Match of the Year Podcast

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We look at the evolution of professional wrestling through some of its greatest matches! Every episode, we take a Match of the Year award winner from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Theszies (RSPW Readers Poll), Box-y-Lucha, or Tokyo Sport annual poll.

Christopher J Garcia


    • Sep 10, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 9m AVG DURATION
    • 88 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Match of the Year Podcast

    S2E10 - Misawa/Kobashi vs Kawada/Taue - The First Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2021 10:12


    Episode Notes The best version you'll find! Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E9 - Walter vs Ilja Dragunov `

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2021 7:48


    S2E8 - Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2021 8:35


    Episode Notes You can watch this one here! Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E7 - Misawa-Kawada vs. Kobashi-Giant Baba - Real World Tag Team Tournament 1992

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 7:10


    Episode Notes The Match is here! Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E6 - Misawa vs. Kawada for the Triple Crown - 10/21/1992

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2021 9:50


    Episode Notes The Whole Match Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E5 - Hansen vs. Misawa - August 22nd, 1992

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2021 12:53


    Episode Notes The Whole Match Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E4 - Kobashi/Kikuchi vs. Furnas/Kroffat

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2021 8:15


    Episode Notes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y0DaQKoxTQ Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E3 - Misawa/Kawada vs The Miracle Violence Connection

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 17:31


    Episode Notes This absolute classic (along with other matches from the Real World Tag Team tourney) Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E2 - Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi vs. Tsuruta/Fuchi/Taue

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 10:22


    Episode Notes A look at a 5-star classic! Thrill to Misawa vs. Tsuruta! Watch Fuchi bust Kobashi open! THrill to Akira Taue doing a Tope! All that and more! The Match itself! Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    S2E1 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta - June 8th, 1990

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 13:35


    Episode Notes The Match - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2869xc An excellent look at the match An amazing collection of their greatest matches Find out more at https://match-of-the-year-podcast.pinecast.co

    Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes at Double or Nothing

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2020 5:20


    Episode Notes Blood! Intensity! American Work! Brothers! A deserving and different style Match of the Year!!!!!

    Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar in a 60 Minute Iron Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2019 6:57


    A look at one of the best matches in the history of SmackDonw! and what it means to be a match that has actual impact.

    Gargano vs. Ricochet

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2019 8:17


    As is usually the case, the NXT Take Over show was amazing, and the Gargano vs. Ricochet match was not only the best match on the show, but the best match so far this year!

    2018 Wrestler of the Year - Tommaso Ciampa

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 13:38


    I look at the 4 main candidates for Wrestler of the Year, and why the Psychokiller is the easy choice!

    Owen vs. Bret at WrestleMania X

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 4:51


    THe best opening match of all-time? The best Brother v. Brother match ever? The last example of great and smart WWF booking? Is Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart all of those things? Let's find out!

    Omega vs. Jericho!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2019 6:01


    TLC - Asuka vs. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2019 3:49


    The best match ever in San Jose? Big statement, but it might be true, as these three main evented a hot PPV and put in a match that might have won Match of the Year in another day and place. Becky is the hottest thing in wrestling, Charlotte proves what a great athlete she is, and Asuka is awesome!

    2007 Brawl - Morishima vs. Danielson

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2018 6:36


    We look at an amazing Ring of Honor match between Takeshi Morishima and Bryan Danielson which completely shows how brawling can fit into the context of a traditional wrestling. Also, how awesome was 2007 for Bryan Danielson!

    2006 Brawl - Finlay vs. Benoit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2018 6:04


    We look at the November 2006 SmakDown brawl between Finlay and Chris Benoit. We discuss the way in which Finlay is basically Stan Hansen for the early 2000's WWE, why I still talk about Benoit after he murdered his family and killed himself, and how 2006 was a very interesting time!

    Brawl of the Year 2005 - Money in the Bank

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2018 9:40


    The first of the Money in the Bank matches and one that really shows what the WWE was in 2005, what they were shooting for, how the Ladder match progressed, and especially how they could go from Attitude to PG-13

    Bloody Judgment Day - Eddie Guerrero vs. JBL

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2018 6:49


    What does blood mean in wrestling? Eddie and JBL had a match that is an excellent example of what it can mean.

    Brawl of the Year 2003 - CM Punk vs. Raven

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2018 5:33


    The feud that defined what RoH would become, that put Punk on the map, and that demonstrates how the rising quality of wrestling around the world led to far better gimmick matches!

    Ciampa vs. Gargano at NXT TakeOver New Orleans

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2018 10:20


    A look at what will compete for Match of the Year and one of the all-time most dramatic matches that ever took place in the US, or anywhere for that matter! A look at what it took to make it all into one of the best matches ever!

    Brawl of the Year - Shawn Michaels vs. HHH at SummerSlam 02!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2018 7:58


    The Return of The Heartbreak Kid in an unsanctioned Streetfight leads to one of the best brawls of the decade!

    Brawl of the Year 1999 - Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome in ECW

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2018 8:24


    A look at a wonderful 1999 ECW brawl and what these guys meant to bringing FMW-style wrestling to the masses in the US. See table spots, and when a finisher still meant the finish was here.

    Brawl of the Year 1998 - Taz vs. Bam Bam Bigelowe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2018 5:48


    A classic spot, perfectly built-to, and brilliantly executed.

    Match of the Year contender - Ember Moon vs. Asuka

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2017 2:53


    NXT's best woman's match ever, and one of the best of th eyear! It's also Asuka's last NXT match and the best thing goin!

    Brawl of the Year 1994 - Nakamaki/Ono vs. The Headhunters

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2017 9:21


    This is IWA Japan, and while it's a company that had a lot of wildness (and will be a major part of 1995: The Year Brawling Broke) this was one of the craziest, with two teams that understood how to tell the story of a good brawl.

    Brawl of the Year 1993 - Funk vs. Onita

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2017 8:25


    Remember that match you saw back in the 1990s where Terry Funk was fighting a guy you didn't know and then the freakin' ring exploded? This is that match!

    Brawl of the Year 1992 - The Moondogs vs. Lawler and Jarrett

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2017 8:10


    A look at the most violent tag team of the 1990s, bar none, and their classic feud with Jerry Lawler and Jeff Jarrett!

    1991 - Eddie Gilbert vs. Cactus Jack 2-out-of-3 Falls Madness!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2017 9:32


    A Cage Match, a Stretcher Match, and a Falls Count Anywhere match, all in one night, all absolutely insane. One of the great brawls, and two guys who would change the business forever, even if only one of them seems to get any credit for it...

    Brawl of the Year 1988 - Stan Hansen/Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 5:29


    An All Japan tag match that demonstrates what exceptional brawling looks like in the context of a traditional All Japan main event!

    1989 Brawl of the Year - Flair vs. Funk in I Quit

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 11:23


    It's the best brawl of the 1980s, an amazing example of two athletes at their peak working a style that would influence the next decade of wrestling!

    Brawl of the Year 1990 - Onita/Goto vs. Sakaruda/Kurisu

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2017 4:34


    Yep, we're jumping into FMW, and not for the last time! Here, we see what a wild, out-of-control brawl looked like in 1990, why it was important, and most of all, how we can look at this and see where it fits in with wrestling in general.

    Brawl of the Year 1985 - DiBiase vs. Duggan in a Gimmick Match...

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2017 6:24


    A Coal Miner's Glove on a Pole, Do DQ Steel Cage Tuxedo Loser-leaves-town match, and an amazing brawl!

    Buddy Rose vs. Matt Borne Lumberjack Match!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2017 4:48


    A look at a classic of Portland brawling as Buddy Rose and Matt Borne go at it in a Lumberjack match that really defines Portland's style of brawling in the early 1980s!

    Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2017 6:34


    Two of my all-time faces facing off at WrestleMania XX!!!!!

    Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit 2003

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2017 9:59


    A look at how Angle and Benoit worked together, brought out the best in each other, and ultimately worked a match that didn't require the tricks that so many of that era relied on. Also, I talk a bit about Benoit's legacy, and what we need to remember, especially the parts we wish we didn't have to.

    Six Man Hell in the Cell from 2000

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2017 11:12


    A look at one of the nuttiest, and most fun, matches of the wonderful late 2000 period that saw Kurt take off!

    Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2017 20:34


    Either the best or the worst, there are a couple of ways of looking at it. Kurt vs. Shane, the wrestler against the stuntman, in a match that shows just how dangeresque the entire wrestling thing can be. Blood, battery, and being dropped on your head in WWE 2002.

    Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle - 2005 PWI Match of the Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2017 8:08


    One of the best WrestleMania matches ever (Bobby Heenan even thought so!) and one of the finest examples of what happens when eras collide! The start of our extended look at Kurt Angle - The 21st Definition of Great Wrestling in the 21st Century!

    Tanahashi vs. Suzuki - 2012 Observer Match of the Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2017 9:27


    A look at a unique match that you might not realise is REALLY unique! Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Championship in October 2012, in a match where both guys, who are both currently champions in New Japan despite being 40+) are at the top of their game.

    The Main Event - Hogan vs. Andre

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2017 14:51


    A look at heat, booking, and why this is the worst match of the year ever!

    Mae Young Classic Finale

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2017 7:26


    A look at the final match of the Mae Young Classic between Kairi Sane and Shayna Bazsler and what's next!

    Mae Young Classic

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2017 7:57


    No Match of the Year contenders, but it was a really impressive presentation and shows that the WWE actually does understand Women's wrestling

    Special - GHC Title Match Cage vs. Nakajima

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2017 5:57


    In many years, this would be a Match of the Year contender, but since it happened while the G1 was still going strong... well, you know. I look at how these two guys worked so well and what the second and third most important Japanese titles are all about these days!

    G1 Climax 27 - The Rise of EVIL

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2017 9:39


    I somehow missed how they've been establishing EVIL as a potential Main Eventer in the G1, and now I talk about it and how they're messing up with Kenny Omega.

    G1 Climax - SANADA vs. Michael Elgin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2017 3:32


    How does New Japan book the mid-card? Like this!

    G1 Climax 27 - What of Kenny Omega?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2017 9:34


    Kenny got hisself pinned by Michael Elgin (who is awesome and excellent!) and now, I wonder... what the fuck New Japan? What does this mean for Block B? Where does this lead for post-G1? Does this make Okada-Omega 3 meaningless, or more meaningful, and just where do they go?

    G1 Climax - Days 6 and 7

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2017 6:25


    A look at how awesome Zack Sabre is, Okada vs. SANADA, Kenny Omega goes comedy (brilliantly) and what they're almost certainly building to!

    G1 Climax 2017 - Night 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2017 12:19


    two phenomenal and Important matches open up the Tourney! Stay tuned to Match of the Year Podcast for more reviews of the tourney!

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