Best Matches of January

 #10 Saya Iida vs Chihiro Hashimoto 4.5 Sendai Girls 1/11

This is a very simple match concept executed perfectly. Two of the strongest workers currently in Joshi working a power for power match, laid out perfectly over a crisp 15 minutes. Hashimoto is one of the best big match wrestlers on planet earth at the moment, and this was another example. Iida held up her end of the match perfectly as well. She's turning into one of the better members of a loaded Stardom roster which is amazing to see. Just a fantastically worked match, by two fantastic workers. The German suplex Hashimoto hits in this match is the stuff of legend.

#9 TX8 Macuarro vs Leon Roja Periko 4.5 Zona 23 1/18

Lets start off this section by saying Macuarro might be the best babyface in wrestling and Zona is his playground. Genuinely you could try to convince me he is an eldritch being who just spawns in for Zona shows then leaves and I would believe you fully. There's just something about a wild Macuarro brawl where you feel he is on the verge of death, bleeding buckets, but he always finds a way to bring himself back from the edge of death. The way the crowd feeds off his energy and vice versa. These brawls are the stuff legends will be told about in decades to come. Beer bottles, random stuff they just find laying around as they batter the life out of each other in front of a small but red hot crowd. There are few words that can properly define a Macuarro match, beyond a conquering hero who looks anything but.

#8 El Satanico vs Solar 4.5 MaxProad CMLL 1/29

This is two maestros who have been wrestling longer than most people reading this have been alive, putting on an absolute clinic of both technical work as one would expect from Solar, and absolutely incredible punches and rudo work as one would expect from Satanico. It cannot be overstated the depth of experience that both men have, they could've half assed it but they went out there and gave the crowd every last thing they had left. It may have been slower and clunkier than it would have been 40 years ago when they both were in their primes. But there was an urgency by two men whose pride refused to let them bend the knee to time. Their pride kept them fighting more so Satanico then Solar that's all he has left is his pride and his experience. What a wealth of experience it is. One of my favorite things in wrestling is older wrestlers showing they still have something left, or even better, they don't have anything left, but their brain, but can still make it work. There is still some magic left in these old bones and am glad to see it every time.

#7 Nori Mirai vs Rin Miku Kanae 4.5 LLPW 1/7

Continuing the theme of Mirai's amazing first few weeks we have this incredible tag match. Miku Kanae has developed into a truly complete wrestler and Rin is out of retirement for a short while and absolutely delivered in this one. Nori was an especial early standout in tag action this year and this match was no exception. A cohesive well worked tag that was perfectly put together and more than justified its length. I especially enjoyed seeing Rin back in action and killing it. I loved this match truly, just amazing tag wrestling which is one of the best things in wrestling when done well.

#6 Blue Panther vs Ultimo Guerrero 4.5 CMLL 1/16

This pairing is a pairing that simply does not miss. UG is one of the best bases in wrestling history and Panther's connection with the crowd is the stuff of dreams. You truly believe that he does everything he humanly can to try and win, and his advanced age makes his selling all that more human. It often feels you are watching your granddad throw himself hither and yon with reckless abandon. The key to it all is that he constantly plays to the crowd, for everything makes sure its clear where his strength comes from. The people as traditional of a tecnico as there is today vs one of the true rudos in wrestling history making magic. Making a crowd wholeheartedly believe in a man in his late sixties is a type of magic that Panther has utterly perfected. Panther is one of the all time greats in the middle of one of his best runs in his late 60s and Ultimo Guerrero is the perfect dance partner for this point.

#5 Hiroyo Matsumoto vs Mirai 4.5 SEAdLINNNG 1/13

Let me first start by saying Hiroyo Matsumoto is one of the most underrated wrestlers of the last 2 decades, an unbelievably great wrestler who consistently falls between the cracks. Always delivers when called upon and this match is no different. First positive is they hit each other really fucking hard which is always a plus. Second off they do nasty limb work which is also always a plus. Third they throw insane lariats which again will never be a bad thing. Mirai does not have the power advantage but she throws everything she has into it and eventually it'll be enough especially when combined with Matsumoto's amazing selling. Just a fantastically worked match.

#4 Miu Watanabe vs Suzume 4.75 TJPW 1/4

Miu is truly one of the best ace figures currently wrestling today, a truly great power wrestler who has a unique connection with the crowd who uses it expertly here. Creating a magical power vs speed dynamic that is a delight to see in this match. Suzume worked from underneath terrifically here as Miu continued to be able to dominate a large majority of this match but every time Suzume would get moments of hope the crowd would explode. The crowd is once again a story within this match, being able to sustain that crowd at that peak for the entire match is one of the greatest things wrestlers can do and they did it magically.

#3 Risa Sera vs Suzu Suzuki 5 Prominence 1/12

This match was the absolute opposite in tone of Okada and Tana when it comes to retirement matches, this was a celebration of a career not a culmination in one last fight. This was Risa wrestling one of her best friends in a more light hearted affair, but do not let that idea fool you, they still went hard and they still gave it what they had. This was a celebration of a trailblazer in Risa Sera facing one of her best friends in wrestling and it's a joy filled, if not bittersweet match. Sera was basically forced to retire due to her knees giving out but she went out one last time and had a classic match. This is a match to say goodbye with and it did it perfectly. Once again wrestling is emotions and this one played on the emotions of the crowd and the wrestlers perfectly.

#2 Rina vs Konami 5 Stardom 1/21

Continues the trend of emotions creating wrestling perfection. Wrestling at its best is emotional and beautiful beyond words, wrestling that causes true emotion is one of the most beautiful things in the world. This match was everything that is beautiful but also ugly in wrestling; the stories cut short, and the ones who have to live on and tell those stories. Rina and Konami told a story rippled in pain of loss and trying to overcome it. Rina trying to win the big one at just 19 years old, trying to win it with the move of the loss that haunts Joshi as a whole to this day. The moment Rina hits the Tiger Lily is one of the great things you will see. The utter heartbreak the crowd experiences when Konami kicks out is one of the things that defies words. The crowd's whole mood changed in a moment - just beautiful professional wrestling.

#1 Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 5 NJPW 1/4

This was more than a goodbye to a legend, this was two men who were trying to pull the best versions of themselves out of each other. Okada was trying to tell Tana he doesn't have any fight left in his broken down body and Tana was trying to bring the Rainmaker out of a checked out Okada. They both fought with everything they had, Tana bringing out call backs of his rivals. Okada going full rain maker, this was not two old rivals reconnecting for one last respectful match to say goodbye. This was two titans of New Japan in front of a capacity crowd in the Tokyo Dome going to war one last time, not even father time would stop Tanahashi from delivering one final once in a century performance. Okada once again ascending to be the Rainmaker, a match built on emotions and history. A match that was the perfect way for the Ace to say good bye as a wrestler. Will end this by saying thank you to Hiroshi Tanahashi for all the amazing matches and moments over the last two decades.

This was the ten best matches of January which was a fantastic month for wrestling.

Regards EK.