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)

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Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

HM: Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi - NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo 2/2

Okada you know exactly what you're going to get (perfection), but Taichi clearly grasped this was potentially the biggest and most important match of his career to date and he loving stepped it up exactly as he needed to.

Nth. Year of Taichi

# ¿ Feb 2, 2020 18:15

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 04:54

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Punch McLightning posted:

MOTYC: Page/Omega vs. SCU, Dynamite 2/12

no joke, you could say this was a five star match and i wouldn't argue

nth

# ¿ Feb 13, 2020 02:25

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Riho (C) vs. Nyla Rose for the AEW Women's Championship - AEW Dynamite 2/12

Absolutely incredible match, even with the stream going down for several minutes in the middle I was still absolutely floored by how good this was.

easiest nth I've given all year. Honestly might be my top MOTY this year

# ¿ Feb 13, 2020 03:08

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Takuan posted:

HM: Effy vs Tony Deppen, GCW Run Rickey Run 2/15

nth

# ¿ Feb 16, 2020 03:09

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MassRafTer posted:

MOTYC: Matthew Justice vs Matt Tremont, GCW Run Rickey Run

Takuan posted:

HM for Mance Warner vs Allie Kat, GCW Run Rickey Run, 2/15

nth

# ¿ Feb 16, 2020 05:26

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

YourHumbleMessiah posted:

MOTYC: Nick Gage vs Rickey Shane Page, GCW Run Rickey Run 2/15/20

I don't have many words

nth. holy gently caress

# ¿ Feb 16, 2020 06:08

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Dango Bango posted:

HM: Kris Statlander vs. Shanna, AEW Dynamite 2/19

Two great women's matches in a row for AEW

nth

# ¿ Feb 20, 2020 03:24

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

NienNunb posted:

MOTYC: Elite/Lucha Bros, Dynamite 2/19

nth

# ¿ Feb 20, 2020 03:31

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

NienNunb posted:

HM: Cody/ Wardlow, Steel Cage match, Dynamite, 2/19

nth

# ¿ Feb 20, 2020 04:07

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

sportsgenius86 posted:

E: also, that�s the single greatest episode of regular televised wrestling ever

I said this about last week

At this rate, we'll be saying it about next week too

# ¿ Feb 20, 2020 04:10

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MOTYC: PAC vs Kenny Omega, half-hour ironman match, AEW Dynamite 2/26

# ¿ Feb 27, 2020 02:35

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Rarity posted:

HM: Jurassic Express vs. The Inner Circle, AEW Dynamite, 26/02
HM: Yuka Sakazaki vs. Big Swole vs. Shanna vs. Hikaru Shida, AEW Dynamite, 26/02

Gonna add these as well now I finished Dynamite

nth

It's incredible that AEW regularly has cards where, even if it's like last night and there's Only four matches, three of them are well worth a watch and at least one of them is a legit Match of the Year contender

Riho/Nyla was 3 Dynamites ago!

# ¿ Feb 27, 2020 15:15

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

I Before E posted:

Raven should have won

# ¿ Feb 28, 2020 22:28

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

Looked these matches up online to see if they were as bad as they sounded on paper. They weren't. They were worse.

WMOTYC: Brock Lesnar (C) vs. Ricochet for the WWE Championship - WWE Blood Money Show in Saudi Arabia.
WMOTYC: The Fiend Bray Wyatt (C) vs. Bill Goldberg for the Universal Championship - WWE Blood Money Show in Saudi Arabia.

These were both dogshit but if I had to pick the worst it would be Brock vs. Ricochet. That was pathetic.

nth

# ¿ Feb 29, 2020 01:08

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (C) vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Titles - AEW Revolution 2/29

Kenny Omega reminding everybody he's one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet... and he was only one of FOUR incredible wrestlers in this match! What an incredible, incredible match. That Young Bucks stealing the Double V-Trigger spot and Kenny's kickout at one spot was sensational.

nth

# ¿ Mar 1, 2020 03:31

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: PAC vs. Orange Cassidy - AEW Revolution 2/29

This isn't irony, this was a genuinely great match even outside of just how much fun it was. I was smiling ear to ear from start to finish.

nth

# ¿ Mar 1, 2020 04:47

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

jesus WEP posted:

HM: Jon Moxley vs Chris Jericho, AEW Revolution

nth

# ¿ Mar 1, 2020 06:50

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Basically the worst AEW's had to offer would still stand out as pretty good compared to WWE's trash

It doesn't even have to be worse in terms of quality. Take the stupidest bump taken in an AEW tag flipfest match this year, and I'd still gladly take it over Kofi leaping backfirst out of the ring onto the floor or Nakamura getting slammed headfirst on a non-gimmicked piano

# ¿ Mar 1, 2020 16:32

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Rarity posted:

MOTYC: Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi, NJPW Anniversary Show (Taichi Stream), 03/03

nth

# ¿ Mar 3, 2020 15:38

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Punch McLightning posted:

HM: Darby vs Jericho and Guevara, AEW Dynamite 3/4

nth

# ¿ Mar 5, 2020 04:07

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

I'll nth the HMs of

02/04 | CHAOS (Okada, Ospreay, YOH, and SHO) vs. Suzuki-gun (Taichi, ZSJ, El Desperado, and Kanemaru) in an Elimination Match - NJPW Road to the New Beginning
02/04 | Kenny Omega & Riho vs. Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford - AEW Dark

and the MOTY of

02/10 | Toru Sugiura (C) vs. Yuko Miyamoto for the King of FREEDOMS Championship in a Tower of Terror Fluorescent Lighttube Deathmatch - FREEDOMS Go Beyond the Limit

I thought I nth'd the Dark one before but was mistaken

# ¿ Mar 8, 2020 04:28

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

HM: Hana Kimura and Jungle Kyona vs Giulia and Maika - STARDOM No People Gate, 3/7

# ¿ Mar 8, 2020 04:36

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MOTY: Jamie Hayter and Bea Priestley (C) vs Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita for the Goddesses of STARDOM titles - STARDOM No People Gate, 3/7

Considered merely going HM on this but between Bea's entrance, the last 3-5 minutes, the camera cuts to Liger alone in the audience, and being the most fun/good women's tag match I've seen all year so far, I feel comfortable going all the way on this one

# ¿ Mar 8, 2020 05:05

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MOTY: Mayu Iwatani vs Saki Kashima in a lumberjack match - STARDOM No People Gate, 3/7

Pretty good show! Even had a very fun lumberjack match, how often does that happen?!

# ¿ Mar 8, 2020 05:30

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

That link doesn't appear to work, this one should (timing still works, 1h37min is when entrances start for that match)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uXoAZ2lEMA

# ¿ Mar 8, 2020 20:39

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

NienNunb posted:

HM: MJF/BB vs. Jurassic Express, Dynamite 3/11

oh but seriously I posted:

HM: d e a t h t r i a n g l e vs. private party and joey "no rear end" janella 11 MAR 2020

nth

# ¿ Mar 12, 2020 14:41

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Dango Bango posted:

HM: Kris Statlander vs. Riho vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Penelope Ford - AEW Dynamite 3/18

They busted their asses for this one. Still think it's worth an HM despite the botch.

Nth

# ¿ Mar 19, 2020 14:14

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MOTYC: Kenny Omega vs Sammy Guevara for the AAA Mega title, AEW Dynamite 3/25

# ¿ Mar 26, 2020 02:41

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

jesus WEP posted:

Ishii probably gets more MOTYCs a year than WWE main roster

https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3878790 Last year Ishii had 16; WWE main roster had 5

# ¿ Mar 27, 2020 14:44

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Chris James 2 posted:

https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3878790 Last year Ishii had 16; WWE main roster had 5

Had free time (we all do now I guess), wanted to see if this was a one year fluke

Ishii has had matches nominated for MOTY since 2013. Of this 7 year period, he's had less MOTYCs than the WWE main roster only three years

'18 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3845480 Ishii 12; WWE main roster 5
'17 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3805428 Ishii 12; WWE main roster 11
:siren:

'16 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3758405 Ishii 3; WWE main roster 8 :siren:

'15 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3692291 Ishii 7; WWE main roster 6
:siren:

'14 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3600087 Ishii 7; WWE main roster 13 :siren:

'13 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3525959 Ishii 4; WWE main roster 21 :siren:

Thus far in 2020 he has 2; the WWE main roster has 1 (Fiend/Goldberg)

TL;DR

Cerebral Bore posted:

New Japan has truly perfected the formula of creating fantastic matches by booking a walking fire hydrant as one of the competitors.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2020 15:20

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

I Before E posted:

In 2016, Ishii had singles matches against:
Shibata (in January and February, both 4.5 from Dave and above 9 on cagematch)
Roderick Strong (4.25, 7.88)
Cedric Alexander
EVIL (two in March)
Naito (in March and May, both 4.5 from Dave and above 8.5 on cagematch)
Bobby Fish
Moose
Will Ferarra
Josh Bodom
Tenzan
Goto
Fale
Naomichi Marufuji (no Dave rating, 8.08)
Tama Tonga
Hiroshi Tanahashi (4.75, 8.78)
Kazuchika Okada (5 stars, 9.66)
SANADA
Makabe
Chris Hero (4.5, 9.08)
Pete Dunne
Chase Owens

Even looking at that list and seeing useless stiffs like Will Ferarra, Tama Tonga, and Naito in there, I'm surprised he only had three MOTY candidates.

New Japan as a whole only had 12 that year. Only thing I can think of is less people may have been watching (in general or specifically after Styles and Nakamura bailed, idk). It was just for that year and then things went back to normal

# ¿ Mar 27, 2020 19:59

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MassRafTer posted:

HM: Natsuko Tora vs. Giulia from Stardom Cinderella 2020, 3/24

The tournament is all short matches but most of it is pretty fun and the first round is free on youtube. Just keep in mind that you can win via over the top rope eliminations too! Was kind of bummed that Tam Nakano seemed off in the tournament.

Super No Vacancy posted:

hm hana vs mayu stardom cinderella tournament 3/24

nthing both of these

Here's the youtube for those that wanna watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxjaqJaZ01E

# ¿ Mar 28, 2020 21:51

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC - Go Shiozaki (c) vs Kazuyuki Fujita for the GHC Heavyweight Championship - NOAH 20th Anniversary - NOAH The Chronicle (3/29)

Absolutely insane and surreal match that you owe it to yourself to watch unspoiled. From the THIRTY MINUTE staredown that opened to the match to the five minute headlock, to Fujita chugging loving hand sanitizer to the tour of Korakuen Hall to Fujita repeatedly kicking Go right in the head to Go repeatedly clotheslining him into defeat with two minutes left on the clock

It was a very special match and I'm not sure we'll see anything like it again.

nth. Holy gently caress

# ¿ Mar 29, 2020 16:41

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

extradite THIS! posted:

It rules

# ¿ Mar 30, 2020 20:50

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Dango Bango posted:

HM: Trent vs. Kenny Omega - AEW Dynamite 4/1

Trent is really good in singles matches y'all

nth

# ¿ Apr 2, 2020 01:28

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Dango Bango posted:

MOTYC: Lance Archer vs. Marko Stunt, AEW Dynamite 4/1

I'm not kidding with this nomination.

nth because of the pounce spot

# ¿ Apr 2, 2020 02:02

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

WWE officially has more WMOTYs (9) than MOTYs this year now, even with NXT combined (7)

If Lana and Lashley vs Rusev and Liv had one more vote, it'd be at a perfect 10

# ¿ Apr 6, 2020 03:40

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

DarkstarIV posted:

WMOTYC: Lana/Lashley vs Rusev/Liv, RAW 1/20/20

I don't think you'll find a more pointless and stupid main event in any other promotion. Hell, WWE will have to try and make a more pointless match than this. Also Lana loving sucks in the ring.

Quantum of Phallus posted:

WMOTYC: Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair

nth

# ¿ Apr 6, 2020 03:49

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

In AEW's nearly-one-year-long history, they've had 2 men's WMOTYCs

Jake Hager in both of them

# ¿ Apr 16, 2020 06:21

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 04:54

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

SatoshiMiwa posted:

I know this from 95 but heck this is the first time most people outside of Japan could watch this so

MOTYC - All Japan Pro Wrestling - Kawada/Taue/Johnny Ace vs Kobashi/Misawa Hansen - 04/02/25 Weekly Pro Wrestling Bridge of Dreams

So this is from the famous Weekly Pro Wrestling Tokyo Dome show that had all Japanese fed's (except WAR) have a match at the dome to celebrate the anniversary of Weekly Pro Wrestling (A magazine so powerful it was able to cut through all the political land mines to produce a show like this). So given that this is the first dome match for in prime Misawa/Hansen and Kawada, and not wanting to be shown up by other companies we get a killer multi man match. The video is raw and lacks audio but it's still an amazing match as everyone is healthy and in their prime and at this point All Japan was probably producing the best tags in the world

If I'm allowed to nth this I'm nthing this

Here's a link to the show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttH0S2s5Zww

# ¿ May 7, 2020 04:17

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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