Kevin's Top 130 Matches of 2017: Match #1 Posted

[The Kevstaaa]

18. NXT Tag Team Championship: The Authors of Pain [c] vs. #DIY vs. The Revival – NXT TakeOver: Orlando 4/1/17

It was the best match of WrestleMania weekend. The Authors were arguably the best tag team in 2017, while #DIY and Revival were the best in the world before a split and injuries stopped that. This hit all the right notes from the opening bell to the finish at 23:39. #DIY and Revival put aside their rivalry to gang up on the large champions. When they finally did have to go at it, they had splendid callbacks to their incredible matches from 2016. Them working together was the best, though. The crowd reaction for them putting Rezar through a table was fantastic. The spot where Gargano and Dawson hit Meeting in the Middle, followed by Wilder and Ciampa doing the Shatter Machine was one of my favorites of the entire year. What kept this from ranking higher was the ending. DIY got eliminated and, while it gave us the fresh matchup of AOP/Revival, I think it would’ve worked better to have the babyface team against the dominant champs. Especially since they’re the ones who had a rivalry going. AOP bested Revival to retain in another high point for NXT’s stellar tag division. Since a better than expected match at the original TakeOver: Brooklyn, I’ve given every Tag Title match at TakeOver at least ***½. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of The Revival.
*It is the final match from TakeOver: Orlando.

[The Kevstaaa]

17. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. Dragon Lee – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17

While on excursion in CMLL, Hiromu Takahashi developed a rivalry with Dragon Lee that is among the best in wrestling. Their matches always have a ridiculous pace and this was no different. After a wild start, Hiromu proved to be a dastardly champion by going after Lee’s coveted mask. Lee responded with an insane rana off the apron and tope con hilo. Of course, everything they did was incredibly crisp, but also very violent. Hiromu hit a damn belly to belly off the top to the outside. Lee caught a leaping Hiromu with a powerbomb on the floor and Hiromu did one of his own onto the apron. I swear they were out to kill one another. Hiromu also delivered his absurd senton to the outside, because he’s a wild man. They moved into the big near falls, including one after Hiromu completely removed Lee’s mask and another on a Takahashi Destroyer that was among the best I’ve ever seen. Hiromu retained after hitting the Time Bomb at 18:23, in what was the best match I’ve seen between the two, which is some of the highest possible praise. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of Dragon Lee.
*It is the final match from New Beginning in Osaka.

[TGM]

Jan 11, 2018 10:10:25 GMT -5 The Kevstaaa said:

18. NXT Tag Team Championship: The Authors of Pain [c] vs. #DIY vs. The Revival – NXT TakeOver: Orlando 4/1/17

It was the best match of WrestleMania weekend. The Authors were arguably the best tag team in 2017, while #DIY and Revival were the best in the world before a split and injuries stopped that. This hit all the right notes from the opening bell to the finish at 23:39. #DIY and Revival put aside their rivalry to gang up on the large champions. When they finally did have to go at it, they had splendid callbacks to their incredible matches from 2016. Them working together was the best, though. The crowd reaction for them putting Rezar through a table was fantastic. The spot where Gargano and Dawson hit Meeting in the Middle, followed by Wilder and Ciampa doing the Shatter Machine was one of my favorites of the entire year. What kept this from ranking higher was the ending. DIY got eliminated and, while it gave us the fresh matchup of AOP/Revival, I think it would’ve worked better to have the babyface team against the dominant champs. Especially since they’re the ones who had a rivalry going. AOP bested Revival to retain in another high point for NXT’s stellar tag division. Since a better than expected match at the original TakeOver: Brooklyn, I’ve given every Tag Title match at TakeOver at least ***½. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of The Revival.
*It is the final match from TakeOver: Orlando.

This is my favourite match from NXT ever, it just hit every note for me.

[The Kevstaaa]

16. Super Strong Style 16 Finals: Travis Banks vs. Tyler Bate – PROGRESS Chapter 49: Super Strong Style 16 5/29/17t

Super Strong Style 16 was in contention for the best tournament of the year. To get to the finals, Travis Banks had to beat Jimmy Havoc, Flamita and Zack Sabre Jr., while Tyler Bate went through Pastor William Eaver, Mark Haskins and Matt Riddle. The atmosphere here was incredible, with the crowd being very pro-Banks and anti-Bate. They went through a feeling out process, before things picked up, only to lead to two ref bumps. I was worried that would ruin the match. Instead, we got something fun that made sense with the characters. Bate’s buddies Pete Dunne and Trent Seven got involved, only to be evened out by the debuting #CCK, who are friends of Banks. With that out of the way, the rest of the 22:51 was left for them to go one on one and things got nuts there. Tons of great spots, near falls and we even got to see Terminator Travis as he just started forearming steel chairs that were thrown at him. Banks survived a Tyler Driver ’97, then countered one off the top for an avalanche Kiwi Krusher. Bate somehow kicked out, but was put in the Lion Clutch and tapped out. This was an emotional roller coaster that hit every note it needed to. It cemented Banks as the next top guy, continued the strong year for Bate and was loaded with action and drama. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of Travis Banks.
*It is the final match from Super Strong Style 16.

[The Kevstaaa]

15. NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: The Authors of Pain [c] vs. #DIY – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 5/20/17

NXT’s tag team division was a highlight of 2016. They consistently put on stellar matches that almost always stole the show. That trend continued into 2017 and none were better than this classic Ladder Match. The stipulation is kind of overdone, but these four found innovative ways to make the match work. They blended in great spots to wow the crowd with excellent moments of storytelling. #DIY used their speed and the ladders to even the playing field against their larger opponents. Their stereo dives off the ladder onto AOP and other ladders was absolutely insane and I can’t believe they didn’t get hurt. Gargano got close to winning, only to be thwarted by Paul Ellering. Kudos to Paul for being willing to take the superkick he got hit with. There were also the great moments of Ciampa hitting a super German on Rezar onto a ladder and Gargano sacrificing himself to take a ladder shot so his partner didn’t. AOP cut off DIY being so close to the titles and used the Super Collider to take them out before retaining at 20:08. An incredible match that once again showed how good this division was. The Authors are arguably the best team in wrestling, while #DIY had a stellar final showing. Ciampa would turn on Gargano in one of the biggest emotional gut punches in years. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of the Authors of Pain.
*It is the final match from TakeOver: Chicago.
*It is the final Ladder match.
*It is the final NXT Tag Team Title match.

[The Kevstaaa]

14. WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Finals: Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate – WWE UK Championship Tournament 1/15/17

Night two of the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament was a marked improvement on the first. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate were the MVPs, so them being in the finals was fitting. Dunne attacked Bate earlier in the night, injuring his shoulder and giving him a target. Bate refused to back down from Dunne, who was the focal point of the tournament. He went blow for blow with him as best he could. Bate was wise enough to avoid using the bad shoulder, even mostly using just one arm for a crazy lengthy airplane spin spot. Cesaro would be proud. Bate continued with big spots, including a one-armed powerbomb, fosbury flop, and 450 knee drop. Dunne hit the Bitter End for an excellent near fall. Bate survived an armbar and turned it into an awesome brainbuster. The Tyler Driver ’97 was hit to crown Tyler as the first UK Champion after 15:12. It was an outstanding first chapter to their rivalry that established Bate and Dunne as stars in the WWE and the perfect capper to the stories of both in the tournament. Dunne was the perfect villain, while Bate sold his arm well and drew lots of sympathy. Tremendous. [****½]

*This is the final match from the UK Title Tournament.

[The Kevstaaa]

13. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. KUSHIDA – NJPW Dominion 6/11/17

At Wrestle Kingdom, these two had one of the better Jr. Heavyweight Title matches in a long time. At Sakura Genesis, KUSHIDA got his rematch and was promptly squashed in two minutes. He won the Best of the Super Juniors to get one more shot. It was the one Wrestle Kingdom rematch I was pumped for. Hiromu was in KUSHIDA’s head and his antics triggered KUSHIDA to be more aggressive and reckless. For example, he pulled a Sabu with a springboard move off a chair. Not your typical KUSHIDA. Everything they did looked like it had an extra bit of hatred behind it. The pace was insane and full of great spots. KUSHIDA took a particularly brutal bump on the apron sunset flip bomb. He nearly won with an avalanche Back to the Future, but was too hurt to cover. KUSHIDA won a strike battle and stomped on Hiromu’s head to a bunch of boos. The Hoverboard Lock made Hiromu tap and KUSHIDA was champion again at 19:12. Their best work together. I was sad Hiromu lost, but the story they told worked. KUSHIDA had to do things he usually doesn’t to beat his new rival. Hiromu broke him in every single way and KUSHIDA had to dig deep to put the pieces back together and overcome. [****½]

*This is the final match from Dominion.
*It is the final IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title match.
*It is the final appearance of both KUSHIDA and Hiromu Takahashi.

[The Kevstaaa]

12. Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream – NXT TakeOver: War Games 11/18/17

Where did this come from? Don’t get me wrong, I was fully into this feud and expected a very good match. What I didn’t expect, was a MOTY candidate. This was a fantastic look at how character work and storytelling are unbelievably important. The moves done in this match weren’t all must see, but these guys completely captivated me for 14:41. Aleister Black was consistently one step ahead of Velveteen Dream in the opening exchanges. It was when Black did his signature quebrada into a seated position that things turned around. Dream slid right into his face and mirrored him, with Black returning the favor. From there, it was two big personalities perfectly playing off each other. The near falls received absurd reactions and I fully bought into Dream winning more than once, despite going in fully expecting Black to remain undefeated. He eventually did, after hitting Black Mass. He got his win and then, after the match, finally said Velveteen Dream’s name, which is what Dream wanted from the start. This was a magnificent look at how to build a star in defeat. Both guys came out looking great and I loved everything about this. This didn’t need a ton of wacky indy spots or to go full throttle for 45 minutes. They used their personalities to give us one of the most compelling matches of the year. [****½]

*This is the final match from TakeOver: War Games.
*It is the final appearance of both Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream.

[The Kevstaaa]

11. WWE Championship: AJ Styles [c] vs. John Cena – WWE Royal Rumble 1/29/17

In 2016, AJ Styles went 2-0 against John Cena, including a clean win at SummerSlam (which ranked #5 on last year’s list). The atmosphere for this was incredible. In their previous matches, AJ spent the early portions outwrestling Cena with relative ease. The challenger adjusted his strategy and threw big bombs early, setting the tone for a match full of them. Styles Clash, Attitude Adjustment, Calf Cutter, STF, etc. You name it, they pulled it out. Usually, I dislike the trend of tons of finisher kickouts and such. However, I think it worked very well here. It felt like two guys emptying the tank and using everything in their respective arsenals to leave the Alamodome with the WWE Title. It didn’t rely on those spots to be great, it made sense within the story of their past matches. AJ survived the Avalanche Attitude Adjustment like he did at SummerSlam, while Cena kicked out of the Styles Clash. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Cena caught him with an AA, held on and rolled through into another AA to capture his record-tying 16th World Title at 24:08. I loved this. Cena holding on to hit his finish again made perfect sense. Like when Okada did it to Tanahashi at WK10, it was someone putting the stamp on the win he desperately needed. AJ again showed why he’s the best in the world, while Cena continued to be the best big match worker I can recall seeing. Not quite as good as their SummerSlam classic, but better than their MITB outing. Big Match John delivers. [****½]

*This is the final match from Royal Rumble.
*It is the final appearance of both AJ Styles and John Cena.
*It is the final WWE Title match.

[The Kevstaaa]

10. Death Match: Jimmy Havoc vs. Mark Haskins – PROGRESS Chapter 55: Chase The Sun 9/10/17

I remember feeling that this rivalry didn’t feel big or personal enough to warrant such a stipulation. Even if that was the case, they went out and had an absolutely barbaric match that stole the show on the biggest event in PROGRESS history. Jimmy Havoc brought out a f***ing axe. Just think about that. This was his wheelhouse, but Mark Haskins controlled a lot of it. When Havoc did get going, he used paper cuts and salt to add so much violence to his offense. A paper cut on a man’s tongue is something I can never watch without cringing. Mark’s wife, Vicky, got involved and convinced him to use a barbed wire baseball bat instead of a chair. That’s a good woman right there. Thumbtacks were also brought into play, leading to a tremendous spot where Jimmy dropkicked Haskins into a barbed wire board and landed on the tacks, sacrificing himself. However, Mark put the brakes on, making it all for naught. Havoc hit his best moves, but Haskins refused to stay down. He finally did at 23:08 after taking an Acid Rainmaker with the barbed wire bat. Incredibly brutal, while telling a masterful story. Haskins got as violent as Jimmy in some parts, but wasn’t able to beat the death match king. It all led to them teaming up, which has been the highlight of the chapters following this. [****½]

*This is the final match from PROGRESS.
*It is the final appearance of both Mark Haskins and Jimmy Havoc.
*It is the final Death Match.

[chazraps]

Jan 11, 2018 19:29:17 GMT -5 The Kevstaaa said:

11. WWE Championship: AJ Styles [c] vs. John Cena – WWE Royal Rumble 1/29/17

In 2016, AJ Styles went 2-0 against John Cena, including a clean win at SummerSlam (which ranked #5 on last year’s list). The atmosphere for this was incredible. In their previous matches, AJ spent the early portions outwrestling Cena with relative ease. The challenger adjusted his strategy and threw big bombs early, setting the tone for a match full of them. Styles Clash, Attitude Adjustment, Calf Cutter, STF, etc. You name it, they pulled it out. Usually, I dislike the trend of tons of finisher kickouts and such. However, I think it worked very well here. It felt like two guys emptying the tank and using everything in their respective arsenals to leave the Alamodome with the WWE Title. It didn’t rely on those spots to be great, it made sense within the story of their past matches. AJ survived the Avalanche Attitude Adjustment like he did at SummerSlam, while Cena kicked out of the Styles Clash. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Cena caught him with an AA, held on and rolled through into another AA to capture his record-tying 16th World Title at 24:08. I loved this. Cena holding on to hit his finish again made perfect sense. Like when Okada did it to Tanahashi at WK10, it was someone putting the stamp on the win he desperately needed. AJ again showed why he’s the best in the world, while Cena continued to be the best big match worker I can recall seeing. Not quite as good as their SummerSlam classic, but better than their MITB outing. Big Match John delivers. [****½]

*This is the final match from Royal Rumble.
*It is the final appearance of both AJ Styles and John Cena.
*It is the final WWE Title match.

Also: they. didn't. leave. the. ring. once.

[The Kevstaaa]

9. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/11/17

At Wrestle Kingdom, Tetsuya Naito beat Hiroshi Tanahashi. At Dominion, Tanahashi evened the score. This was the tiebreaker for the year and the winner would claim the A Block in the tournament. Four years prior to the date, Naito beat Tanahashi in a disappointing final to win the G1 23. The fans were way behind Naito, who commentary noted as the most popular Japanese guy on the roster. Tanahashi played into it masterfully. He slapped Naito instead of giving clean breaks, he stopped to taunt, and he interrupted Naito’s signature tranquilo taunt. It was clear he was in Naito’s head. To combat it, Naito relentlessly went after Tanahashi’s injured arm. Tanahashi targeted the leg, which helped him beat Naito in June. They constantly had great counters for one another and played so well off their history. When Naito got placed in the Texas Cloverleaf, it looked like he would tap out just like he did at Dominion. Tanahashi sunk it in deeper than ever. However, Naito found the will to make it to the ropes and survive. Putting all the pressure he used took its toll on Tanahashi’s arm. Naito won their closing exchange and used several Destinos to win in 26:41. They had the best NJPW trilogy of 2017 and this was their best work together. The limb work was top notch, as was Tanahashi’s tremendous heel work. A stellar match in every single way. Naito had an all-time great year. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of Hiroshi Tanahashi.

[The Kevstaaa]

8. WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar [c] vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe – WWE SummerSlam 8/20/17

Sometimes, a match gets announced and you know exactly what you want from it. That was the case here. I wanted to see four badass wrestlers go to war and that’s just what happened. For 20:52, Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns engaged in a chaotic affair. Joe, Reigns and Brock were all great, but this felt like the Strowman show. He murdered Brock with three table spots, causing the champ to be taken out on a stretcher. I didn’t love the overdone stretcher job and return spot, but I get that Brock had to come back. Either way, it was great to see Brock sell that much for someone on the current roster. I also wish Joe did a bit more. Other than that, this was all kinds of phenomenal. Braun threw chairs, we got the broken guardrail spot, Strowman looked like a star and the action never slowed down. The multi-man match doesn’t always work for the WWE, but they pulled it off as well as they ever have here. Brock ended up retaining by hitting Reigns with the F5 to win this absolute spectacle. Some may find this preposterous, but this is in the conversation for best SummerSlam main event of all-time. I loved it. [****½]

*This is the final appearance of Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe.
*It is the final match from SummerSlam.
*It is the final Universal Title match.

[The Kevstaaa]

7. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/17

Kazuchika Okada won the first match, they went to an hour draw in the second and this would determine the winner of the B Block. Their first two matches were certainly impressive, but I felt they didn’t deserve nearly the amount of praise they got. Without a need (or possibility) to go 47 or 60 minutes, they got to cut some of the fat from their other matches. They threw bombs instantly, bringing a sense of urgency here. Omega not stopping for his Terminator taunt before a tope was a nice touch. He wasn’t wasting time, because he knew Okada was vulnerable with his neck and back taped up, but also because he was desperate to finally beat this man. Okada gave one of his best selling performances. When he took a rana on the outside, you’d have thought he died. That was followed by a snap dragon suplex on the apron and Kenny preventing the doctors from checking on Okada. Okada began a comeback, but couldn’t sustain anything because he was too hurt. He did hit three Rainmakers and had a fourth countered (no surprise there). After some more big offense, Omega finally hit the One Winged Angel, for the first time in their trilogy, to win at 24:40. I loved this. It’s HANDS DOWN their best match. Since they didn’t have to go long for the sake of it, everything mattered. The pace was incredible, Kenny’s focus on the neck was perfect and Okada sold at a level we hadn’t seen all year long. This was what I wanted from the two of them. [****¾]

[The Kevstaaa]

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

After killer matches at Battleground and SummerSlam (as well as some very good ones on Smackdown and at Money in the Bank), it was time for the Usos and the New Day to end their fantastic rivalry. There was no more fitting place than within the confines of Hell in a Cell. A lot of Cell matches in recent memory don’t really fit the stipulation. They made sure this did. Weapons were brought into play right from the start. A few of them were silly (a cowbell and gong, for example), but most were used in violent fashion. They were creative, like when one of the Usos was trapped in a corner of the cell by a bunch of kendo sticks. There was a sense of hatred, like when Xavier Woods was handcuffed and whipped with those kendo sticks. Kofi Kingston watching helplessly outside of the Cell was very well done. Big E made a great rally, but got taken down by the numbers. Woods, still handcuffed, saved him, but set himself up for a beating. He took the loss to stereo splashes with a chair on his chest at 21:54. This was the best main roster match this year, the best tag match of the year, possibly the second best HIAC ever and it capped the second best trilogy of 2017. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of the New Day and the Usos.
*It is the final Smackdown Tag Team Title match and the final Hell in a Cell.
*It is the final match from Hell in a Cell.

[The Kevstaaa]

5. Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 7/17/17

Since I first started watching NJPW, these two stood out as my favorite wrestlers there. They had some bangers in 2013 and 2015, but this was their biggest match. It was Ibushi’s big return and Naito was in the middle of an incredible hot streak. Naito went after Ibushi’s surgically repaired neck. There was a great spot where Ibushi had Naito’s corner dropkick scouted, so Naito resorted to sweeping him and hit the dropkick to the back of the neck. Great work. Ibushi responded with some brutal kicks, an absurd lawn dart and the dead lift German. In one of the most ridiculous spots all year, Ibushi delivered a middle rope piledriver. It provided a tremendous near fall, helped by the fact that it was night one of the tournament, where anything could happen. Naito weathered a storm of offense and used two Destinos to win in an incredible 24:41. It was easily the most highly anticipated match of the tournament for me and they still exceeded my expectations. The fans were invested in everything, making for a great atmosphere. The neck work was brilliant and I’m so glad they didn’t overdo the finisher barrage or kickout spots. What a match. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of Kota Ibushi.

[The Kevstaaa]

4. Hell of War: Dante Fox vs. Killshot – Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha Tres 9/27/17

Hell of War was basically a Three Stages of Hell match. The first fall was held under First Blood rules, the second was No Disqualifications and the final was a Medical Evac match (Ambulance). On paper, those stipulations may not sound like anything special, but these guys did stuff with it that I couldn’t even dream of. To go over each insane spot or moment in this match would take up way too much space. You just need to understand that they mixed in barbaric spots with stellar storytelling that was fitting of their heated rivalry. Fox won the first fall by back dropping Killshot through a glass pane, which cut up his back. It was cool because it was different from your typical First Blood finish. Killshot tied it with Storm Cradle in a second fall that saw ladders, chairs and barbed wire. The final fall literally saw a piece of Fox’s flesh left behind on a stretcher. It was brutal. Killshot won it all at 25:13 by breaking a bottle over Fox’s head and sending him crashing through an absurd structure of chairs and glass. He placed him in the ambulance to win what might’ve been the most violent match I’ve ever seen. It’s also in contention for the greatest match in Lucha Underground history. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of Killshot and Dante Fox.
*It is the final Lucha Underground match and the last Hell of War match.

[Allie Kitsune]

Jan 12, 2018 14:52:58 GMT -5 The Kevstaaa said:

5. Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 7/17/17

Since I first started watching NJPW, these two stood out as my favorite wrestlers there. They had some bangers in 2013 and 2015, but this was their biggest match. It was Ibushi’s big return and Naito was in the middle of an incredible hot streak. Naito went after Ibushi’s surgically repaired neck. There was a great spot where Ibushi had Naito’s corner dropkick scouted, so Naito resorted to sweeping him and hit the dropkick to the back of the neck. Great work. Ibushi responded with some brutal kicks, an absurd lawn dart and the dead lift German. In one of the most ridiculous spots all year, Ibushi delivered a middle rope piledriver. It provided a tremendous near fall, helped by the fact that it was night one of the tournament, where anything could happen. Naito weathered a storm of offense and used two Destinos to win in an incredible 24:41. It was easily the most highly anticipated match of the tournament for me and they still exceeded my expectations. The fans were invested in everything, making for a great atmosphere. The neck work was brilliant and I’m so glad they didn’t overdo the finisher barrage or kickout spots. What a match. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of Kota Ibushi.

I really need to make time to go back and watch the G1.

[Deleted]

Jan 12, 2018 16:13:47 GMT -5 The Kevstaaa said:

4. Hell of War: Dante Fox vs. Killshot – Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha Tres 9/27/17

Hell of War was basically a Three Stages of Hell match. The first fall was held under First Blood rules, the second was No Disqualifications and the final was a Medical Evac match (Ambulance). On paper, those stipulations may not sound like anything special, but these guys did stuff with it that I couldn’t even dream of. To go over each insane spot or moment in this match would take up way too much space. You just need to understand that they mixed in barbaric spots with stellar storytelling that was fitting of their heated rivalry. Fox won the first fall by back dropping Killshot through a glass pane, which cut up his back. It was cool because it was different from your typical First Blood finish. Killshot tied it with Storm Cradle in a second fall that saw ladders, chairs and barbed wire. The final fall literally saw a piece of Fox’s flesh left behind on a stretcher. It was brutal. Killshot won it all at 25:13 by breaking a bottle over Fox’s head and sending him crashing through an absurd structure of chairs and glass. He placed him in the ambulance to win what might’ve been the most violent match I’ve ever seen. It’s also in contention for the greatest match in Lucha Underground history. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of Killshot and Dante Fox.
*It is the final Lucha Underground match and the last Hell of War match.

I was waiting to see where this would be placed and not dissapointed at all.

Months after the fact this match is impossible to just sum up to anyone that has never watched LU but it is a match that summarizes LU better than just about any other match their ability to blend everything in such a perfect way is untouched by any other company IMO...because it has been said that even if you took away the death match part of it this match still ends up being a MOTY contender....and that perfect story moment of Killshot emotionally pushed to the limit as he puts Dante into the evac and it is this sorrow filled moment and making you think he might get in there with him and then sends it off is so perfect.

And while we might have lost Puma this match proved that Dante Fox probably more than anyone else on that roster can not only fill that void but surpass Puma in every way IMO.

[The Kevstaaa]

3. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Sakura Genesis 4/9/17

People have called Kazuchika Okada’s 2017 the best year a wrestler has ever had. I disagree wholeheartedly, but admit it was great. Not only was this his best match in 2017, it was his best match since 2013. I didn’t see it live and heard it went 38:09, which worried me. Okada’s overly long matches don’t always work well (see New Beginning in Sapporo) and that’s not Shibata’s strength. And yet, they made it work perfectly. Shibata wasn’t having any of Okada’s shit. He wasn’t intimidated and was flat out better for most of the match. Okada’s sheer determination to not only retain, but to go out of his way to prove his superiority, made for a great story. He did the right amount of heel work, while nailing the character nuances. He tried beating Shibata at his own game, even if it meant getting wrecked by strikes. Shibata getting hit with a Rainmaker and staying on his feet was one of my favorite moments all year, as was him hitting his own modified Rainmaker by slapping the hell out of Okada. The champ eventually retained with the Rainmaker in what may go down as Shibata’s last match. Shibata busted himself open hard way with a headbutt. He then collapsed backstage and hasn’t wrestled since. If it was the end of his career, he went out on the highest of notes. [****¾]

*This is the final appearance of Kazuchika Okada and Katsuyori Shibata.
*It is the final IWGP Heavyweight Title match.
*It is the final match from Sakura Genesis.