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It is fair to say that WWE has had a mixed year so far. There have been matches and segments that have disappointed such as the segments involving the Revival and the Usos, Charlotte Flair vs Lacey Evans, and Becky Lynch vs. Alicia Fox.
However, several excellent, high-quality matchups took place this year as well on WWE pay-per-views and television as well. There were excellent matches for some of WWE's most prestigious championships.
There have been seven pay-per-views this year in WWE so far. All of these shows have been pretty good, and it is exciting to think about how WWE will close out this year. Superstars such as Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Asuka, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Ronda Rousey, and AJ Styles have competed in some of WWE's best matches of the year.
Shonourableable mentions include Buddy Murphy vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Hideo Itami vs. Kalisto at Royal Rumble, Asuka vs. Becky Lynch at Royal Rumble, Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio on the January 22, 2019 edition of SmackDown Live, and Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. The Revival on the February 11, 2019 edition of Monday Night Raw.
#10 Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy (c) vs Akira Tozawa (Elimination Chamber)
Akira Tozawa defeated Cedric Alexander, Humberto Carrillo, and Lio Rush in a fatal-four-way elimination match to become the number one contender to the Cruiserweight Championship. He then had the best cruiserweight match of the year against Buddy Murphy on the kickoff show of Elimination Chamber.
Akira Tozawa started the match quickly with several strikes until Buddy Murphy fluidly countered a suicide dive into a suplex. The Stamina Monster then made an excellent comeback with various kicks, a beautiful backdrop suplex, and a vicious shining wizard. In the best spot of the match, Buddy Murphy went for a military press on the top rope that Akira Tozawa countered into an Avalanche Rana.
Akira Tozawa was an incredibly believable challenger and his sequence at the end where he hit a Reverse Rana, followed by two suicide dives, and a Diving Senton to the back of Akira Tozawa. Buddy Murphy showed off his greatness at the end when he excellently countered the Octopus Hold into Murphy's Law.
This match proved that the wrestlers on 205 Live are some of the best wrestlers in the world as it was an excellent singles match that elevated both men.
#9 Raw Women's Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sasha Banks (Royal Rumble)
Sasha Banks defeated Nia Jax to earn a Raw Women's Championship match against Ronda Rousey at Royal Rumble. The buildup to this match was excellent as what started as a feud based on respect became a rivalry with animosity between both competitors.
This was not a technical match and was more of a scrappy brawl between two women who wanted to prove who was better. Ronda Rousey underestimated Sasha Banks to start the match by mocking her and Sasha Banks made her regret that. Sasha Banks' work on the arm was excellent with her fluid counters into painful looking submissions were top highlights of the match. Ronda Rousey's judo throws looked vicious as well.
The fact that Ronda Rousey was able to win by pinfall (her only time winning a match by pinfall in WWE) was telling. It showed that no matter how many times Ronda Rousey tried to lock in the armbar she was not able to successfully submit her opponent due to the toughness of Sasha Banks.
#8 Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Ali vs. Andrade vs. Baron Corbin vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Finn Balor vs. Randy Orton vs. Ricochet (Money in the Bank)
While the result of this match was definitely controversial, it was one of the best Money in the Bank ladder matches of all time before the ending. All seven superstars who competed in this match put their bodies on the line to help craft a breathtaking match.
Randy Orton was great as the veteran of the match who picked his spots and his RKO off the ladder was amazing. Ricochet excellently sold for everyone in the match and wowed the crowd early in the match with his athleticism. Finn Balor did even more selling than Ricochet did in this match as he took a powerbomb from a ladder onto another ladder, a chokeslam onto a ladder, a suplex onto a ladder, and an inverted Alabama slam onto a ladder.
Drew McIntyre was the powerhouse of the match as he hit a vicious suplex on the ladder, an inverted Alabama slam on a ladder that already had another superstar on it, and threw Ricochet from the ring through a ladder set up outside of the ring.
Andrade had a breakout performance in this match and hit the spot of the match when he hit Finn Balor with a sunset flip powerbomb onto another ladder. Baron Corbin was the main heel of the match and the tease of him winning the match was excellently done.
Ali was the hero of the match as he hit several amazing moves and looked finally set to move to the main event scene before Brock Lesnar stole the victory from him. All seven of these superstars had star-making performances that could be used to elevate any of these superstars into the main event scene.
#7 Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, & Drew McIntyre vs. The Shield (Fastlane)
The Shield reunited right before Fastlane for what was supposed to be one last six-man tag team match against the trio of Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin, and Drew McIntyre in a match that was also the in-ring return of Roman Reigns.
The trio of Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, and Drew McIntyre proved to be an impressive trio, and the hot tag to Roman Reigns helped to make this match great. Roman Reigns helped to make Baron Corbin look like one of the best heels in all of WWE.
The near fall in which Baron Corbin countered a suicide dive from Roman Reigns into a Deep Six for a near fall. The End of Days false finish was incredible as well with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose breaking up the pin.
The action outside the ring was just as great with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose effectively brawling with Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre with a crossbody into the crowd, and a Stomp on the announce table. This was a great match as it looked like it was the last time we would see the Shield together and for that, it was a great moment.
#6 SmackDown Women's Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Live, March 26, 2019)
This match was a controversial one as Charlotte Flair received a SmackDown Women's Championship without doing anything to earn it. The Queen defeated Asuka so that the triple threat match could be a Winner Takes All matchup at WrestleMania 35 which effectively relegated Asuka to the WrestleMania Kickoff Show. While the result was controversial, the match was excellent.
This match was arguably the best women's match of the year so far, and their WrestleMania 34 show stealer was only a little bit better than this. The two women exchanged strikes, submissions, and other power-based offences in a masterclass of a match. There is a great story going on between Asuka and Charlotte Flair where no matter what Asuka throws at Charlotte Flair, Charlotte Flair manages to get the victory.
That story was continued in this match even though Asuka hit several impressive kicks and even managed to counter the moonsault into an Asuka Lock at one point. Charlotte also hit a fantastic Avalanche Spanish Fly only for Asuka to lock into a Triangle Choke only for Charlotte Flair to counter it into a powerbomb. The sequence at the end in which both superstars tried to lock in their submissions only for Charlotte Flair to counter an Asuka Lock attempt into the Figure Eight thanks to her power was incredible.
#5 WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Ali vs. Kevin Owens (Fastlane)
This match should have been a disaster. Everyone wanted to see Kofi Kingston compete in the match and as a result of that, the crowd was hostile to all three performers even though both Ali and Kevin Owens are supposed to be fan favourites. However, the performance of all three of these men helped these superstars gain the crowd's respect. This match included everything from a superkick party, to near falls, to absolutely insane moves.
Daniel Bryan excelled in his heel role as he took advantage of Rowan's strength and hit several impressive moves including a dropkick from the top rope into the barricade. Kevin Owens was his usual impressive self as he nearly scored the victory with the Pop-Up Powerbomb and the Stunner, hit a beautiful diving splash over the top rope, and hit a vicious Pop-Up Apron Powerbomb.
Ali was the star of the match as he entered to boos from the crowd before hitting several impressive moves including a Reverse Rana, an Avalanche Spanish Fly, a 450-Splash off of the apron, and a springboard tornado DDT to the outside of the ring. He also managed to kick out of a Pop-Up Powerbomb on the apron. Daniel Bryan's spot to win the match where he caught a springboard tornado DDT attempt from Ali with a Running Knee.
#4 Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio (SmackDown Live, January 15, 2019)
After Andrade pinned Rey Mysterio in a tag team match that also involved Ali and Samoa Joe, Andrade and Rey Mysterio had a rematch that was a singles match. This singles match was an excellent match that was the best match of Andrade's career on the main roster so far and Rey Mysterio's best match since making his WWE return.
Both superstars excellently exchanged in fluid counters and high-flying moves. Some of the excellent counters in the match included a hurricanrana into a powerbomb on the outside, a Canadian Destroyer into an Alabama Slam, a Powerbomb into a Canadian Destroyer, and a Fireman's Carry into a Crucifix Bomb.
It looked like both superstars had the match won on multiple occasions, and the top rope Hammerlock DDT to finish the match after Zelina Vega interfered in the match was excellent.
#3 Universal Championship: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles (Money in the Bank)
AJ Styles defeated Rey Mysterio and Samoa Joe in a triple threat match before defeating Baron Corbin to earn a championship match against Seth Rollins. There were a few people who feared that this dream match would not live up to the hype. However, this match was able to do that.
Both superstars hit each other with the best moves in their arsenals. AJ Styles brought out moves that he rarely uses like the Rack Bomb while Seth Rollins hit an innovative Inverted Superplex into a reverse Falcon Arrow. The two superstars exchanged an impressive series of roll-ups that ended with Seth Rollins hitting the Buckle Bomb.
Some fluid counters included AJ Styles reversing the Revolution Knee into the Ushigoroshi, the Stomp being countered into the Calf Crusher, and AJ Styles countering the Stomp into the Styles Clash for a fantastic near fall. The sequence at the end where Seth Rollins hit AJ Styles with the best moves of his arsenal was excellent and put over AJ Styles as a top competitor.
#2 WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kofi Kingston (WrestleMania 35)
KofiMania was one of WWE's best storylines of all time, and the match between these two superstars at WrestleMania was the climax of that storyline. This match told a perfect story with Kofi Kingston as the underdog and resulted in the kind of moment that is supposed to take place at WrestleMania.
This match had everything from excellent near falls to high-flying genius to fluid counters. Daniel Bryan fluidly countered Kofi Kingston's running stomp into a Liontamer (a tribute to Chris Jericho) and viciously slammed Kofi Kingston face first into the announce table. Kofi Kingston hit every move that he had including a unique inverted suplex and a Frog Splash to the back.
After the New Day neutralized Rowan, Daniel Bryan almost capitalized and won with the Running Knee in the near fall of the night. When Daniel Bryan locked in the Yes Lock, it looked like Kofi Kingston was about to pass out before he fought out of it and hit the Trouble in Paradise to finally win the title.
#1 WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match: Daniel Bryan (c.) vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton vs. Samoa Joe
This match is what helped to kick off the KofiMania moment. Kofi Kingston took Ali's place in this matchup and ran with the opportunity. All six of these superstars stole the show in their way.
Even though Samoa Joe was eliminated first, he was brutal, his submission-based offence was excellently showcased, and he terrified Daniel Bryan. Jeff Hardy was able to hit his usual insane high-flying move of the match on AJ Styles. AJ Styles was his typically excellent self, and his sequences with all the superstars in this match were incredible. Randy Orton did his job as the veteran of this match, and his elimination helped to put Kofi Kingston over.
The last twelve minutes of the match was nothing short of spectacular. The crowd was desperate to see Kofi Kingston finally get the win, and the near falls from both superstars were insane. In the end, when Daniel Bryan got the win after a second Running Knee, it was known to all that this was not over and that we would eventually see Kofi Kingston win the WWE Championship.
