WingedEagle

So the crowd in Boston was dead much of the way and I can't blame them given everything that's happened since the opener. But AJ Styles killed himself, working a smart match along the way and bumping his ribs in every imaginable way, including many that didn't require a whole lot of help from Jinder. Throw in the early work on the leg to set up the Calf Crusher finish and this was a pretty damn good match. Easily Jinder's best. ***1/4

Who would've guessed this show would nose dive after a Baron Corbin triple threat?

This one's a cluster. If my math is correct, we have 3 official matches remaining. Even if likely that a match or segment is added to fill in time, I'm crossing my fingers they can close up shop by 11.

The tag title match fell short of expectations as much as the US Title exceeded them. Bad chaos throughout before a fun finish.

Corbin vs. Roode vs. Ziggler - This dramatically over-delivered after a slow start. Big spots that were well chained together and captured the crowd. I even appreciated their wrinkle on the steal the pin trope they often rely on. Really fun opener. ***1/4

I'm in the camp of people who actually thoroughly enjoyed that match when I first saw it (have yet to rewatch). Things like the Undertaker visibly struggling to do his sit up spot or looking lost as Reigns ran circles around him to hit the Spear are top notch moments for me. Yeah, I thought it told an incredibly compelling story that I probably wouldn't have bought had you laid it out on paper in advance. But Taker's failing efforts to overcome the superstar in his prime along with Roman practically toying with him throughout made for a really special match. In fact, this performance along with his promo the next night had me beyond convinced that Heel Roman Reigns would've been the hottest thing the company had to offer this year. But it ended after that 24 hour period. Even most of the botches in the match really added to what they were doing.

I've got incredibly low expectations, which usually leads to a pleasant surprise. But this is one hell of a tough lineup.

Okada is a runaway #1 for me. I understand the argument against him if you're not high on the Omega matches. I am, which makes this as easy as any call in recent years. Especially when you add in the Tiger Mask W, Shibata, Suzuki & Evil title defenses as well as his work in various tag & six man matches at Korakuen on lesser shows. Those tags were almost never meaningful matches but he almost never mailed them in and always delivered sequences that helped build his next big main event. That can't be understated. All of that is before you factor in his G1, which beyond the Omega match featured an incredible MOTYC with Kojima along with excellent matches with with Elgin, Suzuki and Evil. Not to mention what I think is Cody Rhodes's best career match at the G1 Special in the states. Io Shirai was in the running for #2 on my ballot based on the first 7 months of the year, but hasn't really been put in position to build on that in her work since returning from injury. Strong work every time out rarely delivering great matches based on how she's been used in tag settings. Still a possibility to make my top 3, but far from the lock she was over the summer. I can't say I love the thought of a top placing for Omega on my ballot because of those nights where he works in tune with his colorful tights, but between the Okada series, the Ishii series, the G1 matches and Juice defense its tough to leave him off. Walter is right in the mix for a spot in the top 3 and a lock for the top 5. In-ring feud of the year contender with Riddle, the 16 Carat final with Dragunov, the Starr matches, the tag work with Thatcher -- just an incredibly diverse body of work all over the world. Reigns has delivered pretty consistently when given an opportunity this year, from the Owens match at the Rumble (KO's best outing since his first couple outings with Cena), the Braun feud and then TV run late in the year. Then there's the Mania match with Undertaker. Widely panned and I get it, but I guess I'm the outlier here. I liked it that night at the end of the marathon that Wrestlemania has become, and I liked it even more on rewatch later in the year. Call me crazy, I loved it.

Its a great point and I agree with the general sentiment. Tags are great for organizational purposes but not so much for fostering discussion. I think the ideal situation is one that would allow for a broader discussion of matches / work / workers across eras / promotions / years or any other arbitrary and (il)logical basis, while somehow automatically cross-posting to an MDA for reference and narrow discussion / comments. Yes, that may be entirely unhelpful given that it isn't exactly feasible. But something along those lines seems like a worthwhile goal to spur more discussion of what's happening in the ring. What about trying to establish broader threads along the lines of the weekly WWE TV or PPV threads. I.e. "NJPW December 2017," "Wrestle Kingdom 12," "UK Indies November 2017," "EVOLVE 2017" or things of that nature, and then hoping or nudging people to cross-post in the MDA? Perhaps too ambitious, but others may have a better idea of how to expand on this without taking away from the MDA. Not exactly sure about how to tailor it to older material for these purposes, but surely there's a way.

Finally got to Roman/Cesaro. Another in a string of great TV matches for Reigns. Cesaro's offense really stood out here (as it did for Sheamus against Rollins earlier in the night), but I think I preferred the Jason Jordan match from last week. It stood out as having and more consistent selling, along with perhaps preferring the transitions and near falls on that night. Any night where we get a pair of matches like Rollins/Sheamus and Roman/Cesaro is a good one.

I haven't listened to the audio, but there's obviously quite a difference in talking about trusting someone for purposes of keeping a crime under wraps versus for gossiping about your tag team partner.

The opening angle with Joe & The Bar laying out The Shield was excellent. Solid mic work from Joe without forcing too much on the stick before getting to the action and heels using numbers to lay out the faces. This is exactly the type of heat they should build every week as it doesn't have week to week hot-shotting but is a low simmer as they continue to build Roman towards Mania. I still maintain that Roman needs a proper heel run if he's going to have any chance of getting over as a top face, but using The Shield to lock him in as a babyface right now and this slow build more than works for me even if not for the masses. Still digging how they're positioning Absolution and did a better job this week letting Paige speak briefly rather than give the entire group too much time on the mic. Less is usually more here. There were some really rough spots in the match where Mickie came cartoonishly far from connecting with Mandy & Paige. Not sure who's fault that is and it probably doesn't matter but it stood out. On the other hand, I didn't care for Braun/Kane at all and the prospect of a triple threat at the Rumble isn't remotely interesting. That's all I've seen thus far, but looking forward to the Rollins/Sheamus and Reigns/Cesaro matches.

When did this happen out of interest? I believe he's referring to the first MITB match. I believe Meltzer gave it ****1/2.

To point out how fantastic this disc is. I am a huge fan of the Invader 1 vs. Ron Starr street fight match, amazing stuff throughout. But I take no issue with you putting those 7 matches above it at all. There is just THAT MUCH good stuff on disc 3. I somehow haven't finished the set despite blowing through the first 6-7 discs, as things really went downhill for after the Colon/Hansen series. But its likely this disc will produce more than a few of the top 10 from the entire set and be on the short list for best disc from any 80s set.

My uncle and father have had it. Both are big fans.

I also wouldn't tout it as a MOTYC, but thought it was a terrific match nonetheless. I'm a huge fan of Walter's loud, simple and effective offense. He has some of the best strikes in the business while never venturing into anything that takes you out of the style being worked. That along with the great focus on the hand as a means to overcome the size difference as very smart and unique. Big fan of this. ****1/4

The first period that comes to mind is late 96/early 97 with the rise of Austin, Bret's turn and formation of the Hart Foundation all the way through Survivor Series '97. I think you can then essentially skip ahead to the night after Mania 14 with Austin as the focal point of the promotion and take that for a while, perhaps even until late 99 or so? Some others may be able to provide more specific dates there. 2000, with the Radicalz, great stuff from Rock, Foley, HHH and Austin's return building to Mania 17 the following year is also great. From there, the next can't miss period is whenever The Shield and Daniel Bryan started having weekly matches on TV in 2012-13. Even if you don't find much to care about on the rest of the shows, those outings will always deliver and are well worth seeking out.

What are the WALTER matches I need to be seeking out? vs. Dragunov (3/12/17) vs. Riddle (3/12/17) vs. Riddle (Progress 3/26/17) vs. Riddle (7/9/17) vs. Riddle (8/12/17) w/ Thatcher vs. Briscoes (WXW 10/6/17) w/ Thatcher vs. Simmons & Starr (WXW 10/8/17) vs. David Starr (WXW 10/28/17) There are many others if you want some deeper cuts, especially on the tag side, but those are some of my favorites from this year.

Its like Spencers Gifts. I'm guessing neither have a presence in NY? I haven't heard of either.

Legit cracked me up. I actually agree with the comments about Chicago and New York (though being from NY am obviously and unreasonably biased), but would think that the ability to drive here from so many other big cities (Philly, Boston, DC, Toronto) is an advantage. I'm sure they know their markets and Cali may very well be logical, but it doesn't seem like a completely unrealistic endeavor with the right main event. At least for a single event.

Unwitting self-parody is often my favorite. Elsewhere, I missed Smackdown last night but hope to catch it this evening. Apparently no chatter about it here -- anything solid on the show?

Beyond the Suzuki G1 match, off the top of my head I remember loving the Okada match at Dominion, his outings against Ibushi, Tanahashi in the G1 and Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom. His first WK match at Naito wasn't at the same level as those already mentioned, but a fun match that might be interesting to watch now given the trajectory of both careers.

Rollins vs. Cesaro was a pretty terrific TV match and Rollins's best singles outing in quite a long time. Roman/Elias was a different, also entertaining match and textbook Roman special where he puts over someone lower on the card throughout the match before picking up the win. I also really liked that both matches had clean finishes and set up upcoming TV programs with Rollins & Ambrose vs Sheamus & Cesaro and Roman vs. Joe. I've got no use for this Kane nonsense, but two matches like the above and some mostly harmless filler (save the godawful Bray stuff) make me a satisfied consumer of televised wrestling.

Sleeze, really dug your reviews of the HOP over the years. I'm in 2009 on my PPV rewatch on the Network so it'll take me approximately 17 years at my current pace to get there, but looking forward to it!