The 10 Best WWE Matches of April 2018

Ronda Rousey vs. Stephanie McMahon
Ronda Rousey surprised a lot of people this month.

April was obviously a notable month in the wrestling world. It featured a number of terrible matches, most infamously the encounters between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns which had been building for a year. It was also a month that featured sheer brilliance, however. With NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, WrestleMania, and the heavily-promoted Greatest Royal Rumble all occurring within the span of about three weeks, there would obviously be a lot of notable candidates for the best match of April.

Which ones broke their way into the top 10?


#10: Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)

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Ember Moon's final NXT match was also one of her best, exceeding my own expectations. Only her two encounters with Asuka proved superior to this one. Ember Moon proved aggressive, even using Shayna Baszler's own infamous arm dislocation move against her. That's when the most notable spot of the match occurred, where the challenger rammed her arm against the ring post to put the shoulder back in its socket. It was a brilliant piece of character work.

Ultimately, Shayna put Ember to sleep in a way that was eerily similar to when Asuka first won the championship against Bayley two years earlier. Ember Moon never tapped, so she was sent to the main roster looking as strong as she could in defeat. Meanwhile, Shayna Baszler perfectly established herself as the big bully in the NXT women's division.

#9: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Greatest Royal Rumble)

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Their WrestleMania match proved disappointing. This one was notably better. In the interceding weeks, Shinsuke Nakamura had turned heel, giving AJ Styles low blow after low blow. The champion was angered. He couldn't wait to get his hands on his antagonist.

At the Greatest Royal Rumble, AJ Styles had his chance, showcasing his aggression and eventually ending this second, better match in a draw via double countout. It was a nice showcase of the new energy in the feud following the heel turn, as well as a way to ensure both competitors were well-positioned to continue their rivalry.

#8: AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan (SmackDown, April 10th)

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This was only a teaser for matches we certainly hope will follow, because what a teaser it proved to be! Two of the best in-ring competitors in the world and the most over guys on SmackDown put on a display befitting their reputations, trading holds all the way to an indecisive finish.

If the match was set up to create anticipation for future matches, with more time, and on bigger stages, this was a success. Thankfully, both superstars stayed on the blue brand following the next week's shakeup, so future encounters are guaranteed. It's certainly a ready-made main event for SmackDown at next year's WrestleMania if WWE needs it to be.

#7: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe vs. The Miz (Greatest Royal Rumble)

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As far as ladder matches go, this one was pretty tame. It doesn't come close at all to a certain other ladder match we'll get to shortly. Still, it was a fine showing, with some notable spots. It was certainly the best match on the Greatest Royal Rumble card.

Finn Balor was the star of the match. He nearly won the championship, scaling the ladder almost to the point where the Intercontinental Championship was in reach. Then, Seth Rollins leapfrogged him and literally stole the title from under his nose. It was a great ending and probably one which sets up Finn Balor as the next challenger after Backlash.

#6: Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins vs. The Miz (WrestleMania 34)

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WrestleMania's curtain-jerker was appropriately placed, as it was a great outing to get the big show started. The three competitors put on a high-speed work rate clinic to get fans fully invested in the action. There were high-flying spots and notable bumps on the outside of the ring. The Miz didn't slow the match down at all, either, as some were expecting him to do, picking his spots. He looked right at home with two of the best workers in the company, once again showing his full maturation as a performer.

After several false finishes, Seth Rollins ultimately emerged victorious, capturing his first Intercontinental Championship in the process.

#5: Asuka vs. Charlotte (WrestleMania 34)

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This match was a bittersweet one. Whenever you review it, you're left with the nagging feeling that it could have been so very much more, if only the two were given a few more minutes and a more dramatic finish. There's no denying that the end to Asuka's undefeated streak felt very anticlimactic.

Still, Asuka and Charlotte, by all accounts, lived up to the high expectations of them, still putting on the best women's match in the history of WrestleMania. Charlotte's entrance, in particular, will long live on in memory.

If this was a mere teaser for several more matches to come between these two now that they're both on SmackDown, let's hope that indeed, it was only the first of many.

#4: Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon (WrestleMania 34)

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This match exceeded the low expectations that many people, myself included, had of it. In fact, it did more than that. Triple H put on his best showing in years. Stephanie McMahon proved passable as well. Ronda Rousey looked like an absolute star. Kurt Angle was the weakest point of the match, but even he didn't do that poorly.

Obviously, there were a lot of smoke and mirrors involved, as the match was heavily choreographed, but it was still so much fun to watch. Ronda Rousey ultimately tapped Stephanie McMahon in the armbar, as expected.

As far as debuts go, it was perfect.

#3: Aleister Black vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)

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Has there been any superstar hotter in the first four months of 2018 than Andrade "Cien" Almas? Well, maybe one. We'll get to him shortly. Almas couldn't quite match his instant classic with Johnny Gargano in his final NXT match, but it sure was a clinic anyway.

Both competitors showcased how good they really are. Zelina Vega was a valuable piece of the puzzle too, constantly interfering. The Almas-Vega combination made Aleister Black look more vulnerable than he ever has in NXT.

Ultimately, the interference wound up costing them, however. As Zelina Vega missed with a crossbody and hit her client instead. That's when Aleister Black connected with the Black Mass for the win and the NXT Championship. It was a smartly-booked ending to a fantastic match.

#2: Adam Cole vs. Ricochet vs. EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)

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The best ladder match since the classic second TLC match at WrestleMania 17. It was my opinion on the spot and nothing has shaken it since. It got an ultra-rare (for WWE) 5 star rating on Dave Meltzer's infamous snowflake scale.

These six superstars were all perfect pieces to complement each other to make for the greatest spotfest match in recent memory. You had the wily Adam Cole, the high-flying Ricochet, the arrogant EC3, the flamboyant Velveteen Dream, and the bruisers in Lars Sullivan and Killian Dain who used the ladders to crush anything in their way. The styles meshed with perfection.

Who could forget the powerbombs through the ladders? Ricochet's flight off the sides of them? Velveteen Dream's elbow drops from the top?

At the end of the carnage, Adam Cole ascended into the history books, euphorically capturing the belt hanging in the air.

#1: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)

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Was there ever any doubt?

Despite the fantastic brutality of the ladder match earlier in the night, the same one that got those infamous 5 snowflakes, this one exceeded it in quality. It also got those 5 infamous snowflakes, marking the first time that two WWE matches got that rating on the same night. And while I don't put much stock in that scale, it hints at just how good this TakeOver event was, and how fantastic this match was to still steal the show despite it all.

While the ladder match was a case study in spotfest perfection, this told a classic ring story the likes of which hasn't been seen since Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Yes, I've gone that far, even after the weeks have passed.

Following a year of build, the two showed how much they hate each other and wanted this win. Ultimately, Johnny Gargano would need to use that infamous knee brace, that callback to Ciampa's injury, to get his antagonist to tap out and win his job back in NXT.

If this doesn't wind up being the easy choice for best match of 2018, we're in for a great 8 months ahead!