Ranking the 5 Best WWE and AEW Pay-Per-Views of 2020

It has been a difficult year, to say the least. The COVID-19 pandemic has robbed the world of any semblance of normalcy and systemic racism, police brutality and other social injustices have raised a dark cloud over the world. Nevertheless, professional wrestling has been constant throughout 2020, for better or worse.

The wrestling industry hasn't been devoid of dour news with the deaths of several noteworthy performers and the allegations of rampant sexual misconduct. However, there has been no shortage of entertainment for fans looking to escape the harsh reality of the last 11 months.

Wrestling companies all over the world have continued to provide exceptional matches, shocking twists, controversy and engaging stories. New Japan delivered one of the best shows of the year over two nights in January before the coronavirus forced some companies to temporarily shut down. WWE made WrestleMania 36 a two-night event to kick off an era of shows in empty arenas.

It hardly feels real even now, but the company's biggest pay-per-view of the year took place without a live crowd in attendance for the first time ever. Still, WWE managed to produce two fun cards with memorable matches and outrageous moments that may not have worked as well in different circumstances.

The largest wrestling company in the world and AEW exceeded low expectations and hosted many high-quality events. 

5. NXT TakeOver: 31

NXT TakeOver events have become the most highly anticipated shows of the year. Since May 2014, the black-and-gold brand has been the home to some of the hottest up-and-coming talent and world-class matches with less filler than the rest of WWE's programming.

NXT has undoubtedly changed a great deal since the move to network television last fall, but its annual events still consistently deliver. This year, TakeOver: 31 was probably the best example of what the show is capable of when executed well. The card was concise and showcased several different styles.

Since the cruiserweight title moved to NXT, many fans have hoped to see the kind of high-flying matches we came to enjoy on 205 Live on a TakeOver card. Santos Escobar and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott didn't disappoint as they battled for the belt.

Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano also put on a solid match and Kushida vs. Velveteen Dream turned out to be a sleeper. But the last two bouts of the night were the real highlight of the show.

First, Candice LeRae challenged Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship in a rematch following their acclaimed showdown at TakeOver: Toronto last year. They displayed great chemistry together again, and on any other day they could've upstaged the main event.

However, Finn Balor vs. Kyle O'Reilly was easily one of the best matches of the year. The build to it was perfect, and the two beat the snot out of each other in an incredibly hard-hitting NXT title match. Balor left with a legitimately broken jaw and the top prize in tow, but O'Reilly proved to fans who aren't familiar with ROH run that he could be a serious contender.

4. WWE SummerSlam

The empty arena shows in the WWE Performance Center were growing stale by the time August rolled around, so the move to the ThunderDome couldn't have come at a better time.

The venue change helped to make SummerSlam one of the most visually appealing shows of the year. Additionally, the event hosted some fantastic matches and enduring moments that will live on for years to come.

The Street Profits vs. Andrade and Angel Garza and Sonya Deville vs. Mandy Rose were entertaining midcard matches. Meanwhile, Dominik Mysterio enjoyed an impressive in-ring debut against Seth Rollins. He ultimately lost to his father's bitter rival, but the 23-year-old showed that he could have a bright future ahead of him.

Asuka pulled double duty as she challenged for both the WWE Raw and SmackDown Women's Championship. The Empress of Tomorrow nearly stole the show, producing phenomenal matches with Bayley and Sasha Banks. These three packed so much story into 23 minutes and should be credited for lifting the company on their backs during an uncertain period.

The two world title matches weren't much to write home about, but that could also be because Roman Reigns' return became the most impactful storyline of the year. His sudden appearance after the main event and his brutal attack on Braun Strowman and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt was one of the most shocking heel turns in some time.

3. AEW Revolution

After its maiden year got off to a successful start, AEW introduced a second pay-per-view in Chicago called Revolution. The inaugural event took place in the heart of the downtown area in front of a hot crowd at the Wintrust Arena.

Jake Hager and Dustin Rhodes kicked off the show, but Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin pushed it to another level afterward. These two future stars left it all in the ring in this wince-inducing slugfest that fired the audience up for what was surely the best match of the night.

Next, Kenny Omega and "Hangman" Adam Page defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against their longtime friends the Young Bucks in what many will consider the best tag match in the history of the company. It was all the spectacle and high spots fans have come to expect from The Elite with some nuanced storytelling sprinkled in as well. Omega and Page retained and gave the rest of the card a tough act to follow.

As a result, the women's title match and Cody vs. MJF didn't enjoy the same high-voltage crowd response. Luckily, the show was able to recover as PAC and Orange Cassidy was a nice palette cleanser. Then, Jon Moxley garnered the loudest reaction as he vanquished Chris Jericho to become the second AEW world champion. What a great way to end the night.

2. WWE Royal Rumble

It has been a long year. So much so that Royal Rumble 2020 seems like it was ages ago. After all, it was one of the last pay-per-view events of the year to occur in front of a full live crowd.

The show officially opened with King Corbin vs. Roman Reigns in a feud that was well past its shelf life. Still, they produced a wildly entertaining Falls Count Anywhere match that overachieved.

For the third year in a row, the women put on an amazing Royal Rumble match in which Naomi made a show-stopping return and Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler tied a new record for the most eliminations. However, Charlotte Flair went on to outlast them and punch her ticket to WrestleMania.

Later, Daniel Bryan pushed The Fiend to his best match as universal champion before Asuka and Becky Lynch delivered another incredible chapter to their yearlong rivalry. Now, your enjoyment of the men's Rumble match will rely on how much you like watching Brock Lesnar humiliate other members of the roster. That's essentially how the first half of the main event went.

Nevertheless, it minted Drew McIntyre as the next challenger for Lesnar's WWE title. In a touching and surreal moment, Edge returned to enter the Rumble after a neck injury forced him to retire in 2011. It was a well-kept secret that tugged at that heartstrings of many fans and helped to make for a landmark show.

1. AEW Full Gear

Considering Edge's poignant return and McIntyre's triumph over The Beast Incarnate, it would be easy for Royal Rumble 2020 to top this list. However, AEW Full Gear is a better overall show from top to bottom.

This stacked card had everything, and there wasn't a significant low point. Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose was arguably the weakest match, but it was still enjoyable. Also, Serena Deeb and Allysin Kay had a much better showing for the NWA World Women's Championship on the Buy-In.

Kenny Omega and Adam Page faced off in the opening bout to determine the No. 1 contender for the AEW World Championship. Orange Cassidy and breakout star John Silver delivered a competitive match, and Darby Allin upset Cody for the TNT title. Later, the fans got a dream match that has been in the making for at least three years as FTR took on The Young Buck for the tag belts.

Their clash was a celebration of tag team wrestling that referenced one of the greatest NBA rivalries of all time, the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Boston Celtics. There are so many things to dissect about what is only the first match of this feud.

MJF vs. Chris Jericho was fun, but Eddie Kingston vs. Jon Moxley is the piece de resistance that closed the night on a high note. Kingston has been a breath of fresh air for AEW since he signed earlier this year, and his rivalry with Mox was the company's best world title program to date. Their promos leading up to the event hit all the right notes, and their brutal "I Quit" match was a satisfying conclusion.