We are in the final part of this list, the cream of the crop. Every match below is absolute must see stuff. So go and watch them.
20. Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho (IWGP US Title, No DQ) - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
I went into this match with some pretty solid reservations, especially given how much the excellent build had raised expectations, but I needn't have worried as they put on a match that was above what anyone could have expected. They used the stipulation well but it was the character work that shone brightest here. Omega was as great as he always is but it was Jericho that stole the show, playing the heel in a way that we haven't seen from him in years. It was the best Jericho has looked since his feud with Shawn Michaels in 2008, and the match itself will be remembered for time to come. Little did we know this was a sort of genesis for a change in the wrestling industry.
19. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada - NJPW G1 Climax Night 17
If you have seen any of the matches that these two have had against each other, and there are many, then you know that it is near impossible for them to put on a bad match. They have an uncanny knack of putting together matches that build gradually throughout until they are something truly special. This was that. Watch it.
18. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada - NJPW Destruction In Kobe
Here we go again. Much like the previous entry, these two put together a match that was another notch in what must be considered the best feud in wrestling history, at least from a consistent match quality standpoint. By this point you should know the score here, they had another wonderful match that looked as effortless as usual. This match also featured a stunning post match incident where Gedo turned on Okada and sided with Jay White, who destroyed both men.
17. Golden Lovers vs Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay - NJPW Road To Tokyo Dome 15th December
Well, I wasn't expecting a match of this quality on a Road To match but here we are. This was almost the best tag match that took place all year and may well have ended up being better than both of the Wrestle Kingdom matches that it was hyping up. The whole match was a masterpiece in both tag wrestling and the use of one match to build another. The look on Ibushi's face when Ospreay flips out of the hurricanrana is absolutely priceless too. The last truly spectacular match of 2018.
16. 'Bad Bones' John Klinger vs WALTER vs Ilja Dragunov (wXw Title) - wXw 16 Carat Gold Day 2
From the minute that WALTER announced that this match was going to be a triple threat, and the third man turned out to be a returning Dragunov, this was always going to be a special match. The atmosphere was off the charts in the Turbinenhalle and they lost their collective minds when Dragunov picked up the win. This was a superb example of all of the elements clicking at the same time to deliver something truly special. You should definitely go out of your way to watch this match.
15. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (IWGP Title) - NJPW Dontaku Night 2
The third iteration of this match to make the top 20. Every one of their matches delivers, plain and simple. While the actual in-ring work may have been a little bit below some of their other matches, they made up for that with the quality of the story they told. This was the match that gave Okada the record for most title defenses, a record he took off Tanahashi, and the crowd made this match feel special. It speaks to the generational ability of both men that this match isn't even out of the ordinary, it is sort of expected. Absolutely brilliant.
14. WALTER vs Zack Sabre Jr (PROGRESS Title) - PROGRESS Chapter 77: Pumpkin Spice Progress
These two are physically incapable of having a bad match against each other, and quite frankly WALTER seems incapable of having a bad match in general. This was meant to be the main event of the Wembley show but due to extraneous circumstances, it had to take place here instead. It probably worked out for the best too as this match deserved to shine on its own. They took everything that they had done in their previous matches and laced that into this one, creating a match that works both as a singular entity and as a part of a greater whole. Make no mistake about it, this was masterful pro wrestling.
13. Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito - NJPW G1 Climax Night 2
Block B started off the G1 hot with this one. This was right up there with their G1 final match. They started off by playing to the crowd and using a lot of character work but as the match went on they picked up the speed and intensity until it reached a wonderful crescendo down the finishing stretch. It had callbacks to their previous matches while adding a few new wrinkles to their story. These two know exactly how to put together a top notch wrestling match. This was brilliant stuff throughout.
12. Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi - NJPW G1 Climax Night 18
This was from the stellar 18th night of the G1. I have been waiting for another match between these two for such a long time that there was a worry that they wouldn't be able to live up to what I had in my head. I needn't have worried. This was balls to the wall stuff from the go and there wasn't any point where I wasn't thoroughly entertained. This could have been number one in quite a few years but 2018 was a special beast.
11. Hiromu Takahashi vs Taiji Ishimori (BOTSJ Final) - NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals
This is another outstanding match in a year absolutely chock full of them. The tournament as a whole was impressive but the final was the icing on the cake, just as it should be. The wrestling was tremendous, so was the crowd, so was the story they told. Also, it was bat shit crazy at times. Takahashi is a one of a kind human being that is too good for this world. An exceptional piece of wrestling all round and a definite must see.
10. Will Ospreay vs Marty Scurll (IWGP Jr Heavyweight Title) - NJPW Sakura Genesis
Jesus fucking Christ, there was a Spanish fly from the apron that looked really nasty. As far as the rest of the match goes, it was fucking spectacular. For me, this was easily the best match that Scurll has ever had, and possibly the best match I've ever seen from Ospreay. Scurll plays exactly to his Villain persona here, coming across like he is genuinely trying to break Ospreay's neck. The moment when he just starts stomping on the back of Ospreay's neck is pure dickishness. The story that they told was excellent and the in ring work was some next level stuff, with incredibly smooth exchanges throughout. The highest of recommendations.
9. Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks - NJPW Strong Style Evolved
This match was spectacular. There are a number of things that can make a great wrestling match (storytelling, ring work, memorable spots, psychology) and this had all of them and more. The entire match was the continuation of an overarching story, all wrapped up in a wonderful pro wrestling match. The moment where Matt Jackson shouts at Omega, after Omega hesitates on the One Winged Angel, is superb. The pacing is superb, the action escalated to its logical conclusion, and everyone came out looking better than they went in. I have nothing bad to say about this.
8. Kota Ibushi vs Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G1 Climax Night 10
The two stand out competitors of the G1 put on one of its best matches. This was always likely to be spectacular and that is exactly how it played out. Both men tried to constantly one-up each other and it led to a truly glorious match. There is a spot where Ishii has had enough of Ibushi's shit and starts chopping him in the neck, Ibushi responds by punching Ishii right in the throat. It was mental. There is nothing even approaching sub-par in this match. The wrestling was spectacular, the selling was spot on, and the crowd was white hot. This is must watch stuff.
7. Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G1 Climax Night 14
This match was fucking incredible. Two of the best wrestlers on the planet putting everything they have into one of the best matches of the year. Which is crazy, as it isn't even the best match of the G1. You need to see this match. The physicality of this match was something else and it created a truly special occasion. Ishii continues to put on incredible matches all the time. Absolutely wonderful.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi (G1 Climax Final) - NJPW G1 Climax Finals
It was going to take something exceptional to top that Omega vs Ishii match, and that is exactly what we got here. Tanahashi is an absolute master of telling stories on massive occasions and that is exactly what he did here. Ibushi played the subtle heel as the crowd was fully behind the Ace. Ibushi was so damn vicious in this match. This was everything you could want from a modern day wrestling match. It was a thing of beauty and it is only the rarified quality of the top 5 that stops this from being number one. Do yourself a favour and watch this.
5. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Street Fight) - NXT Takeover: Chicago
I'm not going to lie, I went into this match with a bit of worry. I thought that the stipulation was too similar to their previous match and I was concerned that they wouldn't be able to tell a different enough story. I was wrong. Dead wrong. This was outstanding. The story they told here was spot on. They built on what came before and advanced it, with Ciampa being an amazing, violent asshole and Gargano feeling that he needed to lower himself to Ciampa's level to win. The visual of Ciampa removing Gargano's wedding ring, spitting on it and throwing it away was awesome and provided the perfect reason for Gargano to snap. Having Ciampa win in the way he did was the right call too. Fucking great.
4. WALTER vs Timothy Thatcher (Atlas Title) - PROGRESS Chapter 62: Fear No More, Come To Dust
This right here is what I fucking love most in wrestling. I love all styles but I have a soft spot for double hard bastards chopping each other to death. This was so fucking physical that it is impossible for me to fully express it. The closest I can get is to say that there is a line of commentary that is simply 'My God, he chopped him in the fucking face!'. These two are tag partners too. This is right up there with not just the best matches of 2018 but the best hoss matches of all time. I absolutely fucking loved it.
3. Andrade 'Cien' Almas vs Johnny Gargano (NXT Title) - NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia
For the first few minutes I was convinced that this match might be a slight disappointment but I really needn't have worried, it was spectacular. Everything they did was for the betterment of the match, including the interference from Zelina Vega and Candice LeRae. The last 10 minutes of this match are spectacularly good and I will happily say that this is the best NXT Title match ever. I went back and forth on the top 3, and at different points they were all number one on this list, but when push came to shove this ended up third. Next week I may feel differently again. If for some reason you haven't watched this match yet you owe it to yourself to check it out.
So that is it for this year. Before we go, here is a quick look at who appeared in this list and how often.
WALTER - 13
There were also a ton of people that had one appearance in the list, including AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan, but it would have taken ages to list them all.
2. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned Match) - NXT TakeOver: New Orleans
The story of this match was second to none in wrestling, hell, all of TV, and to say that the pay off was worth it would be underselling this match by a disgraceful amount. In modern wrestling it is relatively rare to establish as clear a heel/face dynamic as the one on show here. Gargano was universally loved, and Ciampa was so hated that he came to the ring with only the sound of the fans booing as entrance music. They wasted no time whatsoever, laying in fists from the off, and they never stopped. The majority of this match wasn't about winning, it was about inflicting punishment, and tons of it. It was about redemption, and vindication, and the lengths people are willing to go to attain it. Ciampa had a look of glee as he stole the crutches of a fan, cuz he's a dick. The fans wanted to see Ciampa get what was coming to him, to the point where they chanted 'you deserve it' when he got powerbombed on the exposed floor. That was a crazy spot. This match contains so many moments, both big and small, that call back to the various moments in their WWE careers, and listing them all would be redundant. The finishing sequence and Gargano's refusal to give up no matter what is thrown at him is amazing. That the closing moment mirrors their match at the CWC is just incredible. Make no doubt about it, this was peak wrestling storytelling.
1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega (IWGP Title, No Time Limit, 2/3 Falls) - NJPW Dominion
Every now and again there is a match that has the chance to define an era of wrestling. When you get those matches you hope that they deliver and, thankfully, this match was off the charts. It left me emotionally spent. If the purpose of wrestling is to tell great stories that get you emotionally invested and build to a wonderful closing stretch, then job done. If it is to put on matches that showcase athletic prowess that can't be seen in everyday life, then job done. Everything you could possibly want from a wrestling match was on offer for you here. The pacing was fantastic, the storytelling was perfect, and the wrestling was of the highest order. The callbacks to their previous matches were superb and the crowd bought into every last second of it. It was a masterpiece that deserves its place at the head of this list.
So that is it for this year. Before we go, here is a quick look at who appeared in this list and how often.
WALTER - 13
Zack Sabre Jr - 12
Kenny Omega - 12
Kota Ibushi - 11
Tomohiro Ishii - 11
Will Ospreay - 11
Kazuchika Okada - 8
Hiroshi Tanahashi - 7
Tetsuya Naito - 6
Johnny Gargano - 5
Tommaso Ciampa - 5
Hiromu Takahashi - 5
Ilja Dragunov - 4
Tyler Bate - 4
Kento Miyahara - 4
Timothy Thatcher - 3
Shingo Takagi - 3
Bandido - 3
Naomichi Marufuji - 3
Ricochet - 3
Pete Dunne - 3
Adam Cole - 3
Kyle O'Reilly - 3
Roderick Strong - 3
Jordan Devlin - 3
Aleister Black - 3
Minoru Suzuki - 3
Marty Scurll - 2
Zeus - 2
Trent Seven - 2
Becky Lynch - 2
Charlotte Flair - 2
KUSHIDA - 2
Velveteen Dream - 2
Fenix - 2
Dezmond Xavier - 2
Zachary Wentz - 2
Buddy Murphy - 2
Ortiz - 2
Santana - 2
Meiko Satomura - 2
Keith Lee - 2
Seth Rollins - 2
Matt Riddle - 2
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