smkelly

I forgot about WCW

I download everything that has Sano's name in it, if that is any correlation of his greatness. He is one of the best of all-time, but he is certainly enjoyable on rainy days.

Edge and Randy Orton say hello.Mr. Kennedy also says hello. As well as Batista, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, etc. Benoit got over in the WWF, he and Danielson are very similar. Sure, Danielson doesn't have the chiseled physique or tanned complexion, but he has the die hard fans and body of work coming in. If they give him a chance, he will succeed, ground breaking theory I know.

McGuinness will be the new Kennedy. Injured, rehab, return, injured, rehab, return.

So, who will take Danielson and McGuinness' places in ROH?

Hogan - better draw, and Dusty is just annoying Finlay - is one tough bastard and can go hard without getting hurt Davey Boy - who is Marty Jannetty? Onita - his death matches are still awesome

It never damaged Hulk Hogan/Warrior/Sting. Parents should have known men cannot get that big naturally on the schedule they have. Hogan was badly damaged. The Hulk Hogan vitamin company went from huge sales to bankruptcy in months due to the steroid scandals. Warrior wasn't "publicly/officially" a steroid user until the McMahon trial, which was in '94, and he returned to the WWF in '96 where he wasn't pushed as a kids' attraction nearly as much as before. Sting wasn't involved in the scandals and while he used steroids for a long time, he had a much more natural looking physique. Compared to the other two yes, but still obvious. I was taking Loss' original question as: "Do people stop coming to see because of (insert bad thing)" But like I said.

Que? This promo was incredible. Even though Flair rambled towards the end, and targeted more than one person, it was a nice remembrance of an intense, hate filled promo. What I find funny, is that Foley ripped this promo off.

Watched this today. I was not blown away, which I was anticipating, mostly due to the praise it has gotten (Loss' star rating). I was initially confused why Takada was so damaged early on from two simple non-Hansen lariats. Hase performed well, nothing extraordinary though, just well. I liked Takada countering most of what Hase attempted straight to the armbar, but Hase neglected to sell the damage. Hase took a lot of damage in 1988 standards, those kicks would be ending matches or damn near close today (Nagata). Takada sold falling from a third floor balcony, which was weird at first, but he continued this effort throughout the match, which was nice. The finish killed it for me, obviously blown. 4/5

That's what I assumed, but it does look like him. And, many of the young lions, before turning pro, hang around the ring, no?

It never damaged Hulk Hogan/Warrior/Sting. Parents should have known men cannot get that big naturally on the schedule they have.

My tastes need to broaden, basically. I can see the greatness, but I am conditioned to steller matches like Misawa/Kobashi and Flair/Steamboat. Once I have a deeper appreciation for this much slower, heavy psychology based wrestling, I might enjoy it more - althought Flair/Steamboat have those characteristics, it was 1989, not 1977, there is a difference. That's why I said it is doubtful, because I enjoy more intense, faster paced matches.

Or the fact by the time 1989 came around, his back and knees were such a mess he couldn't really be a junior anymore, instead, he had to wrestle more like a heavy, even though he weighed 200 pounds. Watch his street fight with Owen Hart. Owen Hart + Dynamite Kid / 1989 = Horrible

1/5/2008 Bryan Danielson vs. Low Ki PWG WHAT WORKED: * Danielson's mat wrestling, transitions, and counter holds, they were terrific. Obviously his talents are near Volk Han levels, but he is getting damn close. I don't even know what it would be called, but it looked something like a single leg figure four, only that Danielson was using only one leg while trapping both of Ki's. * The way Danielson works over an arm. I love how Danielson picks someones arm literally apart, like placing the arm palm down and stomping on the elbow. Talk about greatness. I liked the contortion of Ki's digits, looked like he could have easily dislocated or broken them. * Danielson's smugness. He is talented in this aspect as well. * Ki did good working over Danielson's mid-section, and I like how he screams when he does the double stomp. And later on, Ki's koppo kick was nice, I didn't see a leg slap. * Ki blocking a top rope suplex by biting Danielson was epic. WHAT DIDN'T WORK: * Low Ki, and his gimmick. His mannerisms are weird, and he acts like a hyped up Crash Holly. * Low Ki's neglectful selling at times. * The ending. It was anti-climatic, but I guess it could put strain on the abdominal - and since Ki had just dropped Danielson on his head. OVERALL THOUGHTS: Danielson is my favorite wrestler, and he continues to impress me with every match I see. Danielson's mat work and technical ability is the best in the business. The way he contorts arms, and transitions from submissions or to a counter is flawless. Ki was tolerable, and when he forgot to sell, Danielson quickly reminded him to do so, which was good. They kept the no selling and bomb throwing to a minimum, which in the context of this match, was a good thing. 4 1/4*

12/13/1982 The Funk Brothers vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody 1982 Real World Tag League Finals I have been searching for this match online for about two years, and every link I find, is down. I bit the bullet and bought the full Brody set from Bob. WHAT WORKED: * This match was violent, and I am a mark for violent pro wrestling matches. * Seeing what I believe to be a very young Akira Taue. * The big match feel, something I have always enjoyed from All Japan. * Young and athletic Stan Hansen. Good lord was he fantastic in this match. The initial tie up was violent and Stan wasted no time laying in the hard shots. Plus, his running drop kick was a rewind moment. * Brody worked stiff throughout, his first strike of the match looked about 95%. Unless I am mistaken, Brody opens Terry up hardway, which is awesome. Brody bites Terry as well, something that is unfortunately missing in today's wrestling. * Hansen and Brody making quick tags in and out. Brody was in the match for about a minute before Terry targeted his knee, and Brody quickly tagged out. Just grade A tag wrestling, not allowing a technician to surgically take your wheels apart is tremendously smart. Later on in the bout, Hansen blocks Terry from making the hot tag shoulder blocking him off the apron, very good. * Terry gushed, and showed some athleticism early on. I do think his selling throughout was a tad over done, but he did put the Western Lariat over huge. * I dug how the Funks reacted when Brody would reach in the ring and interfere, with Terry blasting him with a head butt, which was spectacular. * The brawling in the crowd. It was subtle, but very efficient, Dory returned bleeding while Terry and Stan tore it up on the outside. * The pacing. One moment in particular stood out to me, after Brody piledrives Dory, who at that time is bleeding profusely, he lets the moment sink in before attempting a cover. * Terry as a human pinata was hilarious, looks like he had a bad night with tequila. * The post-match brawl and chaotic environment. This was better than the match, even though I thought the match was incredible. Hansen and Brody fending off young lions, stiffing the hell out of them was quite the scene of carnage. Just surreal to see in All Japan. * Hansen pushing over the trophies was a nice touch of his heelishness. WHAT DIDN'T WORK: * The non-finish really bugged me. But it is All Japan in the 1980's. * Brody seemed lost a couple of times, seemingly unable to keep up with his partner. OVERALL THOUGHTS: One of the best tag team matches I have seen from the 1980's, easy top ten material. The post match scene was out of this world, I wish the WWF could match something like this. Hansen was legendary in this match, an all-time classic Stan Hansen performance. The Funks took a man sized beating, dished out some stiffness of their own, and bleed heavily. 4 3/4* for the match 5* for the entire thing

Over the years I have watched from the side lines, never fraying into the huge debates, or "fights" at DVDVR, but I have observed a lot of conformity. If Phil says Mark Henry is the greatest wrestler right now, the flock will follow suit, especially if his Lieutenant's claim the same. I have never been one to fall into these...circles, per se, but many of the posters there do. I briefly mentioned this in my first column. * Mark Henry. I liked him better in 1998-99 when he was strictly a comedic character. His matches leave a lot to be desired, talented big men like Vader and Hansen blow him out of the water. I prefer quality wrestling, something of which Henry is seemingly incapable of doing, yet his matches are drooled over because one of the musketeers deemed him worthy of praise. * How can someone deny the holocaust? I guess they must also believe in moral relativism. * I am a full fledged member of the anti-Michaels brigade. I do think he is a talented performer, albeit a horrid seller, well, exaggerated over-seller to be more precise. I believe what he did in 1997 was pretty shitty as well; and his retirement in 1998 was a way out of the business.

Watched this for the first time yesterday, on the Lawler comp. WHAT WORKED: * Its Lawler and Race, working an old school, long match. Race worked really well in the ending stretch with his avoidance and escape of the sleeper and pinning combinations. * Lawler's usage of the side headlock, and Race being unable to escape. I liked how they worked each other over, Lawler with the side headlock/sleeper and fist drops/knee drops. Race was doing a front face lock, a guillotine choke and his falling head butts and knee drops. * The pacing. There didn't seem to be much wasted time, laying around, stalling, etc. * The announcing. * Race's heel tactics, trying to get Lawler disqualified on numerous occasions. * Lawler, the home town boy whipping the NWA champion. Flair adopted this method. * The bumps. Taking a scoop slam on the concrete floor in 1977 was huge. Race bumped around like a mad man, falling to the floor, missing the diving head butt. * The selling. They sold fatigue, whether it was real or not, it was convincing. * The brawling. They brawled quite nicely, not as much as Memphis is known for, or for that matter, Lawler and Race; but what they did do was nice. * The first fifteen minutes was superb. I think that if they had done this differently, that it would be a much better match, say a twenty/thirty minute long match with a double DDQ/count out. WHAT DIDN'T WORK: * It was obvious they were working a sixty minute draw. Especially when they were counting the minutes down, a dead give away. I believe the announcer even said, five down fifty five to go. * The repetitiveness of the match. Lawler did like eight scoop slams, many vertical suplexes, etc. Also, Race repeated many spots over and over, like the foot on the rope. What makes that spot worse, is the fact Lawler continued to make the same mistake, over and over. * Lawler looking like an idiot. As mentioned already, and the fact he was going to let Race get counted out. I don't know if there was a clause to get a re-match because of a count out, or what. The ref did something truly stupid as well, obviously knowing Race's feet were on the ropes but counted anyway, setting up a false finish. * Phantom moves. I say at least four, which ate nothing but air. Like Race kicking Lawler super quick to get out of a hold, or his head butt while tangled up in the ropes. * Race in the sleeper. After nearly fifty-seven minutes, Race was locked in the sleeper. It should have ended the match, at least have Race fall to the outside and have Lawler physically unable to pick the lifeless body up. * Clipping. I don't know how much was missed, but clipping irritates me. The video quality was probably the best around, but I am so accustomed to pristine quality, that once it is gone, it is noticeable. * The ending. Lawler threw everything at Race, everything in his arsenal, and Race wouldn't stay down. The pacing here needed to be spread out, instead of a flurry of offense because the timer is ticking down, when a person is fatigued, it shows. OVERALL THOUGHTS: I liked the match, especially the first fifteen minutes. I was annoyed at the end of the match, which I definite described above. I always rate matches, but I don't have a clue as to where I should place this. An all-time classic, I am not sure. A great match, for most parts, yes. A five star bout, I don't think so, having seen many five star bouts in my time, I don't think I can in good conscience give this the full monty. I will say one thing though, for a sixty minute title defense in 1977, it is a good contest; it is doubtful it can stand the test of time, most of the match is sub par compared to later bouts.

Wow. Was not expecting this when I logged on.

Jeff being a better worker than Luger is, somewhat, a no brainer. Luger's best matches came with better workers who were capable of carrying him, and taking all of his offense and making him look great, like Flair. Jeff is a highspot machine, much like Sabu, but with a better rate of success. I remember being surprised by his singles match with HBK on Raw, either 08 or this year, not sure exactly. But, it was a great move for move match with very little death defying bumps. All of Hardy's top-tiered work has come from gimmick matches, his specialty, so in theory, one cannot truly compare a highspot specialist to a worker needing carrying with weak strikes and power offense. But, if on an equal playing field, wrestling a straight match, Hardy has Luger beat, however, Hardy doesn't have a Flair or Steamboat to make him look like a million bucks. In terms of popularity, Hardy also has Luger beat. The emo and trailer park women love them some face painted Jeff Hardy. Luger was over, to an extent, like the War Games with the top four (Luger/Hogan/Sting/Savage), the crowd goes ape shit over Luger, and the rest as well. When Hardy was just a mid card tag team wrestler in 2000, his pops were bigger than any of WCW's main event talents, including Goldberg. For the love of the business, since none of us (?) personally know Luger or Hardy, we cannot clearly judge who has, or who does love the business more. It is irrelevant if Luger denied his true identity to people, I personally wouldn't want to constantly be smothered by fans when I just want to relax. I don't recall Luger ever leaving the business in the fashion Hardy has. Or, when a wellness policy is inserted into the company, continuously fail tests.

I'd put Hansen above Vader, any day of the week. And yes, I do believe that one incredible year of work would out do a career of good/great efforts. And, Rey Jr., even though injuries and banned movements make him better than Marufuji who constantly wants to do fifteen minutes of elevated finishers a la Angle.