10 Most Important Matches In Modern Wrestling History

5. Kenny Omega Vs. Chris Jericho - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12

Cody Dustin Rhodes
AEW

If Omega Vs. Okada put pro wrestling back in the conversation in a world monopolised by sports entertainment for nearly two decades, Alpha Vs. Omega, even before AEW, was the major label debut.

Jericho wasn't a household name, nor was he a main event tippy-top guy in WWE, but, refreshed in the shocking new context of New Japan Pro Wrestling, he felt like a megastar attraction. He was a legend of course, a Swiss army knife of entertainment, but he was not a great athlete in 2017. Few expected the match to be truly worthy of the sky-high New Japan standard, and felt vindicated in their cynicism when it was gimmicked up as a No Disqualification attraction.

It was phenomenal, utterly distinct. The wild brawling scenes early allowed Jericho, for perhaps the first time, to unleash the full extent of his brash charisma. They reached that high-end NJPW bar by the finish. Omega blasting Jericho in the back with a chair, mid-Lionsault, was an ingenious One-Winged Angel transition.

The match doubled New Japan World subscriptions. It made Jericho cooler and bigger than ever (at the time). It elevated Omega from wrestling's greatest artist to legitimate box office attraction.

The staggering crossover success played a significant role in convincing Tony Khan that it was time to put into action his long-held dream of forming a wrestling promotion. He knew, well before All In, that wrestling was finally big enough to get on television again.

 
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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!