Opinion
Mathew’s Top Matches of 2020: #10-6
Well now we get to meat of these lists that most people tend to like to argue, 10th through 6th! How many Japanese gems are hidden in this part of Mathew’s list?

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year, I know I did. Well, guys, this is it, we are now at the Top 10 matches of 2020.
Previous Artices:
We will be discussing five more and then close it off at the next article. It was difficult to see which ones would be next on the list but after re-watching these ten matches, I am confident with my rankings for these matches.
Let’s get down to it.
10. R.E.D vs. Team Toryumon (Dragon Gate Final Gate 12/20/2020)
– This one may have been recently but this one is also my favorite match in Dragon Gate this year. One year ago, Dragon Gate would start generational warfare with R.E.D, Team Dragon Gate, and Team Toryumon. The rivalry would last the entire duration of 2020 and for the event of Final Gate, it was time to put it to an end with R.E.D taking on Toryumon where the losing team would have to disband. We have five members from each team facing off in an elimination match, and was also No Disqualification. The stakes have never been higher and the pressure between the two teams was intense since this was the final match of this year-long feud.
The match reminded me a lot of the match with Jimmyz and VerserK three years ago when it was that a unit had to disband if they lost. This had the same amount of emotion and intensity here that it deserved to be mentioned on this list since it was one of the best tag matches this year. Unfortunately, things wouldn’t work with Toryumon as they would lose the match, declaring R.E.D the winners of the war. Of all the people to end it, it was one of the rookies, SB KENTo that would pin Dragon Kid to get the victory for R.E.D, talk about a huge rub on one of the younger talent. High intensity, great action throughout the match, this is Dragon Gate at its best.
9. Mayu Iwatani vs. Takumi Iroha (Stardom Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 10/18/2020)
– You didn’t think Stardom would be on here, didn’t you? Despite how I feel about them this year, there was no doubt that they still produced great matches and this one was the best Stardom match this year. Their very first singles encounter was two years ago where they had a time limit draw and since then, they haven’t touched each other, wondering when these two will share the ring again. On February 8th, 2020, we were able to get round two with Takumi pinning the World of Stardom Champion cleanly. Their eventual rematch wouldn’t happen until eight months later but this time, it would be for the company’s top prize. This was the match where they kicked it up into high gear.
The expressions, emotions, the way the match played out, all of it would work in this match. Even the near falls in this match would help out to elevate the story of this match. After a hard and grueling battle, Mayu would make up for her loss and pinned Takumi, retaining the championship. Now that they’re one win, one loss, and one draw each, I wonder if they’ll do a rubber match or just leave it be. I’m glad Mayu was able to finally get a chance for a proper reign after her first one was cut short as she was able to produce great matches during her run here. My feeling towards Stardom may have changed but they were able to produce a match for my Top 10.
8. Arisa Nakajima vs. ASUKA ( SEAdLINNNG Delivered To You! 6/13/2020)
– It is now time for my favorite Joshi match to be next on the list as this match would take place at SEAdLINNNG. I have been enjoying this promotion since 2018 and always delivered low-key great matches, even if not a lot of people watch them. ASUKA is someone I’ve been high on for quite some time and still consider her a great talent who has had a breakout year on top of that. As for Arisa Nakajima, she was honestly my favorite female wrestler of 2020 with an incredible reign as the company’s champion, her ability to produce great matches, and just her overall performance is something that people should’ve focused on this year and the upcoming years.
You had strength from ASUKA who would overpower her whenever she can while you have Arisa who is smarter in the ring, making a unique dynamic to play to both of their strengths. Also, ASUKA’s selling was great when her leg was being worked on and sold it like she was legit hurt. People thought ASUKA would walk out with the Beyond the Sea Championship but Arisa would barely survive the match to keep her title. Not all was lost for ASUKA as she was able to win titles from different promotions later, giving her one of the best performances of her career. Both talented women and should have more people following them, worth being my favorite women’s match this year,
7. Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW G1 Climax 10/10/2020)
– This was a dream match that I didn’t know I needed until it was announced for this tournament, and I was luckily able to cover it when we talked about the tournament on this site. Shingo is one of the best workers the company has to offer and this was his biggest test to take on the company’s biggest star, Okada. However, this was also around the time where Okada wasn’t fully acting like himself, even refusing to use the Rainmaker to finish his matches but would instead rely on his horrible Cobra Clutch submission, Money Clip. Since Okada was acting like this, there was a bit of worry about how the match would go when he’s not his Rainmaker self, despite how well Shingo has been performing with his consistency.
Shingo would be able to deliver his best match in the heavyweight division part of this run and showed that he is someone who would be IWGP Heavyweight Champion or main event some of their biggest shows if allowed. Even the slow pacing at the beginning of the match worked out to their advantage since less was more for this match, and they also did enough at the same time. If we had Rainmaker Okada here, this would’ve been much higher on the list and who knows, maybe could’ve been number one on my list this year, that’s how much potential it had and they were great with what they worked with. The ending of the match made perfect sense with Shingo losing but he didn’t tap out either, making him not only look strong in defeat but show that a star is slowly being made. Easily one of my favorites this year and makes me hopeful of their eventual rematch with hopefully a different outcome with Shingo coming out on top.
6. WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov (NXT UK 10/29/2020)
– It’s now time for the best WWE match on the list and it’s not from the main roster or NXT proper but, their UK scene. NXT UK would be on hiatus for a good majority of the year and when they returned in September, they would pick up right where they left off and continued one of the biggest stories where they had left off and that was with Ilja Dragunov getting a shot at the United Kingdom Championship. They had a tag match before their encounter and even that match was intense, giving us enough to show what exactly is to come when the big title match happens. Ilja is someone I was high on for a while and I was happy to see him getting the praise he deserves since he truly is one of the best they have on the roster, even if he’ll potentially be limited to only NXT UK. If you’ve seen their matches before, you know that they give us absolute goodness whenever they clash in the ring, and this one match, they gave us a masterpiece of wrestling.
The two didn’t do too much in the match but it was enough to sell what exactly they were going for by beating the ever-loving shit out of each other. You can tell that it was a gentleman’s agreement when they would stiff each other like this and trusting one another in the ring to not hurt them intentionally at the same time, that’s the type of trust and respect they have with each other. There were several times in the match where Ilja made people believe that he would be the one that would actually dethrone WALTER to take the title off of him. The selling from Ilja was also fantastic, especially when he tries to hit one of his moves but falls from the pain he received from him during the entirety of the match. WALTER would choke Ilja out to take the victory but Ilja didn’t tap out at the same time. Showing us that the two are not done yet, not by a longshot. I still believe Ilja will be the one that will take the UK Championship off of WALTER and when they eventually have that rematch, it’ll be another classic.
That concludes today’s list and we have one more to go through as we look at my Top 5 matches of 2020. It’ll probably be obvious to some people but the order of it will be what will make people guessing. Till next time!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank
Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?
- AJ – Roxanne Perez
- Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
- Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
- DJ – Naomi
- DPP – Roxanne Perez
- Jason – Alexa Bliss
- Patrick – Roxanne Perez
- Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
- Rob – Naomi
- Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.
Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.
Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)
- AJ – LA Knight
- Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
- Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
- DJ – LA Knight
- DPP – El Grande Americano
- Jason – LA Knight
- Patrick – Solo Sikoa
- Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
- Rob – Solo Sikoa
- Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.
Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!
Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)
- AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
- Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
- Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
- DJ – Lyra Valkyria
- DPP – Becky Lynch
- Jason – Becky Lynch
- Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
- Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
- Rob – Becky Lynch
- Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.
Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.
Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3
- AJ – Cena & Paul
- Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
- Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
- DJ – Rhodes & Uso
- DPP – Rhodes & Uso
- Jason – Cena & Paul
- Patrick – Cena & Paul
- Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
- Rob – Cena & Paul
- Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.
Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?
Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso
In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!
- AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
- Andrew – @IWCWarChief
- Dave – @AttitudeAgg
- DJ – @TheMindlessPod
- DPP – @itsmeDPP
- Jason – @JediFett
- Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
- Rey – @itsreycash
- Rob – @rbonne1
- Greg – @gregdemarco44
- PC – @PCTunney
- TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia
prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY – 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY – POD is WAR (Los Tres Friends)
FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Â
Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Listen on your favorite platform!
iTunes | iHeart Radio  | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.
- AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
- Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
- Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
- DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
- DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
- Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
- Patrick – Gunther
- Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
- Rob – Gunther
- Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!
Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.
Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3
- AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
- Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
- Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
- DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
- DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
- Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
- Patrick – Becky Lynch
- Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
- Rob – Lyra Valkyria
- Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)
Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).
Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5
- AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
- Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
- Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
- DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
- DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
- Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
- Patrick – Jacob Fatu
- Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
- Rob – Jacob Fatu
- Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.
Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.
Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0Â
- AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
- Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
- Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
- DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
- DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
- Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
- Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
- Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
- Rob – Dominic Mysterio
- Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.
Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.
Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1
- AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
- Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
- Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
- DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
- DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
- Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
- Patrick – John Cena
- Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
- Rob – John Cena
- Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.
Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.
Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1
In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!
- AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
- Andrew – @IWCWarChief
- Dave – @AttitudeAgg
- DJ – @TheMindlessPod
- DPP – @itsmeDPP
- Jason – @JediFett
- Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
- Rey – @itsreycash
- Rob – @rbonne1
- Greg – @gregdemarco44
- PC – @PCTunney
- TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia
prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY – 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY – POD is WAR (Los Tres Friends)
FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Â
Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Listen on your favorite platform!
iTunes | iHeart Radio  | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!