10 Best Wrestling Matches With The Worst Builds

4. FTR Vs. Young Bucks - AEW Full Gear 2020

Daniel Bryan Luke Harper
AEW

It's not entirely correct to state that the story between FTR and the Young Bucks was poor.

The booking between Double Or Nothing and All Out 2020 was sublime in how it elevated the World Tag Team titles as a nigh-on unwinnable prize. FTR had to embark on an intricate campaign to destroy the Elite from within, just to disrupt Kenny Omega and Hangman Page's special chemistry. They played the Young Bucks, feigning mutual respect, as part of it.

Between All Out and Full Gear, things went wrong, undermining the ideal set of circumstances. FTR had turned. The Bucks were positioned to take the titles in their company, for the first time, at the expense of the team they had to beat to call themselves the best of their generation.

What went wrong?

In a bid, presumably, to give fans the version of The Young Bucks Vs. the Revival that fans idly dreamt of in 2016, the Bucks played it all with a heelish slant. They pouted, and super-kicked broadcasters and officials, and if the idea was to revert back to the bratty imps of early Being The Elite, it didn't work. They were just sulky.

The match was exquisite, so incredibly dramatic that 1,000 distanced fans felt like 10,000 packed.

While it was a love letter to the medium, it wasn't too pretentious. FTR used many famous moves from great teams past, but did so chronologically, which tied into the finish. FTR slowly lost their head over the course of match, attempting to beat the Bucks at their own heavily modern game, and it all culminated in a defiant, foolhardy Cash Wheeler blowing a springboard 450. This was a great, great set-up for a rematch. FTR lost, but perhaps wouldn't have, if they had stayed true to themselves.

And, if it did threaten to get too cute, Cash Wheeler spearing Nick Jackson out of his skin and through the ropes added some awesome, much-needed muscle.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!