2022'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 > 2022's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

«‹›165 »

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

SG Bamboo posted:

MOTYC: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Go Shiozaki for the GHC Heavyweight Championship - NOAH Majestic 4/30
- This went half an hour and absolutely flew by as these two completely brutalised each other. Go's chops are the loudest thing in wrestling and absolutely pulverised Kaito's chest, who responded in kind. It's nice to have a GHC title match without an immobile old man

Giving this an HM nod, it was very enjoyable and thanks to conditions outside of their control NOAH weren't able to ruin it..... yet.

# ? Apr 30, 2022 13:35

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# ? Jun 3, 2024 15:00

Cerebral Bore: Apr 21, 2010; Fun Shoe

HM: Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland
HM: Samoa Joe vs Trent Beretta

All from AEW Rampage 29.04

# ? Apr 30, 2022 19:16

Pylons: Mar 16, 2009

SG Bamboo posted:

NOAH Majestic April 30th
MOTYC
Sugiura-gun (Takashi Sugiura and Hideki Suzuki) (c) vs Kongoh (Kenoh and Katsuhiko Nakajima) - GHC Team Team Championships
- This is exactly the style of match I love, these guys had no issue battering the absolute poo poo out of each other

Kaito Kiyomiya vs Go Shiozaki - GHC Heavyweight Championship
- This went half an hour and absolutely flew by as these two completely brutalised each other. Go's chops are the loudest thing in wrestling and absolutely pulverised Kaito's chest, who responded in kind. It's nice to have a GHC title match without an immobile old man

HM
Masakatsu Funaki (c) vs Simon Gotch - GHC National Championship
- My favourite Funaki defence, some great grapplefucking here. Just avoid the English commentary

Naomichi Marufuji and X vs Kinya Okada and Yoshiki Inamura
- Whole lot of beef being thrown about here which I love, even if I didn't for a second think X and Fuji were losing

Nth these, but down to HM for Sugiura-gun vs. Kongoh just for Suzuki.

# ? Apr 30, 2022 20:24

The Taxman: Jan 2, 2007; greetings sweeties, let me give you a back massage. for i am a whiz!

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto - SEAdLINNNG Golden Moment (4/29)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRt1uXu1SKQ

When you have a match with your best friend, there are three ways you can go about it, you can fool around with shenanigans like TAKA and Taichi, you can have a competitive but respectful match like FTR, or like Arisa and Tsukka you can take the third option and commit attempted murder on each other and then hug it out after.

This was an absolute brutal war between two of the best wrestlers in the world, the original Best Friends, and it made me all the sadder that Tsukka will be gone for a long time soon.

Also they went out and wrestled each other again the next day. (This one was better though because they wrestled the SEAdLINNNG house style and today's was more Ice Ribbon)

MOTYC: Las Fresas de Egoistas (Asuka & Makoto) (c) vs. Yoshiko & Ryo Mizunami for the Beyond the SEA Tag Team Championship - SEAdLINNNG Goldem Moment (4/29)

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

Yes, that is Yoshiko, I didn't make a mistake.

It's probably a stretch to call SEAdLINNNG's tag division one of the best in the world because there's only two active regular tag teams and they're in the same faction, but for my money they have the best big tag team title matches in the world, and that is in no small part to the hard work Asuka and Makoto have put in.

Makoto is once again the workhorse of the match and has gone from being pretty awful in Ice Ribbon and Reina to one of my favourite wrestlers in the world in SEAdLINNNG.

Nth, gently caress yeah! These matches ruuullllleeeee

# ? Apr 30, 2022 21:58

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

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Arisa Nakajima vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto - SEAdLINNNG Golden Moment (4/29)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRt1uXu1SKQ

When you have a match with your best friend, there are three ways you can go about it, you can fool around with shenanigans like TAKA and Taichi, you can have a competitive but respectful match like FTR, or like Arisa and Tsukka you can take the third option and commit attempted murder on each other and then hug it out after.

This was an absolute brutal war between two of the best wrestlers in the world, the original Best Friends, and it made me all the sadder that Tsukka will be gone for a long time soon.

Also they went out and wrestled each other again the next day. (This one was better though because they wrestled the SEAdLINNNG house style and today's was more Ice Ribbon)

MOTYC: Las Fresas de Egoistas (Asuka & Makoto) (c) vs. Yoshiko & Ryo Mizunami for the Beyond the SEA Tag Team Championship - SEAdLINNNG Goldem Moment (4/29)

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

Yes, that is Yoshiko, I didn't make a mistake.

It's probably a stretch to call SEAdLINNNG's tag division one of the best in the world because there's only two active regular tag teams and they're in the same faction, but for my money they have the best big tag team title matches in the world, and that is in no small part to the hard work Asuka and Makoto have put in.

Makoto is once again the workhorse of the match and has gone from being pretty awful in Ice Ribbon and Reina to one of my favourite wrestlers in the world in SEAdLINNNG.

Nth, top of the card SEAd is the best of women's wrestling. Arisa/Tsukka will be in my MOTY picks in December, that was phenominal

# ? Apr 30, 2022 23:32

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

HM: KC Navarro vs. Myron Reed, Warrior Wrestling 18, Jan. 22

# ? May 1, 2022 02:53

graph: Nov 22, 2006; aaag peanuts

HM: L.A. Park vs. Villano IV - Triplemania XXX Monterrey - 04/30/22

what the gently caress did i just watch lol

# ? May 1, 2022 03:22

Sticky Nate: Jan 9, 2012

graph posted:

HM: L.A. Park vs. Villano IV - Triplemania XXX Monterrey - 04/30/22

what the gently caress did i just watch lol

a beautiful, bloody, old man lucha brawl

2nd

# ? May 1, 2022 03:26

Oil!: Nov 5, 2008; Der's e'rl in dem der hills!; Ham Wrangler

graph posted:

HM: L.A. Park vs. Villano IV - Triplemania XXX Monterrey - 04/30/22

what the gently caress did i just watch lol

Agree, but I hate to do it,

# ? May 1, 2022 04:05

abraham linksys: Sep 6, 2010

wmotyc: blue demon jr vs rayo de jalistico jr - triplemania xxx monterrey - 4/30/22

this wasn't nearly as catastrophic as the infamous minus five stars cmll match from a few years ago but boy its up there

# ? May 1, 2022 04:38

Benne: Sep 2, 2011; STOP DOING HEROIN

WMOTYC: Psycho Clown vs. Canek, AAA TripleMania 4/30

Wrestling wasn't even as bad as we expected but the booking was utter poo poo even by AAA standards

# ? May 1, 2022 05:30

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

abraham linksys posted:

wmotyc: blue demon jr vs rayo de jalistico jr - triplemania xxx monterrey - 4/30/22

this wasn't nearly as catastrophic as the infamous minus five stars cmll match from a few years ago but boy its up there

Benne posted:

WMOTYC: Psycho Clown vs. Canek, AAA TripleMania 4/30

Wrestling wasn't even as bad as we expected but the booking was utter poo poo even by AAA standards

seconding these both, they were rrrrrrrough.

# ? May 1, 2022 05:59

Benne: Sep 2, 2011; STOP DOING HEROIN

HM: Young Bucks vs. Fenix & Vikingo, AAA TripleMania 4/30

Really good stuff, but felt like they were rushed for time and holding back with the rain. Also another bizarre finish.

# ? May 1, 2022 06:05

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

HM: Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid vs. Hazuki & Koguma, Stardom World Climax 3/26

# ? May 1, 2022 06:10

Thanlis: Mar 17, 2011

HM: Bollywood Boyz vs. C4, DEFY Wild Ones, 2022-30-04

My belief that Cody Chhun has strong potential is intact.

# ? May 1, 2022 06:30

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

Thanlis posted:

HM: Bollywood Boyz vs. C4, DEFY Wild Ones, 2022-30-04

My belief that Cody Chhun has strong potential is intact.

2nding this and adding:

HM: Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Jon Moxley - DEFY Wild Ones 4/30

Bloody, angry violence in front of a small but absolutely rabid crowd having the time of their lives.

# ? May 1, 2022 06:53

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

MOTYC: Tom Lawlor vs Jon Moxley, DEFY Wild Ones 4/30.

Absolutely sick match. Not a Lawlor fan but this by far the best match I've seen of his.

# ? May 1, 2022 06:54

Pylons: Mar 16, 2009

DEFY Wild Ones 4/30

MOTYC: Bollywood Boyz vs. C4
MOTYC: Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Jon Moxley

# ? May 1, 2022 06:54

Evil Badman: Aug 19, 2006; Skills include:
EIGHT-FOOT VERTICAL LEAP

Jerusalem posted:

2nding this and adding:

HM: Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Jon Moxley - DEFY Wild Ones 4/30

Bloody, angry violence in front of a small but absolutely rabid crowd having the time of their lives.

HM for both the Defy Tag and Mox/Lawlor

# ? May 1, 2022 07:04

TV Zombie: Sep 6, 2011; Burying all the trauma from past nights
Burying my anger in the past

Evil Badman posted:

HM for both the Defy Tag and Mox/Lawlor

Nth to this

# ? May 1, 2022 07:06

Thanlis: Mar 17, 2011

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Jon Moxley - DEFY Wild Ones 4/30

Bloody, angry violence in front of a small but absolutely rabid crowd having the time of their lives.

Nth back at you. And yes, that crowd is almost always like that. My first DEFY show was the one where Mox replaced Eddie as a surprise and you would not believe.

# ? May 1, 2022 07:11

TTBF: Sep 14, 2005

MassRafTer posted:

MOTYC: Tom Lawlor vs Jon Moxley, DEFY Wild Ones 4/30.

Absolutely sick match. Not a Lawlor fan but this by far the best match I've seen of his.

Gonna nth. I hope to see the replay so I can maybe see the look on my face when the blood mist slap happens

# ? May 1, 2022 07:12

graph: Nov 22, 2006; aaag peanuts

Thanlis posted:

HM: Bollywood Boyz vs. C4, DEFY Wild Ones, 2022-30-04

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Filthy Tom Lawlor vs. Jon Moxley - DEFY Wild Ones 4/30

Bloody, angry violence in front of a small but absolutely rabid crowd having the time of their lives.

these were both super good. my first defy watch, i'm into it

# ? May 1, 2022 07:28

Lamuella: Jun 26, 2003; It's like goldy or bronzy, but made of iron.

HM: Jay Lethal vs Ren Narita, New Japan Strong, April 30.

An unexpectedly brutal and bloody encounter between Lethal in his last moments as a face, and Narita starting his ascent as a force to be reckoned with. This starts light, but as it goes along both of them have to pour the aggression on to survive. Really enjoyable.

# ? May 1, 2022 09:04

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

DDT Mega Max Bump May 1st
MOTYC
CDK (Chris Brookes and Masahiro Takanashi) (c) vs Burning (Jun Akiyama and Yusuke Okada) - KO-D Tag Team Championships
- Fantastic clash of styles and ideologies. Finish came a bit out of nowhere but that didn't take away from the rest of the match for me

Tetsuya Endo (c) vs Yuki Ueno - KO-D Openweight Championship
- Ueno is at his best when working from underneath, fortunately Endo was more than happy to pick Ueno apart like a champions should. The time flew by for me, especially when Endo hit a perfect Sasuke Special and I realised we were 25+ minutes in. Awesome match that didn't get too kickout crazy like when Endo won the belt

HM
Toi Kojima vs Shinya Aoki
- Kojima really impressed me here, he showed no fear in taking the fight to the MMA legend

Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi and Yukio Skaguchi) vs HARASHIMA and Hikaru Sato
- 4 crazy people take turns hitting each other as hard as they can

MAO (c) vs ASUKA - DDT Universal Championship
- Very fun match between two people with similar styles and sensibilities, Asuka and Mao both rule

# ? May 1, 2022 09:54

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

SG Bamboo posted:

MOTYC: CDK (Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi) (C) vs. Burning (Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada) for the KO-D Tag Team Championships - DDT Mega Max Bump 5/1
Fantastic clash of styles and ideologies. Finish came a bit out of nowhere but that didn't take away from the rest of the match for me

MOTYC: Tetsuya Endo (C) vs. Yuki Ueno for the KO-D Openweight Championship - DDT Mega Max Bump 5/1
Ueno is at his best when working from underneath, fortunately Endo was more than happy to pick Ueno apart like a champions should. The time flew by for me, especially when Endo hit a perfect Sasuke Special and I realised we were 25+ minutes in. Awesome match that didn't get too kickout crazy like when Endo won the belt

HM: MAO (C) vs. ASUKA for the DDT Universal Championship - DDT Mega Max Bump 5/1
Very fun match between two people with similar styles and sensibilities, Asuka and Mao both rule

HMs for all three of these from me. I wasn't a fan of the ending of the tag (but Kenta Kobashi was, and he outranks me!) and the main event, while fun, had a sense of inevitability to it that it never quite managed to shake for me. MAO and ASUKA rule together and I can't wait to see what they do next.

# ? May 1, 2022 10:02

fez_machine: Nov 27, 2004

SG Bamboo posted:

DDT Mega Max Bump May 1st

HM
CDK (Chris Brookes and Masahiro Takanashi) (c) vs Burning (Jun Akiyama and Yusuke Okada) - KO-D Tag Team Championships
- Fantastic clash of styles and ideologies. Finish came a bit out of nowhere but that didn't take away from the rest of the match for me

Tetsuya Endo (c) vs Yuki Ueno - KO-D Openweight Championship
- Ueno is at his best when working from underneath, fortunately Endo was more than happy to pick Ueno apart like a champions should. The time flew by for me, especially when Endo hit a perfect Sasuke Special and I realised we were 25+ minutes in. Awesome match that didn't get too kickout crazy like when Endo won the belt

Toi Kojima vs Shinya Aoki
- Kojima really impressed me here, he showed no fear in taking the fight to the MMA legend

Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi and Yukio Skaguchi) vs HARASHIMA and Hikaru Sato
- 4 crazy people take turns hitting each other as hard as they can

MAO (c) vs ASUKA - DDT Universal Championship
- Very fun match between two people with similar styles and sensibilities, Asuka and Mao both rule

Great show across the board.

# ? May 1, 2022 10:31

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

HM: EVIL (C) vs. Tama Tonga for the NEVER Openweight Championship - NJPW Dontaku 5/1

It had all the usual House of Torture bullshit, but the ending was SO good that it didn't matter, even if the post-match got dumb again. That loving ending though, goddamn.

# ? May 1, 2022 11:17

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

HM: EVIL (C) vs. Tama Tonga for the NEVER Openweight Championship - NJPW Dontaku 5/1

It had all the usual House of Torture bullshit, but the ending was SO good that it didn't matter, even if the post-match got dumb again. That loving ending though, goddamn.

MOTYC: EVIL vs Tama

# ? May 1, 2022 11:19

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

MOTYC: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the Vacant IWGP US Championship - NJPW Dontaku 5/1

There are rules and restrictions in place in Japan where the crowd aren't allowed to do more than clap and stamp their feet. The Japanese fans have been very good about following these restrictions. This match was so loving good they just went,"gently caress that," and lost their loving minds, and it's entirely understandable.

# ? May 1, 2022 12:13

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the Vacant IWGP US Championship - NJPW Dontaku 5/1

There are rules and restrictions in place in Japan where the crowd aren't allowed to do more than clap and stamp their feet. The Japanese fans have been very good about following these restrictions. This match was so loving good they just went,"gently caress that," and lost their loving minds, and it's entirely understandable.

2nd

# ? May 1, 2022 12:14

a cyborg mug: Mar 8, 2010

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the Vacant IWGP US Championship - NJPW Dontaku 5/1

There are rules and restrictions in place in Japan where the crowd aren't allowed to do more than clap and stamp their feet. The Japanese fans have been very good about following these restrictions. This match was so loving good they just went,"gently caress that," and lost their loving minds, and it's entirely understandable.

Absolutely

# ? May 1, 2022 12:17

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

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku May 1st
MOTYC
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii - IWGP US Heavyweight Championship
- Watch the match, it was incredible

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- You know when you watch a match and it's incredible and you think it won't be topped. Then a match like this comes along and just shits all over it. Yeah it's their third match this year, but gently caress me this was amazing

HM
EVIL (c) vs Tama Tonga - NEVER Openweight Championship
- Jado the Hero got the crowd popping huge for this match, it certainly helps that Tama and Evil work really well together

El Desperado (c) vs Taiji Ishimori - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
- Great action, hot crowd, interesting lead in to Best of Super Juniors next week

# ? May 1, 2022 13:07

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

MOTYC Naito/Okada

# ? May 1, 2022 13:08

Pylons: Mar 16, 2009

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku May 1st
MOTYC
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii - IWGP US Heavyweight Championship
- Watch the match, it was incredible

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- You know when you watch a match and it's incredible and you think it won't be topped. Then a match like this comes along and just shits all over it. Yeah it's their third match this year, but gently caress me this was amazing

HM
EVIL (c) vs Tama Tonga - NEVER Openweight Championship
- Jado the Hero got the crowd popping huge for this match, it certainly helps that Tama and Evil work really well together

El Desperado (c) vs Taiji Ishimori - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
- Great action, hot crowd, interesting lead in to Best of Super Juniors next week

Nth all these.

# ? May 1, 2022 13:08

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

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku May 1st
MOTYC

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- You know when you watch a match and it's incredible and you think it won't be topped. Then a match like this comes along and just shits all over it. Yeah it's their third match this year, but gently caress me this was amazing

2nd. Two of the best in the world with just phenomenal in-ring chemistry.

# ? May 1, 2022 13:09

Lamuella: Jun 26, 2003; It's like goldy or bronzy, but made of iron.

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku May 1st
MOTYC
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii - IWGP US Heavyweight Championship
- Watch the match, it was incredible

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- You know when you watch a match and it's incredible and you think it won't be topped. Then a match like this comes along and just shits all over it. Yeah it's their third match this year, but gently caress me this was amazing

HM
EVIL (c) vs Tama Tonga - NEVER Openweight Championship
- Jado the Hero got the crowd popping huge for this match, it certainly helps that Tama and Evil work really well together

El Desperado (c) vs Taiji Ishimori - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
- Great action, hot crowd, interesting lead in to Best of Super Juniors next week

Nth. Excellent show.

# ? May 1, 2022 13:15

Burn Down Canberra: Oct 27, 2005; GAME PLANS? We don't need no stinking game plans.

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku May 1st
MOTYC
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Tomohiro Ishii - IWGP US Heavyweight Championship
- Watch the match, it was incredible

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- You know when you watch a match and it's incredible and you think it won't be topped. Then a match like this comes along and just shits all over it. Yeah it's their third match this year, but gently caress me this was amazing

HM
EVIL (c) vs Tama Tonga - NEVER Openweight Championship
- Jado the Hero got the crowd popping huge for this match, it certainly helps that Tama and Evil work really well together

El Desperado (c) vs Taiji Ishimori - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
- Great action, hot crowd, interesting lead in to Best of Super Juniors next week

Nth

# ? May 1, 2022 13:27

Oil!: Nov 5, 2008; Der's e'rl in dem der hills!; Ham Wrangler

abraham linksys posted:

wmotyc: blue demon jr vs rayo de jalistico jr - triplemania xxx monterrey - 4/30/22

this wasn't nearly as catastrophic as the infamous minus five stars cmll match from a few years ago but boy its up there

Benne posted:

WMOTYC: Psycho Clown vs. Canek, AAA TripleMania 4/30

Wrestling wasn't even as bad as we expected but the booking was utter poo poo even by AAA standards

Lol and lmao. The old man tournament is great.

# ? May 1, 2022 14:42

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# ? Jun 3, 2024 15:00

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

abraham linksys posted:

wmotyc: blue demon jr vs rayo de jalistico jr - triplemania xxx monterrey - 4/30/22

this wasn't nearly as catastrophic as the infamous minus five stars cmll match from a few years ago but boy its up there

Benne posted:

WMOTYC: Psycho Clown vs. Canek, AAA TripleMania 4/30

Wrestling wasn't even as bad as we expected but the booking was utter poo poo even by AAA standards

nth

lucha is back baybee

# ? May 1, 2022 15:13

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2022's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

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