2021 was another big year for wrestling. WWE was business as usual whereas AEW continued to grow and expand, establishing itself as a major alternative. Whether you like one or both, it’s a great time to be a fan. 2021 was also a year of surprises. Here are — checks — nearly fifty moments that stood out to me. Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments section below.

Credit: AEW/Bleacher Report
On a special edition of Raw titled “Legends Night”, Goldberg returned to call out WWE Champion Drew McIntyre for not respecting legends. I think he had him mixed up with Randy Orton, who, earlier that night, humiliated the Big Show and Mark Henry. McIntyre, in contrast, had spent the last several months defending Christian, Shawn Michaels, the Big Show, and Ric Flair from Orton. What the Hell, Goldberg?
Edge returned from his triceps tear just in time for the annual men’s Royal Rumble match, which he entered first and won by last eliminating archenemy Orton. Now, WWE can say “Three men have won from the #1 spot. One is Shawn Michaels, the other is Edge!”
Speaking of the Royal Rumble, Edge’s best friend and former tag team partner Christian entered at #24. It was his first match in nearly seven years. He later signed with AEW and became the Impact World Champion.
NJPW star KENTA showed up on the Beach Break edition of Dynamite to attack Jon Moxley, signaling the beginning of a partnership between the two companies. Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Minoru Suzuki, Hikuleo, and Tomohiro Ishii also appeared on AEW programming.
Paul White (FKA the Big Show) signed with AEW as a commentator, ending his twenty-two year run with WWE. Mark Henry also jumped ship and gets paid a shitload of money to say “It’s time for the main event”.
Tully Blanchard wrestled his first match in 13½ years on Dynamite.
Shaquille O’Neal wrestled his first match ever on Dynamite. Cody Rhodes gave him a running crossbody over the ropes to the outside through tables.
AEW Revolution did roughly 135,000 buys, making it the highest grossing non-WWE pay-per-view since WCW Superbrawl IX in 1999. The event featured two surprise signings — Ethan Page and Christian Cage — an exploding barbed wire deathmatch that failed to explode, and Sting’s first (live non-cinematic) match in over five years.
The WWE Network became part of Peacock. The whole thing was a shit show, as Peacock was hard to navigate, slow to upload old shows, and keen to erase history, scrubbing content such as Roddy Piper vs. Bad News Brown from WrestleMania VI because it didn’t align with their standards and practices.
Andrade requested and was granted his release from WWE. The same week, real-life girlfriend Charlotte Flair disappeared from TV and was pulled from promotional material for WrestleMania, prompting rampant speculation. Andrade later signed with AEW.
The Hurt Business and Retribution broke up around the same time, damaging everyone involved except WWE champion Bobby Lashley and his manager MVP.
At Pro Wrestling Trainwreck’s Southern Sickness Cup, Eric Ryan lit JJ Allin’s dick on fire and tried unsuccessfully to extinguish it with a weed whacker.
WWE allowed fans (for the first time since the pandemic started) at WrestleMania 37. Roughly 18,000 people attended each night. Night 1, referred to incessantly as “WrestleMania Saturday”, was postponed by a 45-minute rain delay.
Hulk Hogan dressed up as a pirate and co-hosted the event with Titus O’Neil to show that he gets along with blacks, but the live fans saw through it and booed him.
To send the fans home happy, WWE had bad guys win 75% of the championship matches, and 57% of the matches overall.
The Fiend returned from beyond the grave to challenge his killer, Randy Orton, to an exhibition match in which he was felled by a single RKO when ally Alexa Bliss distracted him by leaking black goo from her hairline. This is the same Fiend who kicked out of nine curb stomps at Hell in a Cell 2019.
Grammy Award-winning rap artist Bad Bunny wrestled a really good match with Damien Priest against the Miz and John Morrison.
On April 13th, NXT moved to Tuesday, bringing an end to the “Wednesday Night Wars”.
WWE released over eighty onscreen talents while touting record profits. The first round of cuts occurred on the one-year anniversary of the last round of cuts, making it seem like a sick celebration. The first round included Billie Kay, Bo Dallas, Chelsea Green, Kalisto, Mickie James, Mojo Rawley, Peyton Royce, Samoa Joe, Tucker, and Wesley Blake. Their belongings were symbolically shipped to them in black trash bags. In May, WWE released Alexander Wolfe, Drake Wuertz, Ezra Judge, Jake Clemons, Jessamyn Duke, Kavita Devi, Skyler Story, Tom Philips, Vanessa Borne, and Velveteen Dream. In June, Aleister Black, Braun Strowman, Lana, Murphy, Ruby Riott, Santana Garrett, Ariya Daivari, Arturo Ruas, August Grey, the Bollywood Boyz, Curt Stallion, Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel), Fandango, Killian Dain, Marina Shafir, Tino Sabbatelli, Tony Nese, and Tyler Breeze. July, Bray Wyatt. August, Ari Sterling, Asher Hale, Bobby Fish, Bronson Reed, Desmond Troy, Giant Zanjeer, Jake Atlas, Kona Reeves, Leon Ruff, Mercedes Martinez, Ric Flair, Stephon Smith, and Tyler Rust. October, Greg Hamilton. November, Drake Maverick (again), Ember Moon, Eva Marie, Frankie Monet, Gran Metalik, Harry Smith, all of Hit Row (Ashante Adonis, B-Fab, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, & Top Dolla), Jaxson Ryker, Jeet Rama, Jessi Kamea, John Morrison, Karrion Kross, Katrina Cortez, Keith Lee, Lince Dorado, Mia Yim, Nia Jax, Oney Lorcan, Scarlett, Shane Thorn, Tegan Nox, Trey Baxter, and Zayda Ramier. December, Jeff Hardy. Lars Sullivan and Steve Cutler were released early in the year. Samoa Joe was re-signed. On the December 20th episode of Raw, Vince McMahon said “I enjoy firing people. I especially enjoy firing people just before the holidays.
Big Cass turned his life around and rocked up in Impact as W. Morrissey.
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega defeated Rich Swann for the Impact World Championship.
Daniel Bryan let his WWE contract expire and signed a three-year deal with AEW.
New Jack died, nonviolently.
The Miz and John Morrison were eaten by zombies during a lumberjack match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Adnan Virk replaced Tom Philips as lead commentator of Raw, and was himself replaced by Jimmy Smith.
Piece of shit Jimmy Uso was arrested for his third DUI. WWE rewarded him with his fifth SmackDown Tag Team Championship reign.
AEW and WWE resumed touring in July.
Malakai Black (FKA Aleister Black) debuted on the Road Rager edition of Dynamite only thirty-five days after his WWE release, dropping Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes with matching spinning heel kicks.

Credit: AEW/TNT/YouTube
Paul Orndorff passed away.
Chelsea Green, No Way Jose, Thunder Rosa, Mickie James, and Jay White appeared in the Impact Zone at Slammiversary.
Matt Cardona (FKA Zack Ryder) defeated Nick “Fucking” Gage in an ultraviolet deathmatch for the GCW World Championship. Gage rocked up on Dynamite the week after as the second Labor of Jericho.
“Beautiful” Bobby Eaton passed away.
AEW premiered its second show, Rampage, in August. Christian defeated Kenny Omega for the Impact World Championship in the first match on the inaugural episode.
CM Punk made his long awaited return to pro wrestling on the second episode.
Ric Flair accompanied Andrade to the ring for his match against Kenny Omega at Triplemanía XXIX, causing Hugo Savinovich to lose his damn mind. “Ric Fleer is in da house!… Ric Fleer is in Triple Muh-nia house! Wow!” he kept screaming.
John Cena and Goldberg returned in the lead-up to Summerslam and challenged for the top titles. Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar made surprise returns at the event.
Daffney committed suicide.
Vince McMahon and Bruce Pritchard seized control of NXT from Triple H and relaunched it as “NXT 2.0”. Dave Meltzer said of the situation, “No more midgets, no one starting in their 30s. They want people who can be box office attractions and main characters”[1]. As all this transpired, Triple H was hospitalized with a heart condition and Samoa Joe was forced to relinquish his newly-won NXT Championship.
AEW All Out did even more buys than Revolution. The event featured CM Punk’s first match since walking out on WWE seven years earlier, plus the surprise debuts of Minoru Suzuki, Ruby Soho (FKA Ruby Riott), Adam Cole, & Bryan Danielson.
Big E cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the WWE Championship.
WWE only booked one “extreme rules” match for their Extreme Rules PPV.
Indie wrestler Blaine Evans admitted to intentionally cutting one of John Rare’s fingers off with bolt cutters at IWA Deep South’s Carnage Cup XII.
WWE held a nineteen-minute “Queen’s Crown” tournament for its women that culminated in Saudi Arabia.
ROH released its whole roster.
Jon Moxley checked himself into rehab for alcohol addiction.
Survivor Series was all about The Rock and he didn’t even show up. But hey, we got an egg.
Cody Rhodes suplexed Andrade through a flaming table. Globs of melted tabletop adhered to Rhodes’ back. He was still on fire when he made the pin.
Under his “Blood Hunter” persona, YouTube personality Hannibal (who I had no idea was an actual wrestler) repeatedly stabbed a referee’s head with a metal spike, allegedly while drunk, tearing one of the referee’s arteries.
Sting continued to turn back the clock, wrestling like a man in his 40s. He, Darby Allin, & CM Punk defeated FTR & MJF in a fun, feel-good match to close out the year.
References
1. F4WOnline. “Changes Are Coming to NXT Following Roster Cuts: Wrestling Observer Radio.” Online video clip. YouTube. August 8th, 2021. Web.