Best Title Reigns In AEW History, Ranked

AEW has now been around for five years, and within the next year the company’s weekly show Dynamite will have outlived WCW Nitro, which just goes to show how impactful and successful the promotion has been. There have certainly been a lot of negatives and controversies, but these are outweighed with the legendary shows, big stars, and major matches.

Throughout the last half a decade, there have been many champions in each division, and some of those champions have been superior to the rest. Whether it be due to longevity, the quality of matches, or storytelling, these following title reigns have been the best.

10 Jon Moxley’s First AEW World Title Reign Was Great

He Is A Three-Time Champion

Jon Moxley defeated Chris Jericho in 2020 to become the second ever AEW World Champion, and in doing so he went on a very strong reign with the gold which saw him help carry AEW through the pandemic period, looking like a fighting champion in the process.

He defeated tough opponents such as Eddie Kingston, Brodie Lee, MJF, Brian Cage, and Darby Allin during this run, before dropping the title in a fantastic angle against Kenny Omega.

9 Cody Rhodes’ TNT Championship Open Challenges Established The Title

Rhodes Was The Perfect Inaugural Champion

The very first TNT Championship reign set the precedent for what this title should’ve always been about – defending it each and every week against anyone and everyone. Cody Rhodes defeated Lance Archer at Double or Nothing 2020 to become the first champion, making history.

From there, he welcomed those from both on AEW’s roster and free agents too such as Eddie Kingston and Ricky Starks, earning them AEW contracts in the process. It was a highlight of the pandemic era to see who would step up to answer Rhodes’ open challenge. The way he lost the gold to Brodie Lee was sensational too, in a shocking squash match.

8 The Young Bucks Took On All-Comers As AEW World Tag Team Champions

The Bucks Faced Every Team On The Roster

It was only a matter of time before the Young Bucks finally became AEW World Tag Team Champions, and they did so in a thrilling clash with FTR at Full Gear 2020, kicking their reign off in the best way possible.

Throughout their time with the gold they underwent a heel turn, bringing out their best. They had some of the best tag team matches in AEW history in this reign against the Lucha Brothers, Death Triangle, Inner Circle, Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley, and SCU. This reign also helped to elevate teams like The Acclaimed and Jurassic Express, who had strong showings.

7 Hikaru Shida Carried The Women’s Division As World Champion

Shida Broke Records As Women’s Champ

Hikaru Shida managed to oust the dominant Nyla Rose as AEW Women’s Champion, embarking on the best reign that this title has seen to date. Not only is this the longest reign at 372 days, but Shida had a selection of brilliant matches too.

These included defenses against Penelope Ford, Tay Conti, Ryo Mizunami, and more. Shida carried the division throughout the pandemic era, and her loss was important too, as it elevated Britt Baker to an even higher level.

6 Christian Cage Saved The TNT Championship

The TNT Title Was In A Slump

In just 98 days, Christian Cage turned a damaged and broken title that no one cared about into a championship which rightfully main evented an AEW PPV event. Cage’s obsession with the title, his top tier character work, and the quality of his matches helped to turn the tide with the TNT Championship.

Phenomenal matches against Darby Allin, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Copeland made this title feel like it mattered once again, and Cage must be applauded for that.

5 Kenny Omega’s Heel Run As AEW World Champion Was Terrific

The World Title Felt Prestigious With The Belt Collector

Kenny Omega’s title win came in a major swerve as he turned heel, aligning with Don Callis, and ran over to IMPACT Wrestling to win their world title too. Draped in gold from three promotions, Omega felt like an absolute world beater as AEW World Champion, with his matches feeling special and his aura coursing through the screen.

His match quality was of course fantastic, with great bouts against Christian Cage, Jungle Boy, Rey Fenix, Orange Cassidy, and PAC. Omega’s reign also played a huge part in the wonderful storyline involving The Elite and Adam Page, with Hangman’s title victory over Omega still being among the greatest AEW moments of all time.

4 MJF’s AEW World Championship Reign Had So Many Show-Stealers

A Record-Breaking Reign Which Is Somehow Underrated

This may be a contentious entry, but despite some negatives, MJF’s reign had overwhelming positives. He had the greatest Iron Man match of all time against Bryan Danielson, main evented All In against Adam Cole in what was a red-hot clash in the best angle in the company at the time, stole the show in the Four Pillars match at Double or Nothing, dragged Hiroshi Tanahashi to a very good match at Forbidden Door, and had one of the best TV matches of 2023 against Kenny Omega.

Sure, the “Devil” angle was a mess and his feud with Jay White was underwhelming, but at over 406 days, MJF’s reign was mostly filled with a lot of positives.

3 Adam Page & Kenny Omega Are AEW’s Best Tag Team Champions Ever

Page & Omega Had Countless Bangers

Despite their tension and the ongoing troubles in The Elite, Adam Page and Kenny Omega came together to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a great moment on the Jericho Cruise against SCU.

From there, they had the best AEW World Tag Team Title reign to date. They had several strong showings against the top teams in the company, not to mention what is regarded as AEW’s best match ever against The Young Bucks at Revolution 2020. The amount of subtle storytelling that went into their title reign helped to make tag team wrestling feel like the most important thing in the company at times.

2 Miro’s Reign As TNT Champion Made The Title Feel Prestigious

The TNT Title Has Never Felt More Special

It might not have been the longest of reigns, but Miro’s time as TNT Champion was incredible. Developing “The Redeemer” gimmick, Miro was the most captivating character on TV at the time. His love for the TNT Championship and the dominant nature he imposed when defending it, made it feel like the most sought after prize in wrestling.

In truth, it is a shame that it wasn’t longer, as it is the most important thing this gold has ever felt.

1 Orange Cassidy’s Reign As International Champion Is The Best In AEW

Orange Cassidy Defended His International Championship Week In And Week Out

The best title reign in AEW history is undeniable. On a near-weekly basis, Orange Cassidy defended the International Championship in banger after banger, looking like an absolute warrior whilst doing so, and gradually becoming more and more beaten up, broken, and desperate, making the belt feel very important.

To name just a few, Cassidy outlasted the likes of PAC, Katsuyori Shibata, Penta, Lance Archer, Jeff Jarrett, Daniel Garcia, Swerve Strickland, Zack Sabre Jr, Buddy Matthews, Gabe Kidd, Luchasaurus, and several more, with his number of defenses totalling up to 33 – more than any championship reign in AEW history!