Phil's Ongoing 2007 MOTY List

1. Nigel McGuinness v. Samoa Joe ROH 3/3
2. John Cena v. Umaga WWE 1/28
3. Nigel McGuinness v. Takeshi Morishima ROH 4/14
4. Samoa Joe v. Takeshi Morishima ROH 2/16
5. Shawn Micheals v. John Cena WWE 4/23
6. Solar 1/Mano Negra v. Negro Navarro/Black Terry Lucha Libre VIP 3/10
7. MNM v. Hardy Boyz WWE 1/28
8. Briscoes v. Ricky Marvin/Kontaro Suzuki NOAH 1/21
9. Finlay v. Undertaker 3/6 WWE
10. Briscoes v. Kevin Steen/El Generico ROH 4/14
11. Colt Cabana v. Jimmy Jacobs ROH 2/24
12. Takeshi Sasaki v. Yuki Miyamoto BJW 3/14
13. John Cena v. Shawn Michaels WWE 4/1
14. Shinjiro Ohtani/Takao Omori/Kazunari Murakami v. Kohei Sato/Hirotaka Yokoi/Yoshiro Takayama Zero 1 1/19
15. Davey Richards/Roderick Strong v. Jack Evans/Delirious ROH 4/14
16. Nigel McGuiness v. Jimmy Rave ROH 3/4
17. Yuji Nagata v. Hiroshi Tanahashi NJ 4/13
18. Matt Hardy v. Ken Kennedy WWE 3/13
19. Samoa Joe v. Eddie Kingston FSM 3/17
20. Undertaker v. Batista WWE 4/1
21. BJ Whitmer v. Jimmy Jacobs ROH 1/27
22 Takeshi Morishima/Mohammed Yone v. Jun Akiyama/Takeshi Rikio NOAH 4/1
23. Necro Butcher v. Toby Klien CZW 1/13
24. Chris Benoit v. Chavo Guerrero WWE 1/16

9. Finlay v. Undertaker 3/6 WWE

Finlay cuts a promo before this match claiming to show no fear of the Undertaker. Usually that means the guy cutting the promo will end up making cooning terrified faces, but Finlay actually wrestles the match like he isn't afraid. This was pretty much a slugfest, like Undertaker v. Batista, but with better slugging. I have never seen the Undertakers punches look better, and I assume that is because of Finlay was leaning in. You actually kind of buy this guy as the best pure striker in WWE history. The other crazy thing about this is how good the Undertaker's selling was. Finlay's offense was built around working over Taker's ribs and everything he did was labored, he still executed his moves but he had clearly fight through the pain. Finlay even gets a visual pin on Undertaker which is pretty unprecedented. Finlay hasn't really had the opportunities this year, like he had in 2006, but when he does get a chance to go 20, you can still see how awesome he is. Also super in shape Undertaker is really creepy looking, he has the tan and definition, but with an old man face, he looks way more like current Vince then someone who is actually scary looking. Would the personification of death really be this cut? Are their Ballys Total Fitness in Hell?

17. Matt Hardy v. Ken Kennedy WWE 3/13

One of the more amusing WWE stories in recent years is the elevation of NOVA of all people to the head of talent development. You can really see his influence in the new batch of young superstars, as MVP, C.M. Punk and Kennedy all really wrestle a late 90's indy wrestling tape watcher style. They all do lots of moves, with the moves not being executed particularly well or done in context. Matt Hardy is a guy who had a bunch of good matches in Super 8's so he knows how to do something with a guy sloppily applying an indian deathlock. Hardy was great here spearing Kennedy to the floor, taking big bump and completely handholding Kennedy through opening matwork. It actually kind of looked like Negro Navarro working green AULL guys. Hardy's selling made this, Kennedy worked over the leg and Hardy was limping badly through the whole match, even having to be held up by the ref post match.

16. Nigel McGuiness v. Jimmy Rave ROH 3/4

This was a Fight Without Honor, which is ROH's big feud ending stipulation, and is basically a No DQ match. What it normally means is that guys are going to huge bumps, and huge bumps were absolutely taken, especially by Jimmy Rave who really died a couple of horrible deaths and ended up with a broken jaw. They worked a bunch of stuff based around a guardrail, Rave takes a Estrada bump on the rail, and ends up getting the Tower of London on the rail which is completely insane looking. Nigel was also really fun, he was playing an enthusiastic regional babyface, and was almost playing a Lawler role. Still despite all of the hot death, I never really got the sense of hate and violence, that I got from your Jimmy Jacobs ROH garbage matches, it felt a little like an exhibition of insane bumps and sick clotheslines. Also Rave really shouldn't have gone back on offense at all after that Tower of London on the rail, that should end a match, you shouldn't have a guy throwing headbutts afterwards. Rave also took enough of the lions share of the beating, that it almost babyfaces him. Any offense he has in the end part of the match feels more like a hope spot, then any sense of danger for Nigel.