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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 23, 2022 8:43:44 GMT -5
8. AEW World Championship: Hangman Page [c] vs. Bryan Danielson – AEW Winter is Coming
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| I wondered why Bryan Danielson won the Eliminator Tournament since I figured you didn’t want a popular opponent for Hangman Page’s first World Title defense. However, Danielson going heel made this captivating and that allowed this to have a big fight feel right from the start. Danielson was cocky in the early stages and only grew more so as he outwrestled Page. Once Page turned the tables, he quickly realized he was in for a real fight. Of course, Danielson still got back in the driver’s seat, busting Page open and mocking the crowd. Given that this opened the show, I had a feeling that would go the distance but there was still part of me that wasn’t sure. That made it so every late near fall and close call got me to react. Some stuff didn’t quite look great like the Dead Eye on the apron but most was tremendous. I loved Danielson removing the mats outside because that’s a spot I’ve always adored. The closing stretch as this neared the 60:00 mark was breathtaking with close calls on submissions, lariats, and more. The spot where Page landed on his feet on a back suplex and hit a lariat was sick as was Danielson countering one into the LeBell Lock. When Page hit the Buckshot Lariat, time expired and everyone was spent. An incredible free TV match and one of the best time limit draws I’ve ever seen. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Hangman Page. *It is the last AEW World Title match. *There are no more matches from Dynamite.
2020 Match #8: WWE Universal Championship Hell In A Cell I Quit Match: Roman Reigns [c] vs. Jey Uso – WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 Match #8: Jon Moxley vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 7/19/19 2018 Match #8: IWGP Heavyweight Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW Dominion 6/9/18 2017 Match #8: WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar [c] vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe – WWE SummerSlam 8/20/17 2016 Match #8: Kota Ibushi vs. TJ Perkins – WWE Cruiserweight Classic Finals 9/14/16 2015 Match #8: ROH World Championship: Jay Lethal (c) vs. AJ Styles – ROH Final Battle 12/18/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 23, 2022 12:33:07 GMT -5
7. NXT Championship: Finn Bálor [c] vs. Kyle O'Reilly – NXT New Year’s Evil
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| If you saw my list last year then you understand just how much I loved the first match between Finn Bálor and Kyle O’Reilly. They had one of the best bouts of the year and the rematch was highly anticipated, taking place at New Year’s Evil. I needed more of this and they delivered in a big way. I will admit that I prefer the 2020 match but this was about on par. They aired it without any commercials so we got the entirety of this greatness. It was vicious and hard hitting and felt like a true fight in a way that a lot of matches don’t. For 17:24, they beat the hell out of each other. Kyle’s jaw was the target since it was hurt in their previous encounter and that made for something different than you’d typically find. It was so brutal that Finn even got busted open near the end. He kicked at the liver to open the door and then when his typical signature moves weren’t going to do it for him, Finn went a different route. He applied an odd submission that saw him grind away at the jaw to secure the win, capping one of the best matches of the year. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Finn Bálor and Kyle O'Reilly. *It is the last match from New Year's Evil. *There are no more NXT Title matches.
2020 Match #7: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 30 Night Two 2019 Match #7: Candice LeRae vs. Io Shirai – NXT TakeOver: Toronto 2018 Match #7: PROGRESS Atlas Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Timothy Thatcher – PROGRESS Chapter 62: Fear No More, Come To Dust 1/28/18 2017 Match #7: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/17 2016 Match #7: Lucha Underground Championship: Mil Muertes (c) vs. Fenix – Lucha Underground 3/16/16 2015 Match #7: Grave Consequences: Fenix vs. Mil Muertes – Lucha Underground 3/18/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 23, 2022 16:25:46 GMT -5
6. Lights Out Match: Dr. Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa – AEW St. Patrick’s Day Slam
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| Throughout 2020, everyone knew that Britt Baker was the toast of the women’s division. While on the shelf, she was given the time to cut promos that nobody else got and it helped establish her as a star. However, she hadn’t had that one match that was iconic. That all changed at St. Patrick’s Day Slam. The women were given the main event slot in AEW for the first time and they proved why they should get more shine than they do. Thunder Rosa, another star of the division and one of the company’s most valuable signings, was her opponent and they were wrapping up an intense rivalry with no rules in this contest. What followed was a bloody affair and Baker’s crimson mask is something that fans will never forget. For 16:37, these two proved why they’re among the best out there. There were obvious highlights like chairs and thumbtacks but mixed in there, they included the good storytelling you want from something like that. In the end, Thunder Rosa survived the Lockjaw and hit a Fire Thunder Driver through a table to win, ending a classic. Interestingly, since this was unsanctioned, it didn’t hurt Baker’s rankings position and she went on to win the Women’s Title. Combine that with her iconic bloody image and she became a bigger star from this. The rematch needs to happen soon and needs to main event an AEW PPV. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa. *It is the last Lights Out match. *There are no more matches from St. Patrick's Day Slam.
2020 Match #6: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay [c] vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 2019 Match #6: NXT Tag Team Championship: War Raiders [c] vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet – NXT TakeOver: New York 2018 Match #6: Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans 4/7/18 2017 Match #6: WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Hell in a Cell: The New Day [c] vs. The Usos – WWE Hell in a Cell 10/8/17 2016 Match #6: NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 1/4/16 2015 Match #6: GHC Heavyweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Takashi Sugiura – NOAH Great Voyage in Osaka 9/19/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 24, 2022 8:59:04 GMT -5
5. Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki – AEW Rampage Buy-In 10/15/21
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| What a time to be alive. Due to AEW trying to wave their junk around at WWE on a Friday night and go head to head with Smackdown, it led to both shows stepping up in a big way. AEW did the wildest thing possible, putting Bryan Danielson vs. Minoru Suzuki up for free on YouTube on the Buy-In before an episode of Rampage. It was a dream match with lofty expectations and they managed to live up to and possibly surpass them. This opened with quality grappling from two all-time greats before it progressed into strikes. Danielson tried to go toe-to-toe with Suzuki in that department and he held his own well enough but got floored with one particular shot that was magnificent to see. Suzuki kicked Danielson’s ass for a while before be made a big comeback and they started exchanging stuff down the stretch. The closing section of this match was one of the best of the year, as they just managed to find clever ways to avoid things like the sleeper hold and Yes Lock until Danielson hit the Busaiku Knee, winning after an excellent 19:16. It was everything I wanted it to be and still left me wanting more. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Minoru Suzuki. *It is the last match from Rampage. *There are no more ****½ matches.
2020 Match #5: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page and Kenny Omega [c] vs. The Young Bucks – AEW Revolution 2019 Match #5: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 2018 Match #5: Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: War Games 11/17/18 2017 Match #5: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 7/17/17 2016 Match #5: AJ Styles vs. John Cena – WWE SummerSlam 8/21/16 2015 Match #5: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 7/29/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 24, 2022 12:28:03 GMT -5
4. WWE Smackdown Women's Championship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bianca Belair – WWE WrestleMania Night One
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| Somehow, this is apparently the first world title match in WWE history between two Black wrestlers. That’s almost impossible to fathom. We all know that the build to this was weak as hell but that doesn’t change the fact that these are two FANTASTIC wrestlers. Bianca was on the verge of tears at the bell. I liked how this started as Sasha won out on an opening tie-up by moving into the right position and using technique to her advantage. She can’t overpower her but she can outwrestle her. Her tope suicida leading to Bianca rolling through and pressing her up the stairs and into the ring was great. That kind of became the theme as Bianca had the power and athleticism edge but Sasha was the more experienced wrestler. Bianca got going and went for a 450 splash but Sasha got her knees up to stop her. Sasha used Bianca’s braid to her advantage at a few points but she couldn’t put her challenger away, which frustrated her. I appreciated Bianca being hung up in the corner and actually avoiding the double stomp. Too many wrestlers just sit there and take it. A 450 couldn’t end it and Sasha grabbed the hair as part of her KOD counter. Bianca whipped her with the hair and it set up a series of counters that led to the KOD, giving Bianca the title in 17:!5. This entire thing felt so special to be a part of. From Bianca’s power to Sasha targeting the hair to that finish, I was hooked. I loved almost everything about this and it was my favorite Mania main event since either 2014 or 2010. [****¾] |
*This is the final appearance for Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks. *It is the last match from WWE's main roster. *There are no more Smackdown Women's Title matches or matches from WrestleMania.
2020 Match #4: WWE Smackdown Women's Championship Hell In A Cell Match: Bayley [c] vs. Sasha Banks – WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 Match #4: Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/8/19 2018 Match #4: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 6/4/18 2017 Match #4: Hell of War: Dante Fox vs. Killshot – Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha Tres 9/27/17 2016 Match #4: Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NXT TakeOver: Dallas 4/1/16 2015 Match #4: WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Royal Rumble 1/25/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 24, 2022 16:00:09 GMT -5
3. Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega – AEW Dynamite Grand Slam
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| This was as big as it gets. The crowd was MOLTEN hot for Danielson wrestling again. They erupted as soon as the bell hit and popped hard once they locked up. It was remarkable to see. Once the action got going, Danielson quickly frustrated Omega and then started working the arm. It was beautiful stuff and Omega did well to sell it. Omega eventually swung the momentum and they took things outside. While there, Danielson took a dragon suplex onto the ramp, which looked horrible, especially given his injury history. Returning from break, things only picked up as Omega targeted the neck with V-Triggers, a Buckle Bomb, and even a dragon suplex off the top. Omega missed a Phoenix splash that opened the door for Danielson. The closing stretch was wild, which included Danielson countering the One Winged Angel into a poison rana. He also KICKED HIS f***ING HEAD IN and went for the LeBell Lock but Omega got the ropes. The two threw shots and headbutts as time expired after 30:00. The best time limit draw you can get because nobody could legitimately be upset at that result. You protect the champ and the new guy. The match was spectacular and the best I’ve seen from Kenny in a long time. Danielson keeps leaving for a time and then coming back to remind us that he’s the best in the world. [****¾] |
*This is the final appearance for Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega. *It is the last match from AEW and Dynamite Grand Slam.
2020 Match #3: NXT United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT UK 10/29/20 2019 Match #3: WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. Kofi Kingston – WWE WrestleMania 2018 Match #3: WWE Smackdown Women's Championship TLC Match: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte – WWE TLC 12/16/18 2017 Match #3: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Sakura Genesis 4/9/17 2016 Match #3: CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship No Holds Barred Match: Roy Wilkins (c) vs. Trevor Lee – CWF Worldwide 3/9/16 2015 Match #3: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NJPW G1 Climax 8/16/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 24, 2022 20:45:43 GMT -5
2. IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships: Kota Ibushi [c] vs. Jay White – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night Two
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| I loved the way this started. White said he wouldn’t step outside and forced Gedo to get off the apron and let this be clean. Then, as soon as the referee had his back turned, Gedo tripped Ibushi. Jay White is a spectacular heel and it’s why he’s so good. Take Kenny Omega as a top NJPW guy. His whole deal was just having great matches. He was a better Dolph Ziggler. Jay doesn’t give a shit, he just wants to win at all costs and doesn’t care who likes it. You could see things pick up when Jay hit a vicious back suplex on the apron. An Ibushi match doesn’t start until he hurts his neck. I loved that White used the same game plan from his previous win. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. He picked Kota apart and hit him with everything but at the time, Ibushi was on another level. He could not be broken. They wonderfully played into the Power Struggle match as Jay putting his feet on the ropes was caught by the referee this time around. Once that happened, it seemed like Kota kicked into another gear and Jay was reeling. I did like that he applied the TTO as it played into both of their histories with Tanahashi. It hit a point where Jay literally laid down, seemingly giving up. It seemed odd at first but when you consider his post-show comments, you get it. He was literally at a loss. He did everything in his power but realized Ibushi was too much for him. Ibushi just slapped the shit out of him instead and of course, White answered with a low blow. Gedo saved White after a Phoenix Splash but ate a Kamigoye himself. Ibushi apparently became the first man to kick out of the Blade Runner. Ibushi survived another submission and eventually won after a whopping 48:05 with Kamigoye to the back of the head and one to the face. I usually don’t dig marathons but like WALTER/Bate in 2019, that was outstanding. They told a masterful story and didn’t really waste any time for the sake of it. Jay did everything possible and couldn’t beat Ibushi. Breathtaking and the best WK main event I’ve ever seen. [****¾] |
*It is the final appearance of Kota Ibushi and Jay White. *This is the last match from Wrestle Kingdom and NJPW. *There are no more IWGP Heavyweight or IC Title matches.
2020 Match #2: NXT Championship: Finn Bálor [c] vs. Kyle O'Reilly – NXT TakeOver 31 2019 Match #2: NXT North American Championship: Ricochet [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Phoenix 2018 Match #2: Chicago Street Fight: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 6/16/18 2017 Match #2: Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/13/17 2016 Match #2: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Battleground 7/24/16 2015 Match #2: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Jan 24, 2022 22:37:55 GMT -5
3. Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega – AEW Dynamite Grand Slam
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| This was as big as it gets. The crowd was MOLTEN hot for Danielson wrestling again. They erupted as soon as the bell hit and popped hard once they locked up. It was remarkable to see. Once the action got going, Danielson quickly frustrated Omega and then started working the arm. It was beautiful stuff and Omega did well to sell it. Omega eventually swung the momentum and they took things outside. While there, Danielson took a dragon suplex onto the ramp, which looked horrible, especially given his injury history. Returning from break, things only picked up as Omega targeted the neck with V-Triggers, a Buckle Bomb, and even a dragon suplex off the top. Omega missed a Phoenix splash that opened the door for Danielson. The closing stretch was wild, which included Danielson countering the One Winged Angel into a poison rana. He also KICKED HIS f***ING HEAD IN and went for the LeBell Lock but Omega got the ropes. The two threw shots and headbutts as time expired after 30:00. The best time limit draw you can get because nobody could legitimately be upset at that result. You protect the champ and the new guy. The match was spectacular and the best I’ve seen from Kenny in a long time. Danielson keeps leaving for a time and then coming back to remind us that he’s the best in the world. [****¾] |
*This is the final appearance for Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega. *It is the last match from AEW and Dynamite Grand Slam.
2020 Match #3: NXT United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT UK 10/29/20 2019 Match #3: WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. Kofi Kingston – WWE WrestleMania 2018 Match #3: WWE Smackdown Women's Championship TLC Match: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte – WWE TLC 12/16/18 2017 Match #3: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Sakura Genesis 4/9/17 2016 Match #3: CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship No Holds Barred Match: Roy Wilkins (c) vs. Trevor Lee – CWF Worldwide 3/9/16 2015 Match #3: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NJPW G1 Climax 8/16/15
It always amazes me whenever you put up this list to see Wilkins Vs. Trevor Lee made the list a few years back. I always feel that match doesn't get enough love.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 25, 2022 0:10:40 GMT -5
1. NXT United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT TakeOver 36
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| In 2021, one of the best matches saw WALTER successfully defend the NXT United Kingdom Title against Ilja Dragunov. The rematch was given a bigger stage on a TakeOver event and took place in front of a live crowd. They beyond lived up to the hype and had a perfect match. WALTER came in as the unstoppable champion, with a reign lasting 870 days. That’s astounding. Dragunov was the one dude wild enough to be a serious threat to his reign. They started with a feeling out process as neither wanted to make the first mistake. However, they quickly turned things up with apron powerbombs, German suplexes, and some of the most hard hitting strikes you’ll find anywhere. This was one of those matches in the vein of Shibata vs. Ishii in that it felt like a real fight at times. There was no bullshit or any frills here, just two dudes waging a war for a championship. Dragunov withstood every huge blow the champion had for him and applied a sleeper that WALTER just couldn’t break, even after falling on him. He added some elbows to the neck and WALTER had to submit after 22:03, capping one of my favorite matches ever. That was the kind of epic fight that was needed to end WALTER’s reign and cemented Dragunov as the man in NXT UK. Brilliance and WALTER joins a very short list of wrestlers to get multiple five star ratings from me. [*****] |
2020 Match #1: Best of the Super Juniors Finals: El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals 2019 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff 2018 Match #1: NXT Championship: Andrade Almas [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia 1/27/18 2017 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne - NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17 2016 Match #1: NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Revival [c] vs. #DIY - NXT TakeOver: Toronto 11/19/16 2015 Match #1: NXT Women's Championsship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bayley - NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
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Post by rnrk supports BLM on Jan 25, 2022 1:01:19 GMT -5
Speaking as somebody who doesn't follow such a wide scope of wrestling promotions anymore, it's an absolute pleasure to read your lists every year and get your rundown on who/where I should be paying attention to these days. Kudos for the work compiling these!
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Post by brettappedout (BLM) on Jan 25, 2022 4:56:38 GMT -5
1. NXT United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT TakeOver 36
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| In 2021, one of the best matches saw WALTER successfully defend the NXT United Kingdom Title against Ilja Dragunov. The rematch was given a bigger stage on a TakeOver event and took place in front of a live crowd. They beyond lived up to the hype and had a perfect match. WALTER came in as the unstoppable champion, with a reign lasting 870 days. That’s astounding. Dragunov was the one dude wild enough to be a serious threat to his reign. They started with a feeling out process as neither wanted to make the first mistake. However, they quickly turned things up with apron powerbombs, German suplexes, and some of the most hard hitting strikes you’ll find anywhere. This was one of those matches in the vein of Shibata vs. Ishii in that it felt like a real fight at times. There was no bullshit or any frills here, just two dudes waging a war for a championship. Dragunov withstood every huge blow the champion had for him and applied a sleeper that WALTER just couldn’t break, even after falling on him. He added some elbows to the neck and WALTER had to submit after 22:03, capping one of my favorite matches ever. That was the kind of epic fight that was needed to end WALTER’s reign and cemented Dragunov as the man in NXT UK. Brilliance and WALTER joins a very short list of wrestlers to get multiple five star ratings from me. [*****] |
2020 Match #1: Best of the Super Juniors Finals: El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals 2019 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff 2018 Match #1: NXT Championship: Andrade Almas [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia 1/27/18 2017 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne - NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17 2016 Match #1: NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Revival [c] vs. #DIY - NXT TakeOver: Toronto 11/19/16 2015 Match #1: NXT Women's Championsship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bayley - NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
Oh hell yeah. I love this got #1. The Dragunov storyline buliding to that match was best WWE storyline in a long ass time imo. Felt so more natural than pretty much all other WWE writing in recent years.
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Post by ronnie2hotty on Jan 25, 2022 6:54:01 GMT -5
Thank you so much Kevin for this list. I always look forward to it every year.
I have again kept track of all the matches listed. I assigned a point value equal to the star rating given (4 stars = 4 points, etc.)
A few notes: - I broke down the WWE universe as Raw and Smackdown was considered WWE, then NXT UK was separated to itself, and then NXT and NXT 2.0 was all considered NXT. - If a company's title was defended in another promotion, then the hosting promotion got credit for the match (NXT UK championship on an NXT show). - For the Royal Rumble, I only counted the winner. - I did not separate special themed episodes of a show, I just named the episode the normal title of the show (ex: "Grand Slam", "Fight For the Fallen", etc. are just named "Dynamite MM/DD/21". - For anyone competing under different names this year, I just named the wrestler their current name to keep everything concise. - I'm not as up-to-date on my NJPW as some people, so the Wrestling Grand Slam shows confused me a little bit. I did my best google-ing to try to keep it as straight as possible.
Here are my results:
Promotions [5 different this year] 1. NJPW - 133.25 2. AEW - 133 3. WWE - 98.25 4. NXT - 84.25 5. NXT UK - 21
Shows [43 different this year. with 14 having more than one match listed] 1. NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day (2/14/21) - 17.25 1. AEW Full Gear (11/13/21) - 17.25 3. NXT TakeOver: War Games (12/5/21) - 16.50 4. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night Two (1/5/21) - 13.75 5. WWE Money In The Bank (7/18/21) - 13.25 6. AEW All Out (9/5/21) - 12.50 7. WWE Royal Rumble (1/31/21) - 12.25 8. NXT TakeOver 36 (8/22/21) - 9.25 9. WWE WrestleMania Night One (4/10/21) - 8.75 10. WWE Fastlane (3/21/21) - 8.50 10. NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver (4/7/21) - 8.50 10. NJPW Wrestling Grand Slam (7/25/21) - 8.50 13. NJPW Dominion (6/7/21) - 8.25 14. NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife (9/4/21) - 8.00
Wrestlers [120 different wrestlers this year, with 60 appearing more than once] 1. Bryan Danielson - 43.50 2. Shingo Takagi - 38.50 3. Roman Reigns - 34.5 4. Kota Ibushi - 33.50 5. Kenny Omega - 29.50 6. Edge - 25.75 7. Hiromu Takahashi - 25.00 7. Hiroshi Tanahashi - 25.00 9. Jon Moxley - 20.25 9. Tomohiro Ishii - 20.25 11. Seth Rollins - 17.50 12. Finn Balor - 17.00 12. Kevin Owens - 17.00 12. Pete Dunne - 17.00 15. Drew McIntyre - 16.75 15. Jay White - 16.75 15. Zack Sabre Jr. - 16.75 18. Kay Lee Ray - 16.50 18. Raquel Gonzalez - 16.50 20. Dakota Kai - 16.25 20. El Desperado - 16.25 22. Lance Archer - 16 23. Walter - 13.25 24. Hangman Page - 12.75 24. Johnny Gargano - 12.75 24. Kushida - 12.75 24. Rey Fenix - 12.75 28. CM Punk - 12.50 28. Darby Allin - 12.50 28. Kenta - 12.50 28. Kyle O'Reilly - 12.50 28. Meiko Satomura - 12.50 28. MJF - 12.50 34. Andrade El Idolo - 12.25 35. Pac - 12.25
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2022 7:57:07 GMT -5
2. IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championships: Kota Ibushi [c] vs. Jay White – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night Two
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| I loved the way this started. White said he wouldn’t step outside and forced Gedo to get off the apron and let this be clean. Then, as soon as the referee had his back turned, Gedo tripped Ibushi. Jay White is a spectacular heel and it’s why he’s so good. Take Kenny Omega as a top NJPW guy. His whole deal was just having great matches. He was a better Dolph Ziggler. Jay doesn’t give a shit, he just wants to win at all costs and doesn’t care who likes it. You could see things pick up when Jay hit a vicious back suplex on the apron. An Ibushi match doesn’t start until he hurts his neck. I loved that White used the same game plan from his previous win. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. He picked Kota apart and hit him with everything but at the time, Ibushi was on another level. He could not be broken. They wonderfully played into the Power Struggle match as Jay putting his feet on the ropes was caught by the referee this time around. Once that happened, it seemed like Kota kicked into another gear and Jay was reeling. I did like that he applied the TTO as it played into both of their histories with Tanahashi. It hit a point where Jay literally laid down, seemingly giving up. It seemed odd at first but when you consider his post-show comments, you get it. He was literally at a loss. He did everything in his power but realized Ibushi was too much for him. Ibushi just slapped the shit out of him instead and of course, White answered with a low blow. Gedo saved White after a Phoenix Splash but ate a Kamigoye himself. Ibushi apparently became the first man to kick out of the Blade Runner. Ibushi survived another submission and eventually won after a whopping 48:05 with Kamigoye to the back of the head and one to the face. I usually don’t dig marathons but like WALTER/Bate in 2019, that was outstanding. They told a masterful story and didn’t really waste any time for the sake of it. Jay did everything possible and couldn’t beat Ibushi. Breathtaking and the best WK main event I’ve ever seen. [****¾] |
*It is the final appearance of Kota Ibushi and Jay White. *This is the last match from Wrestle Kingdom and NJPW. *There are no more IWGP Heavyweight or IC Title matches.
2020 Match #2: NXT Championship: Finn Bálor [c] vs. Kyle O'Reilly – NXT TakeOver 31 2019 Match #2: NXT North American Championship: Ricochet [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Phoenix 2018 Match #2: Chicago Street Fight: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 6/16/18 2017 Match #2: Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/13/17 2016 Match #2: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Battleground 7/24/16 2015 Match #2: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9
Still haven't seen this, really need to go back and watch. The 50 minute or so length really put me off.
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salz4life
Grimlock
Prichard is a guy who gets that his job is to service his boss.
Posts: 13,984
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Post by salz4life on Jan 25, 2022 10:26:59 GMT -5
1. NXT United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT TakeOver 36
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| In 2021, one of the best matches saw WALTER successfully defend the NXT United Kingdom Title against Ilja Dragunov. The rematch was given a bigger stage on a TakeOver event and took place in front of a live crowd. They beyond lived up to the hype and had a perfect match. WALTER came in as the unstoppable champion, with a reign lasting 870 days. That’s astounding. Dragunov was the one dude wild enough to be a serious threat to his reign. They started with a feeling out process as neither wanted to make the first mistake. However, they quickly turned things up with apron powerbombs, German suplexes, and some of the most hard hitting strikes you’ll find anywhere. This was one of those matches in the vein of Shibata vs. Ishii in that it felt like a real fight at times. There was no bullshit or any frills here, just two dudes waging a war for a championship. Dragunov withstood every huge blow the champion had for him and applied a sleeper that WALTER just couldn’t break, even after falling on him. He added some elbows to the neck and WALTER had to submit after 22:03, capping one of my favorite matches ever. That was the kind of epic fight that was needed to end WALTER’s reign and cemented Dragunov as the man in NXT UK. Brilliance and WALTER joins a very short list of wrestlers to get multiple five star ratings from me. [*****] |
2020 Match #1: Best of the Super Juniors Finals: El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals 2019 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff 2018 Match #1: NXT Championship: Andrade Almas [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia 1/27/18 2017 Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne - NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17 2016 Match #1: NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Revival [c] vs. #DIY - NXT TakeOver: Toronto 11/19/16 2015 Match #1: NXT Women's Championsship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bayley - NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
Worthy #1... this match was great!
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salz4life
Grimlock
Prichard is a guy who gets that his job is to service his boss.
Posts: 13,984
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Post by salz4life on Jan 25, 2022 10:27:55 GMT -5
and also... look at how great NXT was. Every #1 prior to last year was NXT. Makes me sad.
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