Every month, our own Dan Niles compiles his personal 20 Best Matches list from around the world, from North America to Europe to Japan. Some are obvious best matches choices, some are dark horses, but they’re always fun to find some matches you may have missed the previous month! (DISCLAIMER: This list is subjective and is compiled exclusively by Dan Niles; there will obviously be matches he may have missed that you may feel deserve credit – we encourage you to list some of your best matches of the month in the comments section below to help add to the list! In regards to videos, we only show FULL MATCHES that are authorized by the promotions; video highlights are used where possible; we encourage you to seek out these matches through promotions VOD or streaming networks)
20 Best Matches Of The Month
#20. Artist of Stardom Championship: Toyko Cyber Squad (C) (Hana Kimura, Konami and Jungle Kyona) vs Oedo Tai (Kagetsu, Natsu Sumire and Andres Miyagi)- STARDOM Shining Destiny
A special night for Tokyo Cyber Squad with the finish paying off years of story threads as Hana Kimura is a former member of the opposing faction. Jungle and Andres do a test of strength on the floor as a brawl erupts immediately. Hana said in the pre-match promo that she wanted to see Konami’s best Triangle Lancer and she got it to Kagetsu. Kimura kicks out of an impressive 450 Splash from Kagetsu. The leader of Oedo Tai though had been weakened by an earlier Armbar and she is forced to submit to Hana’s Bow And Arrow. Huge win for Hana after going to war with Kagetsu last year for the World Of Stardom championship.
Rating: ****
#19. Bandido vs Rey Horus- OTT WrestleRama
Can’t expect anything less than a great time when you have these two Luchadors in a whole different setting than theyre used to in Ireland. The crowd made this a truly exciting atmosphere and the referee even got hilariously confused by the outside count when the fans chanted in Spanish. Bandido lands a running knee and a smooth Fosberry Flop gets the action red-hot. Horus hits a perfect slingshot Rana to the floor. Both trade kicks and both go down at the same time, a Spanish Fly and Tiltawhirl DDT bring everyone to their feet. The German Suplex off the ropes pins Horus for three.
Rating: ****
#18. IWGP United States championship: Juice Robinson (C) vs Jon Moxley- NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors 26 Finals
Juice cuts his dreadlocks off for this title match, saying that he’s not the same twenty-two-year-old kid anymore. The most hardcore match in NJPW in quite some time involved Juice hurling himself off the stage and into a guardrail. The champion clocks Moxley with a left-arm Lariat but he gets Suplexed through a table. The tough Japanese tables are unforgiving as ever. A chair gets thrown at “Death Rider” and it brings out the worst in Moxley. A new Impaler version of Dirty Deeds crowns a new IWGP US champion.
Rating: ****
#17. World Of Stardom Championship: Bea Priestly (c) vs Konami, STARDOM World In Sapporo
If it wasn’t for Priestly just gaining a foothold as the champion, it would be a closer call for Konami and luck may have run out but that wasn’t the case. Konami delivers F-bombs then stiff kicks. Bea smartly attacks the legs but it doesn’t slow down the fast challenger too much. Triple German Suplexes and a head kick almost take out Bea. A Guillotine and Triangle Lancer have Bea fighting for dear life but a devastating Regal Plex folds up Konami. It takes two Queen’s Landings for the title to stay with Queen’s Quest.
Rating: ****
#16. Non-Sanctioned: Jon Moxley vs Joey Janela, AEW Fyter Fest
Just complete madness for the sake of being complete madness and even AEW made the point of announcing that the show was officially over and the main event was Non-Sanctioned due to the violence. A chair wrapped in barbed wire leaves it’s mark early before Moxley gets driven through a barbed wire board courtesy of a Side Russian Legsweep. Moxley is elbowed through a table after Janela comes down off a ladder. A Death Valley Driver through another barbed wire board just puts the icing on the cake. Janela gets an atomic drop onto his bare feet in thumbtacks and Dirty Deeds drills “The Bad Boy.”
Rating: ****
#15. Ben-K vs KZY, Dragon Gate: King Of Gate
A very aggressive match where Ben-K was the one willing to dish out the stiffest shots in the finish to advance in this Dragon Gate tournament. Ben-K goes for a spear but leaps into a straight punch! KZY takes a German Suplex into the corner. KZY goes all out with a Swanton but he can’t connect with a Frogsplash. KZY’s momentum is completely stopped by a headbutt, spear and Gutwrench Powerbomb for a definitive finish.
Rating: ****
#14. Go Shiozaki vs Naomichi Marufuji, NOAH Misawa Memorial Show
Go is currently going through an MCL injury and it really showed in this match with Marufuji brutalizing the left shoulder. A Hammerlock throw into the post and barricade soften up Shiozaki for the Keylock but Go escapes. Go is quickly red from chops and a curb stomp followed by a thrust kick keeps the pressure on. Marufuji is so innovative, landing a Ripcord Knee to the back of the head to a downed Go. Marufuji is dropped by a rolling elbow and the lariat raises Go’s hand.
Rating: ****
#13. Joey Janela vs Kris Statlander, BEYOND Uncharted Territory: Episode 11
If Kris Statlander didn’t have lots of supporters before this match, the fans that have seen this Intergender match definitely know how talented she is now. Janela takes Statlander to the limit with Superkicks and a twenty minute match time. Once Janela is reeled his is almost taken out by a 450 Splash but it’s only a two-count. Statlander makes Booker T (if he’s watching) take a second look at the Scissors Kick. Janela is sent through a door with an electric chair! Statlander kicks out of a spinning Package Piledriver in one of the holy #$*! moments of the year! Statlander gets suplexed off the top through another door and it’s only two! Kris Statlander puts her middle fingers up in defiance but another Superkick floors her and it’s over.
Rating: ****1/2
#12. NXT Tag Team Championship: Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish (c) vs The Forgotten Sons vs Oney Lorcan and Danny Birch vs The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins), WWE NXT Takeover XXV
With four teams and numerous ladders involved, the action got crazy early as The Forgotten Sons were German Suplexed with ladders around their necks. Ford hit the world’s biggest Frogsplash on Birch. Blake Powerbombed O’Reilly into a ladder with Fish climbing and Fish falls off onto Kyle O’Reilly! A Doomsday Blockbuster by the Profits bring the crowd to a frenzy and the tag titles go to Ford and Dawkins.
Rating: ****1/2
#11. Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong, NXT Takeover XXV
As exceptional as an opener can be with great grappling leading to an intense finish. Riddle takes a back Suplex onto the apron. Riddle comes back with the Bro To Sleep. A Ripcord knee strike and the Final Flash can’t put Roddy away! “The Messiah Of The Backbreaker” is floored by a Gotch Tombstone. Riddle kicks Strong in the face to reverse the Stronghold into the Bro-Mission for the tap out victory.
Rating: ****1/2
#10. Jon Moxley vs Darby Allin, NEW: Brass City Brawl
Moxley makes a triumphant return to independent wrestling for NEW with AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds” blaring over the speakers fittingly. Darby is on fire as well though with a corkscrew splash and Code Red. Moxley makes sure fans won’t forget this match by throwing Darby through the middle buckle and then through a table. Allin is viciously thrown onto chairs with a throwing Suplex and he comes back for more! Moxley is forced to tape Darby’s hands behind his back with a roll of tape but Darby still pulls off a Springboard Moonsault and Suicide Dive! Darby takes one risk too many and is drilled with the implant Dirty Deeds after coming off the top rope.
Rating: ****1/2
#9. NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano (c) vs Adam Cole, NXT Takeover XXV
A classic NXT main event just like their previous Two-Out-Of-Three-Falls encounter only this had almost as many near falls somehow with many twists and turns along the way. The Undisputed Era got involved and Gargano had a bad knee to contend with as the Gargano Escape couldn’t be applied fully. The Panama Sunrise, Slingshot DDT and all the greatest hits are here until a second Shining Wizard crowned a new NXT champion baybay.
Rating: *****
#8. Sendai Girls World Championship/Diana World Championship: Saree (Diana Champion) vs Chihiro Hashimoto (Sendai Champion), Sendai Girls Big Show
What a great story told here not just the hard hitting action on display, the bigger Hashimoto used her size advantage until the explosiveness of the champion was the real perseverance and fighting spirit. Saree hits the best sliding dropkick in pro wrestling today right to the face. Hashimoto is down on the floor after a Crossbody and Double-stomp! Saree gets Powerbombed on the floor and another sickening Powerbomb in the ring isn’t enough! Saree uses her trademark Tiltawhirl Cradle but it’s just a near fall. Triple Double-stomps and Uranage’s have Hashimoto barely kicking out so a Wrist-Clutch variation of the Uranage seals the deal.
Rating: *****
#7. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Dragon Lee (c) vs Will Ospreay- NJPW Dominion
So exhilarating and fusing many different styles from Lee’s Katsuyori Shibata corner dropkicks while wearing Shibata’s kickpads to a Canadian Destroyer. Ospreay lands on his head from a Poison Rana but he fires back with a Spanish Fly! Lee kicks out of an apron Powerbomb and Shooting Star Press amazingly. The Os-Cutter is cut off by a knee strike! It takes the Hidden Blade, a top rope Os-Cutter and The Stormbreaker to finally end Dragon Lee’s reign as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion.
Rating: *****
#6. WALTER vs David Starr, OTT WrestleRama
A rollercoaster of emotions, this is peak narrative focus especially when it comes to the finish of this epic clash. Starr is 25-0 against WALTER and it looked like this would be the night he would finally beat WALTER but even a DQ win was overturned after OTT World champion Jordan Devlin told the referee about the Eddie Guerrero title belt trick. Starr took big boots and a Powerbomb into the crowd. “The Product” willed himself back into the match by targeting the legs and the Figure Four Leglock looked like a tapout but the referee didn’t see it. Starr is royally screwed and the referee is accidentally shotgun dropkicked by WALTER! A sit-out Tombstone Piledriver and the Karifuda Clutch crush Starr’s dreams after stomping on the WWE NXT UK title.
Rating: *****
#5. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs Robbie Eagles, NJPW Southern Showdown
A rivalry built on respect with a major payoff at the end, this is the fourth singles match between the two and their absolute best yet together. Both wrestle for thirty minutes with exhaustion kicking in by the time Eagles can barely withstand a Spanish Fly. Eagles takes a 450 Splash to his leg trapped in the middle rope! Ospreay nearly loses the title to the Ron Miller Special. The Essex Destroyer lays out Eagles as El Phantasmo from Bullet Club tries to help the challenger but he gets thrown off the apron instead. Eagles kicked out of a Shooting Star Press at a one-count! This makes Ospreay go for the finish with The Hidden Blade followed by The Stormbreaker to end a Junior classic as Eagles joins CHAOS after the match and decks ELP.
Rating: *****
#4. IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Kota Ibushi (c) vs Tetsuya Naito, NJPW Dominion
Perhaps too dangerous than was even necessary but the stakes have never been higher between Ibushi and Naito after years of reaching the point of a title rematch. Nearly every move was directed at the neck including a spike Tornado DDT, Half Nelson Suplex, Last Ride, and Destino. Ibushi got clipped in the eye by a headbutt! Ibushi is driven down on the crown of his head with another Destino for three.
Rating: *****
#3. Wonder Of Stardom Championship: Arisa Hoshiki (c) vs Tam Nakano, STARDOM Shining Destiny
Easily deserving of the #1 spot on this list and will be fondly remembered come the best matches of the year list. Too many strikes to count in this one and Tam even busted out a hanging Dragon Suplex from the ropes. An amazing moment when Tam takes a Meteora on the apron but she rises right back up and German Suplexes the champion on the apron! Tam with a spin kick and stiff knee strike to set up a Tiger Suplex but it’s not enough! Tam had garnered serious momentum but it was all taken away by two knee strikes and a serious head kick. Women’s/Joshi wrestling doesn’t get any better than this.
Rating: *****
#2. Best Of The Super Juniors 26 Finals: Shingo Takagi vs Will Ospreay, NJPW Dominion
A match that even stole the show from the main event at NJPW Dominion. Shingo Takagi’s undefeated streak in singles competition was on the line and Ospreay had the chance to win his second Best Of The Super Juniors tournament. “The Dragon” unleashes a top rope Death Valley Driver and huge Pumping Bomber Lariats. Ospreay showed how spectacular he can be by landing on his feet to stop a Burning Hammer and the Os-Cutter is a near-fall. Made In Japan to “The Aerial Assassin” is another near-fall! The Last Of The Dragon doesn’t connect on this night but the Hidden Blade does. The Stormbreaker hands Shingo his first loss.
Rating: *****
#1. GHC Heavyweight Championship: Kaito Kiyomiya (c) vs Takashi Sugiura, NOAH Misawa Memorial Show
Unforgettable and with all the heart of a legendary title defense, a perfect tribute to the iconic Mitsuharu Misawa. The young champion gets shoulder blocked into the barricade early and it’s a punishment from then on. A running knee, downed forearm blows, and an Angle Slam have Kiyomiya against the ropes. The champion manages to fight back with a headbutt an avalanche reverse DDT! A Tiger Suplex and Emerald Flowsion can’t end the challenger’s night! A second Emerald Flowsion is somehow also a long two-count on Suigura. Finally, it takes a knockout forearm like Misawa used to employ and second bridging Tiger Suplex to solidify Kiyomiya as the man in Pro Wrestling NOAH and taking top spot in our 20 Best Matches of June.
Rating: *****
