Top 5 Matches are a neat mixture of things I haven’t seen happen yet. With the Iron Man Match on Dynamite and Revolution, AEW rightly has a good showing; and will probably be fighting against itself. But there are a couple Japanese matches that made the cut, since this is a Top 5 across a large swath of wrestling; not just national television.
Last week’s vote was a bit of a runaway. NJPW New Japan Road: Shingo Takagi vs Tomohiro Ishii, managed to lock in a February slot.
Now the let’s see which matches qualify for the last slot in February; as well as being a heavy favorite.
Quick Top 5
- AEW Revolution: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) vs The Young Bucks
Rating: **** 3/4 - Wrestle-1 W-Impact: Wrestle-1 Championship: Shotaro Ashino vs Katsuhiko Nakajima (c)
Rating: **** 1/4 - AEW Dynamite: 30 Min Iron Man Match: Kenny Omega vs PAC
Rating: **** - NOAH 20th Anniversary The Chronicle Vol.1: GHC National Championship: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Takashi Sugiura (c)
Rating: **** - AEW Revolution: Cody w/Arn Anderson & Brandi Rhodes vs MJF w/Wardlow
Rating: ****
Honorable Mentions:
- AEW Revolution: AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs Chris Jericho (c)
Rating: *** 1/2 - IMPACT!: X Division Championship: Ace Austin (c) vs Tessa Blanchard
Rating: *** 1/2 - WWE Super Showdown: SmackDown Tag Team Titles: New Day (c) vs Miz & Morrison
Rating: *** 1/2 - AEW Revolution: Dustin Rhodes vs Jake Hager
Rating: *** 1/2 - IMPACT!: Best of 5: Match 4: Eddie Edwards vs Michael Elgin
Rating: *** 1/4 - WWE Raw: Humberto Carrillo vs Angel Garza
Rating: *** 1/4 - AEW Dynamite: A Boy, His Boy and His Dinosaur vs Inner Circle
Rating: *** 1/4 - AEW Revolution: Sammy Guevara vs Darby Allin
Rating: *** 1/4 - ROH Gateway to Honor: ROH Championship: PCO (c) vs Mark Haskins vs Rush
Rating: *** 1/4 - NXT: Austin Theory vs Tommaso Ciampa
Rating: *** - AEW Revolution: PAC vs Orange Cassidy
Rating: *** - NXT UK: UK Women’s Title I Quit: Kay Lee Ray (c) vs Toni Storm
Rating: *** - WWE Super Showdown: SmackDown Women’s Championship: Naomi vs Bayley (c)
Rating: *** - AEW Dynamite: Yuka Sakazaki vs Big Swole vs Hikaru Shida vs Shanna
Rating: *** - WWE Raw: Aleister Black vs Erick Rowan
Rating: *** - IMPACT!: Rohit Raju w/Mahabali Shera & Gama Singh vs Wentz w/Dez & Trey
Rating: *** - WWE SmackDown: Kofi Kingston vs Robert Roode
Rating: ***
5. AEW Revolution: Cody w/Arn Anderson & Brandi Rhodes vs MJF w/Wardlow
MJF worked a smart old school heel match. He worked Cody’s shoulder to set up for his Fujiwara Armbar finish, worked on the injured toe. Hell, MJF removed Cody’s boot and even bit the injured toe. Cody was on the receiving end of quite a bit until a big Avalanche Suplex.
He comes over and hits the Disaster Kick with the bootless foot and it apparently gashed open MJF. Cody accidentally wipes out Arm when Wardlow got involved, but Cody still fought valiantly. MJF tried to use Cody’s weight belt against him, but the referee stopped him. Cody used it once and then when the ref tried to stopped him he asked for ‘Just one more‘ and the referee agreed. Cody tosses the belt into the crowd as a souvenir and we see MJF cower and grovel.
MJF spits in Cody’s face, so Cody snaps. 2 Crossroads, and 1 more attempted…but MJF hits Cody with a knee. Reaches down into his trunks to get that diamond ring, loads his fist and knocks Cody out. So MJF heels his way to a big win
Winner: MJF via Loaded Fist
4. NOAH 20th Anniversary The Chronicle Vol.1: GHC National Championship: Kaito Kiyomiya vs Takashi Sugiura (c)
From Hisame’s Newsletter Vol 73:
Kaito Kiyomiya (so excited he almost fell out of the curtains when he came out), offered a handshake which was accepted by Takashi Sugiura, before the GHC National Championship match got underway. The match was very much done at Sugiura’s pace with the crowd swinging between cheering for Kiyomiya and cheering for Sugiura. In the closing stages of the match, Kiyomiya found a way to reverse the dreaded front neck lock, however, after a match of last moment heart in mouth kick outs, it was Takashi Sugiura who walked away with the title.
Winner: Sugiura via Avalanche Olympic Slam
3. AEW Dynamite: 30 Min Iron Man Match: Kenny Omega vs PAC
Pac cranks Omega more but Omega keeps trying for a cover. The two struggle as we’re under 30 seconds! Omega rakes at Pac’s face to get free! But Pac gets him again! We’re under 15! 10! The seconds are counting down, TIME’S UP!! It’s a draw at 1-1!! Fans want overtime, “Five More Minutes!” Pac DECKS the ref!! The Bastard only wants what he wants, and he did not get it. But AEW management is granting SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME!
The bell rings, V-TRIGGER!! Pac flounders, referee Aubrey Edwards slides in, and Omega gives Pac a ripcord V-TRIGGER!! Omega drags Pac back up, KAMIGOYE!! Ibu-tan, are you watching!? Cover, TWO!?! Pac survives the knee that surpasses god?! Omega drags Pac up, Electric Chairs, folds, ONE WINGED ANGEL!! Cover, Omega wins!!
Winner: Omega 2 – 1
2. Wrestle-1 W-Impact: Wrestle-1 Championship: Shotaro Ashino vs Katsuhiko Nakajima (c)
So news recently broke that Wrestle-1 is ceasing business operations as of April 1, 2020. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a current storyline for their top title. Katsuhiko Nakajima is a Pro Wrestling NOAH wrestler; who’s current iteration is cocky, sarcastic and aloof. Similar in a way to Tetsuya Naito, but Nakajima carries it a little cooler and not Traquilo, so much as; I don’t care. Shotaro Ashino is the company’s Ace, who is trying to reclaim the belt from the outsider who’s disgracing the physical title and Mutoh’s legacy.
As the match gets started, more and more of the W-1 locker room surrounds the ring; and you get a big sense of the company rallying behind Ashino to get Nakajima out of there. Nakajima even goes as far as making the girl at the time keeper’s table, bring the belt back to the ring; goad her by moving his hand further away from her, and then just chucking the belt into the center of the ring. This plays a big part in the match, cause not only is Ashino incensed, but so it the referee.
From this point, the match is a great story of Nakajima playing to the heated crowd, getting the referee pissed off, teasing the other wrestlers on the outside; and just generally being a dick. Ashino got great moments to shine, since he is an amateur wrestling specialist. The two doing a locomotion Ankle Lock/Roll out/Ankle Lock, was great to prove Nakajima isn’t just all brash attitude.
Both men had learning moments, after the locomotion leg picks, Ashino went back to the Ankle Lock; but rolled with Nakajima to keep the hodl in. Nakajima also took note that Ashino love to do a Running Eurpean Uppercut, and moved out of the way; allowing him to light him up with kicks and slowly take the match back.
Nakajima wins with his Vertical Spike Brainbuster, and the outside talent storm the ring and surround Nakajima. Nakajima doesn’t flinch, remains arrogant and even calls out current President Kaz Hayashi. So Kaz Hayashi will try to take the belt back, so at least when the company closes, they will have their belt back. Hayashi Superkicks Nakajima in the face as a way to accept and send him out of the building.
Winner: Nakajima via Vertical Spike
1. AEW Revolution: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) vs The Young Bucks
This story played out eerily similar to the Golden Lovers angle a couple years ago. Page had no issue taking the hatred to the next level, spitting on Matt, wanting to ram his head into the ring bell…but Kenny and Nick took turns being the voices of reason; for their respective teams.
Hangman tapped into his inner Marty Scurll when he did the ‘JUST KIDDING‘ Superkick/Low Kick and then the spin around for the Chicken Wing. Super Kick Party, Indy Taker, Locomotion Northern Lights Suplexes up the entrance ramp; hell the Bucks even pulled off Made in Detroit as their homage to the Motor City Machine Guns. The biggest salt in the wound was when the Bucks did the Golden Trigger, which caused Kenny to kick out at one.
Winner: Omega & Page via Buckshot Lariat
Thoughts:
Now I did really enjoy the Revolution tag match, but it does bother me a little that it was extremely similar to the Golden Lovers versus Young Bucks match. So given the fact that it was a little too close of a retread,;my vote goes to, Wrestle-1: Katushiko Nakajima vs Shotaro Ashino. A well wrestled match, with an easy story; and the addition of the company closing shop adds a level of importance.
I full expect either the Tag Match or Iron Man Match to take this week; but I can’t overlook how much I enjoyed the Wrestle-1 match.
