Joseph Montecillo's Best of the Month (February 2023)
Joseph Montecillo's Best of the Month (February 2023)
Dream matches and interpromotional rivalries all in one month!
Honorable Mentions
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW 2/5/23)
Jacky “Funky” Kamei & Jason Lee vs. Kaito Nagano & Yoshiki Kato (Dragongate 2/11/23)
Astronauts vs. Strong BJ (BJW 2/13/23)
Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn (WWE 2/18/23)
Yuki Yoshioka & Madoka Kikuta vs. Jacky “Funky” Kamei & Jason Lee (Dragongate 2/21/23)
Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler YUTA (AEW 2/22/23)
Mistico, Soberano Jr, & El Desperado vs. Hechicero, Templario, & DOUKI (NJPW 2/26/23)
Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page (AEW 2/1/23)
Where their January bout was more of a straightforward slugfest, this introduces fun new wrinkles to the dynamic that expound on Moxley’s Road to promos leading to the match. Whereas Hangman sticks to his very explosive and straightforward strategy, Moxley moves through different ideas in an attempt to pick apart Hangman. Mox tries leg work, he tries choking Hanger out, and he throws hands just as well if not better than Hanger too.
Meanwhile, Hangman gets lost in the moment, reveling in spite for too long which gives Mox the opening for a simple victory. It’s not that Mox survived Hangman, more that he outfoxed Hangman and delivered on his promise—he had more ways than one to win.
Rating: ****1/4
Bryan Danielson vs. Timothy Thatcher (AEW 2/1/23)
It’s not everything it could be. I want these two riffing it out for half an hour in some darkened room with like 50 fans pressed up against the apron of the ring. But instead, we get this on TV, and because these two are as great as they are, it’s still a delight. It’s perhaps the most simplified form of this we could get: Bryan has a bad arm, Thatcher knows how to work an arm. Strip these two down to their most elemental forms, mug for the cameras a bit, and you’ve still got one of the better TV matches of the year—inopportune ref bump and interference aside.
Rating: ****
Darby Allin vs. Samoa Joe (AEW 2/1/23)
Darby death, man. Can’t top it. Easiest thing in the world to just have that man take grotesque bumps and eat shit. I wish I was more eloquent about this match’s qualities, but this isn’t a subtle thing. It’s Darby death cranked up to eleven. You know what this is about.
Rating: ****1/4
Astronauts vs. Crazy Lovers (BJW 2/8/23)
Even before the light tubes come out, this is already one of the most violent matches of the year. It’s the particular brand of violence that the Astronauts excel in as well—a casual, petty meanness that occasionally slips into humor. They make it work because even when things threaten to get funny or silly, they’re still just hitting so goddamn hard. There’s constant struggle in this, with a real sense of pride on the line as the teams try to advance the finals of the Saikyou Tag League. And then, as a little bonus, the light tubes do come out at the end.
Fuck yeah.
Rating: ****1/4
Bryan Danielson vs. Rush (AEW 2/8/23)
Even MJF on commentary couldn’t detract from how much this whipped ass. American Dragon might just be one of the most reckless, psychotic wrestlers in the world when it comes to both accepting and receiving violence and that’s on full display here. Getting busted up, slapped up, bumping to the floor, all the glorious Maniac Bryan trademarks are here. Rush is fantastic on offense, and his roughness is the perfect catalyst to really spark up those amazing Danielson comebacks that we love so much. Could watch these two run this back a dozen times over.
Rating: ****1/4
Adam Priest vs. Noah Hossman (TWE 2/11/23)
Between the talent involved and this happening in the TWE Arena, it felt like revisiting the best of Uncharted Territory again. The only difference is we get babyface ace Adam Priest in this, and this might just be his best babyface performance yet. His selling of the back damage that Hossman delivers elevates this from a fun TV-style main event to an incredibly well structured David vs. Goliath match. Roll tide, horns down.
Rating: ****
Eddie Kingston vs. Jay White (NJPW 2/18/23)
This match functions on two levels. On the one hand, it’s Eddie Kingston delivering one hell of a beating to pack up New Japan’s biggest villain of this decade. On the other, it’s Jay White standing to absorb his shots just long enough to leave him sympathetic enough for the post-match beatdown from David Finlay. While I would have preferred this match to focus more on the former, and leave Jay without his redemption, this still works best because it just whips. Eddie beats the living hell out of Jay, and even he can’t help but be impressed by how tough it is to put the man away by the end.
Rating: ****
KAIRI vs. Mercedes Mone (NJPW 2/18/23)
A perfect thing this is not. Ref bump was superfluous and some of the hand work doesn’t really go anywhere, but all in all, it’s still a great reintroduction to Mone and what she can bring in the ring. Most noteworthy might just be the real clean lucha stylings that she brings to the early half of the match. Definitely looking forward to seeing that side of her develop even more. But outside of that, there’s just a great big fight feel to this that pretty much delivered on what I wanted. A good first step to be sure.
Rating: ****
Arisa Nakajima vs. Mio Momono (Marvelous 2/21/23)
Secretly the best match from 2/21 about a generational ace snuffing out the hopes of a fiery young babyface. Arisa Nakajima, when given the space and opportunity to work, easily slots in as one of the best women’s wrestlers anywhere in the world. She’s at her best bullying those beneath here, which makes the firecracker Mio Momono such a great complement to her style. It’s a real fight out there with Mio desperately trying to weather the storm of Arisa’s brutality, and returning the beating in kind. It is frustrating that Marvelous doesn’t really let Mio build as much momentum as she needs, but against someone as great as Arisa, it’s at least easier to swallow.
Rating: ****
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH 2/21/23)
I think many people came into this hoping that they’d work towards the tone established in their build up tag: a vicious all out brawl. The opening moments told us all what kind of match this would be though, and honestly, that shouldn’t really have surprised too many people. A heated tag exchange is one thing, but when the bright lights are up, caution makes sense when there’s so much on the line.
That being said, even if it’s not a perfect form of this, it’s still the best Okada match in two years. Much like the Naito match in 2020, it’s because Okada plays a cocky, dismissive bully against a beloved babyface. This match is all about how Kiyomiya contrasts his opponent. He’s wrestling with passion to contrast Okada’s coolness, cleverness to contrast Okada’s assuredness. The arm work he attempts in the final stretch feels like a classic case of too little, too late, and that’s all before he gets suckered into repeating himself one too many times with the Shining Wizard.
Okada’s win is devastating and crushing, but that’s just the way of the world. Some people shoot their shot, and get punished for their hubris.
Rating: ****
Blue Panther vs. Virus (CMLL 2/24/23)
CMLL’s captured a lot of people’s attention in the last few months through its incredibly solid crop of young talent being pushed to the upper reaches of the card. But what rounds out the promotion are a strong foundation of veteran workers, none better than both Virus and Blue Panther. Panther’s a living legend at this point, whereas Virus continues to be one of the slickest mat workers in the game, and seeing them just riff for ten minutes is some of the most fun one can have in wrestling this year. Smooth mat work, an invested crowd, and even some cool bumps right at the end, they pack so much of what makes lucha great into this lightning match.
Rating: ****