Just a quick note, I was going to do all of HWA “Best Of” DVDs in chronological order, starting with the Best of 2003 set. But since I can’t seem to find it anywhere, I’ll skip to 2004. To be honest, I’m both worried and excited about what could be contained on here. Worried because it’s 2004 HWA and the matches may be crap but I’m excited to find out exactly what matches are on here since I’m not too familiar with nor do I recall any of the product during that time.
1) J.T. Stahr vs. Nigel McGuinness – 2
The meat of this has been clipped to hell so I can’t give an accurate rating but I will rate of what was shown. The last few minutes that were shown in full were decent though. Nigel had a good comeback out of a submission hold and Stahr took his offense pretty well. I would’ve like to have seen the whole match. Let’s hope this won’t be a recurring trend on this disc.
2) Matt Stryker vs. T.J. Dalton – 3
Fun little match with Stryker controlling the match on offense. Dalton had no expression on his face when selling. He knocked off the apron, got hit with a baseball slide and sold both moves with all the enthusiasm of a corpse. Stryker wasn’t much to look at either as he laid in the ring like a dead fish while the interference from Cody Hawk and J.T. Stahr was happening.
3) Lotus vs. J.T. Stahr – 3
The pace in this was pretty quick. Lotus, the current Dave Crist, hit a Japanese arm drag at an early point in the match. I’m guessing he only did that because he saw it on an All Japan tape the previous night in his parent’s basement and thought it might look cool to try. Stahr didn’t provide much to the contest except just showing up to collect a paycheck. Stahr’s partner T.J. Dalton was on the outside with a ridiculous Triple H shirt and tried to interfere but failed. Lotus’ standing dropkick looked like shit. Nice to see Dave Crist give a shit for once.
4) Crazy J vs. T.J. Dalton – 4
Couple nice moves in this one. Crazy J hit a really nice springboard knee to the head from the top rope and Dalton hit a brain-scrambling implant DDT. I always though Crazy J was the more talented of the Crist brothers and my argument is proven here and this match was more crisp than the previous match on this set featuring his brother. Dalton’s selling of an arm consisted of shaking it every now and then. His facial sells were better here but still nothing too great.
5) Hoss & Nigel McGuinness vs. Matt Stryker & Cody Hawk – 4
Hoss looked lost early with all four guys brawling in the ring. Nigel has the world’s least threatening manager in his corner. I mean this guy looks like he couldn’t even manage to open a bag of potato chips. Stryker and Hawk looked good as a team here. Hawk hit a good double top-rope double leg drop and Stryker’s facials on offense were really good. The announcers spent the entire match speculating on Hoss’ retirement with the color guy asking the Easter Bunny to bring him another Hoss match for Easter. Wait, what? To me that seems like it’s the equivalent of asking for a case of herpes for Christmas. Hoss hit some move called a swirly for a nice near-fall but it was all in vain as Stryker and Hawk picked up the win.
6) Four Way Scramble Match: Necessary Roughness vs. Lotus & Crazy J vs. Southern Breeze vs. Mike Desire & Tack - 5
I saw this match live but have no memory of it what-so-ever. The giant spot where everyone dives on everyone else takes place right as the match starts. Lotus & Crazy J had some really smooth looking high-risk spots, namely the perfectly executed Spanish Fly manuever near the end of the bout. Necessarary Roughness is Jon Moxley and Jimmy Turner doing a football gimmick and it is very strange to see Moxley dressed as a football player. Moxley was showing the skills that have made him one of the top indy stars today. There was one point where Lotus & Crazy J screwed up their spot, resulting in one of them taking a crash landing in an empty ring, and Moxley stood on the apron laughing. The color guy kept calling Southern Breeze legendary. Yeah, that’s a pretty ridiculous comment. The big spot at the end featured Necessary Roughness and Southern Breeze brawling around the entrance to the arena with Tack and Lotus brawling on the balcony. Bet you can figure out what happens from here. Tack gives Lotus a piledriver on the balcony and then tosses him off onto the two teams below. Fun stuff here, worth it just to see early Moxley if anything else.
7) Barbed Wire Match: J.T. Stahr & T.J. Dalton vs. Matt Stryker & Cody Hawk – 3
This really was not good at all. It was obvious to me that all four guys were limited in what they could do given that the ropes were covered in barbed wire. Another problem was that it went 40 minutes … 40 minutes I tell you! Why on earth anyone would give these guys 40 minutes is beyond me. It’s almost like the guy running the show said “Ok, we’ve got time to kill. Just go out there and fuck around for 40 minutes.” The heels spent the first 10-12 stalling with regional indy schlep manager Brock Guffman pulling out medical gauze and tape from his pants. Also, T.J. Dalton has a ridiculous N*SYNC t-shirt on. Why wear that? Did you want to relive your days from junior high where you pimped the New Kids on the Block tee and got your ass beat by the school bully? Stryker visibly laughed at Stahr’s overselling of the barbed wire barely touching him in the ass. There were no really big bumps, probably the biggest bump of the match was Stahr getting tossed over the top rope on to the floor, and not much blood at all. I give these guys credit for trying but if your looking for Funk/Sabu or Whitmer/Necro levels of brutality and violence, you’d be better off searching someplace else because you won’t find it here.
8) Jon Moxley vs. Cody Hawk – 4
Short, fast paced match with Hawk controlling most of the offense. I still can’t get over Moxley with the football tights on as he looks completely out of place in that garb. Cody’s offense for once was pretty smooth and it didn’t look like he was dragging ass in the ring. Mox bumped around well. Hawk hit the world’s shittiest muscle buster while the referee was distracted on the outside with the two valets. At the end we get interference from Mox’s tag partner Jimmy Turner and then a cavalcade of shit with the valets brawling and Hawk covering Mox, Turner, and their valet for the win.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
PWG Battle of Los Angeles 2010 N.2
Joey Ryan vs. Austin Aries - 4
Two guys who work the same gimmick. You know they're going to incorporate that into this match. I was happy to see that their characters weren't really overblown in the match and that the wrestling was what was concentrated on. Aries stopped the match halfway through to talk about how Joey couldn't knock him out, upon which Joey delivers a superkick to the face. Nice touch to change things up. Aires went for his running kick in the corner and Joey got his foot up, sending Ares spinning around his foot, which Aries sold great. Not bad, but there was a bit too much goofing off.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong - 5
A good match that you'd expect out of these two guys. Roderick and Claudio both made sure to lay it in to one another in this match, utilizing strong forearm strikes and putting a little extra "oomph" into every exchange. At first I was having a hard time putting my finger on what was holding this match back and I kept thinking and thinking, then it finally occurred to me: the selling. There was hardly any to mention. Now we all know that Roderick is not one to be a great seller, but Claudio always looked good in this department. Maybe he was having an off night? Good sprints and exchanges, but ya gotta sell well.
Brandon Gatson vs. Brandon Bonham - 3
Bonham brought a nice stiffness element to the match. He hit some kicks that looked like the connected and then some, but throughout this entire match there was a really awkward feel. Something wasn't clicking. Gaston would bust out his usual stuff including a Bret Hart elbow to the dazed Bonham. The finish was messed up after a botched Hammer of the Gods by Bonham leading to a very awkward finish.
Chris Hero vs. Akira Tozawa - 8
Not even joking here. Legit probably PWG MOTY thus far. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING just clicked in this match. Both guys brought a passionate fire to the match, screaming at one another during strike exchanges as well as busting out some sickening head drops. This match is how you work nearfalls. There were a few, but not too many that legit made me say aloud "WHAT!?!~" This was the best Tozawa match he's had in PWG and probably in his career. So much hate and energy that reverberated through the walls of the bar in Reseeda. Everyone should watch this match. Worth the price of the DVD alone.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Joey Ryan - 3
Claudio impressed me with the arm psych in this match, using the ring and ropes as a means for weakening the arm of Joey Ryan. I do, however, wish he would've locked in some of the holds he put Ryan in, specifically a piss-poor Fujiwara arm-bar. Joey looked more lethargic than a rabid baby elephant after being shot with tranquilizers. I didn't buy Ryan beating Claudio for one single second.
Brandon Gatson vs. Chris Hero - 4
Hero absolutely decimated Gatson with all of his elbow strike variations. DIG IT! If anything, this match helped Gatson's career by showing his tenacity, toughness, and resiliency. He was able to hang with Hero and show his stuff, but nobody in the venue thought that Gatson would get the upset against Hero. Still Gatson got a good rub from Hero, showing his legitimacy as a main eventer against one of the top guy in the company.
Rocky Romero, Johnny Goodtime & Ricochet vs. Chuck Taylor, Brian Cage Taylor & Ryan Taylor - 7
This is a sprint match done right. Each guy got his time to shine. Normally when you see a match involving six guys that can fly, you'd expect to see a lot of phantom bumps and a lot of weak striking. Not here. Each guy really laid in the shots and executed maneuvers to a t. Goodtime broke out more unique offense, including a sweet springboard into the ring onto a sitting up Chuck Taylor. Goodtime is very underrated and is quickly becoming one of my favorites on the indy scene. Romero brought to the table some nice grappling skills mixed in with some nice striking. Ricochet busted out his insane and unorthodox offense, proving yet again that he's the craziest indy wrestler willing to do anything. The Fighting Taylor Boys weren't without their strong points either. Chuck Taylor provided that fun junior heavyweight style mixed in with comedy relief, yet not too silly. Ryan Taylor brought a heavy striking game to the match, executing high kicks with precision to his victims' skulls. Cage Taylor brings a legitimacy to the team in that he's a heavy hitting and is the power behind the time. His discus lariat is great. Just a great chemistry and energy between all men in the match and a great sprint to break up the singles action.
The Cutler Bros vs. Peligro Abejas - 5
The Cutlers had finally worked their way up the PWG food chain to become No. 1 contenders for the tag titles. The Cutlers looked as good as ever, showing a confidence and swagger that legitimized them as contenders. Their selling was point on, but not overdone to the point where it looked like they were just be pathetic and fake. London came to work ready to bump and grapple, so I was happy with that. He didn't seem too strung out. Generico was Generico in the sense that he sold like a fish out of water, flopping and stumbling around. Would've liked to have seen better nearfalls out of this match, but for what it was, it was well done. I know these guys can do better, but they obviously didn't want to overshadow the main event.
Chris Hero vs. Joey Ryan - 4
This match had no business happening in my opinion. We had the perfect opportunity to see The Kings of Wrestling face off, but instead we have to see Joey Ryan work. Hero started the match off with some great arm psych. It's hard to fathom how Joey's arm was really hurt -- Hero was just working it over brutally. Hero busted out a corkscrew tope to the floor which was quite awesome considering he usually doesn't even do a normal tope. There was a nice superkick/forearm exchange spot in the match, still there was something off about this match that really held it back.
Really don't know how to feel about this show. While there was undoubtedly some really great stuff, there was a lot of crappy stuff as well.
Match Average: 4.9
Recommendation Level: Recommended
Two guys who work the same gimmick. You know they're going to incorporate that into this match. I was happy to see that their characters weren't really overblown in the match and that the wrestling was what was concentrated on. Aries stopped the match halfway through to talk about how Joey couldn't knock him out, upon which Joey delivers a superkick to the face. Nice touch to change things up. Aires went for his running kick in the corner and Joey got his foot up, sending Ares spinning around his foot, which Aries sold great. Not bad, but there was a bit too much goofing off.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong - 5
A good match that you'd expect out of these two guys. Roderick and Claudio both made sure to lay it in to one another in this match, utilizing strong forearm strikes and putting a little extra "oomph" into every exchange. At first I was having a hard time putting my finger on what was holding this match back and I kept thinking and thinking, then it finally occurred to me: the selling. There was hardly any to mention. Now we all know that Roderick is not one to be a great seller, but Claudio always looked good in this department. Maybe he was having an off night? Good sprints and exchanges, but ya gotta sell well.
Brandon Gatson vs. Brandon Bonham - 3
Bonham brought a nice stiffness element to the match. He hit some kicks that looked like the connected and then some, but throughout this entire match there was a really awkward feel. Something wasn't clicking. Gaston would bust out his usual stuff including a Bret Hart elbow to the dazed Bonham. The finish was messed up after a botched Hammer of the Gods by Bonham leading to a very awkward finish.
Chris Hero vs. Akira Tozawa - 8
Not even joking here. Legit probably PWG MOTY thus far. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING just clicked in this match. Both guys brought a passionate fire to the match, screaming at one another during strike exchanges as well as busting out some sickening head drops. This match is how you work nearfalls. There were a few, but not too many that legit made me say aloud "WHAT!?!~" This was the best Tozawa match he's had in PWG and probably in his career. So much hate and energy that reverberated through the walls of the bar in Reseeda. Everyone should watch this match. Worth the price of the DVD alone.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Joey Ryan - 3
Claudio impressed me with the arm psych in this match, using the ring and ropes as a means for weakening the arm of Joey Ryan. I do, however, wish he would've locked in some of the holds he put Ryan in, specifically a piss-poor Fujiwara arm-bar. Joey looked more lethargic than a rabid baby elephant after being shot with tranquilizers. I didn't buy Ryan beating Claudio for one single second.
Brandon Gatson vs. Chris Hero - 4
Hero absolutely decimated Gatson with all of his elbow strike variations. DIG IT! If anything, this match helped Gatson's career by showing his tenacity, toughness, and resiliency. He was able to hang with Hero and show his stuff, but nobody in the venue thought that Gatson would get the upset against Hero. Still Gatson got a good rub from Hero, showing his legitimacy as a main eventer against one of the top guy in the company.
Rocky Romero, Johnny Goodtime & Ricochet vs. Chuck Taylor, Brian Cage Taylor & Ryan Taylor - 7
This is a sprint match done right. Each guy got his time to shine. Normally when you see a match involving six guys that can fly, you'd expect to see a lot of phantom bumps and a lot of weak striking. Not here. Each guy really laid in the shots and executed maneuvers to a t. Goodtime broke out more unique offense, including a sweet springboard into the ring onto a sitting up Chuck Taylor. Goodtime is very underrated and is quickly becoming one of my favorites on the indy scene. Romero brought to the table some nice grappling skills mixed in with some nice striking. Ricochet busted out his insane and unorthodox offense, proving yet again that he's the craziest indy wrestler willing to do anything. The Fighting Taylor Boys weren't without their strong points either. Chuck Taylor provided that fun junior heavyweight style mixed in with comedy relief, yet not too silly. Ryan Taylor brought a heavy striking game to the match, executing high kicks with precision to his victims' skulls. Cage Taylor brings a legitimacy to the team in that he's a heavy hitting and is the power behind the time. His discus lariat is great. Just a great chemistry and energy between all men in the match and a great sprint to break up the singles action.
The Cutler Bros vs. Peligro Abejas - 5
The Cutlers had finally worked their way up the PWG food chain to become No. 1 contenders for the tag titles. The Cutlers looked as good as ever, showing a confidence and swagger that legitimized them as contenders. Their selling was point on, but not overdone to the point where it looked like they were just be pathetic and fake. London came to work ready to bump and grapple, so I was happy with that. He didn't seem too strung out. Generico was Generico in the sense that he sold like a fish out of water, flopping and stumbling around. Would've liked to have seen better nearfalls out of this match, but for what it was, it was well done. I know these guys can do better, but they obviously didn't want to overshadow the main event.
Chris Hero vs. Joey Ryan - 4
This match had no business happening in my opinion. We had the perfect opportunity to see The Kings of Wrestling face off, but instead we have to see Joey Ryan work. Hero started the match off with some great arm psych. It's hard to fathom how Joey's arm was really hurt -- Hero was just working it over brutally. Hero busted out a corkscrew tope to the floor which was quite awesome considering he usually doesn't even do a normal tope. There was a nice superkick/forearm exchange spot in the match, still there was something off about this match that really held it back.
Really don't know how to feel about this show. While there was undoubtedly some really great stuff, there was a lot of crappy stuff as well.
Match Average: 4.9
Recommendation Level: Recommended
Saturday, January 15, 2011
IWA Mid-South "Tryout Show #5"
IWA-MS "Tryout Show #5"
June 25, 2010 - Bellevue, IL
Welcome to a co-review as Brian and Geo team up (for the first time not as a duo at the sushi buffet) to tackle one of the most insignificant, tiny shows on the American independent scene in 2010. To follow this up we'll soon be doing a review on the biggest independent event of the year.
Brian: This looks like it was shot with an old VHS camcorder from the '80's on a tripod. The thing I really loathe about watching wrestling when it's from one lone camera far away like this is the lack of details. You can't see any of the facial selling, etc. Imagine watching a film, say one of the pivotal scenes in Casablanca, but instead of having the camera right there capturing the moment its 15-ft. away and out of focus. There seems to be a few more people than normal on the bleachers so I assume that's family members and friends of the wannabes.
G-Yo: Well all I can say is at least they're not in an alley somewhere with homeless men watching them and shooting up at the same time. This is a step above the aforementioned. If you were to show me this footage without telling me when it was recorded, I'd probably say late 80s early 90s. Also it made a cameo on America's Funniest Home Videos with Bob Saget. You won't see me handing over. Oh yeah, thanks, SmartMark, for not providing any names with these assholes.
1. Scotty Keyes vs. Outlaw Jason Rose - B:1 G:2
Brian: Strike one against Outlaw is he looks like Mideon circa '99. Keyes at least realizes he has to play to the crowd. Rose sells Keyes' insipid arm-work like a guy at Subway upon realizing they forgot to put jalapeños on his six-inch. Keyes did some of the worst mounted corner punches I've ever seen. Rose demonstrated some decent power, catching Keyes off of a crossbody, dropping him down in two backbreakers, then finishing the sequence off with a fallaway slam. Keyes' "Frog Splash" looked like a child afraid to jump off a pier into a lake so finally an older relative gives him a little push and he flails off.
Geo: I'm glad Brian knows who these guys are, because I simply took my notes calling the "red pants' and "black shirt." So I think I might have liked this a tad more seeing Keyes at least trying. Outlaw tried this laughable backbreakers in which he didn't even genuflect. A priest wouldn't be caught dead here anyway. Outlaw carried Keyes around the ring like a sack of shit he just picked up from his Danish Pony after a severe bout with diarrhea, only to drop him half-heartedly on the top rope to a few boos from the fans. Oh yeah, Outlaw looks like the love-child of a Ballz Mahoney and Amazing Kong. I vomit in his general direction.
2. Corbin Blaze vs. Tyler Priegel - B:2 G:1
Geo: Ok so I'm going to assume Corbin is the one in the singlet. Match had as much heat as a night in Barrow, Alaska -- colder than an ex-girlfriend's shoulder. This Priegel fellow hit some decent backbreakers, but his forearms.. my God those forearms. Seriously, bro? An aborted pig fetus hits harder than that. Also, this Priegal guy can only do backbreakers. He's like Roderick Strong's adopted half-step redheaded brother that gets picked on at school all the time. Also, these backbreakers, Preigel, bro, you need to make them mean something. There was no other back psych to speak of. It was doing moves for the sake of doing moves. Blaze looked sloppier than Frosty the Snowman's schlong after a hot July day. No thanks.
Brian: Blaze attempting a hurricanrana from the top was ballsy. I noticed Priegel popping up from some clotheslines; only guy that gets away with that is early-'90's Undertaker. I noted that Tyler had clearly illegally downloaded way too much Roderick Strong, as his propensity to do bad backbreaker variants bordered on fetishistic. Poor Corbin's standing moonsault was an eyesore.
3. Donovan Ruddick vs. Wuha Nation - B:4 G:4
Brian: Ruddick looks like the younger brother of Strikeforce fighter Abongo Humphrey. Nation has a big, athletic build, I could actually see him as someone who'd make a good candidate for Tough Enough. Donovan showed promise with a nice vertical suplex and rebound lariat. At times Nation, built like a tank, would come off mechanical like Bobby Lashley, but then he'd surprise you with something super athletic like a kip-up or standing Shooting Star Press. This felt more like professional wrestling than the obviously amateur stuff that proceeded it.
Geo: This actually seemed like a wrestling match. Both guys had a presence in the ring and had obviously done this before. Ruddick has this swagger and dominance about him that is nice. His mafia kick halfway through the match was excellent. After he did it, he looked at the fans in the kind of way that you'd probably not want to fuck with him. Nation selling was decent, well, what I could see of it. God this camera sucks. Nation looked like he was a bit timid in all honesty. His German suplex was on the extremely safe side; however, he was definitely a power house that could go. I dug both guys.
4. Jonathan Gresham vs. Bucky Collins - B:4 G:4
Geo: Okay, these two guys are not slobs and are actually on the roster. Gresham is THE top talent for this company, bar none. His athleticism and in-ring ability far surpass anyone on the roster. What he lacks in height he makes up for in technical ability. He staggery legged selling of Bucky's offense was great. Gresham also hit a lightning spiral! Fuck YEAH! It looked great too. Bucky sell was none to shabby, either. Bucky is nowhere near Gresham's league, but he was able to keep up with his mat style and fast-paced offense. Commendable.
Brian: Gresham looks like CZW's Sabian but clearly is more competent in the ring. The crowd seemed more lively here. One botch saw Bucky run face-first into Gresham's ass. The fucking kid with the bad goth hair and Riddlebox t-shirt really needed to stop walking right in-front of the camera. They attempted a really ambitious suplex spot from inside the ring to the floor. Bucky doesn't have the courage of Captain America's sidekick Bucky nor the ingenuity of skateboarder Bucky Lasek. The best sell of the whole show was Gresham's after Collins' flipping neckbreaker from the buckles. He sort of bounced, ended up back on his feet, then fell back like a toppling tree.
5. Kaige Kuttler vs. Reed Bentley - B:1 G:0
Brian: Bentley looks like a guy that's likely very familiar with public transit. Bentley looked so stiff and rigid on a legdrop that you could do it more fluidly with one of those old rubber LJN wrestling toys from the '80's. I hated Kuttler's control segments. He was easily the guy I disliked the most all show. He's lanky and rat-like and clearly better suited stocking shelves somewhere. Bentley made a fool of himself at one point doing a clothesline that turned into a crossbody and then morphed into a bulldog. I wonder if blowing Dixieland Destroyer could help advance either guys' career?
Geo: Kuttler walks around the ring like a midly aroused orangutan. He almost looked more curious about just what the hell he was doing there. This was just a pathetic display by both men. They weren't even trying. No emotion? No job. Get the hell out. I see better shit at the asbestos-filled opera house filled with pregnant coke-addicts down the street than this.
6. Johnathan Napier vs. Temple Rain - B:3 G:3
Geo: These are two of the first guys to connect with the audience actively. Napier looks like Eminem if he had half the brain and twice the age. Rain looked like he was on a mission to get noticed. He looked alright. Fans actually seemed to give a shit when Napier was in a headlock by clapping for him, and only furthered his sympathy after selling well for a vertical suplex. The best part about this match was Rain connecting with the crowd in an arrogant way, thus getting himself out there as a heel, and Napier selling well -- vocally, too! Now he just needs a clock he can turn back.
Brian: I thought Napier looked like a 50-year old doing a Jack Evans impression. He had the bandana, the black tank top, baggy shorts, etc. and also crow's feet. Temple busted out a Masato Tanaka's "Sliding D"? I laughed out loud. This started dull but I liked the last act. I'd kill to hear alternate commentary on this by Triple H, Ric Flair, and Kevin Nash. A decent (for an octogenarian) Swanton Bomb by Napier.
7. 5 Man Battle Royal (Keyes, Blaze, Ruddick, Kuttler, and Napier) - B:2 G:1
Brian: There's really not a lot to say about this. I have no idea why it even happened. The beginning reminded me of a surveillance video I saw recently of a cruise ship rocking in the seas and everyone in the ballroom falling and sliding all over the place as guys bumbled and stumbled all over each other early. There was a moment where Ruddick was beating down Napier that felt uncooperative which I got a kick out of. Blaze won, this was short, and as disposable as the napkins Ian Rotten masturbates into during his lunch break at Taco Bell.
Geo: Well this was pointless. I mean, I know this means Blaze gets booked, but this was more incoherent than a DUI-charged prostitute looking for work. Nothing meant anything. I can't even tell you what happened. What a way to get booked, Blaze. Gotta make that impression. Bring back Ruddick!
8. Ryan Phoenix vs. Ric Brutal - B:3 G:4
Geo: Nothing screams indy wrestling than a fake ninja. Phoenix is also a mainstay on the roster and is a solid worker. Fake Ninja hit a senton to the floor that showed how nuts he was -- looked pretty damn good, too. His striking and mat-based work was evident that he had some training and had been around the block a few times. Phoenix was getting him over good, eating his strikes like an obese child eating chocolate cake and Pepsi. Not a bad match. I think despite Phoenix winning, Brutal got over with his martial arts style and solid offense.
Brian: This was baffling. I had a big conundrum buying this. Brutal, who's name really has nothing to do with his persona, was wearing a heinously generic ninja outfit. Usually I'd just write him off entirely. However, some of his martial arts stuff, while unconventional, actually looked as though he had some real training, and dangerous as a result. So while he was kind of an enigma to watch, the stock name and terrible get-up soured my enjoyment of this. Phoenix put more into his sell of an opening kick than most people had put into their entire matches earlier. I always thought Phoenix reminded me of a slightly scummier Scotty Vortekz. The flip to the floor Geo mentioned above was really insane. Ric exposed the business by spinning before a clothesline he was to be hit with had even connected. Brutal did a double-foot stomp and landed on his butt like a kid trying to roller skate for the first time. Phoenix wrapped things up with a running Death Valley Driver into the buckles.
We were discussing, this being a tryout show, what would we do if we were the bosses? So, here's our opinions of who'd we'd dismiss, ask back for another shot, or hire.
Brian's Hire/Come Back/Reject:
Hire: Ruddick, Nation, Gresham, Phoenix
Come Back: Blaze, Collins, Napier, Brutal
Reject: Keyes, Rose, Preigal, Kuttler, Bentley, Rain
Geo's Hire/Come Back/Reject:
Hire: Whuda Nation, Donovan Ruddick, Temple Rain
Come Back: Corbin Blaze, Tyler Preigal, Jonathan Napier
Reject: Outlaw, Keyes, Kuttler, Bentley
June 25, 2010 - Bellevue, IL
Welcome to a co-review as Brian and Geo team up (for the first time not as a duo at the sushi buffet) to tackle one of the most insignificant, tiny shows on the American independent scene in 2010. To follow this up we'll soon be doing a review on the biggest independent event of the year.
Brian: This looks like it was shot with an old VHS camcorder from the '80's on a tripod. The thing I really loathe about watching wrestling when it's from one lone camera far away like this is the lack of details. You can't see any of the facial selling, etc. Imagine watching a film, say one of the pivotal scenes in Casablanca, but instead of having the camera right there capturing the moment its 15-ft. away and out of focus. There seems to be a few more people than normal on the bleachers so I assume that's family members and friends of the wannabes.
G-Yo: Well all I can say is at least they're not in an alley somewhere with homeless men watching them and shooting up at the same time. This is a step above the aforementioned. If you were to show me this footage without telling me when it was recorded, I'd probably say late 80s early 90s. Also it made a cameo on America's Funniest Home Videos with Bob Saget. You won't see me handing over. Oh yeah, thanks, SmartMark, for not providing any names with these assholes.
1. Scotty Keyes vs. Outlaw Jason Rose - B:1 G:2
Brian: Strike one against Outlaw is he looks like Mideon circa '99. Keyes at least realizes he has to play to the crowd. Rose sells Keyes' insipid arm-work like a guy at Subway upon realizing they forgot to put jalapeños on his six-inch. Keyes did some of the worst mounted corner punches I've ever seen. Rose demonstrated some decent power, catching Keyes off of a crossbody, dropping him down in two backbreakers, then finishing the sequence off with a fallaway slam. Keyes' "Frog Splash" looked like a child afraid to jump off a pier into a lake so finally an older relative gives him a little push and he flails off.
Geo: I'm glad Brian knows who these guys are, because I simply took my notes calling the "red pants' and "black shirt." So I think I might have liked this a tad more seeing Keyes at least trying. Outlaw tried this laughable backbreakers in which he didn't even genuflect. A priest wouldn't be caught dead here anyway. Outlaw carried Keyes around the ring like a sack of shit he just picked up from his Danish Pony after a severe bout with diarrhea, only to drop him half-heartedly on the top rope to a few boos from the fans. Oh yeah, Outlaw looks like the love-child of a Ballz Mahoney and Amazing Kong. I vomit in his general direction.
2. Corbin Blaze vs. Tyler Priegel - B:2 G:1
Geo: Ok so I'm going to assume Corbin is the one in the singlet. Match had as much heat as a night in Barrow, Alaska -- colder than an ex-girlfriend's shoulder. This Priegel fellow hit some decent backbreakers, but his forearms.. my God those forearms. Seriously, bro? An aborted pig fetus hits harder than that. Also, this Priegal guy can only do backbreakers. He's like Roderick Strong's adopted half-step redheaded brother that gets picked on at school all the time. Also, these backbreakers, Preigel, bro, you need to make them mean something. There was no other back psych to speak of. It was doing moves for the sake of doing moves. Blaze looked sloppier than Frosty the Snowman's schlong after a hot July day. No thanks.
Brian: Blaze attempting a hurricanrana from the top was ballsy. I noticed Priegel popping up from some clotheslines; only guy that gets away with that is early-'90's Undertaker. I noted that Tyler had clearly illegally downloaded way too much Roderick Strong, as his propensity to do bad backbreaker variants bordered on fetishistic. Poor Corbin's standing moonsault was an eyesore.
3. Donovan Ruddick vs. Wuha Nation - B:4 G:4
Brian: Ruddick looks like the younger brother of Strikeforce fighter Abongo Humphrey. Nation has a big, athletic build, I could actually see him as someone who'd make a good candidate for Tough Enough. Donovan showed promise with a nice vertical suplex and rebound lariat. At times Nation, built like a tank, would come off mechanical like Bobby Lashley, but then he'd surprise you with something super athletic like a kip-up or standing Shooting Star Press. This felt more like professional wrestling than the obviously amateur stuff that proceeded it.
Geo: This actually seemed like a wrestling match. Both guys had a presence in the ring and had obviously done this before. Ruddick has this swagger and dominance about him that is nice. His mafia kick halfway through the match was excellent. After he did it, he looked at the fans in the kind of way that you'd probably not want to fuck with him. Nation selling was decent, well, what I could see of it. God this camera sucks. Nation looked like he was a bit timid in all honesty. His German suplex was on the extremely safe side; however, he was definitely a power house that could go. I dug both guys.
4. Jonathan Gresham vs. Bucky Collins - B:4 G:4
Geo: Okay, these two guys are not slobs and are actually on the roster. Gresham is THE top talent for this company, bar none. His athleticism and in-ring ability far surpass anyone on the roster. What he lacks in height he makes up for in technical ability. He staggery legged selling of Bucky's offense was great. Gresham also hit a lightning spiral! Fuck YEAH! It looked great too. Bucky sell was none to shabby, either. Bucky is nowhere near Gresham's league, but he was able to keep up with his mat style and fast-paced offense. Commendable.
Brian: Gresham looks like CZW's Sabian but clearly is more competent in the ring. The crowd seemed more lively here. One botch saw Bucky run face-first into Gresham's ass. The fucking kid with the bad goth hair and Riddlebox t-shirt really needed to stop walking right in-front of the camera. They attempted a really ambitious suplex spot from inside the ring to the floor. Bucky doesn't have the courage of Captain America's sidekick Bucky nor the ingenuity of skateboarder Bucky Lasek. The best sell of the whole show was Gresham's after Collins' flipping neckbreaker from the buckles. He sort of bounced, ended up back on his feet, then fell back like a toppling tree.
5. Kaige Kuttler vs. Reed Bentley - B:1 G:0
Brian: Bentley looks like a guy that's likely very familiar with public transit. Bentley looked so stiff and rigid on a legdrop that you could do it more fluidly with one of those old rubber LJN wrestling toys from the '80's. I hated Kuttler's control segments. He was easily the guy I disliked the most all show. He's lanky and rat-like and clearly better suited stocking shelves somewhere. Bentley made a fool of himself at one point doing a clothesline that turned into a crossbody and then morphed into a bulldog. I wonder if blowing Dixieland Destroyer could help advance either guys' career?
Geo: Kuttler walks around the ring like a midly aroused orangutan. He almost looked more curious about just what the hell he was doing there. This was just a pathetic display by both men. They weren't even trying. No emotion? No job. Get the hell out. I see better shit at the asbestos-filled opera house filled with pregnant coke-addicts down the street than this.
6. Johnathan Napier vs. Temple Rain - B:3 G:3
Geo: These are two of the first guys to connect with the audience actively. Napier looks like Eminem if he had half the brain and twice the age. Rain looked like he was on a mission to get noticed. He looked alright. Fans actually seemed to give a shit when Napier was in a headlock by clapping for him, and only furthered his sympathy after selling well for a vertical suplex. The best part about this match was Rain connecting with the crowd in an arrogant way, thus getting himself out there as a heel, and Napier selling well -- vocally, too! Now he just needs a clock he can turn back.
Brian: I thought Napier looked like a 50-year old doing a Jack Evans impression. He had the bandana, the black tank top, baggy shorts, etc. and also crow's feet. Temple busted out a Masato Tanaka's "Sliding D"? I laughed out loud. This started dull but I liked the last act. I'd kill to hear alternate commentary on this by Triple H, Ric Flair, and Kevin Nash. A decent (for an octogenarian) Swanton Bomb by Napier.
7. 5 Man Battle Royal (Keyes, Blaze, Ruddick, Kuttler, and Napier) - B:2 G:1
Brian: There's really not a lot to say about this. I have no idea why it even happened. The beginning reminded me of a surveillance video I saw recently of a cruise ship rocking in the seas and everyone in the ballroom falling and sliding all over the place as guys bumbled and stumbled all over each other early. There was a moment where Ruddick was beating down Napier that felt uncooperative which I got a kick out of. Blaze won, this was short, and as disposable as the napkins Ian Rotten masturbates into during his lunch break at Taco Bell.
Geo: Well this was pointless. I mean, I know this means Blaze gets booked, but this was more incoherent than a DUI-charged prostitute looking for work. Nothing meant anything. I can't even tell you what happened. What a way to get booked, Blaze. Gotta make that impression. Bring back Ruddick!
8. Ryan Phoenix vs. Ric Brutal - B:3 G:4
Geo: Nothing screams indy wrestling than a fake ninja. Phoenix is also a mainstay on the roster and is a solid worker. Fake Ninja hit a senton to the floor that showed how nuts he was -- looked pretty damn good, too. His striking and mat-based work was evident that he had some training and had been around the block a few times. Phoenix was getting him over good, eating his strikes like an obese child eating chocolate cake and Pepsi. Not a bad match. I think despite Phoenix winning, Brutal got over with his martial arts style and solid offense.
Brian: This was baffling. I had a big conundrum buying this. Brutal, who's name really has nothing to do with his persona, was wearing a heinously generic ninja outfit. Usually I'd just write him off entirely. However, some of his martial arts stuff, while unconventional, actually looked as though he had some real training, and dangerous as a result. So while he was kind of an enigma to watch, the stock name and terrible get-up soured my enjoyment of this. Phoenix put more into his sell of an opening kick than most people had put into their entire matches earlier. I always thought Phoenix reminded me of a slightly scummier Scotty Vortekz. The flip to the floor Geo mentioned above was really insane. Ric exposed the business by spinning before a clothesline he was to be hit with had even connected. Brutal did a double-foot stomp and landed on his butt like a kid trying to roller skate for the first time. Phoenix wrapped things up with a running Death Valley Driver into the buckles.
We were discussing, this being a tryout show, what would we do if we were the bosses? So, here's our opinions of who'd we'd dismiss, ask back for another shot, or hire.
Brian's Hire/Come Back/Reject:
Hire: Ruddick, Nation, Gresham, Phoenix
Come Back: Blaze, Collins, Napier, Brutal
Reject: Keyes, Rose, Preigal, Kuttler, Bentley, Rain
Geo's Hire/Come Back/Reject:
Hire: Whuda Nation, Donovan Ruddick, Temple Rain
Come Back: Corbin Blaze, Tyler Preigal, Jonathan Napier
Reject: Outlaw, Keyes, Kuttler, Bentley
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
TNA Xplosion 10/15/10
1. Sarita vs. Angelina Love - 4
Sarita looked great here making even simple things like a Love shoulderblock look devastating. Love, for her end of things, was no Meryl Streep but displayed anguish properly throughout. Sarita built upon her role as being the sneakier of the two, sliding underneath the ring only to come from behind a distracted Love and nail her. Sarita dodged a Love ax kick like Mitsuya Nagai then caught her in a roll-up for the victory. After seeing some of Sarita's work in Mexico and Shimmer I can't see how you could argue she's not one of the five best women currently wrestling in the world.
2. Eric Young and Orlando Jordan vs. Suicide and Rob Terry - 2
Eric dives face-first into Suicide's crotch like Allen Ginsberg on Neal Cassady. Young is TNA's answer to WWE's Santino except Eric is actually competent in the ring (and bumps well) and is occasionally funny. Jordan got canned by WWE due to their political correctness but imagine what they would have done with him as a character in '98 when they were really pushing the envelope. It was pretty obvious it was Kiyoshi in the Suicide get-up here. This felt largely directionless and hollow.
Sarita looked great here making even simple things like a Love shoulderblock look devastating. Love, for her end of things, was no Meryl Streep but displayed anguish properly throughout. Sarita built upon her role as being the sneakier of the two, sliding underneath the ring only to come from behind a distracted Love and nail her. Sarita dodged a Love ax kick like Mitsuya Nagai then caught her in a roll-up for the victory. After seeing some of Sarita's work in Mexico and Shimmer I can't see how you could argue she's not one of the five best women currently wrestling in the world.
2. Eric Young and Orlando Jordan vs. Suicide and Rob Terry - 2
Eric dives face-first into Suicide's crotch like Allen Ginsberg on Neal Cassady. Young is TNA's answer to WWE's Santino except Eric is actually competent in the ring (and bumps well) and is occasionally funny. Jordan got canned by WWE due to their political correctness but imagine what they would have done with him as a character in '98 when they were really pushing the envelope. It was pretty obvious it was Kiyoshi in the Suicide get-up here. This felt largely directionless and hollow.
HWA World War 3 2010
1. “The Madness” Chris Hall vs. Jock Samson vs. Aaron Xtreme vs. J.T. Hustla vs. Dameon Daniels vs. Jon Murray – Six Man Elimination Match - 3
2. Ron Mathis vs. Sid Fabulous - 6
3. Tim Donst vs. Dustin Rayz - 4
4. Jock Samson vs. Brian Beech - 1
5. Jimmy Yang vs. Chris Carnage - 2
6. Jon Moxley vs. Jesse Emerson - 4
7. AJP (?) vs. Zack Spade - 2
8. The Hybrids vs. The Heat Seekers vs. The Noble Bloods - 3
9. Gerome Phillips vs. Shank Barzini - No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere Match - 5
10. Jake Crist vs. Dave Crist – 4
After a three-month hiatus, HWA returned to action with their annual World War 3 show. Opener was a six-man elimination match with two really small guys (Aaron Xtreme and J.T. Hustla) and four really big dudes. Murray is a 350-pound wannabe Mick Foley. He really wasn’t much in the ring, hitting the ropes like an elephant on downers. Samson bears a close resemblance to Zach Galifinakis of The Hangover fame and is a really fun character. Hall was the glue of the match, hitting his big moves and scoring most of the eliminations. Daniels and Aaron did a thing where they brawled out of the ring and into the crowd and were eliminated. The match wasn’t good at all but would’ve been worse without Hall’s involvement. Mathis and Sid Fabulous blew away any expectations I had. I groan whenever I see Sid’s name on a card mainly because he’s not that great of a wrestler and his gimmick (as a ladies man) has been done to death in numerous promotions, most notably ROH with Rhett Titus. Mathis is probably the most underrated guy in HWA, with his persona and his in-ring work. Sid took a bunch of hard chops and sold them like a champ. By the end of the match, his chest looked like he’d been the recipient of the 100-hand chop by Kobashi. The brawling outside the ring was good, with Mathis taking a couple really hard bumps on the unprotected gym floor. Mathis’ manager, some slug named Gilbert, didn’t look like he was into the match at all, just pacing back and forth and randomly jawing at the crowd. I figured that Mathis would retain the title but Sid scored the upset win. Afterwards, a very large, roided up black dude that I’m unfamiliar with came out and destroyed Sid. Donst and Rayz was a basic, by the numbers match. Donst is always a pleasure to watch because his work is usually on the decent to good side of things. Rayz I’ve never been to high on since I saw him first a last year’s World War 3 show. His offense is pretty bland and his character just comes across as a generic heel. Donst was the workhorse, carrying Rayz to an acceptable match. Samson came back out after getting his ass beat in the opener issuing an open challenge which was accepted by resident weekend warrior Brian Beech, showing up with a small beer gut and wrestling in a t-shirt. The match was a sloppy 3-minute affair with Beech winning with a sloppy superkick. I gave it a mercy point just for Samson’s mic work before the bout. Next up, was another open challenge with Chris Carnage, a very big, muscular guy wearing a cut-off shirt bearing his likeness issuing another open challenge. This time, it was accepted by Jimmy Yang, who was planted in the crowd. The match only went five minutes and mainly got its points from Yang having to carry the rather immobile Carnage. Closing out the first half of the show was Moxley and Emerson, both guys who I enjoy watching. Match was again a pretty basic bout with neither guy really going for broke on any big move. Emerson may not be the most polished guy but I think he’s got a lot of potential and really works hard in his matches. Moxley is always great to watch and can wrestle just about any style. Most of the match was mat work and I think everyone was expecting Moxley to win but Emerson scored the upset win with a roll-up.
Intermission came and went with Jimmy Yang passing out business cards for his pest control business at the merch table. First match back was A.J.P. (at least that’s what I caught from the ring announcer) against a pudgy John Morrison wannabe. A.J.P. was a good heel, insulting the crowd and just running them down. Nothing really of great importance happened and neither guy really seemed all that skilled in their ring work. The three way tag was awful. I was expecting a decent bout but after about 40 seconds it just fell apart. The referee just stood in the ring and looked like Stevie Wonder trying to direct traffic and you couldn’t really tell how each guy looked individually. The manager for the Noble Bloods didn’t look into the match at all and I visibly caught him checking his cell phone while walking back to the corner. Jeremy Madrox of the Heat Seekers looks like he could be a good top-level heel eventually as he is good on the mic but still may need a bit of polishing in the ring. By the end of the match, it had pretty much deteriorated into one big mess with legal man issues galore and the competitors just jumping in and out of the action as they pleased. Eventually, somewhere in the chaos, the Heat Seekers got the win but by that point no one really cared. The No DQ match was pretty fun. Phillips, the former King Vu, is just a beast. His offense looks like it legitamitely hurts and his intensity is just fantastic. Shank showed off some decent moves but ended up taking a beating for most of the match. Brawling, though, is where Shank is at his best. He was just wailing of Phillips with trash cans and chairs which lead to a good nearfall near the end of the match with Phillips kicking out of Shank’s finisher. By this point the show was running way over and the main event with the Crist brothers facing off went on just after 11pm. The main interest for me was to see how they worked together one-on-one. Dave came out with a green mohawk and wearing a punk rock jacket. What a tool. By the way, I should mention that while we were waiting out in the freezing cold, Dave came out to gladhand everyone (to a collective groan from everyone) while we were in line. I liked the mat work that they were doing but it was clear that Dave Crist was more interested in the ladies in the crowd and chewing gum instead of trying to put some effort into his offense. Jake Crist was really the one trying to keep the match together. However, as much as I don’t like the Crist brothers, I will give them credit for busting out a couple really cool looking moves, most notably a really sick springboard DDT that just planted Jake into the mat, in front of a crowd of about 50 people or so. The crowd was so burnt out that by the time the climax of the match hit, they didn’t even pop for Dave Crist getting the win. The show as a whole seemed like it was just thrown together at the last minute and it showed, especially in the undercard. Overall, probably one of the weakest World War 3 shows HWA has done and not much here worth seeking out.
2. Ron Mathis vs. Sid Fabulous - 6
3. Tim Donst vs. Dustin Rayz - 4
4. Jock Samson vs. Brian Beech - 1
5. Jimmy Yang vs. Chris Carnage - 2
6. Jon Moxley vs. Jesse Emerson - 4
7. AJP (?) vs. Zack Spade - 2
8. The Hybrids vs. The Heat Seekers vs. The Noble Bloods - 3
9. Gerome Phillips vs. Shank Barzini - No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere Match - 5
10. Jake Crist vs. Dave Crist – 4
After a three-month hiatus, HWA returned to action with their annual World War 3 show. Opener was a six-man elimination match with two really small guys (Aaron Xtreme and J.T. Hustla) and four really big dudes. Murray is a 350-pound wannabe Mick Foley. He really wasn’t much in the ring, hitting the ropes like an elephant on downers. Samson bears a close resemblance to Zach Galifinakis of The Hangover fame and is a really fun character. Hall was the glue of the match, hitting his big moves and scoring most of the eliminations. Daniels and Aaron did a thing where they brawled out of the ring and into the crowd and were eliminated. The match wasn’t good at all but would’ve been worse without Hall’s involvement. Mathis and Sid Fabulous blew away any expectations I had. I groan whenever I see Sid’s name on a card mainly because he’s not that great of a wrestler and his gimmick (as a ladies man) has been done to death in numerous promotions, most notably ROH with Rhett Titus. Mathis is probably the most underrated guy in HWA, with his persona and his in-ring work. Sid took a bunch of hard chops and sold them like a champ. By the end of the match, his chest looked like he’d been the recipient of the 100-hand chop by Kobashi. The brawling outside the ring was good, with Mathis taking a couple really hard bumps on the unprotected gym floor. Mathis’ manager, some slug named Gilbert, didn’t look like he was into the match at all, just pacing back and forth and randomly jawing at the crowd. I figured that Mathis would retain the title but Sid scored the upset win. Afterwards, a very large, roided up black dude that I’m unfamiliar with came out and destroyed Sid. Donst and Rayz was a basic, by the numbers match. Donst is always a pleasure to watch because his work is usually on the decent to good side of things. Rayz I’ve never been to high on since I saw him first a last year’s World War 3 show. His offense is pretty bland and his character just comes across as a generic heel. Donst was the workhorse, carrying Rayz to an acceptable match. Samson came back out after getting his ass beat in the opener issuing an open challenge which was accepted by resident weekend warrior Brian Beech, showing up with a small beer gut and wrestling in a t-shirt. The match was a sloppy 3-minute affair with Beech winning with a sloppy superkick. I gave it a mercy point just for Samson’s mic work before the bout. Next up, was another open challenge with Chris Carnage, a very big, muscular guy wearing a cut-off shirt bearing his likeness issuing another open challenge. This time, it was accepted by Jimmy Yang, who was planted in the crowd. The match only went five minutes and mainly got its points from Yang having to carry the rather immobile Carnage. Closing out the first half of the show was Moxley and Emerson, both guys who I enjoy watching. Match was again a pretty basic bout with neither guy really going for broke on any big move. Emerson may not be the most polished guy but I think he’s got a lot of potential and really works hard in his matches. Moxley is always great to watch and can wrestle just about any style. Most of the match was mat work and I think everyone was expecting Moxley to win but Emerson scored the upset win with a roll-up.
Intermission came and went with Jimmy Yang passing out business cards for his pest control business at the merch table. First match back was A.J.P. (at least that’s what I caught from the ring announcer) against a pudgy John Morrison wannabe. A.J.P. was a good heel, insulting the crowd and just running them down. Nothing really of great importance happened and neither guy really seemed all that skilled in their ring work. The three way tag was awful. I was expecting a decent bout but after about 40 seconds it just fell apart. The referee just stood in the ring and looked like Stevie Wonder trying to direct traffic and you couldn’t really tell how each guy looked individually. The manager for the Noble Bloods didn’t look into the match at all and I visibly caught him checking his cell phone while walking back to the corner. Jeremy Madrox of the Heat Seekers looks like he could be a good top-level heel eventually as he is good on the mic but still may need a bit of polishing in the ring. By the end of the match, it had pretty much deteriorated into one big mess with legal man issues galore and the competitors just jumping in and out of the action as they pleased. Eventually, somewhere in the chaos, the Heat Seekers got the win but by that point no one really cared. The No DQ match was pretty fun. Phillips, the former King Vu, is just a beast. His offense looks like it legitamitely hurts and his intensity is just fantastic. Shank showed off some decent moves but ended up taking a beating for most of the match. Brawling, though, is where Shank is at his best. He was just wailing of Phillips with trash cans and chairs which lead to a good nearfall near the end of the match with Phillips kicking out of Shank’s finisher. By this point the show was running way over and the main event with the Crist brothers facing off went on just after 11pm. The main interest for me was to see how they worked together one-on-one. Dave came out with a green mohawk and wearing a punk rock jacket. What a tool. By the way, I should mention that while we were waiting out in the freezing cold, Dave came out to gladhand everyone (to a collective groan from everyone) while we were in line. I liked the mat work that they were doing but it was clear that Dave Crist was more interested in the ladies in the crowd and chewing gum instead of trying to put some effort into his offense. Jake Crist was really the one trying to keep the match together. However, as much as I don’t like the Crist brothers, I will give them credit for busting out a couple really cool looking moves, most notably a really sick springboard DDT that just planted Jake into the mat, in front of a crowd of about 50 people or so. The crowd was so burnt out that by the time the climax of the match hit, they didn’t even pop for Dave Crist getting the win. The show as a whole seemed like it was just thrown together at the last minute and it showed, especially in the undercard. Overall, probably one of the weakest World War 3 shows HWA has done and not much here worth seeking out.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Queue Slayer #1
Welcome to the first edition of Queue Slayer! This was basically an idea I had to help Jessie and I make a dent in the overwhelming amount of footage we've accumulated over the last few years. We each pick three DVDs, watch them, swap them, watch the others' selections, then rank what we've seen and share some insight. We hope you'll enjoy this new ongoing project here on NHO!
Brian's List - Queue Slayer #1
1. Kensuke Sasaki and Minoru Suzuki vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura - 7 - NJPW 12/11/04
2. Sid Vicious and Harlem Heat vs. Ron Simmons, 2 Cold Scorpio, and Marcus Alexander Bagwell - 5 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
3. Tito Santana vs. Jake Roberts - 6 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
4. Barry Windham vs. Ron Bass - 6 - Belt vs. Saddle Match - CWF TV 11/16/83
5. Ric Flair vs. Sting - 6 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
6. Jumbo vs. Billy Robinson - 6 - 2 out of 3 Falls Match - AJPW 3/5/77
7. British Bulldogs vs. Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik - 5 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
8. Vic Grimes vs. Psicosis - 5 - XPW Retribution
9. Demolition vs. Twin Towers - 5 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
10. Richard Charland vs. Red Rooster - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
11. Kaos vs. Pogo the Clown - 4 - XPW Retribution
12. Dick Slater vs. Dino Bravo - 5 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
13. Blue Blazer vs. Brooklyn Brawler - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
14. Mr. Perfect vs. Tito Santana - 5 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
15. Bret Hart vs. Rick Martel - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
16. Charlie Norris vs. Fury - 4 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
17. Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
18. Chris Hero vs. Trik Davis - 4 - 30-Min. Ironman Match - IWA Mid-South 2/18/06
19. Danny Spivey vs. Moondog Spot - 4 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
20. Butch Reed vs. Steve Gatorwolf - 3 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
21. Young Bucks vs. Cutler Bros. - 4 - PWG DDT4 5/22/09
22. Supreme vs. Steve Rizzono - 3 - XPW Retribution
23. Mike Rotunda vs. Moondog Rex - 3 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
24. Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori vs Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson - 3 - NJPW 7/5/09
25. Greg Valentine vs. Hillbilly Jim - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
26. Webb vs. The Sandman - 3 - XPW Retribution
27. 16-Man Battle Royal: Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Demolition, Big Bossman, Akeem, Honkytonk Man, Greg Valentine, Blue Blazer, Brooklyn Brawler, Hillbilly Jim, Red Rooster, Jim Powers, and Richard Charland - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
28. Super Dragon vs. Disco Machine - 3 - XPW Retribution
29. One Man Gang vs. Hector Guerrero, Mike Fever, and Denny Brown - CWF TV 11/16/83 - 2
30. Big Van Vader vs. JD Stryker - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
31. Johnny B. Badd vs. Mike Thor - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
32. Honky Tonk Man vs. Jim Powers - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
33. Junkyard Dog vs. Randy Savage - 2 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
34. Angel vs. G.Q. Money vs. Preston Ascott III - 2 - XPW Retribution
35. The Equalizer vs. Ron Preston - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
36. Konnan vs. Damien Steele - 2 - XPW Retribution
37. Ice Train vs. Rage - 1 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
Alright, let's make some sense of this, shall we? My #1 match comes from a BMD (or, Brian's Mix Disc) disc which is another project of mine where I've compiled random matches and shows together to circulate amongst the NHO team. In general I love the Japanese style, but this match didn't rest on its laurels, of course, it had the stiff action you've come to expect from a high profile NJPW match, but it also featured a tremendous build and a great closing section that saw the crowd incredibly excited for the possibility of win by the Tanahasi and Nakamura team.
Other matches from the BMD didn't fair so well, Tsuruta vs. Robinson from the late-'70's was good, but some of the other random matches fell considerably lower. The disc with the least amount of actual matches on it was an episode of CWF TV from '83. The bulk of that episode was a WIndham vs. Bass grudge match I found satisfying and even though it was the first thing I saw at least a month back it still ended up high on my ballot.
The two WWF arena shows featured highs and lows. I think, overall, I preferred the '86 Houston event although it's slower pace may be off-putting to some. I thought it gave a nice glimpse of guys and match-ups that are more uncommon, and while the '89 Ontario was filled with familiar faces, etc. nothing on it stuck out like the Roberts vs. Santana time-limit draw from Houston. The big surprise for me was the Red Rooster vs. Charland bout from Ontario, it featured hands down the best limb work of any match on this first project's menu.
Jessie had handpicked an episode of WCW Saturday Night from August of '93 that I enjoyed quite a lot. Besides the epic Sting vs. Flair main event that went 40+ min. some of the non-marquee matches featured strong performances including a Charlie Norris vs. Fury match I inexplicably dug, mostly for tag team journeyman Fury's strong heel work. The six-man was the most fun I had watching as Scorpio's selling was superb and everyone worked their roles well.
The last show was an XPW event titled Retribution. XPW has a big black cloud over it and most people won't even give it a chance. I tried to be objective and reserve judgement. Yes, some of my worst fears were realized, it's a company full of excesses, be it poorly done hardcore stuff, objectifying women, etc. But within the manure I found some diamonds, including one of my all-time favorite table bumps in the Kaos vs. Pogo the Clown bout, and a really great big man vs. little man opener involving Psicosis and Vic Grimes.
Jessie's List - Queue Slayer #1
1) Kensuke Sasaki & Minoru Suzuki v. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shinsuke Nakamura (New Japan 12/11/04)- 8
2) Jumbo Tsuruta v. Billy Robinson (AJW, 03/05/77)- 7
3) Barry Windham v. Ron Bass (Florida, 11/16/83)- 6
4) Ric Flair v. Sting (WCW Sat Night 08/21/93)- 6
5) Psicosis v. Vic Grimes (XPW Retribution)- 6
6) Harlem Heat/ Sid v. Ron Simmons/ 2 Cold Scorpio/ Marcus Bagwell (WCW Sat Night 08/21/93)- 6
7) Bret Hart v. Rick Martel (Copps Coliseum 05/01/89)- 6
8) Tito Santana v. Jake Roberts (Sam Houston Coliseum 11/26/86)- 5
9) Rick Rude v. Ultimate Warrior (Copps Coliseum 05/01/89)- 5
10) Supreme v. Steve Rizzano (XPW Retribution)- 5
11) Demolition v. Twin Towers (Copps Coliseum)- 5
12) Dan Spivey v. Moondog Spot (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
13) 16 Man Battle Royal (Copps Coliseum)- 4 14) Chris Hero v. Trik Davis (30 Min. Iron Man)- 4 15) British Bulldogs v. Iron Sheik/ Nikolai Volkoff (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
16) Kaos v. Pogo the Clown (XPW Retribution)- 4
17) Tito Santana v. Mr. Perfect (Copps Coliseum)- 4
18) Dino Bravo v. Dick Slater (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
19) Terry Taylor v. Richard Charland (Copps Coliseum)- 4
20) Blue Blazer v. Brooklyn Brawler (Copps Coliseum)- 3
21) Manabu Nakanishi/ Takao Omori v. Giant Bernard/ Karl Anderson (NJ)- 3
22) XPW 3 Way - 3
23) Super Dragon v. Disco Machine (XPW Retribution)- 3
24) Charlie Norris v. Rage (WCW Sat Night)- 3
25) Honky Tonk v. Jim Powers (Copps)- 3
26) Mike Rotundo v. Moondog Rex (Sam Houston)- 3
27) Young Bucks v. Cutler Brothers - 3
28) Sandman v. Johnny Webb (XPW Retribution)- 3
29) Vader v. jobber (WCW Sat Night)- 2
30) Butch Reed v. Steve Gatorwolf (Sam Houston)- 2
31) One Man Gang v. Mike Fever/ Denny Brown/ Hector Guerrero (Florida)- 2
32) Greg Valentine v. Hillbilly Jim (Copps)- 2
33) Konan v. Damien Steele (XPW)- 2
34) Equalizer v. Ron Steele (Sat Night)- 2
35) Randy Savage v. Junkyard Dog (Sam Houston)- 2
36) Johnny B Badd v. Mike Thor (Sat Night)- 1
37) Ice Train v. Rage (Sat Night)- 1
The Good:
Wow, the New Japan tag, for me at least, soared above everything else. These guys worked hard, even in their rest hold segments. Just perfect roles for each team, the veteran bullies, the standout newcomers, and the last few minutes with all the nearfalls felt very AJW mid 90's and an awesome finish. Billy v. Jumbo was a 2/3 falls bout that went back and forth, both guys testing the other one's mettle as far as scientific skills. Even though finishes didn't seem as important back then, the ones they used were believable and I liked the back and forth pace they kept. I'd watched Barry v. Bass before and it's just as fun and bloody here as it was then. Some awesome punches were thrown, liked the gritty outside brawl they did and both men bled buckets. Still creeps me out when Bass goes bareback on Windham's scrawny ass after the match but i guess it's healthier than mounting an unsuspecting sheep back on Bass' farm. Flair v. Sting was a marathon, nearly 40 minutes, and it was filled with stupendous work from two guys that know each so well. That being said, at times it didn't feel like the match really was telling a story, it was just two old rivals wrestling their butts off. The finish stank something awful, and there were a lot of repeat spots but overall both these guys brought it and did more than most could with the slot they had here.
XPW gets on the board with their opener to this horrid show, with a major mismatch of styles but somehow it works. Grimes is a very good worker, he works hard, makes everything look real and hurty, and Psicosis blew way less spots than he usually does. Liked how they kept upping the ante of finishers near the end. This moved higher up due to sheer surprise of how well it worked. The following 6 man clicked on many levels, the Heat were in the prime of their career and they were going all out against their opponents. Sid looked very competent as a monster and Simmons was fun butting horns with him. This got some time too and allowed the two tag teams to really showcase the kind of 2 on2 match they could have inside the confines of this. Martel v. Hart was a great technical battle of two Canadians that also got some time but wasn't your usual ride the mat match; they actually broke out some great spots. Santana v. Roberts was a battle of two of WWF's greatest hands throughout the 80's and while not flashy or flamboyant, it did provide a solid 20 minutes of in ring action where both men showed their strengths; Jake playing mind games and Titos' headlock/dropkick showcase. Rude v. Warrior was a standard match they were having at the time, which means it was some of Warrior's career best. Rude just breaks himself like a Twix bar for all of Warrior's stuff and that classic back selling was there in spades. Surprisingly I find this bout on my final top 10 spot, Supreme who is the living embodiment of Humpty Dumpty takes too many gnarly and flesh shredding bumps to recount as Corino-wannabe (how pathetic is that) Rizzano and his male boyfriend continuously drop Supreme into those piles of garbage.
The Bad:
I'll comment on some of the stinkers here, Konnan v. Steele was abysmal, Konnan was trying to get spots off like Teddy Hart with no rhyme or reason while Steele did bump big for them, Konnan's work ethic was nil at this point. Equalizer is Dave Sullivan who really had no business being on TV in an athletic role. Savage v. Dog was actually the main event of this show in Houston and boy did it disappoint. Lots of stalling, lots of posturing and less physical contact than Stallone's sex scene in "Demolition Man." Badd's squash wasn't bad per se, but it was extremely short and he didn't particularly look like good in it, which if the job guy is shit, at least try to make yourself look good, which he didn't. Ice Train did 2 moves here, which says it all.
Brian's List - Queue Slayer #1
1. Kensuke Sasaki and Minoru Suzuki vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura - 7 - NJPW 12/11/04
2. Sid Vicious and Harlem Heat vs. Ron Simmons, 2 Cold Scorpio, and Marcus Alexander Bagwell - 5 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
3. Tito Santana vs. Jake Roberts - 6 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
4. Barry Windham vs. Ron Bass - 6 - Belt vs. Saddle Match - CWF TV 11/16/83
5. Ric Flair vs. Sting - 6 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
6. Jumbo vs. Billy Robinson - 6 - 2 out of 3 Falls Match - AJPW 3/5/77
7. British Bulldogs vs. Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik - 5 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
8. Vic Grimes vs. Psicosis - 5 - XPW Retribution
9. Demolition vs. Twin Towers - 5 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
10. Richard Charland vs. Red Rooster - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
11. Kaos vs. Pogo the Clown - 4 - XPW Retribution
12. Dick Slater vs. Dino Bravo - 5 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
13. Blue Blazer vs. Brooklyn Brawler - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
14. Mr. Perfect vs. Tito Santana - 5 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
15. Bret Hart vs. Rick Martel - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
16. Charlie Norris vs. Fury - 4 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
17. Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude - 4 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
18. Chris Hero vs. Trik Davis - 4 - 30-Min. Ironman Match - IWA Mid-South 2/18/06
19. Danny Spivey vs. Moondog Spot - 4 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
20. Butch Reed vs. Steve Gatorwolf - 3 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
21. Young Bucks vs. Cutler Bros. - 4 - PWG DDT4 5/22/09
22. Supreme vs. Steve Rizzono - 3 - XPW Retribution
23. Mike Rotunda vs. Moondog Rex - 3 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
24. Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori vs Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson - 3 - NJPW 7/5/09
25. Greg Valentine vs. Hillbilly Jim - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
26. Webb vs. The Sandman - 3 - XPW Retribution
27. 16-Man Battle Royal: Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Demolition, Big Bossman, Akeem, Honkytonk Man, Greg Valentine, Blue Blazer, Brooklyn Brawler, Hillbilly Jim, Red Rooster, Jim Powers, and Richard Charland - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
28. Super Dragon vs. Disco Machine - 3 - XPW Retribution
29. One Man Gang vs. Hector Guerrero, Mike Fever, and Denny Brown - CWF TV 11/16/83 - 2
30. Big Van Vader vs. JD Stryker - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
31. Johnny B. Badd vs. Mike Thor - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
32. Honky Tonk Man vs. Jim Powers - 3 - WWF Ontario 5/1/89
33. Junkyard Dog vs. Randy Savage - 2 - WWF Houston 11/26/86
34. Angel vs. G.Q. Money vs. Preston Ascott III - 2 - XPW Retribution
35. The Equalizer vs. Ron Preston - 2 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
36. Konnan vs. Damien Steele - 2 - XPW Retribution
37. Ice Train vs. Rage - 1 - WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93
Alright, let's make some sense of this, shall we? My #1 match comes from a BMD (or, Brian's Mix Disc) disc which is another project of mine where I've compiled random matches and shows together to circulate amongst the NHO team. In general I love the Japanese style, but this match didn't rest on its laurels, of course, it had the stiff action you've come to expect from a high profile NJPW match, but it also featured a tremendous build and a great closing section that saw the crowd incredibly excited for the possibility of win by the Tanahasi and Nakamura team.
Other matches from the BMD didn't fair so well, Tsuruta vs. Robinson from the late-'70's was good, but some of the other random matches fell considerably lower. The disc with the least amount of actual matches on it was an episode of CWF TV from '83. The bulk of that episode was a WIndham vs. Bass grudge match I found satisfying and even though it was the first thing I saw at least a month back it still ended up high on my ballot.
The two WWF arena shows featured highs and lows. I think, overall, I preferred the '86 Houston event although it's slower pace may be off-putting to some. I thought it gave a nice glimpse of guys and match-ups that are more uncommon, and while the '89 Ontario was filled with familiar faces, etc. nothing on it stuck out like the Roberts vs. Santana time-limit draw from Houston. The big surprise for me was the Red Rooster vs. Charland bout from Ontario, it featured hands down the best limb work of any match on this first project's menu.
Jessie had handpicked an episode of WCW Saturday Night from August of '93 that I enjoyed quite a lot. Besides the epic Sting vs. Flair main event that went 40+ min. some of the non-marquee matches featured strong performances including a Charlie Norris vs. Fury match I inexplicably dug, mostly for tag team journeyman Fury's strong heel work. The six-man was the most fun I had watching as Scorpio's selling was superb and everyone worked their roles well.
The last show was an XPW event titled Retribution. XPW has a big black cloud over it and most people won't even give it a chance. I tried to be objective and reserve judgement. Yes, some of my worst fears were realized, it's a company full of excesses, be it poorly done hardcore stuff, objectifying women, etc. But within the manure I found some diamonds, including one of my all-time favorite table bumps in the Kaos vs. Pogo the Clown bout, and a really great big man vs. little man opener involving Psicosis and Vic Grimes.
Jessie's List - Queue Slayer #1
1) Kensuke Sasaki & Minoru Suzuki v. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shinsuke Nakamura (New Japan 12/11/04)- 8
2) Jumbo Tsuruta v. Billy Robinson (AJW, 03/05/77)- 7
3) Barry Windham v. Ron Bass (Florida, 11/16/83)- 6
4) Ric Flair v. Sting (WCW Sat Night 08/21/93)- 6
5) Psicosis v. Vic Grimes (XPW Retribution)- 6
6) Harlem Heat/ Sid v. Ron Simmons/ 2 Cold Scorpio/ Marcus Bagwell (WCW Sat Night 08/21/93)- 6
7) Bret Hart v. Rick Martel (Copps Coliseum 05/01/89)- 6
8) Tito Santana v. Jake Roberts (Sam Houston Coliseum 11/26/86)- 5
9) Rick Rude v. Ultimate Warrior (Copps Coliseum 05/01/89)- 5
10) Supreme v. Steve Rizzano (XPW Retribution)- 5
11) Demolition v. Twin Towers (Copps Coliseum)- 5
12) Dan Spivey v. Moondog Spot (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
13) 16 Man Battle Royal (Copps Coliseum)- 4 14) Chris Hero v. Trik Davis (30 Min. Iron Man)- 4 15) British Bulldogs v. Iron Sheik/ Nikolai Volkoff (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
16) Kaos v. Pogo the Clown (XPW Retribution)- 4
17) Tito Santana v. Mr. Perfect (Copps Coliseum)- 4
18) Dino Bravo v. Dick Slater (Sam Houston Coliseum)- 4
19) Terry Taylor v. Richard Charland (Copps Coliseum)- 4
20) Blue Blazer v. Brooklyn Brawler (Copps Coliseum)- 3
21) Manabu Nakanishi/ Takao Omori v. Giant Bernard/ Karl Anderson (NJ)- 3
22) XPW 3 Way - 3
23) Super Dragon v. Disco Machine (XPW Retribution)- 3
24) Charlie Norris v. Rage (WCW Sat Night)- 3
25) Honky Tonk v. Jim Powers (Copps)- 3
26) Mike Rotundo v. Moondog Rex (Sam Houston)- 3
27) Young Bucks v. Cutler Brothers - 3
28) Sandman v. Johnny Webb (XPW Retribution)- 3
29) Vader v. jobber (WCW Sat Night)- 2
30) Butch Reed v. Steve Gatorwolf (Sam Houston)- 2
31) One Man Gang v. Mike Fever/ Denny Brown/ Hector Guerrero (Florida)- 2
32) Greg Valentine v. Hillbilly Jim (Copps)- 2
33) Konan v. Damien Steele (XPW)- 2
34) Equalizer v. Ron Steele (Sat Night)- 2
35) Randy Savage v. Junkyard Dog (Sam Houston)- 2
36) Johnny B Badd v. Mike Thor (Sat Night)- 1
37) Ice Train v. Rage (Sat Night)- 1
The Good:
Wow, the New Japan tag, for me at least, soared above everything else. These guys worked hard, even in their rest hold segments. Just perfect roles for each team, the veteran bullies, the standout newcomers, and the last few minutes with all the nearfalls felt very AJW mid 90's and an awesome finish. Billy v. Jumbo was a 2/3 falls bout that went back and forth, both guys testing the other one's mettle as far as scientific skills. Even though finishes didn't seem as important back then, the ones they used were believable and I liked the back and forth pace they kept. I'd watched Barry v. Bass before and it's just as fun and bloody here as it was then. Some awesome punches were thrown, liked the gritty outside brawl they did and both men bled buckets. Still creeps me out when Bass goes bareback on Windham's scrawny ass after the match but i guess it's healthier than mounting an unsuspecting sheep back on Bass' farm. Flair v. Sting was a marathon, nearly 40 minutes, and it was filled with stupendous work from two guys that know each so well. That being said, at times it didn't feel like the match really was telling a story, it was just two old rivals wrestling their butts off. The finish stank something awful, and there were a lot of repeat spots but overall both these guys brought it and did more than most could with the slot they had here.
XPW gets on the board with their opener to this horrid show, with a major mismatch of styles but somehow it works. Grimes is a very good worker, he works hard, makes everything look real and hurty, and Psicosis blew way less spots than he usually does. Liked how they kept upping the ante of finishers near the end. This moved higher up due to sheer surprise of how well it worked. The following 6 man clicked on many levels, the Heat were in the prime of their career and they were going all out against their opponents. Sid looked very competent as a monster and Simmons was fun butting horns with him. This got some time too and allowed the two tag teams to really showcase the kind of 2 on2 match they could have inside the confines of this. Martel v. Hart was a great technical battle of two Canadians that also got some time but wasn't your usual ride the mat match; they actually broke out some great spots. Santana v. Roberts was a battle of two of WWF's greatest hands throughout the 80's and while not flashy or flamboyant, it did provide a solid 20 minutes of in ring action where both men showed their strengths; Jake playing mind games and Titos' headlock/dropkick showcase. Rude v. Warrior was a standard match they were having at the time, which means it was some of Warrior's career best. Rude just breaks himself like a Twix bar for all of Warrior's stuff and that classic back selling was there in spades. Surprisingly I find this bout on my final top 10 spot, Supreme who is the living embodiment of Humpty Dumpty takes too many gnarly and flesh shredding bumps to recount as Corino-wannabe (how pathetic is that) Rizzano and his male boyfriend continuously drop Supreme into those piles of garbage.
The Bad:
I'll comment on some of the stinkers here, Konnan v. Steele was abysmal, Konnan was trying to get spots off like Teddy Hart with no rhyme or reason while Steele did bump big for them, Konnan's work ethic was nil at this point. Equalizer is Dave Sullivan who really had no business being on TV in an athletic role. Savage v. Dog was actually the main event of this show in Houston and boy did it disappoint. Lots of stalling, lots of posturing and less physical contact than Stallone's sex scene in "Demolition Man." Badd's squash wasn't bad per se, but it was extremely short and he didn't particularly look like good in it, which if the job guy is shit, at least try to make yourself look good, which he didn't. Ice Train did 2 moves here, which says it all.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Plentiful Potpourri of Puro Ponderings :: Part Ni :: 2010 Super Sexy Edition!
A second installment. This time five pimped matches from 2010~! Scores will obviously be on the higher end seeing as it's all stuff people have pissed their pants over in excitement.
Shinuske Nakamura vs. Hiroki Goto 4.4.10 - NJPW -7
Bring on the hate! The long-legged Boma-yeing Nakamura takes on the tank Goto in a hard-hitting match! I mean, you can talk about stiffness, you can talk about selling, psych, and storytelling, but this match was just a war. So much stiffness combined with great selling. Nakamura's Boma-Ye's were particularly sick. You could see Goto's head whip back after being on the receiving end of said Boma-Ye's. Goto returned the favor, oh yes, he returned the favor with a stiff right hand and then a lariatoooooo! Great nearfalls, but not overkill. Just awesome.
Tenyru vs. Tiger Mask I - RJPW - 3/28/10 - 3
Two old school legends going at in Real Japs as it is so affectionately called. I was very, very pleased to see that there was a pivotal element of stiffness maintained throughout this match, which is important considering its Real Japan. Both men looked to be selling decently, but honestly, you'd probably have to consider their advanced age when taking that into consideration. Finish came out of nowhere when Tenyru tapped out to what looked like a hybrid chickenwing/sleeper. Tenyru doesn't tap out to that crap! Come on!
Masato Tanaka & Mochizuki vs. Sawa & Hidaka - Z1 - 3/2/10 - 6
Was expecting going into this some hard hitting action and I'm pleased to confirm my inklings were indeed correct. Sawa always strikes me as the kind of guy who always goes the extra mile to make sure that everything he does means something in the ring. For example, if he locks in a Fujiwara armbar, then he'll really crank back on it as opposed to simply pull the arm. I've always dug Moch and was happy to see him still tearing it up. Tanaka seemed to be the one in control of the match with the pacing. You'd be able to equate him to a teacher in a room of students, being Sawa and Hidaka despite their tenured status as wrestlers. Tanaka did a good job of pacing as the match slowly built with mat wrestling and striking games coming out more and more fierce as the match progressed. I really enjoyed the intensity of all men, but Sawa was definitely the standout. Match got a little to rushed and cluster-f*cky at the end, but it was indeed fun.
Hidaka & Sawa vs. Usuda & Yoshikawa - BattlArts - 2/7/10 - 6
This match was too legit to quit. The team of Hidaka and Sawa is quite badass because it brings to the table an element that other teams tend to lack: youth + stiffness. Most tag teams will feature one power wrestler and one high flyer, but the team of Hidaka & Sawa offers both quickness and a hell of a stiff striking game combined with some great mat skills. Usuda and Yosh were tearing it up on the mat, hitting great variations and interesting combinations of leglocks, juje gatame's, Fujwaras, and triangle chokes. Stiff strikes and a great set of mat skills by both teams makes a really good match.
Billy Ken Kid vs. Dick Togo - Osaka Pro - 2/11/10 - 5
A lot of people were really going nuts over this match and I agree that it was good, but even the best of things can be looked down upon when they are overdone. I felt like there was just too much stuff going on in this match that it was hard to pay attention to what was happening between BKK & Togo. There were about a half dozen or more guys outside the ring running amuck and causing debauchery. Togo brought the hate to BKK though, ripping off his mask and displaying it proudly on the turnbuckle post like the victim of a brutal war. The false finishes were also done well. I do feel, however, that the match went about 10 minutes too long. Some of the crowd brawling was unnecessary and could've been done without. In the end, I feel like it was a solid match between two guys who know their stuff.
Shinuske Nakamura vs. Hiroki Goto 4.4.10 - NJPW -7
Bring on the hate! The long-legged Boma-yeing Nakamura takes on the tank Goto in a hard-hitting match! I mean, you can talk about stiffness, you can talk about selling, psych, and storytelling, but this match was just a war. So much stiffness combined with great selling. Nakamura's Boma-Ye's were particularly sick. You could see Goto's head whip back after being on the receiving end of said Boma-Ye's. Goto returned the favor, oh yes, he returned the favor with a stiff right hand and then a lariatoooooo! Great nearfalls, but not overkill. Just awesome.
Tenyru vs. Tiger Mask I - RJPW - 3/28/10 - 3
Two old school legends going at in Real Japs as it is so affectionately called. I was very, very pleased to see that there was a pivotal element of stiffness maintained throughout this match, which is important considering its Real Japan. Both men looked to be selling decently, but honestly, you'd probably have to consider their advanced age when taking that into consideration. Finish came out of nowhere when Tenyru tapped out to what looked like a hybrid chickenwing/sleeper. Tenyru doesn't tap out to that crap! Come on!
Masato Tanaka & Mochizuki vs. Sawa & Hidaka - Z1 - 3/2/10 - 6
Was expecting going into this some hard hitting action and I'm pleased to confirm my inklings were indeed correct. Sawa always strikes me as the kind of guy who always goes the extra mile to make sure that everything he does means something in the ring. For example, if he locks in a Fujiwara armbar, then he'll really crank back on it as opposed to simply pull the arm. I've always dug Moch and was happy to see him still tearing it up. Tanaka seemed to be the one in control of the match with the pacing. You'd be able to equate him to a teacher in a room of students, being Sawa and Hidaka despite their tenured status as wrestlers. Tanaka did a good job of pacing as the match slowly built with mat wrestling and striking games coming out more and more fierce as the match progressed. I really enjoyed the intensity of all men, but Sawa was definitely the standout. Match got a little to rushed and cluster-f*cky at the end, but it was indeed fun.
Hidaka & Sawa vs. Usuda & Yoshikawa - BattlArts - 2/7/10 - 6
This match was too legit to quit. The team of Hidaka and Sawa is quite badass because it brings to the table an element that other teams tend to lack: youth + stiffness. Most tag teams will feature one power wrestler and one high flyer, but the team of Hidaka & Sawa offers both quickness and a hell of a stiff striking game combined with some great mat skills. Usuda and Yosh were tearing it up on the mat, hitting great variations and interesting combinations of leglocks, juje gatame's, Fujwaras, and triangle chokes. Stiff strikes and a great set of mat skills by both teams makes a really good match.
Billy Ken Kid vs. Dick Togo - Osaka Pro - 2/11/10 - 5
A lot of people were really going nuts over this match and I agree that it was good, but even the best of things can be looked down upon when they are overdone. I felt like there was just too much stuff going on in this match that it was hard to pay attention to what was happening between BKK & Togo. There were about a half dozen or more guys outside the ring running amuck and causing debauchery. Togo brought the hate to BKK though, ripping off his mask and displaying it proudly on the turnbuckle post like the victim of a brutal war. The false finishes were also done well. I do feel, however, that the match went about 10 minutes too long. Some of the crowd brawling was unnecessary and could've been done without. In the end, I feel like it was a solid match between two guys who know their stuff.
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