Best Matches of March 2017

This one is a took a while due to how much wrestling took place over Mania week.

Honourable Mentions

Neville vs Jack Gallagher (WWE Fastlane) ****
Jay Lethal vs Bobby Fish (ROH 15th Anniversary) ****1/4
Marty Scurll vs Lio Rush (ROH 15th Anniversary) ****
Adam Cole vs Christopher Daniels (ROH 15th Anniversary) ****
Drew Galloway vs Will Ospreay (WCPW Exit Wounds) ****
Drew Galloway vs Ricochet (WCPW Bulletproof) ****
Konosuke Takeshita vs Harashima (DDT Judgment 20th Anniversary) ****
Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Go Shiozaki (NOAH Great Voyage in Yokohama) ****
Mark Andrews vs Shane Strickland (PROGRESS Chapter 44: Old Man Yells At Cloud) ****1/4
Travis Banks vs Jordan Devlin (PROGRESS Chapter 44:Old Man Yells At Cloud) ****
Mark Andrews vs Will Ospreay (PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize) ****1/4
Ringkampf vs Hunter Brothers (PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize) ****
Fred Yehi vs Matt Riddle (Evolve 81) ****
Marty Scurll vs Ricochet (Rev Pro in Orlando) ****

15. Team Ospreay [Will Ospreay, Drew Galloway, Marty Scurll, Ryan Smile & Lio Rush] vs Team Ricochet [Ricochet, Sami Callihan, AR Fox, Dezmond Xavier & Jason Cade] (WrestleCon Supershow) ****1/4

Sometimes in wrestling you want a match that is just a bit of crazy fun and this match certainly fits that bill. Many instances of can you top this, including a really well done run of cutters, and there is even a dance off, that Galloway ends with a headbutt. Galloway, in particular, comes off looking great here.

14. British Strong Style [Trent Seven & Tyler Bate] vs South Pacific Power Trip (PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize) ****1/4

SPPT are a team that has been going from strength to strength in 2017 and are establishing themselves as one of the premier teams in not only the UK scene but the wrestling world in general. When you put them in there with a team of the quality of British Strong Style you were always going to have a great match on your hands.

13. Pete Dunne vs Mark Haskins (PROGRESS Orlando) ****1/4

This is Haskins's first major match after a long injury and he looks like he hasn't lost a step. There are very few wrestlers who play the straight up heel as well as Dunne. His future is incredibly bright and this is another example of how good a wrestler he has become over the last few years.

12. Keith Lee vs Ricochet (Evolve 80) ****1/4

I urge everyone to check out some of Keith Lee's matches. The things he can do for a man his size are incredible. Ricochet is one of the most talented wrestlers on the planet. Between them they put on a great wrestling match  that is something different from the usual big man/small man formula.

11. Zack Sabre Jr vs ACH (Evolve 80) ****1/4

ACH is a hugely underrated wrestler that was used somewhat poorly in ROH and it's good to see him get his career back on track in Evolve. ZSJ has added an edge to his game that has helped to separate him from the other technical wrestlers. This is a well structured, fast paced, entertaining match.

10. Matt Riddle vs Trent Seven (PROGRESS Orlando) ****1/4

Trent Seven says he wants to get this match done quickly as he has to get to WWE Axxess, which is a nice heel move. This is a hard hitting match that plays to both men's strengths and highlights just how good Riddle has become in his short wrestling career. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I want Matt Riddle in the G1 Climax tournament.

9. Ethan Page vs Darby Allin - Anything Goes (Evolve 81) ****1/2

This match is bell to bell insanity. It's the kind of wild, bloody brawl that you won't see in modern WWE. Tables, ladders and a moonsault out of a balcony are just a taster of the madness on offer here. It's a great way to end a year long rivalry. 

8. Pete Dunne vs Jimmy Havoc - No DQ (PROGRESS Chapter 45: Galvanize) ****1/2

This is violent. Really violent. If you have a problem with the deathmatch style this might not be for you. It has barbed wire, thumb tacks, staple guns and a whole host of other stuff intended to cause harm but it is all done in such a well executed way. This is something to experience.

7. Kazuchika Okada vs Tiger Mask W (NJPW 45th Anniversary Day 2) ****1/2

Okada has been having fantastic matches with everyone this year and it's because his style meshes with well with anyone. Kota Ibushi is under the mask so it was always likely that this was going to be a high quality match. It's a different type of match to a lot of the lengthy gruelling matches that Okada has been having in 2017 but it's still a very fun match.

6. South Pacific Power Trip vs Sami Callihan & Shane Strickland (PROGRESS Orlando) ****1/2

SPPT are back with another fantastic tag match. I honestly don't know the last time I saw them have a bad match. Travis Banks is a superb wrestler and TK Cooper is a great foil for him with his more flamboyant style and antics. This match is yet another example of both the talent of the team and the consistently good quality of the product that PROGRESS is putting on. Fantastic stuff.

5. The Hardys vs Young Bucks vs Roppongi Vice - Street Fight (ROH 15th Anniversary) ****1/2

This was absolutely wild. Wall to wall action and crazy spots. Rocky Romero even does his forever clothesline with a tack covered sleeve. The Hardys had an absolutely tremendous few weeks leading up to and including WrestleMania. I highly recommend this one.

4. Keith Lee vs Donovan Dijak (Evolve 81) ****1/2

You will have to search long and hard to find a more athletic big man match than this. The things that these two can do are basically unheard of from people their size. Lee flies around, and out of, the ring like a cruiserweight which is no mean for a 350 pounder and Dijak, at 6 foot 8, isn't one to be outdone. Great stuff.

3. Tomohiro Ishii vs Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW New Japan Cup Semi-Final) ****3/4

Brutal. Not that you would expect anything else from these two. If you like the hard hitting strong style then this match is definitely for you. These two never have bad matches against each other and this is just a continuation of it. Superb.

2. Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW New Japan Cup Night 2) ****3/4

When Omega has his working boots on there are very few wrestlers that can match him. Ishii is one who can. This is a wonderful hard hitting match aligned with really good storytelling. Omega's attempts to hit the One Winged Angel are repeatedly thwarted by Ishii. It's just really well done professional wrestling.

1. Ilya Dragunov vs Walter (WXW 16 Carat Gold Day 3) ****3/4

This is the final of the 16 Carat Gold tournament and what a final it is. It tells the story of Dragunov fighting with everything he has while Walter mercilessly chops the shit out of him. Dragunov's chest looks like raw meat after the match due to how much chop damage he sustains. The crowd is brilliant throughout and erupts when the pin takes place. It's a brilliant example of how to do pro wrestling well.