Top Matches I Watched in September 2024
By Alex Kalil
Not too much from this month but still some amazing stuff. All Out was a great show. I finally got to the finals of the G1 AND Danielson vs. McGuinness in 2024! Thank you wrestling gods!
MJF vs. Daniel Garcia at AEW All Out 2024: A really well done and heated match. Garcia jumps MJF before the bell and we start off hot. Loved the storytelling with both having hurt necks and working different strategies: Garcia wants to hurt MJF while MJF wants Garcia to be emotional and make mistakes so he can take advantage. MJF is able to get some nice heat on Garcia, who sells the hurt neck perfectly while still fighting back. MJF tries for the Bret's rope Tombstone but Garcia is able block it, only to get cut off by a poke to the eye. Classic heel stuff. We get an awesome submission exchange ending with MJF getting the Salt of the Earth on Garcia. MJF ties up Garcia's limbs while in the hold but Garcia fights his way to the ropes. So great! Garcia is able to lock in a Front Chancery and looks to choke out MJF but Garcia wants to do more damage. Piledriver by Garcia but MJF kicks out! Garcia goes for a Bret's rope Piledriver but MJF shoves the referee away and kicks Garcia low. MJF rolls up Garcia with his own Jackknife pin to get the win. Great stuff with MJF playing a perfect heel to the underdog babyface Garcia. Some excellent back and forth counters and exchanges before Garcia seemingly cost himself the match by being so focused on hurting MJF and not winning the match. ****
AEW International Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. PAC at AEW All Out 2024: An incredible bell to bell display of wrestling! Match starts off with some quick exchanges with both showing how even they are in terms of athleticism. We get some nice storytelling with PAC trying to make things a little more slower paced and on the mat while also going after the hurt neck of Ospreay. Some great exchanges and sequences all match with both men having the best shots of their opponent well scouted. PAC uses the Poison Rana to drop Ospreay right on his neck multiple times to add a bit of storytelling to his offense. PAC tries for a top rope Poison Rana only for Ospreay to counter and land on his feet! Hidden Blade! Ospreay lifts PAC for Stormbreaker but PAC counters into a rana! Cover but Ospreay rolls out at 2 and into a Styles Clash! Hidden Blade and Ospreay gets the win! What a match! These two's chemistry was so smooth with some incredible counters and near-falls all match right before a super hot and exciting finish. Just an awesome match! ****3/4
Chicago Street Fight: Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale at AEW All Out 2024: A wild, weapons filled brawl from these former friends! We start off hot with Willow out-powering Statlander until a chair to the back allows Statlander to powerbomb Willow through the announcer's table! Statlander misses a follow-up Swanton through a table to even things back up. The women brawl around ringside and up the ramp as Statlander gets more weapons only to be nailed with a light tube by Willow! Statlander doesn't stay down long and spears Willow off the stage through a table! My God! The two fight back to the ring before we get thumbtacks in the ring and a series of big bombs from both women. Statlander hits the Saturday Night Fever before choking out Willow with a chain to get the win. A vicious and violent match with both women going all out from the start with trying to punish and hurt the other. Tons of wild spots with a really nice finish and visual with the two friends turned enemies tied together with the chain. ****1/4
Lights Out Steel Cage Match: Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland at AEW All Out 2024: A brutal, violent and dangerous match from these two bitter rivals. Both men start off fighting before the cage is even lowered and here we go! They both start swinging away and using the cage to batter each other. Page breaks out a staple gun and starts attacking Swerve only for Swerve to turn it back on Page himself, even stapling a picture of Swerve's family on his face! Page is able to crotch Swerve on the ropes to take back over and attacks him with barbed wire to bust him open! We get a fun little spot where Page can't hit the Buckshot Lariat due to the cage, only for Swerve to use the referee to hit one. That was slick. Cop Killa by Swerve onto a cinder block! Jesus! Swerve hits an awesome Swerve Stomp through a table, only for Page to respond back with a Dead Eye! Page tries to stab Swerve with a piece of his burnt house! Swerve is able to take it away and stabs Page! Low blow by Page! Powerbomb onto the cinder block! Jesus! Swerve still keeps fighting back and is able to rock Page with a pair of House Calls. Swerve starts climbing the cage for a Swerve Stomp but Page stops him. Awesome Bomb off the top! Swerve is done! But The Hangman wants more! Dead Eye and more chair shots by Page, who wants Swerve to beg for mercy but Swerve just laughs at Page. Page pulls out Swerve's grill from his mouth and stabs him with a needle! Dear God! A sickening and brutal chairshot to Swerve's head and the referee calls it! MY GOD! These two were looking to kill each other all match. Loved the story with Page going further and further to hurt and punish Swerve until the very end where he clearly went too far in his quest for revenge. Just a brutal match to sell the hatred and violent nature of this legendary feud! ****1/2
G1 Climax 2024 Block B Playoff Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yota Tsuji at NJPW G1 Climax 34 Day 17: A great follow-up to these two's first match. Things start off a little slower this time with Tsuji not wanting to rush and Takeshita coming in with a hurt knee. Takeshita starts laying in some offense early, while still nursing the knee, before Tsuji gets his knees up to block a senton. Tsuji starts going to work on Takeshita's knee while grounding him for a nice change of pace. Takeshita nicely fights back, only for Tsuji to keep going back to the knee to cut him off. Takeshita starts taking bigger risks to stay in the match like a superplex and a flipping senton to the outside onto Tsuji and some chairs for a nice count-out tease. Tsuji fires back with his own high risk offense before both men collide with dual lariats. The two lock horns like bulls and Tsuji powers Takeshita up for a Falcon Arrow. Tsuji goes for Gene Blaster but Takeshita counters with a knee! The two men start throwing big bombs back and forth for some awesome near-falls. Takeshita tries for a Brainbuster but Tsuji counters with a stunner. Gene Blaster! Cover! Takeshita gets his feet on the ropes! Gene Blaster again but Takeshita counters with a big German Suplex! Takeshita turns around right into Gene Blaster! Tsuji gets the win! What a match! The slower start was nice as it allowed Takeshita to fight from underneath while Tsuji showed off his mat wrestling skills before we got a wild bomb fest at the finish. ****1/4
G1 Climax 2024 Block A Final Match: Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. at NJPW G1 Climax 34 Day 18: Another really good match from these two. Things start off with both working their trademark styles: Shingo wanting to land bombs while Sabre goes after Shingo's hurt arm. In the early going of the match, Shingo changes things up by going after Sabre's neck for a nice bit of limb work; however, it doesn't take Sabre long to respond. Sabre goes to work on Shingo's neck and starts picking apart his legs as well to slow him down. Story becomes Shingo trying to land bombs while Sabre picks at every part of Shingo's body to chip away at him. Shingo tries to push himself and put away Sabre before his body gives out and we get some really great back and forth action. Shingo keeps looking for The Last of the Dragon before countering out of a Triangle and nailing it! Shingo is slow to cover because of the damage done to his knee and Sabre kicks out. Shingo landed his best shot and it still wasn't enough. Sabre is able to rally and lays in some strikes on Shingo before a Zack Driver for a near-fall but Sabre goes right into a kneebar! Shingo tries to fight out but he can't do it and has to tap. Sabre advances to the finals. Great match with Sabre taking some big shots by Shingo but kept picking away at Shingo's limbs to take back over before at long last it paid off for the finish. ****1/4
G1 Climax 2024 Final Match: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Yota Tsuji at NJPW G1 Climax 34 Day 19: A fantastic power vs. technical wrestling match. Some nice in-ring work with Sabre going after Tsuji's arm while Tsuji goes after Sabre's ribs. Tsuji is able to manhandle Sabre early on with his size and power, only for Sabre to cut him off by going to work on the arm with some submissions. Tsuji starts going for the bigger bombs including nailing a Gene Blaster early but Sabre rolls to the ropes to avoid the cover. Tsuji starts bombing on Sabre with more offense but when he goes for Gene Blaster again, Sabre catches him with a Fujiwara Armbar! Tsuji fights out with a powerbomb and starts hammering on Sabre. Tsuji tries for Yuya's Deadbolt Suplex but Sabre blocks, only for Tsuji to hit Zack Driver! Sabre avoids Gene Blaster again and tries for some quick roll-ups. Sabre goes for Zack Driver but Tsuji hits a stunner! Gene Blaster once again but Sabre catches him with a Triangle this time! Sabre ties up Tsuji with all his limbs trapped! Tsuji taps and Sabre wins the G1! What a match! The classic power vs. technical match but some amazing work by both men. Loved Sabre getting with Gene Blaster once and doing everything to block Tsuji from hitting it again. Sabre is able to all but hogtie Tsuji to win the whole tournament. ****1/2
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness at AEW Dynamite 9/25/24-Dynamite Grand Slam: A fantastic match between these two rivals! Match starts off with some classic mat wrestling with both looking for holds and Danielson clearly having the advantage. Nigel responds back by taking cheap shots and is able to target the right arm of Danielson to take away his dominant arm and set up for the London Dungeon. Great heat by Nigel as he takes joy in picking apart Danielson, who fires back with a Busaiku Knee out of nowhere just to even things back up. The match restarts with both men duking it out with big strikes and blows. Jawbreaker Lariat by Nigel! 1 count! Danielson is fired up! But Nigel just pokes him in the eye. Perfect representation of their feud right there! Nigel starts going for his big offense: London Dungeon locked in but Danielson fights out, only to get hit with the Tower of London for a 2 count. London Dungeon again but Danielson punches his way out. Another Lariat by Nigel but Danielson again kicks out. Danielson is able to roll right into the LeBell Lock from the kick-out! Danielson tries to lock in the hold with his bad arm as Nigel fights to escape. Danielson finally locks in the LeBell Lock deep. Nigel taps out! What a match! Danielson came in hurt and Nigel was vicious in his attempt to prove he could beat him by using every cheap trick he could to do so. So many great callbacks and spots from their past matches before Danielson is able to dig deep, fight through the pain to get the win. What a match between these legendary rivals! ****1/4
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: The Young Bucks vs. Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher at AEW Dynamite 9/25/24-Dynamite Grand Slam: A phenomenal back and forth, fast paced tag match! Things start off and right away the Bucks try to double team their way into control before Ospreay and Fletcher clean house and take over with their fast offense. The match settles into some great back and forth action and near-falls early as both teams look for a quick win. Bucks try for the EVP Trigger but Ospreay leaps up and hits a double Oscutter! Bucks turn it around though by nailing Fletcher with a TK Driver on the apron! Fletcher just makes it back in the ring at 9. Bucks get some heat on him before trying for another TK Driver but Ospreay catches Nick! Double Styles Clashes by Ospreay and Fletcher! Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker by Ospreay! Nick with the save! Bucks cut off Ospreay and go for More Bang For Your Bucks on Fletcher. Ospreay with a Springboard Cutter to Nick! TK Driver to Matt by Ospreay and Fletcher! Kickout! Coriolis! Another kickout! My God! Top Rope Brainbuster by Fletcher!!! Nick with the save! Good God! Callis gives Fletcher the screwdriver but Ospreay stops him! Ospreay gets hit with the title belt by Matt! Fletcher is hit by Nick! Double Superkick and EVP Trigger on Fletcher finally gives the Bucks the win. An insane back and forth match with so many crazy spots and sequences. Just wow! The storyline finish was a nice touch as it gives the Bucks the win and shows Ospreay not willing to use Callis' tactics anymore. ****1/4
#1 Contendership Match for the AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin at AEW Dynamite 9/25/24-Dynamite Grand Slam: A great, hard hitting match. Moxley cuts off Darby at the bell and wastes no time going to work on him. Moxley isn't trying to be pretty; he just stomps on Darby, kicks the ropes into his mouth and mauls him. Moxley is all business. Darby falls back on his classic, reckless style while also being unique in his offense like trapping Moxley's arm in the top of the ring post to work it over. So clever. The match follows this story with Moxley being aggressive with his attacks while Darby takes big risks to try and get the win. Brutal spot with Darby missing a dive and smacking the bare floor! Release Suplex onto the stair! Moxley leaves Darby to be counted out but Darby makes it back in at 9! Darby dodges a charging Moxley, who hits an exposed turnbuckle. Coffin Drop by Darby but Moxley catches him in a choke. Moxley switches to a Bulldog Choke as Darby foams at the mouth! Darby fights to the ropes and forces the break! Moxley gets frustrated and goes to the top, only for Darby to cut him off. A brief distraction by Marina Shafir allows Moxley to hit Darby with a top rope Death Rider! My God! Cover and Moxley gets the win. Loved this match with both men working their style perfectly. Moxley was here to win even if he had to kill Darby while Darby threw himself at his opponent looking for the win. Great stuff. ****1/4
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