15 Wrestling Matches You Won't Believe Happened In 2018
An explosive year for WWE, NJPW and beyond as wrestling finally goes BOOM again...
Prepare to read this sentiment quite a lot over the next few weeks, but only because its so true - professional wrestling in 2018 was absolutely f*cking bananas.
For years after WCW closed, fans begged for a new boom period based on what the prior one looked like. That is to say, massive television ratings, organisations in direct competition, and wrestlers and companies burning through a hundred angles and matches a week in order to keep up appearances.
Nobody knew what a contemporary one would actually look like.
Edge and Christian inserted a great gag about it into the first episode of their WWE Network show’s second season. Pretending to recycle subjects fro 2016’s Season 1 feature ‘What Won’t WWE Talk About’, they reeled off some taboos (Adam Cole signing, Daniel Bryan returning and turning heel) that are taboos no more. Few things are now though, the odd murdered journalist aside.
Nothing - apart from some monitors that can be carefully removed from harm and then later replaced - is off the table.
WWE have always marketed that anything can happen. But in wrestling at large in 2018, everything is...
15. Kenny Omega Vs Chris Jericho (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12)
Long before Chris Jericho became the long-pants-wearing monster of the Intercontinental Title picture in NJPW, he was a man that few believed could level up to the ‘Elite’ standards set by Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom a year prior.
Even noted Tokyo Dome enthusiast Dave Meltzer couldn’t believe he was later awarding ‘Y2J’ five stars for what proved to be an utterly mesmerising and transcendent display.
Jericho had kicked open a door just to be part of New Japan’s biggest show of the year, but his involvement before the bell rang was credited for the strong uptake in tickets and New Japan World subscriptions.
Confirmed as a draw ahead of the match and a super-worker again after it, Jericho’s performances in both arenas were welcome delights for those that had tired of his style in WWE. Relations between the former Undisputed Champion and the company have reportedly soured the more he has worked with Kenny & Co, but from this match onwards, 2018 was the year Jericho proved he’s never needed McMahon’s millions less.