Match of the Year

[Uncle Sam]

I'll be rewatching The Boss vs. Bayley tonight because I rarely get that much pleasure from something not covered in melted cheese.

 

[Con T.]

Not voting because Cena and Owens is not a nominee.. None of the other matches grabbed my attention like that one did.

Here's the truth for you.. Some people feel Sasha/Bayley was MOTY because people aren't use to seeing such good diva matches.. It was a good match, but there were way better matches this year from so many other promotions.. Watching that divas match was like watching any Seth Rollins match, or any John Cena match, a way better divas match than any divas match this year, but that doesn't make it match of the year.

Man, the take is so hot, it will melt your face

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I like the whole notion that because your favorite isn't in, you refuse to participate. I bet he still bitches about the winner too.

It would be like me refusing to vote in Presidential election if Bernie doesn't get the Democratic nod, then whining about Trump as President....which I will do.

 

[The Butcher]

I really can't argue against the poll. I had to go with my nominee. All Night Long left me needing eye drops afterwards.

 

[Con T.]

I like the whole notion that because your favorite isn't in, you refuse to participate. I bet he still bitches about the winner too.

It would be like me refusing to vote in Presidential election if Bernie doesn't get the Democratic nod, then whining about Trump as President....which I will do.

And it's not like he didn't have the chance to get it nominated. There was a fucking thread for you to nominate matches. It was up for a week. If you're upset that Owens and Cena isn't on here, that's entirely on you, homey

 

[jmt225]

Here's the truth for you.. Some people feel Sasha/Bayley was MOTY because people aren't use to seeing such good diva matches.. It was a good match, but there were way better matches this year from so many other promotions.. Watching that divas match was like watching any Seth Rollins match, or any John Cena match, a way better divas match than any divas match this year, but that doesn't make it match of the year.

If you were right, I'd be the first to say Amen.

I remember when Lynch/Sasha happened at Unstoppable and when that match was over, I thought to myself, "That was pretty decent for a women's match." Then I logged on here and checked some other sites, and was just baffled at the high praise that match received. I appreciated the story those ladies tried to tell that night, but the execution of it was very sloppy at times and I just couldn't believe how lauded it turned out to be. I felt like the only reason that match got such a great reception was because they were women.

Come the night of Brooklyn, I missed the show live. I got home just as it ended. I decided to read the results and reaction, and when I saw the high praise Bayley vs. Sasha was getting, I rolled my eyes and figured people were overreacting again. I decided instead of going to sleep to stay up and check it out that night so I could see just how much people were overrating it...

... and man, I could not have been more wrong.

The match was excellent. Completely blew me away. And I went in ready to shit on it, but how could anyone ever hate on that match? The story, the execution, the emotion, the crowd reaction, the moves, counters, etc... it was one of the most beautifully executed stories ever told in a pro wrestling ring, and by far the best women's match I've ever seen.

That said, I still voted for Rollins/Lesnar/Cena simply because that was the first match I've seen live in a long time that literally had me marking out and jumping out of my seat. But I have zero qualms with anyone voting for Sasha/Bayley, and neither should you.

 

[Con T.]

JMT's post is exactly where I am now. The triple threat is definitely more athletic of the matches, while Bayley/Banks told the better story. Both are great, for totally different purposes. I think, for me, it comes down to this.

Bayley and Banks didn't have the athleticism of the triple threat. And given the members of the threat, how could it? But it did have just enough athleticism to put it over the edge. The triple threat was such a feast to the eyes, but I found the storytelling to be weaker than the athleticism used in Bayley/Banks. We eventually got to the kick out of finishers point most main events get to now, because we don't protect finishers, and don't understand if you treat a spot well enough, a sock to the fucking neck can end a match.

I'd also be lying if I didn't say the buildup to the triple threat didn't affect it for me. Part of the reason the Takeover match worked was because of the story they told, and the buildup to the match. It was perfect not just because of the match story, but everything surrounding the competitors. The triple threat didn't have that same feel. It felt like WWE wanted to go with Lesnar/Cena again, and decided at the last minute it wouldn't have enough steam to main event on its own. That combined with the triple threat happening because of the wretched "Authority come back and castrate the faces" card WWE pulled wasn't exactly getting me all too hyped. Not that any of that is Lesnar, Cena, or Rollins' fault, but it is a factor.

But seriously, don't bitch about a match not being on the ballot, when you yourself could have put it on the ballot.

 

[X]

I didn't do any nominations this year because I've watched very little puro and indies stuff and spent a good chunk of the year not even watching any wrestling, but I picked up all the WWE stuff I'd missed and watched some LU so right now my choice was down to the triple threat at the Rumble and the Grave Consequences match from LU and the triple threat just barely edged it out for me.

I understand why people love and will vote for Bayley/Sasha, and I loved it too, but it was more in the **** star range while I thought both of the previous mentioned matches were only a hair below *****. I think the hype has blown the whole Sasha/Bayley feud out of proportion honestly, people claiming it's the best women's match ever, stuff like that just makes me scoff. Bayley and Sasha would piss themselves if they saw the kind of ferociously hard-hitting and physical matches women like Manami Toyota used to perform regularly.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Bayley and Sasha would piss themselves if they saw the kind of ferociously hard-hitting and physical matches women like Manami Toyota used to perform regularly.

Just to point out you said something eerily similar following Roman Reigns' beating at the hands of Brock Lesnar.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Bayley and Sasha would piss themselves if they saw the kind of ferociously hard-hitting and physical matches women like Manami Toyota used to perform regularly.

Lord knows that is what makes a match good or bad.

 

[X]

Just to point out you said something eerily similar following Roman Reigns' beating at the hands of Brock Lesnar.

I'd love to see that quote because I don't recall it one bit. My only guess is that if I said that it was because someone was once again vastly exaggerating talking about how it was one of the stiffest matches ever, which I seem to recall, which again makes me laugh honestly that someone would think that. That would be pretty sad on their part to think something so false.

Lord knows that is what makes a match good or bad.

That's a really shitty response man, I specifically not only said that Bayley/Sasha was good but said it was in the **** range which means it was REALLY good. The only reason I brought up the Toyota reference was because, again, I've read people call it the best woman's match ever and those people are just flat out ignorant if they think that, because I would literally bet you my own fucking set of testicles right now those same people haven't seen any of the classic All Japan women's matches of the late 80s-early 90s or ever watched a SHIMMER show. Bayley/Sasha is so beloved for the most part because of how fucking atrociously shitty women's wrestling in the WWE has been forever and always so it seems like a big deal (Diva's Revolution and Sasha's main roster debuts have pretty much proven this to be false and Bayley will no doubt join them in floundering around doing absolutely fucking nothing once she hits the main roster), but that doesn't make it the best women's match ever which was my only point with that comment.

 

[Nate DaMac]

That's a really shitty response man, I specifically not only said that Bayley/Sasha was good but said it was in the **** range which means it was REALLY good. The only reason I brought up the Toyota reference was because, again, I've read people call it the best woman's match ever and those people are just flat out ignorant if they think that, because I would literally bet you my own fucking set of testicles right now those same people haven't seen any of the classic All Japan women's matches of the late 80s-early 90s or ever watched a SHIMMER show. Bayley/Sasha is so beloved for the most part because of how fucking atrociously shitty women's wrestling in the WWE has been forever and always so it seems like a big deal (Diva's Revolution and Sasha's main roster debuts have pretty much proven this to be false and Bayley will no doubt join them in floundering around doing absolutely fucking nothing once she hits the main roster), but that doesn't make it the best women's match ever which was my only point with that comment.

Well then what exactly is it that makes those other matches better than them being "ferociously hard-hitting and physical matches?" That's literally the only reason you gave for them being better matches than Banks/Bayley.

 

[X]

Well then what exactly is it that makes those other matches better than them being "ferociously hard-hitting and physical matches?" That's literally the only reason you gave for them being better matches than Banks/Bayley.

I didn't realize it was 1985 and I need to explain what makes Lioness Asuka vs. Jaguar Yokota a five star match. I judge any wrestling match the same---workrate, psychology (including things like backstory and feud history leading into a match), spot transitions, crowd appreciation, and the finish. And using those criteria, I can think of many women's matches in both Japan and North America that I would consider superior. The previously mentioned match being one.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Kevin Owens vs John Cena at Battleground.