DR Ackermann

Rivera/Sanchez from 03/06/76 had some pretty cool takedowns from both guys that I don't think I've seen before. It's not a must see match or anything but it was totally different stylstically from everything else so far. A sort of technical exhibition that hinted at what both guys might have been capable of in a different setting with different expectations.

Of course it's subjective and somewhat besides the point but its pretty wild to say that Bret Hart of all people never had a bad match. I think Bret Hart is probably the most overrated guy ever, but even so he has his fair share of nondescript, nothing-happening matches as well as bad ones. I think even his supporters could point to examples of matches where he didn't care cause it wasn't important in his eyes so he didn't try.

Damn, I'm no big fan of Koshinaka or Takada and think both can be actively bad. But something clicked for me when they fought each other. I remember being really surprised by how much I liked their feud.

Well he's not making that decision about the other announcers at this point right? His dad is running things so I would assume it's his call.

I've been really down on Flair's post 1990 in-ring work. He streamlined his spots to a pretty basic, repetitive sort that still worked for him and popped the crowd but I mostly haven't enjoyed it save for a few matches here and there. To put it bluntly he seemed like a shell of himself but it was clear that he could still get up and go which was impressive for his age and the wear and tear hes experienced. But I gotta say he went all out here. It wasn't just go go go, he and Steamboat mixed it up a bit and tried some new things. It felt fresh. One thing that bothered me was the double stomp on Steamboat that set up flair injuring both of his legs. I liked it but they didn't follow through and do anything with it. And some of Flair's OH GOD selling was off-putting. I get the criticism people have of the last section where it seemed like they ran out of things to do but I felt it worked. They were playing up how they were equals and had thrown everything they had at each other and we're completely work out to the point that the first to slip up would lose. Great match.

Most of Bret's face promos are better when you pretend he's a heel. He's so unlikeable.

I was kind of was kind of looking forward to this, but it was way too long and repetitive. I'm guessing this went long to make up for the Finlay/Regal match getting cut short. Speaking of that match, this looks so tame comparatively despite being billed as a Street fight. I do love the ending though with Luger freaking out.

Terry Funk is pro wrestling.

The Tiger Mask II period is the weakest run of any significance that any of the 4 pillars had in All Japan. When you look at opportunities vs output, that phase of Misawa's career is shit in comparison with what Kobashi, Taue and even Kawada were able to do with fewer and weaker chances to perform in their early days. Kobashi & Taue were killing it within their first 2-3 years. Kawada was killing it once he got some of the spotlight. Hansen had 15 years of awesome performances in All Japan.

I had my first one at #12 and I think you know me well enough to know I am hardly anti-All Japan I have the Four Pillars at 17,34,35 & 67.

That's just not the case though. Tenryu got more and more creative with his spots and counter spots. He would go out of his way to make mid carders and de facto jobbers look as good as possible. For the record, Tenryu was my number 2 and i was the low vote on Jumbo at 82. Admittedly, later career Tenryu is a bit of a blind spot for me. It's just been weird hearing the criticisms lobbed at Jumbo during this process and thinking, "That's EXACTLY how I feel about Tenryu." I had Jumbo 4th and Tenryu 37th. I would agree that Tenryu is much less charismatic and seems oddly apathetic at times in his first decade or so.

My top 10 has been decimated the last couple of days. 1. ???????????? 2. Genichiro Tenryu 3. Nick Bockwinkel 4. Negro Casas 5. Tatsumi Fujinami 6. ???????????? 7. ???????????? 8. Yoshiaki Fujiwara 9. El Satanico 10. Steve Grey

That's just not the case though. Tenryu got more and more creative with his spots and counter spots. He would go out of his way to make mid carders and de facto jobbers look as good as possible. For the record, Tenryu was my number 2 and i was the low vote on Jumbo at 82.

Arn Anderson is great but man...he should be behind most of the guys between him and number 40. Had him ranked at 44. Windham 15, Regal 12, Satanico 9, Dandy 11, Rose 16, Rhodes 26, Santo 30, Cena 29, Morton 33, Taue 35, Akiyama 43, Foley 78.

Do not agree agree with anything after the last comma

I had Fujinami as the second highest Japanese guy on my ballot at 5 just ahead of Fujiwara at 8.

I like Takada's 80s New Japan stuff more than most of Hart's stuff. Don't like either guy that much overall.

His Vader RAW match sucked. So did his RAW match with Rocky Maivia.

1997 is a career yearfor Bret, I just don't see it as anything special in-ring wise. But then again, I see Bret Hart as the most overrated wrestler of all time and don't think he was ever that great for any consistent length of time.

Canadian Stampede and the 4 way are two of the most overrated matches in history to me. I don't think either one is particularly good, and Bret Hart's performances in them aren't anything special either.

I can't count the One Night Stand match as a plus. It doesn't hold up in my eyes. Survivor Series was going pretty well before the 'abrupt ending.' I don't think I've seen the IYH rematch,

In reality, what is so great about Bret's 1997 in-ring, other than the Wrestlemania Austin match?

Arn Anderson has officially become overrated. He's still better than Bret Hart, though.

Just kidding. Fujiwara was my number 9 and Grey was my number 10.