Ranked: The Six Best Riptide Wrestling Matches Ever
Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
SINCE IT burst onto the scene in 2017, Riptide Wrestling has been making a name for itself with smart booking, incredible camera work and their ability to host five star matches on a regular basis.
With so many fantastic battles to choose from it was tough whittling this list down to just six stand out bouts.
To allow us to showcase as many wrestlers as possible, each individual wrestler (i.e. Chuck Mambo) will only be included once in the top six – although we’ve left a substantial honourable mentions list at the bottom of this piece.
But after much deliberation, Grapple Theory picks the six best Riptide matches ever - and a whole host more that you need to check out:
6. RingKampf (Timothy Thatcher and Walter) vs Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis) – Riptide Brighton Championship Tournament Night 2, August 3rd, 2018
Dunkzilla nearly gets his head kicked off by Walter. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
When Jonah Rock defeated Walter in the first round of the Brighton Championship Tournament the night before – see our honourable mentions for more on that – it was left up in the air what Walter would be doing on Night 2.
That wondering was ended when Walter answered Aussie Open’s main event open challenge, but there was one more surprise in store when he brought out RingKampf teammate Timothy Thatcher to join him.
As you’d expect, these four put on an unbelievable contest. Walter, Thatcher and Davis brought the hard-hitting tenacity and Fletcher’s high flying style added some acrobatic energy to proceedings.
After a brutal battle it was RingKampf who picked up the win after hitting Davis with a terrifying powerbomb/uppercut finisher.
We wouldn’t see Thatcher back in Riptide after this, but he certainly left his mark.
5. Bird Law (Mike Bailey and Veda Scott) vs Club Tropicana (Aidan and Captain Sexsea) – Riptide Brighton Spirit Show 3, October 5th 2019
Veda Scott and Mike Bailey got more than they bargained for against Club Tropicana. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
It was so tough to decide between this contest and Speedball’s clash with Walter at International Waters – our rule about only having each wrestler included once backfired early on so see our honourable mentions for more on that match.
But this match took our number five spot because, as well as being a cracking wrestling match, it is perhaps the funniest match I’ve ever seen.
The quartet bounce off each other perfectly and seeing Captain Sexsea being paddled on the butt by his own oar is both painful to watch and hilarious to see.
In our recent interview with Mike Bailey (check that out here) he listed this match among the three favourite matches of his career, so far, which really helped its cause.
4. Cassius vs Mad Kurt - Riptide Bank Holiday Wrestling Show 2, August 26th, 2019
Cassius stands tall having won the Pride of Brighton Championship. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
In the intense heat of the Sussex summer, Cassius made himself known to the Riptide faithful with a bang.
The Neon Explosion had already wrestled twice before his main event match against Mad Kurt for the Pride of Brighton Championship, but you’d never know it by the energy on display.
The mix of Cassius’ ultra babyface and Kurt’s devilish heel made for a fantastic contest.
Of course, when Kurt does eventually cheat and hit Cassius with his keyboard you think the bout if over - but clearly there’s no limit to the amount of fight the Neon Explosion has within him.
After a gruelling battle it’s the babyface that comes out on top. And the pop when Cassius won, despite it being just his third Riptide show, was incredible. The perfect way to end the summer.
3. Medusa Complex (Charli Evans and Millie McKenzie) vs The Rascalz (Desmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz)– Riptide Brighton Spirit Show 3, October 5th, 2019
Charli Evans takes flight, Millie’s face says it all. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
This match is the perfect example of how to make the most out of a relatively short match.
After some brilliant matches in the Riptide Tag Team Tournament these two reached the much-anticipated final and left the crowd absolutely breathless.
Anyone who only knows The Rascalz by their new NXT name of MSK will have seen the high-energy, high-intensity, high-flying style they bring to the table.
Match that with the hard-hitting, stiff strikes of Charli Evans and Mille McKenzie (the true Suplex Machine btw Brock Lesnar) and you have a match made in heaven.
The quartet work together like a dream, trading blows back and forth as well as venturing to the top rope for some high-flying moves.
Another highlight comes courtesy BritWres regular Joe Atherton – affectionately known as Athers – when Xavier ends up in his lap, before Charli Evans does the most evil thing imaginable and knocks the hat square off his head.
This evenly contested match is ended just before the ten minute mark when Evans and McKenzie hit a fabulous Neckbreaker/Cutter finisher to win the Tag Tournament trophy.
2. TK Cooper vs Chuck Mambo - Riptide Rumble, April 12th, 2019
He’s Samoan! Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
Best buds TK and Mambo have had some cracking matches at Riptide, both as a team and against each other.
There was an argument to put their second contest – which followed the above match at Brighton Spirit – on this list. But we think their first bout is the stronger of the two.
Of course, the build-up played off the fact that these two are so close and whether the match would come between their friendship.
TK had been Mr Riptide for months, putting in match of the night performances show after show and was more than deserving of a shot at the title.
As in the second match, this contest was peppered with hints that either man could risk ruining their friendship just to win the bout. This is amped up when TK starts to target Mambo’s ankle, which had been injured earlier in the match.
TK’s frustration grows as the minutes pass, no matter what he throws at Mambo the then Brighton Champion just won’t stay down. There are some cracking near falls that have the audience on the edge of their seats, finger nails were bitten down to nothing.
Mambo eventually puts TK away with his frog splash, not without a moment of hesitation, but at the end of the bout TK refuses Mambo’s handshake, building the tension between them which would climax at their next meeting at Brighton Spirit.
1. Cara Noir vs PAC – Riptide Point Break, July 5th, 2019
PAC soars high as the Riptide crowd look on in awe. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
Probably the best-known match on this list, with over 60k views on YouTube…I still can’t believe they gave it away for free!
For months leading up to this Cara Noir had been putting on five star contests at Riptide. Bouts against Candy Floss, Mike Bailey, Spike Trivet and Chris Ridgeway had elevated him to the point where a shot at the Brighton Championship seemed inevitable.
So, when his opponent for Point Break was teased as a ‘mystery’ there was plenty of buzz about who would answer the call.
There were a few jokes among audience members, with people saying ‘oh, imagine if it was PAC’, but nobody believed it would actually be the Bastard from Newcastle.
Cara makes his usual dramatic entrance and the audience in on tenterhooks to see who his opponent will be.
The music hits and it goes unrecognised at first, with people exchanging looks wondering who it could be.
And then we see PAC, THE PAC, the man who just months before had been released by WWE amidst a whirlwind of media attention, he was here at the Brighthelm Centre.
And the place just ERUPTS. I’ve never heard a pop like it before. The mix of joy and pure shock is clear to hear, it was a moment to savour.
But if you thought the crowd had reached its climax before the match even begins there was more to come.
Cara spends most of the match trying to convince PAC to shake his hand, with the crowd clamouring for the Bastard to extend his arm and show his respect – of course he doesn’t, he’s a bastard.
Cheered on by the crowd, PAC gives Cara possibly the best match of his career – and we’d be interested to know where the match ranks among PAC’s favourites.
The back-and-forth the pair share is hard-hitting and absolutely brutal, with the audience invested in every punch, kick and toss.
This is by no means a squash for PAC either, Noir gets some excellent offence in and there are a couple of brief moments where you genuinely believe he could actually win the contest.
Unfortunately, it’s not to be and PAC eventually manages to land his impressive Black Arrow for the win.
You’ll find it tough to meet anyone, fan or wrestler, who doesn’t think this is the greatest contest Riptide has ever hosted and it will be interesting to see if any competitors can step up the challenge of topping it in the future.
Did your favourite Riptide match make the list? If not check out our honourable mentions below.
Honourable mentions
Spike Trivet vs Chuck Mambo - Riptide Brighton Championship Tournament Night 3, August 4th, 2018
Chuck Mambo becomes the first ever Brighton Champion. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
The pop when Mambo won the Brighton Championship, becoming the first to hold the belt, was incredible – as was seeing the fans flooding and, subsequently, breaking the ring (which they paid for with a GoFundMe).
TK Cooper vs Candy Floss – Riptide Deep Six, February 15th, 2019
Candy’s not so sweet after all! Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
These two gave their all in a back-and-forth contest that had us on the edge of our seats.
Gene Munny vs Su Yung – Riptide Brighton Spirit Show 3, October 5th, 2019
She’s behind you… Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
The look of fear on Gene’s face throughout this match is pure gold and, despite his best efforts, he couldn’t overcome that fear to keep Su down.
Mike Bailey vs Walter – International Waters, July 6th, 2018
You can feel the pain through the screen Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
It was tough to leave this match out because it’s an absolute barnstormer. Hard-hitting and brutal, their differing styles complement each other beautifully – also Walter’s chops are wince inducing.
Chakara vs Big Swole – Brighton Spirit Show 3, October 5th, 2019
Big Swole gives props to Chakara after their brilliant second clash Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
In an emotionally charged rematch Chakara battled with the heel within her and put in one of the performances of her career – matching Swole strike for strike.
Jonah Rock vs Walter – Riptide Brighton Championship Tournament Night 1, August 2nd, 2018
Wonder what ever happened to these two… Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
A mega match in the first round of the Brighton Championship Tournament, the now NXT North American champion shocked the Brighthelm Centre by pinning the current NXT UK Champion clean.
TK Cooper vs Cara Noir vs Mike Bailey – Riptide Bank Holiday Wrestling Show 1, August 26th, 2019
Speedball, more like cannonball. Photo: Riptide Wrestling/Head Drop
A action-packed triple threat in the scorching Brighton sun left the crowd as drained as the wrestlers.
A huge thank you to Riptide Wrestling for allowing us to use their photographs. You can check out more of the amazing work Rob Brazier/Head Drop does on Instagram or Twitter @theheaddrop
You can also watch all these Riptide instant classics, and many more matches, at www.independentwrestling.tv
