2021'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 > 2021's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

RealFoxy posted:

MOTYC Miyu Yamashita vs Maki Itoh (TJPW Korakuen 2021 - January 4th)

I've heard a lot of people mentioning that Maki Itoh is their "favorite wrestler they've never seen wrestle before" and if you're in that camp, this is probably the one to watch.

Although pretty story-driven and plays off years of their on/off again feuding, they do a great job catching you up before and during the match. Maki Itoh is a rebellious brat who always bites off more than can chew and sees Yamashita as one of her greatest rivals that she's got to overcome. Itoh tends to proclaim that everyone is her rival that she can't beat and then throws a tantrum if her friends or tag-team partners get more popular than she does, dumping them and challenging them to a fight. Itoh's been trying unsuccessfully since her debut at ever defeating Yamashita

Miyu Yamashita on the other hand bounces between the company's Champion/Ace and working with the rookies to elevate TJPW as a whole. Beating Itoh is a little beneath her as one of the best women in the world right now, but nonetheless she always considers Itoh her friend and constantly tries to show her affection or respect but Itoh constantly pushes her away and gives her the middle finger instead. They have a sort of big sister/little sister vibe, Miyu obviously likes Itoh a lot.

The match itself shows how far Itoh's come as a wrestler since her debut, taking everything Miyu's got while begging for more, with Itoh pulling out some brand new moves and some surprising counters that she's learned from wrestling with and against Miyu for so long.

https://twitter.com/OBEYBrookes/status/1346079663051837444

You can watch the match with English commentary on DDT Universe featuring Chris Brookes for like $8 a month with a free month trial, or you can track down the Japanese audio on Ameba in two parts (Free! No signup required!) Part One and Part Two

Nth, this was a great summary, the links were handy! YO, Y'ALL WANNA SEE A DEAD BODY??

# ¿ Jan 4, 2021 19:38

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 11:28

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

MOTYC AEW Dynamite 1/27/21 - Jungle Boy v Dax Harwood

My mind BOGGLES at how sick that slingshot powerbomb looked.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2021 04:20

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKs8Rsnzn5c

MOTYC: UNCHAIN (Jun Kasai & Kenji Fukimoto) vs. E.R.E. (Masashi Takeda & Takayuki Ueki) - FREEDOMS Go Beyond the Limit (2/9)

As far as a career move completely revitalising a person as much as Takayuki Ueki moving from BJW to FREEDOMS. He has looked like an absolute demon straight from hell in all his matches since making the jump and this might be a career performance. The finish was hard to watch even in terms of deathmatches and I hope it was gimmicked.

Either way his title challenge next month is my most anticipated match for a long time.

Nth, Ueki has that "I can't not watch this guy in the ring" quality, which is really saying something when you've got Kasai and Takeda floating around, too. Ueki is what people think SHLAK is.

# ¿ Feb 18, 2021 06:04

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

CopywrightMMXI posted:

MOTYC: Thunder Rosa vs Britt Baker, Mar 17 Dynamite, Lights Out match

Ain't no doubt about it

# ¿ Mar 18, 2021 03:00

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

MOTYC Mei Suruga/Baliyan Akki v Minoru Fujita/Emi Sakura, ChocoPro 100, 3/27/21

A million miles an hour in eighty square feet.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2021 02:44

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

MOTYC: Toru Sugiura (c) vs. Takayuki Ueki for the King of FREEDOM Championship - FREEDOMS The Gekokujo 2021 (3/21)

Toru Sugiura is having the best world title run I've ever had the privilege of living through full of absolutely batshit insane matches.

This was the most insane.

e: fair warning - shoot headbutts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGUtdUMY-NA

SG Bamboo posted:

Nth, Ueki is an absolute monster. Didn't have as much a problem with these headbutts, although the spots with the cinder blocks got to me (especially the one he just threw at the stack around Sugiura's head, gently caress right off with that). Also there was some really conspicous camera cuts around 22 minutes in which took me out of the action a bit, although they brought me back quickly enough. loving vicious the whole way through.

I think the "camera cuts" are just a hosed encode/upload, I don't think they're a specific "we're making this look better" thing.

Nth, though, Ueki, Christ, that dude makes me feel like deathmatches are loving dangerous in a bad/good way. The cinder block thing is (probably??) smoke and mirrors, like breaking them over a dude's chest on nails is just redistribution of pressure, but gently caress! gently caress! There's also something about lighttubes not being used until the 16th minute that felt delightful.

And yeah, major CW for shoot headbutts, if you don't like one, you are gonna super-hate this match.

Deathlove fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Apr 7, 2021

# ¿ Apr 7, 2021 19:25

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

HM: JD Drake vs AJ Gray, 4/9/21, SUP Have Fun, Be Sad

wrestling is fake and somebody forgot to tell these guys, gently caress

# ¿ Apr 9, 2021 17:23

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

TTBF posted:

I'll go HM for the Grey Sweatpants Battle Royal

nth

# ¿ Apr 9, 2021 19:05

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

HM: John Wayne Murdoch v Eric Ryan, 4/10/21, IWC No Holds Barred 12: Farewell To The Pawn Shop

Two of the best deathmatch guys in America had the best deathmatch of the weekend (so far).

# ¿ Apr 11, 2021 04:04

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

Teddybear posted:

HM: Kenny Omega / Rich Swann, Impact Rebellion

nth

# ¿ Apr 26, 2021 03:55

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

Takuan posted:

It might just be because I'm super high and it's the first deathmatch with a full crowd I've seen in over a year, but
MOTYC Effy vs G-Raver, GCW Tournament of Survival 6 6/5

YEAH, 2ND

MOTYC: Orin Veidt vs Nolan Edward, GCW TOS 666 6/5/21
HM: Bam Sullivan vs Alex Colon, GCW TOS 666 6/5/21

e:

HM: Calvin Tankman vs Dante Leon vs Ninja Mack vs Starboy Charlie vs Dyln McKay vs Jack Cartwheel, GCW TOS 666, 6/5/21

do you like a) flips and b) exactly one giant man destroying the people doing flips? may i suggest this match

Deathlove fucked around with this message at 22:13 on Jun 5, 2021

# ¿ Jun 5, 2021 21:51

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

MOTYC: Atticus Cogar v Alex Colon, Finals of Tournament of Survival 666

Absolutely the pinnacle of deathmatch wrestling in America, and could hang with the best in Japan.

# ¿ Jun 5, 2021 23:41

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

coconono posted:

ICW No Holds Barred Pit Fighter X9 Jul 3 2021
HM Neil Diamond Cutter vs Atticus Cogar

pure loving violence. Heated violence. The kind of violence that your mother shields your eyes from.

2nd, hell yeah

# ¿ Jul 4, 2021 02:13

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

SG Bamboo posted:

FMW-E Independence Day July 4th
HM
Atsushi Onita, Minoru Fujita and Ricky Fuji vs Abdullah Kobayashi, Onryo and Yuko Miyamoto

Camerawork loving sucked (missed most of the big bumps), it was 99% unwatchable through the smoke, but 100% the ideal of "you gotta see this poo poo". Crank your subwoofers, terrify your neighbors.

Deathlove fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Jul 8, 2021

# ¿ Jul 8, 2021 18:58

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

GEORGE W BUSHI posted:

https://twitter.com/D_Wrestlingifs/status/1414958008933797900?s=19

yeah

# ¿ Jul 13, 2021 20:27

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

Senerio posted:

MOTYC: Lulupencil vs Chris Brookes 30 Minutes Ironmen Match ChocoPro 137 7/22(JST)

PENCIL
ARMY
PENCIL
ARMY

nth

# ¿ Jul 22, 2021 02:52

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

HM: Lucha Bros vs Laredo Kid/Hijo del Vikingo vs Taurus/Surprise Wrestler Brian Cage, Triplemania XXIX, 8/14/2021

# ¿ Aug 15, 2021 03:52

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

forkboy84 posted:

Drew Parker put together 2 MOTYC & an HM in 3 days on 2 different continents in July which is the first thing that comes to mind. If it happened at any time it'd be during Wrestlemania Week would be my guess.

Deathmatches, at that! Big ones!

# ¿ Aug 15, 2021 17:52

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

HM: The Hex (Allysin Kay/Marti Belle) vs Red Velvet/Kilynn King, NWA Empowerrr 8/28/21

This match loving went.

# ¿ Aug 29, 2021 02:44

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

Oil! posted:

HM: didn't live up to a normal Tremont match (more deathmatch) or Onita match (more explosions). The exploding light tubes is a giant innovation that belongs in every future match though.

HM nth, absolutely agree that the exploding light tubes is a huge leap in deathmatch technology. this is why everyone is always wearing goggles; they're all scientists.

# ¿ Nov 1, 2021 04:34

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 11:28

Deathlove: Feb 20, 2003; Pillbug

MOTYC: AKIRA vs Alex Colon, Nick Gage Invitational 6, 11/13/21

A masterclass in deathmatch.

# ¿ Nov 14, 2021 00:02

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2021's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)