CJD: Let's give World Famous CB his flowers. I remember this match getting some buzz, and I doubt I'll ever get around to watching it otherwise. Obviously super notable in Cheeseburger's career and I'm loving the Coldest Brother right now so let's dive in! There's one main point that I know you're going to make. This match obviously deserved a crowd. Especially the last few minutes and post match. But at least this teacher and student had the chance to have this platform and do something special with it. As a match this is good, although I think actually a little shorter than it should be. As a moment this is great. Delirious made some great contributions to pro wrestling, I'm glad he had a student like Cheeseburger along the way to carry his torch.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Blessed Be The Doctor, Blessed Be The Nurse
CJD: 1996 Champions Carnival finals and I have to agree with you JJZ, I'm pretty sure neither one of us had ever seen this match. How is that possible?? I'm glad though, because this gave me those feelings some of the first All Japan we ever watched in the 90s gave me on grainy VHS tapes all over again. This was magic. From the opening moments to the ground shaking eruption of a finishing stretch. Both men gave an all-time performance. Any sloppiness is totally understandable with what an all out war this was. I knew Doc had major wins over Misawa and Kawada at this point so I knew this was a huge opportunity for Taue. Which is awesome after seeing him as an emerging star a few years earlier in our last match! What I didn't know was this was Doc's return after issues with drugs and depression that Giant Baba helped him through. Reading up a bit more, Doc called Baba a father figure in his life. I know he was to many, but for a gaijin like Williams and the significance his career in Japan had, that's pretty fucking cool. This match was Aces indeed my friend. Very nicely done.
Friday, April 5, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
CJD: You nailed my feelings about this match. This is what's beautiful about indie wrestling, these guys are not exactly known quantities here. Malachi is early in his DEADLOCK run, I think they said his first singles match, and Cheeseburger making his debut? And they fucking knock it out of the park. A match that communicates everything you need to know whether you're 8 years old or have been watching pro wrestling for decades. Great physical action, creativity, a fun face/heel dynamic, good pace, just the right kind of finish. I never ever would have told you I'm a Cheeseburger fan before. I was wrong! Like you said I never gave the guy a chance and I'm so glad you gave me the opportunity to correct that. He was a gem here, bringing a seasoned veteran presence that only a true student of the game could. Who has put in the reps! And I loved this side of Malachi. What a find JJZ! I can't wait to watch more World Famous CB!!!
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
For Once In Your Life, Here's Your Miracle
JJZ: Smoking a cigar and drinking a Guinness. Let's fucking go. This is a back and forth hoss battle! Thank you for the history lesson to this gem. No matter what is on the line for this match all four of these guys fucking went for it. And it all built to an ending that was straight violence. Just four dogs fighting for a bone. So entertaining. And it didn't even feel that long! All Japan Pro Wrestling had the ability to make time stand still with the action in the ring during this era. Love it CJD.
Friday, March 15, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
JJZ: RIP to one of my favorite nicknames ever. Hot Fire. Oh well. But this match was Hot Fire! Both wrestlers came out the shoot trying to one up each other and man oh man was it enjoyable to watch. This match was such an indie darling style that I felt like it was 2006 all over again. I could picture Dave Prazak calling some of those spots. Jay Malachi is brand new to me also. He has that young puppy energy that you can feel through the screen. Excited to really dive into more of his stuff. I know he is young but you can tell he has been working for years. Good shit!
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Your Love Is Blind, Blind As A Bat
CJD: You read my mind with that comment about Hansen/DBS. This match certainly had the big fight feels. The Bulldogs were limited but Stan and Terry made them look like a million bucks. Gordy really went above and beyond. The way he kept selling the press slam, like that was the reason Hansen tried to sneak in as the illegal man, was such a wonderful touch. And man, what a beautiful finish, as perfect as you could hope from a match like this. This was a dream match that delivered, and with the limitations you had from a barely mobile Dynanite and a walking science experiment in Davey, that's pretty damn impressive!
Friday, March 1, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
CJD: The thing I love about this match is that while neither one of these guys is the most physically imposing, they both bring that aura to this match that this title fight is larger than life. These are two guys that do the little things right, inside and outside of the ring. And while this is a very modern match, besides Hot Fire with that flashy offense, this is a match that feels busy without doing too much. Nothing overly complicated or cute. Just a good little barnburner, from two awesome talents, in a fun proportion, with good commentary, in front of a great crowd. That's some Friday goodness right there!!
Friday, February 23, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
JJZ: Man I love DEFY. In my 20s I would have definitely set out to get a ton of DEFY DVDs. You did a fantastic job of getting back on track here baby cakes. Keith is brand new to me I think. Nothing is coming to mind. But I'll agree CJD, he really works like he's been there before and that the moment is not too big for him. Dude's got some good intensity and can bang. Now it blows my mind that Tanaka can still go to this level after all the death matches and chair shots and powerbombs and just sick spots he has taken. This match is 27 year after that death match we played. That's a lot of bumps man. Tip of the cap to his journey. Loved the finish. I think it really made Keith look strong without taking anything away from Tanaka.
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
I Heard Screamin' And Bull Whips Cracking
Stand Hansen/Bruiser Brody (c) VS Giant Baba/Dory Funk Jr - AJPW PWF Tag Team Championship 8/26/1984
JJZ: This might be weird to say but my favorite time to watch older AJPW is at night with a drink. Preferably with cigar. It always feels like an event when I watch this type of match. At this moment, it 8:21 AM on a weekday and I'm drinking coffee in my underwear. I'm sure I will enjoy this just the same. The energy that Hansen and Brody come in with is fucking intense. So the "oooooooo" Baba got for running the ropes actually made me laugh out loud. It's so Terry Funk to completely leave an impression on you in a match that he isn't even in. Jesus Chris. This brawl is so wild and insane. Terry is a man that can make me fully believe that he is in a fight for his life. Now. The match before the craziness was really good. Baba actually looked pretty good man. Such a fun watch!
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
One Soft Infested Summer, Me And Terry Became Friends
CJD: The Funks in WWF felt like such an alternate reality, like a Marvel What If? storyline. It's not what I want when I watch the Funks but I'm glad it happened just to add yet another chapter into the epic novels of their careers. You nailed the amazing ability they had to still feel menacing despite turning the gaga up to 11 opposite two all-time babyfaces like Hulk and JYD. I would have liked a little more of the face in peril to build to the finish but with a match like this you take what you can get. Waking up to white knee pads Hogan, Gorilla and Lord Alfred on commentary, with a cup of green tea for breakfast and a side of Terrible Terry and Hoss Funk is fine by me babycakes!
Friday, February 2, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
CJD: So this is taking us far from our Forever Forward Fridays themes here. But I know where I'm going to take this little detour next, and it's going to loop right back into the highway my friend. And as far as FFF pays tribute to the independent spirit of pro wrestling, well this is sure fucking it right here. What they're doing for this size crowd, with this level of bells and whistles, you can really see how FMW had that brief moment of blazing glory. In a strange way this reminded me of our Funks tag last Tuesday, in how it never stopped building and stuck the landing. Every spot added purpose and a feeling of escalation. Nakagawa wrestled like half the match wrapped in barbed wire!! Hayabusa had such a hero aura about him and it was awesome seeing such opposite sides of his career with these two matches of his. Bret is good people indeed, he's done amazing work chronicling the history of FMW over the years and I never would have seen this absolute gem of a match without him. Thank you BAHU!!
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
He Don't Give In, He's A Family Man
JJZ: Fuck man. Before the match even starts I'm like damn. Some matches on paper just make you say hell yeah brother, let's go! I know your absolute love of Terry, so I know finding this match for you was such a wonderful moment. What Terry adds to a match is priceless. Even him taking hip tosses from Ricky feels like a big spot. Dory is classic man. He is the steady hand that keeps everything calm for his team. Jay Youngblood. Gone way too soon. Had so much potential and brought such energy to his matches. This was a fundamental classic tag match baby cakes. The crowd was fantastic and the build needs to be watched by young tag teams. I think basic is a negative word at times but this match had so many basic things executed to perfection. Great match baby!
Friday, January 19, 2024
Forever Forward Fridays
Kyoko Inoue VS H - FMW 3/27/2000
CJD: File under: matches I never knew happened, exhibit A. I know maskless Hayabusa is not something we seek out. And I know this match puts you in a really awkward position to stick with our Friday themes. But this was so in the spirit of Forever Forward, especially for 2000 Japan, that I couldn't pass this up. If we have to hold up the imaginary FFF Championship and start from scratch, so be it. Inoue controls a crowd so beautifully. Dare I say she carried H for sections of this. Hayabusa is trying to get revenge for a loss to Kyoko in a tag match so he's really bringing the stank. I would've liked just a little more at the end but considering I never dreamed this match happened, I'll take what I got. What a strange time the year 2000 was.
JJZ: This was a very unexpected surprise babycakes. My first thoughts about this match was that I was happy that H didn't entirely wrestle as Hyabusa. Obviously some moves yes. But it wasn't a carbon copy. Inoue seems so pissed off during this match. You could tell she had something to prove. This was a really heated battle. I loved the aggressive nature of the bout. I know this was a intergender match but it never felt like that. It had the feels of two people wanting to beat the hell out of each other. I don't think I knew that Hayabusa worked maskless! Love play it forward for times like this.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
In The Bushes With The Mask Like Vader
CJD: I seem to remember one of the Death Valley Driver guys claiming back when that Steamboat might have been Vader's low key best opponent. Maybe after Sting like you said. And I've seen some of their matches but even I didn't think to name him last week when talking about the top babyfaces Vader was working magic with. These two had so many sneaky great matches and this one is still new to me. I think I tried to hunt this down on custom comps but never found it. And of course in 2024 here it is at my fingertips in crystal clear VQ!! Talk about 70/30, this shit was more like 85/15. What a beating and what comebacks! I loved the deliberate pace and the way they timed Steamboat's offense. This was an absolute treat, thank you Jim Duggan for finding this little detour for us! God damn.
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
What You Gonna Do About It, Tough Guy??
JJZ: WCW Saturday Night might be the best weekly wrestling show ever. It produced so many amazing matches and moments. Man, this is hands down the best Dunggan match I've seen from this era of his career. And it's not from being carried at all. He totally held his own with Vader. Really dug down and brought his 1980s level shit. The fans were on the edge of their seats during this. I fucking loved Jimmy D leveling the playing field with the 2x4 and those comeback punches were straight fire son! Wish it was a clean finish but I get it. Both guys came out looking good and that's what you want.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)