Andrew’s Top 10 Wrestling Matches of 2023 (So Far)

Before We Begin…

We are halfway through 2023, and it’s safe to say that there hasn’t been a dull month in professional wrestling this year. Amidst the on-going power struggle in Stamford, the backstage saga going on in Duvall, and the ever-rotating forbidden door being broken down in Japan, the sheer quality of matches that wrestling fans are getting on a weekly basis this year is unparalleled. It’s almost too difficult to try and squeeze ten matches into a list already, and we still have another six months of bangers potentially lined up. With that being said, I’m gonna do my best to try and rank what I think are the best matches in 2023 thus far, but first…

Honorable Mentions

Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley (WWE Wrestlemania 39)

Well this match overdelivered, especially when you take into account the (for the most part) lack of a build this feud had to deal with. When the lights shined brightest, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley went out there and did what they did best: beat the living hell out of each other. From start to finish, these two got at it and pulled no punches (open-fist, of course). This match really kicked into another gear towards the second half, with multiple near-falls where even I believed this would be another successful defense for the Queen.

After battering the challenger down, and looking to put Ripley away, The Judgment Day enforcer was able to slip out of Flair’s top rope offense, driving the champion face-first into the ring post. With Flair down for the count, Ripley was able to hit a monstrous Riptide off of the top rope to clinch the victory, and secure her place atop the women’s division.

Dijak vs. Ilja Dragunov (NXT Battleground)

This was one of the most physical matches in NXT history, and when you look at the names involved, it’s easy to see why. Dijak and international powerhouse Ilja Dragunov (EEL-jah, Andrew… EEL-jah) beat the brakes off of each other in a brutal Last Man Standing match that saw the latter draw blood from his chin and get dumped on his neck one-too-many times for my liking and comfort, but I digress.

Dijak was an unstoppable force, taking everything that the Moscow-born superstar threw at him (even himself on multiple occasions). In the end, with the assist from a steel chair, Dragunov was able to keep Dijak down for the ten-count in one of the black-and-gold brand’s premiere encounters of the year, on a premiere revival year for the brand.

House of Black vs. The Elite (AEW Revolution 2023)

This is trios wrestling at its absolute finest right here, with a sprinkle of PWG shenanigans and strong-style brutality. By March, the Elite had overcome injuries, backstage drama, and a wonderful best of seven series with the Death Triangle over the AEW World Trios Championships (more on that to come). With both on and-off-screen feuds behind them, the All Elite cornerstones faced a threat to their titles unlike one they had ever faced: The House of Black. The ominous trio, flanked by Julia Hart, were mowing through the trios division upon an early-2023 creative revival (thank you for using them on your television program, Tony).

With gold in their sights, The House laid down their challenge for Revolution. What followed was 20-plus minutes of nonstop action, hot tags, and the first-time face-off between faction leaders Kenny Omega and Malakai Black. A gnarly mid-air knee from Buddy Matthews halted Nick Jackson’s 450 splash, and soon after the House of Black were able to capture trios gold and turn the division on its head.

#10 – Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes (WWE Wrestlemania 39, Night Two)

This match would be at the top of the list had the right guy won, but the story must go on! In all seriousness, aside from the finish, what more could you really ask for? The two top guys, in the main event of Wrestlemania, going at it to see who is the best. On one end, you have the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, the Head of the Table, looking to reach 1,000 days as WWE Undisputed Universal Champion, with nobody in his path to stop him.

Enter Cody Rhodes. The prodigal son is back after years of reinventing himself and building himself into an undeniable main event talent. If you’ve been listening to the podcast, you’d be shocked to hear me praising Cody like I do now. Rhodes has spent every day since leaving WWE preparing himself for this moment, racking up an all-timer trilogy with Seth Rollins and a Royal Rumble victory to secure his spot in the main event. More importantly, to achieve something his late great father Dusty Rhodes never accomplished: winning the WWE Championship.

The aura, the crowd investment into all of Rhodes’ offense and resiliency against Reigns, and Paul Heyman’s incessant shouting all add to the greatness that this match brought.

Annnnnd Solo Sikoa’s here now. Samoan Spike, spear, pin. Wait… what the–?

#9 – The Elite vs. The Death Triangle (AEW Dynamite, January 11)

This match told me that we were in for one hell of a year for wrestling. Much like Bryan Danielson and Hangman Page opened All Elite Wrestling’s 2022, Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, PAC and the Lucha Brothers put on a car crash of a clinic to ring in the new year for AEW in 2023. I can’t really do this match justice in words, you have to see it progress in order to really absorb all of the “blink and you’ll miss it” chaos that this match entails.

Let’s just say they put all six of their bodies on the line in order to break the 3-3 tie and determine dominance atop the AEW trios division. After nearly four months of exile and a 3-1 deficit to the Death Triangle, the Elite were able to book themselves to wi– I mean, overcome the odds and capture their second AEW trios championships.

#8 – Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Elimination Chamber)

If you could capture lightning in a bottle, this match just might be the closest thing in wrestling that you can get to it. In terms of raw emotion alone, this takes the top spot on that list, even over its successor in Reigns/Rhodes at Wrestlemania. You could even argue that this was the fans’ main event of Wrestlemania.

After shocking the world and turning his back on Roman Reigns (to one of the biggest pops I’ve ever watched), Sami Zayn was white hot in early 2023. His arc in The Bloodline, from reluctant acceptance to his cathartic exit, had made him arguably WWE’s biggest babyface. This match further proves that point, with Zayn’s hometown Montreal crowd buying hook, line and sinker into every near-fall that almost saw Zayn dethrone the Tribal Chief.

Much like a lot of Roman’s reign, a little help from Jimmy Uso (and a reluctant Jey) saw Reigns successfully defend the Undisputed Championship in what I feel is his best title defense to date.

#7 – Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada (AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door)

Did you know this entrance probably cost Tony Khan a couple hundred thousand dollars? All that for Foreigner–I mean, Europe… What’s the difference?

Oh boy, where to even start with this one. A dream match that had been floating around the IWC for years. One man, regarded as the greatest wrestler in the world, who’s career was cut short due to injury and was forced to retire on top. Opposite him was someone, who overseas, established themselves as a franchise player for their promotion. While Bryan Danielson found himself mentally and physically again, Kazuchika Okada was dominating professional wrestling in the eastern hemisphere. Once Danielson was cleared, and once he found his wings in AEW, it was only a matter of when this dream match would come to fruition.

Come Forbidden Door 2023, Danielson had thrown down the gauntlet. He wanted to find out who truly was the best professional wrestler in the world. For over 20 minutes, Danielson and Okada busted out the greatest hits, hurling their offensive arsenals at one another (to the delight of the fans in Toronto and watching worldwide). A late elbow drop from Okada saw the Rainmaker land square on Danielson’s arm, which we later learned to be a fracture.

Bryan Danielson wrestled the last ten minutes of this match with one arm. Let’s read that again shall we.

Bryan Danielson wrestled the last ten minutes of this match with one arm. AND tapped him out!

Had this injury not have occurred, it definitely would’ve cracked my top five, maybe even top three. Regardless of circumstances and lofty expectations, Danielson and Okada more than thrived in the main event spot of this show. This match was the bee’s knees, the cat’s ass, whatever you wanna call it. Just sit back, relax, and watch two of the greatest of all time duke it out.

#6 – MJF vs. Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Jungle Boy (AEW Double or Nothing)

Speaking of matches with lackluster builds and over-delivered payoffs (see Flair/Ripley above) this match was a weird one to gauge heading into it. The initial four pillars promo was great! Everyone got to bash MJF, talk about how much this company meant to them, it was fine! Then, for some reason the title match was going to be one-on-one– until it wasn’t. In the most convoluted series of events, featuring a weird eliminator tournament and a set of tag team matches, Tony Khan’s prescription got us to Double or Nothing one way or another. Then, it was up to the four young talent to go out there and steal the show, and oh did they ever.

In the semi-main event of Double or Nothing, the four competitors lived up to their pillar monikers, picking up the pace through a flurry of shine, offense and excellently-executed encounters. This one definitely picks up after a little bit, but once it gets going it does not slow down. Everyone got a good amount of spotlight in this match, primarily the comedy bits with MJF pleading against his challengers to not whoop his candy ass.

The match kicks into an entirely different gear when all four competitors bust out their mentors’ moves. Darby hits a Scorpion Death Drop, Guevara lands a Codebreaker, Jungleboy levels the field with a Killswitch before MJF nails Perry with a Cross Rhodes for a near two. Great stuff, just really good shit there, pal.

If you love multi-man matches and fast-paced action, this match is just for you. Did somebody say multi-man title defenses?

#5 – Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (WWE Wrestlemania 39, Night Two)

Big meaty men smackin’ meat.

There’s the one sentence I would use to describe this match. Give it all of the stars, Dave. Five isn’t enough, and I’m serious. Eh, screw it. Like his ratings matter.

ANYWAY! If there’s one sure-fire candidate for WWE MVP in 2023 (maybe a future blog?), it’s the Intercontinental Champion, Gunther. The man does not put on a bad match. Hell, the man doesn’t even just put on a good match. Every single time the Austrian-born leader of Imperium steps into the ring, it really does become his. From bell to bell, name me one more consistent wrestler than Gunther… you can’t! His historic reign alone elevates an already incredible match featuring veterans Drew McIntyre and Sheamus, who has never held the Intercontinental Championship.

In an absolute barn-burner of a match, placed in the middle of night two of Wrestlemania, these three Europeans showed wrestling fans why some of the best wrestling exports come from across the pond (some of the biggest pieces of shit too, but not these three).

Sheamus almost has the thing damn-near won at one point, up until he and McIntyre couldn’t let cooler heads prevail between them. After beating the snot out of each other and trying to capitalize on a downed champion, ultimately Gunther powers his way to another successful defense in one of the best finishes I’ve seen all year.

Fun fact: Gunther vs. Sheamus from WWE Clash at the Castle was my match of the year last year! You can hear me talk about it and watch along with us down below 🙂

#4 – Jon Moxley vs. “Hangman” Adam Page (AEW Revolution)

Get used to seeing AEW Revolution and Wrestlemania 39 on this list, cause those are the best two shows of the year thus far (editor’s note: Money in the Bank 2023 would like to have a word).

2023 has been a very interesting year for All Elite Wrestling. CM Punk returned to the company, one of their founders main-evented Wrestlemania this year, they’ve got a really bloated roster; yet, none of that has stopped them from showcasing their top stars better when the lights are the brightest.

Jon Moxley put “Hangman” Adam Page out for three months with a scary-looking lariat, and an even scarier landing by Page that saw him suffer a concussion from the inconclusive title bout. While Hangman recovered, Moxley had lost his AEW World Championship at Full Gear to MJF (with the help of a certain man’s man and some brass knuckles). Yet, Moxley didn’t have to wait long until his next challenge arose.

Hangman returned in late 2022, immediately set his sights on revenge against Moxley and there you have it: a catalyst to the best feud in wrestling this year. The two traded victories in solid matches on Dynamite over the next two months, until finally one man had to be put down for good.

The two settled the score at AEW Revolution in March, battling for nearly a half-an-hour in the best American televised death match I’ve ever seen (not including someone named Raven Havok, love ya buddy). Thirty minutes of absolute brutality, where neither man left the same they had entered. Hangman, fittingly, was able to make Moxley submit with a rope-assisted attempt to choke Moxley with a dog collar; thus, setting off the future Blackpool Combat Club heel turn and red-hot feud with the Elite that has played out through the summer of 2023.

#3 – MJF vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW Revolution)

When MJF said he was about to put on the greatest Iron Man match of all time, he wasn’t kidding.

He and Bryan Danielson did just that, going for over an hour into an overtime period, all while telling a 60-minute story in and around the ring in front of those at Revolution. Regardless of how you feel about MJF, his style, or his reign on top of AEW, you cannot deny that when push comes to shove, the man knows how to make you feel. Pair that with one of the greatest wrestlers of our generation–if not of all time–to the mix, and you’re in for a sure-fire great time watching professional wrestling.

Danielson takes a beating in this match, with a couple of too close for comfort landings on his neck (we know the history there), table spots and a dramatic sequence in the final seconds as he valiantly tries to get the champion to tap while tied 3-3. Alas, the clock would run out, and we were headed to over time.

Already 60 minutes into the action, the match would reset and both men would try to pull out all of the stops to try and score the sudden-death fall. In the end, MJF would ultimately make Danielson tap out to his own hold, the LaBell Lock, and shush the naysayers who thought he couldn’t hang with, let alone defeat the American Dragon and retain his AEW World Championship.

#2 – The Usos vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (WWE Wrestlemania 39, Night One)

Perhaps one of, if not the best tag team match in WWE history, dare I say it? Either way, there is no denying that a tag team main event of Wrestlemania was long overdue. There just wasn’t the talent or story at the right place and time to support the magnitude of that match, at least until The Bloodline story became the best thing in wrestling this side of the 2000s. We already covered Sami Zayn’s exile from the island of relevancy, but his reunion with frienemy Kevin Owens in the aftermath of the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber was the icing on the cake that is the ending to Sami’s story heading into Wrestlemania.

This match was a love letter to tag team wrestling, as you could see from the PWG logo stitched onto the challengers’ gear. The Usos are arguably the best tag team in WWE history, and this match showcased why. Much like in AEW with MJF, The Bloodline have the ability to make you feel something when you watch wrestling, and that’s just as important as any move you can do in the ring. Combine that with the popularity of Zayn and Owens, who have firmly established themselves as reliable big-match competitors for the fed, and you get exactly what you paid for when you sign up to watch a Wrestlemania main event.

P.S.: Is this the most feel-good win in Wrestlemania history? (not including the obvious Daniel Bryan and Kofimania moments of course)

And now, the moment you all have been scrolling for. The best match of 2023 so far is…

#1 – Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay I & II (NJPW WrestleKingdom 17, AEW Forbidden Door)

Alright, alright, I know I’m cheating here by putting two matches featuring the same two competitors. To be fair, it was reaaaaaaally hard to choose which one of these is the better match. Very rarely do you get instances where a match’s sequel will successfully build off of the original match and hold up just as well, but Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay did just that, managing to put on two match of the year candidates in the span of six months.

What the tiebreaker comes down to (if I have to pick one) is the finish. In Omega/Ospreay I at WrestleKingdom, you get Kenny Omega obliterating Ospreay and eliminating ALL of his offense, picking off the then-champion’s arsenal one head through a table at a time. Ospreay still is able to show some almost babyface-like defiance in the face of Omega, who’s ready to shoot to kill. A One-Winged Angel and 35 minutes later, Kenny Omega would win the IWGP United States Championship for a second time. Now that’s a badass finish.

The second match, this time taking place at Forbidden Door in June, all of the action and intensity from the first bout was match, if not turned up a notch even further (see that scary-looking Tiger Driver 91 spot towards the end). What took me out of this match more was Don Callis.

Look, LOOK. I love Don Callis, both as a character and a commentator, but when the referee kicks you out and you show up with no consequences–all because you are used as a plot device? That kinda takes me out of the action. Granted, it furthered the story with Omega and Callis, and Kenny’s kickout of Ospreay’s One-Winged Angel at one is an all-time moment; but, in my eyes that keeps it from beating out the January original because it took a little shine away from two of the best wrestlers in the world.

That being said, it was hard to only pick one of their matches, and with an inevitable third encounter hopefully happening sooner rather than later, I’m sure that the ending to their trilogy will sit right next to these two matches atop my Match of the Year list in six months (famous last words).