Tuck Everybody

The Tuckman VS Damian Slater - World-Beater Wrestling Chain Wrestling Flow Roll

CJD: And we're back! And right off the bat we're getting weird here. I watched a couple of Tuckman matches and had a backup if you didn't think this counts as a pro wrestling match. Honestly it's borderline. I sure ain't finding a date for this one on cagematch. This is what some circles of the internet refer to as a "grapplefuck," and I can see why this style of wrestling is silly to some people. It definitely works better layered into a match with different peaks and valleys. Guys like Danielson and ZSJ obviously excel at that. But it was so refreshing seeing someone as young as The Tuckman honing his craft against a veteran in Slater. A veteran I'm totally unfamiliar with! We're covering a lot of new ground for me these days, which is something about Play It Forward I'll always love. This is such an easy watch that even if you had decided you'd rather switch to a more traditional match, I don't mind forcing you to spend 5 minutes on a prime specimen of the fine art of grapplefucks. I don't mind one bit.

JJZ: This is really fucking interesting. It was calming to watch this. Everything so was smooth and fluid. And zero talking. Just weaving in and out of chain wrestling. Damian Slater is someone new to me also but he seems like he knows what he is doing. Makes me think that's what the NXT kids see when they started getting trained by Robbie Brookside or Johnny Saint. This is 100 percent what play it Forward is all about. I'd love to know which wrestlers watch this to get ideas. Like was Ren Narita at the NJPW Dojo watching this to pull out shit during the Young Lions cup. Very happy with this!

Spring Break

Hey gang, we're going to take a little break over here. Nothing major, we'll be back in our regular routine soon enough. In the meantime voting has begun for Greatest Wrestler Ever, and ballots are due May 5th. Feel free to research with our help going back through 8 years of match reviews to better inform your ballot! Now to scrap together my top 100 from multiple undated files on my phone, various google spreadsheets, and years old message board posts that I don't remember making in the first place....

Forever Forward Fridays

Cheerleader Melissa VS Jessie McKay - SHIMMER 5/3/2009

JJZ: Jessica McKay really impressed me this match, working a babyface style also so we got both sides of the coin with her PIF run. Cheerleader Melissa is honestly someone I always forget about and as soon as I watch her I get mad at myself because she is really good. The chemistry was great between these two ladies. McKay had some plucky underdog energy going on for sure. Melissa swinging Jessica into the gaurd rails was such a smart way to get heat. That move looks so painful. I know we talked about it before but man did the Shimmer crowd really show out for these events.  Melissa and Jessica used every minute they had to tell a complete and wonderful story.

CJD: I loved the beautiful simplicity of this match. Jessie was out of her depth but wasn't gonna back down unless Melissa put her in the ground. It was a fun, easy watch with some great moments. I've had a jumbled hectic couple of weeks and something about a match like this can be such a reset in the best way possible. I think that's one reason it can hook even a small crowd to this level. Melissa was a monster and McKay's growth from here to our last match, let alone now, is staggering. Also I'm loving these SHIMMER deep dives. Great pick my friend!