The 25 best WWE matches of 2018 so far

#9 Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)

A year in the making, this match delivered everything we hoped for and then some. Though 2018 still has another half yet to run, this contest is thus far my choice for match of the year, and it will take greatness indeed to top it.

This was an unsanctioned match, but the use of weapons was surprisingly minimal. It was mostly a technical classic that gave us near fall after near fall, keeping us on the edge of our seats. If Johnny Gargano successfully dispatched his rival, he would be reinstated to NXT, so the match was even more important.

The storytelling climaxed when crutches and Ciampa's knee brace were introduced into the ring. Both had significance to their blood feud. Johnny Gargano's initial hesitation to use the crutch as a weapon, and then ultimately tapping Tommaso Ciampa out with the use of his knee brace, were masterful.

It was a combination of technical wizardry and ring storytelling that hadn't been seen since Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart.