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Post by WinOwensWin on Jun 19, 2021 18:24:02 GMT -5
48. NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans
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| NXT TakeOver: New Orleans is honestly the best top to bottom wrestling show I have ever seen. Four of the five matches were ****+. It all began with this. Give six talented guys a bunch of ladders and let them crown the first ever North American Champion. There was a lot to juggle here. You had the red hot Velveteen Dream and Adam Cole. The monsters in Killian Dain and Lars Sullivan. And two guys making their debuts in EC3 and Ricochet. They made it all work. Ricochet was given plenty of room to show off his aerial offense, while EC3 may have taken more bumps than anyone. The big guys destroyed people. Everyone played their part perfectly. And this wasn’t just guys doing spots. They all spent early moments going for the title, but kept getting cut off. From there, it was clear they needed to take each other out to win, which set up the bigger offense we eventually saw. It’s a brilliantly layered match. There were just so many action filled moments, great character stuff, and some truly creative spots. I’d be here forever if I tried listing them all. Just know there were a ton and this match was madness. It seemed like Ricochet had it won, only for Cole to sneak in and knock him off, pulling down the title after
I am glad to hear someone else say this. I've been a 28 plus year fan of all that is pro wrestling and Takeover NOLA is my favorite show of all time. |
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 20, 2021 6:58:06 GMT -5
45. PROGRESS Atlas Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Timothy Thatcher – PROGRESS Chapter 62: Fear No More, Come To Dust
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| These guys are tag team partners as part of Ringkampf. Most fans assumed this would be friendly competition for a championship. But, as soon as Timothy Thatcher refused a handshake at the opening bell, you could feel the energy change in the room. Right there, we all understood that these guys were just going to lay into each other. Within minutes, Thatcher’s chest was bloodied. Thatcher found his opening when he ducked a chop outside and WALTER hit the ring post. That changed everything because it negated WALTER’s best weapon. What would he do now? He’d have to use his brain. Thatcher was in control, but WALTER would do something small like shift his weight on a belly to belly to land on Tim, or stop him in his tracks with a brutal lariat. And something like that lariat was a believable near fall because of who WALTER is. His left handed chops were still tough, but nowhere near the right handed quality. He sold Thatcher’s armbar like his title reign was over, but managed to escape. In the end, Thatcher got his hands up to block a chop, so WALTER just CHOPPED HIM IN THE FACE INSTEAD! That was one of the wildest things I saw all year. Shortly after, WALTER ended this with a powerbomb after 21:39. I love that this didn’t rely on near fall shock value as there were barely any until the end. They knew it would take a lot to beat their partner. Violent, dramatic, and the best match in PROGRESS history.
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44. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. Dragon Lee – NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2017
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| 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.
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43. Lucha Underground Championship: Mil Muertes [c] vs. Fenix – Lucha Underground 3/16/15
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| A Grave Consequences match is basically just a casket match. I love Lucha Underground and their first season was spectacular. The best match of that season was this encounter between Fenix and Mil Muertes. Considering the rivalry these two had and the booking of Mil Muertes up to that point, this was expertly done. Muertes, who has come a long way since his days as Judias Mesias, brutalized Fenix. Fenix sold like a champ throughout the entire match. The animosity between the men shines through the violent nature of the match. Muertes rips Fenix’s mask, giving us a great view of the amount of blood that he spilled. Neither guy even really tried to put their opponent in the casket during the 15:01. Their rivalry was so heated that they just wanted to hurt each other, The casket does come into play as a weapon more than a few times and it’s almost always used in a creative fashion. Not until the finish does someone go in, that being Muertes, as Fenix was able to defeat the monster. This is easily the greatest casket match in history.
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42. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn – NXT Arrival
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| There was no better way that NXT could have “arrived” on the WWE Network. Cesaro and Sami Zayn are both amazing performers who not only put on an incredible athletic performance, but also told a compelling story. They played off previous encounters perfectly, hit each other hard throughout and Sami takes a beating better than almost anyone in wrestling. Some of the spots they pulled out were truly breathtaking. Even more than just having the compelling match people want and expect from them, this takes it to the next level by being so important. People who had just signed up for the WWE Network saw this as their first look at NXT and it proved that there was something special going on with the brand. Sami gave Cesaro everything he could handle and even kicked out of a sick popup uppercut at one when some thought the match would be over. Sami’s survival didn’t last much longer, falling to the Neutralizer in 22:55.
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41. Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 27 7/17/17
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| 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.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 21, 2021 9:32:50 GMT -5
40. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family – WWE Elimination Chamber 2014
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| Okay, this was damn near perfect. This is your WWE main roster 2014 match of the year. It had a big fight feel and absolutely delivered. All six guys got to do their thing and looked awesome. There were some absurdly big spots and they managed to do something really difficult here. It was mostly a traditional six-man tag but it managed to include a massive brawl-style environment that featured wild action. For 22:43, the hottest stables of the era went to war and it worked wonders. The fact that Bray Wyatt pinned Roman Reigns to win should tell you how high the company was on him at the time. This is how you book two dominant factions facing each other.
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39. Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: War Games 2018
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| There are times when Johnny Gargano can overact. With that small criticism out of the way, I feel that he nailed every little aspect of this match. The issues with Tommaso Ciampa drove him to a dark place. It made him attack Aleister Black and put him on the shelf. Many expected him to come in and get his ass kicked for his actions. Instead, we witnessed something of an evil genius in this one. He got in Aleister’s head by stealing his cross legged sitting pose. From there, he continued to stick and move, always finding himself one step ahead of the former NXT Champion. Gargano was willing to go the extra mile and do whatever it took to win this match. He tried everything during the 18:09 runtime. When he got in true trouble, he begged off and apologized. He left himself open for the Black Mass, only to dodge and go for a cheap rollup right into the Gargano Escape. It was a last ditch effort to be a sneaky little shit. Aleister survived that and hit the Black Mass. A beaten Johnny fell onto Aleister’s chest, only being held up by him. Aleister absolved Gargano of his sins and drilled him with another Black Mass to win. The storytelling in this was off the charts. Probably the best anywhere this year.
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38. Number One Contender's Match: CM Punk vs. John Cena – WWE Raw 2/25/13
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| The rivalry between John Cena and CM Punk is one of the best in the history of either man’s career. After countless battles over the WWE Championship, they had one final meeting in 2013. CM Punk was fresh off of losing the gold and John Cena was on the road to regaining it against The Rock at WrestleMania 29. They had a match on Raw where the winner would go on to the grandest stage of them all. Some call it their best work ever. In some ways, it was as the actual action was great but the atmosphere couldn’t match Money in the Bank. They busted out unexpected things like a piledriver en route to Cena winning after 26:50. As good as this was, it did get held back by the lack of drama since everyone knew Cena/Rock was happening again.
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37. AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW G1 Climax 24 8/1/14
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| I’ve often called the G1 Climax 24 the greatest tournament in wrestling history. It should be telling of how good this match is that it’s my favorite and the best from that tournament. Everything about this was so good. Sure, there was interference from AJ Styles’ Bullet Club buddies and Minoru Suzuki’s Suzuki-Gun friends but this was a match featuring the two leaders of two heel stables, so it playing a factor made sense and at least it was kept short. The arm work done by Suzuki was smart, brutal and they constantly went back to it, with AJ’s selling being top notch. This is just fantastic pro wrestling between two of the best of the decade. Styles won after a second Styles Clash in 16:20.
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36. Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans
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| With about a year of build, there may not have been a more anticipated match in 2018. Watching as Tommaso Ciampa came out with no music and have a chorus of boos rained down on him was the perfect start for this. He was our hated villain and Johnny Gargano was our hero. Despite this going 37:00, there was no wasted motion. It also never felt like they were going this long for the sake of it or to pump up star ratings. They hit each other with stiff strikes, brought weapons into play, and threw their best offense at one another. Even the weapons used, like the crutch, had backstory to it. The spot where Gargano took a suplex off the announce table remains hard to watch. I appreciated the old school use of things like the exposed concrete. Ciampa was a masterful villain in this. It was a sign of things to come in 2018. The little elements like clapping on offense or bringing back the #DIY taunt before hitting the knee. He gets it. Gargano used Ciampa’s knee brace for some brutal offense, but stopped just short of ending his friend. He looked at a sad Ciampa and couldn’t bring himself to do it. This was his best friend. They sat next to each other like all their other matches, but Johnny had learned. He avoided the sneak attack and rolled into the Gargano Escape, which then transitioned to an STF with the knee brace for leverage to win. If I had to nitpick, they did go a bit overboard once or twice (the avalanche Project Ciampa near fall for example), but I liked this even more the second time. The wrestling was top notch, but the story elements from throughout their history made it special.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 22, 2021 8:28:18 GMT -5
35. G1 Climax Finals: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – G1 Climax 25
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| Epic is a word that gets tossed around way too often. When it comes to this match though, I’m okay with using it. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura are two of the five best wrestlers in the world. They’ve faced off numerous times in the past, including a match in the G1 Climax the year before. Thanks to an injury, Nakamura didn’t have the best of tournaments until his final two matches, while Tanahashi, after taking it easy the first half of the year, had an excellent tournament. Their past matches have been great (Invasion Attack 2014) and slightly disappointing (Wrestle Kingdom 8), but this was quite possibly the best. A staple of their series, Tanahashi worked the leg in creative and vicious ways. It’s a Tanahashi specialty, which works extra well here because it takes away the Boma Ye. Nakamura was excellent at selling the leg work, at one point only using the good one for a backstabber, and his exhaustion. The mannerisms from both men are on point. They called back to past matches, including a false finish that directly matches the finish to their G1 match in 2014. By the time the 32:15 match is over, you realize that you’ve just witnessed something special. A tournament as good as this deserved a final like this, which was an instant classic.
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34. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Battleground 2016
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| Former best friends and tag team partners, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn went on to be even better rivals. Their main roster story saw Zayn eliminate Owens from the Royal Rumble and their feud cost each other the Intercontinental Title and the Money in the Bank briefcase. Owens beat Zayn at Payback, but this was billed as the end of the rivalry, for now at least. Sami went for the Helluva Kick at the opening bell but Owens avoided it. Owens wore him down and in classic Owens fashion, so he even made a simple chinlock entertaining. A scary moment came when Sami tried a springboard moonsault and landed badly on his previous injured shoulder. Brilliantly, they worked it into the story when Owens attacked it. There were so many callbacks to their past and fantastic sequences in this. Sami busted out a freaking apron brainbuster! I loved that Sami didn’t kick out of the Popup Powerbomb either, since matches tend to rely on the finisher kickout gimmick too much. Instead, he got his feet on the ropes. Surviving, not overpowering. What put this match over the top was the emotion and story. Owens shouting for his former best friend to “STAY DOWN”, only for Sami to catch him in two suplexes was great. Even better was Sami stopping to close his eyes and take in the Helluva Kick he was about to hit. He caught a falling Owens and played the conflicted role so well. Did he want to win there or did he want to inflict more punishment? That moment made you think Sami was going to be compassionate but he finally decided to get his revenge, hitting a second Helluva Kick to win at 18:21. This had the hot crowd, intense exchanges, great story, emotional impact and all around excellence. When done right, wrestling can be a beautiful thing.
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33. Best of the Super Juniors Finals: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 2018
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| When it was announced that Bone Soldier was returning to NJPW, people groaned. Dubbed “Boner” by Bullet Club teammate Kenny Omega, he was a source of bad matches when he was around. So, when it was revealed that the new Bone Soldier was actually Pro Wrestling NOAH standout Taiji Ishimori, it was a nice surprise. He won the A Block of the Best of the Super Juniors, setting up a clash with the best junior heavyweight on the planet, Hiromu Takahashi. This first time ever matchup shattered expectations. When Hiromu waged war with El Desperado in Korakuen Hall in the tournament, they fought into the crowd for a wild match. This had a similar feel, with some early brawling out there. Once Hiromu took a rana down a flight of stairs, it set the tone that this was going to be something to behold. It was the Hiromu Takahashi special. Two guys just throwing their bodies at each other in absurd fashion and leaving the viewer breathless. One thing that helped this stand out from other long NJPW main events (this one went 34:09) was how organically it built. It never felt like time was just being filled. People seem to think I don’t like long matches, but I actually really like them. If they make sense. This one had highs and lows that were perfectly built. There was a ton of drama and emotion throughout. To win, Hiromu countered the Bloody Cross and used a combo of his triangle choke and the Time Bomb to win. Hiromu is just the best, isn’t he?
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32. WWE Smackdown Women's Championship TLC Match: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte – WWE TLC 2018
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| There was absolutely a big fight feel here, giving this a unique atmosphere. The women were not only put into their first TLC match, but given a PPV main event and delivered big time. At no point did this slow down or feel boring. They went all out for the entire duration. All three women took MAJOR bumps. Charlotte nearly had her ribs crushed by a Becky senton off a ladder through a table. I thought she was legitimately hurt, but she was up shortly after and wrecking everything. She hit a somersault through a table on Becky and speared Asuka through the guardrail. On that note, I loved the barricade spot in this one as it felt more realistic than the one we usually get. The “C” in this TLC seemed to stand for canes, as the women used kendo sticks often. It made sense since that was part of their build more than chairs. The match was brutal, laid out brilliantly, kept escalating, and had a MOLTEN crowd throughout. After a handful of teases for each winner, Becky and Charlotte battled atop a ladder. Out came Ronda Rousey to tip their ladder over and send them crashing to the floor. I love that Ronda didn’t do anything else. Short and simple. Asuka climbed and won the title at 22:31. A top five TLC and top five women’s match I can recall. From a booking standpoint, it was phenomenal as well, with Asuka getting the big win, while her opponents stayed strong and keep their feud with Ronda going.
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31. NXT North American Championship: Ricochet [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Phoenix
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| If you want to talk about the best long-term booking and story in wrestling, look no further than Johnny Gargano and NXT. We all remember the way it culminated as he won the NXT Championship at TakeOver: New York. Before we got there, we were treated to this. Gargano getting a shot at the North American Title and desperately trying to win singles gold. This was a glorious clash of styles. Gargano would control the mat but the high flying ability of Ricochet was like his kryptonite. It kept overwhelming him. They took the fantastic action we all knew they were capable of (like you’d see if they wrestled in EVOLVE or something) and combined it with the overarching story surrounding Gargano. It was a master stroke and some of the best wrestling on the planet. They also topped the stuff we’d see elsewhere. For example, nobody had a better “land on my feet on a super rana” spot than Ricochet here. When a reverse rana and slingshot DDT couldn’t end it, Gargano snapped. He exposed the concrete outside to spike Ricochet but remained conflicted on pulling the trigger. Then Ricochet trapped him in the Gargano Escape and that was too much. Johnny got free and hit a brutal brainbuster on the concrete. He added another viciously sold slingshot DDT inside to win the title in 24:22. Johnny finally pulled the trigger and won a title. It was a masterclass in storytelling and I loved it.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 24, 2021 9:27:01 GMT -5
30. No Disqualifications Match: Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk – WWE SummerSlam 2013
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| Up to this point in his WWE return, Brock lost to Cena (in an excellent match) and had a shit feud with Triple H that spawned three matches. They began with a slugfest and Brock was too much. Punk used Brock’s arrogance against him and the crowd was rabid for Punk. He got going but was distracted by Heyman and Lesnar took back over. Brock tossed Punk over the table and hit a belly to belly outside. He and Heyman belittled Punk in between the onslaught. Punk got in some hope spots, but Brock always had an answer due to his power. Brock went all Eddie Guerrero with the Three Amigos for a near fall. A chair was brought into play, adding to the violence. Brock tried the F5 but Punk grabbed Heyman to block. That allowed Punk to hit the GTS but Heyman broke up the count. Heyman’s reaction to realizing he was alone with Punk was perfect. Punk chased him, only to walk right into an F5 attempt. Punk countered into a tornado DDT in an awesome moment for another near fall. Punk slapped on the anaconda vise and Heyman brought a chair in. Punk broke the hold and hit Heyman before putting the submission on him. Brock MURDERED him with a chair shot. A lifeless Punk took an F5 onto a steel chair for the finish in 25:14. They told the David vs. Goliath story so well and had the kind of match Brock needed. He looked like a monster, while Punk was a great underdog babyface. His offense and comeback all made sense. This was stellar and the best singles Brock match of the decade.
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29. NEVER Openweight Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Tomohiro Ishii- NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2014
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| After his failed run to the top of NJPW in late 2013, Tetsuya Naito was in trouble in 2014. His first big match after Wrestle Kingdom 8 saw him back in the NEVER Openweight Title division, where he defended against Tomohiro Ishii. The issue was that this show was in Osaka, where he was hated, while Ishii was a cult favorite. That made for a pretty wild atmosphere that was unmatched all night. Thankfully, Naito is a smart guy and used it to his advantage, working somewhat heel and giving a preview of who he’d be in the future. Both guys sold their injuries well, including Ishii’s damaged shoulder and Naito’s banged up knee. You got the sense that one of these guys would break and give in before the other, resulting in the finish. In the end, Ishii hit the Brainbuster to put down Naito at the 23:41 mark and win the title in what felt like an instant classic.
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28. WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar [c] vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins – WWE Royal Rumble 2015
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| At Hell in a Cell in 2014, John Cena beat Randy Orton to become the number one contender and then retained that right against Seth Rollins at TLC. This set the stage for yet another Brock Lesnar/Cena match that I and many others didn’t care to see. It seems like the WWE realized that too, deciding to add Rollins to the mix. That added dimension took the good Lesnar/Cena matches into classic status. Brock was the beast you’d expect, suplexing everything in sight, including J&J Security at the same time. Cena and Seth, rivals for the past few months, had to team up to try and take out the unstoppable beast. They accomplished it when Seth pulled a Shawn Michaels and elbowed Brock through the announce table. Cena and Seth then went at it, having their best exchange ever, including their feud later in the year. When medics come down to check on Brock, the fans completely begin to buy into everything Cena and Seth do to each other in the ring. Brock would get up, kick ass and win with an F5 on Seth at 22:42. It was matches like this that showed Seth absolutely belonged at the top of the card. This was the best main roster WWE match all year long.
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27. NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii [c] vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10
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| Most of the Wrestle Kingdom 10 card lacked in a way that Wrestle Kingdom 9 didn’t. It wasn’t until this match, the seventh of nine on the card, that the show picked up. As I mentioned earlier in the list, I love the rivalry between Tomohiro Ishii and Katsuyori Shibata. It’s a manly feud featuring two guys beating the hell out of each other. Just like their G1 Climax 23 match (which I gave five stars), they came out and went to war from the opening bell. This was a prideful tight fight. There was a point where they literally asked for harder strikes from their opponent. The things they normally do seemed like it wouldn’t be enough so we had moments like Ishii busting out a missile dropkick. Both men collapsed to the mat in exhaustion a few times because they were giving everything for the title. I saw so many stiff strikes and headbutts here that I can’t believe they went so hard for the entire 17:19. It felt like two guys willing to kill each other and that’s a great quality in a title match. After tons of great moments, Shibata won with the Penalty Kick to capture his first singles title in NJPW. He got his moment on the biggest stage possible and it was awesome. NEVER Title matches feel so different from IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Title matches in the best way. Shibata and Ishii embody what that title has become and I could watch them beat the shit out of each other until the end of time.
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26. AJ Styles vs. John Cena – WWE SummerSlam 2016
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| Their first match at Money in the Bank was marred by interference from Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. With them on Raw after the draft, AJ Styles wanted another match with John Cena to prove that he was better. No excuses. Like their first encounter, AJ was confident and shouted “WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE, YOU CAN’T STOP ME!” when getting the early upper hand. That overconfidence cost him a bit and Cena turned things around, leading to a fantastic back and forth display. They did go deep into the finisher kickout barrage, which I don’t always love, but they didn’t go overboard here. My favorite thing about this was that it was a straight up wrestling match. No nonsense, no bull. Just two of the best ever trying to see who the better man was. Cena’s middle rope Attitude Adjustment, which has beaten AJ before, failed. I totally bought that as the finish. Cena sold the disbelief perfectly. It was as if he realized, right there, that AJ was indeed better. AJ avoided another AA and hit the Styles Clash followed by the Phenomenal Forearm to end it at 23:10. An incredible match by two incredible performers. Their chemistry is off the charts and this did wonders for AJ. For all the guys that Cena never properly put over (Bray, Owens, Rusev, etc.), they got it completely right with AJ. He beat Cena clean and went on to win the WWE World Title. This was everything I want a dream match to be and more.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 25, 2021 9:24:53 GMT -5
25. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega – NJPW G1 Climax 27 8/12/17
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| 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.
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24. Hell of War: Dante Fox vs. Killshot – Ultima Lucha Tres
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| 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.
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23. Chicago Street Fight: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Chicago II
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| I could literally just write, “Take what worked about their New Orleans match and amplify it” and that would be fitting. But, I’m here to write, so I’ll go into more detail. They hit each other harder this time around. They added more story elements from their history. The drama and emotion were kicked up a notch. It’s insane to work a stipulation so similar to the previous match, yet deliver something so different. While they still used weapons that fit their storyline, this fight revved things up and brought others into play like the steel steps, trash cans, and the exposed ring. But this truly took off because of the callbacks. This being in Chicago, where Ciampa first turned on Johnny, they redid that moment by the stage. Then, you had Ciampa removing Johnny’s wedding ring to spit at it, only for Johnny to hit him with the Air Raid Crash off the stage, similar to what Ciampa did a year earlier. Incredible. Just when it seemed like the medics and officials would take Ciampa out on a stretcher, Gargano snapped and brought him to the ring for more of a beating. It was violent. He was a man possessed. It ultimately cost him, as he took a surprise DDT from Ciampa onto the exposed part of the ring at 35:27. They somehow bested their last match with one filled with emotion and drama.
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22. WWE Universal Championship: Brock [c] vs. Braun vs. Reigns vs. Samoa Joe – WWE SummerSlam 2017
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| 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.
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21. NXT Women's Championship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Becky Lynch – NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable
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| I love this match. There have been better and there are some I love more, but dammit, there’s something about this one that I truly enjoy. I wrote an article about this being a masterpiece and months later, it remains the case. Everything about this was so well done. Becky Lynch, who was in her first singles TakeOver match, came out amped and was very jumpy. Sasha Banks, the champion, was as cool as the other side of the pillow because she knew she belonged. The match didn’t begin as something too physical because they respect each other and the prestigious NXT Women’s Title. As the match progressed, it got more intense and both girls worked the arm. They didn’t do so and randomly forget about it, instead making sure every offensive attack involved it. Masterful selling from both women throughout and after the match. Sasha made Becky submit to the Bank Statement at 15:33, but in no way did Becky look like a loser. In fact, this showed you how far Sasha had come. Just three months into her reign, she helped make Becky with the NXT crowd, who sung Becky’s theme in honor of her after the bell.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 26, 2021 7:00:32 GMT -5
20. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker – WWE WrestleMania XXVI
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| Streak vs. Career. Shawn showed zero intimidation during Undertaker’s entrance and even did the throat cut signal to piss him off. That set the tone for what this match ended up being. Shawn had a game plan and he executed it to near perfection. For example, he worked the legs and did well with it. But Undertaker would wreck him with something like a Tombstone on the outside. How was he supposed to prepare for something Undertaker hasn’t done in years? I loved that Shawn could hit Sweet Chin Music from anywhere and how he had a counter ready for Hell’s Gates. The sequence of Shawn slipping out of the Last Ride announce table spot, hitting Sweet Chin Music, adding a moonsault, and hitting a second SCM inside for a near fall was spectacular. The fans were losing it. Shawn survived a Tombstone but Undertaker showed some mercy. He shouted for Shawn to stay down. As defiant as ever, Shawn did the throat slash gesture again and slapped him. Undertaker finally ended it with a goddamn jumping Tombstone after 23:59. They had a ton to live up to yet still succeeded. They told a fantastic story and gave us the kind of drama that only two of the greatest ever could pull off. Shawn was desperate to keep his career but he simply wasn’t good enough to get the job done. Undertaker had to put him down. A slight notch below the 2009 encounter.
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19. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Kazuchika Okada – NJPW Invasion Attack 2013
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| Tanahashi has beaten Okada twice in a row, making Okada’s win over him in their match seem like a fluke. Still, Okada was as confident as ever coming into this. Even when he badly messed up a move at one point, he shrugged it off because his confidence wasn’t waning. Tanahashi didn’t take him seriously, but the fans were mostly behind the challenger. The first big blow came when Okada connected on a DDT on the apron. Tanahashi avoided a Tombstone outside and began attacking the arm. He was relentless with it. It was as if he said, “Without your Rainmaker, you ain’t shit.” The reaction to Okada hitting the elbow, but only getting one arm up for the Rainmaker pose was brilliant. His arm just died. They battled for a while more, and after having one blocked, Okada nailed the Rainmaker. He was too hurt to cover, giving Tanahashi time to recover. Tanahashi survived Red Ink and went back after the arm. He went into his series of moves, seemingly on the verge of victory. Okada survived High Fly Flow and their final exchange saw some tremendous counters. Okada won out with the Rainmaker and won his second IWGP Heavyweight Title at 31:41. Wow. This would be the best match I’ve ever seen them have if it wasn’t for their October match later in the year. The storytelling and psychology were excellent. Tanahashi executed his game plan perfectly, even though he took Okada lightly early. And yet, through will and determination, Okada reached down deep and overcame his rival, evening their score at 2-2. A classic.
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18. TLC Match: Team Hell No and Ryback vs. The Shield – WWE TLC 2012
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| An absolutely brilliant match. That is how you make your official debut and make an impact. First of all, the bout itself was incredible. They did some sick spots, the pace never slowed and the action was non-stop from beginning to end. The crowd was red hot for everything. Everybody played their part and contributed to the quality. Ryback was booked to look strong, Bryan and Kane were both great and the Shield played up that numbers advantage, working like such a well-oiled machine. Easily my WWE match of the year for 2012 and the perfect way to debut a dominant stable. The Shield had arrived, winning this in a tremendous 22:44.
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17. Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NXT TakeOver: Dallas
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| It was the highly anticipated WWE debut of one Shinsuke Nakamura. Some matches don’t need a storyline or build. Just put two of the best on the planet together and sit back. I must start with the atmosphere. The Dallas crowd was one of, if not the best NXT crowd I can recall. They were hot all night but on another level for this. They treated both men like megastars. The reaction for Nakamura still gives me goosebumps as does his entrance here in general. Even Sami couldn’t help but smile during it. The match itself was the perfect introduction for Nakamura. It allowed him to showcase the things that make him work to the audience at home, while the live crowd reacted perfectly to everything. Sami Zayn brought all he could but the physical toll that Nakamura’s various knee strikes took on him was just too much. He managed to bust out the spots he had to, like the blue thunder bomb and tope con hilo, while Nakamura got all his shit in. Though there was no animosity between them, this felt like a fight. It was the match that spawned the “fight forever” chant and though it has been used since, it fit here better than ever. Nakamura won at 20:06 with Kinshasa. This was the best debut match I can recall. Nakamura came off looking like a star, while Zayn went toe to toe with the strong striker and added so much to this match. It was Zayn’s final NXT appearance and he made it count. He put Nakamura over, ending one era of NXT and setting the stage for the next. Incredible.
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16. WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Hell in a Cell: The New Day [c] vs. The Usos – WWE Hell in a Cell
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| 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.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 27, 2021 7:02:15 GMT -5
15. G1 Climax Finals: Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 27
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| The prior 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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14. WWE Championship: John Cena [c] vs. Daniel Bryan- WWE SummerSlam 2013
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| Triple H is the special referee. Cena had the big elbow pad due to his injury. It literally looked like he had a baseball in there. They traded mat work as Cena used his power for an upper hand. Despite this, he couldn’t break Bryan’s bridge, which led to a monkey flip. Bryan went for the Yes Lock and Cena had to scamper outside. After powering out of a surfboard attempt, it was Cena’s turn to try his finish. Bryan got free but was launched off the apron into the announce table. Cena took over and busted out a powerbomb. Nikki and Brie discussed that on Total Divas because Bryan’s balls were in Cena’s face. Seriously. As Bryan fought back, the crowd came unglued. He hit the running elbow and went into the yes kicks. Cena ducked the final one and it’s FIVE MOVES OF DOOM time. Bryan avoided the five knuckle shuffle at first but still got hit with it. He escaped the AA and nailed a missile dropkick for two. Bryan’s kicks are targeted at the elbow. He countered the STF into one of his own (correctly applied). Cena powered out but took some suplexes and got put in the Yes Lock. Again, Cena got free, but Bryan transitioned to another submission. He was relentless. Cena survived and hit the AA for two. They fought up top, where Bryan hit the rare release superplex. It’s brilliant because he avoided the bump by staying in tree of woe position. A diving headbutt got two and now, Cena must resort to drawing Bryan in for a forearm. The diving Fameasser looked the best it ever has for another near fall. They fought up top again and Cena caught a super rana. He nearly dropped Bryan on his head from the second rope before using a rear naked choke. From his wars with Samoa Joe, Bryan knows how to get free, turning it into the Yes Lock for a huge ovation. Cena reached the ropes, so Bryan went into a dropkick frenzy until Cena nearly decapitated him with a clothesline. They slugged it out before trading slaps. Bryan won out, backing Cena into the corner. Bryan counted another AA before trying a cross body. Cena caught him for the AA again, but had it countered into a small package for two. A kick to the head dropped Cena. Bryan chanted “YES” with the fans and debuted the awesome running knee to win the title in 26:52. Fantastic pro wrestling. Major props to Cena for that performance with his injury. They had a great, old school title match with no shenanigans. The near falls were built up so well and the crowd was into everything. Cena overpowered Bryan throughout, but the challenger had him so well scouted and finally delivered the one blow that was enough to cleanly beat the top guy in the business. One of the best matches in either man’s career, especially when you add in the emotion.
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13. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017
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| 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.
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12. WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. Kofi Kingston – WWE WrestleMania 35
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| There wasn’t a more important match in all of wrestling in 2019. Kofi Kingston getting a one on one WWE Title match at WrestleMania was a massive deal. Even more when you consider how this whole thing was built. Right off the bat, their contrasting styles came into play. Kofi wanted to take to the air and work a quick pace while Daniel Bryan was more than happy to ground him. I loved the cut to the roster watching on a monitor backstage. This whole tale had the feel of something that everyone would be rooting for. Bryan was great here. He held serve throughout and everything he did looked smooth and was entertaining. For example, countering Kofi’s double stomp into a Boston Crab was phenomenal. This had some amazing late drama, like Kofi’s SOS near fall getting turned into the LeBelle Lock. The New Day took out Erick Rowan, leaving it as a one on one encounter. The final few minutes are as dramatic as it gets. Kingston hit Trouble in Paradise in 23:43 to make history and become the first African-American WWE Champion. The drama, emotion, action, and what it meant all made this a truly special match and moment. I’m happy to have witnessed this.
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11. IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura [c] vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9
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| I don’t give out the perfect five star rating often. I only did so twice in 2015 and just about 30 times in history times in history. On my first night of watching New Japan Pro Wrestling, I knew I had seen a five star match. Shinsuke Nakamura, one of the top guys in New Japan and the reigning IWGP Intercontinental Champion, went up against the young upstart, Kota Ibushi in the co-main event. I mean, Ibushi is 33 so he’s not that young but he’s still a guy that hadn’t been given many major opportunities like this. This entire match is absolutely phenomenal. It goes for 20:12, but you wouldn’t think that. It flies by because you’re enjoying what you’re watching so well. There were other matches that I knew the build for and that added to things. In this match, I knew nothing about it coming in except that I had seen some Ibushi stuff from back in 2008. They captivated me and fully drew me in, even though I was watching with Japanese commentary. That is a testament to the ability of both men. Ibushi is brash, even stealing Nakamura’s moves at one point. Nakamura puts him in his place more than a few times, but is taken to his very limit. This has everything you could want. A great story, hard hitting action, close calls, incredibly athleticism at points, a big stage and more. It’s because of this match that I got into New Japan Pro Wrestling as much as I did. This is how you get someone over in a loss. Ibushi came out looking like a huge star on the biggest possible stage. It is one of the greatest matches I have ever seen.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 28, 2021 8:57:36 GMT -5
10. WWE United Kingdom Championship: Tyler Bate [c] vs. Pete Dunne – NXT TakeOver: Chicago
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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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9. WWE Championship: John Cena [c] vs. CM Punk – WWE Money in the Bank 2011
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| The video package before this match is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve seen this match so many times but the reaction Punk gets still gives me goosebumps. I absolutely love Cena in matches like this. He knows he was getting booed out of the building so he walks to the ring with no salute or pandering to the crowd. He means business. Cole does a good job talking about history as this was the building where Cena debuted and the one where Punk played a gangster during Cena’s WM22 entrance. As they trade early mat work, the fans chant “you can’t wrestle” causing Punk to clarify that they are indeed talking about Cena. The atmosphere is unbelievable. Everything Punk does gets a massive ovation. They trade a fair amount in the ring until Punk hits a big knee to the back outside, earning a near fall. Cena starts to get a few chants before Punk hits an ugly cross body off the second rope, landing on Cena’s knees. Cena comes back with a suplex from the apron to the outside. Back inside, they trade shots with the crowd going back and forth. Cena goes 1980’s with an abdominal stretch. He goes into the FIVE MOVES OF DOOM but Punk counters and falls on his ass before missing the corner knee. Punk blocks the Five Knuckle Shuffle, sends Cena outside and follows with a suicide dive right in front of his family, Ace Steel and Colt Cabana. Cena still hits the shuffle and tries the AA but Punk lands on his feet and sweeps him up for two. Both men are clearly groggy when Punk hits Cena with two absolutely stiff high knee strikes. The replay shows it connects perfectly on Cena’s jaw. Cena kicks out of the Macho Man elbow before catching Punk in the STF. Punk breaks it with the ropes and gets two on a knockout kick. He goes up top for a cross body that Cena rolls through and hoists him up for the AA. Punk counters into the GTS but Cena catches the knee into the STF in one of the best counters he’s ever done. Punk reverses that into the Anaconda Vice. Cena survives and nails the AA for a huge near fall. Cena goes up for the diving Fameasser but Punk catches it into an ugly powerbomb for two. Cena nails a second AA and Punk still kicks out. Cena talks to the referee in disbelief as the crowd loses their collective minds. Out of desperation, Cena looks for a super AA that Punk fights out of and hits a top rope rana. Punk delivers the GTS but Cena falls outside and again, the crowd’s reaction is perfect. Punk rolls Cena in as Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis come out. He has a word with them before sliding in and Cena slaps on the STF. Vince wants Johnny to pull a Montreal screwjob but Cena lets go and lays out Laurinaitis. He tells Vince that this match isn’t going to end that way. Cena enters the ring and Punk hits the GTS to win the title to a thunderous ovation in 33:44 This match is incredible. I say Cena was the better performer since Punk had a few slip ups but it didn’t hurt the match for me. Their match on Raw two years later is technically better, but you simply cannot match this atmosphere. The build, story, crowd, match itself, counters, result and drama were all absolutely phenomenal. The best match in either man’s career.
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8. NXT Championship vs. Career: Adrian Neville [c] vs. Sami Zayn – NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution
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| This felt like the biggest match in NXT history at the time. It went 23:18 and delivered in a huge way. Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville had a great match a few weeks prior, but it only got 12 minutes despite still telling a tremendous story. They told a phenomenal story that featured plenty of callbacks to their previous encounters. Sami was nearly too compassionate again and he came very close to using the NXT Title in desperation. Would he turn to the dark side? Nope. Instead, he stuck to his guns and finally won the big one in an emotional match. A huge celebration followed with Kevin Owens being the first guy to greet him. The faces held him up, Adrian Neville hugged him and all was right in the world. Of course, Sami’s happy moment barely lasted as Kevin Owens turned on him but the whole thing was glorious.
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7. WWE United Kingdom Championship: WALTER [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff
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| Tyler Bate is 22 years old. He has two MOTY winners for me. The only other people to have multiple Match of the Year winners for me during my lifetime are Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Nigel McGuinness, The Undertaker, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Johnny Gargano. That’s exclusive company. I remind you again that he’s only 22. This was the ultimate David vs. Goliath match with the added caveat that Bate is a BIG STRONG BOI who can lift WALTER if he needed to. WALTER tried to keep the pace slow and whenever Bate would get something going, he would stop him with a chop or a powerbomb. His back was damaged, which was why he struggled to lift WALTER at times. These guys made every move count. A simple suplex or chop all had meaning behind it that paid off later. They did the little things like Bate knocking WALTER out with a punch, only for WALTER to land on top of him and further damage his back. The late near falls were incredible, from the Tyler Driver after bridging up to Bate kicking out at one on a powerbomb. That final 10 minutes was breathtaking. WALTER was stunned but finally used a lariat to keep Bate down after a grueling 42:12. That is how you do a 40 minute match. They made every moment count, the atmosphere was great, and the performances were unbelievable. Bate gave it his all but took too much damage and his desire to keep trying to lift WALTER further dug his own grave. That was perfect.
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6. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2012
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| I feel like this is the least discussed great match of the decade. Hiroshi Tanahashi proved to be in the conversation for the best IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history thanks to some non-stop standout matches. Among them was this absolute classic against Minoru Suzuki that is pretty much perfection. They told a simple story of working the arm and leg but did so in a way that was thrilling. They managed that without the use of close calls and near falls. It’s a trope that matches use too often now but there is literally just a single near fall in this. That’s remarkable. They told an engaging story with tremendous matches and kept me completely hooked for 29:22. It’s further proof that Tanahashi and Suzuki are two of the greatest to ever do it. Tanahashi retained with the High Fly Flow in a true classic.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jun 29, 2021 8:36:57 GMT -5
5. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 23 8/4/13
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| Right at the bell, these two just charge at each other and proceed to beat the f*** out of one another. I mean, they literally just destroy each other with forearms, lariats and running kicks. They don’t have your typical forearm exchange, instead seemingly challenging their opponent to hit them harder. Both men literally leave themselves open so the other one can strike. Ishii cracks first, unable to kick because he holds his chest in pain. Shibata pounces, relentlessly delivering forearms in the corner. Ishii screams through the pain, but too many cause him to fall. Shibata follows with a great basement dropkick. After gathering his wits, Ishii now goes on the offensive, just murdering Shibata with vicious shots. Shibata catches a kick from Ishii and hits a big lariat. He applies a Boston crab, but Ishii reaches the ropes, so he pulls him back and works the STF. Ishii survives and then lays out Shibata with a lariat, though he is also down. When they get up, it’s just more abuse from each guy. Shibata takes down Ishii but only gets a count of one! Ishii hits a lariat and also only gets one! They headbutt each other and both just fall out again. The fact that they’re still even able to do anything is nuts. They beat the count and Shibata locks in the sleeper. Ishii looks like he’s about to die in it. He survives that though and we get another series of kick outs at one before Ishii puts Shibata down with a Brainbuster in 12:17 Holy shit. I said that more times than I could count while watching this. This is just a straight up fight in the best possible way. These are two of the very best at what they do and they work so well together. This had pretty much everything I could want in a match. It was stiff, there was a hot crowd, there was drama and it all just worked. I honestly don’t even have enough words to describe it. Watch it now. It is the best sub-fifteen minute match I have ever seen.
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4. NXT Tag Team Championship Two Out of Three Falls Match: The Revival [c] vs. #DIY – NXT TakeOver: Toronto
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| When done right, tag team wrestling is one of the best things in the world. This wasn’t just tag team wrestling done right though. It was done perfectly. It’s honestly hard to sit here and fully express everything about this match that worked. They had an absolute classic and the best tag match in WWE in the past decade plus a few months prior, only to build upon that and best it here. The two out of three falls stipulation is perfect for the old school style of the Revival. The first fall was great and saw #DIY a step ahead, but not quite able to put the champs down. From out of nowhere though, Gargano ate a Shatter Machine and they fell behind 0-1. The second fall was the Revival doing what they do best. They dominated with the best tag work on the planet. They’ve mastered it. Since this was in Toronto, they even busted out the Hart Attack (while wearing punk and black). Ciampa finally got the hot tag and it led to DIY hitting their finish to tie it up. The final fall was incredible. Non-stop action with breathtaking near falls and close calls. Gargano got trapped in the submission he lost to in Brooklyn but survived this time around. The Revival tried doing #DIY’s finisher, only to have it cut off. #DIY then did the Shatter Machine and I absolutely believed it was over, but it was broken up. The finish was brilliant too. #DIY locked in stereo submissions and the Revival stopped each other from tapping before giving up at the same time at 22:16. Everything here clicked. The crowd was hot, the work was crisp, the callbacks to their past, the storytelling and the underlying tease of Gargano possibly failing again and Ciampa turning on him, which was possible considering the Brooklyn match and the CWC. Being invested in characters always helps and #DIY’s win was emotional, hard earned and beautiful. I loved every single second of this.
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3. NXT Women's Championship: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Bayley – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
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| The women of NXT have continued to top themselves with almost every opportunity. Now, while I’m a massive fan of both girls, especially Sasha Banks, I originally didn’t want this match. I wanted to see Sasha/Becky II after their great match at Unstoppable. Bayley and Sasha absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. In front of the largest crowd in NXT history at the Barclays Center, Bayley and Banks were the co-main event and bested every performer on a loaded weekend. Right from the entrances, you could tell this would be special. The atmosphere in Brooklyn was insane as the crowd was red hot. Bayley’s entrance was a tribute to the late Dusty Rhodes, while Sasha channeled her inner Eddie Guerrero by arriving in an Escalade. The first part of this match sees Sasha talk trash and Bayley has to bring out the more aggressive side that we don’t usually see. When it progressed, Sasha vicious went after Bayley’s injured hand. It was some of the more brutal psychology I saw all year, including stomping on the hand and kicking it into the steel steps. Their exchanges and false finishes during this 18:15 encounter. Bayley survived the Bank Statement and Sasha kicked out of the Bayley to Belly. A top rope rana failed earlier in the match, but Bayley busted out a super reserve rana before scoring with a second Bayley to belly to win the title, capping an emotional roller coaster. Honestly, the number two match on this list is technically better, but this was about on par, with the added bonus of the other things that makes pro wrestling great. The emotional impact of the match was so strong that Seth Rollins was crying at ringside. Hell, I was even nearly moved to tears. Not only was this the greatest women’s match in WWE history, but it was also the most important, cementing it here.
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2. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2013
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| Obviously, both of these guys are among the top in the business. I’ve heard some seriously high praise for this match in particular so I went in with very high expectations. They managed to still blow those out of the water. There is a big fight feel during the match and the guys start fast. Coming into this, they are 2-2-1 against each other. I want to praise Tanahashi instantly as he wrestles in a way I don’t often see from him. Not only did he bust out the heel tactics, but he did so in a desperate manner. He feigns an injury at one point when his early advantage starts to slip. You can see that he is desperate to not give Okada any kind of momentum, no matter what it takes. Tanahashi, knowing his opponent, just obliterates his arm. It’s his goal to make sure that Okada can’t hit his big moves, especially the Rainmaker. He is just vicious and relentless on the attack from start to finish. Okada has to wrestle from behind, which works since the fans switch to getting firmly behind him after Tanahashi acts like the heel. He sells the arm work masterfully as even when he rallies, he can’t capitalize on certain moves because of the arm. It stops him from fully applying submissions and it opens the door for Tanahashi to either take a breather or get back on the offensive. Okada avoids a second High Fly Flow by rolling outside, but Tanahashi just leaps out onto him. Okada comes back with a tombstone outside and you could feel that the finish was near. I knew the outcome going in and still bit on a moment when Tanahashi hit the High Fly Flow on Okada’s back and went for a second, but Okada got his knees up. Tanahashi blocks the Rainmaker at every turn until Okada is finally able to hit one from out of nowhere and retain in 35:17 All of the high praise that I heard about this and guess what? It really was better than expected. This was the epitome of telling a great story, using psychology correctly and having it all come together for a masterful big title fight. This is one of the greatest matches that I’ve ever seen. The desperation of Tanahashi, the resilience of Okada, the arm work coming into play and not over relying on things like false finishes all just do so much to make this an incredible match.
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1. NXT Championship: Andrade Almas [c] vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia
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| A mere 27 days into 2018, the match of the year award was locked up. Andrade Almas and Johnny Gargano put together something truly special. I took extra long writing this piece because it’s honestly hard to put into words what this match means to me. Almas had gone from bust to champion, while Gargano was in the midst of a redemption story following the heartbreaking split of #DIY in 2017. Everything the brand did over the previous few months built to this. Almas threw his entire arsenal at Gargano, wanting to prove that he belonged atop NXT. Johnny survived it all in an effort to prove he was truly past the Tommaso Ciampa situation that helped cost him against Almas the previous August. Zelina Vega was her usual incredible self. Her interference spots were expertly timed, not overdone, and provided perfect emotion. When Candice LeRae hopped the guardrail to finally stop her, you could feel the momentum shift. And yet, Johnny still couldn’t get it done. Almas got more brutal with his manager out of the picture. The running double knees into the ring post was one of the hardest spots of the year. Gargano looked like a battered and beaten man by the end of it all. To punctuate it all, Almas hit a hanging hammerlock DDT and retained in 32:32. Honestly, that’s everything I want in pro wrestling. It was long, yet everything mattered and felt like it belonged in the match. It was emotional, dramatic, fluid, told a story. I could go on and on. I’m not overselling it when I say that this is one of the three greatest matches I have ever seen and the best of the decade.
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Post by rnrk supports BLM on Jun 29, 2021 16:46:25 GMT -5
I can't imagine the monumental effort behind putting together a list this comprehensive. Congrats.
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