I love 2019 in real time it was the year I fell in love with women’s indies and was watching everything. AEW debuted too.

So what were the matches of the year?

Honourable Mentions

• El Barbaro Cavernario vs Titan, CMLL, February 22
• Charlie Morgan vs Mercedes Martinez, Shimmer, March 30
• Dasher Hatfield vs Mr. Touchdown, “Ladder Match”, Chikara, April 5
• Chihiro Hashimoto vs Sareee, Sendai Girls, June 8
• Arisa Nakajima vs Nanae Takahashi “Hair Match”, SEAdLINNNG, November 2
• Jacob Fatu vs LA Park, “No DQ”, MLW, November 2
• Arisa Hoshiki & Tam Nakano vs Jungle Kyona & Konami, Stardom, November 24
• Blue Demon, Jr. vs L.A. Park, IWRG, December 15
• Kagetsu vs Mayu Iwatani, Stardom, December 24

The List

#10
Mercedes Martinez vs Jordynne Grace
“NCW Femme Fatales International Championship”
The Summit
August 10
Midtown Event Theatre

The best wrestling event I have ever experienced live was The Summit in Toronto. Multiple women’s promotions working together to put together the best show of SummerSlam weekend! The highlight of that show was this match. Martinez made Grace look like an absolute beast and they worked a very smart match that was very dramatic!

#9
Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks
“Hell in a Cell WWE Raw Women’s Championship”
WWE Hell in a Cell
October 6
Golden 1 Center

One of the smartest and most creative Hell in a Cell matches in WWE history. So many innovative spots and callbacks to previous stuff highlighted this intense battle between two all time greats. I was hooked from the beginning with the attack before the cage was fully lowered and I stayed on till the great finish.

#8
Joey Janela vs Kris Statlander
Beyond Uncharted Territory
June 12
Electric Haze

This was a real coming out party for Statlander and one of the greatest intergender matches of all time. A really wild vicious match with so many bombs thrown and the winner was in doubt all match. The spot threw the door I still remember freaking out about when I watched it live 4 years ago!

#7
Arisa Hoshiki vs Jungle Kyona
“Wonder of Stardom Championship”
Stardom X Stardom 2019
August 10
Korakuen Hall

Review here.

#6
Metalico vs Virus
“Loser Must Retire”
CMLL Juicio Final 2019
May 31
Arena Mexico

I always love big emotional matches and this one had that and an amazing crowd. I read this match described as “charmingly sloppy” and that is a lovely description. Each of these two shined and the drama of the nearfalls was beautiful to watch.

#5
Ashley Vox vs Kris Statlander
“Unsanctioned”
Limitless Snakebitten
January 11
Westbrook Armory

I love this match and it brings me back to the greatest ECW brawling main events. It was a great walk around the arena and hit each other with whatever they can, which included a giant wooden hook! This was violent and a really chaotic brawl in the midst of a great feud. The finishing sequence needs to be seen!

#4
Cody vs Dustin Rhodes
AEW Double or Nothing
May 29
MGM Grand Garden Arena

Just tremendous storytelling in a tremendous brawl. The history of these two brothers having this fight, where Cody was out to kill, and Dustin was out to survive. This felt like a violent version of Bret-Owen, so I was all in. This still might be my favourite AEW match ever.

#3
Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston
“WWE Championship”
WrestleMania 35
April 7
MetLife Stadium

Amazing babyface moment on such a great stage. The whole match is built around the underdog overcoming the odds to achieve a dream and I will always get behind that emotional story. One of the best WrestleMania matches of all time.

#2
Arisa Hoshiki vs Tam Nakano
“Wonder of Stardom Championship”
Stardom Shining Destiny 2019
June 16
Korakuen Hall

I am a sucker for great stories in wrestling and the best story in wrestling in 2019 was Tam Nakano and Arisa Hoshiki. The story telling in this match then lived up to the overall story, with each having great strategies and it all leading up to a brilliant conclusion. Everything was stiff and crisp and super emotional. A match of the year in most years, but this is a 2019 list…

#1
Mercedes Martinez vs Kylie Rae
“Phoenix of RISE Championship No Ropes Submission Match”
RISE 13: Legendary
March 29
Berwyn Eagles Club

Watching this live I thought it was great and it has only improved with time. Kylie is the perfect underdog likable babyface and there is nobody better in the veteran dominant role than Martinez. The ropes being removed added a level of danger to that match that I really loved. It starts off really great with Mercedes attacking Kylie while she’s covered in ribbons and only gets better from there. The legwork by Martinez was tremendous and Kylie sold it so well. The finishing run was so exciting! I need to mention that Allysin Kay and Veda Scott were tremendous on commentary as well. A real classic that doesn’t get enough love.

Upcoming!

The top 25 wrestlers of 2019 will be coming soon!

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