MOTYs by year

[concrete1992]

The young gunz :')

[Mrzfn]

I'll share my own eclectic list of favorites by year. I'm only including matches I've watched or rewatched in the past few years, so as not to rely on hazy memory. Some of these years I definitely need to check out some of the "obvious" choices but overall I'm feeling good about it. I won't try to pre-80s because I simply haven't seen enough yet. Subject to change, I'm sure.

 

1980

1. Jim Breaks vs. Steve Grey ??/80 WoS

2. Johnny Saint vs. Steve Grey 2/2/80 WoS

 

1981

1. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Verne Gagne, AWA Championship 2/20/81 AWA

2. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie, No DQ 9/13/81 AWA

 

1982

1. Bobby Heenan & Nick Bockwinkel vs. Hulk Hogan 5/2/82 AWA

2. Bobby Heenan & Ken Patera vs. Andre the Giant & Buck Zumhofe 10/17/82 AWA

 

1983

1. Roddy Piper vs. Greg Valentine, Dog Collar 11/24/83 NWA Starrcade

2. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Wahoo McDaniel, AWA Championship 8/28/83 AWA

 

1984

1. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel, AWA Championship 8/16/84 AWA

2. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody vs. Terry & Dory Funk Jr 12/8/84 AJPW Real World Tag League Day 15

 

1985

1. Ric Flair vs. Rick Martel, NWA & AWA Championships 10/21/85 AJPW World Champion Carnival Day 14

2. Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA, I Quit Steel Cage, NWA US Championship 11/28/85 NWA Starrcade

 

1986

1. Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes, Steel Cage, NWA Championship 7/26/86 NWA Great American Bash Day 12

2. Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana, No DQ, WWF Intercontinental Championship 5/4/86 WWF Maple Leaf

 

1987

1. Dump Matsumoto & Koru Kage vs. Bull Nakano & Condor Saito ??/87 AJW

2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, WWF Intercontinental Championship 3/29/87 WWF Wrestlemania III

 

1988

1. Barry Windham vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, NWA US Championship 12/26/88 NWA Starrcade

2. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Genichiro Tenryu, AJPW Tag Team Championships 12/18/88 AJPW Real World Tag League Day 22

 

1989

1. Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair, NWA Championship 5/7/89 NWA Wrestlewar

2. Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair, 2 out of 3 Falls, NWA Championship 4/2/89 NWA Clash of the Champions VI

 

1990

1. El Dandy vs. Angel Azteca, 2 out of 3 Falls, NWA World Middleweight Championship 6/1/90 EMLL Super Viernes

2. Arn & Ole Anderson vs. Scott & Rick Steiner, NWA Tag Team Championships 2/25/90 NWA Wrestlewar

 

1991

1. Mr Perfect vs. Bret Hart, WWF Intercontinental Championship 8/26/91 WWF Summerslam

2. Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, & Akira Taue vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Mitsuharu Misawa, & Kenta Kobashi 4/20/91 AJPW Fan Appreciation Day

 

1992

1. Royal Rumble Match, WWF Championship 1/19/92 WWF Royal Rumble

2. Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin, Rick Rude, & Larry Zbyszko vs. Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, Dustin Rhodes, Sting, & Nikita Koloff, War Games 5/17/92 WCW Wrestlewar

 

1993

1. Vader vs. Ric Flair, WCW Championship 12/27/93 WCW Starrcade

2. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi, AJPW Tag Team Championships 12/3/93 AJPW Real World Tag League Day 18

 

1994

1. Aja Kong vs. Dynamite Kansai 11/20/94 AJW Doumu Super Woman Great War ~ Big Egg Wrestling Universe

2. Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota 11/20/94 AJW Doumu Super Woman Great War ~ Big Egg R.Wrestling Universe

 

1995

1. Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota, WWWA Championship 3/26/95 AJW Queendom

2. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace, AJPW Tag Team Championships 3/4/95 AJPW Excite Series Day 12

 

1996

1. Chris Benoit vs. Black Tiger 6/11/96 NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Day 17

2. Rey Mysterio vs. Psychosis 7/7/96 WCW Bash at the Beach

 

1997

1. Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart, No DQ Submission 3/23/97 WWF Wrestlemania 13

2. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, Hell in a Cell 10/5/97 WWF Badd Blood

 

1998

1. Koji Kanemoto vs. Dr Wagner Jr, Best of the Super Juniors Final 6/3/98 NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Day 16

2. Dude Love vs. Steve Austin, Falls Count Anywhere, WWF Championship 5/31/98 WWF Over the Edge

 

1999

1. Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs. Raven & Perry Saturn, WCW Tag Team Championships 5/9/99 WCW Slamboree

2. Rey Mysterio vs. Curt Hennig 6/3/99 WCW Thunder

 

2000

1. Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs. Guido Maritato & Tony Mamaluke 9/3/00 ECW Hardcore TV

2. Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs. Guido Maritato & Tony Mamaluke, ECW Tag Team Championships 9/8/00 ECW on TNN

 

2001

1. Bubba Ray & D-Von Dudley vs. Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. Christian & Edge, TLC, WWF Tag Team Championships 4/1/01 WWF Wrestlemania X-7

2. Royal Rumble Match 1/21/01 WWF Royal Rumble

 

2002

1. Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar, Hell in a Cell, WWE Championship 10/20/02 WWE No Mercy

2. Low Ki vs. AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Psicosis, Double Elimination, X Division Championship 6/26/02 NWA/TNA #2

 

2003

1. Tajiri vs. Rey Mysterio, WWE Cruiserweight Championship 9/4/03 WWE Smackdown

2. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi, GHC Championship 3/1/03 NOAH Navigate for Evolution Day 9

 

2004

1. Royal Rumble Match 1/25/04 WWE Royal Rumble

2. Rey Mysterio vs. Tajiri, WWE Cruiserweight Championship 1/1/04 WWE Smackdown

 

2005

1. JBL vs. John Cena, I Quit, WWE Championship 5/22/05 WWE Judgment Day

2. Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, & Arik Cannon vs. Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, & Sabian 3/18/05 CHIKARA Remain in Light

 

2006

1. Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Milano Collection AT & Skayde, Campeonatos de Parejas 2/26/06 CHIKARA Tag World Grand Prix Day 3

2. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA, ROH Championship 9/16/06 ROH Glory by Honor V Day 2

 

2007

1. Kota Ibushi & Naomichi Marufuji vs. KENTA & Taiji Ishimori 7/15/07 NOAH Summer Navigation Day 12

2. Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima, ROH Championship 8/25/07 ROH Manhatten Mayhem II

 

2008

1. Undertaker vs. Edge, WWE World Heavyweight Championship 3/30/08 WWE Wrestlemania XXIV

2. Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black, ROH Tag Team Championships 6/7/08 ROH Respect is Earned II

 

2009

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels 4/5/09 WWE Wrestlemania XXV

2. Royal Rumble Match 1/25/09 WWE Royal Rumble

 

2010

1. El Generico & Paul London vs. Nick & Matt Jackson vs. Dustin & Brandon Cutler, Guerrilla Warfare, PWG Tag Team Championships 7/30/10 PWG SEVEN

2. Evan Bourne vs. Chris Jericho 6/20/10 WWE Fatal 4 Way

 

2011

1. CM Punk vs. John Cena, WWE Championship 7/17/11 WWE Money in the Bank

2. Sara Del Rey vs. Kana 10/1/11 SHIMMER Vol 42

 

2012

1. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, Extreme Rules Match 4/29/12 WWE Extreme Rules

2. Bobby Roode vs. James Storm, Street Fight 10/14/12 TNA Bound For Glory

 

2013

1. AR Fox, Rich Swann, & Ricochet vs. Brian Cage, Kevin Steen, & Michael Elgin 3/23/13 PWG All Star Weekend 9 Day 2

2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, IWGP Championship 1/4/13 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 7

 

2014

1. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazuchika Okada, G1 Climax Final 8/10/14 NJPW G1 Climax Day 12

2. Kota Ibushi vs. Ricochet, IWGP Jr Championship 6/21/14 NJPW Dominion

 

2015

1. EC3 vs. Rockstar Spud, Hair vs. Hair 3/13/15 TNA Impact

2. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi, IWGP Intercontinental Championship 1/4/15 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom IX

 

2016

1. Aztec Warfare Match, LU Championship 3/23/16 Lucha Underground

2. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy, Final Deletion 7/5/16 TNA Impact

 

2017 (to date)

1. Dragon Lee vs. Hiromu Takahashi, IWGP Jr Championship 2/11/17 NJPW New Beginning in Osaka

2. Toshimen Pool Ticket Contest Battle Royal 1/22/17 Kyoko Kimura Retirement Produce Last Afro

 

Obviously this is a list of personal favorites, but as I said I'm pretty happy with it.

[NintendoLogic]

Top two for each year? I like that. It gives a more complete picture than a single MOTY. Here are my selections starting with 1972.

 

EDIT: deleted, redundant

[rzombie1988]

Nice to see someone else loves Big Show vs Floyd Mayweather as much as I do.

[NintendoLogic]

Added top two for every year going back to 1972.

[soup23]

Interesting Brock that you go with the cage match of Bret vs Owen. Feels like support for that match has been waning.

[brockobama]

Interesting Brock that you go with the cage match of Bret vs Owen. Feels like support for that match has been waning.

It's been a number of years since I saw either of their matches that year, but from what I remember, the drama of that cage match did more for me than the more reserved version of the same at Mania.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Care to expound on the Murdoch/Fujinami pick? I was just reading my review sounds like it climaxed early with the dive and blood, but then quickly rushed to an anti-climatic. Interested on yoru thoughts why that would be a MOTYC?

[Microstatistics]

Care to expound on the Murdoch/Fujinami pick? I was just reading my review sounds like it climaxed early with the dive and blood, but then quickly rushed to an anti-climatic. Interested on yoru thoughts why that would be a MOTYC?

 

I thought it was really intense, well constructed and had a very interesting dynamic . Murdoch was the bull, adding cool heelish touches and throwing amazing strikes and just trying to pulverize Fujinami. Fujinami tried to control him with holds and technique but was more than willing to fight back with fire. Even the finish and post match were super intense. The match had a lot of energy.

 

I have it around **** - **** 1/4. Probably wouldn't be a MOTYC in most years but I thought 1982 was kind of a weak year in general so it was good enough.

[WingedEagle]

 

Care to expound on the Murdoch/Fujinami pick? I was just reading my review sounds like it climaxed early with the dive and blood, but then quickly rushed to an anti-climatic. Interested on yoru thoughts why that would be a MOTYC?

 

I thought it was really intense, well constructed and had a very interesting dynamic . Murdoch was the bull, adding cool heelish touches and throwing amazing strikes and just trying to pulverize Fujinami. Fujinami tried to control him with holds and technique but was more than willing to fight back with fire. Even the finish and post match were super intense. The match had a lot of energy.

 

I have it around **** - **** 1/4. Probably wouldn't be a MOTYC in most years but I thought 1982 was kind of a weak year in general so it was good enough.

 

 

Worth checking out Flair/Kerry and Andre/Killer Khan from that year. Probably others as well but those are what come to mind first.

[NintendoLogic]

Nice to see someone else loves Big Show vs Floyd Mayweather as much as I do.

 

I hope it won't break your heart that I changed my pick for 2008.

[Microstatistics]

 

 

Care to expound on the Murdoch/Fujinami pick? I was just reading my review sounds like it climaxed early with the dive and blood, but then quickly rushed to an anti-climatic. Interested on yoru thoughts why that would be a MOTYC?

 

I thought it was really intense, well constructed and had a very interesting dynamic . Murdoch was the bull, adding cool heelish touches and throwing amazing strikes and just trying to pulverize Fujinami. Fujinami tried to control him with holds and technique but was more than willing to fight back with fire. Even the finish and post match were super intense. The match had a lot of energy.

 

I have it around **** - **** 1/4. Probably wouldn't be a MOTYC in most years but I thought 1982 was kind of a weak year in general so it was good enough.

 

 

Worth checking out Flair/Kerry and Andre/Killer Khan from that year. Probably others as well but those are what come to mind first.

 

 

Andre/Khan was my original pick. Not a fan of Flair/Kerry. One of the Lawler/Mantell bouts has a good shot, need to revisit.

[elliott]

updated below

[cad]

Mexico only. Other wrestling I watch and like, but, like, I couldn't tell you which is the best Flair vs Steamboat or anything. When I watch stuff from outside of Mexico I just sit back and enjoy.

1983
MOTY: Sangre Chicana vs MS-1, September 23
Runner-up: Sangre Chicana, Mocho Cota and La Fiera vs El Satanico, MS-1 and Espectro Jr, September 30

1984
MOTY: El Satanico vs Gran Cochisse, September 14
Runner-up: Americo Rocca vs Mocho Cota, January 27

1985
MOTY: El Solitario vs Dr. Wagner, December 1
Runner-up: Atlantis vs El Faraon, March 22

1986
MOTY: El Hijo del Santo vs Espanto Jr, August 31
Runner-up: La Fiera vs Babe Face, August 15

1987
MOTY: Villano III vs Rambo, October 25
Runner-up: El Hijo del Santo vs Negro Casas, July 18

1988
MOTY: Espanto Jr. vs El Hijo del Santo, April 10(?)
Runner-up: Lola Gonzalez vs Pantera Sureña, December 9

1989
MOTY: Atlantis, El Dandy and Mascara Sagrada vs Emilio Charles Jr, MS-1 and Tierra Viento y Fuego, November 24
Runner-up: Brazo de Oro, Brazo de Plata and El Brazo vs Pirata Morgan, Hombre Bala and Verdugo, November 10

1990
MOTY: Angel Azteca vs El Dandy, June 1
Runner-up: Fuerza Guerrera vs El Pantera, May 4 or 11

1991
MOTY: El Hijo del Santo vs Brazo de Oro, January 13
Runner-up: Fuerza Guerrera vs Octagon, February 1

1992
MOTY: Negro Casas vs El Dandy, July 3
Runner-up: El Hijo del Santo vs Espanto Jr, May 14

1993
MOTY: Lizmark vs Jerry Estrada, June 18
Runner-up: Negro Casas vs La Fiera, October 1

1994
MOTY: Javier Cruz vs Ciclon Ramirez, June 10
Runner-up: El Hijo del Santo and Octagon vs Eddy Guerrero and Love Machine, November 6

1995
MOTY: Psicosis vs Rey Misterio Jr, September 22
Runner-up: El Hijo del Santo, Rey Misterio Jr. and Octagon vs Fuerza Guerrera, Blue Panther and Psicosis, March 17

1996
MOTY: El Dandy vs Black Warrior, October 15
Runner-up: Not sure

1997
MOTY: Atlantis vs Blue Panther, December 5
Runner-up: Cibernetico, December 30

1998
I've never watched a great match from 1998. Parka vs Pierroth is just clips (with much less shown than clipped matches like Wagner vs Solitario or Rambo vs Villano from 1987), and I have not seen either of the Olimpico vs Halcon Negro matches.

1999
MOTY: Fuerza Guerrera vs Mike Segura, November 4
Runner-up: El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas vs Bestia Salvaje and Scorpio Jr, March 19

2000
MOTY: El Hijo del Santo vs Blue Panther, April 9
Runner-up: Atlantis vs Villano III, March 17

2001
MOTY: El Hijo del Santo vs La Parka, December 23

Runner-up: Not sure

 

Once we get into this century I'm pretty much stumped.

[SmartMark15]

Disclaimer: Heavy fed bias especially for the 2010s. Will definitely update and change as time goes along and I see more footage.

 

2010

MOTY: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (WWE 3/28)

Runner Up: Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (ROH 12/18)

 

2011

MOTY: CM Punk vs. John Cena (WWE 7/17)

Runner Up: William Regal vs. Dean Ambrose (FCW 6/11)

 

2012

MOTY: Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (WWE 4/29)

Runner Up: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki (NJPW 10/8)

 

2013

MOTY: Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk (WWE 8/18)

Runner Up: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (NJPW 1/4)

 

2014

MOTY: Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (WWE 8/17)

Runner Up: AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki (NJPW 8/1)

 

2015

MOTY: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (WWE 10/7)

Runner Up: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns [vs. Seth Rollins] (WWE 3/29)

 

2016

MOTY: The Revival vs. #DIY (WWE 11/19)

Runner Up: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles (NJPW 1/4)

 

2017

MOTY: Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW 4/9)

Runner Up: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega (NJPW 8/12)

 

2018

MOTY: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (WWE 4/7)

Runner Up: Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Almas (WWE 1/28)

 

2019

MOTY: Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston (WWE 4/7)

Runner Up: Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor (WWE 1/27)

[Cap]

Updated a few blank years and 2016 and 17 (so far).

 

I am really excited for Trevor Lee/Chip Day to hit the interwebs (this week, I think) to see if it lives up to my live experience on tape and to see how other people respond to it. Haven't seen Shibata/Okada yet, but Lee/Day is so far running away with the year for me.

[NintendoLogic]

I've decided to up the ante and pick the top three for each year. As always, my selections are tentative and subject to change.

1980
1. Dynamite Kid vs. Tatsumi Fujinami, 2/5
2. Bob Backlund vs. Ken Patera, 5/19
3. Billy Robinson vs. Nick Bockwinkel, 12/11

1981
1. Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk, 3/23
2. Sgt. Slaughter vs. Pat Patterson, 5/4
3. The Funks vs. Bruiser Brody/Jimmy Snuka, 12/13

1982
1. Jerry Lawler vs. Dutch Mantell, 3/22
2. Ric Flair vs. Brett Sawyer, 10/2
3. Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich, 8/15

1983
1. Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee, 6/6
2. MS-1 vs. Sangre Chicana, 9/23
3. Marty Jones vs. Dynamite Kid, 2/5

1984
1. Sgt. Slaughter vs. Iron Shiek, 6/16
2. Terry Gordy vs. Killer Khan, 11/22
3. Tony Salazar vs. Herodes, 3/2

1985
1. Jim Duggan vs. Ted DiBiase, 3/22
2. Ted DiBiase vs. Dick Murdoch, 12/31
3. Ricky Steamboat/Tito Santana vs. Greg Valentine/Brutus Beefcake, 4/21

1986
1. Jumbo Tsuruta/Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu/Yoshiaki Yatsu, 1/28
2. Midnight Rockers vs. Buddy Rose/Doug Somers, 8/30
3. Hart Foundation vs. Killer Bees, 2/17

1987
1. Riki Choshu vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara, 6/9
2. Tatsumi Fujinami/Riki Choshu/Akira Maeda/Kengo Kimura/Super Strong Machine vs. Antonio Inoki/Yoshiaki Fuijwara/Seiji Sakaguchi/Kantaro Hoshino/Keiji Mutoh, 8/19
3. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, 2/15

1988
1. Stan Hansen/Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada, 12/16
2. Lex Luger/Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson/Tully Blanchard, 3/27
3. Tatsumi Fujinami/Yoshiaki Fujiwara/Shiro Koshinaka/Kengo Kimura/Keiichi Yamada vs. Riki Choshu/Masa Saito/Hiro Saito/Super Strong Machine/Kuniaki Kobayashi, 9/12

1989
1. Jushin Liger vs. Naoki Sano, 8/10
2. Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk, 7/23
3. Stan Hansen/Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Yoshiaki Yatsu, 12/6

1990
1. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada/Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue/Masanobu Fuchi, 10/19
2. Rock & Roll Express vs. Midnight Express, 2/25
3. Steiner Brothers vs. Nasty Boys, 10/27

1991
1. Vader vs. Keiji Mutoh, 8/10
2. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue, 11/29
3. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue/Masanobu Fuchi, 10/15

1992
1. Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat, 6/20
2. Genichiro Tenryu/Koki Kitahara vs. Shiro Koshinaka/Kengo Kimura, 10/23
3. Vader vs. Sting, 12/28

1993
1. Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori, 4/2
2. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue, 12/3
3. Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 2/28

1994
1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 6/3
2. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, 3/20
3. Shawn Michaels/Diesel vs. Razor Ramon/123 Kid, 10/30

1995
1. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue, 6/9
2. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue, 4/15
3. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 7/24

1996
1. Mitsuharu Misawa/Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue, 5/23
2. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 11/17
3. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind, 9/22

1997
1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi, 1/20
2. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 3/23
3. Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Misterio Jr., 10/26

1998
1. Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama, 7/24
2. Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kazuo Yamazaki, 8/2
3. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Stan Hansen/Vader, 12/5

1999
1. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Stan Hansen/Akira Taue, 12/3
2. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Yoshihiro Takayama/Takao Omori, 10/30
3. Daisuke Ikeda vs. Alexander Otsuka, 4/26

2000
1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama, 2/27
2. Toshiaki Kawada/Masanobu Fuchi vs. Yuji Nagata/Takashi Iizuka, 12/14
3. Vader vs. Jun Akiyama, 1/23

2001
1. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle, 8/19
2. Steve Austin vs. The Rock, 4/1
3. Chris Jericho/Chris Benoit vs. Steve Austin/HHH, 5/21

2002
1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama, 9/23
2. Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar, 10/20
3. Jushin Liger/Wataru Inoue vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi/Yoshinobu Kanemaru, 2/17

2003
1. Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshinari Ogawa, 11/1
2. Eddie Guerrero/Tajiri vs. Team Angle, 5/22
3. Yuji Nagata vs. Akira Taue, 6/6

2004
1. Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama, 4/25
2. Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar, 2/15
3. Mitsuharu Misawa/Yoshinari Ogawa vs. KENTA/Naomichi Marufuji, 4/25

2005
1. Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles, 12/11
2. Genichiro Tenryu/Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi/Go Shiozaki, 4/24
3. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio, 6/23

2006
1. Yoshihiro Takayama/Minoru Suzuki vs. Yuji Nagata/Naofumi Yamamoto, 10/9
2. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Takeshi Morishima, 3/5
3. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels, 1/15

2007
1. John Cena vs. Umaga, 1/28
2. Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima, 8/25
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuji Nagata, 4/13

2008
1. Kensuke Sasaki vs. KENTA, 7/18
2. Blue Panther vs. Villano V, 9/19
3. Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness, 2/23

2009
1. Minoru Suzuki/Taiyo Kea vs. Suwama/Shuji Kondo, 3/14
2. Christian vs. Jack Swagger, 2/24
3. Bryan Danielson/Claudio Castagnoli vs. Mike Quackenbush/Jigsaw, 9/13

2010
1. LA Park vs. El Mesias, 12/5
2. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Original Tiger Mask, 3/18
3. Daisuke Ikeda vs. Takeshi Ono, 9/26

2011
1. Dick Togo vs. Antonio Honda, 1/30
2. Yoshihiro Takayama vs. KENTA, 1/15
3. William Regal vs. Dean Ambrose, 11/6

2012
1. Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus, 4/29
2. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar, 4/29
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki, 10/8

2013
1. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar, 8/18
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, 4/7
3. Kazuchika Okada vs. Togi Makabe, 6/22

2014
1. AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki, 8/1
2. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomoaki Honma, 8/3
3. Hirooki Goto/Katsuyori Shibata vs. Yuji Nagata/Tomoaki Honma, 6/21

2015
1. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns, 3/29
2. AJ Styles vs. Kota Ibushi, 4/5
3. Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns, 2/22

2016
1. The Revival vs. #DIY, 11/19
2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii, 8/6
3. Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles, 5/1

2017
1. Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles, 11/19
2. Kento Miyahara vs. Shuji Ishikawa, 8/27
3. Kazuchika Okada/Gedo vs. Taka Michinoku/Kota Ibushi, 9/4

2018
1. Katsuhiko Nakajima/Masa Kitamiya vs. Go Shiozaki/Kaito Kiyomiya, 5/29
2. Aja Kong vs. Hikaru Shida, 9/17
2. AJ Styles vs. Rusev, 7/15

2019
1. LA Park vs. Jacob Fatu, 11/2
2. Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes, 5/25
3. Minoru Suzuki/Taiyo Kea vs. Suwama/Shuji Kondo, 11/15

2020
1. WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov, 10/29
2. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan, 6/12
3. Daniel Bryan vs. Drew Gulak, 3/8

2021
1. CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, 11/13
2. Darby Allin vs. Brian Cage, 1/13
3. WALTER vs. Tommaso Ciampa, 4/7

2022
1. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson, 1/5
2. Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair, 4/2
3. CM Punk vs. Dustin Rhodes, 4/20

2023
1. Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens vs. The Usos, 4/1
2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya, 2/21
3. Samoa Joe vs. Mark Briscoe, 3/31

2024
1. Iyo Sky vs. Utami Hayashishita, 7/13
2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson, 1/4
3. Gunther vs. Sheamus, 5/6

[WingedEagle]

Always fun seeing how these lists develop.

[Cap]

Made quite a few edits and additions to mine recently

 

 

2017 – Trevor Lee vs Chip Day (3/25)
2016 – Black Terry vs Wotan (8/21)
2015 – Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi (1/4)
2014 – Daniel Bryan vs HHH (4/6)
2013 – Daniel Bryan vs John Cena (8/18)
2012 – John Cena vs Brock Lesnar (4/29)
2011 – CM Punk vs John Cena (7/17)
2010 – L.A. Park vs el Mesias (12/5)
2009 –
2008 – Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morashima (12/27)
2007 – John Cena vs Umaga (1/28)
2006 – Bryan Danielson vs Nigem McGuinness (8/12)
2005 – Kenta Kobashi vs Samoa Joe (10/2)
2004 – Eddie Guerrero vs JBL (5/16)
2003 – Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (3/1)
2002 – Bryan Danielson vs Low-Ki (3/30)
2001 – El Hijo del Santo vs LA Park (1/23)
2000 – Atlantis vs Vilano III (3/17)
1999 –
1998 – Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (10/31)
1997 – Steve Austin vs Bret Hart (3/23)
1996 – El Hijo Del Santo vs Negro Casas vs El Dandy (12/6)
1995 – Holy Demon Army vs Kenta Kobashi/Mitsuahru Misawa (6/9)
1994 – Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (6/3)
1993 – Shinobu Kandori vs Akira Hokuto (4/2)
1992 – Negro Casas vs el Dandy (7/3)
1991 – El Hijo del Santo vs Negro Casas (5/17)
1990 – El Satanico vs El Dandy (12/14)
1989 – Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (4/2)
1988 – Stan Hansen/Terry Gordy vs Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada (12/16)
1987 – Stan Hansen vs Carlos Colon (1/6)
1986 – Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig (11/21)
1985 – Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (12/30)
1984 – El Satanico vs Gran Cochise (9/14)
1983 – Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 (9/23)
1982 – Jerry Lawler vs Dutch Mantell (3/29)
1981 – Stan Hansen vs Andre The Giant
1980 – Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera (5/19)
1979 – Andre The Giant vs Harley Race (1/7)
1978 – Wahoo McDaniel vs Harley Race (2/10)
1977 – Billy Robinson vs Jumbo Tsuruta (3/5)
1976 – Billy Robinson vs Giant Baba (7/24)

 

[SmartMark15]

Promoted Okada-Omega III to my #2 of the year only behind Okada-Shibata.

[Boss Rock]

Work in progress as some of these might change the more matches I watch.

 

1981: Stan Hansen vs. Andre the Giant (9/23/1981)

1982: Stan Hansen vs. Terry Funk (9/11/1982)

1983: Greg Valentine vs. Roddy Piper (Starrcade)

1984: El Satanico vs. Shiro Koshinaka (7/30/1984)

1985: Jim Duggan vs. Ted DiBiase (3/22/1985)

1986: Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu and Riki Choshu (1/28/1986)

1987: Stan Hansen vs. Carlos Colon (1/10/1987)

1988: Terry Gordy and Stan Hansen vs. Genichiro Tenryu and Toshiaki Kawada (12/16/1988)

1989: Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (Great American Bash)

1990: Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, and Akira Taue (10/19/1990)

1991: Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Masanobu Fuchi, and Akira Taue (4/20/1991)

1992: Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Dan Kroffat and Doug Furnas (5/25/1992)

1993: Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi (7/29/1993)

1994: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (6/3/1994)

1995: Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue (6/9/1995)

1996: Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue (12/6/1996)

1997: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (1/20/1997)

1998: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (10/31/1998)

1999: Mistuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (6/11/1999)

2000: Atlantis vs. Villano III (3/17/2000)

2001: El Hijo del Santo vs. LA Park (12/23/2001)

2002: Bryan Danielson vs. Low Ki (2/23/2002)

2003: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (3/1/2003)

2004: Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi (7/10/2004)

2005: Necro Butcher vs. Samoa Joe (6/11/2005)

2006: Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (Unified)

2007: John Cena vs. Umaga (Royal Rumble)

2008: Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuiness (ROH 6th Anniversary)

2009: Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson vs. Mike Quackenbush and Jigsaw (9/13/2009)

2010: Daisuke Ikeda and Takahiro Oba vs. Makoto Hashi and Kengo Mashimo (10/24/2010)

2011: Dick Togo vs. Antonio Honda (1/30/2011)

2012: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki (King of Pro Wrestling)

2013: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomohiro Ishii (G1 Climax)

2014: A.J. Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki (G1 Climax)

2015: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi (Wrestle Kingdom 9)

2016: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega (G1 Climax)

2017: Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata (Sakura Genesis)

2018: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega (Dominion)

2019 Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki (Royal Quest)

2020: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito (Wrestle Kingdom 14, Night 2)

2021: Bryan Danielson vs. Adam Page (12/15/2021)

[Microstatistics]

 

Care to expound on the Murdoch/Fujinami pick? I was just reading my review sounds like it climaxed early with the dive and blood, but then quickly rushed to an anti-climatic. Interested on yoru thoughts why that would be a MOTYC?

 

I thought it was really intense, well constructed and had a very interesting dynamic . Murdoch was the bull, adding cool heelish touches and throwing amazing strikes and just trying to pulverize Fujinami. Fujinami tried to control him with holds and technique but was more than willing to fight back with fire. Even the finish and post match were super intense. The match had a lot of energy.

 

I have it around **** - **** 1/4. Probably wouldn't be a MOTYC in most years but I thought 1982 was kind of a weak year in general so it was good enough.

 

 

I updated 1982 to Lawler vs. Mantell 3/29 by the way.

[NintendoLogic]

Changed my top 3 selections for 1984, 2015, and 2016.

[NintendoLogic]

New #1 for 2017. All Japan is back. Believe the hype.

[Microstatistics]

New #1 for 2017. All Japan is back. Believe the hype.

 

I don't know, I prefer the Akiyama stuff from 13-16 to what I've seen this year from AJPW.