Jump to content
Pro Wrestling Only

The 2016 MOTY Yes/No Thread


GOTNW

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 109
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Kushida vs. Jushin Liger (NJPW 5/3/2016) YES

 

I wont count him out but if this is the last truly great match of LIger's career, what a match to go out on. This had really great work centered around the arm and Liger throwing everything left in his old man arsenal to avoid the hoverboard lock. Kushida does blow off the leg work slightly keeping it from true MOTYC status in my eyes but it wasn't that big of a point of emphasis to where it got egregious. Overall, a great passing of the torch match

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maximo vs Kamaitachi (CMLL, 1/1)

NO - https://matchoftheyear.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/maximo-sexy-vs-kamaitachi-from-cmll-1116/

Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW 1/4)

YES - I liked their WK9 match a little more, but the finish here is one of the best finishes ever and I was fully invested throughout the match. I'd put this behind Invasion Attack and WK9 as their best match.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW 1/4)

YES - I liked this more than their New Beginning match. I thought it was paced perfectly. Another classic Ishii match. I'm all about what Ishii does and this was him at his best.

AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW 1/4)

YES - close to 5* for me. Just two of the very best at their peak. I can't say enough good things about it.

Chris Hero & Tommy End vs Zack Sabre Jr. & Sami Callihan (EVOLVE 53, 1/22)

YES - Thrilling tag match with great pacing. Would be shocked if this didn't make my Top 10 at the end of the year. Hero's first great performance of 2016. Sami's best performance on the indies since coming back (granted, haven't seen the Dijak match), and my favorite End match I've seen. This clicked. Everything about it worked. ****3/4

Kevin Owens vs Dean Ambrose (WWE Royal Rumble, 1/24)

NO - This was fine, but nothing that I have fond memories of and I only remember the table bump at the end.

Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi (NJPW, 1/24)

NO - It was great, but not something other worldly and I've seen better spotfests in other companies this year. I don't understand how this is nearly universally praised, but Dragon Gate matches are crucified. This was more spotty than any DG match in quite some time. So I guess I'm biased, but this match annoyed me more than anything. And I still gave it ****1/4

AJ Styles vs Zack Sabre Jr. (RPW High Stakes, 1/26)

NO - Liked it, didn't love it. Certainly wasn't the best match on the show (where is Ospreay/Scurll?). I think if this would've happened in July it would've been much, much better, but AJ was on his way out and he wasn't exactly phoning it in, but I have seen better AJ performances.

Isami Kodaka vs Masa Takanashi (DDT, 1/31)

YES - Love this match and the story it told. Alan has a great writeup of it in a F4W. My current non-DG, non-NJPW Puro match of the year, and I've been very critical of Kodaka in the past. ****1/2

Mike Bailey vs Sami Clliahn (CZW Seventeen, 2/13)

NO - I really wanted to love it, but I just was never hooked by it

Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs Dean Ambrose (WWE Fastlane, 2/21)

YES - I'll consider it. At the very worst, a Top 25 match for this year. Thought all three guys were great in the match and I rarely feel that way about Ambrose or Reigns.

Triple H vs Dean Ambrose (WWE Roadblock, 3/12)

NO - Absolutely not.

Fred Yehi vs Drew Gulak (EVOLVE 56, 3/19)

NO - not my kind of match.

Chris Hero vs Tracy Williams (EVOLVE 56, 3/19)

NO - not even the best match on the show, though I happened to think it was great. Another killer Hero performance, if anything.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs Will Ospreay (EVOLVE 58, 4/1)

YES - Ahhh this was so great. Both guys were just perfect. A Top 10 contender for sure. Ospreay might have delivered the performance of his life here. He was so ungodly good. ZSJ was a great base and a great zag to Ospreay's zig. This match just worked. ****3/4

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn (NXT Take Over: Dallas, 4/1)

YES - I have it at ****3/4. From a technical standpoint it was certainly a notch below other Nak classics like the Ibushi matches, but I give this a boost for the environment because it truly was special.

Bayley vs Asuka (NXT Take Over: Dallas, 4/1)

NO - And I loved this match, but ****1/4 isn't going to make my Top 10, or even my Top 25 this year.

Samoa Joe vs Finn Balor (NXT Take Over: Dallas, 4/1)

YES - This is the Samoa Joe I've been longing for. He was so great here. A classic. I had it just a step below Nak/Zayn, but I have a feeling that this will hold up better if I rewatch both of those matches.

Matt Riddle vs Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE 59, 4/2)

NO - Disappointed by this. They worked hard, but nothing clicked with me.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs Chris Hero (WWN Mercury Rising, 4/2)

YES - Simply outstanding. A total clinic between two complete pros. Another gem from Hero. No complaints from me. ****1/2

Matt Riddle vs Tracy Williams (WWN Mercury Rising, 4/2)

NO - liked their match from EVOLVE 55 more. That one gave me a real Otsuka/Ikeda vibe. This didn't.

Kota Ibushi & TJP & Johnny Gargano vs Marty Scurll & Will Ospreay & Tommy End (WWN Mercury Rising, 4/2)

YES - my indie match of the year at this point and I don't see anything topping it. For what it was, it was perfect. Exactly what it needed to be. A mix of fun, wild spots, and mind-blowing, state-of-the-art moves. ****3/4

Sasha Banks vs Charlotte vs Becky Lynch (WWE WrestleMania, 4/3)

NO - come on now, guys. No way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles (NJPW 1/4) - YES

I thought this was the best match of WK. A great showcase of both of these guys' talents.

 

Masato Tanaka vs Hideki Suzuki (Zero-1 1/1) - YES

http://prowrestlingo...ero-one-010116/

Yuji Okabayashi vs Ryota Hama (BJW 1/24) - YES

http://prowrestlingo...ma-bjw-1242016/

Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Atsushi Aoki (AJPW 1/3) - NO

Entertaining match and I'm amazed how Fujiwara can still go at his age but not a MOTY contender for me by any means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Nomination:

Masaaki Mochizuki, Dragon Kid, Big R Shimizu, & Kzy vs. Akira Tozawa, Masato Yoshino, T-Hawk, & Shachihoko BOY vs. YAMATO, Shingo Takagi, Naruki Doi, & Kotoka: Dragon Gate 2/4

 

One of the most dramatic matches I've seen in quite some time. Elimination style, losing unit disbands match. It came down to Kzy doing his best to fight for Dia. Hearts honor, including some absolutely insane sequences with Takagi, but in the end, Kzy was overmatched and fell victim to a Galleria from YAMATO.

 

You should start a DG thread and force feed it. I've tried getting into it on various occasions, usually after an Alan4L touts something as the greatest thing he's seen. While nothing's connected anywhere near that level yet, I'm determined to figure out what or why I'm missing before I tap out.

 

When the Dead or Alive PPV hits the Internet, I'll start a thread. Should be rather soon.

 

It's up and I'll frequent the thread it will for sure it will also help me get back in the habit of watch DG as it happens not saving up months worth before finally watching (I still need to see Lindaman v T-Hawk from last month)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega (NJPW 2/24/16) - YES

 

Good dueling limbwork match with logical selling and a nice pace to it. The shenanigans at the end fit the match fine and I'm not as low on Omega in general as some others.

 

Will Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA (NJPW 4/10/16) - YES

 

KUSHIDA's attack was nice and focused and Ospreay sold well. I think Ospreay is pretty good at picking his spots and his highspots came across nicely here. A really good concise juniors match that makes me want to see more of this matchup.

 

KUSHIDA vs. Jushin Liger (NJPW 5/3/16) - YES

 

I did have my issues with KUSHIDA's selling of the knee but still a really strong match. Liger pouncing on the champ when he had the opening was great stuff. His big Liger Bomb and the leg submission work were great credible offensive runs, and in the end this felt like a fight for survival more than a standard match.

 

Drew Gulak vs. Timothy Thatcher (PWG 1/2/16) - YES

 

Gulak blew me away in this with his detail work. Watch him get gutwrenched and still try to attack the knee of Thatcher before he gets thrown. Nice body part attacks, really good selling. Gulak has been on fire this year and Thatcher gave a really good showing as well.

 

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn (NXT 4/1/16) - YES

 

A match where everything just converged perfectly. Zayn brought the fight to Nakamura and the striking exchange fit perfectly in the context of the match. Once this went from a feeling out process to two guys trying to kill each other it resonated on such a deep level. The near fall off the Blue Thunder Bomb was off the charts especially for a move that doesn't win matches. You had both guys stomping each other in the face with no regard, incredible drama, and an atmosphere that probably can't be topped this year. Easy yes and a top 3 match of the year for me.

 

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Will Ospreay (EVOLVE 4/1/16) - YES

 

This felt like the perfect exhibition of these two. Cool spots, nifty matwork and holds from Sabre, a super hot crowd making this feel like a special moment. Maybe most importantly, they built to a crazy heated finish but ended it at the right moment, before it had a chance to get out of hand or overstay its welcome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few indie nominations:

 

Isami Kodaka vs. Konosuke Takeshita (DDT 1/3/16)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32907-isami-kodaka-vs-konosuke-takeshita-ddt-010316/

 

Konosuke Takeshita & Tetsuya Endo vs. Daisuke Sasaki & Shuji Ishikawa (DDT 3/21/16)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34227-konosuke-takeshita-tetsuya-endo-vs-daisuke-sasaki-shuji-ishikawa-ddt-32116/

 

Hiro Tonai vs. Kyo Mogami (K-DOJO 2/25/16)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34226-hiro-tonai-vs-kyo-mogami-k-dojo-22516/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nominating:

Prince Puma, Rey Mysterio Jr., & Dragon Azteca Jr. vs Cortez, Castro, & Joey Ryan vs Fenix, Jack Evans, & PJ Black vs Ivelisse & Son of Havoc (Lucha Underground, 1/10)

 

One of the best spot fests in years, but filled with some good storytelling. They had the much better four way rules of you only being able to tag your partner and the elimination rule. These things really helped build the story.

 

Outside of all of the amazing high spots, the great drama of hot tags and story telling, something that was great that each finish was perfectly done.

 

Also, Jack Evans continues to have one of the best characters in wrestling today..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NXT Takeover Dallas:

Nakamura-Zayn YES

Bayley-Asuka NO

Joe-Balor NO

Revival-American Alpha YES

 

for comments see NXT Takeover Dallas thread

 

Payback:

Zayn-Owens NO

AJ-Reigns YES

 

for comments-match discussion archive

 

Owens-Ambrose Royal Rumble NO

Dumb generic WWE gimmick match with them setting up spots forever and questionable transitions and predictable use of finisher for "nearfalls" that weren't believable and one cool bump.

 

Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs Dean Ambrose (WWE Fastlane, 2/21)-YES

Sure, I'll shit on enough WWE matches so I might as well properly praise those I did like. Think this did a good job of working around Lesnar, Ambrose might be a good wrestler if his offence was limited to just hitting other dudes with weapons.

 

Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio (2/3 Falls, Fastlane 2/21/2016)-YES

I don't remember much about this other than I really liked it? And it lacked the blown spots their match at RR had but also had the neat sequences and whatnot that their first match had. Was their Smackdown title change match in 2016? That one was really neat. Should nominate that one later.

 

Sasha Banks vs Charlotte vs Becky Lynch (WWE WrestleMania, 4/3)-NO

 

Cesaro vs. AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho (Raw 4/4/2016)-NO

 

See match discussion archive

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 1/4/2016)-NO

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 1/4/2016) -NO

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles Wrestle Kingdom 10 NJPW 1/4/16-NO

Kushida vs. Kenny Omega (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 1/4/2016)-NO

 

see Wrestle Kingdom 10 thread

 

Will Ospreay vs. Kushida (NJPW Invasion Attack 4/10/2016)-YES

match discussion archive

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega (NJPW New Beginning 2/14/2016)-NO

let's see what I wrote about it on DVDVR:

 

I thought this was fine, a perfectly solid match, I liked Omega's Knee rush at the end and thought they handled the interference much better than they usually do but there just wasn't much there for me to latch on to. The limbwork was ok but not very interesting and I'm sorry but to me them going through their big moves is as formulaic and uninteresting as the same happening in WWE matches (and really, I think folks would be able to see that if they'd followed New Japan for a little longer).

yeah. that sounds good enough I guess.

 

Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi (NJPW, 1/24)-YES

once again-see match discussion archive

 

Marty Scrull vs Will Ospreay (PROGRESS Chapter 25, 1/24)-NO

My least favourite match of the year. They blow thourgh a bunch of kung fu spots, a third of them doesn't look good, a third of them doesn't make sense and the even the stuff that does like wrestling offence doesn't matter since nothing is sold, I don't care, stop blowing through so much stuff, I'm too old for this, learn how to throw a punch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nominate:

 

Super Fly/Carta Brava vs. Luxdor/Venum (3/4/16 - AAA)

 

Probably my favorite tag so far in 2016. Lots of flying and everything is hit really well and builds to a satisfying finish.

 

Gran Apache/Carta Brava vs. Luxdor/Venum (2/19/16 - AAA)

 

A tad below the March match, but an opportunity to see Gran Apache in 2016. This match also evaded the rudo beat down to start that AAA likes to use so it's more or less wrestled as a technical match, building to the high spots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NO -- Prince Puma, Rey Mysterio Jr., & Dragon Azteca Jr. vs Cortez, Castro, & Joey Ryan vs Fenix, Jack Evans, & PJ Black vs Ivelisse & Son of Havoc (Lucha Underground, 1/10)

 

Lot of potential here with the talent involved and required tags, but it felt like a stop & go production line of dives without much more holding it together. LU has successfully run a number of longer matches (notably Puma/Mundo Iron Man, Aztec Warfares) but this was went long without any purpose behind it other than providing time for everyone to tick through their spots. A truncated version would've likely been better but we don't have that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nominate:

 

Tracy Williams/Drew Gulak vs. TJP/Fred Yehi (EVOLVE 5/6/16) -

 

A blast of a tag team match. These four obviously match up with each other very well. Fred Yehi's face in peril segment is really well done and his exchanges with Tracy Williams are great. They even build to a really cool and sensible four men down spot. Plus the stretch run doesn't feel bloated or clunky like a lot of modern indy tags.

 

Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE 5/6/16) -

 

A slow building match with Hero trying to take off Sabre's head and Sabre trying to rip Hero's arm off, but they throw a lot of neat wrinkles into it. A worthy followup to the WM weekend match with a completely devastating finish. Sabre carried himself strongly in this as well and they are building a great dynamic between these two. Hero might be the wrestler of the year. Zack Sabre is a great wrestling version of Andy Murray not able to get his major breakthrough over his toughest rival.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rush vs. Maximo (CMLL 3/18/16)-YES

see MDA for comments

 

Nominating:

HARASHIMA vs Shigehiro Irie (DDT 2/28)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34205-harashima-vs-shigehiro-irie-ddt-2282016/

AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows vs Roman Reigns & The Usos (WWE Raw 5/2)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34231-aj-styles-karl-anderson-luke-gallows-vs-roman-reigns-the-usos-wwe-raw-522016/

Emma & Charlotte vs Becky Lynch & Natalya (WWE Smackdown 5/3)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34249-emma-charlotte-vs-becky-lynch-natalya-wwe-smackdown-532016/

AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs Roman Reigns & The Usos (WWE Smackdown 5/3)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34251-aj-styles-luke-gallows-karl-anderson-vs-roman-reigns-the-usos-wwe-smackdown-532016/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nominating: Virus vs. Hechicero (Lucha Memes, 5/15)
This is pretty much the lucha dream match of the moment, and Hechicero is making a strong case for WOTY by going on this tear of having several top-shelf matches each month in taped tags and singles. First: this match happened on Sunday afternoon and I’m watching it now. Incredible. Second: remember how I’ve been annoyingly talking for months on this board about how the way matches are filmed is way more important than people acknowledge? Watch this and see what a difference it makes. You are in the ring with these guys like it’s the first thirty minutes of Saving Private Ryan. The tightness of the holds. The fluidity of the matwork. The strength needed to move like that on said mat. The speed of the rope running and Virus’ amazing counters out of submissions.

 

You get the sense these guys are pulling out wild stuff that they can only do with each other (or an elite few at this level). The flying in and out of intricate pins feels like a lost art being rediscovered here. Fantastic finish that shows the logic of the limb work being done throughout. If this was five to ten minutes longer, it could be MOTY. As is, it might be the best uncut eleven and a half minutes of wrestling this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nominations:

Shuji Ishikawa vs Hideki Suzuki (BJW 4/9)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34403-shuji-ishikawa-vs-hideki-suzuki-bjw-492016/

Negro Casas vs Rey Hechicero (Noches de Coliseo 4/24)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34349-negro-casas-vs-rey-hechicero-noches-de-coliseo-4242016/

Dragon Lee, Stuka Jr., Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Kamaitachi, Negro Casas (CMLL 2/19)

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34315-dragon-lee-stuka-jr-volador-jr-vs-gran-guerrero-kamaitachi-negro-casas-cmll-2192016/

 

LA Park & Super Parka & El Hijo del LA Park vs Rush & Pierroth & Toscano (Lucha Elite, 4/27)-YES

Meiko Satomura vs. Aja Kong (Sendai Girls 4/8)-YES

see MDA for comments

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reigns vs. AJ II from Extreme Rules -- Another great match between these 2. These guys just mesh well together. Reigns popped out a ton of new amazing power moves that looked brutal and they worked extremely well against AJ who's open to taking crazy bumps. The false finishes were excellent too and the run ins were well timed. The result was expected, but it was still an amazing match.

 

Also voting yes for Reigns vs. AJ I from Payback and to Nakamura vs. Zayn from NXT TakeOver Dallas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

~Maximo vs. Kamaitachi (CMLL, 1/1): YES. I'm not sure that there's a better babyface in wrestling than Maximo right now, and Kama is just magnificent. Best NJPW excursion since Mutoh.

~Isami Kodaka vs. Konosuke Takeshita (DDT, 1/3): YES. One of the most compelling matchup dynamics of the year with the experience/size differences.

~Los Panteras vs. Dinestia Navarro (IWRG, 1/17): YES. Best main event trios of the year.
~Chris Hero & Tommy End vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Sami Callihan (EVOLVE, 1/22): YES. Even if End's double-stomp was a whiff, that wasn't the finish anyway. An out-and-out electric in-ring atmosphere.

~Dragon Lee, Stuka Jr., Volador Jr. vs. Gran Guerrero, Kamaitachi, Negro Casas (CMLL, 2/19): YES. The platonic ideal of a trios sprint.

~Dragon Lee vs. Kamaitachi (CMLL, 3/4): YES. This is what every "epic main event" should be.

~Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 1/4): NO. It's not all of the legwork ending with a bunch of Okada dropkicks. It's all of the legwork ending with nice and tidy tombstones so Okada could set up the dosey-doe. I can't accept any match where I can't stop thinking about how limbwork could have helped the opponent-- like Okada getting rubbery-legged and Gansoing Tana on a tombstone attempt.

~Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW, 1/4): NO. No. No. No no, Nanette. Take away both guys' best attribute (Ishii's selling and Shibata's explosiveness/unpredictability) and double down on it in the match and blech.

NOMINATIONS

~Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kota Umeda (DDT DNA, 1/8): A really excellent "prove ourselves" match. I kind of like the now-foreign idea that a developmental show would be about development and its competitors trying to prove that they deserve to be the next company ace.

~Andy Wu vs. Hiroshi Yamato (WRESTLE-1, 1/10): Just a really nice juniors match that never really lagged or screwed around. A refreshingly straightforward and entertaining match.

~Silueta vs. Zeuxis (CMLL, 2/23): I kind of think that this might be the best women's match of the year. I need to rewatch it to be more specific why, but the luchadoras are always underrepresented.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...