How To Watch The WWE In A Focused, Fun Manner, Whether You're New Or A Long Time Fan, 19: All Elite

8/2/2024

2019 was an absolutely crucial year for wrestling, and we didn't really appreciate it. Yes, AEW's arrival and first year as a full fledged rival to WWE was always going to be important, and they did a great job of quicky becoming the most competitive alternative to WWE since WCW started circling the drain in 1999. It did help that 2019 was an atrocious year for WWE's Raw, Smackdown, and main roster Pay-Per-Views as nobody's favorite demented grandpa, Vince McMahon was chock full of terrible ideas and unwilling to listen to his employees, all of whom could have done a better job booking.

What we couldn't have known was just how bad 2020 was going to be. Not because of wrestling but because, you know, a worldwide pandemic shut pretty much everything down. The NBA and NHL were the first sports organizations to announce the cancellation of their seasons, and Major League Baseball ended up delaying their season four months due to COVID-19.

WWE didn't even take a week off. We'll get to that next season.

I mention it because I usually end these seasons with a major retirement or the ending to a major storyline. The retirement of Ric Flair, the retirement of Shawn Michaels, the end of The Undertaker's streak. This season ends with the last match in 2020 with fan attendance. This unfortunate break will mean that next season looks very different for WWE, for NXT, for AEW, for ROH, for Impact, and for the NWA.

This season also features NXT being recognized not just as the minor leagues of WWE but as a third brand. Due to the Saudi Arabian government pulling some morally questionable shenanigans (surprise!) after WWE's Crown Jewel event (which absolutely sucked), Vince McMahon and most of the Smackdown roster were stuck in Saudi Arabia. So what did WWE do? Triple H and Shawn Michaels brought NXT's hardest hitters to Smackdown for a mini-invasion, which leaked over into Survivor Series where all three brands battles for all sorts of titles. And that's just how we start the season for WWE and NXT.

Meanwhile, AEW fires on all cylinders, and wastes no time snagging any WWE wrestler disappointed in Vince McMahon's creative direction. (It is episode 8 before we see a WWE episode this season that isn't focused on NXT.) So, despite the terrible WWE mainstream shows, 2019 was truly the best year wrestling had seen for many years.

Season 19:
All Elite

Starring: Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Young Bucks, Jon Moxley, Pac, Adam Cole, Lucha Bros, Tessa Blanchard, FTR, Tomasso Ciampa, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes, Shayna Baszler, Daniel Bryan, Sami Callihan

1901. All Out, 2019

We kick off the season with AEW for the first time, as they put on one of their best ever (and I don't mean so far, this was only their second ever...this still stands as one of their best ever) pay-per view events. We don't even get the Kenny Omega/Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley) match yet, instead they're each in two incredible matches where the other one...might show up. Plus, the first ever AEW Heavyweight champ is crowned...erm...belted?

Announcers: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Goldenboy, Justin Roberts

1. SoCalU vs Jurassic Express
2. Pac vs Kenny Omega
3. Darby Allin vs Joey Janela vs Jimmy Havoc
4. Cody Rhodes vs Shawn Spears
5. Lucha Bros (AAA Tag Team Champs) vs Young Bucks in a Ladder Match
6. Chris Jericho vs Hangman Page for inaugural AEW Championship

1902. A Little Bit Of The Bubbly, 2019

Now that we have a Mens' Heavyweight Champion (and a Womens' Champ, we'll see her in action soon), it's time to figure out who's going to wear AEW's first ever tag team belts via an old-fashioned tournament which runs throughout this episode. Also, Chris Jericho loses the belt immediately after winning the title. Oh, he doesn't get defeated, a non-wrestler literally steals the belt during Jericho's celebration, and AEW ends up having to make a new one for him. And, hey! Tony Schiavone is back on commentary for the first time in many seasons, pairing with Jim Ross for the first time since Season Two.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Tazz, Justin Roberts

1. Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara
2. Young Bucks vs Private Party
3. Kenny Omega vs Joey Janela in a Lights Out Hardcore Match
4. Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley) & Pac vs Kenny Omega & Hangman Page
5. The Elite vs Cima, T-Hawk & Private Party
6. Lucha Bros vs Private Party
7. Kenny Omega vs Joey Janela
8. Lucha Bros vs SoCalU for the AEW Tag Team Championship

1903. Takeover Smackdown, 2019

Sure, we've had a number of Raw, Smackdown, and NXT TV matches sprinkled throughout the pay-per-view top tier matches but this episode, for the first time, is All Free TV matches. October 2nd, 2019 was probably the best ever NXT episode. The next few episodes also had some excellent matches. Then, Crown Jewel happened, and most of the Smackdown roster got stuck in Saudi Arabia...so what could the WWE do? NXT invaded Smackdown and put on a couple banger matches including the first ever battle between Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole.

Announcers: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Tom Phillips, Renee Young, Pat McAfee, Cathy Kelley, Kayla Braxton

1. Adam Cole (NXT Champ) vs Riddle
2. Mia Yim vs Iyo Sky
3. Shayna Baszler (NXT Womens Champ) vs Candace LeRae
4. reDRagon (as The Undisputed Era) (NXT Tag Team Champs) vs Street Profits
5. Pete Dunne vs Damien Priest
6. Bayley (WWE Smackdown Womens Champ) vs Nikki Cross
6. Adam Cole (NXT Champ) vs Daniel Bryan

1904. Rise Of The Knockouts, 2019

Tessa Blanchard was the story of 2019/2020, and then fell hard from wrestling grace. Here she rises from rookie Knockout to challenging for the Heavyweight Championship. Not the Women's Heavyweight Championship, THE Impact Heavyweight Championship. There's also some killer tag team matches, Johnny Nitro having a resurgence, and an amazing Monster's Ball Match for the Knockout Title.

Announcers: Don Callis, Josh Matthews, Jeffrey Scott

1. Gail Kim vs Tessa Blanchard
2. Lucha Bros (Impact Tag Team Champs) vs LAX
3. Taya Valkyrie vs Jessicka Havok vs Rosemary vs Su Yung in a Monster's Ball Match for the Impact Knockout Championship

4. Rich Swann (Impact X Champ) vs Johnny Nitro (as Johnny Impact)
5. Brian Cage (Impact Champ) vs Michael Elgin
6. Lucha Bros vs Proud & Powerful
7. Tessa Blanchard vs Sammy Callahan

1905. Takeover Toronto, 2019

1. Lio Rush (WWE Cruiserweight Champ) vs Angel Garza (NXT 11/13/19)
2. Dolph Ziggler & Bobby Roode vs Chad Gable & Mustafa Ali (Smackdown 11/15/19)
3. reDRagon (as Undisputed Era) (NXT Tag Team Champs) vs FTR (as The Revival)
4. Team Ripley vs Team Baszler in a War Games Match
Rhea Ripley, Dakota Kai, Candice LeRae, Tegan Nox vs Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Iyo Sky, Alba Fyre (as Kay Lee Ray)

5. Finn Balor vs Riddle
6. The Undisputed Era vs Team Ciampa
Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly vs Tomasso Ciampa, Kevin Owens, Keith Lee, Dijak

1906. Full Gear, 2019

The first AEW pay-per-view that benefitted from being built up in weekly shows sees Le Champion take on one of the founders of AEW, a few more excellent tag team matches, and our first glimpse at the AEW Womens' Champ, Riho, as she takes on her mentor, Emi Sakura.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Dean Malenko, Arn Anderson, The Great Muta, Justin Roberts

1. Young Bucks vs Best Friends
2. Pac vs Hangman Page
3. Young Bucks vs Proud & Powerful
4. SoCalU (AEW Tag Team Champs) vs Lucha Bros vs Private Party
5. Riho (AEW Womens Champ) vs Emi Sakura
6. Chris Jericho (AEW Champ) vs Cody Rhodes

1907. Crossover Appeal, 2019

It's the first ever Raw vs Smackdown vs NXT pay-per-view. All titles on display.

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, Nigel McGuinness, Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph, Aiden English, Kayla Braxton, Cathy Kelley, Sarah Schreiber, Greg Hamilton, Mike Rome, Alicia Taylor

1. New Day (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champs) vs Viking Raiders (WWE Raw Tag Team Champs) vs reDRagon (as Undisputed Era) (NXT Tag Team Champions)

2. AJ Styles (WWE US Champ) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Roderick Strong (NXT North American Champ)

3. Adam Cole (NXT Champ) vs Pete Dunne
4. Bray Wyatt (as The Fiend) (WWE Universal Champ) vs Daniel Bryan
5. Team Smackdown vs Team Raw vs Team NXT in a Survivor Series Match
Roman Reigns, Braun Stroman, Mustafa Ali, Baron Corbin, Chad Gable vs Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, Ricochet vs Tomasso Ciampa, Gunther, Riddle, Damien Priest, Keith Lee

6. Becky Lynch (WWE Raw Womens Champ) vs Bayley (WWE Smackdown Womens Champ) vs Shayna Baszler (NXT Womens Champ)

1908. Stadium Starcadium, 2019

It's tough to even make storylines out of the 2019 main roster WWE stuff. The only multi-episode story is the Bray Wyatt/Daniel Bryan feud which, in this episode, manages to pull in The Miz, who has never been known as a friend to either of them. We also get a one episode story where New Day and FTR clash because FTR doesn't like "flippy wrestling." Eh.

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

1. FTR (as The Revival) vs Heavy Machinery vs Chad Gable & Mustafa Ali vs Gran Metallik & Lince Dorado

2. Lio Rush (WWE Cruiserweight Champ) vs Angel Garza
3. Street Profits vs Good Brothers
4. Kabuki Warriors (WWE Womens Tag Team Champs) vs Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair vs Boss & Hug Connection vs Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross

5. New Day (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champs) vs FTR (as The Revival) in a Ladder Match

6. Buddy Murphy vs Malakai Black (as Aleister Black)
7. Bray Wyatt (WWE Universal Champ) vs The Miz

1909. Into The Fire, 2019/2020

NWA picks a truly cursed time to start running their own promotion, as a bunch of ROH and Impact stars unite with some people on the indies to put on some stellar matches just in time for Covid to hit and put everything on pause.

Announcers: Jim Cornett, Tony Schiavone, Joe Galli, Ian Riccaboni, Cyrus Fees, Nigel Sherrad, Gilbert, Caprice Coleman

1. Jazz (NWA Womens' Champ) vs Penelope Ford
2. Willie Mack vs Sam Shaw for NWA National Championship
3. Nick Aldis (NWA Heavyweight Champ) vs James Storm
4. Flip Gordon & Bandido vs Guerrero Maya Jr & Stuka Jr
5. The Briscoes vs Rock & Roll Express
6. Villain Enterprises vs Satoshi Kojima & Yugi Nagata
7. Willie Mack (NWA National Champ) vs Colt Cabana
8. Nick Aldis (NWA Heavyweight Champ) vs Marty Skrrul

1910. Takeover Blackpool, 2019/2020

While NXT US has been dominated by Adam Cole Baybay and The Undisputed Era, NXT UK has been at the mercy of Gunther (as Walter) and Imperium. We see matches from both sides of the pond on this episode, culminating with a 4 on 3 match between the two hottest factions of 2019 and 2020.

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Alicia Taylor

1. Adam Cole (NXT Champ) vs Finn Balor
2. Shayna Baszler (NXT Womens Champ) vs Rhea Ripley
3. Buddy Murphy vs Malakia Black (as Aleister Black)
4. Alba Fyre (as Kay Lee Ray) (NXT UK Womens Champ) vs Toni Storm vs Piper Niven
5. Tyler Bate vs Jordan Devlin
6. Broserweights vs Mark Andrews & Morgan Webster
6. The Undisputed Era vs Imperium

1911. TNT, 2019/2020

The Elite have had a surprisingly poor showing since they birthed AEW. I mean, their matches are all excellent, and the fans love them but they can't seem to get their hands on any titles. Can they turn things around as we begin a new year of storylines?

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Tazz, Excalibur, Adam Page, Justin Roberts

1. Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley) vs Kenny Omega in a Lights Out Hardcore Match
2. Pac vs Hangman Page
3. Nick Jackson vs Rey Fenix
4. Kenny Omega vs Kip Sabian
5. Young Bucks (AEW Tag Team Champs) vs Proud & Powerful in a Hardcore Match
6. Cody Rhodes vs Darby Allin
7. Bullet Club vs Pac & Lucha Bros

1912. Worlds Keep On Colliding, 2019/2020

After all the success of NXT vs WWE's Main Roster, it's time for NXT vs NXT UK. Sadly, NXT UK didn't last for too long but you do see most of the wrestlers in this episode popping up again in the American version of NXT. There are some solid matches here, and we get to see our debut of future AEW star, Swerve Strickland.

Announcers: Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Alicia Taylor, Andy Shepherd

1. Alba Fyre (as Kay Lee Ray) vs Mia Yim
2. Finn Balor vs Ilja Dragunov
3. Angel Garza (WWE Cruiserweight Champ) vs Swerve Strickland (as Isaiah Swerve Scott) vs Jordan Devlin vs Travis Banks

4. Dakota Kai vs Tegan Nox in a Hardcore Match
5. DIY vs Moustache Mountain
6. Rhea Ripley (NXT Womens Champ) vs Toni Storm
7. Broserweights vs Grizzled Young Vets

1913. Two Many Rumbles, 2020

The payoff match to the Daniel Bryan/Fiend feud serves as a sorbet between the two rumbles. The mens' rumble, in particular, is one of the last great WWE matches before the pandemic.

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Booker T, Tom Phillips

1. Womens Royal Rumble
Alexa Bliss, Bianca Belair, Molly Holly (as Mighty Molly), Nikki Cross, Lana, Mercedes Martinez, Liv Morgan, Mandy Rose, Candice LeRae, Sonya Deville, Kairi Sane, Mia Yim, Dana Brooke, Tamina, Dakota Kai, Chelsea Green, Charlotte Flair, Naomi, Beth Phoenix, Toni Storm, Kelly Kelly, Sarah Logan, Natalya, Xia Li, Zelina Vega, Shotzi Blackheart, Carmella, Tegan Nox, Santino Marella (as Santina Marella), Shayna Baszler

2. Bray Wyatt (as The Fiend) (WWE Universal Champ) vs Daniel Bryan in a Strap Match
3. Mens Royal Rumble
Brock Lesnar, Elias, Erick Rowan, Robert Roode, John Morrison, Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, Big E, Cesaro, Shelton Benjamin Raw, Shinsuke Nakamura, MVP, Keith Lee, Braun Strowman, Ricochet, Drew McIntyre, The Miz, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Karl Anderson, Edge, King Corbin, Matt Riddle, Luke Gallows, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, Malakai Black (as Aleister Black), Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins

1914. AAA Impact, 2020

Just before the pandemic hit, AAA did a massive show at Madison Square Garden. The video here is without commentary, it's just pure wrestling. This is followed by the last hour of Impact stories before Covid times, which sees a massive title change.

Announcers: Don Callis, Josh Matthews, Jeffrey Scott, Gabby Loren

1. Tessa Blanchard (AAA Reina de Reinas Champ) vs Taya Valkyrie
2. Puma King (DDT Iron Man Heavymetal Champion) vs Daga vs Aerostar vs Flamita
3. Lucha Bros (AAA Tag Team Champs) vs Proud & Powerful
4. Brian Cage, Cain Velasquez and Psycho Clown vs Los Mercenarios
5. Dr Wagner Jr vs Blue Demon Jr in a No DQ Match
5. Jake Crist (Impact X Champ) vs Tessa Blanchard vs Daga vs Ace Austin vs Acey Romero in a Ladder Match
6 Brian Cage vs Sami Callahan in a No DQ Match
7. Eddie Edwards vs Michael Elgin
8. Sami Callahan (Impact Champ) vs Tessa Blanchard

1915. Takeover Portland, 2020

Our final NXT episode of the season gives us our first meeting between the future of WWE's women division, and we get a climax to most of the main events of the last couple of seasons.

Announcers: Nigel McGuinness, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo, Cathy Kelley, Alicia Taylor

1. Keith Lee vs Dijaak
2. Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano
3. Rhea Ripley (NXT Womens Champ) vs Bianca Belair
4. reDRagon (as Undisputed Era) (NXT Tag Team Champs) vs Broserweights
5. Adam Cole (NXT Champ) vs Tomasso Ciampa

1916. Year Without Honor, 2020

Our final check-in with ROH this season sees Jean-Pierre Lafite, the guy who stole Bret Hart's jacket back in season two, have a run as the ROH champion. There's also a slew of tag matches, which is where ROH really shined in their final days before becoming part of AEW.

Announcers: Ian Riccobani, Caprice Coleman, Nick Aldis, Bobby Cruise

1. Villain Enterprises (ROH 6Man Tag Champs) vs Rey Horus & Mexablood
2. Jean-Pierre Lafite (as PCO) (ROH Champ) vs Rush
3. The Briscoes vs Mexablood
4. Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham (ROH Tag Champs) vs 2 Guys 1 Tag
5. Jean-Pierre Lafite (as PCO) (ROH Champ) vs Dragon Lee
6. Angelina Love vs Martina
7. Jean-Pierre Lafite (as PCO) (ROH Champ) vs Rush vs Mark Haskins

1917. Back To The Beach, 2020

Before the pandemic hit, AEW Dynamite was a weekly Must Watch show. Unlike WWE, which mainly holds back their biggest matches for Premium Live Events, AEW put on banger after banger, at least one per show, to make up for the fact that their premium events were quarterly as opposed to monthly (or sometimes every three weeks). Every match and promo from this episode is from AEW Dynamite in February of 2020.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Tazz, Excalibur, Brandy Rhodes, Justin Roberts

1. Best Friends vs Young Bucks vs Proud & Powerful vs Adam Page & Kenny Omega
2. The Elite vs. Lucha Bros, The Butcher & The Blade
3. Riho (AEW Womens Champ) vs Nyla Rose
4. Jungle Boy vs MJF
5. Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley) vs Jeff Cobb
6. Adam Page & Kenny Omega (AEW Tag Team Champs) vs Lucha Bros
7. Cody Rhodes (AEW TNT Champ) vs Wardlow in a Steel Cage Match

1918. A Healthy Climax, 2020

Apart from Omega/Tanahashi, we don't get any stories here, just incredible matches from New Japan in 2019. A bunch of NJPW stars who ended up in AEW, and a few who would end up there in a few years, square off in this incredible card. Plus, a bunch of senior NJPW stars fill out an eight man tag match for the retirement of Jushin Thunder Liger, who had to be 210 at the time of recording.

Announcers: Don Callis, Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Rocky Romero, Makoto Abe

1. Hirosha Tanahashi (IWGP Champ) vs Kenny Omega
2. Kota Ibushi (IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champ) vs Will Ospreay
3. Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley) vs Tomohiro Ishii
4. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tatsumi Fujinami, Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask vs. Naoki Sano, Shinjiro Otani, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Ryusuke Taguchi

5. Kota Ibushi (IWGP Intercontinental Champ) vs Jay White
6. Chris Jericho vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

1919. Don't You Dare Be Sour, 2020

This Go Home episode should be leading to Wrestlemania as the final episode. Unforunately...pandemic. Because the feel of the audienceless shows is so vastly different from the usual wrestling fare, it didn't seem right to include Wrestlemania in this season. So you have to wait next season when the storylines that carry over end up getting cinematic matches for a very different but not unwelcome experience. For now, we end on one of the best ever Elimination Chamber matches. It's a shame they never pushed the winner as hard again after this episode because it looked like she was going to be the Brock Lesnar of the womens' division.

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, Tom Phillips, Greg Hamilton, Mike Rome

1. New Day (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champs) vs MnM
2. Daniel Bryan vs Drew Gulak
3. Andrade vs Humberto Carrillo
4. Tag Team Elimination Chamber
MnM (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champs) vs New Day vs The Usos vs Heavy Machinery vs Lucha House Party vs Dolph Ziggler & Bobby Roode

5. AJ Styles vs Malakai Black (as Aleister Black) in a No DQ Match
6. Womens Elimination Chamber
Asuka vs Natalya vs Shayna Baszler vs Ruby Soho vs Liv Morgan vs Sarah Logan

1920. Final Bow For Now, 2020

Now it's time for AEW's final episode before the pandemic. It's Revolution, and it is filled with killer matches from the biggest names in the promotion.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Justin Roberts

1. Kenny Omega vs Pac in an Iron Man Match
2. Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara
3. Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (AEW Tag Team Champs) vs Young Bucks
4. Cody Rhodes vs MJF
5. Pac vs Orange Cassidy
6. Chris Jericho (AEW Champ) vs Dean Ambrose (as Jon Moxley)

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