Best of 2004

[Tawren 0]

Wow, I can't believe it's 2005 and nobody has started this thread (yes, there is a WWE one, but there is more than WWE out there). SO, post your lists for 2004! Best matches, best wrestlers, best promotions, best shows, best dressed, best anything for 2004.

 

I'll start the thread of with my top 10 matches.

 

1. L.A. Park vs Ultimo Guerrero, EMLL Guadalajara 4/18/04 ****1/2

Insane heat and a completely wild brawl. This match is just off the charts great. Parka has three beautiful dives. Completely underpimped this year, but everybody absolutely needs to see this. Just wonderful.

 

2. Samoa Joe vs CM Punk, ROH 12/4/04 ****1/2

Tons of plays off of 6/12 and 10/16 plus a beautiful story of desperation. Joe is great here as the champion who will do anything to remain on top, and Punk equals that as the man who will do anything to be champion. Great great stuff. Anyone who knocks this for being just 31 minutes hasn't seen it.

 

3. Samoa Joe vs CM Punk, ROH 10/16/04 ****1/2

Lots of great plays off of 6/12 and a great build towards the draw here. Joe is great as the monster heel champ and Punk is the spunky underdog in his hometown who will refuse to back down. Great, and required viewing before 12/4.

 

4. Samoa Joe vs Bryan Danielson, ROH 10/2/04 ****1/2

Danielson is the one guy who is better than Joe, and so Joe readjusts his strategy to it. Out of this world good, and just more proof that Danielson is the absolute best in the world. Danielson brings a great strategy of stopping Joe from even getting out of the gate with his big moves, and it is just wonderfully done.

 

5. Super Dragon vs Scorpio Sky, PWG 3/27/04 ****1/4

Super Dragon is the absolute man, and Scorpio is the guy who wants to dethrone and become him. Scorpio busts out several of Dragon's old moves as the way to beat him, but Dragon is the real deal, and in the end executes the traitor with a top rope double stomp through a chair. Damn good.

 

6. Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue, NOAH 9/10/04 ****

A lot of people don't like this, but I really got into it. The selling, pacing, and facials are all really good and the bombs they throw throughout make sense.

 

7. Eddy Guerrero vs Brock Lesnar, WWE 2/15/04 ****

Excellent big man vs little man match. At the start, Brock refuses to let Eddy in the ring with a total "this is my ring, punk, respect me because I'm the fucking man!" attitude, and Eddy ends up using the ring throughout the match for effective counters and moves as if to say "this is MY ring, not yours". The interference from Goldberg doesn't hurt it, it helps it. Eddy's entire character is that he lies, cheats, and steals. He cheats by accepting the run in and tries to steal the victory but Brock is still tough so he kicks out. And then they move on to the real finish. Great great match.

 

8. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama, NOAH 7/10/04 ****

Like 9/10, this match is hated by lots but I really like it. Kobashi is the champion going into the huge match who just refuses to be stopped, and Akiyama is the guy who is demanding to stop him. Lots of great false finishes and huge bombs that make sense.

 

9. Averno vs Zumbido, CMLL on TLN 10/30/04 (air-date) ****

Wonderful work, with lots of great rope running, submissions, and near falls. I just love this match. The third fall is incredible. Very very fun, and just overall great. Like most lucha, not many got to see this, but get a copy. I demand it.

 

10. Chikara Torneo Cibernetico, Chikara 10/30/04 ****

I'm a mark for multiple man matches because so many stories can easily be weaved throughout, and they pull that off here. Full of wacky lucha fun. The ending where Quackenbush is revealed is beautiful, and it makes sense with clues presented before. Tons of pay offs in the end.