Comprehensive look at the year 2000

TravJ1979 · December 30, 2007

Hello everyone. This is my first post and so I tried to make it an interesting one. I, like most of us here, have fell victim to the obsessive hobby of trying to find THE best matches of a certain promotion, year, decade, all-time, etc. I recently undertook the project of dissecting each year between 2000 - present in hopes of making definitive lists to be used as a reference. I recently completed 2000 and am currently working on 2001.

I worked out a method for doing this and would enjoy any feedback on making it better. First, I listed the results for "Match of the Year" as voted by the readers of the WON. Second, I went through the entire year of the WON and extracted every match rated by Dave or reported by readers as being at least 3 and 1/4 stars. The reason for going so low is because I know not everyone agrees with Meltzer's ratings, that is to say a match he rates *** 1/4 could be considered by another person to be **** or better but a match he rates, say for instance, **3/4 most likely wouldn't be viewed by anyone as a potential MOTY in a promotion or overall. I realize this could be viewed as flawed logic by some but I would think that Dave has enough value placed on his judgment, even by his harshest critics, to be able to use his ratings as a general guideline. After doing this, I have less and less confidence in the usefulness of the star system beyond as a way to benchmark matches temporarily on ones way to compiling lists like these.

After completing those tasks I separated the matches month-by-month and also by promotion (for the latter, I listed them in order from highest ranked to lowest ranked.) My plan now is to compile the footage I do not have for the year and then watch the matches and determine my own lists and hopefully compare it to other posters. The one problem with using the WON as a guideline for matches is that it is heavily skewed to the big promotions. With few exceptions, Joshi, Mexico, Japanese/American Independents, and others are grossly under represented. That is another area where I hope by posting my findings will be useful by allowing others to recommend matches that were overlooked by Meltzer. I'm also flirting with the idea of cross referencing Dave's ratings with the Torch but realize it would only be useful for the American companies but like the idea of a second *professional* opinion.

Enough with the rambling. Below is the explanation of the various symbols I use in my listings as well as the syntax of each match listed. I will then post the 2000 portion of this project but may have to split it up due to its size.

i.) If a match is preceded by a (---) it means that I couldn't find either the city it took place in, a wrestlers complete name or the exact day the match aired on TV or, more than likely, the date it took place.

ii.) If a match took place the same day it aired on TV -usually a Japanese occurrence- then TV will be in brackets like so [TV]

iii.) If a match listing ends in (?AVAIL?) then it indicates the match may not be available on tape as it was a live report.

iv.) I listed matches even if it was indicated that it didn't air complete on television -again, usually a Japanese occurrence- due to the fact you never know if it will show up down the road in complete form.

SYNTAX of LISTING

PARTICIPANTS ([PROMOTION], [ACTUAL DATE], [DATED AIRED/IF APPLICABLE], CITY) [sTAR RATING] [ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/IF APPLICABLE]

example: Chris Benoit/Chris Jericho v. Steve Austin/HHH (WWE, 5/21, San Jose)

TravJ1979 · December 30, 2007

2000 Match of the Year Results

2000 WON AWARDS

1. Atlantis v. Villano III (CMLL, 3/17, Mexico City)

2. HHH v. Mick Foley (WWE, 1/23, New York)

3. Dudley Boys v. Edge/Christian (WWE 8/27, Raleigh)

4. Toshiaki Kawada v. Kensuke Sasaki (AJ/NJ, 10/9, Tokyo)

5. Shinjiro Ohtani/Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Koji Kanemoto/Minoru Tanaka (NJ, 6/25, Tokyo)

6. HHH v. Mick Foley (WWE, 2/27, Hartford)

7. HHH v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 7/23. Dallas)

8. HHH v. Rock (WWE, 5/21, Louisville)

9. Chris Benoit v. Steve Regal (Pillman Memorial, 5/25, Cincinatti)

10. Mitsuharu Misawa v. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW, 4/11, Kanazawa)

11. Kenta Kobashi v. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 1/17, Osaka)

12. Kenta Kobashi v. Takao Omori (AJPW, 4/15, Tokyo)

13. Dudley Boys v. Hardy Boys v. Edge/Christian (WWE, 4/1, Anaheim)

14. FBI v. Mikey Whipwreck/Yoshihiro Tajiri (ECW, 8/26, New York)

15. Rock v. Chris Benoit (WWE, 7/23, Dallas)

--Past the WON Deadline--

XX. Toshiaki Kawada/Masanobu Fuchi v. Takashi Iizuka/Yuji Nagata (NJPW, 12/14,Osaka)

XX. Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama (NOAH, 12/23,Tokyo)

=====================================

2000 WON RATINGS MONTH-BY-MONTH (***1/4 or better)

TOTAL = 148

January (10)

Shinjiro Ohtani/Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Kendo Ka Shin/Minoru Tanaka (NJPW, 1/4, Tokyo) ***1/2

Shinya Hashimoto/Takashi Iizuka v. Naoya Ogawa/Kazunari Murakami (NJPW, 1/4, Tokyo) ****

Mike Awesome v. Spike Dudley (ECW 1/9, Birmingham) ***1/2

Degeneration X (HHH) v. Acolytes/Rock/(Mankind) (WWE, 1/10, St. Louis) ***1/2

Super Crazy v. Tajiri (ECW, 1/15 [1/21 air date], Philadelphia) ****

Buff Bagwell v. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW, 1/16, Cincinnati) ***1/4

Kenta Kobashi v. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 1/17 [1/23 TV], Osaka) ****1/2

Hardy Boys v. Dudley Boys (WWE, 1/23, New York) ***1/4

HHH v. Mick Foley (WWE, 1/23, New York) ****1/2

Vader v. Jun Akiyama (AJPW 1/23 [TV}, Yokohama) ****1/4

February (12)

Kendo Ka Shin/Minoru Tanaka v. Jushin Liger/El Samurai (NJPW, 2/1 [2/5 TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Shinjiro Ohtani/Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Kendo Ka Shin/Dr. Wagner Jr. (NJPW,2/4 [2/19 TV],Sapporo) ***1/2

Mike Awesome v. Masato Tanaka (ECW, 2/5 [2/25 TV], Tallahasse) ***1/2

HHH/X-pac/Chris Benoit/Perry Saturn/Dean Malenko v. Too Cool/Mick Foley/Rock/Rikishi (WWE, 2/7, Dallas) ****1/4

Jushin Liger/Kendo Ka Shin v. Shinjiro Ohtani/Koji Kanemoto (NJPW, 2/11 [3/4 TV], Osaka) ***1/4

AKIRA v. Hiro Saito (NJPW, 2/4 [2/12 TV],Sapporo) ***1/2

Vader v. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 2/17 [2/20 TV], Sapporo) ***3/4

Mitsuharu Misawa v. Akira Taue (AJPW, 2/17 [2/27 TV],Sapporo) ***1/2

Vader/Steve Williams v. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 2/20 [3/5 TV], Kobe) ****1/4

Vader v. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW, 2/27 [TV],Tokyo) ***3/4

Jun Akiyama v. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW, 2/27 [3/12 TV],Sapporo) ****1/4

HHH v. Mick Foley (WWE, 2/27, Hartford) ****1/2

March (6)

Jushin Liger v. El Samurai (NJPW,3/10 [3/18 TV],Yanai) ***1/4

Michael Modest v. Donovan Morgan (APW, 3/11, San Leanardo) ***3/4 (?Avail?)

Dr. O'Borman/Arkangel/Ultimo Guerrero/Zumbido/Rencor Latino/Mr. Mexico/Violencia/Rey Bucanero v. Tigre Blanco/Mascara Magica/Astro Rey Jr./Starman/Antifaz/Tony Rivera/Safari/Olimpico (CMLL, 3/17, Mexico) ***3/4

Atlantis v. Villano III (CMLL, 3/17, Mexico) **** 1/2

Kensuke Sasaki v. Satoshi Kojima (NJPW,3/19 [3/25 TV],Nagoya) ***1/4

Mitsuharu Misawa v. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW,3/31 [4/2 TV],Hiroshima) ****1/2

April (23)

CIMA v. Ricky Marvin (MPro, 4/1, Sendai) ***3/4

Naoki Sano v. SUWA (MPro, 4/1, Sendai) ***1/4

Men's Teioh v. Katsumi Usuda (MPro, 4/1, Sendai) ***1/2

Great Sasuke v. Kaz Hayashi (MPro, 4/1, Sendai) ***1/2

Jushin Liger v. Tiger Mask (MPro, 4/1, Sendai) ***3/4

Dudley Boys v. Hardy Boys v. Edge/Christian (WWE, 4/1, Anaheim) ****

Naoya Ogawa v. Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW,[4/7 TV],Tokyo) ***3/4

Satoshi Kojima v. Shinjiro Ohtani (NJPW,4/7 [4/15 TV],Tokyo) ***1/2

CIMA v. Onryo (MPro, 4/9, Tokyo) ***1/4

Jushin Liger v. Mens Teioh (MPro, 4/9, Tokyo) ***1/4

Tiger Mask/Minoru Tanaka/Makabe/Masaaki Mochizuki/Ricky Marvin v. Kendo Ka Shin/El Samurai/Super Boy/SUWA/Masayoshi Motegi (MPro, 4/9, Tokyo) ***1/2

Jushin Liger v. CIMA (MPro, 4/9, Tokyo) ***1/4

Mitsuharu Misawa/Yoshinari Ogawa/Daisuke Ikeda v. Kenta Kobashi/Kentaro Shiga/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (AJPW, 4/9 [4/12 TV],Sendai) ***1/2

Kenta Kobashi v. Takao Omori (AJPW, 4/15 [4/26 TV], Tokyo) ****1/2

Jeff Jarrett v. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW, 4/16, Chicago) ***1/2

HHH v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 4/17, State College) tremendous

Chris Benoit/HHH v. Rock/Chris Jericho (WWE, 4/24, Raliegh) ****

Justin Credible v. Jerry Lynn (ECW, 4/27, Utica) ***1/2 to **** range (?Avail?)

Justin Credible v. Jerry Lynn (ECW, 4/28, Schenectady) ***1/2 to **** range (?Avail?)

Dean Malenko v. Scotty Too Hotty (WWE, 4/30, Washington D.C.) ****

Chris Benoit v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 4/30, Washington D.C.) ***3/4

Rock v. HHH (WWE, 4/30, Washington D.C.) ***3/4

---Hiro Saito/Tatsutoshi Goto/Michiyoshi Ohara v. Shinjiro Ohtani/Koji Kanemoto/Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW, [4/22 TV], ) ****

May (15)

Kendo Ka Shin/Shinjiro Ohtani/Koji Kanemoto/Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Jushin Liger/CIMA/Sumo Dandy Fuji/Minoru Tanaka (NJPW, 5/5 [5/20 TV], Fukuoka) ****1/4

Mike Awesome v. Chris Kanyon (WCW, 5/7, Kansas City) ***1/4

Jeff Jarrett v. David Arquette v. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW, 5/7, Kansas City) ***1/4

Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Steve Corino (ECW, 5/14, Milwaukee) ***1/4

Jerry Lynn v. Rob Van Dam (ECW, 5/14, Milwaukee) ***1/2

Sugar Sato/Chikayo Nagashima v. Bloody/Toshie Uematsu (GAEA, 5/14, Tokyo) ***3/4

Mayumi Ozaki v. Kaoru (GAEA, 5/14, Tokyo) ****

Aja Kong v. Meiko Satomura (GAEA, 5/14, Tokyo) ***1/2

Crush Gals v. Devil Masami/Akira Hokuto (GAEA, 5/14, Toyko) ***1/2

Eddy Guerrero v. Perry Saturn v. Dean Malenko (WWE, 5/21, Louisville) ***1/4

Chris Benoit v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 5/21, Louisville) ****

HHH v. Rock (WWE, 5/21, Louisville) ****

Koji Kanemoto v. El Samurai (NJPW, 5/21 [5/27 TV],Shizuoka) ***1/2

Chris Benoit v. Steve Regal (Independent/HWA, 5/25, Cinncinnati) ****1/4

Minoru Tanaka v. Kendo Ka Shin (NJPW,5/26 [6/3 TV],Kasugai) ***1/4

June (9)

Shinjiro Ohtani v. Minoru Fujita (NJPW, 6/2 [6/24 TV],Tokyo) ***3/4

Yuji Nagata v. Takashi Iizuka (NJPW, 6/2 [6/24 TV],Tokyo) ***1/2

CIMA/Sumo Dandy Fuji v. Tiger Mask/Great Sasuke (Toryumon, 6/4, Kobe) ****

Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Shinjiro Ohtani (NJPW, 6/9 [7/1 TV], ) ***1/2

Masa Hiro Chono/Satoshi Kojima/Hiroyoshi Tenzan v. Jushin Liger/Kensuke Sasaki/Osamu Nishimura (NJPW, 6/9 [6/24 TV], Osaka) ***1/4

Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue v. Johnny Ace/Mike Barton (AJPW, 6/9 [6/21 TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Jun Akiyama/Maunukea Mossman v. Kenta Kobashi/Kentaro Shiga (AJPW, 6/9 [6/14 TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Kurt Angle v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 6/25, Boston) ***1/4

Minoru Tanaka/Koji Kanemoto v. Shinjiro Ohtani/Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW, 6/25, [7/1 TV], ) ****3/4

July (9)

Mike Awesome v. Scott Steiner(WCW,7/9, Daytona Beach) ***1/4

Danny Doring/Roadkill/Kid Kash v. Simon Diamond/Swinger/C.W. Anderson (ECW, 7/16, Los Angeles) ***1/4

Jerry Lynn v. Steve Corino (ECW, 7/16, Los Angeles) ***1/4

Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Mikey Whipwreck v. Psicosis v. Little Guido Maritato (ECW, 7/16, Los Angeles) ***1/2

Satoshi Kojima/ Hiroyoshi Tenzan v. Yuji Nagata/Manabu Nakanishi (NJPW, 7/20 [7/29 TV], Sapporo) ***1/4

Kensuke Sasaki v. Takashi Iizuka (NJPW, 7/20 [7/29 TV],Sapporo) ***1/4

HHH v. Chris Jericho (WWE, 7/23. Dallas) ****1/2

Rock v. Chris Benoit (WWE, 7/23, Dallas) ****1/4

Kensuke Sasaki/Yuji Nagata v. Manabu Nakanishi/Yutaka Yoshie (NJPW, 7/30, Yokohama) ***1/2

August (17)

Rey Bucanero/Ultimo Guerrero v. Mr. Niebla/Villano IV (CMLL, 8/4, Mexico) ****

Dr. O'Borman Jr. v. Blue Panther v. El Hijo del Gladiador v. Rencor Latino v. Violencia v. Black Warrior v. Anitfaz v. Astro Rey Jr. v. Mascara Magica v. Solar 1 v. Safari v. Olimpico (CMLL, 8/4, Mexico) ***1/2

Rob Van Dam v. Balls Mahoney (ECW, 8/4, Hunington) ***1/2

Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama v. Mitsuharu Misawa/Akira Taue (NOAH, 8/5,Tokyo) ***1/2

Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama (NOAH, 8/6 [8/19 PPV],Tokyo) ***3/4

Jushin Liger v. Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW,8/7 [9/9 TV], Osaka) ***1/4

Masa Hiro Chono v. Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW,8/7 [9/9 TV], Osaka) ***1/2

Shiro Koshinaka v. Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW,8/12 [9/9 TV],Tokyo) ***1/4

Takashi Iizuka v. Yuji Nagata (NJPW 8/13 [TV], Tokyo) ****

Kensuke Sasaki v. Yuji Nagata (NJPW 8/13 [TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Kensuke Sasaki v. Manabu Nakanishi (NJPW 8/13 [TV],Tokyo) ***3/4

Tajiri v. Psicosis (ECW, 8/19 [8/27 TV] Philadelphia) ****1/4

Chris Jericho v. Chris Benoit (WWE, 8/27, Raliegh) ***1/4

Dudley Boys v. Edge/Christian (WWE 8/27, Raleigh) ****1/2

Rock v. HHH v. Kurt Angle (WWE, 8/27, Raliegh) ***3/4

FBI v. Mikey Whipwreck/Yoshihiro Tajiri (ECW, 8/26 [9/8 TV], New York) ****1/4

Justin Credible v. Steve Corino (ECW, 8/26 [9/15 TV], New York) ***3/4

September (8)

Manabu Nakanishi v. Takashi Iizuka (NJPW, 9/13 [9/23 TV],Sendai) ***1/2

Masa Hiro Chono/Satoshi Kojima/Don Frye v. Yuji Nagata/Kensuke Sasaki/Jushin Liger (NJPW,9/13[9/23 TV],Sendai) ***3/4

Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Kendo Ka Shin (NJPW, 9/13 [9/23 TV],Sendai) near ****

Scott Steiner v. Bill Goldberg (WCW, 9/17, Buffalo) ****1/4

Chris Jericho v. X-Pac (WWE, 9/24, Philadelphia) ***1/2

Hardy Boys v. Edge/Christian (WWE, 9/24, Philadelphia) ***1/2

HHH v. Kurt Angle (WWE, 9/24, Philadelphia) ***1/4

Rock v. Chris Benoit v. Undertaker v. Kane (WWE, 9/24, Philadelphia) ***1/2

October (16)

Kid Kash v. E.Z. Money (ECW, 10/1, St. Paul) ***1/2

Rhino v. Rob Van Dam (ECW, 10/1, St. Paul) ***1/4

Jerry Lynn v. Justin Credible (ECW, 10/1, St. Paul) ***1/2

Christopher Daniels v. Shinjiro Ohtani (Universal Championship Wrestling, 10/7, U.K.) **** (?AVAIL?)

Jody Fleisch v. Johnny Storm (Universal Championship Wrestling, 10/7, U.K.) **** (?AVAIL?)

Christopher Daniels v. Jody Fleisch (Universal Championship Wrestling, 10/7, U.K.) **** (?AVAIL?)

Toshiaki Kawada v. Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW, 10/9 [TV], Tokyo) ****/14

Koji Kanemoto v. Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW, 10/9 [10/21 TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Satoshi Kojima v. Manabu Nakanishi (NJPW 10/9, [10/21 TV], Tokyo) ***1/2

Minoru Tanaka/Koji Kanemoto v. Dr. Wagner Jr./Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW, 10/12 [11/11 TV], Osaka) ***3/4

Chris Jericho v. X-Pac (WWE, 10/22, Albany) ***1/2

HHH v. Chris Benoit (WWE, 10/22, Albany) ****

Rock v. Kurt Angle (WWE, 10/22, Albany) ****1/4

Mark Jindrak/Sean O'Haire v. Rey Misterio Jr./Billy Kidman v. Disco Inferno/Alex Wright (WCW, 10/29, Las Vegas) ***1/2

Toshiaki Kawada v. Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW, 10/28, Tokyo) reported ****

Koji Kanemoto v. Jushin Liger (NJPW,10/29 [11/18 TV],Kobe) ****

November (7)

Kid Kash v. C.W. Anderson (ECW, 11/5, Chicago) ***1/4

Super Delfin v. Takehiro Murahama (Osaka Pro, 11/6, Tokyo) reported ****

Tsubasa/Masato Yakushiji/Naohiro Hoshikawa v. Daioh Qualtt/Black Buffalo/Dick Togo (Osaka Pro, 11/6, Tokyo) reported ****1/2

Steve Austin v. HHH (WWE, 11/19, Tampa) ***1/4

Shannon Moore/Shane Helms v. Evan Karagias/Jamie Noble v. Kaz Hayashi/Yun Yang (WCW, 11/27, Milwaukee) ***1/2

Hiroyoshi Tenzan/Satoshi Kojima v. Yutaka Yoshie/Manabu Nakanishi (NJPW 11/30 [12/9 TV], Hiroshima) ***1/4

Hiroyoshi Tenzan/Satoshi Kojima v. Takashi Iizuka/Yuji Nagata (NJPW 11/30 [12/9 TV],Hiroshima) ****1/4

December (17)

Kurt Angle v. Rock v. Rikishi v. Steve Austin (WWE, 12/2, Sheffield) ***1/4

Koji Kanemoto/Minoru Tanaka v. Kendo Ka Shin/Super Strong Ka Shin (Tatsuhito Takiawa) (NJPW, 12/2 [12/9 TV],Tokushima) ****

Mikey Whipwreck/Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Super Crazy/Kid Kash (ECW, 12/3, New York) ***3/4

Steve Corino v. Justin Credible v. Jerry Lynn (ECW, 12/3, New York) ***1/4

Kurt Angle v. HHH v. Rock v. Steve Austin v. Undertaker v. Rikishi (WWE, 12/10, Birmingham) ****1/2

Jushin Liger/El Samurai v. Shinya Makabe/Tatsuhito Takiawa (NJPW 12/10 [12/16 TV], Nagoya) ***1/4

AKIRA v. Minoru Tanaka (NJPW 12/10 [12/16 TV], Nagoya) ****1/4

Yutaka Yoshie v. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW, 12/14, Osaka) ***1/2

Jushin Liger/Minoru Tanaka/Shinya Makabe v. Super Delfin/Tsubasa/Takehiro Murahama (NJPW, 12/14,Osaka) ****1/4

Toshiaki Kawada/Masanobu Fuchi v. Takashi Iizuka/Yuji Nagata (NJPW, 12/14,Osaka) *****

Ricky Marvin/Sombra de Plata v. Chris Stone/Alan Stone (CMLL, 12/15, Mexico) ***1/4

Tarzan Boy/Emilio Charles Jr./Shocker v. Atlantis/Mr. Niebla/El Satanico (CMLL, 12/15, Mexico) ***1/4

Rey Bucanero/Ultimo Guerrero v. Negro Casas/El Hijo del Santo (CMLL, 12/15, Mexico) ***1/2

Three Count v. Jung Dragons v. Jamie Noble/Evan Karagias (WCW, 12/17, washington D.C.) ****

Diamond Dallas Page/Kevin Nash v. Chuck Palumbo/Shawn Stasiak (WCW, 12/17, washington D.C.) ***1/4

Shinya Hashimoto v. Takao Omori (NOAH, 12/23,Tokyo) ***1/2

Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama (NOAH, 12/23,Tokyo) ****1/4