Match of the Year 2012

[Todd]

Not going to sticky this, not for now anyway. There's a nice little MotW thread up top that I'm not trying to take anything away from, and a MotY thread in GW as well, but with such the year that we've had in terms of match quality, I thought it'd be interesting to see where everyone's thoughts lie, mid-way through the year. I'll probably keep this as a rolling thread and bump it from to time. And stating the obvious but of course this is for WWE matches only.

Where I stand (as of 7/16):

1 - CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan, 7/15
2 - Triple H vs. Undertaker, 4/1
3 - Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, 4/29
4 - Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus, 4/29
5 - CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan, 5/20
6 - CM Punk vs. Mark Henry, 4/2
7 - CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan, 5/28
8 - Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Great Khali vs. Santino Marella vs. Wade Barrett, 2/19
9 - CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan, WWE 1/30
10 - Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk, WWE 4/1

Honorable mentions to the battle royal that Santino won to get in the chamber, the pair of Show/Bryan matches right after the turn of the year, and Hunico/Kidd from Superstars, I think in April.

FIRE AWAY!

There was a poll, I fucked it, so that's why there's a discussion about a poll for the first ten posts. But I lost patience so screw the poll.

[Miss HHH]

From the matches I've actually seen which isn't that many as I'm pretty down on the product at the moment, mine would proabably be as follows:

1. Triple H vs The Undertaker 4/1
2. Brock Lesnar vs John Cena 4/29
3. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan 5/20
4. Smackdown MITB
5. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan 7/15

[The Champ]

Todd, are you aware that you didn't put the MITB match in the poll?

[System]

No Rock/Cena on the list?


Easily Triple H Vs Undertaker for me and I enjoyed the Rumble match itself. Triple H Vs Lesnar will probably end up being one of my favourite matches in a long while also.

[Todd]

I hate polls without the public choice option, and I made one. That's the reason for the thread switch-around and why Miss HHH's post is top.

And Champ/System, that poll list is not a shortlist of any kind, just my favourite matches of the year from my own shortlist that I've built through the year.

You're encouraged to post your own top tens.

[Steeda90GT]

No Rock/Cena on the list?


Easily Triple H Vs Undertaker for me, I really enjoyed the Rumble match itself also.

Agreed.

Looking at the options listed, I would say:

HHH vs Undertaker
Lesnar vs Cena / Rock vs Cena tied

[SM]

Here is my top 10:

1. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan - MITB
2. CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho - WM 28
3. CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho - Extreme Rules
4. Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan - Extreme Rules
5. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan - Over the Limit
6. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar - Extreme Rules
7. WHC MITB Ladder Match - MITB
8. WHC Elimination Chamber Match - Elimination Chamber
9. Undertaker vs. HHH - WM 28
10. Cody Rhodes vs. Christian - No Way Out

[Jack Nichols]

I enjoyed the CM Punk-Chris Jericho Wrestlemania 28 match. I thought it was great from the start, the entrances were great, and the finish was great as well. Everything in between was exactly what I like to see in wrestling matches.

The Undertaker/HHH mania match was truly a spectacle, especially if you grew up watching these guys like I did. I thought they should have found another way to have Shawn Michaels a part of the match. I'm never a fan of non-referees putting on the stripes.

I just recently watched John Cena vs Lesnar extreme rules and I had no idea they had to stop the match(twice) to clean up a bloody Cena, and I thought it took away from the momentum of the match.

I'll say CM Punk/Jericho Wrestlemania 28

[Todd]

I just realised I left out Punk/Bryan. Holy shit.

Utter facepalm.

[Miss HHH]

I just realised I left out Punk/Bryan. Holy shit.

Utter facepalm.

Think that's what Champ meant.

Also what is that match with a lot of wrestlers at 2/17?

[Todd]

Right. That was the biggest thread-making fail EVER.

But I think we're okay, your posts are all here, and fuck the poll.

It's the battle royal that Santino won for his chamber spot, Miss H.

[Froggy]

Todd.

-----

The Undertaker Vs HHH was everything about professional wrestling in a sports entertainment world, for me. I can't think of a more befitting word for that contest than 'epic'. It's unfortunate that the word it thrown around so freely - it's diluted its meaning IMO. However, it totally applies to that match. For me, it went above-and-beyond a wrestling match...it was the perfect story, played out by three of the best ever, at the biggest stage possible in a brutal, enthralling, captivating manner. For me; flawless.

Unfortunately, it means it will easily win this kind of question when I'm asked it. That said, there have been many other terrific matches this year. It's been awesome!

Yesterday's WWE title match was absolutely outstanding. Most I've enjoyed a non last-match WWE title match since Benoit (oooh) Vs Angle (c) at the Rumble in '03.

[Coco]

I don't really rank matches. But for shits and giggles, I'll now list ten matches I enjoyed more than Taker vs Triple H.

-Cena vs Lesnar
-Bryan vs Sheamus at Extreme Rules
-Punk vs Henry from the night after Mania
-Punk vs Henry in London
-Punk vs Bryan at Money in the Bank
-Punk vs Bryan at Over The Limit
-Punk vs Jericho at Mania
-Punk vs Jericho at Extreme Rules
-Cena vs Rock
-Sheamus vs Jericho from last Friday

That was extremely easy for me. Cena vs Lesnar and Bryan vs Sheamus are an interchangeable one and two.

[Todd]

I missed Sheamus/Jericho from SmackDown. I take it you were impressed Coco?

[WMS]

Your list is pretty identical to mine Todd, but I'd take out the SD Elimination Chamber and replace it with the fatal-four-way WHC match at Over the Limit. It's been a fantastic year thus far.

[Froggy]

I missed Sheamus/Jericho from SmackDown. I take it you were impressed Coco?

Excellent, hard-hitting and even match. Jericho was rightly very proud of his evening's work.

[Coco]

I missed Sheamus/Jericho from SmackDown. I take it you were impressed Coco?

No doubt. Their match on SmackDown some time before Mania is also pretty good. They've got some great chemistry.

[The Hypeman]

1. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan at Extreme Rules
2. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan at Over the Limit
3. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho at Extreme Rules
4. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania
5. CM Punk vs Mark Henry on the April 2nd Raw
6. Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler at No Way Out
7. CM Punk vs Dolph Ziggler at Royal Rumble

[Raven*]

1. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania
2. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan at Money in the Bank
3. CM Punk vs Chris Jericho at Extreme Rules
4. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan at Extreme Rules
5. CM Punk vs Bryan at Over The Limit

My top five for WWE year so far.

Punk's series with Mark Henry was enjoyable. Just can't remember which match I liked the most. Probably the No DQ match.

[PB]

Yeah, the reality is that there are a good four of five matches that can be interchanged here. I haven't seen the second half of MITB yet, so without Punk/Bryan w/AJ, here's my top 10:

1) Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan Extreme Rules 4/29
2) Triple H vs. The Undertaker Wrestlemania 4/1
3) CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan Over The Limit 5/20
4) John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar Extreme Rules 4/29
5) CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho Extreme Rules 4/29
6) CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho Wrestlemania 4/1
7) John Cena vs. The Rock Wrestlemania 4/1
8) Bryan vs. Santino vs. Khali vs. Big Show vs. Rhodes vs. Barrett Elimination Chamber 2/19
9) Kane vs. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan Raw 6/25
10) Kane vs. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan No Way Out 6/17

[Jodaku]

1) Sheamus Vs Daniel Bryan (Extreme Rules)
2) CM Punk Vs Daniel Bryan (Over the Limit)
3) CM Punk Vs Daniel Bryan (Money in the Bank)
4) Undertaker Vs Triple H
5) The Rock Vs John Cena
6) Brock Lesner Vs John Cena
7) CM Punk Vs Mark Henry (Raw after Mania)

[JohnnyPresley21]

Just my early take on the Matches of the Year.


1.CM Punk .Vs Daniel Bryan-WWE Title-Over the Limit '12
2.The Undertaker .Vs Triple H-"End of and Era"-Hell in the Cell-Wrestlemania XXVIII
3.John Cena .Vs Brock Lesnar-Extreme Rules Match-Extreme Rules '12
4.CM Punk .Vs Chris Jericho-WWE Title-Wrestlemania XXVIII
5.CM Punk .Vs Chris Jericho-WWE Title-Chicago Street Fight-Extreme Rules '12
6.Sheamus .Vs Daniel Bryan-World Title-2/3 Falls Match-Extreme Rules '12
7.CM Punk .Vs Daniel Bryan-WWE Title-No DQ Match-Money in the Bank '12


Those seven matches are what I feel have been the best matches so far this year,and should end up making my top ten as well.Still have three spots left for the rest of the year.

[Emperor]

I'm gonna be honest here. While I enjoyed Bryan vs Punk from MITB, it is definitely not an instant MOTYC in my eyes. Great match, definitely, but I can think of several matches this year I've enjoyed far more. The spots were there, the intensity was there, but I felt the drama was lacking. There were no big near falls. Nothing got my blood pumping or made me sit on the edge of my seat. The finish was awesome, but again, the match lacked that special something for me. I say all this, and I admit this sounds nitpicky, because I was genuinely surprised when I saw everyone screaming "MOTY!!" in the party thread. It was, of course, a brilliant match, but I think many matches from this year surpassed it. I even enjoyed both MITB matches more because they had the drama.

Without further ado, here's my rough list.

1. Chris Jericho vs CM Punk - Wrestlemania 28
2. The Undertaker vs Triple H (Hell in a Cell) - Wrestlemania 28
3. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan (2 out of 3 falls) - Extreme Rules
4. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan - Over The Limit
5. John Cena vs The Rock - Wrestlemania 28
6. John Cena vs Brock Lesnar - Extreme Rules
7. WWE Championship MITB Match - Money In The Bank
8. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan (No DQ) - Money In The Bank
9. Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler - No Way Out
10. Sheamus vs Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho vs Alberto Del Rio: Over The Limit