10 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2021 (So Far)

2. Shingo Takagi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW - The New Beginning In Nagoya)

Hiroshi Tanahashi helped lead New Japan from ruinous Inoki-ism early in his career, becoming one of the most important wrestlers in puroresu history for his role in birthing the company's golden era. At 44 years old and with his physical condition in decline, it'd be unreasonable to ask the Ace to do this again, now that NJPW is 18 months removed from said golden era ending, but his late-January match with Shingo Takagi proved he's still a transcendent performer.

This had all the beats of a classic New Japan main event tailored to a story befitting both men. Wrestling is typically at its best when no matter how advanced the wrestlers may be, they craft the bones of a match around their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Here, Takagi was faster, more powerful, and more explosive. A bull. Tanahashi was craftier. His body battered and beaten up, he had to take a surgical approach to slow this force of nature down, picking his leg apart to grind him down and negate Shingo's advantages.

Never once devolving into a big move buffet, the match established this narrative early and stuck with it until it was paid off towards the end. Takagi, even through his late-match bursts, was crippled.