Top 5 matches this week, should be easier for everyone. Japanese events are hard to beat when there’s no other big events; but now we’ve got the inverse. With NXT Portland this weekend and nothing else huge; many should be aware of the names on the list.
First things first, last week does have a vote to resolve. Thanks to a few Facebook groups; the winner is, NJPW New Beginning in Osaka: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Ryu Lee vs Hiromu Takahashi (c).
*If you don’t want to know the results of the matches, stop reading after Honorable Mentions*
Time to get to a very NXT dominated Top 5!
Quick Top 5:
- NXT TakeOver Portland: Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano
Rating: **** 1/2 - NXT TakeOver Portland: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era (Fish & O’Reilly) (c) vs BROserweights
Rating: **** 1/4 - AEW Dynamite: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) vs SCU (Scorpio & Kazarian)
Rating: **** - NXT TakeOver Portland: North American Championship: Keith Lee (c) vs Dominik Dijakovic
Rating: **** - AJPW Excite Series: Triple Crown Championship: Kento Miyahara (c) vs Yuma Aoyagi
Rating: ****
Honorable Mentions:
NXT TakeOver Portland: NXT Championship: Adam Cole (c) vs Tommaso Ciampa
Rating: *** 3/4
IMPACT!: Knockouts Championship: Taya Valkyrie (c) vs Jordynne Grace
Rating: *** 1/2
AEW Dynamite: AEW Women’s Championship: Riho (c) vs Nyla Rose
Rating: *** 1/2
NXT TakeOver Portland: Street Fight: Tegan Nox vs Dakota Kai
Rating: *** 1/2
AJPW Excite Series: World Junior Heavyweight Championship: Akira Francesco vs Susumu Yokosuka (c)
Rating: *** 1/2
AEW Dynamite: Jon Moxley vs Santana
Rating: *** 1/2
NXT: Cameron Grimes vs Johnny Gargano
Rating: *** 1/2
AJPW Excite Series: World Tag Team Championship: Violence Giant (SUWAMA & Shuji Ishikawa) (c) vs Lucas Steel & Shigehiro Irie
Rating: *** 1/4
IMPACT!: Michael Elgin vs Eddie Edwards
Rating: *** 1/4
NXT TakeOver Portland: NXT Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs Bianca Belair
Rating: *** 1/4
NWA Powerrr: Royce Issacs & Nick Aldis vs Rock N’ Roll Express
Rating: ***
WWE SmackDown: Carmella vs Bayley
Rating: ***
NXT: Adam Cole vs Kushida
Rating: ***
AJPW Excite Series: All Asia Tag Championships: Black Menso-re & Takao Omori vs Jake Lee & Koji Iwamoto
Rating: ***
WWE Raw: Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka vs Becky Lynch (c)
Rating: ***
NWA Powerrr: NWA Television Title: Matt Cross vs Ricky Starks (c)
Rating: ***
NXT: Candice LeRae vs Dakota Kai
Rating: ***
WWE Raw: Ricochet vs Bobby Lashley
Rating: ***
AEW Dynamite: MJF vs Jungle Boy
Rating: ***
5. AJPW Excite Series: Triple Crown Championship: Kento Miyahara (c) vs Yuma Aoyagi
Snippet from Mathew’s Review:
Yuma would rip the mat off the floor and it looks like he had something in mind as the two were on the apron, but Kento would hit a Piledriver to halt that. Once Yuma got back in, Kento would hit the Blackout along with a German Suplex; but Yuma popped up and returned the favor. While Kento was attempting the Shutdown German Suplex Hold, Yuma fought him off and caught him in the End Game submission. He had it locked in tight, making us believe Kento could tap out; but he was able to grab the rope to break the hold. The two started fighting until Kento hits another Blackout and then Yuma hits him with a spinning kick before catching Kento with the Rockstar Buster; Kento kicked out at two! Yuma is speechless and doesn’t waste any more time when he attempts to hit the kick again but Kento would hit a Blackout along with an Underhook Facebuster. Kento would finally be able to get a hold of Yuma as he hits the Shutdown German Suplex Hold for the victory and has tied the record!
Winner: Kento via Shutdown German Suplex Hold
4. NXT TakeOver Portland: North American Championship: Keith Lee (c) vs Dominik Dijakovic
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Lee manages to sit up as the ring count begins. Lee climbs back up, and Dijakovic meets him at the corner. Dijakovic grabs Lee but Lee hits first. Lee climbs again but Dijakovic anchors his feet. Lee clubs Dijakovic but Dijakovic BOOTS Lee! Dijakovic climbs up again and brings Lee up. SUPER SPANISH FLY!! Cover, TWO!!! Dijakovic won’t let up, he drags Lee up and manages a torture rack! But not for long, so Dijakovic has to try again. Dijakovic’s back gives out, but Lee fireman’s carries for BIG BANG CATASTROPHE! Cover, Lee wins!!
Winner: Keith Lee via Big Bang Catastrophe
3. AEW Dynamite: AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman Page & Kenny Omega (c) vs SCU (Scorpio & Kazarian)
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Scorpio tags Kaz and gives him the boost for the tornado DDT on Hangman! Cover, TWO! Hangman survives but Kaz keeps on him with a whip. Hangman reverses, Kaz rolls off Hangman’s back to BACKSTABBER! Scorpio slingshot cutter! Kaz slingshot cutters Omega! DOUBLE DRAGON SLEEPERS! The ref tells the illegal men to get out and starts counting. Omega powers Kaz into Scorpio to save Hangman! All four men are down but Austin is fired up! The teams regroup and Hangman throws hands with Kaz. “This is Awesome!” as Kaz forearms back. Kaz runs, but Omega tags and Hangman rocks Kaz back! Hangman whips Kaz at Omega’s V-TRIGGER! Scorpio runs in, to get a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! Kaz staggers up, Hangman takes aim, slingshot and…
No! Scorpio anchors Omega’s foot! Kaz dodges Buck Shot to turn Hangman around. Hangman powers out of Unprettier to Pop-up BOMB Kaz! Omega kicks Scorpio away, Hangman rolls Kaz into a V-TRIGGER! Hangman DIVES onto Scorpio! Omega and Hangman reset, BUCK SHOT TRIGGER!! Cover, Omega and Hangman win!!
Winner: Page & Omega via Buck Shot Trigger
2. NXT TakeOver Portland: NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era (Fish & O’Reilly) (c) vs BROserweights
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Kyle clubs Dunne, but Dunne SNAPS the fingers! Dunne brings Kyle in, pump handle, but no Bitter End. Kyle waistlocks, Dunne standing switches, Riddle runs in, but Kyle sends the SPEAR into DUNNE! Kyle throws Riddle out then tags in Fish! They bring Dunne up, CHASING THE DRAGON!! Cover, TWO!?!? No one can believe that one, let alone reDRagon! Fish and Kyle try again, but still no Annihilation as Dunne throws elbows. Kyle waistlocks and German Suplexes, but Dunne lands on his feet! Riddle tags in, Dunne gets double pop-up knees! Riddle KNEE TRIGGERS Fish! Dunne X-Plexes Kyle into Riddle’s POWERBOMB! Riddle flips Kyle over, FINAL FLASH BUZZSAW! Fish runs into a fireman’s carry, and gets a BROSERWEIGHT TO SLEEP!! Cover, Broserweights win!!!
Winner: Bros via BROserweight to Sleep
1. NXT TakeOver Portland: Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Balor endures and he drags himself around, but Gargano rolls him away!! Balor tires again, and gets free to DOUBLE STOMP! He drags Gargano up, but still no 1916 as Gargano gets the GargaNo Escape back! Balor is fading but he finds a second wind to get the ROPEBREAK! Gargano lets go and Balor gets out of the ring. Fans hope these two “Fight Forever!” just like Lee and Dijakovic. But just as that match came to an end, so must this one. Balor staggers and sputters, but Gargano uses the double guns. Gargano runs in, JOHN WOO DROPKICK! Balor gets blasted into barriers now!
Fans are divided as Gargano drags Balor up. Gargano sees the announce table, and pushes Balor aside to clear it off! But Balor uses a gourd buster to SLAM Gargano on it first! Balor watches Gargano writhe, and he goes to the other announce desk. Balor climbs up and Gargano stands, for Balor to SUPER JOHN WOO!! Gargano hits barriers and Portland is thunderous for “NXT! NXT!” Balor drags Gargano back into the ring and heads up top, for the COUP DE GRACE!!! But Balor isn’t done there! Balor double guns before he drags Gargano up. 1 9 1 6!! Cover, Balor wins!!
Winner: Balor via Bloody Sunday
Thoughts:
Like I said at the beginning, a much friendlier Top 5 matches list. I don’t always give my vote to my highest rated match, but I will do that this week. Aside from a couple nit picks and a weird sequence with those rope runs; Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano, was hard to beat.
Make cast your vote for the Top 5 Matches in the comments, or if you catch it in Facebook groups!
