entertainment element. The Bloodline is meant to be a serious group, but Sami Zayn (Usi) adds a layer of fun necessary to keep viewers engaged. I enjoy watching the promos and coming up with scenarios in my head of which direction the faction will head next.
Eddie Kingston Promo (Double or Nothing)
This is an ultra specific item on my list, but one I haven’t stopped thinking about since it happened. It was a few days before AEW’s Double or Nothing PPV, a promo posted to AEW’s Twitter page. Eddie Kingston in a room, a bottle of (presumably) Jack Daniels sitting beside him, a shot glass in his hand. The whole promo was centered around Kingston’s ongoing feud and deep, deep hatred for rival Chris Jericho. I’m not going to paraphrase, but I won’t quote either. This is one of those promos you just have to hear for yourself. The raw emotion pouring out of Kingston, the genuine fear he would do some reprehensible action to Jericho. His voice cracking, hands shaking… I think I have every detail of this promo memorized. It was one of Eddie’s best, and one of AEW’s finest.
Billie Starkz vs Nick Wayne
This match was wonderful. It took place at JCW in early July and is a must-watch for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. Billie Starkz and Nick Wayne are the future, and if this match is any indication, the future is in good hands.
GCW Settlement Series
If nothing else, the GCW Settlement Series was fun. A word I sometimes feel is just about banned in professional wrestling and especially in professional wrestling conversations. Fun doesn’t equal bad wrestling. Fun doesn’t equal “bad booking” or bad promotions. It’s okay if wrestling is fun! When you think about it, professional wrestling is quite stupid. We as fans don’t need to take it so seriously all the time. The Settlement Series, a set of GCW shows with different themes, was a nice break from strict, hard-hitting wrestling and a welcomed change of pace for an afternoon. Let’s all add “take things less seriously,” to our New Year’s resolutions okay? Let’s have some fun people.
EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch Chicago
EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch (BGB) Chicago was a part of a huge wrestling weekend on the lead up to AEW’s All Out PPV. EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch also had an event in Dallas as a part of the Collective in early April. I watched BGB Dallas from the comfort of my own home, but knew I would have to get to one in person sooner rather than later. That time came for me in Chicago. The only way I can describe it is safe. It was safe. EFFY’s Big Gay Brunches are events showcasing LGBTQ+ talent. It’s a place of no judgement, no fear, everyone living their truth. It’s beautiful. It’s like getting a big hug from your favorite person. It was a chance to forget about everything and everyone for a moment. A chance to live freely and happily without worrying about people finding you out or beating the crap out of you because you kissed your partner in public. EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch Chicago was the loudest and proudest I have ever felt.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 32
Ah, another summer of waking up at the ass-crack of dawn to watch wrestling. I decided this year that this is my favorite activity. I wasn’t waking up every single morning of course, that was near impossible with my work schedule, but I did indeed watch every match of the G1 Climax 32. The G1 is a tournament of filled to brim with really, really, insanely good wrestling. And if you’ve never experienced or watched the G1 mark your calendars for the beginning of July this year- you won’t want to miss it. NJPW is some of the most enjoyable wrestling product out there, and the weeks I spent following the G1 were weeks I loved wrestling the most.
Renee Paquette’s AEW Debut
This is a recent happening, and one that no one should be surprised I’m mentioning. Renee Paquette made her AEW debut in Toronto, Canada in October and I have no shut up about it since. It wasn’t a shocking debut as rumors had floated around weeks before that she was returning to the television wrestling world, but it was still the most wonderful feeling to see her on T.V for the first time in two years. Two freaking years!! I think she adds something so special to everything she does, and the impact she will have (and has already had) on AEW will be vast. She’s been my favorite person to watch since I started watching wrestling and I don’t see that ever changing. I think her 2023 will be absolutely insane and I can’t wait to see all the things that await her professionally this year.
Konosuke Takeshita
I think it’s safe to say Konosuke Takeshita was the most universally beloved wrestler of 2022. He brought his insane talent to the United States this past year, and ended it by signing with AEW. If you say you hate Takeshita you’re lying, I can see right through you!! I, personally, am losing my mind at all of the Takeshita matches to come in 2023 and I think you all should be too.
Tony Deppen on AEW Dark
Tony Deppen made a few appearances on AEW Dark in 2022, and they were all around feel good moments. Deppen is a wrestler I discovered through GCW, and very quickly turned into someone whose work I follow closely. Watching him on Dark was surreal and made for some of the coolest moments of the year.
The Collective 2022
The Collective is several days centered around independent wrestling shows, specifically GCW shows. It occurs the weekend of Wrestlemania, in whatever city the spectacle occupies that year. This year it was in Dallas and was one of the biggest Collectives ever. Coming off of two years of the pandemic, two Wrestlemania’s without the Collective, it seems the performers and promotions pulled out all the stops this past year. Multiple shows spanned across multiple days, several echoes occurring on the same day. It was the most wrestling I have ever watched in a single sitting. I tried to cover all of it for this site and had so much fun doing so. It was the first Collective I have ever watched and I found myself at the end of it, counting down the days until the next one.
Eddie Kingston vs Jin Akiyama
There’s something about watching your favorite wrestler/s wrestler their dream match. It’s an indescribable feeling and one that makes wrestling so special. Eddie Kingston wrestled Jun Akiyama on AEW Zero Hour at Full Gear this past November. It was Kingston’s dream match. I loved this match and everything it meant so much. Again, it was another one of those pure, feel-good moments that is hard to top, and a damn good wrestling match to boot.
Live Crowds, Live Shows
Perhaps the best part of my year was going to live shows. And if I wasn’t there in person, watching from home was just as great because I feel this year truly belonged to the fans. Every crowd in every city at every show made the show, the moments, the memories. 2022 was the first full 365 days of live wrestling crowds since before the pandemic and I think every fan in attendance made the most of it. My fondest memories of this past year were all a direct result of screaming in an arena full of people, cheering on my favorite wrestlers. I attended more live shows this year than any year past, and my biggest hope for 2023 is more shows, more trips, and more memories.
So there it is…
My top 22 wrestling moments of 2022. Some I could talk about forever, some need no explanation. I enjoyed the crap out of this year and am most excited to see where the professional wrestling world takes us in 2023. Sit back and enjoy it, there’s a lot to love.
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