Jaysin Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Not sure why this idea popped into my head, but at the end of the year when everyone is talking about their picks for the match of the year, the majority of the candidates are more from the second half of the year since they're more recent in everyone's memory. The idea behind this thread is that we can post the matches we feel should be brought up at the end of the year as they happen so that when we get near the end of the year, we have a nice easy way to go back and look at what we've really enjoyed over the year. Also a good way of discovering matches you may not have seen mentioned elsewhere if you don't frequent the promotion threads you don't watch. These are just my personal picks, so feel free to share yours. For the month of January off the top of my head: New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 12 from January 4th NEVER Openweight Championship Hair vs Hair and No Managers Death Match Minoru Suzuki© vs Hirooki Goto IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Four Way Marty Scurll© vs Will Ospreay vs Hiromu Takahashi vs Kushida IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship No DQ Match Kenny Omega© vs Chris Jericho IWGP Heavyweight Championship Singles Match Kazuchika Okada© vs Tetsyua Naito NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia from January 27th NXT Championship Singles Match Andrade "Cien" Almas© vs Johnny Gargano The New Beginning in Sapporo Night One from January 27th IWGP Intercontinental Championship Singles Match Hiroshi Tanahashi© vs Minoru Suzuki The New Beginning in Sapporo Night Two from January 28th IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Singles Match Kenny Omega© vs Jay White The New Beginning in Osaka from February 10th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Singles Match Will Ospreay© vs Hiromu Takashashi IWGP Heavyweight Championship Singles Match Kazuchika Okada© vs SANADA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Avalanche Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 <p>I've only heard one other match being mentioned seriously, and that's Timothy Thatcher vs WALTER at Progress Chapter 62, 28th of January.</p><p> </p><p> Edit: And now I have watched it, and I have to say, it's my pick so far this year. Great match.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mootinie Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 <p>I love this idea. In-ring quality wise, wrestling has rarely been better so it's perhaps appropriate to pay tribute whilst it lasts.</p><p> </p><p> My pick not on your list already Jaysin would be Volador, Jr vs El Barbaro Cavernario from Fantastica Mania. I thought it was superb, I'm sure it'll likely be forgotten by year's end but for 20 minutes it was hugely exciting. One of those matches that benefited from its simplicity, you could have held it in Britain and it would have succeeded just as well as it did here.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysin Posted February 11, 2018 Author Share Posted February 11, 2018 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Dr_Avalanche" data-cite="Dr_Avalanche" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="44910" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I've only heard one other match being mentioned seriously, and that's Timothy Thatcher vs WALTER at Progress Chapter 62, 28th of January.<p> </p><p> Edit: And now I have watched it, and I have to say, it's my pick so far this year. Great match.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I've written that one down so I can check it out later. I love Thatcher. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Mootinie" data-cite="Mootinie" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="44910" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I love this idea. In-ring quality wise, wrestling has rarely been better so it's perhaps appropriate to pay tribute whilst it lasts.<p> </p><p> My pick not on your list already Jaysin would be Volador, Jr vs El Barbaro Cavernario from Fantastica Mania. I thought it was superb, I'm sure it'll likely be forgotten by year's end but for 20 minutes it was hugely exciting. One of those matches that benefited from its simplicity, you could have held it in Britain and it would have succeeded just as well as it did here.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Very good pick. The crowd was fairly indifferent at first, but they sucked the audience in and had a great match. I think it could have worked anywhere honestly. I've always enjoyed Volador Jr and this was my first experience with Barbaro and I instantly became a fan. Both men looked like stars before the match was finished.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milamber Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 <p>My top 2 rated matches so far:</p><p> </p><p> Andrade "Cien" Almas© vs Johnny Gargano - *****</p><p> Hiroshi Tanahashi© vs Minoru Suzuki - **** 3/4</p><p> </p><p> Haven't seen Thatcher vs WALTER yet or any matches from the latest NJPW event.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Final Countdown Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Right now Jericho vs. Omega is my #1. I'd probably go Okada vs. SANADA from yesterday as my #2, and Tanahashi vs. Suzuki as #3. The only WWE I've seen this year is the Rumble PPV, so I can't judge Gargano vs. Almas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysin Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Finally got to watch New Beginning in Osaka last night and ended up having my breath taken away by Hiromu/Will and Okada/SANADA. Seems like everywhere everyone is only singing Will's praises when Hiromu more than held up his end of the bargain. Then again, I've loved Hiromu since the first time I saw him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Nection Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 I would have to say Almas vs. Gargano with Jericho vs. Omega being a ridiculously close second. It is amazing that it is only February and this many high quality matches have already taken place....good god its good to be a wrestling fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I think my favourite match so far this year is Suzuki vs Goto from Wrestle Kingdom. It was just great and there have been so many great matches from all over the world that it truly is a great time to be a wrestling fan. I'll definitely be checking out all of the matches I haven't yet had the chance to watch, this thread is going to be super helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn michaels Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I would have to say Almas vs. Gargano with Jericho vs. Omega being a ridiculously close second. It is amazing that it is only February and this many high quality matches have already taken place....good god its good to be a wrestling fan. I second that. Gargano vs. Almas was the best for me so far. It had everything a wrestling match should have without overdoing it. Alpha vs. Omega is my second. But hey, they year is still young, so we might as well enjoy the quality while it lasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Roguey Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Dragon Gate starting uncharacteristically hot this year. Masaaki Mochizuki vs Kzy on the 07.02.18 Korakuen Hall show is an absolute barnstormer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysin Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 Dragon Gate starting uncharacteristically hot this year. Masaaki Mochizuki vs Kzy on the 07.02.18 Korakuen Hall show is an absolute barnstormer. Is there a legal way to check that out? Does DG have a streaming service? I know All-Japan just announced one for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Avalanche Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 No proper legal way to watch Dragon Gate at the moment. Their shows are available as streams by the people that ran Realhero Archive (may it rest in peace). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mootinie Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 I've added Mephisto vs Titán from CMLL's show on January 23rd to my list. I don't think it was necessarily a Match of the Year class match but so far, only Gargano vs Almas is higher on my list (I still have NJPW New Beginning stuff to watch mind you). This match was all about Titán, he's spectacular to watch but there was actually little of that here and when there was, it was more purposeful than your standard displays of athleticism that have been commonplace in the lucha I have watched. This match was all about working smartly and getting the crowd behind the idea that Titán could dethrone a rudo that's over 20 years his senior from his title reign of over 600 days. I've gone ****1/4 on it, a definite recommendation and with CMLL being nice enough to upload all their shows on YouTube, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mootinie Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 <p>Último Guerrero & Volador, Jr. vs Rush & Terrible from CMLL's Arena Mexico show on Friday is on my list. </p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo"><div><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xnczGJl5WU8?start=5904&feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 23 DE FEBRERO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA"></iframe></div></div> <p> </p><p> This is the final of a tag team tournament where luchadors of opposite allegiances are put together into tag teams. Rush and Terrible have formed a genuine connection and Rush wants Terrible to join Los Ingobernables, but will he? That is the question.</p><p> </p><p> The match rules are best of three falls but you have to score on both members of the opposing team to win said fall. Once you have been pinned or have submitted, you are eliminated from the match until that fall has concluded. If anybody has seen the legendary Eddie Guerrero & Art Barr vs. El Hijo del Santo & Octagon Jr. from 1994 (still a five star match even today), the rules are the same. I'm sure Chris Cruise explains it better in that match.</p><p> </p><p> UG and Volador, Jr are top rudo and top tecnico in CMLL respectively but despite being rivals they genuinely work really well together, particularly during the second fall and the crowd get right behind everything that is going on here. Lots of moving parts with regards the story but it's masterful how they tie it all together, leading to the dramatic finish that everybody wanted to see. A brilliant match, as good as anything I have seen so far this year. ****1/2</p><p> </p><p> Also on this show was a good Niebla Roja vs. Soberano Jr lightning match (10 minute time limit, one fall). I'd rate it ****, so it doesn't go on my list but it's definitely worth checking out.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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