10 Best Wrestling PPVs Of 2017

1. NJPW Dominion 6.11

Finn Balor AJ Styles TLC 2017 Too Sweet
NJPW1972.com

The Terminator 2 of PPV sequels, Dominion 6.11 was an uncharacteristic straight retread of Wrestle Kingdom XI during which Gedo, not for the first time in 2017, made fools of those who doubted him.

It was, simply, better in every respect.

Okada/Omega II picked up the dangling plot thread left in the Tokyo Dome, and needled it into an expansive narrative fabric boasting an unparalleled level of detail. There was enough going in that match, which might be the greatest of all time, to warrant multiple revisits. In a similar vein, Hiroshi Tanahashi recaptured Tetsuya Naito's Intercontinental Title in a superior sequel (somehow, they'd better it in an unbearably dramatic G1 semi-final). KUSHIDA wrested the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title from Hiromu Takahashi in another improved offering, buoyed by the long-term redemptive arc mapped from the shocking events of their squash match at Sakura Genesis.

The Young Bucks might have even won over Jim Cornette in a heel tandem masterclass opposite Roppongi Vice, in which they cut the ring in half and pricked their perception as spot monkey pricks. Dominion was so bulletproof, so great, that even the silly Suzuki-Gun stable arrived in Osaka, Japan's equivalent of Chicago, in fine form.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and Louder than Wrestle Kingdom, Dominion was aptly-named; on its evidence, New Japan ruled the wrestling world.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!