AEW: Who Are the Top Five Debuts In All Elite Wrestling History?

#2: Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley made his debut at the first-ever AEW event, Double or Nothing, 2019.  Mox’s landing in AEW wasn’t a shock as he had made no bones about the fact that he was unhappy working for WWE and he had no intention of resigning there.  But the way he debuted was a shock to many.

Mox came to the ring through the crowd (much as he still does to this day) and snuck up behind Chris Jericho, who had just defeated Kenny Omega in a single match in the main event of the show.  Moxley proceeded to attack both Jericho and Omega, and the show closed with Moxley being the one left standing.

This was a huge debut for AEW simply because of the name and legacy that Jon Moxley had made in WWE as Dean Ambrose.  Moxley (Ambrose) was a former WWE Champion and was part of the most dominant faction in WWE history.  So the fact that he had left that, and a great deal of money on the table to come to what was an upstart promotion whose future was unclear was a game changer for All Elite Wrestling.  That makes Mox’s debut the number two debut in AEW history.

#1: CM Punk

The top debut in the history of AEW is unquestionably the debut of CM Punk.

The return of CM Punk to professional wrestling not only had the professional wrestling world talking but the sports world as well.

AEW was able to sell out the United Center in minutes based on the rumor that CM Punk was making his return to professional wrestling at The First Dance because fans wanted to be part of that historic night.

In CM Punk, AEW had landed one of the most popular professional wrestlers of the past twenty years and a top-of-the-card talent that people would tune in to see.  Some would tune in because they were happy he was back and some would watch hoping he would fail, but everyone was watching.

There are not a lot of professional wrestlers that have the ability to make grown men cry tears of joy by doing as little as walking down a ramp to a wrestling ring.  But after 7 years away from professional wrestling, CM Punk did just that.

At 43 years old, the jury is out on how much longer CM Punk will continue to wrestle.  But his AEW debut will be one of the top wrestling debuts for years and years to come.