Superstar Sleeze

Hey Yo, no this is not the return of Pro Wrestling Love, sadly, BUT I did get to do a podcast on the North-South feed with Good 'Ol Will from Texas aka Goodhelmet and Johnny formerly filled with Sorrow, but not longer. Shout out to Tyler dont know if youre on here. I got asked for a pretty fucking sad reason...I am one of two people Will knows that still watches WWE. I discuss something I pretty much only discuss on my Twitter and that's WWE's male main event division from 2017-Present. Come listen to me talk about this part-time malaise, part-time dumpster fire with the boys! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-north-south-connection/id1501057347?i=1000551898466&fbclid=IwAR1Bhc3NZ1cZb_AkNO4t26cytovehjd6VMzlQX7kjK1R_Kxba_vRS_alMt4

Hi @blackholesun Here is my list of the Best of Puroresu from 2000-2009. There are probably some slight changes since 2015, but I do love all these matches: https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2015/05/year-by-year-puro.html If you like podcasts, here are 5 episodes, I did with @dawho5: https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-68d57-fd5d59 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-e7xtm-fd5d60 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-s62dm-fd5d67 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-h5t24-fd5d6c https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-jh2h7-fd5d70 Enjoy!

Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - WWF 3/25/1984 This is the table-setting for the criminally underrated classic between these two in April. If you not have seen the April 1984 MSG match between Backlund and Valentine do yourself a favor and get on it. Double body part psychology dripping with struggle it is just perfect pro wrestling. This is a shortie but a goodie. Backlund is making his triumphant return to MSG after losing the title to Iron Sheik last year. I cant remember if he already switched over in 1983, but he has the buzz cut and singlet here. Gorrilla and Pat do a great job talking about his neck and shoulder injury. Backlund vs Valentine is one of the all-time great feuds and this is a worthy addition to the catalog even if it is short. Valentine pops him really good a couple times in the corner. They do the excellent Backlund Short Arm Scissors Lift that looks so impressive with the stocky Valentine. I loved the single leg pick up right after that. The bridge in the Short Arm Scissors before the lift popped me. Reminded me of when Backlund worked in UWF REBORN just countered everything by bridging it was so sick. Valentine worked the leg a little bit, but ended up missing the Hammer Elbow. Backlund went for his Chickenwing Crossface and they spilled to the floor. Good stiff brawling on the outside that leads to the Double Countout. They do a nice Stand & Bang in the ring after the bell and Valentine fled. It is not going to change your life, but it is a fun way to spend ten minutes. If you have not seen the rematch from the following month do so! ***1/2

WWF World Champion Bob Backlund vs Ivan Koloff - WWF 4/25/83 1983 was a tough year for Backlund as he had a lot of retread opponents and while he first face Koloff in a classic in 1978, Uncle Ivan is a change of pace in 1983 WWF. I thought if this was watched similarly to a 90s New Japan Juniors match this would be highly regarded. The beginning just was not tight. The spots were good, but how they got there was so loose with no struggle. One thing I love about Backlund is that his matches drip with struggle. Look how weak those lock-ups were or the transitions to the bodyslams. It was disappointing. I was surprised how much offense Koloff got at the beginning of the match. There was no real shine. Backlund worked his usual "anything you can do, I can do better with" with his bodyslams, Full Nelson and the headlock/headscissors. Backlund's offense looked great. Koloff looked like he was coasting. The short arm scissors into the Backlund lift popped my mom who was watching with me. I liked he had to try multiple times to get it. I think if you started watching JIP from there you would think this match is great. Uncle Ivan laces up his working boots and goes for it. It is a 28 minutes or so match, so he probably had to pace himself. Backlund works the arm, classic Bob, you work his arm, he is going to tear it off and take it home with him. Crossface Chickenwing tease, but Uncle Ivan in the ropes. Some really good work in and out of the bearhug. Uncle Ivan goes after the back and he goes on a tear. Really strong heat segment leading to the Riding Backlund Wave With A Knee in the back from the Top Rope ala Dicky Murdoch. That was a great nearfall as Backlund's leg was under the ropes. Vertical suplex by Koloff gets two. Goes for another but Backlund slips down the back for a Crossface Chickenwing for the submission victory. Watched JIP it is ****, the beginning was fine, so lets split the difference call it ***1/2. Backlund haters will probably enjoy that Backlund does not gobble up Uncle Ivan. I would argue that Uncle Ivan does not get his ass in gear until halfway through the match so Backlund should have just dominated but oh well. It is always nice to see an unseen Bob match. He is just so much fun. You cant have a bad time watching Backlund work. ***1/2

I disagree with this sentiment. Elvis was an incredible singer but didnt write any of his songs. He made other people's pieces classics. There are wrestlers that can create on their own (a singer-songwriter if you will) and others who need a great writer/booker/producer but once the bell rings they bring the vision to life. There's no wrong way to skin a cat.

Bitch all you want but there are no wrestlers I enjoy in the ring now more than the Creed Brothers. They are throwing dudes around mercilessly. Legit the best Gutwrench Suplex I have ever seen. That squash they did on the first episode of NXT 2.0 was love at first sight. It is like how JR described Doc wrestling but they actually wrestle like it. As a massive Clueless mark, I’m stoked for the Tiffany Stratton gimmick, who is an ex-Team USA gymnast. Personally I believe variety is the spice of life so I am really glad there is a promotion focused on ex-athletes. Most of my favorites are ex-athletes I think this will help de-homogenize wrestling. I already saw with the Creed Brothers. Nobody wrestles like them. If I want Indy workrate I could go to non-WWE. If I want beefy, power amateur wrestling then I could go WWE hopefully. Yes WWE sucks and yes they change their minds but the last couple months of the Creeds and a Bron Brekker have been sick.

Yeah I regret introducing the comparison to Stan Hansen. It was a different time and there is a lot of speculation surrounding it. I am sorry. The point I really want to drive home was I like when people truck people, smash people, work snug, but I want them to be safe. That is a very thin line. Nia Jax clearly went over it. I think my disconnect is that it seems some people think Nia Jax is a shitty wrestler plus a dangerous worker. I think it is a completely justifiable conclusion to say Nia Jax is a bad wrestler because she is unsafe. What confuses me is the people who say even if you take away all the injuries she causes, she still sucks. Thats where I am confounded and feel like I am watching a different Nia Jax than everyone else, but I appreciate the three or so people that spoke up that enjoy some matches of Nia's. I really enjoyed her offense, her commitment to wrestling large (timing her bumps) and her verbal selling. I am happy that a lot of the Nia detractors laid out their arguments against her so that when I do go back and review her matches in the next 5 years or so, I know what to be on the lookout for when I give her matches a keener eye. For instance, I know I really liked those Charlotte matches because how shoot-y they felt but I didnt know what started it because I am always working when I watch RAW and so when I picked my head up it was already uncooperative and awesome. I watched the rest of the match without rewinding. Just some insight also how I watch 2021 wrestling.

Nia Jax is so much better than Nyla it is not even close. Nyla is one of the worst power wrestlers I have ever seen in my life. She wrestles so small. The amount of bumping she did for Riho was so terrible. There's a difference between Vader bumping for Sting and for the size of someone like Riho. An easy example of a great, extreme David vs Goliath match is Undertaker vs Rey Mysterio at Royal Rumble 2010. Undertaker was not going over on Sunset Flips for Rey Rey. It is not just Nyla. I just watched Britt Baker go over for a Northern Light Suplex from Riho. It is just disrespectful to the interesting stories they can tell. If you dont respect size differences then you ruin the uniqueness of everyone. What makes Rey interesting is how he figures out how to get people into the 619 without disrespecting the size differential. In addition to wrestling small, Nyla also has very weak offensive commensurate with her size. The notion of Nia jobbing to her makes me very sad. I know I am the lone Nia Jax fan apparently on the planet, but I think she has been grossly underrated. Look I wish she was safer of course. I dont want anyone to be injured, but how is she any different than Stan Hansen who was notoriously unsafe. It seems hypocritical to decry one not the other. Stan Hansen has two points in his favor: 1. it is always easier to watch things historically rather than watch an injury happen in real-time. 2. Injury reports were more scant and a lot of his opponents most likely just worked through it so we dont know the extent of how much damage Hansen did. Is Nia Jax as good as Hansen or Vader? Hell No. Is she the best American Power Wrestler of her generation? Hell Yeah! Her match with Rousey was terrific and grossly underrated. Her work around WrestleMania against Tamina was some of the best Mid-South Hoss Battles I have seen in a while. I loved her shoot-style shit against Charlotte. Her run in the Men's Royal Rumble was super fun years back. Nia Jax trucking fools when it was safe was super fun. Another underrated aspect of Nia Jax is her verbal selling. She was one of the best verbal sellers, male or female in recent memory. It is not even the my hole stuff which was fun. Her last appearance when Shayna "broke her arm" is some of the most compelling acting I have seen a wrestler do in a long time. It really made the viewer feel uncomfortable at what was about to happen and feel sympathy for her. It was really strong. Is Nia Jax dangerous? Yes. There is a way to be a great power wrestler and be safe. She needs to work on that. Outside of the danger, Nia Jax is a great pro wrestler. She is the best Goliath I have seen in US wrestling since Awesome Kong's run in TNA. Her offense looks like a million bucks, she knows how to modulate amount she bumps for a given opponent, she knows how to have heated battles with opponents with struggle and is a great struggle. I would be really sad if Nia Jax never wrestled again, but I understand her personal reasons and also it doesnt seem like she is wanted. In a world that doesnt have any great female power wrestlers, it would be a big loss, but again if she is having mental health troubles and no grassroots fanbase I would understand hanging it up.

New Japan 1985-1989 Part 2 Went on vacation to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Vegas and FINALLY made my Rock 'N Roll Pilgrimage out to the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood to see where Glam Metal was born! So bitchin' bruthas! This is the Top Six New Japan Pro Wrestling Matches from 1985-1989 according to me. I had a hard time ranking the UWF vs New Japan Gauntlet match as it felt like rnakinG A Royal Rumble but it was too iconic to leave off. Inoki gets a bum rap as there was a bunch of killer Inoki matches from this era. We see the 90s come early with some choice cuts from Vader, Hashimoto and Liger! Click the link and let me know what I ranked too high, too low or what I missed all together. https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2021/11/pro-wrestling-love-vol-71-best-of-new.html

Completed my civic duty! Voted for the Top 100 Best Pro Wrestling matches of all time at gweproject.freeforums.net and you should too! Deadline is November 21st!

Best of New Japan 1985-1989 Part 1 I love All Japan but it is a known commodity. You know the players and you know what to expect. New Japan appeals to my two favorite styles of wrestling: shoot-style and big carny, freakshow angles. I love that Inoki loved the two most disparate parts of pro wrestling and tried to marry them in New Japan. The rockstars they had: Inoki, Choshu, Fujinami, Maeda (fucking hate him, but he is undeniable), Fujiwara, Takada and Masa Saito and later Vader. It was a murder's row of talent and a great diversity of match types. I highly recommend taking the time and doing a deep dive into New Japan. It is the one DVDVR set that I think does have holes in it which is weird because it is also the biggest so please use New Japan World to track down stuff too. https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2021/11/pro-wrestling-love-vol-70-best-of-new.html

Top Six All Japan Matches 1985-Apr 1990 I would say my Top 4 are business as usual and no surprises, but I think #5/#6 will surprise people and I hope get them talking and reviewing those matches because I loved them! Best of New Japan 1985-1989 coming soon! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2021/11/pro-wrestling-love-vol-68-best-of-all.html

Akira Maeda & Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Osamu Kido & Kazuo Yamazaki & Nobuhiko Takada vs Tatsumi Fujinami & Seiji Sakaguchi & Keiichi Yamada & Kengo Kimura & Shiro Koshinaka - NJPW 5/1/86 Gauntlet Match Wait! Inoki is not in this match! Part of me is disappointed because he brings so much star power. Inoki vs Maeda~! Inoki vs Fujiwara~! always feels huge! Part of me is also happy because it would be a foregone conclusion that Inoki would be standing tall at the end. Now I am not so sure. This is a Team Gauntlet Match. To my knowledge the only of its kind. One member of each team starts out, whoever wins the singles match stays in the ring, the loser exits and another member from the losing team enters. The match continues all members of one team are eliminated. It is conceivable that one wrestler could sweep and thus the other four member from his team do not get to wrestle, but this being pro wrestling, I am sure we will get full monty and it will come down to the fifth wrestler from each team. Lets check this out. Round #1: We are starting with Takada vs Yamada and the size difference is stark. It is amazing Takada was considered a Junior in the 80s. He is massive compared to Yamada. He nearly takes Yamada's head off with a kick but it more of a glancing blow. I think this is only the second or third match I have seen pre-Liger. Takada is schooling him on the mat. It looks like he is wrestling a gnat. Yamada gets a pretty deep toehold but Takada does not seem worried. Takada's leg is bigger than Yamada's body. This is crazy. Did the Liger bodysuit just make Yamada look bigger or did he stop wrestling large dudes. Very nice double leg takedown from Takada. After watching suplex-heavy, highpot-oriented All Japan, nice to get back to some grappling. Takada applies a deep double wristlock on Yamada. Crowd is reacting. Could it be over early. Yamada makes it to the ropes. Interesting strategy New Japan basically starting with their weakest competitor. Nice Fireman Carry throw but loses control of the takedown and Takada back to the cross armbreaker. Yamada rakes eyes with boots. Great waistlock takedown by Takada controls into a side mount. Takada into a toehold loses control. Takada chinlock. Yamada nice drop toehold out. Ref was right with them ready to count when anyone's shoulder were down. Yamada tries to get a Leg Crab on Takada but his leg is too big. Takada regains side control and back into a deep double wristlock. Doesnt look good for little Yamada. Yamada scoots to the ropes. Wow. I thought that was it. Yamada goes for a bunch of kneelifts and throws Takada with a gutwrench suplex and figure-4s the head. This is Takada's fall to lose. He is letting it slip away. Takada popped out and wicked wicked kick. Here we go! Yamada catches back heel trip into the toehold. I am really enjoying all this grappling. It was so nice when different promotions actually had different styles instead of being homogenized. Yamada inverted Indian Deathlock which was a Staple as Liger. Rude Awakening by Liger. Yamada does for the powerbomb that was silly. Back drop. Takada LIGHTS him the fuck up with kicks. The ref pulls him off to count. Yamada gets up and Takada rifles him again and then another series with the spinkick to the face. Yamada catches the fourth set and Figure-4! Takada actually broke the hold. I think the only time I have seen that. Yamada Saito Suplex! Yamada Lariat wrestling like his a mini-Choshu! Can the kid pull it off! Backslide for two! This match rules. Takada body shot. Takada steals one from Fujiwara the armbar out of a German Suplex attempt. Takada has it cinched in but again Takada lets him to get to the ropes. Where is the killer instinct? Amazing kick combination from Takada. Saito Suplex and only gets two. Takada applies his leg lace which I hate but Yamada uses free leg to heel kick him. Yamada makes ropes again. Wow. Takada suplex and Leg Lace again and he finally wins. That match alone was awesome nevermind there would be 8 more. I have no idea how I am going to rate this. This was an excellent David vs Goliath shoot style match. Really dug the vibe. Round #2: Takada goes up against old man Sakaguchi who is out for blood early. Takada finally has to pick on someone his own size. Sakaguchi is probably the biggest man in this match. Maybe Maeda. Sakaguchi knows Takada has been in a war and needs to out him early. Takada weathers the early onslaught and is trying to keep Sakaguchi at bay with kicks. Sakaguchi back on mat with a fierce chinlock. Back to the ropes for Takada. Rifle kick by Takada. Sakaguchi throws him down out of the corner. Old Man Sakaguchi's brute strength versus Takada's technique is great. Takada back to cross-armbreaker. Takada shoves Sakaguchi. There needs to be more shoving in pro wrestling. Sakaguchi gets in and takes Takada's back! Rear Naked choke! Middle of the ring! Sakaguchi lost it and Takada's long legs meet the ropes. Takada rifle kicks thinks he as a missile dropkick set up but Sakaguchi evades. Takada crashes and burns. Skaguchi nearly loses him on an Argentine Backbreaker but recovers and forces the submission. Another excellent contest! Round #3: Sakaguchi vs Yamazaki! I could see this one going either way. Sakaguchi again looking to use strength to pick up a quick one. Yamazaki is a smaller version from Takada, look for lightning kicks. I dont think he will be as suited to contend with Sakaguchi's strength. Lets see what happens. Yamazaki check kicks early. Sakaguchi headlock but Yamazaki wriggles free. Sakaguchi weathers some more check kicks and takes Yamazaki down. Yamazaki needs to put some zip on those kicks or this will be a short night. Yamazaki avoids a crucifix. Sakaguchi gets a deep roll up. Sakaguchi lets Yamazaki up. Yamazaki tries single leg pick up well that was something different. Yamazaki loses control of the takedown but gets the toehold, Sakaguchi pries him off and Yamazaki goes for the Takada leglace. Sakaguchi isnt selling shit. Yamazaki looks so young. Yamazaki slaps the shit out of Sakaguchi in he hold. Good for him. Yamazkai repositons in the center. Sakaguchi stands up and repositions into his own like a BOSS! That was the most Alpha move I have seen in forever! That was sick! Yamazaki Saito suplex into a cross-armbreaker fully on, but Sakaguchi forces a pinfall break. Sakaguchi grabs the kicks and a deep single leg crab, tap this chump out! Lets Go Sakaguchi! I am the biggest Sakaguchi fan ever now! Sakaguchi Alpha Boss 4 Life! Oh cmon! Rope break. Sakaguchi throws Yamazaki down. Deep Boston Crab! Yamazaki taps out. Sakaguchi Alpha Boss is going to run the table! Round #4: Sakaguchi vs Kido. Kido is like the older version of Takada. If I recall correctly, Kido love his punt kicks. I dont really know what to expect. My heart wants Sakaguchi to run the gauntlet, I think he has a good chance against Kido but I could see him taking the L here too to freshen things up. Kido's first move is a toe kick so I was not far off. Kido gets a crossface. Kido is grittier than Takada and Yaamzaki that will work in his favor against the larger Sakaguchi. That and Sakaguchi had already had two opponents. Some nice grappling exchanges between these two. Kido punt kicks on the Greco-Roman knucklelock as Kido is true to form. Sakaguchi slaps Kido around. Sakaguchi SMOKES Kido with a wicked high knee. Looks like he got him right under the chin. Sakaguchi Alpha Boss 4 Life! Kido recovers and is looking for a single leg crab on the tree trunk that Sakaguchi calls a leg he steeles for a leg lace and Sakaguchi makes the ropes. Sakaguchi says fuck this, Atomic Drop! Kido small package, Count to Three! BOOOOOOOOOO! Round #5: Koshinaka vs Kido. Koshinaka spices thigs up before I can preview this matchup by hurling Kido to the outside and piledriving him on the floor! That was sick! Team New Japan is doing Alpha Boss shit. Koshinaka showed me a lot in the Takada series so I am excited for him here. Lets see how long before he slams his ass into Kido's face. Koshinaka chinlock loses control into a Kido chinlock. I think Koshinaka takes this one so that Maeda or Fujiwara can go on a little run. Kido gets a deep double wristlock but Koshinaka breaks the plane of the ropes. Koshinaka figure-4s the head. So much for that red hot start. So far the most boring rounds have been with Kido, but they are still good just not as good as the first three. Yamada is definitely my favorite so far. Kido takes his back and gets his hooks in. They're in the ropes. Koshinaka uses his ass to to crash down on the knee of Kido which is different for him. I am still waiting for Koshinaka/Dustin/Naomi as the ultimate WAR trio with Michael Cole on commentary to shout "THEY CALL THAT THE REAR VIEW" during the simultaneous Ass Attack spot. Koshinaka is working the knee which is a good hook. Boston Crab! Kido powers out and gets two. Koshinaka bodyslam and gets two. Koshinaka maintains a side mount and double wristlock. We Want Fujiwara! We Want Fujiwara! The crowd is not chanting it but I am from my couch. Koshinaka shoves his ass in Kido face so Kido sledges him. That was an appropriate response. HE CALLS THAT REAR VIEW! YES! 1-2-NO! BOOOOOO! RESPECT THE ASS! Kido evades the flying splash! Kido nails a beautiful dropkick and Koshinaka powders. Koshinaka yanks Kido to the outside. Koshinaka throws Kido over the railing. The bell rang; they might have both been counted out. Interesting. They essentially reset the match to be Maeda & Fujiwara vs Fujinami & Kimura, which would be a sick tag match on its own. Kinda surprised since Sakaguchi got two wins I figured either Meada or Fujiwara would get two. Round #6: Fujiwara vs Kimura! The second bananas! So this is definitely coming down to Fujinami vs Maeda! Fujiwara is one of those dudes that because of his DVDVR love you think he is a bigger star than he might have been. I feel like he takes this so Fujinami can at least get one fall if he does job to Maeda. But I dont know how much of that is DVDVR hype making me believe Fujiwara is a big deal. I have seen plenty of Kimura matches he is fine. He will do his Running Leg Lariat thing and probably a piledriver. It is Fujiwara he could have a great match with a potted plant. Lets do this! Wait Im wrong! Kido is in the ring! Only Koshinaka got eliminated since he was on the floor first! Fucking Kido got to eliminate two people. Are you shitting me? Fuck this dude Kimura! They struggle over a Kido takedown attempt. Kimura stomps him in the ropes and Kido powders. He needs to worry this ref doesnt fuck around with his count. Kido nice drop toehold he is trying to get in my good graces but I want Fujiwara! Kimura armdrag. Kimura whiffs on the school boy I have never seen that before. Another armdrag by Kimura. Kido applies an armbar on Kimura. Kimura rocks Kido with some European Uppercuts and then backbreaker. Nice knee to break free of cover. Kimura chinlock on Kido. We want Fujiwara! We want Fujiwara! Kido Saito Suplex. Kimura kicks out at 1. Kimura running Leg Lariat on the Criss Cross! Single Leg Crab! Kimura wins! Yes bring on Fujiwara! Round #7: Read what I wrote for Round #6 originally. Fujiwara has this one in the bag in my opinion. Kimura throws Fujiwara into the railing and post. That was sick! Kimura plays to crowd. That was Kimura's best chance head Fujiara off at the pass while he was making his entrance. Kimura is all revved. THAT IS BLOOD! Kimura piledrives Kimura! He spiked his ass! Kimura is clawing at the cut! Great facial expression from Fujiwara there. Fujiwara Headbutt! Crowd has come alive! Fujiwara HEABUTTS! FUJIWARA CHOKING THE LIFE out of Kimura ! Fujiwara inverted Triangle as Kimura makes the ropes. Fujiwara looks like a killer right now. Kimura looks fucked. Kimura gets a chickenwing out of a headlock into a Fujiwara armbar on Fujiwara, but Fujiwara break free into a great transition to a Butterfly lock into the Fujiwara armbar, Kimura wriggles free and powders. Kimura gets a chinlock and then figure-4s the head. Fujiwara reaches up and Fujiwara headbutt! Kimura comes up with a sick, tight headscissors! Fujiwara potatoes Kimura in the ropes. Kimura unleashes hell on the ropes but FUJIWARA GRABS THE ANKLES BOY YOU FUCKED! Fujiwara kneebar and and Kimura gets to his stomach and the ropes. His eyes say it all. Kimura knows he escaped death. Fujiwara almost completes the armbar takedown and Kimura waistlock takedown. Kimura Scorpion Deathlock on Fujiwara surprisingly very few attempts at his popular move. This has been really good. Fujiwara stands on his head and back to leglace but Kimura uses the momentum to make the ropes. Fujiwara grabs the arm and but Kimura makes the ropes. Fujiwara gets it in deep This time it is over. Watch Fujiwara's face on that one! He looks so determine to submit his ass. Round #8: Fujiwara vs Fujinami! Fuck yes! Fujiwara has no prayer but this is going to be sick. Fujinami looks stacked! Fujinami headbutt and Fujiwara isnt selling shit. Fujinami into a tight chinlock great Fujiwara facial expressions. Fujinami and Fujiwara are not easy names to keep straight while typing and watching at the same time. Wish me luck. Fujiwara bucks Fujinami off. Fujinami back to headlock but Saito Suplex by Fujiwara. Love the struggle here. So much intensity. Fujinami back to the chinlock. Both men wants this so bad. Fujinami kick to Fujiwara on the mat. Fujiwara uses the hair and Fujinami maintains the chinlock. This may be the best chinlock sequences I have ever seen. Fujiwara back to the hair but Fujinami wont let go. Fujiwara is so close to the ropes, Fujinami uses his leg to keep Fujiwara from making the ropes. Fujiwara looks like his about to fade. He is so close! Come on. Fujinmai resets and Fujiwara makes the ropes! That was dramatic! I bought into it. Fujiwara powders. Fujiwara is a master of drama. Fujiwara like a wild animal yanks Fujinami to the outside. He starts throws vicious headbutts. Fujiwara hold Fujinami from getting into and applies a choke in the ring. That was wise for but Fujinami switches back to his own choke. Watch a great expression from Fujiwara. Nobody sells the sleeper/chinlock better. Fujiwara makes it to his feet and buckles. Fujinami sunset flip gets two. Fujiwara Single Leg, Back Heel Trip, Leglace. This how we won the last match. Fujinami gets to his belly. Fujinami is tenaciously staying on the choke. He is sticking to his strategy. Fujiwara selling is otherworldly. Fujiwara fades into the ropes. Fujiwara busts out his tricked Boston Crab escape on instinct. Fujinami dropkick back to the choke. It doesnt look good for our hero he collapses into the ropes and powders to the floor still in the hold. Fujiwara rams Fujinami's head into the post! There is light! Vicious headbutt barrage! Fujinami into the railing back to the headbutts! Go Fujiwara Go! Koshinaka should be pissed. They have spent an eternity on the floor. Fujiwara piledriver on a bloody Fujinami. Fujiwara choking Fujinami. We are getting on our money's wort Fujiwara blocks Fujinami's re-entry. Big fight to get back in the ring. Fujiwara has a choke and they return to the ring. Fujinami suplexes out. Fujinami's is wearing the Crimson mask. Fujiwara headbutt! This rules! Fujiwara Headbutts! European Uppercuts! Fujinami backslide! Count to three! Fujiwara throws a couple more headbutts for good measure to soften up Fujinami for Maeda! Here we go! Round #9: Damn! This could go either way! If Maeda wins, Fujinami is protected because he had a hellacious bout with Fujiwara. Fujinami wins, it is an insane overcoming the odds story! Lets go! Fujinami looks like he just went through a Slasher Flick. Maeda is a big boy. Maeda goes for the big Kick right to the mush. He wastes no time. Single catch back heel trip, Fujinami loses control of the takedown and Maeda gets the cross-armbreaker. Fujinami rolls onto his knees, smart, but Maeda rolls into a new position of strength. Great grappling. Maeda maintains pressure on the arm. Fujinami escapes into a Scorpion Deathlock which applies on the large legs of Maeda. Maeda makes the ropes. Maeda rifles him with big kicks as Fujinami falls backwards. Snap suplex back into the crossarmbreaker. MAEDA WICKED KICK TO HEAD. AGAIN AND AGAIN! THIS BRUTAL! Headbutt to wound. Tons of kicks to the head. Fujinami shouldertackle, Massive kick to head on a charging Fujinami! Maeda stole the Dragon Suplex! 1-2-NO! Crazy! back to cross-armbreaker. I thought it was over for Fujinami. This feels like a reset. Fujinami makes the ropes. Maeda soccer kicks Fujinami's head which fires Fujinami the fuck up! Fujiwara armbar out of the German suplex, textbook by Maeda. Fujinami does it back to him. Cant believe Maeda just made that mistake. Fujinami into a hammerlock. Maeda's long legs make the ropes. Fujinami catch kick and into the German Suplex for two. RAINBOW SPINING HEEL KICK! Maeda hurled his body at Fujinami! Fujinami makes it back up. Maeda wipes him out with another! The ref calls it for blood or beeing out on his feet. The TKO is a good face saving finish for Fujnami. The beginning ruled and the ending ruled. The Kido stuff dragged. Trying to rate this is like trying to rat a Royal Ruble. I will say ****3/4 but everyone shoulw atch this. Takada vs Yamada was my favorite until Fujinami vs Fujiwara. Those last two falls were ***** dramatic wrestling! Peak shit! s

I cant believe it has been over a year, but Pro Wrestling Love in written form is back BABY! The audio version of Pro Wrestling Love took up a lot of free time, but I have been binging a lot of Puroresu from the late 80s and here are the fruits of my labor. The first part of my top 12 of Best All Japan Pro Wrestling Matches to take place between 1985-April 1990 (Tenryu's departure). Just in time for the Greatest Match Ever Voting on gweproject.freefourms.net the deadline is Sunday November 21st. 1989 All Japan was fucking loaded! Let me know what you think. https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2021/11/pro-wrestling-love-vol-67-best-of-all.html

Oh! I saw Eric posted on Twitter that this is the new 2021 Segunda Caida Match of the Year but didnt click the link. I should have and would have seen your thoughts. It felt more like 1993 All Japan than 1998 All Japan or 2000s NOAH for instance. It was definitely not overwrought. It just had all the things that made King's Road style really good without the need to really feel like they need to top themselves over and over again. Glad you liked it!

Matt when you asked how the match was live before The rest of the world got to see it, I told you it was Top 5 Best Live Match for me which was true. In the back of my mind, I knew it was a 90s All Japan match which I know is not your favorite style, but I didn’t want to tell you. I forgot to follow up so What did you think of the match? Personally I have preferred Punk’s run over Danielson’s. Punk is having excellent Pro Wrestling matches that crescendo to satisfying climaxes. Danielson is doing his workrate thing which is fine sometimes it clicks for me, sometimes it doesn’t. Danielson vs Kingston was way better than anything I’ve seen from Punk. But I’ve enjoyed Punk as a whole more.

NWA International Tag Team Champions Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 2/5/87 Only 11 days after their last match, they are back at it. I smell a title change as Choshu is New Japan-bound. This is the last MAJOR 80s All Japan match left for me to watch. There are still plenty of interesting matchups for me to check out but this is the last big one. We ready for a blog soon. Stream of consciousness follows: Will Jumbo redeem himself for his gaffe last match? Choshu is pretty damn over during the introduction. Yatsu charges and kneelifts the shit out of Tenryu and throws him out like yesterday's garbage. He slaps Tenryu. I guess their strategy it to piss off the other team. Tenryu works a headlock early. Tenryu shoulderblock. I am diigging this start. Jumbo tags in and it is a kneelift by him. I like how Yatsu whole body was wrapped around his knee. Abdominal stretch into a Banana Split Cradle, they work in & out. Yatsu rolls Jumbo into Choshu and tags out. Lock up. Jumbo wrist control and chops Choshu. Choshu slaps back and bashes Jumbo into the turnbuckles. Choshu singe leg/back heel trip. Jumbo standing headlock and tags in Tenryu. Choshu blocks the Enziguiri and then applies a Scoprion Deathlock. Nice sequence. Loved the struggle to turn him over. Jumbo breaks it up. Yatsu comes in. Yatsu bars the arm and tries to take him down, but Tenryu resists so Yatsu goes the other way with a Russian Legsweep. Back drop by Yatsu. Again nice struggle on trying to turn him in the Texas Cloverleaf but Tenryu makes the ropes. Tenryu tags out to Jumbo. Jumbo sets too early. Jumbo back elbows out of the German. Classic Jumbo Bodyslam and then hits a Jumping High Knee from Top Rope which we have not seen in this series. Jumbo is chopping Yatsu and tags in Tenryu Double sledge on Yatsu and Tenryu wipes him out with the Enziguiri. Suplex struggle. Tenryu gets the vertical suplex. Tenryu figure-4s the head. Choshu tags in. Choshu back ebow on Tenryu. Bodyslam. Choshu figure-4s the head. They have definitely dropped the energy level here. Tenryu pops out and gets the Bow & Arrow, a classic sequence. Tenryu chop/Enziguiri combo. Choshu kicks out. Choshu Saito Suplex feels like the first big bomb of the match. Yatsu stomps away at Tenryu. Tenryu bullies Yatsu into his corner and Jumbo tags in. Jumbo chops and back elbows Yatsu. Jumbo seems to have the highest intensity level. He slaps on a tight chinlock on Yatsu. Yastu gets his dropkick but weirdly not on a tag in. Yatsu/Choshu Double Dropkick! Ricky & Robert watch out for Riki & Yoshiaki! Choshu works hard on the Scorpion Deathlock and Yatsu elbow drops Jumbo in the hold. Yatsu powerslam on Jumbo. Yatsu abdominal stretch on Jumbo. Jumbo walks to the ropes and hiptosses Yatsu over the top. Tenryu whips him into railing and rolls him back in. Jumbo works a stepover toehold on Yatsu. Match has been solid but nothing too special. Jumbo counters into the Inverted Indian Deathlock. Similar to the last match just a lot of solid work no real hook. Jumbo stomps Yatsu. and tags in Tenryu. Tenyu big, meaty chops to Yatsu and gets two. Yatsu comes back with an Enziguiri and tags in Choshu. Tenryu tries for Saito Suplex but loses control of Choshu on the way up but ends up applying a Full Nelson that was cool. Jumbo and Choshu work a cool criss cross sequence that ends with Jumbo scoring not one but two High Knees and heres a third! Chosh is too close to the ropes. Choshu Saito Suplex and tags out to Yatsu. Theres the Yastu dropkick on a tag in. Classic Yatsu. Yatsu Saito Suplex and tags out to Choshu. CHOSHU MACK TRUCK LARIAT ON JUMBO! Tenryu saves! That was sick! Choshu tags out. Yatsu Bulldog! Yatsu German Suplex for two. Spike Pieldriver on Jumbo! I like that way more as a late match move! So much better placement there. Yatsu Belly to Belly Suplex. Yatsu blocks the Jumbo Death Lariat. Jumbo Saito Suplex out of the Yatsu Bulldog. Tenryu tags in. Good transition. Tenryu Mack Truck Lariat. He clobbers Yatsu with a Lariat and then an Enziguiri. Yatsu powerslam o the charging Tenryu. Tenryu backpedals Yatsu into the buckles and winds up and hits an Enziguriri->Tenryu Powerbomb, Choshu races across with a Lariat to save the match bulldoze Tenryu. Jumbo tackles Choshu. Tenryu German Suplex for the win! Count to Three! New International Tag Team Champions! Very similar to the January '87 match. I liked the finish of the January match a little more but this had the feel good win. Just another strong All Japan tag style match to end this era for me. ****

NWA International Tag Team Champions Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 1/24/87 We skip forward a year to see these two teams together again. I dont want to check the International Tag Team Titles History to see if Choshu & Yatsu have been champs since February 1986 but here they are as the Champs going into this a year later. I also dont recall who won the 1986 Real World Tag League, ok let me check that. It was Jumbo & Tenryu beating Hansen & DiBiase must have been one of those Leagues that was not for the Tag Titles (which makes sense as there were two sets of titles at that point both the PWF & International Tag Team Belts). Gordy & Khan was a tag team! After their hellacious World Class match, thats pretty cool. Did any of that make tape? Look like their match against Jumbo & Tenryu did, I should check that out. Stream of consciousness to save some time: Jumbo & Choshu to start! Jumbo wins a shouldertackle and snapmare they are tussling to start. Choshu rebounds with a shouldertackle of his own, snapmare into a Scopron Deathlock but Jumbo slaps out. Nice symmetry. Jumbo is red hot. Choshu gets a singles leg pick up and tags in Yatsu who elbow the knee and then right into the Spinning Toehold. Jumbo bullies him into the ropes and then slaps the taste out of Yatsu's moth. Yatsu single back heel trip into Spinning Toehold and starts paintbrushing Jumbo on the ground. Jumbo headlock takeover. Jumbo wrenches the headlock on Yastu. He tags in Tenryu and this is more a conventional start to their tag match. Yatsu scores early with a kneelft an some overhand chops but Tenryu goes to Jumbos strategy and works the side headlock. Yatsu tags out. Tenryu scores a kneelift and chops and Enziguiri for two. Swinging neckbreaker. It is a full court press from Tenryu who figure-4s the head. Choshu pops free and they tussle on the mat. Tenryu tags out. Choshu breaks free and is apprehensive watcing Jumbo. Jumbo grabs wrist control. Choshu goes for a bodyslam but Jumbo deadweights him. Great stuff there. Jumbo back to wrist control to set up chops, Choshu absorbs and fires back and he forces Jumbo into his corner. Yatsu dropkick which is a Yastu staple when he enters a match. He slaps Jumbo which seems like a bad idea. JUMBO HIGH KNEE! Jumbo chinlock. Told you it was a bad idea. Jumbo/Tenryu Double Sledge on Yastu. Tenryu lariat and smashes Choshu on the apron for good measure but Choshu doesnt sell shit. Yatsu tags out. Tenryu attacks at pass. Tenryu misses, Choshu misses. Tenryu Russian Legsweep into a cross armbreaker in an ELECTRIC SEQUENCE! Crowd is alive for this. Choshu is trying for the clasp but cant get it. Lazy transition into the Choshu Saito Suplex but I do love a good Saito Suplex. Yatsu/Choshu Double Team on Tenryu. We may have our first heat segment. Nope Tenryu tag out. Yatsu bullies Jumbo into the corner. Jumbo big boot, Jumbo Death Lariat and he got all of that one. Jumbo back elbow to break free of the Yatsu German. Jumbo holds onto the ropes and Yatsu missed the dropkick. Jumbo stepover toehold into the Inverted Indian DeathLock. This has much more the standard All Japan Workrate Tag match between these four. Doesnt have their personalities or magnitude of the previous matches. Still great but not as special. Jumbo working a standard toehold and now trying for a Boston Crab but Yatsu makes ropes and Tenryu gets an ugly German Suplex as he comes in. Tenryu clamps on a Front Chancery. I think this is our first heat segment nope Spike Piledriver on Tenryu as Choshu tags in! Definietly more All Japan-y with the frequent tags. Choshu applies the Scorpion Deathlock three-quarters on Tenryu who is resisting in pushup position ok Choshu has it. That was a sick struggle. Dug that. Yastu elbow drops Tenryu in the hold always a sick spot. Choshu vertical suplex on Tenryu but Tenryu gets his foot on the ropes. Double suplex on Tenryu. This is our first really good heat segment. Here we go. Yatsu Bulldog! Yatsu stomps on Tenryu in the ropes. Choshu blitzes with a reverse elbow and tries for a Scorpion Deathlock. Choshu Scorpion Deathlock but Jumbo breaks it up. Yastu Saito Suplex but Tenryu is too close to the ropes and is pretty close to Jumbo. Tenryu dropkicks Choshu and tags in Jumbo. Not the best transition. Jumbo Misses the Death Lariat they do the Double Clothesline spot that hey are fond of. Choshu Saito Suplex as the crowd starts to get into it. Jumbo tags out already. Tenryu ENZIGUIRI! Tenryu bodyslam you know what comes next, but Choshu heads him off at the pass. Jumbo Saito Suplex on Choshu. Tenryu Enziguiri on Choshu as Jumbo and Yatsu brawl on floor. Tenryu Saito Suplex. Jumbo Death Lariat on Choshu. Did Jumbo pull him up? Rewind! He did! He pulled him up! But why? Some crazy Sandwich spot gets fucked up. Jumbo and Yastu on the floor. Chosu Mack Truck Lariat 1-2-3! Jumbo looks like a fool! I dont understand Japanese but I am pretty sure the interviewer asked Jumbo "You had him down for three, why did you pull him up?". I think my favorite Japanese phrase is "Count to three" which they seem to use as a way to say pinfall or victory. I wonder if the finish was to plant the seed of dissension between Jumbo & Tenryu to foreshadow their impending breakup later that year. For me this was just standard All Japan workrate tag team wrestling which is elevated by the fact that these are four of the best all time to do it, but it lacks the hooks that the first two matches had. ****

NWA International Tag Team Champions Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu - AJPW 2/5/86 Only 8 days since their classic these two teams are back for more. I know they have four very famous matches and that first, which I just watched his the best, but I dont know the ranking of the other four matches. My goal is to watch and review all four today. What a Sunday treat! To conserve time, I am going to do this stream of consciousness style: Choshu has a full bandage around his waist which is to be expected based on the last match. We start with Yatsu vs Jumbo which is different. They each want the other's partner but it is ALL A PLOY! Yatsu dropkicks Jumbo out of the ring and SPIKE PILEDRIVER ON THE FLOOR! Ok this match is off to the fucking races! Jumbo is fucked early. SPIKE PILEDIRVER IN THE RING! Choshu stomps away. Love this start. Yatsu crashes down on Jumbo. Kneelift on Jumbo and he is in a bad way. YATSU BULLDOG! Tenryu kicks Yatsu in the head from the apron to break up the pin. Double Suplex on Jumbo. Choshu is getting his licks in after getting destroyed last match so you know he is loving this. Choshu & Yatsu had a plan. Yatsu works a standing toehold and then back to stomping. Choshu running reverse elbow and bodyslam. Choshu slaps a chinlock on Jumbo. They might have started off too hot as they are having a hard time following up. Yatsu applies a more conventional sleeper. Yatsu neckbreaker drop. Single leg/backheel trip. Scorpion Deathlock time, he wraps up the legs and it is quite the struggle to get him over. but Choshu immediately collapse. Yatsu comes in and is able to apply quicker nd better. Maybe Choshu's ribs bothering him more than we know. Choshu stomps Jumbo in the hold. Tenryu needs to do something! This is getting out of hand. Choshu figure-4s the head. Yatsu in. JUMBO DEATH LARIAT! Tags in Tenryu! Started off excellent but petered out for sure. They could make up the ground, but I think 1/28 will most likely take it. Tenryu races in and romps and stomps all over Yatsu. Suplex and then a chinlock by Tenryu. Yatsu slithers to the outside as Tenryu tries to kick his head as he makes it to the floor. Ref holds him back and Yatsu tries to fire himself up. Firefight breaks out! Awesome stand & bang. Tenryu pelts Yatsu with slaps but Yatsu gives as a good as he gets. Yatsu nice back heel trip but loses control of the takedown and Tenryu applies an armbar. Tenryu maintains wrist lock and tags in Jumbo. Jumbo meaty kneelift on Yatsu and he raises his arm to let the crowd know he is at full strength and stomps away at Yatsu. Another big meaty kneelift and stomps Yatsu. Jumbo bodyslam with authority! Jumbo abdominal stretch which doesnt feel as cool as the last match with Choshu's injured ribs. Yatsu does a standing switch on the ab stretch. Jumbo hiptosses him out over the top rope. JUMBO VS CHOSHU! Stand & Bang! High Knee! Saito Suplex! It is on! Only gets two for Choshu! Jumbo tags out! Double sledge on Choshu who is left clutching his ribs. Tenryu ribs the bad ribs and now Jumbo on the apron stomps the ribs and Tenryu ribs. Choshu fights through it an applies a Scorpion Deathlock. That was ELECTRIC! Jumbo breaks up the Scorpion Deathlock. There was a tag I had to rewind to see it. So it was not illegal. Jumbo stays in and stomps the bad ribs and then applies a bodyscissors. That was missing in the last match. They have an excellent scuffle all in the bodyscissors with fists flying, hair pulling and intense looks. This rules! Jumbo full mount in the ropes slapping Choshu. Tenryu toe kick to Choshu's abdomen. Tenryu kneelift to Choshu. Chosh slegde Lariat! Yatsu dropkick on hot tag! Back drop by Yatsu. Russian Legsweep. Kneedrop by Yatsu. Back suplex by Yatsu. Jumbo tags in and reverse elbow. Jumbo Death lariat but not as good as most of them. Jumbo piledriver! Choshu tagged in. Choshu has no bandages. Double Lariat spot! Jumbo goes crazy with the double axehandles! Jumbo holds Choshu for Tenryu who sledges him and then Enziguriri for two. Choshu enzigiuir. Yatsu tags in. Awesome Belly to Belly Suplex by Yatsu! Poweslam by Yatsu! Tenryu clubs Yatsu with a lariat to tag out. Jumbo Boston Crab! Yatsu in the push up position. Jumbo backbreaker. Yatsu kicks out. Jumbo with a proto-Steiner Recliner, what a funny name for a move. This as been more uneven than the previous match. There has been some really hot shit and some parts where it peters out. Tenryu gutwrench suplex. Doesnt feel like it is going to end soon but I feel like it should. Tenryu's Poerbomb had no heat even though it was the finish 8 days ago. Tenryu Texas Cloverleaf. Tenryu tags out. Jumbo double axehandle to the back. Jumbo misses the high knee to the turnbuckles. Yatsu is so close to tagging out. Jumbo is selling his knee like a million bucks but is able to impede Yatsu long enough and bring him over to Tenryu. Tenryu piledriver on Yatsu for two. It is not about the moves but how you do them. Tenryu's powerbomb and piledriver have no heat because he is building to them to feel liek climatic spots. Any move can be a climax and any move can a be a throwaway. It is all how you build them. Eniziguiri sandwich. Yatsu heat segment it is. Tenryu powerbomb but Choshu Saito Supelx and Jumbo High Knee on Choshu. Yeah we needed more Choshu inteeference that was something that was lacking. Jumbo fires up Tenryu. Tenryu goes charging in. He is desperately holding onto the ropes as Yatsu is trying to German Suplex him. Jumbo wants a break because Tenryu isnt in the ropes. The ref turns to argue with Jumbo and Choshu winds up LARIAT ON TENRYU! Tenryu loses his grip. Yatsu German Suplex, Jumbo foolishly gives chase to Choshy and 1-2-3! NEW CHAMPIONS TO A MASSIVE POP! The invading Choshu army were definitely not heels in the eyes of the fans. A ***** beginning and a ***** finish to this match. It started off so fucking good. They just couldnt follow up those wicked Spike Piledrivers. They did an inverted format relative to 1/28 where Jumbo went into heat first and then Choshu. I felt like the heat segments both petered out. There was not a real strong crescendo. I was like this match is starting to get long in the tooth, but there is no big finish run. It is like a 30 second one. It is a great match but pales in comparison to the one 8 days before even though I love the finish of this one a lot more. Actually putting this finish on their first match would probably make it a Top 50 match of all time for me. Still worth watching.

NWA International Tag Team Champions Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu - AJPW 1/28/86 Frenetic Maelstrom of Kickass Pro Wrestling! I cant believe I have never seen this before. I could have sworn had like 8 years ago and just never wrote a review but I definitely didnt watch his badassery. Excellent Interpromotional War! I loved how Jumbo & Choshu didnt bump or sell for shit earlier. Not every move needs to be sold as painful, have some pride, my dudes. I love how Choshu was trying to keep his injured ribs away from Jumbo. I love the disrespectful slap exchange between Jumbo & Yatsu. This is how an Interpromotional War should be booked with tons of pride and passion. I like how it is an overzealous Tenryu that caused the dynamic to shift and for finally someone to take heat. The one slightly unexpected aspect is that initially the invading Choshu feels like the sympathetic babyface as he is getting his ribs dissected and his Scorpion Deathlock feels like a massive babyface comeback spot. Then they flip the roles back to normal when Jumbo who had been Walking Tall all match has his head bashed into post and is bleeding. The crowd is losing their shit over all this. It is nonstop action in the best way possible as it is just four dudes trying to tear into each other. I knew this match was special coming into it so I wanted to watch it once without typing and those were the things that stuck out to me. So now I am going to rewatch and do stream of consciousness: It has been twenty minutes since I watched this badass slice of pro wrestling and am excited to rewatch it. Choshu had been in the promotion for a year now but this is really what it has been building to. I didnt talk about Yatsu much in the preamble, but he was an excellent assassin in this match. He knows when to strike for maximal effect throughout the match. They waste no time and start out with the two heavy hitters Choshu & Jumbo. Choshu throws a toe kick to keep Jumbo away from his bandaged right side. Jumbo is caught off guard that he could not lock up. Jumbo throws one back and Choshu blocks. Jumbo tries again bit to no avail. Collar elbow tie up and Jumbo kicks the bandaged side and Choshu sells it as a close shave. Choshu single back heel trip and Choshu stomps and Jumbo right back up. Jumbo goes for his signature bodyslam but Choshu backs into Yatsu for the tag out. Just two bulls that didnt give an inch. Loved it. Yatsu goes for the snapmare and Jumbo fights it off. Jumbo is not giving them anything! I am here for it. Yatsu CRACKS Jumbo with a slap. Two more. Jumbo says you best be ready and he gets his receipt. It is on! Jumbo wants Choshu! Jumbo and Choshu go at it with slaps. Jumbo tags out. Tenryu chops Yatsu on the apron and Choshu drives him into the corner. Rookie mistake. I like how it is Tenryu that makes it. First double team goes to Choshu & Yatsu on Tenryu. Yatsu kneelift on tenryu and I love that is Tenryu as the first to get heat on him. Spike Piledriver on Tenryu. This is building so well. Choshu throwing haymkers at Tenryu and Tenryu gets in with a single leg pick up into a toehold then figure-4. Dont love the use of the Spike Piledriver if that is what was to follow. I think they are chanting for Choshu. Choshu rolls toward Yatsu hits an Excellent Top rope elbow on the prone Tenryu who sells it like a million bucks. Jumbo comes in and stomps Choshu on the injured side. It is getting chippier and chippier. Tenryu tags out. Jumbo does not hit his customary High Knee but opts for two kneelifts that leaves Yatsu to powder. Yatsu dropkick gets him right back in it and the first time Jumbo bumped. Double suplex on Jumbo. They exchange shots, Jumbo body shots and High Knee and Choshu looks to be in peril. SAITO SUPLEX BY CHOSHU! He needed that, but Jumbo is up first and to quote Jesse The Body that has to be depressing as hell. It took too much out of Choshu. They slug it out with a double clothesline spot. Choshu is in a bad way and they double sledge him. Tenryu is in and is stomping away at Choshu. I love the gradualism of the Choshu heat segment. He was throwing Suplexes and Lariats to try to save himself but he was already in too deep. So good. Jumbo is proud of himself as he is stomping the ribs but the crowd is mixed. Tenryu suplex on Choshu. Jumbo kneelifted Choshu in the ribs and then tore off the bandage. Yatsu finally had enough and tries to take a wing at Jumbo but the ref holds him back. Tenryu gets involved. Jumbo abdominal stretch! He has his back to Yatsu. DOUBLE AXEHANDLE FROM THE TOP! Perfect transition! Love it! It is all up to Yatsu! Dropkick! Saito Suplex! Tenryu goes crazy on Choshu as Jumbo is in trouble . Yatsu kneecrusher. Tenryu had peeled around the ring to attack a lying Choshu and then whipped him into the railing. Bounced a chair off him. Yatsu goes for the Spinning Toehold. Tenryu Saito Suplex on the prone Yatsu. Jumbo Death Lariatx2! Jumbo applies a Boston Crab as the JWP boys tape Choshu back up! Yatsu is in the ropes. The fight is on! Shit has exploded! Tenryu tagged in. Tenryu kneelift to Yatsu and slashing chops. As Choshu is crawling back up Tenryu attacks Choshu. Yatsu keeps Jumbo at bay and Choshu tags in. Choshu dropkick to a pop! Choshu single leg! SCORPION DEATHLOCK TO A MASSIVE POP! The girl in the fur coat losing her mind in the front row rules! Choshu's ribs give out and he collapses and tags out to Yatsu which is an awesome way to end that hold. Jumbo walks tall and slings Yatsu into their corner. It does not look good for him. In what I believe is a first, the first time I have sene the Sling shot Suplex done by someone other than Tully Blanchard as Tenryu does it to Yatsu. Yatsu neckbreaker dorp on Jumbo. and YATSU BULLDOG ON JUMBO! He sends Jumbo out. Choshu bashed Jumbo's head into the post repeatedly drawing blood. It is a melee and Tenryu loses control and beats this shit out of Choshu using railings and chair. So begins the third act. Yatsu suplexes Jumbo back in and Yatsu goes crazy working the cut, piston punches to the open wound! Killer. Yatsu throws Jumbo out. They bash his head into the post again. Tenryu is in a blind rage towards Choshu. He beats him on the announce table. Yatsu piledrivers Jumbo and Jumbo had to kick out on his own because Tenryu is so obsessed with Choshu. Saito Suplex by Yatsu for two! Red hot shit. Yatsu punches the cut and Jumbo slaps but he cant follow it up. Yatsu Texas Cloverleaf is an odd choice in what has been a red hot series of kick ass wrestling. Yatsu backbreaker and then a Scorpion Deathlock ok thats more like it. Tenryu HITS AN OUT OF CONTORL LARIAT TO SAVE! Tenryu almost went careening out of the ring. Choshu stomps the cut as the ref is trying control Tenryu and now the ref scrambles back to peel Choshu off Jumbo. Jumbo is firing up. He tags out. Tenryu Enziguiri. Choshu breaks it up. Tenryu enziguiri as Choshu and Jumbo fight on the floor. Yatsu German suplex! Huge pop! Crowd is going crazy! JWP boys are on the apron screaming that was three. Yatsu gets Hotshotted and Tenryu Enziguiri/powerbomb polishes him off to a big reaction. That was awesome! Loved how everything crescendoed. The early stuff was excellent, the Choshu heat segment, Yatsu as a one man gang, Jumbo getting bloody. When I think about it compared to my other tippy top matches, I dont think the finish is quite there for me, but that is a nitpick that you have to do when thinking in context of Top 100 matches. This rocked so hard! ****3/4

NWA International Heavyweight Champion Giant Baba vs Fritz Von Erich - JWA 9/4/71 I loved their 1966 classic! This is only my third Fritz Von Erich match and he is already my third favorite Von Erich, the dude totally rules! He calls Baba crazy mid-match, he sells Baba holding his hands high, looming above his head, he hits really fucking hard. Fritz rules! First Fall: The Drama of the IRON CLAW~! I dont understand people who dont love a well-worked Claw. This was fantastic! Everything was about the Claw. Fritz tried his damndest to get the Claw applied. He tried crowding in the corner and on the mat. I love his punt kicks! His body shots and clubbing forearms just CRACKED! Baba resisting with all his might the Power of the CLAW~! was high drama! It was like the best possible action movie shit to happen in a pro wrestling match. Then Fritz settles for the Stomach Claw when he cant get it on the head. I love it! They get into a RED HOT strike exchange! The sounds of flesh on flesh! HELL YEAH! Baba hits two big dropkicks and a ton of Giant Chops to pick up the first fall. These two have killer chemistry with each other. Second Fall: What a terrific fall! Baba tries to press his advantage by crowding in the corner but it backfires as Fritz unleashes hell with these close-quartered punches that look nasty as hell. FRITZ GETS THE CLAW IN THE CORNER! Baba slips free to the floor. Fritz does some trash talking and lets Baba know he is in his head. Baba responds with a top wristlock. Fritz cracks him with a slap. Fritz counters into a Stomach Claw and Baba cracks back! This is awesome! GIANT CHOP! DROPKICK MISSES! IRON CLAW~! THAT IS BLOOD! OH MY GOD! THE STARS ARE ALL FALLING FROM THE HEAVENS! THIS MATCH RULES! Fritz ties it up. I love pro wrestling. Third Fall: Fritz runs over and PUNTS BABA! IRON CLAW! Baba makes the ropes. Fritz drives his Claw hand into the mat! BABA BITES THE CLAW HAND! BABA WONT LET GO OF THE CLAW HAND! THIS IS KILLER! Baba goes full psycho trying to shatter the hand! Fritz reapplies the Claw in the ropes but wont break and the ref calls for the DQ! FUCK! Cant believe we got that lame ass finish. Fritz is just as pissed as me and is going to take it out on the ref when Inoki comes in and wallops him. OH MY GOD INOKI VS FRITZ! Sign me up! Yes please! Did a quick google search, Wrestling Gods why do you tease me so? This match fucking ruled! Both these guys crushed it! Terrific pro wrestling! ****1/2

Rikidozan vs Killer Kowalski - JWA 5/17/63 Rikdozan clicked for me here. I enjoyed watching him pound the shit out of Kimura or figure out the riddle of Haystacks Calhoun, but I thought he was kinda one-dimensional, but there was a moment here where he roared back against Kowalski with a bodyslam and I was like I get it. He is the Bruno Sammartino of Japan. He is not supposed to be the best technically. He is the National Hero. He is rough, rugged and has dirt under his nails. Thats what makes him special. As a Bostonian, I am really looking forward to digging for more Kowalski. Cool finishes, Kowalski won one fall by countout after a bodyslam to the floor and Rikidozan won the third fall with a Single Leg Crab after working the knee. I must have missed one of the other falls. Fun little watch.

Rikidozan successfully defends his NWA International Championship against Pat O'Connor who has Killer Kowalski with him. There is more grappling in this. The ref is white but this takes place in Japan and O'Connor cheats early with some closed fists and Rikidozan complains to an unsympathetic ref. The falls were not that interesting. Rikidozan loves his slashing chop. The spot that stands out is that O'Connor got his head caught in the ropes in 1963! I am watching these clips to build up to watching full Rikidozan matches. So far they have been more of a historical curiosity, I dont find his working style or personality that compelling honestly.

Rikidozan vs Bobo Brazil - JWA 8/14/57 How is there not a documentary on Bobo Brazil, the Jackie Robinson of Pro Wrestling, what an important figure. The dude was massive and I know Rikidozan was not that tall. Rikidozan is sponsored by Mitsubishi. I have noticed there is not as much grappling in Rikidozan matches, yes he will do it. He prefers to stand & bang. It was Bobo's Coco Butt vs Rikidozan Slashing Three Quarters chop. I enjoyed it. It looked like Brazil opened Rikidozan up as the ref was checking on him. Brazil looked to give up on the match and then comeback. I am glad we have this. Cool footage.

Rikidozan vs Haystacks Calhoun - JWA 3/24/1963 Haystacks Calhoun is one of those wrestlers that my Dad's and uncles always, always cite as someone they fondly remember so anytime I get a chance to see him in action. I jump at the chance. I cant believe Haystacks made the trip across the Pacific in 1963! That must have been tough. Excellent David vs Goliath match. All of Rikidozan usual power spots fail because Haystacks is just too damn big. He cant throw him around. Haystacks is just absorbing his strikes. Haystacks offense is chest bumps in the corner and a full nelson and I am here for it! He wins the first fall I believe with a Full Nelson. Second fall Rikidozan roars back with is patented slashing chop to the neck which Haystacks sells well but comes back with more girthy offense. He goes for the Full Nelson but Rikidozan kicks off the ropes and Haystacks is a turtle on his back and cant get his shoulders up. Crazy that finish has been around since at least 1963. Third Fall Haystacks misses the World's Biggest Splash. Rikidozan try as he might can barely get the Giant over only for Haystacks to roll through. Haystacks back to the Full Nelson they tumble to the floor for what I believe is a double countout. Really fun match. Too clipped to rate, but I enjoyed this.