2023's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2023's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

«‹›121 »

Maxwell Lord: Dec 12, 2008; I am drowning.
There is no sign of land.
You are coming down with me, hand in unlovable hand.

And I hope you die.

I hope we both die.; Grimey Drawer

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Battle Royals tend to be okay at best, sometimes a little chaotic but mostly going through the motions before the finish. Then you have THIS match, which was a wild loving ride from start to finish, progressed multiple storylines, set up new angles, and had an incredible final two with a PERFECT finish.

Nth.

# ? May 29, 2023 01:27

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# ? Jun 1, 2024 17:47

Ivypls: Aug 24, 2019

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Battle Royals tend to be okay at best, sometimes a little chaotic but mostly going through the motions before the finish. Then you have THIS match, which was a wild loving ride from start to finish, progressed multiple storylines, set up new angles, and had an incredible final two with a PERFECT finish.

nth

# ? May 29, 2023 01:27

Jonny Nox: Apr 26, 2008

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Battle Royals tend to be okay at best, sometimes a little chaotic but mostly going through the motions before the finish. Then you have THIS match, which was a wild loving ride from start to finish, progressed multiple storylines, set up new angles, and had an incredible final two with a PERFECT finish.

I literally only saw the last few minutes and nth

# ? May 29, 2023 01:32

ShadowedFlames: Dec 26, 2009; Shoot this guy in the face.; Fallen Rib

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Battle Royals tend to be okay at best, sometimes a little chaotic but mostly going through the motions before the finish. Then you have THIS match, which was a wild loving ride from start to finish, progressed multiple storylines, set up new angles, and had an incredible final two with a PERFECT finish.

Yeah, +1 to this.

# ? May 29, 2023 01:37

Testekill: Nov 1, 2012; I demand to be taken seriously

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

# ? May 29, 2023 01:52

Oh Snapple!: Dec 27, 2005

Testekill posted:

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

nth

# ? May 29, 2023 01:52

MotU: Mar 6, 2007; It was like she was evicting walking garbage.; Pillbug

Testekill posted:

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

nth

# ? May 29, 2023 01:53

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Testekill posted:

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

nth

# ? May 29, 2023 02:01

Crapple!: Nov 1, 2019

Testekill posted:

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

nth

# ? May 29, 2023 02:04

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

HM: FTR (C) vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett for the ROH Tag Titles - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a nothing match, just kind of meandering along but the last few minutes picked up so much that it hauled the entire thing over the top and made it a match well worth going out of your way to watch.

# ? May 29, 2023 02:19

Testekill: Nov 1, 2012; I demand to be taken seriously

Jerusalem posted:

HM: FTR (C) vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett for the ROH Tag Titles - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a nothing match, just kind of meandering along but the last few minutes picked up so much that it hauled the entire thing over the top and made it a match well worth going out of your way to watch.

2nd, the match really came back together in the last 5 minutes because Jarrett is really good at this poo poo.

# ? May 29, 2023 02:22

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

Testekill posted:

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho- AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Boring and tame, awful finish as well.

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Battle Royals tend to be okay at best, sometimes a little chaotic but mostly going through the motions before the finish. Then you have THIS match, which was a wild loving ride from start to finish, progressed multiple storylines, set up new angles, and had an incredible final two with a PERFECT finish.

Jerusalem posted:

HM: FTR (C) vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett for the ROH Tag Titles - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a nothing match, just kind of meandering along but the last few minutes picked up so much that it hauled the entire thing over the top and made it a match well worth going out of your way to watch.

Agreed

# ? May 29, 2023 02:45

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

HM: Wardlow vs Christian TNT title Double or Nothing

Messy match but had enough fun spots and all a great finish to get it to HM

# ? May 29, 2023 02:49

PlasticAutomaton: Nov 12, 2016; Artoria Pendonut

WMOTYC: Jamie Hayter (c) VS Toni Storm for the Women's Title

...Ho boy. I know /why/ they did this but that was ugly.

# ? May 29, 2023 02:54

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

HM: Jade Cargill (C) vs. Kris Statlander for the TBS Title - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

I love wrestling. Wrestling is the best. Wrestling #1.

# ? May 29, 2023 03:32

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

HM: Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie, Double or Nothing, easily the match of the night

Also HMs to the battle royal & Christian-Wardlow

# ? May 29, 2023 03:41

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

MOTYC: MJF (C) vs. Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara for the AEW World Title - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a crazy well paced match where every single wrestler was constantly involved and working in unison with each other, with an absolutely top notch ending.

# ? May 29, 2023 04:12

Testekill: Nov 1, 2012; I demand to be taken seriously

MOTYC: MJF VS Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara vs Jack Perry - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

That loving ruled.

# ? May 29, 2023 04:12

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: MJF (C) vs. Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara for the AEW World Title - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a crazy well paced match where every single wrestler was constantly involved and working in unison with each other, with an absolutely top notch ending.

HM for me but really fun

# ? May 29, 2023 04:13

Kirios: Jan 26, 2010

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: MJF (C) vs. Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara for the AEW World Title - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

This was a crazy well paced match where every single wrestler was constantly involved and working in unison with each other, with an absolutely top notch ending.

Nth

# ? May 29, 2023 04:26

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

MOTYC: Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Would almost be worth it for the "entrance" alone with like 10 minutes of a live band looping Wild Thing while everybody brawled, till the Bucks superkicked the lead singer, but then there was the whole rest of the match and that barely scratched the surface of the insanity on display. What a loving wild match.

# ? May 29, 2023 04:46

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Would almost be worth it for the "entrance" alone with like 10 minutes of a live band looping Wild Thing while everybody brawled, till the Bucks superkicked the lead singer, but then there was the whole rest of the match and that barely scratched the surface of the insanity on display. What a loving wild match.

Yeah agreed

# ? May 29, 2023 04:48

Kirios: Jan 26, 2010

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

Would almost be worth it for the "entrance" alone with like 10 minutes of a live band looping Wild Thing while everybody brawled, till the Bucks superkicked the lead singer, but then there was the whole rest of the match and that barely scratched the surface of the insanity on display. What a loving wild match.

Oh yeah, easily. Nth.

# ? May 29, 2023 04:50

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

HM to the four pillars, MOTYC to Anarchy in the Arena

# ? May 29, 2023 04:50

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

The last two matched made the AEW show real good but don't top Wato/Titan for me....and it's odd to say that

# ? May 29, 2023 04:51

Stall_19: Jan 2, 2013; Prodigy of Victor von Doom

SatoshiMiwa posted:

The last two matched made the AEW show real good but don't top Wato/Titan for me....and it's odd to say that

Strangely the NJPW show had a hotter crowd

# ? May 29, 2023 04:55

A Fancy Hat: Nov 18, 2016; Always remember that the former President was dumber than the dumbest person you've ever met by a wide margin

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal for the International Championship

HM: TNT Title Ladder Match: Wardlow vs Christian

HM: AEW Tag Title Match: FTR vs Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal

MOTYC: AEW Trios Championship: House of Black vs The Acclaimed and Daddy rear end

HM: TBS Title Match: Jade Cargill vs Taya Valkyrie

HM: TBS Title Match: Jade Cargill vs Kris Statlander

MOTYC: AEW world title match; MJF vs Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara vs Jungle Boy Jack Perry

MOTYC: Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena

I dunno wtf was up with Cole and Jericho but they just had no chemistry at all. Not a terrible match, but it wasn�t anything special and was worse than Jericho vs Roddy or Cole vs Garcia, which seems crazy to me.

# ? May 29, 2023 05:14

MassRafTer: May 26, 2001; BAEST MODE!!!

AEW DOUBLE OR NOTHING

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal
HM: Jade Cargill vs Taya Valkyrie
MOTYC: MJF vs Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara vs Jungle Boy
MOTYC: Anarchy in the Arena II

# ? May 29, 2023 05:33

SG Bamboo: Aug 21, 2013; Smile. Win. Yay!

TJPW Hyper Misao Presents HYPE! May 25th
MOTYC
Suzume vs Miu Watanabe vs Kamiyu vs Moka Miyamoto vs Raku vs HIMAWARI - Hyper Misao Auditions
Shoko Nakajima vs YOSHIHIKO

It takes a lot to elevate the artform, thankfully Hyper Misao is the greatest creative mind in the business

# ? May 29, 2023 06:23

PlasticAutomaton: Nov 12, 2016; Artoria Pendonut

nthing the MOTYCs for the Pillars 4 way and Anarchy in the Arena

# ? May 29, 2023 06:54

forkboy84: Jun 13, 2012; Corgis love bread. And Puro

Hey, have you heard the Good News? Giant Baba quit the JWA & formed All Japan for your sins. All you have to do is watch All Japan & that's basically like asking for salvation.

All these links are to Archive.org so no direct timestamps. No idea why this show isn't on any of the usual places but is there. Oh well.

HM
18th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 3
Hokuto Omori & Naruki Doi vs Zennichi Shin Jidai (Atsuki Aoyagi & Rising HAYATO)
Watch this here from 54:41

HM
18th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 3
Ryo Inoue vs Yuma Anzai
Watch this here from 1:24:23

HM
18th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 3
Kento Miyahara, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs Shuji Ishikawa, Yoshitatsu & Yuma Aoyagi
Watch this here from 1:48:12

MOTYC
18th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 3
Triple Crown #1 Contendership
Ryuki Honda vs T-Hawk
Watch this here from 2:11:42

All Japan on this tour have been such easy watches. Good crowds, wrestlers having fun, & some real good wrestling.

# ? May 29, 2023 09:27

SG Bamboo: Aug 21, 2013; Smile. Win. Yay!

AJPW Super Power Series Night 4 May 29th
MOTYC
Minoru Suzuki and Hokuto Omori vs Zennichi Shin Jidai (Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi)
- Suzuki is a dick, Hokuto is great, Kento and Yuma are fantastic as always

HM
Evolution (Dan Tamura and Hikaru Sato) and Ryo Inoue vs New Japan (Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa and Yuto Nakashima)
Ryuki Honda vs Yuma Anzai
Naruki Doi (c) vs Atsuki Aoyagi - PWF Jr Heavyweight Championship
Yuji Nagata (c) vs T-Hawk - Triple Crown

# ? May 29, 2023 13:23

forkboy84: Jun 13, 2012; Corgis love bread. And Puro

Show just ended so I'll come back later with links.

HM
29th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 4
Ryuki Honda vs Yuma Anzai
Watch this here

If you're not watching All Japan, a) shame on you, b) you'll have missed what a year Yuma Anzai has been having.

HM
29th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 4
Hokuto Omori & Minoru Suzuki vs Zennichi Shin Jidai (Kento Miyahra & Yuma Aoyagi)
Watch this here

Putting Omori with Suzuki & Doi this year has been a stroke of genius, really helped him bring out the dickishness. That shot he gave Kento post-match? Chef's kiss.

MOTYC
29th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 4
PWF Junior Heavyweight Title
Naruki Doi(c) vs Atsuki Aoyagi
Watch this here

MOTYC
29th May
All Japan Super Power Series Night 4
Triple Crown
Yuji Nagata(c) vs T-Hawk
Ryuki Honda vs Yuma Anzai
Watch this here

forkboy84 fucked around with this message at 12:07 on May 31, 2023

# ? May 29, 2023 13:55

D.N. Nation: Feb 1, 2012

Testekill posted:

MOTYC: MJF VS Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara vs Jack Perry - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

That loving ruled.

nth nth nth

# ? May 29, 2023 15:21

Shaman Tank Spec: Dec 26, 2003; *blep*

MOTYC: Four Way for the AEW World Title - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28
Just an incredible match. Had insane spots, had good storytelling, had a great finish.

MOTYC: Anarchy in the Arena - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28
Pure pro wrestling chaos and stupidity. Love it.

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho in an Unsanctioned Match - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28
This would have been a boring and bad normal wrestling match, but for a match where they hyped the violence it was incredibly tame on top of being boring and bad. Also a "no rules" match ending on a ref stoppage needs to have the losing guy absolutely brutalized, not a little bit bloody on the eyebrow. What a dud.

WMOTYC: Women's World Championship - AEW Double or Nothing 5/28
I get that Jamie Hayter is legit injured and they needed to get the belt off her. The time to do that would have been on a Dynamite, not on a PPV where some people probably paid a good deal of money to see a match that ended up being 80% angle and 20% squash. A rare mega-miss from Tony Khan.

# ? May 29, 2023 15:25

Pinwiz11: Jan 26, 2009; I'm becom-, I'm becom-,
I'm becoming
Tana in, Tana in my mind.

Summary noms:

AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

MOTYC:
Blackjack Battle Royal
MJF (C) vs. Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara
Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena

HM:
FTR (C) vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett

# ? May 29, 2023 15:31

Captain Foo: May 11, 2004; we vibin'
we slidin'
we breathin'
we dyin'

Pinwiz11 posted:

Summary noms:

AEW Double or Nothing 5/28

MOTYC:
Blackjack Battle Royal
MJF (C) vs. Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara
Blackpool Combat Club (Mox, Danielson, Claudio & Yuta) vs. The Elite (Kenny, Hangman & The Young Bucks) in Anarchy in the Arena

HM:
FTR (C) vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett

I�ll nth these

# ? May 29, 2023 16:27

Rarity: Oct 21, 2010; ~*4 LIFE*~

HM: Lio Rush/YOH vs. Robbie Eagles/Kosei Fujita, NJPW Best of Super Juniors Final, 28/05
HM: Kazuchika Okada/Hiroshi Tanahashi/Tomohiro Ishii/Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Shota Umino/Ren Narita/El Desperado/Mike Bailey, NJPW Best of Super Juniors Final, 28/05
MOTYC: Titan vs. Master Wato, NJPW Best of Super Juniors Final, 28/05

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
HM: FTR (c) vs. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Wardlow (c) vs. Christian Cage, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
WMOTYC: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Toni Storm, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
HM: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Kris Statlander, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: MJF (c) vs. Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Jack Perry, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Anarchy in the Arena, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05

# ? May 29, 2023 17:07

Pylons: Mar 16, 2009

Rarity posted:

MOTYC: Blackjack Battle Royal, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
HM: FTR (c) vs. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Wardlow (c) vs. Christian Cage, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
WMOTYC: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Toni Storm, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
HM: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Kris Statlander, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: MJF (c) vs. Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Jack Perry, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05
MOTYC: Anarchy in the Arena, AEW Double or Nothing, 28/05

Nth all these

# ? May 29, 2023 17:11

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# ? Jun 1, 2024 17:47

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

WMOTYC: Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho, just dreadful

# ? May 29, 2023 18:58

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2023's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

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