The 10 best WWE matches of September 2018

Thanks to a well-done (for the most part) Hell in a Cell pay per view, September was a strong month with a lot of good matches. At the top of the list were two match of the year candidates in the same week, but the month as a whole had a lot of strong showings. This was for the best, since September is a historically weak month for the company.

In a good month, which matches made the top 10 list?

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#10 Gran Metalik vs. Tony Nese (205 Live, September 4th)

This was a high-flying, hard-hitting match that felt more like a main event contest than a match on the 205 Live undercard. Tony Nese and Gran Metalik both got to show their best sides as the action spilled out of the ring with some incredible acrobatics.

There were some thrilling near falls, including a 450 splash by Gran Metalik on Tony Nese from the top turnbuckle, for a two count. Eventually, Metalik was able to prevail, but it took him a lot of effort!

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#9 Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (Hell in a Cell)

This was arguably one of the month's most anticipated matches and the two grapplers didn't disappoint. Becky Lynch's new attitude has made her possibly the most over star in the company, and fans clamored for her, despite being the heel to defeat Charlotte Flair at Hell in a Cell. They got their wish, but it didn't come easy for the Irish Lass Kicker.

Charlotte Flair had the power advantage throughout this contest. Becky tried to work the arm of her opponent to eventually hook in the Dis-arm-her, but Charlotte found ways to counter, including via the powerbomb that you see above.

The match didn't end with a big move, however. It had a rather unique ending. Charlotte Flair attempted a spear, but Becky Lynch countered it into a rollup to win the victory and the SmackDown Women's Championship, to the crowd's delight.

#8 Hiroyo Matsumoto vs. Rachel Evers (Mae Young Classic, September 26th)

This was an enthralling contest between two evenly-matched powerhouses, and a great way to kick off the last episode of the Mae Young Classic for round one.

Hiroyo Matsumoto eventually took control of the match with arguably the most memorable dropkick seen in WWE this year. Matsumoto showed off her strength, but Rachel Evers showed off her own as she made numerous comebacks.

There were a few near falls that would have been more thrilling if the crowd had been less tired, but Matsumoto survived all of Evers' assaults and finished her with the Rock Drop.

#7 Meiko Satomura vs. Killer Kelly (Mae Young Classic, September 5th)

This was the best match of the first round of the Mae Young Classic. Meiko Satomura proved the hype around her, showing us all why she's considered one of the best in the world. This wasn't a squash match though, and Killer Kelly hung in with the legend admirably, giving her a tough, tough fight.

For a while, it looked like Killer Kelly might just score the upset win, getting one of the closest two counts you'll ever see!

Eventually, Satomura came back, hitting a vicious rolling double kick and a Death Valley Bomb for the win.

#6 AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (Hell in a Cell)

This wasn't as good as their SummerSlam match, but it was still a great bout, minus the finish. An incensed AJ Styles came at Samoa Joe again and again, hitting him hard, but Joe always found a way to weather the storm and respond with power.

The finish was the infamous portion of the match. It copied the Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler finish from a month earlier - with a twist. Styles rolled Samoa Joe up, but tapped to the Coquina Clutch before the three count.

This controversial finish unfortunately not only destroyed Samoa Joe's credibility, because now fans won't expect him to win the title, but also AJ Styles' credibility, because he essentially surrendered his right to be champion.

The feud will likely end on a low note in Australia.

#5 AJ Styles vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas (SmackDown, September 18th)

This was one of the best TV matches all year, proving once and for all that Andrade "Cien" Almas is the real deal. He and styles put on a pay per view worthy match two weeks ago, one that must leave us clamoring for more between them.

For a while, it looked like Almas might just pull out a victory against the WWE Champion. He took Styles to the limit. Eventually, though, AJ Styles countered his opponent into an innovative Styles Clash to score the victory.

This match showed us that Almas is getting close. His time will come soon, but not quite yet.

#4 Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream (NXT, Septebmer 5th)

Following his defeat at TakeOver: Brooklyn 4, Johnny Gargano was in a vulnerable mental place. Aside from Tommaso Ciampa, there's no one better in NXT at pouring salt into those wounds than Velveteen Dream, who called him "Johnny Failure."

During the match, Gargano descended further into madness, but was there enough to know that what he was doing was wrong. Velveteen Dream took advantage of this and lured Gargano into a deranged state, dropping him with a Death Valley Bomb for the victory.

Gargano walked out of Full Sail totally broken, receiving a chorus of "Johnny Failure" chants.

#3 Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (Hell in a Cell)

Stretching the limits of the PG format, Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy brutalized each other at Hell in a Cell. The most memorable spot of the match was something we'd never seen before - Orton using a screwdriver to viciously distort Jeff Hardy's earlobe.

Hardy tried to end the match with a dramatic finish, grabbing hold on to the top of the cell, but Orton moved. Hardy crashed through a table over ten feet below. As the referee called for the match to end, Orton couldn't care less and demanded he count to three.

#2 Ricochet vs. Pete Dunne (NXT, September 19th)

It's difficult indeed to pick one match ahead of the other when it comes to the top two, but the no-contest finish in this match inclines me to place it in the runner up instead of the gold medalist position for September. Nevertheless, this was a bona fide match of the year candidate.

Pete Dunne and Ricochet killed each other and kept coming back for more. The counters in this match were insane. It was Dunne's best match since his TakeOver: Chicago bout with Tyler Bate last year, and Ricochet's best match since arriving in NXT, over and above his match with Adam Cole in Brooklyn.

Dunne's counters were particularly brutal in this match and he was the glue that held it together, but when Ricochet got going, he got going! Insane shots were exchanged until the Undisputed Era ruined it all!

#1 Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler vs. The Shield (Hell in a Cell)

The suspense in this match was impeccable, as there were so many thrilling false finishes that you had no idea which side was going to prevail until the very end. This was exactly the kind of match that the Raw Tag Team Championship so desperately needed after having its credibility dragged through the mud since WrestleMania.

The right men won, but the Shield were worthy challengers, and this feud is far from over. May it give us more matches like this!