Top Matches I Watched in September 2023
By Alex Kalil
This was a slower month for wrestling coming off an amazing summer. Have a few things on to watch list that I didn't get to so that is on me. (Check back for next month's post). But what we did get was incredible with AEW giving us one of the best PPV of the year and THE greatest Strap Match of all time. Some good stuff from WWE and Japan but again, this was a slow month.
Steel Cage Match: Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch at WWE Payback 2023: A really nice feud ending match. Trish tries to escape right away but Becky stops her and goes to work on her for a bit. Trish fights back and gets some heat on Becky before the match becomes a nice back and forth fight. Cool moments with both women using moves of their past opponents and Becky slamming Trish repeatedly into the cage. When pinning Becky doesn't work, Trish goes back to trying to escape only to get taken down by a suplex off the cage. Brutal! Zoey Stark tries to get involved to help Trish out but is quickly removed by Becky, hits a Manhandle Slam on Trish to get the win. Very good match to end their feud and a good use of the cage. ****
Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c) vs. Finn Balor and Damian Priest at WWE Payback 2023: A wild and very fun street fight. Match doesn't take long to break down into a brawl at ringside and introduce chairs, trash cans and kendo sticks. The fight spills into the crowd as Dominik gets involved to help out Judgement Day. We get a fun hockey fight spot as the babyfaces make a comeback on the heels. Tons of wild spots with Owens hitting a Swaton on Dominik through a table in the crowd and Sami putting Balor through a table at ringside. Sami and Owens try to double team Priest to get the win but JD runs out to stop them. Owens quickly takes out JD only to be speared through the barricade by Rhea! Sami and Balor fight in the ring and Sami hits the Helluva Kick but Dominik hits Sami with the MITB briefcase! Balor covers Sami and gets the win for Judgement Day. A very fun and wild brawl that felt like a fight. The numbers game was the deciding factor in the end though. ****1/4
AEW TNT Championship Match: Luchasaurs (c) vs. Darby Allin at AEW All Out 2023: A fantastic David vs. Goliath match. Darby starts off hot to try and catch Luchasaurs off guard but he is quickly out-powered by the big man. Luchasaurs goes to work on Darby by targeting his hurt ribs and back, busting him open and even pinning him under the steel steps. Darby keeps trying to fight back all match and does a great job of doing just enough to stay alive before the big man shuts him down. Darby finally gets desperate and bites Luchasaurs' hand to get him to break his grip and Darby hits a Code Red off the top for a big near-fall. Darby starts rolling but Christian at ringside attacks Nick Wayne to take Darby's eyes off his opponent for just a moment. Luchasaurs gets a hold of Darby and hits a pair of Tombstone Piledrivers before dropping Darby face first on the turnbuckle. Big clothesline to the back of Darby's head and Luchasaurs retains. Great match with a great story! ****1/4
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Miro at AEW All Out 2023: This was a Hoss Fight! Two big meaty men slapping meat and it was awesome! Some nice back and forth all match with Miro being the more seasoned wrestler while Hobbs is younger and maybe stronger. Lots of big strikes and suplexes and all action. Good finishing stretch with both men surviving the best shot the other could throw before Hobbs goes to the top and is caught coming off into a spinebuster by Miro! Game Over is locked in a second time and while Hobbs tries to escape, he can't do it and has to tap out. Crowd loved this match and so did I. Super fun match! ****
Strap Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks at AEW All Out 2023: This was beautiful pro wrestling violence! Starks jumps Danielson before the bell and gives him some hard shot to the head with his weight belt to bust Danielson open. The match officially starts and Danielson is already on defense as he tries to cover up while Starks whips the hell out of him with the strap. Danielson starts to fight back and nails Starks with his own shots before using the strap to pull Starks into the ring post and busting him open. We now got an insane double juice strap match going on as Danielson unloads brutal strap shots on Starks! My God! Awesome moment as Starks starts whipping Danielson, only for Danielson to no sell it and whip him back, asking him if he is going to take it. Fucking awesome! Big Bill tries to get involved but Ricky Steamboat at ringside stops him. Danielson is cut in half by a Spear from Starks but only a 2 count. Roshambo attempt by Starks but Danielson slips out and hits a Busaiku Knee! Only 2 again! Danielson kicks Starks' fucking head in and applies the LeBell Lock but Starks is fighting out of it! Danielson uses the strap to apply more pressure and Starks passes out! What a fucking match! Danielson fought from underneath like the fantastic babyface he is while Starks looked like a star in defeat after the grueling match both went through. The Greatest Strap Match of All Time! *****
Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita at AEW All Out 2023: A great match between these friends turned rivals. Takeshita has the easy strength advantage and dumps Omega on his head early on with a nasty suplex! Omega tries to go to the knees to slow Takeshita down and keep the match moving with his speed advantage. A really good back and forth flow to the match with Takeshita always seeming one step ahead of Omega all match. Both men start pulling out the big bombs for some great near-falls. Callis and Takeshita both try to use the screwdriver to stab Omega but are stopped by the ref. Takeshita is able to roll through the One-Winged Angel into a wheelbarrow suplex and blasts Omega with a big knee for another 2 count! Takeshita pulls down the knee pad and nails one final knee to end things. Just a great back and forth match as these two knew each other so well and put together a great match. Omega continues to fail in big matches while Takeshita continues to shine. ****1/2
AEW International Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jon Moxley at AEW All Out 2023: A phenomenal story-telling match! Moxley has no time for Cassidy's games and starts off taking the fight right to Cassidy. We get some nice early exchanges as Cassidy knows he is hurt and needs to move quickly if he hopes to put Moxley away. Moxley runs Cassidy into the ring post and announcer's table to bust him open and now things are looking desperate. Cassidy is hurt and bleeding and Moxley continues to work him over. We get a nice exchange of Moxley going for submissions and Cassidy fighting out into pinning attempts that ends with Cassidy getting to the ropes as Moxley is shocked that Cassidy is still going. Moxley ups the violence and looks for a piledriver on the exposed floor but Cassidy counters with a Beach Break! Cassidy tries to get a count-out just to survive but Moxley makes it back to the ring. Cassidy goes for broke and unloads Orange Punches to Moxley and nails a Spear but Moxley still kicks out! Cassidy starts kicking Moxley with everything he has left, only for Moxley to level Cassidy with a series of Lariats. Moxley hits Death Rider but only gets 2! Moxley almost seems to ask for forgiveness before he goes after Cassidy again and Cassidy flips off Moxley. One final Death Rider ends it! Moxley gets the win and Cassidy's long reign ends with Cassidy giving it all he had and going out on his shield. ****1/2
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Luke Jacobs at RevPro 11 Year Anniversary Show: A well done young up and comer vs. veteran match as well as a Hoss Fight. Jacobs comes in looking to prove himself and goes toe to toe with Ishii the whole match. Tons of forearms, chops, lariats and even headbutts all to try and knock the other man down. Jacobs does a nice job firing back from underneath and keeps going even when he looks to be finished. A fun finishing stretch as Jacobs starts to rally and get some big near-falls in before Ishii levels him and ends things with a Brainbuster. Exactly what this match was supposed to be. ****
Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay at RevPro 11 Year Anniversary Show: Another really great match from these two rivals. Some great back and forth counters right from the start of the match. Ospreay looks to use his speed and quickness to keep the pace fast while Shingo uses his power to try and slow Ospreay down. Shingo is able to hit a DDT on the floor on Ospreay to hurt his neck and give Shingo a target to work on. Fantastic back and forth action all match with some incredible counters and near-falls. Both men nail their best shots for big near-falls but neither man is slowing down. Shingo hits Last of the Dragon but somehow Ospreay is able to stay on his feet long enough to hit a Hidden Blade and both men collapse. Ospreay is able to get to his feet first and levels Shingo from behind with a Hidden Blade before a Stormbreaker ends it. Ospreay was able to be a step faster on this night and pulled one over on Shingo in a great match. ****1/4
Champion vs. Champion Match: ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli vs. NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston at AEW Dynamite 9/20/23- Dynamite Grand Slam: A hard hitting fight between these two rivals. Both men come out swinging and while Kingston is able to fight Claudio, Claudio is able to start picking apart Kingston piece by piece. A big suplex on the ramp by Claudio and stomps to Kingston's hands tries to take away Kingston's best weapons. Kingston somehow is able to fire up on Claudio and fight back. Fantastic moment with Kingston chopping away at Claudio but Claudio just absorbs them so Kingston pops him with a quick jab. The two men start throwing bombs at each other and we get some nice callbacks to the past finishes. Kingston is able to survive a Ricola Bomb for a huge near-fall! Kingston stuns Claudio with a series of backfists and drops Claudio with a Northern Lights Bomb but Claudio still kicks out! Kingston finally hits a Kawada style Powerbomb and gets the win over his longtime rival! What an emotional ride as Kingston refused to give in and fought back against Claudio to finally get the win he has needed for so long and the handshake from his foe that he earned. ****1/2
AEW World Championship Match: MJF (c) vs. Samoa Joe at AEW Dynamite 9/20/23-Dynamite Grand Slam: A fantastic babyface champion vs. monster heel match! MJF comes into the match hurt and Joe is quick to go after MJF's neck. We get some nice heat by Joe as he works over MJF before MJF starts to make a comeback. A Death Valley Driver on the apron puts Joe right back in the driver seat and MJF on defense. Joe goes to work brutalizing MJF with a slam through a table and a piledriver on the floor but MJF still kicks out! MJF tries to mount a comeback but Joe locks in the choke and MJF kicks him low! MJF goes to use the Diamond Ring but the ref sees it and Joe gets an opening to kick MJF low back. Muscle Buster by Joe! Only 2! Joe gets the choke in again but Cole comes to ringside to cheer MJF on, and he fights back to escape. The referee gets bumped to the outside and MJF uses his wrist tape to choke Joe! Joe is out and MJF retains! MJF used every trick he had and survived everything Joe could throw at him to survive. What a match! ****
Texas Death Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks at AEW Collision 9/23/23: This was a fantastic violent fight! Starks tries to jump Danielson early but Danielson is able to fight him off as the two brawl all over the arena. Starks is able to take over by using the ring bell to bust open Danielson and goes to work on him. Danielson keeps fighting back but Starks keeps taking back over by utilizing weapons he brings into the match. Starks uses the strap from their past match to choke and whip Danielson before breaking out a steel chain. Starks tries to choke out Danielson but Danielson is able to escape. Starks goes for a Spear but Danielson locks in the LeBell Lock and once again tries to choke out Starks with the chain. But Starks stays alive! The two start trading huge clubbing blows and headbutts! Starks goes for a chairshot but Danielson ducks and nails a Busaiku Knee to drive the chair into Starks' face! Starks' face is a bloody mess as Danielson stomps his head in! Starks spits at Danielson and crawls to his knees before Danielson wraps the chain around his knee and hits another Busaiku Knee to put Starks down for the 10 count. Another great match from these two that showed off the violent edge to Starks and showed him as a fighter who went down swinging while Danielson once again emerges as the never say die babyface and the victor. ****1/4
Naomichi Marufuji vs. Will Ospreay at Pro Wrestling NOAH Naomichi Marufuji's 25th Anniversary Show: A really good back and forth match. Both men are evenly matched in the ring and even have similar styles. Marufuji has to use his experience to try and outsmart and out-wrestle the faster and more agile Ospreay. Some great exchanges and counters with Marufuji rolling back the clock to show off how quick and dangerous he can still be but Ospreay is able to keep matching him every step of the way. Ospreay is finally able to nail the Hidden Blade and a follow up one to the back of Marufuji's head. Stormbreaker ends things with Ospreay getting the big win over his idol. Very good match. ****1/4
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