Dr Gregory House's Top 40 matches of 2013- Part 2

Alright,

After an extended break, I'm back with my run down of my top 40 matches of the year, and hopefully spark as much debate as I did last time (cheers for the comment Crimey).

Link to Part 1- https://www.606v2.com/t51148-dr-gregory-house-s-top-40-matches-of-2013-part-1?highlight=dr+gregory+house

The selection criteria follows no specific pattern, from the quality of the in ring action, to the significance of the event, to my personal preference for the people involved, the most important thing is how the match made me feel and if I felt it was worthy of this list.

I've tried to include a little background to each match and facilitate a way for you to watch the match, a link if possible, but some companies like PWG and DGUSA are a nightmare to find online so I'll give links to the DVD and PPV streaming sites I use for both.

Lastly, because I am the most insecure man on earth, apologise if I come across as a little patronising when talking about some of the lesser known companies on this list, I appreciate that many members of this board have a wide knowledge of wrestling but I wanted to take the time to explain to people who mainly concentrate on WWE and TNA why I enjoyed what I watched.

This time I'm covering matches 30-21, please enjoy
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#30- Ricochet vs Arkira Tozawa- DGUSA Open the Ultimate Gate

Another nod to two of my favourite wrestlers in the world right now, Ricochet is up there right now with Adrian Neville and Kota Ibushi right now as the holy trinity in highflying, making every awe inspiring move look smooth and easy as well as a solid ground game to complement the aerial assault making him more than just some spot monkey. Tozawa on the other hand is a man that flys in the face that Japanese wrestlers have no personality, the loveable bad boy is just dripping with charisma and a sense of fun. I had high hopes with these two guys going in and they met all expectations combing for a highly athletic and fun contest. The only disappointment for me is that the match doesn't feature an appearance from Ricochet's 'no superlative to do it justice' Double Rotation Moonsault. That aside a great showing from both men.

Where can I watch this?- http://www.wwnlive.com/

#29- Kassius Ohno vs William Regal- WWE NXT 11/4/13

Another gem from WWE developmental, a match that proves two things 1) it's a shame that Ohno couldn't be bothered to get in shape as he's a hell of talent who deserves a shot at the big time and b) Regal can still go. This is a tough hard hitting match and there's not really much more to say other than it was very enjoyable and I was surprised to see Regal get the win.

Where can I watch this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkC44Lk5S2w

#28- Tetsuya Naito vs Hiroshi Tanahashi- G1 Climax Final- NJPW G1 Climax Day 9

Like I said before, I'm not going to be immune to criticising NJPW in this review of the year, one area in where they arguably dropped the ball this year is with Tetsuya Naito, put simply the Japanese crowds do not like this man, I can't quite put my finger on his baffling lack of popularity, he's a tad effeminate but then again so are Tanahashi, Okada and Nakamura, as well as being a hell of a multi talented wrestler, flying, brawling and grappling with equal ease, still on this night, at the climax (pardon the pun) of one of the greatest wrestling tournaments ever held, everything came together for the man as he won the tournament and the right to go on and challenge for the IWGP world title in the main event of NJPW's big Jan 4th show (alas though he got the title shot he ended being bumped down the card as the New Japan fans voted that match out of the main event), it probably didn't hurt that he was facing the master in Tanahashi (who I'll drool over at a later date) as the two worked to build a gripping final that's up there with the finest matches the brilliant Japanese main event style has served up this year.

Where can I watch this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdRg6jznVnQ

#27- The Young Bucks vs Kevin Steen & El Generico-DDT Final- PWG DDT4

This is going to be emotional, DDT for those who don't know is PWG's yearly tag team tournament, serving up some top quality tag team wrestling as well as some unique and interesting teams to go with it, Steen and Generico certainly qualify as one of those teams, 3 years ago no one would have batted an eyelid at the prospect of Steenerico in the final of DDT but that was before they engaged in one of the most brutal and personal feuds in indy wrestling across ROH and PWG. I've already spoken about their opponents the Bucks who have to be up there with the Shield and the Rhodes as tag team of the year, the results are an exciting fast paced match that the Bucks and Generico are renown for, with Steen keeping up remarkably well for a man of his size, the added layer of this being Generico's last PWG match before he returned to Mexico to take up care of a local orphanage (aka go and wrestle as Sami Zayn in WWE), this is an emotional send of for one of PWG's most beloved stars.

Where can I watch this?- http://www.highspots.co.uk/p/Pro-Wrestling-Guerrilla/pwg-ddt4-2013.html

#26- Kurt Angle vs Bobby Roode- TNA Bound for Glory

The sole TNA entry on this years list (sorry Adam), falling in the middle of a mixed BFG card, this for me was clearly MOTN and MOTY in TNA. Both men are on top form, trading holds expertly, Angle in particular looks on top for, in a year where it seems his once untouchable in-ring skills are starting to fade slightly, the match has a great ebb and flow to it, with both men seizing the advantage several times, the only downside to this match is the finish, which is a) anticlimactic for TNA's biggest card of the year, b) tasteless and c) makes Angle look like an idiot. Still it's a great match and had it not been for the finish could easily have cracked the top 15.

Where can I watch this?- http://www.wweo.net/?movie=/info/3519/tna-bound-for-glory-(2013) (surprisingly tough to find this, and this is the best I could do sorry)

#25- Daniel Bryan vs Antonio Cesaro- WWE Raw 22/7/13

2013 has been notable for 2 things, Daniel Bryan and extended matches on the 3 hour Raw, here these two combine beautifully to create what was in my opinion the one of greatest TV matches of the year. Full of fast action and innovative moves and counters, plus the finish is brilliant.

Where can I watch this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVJ0B-3ZRc4

#24- Johnny Gargano (c) vs Shingo- DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championship- DGUSA Open the Ultimate Gate

Another match from Dragon Gate USA's outstanding Open the Ultimate Gate card, champion Gargano is a superb US technician who reminds me quite strongly of Daniel Bryan in ring, his challenger Shingo Takagi is the ace of Dragon Gate, phenomenal wrestler who has outstanding matches against everyone who comes up against, the match was predictably brilliant, the real intrigue of this match though came at the finish, springboarding the Gargano heel character that has shown he does have personality to go with his amazing in ring ability.

Where can I watch this?- http://www.wwnlive.com/

#23- The Rhodes (c) vs The Shield vs The Usos- WWE Tag Team Championship Match- WWE Hell in a Cell

Undoubtedly one, or in this case two, of the highlights of late 2013 in WWE, has been the Rhodes Brothers' tag team and their feud with Rollins and Reigns of the Shield, here combined with the Usos, while this is perhaps emotionally the least investing chapter of the Rhodes v Shield feud, the trio produce arguably the most athletically exciting match of the entire series with non-stop action, all 3 teams clearly have great chemistry, both with their respective partners and the other teams, Cody's Cross Rhodes to end the match looks amazing, and is quickly becoming my favourite finisher in WWE.

Where can I watch this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNOxd2o-a3Q

#22- Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Namouchi Marufuji- IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match- NJPW King of Pro Wrestling

In what, when it was announced, had something of a dream match quality around it. Nakamura is the understated 3rd Ace of NJPW, spent all of 2013 defending the midcard IC belt against a variety of interesting opponents while others took centre stage in the world title scene, this time he was facing Pro Wrestling NOAH's Marufuji, who is one of Japans most decorated Jr Heavyweights, and 7-10 years ago was in the argument of the best wrestlers in the world. While his star has waned slightly since then, mostly due to injuries leading to inconsistent performances, he and Nakamura were both clearly at the top of their game, delivering a terrific match that on almost any other card that would have been MOTN (but more about that later), at 16 minutes it was probably a bit short to be a true epic, but in the time allowed the match more than lived up to its high expectations.

Where can I watch this?- Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDyhE7A7Wkc
                                    Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ljch-lJxVA

#21-  Hirooki Goto vs Katsuyori Shibata- NJPW Dominion

Brutality is the word that best sums this match up, it's been very notable how much US style charisma and flair New Japan has tried to inject in it's presentation in recent times, but if you're looking for that here I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. The second match in a trilogy between former schoolmates Goto and Shibata, a former amateur wrester and part time MMA fighter respectively both men are noted for their hard, realistic offence, and they certainly live up to that expectation here. If your not a fan of puroresu style, this will probably do little to convert you, but if you want to see two men beating the holy hell out of each other, there are few finer examples anywhere this year.

Where can I watch this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dYgVr7XN7I


Hope you enjoyed reading it, hopefully part 3 (No's 20-11) will hopefully be up on Monday, until then all comments and criticisms welcomed   

Greg   

Interesting stuff and clearly a lot of effort has gone into it.

I was pleased to see the Roode-Angle match acknowledged, as I also rated that match highly. I feel that it's the closest TNA has come in years to the kind of in-ring style they should aspire to. It was then ruined by a finish that was TNA it its over-booking worst.

PS I think Adam should put the list up on the journal when it's complete