10 Best Wrestling Matches I've Seen Live
1. Kazuchika Okada Vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Wrestle Kingdom 10 (1/4/16)
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 9, proving that he was still New Japan's ace and sending "The Rainmaker" away from the ring in tears.
After the show, both men's fortunes worsened - Tanahashi lost the title to AJ Styles, while Okada suffered several losses at the hands of Bad Luck Fale.
After finally beating Fale, Okada attacked Styles, demanding a match for the belt. At Dominion, he scored his first win over "The Phenomenal One," ending AJ's reign of terror and becoming IWGP Heavyweight Champion for the third time.
Just weeks later, the annual G1 Climax tournament began, and surprise, surprise, Tanahashi was the victor. The greatest feud in wrestling would be revisited - and potentially ended.
The bout, which headlined Wrestle Kingdom 10 in the Tokyo Dome, was simply perfect. Each man was frustrated early on, unable to hit any signature moves due to his opponent's familiarity with his arsenal.
Tanahashi was the first to change up his offense, getting innovative in order to take Okada down. They fought to the outside, where "The Rainmaker" got control with a running crossbody over the guardrail into the crowd. He worked Tanahashi over, but the challenger came back with a High Fly Flow from the top rope to the outside.
Back in the ring, Okada avoided another High Fly Flow and hit Tanahashi with the move, then nailed the Rainmaker. Tanahashi kicked out and came back with a Rainmaker of his own.
He followed up with a Dragon Suplex for two, then a pair of High Fly Flows, but Okada kicked out. Tanahashi tried another High Fly Flow, but Okada hit him with a dropkick on the way down.
Okada finally hit a German Suplex and held onto Tanahashi's wrist, but "The Ace of the Universe" slapped him across the face. That wasn't enough to break Okada's grip, though, and the champion hit three Rainmakers to finally, decisively, beat Tanahashi.
Live or on TV, this is the best match I've ever seen. Reportedly, the wrestlers stationed at ringside thought it was the greatest match of all time, and it's hard to argue with them.
It outdoes any other five star bout in history, and was the perfect changing of the guard for New Japan.