10 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2023
6. GUNTHER Vs. Drew McIntyre Vs. Sheamus - WWE WrestleMania 39
As also evidenced by entry #1 on this list, it's almost a miracle that wrestling promotions - since they do everything to death - don't drag a wrestler with minimal commentary experience out there to the booth every week.
Listening to somebody who knows more than anyone that it's worked (and how it's worked) lose their goddamn minds over a match is intoxicating. It makes investment so much easier.
Titus O'Neil didn't make GUNTHER Vs. Drew McIntyre Vs. Sheamus, but he helped. His total joy at not being the one to take those early chops put over how much they hurt. As did the chops themselves; Sheamus within minutes looked like he'd frog-splashed the surface of the sun. The character dynamics worked around the turn-taking flaw inherent to most every Triple Threat match ever. Sheamus and Drew, mates, bantering over who got to chop GUNTHER next was a witty sequence early on.
The posturing chop battles were done so well that it was impossible not to squeal in delight at the pain endured by these three headcases. The hysterically macho action movie tone was set well before the action intensified, and the action, holy sh*t.
By the time the bombs got dropped over and over and over again - lariat, lariat, powerbomb, avalanche White noise, bicycle knee, bicycle knee - the match turned you into a complete animal begging to see bones turn into mush just to keep the sick thrills coming.
A disgusting slug-fest spot-fest death race action movie, the story told was incredible: a shared willingness to die and be killed all in the honour of war, all three men created a monster.