2019 Ongoing MOTY List: Riddle vs. Dream

23. Matt Riddle vs. Velveteen Dream NXT TakeOver: New York 4/5

ER: I really liked this, with Riddle going on dominant runs, catching Dream in submissions and nasty throws, with Dream scrambling just to keep up. Riddle broke out some increasingly brutal stuff: rolling gutwrenches, exploder, building up to Riddle catching Dream on an axe handle to the floor and dropping him with a slow German, and then going beyond that to Riddle dragging Dream up over the ropes and hitting a suplex into the ring from he middle rope. All of these were awesome visuals. Dream looked like he was scrambling the whole time, even when he was in control. He was still cucumber cool, but Riddle was going for constant strikes and submissions, and even when Dream would counter one it would end with Riddle elbowing him as punishment. I like the Riddle match structure where he is dominating but kind of cockily distracts himself thinking things should be over. I love moments like Riddle catching Dream's big elbow or Riddle breaking out a new twisting moonsault, the latter really helped give this a bigger match feel. The finishing stretch is real quality, with cool trading, Dream stunning Riddle out of the triangle but getting hit with another knee and German. I'm not sure how I feel about the finish, I liked that Dream flipped his desperation switch into panic mode and went for the last pinfall he could get, but also think Dream should have controlled for a bit more earlier in the match. When this was all over it practically felt like Riddle bullied him around at every turn of the match. I loved the personality in this and the work looked spectacular, would love to see this run back again. I'll have to watch it again to see how much Riddle dominating affects that for me. Still, these two matched up great together and I dug it.

PAS: We have watched a lot of Riddle, he was a C+A guy (I guess still is, but we soured a bit on his last indy run), this match had some of the best Riddle I can remember. He really wrestled this like Dr. Death, using his power and wrestling ability to really dominate. I loved how he could yank Dream out of the air from almost anywhere with a huge throw, him catching the axe handle into the german on the floor was great as was the flash gutwrenches. I also liked how he refused to break and pummeled Dream in the ropes. Dream's conk was amazing, he looked like Nat King Cole, and I loved how his hair does a ton of selling for him, by the end of the match all of the processing was gone and he basically had an afro. Outside of the hair, I didn't love him in this match. Riddle is killing him with shots and when Dream gets on offense, he is doing goofy cosplay offense which lands like a feather, at least he won with a roll-up and Riddle didn't have to pretend any of that stuff would actually put him down. Still a Riddle performance this good will get you on a list.


2019 MOTY MASTER LIST

COMPLETE AND ACCURATE MATT RIDDDLE