2020's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2020's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

«‹›143 »

blast0rama: Aug 13, 2003; Tingly.

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order - AEW Dynamite, August 12, 2020.

Super fun sprint, odd finish that didn�t 100% peak for me, but worth a watch completely.

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:16

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# ? Jun 2, 2024 04:56

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

blast0rama posted:

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order - AEW Dynamite, August 12, 2020.

Super fun sprint, odd finish that didn�t 100% peak for me, but worth a watch completely.

Nth

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:19

Jackie D: May 27, 2009; Democracy is like a tambourine - not everyone can be trusted with it.

Jerusalem posted:

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order (Uno & Grayson): AEW Dynamite 8/12

What a great, exciting opener to kick off the show, both sides were tremendous.

It was really good, nth

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:20

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

Jerusalem posted:

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order (Uno & Grayson): AEW Dynamite 8/12

What a great, exciting opener to kick off the show, both sides were tremendous.

nth me daddy

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:34

Akileese: Feb 6, 2005

Jerusalem posted:

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order (Uno & Grayson): AEW Dynamite 8/12

What a great, exciting opener to kick off the show, both sides were tremendous.

Nth

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:40

flashy_mcflash: Feb 7, 2011

Jerusalem posted:

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order (Uno & Grayson): AEW Dynamite 8/12

What a great, exciting opener to kick off the show, both sides were tremendous.

Nth. I'd prob go MOTY if the creepy boys had won.

Mod Edit: Added spoiler tags just to be nice.

Somebody fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Aug 13, 2020

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:44

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

HM: Scorpio Sky vs. Cody (c), AEW Television, Dynamite 8/12

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:52

blast0rama: Aug 13, 2003; Tingly.

Punch McLightning posted:

HM: Scorpio Sky vs. Cody (c), AEW Television, Dynamite 8/12

Yeah, would�ve been a MOTYC if Sky won.

Mod Edit: Added spoiler tags to be nice

Somebody fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Aug 13, 2020

# ? Aug 13, 2020 01:54

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho - AEW Dynamite 8/12

Ending got a little funky but goddamn I enjoyed this, and OC is a loving star.

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:01

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho - AEW Dynamite 8/12

Ending got a little funky but goddamn I enjoyed this, and OC is a loving star.

Nth

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:01

karmicknight: Aug 21, 2011

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho - AEW Dynamite 8/12

Ending got a little funky but goddamn I enjoyed this, and OC is a loving star.

NTH

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:02

Aye Doc: Jul 19, 2007

HM: Young Bucks vs. Dark Order, AEW Dynamite 8/12

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:03

Punch McLightning: Sep 19, 2005; you know what that means; Grimey Drawer

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho - AEW Dynamite 8/12

Ending got a little funky but goddamn I enjoyed this, and OC is a loving star.

nth

too fat for the mousetrap, RIP

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:10

Super No Vacancy: Jul 26, 2012

chris jericho sabotaged orange's big win by getting covid and laying an egg

# ? Aug 13, 2020 03:10

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

I don't like the phrase "laid an egg" meaning something bad. Eggs are good, and very important..

# ? Aug 13, 2020 04:49

I Before E: Jul 2, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho - AEW Dynamite 8/12

Ending got a little funky but goddamn I enjoyed this, and OC is a loving star.

Seconded

I'll also nominate Cody vs Scorpio for HM, and my internet was atrocious during the opener (this is a YouTube TV reference, not the files emote) so I'll have to rewatch that before seconding

# ? Aug 13, 2020 04:57

Rarity: Oct 21, 2010; ~*4 LIFE*~

HM: The Young Bucks vs. The Dark Order, AEW Dynamite, 12/08
HM: Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho, AEW Dynamite, 12/08

# ? Aug 13, 2020 07:53

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

So this was some loving match. It felt epic. I really strongly recommend that in the next 7 days you go on to Abema & watch this while it's free because you won't regret it. Just watch it now, before you hear anything about it. About 120k were watching on Abema live which rules.

If you really need to know anything more than that, Go Shiozaki is NOAH trueborn, debuting in 2005. He won the GHC HW title for the first time in 2009, 1 day after Misawa died. He's now on his 4th reign. He does big meaty chops & lariats (he was a Kobashi disciple & teamed with him many times), has a beautiful moonsault press. He's also one half of my favourite current tag team, AXIZ, with Katsuhiko Nakajima. Kenoh is the outsider with a chip on his shoulder the size of Jupiter, he was trained by Jinsei Shinzaki (remember Hakushi from WWF? Him) in Michinoku Pro, but has been a regular for NOAH since 2014. He's only held the HW title once, & only won the National title last week from Katsuhiko Nakajima. Kenoh is an angry, smug prick who heads a stable of smug pricks, Kongo. He's always looking to fight everyone, once he was fighting NOAH's owners LIDET, then when they sold up he started attacking CyberAgent & Sanshiro Takagi (& appeared on DDT's Peter Pan in a 6 man tag against Takagi). The GHC HW title is the one held by the NOAH greats & goes back to 2001, the National title was just created last year & Kenoh is the third man to hold the title.

forkboy84 posted:

Before this gets lost among a see of AEW nominations, just posting a link for this: https://abema.tv/channels/fighting-sports/slots/Dd3gtJdQtXgqMZ

Main event starts at about 3:03:30 with entrances & all. Strongly recommend this. Having watched back I'm pretty confident saying this is my MOTY so far.

I watched only this match (the main of the show) so far. Definitely nth

One vote away from being on the official MOTY list, if you have some time on your hands please give this one a watch. The show's still free on Abema for a couple more days

I'm gonna go back and watch the rest of the show now, might end up nominating more things. Hoping Muto had a good match against Kiyomiya, and I'm surprisingly interested in the IPW Jr title match

# ? Aug 14, 2020 05:56

J-Ro: Jul 26, 2005; Child Of The Revolution

I'm here for that final push

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

Definitely nth, this was a war and I loved every second.

# ? Aug 14, 2020 06:59

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

I'll also HM Daisuke Harada (C) vs HAYATA for the IPWUK Junior title from that show (8/10 NOAH The Chronicle Vol 3). A bit sloppy near the end but I thought the rest was pretty good, good enough I'd still recommend the match as worth watching. Didn't feel like a one-match show in terms of quality

# ? Aug 14, 2020 14:56

a cyborg mug: Mar 8, 2010

Both from Gatoh Move ChocoProLIVE! #40 8/13/2020

HM: Yuna Mizumori vs Asuka

And, ah, gently caress it

MOTYC: Emi �OC� Sakura vs Hanako Nakamori

Emi Sakura might be Mom, The Wrestler, she might have the worst music in pro wrestling and her promotion might be the smallest and silliest out there. All of that might sometimes make you forget that she is also an incredibly good wrestler with unique and even hard-hitting offense. That was on full display here. As much of a full-blown war as it gets in the small and weird confines of Ichigaya Chocolate Square. I�d never seen Nakamori before but she also ruled. Awesome kicks.

# ? Aug 14, 2020 15:28

Lily Catts: Oct 17, 2012; Show me the way to you
(Heavy Metal)

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
PRO Wrestling NOAH Departure 2020 Night 1
GHC National Championship
Katsuhiko Nakajima (c) vs Kenoh

Nth. I'm an instant fan of Kenoh.

# ? Aug 14, 2020 15:44

SatoshiMiwa: May 6, 2007

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

Finally got around to this and yes agreed. Those were some meaty kicks

# ? Aug 14, 2020 19:38

J-Ro: Jul 26, 2005; Child Of The Revolution

extradite THIS! posted:

Both from Gatoh Move ChocoProLIVE! #40 8/13/2020

HM: Yuna Mizumori vs Asuka

And, ah, gently caress it

MOTYC: Emi �OC� Sakura vs Hanako Nakamori

Emi Sakura might be Mom, The Wrestler, she might have the worst music in pro wrestling and her promotion might be the smallest and silliest out there. All of that might sometimes make you forget that she is also an incredibly good wrestler with unique and even hard-hitting offense. That was on full display here. As much of a full-blown war as it gets in the small and weird confines of Ichigaya Chocolate Square. I�d never seen Nakamori before but she also ruled. Awesome kicks.

Nthing both of those. The Yunamon / ASUKA one is hopefully one of many to come. The second match holds nothing back mostly because those two realize it's possible their last go around and just go full bore.

# ? Aug 15, 2020 03:52

Thanlis: Mar 17, 2011

extradite THIS! posted:

Both from Gatoh Move ChocoProLIVE! #40 8/13/2020

MOTYC: Emi �OC� Sakura vs Hanako Nakamori

Gotta nth this for a demonstration of what you can do in weird confines. Also for the OC callbacks. Wrestling as joyful spectacle, as self-aware performance, still with a core of athletic talent.

# ? Aug 15, 2020 05:36

Neodoomium: Jun 20, 2001; You are now hearing this
noise in your head.

extradite THIS! posted:

Both from Gatoh Move ChocoProLIVE! #40 8/13/2020

HM: Yuna Mizumori vs Asuka

And, ah, gently caress it

MOTYC: Emi �OC� Sakura vs Hanako Nakamori

Emi Sakura might be Mom, The Wrestler, she might have the worst music in pro wrestling and her promotion might be the smallest and silliest out there. All of that might sometimes make you forget that she is also an incredibly good wrestler with unique and even hard-hitting offense. That was on full display here. As much of a full-blown war as it gets in the small and weird confines of Ichigaya Chocolate Square. I�d never seen Nakamori before but she also ruled. Awesome kicks.

Yeah I'm on board with these.

HM: Shoko Nakajima vs Natsumi Maki, TJPW Princess Cup Quarterfinals (8/15)

# ? Aug 15, 2020 05:50

J-Ro: Jul 26, 2005; Child Of The Revolution

Neodoomium posted:

Yeah I'm on board with these.

HM: Shoko Nakajima vs Natsumi Maki, TJPW Princess Cup Quarterfinals (8/15)

Yes, and
HM: Hyper Misao vs Miyu Yamashita, TJPW Princess Cup Quarterfinals (8/15)

# ? Aug 15, 2020 06:13

Neodoomium: Jun 20, 2001; You are now hearing this
noise in your head.

Yep to Misao v Miyu as a HM. A lot of fun and a great post-match speech.

# ? Aug 15, 2020 06:31

forkboy84: Jun 13, 2012; Corgis love bread. And Puro

HM
15th August
AJPW Summer Series 2 ~ AA Forever Atsushi Aoki Memorial Show
Jake Lee, Kento Miyahara & Yuji Okabayashi vs Shuji Ishilkawa, Shigehero Irie & Suwama

Just a real enjoyable 6 man tag to top of a fun show which was a fitting memorial to a guy who died far too soon and was involved in training so much of the current AJPW roster.

Will also say real verge of tears stuff for the post-show ceremony. Watching Suwama barely holding it together got to me.

forkboy84 fucked around with this message at 12:53 on Aug 15, 2020

# ? Aug 15, 2020 12:44

Lily Catts: Oct 17, 2012; Show me the way to you
(Heavy Metal)

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

Nth.

# ? Aug 15, 2020 13:29

boxcarhobo: Jun 23, 2005

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

big nth, both these guys are cool, kenohs kicks are very cool, hard hitting doesn't really begin to describe what they did to each other

# ? Aug 16, 2020 22:02

Pylons: Mar 16, 2009

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

So this was some loving match. It felt epic. I really strongly recommend that in the next 7 days you go on to Abema & watch this while it's free because you won't regret it. Just watch it now, before you hear anything about it. About 120k were watching on Abema live which rules.

Nth. This was so loving good. I can't believe you're allowed to just kick a man in the head in NOAH.

# ? Aug 17, 2020 03:52

Pinche Rudo: Feb 8, 2005

MOTYC
10th August
Pro Wrestling NOAH The Chronicle Volume 3
GHC Heavyweight & GHC National titles
Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kenoh (c)

HM
Katsuhiko Nakajima (C) vs Kenoh - GHC National Title Match - Pro wrestling Noah Departure Night 1, Aug 4 2020

Go Shiozaki (C) vs Naomichi Marifuji - GHC Heavyweight Title Match - Pro wrestling Noah Departure Night 2, Aug 5 2020l

# ? Aug 17, 2020 05:43

BTF: Oct 15, 2019; I love Matt Taven

I've yet to watch the Kenoh/Shiozaki epic, but I'm looking forward to it. Instead...

HM
15th August
Dragon Gate - Gate of Adventure Day 5
Naruki Doi & Don Fujii & Shuji Kondo & Susumu Yokosuka vs. Kento Kobune & Taketo Kamei & Sora Fujikawa & Madoka Kikuta

Four veterans and members of the Toryumon Generation take on the latest group of un-aligned rookies. What follows is an excellent match and an excellent showing from the "Young Dragons." Don Fujii is on absolute fire on the veteran side bullying the opposition and suffering the wrath of the next generation. Taketo Kamei has a "future Brave Gate champion" written all over him, Sora Fujikawa had a fun showing as the face in peril and Kento Kobune is already being talked about as a future main eventer. If you love young lion matches in NJPW, definitely check this one out.

# ? Aug 17, 2020 11:54

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7JmTzJ2tTY

Here it is in Nico quality, there should be a SamuraiTV version in a few weeks

Just a reminder that this is v.v.v.v. good!!

# ? Aug 17, 2020 11:55

forkboy84: Jun 13, 2012; Corgis love bread. And Puro

Don Fujii bullying young boys is always good content. I need to find time to get caught up on DG.

# ? Aug 17, 2020 11:56

forkboy84: Jun 13, 2012; Corgis love bread. And Puro

SG Bamboo posted:

HM: King of DDT Rd 1 08/08/20

Minoru Tanaka Vs Soma Takao

Nth this

# ? Aug 17, 2020 14:29

SG Bamboo: Aug 21, 2013; Smile. Win. Yay!

Going to stick them in spoiler tags in case people haven't caught up. All four QF matches were great if not spectacular.

HM: King of DDT Rd 3 13/08/20

T-Hawk vs Yuki Ueno
Minoru Tanaka vs Tetsuya Endo

Also if you like heavy grappling, quick pinfalls and submission transistions, check out Shinya Aoki vs Akito from the same show. I really enjoyed it but I know the style isn't for everyone.

# ? Aug 18, 2020 05:26

a cyborg mug: Mar 8, 2010

HM: The Queen Mother Emi Sakura vs Sayaka Obihiro, ChocoProLIVE!#41 Emi Sakura�s 25th Anniversary Show, 8/17/2020

I enjoyed the match a lot but felt the Nakamori match was slightly better. Still a fantastic time. Here�s to 25 more years of Queen Emi!

Loved the show as a whole but didn�t really feel anything else got to THAT level. Maybe Mei vs Yuu which was sick as hell.? I might second something if someone else HMs another match from the show. I�m really really tired and have trouble concentrating on or thinking about things

# ? Aug 18, 2020 19:02

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# ? Jun 2, 2024 04:56

Crapple!: Nov 1, 2019

HM: SCU and Private Party vs The Lucha Bros and the Butcher and the Blade. AEW Dark 8/18/20

# ? Aug 19, 2020 05:34

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2020's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

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