10 Wrestling Matches Much Better Than Their Reputations
Classics they aren't, but the general consensus on each of these bouts is wrong.
It's impossible to keep up with all the great wrestling going on in the world today.
WWE's vast ocean of content is a challenge in itself, with Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and 205 Live delivering seven hours of fresh, new television every week. Promotions that don't have their own over-the-top streaming service are now in the minority, no matter their size, with everyone from New Japan to wXw offering instant streaming access. On top of this, ever-improving in-ring standards have created a situation where the once-coveted **** rating is now the norm, and getting the full five isn't the accolade it used to be, with NJPW shattering the old benchmark regularly. You'll drive yourself mad chasing every one.
But if staying abreast of today's goings on is tough, finding time to revisit older material is Herculean. Thus, thousands of old matches exist in a time bubble, leaving no room for reappraisal, even when the consensus opinion on their quality is arguable at best.
This is both understandable and a shame, as it inevitably leaves swathes of entertaining older bouts under-appreciated, underrated, and unloved. Not all of those within were slated at the time, but each has enough plus points to warrant a reevaluation...
10. Asuka Vs. Emma (NXT TakeOver: London)
A hidden gem buried beneath the boatloads of bangers WWE's Women's Revolution has yielded since its inception, this bout, more than anything else, highlights the underrated talent Vince McMahon let go by cutting Emma two years later.
In a building pulsing with energy, the duo created what still stands as one of the best matches of Asuka's legendary streak. Their workrate was off the charts, with Emma particularly effective in the early stages, grinding 'The Empress Of Tomorrow Down' with smart, methodical heel work. Believably controlling a performer of Asuka's presence is difficult, but Emma looked great, never once losing the crowd during her dominant periods, generating tremendous sympathy for the Japanese star in the process.
They enraptured London with a stunning 4-5 minute closing stretch, and while Finn Balor and Samoa Joe would later wrestle a heated mean event, they couldn't outdo this white-hot opener.
A referee bump, interference, and weapon spot hurt the bout's reputation. They worked in this context, but many still dismiss any form of sports entertainment shenanigans as overbooked bullsh*t. Such techniques are, and always will be, situational, like anything else in the game, and they fit Asuka vs. Emma.