In this monthly recurring series, the residents of Wrestle Inn will offer you their recommendation for a single match you should seek out from the last month. We might not always highlight the “best” match; perhaps we’ll pick a hidden gem instead, or a match that you may not have heard of from a promotion different to what you usually watch. But, we can guarantee that all of these picks will be more than worth your time!

Trent Breward recommends:
Himeka Retirement Gauntlet, Last Jumbo Princess: Himeka Retirement Ceremony (STARDOM, May 14)
Is it cheating to list what is essentially a series of one minute matches where Himeka faced the entire STARDOM roster? Maybe, but Himeka also cheated by having a bunch of ‘last matches’ in a retirement road that would make Keiji Mutoh jealous. It’s a special STARDOM tradition that gives everyone one last moment with the leaving performer which they can use to have a touching moment, a bit of comedy or a chance to kick their ass one last time. It’s always fun to see what everyone will choose to do, and it results in a truly special match. And a long one now that the roster continues to grow!

Steve Howard recommends:
Dijak vs Ilja Dragunov, Battleground (NXT, May 28)
In a weekend that saw some incredible wrestling, this match stood out as one of the hardest hitting battles of the year so far. Both men made you believe that this was a real fight with physical action and great selling. For Dijak, this was probably his best match since joining WWE. For Ilja, this was up there with his fantastic matches in NXT UK, in particular with Gunther. If you haven’t seen this yet, press play and brace yourself.  

Adam Ryan recommends:
Steve Maclin vs PCO, Under Siege (IMPACT! Wrestling, May 26)
I knew this was going to be wild when it was first announced, two incredibly tough dudes who are not afraid to throw-down. Add a no disqualifications stipulation and you’ve pretty much given them a license to maim, and maim they did. Within minutes, Maclin was gushing blood from a nasty gash on his forehead, things just got more and more gruesome from there. There were concrete slabs, sledgehammers, staple guns and cinder blocks along with the standard assortment of hardcore paraphernalia like trash cans and chairs. This felt like something more akin to the climax of a slasher movie, PCO the monster who would not be killed and blood all over the person trying to thwart him. The mayhem continued post match, Bully Ray slamming Scott D’Amore through a flaming table, but that was secondary to the bell-to-bell violence these Maclin and PCO dealt in. This was easily one of the bloodiest and most violent matches in the history of IMPACT/TNA and without a doubt, one of the best matches of the year (so far) in IMPACT.

Kay Quinn recommends:
Kota Minoura, Madoka Kikuta & Shun Skywalker vs Ben-K, Strong Machine J & Yuki Yoshioka, Hopeful Gate 2023 Day 5 (DRAGONGATE, May 11)
This match was specifically booked to show off the six young wrestlers expected to lead DG’s new era and man, does it ever excel at that purpose. Every single member of the group gets to show off his unique wrestling style and personality, faction mates face off against each other and the dynamics within the new big six are set up with great efficiency. From Skywalker’s brutality and complete refusal to work with anyone else, to Ben-K’s and Minoura’s friendly rivalry, this match is an excellent entry point for new and returning fans looking to learn what current-day DRAGONGATE is all about. And just plain enjoyable besides.

JJohnson recommends:
Francesco Akira vs El Desperado, Best of the Super Juniors (NJPW, May 21)
This month will be dominated by Best of the Super Juniors, and rightfully so, as it has been a fantastic tournament. However, one match has stood out above the great standard of wrestling throughout. That match: Francesco Akira vs El Desperado. Despy targeted the Fireball’s leg with vicious brutality, while Akira resisted with unbridled, blue-eyed babyface, fighting spirit. This was as dramatic as they come, an emotional tale of a wrestler refusing to quit in the face of an unrelenting advisory. El Desperado proved his metal as a junior heavyweight killer, protruding with the most intense leg work you could ever wish to see, setting up a gruesome Numero Dos. All in all, this was a dramatic, intense and emotive match, one that will go down in Best of Super Junior history.

Fusa recommends:
The Elite vs Blackpool Combat Club, Double or Nothing (AEW, May 28)
Poker chips covered in broken glass and barbed wire, giant swings beside the concession stand, stabbing with tools and appliances, a barefoot full of thumbtacks, exploding superkicks, a shocking betrayal, obligatory Jon Moxley blood, and a live band playing wild thing for half of the hysteria before the lead singer was inevitably superkicked by The Young Bucks. There was something for everyone! The expectations for this match were high, those high expectations were blown out of the water. It’s even better on a second watch, you’ll catch nuances you missed the first time trying to keep up with all the madness! A very fun and chaotic match, although Matt Jackson might want to try to get a refund on his Miles Morales Air Jordan 1’s. I don’t think there was anything on the store site about the risk of explosions.

Ryan Dilbert recommends:
Hyan vs Miyu Yamashita, New Texas Pro Super Texas Contender’s Series (New Texas Pro, May 11)
The sound of boots on flesh echoing in a warehouse. Miyu screeching for Hyan to give up. That’s music, baby. We haven’t seen nearly enough of Yamashita being a true ass kicker during her tour of the U.S., but we got it here. Hard shots and fighting spirit by the bowl full. Get you a taste of what Yamashita can do and how damn good Hyan is with a match New Texas Pro has up for free on YouTube.

Corey Michaels recommends:
Mike Bailey vs Lio Rush, Best of the Super Juniors (NJPW, May 23)
It may be a cringeworthy cliché for a wrestling fan to say right now, but this match felt cinematic. Lio Rush and Mike Bailey moved like a mixture of a high-octane action thriller while also feeling like a sports-like story. This was Captain America: The WInter Soldier and Bloodsport (the one with Jean-Claude Van Damme), mixed together to make a perfect, deformed little baby. The BOSJ was filled to the brim with insanely fun matches, but for me, this is the one that takes the junior heavyweight cake.