The New Japan Cup ended this weekend, Fastlane happened, NWA came back, AEW had a slightly more special Dynamite; so it was a packed week of stuff. Let’s see if this Top 5 looks anything like yours!

Not sure if it was pushed by the Meltzer 5 star rating, but the match of last week was; NJC: Zack Sabre Jr vs Will Ospreay.

I know last week I said we might be seeing a Shingo dominated month, but “the month of the Dragon” is getting pressure from the Commonwealth Kingpin. Let’s take a look at what else cracked the Top 5 beyond New Japan Cup matches!

Quick Top 5:

1. NJC 3.21.21: NJC Finals: Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi
   Rating: *****
2. NJC 3.20.21: NJC: Will Ospreay w/Bea Priestley vs David Finlay
   Rating: **** ¼
3. NJC 3.18.21: NJC: SANADA vs Will Ospreay
   Rating: **** ¼
4. NWA Back for the Attack: NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Aron Stevens vs Nick Aldis (c)
   Rating: ****
5. NJC 3.16.21: KENTA vs Shingo Takagi
   Rating: ****
6. AEW Dynamite: Lights Out Match: Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa
   Rating: ****

Honorable Mentions:

• WWE Fastlane: No Holds Barred: Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
  Rating: *** ¾
• NJC 3.18.21: NJC: Jay White w/Gedo vs David Finlay w/Juice Robinson
  Rating: *** ¾
• IMPACT!: Sami Callihan vs Trey Miguel
  Rating: *** ½
• WWE Fastlane: Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura
  Rating: *** ½
• AEW Dynamite: Angelico vs Rey Fenix
  Rating: *** ½
• NJC 3.20.21: NJC: EVIL vs Shingo Takagi
  Rating: *** ½
• WWE Fastlane: WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Daniel Bryan
  Rating: *** ¼
• NWA Back for the Attack: NWA National Championship: Chris Adonis vs Trevor Murdoch (c)
  Rating: ***
• IMPACT!: Tenille Dashwood w/Kaleb, Kiera Hogan, Tasha Steelz, Deonna Purrazzo, Susan & Kimber Lee vs Jordynne Grace, Jazz, Nevaeh, Havok, ODB & Alisha Edwards
  Rating: ***
• NJC 3.21.21: Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs Bullet Club (Jay White, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale) w/Gedo
  Rating: ***
• NJC 3.20.21: Suzuki-Gun (Taichi, ZSJ & DOUKI) vs LIJ (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI)
  Rating: ***
• AEW Dynamite: Cody Rhodes vs Penta el Zero M
  Rating: ***
• NJC 3.21.21: LIJ (Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & SANADA) vs FinJuice & Toa Henare
  Rating: ***
• NJC 3.20.21: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada & Kota Ibushi vs Bullet Club (KENTA, Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi) w/Gedo
  Rating: ***
• NJC 3.21.21: Yuya Uemura, Gabriel Kidd & Yota Tsuji vs Suzuki-Gun (ZSJ, Taichi & DOUKI)
  Rating: ***

5t. AEW Dynamite: Lights Out Match: Britt Baker vs Thunder Rosa

From Mitchell’s Coverage:

Fans are thunderous but Britt has another psycho smile like she did last year from her bloody nose! Rebel gives Britt the latex gloves to put on! And she brings out a bag from under the ring! A black satchel is never good in wrestling, and Britt clears some space to pour out… THUMBTACKS!! Britt drags Rosa up, throws a forearm, then brings her around to FISH- NO! Rosa slips out of the spinning fisherman to reel Britt in! Britt blocks the bomb, Rebel gets in with the crutch, but Rosa dodges that attack to take the crutch and SMACK Rebel with it! Rebel flops out of the ring, Britt stalks up on Rosa, but Rosa SHOTGUNS Rebel off the apron, and Rebel falls through the table!

Rebel is down in the wreckage of the table she and Britt set up themselves, but Britt fireman’s carries Rosa! Rosa slips off, kicks low, reels Britt in, and POWERBOMBS her on the thumbtacks!!! Cover, TWO?!?!?! Rebel can’t believe Britt survives but fans again say, “This is Awesome!” Rosa drags Britt but Britt grabs Rosa’s hair, takedown! Rings of Saturn in the tacks!! LOCKJAW! But Rosa rolls Britt back! She can’t hold the cover because of all the tacks!! Britt’s wild eyes are still visible through all that blood, and she SUPERKICKS Rosa! Rosa flounders to ropes, Britt stands on her on the apron. Britt goes out to join Rosa, brings her around and goes up the corner. She’s aiming for Rosa’s table!

But Rosa grabs Britt, scoops her to the THUNDER DRIVER THROUGH THE TABLE!!! Cover, Rosa wins!!!

Winner: Rose via Thunder Driver through table

5t. NJC 3.16.21: KENTA vs Shingo Takagi

From Mitchell’s Coverage:

Fans are thunderous again as Takagi gets himself to a corner. Takagi fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” and fans follow with him! Takagi aims, runs in, LARIAT! Kenta stays up so Takagi DOUBLE CHOPS and DOUBLE CHOPS! Kenta SLAPS Takagi, but Takagi just glares at him. Kenta SLAPS Takagi again, Takagi laughs to fire boxing elbows! Takagi hits about 10 times, then maybe 15, but Kenta CROSS COUNTERS! Kenta fires off slapping strikes but Takagi JABS! Kenta BACK HANDS! Then BACK HANDS! Kenta brings Takagi up to KICK him down! Cover, TWO!! Kenta aims as Takagi slowly rises, PSYCHO KNEE!! Cover, TWO!!

Takagi survives but Kenta brings knee pads down and slashes the throat! Kenta drags Takagi up to a fireman’s carry, GO TO- NO!! Takagi blocks, Kenta throws forearms and strikes but Takagi HEADBUTTS! Takagi pops Kenta up for a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Takagi drags Kenta up, fans are electric as Takagi runs and builds speed to PUMPING BOMBER!! High stack cover, TWO!! Kenta survives but Takagi fires up more! Takagi drags Kenta up, pump handle and fireman’s carries, LAST OF THE DRAGONS!! Cover, Takagi wins!!

Winner: Takagi via Last of the Dragon

5t. NWA Back for the Attack: NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Aron Stevens vs Nick Aldis (c)

From AJ’s Results:

The ref counts to nine until they start to strike each other from their knees. Stevens gets the upper hand with the strikes and actually is making Aldis regret the match from Nick’s facial expression, unable to get the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf. Stevens is doesing everything, even a Figure Four to take it to Aldis and a Superplex from the top rope. After failing to get another pinfall, Stevens is going for another Superplex but Nick fights it off and drops an elbow for a two. Aldis tries to finish it with a piledriver but Aron Stevens reverses it and does another Discus Elbow for a two. Stevens is getting frustrated and pulls the kneepad down, going for something from the top until it’s countered into the Cloverleaf. Stevens looked to tap but he got a burst of adrenaline and gets to the tops, rolling out after the break to get a separation from the champ.

Aldis tries to snake eyes Stevens on the outside to the post, Steven slips out of it though and pushes Aldis into the post instead but crashes into the podium. The ref counts to nine for Stevens though but, Aron comes in and takes it to Aldis, damaging Aldis’ arm, going for a Crossface. Aldis tries to keep breaking it every time and when all is said and done, Aldis gets a roll up on Stevens and gets the win in….. probably NWA’s best match since returning.

The ref counts to nine until they start to strike each other from their knees. Stevens gets the upper hand with the strikes and actually is making Aldis regret the match from Nick’s facial expression, unable to get the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf. Stevens is doesing everything, even a Figure Four to take it to Aldis and a Superplex from the top rope. After failing to get another pinfall, Stevens is going for another Superplex but Nick fights it off and drops an elbow for a two. Aldis tries to finish it with a piledriver but Aron Stevens reverses it and does another Discus Elbow for a two. Stevens is getting frustrated and pulls the kneepad down, going for something from the top until it’s countered into the Cloverleaf. Stevens looked to tap but he got a burst of adrenaline and gets to the tops, rolling out after the break to get a separation from the champ.

Aldis tries to snake eyes Stevens on the outside to the post, Steven slips out of it though and pushes Aldis into the post instead but crashes into the podium. The ref counts to nine for Stevens though but, Aron comes in and takes it to Aldis, damaging Aldis’ arm, going for a Crossface. Aldis tries to keep breaking it every time and when all is said and done, Aldis gets a roll up on Stevens and gets the win in….. probably NWA’s best match since returning.

Winner: Aldis via Cradle

2t. NJC 3.18.21: NJC: SANADA vs Will Ospreay

From My Results:

Things are off quick with SANADA sending Ospreay out, and Ospreay gets a small advantage and starts yelling at the crowd that they should be rooting for him. Ospreay did a good job taking shots at SANADA and then showing he was okay with a Count-Out.

SANADA really pushed the not caring about the nose aspect, even going as far as to position Ospreay in the corner with the Paradise Lock, but positioning his face into the turnbuckle pad. So when SANADA hit the Dropkick, he rammed his face into the turnbuckle pad as well. After Ospreay fought back a bit, we get to a bunch of great counter spots.

Slipping out of the Stormbreaker, SANADA hits a Jumping Sole Butt, then flips back into Dragon Sleeper, locks the Skull End for a little, goes Moonsault…but Ospreay gets the knees up. Things continue to be quick, Hidden Blade from Ospreay, attempts at Oscutters, but SANADA dodges. Then SANADA goes for the Pop-Up Cutter, but Ospreay turns in mid-air for the Poison Rana! Oscutter gives Ospreay the near fall, but we keep going. Great fighting, big attempts from both, but Ospreay finally lands the Stormbreaker and moves on.

Winner: Ospreay via Stormbreaker

2t. NJC 3.20.21: NJC: Will Ospreay w/Bea Priestley vs David Finlay

From Mitchell’s Coverage:

Finlay grabs at Red Shoes again, Juice holds up the towel but Finlay tells him not to throw it! Finlay reaches, drags himself over, and gets the ROPEBREAK! Fans cheer Finlay’s heart and Ospreay lets go of the leg. Ospreay is rather shocked, but he rains down jabs on Finlay’s head! Red Shoes wants Ospreay to let off, Finlay’s in the ropes! Ospreay does, pushes Red Shoes aside, Finlay leaps off the good leg! But Ospreay avoids Prima Nocta, and then gives Finlay Kowata Kicks! Finlay flounders and crawls, Ospreay stalks him. Juice and the fans rally up hard as ever for him, and Finlay stands up on one leg, to get the ROLLING ELBOW!

Finlay flops back against ropes, the rallying continues, but Ospreay ROLLING ELBOWS again! Finlay sits in a daze, Ospreay grins as he brings Finlay back up, PRIMA- NO! HOOK KICK! Ospreay springboards, INTO A PRIMA NOCTA!!! Cover, TWO!?!? Ospreay survives but Finlay is in too much pain to be upset. Finlay hobbles up, hobbles over, and brings Ospreay up. But Finlay’s bad leg won’t let him run for the corner! Finlay fires up to fight through the pain, but Ospreay underhooks outta nowhere! FINLAY RANAS?!? Cover, TWO!!!! Ospreay narrowly escapes, but he runs into a LARIAT!! Finlay hobbles around and drags Ospreay up, to ACID DRO-

NO! Ospreay tosses Finlay around to BOMB, then drags him back up to STORMBREAKER!! Cover, Ospreay wins!!

Winner: Ospreay via Stormbreaker

1. NJC 3.21.21: NJC Finals: Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi

From My Results:

Will set up a table, but was almost driven through it by Shingo multiple times. Bea moved it out of the way, and we got much more back and forth. Each man had third, fourth and fifth winds, this was fantastic. The table played a part later when Will got an advantage thanks to Bea again, and then hit a 450 Splash on Shingo, which had him down for a while.

Amazing transition spots, hell Ospreay literally flipped through a Pumping Bomber at one point to keep running to the ropes to hit an Oscutter. Shingo hit Made in Japan, Noshigami, he even busted out a Poison Rana, which we all know Shingo doesn’t do Junior style moves very often.

Thankfully for Ospreay though, the adrenaline wore off, and Shingo eventually succumbed to all the damage, the consecutive elbow strikes and Ospreay even hit the full Hidden Blade for the first time since favoring his shoulder. Stormbreaker won the match for Ospreay, but this was a beautiful war.

Winner: Ospreay via Stormbreaker

Thoughts:

Well now I agree with the general consensus that Thunder Rosa vs Britt Baker was brutal, fairly well paced and told a solid story; I wasn’t as blown away as others have been. Rebel is supposed to be awkward, but slow crutch swings and goofy interference seemed to cause a few hitches in the flow, on top of the fact that it was a really good hardcore match, regardless of gender, but I’m not giving it extra points just because we don’t usually see women in matches like this in mainstream promotions.

With that said, Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi, was hands down the best match of the week. It built off their previous interactions, told a great story on its own, compounded nicely within the story of the New Japan Cup, and sets up for what could be an entertaining title match at Sakura Genesis.

Lastly, I won’t overlook the fact that Aron Stevens busted his ass to put on a high quality match in memory of his friend. A wrestler known to be more of a character wrestler in the last decade or so, really showed that he can work in the ring if motivated. Hurt a little bit since back to back Cradle/Roll-Up retentions is a little much in 2021 on a PPV. But I’m glad the show in general was pretty solid and punctuated nicely with emotion and a great match.

There we go! A little more diverse, so hopefully everyone found something to scratch their itch!