Oh man, this month was too good for the wrestling. Cruiserweight Classic skewed the hell out of everything. Too much good stuff. We’re going top 25 this time, people.
1. NXT Tag Team Title: The Revival [c] vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (NXT TakeOver: Brookyln II 8/20/16)
I’ve watched this thing three times and have come away with the thought that Scott Dawson’s performance in this match is one of the greatest ever. Whether he’s on the apron coaching Dash or yelling at the crowd, on offense looking like a man with a gameplan, selling a strike, adding to a slow moment by jaw jacking and talking shit…. the guy is just always on. This is a tight, logical, super fun tag match that’s brought to another level by great strikes and timing from Gargano/Ciampa, The Revival’s teamwork shtick, Gargano’s dramatic selling, and an absolutely wild finish. It was only a couple weeks ago, but I think this was one of my favorite tag matches ever.
2. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 1: Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa (CWC 8/3/16)
Gargano and Ciampa went from guys I was completely indifferent towards to having my two favorite matches on one of WWE’s best in-ring months ever. This has got to be one of the best 10-minute matches ever… polite grappling for a moment, and they go right at it and don’t stop until one guy is knocked down for good. Then they sit down in exhaustion and hold each other. WRESTLING IS REAL.
3. Roman Reigns vs. Rusev w/ Lana (RAW 8/15/16)
These two are HEAVYWEIGHTS. MEN. WARRIORS. This is like the highest level of a god damn Bruno Sammartino match. I’d assume they got told the SummerSlam match was getting cut short, so just go out and kill it. Reigns is really amazing here, as he feels like a broken man – returning after a suspension, shiner on his eye, selling everything huge. Everything’s so on point that the crowd is way into everything and with them the entire way, cheering Roman and booing Rusev. Rusev’s like one of the best in the world, both as a pure wrestler and a TV wrestler. Him basically crying when Reigns got to the ropes on the Accolade was phenomenal.
4. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Kota Ibushi vs. Cedric Alexander (CWC 8/10/16)
At one point in this match, the sound on Ibushi’s dropkick gets a standing ovation. They then cut to the crowd and they are just GIDDY. Oh wrestling. This match is so great. Kota Ibushi is just a superhuman of a man. And Cedric is a guy you want to root for. He’s outmatched by Ibushi, but he throws everything he can. Strikes, dives, insane finish. Jesus Christ. Bryan and Mauro’s best commentary performance too, getting over the possibility of a time limit draw and of course: “HE CHOPPED HIM IN THE FACE!”
5. Cruiserweight Classic – Quarter Final: Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi (CWC 8/31/16)
I’m writing this like three hours after I watched but I loved this match. You’ve got Kendrick as the desperate old man using every trick he can, Ibushi doing moonsaults in every direction, Kendrick working over Ibushi’s damaged neck, a crazy dramatic finish, and Daniel Bryan desperately rooting for Kendrick to the point of tears. Neckbreaker on the top turnbuckle!! Incredible stuff.
6. Cruiserweight Classic – Quarter Final: Gran Metalik vs. Akira Tozawa (CWC 8/31/16)
If I was JBL, I’d crow about how this is pro wrestling’s version of MMA (lucha vs. puro), pro wrestling’s version of the World Cup! What a fucking match this was. It’s got like four of the most beautiful tope’s I’ve ever seen – Metalik’s smooth gliding version, and Tozawa’s intense “I’m gonna elbow the fuck out of your face” one. This thing just kept building on itself … they did so much cool stuff, yet started light then fun then intense then straight fucking crazy. The struggle on the turnbuckle leading to the rana… oh man. So good. Sign everybody.
7. NXT Women’s Title: Asuka [c] vs. Bayley (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II 8/20/16)
Outside of Sasha/Bayley, the finest example of a WWE-produced women’s match having a big fight feel. I love that Asuka and Bayley had more of a Strong Style match than Nakamura and Joe. This just felt like a fight and struggle the entire time, with some insane strikes and an amped up crowd.
8. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (SummerSlam 8/21/16)
Sometimes I think, this was such a WWE main event match. The wrestling was good, it had drama, signature moves, near falls, a crazy spot or two – but it didn’t fully connect with me. I didn’t feel like this was the match AJ Styles and John Cena would wrestle. But then I also think about WWE throughout the years, and think – fuck, enjoy this while you have it. This was a very fun match with a crazy hot finish. I enjoyed myself.
9. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Johnny Gargano vs. TJ Perkins (CWC 8/24/16)
Johnny Gargano is wrestling’s Tom Hanks. The crowd’s shocked reaction to him tapping out was incredible. Love Johnny Wrestling. Great selling, crazy dive into the table leg-first. And TJP’s moves are just insane, like a revolving door of cool shit that all somehow makes sense.
10. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Tajiri vs. Gran Metalik (CWC 8/10/16)
This match is brought to you by New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors. Tajiri and Metalik here are just so damn solid. All wrestling matches should be like this. I don’t know if there was a blow-away moment here, but all the big spots were built to well and made sense, and the crowd was game for everything. Some of the most engaging matwork on WWE in forever followed by great flying by Metalik and crazy chops and kicks by Tajiri. No idea how this plays on the main roster, but fuck was it good.
11. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak (CWC 8/24/16)
This thing was nuts. Crazy grappling, submissions you never see on WWE TV, nasty strikes, big drama, tons of counters. The slap-off at the end is fucking insane. Wow.
12. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Rich Swann vs. Lince Dorado (CWC 8/24/16)
So much cool stuff. This is a kung-fu wrestling match. So many cool spots here, and they milk everything for maximum effect. Swann’s dropkick knocked my socks off.
13. WWE U.S. Title: Rusev [c] vs. Cesaro (RAW 8/8/16)
Another high-end Rusev match. Big drama, awesome slugfest, Rusev working over Cesaro’s hurt shoulder. The POP for Cesaro lifting Rusev out of the Accolade was incredible. This thing could’ve main evented MSG in the 70s and 80s for so many reasons.
14. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Akira Tozawa vs. Jack Gallagher (CWC 8/16/16)
Jack Gallagher is so charming but also a little bit of a dick. Akira Tozawa is all fired up and ready to fuck somebody up. And they have a match. It’s pretty awesome. A bunch of World of Sport stuff followed by some big intensity towards the end. Tremendous.
15. WWE Universal Title Qualifying Match: Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins (RAW 8/22/16)
Very fun TV match to open RAW. It’s right after the segment where Finn Balor forfeits the Universal Title due to injury, and they work it around teasing injuries, which is too sweet. There was Rollins going for the powerbomb on the outside that injured Balor at SummerSlam, Zayn doing the powerbomb from the top that injured Rollins last year, and of course Zayn’s genius selling of his leg being hurt – particularly the fighting out of the leglock, which was great stuff. I also enjoy how Zayn likes to randomly work as a power wrestler – big clothesline, Blue Thunder Bomb, etc. Good stuff.
16. Mojo Rawley vs. Samoa Joe (NXT 8/10/16)
Mojo Rawley has been low key awesome for the last month, and this is your highlight. This gets set up well with a passionate promo from Mojo, and then he and Joe just go out to the ring and fight. There is nothing fancy here; it is a brawl between two big dudes inside a professional wrestling ring. And it is amazing.
17. WWE Universal Title Qualifying Match: Roman Reigns vs. Chris Jericho (RAW 8/22/16)
Roman Reigns the Superworker has another really fun TV main event with Jericho. This is your standard WWE main event match and both of these guys are really good at that type of match. Jericho’s best performance in ages.
18. Best of 7 Series – Match #1: Cesaro vs. Sheamus (SummerSlam Kickoff 8/21/16)
These matches aren’t amazing anything, but they’re not supposed to be – there’s going to be 7 of the fucking things. Good, snug work and the finish is crazy.
19. Best of 7 Series – Match #2: Cesaro vs. Sheamus (RAW 8/29/16)
Basically the same thing as the above, but with a different finish – Cesaro taking a crazy back body drop into the new LED post leading to a Texas Cloverleaf tapout. Pretty awesome.
20. No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II 8/20/16)
Never imagined that this match would be an amazing TakeOver opener, but now we’re here. Aries looked great, taking big bumps all over the place for Jose’s offense, working over the neck in a half-interesting way to set up his finish, and eventually freaking out when Hideo Itami confronted him after the match. Jose was good here too … crowd booed him a little which sucks, but he has big charisma, hits hard, and sells well. Plus, his entrance here was gold.
21. WWE Universal Title: Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins (SummerSlam 8/21/16)
In the grand scheme of things, a disappointing match. A lot of what surrounded this match took away from it – the stupid Universal Title name, the crappy build, Balor debuting as the Demon the RAW before, the long show that proceeded, and of course the gross look of the title belt. Plus there’s the fact that Balor popped his shoulder out a few minutes in. They did what they could, but it also felt like they didn’t really adapt to the annoying crowd chanting stuff at the title belt. So they had a match. It was good. It was not great. And it probably should have been.
22. Cruiserweight Classic – Round 2: Brian Kendrick vs. Tony Nese (CWC 8/17/16)
Nese does some impressive stuff for a guy as beefy as he is, and Kendrick was the desperate geezer who can’t keep up with the kids. This is fun.
23. WWE Universal Title Qualifying Match: Neville vs. Kevin Owens (RAW 8/22/16)
These two have amazing chemistry; mild-mannered high-flyer against loud-mouthed fat guy is pro wrestling. And of course Owens takes and reacts to all of Neville’s stuff really well. Loved the pop-up powerbomb counter. Great TV match.
24. Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match – WWE Universal Title: Roman Reigns vs. Big Cass vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens (RAW 8/29/16)
This is a pretty fun match that will remembered more for the big time angle that ended it. It’s WWE 4-way main event match… some really cool stuff here and there, but designed more to make you go “this is awesome” than make you give a shit. It did get pretty damn fun once Cass left, even though I like Cass. And of course there’s the Big Time Angle for the finish.
25. Sami Zayn vs. Sheamus (RAW 8/15/16)
Very fun TV match – little Sami tries to go head-to-head with Sheamus. The brawling early on is fun, Sheamus just punching Sami’s knee to work over it is awesome, and stuff like Sheamus trying to punch his way out during the entire Blue Thunder Bomb setup is always appreciated. Good stuff the whole way through.
Honorable Mentions: Enzo & Big Cass vs. Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens (SummerSlam 8/21/16), WWE Universal Title Qualifying Match: Big Cass w/ Enzo Amore vs. Rusev w/ Lana (RAW 8/22/16), Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins (RAW 8/1/16), Cesaro vs. Sheamus (8/8/16), WWE U.S. Title: Rusev [c] w/ Lana vs. Mark Henry (RAW 8/1/16), Cesaro vs. Sheamus (RAW 8/1/16), If Dolph Loses, Bray Wyatt Becomes #1 Contender to the WWE Title: Dolph Ziggler vs. Bray Wyatt (SmackDown 8/2/16), Jack Gallagher vs. Fabian Aichner (CWC 8/3/16), Randy Orton vs. Alberto del Rio (SmackDown 8/9/16), Ember Moon (debut) vs. Billie Kay (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II 8/20/16), Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Bobby Roode (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II 8/20/16), NXT Title: Samoa Joe [c] vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II 8/20/16), Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss (SmackDown 8/23/16), Tye Dillinger vs. Wesley Blake (NXT 8/23/16)
