It’s finally here, the Top 10 Matches of 2015 as voted by our esteemed panel. Earlier this week, we kicked off the countdown with a look at the poll’s origins, our record-breaking voter pool and our honorable mentions. Wednesday, we started the Top 100 with a look at #100-50 and matches #49-25. Thursday, we released matches #24-11 and now, today, we cap off an incredible year of wrestling with a look at the Top 10.

Continue checking out Voices of Wrestling over the next few days for additional Match of the Year content including a statistical breakdown of the 2015 Match of the Year by Rob Reid, a look at how our experimental H2H voting matched up with traditional voting and much more. As always, we’d love discussion on Match of the Year on our forums and via Twitter @VoicesWrestling. Let us know what you think of the Top 10, who got snubbed, who is way too high, etc.

Thanks once again for another incredible year, enjoy!

Follow Voices of Wrestling’s 2015 Match of the Year countdown:

Voting, Origins & Honorable Mentions: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/voting-honorable/

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/voting-honorable/ Matches #100-50: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/matches-100-50/

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/matches-100-50/ Matches #49-25: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year-matches-49-25/

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year-matches-49-25/ Matches #24-11: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year-24-11/

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year/2015-match-of-the-year-24-11/ Discuss 2015 Match of the Year on our forums: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=844&p=17413#p17413

10

Fenix vs. Mil Muertes

March 18

Lucha Underground

157 overall points (2 First Place Votes)

The brutality Mil Muertes showed was a great metaphor for the rage he felt inside because Fenix had taken everything from him. Most of all, was the loss of Catrina, which wound up being his downfall because in his one moment of weakness, Fenix took advantage and turned the tide of the match. Fenix being the man of 1,000 lives just kept hanging around and he took that one opening and made the most of it. To me, this was the best Lucha Underground match all season because it was a well told emotionally brutal match. Just awesome stuff. -Sean Garmer

This is my #1 match. Fenix is 25. I have no idea where Fenix will be ten years from now or how this match will fit in the great pantheon of matches he’ll have. Mil Muertes is 40. Muertes still has time for many more quality matches in him, but it’s rare you see someone’s career making match come at the age of 40. Don’t make any mistake about it, this is the match that will define his career, the match people will point back to twenty years from now when trying to figure out what he was all about. I haven’t watched a lot of Mil in Puerto Rico (or TNA!) but I saw his biggest runs in Mexico and saw him try to have an epic match of this level for years. Sometimes (LA Park!) it kind of worked, but it never worked to this level. Fenix was his perfect opponent for this match, someone he could impressive thrash around and would keep on coming. Someone who wasn’t opposed for every crazy idea (and turnbuckle screw to the head for blood), and would added on his own insanity (tope to the coffin.) Fenix might go on to different things, but this is Muerte’s magnum opus – everything he does the rest of his career will be compared to this match. And, despite this performance, and a generally strong run the entire season, Mil’s probably benefiting from it the least: he’s gotten only the slightest renewed push in AAA and he’s not getting US indie work because LU owns the character. It doesn’t really matter, because he’ll forever have this match. -thecubsfan

Everything about this match was perfect – the ring work, the storyline, the atmosphere, the crowd – it all gelled to make my favorite match of the year. On the surface, it was a classic technico vs rudo match-up, as well as a David vs Goliath story, but thanks to Lucha Underground’s supernatural bent, it ended up being more than that, as the avatar of life squared off against the living embodiment of death. Some matches this year were better wrestled, some were truly eye-opening, some had greater historical significance, and some were just plain fun to watch, but, for my money, the best match of the year was the Grave Consequences match between Mil Muertes and Fenix. The wrestling was very, very good, but it truly earned this top spot because of both the build to this particular match, the way the match paid it off, and also for being a crucial part of what would become the most important storyline in Lucha Underground’s first season. Not only that, but it served as the best example of the fact that the people behind Lucha Underground better understand the fundamentals of professional wrestling booking better than perhaps anyone in the world right now. Going into the match, Fenix was an undersized and spirited underdog who’d drawn the wrath of the nearly unstoppable Mil Muertes by scoring a flash pin over him and then standing up for Muertes’ valet-slash-love interest Katrina. Muertes looked to return to his dominant ways and Fenix was standing up for Katrina, but also for himself, in order to prove that his win over Muertes was no fluke. That alone is quality professional wrestling booking, but with the addition of the traditional larger than life personas that lucha libre is known for, it perfectly set the tone for the promotion’s first casket match. After a long, brutal match that used LU’s grimy Temple to full effect, it was Fenix who stood victorious. But wait – it turns out the whole ordeal was a plot between Katrina and Mil for Muertes to shed his mortal body and be reborn even more powerful than before, a storyline that saw Muertes return as an even more unstoppable monster, complete with three followers, the Disciples of Death. At Ultima Lucha, Lucha Underground’s season finale, the Disciples captured the Trios Championships and Muertes defeated Prince Puma to become only the second Lucha Underground Champion. This gave the faction control over every belt in the promotion save for one – the Gift of the Gods title, Lucha Underground’s unique spin on WWE’s Money in the Bank, which is currently held by…FENIX! So yeah, when a match is not only good on its own merits, but the major linchpin of the culmination of season one and what should be the major storyline of season two, it’s definitely deserving of the top spot on this list, as I can’t think of a single match in any other promotion that had this much overall impact (largely because no other promotion has booking this good). -Wyatt Beougher

Almost certainly the best casket match of all time, as the stipulation rarely lends itself to quality wrestling. Despite some iffy English commentary, Lucha Underground had the best overall presentation of professional wrestling of any promotion this year. For all of the spectacular highspots and heightened comic book reality, not only did everything here tell a story but it told a story that WWE cannot tell in a manner nobody else in the English world bothers to do (well, Chikara tries but their wrestling simply isn’t good enough). The very effective use of blood is key. -Daryl Surat

Pro-Wrestling is about so much more than just the moves and even more than what the wrestlers do in the ring. In my mind no match in 2015 was a better proof of this than Grave Consequences. This was billed as the final encounter between Muertes and Fenix as a casket match should be, but of course in the world of Lucha Underground a man called “A thousand deaths” and the phoenix could rise from the dead without ruining anything. Casket matches usually aren’t very exciting, however the introduction of the casket playing of the Mexican cult of the dead alone created such a great atmosphere that everyone had to be excited. What followed was a giant brawl and masterly storytelling which involved Catrina who had switched sides right before the two man went into this war. They managed to factor her in without it being cheesy as Muertes struck her down and was affected by his (then) former woman being down which led to Fenix being able to put him into the casket with a giant double stomp from the top. Besides this story them avoiding the casket up until the finish and not working around it made this one the best casket match I’ve ever seen. -STRIGGA

Lucha Underground isn’t a straight ahead live on tape wrestling show so it feels like cheating to include them. Don’t care. This match was brutally fantastic for a television show, and great fun for a plunder match (it’s a casket match with a different name). Guys bleeding all over the place, announcers swearing because they’re shocked by the violence and insanity of it all. A great match with a atmosphere that rivaled the Roman Colosseum asking for blood. Starrcade 85 would be proud. -Jeff Hawkins

This match is the way modern day casket matches should be handled in all major promotions. The match was absolutely brutal and they did anything and everything that they could to leave it not only all in the ring but all over the arena in this case because this match couldn’t be contained by a ring. The match was the perfect way to end this feud and at the end of it Fenix came out the winner while Mil Muertes actually disappeared for a considerable amount of time. -Nathan Neumann

9

KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O’Reilly

June 7

New Japan Pro Wrestling

167 overall points (4 First Place Votes)

From the opening bell, this junior heavyweight match felt like a bigger deal than almost any New Japan junior match over the last decade. The word epic gets thrown around far too often but this was epic from beginning to end. Even knowing the result, this match takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions as each man does whatever it will take to take home the Best of the Super Juniors crown. That both men have proficiency in the grappling/ground-game, submissions and high-flying made this one of the most complete, voluminous matches you’ll watch all year. Between controlled and targeted focusing on the arms (which would play into the finishing sequence perfectly), Bobby Fish’s amazing reactions and interactions outside the ring and a flurry of near-falls, I truly believe anyone can find something they love about this match. Add in the raw emotion of both men wanting to prove themselves on the big stage and the fact that KUSHIDA was legitimately knocked out for a portion of the match and was able to get through it is just another testament to how incredible this match was. -Rich Kraetsch

The first step in KUSHIDA’s initial rise to the top of the junior division was one of the most memorable matches I have ever seen in my entire life. O’Reilly and KUSHIDA went close to 30 minutes head to head in an era where junior wrestling in New Japan has become so insignificant, causing Jushin Liger to have hope in the division once more. A match where KUSHIDA was concussed halfway through, these two managed to put on one of the all time classic junior, heck just all time wrestling in general, matches. -Lawrence O’Brien

O’Reilly stepped up huge to finish off a tournament that comfortably outstripped low expectations. Could be top of this list if one of the participants hadn’t been knocked out ten minutes in. -Chris Charlton

What we wanted, was a match that transcended the typical Jr. Heavyweight style in New Japan: Little to no time to let everything fold out, no emotional connection besides “Hope they didn’t hurt themselves with that dive”. What we got, was a masterful display of technical wrestling, something completely different from the standard Jr. Heavyweight formula and the elevation of two professional wrestling masters: We finally had the proof that KUSHIDA is more than ready to be the ace of the Jr. Heavyweight division in New Japan. And once more we got to witness the absolute marvel that is Kyle O’Reilly. He could be the missing piece in the division, someone that is completely different than everyone else. Let’s hope that New Japan realizes that and he gets more opportunities in the land of the rising sun. -CM Flosch

This was the moment where Kyle O’Reilly showed me just how far he’s come. The submission and the salesmanship from these two was something to behold. I was glued to the monitor throughout the match, and as a big fan of ReDragon, I wanted to see how far O’Reilly would go…never did I think he would win it, but it didn’t matter. These two had outstanding chemistry with one another and while the fans were fully in KUSHIDA’s corner, the respect they showed for Kyle was a victory in itself. Sequences in the final third of the match were some of my favorites of the entire year. -Jason Martin

Despite KUSHIDA’s late-game drooly loopiness– or perhaps because of — this match felt incredibly important, and was full of breath-taking technical displays. -Ru Gunn

This was one of those rare occasions where a match going a lot longer than expected worked 100% in it’s favour. KUSHIDA and O’Reilly took advantage of the extra minutes to create the kind of epic encounter very seldom seen in the New Japan juniors division. The finish looked absolutely brutal too, which is always nice. -Iain Seaton

8

Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii

February 14

New Japan Pro Wrestling

181 overall points (2 First Place Votes)

This match, which came to pass when newly-minted NEVER champion Togi Makabe fell ill, may be the Best of the Vampire Chicken vs. Stone Pitbull wars. Was it a little too cringy at times for me? Yes. I’ll admit that it usually is. The match features probably the most terrifying DDT spot I’ve seen in awhile, in addition to their usual roles of being a neurologist’s wet dream. But, no matter what I think, fact is the New Japan crowds absolutely eat them up. And they rewarded those fans, who may have thought they’ve seen everything, with a can-you-top-this orgy of impact. Forearms to the face, piledrivers, stiff kicks, arena-echoing lariats and chops, headbutts, flying headbutts, dead weight flying headbutts from the top rope to the ringside floor. It had it all. And all of it almost left the viewer as emotionally and physically drained as the participants. Almost. The two scrappy underdogs who embody the fighting spirit history of New Japan dropped bombs from the jump, never slowing up or stopping, and taking an eager crowd on as intense of a roller coaster ride as pro wrestling can get to, while still maintaining its roots. The only way this match probably could have been more memorable would have been a Honma victory, if only for the crowd response which would have been nuclear. -Mike Sempervive

It is rare that Ishii walks into a match anything other than an underdog. In spite of his rise in prominence over the last three years his stout demeanor and tangible connection with the audience usually give the feeling of an uphill struggle on the cards for him but that wasn’t the case here. Lovable loser Tomoaki Honma was the bigger underdog here, and maybe that’s why this match rose above the crop of recent Ishii NEVER titles matches. Honma was the underdog who simply kept on coming determined to finally get his big win. This was a little less the two rhinos running at each other until one can no longer continue style Ishii match we’ve come to know (and love) and more of an underdog story. -Garrett Kidney

An absolutely brutal match that was made all the better by being impromptu. It was given time at a semi-main event level, which Honma had rarely had in New Japan at this point, and the two delivered one of the most hard-hitting and gloriously violent matches I’ve ever seen. The Kokeshi to Ishii on the floor has to be seen to be believed. -Oliver Court

Going into this show, I had no real expectations for the main event. The title had been vacated by Togi Makabe, due to being sidelined with influenza, and the former champion, Ishii, would face longtime midcarder and full time jobber, Honma, for the vacated belt. There were no real outstanding issues between either men. This would just be a straight up wrestling match to see which would come out on top. For a match with little expectations on the quality, after watching it, I was left speechless. Honma and Ishii practically almost killed the other for almost 25 minutes in one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen. Honma’s “never say die” attitude coupled beautifully with Ishii’s “don’t stop hitting till they are down for 3” approach, meshing together to create a dangerous but spectacular display of machismo and power. All the while, the crowd is losing their minds. Honma busting out the headbutt to the outside was just the cherry on top. This match had everything; big highspots that not only look great but work within storytelling reasons, a rabid crowd, a great underdog story, and some great psychology and selling. Do whatever you can to see this match if you haven’t. If the Nakamura and Ibushi match changed the game for 2015, this was the match that justified the change. -Reece Alan Theberge

I love the story behind this match. It was never supposed to happen. Honma was a last minute replacement for Togi Makabe, who caught the flu just days before the match. The belt was vacated, thus meaning whoever got the win was the new champion. The crowd that night in Sendai wanted Honma to win so badly. He has been the underdog for years and years and just wanted him to get that win. He didn’t get it here, but the crowd was so into the match, so into all the crazy near falls, that many thought he was going to get it. We know it’s Honma’s gimmick to lose the big match, but he’s SO GOOD at making you think he looks like a credible threat, it’s really astonishing how the crowd gets behind him each time. I think this would have a been a surefire match of the decade if Honma actually won, but he didn’t. Regardless, the stiff match, the heated response, and the entire story made me fall in love with this match, and it’s easily deserving of the top spot on this list. -Bryan Rose

What an absolutely ridiculous match this was. Honma has had a few phenomenal underdog performances during his career, a great deal of those occurring at G1 tournaments but they all fall below this effort against Ishii at New Beginning. The match was flat out epic with Honma constantly coming up short, both in terms of near falls and near misses. It got to be too much for referee Unno who collapsed to his knees after yet another near miss on the Kokeshi. Behind Okada’s weeping at the end of WK9 as the second greatest piece of selling in 2015. -Arnold Furious

I don’t wish illness on to anyone, but Togi Makabe being sidelined with the flu gave us this match and this match was GLORIOUS. We’ve all seen matches like this before. Ishii hits, Honma doesn’t fall, Ishii hits harder, Honma still doesn’t fall, Ishii hits his hardest, and Honma finally falls. It’s a simple, yet lovely formula that has created some great matches in the past. This was another one of those matches and the Sendai crowd completely rallied behind Honma in one of the most physically and emotionally draining matches of the year. Honma landing his diving Kokeshi to the floor is really as good as it gets. This match, really, was just about as good as it gets. Props to both men for taking such a beating. -Case Lowe









7

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

October 7

WWE (NXT)

191 overall points (4 First Place Votes)

This match has quickly climbed the ranks as one of my favorite matches of all time. Now normally I am not a huge fan of the Iron Man stipulation, but these two made it exceptional in every sense of the word. It’s crazy how Sasha Banks still got over as such a big heel here after the post match of the Brooklyn match, but here we are. Banks gives an incredible performance where she honest to goodness looks like the biggest baddie on the block, as she literally takes the bow out of Izzy’s hair and puts it in her hair, WHO DOES THAT!? Bayley also gives an outstanding performance, constantly coming from behind to submit Sasha Banks in the final seconds of the match to retain the Women’s Championship and to solidify her spot as the top of the women’s division of NXT (some could argue she took THE top spot of NXT). In a match that saw Sasha Banks depart from NXT as well as Bayley taking the throne, one could say that this match is a contemporary classic and they would be correct. Everything about this match just worked and is something that can be watched over and over again. Easily one of my favorite matches of all time and this will be a match we are still talking about years down the line. -Tanner Teat

This wasn’t a match I was watching for headlocks or wrist locks. It wasn’t a match I was watching to see who had the best technical ability. It was a match which culminated a story which began over two years ago. To me, the was perfect. I was emotionally wrapped up in the story, in everything done in the match, in the call back spots to Brooklyn, in Sasha proving she was the best heel performer on Earth, and in Bayley proving that she belonged. This was wonderful and magical and all those other mushy words you use to describe something great. This was my 2015 match of the year. -Charles Humphreys

Not even taking into consideration the big marketing bullet points (first women’s Iron Man match in WWE history; first women to main event a WWE PPV), this match was everything I love about wrestling: athletic performance meets a story featuring characters I care about. Sasha Banks brought world-class heel (her interactions with Bayley’s Biggest Fan™, Izzy? Priceless), Bayley is an underdog hero anyone can get behind, and beyond all that, the wrestling was really good — much better than most of what we saw on the main roster during the “Divas Revolution.” I don’t see how anyone could watch this match and not come away feeling good about the future of women in pro wrestling. Bayley v Sasha in Brooklyn came close to #1 for me, but what put this one over the top is the fact that if I hadn’t known it was an Iron Man match, there’s no way I would have believed it was half an hour long. -Maia Nolan-Partnow

The best match of the year, this match played off of themes, tactics and spots that predated their feud with each other. A heel who likes to be bad, and a babyface who is easy to love, in a match that is impossible to forget. Nothing from 2015 stands out more than this match and this feud. Nothing is even close. -Dylan Hales

This wasn’t Brooklyn but it was a fantastic match on it’s own merit and worked differently as there was way more hatred going on then you had in the 30:00 Iron Man Match gimmick it gave an extra gravitas. The use of Bayley’s superfan Izzy was controversial but it worked and the story that was told here was tremendous. The stretch run and the finish was as good as it got in 2015 and sealed the deal on NXT Women’s Wrestling in 2015. -Kris Zellner

The Ironman gimmick held the match back a little, but that’s only because the last second ending was predictable once we got within 5 minutes of the end of the match, but the story they told and the talent both wrestlers showed in this match was great. Every move meant something, not only to the match but to both competitors. This didn’t max out as high as the first Bayley-Banks bout, but it’s a classic match and one that will be remembered for years to come as a cornerstone of the #DivasRevolution -Alex Wendland

Bayley and Sasha put on an incredible match at TakeOver: Brooklyn, where Bayley finally realized her potential and won the NXT Women’s Championship. Knowing the caliber of performer these two ladies are, it was hard not to be excited for their rematch at TakeOver: Respect. Throw in the fact that this was the first ever 30 Minute Ironman match to take place between two female competitors in WWE, and you had something spectacular. The match itself was terrific, and Sasha Banks showed why she’s one of the best heels when given the chance to shine. -Al McMahon

6

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (vs. Seth Rollins)

March 29

WWE

192 overall points (1 First Place Vote)

An incredible spectacle. A masterful match. The perfect WrestleMania match in a way. -Sam DiMascio

Lesnar and Reigns had a hoss match for the ages and the MITB cash-in by Rollins was probably the best use of that gimmick ever, to the extent that it should be laid to rest. -Dave Musgrave

WWE’s 2015 was also a breath away from being an absolute train wreck and the decision to have Roman Reigns as the next top star was leading the way in that regard. Fans in arenas and across the internet were dripping with hatred for Reigns and his work in the ring wasn’t about to change any minds. Heading into WM there seemed to be an inevitability that Brock vs. Roman was going to be a bad match and that Roman was going to win the title. What has come to be known as the “Brock Match” couldn’t happen with Roman, I mean, how could it? It relied on Brock’s opponent bumping like crazy and carrying certain portions of the match. Roman wasn’t exactly known for either, with most of his matches involving him as the superman hitting his spots after rather uninspired early sections of the match. Yet, this match delivered. Reigns took a brutal beating, but kept coming, showing heart and determination. He was hanging with Brock and not only was it not bad, it was good! The decision came down to have Rollins run in and make it a triple threat, taking advantage and winning the title. We all knew that it was a possibility, but when it happened it felt substantial, unlike most Money in the Bank cash-ins. This was high WWE drama at its very overbooked best. -Dave Walsh

The shock of Seth Rollins cashing in his MITB contract mid-match, and the drama of the end of the match involving near-falls, and the excitement of having Rollins win the match and become champion, all conspired to make this a tremendously hot match. Even before Rollins’s involvement, Lesnar vs. Reigns was a unique match that fans seemed to really enjoy. Hell, the match even spawned a new catchphrase, “Suplex City.” That has to count for something, right? -Greg Parks

This was the match when I turned the corner on Roman Reigns, I thought his performance from underneath here was masterful. It helps that the guy on top in this match was Brock being his monstrous self, but the selling and comebacks just really worked for me in this one. And unlike many I thought that the cash in actually added to the match as it lead to a wonderful closing stretch and gave it a finish which the crowd reacted tremendously positive towards. -Rob Reid

The greatest success of 2015’s WrestleMania main event was how in the relatively brief space of 14-minutes, the match got Reigns over to a point where the fans were reacting to the seesaw battle rather than being totally preoccupied with their feelings towards Reigns’ push. Lesnar wrestled his typical post-comeback match but with enough wrinkles in the formula to keep it interesting. Reigns took a beating. It was both the nature and timing of his comebacks that really stood out and helped make the match what it was. While WWE – and presumably this list – will record the match as a three-way that also included Seth Rollins, the singles match told a full story before it was interrupted (I also don’t buy the logic behind saying that a match announced and wrestled as one-on-one 85% of the way was actually a three-way). Someone once mentioned that he felt the key to a good non-finish is to build to the finish the fans want to see and then rob them of that opportunity in order to put additional heat on a wrestler or the feud. Through Lesnar and Reigns’ work, the match reached a point where the fans were invested in it like a Rock-Austin type clash and just wanted to see either guy definitively come out on top. Rollins stopping the match to cash in his opportunity deprived the fans of the outcome that the match was building towards and the outcome that the fans wanted to see. It was a different ending, but one that was appropriate given the work that lead up to it. -Paul Cooke

This was well on its way towards being my match of the year and easily being something I would consider amongst the greatest matches of all time. While I understood the logic of the finish, it completely dragged the match down for me. Not enough to drop it from my top 10, but it was heading towards number 1 by a landslide. -Dean Knickerbocker









5

John Cena vs Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins

January 25

WWE

284 overall points (5 First Place Votes)

The first of what would become many great John Cena performances in 2015, this match may be most remembered for Seth Rollins jumping into the real main event singles slot for the first time. -Robert McCarron

This match was about three guys, with completely different characters/roles, all of them performing at the absolute top of their game. Seth Rollins really shined as the slimy, chickenshit heel in the early going and the spectacular performer we all know he can be down the stretch. Cena began an all time great year with an excellent performance. … and then there was Brock. What more needs to be said? I loved this match. -Iain Seaton

Until his injury, Seth Rollins was WWE’s big match MVP in my opinion. Brock smash, Cena strong, Seth flies. Great mixture of styles and nice fluidity to a triple threat match which is hard to accomplish without it seeming like guys are just taking turns. The best main roster match all year from WWE. -Jeff Hawkins

What a way to kick off 2015. Right when the match started you knew what is going on, each man’s goal is to win and be the WWE World champion and they have to go through each other to get it. What we got was an action filled match that was extremely fun to watch. -Ryan Davis

2015 was the year Seth Rollins stamped his name firmly onto WWE’s main event roster and his breakout performance was in this match. Rollins not only went toe-to-toe with WWE’s two biggest box office draws of the last decade, but in a lot of ways Rollins out shined Lesnar and Cena in this match with his selling, believable facial expressions, and dynamic move set. Seth Rollins will be a WWE main eventer for a number of years and I will always look back at this match as the checkpoint of when he became a superstar. -Taylor C. Mitchell

On one of the worst Royal Rumbles known to man came one of its best ever matches. Funny how that worked out. The three way match is one of the most difficult to pull off without it coming off contrived, but Lesnar, Cena and Rollins emerged with what may have been WWE’s best one since the main event of WrestleMania 20. The gameplan to attempt to eliminate Lesnar, and then have Cena and Rollins go at it for the title was well worked out, and the memory of Rollins hitting his Phoenix Splash, and then Brock coming in IMMEDIATELY to murder, death, kill is still ingrained in my memory… and I watched this match in a bar after several drinks. You know it’s great when you’re in that situation. -Martin Bentley

At Hell in a Cell in 2014, John Cena beat Randy Orton to become the number one contender and then retained that right against Seth Rollins at TLC. This set the stage for yet another Brock Lesnar/Cena match that I and many others didn’t care to see. It seems like the WWE realized that too, deciding to add Rollins to the mix. That added dimension took the good Lesnar/Cena matches into classic status. Brock was the beast you’d expect, suplexing everything in sight, including J&J Security at the same time. Cena and Seth, rivals for the past few months, had to team up to try and take out the unstoppable beast. They accomplished it when Seth pulled a Shawn Michaels and elbowed Brock through the announce table. Cena and Seth then went at it, having their best exchange ever, including their feud later in the year. When medics come down to check on Brock, the fans completely begin to buy into everything Cena and Seth do to each other in the ring. Brock would get up, kick ass and win with an F5 on Seth at 22:42. It was matches like this that showed Seth absolutely belonged at the top of the card. This was the best main roster WWE match all year long. -Kevin Pantoja

4

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

August 16

New Japan Pro Wrestling

344 overall points (8 First Place Votes)

While several people were still looking for a Nakamura win here, I personally was 100% set that Tanahashi was winning; a Nakamura win would have completely shocked me. So now the key is to work a match that makes me believe that Nakamura has a chance, and I was skeptical because in the past I did not think these two have delivered on the level that they should. The basic story was Tanahashi working the knee of Nakamura to try and weaken the Boma ye, while Nakamura worked the arm to set up the arm bar, which he has been successful with in the tournament. This work remained a constant thread through the match, not always a complete focus, but always called back to in the right way. Both guys are very good, especially in the big match environment, and I felt as if they did all of the big things, but maybe even more importantly the little things to make it all work and come together. We had a slow start, and then they simply built off of each part of the match, and in each instance the crowd responded about as perfectly as you could hope. The final 10-minutes was pretty epic, with both men unloading their arsenal in order to win this tournament. When things get going this wild, I do appreciate it a bit more because it not only makes the match feel important, but also what they are fighting for is even more important. It all led to both men battling up top, and Tanahashi knocking Nakamura partial off, hanging there, and then the high fly flow connected. Two more HHFs later, and Tanahashi was the winner of the 25th G1 Climax after an amazing match. It had the feel and work of the big time match, it had the crowd and I was completely emotionally invested in this match. There had been a lot of great matches in the tournament, some truly upper tier stuff that was more than worth my time. There were matches I was into, matches that I loved and at times stuff so good it had me wondering what in the actual fuck I was watching. This match felt big time, this match had that special feeling and was more than perfect to close out a tournament of this importance. These men, who I felt didn’t always have the best chemistry and also put in some amazing efforts in the days just prior, managed to step it up and take it past the greatness that they delivered previously, but they surpassed it. I can safely say that not only was this the best match of the entire 2015 tournament, but that this match is now the best G1 finals match of all time. It is so hard to choose when you have so many matches that hit five stars, but considering that I felt the match was the best in the 25-years of the G1, I will give it my nod as match of the year. -Larry Csonka

There have been better wrestling matches than this year’s G1 final, but I’m not sure I was ever- in my entire life and nearly 15 years as a wrestling fan- more emotionally invested in a wrestling match than I was in Tanahashi-Nakamura. The build-up to a match matters, and these two longtime rivals facing off yet again with a guaranteed IWGP Title shot on the line felt like one of the biggest matches possible in 2015. Of course, the match itself did not disappoint either, and combined with my emotional investment I have no doubt I did not enjoy myself watching a match live more than I did with this one all year long. It holds up on replay too, with both men throwing everything they’ve got at the other in what was probably their best match ever (though I often found their series mildly disappointing before this one). By the time Tanahashi was crushing Nakamura from the middle turnbuckle to the ring mat below with a crossbody and then finishing him off with two High Fly Flows my own spirit felt just as flattened as Shinsuke. But the winner not being who I was hoping for can’t take away from this match as my Match of the Year. It was everything I watch pro wrestling for and more. -John Carroll

Watching live helped, but I was more emotionally captured by this match than any match all year. -Brandon Howard

I already voted Tanahashi vs. Nakamura from Invasion Attack 2014 my match of the year and the trend continues here because I love their rivalry and them always adding new twists and turns to their matches rewards you as a fan following all the matches. After Invasion Attack 2014 I thought Tanahashi and Nakamura had reached the zenith of their work, but the proved me wrong. After a slow built they went to a war and they also used during the G1 established finishes – various roll ups for Tanahashi and the Cross Armbreaker for Nakamura – so that you as a fan thought this one could end any second. Added to this was Tanahashi’s legwork which not only led to Nakamura being in pain for his knee attacks but it also resulted in him only being able to use his right knee for his backcracker. I believe one image will forever be etched in everybody’s memory: Tanahashi using the High Fly Flow on Nakamura while he held onto the second rope. This was a piece of art and an epic battle. -STRIGGA

This capped off an amazing G1 Climax 25 for one Hiroshi Tanahashi. He had numerous great matches in this tournament, but none greater than what was witnessed here. Tana continued what he had done the whole tournament by taking out the legs of his opponent and it worked to perfection with Nakamura as well. Nakamura had received much flack for many of his matches in the tournament, but he brought it here with an intensity, great selling, and making us think he could win. The finish was masterful with Nak exhausted and Tana delivering a High Fly Flow, while Nak was on the second rope. Tana hit some vicious HFF’s to cement a much deserved G1 victory. A match that certainly was befitting of such a grand stage and put the bright lights squarely on the man that owned this G1 in Hiroshi Tanahashi. -Sean Garmer

Having been there live, it was a match that had the crowd buzzing – the energy in Sumo Hall was like nothing I had ever felt before in pro wrestling and the closest thing I can compare it to is a Stanley Cup or World Series game. The match itself? Pure magic and one of (if not the) best match I have ever seen live. -Damon McDonald

Every time the G1 comes up I get extremely excited because it’s like dying (although you don’t actually die) and going to wrestling heaven. I’ll be honest I didn’t get a chance to watch the entire 2015 G1 due to being super busy but I watched enough of it to know which matches were really good and which ones belonged on a list like this. This match was Shinsuke Nakamura’s second g1 final in a row and his second loss in the g1 finals in a row but that withstanding this match was absolutely fantastic. I was hoping that Nakamura would win it but considering the fact that Hiroshi Tanahashi has main evented every single Wrestle Kingdom since the beginning of time I wasn’t going to hold my breath on that one. Still a great match that people need to go and watch if you watch one match from the 2015 G1. -Nathan Neumann

3

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

August 22

WWE (NXT)

458 overall points (11 First Place Votes)

It had the feeling of a Ring of Honor main event in the Manhattan Center in 2006 except you’re surrounded by about 13 thousand more people. One of those moments I feel so fortunate to have been able to witness in person. Amazing story, intense action and kept me interested, which is super hard to do when in a large arena like the Barclays Center. -Ben Gordon

I believe in build. I believe in feuds and rivalries that escalate to a big event that can barely contain them. I believe in big events that culminate in big moments. I believe in pageantry. I believe in a fight that means something singular on this given night. I believe in the face having something to prove. I believe in the heel wanting to win so bad and being so vicious in wanting to rid the world of their archenemy that it gets squeamish from time to time. I believe in having my expectations blown away. Is this the best “pure” match of the year? No, that’s Ibushi/Nakamura. But from video package to aftermatch curtain call, everything about this was what I want in professional wrestling. The big things like it being the largest house for NXT, the big match pressure, and stealing the thunder of a good main event solidifies it as my number one. Little things like Sasha trying to stomp Bayley’s hand while executing a hard fought Banks statement, the reversal of said spot, the commentary crew getting caught up in it all only add to it. I’m inherently biased about the NXT 4 as somehow I got emotionally invested in an aspect of pro wrestling which used to be a punchline to me. I got teary eyed for Sasha’s win, the Becky struggle, Bayley’s win here and the Ironman re-match. I don’t care if you told me they rehearsed it 40 times and flying monkeys with cue cards were swooping in telling them what to do next, what I watched on screen was compelling, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day. If “Curtain Call 2” was cloying and predictable to some, it didn’t feel like it and given the circumstances of the failed “Revolution” to come even felt earned. -Jeff Hawkins

This was an amazing match that after months of solid women’s matches in NXT was the cherry on top of the sundae and proved that these women could be put in headline positions on shows and not seem forced. From the entrances to the work in the match to the finish, this match was stellar and made a sold out Barclays Center go insane throughout. Bayley was made forever with the win and Sasha sealed the deal on her case for the Wrestler of the Year. -Kris Zellner

Told an incredible story and the best women’s match in recent memory. -Izzac Mackenroth

The women of NXT have continued to top themselves with almost every opportunity. Now, while I’m a massive fan of both girls, especially Sasha Banks, I originally didn’t want this match. I wanted to see Sasha/Becky II after their great match at Unstoppable. Bayley and Sasha absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. In front of the largest crowd in NXT history at the Barclays Center, Bayley and Banks were the co-main event and bested every performer on a loaded weekend. Right from the entrances, you could tell this would be special. The atmosphere in Brooklyn was insane as the crowd was red hot. Bayley’s entrance was a tribute to the late Dusty Rhodes, while Sasha channeled her inner Eddie Guerrero by arriving in an Escalade. The first part of this match sees Sasha talk trash and Bayley has to bring out the more aggressive side that we don’t usually see. When it progressed, Sasha vicious went after Bayley’s injured hand. It was some of the more brutal psychology I saw all year, including stomping on the hand and kicking it into the steel steps. Their exchanges and false finishes during this 18:15 encounter. Bayley survived the Bank Statement and Sasha kicked out of the Bayley to Belly. A top rope rana failed earlier in the match, but Bayley busted out a super reserve rana before scoring with a second Bayley to belly to win the title, capping an emotional roller coaster. Honestly, the number two match on this list that is technically better, but this was about on par, with the added bonus of the other things that makes pro wrestling great. The emotional impact of the match was so strong that Seth Rollins was crying at ringside. Hell, I was even nearly moved to tears. Not only was this the greatest women’s match in WWE history, but it was also the most important, cementing it atop the list. -Kevin Pantoja

Better than the Ironman match, with stakes that at the time meant far more, and with emotion that trumped anything that was done at Full Sail. 2015 was the year of the woman, until those females hit the main roster. NXT gave us Becky and Sasha (later in the list), another awesome Sasha/Bayley bout, Asuka/Emma, the fourway in February, etc. But to say that a semi-main event women’s match topped the main event, a ladder match between two of the best in the world, deserves recognition. Also, emotionally, I was more invested here than anything else all year. -Jason Martin

What more could you want from a character’s journey to reach her dream? We hung with Bayley as many women passed her to become NXT Women’s Champion. At times, it seemed like she might well be forgotten. And though they probably hadn’t planned it this way, the lengths and depths of Bayley’s relative suffering made for perhaps the most truly satisfying result of the year. -Aaron Bentley

2

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada

January 4

New Japan Pro Wrestling

458 overall points (15 First Place Votes)

These two men have provided the ultimate wrestling feud of our generation. This penultimate clash between the two was a master class in storytelling and in-ring psychology. Between the micro-story and the macro-story, this match blows away the competition. -Josh Katzker

Forget faces and heels and championship belts and all those ideas of what pro wrestling has to be about. The four-year war between these two transcended those tropes. It may not have been envisioned this way from the start, but it certainly became the slow, beautifully told story of a young man’s ascent to the top and all the hardships and lessons along the way. As such, this particular match fulfills the role of the dark, (assumed) penultimate chapter. It’s The Empire Strikes Back of this story, where our protagonist, Okada, has put it all together and is poised for his final glorious victory. Instead, he suffers his most painful defeat and is left with nothing. That’s what we’re witnessing throughout this match: the systematic tearing down of Kazuchika Okada. In the end, he’s left directionless, humiliated, and humanized—the perfect place to start building toward redemption. -Matt Gerardi

This match was amazing. It had the emotion and athleticism and excitement, everything that I watch wrestling for was done in this match. I could not take my eyes off of it, I was so compelled. We all know what wrestling is, entertainment, but for those 30 and something minutes, this match was my life. Turns out this match was going to be one of the best matches I will ever see. -Ryan Davis

The opening minutes of this bout were a retread of previous Okada/Tanahashi encounters: a chain wrestling standoff and an extended brawl outside of the ring. Then halfway through the match, things got interesting and my God were fans in for a treat. The story told in the closing half of the match was unsurpassed all year and it all started with Okada’s boasting that he’d beaten Tanahashi many times before and he would do it again. Tired of the brash pretty boy’s antics, New Japan’s ace proved just why he was worthy of the moniker. Tanahashi abandoned his showmanship and unleashed a cunning, brutal attack on Okada’s legs. The Rainmaker panicked; he kept trying to hit his signature short arm lariat, only to find a Tanashi counter for each attempt. Immobilized and all but defeated, Okada’s failure was summed up in one moment: prone on the mat and delirious, Okada reached tried in vain to pull himself up on Tanahashi leg, but instead collapsed at his feet, and as his rival towered over him the first lines in Okada’s story of redemption were written. -Warren Taylor

The story with Tanahashi vs. Okada rivalry has to be summed up in one question in this match: “What to do IF Tanahashi kicks out of my rainmaker?” The post match interview with Tanahashi telling Okada, “IWGP is far from your reach” and Okada crying with his best friend Gedo having to console him was all I needed. -Jahmale Hepburn

It didn’t take long for 2015 to reveal what ended up being the Match of the Year. Wrestle Kingdom was a great show, thanks in part to a main event that more than delivered. Tanahashi and Okada have become the modern-day equivalent of Flair and Steamboat. As each match passes, it gets harder and harder to believe they can top themselves. And yet, they always seem to do just that. -Greg Parks

This was supposed to be the match where Okada finally became the official ace of New Japan by seeing off Tanahashi at the Tokyo Dome. But it didn’t pan out that way as New Japan made us wait another year for that pay off, instead allowing Tana one final glorious year as NJPW’s ace. The match was an absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions, playing into their previous encounters and making me scream at the screen in disbelief at some of the dramatic last gasp kickouts. When Okada found himself on the losing end, the seemingly unbreakable coolness of the Rainmaker cracked and he found himself crying and exposed in front of the wrestling world. You cannot buy this kind of reaction in wrestling. It meant this much to Okada. To not be able to vanquish his greatest rival once again at the biggest show of the year. Tanahashi was a bit of a dick about it and the building blocks were already in place for Wrestle Kingdom 10. -Arnold Furious

And then there was one…









1

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi

January 4

New Japan Pro Wrestling

696 overall points (28 First Place Votes)

It was the match that sold the product to Western eyes and delivered the goods for the hardcore fan base. It’ll be on top of every pro wrestling MOTY list and it well should. You know how today’s wrestlers were influenced by Savage/Steamboat? Ibushi & Nakamura is a classic five-star performance that future wrestlers will watch and reference for years to come. -Damon McDonald

I think it speaks volumes that the best match of the year happened so early on. Nakamura is easily my favorite wrestler in New Japan since I started watching the product in 2013, and for Kota Ibushi, this was a big statement for him, even in defeat, as he showed he can deliver in a big spot and hang with some of the top New Japan heavyweights. I loved their G1 Climax Match from 2013, and as great as that match was, this topped it for sure. I was so excited when I saw this match live on PPV. The action was insane. This was definitely my Match of the Year for 2015. -Sean Sedor

As raw a match you couldn’t find in 2015. It took two guys agreeing to really lay into one another, but there wasn’t one person in the Dome who didn’t buy in. -Chris Charleton

It’s hard to believe that it’s over a year ago that I watched this match (and all of Wrestle Kingdom 9) 4 times in a month including with some family that either stopped watching wrestling when Memphis closed or always hated American wrestling for being fake, and seeing them like the top matches like this one. I still remember it well, particularly a couple of moments in particular that really set it apart, both from Ibushi. The first was Ibushi’s spectacular Springboard German that popped me so hard for seeing a move I had never seen before. The second was Ibushi’s sell of standing up and having a loopy looking grin on his face. But really the whole match was a beautiful display of hard hitting action and great storytelling between two wrestlers I would never say I was a fan of usually but here they elevated the title, the status of both men in the US on puroresu’s most ever seen live show, and made Ibushi look like a legitimately complete wrestler and worthy NJPW main eventer. This match was a hit in every possible way and I expect it to be many others’ #1 match as well. -Dylan Harris

This is both guys at their best. Nakamura treated Ibushi like an equal and it is a classic example of being elevated in defeat. The Tokyo Dome has such a unique environment and this match made the most of it. -Dave Musgrave

Simply put, a match that was unrivalled throughout the rest of the year, bar one or two others. This was by far the biggest match of Ibushi’s career, on the grandest stage to date, and he looked as comfortable here as he does in DDT’s campsite matches. Ibushi may not have won the Intercontinental Title on this night, but he did benefit from his performance here, as he went on to win the New Japan Cup, and sell out Sumo Hall in April with AJ Styles. Nakamura knew he was in for a major challenge, and it took all he had and then some to finally put Ibushi away in one of the greatest Dome matches in history. Tanahashi/Okada features in my Top 10, and even that couldn’t follow up what transpired in this match, which tells you all you need to know. -Martin Bentley

This was the definitive match that can be shown to any wrestling fan to explain why I love wrestling and why Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the best in the world. Just four days into the year it seemed impossible for anything to top this match and while a few came close, none did. The drama was off the charts, Ibushi was perfect as the plucky underdog against the wily veteran and it’ll be a damned shame if we never get another match between these two. -Dave Walsh

Every time I watch this match, I enjoy it even more. The last two thirds of the match are absolute perfection in my eyes. Ibushi couldn’t beat Nakamura the first time so he decided to change up his game plan. This time he was going to wrestle more like Nakamura. He was going to be more aggressive, he was going to fight a little dirtier. Unfortunately, Ibushi found that nobody is a better Nakamura than Nakamura is. As far as matches advocating for being yourself go, this one really drove that point home with the story of this match. Nakamura and Ibushi bring out the best in each other and putting them in the same match set in stone my favorite match of the year four days into 2015. For me, this doesn’t only go down as the best match of the year, but as a classic that I’ll revisit for years to come. -Kelly Harrass

As much as I loved many matches in 2015, the one that ALWAYS jumped to mind the moment the thought of MOTY hit my brain was the IC Title match in Tokyo. It showcased a megastar against who I believe will be Okada’s next great rival in NJPW. It was a masterpiece. Mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, with some of the best falsies in years. You really believed that Ibushi had a shot. Also, it was JR’s highlight, respective to the GFW/NJPW pairing, which enhanced the match. He was a little gun shy early in the night, and hit his peak during the semi-main, holding pretty close through the main event. Ibushi proved his main event potential with Nakamura, helping to propel him to a fantastic year before the injury. -Jason Martin

Both men came across an unprecedented challenge: someone who could match them with both arrogance and skill. -Ru Gunn

To have the best match of the year 4 days into 2015 seems somehow unfair, but there you go. An absolute roller coaster ride of a match. Ibushi laying everything out to try to make the last step in his transition, and Nakamura stoutly defending his place as the one true IC champ. -Sean Flynn

It’s very easy to just fire this match up on New Japan World and forget about life and all its problems for 20 minutes or so, because with performances like this, it’s difficult to remember why we bother doing anything else with life other than completely lose ourselves in pro wrestling. Their previous G1 contest was an excellent setup for this big time Tokyo Dome match, where Ibushi aimed to move into the upper echelon of New Japan by defeating Nakamura. Shinsuke looked unfazed from the moment he rose out of the ground with a crown on his head, looking like the biggest star in the world. The tentative early moments showed just how much both men respected the other, and each other’s deadly striking ability, which made their hefty strikes later on mean all the more. The intensity of this match was through the roof, with neither man ever letting up on the other while they had the advantage; every spare moment in the match saw Nakamura stomping on Ibushi’s head or Ibushi looking for space to hit one of his crazy manoeuvres that only he can hit. Ibushi literally never said die, as he kicked out of a Boma Ye killshot at one with a smirk on his face, delirious from pain but also fully aware that he had taken Nakamura to the limit, and that he could defeat him given one more chance another day. It’s a great shame that a third match between the two will likely never happen, and Ibushi will never get his big win against Nakamura. At least we still have this triumph of a match to watch over and over again. -Oliver Court

Nakamura was the entrenched veteran, protecting his spot and his company at all costs. Ibushi was the plucky upstart, an outsider, looking to prove to the world he belonged on the biggest stage – looking to prove he was on the same level as New Japan’s elite. That was the dynamic – and it played out in gripping fashion in front of a frenzied Tokyo Dome. Ibushi rose his game, proving he was more than an undercard Jr. Heavyweight, matching Nakamura’s striking and intensity with a level of ferocity unseen from him before. Nakamura was arrogant, cocky and oozed contempt for his adversary. Contempt that would quickly turn to respect. In spite of losing Ibushi proved he belonged on Nakamura’s level – he proved he was a star. This was as close to a perfect pro wrestling match as you’re going to get. -Garrett Kidney

With more people covering wrestling now than perhaps ever before, Kota Ibushi vs Shinsuke Nakamura was as close to a universally beloved match as anyone was going to get in NJPW and perhaps even the world in 2015. It was the perfect follow-up to their 2013 G1 battle, more ambitious in every way, featuring no wasted movement, some of the very best facials of 2015, and monumental moments that will stand as some of the greatest in Tokyo Dome history. More so than his Junior Heavyweight Championship match with Taguchi, his main events with Okada, or Tanahashi, this was Kota Ibushi’s superstar making performance, the crowning achievement of his career thus far, and the catalyst for an outstanding run of matches throughout the G1. We may never see the proper conclusion of the Nakamura-Ibushi series. But, regardless of whether we see Ibushi finally vanquish Nakamura, the work of art this pair created on January 4th of 2015 will stand, not only as one of the best matches of the year, but one of the greatest in-ring outings of the decade. -Ryan Clingman

The fact that this match took place over a year ago and we’ve seen another amazing Wrestle Kingdom hasn’t dulled how exciting this match is at all. -Joe Gagne

This was the only match of the year that I completely lost myself in. It was magical. It was incredible. For me it solidified Ibushi as one of NJPW’s best and underlined Nakamura as one of the world’s best. Just a pity we probably won’t see a rematch. -Darren Broomfield

I will never forget the first singles match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Kota Ibushi on Day 4 of the 2013 G1 Climax. The show itself was amazing, but Nakamura und Ibushi managed not only to be the shining star of that card, but of the whole year 2013. And when Nakamura loudly proclaimed to have no further opponent’s left for Wrestle Kingdom 9 and Ibushi ran in, I was excited beyond belief. But also a bit hesitant: Can they top their first match? Will it hold up on the grandest stage of Puroresu? Well… yeah. They not only had an even better, even more intense and even more physical battle than in 2013, they topped my personal MOTY rankings four days into year and did not leave from the top spot for the following 361. I rewatched this match countless times, always after another potential contender, but every time I watched Nakamura and Ibushi I thought “No. This is the best thing I’ve watched the whole year, maybe my whole life”. -CM Flosch

I’m not sure at what point in this match it went from “normal match” to “I hate you and wish you were dead,” but when that switch was hit the magic started. I’ve never seen Ibushi be so dickish before, he just got tired halfway through the match of Nakamura toying with him and started returning the favor. Nakamura didn’t stop either of course so it ended with two wrestlers not only trying to win but also trying to embarrass and hurt each other at the same time. Ibushi hitting the Boma Ye, later he no-sold one, hitting that insane suplex off the ropes…. Ibushi came to fight. Even beyond that it was a good hard hitting match, but it was after they went to the ‘next level’ that it started turning epic. I just enjoyed everything about it, it had the swagger and emotion you want combined with precise strikes and WOW moments. A great, great match between these two, Ibushi proved that he belongs wherever the hell he wants to be, no one can ever doubt him again after a match like this. -Kevin Wilson

Not much that I can add that hasn’t been said about this match in 2015. It was as close to perfect as you can get; from storytelling to action and everything in between. Nakamura turned in a stellar performance and Ibushi matched it, becoming a next level superstar for the company in the process. This match was the first one that came to mind when compiling this list and for good reason–there was none better in 2015. -Billy Carpenter

This match had it all. Pageantry, a big match feel, guys beating the shit out of each other. Serious crowd investment. Most importantly, the ability to draw those at home in. This may have been Kota Ibushi’s coming out party. He had built up to this point his entire career, & he was about to have a career-making performance. Shinsuke Nakamura, who reached new heights himself over the last couple of years had an entrance for the ages. He has the charisma of 1,000 regular mortals. High points in the match were when Ibushi stealing Nak’s gimmick with the vibration kick, one of the most beautiful flying armbars from Nak that I’ve ever seen with the exception of Rose Namajunas, a giant boma ye later in the match from Ibushi to Nak, Ibushi being in the ring & German suplexing Nak (who was outside) into the ring. I remember calling it on January 4th, 2015: “This will be my match of the year” & I’ll be damned if that didn’t hold true. -skillcrane

Thanks once again to everyone who checked out Voices of Wrestling’s annual Match of the Year countdown, whether you voted, tweeted about it, sent a link to your friends or whatever… thank you. Continue checking out Voices of Wrestling over the next few days for additional Match of the Year content including a statistical breakdown of the 2015 Match of the Year by Rob Reid, a look at how our experimental H2H voting matched up with traditional voting and much more. As always, we’d love discussion on Match of the Year on our forums and via Twitter @VoicesWrestling. Let us know what you think of the Top 10, who got snubbed, who is way too high, etc.

Final Results

Place Match (Date) Overall Points 1 Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi 1/4 696 2 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada 1/4 487 3 Sasha Banks vs. Bayley 8/22 458 4 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura 8/16 344 5 John Cena vs Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins 1/25 284 6 Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (vs. Seth Rollins) 3/29 192 7 Sasha Banks vs. Bayley 10/7 191 8 Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii 2/14 181 9 KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O'Reilly 6/7 167 10 Fenix vs. Mil Muertes 3/18 157 11 Shingo Takagi vs. Masaaki Mochiuzki - 11/1 140 12 AJ Styles vs Kazuchika Okada 7/5 103 13 John Cena vs. Kevin Owens 5/31 96 14 Atlantis vs. La Sombra 9/18 84 15 Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch 5/20 81 16 AJ Styles vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 8/14 71 17 Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Roderick Strong 7/10 59 18 Katsuyori Shibata vs Kota Ibushi 7/29 55 19 Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Roderick Strong 4/3 55 20 Kevin Owens vs John Cena 6/14 53 21 Kazuchika Okada vs. Shinsuke Nakamura 8/15 48 22 Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Shuji Ishikawa 3/31 48 23 Will Ospreay vs Matt Sydal 6/14 44 24 Kamaitachi vs. Dragon Lee 12/4 40 25 Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii 11/7 39 26 Minoru Suzuki vs. Takashi Sugiura 11/19 36 27 Chris Hero vs Timothy Thatcher 3/28 36 28 Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan 2/22 35 29 John Cena vs Cesaro 7/6 34 30 AJ Styles vs. Kota Ibushi 4/5 33 31 Tomohiro Ishii vs. Michael Elgin 8/15 32 32 Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi 8/30 32 33 Kairi Hojo vs Meiko Satomura 6/14 32 34 Kazuchika Okada vs. Genechiro Tenryu 11/15 30 35 Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. 6/26 30 36 Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor 7/4 29 37 Ethan Carter III vs Rockstar Spud 1/31 28 38 HARASHIMA vs KUDO 5/31 25 39 Io Shirai vs Meiko Satomura 12/23 23 40 AJ Styles vs. Jay Lethal 12/18 22 41 Euforia, Niebla Roja, Ultimo Guerrero vs. Mistico, Valiente, Volador Jr. 2/13 22 41 Aja Kong,Dynamite Kansai,Mayumi Ozaki,Kyoko Kimura vs Kellie Skater,Tomoka Nakagawa,Misaki Ohata,Hiroyo Matsumoto 4/12 22 43 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Roderick Strong 5/13 21 44 Kota Ibushi vs. AJ Styles 7/26 21 45 Tomoaki Honma vs Tomohiro Ishii 8/12 21 46 Tomohiro Ishii vs Hirooki Goto 8/9 21 47 Masato Yoshino & Sachihoko BOY vs Jimmy Susumu & Jimmy Kagetora 4/9 20 48 Roderick Strong, Briscoes, War Machine vs AJ Styles, Young Bucks, Guns & Gallows 5/15 20 49 Twin Towers vs Strong BJ 5/28 19 50 Marty Scrull vs. Will Ospreay vs. AJ Styles 10/2 18 51 Will Ospreay vs. Mark Haskins 09/06 18 52 AJ Styles vs Will Ospreay 2/15 18 53 Volador Jr vs Flamita 6/14 17 54 Shingo Takagi vs CIMA 12/27 17 55 John Cena vs Seth Rollins 8/23 17 56 Lucha Dragons vs New Day vs The Usos 12/13 16 57 Dr. Cerebro vs Virus 8/16 16 58 Joe Doering vs. Go Shiozaki 1/3 16 59 Katsuyouri Shibata vs Kazushi Sakuraba 7/5 15 60 Johnny Gargano vs Timothy Thatcher 11/6 15 61 Young Bucks & Roderick Strong vs Tommy End, Zack Sabre Jr, Marty Scurll 8/28 15 62 Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker 10/25 15 63 AJ Styles vs Jimmy Rave 5/18 15 64 Will Ospreay vs Jimmy Havoc 7/26 14 65 Drew Galloway vs Johnny Gargano 3/28 14 65 T-Hawk vs CIMA vs Shingo Takagi vs KZY vs YAMATO vs Ryo "Jimmy" Saito 5/5 14 67 Young Bucks & Super Dragon vs Andrew Everett, Biff Busick, Trevor Lee 8/29 13 68 Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe 12/16 13 69 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi 7/20 12 70 Jimmy Rave vs Anthony Henry 8/7 12 71 Dragon Lee vs. Kamaitaichi 3/20 12 72 Roderick Strong vs. Mike Bailey 6/26 12 73 Jimmyz vs MAD BLANKEY 8/16 12 74 John Cena vs. Cesaro 6/29 12 75 Chris Hero vs Timothy Thatcher 8/29 12 76 Vampiro vs Pentagon Jr 8/5 11 77 Drew Gulak vs Chris Hero 3/8 11 77 HARASHIMA vs. Kota Ibushi 4/29 11 79 BxB Hulk vs Uhaa Nation 3/1 11 80 Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Timothy Thatcher 8/15 10 81 Charlotte vs Becky Lynch vs Bayley vs Sasha Banks 2/11 10 82 Aero Star & Fenix vs Drago & Pentagon Jr 8/29 10 83 Barbaro Cavernario vs. Titan 5/3 10 84 Minoru Suzuki vs. Naomichi Marufuji 12/23 10 85 Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens 2/11 9 86 Masato Yoshino vs T-Hawk 7/20 9 87 Kazuchika Okada vs Will Ospreay 10/3 8 88 Jay Briscoe vs Jay Lethal 6/19 8 88 HARASHIMA & Ken Ohka vs Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yohei Komatsu 11/17 8 90 Kyle Matthews vs. Rush 7/11 8 90 Myzteziz vs. el Hijo del Perro Aguayo 2/8 8 90 Virus vs Avisman 4/12 8 90 KUSHIDA vs Kyle O'Reilly 10/2 8 94 Young Bucks & AJ Styles vs Kazuchika Okada & RPG Vice 5/16 7 95 Prince Puma vs. Mil Muertes 8/5 7 96 Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll 6/28 7 96 Alberto el Patron vs. Johnny Mundo 5/6 7 96 Mia Yim vs Eddie Kingston 8/14 7 99 Roderick Strong vs KUSHIDA 5/12 6 100 Adam Cole vs Kyle O’Reilly 12/18 6 101 Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tetsuya Naito 7/24 6 102 New Day, Bad News Barrett & Sheamus vs. Ryback, The Usos & Lucha Dragons 11/23 6 103 Jimmy Susumu vs BxB Hulk 2/5 6 104 Ethan Page vs Allysin Kay 8/14 6 105 Chris Hero vs. Trevor Lee 5/30 6 106 Joe Graves vs Timothy Thatcher 11/28 6 107 Marty Scurrl vs. Zack Sabre Jr. 5/25 6 108 AJ Styles vs Michael Elgin vs Adam Cole vs Roderick Strong 9/18 6 109 Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Damian O'Connor 10/2 5 110 The Briscoes vs. The Kingdom 2/21 5 111 Chris Hero vs Timothy Thatcher 7/11 5 112 Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena 10/25 5 113 Frankie Pickard vs Joe Gacy 7/1 5 114 Akito vs Shigehiro Irie 5/17 5 115 Akira Tozawa vs Kzy 2/28 5 116 Matt Cage vs. Shane Mercer 12/11 5 117 Misaki Ohata vs LuFisto 4/12 5 118 Kevin Owens vs. John Cena 7/19 5 119 Sting vs Seth Rollins 9/20 5 120 Big Daddy Walter & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Axel Dieter Jr. 12/11 5 121 Roderick Strong vs Jay Lethal 7/24 4 122 Will Ospreay vs Zack Sabre Jr 5/25 4 123 Kenny Omega vs. Mike Bailey 12/11 4 124 Jimmy Rave vs. Kyle Matthews 1/29 4 125 Ricochet vs. Matt Sydal 2/27 4 126 Kazuchika Okada vs Roderick Strong 8/22 4 127 Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori vs Kento Miyahara & Go Shiozaki 8/29 4 128 Daisuke Sekimoto vs Yuji Okabayashi 7/20 4 129 La Sombra/Rush/Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Atlantis/Volador Jr./LA Park 8/28 4 130 Drew Gulak vs Johnny Gargano 11/7 4 131 LuFisto vs Heidi Lovelace 5/30 4 132 The Mack vs Cage 7/29 4 133 Katsuyori Shibata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi 8/8 4 134 Moose vs. Cedric Alexander 9/18 4 135 Tommy End vs. Big Daddy Walter 11/20 4 136 Jason Jordan & Chad Gable vs Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa 10/28 4 137 Masato Tanaka vs Fujita Hayato 7/16 4 138 Adam Cole vs. AJ Styles 5/12 3 139 Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hirooki Goto 5/3 3 140 La Sombra vs Rush 11/13 3 141 Trevor Lee vs. Mikey Bailey 4/3 3 142 Twin Towers vs Strong BJ 10/29 3 143 Daisuke Sekimoto, Masato Tanaka & Takashi Sugiura vs. HARASHIMA, Yuji Hino & Yuji Okabayashi 6/30 3 144 HARASHIMA vs. Yukio Sakaguchi 10/25 3 145 Biff Busick vs Timoth Thatcher 8/16 3 146 Johnny Mundo vs. Alberto El Patron 8/5 3 147 Angelico, Son of Havok, Ivelisse vs Bael, Cortez Castro, Mr Cisco 2/22 3 148 Zack Sabre Jr vs Ricochet 8/29 3 149 Chris Hero vs Tommy End 4/3 3 150 Jay Briscoe vs. Bobby Fish 5/13 3 151 Samoa Joe vs ACH 3/13 3 152 Roderick Strong vs Kyle O'Reilly 2/21 3 153 Athena vs Mia Yim 4/11 3 154 Meiko Satomura vs. Kairi Hojo 12/23 3 155 Masato Tanaka & Takashi Sugiura vs Diasuke Sekimoto & Kohei Sato 3/1 3 156 Roy Wilkins vs. Trevor Lee vs. Brad Attitude vs. Lance Lude vs. Chet Sterling vs. John Skyler 12/26 2 157 Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani 8/23 2 158 Kairi Hojo vs. Mayu Iwatani 5/17 2 159 Finn Balor vs. Apollo Crews 11/4 2 160 Mike Bailey vs AR Fox 9/12 2 161 Volador Jr. vs Mephisto 5/8 2 162 Jimmyz vs MAD BLANKEY vs Millenials 8/6 2 163 Drew Galloway vs. Tommy End 04/26 2 164 AJ Styles vs. Katsuyori Shibata 7/20 2 165 Michael Elgin vs Hirooki Goto 8/12 2 166 Yohei Komatsu vs Jushin Thunder Liger 5/22 2 167 Tommaso Ciampa vs Zack Sabre Jr 12/6 2 168 Madison Eagles vs Nicole Savoy 10/11 2 169 Mia Yim vs Kiyoko Kimura 4/11 2 170 Seth Rollins vs. John Cena 7/27 2 171 John Cena vs Sami Zayn 5/4 2 172 Ivelisse/Son of Havoc/Angelico vs. Big Ryck/The Mack/Killshot vs. King Cuerno/Cage/Texano (vs. The Crew) 4/22 2 173 George Gatton vs. Dan O'Hare 10/31 1 174 Fred Yehi vs. Slim J 3/28 1 175 Masato Tanaka vs. Shingo 3/29 1 176 Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy vs Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards 1/16 1 177 Minoru Suzuki vs. Yoshihiro Takayama 7/18 1 178 Aerostar, Australian Suicide, Fireball vs Daga, Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Steve Pain 11/6 1 179 Rey Mysterio vs. Myzteziz 8/9 1 180 Drago vs. Fénix vs. Laredo Kid vs. Daga vs. Steve Pain vs. Aerostar vs. Bengala vs. Súper Nova vs. Súper Fly vs. Hijo del Fantasma 6/14 1 181 Chris Hero vs Pentagon Jr 11/18 1 182 Tim Donst vs NIck Gage 7/10 1 183 Volador Jr. vs. La Sombra 10/30 1 184 Akira Tozawa vs Shingo Takagi 5/8 1 185 Akira Tozawa vs. Eita 7/20 1 186 Daisuke vs. Tatsuhiko Yoshino 12/5 1 187 The Great Sasuke, Brahman Kei, Brahman Shu, Master ET & Ultraman Robin Vs Darth Vader GAIN, C3PO-1, R2D2-2, Superman Kinya & Yoda Taro 1 188 AJ Styles vs Kazuchika Okada 10/12 1 189 Kazuchika Okada vs Bad Luck Fale 4/5 1 190 KUSHIDA vs Kenny Omega 7/5 1 191 Kazuchika Okada vs Hirooki Goto 8/1 1 192 Drew Galloway vs Mike Bailey 8/29 1 193 Madison Eagles vs Su Yung 10/2 1 194 Io Shirai & Mayu Iwatani vs DASH Chisako & Sendai Sachiko 9/23 1 195 Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne 11/22 1 196 Cesaro vs. Roman Reigns 10/16 1 197 Sheamus vs Roman Reigns 12/14 1 198 Triple H vs Sting 3/29 1 199 Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady vs. Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson 12/16 1

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