10 Best Wrestling Shows of 2018
This article is based on my personal opinion. Please keep in mind that i currently do not have the time to watch all of the wrestling there is. This list will consider all of WWE's (including NXT's), WOS' and WXW's output and everything i was able to watch from such as Progress Wrestling, Defiant, ICW, New Japan, NWA, Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. This does not guarantee their content will be included.
For me a good show needs to have more than just one or two good matches, therefore i did not include WrestleKingdom or WWE PPVs for example, as they did not much for me this year.
Disagree with the list? Send your opinions to @Walu2go on Twitter
NXT Takeover Philadelphia, NXT Takeover New Orleans, NXT Takeover Chicago II, NXT Takeover Brooklyn 4, NXT Takeover WarGames
10. ALL IN
Date: September 1st, 2018
Card:
SoCal Uncensored vs. The Briscoe Brothers
19 Men Over the Budget Battle Royal
Matt Cross vs. MJF
Christopher Daniels vs. Stephen Amell
Tessa Blanchard vs. Britt Baker vs. Chelsea Green vs. Madison Rayne
NWA Championship: Nick Aldis(c) vs. Cody
Hangman Page vs. Joey Janela
ROH Championship: Jay Lethal(c) vs. Flip Gordon
Kenny Omega vs. Penta El Zero
Kazuchika Okada vs. Marty Scurll
Golden Elite vs. Bandido, Rey Fenix and Rey Mysterio
Where to watch:
Fite TV
HONORCLUB
NEW JAPAN WORLD
Cody and The Young Bucks set out to make history by selling 10,000 tickets for a non-WWE wrestling event in the USA for the first time since WCW folded in the year 2000. And they did it. With the best the indy-scene had to offer and more they put together one brilliant wrestling show. Although it had almost no stakes and the only match with actual build was the NWA Title Match, the wrestling itself was flawless. Every match was an excellent boud. Let's hope more is to come, because this bridge between New Japan's and WWE's way of making a wrestling show is something that could work if done right.
9. Slammiversary 2018 (Impact Wrestling)
Date: July 22nd, 2018
Card:
Johnny Impact vs. Fenix vs. Taju Ishimori vs. Petey Williams
Tessa Blanchard vs. Allie
House of Hardcore Rules Match: Eddie Edwards vs. Tommy Dreamer
X Division Championship: Brian Cage(c) vs. Matt Sydal
Knockouts Championship: Su Yung(c) vs. Madison Ryane
Tag Team Championship: LAX(c) vs. OGz
Mask vs. Hair: Pentagon Jr vs. Sami Callihan
World Championship: Austian Aries(c) vs. Moose
Where to watch:
Global Wrestling Network
Nobody had this Pay-Per-View on the watch until it happened. Not only did it put Impact Wrestling back on the map, through and through this was a great wrestling show. The best hardcore matches wrestled in years, although probably to many of them on one show. Especially one of the matches of the year, LAX vs. The OGz stole the show. Let's hope in 2019 Impact Wrestling is going to produce more fo shows like these, because it obviously was there aim to put on something for everyone. Athletics, Hardcore Wrestling, Womens Wrestling and Storyline-Driven feuds. This show had all of that.
8. Chapter 76: Hello Wembley (PROGRESS Wrestling)
Date: September 30th, 2018
Card:
Progress Atlas Chamipnship: Doug Williams(c) vs. Trent Seven (Final Match of William's career)
Progress Tag Team Championship: Bandido & Flamita (c) vs. The 198 (Flash Morgan Webster & 'Wild Boar' Mike Hitchman vs. CCKampf (Chris Brookes & Timothy Thatcher) vs. Sexy Starr (David Starr & Jack Sexsmith) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) vs. Anti Fun Police ( Chief Deputy Dunne & Los Federales Santos Junior) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. Connor Mills & Maverick Mayhew
Mark Haskins vs. Matt Riddle (Riddle's final match in the indy-scene)
No DQ Match: Paul Robinson vs. Jimmy Havoc
Progress Womens Championship: Jinny(c) vs. Toni Storm vs. Millie McKenzie
TLC Match: Eddie Dennis vs. Mark Andrews
Pete Dunne vs. Ilja Dragunov
Progress World Championship: WALTER(c) vs. Tyler Bate
Where to watch:
Demand Progress
So far the biggest show the british promotion PROGRESS Wrestling has ever done. So big even wwe.com reported on it. Featuring the final match of Doug Williams, a viscous bout between Riddle and Haskins and Robinson and Havoc and the two highlights of Dragunov (with the incredible Christian Michael Jakobi) vs. Dunne in a WXW vs. Progress Match and the mighty Main Event of WALTER vs. Tyler Bate. No doubt that PROGRESS is the top promotion on the british isle.
7. WXW 16 Karat Gold 2018
Date: March 9th - 11th 2018
Card:
Night 1:
16 Karat Gold Tournament Alternate 4 Way: Emil Sitoci vs. Ivan Kiev vs. Julian Nero vs. Julian Pace
Keith Lee vs. The Avalanche Robert Dreissker
Chris Brookes vs. Alexander James
Lucky Kid vs. Matt Sydal
David Starr vs. Emil Sitoci
WALTER & Mike Baily vs. Johnny Klinger & Bobby Gunns
Matt Riddle vs. Da Mack
Travis Banks vs. Mark Haskins
Timothy Thatcher vs. Jonah Rock
Absolute Andy vs. Marius Al-Ani
Night 2:
Martina vs. Veda Scott
No.1 Contenders Match WXW World Tag Team Championship: RISE vs. Monster Consulting vs. Jay FK vs. Haskins & Sydal
Keith Lee vs. Chris Brookes
Tomothy Thatcher vs. Lucky Kid
David Starr vs. Travis Banks
Absolute Andy vs. Matt Riddle
Alexander James vs. Jonah Rock
WXW Shotgun Championship: Bobby Gunns(c) vs. Mike Bailey
WXW Womens Championship: Toni Storm(c) vs. Melanie Grey
WXW Unified World Wrestling Championship: Ila Dragnuov vs. John Klinger(c) vs. WALTER
Night 3:
David Starr vs. Keith Lee
Absolute Andy vs. Timothy Thatcher
Emil Sotic vs. Alexander James vs. Lucky Kid vs. Mark Haskins
WXW Womens Championship: Toni Storm(c) vd. Killer Kelly vs. Martina vs. Wesna
WXW Unified World Wrestling Championshop: Ilja Dragunov(c) vs. Matt Riddle
Travis Banks, Chris Brookes & Jonah Rock vs. Marius Al-Ani, Mike Bailey & Matt Sydal
WXW World Tag Team Championship: RISE vs. RINGKAMPF(c)
16 Karat Gold Finals: Absolute Andy vs. David Starr
Where to watch:
WXWNOW
This event has a hard time failing. When you fly in the best of the best to take on the best of the best in Germany and add the prestigue 16 Karat Gold Cup to it and then go and create three days plus various Championship Matches and special attraction around it, it is hard to create a bad show.
Much like Slammiversary this show had it all.
6. WXW World Tag Team League 2018
Date: October 5th - 7th 2018
Card:
Night 1:
RISE vs. Coast 2 Coast
Toni Storm vs. Meiko Satomura
Lucha Bros vs. Okami
Monster Consulting vs. Jay FK
Julian Pace vs. Emil Sotico vs. Fred Yehi vs. Lucky Kid
CCK vs. Ringkampf
Aussie Open vs. Team SPLX
Hair vs. Hair Match: David Starr vs. Jurn Simmons
Night 2:
WXW Shotgun Championship: Marius Al-Ani(c) vs. Julian Pace
Okami vs. CCK
Jay FK vs. Team SPLX
Ringkampf vs. Lucha Bros
Toni Storm vs. Wesna
Aussie Open vs. Monster Consulting
WXW Interim Unified World Wrestling Championship: Ilja Dragunov vs. Bobby Gunns (Where HERE)
Night 3:
Ringkampf vs. Okami
CCK vs. Lucha Bros
Wesna vs. Lufisto
Jay FK vs. Aussie Open
Team SPLX vs. Monster Consulting
If Dirty Dragan looses, he must leave WXW: Jurn Simmons & Alexander James vs. Emil Sitoci & Dirty Dragan
Lucky Kid vs. Tarkan Aslan
WXW World Tag Team Finals/WXW World Tag Team Title Match: Jay FK vs. CCK
Where to watch:
WXWNOW
I was live at this show and it was what the title says. It best Tag Team Wrestling in the World. I have not seen so much awesome Tag Team Wrestling under one roof. Absolutley amazing how all of this played out exactly to plan (apart from Absolute Andy not being able to compete). Okami, a team i never heard of before, shocked me because they were so damn good. The WTTL was WXW's best show all year.
5. NXT Takeover Brooklyn 4
The following Takeover Shows for me as the best wrestling product out there. Takeover always deliver. Every match of the card is utterly incredible. I am also sure that most of you have seen these shows. If not look on to network.wwe.com ! Phila delpha ranks as No1 for the Phenomenal Ladder Match and the epic Main Event but to be fair, all of these shows were just perfect from the bottom to the top. There these shows are missing a detailed explanation as I just recommend all of these as MUST-SEE.
Card:
NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era(c) vs. Mustache Mountain
Velveteen Dream vs. EC3
NXT North American Championship: Adam Cole(c) vs. Ricochet
NXT Women's Championship: Kairi Sane vs. Shayne Baszler(c)
NXT Championship: Tomasso Ciampa(c) vs. Johnny Gargano
4. NXT Takeover Chicago II
Card:
NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era(c) vs. Danny Bruch & Oney Lorcan
Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream
NXT Womens Championship: Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Nikki Cross
NXT Championship: Aleister Black(c) vs. Lars Sullivan
Chicago Street Fight: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano
3. NXT Takeover New Orleans
Date: April 7th, 2018
Card:
NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Ricochet vs. Adam Cole vs. Lars Sullivan vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Velveteen Dream
NXT Womens Championship: Ember Moon(c) vs. Shayna Baszler
NXT Tag Team Championship and Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals: Undisputed Era(c) vs. Authors of Pain vs. Pete Dunne & Roderick Strong
NXT Championship: Aleister Black vs. Andrade 'Cien' Almas(c)
Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa
2. NXT Takeover War Games
Card:
Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno
NXT Womens Championship (2-out-3-Falls Match): Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Kairi Sane
Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano
NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa(c) vs. Velveteen Dream
WAR GAMES: Pete Dunne, Ricochet, WarRaiders vs. The Undisputed Era
1. NXT Takeover Philadelphia
Card:
NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era(c) vs. Authors of Pain
Kassius Ohno vs. Velveteen Dream
NXT Womens Championship: Ember Moon(c) vs. Shayna Baszler
Extreme Rules Match: Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole
NXT Championship: Andrade 'Cien' Almas(c) vs. Johnny Gargano
ALL BEST OF 2018 LISTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE:
Best Male Wrestlers of 2018
Best Female Wrestlers of 2018
Best Tag Teams of 2018
Best Matches of 2018
Thank you for sticking with me through 2018 and thank you for supporting Wrestling all over the world.
2019 will be yet another interesting wrestling for this business with the emerging of AEW, WWE promising a 'New Era' and all wrestling promotions stepping up to the occasion. In the first week of 2019 i am planning to let CatchChat rest. But starting the following week CatchChat will be back with more ideas and opinion-driven content. I've been blessed with very satisfying numbers of readers and i hope to be able to entertain you more in the future. Don't forget to follow me at @Walu2go on Twitter and Like CatchChat on Facebook. Have nice jump into 2019.
I will see you there.
