Top Ten 2016 Matches of the Year
It’s that time of the year where we talk about the matches of the year! 2016 was a great year with streaming services emerging, amazing tag wrestling, women’s cage matches, and great mask lucha matches!
Honourable Mentions:
Chris Hero & Tommy End vs Sami Callihan & Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE 53, 1/22)
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Chris Hero (WWN, 4/2)
Rey Hechicero vs Negro Casas (Monterrey, 4/24)
Roman Reigns vs AJ Styles (“Extreme Rules”, WWE Extreme Rules, 5/22)
LA Park vs Rush (Liga Elite, 7/14)
Now onto the list:
10) Allie vs Rosemary
(“Cage”, SMASH Canusa Classic, 10/22)
*available on Smash on Demand
The blow off of an 18 month feud and the conclusion of a one night USA vs Canada series. This is everything you want in a feud ending match, as these two beat the crap out of each other. It’s a match that pays off it’s history with a lot of call backs and nuances that can only exist at the end of an epic feud.
9) Sasha Banks vs Charlotte vs Becky Lynch
(WWE WrestleMania XXXII, 4/3)
*available on the WWE Network
After a year of horrible booking in the women’s revolution, the three top women in the WWE stepped onto the big stage at WrestleMania and stole the show. It needs to be seen again, as it was hurt the night of after such a long weekend and show.
8) Chris Hero vs Gunner Miller vs Jimmy Rave vs Anthony Henry
(Scenic City Invitational, 8/6)
*available here
The finals from an amazing tournament saw some of the best psychology in a single match this year. All four men shined and it even played off the finals from the previous year’s touranament. The whole tournament might be the best show’s of the year and are available for a cheap price.
7) Black Terry vs Wotan
(Chilanga Mask, 8/21)
This is a throwback to the Steven Regal vs Fit Finlay feud in the mid 90’s in WCW. These two beat the crap out each other in a realistic and violent fashion. The full match is available by contacting Black Terry Jr.
6) #DIY vs The Revival
(NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, 8/20)
*available on the WWE Network
These two produced the best tag team feud in WWE history. Is there anything in wrestling better than a proper heel and babyface southern tag match? This is about the best version of that style that you can have.
5) Delta vs Galactar
(“Mask vs Mask”, MDA, 11/26)
What more can you ask from in a mask vs mask match, then insane drama, broom attacks, blood, and it ending with a wedding proposal?
4) Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn
(NXT TakeOver: Dallas, 4/1)
*available on the WWE Network
WrestleMania weekend was magically with WWN Live putting out great show after great show, however this NXT show was the highlight of the weekend for me. Nakamura’s debut in the WWE was a special moment and this match has a special aura about it.
3) Sasha Banks vs Charlotte
(“Hell in a Cell”, WWE Hell in a Cell, 10/30)
*available on the WWE Network
The chemistry between Charlotte and Sasha is at an all-time level and this feud has produced as many great matches as any feud in WWE history. If you want to hear more about this match listen to this amazing episode of “Stacey & Elliot’s Bogus Journey” where they talk this match for 90 minutes.
2) #DIY vs The Revival
(“2/3 Falls”, NXT TakeOver: Toronto, 11/19)
*available on the WWE Network
This match has the advantage of me being there live, but this match has enough praise from others for me to feel confident going the full five stars on it. This is the best tag match in WWE history and perhaps in North American history. It played off their previous matches, it built suspense, had high end moves, and insane crowd heat. I love this match and it was incredibly special. It was so special, that my friends I was with rushed to the merchandise stand to purchase a #DIY shirt immediately following it.
1) Trauma I vs Canis Lupus
(“Mask vs Mask”, IWRG, 9/4)
This is on par with the Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero match from a few year’s ago, but it’s different. While they both had the drama, this one brought the blood and hatred. A real throwback to the classic mask matches of the 80s and 90s. A five star classic that will stand the test of time.
There you have it, my top matches of 2016. Was there any matches I missed or you hated the placement of? I will take those comments and any others on my twitter.
Sasha Banks vs Charlotte (WWE NXT @ San Jose, 3/28/2015)
This week’s “Fan Favourites” match is requested by Hasan Mulia on twitter. As always, on Thursday I will review any match that you folks want. Bring it on, whether it’s on twitter or Pro Wrestling Only.
There has been an outburst of fan cam footage available on YouTube over the last few years, but this was actually recorded by Hasan himself.
Sasha Banks vs Charlotte
(WWE NXT @ San Jose, 3/28/2015)
This was outstanding. Let us start with the opening shine segment of Charlotte. What was great about this was when Charlotte was chopping the shit out of Sasha, Sasha would keep trying everything she could to gain the advantage. The problem was Charlotte was a freight train of emotional power and could not be stopped. Sasha, of course, does finally gain control with her awesome double knees to the chest in the corner spot.
The second segment was Sasha all in control. Sasha had some great work with her submissions and just gets so much heat. The crowd forgot to be 50/50 at one point and was fully behind Charlotte. One thing I loved here was that every time Sasha got super arrogant by doing a Charlotte move, it lead to a great hope spot.
The final segment gets started as Charlotte powers her way out of a submission hold by getting to her feet and hitting a power bomb. A double knock out tease leads to Charlotte winning a slug fest, because she is the face. They trade a lot of great nearfalls, that are all believable and wasn’t a killing finishers way. The finish gets set up a little clunky, but ends in a dramatic fashion.
A really great suggestion of a match and really shows how talented these two are, even in a situation where it wasn’t a big special match.
Rating: ****
Thanks to Hasan for this “Fan Favourite” request. Remember to check out next Thursday for another “Fan Favourite”. If you want a match of your choosing reviewed here, either comment below, post on Pro Wrestling Only or hit me up on twitter.
2015 Matches of the Year
For the second year in a row Voices of Wrestling has asked me to contribute to their annual Match of the Year article. Picking ten matches is very difficult, so here are a few that just missed the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Bullet Club vs ROH All-Stars (ROH Global Wars, 5/15)
Timothy Thatcher vs Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE 47, 8/15)
Low Ki vs Rey Mysterio Jr. (JAPW 19th Anniversary Show, 11/14)
Now onto the list, as submitted to Voices of Wrestling.
10) Jimmy Rave vs Anthony Henry
(Scenic City Invitational, 8/7)
The Scenic City Invitational was a real eye opener on southern indie wrestling for myself. Two amazing nights of a tournament filled with great matches and booking. Add amazing commentary and it being available on Vimeo for a very affordable price, I recommend everybody picks it up.
The highlight of the tournament was the main event of night one. You have the veteran of Jimmy Rave versus the youngster in Anthony Henry which is a favourite troupe of mine. These two delivered big time, even if Jimmy Rave was legit knocked out in the match. This was my first time seeing Henry and he impressed with this 1990’s Sean Waltman vibe. He really is a wrestler to watch going forward.
9) Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi
(CMLL, 8/30)
2015 was filled with a lot of great high speed high spot matches and this was the best of the bunch for me. Kamaitachi brought this huge array of vicious dropkicks, including one where he ran the entire ramp to gain speed. There was some great pay off spots from earlier in the contest as well as great drama. However, what really made this stand out was the hate between the two. They had other great matches as well, but this one stood out to me.
8) Pentagon Jr. vs Vampiro
(“Zero Fear”, Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha, 4/20)
Vampiro has never been very good and the thought of him stepping into a ring after years of retirement scared me. However what we got was the most insane and vicious match of the year. Pentagon Jr. was on a mission in this one to prove to his master that he was evil enough and to accomplish that he used light tubes, thumb tacks, tables and fire. I know this match was cut in half to air on television, but what we got was some of the most griping wrestling of the year. The post match angle doesn’t even bother me.
7) AJ Styles vs Jimmy Rave
(PSW, 5/8)
Two legends in the Southern indie area colliding for the first time in years. This was just a great mix of traditional wrestling with new school flare. About thirty minutes of two of the best wrestlers in 2015 putting on a clinic. Check it out on vimeo.
6) Atlantis vs Sombra
(“Mask vs Mask”, CMLL, 9/18)
The Atlantis mask match at the CMLL Anniversary Show has become the match I most anticipate each year. Although this is not on the level of the Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero match from the year before, it’s still filled with great drama. Atlantis’ mask has become the new Undertaker’s streak in wrestling.
5) Sasha Banks vs Bayley
(“Iron Man”, NXT Take Over: Respect, 10/7)
Finally after being the highlight of each NXT special, Sasha Banks got to main event and boy did she deliver. Amazing heel work by her with great story telling using the “Iron Man” rules to her advantage. The heel work on Bayley’s super fan was one of the top moments of the year.
4) Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns
(WWE WrestleMania XXXI, 3/29)
One of the greatest main events in WrestleMania history. This was a brutal slug fest that was stiff as fuck. Brock took Roman and beat him senseless to such a degree that it got the crowd onto Roman’s side. The comeback was tremendous and Brock blades. If they had a real finish and not a Seth Rollins run in, this might had been the match of the year.
3) Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch
(NXT Take Over: Unstoppable, 5/20)
The match that took women’s wrestling in NXT from a really solid and good part of the undercard to the real highlight of the company for me. The two former partners pulled out a classic with some amazing story telling. Sasha Banks went right for Becky’s arm and destroyed it (which is what Becky usually does). Becky was a great babyface trying to fight through, but The Boss was too much and retained the title here.
2) Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi
(NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9, 1/4)
Nakamura and Ibushi went to war in this match with stomps, elbows, knees. A lot of these viciously to the back of the head. After this war we are treated to an amazing finishing stretch with Ibushi throwing out every trick he had to put down Nakamura, but you can’t put down Nakamura! A match so good it made my top 100 matches list.
1) Sasha Banks vs Bayley
(NXT Take Over: Brooklyn, 8/22)
If you listened to the Pro-Wrestling Super Show’s Top 100 Matches podcast you would know I had this match in the upper half of my list, so there is no surprise it is the top match of the year for me for 2015.
This match is just special and very few matches have that feel to it. The crowd was amazing from the entrances to the finish. The story they tell is perfect. I loved all the hand work by Sasha and Bayley’s selling of it. They way that comes back towards the end was tremendous as well. This also had some insane moves as well, including the Super Reverse Hurrancanara. This match was really an instant classic and clearly the best match of 2015.
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