New #1 for 2019.

I still love to go back and look at these lists. Some really good recommendations.

My 2019 pick as of right now. 

New top three picks for 2010, 2011, and 2019.

Updated mine as well. Some big changes after GME but overall it's not too different. 

Also I think 2018 might be the worst year in wrestling history, match quality wise. 2011 is not too far behind.

5 hours ago, Microstatistics said:

Also I think 2018 might be the worst year in wrestling history, match quality wise. 2011 is not too far behind.

I actually thought 2018 was up there as one of the best years ever for pure in-ring.  

Yeah I thought 2018 was pretty terrific too.

I don't know, my #1 for 2018 would struggle to make the Top 30 of 1996 or 1997. NJPW fell off a cliff relative to 2017. Maybe I've been watching the wrong stuff. 

New #1 for 2008. I also revised my top three for 1984 and 2019.

Top two for 2019 so far. I feel like 2019 is even worse than 2018 in terms of quality. 

I still need to finish my 90's - 00's adventure, which feels impossible at this point but I'll keep chugging away. 

New post-G1 top three for 2019 as well as an updated top three for 2017 and 2018. In addition, I decided to select a MOTY for every year going back to 1970 but only do a top 3 from 1980 on.

Brand spanking new #1 for 2009. What do you know, another hidden gem Suzuki tag. Also updated my top three for 2010.

New pick for 2019.

It's official. I have a new #1 for 2019.

I experienced some major reshuffling as a result of my rewatching project. To wit, I changed my top three for 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2013. I also made my first MOTY selection for 2020.

My first top three for 2020 with a new #1.

Tentative pick for 2020.

Going to go from 1989 because that's the first year I feel confident I've watched enough. Bold is MOTD.

Spoiler

1989:

1. Genichiro Tenryu vs Jumbo Tsuruta 06/05

2. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat 04/02

3. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk 11/15

1990:

1. Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, and Akira Taue 10/19

2. Midnight Express vs Southern Boys 07/07

3. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Mitsuharu Misawa 06/08

1991:

1. Bull Nakano vs Akira Hokuto 01/04

2. Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, and Akira Taue 20/04

3. Jushin Liger vs Owen Hart 4/28

1992:

1. Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Doug Furnas and Dan Kroffat 05/25

2. Manami Toyota vs Kyoko Inoue 04/25

3. Manami Toyota and Toshiyo Yamada vs Mayumi Ozaki and Dynamite Kansai 11/26

1993:

1 .Akira Hokuto vs Shinobu Kandori 04/02

2. Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen 07/29

3. Manami Toyota and Toshiyo Yamada vs Mayumi Ozaki and Dynamite Kansai 12/06

1994: 

1. Toshiaki Kawada vs Mitsuharu Misawa 06/03

2. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart 03/20

3. Manami Toyota vs Kyoko Inoue 08/24

 

1995:

1. Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue 06/09

2. Manami Toyota vs Kyoko Inoue 05/07

3. Mayumi Ozaki vs Dynamite Kansai 03/17

1996:

1. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama vs Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada 12/06

2. Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda 05/05

3. Mankind vs Shawn Michaels 09/22

1997:

1. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin 03/23

2. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa 01/20

3. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero 10/26

1998:

1. Genichiro Tenryu vs Shinya Hashimoto 08/01

2. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa 10/31

3. Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada 06/12

1999:

1. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa 06/11

2. Bret Hart vs Chris Benoit 10/04

3. Christian and Edge vs Jeff and Matt Hardy 10/17

2000:

1. Atlantis Vs Villano III 03/17

2. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama 02/27 

3. Cactus Jack vs Triple H 01/23

2001:

1. TLC 2 04/01

2. Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho vs Steve Austin and Triple H 05/21

3. Steve Austin vs The Rock 04/01

2002:

1. Shawn Michaels vs Triple H 08/25

2. Genichiro Tenryu vs Satoshi Kojima 07/17

3. Kurt Angle vs The Rock vs The Undertaker 07/21

2003:

1. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa 03/01

2. Crazy MAX vs M2K vs Italian Connection vs Do Fixer 08/30

3. Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit 01/19

2004:

1. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama 07/10

2. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama 04/25

3. Toshiaki Kawada vs Shinya Hashimoto 02/22

2005:

1. AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe 09/11

2. AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe 12/11

3. KENTA vs Low-KI 12/17

2006:

1. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness 08/12

2. Undertaker vs Kurt Angle 02/19

3. KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji 10/29

2007:

1. Nigel McGuinness vs Austin Aries 12/29

2. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuiness 06/09

3. Hirooki Goto vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 11/11

2008:

1. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness 11/22

2. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Suwama 04/09

3. Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels 10/05

2009:

1. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker 04/05

2. Bryan Danielson vs Chris Hero 09/04

3. Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio 06/28

2010:

1. Bryan Danielson vs SHINGO 07/24

2. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels 03/28

3. Shingo Takagi vs BxB Hulk 07/11 

2011:

1. CM Punk vs John Cena 07/17

2. El Generico vs Daisuke Sekimoto 03/13 

3. Kevin Steen vs El Generico 10/22

2012:

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki 10/18

2. Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi 02/18

3. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 06/16

2013:

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 04/07

2. Katsuyori Shibata vs Tomohiro Ishii 08/04 

3. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 10/14

2014:

1. AJ Styles vs Minoru Suzuki 08/01

2. Young Bucks vs Candice LeRae and Joey Ryan 07/26

3. Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii 11/08

2015:

1. Shingo Takagi vs Masaaki Mochizuki 11/01

2. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi 01/04

3. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura 08/16

2016:

1. Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito 08/13

2. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 01/04

3. Kairi Hojo vs Io Shirai 01/17

2017:

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega 06/11

2. Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata 04/09

3. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega 08/12

2018:

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega 06/09

2. Masashi Takeda vs Isami Kodaka 06/20

3. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi 08/12

2019:

1. Shingo Takagi vs Will Ospreay 06/05

2. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kenny Omega 01/04

3. Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston 04/07

 

2020:

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kota Ibushi 01/04

2. Kazuchika Okada vs Tetsuya Naito 01/04

3. WALTER vs Ilja Dragunov 10/29

 

2021:

1. Momo Watanabe vs Syuri 09/25

2. WALTER vs Ilja Dragunov 08/22

3. Tam Nakano vs Giulia 03/03

 

I thought I'd give this a shot

 

2009- 

2010- Koji Kanemoto vs Hayato Jr. Fujita NJPW 5/30

2011 - John Cena vs CM Punk WWE 7/17

2012 - Minoru Suzuki vs Hiroshi Tanahashi NJPW 10/8

2013 - LA Park vs Dr. Wagner Jr. TXT 5/11

2014 - AJ Styles vs Minoru Suzuki NJPW 8/1

2015- Low Ki vs Rey Mysterio Jr. JAPW 11/14

2016 - Trauma I vs Canis Lupus IWRG 9/4

2017 - Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata NJPW 4/9

2018- Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa NXT 4/7

2019- Cody vs Dustin Rhodes AEW 5/25

It will take me quite a while to go back to the 80's and come up with my list, but for the year 2020, I will throw in 12 candidates so far:

1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Night 2

2. Will Ospreay vs. Hiromu Takahashi - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Night 1

3. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kota Ibushi - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Night 1

4. Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. The Young Bucks - AEW Revolution 

5. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan - WWE SmackDown 6/12

6. Edge vs. Randy Orton - WWE Backlash

7. Kenny Omega vs. PAC - 30 Minute Ironman match - AEW Dynamite 2/26

8. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Will Ospreay - Revolution Pro High Stakes

9. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Ryu (Dragon) Lee - NJPW New Beginning In Osaka

10. Daisuke Ikeda vs. Yuki Ishikawa - wXw Ambition 12

11. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair - WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2

12. David Starr vs. LJ Cleary - OTT Take Me To Your Leader

New #1 for 2020.

1965: Gilbert Cesca/Rene Ben Chemoul vs. Anton Tejero/Inca Peruano, 3/12

1966: Fritz Von Erich vs. Giant Baba, 12/3

1967: Francis Sullivan/Albert Sanniez vs. Bernard Caclard/Tony Martino, 10/21

1968: Franz Van Buyten vs. Jean Ferre, 1/20

1969: TBD

1970: TBD

1971: Jack Brisco vs. Antonio Inoki, 8/5

1972: Jim Breaks vs. Adrian Street, 2/12

1973: The Destroyer vs. Mil Mascaras, 10/9

1974: TBD

1975: The Destroyer vs. The Spirit, 7/25

1976: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jack Brisco, 8/28

1977: Caribbean Sunshine Boys vs. Kung-Fu Fighters, 10/4

1978: TBD

1979: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel, 2/14

1980: Axel Dieter vs. Moose Morowski, 10/5

1981: Steve Grey vs. Jon Cortez, 7/27

1982: TBD

1983: Greg Valentine vs. Roddy Piper, 11/24

1984: El Satanico vs. Gran Cochise, 9/14

1985: Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee, 12/30

1986: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Akira Maeda, 6/12

1987: TBD

1988: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Antonio Inoki, 8/8

1989: El Satanico vs. Sangre Chicana, 5/26

1990: Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Nobuhiko Takada, 10/25

1991: Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoji Anjoh, 7/3

1992: Jushin Liger vs. El Samurai, 4/30

1993: Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori, 4/2

1994: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, 3/20

1995: Kenta Kobashi/Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue, 6/9

1996: Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind, 9/22

1997: Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Volk Han, 9/26

1998: El Hijo del Santo vs. Felino, 3/8

1999: Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto, 6/24

2000: Cactus Jack vs. Triple H, 1/23

2001: Naomichi Marufuji vs. Tatsuhito Takaiwa, 12/9

2002: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, 10/20

2003: Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, 3/1

2004: Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama, 7/10

2005: AJ Styles vs. Abyss, 4/24

2006: Jun Akiyama vs. Masao Inoue, 4/23

2007: Yuji Nagata vs. Togi Makabe, 7/6

2008: Daisuke Ikeda/Katsumi Usuda/Super Tiger II vs. Yuki Ishikawa/Alexander Otsuka/Munenori Sawa, 7/26

2009: Daisuke Ikeda/Takeshi Ono vs. Manabu Suruga/Takahiro Oba, 4/9

2010: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, 3/28

2011: TBD

2012: Daniel Bryan/Kane/Ryback vs. The Shield, 12/16

2013: Rey Hechicero vs. Charles Lucero, 8/4

2014: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H, 4/6

2015: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns, 3/29

2016: Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, 12/22

2017: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega, 8/12

2018: TBD

2019: Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi, 2/3

2020: WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov, 10/29

2021: Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair, 4/10

Last updated: 12/28/2021

 

Spoiler

1980: Bob Backlund vs. Ken Patera [Texas Death Match] (WWF, 5/19)
1981: Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk [Empty Arena Match] (CWA, 4/6)
1982: Stan Hansen vs. Terry Funk (AJPW, 9/11)
1983: Roddy Piper vs. Greg Valentine [Dog Collar Match] (NWA, 11/24)
1984: Terry Gordy vs. Killer Khan [Texas Death Match] (WCCW, 11/22)
1985: Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA [I Quit Steel Cage Match] (NWA, 11/28)
1986: UWF vs. NJPW [Gauntlet Match] (NJPW, 5/1)
1987: Carlos Colón vs. Stan Hansen [Texas Bullrope Match] (WWC, 1/6)
1988: Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 12/16)
1989: Masakatsu Funaki vs. Tatsuo Nakano (UWF, 7/24)

1990: Atsushi Onita & Tarzan Goto vs. Masanobu Kurisu & Dragon Master [Texas Street Fight] (FMW, 4/1)
1991: El Hijo del Santo vs. Brazo de Oro [Lucha de Apuestas] (UWA, 1/13)
1992: Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance [WarGames Match] (WCW, 5/17)
1993: Vader vs. Cactus Jack [Texas Death Match] (WCW, 10/24)
1994: El Hijo del Santo & Octagón vs. La Pareja del Terror [Lucha de Apuestas] (AAA/IWC, 11/6)
1995: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog (WWF, 12/17)
1996: El Hijo del Santo vs. Negro Casas vs. El Dandy [Triangular de la Muerte] (CMLL, 12/6)
1997: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin [No Holds Barred Submission Match] (WWF, 3/23)
1998: Steve Austin vs. Dude Love [No Disqualification Falls Count Anywhere Match] (WWF, 5/31)
1999: Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS, 6/24)

2000: Atlantis vs. Villano III [Lucha de Apuestas] (CMLL, 3/17)
2001: The Rock vs. Steve Austin [No Disqualification Match] (WWF, 4/1)
2002: Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker [Hell in a Cell Match] (WWE, 10/20)
2003: Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (U-STYLE, 4/6)
2004: Eddie Guerrero vs. John Layfield (WWE, 5/16)
2005: Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher (IWA-MS, 6/11)
2006: ROH vs. CZW [Cage of Death Match] (ROH, 7/15)
2007: John Cena vs. Umaga [Last Man Standing Match] (WWE, 1/28)
2008: Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima [Fight Without Honor] (ROH, 12/27)
2009: Team Uppercut vs. The Masters of a 1000 Holds (CHIKARA, 3/28)

2010: Minowaman vs. Necro Butcher (IGF, 2/22)
2011: Yuki Ishikawa vs. Daisuke Ikeda (Battlarts, 11/5)
2012: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar [Extreme Rules Match] (WWE, 4/29)
2013: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW, 8/4)
2014: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (WWE, 4/6)
2015: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins [Triple Threat Match] (WWE, 3/29)
2016: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn (WWE, 4/1)
2017: Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles (WWE, 11/19)
2018: Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE, 11/18)
2019: Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston (WWE, 4/7)

2020: Daisuke Ikeda vs. Yuki Ishikawa (wXw, 3/7)
2021: WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov (WWE, 8/22)

 

Made my first #1 pick for 2021.