Rants and Ranks

2019 is now behind us, and it left behind a few bright spots in the world of WWE.   I watched almost all the programming-with the exception of NXT UK, but I did review the higher praised matches to make sure my list was as accurate as it could be.   As is the norm, I’m sure many will say, “what about this match?” or “why did you pick that one?”   And that’s totally cool.   It’s all subjective folks. Here’s my matches of the year for 2019 in chronological order.   1/15/19 and 1/22/19 Smackdown Live Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade (2/3 Falls on the 22 nd ) These matches had serious buzz around them due to the first ever Canadian Destroyer (pretty sure) Rey gave Andrade in a tag match on 8 th . (A good match in its own right.)   There have been variations of Sin Cara vs. Kalisto/Del Rio etc. matches over the years, but this felt different.   This felt like a lucha libre main event on WWE TV.   They kept these matches tight, with little t...

                Something weird was happening when I went back to school in August of ’98.   Every guy that I talked to (no lie, either they already were, or would be before the school year was over) was talking about wrestling.   Even some girls for that matter.   Everywhere I looked I saw nWo, DX or Austin 3:16 t-shirts.   Guys were constantly doing the crotch chop, or saying “give me a hell yeah!”   One kid even worked the latter phrase into a presentation he was giving in front of the 8 th period English class.   The crowd roared in approval.                   Initially I had no idea what any of this stuff was.   I asked my friend Josh Allen constantly about these various things because he was one of the main perpetrators of them.   After making fun of me for being dumb, he would tell...

It was quite the down year for the main roster in 2018.   Of the 23 matches, a whopping three were represented by them.   NXT however, had arguably it’s best year ever.   Meanwhile 205 Live continues to quietly be the second-best WWE show there is.   It’s shocking to me, and probably anyone else, that AJ Styles didn’t make this list.   (Daniel Bryan only made it once, but he also had a limited year.)   I thought AJ had a “good” year, but nothing that stood out.   His matches with Nakamura, while unfortunately got overhyped going in, were again “good.”   But just being “good” doesn’t make the list.   His matches with Samoa Joe were the same deal.   Good not great.     A special shout out to 205 Live for the same reason, but different intent.   The redheaded stepchild of WWE consistently delivered good matches this year.   Many of which just missed the cut here.   For example, the tournament to crown the ...