In 2023, I have watched and reviewed every single episode of Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, and NXT as well as every Premium Live Event and it’s now time for me to put out my Top 40 Matches of the Year. For context, every match in here (besides one that I had to put in to make 40) has received a B+ Grade or above from me over the course of this year. Now, let’s begin!
Gunther VS Mustafa Ali: Night of Champions (28/05)
We start things off with an Intercontinental Championship match which saw Gunther put his Title on the line against Mustafa Ali at Night of Champions. This was a really good match between two incredibly talented competitors and the David VS Goliath storyline worked well really here, especially as Ali was somewhat of a hometown favourite for the people in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Ring General eventually won and retained his Intercontinental Championship and I’m pretty sure this isn’t the last time that these two superstars and this show (in general) will be on this list.
Wes Lee VS Dijak: NXT Vengeance Day (04/02)
The first NXT Premium Live Event of 2023 saw Wes Lee put his NXT North American Championship on the line against Dijak. I remember that I was fully convinced that Dijak was going to walk away from this match as the Champion so I was pretty surprised to see Wes hit the Kardiak Kick to retain. The match itself was great as both guys went at one another and this was really the start of a very good year for both Lee and Dijak.
The Creed Brothers VS The Dyad: NXT (04/07)
On the July 4th edition of NXT, The Creed Brothers and The Dyad met in a match where the losing team had to leave NXT. Both teams are terrific at what they do and they’d had a couple of good meetings in the past, but what made this one stand was the stakes and story in play. Also, we already knew that Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid were on the way out of the company anyway so it felt pretty certain that Julius and Brutus were going to get the win. However, that didn’t happen as The Dyad picked up the victory with a little bit of help and the only sad thing about this match when looking back is the fact that The Creeds ended up returning anyway.
Men’s Royal Rumble (28/01)
The 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble felt better than the one’s over the past couple of years mainly due to there being multiple storylines at play. Gunther started at Number 1 and went all the way to the end, Edge made his return to take out The Judgment Day, Dominik Mysterio attacked Rey Mysterio backstage, Bobby Lashley eliminated Brock Lesnar to continue their feud, and Logan Paul shockingly eliminated Seth “Freakin” Rollins. Cody Rhodes was the eventual winner after chucking the Intercontinental Champion out of the ring, but even Rhodes and Gunther got plenty of time at the end to just have a “sort of” proper match. Hopefully, the 2024 Royal Rumble matches will be just as good or even maybe better than this one.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins VS Bron Breakker: NXT Gold Rush Week 1 (20/06)
In the Main Event of NXT Gold Rush Week 1, the World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins returned to NXT to put his Championship on the line against one of the faces of the brand, Bron Breakker. This match was a lot of fun which saw Rollins deliver a Frog Splash on Bron through the announce table whilst we also saw both guys kicking out of big moves. What I particularly liked about this contest is it made Bron Breakker look like a genuine star and that showed as Rollins had to deliver 2 Stomps to secure the victory. A great Main Event and this won’t be the last time we see NXT Gold Rush on this list.
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match (01/07)
The Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match this year consisted of Becky Lynch, Bayley, Trish Stratus, Iyo Sky, Zoey Stark, and Zelina Vega all trying to earn a Briefcase that would earn them a guaranteed shot at Championship Gold. I remember Zoey and Zelina proved in this match why they can be future stars in this company whilst Trish Stratus put on a hell of a performance considering she didn’t need to be there. Also, the ending which saw Iyo Sky handcuff Becky and Bayley to the Ladder before Iyo climbed the Ladder and grabbed the Briefcase was genius!
Carmelo Hayes VS JD McDonagh: NXT (07/02)
When Carmelo Hayes and JD McDonagh met earlier in the year, I felt like they were the two MVP’s of NXT. They proved me correct as they had a great match which saw a bunch of fast-paced, high-flying manoeuvres. Also, Ilja Dragunov showed up towards the end of the match to distract McDonagh which I liked for multiple reasons as it one gave Melo the victory, but it also protected JD in defeat. I hope we see this again on the Main Roster.
Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Riddle VS The Bloodline: Backlash (06/05)
The penultimate match at Backlash in San Juan, Puerto Rico saw the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn team up with Riddle to take on The Bloodline. What I liked about this match is the storytelling between Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa was superb as it became crystal clear right away that Solo wasn’t happy with either of his brothers. Solo also proved how much of a force he is when he picked up the win on his own after dropping Riddle with the Samoan Spike.
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge: NXT Deadline (09/12)
The most recent match in this list took place at NXT Deadline as Bron Breakker, Dijak, Josh Briggs, Trick Williams, and Tyler Bate all fought for the right to be named this year’s Men’s Iron Survivor. There were some really great moments in this match, particularly Bron Breakker’s arrival where he picked up 3 falls with 3 Spears, and of course, the final two minutes of the match where Trick Williams fought back from 3 falls down to win the whole thing. However, maybe the best thing about this match is everyone involved looked great throughout.
Dragon Lee VS Nathan Frazer: NXT (04/04)
On the NXT after Stand and Deliver, Dragon Lee VS Nathan Frazer took place from literally out of nowhere. However, I never complained about it and I never will as we got a great fast-paced match between Lee who was starting to show why he had been so hyped up, and Frazer who is just terrific every time he steps into the squared circle. In the end, it was Dragon Lee who picked up the victory, but that wouldn’t be the last time that these two would collide (or even appear on this list).
Tiffany Stratton VS Thea Hail: NXT Gold Rush Week 2 (27/06)
After a successful first week, NXT Gold Rush Week 2 kicked off with Tiffany Stratton putting her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Chase University’s Thea Hail. I remember this match fondly because both Tiffany and Thea hit every move perfectly and the story of Hail trying to work on the arm of Stratton to set her up for the Kimura Lock was both simple and really effective. Despite Stratton tapping out at one point (whilst the referee was distracted by Drew Gulak), it was The Center of the Universe who picked up the victory and I feel like this was a star-making performance for Tiffany and a breakout performance for Thea.
Carmelo Hayes VS Grayson Waller: NXT Spring Breakin’ (25/04)
Despite this match not being the Main Event of NXT Spring Breakin’, Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller still put on a hell of a match with the NXT Championship on the line. Melo proved that this was a big match by adding some new moves to his arsenal whilst Grayson went viral for one last time in NXT with an elbow drop onto Hayes through the announce table. Waller also hit one of the best’s Stunner’s of all time during this contest, but that wasn’t quite enough for The Arrogant Aussie to capture the Gold as a Nothin’ but Net was enough for The A-Champion to retain.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins VS Finn Balor: Summerslam (05/08)
7 years after their match to be crowned the inaugural Universal Champion, Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Finn Balor collided at Summerslam again, this time with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line. Seth and Finn have such good chemistry whenever they collide inside the squared circle and they showed it here with a bunch of great moves. However, the best thing about this match is I brought into both guys winning at different points and that for me is one of the best things that can happen in Wrestling. Rollins kicking out of the Coup de Grace was particularly good. In the end, it was The Visionary who retained after delivering a second Stomp to Balor (after Finn was distracted by/with Damian Priest), and yeah, this was great stuff!
Wes Lee VS Dragon Lee VS Axiom VS Ilja Draunov VS JD McDonagh: NXT Stand and Deliver (01/04)
At NXT Stand and Deliver, Wes Lee put his NXT North American Championship on the line in a Fatal 5-Way against Dragon Lee, Axiom, Ilja Dragunov, and JD McDonagh. This was a weird contest as after a sloppy start, things started to click and we ultimately got a terrific little match. Axiom and Dragon Lee looked particularly great in this match whilst Ilja Dragunov and JD McDonagh brought the fire whilst also showing people just how much they hate each other. In the end, though, it was Wes Lee who retained his Championship by pinning Dragunov (rather ironically) as The Kardiak Kid continued his superb Title reign.
Ilja Dragunov VS Wes Lee: NXT (12/09)
On the 12th of September (2023) edition of NXT, Ilja Dragunov and Wes Lee collided for the opportunity to go on to face Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship at NXT No Mercy. This was a great match between two of NXT’s top stars of the past 12 months and what I loved about this is despite Ilja continuously wrecking Lee, Wes (being Wes) just kept kicking out. However, in the end, Dragunov was able to pick up the victory by simply whacking Wes Lee in the back of the head!
Nathan Frazer VS Dragon Lee: NXT Gold Rush Week 2 (27/06)
I told you these two would appear again! However, the difference here was Nathan Frazer and Dragon Lee collided with the NXT Heritage Cup on the line. Nathan took the lead in Round 2 before Dragon fired back in Round 4 with his terrific Dragon Bomb. Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon were also hilarious at ringside and they ultimately had the best seat in the house to witness Frazer retain his Heritage Cup with just a second to go in Round 5. Great stuff between two incredibly entertaining competitors.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn VS The Judgment Day: Payback (02/09)
At Payback, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn put their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships on the line against The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and “Senor Money in the Bank” Damian Priest in a Steel City Street Fight. This match was completely bonkers and saw Kevin Owens pull out some ridiculous spots including jumping off a balcony onto Dominik Mysterio through a table (and onto the concrete floor). We also got really good near falls for both sides and my favourite feud of the year continued when Rhea Ripley speared KO through the barricade! In the end, it was The Judgment Day who captured the Gold after a lot of help from the other members and this was just great fun from start to finish.
Dragon Lee VS JD McDonagh VS Duke Hudson VS Grayson Waller: NXT (11/04)
Before Carmelo Hayes could put his NXT Championship on the line at NXT Spring Breakin’, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Duke Hudson, and Grayson Waller all fought in a Number 1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way. This match was so good and it was partly down to how over Duke Hudson was with the crowd. “The Duke” also looked awesome throughout as did JD McDonagh and Dragon Lee whilst Grayson Waller is a terrific, terrific Heel. In the end, Waller stole the victory from the grasp of Lee and that ultimately set up a match that we’ve already talked about.
Carmelo Hayes VS Ilja Dragunov: NXT The Great American Bash (30/07)
The Main Event of NXT The Great American Bash saw Carmelo Hayes put his NXT Championship on the line against Ilja Dragunov. This was the first of three matches these two had in 2023 and this was a great opener as both guys brought fire and passion whilst also showcasing why they are both two of the best in the world. We also got some great storytelling from Trick Williams on the outside and it was ultimately Trick who played a part in the finish as Ilja missed when charging at Hayes and went straight into Williams and the NXT Championship. This allowed Melo to beat Dragunov with Nothin’ but Net, and trust me when I say this, these two will be back for more a little bit later on!
Becky Lynch VS Tiffany Stratton: NXT No Mercy (30/09)
The Main Event of NXT No Mercy saw Tiffany Stratton try to recapture her NXT Women’s Championship from Becky Lynch in an Extreme Rules Match which was really, really good. There were so many crazy, yet thoughtful spots as Barbie Dolls and Barbed Wire were all used as weapons whilst we also got an appearance from Becky Lynch’s stylist! Becky and Tiffany also suffered some nasty bumps along the way including Stratton hitting a Swanton Bomb through a table (which only half broke) before Lynch was eventually able to retain thanks to hitting the Manhandle Slam onto a pile of steel chairs. I should also say that this was close to being my “Women’s Match of the Year”, but it just got edged by something that’s coming up soon.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins VS AJ Styles: Night of Champions (27/05)
To kick off Night of Champions, Seth “Freakin” Rollins and AJ Styles went one-on-one to see who would be crowned the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion. What I especially liked about this match was it was pretty clear early on that Seth and AJ were out to prove a point as to why they should’ve Main Evented the show. Both guys also brought out some of their old moves to try and get the job done, and in the end, it was Rollins who nailed Styles with the Stomp to get the victory. Great stuff from two of the all-time greats.
Ilja Dragunov VS Nathan Frazer: NXT (28/11)
On a more recent edition of NXT, Ilja Dragunov and Nathan Frazer collided in a match that had me smiling throughout. If you read my NXT Reviews regularly, you will know how much I enjoy watching Nathan’s fast-paced offense whilst Ilja is arguably the best Wrestler in the World. Whilst this contest only went about 5 minutes, Dragunov just wrecking Frazer for most of the match before The NXT Champion hit not 1, not 2, but 3 H-Bombs to prove his point (and pick up the victory) was just superb stuff. I now really want to see a proper feud between these two down the line.
Dominik Mysterio VS Wes Lee VS Mustafa Ali: NXT The Great American Bash (30/07)
NXT The Great American Bash returns but this time with the NXT North American Championship on the line as Dominik Mysterio looked to retain his Gold against both Wes Lee and Mustafa Ali. The last 4 or 5 minutes of this match is must-see as after Wes Lee dived over Rhea Ripley to take out “Dirty” Dom, Rhea just sent Lee crashing through the announce table with a Riptide. Dominik then pinned Wes (who was thrown back into the ring) only for the Kardiak Kid to kick out. Guess what, Wes then kicked out again after Mysterio clobbered him in the head with Ripley’s Women’s World Championship before Mustafa Ali would’ve won his first singles Title if it wasn’t for that darn Eradicator! In the end, Dominik Mysterio was able to retain and yeah, I’ve had a lot of fun just writing about this match again!
Charlotte Flair VS Rhea Ripley: WrestleMania 39 Night 1 (01/04)
In 2020, Rhea Ripley VS Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship was arguably the best match of the entire WrestleMania 36 weekend. In 2023, Charlotte Flair VS Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship was definitely one of the matches of the entire WrestleMania 39 weekend! Both Charlotte and Rhea brought it in this contest in a way that made you question whether this match should’ve been in the Main Event. Anyway, that doesn’t matter now, but what does matter is how great both women looked, especially Ripley who eventually dropped Flair with a middle-rope Riptide to achieve her (proper) crowning moment (she’s had a few of them now). Really great stuff and that is why this is my “Women’s Match of the Year”.
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match (01/07)
Whilst the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match was really, really good, the Men’s one was even better. Shinsuke Nakamura, Ricochet, Santos Escobar, Butch, Damian Priest, LA Knight, and Logan Paul all fought for the right to be called Mr. Money in the Bank in a match that had some crazy spots, especially from both Ricochet and Paul. The London crowd was also fully in support of LA Knight winning the match which would’ve happened if it wasn’t for Damian Priest unhooking the Briefcase first. A terrific Money in the Bank Ladder Match!
Dragon Lee VS JD McDonagh: NXT (02/05)
As a “sort of” Birthday present, Dragon Lee and JD McDonagh put on a hell of a showing in a superb little match. This was a high-paced match that saw a terrific near-fall when JD somehow kicked out of the Dragon Bomb. In the end, McDonagh amazingly picked up the victory with the Devil Inside and what I particularly liked about this is it meant that The Irish Ace left NXT with a victory, something that doesn’t usually happen in Professional Wrestling.
The Usos VS The Judgment Day: Raw is XXX (23/01)
On a special Raw is XXX episode, The Usos put their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships on the line against The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio. What I loved about this match was how story-driven it was as an injury to Jimmy Uso saw Sami “Uso” step in to try and help “his Dawgs” retain their Championships. We also got some terrific near-falls for both sides including one where I was fully convinced that Dominik Mysterio had won The JD the Gold. However, that wasn’t to be the case thanks to Sami Zayn, and in the end, The Usos retained their Tag Team Titles after Uso and Zayn delivered their own 1D. Just reading my original review on this match reminded me just how good the first hour and a half of Raw is XXX truly was.
Roman Reigns VS Cody Rhodes: WrestleMania 39 Night 2 (02/04)
Whilst most people were very angry about the ending to this match, I still personally had a great time with it (and then some). Roman Reigns VS Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in the Main Event of WrestleMania 39 was dramatic throughout, with amazing near-falls, crowd reactions, and Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn arriving to not only take out The Usos but also to deliver their own finishers on The Tribal Chief. Cody also genuinely looked like he was going to finish the story at one point, but Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman scuppered those plans before Roman hit a Spear to retain his World Title. Whilst there’s more I could probably say about this match, the biggest praise I can give it is it felt like a WrestleMania Main Event match and that doesn’t always happen.
Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo VS The Creed Brothers: NXT Halloween Havoc Night 2 (31/10)
NXT Halloween Havoc Night 2 kicked off with Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo taking on The Creed Brothers in a Tables, Ladders, and Scares Match. I remember this match vividly as it was absolutely brilliant and saw both teams pull out some ridiculous spots. The Creed Brothers are a freak of a team and some of the bumps Julius took were absolutely nasty whilst Angel and Humberto reminded people just how good they are. In the end, The Creeds picked up the win after sending Carrillo flying through a table with a Brutus Ball, and yeah, I highly recommend this contest.
Gunther VS Drew McIntyre VS Sheamus: WrestleMania 39 Night 2 (02/01)
Despite the second night of WrestleMania 39 not being great, there were some superb matches and this was arguably the best match of the two nights as Gunther put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against both Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. All 3 men kicked out of each other's big moves which was great to see and some of the near-falls were incredibly good. This was a proper hard-hitting match where no quarters were given, and in the end, The Ring General was able to retain his Championship after McIntyre was hit with about 4 finishers in just 30 seconds.
Bron Breakker VS Ilja Dragunov: NXT (11/07)
On the 11th of June episode of NXT, Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov collided in a match to determine who would go on to face Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship at NXT The Great American Bash. This match was absolutely superb as Bron and Ilja just wrecked each other for about 15 minutes and we also got some incredibly near-falls, especially when Dragunov kicked out of Breakker’s mid-air Spear. In the end, The Mad Dragon was able to beat Bron Breakker with a nasty blow to the back of the head and yeah, this match was definitely deserving of being this high on the list.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn VS Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa: Night of Champions (27/05)
For the third time on this list, Night of Champions appears, but this time with it’s Main Event as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn looked to keep hold of their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline. The action here was pretty good, but it was the storytelling that stood out as after a trademark “ref bump”, The Usos arrived to try and help their family only for them to actually catch Solo Sikoa right in the face. This angered Roman Reigns who shoved Jey Uso before Jimmy Uso nailed The Tribal Chief with not 1, but 2 Superkicks in one of the best moments of the entire year. This ultimately led to Sami Zayn beating Sikoa with a Helluva Kick and the storytelling on show was fitting of it being Roman Reigns’ 1,000th day as Champion.
Dijak VS Ilja Dragunov: NXT Battleground (28/05)
Whilst Night of Champions was one of WWE’s best shows of the year, the best match of the final weekend of May arguably took place at NXT Battleground where Dijak and Ilja Dragunov went to war in a Last Man Standing Match. This was an incredibly hard-hitting contest that got quite violent at times as both men pulled out all the stops to keep their opponent down “for good”. Whether it was Ilja running through a table to wipe out Dijak or Dijak continuously whaling Dragunov with Kendo Sticks and Steel Chairs, this match truly had everything you could want in a Last Man Standing match. In the end, Dragunov was able to get the victory after diving off of steel steps and delivering a H-Bomb to Dijak when he looked like he’d broken his arm. Truly wonderful!
Bad Bunny VS Damian Priest: Backlash (06/05)
Whilst this ultimately didn’t Main Event the show, Bad Bunny VS Damian Priest in a San Juan Street Fight definitely had the feeling of a Main Event and it delivered on that with a terrifically enjoyable contest. Priest dominated the “wrestling match” part of it, but his cockiness to try and hurt his former friend cost him dearly as Bunny fired back by using a bunch of different weapons as well as some of Priest’s own manoeuvres. It then got even crazier with the arrival of both The Judgment Day and The LWO, and in the end, Bad Bunny dropped Priest with The Bunny Destroyer to send the San Juan crowd absolutely bonkers! This was simply fantastic and I hope to see Bad Bunny back in WWE soon!
Austin Theory VS Seth “Freakin” Rollins VS Johnny Gargano VS Damian Priest VS Bronson Reed VS Montez Ford: Elimination Chamber (18/02)
On the final Premium Live Event before WrestleMania, Austin Theory had to put his United States Championship on the line against Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Johnny Gargano, Damian Priest, Bronson Reed, and Montez Ford inside the Elimination Chamber! Seth Rollins and Johnny Gargano started off this contest which was very cool whilst Theory coming out third was also pretty special (for multiple reasons). We also got Montez Ford diving off the top of the cage, Bronson Reed being eliminated by three different finishers and Rollins pinning Ford after Stomping his head on the outside. Logan Paul also arrived and delivered a Stomp of his own to The Visionary which ultimately allowed Theory to retain his Championship, and overall, the biggest praise I can give this match is everyone looked like absolute stars throughout (which is great because they all are).
Wes Lee VS Bronson Reed VS Cameron Grimes VS Johnny Gargano: NXT (28/11)
Less than three weeks ago, we got a Fatal 4-Way which saw Wes Lee have to defeat Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, and Johnny Gargano in order to earn a shot at Dominik Mysterio’s NXT North American Championship. This match is pretty fresh in the memory and I’m very glad it is because it absolutely ruled! All four men put in incredible performances and really highlighted why both Grimes and Gargano deserve more on the Main Roster. Bronson Reed also looked like the dominant force that he is whilst Wes Lee proved why he’s one of the best underdogs in Wrestling with a gutsy performance and victory. This match is so worth a watch and it’s just unfortunate that Wes never got his Championship match anyway.
The Bloodline Civil War (Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa VS The Usos): Money in the Bank (01/07)
In the Main Event of Money in the Bank, The Bloodline Civil War took place as Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa took on The Usos. The O2 Arena crowd absolutely berated Roman with stick and abuse, but they popped massively when Jimmy and Jey kicked out of the Spear/Samoan Spike combo and I still don’t really understand how they did that! Jey also kicked out of a Spear and low-blowed Reigns in the process which was a terrific call-back to earlier Roman matches as the Universal Champion, and after The Usos dropped both Roman and Solo, Jey Uso delivered a Frog Splash before he pinned The Tribal Chief for the 3 count in one of the best moments of the entire year. In another year, The Bloodline Civil War definitely would’ve been the Match of the Year.
Carmelo Hayes VS Ilja Dragunov: NXT No Mercy (30/09)
At NXT No Mercy, Carmelo Hayes put his NXT Championship on the line against Ilja Dragunov in what was a terrific contest. This match saw Ilja hit Carmelo in the head at least 10 times, but Dragunov couldn’t keep Melo down as The A-Champion kicked out of not 1, but 2 H-Bombs (including one from the middle rope). Hayes also hit a ridiculous cutter on The Mad Dragon to the outside, but in the end, a Super H-Bomb from the top rope was enough for Dragunov to finally keep Melo down for the 3 count to become the new NXT Champion. This was genuinely one of the best matches I’ve seen in a long time and it came very, very close to being my Match of the Year.
Roman Reigns VS Sami Zayn: Elimination Chamber (18/02)
In the Main Event of Elimination Chamber, Roman Reigns put his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against the Hometown hero, Sami Zayn. Roman got booed heavily by the Montreal crowd whilst Sami got one of the biggest pops I’ve ever had. The action here was great, but the storytelling was on another level (and then some) as The Usos, Kevin Owens, and even Sami’s wife all played an important role in elevating the contest. We also got a couple of great near-falls before The Tribal Chief eventually retained his Title after dropping Sami with yet another Spear. In my opinion, this was the best “Main Roster” Match of the Year and the biggest praise I can give to the storytelling is this was the first time I’d been disappointed with Roman Reigns winning as The Head of The Table.
Johnny Gargano VS Grayson Waller: NXT Stand and Deliver (01/04)
Whilst there were some serious contenders, Johnny Gargano VS Grayson Waller in an Unsanctioned Match at NXT Stand and Deliver was my 2023 Match of the Year. The weapons that were used created some crazy moments including Candice LeRae jumping over the barricade and whaling Grayson who had a pretty horrible looking back by the end of it all. Johnny also went to his dark place towards the end as he wrapped a chair around Waller’s neck before he smashed it with another chair, and in the end, Johnny Wrestling locked in the Gargano Escape which left The Arrogant Aussie no choice but to tap out. I’m really not doing this match justice here as it was absolutely sensational and reminded everyone why Johnny Gargano is truly one of the Best in the World. Also, Grayson Waller looked like an absolute star coming out of it and yeah, this absolutely deserved to be in this spot!
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