Match of the Year Tournament - E Block - September 2026

Welcome back wrestling fans to the newest edition of the Match of the Year Tournament!

Starting off the autumn months with the beginning of the E Block! The D Block brought some heavy competition but the E block is fighting hard to stand out! Let's see how they managed this month, yeah?

 

The September pre-quarterfinalists.

 

As I mentioned in my Matches of the Month post, September was a busier month for me and one where I found it difficult to find and enjoy any quality wrestling. Maybe it was just preference or maybe it was just a slower month, but I didn't find any real major contenders until the last week or so of the month. 

Let's dig into the matches that won for this month!

 

Kazuchika Okada vs. Tommaso Ciampa - 09/26/2026

Alright, alright, maybe I am biased, but this was my match of the night, far and away. Never once have I been quiet about my complete love and adoration for Ciampa, with this match arguably being his biggest since signing with AEW. Sure, he fought Darby Allin for the world title, but Okada on PPV?! That's something else entirely. Okada, to his credit, gave more than his usual 60% effort here, actually looking like he wanted to be in the ring tonight. This was probably 80% effort from Okada and 120% effort from Ciampa, he gave us everything in this match and proved that he can hang with the very best. I mean, honestly, you could put Ciampa in the ring with just about anyone and get a great match out of them, his match quality floor is just that high, IMO. Ciampa also made this night completely unforgettable for his daughter, Willow, who celebrated her 8th birthday the same day as this show. Okada went to get a high five, was denied, so he flipped her off. After asking her mom, Jessie, if she could, WIllow gave him the double bird, with the crowd popping huge before singing her "happy birthday" in unison. So, so good. I adored this match. 

Excerpted from Weekly Watchlist 120 - A Tribute to PAC 

 

Swerve Strickland & The New Level vs. Adam Page & Brodido - 09/26/202

The match of the night for many, and for good reason, it's not hard to believe that you'd get an exceptional match when you have 6 of the very best squaring off against each other. There were a few stories woven through this match, with Austin Creed trying to stand up to Brody King and meet the brute strength for strength, Bandido playing the "babyface in peril," and Swerve and Hangman trying to not actually kill one another. The tension and action in this match built beautifully, with action taking place everywhere all at once. Far and away the craziest moment of this match came when Bandido held Swerve, Kofi and Creed on his shoulders all at once. Good lord. These 6 worked together beautifully, with all of their styles, stories, and motivations blending together into a beautiful spectacle. Big love for this match. If we keep having matches and stories like this, the Trios titles just might mean something before the end of 2026. Fingers crossed they can reach... a New Level. 

Excerpted from Weekly Watchlist 120 - A Tribute to PAC  

 

Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay - 09/30/2026

Simply put, this match was beautiful. A tribute to their fallen comrade in PAC in every way, the only two men on earth who could come even remotely close to replicating what PAC was capable of doing put on a match that would make even the bastard blush. They pulled out some of PAC's most signature moves, spots, and moments from throughout his entire career, tugging on the heartstrings and reminding us that we lost one of the very best to ever step between the ropes. I don't really know how else to put it, but this match was beautiful in every single way and is worth your time to seek out and enjoy.

 

Well, who made it?!

 

The September quarterfinalist

 

Alright, fine, maybe I am biased, so what! Ciampa and Okada blew me away. It's not often that Okada puts in a serious effort in his matches nowadays, if we're being honest. He's found himself a comfortable spot in AEW and doesn't need to beat his body to dust to have passable matches. But when he does decide to put it into gear, there aren't many that can stand with him. To the shock of many, Ciampa was able to keep up with Okada here and have a brilliant match that was equal parts fun, exciting and hard-hitting. A fantastic outing from both men. 

Next month will be the end of the E block where we decide on the second semifinalist for the second half of 2026! 

Until next month, take it easy friends!

 

 

 

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