Top Matches I Watched in March 2024
By Alex Kalil
Another month of awesome wrestling! AEW gives an easy PPV of the year and more great week to week matches. NJPW gives us a good New Japan Cup and even CMLL makes the list this month.
AEW TNT Championship Match: Christian Cage (c) vs. Daniel Garcia at AEW Revolution 2024: A perfectly booked heel champion vs. underdog babyface match. Some nice early mat wrestling with Garcia having the advantage so Christian has to cheat with a thumb to the eye to take over on offense. Some nice heat from Christian before Garcia starts to go after the knee and ankle. Nice little spot with Christian trying to keep Garcia from getting back in the ring and win via count-out. Garcia finally makes it back in and is able to fire up on Christian. Killswitch gets involved and hits a chokeslam on Garcia and Christian covers for a big near-fall. Daddy Magic rushes to ringside and takes out Killswitch, distracting Christian long enough for Garcia to hit a piledriver for a huge near-fall. Garica tries to follow-up only for Nick Wayne to catch him with a Cutter on the top rope. Christian capitalizes and hits a Killswitch to retain. A really well done, and classic style wrestling match. Garcia looked to have the match won until the numbers game allowed Christian to steal the win. ****1/4
AEW Continental Crown Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Bryan Danielson at AEW Revolution 2024: Another amazing classic from these two. Match starts off with Danielson trying to stick and move with leg kicks to Kingston's famously bad knee. Kingston does a great job at absorbing the shots while trying to get close enough to hit Danielson with his own shots. Kingston is able to get his hands on Danielson and works him over with some chops and suplexes before a missed chop hits the turnbuckle. Danielson is all over the hurt hand and starts to work over the arm to take away Kingston's best weapons. Kingston does a great job selling and trying to fight back as Danielson picks him apart. Nice touch with Kingston trying to use his right arm but can't use his traditional offense and needs to try and change things up to fight back like using his left arm to throw punches. Lots of big back and forth counters and near-falls even Danielson using the same combination that Kingston passed out to on Dynamite but this time, Kingston is able to fight to the ropes. Awesome! Kingston fires up and tells Danielson to keep hitting him and the two get into a back and forth hockey fight! Danielson tries for a Busiaku Knee, only to get hit with a clothesline. Kingston folds up Danielson with a powerbomb to get the win. A glorious King's Road style match! Kingston was picked apart by Danielson all match but fought through the pain and forced Danielson to abandon his strategy and trade big strikes and bombs with him and Kingston was able to weather the storm to retain. ****1/2
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. FTR at AEW Revolution 2024: A really great bell to bell tag team wrestling match. Things start off hot with all 4 men working a physical and stiff style of match. Moxley and Claudio are able to isolate Cash and work him over for some heat and, like in the past, try to keep the match a fight and brawl. Dax is able to get the hot tag and runs wild until Moxley runs him into the turnbuckle and busts him open. Match becomes a back and forth battle between the two teams with a lot of big tag team offense and near-falls: Doomsday Device, Big Swing/Dropkick Combo and Shatter Machine all only get near-falls. Moxley is able to lock in a choke on Dax and Cash rushes in for the save but Claudio stops him and locks in a choke as well! Dax passes out and the referee calls it! The BCC gets the win in a great old school style tag match. Fantastic match that builds and builds to a hot finish. ****1/4
Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita at AEW Revolution 2024: A phenomenal bell to bell wrestling match! Nice simple story all match with Ospreay being the faster and more agile wrestler while Takeshita is more of the powerhouse. Some nice early exchanges highlight the story with both men being lethal with their strikes. Things build and build as the two start going for bigger and bigger offense and at the same time pull off some amazing counters! Oscutter countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb! Turnbuckle Brainbuster! Ospreay gets folded up with a German Suplex only to rush forward and nail a Hidden Blade! These two are going all out! Ospreay is able to block Takeshita's Jumbo Knee and hits a Styles Clash for 2! Tiger Driver 93 before a Hidden Blade ends things! Too much happened here to recap! This may be one of the greatest straight up bell to bell matches I have seen in years. Amazing and breath-taking counters and exchanges to a red hot crowd! This was Pro Wrestling done right! *****
Three Way Match for the AEW World Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland at AEW Revolution 2024: A really great and well done 3 way match. Everyone in the match played their role perfectly: Joe is the monster champion who does everything to stop his opponents from winning, Page doing everything to keep Swerve from winning and Swerve being the fan favorite all match. Some great back and forth with everyone staying nicely involved in the match. Swerve hits the Swerve Stomp on Joe but Page pulls the referee from the ring! Page hits Swerve with the title belt! The Hangman has lost it! A pair of Buckshot Lariats to Joe but only gets 2! Nana gives Swerve his crown to use but Swerve throws it away! Page takes out another referee when Joe has a pin only for Swerve to hit a JML Driver on Page for a huge near-fall. Joe is able to take out Swerve long enough to get the choke on Page, who taps out. Joe retains while Swerve has his big babyface moment and Hangman falls further and further into a dark pit. Really well booked match here. ****1/4
Tornado Tag Match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship: Darby Allin and Sting (c) vs. The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution 2024: A wild and chaotic final match for Sting! Darby and Sting jump the Bucks right away and run wild on them. Sting's sons even get involved hitting Stinger Splashes on the Bucks! So great! The fight goes into the crowd and on the ramp as the Bucks take over by dropping the champions through tables. Darby fights off the Bucks by himself before missing a Swaton off a ladder through glass! JESUS! Sting is back and he tries to fight back but the Bucks are all over him. Powerbomb through a table but Sting is back up! Bucks toss Sting through glass! Steamboat and Flair try to stop the Bucks but are hit with Superkicks for their troubles. Double Superkick to Sting but Sting no sells it!!! Double Scorpion Death Drops only gets a 2. The Bucks cut off Sting and hit the EVP Trigger but only get a 2! Another EVP Trigger and Sting kicks out at 1! Sting is laughing! What is going on?! Darby stops the Bucks from hitting the TK Driver! Sting with another Scorpion Death Drop! Coffin Drop by Darby into a Scorpion Death Lock! Matt taps out! Sting retires as a champion and undefeated in AEW! Bucks bumped like a pair of bosses for Darby and Sting and everyone went all out to make this an epic match, which it was! Maybe the best retirement match of all times! ****1/2
Hiromu Takahashi vs. DOUKI at NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo 2024 Night 2: A fun back and forth match. DOUKI starts off fast and furious trying to overwhelm Hiromu early. Hiromu fights back with his powerful offensive style and is able to even things up. The rest of the match is a very back forth flow to it with both men able to keep control at various points. DOUKI looks to be the better wrestler and able to counter Hiromu's offense while Hiromu tries to fight through everything DOUKI throws at him. DOUKI is able to counter Time Bomb and finally locks Hiromu's arms to Suplex De La Luna and get the big win. Very fun and easy to watch match. ****
Taichi vs. Shingo Takagi at NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo 2024 Night 2: A hard hitting Hoss match. Both men spend all match throwing stiff Lariats, kicks, chops and hitting big bombs. Lots of back and forth blow for blow exchanges from both men that the crowd was hitting up. Taichi is able to rock Shingo just long enough to hit a Dangerous Backdrop to score the pin. A really great hard hitting match. Nothing special or flashy, just stiff wrestling. ****
Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher at AEW Dynamite 3/6/24: A super fun, fast paced match between these two friends. Ospreay looks to have the early edge but Fletcher quickly goes after the hurt back of Ospreay to work him over. Nice story to the match with both men having the other well scouted but with Ospreay's experience, Fletcher has to keep going to the back and having a more aggressive edge to his work against his friend. Some awesome exchanges from the two going counter for counter with some nice near-falls. In the end, Ospreay is able to counter Fletcher off the top with a nasty Reverse Rana before hitting the Oscutter. Fletcher still isn't done and tells Ospreay to hit him with the Hidden Blade, which Ospreay does to end things. Great TV match that put Fletcher over as a big threat but not on Ospreay's level. ****
Bryan Danielson vs. Shane Taylor at AEW Collision 3/9/24: A perfectly booked underdog babyface vs. monster heel match. Right from the bell, Taylor is able to use his size and power to toss Danielson around and punish him with stiff strikes. Danielson does a great job of using leg kicks to try and chip away at the knee of Taylor and get him down to the mat. Taylor starts to feel the kicks take effect and gets more aggressive with his offense, only for Danielson to catch Taylor with a kick to the head and drop him to his knees. A Busaiku Knee ends things for Taylor. A very fun match that made Taylor look like a beast that Danielson had to work smarter to pick apart to beat him. ****
New Japan Cup 2024 First Round Match: Jeff Cobb vs. Yota Tsuji at NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 Night 4: A really good back and forth Hoss fight from these two. The match starts off evenly with Tsuji using his quickness to get in some early offense until Cobb is able to start using his power to throw him around. Nice heat from Cobb as he manhandles Tsuji and mocks him for still being a young boy. Tsuji is able to rally and starts to fight back and we get some really nice back and forth from both big men. Cobb counters Gene Blaster into a brutal Crucifix Powerbomb and even hits his own Gene Blaster for a big near-fall. Cobb tries to keep on him only for Tsuji to hit a huge Double Stomp and a powerbomb of his own. Tsuji finally hits the Gene Blaster to get the win. Good match that let Tsuji work from underneath and pull off the big comeback to win. ****
Jay White vs. Darby Allin at AEW Dynamite 3/13/24-Big Business: A really good back and forth TV match. Darby comes in banged up so White goes right after the ribs and mid-section to work him over. Darby does a nice job of fighting from underneath and throwing himself at White to try and take control of the match. We get some really nice near-falls for both as Darby lands more and more big offensive blows while White starts working with a more desperate pace. Darby hits the Scorpion Death Drop but White gets his foot on the ropes. White rolls to the apron to regroup and Darby goes for broke with a Coffin Drop. But White moves out the way and Darby slams into the apron to the floor! Referee starts to count out Darby but Darby beats the count at 9! White immediately grabs Darby and hits Blade Runner for the win. Really well done match with White easily able to work over a banged up Darby until Darby started to fight back with his reckless style, only for Darby's own risk taking to cost him in the end. ****
Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata at AEW Collision 3/16/24: An exciting and awesome pro wrestling match. Things start off with both men looking to mat wrestle and work toward holds in some nice early exchanges. Story of the match is Danielson being the better mat wrestler while Shibata is more dangerous with his strikes. Some great submission and stiff strike exchanges from both men. Danielson is able to duck a ripcord slap and nail a Busaiku Knee for a big near-fall right into the LeBell Lock. Shibata is still able to fight his way to the ropes. Danielson tries to hammer Shibata with kicks but Shibata just takes them! Both men start exchanging strikes before Shibata hits a brutal ripcord slap! Danielson is rocked and Shibata tries to end things with a PK but Danielson ducks it! They trade quick pin attempts before Danielson is able to tie up Shibata enough to get the 3 and the win. Great bell to bell wrestling that told a nice story with Danielson, once again, getting sucked into a striking battle with a dangerous striker but was able to recover enough to out-wrestle Shibata and get the win. ****
New Japan Cup 2024 Second Round Match: Shingo Takagi vs. Gabe Kidd at NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 Night 7: A nice hard hitting fight from these two. Kidd jumps Shingo before the bell and the two brawl around ringside for a few before the match officially starts. Kidd keeps the match more of a chaotic brawl to keep control of the match, even trying for a count-out win. Shingo is finally able to muster a comeback and starts firing back on Kidd. Match becomes a battle of stiff strike exchanges and big bombs from both men for some nice near-falls. Shingo is able to win a headbutt exchange with Kidd and ends things with The Last of the Dragon to get the win. Good stuff. ****
New Japan Cup 2024 Final Match: Hirooki Goto vs. Yota Tsuji at NJPW New Japan Cup 2024 Night 12: A good back and forth battle of the old guard vs. the next generation. Very even start to the match before Tsuji is able to start using his speed and big offense to take control. Goto does a great job fighting from underneath and trying to prove that he can still go and be the top guy. Some nice exchanges with Goto digging deep to pull off some old offense and even some of Shibata's offense. Tsuji keeps taking every shot thrown at him and dealing it back at Goto. Some big strike exchanges before Goto tries for the Rainmaker only for Tsuji to nail Gene Blaster! One more Gene Blaster ends things withTsuji finally stepping into the big spotlight. ****
AEW Continental Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada at AEW Dynamite 3/20/24: A great story-telling match from these two. A slow start early on with some nice grappling exchanges before Kingston starts firing off chops. Okada avoids Kingston to force him to give chase and allows Okada to sucker Kingston in close for a DDT on the floor. Okada takes the opening to go right to work on the neck of Kingston. A nice pace and story to the match from there with Okada looking to wrestle and work over Kingston while Kingston wants to swing for the fences with strikes and big bombs. Some nice back and forth offense from both men. Two great moments with Kingston rocking Okada with a Backfist for a near-fall and Okada, from there, starts to work more aggressively and another moment with Kingston raising his arms to block the Rainmaker, only to still get knocked down but not out. Okada goes to Kingston's eyes which causes Kingston to miss a second Backfist and allows Okada to hit the Cobra Flowson and a clean Rainmaker to end things. Okada wrestled his style of match while keeping it in his wheelhouse to get the clean and decisive win. Kingston goes down fighting like always, which was great. ****1/4
I Quit Match for the AEW TNT Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs. Adam Copeland at AEW Dynamite 3/20/24: A wild and crazy fight to end this epic rivalry. Copeland jumps Christian early and the fight quickly goes into the crowd and around the arena for a good bit of time. The two fight to ringside and we get all the plunder: tables, ladders, chairs and hockey sticks. Christian gets in a few shots but Copeland dominates most of the match before Mother Wayne hits a low blow. Christian looks to end things with a barbed wire Con-Chair-To but Copeland dodges it! Grindhouse on Christian with a hockey stick in the mouth! The Patriarchy runs in but so does Garcia and Daddy Magic! They handcuff all the members of The Patriarchy to the ring posts! Copeland kicks Christian low over and over but he still won't quit! Copeland gets Spike, his nail covered 2x4, and hits Christian in the groin! MY GOD! Copeland goes for the head but Christian quits! Maybe a little too busy at the end with the run-ins but it worked as The Patriarchy was finally beaten at their own game and Copeland gets the huge win and championship from his former friend. ****1/4
Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata at AEW Dynamite 3/27/24: A really great match between these two. Match starts off with some nice mat wrestling before the story of the match unfolds with Ospreay being the faster and more agile wrestler while Shibata looks to tie up Ospreay in submission and punish him with strikes. Some great back and forth action as Ospreay nicely works from underneath and tries to find openings to land some big offense on Shibata. Great touch with Ospreay needing to go to the ropes time and time again to escape Shibata's submission holds. Shibata locks in a Sleeper but Ospreay is able to escape this time and gets Shibata in the ropes and just bombards him with offense. Brutal Hidden Blade to Shibata's face but he is still not staying down! Storm Driver '93 by Ospreay only for Shibata to sit up and get hit with one final Hidden Blade to end things. Great match with Ospreay having to dig deep to defeat the better wrestler and striker that is Shibata. ****1/4
#1 Contendership Match for the AEW World Championship: Swerve Strickland vs. Konosuke Takeshita at AEW Dynamite 3/27/24: An excellent back and forth match from these two. Match starts off with Swerve using his quickness to try and work over Takeshita before Takeshita's powerful strikes quickly put Swerve on the back foot. A big Brainbuster by Takeshita hurts Swerve's neck and gives Takeshita a target to go after. Great pace and flow to the match with Takeshita being the powerhouse and Swerve trying to find creative ways to chip away at Takeshita all the while the two have an incredible back and forth. So many great counters, exchanges and big near-falls with the Blue Thunder Bomb, Swerve Stomp and Jumbo Knee all not being enough. Takeshita goes for a powerbomb but Swerve is able to counter it with a standing Swerve Stomp! Big Pressure by Swerve and that gets the 3! Great match with both men looking like either one could have gotten the win here but Swerve was able to find the right counter to get the win on this night. ****1/4
Blue Panther, Mistico, Ultimo Guerrero and Volador Jr. vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley and Matt Sydal at CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas: A super hot multi-man tag match. The BCC play the rudo role by using the numbers game to consistently beat down the CMLL team while they look to use their high flying and speed to fight back. Some great back and forth action with the CMLL team fighting back time and time again only for the BCC to jump in and take back control. Nice story moment with Danielson and Blue Panther trying to face off but getting interrupted multiple times. Sydal saves Danielson from a Blue Panther armbar only for Mistico to lock in La Mística on Sydal for the tap out. Super fun match that served to build up to Danielson vs. Blue Panther perfectly while being a great match. ****1/4
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