Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley were AEW's first great rivalry. Moxley debuted at the first Double or Nothing in 2019 by attacking Omega, beat him in an unsanctioned Lights Out match at Full Gear 2019, then lost the AEW World Championship to Omega in December 2020 and lost the rematch in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch at Revolution 2021.
Omega leads 2–1. This page covers all three matches, the background, a comparison and our verdict.
Head-to-head record
Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley: Omega 2–1. Every big-event meeting between the two, oldest first.
| # | Date | Event | Venue | Match | Result | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 9, 2019 | AEW Full Gear 2019 | Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore | Lights Out (unsanctioned) | Jon Moxley won | Pinfall |
| 2 | Dec 2, 2020 | AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming | Daily's Place, Jacksonville, Florida | AEW World Championship | Kenny Omega won | Pinfall with help from Don Callis |
| 3 | Mar 7, 2021 | AEW Revolution 2021 | Daily's Place, Jacksonville, Florida | Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch · AEW World Championship | Kenny Omega won | One-Winged Angel onto a chair |
Every match: our commentary
AEW Full Gear 2019 · Nov 9, 2019
An unsanctioned match that AEW officially kept off the record, built around weapons, barbed wire and broken glass. Moxley won one of the most violent matches of AEW's first year.
AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming · Dec 2, 2020
Omega won the title from Moxley with the help of his friend Don Callis, then left with Callis to appear on Impact Wrestling, launching his 'Belt Collector' run.
AEW Revolution 2021 · Mar 7, 2021
The ropes were replaced with barbed wire rigged with explosives. Omega won after Callis and the Good Brothers handcuffed Moxley. The promised ring explosion that followed was visibly weak, and the finish was booed in the arena and widely mocked.
The backstory
Moxley's debut at Double or Nothing 2019 was an attack on Omega, which made them AEW's first major singles rivalry. Their first scheduled match was delayed by Moxley's injury in 2019.
When they met again in late 2020, Omega's heel turn with Don Callis made the AEW World title the center of a story that crossed into Impact Wrestling and New Japan.
Tale of the tape
| Kenny Omega | Jon Moxley | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature finish | One-Winged Angel | Death Rider (Paradigm Shift) |
| AEW World title | Two reigns (2020–21, 2026) | Multiple reigns |
| Style | High-impact technician | Brawler |
By the numbers
| Head-to-head stat | Kenny Omega | Jon Moxley |
|---|---|---|
| Singles wins vs. each other | 2 | 1 |
| Title matches vs. each other | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| Wins with outside help | 2 (both with Don Callis) | 0 |
How fans and critics reacted
Revolution 2021's exploding ring finish was one of the most criticized moments in AEW's history, and Moxley mocked it himself after the show.
Full Gear 2019 was praised for its intensity but divided fans because of its violence.
Our take
Omega leads 2–1 and won both title matches, but both wins needed Don Callis. Moxley's win was the only clean one. We give it to Omega on the record and the title.
Our view: Full Gear 2019 is the one to watch.
Our verdict: Kenny Omega.
FAQ
What happened at the Revolution 2021 exploding ring match?
Omega beat Moxley to retain the AEW World Championship, then the post-match ring explosion was visibly weak and widely mocked.
More rivalries
Sources: Wikipedia: Revolution (2021) · Wikipedia: Full Gear (2019). Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.