Whether They Like It Or Not, I Wanna Show You Off

Nic Nemeth (c) VS Mustafa Ali - TNA World Championship 7/21/2024

CJD: I don't know if I've watched a single Nemeth match outside of WWE. This was one hell of a crash course. This match had some really amazing highlights, but it was also very tightly worked with a nice logical flow. I know you love Ali, it was so nice to see him bring this excellent heel side of his persona. It complimented the babyface Champ perfectly. And Ziggler brought an extra sense of struggle to key moments, when you know how silky smooth he usually executes. Like a kid scuffing up a new baseball glove. This match felt like a real main course, which is impressive after featuring a bunch of great high stakes Cena matches. I think you'll really like this one my friend!

JJZ: Love that you went this way! I'm such a mark for Ali. I think WWE totally misused him after 205 Live. Side note, Ali's 205 Live run is one of the best runs of a wrestler in the 2010s! I have seen a few Nic Nemeth matches post WWE. I haven't really been into any of them....... until this one! Different than I expected. I thought it was gonna be more car crash but it brought such a story. They had the big spots but Nic and Ali built to everything and everything felt earned. I listened to a podcast with Nemeth recently and he talked about how good TNA is and how strong the locker room has been. Wouldn't mind checking out more from Impact after this.

Forever Forward Fridays

Eddie Kingston/Ruckus/Sabian VS Chris Hero/Claudio Castagnoli/Super Dragon - CZW 1/14/2006

JJZ: Thought you'd appreciate the beginning of the match foreshadowing the show (Hell Freezes Over) we were at later that evening. This was a car crash of a match if I ever saw one. So many innovative spots. Obviously super fucking stiff. CZW is the junk food of wrestling. When you're craving it, CZW can really hit. Now, too much and you start to get a little sick of it. This hit so good on a day when the temps are in the teens after shoveling for 3 hours. I really like that everyone got at least a little shine in this match. Definitely loved that swinging cravat hold. All six wrestlers could put this match on a best of tape.

CJD: This match is like a love letter to so many aspects of my pro wrestling fandom. This era of the indies, this feud, me and you going to so many of these shows. Trading backyard wrestling tapes back in the *Prodigy days to get a glimpse of the mind blowing stuff Claude Morrow was doing before he'd someday be CZW Champion. The different layers of feuds and stories, and another chapter in the historic Kingston/Hero wars. This match rules. There was one giant spot that I thought should've ended it. Only criticism, but I did buy on the nearfall. The point that it could be on any best of comp is such a good one. Also for such a violent match the only part that felt unsafe was Super Dragon landing on his fucking head as Super Dragon was prone to do. Him and King felt like such stars in this. Thank you so much for getting me to watch this my friend. This one brings me joy!

Smells Like Team Spirit

John Cena VS Dolph Ziggler - WWE Steel Cage Match 1/14/2013

JJZ: Let's bookend this son of a bitch CJD! After the ladder match with Dolph had some sneaky interference, John Cena finds a way to eliminate the distractions so he can get his revenge on Ziggler in a STEEL CAGE MATCH! This was the blow off to the Cena/Ziggler feud as a RAW main event. I think using a cage as a tool to keep AJ and Big E out of the ring and not as a weapon to punish Dolph was a good way to not expect the blood and guts that a steel cage match usually comes with. Great story telling in the ring. Loved the falsies. Big E looked like such a monster at this time. I loved that what won Ziggy the match at TLC played into the finish of this match for a satisfying conclusion. Enjoy homie.

CJD: I was so close to watching this match instead of my ladder match, and I was already in the mood for more Cena, so you made my freezing cold day with this pick John! I love the rare instances we hold up our imaginary title for the week and feature a rematch. And I love really well done TV main event wrestling. And this was both of those things! I didn't love the angle that brought AJ and Ziggler together, but this trio together were one of my favorite things about this era of WWE. They had such a fun dynamic, and similarly I am a total sucker for Cena and Dolph as opponents. These two matches were a treat, and I'm tempted to go back to Big Match John yet again, but I think I think I'll take a break from the WWE machine and dig into some Nic Nemeth instead.