My Top 50 Matches of 2023
2023 has without a doubt has been the year where I’ve watched the most wrestling, both from the past and present. My goal to expand my horizons when it comes to wrestling started in 2021 and that journey was what led me to making this list.
Despite me trying to keep up with as many promotions as I could, I did have those that I watched more and followed more closely then others. AEW, AJPW, BJW, CMLL, DDT, DPW, LUCHA MEMES, NJPW, NOAH & WWE were the promotions I followed the most closely and thus a lot of the list is comprised of matches from those promotions.
Before the list itself I would like to give some honorable mentions, not to matches however. There are plenty of stand-out wrestlers this year who were not a part of any of the 50 matches below that I thought were worth a mention, those include (in no particular order): HARASHIMA, Mistico, Mio Momono, Atsuki Aoyagi, Mike Bailey, Bryan Keith, Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr., Rising HAYATO, Daniel Garcia, TJP, Hiromu Takahashi, & Kazuki Hirata. I could name more, but I would be here all day.
Now without further adieu, here is the list:
50. Takuho Kato vs. Yuji Okabayashi (BJW - 6/30)
The start of this list begins with a goodbye.
As far as we know, this could very well have been Yuki Okabayashi’s final match as after this match he went on indefinite hiatus. He goes out in a very suitible manner, by slapping his opponent very hard. This match doesn’t necesarilly feel like Okabayashi’s last potential match, but in a way that is a positive. He wrestles like it’s any other night, not compormising his abilities for a grander story. Okabayashi walks off while still at the top of his game, getting the vitcory and all. This makes the bout feel more like a triumph, rather than a bittersweet moment. This maybe Okabayashi’s last match, but at the end of the day it is still an Okabayashi match, that alone is worth celebrating.
49. Christian Cage vs Darby Allin (AEW - 10/1)
3 Falls, 3 times the Darby Bumps.
Two constants in the very turbulent world of American wrestling this year are Christian Cage being a despicable heel and Darby Allin partaking in unsavory acts to his body. Both of these aspects come together very nicely in a ⅔ falls match that actively uses the match stipulation to its advantage. Each fall is very distinct from one another and each tells a different part in the grander story of the match, that is of Christian losing his temper after Darby gets a quick roll-up in the first fall. Cage punishes Darby by making him take some sick bumps during the 2nd fall, most notably on the ring step, multiple times in a row. To top that, the final fall is wrestled exclusively on the exposed ring canvas, which Darby takes numerous bumps on. Christian, for his part, doesn’t shy away from taking some crazy bumps either, showing the lengths he would go to win.
The ending could sour the match for some, but I find it to be par for the course for Christian at this point and it doesn’t really affect my overall enjoyment of the match because Darby-Death trumps all.
48. Akira Jumonji, Fuminori Abe & Ryo Hoshino vs. Kazuma Sumi, Soma Watanabe & YOH (All Star Jr. Festival - 3/1)
When the pre-show match is MOTN.
The All Star Jr. Festival was the most fun I’d had watching a wrestling show all year and this match stole the show (and it wasn’t even on the main card!). The definition of a hot start for a wrestling card, everyone pours their all hearts into this match. The fact that most of the wrestlers in this contest are very young in their careers means that there isn’t much in the way of spectacular moves or complex performances, but that is made up for by a youthful flair that surrounds this whole match. This event is the biggest showcase that some of the wrestlers here have had up to this point, so guys like Hoshino & Jumanji put their all into everything they do. YOH & Abe steer the ship for each of their teams having some really fun exchanges with each other and with the younger guys as well.
A breezy and spirited 6-man tag with a crowd that buzzes for every move and tag, maybe not the most intricate match out there, but a match like this is what I consider perfect comfort wrestling.
47. Hentai Punch Drunkers (Hikaru Sato & Tyson Maeguchi) vs. Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada (GANBARE - 7/9)
Sometimes all wrestling needs are some cool kicks.
When I watched this match for the first time I was only familiar with Sato and I’m not the biggest fan of GANBARE from what I’ve seen of the promotion, so I wasn’t expecting too much out of this. It is safe to say then, considering its placement on the list, that I was pleasantly surprised.
All four guys have connections to Pancrase so this bout definitely had a shoot-style influence, but it did not strictly adhere to what is accustomed for that type of match. This match being a hodgepodge of different wrestling styles and fighting disciplines really helps it stand out from other matches of a similar ilk. Maeguchi is the highlight of the match, throwing some really explosive strikes, mostly kicks, that are a joy to watch.
46. Astronauts (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura) vs. Hideki Suzuki & Hikaru Sato (BJW - 10/22)
Astronauts stay grounded.
A bout that has a mixture of fun matwork and stiff strikes, this match succeeds in going 30 minutes without becoming a chore to watch and leaving me actively wanting more by the time the time limit expires. The constant flow of the match helps make this match pass by without realizing how long it has gone. This isn't exactly the fastest passed Astronauts match out there, but things are always moving, whether that be on the mat or while standing up.
The Astronauts are really able to show off their grappling abilities here, being on par with Sato & Suzuki in that regard. Their work towards Suzuki’s arm throughout the bout makes it more believable that they would pick up the victory in the last stretch of the match, where Nomura has an arm submission applied, with the final moments of the match being Nomura scrambling to hit a full-nelson suplex onto him, only for time to run out right after he hits it.
Not the best Astronauts match, but certainly a memorable one.
45. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW - 12/23)
Back-to-back time limit draws.
This is such a mechanically smooth match as to be expected between these two, they are both so effortlessly efficient at making every small and big detail they do look so impressive. The contest also has the added benefit of being both men’s last block match in the Continental Classic, setting up the story of Claudio needing the win and Danielson only needing a draw to advance to the Blue block finals. Both guys are so good at escalating the match as the time ticks down, both changing how they wrestle the match from a battle of one upmanship at first, to a desperate attempt to do anything to get the win. Claudio sells the last 5 minutes of the match as do or die for him, going as far as to target Bryan’s injured orbital bone to get the victory. That was all in vain however, as Bryan does what he has done time and time again in his career, survive.
My favorite Continental Classic match even amongst some tough competition.
44. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. & Go Shiozaki vs. Jake Lee & KENOH (NOAH - 7/15)
The best match on this show.
This tag match serves as an exhibition of sorts for these 4 wrestlers and really highlights what current NOAH can be at its best, which makes sense considering this show likely garnered a lot of new eyeballs to the product. Everyone plays their greatest hits and really works hard to show off their greatest strengths as performers, and for everyone besides Jake that is the ability to hit very hard. Everyone works off one another very well, with Jake & KENOH as dysfunctional partners being a highlight. Wagner is the star of the match, who brought so much electricity to this tag bout, with all of his moves having that little extra force to them.
A fast-paced, hard-hitting affair with some of the best guys on the NOAH roster, the promotion’s match of the year for me.
43. Arisa Nakajima & Takumi Iroha vs. KAIRI & Sareee (8/4 - SAREEE PRODUCE)
Perks of being the booker.
As a preview to their singles bout later in the month (more on that later), Nakajima & Saree steal the show in this match. They are noticeably more stiff and mean to each other compared to when in the ring with Iroha & KAIRI, really selling the animosity between the two. For their parts, Iroha & KAIRI are very fun additions to the match, featuring my favorite KAIRI performance I’ve seen from her recent run in Japan. Despite the focus being on Nakajima & Saree, there is a lot of fun and hard-hitting tag offense & combinations to set this apart from their match on the 25th, making it able to alone is a really strong tag match.
42. Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada (NJPW - 3/6)
An Anniversary match worth celebrating.
This bout is a really neat example of the experienced team vs. the all star team trope. Bishamon really have control of things in the early stages of the match, which necessitates Okada & Tanahashi to work as a unit rather than two individuals. From there it really becomes a back an fourth affair, with no one wrestler receiving the blunt of the action for long periods of time. Bishamon and Tanahashi show a lot of heart in their performances, really putting effort to make everything they do seem meaningful. Okada on the other hand almost has this smugness to him throughout the whole contest, almost like he is above it all. The four all have very fun dynamics with each other, with all of them having rich history's and relationship's together which are played off of. If I could nitpick, I would say this could have done with a few more minutes, but a New Japan main event's biggest flaw being that it was too short is far from the worst critique I could have.
41. Ryuki Honda vs. Yuma Aoyagi (AJPW - 9/23)
One. Two. Three. Four!
Ryuki Honda may be the wrestler who has grown on me the most this year, and this match certainly played a role in my newly found fondness for Honda, as he showed up in arguably his highest profile match to date. Honda has that weirdo charisma to him that can't be taught, and it has only grown over time, he isn't the smoothest in the ring, nor does he have the best look, but everything he is such a charming wrestler because of that. He brings so much vitality in this match,he is very much a lump of energy just bursting out with big moves by the last stretch of the match. Aoyagi does a commendable job at leading this match, showing his great timing during the big trade off of moves and really letting Honda shine throughout. He also hits one gnarly Rockstar Buster to Honda on the apron, which is the catalyst that made this match really hit another gear.
This isn't the most serious in tone Triple Crown match out there, both Aoyagi & Honda can be pretty silly as wrestlers in general, but it is a real enjoyable watch that really showcasing that Honda is competent enough and able to be consistent main event presence for All Japan.
40. Chad Gable vs. Gunther (WWE - 9/4)
Out-wrestling the Ring General.
This is not the ideal version of this match, in a perfect world this match is on a PLE where it has more time and has no commercial breaks, but as it is this is a truly impressive piece of television wrestling. Gable works as GUNTHER’s best foil he has encountered on the WWE main roster, being possibly the other person he has faced that can out wrestle him on the mat. Still, GUNTHER is still able to be in firm control of the ring for most of the contest simply due to the size discrepancy between the two of them. When Gable does get the advantage, it feels like a lightning in a bottle moment, yet anytime he does get the best of GUNTHER, it feels earned. Gable was able to seize the moment multiple times because of his skill, rather than any major mistake on the part of GUNTHER, which makes his eventual loss even more heartbreaking because you get the sense that on a different night Gable could have squeezed out a victory.
39. Kento Miyahara vs. Yuma Anzai (AJPW - 9/9)
Ace Vs. Super Rookie
As far as match structure goes, this has one of the best formats for this match dynamic I’ve seen in a while. Anzai is actually fairly even with Miyahara early on, out maneuvering him multiple times. In time Miyahara would gain the heavy advantage over Anzai after he missed two jumping knees from the apron. Miyahara is mostly on offense from then on, but Anzai gets some really impressive hope spots in. Anzai is never in real contention to win, but he makes you believe that he can do the unthinkable, even if it is for a brief moment. Anzai in general is great here, clearly showing his potential as a future Ace for the company, but at the same time not sacrificing his young exuberance and not forcing him to be that top guy yet in the match. He is still so young in his career, not even being 1 year after his debut when this match happened. This match shows that he isn’t the finished product yet and the fact that is okay and even encouraged because greatness isn’t created in a day, but on this day he certainly had a great match.
38. BIG BOSS Shimizu vs Madoka Kikuta (Dragon Gate - 11/5)
I'm BIG BOSS pilled
I’m not a frequent viewer of Dragon Gate or anything, but this match really got me going the first time I watched it. The bout packs a punch, it hits like a hoss fight but has the weight of a Japanese main event. Kikuta and Shimizu are both so explosive in this match with their big moves truly feeling momentous in the moment.
Although Kikuta did very well in his role as the defending Open the Dream Gate champion , this match was all about the BIG BOSS. Evan as someone who isn't too familiar Shimizu's journey in DG, you come to realize who important this match is for him. He comes across so well as this sympathetic underdog, which is especially impressive considering he is larger than his opponent. Shimizu has to earn the respect of Kikuta within the match in the sense that he is seen as lesser by the champion. Kikuta toys within BIG BOSS in the beginning of the match, only ramping up his intensity when Shimizu forces him too. The match builds to Shimizu proving his worth to Kikuta, but despite that he losses in the end. It is a bittersweet ending, and I have to commend the wrestlers for that. In just one match I went from only being vaguely familiar with Shimizu to earnestly wanting him to win, big props to both for that.
37. Toru Sugiura vs Daisuke Masaoka (FREEDOMS - 10/11)
Walking the Killer’s Road
This match has a pacing more similar to a conventional Japanese main event rather than a deathmatch, but even so, this is so incredibly bloody and violent by the end that the match structure is more to the benefit of the match rather than a detriment. The breaks between spots feel more natural because of how the match is laid out, which also makes the big spots feel that much more impactful when they occur. This may sound like nothing of substance happens early in the match, but it is a blood-filled affair the whole way through, and like all good death matches of its kind, both wrestlers make the light tube based offense interesting and brutal the whole time, having the spots get crazier and crazier as match progresses.
A real stand-out deathmatch from this year.
36. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kaito Kiyomiya & Kento Miyahara vs. Kazuchika Okada, Kenoh & Yuma Aoyagi (AJPW/NJPW/NOAH - 6/9)
It’s all about the interactions.
As a match filled with an all-star cast from three different promotions, this is more about the dynamics between all six guys than the action itself. That being said, the action is very good, but honestly everyone in the match could have just stood around and stare at each other and this likely would have made the list either way. Every time a new match-up occurs in the match it feels truly special with the crowd erupting in anticipation and the same thing goes for any of the interactions of members on the same team. Yuma Aoyagi as the peacemaker for KENOH & Okada is a real highlight in that regard. Speaking of highlights, Okada & Kiyomiya steal the show anytime they even glance an eye at each other, they continue their hate-filled fued here and showed it by trying to tear into each other whenever they had a chance.
A match like this is not a complicated thing to get right, everyone did their big spots and that’s all this needed to be.
35. Energia vs. Valak (LUCHA MEMES - 9/17)
Raw.
This is backyard wrestling on crack and it has everything I could want out of a match of that nature. There is some weirdly engaging grappling, wacky strikes, both guys waiting for the other to hit their spots, things kind of just being figured out as they go, and an energy from the wrestlers of not caring about their well-being. It all rules so much. The fact that there are no ropes really adds to this atmosphere as well and because there are no ropes, any time they try to do any more conventional lucha spots it almost always fails. To compensate, they give the audience shoot headbutts instead. A fair trade-off, I have to say.
34. Strong BJ (Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi) vs. Violent Giants (Shuji Ishikawa & Suwama) (AJPW - 6/17)
I Love Large Men
Four big boys hits and run into each other a lot. All four guys may be older and maybe are a little slower compared to their 2018 matches, but who cares? Time will not stop the urge for all four men to lariat each other or for Ishikawa to shoot headbutt Okabayashi. This is Violent Giants vs Strong BJ, you know what you are paying for, and that is top quality, Grade A, BEEF.
33. Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura vs. Kazuchika Okada & Togi Makabe (NJPW - 1/21)
The kick heard around the world
This is much less of a match than it is an angle, but what an angle this is; An homage to the infamous shootkick Akira Maeda performed on Riki Choshu, with Kiyomiya and Okada in those respective roles. What follows is a wild scuffle outside the ring which leads to a no contest. Was this the desired plan for the match? Probably. Was there actual tension and anger between the two after the kick? It’s possible. Does the amount of “reality” of this match matter? No, not really. Although it would be cool in a kind of primordial way that the kick from Kiyomiya actually caused a fight to break out, it really doesn’t affect my enjoyment of it either way, because it feels real.
There is such vitriol and hate out of Okada that I’ve never seen from him before. Kazuchika Okada, the flag bearer of New Japan, someone who for all intents and purposes has everything a wrestler could want, was pushed over the edge by a kick. Seeing him in such an archaic state of mind is such a whiplash compared to almost any match of his. The brawl itself doesn’t even look that good by conventional standards in my opinion, but that actually adds to it because it is all about the unfiltered emotions being dumped out by both wrestlers. Kiyomiya and Okada don’t seem like people who would get into a fist fight, so when they do, it may not be pretty, but you can’t help but watch in awe.
#1 angle of the year.
32. Astronauts (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura) vs. Crazy Lovers (Masashi Takeda & Takumi Tsukamoto) (BJW - 2/8)
It's an Astronauts match and then they decide to use light tubes.
31. Chris Brookes vs. Kazusada Higuchi (DDT - 5/21)
The Heart of Iron vs. The Head of Iron
Similar to the 2022 King of DDT finales of Higuchi vs. Yoshimura, this match feels like a well-earned triumph for the winner. Higuchi has his role reversed as now he is the obstacle for Brookes to fight passed, and he does exceptionally well in the position. He brings such a physical dominance to this match. With Higuchi clearly being the stronger and tankier wrestler out of the two, Brookes fails in almost all of his attempts to match Gooch blow for blow. Higuchi proves this time and time again with his head of steel, with his blank and deep stares when getting his head caved in, usually followed by a swift, forceful retaliation throughout the match adding to his perception of this unmovable Goliath. If someone other than Higuchi was in position, they would likely make Brookes just look weak, but Gooch's aura is able to not only elevate himself as this world-beater in the ring, but make Brookes' eventual victory over him feel so much more impressive.
This is especially the case since he won with via submission after going after Higuchi's arm that had been worked over by Yuki Ueno in the earlier night. The arm work really ties the whole match together, behind the tough exterior of Higuchi was a glaring weakness that Brookes was able to take advantage of. Brookes wasn't the stronger or tougher wrestler on this night, but he seized an opportunity when he saw it, which is all that mattered in the end.
A very well told underdog story which gets elevated to that upper-echelon of matches this year with the help of Higuchi's unbreakable skull. Seriously he may just be the coolest wrestler around today.
30. The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) vs Violence Is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) (DPW - 3/26)
"Those shirts are white, let's see what color they are in 15 minutes" - Caprice Coleman
Easily the two best tag teams on the independents having a messy cage match. The first act of the match sees VIF getting torn apart on the outside of the ring, with their white shirts turning red as they both get busted open. The Workhorsemen do exceptionally well at beating the tar out of VIF. The fact that they officially turn heel after this match would feel completely out of place just looking at this fight in a vacuum because Henry & Drake are so mean and vicious in their beat down, using every at their disposal to dismantle Ku & Garinni. VIF have this never say die attitude when being on the receiving end of the Workhorsemen, always trying to prop themselves up at every moment, making their eventual resurgence feel that much more impactful. When the two teams do become more even the match turns into a very fun and back & forth scrap, with both duos hitting all of their big offensive in short succession.
The steel cage was not used quite as well anywhere else this year.
29. Mascara Dorada 2.0 vs. Rocky Romero (CMLL - 7/28)
A Star is Born
There is something to be said about a match that turns a possible top guy into a bona fide top guy, and although Dorada would have likely become a main event star in CMLL with or without this match, it certainly was to his benefit that he was able to put on such a strong performance here.
All the credit in the world to Rocky for his strong heel work by targeting Darada's back and preventing him from hitting multiple potential show-stealing moves. Rocky's efforts here gives this match a really solid structure, which is something that can feel lacking at times is many other CMLL main event singles matches.
For as great as Rocky is here, this match is what it is because of Mascara Dorada at the end of the day. Dorada does a very impressive job at garnering sympathy during Rocky's control segments, he holds back on perfroming a lot of his more flashy offense, only getting some of it in at a time before Rocky curtails his momentum. It makes his eventual comebacks feel so much more impressive in the process. Dorada also just has such good body language and head movement, it makes his selling so expressive without even having facial expressions to help emote more clearly. Body selling like Dorada's is what I think is a key reason someone like like Misitco got so over and why he is so good, when they are hurt it can be universally understood without it feeling like they are explicitly saying they are hurt. It makes Dorada in this case so instantly likeable, not only do I want to see Rocky lose, but because of Dorada's selling, I want to see him to be the one to beat Rocky.
Simple storytelling done in a way all to elevate a wrestler into an attraction.
28. Bryan Danielson vs. Rush (AEW - 2/8)
Good plot, Great casting-choices
A bout where both men know their roles and how to play them. Rush is brutal as the one who dishes out most of the punishment in the early stages, whipping and chopping Bryan like nothing else outside the ring. Bryan is more than willing to take Rush's signature beating, taking some gnarly bumps and spills and even getting color. This leads to a heated back and forth where both wrestler's just knock everything out of each other. Top it off with a fiery comeback from Danielson that is as excellent as ever and you get a spirited and violent TV match that does exactly what it set out to achieve.
27. Demus vs. Wotan (ZONA - 3/26)
Beast.
This is a match full of visuals that are hard to come by and they are a sight to behold. Bleeding on dirt and mud while headbutting your opponent and using light tubes in what I can only describe as a scrapyard. It’s two guys who are willing to do heinous things to their opponent and themselves for the love of the game, there are very few things like it in wrestling nowadays.
A match that cannot be looked away from once it starts, it is ultra-violent and most importantly, an enthralling watch.
26. Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW - 8/12)
The Feeling was Restored
Ever since the pandemic, big New Japan epics haven't felt the same compared to what was being produced around 2017/2018, which comes down to a few factors I would say, most notable the lack of fans/cheering for much of the post-lockdown shows which tended to make a lot of these kinds of matches slogs to get through at times, lacking a lot of emotional charge that is needed to really elevate matches of this stature.
Naito vs. Ospreay does not have those issues. The crowd is molten hot for the whole way through, elevating both the big sequences and the slower control segments. Naito's usual neck targeting doesn't result in any great selling job from Ospreay or anything, but it does give way for some very heated offense on the part of Naito that really adds to the drama of the match. Ospreay matches up with Naito very well, as Naito's bumping and selling is perfect for Ospreay's hard-hitting strikes and more flashy maneuvers. It could be argued that Ospreay hit a little too hard here, knocking Naito loopy with a hook-kick during the final stretch of the contest, with the ending moments of the match seeing Ospreay wrestle on his own on behalf of Naito as he basically takes multiple Destino's himself. Not an ideal situation but I would say it inadvertently added to the match's suspense, giving an extra flair to the standard Naito ending sequence. Before that however, both are on the top of their game in terms of offense, with each man performing some of the most dazzling sequences of moves and counters all year.
A reminder as to what made NJPW so special in the mid-to-late 2010s.
25. Chikayo Nagashima & Takumi Iroha vs. Magenta (Maria & Riko Kawahata) (MARVELOUS - 12/10)
A magical night for Magenta.
A great bully job turned into a heated underdog comeback. Nagashima & Iroha do an exceptional job as the said bullys, not only are they good at being physically imposing and flat out mean to their opponents, but they also show a lot of desperation when they are not the ones in control. Iroha in particular has a nervous demeanor about her when Magenta has even a slight edge on her & Nagashima. It’s their franticness when they view themselves as in trouble that really are their undoing in many of the moments of the match, as Magenta are able to capitalize on multiple miscommunications on the part of their opponents to gain the advantage in the match. Magenta have strong performances here as well, really selling the effects of Nagashima & Iroha’s offense while always finding a way to make the best out of the situations they are in.
A real hard-hitting and frantic affair all around with a satisfying ending, can’t go wrong here (unless if you are easily nauseous because the camera cuts are something else, and not in a good way).
24. Mascara Dorada vs. Titan (CMLL - 9/29)
A Star is Cemented
If Dorada vs Rocky was meant to show Dorada's prospects as a main event babyface, than this match was meant to show how impressive Dorada is in terms of athletic ability. He does some seriously impressive displays of athleticism, not holding back at all unlike the Rocky match. Titan also holds his end of the bargain, and while not being quite as flashy (still very flashy though!), he makes up for that by having slick and impact offense the whole match. The offense in the this match in general has more weight to it and is more brisk compared to any other CMLL match I've seen all year, and it leads to something that is so exciting to watch, while also standing out from the rest of the company's matches in recent time. There isn't much breathing room, and in a match with such impressive and smooth wrestling that is a big positive.
Dorada may have not won this match, but like his performance with Rocky he proved him self to a truly special wrestler even at such a young age.
23. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta), Eddie Kingston, Orange Cassidy & Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta), Mike Santana & Ortiz (AEW - 8/27)
A car crash in the best of ways.
Of all the Stadium Stampede/Anarchy in the Arena matches AEW has put on, this may be my favorite. This is much more similar to the latter match type, seeing as it isn't a cinematic match like how the prior Stadium Stampede matches were, but it still fits the billing due to the sheer scope of the thing. The imagery of thousands upon thousands of spectators looking upon the carnage that ensues across the Wembley is certainly a sight to behold.
Despite having a packed out stadium, there is still an unpredictability in regards to what is going to happen next. A lot of the fun that the cinematic versions of Stadium Stampede was the feeling that anything could happen, and although the wrestlers couldn't quite be as creative with their spots, a lot of out of the box moments happened, like Sue coming in her van and Pentagon returning as Penta Oscuro were so entertaining to play out as they happened. That unpredictability made this one of the most fun I've had while watching wrestling live all year.
The Grand spectacle of some of this match's aspects does not dilute it's chaotic nature however, and if anything, the Stadium actually setting enhances it. So many wild, and often wacky moments are jam packed throughout, often times barely being mentioned or shown, like when Trent Beretta gets hit with Death Rider onto legos. The camera never showed when the legos were brought out and the camera focuses on the spot for a few seconds without commentary even mentioning it. That might be seen as a bad thing by some, but for me that just adds to the experience, so much is happening at once, which are often key pieces of the match, and they are kinda just happen. A match like this thrives off of all of its imperfections, both on the side of production and the wrestlers themselves. It is a bumpy and winding road of a brawl, but it can't be helped to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
22. Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi vs. KONGO (KENOH & Manabu Soya) (AJPW - 6/15)
Taking Back the Fort
My favorite tag team of the year not named Astronauts bring back tag gold away from the invaders of KONGO. This has all of the components of so many of the great modern All Japan tags, with the extra dimension of it being a part of the AJPW vs NOAH feud. KENOH & Soya do good work to antagonize themselves, which is helped by most of the crowd already being fully on the side of Miyahara & Aoyagi. Everyone is on top form here, with Soya especially impressing, elevating himself to be on the same level as the three more established wrestlers.
Passionate and thrilling tag action with a hot crowd is almost guaranteed to score big with me and that is certainly the case here.
21. Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi vs. Ryuki Honda & Yuma Anzai (AJPW - 9/14)
Oh Hey it's Kento & Yuma Again!
The first of multiple time limit draws between these two teams, and it's my favorite out of all of them. With the young roster AJPW have, Kento & Yuma have had to slot in as a veteran on the roster for the most part this year, and they have excelled in that role. They are irritating and brash to a point where you want to see them get their comeuppance, and they are both animated enough in their selling and expressions to make it so it feels all that sweeter to when the other team get one over on them. Honda & Anzai's combacks are packed with explosiveness here, they convey a youthful energy along with a desperation to win over the more established duo.
Exciting from the 1st to the 30th minute, this is a real indicator that the young-ins of All Japan can hang with the top of the company.
20. Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay (AEW - 6/25)
Everything is Bigger in Toronto
This is an ambitious match almost to a fault, it is a bout of many hats. In one match they go from doing jaw dropping high spots, to having a bloodbath, to having Ospreay playing a foreign heel doing heat spots with the Canadian flag, to doing a King's Road tribute, to continuing to push the story between Omega and Don Callus, all while trying to tie everything together from their first match.
Despite this match feeling like it is throwing everything to the wall, it somehow works. Not everything sticks the landing, but enough of the aspects implemented work to make this match a real fun time. Even more surprising is that all of these aspects come into one to make this a cohesive piece of wrestling. This match is crazy both in concept and execution and I can't help but nod my head to Ospreay & Omega. It is a cacophony of big moves and big moments to the point where it's a sensory overload, but unlike some of both men's more self-indulgent work, it adds to the atmosphere, it is big, it is loud, and it is effective.
Proof that sometimes more is in fact better.
19. Arisa Nakajima vs. Sareee (SEAdLINNING - 8/25)
The Women's Match of the Year.
Nearly 30 minutes of brutality. Whether it's limb work, outside brawling, or strikes, both women make everything they do look so snug. There is a sense of weightiness to every move that is performed as well, every action feels deliberate and meaningful, no part of the match feels like fluff or a time killer, it is action that feels important all the way through. The forearms of each in particular seem so hate-fueled, with them being laid-in so hard that the sound they make essentially reverberates through Korukeun Hall.
I was shocked when the 25 minute call was made the first time I watched this, because it did not feel that long at all. The violence being displayed is almost hypnotizing in that way, every viewing of this contest makes me lose all sense of anything else around me as I am just glued to every strike and every throw that is performed.
Just an awesome, brutal match.
18. Calibus vs. Ricky Marvin (LUCHA MEMES - 6/23)
Featuring the Spot of the Year
The Ricky Marvin special of tearing down his opponent both on the mat and on the floor of Coliseo Coacalco is in full affect here. Very few things are quite a cool in wrestling as Marvin chucking barrels onto Calibus' collapsed body. Calibus himself does the best in this kind of match in recent memory not holding back from doing similarly crazy spots like diving through the ropes, head first into the back of Marvin's neck. This is Marvin's wheelhouse though, as he performs my favorite spot of the year, (which is pictured above) stopping on Calibus's back from the top rope onto the apron. It is such a simple yet heinous looking spot, an image of it does no justice.
The match is an encapsulation of the best elements of LUCHA MEMES, no where near the prettiness, but so undeniably charming and uniquely violent.
17. Darby Allin vs. Samoa Joe (AEW - 2/1)
Darby Allin Dies the Match
Samoa Joe and Darby Allin are the perfect opponents for each other. Samoa Joe only has to do what he's best at when he is with Darby, toss his opponent around and look cool, as Darby himself does what he does best and takes some disgusting looking bumps. All three of their matches are great, but this one takes the cake by adding the No Holds Barred stipulation, meaning Darby has more opportunities to land on things that shouldn't be landed on. He takes a back bump onto the stairs in the crowd within the first 3 minutes of the match and then just continues on, what a sick guy.
16. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Kento Miyahara (AJPW - 12/31)
A last minute addition
So obviously this is going to be harder to place compared to any other match on the list because of how recent it is, maybe once the recency bias fades away this match will drop a bit in the rankings. At the same time however, INOKI BOM-BA-YE.
Nakajima transforms into the true last disciple of Antonio Inoki, coming out to his theme music and being seconded to the ring by a former NJPW chairman. Miyahara and Nakajima even recreate the famous Inoki/Muhammad Ali spot. Nakajima is in control of the match for the majority of the contest, with him working Miyahara’s arm over, brutalizing him with kicks the whole way through. Miyahara’s selling can be a bit hokey at times I feel, even for him, but I think it works as a way to show the philosophical differences between the two men and what they are representing. Everything feels like it is leading up to a Miyahara comeback, to get his win back from earlier this year, for the Ace of All Japan to conquer the man who is the antithesis of the promotion’s identity, but it never happens, nor does it ever feel like it’s close to even happening. This isn’t on the level of Lesnar vs Cena from SummerSlam 2014 when it comes to the top guy of a promotion just being dismantled, Miyahara does get his fair share of offense in, but there sure are parallels. It’s a feeling of certainty that there is going to be a reversal of fortune for the one on top, just for it not to occur. It’s a decision I can’t help but applaud, they did something I did not expect whatsoever and they executed exceptionally well.
The spirit of Inoki lives on.
15. El Desperado vs. Jon Moxley (NJPW - 7/5)
Desperado's Last Stand - Part 2
The spiritual successor to Desperado's match with Jun Kasai, Moxley continues to teach Despe the way of the blade. Mox definitely wrestles a different style compared to Kasai, but the result is the same, havoc in and out of the ring. There is an unpredictability to what will happen next, you go from Mox using a fork under the mask of Desperado, to a broken guitar being used as a stabbing device, to both guys punching each other with their hands wrapped in barbed wire. The variety here makes the whole match itself memorable.
The whole time Desperado tries to stay on Moxley's level, being the one who sets up a lot of the big spots, but more often then not he is the one who is on the receiving end of the punishment. This match continues to show that Despreado is not on the same level as a lot of the perceived death match greats, but despite that he still throws everything on the line, opening himself up for whatever comes his way to prove that he belongs.
Another great piece of Desperado's descent into death match madness.
14. AKIRA vs. Masashi Takeda (BJW - 9/17)
Death Rarely Feels So Alive
This is not a death match of intense hatred, insane spots, or a grandiose scale, but man this is such a blast to watch. The two just go for it, most spots have very little set up to them, as they usually consist of light tubes either being used on each other or themselves. Light tubes are thrown, light tubes are suplexed onto, light tubes are eaten, all the classic spots. More importantly the passion Takeda & AKIRA bring is palpable, it a feeling that makes me want to eat a light tube as well. This is not a match of ebbs and flows, it is about heart, soul, and bleeding.
Big smiles await during viewings of this.
13. Astronauts (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura) vs. Hiroyuki Suzuki & Takuho Kato (BJW - 5/4)
Astronauts run this place
Due to the their age and stature, along with the general style of match they tend to have, the Astronauts rarely have big matches where they are in control for most of it. Here, Abe & Nomura are on offense for the majority of the match, as they play the roles of the bully veterans very well. That is not to say Suzuki & Kato don't have their moments, both men, especially Kato, do an excellent job at fighting from the bottom and having glimpses of hope. That is what makes their moments when they have an advantage that much greater, they are fleeting, but there is always a sense of hope and desperation. Those flashes of hope are always brought down, as it feels like the Astronauts are always one step ahead of their opponents, never getting a substantial advantage as a team. The match gets the most even at the end of the match with Nomura and Kato in the ring, but that is soon put to rest once Abe is able to get the advantage back to Nomura, showing that even if the four might be close as individuals, there was no competition as to who the better team is.
With all of that being said, this is still an Astronauts match at the heart of things. This match is hard-hitting, snappy, and is a burst of fun, and their opponents keep up their end of the bargain. I find Kato in particular to be one of the best opponents for the Astronauts in general.
On a show with such an amazing main event (spoiler, Okabayashi vs Aoki is on here) and with the resume the Astronauts had this year, it would have been easy for this match to fade in the background, but this match stayed with me throughout the year and maybe even got better upon rematches, that is a sign of a great match.
12. Kento Miyahara vs. Yuma Aoyagi (AJPW - 10/21)
Defining a Style
The peak of the current All Japan main event style, which is unsurprising considering the names involved. An effortless 30+ minute clash filled with big moves, close calls, a fired up crowd, and an action packed ending sequence, all for the Triple Crown. Aoyagi & Miyahara continued to build off of all of their previous matches together, leading to arguably the most tense title match of the year, every false finish feels like it could end to the match in the moment. Every move feels like seismic, as if anything could end the match, Kento's teases of the Shutdown German Suplex might be the best I've ever seen from him because of that, as the match builds around Miyahara hitting that for the win. When Miyahara finally hits the Shutdown and Aoyagi kicks out, the match complexion changes, from there it was more about when rather than if Aoyagi would win.
On the topic of Aoyagi winning, this match might have the most satisfying to watch based off the result alone. This may not have been Aoyagi's first singles victory against Miyahara or the match where he won the Triple Crown, but this match truly felt like a statement that Aoyagi is on Miyahara's level. This victory was years in the making, after failing time and time again, he finally did it. To this matches credit, even for someone who did not know the context going in, both men do a great job conveying the gravitas of the bout and making the ending of the match satisfactory. For me however, I understood the context going in. I cannot say I've been watching Yuma Aoyagi since the beginning of his career or anything, but following him for the past few years and becoming one of my favorite wrestlers currently made this moment feel so special to me. Rarely do I have feelings like I did the first time I watched this, it felt almost is if I was child again, fully in earnest support one wrestler to overcome every obstacle in their way to stand at the top of the mountain.
This match is really great with or without the Yuma win, but it is the cherry on top, cementing this as the cornerstone match for All Japan this year.
11. Kento Miyahara & Takuya Nomura vs. Naoya Nomura & Yuma Aoyagi (AJPW - 1/22)
The best wrestlers sometimes just have the best matches.
Take the match structure of the two previously mentioned All Japan tag matches on the list, get rid of the dynamics of outsiders and rookies and amp up the action even further and this is the outcome. Everyone wrestles at a blistering pace once the match starts to heat up, it is sequence after sequence with such crisp offense that is so satisfying to watch. The sequences of offense flow so well together as well, with transitions between the spots feeling almost harmonious in a way. All four men get plenty of time to shine, with every pairing of the two teams in the ring all having distinct feelings to them and all of them being intriguing on some level. It is a showcase for each wrestler, with each one looking better after the match compared to before.
This match may not be as climatic or as prolific as Miyahara vs Aoyagi, but it makes up for it by just rocking the whole way through. That is what happen when three (possibly four if Naoya Nomura hadn't gotten injured) of the best wrestlers of the year are all in one match together, magic in the ring.
10. El Desperado vs. Francesco Akira (NJPW - 5/21)
Desperado doing what he does best.
For as much as I’ve enjoyed Despe’s ventures into doing death matches, (his match with Jun Kasai last year was my #2 MOTY) I think pound for pound this style of match gets the best out of him. He does some brutal looking and convincing leg work to Akira throughout after Akira taunts him in the opening segments of the match. Akira’s leg becomes the crux of the bout, as he has to work through the damage that it had suffered. While Akira’s leg selling isn’t the most intricate or most consistent, it is effective and is made up for by the energy and fire he has. His effort here might be my favorite babyface performance all year, he is excitable and has great comebacks, but is just as good as taking the brunt of the offense and making it look like death. His expressions make him such a sympathetic figure here even if he hasn’t taken up that role particularly often in his NJPW run to to this point. It’s a performance that makes me think he’ll be a top guy in New Japan’s Jr. Division sooner rather than later.
Although I give Akira the majority of praise here, Desperado was the one who held the whole match together, being the perfect foil for Akira. Despe does a particularly great job at pacing this, this goes over 20 minutes and none of it feels like padding, all of the limb work feels crucial and nail biting till the very end, which again, is helped by Akira’s great selling.
The praise I have for this match goes in a circle, every positive comes from how both men work so well off of each other, they are able to have to have their best qualities as wrestlers shine through because of that.
9. Dan Tamura, Hikaru Sato & Suwama vs. Jun Akiyama, Sanshiro Takagi & Yusuke Okada (AJPW - 9/9)
They don’t get paid by the hour.
My Promotion of the Year's Match of the Year comes in the form of a sub-10 minute scrap featuring Sanshiro Takagi. All Japan is not known for having short matches or for having Sanshiro Takagi but what that leads to the best cross-promotional match in Japan.
The level of hatred everyone shows here is only topped this year by Okada and Kiyomiya from their Tokyo Dome tag. This match surpasses that tag however by how much they are able to cram into this. There is barricade throwing, chair throwing, old men brawling, young men slapping, SUWAMA rag dolling his former son, Akiyama being bitter senior citizen, and Tamura having a fiery babyface comeback only to be sent back to reality via a chocking from Akiyama, all of this often happening at the same time. We even get SUWAMA punking out Yukio Naya after the bell for good measure.
For as much as I enjoy the All Japan house style, it can get a bit samey at times. This match cuts any buildup or prettiness found in the company's main event matches and focuses on instant gratification violence and being as rough around the edges as possible. It is a pure shot of adrenaline, it may not last long, but when you feel it, you feel it.
8. Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland (AEW - 11/19)
No Words, just Blood Spitting.
These dudes are ludicrous, the spots are diabolic. Both men get hit with a cinder block head first, the one to Hangman basically explodes on impact. Swerve 540s onto Hangman with glass shards on his back, Hangman gets barbed-wire flung at him which gets caught on his face, Strickland gets stapled for what seems like dozens of times, Hangman spits out Swerve's blood, blood is spit out, he does the Triple H!
What more needs to be said, some matches can be put under the microscope to be analyzed front to back, but this isn't one of those matches, there is no explanation needed, just watch the carnage unfold and bask in it. Any issues I have with the match, like the Brian Cage interference or them going a little to long after the match's peak, can be forgiven, because after all, Hangman spit out Swerve's blood!
7. Drew McIntyre vs. Gunther vs. Sheamus (WWE - 4/2)
Speaking of No Explanation
Three large men hit each other in front of 70,000 people. This takes all the spectacle of WWE matches at big events, but replaces a lot of the WWEisms with Drew & Sheamus taking turns whaling on GUNTHER. Music to the ears, soup for the soul.
6. Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (AEW - 10/1)
When dream matches live up to the hype.
A match that is equally silky smooth as it is violent. Bryan and Zack find the perfect middle ground of doing fluid and eye catching holds and reversals on each other while not getting overindulgent. It is a real concentrated effort both as a match of one-upmanship, as well as one of Bryan having to work through his recently repaired wrist being targeted by ZSJ. Both men play their role excellently in that regard, there is arguably very few, if any current wrestlers at being the sympathetic underdog than Danielson when put into that role, and Zack is just great at being a prick. Many dream matches fall into the wrestlers just doing their big spots and calling it a day, which likely still would have been a great match if that was done here, but they went the extra mile and had a match will a much higher ceiling attached.
As stated earlier the work itself is executed wonderfully, this might be the best Zack has ever looked from what I've seen of him and I'm a pretty big fan of him in the first place. He transitions and submissions aren't as flashy as usual, but that is definitely to the benefit of the match, his holds, strikes, and manipulation of Bryan's joints are brutal. Bryan for his part is just as brutal with his offense, having that typical fire Bryan has when put in the position of peril. The match never has a down point or becomes tiresome, it doesn't overstay its welcome and does everything it needed to do.
Sometimes matches are as good in practice as they are on paper.
5. Fujita Hayato & Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Fuminori Abe & Ikuto Hidaka (MICHINOKU PRO - 6/30)
Headbutts are Cool
So I had been keeping and updating a MOTY ranking as the year went on, and this match did not make that list upon my first watch. When I went through the process of re-watching matches this year to begin to compile the list you see here, this match shot up all the way to #12. On the final re-watch to finalize the list and to work on these write-ups, this match again shot up to #5. I do not have any satisfying explanation for this rise in the rankings, this isn't a match that has deep or complex story or has intricate limb work that takes multiple viewings to fully appreciate, it is just four guys absolutely laying it in on each other.
This match has such swagger, every move is so stiff and mean and they are done so nonchalantly, acting like a 50 year old man doing shoot headbutts is standard procedure in every wrestling match. Everyone is just so effortlessly cool, so brash and unapologetic in their violence.
That being said, Hayato is the definite MVP of the match. One year on from his return from cancer and a truly special match with MUSASHI, he continues to have unmatched aura. His performance here still stands out in a match of only great performances. No one's headbutts or kicks have quite the same omph to them, and they are all done with such a coldness, again there is such a nonchalantness to his offense. Truly a one of a kind wrestler.
**On December 15th, Fujita Hayato announced that he once again has cancer. I want to wish a healthy and speedy recovery for one of the best going today. Jr. Forever.
4. Astronauts (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura) vs. Strong BJ (Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi) (BJW - 5/28)
The ending to one of the best series of matches in a long while.
Explaining what makes this Astronauts vs Strong BJ so great, is the same basic reasoning for why the rest of their matches are so great, they are all the perfect encapsulation of what makes the BJW strong division rock so much. Four guys working at a frantic pace, hitting and throwing each other very hard. Any combination of the the four in the ring have such great chemistry, the interactions throughout are a joy to watch whether it is due to the offense itself or how everyone else reacts to the said offense. Everyone is so expressive in their body language and facial expressions, really selling the importance of the bout and the physical damage each man causes to the other at it progresses. All of these aspects are cornerstones of high-end BJW tags and both teams are the kings in that department.
This match isn't just any BJW tag however. This match goes on for over 35 minutes, surpassing their 30 minute draw from last year in terms of length, and yet despite this being the two teams fourth match together in under a year, they still keep it engaging for the whole time. This really doesn't feel like a 30+ minute match. They pace this wonderfully, not going as balls to the wall as they have in the past from the onset, but never staying in one place for two long, it is always moving. The added wrinkle of the Abe & Nomura targeting Okabayashi's arm gives this match a thread throughout to watch out for, leading to Yuji eventually tapping out. The Astronauts finally getting a victory over Strong BJ after 3 draws is the cherry on top here, a real feel good moment to a real feel good match.
3. Adam Priest vs. Anthony Henry (ACTION Wrestling - 1/20)
The American Independent Match of the Decade
Much of the best wrestling to come from the U.S. over the past few years has been in the South Eastern independents, particularity with Uncharted Territory Season 4 from 2022. This match feels like a culmination of sorts for what guys like Priest and Henry had been building up for months, not only in terms of their feud, but for the work they put into the scene in general and they do that by having the best brawl of the year.
This match has such a charm to it, the location for these type of matches are a key factor and ACTION's main venue is an excellent host for it with it being compact and distinct. Both men make the best of the venue, as well as the lack of ropes to do some very creative and memorable spots (Priest launching chairs across the ring and diving into camera view onto Henry are among my favorite spots of the whole year), while keeping the action high at all times. The action and intensity escalates as each competitor puts a lot of care in portraying having a complete lack of care for what they are doing to their opponent, themselves, or anything else in the building.
Everything in this match is such a hoot. Priest & Henry are able to mix aspects of old-school southern brawls with modern sensibilities, a chaotic wildness throughout the whole runtime while also being focused in what it is trying to accomplish, a true gem.
2. Yuji Okabayashi vs. Yuya Aoki (BJW - 5/4)
Aoki reached the peak of BJW by both climbing and toppling the mountain.
Nothing else in wrestling this year has had the same level of gravity as it was happening than this match. This is thanks to the performances of both men. Aoki shows so much passion and spirit that makes him so likeable that by the end it is hard not to cheer for Aoki to finally overcome big Yuji. Okabayashi only enhances Aoki's strengths by being that wall he has to break through, while also having an exceptional performance for himself.
Every bit of offense Aoki gets in feels deserved and impactful. A big move onto Okabayashi seems like an accomplishment of itself, as does simply withstanding any of his moves. When Aoki toughens out Okabayashi's strikes, leading to his eventual victory, it feels as though something truly monumental has happened, Yuji Okabayashi, a sheer force of nature, was defeated.
Knowing what we know now about Okabayashi going on hiatus and possibly retiring makes this match feel like more of a passing of the torch moment than it already was. He gave the reigns to his trainee, to lead the company and to hold the top belt while he potentially steps away permanently. This isn't Okabayashi's last match, or even last great match, but this feels like his last match as the top star of BJW and what a match it was. This match is violent, this match is emotional, and this match is exemplary of what fighting spirit looks like at its finest.
1. Fuminori Abe vs Takuya Nomura (Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura Produce - 10/12)
Sensational
If it hasn't been gathered already by the make-up of the rest of this list, I hold both these men in very high regard, whether that is together as astronauts or as individuals, so when I first saw this match be announced, I was excited to say the least. The immediate response this match received from those who watched this event was something I don't think I have ever seen before. Every where I looked I saw this match be called at worst a match of the year contender and at best an all-timer, so by the time I was able finally able to watch the match (school on the day this match happened was torture for me), my expectations were through the metaphorical roof. Because of all of that, I was a bit nervous that this would under deliver compared to my expectations.
Somehow these boys went above my expectations.
No other match this year has made me feel so warm and fuzzy on the inside, and that isn't just because these two do some absolutely squeal-worthy things to each other that makes the CTE freak in me very happy. There is a deeper sense of love that Abe & Nomura show underneath all the violence displayed. I liken it to a childhood friendship or a sibling relationship, they are competitive and at points they are down right cruel to each other, but everything in the match is done in an almost playful manner. The two act "silly" at times throughout the match for a lack of a better term and the crowd react to that with sounds of laughter multiple times throughout, but that doesn't hinder the experience, and if anything it actually adds to it. So much wrestling, especially matches that are normally considered MOTY contenders are supposed to be serious epics with large stacks on the line, which is not a bad thing, but Abe & Nomura were able to flip that notion on its head by putting on a lighthearted match more about the celebration of the BATI-BATI style rather than any tangible or interpersonal conflict.
On the topic of BATI-BATI, these two are absolutely nuts, and I say that as a sincere appraisal of them. The strikes and holds these two do here are some of the most eye wincing moves of the year, the running headbutt spot got me to rise from my seat and make incomprehensible noises on my first watch. The moves Abe & Nomura do feel like they are all from a 'best of astronauts' compilation, but the compilation is a single match and it is against each other rather than a team.
To top this off, this match may have my favorite ending of the year in where Abe reverses a single leg Boston crab from Nomura into a leg lock. Nomura tries to get out by striking at Abe, with him getting a slap onto him. Abe locks the leg lock even harder after that, whether that is from the whiplash of the slap or due to the slap being the thing that made Abe feel he needed to fully crank the leg isn't clear, but either way, that extra application was the thing to make Nomura tap after making audible screeches of pain. The cause and effect that slap had on the finish is a very unique and ties into the idea of that brotherly bond. That slap felt real, almost as if Nomura was trying to say he was done "playing around" as he was seriously hurt. It is a relatable feeling I and I'd assume many have had when they were younger. A brilliant end to a brilliant match.