10 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2020 (So Far)

10. Kenny Omega Vs. Trent - AEW Dynamite April 1

The picture tells the very subtle story of a match that allowed Kenny Omega to unleash his trademark banger, in all of its pulsating, hard-hitting excellence, in a way that did anything but no-sell its depressing, small-scale context.

There was no glum dissonance to the experience. In that respect, what was generally received as a very good TV match was something far, far more.

Two babyface performers, one of which is the greatest on the planet, found themselves in a virtually empty gym just months removed from making it - on their own terms - to the big U.S. arenas. The timing sucked, the atmosphere was grim, but there was a contractual obligation to fill. There was no personal tension nor compelling story informing a heat impossible to generate.

Operating with a skeleton crew, as demonstrated with an opening handshake, two of the best decided to work a damn fine match in the competitive spirit.

But there was a sense of opportunity lurking in Trent's eyes, on which he capitalised by breaking the gentlemen's agreement. Targeting Omega's injured hand after a beautiful opening duel, the match subtly and convincingly degenerated into a feisty and vicious scrap escalating relentlessly in tone and action with every stamp on the knuckle and every furious, demented, skull-bruising retaliation from top turnbuckle to floor.

Omega's wounded rage justified an awesome powerbomb into a pillar (!) spot.

Omega, a deeply intelligent details wrestler, most definitely spotted the sole interesting physical feature in an otherwise stripped-back production, and structured a killer, super-believable match around it.