Tempest's 10 Favourite Wrestling Matches Of 2023 So Far | partsFUNknown - video Dailymotion

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We are halfway to 2024 and you know what that means! It means it is time to look back on how fast the first half of 2023 and celebrate the great wrestling we've seen so far. These are Tempest's 10 favourite wrestling matches of 2023 so far!  00:00 - Start 01:02 - Honorable Mention 01:41 - 10 02:43 - 9 03:48 - 8 04:58 - 7 06:16 - 6 07:32 - 5 08:32 - 4 09:34 - 3 10:42 - 2 11:54 - 1  SUBSCRIBE TO partsFUNknown: https://bit.ly/2J2Hl6q TWITTER: https://twitter.com/partsfunknown FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/partsfunknown/ Buy wrestling merchandise here: https://www.wrestleshop.com/ Read more Feature content here on WrestleTalk.com: https://wrestletalk.com/features/

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00:00 525,600 minutes.

00:05 Divide that by two and you've got 262,800 minutes of the year so far, of which I have

00:10 probably spent about 200,000 watching wrestling.

00:14 And that makes me happy because what a year it's been.

00:16 A season of love indeed.

00:19 As has been the case over the last decade, there seems to be more fantastic matches this

00:23 year than last.

00:24 We have a new contender for Best WrestleMania Ever, a far less cursed edition of Forbidden

00:29 Door, and just in general an incredibly high average level of quality for this year's

00:34 pay-per-views.

00:35 2023 has been a pretty great year of pro wrestling so far, with more than 10 matches worthy of

00:40 praise.

00:41 It's a good problem to have.

00:42 Make sure to check out Adam's list for his 10 favorite wrestling matches of the year,

00:46 but for Tempest's sake, these are my 10 favorite matches of 2023 so far.

00:52 Before we get on with my list, make sure of course that you subscribe and enable notifications

00:55 to always on so you never miss a fun list just like it.

00:58 And make sure to check out the latest edition of How Adam Would Book, right here on PartsFunKnown.

01:03 Honorable Mention Masahiro Chono vs. Keiji Muto, Pro Wrestling NOAH Keiji Muto Grand

01:08 Final

01:09 If you want to ensure tears from old Tempest, you show me the eulogies from the Fault in

01:12 Our Stars, Golden Retriever Puppies, or Old Folks Reuniting.

01:16 Put those three things together in a wrestling match and I'll be catatonic.

01:19 In the meantime, Keiji Muto, the Great Muta himself, throwing out an impromptu challenge

01:25 to his retired rival Masahiro Chono after Muto's advertised retirement match so that

01:30 they could have their last matches together got me feeling a little misty.

01:34 It's only a minute and a half and not really a match, but god damn if this isn't an emotional

01:39 feeling you can't create in a writer's room.

01:42 Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley, AEW Revolution

01:45 From love and affection to blood, bricks, and barbed wire, I'll let you in on a spoiler

01:50 real quick, there aren't any other death matches on this list.

01:53 This style of wrestling isn't my bag, baby.

01:56 But in a big blow-off match once or twice a year, yeah, I can get down, especially when

02:00 the match is of this level of quality.

02:02 From Hangman's awesome entrance to Ghost Riders in the Sky, the cancelled third movie in the

02:06 Ghost Rider trilogy, to the absolute carnage that was this match, this was maybe the best

02:11 worked death match in the history of American pay-per-view.

02:14 Can you think of a better one?

02:15 I can't think of a better one.

02:16 Jon Moxley has been one of the most protected stars in AEW since the dawn of time, and Hangman

02:21 Page became just the second man in the company's history to beat Moxley one-on-one twice with

02:26 this match.

02:27 This feud is effectively still going, having taken the entire first half of the year in

02:31 one form or another, and I can comfortably say it has been the best storyline of the

02:35 year for AEW, and as match quality goes, this has been the peak.

02:39 The very sharp, bloody, gruesome peak.

02:42 #9 Mercedes Monet vs. Hazuki vs. Azumi, New Japan Pro Wrestling Sakura Genesis

02:48 New Japan Pro Wrestling rarely does a triple threat match, and on the rare chance they

02:52 do, they have been either fantastic, or just pretty good.

02:56 Prince Devitt vs. Low Ki vs. Kota Ibushi, fantastic.

02:59 Brock Lesnar vs. Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Masahiro Chono was… okay.

03:04 At Sakura Genesis this year, Hazuki and Azumi found out that more money equals more problems

03:10 in one of the best three-way matches the company has ever done.

03:13 Personally, I cannot say enough about the quality of Mercedes Monet's work since arriving

03:17 in New Japan in stardom.

03:19 Her match with Kairi was superb, and this three-way was just so crisp.

03:23 It's always fascinating to me to see what people who have come up in the WWE system

03:27 are able to do when they are unleashed onto the wrestling world.

03:30 This match was one of the best examples of what can happen when you let a talent do more.

03:34 The opening 40 seconds of arm drags and roll-up attempts alone would blow away the uninitiated,

03:39 but the finish of Mercedes picking off Azumi mid-victory roll with the Moneymaker onto

03:43 Hazuki was perfect in every way except it ended the match too soon.

03:48 #8 The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, WrestleMania 39

03:53 Is this the best WrestleMania main event ever?

03:55 Are the WWE tag titles batting 1,000 in WrestleMania main events?

03:59 Would this have been even better in my mind if the whole bloodline lost at WrestleMania?

04:03 The answer to all these questions, in my humble opinion, is yes.

04:07 By far the best-built match at WrestleMania, this was a match that didn't have to be

04:10 the most blow-away athletic affair because it relied upon theatre.

04:15 The final 90 seconds of this match should be put in the WWE Hall of Fame on loop.

04:20 Sami cutting the Usos off, firing up and hitting three straight halluva kicks on Jey Uso while

04:25 Jey fell into Sami's arms each time, letting the moment build and build with every fan

04:30 in the building completely aware of what these two characters have meant to one another before

04:34 KO hit a stunner on Jimmy and Sami got the pin was one of the most perfectly executed

04:39 WrestleMania moments copyright trademark cha-ching maybe ever.

04:43 My opinions on the bloodline story may have slightly wavered as of, well, the next night

04:48 after this, but I cannot express how much I loved this storyline and the feeling I got

04:52 when Sami got his big payoff, completing the Sami Zayn babyface restoration project.

04:59 7.

05:00 MJF vs Darby Allin vs Jungle Boy Jack Perry vs Sami Guevara AEW Double or Nothing

05:05 Was the storyline on paper for this match the best as we went into Double or Nothing?

05:10 Not really, it relied a lot on the speaking ability of some guys who are not necessarily

05:14 the strongest talkers in the world.

05:15 I'm sorry MJF, I'm sure you'll find the gift of gab one day.

05:19 However the storytelling in this match was f***ing superb.

05:23 All four guys using the finishing moves of their mentors was so unbelievably smart when

05:28 you consider each man's relationship with those mentors.

05:31 You have a united team, a team on the rocks, one betrayed by his mentor and one who did

05:37 the betraying.

05:38 Still their mentors all meant something to each man and their journey.

05:42 It's kinda in your face with it, but it's a story beat that you can think about in addition

05:46 to it being a cool spot.

05:48 Jungle Boy not having the killer instinct to use the belt to win and being booed by

05:51 the crowd for being soft was a really fun inversion of the great NXT finish involving

05:56 Sami Zayn being cheered for being honorable from a decade ago.

06:00 And I simply cannot tell you how much I love the headlock takeover finish and it being

06:04 the running thread between MJF and Darby Allin.

06:07 It was brilliant at full gear, it was brilliant in this match, and it will be f***ing brilliant

06:12 the day Darby pins MJF with the headlock takeover as well.

06:16 #6 Kazuchika Okada vs Kaito Kiyomiya Pro Wrestling Noa Keijimuto Grand Final

06:21 By mid-February my two most anticipated matches were Roman Reigns vs Sami Zayn and Kazuchika

06:27 Okada vs Kaito Kiyomiya.

06:29 One built through careful soap opera storytelling and theatre, one built with a work shoot.

06:34 The top champions of the two biggest promotions in Japan, Okada representing New Japan Pro

06:38 Wrestling and Kiyomiya representing Pro Wrestling Noa, in the Tokyo Dome with the coolest set

06:43 of the year and all of wrestling behind them, you could cut the tension in this match with

06:47 a knife edge chop.

06:48 This whole feud really kicked off the grumpy veteran stage of Okada's career that has

06:52 played out through the rest of the year with Okada growing increasingly pissed off over

06:56 the lack of respect shown from today's young stars, like Kiyomiya who kicked Okada in the

07:00 f***ing face at the Wrestle Kingdom 17 crossover show.

07:04 This is a match in the Tokyo Dome with Okada.

07:07 That alone should tell you how great it is, but the finish of this match is what put it

07:11 on my list.

07:12 Okada hits the Rainmaker, then pulls Kiyomiya up to break the count before hitting an Inoki

07:17 Inseguri, Misawa's Emerald Flosion, and another Rainmaker to win the match in one of the most

07:22 incredible displays of dominance I've ever seen in modern Japanese pro wrestling.

07:27 We could be getting a rematch in the G1, and if we do, you best believe I'ma be watching.

07:32 Number 5, Kenny Omega vs. El Hijo del Vakingo, AEW Dynamite March 22nd

07:37 There was a period of time this year when my Twitter became devoted to promoting El

07:40 Hijo del Vakingo and all his flippy excellence.

07:43 The peak of this insanity was unquestionably Vakingo's dream match with Kenny Omega in

07:48 the main event of the March 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite.

07:51 Kenny Omega is on the shortlist of the best wrestlers in the entire world, and Vakingo

07:55 is arguably the most innovative luchador in the world.

07:58 Put those together and you have the best combo since a peanut butter and pickle sandwich.

08:02 Still the official snack of LIW.

08:05 This entry could just be me reading a list of spots from this match, but you got eyes.

08:09 Go watch 'em!

08:10 Unless you don't, in which case I hope you have a lovely day and get enjoyment out of

08:13 the sounds of my voice.

08:14 The crowd knew what they were seeing was going to be special, and then it was.

08:18 This match so perfectly met my lofty expectations, and I really shouldn't be surprised that

08:23 it did, but god damn, I watched this match three times in the first 24 hours of its life,

08:28 and I loved it more every time.

08:30 I'm gonna go watch it again.

08:32 Number 4 - Gunther vs Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre - WrestleMania 39

08:37 Gunther and Sheamus together was certainly a winning formula the first time WWE did it,

08:41 so why not run it back and oh yeah, just throw in the giant badass Scotsman Drew McIntyre

08:45 for good measure.

08:46 I'm not sure why WWE felt the need to throw commentator Titus O'Neil into that pod, but

08:51 thankfully I remember virtually nothing of what he said.

08:54 Matches with Gunther and Sheamus are not complicated.

08:56 Big Man hit Big Man hard.

08:58 Crowd cheer.

08:59 Me like.

09:00 Granted, this time you had the added storyline beat of Sheamus and Drew McIntyre's ever-crumbling

09:04 friendship once again shockingly crumbling because they both liked the same intercontinental

09:09 championship-shaped girl, which gave this Neanderthal-esque slugfest a more personal

09:14 touch.

09:15 Gunther is the greatest intercontinental champion ever.

09:18 Like it isn't even a discussion in my mind.

09:20 And it is because he had matches like this one after the other after the other, and doing

09:25 that at WrestleMania is the sort of thing that solidifies a legacy like that.

09:29 He's WWE's Wrestler of the Year, and need I remind you that the year is only halfway

09:33 through.

09:34 Number 3 - MJF vs Bryan Danielson - AEW Revolution

09:38 Now don't get me wrong, I certainly did not think that any of Bryan Danielson's AEW

09:43 pay-per-view singles match had been bad prior to Revolution, in fact I'd say they were

09:47 all quite good, but I did not think we had seen "The One" yet.

09:51 The match that would be Bryan's pay-per-view masterpiece, and then he and MJF had the best

09:56 Iron Man match of all time.

09:58 As psychologically sound as you would expect a match between two of the best storytellers

10:02 in wrestling would be, this truly was a masterpiece of a match in every way.

10:06 An hour in and both men covered in blood, MJF with a face of torture, Bryan with a face

10:11 of glee, in his element, his happy place, the crowd losing their minds as Bryan starts

10:17 his first "Yes" chant of his AEW career, and then MJF getting Bryan to tap out because

10:22 Bryan suddenly realized he couldn't afford to go home to his family forever damaged and

10:26 just, they're just the best, they're the best.

10:29 Bryan has been walking the line between babyface and heel since his AEW debut, but he is still

10:34 one of the best good guys of all time, having a perfect match against the devil himself.

10:40 A masterpiece.

10:41 Number 2, Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay, Wrestle Kingdom 17.

10:46 For four years I dreamed of times like this, Kenny Omega once again in the Tokyo Dome,

10:51 in a major match, a championship match, the reunion of my all-time favorite commentary

10:56 team of Don Callis, Kevin Kelly, and Chris Charlton.

10:59 My little heart.

11:00 Personally, I've always preferred Omega's work in Japan, and maybe that's just because

11:04 I tend to prefer how Japanese crowds react to big matches like this, but it is impossible

11:08 to deny that Kenny brings out his absolute best when he's on Japan's biggest stages.

11:14 After the story told between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay during the press conference for

11:18 this match, this match was every bit as violent as you would have expected.

11:22 The beating Kenny gave Will was nothing short of sickening, DDTing him on the exposed turnbuckle,

11:28 putting him headfirst through a dreaded Japanese table, V triggers into the exposed buckle,

11:33 and avalanche coits wrath, the kamegoye and the one-winged angel, Will Ospreay defiantly

11:39 fighting against this onslaught, but with no answer.

11:42 After years of animosity between them, and years of built-up anticipation of what a singles

11:47 match between them would be, they delivered the second best match of the year.

11:51 But who could do better?

11:52 Well, no one.

11:54 Number 1, Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay, Forbidden Door.

11:57 The only people capable of topping Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay this year have been Kenny

12:01 Omega and Will Ospreay.

12:03 Having watched both of these matches within days of each other, it really is a coin flip.

12:07 They're the two best matches, they're my two favorite matches.

12:10 I think they're about equal in quality.

12:12 If they hadn't made the referee look completely impotent in this match by ejecting Don Callis,

12:17 and then doing diddly dick when he came back and blatantly interfered in the match, this

12:21 probably would have been number one with a bullet, but even still, I think this one is

12:25 my favorite.

12:26 From Will repaying Kenny by putting his head through the announced table, to maybe the

12:30 two best near falls I've ever seen with the foot on the ropes and the kick out at one,

12:35 proving only a golden lover is allowed to kick out of Kenny's finish, both of which

12:38 had me 100% sold and 1000% losing my mind in the middle of the night, this is one of

12:44 my favorite matches of all time, and I am utterly gutted to have watched the Instagram

12:49 stories of all my friends back home at this show watching this match.

12:53 But that's the price you pay for moving across the world for your dream job and having the

12:56 best year of your life.

12:57 And you know what?

12:58 I think I'll take that.

13:00 Come on 2023, what else you got?

13:03 And that's my list.

13:04 Make sure of course that you let me know your 10 favorite matches of the year so far in

13:07 the comments down below, and make sure you check out a clip from How Adam would book

13:11 Cody Rhodes finishing the story right here.

13:14 But then, Solo Sakoa interfered, Roman won, and then vanished again with his titles, and

13:21 now we have a new world title about to be crowned for Raw, a Smackdown guy is challenging

13:25 for it at Night of Champions, and Cody and Brock are feuding for unknown reasons, and

13:28 his story now feels like it's being written by a Schrodinger's cat inside the box.

13:34 I have no idea if the story is over or not yet, and also it's really confusing because

13:39 being written by a f***ing cat.

Tempest's 10 Favourite Wrestling Matches Of 2023 So Far | partsFUNknown

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