Opinion

Andrew’s Top 5 Matches: Week Ending 1/5/2020

First week of 2020! Let’s see how much of the Top 5 is dominated by Wrestle Kingdom!

Published

3 years ago

January 6, 2020

Andrew Balaz

First week of 2020! Let’s see how much of the Top 5 is dominated by Wrestle Kingdom!

Now this first Top 5 of the year will not be something for fans who don’t watch puroresu. Also, taking some readers thoughts into consideration, I figured I would change the format of the article a little. At the top will be a quick Top 5, with the matches and ratings, below will contain the match picture, finish and analysis.

So if you didn’t see the match yet, the Quick Top 5 can be a reference tool for things to search out without knowing too much about the match. Honorable Mentions also won’t contain the finish.

Admittedly, Wrestle Kingdom’s format screwed that up a little since the Winner Take All match, spoils other matches purely by how the two cards were conceived. Moving forward though, the Quick Top 5 won’t contain any spoilers.

Quick Top 5:

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: Double Gold Dash Winner Takes All IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito (c)
Rating: *****
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito vs Jay White (c)
Rating: *****
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Kota Ibushi
Rating: **** 1/2
AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Triple Crown Championship: Kento Miyahara (c) vs Jake Lee
Rating: **** 1/2
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi vs Will Ospreay (c)
Rating: **** 1/2

Honorable Mentions:

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: Chris Jericho vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
Rating: ****
NOAH Reboot: GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: AXIZ (Go Shiozaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima) (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji & Masaaki Mochizuki
Rating: ****
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: NEVER Openweight Championship: Hirooki Goto vs KENTA (c)
Rating: ****
AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Vacant Junior Heavyweight Championship: Susumu Yokosuka vs Hikaru Sato
Rating: ****
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: British Heavyweight Championship: SANADA vs Zack Sabre Jr (c)
Rating: *** 3/4
AJPW New Year Wars Day 1: World Tag Team Championship: Violence Giant (Suwama & Shuji Ishikawa) vs Zeus & Ryoji Sai (c)
Rating: *** 3/4
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: Jay White vs Kota Ibushi
Rating: *** 3/4
AEW Dynamite: Cody vs Darby Allin
Rating: *** 3/4
AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Shigehiro Irie & Lucas Steel vs Shuji Ishikawa & Yusuke Oakda
Rating: *** 1/2
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: IWGP Junior Tag Titles: El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori (c) vs Roppongi 3k (SHO & YOH)
Rating: *** 1/2
AJPW New Year Wars Day 1: Susumu Yokosuka vs Koji Iwamoto
Rating: *** 1/2
WWE Raw: Buddy Murphy vs Aleister Black
Rating: *** 1/2
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: Liger the Final: Ryu Lee & Hiromu Takahashi vs Jyushin Thunder Liger & Naoki Sano w/Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Rating: *** 1/2
AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Yuma Aoyagi, Ryoji Sai, Danny Jones & Ayato Yoshida vs Zeus, KAI, Naoya Nomura & Yoshi-Tatsu
Rating: *** 1/4
AEW Dynamite: Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks vs PAC & Lucha Bros
Rating: *** 1/4
AJPW New Year Wars Day 1: Omori Hokuto, Yuma Aoyagi, Kento Miyahara & Yoshi-Tatsu vs Izanagi, Shigehiro Irie, Utamaru & Lucas Steel
Rating: *** 1/4
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: IWGP US Championship: Juice Robinson vs Jon Moxley (c)
Rating: *** 1/4
AJPW New Year Wars Day 1: Kagetora vs Hikaru Sato
Rating: *** 1/4
AEW Dynamite: Fatal 4 Way AEW Women’s Championship: Riho vs Nyla Rose vs Hikaru Shida vs Britt Baker
Rating: ***
NOAH Reboot: Tadasuke, Daisuke Harada, YO-HEY, HAYATA & Keiji Mutoh vs Chris Ridgeway, Yoshinari Ogawa, Kotaro Suzuki, Atsushi Kotoge & Doug Williams
Rating: ***
WWE Raw: Andrade vs Ricochet
Rating: ***
AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Kagetora, Black Menso-re & Nasahiro Takanashi vs Koji Iwamoto, Fumnori Abe & Francesco Akira
Rating: ***
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: Liger the Final: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Otani & Naoki Sano w/Kuniaki Kobayashi vs Great Sasuke, Tatsumi Fujinami, Tiger Mask IV & Jyushin Thunder Liger w/El Samurai
Rating: ***

5. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi vs Will Ospreay (c)

Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Hiromu has a wild look in his eyes again as he brings Ospreay up into a fireman’s carry. Corner Death Valley! Hiromu drags Ospreay up, fireman’s carry and a spin, but Ospreay kicks free! Hiromu SUPERKICKS, and SUPERKICKS! Ospreay is on his knees but Hiromu fireman’s carries. Ospreay slips out, HOOK KICK! Underhoooks, Canadian rack but Hiromu slips out, only to run into a SPANISH FLY! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives but Ospreay wants the kill shot! Hiromu rises, Ospreay aims, HIDDEN BLADE!! But Ospreay doesn’t cover, he underhooks and drags Hiromu up! Canadian rack, but Hiromu pops through to hit ANOTHER DESTROYER! Cover, TWO?!?! Ospreay survives again and Tokyo is electric!

Hiromu drags himself up with the ropes and shouts at Ospreay! Hiromu runs to LARIAT!! But he’s not done, fireman’s carry to TIME BOMB!! Cover, TWO!?!? This cannot be! Hiroum is beside himself, but he drags Ospreay up again. Hiromu runs, runs and LARIATS! Then a scoop, tucking Ospreay in, INVERTED AIR RAID!! Cover, Hiromu wins!!

Winner: Hiromu via Time Bomb 2

4. AJPW New Year Wars Day 2: Triple Crown Championship: Kento Miyahara (c) vs Jake Lee

From my Analysis:
This is Jake’s second attempt at the Triple Crown championship in less than 9 months and his 4th singles match against Kento in the same span of time (finals of Champion Carnival and Royal Road tournaments). Jake managed to win the Royal Road Tournament, but he’s come up short when it really counts. Can he over come the Triple Crown demon that is Kento Miyahara?

Both men start off quickly aiming for the head. Moments where they’d usually give respite for a little gloating or mocking are quickly met with a kick in the face. There isn’t quite the level of disdain that Jake had in his last match, but both men are trying to create openings by striking early and often in the earlier portions of the match.

After a Big Boot from Jake knocks Kento to the floor from the turnbuckle, his countenance changes a bit. Apron PK, and the sarcastic side comes out a little as he mimics the count on the outside with a big grin on his face. He breaks the count to put Kento on the apron, pick his face up to the crowd and then raise a knee into his chin. Kento does manage to turn the tide with an Apron Piledriver, which sets up for a Blackout, and when he goes for a second Blackout, Jake catches it and kicks him in the face for his troubles.

Both men are exhausted and mostly throwing haymakers at this point. Kento with the German Suplex and Blackout, Jake hit his Giant Killing Backdrop, but only for two. It was just last ditch efforts from both, but Jake got caught with a Blackout after Kento countered the Backdrop, and that was the opening Kento needed to slap on the Shutdown Suplex, and make his 9th successful defense.

Winner: Kento via Shutdown Suplex Hold

3. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Kota Ibushi

From My Analysis:
As with many Okada matches it’s hard to really put to words how the match plays out. This one was a slow build and honestly, following the other two matches, it was a little bland early on. They both traded strikes, but it wasn’t until Okada unlocked Ibushi’s second health bar, that we saw the dark side of Ibushi show up and turn up everything.

Ibushi with the closed fists, stiff kicks, generally head hunting and looking like he was trying to actually injure Okada. Ibushi also tapped into a few friends/idols moves with a Bom-Ba-Ye, V-Trigger, and an attempted Avalanche Tiger Driver. Okada pulled out some old tricks, Red Ink, Heavy Rain, Rolling Rainmaker and the Fire/Thunder Driver, before winning with the Rainmaker. The second half of this match made it one worth watching.

Winner: Okada via Rainmaker

2. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 1: IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Tetsuya Naito vs Jay White (c)

From My Analysis:
We watch a great story play out in this match. Naito’s usual Traquilo countenance has changed over the last few months with all of the loses and short comings. Jay has managed to take advantage of short cuts, blindside attacks and general great heel tactics. Naito’s evolution and Jay embracing his character fully has been wonderful during this feud. So we finally get to see which one has come further when there’s double gold on the line.

Naito brought a meticulous and methodical approach early on, but Gedo’s interference proved to be exactly what White needed to regain advantages. White worked over the knees, which Naito sold well, had a huge Chairshot while Red Shoes was recovering from a bump, and just a lot of great near falls and moments to keep you on the edge of your seat. The story played out perfectly with Naito being able to Jay behind him, but not without tons of struggles and nearly failing again. Now, one more step for Naito.

Winner: Naito wins via Destino

1. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Day 2: Double Gold Dash Winner Takes All IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Tetsuya Naito (c)

From My Analysis:
As we’ve grown to expect, this wasn’t going to be a short match. The progression in the story was fantastic. Naito showed his undying resolve and Okada went from just wanting to prove he’s the best, to things turning a little to him wanting to send a message while taking out Naito.

Okada pulled out most of his tricks against Ibushi, so we didn’t really see any special moves, more just his attitude slowly changed as the match went on. Naito though, he pulled off the Stardust Press which he doesn’t try often and was his old finisher before his Los Ingobernables persona. This was a classic back and forth, but you knew it was going to be great when Naito kicked out of the Rainmaker. It happens so infrequently anymore, and the match hit one final gear before Naito figured out a way to hit a second Gloria and then the official Destino, to become the first ever dual singles champion!

Winner: Naito via Destino

Thoughts:

It’s an impressive week when nothing in the Top 5 is less than a 4.5 – that’s just insane quality. Like I said, if you don’t watch puroresu or haven’t gotten through everything, this isn’t going to be a week for you. But aside from that, we’ve got a vote that happens weekly!

My vote will go to, Double Gold Dash: Tetsuya Naito vs Kazuchika Okada. It’s very close between the two Naito matches for me, since they both told great parts of the story. But the final chapter of this story paid off wonderfully, had great work and was just what most people wanted. So here’s to hoping Naito gets a decent reign out of this.

Let your opinion be known about the new format and of course, your choice for Match of the Week!

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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King’s WrestleMania Rewind: Stone Cold VS. Scott Hall (WrestleMania X8)

Chris King is back with another WrestleMania Rewind, looking at the NWO’s Scott Hall battling Stone Cold Steve Austin at WWE WrestleMania X8 from Toronto!

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March 14, 2023

Chris King

Chris King is back with another WrestleMania Rewind, looking at the NWO’s Scott Hall battling Stone Cold Steve Austin at WWE WrestleMania X8 from Toronto!

Chris King is back this week with another edition of WrestleMania Rewind, where he is rewatching all the past Mania matches and feuds. This week you’re in for a treat as we look back at ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin vs. Scott Hall at WrestleMania X8.

In late 2001, Vince McMahon bought out his competition WCW and acquired the rights to a plethora of talent including Booker T, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and the iconic trio known as NWO. Hulk Hogan; Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall were hell raisers, and what better way to make a name for yourself than take out the two top superstars in the WWE The Rock, and Stone Cold?

The NWO cost Austin his chance at becoming the Undisputed Champion at No Way Out during his match with Chris Jericho. Adding insult to injury, the NWO spray-painted ‘The Texas Rattlesnake’ with their brand logo just like they did in WCW. As you can imagine, Austin was pissed and out for revenge against the group and primarily Scott Hall.

Hall would challenge Stone Cold to a match at WrestleMania 18. Both superstars beat the living hell out of each other leading up to this highly-anticipated match for who runs the WWE.

The glass broke and Stone Cold made his iconic entrance, and black and white NWO covered Halls’ entrance alongside Kevin Nash. With the odds stacked against ‘The Toughest S.O.B’ could Austin or NWO prove their dominance? Sadly the NWO broke up that very night when Hulk Hogan came to the aid of his adversary The Rock after their ‘iconic’ dream match. Stone Cold would ensure the victory with the Stunner. Hall would perform an Oscar-worthy sell over the finisher.

What a time to be a wrestling fan in the 2000s when nothing was impossible for WWE. Who would’ve thought WCW would go out of business and Hogan would make his long-awaited return to WWE?

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

King’s WrestleMania Rewind: Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens (WWE WrestleMania 36)

Chris King takes a look at the most underrated WWE WrestleMania matches, and starts off with Seth Rollins battling Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 36!

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WWE WrestleMania 36 Kevin Owens Seth Rollins

Chris King takes a look at the most underrated WWE WrestleMania matches, and starts off with Seth Rollins battling Kevin Owens in the WWE Performance Center at WrestleMania 36!

Chris King is starting a new series heading into WrestleMania season dubbed WrestleMania Rewind. Each week he’ll be going back and sharing his insight over underrated matches at the Show of Shows. First up, is Kevin Owens vs. “The Monday Night Messiah” Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 36.

At the 2019 edition of Survivor Series, Rollins sacrificed himself during the men’s traditional match allowing SmackDown to ultimately gain the victory. The following night the self-proclaimed Messiah, berated the whole roster but KO was not having any part of it. Owens quickly became a huge barrier in Rollins’ cause for the greater good. The Authors of Pain attacked Owens with Rollins’ character in question.

Owens finally had enough of his rival’s mind games and torment and challenged Rollins to a match on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. Rollins mockingly accepted his challenge and the match was made official for night one of WrestleMania. Owens came out of the gate beating the holy hell out of the Monday Night Messiah trying to achieve his long-awaited moment at Mania but, Rollins tried to steal a disqualification victory by using the ring bell.

Owens hellbent on revenge provoked Rollins into turning their encounter into a no-disqualification contest where the fight could be taken all over the empty arena. The highlight of the match, was when KO used the WrestleMania sign to deliver a thunderous senton bomb through the announce table. Owens would secure the victory with a Stunner in an incredible match. Despite having no crowd during the pandemic era, both KO and Rollins put on an intense performance under the brightest lights.

In my personal opinion, this was a great feud that helped both superstars in their transformation as compelling characters for years to come.