Matches of the Year 2019

Johnny Legacy's Deep Thoughts

Matches of the Year 2019

Well, here we are again, the end of another year. 2019 will be remembered for a long time as the year AEW rose to challenge the behemoth that is WWE and WWE's response of expanding NXT's weekly show to two hours and putting it on USA, but it also saw Smackdown move to broadcast TV and become arguably WWE's A show, New Japan continue to put out the best wrestling in the world, the slow slide of ROH, a true return of the NWA, and Impact continuing to survive and possibly grow. As much as we argue about what's happening in the world of wrestling, there's no doubt that the bell to bell product is the best it's ever been.

As with last year, I'll be listing my picks for the top three matches for each month as well as any other matches that I think deserve a mention, almost all coming from companies I watch regularly (all branches of WWE/NXT, NJPW, AEW, and a smattering of ROH). If there's anything not mentioned here that you think should be, especially from other promotions, please leave it in the comments!

January
Honorable mention: Undisputed Era/War Raiders (Takeover), Jericho/Naito (WK)
3. NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano vs Ricochet (NXT Takeover: Phoenix)
2. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (Wrestle Kingdom 13)
1. NEVER Openweight Championship: Will Ospreay vs Kota Ibushi (Wrestle Kingdom 13)

February
3. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jay White (The New Beginning in Osaka)
2. Aleister Black, Ricochet and Velveteen Dream vs Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa and Adam Cole (Halftime Heat)
1. Men's Elimination Chamber Match (Elimination Chamber)

March
Honorable mentions: Bryan/Owens/Ali (Fastlane), DIY/Undisputed Era (NXT TV), 5 way #1 contender's match (NXT TV)
3. Will Opsreay vs Jay White (NJPW 47th Anniversary Show)
2. Kazuchika Okada vs Tomohiro Ishii (New Japan Cup Night 11)
1. Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito (New Japan Cup Night 3)

April
Honorable mentions: All of Takeover: New York not mentioned below, Okada/White (G1 Supercard), Scurll/Taven/Lethal (G1 Supercard), Rousey/Flair/Lynch (WM), Miz/McMahon (WM)
3. IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito (G1 Supercard)
2. Best 2 out of 3 Falls for the vacant NXT Championship: Adam Cole vs Johnny Gargano (NXT Takeover: New York)
1. WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston (Wrestlemania 35)

May
Honorable mentions: Omega/Jericho (DON), Shingo/Ishiimori (BOTSJ N 13), Bucks/Lucha Bros (DON)
3. Will Ospreay vs El Phantasmo (Best of the Super Juniors Night 7)
2. WWE Universal Championship: Seth Rollins vs AJ Styles (Money in the Bank)
1. Cody vs Dustin Rhodes (Double or Nothing)

June
Honorable mentions: Ibushi/Naito (Dominion), Moxley/Robinson (BOTSJ Final)
3. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay vs Dragon Lee (Dominion)
2. NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole
1. Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi (Best of the Super Juniors Final)

July
Honorable mentions: Ishii/Robinson (G1 Climax), Black/Cesaro (Extreme Rules), Moxley/Naito (G1 Climax), every Yano G1 match
3. Will Ospreay vs Kazuchika Okada (G1 Climax 29 Night 7)
2. Tomihiro Ishii vs Jon Moxley (G1 Climax 29 Night 6)
1. Will Ospreay vs Kota Ibushi (G1 Climax 29 Night 5)

August
Honorable mentions: Okada/SANADA (G1 Climax), LeRae/Shairi (Takeover), Rollins/Lesnar (Summerslam), Okada/Suzuki (Royal Quest), Bucks/Lucha Bros (All Out), Ospreay/Tanahashi (G1 Climax)
3. WWE United Kingdom Championship: WALTER vs Tyler Bate (NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff)
2. Kota Ibushi vs Kazuchika Okada (G1 Climax 29 Night 17)
1. 3 Stages of Hell Match for the NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole

September
3. Will Ospreay vs Sho (Super J Cup)
2. RevPro British Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (Destruction in Beppu)
1. Will Ospreay vs Amazing Red (Super J Cup)

October
Honorable mentions: Omega/Janella (Dark), Bucks/Private Party (Dynamite), Liger/Suzuki (King of Pro Wrestling), Cole/Riddle (NXT TV)
3. WALTER vs KUSHIDA (NXT TV)
2. AAA Mega Championship: Kenny Omega vs Fenix (Heroes Inmortales XIII)
1. Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship: Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks (Hell in a Cell)

November
Honorable mentions: KENTA/Ishii (Power Struggle), Cody/Jericho (Full Gear), Men's and Women's Survivor Series matches, Cole/Bryan (SD), Undisputed ERA/Revival (NXT TV)
3. NXT Championship: Adam Cole vs Pete Dunne (Survivor Series)
2. Women's War Games Match (NXT Takeover: War Games III)
1. Men's War Games Match (NXT Takeover: War Games III)

December
Honorable mentions: Jungle Boy/Jericho (Dynamite), Lucha Bros/Omega & Page (Dynamite), Cole/Balor (NXT TV), New Day/Revival (TLC)
3. NXT Women's Championship: Shayna Baszler vs Rhea Ripley (NXT TV)
2. TLC Match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship: The Kabuki Warriors vs Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair (TLC)
1. Aleister Black vs Buddy Murphy (TLC)