Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Keith (AEW Collision 2/3/24)
Exactly the kind of slugfest one might expect from these two. As is often the case with Kingston though, it’s about how much he puts into familiar material to really elevate it to greatness. Not only does he hit hard–inviting the already stiff Bryan Keith to truly give his best shots in this–but he also adds a lot of nuance to the spaces between all the big moves. The selling is something often discussed with Eddie’s work, but notable here too is his bumping. There’s such energy and force to it, that it makes something like Keith’s late game Emerald Tiger Driver feel like a massive deal and a potential match ender.
Rating: ****
Bryan Danielson vs. Hechicero (AEW Collision 2/3/24)
First reviewed here.
The GOAT gets owned by a Wizard. Danielson may leave with the win here on paper, but anyone watching closely can see what a massive loss it truly is. Danielson’s victory here, how it comes about especially, somehow reads like a concession. He gets stretched, tied up, and beaten through this entire match, and it gets so bad he just has to pull the plug and say enough is enough with the sneakiest cover you’re bound to see this year. If there was any way to make Hechicero feel like a big deal on his TV debut, this was it.
Rating: ****1/4
Yukio Sakaguchi vs. HARASHIMA (DDT Into the Fight Tour in Shinjuku 2/7/24)
The riff session to end them all, quite literally for Sakaguchi here. There’s an unassuming quality to this match that mirrors Sakaguchi’s own very grounded, humble approach to pro wrestling. Get in there, tussle it up on the mat, get on your feet and throw some kicks. Mechanically, all of it looks just as great and as crisp as can be expected of these two. Sakaguchi’s only indulgence is inviting that final killing blow and there’s some real emotion here too. They earn their little riff on “I’m sorry, I love you” if you ask me.
Rating: ****
Ricky Starks & Big Bill vs. Sting & Darby Allin (AEW Dynamite 2/7/24)
Delivers in exactly the ways one expects of these Darby & Sting tags. A lot of chaos, a lot of gimmickry, and both men hitting some truly insane dives. That’s not to take away from the champs here, who play their role of the villains of the month well. As much as I like Starks, Big Bill steals the show here with his awesome power moves complementing Darby’s reckless abandon perfectly. The latter just can not be stopped in terms of finding new and creative ways to eat shit on TV, and that slam to the floor is one of his finest in a year already filled with some truly wondrous Darby Death. But capping it all off with the feel good win that leads straight into one of AEW’s most focused and heat-drawing angles yet, it’s just a perfect half hour of wrestling TV.
Rating: ****
Violence is Forever vs. Astronauts (JCW Jersey J Cup 2024 N1 2/9/24)
First reviewed here.
A great example of simply delivering on the most obvious promises. One gets the impression there’s much more these two can do together, as hinted by those early grappling exchanges between Ku and Abe, but if one came to this match expecting a hard hitting slugfest that’s what they got. Even the notoriously bad GCW production couldn’t dampen some of the most gruesome shots in this, from the kicks to some of the meatier elbows one is bound to hear on the American indie scene. I’ve heard reports from people in the room that those climactic headbutts at the end land a lot stronger than they come through on the footage too. Fingers crossed for a rematch.
Rating: ****
Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/24)
First reviewed here.
It’s not always the best it can be, especially when Zack’s called on to become the hero of the story. His leg selling, and subsequent “fighting spirit,” never entirely hits the right notes for me, though it is at least mindful enough within the overall structure of the match. That being said, the mechanical wonder at play here elevates it so much. It’s a joy to see them riff on the mat together to open, and Danielson’s just one of the best at picking apart a limb when given a target. This match feels like it has a somewhat misguided goal in mind–turn Zack into a hero in Japan–but they do more than enough with the raw material to make it one of the best matches of the year.
Rating: ****1/4
Mascara Dorada vs. Stuka Jr. (NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania N7 2/19/24)
The best match of the Fantastica Mania tour. Dorada’s got the rocket strapped to his back in CMLL despite being fairly early into his career. Already though, he’s been positioned as the hot new thing, maybe even a potential successor to Mistico down the line. For now though, he’s a bit of a rough product. The spectacular nature of his high flying is often tempered by a slight awkwardness that speaks to Dorada’s inexperience. Luckily though, Stuka Jr.’s the kind of experience hand that can make the most of Dorada’s gifts. Stuka Jr. controls the pace here with a delightful early control that only continues to blossom and escalate until we get the signature sick dives and even a great table bump as well. Dorada’s best singles match since the tournament finals with Rocky Romero last year.
Rating: ****
Neon, Futuro, & Max Star vs. Zandokan Jr, El Hijo del Villano III, & Villano III Jr. (CMLL Martes de Arena Mexico 2/20/24)
I’ve kept an on El Triangulo here for a few months now, and so far this is their best work yet. This doesn’t have the same sort of antagonistic tone as the matches against the Panthers, but what we get instead is a very rounded performance from the two trios here. What I mean by that is that it acts as a neat little sampler of all the things I really enjoy about CMLL trios wrestling, even with a few little twists. The first fall, for example, has a lot more riffing down on the mat than I typically expect of these Arena Mexico trios matches. It’s a fun little twist and everyone acquits themselves well there. The second fall too is just a really great heat segment at the hand of El Triangulo, all of which builds nicely to the fireworks of the third. The tecnicos here, but especially Neon and Futuro, really deliver on some spectacular high spots that really bring to life something that’s already felt meaty and substantial on its own. I love that every segment was given the space to breathe and develop, and what results is the best CMLL trios of the year yet.
Rating: ****
Athena vs. Nyla Rose (ROH on HonorClub 2/22/24)
Athena has spent so much of this reign being the domineering killer of a champion that it actually feels like an honest to God revelation to see her pull something like this off. Here we get a vision of babyface ace Athena taking down the monster of the month in Nyla Rose, and it’s a beautiful sight indeed. The hard hitting offense Athena’s built up allows her to be a believable threat to the much larger Rose, but more importantly, Athena’s energetic bumping lets her give so much to Nyla here. Tempting as it is to credit all this to Athena, it can’t be understated just how well Nyla (as many Athena challengers do) rises to the occasion here. Not only having all the big power moves to make the most of this David vs. Goliath dynamic, but also the kind of personality that’s helped add a little oomph to what would otherwise have been a rather standard Athena title defense cycle. Nyla is great here, but as far as tapping into a new dimension of this reign, one of the most impressive things Athena’s accomplished in the last year and a half.
Rating: ****
Sinner & Saint vs. West Coast Wrecking Crew (Prestige A Moment of Violence 2/25/24)
A more thoughtful take on a modern indie tag than Sinner & Saint winning the belts. That being said, this still carries over some strong ideas from classic tag principles. For one, we get a longer heat segment here where Sinner & Saint that actually has room to breathe. It gives us more of Travis and Icky in control which is always fun, and also gives the match the time it needs to actually draw us into the narrative dynamics at play here. By the time the hot tag is made and things go into a more breakneck pace for the modern indie finishing stretch, they utilize the idea that Sinner & Saint are wildly outmatched by their opposition. Note how hard the champions have to work to get back the advantage in the back half of the match. While both Nelson and Isaacs regularly run through the champs single handed, Travis and Icky constantly have to coordinate and work together to get any sort of foothold against the challengers. And even then, it still needs them to steal the win at the end to keep the titles in hand. Great stuff, even if I’d prefer something a little more traditionally minded, this at least feels like a thoughtful riff on classic dynamics.
Rating: ****
