The Best Wrestling Matches of 2018

2017 was here.

You'll see 2 lists.  Every 4 1/2+ match, the best 4 star WWE matches of the year. The 2017 wrestling year starts in December, 2016. In past years I've recorded all the 4 star matches I've seen around the world, but that task is now too much for me.  

MOTY

1. Ibushi v. Naito (NJPW, Aug) 5
2. Omega v. Okada (NJPW, June) 5
3. Omega v. Ishii (NJPW, Aug) 5
4. Golden Lovers v. Young Bucks (NJPW, Feb) 5
5. Ospreay v. Hiromu (NJPW, Feb) 5

6. Almas v. Gargano (WWE, Jan) 5

7. Sugiura v. Marufuji (NOAH, May) 4 3/4
8. Omega v. Ibushi (NJPW, Aug) 4 3/4
9. Hiromu v. Ishimori (NJPW, May) 4 3/4
10. Omega v. Fenix (Northeast, Nov) 4 3/4

11. Golden Lovers v. Ishii/Okada (NJPW, Sep) 4 3/4
12. Ciampa v. Gargano (WWE, Aug) 4 3/4
13. Ricochet v. Cole (WWE, Aug) 4 3/4
14. Cole v. Ricochet/Dream/Sullivan/Dain/EC3/Dream (WWE, Apr) 4 3/4
15. Ospreay v. Scurll (NJPW, Apr) 4 3/4

16. Omega v. Ishii (NJPW, Sep) 4 1/2
17. Ibushi v. Ishii (NJPW, Jul) 4 1/2
18. Ospreay v. Kushida (NJPW, May) 4 1/2
19. Hiromu v. Dragon Lee (NJPW, July) 4 1/2
20. Sabre v. A-Kid (White Wolf, Apr) 4 1/2

21. Walter v. Ospreay (OTT, Oct) 4 1/2
22. Ishii v. Elgin (NJPW, Mar) 4 1/2
23. Sabre v. Ibushi (NJPW, Mar) 4 1/2
24. Hiromu v. Ospreay (NJPW, June) 4 1/2
25. Ospreay v. Riddle (OTT, May) 4 1/2
26. Okada v. Naito (NJPW, Jan) 4 1/2
27. Sho v. Dragon Lee (NJPW, May) 4 1/2
28. Okada v. Tanahashi (NJPW, Sep) 4 1/2
29. Walter v. Klinger v. Dragunov (WXW, Mar) 4 1/2
30. Gargano v. Ciampa (WWE, Apr) 4 1/2

31. Riddle v. Strickland (MLW, Apr) 4 1/2
32. Naito v. Jericho (NJPW, June) 4 1/2 

33. Omega v. Jericho (NJPW, Jan) 4 1/2
34. Sugiura v. Nakajima (NOAH, Oct) 4 1/2 
35. Gargano v. Ciampa (WWE, June) 4 1/2 
36. Moustache Mountain v. Undisputed Era (WWE, July) 4 1/ 2
37. Briscoes d. Bucks (ROH, June) 4 1/2
38. Omega v. Naito (NJPW, July) 4 1/2
39. Omega v. Goto (NJPW, Aug) 4 1/2
40. Moustache Mountain v Undisputed Era (WWE, Aug( 4 1/2)

41. Ciampa v. Dream (WWE, Nov) 4 1/2

42. Mochizuki v. Saito (DG, Dec 2017) 4 1/2
43. Ospreay v. Brooks (PWG, Mar) 4 1/2 
44. Ospreay v. Scurll (NJPW, Sep) 4 1/2
45. Suwama/Ishikawa v. Hashimoto/Kamitani (AJPW, Dec 2017) 4 1/2
46. Omega/Bucks v. Romero/Baretta/Taylor (ROH, Dec 2017) 4 1/2
47. Suzuki/Sabre d. Ishii/Okada (RPW, June) 4 1/2 
48. Okada v. Suzuki (NJPW, July) 4 1/2
49. Ishii v. Sanada (NJPW, Aug) 4 1/2
50. Sanada v. Omega (NJPW, July) 4 1/2

51. Cobb v. Shingo v. Bandido (PWG, Sep) 4 1/2
52. Zeus v. Miyahara (AJPW, Oct) 4 1/2
53. Harada v. Kotaro (NOAH, Nov) 4 1/2 

WWE
1. Almas v. Gargano (NXT, Jan) 5
2. Ciampa v. Gargano (NXT, Aug) 4 3/4 
3. Ricochet v. Cole (NXT, Aug) 4 3/4
4. Cole v. Ricochet/Dream/Sullivan/Dain/EC3/Dream (NXT, Apr) 4 3/4
5. Gargano v. Ciampa (NXT, Apr) 4 1/2
6. Gargano v. Ciampa (NXT, June) 4 1/2 
7. Moustache Mountain v. Undisputed Era (NXT, July) 4 1/ 2
8. Moustache Mountain v. Undisputed Era (NXT, Aug) 4 1/2
9. Ciampa v. Dream (NXT, Nov) 4 1/2 
10. Ricochet v. Dunne v. Cole (NXT, Oct) 4 1/4 

11. Black v. Gargano (NXT, Nov) 4 1/4
12. Ali v. Murphy (205 Live, June) 4 1/4 
13. British Strong Style v. Undisputed Era (UK, June) 4 1/4
14. Itami v. Ali (205 Live, Oct) 4 1/4 
15. Alexander v. Gulak (205 Live, Sep) 4 1/4
16. O'Reilly/Strong v. Lorcan/Burch (NXT, June) 4 1/4
17. Bryan v. Lesnar (Survivor Series, Nov) 4 1/4
18. Ricochet v. Dunne (NXT, Sep) 4 1/4
19. Dunne v. Gibson (UK, June) 4 1/4
20. Alexander v. Murphy (205 Live, May) 4 1/4

21. Joe v. Styles (Supershow, Oct) 4 1/4 
22. Charlotte v. Becky (Evolution, Oct) 4 1/4
23. Strong v. Itami (205 Live, Feb) 4 1/4
24. Ali v. Itami (205 Live, Aug) 4 1/4 
25. Ziggler/McIntyre v. Rollins/Ambrose (Hell in a Cell, Sep) 4 1/4
26. Dunne v. Bate (NXT, Dec 2017) 4 1/4
27. Dunne v. Gibson (NXY UK, Nov) 4 1/4
28. Joe v. Styles (Hell in a Cell, Sep) 4 1/4
29. Cole v. Black (NXT, Jan) 4 1/4
30. Murphy v. Ali (Survivor Series, Nov) 4

31. War Games Match (NXT, Nov) 4
32. Dunne v. Burch (NXT UK, Nov) 4
33. Nese v. Metallik, Alexander, Rush, TJP (205 Live, Oct) 4
34. Gargano v. Dream (NXT, Sep) 4
35. Murphy/Nese v. Metalik/Dorado (205 Live, Aug) 4
36. Bate/Dunne v. O'Reilly/Strong (UK, June) 4
37. New Day v. The Bar (Smackdown, Aug) 4
38. Kalisto v. Murphy (205 Live, Aug) 4
39. Satomura v. Storm (Mae Young, Oct) 4
40. Nakamura v. Styles (MITB, June) 4

41. Ciampa v. Black (NXT, Jul) 4
42. Miz v. Bryan (Summer Slam, Aug) 4
43. Gauntlet Match (205 Live, Apr) 4
44. Gauntlet Match (Smackdown, June) 4
45. 6 Man Match (Fastlane, Mar) 4
46. Men's Rumble Match (Royal Rumble, Jan) 4
47. Black v. Almas (NXT, Apr) 4
48. Alexander v. Strong (205 Live, Mar) 4
49. Murphy v. Ali (205 Live, May) 4
50. Rollins v. Owens (RAW, Aug) 4

51. AJ v. Joe (Summer Slam, Aug) 4 
52. Rollins v. Balor v. Miz (WM34, Apr) 4
53. Rollins v. Balor (RAW, Apr) 4
54. Gargano v. Almas 4 (NXT, Feb) 4
55. Sane v. Baszler (NXT, Aug) 4
56. Asuka v. Sasha (RAW, Jan) 4

57. Gargano v. Ohno (NXT, Dec 2017) 4

58. Gauntlet Match (RAW, Feb) 4

The 20 Best Wrestling Matches of 2017

Here's the source material for this list - my running list of the best wrestling matches of 2017.

These are the 20 best professional wrestling matches of the year.

1. Okada v. Omega NJPW - Jan

2. Okada v. Shibata NJPW - Apr

3. Omega v. Naito NJPW - Aug

4. Kushida v. Ospreay NJPW - June

5. Okada v. Omega NJPW - June

6. Ospreay v. Ricochet NJPW - May

7. Ospreay v. Sabre Rev Pro - Nov

8. Takahashi v. Dragon Lee NJPW - Feb

9. Ishii v. Omega NJPW - Mar

10. Nakajima v. Sugiura NOAH Jan

11. Ibushi v. Naito NJPW - July

12. Miyahara v. Ishikawa AJPW - Aug

13. Ishii v. Naito NJPW - Oct

14. Okada v. Omega NJPW - Aug

15. Takahashi v. Dragon Lee NJPW - May

16. Takeshita v. Endo DDT - Aug

17. Ospreay v. Eagles PWA - Aug

18. Naito v. Elgin NJPW - Feb

19. Hero v. Sabre Evolve - Jan

20. Ishii v. Ibushi - July

Last Looks - 2017 NFL All Pro Team (3/4 Through the Season)

Everybody's played 12 games, right? Here's the current All-Pro team for the 2017 NFL season.  No more updates until end of season.

QB Tom Brady NE  - OMVP1
       Russell Wilson Sea

RB Todd Gurley LA
      Kareem Hunt KC
      Devonta Freeman Atl
      Ezekial Elliott Dall

WR Antonio Brown Pit  OMVP2
       DeAndre Hopkins Hou
       Adam Thielen Min
       Keenan Allen LAC

TE Travis Kelce KC
      Rob Gronkowski NE

C Jason Kelce Phi
    Travis Frederick Dall

G David DeCastro Pit
    Brandon Brooks Phi
    Joe Bitonio Cle
    Zack Martin Dall

T Daryl Williams Carol
   Lane Johnson Phi
   Demar Dotson TB
   Andrew Whitworth LAR

DE Cameron Jordan NO
      Joey Bosa LAC
      Kalil Mack Oak
      Calais Campbell Jax

DT Aaron Donald LAR DMVP1
      Geno Atkins Cin
      Ndomukong Suh Mia
      Gerald McCoy TB

OLB Von Miller Den
         Justin Houston KC
         Melvin Ingram LAC
         Jabaal Sheard Ind

ILB Bobby Wagner Sea DMVP2
        Luke Kuechly Carol

CB Casey Heyward LAC
      Jalen Ramsey Jax
      Tre'Davious White Buff
      AJ Bouye Jax

S Harrison Smith Min
   Kevin Byard Tenn
   Landon Collins NYG
   Earl Thomas Sea
 

November, 2017 Athlete of the Month

October is here.

Runners-up:  Baker Mayfield, Tom Brady, James Harden

January - Deshaun Watson
February - Tom Brady
March - Russell Westbrook
April - A'ja Wilson
May - Stephen Curry
June- Kevin Durant
July - Roger Federer
August - Giancarlo Stanton
September - Sloane Stephens
October - Justin Verlander
November - George Springer

Nearing the end - just one month to go in the race for 2017 Athlete of the Year.  

2018 NBA All Star Rosters (20 Games In)

First of 3 builds for the 2018 NBA All Star rosters, at 20, 30, and 40 games in.

Format this year:

12 players/conference
Starters: 3 frontcourt/2 guards per conference
Reserves: 3 frontcourt/2 guard per conference
                2 players any position per conference

No longer east/west, the leading vote getter in each conference will draft teams from that pool. 

As of right now, 1/4 of the way through the season, here's how that should go. Based on a combination of Hollinger/RPM/Win Shares

Harden gets first pick, snake draft

Team Harden
Starters
G J.Harden West - MVP
G S.Curry West
F N.Jokic West
F D.Cousins West
F O.Porter East

Reserves
G D.Lillard West
G R.Westbrook West
F R.Covington East
F K.Porzingis East
F P.George West

F C.Capela West
G B.Simmons East

Team James
Starters
F L.James East
F A.Davis West
F G.Antetokounmpo East
G K.Irving East
G K.Walker East

Reserves
F K.Durant West
F L.Aldridge West
F A.Horford East
G B.Beal East
G K.Lowry East

F J.Embiid  East
F KA Towns West


Alternates

East

Frontcourt
N.Vucevic Orl
A.Drummond Det
K.Love Cle
H.Whiteside Mia

Guards
D.DeRozan Tor
J.Wall Wash 
V.Oladipo Ind 

West

Frontcourt
D.Green GSW 
P.Gasol SA

Guards
CJ McCollum Port
T.Evans Mem
K.Thompson GSW