Top 5 Matches: Week Ending 3/10/2019

Andrew goes through a bunch of shows and promotions to find the Top 5 matches of the week. Let’s see where it all landed!

With 205 Live, NXT and New Japan holding tournaments…plus Fastlane, sheesh, that’s a lot to wade through. To square up last week though, we did get a surprise, but that’s probably because it set the IWC on fire last week. Stardom: Momo Watanabe vs Jungle Kyona, won the first week of March vote! Since we had our February vote as well, let’s look at the 2019 MOTY Pool so far:

• January – NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega (c) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
• February – NXT Halftime Heat: Ricochet, Aleister Black & Velveteen Dream vs Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa

I don’t think many can argue the validity and quality of Halftime Heat, so these are two matches that will stand the test of time.

Now let’s get to this busy ass week…

5. NXT: DIY vs Undisputed Era

Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:

Ciampa stalks O’Reilly, waistlocks, but O’Reilly fights back. Ciampa clubs O’Reilly then lifts, but O’Reilly rolls. O’Reilly wants the leg but Ciampa powers O’REilly up for a deadlift German suplex! Ciampa hits another! Fish saves O’Reilly but Gargano swing kicks Fish down! Gargano hits Fish with a blockbuster! Ciampa torture racks, Blue Thunder Bomb on O’Reilly! Cover, TWO!! Gargano climbs up and tags in, DIY double whips. O’Reilly boots Ciampa down but Gargano hits him abck. O’Reilly puts Gargano on the apron but Gargano mule kicks Fish away! Gargano slingshot spears, but into a guillotine!! O’Reilly cranks back but Gargano flails and reaches. Gargano powers up, Ciampa hits O’Reilly with the Psycho Knee! Jackknife bridge from Gargano, TWO!!

O’Reilly and Gargano slowly stand and start brawling! They throw forearms back and forth, but O’Reilly knees. Ax, but enziguri! The Smash comes back around, but Gargano comes back with a roaring elbow! O’Reilly rebounds a la the Lunatic, but into a SUPERKICK! O’Reilly still rebounds, DOUBLE clotheslines take them both out! The fans are thunderous for “NXT! NXT!” Gargano and O’Reilly crawl for their corners, tags to Fish and Ciampa! Fish kicks and runs, but into Ciampa’s boot. Ciampa hurries to drag Fish up but has to counter punch him first. Fish swings but Ciampa gets to the apron. Ciampa wants to German but Fish holds on for dear life. Fish walks into an elbow but stops Ciampa on the top rope. Fish climbs to join him, but Ciampa fights back. Ciampa shoves Fish down, but here comes O’Reilly. Gargano intercepts but gets put into barriers.

O’Reilly anchors Ciampa and Fish roundhouses him. Tag and Fish climbs. Fish SUPER FALCON ARROWS Ciampa, O’Reilly drops a flying knee! Cover, TWO!! Into the armbar! Ciampa keeps his grip, but Fish hits a diving headbutt! O’Reilly pulls the arm and even a leg, but Gargano barrels through Fish to break it up! All four men are down but the fans fire up. Gargano throws Fish out but O’Reilly throws him out. O’Reilly pursues Ciampa, apron knee sends Ciampa into chairs! O’Reilly puts Ciampa back in, but gets caught in the draping DDT! Gargano tags, slingshot DDT! Cover, TWO!? O’Reilly survives but DIY keeps going. Tag to Ciampa, and Ciampa boots Fish out. DIY takes aim from opposite ends, Meet Me in the Middle!! Cover, DIY wins!!

Winner: DIY via Meeting in the Middle

Rating: **** 1/4

4. NJPW: New Japan Cup: Kazuchika Okada vs Michael Elgin

Another wrestler returning from injury is Michael Elgin. Most of his efforts against Okada are usually stand out matches, and this isn’t any different. Both men also prove their familiarity by stealing moves. Okada does a Buckle Bomb and Elgin Bomb, where Elgin pulls off the Rainmaker. Still unable to overcome the current Ace of New Japan, Elgin falls to a flush Rainmaker. Very good match.

Winner: Okada via Rainmaker

Rating: **** 1/4

3. Fastlane: US Championship 4-Way: Samoa Joe (c) vs Rey Mysterio vs Andrade vs R-Truth

Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:

Joe drags Mysterio up and throws heavy knees. Carmella and Zelina are both worried as Joe jabs away on Truth. Joe headbutts Truth down then drags him back up. Joe and Truth brawl while Zelina coaches Almas back up. Truth runs but into the sleeper hold! But Mysterio dropkicks Joe onto ropes! Mysterio dials it up but misses! Joe grabs Mysterio for a scoop, but Mysterio tornado DDT’s out of it! Cover, TWO! Mysterio puts Joe in a drop zone then climbs up top. Almas trips Mysterio up and boots Truth back down. Almas CHOPS Mysterio then climbs up to join him. El Idolo references Latino Heat, but Mysterio resists the superpelx. Truth adds on and Electric Chairs Almas. Mysterio SUPER STEINERS Almas off him!

Truth throws Mysterio out and covers Almas, but Mysterio breaks it with a slingshot leg drop! Mysterio covers Truth but Joe breaks it! Joe tosses Mysterio out and stalks Truth. Joe hits the back elbow to PELE! Mysterio springboards but into Joe’s arms! But Almas springboards to dropkick them down! Almas fires up and targets Mysterio. He drags Mysterio up, facelock and Uno Amigo! Dos Amigos! Fans boo as Almas goes for Tres, but Mysterio cradles! TWO, and Almas knees Mysterio low. Almas powerbomb lifts into the Gory Special! Truth dropkicks Almas down! Carmella rallies the fans as Truth covers Almas, TWO! Truth covers Mysterio, Ropebreak! Truth goes back to Almas and drags him up. He throws haymakers, then splashes Mysterio in the corner. Truth comes back but is put on the apron. Joe trips Truth off! Almas triangle corkscrew crossbodies Joe!

Mysterio climbs up top and leaps for a SUPER Huricanrana on Almas! All four men are down and Zelina is shocked, but fans are loving this. Truth drags Mysterio up to throw into the barriers and then into the ring. Truth dodges Zelina’s headscissors, but not her SUPERKICK! Carmella marches over and tackles Zelina! It’s a cat fight, and both Almas and Truth break them up. Joe urenages Mysterio! Cover, but Truth and Almas just break it! Truth throws hands on Joe, but Almas hits La Sombra on Mysterio! Cover, but Truth breaks that. Truth runs at Joe for a corner splash. Then he tells Almas to hit his move? CIEN KNEES for Joe! And then the shoulder tackles of Cena! Spinebuster for Joe, spin-out bomb for Almas!

Truth says “You Can’t See Me!” Five Knuckle Shuffle hits Joe! Almas runs back in but he gets the kick, to Scissor Kick! Cover, but Joe back sentons! Truth kicks Joe but misses the scissors. Joe sends Truth to the post, but Mysterio puts Joe on the ropes! Dial it up, 619!! Drop the Dime! But Joe dodges, and gets the Coquina Clutch!! Mysterio fades out, Joe wins!

Winner: Joe via Coquina Clutch

Rating: **** 1/4

Honorable Mentions:

Fastlane: The Shield vs Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley & Drew McIntyre
Winner: Shield via Cerberus
Rating: ****
NXT: Aleister Black & Ricochet vs Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel
Winner:: Black via Black Mass
Rating: ****
Anniversary Show IWGP Junior Championship: Jushin Thunder Liger vs Taiji Ishimori (c)
Winner: Ishimori via Crossface
Rating: ****
NJPW: New Japan Cup: EVIL vs Zack Sabre Jr
Winner: ZSJ via Grounded Octopus Hold
Rating: ****
Fastlane: WWE Championship Triple Threat: Daniel Bryan (c) vs Kevin Owens vs Mustafa Ali
Winner: Bryan via Knee Plus
Rating: *** 3/4
NJPW: New Japan Cup: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shota Umino
Winner: Tanahashi via Texas Cloverleaf
Rating: *** 3/4
205 Live: Cedric Alexander vs Akira Tozawa
Winner: Alexander via Lumbar Check
Rating: *** 3/4
SmackDown Live: United States Championship Fatal 4 Way: R-Truth (c) vs Andrade vs Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe
Winner: Joe via Coquina Clutch
Rating: *** 1/2
IMPACT: Dez & Wentz vs Lucha Bros
Winner: Lucha Bros via Pentagon Driver/Superkick
Rating: *** 1/2
Fastlane: Raw Tag Team Triple Threat: The Revival (c) vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs Aleister Black & Ricochet
Winner: Revival via Shatter Machine
Rating: *** 1/2
NJPW: New Japan Cup: Juice Robinson vs Chase Owens
Winner: Owens via Package Piledriver
Rating: *** 1/2
MLW: Ace Austin vs DJ Z
Winner: Austin via The Fold
Rating: *** 1/2
205 Live: Humberto Carrillo vs Oney Lorcan
Winner: Lorcan via Half & Half Suplex
Rating: *** 1/2
Fastlane: SmackDown Tag Team Title Match: The Usos (c) vs Shane McMahon & The Miz
Winner: Usos via Inside Cradle
Rating: *** 1/4
NXT: Forgotten Sons vs Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
Winner: Sons via Powerbomb + Stomp
Rating: *** 1/4
Fastlane: Xavier Woods & Big E vs Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev
Winner: Woods via Up Up Down Down
Rating: *** 1/4
NJPW: New Japan Cup: YOSHI-HASHI vs Manabu Nakanishi
Winner: Yoshi via Butterfly Lock
Rating: *** 1/4
WOW: Siren the Voodoo Doll & Holidead vs Princess Aussie & Azteca
Winner: Siren via Downward Spiral
Rating: ***
IMPACT: DARK WAR: Allie, Su Yung & Undead Maid of Honor vs Kiera Hogan, Jordynne Grace & Rosemary
Winner: Rosemary via Spear
Rating: ***
NXT: Moustache Mountain vs Street Profits
Winner: MM via Burning Hammer/Double Stomp
Rating: ***
NJPW: New Japan Cup: Bad Luck Fale vs Will Ospreay
Winner: Ospreay via Hurricanrana
Rating: ***

2. NJPW: New Japan Cup: Yuji Nagata vs Tomohiro Ishii

Ishii is always good for an old school Strong Style match. Nagata also proved that even at 50, the man can still put on a hell of a match. Ishii busted Nagata’s mouth open in the earlier parts of the match, but this was extremely good. The match remained close and even though most had to assume Ishii was going to win, Nagata made him earn it.

Winner: Ishii via Vertical Spike Brainbuster

Rating: **** 1/2

1. NJPW: New Japan Cup: Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito

Kota and Naito…well damn. We all had this penciled as the match of Round 1, and it really held up. A few twists on moves (like the Combinación Cabrón on the apron). Words won’t really do it justice. There was a ton of strikes, nice near falls for both wrestlers and that finish…Ibushi basically doing a Tiger Driver ’91 into the Bombaye was just sick. Damn impressive match.

Winner: Ibushi via Kamigoye

Rating: **** 3/4

Thoughts:

Well we’ve got a lot of New Japan, yes, but Fastlane and NXT TV both made it on to the Top 5. So it’s not a clean sweep in any way shape or form. So when it comes to my pick I’m going to go with how I ranked them.

Ibushi vs Naito was a tremendous match, Match of the Year quality and really turned the tournament on it’s head for some fans. Everything is pretty close this week, but Ibushi is one of the best workers in the business right now, so it’s hard to vote against him.