Michael Sidgwick's 10 Favourite Wrestling Matches

The Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Kazuchika Okada rivalry was so good that many proclaimed it as one of wrestling's greatest before it reached its incredible conclusion at this year's Wrestle Kingdom 10 supershow. That match was impeccable - a triumph of content and continuity - but my favourite was the sixth singles match they contested.

Selling is a mourned art because too many modern-day performers treat it as an inconvenience - something to approximate before they get to something the crowd can chant "This is awesome!" about. Selling is what the business is predicated on. Terry Funk's grasp of it was such that he helped shape the very perception of gaijin wrestlers in Japan. Austin's at 'Mania 13 was so believable that it cemented the face turn with which he revolutionised the industry. Here, Okada's was so spectacular that he first truly proved himself capable of supplanting Tanahashi as company Ace.

Tanahashi spent the entire match decimating Okada's arm in order to neutralise the Rainmaker lariat - and the tactic was so successful that Okada drew agonised wails through his consequent failure to apply the Red Ink submission finisher. I value subtlety in wrestling - a paradoxical pursuit if there ever was one. Tanahashi and Okada proved it was within reach.

Some critics have referred to the 2010s as the midcard era, so lacking is it in legitimate stars. The joy of the Tanahashi Vs. Okada rivalry is that you can see the creation of one before your very eyes.