Wrestling’s Top 10 Matches of January: A Month of Heartbreak
By Matt Seese
Photo Source: WWE.com
Much like Naito, it felt like it was Gargano’s time. He had failed to beat Almas twice before, but he had moved on from Ciampa. DIY was finally in his rearview, and his sights were firmly set on proving he could beat Almas and taste gold in the main event of TakeOver: Philadelphia. However, it’s never as easy as it sounds, and the champion, Andrade “Cien” Almas, had some proving to do as well.
Andrade’s rise to the top in NXT was one that everyone knew could happen, but his attitude prevented him from doing so. He chose partying over giving effort in the ring, leading to a big losing streak until one Zelina Vega came along and not only changed his mindset but saved his career. However, just winning a few matches wasn’t enough to show he was ready, and even after beating Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship, he was still very unproven. This was his chance to prove to the world that he IS El Idolo, the top of NXT.
The match was done at an incredible pace, and as the match progressed, the more evident it became that Almas couldn’t beat this Gargano. Not without a little bit of help that is. Gargano had just hit a suicide dive, appearing to have all the momentum. However, Vega would hit a running rana off the apron, sending Gargano face first into the stairs. This would lead to Almas hitting the Hammerlock DDT, but Gargano kicks out!
Next: Keep AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura Simple
The involvement of Candice soon after, taking Vega out of the match was an awesome moment. But in the end, Almas was just too much for Johnny Wrestling, drilling him with the double knees on the apron and hitting a top rope hung Hammerlock DDT to put away the hopes and dreams of Gargano and 10,000 fans.