Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Only ten years late :P This features reviews from 2015 through 2026. A good amount were done in 2015 before I decided to stop reviewing within the same year and let things breathe. I reviewed matches predominantly from WWE & New Japan, but also included matches from All Japan, Big Japan, Lucha Underground, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Tenryu Project, TNA. Indies are the main oversight, but that is what ten years now is for. :)
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| I was live with my brother in Philadelphia for 2015 Match of the Year! Photo courtesy of moi. |
I included a list of my four star and four and a quarter star matches and then present my full reviews for the 4.5 and 4.75 star matches. I did not rate matches from 2015 5 stars. I dont necessarily think any single year has to have a 5 star match, but I would like to bump one of the four 4.75 star matches up to a full five in the next ten years if that is possible. My top 4.5 star is Sasha Banks vs Bayley for NXT Womens Title in Brooklyn the night before Summerslam, which would round out the top five.
As for the Top 4 matches all rated at 4.75 stars I decided to rank those the other tiers are just ordered in chronological order. The Nakamura/Okada match was watched/reviewed in 2015, the Tanahashi/Okada match was watched/reveiwed in 2019 and then Becky/Sasha and the Royal Rumble Triple Threat (Lesnar/Cena/Rollins) were reviewed in 2025, but watched in 2015. I was at the Royal Rumble live. So I had to lean heavily on my reviews to compare the New Japan matches to the WWE matches which are fresher in my head.
I decided to go with Tanahashi/Okada Tokyo Dome 1/4 at #4 because I think that review pointed to most flaws of a section petering out and I know I like the Invasion Attack 2013 match more so that match seems more permanently stuck at 4.75 stars, but I think obviously think it is a tremendous match and that their series should be watched in order from 2012 through 2016.
Becky/Sasha May 2015 at #3 is tough for me because every year for the Great Match Ever Project I have put this match in my Top 100, but reading the reviews back I just dont think this has enough gas to make it to the top. Still #3 for the year and #5 for Bayley/Sasha when American Womens Wrestling would never even dream of sniffing a list like this in 2013 is an AMAZING accomplishment. I liken Becky/Sasha to the famous Ohtani/Samurai January 1996 match a minimalist dream match. It is not that there is a flaw they just didnt have that half gear in it.
At #2 is the match I am most hazy on but I do have memories of being amazing and reading back my review it sounds undeniable. I think if I watch this back this has a great chance of being 5 stars. Nakamura vs Okada G-1 Climax Semifinals sounds like the ultimate counter-wrestler versus offensive juggernaut match and it is thrilling from start to finish. I cant wait to check that back out and recommend you do as well.
At #1, it may be due to recency bias, it may be due to the fact, I was there live, but either or fuck it I am putting it down as the 2015 Match of the Year for the WWE Championship pitting Brock Lesnar against John Cena against Seth Rollins at the Royal Rumble. I think this is the best 21st Century-style match ever. I dont think this is best match to take place in the 21st Century. There are plenty 20th Century style matches that take place in the 21st Century that are better than this. But in terms of being a 21st Century Workrate classic married to excellent character work by all three men this is hard to beat. Crazy to think me and my brother saw the Match of the Year in 2015. Did we repeat fate in 2016? We do have a shot, but you will check out when I do my 2016 Match of the Year Blog if we did! :)
AJPW Triple Crown Champion Joe Doering vs Go Shiozaki - AJPW 01/03/15
WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella vs Paige (WWE Main Event 01/06/15)
BJPW Strong Heavyweight Champion Shuji Ishikawa vs Daisuke Sekimoto - BJPW 3/31/15
KUSHIDA vs Kyle O'Reilly - NJPW 6/7/15
IWGP Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Kazuchika Okada - Dominion 7.5.15
Katsuyori Shibata vs Kota Ibushi - NJPW G-1 Climax 7/29/15
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs AJ Styles - NJPW G-1 Climax 8/14/15
NXT Womens Champion Bayley vs Sasha Banks - NXT 10/7/15 Iron Woman
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs AJ Styles - King of Pro Wrestling 10/12/15
Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker - WWE Hell In A Cell 2015
Four & One Quarter Star Matches
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi - Wrestle Kingdom 9
AJ Styles vs Tetsuya Naito - Wrestle Kingdom 9
IWGP Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Kota Ibushi - Invasion Attack 4/5/15
Pentagon Jr. vs Vampiro - Lucha Underground 8/5/15 Street Fight
Tomohiro Ishii vs Tomoaki Honma - NJPW 8/12/15
NEVER Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii vs Tomoaki Honma - NJPW 11/7/15
Four & Half Star Matches - 9 Matches
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs AJ Styles - New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/15
My two favorite wrestlers on the planet right now meeting for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship is always a good thing. I really liked their October title change from 2014 and thought this was even better. They should some learned psychology as Tanahashi had AJ's dropkick scouted early and AJ knew Tanahashi's somersault off the apron. I also thought they did not just do a let me run my spots and now you run through yours, which is really common in this day and age. We did not see every single Tanahashi stock spot nor did we see every single one of AJ's instead they worked in those that made sense and they really really connected each spot very well. I think what I like the most about both Tanahashi and Styles is their ability to be urgent and patient at the same time. Everything feels important without being rushed. I think it is the rushing around that gives a lot of matches nowadays an exhibition feel to them. This felt like a classic heavyweight championship match and these two are the best at that style.
I really liked the opening matwork everything flowed from the lockup well. AJ scrambling away from a Tanahashi leg takedown knowing Tana's propensity to target his opponent's legs was a nice touch. I liked AJ really grinding that headlock and Tanahashi moving into a top wristlock and finally some arm work. You dont get to see much arm work from Tanahashi, but it was good and AJ was great keeping it moving while staying in the armbar. AJ broke free was thinking dropkick using his usual criss cross sequence, but Tanahashi put on the brakes and went back to the arm. As a long time AJ fan, it is little touches like that which keep me off balance. AJ eventually did score with the dropkick to send Tanahashi to the outside, but Tanahashi came back into the ring dodging a flying bodypress and hitting his own dropkick. Nice symmetry. However, AJ knew the somersault off the apron was coming and moved leaving Tanahashi to crash and burn. Of course, we got the Bullet Club to lay the boots on Tanahashi. Capn New Japan tried to make a save, but he got creamed. AJ was so fucking crisp on offense and did a great job targeting the back of Tanahashi with some excellently executed backbreakers. I thought Tanahashi did a great job peppering in the hope spots, but did not go overboard. I liked how vocal AJ was like when he went for a top wristlock after Tana's wristlock and said "How do you like it?" or his "WOAH!" taking a backdrop. Screw the haters, Tanahashi full weight somersault splash off the middle rope looks devastating. Tanahashi hit High Fly Flow on the entire Bullet Club was an amazing visual, but unfortunately for he knocked heads with one of the Jacksons and busted himself open by his left eye. OW! Clearly disoriented, AJ was able to suplex him hard into the turnbuckles. AJ looked for Bloody Sunday his set up for Styles Clash to take advantage of the situation as he was now more desperate given Tanahashi recent flurry and wanted to end it sooner rather than later. Tanahashi maneuvered into his setup for High Fly Flow, which is the Human Capture Suplex. I love that sense of escalation. AJ distracted the ref to back leg ball shot Tanahashi, which was a great desperation move and when the Bullet Club tried to further distract the ref it backfired with Tanahashi hitting his OWN BALLSHOT! I marked out for that hard. Great way to level the playing field before the big run to the finish. There were a couple mistimings between these two the most obvious was supposed to be an AJ enziguiri turned Dragon Leg Screw, which ended up just being an enziguiri because he actually kicked him. Tanahashi covered well, but AJ was a little slow realizing what was happening, but once he did he covered nicely with "Oh you want another one." Tanahashi hit Sling Blade, but knees up on High Fly Flow and he did NOT work on the knees. AJ is able to recover faster, but he eats knees on the Springboard 450. Nice symmetry. Tanahashi goes for the HFF again, but Styles lunges into the ropes and Tanahashi falls on his already sore balls. :P
Styles wants the Frankensteiner, but Tanahashi almost turns it into a Style Clash, but AJ knows the counter. Again, AJ freaked out about almost losing, immediately stops dicking around and tries for the win by hoisting Tanahashi off the top rope into a Style Clash and there is a great struggle before Styles just drops down with Hollow Point. I feel like that should be his super finisher rather than just a set up. Bloody Sunday leads to Styles Clash for the win.
Amazing escalation from the opening feel out process that established how well these two knew each other and how they will both need to dig deep into their bag of tricks to keep the other guessing, great transition to the heat segment with scouting leading to AJ taking control, transition out of the heat was unremarkable admittedly, great high spot with the High Fly Flow on everyone, really well done escalation from the set up moves, nice fun wrinkle with the ballshots, each going for a home run, but missing, only for AJ to have a little more gas left when knocked Tanahashi off the top. AJ did throw a couple nice hammer punches to the eye, but I would have liked to seen that more exploited. There were a couple botches and really it was missing that really memorable hook to make this an all-timer. As is, this is awesome, awesome heavyweight wrestling that I just love. I have this #2 behind Tanahashi/Ibushi. ****1/2
NEVER Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii vs Tomoaki Honma - NJPW 2/14/15
Big, meaty Riki Choshu-style wrestling! War of attrition, lots of macho pride and big bombs! This has the interesting wrinkle of Honma, the super underdog that the crowd just loves. There were NO Ishii chants and that almost never happens with a Japanese crowd. Japanese wrestling crowds are like tennis crowd they usually root for whoever is losing to rally and therefore keep the match going. Even when Ishii was getting his ass beat, the crowd wanted Honma to win, which is crazy.
I loved the escalation of this match and how the offensive strategies were intertwined. It felt like each man had to earn their offense and earn their big bombs. It took Honma four tries before he could hit his trademark falling headbutt. The first failures is what gave Ishii openings. It was a sudden Honma DDT (great sell job by Ishii, he is so great at selling the neck in the moment) that yielded him the opportunity to land that falling headbutt on Ishii's taped shoulder no less. Then things escalated. It took Ishii three tries to hit his trademark delayed superplex from the top rope and took Honma two tries to hit his top rope diving headbutt. I like how they both had big bombs from the top rope and how that symmetry played out. Another great spot that really showcased that symmetry was an apron spot. Apron spots since All Japan are major match turning spots. Ishii went for his trademark delayed vertical similar to his superplex but this time from the apron. Honma fought and shoved Ishii into the metal turnbuckle face first. If this was Crockett, he was coming up bleeding. Honma hit an insane top rope headbutt to the floor on Ishii. I love how one man's trademark bomb turned into another's. From there it was off to the races. The Honma finish run was absolutely electric and heated. The crowd and myself was biting on every nearfall. The lunging headbutt to the back of the head was nasty and really cool. The Brainbuster popped me huge and then the Island Driver! I kinda knew after that sequence he was not winning, but in the moment the heat was unreal. Ishii sold it all very well to make you believe. Loved all the big, meaty Lariats down the stretch. I normally don't like the shoot headbutts, BUT you could feel the match slipping through Honma's fingers so he just throws his desperation headbutt that stun Ishii. He goes for a lunging one and MISSES! Ishii nails him with his own headbutt! Ishii knocks him out with a second one. The Brainbuster polishes Honma off.
The end of the day Ishii beat Honma at his own game. He was more resilient than Honma outlasting him during that hot finish run. Then he beat him using headbutts, which is nasty. I didnt like the Kobashi/Sasaki tribute at the beginning and the strike exchanges at times were tiresome. The selling was weird. Sometimes, they were overselling, Honma did a deadfish flop about 3 minutes into the match. Then other times they werent selling shit. Register, dudes, register. Honestly for me offensive strategy, how they mesh, escalation and the psychology derived from there is more important to me and this really rocked for me. Based on what I wrote and rated the 2014 series, this should go down as one of the all-time great series. ****1/2
Mil Muertes vs Fenix - Lucha Underground 3/18/15 Casket Match
In my opinion, the most famous match of Lucha Underground, so famous is that I sought it out and watched it back in 2015. My recollection is that this rocked! The story of this match is that Fenix was the first man to beat Mil Muertes (Thousand Deaths in English), but it was kinda flukey. In the following match, Muertes' manager, Catrina threw the Magic Stone to Fenix and he clobber Mil with it. Catrina gave Mil the Lick of Death and then snogged Fenix. So Catrina, who is pretty jacked, was she a wrestler?, is with Fenix. Mil is doubly pissed for losing to this pipsqueek and losing his woman. Fenix is such a great babyface. AEW has really squandered Pentagon & Fenix thus far. Big charisma in both!
Muertes Suicide Dive for the red hot start! Muertes is Mesias for TNA & AAA fans and in my research, I found out he is Puerto Rican, which I didnt know. Mesias is kicking ass and he is looking better than I remember from TNA watching. Fenix uses a quick kick to gain control, but tries to set up for a long run to dropkick but Muertes moves out of the way and Fenix bumps on the apron. Fenix uses another kick to the head to set up a Swandive over the top to the floor. That's what Fenix needs to do against the bigger and more powerful. Big aerial assault with lots of velocity to create momentum to compensate for his lack of mass.
Muertes rises from the dead and Chops the hell out of Fenix's back. Slams his head into the Casket. Stop calling it a box you fucking idiot, Striker. Muertes beats Fenix with the Floral Arrangement I enjoy that. Fenix DDTs Muertes on the Casket. Fenis goes for another dives but ends up spearing the Casket! Muertes had lifted the Casket as a shield . Sick spot, probably the best of the match. Muertes tears the mask of Fenix almost clean off. Then does the bottom turnbuckle and smashes the turnbuckles into his head. The crowd chants "We Want Blood". Hell Yeah! Lucha Underground is best violent brawling territory of the 2010s. Muertes gnawing at the cut while choking him with the turnbuckle. This is fucking awesome! He beats Fenix up the stairs. This is a fantastic heat segment. Fenix is selling like a million bucks. They are up in the balcony. Muertes slams Fenix face-first into some metal vent duct. Damn! They teased a big highspot, but nada. Muertes POWERBOMBS Fenix on the announce table, but it doesnt break! That hurt! Fenix is selling like a million bucks while bleeding like a stuck pig.
Muertes has dragged the Casket into the ring. Fenix takes a wicked bump, a back drop into the Casket and that's quite the dent. Back to biting the cut! Spitting Fenix's blood. Best Lucha Underground match of all time, baby! Superkick by Fenix! Got to go for headshots! Muertes big time Uppercut! Codebreaker from the top by Mil Muertes! Blood is just spurting from Fenix, who is selling so damn well. Mil wooden chair throws to the head! I love Chair Throws! Another big head kick by Fenix. It has been his best offense. Just keep trying to kick his head off. This sets up the Bleacher dive on Muertes. Kick to head->Dive is his best offensive combination. He deviated it from it again and back to getting slammed into the metal railing, repeatedly. Superkick to the head again and Moonsault from railing to Muertes. Head Kick->Dive! Keep it up! They slug it out. Muertes accidentally decks Catrina. He hestiates and Fenix Enziguiri! Head kick! Muertes bites the cut in retaliation! Catrina opens the Casket as they are struggling over a Suplex. BIG ROUNDHOUSE KICK TO THE HEAD! Fenix walks the ropes and Double Stomp! Catrina Lick Of Death to the Magic Stone and throws it into the Casket.
If Catrina still wants to be in wrestling, a promotion should look into picking her up, she has a great presence and charisma to her. Fantastic bloody brawl. Muertes was a powerhouse, horror movie monster come to life and just destroying Fenix. Fenix, bloody & battered, just kept fighting back and I loved the Kick To The Head/Dive Offensive Combination that was the theme of the match and that was ultimately the finish too! One of the best matches of the 2010s! ****1/2
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns - WrestleMania XXXI
"Think shoot, but work" - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
I have not spoken about that mantra much, but the first minute of this WAR epitomizes the essence of great pro wrestling: "Think shoot, but work." How many pro wrestling matches have we seen Brock Lesnar start by bullrushing his opponent, double legging him and then driving him hard into the corner. Roman looks to head him off at the pass. This looked like two rams colliding and locked in a heated clash for supremacy. It was chaotic. It was organic. It had me three years later pumping my fist. The way Brock ended up manhandling Roman in the corner was great. Brock comes out with a mouse under his eye that gets worse & worse as the match progressing and blood dribbling down from his cheek. Brock phases Roman and then chucks him out of the corner. F-5!!!! BOOM! Playing right off the Cena Summerslam 2014 match. The key to Lesnar's lopsided defeat of Cena was that early F-5. Cena had some hope spots but he never recovered and Brock ran away with it in a squash. Here it was the same thing. I will say Brock looked in phenomenal shape in this match. His throws looked amazing. There was great variety like the Fisherman Suplex throw and the overhead Belly to Belly from the apron to the ring. Just insane strength. He commanded that ring. I thought Roman's hope spots were incredible. Everything had zip on it. The back elbow and then those two HUGE punches to the mouse under Brock's eye. Brock had some great strikes as well some really great kneelifts. My favorite spot of the match which is the spot I remember the most from this match is when Roman catches Brock charging with a knee. Then Roman CRACKS Brock in the mouth hard with a knee drawing blood from Lesnar's mouth. This just serves to piss The Beast off. Brock catches Roman's leg on the apron and proceeds to OBLITERATE Roman with a lariat that would make Stan Hansen proud. I mean HOLY SHIT! What a LARIAT! He smoked Roman! What I love about this is that was a major turning point. There were no more hope spots after that. It was just pure decimation. I am going to bring my complaint now. So Brock having conquered Roman looks to put him away with the F-5 and Roman kicks out and defiantly smiles & laughs. There were a couple times before this where Roman was using the sarcastic smile/laugh to put over his defiance/resilience. I just don't like this as an artistic choice. I think it undercuts the match. If you are going to do defiance, do it like Hashimoto, BOW UP & BELLOW!
I thought the transition to Roman's comeback was pitch perfect. Roman was too deep in a hole. He needed some luck, something extra. It came in form of a shove into the post. Brock gets lacerated. Brock is just a mess, bleeding from the mouse under the eye, from the mouth and now from the forehead. I have said it before and I will say it again and I will let ring from the mountaintops, Brock Lesnar is the BEST SELLER in the WWE right now. That's where he makes his money. The way he sells the Superman Punches are amazing. He sells discombobulation so well. The way he flays. It generates so much excitement. You cant help but get on your feet, pump your fist because it feels like something crazy is about to happen. The Spears & Superman Punches were great. Catching Roman in the Superman Punch & the DEFIANT F-5 COMPLETE WITH BEAST ROAR WAS INCREDIBLE!!!! BROCK LESNAR IS ALL MAN!
At this point, Seth Rollins cashes-in Money In The Bank. I liked the finish a lot with Brock catching Rollins in the F-5, Reigns Spearing Brock while he had Rollins on his shoulders and then Rollins hitting the Curb Stomp on Reigns to win. I like the finish in the sense that if you are going to do the Money In The Bank Cash-in this was the best possible finish, but I would have much rather seen Brock vs Roman get a proper finish because it was an amazing, ultra-violent bout.
The Rollins stuff & the Roman laughing brings this down a smidge, but this is an awesome match. It is the Cena Summerslam 2014 match with the violence turned to 11. These two beat the holy hell out of each other. Watching it back I didn't think the heat segment went too long which was my complaint when I watched it live. I thought the hope spots from Roman were great and well-timed. I thought Lariat on the Apron was a great turning point to Brock's Finish run and the Post shot was a great transition to Roman's finish run. From the post-shot to the F-5 of Defiance is some of the best pro wrestling ever. Brock Lesnar is The Man! ****1/2
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi - G-1 Climax 7/20/15
So I have seen Ibushi go against two hard-hitting badasses. Lets see how he fares against the best counter-wrestler/tactician of this generation. Every NJPW fan and their brother could tell you what would happen in this match with Tanahashi targeting the knee, but predictable is not always bad as this match is fantastic and is currently my NJPW match of the year. Now relying on leg work in 2015 against a high flyer is always a risky proposition and yes the main flaw of this match is Ibushi continuing to wrestle his high flying style after extensive leg work. I felt like he did sell enough and Tanahashi kept going back to it that it did not hurt the match that much even if some of the flips seemed overboard given the psychology. Tanahashi looked great in this and really knew how to escalate the drama in this match. My only complaint about him is the same one was always is that he always incorporates the strike exchanges in his matches even though he is not good at them. I get it part of NJPW, but Tanahashi should avoid them.
Some nice chain wrestling to start as usual from Tanahashi. Ibushi scores the first big blow with speed in form of a dropkick and then kicks Tanahashi in the chest. The first fantastic sequence of the match is Tanahashi grabbing the leg elbowing it, but Ibushi avoids the dropkick to knee, but misses the standing moonsault which hurts the knee. That was a great bang bang play. Tanahashi is a master working over the leg and everything looked great. Ibushi was at his absolute selling the knee here. Crawling away from Tanahashi and being very vocal. Tanahashi is so great at playing that subtle dick heel while working the knee. Ibushi taking advantage of Tanahashi turning his back with a reverse crossbody attempt by dropkicking him out to the floor was perfect. It was a very sensible transition that was a pretty big bump for Tanahashi and set up Ibushi taking flight. Tanahashi made a mistake and Ibushi made him pay. Ibushi does fire off quite a few high flying moves (he sells at times) before Tanahashi is able to dropkick Ibushi leg out from under him and Ibushi sells that very well. Ibushi tries to escape, but Tanahashi dives at the leg and then HITS HIGH FLY FLOW TO THE OUTSIDE! That looked way sicker than Ibushi's moonsault. This is by far Ibushi's bets selling performance even if his offense requires him to be spotty. Dragon leg screw in the ropes repeatedly, gotta love that Tanahashi nostalgia! Tanahashi wants the Texas Cloverleaf, wicked kick to head and Tanahashi dropkicks knee and Ibushi fights through it to kick him. I think that was reasonable as Ibushi had to fight through the pain to survive. Strike exchange BOOOOOOOOOO! Kick to knee! YAY! Tana catches a kick and dragon leg screw. He gets the Texas Cloverleaf, but Ibushi makes ropes. Dragon suplex no Human Capture Suplex (with plenty of authority, haters keep hating), he gets Sling Blade on the third try. You know what time it is! HIGH FLY FLOW! Here comes number two! Eats knees, but Ibushi's knee is HURT! LOVE THAT PSYCHOLOGY! I really dug the match up until this point, but this was pretty much the Tanahashi formula just at work. The finish run kicks up to the next level. IBUSHI FUCKING LAWN DARTS TANAHASHI INTO THE TURNBUCKLE! HOLY SHIT BUMP OF THE YEAR! German Suplex over the top rope actually looks good. Wow! Tanahashi avoids powerbomb, but gets kicked in head. Ibushi is cooking! PHOENIX SPLASH CRASH & BURN! Exactly what Tanahashi needed because since the Lawn Dart he has been unable to get any offense. Tanahashi tries for HFF, but PELE! They botch the springboard Frankensteiner unfortunately still got a huge pop on nearfall. I dont really like the transition of the powerbomb with that neckbreaker. I much preferred Tanahashi catching the Pele and turning it into a dragon leg screw. Dragon Suplex sets up the High Fly Flow for the win.
Awesome fucking match. Tanahashi is so great at having traditional pro wrestling matches in 2015. There is always a great sense of strategy, flow, momentum and escalation. There is very little move trading. I happen to really like the Tanahashi formula of brekaing down an opponent through his legs to set up the finish run. I thought Ibushi did a great job selling and still got to shing with his high spots, but man did that finish sequence rule all. The Lawn Dart spot was insane. Ibushi really got a rattle off some hot nearfalls on The Man of New Japan. At the end of the day, the fact Ibushi had to turn off the selling does hurt this as do strike exchanges, but those are quibbles. This is fucking awesome. Watch this match! ****1/2
AJ Styles vs Kota Ibushi - G-1 Climax 7/26/15
Kayfabe-wise, this is a match between the #4 and #5 wrestler on the New Japan roster. What separates AJ right now from the rest of the pack is that he is able to beat two of the big three for the IWGP Championship. However, he is more prone than the rest of the Big Three to lose to upper midcard wrestlers like Ibushi and Naito. I like that booking of AJ. He has big credible wins over Tanahashi and Okada, but he is still susceptible to being upset. Ibushi had HUGE showings against Nakamura, Styles and Tanahashi on big stages, but the big victory always eluded him until this night. Not only was this a HUGE victory for Ibushi, but I thought it was even better than the championship match against AJ.
The story of the match was Ibushi's kicks & high flying moves against AJ's ability to counter the high flying arsenal of Ibushi. Ibushi was using his kicks to set up his aerial assault, but AJ was able to counter for the majority of the beginning of the match. After the opening chain wrestling, AJ went from his usual leapfrog-dropdown-dropkick, but Ibushi had it scouted and AJ had the Penalty Kick scouted, but Ibushi did miss with his second big kick to the chest. Ibushi started off in control and even swept the leg while AJ was on the apron, which caused an amazing AJ header bump on the apron. Ibushi kicks looked to set up a springboard move, but AJ hung him up neck first on the rope and then followed up with an urnage on the railing. OW! AJ's offense is so fucking crisp right now. He hit a left handed clothesline that was just massive. He has to win Best on Offense this year. Ibushi avoids the quebrada and hits a wicked German and it is back to the kicks. AJ goes after the injured fingers. I would have liked to see more of that. AJ hits a BEAUTIFUL spingboard forearm. Ibushi blockes the Styles Clash by dumping him over the top. He wants his German from the apron, but AJ counters into a Tombstone no wait it is a FRANKENSTEINER! It did not look that good, but it was a fun sequence. Ibushi hit his Asai from the turnbuckle, a good one. He wants his Phoenix Splash, but AJ shakes the ropes. HOLLOW POINT! "OOOOOOOOOOOO SHIT!" - Japanese Announcer. Hollow Point seems to be a set up for the Springboard 450 now, which I wish would finish off some matches. Uncharacteristically, AJ overshoots and Ibushi goes for the pin, but two. They trade strikes and Peles in really entertaining fashion. BLOODY SUNDAY! But only two. AJ goes to the top again. I just dont get it. They try a super duper standing top rope frankensteiner, but does not look great. Ibushi powerbomb and then PHOENIX SPLASH! HE HIT THE PHOENIX SPLASH! 1-2-3!
Offensively, this was a fucking clinic. I loved the story of Ibushi taking it to AJ early on and never relenting. Ibushi has been maturing throughout the year and this was his crowning achievement of the year. Such a shame about the injury! These NJPW finish runs are very exciting and really entertaining in how they escalate, but they just dont have the psychology to take it to that next level. I still have Tanahashi/Ibushi as the NJPW MOTY, but this is either #2 or #3 with AJ/Tanahashi. ****1/2
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura - G-1 Climax 25 Finals
The finalists of the first G-1 Climax, Keiji Mutoh & Masa Chono, are providing commentary for this momentous occasion. Last year, these two put on a match that I thought was a ***** classic and the second best match of the year worldwide. They have come a long way from their 1/4/05 Tokyo Dome performance. Amazing, these two have been synonymous with New Japan Pro Wrestling for over a decade now. They had a lot to live up to from last year's masterpiece and hell just the night before Nakamura had an instant classic with Okada and two nights before Tanahashi and AJ Styles tore the house down. I acknowledge the route they took was probably the best one given the circumstances even if I, personally, think it leads to diminishing returns. New Japan's strength is their finish runs. They escalate in drama beautifully and climax at the right moment and very rarely hurt anyone's finishes. The difference between modern New Japan and 90s All Japan is 90s All Japan had the accompanying the structure and psychology that takes the exciting and makes it a transcendent and moving emotional experience. On this night, I think everyone knew that a routine New Japan finish would not be enough and credit to them they did not put on the same match from Invasion Attack. I think is a bit of a problem with New Japan is the same-y-ness of their layouts. No, no, Tanahashi and Nakamura dusted off the only style that could really could fit the magnitude for the moment: grandiose pomp and circumstance of the Pro Wrestling NOAH finish run. Kickouts galore, multiple finish hits, overwrought, but glorious at the same time, an overindulgence of machismo and fighting spirit, at the end of the day these two just are not Kenta Kobashi so my revelry was tempered by the lack of effusive emotion, but this was incredible and I am happy that something different was attempted.
The first half of this is fucking excellent and really can only be done with these two particular wrestlers because of the history they share. They were just absolute dicks to one another for 15 minutes. Everytime, one showed up the other, they other would make him pay. First, Tanahashi was winning the chaining battles and played air guitar a couple times. Nakamura then proceeded to pass his guard and switch mounts at will reminding him who the better submission wrestler was. Tanahashi did not disappoint by countering the kicks with his patented leg attack. The Dragon Leg Screws were fucking awesome. Tanahashi really hit those from a ton of different starting position throughout the match. But he could not help but mock Nakamura shaky leg in the corner only not to do that and that cost him with a kick to the head. Nakamura could not resist throwing playful kicks at the head of Tanahashi, who went back after the knee only to hit High Fly Flow to the floor. Personally, if they continued on this path, I could easily see myself giving the match ***** and calling it revolutionary in terms of structure. In a way, it would feel too personal and therefore too small for the moment. So they had to kick it up. There had to be three Boma Ye's to the head that Tanahashi kickout. There had to be multiple High Fly Flows with a kickout. There had to be multiple strike exchanges. There had to be crazy armbar reversals. The High Fly Flow on the ropes was awesome and after two more Tanahashi won it.
This match is incredibly entertaining and as always Tanahashi's knee attack affords a great home base for them to go to back to. Nakamura's selling was great and kicked some ass. They let it all hand out. I don't think it was as good as Invasion Attack 2014, but I would say this is the second best New Japan match of the year after Nakamura/Okada. They do go overboard, but it is so rare for New Japan to go overboard that it comes off as unique and plus in NOAH there would have been 15 more minutes of wrestling! I feel like I sound more down on the match than I was. I guess part of me really liked the first half so much that it was a bit disappointing that they did not follow through to the end, but in some ways they did. These two just did not want to lose to each other at all. They have been together so long that bragging rights and pride mean everything in this contest. Hopefully, New Japan sticks with their current finish run formula and adds more psychological wrinkles rather than more false finishes, but for one night this was pretty damn great. ****1/2
NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs Bayley - NXT Takeover 8/22/15
What a fucking moment! It is funny watching this ten years later when ice I am fucking cold on Bayley and Mercedes has only clicked again for me recently but man as soon as the video package rolled, I was transported back in time and fuck I got a little misty when Bayley came out with the polka dots. It was definitely Dusty in the room just now.
Bayley was tailor made for a SuperIndy. I am not surprised the character didnt translate on the main roster but who gives a fuck. It worked like gangbusters here and it is crowning glory of her work as a character. The characters are so well-established, so relatable and so well-done by each woman that it is fucking money.
To me Bayley has the way tougher job. Anybody can be an asshole. In the hands of a lesser character actor, the Bayley character would be lame and cringing. Bayley commits to the bit and the match and the world are all better for it.
Let’s just get this out the way early, the beginning of the match is the weakest part of the match. Bayley is not a great athlete or an offensive dynamo which is fine some of the best wrestlers ever are unathletic. This shine definitely leaves a something to be desired. It’s a short shine and the match is a classic but it is the one ding.
Bayley uses a Lucha style arm drag to discombobulate Sasha but Sasha uses her own momentum to get out the Ring and created a timeout. The genius here is that boundary conditions are a heel’s paradise. You’re setting yourself up for success for a meaningful transition here.
Sasha goes for the double knees way too early. Bayley to her credit cuts her off but in the tumult in the corner in a boundary condition where the heels feast Sasha is able to knock Bayley off the top careening to the floor. BANG excellent transition.
Another genius element of this match is how they split the heat segment in two. The first part is more about the character work of Sasha. Being that dick heel bitch to the loveable underdog Bayley. Mocking the Wacky Arm Inflatable Tube Man to deliver a WICKED SMACK was awesome! The Top Rope Double Knees actually doesn’t look as good as the Middle Rope but I understand what they were going off given the setting and circumstances. It paid off Sasha finally hitting her signature. Then she just lays a verbal beat down that would make Mark Henry proud. Bayley Cant take anymore and gives her a STIFF kick to the mush. Brilliant.
Whats even more Brilliant and what takes this match from Great to Classic status is that Sasha immediately cuts Bayley off with the hand psychology. They could have let Bayley run roughshod and do a full-blown comeback but they went right back to heat which was genius. They did it on the outside. They had Sasha tear off American Dream Polka Dot wrist band and just crush that hand with the steps. It was brilliant work.
I love the escalation the first half of the match is establishing the characters and because both characters are so over and the crowd is so invested it is such an easy watch. At the same time that’s a lot of faith in Sasha and Bayley to deliver on character work.
Thats Whats missing in today’s wrestling which is crazy because this is only ten years apart. No one takes time to establish the character; it is just Bing Bang Boom nowadays. It is because establishing the characters is scary. Silence is scary. If you just run through a bunch of moves and never take a rest you’ll never be able to hear the silence. It is an insecurity problem. You gotta believe in yourself that you can get your gimmick over and become comfortable with the uncomfortable.
The hand psychology is when the plot of the match kicks in. They go from a character-driven match to a plot-driven match. I was a little cool on this match when it first happened. I thought it was great but not a classic. Watching it back in it is the incorporation of both these driving forces that makes this a classic.
One thing about Sasha even though she is a heel he is a risk taker. She can’t help herself. She’s just got too much Eddie in her. She does the Rey MYSTERIO Summerslam 2002 you can argue whether or not a heel should successfully execute that spot BUT it works because just like when LeBron makes his his first three (you know the feeling LeBron fans you just hope the rest aren’t laser beam bricks) Sash is feeling it. So she goes for another one. This time Bayley knocks her off the springboard and now we have the leveling the playing field spot.
There are really strong parts of the finishing stretch, Sasha’s stomping on the injured hand is iconic, the first Bayley 2 Belly and ultimate win. There’s the bad 21st Century excesses of the reversed Bank Statement and the DragonRana and the ugly Bayley nearly pile driving herself on top rope flip. Overall it does leave you fist-pumping. Even if I wish they reined it in a bit more. I get it too. This was the first time the women were billed as co-main event so they wanted the DragonRana to show they were on the level of the Men. To give that crowd a little extra something something because this was their WrestleMania. I’d argue you didn’t need to do that but I also concede that I get where they are coming from.
Four Horsewoman Curtain Call I would have been against especially Sasha coming out to join and hug them. This was not a babyface vs babyface match. Sasha was a real asshole and she should be a sore loser. It was a very post-modern finish. I also understand how significant the match was and how they knew it would be instantly significant so I see that side as Well.
I think Sasha vs Becky is the better match but that match just showed the women could do it. This match proved they were main event. Even at the time many said that this should main event over Owen’s/Balor and it should have. There was still a little doubt. This effaced all doubt. The women were just as good and just as over as the men. It is not a perfect match BUT if it was somebody’s favorite match I wouldn’t bay any eye. It is such a meaningful, significant FEEL-GOOD match man thats what pro wrestling is missing FEEL-GOOD matches. Meaningful to women’s wrestling, these two women’s career but also to NXT and the Culture at the time. It was the climax of a specific time and place and it fucking hits and it hits hard. **** 1/2
Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker - Summerslam 2015
This far surpassed my recollection of this match as I have it on par with the Roman WrestleMania match from the year. Holy fuck, Brock Lesnar is a phenomenal wrestler. I am really interested in seeing how this compares to their 2015 Hell In A Cell. I might have to rewatch their 2002 Hell In A Cell to see what is the best match they have together.
Big Fight Feel is an understatement. I hate to harp on this point, but ten years later I am struggling to think of a match that felt like this match. This was a true blue heavyweight bout, who is the biggest dog in the yard. It is not an overly choreographed dance routine they are stand and bang and throwing bombs.
Brock Lesnar is the best at setting that tone. The way he bumrushes Takes and he forces Taker to fight through that offense and dump him. That was a fist-pumping shine. The haymakers they were throwing early were great. Brock wrestles him to the ground and Taker just NAILS him with these VICIOUS straight rights on the ground. That shit started them at 5 stars, fuck we need more of that in wrestling pronto. I liked each teasing their finisher because these are heavyweights that dont get paid by the hour. They want the KO victory immediately. Just when it looked like Taker was going to run away with it, Brock dumps with the first suplex (belly to bell) coming out of the corner. The issue with Suplex City was less the multitude in my opinion but the way it was sold. Here I do think it was oversold, but it was a way for Brock to stem the bleeding. It is established as Brock's Ace in the Hole, even if Taker is pouring it on, all it takes is one suplex to turn the tide. In later matches, it was just a way to get a cheap pop.
I liked after the second suplex, Brock gets cocky with "Suplex City Bitch" and Takes is able to dive into a turnbuckle to knock Brock for a loop and then hit some standard Taker offense (Snake Eyes, Big Boot, Leg drop across the apron) all the while Brock has a nice steady, stream of blook trickling down his face for the remainder of the match. I am not a vampire, but that is the perfect amount of blood for this moment. I loved the counter to Chokeslam. It was the perfect time for Taker to go for the chokeslam, but the way Brock did mid-air and with force was so credible and then BANG~! Suplex. Just like that Brock has that puncher's chance to totally turn a match on a dime because of his raw power and strength.
The F-5 on the table was a sick spot and ensured the 21st Century crowd would be on their side because they are also delivering highspots. We get a little Cinematic here as Taker rolls back in at a count of 9, but it is good shit. Brock says "Ill Kill You" and Taker says "Youll have to" as he gozzles Brock from his knees and delivers an emphatic Chokeslam. It is always a case by case basis and this one worked. It set up the great Tombstone.
Now we get to iconic part of the match as Brock sits up after the Tombstone first laughing and Taker does his Zombie Situp and mocks him back with laughter then trade heavy bombs. It was fucking sick! Again it is a case by case basis with a different twosome this could be lame and cringe-inducing but here it is just BADASS!
Brock gets the Kimura in the corner, but Taker counters with Last Ride. This is when the match goes from ***** OMG to MOTYC. Without much transition, Brock gets two F-5s and kick outs. The epic selling starts to take hold and it feels more my turn, your turn as Taker gets Hell's Gate. No real transition between Last Ride and F-5s or the F-5s and Hells Gate hurt the stretch. The counter into the Kimura is also pretty flimsy.
I actually kinda liked the finish upon replay. Taker taps in the view of the timekeeper but not the ref because Lil Naitch is watching Brock's shoulders on the Kimura and Brock is really wriggling to keep his shoulders off the mat. This is the beauty of pro wrestling is the added dimension of the pin that MMA does not have. By forcing the ref to watch the shoulders and Brock to keep his shoulders off the mat, it opens up this dimension as well as making submission holds like the Kimura and Hells Gate and Triangle Choke disadvantageous in pro wrestling. Heyman jumps for joy and into the ring that Brock has one-upped his Mania victory by making Taker tap. Lil Naitch is indignant that the Timekeeper went rogue calling for the bell on his own. Lil Naitch says the match is not over. Taker gives Brock a ballshot! Hells Gate! Brock gives him the Finger and passes out to give Taker the win by TKO.
Fantastic Heavyweight Slugfest! Just two big uglies throwing haymakers and dropping each other on their heads. Like I said I didnt hate the finish as you needed a little sumthin sumthin to set up the third match because you knew Taker had to go over here to avenge his loss at Mania. If was really the section between Dueling Sit-Ups and the finish that dropped the match from a Top 100 Candidate to just one of the best matches of 2010s. Definitely check it out. **** 1/2
#4. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada - NJPW 1/4/15
I like the booking of having them part for the entire calendar year of 2014 before reprising the rivalry. I have seen the first six matches and really enjoyed the wrestling. Like most, I thought the Invasion Attack match was the best of the lot and the one that deserves praise as one of the greatest matches of all time.
I enjoy slow starts a lot more than most wrestling fans. It allows me to get into the action, study the combatants, look for little things about them and I enjoy the little mini battles, you know the tests of strength on a top wristlock or the shouldertackles. It gives me a feel. Tempers flare when Okada mockingly gives Tanahashi a clean break only to pop him with an elbow. Embarassment and then still gives him the cheapshot. I loved Tanahashi's response. He throws the ref out of the way and rocks Okada with a hard shot. A nice, vigorous firefight breaks out this much better than that stupid Fighting Spirit shit. Tanahashi gets the upper hand and wants to hit his patented senton from the middle, but Okada ROCKS him with a flying European Uppercut that sends him flying off the top rope to the floor. Wicked bump. This takes the place of the usual spot where Okada dropkicks his opponent from the top rope. This is the story of the first 15 minutes, lots of scouting. Okada knew Tanahashi was going for the senton and sent him flying. I love that spot as a transition as it is a big bump and signals definitively the start of the Okada control segment. Okada kicks Tanahashi's ass on the floor, hangsman DDT from the railing to the floor. I recall the Tombstone Piledriver is very critical in this feud. I am wondering if that DDT will lead anywhere. Hey they are going for the Tombstone on the ramp, nice no one hits it. Just a lot of struggle. That will definitely play a role later. Tanahashi does a little air guitar showboating and channels his idol, Keiji Mutoh by trying to run down the ramp but Okada is lying in wait and nails him with a vicious F-U on the ramp. Great highspot! I thought this match was really clicking at a high level at this point. Back in the ring, I thought they kinda took a half step backwards. Not that was bad, but it felt like they de-escalated. A lot more scouting spots which I like. Each wrestler evading common spots. I think my favorite was Okada hitting a flapjack to counter the Sling Blade. Okada invites for the Fighting Spirit breakdown to begin. Ugh. I guess there is at least a little character work here. Okada is definitely playing the cocky challenger still. He is the one in control and he is slapping Tanahashi mockingly and telling Tanahashi to hit him when it is clear Tanahashi is hurting. So when Tanahashi hits him it doesnt pack quite a punch so Okada can tee off on him. So it is humiliation and kicking a dog while it is down. So the psychology is at least a little more interesting, I am still not that enthused by it. Then it happens. The moment you are waiting for in every Tanahashi match when he is going to go for the knee. Catches the kick...ELBOWS THE KNEE! No Dragon Leg Screw. Okada fights back and hits a raucous dropkick that sends Tanahashi flying! Looks like the action is starting to pick back up...Okada definitely ahead on points for the first 15 minutes as Tanahashi has not really gotten anything started yet. Okada is really starting to roll. Tanahashi blocks the obvious and aforementioned Okada dropkick to the top turnbuckle. However eats canvas on the High Fly Flow. Too early, brutha (which Gedo points out). I love Okada's urgency with Tanahashi down, he can really let his shit fly and not worry about it being countered. He rattles off three of his big highspots concluding with the top rope Macho Man elbow. RAINMAKER POSE~! Then it hit him, this first 18-20 minutes has been Okada's control segment now we have climaxed and we are going to hit Tanahashi's.
Rainmaker thwarted and Tanahashi snaps off the Dragon Leg Screw. It is like clockwork. It is good, logical clockwork. You have Okada run through his shit and now Tanahashi so when that finish hits nobody is going to know who will win. Great layout. Okada takes a fucking tremendous bump going ass over tea kettle on the floor over the railing when Tanahashi dropkicked the bad leg. HOLY SHIT! TANAHASHI HIGH FLY FLOW FROM THE TOP TO THE FLOOR OVER THE RAILING! FUCKING EH! THAT WAS AWESOME! Tanahashi is looking to finish this off with High Fly Flow but Okada rolls through and he is thinking...TOMBSTONE?!!? TANAHASHI REVERSES IT! TANAHASHI NAILS THE TOMBSTONE! I LEGIT JUST POPPED IN MY IRELAND HOTEL ROOM! I am a huge Tanahashi fan and man that Tombstone made me a fan in that moment. I know that is so crucial for the win. 2 HIGH FLY FLOWS CONNECT! 1-2-NO! YA SHITTING ME!
Tanahashi teases the Rainmaker. Ahhhh finisher stealing. The Rainmaker is a stupid finisher to steal because it is very easy to get countered and then you end up being hit with the Rainmaker. Thats what happens! Tanahashi clobbers him with a RAINMAKER~! 1-2-NO! So where do we go from here. Weird part. They trade bridging Suplexes (Tanahashi had not yet hit his Capture or Dragon suplex). There is another Tombstone attempt by Okada because the Tombston is crucial and Tanahashi rana'd out. I love that the Tombstone is more protected than either man's finisher in this series. Okada hits that signature high dropkick. Part of me liked it because it felt like desperation. Like each man was hurling out what they know. they know it is their B-Material but fuck their A-Material didnt work. Part me didnt like it because I feel like the B-Material should precede the A-Material. Ultimately I thought the heat was in the Tombstone->High Fly Flow->Kickout->Rainmaker->Kickout and then they lost a little sumthin sumthin. I ended up loving the actual finish. Tanahashi goes back to his bread & butter using dragon leg screws. Then he hits High Fly Flow while Okada's leg was hung up on the ropes and then smoked with another for good measure.
These guys are clinical and I love them for it. They are rooted in the fundamentals and they build to great matches. Invasion Attack still remains my favorite, but I am going to go ahead and put this at #2. I liked the scouting early on. I liked how Okada earned that control segment. Loved the layout and pacing. Tanahashi's control segment was fucking money and just electric. The finish was interesting but not really overdone like late era AJPW or NOAH. There was only one Rainmaker and 2 High Fly Flow Segments. It was just they put filler in the finish. I really enjoyed it with me watching even more wrestling now I dont think this makes my Top 100 list for next year, on the bubble for sure. I would say this Top 10 for New Japan from what I have seen in the modern era. I really enjoy these two together. ****3/4
#2. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kazuchika Okada - G-1 Climax 25 Semifinals
Finally, the New Japan boys weave an amazing story to support their uncanny ability to generate dramatic, hot finish runs with their moves. The result was the best New Japan match of the year (I hadnt seen Tanahashi/Okada from 1/4/15 yet).. Okada is probably my least favorite wrestler in the world (wrote this in 2015), but I will give him his due, he is a proficient wrestler. I just find him dull. He is like a technically perfect robot devoid of all emotion. In this match, he did show more cockiness than usual and that helped. The big boon to the match was Nakamura was selling for two in this match and this has to go down as one of his most masterful performances.
This is a rematch of last year's finals where Okada won his second G-1 Climax. Okada had that air of superiority that was quickly effaced when Nakamura took him to task on the mat. In a pure kayfabe sense, Okada is totally out-gunned in this match as most of Nakamura's opponent are. He is probably the best striker and submission wrestler on the roster. In a lot of ways, this is an excellent Tanahashi match without Tanahashi involved. Tanahashi's strategy against these wrestlers (Nakamura, Nagata etc...) is to break them down usually by attacking the leg. Okada used a combination of luck and his best weapon: Dropkick. Okada having powdered before being choked out early was taking a walk. Nakamura, who clearly came in ripshit to prove that he was better, immediately gave chase. Okada managed to whip him into the railing and this allowed to hit him with BANG! A Dropkick, his best weapon this sent Nakamura back into the railing. From there, he planted him with a Hangmans DDT from the railing. Nakamura never really recovered from that move. Nakamura did an incredible job selling that move and his neck for the rest of the match. Okada naturally has a lot of moves that work the neck so it worked out well (Tombstone on the outside was awesome). Nakamura was great at his burst of knee-based offense, but failing to capitalize because of his neck while Okada was able to use the neck as a cutoff attack especially during strike exchanges. Nakamura first focused on knees to the abdomen, but then started moving towards head strikes (Boma Ye & Kicks) as counters. These took their toll on Okada, who eventually had a hard time regaining control. Probably my favorite strike exhcnage in New Japan ensued with both wrestlers selling their necks incredibly. I loved Nakamura losing his ability to throw a forearm because his neck was so fucked up only to fire back up and drill Okada. Nakamura won with an axe kick and BOMA YE~! Landslide only gets two! Boma Ye attempt, but DROPKICK! He took his fucking head off. Okada knows when to use that dropkick. That big advantage Okada built early in the match has been lost, but he can avoid choking the match away if he can hit the Rainmaker. He nails it! Goes again, Boma Ye attempt, but catches, German, but Nakamura gets a double wristlock now a Tombston! RAINMAKER NO FLYING CROSSARMBREAKER!!! There is some struggle, but Nakamura maintains the hold for the win.
Awesome progression from the G1 Climax finals last year with Nakamura going into to prove he can kick this punk's ass and that punk gets lucky and opens up a big lead. Okada works the neck awesomely and comes off like a huge douche. Nakamura sells huge and his hope spots are awesomely timed. There is a real sense he has to claw his way back into the match. Finally his head shots take their toll and Okada looks like he choked away the match. Then they go into a tremendous fireworks finish run. Nakamura proves why he is the best counterwrestler in the game today. Best NJPW match and now a frontrunner for the match of the year for NJPW and WWE. ****3/4
I was there live for this bad boy with my brother in Philly. I remember there’s a blizzard on Friday in Boston but we braved the elements driving down to see two of all-time favorites: Brock and Cena kick some ass in their prime. I have never watched the match back until now ten years later. Does it hold up or should I have left the memories alone?
Hell Yeah it holds up brutha! Probably the best Triple Threat of all time! Each wrestler stays true to their unique character. Brock Lesnar is the Horror Movie Monster. The Creature from the Black Lagoon, always stalking, always rising. John Cena is the valiant hero trying to slay the Beast by any means necessary. Seth Rollins is the coward using sneak attacks to insert himself. It is awesome.
The reason why the match works isn’t because they changed the formula it is because of the characters. Yes they work at a break-neck pace and everything feels hot. It is still a spot fest just a very well-done one. It is the characters that enhance the viewing experience and take this from Eye candy to emotionally stirring.
Brock Lesnar had a fucking Bitchin’ 2015! He starts off ROARING! The Horror Movie Monster is getting the babyface shine and the Philly crowd is loving it. Cena is still very much disliked and Rollins has some ROH street cred bur his cowardly character keep the fans from being full-throated in their support.
Brock is Unstoppable just trucking Rollins and throwing Cena around. The high spot of this segment is CHUCKING Noble & Mercury like they were nothing. I like the first big chink on the armor. Brock applies the Kimura. Cena being the valiant hero that he is Bob Backlund his way out. However Seth Rollins LEAPS onto the Pile with a knee bowling everyone over. That is the perfect microcosm of the match.
Cena snaps off an FU on a weakened Lesnar but Rollins that little fucking sneak throws Cena out and only gets a one. Perfect character work.
Through some outside work, Cena and Rollins end up alone. Cena works through his finish stretch. Another reasons the match works well is that it feels like one long finish stretch from beginning to end. When Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle we get the first of the Horror Movie Monster popping up from behind and demolishing someone with a suplex.
The next big high spot and the one burned in my memory because out seats were looking over the bottom right turnbuckle (hard cam perspective) was Brock plucking Rollins out of the air into a F-5. Saying I was able to see Brock Lesnar live multiple times in my life is a blessing.
Another thing that worked well in this Triple Threat was the use of saves to protect the finishers. Very expertly timed.
It is time slay the Beast or so we think. Three FUs and a Curb Stomp. Brock is loopy. CENA TACKLES BROCK THROUGH THE BARRICADE! SICK! Brock keeps getting up. Cena throws him into steps and Rollins DRIVES AN ELBOW THROUGH THE HEART OF TYE BEAT FROM THE TOP ROPE THROUGH THE ANNOUNCER TABLE! KILLER!
So what stops this from being a 5 star classic is the Cena/Rollins solo stretch. It is very standard 21st Century main event wrestling. My turn, your turn big bombs. It wasn’t bad but it took something unique and made it feel ordinary. Liked the use of Mercury and Noble. Cena having to expend energy neutralizing them with a stacked FU gives Rollins the time make a serious push for victory. Busting out the Phoenix Splash here was genius. GOD could Lesnar’s timing be any better. One of the best Horror Movie Monster pop up and decimations. It was electric. I liked sneaking in the one hope spot of Rollins using the MITB Case stomp but Brock plucks him again for the F5 win. From Brock return to the F5 was maybe two minutes but absolutely electric 2 minutes.
Maybe the best 21st Century-style match ever. I want emphasize the word STYLE. Plenty of matches in 21st Century are better but they are 20th Century style matches. This kicked some serious ass. Bravo to each man playing their character to perfection. **** 3/4
