2022'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 > 2022's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

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Kevino07: Oct 16, 2008

Cerebral Bore posted:

WMOTYC: Tomohiro Ishii vs EVIL NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

EVIL did the impossible, he dragged Ishii to a legit bad singles match.

This.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:10

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 07:25

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

HM: Dangerous Tekkers (C) vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI for the IWGP Tag Titles - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

This REALLY took the bad taste of the EVIL match out of my mouth. Great stuff from both teams, I wish there didn't have to be a loser!

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:25

Cerebral Bore: Apr 21, 2010; Fun Shoe

MOTYC: Dangerous Tekkers vs CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

Maybe more of a HM purely on match quality, but the finish put it over the top for me.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:25

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

MOTYC
4th January
Gake No Fuchi Joshi Pro Clockwork Gake No Fuchi 2022
Gakenofuchi Rules
Miyako Matsumoto vs Risa Sera

Gakenofuchi Rules is basically "this is loving nonsense". There's regular breaks in the action for special games, like a sumo battle between their seconds. It's kind of like the wrestling match equivalent of the UK TV show Taskmaster. But with the added level of incomprehension of not understanding Japanese. Glorious.

To some extent it is impossible to rate this. In other ways, MOTYC.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:42

Cerebral Bore: Apr 21, 2010; Fun Shoe

MOTYC: El Desperado vs Hiromu Takahashi NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

What if you took two of the absolute best Juniors on the planet and had them just beat the absolute piss out of each other? You get a goddamn absolute banger of a match is what you get.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:53

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

HM: El Desperado (C) vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

High-paced quality Junior Heavyweight wrestling between two guys who have great in-ring chemistry, with a really good and surprising! ending.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:53

Kevino07: Oct 16, 2008

HM: El Desperado vs Hiromu Takahashi NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

# ? Jan 4, 2022 11:54

Huntman: Apr 22, 2010

HM: Katsuyori Shibata vs. ??? - Wrestle Kingdom 16 - 1/4
HM: Dangerous Tekkers (c) vs. Goto/YOSHI-HASHI - Wrestle Kingdom 16 - 1/4
HM: El Desperado (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi - Wrestle Kingdom 16 - 1/4

and for good measure just to really hammer it in...

WMOTYC: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs EVIL - Wrestle Kingdom 16 - 1/4

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:05

Lid: Feb 18, 2005; And the mercy seat is awaiting,
And I think my head is burning,
And in a way I'm yearning,
To be done with all this measuring of proof.
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth,
And anyway I told the truth,
And I'm not afraid to die.

motyc shingo v okada i'm here first

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:28

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

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

Shingo has been fantastic over the last year but Okada suffered during COVID. His slow return to form as his worshipers returned to fill seats culminated here with him seemingly back at close to full power and all the old magic of New Japan's great main events of the past seemed to be back too. Incredible match, it defied time just like Okada and Shingo defy the constraints of mortal man and moments like The Dragonmaker Pose made the crowd defy noise restrictions and gasp and bellow and cheer at what they were seeing. This was insanely great, holy gently caress.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:39

Cerebral Bore: Apr 21, 2010; Fun Shoe

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi vs Kazuchika Okada NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

Shingo Takagi is the best wrestler on the planet right now and Okada isn't too far behind.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:39

Alaois: Feb 7, 2012

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

Shingo has been fantastic over the last year but Okada suffered during COVID. His slow return to form as his worshipers returned to fill seats culminated here with him seemingly back at close to full power and all the old magic of New Japan's great main events of the past seemed to be back too. Incredible match, it defied time just like Okada and Shingo defy the constraints of mortal man and moments like The Dragonmaker Pose made the crowd defy noise restrictions and gasp and bellow and cheer at what they were seeing. This was insanely great, holy gently caress.

nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:40

Kevino07: Oct 16, 2008

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

Shingo has been fantastic over the last year but Okada suffered during COVID. His slow return to form as his worshipers returned to fill seats culminated here with him seemingly back at close to full power and all the old magic of New Japan's great main events of the past seemed to be back too. Incredible match, it defied time just like Okada and Shingo defy the constraints of mortal man and moments like The Dragonmaker Pose made the crowd defy noise restrictions and gasp and bellow and cheer at what they were seeing. This was insanely great, holy gently caress.

This. The match breezed by, and I bit at so many of the near falls. Phenomenal storytelling

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:40

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

MOTYC
4th January
Gake No Fuchi Joshi Pro Clockwork Gake No Fuchi 2022
An Absolute Clusterfuck of a No DQ match
Chris Brookes, Miyako Matsumoto, Senosister Mao Inoue (not MAO, honest) & Shunma Katsumata vs Prominence (Akane Fujita, Mochi Miyagi, Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki) & Sanshiro Takagi

I'mma just quote the live thread

fez_machine posted:

aww what a glorious clustefuck that became sad that it was over

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:42

SalTheBard: Jan 26, 2005; I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!; Fallen Rib

MOTYC - Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. The best match on a show filled with otherwise ok matches

MOTYC - Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great Junior match with a great ending

HM - Dangerous Tekkers vs. CHAOS - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great tag match that followed a terrible match.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:42

ThePariah: Feb 10, 2014

SalTheBard posted:

MOTYC - Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. The best match on a show filled with otherwise ok matches

MOTYC - Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great Junior match with a great ending

HM - Dangerous Tekkers vs. CHAOS - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great tag match that followed a terrible match.

Nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:46

abraham linksys: Sep 6, 2010

MOTYC - Chris Brookes vs Suzu Suzuki - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

HM - Chris Brookes, Miyako Matsumoto, Senosister Mao Inoue, MAO, & Shunma Katsumata vs Prominence (Akane Fujita, Mochi Miyagi, Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki) & Sanshiro Takagi - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

HM - Miyako Matsumoto vs Risa Sera - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:47

Huntman: Apr 22, 2010

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

Shingo has been fantastic over the last year but Okada suffered during COVID. His slow return to form as his worshipers returned to fill seats culminated here with him seemingly back at close to full power and all the old magic of New Japan's great main events of the past seemed to be back too. Incredible match, it defied time just like Okada and Shingo defy the constraints of mortal man and moments like The Dragonmaker Pose made the crowd defy noise restrictions and gasp and bellow and cheer at what they were seeing. This was insanely great, holy gently caress.

Definitely an nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:48

Burn Down Canberra: Oct 27, 2005; GAME PLANS? We don't need no stinking game plans.

SalTheBard posted:

MOTYC - Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. The best match on a show filled with otherwise ok matches

MOTYC - Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great Junior match with a great ending

HM - Dangerous Tekkers vs. CHAOS - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great tag match that followed a terrible match.

Nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:48

gripebomb: Dec 13, 2006; I wanted to fight the world.

- Eddie Kingston

Jerusalem posted:

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 1/4

Shingo has been fantastic over the last year but Okada suffered during COVID. His slow return to form as his worshipers returned to fill seats culminated here with him seemingly back at close to full power and all the old magic of New Japan's great main events of the past seemed to be back too. Incredible match, it defied time just like Okada and Shingo defy the constraints of mortal man and moments like The Dragonmaker Pose made the crowd defy noise restrictions and gasp and bellow and cheer at what they were seeing. This was insanely great, holy gently caress.

Nth!!!

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:52

a cyborg mug: Mar 8, 2010

HM: Dangerous Tekkers vs. Goto/YOSHI-HASHI, Wrestle Kingdom 16, 1/4

MOTYC: Shingo Takagi vs Kazuchika Okada, Wrestle Kingdom 16, 1/4

# ? Jan 4, 2022 12:57

fez_machine: Nov 27, 2004

abraham linksys posted:

MOTYC - Chris Brookes vs Suzu Suzuki - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

HM - Chris Brookes, Miyako Matsumoto, Senosister Mao Inoue, MAO, & Shunma Katsumata vs Prominence (Akane Fujita, Mochi Miyagi, Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki) & Sanshiro Takagi - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

HM - Miyako Matsumoto vs Risa Sera - 1/4/22 - Gake no Fuchi

nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 13:01

ShadowedFlames: Dec 26, 2009; Shoot this guy in the face.; Fallen Rib

Kirios posted:

WMOTYC - Brock Lesnar vs. Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley - WWE Day 1 1/1/22

Dumb idiotic booking decisions and a boring Lesnar circle jerk match all designed to make Big E look at lame as possible. WWE reminding us all that they're the absolute worst on Day 1!

Nth. It�s no longer CENA WINS LOL, it�s LESNAR WINS LOL.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 13:20

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

Cerebral Bore posted:

MOTYC: Dangerous Tekkers vs CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

Maybe more of a HM purely on match quality, but the finish put it over the top for me.

Yes

# ? Jan 4, 2022 13:46

GEORGE W BUSHI: Jul 1, 2012

Cerebral Bore posted:

MOTYC: Katsuyori Shibata vs ~Mystery Opponent~ NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

The swerve of the century followed by the most brutal pro wrestling clinic I've seen in a long, long time.

Also Nth.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 13:50

Kevino07: Oct 16, 2008

HM: Katsuyori Shibata vs ~Mystery Opponent~ NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

# ? Jan 4, 2022 14:03

Gaz-L: Jan 28, 2009

Kevino07 posted:

HM: Katsuyori Shibata vs ~Mystery Opponent~ NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

Yes

# ? Jan 4, 2022 14:12

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

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 January 4th
MOTYC
Katsuyori Shibata vs X
Shingo Takagi (c) vs Kazuchika Okada - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

HM
Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zach Sabre Jr) (c) vs CHAOS (Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto) - IWGP Tag Team Championships
El Desperado (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship

# ? Jan 4, 2022 14:21

Penguin Patrol: Mar 3, 2005; by Fluffdaddy

SG Bamboo posted:

TJPW Korakuen January 4th
MOTYC
Hyper Misao vs Shoko Nakajima
- Save the tiger, save the world

Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Mizuki - Princess of Princess Championship
- Kill the Rabbit. Rabbit won't die? Kick her again. Oh poo poo, Rabbit's fighting back

HM
AriSuzu (Arisu Endo and Suzume) vs Moka Miyamoto and Mahiro Kiryu
- Much love for the rookies, they both had new gear and a fresh attitude. Want more Endo vs Moka

DayDream (Miu Watanabe and Rika Tatsumi) vs Kamiyu and Kakuta Nao
- Outside of Nao's head slamming into the corner post in a scary fashion this was a bunch of fun. Miu remains real cool and real strong

NekoRetsu (Yuki Aino, Nodoka Onesan and Haruna Neko) vs Raku, Pom Harajuku and Marika Kobashi
- Onesan's final performance was great. Going to let out a single manly tear when she retires in March

Yuka Sakazaki vs Yuki Arai
- Yuka gonna haze the rookie. Too bad she didn't know that Arai loves that poo poo

Hikari Noa (c) vs Maki Itoh - International Princess Championship
- First 10 minutes were pretty bland, but it really picked up in the second half and had a cool finishing sequence

I know it's not for everyone, but TJPW continues to be just.so.fun

nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 15:45

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

I've just realised that of the first 5 shows I watched in 2021 I had 1 MOTYC, Suwama vs Aoyagi ****�

In 2022 I have watched 3 shows & have 9 MOTYC. 1 *****, 1 ****�, 3 ****� & 4 ****�

I may have gotten carried away, or the NOAH, Zero1 & Gake No Fuchi Joshi Pro shows were all really good.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 15:57

a cyborg mug: Mar 8, 2010

Nah. Pro wrestling is good my friend

# ? Jan 4, 2022 15:58

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

forkboy84 posted:

MOTYC
4th January
Gake No Fuchi Joshi Pro Clockwork Gake No Fuchi 2022
Hardcore Match
Chris Brookes vs Suzu Suzuki

Yeah, that was loving bonkers.

nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 16:59

Price Check: Oct 9, 2012

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 January 4th
MOTYC
Katsuyori Shibata vs X
Shingo Takagi (c) vs Kazuchika Okada - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

HM
Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zach Sabre Jr) (c) vs CHAOS (Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto) - IWGP Tag Team Championships
El Desperado (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship

Nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 17:03

Akileese: Feb 6, 2005

SG Bamboo posted:

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 January 4th
MOTYC
Katsuyori Shibata vs X
Shingo Takagi (c) vs Kazuchika Okada - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

HM
Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zach Sabre Jr) (c) vs CHAOS (Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto) - IWGP Tag Team Championships
El Desperado (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship

nth

# ? Jan 4, 2022 17:35

Sooper Gila: Apr 23, 2014; Love
Peace
and Harmony

SalTheBard posted:

MOTYC - Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. The best match on a show filled with otherwise ok matches

MOTYC - Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1. Great Junior match with a great ending

Nth to both.

also I'm going full MOTYC for Dangerous Tekkers vs. CHAOS - 1/4/22 - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1.
Good as these four were here I don't doubt they have a better match in them together. But as a few others have mentioned, the ending really ruled. The Taichi/tekkers babyface turn has been one of the true FEELGOOD stories of the pandemic era for me.

also MOTYC for Shibata vs his mystery opponent.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 17:47

Lamuella: Jun 26, 2003; It's like goldy or bronzy, but made of iron.

SG Bamboo posted:

TJPW Korakuen January 4th
MOTYC
Hyper Misao vs Shoko Nakajima
- Save the tiger, save the world

Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Mizuki - Princess of Princess Championship
- Kill the Rabbit. Rabbit won't die? Kick her again. Oh poo poo, Rabbit's fighting back

HM
AriSuzu (Arisu Endo and Suzume) vs Moka Miyamoto and Mahiro Kiryu
- Much love for the rookies, they both had new gear and a fresh attitude. Want more Endo vs Moka

DayDream (Miu Watanabe and Rika Tatsumi) vs Kamiyu and Kakuta Nao
- Outside of Nao's head slamming into the corner post in a scary fashion this was a bunch of fun. Miu remains real cool and real strong

NekoRetsu (Yuki Aino, Nodoka Onesan and Haruna Neko) vs Raku, Pom Harajuku and Marika Kobashi
- Onesan's final performance was great. Going to let out a single manly tear when she retires in March

Yuka Sakazaki vs Yuki Arai
- Yuka gonna haze the rookie. Too bad she didn't know that Arai loves that poo poo

Hikari Noa (c) vs Maki Itoh - International Princess Championship
- First 10 minutes were pretty bland, but it really picked up in the second half and had a cool finishing sequence

I know it's not for everyone, but TJPW continues to be just.so.fun

Nth to all.

Cerebral Bore posted:

MOTYC: Katsuyori Shibata vs ~Mystery Opponent~ NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 04.01

The swerve of the century followed by the most brutal pro wrestling clinic I've seen in a long, long time.

Nth.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 19:11

Oh Snapple!: Dec 27, 2005

Watching WK right now and just want to add in

WMOTYC
1/4 - Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Night 1

I don't understand why NJPW continues to hextuple down on these awful EVIL matches that suck and that no one likes. The english commentary acknowledging it actually makes it worse to me.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 20:06

Kevino07: Oct 16, 2008

Someone helpfully linked to this match in the WWE thread, so can add another match to the WMOTYC pile and save New Japan's blushes:

WMOTYC: AJ Styles vs. Omos - WWE Raw, 01/03

~4 minutes of dogshit

https://streamlala.com/jGOfr/

# ? Jan 4, 2022 21:51

MassRafTer: May 26, 2001; BAEST MODE!!!

Kevino07 posted:

Someone helpfully linked to this match in the WWE thread, so can add another match to the WMOTYC pile and save New Japan's blushes:

WMOTYC: AJ Styles vs. Omos - WWE Raw, 01/03

~4 minutes of dogshit

https://streamlala.com/jGOfr/

Seconded this ruled.

# ? Jan 4, 2022 22:05

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 07:25

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

Wrestling Kingdom Night 1

HM: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Ren Narita
HM: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Dangerous Tekkers
HM: Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado
MOTYC: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi

# ? Jan 4, 2022 22:34

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > 2022's Best and Worst Pro-Wrestling Matches of the Year (plus Recommended)

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