Last year I kept a running list of my favorite professional wrestling matches from around the globe. Nothing fancy—just the names of the competitors, the promotion and date of each bout that blew my socks off.
The idea was to be able to look back at the end of 2020 and be fully prepared to construct a year-end “Best Of” list (something required by law if you want to be part of the combat sports media).
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out quite as planned. Yes, I had a long list of matches I had supposedly admired. But, due to a combination of aging and stupidity, I often found myself at a loss when trying to recall why I had loved a match. Or, if I’m being honest, any of the pertinent details about the contest.
Long story short, I didn’t want to make the same mistake this year. Now, in addition to a list of matches (particularly great bouts in bold) I’ve included a brief summary of each, hoping to remind myself, and anyone else reading, what it was that stood out in my mind in the moment.
Seven promotions are represented below—an indication that there is still a lot of good wrestling left unwatched. I’ll update each month as things come to my attention. In fact, if you see something missing, please contact me so I can check it out!
Shaq/Jade Cargill vs. Cody/Red Velvet (AEW, 3/3): This was a shockingly good celebrity match built for weeks on NBA side programming and Hollywood press. And by good, I don't mean "good for what it was" or "better than expected." I mean genuinely good. Shaq was used perfectly and gave his all to the match. He was great BEFORE the big table spot, moving well and completely unafraid to go hard. Timidity usually does the celebrity in, a natural fear of hurting someone making them pull their punches or avoid hard contact when good wrestling requires it.
Not Shaq, who chopped the crap out of Cody, powerbombed him and generally worked like the giant he is. The match built smartly, peaking with a truly epic spot that saw the NBA legend crash through two tables clearly not meant to hold a man of his size. A moment that will live forever in the minds of all who witnessed it.
Kay Lee Ray vs. Meiko Satomura (NXT UK, 3/4): I didn't think this was possible, but Kay Lee Ray and Meiko Satomura totally lived up to the hype. Despite the hyperbolic buildup, they somehow managed to exceed my expectations, delivering a match that was elegant in its simplicity. The match was at its best when Satomura had the lead, working holds that made me wince and delivering thudding (dare I say "Walter-esque)" strikes to her opponent. Ray, however, held her own against one of the best in the world.
There are continuous calls from the hardcore fans to move both NXT UK champions over to America to work bigger events. But I kind of like them right where they are. Rather than blend into the mass of talent WWE has in the States, they can make this weekly one hour show a must-see block of television.
Great O-Khan vs. Tetsuya Naito (NJPW, 3/4): A huge upset in the first round of the New Japan Cup, with O-Khan getting the biggest win of his young career. O-Khan has been a breathe of fresh air in New Japan, an actual big man working a big man's style in a promotion filled with wrestlers basically doing the same thing. He used his size to his advantage here, rag-dolling and big brothering Naito throughout.
I would have been content with merely a strong showing. Getting the Duke is huge—and hopefully a sign that the promotion is ready to move on an act with a unique aesthetic and style.
Minoru Suzuki vs. Tomoaki Honma (NJPW, 3/6): Poor Honma. He's given his everything to this sport and is left as the shell of a man, unable to turn his head or even talk in a normal manner. Such was his sacrifice for the business. Half comedian, half tragic figure, the pathos of his backstage comments is one of New Japan's most consistently fascinating recurring themes.
He's constantly on edge, afraid it is all over, afraid he can't keep up with his peers, afraid of the facade cracking. With that in mind, please know that this *** match is the absolute best he's capable of. He got into the ring with Suzuki, matched him for intensity and mostly didn't mess anything up. Considering the circumstances, this was a triumph.
Adam Page vs. Matt Hardy (AEW, 3/7): Matt Hardy's in-ring career with AEW has been a rough go. He's struggled to keep up with the faster style the promotion generally favors and his most memorable moment featured his head cracking on the concrete after a table bump gone wrong, a brain jarring injury that would land him on the shelf for weeks.
In "Hangman" Adam Page, Hardy has finally found a rival he's compatible with—Page's more straight-forward, traditional style is one Hardy understands and can slot himself into. The result was a fun, solid match worthy of pay-per-view.
Sting/Darby Allin vs. Ricky Starks/Brian Cage (AEW, 3/7): This was a cinematic match worthy of the name. Artfully shot, atmospheric and well thought out, this was the best case scenario designed to make the most out of a 60-something sting. Everyone looked like a star here—each man has a real presence and this really added to they mystique building around Darby as a modern day Sabu, a stuntman willing to take risks others have never even considered.
Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley (AEW, 3/7): No, the explosion that was supposed to tie a bow on the entire match didn't work out especially well. On television there were some sparklers and a poof of smoke—hardly befitting the buildup to an exploding barded wire death match. It's a shame—the match itself was one for the ages, Kenny Omega's attempt to add the "death match" to the wrestling style he has mastered.
The bout itself was tense, thrilling and wonderfully performed by both men. The borrowed some psychology from masters like Atsuhi Onita, while always remaining true to themselves. Some highly regarded AEW matches tilt dangerously close towards being little more than cosplay. This wasn't that kind of match. Instead, we saw two modern masters working at the height of their powers. If only the smoke machine and fireworks had performed as well as the wrestlers.
Matt Jackson vs. Rey Fenix (AEW, 3/10): If you've followed me for long, you're probably aware that the Young Bucks style of "wrestling" that has invaded the sport isn't exactly my cup of tea. Too performative, too cooperative, too hard to believe they are actually fighting.
That said—very few people do it better than the Bucks. Their timing and performances are generally on point. And, when executed well, this style of match can be pretty cool to watch, like a highly stylized action sequence in a high end kung fu movie. Rey Fenix is one of the few wrestlers in the world capable of matching Jackson move for move without missing a beat (or a spot) and this was frenetic fun.
Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa (AEW, 3/17): A Lights Out street fight, and goddamn did these two women get after it. This wasn't dancey, choreographed bullshit. It was extreme violence, the kind of match you'd expect to see between to scarred veterans on the independent circuit. Tables! Thumbtacks! DOUBLE JUICE! Perfectly executed ultra-violence and the kind of match fans will talk about for years to come.
Trent Seven vs. Jordan Devlin (NXT UK, 3/18): Shocking to see Seven in a cruiserweight match. Last time I saw him, live in Houston for an NXT Takeover event, he was probably 50 pounds overweight. Though he'll never be a body guy, this looks like part of a healthy lifestyle change for him and I'm all for it. A good workrate match in the standard style of the moment. Some NXT UK matches have a very distinct British feel to them. This could be a match from any show, anywhere in the world minus the accents.
Still solid work, but just a note so you aren't expecting something different than the normal "good match" with guys doing the same stuff everyone does. Seven's intensity and Devlin's aggression, however, separate this from a dozen other "good" workrate matches you can see basically anywhere.
Chris Dickinson vs. Wheeler Yuta (Beyond Wrestling, 3/18): This match was a 10-minute sprint—and I liked that. Too often modern wrestlers think you need to go 20 or 30 minutes for a match to be worthwhile. The truth is, most wrestlers have about 10 good minutes and the rest is repetition or filler. This had neither.
Beyond's Signature Series has been a mixed bag on IWTV. This was a great match. But earlier on the same show, I saw one of the worst matches of the year. I guess you take the good with the bad. And, when the good is this much fun, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese (WWE, 3/19): Tony Nese is one of wrestling's most unsung talents, a consistently excellent cruiserweight in the contemporary indy-style. He's got an in-ring personality, a great look and impeccable execution. But, to me at least, it feels like everything that happens on 205 Live happens in a vacuum.
If this match had been on RAW or something, the hardcores would have raved about it. Or, at least, complained about the booking. Something. Instead, I heard nothing at all about this match, one of many solid efforts lost to all but the few 205 Live true believers.
Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE, 3/21): Just two big, hulking guys walking around the building beating the crap out of each other. Would have preferred a little more wrestling, but this is the kind of match you expect to blow off a feud like this. A well-executed version of WWE's hardcore match but a distinct step behind the Reigns-Owens version earlier in the year.
Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WWE, 3/21): This was a classic championship match, a throwback to yesteryear. It was worked like an actual athletic contest with Bryan attempting to work to his strengths as a technician and Reigns occasionally securing the advantage with brute strength and physical prowess.
Paul Heyman, a genius on the outside, sold everything perfectly, helping get over the story of the bout with his subtle expressions and mannerisms watching on the ring apron. A sports entertainment finish, but at this point that's one of the costs of buying in on WWE programming. You just kind of have to deal with it, even as it prevents a match you love from becoming an all-time classic.
Akira vs. Hoodfoot (Paradigm Pro Wrestling, 3/24): This bout was fought under "UWF-I rules." All of the PPW matches from this series look like they are worked by people who have read the ruleset but never actually seen a UWF-I match (or any competitive grappling of any kind). If you're a fan of shootstyle or MMA, as I am, you kind of have to put aside the fact that you know a man Akira's size isn't going to be hitting clean, pretty takedowns against a man Hoodfoot's size or that striking doesn't really look like that.
Basically, you have to grapple with the fact this isn't really shootstyle at all and deal with what it is—a pretty cool wrestling match. They've done a good job establishing Hoodfoot's right hand as a finisher. The fact it's technically illegal under the ruleset is not something they discuss at all.
Kenny Omega vs. Matt Sydal (AEW, 3/24): Omega is such a polarizing presence—but it's hard to deny his in-ring excellence. This match was the perfect example. He completely adjusted his style and his moveset in this fight, playing up the size difference and working it nicely into the narrative.
Omega may not do it for everyone, but he's the ultimate example of this generation's ideal of what wrestling is supposed to be. Don Callis, a spokesman on a level above anyone wrestling has seen in years, adds a ton to the act—one that's starting to feel like a real world champion.
Lucha Bros/Laredo Kid vs. Young Bucks/Brandon Cutler (AEW, 3/24): Announcer Jim Ross called it a "human car crash" and that's the perfect description for this kind of match, one that has quickly become an AEW staple. If you've watched this promotion, you can probably imagine exactly what this looked like—six men running through a succession of high spots for 15 minutes, no break for storytelling beats or even to breathe. It can be a lot to take in. But, for this style, no one does it better than these teams.
Chris Dickinson vs. Blake Christian (NJPW Strong, 3/26): Christian's NXT appearance kind of gave the result of this one away. Sure enough, Dickinson advanced to the New Japan Cup USA tournament and Christian was wished well in his future endeavors. Another short Dickinson match, but damn is the guy good.
Not only does he have solid looking offense, he's a really good base for the new breed of technical flyer like Christian. In the past year Dickinson has snuck his way onto my list of wrestling favorites—and is quickly climbing towards the top.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins (WWE, 3/26): Fast paced. all-action match that was basically a rehash of their pay-per-view match the previous week, only with all the filler removed. Nakamura hasn't been Nakamura for some time. He may never be again. But this kind of match reminds you of what he once was—and that's a damn fine professional wrestler.
Calvin Tankman vs. Jacob Fatu (MLW, 3/31): Jacob Fatu is the goods. The MLW world champion could go to any promotion in the world and be immediately inserted in the main event scene and fit right in. He's a physical anomaly who brings the kind of size and athleticism to the ring that you just can't teach. Tankman is similar (although without the same TV-ready look). He burst onto the independent scene last year and was soon a staple of all the most popular contemporary promotions around.
His presence brought something unique to the table—Fatu, who weighs nearly 300 pounds, has rarely been anything but the biggest man in the ring. He looked up to Tankman, providing this match a fairly unique setup and forced Fatu to work a little differently.
Christian Cage vs. Frankie Kazarian (AEW, 3/31): You would never guess, just watching this match, that Christian is 47-years-old and several years removed from the business. He didn’t miss a single beat, working a long, complicated match with his old Impact foe and delivering a really compelling, dramatic contest. Only the well-earned wrinkles and gray in his beard betrays him. I’m not completely convinced that he is a main eventer in this company—but he proved on night one that he can work a sophisticated modern match.