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There are so many wrestling promotions, showcasing so many matches that it has become impossible to follow all of them. Each promotion is trying to outdo the other with brilliant storytelling and in-ring action.
March 2018 was no different. NJPW had the New Japan Cup 2018, NJPW 46th Anniversary Show, and NJPW Strong Style Evolved. Similarly, ROH had ROH 16th Anniversary Show and ROH Manhattan Mayhem 2018. There was also WXW’s 16 Carat Gold 2018.
WWE had their Fastlane PPV this month, along with their weekly shows -RAW, Smackdown Live, 205 Live and NXT.
There were a lot of incredible matches that took place. Here are five must-see matches from the month of March.
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#5 Michael Elgin vs Tomohiro Ishii
Michael Elgin and Tomohiro Ishii had a classic match at G1 2015. So, the fans were stoked to see them face each other again on the first night of New Japan Cup (G1) 2018. They were not disappointed when the two wrestlers produced a strong-style strike fest.
The match was slow-paced at the beginning, with both men showboating, staring each other down, and the willing punching-bag spot. But soon, the match picked pace, and the two powerhouses really started to lay down their strikes.
The two men exchanged hard-hitting blows, slaps, and big power moves. The big spots became more creative and more dangerous. When Elgin hit Ishii with an insane top rope Splash Mountain, it looked like Ishii had snapped his neck. But Ishii was fine; he even had a terrific comeback, which had the audience cheering for him.
The only negative aspect of this match was that it went ten minutes too long. The beginning of the match was slow, nearly making this great match not so great. But overall, it was a great match; two big men wrestling with their explosive arsenal. WWE could learn a thing or two about how to book big man vs big man.
#4 Ilja Dragunov vs John ‘Bad Bones’ Klinger VS WALTER
The main event for the second night of WXW 16 Carat Gold 2018, was supposed to be John Klinger vs WALTER for the Unified World Championship. It was a fitting main-event. Klinger is the leader of the Rise faction and WALTER is the leader of Ringkampf. So, the two powerhouses colliding for the biggest championship in WXW, at the biggest WXW event.
But WALTER had still not announced what was going to be the stipulation of the match. When both men were inside the ring, WALTER used his stipulation card, and made it into a triple threat, adding Ilja Dragunov into their match.
The crowd went ballistic. This was Dragunov’s return to WXW after he had left when he lost to John Klinger last December. Dragunov’s return was unanticipated, making the reaction of the crowd all the more emotional and sincere.
The raw energy of the crowd was present throughout the match as they cheered on the underdog Dragunov. Klinger played an excellent heel, as he tried to retain his championship in every way possible. But the highlight of the match was between WALTER and Dragunov as they chopped the hell out of each other. Dragnov with his bleeding chest continued to fight like a true hero.
This match was not a spectacular five-star match, but the emotion of the crowd and the story the match told was perfect. It was the perfect ending to a perfect story.
#3 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Zack Sabre Jr.
The final of G1 Cup culminated with Zack Sabre Jr. facing Hiroshi Tanahashi. This was the third encounter between the two men, both with a win each.
Sabre had beaten the likes of Sanada, Ibushi, and Naito to reach the finals, so he had a lot of momentum coming into the match.
Sabre started the match, as usual, using his trademark submission holds. But Tanahashi was able to outsmart Sabre, countering most of his offense. Sabre finally gained control by attacking Tanahashi’s injured arm. Sabre’s work over Tanahashi’s arm was fantastic, and Tanahashi sold that exceptionally well.
Tanahashi was then forced to change his game, as he started going after Sabre’s leg. The drama was excellent as both men were injured in a particular area. The crowd was fully behind Tanahashi, as both men tried to capitalize on their opponent's injured area.
This was an excellent match with great near falls, drama, and a hot crowd. Sabre played the intelligent worker with his submission holds, while Tanahashi played the underdog fighting for survival.
#2 Ultimate Deletion: Woken Matt Hardy vs Bray Wyatt
When Woken Matt Hardy debuted in WWE, fans of his work in TNA were expecting a lot from his character.
But with the way WWE booked his rivalry with Bray Wyatt, it felt like they were dropping the ball with the Woken Matt character. Their rivalry was becoming boring and their matches were underwhelming, to say the least. That was until the ‘Ultimate Deletion’ took place a couple of weeks ago.
This match was filled with comedy, serious rivalry, a deep underlying meaning, and madness. People who remember his Broken gimmick will know that this was pure Matt Hardy.
Hardy was not the only one who showed his brilliance in this match, but also Bray Wyatt. Wyatt brought so much character, story and intensity to this match. It is a pity that WWE have underutilized his character over the years.
This match also introduced the Hardy compound along with Reby, Senor Benjamin, Vanguard 1, Skarsgard, the dilapidated boat, and Brother Nero, adding more depth and understanding to the Woken Matt gimmick.
Although Ultimate Deletion fell a bit short of its predecessor the ‘Final Deletion’, it generated similar fanfare.
This match cannot be compared with other wrestling matches in terms of in-ring work, but it achieved something most matches fail to produce these days - entertainment.
Love it or hate it, pro wrestling is all about fun, and this match was an extremely fun ride.
#1 The Golden Lovers vs The Young Bucks
The story going into this match was dramatic, to say the least. The Bullet Club is presently facing a leadership problem, as both Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes are proclaiming to be the leader of the Bullet Club. The Young Bucks were leaning towards Omega’s leadership, but when their match for NJPW Strong Style Evolved was announced it added to the ongoing Bullet Club Saga.
The match was incredible. The story weaved throughout the match was phenomenal.
In the beginning, Omega was reluctant to fight his fellow Bullet Club members; even the Bucks were a bit conflicted. But as the match progressed the reluctance began to wane.
There was the table spot, where Matt was perched on the top rope with Omega and Ibushi at his mercy. Omega was lying on the table and Ibushi was lying inside the ring, and Matt had to decide who he was going to hit. Was he going to hit Ibushi for the win? Or take revenge on Omega?
The match was not flawless. There were some botches from Ibushi, and the tag team rule was out of the window. But that did not stop this match from being fantastic. Everything was masterfully done, from Matt’s reckless abandon, to Nick’s anger issues, and Kenny’s reluctance. The crowd was hot throughout the match, adding more emotion to the encounter.
This match proves how far NJPW have come in terms of story-telling and creating emotion inside the ring. This was definitely one of the best matches of the year.
