10 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2020 (So Far)
In which one man Cleans up.
Through the most numbing and unprecedented of global events, pro wrestling has splintered from its two greatest years ever into a new decade of enforced - but sometimes vital, life-affirming - contrast.
Pro wrestling in 2020 has yielded classic World title matches held in front of tens of thousands of zealous fans at the apex of a four year-journey; mid midcard matches held in front of no fans to fulfil a contractual obligation; matches held in Titan Towers, boneyards, parking lots and the suburbs of John Cena's mind; matches that restored old stipulations; matches that created new, thrilling stipulations; matches that Baron Corbin infamously hated; matches Baron Corbin worked that were exponentially worse; matches downsized from stadiums to gyms; matches worked in empty stadiums full of soul...
Which were the 10 best?
Matches from the Empty Arena Era are included.
Though one could make the argument that even lesser-worked matches with crowds are automatically better - and there were far more than 10 worldwide bangers held before Tom Hanks ruined the world - a certain respect should be paid to those who successfully executed pro wrestling's greatest challenge.
Particularly since, in one case, two men crafted a match exhilarating in its acknowledgement of a new, depressing context.
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.