Wahoos Leg

Same thing happened a couple times during the cell match with Sasha and Charlotte. I feel like this is a problem with a lot of the homegrown performance center-trained wrestlers on the current roster, especially on the female side.

We have a winner. Make TNA great again ? REALLY ? Well, I may watch this shit, just for the hell of it. I mean, a reboot of the longest, most irrelevant (and very few times terrific, I'm in the middle of D'Amore's 2005 booking run and it's really good) pro-wrestling company ever, what's not to love ? I'm intrigued in a "driving past a car wreck" kind of way

Match of the night on this event. Keith Lee is fast becoming one of my favorites among all the active wrestlers in the world. Pleasantly surprised at the result.

Really enjoyed this match, and the story of Williams constantly fighting back to try and chop down the giant. What solid it for me was Lee selling the fatigue steadily as a war of attrition, particularly on the tired-looking strikes in one of the late exchanges. At the time I watched I thought it was a very good match, just shy of great, but I think it warrants a rewatch.

Agreed with WingedEagle, focus on the exam. Also this gives me time to attempt to catch up, as I am woefully behind

I can count the number of joshi matches I have seen, prior to this endeavor, on one hand and have fingers left over. That being said, this perfectly encapsulates my thoughts on this match. The second brawl through the crowd lost me.

I watched this the first go-around at my failed attempt to file a Best of 2000s Japan ballot, and was underwhelmed because of what i thought was an over-long segment of lead-the-other-guy-by-the-head brawling in the crowd. On second viewing, I still think that drags down this match, but not as much as I originally thought. Honma really does turn in a fine performance here (it's hard to believe it's the same guy currently in NJPW... that tope!), and both guys did an admirable job building to the big spots. Yamakawa definitely was the lesser guy here, but he took some nasty bumps and got fantastic color. Honma basically no-selling Kobayashi during his post-match beatdown attack in the locker room just so he could talk shit and answer the challenge was weird. This still doesn't fall out of the "good" category for me, but it's definitely worth a watch.

There is nothing technically wrong with this match, but the complete absence of heat and energy killed it for me. Totally skippable.

Kanemaru looks like a Japanese backyarder who somehow got booked because somebody didn't show up. That said, he did a very fine job getting bullied and pummeled by No Fear. Asako drove me batty at times, in particular screaming like he was sodomized with a rusty steak knife every time he got kicked in the knee, then not selling it when Akiyama throws him out to the floor. Everyone else in the match looked good, aside from Omori's physics-defying feed back into the ropes off a Kanemaru dropkick about 70% of the way through the match. In short, this was an enjoyable watch but if you skipped it, I don't think you'd be missing much in the grand scheme of things

I'll let you know

I really want to check this out but I also don't know if I want it to taint my opinion of the stuff I have not seen

Highly enjoyable way to kick off this project for me. Spanky definitely looked like the more polished of the two (I'll echo those who enjoyed his dive to the outside), but this was a pretty impressive match given how green both were at the time.

I didn't think there were any must-see matches, but most everything ranged from watchable to good. Burch vs. Devlin was probably my least favorite match, but Devlin's heel work and promo post-match were both very good. I'd say Bate vs. Tucker was my favorite, as it was most reminscent of the PROGRESS style, which I enjoy

I wanna play, too, schedule permitting

And this is why I don't do star ratings. My system, though admittedly a bit simplistic, is as follows 1) All time classics 2) Cream of the crop (MOTYCs, essentially) 3) Rewatches (matches that are worth a second look, or good enough to watch a second time either, more of a temporary category in theory but it helps me identify stuff that's a cut above the rest) 4) Good matches (is it a match I would recommend to others? If the answer is yes, it falls in this category) 5) Worth watching (could be a match I found well worked but not particularly engaging, or has some sort of significance or historic value... or an entertaining if imperfect match) 6) Everything else

Going to NWA Smoky Mountain this Saturday. Kincaid vs Elgin is the main

THANKSGIVING THUNDER, NIGHT 3, JOHNSON CITY MATCH #1 Jerry Lynn vs. Craig Pittman Lynn wins with the tornado DDT. MATCH #2 Dirty White Boy vs. Jimmy Del Ray They fight to a 15-minute draw. MATCH #3 The Texans vs. the Godwinns for an SMW Tag Title shot. The Texans win, hitting Phineas with sandwich lariats for the pin. MATCH #4-TV Title Match Dutch Mantell is in the ring, and so is Bullet Bob to draw his random challenger. It's Jeff Hardy! Hardy gives it all he can, but Mantell is too tough and savvy and wins the match cleanly in the middle of the ring. He then tries to use his whip on Hardy, but Jeff's brother Matt runs to ringside, so Dutch makes a retreat. INTERMISSION MATCH #5 Rock & Roll Express vs. Buddy Landel & Bull Pain Lots of comedy by Landel, clubbering offense by Pain, selling by Morton, and double dropkicking of Landel by the Rock & Rolls for the finish. MATCH #6 Brad Armstrong & Brian Lee vs. Unabom & Terry Gordy Commissioner Bob Armstrong says this match will be fought under relaxed rules, and they wrestle like it, with the combatants pairing off and fighting all over the building. Armstrong and Gordy both get busted open. Robert Fuller is now lurking at ringside. Fuller blatantly puts Unabom's foot on the ropes after a Russian legsweep and pin attempt by Armstrong, then backs off telling both Armstrongs he can't be touched! Armstrong gets worked over, and then Lee makes the hot tag! Things quickly break down again, and Armstrong and Gordy spill out to the floor, distracting the referee. Fuller up on the apron, holding Lee... Unabom goes to hit him with the belt! LEE MOVES! UNABOM WALLOPS FULLER! The crowd erupts, and Lee hits a flying shoulder tackle, then slams Unabom on the belt for the 1, 2, 3! Don't miss the return of SMW TV December 9!

THANKSGIVING THUNDER, NIGHT 2, BARBOURVILLE, KY. The field is introduced for the one-night tournament. The winner of the tournament gets $5,000. The runner-up must wear a turkey suit! FIRST ROUND Brad Armstrong def. Craig Pittman with the Russian legsweep Jerry Lynn def. Bull Pain with a crucifix pin in what is considered an upset. Dirty White Boy & Terry Gordy battle to a double countout. Buddy Landell def. Hawk Bradshaw with his feet on the ropes. SEMIFINAL Brad Armstrong def. Jerry Lynn in a 20-minute instant classic. The two men shake hands in respect after the match. INTERMISSION Heavenly Bodies vs. Public Enemy for the SMW Tag Titles This match is an all-out brawl! The referee has a hard time controlling this one as Prichard and Del Ray are hot for revenge. During a brawl outside the ring, though, Del Ray gets sent into the ring post and is down. The champs isolate Tom Prichard, busting him open and really working him over. This has become a handicap match, folks! Prichard fighting off pin cover after pin cover but the champs can't put him down. Now Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson come to ringside, and they start trying to help Del Ray to his feet. Morton actually dumps water on his head to wake him up! Del Ray able to make it back to the apron and, as Public Enemy get distracted by Morton and Gibson, Prichard makes the tag! But the referee was distracted as well! HUGE boos from the crowd now, and Del Ray is blaming Morton and Gibson! they start to fight on the floor, as Prichard gets hit with the Drive By senton and pinned. More disagreement between the Rock & Roll Express and the Bodies, as the champs leave, laughing at the argument. TOURNEY FINALS Brad Armstrong def. Buddy Landell. Landell tries to leave, but all the SMW babyfaces come out and carry Landell back to the ring, where the turkey suit is put on him.

THANKSGIVING THUNDER, NIGHT 1, KNOXVILLE, TN MATCH #1 The Hardys vs. Heavenly Bodies Jeff and Matt put up a game fight, but they're no match for the former multi-time SMW Tag Champs. They win after the elevated moonsault by Del Ray in a fast-paced and entertaining opener. MATCH #2 Brad Armstrong vs. James Stone Armstrong wins a 70/30 match with the Russian legsweep. Craig Pittman attacks Stone after the match, dragging his lifeless carcass to the back. MATCH #3 Street Fight: Dirty White Boy vs. Bull Pain This one is as violent as advertised. The fight goes all around the ringside area and into the crowd. Both men get busted open, and are covered in blood by the time the match ends. DWB gets the win in the middle of the ring after delivering a brainbuster on a chair. INTERMISSION Match #4 Elimination Tag, Survivors receive a "Golden Opportunity" from Robert Fuller Brian Lee, Godwinns & Texans vs. Unabom, Terry Gordy, Buddy Landell, Dutch Mantel & Craig Pittman Mantel claims an injured hamstring and is eliminated due to injury Pittman eliminates Henry with the Code Red armbar Phineas eliminates Pittman after a slop drop Landell eliminates Phineas after a roll-up with a handful of overalls Bradshaw eliminates Landell with a jumping lariat Unabom eliminates Windham after an assisted powerbomb with help from Gordy Unabom is DQ'd for throwing Brian Lee over the top rope Gordy eliminates Bradshaw after hitting the Oriental Spike Lee eliminates Gordy with the Cancellation slam Brian Lee is the sole survivor! Tune in Dec. 9 to SMW TV to learn what the golden opportunity is!\ Match #5 Public Enemy vs. Rock & Roll Express for the SMW Tag Titles Starts as a wild brawl, then calms down into a classic Southern tag. Morton (surprise) gets isolated and beaten down for a good portion of the match. Gibson makes the hot tag, but then gets overwhelmed himself and starts taking punishment. Finally, Morton runs in, clotheslining both members of Public Enemy, and drags Gibson close enough to make the hot tag! Rocco and Johnny are reeling! Double dropkick sends Johnny out of the ring. Grunge goes for a chair... but the Bodies are ringside and cut him off! Rocco eats a double dropkick in the middle of the ring! 1... 2... Prichard and Del Ray break up the pin, ending the match in a DQ! They want Public Enemy all to themselves for the titles! The Bodies and Rock & Roll bicker and start to brawl as Public Enemy retreat with the belts, their title reign barely intact.

any trade interest in Bull Pain?

Catching up, so quickie results only... November 18 TV -Jerry Lynn def. James Stone to qualify for the Super J Cup. After the match, Craig Pittman comes out and grabs the house mic, screaming about how worthless James Stone is, then applying the Code Red armbar to make Stone tap out. -Hunter Hearst Helmsley sends in a video, from back at his Connecticut estate. He said he went home for the holiday and wouldn't be wasting his Thanksgiving wrestling in front of the filthy uncouth Smoky Mountain fans who will be at Thanksgiving Thunder. -VTR promos from Bull Pain and Mr. Ron Wright, hyping the street fight between Bull and the Dirty White Boy on Thanksgiving night in Knoxville, also Night 1 of Thanksgiving Thunder! -To crown the first-ever #1 Contender, Brian Lee takes on Terry Gordy. These two big bulls keep it in the ring for the most part in a hard-fought and hard-hitting match. "Primetime" is one of the few men in SMW strong enough to throw around Gordy! The Freebird gets the advantage after a rake of the eyes, and really starts working over Brian Lee. Brian makes his comeback, really throwing Gordy around again. He goes for a running clothesline, Gordy ducks, and the referee gets taken out! Unabom comes out to help Gordy, and they hit a tandem powerbomb on Primetime. Brad Armstrong out, and he starts pounding away on both Unabom AND Gordy! The referee comes to just as Armstrong hits Gordy with a Russian legsweep, and calls for the bell. Terry Gordy wins the #1 Contendership by DQ! -After the break, Armstrong and Lee are irate. They challenge Unabom and Gordy to a tag match at Night 3 of Thanksgiving Thunder! -Dutch Mantell comes out to put the TV Title on the line against another randomly drawn opponent... Hunter Hearst Helmsley! He clearly is not here, so Mantell wins by forfeit yet again. The celebration ends when SMW Commissioner Bullet Bob Armstrong tells Mantell he WILL be defending the title at Night 3 of Thanksgiving Thunder. And this time, Bullet Bob will choose the opponent! Full run down of the announced matches for Thanksgiving Thunder Night 1 Dirty White Boy vs. Bull Pain in a street fight Rock & Roll Express challenge Public Enemy for the SMW Tag Titles A special elimination tag match, with the survivors earning a "golden opportunity" from SMW Minority Owner Robert Fuller Night 2 Heavenly Bodies challenge for the SMW Tag Titles 1 night singles tournament for $5,000 Night 3 Dutch Mantell defends the TV Title Brad Armstrong & Brian Lee vs. Unabom & Terry Gordy The Texans vs. the Godwinns for a tag title shot -Rock & Roll Express call the Heavenly Bodies out to the ring. The Bodies say, as former champions, they're cashing in their rematch clause on Night 2 of Thanksgiving Thunder in Barbourville. Tom Prichard says they hope the Rock & Roll Express lose, because they want payback on Public Enemy for what they did to Jim Cornette. The two longtime rival teams come to blows, and Public Enemy storms the ring with chairs! They beat down Morton, Gibson, Prichard and Del Ray and stand tall as the show ends. ((SMW TV is off the air Nov. 25 and Dec. 2, due to holiday and sports programming.))

I'll be catching up on SMW stuff after the holiday weekend

Rollins-HHH seems like a safe bet