The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602 
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2018 20:35:00 GMT -5
2. Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/13/17
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| Last year, these guys met for the first time to determine the winner of the B Block. This year, Kenny Omega won the B Block, while Tetsuya Naito won the A Block, setting the stage for the rematch in the finals of the G1 Climax. Often, big NJPW matches go long for the sake of it and spend a lot of time on a slow build. Not here. Everything they did meant something. Naito remembered the failure against Omega last year, so he changed things up a bit. Instead of his normal fake dive and taunt, he faked the taunt and hit the dive. He even reached deep into his bag of tricks for the Stardust Press. He targeted Kenny’s neck in brutal ways, including a bunch of neckbreakers and a sickening piledriver on the edge of a table. Kenny sold it very well, even while on offense. They used so many slow motion replays and all the bumps were mind blowing. Naito taking a DDT onto the ring post was particularly nasty. Naito’s become the master of the last second kickout, doing it better than anyone else and making for some truly breathtaking near falls. The final stretch saw great counters, including Naito countering the One Winged Angel into Destino. That led to more exchanges before Naito added two more Destinos to win in 36:35. An incredible match worked at an absurd pace. The work made sense and was brutal at times. The crowd was red hot from the start. There were so many insane spots and the match had a sense of urgency that you want from something with stakes as high as this. If I had one issue, it was that some of it felt like overkill, though that’s nitpicking at this point. [*****]
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*This is the final appearance of Kenny Omega and Tetsuya Naito.
*It is the final G1 Climax.
*It is the final match from NJPW.
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The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2018 21:24:55 GMT -5
1. WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17
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| These two were great everywhere they went in 2017. They were at their best against each other. And they were never better than on this night. Bate won their first match in the finals of the UK Title Tournament. This was proof that a match doesn’t need to go 30+ minutes to be a classic. Dunne and Bate filled 15:27 with masterful storytelling and breathtaking action. Dunne brought even more brutal offense than he did in their first outing. Bate showed a ton of heart, never giving up. With Dunne on another level, he stepped his game up with offense we hadn’t seen from him before. Seeing him bust out the spiral tap and counter the Bitter End into a sick DDT were incredible highlights. There were some sequences during this match that literally had me shaking. It’s a feeling I’ve only had a few times watching wrestling in the past few years. Bate’s risks proved too risky, as a dive outside saw him eat a vicious forearm. Dunne rolled him inside and captured the title with the Bitter End. Crisp mat wrestling, aerial acrobatics, stiff strikes, emotion, a molten crowd, spectacular exchanges and jaw-dropping moments. This match literally had everything. [*****]
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*This is the final appearance of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.
*It is the final match from WWE and TakeOver: Chicago.
*It is the final UK Title match.
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Allie Kitsune
Crow T. Robot
Always Feelin' Foxy.
HaHa U FaLL 4 LaVa TriK
Posts: 46,945 
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Jan 12, 2018 21:39:42 GMT -5
The biggest thing I took away from this is that I need a Bate vs. Hiromu one-on-one match to happen ASAP.
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The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2018 23:16:55 GMT -5
For anyone interested, here are my Match of the Year winners for every year of my life.
1990: United States Tag Team Championship: The Midnight Express [c] vs. The Southern Boys - The Great American Bash - ****½
1991: Retirement Match: Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior - WrestleMania VII - ****¾
1992: War Games: The Dangerous Alliancs vs. Sting's Squadron - WrestleWar - *****
1993: King of the Ring Semi-Finals: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect - King of the Ring - *****
1994: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - WrestleMania X - *****
1995: WWF Championship: Bret Hart [c] vs. British Bulldog - Season's Beatings - ****¾
1996: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin - Survivor Series - *****
1997: Submission Match: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin - WrestleMania 13 - *****
1998: WWF Championship Falls Count Anywhere: Steve Austin [c] vs. Dude Love - ****½
1999: ECW Television Championship: Rob Van Dam [c] vs. Jerry Lynn - Living Dangerously - ****½
2000: Last Man Standing: Chris Jericho vs. Triple H - Fully Loaded - *****
2001: WWF Tag Team Championship TLC Match: The Dudley Boyz [c] vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz - WrestleMania X-Seven - *****
2002: WWE Tag Team Championship Tournament Final: Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle vs. Edge and Rey Mysterio - No Mercy - ****¾
2003: WWE Championship: Kurt Angle [c] vs. Chris Benoit - Royal Rumble - ****¾
2004: ROH World Championship: Samoa Joe [c] vs. CM Punk - Joe vs. Punk II - ****¾
2005: TNA X Division Championship: Christopher Daniels [c] vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe - Unbreakable - *****
2006: ROH World Championship: Bryan Danielson [c] vs. KENTA - Glory by Honor V - *****
2007: ROH World Championship: Nigel McGuinness [c] vs. Austin Aries - Rising Above - *****
2008: ROH World Championship: Nigel McGuinness [c] vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Tyler Black - Death Before Dishonor - ****¾
2009: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania XXV - *****
2010: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania XXVI - ****¾
2011: WWE Championship: John Cena [c] vs. CM Punk - Money in the Bank - *****
2012: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki - King of Pro Wrestling - *****
2013: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - King of Pro Wrestling - *****
2014: NXT Championship: Adrian Neville [c] vs. Sami Zayn - TakeOver: R-Evolution - ****¾
2015: NXT Women's Championship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bayley - TakeOver: Brooklyn - *****
2016: NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Revival [c] vs. #DIY - TakeOver: Toronto - *****
2017: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne - TakeOver: Chicago - *****
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Jan 12, 2018 23:41:26 GMT -5
I've got to say the big thing I respect about you as a reviewer is you're consistent in what you like, you're one of the few who calls a spade a spade.
So many reviewers complain about WWE doing the same things that they praise in New Japan, but you treat it the same regardless.
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The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2018 0:03:07 GMT -5
I've got to say the big thing I respect about you as a reviewer is you're consistent in what you like, you're one of the few who calls a spade a spade. So many reviewers complain about WWE doing the same things that they praise in New Japan, but you treat it the same regardless. I appreciate that. I do my best to be fair. For example, I openly admit I'm not a fan of Okada, but he's all over the list because when he's on, he's great. |
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Malibu Albino
Hank Scorpio
Remember the dog legs
Posts: 6,567
Member is Online
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Post by Malibu Albino on Jan 13, 2018 0:33:45 GMT -5
Great list, I personally had Naito/Omega and Okada/Omega from the G1 above Dunne/Bate but all three matches are super close in how I rank them. This was the first year I've watched a full G1 though so that probably had an effect on it.
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Zone Was Wrong
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Currently living off the high that AEW brings every Wednesday and Friday
Posts: 17,802
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Post by Zone Was Wrong on Jan 13, 2018 1:59:35 GMT -5
Very satisfying to see my favorite match of the year ended up as your number one. I've gone back to watch it many times now and never fails to amaze me.
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Facetious
King Koopa
ADAM COLE BAYBAY
Posts: 12,623
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Post by Facetious on Jan 13, 2018 2:03:20 GMT -5
I literally BRAG about how I saw Dunne/Bate at Takeover. As much as I loved Omega/Okada 2, I thoroughly enjoyed that match far more. Omega/Okada and Dunne/Bate had two of the best trilogies in the same year and they have nowhere to go but up.
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4real
Wade Wilson
Posts: 29,035
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Post by 4real on Jan 13, 2018 2:15:52 GMT -5
Dunne v Bate from Chicago is my favourite match of the year so very happy to see it top there. Great list though very interesting read. Bring on the 2018 list!
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Post by ronnie2hotty on Jan 13, 2018 15:22:48 GMT -5
Awesome list as always!! It’s great for a fan like me who’s spare time is pretty limited. This gives a great starting point for the non-WWE stuff.
Plus, it’s always a fun discussion of everyone’s opinions. For example, I thought the NXT Tag Title Ladder match was the match of the year.
I will have all my stats done on Monday. The spreadsheet is on my work computer and I won’t have access until then.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 28,331
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Post by chazraps on Jan 13, 2018 19:10:59 GMT -5
Always love reading these, congrats again on another year!
Just curious, which ROH matches came closest to making the list?
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Post by AwamoriRock on Jan 13, 2018 21:12:54 GMT -5
Great list, thanks for doing this as I always look forward to it and the effort you put in. I think it speaks volumes of the quality of wrestling across promotions in 2017 that my favorite match (Suwama & Shuji Ishikawa vs Kento Miyahara & Yoshitatsu) wasn't even listed. Your number one pick will be talked about for a while, as well the Tana/Naito trilogy.
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Post by Mister Pigwell on Jan 13, 2018 21:25:19 GMT -5
I saw a very tiny fraction of any of these matches but it was a fun read.
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The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2018 21:45:47 GMT -5
Always love reading these, congrats again on another year! Just curious, which ROH matches came closest to making the list? These ROH matches got ***3/4. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Marty Scurll - Global Wars ROH World Television Championship: Marty Scurll [c] vs. Lio Rush - 15th Anniversary The Briscoes, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay vs. Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks - Honor Rising Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll - Final Battle ROH World Television Championship: KUSHIDA [c] vs. Marty Scurll - Best in the World Hiromu Takahashi vs. Jay Lethal - Global Wars ROH World Tag Team Championship Las Vegas Street Fight: The Hardys [c] vs. Roppongi Vice vs. The Young Bucks - 15th Anniversary Dragon Lee and Jay White vs. Volador Jr. and Will Ospreay - Supercard of Honor Last Man Standing Match: Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young - Death Before Dishonor Dragon Lee vs. Will Ospreay - Manhattan Mayhem ROH World Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Christopher Daniels - 15th Anniversary Show Cody, Hangman Page and The Young Bucks vs. Jay White, Jonathan Gresham and The Motor City Machine Guns - Global Wars |
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 28,331
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Post by chazraps on Jan 13, 2018 22:03:53 GMT -5
Always love reading these, congrats again on another year! Just curious, which ROH matches came closest to making the list? These ROH matches got ***3/4. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Marty Scurll - Global Wars ROH World Television Championship: Marty Scurll [c] vs. Lio Rush - 15th Anniversary The Briscoes, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay vs. Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks - Honor Rising Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll - Final Battle ROH World Television Championship: KUSHIDA [c] vs. Marty Scurll - Best in the World Hiromu Takahashi vs. Jay Lethal - Global Wars ROH World Tag Team Championship Las Vegas Street Fight: The Hardys [c] vs. Roppongi Vice vs. The Young Bucks - 15th Anniversary Dragon Lee and Jay White vs. Volador Jr. and Will Ospreay - Supercard of Honor Last Man Standing Match: Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young - Death Before Dishonor Dragon Lee vs. Will Ospreay - Manhattan Mayhem ROH World Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Christopher Daniels - 15th Anniversary Show Cody, Hangman Page and The Young Bucks vs. Jay White, Jonathan Gresham and The Motor City Machine Guns - Global Wars Cole-Daneils and KUSHIDA-Scurll were the two I were going to ask about. Thanks for sharing! |
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The Kevstaaa
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Heck of a wrestler, great technician, and a jam up guy
Posts: 18,602
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2018 23:24:55 GMT -5
These ROH matches got ***3/4. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Marty Scurll - Global Wars ROH World Television Championship: Marty Scurll [c] vs. Lio Rush - 15th Anniversary The Briscoes, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay vs. Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks - Honor Rising Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll - Final Battle ROH World Television Championship: KUSHIDA [c] vs. Marty Scurll - Best in the World Hiromu Takahashi vs. Jay Lethal - Global Wars ROH World Tag Team Championship Las Vegas Street Fight: The Hardys [c] vs. Roppongi Vice vs. The Young Bucks - 15th Anniversary Dragon Lee and Jay White vs. Volador Jr. and Will Ospreay - Supercard of Honor Last Man Standing Match: Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young - Death Before Dishonor Dragon Lee vs. Will Ospreay - Manhattan Mayhem ROH World Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Christopher Daniels - 15th Anniversary Show Cody, Hangman Page and The Young Bucks vs. Jay White, Jonathan Gresham and The Motor City Machine Guns - Global Wars Cole-Daneils and KUSHIDA-Scurll were the two I were going to ask about. Thanks for sharing! I can provide this kind of info for any match. I have over 2500 from this year. |
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Gus Richlen: Ruffian
Patti Mayonnaise
Metal Maestro: Co-winner of the FAN Idol Throwdown!
BAU BAU
Posts: 39,300
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Post by Gus Richlen: Ruffian on Jan 13, 2018 23:30:07 GMT -5
What did you give to the three major Reigns vs. Strowman matches last year (Fastlane, Payback, and Terrible Name Based On An Old Song [still refusing to call it by its name])? I thought it was WWE's best feud of the year and the Golden Snowcone voting went for it as well.
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Jan 13, 2018 23:43:35 GMT -5
What did you give to the three major Reigns vs. Strowman matches last year (Fastlane, Payback, and Terrible Name Based On An Old Song [still refusing to call it by its name])? I thought it was WWE's best feud of the year and the Golden Snowcone voting went for it as well. You mean "Very Large Testicles of Combustion"? |
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Gus Richlen: Ruffian
Patti Mayonnaise
Metal Maestro: Co-winner of the FAN Idol Throwdown!
BAU BAU
Posts: 39,300
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Post by Gus Richlen: Ruffian on Jan 13, 2018 23:47:21 GMT -5
What did you give to the three major Reigns vs. Strowman matches last year (Fastlane, Payback, and Terrible Name Based On An Old Song [still refusing to call it by its name])? I thought it was WWE's best feud of the year and the Golden Snowcone voting went for it as well. You mean "Very Large Testicles of Combustion"? Yes, that show. It says a lot about how much I hated that name that I still won't call it by the correct one. |
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