Throwback Match Reviews: Barry Windham vs Ric Flair (CWF) (02/14/1986)

 Barry Windham vs Ric Flair (CWF) 02/14/1986

This is my first time watching a Barry Windham match. I have always heard great things about him and his matches, particularly those with Ric Flair. This match is critically acclaimed. Going in with all this knowledge may not have helped this match for me. It could have easily been a victim of high expectations. 80s American wrestling isn’t exactly my favorite era so you can imagine why I might doubt this match. Needless to say this match delivered. Watching this match helped me understand Windham’s hype, at least through 1980s eyes. 

It excelled in many ways. The work was outstanding. The pace of the match made the 40+ minute run time fly by. The performances from both wrestlers were phenomenal. Flair as a shifty heel complimented Windham’s intensity and brutality. The crowd was into it the whole time which makes the atmosphere great and the match feel very important. The match flowed smoothly. Each transition was brilliantly done and perfectly led into each control period. The action itself for the most part was done well. They really laid into each other. It was hard-hitting and bloody. It was a war. Flair’s early mat work was great and it built up to Windham’s comebacks. The selling from both wrestlers really emphasized the violence of the match. The match never struggled to come back from the very few slow periods.

Despite how much I loved this match, it wasn’t perfect. The finish of the match, while not completely being a letdown, leaves a little to be desired and not in a good way. I understand why the match ended the way it did and if there had to be a non-finish, a double count-out is the best way to go. A double count-out actually makes a little sense given how the match was structured. Both men destroyed each other and a 10 count wasn’t going to stop them. That is why I don’t have much of a problem with the finish but a clear winner would have been better. I mentioned earlier that the action was mostly great but there were a few instances where filler and fatigue showed. Some of the slow periods in the match were a little dull. They took the selling a little too far and it just looked like they were killing time. During these slow periods the punches looked very weak and fake. There was one instance where Windham was punching Flair on the mat but he missed every single punch, by a mile. It was very clearly a filler spot and I feel like they should have shot that spot from behind Windham instead of in front of him. 

Final Rating - ****½

Throwback Match Reviews: Yoshiaki Yatsu and Riki Choshu vs Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) (01/28/1996)

 Yoshiaki Yatsu and Riki Choshu vs Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) 01/28/1986

Yoshiaki Yatsu and Riki Choshu vs Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta is one of the greatest tag team matches I have ever seen. In this match we had four distinct but outstanding performances from each wrestler. They all played their role to perfection. The structure of the match was sound. The action was intense and stiff. The crowd remained hot throughout the entire match. Yatsu and Choshu were outsiders in this match. They played great heels but as the match progressed the dynamic naturally changed. The hate between both teams was clearly on display. There were points when one wrestler would break a fall or a hold and the illegal wrestler on the apron on the opposing team wouldn’t go after the other illegal man but would just beat down on the legal man instead. It happened a few times with both teams and it was awesome. 

Yoshiaki Yatsu was my favorite part of this match. His performance here is what I’d call a star-making one for that All Japan crowd. I’ll get into more of his AJPW career but he obviously did not make much of a lasting impact, at least in the West. He was fiery and intense from the start. As the match progressed he gained sympathy and support from the crowd. Apart from his great offense you can accredit that to his selling. He took a great beating from Jumbo and Tenryu. His comebacks were great and he returned some of that brutality to the home team.

Riki Choshu had a similar performance to Yatsu. It differs slightly whereas Yatsu was a level lower than everyone so the heat came from beating him down, Choshu was indisposed because of his rib injury. He masterfully sold those ribs throughout the entire match. The best example of it was when he had Jumbo in the Scorpion Death Lock and he broke the hold because he simply did not have the stamina or breath to maintain it. The rib injury came into play there and he immediately went to sell the ribs as he tagged out to Yatsu. His attacks, especially on Jumbo, were hateful and brutal. You could really buy into the hate there.

Jumbo Tsuruta was a great figurehead for All Japan. To these outsiders he was a means to make a name for themselves in this promotion. By taking out the top guy they wanted to prove themselves. Jumbo did a great job defending his spot. He was just as nasty and vicious with his offense, especially with his knee lifts. They stopped all momentum and they looked great. 

Genichiro Tenryu was a proper dickhead in this match. I like that Jumbo remained more of a pure babyface in this match while Tenryu was the one that had to be more of an asshole to the outsiders. It not only gets the heat on Yatsu and Choshu but it also demonstrates the relationship between him and Jumbo. He is aggressive and brutal with his lariats. The exchanges between him and Choshu makes you clamor for a singles match between the two. 

I almost can’t find anything that is wrong with this match but it felt like it was missing a little bit of something. Maybe a more elaborate finishing stretch, maybe a little bit more heat on the outsider team. I’m not saying it’s those things. I don’t really know what it would be but if it had it I’d go a quarter star higher but it’s still a classic.

Final Rating - ****¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard (Mid-Atlantic) (11/28/1985)

 Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard (Mid-Atlantic) 11/28/1985

This was the famous I Quit Steel Cage Match for the United States Title. I can see why it was considered great for its time but it definitely does not hold up. It was a nice little brawl. The match is a victim of expectations for sure. The blood helped a lot. The match was 14 minutes and 44 seconds long but it honestly felt much longer than that. At times it felt as though they were fighting underwater. The “brutality” was tame even for its time. The match just wasn’t very good. The crowd helped a ton but it could not save it. It wasn’t a bad match. I was left unimpressed. This is one of the most overhyped matches of all time. My review for this is so short because I honestly did not feel a single thing from this match. Not joy, hate, anger, satisfaction nothing.

Final Rating - **¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Rick Martel vs Ric Flair (AJPW) (10/21/1985)

Rick Martel vs Ric Flair (AJPW) 10/21/1985

Unfortunately for the match I knew the result from the start but not because I was spoiled, but because you could see the finish coming from a mile away. It was a title unification match. Martel the AWA Heavyweight Champion against Flair the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. It is also 80s All Japan so add that to the mix to the politics of the match and some sort of “creative” finish is apparent. With all that said the match was pretty great. 

Both wrestlers’ performances made the match. Martel fit the fiery babyface role to perfection. His offense was intense and explosive and his control periods were pretty good. There was one early in the match when he had Flair in a side headlock, which is usually a boring spot, but he put some extra torque in the headlock which made it look like he was trying to rip Flair’s head off his shoulders. His comebacks were hot and his strikes were powerful. Flair’s offense was the opposite (in a good way). He was more precise with his holds. Every strike was well placed to get the maximum effect. For example whenever Martel would make a comeback he countered with some well placed knees to the abdomen in order to shut him down. Not only did they knock the wind out of Martel but they knocked the wind out of his comebacks. 

The back and forth battles were as you would expect from a Flair match. They were heated and intense and well executed. The early mat work was real crisp. Both wrestlers looked world champion caliber. The transitions improved the flow of the match and made sense whether it was a flurry of offense from Martel or a clever counter from Flair. 

There were a few spots, especially early in the match, that dragged a bit too long. There wasn’t really anything bad in those sections but they could have definitely been removed and it would not have taken anything away from the match. One of these spots in particular happened right before the climax of the match, which definitely hurt the flow.

The finish, predictably, saw both guys get counted out. It was the best way to do one of these non-finishes. I still would have preferred for a clean winner but what are you gonna do. The crowd was hot for the most part except in those slow periods as I mentioned before.

Final Rating - ****¼

Throwback Match Reviews: Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) (09/11/1985)

Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) 09/11/1985

This was a great match to continue this rivalry. Super Tiger had defeated Fujiwara in the previous two bouts. The story of the entire match was that of Fujiwara trying to tame this wild animal and his flurry of attacks. From the start we get Tiger unleashing his devastating kicks. Fujiwara goes right after the left leg. Fujiwara’s attack on the leg was intense. He smoothly transitioned from hold to hold with great focus and intent. Tiger did an excellent job selling the leg while still throwing kicks with his right leg. Both wrestlers were consistent with their work. The match had great escalation that was properly done throughout. This first stage set the groundwork for the next phase.

Tiger countered Fujiwara’s leg attack by absolutely battering him with kicks with his other leg. He kicks him everywhere: on the legs, on the torso and on the head. These were some nasty kicks. At one point he does a spinning kick right to Fujiwara’s face while Fujiwara is backed up in a corner. I replayed the spot about five times. He also begins to kick him with his left leg in the torso in an act of defiance. It was a great no-sell but at the same time was still able to sell the leg. When Tiger would kick the torso with the right leg Fujiwara would go down with one or two kicks. With the left leg, Fujiwara took like four kicks but still did not go down. The kicks with the left leg were not as effective as the ones with the right leg. It’s a clever way to no-sell and sell at the same time. 

The escalation continued onto this third phase. Here it seemed both wrestlers have had enough of each other’s BS and just starting throwing suplexes and some nasty strikes. It was Tiger’s frustration that got the best of him here. He drifted away from what was working for him earlier in the match. At one point he even tried to do a Fujiwara armbar which Fujiwara easily escaped. The finish saw Fujiwara reverse a suplex attempt with an elbow to the face and some other type of armbar (I’m bad with move names). It was a bit anticlimactic even though I understand what they were going for. They wanted to go for the quick “gotcha” victory in order to show Tiger’s mistake. They could have reincorporated the leg here to really hammer home the point they were trying to make. Fujiwara finally gets the win against Tiger and did so by staying consistent with his plan.

Final Rating - ****¼

 

Throwback Match Reviews: Jaguar Yokota vs Lioness Asuka (AJW) (08/22/1985)

Jaguar Yokota vs Lioness Asuka (AJW) 08/22/1985

This was an amazing match with excellent performances from both wrestlers. The selling in this match was superb, especially from Asuka. Her selling made the slower periods of the match where she was getting her leg worked over interesting. Yokota was great at selling too. They had an exchange of leg holds for a great portion of the match. It was a back-and-forth battle but with leg holds, it was very unique and well done. The execution of the submission holds was great. The transitions were smooth. The offense was incredible. Both wrestlers showed they are top tier workers. The crowd was hot throughout the entire thing, even during the mat work. That proves that the story they told with the exchanging of holds really paid off. After those exchanges they went into a battle of harder moves like suplexes and powerbombs. Everything looked viscous. The transition from the first portion to this second one was flawless. It made the entire match flow effortlessly.

The one critique that brings this match down for me is how they forgot about the leg work towards the end of the match. Now I’m not usually one of these selling fetishists but there was almost no reincorporation of the leg work. They did bring it back for the finish when Yokota did a sort of leg crusher and then hooked the leg during the german suplex. This saved the match from being any worse. 

Final Rating - ****½

Throwback Match Reviews: Jim Duggan vs Ted DiBiase (Mid-South) (03/22/1985)

Jim Duggan vs Ted DiBiase (Mid-South) 03/22/1985

This was a nice little brawl. I had to read up on the history of this match to find out what was going on with the tuxedos. It did not ease my mind at all. This was a blood feud but it looked so ridiculous with both men wearing tuxedos. They looked like high school teachers chaperoning prom. Duggan is the weird history teacher that has no control of his classroom and everyone does what they please and DiBiase is the ex football star at the same school but is now a washed up gym teacher that hits on the female students. They got into the spiked punch bowl and started fighting. It did not fit the intended tone of it all. It was a loser leaves town cage match street fight. I thought I was going to get something visceral. The rest of the match was your typical southern heel/face dynamic with all the possible tropes: blading, gimmicks on a pole, powder thrown in face. Duggan’s punch with the coal miner’s glove was pretty awesome though.

Final Rating - **¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Tiger Mask II (AJPW) (03/09/1985)

Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Tiger Mask II (AJPW) 03/09/1985

We get the first look in this project at Mitsuharu Misawa under the Tiger Mask gimmick. Kobayashi attacks Tiger Mask as he steps in the ring. They were rivals and it showed through their interactions. The match was pretty straightforward with an established dynamic between both wrestlers. Kobayashi was out-wrestling Tiger Mask. He was constantly one-upping him and escaping and reversing maneuvers. Tiger Mask fought back hard. All of these sequences contributed to their feud.

Tiger Mask’s athleticism was on display here. They played off each other in an organic way. There were only a few spots where they looked like they were thinking too much about their next moves. Other than that the match flowed smoothly. The match ended in a double countout and while I personally do not like it, it adds heat for the feud and subsequent matches. 

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) (12/22/1984)

Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) 12/22/1984

This was a great tag team match. It was the finals for the Real World Tag League. Tenryu had a stand out performance in this match. His selling here was incredible and made his comebacks more intense. Hansen and Brody did an excellent job getting the heat on both opponents. Their tag team offense and psychology was really great and mostly kept their control periods interesting. There were a couple of points during those control periods where it felt as if they were repeating spots; a critique I have of this team from other matches. The dynamic between Tsuruta and Tenryu was properly displayed throughout this match. Tsuruta was Tenryu’s senior. Tsuruta was mentoring and protecting Tenryu throughout the match, especially when Hansen and Brody were getting the heat on Tenryu. In another instance, Tenryu took a Western Lariat from Hansen when he moved Tsuruta out of the way defending him. All of this worked to create sympathy for the babyface team as the crowd erupts towards the end when they start their comeback. They unleash a flurry of offense on Hansen and Brody that was brutal. The finish protects Hansen and Brody as they start to fight back but also hit the referee for the DQ. I get what they were trying to do with this finish but this was the finals of the Real World Tag League, there’s no reason Brody couldn’t do the clean job here. Now I understand the politics here but that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t suck. Despite the terrible finish I really enjoyed this match. It had the simple babyface and heel dynamic with some great heat.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. (AJPW) (12/08/1984)

Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr. (AJPW) 12/08/1984

This was a very good brawl. The crowd was hot from the start and stayed that way to the end. Terry Funk in particular stood out with his fiery offense. Dory Funk Jr. did a great job playing the underdog. Hansen and Brody were also great in getting the heat on Dory. Their control periods early on in the match were really good. The Funks had great comebacks throughout the match. The tag team psychology was sound from both sides. One thing that surprised me was how consistent the match was. There was hardly any down time. It was a brawl and all wrestlers brawled throughout. It wasn’t a grappling competition so they hardly did any grappling. One part that I really disliked about the match was somewhere in the middle it felt as if they were repeating spots. It felt like they were doing the same comebacks with the Funks over and over. It’s hard to explain but it ruined the flow of the match for me. Although I disliked the DQ finish I liked Terry’s flurry at the end. It was well built and the DQ made sense with Terry losing control and pummeling everyone in sight. 

Final Rating - ***¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) (12/05/1984)

Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) 12/05/1984

This was a great follow up match to the one they had earlier in the year. They picked up where they left off in that previous match. They go after each other right away. Tiger was excellent in this match. His strikes were brutal and his grappling was smooth. The mat work in this match was great because it had major importance to the overall match. There was only one part that was a little slow and it hurt the match a little. Fujiwara was also great here. He tried to slow down Tiger with his submissions. The match flowed very naturally despite the slow portion of it. The closing 7 to 8 minutes of the match were incredible. They absolutely battered each other. The finish was also great with Super Tiger just beating Fujiwara down to the point the referee stopped the match. Although there was the element of honor that a lot of shoot wrestling presents, they did a great job portraying some animosity between them. It was well balanced that way.

Final Rating - ****¼

Throwback Match Reviews: Kazuo Yamazaki vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWF) (12/05/1984)

Kazuo Yamazaki vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWF) 12/05/1984

Overall I will say this is a great match despite some flaws that I found with it, particularly due to the style of match. A large portion of this match was very slow and boring. A lot of the mat grappling was very badly done. When Takada had Yamazaki in a hold Yamazaki showed little to no effort to escape. He looked like he was just letting Takada try different holds on him the way you would with a younger sibling when you were kids. This is something that is present in a lot of matches in this shoot style of wrestling. It does not look like a struggle, it looks like cooperation. The crowd proves this theory as they only reacted when the match left the mat. During the mat grappling portions the camera would sometimes point at the crowd and everyone looked bored to death. You really can’t say that they were focused on the work. They were just waiting for something to happen.

Once the match kicked into the next gear it really got good. The mat work in this portion was really great because it was the opposite of the mat work earlier in the match. Both men wrestled with intensity and urgency. The grappling was clean and the strikes were impactful. Yamazaki’s performance was excellent. His comebacks were exciting. Whenever he fought back the crowd went nuts. Takada was a proper dickbag here. He did everything to suppress Yamazaki’s momentum. One spot I really enjoyed was when they were sparring and then went to a neutral position and Takada just slapped Yamazaki. The dynamic between the two was clearly defined and was consistent throughout the match. The finish saw Yamazaki pick up a quick pin with a bridging German suplex. It was a great pay off to the story they told in the match.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) (09/07/1984)

Super Tiger vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara (UWF) 09/07/1984

This was a good match. Super Tiger’s offense was really great. He did everything with great intensity. Fujiwara’s control periods early on were really boring. He didn’t do anything of interest. Going back to the same well after it not working initially and not doing anything to change it was kind of dumb on his part. Super Tiger’s comebacks were well done. They were the things that the crowd really got into. After a while the action from both ends picked up. Fujiwara’s submission holds began to have more effect. Tiger ended up making Fujiwara tap for the victory. 

Final Rating - ***½

Throwback Match Reviews: Antonio Inoki vs Riki Choshu (NJPW) (08/02/1984)

Antonio Inoki vs Riki Choshu (NJPW) 08/02/1984

This is a match where both roles were played to perfection and the story was told through the actions of the wrestlers. Inoki at this point is undoubtedly the ace of the promotion and has had years of success at the top. Choshu comes in as the future of the company. He is the underdog looking to dethrone the king.

The opening stretches serve to put both wrestlers at the same level. The mat work is very good and very smooth. One negative here, and it’s one that affects the entire match, is that this portion lingered on for too much. I didn’t mind the mat work later on because it was crucial to the story of the match. There was a bit too much down time here and 5 or 6 minutes could have been cut down. Choshu’s first application of the Scorpion Death Lock garner’s a great response from the crowd. The build up to that first hold paid off in a big way. 

This was a major transition in the match. For most of the rest of the match there was a great back and forth struggle that told a great story. Choshu had some fiery comebacks and offensive stretches which included a couple of other applications of the Scorpion Death Lock and some great suplexes. Everything he did was explosive and intense. These moves exemplified Choshu’s character. He’s the enthusiastic underdog looking to get a major victory. Inoki responded to Choshu’s offense with some masterful technical wrestling. It was very interesting watching him try different ways to escape the Scorpion Death Lock and also wear Choshu down with his own submissions. This illustrated Inoki’s veteran status in this promotion. The mat work here, as opposed to the mat work earlier, weighed very heavily. It contrasted Choshu’s work emphasizing both men’s characters. 

The match ends with Inoki out wrestling Choshu. He puts him in the Octopus Stretch and converts it into a pin. It was a great way to end this match. It tells the story of Inoki being the veteran ace and it protects Choshu to an extent as he is sort of defeated by his own ambition. It leaves room for improvement for Choshu. Another aspect about that match that also added to the drama was the crowd. They were hot from the start. Whenever a big transition occurred, like when Choshu locked in the Scorpion Death Lock, they erupted with excitement. They loved both guys and would cheer one when the other had the advantage. Overall this match is an all-time classic although it had its faults.

Final Rating - ****¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Iron Sheik vs Sgt Slaughter (WWF) (06/16/1984)

Iron Sheik vs Sgt Slaughter (WWF) 06/16/1984

This was a pretty good brawl. Both men were in a blood feud so this was a natural step in the series. It was brutal and bloody but at times it was a little silly. For example the overdramatizing of certain spots like the windup punch and at the end when both wrestlers crawled for Sheik’s boot are out of place in a match that’s supposed serious. The selling in this match was for the most part pretty good. Like mentioned before the overselling at points was unfit for a match like this. The crowd was hot and that definitely added to the atmosphere. 

Final Rating - ***½

Throwback Match Reviews: Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair (AJPW) (05/24/1984)

Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair (AJPW) 05/24/1984

This was a pretty boring match. I found myself drifting off and going to my phone throughout the whole thing. It was two out of three falls for the NWA Heavyweight title... in Japan. The crowd likes both guys but they’re not fully behind either one. The action, especially in the first fall, was slow. It picked up later in the match, particularly in the last few minutes. There was nothing really to this match. I liked the way the first fall ended with Kerry using the claw to pin Flair. Flair won the second and third falls to win the match. This match was just here to get the title off of Kerry but not do it in Texas where the fans would probably riot.

Final Rating - **¾

Throwback Match Reviews: Austin Idol vs Jerry Lawler (CWA) (04/27/1984)

Austin Idol vs Jerry Lawler (CWA) 04/27/1984

This was for the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. It was a Steel Cage match and hair vs hair. The match starts with Idol cowering away from Lawler. Lawler immediately goes after him. For a supposed blood feud the action really isn’t that brutal. There have been way more brutal Jerry Lawler matches with much lower stakes. The match was very slow at the beginning. It picked up a little when Lawler began to make his comebacks. The selling was pretty good here. Tommy Rich ran in after the referee had been knocked out. The problem with that is that he waited a good while under the ring even after the referee went down. It was kind of dumb. Rich and Idol double teamed Lawler and Idol gets the victory. The best part of the matches happens after the match when the crowd nearly riots when Lawler is getting his hair cut off.

Final Rating - ***

Throwback Match Reviews: 5 on 5 Gauntlet Match (NJPW) (04/19/1984)

Animal Hamaguchi, Isamu Teranishi, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Yoshiaki Yatsu, Riki Choshu vs Antonio Inoki, Kengo Kimura, Nobuhiko Takada, Tatsumi Fujinami, Yoshiaki Fujiwara (NJPW) 4/19/1984

This is a phenomenal gauntlet match. Probably the best gauntlet match of all time, which is not saying much. It is an hour and fifteen minutes long but none of this match feels long mainly due to the layout and execution of it. Each (we’ll call them) fall contributed something to the match while at the same time is able to stand on its own. The flow of the match was outstanding. Each fall directly led into the other. The finishes all made sense to the big picture. The performances of the wrestlers were outstanding. Everyone played their part to perfection. The crowd was hot throughout the entire thing. There was not one moment of silence in this match. It had a big fight atmosphere. Antonio Inoki’s team (Seiki Gundan) and Riki Choshu’s army (Ishin Gundan) were in a hot feud at the time and this was the culmination. 

We start with Kuniaki Kobayashi and Tatsumi Fujinami. The first thing I notice about this match is the incredible atmosphere. It really does give this match an aura of high importance. The fans are rabid for this first fall. Kobayashi rushes Fujinami at the bell and we get the match on the way. Fujinami slows him down with some perfectly executed mat work. The hate between the two teams becomes apparent in the first sequences of the match when Fujinami does not do a clean break when Kobayashi gets a rope break. The work here is really good. Kobayashi begins to work on Fujinami’s arm which is something that affects the match later on. This portion finishes off hot with Fujinami putting him away with a german suplex. In a vacuum this is a good little seven minute match but as a building block for a larger match it falls just short of brilliant. 

There is a lot happening in this next fall. Two separate stories are being told at the same time. Isamu Teranishi is next up for Ishin Gundan. He starts the match by targeting Fujinami’s arm. His work on the arm is very creative. One example of that is when Fujinami has him in an abdominal stretch he grabs his arm and puts him in a sort of arm lock while still in position of the hold. Teranishi effortlessly transitions from hold to hold in order to damage Fujinami’s arm. It was some excellent submission wrestling. Also the intensity in which he attacked the arm underlined the animosity between both teams which is a recurring theme throughout the match. Teranishi makes a great first impression on me since it’s my first time seeing him wrestle. His work here highlights his strongest characteristics: his focus and his intensity. Fujinami’s performance in this fall is also genius. He does a great job selling his pain and the work being done on his arm. His facial expressions paint the picture for the viewer of the pain he is experiencing. There is one point where he goes for the german suplex but his arm gives out and can’t hold onto Teranishi. This reinforces Teranishi’s arm work by showing that it is affecting Fujinami’s performance. Fujinami’s selling does double duty as it also exemplifies his own resilience. He is able to withstand the pain and still be able to find a different way to win the fall. He puts on a sharpshooter and Teranishi has no choice but to give up. Two different stories were told here by the same match but it was the individual performances that distinguished them. 

Yoshiaki Yatsu was next in the gauntlet. I also really like this fall for what it was. It was short but accomplished what it needed to in order to keep the flow of the match running smoothly. Yatsu immediately attacks Fujinami’s injured arm which demonstrates great psychology and reincorporates the arm work. Yatsu wins by count out when he ties Fujinami up in the ropes by his foot while the rest of his body is outside of the ropes. This also was brilliant because the only way Fujinami could escape was to use his arms but one of those arms was badly damaged thus his failure to escape. What was a simple little spot reinforces all of the work done earlier on the arm that led to Fujinami finally being eliminated.

Next up was Nobuhiko Takada. This was another fall where if it was a standalone match it would be great. Being placed after the quick decision in the previous fall was perfect. Fujinami being eliminated brought down the mood but Takada’s flurry of offense was a jolt of energy that reinvigorated the intensity of the match. The two had an amazing back and forth battle here. Yatsu hit some great suplexes on Takada. The action was impactful. These sequences elevated the match to a different level. It was an effective transition to this next part of the match. There is a sense of desperation from Yatsu due to the fact that his team was down one guy. Takada on the other hand was at an advantage and wanted to rush Yatsu and get him on the ropes. We get a deeper look at Takada as he shows his passion and fire but still has to learn to focus his attacks. Yatsu was able to take advantage of his ambition and put Takada away with the lariat. This fall recharged the pace of the match and also helped maintain the momentum. 

Kengo Kimura is up next for Seiki Gundan. Not much happened in this fall but the fact that it was short and compact makes it fine. Kimura wore down Yatsu after his previous battle against Takada. The action towards the end of the fall was great. Yatsu had some great comebacks and Kimura’s offense was very good. Kimura’s composure here is reflective of his team’s status throughout the match. Seiki Gundan is either one wrestler ahead or has the fresher man in the match. Kimura’s work displays his team's position in the match. He puts Yatsu away with a leg lariat. 

Animal Hamaguchi comes out next. Hamaguchi plays the psychological game with Kimura. He taunts him and avoids him which enrages Kimura. Kimura loses composure and Hamaguchi goes to work on him. Hamaguchi unleashes some powerful offense on Kimura to wear him down including some nasty headbutts and a flurry of dropping elbows. Kimura has some hot comebacks. He gets in some great looking leg lariats, suplexes and piledrivers. This fall is a turning point in the match for Choshu’s army. Before it was Seiki Gundan who were the more calm and focused group. Not only does this fall put both teams on equal standing on the scoreboard, it puts them on equal footing in terms of mentality, which is apparent immediately in the next fall. 

Yoshiaki Fujiwara comes out next and just begins to unload on Hamaguchi. This demonstrates the new dynamic of the match. It also shows how big of a threat Hamaguchi is when the team that was level headed throughout most of the match was now the desperate one. This gets really heated. Both men absolutely batter each other. Fujiwara attempts to give Hamaguchi headbutts of his own but it backfires. Hamaguchi showed some solid psychology by targeting Fujiwara’s forehead cut. Fujiwara did everything to slow down Hamaguchi including an attempt at the armbar which got a big pop. The fight spilled to the outside and Fujiwara switched his gameplan on the fly by going for the countout win. This reinforces the new mentality of Seiki Gundan and Hamaguchi’s danger. Fujiwara would rather get counted out with Hamaguchi than to let Inoki wrestle two more wrestlers. Fujiwara’s satisfactory expression after they both get counted out supports this. His sacrifice has a great effect on the rest of the match.

With both wrestlers in the previous fall counted out Antonio Inoki and Riki Choshu both came out fresh. It starts out hot with Choshu going right after Inoki. Inoki takes the match to the mat after that. He does some good mat work that wears down Choshu and affects the finish of the match. Choshu has some great comebacks including a lariat and a scorpion deathlock for a near finish. Inoki responds with a flurry of big moves and puts Choshu in the octopus stretch for the ref stoppage. This was a great way to finish this match. Fujiwara’s sacrifice earlier is validated here. Inoki gets the chance to prove his skill without having either he or Choshu go through another wrestler to fight. Choshu showed great fire in his comebacks and escape attempts. Inoki demonstrated his dominance through his mat work. It was a great way to cap off this match.

This match was perfect. Everything that was done was done for a reason. There was no down time. The mat wrestling elevated the match and the wrestlers. Everything played off of each other and made sense to the grand scheme. The crowd and atmosphere was amazing and the wrestlers did an excellent job in each of their roles.

Final Rating - *****

Throwback Match Reviews: Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper (Mid-Atlantic) (11/24/1983)

Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper (Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling) 11/24/1983

This was an awesome brawl. The dog collar gimmick can get silly but here they used it to its full potential. Everything they did with the dog collar was violent and nasty. The blood pouring down Valentine’s face and down Piper’s ear was a great visual and added to the brutality. The psychology in this match was also very sound. It was two guys who hated each other beating the shit out of each other.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Ric Flair vs Harley Race (Mid-Atlantic) (11/24/1983)

Ric Flair vs Harley Race (Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling) 11/24/1983

This was a good match with some high stakes that were reinforced all throughout. What stuck out the most about it was the atmosphere. The rabid crowd, the steel cage and lighting all contributed to a big fight feel. The work was also pretty solid. Flair as always did a great job selling his beating. His comebacks were hot and intense. The physicality in this match also stood out. The finish came a little out of nowhere and left a lot to be desired. Wasn’t bad by any means but definitely was anticlimactic. 

Final Rating - ***½

Throwback Match Reviews: Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) (06/08/1983)

Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW) 06/08/1983

This was a great match with a little questionable finish that ultimately did not hurt the match any further. It was a 2 out of 3 falls match for the NWA World Title. Let’s get the bad parts out of the way first. The first 20 minutes or so were very boring and very uneventful. Nothing of note happened and nothing built towards anything later in the match. It was your standard trading holds and selling. A lot of time could have been cut from this match. Another thing that bothered me about this match is the outcome. Jumbo was up one fall to none when the time limit expired. I feel like he should have won instead of it being a draw. It was anything atrocious enough to ruin the match but it was a little dumb. One last thing that I’m nitpicking here is Flair applying the Figure Four to the wrong leg. He’d been working one one of Jumbo’s legs but applied the hold on the other one. That took me out of the match a bit.

The match saw two amazing performances from both wrestlers. Jumbo began to unload on Flair with everything. Flair’s selling here was outstanding. Flair’s selling highlighted Jumbo’s offense. Everything looked painful. There was some color on Flair’s face that also made everything look brutal. All of Jumbo’s offense and control periods are uplifted further by the rabid crowd. The selling in this match after the first twenty minutes was great and consistent. Like I mentioned before Flair’s selling was great but it’s the fact that he was doing it throughout the entirety of the match, even when he was on offense. Jumbo also did a great job selling his leg that Flair worked on the entire match. Even when he was dishing out offense he remembered to clutch his leg. All that work led to a Figure Four spot. Despite it being applied on the wrong leg it was an amazing spot. The look of pain on Jumbo’s face as Flair continues to damage the leg really sold the spot. Flair’s desperation as time is running out and Jumbo refuses to give up or stay down plays up to Jumbo’s resilience as a babyface. 

Had we been given a sensible finish and cut some down time this great match could have been an all-time classic.

Final Rating - ****¼

Throwback Match Reviews: Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 04/21/1983

Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 04/21/1983

Unfortunately this is one of those matches that is hurt by expectations. There have been other matches in wrestling history that have been more overrated than this one but this one sure is baffling.

The first half of the match is great. It builds towards what I thought the direction of the match was going in. All of the development that Dynamite Kid went through in previous bouts was culminating here. He was able to keep up with everything that Tiger Mask was doing. There were moments of frustration where he began to lose composure but was able to fight through it and remain focused. At times it even felt though as Tiger Mask was the one that was letting his frustration get to him. They had their usual exchanges of holds and moves but it felt more urgent here given everything both wrestlers have gone through at this point. It builds to both wrestlers throwing everything at each other. The action was heated and hard-hitting but at the same time it was done so effortlessly. The atmosphere also contributed to the feeling of high importance. This great first portion of the match prevents the entire match from being bad. 

The match comes to a grinding halt when they both get counted out and the match ends. They spend a lot of time trying to get the referee to restart the match. It really took me out of the match. Everything they had done earlier in the match felt like it was pointless. The flow was ruined. They spent too much time on that portion. The match picked up from there. The crowd definitely helped get the match back on track. After all the time it took to get the match restarted and the effort it took to get the excitement up, the match again ended in a double countout. The reason to do a restart is so that we can get a definitive outcome to a match. So the finish makes the whole “restart the match” portion of the match ultimately meaningless. 

Although there were some questionable booking calls in this match, the body of the match is great enough to call this a great match, even though it’s massively overrated.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk (AJPW) (04/14/1983)

Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk (AJPW) 04/14/1983

Brutal is the only word to describe this match. Stan Hansen brutalized Terry Funk. Funk had some great comeback moments that received great crowd reactions. The match ending my disqualification did not bother me as much because neither wrestler looked bad from it. Dory Funk Jr ran out to make the save for Terry. Hansen took a couple shortcuts so it did not make Funk look bad. There really isn’t much to say about this match but it was great.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Don Kernodle/Sgt. Slaughter vs Jay Youngblood/Ricky Steamboat (Mid-Atlantic) 03/12/1983

Don Kernodle & Sgt. Slaughter vs Jay Youngblood & Ricky Steamboat (Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling) 03/12/1983

This was a great tag team war for the world tag team titles in a cage match. The stakes were high as it was a title match and the Steamboat/Youngblood team was on the line. The struggle to get the upper hand was great. Youngblood doing everything he can to survive his opponents viscous attack was great and the crowd shrieked every time he reversed or fought back. That eventually led into a Kernodle/Slaughter control period that was brutal. They beat them and bloodied them. It was very entertaining. The hot tags in this match were molten. Steamboat and Youngblood’s comebacks were incredible. The lariats that were thrown in this match by both teams looked viscous. Everything piece of offense looked like death. 

The structure of this match was conceptually good but wasn’t well executed. The first third of the match was very slow and could have easily had parts cut out. Nothing really happened. If that was reduced the match would have flowed smoothly from the back and forth exchanges to the heel control period to the babyface comeback to the finish. It stopped this match from being an all time classic to being just a great match.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair (WCCW) (12/25/1982)

Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair (WCCW) 12/25/1982

This was a very good match bordering on great that was kind of ruined by the predictable nonsense that ensued during it. From the start I knew that Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy were going to get involved in the match. It was very distracting and at times counterproductive to what they were trying to accomplish. The part where Kerry would not break the claw even though Flair had his foot on the ropes was bad because Kerry started arguing with Hayes even though Hayes was in the right. That is where Hayes' influence fails. He’s supposed to be the bad guy because of his interference in the match but he is as close as unbiased as any special referee could be in this type of match. At worst he is a bit aggressive in his officiating. 

The main part of the match was actually great. The structure of the match was very good. The early back and forth struggles where Kerry would seem to have the upper hand but Flair would counter or reverse were great. They effectively built up to the next phase of the match. Kerry finally gets control of Flair and proceeds to beat him from pillar to post. This is where Ric Flair shined. His selling in this portion of the match was incredible. Kerry’s offense is very weak-looking. Aside from a decent looking punch none of it looks that impressive. But Ric Flair sells his ass off for Kerry. The blood, the bumps, the glassy-eyed look all create the illusion that Kerry was about to kill this man. 

After this we got the Hayes interference that I mentioned earlier and that led to the finish. It was dumb. Thanks to Terry Gordy Flair was able to get some nasty offense in. Kerry was beginning to look like Flair. While Flair laid on the mat looking like he just got mauled by a bear, the official checks on Kerry and decides he can no longer go. Usually I enjoy matches that end by ref stoppage but this was ridiculous. Flair was far more beaten up than Kerry was. The referee should have called it way before if he was that concerned about the safety of the wrestlers. 

Despite the annoying interference and the stupid finish I still would say this is a good match considering that the majority of it was great.

Final Rating - ***½

Throwback Match Reviews: Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (08/05/1982)

Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 08/05/1982

This was a great match between Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid. It started out extremely hot with both wrestlers going at each other with quick moves. It was a continuation of a match they had a couple weeks prior. The pace of this match was pretty insane. It was a 16 minute match that felt half of that length. The match had great flow as they transitioned seamlessly into each other’s control periods. 

Unlike their other matches this one was built around both of their offensive movesets rather than Tiger Mask’s offense and Dynamite Kid’s defense. Other matches were built around Dynamite Kid trying to escape Tiger Mask’s holds and reverse his offense. Dynamite Kid kept progressing with each match to learn and overcome Tiger Mask’s offense. Tiger Mask also continued to grow by adding new moves to his repertoire. He was always a step ahead of Dynamite Kid. This match took that dynamic to the next step. They were on a more level playing field here. Dynamite not only had Tiger Mask’s moves scouted but also had a deeper level of focus and composure. Kid took more of the match than he had previously done before. The match exceeds because it develops both wrestlers to a higher level. Dynamite Kid is now on Tiger Mask’s level and Tiger Mask still shows he can continue to evolve by still being able to beat Dynamite Kid.

The main reason this match is great is because it serves as a major transition in this feud. They evolve from their old dynamic and a new one has taken its place. They are able to communicate this solely through the structure of the match and the actual wrestling.

Final Rating - ****½

Throwback Match Reviews: Dynamite Kid vs Tigers Mask (07/23/1982)

Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 07/23/1982

This match was pretty good. It was similar to a lot of their other matches in terms of the sequences and the pacing. The match did not add much to this ongoing feud. What stood out the most was that Dynamite Kid showed another level of composure during the match. In moments of frustration during prior matches he would lose his cool. In this match he was able to remain more focused and composed. This is an added layer to his character that I feel will play into other matches. The match spiraled out of control and it ended in a count out victory for Dynamite Kid. I really did not like that finish. It did accomplish what it was going for but the execution was lacking. The interference was really out of place in this match and feud. The feud continues to escalate with this match and that was really the only reason for it to exist.

Final Rating - ***½

Throwback Match Reviews: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Ric Flair II

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Ric Flair (AJPW) 06/08/1982

This match was for the NWA World Championship. The back and forth struggles throughout the entire match were all great. Tsuruta had some great offense with his suplexes and running knee strikes. Flair had great defensive wrestling. The first third of the match was a little uneventful but was helped with the aforementioned sequences that played into the rest of the match and even the finish. Everything in the match was pretty much a spoiler to the finish. It foreshadowed the result of a tie as both wrestlers were even throughout the whole match. The figure four leg-lock spots in the match were great because they were well built with prior leg work and the crowd was very hot during them. They were also placed appropriately in the match. Putting those spots right before the final back and forth battle ensured for the best possible reactions from the crowd. The technical aspects of the match were great as well. 

What hurts this match a lot is the actual finish. I would have preferred a double countout, a time limit draw or even a double DQ. I hate the double pin. It has never made sense to me. Aside from the fact that it is incredibly contrived, it also makes everyone involved seem incredibly stupid. The wrestlers look stupid because they should know that they are being pinned and should try to kick out immediately. The referee looks stupid because he out of everyone should know better than to count a double pin. He needs to break it up and reset the wrestlers. They wanted to go the “nobody really won, nobody really lost” route but they chose the worst possible way to go about it.

Despite my gripes with the match I still thought it was great but it obviously could have been better with a sensible finish.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Steve Wright vs Tiger Mask

Steve Wright vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 04/01/1982

This was a very good match with really good work. There really wasn’t much in terms of a story but that is fine for a match like this. Tiger Mask’s high flying was as good as I have seen of it and Wright’s technical wrestling was very solid. The two styles meshed nicely and made for good back and forth action. The finishing stretch of the match took it to a new level. It was really good.

Final Rating - ***3/4

Throwback Match Reviews: Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask III

Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask III (NJPW) 01/28/1982

This match furthered the feud between the two wrestlers. In a match that I watched but did not review Tiger Mask defeated Kid for the WWF Junior Heavyweight Title. Tiger Mask was defending the title here against Kid as well. A lot of this match mirrored their earlier bouts but was done so in order to provide some well placed callbacks rather than lazily rehashing past moves. The difference in this match than in previous matches is that Kid was much more prepared for Tiger Mask’s flurry of offense. He also did not get frustrated as Tiger Mask began to escape and reverse everything he threw at him. This was vital in showing Kid’s growth as a person and as a performer. He was more calm and more focused than before. Tiger Mask also showed a new aspect to his game as he slowed down and wore Kid down with some holds. That is also important in keeping up with Kid’s growth. 

As always the technical aspect of the match between these two was great. Kid did a great job selling and Tiger Mask’s offense looked amazing. The hot crowd also helped this match. This match’s main purpose was to introduce these new moves to each wrestlers’ moveset and to show the personal growth of each guy. The finish of the match supports this as it was basically the same finish as their first match with Tiger Mask winning in a quick fashion. It prepares the audience for the next phase in this rivalry.

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen

Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen (NJPW) 09/23/1981

I love going back to watch pre-WWF Andre the Giant and realize that he was a great wrestler as well. This match had a great babyface/heel dynamic with Hansen playing a good sympathetic babyface. I have a hard time seeing Andre the Giant as a cowardly heel. He wasn’t over the top cowardly but it was present. A big giant like Andre should never be cowardly. I don’t mind cowardly heels but when all heels are cowardly in the same promotion it comes off as lazy. This is not the case here but I wanted to lay out my opinions on cowardly heels. 

The action in the match was brutal. Both guys beat the hell out of each other. The crowd was also a highlight of the match. They reacted to everything appropriately. Andre and Hansen proved that foreigners can get over with the Japanese crowds if they invest their time in Japan. The screwy finish(es) hurt the match a little but it was well done. 

Final Rating - ****

Throwback Match Reviews: Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask

Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask (NJPW) 04/23/1981

This is the first match in this legendary series. The early exchanges in the match were well executed. A mixture of uppercuts, chops, kicks and some violent snapmares by both men all helped set the pace of the match. Tiger Mask was very impressive early on. His offense was quick but brutal at the same time. This was enhanced by Kid’s selling. The bumps that he took and the expressions on his face of anguish and surprise really sold the story of the match. Dynamite Kid continued to grow angrier, frustrated and annoyed by Tiger Mask’s offense. Kid tried to slow him down with some holds but Tiger Mask would counter or escape with ease. Kid’s frustration really showed when he resorted to underhanded tactics like feigning injury to get out of tight situations or taking the match to the outside. Tiger Mask eventually used Kid’s frustration against him and won with a German Suplex. Kid kicked out at 3.1. After the match Kid’s frustration continued and got a cheap kick on Tiger Mask. Tiger Mask responded with a kick of his own and the two were read to go again. Both of these wrestlers didn’t use up all their bullets. A feud had then started.

Final Rating - ****¼

Throwback Match Reviews: Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk

Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk (CWA) 03/23/1981

The version of the match that I found online was a clipped. After doing some research I learned that all that was cut out were the slower and down moments. All of the action was left in. While I personally enjoyed that, I need to have the full match in order to give it a proper rating. Keep in mind that my rating reflects what I saw only and while I’m assuming the slow periods were cut, I can’t let that influence my final rating.

This was a good hate-filled fight. Funk especially was great here with the punishment he inflicted on Lawler. Lawler played a good babyface. The crowd definitely enhanced this match. This is the first match I’ve watched for this project where I could not get into the frame of mind of the time. The problem is that I’ve seen a lot more of these hate-filled brawls done better. The match was good, worked well, had great crowd connection and was psychologically sound but it was not special in any way, even for the time.

Final Rating - ***½

Wrestler Most Valuable Player 2019

Wrestler Most Valuable Player 2019

10) Cody

I hesitate to put Cody on this list because he is not as valuable a wrestler as he is as an executive. Cody is probably the second or third most important figure in American pro wrestling if we factor in his executive contributions to the business. But this list is not for that. With that being said I do think he is still important to All Elite Wrestling. He was a big part of a lot of major storylines in 2019 AEW. Cody is one of the best promos in the world right now and that is reflected with the connection he has with the crowd. He is probably the most over wrestler now and in 2019 in AEW. He has also had a couple of great matches, including the Match of the Year level match he had with his brother Dustin at Double or Nothing.

9) Jay White 

Jay White had a very successful year in NJPW. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Title at the beginning of 2019 and although it was a short zero defense reign, it was significant in the fact that it established him as one of the top players of that promotion. The end of that reign came at a sold-out G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden where he main evented with Kazuchika Okada. White continued to be a big part of NJPW throughout the year. He also had a run with the IWGP Intercontinental Title and was a big part of the Double Gold Dash along with three other top NJPW stars. White also made it to the finals of the G1 Climax and although he didn’t win, making it to the finals is a big deal, especially since he is the second foreigner to do so. His in-ring year was up and down. The G1 final against Kota Ibushi, the Okada matches and the Tanahashi matches were all great. He had a match with Tetsuya Naito that was also great in the fall. Some of his other matches were not so great. Had White been more consistent with his in-ring work he’d be higher on this list.

8) Psycho Clown

Admittedly I am not the biggest lucha fan nor am I the leading expert on it. I watch very little lucha throughout the year but what I do watch is big AAA shows. What I take away from watching these shows is that Psycho Clown is the biggest star in the promotion. The guy is over. He also is a big draw in Mexico and is a part of a lot of major storylines in the promotion. It’d be a crime not to include him in this list. He’s at number eight with my limited knowledge of his work so just imagine how higher he’d be if I actually followed AAA closer.

7) Ben-K

Ben-K is an important piece to the new generation of Dragon Gate. He has been placed into the position of the new ace in 2019 and he did great with it. He had a pretty good year in the first half but after getting kicked out of R.E.D in May he really picked up steam. His run in King of Gate was great and his victory of Pac at Kobe World was an important moment. He had a great run with the Open the Dream Gate championship and although it was shorter than anticipated it was very successful. Ben-K’s in-ring year was also impressive. He had a match of the year caliber match against Masaaki Mochizuki in October. 

6) Will Ospreay

Ospreay already won my award for Most Outstanding Wrestler of 2019 but his in-ring year was so great that it merited ranking on this list. I’m not going to go into depth on his in-ring year because I already did that on the Most Outstanding Wrestler list but needless to say it was historic. Ospreay was also a major part of NJPW’s storylines in 2019. He competed in almost every tournament they had to offer. He also wrestled in various indies all over the world and was a big draw in those places.

5) Chris Jericho

Jericho’s 2019 is one of the best years of his career. He was a major part in AEW getting as popular as it did and probably was a big factor in the TNT TV deal. He was the only champion that made sense for the promotion and he definitely lived up to the expectations for the first champion. Character wise he was just as entertaining as his best in the world run in WWE in 2008. His promos were great and his in-ring work was pretty good. Mixed with his AEW run is his NJPW run as well. He’s also a big draw for New Japan and has had his best matches of his career there. The match with Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 13 was a legit match of the year contender. Jericho also main evented Dominion against Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Title. He was a major part in the main events of the number 2 and number 3 promotions of the world.

4) Kazuchika Okada

Okada always has under-the-radar years. He is sometimes a boring pick for wrestler of the year but always a correct choice. He had a great in-ring year that contributed to his spot on this list. Okada was champion for nine months out of the year and of course was a big part of NJPW’s storylines. He main evented Dominion with Chris Jericho and main evented and sold out Madison Square Garden against Jay White. He has been a consistent player in NJPW for years now and he’s only 32. 

3) Pac

Pac this year was a tribute to old school wrestling renegades. He won Dragon Gate’s Open the Dream Gate title in late 2018 and protected through 2019 like it was his own child. He wrestled in many indies across the world. The belt was protected because he knew he had to and knew his worth. His in-ring year was pretty good and wrestled a lot of dream matches including with Will Ospreay. The culmination of his Dream Gate run came at Kobe Wrestling Festival where he dropped the title to and elevated Ben-K in a great match. After that he joined All Elite Wrestling and instantaneously became a major player in that promotion. He continued to have great matches, further elevate his stardom and still looked strong while doing it.

2) Kento Miyahara

No wrestler is as vital to their promotion as Kento Miyahara is to All Japan Pro Wrestling. Were it not for him the promotion would be in serious trouble. Miyahara’s current title reign in 2019 was an all-timer. Match after match he consistently performed at a high level. He has the ability to get anyone on that roster over during his matches. He continues to draw good crowds for AJPW and even though he has plateaued as a draw he hasn’t hurt them substantially either. That is the only reason why he isn’t at number one for this list. The connection he has with the fans is fitting of an ace.

1) Kota Ibushi 

Ibushi dominated the heavyweight scene in New Japan. His in-ring year was great with many MOTY level matches. After signing with the promotion full time he was immediately inserted into the top storylines. He won the IWGP Intercontinental Title at Madison Square Garden against Tetsuya Naito. He was a big draw on a lot of shows for NJPW especially during the G1 Climax. He won the G1 Climax which is one of the more important trophies to win in pro wrestling. Ibushi continues to have adoration from fans unmatched by almost no one.