In honor of Brodie Lee, can we see a Five Match Primer on/for him? I'd love to be introduced to his independent work. Also, I saw his title match with Eddie Kingston was uploaded to UA-cam recently. Hope to see that and the cage match with Claudio.
Jonathan Gresham had 16 matches in 2020. Haven't seen all of them but his performances in the Pure Title tournament and that title defense against Flip Gordon at Final Battle (and agree Gresham really carried him in that match) were all really good to great. Really excited to watch the Lee Moriarty match. Despite only a handful of matches, it seems like (mostly based off the last few months) The Octopus don't miss.
Fine video as always. But while it's not the major prize of a New Japan crossover, I don't have a problem with AEW aligning with Impact. Impact has been quietly putting together mostly excellent shows for a while now, their roster is made up mostly of younger and talented guys that would compliment AEW and vice versa and giving a reason to align Kenny with Don Callis has been a massive shot in the arm for Kenny Omega, a guy who I'd long lost interest in. Also, while I think their women's division has gotten a lot better, AEW having occasional access to the likes of Purrazzo, Kimber Lee, Su Yung, Rosemary or Grace (to name a few) in cross promotional situations gives them the opportunity to accelerate the progress of the excellent prospects they already have. Plus, a cross promotional tag feud where The North face any number of AEW teams would be excellent viewing.
I respectfully disagree with... A lot of your opinions, but it's cool to hear someone else's take. Also, bit of criticism here, you don't have to burry people in order to put others over.
@@Orchestruction I can see where you’re coming from. But I do think it was to put over how insanely great Bryan is to be able to get MOTYC out of regular wrestlers.
I may not agree with some opinions and hot takes (as you'd to mine) but i respect the effort you put into this list every year and really do go out of your way to highlight things people may not have caught...like DDT which i was once a die hard fan of but after hearing you talk so highly about them this year it's clear i've been missing out so great call m8!
I enjoyed a lot of experimentation that wrestlers took this year personally. Shiozaki vs Fujita, Ibushi vs Taichi & Bandido vs Bailey all bought something new to the table haven’t seen before. Definitely the worst year for wrestling in maybe 5 years, but I appreciated some of the best stuff for its creativity.
I give Shingo Takagi so much credit just for the fact that he’s managed to stay away from and succeed in spite of Dragon Gate’s and New Japan’s exhausting main event formulas. Also extremely happy that Eddie Kingston has been able to receive the proper shine, the main event opportunities, and hopefully the proper pay he’s deserved for his whole career. No character in wrestling over the last decade outside of maybe CM Punk and Hiroshi Tanahashi have captured me like Kingston has. I’m really happy to see both get the flowers they deserve as the some of of the greatest wrestlers of their generation. Your top wrestlers list was good. I do think Darby Allin should make a case for being a Top 20 WOTY. I watched most of his high-profile matches on Dynamite and PPVs. When asked to deliver he did. His matches against Cody, Sammy Guevara, Moxley, and Ricky Starks were all good. I don’t think he had one bad match this year. An amazing underdog, reckless, fearless, but amazingly talented.
Excellent lists as always. Personal biases are at play in my wrestler of the year vote, as Jon Moxley happens to be my favorite wrestler and has been since I was in middle school. And his match with Minoru Suzuki (my favorite match of the year) was just so joyful! It had me so hyped up, and what else can you really ask for from your match and wrestler of the year?
7:30, I disagree with it being a 2nd place trophie crossover, it would not impead a relationship with NJPW, it is not a consilation prize as the main one can still be gotten, it is just some fun, I doubt it has hurt AEW and has vastly helped Impact.
Absolutely agree with Suzuki as #1 pick. No one wrestler has felt as consistently engaging no matter where on the card he has placed. Only things I strongly feel I'd personally change up are that: 1- I'd give a shout out to ZSJ and Taichi as a tag team considering they've somehow made the worst part of NJPW into one of its biggest highlights throughout the year when they've had no right to do so. (See: only one feud for half the year) 2- I'd go a lot higher with Go Shiozaki. Found that with his title matches I consistently got the DEFINITIVE matches of the COVID era, as in matches that actually thrived from the pandemic instead of suffering through them. I feel that alone makes him top 5-worthy. Really enjoyed the video! Always a joy, and now I've got a good few matches to add to my watchlist, especially from DDT which I didn't follow much at all this year.
Reason 3,247 of why COVID sucks: It stopped PAC from having the banner year he was set to have. Also, Joseph you praised Riddle vs. Thatcher in the FightPit and Takagi vs. Suzuki 8/29 as two of the best matches of the year. What happened?
I doubt anything happened. I agree with mr. Montecillo's sentiments about thatcher/riddle. Very good matchup. Not since the 321 battle trilogy with daniel makabe have i seen mr. Thatcher be so great.
@@GodInHumanForm Not Riddle’s both sides were at wrong in the conflict but Riddle was wayyy worse. He was accused of sexually assaulting his ex who was a former wrestler Candy Cartwright. He had been proven that he forced her to give him oral sex on a bus with other wrestlers and that the video he made denying her allegations was fabricated in most aspects. Cartwright was stalking Riddle and his family though, I’m assuming trying to ruin his relationship with his current wife as some sort of vengeance. In conclusion, they’re both bad humans but Cartwright got fired from EVOLVE when she tried bringing it up to management. Riddle is still on national TV every week so it’s a very uncomfortable and unfair case.
Just watched the Go Shiozaki vs Kazuyuki Fujita match & .... WOW! The 30 minute stare down add the action to follow I understand why it was the match of the year in you're opinion for 2020. So glad you made someone like myself go out my way to watch it! ❤
Even though I disagree with your opinion about Kota Ibushi’s charisma I can respect that you put him on your best match list. And I definitely agree that Suzuki is wrestler of the year
I think you're right about giving any promotion that ran a show during the "Promotion of the Year" feeling wrong. I guess despite the criticisms aimed towards them PWG were probably the smartest out of everyone to not run a show. It makes sense for 2 reasons. A) Whether it be in the Legion Post or Globe Theater in L.A. considering they've run in small venues it would've been unwise and dangerous to run a show. B) Even when matches aren't good, one of the appeals of PWG sometimes can be the energy of the crowd. Without a crowd the company loses a piece of itself but trying to risk the lives of people just to bring energy back into the shows would've been foolish. So I gotta give them some credit for not running ONE SINGLE SHOW the entire year.
Comment for algorithm reasons: Good job managing to make a video for something as aggravating as 2020 wrestling & damn, I should have watched DDT this year
Awesome video Joesph 💯 I love your Year In Review videos even though 2020 might be rembered as not the greatest year ever there was still a few hidden classics keep up the amazing content my friend 💪
Great to see Ikeda vs Ishikawa get some recognition. It really was fantastic. Eddie Kingston's NWA work was also very good. Surprised it wasn't mentioned.
Its funny your comment regarding wrestlers having trouble making a even a good match with more time from 25 to 40 minutes while Danielson easily made one with Gulak at around 15 or less made me immediately think of a common criticism to people in the IWC or just those the watch wrestling from all around and not just WWE have with Triple H. Most ESPECIALLY his Wrestlemania matches which seem to always follow the same factors: -always have the most elaborate entrances -always go over 25 minutes at least -usually always near or are in the Main Event, even if there is no title involved -always involved with someone else in the main event or a big star in one form or the other -always has the story for it built from even before the Rumble even if he hardly wrestles between the feud starting till the Mania match -he HAS to get in a sledgehammer shot in at least once or at least an attempt -if he can involve any of the Kliq or his wife he will -he will usually always use the opponent's signature or finisher against them and they will ALWAYS attempt at least one use of the Pedigree on him that always fails Stuff like that is why I've never considered him a very good wrestle, at this point he's showing to be a better booker and backstage hand in leading WWE then he did as a wrestler in my personal opinion.
Why do you say New Japan is going downhill so definitively? The only thing on the horizon that I see that might cause trouble is Tanahashi's retirement but other than that there hasn't been any drastic changes.
The main event talent they've relied on for their peak are slowing down from injury, lack of motivation, or both. They've consistently botched the timing on crowning champions that fans want to see (Naito in 2018, arguably Ibushi last year). They've invested into two talents I particularly dislike in SANADA and EVIL. All around just a bad direction from a product growing rather tiresome.
@@JosephMontecilloYT I highly doubt they'll ever give Evil another reign with the belt, considering the reaction it recieved, and I don't see Sanada ever getting into the main event picture. Is it not just a case of a bad year for New Japan, rather than a bad overall direction? Naito not winning the title at the Dome two years ago was part of a much wider story not involving him - Okada beating Tanahashi's defence record before finally succumbing to Omega, whose three and a half year arc was completed. While Naito and Tana are slowing down, I believe Okada hasn't even reached his peak yet and this perceived lack of motivation is due to him staying away from the main event scene to let Naito thrive and also trying to get his new submission over. I think New Japan are building up new stars as well, with Ospreay, White, Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi all ready to fill any main event positions left behind by the older guys.
They've painted SANADA as a golden boy that they've invested a lot of time in. They want him to be in that scene for sure. As for Naito, the timing is all wrong still. Just because there was another story being told, doesn't make the choice to let him cool instead of striking when the iron was hot any better.
I can at least say I enjoyed the hell out of Wrestle Kingdom for both nights before everything went straight to hell. I spent my New Years in Japan with one of my buddies just to see both nights and it was worth it.
Love the editing and the varied companies represented in the final top list. My only thing I notice is a lot of the recommended matches include just other people who are on the list or included in other recommended match lists. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed the vid!
Impact Wrestling is way way better than it's been. I find your distaste for them to be dated and out of touch for a channel that seems to generally have the finger on the pulse of professional wrestling. Jake Something and Josh Alexander just had one of the best matches of the year this past weekend and it saddens me that you probably ignored it because of a brand name that used to be really bad.
@@user-ry3yf3je1h No because it was fresh and new and bold. Everyone and their mother does 30+ minute standard title matches these days. No one does a staredown.
So, I just sat and watched the Shiozaki vs Fujita match, and I’m just thoroughly fucking baffled at this match’s existence. What the fuck is this match? I feel like I watched the wrestling equivalent of a Jackson Pollock painting and I’m wondering why everyone is so fascinated by the squiggles. This shit will haunt my dreams because I’ll just be trying to decipher this match that I spent an hour of my life watching. What the fuck did I just sit and watch? It’s weird and I don’t hate it, but still. What the fuck?
Your my favorite human to talk about wrestling ! Im sure your busy guy , but i would LOVE more of your content ! I share your love for Bryan Daneilson as well ! Im happy to see a return to form from his ROH days !
let's please not forget that bray wyatt is a great worker. it's just the gimmick that stops him from doing a lot in ring as the fiend. that reversal of the running knee into sister abigail was COLD
It’s always interesting to see how different some people’s opinions are. Go was my number 1 wrestler of the year, and I kinda chuckled at seeing Orange Cassidy in a best matches list, but I guess different strokes for different folks.
Between NJPW (admirably) shutting down for a good chunk of the year and then coming back with its worst booking and matches since I started watching them in 2015 to AEW kind of letting the air out of their hot run at the top of pandemic, I sort of binned wrestling but am now playing catch up specifically with NOAH which has been blow away stuff. Shiozaki/Fujita is my MOTY by some distance and Go’s had my fav reign of anyone since Okada’s mega run. I also have to laugh that New Japan has based their entire main event scene around these weird battles of “philosophy” and yet it was NOAH who ultimately built this ambitious, singular match entirely about settling the legacy of Inokism. You’ve got me wanting to watch DDT and seek out the heavy hitter BJW stuff
I would love to hear your opinion of Jay White, your walking the King's Road Series taught me what wrestling can be so I would love to hear your thoughts on someone I think is a pretty good prospect
@@JosephMontecilloYT Excellent, it has come from on high the mountain King Switch is legit. I love the way he works a very old school ring general heel style, the spot where he baits the back elbow is solid too and I look forward to it every match
Wow, not a single ROH Pure match made it on the list, wow. I'm kinda torn on this list because I personally feel Tracy Williams and Jay Lethal deserve a spot on it. The only person I can think of that doesn't deserve to be on this list at all is Okada, Okada was just super dissapointing to me because he's so formulaic to me as a wrestler he has become too stail. Mox I can understand since had some great feuds this year, this man was pushed super hard in NJPW and AEW. The thing about Mox to me though is that I kinda see him as a guy that can carry his weight but let's be real, Eddie Kingston was the star in that match, Kingston was the whole reason a cared about that match because promo wise Eddie is a machine. And compared to Eddie I can't see Mox and what he's doing because Eddie just steals the segment. When it comes to his NJPW run I've said this on one of your videos before but idk, his NJPW run to me just didn't fit, going back and watching the matches I just didn't care because to me Mox can be very bland and formulaic himself in some ways. I overall don't mind mox on 5his list I felt he should have been at least 3 to 4 spots down the list but overall I get it.
Pure matches were all very good and a handful of them great. But they have an uphill battle especially since most of the top half of my list are pre-COVID matches.
Do you have any videos where you talk about your criticisms of the NJPW main event style in detail? I've pretty much only watched the recommended matches from the past few years so I've almost never seen anything I'd describe as bad, but I trust your judgement enough to know you're not just jealous of Kota Ibushi for being so beautiful lol. Just makes me curious what your take is overall.
Afraid I don't cover New Japan on here much for copyright reasons. If you want a deeper take on it, Forrest Sowa does a lot of videos on New Japan that generally echo my sentiments.
Lmfao c'mon now. DDT won because aew set up a story with kenny and impact? That's really stupid actually. I'll admit I don't watch impact myself but it's no longer "the company who misused okada". Dixie and Jeff are long gone and callis is a good guy with a mind for the business. I mean they're apparently working with njpw again!!
I dunno if using TJP and Chris Bey because they don't actually have enough people to hold shows in America really means much but sure. Impact isn't awful anymore, they're just very uninteresting.
How the company got worse ? Did they not sell injury or because they can not relayed to the audience to built the moment or what ? I did not realy follow NJWP this year
No comment at all on Ospreay's turn, and The Kingdom? Thought that was an interesting development. I gotta say tho, NJPW really let me down this year, but Shingo, Ishii, Suzuki and Nagata kept me interested enough to keep my subscription... EVIL's turn was great but then entirely wasted on a boring heel run with main events that were overbooked EVEN FOR Bullet Club heels. Having Jay White come back at least helped. Anyway, great list and some new stuff for me to watch for sure, just wondering your thoughts on The Kingdom angle.
Why does that matter, it's his video, he doesn't have to pretend to like something he doesn't, but the wrestling hivemind likes, in some misguided attempt at "oBjEcTiViTy"
I feel like a lot of your work is overanalyzing and creating hidden meanings where those things are not really existing; at the same time you underestimate many, many things. EDIT: I respect the effort you put in making those videos
Daniel Bryan dragged a classic outta "mid carder for life Kofi Kingston"??? First, Fuck off. 2nd, fuck off & 3rd, Kofi is an amazing wrestler in both tag & singles, he has just held back on the singles front in most cases as the company only sees him as a mid carder when he is so much more. He may not be Gulak or Kawada but there is a reason why he was a celebrated champion despite all the missteps creatively with his world title run, he is that good. That storyline to Mania allowed him to shine in ways he wasn't allowed to before with the Elimination Chamber & the 1st Gauntlet match being prime examples. And when he returned to the ring this year with Woods, they had an absolute tear of great tag matches with the Street Profits, Hurt Business & the Bar. You don't have to tear down ppl to build up others. (unless they are abusers)
Mfs be like “it’s just my opinion” after calling the greatest wrestlers nothing more than dumb muscular himbos. Like that’s so dumb bro 💀 it’s not even an opinion it’s just an insult, whatchu wanna wrestle them or something? ☠️
Consider supporting the channel by buying me a ☕ at ko-fi.com/josephmontecillo! Let's talk wrestling on Twitter @josephweirdness!
In honor of Brodie Lee, can we see a Five Match Primer on/for him? I'd love to be introduced to his independent work. Also, I saw his title match with Eddie Kingston was uploaded to UA-cam recently. Hope to see that and the cage match with Claudio.
Fastest things on Earth:
- Cheetah
- Usain Bolt
- SR-71 Blackbird
......
-Me clicking on a new Joseph Montecillo video.
Jonathan Gresham had 16 matches in 2020. Haven't seen all of them but his performances in the Pure Title tournament and that title defense against Flip Gordon at Final Battle (and agree Gresham really carried him in that match) were all really good to great. Really excited to watch the Lee Moriarty match. Despite only a handful of matches, it seems like (mostly based off the last few months) The Octopus don't miss.
Fine video as always. But while it's not the major prize of a New Japan crossover, I don't have a problem with AEW aligning with Impact. Impact has been quietly putting together mostly excellent shows for a while now, their roster is made up mostly of younger and talented guys that would compliment AEW and vice versa and giving a reason to align Kenny with Don Callis has been a massive shot in the arm for Kenny Omega, a guy who I'd long lost interest in.
Also, while I think their women's division has gotten a lot better, AEW having occasional access to the likes of Purrazzo, Kimber Lee, Su Yung, Rosemary or Grace (to name a few) in cross promotional situations gives them the opportunity to accelerate the progress of the excellent prospects they already have.
Plus, a cross promotional tag feud where The North face any number of AEW teams would be excellent viewing.
I respectfully disagree with... A lot of your opinions, but it's cool to hear someone else's take.
Also, bit of criticism here, you don't have to burry people in order to put others over.
Example being that there was no reason to put down Kofi just to talk about Bryan.
@@Orchestruction I can see where you’re coming from. But I do think it was to put over how insanely great Bryan is to be able to get MOTYC out of regular wrestlers.
@@MrBonzeMedal thing is this isn't a one time thing limited to Kofi and Bryan, he does this consistently in the past year.
I may not agree with some opinions and hot takes (as you'd to mine) but i respect the effort you put into this list every year and really do go out of your way to highlight things people may not have caught...like DDT which i was once a die hard fan of but after hearing you talk so highly about them this year it's clear i've been missing out so great call m8!
I enjoyed a lot of experimentation that wrestlers took this year personally. Shiozaki vs Fujita, Ibushi vs Taichi & Bandido vs Bailey all bought something new to the table haven’t seen before. Definitely the worst year for wrestling in maybe 5 years, but I appreciated some of the best stuff for its creativity.
“Shingo Don’t Miss! He Don’t!” - Joseph Montecillo
He really don't.
I think that’ll continue since he’s gonna face Tanahashi.
what if he do miss
@@ellegendario9563 he could NEVER.
(unless he faces Sanada)
@@Rhlgull1331 Ah. I see what you did there.
This video hasn't aged well when it comes to AEW partnership.
lol yeah he def dropped the ball there
I give Shingo Takagi so much credit just for the fact that he’s managed to stay away from and succeed in spite of Dragon Gate’s and New Japan’s exhausting main event formulas.
Also extremely happy that Eddie Kingston has been able to receive the proper shine, the main event opportunities, and hopefully the proper pay he’s deserved for his whole career. No character in wrestling over the last decade outside of maybe CM Punk and Hiroshi Tanahashi have captured me like Kingston has.
I’m really happy to see both get the flowers they deserve as the some of of the greatest wrestlers of their generation.
Your top wrestlers list was good. I do think Darby Allin should make a case for being a Top 20 WOTY. I watched most of his high-profile matches on Dynamite and PPVs. When asked to deliver he did. His matches against Cody, Sammy Guevara, Moxley, and Ricky Starks were all good. I don’t think he had one bad match this year. An amazing underdog, reckless, fearless, but amazingly talented.
Ye me too I give shingo credit for beating up that poor monkey that was living at that gym
Photo credit to my boy Chris Grosso. The photo of Mox sitting with the bottle of Jack and a cigarette was from GCW Bloodsport.
The infamous Shiozaki x Fujita match, instant classic.
Excellent lists as always. Personal biases are at play in my wrestler of the year vote, as Jon Moxley happens to be my favorite wrestler and has been since I was in middle school. And his match with Minoru Suzuki (my favorite match of the year) was just so joyful! It had me so hyped up, and what else can you really ask for from your match and wrestler of the year?
I'd say NOAH and DDT are tied personally
7:30, I disagree with it being a 2nd place trophie crossover, it would not impead a relationship with NJPW, it is not a consilation prize as the main one can still be gotten, it is just some fun, I doubt it has hurt AEW and has vastly helped Impact.
Absolutely agree with Suzuki as #1 pick. No one wrestler has felt as consistently engaging no matter where on the card he has placed.
Only things I strongly feel I'd personally change up are that:
1- I'd give a shout out to ZSJ and Taichi as a tag team considering they've somehow made the worst part of NJPW into one of its biggest highlights throughout the year when they've had no right to do so. (See: only one feud for half the year)
2- I'd go a lot higher with Go Shiozaki. Found that with his title matches I consistently got the DEFINITIVE matches of the COVID era, as in matches that actually thrived from the pandemic instead of suffering through them. I feel that alone makes him top 5-worthy.
Really enjoyed the video! Always a joy, and now I've got a good few matches to add to my watchlist, especially from DDT which I didn't follow much at all this year.
Reason 3,247 of why COVID sucks: It stopped PAC from having the banner year he was set to have. Also, Joseph you praised Riddle vs. Thatcher in the FightPit and Takagi vs. Suzuki 8/29 as two of the best matches of the year. What happened?
Couldn't bring myself to rewatch any Matt Riddle stuff. Shingo/MiSu in Jingu is great but couldn't make a Top 20 upon rewatch.
Speaking out.
I doubt anything happened. I agree with mr. Montecillo's sentiments about thatcher/riddle. Very good matchup. Not since the 321 battle trilogy with daniel makabe have i seen mr. Thatcher be so great.
@@Nova-yg6gy wasn’t the case proven false though?
@@GodInHumanForm Not Riddle’s both sides were at wrong in the conflict but Riddle was wayyy worse.
He was accused of sexually assaulting his ex who was a former wrestler Candy Cartwright. He had been proven that he forced her to give him oral sex on a bus with other wrestlers and that the video he made denying her allegations was fabricated in most aspects.
Cartwright was stalking Riddle and his family though, I’m assuming trying to ruin his relationship with his current wife as some sort of vengeance.
In conclusion, they’re both bad humans but Cartwright got fired from EVOLVE when she tried bringing it up to management. Riddle is still on national TV every week so it’s a very uncomfortable and unfair case.
Personally NOAH is promotion of the year followed by AEW then DDT
Just watched the Go Shiozaki vs Kazuyuki Fujita match & .... WOW! The 30 minute stare down add the action to follow I understand why it was the match of the year in you're opinion for 2020. So glad you made someone like myself go out my way to watch it! ❤
Even though I disagree with your opinion about Kota Ibushi’s charisma I can respect that you put him on your best match list. And I definitely agree that Suzuki is wrestler of the year
I think you're right about giving any promotion that ran a show during the "Promotion of the Year" feeling wrong. I guess despite the criticisms aimed towards them PWG were probably the smartest out of everyone to not run a show. It makes sense for 2 reasons. A) Whether it be in the Legion Post or Globe Theater in L.A. considering they've run in small venues it would've been unwise and dangerous to run a show. B) Even when matches aren't good, one of the appeals of PWG sometimes can be the energy of the crowd. Without a crowd the company loses a piece of itself but trying to risk the lives of people just to bring energy back into the shows would've been foolish. So I gotta give them some credit for not running ONE SINGLE SHOW the entire year.
Comment for algorithm reasons: Good job managing to make a video for something as aggravating as 2020 wrestling & damn, I should have watched DDT this year
An hour in and no mention of a single woman... Nothing wrong with that honestly, but my guy gain taste
Awesome video Joesph 💯 I love your Year In Review videos even though 2020 might be rembered as not the greatest year ever there was still a few hidden classics keep up the amazing content my friend 💪
Apart from the top 1 match the rest of the video is really spot on, great video
Welp. Time to dive into this rabbit hole, then.
Great to see Ikeda vs Ishikawa get some recognition. It really was fantastic.
Eddie Kingston's NWA work was also very good. Surprised it wasn't mentioned.
Its funny your comment regarding wrestlers having trouble making a even a good match with more time from 25 to 40 minutes while Danielson easily made one with Gulak at around 15 or less made me immediately think of a common criticism to people in the IWC or just those the watch wrestling from all around and not just WWE have with Triple H.
Most ESPECIALLY his Wrestlemania matches which seem to always follow the same factors:
-always have the most elaborate entrances
-always go over 25 minutes at least
-usually always near or are in the Main Event, even if there is no title involved
-always involved with someone else in the main event or a big star in one form or the other
-always has the story for it built from even before the Rumble even if he hardly wrestles between the feud starting till the Mania match
-he HAS to get in a sledgehammer shot in at least once or at least an attempt
-if he can involve any of the Kliq or his wife he will
-he will usually always use the opponent's signature or finisher against them and they will ALWAYS attempt at least one use of the Pedigree on him that always fails
Stuff like that is why I've never considered him a very good wrestle, at this point he's showing to be a better booker and backstage hand in leading WWE then he did as a wrestler in my personal opinion.
Why do you say New Japan is going downhill so definitively? The only thing on the horizon that I see that might cause trouble is Tanahashi's retirement but other than that there hasn't been any drastic changes.
The main event talent they've relied on for their peak are slowing down from injury, lack of motivation, or both. They've consistently botched the timing on crowning champions that fans want to see (Naito in 2018, arguably Ibushi last year). They've invested into two talents I particularly dislike in SANADA and EVIL. All around just a bad direction from a product growing rather tiresome.
@@JosephMontecilloYT I highly doubt they'll ever give Evil another reign with the belt, considering the reaction it recieved, and I don't see Sanada ever getting into the main event picture. Is it not just a case of a bad year for New Japan, rather than a bad overall direction? Naito not winning the title at the Dome two years ago was part of a much wider story not involving him - Okada beating Tanahashi's defence record before finally succumbing to Omega, whose three and a half year arc was completed. While Naito and Tana are slowing down, I believe Okada hasn't even reached his peak yet and this perceived lack of motivation is due to him staying away from the main event scene to let Naito thrive and also trying to get his new submission over. I think New Japan are building up new stars as well, with Ospreay, White, Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi all ready to fill any main event positions left behind by the older guys.
They've painted SANADA as a golden boy that they've invested a lot of time in. They want him to be in that scene for sure. As for Naito, the timing is all wrong still. Just because there was another story being told, doesn't make the choice to let him cool instead of striking when the iron was hot any better.
I can at least say I enjoyed the hell out of Wrestle Kingdom for both nights before everything went straight to hell. I spent my New Years in Japan with one of my buddies just to see both nights and it was worth it.
Getting to watch and enjoy your work has been a nice sight this year. Hope u continue to grow in 2021. 👍
That love letter to Fujita-Shiozaki ... So positively emotional.
Love the editing and the varied companies represented in the final top list. My only thing I notice is a lot of the recommended matches include just other people who are on the list or included in other recommended match lists. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed the vid!
Didn't AEW still do business with NJPW?
Impact Wrestling is way way better than it's been. I find your distaste for them to be dated and out of touch for a channel that seems to generally have the finger on the pulse of professional wrestling. Jake Something and Josh Alexander just had one of the best matches of the year this past weekend and it saddens me that you probably ignored it because of a brand name that used to be really bad.
I agree. With that said, this video is 8 months old.
Thank you for this video. I can imagine it wasn't the easiest of tasks but we appreciate it.
I am curious as to what your opinion is on Takashi Sugiura & Go Shiozaki's GHC match?
I wasn't a fan and yes, that is the minority opinion. I thought it was too long but it had a great finish though.
@@JosephMontecilloYT If I may ask wouldn't 30 minutes of no action be considered "too long" as well?
@@user-ry3yf3je1h No because it was fresh and new and bold. Everyone and their mother does 30+ minute standard title matches these days. No one does a staredown.
So, I just sat and watched the Shiozaki vs Fujita match, and I’m just thoroughly fucking baffled at this match’s existence. What the fuck is this match? I feel like I watched the wrestling equivalent of a Jackson Pollock painting and I’m wondering why everyone is so fascinated by the squiggles. This shit will haunt my dreams because I’ll just be trying to decipher this match that I spent an hour of my life watching. What the fuck did I just sit and watch?
It’s weird and I don’t hate it, but still. What the fuck?
I'm sorry but you just CANT put anyone but the Young Bucks as tag team of the year, they simply had the 2 best tag team matches of the year xD
Your my favorite human to talk about wrestling ! Im sure your busy guy , but i would LOVE more of your content ! I share your love for Bryan Daneilson as well ! Im happy to see a return to form from his ROH days !
let's please not forget that bray wyatt is a great worker. it's just the gimmick that stops him from doing a lot in ring as the fiend. that reversal of the running knee into sister abigail was COLD
It’s always interesting to see how different some people’s opinions are. Go was my number 1 wrestler of the year, and I kinda chuckled at seeing Orange Cassidy in a best matches list, but I guess different strokes for different folks.
Between NJPW (admirably) shutting down for a good chunk of the year and then coming back with its worst booking and matches since I started watching them in 2015 to AEW kind of letting the air out of their hot run at the top of pandemic, I sort of binned wrestling but am now playing catch up specifically with NOAH which has been blow away stuff. Shiozaki/Fujita is my MOTY by some distance and Go’s had my fav reign of anyone since Okada’s mega run. I also have to laugh that New Japan has based their entire main event scene around these weird battles of “philosophy” and yet it was NOAH who ultimately built this ambitious, singular match entirely about settling the legacy of Inokism. You’ve got me wanting to watch DDT and seek out the heavy hitter BJW stuff
How can I watch BJW?
BJW Core, doesn't have every event but is good for 888 yen per month
Rewatching to prepare for Joe's 2021 list ._.
What's up with the soup joke? I've seen it elsewhere also, but I don't get the context. Also, what did you think of Darby Allin's year?
As a big NJPW fan, your contrarian views on certain things help keep me grounded & objective with watching matches.
love all the content but i need more King's Road saga ... your passion behind that project is second to none
I should rewatch Eddie vs. Moxley, as for me it was meh, without a larger crowd.
Kevin Owens had a great match with The Fiend too. Not taking away what you said about Daniel Bryan.
You Deserve more Joseph!!! I love Your Content
shingo doesn't miss he doesn't not don't lol
I would love to hear your opinion of Jay White, your walking the King's Road Series taught me what wrestling can be so I would love to hear your thoughts on someone I think is a pretty good prospect
Jay rules
@@JosephMontecilloYT Excellent, it has come from on high the mountain King Switch is legit. I love the way he works a very old school ring general heel style, the spot where he baits the back elbow is solid too and I look forward to it every match
No monthly reviews anymore?
Wow, not a single ROH Pure match made it on the list, wow.
I'm kinda torn on this list because I personally feel Tracy Williams and Jay Lethal deserve a spot on it.
The only person I can think of that doesn't deserve to be on this list at all is Okada, Okada was just super dissapointing to me because he's so formulaic to me as a wrestler he has become too stail.
Mox I can understand since had some great feuds this year, this man was pushed super hard in NJPW and AEW.
The thing about Mox to me though is that I kinda see him as a guy that can carry his weight but let's be real, Eddie Kingston was the star in that match, Kingston was the whole reason a cared about that match because promo wise Eddie is a machine.
And compared to Eddie I can't see Mox and what he's doing because Eddie just steals the segment.
When it comes to his NJPW run I've said this on one of your videos before but idk, his NJPW run to me just didn't fit, going back and watching the matches I just didn't care because to me Mox can be very bland and formulaic himself in some ways.
I overall don't mind mox on 5his list I felt he should have been at least 3 to 4 spots down the list but overall I get it.
Pure matches were all very good and a handful of them great. But they have an uphill battle especially since most of the top half of my list are pre-COVID matches.
Do you have any videos where you talk about your criticisms of the NJPW main event style in detail? I've pretty much only watched the recommended matches from the past few years so I've almost never seen anything I'd describe as bad, but I trust your judgement enough to know you're not just jealous of Kota Ibushi for being so beautiful lol. Just makes me curious what your take is overall.
Afraid I don't cover New Japan on here much for copyright reasons. If you want a deeper take on it, Forrest Sowa does a lot of videos on New Japan that generally echo my sentiments.
Lmfao c'mon now. DDT won because aew set up a story with kenny and impact? That's really stupid actually. I'll admit I don't watch impact myself but it's no longer "the company who misused okada". Dixie and Jeff are long gone and callis is a good guy with a mind for the business. I mean they're apparently working with njpw again!!
I dunno if using TJP and Chris Bey because they don't actually have enough people to hold shows in America really means much but sure. Impact isn't awful anymore, they're just very uninteresting.
I wish there were links to some of these matches. I've heard of astronauts, but I can't find any of thier matches
@realhero12089 in Twitter
I need a link to Fujita vs Go
i want to start watching DDT or NOAH but idk where to watch their shows
The Wrestle Universe subscription service.
Also on FITE
Did your hartred toward new japan become stronger this year ?
The slower pace of new japan ?
Yes but only because the company got worse
How the company got worse ?
Did they not sell injury or because they can not relayed to the audience to built the moment or what ?
I did not realy follow NJWP this year
Best wrestling channel on UA-cam! Keep giving great content, you're bound for success
No comment at all on Ospreay's turn, and The Kingdom? Thought that was an interesting development. I gotta say tho, NJPW really let me down this year, but Shingo, Ishii, Suzuki and Nagata kept me interested enough to keep my subscription... EVIL's turn was great but then entirely wasted on a boring heel run with main events that were overbooked EVEN FOR Bullet Club heels. Having Jay White come back at least helped. Anyway, great list and some new stuff for me to watch for sure, just wondering your thoughts on The Kingdom angle.
Neither Ospreay's turn nor The Kingdom would be anywhere near a "Best" list.
@@JosephMontecilloYT it's given me great okhan so thats at least one good thing njpw has done for me this year 😂
listen i respect your opinion, but you gotta learn the difference between favorite and best
The line exists but it's thinner than you might imagine.
Why does that matter, it's his video, he doesn't have to pretend to like something he doesn't, but the wrestling hivemind likes, in some misguided attempt at "oBjEcTiViTy"
@@greyfox4838 bc the title says best
@@jacobc7562 listen I respect your opinion, but you gotta learn the difference between best and popular
@@jacobc7562 that's what he thinks is best, I don't know what you expect, do you want him to derive his list based meltzer's stars?
I feel like a lot of your work is overanalyzing and creating hidden meanings where those things are not really existing; at the same time you underestimate many, many things.
EDIT: I respect the effort you put in making those videos
.... Thank you Joseph for this!!! 😍😍😍😍
Takagi/Suzuki are a joint #1 let’s be real.
Daniel Bryan dragged a classic outta "mid carder for life Kofi Kingston"??? First, Fuck off. 2nd, fuck off & 3rd, Kofi is an amazing wrestler in both tag & singles, he has just held back on the singles front in most cases as the company only sees him as a mid carder when he is so much more. He may not be Gulak or Kawada but there is a reason why he was a celebrated champion despite all the missteps creatively with his world title run, he is that good. That storyline to Mania allowed him to shine in ways he wasn't allowed to before with the Elimination Chamber & the 1st Gauntlet match being prime examples. And when he returned to the ring this year with Woods, they had an absolute tear of great tag matches with the Street Profits, Hurt Business & the Bar. You don't have to tear down ppl to build up others. (unless they are abusers)
I’m kinda shocked that AEW and Impact paired up. Couldn’t believe Impact lowered themselves to that level.
Mfs be like “it’s just my opinion” after calling the greatest wrestlers nothing more than dumb muscular himbos. Like that’s so dumb bro 💀 it’s not even an opinion it’s just an insult, whatchu wanna wrestle them or something? ☠️