Forever Forward Fridays

Pentagon Dark VS Reklusa - Lucha Underground 10/10/2018

CJD: I know I should be familiar with Chelsea Green. But I'm not, and that's the beauty of FFFridays. This match I never would've watched otherwise broadens my horizons with a very talented wrestler, in the early stages of her career, who I now have an entire world of possibilities for when I check out more of her work in the future. I can't wait to see what you come back with. Even 4 years into the business she brings so much life to this match, a must-see energy that you know Penta is going to match. As with most Lucha Underground they're trying to weave this into a larger storyline and I don't know if it's entirely necessary, but it's part of their charm. This was a wild ride for a match that I totally picked on a whim. I think you'll enjoy hopping on!

JJZ: I've been wanting to watch this match for a while. I honestly never checked the Tube for it because I've never had luck with Lucha Underground on that platform. Also I didn't know her name was Reklusa in LU. I should be calling her Chelsea Black and Blue after this match. (Sorry for the horrible joke) Man CJD, this was a blast. Lucha Underground is always such a joy to watch and matches like this are exactly why. Super stiff with a ton of "oh shit" spots. Reklusa went all out trying to have an even offensive output despite her size difference. Penta should teach a class on thigh slappies. Sounded so good. Really enjoyed the little theater we got treated to after the match. Honestly wouldn't put it past Lucha Underground to set Penta on fire!

Throw The Dice, Cold As Ice

Raven VS Dean Malenko - WCW 2/11/1998

JJZ: Threw this match on and didn't really know what to expect. Technically I always thought Raven was a little underrated and wanted to see if he'd be able to have a nice back and forth with Dean. That didn't happen at all! This was right in that ECW vein and both guys did a really nice job with a smash mouth match. I always enjoyed Raven's run in WCW. It was a good change of pace on the shows. I wouldn't call anything Malenko ever does sloppy so I will say that the execution of the moves were a little wild and more aggressive than normal. Even with the short run time the ending had me bitting a couple times. Just good TV overall. Enjoy homie.

CJD: Very fitting to watch this match right after the Raven documentary came out. I wouldn't be surprised if both of us watched this live with how dialed in we were in this era. And man this takes me back to how frustrating WCW was in this time period. Commentary a total trainwreck with Tenay trying desperately to keep it on the tracks. Enormously bloated roster shoehorned into every angle to try to justify having them all on the payroll. And buried beneath all of it, somehow still shining if you look hard enough, some shockingly good wrestling! These two worked so well together. And every time they pushed Malenko I was surprised how much he'd run with it, with consistently great crowd reactions. I do remember hating the "Raven loves pain" angle they were working at the time, although I could easily see that being his own invention. I'm curious if he ever mentioned it in any shoots. This match was not at all what I expected from you this week but it's such a fun detour. A perfect time capsule of the undercard of 1998 American TV pro wrestling, with all the highs and lows that came with it.

We'd Catch The Rainbow, Ride The Wind

Shinjiro Otani/El Samurai VS Black Tiger II/Dean Malenko - NJPW 9/24/1993

CJD: Huge shout out to the guys over at Segunda Caida for unearthing this fan cam on their Found Footage Fridays. Holy guacamole, you want to talk about white whales. This match speaks to our teenage tape trading fandom moby dick days. This was a dream come true. Now my bff, I'm warning you right away. There's some moments we miss out on, given the nature of how this was filmed. And there's some missed moments that are really heart breaking. I'm sorry in advance. But just remind yourself: we could so so easily live in a timeline where this match was lost to the sands of time. Yet here we are. I'm so glad this niche of a niche hobby brought me to this moment in time.

I'll say a few things about the actual match. After watching an all out war with Murakami where there was some filthy alley fighting legwork, it was fun to travel back to this heated technical clinic where Otani's still taking and giving and stuffing nasty leg picks and holds. And, god almighty, I love the energy that was in this arena. This crowd knew then what we know now. It's special that we got to bear witness to these kind of performers practicing their craft at this level with this kind of platform. I'm so glad you sent us on an Otani Odyssey!!!

JJZ: This match is a dream come true man. Like if we were booking a dream card from this era I would've booked this match. The fact it's a fan cam with a few hiccups makes it even more of a unicorn in my opinion. Hearing the crowd from this point of view is so cool and adds a little ambiance. Chris. Just watching all these guys hit their moves is like comfort food. I'm getting so much happiness from it. Watching this is reminding me why we hold these guys in such high regard.  It is funny though, because if we watched this match back in the day I wonder if we would have appreciated it. We were so knee deep in matches of these four back then. Finding something like this now though I know I don't take it for granted. Thank you my friend.

The Moonlight Coming

Shinjiro Otani VS Kazunari Murakami - Zero One 6/14/2001

JJZ: I'm pretty positive we've watched this together many many moons ago. I honestly just wanted to see some Otani. Shinjiro could be such a fucking prick that I knew this would be such a fun match to review. Both guys just throwing kicks and punches with bad intentions. Everything landing so hard that I would've believed for real some got knocked out. Just a wonderful stiff fight that I wouldn't disagree with anyone if they told me it was a shoot. I can't remember if they had a rematch or not? I would assume this built to a huge blow off but I couldn't find anything on YouTube. You followed this fued pretty close no?

CJD: They've had a bunch of matches I'm pretty sure! We watched some from years later, I don't think I've seen this one before though 😍

So if I'm not mistaken this is a rematch from a barnburner these two had on the very first Z1 show. That match gets talked about as an all-timer but in true PIF spirit, I think you've uncovered a real gem here John. This is such a beautiful spectacle. I love love loved Otani casually stepping on Murakami's leg and refusing to get off. And I'm loving this early Zero 1 kick we're on, I'd keep exploring these shows for months if they were easy to find online. This vision of pro wrestling speaks to me. I watched every minute of the post match promo having no idea what was being said. And not needing to.

Forever Forward Fridays

Mike Santana (c) VS Penta El Zero Miedo - HOG World Championship 3/2/2024

JJZ: So, while watching this match I got such strong ECW vibes. The energy from the crowd lead to Penta and Santana kinda wrestling to just pop the crowd with every spot. Which they did very well. No real psychology other than giving the paying customer what they wanted. Santana is an interesting wrestler. He doesn't look like he'd be as athletic as he is. I would assume a New Jack style from him but dude can go. Penta is always a treat to watch. My guy has such charisma in the ring. Not gonna lie I wasn't crazy about the finish but I left this match more satisfied than disappointed.

CJD: These two did a great job making this match and the promotion feel big. I'll agree with you on Santana and take it one step further, I never imagined he could be The Guy like he is in this match. But he is every bit the HOG Ace with a capital A here, you buy in completely and so do these fans. I know I'm in the minority but I'm not a big Penta fan. The one area I can't knock him is in that X factor, and this match brought that. This was highly entertaining, and for me the finish and post match was kind of a pleasant surprise. It felt like late 90s tv, maybe a little bit of an ECW vibe like you said. A little out of control and takes you on a ride. Everyone played their part really well and the crowd was rabid. I thought this was a great pick even if the match had aspects that left us both wanting. Not always a bad thing! Very curious where I want to go with Zero Miedo.

Forever Forward Fridays

Shelton Benjamin VS Mike Santana - Prestige Wrestling 7/12/2024

CJD: I wasn't sure if I was going to play this one forward. There's some awkward moments and I wish Prestige didn't telegraph that the finish of their uploads is just about to happen. I like everything else about their production, and I know it's for music rights. But still!! This match won out for me though because it had a really fun energy. In some ways it reminded me of a  2002 ROH undercard. Random pairings you don't know what to expect from that hit at least a couple of really memorable highlight kinda moments. And get you genuinely invested by the end to see who wins and how. So basically good bread and butter indies wrestling. Steaming hot rolls with a nice warm cup of soup on a crisp October morning. You get what I'm laying down JJZ?? I'm very tired this morning but I enjoyed this match with my thermos of coffee as a little pick me up and I think you'll enjoy it too.

JJZ: Man you are right. I could totally picture this at the Murphy Rec Center. Definitely a little clumpy at times but entertaining as fuck. The crowd wasn't packed but I got the feeling from them that they appreciated the effort Santana and Benjamin put forth. They did a good job of building to the big pop moments. Showing off good fundamental wrestling early. I've been a fan of Mike Santana since seeing him in AEW. Feel like be he always over performed when I didn't expect him to. Nice little yin and yang over these last couple matches.

I Keep Trying To Find A Better Way

Mitsuhara Misawa/Takeshi Rikio VS Naoya Ogawa/Kazunari Murakami - Zero One 4/18/2001

CJD: Sending this one over on your birthday my BFF and cofounder of PIF. This match is all ambiance with a little bit of extra spice and sizzle in the execution we do get. You and I were just talking shop about how early NOAH and Z1 was such a time and place in wrestling history, such a different vibe for the puro scene. It seemed like they might be onto something huge, but regardless of how it all played out, I love going back and revisiting this stuff. I could watch a 10 disc Best of NOAH/Zero 1 Max Crossovers comp. Does that exist? That really should exist. I feel like I should say more about this match. Our current MDTSOCWWKD Champ, Rikio, brings the heat once again!! And I swear we've featured the most random collection of Misawa matches PIF over the years for a legitimate GOAT candidate. Happy birthday my friend!

JJZ: Can't believe I'm gonna say this but these two PIF matches have really changed my opinion of Rikio. This match starts guns blazing with some of the meanest potatoes I've ever seen to Rikios body and head. I thought he was just gonna be getting the shit kicked out of him this match but hot damn I was wrong. He flipped the switch and started shooting right back. Let's call this match what it was CJD. It was a fight. Everyone laying it the fuck in. No one really selling til the finish. Which was so goddamn stiff. Yeah we need so many comps of this feud. This is a must watch match.

You Light My Morning Sky With Burning Love

Kenta Kobashi (c) VS Takeshi Rikio - NOAH GHC Heavyweight Championship 3/6/2004

JJZ: SPOILER ALERT. Just getting it out of the way but I can't rightfully review this match without spoiling the finish.

I wanna say that I bet this pick suprises you but I don't know if it would. I had so many options. I watched so many matches. I went with this match because I kept thinking about it days after I watched it.  Mainly because I thought it was the match that Rikio ended Kobashi's incredible GHC title reign. It wasn't. I've never seen that match before and I figured now is as good as a time as any. So when Kobashi repeatedly chopped and slapped the piss out of Rikio and then what can only be called a bicep punch to the face, got the three count I was like, Fuck. So Rikio challenged for the Global Crown twice. I'm sure I knew that at one time but I didn't know that when I watched this match. Kobashi made Rikio look like a goddamn star in this match. Don't get me wrong, Kobashi made Rikio earn everything but Rikio really looked like a guy who could have a successful title run that would help NOAH. That didn't happen. But for 27 minutes Kenta Kobashi and Takeshi Rikio put on a world title match that would make any wrestling fan fall in love with the sport just a little more.

CJD: As you said, everything about this match felt like Rikio's coming out party. A guy who's been punching that clock and packing that lunchbox for years and years finally gets his moment where he's the main character of everyone's story. Only, he never really was, but he sure as hell put in the performance that felt like it. He WORKED for this match. Kobashi played off him much more than the other way around, which surprised me. I'd also never seen this before despite watching most of Kobashi's reign. And other than the legwork, which was fine but not really what I wanted at that moment, there was nothing more or less I wanted from this match. I think this show also drew a huge crowd which makes sense in the rise and fall of the story of the Rikio experiment. It was probably more a result of Kobashi lighting the world on fire than the fans clamoring for Takeshi Rikio, but let's give the often forgotten half of Wild II his flowers. He took a hellacious beating in this match and made us all believe, at least for that one night, "should he be the guy??"

Forever Forward Fridays

Shelton Benjamin (c) VS MVP - WWE United States Championship 3/20/2009

JJZ: Babycakes. Finding an MVP match was so much harder than I thought it would be. The options were so few which kinda shocked me. I know WWE is not FFF material but highlighting Benjamin and MVP is totally worth playing a WWE match forward. This is definitely a shotgun of a match with high energy and a hot crowd. Both Shelton and MVP have insane athleticism and going at a frantic pace even for a short amount of time showcased that. I was impressed that they were able to get me with a couple falsies. Just a fun little watch homie.

CJD: The Hurt Business Implodes!!! I almost played a Shelton/Masters match forward to you weeks back, so I'm glad the Gold Standard is still getting his due. This match really brought it. They laid that shit in, but also showed nice restraint trying to get the most out of each moment. There were a few times where they could have brought the crowd up a little more but they kept it going to a steady climax in a short amount of time. JR and Taz is an odd couple duo but they did a good job getting this one over. I expected to like this one a lot, and it still exceeded my expectations. If you've got 10 minutes to burn and want to watch two guys lay it all out in a championship clash, this match is your huckleberry.

Super Generation Army Meets Takayamamania

Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi VS Jun Akiyama/Yoshihiro Takayama - NOAH 9/16/2000

CJD: So this isn't my Kikuchi white whale I alluded to. And you want to know the damndest thing John? I saw it out on the internet seas. But that's the thing about white whales, isn't it? Sometimes you'd rather know they're out there waiting for you than actually catch them. I decided I wanted a different flavor of Kikuchi, and there's nothing quite like year one NOAH. File this under matches we might've seen before. But how the hell am I not going to play this forward?? This had me riveted. All four guys brought such a great dynamic. This is a match that sets the table more than it feasts, but I am so so okay with that. And I know you have time to sink your teeth into a main course with whatever you play back! This match made me think of you through and through my friend.

JJZ: Oh baby are you hitting me right in the heart with this one. I could watch early NOAH all day! I'm assuming this is building to the 12/23/2000 singles match between Akiyama and Kobashi. Just wanna say that Takayama's German to Kikuchi was RIDICULOUS. I'll totally agree this match was all about setting the table and they did it so fucking well. Something often missing from modern puro. The energy and excitement coming from the crowd of the new born promotion was felt through the screen. It is really impressive that even though Kikuchi is so under sized in this match he honestly makes the biggest impression. They way he puts his whole body into every movement makes him so easy to cheer for. Kobashi is the greatest of all time. Takayama is the standard for Japanese hoss wrestlers. And Akiyama. I don't know if he will ever be truly appreciated considering the shadows he had to come out from under. This match was wonderful.

Forever Forward Fridays

MVP VS Chris Masters - WWE RAW 7/27/2009

CJD: I've always had a soft spot for MVP, even before he became an elder statesman of pro wrestling counter culture. This match is even more simple than your Masters studio match, and one of the shortest we've ever featured. It has a bonus match snuck onto the end, with Kofi Kingston VS Brian Kendrick that's worth a watch as well! Masters and Montel are such giant men that everything they do here looks impressive. The booking was different and effective if a little anti climactic. We were just talking to each other about how we aren't always watching matches for the blog for their overall quality, and this is a good example. This is just an interesting piece of wrestling for a few reasons. And I'm looking forward to more Atonio Banks from you!

JJZ: Love the cameo by JTG after the match. That finish was soooo good. Really clever. So this was definitely simple but it was supposed to be simple. The  wrestling wasn't the star of the match it was the ambiance. Masters coming back, the ticking clock on the titantron. Knowing that there might not be  an actual pinfall or submission to end the match. Also loved the yoked up meat head using his brain to get the job done. 👍

RIP Jaka

The pro wrestling world lost another wrestler far too young. Jaka has passed away at 39 years old. The GoFundMe his brother had posted while he was in the ICU is still active and his family will certainly need support through this awful time.

Donate Here

Through the years here at PiF we only shared one Jaka match, but it's one of my favorites we've ever featured. It captures so many elements of what I love about pro wrestling. I'm going to watch it again this week and seek out more of Jaka's work in his memory. RIP to a talented man gone way too soon.

Homicide/Eddie Kingston VS Doom Patrol - Beyond Wrestling 11/25/2018

Forever Forward Fridays

Chris Adonis VS JTG - NWA Heavyweight Championship 7/6/2021

JJZ: I know studio wrestling has been back for a little bit but I haven't really watched it. Now the match itself is fine. Super basic, really clean and a simple story. I've never been a Chris Adonis (Masters) guy. He is like a modern Lex Luger. Honestly I'm not sharing this for the wrestling. I'm sharing this for the feel, the look. Watching this took me back to 7 year old JJZ. Just a little kid watching two jacked, oiled up guys throwing each other around. JTG and the Masterpiece made me feel nostalgic for 11 minutes.

CJD: So thanks to your match I learned two things about Chris Adonis. He's Jewish, and he saved his mother from a burning building in a 2013 arson attempt by ripping a 10 foot tree out of the ground so she could climb out of the window?! What the fuck! Anyway, this is a little off brand for FFFridays, but I'll allow it because I really want to watch more of this era of JTG. What is on brand for Adonis, is I got a quick workout in while I watched this. And it felt appropriate because this was a very workmanlike match. Clean and simple is a great way to sum it up baby. This match was like when you're in the zone at work and you're always 3 steps ahead of what you're currently doing. Everything came together nicely. The bad guy was easy to root against. The good guy was easy to root for. Everything made sense. They did some impressive shit. They finished on a logical beat that left you wanting to see more in a few different ways. As you said, this is an important flavor of pro wrestling storytelling, and a very good modern example of it!

You're Out Of Your Element, Robby

Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (c) VS Rob Van Dam - AJPW Junior Heavyweight Championship 10/12/1996

JJZ: Baby cakes. We've probably seen this before. We may have already reviewed this before but I don't care and just wanted to watch this. When I saw it pop up I was like oh hell yeah. Let's go. RVD does all the things people love about him in this one and none of the shit that might annoy you. He showcased his ridiculous acrobatics and mixed in some pretty stiff moves. Kikuchi is incredible. He is AJPW's version of Mikey Whipwreck. He puts his own little touches on the most basic moves while hitting shit that makes me say Jesus Christ! Hope you like this as much as me baby.

CJD: I have 100% never seen this before! Was Kikuchi the secret GOAT RVD opponent?? What great chemistry between these two. I loved the subtle comedy, the way Kikuchi would slow it down, and really built to the shock and awe of Van Dam's big spots. And RVD was dialed in for this era, vibrating at just the right frequency for this golden opportunity. 90s AJPW junior heavyweight matches in full are such a god damn treat. I feel like every VHS we got back then we were lucky if we got more than a few minutes of clips. And there's still a Kikuchi white whale match for me from back then that I've only seen clipped, so let's go hunting!

Like A Nightmare

Danny Davis/Rob Zakowski VS Chris Candido/Dong Cho Ming - USWA 6/22/1991

CJD: John. How am I not going to play this match forward. As two ECW teen fanboys from the 90s, how fucking cool is this?? Like what is even happening here, is Don Cho Ming a Mick Foley era backyarder?? I've never had less hesitation to go with a 4 minute match. This is a must watch. Thank you Danny Davis for bringing us here!!!

JJZ: Wow. Best 4 minute match ever? It just might be CJD. For 1992 this match showed some really ahead of its time stuff. RVD obviously looked like an emerging star with this match. Meng definitely could be a backyarder. Candido and Rob look like such babies also. Talk about white meat babyfaces. Not even sure who were the heels and the faces. You were 100 percent spot on to share this! Side note I thought Danny Davis was coming into the match with some color before realizing it was face paint.

CJD: Holy shit Don Cho Ming was baby Osamu Nishimura?!? I don't understand how, according to wikipedia and cagematch the dates don't match up. But I've seen that mentioned in multiple places.

JJZ: God damn. That would be crazy.

Forever Forward Fridays

Jacob Fatu (c) VS JTG - HOG World Championship 2/3/2023

CJD: When we came up with the concept for FFFridays, I bet you'd never guess we'd end up at Jacob Fatu VS JTG years later. But here we are!! This match probably isn't going to blow your socks off, but it was way better than I expected. JTG is really good working from under, the match loses momentum a bit when he's in the driver's seat. But his selling and emotion elevate the match a ton by the end. I really liked the extra mustard the ring announcer put on the intros. I bet if I dug deeper on Fatu I could find some real hidden gems, but I'm more than happy to land on Jay The GAWD and see what you come back with in return!

JJZ: Not gonna lie, I was always really impressed that Cryme Tyme was able to wrestle in Tims. Just saying. I thought this match was a solid wrestling contest. JTG was better than I expected. He really showcased his strength. Throwing Fatu around like I used to throw my son around. Honestly they worked this match like a WWE match. Big intro, slow start that builds to some big spots, and a big finish. I'll agree that it isn't the greatest thing we have ever shared but not everything can be. Sometimes we need to showcase just some good old wrestling. I feel like Fatu always does something that makes me say goddamn! That Samoan Drop was fantastic. JTG ain't no JT Fury but he put on a good match.

Your American Express, Oh That Great, Great American Excess

The Battens VS The Nightmares - CWA 12/29/1984

JJZ: I don't know where the hell we've gone CJD but I don't know who the Nightmares are either! With the Battens being twins but also faces, I was wondering if they would still do the switch a roo when the ref wasn't looking. They did! I like it. There's a finish in this match I've never seen before. It's easy to argue that it was unnecessary and the other Batten should've ran in but I think it legitimately gives and shows the ref's power in the ring. Great flow to the match with both teams showing off good offense. The Nightmares gave off such good sleazy 80s heel energy. All while looking like rec league softball players. These last few matches have been so much fun man. Love Debutting wrestlers to PIF.

CJD: Rec League Softball Players indeed baby. What a perfectly 80s territory tag team match. The Nightmares were a treat. Memphis is a huge blindspot for me, stylistically it's just not my bag, even if I'll always have a soft spot for matches like this. Matches that go to Fist City, if you know what I mean!! I'm so fascinated to see what I dig up with the Beer league boys, I can't imagine that's the more famous Danny Davis before he started ripping shit up at the gym. Maybe they did a tour of All Japan?!? Also yeah, that finish was an interesting one indeed. Just a fun oddball match in general my friend.

Forever Forward Fridays

Masha Slamovich VS Jacob Fatu - Wrestling REVOLVER 11/16/2023

JJZ: So Fatu is so violent I was super curious how stiff this was gonna be. Masha can really bring it, you know she wasn't going to back down at all. Wrestling Revolver brings a high standard with the production quality. Just a little shout out. I thought both wrestlers really fucking went for it without going over the line with the physicality. Just a stiff straight forward shot for shot match that was a lot of fun with a hot crowd. A ton of big pop spots. Some good falsies and a lot of hard striking. Enjoy.

CJD: I don't know about that Tussle Cam John. Not a fan. And that's my only criticism of this match! What a banger and clanger. I thought this was actually a little more even than Masha VS Bayne. Which is a credit to both matches, and how the different opponents brought a different approach, with Masha adapting beautifully to both. She looked like a total world beater against Fatu and it was very realistic how even it felt. The show of respect post match was a nice touch. I'm so glad we found our way back to Slamovich, she always brings it, and I've watched way too much MLW to check out what Fatu was up to. Looking forward to seeing some more of his contemporary work... perhaps??

A Mad Dog, You've Got Nothing I Can Use

Buzz Sawyer/Matt Borne VS Bart Batten/Brad Batten - World Class 8/22/1986

CJD: I don't think I watched quite as much Buzz as you did Sullivan, but I did watch much more than it normally takes to play a match forward. Mad Dog was a personal favorite once upon a time but over the years as I've seen more and more I'd struggle to call him great. Maybe great in small doses which would help explain why he bounced around so much. Now I'm going to shoot straight on this one brother. I have no fucking clue who the Battens are. The US Express? Seriously? If this isn't the match of their career I'd be blown away. But even if it is that's nothing to be ashamed of. Both teams had the Sportatorium rocking and rolling and the booking is really effective leading up to a tag tournament. The Maniac and the Mad Dog are such a natural team, and Borne is someone I have more and more time for over the years. Although I am very curious if you can find a MAN UP Batten VS Batten hidden gem to come back at me with instead!!

JJZ: US Express? Who-ttens? Babycakes, the fact that these two wrestlers are so brand new to me is crazy. They were over. That crowd was so into them. Buzz and Matt beat the living shit out of them. That suplex to the concrete was sick. I know Cactus taking the powerbomb to the outside from Vader was considered insane, but a standing suplex positions you even higher. Ridiculous do to in a quick TV match. Shout out to Buzzy boy on those boots. Love it! 80s wrestling movesets are so interesting because they always drop in little things that I wouldn't expect. That knee off the top was pretty brutal. Really enjoyed how I spent these last 10 minutes.

Forever Forward Fridays

Masha Slamovich VS Megan Bayne - Beyond Wrestling 11/11/2021

CJD: Happy 4th PIF fam!! And what's more American than comic books?? John I know you love talking comics! Well this match was Wolverine VS Thor. Masha just wouldn't. Stay. Down. This wasn't always pretty but a match like this shouldn't be. I watched a good bit of the Megasus before landing on this match, and you can consider me a big fan. She does so many little things that draw you in. I've seen some opinions really go both ways on her but I think part of that is she legitimately garners heat in more of a throwback way. Masha is always a blast, I hadn't watched her in a little while, and I'm very curious to see what you come back with!

JJZ: Dude! That dead lift powerbomb popped the fuck out of me. This was such a good one. The aggressive non stop energetic offense of Masha was perfect to try to combat Megan's power and strength. Masha coming out of the gate with some sneaky shit was great psychology. Haven't seen Masha in a minute also. Really love her in ring style. Megan is really good. Her two matches we played forward really impressed me. I think she has star power. Masha is an indy darling but I think Megan will be in WWE at somepoint. Or not. Who fucking knows. Great match either way!

For Boston, For Boston, Thy Glory Is Our Own

Kevin Sullivan VS Buzz Sawyer - GCW 4/5/1982

JJZ:  So we are staying in the same era for Sullivan so instead of the Prince of Darkness (even though it says it in the upload description) we have the Boston Battler. Again in this match Kevin showcases some real technical wrestling abilities combined with a two dollar steak level of toughness. I've never been too high or low on Buzz. He wrestles like a gritty legit hard nosed heel. Honestly he just looks like a real brick. Perfect bad guy for the 80s. I've had to watch a lot of Sullivan's matchs to get to this one and I'll say this period of his in ring career is definitely my favorite.  The ending left me a little disappointed, but it was 80s wrestling so I should see it coming. The beginning and middle had enough story that the finish didn't matter too much. Both guys really laid it in for the entire match and you know I'm all about the meat slappies. Hope you dig it brother.

CJD: I love this era of Sullivan, I wish he had incorporated more of this into the rest of his career. Although I do appreciate how far he pushed the envelope for his time. This match was as snug as it gets. Every transition was earned and logical, with bad intentions. Which is also impressive because, as you said with Kevin's work in these early days, there was some real technical work compared to what I'd expect. These two suspended my disbelief so thoroughly I went through a few Sullivan interview clips to see if there was a real issue there. And while he confirmed just about nobody "got along well" with Buzz, he said they actually had good working relationship. That makes me appreciate the level of give and take here that much more. And I didn't mind the very 80s finish at all, I'd love to see the next match they were setting up. I know you had to put in some work to land on this one babycakes and I appreciate that blue collar effort, much like the workmanship that went into this match!

Super Fabulous The Patterns Have Been Updated

Kevin Sullivan (c) VS Steve Keirn - GCW NWA TV Title 2/28/1981

CJD: You want to talk about suspending disbelief and exceeding expectations. This match right here is exhibit A. This is the earliest I've seen from either guy and it's definitely a novelty seeing this flavor of the Taskmaster compared to what he went on to become. The promos before and after the match are a nice bonus, nothing special but really help build that ambiance. The match would stand on its own merits either way. This is really a piece of kick ass pro wrestling especially by 1981 standards. It makes me want to watch every match Sullivan and Keirn ever had against each other. When I think about the craft of pro wrestling this is the kind of work I look for. These are clearly two students of the game and it shows. And I love that the tiny studio crowd is so along for the ride!

JJZ: Chris, this was delightful. Loved the before and after promos. And I fully agree. I want more of this feud. Also I got such a kick out of Gordon repeatly going back to the body building competition. Didn't know Kevin ever was that ripped up. He did look like a million bucks. The match itself was so good. I mean just a great feud building match. The mindset of the Taskmaster to milk the clock was such a smart heel move. First just slapping on headlocks and armbars. Then running away to push Keirn over the edge. Just great stuff.

Forever Forward Fridays

Tam Nakano (c) VS Megan Bayne - World of Stardom Championship Stardom 8/13/2023

JJZ: So I was curious to see how this speed VS size and power match up would be. We get a few minutes into the match between Megan and Tam and I'm considering turning it off because it is starting a little slow. Then the big oh fuck spot happens out of nowhere. I was like yeah we're good. Loved that real early big spot. Watching Nakano work from under and building to hope spots made for a edge of my seat watch. Bayne came through looking pretty comfortable in this monster role. I liked her moveset and thought she did a great job hitting harder when the time was right. Tam is a beast. Love her engery and plucky underdog mentality in this one.

CJD: This is why I love the different perspectives of our reviews. I thought the first 5 minutes of this match were the strongest! Bayne established herself perfectly. The rest was good too but man did they hook me big time early on. Both women had a really good sense of how to build suspense before delivering the big moments. Kind of a weird side note, why was the pretty hot crowd 100% dead after the great finish? Was that just a weird audio edit? That felt really surreal. Anyway, great match!! I'm totally green on Megan Bayne but can't wait to learn more. Tam was a treat these past few weeks!

Look High, It's My Last Hope

Chavo Guerrero VS Steve Keirn - Houston Wrestling Loser Painted Yellow Match 1/31/1986

JJZ: Love me an 80s gimmick match. As soon as I read loser gets painted yellow I said, I'm in! So the match itself is really just a bar fight in the ring. Steve and Chavo throwing potatoes and kicking the shit out of each other for 15 minutes was entertaining enough but the aftermath was wild. I thought they'd paint a couple stripes down the losers back but I was dead ass wrong. They were slinging the paint around the ring with no regard for the fans. Felt like I found a hidden gem on a VHS best of tape. Enjoy homie.

CJD: I'm going to admit baby. I'm a little hot. Because when I played the Mexican Death Match that follows this match up for you and the gang at one of our all night wrestling sessions... I got laughed out of the living room! And it's become an inside joke for years!! Tsk tsk. Tut tut. This match is a good grinding brawl. Not as good as the MDM (and the results of the DVDVR 80s set agrees!), but a really great heel performance from Keirn in particular. Like you mentioned some of those little shots they were throwing in between transitions were nasty as hell. And the post match angle is maybe even better than the match itself. I love this choice in all seriousness, because the Guerreros VS Fabulous Ones feud deserves its day in the sun! Well played JJZ.

RIP Sabu

Here are four Sabu matches we've shared over the years. They're all pretty great in different ways. There's a lot of feelings that I'm sure we're all going through as fans that I don't know how to put into words. RIP to as legendary of a performer as our generation ever had.

RIP Sa Fuckin Bu

I'm Your National Anthem, God, You're So Handsome

Gino Hernandez (c) VS Chavo Guerrero - Houston Wrestling NWA International Jr Heavyweight Championship 5/22/1981

CJD: John. This match right here. What a find. I wish I was sitting next to you discovering this match together. It's maybe not a MOTYC or what have you. Or maybe it is?? I don't know anymore. All I know is there's so much to love here. Before the match, in each fall, after the match. I'll say it right now. I was wrong about Gino. In these two matches I saw everything I ever heard about his insane potential and then some. He shined brighter than Chavo Classsic in this, and you know I love me some Chavo Guerrero! Houston in the late 70s and early 80s seems like a truly special territory based on the run we've been on lately my partner in crime!

JJZ: Right from the start of this match the feel of it was big. Bringing in the special ref is always a nice little twist. Wish he worked on his counts, come on Lou! Most wrestlers have a hard time slapping the mat for some reason. Im'ma start calling Gino the Furnace because he is a heat producer. He was born to be a heel. The front headlock work in the first fall was brilliant. It focused on the neck to lead up to the leg sweep. Classic second fall with Chavo getting a big burst of offense for a quick explosive pin. Beautiful back and forth leading to the third fall. Hot crowd with everything hitting on point and with purpose. The juice is definitely worth the squeeze in this one!

Forever Forward Fridays

Mayu Iwatani VS Tam Nakano - Stardom 5STAR Grand Prix 8/15/2023

CJD: I didn't know what direction I wanted to go with Mayu, except that I've seen her in a good amount of big title matches. And I wanted something different. Now I'm highly sleep deprived with a sick kid at home, so this shotgun style slamjam of a match was just what the doctor ordered! I've seen a little of Tam but I know I'm way more ignorant than I should be of her work. These ladies went for broke with this one and the crowd ate it up. They had me with a real rooting interest by the end which is a credit to the little touches they added. Everything wasn't perfect but that wasn't what this match was about. And I wouldn't change a thing!

JJZ: Watched this match on a park bench at the playground! Wow, this was so much more stiff than I was expecting. It felt like all the strikes landed with such force. The trading of blows and high intensity spots really made this feel like a slamjam of a match for certain.  My favorite spot of the match was the rolling German suplexes. The high angle drop point made me turn my head a little and say ooooooo. Tam and Mayu really impressed me in this match. Getting to dive deeper into Nakano's match bank is getting me pumped CJD!

You Know You Need A Tiger In Your Tank

Gino Hernandez VS Tiger Conway Jr - Houston Wrestling 11/30/1979

JJZ: So we got a quick little jawn right here. I don't recall seeing Gino Hernandez with the blonde locks before. Gotta say I prefer the dark hair, it goes better with his attitude. Gino and Tiger really sell the crap out of this match. It made everything feel so important. I especially liked how hard Conway had to work just get back in the ring. Also, swig of coffee for TCJ for taking fantastic bumps to the outside in both matches. He went through those ropes like a little kid jumping off his bed into a mountain of pillows. Tiger and Gino wrestled this match like a title was on the line. I actually had to go back and check that this was just a straight up match. Good stuff overall.

CJD: I've never seen the Handsome Halfbreed with the bleach job either. What a fantastic shithead heel he was in this match! Gino has that reputation of a great "What If?" that passed way too soon. I sometimes think that reputation exceeds his actual talents, at least in the ring. Not in this match, where he brought a little of everything, including his nastier side when he needed it. This match was rock solid. The structure was so sound and engaging. You could feel this was two younger guys who had some fresh ideas and energy for the time. This is a prime example of a match I enjoyed more than a star rating or what have you would indicate. This one will stick with me for a while.

Do What They're Paying You To Do, Break Legs, Break Legs

Greg Valentine VS Tiger Conway Jr - Houston Wrestling 5/18/1979

CJD: So I've got to be honest. I'm not familiar with Tiger Conway Jr or his dad. But reading up about them on wikipedia I'm blown away by what seemingly normal lives they lived as fixtures of the Texas wrestling scene for the better part of a century. Greg has two great matches with Jr that are online and I was torn which one to play. I think the other a month previous might actually be a little better?? So if you want to Tarantino me and go right back to it and hold up our imaginary title, by all means!! I have no idea what your Conway options are going to look like. I'm going with this match though because it felt so memorable. With the little bit of Gino hijinx, Paul Boesch rambling on about Greg's "brother" Johnny at ringside (who is his dad fyi, who had him wrestle as his younger brother so Johnny wouldn't seem as old, isn't pro wrestling great), to a couple of "oh shit!" spots by 1979 standards. These guys had great chemistry. Valentine had a bit more variety to his game than you might give him credit for. And I can say at least up against the Hammer, Conway Jr was no slouch himself!

JJZ: I've got to be honest in that I appreciate your honesty because honestly I have no fucking clue who TCJ is. Sip of Honest Tea for the honest CJD. I know you said you this match has some oh shit moments and I really popped for that first big spot onto the ringside table. I found this one going back and forth from a structured technical bout to a flst fight. Really solid match all around. It feels like the Hammer only ever brings his A game. These two had such great heat between the ropes. If I didn't know this shit was scripted I would've thought if given the opportunity, one of these guys would've broke an arm or a leg. Wonderful match.

Forever Forward Fridays

Mayu Iwatani (c) VS Sareee - Stardom IWGP Women's Championship 4/27/2024

JJZ: So this match was actually on my 2024 To Watch list. Iwatani I'm not familiar with but it sounds like she had a hell of a year. She popped up on a lot of matches to watch list last year. Chris. Fucking banger of a match. These ladies just go for broke. Great spots. Great physicality. Solid crowd. I really got lost in this match. I was so locked in that nothing else mattered in the world for 27 minutes. Both women trying to fucking end each other. Just a test of wills. Fantastic match.

CJD: So not to be that guy, but you HAVE seen Iwatani matches before! Our good joshi buddy PB I'm almost certain has played you some of her over the years. She's had quite the storied career and it was really cool seeing her as such a well established Ace here. You could tell from the very first lock up that she was going to have to weather Sareee's storm if she had any hope to win this match. That if Iwatani was going to retain she was going to have to be willing to dig deeper and sacrifice everything. It was a simple and effective story and both women played it perfectly. Sareee was vicious, I've become such a fan. Great balance with the physicality as you said, the bomb throwing, and the pacing. We make a point not to lean into these big main event style title matches too too often. PIF was created with our ever dwindling attention spans in mind. But this was an easy epic to get invested in. Well worth your time!

Rap Vandals, Stomp Your Ass Like Wahoo McDaniel

Wahoo McDaniel (c) VS Greg Valentine - MACW NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship 9/7/1977

JJZ: I've always had a soft spot for Valentine which is weird to even say because he is such a hard man. So obviously the potatoes in this bout were off the charts. Making a stew with all those taters. I was really happy with the more than expected "wrestling maneuvers" to quote that POS. Loved the snap mare exchange half way through the match. They had a couple nice roll ups. Just more technical than I expected in general. Probably my favorite part of the match was that Wahoo would get 2,000 dollars in silver coins if he won. We need more stipulations like this today! Also the finish was pretty great.

CJD: Holy shit John. I can't believe PIF brought this match into my life. This is one of those matches you hear about growing up a wrestling fan, but you just assume isn't on tape or maybe is clipped down to nothing with dubbed over audio. But here it is in perfect VQ, in full, uploaded by Kazushi Sakuraba?!? That can't actually be him, right? Anyway. This was a freight train of a match barreling down on you for 10ish minutes of gritty grimey pro wrestling perfection. No daylight, no wasted anything. This lived up to everything I could have imagined and much more. I couldn't take my eyes away. I was actually happy when a stupid Liberty Mutual ad gave me a second to catch my breath! Greg Valentine is a PIF favorite for sure, but god damn did Wahoo McDaniel leave his mark on our imaginary MDTSOCWWKD Championship with this pair of matches!

Forever Forward Fridays

Sareee VS Yurika Oka - Sendai Girls 4/14/2024

CJD: I'm not going to lie, baby. I picked this match because Sareee's name was written in English and I'd know who for sure we're talking about. Modern joshi is definitely a blind spot for me, so thank you Chris Brookes for bringing us on another Joshi Journey!! Is it time to tap guest reviewer PB again soon?? So my first concern would be this match would be too similar to your last Friday banger. Once I saw them immediately take it to the mat, and set a slightly different pace right after, I could feel the vibes were different. The amount of "oh shit!" moments these women packed into a fairly simple 10 minute-ish match was impressive. Yurika Oka has cemented herself as one of my new favorite Plucky Underdog Babyfaces in these two matches. The way she executes with urgency and desire over precision is so endearing. And Sareee brought the noise as well!! Good luck practicing your kanji for next week homie.

JJZ: So I honestly thought Daisuke Harada was the referee for a minute. My guy is his doppelganger. I actually know Sareee pretty well. She works NJPW once in a while. Solid ten minute match here homie. Oka definitely brought some fire to both of her matches but in this one Sareee was a counter balance to bring the match back to basics. Forearm shots really stood out to me like a chop battle in mid 2000s NOAH. In the small time window both women showcased a full toolbag of skills. Good shit.

Hit You With The Belly To Belly, The Suplex, Off The Roof Of The Duplex, Willin' To Group Text

Wahoo McDaniel (c) VS Magnum TA - NWA Worldwide US Championship Steel Cage Match 3/30/1985

CJD: Wahoo McDaniel versus Magnum TA for the United States Championship in a Steel Cage Match. Is there a more pro wrestling sentence in the English language? I hadn't watched a match in a minute, and with this bad boy I was sitting down to some of that meat and potatoes, basic food groups kinda wrasslin here to get my strength back! I wasn't aware just how much Magnum was built up and protected at this point, but this wasn't the only match I watched where his shortest match record was mentioned and such. That said, you can tell this was a match that was worked with the idea that under different circumstances, or different opponents, it would have been over much sooner. These two went the extra mile for what this night called for, and heel Wahoo was something I didn't know I needed in my life. But I did! Even while taking shortcuts he makes this feel like a gritty bar fight like only he can, and you know Magnum's bringing that babyface fire. Let's get after it babycakes!! Wrestling, yay!!!

JJZ: Wow, I don't think the crowd chilled out for a second. Meat and potatoes is the perfect description for this match CJD. They utilized every minute. All the punches, kicks and whips into the cage needed to happen to soften the guys up for the bodyslams and backdrops. Which exploded the crowd. Talk about using every part of the animal too. My initial thought was, man I'd kill for this to be ten more minutes. But after thinking about it, it kinda was perfect under fifteen. Well done homie!

Forever Forward Fridays

Maya Yukihi VS Yurika Oka - Sendai Girls 3/22/2024

JJZ: Yurika Oka is the blonde female wrestler. It was so tempting to go back to that same promotion but I really wanted to see the depth that Maya has. This was an above average opener/mid card kinda match. Slow start, nice build to some really slick offense and transitions. Maya made me a big fan of her's, mostly because she can crack! She hits hard and with purpose. Love it. Oka was also good. I was surprised how smooth she was during the second half of the match. I wasn't getting that vibe during that start. You know I love a single cam no commentary match. Brings a great vibe. These last two Friday matches were indie as fuck homie.

CJD: Single hard cam no commentary makes me feel like I'm sitting right next to JJZ watching this match. It's safe to say Maya has a mean streak after these two matches. She has been a revelation, I'm so glad we took a detour down this road! Oka brought some pep and snap to her, dare I say, plucky underdog babyface performance. The pace was one of my favorite parts of this match,  when they took it to overdrive for a half second to finish things off it popped me big time. I bought on a falsie and a half. Great little piece of action here baby, I'm glad you brought the variety with some Sendai Girls!!

Like Nikita Koloff, You Don't Wanna Make That Fatal Faux Pas

Magnum TA VS Nikita Koloff - NWA Worldwide 8/16/1986

JJZ: Baby cakes. Man oh man do I want to watch all of these matches! This is the sixth match of Koloff and TA's best of seven series. If I had to describe this match in one word it would be energy. From the crowd but more so from the wrestlers. Being 5 matches deep I thought they would be approaching it slower, but Nikita and Magnum really pushed the pace. I knew who won this already going in but the finish is what put this match over the top for me. Thought it came at a good time in the series since I'm sure they build up to it with a similar situation in an early match. Koloff is a wrestler I don't usually seek out but man have I loved both his matches we've featured. I was definitely selling him short. Way better in the ring then I remembered. Enjoy homie!

CJD: Nikita Koloff is definitely a PIF poster boy. Those wrestlers you never quite gave a fair chance, that when you check your biases at the door, often will surprise you. I'm familiar with this best of 7 series but don't think I've ever watched an entire match. So glad you got me to watch this one. The body language from both of these guys. Students of the game should take notes. It's not just selling, it tells a story beyond the physical toll. It projects the size, the scope, the stakes. This is fantastic American heavyweight pro wrestling, a style that isn't always synonymous with work rate and high energy. This match is proof they aren't mutually exclusive. That finish, and the way it's sold after, seal the deal on this all-time great match. Beautiful stuff!!

Forever Forward Fridays

Chris Brookes VS Maya Yukihi - BAKA GAIJIN + FRIENDS Vol 3 3/7/2023

CJD: Annnnnddd we're back!! So we've watched some bar type venue matches when we get together for our nights of wrestling viewing. But never on the blog before. And it's high time we change that! I believe Yukihi was new to me and I'm so excited to see what you come back with from her. These two work really well together in this unique setting. I was rewinding little spots and strikes like I was watching the nuance of a Fujinami VS Choshu classic. This wasn't just fun and games, although it was a highly entertaining watch. Brookes is a hell of a talent, I watched him in a lot of different styles of matches seeking this one out, and no matter where you plug him in he shines bright.

JJZ: Chris this is incredible man. This might be the most unique match we've ever shared. Definitely the smallest ring. I popped when Brookes put his foot out of the "ring" to break the hold. Besides the ambiance this was a pretty stiff, well executed match. Great back and forth with nice falsies. I literally loved every second of this match. Not gonna lie with your blessing I might dig into this promotion more and share some goodies with our friends. The tightness they were able to perform with in such a unfamiliar setting showcased the talent that both Chris and Maya have. Both wrestlers are elevated to the next level in my eyes with this match.

We're Still Here

Hello hello, just checking in to let everyone know Play It Forward isn't going anywhere any time soon. That said, real life is putting a heat segment on me and JJZ currently that would make the Andersons jealous. I don't know when we're going to get back into our normal routine around here, but we will in due time. I hope you and your loved ones had a great holiday break.