This was the best in-ring month for WWE of the entire year. It’s been a bad year, but still. Evolution, Super Show-Down, and the Mae Young Classic all brought the goods – plus NXT had a few great TV matches, Rey Mysterio is back, The Shield went out in style, Charlotte vs. Becky delivered in and out of the ring, and… Tony Nese.
AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan vs. The Usos happened twice this month and they both barely made this expanded list.
1. Mae Young Classic – Semi Final: Toni Storm vs. Meiko Satomura (MYC 10/24/18)
I went the full five on this – exciting, violent, credible wrestling with some all-timer near falls and a young gal being put over by a professional wrestling legend. Storm’s STF choke that she wouldn’t let go of was epic.
2. Last Woman Standing – SmackDown Women’s Title: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Charlotte Flair (Evolution 10/28/18)
An epic final (?) match in a great feud with all the intensity and hatred that feud created. They brought the hyper-speed wrestling early and then it just devolved into a chaotic brawl with big time selling and WWE’s trademark weapons used to their fullest. Crazy, fun, ugly, and an Actually Good Last Man Standing Finish.
3. NXT Women’s Title: Kairi Sane [c] vs. Shayna Baszler (Evolution 10/28/18)
These two have a perfect dynamic, both as wrestlers and characters, and the matches they have are always making the most of that dynamic. It doesn’t hurt that this feels like what it’d be like if Billy Robinson was regularly training women at the Performance Center. Awesome, intense match with two big time performances.
4. WWE Title: AJ Styles [c] vs. Daniel Bryan (SmackDown 10/30/18)
AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan got 30+ minutes to do their thing on live TV and it was awesome. Styles works Bryan’s leg and they do all kinds of crazy stuff – a suplex to the floor, a backflip DDT countered with a cravate, a double underhook suplex into a cross armbreaker into a YesLock into a Styles Clash into a Calf Crusher. Wrestling!!!
5. Triple Threat Match – NXT North American Title: Ricochet [c] vs. Pete Dunne vs. Adam Cole (NXT 10/10/18)
Absolute insanity and that it’s not #1 is really just down to my personal preferences. Triple Threat Matches are tough to make flow, but these boys flowed. They flowed the entire time. Ricochet does some all-timer stuff here and Full Sail was flipping out even more than usual for all the big spots and near falls.
6. The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre (RAW 10/8/18)
Could be the last great Shield 6-man: Roman sold big, Rollins and Ziggler killed it, Rollins sold big, Drew and Braun stared each other down, and everybody ran around for an awesome finish complete with a suplex over the top rope to the floor. And the Chicago crowd was there for EVERYTHING.
7. NXT Tag Team Title: The Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) [c] vs. War Raiders (NXT 10/17/18)
Great tag wrestling from the best team going – Roddy and O’Reilly stay on the War Raiders but bump HUGE for them when it’s time. War Raiders finally look like beasts in NXT too.
8. Nikki Cross vs. Bianca Belair (NXT 10/17/18)
Loved this – nobody ever felt like they had control as they just threw bombs at each other the entire time while the crowd ate everything up. Bianca Belair is so much fun to watch.
9. WWE Cruiserweight Title: Cedric Alexander [c] vs. Buddy Murphy (Super Show-Down 10/6/18)
Hometown Hero Buddy Murphy goes all out with Cedric Alexander for 10 minutes in a stadium. This match has one of the most insane tope con hilo’s I’ve ever seen.
10. Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Meiko Satomura vs. Mercedes Martinez (MYC 10/3/18)
Meiko was the star of the Mae Young Classic and here she and Mercedes Martinez beat the fuck out of each other. This has got hold-trading, shoot DDT’s, sweet kicks – it’s great.
11. SmackDown Tag Team Title: The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) w/ Big E [c] vs. The Bar (Super Show-Down 10/6/18)
The New Day vs. The Bar have mastered the simple, glorious tag team wrestling match. Here is them opening a show and bringing the house down with it.
12. RAW Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey [c] vs. Nikki Bella (Evolution 10/28/18)
Nikki Bella methodically working over Ronda Rousey isn’t my favorite, but Big Match Ronda had another great showing here and her comeback was beautiful including a kick that practically went through Nikki’s stomach. The crowd at the end sounds like Sumo Hall.
13. Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Mickie James & Alicia Fox w/ Alexa Bliss (Evolution 10/28/18)
Not the most finely executed wrestling match, but a tremendous one regardless. It was a WWE match laid out for maximum fun and it succeeded. Trish looked great, Alicia Fox did some incredible physical comedy, Mickie held things together, and Lita might’ve worked like an early 2000s Abdullah the Butcher but she got pops like him too.
14. No Countout & No DQ Match – WWE Title: AJ Styles [c] vs. Samoa Joe (Super Show-Down 10/6/18)
AJ and Joe finally do the big brawl their feud needed. AJ generally bumps really big and Joe hits really hard, but here AJ bumped REALLY big and Joe hit REALLY hard. Joe does all his classic moves and pulls off some gorgeous counters into the choke, while AJ tries to beat his thigh into mush.
15. Smackdown Women’s Title: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Charlotte Flair (Super Show-Down 10/6/18)
This felt like the prequel to the Last Woman Standing match, a straight wrestling match where they just started throwing shots right away and kept a great frantic pace. There are a bunch of awesome little moments here too, like Charlotte not taking any time in setting up the Figure-Eight and Becky bumping on her head off a spear.
16. RAW Tag Team Title: Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre [c] vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (RAW 10/22/18)
This is the match these guys do and have done a lot of lately, but it’s a really good match. Plus this will probably be the last ever with this dynamic. There’s a classic hot tag build, cool tag sequences from Seth and Dean, and an incredible back-and-forth finish with all their big stuff used well.
17. Mae Young Classic – Final: Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai (Evolution 10/28/18)
Toni and Io hit the big time and not everything hits but what does is awesome. Plus towards the end they just do a bunch of crazy spots. Io continues to come off like a magic person.
18. Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz (SmackDown 10/23/18)
Rey Mysterio is back and looking awesome and The Miz is a very good opponent to remind everybody of that awesome.
19. SmackDown Tag Team Title: The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) w/ Kofi Kingston [c] vs. The Bar (SmackDown 10/16/18)
A solid match that turns into a banger of a match, as these guys always do. Plus a random Big Show run-in.
20. Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Toni Storm vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto (MYC 10/3/18)
Matsumoto brings the pain and Storm brings the crowd giving a shit – it’s a nice dynamic. This has got credible holds, a sweet missile dropkick from Matsumoto, and an awesome slap exchange. It’s very good.
21. WWE U.K. Title: Pete Dunne [c] vs. Noam Dar (NXT UK 10/17/18)
This is a strong, heated Pete Dunne defense with Noam Dar looking credible for the first time in his WWE run.
22. WWE World Cup Tournament Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (SmackDown 10/16/18)
This was a Dream Match before that term got corrupted – it wasn’t two similar guys doing matwork and building to signature moves and near falls, but two legitimate superstars who might be a styles clash meeting for the first time and doing some really cool stuff together.
23. Daniel Bryan vs. Shelton Benjamin (SmackDown 10/2/18)
Shelty B and Danny B are working a TV match, baby – rib work, cut-offs, Bryan selling. All while The Miz is ranting on commentary!
24. Mae Young Classic – Quarter Final: Io Shirai vs. Deonna Purrazzo (MYC 10/17/18)
Deonna can go, her combos are a trip, she sells big, and her fired up comebacks are awesome. Io meanwhile is other-worldly: the front flip out of the headscissors, the tope, the charisma – magic. Just bunches and bunches of fun professional wrestling right here.
25. Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre (RAW 10/1/18)
Watch Rollins do that thing where he moves like a superhuman and Drew do that thing where he is just a freak of a performer – keeps up with everything, bumps and sells big, throws hard shots. The backbreaker on the apron, Rollins’ core strength front cradle, and the Rollins bump on the Claymore are all wild spots.
26. If Becky Lynch is DQ’d, She Loses the Title – SmackDown Women’s Title: Becky Lynch [c] vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown 10/9/18)
Some of this match is a little ugly but their Greatest Hits early are fun and once they move to the finish things get wild.
27. Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese (205 Live 10/10/18)
Let the Tony Nese Revolution begin. That bodyscissors he does is eternally sleep-inducing, but there is all kinds of cool stuff here and the finish is awesome with a bunch of sweet counters and near falls.
28. Mustafa Ali vs. Tony Nese (205 Live 10/31/8)
The Tony Nese Revolution continues. They do a lot of cool hyper-speed wrestling sequences and counters here and keep it grounded with Nese going after Ali’s midsection, which led to a nice nasty finish – I am a mark for bandages being ripped off a guy. Awesome superkick combo by Ali somewhere in there too.
29. Danny Burch vs. Sam Gradwell (NXT UK 10/31/18)
Just a strike-filled sprint between two tall boys, this is awesome.
30. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Raul Mendoza & Humberto Carrillo (NXT 10/31/18)
Raul Mendoza & Humberto Carrillo debut as a tag team and rule, especially Humberto who busts out a HUGE springboard armdrag and takes the most incredible bump when Oney blocks his moonsault.
31. Mixed Match Challenge: Fenomenal Flair (AJ Styles & Charlotte Flair) vs. Ravishing Rusev Day (Rusev & Lana) (MMC 10/30/18)
These four not only completely lean into the non-canon pointlessness of the Mixed Match Challenge, but go beyond it into some other dimension. Witness Charlotte and Lana crack each other up when Lana chops Charlotte’s tit a little too hard.
32. Kassius Ohno vs. Justin Xavier (NXT 10/24/18)
Ohno hits his opponent really hard and busts his mouth open. Good wrestling.
33. Johnny Gargano vs. Tony Nese (NXT 10/3/18)
Johnny Wrestling actually wrestles and Nese hits all his spots in front of a crowd that is actually impressed. The tilt-a-whirl Gargano Escape and the crowd actually buying Nese’s 450 splash near fall are both very nice moments.
34. The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre (RAW 10/15/18)
This is a lot like the 6-man earlier on this list but with more bickering and less heat. The shrieks as Ambrose kicked out of the Zig Zag at the end are awesome though.
35. Mae Young Classic – Semi Final: Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley (MYC 10/24/18)
Pretty basic stuff that was still pretty good. Io is fun to watch and Rhea doesn’t feel ready yet sometimes but then she randomly does something awesome like that bump on her head off of Io’s missile dropkick and I am into it.
36. Falls Count Anywhere: Mustafa Ali vs. Hideo Itami (205 Live 10/24/18)
Love these two, but it was a pretty standard WWE gimmick match. There are some incredible spots like the tornado DDT off propped up steps and a 450 splash to the outside through a table, but it doesn’t feel like there’s anything new here and it’s hard to buy any match where Itami is yelling about respect.
37. AJ Styles vs. Shelton Benjamin (SmackDown 10/9/18)
Not amazing but a fun pairing. Plus Benjamin throws a wild knee.
38. Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler (RAW 10/1/18)
This is a lot of Reigns fighting out of a chinlock, but man do they get the crowd biting on the last few minutes.
39. Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (SmackDown 10/23/18)
A fine house show main event with a fine sadistic Randy Orton beatdown and Jeff Hardy being a fine gentleman and doing a fine Swanton Bomb off the ring apron onto the floor.
40. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. The Revival (Main Event 10/24/18)
They cut The Revival beatdown but this was a pretty quality tag in that it felt like the most “Revival” match in a while: they got out-wrestled then came back with some double teams. Lots of cool complex multi-person sequences too.
41. AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan vs. The Usos (SmackDown 10/23/18)
42. AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan vs. The Usos (SmackDown 10/16/18)
Both these matches are simply incredible in that they actually happened. They both have fun wrestling from fun wrestlers – neither is the banger you want but they’re still pretty cool.
43. Akira Tozawa vs. Jack Gallagher w/ Brian Kendrick and Drew Gulak (205 Live 10/3/18)
A fine if not quiet matchup that got some time. Tozawa’s signature spots remain beautiful.
44. Lince Dorado vs. Lio Rush (205 Live 10/10/18)
More fine wrestling – holds, ropes, dives. They went long and it didn’t all work but what did was fun.
45. WWE World Cup Tournament Qualifying Match: Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre w/ Dolph Ziggler (RAW 10/15/18)
A solid match with some impressive bits wrapped in a package of who-cares.
46. Mae Young Classic – Quarter Final: Toni Storm vs. Mia Yim (MYC 10/17/18)
I dug what they were trying, but didn’t really get into this until they started slapping each other in the face 10 minutes in. These guys brought an aura of wanting to desperately end each other, but the build to that aura was that infamous word only a wrestling review guy would use: “disjointed.”
47. Tyler Breeze vs. Mojo Rawley (Main Event 10/3/18)
A weirdly good Main Event match. The first half was the usual, but towards the end Mojo went for the Pounce and Breeze countered with a sweet leg takedown into a half crab and the crowd was like, “Let’s do this” and totally bought their finish.
48. Mae Young Classic – Quarter Final: Meiko Satomura vs. Lacey Lane (MYC 10/17/18)
I don’t understand Lacey Lane being pushed as superhuman, but this had its moments. And aren’t the moments what it’s all about? Meiko is very cool to watch in this WWE tournament format.
49. Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton & The Miz (SmackDown 10/30/18)
An ultra-basic tag match but Rey looks amazing.
50. Matt Riddle (debut) vs. Luke Menzies (NXT 10/31/18)
And so begins the Journey of Matt Riddle.
Honorable Mentions: Ronda Rousey w/ The Bella Twins vs. Ruby Riott w/ Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan (RAW 10/11/18), Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Kacy Catanzaro vs. Rhea Ripley (MYC 10/3/18), Shayna Baszler vs. Britt Baker (NXT 10/17/18), Last Time Ever: Triple H w/ Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker w/ Kane (Super Show-Down 10/6/18)
Noam Dar vs. Zack Gibson (NXT UK 10/31/18), Mixed Match Challenge: B’N’B (Finn Balor & Bayley) vs. Mahalicia (Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox) w/ Sunil Singh (MMC 10/2/18), Asuka w/ Naomi vs. Peyton Royce w/ Billie Kay (SmackDown 10/2/18), Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Tian Bing & Rocky (NXT 10/17/18)
