1. The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever: Edge vs. Randy Orton (Backlash (6/14/20)
WWE’s main event formula for over a decade has been about throwing everything at the match – chain wrestling, table spots, no-selling, etc. Edge and Orton have delivered a mid-range version of that match for years. Here they entered the ring for a match promoted as The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, took it seriously, and delivered something great. That’s impressive with only employees in the crowd and it is more impressive with the dumbass tagline. Parts of it felt like the Road to WrestleMania mode in a video game, but more parts of it felt like a classic match. They traveled in approach from Boston to Budokan for 45 minutes and put on a show.
2. WWE Intercontinental Title Tournament – Final: Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles (SmackDown 6/12/20)
An exceptional half-hour match that didn’t lose me for a second, even in my early 30s stressed out father phase. Styles has lost many steps since coming to WWE, but these two trust each other and did all the good stuff when there’s no actual story beyond “competition”: aggressively trying to ground and tap each other early, interesting and unique limb work, complex signature move setups. They wrapped it up with call-backs, drama, and a straight-up clean finish. Great match with a crowd or without.
3. NXT North American Title: Keith Lee [c] vs. Johnny Gargano (TakeOver: In Your House 6/7/20)
Johnny Gargano works maybe five matches a year and there’s always a few moments where you just know Randy Orton is cringing, but the fella can go. This was the usually exciting TakeOver match with some extra inspired work from Gargano where he scrambled around and had to work hard for all his offense to look credible. The finish was as exciting as any babyface Johnny TakeOver match, with quality near falls that didn’t need a live crowd reacting to hit.
4. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair (RAW 6/8/20)
Charlotte vs. Asuka is a great pairing and both are MVP’s of the no-crowd era. This had all their hits, with painful-looking strikes and dramatic struggles for submission maneuvers. Charlotte threw approximately four awesome big boots here at all the right times. You can ignore the run-in at the end.
5. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett (TakeOver: In Your House 6/7/20)
This was an effective match. I love an effective match. Karrion Kross looked like a killer (hmm) and Ciampa got in just enough so that he came out looking badass despite basically being destroyed. It was also the rare TakeOver match that knew it had to be only five minutes and actually was.
6. NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament – Final: El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick (NXT 6/3/20)
Being a tournament final, Fantasma and Maverick got more in-ring time than they ever have in WWE and went full NXT main event including a couple wild sit-out powerbombs and some tremendous babyface selling from Drake.
7. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Tony Nese (205 Live 6/26/20)
These two got sent out to fill an entire half-hour episode of 205 Live and did real good. There was a lot of Swerve working his way back into armbars, a little bit of Nese offense, and a quality build to a quality finish. I wish Swerve really nailed his finish, but this is the rare modern 205 Live match worth checking out.
8. Matt Riddle vs. AJ Styles (SmackDown 6/19/20)
A quality debut match: great showcase of Matt Riddle’s wresting style, inspired leg work by AJ Styles, and a win that felt like a big deal. Everything surrounding it was terrible, but the wrestling was good.
9. Triple Threat Match – NXT Women’s Title: Charlotte Flair [c] vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai (TakeOver: In Your House 6/7/20)
I loved this just because it willed a very cynical me into enjoying a Triple Threat Match during COVID-WWE. That takes talent, I think. Charlotte and Ripley brought the physicality that has made their previous matches good, while Io got to let loose and was so so so good.
10. WWE Women’s Tag Team Title: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross [c] vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks (SmackDown 6/5/20)
A fine wrestling match that could have gone either way and played well with that as it came to a close. Was nice to see Bayley and Sasha have actual tag team matches this month.
Honorable Mentions: Lacey Evans vs. Sonya Deville (SmackDown 6/5/20), Aleister Black & Humberto Carrillo vs. Seth Rollins & Murphy (RAW 6/29/20), Ricochet w/ Cedric Alexander vs. Bobby Lashley w/ MVP (RAW 6/29/20), Finn Balor vs. Cameron Grimes (NXT 6/10/20), WWE Women’s Tag Team Title: Bayley & Sasha Banks [c] vs. Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart (NXT 6/17/20)
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus (Backlash 6/14/20), Drew Gulak vs. AJ Styles (SmackDown 6/5/20), Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair (RAW 6/1/20), Cedric Alexander vs. Shelton Benjamin (Main Event 6/3/20), The Viking Raiders vs. Andrade & Angel Garza w/ Zelina Vega (RAW 6/29/20), Triple Threat Match – NXT North American Title: Keith Lee [c] vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Balor (NXT 6/24/20)
