Superstar Sleeze

Wait people hate RINGS?!?! But why? Volk Han vs. Kiyoshi Tamura - RINGS 1/22/97 This match starts off the same way as their first encounter when Han gets an awesome double wristlock rip (did you see the wrist control!) and then ankle crossing. The difference here is Tamura acquits himself much better on the mat. He is not as easily suckered into a cross armbreaker and holds his own. The second spot in the first match is Han getting heel control here Tamura throws a wild spinning mule kick. Han tries to close the gap, but Tamura goes for a rolling legbar, but Han picks his foot out and Tamura does a kip up. WOW! Loved it! I am sorry how did anyone buy this as a shoot though? Tamura gets a takedown. Tamura is doing a lot better here. The jockeying around the heel hook is great with each looking to be in command. There is a great moment where Han has switched to a double wristlock, but releases as Tamura almost gets the ropes to prevent the rope break. Tamura gets a cross armbreaker and forces the first escape. Tamura 1-0. Interesting. Tamura is just as aggressive but is definitely wrestling within himself. Tamura is way more aggressive in his stand up now. I think this is a winning strategy for Tamura. The kicks to the legs look like they are making in roads and Han does not look as comfortabke standin up. I love Han is constantly trying to close the gap and Tamura is pushing him away so he can get full extension on his kicks. Tamura's mistake is going for a bodyscissors takedown and not completing it. This leaves him open for Han's second favorite hold the ankle cross and Tamura has to go for the ropes. On stand up, Tamura goes back to work, but Han closes the gap and takes him down with a double wristlock. Great selling from Tamura once he gets out. On the mat, Tamura gets a flash cross armbreaker that freaks Han out and Han retaliates with a choke, but keeps his ankles to the side so they cant be crossed. Very cool! Hot sequence. Tamura goes high with a kick and it is blocked. Han is vulnerable to the STRAIGHT FRONT KICK! Tamura up 4-2 and is looking much better going into the home stretch. Until Han just takes him down and immediately crosses his ankles for the rope break. Han absorbs some kicks finally feels the rhythm and catches one and THEN HE KICKS OUT THE PLANT LEG! WOW! Heel hook and immobilizes the free leg and Tamura has no choice to tap. Great callbacks to the first match. Awesome progression from Tamura. I feel like there was a lot of nervous energy in the first match (in a good way) here he is much more in the zone. He acquits himself well with the Mat Wizard from Soviet Russia but starts to make in roads in the stand up game. However, Han can still take him down at will and Tamura really does not have a defense against the double wristlock or ankle cross. The kicking out the plant leg and just watching Tamura's knee buckle was crazy. The progression from Tamura and the awesome finish make this another stone cold RINGS classic. *****

Volk Han vs Kioyshi Tamura - RINGS 9/25/96 Volk Han in all his glory double wristlock rips, ankle crosses galore and him taking a straight front kick to the gut. Tamura is a great opponent because he is so energetic and feisty. That opening double wristlock rip is godly. Tamura is a champ for taking that. As soon as Tamura wriggles free, it is right into the ankle cross. This is Volk Han 101 and it looks great because of Tamura's energy and struggle. I love how Han has an answer for everything. Tamura goes for a legbar to counter the ankle cross and Han goes for the cross armbreaker. Han grabs heel and had good control, but squanders the control and on the takedown almost cost himself by ending up in a cross armbreaker. Han is able to counter into an amazing double wristlock and forces him to go for the ropes. Amazing ability to stay on offense by Han. Han has great takedown defense for Tamura who tries to switch up by shooting for a double leg. These are great opponents because Han is so cool under pressure and Tamura is feisty. Han can get cocky though like his showy pulling arm through Tamura's legs and Tamura catches him with a heel hook forcing the rope break. Han grabs a choke and of course his ankles get crossed so you believe a submission is possible. They end up in the ropes and Tamura gets charged with an rope escape. Weird. DEEP Tamura single leg crab then floats into an armbar. Great struggle in this. I loved Han's short leg scissors amazing bend. I love when wrestlers figure-4 random body parts. Always looks amazing. Another tremendous Han spot is when Tamura tries to apply a figure-4 to his leg and leaves his arm just out there and Han grabs a cross armbreaker. Tamura is just writhing around in pain and flaying. It really feels like a finish and I know Han has finished a match like that before. Just great drama. Han goes up 4-1 in rope breaks and then in classic Han runs into a straight front kick for the knockdown. That sort of levels the playing field and looks like Han could fall after controlling the first portion of the match. Tamura is working so hard. Look at how much effort he does getting a side headlock and the way every single muscle is focused on making a Volk Han head pop. Han slaps the taste out of his mouth and gets a knockdown. Tamura tries desperately for a choke, but Han is able to grab his favorite hold, the double wristlock. Amazing match! Before I always I thought I liked and appreciated shoot style, but I could never really love it as much as traditional pro wrestling. I loved this! The struggle and energy were off the charts. I liked the strategy and the distinct characters. The matwork was incredible and the way he kept going for double wristlocks and ankle crosses gave the match a touchstone that a lot of shoot style matches lack. Highly recommended. *****

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs Mikhail Iloukhine - RINGS 11/97 Iloukhine is an average height stocky ex-Soviet that does not seem all that special to me. I much preferred the bullish Tariel from Georgia to him. Kohsaka acquits himself well on the mat early on. They have a pretty good scrap on the mat that Kohsaka wins after some human pretzel making. After that it is Iloukhine with the takedown but he has no control over the takedown and Kohsaka builds up an impressive lead forcing Iloukhine to go to the ropes to escape out of an array of submissions. Iloukhine struck me as kinda clumsy and completely outclassed by Kohsaka on the mat. Iloukhine does work an elementary front chancery (guillotine choke) in the latter stages of the match which was first effective maneuver. Even here Kohsaka maneuvers into a triangle and then works a heel hook while Iloukhine tries a figure-4, but the Russian has to go for the ropes. It is 6-2 Kohsaka at this point. All of sudden, Misha gets a rolling legbar takedown and it is a heel hook, legbar combo that gets him the flash submission. I am surprised this was so highly acclaimed. It is a good match. It feels like a blowout, but Kohsaka chokes and just doesn't put the Russian away. It eventually bites him. Everything was well-worked, but nothing really stuck out to me. ***1/2

I'm at RAW in Boston and there's a Bray Wyatt VS Finn Baylor match about to happen so I figure I take this time to write something that has bothered me over the last year. Modern WWE will skip the babyface shine and go right to the heat segment and usually the heat segment is methodical with lots of dead space. In my opinion it suckd all the fun outta wrestling. I think you can only do this when the babyface is already established and over. If the babyface is NOT, this creates a negative feedback loop leading to a heat vacuum. Where the crowd can't invest in the babyface can't get over because no one likes a loser. They are letting Finn have a babyface shine and people are chanting Too Sweet! See the formula works! The babyface shine is fun and gets crowd rolling. It makes them want to see the comeback because they know the babyface is a badass. It makes the heat mean more because the babyface made a mistake or was wronged. Also the immediacy of the heat screws up the elevation of selling and kills the register. It causes overselling early and blowing off selling later Without the shine or a hotly contested heat segment, there's no energy in the match or arena. I think this is epidemic throughout WWE besides AJ Styles matches. What do you all think?

I don't really see why Jinder should even have the belt just because WWE is touring India. I mean they would never do the same thing with the UK so don't really see the big deal in it. Even if they are trying to get a deal done over there just making Jinder champion for the sake of it seems pointless. Id rather Cena have just stayed Champion. They are already established in the U.K. and they did use British Bulldog as a draw for Summerslam 92. Don't underestimate civic and ethnic pride.

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Hiromitsu Kanehara - KINGDOM 12/8/97 I thought this was damn near the most realistic shoot style match I've ever seen. I think most casual fans of pro wrestling & MMA would be worked by this. I really couldn't think of one moment they exposed themselves. Great submission work and loved the urgency to get the ropes. Some real slick ways to get holds. Like the transition to stand up with good knees and Kanehara kicking Sakuraba's head off was a great finish. Unexpected since Sakuraba was the bigger star but he didn't really sell it afterwards. Great work all around. ***1/2

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Hiromitsu Kanehara - KINGDOM 12/2/97 i see why people prefer this over the rematch. Some awesome stand up exchanges in this! Kanehara blasts Sakuraba with a punch and kick that I can't belueve he got up. Like I thought it was a shoot KO. Kanehara was up 3-1 through asskicking. LOVED Sakuraba catching the axe kick. Matwork and takedowns were great. Nice inside heel trip at one point. Sakuraba knots it up with a choke and leg hold. The 1-1 sudden death next hold wins was hot. Sakuraba wins with a cross arm breaker. I enjoy Shoot-Style a lot but it is rare that it blows me away. It just lacks that narrative and stickiness factor. Those strikes were awesome, Kanehara really teed off. ****

I read a headline "Why has Randy Orton 2017 been so bad?". This is totally ludicrous right? He has been carrying the Jinder feud showing great charismatic energy, working hard and some great babyface shines. I guess Bray Wyatt was shit, but Orton is not a miracle worker.

Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda - BattlArts 9/1/97 Two things I love about BatBat are the register of moves and the transition of defense to offense. The register of suplexes as dangerous but not world ending is great. Perfect between not selling and selling too much. In addition plenty of showcases of them being pinned and instead of kicking out transiting into a hold through a bridge. Great BattlArts match with insanely violent strikes and heated struggles on the mat. Ishikawa had control with stiff punches to head and holds. Ikeda made in roads with shots to head. I loved Ikeda being pissed outside in the ring when he couldn't get the submission was great. Triangle choke was big for him to get back to even. I also loved Ishikawa going for suplexes having Ikeda DEFEND that and transition into a choke or armbar. Brilliant! Ikeda seemed obsessed with leg work kicks targeting Ishikawas leg or a dropkick. He gets a rolling heel hook takedown and then a kneebar. Finally Ishikawa looks in danger. Ishikawa makes his last stand throwing hands and Ikeda BLASTS him with a lariat. As Ishikawa was standing shaken Ikeda grabbed a choke and won. Brutal (duh!) I liked how everything was set up. Story of Ishikawa slowly losing control and Ikeda hanging on getting kneebars but like all great Ishikawa/Ikeda it is decided standing up. ****1/4

Genichiro Tenryu vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara - WAR 11/22/97 WAR is on its last legs but produces one last stone cold classic as these two 80s deliver a violent, hotly contested affair. Fujiwara goes for an armbar takedown complains he can't get a good grip and goes to wipe his hands on the ropes and Tenryu hip check him. The ensuing strike exchanges were intense. Tenryu's sumo slaps and chops against Fujiwara punches and head butts. Fujiwara punches him so hard that he opens him up hardway. Fujiwara controls most of the match when he gets an armbar in the ropes. Fujiwara absolutely tortures the arm. Tons of armbar takedowns. There was one flurry of Tenryu offense (poorly set up Fujiwara just let him up) enziguiri and powerbomb and after the cover Fujiwara immediately grabbed an armbar. Another good Fujiwara spot was he was covering and just went for a double wristlock. This definitely felt one of those matches that Fujiwara completely had overwhelmed Tenryu with arm work and glorious punches to the head (open wound) that even though it felt like Tenryu had no chance you knew he would pull it out and they did it in a very inventive way. Tenryus desperation offense was awesome punches,kappo kicks and throat chops. He was swinging for the fences to win by knock out. Tenryu just lunged at him with punches to the head after a cover was great. Throat chop and Fujiwara goes down for a close three and Fujiwara immediately goes for a double wristlock but the match was over. I loved the finish as something realistic but rarely seen. Fujiwara dominated but Tenryu just was trying to eek out the win by phasing him enough with head rocking strikes. Tremendous action bolstered by star power, great Tenryu selling, awesome Fujiwara heAvy breathing & hard work and excellent strategies. Watch it for the brutal strikes and great story. ****1/2

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Bitzade Tariel - RINGS 7/22/97 Tariel Chris Webber's himself and loses the match going for a rope break when he had none left. Simple but effective match layout. Tariel was a bruising, straight ahead and relentless. It is all stand up. Tariel is clearly uncomfortable on the mat and doesnt have great balance. Tamura gets most of his early takedowns because Tariel lost his balance. Tamura can't do much even when he get his back. Rinse lather repeat but as Tariel fatigues Tamura can get his takedowns and get heel hooks and choke. You see how useless Tariel grabs a front chancery and can't hold on. Tamura slips out and rear naked choke. Tamura wins with protection when Tariel grabs ropes when he doesn't have any left rather than tap out. Great early UFC match. ****

Daisuke Ikeda vs Alexander Otsuka - BattlArts 11/5/97 BattlArts does a great job incorporating pro wrestling into shoot style. It felt like a throwback to the Original UWF, more pro wrestling than shoot-style. Ikeda throwing wild kicks but Otsuka trying to take it to the ground. I loved Ikeda basically getting a Fujiwara armbar takedown but with his legs to quash a Otsuka takedown attempt. Huge headbutt and kick to the head send Otsuka to the floor. Otsuka looked like his leg was going to get fucking but reversed into his own legbar. At one point, I was watching the head/neck area but it was Otsuka's leg that was fucked. Thats the difference between BattlArts and RINGS. In RINGS, they register. In BattlArts, they sell. Otsuka selling his leg is bad for business because it gives Ikeda a real target to zero in on. Otsuka does a great job setting up his pro wrestling spots with holds or disorienting spots. Like the Dragon Leg Screw sets up the Giant Swing sets up Piledriver sets up the top rope diving headbutt (I felt like I was watching Tiger Mask) or the dive to outside or sleeper to try for German suplex. Ikeda gets away and hits a spinning heel kick. Really stuns him and that head rocking move sets up his asskicking segment. Not often you think of the Russian Legsweep as a KO blow but Ikeda hits it with force. Ikeda is PISSED that he was losing so handily. He just SNAPS! Boots to the face and throat until Otsuka ends up out of the ring. Otsuka pulls him out, bad move, Ikeda SLUGS him with a closed fist. Ikeda was amazing on offense just brutal. Loved two feet to face and punch to outside. Ikeda just was destroying him with lariats and could never see how he would lose. Ikeda really did kick Otsuka's shit in, but Otsuka would show signs of life and pepper in some hope spots like reversing weight on a back suplex. I really thought Ikeda had him after a barrage of strikes knocked him down in the corner ala the Tiger/Fujiwara finish. Otsuka did a great job grabbing an arm bar takedown on one of Ikeda's big wind up lariats. This began his mounted comeback by dumping him on his head using a variety of suplexes but most importantly a dropkick to head (Ikeda was showing signs of life and struggle up until that dropkick to the head). Then Otsuka just suplexed him to death for the victory. This was a great head hunting fest. Both made comebacks by going for head rocking. Ikeda ran out of gas and just couldn't put Otsuka away. Otsuka just poured it on. Otsuka looked like he was paying tribute to Super Tiger and Ikeda gave one of his most asskicking performances. Brutal match and great strategy. ****1/4

I have really like Enzo's promos recently. They are earnest and they have a pizzazz to the, It sounds authentic and are entertaining. People are surprised that a guy that looks like Enzo actually acts like a guy who looks like Enzo. That's ridiculous. Fuck all these strait-laced, sterile dudes. Enzo's got personality and he should do his thing. I think Enzo & Big Show have been great. Enzo is a great face in peril and does a great glassy eye sell. Enzo feels like pro wrestling and does pro wrestling. We need more pro wrestlers and Enzo is one of them.

LOL @ Jinder being squashed. I usually roll my eyes at people who call a heel losing "a squash", but Jinder got two cutoffs in and that's it. It was all Orton, all the time. Orton has been fantastic offensively in this feud. Having fun and kicking ass. Great energy and urgency. Jinder is fucking useless. This made me very happy.

Lol. The only man to have a bad match with Greg Valentine in 80s WWF. Those were some borefests.

I mean regardless if matches happened there that qualify as the Best of the 80s they should be counted. I think a case for Flair vs Kerry from Hawaii as the best match of the 80s can be made. Just because Hawaii was a layover/working vacation spot doesn't DQ it from contention. Leave no ROCK unturned

So we are 100% sure Bayley's injury is a shoot? I mean the selling & the fact Nia kept on the injured arm screamed Work to me. BEST Roman VS BRAUN match? I need to watch them all again. Ambulance match was my least favorite. I think May was my favorite until this one.

Nia Jax finally impressed me! Great performance in that triple threat.

Flair vs Brody, no? Never seen it. There are better Flair vs Kerry matches. I feel like there is something obvious from St. Louis, I am missing.

There should be a way to remember miscellaneous territories: St. Louis, Houston (which has had a huge boom), Southwest, Canada, Continental etc... American Power Six WWF - 1. Sgt Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - MSG 6/16/84 2. Tito Santana vs Greg Valentine - MSG 6/16/84 3. Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - MSG 5/19/80, Texas Death JCP - 1. Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton - Horsemen DVD Steel Cage Match 2. Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA - Starrcade 85 I Quit Cage Match 3. Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper - Starrcade 83 Dog Collar Match AWA - 1. Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig - Hour Draw 2. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs Midnight Rockers - Blood In The Sand 3. Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel - Winnipeg 9/20/84 Mid-South - 1. Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - New Orleans 6/1/85 2. Ted Dibiase vs Hacksaw Duggan - Houston Loser Leaves Town, Tuxedo Coal Miners Glove Cage match. 3. Hacksaw Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer - New Orleans 11/11/85 Memphis - 1. Jerry Lawler vs Dutch Mantell - 3/22/82, No DQ 2. Jerry Lawler vs Bam Bam Bigelow - Texas Death Match 3. Jerry Lawler vs Austin Idol - 4/27/87, Cage, Hair vs Hair WCCW - 1. Freebirds vs Von Erichs - 7/4/83 2. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes - Loser Leaves Town Cage Match 3. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - Texas Death Match America Misc: 1. Randy Savage vs Ronnie Garvin - ICW 2. Terry Funk vs Bob Orton - Southwest 3. Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel Japan Big Two: AJPW - 1. Funks vs Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy 2. Funks vs Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka 3. Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk - 4/14/83 NJPW - 1. Andre The Giant vs Stan Hansen 2. Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan 3. NEED TO WATCH MORE Japan Misc: 1. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 12/5/84 2. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 9/7/84 3. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 6/24/85

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Stan Hansen vs Dr. Death - AJPW 9/1/90 This was the title match on the big Budokan Misawa vs Jumbo rematch card. Interesting how the gaijin (Hansen vs Doc/Gordy) have been the main thrust of the title picture while Jumbo vs Misawa is going on. Jumbo vs Misawa didn't need the title so this raised the stakes of the Hansen vs Gordy and Hansen vs Doc matches. I think this is the match I have seen in the past not the June match because I distinctly remembering Hansen steamrolling the flower girl. I was confused in the June match when it did not happen. It also explains why the June match was so much better than I remembered it being. This was really good as a match type I like without being my favorite. I love big, burly, uncooperative, raw bone, sloppy brawls between two big, ugly heavyweights. I enjoyed this immensely for that while realizing it is not the best that genre has to offer. They just beat the shit out of each other and everything felt so urgent. I loved Hansen grabbing the ropes for dear life on the Oklahoma Stampede and just how desperate Doc was to get the Stampede. The finish of Hansen missing the Lariat, Doc getting the Stampede only for Hansen to roll through was awesome. This was Hansen only successful title defense of this reign. Recommended for those who love Mid-South style heavyweight wrestling. Definitely watch their June 1990 match though. ***1/2

Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi vs Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 10/19/90 First 15 minutes: Lots of heat segments early on. Each of the Four Corners take heat in the first 15 minutes. Two out of four were started by Jumbo ramming a huge kneelift to the gut. See 9/1/90 which how he started with Misawa then bouncing him off the ropes and punching them in the midsection. Notice how each heat segment ends when the New Generation army gets the best of Taue. Interesting Kawada goes to the floor pretty early with Taue. I was like when too early and rolled my eyes. Wouldn't you know Taue reverses it and bodyslams him on the floor! Awesome, I love Kawada being punished for being over eager. You need to earn that floor bump. He pays for it when the bigger Taue counters him. This sets up Kawada taking heat on the back. So Jumbo bounces him off the ropes and hits him in the back. All three of the New Generation guys are great sellers in three completely separate ways. I love how once Kawada gets out of the predicament against Taue that once Misawa softens him up that he takes him out to the floor to suplex him on the floor. Kawada is such a prick. Taue takes heat but manages to get a way from Kobashi. JUMBO DRILLS KOBASHI WITH A LARIAT! Then blasts him in the face with a punch that Kobashi sells like he is Ricky Morton in 1985. Glorious! Final minutes: Awesome finish stretch! The work on Kobashi's nose was brutal. Fuchi was just torturing him throwing his face into the steel and those nasty stomps. He got Koashi's nose nice and bloody. The only thing better than Misawa's elbow was Jumbo's Lariat in 1990. That shit looked he was hitting people like he was a Mack Truck! Kobashi's selling and hope spots par excellence. Notice how he overcame Taue to get the tag to Kawada. KAORI BAR THE DOOR THERE IS A PIER-SIX BRAWL A BREWIN'! I loved Kawada coming in like a whirlwind and Taue Sumo Slapping his ass back into the corner. Kawada vs Jumbo is great as Kawada ducks the Jumbo Mack Truck Lariat and hits his Spin Kick to get Misawa in. Misawa vs Jumbo was molten hot! The elbows and that High Knee from Jumbo. I love how Taue just flies out of the ring to wipe out Misawa when Misawa is going after Jumbo. Kobashi vs Taue is great, but Taue tags out to Fuchi thinking he has Kobashi under control. The rolling cradle->moonsault is the most Kobashi thing ever! I bit hard on those nearfalls where Jumbo was killing Kobashi. I really think the finish should have been Jumbo blasts Misawa in the head and powerbombs Kobashi into smithereens, but the kick out did get a big pop and Kobashi chant. I think that went a long way to making Kobashi credible. Kobashi actually looked poised to hit the moonsault on JUMBO! But Fuchi stalled him out long enough for Jumbo to hit two Back Drop Drivers to win the match. Lots of heat segments early on. Kawada/Taue is established. Misawa/Jumbo makes the match feel hot, but they don't over do either. They strike a healthy balance. Fuchi is a nasty bitch to Kobashi. Kobashi looks great as he takes the best heat segment, but gets a big nearfall on Fuchi and looks totally credible down the stretch against Jumbo. I think Kobashi is the big winner in this match. From Kobashi getting punched in the face on, this is just classic All Japan. ****1/4

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 9/1/90 Have watched this match in the past and I know it is the REMATCH~! I am twenty minutes in and I am pretty underwhelmed. Transitions have been poor and the story has just been lets hit each other really hard. The beginning was great with each blocking the other's elbow, but Jumbo sneaking in a short elbow. Short heat sequence on Misawa's abdomen with a big Misawa reaction. I thought this was going somewhere good. Liked Misawa's quick reverse crossbody headbutt and chinlock to quell Jumbo's momentum. Then match lost me. Poor transition into the surfboard test of strength. A really lazy Misawa armbar. There was a long stretch where the match did not feel like anything was being accomplished. Misawa would elbow the hell out of Jumbo and then Jumbo would elbow the hell out of Misawa. But the energy was not there. It was more of each other just taking it. Jumbo was doing a lot of holds that ultimately did not mean anything. Misawa was also hold happy. Thing that really stuck out to me was Jumbo hitting a piledriver and a butterfly suplex and Misawa just popping up, it was not a no sell, but a not sell. No selling is a form of selling that can pop the crowd. This is a not sell. It was jarring. The match finally kicked into gear when Jumbo threw Misawa's head to the ground. The Thesz Press. Now it felt like things had consequence. When Misawa elbow, JUMBO WENT BEZERK~! HERE WE FUCKING GO! Loved the play off the 6/8 finish with Misawa shifting his weight on a back drop driver and then Jumbo floating over for two. Jumbo tossing him out repeatedly and whacking him with a chair was great. They were really hitting each other hard. This is the match that established the Misawa Elbow as The MISAWA ELBOW~! You can see how much he relies on it and never gives up on it. He was really bashing Jumbo and he eventually does make in roads with it. Jumbo resorts to primal counters like nasty headbutts. I loved Jumbo's dropkick with the explosive extension at the end. Misawa-rana out of the powerbomb is that debut or was he doing that as Tiger Mask II? Misawa is unrelenting with that HUGE elbows. This is classic Misawa. Loved the German. Jumbo gets him with a supeplex and then a Back Drop Driver. Kick out, damn I bit hard on that! Classic All Japan is here. Huge Misawa elbow to the side of the face. Loved the finish. It was who could pull the trigger first with Jumbo hitting the lariat before Misawa could hit the elbow and Jumbo wins with a back drop driver! JIP to Jumbo losing his mind and going to town on Misawa and this is ***** easy. What is interesting is that while this firmly confirms Jumbo as the Ace with the clean victory with his finish. Misawa did kick out of one Back Drop Driver and really had Jumbo reeling. This was not a dominating Jumbo victory. Jumbo had to be resilient. It was a great fight. The thought first half meandered a lot and drops this out of greatest match of all time discussion, but still a classic. I think I prefer 6/8 for the entirety of it and the cool finish. This had the better finish run. ****1/2

I thought what confused me was how dead the Philly crowd. I know that they were having trouble selling tickets but it felt like they were out West with these reactions. New Day/USOS were great! I really liked the first AJ/Owens match in May but this one was tepid. What was up with the finish? Nattie winning was sad! Cenas first PPV match against Rusev was a waste should have been the main event of Independence Day SD! Orton vs Indian Midgets continues to be amazing. I thought Orton has been great in this feud. Mahal is a black hole of suck. Great Khali eye roll.

I popped for this!