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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 10, 2021 19:30:34 GMT -5
59. NXT Women's Championship Number One Contender's Elimination Match: Candice LeRae vs. Dakota Kai vs. Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox – NXT Great American Bash 7/1/20
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| It’s a really simple formula. Take four of the most talented ladies in the world’s best women’s division and let them do their thing. An opportunity at Io Shirai and the NXT Women’s Title was on the line and the elimination rules made this unique. Candice LeRae was still relatively fresh into her heel run and was feuding with Mia Yim, while Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox had their own rivalry. I loved how Candice and Dakota took powders to start, letting the babyface fighters go at it instead. However, Candice was the first one eliminated in this 20:31 encounter after taking a flurry of offense. Yim and Nox had a very good exchange before Dakota snuck in to rollup Yim. That left the former best friends to clash. That was the high point of the match, with the two delivering a fantastic effort. It was a dramatic conclusion, with Nox hitting the Shiniest Wizard to win and gain a measure of revenge on Kai in one of the year’s best feel good moments. [****] |
*This is the final appearance of Mia Yim.
2019 Match #59: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 7/18/19 2018 Match #59: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 8/11/18 2017 Match #59: WWN Championship: Matt Riddle [c] vs. Keith Lee vs. Tracy Williams vs. WALTER – Evolve 91 8/12/17 2016 Match #59: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/16 2015 Match #59: NEVER Openweight Championship: Togi Makabe (c) vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Destruction in Okayama 9/23/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 10, 2021 22:51:14 GMT -5
58. WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre [c] vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Money in the Bank
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| Seth’s promo stuff leading up to this was tremendous. I liked how this started. Seth could talk all he wanted but once in the ring, Drew was too much for him. That’s when Seth used his brains and went after Drew’s knees. Since he’s really good, his heat segment was mostly entertaining. A miscalculation by Seth led him to crash into the table and set up McIntyre getting back on the offensive. I really liked Seth working on the knee to neutralize the Claymore and I dug Drew busting out Future Shock. Drew survived a Curb Stomp and avoided a second by hitting the Glasgow Kick. He took a superkick and bounced off the ropes with a Claymore to retain in 19:23. That was a hell of a match and the best thing on the show to this point. The whole thing was smartly wrestled, entertaining through, and had some great. The spider German suplex was the high point for sure. [****] |
*This is the final **** match. *It is the last match from Money in the Bank.
20189Match #58: Drew Gulak vs. Isaiah Scott – WWE 205 Live 7/23/19 2018 Match #58: NXT Championship Last Man Standing Match: Tommaso Ciampa [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/18/18 2017 Match #58: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Juice Robinson – NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 4/29/17 2016 Match #58: High Speed Championship: Mayu Iwatani (c) vs. Evie – Stardom vs. The World 2/21/16 2015 Match #58: John Cena vs. Kevin Owens – WWE Money in the Bank 6/14/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2021 9:41:43 GMT -5
57. New Japan Cup First Round: Minoru Suzuki vs. Yuji Nagata – NJPW New Japan Cup 6/17/20
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| When these two face off, you just know it’s going to be two men beating the tar out of each other. That’s just what they delivered and it’s all I ever ask for from them. Coming into this, their record against each other in singles action was apparently 5-5. You got the sense that it played a part as their pride wasn’t about to let either of them come up short. There were some absurd forearm exchanges and some vicious strikes delivered by both men. Meanwhile, Suzuki going nuts in an empty arena came off really well. They ultimately progressed into their bigger offense and it remained as snug and violent as ever. Suzuki made a crucial mistake near the end. He had the sleeper in but instead of getting the submission, he let got and went for a pin. Nagata kicked out and got his second wind, hitting the Backdrop Hold to secure an upset in 20:35. Hell yeah. Two warriors doing what they do best and putting on something must-see. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Yuji Nagata.
2019 Match #57: Shingo Takagi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/4/19 2018 Match #57: WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Cedric Alexander [c] vs. Buddy Murphy – WWE 205 Live 5/29/18 2017 Match #57: Dragon Lee vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/17/17 2016 Match #57: Number One Contender’s Match: Marty Scurll vs. Will Ospreay – RPW High Stakes 1/16/16 2015 Match #57: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2021 13:59:00 GMT -5
56. NXT Women's Championship: Io Shirai [c] vs. Tegan Nox – NXT 7/15/20
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| At NXT’s presentation of The Great American Bash, Tegan Nox earned an opportunity at the NXT Women’s Championship. The talented lady had been through so much thanks to two knee surgeries since signing with WWE, including one that was incredibly heartbreaking. She took on Io Shirai in a huge NXT main event that was given 23:00 to really breathe and develop. There was also no BS or anything like that. Just a straight up match between two of the best in the world. Shirai threw everything at Nox from start to finish and the challenger had to showcase the resilience that got her through her two injuries. She survived everything thrown at her and came close to toppling an stoppable champion on several occasions. The Lady Kane Chokeslam and Molly Go Round spots were two of the best moments of the match. Alas, Shirai cut off the Shiniest Wizard with a perfectly sold Shotei and then hit the moonsault to retain.[****¼] |
2019 Match #56: New Japan Cup Semifinals: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. SANADA – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/23/19 2018 Match #56: Number One Contender’s Match: WALTER vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – PROGRESS Chapter 67: Bourbon Is Also A Biscuit 4/7/18 2017 Match #56: Hell in a Cell: Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon – WWE Hell in a Cell 10/8/17 2016 Match #56: Prince Puma vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. – Ultima Lucha Dos 7/20/16 2015 Match #56: Trios Championship: Angelico, Ivelisse and Son of Havoc vs. The Crew – Lucha Underground 4/22/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2021 17:54:36 GMT -5
55. Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 9/27/20
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| This was kind of the Ishii G1 special. It was two guys hitting each other hard and trying to prove who the tougher man was. I liked that it felt like a true fight at times. You got the sense that Ishii was desperate to not fall to 0-3 and Ibushi wasn’t about to lose two straight on his road to a possible third straight finals appearance. It never felt like it fell into the slow start/hot finish formula, as it was a war from the opening bell. Ibushi hitting his own brainbuster was pretty rad. The fact that they were wailing on each other allowed for the bigger offensive moves to really hit home and get a pop. My favorite spot might’ve been Ishii chopping Ibushi in the throat, only for Ibushi to punch him there in response. The finish saw Ishii fall to some knee strikes and Kamigoye after 15:41. That felt like a true struggle, didn’t overstay its welcome, and was just what I want from these two. [****¼] |
2019 Match #55: Bandido vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/23/19 2018 Match #55: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era [c] vs. Moustache Mountain – NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 8/18/18 2017 Match #55: Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 10/9/17 2016 Match #55: Money in the Bank: Alberto Del Rio vs. Cesaro vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Money in the Bank 6/19/16 2015 Match #55: Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Rusev – WWE Raw 7/13/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2021 20:23:27 GMT -5
54. Parking Lot Fight: Best Friends vs. Santana and Ortiz – AEW Dynamite 9/16/20
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| Matches in parking lots are rare but have happened several times. They sometimes work wonders like John Cena vs. Eddie Guerrero in 2003 and sometimes they fail like the one between Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream in 2020. However, the best one ever is this one between Best Friends and Santana and Ortiz. This did a wonderful job of mixing in the intensity of the rivalry with the goofy stuff Best Friends are known for. That included an appearance from Orange Cassidy and the hilarious cameo from Trent’s mom as she flipped off the Inner Circle tandem. There were plenty of big spots as well to keep the violence level up, helping to really make this a standout bout. The whole thing didn’t overstay its welcome either, lasting 13:10 in total, with Best Friends coming out on top in the end. It was one of the better tag matches from AEW, who is a company that thrives on that division. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Best Friends, Santana, and Oritz. *It is the last Parking Lot Fight.
2019 Match #54: Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/19 2018 Match #54: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/4/18 2017 Match #54: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm – Stardom 5STAR Grand Prix 8/20/17 2016 Match #54: Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi vs. Kohei Sato and Shuji Ishikawa – BJW Saikyo Tag League 10/31/16 2015 Match #54: NXT Championship Ladder Match: Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2021 23:08:04 GMT -5
53. Jay White vs. Taichi – NJPW G1 Climax 10/7/20
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| White beat him in last year’s G1 and it wasn’t good. However, this got off to a tremendous start as Jay White sat in a corner and clapped along to Taichi serenading him. MOTY. The best thing about these two is that they’re both just two dudes trying to be shitty to their opponents. That made for a match where each guy tried to out-heel the other. I loved this. It was so refreshing and different from the rest of the G1. Guys can trade offense for 10-15 minutes and it gets repetitive in a tournament like this. However, these two use their character work and it makes for something unique. Sure, there were quality exchanges but I’m all about them just being dicks to each other. Gedo got involved, there were low blows and in the end, White won with Blade Runner after 15:16. I was in dire need of a change of pace during the G1, where everything feels so similar so I really enjoyed that. [****¼] |
2019 Match #53: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Kota Ibushi [c] vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW Sengoku Lord 2018 Match #53: NXT Championship: Aleister Black [c] vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT 7/25/18 2017 Match #53: WWE Raw Tag Team Championship: Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins [c] vs. Cesaro and Sheamus – WWE No Mercy 9/24/17 2016 Match #53: PWG Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly – PWG Thirteen 7/29/16 2015 Match #53: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Invasion Attack 4/5/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2021 10:38:57 GMT -5
52. EVIL and Shingo Takagi vs. Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW New Year Dash
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| It’s another case of Big E’s favorite thing in wrestling and something I love too. BIG MEATY MEN SLAPPING MEAT! A lot of the focus on this New Year Dash event was meant to honor the retirement of the legendary Jushin Thunder Liger. However, these four manly men stole the show. EVIL and Shingo Takagi were a great Los Ingobernables de Japon duo due to how hard hitting their matches are. Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii represent the same kind of style from CHAOS. They got put together and spent 16:28 putting on a show that was arguably better than 95% of what was seen at Wrestle Kingdom the two prior nights. They brawled and threw bombs at each other, setting up two future feuds for later in the year. The finish saw Shingo pin NEVER Openweight Champion Goto with Last of the Dragon in a great bout that was overlooked by too many. [****¼] |
*This is the final match from New Year's Dash. *It is the last appearance of EVIL.
2019 Match #52: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: #DIY vs. The Undisputed Era – NXT 3/6/19 2018 Match #52: NXT North American and WWE United Kingdom Championships: Ricochet [c] vs. Pete Dunne [c] – NXT 9/19/18 2017 Match #52: Best Friends vs. Leaders of the New School – PWG Nice Boys Don’t Play Rock n’ Roll 3/18/17 2016 Match #52: Matt Riddle vs. Will Ospreay – PROGRESS The Graps of Wrath 11/27/16 2015 Match #52: WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: New Day (c) vs. Lucha Dragons vs. The Usos – WWE TLC 12/13/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2021 13:24:02 GMT -5
51. NXT Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley [c] vs. Charlotte Flair – WWE WrestleMania 36 Night Two
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| Quite for the choice for the opener. Lots of hype for this. Rhea was out in her WrestleMania whites. Charlotte started this with a ton of trash talk as she outwrestled Rhea at every turn. Rhea swung the momentum by getting aggressive and firing up. It was too much for Charlotte to handle at times. Charlotte capitalized on one mistake that put a target on Rhea’s previously damaged leg. Classic work from a heel with a leg submission. Rhea did a hell of a job selling, as even her offense was stunted due to the bad leg. Whenever Rhea got momentum, Charlotte just cut her off and worked the leg. It was simple, classic strategy. The finishing stretch was pretty great, as they went back and forth with some great exchanges, drama, and close calls. Charlotte won with the Figure Eight after 20:28. I don’t agree with the result but that was a banger. Charlotte is one of the best big match wrestlers in the world right now. If only there was a payoff to this booking decision. [****¼] |
*This is the last match from WrestleMania. *It is final appearance of Charlotte Flair.
2019 Match #51: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW Royal Quest 2018 Match #51: Charlotte vs. Ronda Rousey – WWE Survivor Series 11/18/18 2017 Match #51: PROGRESS World Championship: Travis Banks [c] vs. Matt Riddle – PROGRESS Chapter 58: Live Your Best Life 11/26/17 2016 Match #51: Six to Survive: Fenix vs. Ivelisse vs. Johnny Mundo vs. King Cuerno vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Taya – Lucha Underground 6/15/16 2015 Match #51: Kazuchika Okada vs. Roderick Strong – ROH Field of Honor 8/22/15
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Jan 12, 2021 14:33:17 GMT -5
54. Parking Lot Fight: Best Friends vs. Santana and Ortiz – AEW Dynamite 9/16/20
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| Matches in parking lots are rare but have happened several times. They sometimes work wonders like John Cena vs. Eddie Guerrero in 2003 and sometimes they fail like the one between Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream in 2020. However, the best one ever is this one between Best Friends and Santana and Ortiz. This did a wonderful job of mixing in the intensity of the rivalry with the goofy stuff Best Friends are known for. That included an appearance from Orange Cassidy and the hilarious cameo from Trent’s mom as she flipped off the Inner Circle tandem. There were plenty of big spots as well to keep the violence level up, helping to really make this a standout bout. The whole thing didn’t overstay its welcome either, lasting 13:10 in total, with Best Friends coming out on top in the end. It was one of the better tag matches from AEW, who is a company that thrives on that division. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Best Friends, Santana, and Oritz. *It is the last Parking Lot Fight.
2019 Match #54: Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/19 2018 Match #54: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/4/18 2017 Match #54: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm – Stardom 5STAR Grand Prix 8/20/17 2016 Match #54: Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi vs. Kohei Sato and Shuji Ishikawa – BJW Saikyo Tag League 10/31/16 2015 Match #54: NXT Championship Ladder Match: Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
Man with all of the great Parking Lot Fights this year, I'm surprised this is the only one on the list .
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Post by Oh Cry Me a Screwball on Jan 12, 2021 16:37:24 GMT -5
54. Parking Lot Fight: Best Friends vs. Santana and Ortiz – AEW Dynamite 9/16/20
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| Matches in parking lots are rare but have happened several times. They sometimes work wonders like John Cena vs. Eddie Guerrero in 2003 and sometimes they fail like the one between Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream in 2020. However, the best one ever is this one between Best Friends and Santana and Ortiz. This did a wonderful job of mixing in the intensity of the rivalry with the goofy stuff Best Friends are known for. That included an appearance from Orange Cassidy and the hilarious cameo from Trent’s mom as she flipped off the Inner Circle tandem. There were plenty of big spots as well to keep the violence level up, helping to really make this a standout bout. The whole thing didn’t overstay its welcome either, lasting 13:10 in total, with Best Friends coming out on top in the end. It was one of the better tag matches from AEW, who is a company that thrives on that division. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Best Friends, Santana, and Oritz. *It is the last Parking Lot Fight.
2019 Match #54: Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/19 2018 Match #54: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 8/4/18 2017 Match #54: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm – Stardom 5STAR Grand Prix 8/20/17 2016 Match #54: Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi vs. Kohei Sato and Shuji Ishikawa – BJW Saikyo Tag League 10/31/16 2015 Match #54: NXT Championship Ladder Match: Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/22/15
Man with all of the great Parking Lot Fights this year, I'm surprised this is the only one on the list . I mean, Cole vs. Dream was eligible for the list, if for some reason anyone liked that match.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2021 18:16:35 GMT -5
50. IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Jon Moxley [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka
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| This was a highly-anticipated battle. The idea of two madmen like Minoru Suzuki and Jon Moxley fighting sounded awesome to me. Moxley called Suzuki to war with him on the ramp, so Suzuki got two chairs and brought them over for a duel. They spent about a minute of the first third or so of this match in the ring. The rest was just a wild brawl outside. I dug that because it was different from the rest of the show and fit their personalities. Some of the spots came off really well. Suzuki smashing Moxley’s arm in between two chairs was great, as was Suzuki smiling after getting put through a table. They moved into the bigger stuff late, as usual, with Suzuki coming close after locking in his sleeper hold. Moxley survived and responded with the Death Rider. That wasn’t enough because finishers mean nothing, but a second one wrapped things up in 17:16. That was just what I wanted from these two. A wild brawl filled with some big spots that played right into their personalities. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Jon Moxley. *It is the last IWGP United States Heavyweight Title match.
2019 Match #50: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 8/3/19 2018 Match #50: British Strong Style vs. The Undisputed Era – WWE United Kingdom Tournament 6/25/18 2017 Match #50: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 1/4/17 2016 Match #50: CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship: Trevor Lee (c) vs. Cedric Alexander – CWF Worldwide 5/18/16 2015 Match #50: NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Tomoaki Honma – NJPW Power Struggle 11/7/15
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Post by flowercity on Jan 12, 2021 18:34:19 GMT -5
Two matches back to back that I adored. Good ole fashioned brawls. They were my 7th and 6th rated matches, respectively.
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on Jan 12, 2021 20:22:22 GMT -5
50. IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Jon Moxley [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka
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| This was a highly-anticipated battle. The idea of two madmen like Minoru Suzuki and Jon Moxley fighting sounded awesome to me. Moxley called Suzuki to war with him on the ramp, so Suzuki got two chairs and brought them over for a duel. They spent about a minute of the first third or so of this match in the ring. The rest was just a wild brawl outside. I dug that because it was different from the rest of the show and fit their personalities. Some of the spots came off really well. Suzuki smashing Moxley’s arm in between two chairs was great, as was Suzuki smiling after getting put through a table. They moved into the bigger stuff late, as usual, with Suzuki coming close after locking in his sleeper hold. Moxley survived and responded with the Death Rider. That wasn’t enough because finishers mean nothing, but a second one wrapped things up in 17:16. That was just what I wanted from these two. A wild brawl filled with some big spots that played right into their personalities. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Jon Moxley. *It is the last IWGP United States Heavyweight Title match.
2019 Match #50: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 8/3/19 2018 Match #50: British Strong Style vs. The Undisputed Era – WWE United Kingdom Tournament 6/25/18 2017 Match #50: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 1/4/17 2016 Match #50: CWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship: Trevor Lee (c) vs. Cedric Alexander – CWF Worldwide 5/18/16 2015 Match #50: NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Tomoaki Honma – NJPW Power Struggle 11/7/15
It's always nice to see a dream match live up to all of the hype. Although one thing to note: Death Rider is the lifting version of the double arm DDT. It's not a finisher unless he lifts him. Also this is the ultimate example of not needing a long match to have a truly great one.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2021 20:56:06 GMT -5
49. Io Shirai vs. Sasha Banks – NXT The Great American Bash 7/1/20
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| It doesn’t seem like there are many dream matches left in wrestling these days. However, WWE gave us at least one more here. The two best female wrestlers of 2020 collided as Women’s Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks faced NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai in a highly-anticipated main event. For 14:03, these two delivered the kind of match everyone was hoping for. Banks matched Shirai at every turn but had one thing holding her back. She was arrogant and her trash talking often opened doors for Shirai to get going. The final few minutes are legendary. Spots like Sasha sunset flip powerbombing Io into the plexiglass or Io avoiding a frog splash and turning it into a cross face stand out. Some fans didn’t like the finish, as it wasn’t clean and saw Sasha’s rival, Asuka, show up to spit mist at her. That combated Bayley and allowed Shirai to win with a moonsault. I dug it as a finish through as it wasn’t a cheap DQ or something and still leaves the door open for a possible rematch in the future. [****¼] |
*This is the final match from The Great American Bash.
2019 Match #49: NEVER Openweight Championship: KENTA [c] vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW Power Struggle 2018 Match #49: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW Sakura Genesis 4/1/18 2017 Match #49: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata – NJPW G1 Climax 8/1/17 2016 Match #49: WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Battleground 7/24/16 2015 Match #49: Open the Twin Gate Championship: Verserk (c) vs. Monster Express – Dragon Gate The Gate of Destiny 11/1/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2021 0:22:37 GMT -5
48. Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 10/16/20
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| If White won, he'd have taken the block. He was immediately the prick you expect him to be, which is a great foil for Ishii always bringing heart to his matches. Similar to the Finals against Ibushi last year, Jay tried trading shots with Ishii only to find himself severely outmatched. His sadness as Ishii leaned into his shots was fantastic. I dug the desperation in his attacks on Ishii’s taped legs or having Gedo help him prevent a superplex. White busted out the TTO, which he dubbed ITO (Ishii Tap Out) for this one as the focus on the leg continued. This was going splendidly until they went into the late overbooking. A ref bump and Gedo interference saw Ishii still manage to overcome it. ISHII HIT A GODDAMN STUNDOG MILLIONAIRE. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? English commentary didn’t sell it well enough. Gedo got involved again but Ishii weathered it and put down White with the Brainbuster after an outstanding 24:35. That was a hell of a main event and I loved it. Jay White has quickly become my favorite heavyweight in NJPW. [****¼] |
2019 Match #48: Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 7/30/19 2018 Match #48: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era [c] vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan – NXT TakeOver: Chicago 6/16/18 2017 Match #48: Cueto Cup Finals: Pentagon Dark vs. Prince Puma – Lucha Underground 8/23/17 2016 Match #48: World of Stardom Championship: Io Shirai (c) vs. Mayu Iwatani – Stardom Gold 5/15/16 2015 Match #48: Kazuchika Okada vs. Yuji Nagata – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/15
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Post by ronnie2hotty on Jan 13, 2021 7:48:21 GMT -5
51. NXT Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley [c] vs. Charlotte Flair – WWE WrestleMania 36 Night Two
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| Quite for the choice for the opener. Lots of hype for this. Rhea was out in her WrestleMania whites. Charlotte started this with a ton of trash talk as she outwrestled Rhea at every turn. Rhea swung the momentum by getting aggressive and firing up. It was too much for Charlotte to handle at times. Charlotte capitalized on one mistake that put a target on Rhea’s previously damaged leg. Classic work from a heel with a leg submission. Rhea did a hell of a job selling, as even her offense was stunted due to the bad leg. Whenever Rhea got momentum, Charlotte just cut her off and worked the leg. It was simple, classic strategy. The finishing stretch was pretty great, as they went back and forth with some great exchanges, drama, and close calls. Charlotte won with the Figure Eight after 20:28. I don’t agree with the result but that was a banger. Charlotte is one of the best big match wrestlers in the world right now. If only there was a payoff to this booking decision. [****¼] |
*This is the last match from WrestleMania. *It is final appearance of Charlotte Flair.
2019 Match #51: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW Royal Quest 2018 Match #51: Charlotte vs. Ronda Rousey – WWE Survivor Series 11/18/18 2017 Match #51: PROGRESS World Championship: Travis Banks [c] vs. Matt Riddle – PROGRESS Chapter 58: Live Your Best Life 11/26/17 2016 Match #51: Six to Survive: Fenix vs. Ivelisse vs. Johnny Mundo vs. King Cuerno vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Taya – Lucha Underground 6/15/16 2015 Match #51: Kazuchika Okada vs. Roderick Strong – ROH Field of Honor 8/22/15
*This is the last match from WrestleMania. NOOOOOO!!!!! I know it wasn't really a match in the truest sense, but Bray Wyatt vs John Cena at WrestleMania was my favorite thing of the year. I loved every weird, goofy, second of it. I've probably watched it probably 10 times.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2021 7:54:35 GMT -5
51. NXT Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley [c] vs. Charlotte Flair – WWE WrestleMania 36 Night Two
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| Quite for the choice for the opener. Lots of hype for this. Rhea was out in her WrestleMania whites. Charlotte started this with a ton of trash talk as she outwrestled Rhea at every turn. Rhea swung the momentum by getting aggressive and firing up. It was too much for Charlotte to handle at times. Charlotte capitalized on one mistake that put a target on Rhea’s previously damaged leg. Classic work from a heel with a leg submission. Rhea did a hell of a job selling, as even her offense was stunted due to the bad leg. Whenever Rhea got momentum, Charlotte just cut her off and worked the leg. It was simple, classic strategy. The finishing stretch was pretty great, as they went back and forth with some great exchanges, drama, and close calls. Charlotte won with the Figure Eight after 20:28. I don’t agree with the result but that was a banger. Charlotte is one of the best big match wrestlers in the world right now. If only there was a payoff to this booking decision. [****¼] |
*This is the last match from WrestleMania. *It is final appearance of Charlotte Flair.
2019 Match #51: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW Royal Quest 2018 Match #51: Charlotte vs. Ronda Rousey – WWE Survivor Series 11/18/18 2017 Match #51: PROGRESS World Championship: Travis Banks [c] vs. Matt Riddle – PROGRESS Chapter 58: Live Your Best Life 11/26/17 2016 Match #51: Six to Survive: Fenix vs. Ivelisse vs. Johnny Mundo vs. King Cuerno vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Taya – Lucha Underground 6/15/16 2015 Match #51: Kazuchika Okada vs. Roderick Strong – ROH Field of Honor 8/22/15
*This is the last match from WrestleMania. NOOOOOO!!!!! I know it wasn't really a match in the truest sense, but Bray Wyatt vs John Cena at WrestleMania was my favorite thing of the year. I loved every weird, goofy, second of it. I've probably watched it probably 10 times. I loved it! It just wasn't really a match so I didn't rate it.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2021 7:54:48 GMT -5
47. Hiromu Takahashi vs. SHO – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 12/2/20
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| As long as he’s around, Hiromu Takahashi is the best junior heavyweight in NJPW. That’s just how it has been since he showed up. With Shingo Takagi as a heavyweight now, it opened the door for SHO to step into the role of being the division’s second best performer. Putting them together sounded like a recipe for success, as their only prior meeting in the BOSJ two years ago was great. At this point in the tournament, things were getting interesting. A win for SHO would make him 5-2, tying him atop the standings with Hiromu (since he’d lose here), El Desperado, and Taiji Ishimori. That added to the stakes and drama here. It was a battle of Hiromu’s wild style against SHO’s sheer strength. The match was filled with action and some ridiculous exchanges between two of the best in the company. In the end, after an exciting 24:53, SHO put down the former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion with Shock Arrow, scoring one of the biggest wins of his career. [****¼] |
2019 Match #47: WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar [c] vs. Finn Balor – WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Match #47: WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Cedric Alexander vs. Roderick Strong – WWE 205 Live 3/13/18 2017 Match #47: Best of the Super Juniors Finals: KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 6/3/17 2016 Match #47: NEVER Openweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly – NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 10/10/16 2015 Match #47: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NJPW Destruction in Kobe 9/27/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2021 10:13:06 GMT -5
46. AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page and Kenny Omega [c] vs. The Lucha Bros – AEW Dynamite 2/19/20
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| The Lucha Bros beat the champions last December (***¼). Like their previous match, this was high on action but they took everything up an extra notch. I appreciated that as it made it feel like they saved stuff for the bigger match. Omega ended up with a bad leg, giving us a story to focus on. The teams started throwing out big tandem offense early on, including a Pentagon Destroyer. It felt like the final sequence of a match but this was only about ten minutes in. The spot where Fenix hit a unique springboard rana on Omega to the outside was insane. Fenix keeps coming up with ways to impress me even though I’ve been watching him for five or so years. They brought back the finish from the 12/18/19 match where Page accidentally hit Omega with the Buckshot Lariat. However, Omega stunned everyone by kicking out of the Penta Driver. Fenix’s corkscrew dive into a knee was sick and I bit on the Tiger Driver ’98 near fall. Page got back on the apron and the V-Trigger/Buckshot Lariat sandwich finished Fenix in 15:06. That ruled. I suspected the outcome because the Bucks won the opener. However, they made me buy into the drama as I could’ve seen them doing Bucks/Lucha Bros again and maybe Page/Omega at the PPV. They threw traditional tag wrestling out the window and just had a bonkers match without ever going overboard. [****¼] |
2019 Match #46: EVIL vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 Match #46: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW G1 Climax 7/14/18 2017 Match #46: WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship: The New Day [c] vs. The Usos – WWE SummerSlam 8/20/17 2016 Match #46: Marty Scurll and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. SANADA and Tetsuya Naito – RPW Global Wars UK 11/11/16 2015 Match #46: Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 48 8/16/15
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