Andrew’s Top 5 Matches: Week Ending 5/16/2021

With the April vote finalized and my work schedule finally less hectic for me to sit down, let’s see what made the Top 5 from last week!

Yeah, life gets annoying sometimes when you can’t find time to sit down and compile things. But we’re here, if not just a few days late! Firstly, let’s see what match won April!

MOTY Pool:

• January: NJPW New Beginning Nagoya: NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
• February: NXT Vengeance Day: North American Championship: Johnny Gargano (c) vs Kushida
• March: NJC 3.21.21: NJC Finals: Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi
• April: NXT Stand & Deliver: UK Championship: Walter (c) vs Tommaso Ciampa

We’ve got a different start to this year, when so far the first four months are either NXT or NJPW. Should be interesting to see if any other companies can grab the affection of the voting public to win a month moving forward!

Now time for this week!

Quick Top 5:

1. WrestleMania Backlash: Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Cesaro
   Rating: **** ¼
2. NXT: NXT Cruiserweight Championship 2 out of 3 Falls: Kushida (c) vs Santos Escobar
   Rating: ****
3. AEW Dynamite: TNT Championship: Miro vs Darby Allin (c)
   Rating: *** ¾
4. IMPACT Under Siege: #1 Contender: Chris Sabin vs Moose vs Matt Cardona vs Sami Callihan vs Trey Miguel vs Chris Bey
   Rating: *** ¾
5. WrestleMania Backlash: WWE Championship: Braun Strowman vs Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley (c)
   Rating: *** ¾

Honorable Mentions:

• IMPACT Under Siege: X Division Championship: Josh Alexander (c) vs ELP
  Rating: *** ½
• IMPACT Under Siege: FinJuice & Eddie Edwards vs Good Brothers & Kenny Omega
  Rating: *** ½
• AEW Dynamite: AEW Tag Team Championships: SCU vs The Young Bucks (c)
  Rating: *** ½
• NXT: NXT Women’s Championship: Raquel Gonzalez (c) vs Mercedes Martinez
  Rating: *** ¼
• IMPACT Under Siege: XXXL vs Ace Austin & Madman Fulton vs Rohit Raju & Shera vs Petey Williams & TJP
  Rating: *** ¼
• AEW Dynamite: IWGP US Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs Yuji Nagata
  Rating: *** ¼
• IMPACT!: ELP vs TJP vs Petey Williams vs Ace Austin vs Rohit Raju vs Acey Romero
  Rating: ***
• SmackDown: Cesaro vs Jimmy Uso
  Rating: ***
• WrestleMania Backlash: Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka vs Rhea Ripley (c) vs Charlotte Flair
  Rating: ***
• NXT: MSK vs Breezango
  Rating: ***
• NXT UK: Noam Dar vs Nathan Frazer
  Rating: ***

3t. WrestleMania Backlash: WWE Championship: Braun Strowman vs Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley (c)

From AJ’s Review:

Lashley is trying to get Drew on his side to take down Braun Strowman and it works slightly as they hit a double suplex but we got three boy bois in there. They are going to dismantle and beat each other down. Lashley and McIntyre fight on the outside for a bit until Braun makes a massive save and takes down the two guys and takes it to Lashley inside. After Strowman beats down Lashley and Lashley tries to hit a Hurt Lock, Drew comes in and makes everything even to all again. The two former WWE Champions go to take apart Braun.

Each man gets heavy offense and finally with triple threat ruling, weapons are used and even the outside from them. Braun brings the steps in and once Braun is out of the picture, Drew actually threw Lashley into the LED Board. As Drew looks on from the carnage, Braun comes in and takes Drew down and brings him back to the ring for more damage. Braun does some massive damage to Drew until Braun goes to the well too many times with the splash.

After Drew hits a Claymore from reversing a Running Powerslam, Lashley returns to remove Drew and hits a Spear onto Braun for the win.

Winner: Lashley via Spear

3t. IMPACT Under Siege: #1 Contender: Chris Sabin vs Moose vs Matt Cardona vs Sami Callihan vs Trey Miguel vs Chris Bey

From My Results:

This was a great match with stellar pacing, solid in and out of the ring action. Bey and Trey had a few moments where they applied their high flying attacks together to try and even the playing field. It looked a little weird since I hate cooperative spots, but in a way it almost worked.

Cardona hit the Rough Ryder and the Broski Boot but he was protected in a lot of the turmoil. Trey and Bey were throwing their bodies at people but coming up a little short on exchanges. Sami had the match won, about to hit the Cactus Special, but the Good Brothers pull him out of the ring and wail on him to put an end to his aspirations.

Sabin hits Cradle Shock, but Moose pulls the referee out of the ring. Sabin and Moose come in, Moose clips Sabin, works on the notoriously injured leg. Flips Sabin inside out twice, then Lights Out and Moose wins!

Winner: Moose via Lights Out

3t. AEW Dynamite: TNT Championship: Miro vs Darby Allin (c)

From Mitchell’s Coverage:

Darby gets up and Miro offers him a free shot. Darby SLAPS Miro, Miro shoves him but runs into boots! Darby chop blocks a leg! Darby runs and rolls to get around to THROWBACK! And a cradle! TWO!! Miro swings, Darby ducks and dodges but runs into a pop-up, that he turns into another STUNNER!! Darby heads up top fast, for the COFFIN DROP into a waistlock?! GERMAN SUPLEX, but Darby lands on his feet! Miro runs but gets buckles, a roll up, TWO!! Darby almost gets Miro there, but he keeps moving! Darby headbutts low, hops on, YOSHITONIC!! Cover, TWO!! Miro survives but Darby is after the arm!

Miro endures the Fujiwara, fights up, and trips Darby, into GAME OVER!!!! Darby is OUT, Miro wins!!

Winner: Miro via Game Over

2. NXT: NXT Cruiserweight Championship 2 out of 3 Falls: Kushida (c) vs Santos Escobar

From Mitchell’s Coverage:

Escobar drags Kushida up into the fireman’s carry, but Kushida fights free! Escobar switches, Kushida blocks to sit, TWO, to a sunset! TWO, high stack! TWO, sunset, TWO! Prawn hold, TWO!!! Things speed up again, DOUBLE LARIATS take both men down!! “This is Awesome!” and still isn’t over yet! Escobar and Kushida slowly stir, Escobar is in a corner and Kushida runs in! Escobar blocks, puts Kushida up top and ENZIGURIS! Escobar climbs up again, fireman’s carries, fans anticipate what’s coming, and Kushida does, too! Kushida elbows free this time! Kushida has Escobar with a double wristlock, SUPER ARM-DRAG!! HOVERBOARD LOCK!!

Escobar endures, reaches, but Kushida drags him away from the ropes!! Kushida cranks as hard as he can but Escobar keeps fighting! ROPEBREAK! Kushida has the arm still, Escobar rams into buckles, and again! Kushida throws knees in return, and HAMMERLOCK SUPLEXES Escobar into buckles! Kushida drags Escobar back up, for another HAMMERLOCK SUPLEX! Bridging cover, Kushida wins!!!

Winner: Kushida via Hammerlock Suplex Hold

1. WrestleMania Backlash: Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Cesaro

From AJ’s Review:

Cesaro gets an advantage and sees an opening, actually making the Tribal Chief stumbles and even fall with a Sharpshooter attempt, a suicide dive and crossbody to take down Roman. Roman keeps going to the arm of Cesaro though, cutting the power and even putting more fight to Cesaro and damaging his arm but Reigns keeps damaging it, even shit talking Daniel Bryan with the look at the hard cam. Roman now, getting his hubris going and costs him after a while as Cesaro gets back into it with Upperkicks and strikes, ignoring his arm damage as much as he can and deadlift suplexes Roman from the apron to the ring for a two.

Cesaro keeps going to his offense that he is used to and once he goes for the Neutralizer, his arms gives out and it’s back to Roman’s Empire but he took too much time. Roman gets caught though with the Uppercut and gets caught into a Sharpshooter and into a Crossface. Roman breaks out of the crossface and starts wailing on Cesaro, landing a sit out Powerbomb and continues the punching assault and gets his Guillotine in again and Cesaro tries to use his strength once again to break the Choke but to no avail as it’s locked back in for the end.

Winner: Roman via Guillotine

Thoughts:

Interesting week if I do say so myself. We have really solid matches but also matches that could be built upon. Especially Roman and Cesaro left enough in the tank to continue it into a bigger and better match if the machine allows it.

By default, I’d have to just follow my ratings and give Roman vs Cesaro my vote for the week. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if Escobar and Kushida pulled the upset since that felt a little more complete story wise.

Either way, cast your vote and I’ll hopefully be back on normal posting schedule next week!