|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 18, 2022 19:56:01 GMT -5
28. AEW World Championship: Kenny Omega [c] vs. Hangman Page – AEW Full Gear
|
| Two years of storytelling led to this. There was a big fight feel here. Kenny was up to his usual antics early, having Don Callis interfere a handful of times. That was the setup for the first third or so of this match. Hangman would get going, Kenny would cut him off and then distract the referee as Callis got in cheap shots. Kenny hit a ridiculous sunset flip bomb off the top and snapped off V-Triggers but Hangman survived. Hangman rallied and clotheslined Kenny through a table before signaling for the Buckshot Lariat only for Kenny to back away from it. He finally hit it but Kenny pulled the referee in the way. They mostly avoided shenanigans as Hangman took out Callis. They began trading big shots and offense with Hangman firing up despite eating knee strikes. As we neared 25 minutes, the Young Bucks strolled out. The Buckshot Lariat was met with V-Trigger but Hangman escaped One Winged Angel and hit Kenny with it for two. Hangman hit the Buckshot Lariat to Kenny’s back as Nick didn’t grab the leg like he did in the past. He went for it again to the front and stared at Matt, who nodded at him. Hangman connected and won the AEW World Title in 25:11. A great match and remarkable finish to some quality long-term storytelling. The Bucks stuff at the end actually meant a lot. A true feel good moment. [****¼] |
2020 Match #28: Kota Ibushi vs. Taichi – NJPW G1 Climax 10/16/20 2019 Match #28: NXT North American Championship: Velveteen Dream [c] vs. Matt Riddle – NXT TakeOver: New York 2018 Match #28: NXT North American Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Ricochet – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/18/18 2017 Match #28: RPW British Heavyweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata [c] vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17 2016 Match #28: The Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi – WWE Cruiserweight Classic 8/31/16 2015 Match #28: Lucha Underground Championship All Night Long: Prince Puma (c) vs. Johnny Mundo – Lucha Underground 6/17/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 19, 2022 0:02:01 GMT -5
27. Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC – AEW Rampage 10/22/21
|
| The first match between these two on Rampage was something pretty special but it got brought down a bit by a lame finish where Chavo Guerrero hit PAC with an iPad. The idea of the cheap finish was fine but the execution and the iPad as a weapon were lame. Andrade dumped Chavo and we got a rematch several weeks later that was far superior. The idea was that Andrade was out to prove he could beat PAC without help. That allowed them to have a great one on one encounter with no BS throughout. It was good to start but after the commercial break, this became truly spectacular. They started throwing out wild moves that seemed like they would wreck each guy. We’re talking ranas off the apron and into a chair as well as PAC hitting a goddamn top rope Brainbuster that looked sick. That led to some strikes and a series of pin attempts where PAC used an inside cradle to win this after 16:20. One of the best television matches of the year because PAC and Andrade have remarkable chemistry that is so good it doesn’t even make sense. The Andrade/Malakai Black pairing that formed after the match was dope though Cody getting involved was kind of lame. Still, this match itself was spectacular. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Andrade El Idolo and PAC.
2020 Match #27: WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Jeff Hardy [c] vs. Sami Zayn [c] vs. AJ Styles – WWE Clash of Champions 2019 Match #27: WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber: The Boss-n-Hug Connection vs. Fabulous Glow vs. Fire & Desire vs. The Iiconics vs. The Riott Squad vs. Samoan Slaughterhouse – WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Match #27: Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 7/15/18 2017 Match #27: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Special in USA 7/2/17 2016 Match #27: Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 60 5/6/16 2015 Match #27: NXT Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Kevin Owens – NXT TakeOver: Rival 2/11/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 19, 2022 10:00:09 GMT -5
26. KUSHIDA vs. Pete Dunne – NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver Night One
|
| I’ve explained many times over about my simple tastes in wrestling. I don’t need things that are overproduced, overly long, and meant to be billed as something epic. Just give me quality wrestling for 10-15 minutes and I’ll be captivated. That’s just what this opener for TakeOver: Stand and Deliver was. They put two of the best wrestlers in the world together and let them do their thing. The entire thing was built around KUSHIDA and Pete Dunne both having a claim to being the best technical wrestler in the world. The match was simply 10:38 of two guys exchanging mat wrestling and holds. That might sound boring on the surface but when done right, it can be beautiful and that’s what this was. Some of the transitions and limb work was incredible and everything they did mattered. KUSHIDA kept going for the Hoverboard Lock but Dunne did whatever he could to avoid it or reach the ropes. To combat it, he went after the hands of KUSHIDA, stomping on them often. It made it so KUSHIDA’s fastball punch was something he couldn’t capitalize on. Dunne added the Bitter End and secured the victory. Not enough people talked about how outstanding this was. [****¼] |
*This is the final match from TakeOver: Stand and Deliver. *It is the last ****¼ match.
2020 Match #26: NXT Women's Championship: Io Shirai [c] vs. Rhea Ripley – NXT 11/18/20 2019 Match #26: Kota Ibushi vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW G1 Climax 7/18/19 2018 Match #26: New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/15/18 2017 Match #26: PROGRESS Tag Team Championship: Trent Seven and Tyler Bate [c] vs. The South Pacific Power Trip – PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize 3/19/17 2016 Match #26: PROGRESS Championship No Disqualifications Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Marty Scurll – PROGRESS Chapter 25 1/24/16 2015 Match #26: NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW New Beginnings in Sendai 2/14/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 19, 2022 13:41:58 GMT -5
25. KENTA vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 31 10/9/21
|
| For the most part, the G1 Climax this year was a letdown. While there were plenty of good matches and a few that cracked the four-star barrier, there weren’t many that were truly special. So, I was pleasantly surprised when we got one on night 13. Zack Sabre Jr. had dominated the tournament to this point, winning five matches by submission, beating the IWGP World Champion, defeating the back-to-back G1 winner, and only losing one contest. However, KENTA came in almost even cockier, They traded strikes but when KENTA would get the upper hand, he added in taunts. Sabre Jr. was sure to respond with his own asshole moves like simply kicking away at KENTA in annoying fashion near the end. Sabre Jr. looked to catch strikes into submissions, yet KENTA could also apply his Game Over submission to even the score. Sabre Jr. caught a Busaiku Knee and rolled it into a kneebar in one of the best spots of the year. When that wasn’t enough, KENTA ultimately sent Sabre Jr. into an exposed turnbuckle and then delivered the Go to Sleep to take home the win in 22:24, which also put him ahead of ZSJ in the standings. Just great pro wrestling. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of KENTA and Zack Sabre Jr. *It is the last G1 Climax match.
2020 Match #25: Imperium vs. The Undisputed Era – WWE Worlds Collide 2019 Match #25: Juice Robinson vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 7/28/19 2018 Match #25: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay [c] vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Dominion 6/19/18 2017 Match #25: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Power Struggle 11/5/17 2016 Match #25: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/16 2015 Match #25: Evolve Championship: Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 47 8/15/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 19, 2022 19:55:12 GMT -5
24. WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns [c] vs. Daniel Bryan – WWE Smackdown 4/30/21
|
| At the time we weren’t sure what Daniel Bryan was going to do with his future but all we knew for certain was that he was giving us bangers on the road to wherever. He and Roman Reigns had a tremendous match at Fastlane and with the addition of Edge, we got another outstanding match at WrestleMania. A few weeks later, Bryan had one final shot at the Universal Title but with the caveat that he put his career on the line. There was a big fight feel here and it changed up the formula from their previous encounter. At Fastlane, Bryan was confident, knowing he was a better wrestler and using his brains. However, after failing against Reigns twice, there was desperation in his work here. Reigns kicked his ass at points in this 27:18 match but Bryan kept coming back for more. You got the sense that he was going to give in and would do anything to remain alive in this battle. One issue that I had with some Reigns title defenses was the interference aspect but that wasn’t around here. He pretty much just was the better man and won when Bryan passed out in the guillotine. I know this ended up being Bryan’s last match for WWE but it’s also notable because Roman debuted his phenomenal theme music here. [****½] |
*This is the final match from Smackdown.
2020 Match #24: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era [c] vs. The Broserweights – NXT TakeOver: Portland 2019 Match #24: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Dragon Lee [c] vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW Dominion 2018 Match #24: NXT North American Championship: Ricochet [c] vs. Adam Cole vs. Pete Dunne – NXT 10/10/18 2017 Match #24: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Pete Dunne [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT 12/20/17 2016 Match #24: Open the Dream Gate Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. YAMATO – Dragon Gate Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival 7/24/16 2015 Match #24: Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 19, 2022 22:27:30 GMT -5
23. IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night One
|
| Tetsuya Naito and Kota Ibushi are known for nearly killing each other in the ring. Surprisingly, this got off to a rather slow start. Ibushi went after the leg, while Naito seemed to enjoy this pace against a guy like Ibushi. Of course, they would quickly snap off something that kicked it into the next gear like Ibushi’s sweet rana. Things started to get into the dangerous area with a neckbreaker on the outside. The first 15 minutes here flew by because these dudes are so phenomenal at what they do. The snap rana off the apron was the stuff of legend and looked incredible. The same goes for Naito’s super reverse rana. It was clearly time to throw caution to the wind. It progressed into more of a slugfest with every slap and strike heard clearly thanks to the smaller crowd. As one would expect, the closing stretch was spectacular and saw the two throw bombs at each other. Destino obviously didn’t end it and when Ibushi finally won with the Kamigoye after 31:18, both men were out. You almost got the sense that it was just the next man to hit a big move that would’ve ended it. A stunning main event that was better than what we got in last year’s headliners but a notch under Tanahashi/Omega from 2019. [****½] |
*This is the last appearance of Tetsuya Naito.
2020 Match #23: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Robbie Eagles – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 11/29/20 2019 Match #23: WWE Universal Championship: Seth Rollins [c] vs. AJ Styles – WWE Money in the Bank 2018 Match #23: New Japan Cup Finals: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/21/18 2017 Match #23: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 1/4/17 2016 Match #23: WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Extreme Rules 5/22/16 2015 Match #23: NXT Women’s Championship Ironman Match: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks – NXT TakeOver: Respect 10/7/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 20, 2022 0:44:36 GMT -5
22. NXT United Kingdom Championship: Ilja Dragunov [c] vs. A-Kid – NXT UK 10/14/21
|
| I say it whenever a match makes this list from NXT UK but it’s a shame that the brand is often overlooked or forgotten about. They’ve weathered the storm of some truly questionable people being on their roster (some of whom are still there) and deliver a quality show almost weekly. Ilja Dragunov as champion has continued to be a highlight who consistently has great matches. A-Kid is another bright spot of the brand and a rising star. Putting them together had magic written all over it and they lived up to the hype I had for them. This TV main event was one of the best of the year even if next to nobody saw it. It was cool that this was the first match back with fans at BT Studios. Throughout this 19:21 affair, A-Kid targeted the champion’s arm and Dragunov retaliated with some leg work. Both did their actions with vigor, helping to really add to the intensity of it all and intensity is a trademark of Dragunov matches. A-Kid was outmatched in a few ways but gave Dragunov everything he had while also surviving plenty of offensive moves himself. He might have taken it with a triangle choke into an omoplata. Dragunov escaped and delivered Torpedo Moscow twice to retain in his first title defense. Go find this bout. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of A-Kid. *It is the last match from NXT UK.
2020 Match #22: Jordan Devlin vs. Tyler Bate – NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II 2019 Match #22: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW G1 Climax 8/10/19 2018 Match #22: The Golden Lovers vs. The Young Bucks – NJPW Strong Style Evolved 3/25/18 2017 Match #22: Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 5/3/17 2016 Match #22: NEVER Openweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/16 2015 Match #22: Evolve Championship: Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – Evolve 51 11/6/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 20, 2022 9:14:50 GMT -5
21. Men's Money In The Bank: Big E vs. Drew McIntyre vs. John Morrison vs. Kevin Owens vs. Ricochet vs. Riddle vs. Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – WWE Money in the Bank
|
| I remember when Peacock died during this match. This got off to a great start, with bodies flying everywhere and a short showdown between Big E and Drew McIntyre. The crowd chanted “Johnny Drip Drip,” so maybe we should go back to the Thunderdome. I liked some of the smaller angles throughout this, like Morrison and Rollins partnering up against Owens and Ricochet. Owens continued to take wild bumps, including the double suplex onto the ladder. He’s good for like two of those per ladder match. Drew had a great run in the middle with Claymores, a sick slam on Ricochet, and a dive outside, only to get stopped by Jinder Mahal’s henchmen. Ricochet got the highlight of the match, turning the ladder being knocked over into a sweet springboard dive. We got a wild finish with guys hitting finishers, Morrison using the drip stick, and more. After Seth powerbombed Owens through a ladder, Big E took him out with a Big Ending off the ladder before pulling down the briefcase in 18:13. Fantastic match that ranks among the best Money in the Banks ever. That pop for Big E’s win was surreal and well-earned. This was creative, exciting, and peaked at the right moment. [****½] |
*There are no more appearances from Big E, Drew McIntyre, John Morrison, Kevin Owens, Ricochet, Riddle, and Shinsuke Nakamura. *This is the final match from Money in the Bank. *It is the last Ladder Match.
2020 Match #21: Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns – WWE Survivor Series 2019 Match #21: New Japan Cup First Round: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/10/19 2018 Match #21: No Disqualifications Match: Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali – WWE 205 Live 7/3/18 2017 Match #21: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Michael Elgin – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17 2016 Match #21: WWE World Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. AJ Styles – WWE Backlash 9/11/16 2015 Match #21: PWG Championship: Roderick Strong (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – PWG Don’t Sweat the Technique 4/3/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 20, 2022 13:07:56 GMT -5
20. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori [c] vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Night Two
|
| I’ll never forget their BOSJ Finals a few years ago that wowed me. Like most of their matches, this got off to a pretty wild start with tons of action and a ridiculous pace. It’s just how these two operate and it is stellar to watch each time out. They had counters for everything and it never felt like they were doing it for the sake of cool moves. Their history made it so they knew each other well and everything made sense. It wasn’t just the exchanges though. They also managed to sprinkle in some surprisingly brutal stuff, playing into their rivalry. You got the sense that it was both about being better and also about how much they disliked each other. Hiromu basically begging for more forearm shots was the kind of thing you only usually see in NEVER Title matches. Big Match Hiromu once again delivered in the Tokyo Dome and feels like the top star of the division, while Ishimori is no slouch. Hiromu regained the title after 25:31 with Time Bomb 2. Just spectacular pro wrestling. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori. *It is the last IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title match.
2020 Match #20: NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi [c] vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW New Japan Road 2/20/20 2019 Match #20: Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong – NXT TakeOver XXV 2018 Match #20: PROGRESS Tag Team Championship: Calamari Catch Kings [c] vs. LAX – PROGRESS: New York City 8/7/18 2017 Match #20: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber: John Cena [c] vs. AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz – WWE Elimination Chamber 2/12/17 2016 Match #20: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Revival (c) vs. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/20/16 2015 Match #20: Hair vs. Hair: Ethan Carter III vs. Rockstar Spud – TNA Impact 3/13/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 20, 2022 17:38:30 GMT -5
19. Darby Allin vs. MJF – AEW Full Gear
|
| I was not excited about this match. While both guys are talented, their feud missed the mark for me and the long-winded MJF promos took me out of things. However, they more than won me over. MJF demanded he be announced as the man who can beat Darby with a headlock takeover and they built the match around it. The opening exchange was great and wasn’t just done for the sake of it. It played into the story as MJF has insinuated that Darby isn’t on his level as a wrestler but Darby proved he could go toe-to-toe with him. Of course, Darby took risks first and MJF used that to get in the driver’s seat. MJF worked the back a lot and some of the bumps Darby took on backbreakers were wild. On the other side, MJF’s knee was his issue and there was a hiccup where the wrong one was attacked/sold. Just when Darby seemed to get going, MJF hit a Tombstone on the apron, though it hurt his knee as well. Back inside, they went into a wild series of counters on pin attempts, headlock takeovers, and a Code Red. MJF tried to get Darby to use the skateboard as a weapon and when Darby declined, MJF used the Diamond ring gimmick to knock him out behind the referee’s back. Then, he used a headlock takeover to win in 22:01. Excellent match and a masterful ending. They built the majority of that around a damn headlock takeover and made it the finish while keeping Darby strong and being sure that MJF remained a clear villain. I didn’t care about this match/rivalry coming in but I loved that and they totally hooked me. [****½] |
*It is the last appearance of MJF and Darby Allin.
2020 Match #19: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. Ryu Lee – NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2019 Match #19: Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes – AEW Double or Nothing 2018 Match #19: WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Last Woman Standing Match: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Charlotte – WWE Evolution 10/28/18 2017 Match #19: Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 7/21/17 2016 Match #19: CMLL World Lightweight Championship: Dragon Lee (c) vs. Kamaitachi – NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania 1/24/16 2015 Match #19: Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/9/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 20, 2022 21:46:01 GMT -5
18. IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam
|
| Hiroshi Tanahashi stepped in for Kota Ibushi at the last minute due to injury and it’s his 11th Tokyo Dome main event. Considering Tanahashi’s age and that he worked 25 minutes the previous night, he’s a trooper for this. Early on, it seemed to be a case of Tanahashi working the leg with his trademark dragon screws while Shingo could just overwhelm him with his power advantage. That was a smart way to build this match and it worked because both guys excel at that stuff. Shingo survived in the Texas Cloverleaf for a long time, giving us some mid-match drama. Shingo looked to respond by returning the favor and targeting Tanahashi’s knee, which has a history of injuries. When Shingo took over, it was Tanahashi’s turn to survive things like Last of the Dragon. Tanahashi is so good at selling and he made this work wonders. They went into a big strike exchange and started throwing offensive bombs at one another for close calls and near falls. In the end, Shingo nailed Last of the Dragon to retain in 37:26. THAT is how you use 37 minutes. A match that felt epic and like two warriors competing for the biggest prize. Tanahashi is so the GOAT that he had this banger and made me believe he’d score the win despite being a last minute replacement. Shingo remains the top of the class too. [****½] |
*This is the final match from Wrestle Grand Slam.
2020 Match #18: New Japan Cup First Round: Shingo Takagi vs. SHO – NJPW New Japan Cup 6/22/20 2019 Match #18: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Pete Dunne [c] vs. WALTER – NXT TakeOver: New York 2018 Match #18: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 5/4/18 2017 Match #18: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Authors of Pain [c] vs. #DIY vs. The Revival – NXT TakeOver: Orlando 4/1/17 2016 Match #18: Fenix and Pentagon Jr. vs. Heroes Eventually Die – PWG Battle of Los Angeles 9/3/16 2015 Match #18: NXT Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Becky Lynch – NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable 5/20/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 21, 2022 10:03:44 GMT -5
17. NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano [c] vs. KUSHIDA – NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day
|
| Even when the build-up to a match doesn’t fully grab you, there are some cases where you just know the match will deliver. That was the case early in 2021 when Johnny Gargano put up his North American Title against KUSHIDA at TakeOver: Vengeance Day. I appreciated that this was just simple. I’ve said it before and I keep saying it because it rings so true but all you have to do sometimes is have great wrestlers go out there and wrestle. That’s it. That’s what this was and for 24:28, it was glorious. KUSHIDA put a target on Gargano’s arm and attacked it viciously from wrenching at it to dropkicking it. Some of the stuff they did was incredibly smooth like KUSHIDA catching the slingshot spear into a suplex with a bridge. Although he was working as a heel, Gargano didn’t go into tired heel tropes and instead mostly wrestled a straight wrestling match. He had to throw everything he had at KUSHIDA and still couldn’t keep him down. He finally found a way to do so after snapping KUSHIDA’s neck on the ropes and hitting One Final Beat outside and inside, retaining in what was one of WWE’s best matches of the year. [****½] |
*This is the last appearance of Johnny Gargano and KUSHIDA. *It is the final North American Title match.
2020 Match #17: Kota Ibushi vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW G1 Climax 30 Night 13 2019 Match #17: WWE Raw Women's Championship Hell in a Cell: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Sasha Banks – WWE Hell in a Cell 2018 Match #17: NXT Championship: Andrade Almas [c] vs. Aleister Black – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans 4/7/185/4/18 2017 Match #17: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. Dragon Lee – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17 2016 Match #17: KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O’Reilly – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/21/16 2015 Match #17: Michael Elgin vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/15/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 21, 2022 11:45:41 GMT -5
16. Hell in a Cell: Edge vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Crown Jewel
|
| WWE’s Saudi Arabia events have never been a place to find terrific matches. The best ones seemed to come back at Greatest Royal Rumble and only one in history have ever made this list before (the Ladder match at that event). That changed this year as Crown Jewel was actually good and it started with a bang. Edge and Seth Rollins had a great series, with matches at SummerSlam and Smackdown getting progressively better. They topped them both inside Hell in a Cell. This was a case where the cell fit the personal nature of the rivalry, and the match lived up to that with some serious violence. From Seth taking a huge bump through a table to the use of weapons to Edge doing a crossface with a wrench for added leverage, this was absolutely wild. I also loved the story aspect of the ending as Edge let go of the crossface and opted for something else. He Curb Stomped Seth onto a chair, which was so fitting. That was the move Seth threatened him with in 2014 and the one he injured him with a month or so prior. Edge got him back in the most vicious way possible and with his own move, capping this after 27:40. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Seth Rollins. *It is the last match from Crown Jewel. *There are no more Hell in a Cell matches.
2020 Match #16: War Games: Team Candice vs. Team Shotzi – NXT TakeOver: War Games 2019 Match #16: Shingo Takagi vs. SHO – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/13/19 2018 Match #16: Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/4/18 2017 Match #16: Super Strong Style 16 Finals: Travis Banks vs. Tyler Bate – PROGRESS Chapter 49: Super Strong Style 16 5/29/17 2016 Match #16: Aztec Warfare II – Lucha Underground 3/23/16 2015 Match #16: KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O’Reilly – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals 6/7/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 21, 2022 15:28:18 GMT -5
15. WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns [c] vs. Daniel Bryan – WWE Fastlane
|
| This got off to an excellent start. Bryan was actually toying with Roman. He wasn’t scared and knew he had the upper hand in terms of mat wrestling, so he would stick and move. it was similar to how he opened things against Brock Lesnar a few years ago. Of course, once Roman managed to get a real grasp of him, Bryan was in trouble. He got his ass kicked but found just enough little openings to get offense going. His hope spots were great as they felt realistic and made you believe he had a shot. He started really gaining momentum and Roman was in trouble. He even got trapped in the Yes Lock but, as he said in the buildup to this, he’d rather lose his arm than tap out. A ref bump led to special enforcer Edge being in the ring. Bryan had another submission on and Jey Uso showed up to superkick Edge and then Bryan, saving his cousin. It ended up backfiring somewhat as Bryan used a chair to take him out. However, Bryan’s attempt to use it on Roman missed as he hit Edge in the arm by mistake. He then countered Spear into the Yes Lock and Roman tapped out lightly with his hand, only for Edge to not see it as he hit Edge with the chair multiple times. Reigns covered to retain in about 29:57. Outstanding match between two of the best in the world. The finish was a bit cheap but it set something up going forward. [****½] |
*This is the final match from Fastlane.
2020 Match #15: NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi [c] vs. SHO – NJPW Dominion 2019 Match #15: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton vs. Samoa Joe – WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Match #15: WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins [c] vs. The Miz – WWE Backlash 5/6/18 2017 Match #15: NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: The Authors of Pain [c] vs. #DIY – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17 2016 Match #15: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. AJ Styles – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 1/4/16 2015 Match #15: Open the Dream Gate Championship: Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Shingo Takagi – Dragon Gate The Gate of Destiny 11/1/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 21, 2022 19:21:29 GMT -5
14. NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi [c] vs. Jeff Cobb – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night Two
|
| Before 2021, Jeff Cobb was someone who hasn’t clicked much for me in NJPW. He was always good but not great. This was a big opportunity to change that and he delivered. They opened by trading blows but quickly progressed to bigger moves. Shingo seemed to realize that he was in trouble and opted for rare offense like a tope con hilo. Cobb is known to toss people around, regardless of size, with relative ease but Shingo was doing it back to him here. These guys went at it. I loved moments like Cobb catching the sliding lariat, Shingo busting out a superplex, and Cobb doing a goddamn moonsault slam. When Shingo turned him inside out on a Pumping Bomber, you could sense that it was nearly over. Last of the Dragon followed to wrap this one up in 21:11. Outstanding stuff. Shingo is one of the few guys carrying NJPW and making me care still. That was Cobb’s official coming out party and the stellar match he needed to have. This is when the NEVER Openweight Title is at its best. Two guys stiffing each other for 10-20 minutes and having a hard hitting battle. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Jeff Cobb.
2020 Match #14: New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW New Japan Cup 7/2/20 2019 Match #14: NXT Championship Two Out Of Three Falls Match: Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: New York 2018 Match #14: NXT Tag Team Championship: Mustache Mountain [c] vs. The Undisputed Era – NXT 7/11/18 2017 Match #14: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Finals: Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate – WWE UK Championship Tournament 1/15/17 2016 Match #14: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/6/16 2015 Match #14: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9 1/4/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 21, 2022 21:57:22 GMT -5
13. NXT Championship: Finn Bálor [c] vs. Pete Dunne – NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day
|
| As soon as 2021 was getting started, I wanted nothing more than the chance to see Finn Bálor defend the NXT Championship against Pete Dunne. It was the perfect setup for a big TakeOver match and we got it at Vengeance Day. Everything these two did felt like it had purpose and was intense. Even basic mat work had extra snap and viciousness to it. For 25:11, these two put on a clinic and Bálor once again showed why he’s one of the best big match wrestlers around. He sold the hell out of the brutal offense that Dunne dished out. I love that whenever Finn got going, Dunne could just cut him off by snapping at or stomping on the fingers. It’s different and cool for an offensive move. The closing stretch was filled with fantastic moments that never felt overdone or like it was done to simply get to the ending. It felt like a natural case of them doing whatever they could to beat the other. Dunne ripping out the mouthpiece was a nice added touch but he was then taken down by Coup de Grace and 1916, allowing Finn to retain. Man, it really doesn’t feel like this year where Finn was champion. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Pete Dunne. *It is the last match from Vengeance Day.
2020 Match #13: Kota Ibushi vs. Shingo Takagi – NJPW G1 Climax 30 Night 11 2019 Match #13: WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. Kevin Owens vs. Mustafa Ali – WWE Fastlane 2018 Match #13: Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 8/11/18 2017 Match #13: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. KUSHIDA – NJPW Dominion 6/11/17 2016 Match #13: Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 58 4/1/16 2015 Match #13: Roderick Strong vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 45 7/10/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 22, 2022 9:18:54 GMT -5
12. CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston – AEW Full Gear
|
| In about two weeks, CM Punk and Eddie Kingston built something special for a PPV match. No big entrance or CLOBBERING TIME from Punk as this was no frills. Bryce Remsburg tried to keep them apart before the bell and Eddie just laid him out with a back fist. Eddie’s proud reaction was great. Once the bell rang, they went right after each other and this felt like a fight. Punk would fire off shots and Eddie would just hit an exploder. Punk kicked Eddie, who flipped him off and mocked him before just poking him in the eye. Fantastic. Punk got busted open and Eddie rubbed the blood on himself. The blood seemed to trigger Punk, who started to get going. He teased going for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but flipped off Eddie instead, who did it right back. Punk’s stretch of offense was followed by the two of them trading shots, including Eddie faking like he was going down on a punch and just laughing at Punk. Eddie mocked the GTS call in hilarious fashion but then got hit with one only for Punk to not be able to cover. As Punk got going again, he was getting booed. He hit GTS a second time and Eddie sold it like death. That got Punk the win in 11:08. That was everything I wanted. They packed so much into that 11 minutes. It was intense, came off like a legitimate war, and didn’t do any of the nonsense overkill and false finish stuff. Just an absolute battle that fit the storyline so well. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of CM Punk and Eddie Kingston. *It is the last match from Full Gear.
2020 Match #12: Ironman Match: Kenny Omega vs. PAC – AEW Dynamite 2/26/20 2019 Match #12: Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio – WWE Smackdown 1/15/19 2018 Match #12: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz – WWE SummerSlam 8/19/18 2017 Match #12: Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream – NXT TakeOver: War Games 11/18/17 2016 Match #12: Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/13/16 2015 Match #12: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NJPW G1 Climax 8/15/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 22, 2022 12:36:03 GMT -5
11. WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns [c] vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Edge – WWE WrestleMania Night Two
|
| This was instantly special given who was in it. Two of them retired and thought they’d never wrestle again, while the other beat leukemia. After Jey Uso was taken out by Edge, we got treated to Edge against Daniel Bryan for a bit, which is two of my all-time favorites. I absolutely loved the spot where Roman and Edge collided shoulders on Spear attempts. It made sense and looked brutal. Bryan had a hot run hitting kicks and slapping on submissions before Roman powerbombed him through a table, only for Edge to Spear him off the steel steps. It was wild and glorious. There was a really cool spot where a chair broke and Edge used the piece of it for extra leverage on a crossface on Roman. Everyone had huge close calls at several points. Bryan even took a Con-chair-to, which is nuts. Jey Uso got involved but Edge got rid of him only for Roman to Spear him. A con-chair-to later and Roman dragged Edge onto Bryan, pinning both to win in 21:40. Outstanding pro wrestling. It hit some expected tropes and had the heel win but what a ride to get there. They wrestled this like it was their last match, which is fitting given who was involved. Wild spots, huge drama, tons of emotion, and three of the best wrestlers ever putting on a showcase on the biggest stage. [****½] |
*This is the last appearance of Roman Reigns and Edge. *It is the final Universal Title match.
2020 Match #11: Jay White vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW G1 Climax 30 Night 15 2019 Match #11: Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black, Ricochet & Velveteen Dream – WWE Halftime Heat 2018 Match #11: NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa [c] vs. The Velveteen Dream – NXT TakeOver: War Games 11/17/18 2017 Match #11: WWE Championship: AJ Styles [c] vs. John Cena – WWE Royal Rumble 1/29/17 2016 Match #11: Cedric Alexander vs. Kota Ibushi – WWE Cruiserweight Classic 8/10/16 2015 Match #11: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada – NJPW Dominion 7/5/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 22, 2022 18:12:20 GMT -5
10. AEW World Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match: The Young Bucks [c] vs. The Lucha Brothers – AEW All Out
|
| I came in skeptical of this. The storyline called for Jurassic Express instead of yet another Bucks/Bros match and I had been over those. However, this was better than expected. They played to their past but found creative ways around it. Things really seemed to pick up steam when the Bucks had a pair of shoes thrown into the ring by Brandon Cutler. Matt Jackson revealed that they were kicks with thumbtacks attached to the bottom. I’ve seen variations of this spot but they made it work here with some sick looking superkicks. Also, when they hit big moves, the pin was broken up instead of just kicked out of for shock value sake, which I love. From there, they went into bigger stuff like the BTE Trigger, Canadian Destroyers, and a Fénix dive off of the top of the cage. That set up a piledriver combo so the Lucha Bros could win the straps in 22:02. Incredible stuff. My favorite match of theirs and giving them two years away from each other was worth it because I was sick of them together. A bonkers match that felt different from the rest of the show, capped by the feel good moment of new champions. Also, the stipulation was used right as it actually prevented interference for the most part. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of The Lucha Brothers and The Young Bucks. *It is the last match from All Out. *There are no more AEW World Tag Team Title or Steel Cage Matches.
2020 Match #10: #DIY vs. Moustache Mountain – WWE Worlds Collide 2019 Match #10: War Games: Team Rhea vs. Team Shayna – NXT TakeOver: War Games 11/23/19 2018 Match #10: PROGRESS World Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – PROGRESS Chapter 77: Pumpkin Spice Progress 10/28/18 2017 Match #10: Death Match: Jimmy Havoc vs. Mark Haskins – PROGRESS Chapter 55: Chase The Sun 9/10/17 2016 Match #10: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: KUSHIDA (c) vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW Invasion Attack 4/10/16 2015 Match #10: AJ Styles vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 7/26/15
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 22, 2022 23:15:47 GMT -5
9. NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW The New Beginning In Nagoya
|
| I was so pumped for this. Two of the best going and Tanahashi in a place he’s never been in before. The NEVER Title is a rare one that he hadn’t won before. Unlike most New Japan main events, this actually had a first 10-15 minutes that flew by. I appreciated the way leg work was a key aspect of this. It’s a Tanahashi staple but Shingo surprisingly had his own stuff for that. He’d do Tanahashi stuff but with way more aggression and snap. It was so fitting. I liked him using a half crab because it’s basic and he’s not a submission guy while Tanahashi could apply the Cloverleaf. They even did a close call with that where Shingo looked like he passed out. I liked how Tanahashi made a mistake when he hit High Fly Flow but wanted a second and missed. He knew he had to bring out the big guns against Shingo. Made in Japan looked like it MURDERED Tanahashi. From that point on, this was absolutely nuts. After a war of 35:40, Tanahashi won the title with High Fly Flow. That man is an ageless wonder, still able to have better matches than 99% of the world. Shingo had a good game plan but never really got in the driver’s seat, while was as resilient as ever. He used his wits and his skills to outlast the hard-hitting athlete across from him. A dream match that lived up to the hype. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shingo Takagi. *It is the last match from the New Beginning in Nagoya. *There are no more NEVER Openweight Title matches.
2020 Match #10: Men's Royal Rumble – WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Match #10: WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship: Asuka [c] vs. Becky Lynch – WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Match #10: NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans 4/7/18 2017 Match #10: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/11/17 2016 Match #10: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 5/3/16 2015 Match #10: John Cena vs. Kevin Owens – WWE Elimination Chamber 5/31/15
|
|