Top 5 AEW wrestlers of 2021 so far – Men’s Edition

1. Darby Allin

Yes, the best overall wrestler for AEW in 2021 was Darby Allin or Jeff Hardy in his prime booked right.

Darby Allin is an enigma. Out of the crop of AEW’s young stars like MJF, Sammy Guevarra, Ricky Starks, and Jungle Boy, Darby Allin is AEW’s first home-grown star. Everything about him, from his face paint, skateboard and attire, to his theme and overall persona, is spot on.

Darby, with the TNT title on his shoulder, ticked every single box a wrestler is supposed to tick. Even though so many believed he was too small, he drew consistently high numbers week after week and main-evented Dynamite several times against various opponents, and delivering in every single match.

He doesn’t talk much, he just works his ass off every single time. His selling is incredible, twisting into a ragdoll and falling onto…. “things” for our entertainment. When a performer gives so much of himself to the audience, it’s hard not to root for him. Darby is one of those guys who elicits sympathy from the crowd in every single match.

He started the year with a bang, beating long-time rival Brian Cage in a brutal title fight.

He had amazing title matches with the likes of Joey Janela, Pres10 Vance, Scorpio Sky, Matt Hardy, and Jungle Boy.

He found a soul brother in the form of Sting and the two of them together has been must-see TV. Their tag match against Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page was a genuine highlight of the show and it was so heartwarming to see Sting wrestle again and absolutely kill it. A well-deserved “You still got it” chant.

He put over Miro in spectacular fashion, losing consciousness in his arms and going limp like a lifeless doll. His selling made Miro look like a monster, and while the rematch isn’t advertised, I cant wait to see it.

Darby Allin is the “Please don’t die” chant personified and for all the bumps he’s taken and for all of the things he’s fallen off of, he is the best male AEW wrestler of 2021.