2020'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 > 2020's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

«‹›143 »

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima (c) vs. Asuka for the SEAdLINNNG Beyond the SEA Singles Championship - SEAdLINNNG ~Delivered to You~ (6/13)

One of the best no fan matches I've seen (Shinkiba being tiny and Asuka's faction being loud helped in that respect). Asuka is one of the smartest working wrestlers in the world despite being 21 and Arisa is just flat out the best. These two had one of the best matches in 2019 and I think they topped it here. The overarching story of the match came from what quite possibly might have been a botch (making these two even better) but now I'm not so sure given how fluidly they worked it in. The finish of the match played up Arisa being the veteran, taking advantage of Asuka getting flustered over Arisa kicking out of her finish while Arisa was able to move straight into a roll up to retain the title after Asuka kicked out of her finish

I watched this legitimately with my SamuraiTV subscription but I know some criminals were watching it illegally so I'll update this with the link when it's available.

Nth

# ? Jun 14, 2020 04:04

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 3, 2024 17:03

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

MOTYC: Go Shiozaki (c) vs. Akitoshi Saito for the GHC Heavyweight Championship - NOAH GO FORWARD (6/14)

The second defence of Go Shiozaki's reign and another fantastic match. It didn't have the weirdness of Go/Fujita but was a fantastic empty arena match nonetheless. This marked the eleventh anniversary of the death of Mitsuharu Misawa with the two surviving participants in his final match paying tribute to their deceased partners. Saito pointing to the sky before hitting Go with the move that he literally ended Misawa's life with was a pretty ballsy move that I'm still left mouth agape at.

# ? Jun 14, 2020 15:13

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Go Shiozaki (c) vs. Akitoshi Saito for the GHC Heavyweight Championship - NOAH GO FORWARD (6/14)

The second defence of Go Shiozaki's reign and another fantastic match. It didn't have the weirdness of Go/Fujita but was a fantastic empty arena match nonetheless. This marked the eleventh anniversary of the death of Mitsuharu Misawa with the two surviving participants in his final match paying tribute to their deceased partners. Saito pointing to the sky before hitting Go with the move that he literally ended Misawa's life with was a pretty ballsy move that I'm still left mouth agape at.

https://abema.tv/video/episode/517-1_s70_p13

# ? Jun 14, 2020 17:25

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Go Shiozaki (c) vs. Akitoshi Saito for the GHC Heavyweight Championship - NOAH GO FORWARD (6/14)

The second defence of Go Shiozaki's reign and another fantastic match. It didn't have the weirdness of Go/Fujita but was a fantastic empty arena match nonetheless. This marked the eleventh anniversary of the death of Mitsuharu Misawa with the two surviving participants in his final match paying tribute to their deceased partners. Saito pointing to the sky before hitting Go with the move that he literally ended Misawa's life with was a pretty ballsy move that I'm still left mouth agape at.

Nth

# ? Jun 14, 2020 17:37

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

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles for the vacant Intercontinental Championship - WWE Smackdown 6/12

Could have been so much more if not for the lovely commentary and multiple commercial breaks. These two are REALLY good at this whole wrestling thing.

I'll give this a MOTYC thanks to DVR'ing it and skipping the commercials.

# ? Jun 14, 2020 20:16

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

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima (c) vs. Asuka for the SEAdLINNNG Beyond the SEA Singles Championship - SEAdLINNNG ~Delivered to You~ (6/13)

One of the best no fan matches I've seen (Shinkiba being tiny and Asuka's faction being loud helped in that respect). Asuka is one of the smartest working wrestlers in the world despite being 21 and Arisa is just flat out the best. These two had one of the best matches in 2019 and I think they topped it here. The overarching story of the match came from what quite possibly might have been a botch (making these two even better) but now I'm not so sure given how fluidly they worked it in. The finish of the match played up Arisa being the veteran, taking advantage of Asuka getting flustered over Arisa kicking out of her finish while Arisa was able to move straight into a roll up to retain the title after Asuka kicked out of her finish

I watched this legitimately with my SamuraiTV subscription but I know some criminals were watching it illegally so I'll update this with the link when it's available.

nth

# ? Jun 14, 2020 20:42

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima (c) vs. Asuka for the SEAdLINNNG Beyond the SEA Singles Championship - SEAdLINNNG ~Delivered to You~ (6/13)

One of the best no fan matches I've seen (Shinkiba being tiny and Asuka's faction being loud helped in that respect). Asuka is one of the smartest working wrestlers in the world despite being 21 and Arisa is just flat out the best. These two had one of the best matches in 2019 and I think they topped it here. The overarching story of the match came from what quite possibly might have been a botch (making these two even better) but now I'm not so sure given how fluidly they worked it in. The finish of the match played up Arisa being the veteran, taking advantage of Asuka getting flustered over Arisa kicking out of her finish while Arisa was able to move straight into a roll up to retain the title after Asuka kicked out of her finish

I watched this legitimately with my SamuraiTV subscription but I know some criminals were watching it illegally so I'll update this with the link when it's available.

Yup agreed

# ? Jun 15, 2020 00:42

Dango Bango: Jul 26, 2007

WMOTYC: Miz and John Morrison vs. Braun Strowman - WWE Backlash - 6/14

This just sucked.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 01:26

The Croc: Dec 19, 2004; A-well-a everybody's heard about the bird!

OH YEAH!

Dango Bango posted:

WMOTYC: Miz and John Morrison vs. Braun Strowman - WWE Backlash - 6/14

This just sucked.

nth

# ? Jun 15, 2020 01:34

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

Are we counting Street Profits/Viking Raiders as a match? If so,

WMOTYC: Street Profits vs Viking Raiders, WWE Backlash, June 14

# ? Jun 15, 2020 02:07

TTBF: Sep 14, 2005

ShadowedFlames posted:

Are we counting Street Profits/Viking Raiders as a match? If so,

WMOTYC: Street Profits vs Viking Raiders, WWE Backlash, June 14

2nd

# ? Jun 15, 2020 02:19

Accident Underwater: Oct 21, 2005; You look like a star!

ShadowedFlames posted:

Are we counting Street Profits/Viking Raiders as a match? If so,

WMOTYC: Street Profits vs Viking Raiders, WWE Backlash, June 14

Dango Bango posted:

WMOTYC: Miz and John Morrison vs. Braun Strowman - WWE Backlash - 6/14

This just sucked.

nth both

# ? Jun 15, 2020 02:27

Kirios: Jan 26, 2010

MOTYC - Randy Orton vs. Edge - WWE Backlash, June 14th

It was the greatest wrestling match ever.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:02

Truther Vandross: Jun 17, 2008

MOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

The stupid name and lazily piped in chants hosed this up a good deal but the match itself was really loving good and both dudes brought it.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:02

Dango Bango: Jul 26, 2007

sportsgenius86 posted:

HM: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

The stupid name and lazily piped in chants hosed this up a good deal but the match itself was really loving good and both dudes brought it.

I'll go HM. While I agree, gently caress that finish

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:03

YourHumbleMessiah: Oct 11, 2005

sportsgenius86 posted:

MOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

The stupid name and lazily piped in chants hosed this up a good deal but the match itself was really loving good and both dudes brought it.

Honestly Nth. The hamming into it was awful but easily extremely good and they really had an excellent match

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:10

kitten emergency: Jan 13, 2008; get meow this wack-ass crystal prison

sportsgenius86 posted:

MOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

The stupid name and lazily piped in chants hosed this up a good deal but the match itself was really loving good and both dudes brought it.

eh i'll second the motyc. on the merits, aside from the name and general flaws in the presentation, it was a really good match.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:10

Teddybear: May 16, 2009; Look! A teddybear doll!
It's soooo cute!

WMOTYCs:

Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy, WWE Backlash 6/14
Braun Strowman vs. The Miz and Morrison, WWE Backlash 6/14
Street Profits vs. Viking Raiders, WWE Backlash 6/14

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:11

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

sportsgenius86 posted:

Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

The stupid name and lazily piped in chants hosed this up a good deal but the match itself was really loving good and both dudes brought it.

I�ll go HM for this one.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:16

Ivypls: Aug 24, 2019

WMOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

A match that would have been fine on it's own merits was destroyed by a stupid hype machine that insisted that it was going to be something it never could. Overlong and overproduced, this should have been a rock solid match but in was overshadowed by terrible camerawork, awful piped-in crowd noise, and some frankly nonsensical finisher spam.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:24

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

I'll go HM on Orton/Edge. It was a good match and the insistence on pushing it as THE GREATEST MATCH EVER was a giant drag factor, if they're just let them wrestle without all that bullshit it would have much better, instead they set ludicrous expectations that were impossible for anybody but Kazuchika Okada to meet.

ShadowedFlames posted:

Are we counting Street Profits/Viking Raiders as a match?

It was very explicitly defined as not being a match (to the point a referee came out and yelled at them for not being ready for their actual match) so I'm just counting it as a goofy segment.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:27

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Ivypls posted:

WMOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

Teddybear posted:

WMOTYCs:

Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy, WWE Backlash 6/14

Dango Bango posted:

WMOTYC: Miz and John Morrison vs. Braun Strowman - WWE Backlash - 6/14

ShadowedFlames posted:

WMOTYC: Street Profits vs Viking Raiders, WWE Backlash, June 14

nth

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:33

TTBF: Sep 14, 2005

Ivypls posted:

WMOTYC: Randy Orton vs. Edge, WWE Backlash, 6/14

A match that would have been fine on it's own merits was destroyed by a stupid hype machine that insisted that it was going to be something it never could. Overlong and overproduced, this should have been a rock solid match but in was overshadowed by terrible camerawork, awful piped-in crowd noise, and some frankly nonsensical finisher spam.

I agree. Nth.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 03:36

jesus WEP: Oct 17, 2004

WMOTYC: Asuka vs Nia Jax, WWE Backlash, 14th June
Nia loving sucks and the finish loving sucked

MOTYC: Randy Orton vs Edge, WWE Backlash, 14th June
A million times better than I expected. Kevin Dunn did his best to ruin it but it ended up really good despite it

# ? Jun 15, 2020 08:21

jesus WEP: Oct 17, 2004

HM: Yota Tsuji vs Gabriel Kid, NJPW Together Project, 15th June
Probably overrating this match but I�m just so happy they�re back

# ? Jun 15, 2020 11:21

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

If you are then I am too

HM: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd, NJPW Together Project, 15/06

It was real meaty

# ? Jun 15, 2020 11:22

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

HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru - NJPW Together Project Special 06/15

Uemura gonna be a loving star one day.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 11:40

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

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Uemura vs. El Desperado and Kanemaru - NJPW Together Project Special 06/15

Uemura gonna be a loving star one day.

2nd I needed this

# ? Jun 15, 2020 11:41

Taffy Torpedo: Feb 2, 2008; ...Can we have the radio?

jesus WEP posted:

HM: Yota Tsuji vs Gabriel Kid, NJPW Together Project, 15th June
Probably overrating this match but I�m just so happy they�re back

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru - NJPW Together Project Special 06/15

Uemura gonna be a loving star one day.

Nth both of these.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 12:00

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

HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi, NJPW Together Special, 15/06

Duh

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:17

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

HMs for both:

Tanahashi, Ibushi, Nagata & Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI - NJPW Together Project 6/15

and

Naito/Hiromu/Shingo vs. Okada/RPG3K - NJPW Together Project 6/15

I am so loving happy New Japan is back.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:19

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

Rarity posted:

HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi, NJPW Together Special, 15/06

Duh

3rd

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:20

Taffy Torpedo: Feb 2, 2008; ...Can we have the radio?

Rarity posted:

HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi, NJPW Together Special, 15/06

Duh

yea

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:26

Cerebral Bore: Apr 21, 2010; Fun Shoe

HM: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd
HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
HM: Tanahashi, Ibushi, Nagata & Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI - NJPW Together Project 6/15
HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi

All from NJPW Together Project, 15/06. It's goddamn back baby.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:28

Akileese: Feb 6, 2005

Jerusalem posted:

I'll go HM on Orton/Edge. It was a good match and the insistence on pushing it as THE GREATEST MATCH EVER was a giant drag factor, if they're just let them wrestle without all that bullshit it would have much better, instead they set ludicrous expectations that were impossible for anybody but Kazuchika Okada to meet.

It was very explicitly defined as not being a match (to the point a referee came out and yelled at them for not being ready for their actual match) so I'm just counting it as a goofy segment.

I'll NTH an HM. I watched it on mute and ignore WWE weekly TV so I feel like that probably enhanced the experience. It was a very solid wrestling match but the camera cuts were unbearable.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 13:50

Akileese: Feb 6, 2005

Cerebral Bore posted:

HM: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd
HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
HM: Tanahashi, Ibushi, Nagata & Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI - NJPW Together Project 6/15
HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi

All from NJPW Together Project, 15/06. It's goddamn back baby.

NTH.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 16:48

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqTEXdiBII

this match only needs one more vote for MOTYC status and it was really really very good so you should watch it imo

# ? Jun 15, 2020 16:57

Thanlis: Mar 17, 2011

Cerebral Bore posted:

HM: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd
HM: Tomohiro Ishii & Yuya Uemura vs. El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
HM: Tanahashi, Ibushi, Nagata & Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI - NJPW Together Project 6/15
HM: Kazuchika Okada/Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi

All from NJPW Together Project, 15/06. It's goddamn back baby.

Nth! I really want to bump the main event up to MOTYC but in the end not quite there � great wrestlers but they were running through the pairings more than telling a story.

# ? Jun 15, 2020 18:58

Draxion: Jun 9, 2013

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima (c) vs. Asuka for the SEAdLINNNG Beyond the SEA Singles Championship - SEAdLINNNG ~Delivered to You~ (6/13)

One of the best no fan matches I've seen (Shinkiba being tiny and Asuka's faction being loud helped in that respect). Asuka is one of the smartest working wrestlers in the world despite being 21 and Arisa is just flat out the best. These two had one of the best matches in 2019 and I think they topped it here. The overarching story of the match came from what quite possibly might have been a botch (making these two even better) but now I'm not so sure given how fluidly they worked it in. The finish of the match played up Arisa being the veteran, taking advantage of Asuka getting flustered over Arisa kicking out of her finish while Arisa was able to move straight into a roll up to retain the title after Asuka kicked out of her finish

I watched this legitimately with my SamuraiTV subscription but I know some criminals were watching it illegally so I'll update this with the link when it's available.

Yeah, nth from me, I loved this

# ? Jun 15, 2020 20:14

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 3, 2024 17:03

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

WMOTYC: Toru Yano vs. Jado, NJPW New Japan Cup, 16/06

Please retire Jado

# ? Jun 16, 2020 11:30

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2020's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

«‹›143 »