Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year: #10 (FTR vs. The Briscoes – July)

The first of three FTR vs. The Briscoes matches in the Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year Top 10 was their July Death Before Dishonor two-out-of-three falls match.

Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year Archives

• Introduction & Honorable Mentions
• Matches #100-76
• Matches #75-51
• Matches #50-26
• Matches #25-11
• Early-Access Top 10 Reveal
• #10: FTR vs. The Briscoes – July

#10
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe)
07/23
ROH)

Overall Points: 259
Total Votes: 44
% of Ballots: 21.05%
4 First Place Votes

“This match is the ideal of FTR’s vision for pro wrestling. I have had qualms in the past about how they can manufacture drama in their matches and even in this one, I had a slight moment of frustration but everything came together in a package that I could not help but completely adore. The first two falls couldn’t have been executed better. They milked the Briscoes 2 straight angle so well, what with the commanding first fall win and an absolutely brutal assault in the second. The Briscoes’ prolonged, violent dominance was crucial to making FTR’s eventual comeback, thanks to Dax’s resilience and Cash’s tenacity feel monumental. There were many strike exchanges in this match and they were all worked with such urgency like their lives depended on winning it. The third fall’s peaks and valleys was cogent based on what occurred previously and the finish is perfect. It is a true blue tag classic.” -Flae

“After their tremendous first match at Supercard of Honor, they took it to another level with the best 2/3 falls gimmick. After the Briscoes won the first fall, the third fall still felt in doubt because of these two teams doing such a great job in keeping the suspense.” -Tyler Forness

“My favourite match from the trilogy. I didn’t expected them to beat the first one. But somehow these guys did it. It was close for beign my MOTY. The whole pace, chemistry and technical skills these teams have is amazing. Tag team wrestling can be a high quality thing. The important thing is , how you present it. Tony Khan and ROH did that for me. That piledriver finish blew my mind.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“Yup, it’s the Briscoes vs. FTR again. Such a difficult feud to book because of WBD’s refusal to allow Mark and Jay on TBS or TNT, and yet when the matches took place, I don’t think anyone was saying, “if only there was more meat to the story!” FTR’s 2023 will be one of the more interesting stories to track in the first few months.” -Greg Parks

“I am the only person that likes this one the best.” -Craig William (Editor’s Note: Incorrect!) 

“The rematch to the dream match! Both teams start off working at a slow and deliberate pace while looking for openings to take the advantage. We get some nice back and forth action from both teams as they each control the match at points. Briscoes are able to isolate Dax as he gets dropped on the turnbuckle and his bell rung. Doomsday Device is enough to get the first fall for the Briscoes. Second fall starts off with the Briscoes in control. They work over Dax and get a bunch of heat on him while just chopping and beating the hell out of the man. Dax makes the big hot tag to Cash and here we go! Match picks up as Cash runs wild. Briscoes pick up the intensity and even nail Cash with the ring bell to try and get the sweep. Cash kicks out! Dax is able to sucker Mark into going after him and throws him into the steps. FTR hit The Big Rig out of nowhere to tie it up! Third fall starts with a bloody Cash and Mark going at it! The referee gets taken out right before the Briscoes hit a second Doomsday Device for the phantom 3 count. FTR is able to recover and hit a second Big Rig right after this for a huge near-fall! Both teams start going for broke to finish each other off but neither team is willing to give in. Briscoes goes for the Doomsday once too many as Mark is at the top and Cash takes both out with a back drop through a table! Dax and Jay are all alone. Jay Driller isn’t enough and only gets 2! Jay goes for another but Dax counters and sets him up on the top. Dax fights him on Bret’s rope and is able to nail a piledriver! Dax is barely able to roll over to cover Jay with just his legs and gets the third fall and the win! What a battle! What a war! What a fucking match! This was pro wrestling perfection!” -Alexander Charles Kalil

“What a bad ass match. The Briscoes are my favorite tag team of all time and I wanted them to win this match so badly. But The Briscoes played heels so well and FTR were such great babyfaces that by the end I was more than OK with FTR winning. The bell shot in this was memorably brutal live and really added to the feeling that this was a fight. They took advantage of the Best of 3 rules and the time they had to take us on a wild journey.” -Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“The middle child of the FTR/Briscoes All Killer, No Filler trilogy. It won’t ever get the recognition or love of the other two matches, but certainly deserves to be in the top ten discussion for 2022.” -James “NuclearConvoy” Snelgrove

“What a world we live in. The Briscoes and FTR had 3 matches this year and all 3 almost made my top 10. I put the 2 out of 3 falls match at 4 because out of the 3 this one most exceeded my expectations. I loved the first match and when it was announced they would run it back I very much believed there was no way to have the same energy . When the match was over I felt like I had just seen my favorite tag team match ever. Little did I know the same two would up themselves in 5 months” -Kentucky210 (Austin Hall)

“Tag team wrestling brilliance.” -Daniel

“One of the things I’ll always love this match for is the preview of a Dax Harwood vs. Jay Briscoe singles match that in a better timeline, we would see down the line.” -Kevin Ely

“This was the best trilogy of matches in years. Interestingly, much like the Flair vs Steamboat 1989 series, the middle match was 2 out of 3 falls and was also my favorite in both series. The commentary really helped put this over as well with the frequent call-backs to The Briscoes going winning two straight in a series of 2007 matches.” -Dave Musgrave

“Not quite on a par with their first match, but still excellent.” -Joe Towner

“My favourite of Briscoes vs FTR, felt that this has the best in-ring storytelling, and the long history of Briscoes winning 2-0 this kind of matches played a great part in this, specially during the second half” -Jorge Romo

Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year
(Full List)