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Post by cordless2016 on Jan 10, 2019 14:50:33 GMT -5
39. Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan – WWE Survivor Series 11/18/18
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| Daniel Bryan came out with a smug look like he was in complete control. His new character is amazing. When the match started, he hit and moved like he did against Takeshi Morishima back in 2007. Then, Brock went into Brock mode. He dominated for the next eight or so minutes. He hit an F5 and could have won, but pulled Bryan up. It felt like it was just going to be another lazy Brock squash. The crowd hated it. I hated it. Then, the ref bump came. It was a case of a good ref bump, too. It opened the door for Bryan to hit a low blow and the Busaiku Knee. Though Brock survived, Bryan spent the rest of the match using his wits and speed to find brilliant ways to get the upper hand. They swept everyone up in the drama. Brock’s three weaknesses came into play, including the low blow, steel steps, and ring posts. When Bryan put on the Yes Lock, the fans bought Brock possibly doing the unthinkable and tapping. Alas, he got free, powerbombed out of a triangle choke, and won with the F5 in 18:40. The first segment of Brock dominating went on way too long. I get what they were going for, but if you cut that back a bit, the whole match would be tighter. Either way, this was a banger and some of the best stuff Brock’s been a part of. [****¼] |
*This is the final appearance of Brock Lesnar. *It is the last match from Survivor Series.
2017 Match #39: NXT Women’s Championship Last Woman Standing Match: Asuka [c] vs. Nikki Cross – NXT 6/28/17 2016 Match #39: Trios Championship: Ivelisse and Son of Havoc (c) vs. The Crew and Joey Ryan vs. Dragon Azteca Jr., Rey Mysterio Jr. and Prince Puma vs. Fenix, Jack Evans and PJ Black – Lucha Underground 4/27/16 2015 Match #39: Chris Hero vs. Timothy Thatcher – PWG Battle of Los Angeles 8/29/15
Most overrated match of the year. It was the typical “Brock dominates opponent, takes a few offensive hits towards the end, hit F5 to finish.” AJ/Brock did it much better last year IMO.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 10, 2019 15:18:47 GMT -5
36. Juice Robinson vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW G1 Climax 7/21/18
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| In 2017, Juice Robinson pinned Tetsuya Naito in a tag match, but ultimately lost an Intercontinental Title shot at him. That match ruled (****¼) and was one that helped solidify Juice as a star in NJPW. The tables had turned here, though. Juice was now the man holding championship gold and on something of a hot streak even though he dropped his first two G1 matches. He also came in with a heavily bandaged hand that was broken a few weeks prior. Naito honed in on it. He was vicious in attacking it. Naito’s assault went so far, he got booed in Korakuen Hall. This isn’t 2013. Getting the crowd to boo Naito, the most popular star in Japan, is no easy task. The combination of his brutal offense and Juice’s babyface fire made for one hell of an atmosphere. Naito would modify his signature offense to specifically target the hand. It was genius. When Juice fired up and got going, Naito spat at him, hoping to entice him to use the cast as a weapon and get disqualified. Super good guy Juice refused to give in. He came close to pulling out the huge win on several occasions and even survived Destino. However, he couldn’t get up from a second, losing after 16:38 of incredible action. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Juice Robinson.
2017 Match #36: PROGRESS Atlas Championship: Matt Riddle [c] vs. WALTER – PROGRESS Chapter 51: Screaming for PROGRESS 7/9/17 2016 Match #36: Lucha Underground Championship: Mil Muertes (c) vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Prince Puma – Lucha Underground 3/9/16 2015 Match #36: NXT Women’s Championship: Charlotte (c) vs. Bayley vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks – NXT TakeOver: Rival 2/11/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 10, 2019 16:40:40 GMT -5
35. IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki – NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 1/27/18
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| My list of perfect ***** matches is exclusive. In the entire history of wrestling, I’ve only given out the score 26 times. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Minoru Suzuki have one of those back in 2012. While they didn’t recapture that magic in 2018, this was still phenomenal. There was no Suzuki-Gun attack or shenanigans. Minoru was aggressive from the start, which Tanahashi used against him. However, the challenger weathered the storm and got downright violent. Slaps, kicks, chair shots, submissions. You name it, Suzuki did it. He also got in Tanahashi’s head, laughing it off when the champion gave him his best shot. Tanahashi came in with an injured arm, but also messed up his leg during the battle. The sadistic Suzuki now had two targets. He applied a LONG Figure Four, but unlike last year’s New Beginning event (when he faced Okada), the babyface didn’t make some cheesy and generic comeback after it. Tanahashi survived, but was basically useless. The effort was there, but he was too damaged. Suzuki hit the Gotch Piledriver and could’ve won. But, that’s not Suzuki. Instead, he went back to the knee bar, wanting to destroy Tanahashi. The Ace lasted a few more minutes but once rolled to the center of the ring, the referee had no choice but to call it. Suzuki won the title at 33:28. Like most NJPW main events, this went longer than it needed to, as the same story could’ve been told in about 25-27 minutes. Still, that story was fantastically done by two of the best to ever lace up the boots. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Minoru Suzuki. *It is the last IWGP Intercontinental Title match. *There are no more matches from The New Beginning.
2017 Match #35: Andrade Almas vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/19/17 2016 Match #35: NEVER Openweight Championship: Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW Dominion 6/19/16 2015 Match #35: Adam Cole vs. AJ Styles – ROH War of the Worlds 5/12/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 10, 2019 18:56:33 GMT -5
34.WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan [c] vs. AJ Styles – WWE TLC 12/16/18
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| They had some really good matches on Smackdown but they bested them all in this rematch. AJ Styles was dying to get his hands on Daniel Bryan, but the champion stalled and played mind games early. There was a lot to love about this. They played well off their previous match with callbacks, yet also threw in some stuff to remind you of matches they had with others. AJ is at his best as the fiery babyface and even though he’s the bigger guy here, Bryan’s persona was a perfect foil. Bryan was ruthless, precise, and the right amount of aggressive. It’s like I’m watching bits of his ROH heel run. Often, AJ’s slow build matches this year have missed the mark, but this worked expertly from start to finish. Everything they did mattered and felt like it had a purpose. That needs to happen more often in matches. Not just doing stuff for the sake of it. Styles would hit big blows, like the springboard 450 splash, but had so much damage done that he couldn’t capitalize and Bryan remained alive. The Calf Crusher close call was outstanding. Then, the most perfect moment of all came in the finish. AJ missed the Phenomenal Forearm but went for the small package. However, Mr. Small Package countered into one of his own to retain in an outstanding 23:54. It’s a finish from a favorite match of mine (Bret/Perfect at KOTR 93) and also made sense given how Bryan won the title. The best WWE Championship match since 2016. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of AJ Styles. *It is the last WWE Title match.
2017 Match #34: PROGRESS Championship No Disqualifications Match: Pete Dunne [c] vs. Jimmy Havoc – PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize 3/19/17 2016 Match #34: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – WWE Cruiserweight Classic 8/3/16 2015 Match #34: Adrian Neville vs. Finn Balor – NXT TakeOver: Rival 2/11/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2019 9:28:04 GMT -5
33. G1 Climax Finals: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/18
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| I don’t care how much I love Kota Ibushi. The second it was clear that Hiroshi Tanahashi had Katsuyori Shibata in his corner, there was no way I couldn’t root for him. That’s Shibata. Much better than Ibushi having Kenny Omega at ringside. Their three previous meetings got ****¼, ****¼, and ****½ from me. And while they had an IC Title match last year, the stakes were highest here. Tanahashi wanted another shot at the top, while Ibushi wanted to get there for the first time. Also, a win for Kota would make him the first person to win the G1, New Japan Cup, and Best of the Super Juniors. Onto the match, there was a lot to like. They had each other completely scouted, making for sequences that featured counters upon counters. There were little touches like Tanahashi hitting a Shibata style dropkick after avoiding the Lawn Dart that did so much harm in his prior loss to Ibushi. Tanahashi’s tried and true game plan against Ibushi’s unexpected high impact stuff. I loved how Ibushi was winning their strike exchange down the stretch, only for Tanahashi to channel Shibata and find a way to win out. Then, their fight continued while they were on the mat. It was a war. As usual with big NJPW matches, they went a bit too long and too overboard with some of the late stuff. Tanahashi endured a ton before winning with three High Fly Flows in 35:01. Shave about ten minutes off to avoid the ridiculousness and you’d have a classic. As it stands, it’s still fantastic. [****½] |
2017 Match #33: WWN Championship: Matt Riddle [c] vs. Keith Lee – Evolve 87 6/25/17 2016 Match #33: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji – NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 10/10/16 2015 Match #33: AJ Styles vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW G1 Climax 8/14/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2019 10:39:48 GMT -5
32. Tyler Bate vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – PROGRESS Chapter 63: Take Me Underground 2/11/18
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| Not just two of the best European wrestlers in the world. These are two of the best wrestlers anywhere, period. So yes, there was reason for me and many others to be pumped for it. I don’t know if there was a match in PROGRESS all year I was more excited for. And they delivered. The grappling section to start was a masterclass. It was fluid, everything had a purpose, and watching them counter each other was delightful. The level of aggression ultimately picked up. They’d add more torque to submissions or start dishing out harder strikes during exchanges. The transitions and counter wrestling we saw in this was pretty much unmatched all year, anywhere. I also want to commend the camerawork. They put effort into zooming in at the right times and getting important details that added a lot to the feel. A highlight of the match was Sabre countering a Tyler Driver ’97 into a hanging triangle choke. Sabre also took one of his wild piledriver bumps. He’s easily the best in the business at that. Eventually, he won with Hyper Normalization in 15:27. That move honestly seems impossible to counter. An incredible match and a clinic in the art of pro wrestling. It was simply two outstanding wrestlers doing their thing and the fans reaped the benefits. [****½] |
*This is the final match from Chapter 63.
2017 Match #32: Matt Riddle vs. Travis Banks – PROGRESS Chapter 52: Vote Pies 7/23/17 2016 Match #32: WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. John Cena – WWE No Mercy 10/9/16 2015 Match #32: NXT Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Finn Balor – WWE Beast in the East 7/4/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2019 11:48:23 GMT -5
31. Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 7/28/18
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| I love these guys. They’re two of the best in the world and they were basically the MVPs of the G1 Climax. Pitting them against each other always works. Their past matches have gotten ****¾ and ****¼ from me. They split those contests. As you expect and want from them, they went to war as soon as the bell rang. No motion was wasted in this strong style battle. Kota Ibushi even found a way to bust out one of his trademark balcony moonsaults and yet it never felt out of place. That’s because this match had a bit of everything. Ibushi took it right to Ishii, who responded by throwing bombs back. Ishii seemingly was letting him know that this is his area of expertise. The physicality got kicked up to the next level in the closing third of the match, though they may have gone a bit overboard. Looking back, it never felt as natural as it did in their 2014 classic. Still, this was a banger with some great moments throughout. I loved how they just began throwing disrespectful slaps at each other. The crowd hung on every strike, move, and near fall in this 16:13 encounter. It didn’t need to go long, because they packed it with action. Ibushi won with Kamigoye, adding another feather to the cap of his wild G1 run. [****½] |
2017 Match #31: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Finals: Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Special in USA 7/2/17 2016 Match #31: Johnny Gargano, Kota Ibushi and TJ Perkins vs. Marty Scurll, Tommy End and Will Ospreay – WWN Mercury Rising 4/2/16 2015 Match #31: Lucha Underground Championship: Prince Puma (c) vs. Mil Muertes – Ultima Lucha 8/5/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2019 13:26:02 GMT -5
30. Men’s Royal Rumble Match – WWE Royal Rumble 1/28/18
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| Theoretically, the Royal Rumble sounds easy enough to book but it’s not. In an hour long match, there are often lulls and those can be tough to iron out. For the most part, the 2018 edition avoided that. Rusev and Finn Balor opened things, marking one of my favorite combos to start a Rumble in history. From there, we had a lot of strong moments. Heath Slater getting beat up by everyone who came out before he could even enter the match, only to throw out Sheamus in mere seconds. Andrade Almas and Adam Cole making surprise appearances. The Hurricane and Rey Mysterio returning. Another fun Kofi Kingston elimination avoidance. The final six gave us a new vs. old battle as Mysterio, Randy Orton, and John Cena faced off against Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Roman Reigns. This was a lengthy, dramatic exchange. It was even more drama filled when it came down to Reigns and Nakamura. The crowd was completely enthralled, desperate for a Nakamura win and a Roman loss. That’s just what they got after 66:02 of one of the greatest Royal Rumble matches ever. From the atmosphere to the strong pacing to the comedic moments to the final two, this Rumble had a little bit of everything. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Rusev, Finn Balor, Rhyno, Baron Corbin, Heath Slater, Elias, Bray Wyatt, Sami Zayn, Apollo Crews, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Bar, The New Day, Jinder Mahal, Matt Hardy, John Cena, The Hurricane, Aiden English, Randy Orton, Titus O'Neil, Rey Mysterio, Roman Reigns, Goldust, and Dolph Ziggler. *It is the last match from the Royal Rumble.
2017 Match #30: Keith Lee vs. Tomohiro Ishii – RevPro Global Wars UK 11/9/17 2016 Match #30: RPW British Heavyweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Chris Hero – RPW Global Wars UK 11/11/16 2015 Match #30: AJ Styles vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW G1 Climax 7/20/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 11, 2019 15:50:08 GMT -5
29. El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/22/18
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| Talk about a match that came from out of nowhere. Hiromu Takahashi is among the best in the world, so he was no surprise. El Desperado is easily the best Suzuki-Gun member not named Minoru or Zack, but I just wasn’t expecting this. They had the match of the Best of the Super Juniors (not counting the finals) tournament. Their previous singles meeting came over six years ago when they were both Young Lions. What we got in this one was a war. Hiromu attacked before the bell, turning the tables on his Suzuki-Gun opponent. They brawled into the crowd, where Hiromu busted out a memorable and aggressive dropkick. When chairs were brought into play, Hiromu took one to the back, setting up Desperado’s focus. As part of his attack, I loved Desperado bringing out the Young Lion crab, looking to beat him with the same move that worked all those years ago. Down the stretch, they began to throw their best shots at one another, while managing to never hit the overboard level that too many matches reach. There were some top notch near falls, like when Desperado used El Guitarra de Angel and Hiromu hit the corner DVD. Desperado pulled it out by nailing Pinche Loco after 22:48. This was different from anything else in the tournament. Two guys going to war over two points in an important tournament. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of El Desperado.
2017 Match #29: Super Strong Style 16 Quarterfinals: Jeff Cobb vs. Matt Riddle – PROGRESS Chapter 49: Super Strong Style 16 5/28/17 2016 Match #29: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Michael Elgin (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito – NJPW Destruction in Kobe 9/25/16 2015 Match #29: WWE United States Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Cesaro – WWE Raw 7/6/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 10:17:57 GMT -5
28. NXT North American Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Ricochet – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/18/18
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| It’s amazing what the WWE machine can do for you. I am way more invested in the NXT versions of Adam Cole and Ricochet than I ever was of them beforehand. This match showed exactly why. This wasn’t a collection of moves, it was an expertly crafted story. Cole was champion but was insecure. Though he won the title in New Orleans, many were talking about Ricochet stealing the show that night. That’s why Cole did his best to ground Ricochet and continually told him that he wasn’t special. Cole needed to believe it. Ricochet would find bursts to hit his impressive aerial offense, but Cole would either survive or have an answer. He did his homework. The fans were completely into everything. When a superkick exchange saw Cole get lucky and land on top of Ricochet, they totally bit on that being the finish. The spot where Cole stopped a moonsault with a midair superkick was legendary. I loved that even with all the great spots, it was about two guys outsmarting each other. Ricochet goaded Cole into thinking he wasn’t ready for the Shining Wizard and countered it. Cole rolled away to avoid the 630 splash. Tit for tat. Ricochet had to take one final risk, with a massive rana to the outside, before successfully hitting the 630 and winning the title in 15:21. An outstanding combination of action and storytelling. [****½] |
*This is the final match from TakeOver: Brooklyn
2017 Match #28: RPW British Heavyweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata [c] vs. Will Ospreay – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17 2016 Match #28: The Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi – WWE Cruiserweight Classic 8/31/16 2015 Match #28: Lucha Underground Championship All Night Long: Prince Puma (c) vs. Johnny Mundo – Lucha Underground 6/17/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 11:42:52 GMT -5
27. Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Climax 7/15/18
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| The greatest single block in G1 Climax history got off to a hot start with this as the semi-main event of their first night. Kota Ibushi beat Zack Sabre Jr. in last year’s G1 (****½) and Sabre evened the score during this year’s New Japan Cup (****½). Sabre came in as the favorite thanks to tournament success, having won the New Japan Cup, Battle of Los Angeles, and Super Strong Style 16. Surprisingly, Ibushi attempted to match Sabre on the mat in the early stages. He tried his best but once he saw that wasn’t working, he changed to strikes. One roundhouse kick and Sabre was instantly in trouble. However, Sabre came prepared. He had Kota scouted like a master. He’d bend and twist his leg in vicious ways, looking to take out the kicks of his opponent. Whenever Ibushi would get something going, Sabre had an answer and it was usually targeted at the leg. Some of the submissions Zack did were just ungodly. I loved the moment where Kota powers out of a PK at one, and when hit with another he tried again but couldn’t muster the strength and had to wait until two. The same goes for Sabre checking the Kamigoye to avoid it. It’s the little things that count. Of course, after a wild final few minutes, Kota successfully hit Kamigoye to win in 22:58. These guys can do no wrong together. Counter wrestling, hard strikes, good mat work, and drama. [****½] |
2017 Match #27: IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW G1 Special in USA 7/2/17 2016 Match #27: Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 60 5/6/16 2015 Match #27: NXT Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Kevin Owens – NXT TakeOver: Rival 2/11/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 13:56:33 GMT -5
26. New Japan Cup Quarterfinals: Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/15/18
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| Last year, these two had a phenomenal match in the G1 Climax (****½), won by Kota Ibushi. Zack Sabre Jr. was out for revenge. Fresh off a win over Tetsuya Naito in the opening round, momentum was on his side. According to commentary, Ibushi said he’d rather face Naito because Sabre’s style is troublesome for him. I like little tidbits like that. Indeed, Sabre slowed the pace and took Kota to the mat. It took away the explosiveness that makes Ibushi so deadly. One thing I love about Sabre is that he will attack any body part he can get his hands on. Sometimes, it can impact the overall story, but it makes sense against Ibushi since he has so many weapons. Their exchanges, especially with strikes, were fantastic. Sabre had the Kamigoye scouted at every turn even though Ibushi hadn’t debuted it when they last met. The man does his homework. They used the finish from their last encounter for a great near fall down the stretch. Ibushi refused to give in, while Sabre grew frustrated that his best submissions couldn’t get the job done. That played into the finish, as Sabre locked in a sadistic octopus hold variation and when Ibushi didn’t quit, the referee was forced to call for a stoppage at 21:02. Stellar prof wrestling by two of the best on the planet. All without going too long. [****½] |
2017 Match #26: PROGRESS Tag Team Championship: Trent Seven and Tyler Bate [c] vs. The South Pacific Power Trip – PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize 3/19/17 2016 Match #26: PROGRESS Championship No Disqualifications Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Marty Scurll – PROGRESS Chapter 25 1/24/16 2015 Match #26: NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW New Beginnings in Sendai 2/14/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 18:05:14 GMT -5
25. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay [c] vs. Hiromu Takahashi – NJPW Dominion 6/19/18
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| I’ve made my feelings on Will Ospreay very clear. He has the talent to be one of the best in the world, but doesn’t even crack my top 50. He gets in his own way more often than not and holds himself back with horrible tropes. However, thanks to his talent, he can deliver in big matches against superior opponents. Hiromu Takahashi, the best junior heavyweight in the world, is kind of the perfect opponent for him. These are two reckless warriors and the match played right into that. Within a minute or so of this 20:20 match, Ospreay nearly killed himself with a dive off the ramp. Surprisingly, Will slowed the pace from there. I liked it because the quicker the match, the better it is for Hiromu. He thrives there. Hiromu rallied and brought out strikes that would’ve been at home in a heavyweight bout. They built to the bigger spots and made it so each shift in momentum mattered. It wasn’t hollow like the Ospreay/Scurll match from earlier in the year. Their closing stretch was as wild as you’d expect. It saw Hiromu counter Storm Breaker into a triangle choke that was successful for him en route to winning the Best of the Super Juniors. Will didn’t quit, but was hurt enough to fall to a corner DVD and Time Bomb. I love the idea that Hiromu lost in February, saw Will had a bad neck, came back with a submission that impacted that, and used it to regain Mr. Belt. It’s a shame Hiromu got injured, because he was on one hell of a roll in 2018. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Will Ospreay. *It is the last IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title match.
2017 Match #25: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Kota Ibushi – NJPW Power Struggle 11/5/17 2016 Match #25: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/16 2015 Match #25: Evolve Championship: Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Evolve 47 8/15/15
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Post by Tim of thee on Jan 12, 2019 20:43:25 GMT -5
So you like Ibushi
As do I
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 21:07:29 GMT -5
24. NXT North American Championship: Ricochet [c] vs. Adam Cole vs. Pete Dunne – NXT 10/10/18
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| During the big Title vs. Title match between Ricochet and Pete Dunne, Adam Cole and his Undisputed Era buddies got involved. It led to a no contest ending to a great match. With Cole still waiting for his rematch at the North American Title, he was granted it with the condition that Dunne also get his shot at the same time. That set the stage for an unreal match. These three managed to deliver one of the best triple threat matches of all time. Yes, I said all time. Almost every move came off smoothly, they were innovative with the spots, kept a great pace, and brought some great drama. Even with the results known beforehand, I still bit on several of the near falls. That’s special. Dunne hitting Cole with the Bitter End and immediately catching a Ricochet Shooting Star Press into a triangle choke was one of the better spots of the year. They also did well to avoid many typical tropes expected from this match type and gave us something completely different. Dunne had Cole trapped in the end, only to get hit with a springboard 450 splash that allowed Ricochet to retain at 18:29. A stellar, all time great match from these three. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of Pete Dunne
2017 Match #24: WWE United Kingdom Championship: Pete Dunne [c] vs. Tyler Bate – NXT 12/20/17 2016 Match #24: Open the Dream Gate Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. YAMATO – Dragon Gate Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival 7/24/16 2015 Match #24: Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW G1 Climax 8/12/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 12, 2019 23:22:29 GMT -5
23. New Japan Cup Finals: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – NJPW New Japan Cup 3/21/18
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| Coming into this, these guys were 1-1 against each other. Hiroshi Tanahashi was banged up, but made it through to the finals. Zack Sabre Jr. dominated and made all three previous opponents (Tetsuya Naito, Kota Ibushi, and SANADA) tap out. Here is the perfect example of a match that goes long and makes the most of it. The reason it lasts 34:02 is because it is the definition of a human chess match. Sabre had him perfectly scouted. He obviously went after Tanahashi’s damaged arm, but also threw in some work to the leg, playing off another prior injury and doing so to cut off stuff like the High Fly Flow. He didn’t let Tanahashi get into his rhythm, cutting off stuff like the skin the cat spot. Tanahashi’s comeback was great, as he continued to sell the work done. Sabre grew angrier that his game plan couldn’t seem to keep this old, injured man down. Tanahashi dishing back the European Clutch pin made for a tremendous near fall. Despite his best efforts, though, Tanahashi got trapped in a submission he couldn’t escape and tapped out. A layered match with strong storytelling elements, and a great pace. Everything they did mattered and they nailed the little nuances to make this special. [****½] |
*This is the final match from the New Japan Cup.
2017 Match #23: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 1/4/17 2016 Match #23: WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Extreme Rules 5/22/16 2015 Match #23: NXT Women’s Championship Ironman Match: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks – NXT TakeOver: Respect 10/7/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2019 7:48:04 GMT -5
22. The Golden Lovers vs. The Young Bucks – NJPW Strong Style Evolved 3/25/18
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| For some fans, here may not have been a hotter match in all of 2018. To get it out of the way, this was in no way the two best tag teams in wrestling facing off. They billed it that way, but it just isn’t true. With that behind us, it’s time to appreciate all that this match did well. The Young Bucks were once my least favorite act in all of wrestling, but over the past two or so years, they’ve improved vastly. A perfect example was here. Gone are the overly grating personality traits. Instead, we get stuff like Matt Jackson selling a back injury for MONTHS. It played a major role in this. While both teams brought out their biggest guns, it never felt like moves were being done with no purpose. Kenny Omega was conflicted about taking it to his friends, but Kota Ibushi was happy to hit them as hard as he could. Going back to Matt, I loved how much of an antagonist he was here. He yelled at both opponents and basically dared them to bring it on several occasions. When Kenny got Matt up for the One Winged Angel, he couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger. Matt demanded he do it and when Kenny did, that should’ve been the finish. Instead, the pin got broken up and the match went on for a bit longer. The Lovers won with the Golden Trigger on Matt after 39:23. It was a long match with great spots and story elements, but it would’ve been better and tighter had it ended on the note it needed to. Still, one of the best tag matches all year. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance of the Young Bucks. *It is the last match from Strong Style Evolved.
2017 Match #22: Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 5/3/17 2016 Match #22: NEVER Openweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/16 2015 Match #22: Evolve Championship: Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – Evolve 51 11/6/15
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2019 8:57:46 GMT -5
21. No Disqualifications Match: Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali – WWE 205 Live 7/3/18
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| If you made the mistake of ignoring 205 Live in 2018, then you missed out on one of the best rivalries in all of wrestling. Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali tore down the house every single time they shared a ring. This No Disqualifications match was their magnum opus. Ali had been built up as the “heart” of 205 Live, while Murphy called himself the “Juggernaut.” You couldn’t ask for a more perfect pairing. Ali took a beating in this match, yet never gave up. Whether it was a bump off the guardrail or a suplex onto the ramp, Ali was destroyed. Here wasn’t a No DQ match filled with weapons. Instead, they managed to give us something violent without needing to use too many of those. Buddy didn’t need it because he was vicious on his own. However, when Ali wouldn’t stay down, he brought them into play. It backfired a bit when Ali hit a superplex off steel steps and a Spanish Fly on a table. Murphy hitting better running knees than Kenny Omega while Ali was tied in the ropes made for beautiful, barbaric imagery. A pissed Murphy let him free for more damage, but Ali fought back and won with a tornado DDT off the steps in 22:43. The best work from two of the guys who stole 2018. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance for Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali. *There are no more No DQ matches. *It is the last match from 205 Live.
2017 Match #21: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Michael Elgin – NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/17 2016 Match #21: WWE World Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. AJ Styles – WWE Backlash 9/11/16 2015 Match #21: PWG Championship: Roderick Strong (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – PWG Don’t Sweat the Technique 4/3/15
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Post by marino13 on Jan 13, 2019 9:59:17 GMT -5
Like I said earlier, Buddy Murphy has had a fantastic year. Dude is right where he belongs.
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 13, 2019 10:15:03 GMT -5
20. PROGRESS Tag Team Championship: Calamari Catch Kings [c] vs. LAX – PROGRESS: New York City 8/7/18
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| PROGRESS’ Coast to Coast Tour provided us with a string of good shows featuring mostly good matches. Only one stood as truly being great. #CCK has been ravaged by injuries to Kid Lykos and it again took him out of the Thunderbastard Tag Team Series. Chris Brookes chose Jonathan Gresham as his replacement partner and they won the Tag Titles during the series. The Calamari Catch Kings put those titles on the line in New York against LAX and it proved to be a doozy. LAX was massively over in New York and it added a lot to the match. This was filled with creative spots by four hungry guys looking to steal the show. Santana had his leg worked on and did a masterful job of selling it. He could barely get his offense in and fell several times because he couldn’t put weight on it. The closing stretch of this 21:19 was out of this world. Tons of close calls, pins getting broken up, and fast paced exchanges that will leave you breathless. The final shot of Santana trapped in an inverted cloverleaf, with his bad leg, grasping at the hand of his partner Ortiz, who was being held at bay, is unbelievable. Santana had no choice but to tap out, ending one of the best tag team matches I have ever seen. It’s that good. [****½] |
*This is the final appearance for LAX and CCKi. *It is the last match from PROGRESS' Coast to Coast Tour.
2017 Match #20: WWE Championship Elimination Chamber: John Cena [c] vs. AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz – WWE Elimination Chamber 2/12/17 2016 Match #20: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Revival (c) vs. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/20/16 2015 Match #20: Hair vs. Hair: Ethan Carter III vs. Rockstar Spud – TNA Impact 3/13/15
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