10 Most Underrated Wrestling Matches Of 2019

Shingo Takagi is arguably the wrestler of 2019 in terms of consistency, the man dominated two tournaments with matches of the night scattered across weeks and months. While his matches with Tomohiro Ishii, Will Ospreay and LIJ stablemate Tetsuya Naito are widely acclaimed by fans and critics, others slipped under the radar. It's understandable that a man who delivered so much fantastic wrestling in just one year would have matches that aren't as widely seen. One of his most overlooked bouts, up there with the best he put on in the entire calendar, was one with Suzuki-gun’s cheating mastermind, Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

The two battled in a war, the bigger Takagi having the size, speed and strength advantages, while Kanemaru utilised his veteran instincts and cheating to keep the scales balanced. This match was interlaced with perfect interference, the presence of Taichi trying to destabilise the match being hilarious and genuinely tense. Shingo's undefeated singles streak felt seconds away from ending at times. The match was one of the fastest paced of the tournament, with the action happening rapidly and Kanemaru's disgusting rule breaking making a substantial impact on the crowd's reaction. This is perfect in ring storytelling, reminiscent of Dude Love vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin from Over the Edge '98.

This, unlike many New Japan matches built around interference, manages to make it a benefit of the greater narrative and eventual babyface triumph. Instead of ruining a great match, it adds to the aura around both men, making Shingo look like a conquering warrior for being able to survive so dominantly. However, the most important positive of the match is that it's fun! A lot of tournament wrestling is so serious and anxiety inducing that putting on a main event designed around entertainment value is extremely refreshing and welcome.