16 Ups & 9 Downs For NJPW In 2018

6. The Young Bucks' Best Year... Ever

The Young Bucks' 2018 felt like it was custom-designed as a middle finger to anyone who has ever claimed they can't sell, don't take the sport seriously, and have no grasp of even rudimentary wrestling psychology. Their body of work over the past 12 months has made those arguments untenable. If you're still making them, you either aren't watching them or don't understand those aspects of the sport yourself, because The Bucks have been killing it in every department.

Matt Jackson's injured back has been a recurring story throughout the year. It's a target for every opponent he faces, and the elder Buck keeps finding new, interesting ways to integrate it into his matches. This makes each bout a layered story in itself. Does Matt have the grit required to battle through the pain, or will he succumb to the enemy's focused onslaught? Will brother Nick be able to handle the offensive load while his sibling's hurting, or will the opponents cut him off, isolate Matt, and execute the classic tag wrestling gameplan?

It has impacted every aspect of their performances, with the wear and tear forcing Matt to alter his offensive work as well. This has helped take their matches to a completely different level, with the Golden Lovers clash an obvious highlight, though it's hard to recall an occasion where one of their two-on-two tags didn't hit the mark.

Enjoy the Bucks while they're still here, because they're in the form of their lives.