Top 10 Matches Of 2021
What was the best match of the year?
Can pro wrestling work without an audience? No, but companies tried last year. Thankfully, live crowds returned to arenas across the United States this year, enhancing every bout and inspiring every performer. Without further adieu, these were the top 10 matches of 2021.
10. Colby Corino vs. Steve Corino, August 27
To celebrate his 25th birthday, a helluva milestone considering his battle with drug addiction, Colby challenged his old man to a match. Retired for the past five years and working as a producer/trainer for WWE, Steve accepted the challenge, proving to be quite the adversary to not only his flesh and blood, but also Father Time. For more than a half hour, the Corinos painted a heart wrenching masterpiece on the Premiere Wrestling Federation’s canvas. Chris Hero indicated this tops his top 10 matches of 2021.
9. Miro vs. Darby Allin, May 12
This was an eventful edition of AEW Dynamite. Cody cut his infamous rah-rah America promo, SCU was forced to disband and Jon Moxley came out to “Wild Thing.” But the most significant part of the night was the main event, in which Miro ended Darby Allin’s TNT Championship reign. Updating the David vs. Goliath formula, “The Redeemer” mercilessly battered the champion, pushing the daredevil’s high threshold for pain to the limit. No matter what Allin tried, Miro was just too powerful. Despite a last-minute adrenaline rush, Allin’s attempt at an armbar was countered into a spine-bending Game Over, in which the lunatic passed out.
8. Gio Galvano vs. Austin Aries, Global Festival Night 1
Guaranteed this isn’t on anyone else’s top 10 matches of 2021. In front of dozens of people inside the intimate House of Independents in Asbury Park, NJ, Austin Aries showed why he belongs on weekly TV. The 21-year veteran challenged Gio Galvano for the GSW Next Gen Title and tore the House down. These elite athletes put on a technical clinic, and of course, Aries wasn’t afraid to cheat. I won’t spoil the result, but if you haven’t seen this match, watch it now.
7. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte, Survivor Series
At Hell in a Cell 2018, these ladies earned their way on this list, and this past November, they did it again. Illustrating that best friends often make better rivals, Becky Lynch and Charlotte let their bad blood behind the scenes spill into the ring. Even though they held nothing back, it was strictly an athletic competition to see who was the best. Ultimately, Lynch one-upped Charlotte, reversing her pin attempt and clutching the ropes behind the referee’s back for the three count. “The Queen” could only laugh at her misfortune.
6. Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston, October 29
These veterans of the mat turned back the clock 30 years and brought All Japan to AEW Rampage. Look at Bryan Danielson’s beet red chest – that’s Strong Style. The physicality was so intense that mid-match, the crowd gave both men a standing ovation. In the end, Eddie Kingston passed out in the triangle sleeper, but not before flipping Danielson off in one last act of defiance.
5. Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan, April 30
It’s rare for WWE to present anything with high stakes these days, but that’s exactly what happened on the final SmackDown in April. In a rematch from Fastlane, Roman Reigns defended the Universal Championship against Daniel Bryan, who would be banned from SmackDown if he lost. Telling a different story than their last encounter, these all-time greats went balls to the wall, with Bryan targeting Reigns’ arm and the “Tribal Chief” overpowering his quicker foe. Unlike at Fastlane, this one ended clean, as Bryan passed out in the guillotine in what we now know was his final WWE match.
4. CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, All Out
After seven long years, it was finally clobberin’ time! As usual, CM Punk had Chicago in the palm of his hand, as he met arguably AEW’s most popular homegrown talent. In a nod to Bret Hart and 1-2-3 Kid in their classic Raw match from nearly 30 years ago, Darby Allin took Punk down early on, which Punk acknowledged in begrudging respect. However, Punk wasn’t as rusty as you’d expect, and when he hit the GTS, Allin sold it properly BOTH times.
3. Ilja Dragunov vs. WALTER, NXT TakeOver 36
In a rematch of their 2020 classic, these two international stalwarts added a few new chapters to the big man vs. little man playbook. Dragunov brought the fight, absorbing all of WALTER’s blistering chops and refusing to stay down. WALTER’s physicality forces you to wince, reminding me of the quote Goodwillie loves using “I can’t make you believe everything else is real, but I can damn sure make you believe I’m real.” Nobody saw the finish coming, either, as WALTER actually tapped out, ending his record-setting 870-day reign as NXT U.K. Champion.
2. Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson, December 15
Even though this probably topped other people’s list of the top 10 matches of 2021, my family was bored after 20 or so minutes, but that’s because they haven’t seen hour-long matches before. Well, Bryan Danielson is here to educate the masses, carrying “Hangman” Adam Page to a traditional world championship match. Considering that neither man could afford the loss, I figured it would go to a 30-minute draw a la Danielson vs. Kenny Omega. When the clock kept ticking and the action continued, I buckled up for an unpredictable ride. Hangman being busted open was a fun touch, and the fact that there weren’t unbelievable near falls every five minutes was refreshing. Because in those final five minutes, I believed in every pin attempt, every submission, every strike. Can’t wait for the rematch!
1. Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks, WrestleMania 37 Night 1
They had the best women’s match in WrestleMania history and one of the best main events, too. It was such a fresh environment with their visible emotion, innovative moves and the excitement of the first live crowd WWE had in a year. Banks once again delivered on the big stage, and Belair became a star. I’ve seen so much wrestling this year that most of it blurs together, but I remember popping for Belair catching Banks outside the ring and military pressing her up the steps. And who could forget Belair whipping Banks with her never-ending ponytail?
While some industry veterans criticized Belair for tearing up before the bell, it only added to the significance of this historic encounter. After all, she was about to headline WrestleMania against one of the best in the sport, and by God, she was about to achieve her dream.
That’s the magic of pro wrestling.
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