2023 Match of the Year List
2023 was an odd year, with a lot of great stuff scattered around, but I didn’t feel like there were any obvious picks for me. If I re-wrote this list in 2 months, it would be in a completely different order.
Honourable Mentions
- Roman Reigns vs Sami Zayn, WWE, February 18
- Gunther vs Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus, WWE, April 1
- Mina Shirakawa vs Saya Kamitani, Stardom, April 23
- Suzu Suzuki vs Syuri, Stardom, July 23
- Jaguar Yokota, Momoe Nakanishi, & Nanae Takahashi vs Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid, & Yuu, Stardom, August 19
Now, onto the list!
#10
Swerve Strickland (c) vs Nick Wayne
“DEFY World Championship”
DEFY The Realest
Washington Hall
April 8
Swerve had one of the best heel performances in years, and this is your perfect veteran heel champion putting over a youngster match!
Swerve’s control and build-up of heat was perfection, and Wayne’s hope spots were well placed. Some of the high spots were amazing, especially Wayne diving from the stage into the ring but Swerve timing it to do a dive and meeting him in the air. There was one kick out that I felt took the match out a little, but all the callbacks to previous matches and earlier in the match and the finish were brilliant. It’s a great old school, but with modern moves, match up!
#9
The Usos (c) vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
“WWE Unified Tag Team Championship”
WWE WrestleMania 39: Saturday
April 1, 2023
SoFi Stadium
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
Although this match should have been the perfect end to Roman Reigns’ title reign, at least it was the perfect end to the reign of the Usos.
It was one of the best face-in-peril segments ever in WWE history. It led to a great hot tag for Owens. The staredown was great, and the ending was immensely satisfying with a Sami Zayn victory. A rare, perfect ending for the WWE.
#8
Titan (c) vs Mascara Dorada 2.0
“CMLL World Middleweight Championship”
CMLL Noche de Campeones
Arena Mexico
September 29
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
I haven’t seen much of the new Mascara Dorada, but he is insanely good for a wrestler who debuted in 2021. He reminds me of Rey Mysterio Jr., who came around and blew everyone away with his flying, but it never looked like he was showing off, but always competing in a match. Dorada is the same way.
Titan is no slouch, as he’s been great for a long time. With all the great flying, the spot that really hit me was Titan doing a double stomp from the top rope to Dorada on the apron. As it built towards the finish, all the submission nearfalls were amazing. It was a great match and probably in my top ten matches of the year.
#7
Becky Lynch vs Trish Stratus
“Cage Match”
WWE Payback
PPG Paints Arena
September 2
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
This was a perfect WWE cage match. It was not built around trying to do cool moves; it was built around the feud and legacy. For once, no blood, after being rammed into the cage, was perfectly covered, as Trish had a giant welt on her forehead. The tributes to the first-ever WWE women’s cage match and other cage matches in WWE history were perfectly done. They were even somewhat subtle, like the Bret-Owen superplex and the outside interference door slamming into the face. I loved the finishing sequence so much, where Becky had enough of Trish’s lackey, so she locked her in the cage too and took her out, leading to catching Trish on the top of the cage and hitting a super Manhandle slam.
#6
Arisa Nakajima (c) vs Saree
“SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Championship”
SEAdLINNNG 8th Anniversary
Korakuen Hall
August 25
This felt like a classic stiff Nakajima battle from her prime, and it’s so nice to see her at that level still and Sareee getting back to being at that level. The strikes were, of course, on point, and some of the flying double stomps by Nakajima were just vicious. Actually, everything was vicious, and it had a great pace throughout!
#5
Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa vs The Usos
“Bloodline Civil War”
WWE Money in The Bank
The O2
July 1
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
It was one of the best tag team matches in WWE history and great WWE wrestling. It worked so well playing off storylines and building drama setting up the finish of what the fans wanted, which sets up a huge match down the line.
It started pretty traditionally with a great shine by The Usos, followed by a face in peril by Jey, including an amazing hot tag tease where Jimmy was pulled off the apron by Solo at the last second. After a fun hot tag, the match started building towards the finish with no silly kick-outs, as partner’s made the saves. There was a great near fall where Roman stacked both The Usos, only for them to kick out. I loved Roman not sure what to do, and in shock, Solo just starts kicking ass and is like Roman, what the fuck? After some more great action, we got the big shocking finish. Awesome.
#4
Queen’s Quest (AZM, Hina, Lady C, Miyu Amasaki, Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita) vs Oedo Tai (Momo Watanabe, Natsuko Tora, Rina, Ruaka, Saki Kashima & Starlight Kid)
“Loser Must Leave Unit Steel Cage Match”
Stardom Sunshine
Yoyogi National Gymnasium #2
June 25
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
The same rules as the other cage match, but the last person in the ring has to leave their unit this time. This works so much better because escaping saves your ass, even if it puts your team behind. Also, each escape felt like a huge accomplishment, as they were all battles. After people escaped, they still battled the other unit on the floor!
It was tremendous storytelling with great hatred and drama between the teams. Utami establishing herself as Queen’s Quest’s ass was the stand-out story as she helps Kamitani escape putting herself alone two on one. That led to a great finishing sequence with Utami bleeding, the teasing of a split between Utami and Kamitani, and Tora destroying Utami to leave, only to have Kashima be the final loser.
#3
Gunther (c) vs Chad Gable
“WWE Intercontinental Championship”
WWE Monday Night Raw
Spectrum Center
September 4
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Month blog post:
This played off the previous match and built upon it. Gable knew he could win, and Gunther had doubts for almost the first time in his reign. Gable again fought from underneath, but here, his hope spots meant more. The comeback and the Gable’s attempts to win were electric. This had the best ankle lock submission nearfalls I have ever seen. When Gunther finally survived and got back on offense, there was no back-and-forth bullshit. He delivered a bunch of vicious offense and just pinned him clean. The camera immediately moved to Gable’s daughter crying in the first row. This might be my match of the year.
#2
Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland
“Texas Death Match”
AEW Full Gear
The Kia Forum
November 18
It’s awesome to see such a violent modern grudge match that doesn’t have the pitfalls that I would expect in a match like this. Swerve is a perfect heel, and maintaining that throughout this match only adds to the story. Of course, people can point to the blood-drinking, cinder blocks, staples, barbed-wire, and piledrivers onto the guardrail for huge moments, but what stood out was the masterful job Swerve did keeping the heat on Page.
#1
Giulia (c) vs Tam Nakano
“World of Stardom Championship”
Stardom All-Star Grand Queendom
Yokohama Arena
April 23
From The Best Matches I’ve Watched This Week post:
This may be my favourite feud of all time now. It’s gone on for years and has had many classics and this one may have been my favourite of the bunch. It did feel the most violent as their hatred had grown and grown over time. I loved that they saw red and didn’t even try to wrestle at the start before they realized they had a title to win. The snapmare from the top to the table looked so vicious, I was dying! By the end, they both tried everything before the Steiner Screwdriver by Tam finished Giulia off.
Years of Stardom booking long reigns really made Tam’s victory feel special.
Coming Soon
The top 25 wrestlers of 2023 list should be ready shortly, plus at the end of every month, I’ll write up the top 25 matches I watched during it.
You can discuss this on Twitter!
Discord
We also have a lovely discord community to discuss the greatest wrestler ever project and anything else under the sun. It’s an open and welcoming group, and I am very proud of it. Everyone is welcome:
Join:
We also do weekly watch-along parties with chat!
How Can You Help?
Callen-Lorde is the global leader in LGBTQ healthcare. Since the days of Stonewall, we have been transforming lives in LGBTQ communities through excellent comprehensive care, provided free of judgment and regardless of ability to pay. In addition, we are continuously pioneering research, advocacy, and education to drive positive change around the world because we believe healthcare is a human right.
Please donate to Callen Lorde!
Recent Comments