2014 Ongoing Match of the Year List

2. Goldust/Cody Rhodes/Big E Langston v. The Shield (Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns) WWE Raw 1/20

ER: Well, so far Phil's prediction of Rhodes Bros. MOTY list dominance is coming true. This match was a 7 minute sprint that was just spot-spot-spot but done better than most juniors matches worked similarly. There was a lot to love here. Dean Ambrose is my favorite worker since Finlay to make guys work honestly. If Finlay was working somebody and they weren't keeping up, or spacing out thinking of the next spot, he'd send them a nice little reminder that just made the match better. My favorite was when somebody was lingering on the mat he'd stomp their fingers. It's a much better way to move the match along that just bending down and picking them up. Ambrose does that too, and my favorite in this match was when Cody was running back into the ring with The Shield chasing, he made sure to keep chasing until Cody was back in and safe. This meant that Cody actually had to roll back in and get out of the way, couldn't rest on his laurels. It's a little thing that makes it seem more legit, and Ambrose injects every match with that stuff. Really this match had too much stuff to mention, but aside from Ambrose I loved Cody's surprise run-up-ropes plancha, Goldust's somersault senton off the apron and his bomb snap yakuza kick, and Big E hit one of the all time greatest splashes I have ever seen. Awesome stuff from everybody, though.

PAS: Yeah this was a totally awesome workrate match. Kind of a WCWSN lucha match if all of the guys were really big. Cody was great here, that double jump plancha may be one of the prettiest signature dives in wrestling, and Goldusts flip senton was crazy too, he got some nutso height and speed for a 6'6 guy in his mid 40's. This kind of Dragon's Gate is so much better when the guys sell and land their stuff with force. Reigns did this great head trauma sell of the disaster kick and looked like he splatted Cody with the Superman punch. Would have liked a little more time before the finish, but that was as good a spotfest as I imagine we will get this year.

Ongoing MOTY List