5 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2013

#1 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada – Invasion Attack 2013

Okada and Tanahashi had many epic encounters in 2013 to continue their legendary rivalry. Their match at Wrestle Kingdom 7 was great, and their battle at King of Pro Wrestling 2013 was outstanding. But this match at Invasion Attack was something else altogether.

The contest had a simple yet enjoyable story with Okada having won the New Japan Cup and wanting to get his title back. Meanwhile, Tanahashi was still the ace that wanted to prove that Okada was still the same fluke from the previous year. That story was on full display as these two wrestlers tore into each other with everything they had.

Tanahashi wrestled like a true expert, showing amazing psychology by attacking Okada’s lariat arm and blocking the dropkick he loves to do in every match. But Okada was no slouch either; he had improved considerably since the year before, and moved around the ring like Randy Orton (i.e. he made every move look so easy and crisp).

This match was stylistically like a classic war from All Japan’s King’s Road era: a detailed, complex and multi-layered contest in which two wrestlers told a deep story through their in-ring skills. Limbs were targeted and subtleties that would normally be ignored played a key part in the match’s development. That made this a gorgeous match to watch.

Once the match ended, Okada could no longer be considered a fluke, but a real world champion. He carried himself with such confidence and showed such outstanding wrestling ability against a true ace like Tanahashi that he was truly worthy of being seen as a real world champion.