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WingedEagle

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Everything posted by WingedEagle

  1. WingedEagle
    Looks like he was out from June '89 until September '90.
  2. WingedEagle
    I thought he was out for well over a year?
  3. WingedEagle
    To a large extent you can actually quote Rocky on that. It doesn't matter. Mania 17 doesn't do quite as many buys, but both of them are blowing up without the other.
  4. WingedEagle
    For anyone unfamiliar or looking for a second opinion, just wanted to add in another vouch for IVP Videos. Haven't had the need to order anything from him in a while as I've been staying current with NJPW PPVs and otherwise working through Yearbooks, Network content and Ditch's Best of 2000s Japan. But he is the man and great to deal with.
  5. WingedEagle
    I hope they promote the hell out of the Black History Month content. I don't know if it'll get a single person to sign up, but think its important they highlight and push the hell out of content other than the monthly PPVs. How much do people outside of this world or those who used to order the PPVs every month even know what's available? Just watched a fun Bad News Allen promo on there. Nothing out of this world, but nice to check out something different for a few minutes before heading out the door.
  6. WingedEagle
    I'd be pretty shocked if Bryan had a guarantee upwards of 7 figures. Given his spot at Mania last year and what we know about past Mania payoffs his overall haul in 2014 makes sense. Going forward? I'd imagine his downside a lot less.
  7. WingedEagle
    LOVE Austin. I think watching with him might trump 1/4 for me. Dude loves it so much and his passion just bleeds through the podcast.
  8. WingedEagle
    Between the Dome, the All Japan and New Japan rosters in the corner and the heat this came across like a truly titanic dream match. Goliath vs. Goliath. Even if Sasaki didn't have the same rep and history, he felt like Kawada's equal on this night. The initial lockup is one Steve Austin would love and it certainly set the stage here. Tenryu might throw my favorite punch in wrestling, but no on sells a devastating punch like Toshiaki Kawada. Absolutely love how he slowly collapses. Come to think of it, I've definitely seen Tenryu pull something similar so perhaps that's where he picked it up. The operating space here is really noticeable -- they're always in each other's grill, never allowing much breathing room. Whether its Sasaki rushing to the mount or corner work, there's no circling or letting anyone gather himself. Basic kicks to the leg and chops are so stiff and weighty, and the stakes so great, that it feels like this could end at any time. Each man goes for his finisher only to have it blocked, before Kawada finally secures this one with a big kick. It felt appropriate that this ended after an accumulation of damage from this war rather than any sudden bomb. This was no dominating victory as both are dead on the mat afterwards with Kawada needing Fuchi & Team AJ to help out. Pretty great. Not my MOTY but close, and presumably a top 15-20 candidate at worst for the decade. ****1/2
  9. WingedEagle
    Black Liger! Skinny Makabe! Makabe as a powerhouse junior seems like a nice contrast against Kanemoto & Tanaka. Really liked how Liger played the Misawa role here, always there to bail out Makabe when the opposition has him reeling and using the palm blows as his equalizer. Also thought it put over Makabe's size & power offense effectively before the limb work of Tanaka ends it. Really fun, different juniors match with a different dynamic than I'd usually expect from the juniors. ***3/4
  10. WingedEagle
    The SUWA show. He basically dominates the entire match while Dragon Kid has a few moments to show off his flippy stuff. Nothing wrong with that, but not exactly top shelf. Can't wait to see SUWA against more game opposition. ***
  11. WingedEagle
    This is exactly what happened. I wanted something in the vein of Misawa/Akiyama or Kobashi/Takayama but instead got the TV match to set up the PPV. Totally makes sense that they're not blowing their wad on night 2, but it left me wanting more. I did really enjoy the character touches Akiyama put on display here, not just working the knee but looking like he wanted to hurt Kobashi rather than just find an edge. Cannot argue with his booking right out of the gate. Really strong way to put someone over. ***1/2
  12. WingedEagle
    Watch Kobashi/Takayama from the spring and then this and you'll know very quickly this is not your '90s All Japan. This isn't just Kobashi/Takayama, legit MOTDC, but rather a good match that establishes Akiyama vs. Kobashi as the focus of the promotion. Its really something to see Akiyama put Misawa to sleep so quickly and decisively to take the first fall. After that hot start the second fall is really just there most of the way, with Misawa & Taue unleashing their bombs without much escalation, before Kobashi & Akiyama outdo them on that front. The excitement comes afterwards when Akiyama cements his spot in the pecking order by laying out Kobashi. Hot start for NOAH. ***1/2
  13. WingedEagle
    This was like the '98 Finals only if Jordan played for Chicago and Utah. You've got Tenryu and Hansen representing the old guard, clearly not at their peaks but simply wanting it more and finding ways to win, or in this case put on a stellar match. Hansen is a classic babyface here, smashing his hand on the post when Tenryu bails and then selling it like a wounded dog the rest of the way. Meanwhile Tenryu is a master in the post, using his punches, chops and grittiness to wear down the old timer and teach young Kea a lesson. Its a real joy to watch Tenryu and Hansen beat the crap out of each other at this stage of their careers. Crazy to think Tenryu still had years and classics left in him. Kea really given a chance to shine here, hitting all his big moves on the legends and withstanding their onslaught. For a while. Eventually the legends team isolates and puts him down for good, but between Hansen's hand and the job Tenryu & Kawada did making Kea look like be belonged on their level this vastly exceed expectations. Ballpark guess is this could end up around mid-ballot, but we'll see how the decade shakes out. ****
  14. WingedEagle
    Liked the stiffness, loved it when they hit turbo late and when into the spots and counters. Did not love how aimless much of the stiffness and early portions of the match felt, as this just didn't connect with me as anything more than juniors going hard for the sake of showing they could, as opposed to having any real focus. Solid, but unspectacular ***1/4
  15. WingedEagle
    Ah, if they're extending the free subs to people that signed up a certain amount of time before 2/1 then you may not have to do anything else. But if you've already been charged for signing up before the Rumble, not sure how that helps.
  16. WingedEagle
    Only "new" subscribers get February for free. So you'll have to cancel, hope you get a refund on the month you bought that night and then create a new account to sign up.
  17. WingedEagle
    From WWE's efforts on Twitter it sure looks like Bryan vs. Ziggler is the direction for those two. If given enough time it could be a very fun match.
  18. WingedEagle
    I've seen some of the Tak greats from a few years later, but this was my first look at him in the aughts and it was awesome. He establishes this isn't your respectful, athletic Japanese wrestling contest by heeling it up immediately with a high kick KO as the ref checks Kobashi's boots, then another at the bell for an immediate near fall. You don't need any over the top character work here to mix things up and be wildly effective, just simple, basic heel tactics that stand out so much when everyone else is playing it straight. Kobashi has his hands full with the beast and goes big early as well, with a DDT on the floor after a bunch of chops. Loved Kobashi adding a wrinkle to his offense by delivering chops to Takayama's big, nasty forehead and constantly picking him for more rather than relying on beating his cheat red like usual. Takayama isn't just big though, as he blocks a backdrop suplex and works to a cross armbreaker, then doesn't break right away when Kobashi reaches the ropes. Heel Takayama for President! Tak returns to his high kicks, which eventually piss off Kobashi and lead to more chops to the head. Omori is on the apron and the ref has to hold him at bay but he takes a spinning chop from Kobashi and we've got legit American-style booking with Japanese action. So great. Takayama capitalizes on a distracted Kobashi by working the lariat arm with kicks and a big legdrop, then back to the cross armbreaker. This is someone who knows his role and how to effectively play it. He zeroes in on the arm, posting it and again working it with submissions. Kobashi fights back and catches Takayama up top with a superplex while still selling the arm. He then gets greedy and eats a knee from the monster on his try for a second lariat. Everest German gets us a 2 count and now they're trading strikes with Kobashi having to rely on his bad arm. Angry, fiery Kobashi may just be my favorite wrestler ever. Takayama with another German that leaves them both dead, but Kobashi pulls out the win with an off-arm lariat and then the Burning Lariat. Okay, this was great as well and needs to be looked back at side by side with Misawa-Akiyama because its right there. ****1/2. For now.
  19. WingedEagle
    Really nice, aggressive work on the knee by Omori early which Kobashi sells through chopping him to death, and then Omori gets to break out the big guns on offense with a pair of dragon suplexes and then stopping a Kobashi moonsault by going after the knee and coming down with a flying knee. Omori's Axe Bomber gets a big near fall, which is pretty impressive given no one in the building including Mr. & Mrs. Omori thought Takao was taking this done. He gets to kick out of a lariat after eating a sleeper suplex and power bombs, before eventually taking the fall. I really dug Omori's fire here. He played the upset candidate as well as he could given the circumstances and left you wanting to see him break through on another occasion. ****
  20. WingedEagle
    Why can't wrestlers everywhere work a headlock like they do at the open here? You shouldn't gas out on it but try a little to make it interesting! Not a classic, but like Kawada/Misawa fromthe Carnival, they can still pull off something very good while operating in cruise control. The big moves are there, the emotion is there from Kobashi while you've got Misawa putting over a younger star once again. It also makes sense that this isn't as epic as February vs. Akiyama or what's standard for these two given the setting. Watching this crew you really appreciate great counter wrestling and how they can almost endlessly string together really complex, back & forth sequences and make it look so smooth and effortless. ***3/4
  21. WingedEagle
    I recently watched Flair/Steamboat from Spring Stampede on the '94 Yearbook and these 2 thoughts really encapsulate this match for me. Its a sprint from these two which is nice twist, but they older, slower and the drama of the golden years isn't quite there. Despite that, they make everything they do matter and its still better than what most can pull off. Was this the first emerald frosien? ***3/4
  22. WingedEagle
    Nothing much to add here -- it was not memorably, the layout was poor and the action outside the ring was really a stall, which is pretty inexcusable for this crew. Still, its Vader and Kawada and even when mailing it in its stiff and acceptable. ***
  23. WingedEagle
    This was stiff and pretty heated, with what I've always found a great match up. These two look like they should produce a classic. This isn't that as they really get by with wailing on each other rather than putting together any kind of structure, then slide into a nice stretch run with a lot of Kobashi kick outs before finishing the big guy. ***1/2
  24. WingedEagle
    So I happened to read the comments on this one before I watched it, and thus didn't go in blindly but rather expecting a MOTDC. Despite that this was still awesome. Just top 10-15 awesome rather than surefire #1 candidate. Misawa brings the heat right away with an early diving elbow, flying dropkick and establishing his elbow from the outset as the ultimate counter. Things change when Akiyama goes after the neck with a calf branding into the railing and then a piledriver and exploder that just kills him. Would not have expected Akiyama the axe murderer here. His attack on the neck is just relentless. For some reason the heat doesn't yet seem to match the level of intensity in the ring (and on the floor). Maybe the crowd wasn't yet buying an Akiyama upset? After a brief Misawa control segment, Akiyama regains the edge by dropkicking him to the floor and *again* going to the jumping knee and a calf branding into the railing to try and snap that neck once and for all. Tombstone, flying elbow to the back of the neck and an Exploder only gets a near fall, but now the building has been sold and is all for it. Akiyama even blocks a tiger driver but the German Misawa follows with isn't about to get him out of this jam. Misawa eventually hits the tiger driver and Akiyama gets to kick out -- shit's about to get real. A series of great counters results in a released German by Misawa and Akiyama gets to kick out of ANOTHER tiger driver in what was probably the spot I popped the most for. Misawa hits his rolling elbow but Akiyama hulks up with 2 exploders that leave both dead. That was a little much for me and one reason I can't go the full monty here. Another run of finishers culminating with a wrist-clutch exploder lands Akiyama the biggest win of his career. So maybe this is a top 10 candidate. Its definitely on the short list of those I will rewatch before finalizing my list. But that neck work and the escalation building to Akiyama's win were dynamite. ****1/2, my 2000 MOTY and plenty of room for an upgrade.
  25. WingedEagle
    Yeah, we'll see what this looks like on a rewatch later in the year but watching live this felt as tremendous as anything from the Dome.
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