Loss
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There are probably a few great wrestlers that I don't necessarily love watching, but their greatness is really hard to deny. The biggest example is Manami Toyota. She'll end up somewhere on my list. There are also plenty of wrestlers that I love watching that I'd never even think about voting for, Diamond Dallas Page being the most notable example. Best and favorite aren't the same thing.
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You can tell Toyota is maturing as a worker because the bell rings and she doesn't immediately take off with a running dropkick. Kandori is not really considered one of the great 90s Joshi workers as much as she is someone who happened to be a part of some really great matches. But I watch performances like this and beg to differ with that, and I think she's underrated overall. I don't know that this match would have seemed as king-sized with someone else opposite Toyota. Kandori is really good at pacing a match and allowing the big stuff to sink in. She is also in the Regal vein of conforming wrestlers to her style of working, which gives us a slower-paced and more grounded match than we would have gotten otherwise. We do still see the bursts of energy Toyota is known for, but they are spaced out well. I appreciate that Toyota is wrestling against her instincts, like she knows that her usual ovaries-to-the-wall approach isn't going to work opposite Kandori. But she maintains her resourcefulness with the surprise counters even in slowing down her game. Her body may have slowed down, but she still thinks quickly, which made her rapid attempt to counter the cross armbreaker work really well. That one counter into the bridge pin is something I've never seen for that move and looked amazing. It's amazing how much more Toyota's big offense means when she slows down and makes connecting with the crowd such a big priority. Some of the exchanges don't exactly look crisp, but considering the positives of this, I can accept that. This was a great match that didn't overstay its welcome, and it will almost definitely be in my top ten for the year.
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Matysik was also an announcer and a booker. He's not just a WON personality, although I do admit to getting annoyed that he can't go two sentences without mentioning Brody.
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Their plan is to do Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 31. That has been repeatedly reported in the WON and everything they are doing is going in that direction. I don't think they'll get to WM without tweaking or completely changing that plan, but I seriously don't believe they are considering any other options at this moment. They have given us no reason to think they are considering anything else.
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Hales is out with his shaved head while the crowd chants "Baldie" at him. Hales wants to know when Stacy met Lawler. She finally says that was in 1989 and Hales points out that in 1989, he was a happily married man. Now he wants to know where she met Lawler, and she says at a softball game. Hales says he was wrong, as he just figured her a ring rat, but he insults her anyway, calling her a homewrecker and a golddigger. He asks how long Stacy would stay with Lawler when he lost his WWF paycheck and that's an interesting question with the benefit of hindsight. He accuses Stacy of cheating on Lawler and says he has proof because he has the other man here today - Brandon Baxter. Baxter comes out and says he promised he wouldn't say anything on TV, but he can't hide it anymore. He has a phone bill as proof. He wants her to admit that she has feelings for him and she won't do it. Finally, Lawler makes the save. He sure let all of this go on for a long time. Lawler ends up getting attacked by a pair of heels called The Bodyguards. Brian Christopher makes the save.
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Last few minutes. Sabu ends up coming to RVD's rescue and putting both Dudleys through a table until Bigelow and The Triple Threat run out to attack Sabu. They hold Sabu and RVD down so that Candido can put them through a table, but Taz runs out and stops that. Shane begs off from Taz and this is a big mess. Sabu, RVD and Taz end up in the ring after the smoke clears and the fans chant "New Triple Threat". Why not, it would make about as much sense as Sting or Luger going Wolfpac I suppose.
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Had Sunny completely left the WWF by this time? She announces programming changes.
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Shane gets upset at Joey Styles for calling RVD ECW's only active and recognized champion.
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They hyped an Austin vs Undertaker match all night, which is yet another bait and switch that popped a rating. I'm surprised they were able to do that so many times and that it never backfired on them. They never show Undertaker's face, which makes clear that it's Kane in Undertaker's getup. Kane looks great here and this is a terrific brawl. Austin ends up throwing him a hearse and is about to drive off, but when he goes to the door, the Undertaker is driving and "Highway To Hell" starts playing. This is great build, even if it doesn't really make any sense.
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This was a pretty good brawl. Rock is much better in the ring at this point than I used to give him credit for. He and HHH work really hard. Jeff Jarrett and Southern Justice get involved and Jarrett even cuts off some of X-Pac's hair. Back in the ring, The Nation are left alone with HHH and work him over. HHH is bleeding from the mouth, and it actually looks like he might have bled hardaway from the mouth. Everyone involved just leaves the match instead of someone doing a job, which is odd.
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[1998-08-17-WCW-Nitro] Chris Jericho vs Chavo Guerrero Jr vs Stevie Ray
Loss replied to Loss's topic in August 1998
Last few minutes. Once again, The Giant helps Jericho win a match once again. -
This is it. That segment. Hogan was so overexposed at this point, as this was his second time coming out to cut a promo on this show. Hogan calls Nash and DDP "yesterday's garbage" and says he'll be the man whether they like it or not. He gets a big pop and I'd be surprised if he didn't. Hogan saying "I thought you were dead" to Warrior was the highlight of this, but this goes on and on and on. And on. And on. When that's over, it goes on some more. Warrior makes a reference to The Disciple being Brutus Beefcake and disappears in a cloud of smoke. This got off to a fine start but we know this has disaster written all over it.
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Luger is all smiles after losing the U.S. title three days after winning it, and it's not even mentioned as the Wolfpac comes to the ring. War Games is coming up and there are two NWO factions, and the concept is tailor made for the two factions to battle it out, so surely they'll just do the obvious PPV main event, right? Sting looks like a cartoon character fool. This is kind of like a DX promo where everyone just takes turns shouting out their catchphrases.
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Eddy is supposed to be coming out to face Konnan. He tells production they better not go to commercial or he'll say his peace on some other show. He says this is the only way he can get Eric's attention. He cuts a heartfelt promo about giving WCW the best match on the card and not being treated with respect, talking about all the great talent that is being held down and a double standard with how main eventers are treated. He gets drowned out with an "Eddy sucks" chant, which he would have paused and soaked in if he was more experienced doing this kinda thing at this point. Sadly, he's locked into a contract, he wants to look out for Chavo and he has a wife and two children at home. But he says he's losing his dignity and wants out of his contract. He then throws a drink on himself, which is a little too inside, and says Eric can take this job and shove it. All of this never even got Eric's attention, nor did it move Eddy up the card. But it was an excellent promo.
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Fun TV match with high stakes that's as Memphis as it gets between Travis hiding the chain, the hair stips and the Brandon Baxter drag run-in. Hales eats the fall and gets his head shaved. Give Hales credit for making himself look like a fool every week on TV in an attempt to make Power Pro hot. He was a trooper.
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We're getting Brock-Reigns at Wrestlemania. That's been reported for months. I think plans will end up changing because fans will force their hand again, but I see them making it much harder by not realizing they have to change until after the Rumble, when they have already run what should be their WM main event.
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Just the finish. This match looks promising too. Bret brings a chair into the match, Luger gets it away from him and the ref gets bumped. This gives Bret the opportunity to DDT Luger on the chair. Luger gets a big kickout before Bret locks in the sharpshooter. Lex does a submission job! Bret regains the U.S. title.
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Joel Gertner cuts a promo on the residents of Buffalo. Bubba Ray's Southern accent is pretty good.
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Undertaker says before the match that he'll explain his actions in the ring. Before the match starts, Shamrock runs in and puts the anklelock on Owen and refuses to release it. DX also run in to brawl with The Nation. D-Lo ends up subbing for Owen, which makes me wonder if that was a last-minute booking change because Austin didn't want to share a ring with the guy. Once the match gets started, this match drags for me and seems like it goes on way too long. It has a hot crowd though. This is the first time I've seen Rock start getting a babyface reaction. Kane chokeslams and pins Undertaker to give Kane and Mankind the tag titles. Austin looks surprised by this and they are selling that he didn't take nearly enough punishment to be pinned. This whole segment is a very good encapsulation of what the WWF was like in the summer of 1998. While everyone involved is over, there's such an amazing difference between Austin and everyone else.
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Dustin Rhodes issues a warning before this about the explicit content and says the people can send a message to the WWF by switching channels to a special on reptiles on the Discovery Channels. Evangelists Against Television, Movies and Entertainment is the name of the group Dustin is supposedly representing. John Wayne Bobbitt pushes Val Venis out in a wheelchair while Jim Ross talks about how Kaientai must have gotten the job done last week. Yeah, WWE was much better not very long ago at all. This is painful to watch - a guy whose character is almost entirely based around being well-endowed. Val's explanation about how he avoided disaster last week is ridiculous and this is awful awful awful. Lawler sort of saves this with jokes that are the kind you laugh at while knowing you shouldn't. This ends with Val dumping Mrs. Yamaguchi-san. He says no woman is worth the trouble she brought him and he gets dumped. He tosses her a battery to close things out. Feel the misogyny.
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There have been rumors that DX is about to disband. All of them make separate entrances, the Outlaws together and Chyna accompanying HHH. They find as many ways to incorporate calling someone a jackoff into this as possible. This was of course a SWERVE as they are still as united as ever. Chyna talks for the first time ever, interrupting the others mooning the crowd to moon them herself. Kind of a waste of time.
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I predict they'll do Brock-Bryan at the Rumble.
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[1998-08-10-WWF-Raw] Mankind, Kane, Vince McMahon and the Undertaker
Loss replied to Loss's topic in August 1998
Mankind claims there is only one guy who has always given him the truth and that's Vince McMahon. Mick sits on the ground and rocks back and forth while Vince comes out and looks down on him, saying he DESPISES people who need help. The mere sight of an invalid makes my stomach turn! Vince wants Mankind to face the facts - Kane and Undertaker are in cahoots. They never clarified this or even tried. What exactly did it mean to be "in cahoots"? Kane interrupts, and Paul Bearer has a few words for him. Vince calls Kane a son of a bitch. The lights go out and they come back on with Undertaker trying to choke Vince out while Kane has disappeared.All the lines in this dueling promo sound far more "written" and Russo-influenced than anything has all year to this point. Still a good segment, but a major step down from the best segments of the year. -
Both NWOs are lumberjacks for this one. The NWO black-and-white is offering their support to Meng, a WCW guy. I will not stop beating this drum. The Wolfpac stop them from beating up Goldberg when Goldberg falls to the outside. This match was too short, as the Goldberg-Meng stuff was really good and I was hoping for more of it. Post-match, Hogan hits Goldberg from behind with a chair. Nash comes in and runs him off. Goldberg gets up and thinks Nash did it and spears him. Dumb booking all around, as it makes Goldberg look blind and stupid.
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This is "advertised" as finish only but is here in full. It was a hotly debated match on whether to cut or keep in full, but if you enjoy it, thank soup and I for lobbying for it as a keeper. If not, blame Will for listening to us. While the match isn't a classic or anything, I think it's an interesting glimpse of how two of the most talked about guys on all the yearbooks look after their best career days are over. This is different from usual Bret performances in that there's less wrestling and more heat-seeking stuff, but he does a great job keeping the crowd really hyped for the entire 15+ minutes of this. While Luger is perfectly fine in his role and looks better than he has in a long time, he isn't the guy holding this together. This is the Bret Hart show, something we didn't see nearly as often anymore. Luger wins the U.S. title.