WWE's 10 best matches of January 2019

January was a month that might be encapsulated with the look on Becky Lynch's face. There were high expectations, but the month didn't quite deliver. The Royal Rumble, NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, and NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool felt a little bit underwhelming compared to the strength of the respective cards.

Nevertheless, January was a solid month, with two bona fide match of the year candidates and comparatively little of the horrible booking WWE has become infamous for.

205 Live punched above its weight this month, notching three matches on the top 10 list, including at the Royal Rumble. The women again performed well on the main roster, but one particular match on SmackDown this month nearly stole the show, Royal Rumble and all.

As we now enter the second month of the year (that didn't take long) and the Road to WrestleMania kicks into high gear, these were 10 matches that you should go and watch again from January.

#10 Akira Tozawa vs. Drew Gulak (205 Live, January 2nd)

205 Live started the year with a bang, delivering two excellent matches on the premiere episode of 2019. This one was a little better than its counterpart, as Drew Gulak and Akira Tozawa had a stiff, wild match.

As we've come to expect from a 205 Live main event, these two battled on the outside for a while, landing some big, painful looking slams. Things eventually settled back in the ring, where it looked like the match would end in favor of Gulak after he reversed Tozawa's Senton Bomb into the Gu-Lock, but he managed to roll underneath the ropes and outside the ring to break the hold.

Eventually, Tozawa battled back to put Gulak away and punch his ticket into the fatal four way at the Royal Rumble in Phoenix.