We are fast approaching my greatest wrestlers of 2004 list, so let’s drop the match of the year list first!

This is list is based on stuff that was either on my database from the past, or I have watched over the last month. If a match is missing, either I liked other things more or I missed it.

Honourable Mentions

• Jushin Liger vs Mitsuo Momota, NJPW Fighting Spirit, February 15
• Momoe Nakanishi vs Yoshiko Tamura, NEO Dream Rush, March 14
• Chris Hero vs Samoa Joe, IWA-MS A Shot of Southern Comfort, May 29
• CM Punk vs Samoa Joe, ROH World Title Classic, June 12
• Chavo Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio, WWE The Great American Bash, June 27
• CM Punk vs Samoa Joe, ROH All Star Extravaganza II, December 4

#10
Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi
“GHC Heavyweight Championship”
NOAH Navigation Over The Date Line
September 10
Nippon Budokan

This match really harkens back to the glory days of AJPW and it’s so nice to see Akira Taue get a huge spotlight title match like this. One thing NOAH did better than AJPW was the spots from the apron to the floor and Taue had a doozy in this one.

#9
El Dandy vs LA Park
“Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship”
ENESMA
October 15
Salon 21

A late edition to the list, but it was so great I had to put it on. It’s LA Park doing a title match, so he’s less focused on the wild chaotic brawl and more on trying to win. What I am saying it’s not a typical Park match, but it’s still great! The seconds get involved in the end and in theory that would hurt the match, but somehow when Dandy and Park team up to get rid of them and then Park uses that to try a sneaky pin it gets even better! A real hidden gem.

#8
Amazing Kong vs Mima Shimoda
AtoZ 1st Anniversary
July 19
Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

This is an all out war brawl that goes all over the arena and features one of the most violent power bomb from the apron to the floor through the table spots in history. This is the Kong unleashed I’ve always wanted to see.

#7
The Bloody vs Yoshiko Tamura
“TWF World Women’s Championship”
NEO St. Battle Day
September 20
Kitazawa Town Hall

Great matwork? Check! Vicious submissions? Check! Nasty suplexes? Check! Blood? Check! This match has it all and is a must see.

#6
El Hijo del Perro Aguayo vs El Hijo del Santo
Wrestling In Monterrey
September 5
Arena Solidaridad

Gritty is the word that comes to mind watching this one. It’s a chaotic brawl but in a smaller venue so it feels like there is no controls in place. It feels unsafe and it’s amazing!

#5
Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama
“GHC Heavyweight Championship”
NOAH Encountering Navigation
April 25
Nippon Budokan

This match reaches levels of violence and stiffness that is almost unacceptable. What made this one stand out is that it doesn’t reach the level of excess you might except from a big NOAH title match. It’s just a brutal fight.

#4
Amazing Kong vs Ayako Hamada
“WWWA World Championship”
AJW New Wave
May 2
Korakuen Hall

This is truly one of the all-time great chaotic all over the arena brawls of all-time. Before I watched Aja Kong in AJW regularly, this is what I assumed she was like. A complete and unstoppable chaos machine. Hamada, in 2004, did an amazing job of helping to create even more chaos herself being almost Sabu like.

#3
CM Punk vs Samoa Joe
“ROH World Championship”
ROH Joe vs. Punk II
October 16
Frontier Fieldhouse

A famous match for getting the first 5* rating from Dave Meltzer for an American match since 1997. I normally don’t like hour long draws, but CM Punk does so much to make this compelling the entire time. Joe played his role perfectly too and they played off the first match extremely well.

#2
Eddie Guerrero vs John “Bradshaw” Layfield
“WWE Championship”
WWE Judgement Day
May 16
Staples Center

It’s the bloodbath match for Eddie. JBL had just turned and Eddie did this amazing job of cementing JBL has a threat, through bleeding buckets. A great underdog bloody performance by Eddie.

#1
Brock Lesnar vs Eddie Guerrero
“WWE Championship”
WWE No Way Out
February 15
Cow Palace

This match is one of the most classic underdog babyface performances of all-time. This was Brock at his best, a dynamic offensive cocky force. Eddie is in his “home” town and the crowd is wildly supporting him unlike almost any other match in wrestling history. A true all-time classic.

Thank You

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Next time I will drop my greatest wrestlers of 2004 list.