#TheChris100 2020: #40-31

 

we're so close aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

40. Ricky Marvin (7 ballots, 221 points, average rank 21.14286)

High Vote: Jon (3)

Recommended Matches: 
w/ Mr. Aguila vs. Ciber Punk & Mordok (Mama Luchas, 2/15)
vs. Perro de Guerra (Lucha Memes, 3/8)
vs. Arez (Lucha Memes, 4/5)

w/ Ludark Shaitan vs. Baby Judas & Judas el Traidor (AMLL, 10/17)
vs. Mr. Electro (Lucha Memes, 11/29)

"God, the fact that Ricky Marvin is still this good 25 years into his career is nothing but awe-inspiring. He's still one of the best technicians in the world, he still bleeds buckets when he wants to, he still makes every single person that steps into the ring with him look like a million bucks. Marvin is nothing short of legendary, a dream opponent for just about every technician, every junior heavyweight, every luchador. 2020 was just another year of Ricky Marvin mastery, and even at 41 he's showing no signs of slowing down." ~Chris Gibbons

39. Yuka Sakazaki (7 ballots, 223 points, average rank 20.28571)

High Vote: Kevin (4)
 

Recommended Matches:
vs. Miyu Yamashita (TJPW, 1/4)
vs. Yuki Aino (TJPW, 7/23)
vs. Nodoka Tenma (TJPW, 8/8)
w/ Shoko Nakajima vs. Maki Itoh & Mizuki (TJPW, 9/21)
vs. Mizuki (TJPW, 11/7)

38. Shingo Takagi (8 ballots, 225 points, average rank 25)
High Vote: Parker Klyn (8)
 

Recommended Matches:
w/ EVIL vs. Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 1/6)
vs. Hirooki Goto (NJPW, 2/1)
vs. SHO (NJPW, 7/12)
vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 10/10)
vs. Taichi (NJPW, 10/13)

37. Villano III Jr. (8 ballots, 231 points, average rank 22.25)
High Vote: Jon (8)
 

Recommended Matches:
w/ Lady Maravilla vs. Arez & Keyra vs. Big Mami & Nino Hamburguesa vs. Dinastia & Vanilla (AAA, 1/25)
vs. Aereo (AAA, 3/1)
w/ Dragon Bane & Leviatham vs. Centella Oriental, Freelance & Ultimo Gladiador (AULL, 11/7)
w/ Sadico & Villano V Jr. vs. Centella Oriental, Terry 2000 & Vaquero Tormenta (AULL, 11/21)
vs. Centella Oriental (AULL, 11/29)

"Most of the wrestlers who made the top 100 despite only working a handful of matches are established legends, the Yuki Ishikawas, the LA Parks, the Viruses and the Low Kis of the world. Villano III Jr. isn't in that grouping. He's only 22, but he managed to make the top 50 on just 15 matches (by Cagematch's count). After three strong months in AAA, including one of the year's best in an incredible apuestas against Aereo, Villano III Jr. left the company. He disappeared for months. Cagematch doesn't have him working from March 15 until October 29, though it's certainly possible he found his way onto some lucha indies that aren't listed in that timeframe. Once he showed back up, he not only picked up right where he left off, he might have gotten better in a phenomenal title program in AULL against Centella Oriental. Villano III showed that he didn't need one of the biggest lucha promotions in the world to be an absolute stud. I'm so excited to see where he goes from here." ~Chris Gibbons
 

36. Arez (7 ballots, 233 points, average rank 17.71429)

High Vote: Smoldoink (9)
 

Recommended Matches:
w/ Keyra vs. Big Mami & Nino Hamburguesa vs. Dinastia & Vanilla vs. Lady Maravillla & Villano III Jr. (AAA, 3/1)
vs. Aramis (Lucha Memes, 3/8)
vs. Ricky Marvin (Lucha Memes, 4/5)
vs. Black Terry (Lucha Memes, 11/1)
vs. Tromba (Lucha Madre, 11/6)

"On the opposite side of the coin of Villano III Jr. is Arez, who didn't really miss a beat or booking this year despite the pandemic. In fact, he worked as many matches in 2020 as he did in 2018. A big part of that is because Arez works seemingly everywhere he possibly can, and is more than willing to do double or triple duty for tournament shows. Arez is one of the most thrilling high flyers in the world and has a seemingly endless supply of energy. It's honestly baffling he hasn't gotten a major push anywhere yet." ~Chris Gibbons

35. Takashi Sugiura (8 ballots, 250 points, average rank 24.42857)
High Vote: Raul (3)
 

Recommended Matches:
w/ Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Go Shiozaki & Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH, 2/16)
vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH, 5/9)
vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH, 9/23)
vs. Go Shiozaki (NOAH, 12/6)
w/ Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura (NOAH, 12/19)

34. Mayu Iwatani (8 ballots, 253 points, average rank 20.25)
High Vote: Son of Mecha Mummy (5)
 

Recommended Matches:
vs. Takumi Iroha (Stardom, 2/8)
vs. Jungle Kyona (Stardom, 7/24)
vs. Syuri (Stardom, 10/13)
vs. Takumi Iroha (Stardom, 10/18)
vs. Utami Hayashishita (Stardom, 11/15)

33. EVIL (8 ballots, 259 points, average rank 19.875)
High Vote: Logan Kenny (4)
 

Recommended Matches:
w/ Shingo Takagi vs. Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 1/6)
vs. Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 2/1)
vs. Tetsuya Naito (NJPW, 7/12)
vs. Tetsuya Naito (NJPW, 8/29)
vs. YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 9/24)

"EVIL became a sort of boogeyman for a lot of New Japan viewers when he joined Bullet Club and defeated Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight title. I've seen plenty of people say that his main event title run (and subsequent matches even after dropping the belt back to Naito) were killing New Japan. I think that's a load of bollocks. EVIL might not be the workrate darling of New Japan but he's a reliably entertaining wrestler that does actual heel work better than most any of the other heels on the roster. So I guess what I'm trying to say is: EVIL rules; get worked, marks." ~Chris Gibbons

32. Cody Rhodes (9 ballots, 259 points, average rank 25.22222)
High Vote: Brandon from Maine (1)
 
vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 1/1)
vs. Wardlow (AEW, 2/19)
vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 7/22)
vs. Mr. Brodie Lee (AEW, 10/7)
vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 11/7)

"Adrenaline, in my soul

Every fight out of control

Do it all to get them off their feet

Crowd is here, about to blow

Waitin' for me to start the show

Out the curtain, lights go up, I'm home

Whoooooooooa

My father said, when I was younger
Hard times breed better men

You took it all away, I give it all away

Can't take my freedom

Here to change the game, a banner made of pain

I built my kingdom

Now you bow to me

You took my dreams but not my name

You'll follow me until the end

I AM MY KINGDOM" ~Downstait

31. Taichi (8 ballots, 270 points, average rank 17.125)

High Vote: Emily Newsom (2)
 
w/ TAKA Michinoku vs. DOUKI & El Desperado (JTO, 1/14)
vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 2/2)
w/ Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi (NJPW, 8/29)
vs. Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 10/5)
vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW, 10/13)

"It's been a trip seeing Taichi go from 'the sickening' Taichi, a 'meme wrestler' whose actual matches were dumped on by a large portion of the NJPW watching community, to one of the more consistently praised wrestlers on the roster last year. And while I disagree with a lot of the popular narratives around New Japan, that's one of the few I can emphatically get behind. Taichi rules. He's a good hand that does his character well, and he can entertain me even when I think his opponent is a bore. Like his tag partner Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi's almost always a refreshing change of pace in a company that can get really stale for me if I watch a lot of it." ~Chris Gibbons