Csonka’s Top 19 Matches of April 2017

WELCOME back, back to the column that makes lists and hopes that you enjoy them. This week’s column will look back and the month of April and the top 19 matches I have watched for the month. I always hear a lot of people saying that they can’t decide what to watch because they do not have enough time to follow everything, so maybe this will help those of you short on time find some stuff to check out. Have fun, and always, thanks for reading. Also, if you saw matches from companies I do not regularly catch; feel free to share them with the others (I will also be doing a supplemental column from time to time, looking at matches I missed from the promotions I do not regularly cover). The more wrestling we share, the more fun we can have. Thanks for reading!

– 19. From NJPW Road to SAKURA GENESIS 2017 4.04.17 – NEVER Openweight Six-Man Title Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet defeated Champions SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI @ 18:13 via pin [****]
– 18. From NJPW SAKURA GENESIS 2017 – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, EVIL, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito) 11:41 via pin [****]
– 17. From WWE WrestleMania 33 Review 4.02.17 – Raw Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: The Greatest Tag Team in All of Time and Space The Hardy Boys defeated Champions Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson, Enzo Amore & Big Cass, and Sheamus & Cesaro @ 11:15 [****]
– 16. From NJPW SAKURA GENESIS 2017 – War Machine defeated Champions Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima @ 14:10 via pin [****]

– 15. From RevPro Epic Encounter – The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) defeated Lio Rush, Ryan Smile & Shane Strickland @ 20:00 via pin [****]
– 14. From EVOLVE 82 – Kyle O’Reilly defeated Keith Lee @ 20:00 via pin [****]
– 13. From EVOLVE 83 – EVOLVE Title Match: Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Lio Rush @ 19:25 via pin [****]
– 12. From NJPW Road to WRESTLING DONTAKU Review 4.22.17 – Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada @ 17:30 via pin [****]

– 11. From Impact Wrestling 4.06.17 – Last Man Standing Match: Davey Richards defeated Eddie Edwards @ 23:00 [****]
– 10. From WWN Supershow 4.01.17 – The SPPT defeated Catch Point @ 15:10 via pin [****]
– 9. From ROH Supercard of Honor XI 4.01.17 – Will Ospreay & Volador Jr defeated Dragon Lee & Jay White @ 14:06 via pin [****]
– 8. From ROH Supercard of Honor XI 4.01.17 – Texas Bullrope Match: Jay Lethal defeated Cody @ 17:30 via pin [****]

7. IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match: Champion Tetsuya Naito defeated Juice Robinson @ 26:55 via pin [****¼]: This is a huge chance for Robinson here tonight, as this is easily the biggest match of his career, and against one of New Japan’s top guys. Robinson is ready o get to work, but Naito is all, “tranquilo brah.” Naito spits at Robinson, sends him to the floor and then gives us the traquilo pose before bailing to the floor. Naito returns to the ring, Robinson works him over with hip tosses and a senton before tossing him to the floor. Robinson followed, and they brawled on the floor, with Robinson slamming Naito the barricades. Naito quickly fought back, attacking the leg of Robinson and slamming it in the barricade. Robinson struggled to his feet as they teased a countout. Back in and Naito continued his assault on the knee with a mix of submissions and punishing offense. Naito has tunnel vision here, completely focused on destroying the knee, and now working a figure four. Robinson made the ropes, but Naito was very slow to break. Naito’s knee attacks are so varied that his work doesn’t get boring. Robinson managed to counter an attack into a gut buster, but it did more harm than good as he couldn’t follow up because he hurt his own knee. They traded strikes, but Naito then ran into a spinebuster; but Robinson then missed the cannonball. Naito followed with the corner dropkick combo, set Robinson up top, he slips out, avoids the DDT and hits a spin kick. Robinson up top slowly, struggling due to the knee but manages to hit the high cross. Naito rolls to the floor, and Robinson hits a lariat off the apron. Back in, and Naito cuts off Robinson with a dropkick to the knee. They battle on the apron; Naito attacks the knee and teases a German to the floor. Robinson fights that off, and then fucking kills Naito with a spinebuster on the apron. He then shoots Naito to the barricade and follows with a cannonball (at a full run, bad play after the great selling so far). Back in and Naito hits the tornado DDT for the double down. They struggle to their feet, trade strikes and Naito goes back to the knee, relentlessly attacking and locking in the modified knee bar. Great fight spot from Robinson, who makes the ropes. They work up top, Naito looks for a RANA but Robinson counters with the second rope powerbomb; he then hits another back in the ring for the near fall pulp friction countered, rolling kick by Naito but Robinson turns him inside out with a lariat for 2. Naito escapes pulp friction and counters into destino and both men are down. Naito spits at Robinson, and then hits destino but JUICE KICKS OUT! Naito pulls him up by the hair, looks for destino, countered and Robinson gets a roll up for 2. Pulp friction countered, and Naito gets a roll up for 2. Robinson then jacks Naito with a left hook. Pulp friction countered into destino and Naito retains in a hard fought battle. This was a great main event, with Naito laying out a great match to make Robinson not only look as if he had a real chance, but also allowing him to look like he belonged. And he did tonight, Robinson worked his ass off and worked up to one of the best in the company and delivered on the biggest night of his career. They were having a really good match through out, but the homestretch really took it to the next level and made it feel like a big time main event, and even made the crowd believe that Robinson had a real chance to win. If he wasn’t already in (and he likely was due to Shibata & Honma being injured), Robinson just punched his ticket into this year’s G1; this was his NJPW coming out party, and he’s only going to improve.

6. From ROH Supercard of Honor: ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll defeated Adam Cole @ 13:10 via submission [****¼]: Scurll refuses the handshake. Nice back and forth beginning, with Scurll doing some World of Sport shit to piss off Cole. Scurll did his bird dance, leading to Cole cutting him off and hitting a shining wizard. Scurll quickly fought back, escaped the attempted last shot and attacked the arm and they brawled to the floor. They both threatened to use weapons on the floor, they seemingly agreed to not use them but that led to Scurll trapping Cole in the ring skirt and then leveling him with the superkick. Back in the ring, Cole managed to fight back and hit the ushigoroshi; the crowd has been great so far. Cole then lit up Scurll with superkicks, they then traded kicks and Scurll hits the brainbuster for the near fall. Scurll fires up the crowd; he goes for the chicken wing and eats an enziguri and shining wizard for the near fall. Cole slowly took control and worked over Scurll, but as he celebrated Scurll grabbed his hand and did the winger break spot, followed with knees and kicks but Cole then hit the superkick and hit the package piledriver (from KO with love) for a GREAT near fall. Cole then grabs the TV Title, Scurll grabs his umbrella; hits Cole with it and hits the piledriver for another great near fall. The crowd is losing their shit here. Scurll looked for a trombone but Cole reversed it and hit one of his own for 2; he wanted to go right into another, but fell to the mat. Scurll then did the finger break spot to both hands, hit the pile driver and locked in the chicken wing and Cole tapped. This was a tremendous match, worked in front of a hot crowd with some excellent near finishes. Scurll has been really great for ROH, especially as of late, delivering great matches with Dijak, Rush and now Cole. The “botched” tombstone spot played well, because commentary used it, claiming that Cole was too overconfident and should have covered and gone for the win. With reports that Cole is about to exit, him putting over Scurll like this was the best use of him.

5. From EVOLVE 83 – Kyle O’Reilly vs. Fred Yehi [****¼]: O’Reilly quickly looked to target the arm of Yehi, but Yehi works some great counter mat wrestling to escape. Yehi then takes it to the mat, working his amateur wrestling game. Yehi then works the stomps to the hands of O’Reilly, grapple that bitch. Yehi then transitions to working the knee of O’Reilly. O’Reilly fights to his feet, but Yehi cuts him off with an XPLODER and takes it back to the mat. I just dig Yehi’s work, utilizing a bruiser style with a great amateur mix thrown in; he beautifully fits the EVOLVE style, but is different enough that he stands out. O’Reilly slowly starts to make a comeback, works in knee strikes and then takes Yehi down, working a body scissors and going back to attacking the arm. They trade forearm strikes, O’Reilly takes mount and rains down with strikes and then looks for the arm bar, but Yehi grabs the ropes. They trade forearms and chops, Yehi works the stomps and then locks in the figure four but O’Reilly makes the ropes; dead lift German by Yehi gets a good near fall. Yehi lights O’Reilly up with chops, and then goes back to the leg attack with a dragon screw leg whip and the follows with a dropkick to the knee. O’Reilly manages to get the arm bar, but Yehi stacks him up and escapes. Yehi hits a sitout fisherman’s buster for the near fall. Rapid fire kicks to the chest by Yehi, but O’Reilly looks to attack the arm and follows with a Saito suplex for the double down. Yehi fights off the cradle suplex, but O’Reilly works knee strikes and they work into a double down. O’Reilly then locks in the guillotine, Yehi fades and O’Reilly hits ax and smash, but Yehi then decapitates him with a lariat. They trade kicks, Yehi trying to take out the knee as O’Reilly attacks the arm great attention to detail from both. Yehi looks for the suplex, but O’Reilly transitions and looks for the arm bar but opts for the brainbuster for 2; O’Reilly locks in the arm bar as Yehi fights but has to tap. Excellent match here, the best of the weekend for the company so far; they worked a great mix of submission and striking, with great attacks and selling; this came off as a level above everything else on the weekend with ease, and that’s not a knock on the other matches, these two were just locked in and delivered.

4. From NXT Takeover: Orlando – Champions The Authors of Pain defeated the Revival & DIY @ 23:40 via pin [****¼]: EVERYONE FIGHT EVERYONE TO BEGIN! DIY and the revival were reluctant allies early as they attacked the AOP. DIY got a table out, but Akem put a stop to that and tried to fight DIY off, but was slammed to the steps. DIY and the Revival faced off, and then renewed their rivalry. But their desire to battle each other allowed the AOP to get back into the match. The Revival were bastards, refusing to tag in and that allowed the AOP to work over Ciampa, thy then sneaked in at just the right time, and worked double teams on Akem. DIY then refused to tag in and left the revival to fight and waited for their moment to return. Gargano got to run wild for a bit, hitting a cannonball to the floor. Great run here for Gargano, he’s such a great babyface. He went for a dive; the AOP caught him and then tossed him into Ciampa. AOP started to toss fools around, and took the heat on Gargano, working double teams and scoring a near fall. The crowd tried to rally Gargano, he fired up and finally got the tag with an unintentional assist from the Revival. Ciampa ran with kicks and a snap German suplex and then another. Ciampa hits the knee strike on an Author, but it only gets 2. Ciampa kept up his attack, looked for a sunset bomb through the table, Gargano over to help and the Revival knocks the Author through the table, assisting again out of necessity. Revival and DIY surround Akem, he tried to fight them off, and did. Powerbomb on Ciampa stopped as dash tags in and clips the knee and locks in an inverted figure four. DIY backs off, and then Gargano locks in the Gargano escape as the crowd loses their shit. Rezar finally makes the save and everyone is down. The Revival works over Rezar, and then Gargano and Dawson attack and hit the DIY finish and shatter machine follows from the Revival. The alliance ends as they brawl because they still hate each other. Gargano and Dash then hit suicide dives onto the AOP. Ciampa cut off by Dawson, they battle up top, SUPERPLEX onto the pile on the floor! Bodies are everywhere. Back in and Rezar takes out Dawson, and they hit Ciampa with the last chapter to eliminate DIY. The crowd deflates before chanting bullshit. The AOP take control, working double teams but the Revival fight back and hit a doomsday device and uppercut into a German and then another for the near fall. Rezar fights both men off, hits a choke slam, the last chapter is cut off, Dawson gets a near fall, but the AOP then hit powerbombs. The Revival keep fighting, Dawson is down but gets a desperation roll up for 2. Rezar hits a DVD to the corner, and then the AOP hit the super collier, and retain. This was a great tag match, that would have been better with a layout change. The early story of DIY and The Revival being reluctant allies to try and slay the monsters worked really well, but it peaked a bit too soon, and the DIY elimination hurt the overall heat and flow of the match. I think if DIY sticks around and we get a hotter finish, that this becomes a real MOTY contender. Still, this was an overall great title match; the AOP are only in their early 20s and haven’t had the benefit of working the loops with a ton of great and experienced teams, but have more than done their part in the last two great tag title matches.

.@KingRicochet catches Hiromu out of mid-air and hits the northern lights! #NJPW #njtoyo pic.twitter.com/7ifjA6F7WC

— LARIATOOOO!!! (@MrLARIATO) April 29, 2017

3. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion Hiromu Takahashi defeated Ricochet @ 16:37 via pin [****½]: Ricochet attacks right away, hitting a suicide dive and then a Fosbury flop, the 450 followed for a near fall that the crowd bought, a benefit of Takahashi’s quick squash over KUSHIDA. Takahashi had enough of that shit, and planted Ricochet with a German and then speared him to the floor; Takahashi then hit the dropkick from the apron, leading to a near fall. Takahashi then hit the dragon screw leg whip and attacked the knee of Ricochet, trying to slow his challenger. Ricochet then jacked his jaw with some kicks, and then a shotgun dropkick. Ricochet then sent Takahashi to the corner, hit the 619 and followed with the springboard forearm. Head kick by Ricochet, but Takahashi cut off the springboard and went for the sunset bomb to the floor, but Ricochet countered into a RANA. Back in and Ricochet heads up to, cut off and Takahashi follows him up top but Ricochet fights him off, hitting a wheelbarrow slam off the ropes for a near fall. They battle to the apron, and Takahashi scores with the DVD and then dives at Ricochet, caught and Ricochet hits a northern lights suplex into a dead lift suplex on the floor. They beat the count back in, and started to slap the shit out of each other and then traded chops. Forearms by Ricochet, they pick up the pace with Ricochet hitting an enziguri but Takahashi then hitting rolling Germans for the near fall. Ricochet avoids the DVD to the corner and hits a sit out Michinoku driver for the near fall. Ricochet up top, but the shooting star press eats knees. Ricochet then runs into an overhead belly to belly into the corner, and the time bomb follows for a near fall. Takahashi then hits the DVD to the corner, but Ricochet counters the time bomb and lays in a series of kicks, and follows with the benadryller for a great near fall. Ricochet up top, but the 630 misses! Takahashi hits a destroyer for 2, and then hits another DVD to the corner. The time bomb follows and he retains. This was an absolutely excellent match, with tremendous pacing and sense of urgency from both men. This delivered as expected, with both guys throwing everything at the wall and knocking it out of the park. Takahashi reigns supreme as the king of the juniors.

2. From ROH Supercard of Honor: ROH Tag Team Ladder Match: The Young Bucks defeated Champions Matt and Jeff Hardy @ 25:25 [****¾]: We get “fuck that owl” chants. The Hardys deleted the superkick titles and tossed them to the floor, which led to the big brawl to begin as Matt bites Nick. They Hardy’s were rolling, but the Bucks cut them of with superkicks. They double teamed Jeff, and then worked over Matt. But the Hardys quickly fought back, hit twists of fate and went after ladders, but the Bucks battles back and wiped them out with dives. The Bucks tried to climb, but the Hardys cut them off and they paired off in the corners. The Hardys then whipped the Bucks into the ladder in the corner, set up another and they climbed, but Mat Jackson stopped that noise but ate a ladder shot from Jeff, and was sent through a table. The Hardys set up a ladder teeter-totter, Nick fought of the Hardys, but Matt hit Matt Jackson with a crucifix bomb. Jeff crotched Nick and sent him to the floor. Superkick by Matt Jackson to Jeff, and Nick flew in and used the teeter-totter to wipe out Jeff. Nick then hit a 450 to the floor to put Jeff through a table.

This is awesome! #HardysvsBucks #ROHSupercard pic.twitter.com/BMiBRGhPAp

— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) April 2, 2017

The Bucks set up ladders, but Matt Hardy returned and fought with Matt Jackson; they traded strikes and the Bucks then pulled Matt off into the corner powerbomb. They laid Matt on a bridging ladder Nick cut off Jeff but Matt Hardy tossed him off the top. The Hardys then suplexed Nick through a ladder, DELIGHTFUL! The Hardys looked to climb, got cut off and Matt Jackson attacked with ladder shots, and planted Jeff on the apron with a springboard DDT. Superkicks to Jeff, he’s laid on a table and Matt Jackson looks to climb, but Matt Hardy cuts him off. Nick and Matt Hardy climb. Matt shoves over the ladder, so he steps onto the second one, and that topples so he steps off the top rope and puts Jeff through that table with the swanton. Sweet baby Christ. The Matts brawl atop the ladder, which topples over and they fall onto the ropes. They all brawl on top of the ladder, it breaks down to Jeff and Matt Jackson but Nick arrives to help and they do a double down but Matt Hardy bites the foot on matt Jackson, who is then sent off the ladder and through a table.

This match…. #HardysvsBucks #ROHSupercard pic.twitter.com/WdqTWLIvbc

— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) April 2, 2017

HE DEAD. As Matt Hardy climbs, Nick springboards in onto the ladder, but the Hardys cut him off and double team him. Nick lays in kicks, superkicks and then runs wild, as he has to fight by himself. Jeff goes for whisper in the wind, Matt is back and the Bucks kill Jeff with superkick as he flies in with whisper in the wind. Matt Jackson and Jeff both get tossed over the trop and through tables; Matt then hits the side effect on Nick through tables! WHAT IN THE FUCK IS THIS? They all climb back into the ring, slowly climb and brawl on top of the ladder; superkicks to the Hardys and the Bucks regain their titles. The Hardys short ROH run was fucking great, with a very good match at Manhattan Mayhem with the Bucks, a good TV match with the Briscoes on ROH TV, the awesome street fight with the Bucks and Roppongi Vice, helping to draw this huge crowd in Florida and then, one last time, taking a trip in the wayback machine to recapture some of their old magic in this match. This had all of the wild and crazy spots you’d hope for, some great drama and the Hardys pulling off another big time performance, and the Bucks doing everything in their power to help them do so. This was four guys, killing themselves for 25-minutes to steal the show, and the weekend….

1. From NJPW SAKURA GENESIS 2017: IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Katsuyori Shibata @ 38:05 via pin [*****]: They stalled a bit, doing a long-range stare down and soaking in the crowd’s reaction. Shibata looked to take it to the mat and grapple early. Shibata transitions to mount and looks to grapplefuck Okada. Okada got the ropes, so Shibata laid on his back and dared Okada to come into his guard like an overconfident BJJ practitioner. Shibata then took control, taking the back of Okada, and then transitioning for an arm bar, which he got, but Okada made the ropes and took a powder to the floor. Back in and Shibata targeted the arm once again, but Okada escaped, scoring a single leg takedown. Shibata goes World of Sport for the escape, and the grapplefuck shall continue. Some really slick work here early, I am sure some will hate it, but I like it. It’s clean, has a nice pace to it, and feels different than most Okada matches. The early story is that “The Wrestler,” Shibata, is one step ahead and playing his game to control the over confident and dominant champion. Okada finally fired up, laying in forearms in the corner after refusing the clean break, gaining some jeers from the crowd. This just pissed off Shibata, they traded strikes with Shibata getting the better of things. Shibata then starts to slap the bitch out of Okada, lays in some kicks and then works the figure four. Okada tries to fight it off, but Shibata locks it in and pulls Okada center ring. Shibata then works an Indian death lock, and then a bow and arrow, but Okada makes the ropes. Okada counters the corner boot and sends Shibata to the floor with a dropkick. Okada follows and whips v to the barricade, and the running boot sends Shibata over the barricade. Okada then hits the draping DDT on the floor. Shibata manages to beat the count, but walks into a neck breaker for an Okada near fall. Okada then rolls into a modified cravat, but held on after the rope break, showing more heelish tendencies. The sliding dropkick follows, and Okada lays in elbow strikes in the corner. Shibata is pissed and starts to walk through strikes and dares Okada to keep firing away and then drops Okada with a right. The corner kick follows, and then another followed by rapid-fire strikes. The hesitation dropkick follows, and Okada rolls to the floor. Shibata whips him to the barricade, lays in forearms and then hits a running dropkick. Back in and Shibata covers for 2, and then works the octopus hold, but Okada makes the ropes. Shibata then lays in kicks to the arm, but Okada scores with a big boot. The DDT follows, and then the running uppercut for a near fall. Okada up top, but Shibata avoids the elbow drop and fights off the tombstone, but Okada hits the flapjack. Back up top, and Okada hits the elbow drop and rainmaker pose to a mixed reaction. Shibata counters the rainmaker with an STO. The crowd is behind Shibata now, and they trade strikes from their knees, just beating the hell out of each other. They continue to trade on their feet, throwing bombs now and Okada drops to a knee. But he fires back with uppercuts, and hits the neck breaker across the knee. Okada up top and hits a missile dropkick to a sitting Shibata, and that gets a near fall, but Shibata transitions into an arm bar. Okada struggles and makes the ropes. Shibata then kicks away at the arm of Okada, slaps Okada and then Okada drops and so does Shibata, they sit cross legged, trading strikes and slaps. Okada then fires up and lays the boots to Shibata in the corner. The dropkick follows after the ref pulled him off. Okada chokes him out with the boot, but Shibata fires up with strikes and hits a dropkick. Shibata then lays in repeated boots in the corner as the crowd is into him even more, but Okada stops the PK with a dropkick. Both men are down and have to struggle to their feet, Okada hits a basement dropkick but Shibata sits up and dares him to do it again, hit s a German but Okada hits a dropkick and a German. Okada hangs on, pulls Shibata up, rainmaker but Shibata kicks him in the head and arm. Okada hit the clothesline, but Shibata no sells and head butts him and busts himself open (and that’s where the injury happened). Shibata back to the octopus hold, Okada struggles, but Shibata pulls him to the mat and maintains the hold. Okada struggles again to escape, tries for the ropes and finally gets them with his boot. Shibata hits the PK, locks in the choke and sinks it in deep, but Okada works to his feet, only to be pulled back down. Okada to his feet with Shibata on his back, but Shibata destroys him with a sleeper suplex! BIG SLAP by Shibata as he teased the rainmaker, and then lays in kicks to Okada while holding onto the wrist. Shibata pulls him up, lays in more kicks and Okada is down, but Shibata keeps holding onto the wrist. Okada hits a desperation rainmaker, hangs onto the wrist, pulls Shibata up and lays in kicks to the face and Shibata is down to his knees. Okada pulls him up, the rainmaker connects and Shibata is finally done. The one thing that really stood out to me here is the obsession of the Okada character, not only wanting to be the very best, but almost willing to do that instead of beating his opponent. That character trait will eventually be his downfall; there are cracks in the armor, the defense is weakening and it will only be a matter of time before someone figures out the puzzle. Okada’s defenses keep getting longer and longer, and the new Ace is having to dig deeper than ever before, has to go longer and has to resort to some nefarious tactics to get the job done. This was an absolutely beautiful match, one where the fans were not only behind Shibata, but at times turning on Okada; Amazing work from both men, leading to a very dramatic home stretch, when the wrestling is great, the wresting is great. This is a top tier MOTY contender, and a must see match in an effort that made Shibata a made man to the paying customers; unfortunately it may be his last match. AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is of course the match that Shibata threw the shoot head butt, which left him hospitalized and his career in jeopardy. I’ve had people ask if I am going to change my rating of the match due to that, and the answer is no. It’s extremely unfortunate, but I will not change my mind about loving the match due to that. Shibata made the decision to throw a real head butt, something he’s done repeatedly, and something that pops the crowd and I will not lie, a spot I popped for as well. I still feel that it told an amazing story and was one of the best things I watched all year; but it may also be the final match Shibata ever has. The write up for the match is left unchanged, because I’m not going to become a crusader like some against the head butt spot, because that would feel disingenuous. Did I mark out for it? Yes. Is it needed? Obviously not when you can do it way safer. We can only hope that Shibata can recover and live a normal live, and that others will learn from his mistake; but my original rating stands.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”