super macho dude posted:

Go Shiozaki vs Kazuyuki Fujita (NOAH 3-29-20)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qr1Dapd1_w

graph posted:

someone should nominate anarchy in the arena imo

Rarity posted:

What the loving loving loving gently caress was this match

Jerusalem posted:

Holy gently caress what a match. Best match on an absolutely incredible show. The story of Ospreay's upper body being absolutely hosed by Naito early on and just getting worse was masterfully told.

forkboy84 posted:

Fantastic end to a really good show

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

"Despite struggling to engage its fans for much of the pandemic, 2022 offered numerous examples of not only signs of life, but clues that New Japan Pro-Wrestling could be poised for a furious comeback in 2023. It’s important to remember that even among the concerns about clap-crowd atmospheres or inconsistent booking decisions, there’s still a staggering level of talent in this company. Get the right people together, and it becomes astonishingly easy to rekindle the magic that captured the hearts and minds of wrestling fans just a few years ago. Hey, speaking of a staggering level of talent, let’s talk about Tetsuya Naito and Will Ospreay! The former is already a Hall of Fame level performer, with the latter well on his way to eventually joining him. And when you look at the kind of year Will Ospreay had, a match that stands above his astonishing output of magnificent performances must occupy some truly rarefied air. The big key to my love for this match comes down to its handling of reversals. If you think about this match from a real world perspective, Tetsuya Naito haas been wrestling at a high level for a decade at this point — there’s plenty of tape out there on the guy you can use to prepare for him.
Ospreay used this kind of thinking to his advantage, and utilized numerous counters and reversals to shut down Naito’s signature spots. As a result, Naito had to work so much harder to get anything going. The sense of frustration and anticipation for the viewers in Osaka and watching at home built more and more, ultimately making it feel so much more rewarding when Naito finally broke through Ospreay’s defenses and landed a big move. Despite ultimately falling to Ospreay, Naito felt so much fresher and more reenergized than he had at any point since defeating Okada in the Tokyo Dome to begin 2020. For Ospreay, it was a signature win for both himself and the IWGP United States championship" -TDE

“Just when I thought they had a good match on the G1, these two men killed it in the main event of what I call the best NJPW show of 2022. Great back and forth, edge of your seat action where you wonder how the hell these two men don’t make mistakes while wrestling. This pairing is just incredible. This is the kind of high-end wrestling that makes me fall in love in New Japan all over again. After the match, there was the great debut of Shota Umino, which added to the moment. A can’t miss main event.” -Abraham Delgado

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 2.0
I knew from the opening sequence, the go-go-go counter-fu where everybody moves real fast but nothing actually happens, that the crowd would love this and I would be left out in the cold once again. It's highly crowd pleasing so they did just the right thing for the situation, no doubt, it just really wasn't for me. No selling, weird Ospreay faces as always, highly questionable spots of every kind. I've seen worse but this was just not my kind of match at all.

Jerusalem posted:

Spectacular. Please put Claudio in New Japan again.

Lamuella posted:

my loving god, this match.

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

absolutely ruled

AlmightyPants posted:

this loving kicked rear end

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This was peak fun with great wrestling and building up Shota Umino’s future win over Kazuchika Okiada down the line. Plus, seeing Claudio Castangoli in New Japan was cool as hell, especially when you consider he nearly missed the booking.” -Tyler Forness

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

winkarningis - 6.0
"I liked it but not as much as everyone else. It is definitely not a 5 stars match but it was enjoyable due to the wrestlers participating. My favourite on the match was Claudio and it was surreal seeing him in a NJPW ring. Hopefully he will appear more in Japan in the future."

cutiemarshall - 6.0
"I don't understand the hype about this match to be honest. Of course, it was an okay bout, but there were no memorable sequences throughout the match. Ishii and Moxley had a few back and forth encounters that you have seen several times before from these two competitors. Tanahashi and Castagnoli didn't show much. The most memorable thing about the match was the ending sequence where Okada and Umino square off. The way Okada finished the match, it was a clear statement that his time is not over yet. Overall an okay match, but I expected a little more from this."

Numero6 posted:

Lol, I love this sort of post. I hope you'll keep it up for the others matches.

Edward Mass posted:

fez_machine, thank you for your write-ups. If you want, I can determine the next few match-ups in advance.

Punch McLightning posted:

Just in case anyone was curious, here are the matches from the Voices of Wrestling year end top 10 matches poll that didn't make it:

Fuminori Abe vs. Takuya Nomura, We Are Fighting Detectives 10/12/23

Ziggy Tzardust posted:

Everything their recent NJPW match was and more. They teased things from the first match, they clearly love working together and the crowd was absolutely nuclear. These two are barely in their primes yet and they're making a case for them being the two best British wrestlers of all time

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Match was amazing

Rarity posted:

Don't let this one get lost in the shuffle, it's totally worth your time. It's like if wrestling was chess. The only issue I had with it is RevPro's production is kinda shite. They had a hardcam set up but hardly ever used it in favour of really awkward angles that sometimes miss the action.

Akileese posted:

Ospreay vs ZSJ would have been even better if the production was on NJPW level and not revpro. I felt like I missed some really big spots.

wicka posted:

god this was good

Thanlis posted:

that was transcendent. Best boys.

Jerusalem posted:

what a match. Even RevPro's not particularly good production values brought it down.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

These RevPro commentators need to learn how to monitor mic levels, Jesus Christ

forkboy84 posted:

Was sat watching on my phone while getting madder & madder that my bus didn't turn up. Worse ways to kill 45 minutes or however long the video was but mate, the bus was due at 7:20 & I didn't get on a bus until 8:40 so Stagecoach right now can jump in a fire. Unlike Ospreay & ZSJ who deserve better than being watched on a phone with one eye on the rapidly depleting battery.

Jerusalem posted:

It reminded me of the old ROH DVDs I'd get which would open by blasting out the sounds levels and whose mics always sounded like they were peaking.

Lumbermouth posted:

RevPro's production values are the whole reason I haven't been able to get into them. They're so loving amateurish for a promotion their size.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

Yeah NGL, the camera work, lighting and audio were loving atrocious. Really took me out of the match. By comparison of the indie stuff I've seen, OTT stuff looks and sounds leagues better.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“There’s a very good reason this is second on my list, aside from it being one of the best matches of the year. It was the main event of the only live show I got to attend. That was 11 months ago. What I wouldn’t give to soak up that atmosphere for a few more minutes. Ospreay and Sabre have always meshed well together, the old boxing adage that styles make fights holding true as Ospreay’s high-flying style is the perfect foil for Sabre’s technical, submission game. The match was replete with spots from all of their previous matches but seemingly with new kinks – the evolution of their respective games pushing them to a new level. The finish seemed a little sudden but it showed the evolution of Ospreay, as it was the Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker that finally put Zack away and brought him his first British Heavyweight title reign.” -Andrew Sinclair

“The best examples of modern UK wrestling and the evolution that has happened there culminating in a classic match.” -Dave Musgrave

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 3.0
"Another hyped Ospreay match that I didn't get much out of. I actually liked their New Japan match around the same time, but this one just seemed just showy for the sake of itself, and the lack of selling by Ospreay really makes a guy like Sabre's techniques seem pretty much useless. A full half hour of just moves moves moves."

Scott Kobayashi - 4.0
"This match frustrates me so much. It IS good. In theory. In execution, it comes off as indulgent and about as un genuine as it gets. I have no clue what it is, but I despise this match. It just comes off as two guys doing moves with no fluidity in between the movements even if there is technically moves in between. Ospreay tanks this match HARD and it was the first match that snowballed into him becoming one of the most frustrating wrestlers on the planet. The Sapporo match is special because of escalation, timing, and the dynamicness of the match. This is long, indulgent, and boring. Again, I can see why people like it, but this match is just not for me and probably my least favorite good match of 2020. **3/4"

Jerusalem posted:

Ahem, in the words of a Japanese commentator..... "AHHHH! DANGEROUS! DANGEROUSSSSSS!"

karmicknight posted:

Orange Cassidy did a run in from a loving trunk

NienNunb posted:

Match of the Century

Jordan7hm posted:

Holy gently caress yes

The Berzerker posted:

YEAH

xbilkis posted:

gently caress yes

flashy_mcflash posted:

MOT F'N DECADE

Fentry posted:

Just kept getting better and bettter

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Was going to HM it till we got to the end but Orange Punch and Sue middle finger put up to MOTYC yes

Trying posted:

sue hugged her bloody son. wrestling is about emotions

boxcarhobo posted:

IM SO HAPPY RN

Dango Bango posted:

This match was one of the most intense I've ever seen.

ARMBAR A COP posted:

VIOLENCE

Majinfoose posted:

It was such a perfect end to the feud. The middle finger deserves MOTY on it's own.

bladeworksmaster posted:

Yes, yep, mhm, yeah.

Crapple! posted:

Hell yes. Phenomenal.

TV Zombie posted:

They gave the people what they wanted.

Punch McLightning posted:

gently caress yeah, this was great

ICR posted:

It’s the best match I’ve seen all year. It was gripping. It was brutal. It is the best street fight I’ve seen.

It’s the best the best the best the BEST THE BEST THE BEST.

And it made me a believer in both these teams. They both need to hold the belts, simultaneously.

Pinche Rudo posted:

Did someone show Tony Khan Zona 23?!?!

Lamuella posted:

Absolutely agreed, this was utterly fantastic.

Cerebral Bore posted:

Holy hell what a show. And what a loving main event, easily one of the top five matches that I've seen all year.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“What an absolutely brutal, different kind of a match. It wasn’t the street fight I was expecting, nor was it a cinematic match. It was instead a brutal match that treated cars the way a normal match would treat tables. Great use of Orange Cassidy as well.” -Mongo Underscore EBooks

“One of the best street fights I’ve ever witnessed — they built this match up perfectly as you felt these four men wanted to beat the bloody pulp out of each other. Spots felt so realistic, the Orange Cassidy spot was a huge moment and the Sue payoff at the end was a chef’s kiss.” -Bill Bodkin

“This was in my opinion the best cable television match of the year. It easily could’ve transpired into a Attitude Era hardcore match with a bunch of backstage nonsense, but it was instead a well drawn out match that used the hardcore elements to progress things. Really fun to watch and left me looking forward to the next episode of Dynamite.” -Nick Davidson

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

UltraNano54 - 3.0
"It's essentially no different from any of those random attitude era backstage brawls which I was never a fan of and is one of the many reasons I don't really miss that era of wrestling. Also Chuck and Taylor are very out of place in this match."

Punch McLightning posted:

Great lucha de apuestas match, with Villano in particular doing some really crazy moves.

Oil! posted:

I did a quick look around when this match happened and saw nothing. This deserves to be a MOTYC. It is a rematch of their fathers, and keeps going.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The long historical lore attached to this. The Visceral nature of the match. The uniqueness of the lucha style.” -Franky DeJesus

“Luchas de apuestas between two masked wrestlers are my favourite thing in professional wrestling. Even a bad apuestas has a gravity born of real stakes – somebody’s life is going to change. The stakes are real and defined, and every element of the match is filtered through and elevated by them. For Villano III Jr., that pressure is even greater, for he seeks to defend the mask given to him by his father; to build his own legacy, he must risk the legacy of his heritage. Throughout the match that pressure mounts, until finally Villano decides that victory is more important than honour. He leaves with the mask of Aereo, and, vitally, his own. That is what matters.” -Jeff Martin

“It’s not often that you see long-term storytelling in lucha libre. This was a battle with hate, drama in every fall, an extraordinary blend of styles and callbacks to the historic Atlantis vs. Villano Mask match 20 years ago. An unforgettable match between two rivals and a coming-of-age for Villano III Jr..” -Ricardo Gallegos

“This match was unique in that it combined all of the elements of AAA into one match. It was two out of three falls, it featured a ton of high-flying, as well as the typical hardcore spots and some great technical wrestling as well. A cool thing about the match is that it was the culmination of a feud that had been lasting for years, something that is mainly seen in wrestling involving main event wrestlers, but Aereo and Villano III Jr. are not main event wrestlers, they are mid-card young guys on the rise. While neither Aereo or Villano III Jr. have been able to do much this year after this match, it was a tremendous showcase for young talent in front of a really hot crowd.” –Jesse Collings

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Javichohervas - 7.0
"I was going to rate and comment the match but it's word for word what Makai Club said. I feel EXACTLY the same way about this match."

Makai Club - 7.0
"Sadly going against the grain on this one. I wanted to LOVE it but it wasn't to be. The first fall was decent. There was some good lucha mat-work, with the headstand slap exchange sequence to boot. The second fall wasn't great but it set up some good elements like Villano showing more rudo tendencies with Villano III Jr injuring his leg seemingly but it turning out that he was faking it and then captalized on that when Aereo was distracted. And the blood being drawn with Villano III Jr hitting a tope that nailed Aereo in the face. Both looked to have drawn blood from it. And I'm not comparing it to Atlantis vs Villano III as a whole match but that spot was pretty much the same - now that's a good way to emulate a great match. Villano III Jr didn't take long to finish the fall after that. The third fall was good in parts. Villano throwing Aereo in the crowd ruled. He did it so recklessly too. And with the camera being fixed to a certain point, we only saw him being thrown and if he landed on anyone which was probably for the best. This big tin thing was thrown at both guys heads. The brawling was pretty violent and honestly chaotic in ways most brawls aren't. Villano took a nutty bump onto some chairs which transitioned into a crazy dive Aereo took from the light structure. But I oddly felt uninvested in the nearfalls and the big final struggle for the win. The key for the apuestas matches is their high level drama and maybe it's just not really being into either luchador but this didn't have that. And that gave the entire match a ceiling for how much I enjoy the match overall. And that finish. I'm unsure if it was a shoot but that was a lame duck of a finish. A count out? What a way to lose your mask. Ah. This had me and then it didn't by the end. Good match that probably needs revisiting but right now, it's good to a point but not great like you'd expect. ***1/2"


AfRotaker - 7.0
"Also ich seh da schon das Positive, die beeindruckende Stimmung. die Dramatik, auch die Athletik. Ich seh aber auch viel Leerlauf, einige Aktionen die daneben gingen und ein sehrt fragwürdiges Finish. Ich habe Aereo nie wieder vorher oder nachher gesehen."

Rarity posted:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Jerusalem posted:

Holy poo poo this match.

Taffy Torpedo posted:

Tsuji is a fucken star, baby.

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

Tsuji might be that fuckin guy

gripebomb posted:

Dear mother of god....

SG Bamboo posted:

Yota fuckin Tsuji, cannot wait until that man is the top champ of the company. Bill is pretty good too I guess

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“While Yota Tsuji returned from excursion far ahead of his peers, I couldn’t help but feel there was something missing in his work. His aura was undeniable and his moveset was flashy, but his matches lacked a certain connective tissue. However, his encounter with Will Ospreay at Destruction in Kobe was a true star making performance. Coming out of this show, I felt very optimistic about the future of New Japan, as a match with one of the promotion’s bright young stars hit the same peaks as several of my all time favorites” -Ry Harrison

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 3.0
"What can I say? Another virtually identical Ospreay match. Its what the people want to see so I cant really criticize it, but at this point I just have interest in it, theres just not one thing different or memorable about this match compared to the last two dozen big Ospreay matches or more, they just seem flat out interchangeable to me. Just feels totally soulless to me, Ospreay could be wrestling his worst enemy, his best friend, or a pile of lint and it would be pretty much the same. Way too long for my taste, counters Ive sen before, spots Ive seen before, Yota really had no opportunity to show what makes him unique because he was just wrestling the Ospreay formula. Its not the worst Ive seen or anything but I just cant muster much enthusiasm for it."

SoundwaveAU - 4.0
"Did you watch Ospreay/Naito, Ospreay/Okada or Ospreay/ELP from the G1 this year? Or any other standard Ospreay epic? Then you've basically seen this match, congratulations. This match was worse though, it felt like a parody of an Ospreay match, taking a bit of all the big Ospreay matches this year and combining it into something truly gross. It was structured similarly to Ospreay/Omega 1 (Ospreay wasn't as dominant as Omega was, but was still in complete control of this match until a desperation Gene Blast hit near the end) and had the loser doing the show of defiance before getting finished off at the end, had the stolen finisher kickout at 1 of Ospreay/Omega 2 (I don't know why there were stolen finishers in this match, it was nowhere near personal enough to warrant it) except completely soulless, and, well, I guess it's a pointless exercise to reference things like the counters and big spots, because that's literally every Ospreay match, so why bother? You know what this match is. It was too long, hit the point of diminishing returns way before the end. It featured the same predictable counters and spots as all the other big acclaimed Ospreay matches. Tsuji looked good, but not like, spectacularly so. He just held up his end of the bargain, but didn't bring anything unique to it. Which to be fair, is really hard to do when the Ospreay match structure is so defined and set in stone, and rarely ever deviates from a specific formula. I wish I could apparently wipe my mind clean like everybody else apparently does after an Ospreay match and pretend like I've never seen any of these exact same moves before in the same context in a different match. This is, what, the 10th-15th Ospreay match this year alone that was exactly like this (except most of them were mercifully shorter, around 20 minutes seems to be the optimal time for Ospreay's style of match) and you can't jingle keys in front of my face so many times and keep expecting me to be impressed by it. I'm so tired, bros."

Jerusalem posted:

Will Ospreay is the Wrestler of the Year for 2019 but Okada may legit be the best wrestler in history and putting both together was sensational.

Burn Down Canberra posted:

Not a lot I can add. They were fantastic.

forkboy84 posted:

It's loving great. Blessed time to be a wrestling fan.

A Real Horse posted:

When Okada wins the block and the G1 he’s going to pick SANADA and Ospreay and they’re going to have the best ever triple threat at Wrestle Kingdom and I am going to die of happiness.

Gaz-L posted:

I think you mean best double shot main event. SANADA on the 4th, Will on the 5th. (But for real, I think Ospreay's taking the block. And yes, I picked Ibushi in the contest)

lost my old email posted:

i did not think osprey was selling enough near the end but really good. like MOTYC if you do not have my crank hang ups good

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“What happens when the Wrestler of 2019 faces off against the greatest wrestler alive in a tournament that features the very best pro wrestling of the year? Exactly what one would expect to happen.” Kentucky210

“Obvious dream match of sorts of the two divisional flag bearers of NJPW. To get this as a block match in the G1 was nothing short of awesome. The finishing sequence of reversed finishers ending in Osprey taking the rainmaker like death was the perfect punctuation on this clash.” Nick Davidson

“Top class stuff. Already an atmosphere in the building before the match even starts due to the Chaos links. Ospreay’s athleticism is unmatched and I loved him reversing the rainmaker twice and using it to set up moves of his own. I bit on the near falls in this match but at the same time they weren’t over the top spammed. The fact that Ospreay did not get to hit Stormbreaker was great too as the match didn’t need that move unless it was to provide Ospreay with the win. Great things again from a G1 tournament match involving Will Ospreay.” Brian1zvx

“What do you except from two of the best wrestlers in the world. These two had a great match in G1 Climax. Ospreay proving to Okada that he is on his level and along with Okada’s selling and Ospreay’s offence this is why this match is so great. There is still the story in the future of Ospreay trying to get a win over his Okada.” Filip Pejic

“Another example of an incredible match built around a simple story, the student and the master. Will still chasing the elusive victory against his mentor in Japan Okada. Two of the best in the world in a match that is a potential Wrestle Kingdom main event down the line.” Gary O’Donoghue

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

NastyYaffa - 1.0
"Pretty much exactly how I imagined this match would be. Okada doing some super forgettable work on top, Ospreay getting some flippy comebacks w/ a few strikes here & there, and then a finishing gear full of counters that we've seen about 10 million times already in New Japan. A match that felt longer than it was, and a match that sure wasn't for my tastes. Extremely generic & predictable stuff."

Jerusalem posted:

I loved this, match was excellent, but it did have to follow that Mox/Shingo match which I can't help but compare it to. I thought the final quarter in particular was very strong and Okada's character work in particular was superb as always.

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Amazing match between 2 of the best. Just so good

forkboy84 posted:

****¼ is a really good match but also a disappointing one when you consider who was involved.

NJPW US crowds are super annoying. Rolled my eyes so hard when there was a This Is Awesome chant during the fine but definitely not awesome Giulia Adora match.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

N/A

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 4.0
"Better certainly than some of their matches together but I still find myself quite uninspired by this pairing, despite all the hype behind it. For me it's far too long with really nothing that stands out, nothing that is really memorable, nothing outside the normal formula for both these guys, no grit, no guts, just the expected flash to please the live crowd, and in all fairness it worked perfectly in that respect, it's just me that it doesn't work much for. I can't come out and say it's bad, I think it was at least less self indulgent than some of their matches, but in the end I was just not very entertained."

Cerebral Bore posted:

They say that wrestling is a work, but at times like these I find myself doubtful.

Jerusalem posted:

Holy gently caress, what a loving match.

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

probably would have loved it even more if I weren't so annoyed about Billy beating Taichi

Rarity posted:

This is shaping up to be the best wrestling show of the year

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This is another match that I was really looking forward to in last year’s G1 Climax tournament and once I heard KAZE NI NARE I was all in as I watched this show live at a time of the night where most normal humans should be sleeping. The match begins and the two feel each other out they each trade kicks to one another’s legs until Suzuki forces Ibushi in the corner to nail him with some strikes. The match was very slow paced at the start with some striking at the beginning until Suzuki took the match to the ground. Ibushi got into the ropes and forced the referee to stand him up to continue the match. They continue the feeling out process as Suzuki grabs Ibushi’s arm. Suzuki would trap Ibushi’s leg in an Achilles lock in the center of the ring and Ibushi would look to counter. At the 5 minute mark they are still on the ground and they eventually fight their way back up Ibushi forces Suzuki onto the apron and runs at him with a kick sending him crashing into the guardrail. Suzuki looks absolutely pissed as he walks about halfway up the ramp and sits down. He then invites Ibushi to meet him on the ramp as Suzuki walks further up the ramp. They trade blows on the ramp, Suzuki lands one stiff forearm to Ibushi’s jaw to knock him down. The two return to the center of the ring and trade forearms to each other’s faces. At the ten minute mark both men are down. This match was absolutely incredible as both Suzuki and Ibushi beat the poo poo out of each other for about two minutes or so. Ibushi would hit Suzuki Multiple times when Suzuki was down and all that did was get Suzuki to laugh stand back up and knock Kota off of his feet with one punch. Kota then drops Suzuki with another forearm and they both drop to the mat. This was a fight neither man blinked once and they didn’t let up they absolutely punished each other. They would trade forearms again this time laughing at the others attempts; the two get completely exhausted around the fifteen minute mark after punching each other out. Ibushi would go for the Kome Goye but Suzuki would roll with him to avoid it. Ibushi found himself on the ground and Ibushi grabbed a hold of his leg. Suzuki would cinch in a Boston Crab and then raise it up for a high angle variation. Ibushi worked his way back up and nails Suzuki with a knee which does nothing to Suzuki it just pisses him off more. Ibushi nails Suzuki with a knee and Suzuki falls over like a dead tree. Ibushi nails Suzuki with one last Kome Goye to cover Suzuki and score the win and the points. This match was slow at the start but it turned into a war. It was absolutely fantastic!” -Nathan Neumann

“This year’s G1 was by and large disappointing but this match was the only one that stood out like it could have been in any other year” -Andrew Lacelle

“Slapping, kicking and submissions oh my.” -Dave Musgrave

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

NastyYaffa - 7.0
"They beat the crap out of one another & smiled about it. Extremely enjoyable match. Some nice new ideas to the usual match type, but the highlights of the thing indeed were them just battering each other relentlessly & refusing to go down for another. Good poo poo. I didn't care for ALL of the forearm trading, because it's such a tired _thing_ in the grand scheme of things, but for the most part, these two were SO nasty with 'em, I couldn't help but to like what I was seeing."

MaveDeltzer - 7.0
"I liked this match a lot more the first time I saw it. Upon rewatching, the shoot style is still novel because you don't often see it go this far in New Japan, but the pacing and the strike exchanges leave a little to be desired. You had the palm strike exchanges and the trading of Achilles holds - which were all reminiscent of early Pancrase - but you didn't get the same drama you'd get from a knockdown in early Pancrase because the exchanges here were all pro wrestling style, with guys getting back up to scream and strike again. That stuff can sometimes get in the way for me and it did to some degree in this match."

realyoshihashi - 7.0
"It's pretty cool, I liked the general vibe of the match but the pacing never really got going. Minoru Suzuki very jokerfied here"

asitennakoon - 7.0
"This was a good match. But I don't see any reason why this is regarded as one of the best. First off, I don't understand why they started that slow even when they didn't plan to go long. The pacing didn't make sense. And then there was this moment where Minoru Suzuki went up to the ramp and invited Ibushi to fight there. It didn't lead to anything either. There was no reason for them to be up there if you were not using the environment. After they came to the ring, it was just the usual back-and-forth you see in Suzuki matches. Again, it wasn't bad. But there was nothing that I haven't seen before. ****1/2"

Causeahazard - 7.0
"They had exactly the kind of hard-hitting match you would expect from Ibushi and Suzuki, Some parts of the match really worked like who doesn't love hearing Suzuki murder someone but other parts just seemed a little too over the top character wise ie; Suzuki smiling after being hit with Kamigoye and being pinned ***Ÿ"

Jerusalem posted:

Absolutely loving incredible. Fenix is sensational and Kenny Omega keeps up with him every step of the way. Their in-ring chemistry is out of this world, they work so incredibly well together.

Dango Bango posted:

JESUS CHRIST

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Up there with the MOTYC at the dome god drat

ICR posted:

Couldn’t have said it better. Could be best match of Dynamite all year and we are

Just
Getting
Started!!

Jackie D posted:

unreal

Dimebags Brain posted:

Fenix is a loving madman.

Crapple! posted:

Absolutely insane

katatonic posted:

Fenix is out of this loving world

DuhSal posted:

match went full on and barely let up at all except for when they were chopping the poo poo of each other in pip

I Before E posted:

Really good

Evil Badman posted:

This match was on Wednesday night TV.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

One of the best TV matches I’ve ever seen. Maybe the best.

Rarity posted:

Just ridic

Lamuella posted:

absolutely ludicrous match. Loved it.

Punch McLightning posted:

my God. This is on the same level as the Ibushi WK matches in my opinion.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This may be the best TV match I have ever seen, 17 minutes of non-stop action (even with ad breaks) that had me on my feet for most of that time. Fenix never fails to amaze me but the rolling German Suplex from the top rope was special even by his standards.” -Mike Daysley

“It’s a real shame that the absolutely horrific events of January 6th, 2021 overshadowed the first AEW Dynamite of the new year, because that show featured what was easily one of the best matches of 2021. Kenny Omega vs. Fenix was a bout that had incredible potential on paper, but it delivered in spades when it actually happened. Omega always delivers in these big-time spots, while Fenix was nothing short of spectacular. While the result was never really in doubt, the action from start to finish was simply awesome. If you haven’t had the chance to see this match (and again….given the events of that awful day….I wouldn’t blame you), I would definitely recommend seeking it out. It 100% lives up to the hype.” -Sean Sedor

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

SanPellegrino - 1.0
"This match personally isn't for me, it's a very much a spotfest that I didn't find entertaining between these two guys"

DemonKing84 - 1.0
"The match was great but c'mon that ending was ridiculous. Fenix blatantly kicked out of the OWA but nobody on the commentary said anything. Why the hell would you raise your arm like that when you know you're losing. What the hell man? That turned me off completely. If that wasn't a kick out, then I don't know what it was."

Jerusalem posted:

This was masterfully put together, incredibly entertaining and is the best and only use I ever want to see a Light-tube have in a pro-wrestling match ever.

UnlimitedSpessmans posted:

this match loving owns.

Draxion posted:

Really unique and incredibly tense - not even just for a gimmick match, just in general.

TTBF posted:

That match invoked an entirely different form of tension than most matches and it delivered way more than I expected.

RealFoxy posted:

And for those in total confusion, there's one light tube in the match and you lose instantly if you break it. They had a live demonstration with trainees and everything

a cyborg mug posted:

Yeah, you'll never see wrestlers move so gingerly in a ring. Absolute edge-of-your-seat stuff that people seriously should watch

IceAgeComing posted:

very fun and perhaps the most clever match of the year in terms of how they made it really really work.

Jerusalem posted:

Just an interesting little fact, with the Peter Pan show that just aired, DDT is now only one MOTYC behind AEW's current total, which I thought was pretty cool considering how much attention AEW has gotten since it started running shows

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This was something you would expect from DDT, but for me never to the level it went. The concept of a one light tube deathmatch was goofy enough, but when I found out it was the one who breaks it loses, I had no idea what I was getting into. To my delight, this was incredible. It wasn’t something that for a wrestling match you toss on the spreadsheet and rank late in the year, it was something that makes your sheet because of how difficult it had to be to work this match. From the high spots involving the tube, the bumps around it, chain wrestling over it, flip bumps from the top, a missed moonsault, the works. Everything made you gasp for the fact one slight bit of error ends this match, whether it was a planned finish, or a legit accident. This kept my attention throughout because I didn’t know how it could end. Asuka at one point missed a spinning roundhouse kick that actually caught the tube, but didn’t break it, causing the building to gasp as they almost saw a finish. After a bit more, Akito goes for a muscle buster, only to have Asuka flip out, and throw a kick to the head that Akito counters by putting the tube to his head, thus causing Askua to break the tube on his head, giving him the win. This is one that probably wont rank near as high as I had it, but for me I just couldn’t get over how risky everything was having to make sure you don’t break the tube. Great work all around, facials were great, the ref helped with the nerves, and just a fantastic story. This is what makes DDT so special to so many fans. Such a simple concept that came out to perfection.” Ryan Cooke

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

MatteoMerdok - 6.0
"I gave this match *** 1/4 stars out of five. Really fun match, but I would not call it great. Entertaining in it's gimmick. Served it's purpose but not a workrate classic."

arrancar - 6.0
"Very unique concept with a lighttube needing to NOT be broken in order to win. There were some genuinely gripping moments watching both wrestlers narrowly and creatively avoid crashing into the tube. Pretty much every single spot and exchange here was different to the rest, meaning the match was always progressively more and more entertaining without a single dull moment. I can't consider this a great match simply because it's such a full-on silly gimmick match, but it had enough traditional wrestling tropes weaved in to ensure it was still pretty good. ***1/4"

Dooby -6.0
"A very amusing match to say the least. Both wrestlers are known to be very good, so I didn't doubt they would make this entertaining. That said there wasn't much to the match besides not trying to break the light tube. It made for some creative spots and sequences, but at the end of the day, amusing is all I can think of the match, ***1/2."

Jerusalem posted:

This match was crazy and delivered exactly on what was expected, elevated even further by the rabid crowd. Two of the legitimately best tag teams in the world doing the most crazy, innovative and terrifying poo poo imaginable.

Oh Snapple! posted:

The strength of the pop on that breakup from Fenix is all I needed for this tbh

Also right winners and gently caress yes!!!!

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Amazing match

Truther Vandross posted:

Match of the loving forever Jesus Christ

njsykora posted:

Close the thread

Rarity posted:

FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK

Dango Bango posted:

Behind Bucks vs. Hangman/Omega as AEW's best all-time match.

Punch McLightning posted:

holy loving poo poo

SatoshiMiwa posted:

It's gonna win the Observer match of the year award easily

lamentable dustman posted:

that match was the best ever

Oh Snapple! posted:

yeah wrestling is done here

lock it up j-ru

Ivypls posted:

maybe a perfect match???

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

Not gonna start nominating every great AEW match because they'll probably already have enough votes by the time I get to the thread but this was special. Maybe the best Young Bucks match I've seen

Dimebags Brain posted:

Real good show, second favorite of the year, tag match was a top 3 match of the year.

njsykora posted:

I can’t really vote anything else from the show as a MOTYC just because I think the tag title match was one of if not the best match I’ve ever seen.

pumpinglemma posted:

gently caress your "contender" bullshit.

D.N. Nation posted:

I always go into to these sorts of things thinking "awards-baiting spot-fest," expecting to enjoy it but having no emotional attachment, and they still get me every time. Penta didn't even need the mask for all the crimson he had.

Rarity posted:

Penta diving in front of his brother to protect him from the tackshoe

a cyborg mug posted:

Notice the C is missing from YB vs LB because it’s not a ”candidate”, it just IS the best match. Yes, I did the same gimmick for the ChocoPro match earlier. I like pro wrestling

algebra testes posted:

I would have thrown money into the ring had I seen this live.

A Fancy Hat posted:

That tag title match deserves to be on the short list of best wrestling matches ever, simple as that.

I Before E posted:

did you see how tall that cage was?

SG Bamboo posted:

Some great moments in this, Fenix in particular did some very impressive things. Let out a laugh when the guy on the outside threw the black bag into the ring over the cage and it went straight to Matt who promptly dropped it. Not my favourite cage match this year but still very enjoyable

boxcarhobo posted:

this is not a call out or anything, i just got to see what someone would consider a better cage match than that match, so give it up, what was the best cagematch this year

SG Bamboo posted:

I've no doubt that someone who follows AEW week to week would prefer the one from All Out, just like I prefer the Noah one as an avid watcher of that promotion. I loving love Katsu Nakajima and couldn't believe when that absolute prick Kitamiya turned his back on their partnership and then didn't have the good graces to give up the tag belt that Kongoh earned.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Fantastic cage match – emotional ending.” -Joe Towner

“The best tag team match of 2021. Maybe the best cage match ever. Need I say more?” -Jeuron Dove

“I don’t know what else needs to be said about this match other than it was an instant classic. The AEW Tag Team Division is the best in the world, full stop, and it keeps getting better. The Lucha Brothers each bring an insane amount of charisma and god-given talent to each match there in; Penta is so charismatic that he could believably do promos even without the very talented Alex Abrahantes translating for the non-Spanish speaking masses, and I don’t think there’s anybody in the world with the ability in the ring that matches Fenix at his best. On the other side, for better or worse, the Young Bucks know how to make every show feel like it’s about them, and their run as champs was excellent throughout the year. The best match of the year, bar none.” -Slyguy46

“Best Tag Match I have seen since Misawa&Kobashi vs Kawada&Taue from All Japan” -The Future Hall of Famer Scottie B

“What a surprise, the “Tag Team Wrestling Matters” company has delivered another Match of the Year Tag Title bout. From the peacocking Lucha Bros intro, to the post match hug of Penta’s daughter, everything about this match captures the big fight feel that we just haven’t been seeing for much of the Pandemic Era. Brutal, bloody, a giant thing for Fenix to hurl himself off of (Get well soon!), the match has every ounce of drama you would expect from two teams with the best chemistry in the business. While other matches such as Omega/Danielson or the Hangman Page broadway might have stolen the headlines because of their big implications, at the end of the day this will be the match from 2021 that will hold up as the best of the year.” -Jason “Njiska” Westhaver

“This was my all-time match tag team match and cage match ever all in one. Everything about it was as perfect as I’ve ever seen.” -Josh Boutwell

“Pro wrestling is at it’s best when you can feel something. Pro wrestling is at it’s VERY best when it MAKES you feel something, and this match delivered. The entrances, the post-match celebration, the drama, the action, the twists and turns, this match made me finally feel something after a long, long time of detachment.” -Shane D

“I wasn’t expecting anything great to come out of this match. I am not a big fan of the stipulation, I was getting tired of watching the two teams wrestle each other and I was initially hoping to see the Jurassic Express face the Young bucks at the PPV. However, these two teams gave us one of the best cage matches ever. The match had a lot of creative spots and great storytelling that made the Lucha Brothers get a bigger pop from the Chicago crowd than CM Punk that night.” -Saud Al-Rasheedi

“An absolutely brutal match that had even my non-fan girlfriend enthralled. This is not a type of match I want to see all the time, but as an occasional blow-off to an intense feud, it’ll do. It also gets credit for going against-type: The main complaint about the Bucks and Penta/Fenix from a certain section of fans is that they’re all highspots and no story. The cage limited the opportunity for highspots and the story was heavily focused here.” -Greg Parks

“This was a war! The Lucha Brothers come in like true babyfaces and run wild early on before the Bucks are able to use the cage to batter the brothers. They try to isolate and pick off the Lucha Brothers and hit their trademark moves to end it quickly, but it’s not enough. So the Bucks get violent! They rip at the Lucha Brothers’ mask and bust both brothers open. Hit low blows on them and even use a shoe with thumbtacks on it for superkicks! They hit the BTE Trigger but the pin is broken up! The crowd is going mental at this point! The Lucha Brothers fire up and fight back. Fenix hits an insane dive off the top of the cage! Double team piledriver by the Lucha Brothers ends it! New Champions! The crowd loses their minds! What a match! What a finish!” -Alex Kalil

“The best tag team steel cage match ever” -Sidney L. Pullar

“I will forever have the image of Penta’s torn up, bloody mask smiling to his little girl in the crowd burned into my mind. The perfect ending to an incredible title reign from the Bucks.” -Sam Brown

“AEW capitalizes on its promise of top-tier tag team wrestling, filled with emotion, action, entrances, and intensity.” -David Majors

“This was an amazing spectacle of two of the greatest modern tag teams at the top of their game. You have great spots, storytelling, violent clashes, and the cage was actually used and worked as a gimmick. I was jumping up and down from beginning to end, and it is the best match live I have ever seen. It was a special match that created a special moment that I won’t forget.” -Abraham Delgado

“Insane…thats it…just insane” -Markeem Graham

“The biggest stage for the Lucha Brothers to shine on globally presented them with one of their best matches as a team and a showcase for just how masterful each team is at their style.” -Jeremy Peeples

“Very few moments this year matched the emotions conveyed after this match. The frightening juxtaposition of Pentagon, bloodied and mask ripped, greeting his family as an AEW champion for the first time was awe inspiring, something you could never script out properly. This was a match in which all four men truly gave it their all. The experience equally exhausting and cathartic for the audience as we watched a two year long feud come to a close on as high a note as you could imagine.” -Brian Moore

“It feels like AEW tradition at this point that every year the Bucks and Lucha Brothers are going to have a summer match and it’s going to be absolutely fantastic. This may have exceeded all the previous matches. From the amazing Lucha Brothers Entrance, to the tacks spot with the shoe, in which in a year with a lot of tack spots rises above the rest with a great piece of storytelling, to the performance of Fenix who once again made his case for 2021’s most impressive wrestler.” -Kentucky210

“The Fenix pinfall breakup in this match is the best pinfall breakup in history. For as loud as the crowd seemed on TV, it was even louder live. I had never felt anything like it.” -Brady Childs

“Fast-paced action, great story-telling, death-defying moments. Everything you would expect from these two tag teams.” -J.D. Oliva

“Perhaps the best match I have ever had the privilege of watching live. An amazing affair, story, wrestling, crowd investment, and emotion. Ask anyone who was in the suite with me that night, I was losing my drat mind. They might of not of been noticing as they were using their drat minds also. I remember everyone high-fiving each other once the match was over. Can’t blame us, it was that loving awesome.

I love pro-wrestling, and this match was a magnification of EVERYTHING I love about pro-wrestling, the spectacle, the athleticism, the sheer drama of it all, and the happy ending of watching The Lucha Brothers finally win the titles. I will treasure the fact I got to see this match live and in person for the remainder of my days. Fantastic, easy five stars, stellar, and I’ve watched it over and over again ever since. This is easily my favorite/best match of the year!” -Jeri L. Evagood

“I’ve been critical of how the Lucha Bros have been booked in AEW as both a tag team and as singles competitors. But here, everything was done to perfection. From the incredible entrance from the Lucha Bros alone, this was going to be the best match these two teams have had. Young Bucks and Lucha Bros have a chemistry that few others have and the low bar for any pairing of them is just a great match. This actually felt like a war, with Penta in particular gushing blood all over the place. Unfortunately the Lucha Bros tag reign would be a dud due to horrible booking once again, but one night, it was all done right.” -BlastoSTG

“Going to All Out was one of the greatest nights of my life, and this match is a big reason why. From the live performance of the Lucha Bros’ theme, expertly done by Mikey Rukus and Muelas De Gallo, I knew I was in for something special. Sure, I was initially hesitant about what these teams could do inside the limits of a steel cage, but those doubts were quickly assuaged as the match went on. It turns out Fenix doesn’t need to jump over the top rope to make people lose their minds, he can just jump off the top of the cage instead. The Bucks were on top of their game, combining wildly cool sequences with punchable faces and heart-pounding drama. The bloody and defiant Lucha Bros, with an energetic Alex Abrahantes as their hypeman, made for great babyfaces. And then you have the third participant in this match, the crowd. We were, no pun intended, all in for this match. When Rey Fenix broke up the pin after the BTE Trigger, a move that had put away team after team during the Bucks’ reign, we went absolutely bonkers. Then when the Lucha Bros won, I literally leapt to my feet in rapturous joy. After dealing with so much real-life nonsense over the past few years, this match made all of it disappear. It’s the best match I’ve ever seen live.” -Andrew Rich

“The Young Bucks and The Lucha Brothers have had a number of excellent tag team encounters in AEW, and after each one, you’re often left with the thought “There’s no way they’re topping that”. However, this Steel Cage Match from the All Out PPV in September somehow managed to top all of their previous bouts together. There was incredible action right from the opening bell, and while one might think that the Steel Cage would limit these four, that was certainly not the case here. The two teams used the Steel Cage to great effect, and the match closed with The Lucha Brothers finally winning the AEW World Tag Team Titles in front of a red hot crowd in Chicago. These are two of the absolute best tag teams in the world, and once again, they knocked it out of the park.” -Sean Sedor

“I was there, in the “VOW Suite” with my 36 week pregnant fiance, two of my absolute best friends, several members of the VOW crew, and Dave Meltzer in the suite next to us. As unbelievable an experience being at All Out live was, this match might have been even better. There’s two things that stick out the most about this one. First is Fenix’s perfect dive off the cage. The second, and something that will be etched into my brain forever, came curtesy of Alex Abrahantes. All four were laying on the mat in the ring, and Alex FIRED THE gently caress UP. He was waving his arms, jumping and running back and forth outside the cage, and stoking the fire of an already red hot Chicago crowd. The swell of noise that he caused is something like I have never heard and ever experienced. He took the crowd from a fever pitch to euphoria. Not only is this easily the best match I have ever experienced live, but it’s one of my favorite matches ever.” -Steve Case

“This match stands as possibly one of the best tag-team matches of all time, and I feel that is exceptional, considering that the AEW Tag Titles were contested in a steel cage. A steel cage removes the need for tagging in and out, which undercuts much of the fundamental and unique psychology that we love specifically about tag-team wrestling. The fact that the Jackson Brothers, along with Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix composed one of the most highly dramatic tag bouts in ages, without the benefit if the tropes that make tag-team wrestling what it is, speaks to the skill of which these four competitors not only executed their match and told their story – but they defied the conventions of their division and still managed to have an unmistakable classic of tag-team wrestling. A feat unmatched by any other match of 2021.” -Reuel Castillo

“A rip roaring rollercoaster of emotion, showmanship and super cool wrestling. Top drawer” -Joey O’Doherty

“Seeing this match live was an experience that I will never forget in my time as a fan of professional wrestling. From the vivid entrance that welcomed the Lucha Brothers to the NOW Arena to the heelish audacity for the Young Bucks to lace their shoes with thumbtacks at the sole, this was a violent, personal battle that cemented these two groups as being the soulmates of tag team wrestling. I’m in awe about how they keep outdoing their rematches against each other. The crowd was thoroughly behind the Lucha Brothers. Chanting what must have felt like 100 “cero miedos” for the whole cage match was an experience that could only be met at a pro wrestling event.” -Caro

“This match was everything that is good and wonderful about pro wrestling.

It had the athleticism, it had the violence, but perhaps most importantly, it had the payoff to a couple of longterm narratives. First, the match felt like a cap to one of AEW’s first-established feuds, as the Bucks & Lucha Bros reignited their rivalry that produced some of the best matches in the company’s short history back in 2019. Second, the match saw 2 villains in the Young Bucks forced to finally defend their belts on an even playing field, thanks to the added stipulation steel cage.

In the end, all of the elements mentioned above came together (along with a heartwarming postmatch which saw a still-bloody Penta embrace his wife & kids) to create one of the most memorable pro wrestling matches, not just of 2021, but of all time.” -Liam Renner

“Every time I watch the Young Bucks and the Lucha Bros wrestle they find a way to blow my mind. This All Out steel cage match was incredible. It was refreshing to watch a cage match where the participants weren’t trying to run out of the cage. Instead, they just wanted to beat the crap out of each other. There were so many great spots and double team moves in this match. I popped for the return of the infamous shoe full of thumbtacks which left Penta a bloody mess. I’ll never forget Fenix’s insane Crossbody off the top of the cage. This is easily one of the best cage matches I’ve seen in my 30 years of watching wrestling.” -Jeremy Donovan

“Two years ago, I wrote that the Young Bucks were undoubtedly the greatest tag team of all-time after their ladder match with the Lucha Bros at All Out 2019. In the then-Sears Center (now the NOW Arena). Two years later, in that same building, against that same team, the Bucks put forth their greatest performance yet. This was the full Young Bucks experience on display: an exhausting, exciting, and innovative display of tag team wrestling. They hit every note perfectly. I had assumed I had seen everything possible from these two teams, but they raised the stakes in this now-legendary feud once more. Each time the Bucks put forth another MOTYC effort, it’s like watching Kareem win the title with the Lakers in ’85 or Jordan winning the latter half of his six titles. It’s rare that we get to see the greatest of all-time in any given field pad their resume in real-time. The Young Bucks, with the help of matches like this, are continuing to propel their legacy into uncharted territory.” -Case Lowe

“For years, the cage match was an outdated relic. WWE and TNA had overutilized the match and the importance of it dwindled. Years went by without a significant cage match on national television. The more relevant matches were typically done on indie shows, who because of the cost/set-up associated with the cage, would only break it out for a truly important match.

The Young Bucks and Lucha Brothers do not seem like an ideal teams to have a great cage match, since both teams are so excellent at diving outside the ring and along the ropes. However, they showed they could have a cage classic that would rival any other match of its kind in history, a thrilling display in front of a molten hot Chicago crowd. While fans theorized before the match that some truly crazy stunts would be the highlight of the match; both teams played it relatively conservative given past risks they have taken. In a lot of ways that made the match even more impressive; it was an amazing spectacle, but there were no instances where you thought somebody died. A classic tag team match between two of the best teams to ever do it.” -Jesse Collings

“These two teams have had many classics throughout their many encounters, but this was probably their best yet. Violent and exciting match. The Bucks and the Lucha Bros are just perfect for each other.” -Evandro Furtado

“The Young Bucks have become staples of giving the fans of professional wrestling at least one match a year that can be in the consideration as at least tag team match of the year. However, over the last two years, they have been able to put on some of the best tag team matches of all time. That’s where we go here as the Steel Cage battle between them and The Lucha Brothers is potentially the best tag team match I have ever witnessed. The story at hand was simple as the match went on and you could begin to feel for Penta and Fenix. As Penta stepped in front of his brother to take the spiked superkick, it was easy to forget that this was a match for tag team gold. The bout was filled with jaw-dropping spots and ridiculous moments that make this one of the best tag team matches of all time.” -Scott Edwards Jr.

“Two teams ready and willing to do the stupidest things in a cage, what’s not to love.” -Semi Salmikannas

“It is the best match I’ve ever seen live. It is the best match of the Young Bucks excellent title reign, as well as the best match of the Lucha Bros career as a team. The Bucks solidified themselves as one of, if not the best tag team of all time with their excellent reign as AEW Tag Team Champions. This was a match that deserved to end that reign as it was AEW’s best match of the year. Just an excellent combination of emotion, athleticism, and violence coming together in a perfect storm of a wrestling match. The highlight of AEW’s most-marquee PPV of the year.” -Suit Williams

“It could be the fact we drove into town to watch this live, but the sheer craziness of the fast paced spots, no sells, bumps, and huge dive from Fenix, this felt like something special. We see gimmick matches all the time now a days with the basic standard American wrestling has now, but this one had just that feel of them having a wrestling match, with the cage as a bonus. We laughed at war games how it’s just people hitting each other with things just do it, where as this was guys working a match, having the gimmick surrounding them as a bonus. This felt the same way the Takeda vs Kodaka match from June 2018. They had a fantastic wrestling match, and just used the extra elements as a bonus. The payoff also of the Lucha Bros finally winning the titles also helped the cause, as the Bucks had been the most dominant team in wrestling over the course of the last year or so.” -Ryan Cooke

“After having three classics to start the promotion just two years prior, these two legendary teams topped themselves, including the infamous tacks on the Jordans. Remarkable match which was made better being there live.” -Tyler Forness

“Two red hot teams, locked in a cage, and doing their damndest to murder one another. Hard to imagine it not being on the absolute top of anyone’s list, but drat was 2021 a crowded year for banger matches. Fenix deserves special credit for how absolutely insane he was.” -James “NuclearConvoy”

“The greatest cagematch I’ve ever seen. That’s it. That’s the only way to describe this.” -Ed Kody

“I really didn’t expect my ballot to be so AEW heavy, but what can you say against the amazing run this company had this year? All Out, one of their best shows ever, reached its apex with one of the most amazing cage matches, most amazing tag title matches of all time. Am I biased to the Lucha Bros? 100%, but they and the Bucks decided to blow away all expectations and top their insane ladder match from 2 years prior. Great, great stuff here.” -Tim Teresi

“Lucha Bros and Young Bucks can’t seem to help themselves in Chicago. 2 out of the last 3 All Out shows featured these two teams going (forgive me) all out! This cage match was absurd in all the right ways.” -Doug Fowler (Skeach101)

“What a match. This is one of the greatest rivalries in tag wrestling. The cage added another dimension and both teams delivered.” -BJ Bethel

“I regret to inform you the Young Bucks are the greatest tag team of all time. Sorry to be controversial! Sorry about that. At this point I don’t think there’s anyone close. All of their high-level matches are near perfect. In terms of understanding the crowd, they might be smarter wrestlers than anyone working today. Add Fenix — who somehow makes impossible things possible — and a steel cage, and you just have a beautiful tag team wrestling match. Not sure what I can add that hasn’t already been said except maybe that the Lucha Bros. intro alone made this an automatic five-star classic.” -Paul DeBenedetto

“My brother (an overly excitable wrestling fan who hates the Bucks), his girlfriend (a bewildered non-fan who kept asking what the hell was happening), and my exceptionally stoic English friend (a not as excitable but very invested fan) were at my house for All Out and watching with the three of them really crystallized just what made this match so special. Every twist and turn, from the Bucks’ tack-covered sneakers to Fenix’s characteristically spectacular and spontaneous comebacks popped my living like you wouldn’t believe. My brother and I are jumping up and down yelling “oh my god,” my brother’s girlfriend is gasping and muttering “this is sick” and asking my wife if these guys are going to be okay, and my friend is silently grinning. It was a perfectly intense viewing experience. It was also an extremely rewarding babyface triumph from a company that is making a wonderful habit of delivering such moments. Pentagon bleeding his face off from behind a torn mask and screaming for the Bucks not to superkick his brother with their weird tack-shoes was a highlight. That kind of emotion is such a treat in wrestling and it’s what makes this match so memorable for me.” -Casey Fiore

“I’m going to start this one by first saying this, I am not a fan of the Young Bucks at all I wont say why because this isn’t the time and place for it but I’ll just say that they aren’t for me. However having said that I can’t be biased against them because when they are good and they are put up against the right opponents (in this case the Lucha Bro’s) they are GOOD! I ordered this show to see this match because it intrigued me as a Lucha Brother’s fan. AEW’s PPV price is very steep in today’s market but this match alone paid for the entire show that’s how good it was! Sometimes when there’s a cage match wrestlers based on experience wont take advantage of their environment inside of it but this match was excellent because all four men used the cage to their advantage whenever they could which added to the match. It can’t even count how many times someone got trapped in between the cage and the ring itself. The cage itself was really well done because we’ve all seen some pretty crappy cage set ups at events I’m sure but the look of the cage was a sight to see in and of itself. Another thing that I really liked about this match and the way that it was set up was that these teams wanted to not only beat each other up as they did throughout but the match ended with a pinfall victory. When I first got into wrestling a cage match was always something that excited me when they happened but what I didn’t like was the cage escape rules so when someone escaped the cage I never felt that it really solved anything at all. However with this match it ended in a pinfall and it needed to in a grudge match of this magnitude oh and did I mention BLOOD? Because this match had lots of it, go watch this match RIGHT NOW you wont be disappointed! Also just a warning this match is not for the faint of heart.” -Nathan Neumann

“One of the greatest cage matches I have ever witnessed.” -Jacob Nelson

“Was in the building for this and couldn’t believe how much they did and how crazy it got. Had to catch your breath after this match.” -Very Worried About Ibushi’s Shoulder

“The greatest Steel Cage tag team match ever, this match should be the case study on how to do this type of match. With so many moments that will on video montages in the years to come, maybe it’s iconic moment even eclipsing Fenix’s dive off the top of the cage came after the 3-count when a bloodied Penta embraces his children.” -Peter Edge

“The best tag team of all time does it again. The best tag match ever.” -Lee Malone

“On 4 September 2019, Case Lowe wrote an article titled “Are we sure the Young Bucks aren’t the Greatest Tag Team Ever?” and I was one of the many people who replied in the comments… “Yes, we’re pretty sure”. Fast forward 2 years of peak tag wrestling in AEW and this match, and I’m not so sure anymore.” -PW_IND

“This is actually the sole tag match of my list – the Tag Match of the Year. Honestly, I don’t usually love these sorts of spot-eccentric matches, but for a reason I can’t quite put my finger on, I absolutely loved this steel cage fight. It’s an oddity to me that I can’t not rate this match so highly on my list. Somehow, it just hit the perfect spot.” -Jamie Johnson

“The crown jewel of AEW’s best pay-per-view show to date. Arguably, the greatest tag match in the young history of a company that made tag team wrestling a point of emphasis from day one. The greatest tag team in history (or at least the modern era) is bested by excellent opponents peaking at the right time. It might not be tag team perfection, but it might very well be the closest we’ll get for a long time.” -TDE

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mohabrok - 0.0
"Spots spots spots spots spots *Sequence* spots spots spots *Finisher* spots spots spots spots spots spots spots *Superkick Party* spots spots spots spots spots, wow this is the greatest match of all time? this is just bad picture of tag team wrestling. Sad, really SAD"

LivingLegend - 0.0
"This was horrendous and probably the worst "match" I have ever watched. The overly choreographed spots, that asinine sequence where they take turns super kicking each other for what feels like 5 minutes, just, god drat. How can anyone call this wrestling' It's a circus act. The Young Bucks have been wrestling for well over a decade and they can't sell for poo poo. Awful awful awful. Criticize guys like Gargano and Adam Cole all you want, but they don't disrespect the business as much as The Bucks do. [DUD]"

super macho dude posted:

There will plenty of 5 star cagematches in AEW, sounds insane to say but true, but that DDT reverse deathmatch was a once in a lifetime thing.

jesus WEP posted:

I’m not sure if this tops Ishii/Okada but it was a hell of a match that just flew past and had some of the cleverest spots I’ve seen in ages, and the most convincing nearfalls to boot

Jerusalem posted:

Started slow but the back half picked up and the last quarter was loving sensational. My heart was in my throat throughout, simply amazing performances by both.

Rarity posted:

holy loving poo poo

Aesculus posted:

god drat

Burn Down Canberra posted:

So good

MassRafTer posted:

Loved how they fooled me the last few minutes. Not on nearfalls but they'd set up sequences and counters that seemed so obvious, then add a little twist, then do something totally unexpected. Really good stuff. Okada did do the best version of the lazy horrible Jeff Jarrett raise one arm kickout I've seen in years though. He actually made it seem like he was too hosed up to do anything more, and unlike Jeff he actually got his shoulder up.

Jerusalem posted:

I am so glad I'm not the only one who saw that and immediately thought,"Wait, is that what Jeff Jarrett thought he was doing all these years?"

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Yes oh yes

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

N/A

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

NastyYaffa - 2.0

"The beginning hold exchanging wasn't the most compelling stuff, but I still liked it - SANADA especially brought some charm into things & him locking Okada in the Paradise Lock was legitimately an awesome moment. Then there's some dull stuff with Okada on top, and then shortly the match becomes your usual Okada big match counterfestival - you either like it, or you don't care for it, and unfortunately I am on the latter boat. *1/2"

LionYeti posted:

Hot drat that ruled

Kvantum posted:

This show just don't quit.

Jerusalem posted:

It absolutely ruled but had the misfortune of being on the same card with two other absolutely spectacular matches.

Lamuella posted:

It's recency bias but I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny vs Soup becomes my favourite singles match of all time.

closet statist posted:

I was a bit soft on omega / takeshita somehow (???) so Ill hold off the nom until a rewatch I think. Whole show was great though. tony has done it again

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“An underrated banger and a match I was personally waiting for all year after the Don Callis turning on Kenny Omega thing. Kenny Omega in a big match on a ppv? Consider the show stolen and give him match of the night every single time. This was a high octane match that felt like a G1 Climax encounter. Omega took some nasty bumps in this one. Avalanche Blue Thunder Bomb? Are you kidding me? It’s a stiff, explosive match full of high impact offense and it never slows down. A Kenny Omega special, if you will. Even the Don Callis interference was done well. Omega’s unselfishness isn’t talked about enough. Guy is always putting people over and making them look excellent while doing it. This was the biggest win of Takeshita’s career and one of the best clean wins over a huge star in AEW’s history. It’s a shame Takeshita hasn’t done much since.” -Noveliss

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Wieczus - 4.0
"On this show we have seen two ideas of putting over a young talent in a match. One was Danielson who did an excellent job of making Ricky a star with a match that made sense in which every little move told a story. The other one was Omega who thinks that kicking out of every single move in the world makes a star. Brainbuster on the floor in the first minutes, needless Senton on the chairs and again the screwdriver bollocks. This is just cheap and lazy."

Mizzle Assault Ant - 4.0
"They made a huge deal about "I will end your career and possibly murder you! ", but it felt like the match itself reflected nothing of that. Aside from one or two spots, it seemed to be wrestled basically like any ol' exhibition match between these two might be with no particular intensity or fire. If anything I thought Takeshita really carried the match, but he has been so forgotten in the build that it didn't capture my excitement very much to see it. It's been so much Don Callis, who continued to poke his nose in with the lame screwdriver spots. The only spot that actually seemed serious was the head drop, and Misawa could tell you it's a bad idea to play with those, ah wait, no he can't actually. And then Omega didn't even bother selling it after about 30 seconds, so why even do it? Another more is less Omega match. The crowd liked it a lot so the job was done, but it wasn't really for me."

SG Bamboo posted:

Here is a link to the New Japan Cup Match, which I will have to rewatch myself because I don't remember it at all

Truther Vandross posted:

Started slow but HOLY loving poo poo

Cav posted:

Stated off a little slow, but that third fall was an absolute banger.

Jerusalem posted:

First half was a little underwhelming but GODDAMN that second half.

mfcrocker posted:

absolutely, somehow the best match on the card

Akileese posted:

Probably match of the weekend. Started a bit slow but an amazing end sequence.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Best match I’ve ever seen live on an amazing card” Arya Witner

“I was in attendance for this match and in the building Cole was way more over with the crowd than Gargano was. In the finishing stretch, people in my section were getting very upset every time Gargano kicked out, and to be honest he kicked out of so many killer Cole moves that it felt like overkill. On rewatch, it didn’t feel like overkill at all. Here you have Cole, and arrogant prick leader of a group that isn’t afraid to get involved in one another’s matches, who has told his opponent that his Takeover milestones and his teammates will help carry him to victory. Then you have Gargano, whose months-long plan to get another title shot against his arch-nemesis went up in flames when said nemesis went down with a possible career-ending injury. Those two stories crashed together here spectacular fashion, as Gargano absorbed everything that Cole threw at him, caught on to Cole’s patterns, and tapped him out twice to win the title. What makes his title win here all the more satisfying is that he didn’t have to sacrifice his ethics to do it. After months of cheating and losing or cheating only to win the secondary title, he won like a man and got the biggest prize of all (while Cole lost even though he cheated as much as he could). The spectre of Tommaso Ciampa hung heavy over this match, with both Gargano and Cole using moves from the former champ’s arsenal to play mind games and get an advantage. While this wasn’t the ending to the Gargano/Ciampa story we were expecting, it was very satisfying given the circumstances.” Brad Garoon

“Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole are incapable of having anything less than stellar matches at TakeOvers. This match was the cap on a night that had at least three match of the year contenders between NXT and NJPW.” Slyguy46

“One of the best WWE moments of the last decade, as Gargano completes his fairytale-like rise to the top of NXT. A rare long term WWE story that paid off that is also a sad reminder of how good this company could be if they really cared.” Paco Silva

“I was lucky enough to be in the building for this one. The energy in the building during this match is something I’ve never felt at a wrestling show before. A+ stuff from these two.” Brett Miles

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant -0.0
"Fair play to those who love this match, to me this is the nadir of NXT and the surest sign that I made the right choice to high tail it away from the brand. This was pretty much the exact opposite of what I want to see in wrestling. Melodramatic in the extreme, billed as a blood feud but totally lacking in any real intensity, Gargano becomes invincible for lack of any better ideas, and good god the match just goes on and on and on forever."

Makai Club - 0.0
"I think this match is a perfect example of WWE big matches failing. The first two falls were so forgettable and mediocre. Small things like Gargano going down to the first Last Shot, but not the second. It just common sense really that would've helped the first parts of the match along the way, but nope, it didn't happen. Then the third fall happened, and the match turned from mediocre to awful at an alarming rate. I know that people will praise anything that has a long series of kick outs, even if the entire match is very mediocre. Just the way it is nowadays, people only care about a closing stretch without taking in account the build up to that spot. Even then, the finishing stretch was nothing but kick outs on an absolutely ridiculous scale. It was laughable at how many kick outs there actually was in the match. There was more than 10 kick outs, at least including, Gargano kicking out of chasing the dragon, a Panama Sunrise, tons of superkicks, a fairy tale ending on the table, absolutely EVERYTHING Cole has and he kicked out of all of it. A huge burial of Cole? s offence, and I don't use burial lightly. This is the stuff people, rightly, criticised Roman vs Brock at WM 34 for. It's certainly way worse than what Cena did to the Nexus because at least it didn't have this amount of unnecessary excess that this match haf. Their selling was so awful too - both guys have no clue on when to no sell moves and when to sell. The no sell superkick into another superkick is one of the worst sequences in Wrestling and people should stop using it. This wouldn't be out of place in the worst of PWG which is saying a ton. There is literally nothing I thought that was enjoyable about this match barring a pretty nice spear on the apron. The rest was a true masterpiece of pure garbage. DUD"

Shoot Headbutt Lover - 0.0
"The more I think and watch this match my brain hurts, I know they had the story of making Gargano look like superman cause he's been kicked around for months but jesus does he have to no sell everybody's finisher' It just makes the move weaker than him looking stronger. Also this match runs so long and does all the typical 2 out of 3 falls cliches. EDIT: So I rewatched this match and it's even worse than I remember, the fact of the matter is this, Bar the Undisputed Era run ins, this would've been the exact same match if Ciampa was in Cole's place. The fact that this blatant laziness of not booking a new match shows how inept Shawn Michaels is as a road agent and it hurt the performance of the match. Even if Ciampa was in, it'd still have moves not having any significance, the "shocked face" that Gargano always puts on in a big match, too many false finishes, and be an overtly long match that I as a fan never want to see continue and was the reason my fandom of NXT decreased. If I didn't get into Stardom and then AEW later in 2019, I think this would've killed my enjoyment of pro wrestling because it is the antithesis of what I want in professional wrestling."

Donnie - 0.0
"This is the start of my descent into madness, I'm sure of it. Everything about this is offence and cruel, and makes me want to jump into the sun. Its truly, truly loving awful from start to finish. To be told "I didn't get it" drove me nuts for a long while, but i now see I;m the one whose normal and everyone is off their rocker"

Cerebral Bore posted:

Pro wrestling is art.

Rarity posted:

I cried

Jerusalem posted:

loving perfection and beautiful and glorious oh my God

Dango Bango posted:

I *ugly* cried

Testekill posted:

pro wrestling is good

Maxwell Lord posted:

That felt like something special- the two figures were larger than life, evenly matched, and though there was only one outcome that would work they made it feel like anything could happen. Just top level stuff.

I Before E posted:

beautiful moment

Kevino07 posted:

an exceptional culmination of 2 years of build.

LionYeti posted:

(Anything that makes this loving 30 year old internet and irony poisoned dude ugly cry in his apartment is worth mention)

forkboy84 posted:

You have to love a big match which lives up to the hype and expectations and build. Ruled. There was a couple of tiny things that stop me going the full 5* because I'm not into it but genuinely an excellent match, one of the best this year and the culmination to a great story that took potential and made a star.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“I was at this match live and initially gave it ***3/4 stars. I deserve to be flagellated for this. Upon re-watch on the flight back from this show, it jumped all the way up to my match of the year. Everything about this match is perfect and is on my Mount Rushmore of matches, not just for the action, pacing, and performances of everyone involved, but for putting a cap on this excellent two year story and elevating Adam Page.” -Brady Childs

“The culmination of 2 year-long storyline with more twists and turns than my intestines saw the hard-fought and emotional pay off of not just Adam Page’s star-making fall and redemption, but the Elite’s break up and the Young Bucks friendship with Adam Page.” -/u/AKittyCat

“Just like Okada/Naito from last year and all of my moty choices in the past couple of years, my favorite match was the one that had the story that I was invested in the most. Hangman’s quest to win the big one kept me at the edge of my seat until the final moments of this match. Hangman winning didn’t just make sense in the context of the story, it also was the right call because he improved so much as an in ring worker in the last two years, and this match proved that he is genuinely one of the best in AEW’s stacked roster.” -Saud Al-Rasheedi

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

NastyYaffa -5.0
"I didn't think this match was good. It almost was like the most generic big time Kenny Omega match possible with big moves galore & not much of a "hook" to grab me. But with that being said, usually in Kenny Omega matches like that, I also come away with stuff that I enjoyed. Such was the case here, as he & his opponent definitely have some badass looking arsenal, and the moment of Hangman finally winning the big one after years of build was awesome. Not my kind of a match, but it wasn't bad + the moment boosts it a bit."

Electric Wind God Fist - 5.0
"Real average stuff, nothing to chew on during most of the time, as has been often the case during his heel run, when Kenny Omega is working from the top, the match never has any fire to it, at least Hangman Page finally winning the gold is a feels good moment."

Jerusalem posted:

I'm gonna be honest with you folks. I wrote this based on the entrance outfits alone. That the match ended up being loving incredible was simply the icing on the cake. Also that loving in-and-out of the ring sequence was literally inhuman.

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

holy poo poo

SatoshiMiwa posted:

YES THIS

jesus WEP posted:

Shut ‘er down Jerusalem, this is it

SalTheBard posted:

Just end this thread and start a new one.

Cerebral Bore posted:

Not a candidate because nobody will top this.

Rarity posted:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ThePariah posted:

Well MOTY is decided, see y'all next year

ThePariah posted:

Well MOTY is decided, see y'all next year

forkboy84 posted:

God I'm glad my boy is back and as insane as ever.

Ziggy Tzardust posted:

I think I need a cigarette

TTBF posted:

Close the thread, not even Okada has a chance at beating this.

Benne posted:

Hiromu came back from a career-threatening neck injury that kept him out for 14 months, had arguably the best match of his career, and immediately re-established himself as a top guy. I don't think it's a hot take to say that performance cemented him as one of the all-time greats and a modern-day legend, with so much more to come.

TriffTshngo posted:

MOTYC: IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - Will Ospreay vs Hiromu Takahashi
https://twitter.com/GIFSkull/status/1213404161666011136

Queer Salutations posted:

The way this match flowed, just so smooth in the way they'd float over each other to position for spots (like the setup for the shooting star).

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

Deciding which match from 2020 would take my top spot was a very tough call to make, as I felt that three different matches were right on the same level. Ultimately, I decided to go with Will Ospreay vs. Hiromu Takahashi from Night 1 of Wrestle Kingdom 14. The matches that were part of the Double Gold Dash had all the attention (rightfully so, in many respects), but the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title arguably stole the entire weekend. It was an incredible match between two of the best wrestlers in the world today. Ospreay was impeccable as always, while Hiromu had an outstanding performance in his own right, and was able to regain the title that he lost after suffering his serious neck injury in 2018. They were able to prove that, with the right combination, the juniors can go into the Tokyo Dome and put on a match that’s just as strong as the critically acclaimed Wrestle Kingdom main events.” -Sean Sedor

“Will Ospreay and Hiromu Takahashi are both fantastic professional wrestlers, this was Hiromu’s first match back there is a lot of backstory to how this match got set up that goes all the way back to Power Struggle 2019. After Will Ospreay defeated Bushi to retain the Junior Heavyweight Championship he grabbed a microphone and promptly issued an open challenge to anyone in the Junior Heavyweight Division to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 14. To Ospreay’s surprise and everyone else’s in attendance for that matter, the challenge was answered by the returning Hiromu Takahashi who had previously broken his neck in a match with Dragon Lee on July 7th 2018 at the g1 Special in San Francisco California. Hiromu’s emergence from the curtain created one of the loudest reactions that I can remember in quite some time. There’s not a living soul who didn’t want to see Hiromu come back and once he got into the ring it set up what was to come. When Hiromu would make his way to the ring at Wrestle Kingdom he was laser-focused determined to do one thing and one thing only and that was to dethrone Will Ospreay and once again become the king of the junior division and to regain his rightful crown that he never officially lost. It’s the ultimate redemption story that fans everywhere wanted to see. The match began and the crowd was into it, they would wrestle to the ground and Ospreay would divert his focus for a moment to showboat in the corner before things picked up again. They would trade blows in the center in the ring the match was an offensive exhibition between both men as they both gave their best efforts against the other. Hiromu would powerbomb Ospreay on the apron Hiromu would then run from the apron and hit Ospreay with a dropkick that sent him into the guardrail. The beginning of the match was brutal Hiromu doesn’t pace things he goes 100% from the opening bell because that’s Hiromu. Ospreay would catch Hiromu coming back into the ring with a DDT sending his head directly into the mat. This match was phenomenal it was an absolute war to see who the better man was. The current King of the Super Juniors in Will Ospreay vs. the returning King in Hiromu Takahashi who came back to lay claim to what was rightfully his, this match had zero room for error and they nailed everything that they did it was a true joy to watch. Hiromu hadn’t wrestled a single match in a year and a half prior to this match taking place but there was zero rust on him and he didn’t miss a beat at all he was the man that everyone wanted to see and he made the effort to give us a performance that we would never forget! For everything surrounding the match with the backstory involving Hiromu his journey back to the ring, as he looked to get back what was taken from him there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best match of 2020, TIMEBOMB FOREVER!!!” -Nathan Neumann

“Stealing the show at the Tokyo Dome is likely to land you a top 3 spot maybe just on principle alone. There were high expectations for this and they blew it out of the water.” -Sean Ross Sapp

“An absolute spectacle of innovative high spots and the rewatchability factor is through the roof.” -Bill Bodkin

“The ceiling for this match was “greatest match of all time.” Of all the matches as Wrestle Kingdom, this was the one that had me salivating the most. It’s too tempting to turn a critical eye onto everything I watch these days, but the exchange of dodged dives to the outside dragged me into this match in a way that not many matches can. This is junior wrestling at its best.” -Neil David

“Wrestle Kingdom was so long ago that I had somewhat forgotten about this match since I first saw it. The only thing I could immediately recall from Wrestle Kingdom 14 were the two main event matches. However, when looking back at my notes from earlier this year, it was clear this was one of the best matches of 2020. As you would expect from these two; this was a match full of insane risks and intricate spots, worked at a furious pace that made it seem like no move was too ambitious from taking place at any moment. The excellent story, of Hiromu Takahashi returning from his broken neck and battling Ospreay, who had basically outgrown the NJPW Junior Heavyweight division, was also a huge part of what made this match so good.” -Jesse Collings

“After tragically breaking his neck over 17 months prior to this match, there were some questions about whether he could go and he silenced them within the first 5 minutes. This match had everything you could want out of an IWGP Junior Title Match at the Tokyo Dome: high flying, crazy spots done to perfection and even the debut of a devastating finisher in the Time Bomb 2. Hiromu showed us that he never truly left.” -Tyler Forness

“Hiromu’s first big test after recovering from a broken neck, in hindsight this was perhaps more of a canvas for Ospreay to test out the heelish side that later be used as part of the Empire – particularly since the focus of this was was on one man. Hiromu. Of course there was focus on his neck, but the story of the match was about Hiromu’s resilience – that what that didn’t kill him did make him stronger, and that all that time off hadn’t taken him out of the game. The same emotions we all felt a few months earlier on his return came back in full force for this – and would have set up for something much different had the world not gone to hell.” -Ian Hamilton

“Blistering pace, non stop action, immaculate execution. Have a feeling this will be forgotten in this year’s voting, but it was sublime.” -Jeremy Sexton

“Two of the very best wrestlers in the world delivering a clinic on one of the year’s biggest shows. Oh, and a wonderfully executed comeback angle, culminating in a title change. You can’t ask for much more really.” -Andrew Sinclair

“Hiromu’s Tokyo Dome comeback started with a real banger against Will Ospreay. Despite it being pretty clear that Hiromu was going to win “his” title back from the “Aerial Assassin” the match delivered big time. Those two men showed unreal athleticism, great selling of Hiromu’s neck and great intensity. Will Ospreay made a case for the best wrestler around, and Hiromu was as good as he ever was before his career-threatening injury and thus they had the best match on the first day of Wrestle Kingdom.” -Christian Gascoigne

“The cream of the crop of the juniors division delivered in a big way at Wrestle Kingdom. One of those pairings that simply can’t have a bad match together.” -Greg Parks

“State of the art action. Out of this world chemistry with these two men. The story telling was phenomenal using Hiromu’s real life neck injury to ramp up the drama. Fantastic junior heavyweight title match.” -Sid Pullar III

“Take two of the best wrestlers on the planet, with one of them making his big match return from injury, and give them 25 minutes to go balls out in the Tokyo Dome. Ospreay capped off his incredible 2019 with this, and Hiromu let the world know that even a broken neck wouldn’t stop him from being one of New Japan’s brightest stars.” -Suit Williams

“Incredible performance by Takahashi in his first singles match in eighteen months after that horrible neck injury. In the context of that lengthy hiatus, Hiromu’s performance was all the more remarkable.” -Mo Chantra

“The biggest question coming into this match was if Hiromu would be as crazy as he was before he broke his neck. Within the first minute of this match we got our answer. About as excellent as you think it would be on paper, and more.” -Bryan Rose

“One of the best junior heavyweight matches of all time. Takahashi became the junior ace for years to come in both positioning and ability and Ospreay graduated to the heavyweight division. A sublime combination of high spots and psychology.” -Benno

“Ospreay picked up right where he left off in 2019. Takahashi was back in top form. Crazy sequences, this match was just explosive from start to finish and they maintained an amazing pace.” -Noveliss

“This is one of the best Jr. Heavyweight matches that I ever seen between two of the best wrestlers right now in the world. The finishing stretch to the match was just tremendous.” -Filip Pejic

“Two elite level junior heavyweights putting on one of the greatest Jr Heavyweight title matches ever. Showed that both men are destined for bigger things than this title.” -Ed Kody

“This match is absolutely incredible. For starters the story of Hiromu returning to his throne after being out for a year and a half was very heartwarming. To see him come back and wrestle like he never left, like the absolute madman he is, was excellent. He was arguably one of the most over acts in the Tokyo Dome those two nights, second to Naito and maybe Okada. Ospreay and Hiromu and some of the most incredible sequences I’ve ever seen. Just a complete masterclass in high flying action.” -Christopher Duarte

“New Japan has an all time great baby face in Hiromu. He is better than Yamada, Sayama and Dynamite Kid. That was my favourite comeback story.” -Salih Arandi

“As Ospreay took his final bow as a junior heavyweight, Hiromu returned to take over as the leader of the division. It was only right that they had an absolute classic and the best of their series of matches. Filled with flawless, jaw-dropping sequences, it’s a match so amazing you have to remind yourself that Hiromu was returning from a broken neck. 2020 was a noteworthy year for both men, and it all started right here.” -Andrew Rich

“Hiromu Takahashi walked in the dome fresh off a broken neck and with Will Ospreay perhaps reached the stylistic peak of Jr. Heavyweight wrestling. There’s too many incredible moves to count, but you’ve all seen the GIFs, highlighted by Will going out and in the ring like a madman. In his swan song to Jr Heavyweight status, he left the torch with Hiromu in a thriller that saw Takahashi break out an entire new finisher to put down the Brit. This is the unofficial cap to Ospreay’s legendary 2019 run which saw him own a calendar year like no wrestler had done before him. While the jr belt may reach bigger heights to come at the dome, I don’t know if it’ll ever be better.” -Rich Latta

“Two of the best junior heavyweights in the world locked horns for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title. Going into this match we were all worried about the status of Hirmou’s surgically repaired neck. Ospreay played into those concerns about targeting the neck throughout the match. Ospreay’s assault on the previously injured neck did not slow the Ticking Time Bomb down. This match had several awe-inspiring sequences and counters. Both men moved with such precision and grace. They made the most difficult moves look easy. These two elevated the standard for junior heavyweight wrestling.” -Jeremy Donovan

“A clear babyface vs. heel dynamic isn’t something you always see in high-profile NJPW matches (I believe it’s for the best), but this match was all the better for it. Hiromu was the obvious fan favourite, with this being his first singles match back after his career-threatening neck injury. It was fought in an electric, exhilarating style which included incredible high-flying and spectacular strike combinations.

With a year filled of empty arena, limited and clap crowd wrestling, it is really refreshing to revisit a packed Tokyo Dome crowd, stomping their feet, chanting and cheering on the wrestlers relentlessly – an outstanding match all round.” -Jamie Johnson

“I mean, it’s Hirmou and Will Ospreay in the Dome, does anything more need to be said? Despite being away for over a year recovering from a neck injury, Hiromu hasn’t missed a beat and delivers exactly the kind of insane performance he’s known for. Will Ospreay is no slouch either giving his all in his final title match as a junior. Come for the return, stay for the Sasuke Special.” -Jason Westhaver

“Hiromu’s big singles return showed he was every bit as good as before. New Japan’s decision to run with EVIL during the early days of the pandemic era instead of elevating Hiromu remains one of the most baffling booking decisions Gedo has ever made.” -Jarrett Seidler

“I don’t even know what to say here. It’s Ospreay vs.Hiromu. It’s exactly what you expect it to be.” -Doug Fowler (Skeach101)

“Innovative and athletic excellence from two of the best juniors on the planet.” -Matt Carlins

“Relentless pace and exhilarating action from two of the best wrestlers in the world. Had some of the best sequences and spots that you would see in 2020. Just incredible athletic ability from these lads. But at the same time, it felt like a gruelling and intense battle. Like the nastiness from Ospreay when he attacked the head and neck of Takahashi. The added layer of this being Hiromu’s big comeback singles match from a major injury had made this even more of a triumphant moment.” -ScorpioCorp

“Another 2 men who may each have a claim to the title of best wrestler world. This match was state-of-the-art pro wrestling. Big innovative moves, incredible selling, and the culmination of the story of Hiromu’s return from injury.” -Liam Renner

“Hiromu Takahashi suffered a near career ending injury. Many were concerned that even if Hiromu did return, he wouldn’t be the same worker he was pre-injury. Hiromu put all those concerns to bed with just one match. In the first 5 minutes of the match alone, the opening sequence itself, he showed that he hadn’t missed a beat. He was just as good if not better. Ospreay on the other hand closed out one of the best years of any wrestlers ever. This match was 21st century state of the art Junior heavyweight wrestling at its best. Action packed with tons of creative spots and innovative sequences, it managed to live up to the insanely high expectations everyone had for it.” -PW_IND

“Great drama for Hiromu’s singles return. Crowd really up for this, and clearly nervous for Hiromu’s neck (audible gasps of concern when Will has Hiromu on his shoulders on top rope). A few awesome spots and sequences, particularly the Sasuke Special, but held together by enough aggression and selling in between to stop it being a ‘dance’.” -Gareth Hodgson

“It really shouldn’t be possible for a match to hold a finishing like pace for the entire match, Yet somehow Hiromu and Will did just that. Not only was there a lot of spots but this match also had a unique point of storytelling with Ospreay slowly turning more heel and trying to destroy Takahashi’s neck which would set him up for the rest of his 2020.” -Kentucky210

“Two of the best Jrs. in the world, one being Hiromu’s return to single action after his injury, the other the MVP of 2019, and Wrestle Kingdom. How the hell will that combination not work? This was an exciting match that you probably have seen via gif form a million times and an example of great storytelling and moment. Hiromu and Ospreay did what they do best at the biggest stage in Japan.” -Abraham Delgado

“Two of the best Juniors giving it their all at the Dome” -Cristoff

“Hiromu was back. That was all that mattered. In November 2019 at Power Struggle, I either woke up in the middle of the night or stayed up way too late to watch a surprisingly good Ospreay vs. BUSHI match as an appetizer for a main course – the return of Hiromu Takahashi. And it didn’t disappoint. And his first singles match here at Wrestle Kingdom didn’t disappoint either. He came to the ring in his incredible rainbow peacock entrance gear – something that sounds ridiculous, but when it’s worn by a man this charismatic it works. And then the match started and he hadn’t lost a step. He was in the ring with a man many consider the best wrestler in the world and he matched him every step of the way – despite being on the shelf with a broken freaking neck for 18 months. And then there was the sequence. Or should I say THE SEQUENCE. If you’ve seen the match you know. The two continue to put on a show until the finish, when Hiromu debuts the Time Bomb 2.0, which is presented beautifully by the NJPW production crew. The camera work in New Japan is always top notch and the way they shoot the move here with a low angle shot, making Hiromu look larger than life, and also with the camera squared on the wrestlers makes it all look amazing and very distinctive from the OG Time Bomb. The hook of the leg is clearly seen and the move is emphasized so much by the camera work that you know as a viewer – this is the end. Luckily for us, it was only the beginning of Hiromu’s incredible 2020.” -S. Dakota Jones

“One of the best Junior Heavyweight matches ever. Just an incredible match.” -Mike Gilbert

“Will Ospreay spent the entirety of 2019 making himself THE guy to welcome Hiromu Takahashi back on the biggest stage possible. He stockpiled accolades thrown his way from every conceivable direction, and for his final act as a junior, handed the baton back to a ticking timebomb. To his credit, Takahashi was astonishing, especially when you consider that it was his first singles match in 17 months. Anyone who’s seen the match can still perfectly envision Will’s Fosbury Flop at the nine-minute mark and the “are you loving kidding me” sequence that followed, but I’d encourage you to go back and listen to the crowd during it. Hoo-boy.” -Jonathan Hernandez

“Not gonna lie , it had some overdose of flashy moves, but the match gets away with it by creativity. Spots in that match was uniqe and interesting. That Space Flying Tiger Drop sequence was amazing. Looked very spectacular. Both Hiromu and Ospreay used everything in their arsenal. When it comes to junior matches , I can call it best in Dome history. But generally I’ve seen better matches. I was concerned about Hiromu’s neck. But he proved me wrong. He took some bad bumps. Ospreay’s athleticism was great as always. The ending was great. Ospreay , kicking out from Time Bomb and Hiromu introducing a new move. That Modified Emerald Flowsion looked to strong. Like a real finisher. I can easily say that , both guys stole the show with that match. Amazing show stealer by two of the best. Thats what I can call a true Wrestle Kingdom quality title match.” -Kaan Ünverdi

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Zo-Zu - 5.0
"Well worked and occasionally exciting but far too backloaded with nearfalls. It's emblematic of NJPW's cack-arse and self-diluting match-booking policies. A great match for fans of incessant and loveless noise, but fans of actual wrestling matches will find it overworked and undercooked."

Damian - 5.0
"Boring match. I don't get why the Juniors work the same style as the heavyweights. Epic long matches with little high-flying action and hard strikes. That's Tanahashi's thing, and shouldn't be Takahashi's too. **1/2."

Mizzle Assault Ant - 5.0
"I've pretty much lost all interest in modern Will Ospreay, but I really like Hiromu so I wanted to give this a chance. The match was basically mixed for me, Hiromu did very well and Ospreay irritated me constantly, while also sporting by far his worst look."

arkhamoutlaw1 - 5.0
"Unfortunately, even a year later, I still feel underwhelmed by Hiromu's big return match in spite of him being one of my favourites in the world. The problem isn't him but Ospreay, who removes all the great aspects of his previous work with Hiromu in favour of egotistical dominance and empty workrate. Great finish, great result, great moment, underwhelming match."

SG Bamboo posted:

Two best friends beat the absolute gently caress out of each other, to do any less would do the other a disservice. it got livestreamed of Wrestle Universe and is the stiffest poo poo you're likely to see

The Taxman posted:

WHAT THE gently caress

Lily Catts posted:

Honestly everyone should watch it. Shinjuku FACE is such a great venue and the hot crowd helped.

forkboy84 posted:

gently caress. This was so good. So violent. So stupidly, unnecessarily stiff. MOTY for me.

I will say that if you have Wrestle Universe then you should watch it over there to increase the chance this gets broadcasted live again when they do another edition.

Sticky Nate posted:

this is extremely my poo poo

SG Bamboo posted:

Some hero has posted Abe Vs Nomura on dailymotion. Watch it, it's 20 minutes of two absolute lunatics

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8os8xe

Jerusalem posted:

thought it was a real fun main event.

HulkaMatt posted:

Heard good things about this, was worried it might be overhyped in the first half - though I thought it was real fun. Then in the second half it got so so great. Think it peaked just before the finish but gut feeling is I give it around ****1/2 and want to see more of these guys. MOTYC for sure.

Suplex Liberace posted:

absolutly savage match

Big Coffin Hunter posted:

This loving rules.

SG Bamboo posted:

Kakuto Tanteidan following in the footsteps of FMW and GAEA getting onto the MOTYC list more than a decade after the original company folded, you love to see it

apophenium posted:

Lmao wtf is wrong with these dudes, this ruled. I kinda love these shoot-style bouts when the crowd is really into it and they go crazy when someone locks in an armbar cause that's like an insta-tap outside of pro wrestling.

Very cool show, everything was fun and the crowd was into it all. Main event ruled

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Wrestling is a fine balance of violence and technique. If you’re all about the violence, it can look sloppy and unrefined. If you put all your eggs in the technique basket, it can look unconvincing. When the balance is right… it’s beautiful. Or, as the kids say, THIS.” -Ian Hamilton

“Statement of intents aren’t uncommon in wrestling, but this is the first one in a while that felt promising.” -Chris O’Brien

“The match started with some mat wrestling, grappling stuff by Fuminori Abe and Nomura in various positions and holds. The action really kicked off in the first minutes when these two slapped, kicked and striked each other without any mercy or remorse. Nomura’s strikes were so brutal looking, he even stomped on Abe’s head. They were closed fists to the unprotected head and even the typical headbutts by Abe-san. This fight ticked all the boxes for me, I really loved the no remorse attitude by these two gentleman when they stomped on each other’s body, hit their opponent with brutal penalty kicks to the face or smashed forearms into each other. After a brutal closed fist by Nomura, Abe bled from his scary forehead which added even more to the match. Near the end Abe hit Nomura with a knee strike which looked so brutal I had to scream though. The finish was amazing when Nomura had Abe on the edge of tapping but Abe turned Nomura into an achilles hold. Nomura screamed, tried desperately to escape, to fight Abe off but it wasn’t meant to be. Nomura had to tap out to his friend. What. A. Match” -Christian Gascoigne

“The two big companies in America did their best to make me not love wrestling this year. This match reminded me why I love it.” -Sean Flynn

“For nearly 20 minutes, these two gave no quarter and asked none, relentlessly attacking each other in front of a roaring crowd with a degree of ferocity I haven’t seen in any other match this year. Fuminori Abe and Takuya Nomura stepped into that ring to show everyone their vision of what pro wrestling should be, and that vision is beautiful.” -Paul Wedding

“A pure expression of love to Shoot Style, and a match filled with more desire, appreciation, and love than few others out there. It is the most outstanding example of how important Shoot Style Wrestling is to the greater landscape and shows why Abe and Nomura are so highly celebrated. No other match this year has brought so much joy to my heart.” -Daniel Hill

“Match of the decade so far.” -Jack Groom

“The Astronauts have been my favorite tag team in wrestling for a couple of years now. When you see either Abe or Nomura, they always deliver. Whether it’s singles or tag, or even with different partners, these two guys are just special at what they do. Watching Nomura with Miyahara on their short AJPW Tag Title run, or Abe doing stuff on every indy promotion in Japan, these guys are great. When I heard they were running their own show, and a 1v1 was the headliner, I knew magic was going to happen. This felt like a fight. This was two great friends, going out there and doing what great friends do in a wrestling match. Everything was laid in snug, submissions were just brutal looking, the bumps were stiff, just all sorts of action. Nomura was just kicking Abe like he was trying to get information out of him in a interrogation situation. Abe would come back and bring the fight, and lock in a knee bar that looked like he snapped his leg in half. When Nomura tapped, I was shocked, then ecstatic because that was exactly why this was so special. You didn’t see it coming that way. One guy couldn’t fight and that was it. There was can he or cant he, or crazy trying to put over one specific finish. This was just two guys, who are amazing at what they do, and knew exactly how to put on a match that will be remember, by myself especially, as the best match I saw in 2023.” -Ryan S. Cooke

“One of the most earnest feeling matches I have seen in a while mixed with amazing fluid/clever action. The Astronauts passion for each other and bati-bati fighting radiated off the screen.” -Henry Rivers/HeadCheese

“They always say in wrestling when you fight your friends it’s the hardest hitting match. Astronauts the best tag team of 2023 pit together in a singles match. They beat the ever living poo poo out of each other. The pacing and the way the match was conducted was very realistic where when there was any downtime between spots and stuff they both did little things to keep you engaged that added on so much to the match. Just phenomenal wrestling here from these two.” -FAR5222

“A counter to the wrestling cliche that “good friends make better enemies,” the October 12th bout between Fuminori Abe and Takuya Nomura proved that you never need to stop being best friends to beat the living hell out of each other. While the Astronauts’ chemistry as a tag team was on display all year, this rare glimpse at what they could do opposite each other made their bond even more undeniable. A technically sound, hard-hitting singles match that never really let up, Abe vs. Nomura stands as one of the best matches the Japanese indies had to offer in 2023, and it must be seen to be believed.” -Dylan Murray

“This is what friend fights are supposed to look like. You love and respect your buddy more than anyone and thus you give it your absolute best when taking them on on a professional level. It is what these two did while paying homage to one of the greatest promotions in wrestling history. Brutal, heated and incredible.” -Ashutosh Dubey

“It was so refreshing to see the pull-no-punches style of wrestling get the spotlight again.” -Jamie O’Doherty

“I think one of the reasons why this match is being rated so high is that this is a much-needed break from the style of wrestling that dominates so much of the scene today, from NJPW to AEW. This is professional wrestling at its very core, a brutal sporting contest between two men who practice the art form. There are no high spots, pointless acrobatics, or constant nearfalls designed to get maximum pops from the crowd. Instead, you get Batti-Batti at its best. In 1998, this would have been an average BattlArts match, but in 2023, this is nearly revolutionary and recalls matches like Fujiwara vs Sayama from 1984 that sent reverberations throughout the wrestling landscape. Hopefully, this match does the same.” -Eric Thornley

“Tag team partners clash in a fight that is as rich with intimacy as it is unnervingly violent. Abe and Nomura hold nothing back in their strikes, their intensity blazing. You get a dash of odd comedy, taut and crisp technical wrestling, along with all the gross, bloody stuff at the end.” -Ryan Dilbert


“This was amazing. Nothing more than two friends riffing with each other, playing jokes while simultaneously belting each other with the stiffest strikes, just because they can. Nothing was held back. The striking was great, the grappling was fantastic. It was a simple match in an intimate setting and is easily one of the better matches of 2023 hands down. ****1/4″ -Bailey Mowatt

“Two friends beat the living hell out of each other for 20 minutes with some of the stiffest elbows, headbutts, punches, and kicks I’ve ever seen in a Pro Wrestling ring. It even led to Abe being busted open the hard way after Nomura shoot punched him multiple times. They used every opportunity they had to continue beating each other up so that you wouldn’t believe they are friends if you didn’t know it. Two of the greatest on this planet delivered a masterpiece that everyone needs to watch” -Yannik Peps

“If this is what being partners looks like, I hope everyone stays single forever. I didn’t mind the comedy at the start (biting the nipple, poking the butthole, the grimacing at how hard each other’s head was) because you need the lightness at the start to contrast with how serious they get when the match goes into the next gear. The strike exchanges at around 14 minutes are filthy. I really appreciated the clean, simple hard cam only camera work here.” -Kim Wong

“In a year where a far higher profile pair of brochachos had a match, these two showed exactly how two partners should face off. They brilliantly built from their slightly comedic start, slowly got more competitive and then ended in a dance with the line of who might do something completely unforgivable to their partner. I had never watched these two before but this was recommended to me and was completely compelling from the opening bell to the final pinfall and handshake.” -Sam Brown

“The two best friends producing this BattlARTS tribute show wanted to go out there an capture the spirt of shoot style, and they did it masterfully. The match constantly ramps up its violence, as Abe and Nomura take turns on hitting each other as hard as possible with actual punches. Abe getting busted open from the punches of Nomura giving us a great visual of the real fight this was. In 2023 this was the match that stood out to me the most as to how I want wrestling between friends to be worked, a real fight of one ups man ship.” -Sondre Fossheim Bjørn

“A pure expression of love to Shoot Style, and a match filled with more desire, appreciation, and love than few others out there. It is the most outstanding example of how important Shoot Style Wrestling is to the greater landscape and shows why Abe and Nomura are so highly celebrated. No other match this year has brought so much joy to my heart.” -Daniel Hill

“Words do not do this match justice, so I won’t write that many. A more than a fitting tribute to the BattleArts style of wrestling. Abe and Nomura hit each other so ludicrously hard that even the audience can’t help but laugh in disbelief, terror or sheer joyful amusement at the beautiful display of pro wrestling madness presented in front of their eyes.

Matches like these make me glad to be a fan of professional wrestling.” -Semi Salmikannas

“The amount of people dropping what they were doing to see this match, through word of mouth, is the best example of how the wrestling community should function.

An exceptional wrestling match rooted in two people sharing something they love.” -Stevan Savich

“Two teammates beating each other up for the love of wrestling. That’s all you need to know to enjoy this tremendous fight with two guys giving it their all to show which is the best on the team.” -Fede Fromhell

“They say you hit your friends the hardest. When you and your friend also happen to be one of the best tag teams in the world, you hit even harder. When Astronaut met Astronaut at their produce show in October the world was set ablaze. This is an old school, KT Dan Battlarts revival at it’s finest. Outstanding grappling, hard way blood, and strikes that echo through the building. 20 minutes of pure wrestling bliss that sadly, a lot of the world is going to miss.” -Jason Westhaver

“Fuminori Abe and Takuya Nomura booked a show to beat each other really bad and along the way they produce a pro wrestling masterpiece. Both guys’ background in pro wrestling puts the fighting nature of this wonderful sport first and yet they are both incredibly funny dudes who can work practically any style and will do so if asked. Here though, it was all about the fight. Every strike sounded like a gun shot, every hold was a struggle for supremacy and while the fight had priority, Abe and Nomura never failed to prove they are two of the slicked and most gracefully moving wrestlers in the world.” -STRIGGA

“This was a fantastic contest between two idiots and better friends, and I loved every second of it. They left everything they’ve got in the ring and showcased the beauty and passion of professional wrestling.” -Gin Malkavar

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Kyle from TheMatchGuide - 6.0
"I like the small venue feel of this one, and both wrestlers looked prestable, as I was unfamiliar with both. The match however, lacks substance. There's a lot of striking, with the kicks being the highlight, and the goofy punches being the lowlight. The selling is consistent, but odd-looking at times, and the submissions are too frequent in my opinion. Some of the headbutts were totally unnecessary as well. What they did do well was work the crowd, and have a nice finish, but other than that this we kinda meh. Maybe this style of shoot wrestling just isn't for me. 3.25 Stars.

TheRefBump - 6.0
"Good average match but I don't want to rewatch it. The comedy at the start and all throughout really, take away huge chunks of realism to the fight. No one getting mad, just comic disdain and hard hits. If you want to see a battle of strikes and submission with zero feeling behind it, this is the match for you"

ISimon1912 - 6.0
"Shooting style at its maximum see the match rating, great demonstration of the Japanese strong style, two guys slapping each other as hard as they can to the point that one gets his head covered in blood (which makes for a great look by the way) , but unfortunately this type of match is not for everyone, including me, even though the match is relatively short (16 minutes) the pace doesn't hold me back (***)"

AfRotaker - 6.0
"Das war ein cooles Match, das relativ verbissen und intensiv geführt wurde. Was mir gefehlt hat, war ein Spannungsbogen, hier wurde nicht wirklich eine zusammen hängende Geschichte erzählt, sondern es war eher ein rein sportlicher Wettbewerb mit wenig Dramatik. Was ich auch überhaupt nicht brauche, sind die ganzen Shoot Headbutts und zuschlagen und -treten, dass es einfach möglichst laut klatscht und möglichst blaue Flecken hinterlässt. Das hat für mich mit Wrestlingkunst wenig zu tun"

Jerusalem posted:

A match/main event/story years in the making, executed to perfection. New Japan is the best wrestling promotion on the planet.

Truther Vandross posted:

loving incredible

njsykora posted:

Just put this on the list now, and next year's list, and the year after, and then on the MOTDecade list too.

SatoshiMiwa posted:

That may have been better than Okada/Ibushi.

Okada is the best wrestler on the planet

jesus WEP posted:

i dunno if this topped the ibushi match but my god it came close

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

Best match I've seen live.

Burn Down Canberra posted:

Unbelievable match

TriffTshngo posted:

gently caress, man. 7 years. What a story. Even as someone who's only been watching since a year and a half ago, I felt it as though I'd been there the whole time. I remember some slight disappointment with the Wrestle Kingdom 12 match, like maybe Naito & Okada didn't gel as well against each other as they each do against Omega or Tanahashi, but this time it loving delivered.

Dimebags Brain posted:

It might be me just being super hungover watching the show and Naito being the only guy in New Japan other than Shingo I really care about but only the main event from last night grabbed me.

Queer Salutations posted:

Oh god my loving knee hurts just watching. The correct person won.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This is what wrestling is all about. A multiyear story that pays off in an amazing way in an amazing, perfect match. Every Naito fan was on the edge of their seats and will never forget this moment. Non Naito fans would still be amazed at the feat they did here, especially if they followed their previous matches. When it was finished, it was an example of why I love pro wrestling.” -Abraham Delgado

“After a near 7 year odyssey to win a main event in the Tokyo Dome, Tetsuya Naito finally achieves the feat in an all-time classic with one of the best wrestlers ever in Kazuchika Okada. A match that was heavily laced with call backs and storylines, this match lived up to every expectation and finally gave Naito fans the payoff they desperately craved.” -Tyler Forness

“The Naito story is one of missed opportunities. His preternatural gifts for in-ring competition led to monstrous pushes early on in his career, where crowds summarily booed him for being boring and milquetoast. After reinventing himself as El Ingobernable, he was rewarded with his first IWGP Heavyweight Championship victory, only to lose it back to Kazuchika Okada with just one successful defense in between. He won the 2017 G1 Climax in spectacular fashion with unbelievable performances throughout, but stunningly lost to Okada yet again at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in a match where Naito’s victory was thought to be a foregone conclusion. But in early 2019, when he won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, we began to think that perhaps Naito had bigger things in store, discussing the desire to become a double champion. Eventually, the Double Gold Dash came to fruition, and he foiled Jay White on Night 1 of Wrestle Kingdom 14 to win back the Intercontinental Championship. Faced with Okada on Night 2, Naito (and Okada, but this isn’t his story) gave wrestling fans everything they wanted and more. The drama was unbelievable. You’ve never heard a crowd so hot. Naito became the first person to kick out of the spinning Tombstone into the Rainmaker combination. When Okada focused his attack on Naito’s knee at the match’s end, the crowd loudly booed, a reversal of six years prior. The collective gasp when Naito not only attempted his hated Stardust Press, which had whiffed two years prior, but nailed it, is a perfect example of why wrestling’s success is so much of a function of the live crowd. There is no promotion that comes close to NJPW when it comes to long-term storytelling, and when you combine that with the impeccable in-ring work and one-of-a-kind atmosphere, you get the 2020 match of the year.” -Parker Klyn

“Wrestle Kingdom 6 was my first New Japan show. I was in college just looking for something to watch and was peaked with curiosity with guys like MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Masato Tanaka and No Remorse Corps on the show. That show led to New Japan becoming my favorite promotion and the thing I’ve treasured most in this decade. Through the good times and the bad times, it was there. I’ve gotten my brother and my friends into New Japan. I’ve had the pleasure of attending shows in Toronto and California but this was my first time attending them in Japan. For someone following the product since 1.4.2012 this match felt like a complete love letter for the last 8 years of being a fan. This felt like Rock vs. Austin for me. The two biggest stars of the current generation in a monumental moment in front of one of the biggest audiences the promotion has had in decades. From a storytelling standpoint it was the perfect axis point. You had Okada, now regarded as the ace of New Japan with the most successful title reign of all time, against Naito, the man who has gone from being rejected by the crowd to becoming the one of the biggest stars. The journey both men took to get to this point was illustrated throughout the match masterfully in call outs from moments in the last 8 years. Most notibally Naito finally hitting the stardust press. It felt like the perfect third act to their trilogy of dome matches. The match felt cathartic and thrilling and to top it all off, had one of the most incredible pops at the end with the entire dome cheering in ecstasy.. When I first watched New Japan I never could have imagined I would be in the Tokyo Dome. This was more then just a match for me but an all time moment.” -Christopher Duarte

“I would have been happy if Naito’s big moment had finally come in a bad match. Really, I would have. I had been waiting so goddamn long as a Tetsuya Naito fan for him to finally beat Okada in the Tokyo Dome main event and claim the IWGP Heavyweight Title that if the two of them had gone out there and had a disappointing as hell three star affair, I would have still been happy. Instead they went out there and had one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Frankly, in hindsight I should have known that 2020 would be all downhill from there.

This match was everything it should have been and more, as both men basically ascended to their peak forms- Naito, the absolute perfect underdog who sold his leg like few people in wrestling today can still sell a limb, and Okada, the unstoppable champion who doesn’t just believe he’s going to win, he knows it. It’s a story as old as this fake sport itself, and yet it may never have been told in such a perfect way as it was here. Years of build-up and emotion combined with one of the best worked matches I’ve ever seen to create memorable moments that I’ll never forget. Wrestlemania only wishes it could still “make moments” like these, etched into my mind over a year later as if it happened yesterday: Okada slamming Naito’s knee down onto the table as he screams in pain! Naito taking that dropkick and just hopping back up to his feet, screaming and hitting a running Destino! Naito hitting another Destino but selling that leg for just a couple seconds (note to many other wrestlers: you don’t have to act like you’ve been crippled or scream like a banshee to sell a limb effectively), preventing him from making the cover fast enough and letting Okada kick out. Naito pounding his chest and going for that Stardust Press that he missed in 2018, hitting it this time, but then finding out it was never enough to beat the Rainmaker anyway. And finally, Naito putting Okada away and becoming the first man to hold the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental titles at the same time- an accomplishment his rival can never match.

I’ve watched this match like a dozen times already and it never fails to be anything but incredible. It is, without even the tiniest bit of doubt in my mind, the Match of the Year for 2020.” -John Carroll

“This is not only one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen in my life, but also a tremendous conclusion to the years-long storyline of Tetsuya Naito’s Tokyo Dome redemption. I was jumping up and down like a madman watching it thanks to the heart-stopping nearfalls, the Stardust Press callback to the Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event, and the molten hot crowd exploding as Naito pinned Okada to win the double titles. The KENTA attack after the match was brilliant too. When wrestling is this good, nothing on Earth is better.” -Andrew Rich

“The perfect storm of storytelling, booking and wrestling prowess. A masterpiece for the ages.” -Ricardo Gallegos

“There are great matches and then there are matches which make you lose sense of time and space, they take you through a roller coaster of emotions, they make you forget all your problems in life, your short tempered boss who shouted at you that day, the girl who broke up with you last week, the rude man who bumped into you on your way back home from work. Yet for 35 minutes, none of that matters, because you are so deeply invested in the story and the emotion of the match that you live and breathe with every move and every near fall. For 35 minutes, the only thing which matters in your world is if Tetsuya Naito can finally overcome the Rainmaker in the main event of the Tokyo Dome.

When Okada hits the Rainmaker, your heart sinks, you think to yourself – NO! Surely not again, but you jump in joy when Naito kicks out at 2. When Naito goes up to the top rope for the Stardust Press, you(along with Kevin Kelly) watch with your fingers crossed and your heart in your mouth after he missed it last year and in the G1 Final vs. Kenny. But, now he hits it for the first time since becoming Ingobernable. He hits the Destino too but when he picks him up for another Destino, your heart skips a beat as you wonder whether Okada again counters it like he did one year back, but not this time. This is Naito’s night. When Naito wins you are overcome with childlike joy and elation and then when KENTA (in all his magnificent bastard glory) interrupts his post match roll call, kicks him in the head, sits on top of his chest with both titles and denies him his big moment, you again feel anger and want to see him get his.

At its core, pro-wrestling isn’t very complicated. Yet, through years of bastardizing these big moments and major title wins, few wrestling companies can make moments like these still feel special in 2020. This type of stuff is why we watch this poo poo, why we sit through Night 12 of the G1 in Hamamatsu with Dick Togo doing his 32nd Garrote wire spot of the night. It’s because when modern NJPW lands, there is nothing better.” -PW_IND

“Big advantage being pre-Covid, but also finally felt like the culmination of Naito’s story going back to WK8 and was an incredible match even outside of that” -Ben Fox

“Epic storytelling all around that ended in the best way possible.” -Jason Oun

“An Epic in every sense of the world. Two superstars looking like superstars, with the crowd in the palm of their hands and going crazy. Everything came off, including the fairytale ending as the beaten looking, defiant Naito washes away the failings of two years previously to hit the stardust press and get the big win. Just a shame what was to come in the next 12 months!” -Gareth Hodgson

“If I was to distil what I would want to see in my ideal wrestling match, it would look something like Tetsuya Naito v Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 14. This match has everything I love in wrestling, long term character arcs and stories coming to a head, hard-hitting, explosive, suspenseful action and to top it off an incredible main event presentation in front of a molten hot crowd.

The chemistry for these two wrestlers is so good and while this match was a showcase for Naito and his incredible six-year journey from main event reject to double champion, Okada was the perfect final hurdle for Naito to overcome. Despite this match seemingly being a foregone conclusion, Okada’s supreme confidence and work on Naito’s already injured knee injected enough doubt into the match, that when Naito mounted the turnbuckle for his previously failed Stardust Press, the crowd had its collective heart in its mouth.

Very few wrestling matches get me up out of my seat and cheering at the TV but this one had me fist-pumping the air as Naito was able to finally win on the biggest of stage in New Japan. Pro Wrestling at its absolute finest.” -Sam Brown

“The best wrestling has nothing to do with logic. Like with most matches if you tried you could pick holes in this you could find some cracks. But, when Naito went up to the top rope for the Stardust Press, my heart was in my mouth because I was worried he would throw it all away like he had the previous year. This match knew that you wanted Naito to win more than you wanted your next breath, and paced itself perfectly to plant doubt in your mind over the obvious outcome. This is the true season finale of New Japan.” -Chris O’Brien

“The fitting conclusion to an all time great wrestling story. If you enjoy the modern NJ style I can’t see how this match isn’t your #1” -Lee Malone

“This match was the perfect conclusion to their previous Wrestle Kingdom match. It was a match that someone with no experience of New Japan could watch and love, but it also rewarded the long time viewer with nuance and emotion. The image of Naito, chest heaving after taking multiple Rainmakers, finding the energy to spit in Okada’s face felt like a wonderful act of defiance before he was put in his place again. What followed, however, was one of the greatest wrestling comebacks of all time. The smirk on his face in 2018, as he took the final Rainmaker was a heartbreaking acceptance that reaching the Dome would have to be enough. Two years later, it was replaced by championship gold in a masterful stroke of long-term booking.” -Neil David

“Throughout what many thought was a fairly pedestrian 2018 for Naito, and a convoluted build to the Double Domes at the end of 2019, I was fascinated by the duality of Naito’s character, his relationship to the IC title, and how he would reconcile his relationship to the Stardust Genius character.

Many people point to Naito’s time throwing around the IC title in 2017 as devaluing the belt and making the Double Champion storyline for Wrestle Kingdom 14 worse than it could have been. That was never the case for me, and I believe that is disregarding the developments throughout 2018 and 2019 that took place. During those two years Naito completely revolved around the Intercontinental title, and slowly gained a begrudging respect and maybe even admiration for the belt. He may not have treated it as nicely as Ibushi, but he no longer tried to chip and break it like he once did. And when all hope seemed loss on the way to January 2020, it was the Intercontinental Title, the belt that he once hated, which held the key for Naito to achieve his ultimate glory.

The other thing that Naito had to learn to embrace from his past was the Stardust Genius – his previous character that had failed him at Wrestle Kingdom 8 and that the fans turned against. While Naito changed many things in his change to LIJ Naito, he kept one important aspect from his previous character – his entrance music, titled “Stardust.” That remnant of the Stardust Genius remained, and continues to be a huge part of Naito’s connection with the crowd as they clap and chant along with the music.

Of course the most notable call back to the Genius was the use of the Stardust Press – his old finishing move. He had tried to use it before and failed. In my mind Naito had a decision to make. He could completely separate himself from the Stardust Genius and the past – ditch the music, ditch the move. But he didn’t. Those were still important parts of himself and in the most dramatic moment of the match he confidently climbed to the top rope and hit the Stardust Press. It wasn’t enough to put away Okada – but it shouldn’t have been. That would have meant that the Stardust Genius was all that he needed to beat The Rainmaker. But that wasn’t the case. He needed both. He needed a Stardust Press and a Destino. He needed the Stardust Genius and El Ingobernable. He needed the past and the present to achieve the future.” -S. Dakota Jones

“This match was a culmination of exemplary in-ring work, as well as long-form storytelling that was the culmination of a feud that had its root several years prior. History was made as Naito became the first Double Gold Champion. Even moves themselves in this match, like the Stardust Press, had history and meaning when they landed. And whether it’s fair or not, the fact there was a full house of fans to react to every moment makes this match head and shoulders above the rest.” -Reuel Castillo

“How do I even start this review? Naito up to this point had accomplished almost everything. He’s a multiple time G1 Climax winner, New Japan Cup winner, he’s had multiple titles in NJPW including the IWGP Heavyweight Title and he has even main evented the Tokyo Dome. His ultimate goal however, to become the undisputed top star of the promotion, has always slipped his fingers. Some of it has been his fault and some of it was the promotion holding him down. Regardless, he decided to take what he feels is rightfully his by his own means. His journey culminated here: in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom versus Kazuchika Okada for both the IWGP Heavyweight title and the IWGP Intercontinental title. It is here that he finally accomplishes what he set out, learned from his mistakes and accepted what his career was before his big change of outlook.

Naito’s acceptance of the IWGP Intercontinental title represents his acceptance of his past failures. He realizes that, as much as he tried to prove otherwise, the title would always follow him around. He feels held back by the title. He thinks it defines his career. His evolution into the Ingobernable was a statement that he no longer wants to be defined by some outside force. What he failed to realize for the longest time is that that includes the Intercontinental title. By challenging for the heavyweight title as the Intercontinental champion he shows that he is not going to be defined by one belt. The IC title will always follow him around, so why not just go for both? Naito’s story is that he writes his own destiny so he came out with the Naito Two Belts campaign. In the Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event against Okada, he hesitated to use the Stardust Press. This time there was no hesitation. With a chest pound he climbed the ropes and hit it without much thought. This further proves he accepts everything that has happened to him and uses it to accomplish his ultimate goal.

Naito makes his entrance but he does not look like the Naito we see all the time. He’s more serious. It’s the most important match of his career. Okada’s demeanor heavily contrasts Naito’s. He’s not cocky but confident. He lives where Naito wishes to be. He knows what it takes to be there. Naito’s seriousness is reinforced when he drops all of his snide offense. The two wrestlers stare each other down. You can feel the tension through their gazes. They know each other. There’s no need for the feeling out process. They know what they need to do to win.

The entire match is one constant back and forth battle. There are almost no extended control periods in the match. The attention to detail for every little transition is phenomenal. It was a continuous flow of mat wrestling, strike exchanges and big spots. The fact that they were able to keep this going for the entire match is incredible. In most matches there are usually turning points that shift the momentum of the match. But they went with a different approach and executed it flawlessly. The match was almost never slow and the pace of these struggles kept increasing. They targeted body parts that were previously injured. Naito targeted Okada’s neck and Okada Naito’s knee. This demonstrates their familiarity with each other. The drama was off the charts here. The crowd was living and dying with every strike, submission, dropkick, suplex, piledriver, nearfall, ringout count and even Naito’s spit. Everything was over in this match. The closing stretch was one of the greatest closing stretches I’ve ever seen. Both wrestlers performed smooth counters and transitions and despite being half an hour in their stamina and accuracy was on point. The Stardust Press was such an amazing moment. Watching it live it honestly felt as if time slowed as we waited to see if Naito would actually hit the move. And when he did, time slowed again while we waited to see if it was the finish.” -Rene Martinez

“If you share a time zone with me here on the U.S. east coast, then maybe you look back at this match through the same lens of exhausted delirium that I do. Two nights of Wrestle Kingdom add up to a whole lot of sleep and sun deprivation. It didn’t feel all that different from waiting out the main events of major 90’s Pay-Per-Views. And it’s not just because I was watching through bleary eyes in a dark living room after everyone else in the house had gone to bed. It was also because Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito made me feel like a stoked little kid again.

You only get one chance to nail the culmination of years of careful storytelling, and these two couldn’t have done it any better. Sure, it’s littered with callbacks and references for attentive fans, but even in a vacuum it’s a pro wrestling clinic. While Naito and Okada are both still within reasonable distance of their primes, Father Time’s a stiff worker. That didn’t matter in the dome. These two prowled the ring like it was 2012. From the opening bell it felt major, and it never ceased until Okada raised his fist in the aisleway on his way to the locker room – a gesture that read to me like two men certain they just absolutely nailed it. It was all I could do at 5 AM but to raise my coffee mug with them.” -Jonathan Hernandez

“What can I say about this match that hasn’t already been said? Naito’s journey to defeat Okada in the Dome is simply the stuff of legends. It took us years to get here, with twists, turns and an unprecedented defeat at WK12, but the wait paid off in spades as Naito stood tall over Okada. The match with Ibushi might have been better worked bell-to-bell, but nothing can compare to emotion that permeated every second of this bout. From the opening blows, to the Stardust Press, to the final Destino, you’re hooked and on the edge of your seat. Plus, Kenta scored the greatest heel heat ever.” -Mike Gilbert

“A great payoff to one of the best long-term storylines in the history of Pro Wrestling. We all thought Naito’s time was finally coming at Wrestle Kingdom 12. But, no, he lost. Then after that it looked like he was cursed to be perpetually stuck in the Intercontinental title scene. But it turns out he needed the belt he hated to get the one he had been chasing after. Finally, Wrestle Kingdom 14, the first ever Double Gold Dash was his time. The crowd was explosive, the match was awesome. The call back spots; Naito hitting the Stardust Press after an attempt at it cost him the match at Wrestle Kingdom 12. The story telling, the work in the ring, the commentary, the crowd; everything was on point. Not to mention the salute from Okada on his way out. Definitely my match of the year.” -Noveliss

“1/5/20 is the best match I’ve ever seen. A tremendous conclusion of a 7-year story with some of the best storytelling you’ll ever find.” -Brady Childs

“The climatic act of Wrestle Kingdom 14’s Double Gold Dash was a hair’s breadth away from reaching my top spot, with the nail-biting story of Naito being on the brink of his “destino” bringing this match to an undeniable fever pitch. As a big Naito fan, I was heavily invested in his redemption arc. So its conclusion had to not only be a top-level match, but also tie a satisfying bow around the entire story – this match did just that. I can’t fail to mention the Stardust Press towards the end of the match, as it was an emotion fueled call back to Naito’s failure against Okada two Wrestle Kingdoms previous. Naito took elements from all over his wrestling past, willing to resort to his “rudo” roots, cunning mind games and his extensive back catalogue in order to finally reach his “destino”.” -Jamie Johnson

“The culmination of the Bushi Road era. Two of the greatest. the winner takes all. Years of lore leading to this.” -Franky DeJesus

“Another match that I don’t think I can do justice with my words – incredible from start to finish, with a level of importance not seen in many matches this year. Seeing Naito finally win the big one at Wrestle Kingdom was an early highlight to the year, even if the eventual title run got hamstringed by the events of the pandemic. Still, an all time great match.” -Slyguy46

“This was the biggest match of the year due to the stage on which it took place, the stature of the two competitors and the long journey that led us to this point. The greatest champion of modern NJPW history against the company’s most popular and charismatic star. Their past matches against each other, Okada’s long list of accomplishments and Naito’s compelling journey to the top were all drawn on here. As a long term Naito fan, this was the match that I was most invested in the outcome of. The climactic finish brought me to my feet a number of times and the nods to previous defeats, as well as Naito’s former Stardust persona, left me hanging on every moment. It felt like it should be his time, but Okada can never be discounted and he played the dominant figure here in a way that was called for, but that we see surprisingly rarely from him. This was a classic main event for the ages with all of the drama, tension, and ultimate reward that you would hope to get from such an occasion. If this is truly the match that marks the end of NJPW’s decade long golden era, it could not have had a more worthy climax to go out on.” -Jack Groom

“Naito finally was able to avenge his Wrestle Kingdom loss against Okada and become double champ in NJPW in this great match. It is expected from these two workers to put on a such great match in a front of pre-COVID crowd.” -Filip Pejic

“The long awaited conclusion of one of New Japan’s most compelling story of the last decade has been worth the wait. When the New Japan main event formula clicks, it REALLY does and this match conveyed everything you could ask from it. The emotion, the big fight feel, and of course the quality offerred by one of New Japan’s best pairings, if not the best.” -Valentin Humez

“Being in attendance for this is easily the loudest wrestling show I have ever experienced. While there were 10,000 less people than night one in the Tokyo Dome, it was easily louder for this match.” -BlastoSTG

“At Wrestle Kingdom 14, New Japan decided to divide up the event into two nights and the double gold dash concept was born as New Japan Pro Wrestling would look to unify both the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the Heavyweight Championship to crown their first double champion in company history. Tetsuya Naito did not win the G1 Climax in the previous year (that honor went to Kota Ibushi) but once the company got the idea for this concept, it brought both Jay White and Tetsuya Naito back into the mix. Thus Naito and White (Along with Okada and Ibushi) found themselves with a chance to be the first ever double champion in IWGP history. On January 4th Tetsuya Naito would defeat Jay White to become the IWGP Intercontinental Champion and on that same Night Kazuchika Okada defeated Kota Ibushi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship which set this match up as the main event for night two and it was the match that everyone had been waiting for. This match was absolutely incredible, Okada set the pace early and made Naito work from the bottom but the two would have some absolutely incredible exchanges that resulted in a great match that told a magnificent story. Okada would punish Naito throughout the match working relentlessly on his knee but the efforts from the Ace would prove to not be enough as Naito would work his way back to regain the upper hand and eventually win the match to me this match was perfect both Okada and Naito wrestled a flawless match and they each put forth their best efforts to deliver what was an outstanding match. It all culminated with Tetsuya Naito taking his rightful place as the first ever IWGP Double Champion in company history. It was the perfect way to end Tetsuya Naito’s chase toward once again becoming the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. It was the perfect ending to Tetsuya Naito’s journey and it would set the course for what we would see in the beginning of the new year.” -Nathan Neumann

“I’m not the biggest Naito fan but the whole story around him and his lust to headline Wrestle Kingdom and to win the IWGP Heavyweight championship in front of a Tokyo Dome crowd got me. Okada cleary showed no respect at the beginning of the match and reminded the “Ungovernable“ who made him cry two times in the Tokyo Dome. The match had great pace, enough drama to earn a spot on a Mexican telenovela and the story of the cool football quarterback-ish type of guy against the rebellious emo-kid from around the corner. You could feel the big time feeling in every minute of the match. When Naito climbed the turnbuckle to do his Stardust Press, the Destino connected the relief in the Tokyo Dome was definitely noticeable.” -Christian Gascoigne

“I can describe this match in one word; redemption. Naito reached the pinnacle, winning a Tokyo Dome main event. Tears were shed, respect was shown and another all timer Wrestle Kingdom main event was delivered.” -Sarah Flannery

“While it was very good in the ring and the atmosphere of a Tokyo Dome show is hard to beat, I think this match ranks so highly for me purely because of the story. Naito finally vanquishing his greatest foe and holding those two belts was as perfect a wrestling moment as I can remember in 2020.” -Liam Renner

“A slow-building main event with all the grandness and stakes you could ask for. Naito and Okada were both on their respective games as they delivered a buttery smooth and engrossing display of championship wrestling. Champion and challenger were master puppeteers controlling the crowd with deft tugs of their strings. Naito, his leg crumpling under him, barely rolling into the ring to beat the 20-count is wrestling drama at its finest. The match is elevated by Naito finally getting his coronation, the tranquilo warrior reaching the summit that had long eluded him.” -Ryan Dilbert

“It’s Okada and Naito at their best, finally having a match that comes close to living up to the promise of that magical first encounter nearly eight years prior. The match reverses the biggest strength of that initial encounter as a final way to symbolize Tetsuya Naito having to find a way to stop getting in his own way. The final loose end of New Japan’s 2010s peak get tied up, and the peak is over. It ends, finally, with the fulfillment of the promise made in the match that kick started this in the first place.” -Simon F.

“What else needs to be said about this match that hasn’t been said by many others already? This was an awesome contest that continued the legacy of legendary Wrestle Kingdom main events. It was culmination of Tetsuya’s Natio story arc,, as he finally managed to defeat Okada in the Tokyo Dome for the IWGP Heavyweight Title, while also making history by becoming the first person to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Title and the IWGP Intercontinental Title at the same time. Of course, Okada was superb as always (you can always count on him in a big spot), and as a whole, you can’t tell the story of pro-wrestling in 2020 without talking about this match.” -Sean Sedor

“Ibushi vs. Okada was a better main event. But the importance and story in that match made it so special. Naito wrestled with a more serious way. It showed that , it really meant something to him. When it comes to big matches , especially title matches it needs to feel important. In my country, Japanese wrestling shows start in early hours. I woke up at 9 AM to watch that match. It really worth it though. Because what I saw was a masterpiece. When I saw Okada kicking out from Stardust Press , I lose my mind. Okada wrestled with a more calm and relaxed way. He didn’t took Naito seriously and paid for it. The match ended a chapter in New Japan and started a new one.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“For years Keepin’ It Strong Style listeners have been asking “why does Gedo hate Naito?”. LIJ fans were clamoring to see their guy finally win the big one in the main event of the Tokyo Dome. After years of waiting they were finally able to rejoice as Naito defeated Okada to become the first double IWGP Champion. This was a great back and forth contest that was filled with callbacks from their previous matches. The crowd was firmly behind Naito this night. They lived and breathed on every Naito near fall. The crowd was so invested in Naito if he lost there might have been a riot. This was a great piece of storytelling that righted the wrongs of Wrestle Kingdom 12.” -Jeremy Donovan

“I don’t have a lot of specific memories of the match anymore other than just thinking “wow” down the stretch and what a great moment the finish was.” -Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“Match that was almost as great as the previous night’s main event- but not quite. Nonetheless, absolutely captivating throughout its 36 minute duration and great to finally see Naito upend Okada in the Dome.” -Mo Chatra

“I normally am luck warm to Naito but this might have been my favourite match that he was involved in” -Andrew Lacelle

“The WrestleKingdom Night 2 main event feature a rivalry years in the making that climates in a career moment for Naito. This 35-minute match features a back and forth battle in front of a traditional Tokyo Dome crowd that almost seems surreal today.” -J.D. Oliva

“Naito finally gets his crowning moment. Defeating Okada at the Dome. Did it come to late? Should it of happened sooner? I don’t care, it happened and it was awesome. All the struggles, set backs, false starts temporarily forgotten as Naito got to hold and lift the double titles, and he defeated perhaps one of the best, if not the best, wrestlers in NJPW in Okada to do it. Beautiful. If you didn’t enjoy this, I don’t know what more you want out of your wrestling.” -JoJo Remy

“The culmination of Naito’s redemption story. COVID would ruin his big reign, but I don’t think we are quite done with these two in big matches. Okada giving Naito the Ingobernables salute as he’s taken to the back after Naito asks if he’d want to do it again seals this.” -Steven Case

“Naito won the big one over Okada at the Dome! Thousands of screaming fans lived for this moment. On this night, NJPW hit the highest of highs and after two nights at the Dome, Naito won two straight nights and the IWPG and IC title. The years long story and the culmination of an excellent main event match is what NJPW and wrestling is all about.” -Jacob Woolley

“Before this match, Naito was “teetering on irrelevance”, as commentary put it, and seemed to be on the verge of taking a break. Naito was not favored to win, but having won the night before against Jay White, fans were offered a glimpse of hope going into the match; hope that paid off when old school Naito delivered his brand of brutality.” -Kristen Ashly

“After years of struggle, Naito finally got his moment against Okada. Fantastic story build with great pacing. This felt as an epic match, with moments that were awesome like Naito finally landing the Stardust Press against Okada. The perfect ending for a chapter in the history of NJPW.” -Gin Malkavar

“The Stakes Where Higher Than Ever Before As Opportunity Presented Itself To Hold Both Intercontinental And Heavyweight Championships. Both Okada And Naito Walked In Night 2 Of Wrestle Kingdom As Champions , After Both Men went To Absolute War The Previous Night. The History Between The 2 Men Was enough to sell you this match as okada was always the obstacle between naito’s road to the top, As It Was Seen In This Match. Okada Was A Great “Dance Partner” In This Match helping Naito In certain Spots And Telling a Fantastic Story. Seeing The Perseverance And The Support Naito Was Getting, Okada Constantly Went After The Knees Of Naito, Which The Naito Fans Didn’t Appreciate. The Near falls In This Match Brought Everyone On The edge Of There Seats At The Tokyo Dome, And After Softening Up Okada’s Neck, Naito Hit one final Destino, Winning Double Gold As He Now Reached The Pinnacle Of New Japan.” -suprit ramnathkar

“7 years in the making made this a long term narrative paying off. Naito and Okada work seamlessly together and made for a superb big time Tokyo Dome main event.” -Sid Pullar III

“Great payoff to a year’s long story.” -Kevin Chiat

“Two of NJPW’s all time greats telling an amazing story.” -Ed Kody

“What an incredible match to end Naito’s chase of Wrestle Kingdom main event victory. Another perfect and awesome Main Event in the Tokyo Dome.” -Salih Arandi

“This match had years of build up and Naito finally was able to finally defeat Okada and become The first double IWGP champion in NJPW history. This match was so emotional and hard hitting. It rewarded long time fans for paying attention to this amazing feud.” -Juan Carlos Reneo

“This match might have gotten lost in the shuffle, since it took place so long ago and so much has happened this year with both Okada and Naito, that it might not end up as a classic, but it was an incredible match. At the time, this match was seen as a great conclusion to a long-running storyline, where Naito spent years trying to beat Okada in the main event of a Tokyo Dome show, and after a half-decade of waiting, he finally accomplished that in a thrilling main event that credibly closed out a monster two days of wrestling at the Tokyo Dome.” -Jesse Collings

“Two years after he arguably should of just won the title, New Japan finally give Naito his night in the Tokyo Dome, defeating Okada to unify both the IWGP Heavyweight and IC titles. If they wanted this to feel like a bigger deal they should of just had a normal one show WrestleKingdom and have more than a 1 day announcement that this match was going to take place, but hey it still felt big as these two stars stared each other down before locking up. A quintessential New Japan epic, with a stronger theme running through it than normal with the Naito knee injuries following his match with Jay White on Jan 4th to make his efforts chasing down his ‘Destino’ even more sympathetic. Naito should of won with the Stardust Press though, that would of tied things better to the match at Wrestlekingdom 12.” -Ed Mills

“The perfect culmination to a tremendous years long build to Naito finally winning at the Dome.” -James Snelgrove

“An incredible achievement on New Japan’s part, and another feather in Gedo’s cap, to peak the Naito story in such a spectacular fashion. Naito fans finally got to rejoice, even with KENTA getting involved afterwards. Meanwhile, Okada adds another Tokyo Dome epic to his already towering resume.” -Suit Williams

“The feel good moment of the year and I was there live. Even though I’m not a huge Naito or LiJ fan it was amazing seeing so many fans who do love both become so emotional when Naito finally beat Okada, for the Title, in the main of a Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome.” -WH Park

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

tykechandler - 5.0
"What the what. Did we watch the same match? I love NJPW, Okada, and Naito. This was not great. If you started watching at, say, the 15-minute mark, nothing that happened before would have mattered. Same at any other moment in the match. It seemed like there were no stakes. It seemed like there was no psychology at all. This felt like a high-profile WWE match with a too-long run time and an ending that everyone saw coming. I just didn't really like anything about it, which is incredibly disappointing. **1/2."

Jerusalem posted:

Their in-ring chemistry is out-of-this-world, both can keep up with the other at a level that is frankly quite scary to consider. If the crowd had been allowed to be vocal they would have been losing their poo poo, as it was even just the clapping and stomping of the feet was super-loud as they watched two of the best wrestlers in the world (even if Ospreay is a poo poo) going at it at the highest level. Some of the poo poo these guys did to each other was insane, like that loving ringside table spot holy gently caress or Ospreay straddling Okada and just slapping the poo poo out of him then doing the Bryan Danielson stomps or or Okada countering the Top Rope Oz Cutter with the world's most beautiful dropkick or or or the fake out on the Ospreay Rainmaker pinfall attempt, and the time just flew by. And that finish, oh my God. So loving good.

Cerebral Bore posted:

Big Match Kazu is back and its glorious.

Rarity posted:

loving slapped

Artelier posted:

Excellent match, loved it, and it finished

Best match so far

Quantum of Phallus posted:

loved the stomps

Burn Down Canberra posted:

it was really good

forkboy84 posted:

I clearly need to rewatch Okada Ospreay because I have it at ***1/2

AlmightyPants posted:

watching that Okada/Ospreay match and realizing that this is the first in a series wherein Ospreay finally wins the championship from Okaka, after escalating over encounters, probably in a similar way to the Omega/Okada series, I am so loving excited right now. I was screaming and clapping and having such a good time with that Okada/Ospreay match, and that was knowing the result in advance as well. Absolutely incredible and probably the match to beat for the rest of the year.

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Rumors of Okada being washed have been proven false

RealFoxy posted:

Okada seems to only take every other year seriously now which is fine with me, because it lets other people be at the top of the card

Thanlis posted:

And still not rating Ospreay matches, although from a pure in-ring standpoint you’re certainly all correct.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“A masterclass which showed that Ospreay can deliver on the biggest of stages against a man in Okada who never phones it in.” -Joey O’Doherty

“Okada and Ospreay have fantastic chemistry with one another, and their Tokyo Dome match was an absolute barnburner unfortunately overshadowed by a year’s worth of matches that pulled the rug out from underneath this match.” -James “NuclearConvoy”

“NJPW did what NJPW does best and peaked early with their best match being at their first show of the year. Okada put to rest the ‘Is Okada washed?’ argument and went out there to prove to all those dummies that he’s still the best wrestler in the world.” -Ed Kody

“Some of the best wrestling sequences of 2021” -Sidney L. Pullar

“After spending the entire year stubbornly trying to win with the Money Clip, Okada put on another classic with burgeoning rival Will Ospreay in a Five-Star classic. The moment Ospreay beats Okada at the dome, we will look back to this match as the beginning of his journey.” -Tyler Forness

“The first great match of 2021. A match so good and so hard-hitting that it is one of the few instances that you forget the NJPW clap crowd and, hell, you even hear them gasp and awe. Ospreay was in full dick mode, and Okada had not done the Rainmaker in months successfully, so when he hits Ospreay, there is a sense of happiness.” -Abraham Delgado

“2020 I had the pleasure of attending the Tokyo Dome. 2021 I decided, what better way to watch then to wake up at 3am and watch the whole show live. Main reason for that insane body clock ruining plan was for this very match. I’m a huge fan of both guys and wanted to leave no risk of being spoiled of what was going to occur. In any other year this would probably be my match of the year. The quality of work was so high. I had absolute chills as the echos of these two men slapping the poo poo out of each other reverberated around the Tokyo Dome. In a time period where my interest in japanese wrestling was starting to wane due to lack of atmosphere, this match left me completely enthralled and wanting more. There was a bitterness to the match that felt real. It wasn’t just about the moves but largely the WHY? Ospreay being the cocky prick, feeling largely overlooked by his former stablemate. Okada getting a bit of redemption for all of Ospreay’s antics. I think the only thing that hurts this match, is it being toped 366 Days later. Absolutely phenomenal work, by two of the best wrestlers in the world.” -Chris Duarte

“This was my favorite match of the two nights of Wrestle Kingdom 15. It was another fantastic match in the Okada-Ospreay series, but it was more than just a friendly competition. This was a match simmering with hatred. The dynamic between Okada and Ospreay had always been big brother and little brother in CHAOS, but now you had a newly heel Ospreay, the leader of his own stable, who betrayed Okada and wanted to transcend him by beating him in the Tokyo Dome. So as the match went on, we saw this level of disdain between the two that we hadn’t seen before. Okada didn’t just want to beat Ospreay, he wanted to humble him. Ospreay didn’t just want to beat Okada, he wanted to stomp his face in; he wanted to humiliate Okada by beating him with his own Tombstone Piledriver and Rainmaker combo. But that was enough to push Okada out of his Money Clip obsession and finally break out the Rainmaker to put this little prick Ospreay back in his place. Wrestle Kingdom 15 was the first Wrestle Kingdom with a clap crowd, and while the atmosphere didn’t feel like it, this match was still a Wrestle Kingdom-level match. It’s no surprise that they would go on to have another one literally a year later.” -Andrew Rich

“While these 2 could likely have a classic match with each other in their sleep, they came together not just to put on a great match, but also to elevate the formerly junior heavyweight Ospreay into a credible heavyweight main event wrestler. Over the course of the 30 or so minutes these two went to work, we saw them achieve that elevation of Ospreay as a character while still doing all of the intricate and crowd-pleasing stuff you’d expect from these 2 masters of their craft.” -Liam Renner

“While Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay had faced off plenty of times before, this meeting in the Tokyo Dome on January 4th was under entirely different circumstances, as Ospreay turned on Okada a few months prior, and formed The United Empire. I was pretty excited to see this match at the time, and when the dust settled, it absolutely lived up to the hype. It sucks that this took place in front of a clap crowd, but even with that handicap, these two still managed to deliver an amazing back-and-forth encounter that featured some incredible moments throughout (including a particularly scary table spot on the floor). As you would expect, the closing stretch was nothing short of phenomenal, and in the end, Okada put away Ospreay with The Rainmaker in a very satisfying finish that saw Okada finally abandon The Money Clip in favor of ol’ reliable. An incredible bout that, in my view, was easily the best New Japan match of 2021.” -Sean Sedor

“Ospreay and Okada overshadowing the main event by putting on a better stuff. Ospreay still had some fancy moves but he mixed those with stiffness perfectly. I think thats what he should always do. Okada on the other hand felt alive after a disappointing 2020. It was the right time to bring back The Rainmaker. And he did it after Money Clip not working on Ospreay. That was one of the matches that really steals the show. The chemistry they have is amazing. Kazu and Will know each other very well. They never disappoint.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“Of course. These two had to knock it out of the park. That’s what was expected of them and they absolutely delivered to that standard. Not only did they have a great classic match but they were able to mix and incorporate some of the elements of their grudge feud in with it which isn’t easy to do. Okada started off like a rocket, hitting a relentless assault on Ospreay with his brutal running back elbow and then hitting a gorgeous tope con hilo. Okada’s main issues are his execution of certain things but none of that showed. He laid in his strikes, tightened up his ring position and brought his A-game. That and his amazing chemistry with Ospreay gave us an outstanding Okada performance. Ospreay brought it as well. He knew how to adapt to a heel style, slowing down the tempo after initially being overwhelmed but also adding enough flair and speed to his offence to keep it from being mundane. But what really impressed me was his selling for the closing stretch. It’s hard to sell as a heel because you could get sympathy but he didn’t come off like that. Ospreay came off like someone who wasn’t going to let a chance to overtake Okada, who plays into it by booting the poo poo out of the back of Ospreay’s head, slip. This match packed a lot in with a near 40 minutes run time, including a nailed-on suplex on the table, Bea Priestley being knocked off the apron by Okada via Ospreay, a plethora of suplexes and counter wrestling sequences that came off really well and fluid, etc. It also went a risky route of changing (slowing down) the match flow instead of ramping it up to tell the story and it executed it perfectly. It was a tremendously worked match that brought the restricted Dome crowd alive. A Dome classic.” -MC

“The RETURN of the Rainmaker!” -ItChEE

“Okada is the best in the world. No doubt.” -BJ Bethel

“This match was a true coming of age for Will Ospreay as a main-event player, and of course, Kazuchika Okada is in another stratosphere of talent – and the semi-main event of Wrestle Kingdom’s first night provided the pair a canvas to tell a story of friendship betrayed and sacrificed upon the altar of ambition. Will Ospreay had gotten the better of Okada when he formed his United Empire – but Okada had regrouped and was ready for revenge at the Tokyo Dome.

A match that was fueled by a deliciously rich story, and coupled with some of the best wrestling on planet Earth is more than most can hope for. But this match had a few minor issues preventing perfection. The crowd’s inability to engage, the ‘money-clip as a finisher’ story being a bit too prevalent, as well as just a smidge too-much ‘sameness’ that one can get from an Okada match were very minor critiques. However Okada’s victory didn’t satisfy, and felt like the wrong ending for a brilliant tale. This would only seem to be more the case as it would be Ospreay, not Okada, to receive the next opportunity at the IWGP World Heavyweight title, after this match.” -Reuel Castillo

“A fantastic match that helped jump Ospreay into a new echelon.” -J.D. Oliva

“Maybe the 2 best in the world do what they do: orchestrate a masterpiece.” -Jacob Nelson

“Will Ospreay’s rise through the heavyweight ranks of New Japan started by capturing the NEVER Title at WK 13 from Kota Ibushi and led him just two years later to the 1/4 Tokyo Dome semi-main event. Ospreay came into the match with a point to prove – that his victory against Ospreay in the G1 wasn’t only due to Bea Priestley and Great O-Khan. This was essentially a battle to determine who would theoretically be the top challenger to start 2021 off and they delivered an epic worthy of the Tokyo Dome.

With Bea Priestley by his side and both adorned in gold, Ospreay came off as a megastar and Okada managed to match his splendor with an entrance worthy of the main event. They did battle for over 30 minutes and flew through the air, went through a table and Okada even busted out an apron tombstone to try and beat Ospreay. Red Ink couldn’t do him in, and Ospreay landed a tombstone and Rainmaker combo of his own before falling to the Landslide and Rainmaker. The historical significance of this match being so great it was followed up on one year later only made this encounter better with hindsight.” -Jeremy Peeples

“Not only was this the best and most exciting chapter of the duo’s pulse-pounding rivalry, it surpassed any match held in the Tokyo Dome throughout 2021.” -Chuck Hodgin

“Similar to the Page vs. Omega feud, Okada vs. Ospreay was built on a fractured friendship. A lot of New Japan matches have a way of making time fly and it was hard to believe this one went 35 minutes. Even at that, I wouldn’t have complained had they tacked on ten more.” -Greg Parks

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

thebigmilkman - 1.0
"This match did nothing for me. Maybe it's because I have biases against Will for the Polyanna situation but I don't think that situation really would have changed how I viewed this match. It was way to long in my honest opinion, Will has always been sub par in my opinion and Okada just doesn't do anything for me anymore. Maybe this is a bit bias but I just really hated this match"

SlothFacts - 1.0
"I went in knowing I wasn't invested in this match, or really in either wrestler all that much for that matter. But I figured, whatever, there'll be cool spots, lots of neat counters. It's an Okada Wrestle Kingdom match, so there'll be some subtle but clever storytelling. Even by those metrics, this managed to disappoint! I really do think this was one of the least interesting closing stretches I've ever seen to an Okada match. But what actually has me so down on this match is the completely ridiculous story with the Money Clip. I guess Okada was intent on winning with this dumb submission hold no one is buying into, until he suddenly wasn't and just did a Rainmaker instead. But when I say no one was buying into the hold, I mean not even English commentary. Rocky Romero was practically burying the move. I was watching Night 2 with two other people, and asked if either of them had, at any point, believed the Money Clip was dangerous and might end the match. They both laughed and said no."

Senerio posted:

PENCIL
ARMY
PENCIL
ARMY

projecthalaxy posted:

Pencil, and also Army.

Insertnamehere31 posted:

Pi Pi PiPiPi

Pinwiz11 posted:

PENCIL?

Army.

delfin posted:

I don't think I've ever posted in one of these, but loving nth'ed.

TV Zombie posted:

If you knew the story behind this match, I don’t know how anyone could vote against it

TV Zombie posted:

Caught the last bit. The rapid pinning combinations along with Lulu pulling it out in the end. This is why I love pro wrestling.

Ibexaz posted:

I'll vote for any match that brings me to tears

AlmightyPants posted:

goddamn what a great match.

a cyborg mug posted:

Greatest feud of this generation

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“No match this year was better at telling a story than Chris Brookes vs. Lulu Pencil. This was a true war of attrition that ultimately has a wonderful message to never give up and to believe in yourself, despite what others might say.” -Kelly Harrass

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 6.0
"I definitely got the story they were going for, and it's not like they did a bad job. Brookes was the overwhelming bully, Lulu the game but overmatched underdog. They decided to drag that across 30 minutes, which wasn't my favorite but ok, I get it. I guess I just didn't find the execution so amazing I guess. I don't like the little room they wrestle in, though they did at least make creative use. The end result for me is decent."

boymeetsworld - 6.0
"After watching this match, I want to see Chris Brookes carry Yoshihiko to a ****+ match because he carried Lulu Pencil, easily one of the worst wrestlers I've seen in a while, to 30-minute match that kept my attention from start to finish, even though it wasn't anything special. Story here was about Pencil's perseverance and determination to find a way to somehow pin Brookes, in the end she did that, but it really didn't matter because she was just a dead weight for 29 minutes of this match. I really enjoyed Brookes' performance here, he literally carried this match on his back."

Punch McLightning posted:

I will have to go back to the rest of the show but you fuckers need to watch this, this was amazing.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This has the live bump for me since I was there. Seeing these two men live is just incredible, especially seeing all of the crazy spots in front of your eyes. This had the crowd eating from the palms of their hands from the start and it did not let up. Even the thousand kickouts did not diminish this and I sincerely thought that Fenix had it more than once. It has great spots, great storytelling of the passing of the torch, drama, and seeing it was special. Too bad that the recording is probably bad because it’s AAA, but hey, the match is great.” -Abraham Delgad

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

denierstragedies - 5.0
"Hate the presentation of this match. Maybe because I was watching English commentary but that was awful, they were watching on some kind of delay and the commentator was almost not even there for the match due to connection issues. The camera work was awful, the adverts on the titantron screen thing were stupid, the fact that the commentary was the only audible thing was ridiculous. The match itself just wasn't for me, it's the over-the-top spectacle kind of match where selling doesn't really matter, just doing flips. I swear I like flippy stuff too I just wish there was logic to it. This didn't have that logic I felt. Vikingo is certainly athletically impressive but that wasn't enough for me to get into the bout. 5.5/10, sorry lads."

kalensc posted:

Jeez, I jumped to a random midpoint and felt like I was seeing Dunn-level cuts but with worse camera placement and continuity.

That's a bummer.

In theory, all those cameras are recording everything, right? Even if only one angle is broadcast at any given moment? Has any fed taken the alternate feeds to try and re-edit a superior Director's Cut of a famous event or match?

forkboy84 posted:

So, the first match of the HHH era I've seen. Obviously, it's great. They just beat the begorrah out of each other, terrific stuff. Always a good sign when someone bleeds from the chest from strikes. Lean Walter is unsettling. Sheamus did an absurd athletic spot where he flipped up on to the corner only to shopped off to the floor, that whooped. Byron Saxton's voice reminded me of Matt Striker, so that's always a good sign. Corey Graves hasn't gotten better without Vince, Cole has, which doesn't surprise me. I was worried going in that I'd get motion sickness but fortunately the usual person responsible for that garbage part of production was left in the States. On the other hand, the dragon graphics were corny as hell.

But focusing on all that stuff when these guys battered each other like this is unfair, coz it was great. Not ***** to me but best WWE match I've seen since Walter vs Dragunov, August 2021, on a par with that.

Professor Funk posted:

That was like…the platonic ideal of what that match could be. Incredibly fun on every level.

DarkstarIV posted:

You probably won't be able to find another match this year that has as many chops as that.

LionYeti posted:

delightful violence here that even WWE production couldn't ruin

Fish Of Doom posted:

Thank god. That was the only match on that show I cared about and I came into this thread just to make sure they didn't gently caress it up somehow.

KungFu Grip posted:

THEY BEAT THE gently caress OUT EACH OTHER GOD drat

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This was expected to be a hard-hitting battle, and the two held nothing back, bruising each other up but good. This is not the type of match you see often in WWE and only a few wrestlers can really pull it off. Gunther and Sheamus are two of them. Despite the loss, Sheamus had a lot of momentum coming out of this; I’m not sure WWE properly capitalized on it.” -Greg Parks

“There were only two WWE matches from 2022 that I remotely considered putting in my top 10. One was the Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins Hell in a Cell match, a dramatic spectacle built around Cody coming into the match with a completely purple pec. But this match, Gunther vs. Sheamus, gets a nod into my top-10 by virtue of being almost totally unlike any WWE main roster match you’ll ever see. It’s a tribute to Gunther, wrestling’s final boss, and Sheamus, who’s late-career renaissance has been one of the few regular bright spots on WWE TV for me in the past several years. An immediate entry into the Big E “Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat” Hall of Fame.” -Adam Shinder

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

DoctorTwin - 5.0
"A boring and drawn-out match. The impression was ruined by some moments (a botched bomb, for example), especially at the end. It can be said that this match is not for everyone"

Tiger Kid - 5.0
"Standard format WWE title match, but with hard strikes as the main offense. Sheamus can't take power moves and doesn't know how to sell. If it wasn't for WALTER chopping the hell out of Sheamus in front of an insane crowd, everyone would see this for what it was - a decent 5/10 match. It was still a good match and the best match on the show. Maybe one of the best WWE matches in 2022."

DangoDaisuki - 5.0
"Ich bin verwirrt, so verwirrt dass ich nochmal checken musste ob ich wirklich das richtige Match gesehen habe. Ich weiß wirklich nicht was daran ein 5 Sterne Match sein soll. Es war bei weitem nicht vergleichbar mit z.B. Shibata vs Ishii oder diversen anderen Schlachten die ich schon gesehen habe. Der Spirit beider Wrestler hat komplett gefehlt, sodass vieles verloren geht. Schade, da ich mich auf 5 Sterne Matches immer freue. So war es nur mittelmäßig."

TSwifty - 5.0
"The first 7 or so minutes of this was painfully mediocre and boring. They traded strikes and brawled around for a bit outside the ring. Gunther's work on top consisted almost entirely of chops. At least 90% of his offense were chops with the rest of them being a couple kicks and power moves. I've always thought Gunther was overrated as "the best striker in wrestling" but since coming to WWE (specifically the main roster) his offense has rarely looked this poor. That's not to say all of his strikes lack impact, but many of them are light and underwhelming. That was one of my biggest issues with this match. Gunther's offense wasn't impressive, and now his lack of creativity is more noticeable. Sheamus' eventual comeback in the middle of the match wasn't anything great either. The finishing stretch consisted of more strikes, a few unconvincing power moves from Gunther (his shotgun dropkick and powerbomb looked outright bad). A very poor attempt at a strong style match. **1/2"

Jerusalem posted:

This was loving insane. THE loving REFEREE WAS BLEEDING!

Truther Vandross posted:

Holy loving poo poo this was incredible

SatoshiMiwa posted:

So many questionable bumps

Punch McLightning posted:

I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE POLICE

Ziggy Tzardust posted:

I was going to be stubborn and keep insisting that Ospreay/Oku in February was my MOTY. I can’t say that in good faith anymore. That was incredible

Jerusalem posted:

Jay: I can assure you, getting into trouble is NOT a fake idea.

Kosmo Gallion posted:

This match was the perfect length and the perfect amount of violence. I was expecting a thirty minute tag epic and instead I got a violent and bloody brawl. I haven't enjoyed a blade job this much since the Dustin/Cody match. I held my breath during the avalanche pile-driver tease. Excellent work from everyone involved.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

I have a good feeling one of the three matches between these two teams that took place this year will top the VoW’s list once the points are compiled. There has not been a trio of matches to reach this level since 1989 when Steamboat and Flair made magic together. The pinnacle of this trio of matches happened on 12/10. Very few people on the planet can do the things these four did in this match and live to tell about it, let alone walk away from it. Dog collar matches can be overbooked and many times incredibly predictable. It so happens that two of the best dog-collar matches ever happened in 2022 under the tutelage of Tony Khan. This one is superior to all of them. How Jay Brisco managed to continue the match after landing on the chairs stacked outside the ring is borderline miraculous. Dax takes a lot of criticism from fans, but the pride he takes in his work is commendable. Cash Wheeler may be the most underrated of the four because Dax tends to take up a lot of oxygen between the two. There aren’t a lot of accolades left to laud upon this match other than to say, in thirty years it is likely we will still be talking about the historic significance of it.” -Chris Colvin

“The tag team of the year and their most fitting rivals somehow managed to top their previous all-world efforts. Theirs was a gritty, visceral piece of art crafted in a wrestling ring. Blood and steel and danger fused together to make a most moving, unforgettable match.” -Ryan Dilbert

“FTR sign off their greatest year with their greatest match. A grotty, violent, ugly brawl with the best tag team of the 21st century, closing the finest 3-match arc since Okada/Omega.” -Mark Robinson

“Somehow, they were able to top their previous encounters in their final one. The dog collar match was fitting for the violence the Briscoes are known for, as well as the nods to history that FTR likes to include in their work.” -Greg Parks

“I count the entire trilogy as one, as I find them empirically inseparable. This was the best one though.” -Evan Schaaf

“Ring Of Honor only had three shows this year, but they were all highlighted by the amazing matches between The Briscoes vs. FTR. Supercard Of Honor saw the straight two vs. two tag team bout, while the rematch at Death Before Dishonor was a 2/3 Falls Match. We didn’t know if we would get a third match, but when it was revealed that the trilogy would indeed be complete, and that it would also be a Dog Collar Match, the anticipation went through the roof. When the dust settled, what we got was arguably the best Dog Collar Match in the history of pro-wrestling, and the conclusion of one of the greatest trilogies in the history of pro-wrestling. It was a total bloodbath, with both teams leaving it all in the ring, both figuratively and literally. Jay Briscoe completely smashing the Muta Scale and Mark Briscoe taking that insane bump onto the pile of chairs on the floor are moments I will never forget. The match was capped off with The Briscoes, the greatest tag team in Ring Of Honor history, winning the ROH World Tag Team Titles for an unprecedented thirteenth time. A violent spectacle that we’ll be talking about for a very long time.” -Sean Sedor

“A modern take on an 80’s bloodbath matches and also the occasional awesome Lucha brawl that still takes place today. These two teams deserve a ton of credit for what they did throughout the year and having a true in-ring rivalry through 3 matches despite all the red tape they had to cut through to be allowed to wrestle each other on tape. Thankfully it culminated in an unforgettable fight. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if this is the top pick for 2022 among the majority, as it was on Cagematch.” -Dylan Fox

“This match made a cold PPV into one to really look forward to, and boy, they delivered, this is one of the best matches in North America´s wrestling history and the best usage of the dog collar stipulation I’ve ever seen. A bloody masterpiece with painful looking landings into chairs. The Briscoes vs FTR is an early contender for the best feud of this new decade sharing spots with other tremendous pairings like Hangman vs Bryan, MJF vs Punk and Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay.” -Diego Garcia

“A perfect end to the trilogy, all three could have easily been MOTY.” -Jon Atkins

“A bloody, disgusting display of violence, anger and hatred through pro wrestling.” -Jesse Collings

“When the bell rang and the Briscoes were victorious, I knew not only that I watched the best dog collar match I had seen, but also one of my favorite tag team matches. It was raw, violent, brutal, and just incredibly great action all around. This match had the work to follow up one of the best matches of the year, and in my opinion was better than their first match due to the urgency and the amped up violence. The Briscoes lost on their first match due to them wrestling more than once that day, lost the second one since it was FTR’s specialty, but they won on where they excel at. Just pure amazing violence with spots you will never forget.” -Abraham Delgado

“Of all their incredible matches in 2022, this one felt a little outside of FTR’s wheelhouse. Harwood and Wheeler excel within the strict parameters of a tag team match; we love watching them put plans into action, strategising and bending the rules. This bout had no tags to make and no rules to be broken, but they and the Briscoes still put on a grisly masterpiece. Everything about it is foul – the violence, the language, the blood. Even the official ended up covered in the red stuff, surely the most memorable ref bump of the year. All in all, it’s not the prettiest or most thoughtful match of either team’s back catalogue, but it’s certainly one of the most distinctive.” -Jack G. King

“This match was a once in a life time experience for me as someone that doesn’t go to many live wrestling shows. The crowd was heavily for FTR so I decided to chant for The Briscoes but at the end of the day it didn’t matter, both teams went out there and put their lives on the line to have one of the greatest trilogies of all time.” -Manuel Rosales

“The finale in the excellent FTR vs. Briscoes trilogy. I had to place all 3 here as they were, by far, the best tag team matches I saw all year.” -Josiah MacDonald

“BLOOD + GUTS” -Liam Jones

“Is it recency bias? Nah, one of the wildest spectacles ever in the business. These dudes beat the tar out of each other from start to finish but it wasn’t just that. Creativity? Check. Nastiness? Check. Drama? Check. Anything you can think of this bad boy had it. I can watch these dudes wrestle forever.” -Markeem Graham

“There is no tag team that does everything perfect but FTR is drat close. They maximized a team like the Briscoes who has not really evolved or changed in recent years and this was a war!” -Jeff Schwartz

“FTR and The Briscoes engaged in three fantastic matches – with two feeling like absolute all-time classics. The third match in the trilogy was something that took each team to new heights and allowed FTR to truly thrive in a match that would have been right at home during the peak of Jim Crockett Promotions.

For almost 40 years, companies have chased moments that felt as visceral as Magnum TA gouging a broken piece of a table into Tully Blanchard’s face and on this night, they managed to go beyond just paying homage to their former manager – but surpassing him in a bloodbath that shocked all who saw it unfold. The Briscoes are no strangers to blood, but FTR isn’t really thought of as a free-bleeding team and here, they brought out their inner raging bull and unleashed hell on The Briscoes in a dramatic battle that saw The Briscoes get a much-needed win after losing two straight to FTR, but also saw the beginning of the downfall of FTR’s belt collector era that continued into 2023.” -Jeremy Peeples

“Look no further for a cathartic and violent pro wrestling match. The third in their series was always going to be a noteworthy affair, but the Dog Collar stipulation added even more fuel to the fire. It has to be one of the most brutal matches of the year. Impressively, not the best match between FTR and The Briscoes in 2022, but without a doubt one of the most vicious.” -Jamie Johnson

“Tag team wrestling in many promotions can be very hit and miss but when it hits it really hits and that was the case at this year’s Final Battle as the Briscoe Brothers took on FTR in a double dog collar match. This was the blow off match in the feud between these two teams and boy did it deliver in a big way. They started off with a feeling out process but that process didn’t last too long because this match was a total war. They went all out to give us the best match possible and the match definitely delivered on the hype it got. This match is not for the squeamish as there was a lot of blood in fact Mark Briscoe got busted open after getting hit in the face with the dog collar in the first minute of the match. This match had the live crowd in the palm of their hands from the opening bell and those of us who were watching at home were in awe of the match with each and every minute and each and every move. FTR and The Briscoes are both great tag teams in their own right and when you put the two together they make for amazing pro wrestling matches and that to me is what pro wrestling has always been about. Amazing chemistry, amazing matches, and emotion all of the emotion humanly possible for the fans, in five to ten years people will go back and look at the series of matches that FTR and The Briscoes had with each other and if they didn’t realize how great they were then they will with time. It’s one of those feuds and subsequent matches that make me proud to be a wrestling fan because matches like these are what pro wrestling is all about. I’m happy to say that I was able to see this match live as it happened because it was something special. Do yourself a favor and go watch this match RIGHT NOW!” -Nathan Neumann

“I had a tough time picking between this and the Supercard of Honor match as best match of the year. It’s very close, as this ended up being a bloody, brutal fight with a ton of great moments. Will probably have to put Supercard of Honor ahead, but not by much.” -Bryan Rose

“This is the kind of match that happens at the end of the year and makes you rip up your MOTY list and start again. This is also the kind of match that has you wincing in terror, while also hooting and hollering for more. It was an incredibly violent war to conclude one of the greatest wrestling trilogies ever, bring an end to FTR’s heralded 2022, and remind everyone that the Briscoes are still a top-tier tag team. It didn’t matter that the match was announced only a few days out. It didn’t matter that one of the teams isn’t even allowed on Turner television. As soon as we heard FTR vs. The Briscoes III in a double dog collar match, we knew these four guys would deliver a fitting finale, and they did. For all the bumps, bruises, and blood loss these guys put themselves through in this match, they deserve all the votes they get.” -Andrew Rich

“FTR had a lot of great matches this year, and I’ve got three of them in my top 10, but this one surpassed them all. The four-way blood had a lot to do with that. You just don’t see a lot of tag team dog collar matches. Usually reserved to settle singles feuds.” -Eric Krol

“After two previous five-star matches in 2022, these two teams set the gold standard when it came to dog collar matches. This was every bit as violent as you would have liked it to be along with mixing tremendous, violent spots while building off of the first two matches. This is arguably the best tag team trilogy of all-time .” -Tyler Forness

“Where the wheels start to come off for FTR as they attained greatness, but couldn’t sustain it forever and the final chapter in the story of the Briscoes being made homeless, and going on a voyage of wrestling discovery before finally being back where they belong and welcomed home with bloody violent arms. Truly a remarkable match for the effort and the story told as they tried to figure out how to top themselves for a third time.” -MR JAMES TRUEPENNY


“How do you take things to the next level after two highly praised tag matches? A double dog collar blowoff bloodbath of course. 2022 was the year of the blade in America, and we got perhaps the greatest sendoff to that theme in the final major show of the year as The Briscoes, FTR and even the referee were all donning the Crimson mask. Outside of Dax taking an eternity to wrap the chain around his forehead for a headbutt, this was a fantastic closing chapter to the feud of the year.” -Ed Mills

“The culmination of one of the greatest tag series of our generation, while being probably the best dog collar match in decades. Supreme perfection.” -Jacob Nelson

“Two matches with the same opponents cracking a top ten list is special by itself, but consider where Ring of Honor existed as an entity just a year ago, and it’s even more extraordinary. And ‘extraordinary’ is precisely the adjective I’d use to describe the tag team rivalry between FTR and the Briscoes in 2022, a rivalry that more than justified ROH’s return to live wrestling. Three must-see matches between these two teams played a significant role in Tony Khan-era ROH finding strong business from ticket sales and pay-per-view buys. ROH has a strong footing to stand on in 2023 thanks to a foundation that was poured by (and soaked in the blood of) Jay and Mark Briscoe, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. The best entry in that trilogy was this dog collar match at Final Battle. Fabulously brutal and violent, and loaded with plenty of appeal for fans of both the new and old school philosophies. Well before even the opening bell, the contrasting visuals of the Briscoes entering in their black dusters while Harwood and Wheeler were dressed in their white gear told you everything you needed to know: there’s a reckoning coming. These men are out for blood, and it’s not going to end until bodies and wills have been broken. What followed was exactly that, with the Briscoes and FTR emptying out everything in their respective playbooks, while improvising even more barbarism around the stipulation of the match. One of the most stunning examples of that barbarism is Cash Wheeler hanging Mark Briscoe with the chain, while Jay Briscoe sends Dax Harwood into that taut chain — friendly fire affecting both teams, but a sacrifice deemed necessary by both teams. That is truly victory at all costs. The extreme physical sacrifice by all four men was heightened by an electrified crowd and an excellent call by Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman, a commentary team that has become one of the most valuable assets for ROH. Put it all together, and it’s clear that Ring of Honor can not only survive but thrive in this new era.” -TDE

“The violence in this match is just mesmeric to watch. The intensity from the start tells you not to look away. There is no pause in it’s relentlessness with Dax and Mark the MVPs with an honourable mention for whoever decided that the chains should be longer because it helps discard the limitations that chain/strap match have to suffer. Maybe the best ref bump ever (Fire Pro homage?), strategy call backs to previous matches and a finish that felt rewarding for the viewer. Re-watching this, I again found myself repeatedly saying wow to myself. My MOTY” -Peter Edge

“When you say violence you have to think about the Dog Collar match between The Briscoes and FTR. These tewo teams fought all over the place, across the whole building and blood was spit in every corner of the squared circle. We had great kickouts, nearfalls, big moments and even referees bled like the four combatants. It was the perfect showing of a fight to death, a fight until the last man was standing and a perfect way to end one of the best feuds of the year.” -Christian Gascoigne

“A perfect end to a trilogy of tag team matches that will sit with me for a long time. The dog collar match was back in a big way this year and though I prefer the Punk/MJF match as a whole package, this may be the better homage to the violent legacy of the stip. As well as an awesome spectacle and a great match, it served as a symbolic crescendo to a rivalry of two teams metaphorically and now literally tied to one another.” -Dave Ryan

“An incredibly physical match that was a logical progression of the first two matches and was also unique. Ultimately put a capper on an all time 3 match series.” -Arturo Galletti

“The conclusion to the FTR/Briscoes trilogy is the bloodiest of the three, a true fight, a slobberknocker, a barnburner, a pier-sixer and every other tired cliché in the book. Mark Briscoe takes an all timer gnarly bump, Jay Briscoe bleeds like five buckets, Dax Harwood tries to wrap a chain around his bald head for what feels like two minutes and Cash Wheeler works like a madman to keep the whole thing together. In short, it’s awesome and a fitting end to the trilogy.” -Semi Salmikannas

“While this match did not reach the euphonic highs for me that the first encounter between FTR and the Briscoes did, this match left me with an altogether different feeling. Where the first match was a struggle for preeminence between these two teams, the third match was a brutal endurance contest. And after having watched, I felt a sort of exhaustion seeing the Briscoes earn their current reign as ROH Tag Team Champions. Over the course of three matches in 2022, FTR and the Briscoes felt like a blood-feud rivalry that had already spanned the ages. The Double Dog Collar Match was the logical conclusion to such antagonism, the sort that felt that it’s lasted years longer than it did in truth. The third match between FTR exchanged the tag-team prowess each team possessed from the first match, and instead pit them in a smash-mouth gladiator match. And when it was all said and done, we were witness to one of the most beautiful exhibitions of wrestling violence to be found in the modern era.” -Reuel Castillo

“I mean another crazy, brutal and good match between two of the top tag teams in the world.” -Filip Pejic

“FTR vs Briscoes is without a doubt the best trilogy of 2022. This match is personally my favorite because the stipulation was perfect for both teams as they are the most intense teams ever. It had a feeling of urgency, blood, sweat, crazy spots, violence everywhere. What is incredibly satisfying in wrestling to me is a perfect-timed dramatic and epic finish, which was the case here. I will never forget Cash trying to break the submission.” -Enzo FADELLI

“Old school and brutal, they didn’t let the gimmick lead the match, avoiding contrived spots and hokeyness. Instead it enhanced the match. This was pure NWA ’87. Both teams brought it and put their bodes on the line.” -Joe Towner

“It’s hard to believe they could possibly match the greatness of their first encounter, but in the eyes of many they exceeded it. I try to avoid including the same pairing more than once on my match of the year list, but I can’t deny this one.” -Matthew Carlins

“My personal favourite of the three Broscoe FTR matches. It helped being the big blow off match to finish the series and having call backs to all the prior, also incredible I might add, tag matches between these two. There is some fun split screen production that helps us keep an eye on all of the action at once and adds to the chaotic nature of this match. There’s doomsday devices and diving headbutts with chains, even the ref gets a chain shot to the face at one point busting him wide open! I’ve never seen a ref cut busted open before! Mark Briscoe takes a disgusting fall to ring side off the top onto a pile of chairs, and then Dax hits the piledriver on to a chair in the ring and goes for the cover like he did to win the prior match but Jay manages to kick out” this is great stuff! Add to this an almighty superplex to Dax onto a pile of chairs, and the fantastic cross face with the chain while Cash is trying his hardest to break it up to finish to top off a violent masterpiece of a match between these two great teams. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman also do a tremendous job in this match selling the violence, putting over the action and helping to elevate it to another level.” -Steven

“I love tag team wrestling.” -Blake Murphy

“RIP Jay Briscoe” -Skeach101

“Brutal, but beautiful. Hardcore, but honorable. Devastating, but definitive. Rest in Peace, Jay Briscoe.” -Slyguy46

“It seems crazy to me that a match that was such a perfect ending to the feud between these two teams came together only a week or so before it happened. Such an old-school and potentially brutal stipulation could not have suited these two teams of tough southern ‘rasslers more and on the night they defied the potential limitations the dual chains imposed, crafting probably the best match of either team’s career. While the critical consensus focused a lot on Dax and Jay immediately afterwards, I adored the work of Cash & Mark. The pair utilised the chain to not only hit each other but drag each other around, yank each other neck first off heights and ultimately in the final moments restrict each other. The match of course now gains extra significance as the last match Jay Briscoe ever wrestled but even before that it was simply one of the best tag team matches of all time and easily one of the best matches this year.” -Sam Brown

“I loved this match because they didn’t try anything fancy – four guys just went out there and mauled each other. All four of them were out for blood and they (and by extension us) got tons of it. This is the defining rivalry of the year and FTR concludes their stellar 2022.” -George Atsaves/Chris Colgan

“2022 wasn’t just the year of The Briscoes/FTR feud, it was the year of the dog collar. In one of the few wrestling match types WWE hasn’t ruined, Tony Khan used it so effectively in 2022 especially in the final match between these two teams. This feud had so many things going against it. So much so, what we did get feels like a miracle. The higher ups at WBD refused to let The Briscoes be featured on tv. The weeks heading into Final Battle were…fine. Tony Khan was putting together a nice little ROH PPV. Then the Gunn Club pulled out dog collars of a Christmas-gift-like-structure and the show became must see. FTR and The Briscoes would put a definitive end to their feud and it no doubt sold extra tickets and PPV buys. The hype was so big and these 4 guys exceeded expectations. At first, I rated it around 4 stars. My co-host talked me into 4.5, but the final stretch from Dax felt so masturbatory (nothing new to FTR matches). After a re-watch, I absolutely loved it. Everyone played their parts perfectly and the final third of the match was excellent (despite Dax’s cringy heroic schtick). This incredible match made FTR tag team of the year, their set of matches the feud of the year, and added another feather in the cap of The Briscoes Hall of Fame case. It also made it close to impossible for anyone else to have a better dog collar match.” -Jake Halterman

“As I wrote in my review of this show for VOW, this match was exactly what they advertised. This wasn’t a game of human chess. There was no sign that any of these four men were thinking about their next move or setting up something for down the line. This was four rabid wolves ripping and tearing at each other. This was unbridled carnage and violence. It was beautiful barbarism. These were two of the best tag teams in the world, leaving every bit of themselves in that ring and leaving nothing to chance. They left every bit of themselves in that ring, which helped to make this one of the most iconic matches in Ring of Honor history, and the capper to one of the best rivalries in recent pro wrestling history.” -Suit Williams

“Two of the best tag teams in history delivering again.” -Kristen Ashly

“A great end to the trilogy that will be studied by young wrestlers for years to come. It was a bloodbath but not just for the sake of it. The double dog collar factor of pairing off Mark with Wheeler and Jay with Harwood for the whole match could have been limiting but it elevated the match instead.” -Dave Musgrave

“A violent and bloody war between two teams. Two teams with great chemistry. The trilogy between the Briscoes and FTR was a perfect example of perfect tag team wrestling. This is my top pick of best wrestling matches of 2022.” -Franky DeJesus

“Let this match live on in our memories forever more. We will never forget the impact that Jay had on wrestling, and how special a team the Briscoes are.” -Sarah Flannery

“One of the wildest brawls I’ve ever seen. RIP Jay Briscoe.” -Dean

“This match has a tragic poetry to it now, as Jay Briscoe’s last performance encapsulates his career. A beautiful display of skill, creativity, and violence all lead to capturing the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Titles, which he and his brother, Mark, have been synonymous with for two decades. Rest in peace, Jay Briscoe.” -Jeff Martin

“This is a match showered in highly justifaible superlatives. It’s been elevated into the pantheon of all-time great matches. A clash of four men driven by the common bond of the love of pro wrestling and taking it to such great heights. It’s the kind of stuff that makes watching this crazy sport worthwhile. Makes you thankful for wrestlers like these.” -Warren Hayes

“It was already the definitive match of the best in-ring feud of the year. Now it will be known as Jay Briscoe’s Final Battle. If there is one match that 2022 will be remembered for, this is it. Rest in peace, Jamin Pugh.” -Kevin Ely

“I’m not a fan of dog collar matches, but this is one of my favourite matches of all time. It had a pace that just never stopped. It was a fantastic intersection of high spots and story that had everyone cheering for whichever team they supported. Personally, I was all in of the Briscoes. The intensity of Mark and Jay was as similar as it was different, and their reality was highlighted perfectly by the nostalgic trappings of FTR. A wonderful, all-time match forever tinged with sadness.” -Neil David

“Thank you Jay” -Kentucky210 (Austin Hall)

“A perfect capper to an all-timer of a trilogy that brought heart, violence, hatred, respect, sacrifice and storytelling to a shattering crescendo.” -Chris

“I watched this masterpiece, very sadly, only after Jay’s passing. I had forgotten how sad his death was a few minutes in, absorbed by the violence and physicality, only for my brain to be shocked back to reality when Cash yelled “loving Murder Him!” and I thought “is this too soon for my emotions?” for a split second, only for my brain to auto coreect itself and say “No, Jay would have loved that moment. This is the kind of poo poo he wants to be remembered for.” This FTR/Briscoes feud only lasted 3 matches across one year, and I can barely think of a modern tag feud capable of knocking it from its perch at the top of the heap. What a way to be remembered, what a gift to leave with those who LOVE tag team wrestling.” -James “NuclearConvoy” Snelgrove

“With the advent of AEW, a lot of people in my life have become new or reborn wrestling fans. Whether through the company or through diving back into the weeds of wrestling internet talk, they’ve slowly started becoming familiar with the cast of strange, obscure characters I’ve been spending my free time with. Naturally, after the series with FTR garnered all that hype, they began asking me about the Briscoes. Then the car accident happened. Sharing a drink with one of those friends, he said he was bummed he never got around to familiarizing himself with the Briscoes. After all, he loves FTR, and if a team was having matches that good with FTR, he wanted to check them out. That night, he said, he was going to watch the Dog Collar Match. My first instinct was to say, “No, don’t start there.” I started thinking about all the years I’d spent watching Briscoes matches. The series where they unseated Aries and Strong, seeing them keep up with a prime Naruki Doi and Shingo in the UK, trading strikes with Takashi Sugiura in Japan, establishing Steenerico in the United States, generational feuds with the likes of the Motor City Machine Guns, Kings of Wrestling, and the Young Bucks. It went on and on. Then I thought about what it is in all those special matches that made you say, “We’re lucky we get to watch these guys.” And I realized it’s all here in the Dog Collar Match. The intensity, the spectacle, the violence, the chemistry that only siblings can share, and a world-class pair of opponents. It’s a joy to watch professional wrestling when it looks like this. It’s one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. “Yeah, you should definitely go watch that fuckin’ match,” I said.” -Jon Hernandez

“A brilliant, bloody spectacle that stands as the absolute pinnacle of tag team wrestling.” -Andrew Sinclair

“FTR and The Briscoes on this night produced beautiful violence. From bell to bell, this was all out violence I will never forget watching. From the referee spot to Dax using wrapping the chain around his head, hatred fueled this match and this is what a blow off match should be.” -Daniel Kuchler

“This was my feud of the year and I didn’t think anything could top seeing the second match live. But this one was just better. Where the second one was great enough to make me, a Briscoes fan for the better part of two decades want FTR to win, this was the brutal, cathartic victory of the Briscoes I really wanted.” -Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“Absolute Nutty. This was violent. And Bloody. And incredible. Probabbly would have been higher if he story resonated with me more. But I can’t deny these men had an incredible match.” -Christopher Duarte

“A wild and bloody war! Both teams fight right at the bell and waste no time trying to hurt each other. Fighting on the floor, stage and even crowd and throwing everything that isn’t nailed down at each other. Briscoes are the first to be able to mount any kind of double team offense before Dax is able to run Jay into a chair and Cash is able to pull Mark down by his chain. FTR takes over and beats the hell out of Dem Boys including hitting a Doomsday Device for a nice early near-fall. A blood soaked Jay starts swinging the chain around like a mad man to help the Briscoes take back over. Mark and Cash battle on the floor while Dax and Jay duke it out in the ring. All four men are covered in blood, even the referee gets caught in the crossfire and busted open! Mark is pulled off the top into a pile of chairs when going for a Doomsday Device! Jay Driller only gets 2 and so does a piledriver by Dax. A top rope piledriver is stopped and Jay superplexes both men onto a pile of chairs! Cash tries to get in the ring but Mark is holding the chain and preventing it! Jay starts to choke Dax out with the chain as the two partners reach for each other. Referee has to call it! Briscoes are the Tag Team Champions again after one of the most insane matches I have ever seen!” -Alexander Charles Kalil

“One of the greatest tag team matches of all time. One of the reasons 2022 will go down as one of the best years for in-ring action that I’ve ever witnessed. The fact that FTR and The Briscoes managed to top their first encounter is a credit to how amazing these two teams are. The Double Dog Collar match didn’t need weeks of build — after all it was named days before the show actually happened. All we needed was to know their history and that this was going to be a war. The blood, the moments, and the finish make this a match that people will be talking about for years. The struggle of Dax Harwood reaching for Cash Wheeler as he faded was the close this series needed. Pro wrestling as good as it gets.” -Scott Edwards

“It’s refreshing to see a critically acclaimed match from a US promotion that isn’t trying to win the Palme D’or. Instead, it’s focused on being a gritty, flat-out fight. The chains are attached and they brawl immediately. And along with it, the blood quickly followed as well. Punches with chains wrapped around the fist are plenty, whippings take place and tons of choking to boot. But all behind it was the visceral hatred and violence in not only their actions but body language from all four. The match had some clever spots that you’d expect as well. Cash threw Mark Briscoe to the outside from over the top to hang him and Dax tried to clothesline Jay on the chain that has now been straightened but Jay reverses and Dax takes the rough landing into the chains. Though there is a spot where Jay Briscoe pulls the ref in front of him to protect himself from an incoming chain shot, which spit the ref open. It was slightly gratuitous, I must say but the wrestling resumed quickly so there was no time to dwell on it. And thankfully, the finish didn’t come too soon after that, giving the match a nice compact feel to a hard hitting, tough match. Exactly as it should be. Comparing it to other chain matches, such as my personal favourite, Pitbulls vs Stevie Richards and Raven from ECW Gangster Paradise 1995, this is below it but out of the trilogy that these two have had, it’s the superior one of the lot.” -MC

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

MooGati - 7.0
"Good, certainly, but the weakest of the three matches. I don't know why bleeding buckets is supposed to make better wrestling than awesome moves. Again, this wasn't bad in the slightest, but I'd take the first match of the series over this one."

arrancar - 7.0
"2022's most overrated feud/series of matches now has its 3rd entry -- another of which was once again extremely overrated but ultimately still really good. This was probably their 2nd best match behind their 1st, though it's still pretty even with their 2nd match as well. While I don't find this style of wrestling to be the best possible style out there, I can definitely still enjoy it, since it's definitely fun seeing 4 guys be all aggressive and energetic as they brawl around the ring throwing strikes and utilising their chains in rather vicious and creative ways. Jay deserves big props for how strong his character work was, since he did a great job presenting himself as gritty, defiant, and plain badass even when he was being beaten down. As the match went on they had more and more intense strikes, creative uses of the chains, some nasty bumps, and some convincing near falls. I still didn't really see anything especially great in any of their interactions, but they did have quite a few that were at least just below that level, and the majority of them being really good.***1/2"

AnotherSpreadsheeter - 7.0
"This was good, but just didn't quite hit me the same as the prior two matches in their series (especially the first match, which is the best of the bunch). Maybe I'm just growing numb to current-day chain spots, table spots, bloodshed, etc. But it felt like a pretty standard plunder match. Don't get me wrong, it was still very good and had enjoyable spots and visuals in it. I just don't know what I was hoping from it, but it was more than this. 3.5 stars."

tykechandler - 7.0
"Overall I have to say there is a lot of dead space. The spots are cool, but they are obviously spots and they are few and far between. There are a number of brawls and/or spotfests I would rather watch, but this is not bad by any means."

SZ1989 - 7.0
"I admit I'm not as high on these matches as some of the people here are. I feel like they are very formulaic, and while the Briscoes make for good opponents, I often feel like I am watching the same FTR match these days. The dog collar stipulation added an interesting flavor to the match, but I did not feel like this was a true classic. In a way, it felt a bit forced and unnecessary."

Robinaldo - 7.0
"Sicherlich ein gutes Match und ja ich gebe es zu, ich bin kein Freund von Matchserien. Mir fehlt jedes Verständnis warum die Briscoes nach zwei klaren Niederlagen noch eine Chance bekommen. Das ist der erste Minuspunkt. der zweite ist, die Kurzfristigkeit der Ansetzung (bei Dynamite ein paar Tage vorher). Dann ist es für mich das Schwächste Match der Serie und die typische Tony-Khan-Blutparty nehmen mir wirklich den Spaß. Ist natürlich meckern auf hohem Niveau - ist aber meckern!"

The Taxman posted:

What a war. Absolute brutality, guts, and compressed vertebrae.

Oil! posted:

I just got to seeing it this morning and what a great match.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81ze5b

TTBF posted:

I thought the ending was a bit flat at first so I didn't nominate it. Then I was reading the Observer and found out the match continued after the draw and went back and watched and yeah, that's a MOTYC

IceAgeComing posted:

fantastic match. The finish is something that sounds silly but with how this match was put together it worked perfectly: both gave everything they had and at one point neither could get up again. Its an example of your big match epic that works perfectly in my eyes.

DarkstarIV posted:

This match was cool and good and you should watch it because I said so. Because if you don't watch it I will call you a nerd.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“An incredible spectacle in strength, endurance, and beating the absolute piss out of each other.

The first 30 minutes felt like a good ****1/4 title match, albeit a bit deflating due to the draw. But the restart, reminiscent of Frye/Takayama, and the 12 minutes that followed absolutely put this match over the top. When it was all said and done, the draw felt earned, as both wrestlers did an incredible job selling the absolute exhaustion and damage they had taken.

Stardom has been growing significantly since it was purchased by Bushiroad in 2019, but this match will likely be looked back on as the launching pad that shot it into major league status.” -NiagaraDriver

“It starts a little slow but it’s a match that gets better with every minute that goes by. I think this match more than any other is a victim of clap crowds. With a crowd able to scream and shout this could make a shout for a top 3 Joshi match of all time.” -Mark

“A match built on physicality and in-ring drama to excellence. This bout was something straight out Devil Masami vs Chigusa Nagoya double KO in 1985 AJW. The difference was Syuri and Utami first went to a 30 minute draw resulting in neither wrestler being satisfied after a technical and brutal battle. Then the restart happened and thus the WAR!. The adrenaline pumped in my soul and the resulting double knockout had me wanting to hit the Summer pool needing to cool off. Phew, what a match!” -Jacob Woolley

“It takes a lot for me to watch a modern day Puro match, but I was hearing so much about this match I figured I needed to give it a whirl. This match from Stardom went to a 30 minute draw, and then 13 minutes of overtime, and didn’t once feel like the clap crowds were dragging it down” -Ed Mills

“The match that brought Stardom into a more global light, a 43 minute war that brought out both their skills and their determination. The most important match in Stardom’s history” -Trent Breward

“Somehow I’d never seen a Syuri match before this one and I was blown away by the strength of her strikes and by the confidence she projected. This is a fighter. Utami, to me, felt like a survivor. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a match that communicated the exhaustion of being unable to put your opponent away like this match did. After the time limit draw break, these women got right back into it, beating the hell out of each other, continually coming right up to the line of running out of gas and looking at each other with an almost nervous unwillingness to lose. It reminded me of the look on Bas Rutten’s face toward the end of his famous destruction of Masakatsu Funaki in Pancrase. It’s the “why won’t you just die” face, but with an added twinge of anxiety over the increasingly deep breaths they’re having to take. 40 minutes into this war, Syuri and Utami looked like two people who wouldn’t give up as much because they wanted to win as they didn’t want all this work they’d done to be for nothing. It certainly wasn’t for nothing. Despite the inconclusive finish, this match felt like a very bold statement from both women and from the promotion and they deserve all of the praise they’ve received for it.” -Casey Fiore

“Somehow I’d never seen a Syuri match before this one and I was blown away by the strength of her strikes and by the confidence she projected. This is a fighter. Utami, to me, felt like a survivor. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a match that communicated the exhaustion of being unable to put your opponent away like this match did. After the time limit draw break, these women got right back into it, beating the hell out of each other, continually coming right up to the line of running out of gas and looking at each other with an almost nervous unwillingness to lose. It reminded me of the look on Bas Rutten’s face toward the end of his famous destruction of Masakatsu Funaki in Pancrase. It’s the “why won’t you just die” face, but with an added twinge of anxiety over the increasingly deep breaths they’re having to take. 40 minutes into this war, Syuri and Utami looked like two people who wouldn’t give up as much because they wanted to win as they didn’t want all this work they’d done to be for nothing. It certainly wasn’t for nothing. Despite the inconclusive finish, this match felt like a very bold statement from both women and from the promotion and they deserve all of the praise they’ve received for it.” -Abraham Delgado

“2021 was the year Syuri ultimately became my favorite women’s wrestler in the world. The quality of her work is such a high standard and ultimately feels a class above everyone else. This match was her coming out party to the rest of the world it seems. This is probably the most talked about joshi match since the days of Io/Kairi. I felt the build in the match was absolutely incredible. These women beat the piss out of each other. I thought the finish was absolutely clever then just having it finish in a time limit draw.” -Chris Duare

“A great back and forth match where Syuri really got to shine. It was an important step in her elevation” -Rene Martinez

“This match is going to receive a lot of votes. And rightfully so, Utami and Syuri captured lightning in a bottle with this masterful draw. Matches of this length and this style often fall flat but Syuri’s excellent performance carried the match as the dominant performer that the World Champion couldn’t quite figure out. For her part, Hayashishita put in a shift as the World Champion desperately trying to cling on to her championship in the face of her biggest challenge yet. After the forced restart at the 30-minute mark, this kicked into the highest gear as both women were going in for the kill as fatigue set in from their lengthy battle. Matches as ambitious as this often fall flat but on this day, with this match, Stardom struck gold.” -Alex Richards

“Since the moment the match happened, I knew it was the match of the year and one of the best I have ever seen. Utami Hayashishita vs. Syuri delivered a 43-minute instant classic that will live on forever. I have written countless words about this match since it happened and June, yet the one word I always come back to is “legendary.” It’s the match that will be the spark for Stardom into what should be their best years to come. The ability to make the Japanese clapping crowds feel as though they are able to react made this one feel even greater. As they smashed and clawed at each other with minutes to go before the 30-minute time limit, that fear that a draw would be the deciding factor didn’t enter but the heightened hopes of Hayashishita or Syuri getting the win became the feeling. Once 30 minutes hit, I sat there thinking that this was at the very least a match of the year candidate… and then they restarted the match. 13 more minutes of slugging, battling, and trying to become the World of Stardom Champion. As the 43rd minute came and neither were able to continue, it was easy to know that this match was as close to perfection as we’d get all year. It’s the Stardom equivalent to Okada vs. Omega I and will go down that way for good as it booms Stardom into a new realm of popularity. Easily my match of the year.” -Scott Edwards Jr.

“If you don’t like womens wrestling or talk bad about it , give this match a chance to see what womens can do , when the opportunity is given. Utami was a perfect match of beign a fighting champion. Syuri on the other hand is the best in-ring worker women we have right now. Joshi’s are the ones who started real womens revolution in this business and this match is a huge proof. I even made my non-wrestling fan friends watch it. And every single one of them liked it. This was totally a womens wrestling at it best.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“The famous death battle in Ota-ku Gym. A dense 40 minutes of superhuman stamina and endurance. Syuri seemed to have a thousand holds at her disposal, not to mention many different ways to kick her opponent. They leveled each other with hard-hitting strikes and slams until the time expired, which led to a K-1 style extension round that took the clash to another level of epicness.” -aguakun

“I was really glad that I took the advice from industry talking heads to make time for this match. Clap crowd pro wrestling shouldn’t be this good, and it’s only because Utami and Syuri went above and loving beyond that this match reached the levels of excellence that it did.” -Shane D

“Hard hitting, state of the art women’s match with a unique finish.” -Very Worried About Ibushi’s Shoulder

“I do not follow Stardom, so I was completely unfamiliar with these two women and only watched because I heard so much about it. Truth be told, I was underwhelmed at first. But as it approached the time limit, I really bought into the drama, and when they added the extra time, I was fully invested in these two. 2021 was the year of the draw, and this was really the most dramatic example.” -Kevin Ely

“These ladies were reinventing greatness here. I have never seen a “match must continue” gimmick deliver like this before and likely won’t again.” -Dave Musgrave

“A star-making match that broke down barriers for many fans unfamiliar with joshi. We may end up looking back at this one as a turning point for the rise of the popularity of joshi in North America.” -Warren Hayes

“Two surging stars were at their best under the bright lights. Utami and Syuri looked every bit like aces of growing, buzzing company. The impassioned warriors were dead even throughout all the flailing and frustrations, all the big bombs and desperate counterpunches. Utami vs. Syuri was a true epic, a two-act play about two wrestlers pushing themselves to their limits in order to prove themselves better than their foe.” -Ryan Dilbert

“Honestly, this was a “very good-to-great” match at the end of the first 30 minutes. When they added another 13, it turned into one of the best Stardom matches in history. Syuri is on another level right now and if I had to pick a match that really put her there it would be this one. There was a strong backstory: Syuri had come up short in some big matches, and was trying desperately to win her first World of Stardom Championship in honor of her mother, who died before she could see her daughter succeed. Both wrestlers brought an intensity that made it feel like the title mattered. (I can only imagine what it would have been like with a live crowd.) And after restarting the match, I bought into the idea that we were going to have an actual winner, which meant I was living and dying with every move. The match ultimately ended in a double knockout (this might have been my MOTY with a clear winner.) Obviously Syuri went on to beat Hayashishita later in the year to end their story, but this was the match that mattered: When it was done, it finally felt like Syuri’s stature in the company caught up to her ability. (Side note: In a timeline that includes Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns and Shingo Takagi, Hayashishita was the best champion in the world throughout her reign.” -Paul DeBenedetto

“The first battle of Hayashishita and Syuri is something that paid off years of the company trying to live up to the All Japan Women glory days, but never quite matching its in-ring reputation. On this night, they set out to top every other match in company history and did just that while helping to raise the expectations for just what a great match in the company meant.” -Jeremy Peeples

“Flawless. That is what immediately hit my mind after I finished this at around 4am central time. After popping for the 30 minute draw with how hard they worked, the post match promo lead to a overtime period, which I was shocked by considering the company. From this, I expected as much as Syuri had the dramatic story leading into the match with the loss of her mother, and being the super underdog, I was ready for Utami to put her away and continue her dominance over the company in 2021. The back and forth lead to a dramatic double KO, in which we still had a draw, but just later than the last. I openly begged for the rematch. When they had their second contest of the year in the Grand Prix, another similar finish made me drool for more. The finale to close the year was fantastic, with the payoff most of us wanted, and the moment that was the reason we all love wrestling. The reason though why this match stands here as my match of the year, is it started the most intriguing storyline and payoff for the entire year, half way through it. I was now invested for 6 straight months, awaiting the payoff at the end of the year. I proclaimed this was the best women’s wrestling match I’ve ever seen in my life. From start to finish, I never took my eyes off it, or played with my phone like most of us do when something has length. I then watched it a second time the next day, and a third the week later, and continued to find something new to appreciate every time. This was a classic for me, and I’m so glad I pulled the trigger for this to be the match of 2021 in pro wrestling.” -Ryan Cooke

“This match broke through the joshi bubble and got attention from the more mainstream wrestling press, and for good reason, as it featured what was perhaps the most memorable finish in pro wrestling this year.” -Chuck Hodgin

“This is arguably the most important joshi match since the 90s for fans outside of Japan, as it drastically increased western awareness of the promotion and the high quality of its workers.” -Fred Morlan

“I have followed Stardom since 2015. In that time, the company has evolved in ways I couldn’t honestly expect. While I personally believe there have been better individual performances, I don’t think the company has seen a match as singularly important as this one. The rivalry between Utami Hayashishita and Syuri defined Stardom in the most transformational year in the company’s history. This was a breakthrough match that put Stardom on the radar of the greater wrestling world.” -TDE

“Despite its slightly confusing conclusion, the most highly praised women’s wrestling match in decades is worthy of the many plaudits it has received. It succeeds where so many other recent ‘epic’ Japanese main events have missed the mark in how the escalation of the drama is constructed. There is the emotion of Syuri looking to win in tribute to her late mother, Hayashishita’s determination to prove herself worthy of being a headline champion, the thrill of some jaw dropping spots and the feeling that the two are genuinely trying to hurt each other. It is one of the best matches of its kind that pushed Syuri beyond faction lieutenant to leading contender. It was also key to moving Hayashishita’s reign from its uncertain start to being one of the year’s best.” -Jack Groom

“In a year where the Japanese wrestling scene has been strangled nearly to death by COVID-19, Stardom not only survived, but thrived. That was in large part to the incredible rise of Utami Hayashishita, and this title match with Donna Del Mondo’s Syuri is without a doubt her magnum opus.” -Doug Fowler (Skeach101)

“I’m not going to lie and say that I stay regularly tuned in to STARDOM, but this match tells me that maybe I should. An absolute banger where these two women went to war, twice in one night. Already a MOTY contender after the initial time limit expired, the second round in overtime really sealed the deal and left me feeling like a dingus for how often I sleep on the biggest Joshi promotion.” -James “NuclearConvoy”

“Breathtaking, amazing, highest drama. Nail biting nearfalls. And for me? For me it was the added bonus of Utami Hayashishita being the first main event wrestler that I have had the privilege to follow from the start of their career until this point and Syuri being one of the first wrestlers that I have seen, that have captured me from the start she appeared on my screen. That’s the main reason why it is so high up on my list.” -Velkej Bracha

“Using strikes to tell the story of this match but not overdoing it (Yes you NOAH, I’m talking to you), Utami and Syuri is a wonderful match that would not look out of place in the heyday of Joshi in the 80s and 90s. It would have contended for the Top 3 had the urgency to get the win in the final minute of the original 30 min time limit been higher plus I would have liked them to go the full hour instead of the double down that ended the contest, otherwise the action was up there with the best 2021 had to offer” -Peter Edge

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Oswuold - 0.0
"Awesome episode of botchamania... but holy poo poo! This should be a wrestling match! Wow, It Is not Easy to understand. It could look like strange but they weren' t able to do a Simply sit - out bomb and every other moves the did and probably could have done. Probably this was a bad night for them because also the did the same moves for more that once. THIS HAS NO SENSE! The end of this match Just puleds up other poo poo on this Mountain of poo poo. I 'd wanna Say I m Sorry, but I m Sorry only for the people that give to this match a 10 out of 10. DUD"

Professor Funk posted:

Bryan/MJF was one of the best matches I've seen in a long, long time. Nth.

LionYeti posted:

Danielson MJF was at Omega Okada levels of good.

Rarity posted:

Hangman/Mox has topped out Omega/Ospreay as my MOTY and then MJF/Bryan almost topped out that, great show

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Who would’ve believed you if two years ago you told them that MJF would be far more impressive in-ring in 2023 than he was on the mic? This match cemented MJF as a guy who can have top-level main event matches in a promotion that demands them.” -Jays Retro

“MJF claims this is the best iron man match of all-time, and I’m inclined to agree. Unlike many iron man matches that were slow and plodding, in this one the time seemed to fly by. Going into the show I had little doubt that MJF was retaining the championship, but as the hour mark got closer and closer the battle was so compelling I started to believe Bryan Danielson would walk away the champion. Getting the audience lost in the moment is when pro wrestling is at its best, and this match achieved that at a level matched by few others in 2023.” -Adam Berger

“This is how you do an Iron Match. I have always been a proponent that matches that are designed to go a certain time limit have a cap of how good they can be. Just by the nature of the stipulation nothing really matters that much until the last minute…unless you have two geniuses like MJF and Bryan Danielson. MJF knows he can’t hang with this man for an hour so by any means necessary he tried to stack falls not because he wanted to win but to survive just keep the gap narrow. Not going to do a beat for beat review of this epic but I will simply say nothing beats the character work of these men at the end of this. The greatest Iron Man match in history.” -Markeem Graham

“Greatest Iron Match of all time. 65 minutes of non stop high paced action wrestling, that did not let up. A match in which both men went above and beyond the sacrifice their long term health, for the betterment of the match, the promotion, and for their opponent. MJF’s litmus test as a true wrestler, proving he was more than just an entertainer.” -Mark O’Brien

“MJF had a lot on the line here. Expectations were sky-high with an Iron Man Match against a talent the level of Bryan Danielson. This was MJF’s opportunity to quiet the naysayers who still doubted his in-ring capabilities, and to solidify himself as worthy of carrying the World Title of a major company. Consider all boxes checked after this one. Truly one of the great Iron Man matches of all-time.” -Greg Parks

“Whatever you think of MJF, he has proven this year that he can do it all inside the square circle. For me, it was this match that proved it to me. It helps that he is grappling with an all-timer, who though is winding down for his “last year as a full-time wrestler” keeps showing that he is in a class all his own. So well worked and riveting, these 2 brought the house down.” -Jake Nelson

“They did it. MJF and Danielson did it. They had the best Ironman match I have seen and one of the most entertaining one hour matches. This is not an easy task and I applaud that it was structured in such a way that there was no down time, the pinfalls were clever, and the extra five minutes made sense. I even liked the ending, even if the ref could have been standing a bit farther away. Both men were excellent, MJF as the rear end in a top hat going the distance, and Danielson torturing him. Even if you don’t like long matches, I would recommend checking it out. Not even knowing the result will spoil the experience.” -Abraham Delgado

“Trying to make modern wrestling fans invested in a match that they know for a fact will go 60 minutes is not an easy feat. Somehow, MJF & Danielson did it with ease.” -Liam Renner

“The greatest Iron man match in history? It’s definitely up there, and MJF proved not only could he go Broadway (and then some), but he could hang with a legend like Danielson.” -Jack Atkins

“The best stories can be explained in a simple sentence, and this one is no exception: A man who bragged that he was the greatest professional wrestler in the world would be tested by the man who had spent 24 years showing that he was. MJF had been seen as the future of the business for quite some time, and in November he won the title that would prove it, the AEW world championship. Bryan Danielson had been called the best wrestler in the world since early in his career, and had spent the years after he came out of a forced retirement really living up to that moniker. MJF spent the weeks building up to their match throwing obstacle after obstacle in Danielson’s way, telling him over and over again that he was a monster who would do anything to keep the gold. Danielson overcame those obstacles and told him that he was going to do everything to take the title from him, and would spend an hour beating him over and over again. For 66 minutes both men gave it their all with Danielson showing why he was called the best in the world by so many, and MJF was showing that for all his villainy and desperation, being able to win and hold that title was no fluke.” -Chris Gannon

“Danielson bringing back the YES Chants before delivering the Busaiku Knee to the champ for a fabulous nearfall made me feel things that I wasn’t sure I still could feel when watching wrestling.” -Heikki Oinonen

“A common theme for my favorite matches of 2023 is wrestlers being forced to find a way to win after going into an opponent’s world. In this case, I loved MJF’s solutions to navigating his way through the American Dragon’s domain — treading water where he had to in order to stay alive, while finding opportunities to steal pins wherever he could. This match was a wonderful meshing of Danielson’s legendary wrestling excellence and MJF’s creativity. Wrestling for 60 minutes and beyond is a monumental challenge, but both Danielson and Friedman made it look easy.” -TDE

“For a long time, I’ve wanted to see such an Iron Man match. In many ways, this match encapsulates the best of what wrestling has to offer. No downtime, every move had a purpose, and the tension was maintained until the last second of the encounter. I hesitate to use the term “carried” when it really isn’t warranted; Bryan, more elegantly put, assisted MJF, but his performance was by no means subpar.” -Dan Duca

“The match had the crowd standing and screaming for a single-leg Boston Crab at the 59 minute mark.” -Jesse Collings

“Hands down the best Iron Match of all-time. AEW knows how to do gimmick matches” -Tyler Forness

“Remember when MJF was great.

The story of MJF struggling to keep up with Danielson, needing swigs of water in the second half of the hour and depending on oxygen in overtime. Danielson’s cheshire cat smile as realised he had MJF on toast made this match ***** alone.

It was the story of MJF struggling to solve the problems that Danielson had set Max and yet somehow doing so and it was in a match stipulation where others have struggled to produce classic matches. This night was a night where we saw best of MJF which made the last 3 months of the year so frustrating. But we’ll always have this night” -Peter Edge

“The biggest complement I can give to a pro-wrestling match after the fact is that it made me believe (even if just for a short period of time, or for a few moments here and there) that one person or one side was going to win when (realistically) I knew in my mind that their chances of winning were not that high to begin with. That was the case with the Sixty Minute Iron Man Match between MJF and Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Title. While the match itself was excellent, with plenty of incredible moments throughout, what really put it over the top were the various points in the closing stretch of the match (and later the overtime period) where Danielson came extremely close to winning the title. I knew going in that Danielson’s chances of winning were pretty low (especially given that MJF’s reign had only just gotten started), but in those brief moments, they made me believe that Danielson was going to win the title, and that really put it over the top for me. Danielson’s performance on the whole was amazing, while MJF showed that he’s more than capable of delivering a high quality main event bout. The growth of MJF as an in-ring performer has been nothing short of incredible, and this Iron Man Match was his Magnum Opus. It’s shame that MJF’s second half of the year was filled with nonsense, because THIS was the version of MJF that can be the best wrestler in the world for years to come. The greatest Iron Man Match I’ve ever seen, without question, and one of the best matches in the history of AEW.” -Sean Sedor

“Arguably the greatest Iron Man match ever. There was not a dull moment thanks to the character work, selling, and psychology between MJF and Danielson. This had technical wrestling, big spots, bloody brawling, and more packed into over an hour. Despite it being predictable, Danielson had fans believing he was about to win. Great stuff.” -Andrew Kelly

“Perhaps the greatest Iron Man Match of all time. Seeing my favorite stipulation get this level of justice was excellent. This was the match that finally “sold” me on MJF. He proved that he can wrestle anyone’s style and hang with the GOAT. There will never be a more perfect pro wrestler than Bryan Danielson but I hesitate to classify this as a “carry job.” MJF was great as well. Danielson showed he was built for this while MJF needed oxygen was hilarious but brilliant. From the very beginning, everything in this match mattered and had a purpose. It felt like both guys were trying to win right from the start and that feeling never went away. An hour long match that felt like 20 minutes and ended too soon. Perfection. I knew there was absolutely no way Danielson was going to dethrone the Champ this early in his reign but they got me. A masterclass of endurance and one of the greatest matches in AEW’s young history where the loser proves that winning isn’t everything.” -Noveliss

“Bryan Danielson truly is something else. A remarkable Ironman match, a showcase of what the American Dragon is capable of and what lengths our dick’ead AEW Champion was willing to go to.
The peak quality of MJF’s reign, as this match did everything it could to establish him as a champion to respect. Including the incredible character moment towards the end of the hour, with Danielson doing star jumps as Maxwell received an oxygen mask. Arguably the ultimate, “But how’s he going to win this one, King?!”

The fact they went at the pace they did for a full hour (and then MORE) is insane. When I call this the greatest 60-minute Ironman match I drat well mean it. The story they told was exceptional and the violence used to sell it next level. Danielson a beast as he made MJF look like a huge star, in easily the quickest 60-minutes of wrestling I’ve watched all year.

Hell, Danielson’s his own contender when it comes to hour-long professional wrestling excellence.” -Matt Maher (aka Imp)

“Ironman matches are basically impossible to work (this is only the third or fourth great one I’ve ever seen in 30+ years watching). Within the confines of what is ostensibly a silly rule set where you can’t get tension on nearfalls and a broadway is guaranteed, this is about as good as one can be.” -Jarrett Seidler

“I never thought that MJF could pull off such an enormous upset against Danielson, but this match proved why “The People’s Scumbag” was awarded the longest and most historic AEW World Championship run in the company. I believe this match elevated both opponents, and I would love to see more 60-minute Iron Man Matches in AEW again.” -Brie Coder

“MJF shows that he is more than a lot of charisma and a good mic, he can also have more than an hour of good wrestling with the best wrestler in the world. Epic, drama, technique, a fight that has it all.” -Fede Fromhell

“They managed to keep my attention for the whole sixty minutes of this which is such an amazing feat. Danielson always builds matches to have so much tension and emotional investment that by the end of this match I cared more about this than anything in my life, despite not having been very invested in the build. Incredible.” -Anne from Tunnel Talk

“MJF proved he could hang (or be carried) to a 60-plus minute match by one of the greatest to ever do it. I hadn’t seen an oxygen tank used to cheat to win before, so that was new. This was when MJF was still a heel and was tolerable.” -Eric Krol

“An exciting match from start to finish. MJF’s best match of the year. Sometimes it’s hard to pull off exciting Iron Man matches, but this one nailed it.

MJF was on a superb run for his AEW championship run, and Bryan Danielson was only on the cusp of his extraordinary 2023 year.” -Traff

“The best Ironman match of all time and the peak of MJFs reign as AEW Champion” -Lee Malone

“Lord, how I wish we could have gotten this MJF all year long. I came off this match thinking he really could be a new Ric Flair. But then he had to go play video games with Adam Cole and ruin it.” -Kevin Ely

“I can’t think of a better 60-minute match., and there’s been plenty of great 60-minute matches. It is a shame Danielson spent a lot of this year injured as when he wasn’t, he was easily one of the best wrestlers in the world.” -Bryan Rose

“This is simply the best Iron Man match ever. Move over Rick Rude and Ricky Steamboat.” -Jason Westhaver

““If you can fill the unforgiving hour with 60 minutes worth of wrestling, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it” – Kipling, probably, if he saw this match.
I still cant believe this match went over 65 minutes because no matter how many times I watch it the whole thing just flies by. MJF and Danielson had the crowd in the palm of their hands from start to finish. Innovative, clever, witty, dramatic and somehow, always gripping. An iron man match must be an incredibly daunting physical and mental task for any wrestler to contemplate but these two made it look easy. Simply masterful.” -Martin Heartly

“This is one of the best stories AEW has ever told, finished off by one of its best matches ever. The build-up was amazing, with MJF embodying the best version of his insecure psychotic heel character and Bryan’s unrelenting determination to get through a gauntlet of the best AEW’s roster had to offer (which itself had several excellent low-level MotY candidates in matches against Bandido, Takeshita and RUSH, toss in one more with MJF vs. Takeshita) so he could prove, definitively that he was the best wrestler in the world. The Iron Man match was 60 minutes of absolutely mastery of the sport, all killer, no filler and was capped off by an intense, exciting overtime period where MJF pulls out every single trick he has and all of them come up dry, until you’re finally convinced, oh my god, Bryan is actually gonna do this….until he doesn’t. And Bryan followed up this match with a promo (link: https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1633656090448793600 ) that took the match from disappointing to gut-wrenching. Nothing in wrestling hits you in the gut the way Bryan admitting his shame that he put his own wants over his family does. MJF didn’t defeat Bryan physically — he did something much worse, he broke him mentally. MJF’s world championship reign wasn’t always the best thing on AEW television (starting….pretty much right after this match, as a matter of fact!) but this story and this match was the peak of All Elite Wrestling in 2023.” -Jeff Ahmed

“MJF had a banner 2023. Bryan Danielson has been great for 20 years. So why do I feel like this match blew past all expectations? It was psychologically perfect. They turned the 60 Minute Iron Man stipulation from a weakness to an asset. I didn’t expect that. More than anything else on this list, I’m in awe of this match.” -Jim Valley

“Bryan Danielson does it again. Right around 15 months after going an hour with a young burgeoning star in AEW (the Hangman Page draw at the Winter is Coming Dynamite in December 2021) he pulls another broadway with someone from the next generation of extremely talented pro wrestlers. He makes every single minute intriguing, entertaining, and breath-taking. There is never a dull moment, never a boring period where they are wasting time.

But don’t forget about MJF. While he was in there with someone adding to his case as the greatest wrestler of all time, Maxwell Jacob Friedman more than held his own. In fact, one of the aspects of the match that kept it exciting at all times, was that I was constantly wondering how MJF would pull it off. We know he is going to pull every trick in the book to try and retain his title. We know he will cross any line he can to get an advantage. While there may have been a couple bumps along the way in the build to this match, and we then went into the Summer and Fall of discontent with MJF descending into sports-entertainment madness with the Four Pillars Feud and the Brochachos – don’t forget the greatness of MJF in this match. And the greatness of the MJF character – something that got lost along the way in being a Hulk Hogan/John Cena overcoming the odds babyface. The low blow followed by the two quick pins was just brilliant pro wrestling. The constant breaks to drink water and douse himself as well were a little strange yes – but every time they had me intrigued. What is he doing? What’s his play here? And the ending is just perfect pro wrestling with the exhausted heel getting every little advantage he can with oxygen and medical attention – while the babyface shows bravery and heart, almost to a fault in wanting to continue the fight rather than taking a break.

And in addition to all that character work, MJF held up his end in the technical wrestling department. The grappling, the execution – you could even say it was excellent. Here’s hoping that Max heels up and he comes back with the incredible talent we saw on display here and a re-focused Tony Khan ready to book him back into greatness.” -S. Dakota Jones

“This felt like watching 2006 ROH Danielson all over again, as he was firing on all cylinders. And while everyone knew at this point that MJF could go, this was probably the match where he solidified himself as a true modern day great. A Herculean effort from both guys.” -Theo Sambus

“Iron Man matches are super hit or miss for me. This one might be the best Iron Man match ever. The 60 minutes flew by. MJF silenced the doubters on his in ring work while Danielson reminded everyone he really is top 3 wrestlers ever.” -Brett Miles


“MJF has had a lot of crap thrown his way over his title reign this past year. In my opinion, a lot of the criticisms are valid. However, the lead-up to this match was MJF at his absolute best: Throwing obstacles in front of his opponent, Being a giant heat magnet…. and the match itself ended up being incredible! This 60+ minute spectacle in some ways demonstrated that MJF can be so much more than a cartoon character on AEW television. And I hope when he returns, we get more oxygen-deprived Max trying to recover from an all-out war, and less Kangaroo Kicks.” -Skeach101

“MJF can’t hang. Iron Man matches are a long, dull road to fill an hour. These are the thoughts that filled me with dread on the way to the Revolution main event. Instead, for 60 action packed minutes, Bryan Danielson proved he is one of the GOAT talents, MJF stepped up, and every Iron Man match forward had a new gold standard to live up to. Absolutely incredible.” -Marty Day

“MJF was an incredibly frustrating person to watch in 2023. This match is a glimpse as to why, as this was a look at MJF at his absolute peak performance. Playing the brash young foil to an established great – see his feud with CM Punk – has been a money formula, and this Iron Man match with Danielson was no exception. Coming at the end of a grueling gauntlet, Danielson showed the babyface fire that got him to the top of WWE a decade prior. Danielson leading the YES chants for the first time since coming to AEW at the end of this match was the moment where I knew this was an all-time great match.” -Suit Williams

“MJF puts to rest the bogus “He Can Only Talk” allegations.” -Jon Rogers

“This is the best Iron Man match of all time, but unfortunately that comes with a ceiling. If you shaved 30 minutes off this match, you wouldn’t lose a thing. Why am I being negative in my MOTY write-up? Because the match was that good. It’s obvious it belongs here.” -Jeremy Sexton

“This Was Pro Wrestling! Right from the bell Danielson is clearly the calmer and better wrestler. MJF looks to stall and duck Danielson’s early onslaught before finally going after Danielson’s hurt shoulder. MJF works over the injury nicely to soften Danielson up for the Salt of the Earth as well as take away Danielson’s advantage on the mat. Danielson is able to fire up and starts mounting a comeback which causes MJF to take more risks for bigger offense and he slightly tweaks his knee. Both men have an injury now and they start trading quick pinfall attempts to get on the board before Danielson is able to nail a Busaiku Knee and gets the first fall. Danielson looks for a second knee but MJF kicks him low for a DQ. MJF quickly capitalizes and scores two quick pinfalls to tie it back up. MJF is now back in control but Danielson starts to go after MJF’s hurt knee with kicks and submissions. MJF starts to feel the desperation and nails a top rope elbow to the outside through a table on Danielson to try and get a count-out. But Danielson still makes it back in the ring! MJF is furious and willingly hurts his own knee more to hit Danielson with a brutal Tombstone Piledriver onto the broken table! Heatseeker on a now bloody Danielson gives MJF another fall and the lead. Now MJF is in his comfort zone and just mocks and belittles Danielson as he slaps him and stomps on him. Danielson fires back and starts going for broke. He throws himself at MJF with headbutts, dives and a scary Spider Superplex. A Diving Headbutt off the top by Danielson and MJF is pouring blood! Danielson locks in the Regal Stretch and MJF has to tap. It’s tied again! Danielson looks for the Regal Stretch again but MJF is able to lock in the Salt of the Earth. The two trade submissions back and forth before MJF gets the Salt of the Earth back in. MJF ties up both of Danielson’s arms and one of his legs while in the hold but Danielson still makes it to the ropes! 5 minutes to go and the two men start slugging it out. A second Heatseeker only gets 2. MJF goes to the top but Danielson catches him and lands some Hammer and Anvil Elbows but MJF slips him into a Tombstone Piledriver off Bret’s rope! MJF tries to cover but his knee is destroyed!. He finally covers but Danielson gets a Half Crab in! Seconds to go! MJF can’t get to the rope! Time expires! It’s a tie! But wait! We get Sudden Death! Roll-up by Danielson. Kick-out! MJF blocks the ref and kicks Danielson low. Roll-up with the tights! Kick-out! MJF wants to use the belt but the ref stops him. MJF has the diamond ring! He misses! Danielson hits the Busaiku Knee! 1,2… Kick-out! Half Crab again! MJF barely makes it to the ropes but taps to make Danielson think he tapped out. MJF rolls outside to recover. He nails Danielson with an oxygen tank! Ref didn’t see it! MJF locks in the LeBell Lock. Danielson is still alive! Danielson tries to fight but he can’t do it! Danielson taps and MJF wins! My God! What a match! Perfect pacing, booking, story-telling and action with an amazing finish. The Greatest Iron Man Match of All Time! *****” -Alex Kalil

“This was an extremely well structured match that showcased a lot of storytelling through character development. It got more and more dramatic towards the end but in a natural way. It didn’t feel “forced epic” at all.” -Sebastian Viefers

“Quite simply, the best iron man match in the history of professional wrestling” -Stephen Coriander

“If somebody asks you how to tell story in a match, please show them this classic. Some people might disagree with me, but to me this was the greatest Iron Man match ever. MJF once again beign a great heel and Danielson putting his great babyface work again. Actually anything Danielson does feels extra special. Because this guy puts extra feeling to it. Since he is going to retire in 2024, this was one of the last big gifts he gave to us. A very special match with a deep story telling. Every second tells you something. Especially if you pay attention to some details.” -Kaan

“60+ minutes of beautiful pro wrestling. This was the peak of MJF in AEW so far, and possibly Bryan’s best match too. The heel/babyface dynamic in this one was off the charts and kept me engaged in every second of the match. It flies by even on a re-watch.” -Adam Darwin

“In my view, this match is far more than match of the year. Friedman vs Danielson set a new bar for what an Iron Man can be–for what any long singles match can be, even–with pacing that is not only revolutionary, but perhaps impossible to match. This showed off that both the grappling skill and the storytelling acumen of both men are incomparable.” -Sergei Alderman

“After having an all-timer 60 minute match against Hangman in 2021, Bryan Danielson did it again with MJF. It’s such a difficult thing to do and Bryan just makes it look easy. From MJF getting intentionally DQ’d to score a quick two falls, to the shot of Danielson laughing and MJF crying as they neared the time limit, to MJF’s mortal enemy Tony Schiavone being the one to announce the sudden death overtime, to Bryce Remsburg taking the diamond ring away from MJF when he needed it most, every step of this match was perfectly laid out. This was the peak of MJF’s title reign and one of several peaks of Danielson’s 2023 run.” -Andrew Rich

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Joshxo1ne - 1.0
"This match is not dramatic enough to be enthralling, not energetic enough to be exiting, and not exciting enough to be entertaining - this match is not enough. A total snooze this contest is. It is not entertaining to see Danielson & MJF lying around supposedly exhausted. This faux exhaustion makes me feel exhausted. There is simply very little entertainment and excitement, and the little amount that is here is not enough. It is almost absolutely boring. I hated the draw finish and the cheating finish by MJF. The draw would have been fine, but the unrealistic drama & nonsense the match becomes with medical personnel entering the ring, is no fun. I detest that finish. And cheating is no fun for professional wrestling in such a artificial & predictable manner. I understand the story, the idea of this match but it does not entertain me."

Cerebral Bore posted:

This was one of the slickest matches I've ever seen. These guys have perfect chemistry and just racked up the most incredible reversals on reversals and the sickest moves I ever saw.

Cerebral Bore posted:

This was one of the slickest matches I've ever seen. These guys have perfect chemistry and just racked up the most incredible reversals on reversals and the sickest moves I ever saw.

Rarity posted:

Zack is just incredible holy poo poo

Jerusalem posted:

Goddammit why does Ospreay have to be such a good wrestler

Burn Down Canberra posted:

they have incredible chemistry

SG Bamboo posted:

It's almost as if these two are great wrestlers or something. I think I enjoyed Shunma/Chris more today, but that's not to say that this wasn't a phenominal wrestling match to rewatch in the future.

Price Check posted:

Great match with the bonus of Ospreay busting up his nose bad and creating some great visuals during ZSJ's submissions.

forkboy84 posted:

Not sure I'd put it over the Rev Pro match from Last Feb but still excellent wrestling. Also gotta say that Ospreay loving up his nose added to the drama

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The night this match happened, I was dual-screening the New Japan Cup show with a NOAH show airing simultaneously. But when the time came, I closed out the NOAH show and focused all of my attention on Ospreay vs. Sabre. These guys have wrestled each other many times on different continents and always deliver, and on this night they delivered big. What I loved most about this match wasn’t the pacing, which was spirited, or the execution, which was flawless, but the intensity. This was obnoxious heel Ospreay vs. a more tweener yet still mouthy Sabre, so they wrestled like two massive dickheads wanting to shut the other one up and win. One guy would talk some poo poo and the other would hit him back hard, and vice versa. Add in a little bit of accidental blood from Ospreay’s nose and you had this frenetic war that had the clap crowd breaking some rules on the back end. When the match concluded, an exhausted Kevin Kelly simply exclaimed “Oh my God.” I’m right there with you, Kevin. This was outstanding.” -Andrew Rich

“The New Japan Cup is my favorite tournament of the year in wrestling and in NJPW (yes I even prefer it over the g1 Climax believe it or not). When I saw this year’s brackets I noticed that they were set up so that Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr. would potentially meet in the second round of the tournament but in order to do that they both would have to win their respective first round matches. Spoiler alert they both did and this match happened in the second round of the tournament and what a match it was! So once again Will Ospreay appears on my list this time against Zack Sabre Jr. This match was back and forth and it featured Ospreay’s explosive and sometimes high flying offense vs. Zack Sabre Jr. who can bend and contort his body to get out of any situation possible. It made for one hell of a match to watch between two of the best wrestlers in the world. The pacing of the match was slower than you would think in the later stages but everything they hit on each other was stiff and there was a psychology to the match that made everything they did mean something as they both worked to wear each other down in order to gain a victory in this all important second round match up In the tournament. Towards the end of the match both Ospreay and Sabre Jr. exchanged offense up until Will Ospreay would hit a last minute Storm Breaker out of desperation to secure the win for himself to advance to the next round of the tournament. If you watched any of the matches from this year’s NJPW Cup make it this one because this match to me was the highlight of the entire tournament.” -Nathan Neumann

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

CoolKyle - 7.0
"Incredibly thrilling match. Loved how the left-arm of Ospreay was manipulated by ZSJ. This was a fantastic match that had so much drama and tension"

Kas -7.0
"Good arm work by ZSJ and good selling by Ospreay, but the first half was far too slow and I didn't like Ospreay's heel-work at all. (***1/2)"

jboyaquar - 7.0
"At this point, in NJPW, Ospreay's too callow to be an attention-worthy heel. It reads terribly insulting, but it's a bit of a question of class, and the Rainham lad lacks it. He certainly doesn't lack for talent-skill though. 3 3/5 7.2"

Electric Wind God Fist - 7.0
"As usual they had a match perfect for making gifs and trend on Twitter, but other than that there isn't much to say, I enjoyed it but this type of wrestling doesn't connect with me in a higher level."

forkboy84 posted:

Watch this here

Fantastic wrestling. First fall a bit sloppy but once they get going it gets going. Probably going to get a lot more attention than CMLL usually get because it got the ***** in the Observer (I think the first ever ***** for CMLL from Meltzer?), & while I'm not quite that high on it I do think it's a terrific showcase for Dorada & as good an excuse as any to catch some CMLL. Final fall is pretty terrific all told. You can see why the company are getting behind this dude like this. And you can see why people are high on CMLL as one of the best promotions in the world right now (if not the very best of 2023 according to many). And Templario deserves a nod too, terrific base here.

AlmightyPants posted:

Dorada's going to be a big star and Templario is goddamn fantastic.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

N/A

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Chris777 - 7.0
"It is a good match but drat do I never thought i would describe a match as extremely overrated, but here we are. coming out at the Wrestlekingdom weekend and this match was getting perfect 10s here. with no resources available for a while, it was truly mysterious and that high expectation is not met fully. NOT Mascara Dorada II's best work because he might be one of the best unsung highflyers right now. A missable match by his standard and a decent one by Templario's standard."

Makai Club - 7.0
"Shockingly terrible first fall by these guys. Ive seen one Dorada II match but Templario usually delivers so this having a rough start was unusual. It was sloppy, there was too much hesitation to do stuff, Dorada kept slipping and the counters were poorly executed so you cant even say how amazing the moves were. Templario wins to thankfully end it. The second fall was much stronger as a match. There were some cool dives on the floor, a few more well executed sequences, etc. Not great but a better short fall to set up the real meat of the match. Dorada evens it up with an awesome spinning slam. The third fall is pretty drat awesome though. It builds really well into a great series of kick outs and false finishes. The crowd really gets hooked in this part of the bout. But they failed to really take off until they were a 3rd of the way there. Shame. Good bout in the end. ***1/2"

denierstragedies - 7.0
"This is a good match but not an amazing one. The first two falls feel like a necessity wrestled by both men so they can get to the higher flying, higher paced final fall, which is not a good thing. Despite a good amount of the action on those falls being solid, it never felt like a contest, just a lights show so they could get to the next bit. Even down to the end of the first fall being a badly applied cloverleaf that Dorada gives up to instantly, just a really deflating way to end a fall. Anyway the two of them go crazy with the higher spots and stuff later on, and in that regard there was a lot of fun to be had. The atmosphere with the very hot crowd was great too, it all fit together well, but there's a big disconnect in those early stages (and myself being down on super highspotty matches in general) that keep it firmly in the good category. I'm a fan of Templario and he does well here, and Dorada is a clear future ace with tremendous upside currently as a high flying crowd popping face, though I find him more palatable in trios action where he gets to shine and less of the downsides of a spotty wrestler come across as he can tag out. Still, good match. 7/10. Meltzer should rewatch Atlantis vs. Blue Panther."

SG Bamboo posted:

HARASHIMA vs Yuji Okabayashi
There was nothing exactly wrong with this, it just felt kind of off for the first 10 minutes before really picking up. The back half was goddamn amazing, especially after Yuji's busted eye got opened up again

Jerusalem posted:

My favorite match of the night

Lily Catts posted:

My personal MOTY so far. HARASHIMA has been winless throughout the D-Oh, and Okabayashi needs the win to stay in the tournament. They're tag team partners. Friends. I did not see the time-limit draw coming. This is the best time-limit draw match I've seen, as nowhere did I think they were actually going to draw. Also holy poo poo that eye blood

The best part is you can watch it for free on DDT's Youtube channel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFTeG18u-kI

forkboy84 posted:

DDT Match of the year, maybe top 10 for me on the year. Starts fine, builds to bonkers.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“I wrote about this in my column on PW musings so I’ll just repeat it here. The best thing that I did as a wrestling fan in 2021 was discover Yuji Okabayashi. A truly sensational all round performer who deserves all the appreciation that he gets. HARASHIMA needs no introduction. One of the greatest Wrestlers of all time and still going strong to this day. This was a showdown between the smile Pissari teammates on the final night of block matches from DDT D-oh Grand Prix and man what a ride it was. Played out three acts with fantastic mat work in the opening stretch and HARASHIMA going for the leg while Okabayashi clobbered him with the chops until it just comes into one when they’ve used up all their ideas and now it’s just a game of one upsmanship with both friends clobbering each other with one of the best strike exchanges you will see anywhere. And in between all that, the constant theme was them not being willing to give even an inch to the one another. An intense and absolutely wonderful bout. The match of the year.” -Ashutosh Dubey

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

benny5bellys - 5.0
"I saw all the praise for this and decided to check it out and came away deeply disappointed. I was shocked because I usually fall in line with the consensus on here. The first half of the match was slightly dull limb work that they completely forgot about in second half. There were some pretty standard chop exchanges that went on for ages in the second half and ended in a torture rack that no one believed the tap was coming. The cut eye was a great visual but that was it. For most matches that have high praise I can usually see why it is loved even if I don't but did not see anything here. Took me 3 attempts to finish it."

Jerusalem posted:

Human beings should not be capable of what these two do in the ring.

Rarity posted:

Close the thread we're done here

SalTheBard posted:

Holy loving poo poo

Fentry posted:

Good loving luck to everyone else this year

closet statist posted:

Nothing will beat this

forkboy84 posted:

My first ***** match of 2023

Wazzu posted:

Will and Kenny are amazing.

Also, I know the Cleaner look ages him, but man Kenny has never looked older than he did in this match.

Vandar posted:

I'm not even going to bother watching Okada/White now because why loving bother after this match.

Stall_19 posted:

I somehow thought the Giulia/Syuri bump off the stage would be the craziest one this week but they've barely 3rd right now. Holy gently caress

gripebomb posted:

I mean, yall already know... Wow.

Kaveman posted:

Really hope this is the start of a series. Best match I've seen since Okada V Omega.

HulkaMatt posted:

You can pencil me in for Ospreay/Kenny on the MOTYC list - not that you need it.


My in-the-moment thoughts on it since I just watched it: I thought they peaked in the first half!!! Kenny was in complete control. His offense was BRUTAL, and Ospreays selling was out of this world. It was so good that when Will actually made his comeback it actually kind of LOST me a bit. I couldn't believe Will was taking that much control after Kenny had looked so strong. I think if you cut Ospreays comeback to be 1/3 of the length it was - the match is utter perfection. But as they went - I don't feel like it was a full 5-stars-easy-MOTY-nobody-will-follow-that.

Great match though. And I recognize I might be on an island with this thinking.

AlmightyPants posted:

not at all what I was expecting and was excellent.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

An outstanding work of art from two of the very best to ever do it” -Stephen Coriander

“After watching this, I knew that nothing was going to beat it. I was right about it. Non of the matches in 2023, was good enough to beat that spectacular masterpiece. Sure there were some that were close, but it was not enough. The reason why it was so special is, this was Omega’s return to NJPW after losing to Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 13. This match gave us the real Omega we all missed. The real Best Bout Machine. Ospreay on the other hand, gave us his best performance ever. I can easily say that, this was the best match of his career. Ospreay was heel, Omega was face. But during the match, things turned upside-down. Ospreay was a babyface, and Omega was a monster heel who wanted to punish Ospreay. But Ospreay was fighting back, no matter how hard the beat down was. It was something that was on another level. I am never going to forget what I saw saw. Every second, I felt like my heart was going to stop. ” -Kaan

“Like it was going to be anything else. A reminder that whenever you can get Kenny to wrestle in Japan he becomes a force unlike anybody else.” -Jamie O’Doherty

“Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay’s WrestleKingdom encounter impacted me in a way I haven’t experienced since before the pandemic. The story, the crowd, the wrestling were all as close to perfect as you can get. I will remember this match for the rest of my life.” -Ry Harrison

“Past, present and future combined in a match that exceeded any expectations. Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay showed why they are among the best to ever do it. Synergy, spatial vision, footwork, control, selling. They danced a superb waltz in and out the ring.” -Alejandro Gomez

“I’m not sure there was a runaway Match of the Year this year, but there were a ton of great matches. Every year it gets more and more difficult to select the number one overall. You can’t go wrong, though, in selecting Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay. They have a generational level of chemistry in the ring together, and it has shown multiple times in 2023, going all the way back to the Tokyo Dome on January 4th.” -Greg Parks

“This match was dirty, bloody, nasty, brutal…hell any adjective you can think of this probably had. The image of a bloody, battered, demoralized and destroyed Will Ospreay at the feet of Kenny Omega is this lasting image of 2023 for me. Kayfabe wise it was a teaching moment from the former “Best Bout Machine” to the new one. My match of the year and one of my favorites of the decade.” -Markeem Graham

“The term “Dream Match” gets thrown around far too frequently in wrestling. Kenny Omega returning to a New Japan ring for the first time in years to challenge Will Ospreay, who had replaced him not only as New Japan’s top foreign wrestler but also as the best wrestler in the world, more than lived up to the “Dream Match” billing. Omega and Ospreay combined their spectacular athleticism with an in-ring story that rewarded long-term fans by referencing events dating back to Omega’s time in New Japan 4 years earlier. The closing stretch of the match turned into a battle of wills where neither man would let go of the other’s wrist. This lead to a number of innovative counters which culminated in a beaten but defiant Ospreay swearing and spitting at Omega, before falling to a Kamigoye and One Winged Angel that put him down for the count. The Kamigoye was of particular significance, not just because it was the finishing move of Kenny’s former tag team partner and best friend Kota Ibushi, but because of Will Ospreay’s history with Kota Ibushi. Prior to this encounter, Omega’s last match in New Japan was Wrestle Kingdom 2019 where he lost the IWGP Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi. During interviews Omega had mentioned he was distracted during that match because Kota Ibushi was unable to accompany him to the ring for his title defense. Why was Kota unable to second his friend? Because Will Ospreay had injured him earlier on the show. That was Omega’s last night in New Japan, and because of Will Ospreay he didn’t have his best friend to support him through the experience. While Kota Ibushi was able to recover and go on to become IWGP Champion himself, it was Will Ospreay that ended Ibushi’s reign. Hitting the Kamigoye on Ospreay was Omega getting revenge for Ibushi. Beating Will Ospreay in the Match of the Year was Omega reminding the world that no one is better than “The Best Bout Machine.”” -Adam Berger

“A mega dream match that beat the insurmountable hype. This was one of the most thorough executions of a pro wrestling rear end whooping I’ve ever seen. Omega was absolutely brutal in his offense as he unleashed a performance that stands up with any in the history of that building. This felt like the biggest match ever from just the entrances alone. In his first time back in New Japan since his departure to AEW, Omega walked in the Dome like he was god himself coming back to reclaim his position that was filled by Will Ospreay. Ospreay was always the successor to Omega. Throughout every great match, Ospreay got closer to getting people to live and die with him. I believe this match put Ospreay in another class to where people could connect with him beyond his physical gifts. I feel Ospreay later took this blueprint with him to his match with Shota Umino. My mouth set agape for the last 20 minutes of this match. We never got to see Kobe vs Lebron in the NBA finals, but we did see Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay in 2023. This felt like the sliding doors of generational greatness separated by a decade. We caught this as Will was walking into his zenith, while Omega was still at his. Some dream matches never quite get there, and really should stay dreams. I’m glad we got to wake up and see this one for real.” -Rich Latta

“Well poo poo. They did it. Honestly, I thought it would be good-great but, like a lot of highly touted matches, wrestled like a match trying to be the greatest match unlike what this was, which was them going out there, following the story they were actually telling and wrestling the match and not the moment. There was no gratuitous let’s soak in the crowd moment, or something similarly manufactured. They simply tried to win. Both wrestled with intent, aggression and with follow through. Omega was aggressive from the off, hurting Ospreay quickly with his approach and spent the whole match following up on that with some of the most dangerous stunts he could think of. In classic Kenny fashion, there were some call backs to his previous matches, like the table spot with Okada, but in this case, they linked into the story of the match in a natural way. Omega put the table on the injured back of Ospreay, after he just crashed into the edge of the ring. Exactly the right thing for the right moment. Moreover, Ospreay proved that his best self is him selling for his opponent and working from beneath. His selling was great at times, playing into the blood extremely well and the effect it should have on you, while still providing some excellent offence when he could. This match was Omega heavy however, but luckily, this was the best Kenny Omega performance since 2018. I’ve never been in love with Omega’s work during his AEW. He was usually good but rarely great and NEVER this good. And he showed up big time in this match. This was nothing short of amazing. A quality dome match. MOTY ****1/2″ -Bailey Mowatt

“Not counting their comedy-laden indie schtick from PWG in 2015, which seems like lifetimes ago respectively, this was the first entry in what could be a feud of a generation. They have both excelled with the god-level talent that is Okada for matches that redefined greatness, but finally the former Western Ace of NJPW met the best wrestler in the world 1 on 1… and it was astounding. These 2 have always been crazy with the spots they will pull off, but their talent, class, and storytelling acumen was on full display to give us a match that will live on forever. There isn’t much more you can ask for within the sport of pro wrestling.” -Jake Nelson

“Few times in my wrestling fandom have I seen a match that made me redefine what I like about this hobby that I have been following most of my life. Okada vs Omega IV was the latest one until I watched Omega vs Ospreay in Wrestle Kingdom. It felt like an epic encounter from the entrances until the bell rang. They redefined what is amazing pro wrestling by having one of the best matches I have seen in my life. There was the story before and throughout the match, the oh glorious violence, and Omega felt at home. There is something about Omega in Japan that still has not been replicated in the United States in my eyes. I don’t know what it is, but his matches feel extra special in Japan. Ospreay proved why he is one of the best wrestlers in the world. I don’t care if this sound gatekeepish, but if you don’t like this match, I don’t think pro wrestling is for you. This is one of those matches that you can say that maybe it’s not your style, maybe you can say that it went a little overboard with the violence or the selling, all fair points, but if you say that this is a bad match or not entertaining, I won’t take you seriously. This is my match of the year, and only their second match came close.” -Abraham Delgado

“Not only is this my match of the year, it is currently my favourite match ever. The four years away from New Japan helped give Omega a different aura from the last time he was in the promotion. The last time he was in New Japan he was one of the top guys in the promotions, on this day he felt like one an actual legend. This match had a violent spirit to it that even the most weapon heavy deathmatch couldn’t equal, and afterwards Ospreay was clearly shaken by what he had been through. He certainly wasn’t humbled by the experience though, as he spent the rest of 2023 pushing himself to be as big of a legend as Omega had been that night. Will Ospreay on January 5th was a different man than he was on January 3rd.” -Chris Gannon

“Sometimes you were the top gaijin (I guess we’re not supposed to use that term anymore and instead use the less negatively charged gaikokujin, but the only people who care are dorks like me that have a couple of semesters of Japanese under their belts; I’m guessing native Japanese speakers couldn’t care less) and you come back to your break out promotion, looking for the crown you set down. Sometimes you come back and you show the world exactly who you are and this terrifying spectacle was all about that. Omega came in after a long lay off and was somehow the equal of his former self. It’s stuff like this that we stay up until 4 o’clock in the morning watching Wrestle Kingdom for.” -Justin Harman aka DJ Convoy

“A Tokyo Dome level match between Ospreay and Omega that told a very simple but great story with Omega being the outsider that comes into New Japan to defeat Ospreay. The Cleaner dominated the first half of the match and destroyed the Champion with vicious moves to build up a grand opening for Ospreay. The comeback was well done and added the extra level of drama needed to make this match an all-timer.” -Yannik Peps

“Looking back, it’s amazing to see this match went wire-to-wire for my match of the year. Re-watching, though, it’s easy to see why.

All the ingredients were here for Ospreay and Omega, two of the most dynamic wrestlers of any generation, to put on a showcase of pure spectacle. Instead, it was a wrathful Omega using his highly anticipated return to the Tokyo Dome to destroy Ospreay, rip the IWGP U.S. title out of Ospreay’s hands and deliver an emphatic statement. In what was supposed to be a meeting of the best of both worlds, there was only this message, written in the language of unrelenting brutality: there’s only one world, and it was still ruled by Kenny Omega.” -TDE

“Sometimes the reality does live up to the hype. A genuine contender for the greatest match ever. From the hard as hell Cheeky Nandos kicks, that insane DDT on the exposed turnbuckle and the V Triggers which Will finally figured out a counter for, everything was perfect. It was a babyface performance from Ospreay that would set the pace for his 2023 which could go down as one of the GOAT years and Kenny as the heel who took Will’s proclamation as the Best Bout Machine very personally showed that he still is one of the best when given a chance. Just perfect.” -Peter Edge

“From the moment this match ended it was always going to be tough to beat for MOTY. This match combined the intense all action sequences that characterize the best of Japanese style main event wrestling with great storytelling and sheer violence. Ospreay’s selling is one of his most underrated abilities and it was on show here as it looked like he was being dominated and would soon be defeated numerous times only for him to come back a number of times until it was clear that all the fight he could muster was finally gone and at that moment Omega delivered a devastating knee as set set up for the awesome one winged angel finish.” -Jason Turner

“For many people Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay was a matchup of two of their absolute all time favorites that they couldn’t wait to see get in the ring together. For me, it was not- it was simply two high level wrestlers who I’ve also never considered myself to be much of a fanboy of. And yet, when it came time to select the 2023 Match of the Year, this was still really no contest for me- there was simply no match that stood out above this one. The usual amazing spots you’d expect from these two were there of course, but it was the sheer brutality that ultimately put it above all others.” -John Carroll


“It’s one thing to deliver on a cross-promotional dream match which had been teased by both participants for months. Even without the extra element of Kenny Omega’s first match in NJPW since he and the Bucks gambled on themselves and headed back to North America, Omega and Will Ospreay’s duel at the Tokyo Dome was likely viewed as a fait accompli MOTY contender by most of the people voting in this poll before the bell had even rung. Anything less would have been a massive disappointment, especially with a somewhat lukewarm Kazuchika Okada/Jay White contest in the actual main event.

So no, the actual quality of this match could in no way be considered a surprise. What was a surprise was the particular path this match took to greatness. While delivering exactly the sort of high-workrate cardio test we all knew this would be, Omega and Ospreay’s first singles encounter since 2015, years before either was in the Best In The World conversation, was a decidedly one-sided affair. Sure, Ospreay was given moments to show off his heart and offense, which from a purely technical and athletic perspective had likely passed Omega’s by this point in both men’s careers, and this wasn’t a Brock/Cena style squash, but overall Omega simply pilloried and brutalized his younger opponent with a frenzied mania which was far more sinister than anything we’d seen from Omega since he left New Japan.

Omega’s in-ring character work, criticized by some (though not me) as melodramatic or cartoonish, was uniquely suited to this sort of match and story. That the sickening DDT to the exposed turnbuckle could be of a piece with Kenny’s Jack Nicholson pantomime which happens just moments afterwards seems somewhat paradoxical, but that defiance of convention is replicated in the story of the elder gaikokujin usurping the throne he effectively abdicated to Ospreay. Much like the abomination of Goya’s Saturn or the father in Kafka’s “The Judgment”, the sadistic glee with which Omega rends apart his would-be successor seems a crime against nature itself. It’s the way of things for the young to replace the old, and to watch Omega gibber and cackle as he spits in the face of that primal law is deeply unsettling in a way pro wrestling rarely is.

To put it less pretentiously, this is the sort of one-sided upset, or defeat of an heir apparent by their equivalent from the previous generation which Gedo, for all of his current flaws, knows exactly when to utilize, putting money down for a long-term payoff (see Okada/Tanahashi at WK 9). Say what you will about the glacial pace of some NJPW booking, but with this chilling, bloody, and entirely thrilling display, Omega and Ospreay gave depth and subtlety to the beginning of a feud which could be providing dividends for all involved, including those of us who simply watched it, for years to come.” – Bruce Lord

“This. Match. This one will always be one of my favorite matches of all time because it carried a lot of weight for me and signified NJPW returning to it’s glory days, even if only for one night. The return to packed houses of cheering fans. The pandemic clap crowd era of NJPW was rough but now we are finally free and Wrestle Kingdom is Wrestle Kingdom once again. Only Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay could put on a match of this caliber in this situation on this big a stage. This match is everything we love about pro wrestling. Pageantry via extravagant entrances; Omega’s Sephiroth entrance marking the return of the “Best Bout Machine” and Will Ospreay’s entrance marking the return of the Aerial Assassin. Immediately our perceived face and heel situation was switched up. Brilliant. Athleticism by way of insane spots like Omega attempting the dreaded “top rope dragon suplex” only for Ospreay to land on his feet. Or Omega actually hitting “Croyt’s Wrath” off the top rope, ridiculous. Brutality by way of violence and Omega’s desire to destroy Ospreay by smashing his head into a table. Or Ospreay repaying violence with violence through a series of “cheeky nandos” kicks that defined the word “stiff” and caused Omega’s eye to swell shut. Ospreay’s comeback was electric; the story of the young hotshot who had sworn he’d surpassed and replaced the absent legend only for him to return and remind the world that he is still the best. This match was violent, it was athletic, it was dramatic, it was incredible. Omega and Ospreay never “kind of” hit their moves, everything is so precise which is wild, considering the athleticism that is on display here. One of my favorite matches of all time and my definite MOTY for 2023.” -Noveliss

“The dream match of NJPW’s two biggest Western successes of this generation finally met and MY GOD was it a greater classic than we could have possibly imagined. THE example of building intensity to a fever pitch. This is how you do it.

I’ll always remember my reaction to watching Ospreay’s head crash down onto the exposed turnbuckle, the way he amped himself up after as the blood trickled down his head. Then the violence of the Hidden Blade he delivered straight to Omega’s face later on was brutally fitting, beat-for-beat a perfect amplification of what came before.

I’m not speaking hyperbole when I call this the bar of excellence for this style of intensity. A god-tier performance that we’ll be referencing for years to come.” -Matt Maher (aka Imp)

“This match lived up to the sky-high expectations all of us put on it. Omega’s aggression was my favorite part and Ospreay was his usual brilliant self.” -George Atsaves

“This epic showdown brought together two of the world’s greatest wrestlers on one of the grandest stages of professional wrestling. It marked Kenny Omega’s triumphant return to NJPW after a hiatus since January 4th, 2019. As Omega departed, he entrusted the task of elevating NJPW to Jay White and his Wrestle Kingdom 17 opponent, Will Ospreay. Ospreay seized the opportunity and established himself as one of the top international stars in the promotion. However, this clash wasn’t just about determining the best wrestler; it was deeply personal. Omega held Ospreay accountable for the decline in attendance and subdued crowds, disregarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Omega sought to settle a score with Ospreay, who had knocked out his best friend and tag team partner, Kota Ibushi, during Wrestle Kingdom 13, which turned out to be Omega’s farewell night in NJPW.

Both competitors engaged in intense shoot style interviews, openly criticizing each other. The tension peaked during the Wrestle Kingdom 17 Press Conference on January 3rd, where fiery words were exchanged. The following night, it was time to let their actions speak louder than words. Omega and Ospreay delivered a breathtaking display of athleticism and brutality that will be etched in my memory forever. Omega strategically targeted Ospreay’s head and neck, subjecting him to a vicious DDT on the exposed turnbuckle, leaving his face drenched in a crimson mask. However, Ospreay proved his resilience, fighting back with moves like the Hidden Blade, Oscutter, and the Styles Clash. Yet, even with Ospreay’s best efforts, he couldn’t overcome the sheer brilliance of the Best Bout Machine.

In a climactic finale, Omega sealed Ospreay’s fate with a devastating Kamigoye followed by the One Winged Angel. This match, which took place just four days into 2023, set the bar impossibly high for the rest of the year.” -Jeremy Donovan

“An impossible standard set at the beginning of the year and nothing, not even the rematch, got close to dethroning them.” -Jameshova

“After 7 years of loving NJPW, this was the first time I woke up early (3:45am CST) to watch some of Wrestle Kingdom live, and this match was the reason. I didn’t regret a single second of it. To experience that match at the same time everyone else in the world did was truly special, and I’ll never forget how hard I was buzzing for the rest of the day.” -Elliot Imes

“In modern professional wrestling, where every great match makes tape, it is very difficult for a match to be so great it stays in your mind all year. This match was than and then some. An all-timer match, which successfully melts the brain and gets the blood pumping.” -Josh R. Hoxha

“Two of the best wrestlers in the world giving a fight that became violent and personal as the minutes passed. Omega bringing out his most brutal side to destroy Ospreay and show that even if he is not in the company, he is still important there.” -Fede Fromwell

“This one set the bar for 2023 four days in, and to me, nothing else surpassed it though several matches came close.” -Eric Krol

“A match-up that was eagerly awaited by many fans, that was teased for many months and that absolutely didn’t disappoint.

The chemistry between the two was exceptional, with Will Ospreay at the top of his game and Kenny Omega showing us that he’s not the same at Tokyo Dome (K.Omega 17′ vibes).

Memorable entrances, an intense and violent match that held fans spellbound from start to finish.” -Traff

“Wrestling may never get any better than this. In a year filled with outrageously great wrestling there was never any doubt what my #1 was going to be” -Lee Malone

“When it comes to main event wrestling on the biggest stage, this is as good as it gets. A match so grueling that you question if they are giving too much of themselves to their craft. I honestly didn’t know Omega still had a match at this level left in him, but I was happy to be wrong. And then they did it again in June.” -Kevin Ely

“For me there will never be a match like this ever again. In 2017 I’ve watched Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA and that match made me buy a plane ticket for the upcoming WK. Elevated was the first entrance theme for the opening match for that WK. I do not have words to describe the how hard my heart was pounding when I recognized that it will be Elevated playing for the Ospreay’s entrance. The only cheering show of my trip as well. And I cheered my soul out. Me and the older Japanese guy sitting on my left, we both cheered for Ospreay, while the four younger Japanese guys on my right cheered for Omega. I do not really remember what happened in this match, I only remember the emotional high I was on for the duration of the match, one of most engrossing matches I have ever seen. We lived and died for the two maniacs in the ring and they gave us back everything we gave them. If it was possible, this match would have ended the pandemic. Thank you Omega, thank you Ospreay for this piece of art, I spend too much on my trip to Japan, but it was more than worth it just for this match alone.” -Velkej Bracha

“The best match seen in my life time.” -Jacob Woolley

“It wasn’t just the wrestling, which was excellent. It was the timing and the crispness of everything they did that made this match so memorable. The measuring stick for 2023 was set on January 4, and while there were plenty of close calls, nothing made an impact quite like this match.” -Bryan Rose

“Mitsuhara Misawa
Kenta Kobashi
Bryan Danielson
Kazuchika Okada
Kenny Omega

Barring accident, injury, or act of god, by the time Will Ospreay retires he’s going to surpass each and every one of them. At 30 he’s already been the best active wrestler for most of the past 5 years, he’s created a hall of fame worthy resume, and if this match is any indication, he still hasn’t reached his peak. Despite all the glory and success, when put in the ring with someone like Omega, Ospreay can still be the underdog, still hold the crowd on every near-fall, and still make you believe in the magic of pro wrestling.

For nearly 35 minutes, Will Ospreay, the defending champion, gets the poo poo beat out of him. This isn’t a suplex city squash, Ospreay often finds a way to sneak in a counter and hit a few flashy or violent maneuvers, but he can never really take control of the match. He’s always stuck responding. For every Oscutter or Robinson Special, Omega has a DDT on the exposed turnbuckle, friendly table to drive Ospreay’s face through, or an avalanche Croyt’s wrath. Kenny is the final boss and Ospreay is fighting for his life. It’s a beautiful journey, filled with emotion that only pro wrestling can produce.

Forget 2023, this is easily one of the greatest matches of all time. It’s clearly the best match of Ospreay’s career, and shockingly, I think he’s still holding back. Undoubtedly these two are going to meet again, but for now they’ve restored a lot of lost glory to Wrestle Kingdom, the Tokyo Dome, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.” -Jason Westhaver

“While Tears of the Kingdom is probably a technically better game than its predecessor, I still prefer Breath of the Wild purely because of my reaction to it at the time. Similarly, while their rematch at Forbidden Door was probably (just about) a better match, I have enormous affection for their Wrestle Kingdom show down. Coming out of the traps in 2023, 4 days into the new year and putting on the match of the year was a flex only Omega and Ospreay could pull off. Incredible in ring storytelling and hard hitting action just seething with bitter animosity, this was incredible” -Martin Hearty

“Match of the year? Yes. Match of the decade? TBD. Arguably the greatest match of all time.” -Corey Grech

“The ground for waxing lyrical about this match has been so well-trodden that it’s almost a cliche to heap praise on everything it does right. Omega returning to the Dome as the imposing, endgame final boss battle. Ospreay’s chance to ascension into the highest kayfabe echelon as the emergent babyface, eager to quell any question that this is now his turf. The slow escalation from tit-for-tat showcase to sheer brutality. Callbacks. Shock spots. Nearfalls that you believe in your heart of hearts while still leaving each guy’s finisher well protected. To call this a masterclass would be underplaying it and to call it a return to truly great dome matches of the mid-2010s would be too simplistic. This match is many things to many people, but the one knowable constant is that this is 2023’s Match of the Year.” -SOM

“Emblematic of the product that makes New Japan Pro Wrestling such a beloved promotion, this match delivered and even exceeded expectations. The action was apocalyptic and when one man seemed defeated, hidden strength would always resurface. This is the wrestling that elevates the medium.” -Corey Michaels

“It is an amazing experience to sit down after finishing a match and having literally nothing to say because you’re speechless. When this match was finished, it was one of those rare times where I could only think that I had just seen the greatest match ever. Today, I still believe this is the single greatest wrestling match that has ever happened. Both Will and Kenny completely unloaded everything they had physically and mentally for this match. Even to this day I have a hard time expressing what I had seen this night. The greatest wrestling match of all time.” -Skeach101

“For fans that fell in love with wrestling through Bushiroad’s New Japan, Sinclair’s Ring of Honor and AEW, this was their Shinbou Kandori vs Akira Hokuto. For older fans like myself, it was still a fantastic match that spawned a rematch in the summer. Kudos for Omega and Ospreay for making it as brutal as they could be on a big stage like Wrestle Kingdom while still incorporating the high flying they are known for.” -JML


“Not only is this easily the best match I saw all year, it might also be the best I have ever seen. Two of the greatest wrestlers of all time somehow, someway not just living up to the hype leading in to this match, but superseding it.

An absolutely captivating, enthralling match that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. A truly shocking, brutal display, executed to an impeccable standard.

This match has so many spots that just stick with me. Will anyone ever be able to forget Omega repeatedly bashing Ospreys already bloody head in to the notoriously stiff Japanese table until finally the barrier was breached.

Or the absolutely disgusting avalanche DDT on the exposed turnbuckle that busted Ospreys open in the first place, or the top rope reversal by Omega that drove Ospreay’s head in the exposed buckle once again.

Will’s selling was the star of the show for me here. The way his lifeless body was ragdolling around really brought home the relentless, stomach churning offence of Kenny; the way he was crumbling at times more reminiscent of a grainy video you’d see online of a street fight, than a professional wrestling match.

One of the last acts of Ospreay in this match was to defiantly spit in the face of Omega, knowing he is a defeated man before succumbing to the one winged angel. What a match!” -Steven Lehmann

“I’ll never forget Will Ospreay’s face as he was draped over the turnbuckle. Kenny was in the background, revving up a V-Trigger. In slow motion, Kenny started running before building momentum. I willed Ospreay to move. I begged him, sending my shouts to the other side of the world. Ospreay didn’t move, and I saw the light extinguish from his eyes. Will Ospreay sells perfectly, and I believed he was dead.

The pinnacle of the craft, from two of the greatest wrestlers of all time.” -Neil David

“The Best Bout Machine faces his shadow. Everything Ospreay wants to be, Omega did first, and this was the time to define Ospreay’s place in the hierarchy of professional wrestling. Filled with more violence than one would expect from two finesse workers, this match shocked even the most fervent of fans in the Tokyo Dome that evening.” -Marty Day

“The world turned up to see one thing from Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay only to get something completely different. This was a systemic dissection of the British man from a driven and vindictive Omega, building on their incoming story and one of the most shocking matches in quite some time. Every time Ospreay began to gain momentum it was swiftly cut off by the more experienced Omega, and somehow, in a more brutal way then the last. Double foot stomp through a table, a DDT into an exposed turnbuckle, spot after spot to make you cringe and worry about Will’s condition.

The finish, a kamigoye followed by a One winged Angel (after one final act of Ospreay defiance) was emphatic. It brought to a close both the most memorable match of the year and the one which left you feeling the most breathless. As beautiful as it was brutal, this was the perfect presentation of pro wrestling in the modern age and one that will be truly memorable for a long time to come.” -Trish Speirs

“The two best wrestlers in the world set a bar at the beginning of the year that the entire industry would be hard pressed to try to match, even by these same two performers later on in the year. It’s amazing how well they both blended the utmost levels of athleticism in the match, but also violent intensity in a year that would be known for its spectacular matches amid a backdrop of brutality. Will and Kenny provided one of those performances, in the ambience of the Tokyo Dome, that is a formula for true wrestling perfection.” -Reuel Castillo

“One of the absolute pro wrestling matches I’ve ever seen from two of the greatest to do it. And now with hindsight, it truly was the kickoff of a legendary year for Ospreay, as he both prepared his next move in pro wrestling while affirming with aplomb that he is one of the greatest to ever do it.” -Warren Hayes

“Only match in my opinion that has gotten even close to those classic Omega-Okada matches. I think this should be winning every MOTY award.” -Jon Rogers

“This match alone encapsulated a time when I loved pro wrestling like no other. It felt like I was back in 2017 and watching the rise of Kenny Omega again. Just seeing Omega in the dome again after so many years away from a NJPW ring. Decked out in style coming out to Final Fantasy’s Sephiroth’s theme. This match was pure magical, it had everything — violence, technical and spectacle. This match had lots of emotional attachment for me and I will forever love it.” -FAR5222

“Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega was the match to beat for the majority of 2023. I firmly believe their first match outclasses the second. Make the Tokyo Dome joke all you want. There was a different feel with Omega returning to NJPW and taking on Ospreay. A different level of physicality, spectacle, and match itself. It was the return of Omega to being the best and the continuation of Ospreay’s unbelievable run the last few years. It’s the best match of Ospreay’s career for my money.” -Scott Edwards

“The biggest stage in wrestling. The best wrestlers in the world. Over-the-top entrances befitting the Tokyo Dome. There was no way this was going to be anything short of spectacular. It was indeed spectacular, and also quite brutal. I did not expect the most impactful visual to be Omega repeatedly smashing Ospreay’s head through a table like Jason Voorhees. It really played up how this wasn’t just a dream match, there was a lot of emotion and backstory going into it: Ospreay and Omega’s shared time in NJPW, Ospreay KO-ing Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 13, Ospreay’s burning need to break out of Omega’s shadow once and for all. And as great as it was, they still left room on the table for a rematch, which we got later that year.” -Andrew Rich


“When this match was over, I was sure it would be the match of the year. And it would’ve been if not for the rematch.” -Paul Fontaine

“An absolute all-timer. Two of the best big-match performers ever drive each other to create something magical, something that reimagines what a wrestling match can be.” -Ryan Dilbert

“This was a reminder that Kenny Omega in a New Japan main event is something special.” -Jays Retro

“Not even Kazuchika Okada & Jay White could follow this.” -Ethan Renner

“A match that makes you feel like you’re watching the very cutting edge of what pro wrestling in this style can be. Add in the easily understandable story of the old foreign ace of New Japan coming back and brutalizing his successor? Pure, unfiltered art.” -Liam Renner

“Kenny Omega’s return to NJPW, facing the very man who took his place as the top gaijin in Japan. Ospreay proudly defended the title he carried for the past few months, and through his style in this match—a hybrid between what he did in the junior heavyweight division and the style he adopted upon transitioning to heavyweight—he appears to be very close, if not already at the peak of his career. However, Kenny Omega is a different kind of beast, showcasing it both in kayfabe and in the ring. An exceptional match that I didn’t think could be surpassed so quickly.” -Dan Duca

“Before their second match, this was the best match I’d ever seen. Kenny Omega is at his best in New Japan when he can be a little bit cartoonish and it fits like a glove. They delivered a match that everyone thought they could and then some.” -Tyler Forness

“I’m sure many people can put to words the excellence of this match better than I ever could. So I will state my thoughts simply. Only two other Dome matches have made me feel the same way watching live: Okada vs Omega from 2017 and Okada vs Naito in 2020. Pure magic of motion.” -Semi Salmikannas

“At the time I thought this was going to be impossible to beat for MOTY. It was pipped out…though only by their own rematch…” -Jarrett Seidler

“Kenny’s first match back under NJPW combined with the beginning of Ospreays insane 2023 stretch made this special. It’s a lot more physical than I thought it would get. Will taking the rope rope DDT onto the exposed turnbuckle was awesome.” -Brett Miles

“A stunning match to watch live that started off 2023 with a bang and was for the majority of the year my number 1 match of the year. Two of the all time greats having a long expected grudge match with the added drama of “Does Kenny still have it?” Yes. Yes he does. Kenny and Will go at each other at a ridiculous and Brutal pace and deliver a match that 90% of other years is my MOTY.” -Arturo Galletti

“The Greatest Match of All-Time. For five and a half months.” -Jeremy Sexton

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

lukasmgc - 4.0
"I deleted my previous review and looked at this, my god this isn't even good still. It's boring. Third rewatch at its pathetic. 40 minutes of my life have been wasted with this match. The finish is pretty notable though. Second one is much better and you should go watch it."

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

Mayu's scheduled opponent got pulled due to sickness the night before so Stardom brought in the newly minted President and Ace of Marvelous, Takumi Iroha to wrestle in a non-title singles main event and with almost no time to prepare these two knocked it out of the loving park.

Iroha showed up with the whole Marvelous roster to watch her kick the poo poo out of Mayu, too. Call me when your Harolds and your Tonys can do that. Even knowing the result I was surprised by how one sided it was. Iroha ended her. The inevitable rematch is going to be amazing

Sticky Nate posted:

holy poo poo. I was not spoiled on the result so that finishing sequence whipped rear end.

MassRafTer posted:

Holy poo poo that was nuts, third. GO WATCH THIS MATCH.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Takumi Iroha had not been seen in Stardom for over a year before this match. She made an impactful statement upon her return as she absolutely dominated the world champion. Iwatani is one of the best sellers in wrestling and she did a wonderful job of making Takumi Iroha look like an absolute killer. Iroha held up her end of the bargain as she laid in her kicks and strikes, and generally beat Iwatani from pillar to post. Iwatani had a few hope spots but for the most part this was Iroha’s match that played to the strengths of both women.” -Alex Richards

“Iroha through a number of kicks in this match that had my jaw on the floor. Mayu is a champ for enduring such a beating. Best joshi match of the year without question.” -Mark Robinson

“You can tell the difference between good and great wrestlers based on how they react when unexpected things happen. When Iwatani’s initial opponent, Sareee, had to pull out of the show due to illness, it would have been completely acceptable for Iroha to come in, work a basic match, and send the crowd home happy. But because she and Iwatani are both absolute geniuses when it comes to wrestling (just watch a Marvelous show and see the perfect timing that Iroha’s trainees have), they ended up putting together the best women’s match of 2020. Upon first viewing, I was just having a great time, enjoying the one-sided beatdown that Iroha was laying in on Iwatani, but when the closing sequence happened, and Iroha just crushed Iwatani with her finisher and pinned the most prestigious women’s champion in Japan, it solidified Iroha as the most under-appreciated wrestler in joshi and Iwatani as the best women’s wrestler in the world.” -Parker Klyn

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

PUNQ - 7.0
"Takumi Iroha -vs- Mayu Iwatani [*** 1/2] Iroha was a last-minute replacement for Sareee, so the match lacked any specific hype or heat to build on. That's the main set-back. However, they delivered a stunning trashing. While originally a Stadom girl, Iroha wrestles represents Marvelous now, yet got to dominate the Stardom Red Belt holder in a convincing manner. Iwatani is so likable that it doesn't really hurt her that much, but not sure this was best for business unless it leads to a actual title bout down the line. At least there was some super hot bits in this bout, and they kept it stiff in true ace-style! Honestly, I'm not that familiar with Iroha yet, so that might explain one of the reasons why I'm not as high on the match an many others, but the match definitely has a lot of positivity and one that one can easily sit back and enjoy."

DarkstarIV posted:

Match SLAPPED...both quality and literally.

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

this is it, the actual match of the year

Dango Bango posted:

What a Goddamn war

Pylons posted:

I think I liked their first match a bit more.

Armitage posted:

Two people hitting each other really hard for 25 minutes can make for a great match

graph posted:

what a loving gem of a match, good lord

Kirios posted:

May be the actual best match of the year too.

Venomous posted:

I loving hate the WWE, and I especially loving hate how they just put on the greatest match of the year.

probably the last truly great Fed match at this rate lmaooooo

Pinwiz11 posted:

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

Quantum of Phallus posted:

WALTER has the best matches in WWE by a wide wide margin

Edward Mass posted:

I both want to see and don’t want to see WALTER called up to the main roster.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

i don't even wanna see him called up to NXT proper

Venomous posted:

I just want to see him kill it against Brock and then immediately get released

forkboy84 posted:

Match was obviously terrific, will say I thought it was a notch behind their last match. Still light years ahead of the sort of thing you expect from WWE

Lamuella posted:

Jesus loving christ. Ilja Dragunov might look like a jacked Stan Laurel but he wrestles like a force of nature.

Penguin Patrol posted:

I hope everyone at least watches Ilja vs Walter. Technically it's from a fake promotion that snuck a match onto Takeover, so you don't have to feel too bad when you watch it.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The valiant Dragunov juxtaposes perfectly with the champion brute in a match as unrelentingly physical as their classic 2020 encounter. Dragunov had to endure hell to bring down his big beast of an adversary. As fun as the thudding strikes are, its his heart and guts that truly power the bout. Champion and challenger wallop each other in a fight for pride, for survival, for each man’s legacy. Again, these two made the NXT UK Championship feel like a prize as valuable as Excalibur’s sword.” -Ryan Dilbert

“Violence incarnate – a snuff film within a wrestling ring.” -Jacob Nelson

“These two have had matches all across Europe, and while it sucked that their built-up rematch ended up happening in the States and not in the UK, at least they were able to show why those of us in Europe were banging the drum for them for all these years.” -Ian Hamilton

“The follow-up to their 2020 classic on NXT: UK, Dragunov and WALTER again stole the show, this time on a bigger stage. The “Takeover” name is synonymous with excellent matches but this one may have beaten them all. WALTER’s indomitable reign as NXT: UK champion was ended in memorable fashion to, really, the only person on that brand who could’ve taken the title from him.” -Greg Parks

“Does anyone remember the match that these two had last year (2020)? Well if you don’t first of all what is wrong with you go watch it NOW! Because that match was awesome, they had a rematch in the later part of 2021 as part of the NXT Takeover 36 event and it had a lot to live up to but this match probably outdid their first meeting and even saying that sounds insane. My point is that any time these two have wrestled each other (only twice in WWE/NXT to my knowledge) it has been absolutely amazing. Going into this match I was hoping it was going to be really good because of how good that their first encounter was, I try not to anticipate a good wrestling match too much because I don’t want to be disappointed by my own high expectations that I have had for a match if it’s not as good as I had hoped that it would be but this match was incredible and it was ten months removed from the first time they wrestled so the anticipation for this one was off the charts. Once again both WALTER and Dragunov beat the living poo poo out of each other. The match was an experience and after watching this one my body was hurting even though I was watching it from the comfort of my own home on my couch. I can’t even imagine the physicality that these two men went through and the toll that this match took on both of their bodies but this match was one that will be talked about for years to come. Dragunov would win this match after making WALTER tap out to a sleeper hold to become the new United Kingdom Champion. WALTER’s historic title reign came to an end on its 870th day. A reign that will go down in history of one of the best title reigns ever but Ilja Dragunov will also be in the record books because he was the one who dethroned WALTER and destroyed his Kingdom.” -Nathan Neumann

“We all know that Walter’s chops are part of the draw of his matches, but the real flourish here is seeing Ilya as a man who can absorb them, again and again, without physically or mentally breaking down. This was a just end to Walter’s lengthy run as NXT UK champion.” -Brian Moore

“The finish was a chefs kiss of a moment and the perfect way for WALTER’s reign as NXT UK Champ to end. It would be the show stealer of NXT 1.0’s final hurrah with it’s callbacks to their history adding flavour to the brutality that they served up. It makes you want the main roster style and NXT 2.0 to not be what it is right now.” -Peter Edge

“This is all heart all fire. This is two eternal rivals that are destined to do this forever. I know some say this isn’t even their best match and they are probably right. That is scary in itself. I don’t hear enough people say it but WALTER vs Dragunov is one of the greatest in ring rivalries in history. It is every bit in the ilk of Omega vs Okada, Kobashi vs Misawa and this match among the best in their saga” -Markeem Graham

“These two can do no wrong. A wonderful, violent spectacle and just as good as their 2020 offering.” -Mark

“This match absolutely ruled. RULED. The match in 2020 was about Walter dominating and Ilja surviving, this time however Ilja had way more of the match and it was Walter’s time to survive as much as he could. From the first beat, Ilja is the one that fires off the first chop and Walter kicks the bottom rope in frustration and it sets the stall out that Ilja is going to be an even tougher challenge than he was before. The match is a hell of a fight and never lets up the pace, even when they do some grappling in the opening minutes and Walter throws in some lunging knee strikes while on the mat. There’s that one clunky moment right towards the end of the match where they do a top rope sleeper thing and it doesn’t come off well, but for me that just adds to the exhaustion of the match that these two guys aren’t executing moves smoothly, and Ilja goes straight back on the attack anyway with rapid elbows rather than let the dodgy moment linger. Ilja was a man possessed and I can’t think of a better performance by a Walter opponent ever to convince me that Walter was beatable than the Russian pulled off here. He was relentless and varied in his offence, flying and striking at Walter anyway he could and when the Torpedo Moscow failed to get the win, he poetically went for a strategy that has won Walter so many matches in his career – the sleeper – the move that finally lost him the previous title match back in 2020. I loving love this finish with Ilja determined to make this sleeper work, and when Walter battles out, he just fires off with more strikes and locks it in tighter. The quick tap out surprised me as I thought they were going for Walter passing out, but I think it helped create a bigger moment” -Ed Mills

“WALTER and Dragunov clashed in an epic rematch from their NXT UK title last year. Last year these two had one of the best empty arena matches. This time they were able to wrestle in front of fans on a Takeover. This match was just as intense as the first. WALTER unleashed his devastating chops and power offense on Dragunov. However, Dragunov refused to be put down again by WALTER. Dragunov absorbed the punishment and kept fighting. In the end, Dragunov was finally able to defeat WALTER and end his 870-day reign.” -Jeremy Donovan

“I have no idea what the hell is going on at this supposedly real show called “NXT: UK” so it seems to me like these two guys just meet up out of the blue once a year to slap each other’s chest until it looks like hamburger meat and it’s great fun every time. This year’s meeting seemed to be more emotionally charged and I was even more taken with Dragunov’s determination to actually win this time, as opposed to last year when it kinda felt like he was just challenging a bear to kill him and trying to survive for fun, which I’m lead to believe by American media isn’t unusual behavior for Russian men. Can’t wait to see next year’s edition.” -Casey Fiore

“Pro Wrestling in its simplest form is the hero conquering the villain. That is this match. Ilja was the underdog. He is smaller than WALTER, the undefeated and dominant champion of 870 days. WALTER had beaten Ilja before in another classic match but tonight, Ilja had a different energy about him. He was unafraid of the beast standing before him and looked confident in his abilities. Ilja uses his speed early on, trying to get the Ring General to the ground where WALTER’s size and power would be neutralized but WALTER is too strong. He brutalizes Ilja with chops, stomps and slaps to the face. But Ilja will not give in. He throws everything he has at WALTER and more. A Torpedo Moscow isn’t even enough to keep the Ring General down. WALTER looks to end it. A brutal powerbomb and a top rope splash! 1. 2. KICKOUT! Ilja lives! Ilja fires up and unloads on WALTER! WALTER is down! Stiff MMA elbows to the big man! Ilja locks in a sleeper! He pulls back! He knows he has nothing left if WALTER escapes. This is his last shot! WALTER taps! The monster has been slayed! The hero has done it! This was pro wrestling at its most pure and simple form. And it was glorious!” -Alex Kalil

“I’m going to be honest for a moment: I hated the first WALTER/Dragunov match in NXT UK. While I can definitely see why a lot of people loved that match, to me, it felt like watching a snuff film. I felt like it went too far in too many places, and while I admired the technical aspects of the match, it didn’t make my Top 10 last year. This match was a lot more palatable in my opinion, and showcased why WALTER is such a special athlete, and why Ilja was his perfect foil.” -Slyguy46

“Their empty arena match might have been better, but this was definitely more exciting with the atmosphere and everything. Also, this match kind of symbolized the end of the NXT we all loved. A bitter-sweet moment.” -Evandor Furtado

“Writing this after the name change certainly has me look back on this match perhaps in an even more positive light. WALTER and Ilja had a Match of the year in 2020 in an empty UK venue for NXT UK. So when they announced The rematch at Takeover 36 part of me was worried, but part of me also knew these two could deliver and they absolutely did. Not as Brutal as their 2020 encounter but with a crowd there it did not need to be. The ending of WALTER tapping and Ilja having the same reaction as myself, disbelief, put the perfect bow on this fantastic match.” -Kentucky210

“This was somehow better than all their wXw and other indie encounters and their classic from 2020, resulting in one of the best matches in WWE history.” -Parker Klyn

“It’s crazy to me that this match was as high for me as it was the year previous, but when you put WALTER and Dragunov in a ring together, there is now no doubt in my mind that they are a phenomenal match. 2020 was mainly about the brutality of WALTER and in 2021, the pair continued their story, showing the heart and fire of Dragunov to overcome the giant. The match itself was nothing short of violent and if there was ever a 3rd, count me in.” -Ryan Neitzey

“A primal, carnal war. Intensity so high it overcame the setting that the match took place in.” -Ibrahima Niang

“I’ll admit that when this match was announced, I was uncertain about it. Not because that I thought it was the right time for a rematch, nor because I doubted WALTER and Dragunov’s capability in producing a fantastic battle, but rather, I asked myself these questions: *how* could they top their previous match? Will WALTER really walk away as the NXT UK champion, extending his 870 day reign? What followed was one of the most hard-hitting matches of the year. Every doubt that I had about this rematch washed away as I laid witness to two men brawling each other for their own desires: WALTER defending his glory in a title, while Dragunov clawed through his opponent’s defense. Overall, was left speechless by this match. I want an encore.” -Caro

“After the first encounter received worldwide praise despite happening in front of zero people, it was only right that the battle which saw Ilja Dragunov takedown WALTER was witnessed by an actual crowd. The final great match of the NXT we once knew and loved is this one as these two brutalized each other until their both bodies were as red as a stop sign. I still wince at the thought of those chops they exchanged and cringe at what they probably had to deal with the days after their war. WWE can take away what makes a lot of wrestlers great to fit their style but Dragunov and WALTER didn’t let that happen. They brought the styles that got them to the dance to begin with and what followed was amazing.” -Scott Edwards Jr.

“If there is one thing that WALTER always brings, it’s violence in everything he does, from his chops to the way he holds Ilja’s body. And this match had that in absolute spades. Ilja Dragunov to his credit, is one of the rare few that can equal WALTER in that way, through his intensity. I loved his desperate attempts to prevent the chops from becoming the trope of the match, as it’s been the deciding factor for WALTER for years now. He rabidly attacked the arm, which helped prevent WALTER from locking in the Gojira Clutch, adding to the strategy in the long term. Dragunov caught a nasty cut on his forehead, just above the eye, and it was one of the better cuts you can get, visually imo as it didn’t draw much blood. It seemed more like a stinging hole in the skull than anything else. Little things like that, when not planned, only add to everything. The closing stretch was just tremendous wrestling as well. Not so much in the moves and sequences, as you can see them in every version of this match, but rather WALTER’s selling and Dragunov’s drive and god honest plausibility in his performances. You could believe that he truly wants to win the match, throwing everything he had into the match. Even landing hard in the corner after hitting a Moscow Torpedo. And his reaction when WALTER tapped was amazing. No one could believe it. WALTER gave up and lost the title. Unbelievable” -MC

“Ilja Dragunov’s redemption story was the best thing that WWE had done in LITERAL YEARS. The culmination was here. The biggest match in NXT UK history INSIDE A WAREHOUSE just to generate some interest on an otherwise really garbage show. I am not gonna lie, when umI heard that it was taking place in the CWC I lowered my expectations. Despite all those handicaps they were met with, WALTER and Dragunov put on a brutal classic with ilja’s undeniable fighting spirit shining through.” -Ashutosh Dubey

“I sometimes don’t enjoy matches where wrestlers truly punish each other in the ring, be it head-drops or chopping each other into hamburger meat. So I was kind of dreading this match going in. Walter is such a unique presence like Brock Lesnar that it is really difficult to believe anyone can defeat him. It’s just part of his character. I have never seen Ilja in a match that wasn’t with Walter, so I can’t really appreciate him on his own, but I finished this match thinking there was no more perfect opponent, or conqueror than Dragunov to finally chop down the champion.” -Kevin Ely

“I love me a match where you wonder if the guys fighting know wrestling is a work.” -Warren Hayes

“WALTER and Dragunov delivered a second year of the row with a match that felt exactly like the big-time battle it was, with the historic title change to boot. Everything clicked in a match that just saw two longtime rivals beat the ever-loving snot out of each other.” -Jeremy Thomas

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

gj07czos -5.0
"Honestly, I thought this was a pretty bland match overall. If you are really into WALTER and his style, I can see the appeal, but I feel like this is the same match that is told every single time he steps into the ring. The heavy chops and leaving people's chests purple is definitely hardcore to see, but it's not really entertaining to me. I'd much prefer something with more athleticism. It was passable, but not nearly as good as people are making it out to be."

MrCagematch - 5.0
"A good but ultimately extremely overrated. It's all the about the violence and brutality, but it lacks substance and storytelling that was present in their match last year. A rathe bland but overall good match nonetheless."

STONE COLD 64 posted:

DISREGARD ALL OTHER NOMINATIONS

jesus WEP posted:

What a loving night of wrestling

a cyborg mug posted:

My idea recently has been to only nominate matches a lot of people might not watch but holy god drat rear end hell yeah this

Rarity posted:

loving amazing card, the last match especially holy poo poo

Price Check posted:

Fantastic crowd helped push a couple of them over the top. Okada/SANADA is one of the great time limit teases of all time.

Jerusalem posted:

This loving G1...... holy gently caress.

SatoshiMiwa posted:

Best of the three matches this year, Sanada was amazing and Okada casually showing again this G1 that while Will is the Wrestler of the year Okada is the Wrestler of this century

MassRafTer posted:

Thought Tanahashi vs Ibushi was the better match but Ibushi vs Tanahashi is the story I care about more.

Accident Underwater posted:

the end of Okada vs. SANADA was INCREDIBLE.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The best performance from SANADA to date, he finally got over the hump with 13 seconds left against Okada. While it wasn’t in an IWGP title match (which continues this story), SANADA proved that he could beat the best in one on one competition.” Tyler Forness

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

-dustykeyboard - 3.0
"An nothing first 20 minutes, about five minutes of SANADA clunking his way through a mid match, then two hot minutes to end it. It's clear from the last two minutes and even their first match (the only passable one) that these two do good when they're doing *anything* but the struggle to fill time was so bad they were laying on the ground playing exhausted for extended stretches just 8 minutes in after doing *nothing* - just basic by the numbers feeling-out and a single dropkick with most of the rest of the match being just as much of a dull time sink. Totally transparent faux-epic garbage."

Mizzle Assault Ant - 3.0
"Fair play to the many who love these two together but I feel like they have anti-chemistry, they just put me to sleep together. Just stretching this out for time and nothing for me to sink my teeth into. The kind of NJPW match I really just don't get into, to me just felt like low energy and a slog to get through."

DarkstarIV posted:

That has a contender to be the best match of the weekend, if not the entire month. Jesus christ.

Jerusalem posted:

Great match, super-exciting. Had the ending gone the other way I'd have put it down as a Match of the Year candidate. Nigel on commentary was superb.

RHX posted:

gently caress me that was incredible.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“WALTER is often seen as a throwback to old-school big men but this match showed that he is as modern as anyone and so is Tyler Bate. An epic match that I feel comfortable saying is one of the best I’ve ever seen.” Dave Musgrave

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

CoolNameGuy91 - 3.0
"Cardiff seems like a show full of high expectations (for me included) and undeserved praise. I really like both WALTER and Bate and even their performances were good. The problem was the monotony of repetitive spots, at least half a dozen "oh no Bate is gonna suplex him how could he despite doing it a bunch already" moments punch-punch-punch-CHOPDOWN, and of course the classics: maneuvering around the turnbuckle for 5 minutes despite knowing who's gonna win each exchange and the flurry of pinfall attempts that either fall flat because they're not hitting finishers, or hurt said finishers' credibility. ALSO Bate being destroyed for over half the match but still getting up went past endearing into obnoxious. I get that you want an epic, but just with the last time NXT UK did it, the match was not structured around its length, but stretched to meet it."

Jerusalem posted:

Caught up on the match now and yeah, that was a MOTYC goddamn. It was for the ending alone, but the match itself was superb already before it got there.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Shingo is my wrestler of the year and Zack is one of my favorites. Here they both show why.” -Dave Musgrave

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Shoot Headbutt Lover - 5.0
"I didn't really feel this match like a lotta people, I like thst they hit each other hard, but it was difficult for to believe that Zack Sabre can no sell a Diving Elbow, and then put in a headscissors of all moves! ? Stupid. Also this suffers like a lot of Ospreay/Shingo matches where they do that one spot of a bunch of moves being countered and finalizing with something underwhelming. The finish was flat as hell with Sabre putting in a choke and then Shingo went to Bret's Rope to slam Sabre back down and Sabre no selling and pulling him back in a choke. There's a difference between fighting spirit and just outright acting like the move did nothing to you. This match is dumb."

Jerusalem posted:

Holy poo poo, these two loving killed each other. Wish the audio quality for commentary wasn't so badly mixed so the hot crowd came through better, but that's like... that's my ONLY complaint about the match!

Thauros posted:

yeah i haven't posted in these threads in recent years but that's my favorite match of 2024 so far. agreed

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

N/A

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

NastyYaffa - 1.0
"I very rarely actively *actually* dislike matches these days, but man I hated this. It was the worst of Moxley & the worst of Shingo both in one. Needlessly super-long, a million kickouts, blowing off selling. It reminded me of the days when Davey Richards was in his prime years, and not in any good ways."

fez_machine posted:

Four of the best doing their thing.

AlmightyPants posted:

was expecting insanity, got insanity, I have no idea how Vikingo is able to defy the laws of physics like that

Lamuella posted:

Watching this now and holy crap This was mayhem.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This match was my poo poo. An amazing nonstop spotfest from four of the best in the world. You will be in awe, you will cringe when Vikingo almost dies, then wonder what he’s made of when he gets up and jumps again, and you won’t be able to keep your eyes off the screen. This match would be higher on my list if it wasn’t for the referee. You had an older man that takes 10 seconds to make a 1 count. This is a match really dependent on breaking pinfalls and kickouts, and there are awkward moments due to the referee’s slowness. It is still worth watching.” -Abraham Delgado

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

TSwifty - 2.0
"This was an absolute mess and possibly the worst '5 star match' from Dave that I've seen yet. The Lucha Brothers might be the most overexposed team in all of wrestling. Fenix is better than Penta but both of them are getting complacent and refuse to make their moves meaningful. Vikingo and Laredo Kid were more creative yet too complicated and cutesy with their offense. There was a sequence a few minutes into the match where both teams exchanged Spanish Flys and destroyers and it looked like the worst indie sequence ever. Vikingo and Laredo Kid had the worst set-up to a power slam in the history of wrestling that I'll try to explain. Vikingo runs up the ropes to sit in an electric chair on Kid's shoulders, but they sort of botch it and transition to a wheelbarrow and do a tumble roll into Penta where Vikingo does a sunset flip and slingshots Penta into Kid for the power slam. It's an eye-rolling match and there's a lot more to go. Vikingo hit a tumblesault to the outside of the ring that almost killed him. It's a struggle to even call it a botch because I don't know what would be a safe way to land. Just an incredibly stupid move. Vikingo does a 630 and basically plants himself into the mat. This is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world according to Wrestling Observer by the way. In the few matches I've seen of him I can already tell what he's about. Amazing acrobat but with no idea how to structure a match and a lot of botching. That's what I saw here anyway. The finishing stretch had every high spot and superkick you could think of. Vikingo's imploding 450 was incredible and perfectly executed. It's a shame it was meaningless because of everything I've mentioned. Indeed a spectacle but not a great match due to overcomplicated spots, botches, and an overkill formula to the point where it's a struggle to care about the high spots. If I struggle to care about a top rope Spanish Fly and an imploding 450 than you've structured your spotfest wrong. *1/2"

LionYeti posted:

Hot drat that ruled

Kvantum posted:

This show just don't quit.

Jerusalem posted:

It absolutely ruled but had the misfortune of being on the same card with two other absolutely spectacular matches.

Lamuella posted:

It's recency bias but I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny vs Soup becomes my favourite singles match of all time.

closet statist posted:

I was a bit soft on omega / takeshita somehow (???) so Ill hold off the nom until a rewatch I think.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“An underrated banger and a match I was personally waiting for all year after the Don Callis turning on Kenny Omega thing. Kenny Omega in a big match on a ppv? Consider the show stolen and give him match of the night every single time. This was a high octane match that felt like a G1 Climax encounter. Omega took some nasty bumps in this one. Avalanche Blue Thunder Bomb? Are you kidding me? It’s a stiff, explosive match full of high impact offense and it never slows down. A Kenny Omega special, if you will. Even the Don Callis interference was done well. Omega’s unselfishness isn’t talked about enough. Guy is always putting people over and making them look excellent while doing it. This was the biggest win of Takeshita’s career and one of the best clean wins over a huge star in AEW’s history. It’s a shame Takeshita hasn’t done much since.” -Noveliss

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Wieczus - 4.0
"On this show we have seen two ideas of putting over a young talent in a match. One was Danielson who did an excellent job of making Ricky a star with a match that made sense in which every little move told a story. The other one was Omega who thinks that kicking out of every single move in the world makes a star. Brainbuster on the floor in the first minutes, needless Senton on the chairs and again the screwdriver bollocks. This is just cheap and lazy."

Mizzle Assault Ant - 4.0
"They made a huge deal about "I will end your career and possibly murder you! ", but it felt like the match itself reflected nothing of that. Aside from one or two spots, it seemed to be wrestled basically like any ol' exhibition match between these two might be with no particular intensity or fire. If anything I thought Takeshita really carried the match, but he has been so forgotten in the build that it didn't capture my excitement very much to see it. It's been so much Don Callis, who continued to poke his nose in with the lame screwdriver spots. The only spot that actually seemed serious was the head drop, and Misawa could tell you it's a bad idea to play with those, ah wait, no he can't actually. And then Omega didn't even bother selling it after about 30 seconds, so why even do it? Another more is less Omega match. The crowd liked it a lot so the job was done, but it wasn't really for me."

Cerebral Bore posted:

Two of the best in the world in one hell of a war. The NEVER title is the best belt in NJPW.

Jerusalem posted:

EXACTLY like that scene in The Jerk where the assassin keeps shooting the cans by mistake, except instead of bullets it is Dragon Screws and instead of cans it is knees, and instead of by mistake it is deliberate, and the assassin is somehow both Tanahashi AND Shingo. Look, it's a great loving match, okay.

Rarity posted:

Old man still got it

Lamuella posted:

Absolutely astounding. This is the bar that other NEVER matches should be judged by.

forkboy84 posted:

I dunno, I still think Ishii vs Honma from New Beginning in Sendai 2015 is the high watermark.

Cerebral Bore posted:

The Shingo/Suzuki matches last year were tremendous too.

Rarity posted:

Halfway through I was like 'this is very good but I wouldn't put it above the Ospreay/Kojima match, Tana's not quite able to match Shingo at his peak these days' then the other half of the match happened

boxcarhobo posted:

yea it was good

Dango Bango posted:

I love Shingo Takagi and I don't care who knows it.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This happened so early in the year, I can understand one forgetting it happened, but it happened, and we are all better for it happening. Perhaps the best NJPW match of the year. What’s funny is at first I thought Ospreay/Okada from 2021’s Wrestle Kingdom was better, but in the end, in the long run, I think about this match far more often than I do that one. This match truly was awesome, and a perfect ending to Shingo’s reign.

Tanahashi is the ace, the old guard, the man who finds something new in the tank every single time you think he has nothing left. We are truly blessed to get to watch this match perform his craft right before our eyes, and we should never forget that cause one day it’ll, unfortunately, come to an end. For now though let us enjoy these special treats, these amazing matches that happen before us. For they are truly special, and we should cherish them while we can.” -Jeri L. Evagood

“One of the few non-Wrestling Kingdom/G1 matches to sustain me in an otherwise dry year for New Japan Pro Wrestling.” -Chuck Hodgin

“If you asked me to pick one match from the pandemic era that I could see in front of fans, it would have been this one. Imagine the reactions when both kicked out at one in the final stretch. Takagi even in defeat showed he belonged in top ranks of NJPW and Tanahashi showed he still had bangers in him after 25 years of producing some of the GOAT matches. What an unreal match.” -Peter Edge

“I continue to think “alright, this is the year Tanahashi slows down” and he goes and delivers this. I don’t think Shingo gets his heavyweight run without this match.” -Mark

“This match is one of my favorites from the year. Even though this was a NEVER Openweight title match at New Beginning, It felt like an IWGP Heavyweight title match at Wrestle Kingdom. The match started slowly as Tanahashi targeted Shingo’s leg. The Dragon was getting dragon screwed over and over again, and he wasn’t a fan of it. Shingo would try and cut the Ace off, but Tanahashi was just one step ahead of him. Tanahashi hit a dropkick to Shingo’s knee, sending him flying out of the ring. We then got the vintage big match Tanahashi spot as he hits the High Fly Flow to the outside. Back in the ring, Shingo turns the tide and starts attacking Tanahashi’s legs. Shingo wouldn’t be in control for long. Tanahashi is able to hit a High Fly Flow to the back of Shingo. The Ace gets too confident and goes for another High Fly Flow, but Shingo rolls out of the way.

Both men exchanged significant strikes and signature moves. Shingo drops Tanahashi right on his head with a Made in Japan! I jumped off my couch screaming, seeing the Ace get dropped on his dome. Even though he almost broke his neck, the Ace continued to fight back. He’s able to hit a dragon suplex and a Slingblade, but Shingo kicks out at one!!! I’m losing my mind at this point. Shingo then fires back with a Pumping Bomber. Tanahashi kicks out at one!!!! This match is nuts! Shingo attempts to put Tana away with the Last of the Dragon. Tanahashi reverses with a Sling Blade and goes to the top to hit the crossbody High Fly Flow. Tana then hits a dragon suplex and a High Fly Flow to become NEVER champion for the first time.

This was 35 minutes of wrestling excellence. I was glued to the screen for every minute. These guys are masters of the craft.” -Jeremy Donovan

“A fantastic match! Shingo is younger and more powerful and able to control the match early by sheer force. Tanahashi is able to dig into his back of tricks and go to work on the knees of Shingo to neutralize his strengths. Shingo refuses to stay down and tries to battle back on pretty much one leg and even starts to go after Tanahashi’s knee himself. Shingo goes to end it with Last of the Dragon but Tanahashi counters out of it with a Sling Blade. Tanahashi has his opening and throws everything he has left at Shingo and is able to emerge victorious. Phenomenal stuff!” -Alex Kalil

“Most of the time matches can drag when they went over the 25 minute mark, this one was absolutely the opposite. This one was an absolute banger of a match between one of my all time faves and the current best wrestler in the world, how could it get wrong? While it was still your typical New Japan main event with a slow start, the second half was tremendous. Tanahashi is the world’s best when he needs to suffer from big moves and he did here. The closing stretch was absolute phenomenal, while the Ace wasn’t on the edge to win but his final moves were the gamechanger. What an instant classic!” -Christian Gascoigne

“2021 saw another first-ever dream match taken off the board with Shingo vs. Tanahashi. The magic of Tanahashi is that even when you think “Man, I wish this match had happened five or six years ago,” he still manages to pull off a classic. The guy has graham cracker knees and absolutely nothing left to prove in his career, but he will always go full throttle in a big time spot because he’s Hiroshi Tanahashi and that’s just what he does. Put him with Shingo Takagi, a guy who can have banger matches in his sleep, and it’s a recipe for greatness. And this was great, just a classic battle between the stronger, faster tank and the smarter, more determined hero. Shingo’s leg selling was excellent, and Tanahashi deserves all the flowers for taking a Made in Japan right on his neck and still going. This match was so good, it had El Phantasmo on commentary cutting out the heel shtick and just going nuts for it. “I’m freaking out, man!” Shingo won the rematch for the World Heavyweight Title later in the year, but this night belonged to the Ace.” -Andrew Rich

“If you were asking me to pick who I think the single most valuable wrestler was to their given promotion in 2021, I wouldn’t say Roman Reigns or Kenny Omega. I would say Shingo Takagi. In a year filled with injuries and foreign stars being unable to get in and out of the country, Shingo proved himself to be a true top star.

His match with Tanahashi for the NEVER belt may not be his most high-profile match of 2021, but the chemistry between these two absolute all-time greats on this night was unrivaled. An increasingly rare main event win for Tanahashi and a tremendous showing for New Japan’s brightest new star, Shingo.” -Liam Renner

“Going into 2021, the one match that I hope I would get to see in New Japan….more than any other….was Shingo Takagi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. When it was announced that these two would be facing off in a NEVER Openweight Title match on the New Beginning in Nagoya card on January 30th, I immediately volunteered to handle the review for Voices Of Wrestling. I was super excited to see this one, and when the dust settled, it certainly didn’t disappoint. This was two all-time great just going out there and putting on an instant classic for over thirty-five minutes. The closing stretch was, of course, all sorts of amazing, and Shingo dropping Tanahashi on his head with a Made In Japan was a super memorable (and VERY brutal) moment. Tanahashi winning the NEVER Openweight Title for the very first time was a great conclusion to a bout that was simply phenomenal from start to finish.” -Sean Sedor

“It’s been a decade since Tanahashi’s landmark IWGP title reign and he’s still one of the very best there is. Even while he’s slowing down, he showed in this match he can still go with the best, and fit into the NEVER Openweight style like a glove, trading stiff blows with Shingo Takagi. No other match from this year had me on the edge of my seat like this one.” -Paul Wedding

“The Ace never dies. A beautiful strong style epoch that didn’t feel too long. Another Tanahashi classic and the best NJPW match of the year. ” -Semi Salmikannas

“So I’ll always remember this match for three reasons: (1) I actually stayed up to watch it, which I almost never do; (2) I was chatting with my buddy Ian (who does great work at 411Mania and BackBodyDrop) throughout; and (3) SOPHIE, the seminal gender-bending electronic music and pop artist whom I considered to be one of the greatest musicians of our era, died just hours before. In fact, SOPHIE’s death was the only reason I was even awake, trying to find as much information as possible about it and throwing on the NJPW show to help keep my mind at ease. And so these two — NJPW’s most consistently excellent performers in 2021 — went out there and put on a classic. When people think of fantastic NJPW stuff from like 2016-2019, they think of matches just like this, a pristine formula between the best alive and perhaps the best to ever do it.” -Parker Klyn

“Tanahashi never disappoints. Two of my favorite wrestlers ever having a brilliant match.” -Rene Martinez

“Come on now. It’s Shingo Takagi and Hiroshi Tanahashi in a New Japan main event. Say that out loud, then ask yourself: How was it not going to be one of the best matches of the year?” -Suit Williams

“The amazing thing about Shingo Takagi’s NJPW run is how normal it all seems. Whether you were aware of the world-class work that Takagi did for nearly 15 years in Dragongate is irrelevant. He’s shown up, kicked rear end, and assimilated himself into the New Japan fray in a miraculous manner. While I have, for lack of a better term, hated New Japan over the last two years, Takagi has offered occasional moments of solace. Despite coming into his own in a promotion so routinely ignored by Japanese press, Takagi demonstrated that he is capable of producing a match echoing the greats of yesteryear. This was a New Japan classic in every sense of the word. It felt big, in a classical sense. Violent, in a traditional sense. Great, in every sense of the word. It’s what you should expect from two of the greatest wrestlers to ever live.” -Case Lowe

“2021 started off spectacularly for Shingo Takagi; with his January framed by two stellar IWGP NEVER Openweight title defences. The second of which was against New Japan company Ace Hiroshi Tanahashi. Given its lofty main event billing in Nagoya, the match was expected to send the wrestling world into a frenzy. And it sure did that. I would go as far as to say, this match redefined what the NEVER Championship stands for. Whilst it gleefully fulfilled the heavy-hitting, all-action, strike exchange packed quota of any NEVER title fight, it also delivered the grandeur of an early Match of the Year contender. The emotional journey this match takes you on is utterly spellbinding, making you live or die by every impactful moment it serves up (and there are plenty of those).” -Jamie Johnson

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Roach - 2.0
"Can I give this match a two? Is that okay? ... I guess we'll see. Anyways, this match sucked. This is the epitome of a bad new japan main event. It is 25 minutes of nothingness followed up by 10 minutes of fast-paced action that has absolutely nothing to do with the previous 25 minutes. Whoever thought it was a good idea to build this match around working Shingo's leg should be sent to eternal damnation. When I think of Shingo Takagi I think of a wrestler who excels because of his incredible, fast-paced explosive offense. When you build a match around working Shingo's leg you either... A. Take away that offense and make a point of him not being able to utilize it (the preferable option)... or B. Just completely ignore all the 25 minutes of limb work and have him run the ropes at 30 miles per hour anyways (the non-preferable option). They of course went with option B. The pinnacle of this is a spot in which Tanahashi does like his 10th dragon screw. Shingo sells it for like a millisecond before just absolutely sprinting to the ropes at full speed and sprinting back for a sliding lariat. It is hilariously nonsensical and one of the worst spots I have ever seen in a New Japan match. Now look, if you want to have a playfully stupid story of Shingo overcoming and overpowering Tanahashi's early leg work to get back on the offensive, fine. I have no problem with that, it would probably be really fun. But this match dedicated 25 WHOLE loving MINUTES to it. 25 MINUTES! AND THEN THEY JUST FORGOT ABOUT IT! The painfully long 25 minutes of boring leg work ended up not having even the slightest effect on the match. Not even the slightest. The last 10 minutes of the match were fun, I guess. If you take that stretch away from the 25 minutes before it, you have a nice little sprint. The problem with that is that you cannot physically do that and instead we are left with a completely incoherent and nonsensical mess, albeit slightly fun to watch in its final minutes as long as you dont give a poo poo about the match as a whole. Shoutout to Tanahashi for taking a raw-as-gently caress head bump. Man just landed straight on his noggin."

Mizzle Assault Ant - 2.0
"I kept waiting to see something interesting and I just felt like I never did? Tana works on Shingo's leg a lot, and Shingo responds mostly by doing his regular moves at full speed then sometimes grabbing at his leg between moves. Not that interesting, and there didn't feel like there were any particularly memorable moments, spots, or exchanges really. This was a miss for me, and an extremely long one at that."

Sticky Nate posted:

nuclear crowd.

abraham linksys posted:

yeah, if you're checking out this show for cardona/gage please go back and watch parker/colon because parker getting that match 36 hours after winning the big japan deathmatch title and a 14 hour flight to america is loving incredible and maybe the most herculean thing any wrestler has done this year

Bard Maddox posted:

the indies are back

coconono posted:

Delivered well past expectations on all fronts.

forkboy84 posted:

Cardona is real loving red even before this started. One of those matches where the fans elevated things a lot.

SalTheBard posted:

Jesus loving Christ what an amazing match

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Matt Cardona’s GCW World Title win at Homecoming Night One was the title change I certainly didn’t see coming. It also set the stage for Cardona’s amazing character in GCW, which is some of his most inspired work in a long time. GCW isn’t even my thing, but I can’t deny this match was one of the highlights of the year.” -Jeremy Thomas

“There weren’t many matches that were as plain fun as this. Cardona does so well as the guy who probably shouldn’t have gotten himself involved in a deathmatch. He is an outsider interloping in a place he does not belong, while Nick Gage is Nick Gage: avatar of the counterculture wrestling audience. The match is equal parts brutal, hilarious, and smart, giving Cardona’s post-WWE career real direction.” -Brian Moore

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Firebird22 - 3.0
"The overall storyline was really well done, but this match itself is pretty terrible. It is not good as either a wrestling match or a death match (particularly coming after the far superior Drew Parker vs. Alex Colon death match). The finish was also horribly overbooked. That said, it was cool to see Matt Cardona buy in so heavily to the death match style."

Jerusalem posted:

So much fun, and so much catharsis in it with the face/heel stuff and MJF suffering beautiful comeuppance. Also a shocking but well-appreciated surprise run-in.

Dango Bango posted:

I don't care if I'm overrating everything tonight. These guys are literally breaking down in tears post-match. To be performing at this level is absolutely incredible.

A Real Horse posted:

Punch McLightning posted:

awesome match, the post-match owned, i cried, good poo poo

I Before E posted:

just a perfect ending

purkey posted:

Just a drat good match

fez_machine posted:

the Beaver Boys had the match of the night (rightly so, Brodie made their careers)

Punch McLightning posted:

my last five star match for the year, i'm probably overrating it a bit but the emotion fo it got me and i don't care

Quantum of Phallus posted:

GOAT wrestling segment
8 stars

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“A masterful juggling act. To have so many emotional high points in one match, and give each their own time to land, is nothing short of spectacular. The real life emotions and the mechanics of kayfabe don’t often blend so seamlessly. Pure magic.” -Ross Berman

“art cannot exist without context. this is the the endpoint of ‘pwg fun sprint multiman style’ – the kind of match that in the moment is designed to be frivolous, swapping physical talents in and out, and more consumed with putting smiles on people’s faces – except instead of having no stakes, this match is for the stakes of ‘life and death and joy itself’. all of the skills these guys have honed in 2010s dingy warehouse, ballrooms, and American legion halls, all the hours rehearsing over and over popping 50 sweaty bullet club shirt nerds every weekend, are put to use in the most ‘celebration of life’ way. MJF will never do anything better than selling like death for an 8-year-old it’s what he’s put on the planet to do. pro wrestling is worth it!” -kara

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

rainmakerpunk - 5.0
"Honestly, this was the weakest match of the night, Silver waa really good here, Page was good too, MJF dragged this down"

JuliTheCage87 - 5.0
"Verstehe die Bewertung irgendwie nicht. Das Match war ganz gut, aber abgesehen von den Tributen an Huber und der Interpretation des Kairopractors (Dakota Kais Finisher) von Silver gab es hier wirklich nicht erwähnenswertes. Reynolds und Ortiz haben hier auch mal wieder mit nicht vorhandenem Talent geglänzt. Santana und Silver waren klasse. (**1/2)"

Jerusalem posted:

It was put together at the last minute due to Kota Ibushi's illness, but the Ace is the Ace and Shingo is legit one of the greatest wrestlers in the world, and they put on a HELL of a match. The Japanese crowd momentarily forgot they're not supposed to do anything but clap they got so caught up in the match at times, and like all the great New Japan matches time ceased to have any meaning as we basked in the glory of the best pro-wrestling on the planet.

Cerebral Bore posted:

Pro wrestling is good and it's art and it's beautiful and I'm not crying, you're crying.

SG Bamboo posted:

- Sooner or later Tanahashi is going to slow down, his body will fail him, he will stop being one of the greatest professional wrestlers of the 21st century. But until that day comes we'll keep screaming GO ACE

Lamuella posted:

Good lord above.

forkboy84 posted:

As it stands, Shingo is hands down Wrestler of the Year. Only one close is Ospreay and he's vanished for who knows how lont

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“I don’t know how Tanahashi does it. Even on a show where the atmosphere is in a sorry state he and Shingo got me on the edge of my seat and biting for the nearfalls.” -Joey O’Doherty

“New Japan’s formula of phasing older wrestlers out for the younger generation is partly what made this match so special. Tanahashi should in theory just be putting younger acts over in prelims – but his star power is so remarkable that he has remained someone that can be given a push in any division and make it seem like a semi-main event. However, his days of fighting for the company’s top crown seemed past him and on this night, Tanahashi got to main event the Tokyo Dome once more and prove why he was still The Ace. A physically-beaten down took the place of Kota Ibushi and delivered one of his best performances of the year with minimal notice.” -Jeremy Peeples

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 3.0
"I liked this marginally better than their previous match but it seems what others love about this pairing still eludes me. Another match that felt far too long for the material they had, with many sequences seemingly far from well executed to my eyes. If there's a deeper story being told I couldn't decipher it, though admittedly I am not so up on my NJPW stories of this period. It succeeded with the critics and the live crowd so I am the minority, just my own opinion here but I wasn't very into this."

BUIOOMEGA - 7.0
"Of course the match is great: the second half is a masterclass for wrestling, the first part not so much. I think their previous bout for the NEVER belt was better, but still... great one!"

Luna100 - 7.0
"An overrated match, I respect both of these guys, especially Shingo during this period for putting the company on his back, but this was not a classic, it was solid defence that ended a poor show. This match was damaged by its length, as was everything during pandemic era New Japan Pro Wrestling It should have been punchier, still, there was good athletic ability, and the typical positives associated with these two. ***3/4"

Jerusalem posted:

Goddamn that was two big beefy boys beating the gently caress out of each other while talking poo poo the entire time and it was great. The postmatch with a half-dead Ishii still trying to fight was amazing and set up some cool potential future stuff too.

lost my old email posted:

the word "beef" repeated 5,000 times

super macho dude posted:

BEEF CITY RUMBLE

I Before E posted:

Welcome to the heavyweight division, Shingo

Jerusalem posted:

This makes it official. Every single one of Ishii's single matches in the B-Block this year were rated a MOTYC by this subforum. That's.... insane.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The kind of match that appeals to primal brains of anyone, no matter what kind of wrestling they’re a fan of, or a fan at all. Two little brutes battering each other until one can’t get up. Pure, brutal artistry.” Matt McEwen

“One of the best possible versions of a Soul Food match. Everything you expect and want from the two names involved and a great alternative to the “epic” Ospreay or Okada styles that dominated NJPW throughout the year. It was brutal but beautiful. Brutaful.” Dylan Fox

“Wrestling is about cool moves and acting like a badass and this is the perfect example of acting like a badass.” Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“Ishii is the best at his certain style. Shingo has impressed me more than any other wrestler in 2019. If I wasn’t trying to be fair I would put 10 Ishii matches on this list.” DJ Rothenbecker

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Mizzle Assault Ant - 5.0
"This kind of style is just not really for me, or at least this version of the style I guess. They hit hard for sure but not so hard that I was blown away or anything, and besides the striking there really wasn't anything much going on. It wasn't bad but it didn't excite me, hard to see how Meltzer could say this was better than say Austin/Bret."

Mikolaj Ozarowski - 7.0
"I feel like this was too repetitive and overreliant on lariats. I understand where all the love for this match come from, but apparantly it's not for me. If it was like 10 minutes shorter I probably would have liked it better."

AfRotaker - 7.0
"Ich meine, das war schon ohne Frage ein geiles Match. Super Spannungsaufbau, tolle Dramatik, technisch großartig. Leider verkam es, typisch für ein Ishii Match in dieser Zeit, absolut zu einem Strikefest und dann ging es nur noch darum, wer fester zuschlagen und mehr einstecken kann."

MatteoMerdok - 7.0
"I gave this match *** 3/4 stars out of five. Fun big beefy lad match, pretty much everything that I expected from these two. Strikes, suplexes and some power moves. Good stuff."

Pinwiz11 posted:

Unsurprisingly, these two are great at pro wrestling.

Edward Mass posted:

I’m gonna have to rewatch the rest of the show, I got violently ill after that match and so the rest is a blur.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“This may not have been the “best” match of the year but it may have been my favourite. These two went non-stop, balls to the wall, and never let up. And just when I thought it was perfect, they kept going. Another five minutes and it might have hit match of the year. That said, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” -Paul Fontaine

“An absolute treat that two of the best in the world went all-out in an 18 minute sprint. Solidifed the amazing years both men were having as they pulled out the absolute best in their respective arsenals to try to stop each other.” -Nicholas Johnson

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

swawsier - 4.0
"Yes, wrestling is not real and you should be able to have fun, but it get's to a point where it just makes every move look weak, and in turn, anyone who's been pinned by these moves look weak. I enjoyed the first 10 minutes of this, Mike Bailey's always fun to watch and Will Ospreay is a good match for him, but after they exhausted all their unique fun moves it jus dragged and dragged and dragged. This match moved at 100 miles per hour but still somehow felt like it lasted an hour long then it actually did."

Johnny Rellik 949 - 4.0
"I didn't get it, too much hype and a lot of high notes but for me, nothing special. Not a crazy movefest and of course not a coherent narrative The best thing i think it was Bailey running to Ospreay to stop his dives, he couldn't just wait for the impact and get a lot of damage A poison rana and isn't even a near fall? No, thanks Good kicks, sequences and some moves, but just that"

Mizzle Assault Ant - 4.0
"Another day, another Will Ospreay apparent match of the century contender that leaves me shrugging my shoulders. Like obviously it's not bad exactly, the athletics are very high level, but is there anything else there? It looks a lot like every other technically impressive but basically indistinguishable Ospreay match to me. I do enjoy Speedball and he made this a bit different, he is in Ospreay's wheelhouse but also IMO pays a little more attention to differentiate his matches, but Ospreay pretty much bulldozes everyone into the same formula at this point. The spots were neat but not memorable in 2023, and nothing else about the match stood out, just an exhibition. My two cents anyway, obviously it worked well for the fans and the critics so don't mind me."

Jerusalem posted:

This match was absolutely loving insane. poo poo got done that I'm almost entirely certain defy and surpass the limitations of the human body.

Cerebral Bore posted:

You know when two guys have had a match so unbelievably good that everybody just assumes that they won't ever top it? Well, these guys just said gently caress that.

Rarity posted:

gently caress

xbilkis posted:

Insane chemistry between these two

Lamuella posted:

gently caress.

a cyborg mug posted:

This match deserves one entire gently caress.

SG Bamboo posted:

Two pretty good wrestlers having a pretty good wrestling match

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

So uh if Kenny vs Mox got WMOTYC nods for a bad post match angle...

Lily Catts posted:

I don't count the post-match as there is absolutely no reason to watch it unless you hate yourself

a cyborg mug posted:

Don’t take me as defending that stupid loving garbage angle but Mox vs Kenny’s dud explosion was intrinsically a part of the match stipulation and gimmick while Ospreay’s thing wasn’t, so it’s not too difficult to see why people aren’t giving it WMOTYC nods

Cerebral Bore posted:

I maintain my opinion that this is the best/worst matches thread and not the best/worst angles thread. And the Shingo/Ospreay match itself was basically flawless.

Tarnop posted:

The flaw was that I had to spend most of the match being reminded that Will Ospreay exists and has a wrestling career

forkboy84 posted:

Good match. Very good match, but I can't go MOTYC on a match that fails to hold my attention for almost half of it

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“The chemistry between these 2 top 5 wrestlers in their world and their generations is extraordinary.” -Jacob Nelson

“This match was just all-out action. Both men played to their strengths with Shingo being the straightforward warrior going right into the fight while Opsreay tries to use his mind to work smarter. Some amazing chemistry as always from these two as the match goes back and forth. Shingo looks to have the match in the bag before Ospreay nails him with a Hidden Blade to rock the big man and a Stormbreaker ends it.” -Alex Kalil

“Another day, another dollar, another fantastic match between Shingo and Ospreay. Ospreay emptied the clip to try to put Shingo away, including a wild 450 Splash to the outside through a table, but Shingo kept coming back for more. The visual of a stone-faced Shingo rising up from the mat like a zombie and slowly advancing towards a panicking Ospreay was as cool as any of the highspots they pulled off (and there were many). The Wrestling Dontaku match may have overshadowed this one, but this was still one of the best matches I saw in 2021.” -Andrew Rich

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

CoolKyle -2.0
"Your typical New Japan spot fest. The moves don't mean anything, no one sells anything, just do the cool highspot to get a pop from the crowd. How many times have we seen this match' NOTHING for me to take away. Also Dave Meltzer's rating system is COMPLETELY broken if he thinks THIS of all things is a 5 and a half star."

Mizzle Assault Ant -2.0
"These two continue to just not click for me. Not without its moments, the table spot was cool, but mostly it was an overly long exhibition-y exchange of moves, frankly all moves we've seen before, plus those long hokey high speed counter exchanges from a bad kung fu movie and as always Ospreay making weird faces."

Toxin - 3.0
"Osprey macht wieder den Spot Monkey und es langweilt mich zu Tode. Schon die Paarung an sich ist Booking Blödsinn hoch 10, keiner der beiden ist auf World Titel Niveau und damit ist der Kampf komplett Bedeutungslos, denn keiner von beiden würde Ibushi besiegen, ausser Gedo dreht komplett durch. Match dazu auch noch NJPW üblich viel zu lang, man hat deutlich gemerkt wie beide das ganze, ohne Sinn, strecken."

AndoCommando - 3.0
"Usually whenever I watch a match, if my opinion isn't close enough to the consensus, yet also doesn't compel me enough to write a comment, I just don't give it a rating on here. It's happened with plenty of NJPW matches for years now and this wouldn't have been any different. However, looking at some of the reactions online to this match, specifically regarding the result, have changed my mind. I recognize how Gedo has won faith from so many disenfranchised ex-WWE fans, with concepts like "long-term storytelling" and "character arcs". But please, hear me out: doing mental gymnastics to justify Shingo losing as part of some grand plan down the road, is baffling to say the least. He doesn't need to learn how to win, just like Ibushi didn't need to learn how to win after losing in the finals of 2018's G1 Climax; he just won it the next year, and then again the year after that. Ospreay isn't unbeatable to Shingo, as evident from their last match only 6 months ago. Like or dislike the match as much as you want, but don't blind yourself to the reality of things. Shingo's the loser of this story. He'll likely get a title shot at Dontaku because this is Gedo's booking. From there? Who's to say. Maybe he'll tag with SANADA (lol) until G1 and play second fiddle to the stars in Okada, Ibushi, Jay, etc. He's 38 years old in a stable where Tetsuya Naito is the leader. Stop hurting yourselves."

Jerusalem posted:

Holy poo poo this was INSANE, and they gave it away from free on a Youtube pre-show! It was everything I hoped it would be, just glorious. Thank God for Bryan Danielson, big ups to Satan for Minoru Suzuki.

Testekill posted:

Aw gently caress, that was everything you'd want from the two.

LionYeti posted:

some unbelievably wonderful violence

Taffy Torpedo posted:

Murder grandpa does it again

Saucer Crab posted:

Aaaaahhhhhaaaah

Akileese posted:

Dear god yes. This is my MOTY.

ShadowedFlames posted:

I haven’t enjoyed watching a match this much in a very, very long loving time.

Kevino07 posted:

left me wanting more.

TV Zombie posted:

If you didn’t like this, maybe you don’t like wrestling

forkboy84 posted:

Danielson is loving unbelievable

TriffTshngo posted:

they let bryan danielson wrestle minoru suzuki for 20 minutes for free on youtube. i think you can guess how good it was based on that sentence.

Wazzu posted:

Suzuki's other two matches in AEW kinda sucked to me, here he looked like one of the best ever.

AlmightyPants posted:

can't wait to see rematches down the road.

algebra testes posted:

great goddamn match.

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Bryan Danielson had a lot of great matches since he signed with AEW but what made this match special to me (aside from it being a dream match that the fans wanted to see for a long time) is that it was different than the rest of his in matches there. In almost every match he had in AEW he was always the dominant competitor, but in this match he faced someone who was much more dangerous. Watching Bryan trying to survive Suzuki was awesome and his injury history added a lot of drama to the match. A dream match that didn’t disappoint in the slightest.” -Saud Al-Rasheedi

“Sometimes wrestling is simple, you have 2 men in the ring who just want to beat each other up so they do. You have a dream match years in the making where every single person wants a forearm exchange spot so you give them a 5-minute forearm exchange spot and have the crowd go wild. You have a match where people dream about submissions so you give them multiple unique submissions and transitions. You do all of this and then you decide to air for FREE on Youtube. A match that just leaves you telling yourself “Man, wrestling is pretty freakin sweet” when it finishes” -Kentucky210

“While it may not have gotten in my top five this year, AmDrag vs. Suzuki absolutely ruled… and for free on YouTube! The second Danielson dream match of 2021, it did not disappoint. Two men went to war, and the only things that kept it from being much higher on the list was how short it was and the lack of stakes at play. Had this match been longer, and for a title, I imagine it could have blown away all of its competition this year.” -James “NuclearConvoy”

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Damian - 5.0
"The dream match that didn't really live up to it's potential. The lack of build and the 100% guaranteed win of Danielson hurt this. What also hurt this from an in-ring standpoint was the lack of selling. They just hit each other and no sold and asked for more and stood still to get hit, then sold the knock as death, then they immediately were back to no-selling seemingly all fine again. OK? Towards the end they managed to bring it up a bit but it wasn't enough. **1/2."

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

Holy gently caress

Jerusalem posted:

Crazy poo poo, right on the borderline of a MOTYC if I wasn't so busy screaming at them not to be loving idiots and stop trying to kill each other.

Jackie D posted:

Definitely, insane

Punch McLightning posted:

fuckin a

Jordan7hm posted:

What a loving match.

graph posted:

jesus christ

Dimebags Brain posted:

On my deathbed, my lungs burning from the blasted hellscape Earth has become, my final words will be "remember that cutter Sammy Guevara hit on Cody Rhodes from a ladder... dope."

Jerusalem posted:

"The Cross Rhodes from midway up the ladder was also loving insane," I'll gasp as I lose a battle with a raccoon over a small, muddy pool of water.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

best ladder match I ever saw. Unreal.

A Fancy Hat posted:

Cody vs Sammy is one of the greatest AEW matches ever and one of the greatest ladder matches ever, what a freaking show those two put on.

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Unbelievably violent and scary ladder match along with a good story to boot. Sammy had never beaten Cody and they work like he has to have the fight of his life to do so. Cody dominates in violent fashion, stiffing the hell out of Sammy at all opportunities and going out of his way to hurt him with horrific ladder spots. Almost every fall had the worst landing possible. Cody is indulging himself all match long culminating in the hilariously unnecessary Fuego assault. It had to end in the classic standoff at the top of the ladder and it was such a climactic conclusion.” -Flae

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

PuroresuLover - 2.0
"If you're reading this before going to watch this match, here's a tip: DON'T! Not worth the hype and had A LOT of ultra nonsensical things going on, like the referees pulling the ladders from the wrestlers, Sammy non selling his loving leg, Sammy putting himself in the position of a Cross Rhodes off the ladder and etc. That Cutter from Sammy was pretty neat though, I loving loved it. Also, Cody trying to dominate his opponent loving sucks. **1/4"

SG Bamboo posted:

First half or so wasn't really grabbing me but then these two stepped it up in a big way and didn't let off

Rarity posted:

I couldn't not watch Five Star Taichi

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

N/A

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

Gonto03 - 6.0
"I'm not a fan of this stipulation in which you have to pin the opponent before the 10 count. I think it breaks the match's pace and doesn't look bad. The action was fine but they tried to make the match super dramatic, which turned me off a bit. I've seen these two have several matches that were better than this one. Still enjoyable, but might be a bit boring at points."

Cerebral Bore posted:

The platonic ideal of BEEF hath descended to the earth and graced us with its presence.

Jerusalem posted:

What the gently caress was this match? They did inhuman poo poo to each other, crazy poo poo beyond physics... and they just KEPT doing it back and forth to each other at an insanely high pace and it loving ruled forever.

jesus WEP posted:

So much beef. I think definitely Cobb’s best match in NJPW so far. And up there with Shingo’s best. What a war.

Rarity posted:

What the gently caress even was this match I don't even know

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

Yeah this was good

ARMBAR A COP posted:

I will stop watching wrestling forever now.

Huntman posted:

The NEVER Openweight Championship really is the best belt in NJPW

Punch McLightning posted:

I am no longer afraid of the police.

Dango Bango posted:

Cobb/Takagi had me yelling at my TV. Absolutely astounding match. If it had more of a story ala White/Ibushi, I'd easily put it as my MOTY thus far.

Dimebags Brain posted:

Man being a wrestling booker would be so easy, I'd just have Shingo wrestle every match.

AlmightyPants posted:

hearing Shingo and Cobb beat the poo poo out of each other and have it echo all throughout the dome like that was loving awesome and BEEF BOYS #1!

Voices Of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“Insane heavy-hitting match that I can still remember having me on the edge of my seat. This match also set these two up for massive years within NJPW.” -ItChEE

“They tore the (clap crowd) house down. Two guys beating the ever loving poo poo out of each other for 15 minutes. Great wrestling” -Tyler Forness

“Not even a week into the year, and I already had a certified lock for my Top 10. Shingo had an incredible year in 2021, with some of the best matches in NJPW involving him, but it was this meeting with Jeff Cobb that was my favorite.” -Slyguy46

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

dudewhereismycar - 4.0
"I never cared about both of the participants, so, even with the high praise, I had a low expectation for this match. And it didn't surpass it at all. Not a borefest but I didn't cared about pretty much anything in this."

Edward Mass posted:

gently caress

The Taxman posted:

World's Strongest Slam on the apron

Chris James 2 posted:

Full match with stuff during the ads that we didn't even see yesterday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzv4FIZw-ok

Suplex Liberace posted:

great great match

Voices of Wrestling Match of The Year posted:

“I’m a stickler for using the term ‘workrate’ for it’s intended meaning: the rate of work within a match, i.e., the ratio of action to resting. Not that resting is always bad, or that constantly moving is always good, but workrate has a meaning distinct from ‘great’ when it comes to assessing matches.

This was a great match. It was also a workrate match. For 60 minutes (ok, 59 minutes) these two just went at it, moving from canter to tror and back again and never really letting up. I normally hate matches that go long for the sake of going long, but I was never bored during this match, as I have been during other critically acclaimed hour matches.

Look, you could easily fill a top ten list with Josh Alexander matches this year, as you could with Mike Bailey. So it’s fitting that in December, these two set their flag in the ground for what’s probably going to be lauded as a classic for years to come.” -Ewan Cameron

Lowest Cagematch Rating posted:

hunterp - 6.0
"Didn't like this at all. Between the obscene length and the dead crowd, this was an absolute chore to get through. Alexander and Bailey are two of the best in the world and could have a MOTYC, as long as they don't have to wrestle for an hour."