As often is the case with the Thunderdome, it was the most serious wrestling that stood out this month.
1. WWE Universal Title: Roman Reigns [c] w/ Paul Heyman vs. Daniel Bryan (Fastlane 3/21/21)
Daniel Bryan is smart and good and has lots of heart; Roman Reigns is big and mean and a punk ass bitch. This is phenomenal pro wrestling. Roman puts something extra on every movement: extra power on a side headlock takeover, extra humiliation in his eyes when he’s out-wrestled, extra the anger delivering a snap suplex. Bryan provides a credibility and trust that he’s not only trying to beat Roman Reigns but has the answer to do it. Keep the song simple, so you can perfect the beats you’re playing. Then when you’re really good at playing, you can perfect the song.
2. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (RAW 3/1/21)
Basically a passive aggressive wrestling match by two guys not getting the WrestleMania match they may have been building to, a match where they just beat the shit out of each other for 25 minutes to open RAW. Well-paced, hard-hitting, as exciting as any wrestling match in recent memory. So good it made it seem like there was an actual crowd.
3. No Holds Barred: Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (Fastlane 3/21/21)
4. No DQ Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (RAW 3/8/21)
Drew and Sheamus didn’t reach the heights of the first match when they added in gimmicks, but it’s still like Regal vs. Finlay with more bumps into electronics. This is another pair of quality, hard-hitting matches.
5. NXT UK Women’s Title: Kay Lee Ray [c] vs. Meiko Satomura (NXT UK 3/4/21)
You can watch plenty of wrestling these days but not much will be better than any random Meiko Satomura match, let alone a championship match with Kay Lee Ray who is low key the best champ in WWE despite only appearing every other month. Witness how after All of This, Meiko just smoothly and logically hits a Code Red in the closing stretch.
6. No DQ Match: Ilja Dragunov vs. Sam Gradwell (NXT UK 3/25/21)
7. Ilja Dragunov vs. Sam Gradwell (NXT UK 3/4/21)
Sam Gradwell was a great opponent for post-WALTER Dragunov, an entertaining character who can get physical in that squared circle. These matches are like Drew/Sheamus Jr, well-paced and credible-looking competition that just has to hurt.
8. Finn Balor vs. Roderick Strong (NXT 3/3/21)
There’s a hundred better scenarios this match could take place in, but it was still rock solid work that did all the things a good wrestling match should.
9. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins (Fastlane 3/21/21)
Same here, though maybe a little slower.
10. Mansoor vs. Curt Stallion (205 Live 3/5/21)
Need to see these guys before a crowd, but it’s worth checking out this young lions match from the forgotten (probably for good reason) 205 Live.
Honorable Mentions: SmackDown Women’s Title: Sasha Banks [c] vs. Nia Jax w/ Shayna Baszler (SmackDown 3/19/21), NXT Women’s Title: Io Shirai [c] vs. Toni Storm (NXT 3/10/21), Riddle vs. Sheamus (RAW 3/29/21), Lumberjack Match – WWE Title: The Miz [c] w/ John Morrison vs. Bobby Lashley w/ MVP (RAW 3/1/21), WWE Title: Bobby Lashley [c] w/ MVP vs. The Miz w/ John Morrison (RAW 3/8/21), Gauntlet Eliminator Qualifying Battle Royal (NXT 3/31/21)
Steel Cage Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso w/ Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman (SmackDown 3/5/21), RAW Tag Team Title: Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander [c] w/ MVP vs. Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods (RAW 3/15/21), Roderick Strong vs. Cameron Grimes (NXT 3/31/21), Jake Atlas vs. Pete Dunne (NXT 3/10/21), Gran Metalik vs. Angel Garza (Main Event 3/24/21)
