Best Of The Month: April 2013

Dolph Ziggler isn't exactly the classiest champion in the world.

Here are the highlights from April 2013:

Wrestler Of The Month: Kazuchika Okada

After over a year of scratching and clawing, Kazuchika Okada would finally topple rival Hiroshi Tanahashi and fulfill his destiny by becoming the NJPW's top star.  At the Invasion Attack PPV, he would battle Tanahashi with one good arm for over 30 minutes in a match that many are calling one of the greatest of all time.  It was an absolute clinic and a masterpiece of storytelling that saw Okada graduate from New Japan main event player to the number one talent in the world.  Few men were more impressive the entire year as Okada was in April.

Match Of The Month:: NJPW Invasion Attack: Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

In what was one of the best matches of the entire decade, Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to become the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion at New Japan's Invasion Attack iPPV.  It was part four in one of the greatest in-ring rivalries the sport has ever seen and it stands as the crowning achievement for two of the best wrestlers in the world today.  Get your hands on this match ASAP.  It's the current frontrunner for the 2013 Match Of The Year.

Top 10 Wrestlers Pound For Pound

*The number in parenthesis is the wrestler's rank in the last month's list.

1. Kazuchika Okada (3) IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Okada took his place as the ace of New Japan Pro-Wrestling with his impressive comeback victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi.
2. John Cena (10) WWE Champion: Cena's redemption story would reach it's epic climax when he defeated The Rock in the main event of Wrestlemania XXIX to become the new WWE Champion.
3. The Shield (-): After decisevely beating Randy Orton, Big Show & Sheamus at Wrestlemania XXIX, the WWE's most dominant trio would also defeat the likes of The Undertaker, John Cena & Team Hell No.
4. Bully Ray (2) TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Last month's top performer has now seized control of not just the title scene, but the company as a whole with his powerful stable Aces & Eights at his side.
5. Dolph Ziggler (-) WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Ziggler cashed in his Money In The Bank contract and subsequently defeated Alberto Del Rio to win his first (and well deserved) world title resulting in the best moment of the month.
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi (1): The former IWGP heavyweight Champion may have lost the gold and his spot in the company to Kazuchika Okada this past month, but he's still the best wrestler in the world today.
7. Jay Briscoe (-) ROH World Champion: Jay Briscoe capped off a great ROH Supercard Of Honor event with his feel good victory over former champ Kevin Steen.
8. Prince Devitt (-) IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion: Prince Devitt has turned on the fans and now looks more dangerous than ever with his bodyguard Bad Luck Fale at his side.
9. Johnny Gargano (-) DGUSA Open The Freedom Gate Champion: Workhorse champion Gargano defeated Shingo after a tough war that is on the short list for MOTY.
10. Michael Elgin (-) #1 Contender, ROH Wolrd Championship: Elgin's near five star slugfest with the increasingly impressive Jay Lethal did more for the reputation of the ROH world title than anything else this past month.