Superstar Sleeze

Kenta Kobashi vs Samoa Joe - ROH 10/1/05 I wish you could bottle the electricity and emotion in the building for this match. Samoa Joe at his peak wrestling his idol. Kenta Kobashi just after his tremendous, historic heavyweight championship reign wrestling in America for the first time. Ring Of Honor, which was basically a puroresu promotion in America, achieving its pinnacle by having the biggest Puroresu star in American's eyes against their biggest star. Then what I believe could be the greatest crowd of all time just marking out each every and every second. What a tremendous package! They could have gone out and read the fucking phone book and we would have all marked out! What a dream match! The match I wish the most that I got to see live. I have never watched this match until right now and I was marking out just like everybody else. I don't think this is *****. I am not trying to be a Debbie-Downer, but it is a Greatest Hits of All Japan done in America. That's exactly what it was supposed to be! I am grinning like a Cheshire Cat throughout the whole thing. Watching Samoa Joe do Kawada Kicks and Kobashi's response was just magic. The look on Kobashi's face throughout the match as he scanned the arena. I don't think he could believe he was so fucking over. I wonder if he was thinking "Baba should have had touring over here!". Kobashi was at his Kobashi The Destroyer asskicking best turning Samoa Joe's chest purple. The main criticism I hear of this match is that it is Chopbashi. It is definitely Chopbashi. He was coming off the big Dome match with Sasaki and it is wrestled very much in that vein. It works in this setting because the match truly is a dream match. When you are watching it, you actually feel like you are dreaming. Like Kobashi in a ring that says ROH and surrounded by a bunch of Northeast Maniacs! That surrealness plays into the larger than life effect. Chopbashi is larger than life. Another reviewer said this match is half about Joe eating Kobashi's spots. We were all marking out of the Half Nelson and Sleeper Suplexes! That was incredible! I think Joe definitely looked credible against Kobashi. Another reviewer said Joe is basically a midcarder in NOAH, which was true but in America he was top dog and Kobashi let him do top dog things. The dive elbow through ropes ala Misawa gave Joe the advantage at the beginning. I loved the running facewash and how Kobashi countered it. That was a great bump by Joe into crowd off the chop! It was a very selfless performance by Joe. Joe's powerbomb into an array of submissions came off really great because of how well Kobashi was struggling. That was probably the best version I have seen of that sequence because Joe was properly reacting to Kobashi getting close to the ropes. When it came time, Kobashi DESTROYED Joe and I am sure Joe was marking out like the rest of us as Kobashi was chopping his chest purple! BURNING LARIAT! They did not overstay their welcome. The match was just one extended Mark Out Sequence and it was glorious! ****1/2

Amen brutha! Rewatching a lot of this, I honestly believe Low-Ki is a better wrestler than Daniel Bryan Danielson. It is just Bryan Danielson had a better career. Also, I dont think there is any way that Low-Ki fell off the map in 2005. I think his booking was so shitty that no one has gone back watched his stuff. I bet if we did we would find gems. I will say the one place Low-Ki falters is his charm. Ki is a badass and an asskicker. Bryan has the loveable, nerdy, relatable charm. I don't think Low-Ki could have an inspired the Movement that Bryan did. Low-Ki vs Bryan Danielson - JAPW 6/7/2002 Submission Match Everyone focuses on Danielson (who was great), but I thought it was Low-Ki who made this match work. I have seen a lot of reviews focus on how great Dragon is in this match, but I think they are conflating how Danielson was on offense for most of the match with him being better. Low-Ki was great in this match because he made Danielson earn all his offense. Low-Ki looks just as proficient at catch-as-catch-can grappling as Danielson, but it is on defense where he is excelling. Watch where he puts his knees to keep Danielson at bay. Danielson looks like a wizard on the mat also the way he works into the Dragon Clutch. My point is not Low-Ki was better than Danielson in this match, but they were every bit equals. Also, I don't agree with the point that this falters in the face of high-end RINGS or BattlArts. I think in comparison to BattlArts the narrative is a lot stronger than many of the Ishikawa vs Ikeda matches. There are few matches as brutal as Ishikawa vs Ikeda so forgive them for not stiffing each other in the face. There are RINGS matches better than this, but to claim this would not even make Tamura's Top Twenty smacks me as silly. Even Tamura & RINGS has it deficiencies. I think what this match does better than a lot of RINGS matches is in the struggle in the grappling in the mat not leading to a submission and using the ground & pound effectively. Also, this match abandons the RINGS formula of standup->takedown->grapple->rope break->repeat. I like this because it gets you in a unique groove for RINGS, but it breaks the rhythm of the match. If instead on a rope break, you pounce on your opponent and are doing a full court press that can be just as interesting. I am just saying a different look at shoot-style is interesting here. It does not rely on the scoring system to tell its story. I am a proponent of the scoring system, but it can be a crutch. These two had a classic just a couple months prior in Ring Of Honor which was a brutal stiff-fest and a big bomb throwing match down the stretch. This match could NOT be more different. The vast majority is ground work with the strikes being used in ground & pound or to set up submissions. There were all sorts of great takedowns and wrestling. I loved how Low-Ki was focused on the cross-armbreaker early and then how Danielson slid into the STF. It was a deep STF. This was what Danielson was the best in this match organically applying submissions. Another great example later on in the match of Danielson's organic nature in this match was how he worked his way into the Rocking Horse. I didnt get the Volk Han comparison at first from other reviews but now I see it watching the match back a second time. What Volk Han does so well is organically find himself in exciting submission holds. Danielson was doing the same here. Ki gets the ropes and Danielson pounces on him with the knees. Danielson was suffocating Low-Ki with his full court press. I really enjoyed them each stealing the other's submission in the first ten minutes of the match. What I thought was so amazing about Low-Ki in this match was his ability to hit strikes from the most ridiculous angles. He was hitting short range chops and kicks from short gaps where he should not have had the leverage to hit fully only absolutely crack Danielson. A good example of this is that Danielson has a sort of inverted figure-4 and Ki contorts his body to hit a stiff chop to Danielson's leg. Nasty. Another one is Low-Ki is using his feet as a guard from his back and somehow manages to hit kicks to the midsection that sound like gunshots. Another feather in the cap is how everything flowed organically in this match. That is a testament to both men's chemistry with each other. Danielson's second STF was incredible in how Low-Ki was desperately countering and then Danielson's countered his counter by clawing at the nose! WOW! I love the grit and urgency. Danielson gets a rear full mount and rains down the clubbing forearms. Some people have called this Danielson's best performance, I still think the Morishima match is a better example, but he is vicious in this. I love how Ki lifting Danielson from the mat and driving him in the turnbuckles is a HIGHSPOT. Ki does a great job selling his exhaustion and then rallying to hit a bunch of brutal strikes. Cattle Mutilation is my least favorite part of Danielson's matches. It does not look great. The bridge is the only cool part but it leaves you in a precarious position. Danielson is trying to balance but his opponent is wriggling and thus causing Danielson to lose his balance. People's arms are always floppy. It is hard to sell in that particular position. It is almost as the Anklelock and how easy it is to free yourself from the hold. To put it quite simply, I HATE CATTLE MUTILATION! :p I thought Ki released himself from the hold way too easily. I liked them changing it up and going to the outside. Low-Ki wanted a change of pace. He had been on the losing end of the mat battle but Low-Ki felt he could win the stand up game and that's exactly what see as Low-Ki is able to use his striking proficiency to gain the advantage then use a legsweep to gain control on the mat and get a variety of chokes. Down the stretch, we see more highspots as they build to the finish. Dragon gets his big hurrah with two German Suplexes, a Dragon Suplex and then Cattle Mutilation. Low-Ki fights the hold and Dragon cracks him with a chop on stand-up. We finally see an Irish Whip, for shame! Ki hits a couple of this big running Kawada big boots in the corner. Ki wanted the Ki-Krusher. Danielson struggles and shoots him off into the ropes. KI WRAPS HIMSELF AROUND DRAGON AND FLYING ARMBAR! FLASH SUBMISSION! INSANELY GOOD FINISH! This match has everything I want struggle, urgency, and organic, High IQ wrestling. Amazing finish! ****3/4

It is rare that I am ever higher than SmartMark15 and ShittyLilBoots on an ROH match, but here it is. I mean this was fucking phenomenal. I know Daniel Bryan Danielson has had the better career, but I think Low-Ki is the better wrestler. I already think AJ has been, is and will always be better than Danielson, but I think Low-Ki also has a much stronger grasp on psychology and escalation than Danielson. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion KENTA vs Low-Ki - ROH Final Battle 2017 "Low-Ki just fucked you up!" - Greatest ROH Fan Ever I am going to state the obvious right up front, Low-Ki is really fucking good at pro wrestling. He may be the greatest offensive wrestler in history. He is so damn smart. I HATE the double stomp in the corner. I knew he was setting up for it. I was already to roll my eyes and be pissed. Then Low-Ki stepped on KENTA's knee and he ground his foot in the knee. KENTA instinctively had to sit up to alleviate the pain and BAM! LOW-KI DOUBLE STOMPS INTO OBVILION! LOW-KI IS THE MAN! Who am I to doubt Low-Ki? To me this is the Greg Valentine vs Ronnie Garvin of the 2000s all supped up. They just kick the ever loving shit out of each other. This is so engrossing. You can take your eyes off of it. It is just absolute brutality. Low-Ki vs Daisuke Ikeda or Low-Ki vs Yuki Ishikawa is my new dream match. Ki just has this credibility. Look how he switches fighting stances early. He looks like a dude that knows how to fight. This is the best possible KENTA match. It is not a million miles per hour. It is just asskicking. It is wrestled BattlArts style so registering is more important than selling early on so nobody is blowing shit off. I love the escalation and pacing. Ki is so offensive-minded as the challenger. He is challenging for the THE Japanese Title, but he is in America, his home turf so he wants to take advantage of this. He comes out hot. You see why KENTA is the champion because he is able to overwhelm KI after Ki's initial onslaught. I liked the symmetry of each getting a quick transition and then hitting a high flying bomb to cement their advantage. Low-Ki's spontaneous Kappo Kick was eye-popping and such a great transition. I loved him doing the Benoit hanging KENTA out to dry on the top rope spot and then hitting a big dive to the floor. Then Ki just started working the midsection, but it was subtle how he was building to this. It made sense because at this point in Ki's career he loved the double stomp. The double stomp counter to KENTA's sunset flip attempt popped me huge. Another one of my favorite moment of the match (I wish it was a bigger deal) was how when Low-Ki hit this monster double stomp from the top rope he got caught on the ropes and he looked to hit his nuts on the rope. He sold it really well and wished a bigger deal was made of it. It explained why he didnt follow up the stomp immediately with a cover and also KENTA was able to hit a powerslam shortly thereafter. The best part of this is Low-Ki is able to get up first, but he does a great job selling his midsection and thats when KENTA truly cements his advantage with a ton of well-placed, stiff kicks. Another one of my favorite spots was Low-Ki is getting his ass kicked and throws a high chop to the throat and KENTA CATCHES IT and turns it into a Butterfly Suplex and converts into a cross-armbar. Beautiful pro wrestling! Turning defense into offense. Great job by Ki immediately clasping the arm, but still selling the arm. You know that double stomp I was raving about in the beginning of this review I forget to mention how well it was set up. KENTA was going for a superplex and Ki blocked it with stiff elbows to the thigh that caused KENTA to collapse into the tree of woe. Genius! The finish stretch is just crazy awesome brutality. They just slap the fucking shit out of each other at one point at rapid speed. There is a lot of no selling down the stretch and I would have liked better transition, but fuck it this was ridiculous. It was two badasses being badass. I loved Low-Ki just spontaneously hitting the Tidal Wave or KENTA just leaping from the mat to the top rope to hit a Super Falcon Arrow. I feel like this match deserved that spot. It is just two wrestlers letting it all hang out. I was marking out when KENTA called for the Go 2 Sleep but Low Ki hit the Ki Krusher. KENTA blitzes with an INSANE strike combo that I am going crazy for and then Low-Ki blows him away with a dropkick! TOP ROPE DOUBLE STOMP! Finn Balor take notes brutha thats how you do it. I love the escalation of the final three moves...missed Phoenix Splash...GO 2 SLEEP...KI stumbles, bumbles and crumples...KENTA RUNNING KNEE...1-2-3! It was not 8 million nearfalls. Ki got two strong nearfalls (Ki Krusher and Double Stomp) and KENTA got the Super Falcon Arrow then they went into the FINAL Sequence that guess what was actually the FINAL Sequence. If you love hard-hitting, explosive asskicking pro wrestling this for you. It is done smartly with great attention to detail and escalation. There was some nitpicky shit that they could have had better transitions late, but fuck that noise thats just because I am doing Greatest Match Ever so I need to nitpick. This ruled fucking hard! Best singles KENTA match ever! I really like the Low Ki vs Danielson match from ROH Show #2 so I am hesitant to call this the best Low-Ki match ever. I couldnt take my eyes off this one, bell to bell ass kicking that never let up! I have been cheap with my ratings recently, lets call this what it is a ***** classic!

Kurt Angle vs Jeff Jarrett - TNA Genesis 2009 No DQ As a big Jeff Jarrett fan, I have been waiting to watch this for years. I have been putting it off to watch other matches and am excited to see how this turns out. The video packages fills us in that since Jarrett's win at Bound for Glory (October with some help from Mick Foley) Kurt Angle has formed the Main Event Mafia and needed to beat Rhino (I have no recollection of this) to get his rematch with Double J. Al Snow of all people is the one who helped Angle win. Ok, well that was erased from my memory. Jarrett is so much better when he sticks to his Memphis roots and just throws punches. He starts off red hot. Angle tries to wrap him up in a sleeper to slow him down, but Jarrett hits him with a low blow. No DQ, baby! Jarrett kicks some ass on the floor and throws a beer at Kurt. I am loving this Double J. He gets knocked off the apron into the railing and then sent face first onto the stairs. Strong start thus far! Kurt Angle's heat segment is pretty tame. The match picks up again when Angle takes a nutty bump over the top rope crashing onto the floor. Double J tries a suicide dive over the top rope in a scary spot as his foot catches the ropes and he almost spikes his head into the floor. A for effort, brutha. Angle throws him into the announce table and Angle busts him wide open with ring bell. Five alarm bladejob by Jarrett. Ok, here we go! Angle works the cut. Jarrett hits a desperation DDT on the ramp. He throws Angle into the steel staging and busts him open. Jarrett hitting some nice Memphis style rights. It is too bad that Jarrett did not stick to his Mempho roots throughout the 90s/00s. Angle hits an Olympic Slam off the stage onto the floor! Jarrett was supposed to go through a table but overshot and damn I think he just fell five feet onto concrete. OW! They really milk it and struggle back to the ring. I like the slugfest that develops then it becomes bomb-trading. It is pretty good bomb trading because they at least set up each transition. Angle gets the stupid Anglelock and Olympic Slam when he thwarts a Superplex. Jarrett gets a Pedigree after the slugfest (clearly using the Pedigree mid-match was a potshot at HHH) and then the Stroke after he dropkicks a chair into Angle's face (that felt like a big deal). After the Stroke did not work thats when he went for the Superplex. Angle charges into the post. Jarrett is thinking guitar. Angle punts him in the balls when he takes too long. Decent finisher-trading. The finish of the match is pretty lame. Angle blasts Jarrett with a chairshot to the head to get a two count. Jarrett misses an enziguiri and Angle puts him back in the Anglelock and of course Double J reverses. Jarrett hits a DDT to get out of the Olympic Slam. He wants to use the guitar but it is busted. He hits a steel chair shot. 1-2-Angle Reverses into a side slide for 1-2-3! A technical wrestling finish and then Jarrett is the one that cant move. Lol! It was Angle that was slammed in the head. Jarrett was selling the ankle injury. Angle then attacks Jarrett's bad ankle and takes the chair puts on the ankle and stomps on it. This is a good match and definitely better than Bound for Glory, but this is not the best match of Jarrett's career as the Shawn Michaels match is still better. I was hoping for more brawling and less finish trading. ***1/2

TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim vs Awesome Kong - TNA Final Resolution 2008 No DQ If you believe the WWE, good women's wrestling did not happen before 2014, but Awesome Kong and Gail Kim prove WWE wrong. I was a big mark for Awesome Kong as a teenager. For some reason, I thought she was around when I was in high school, but I guess I was watching her in college. Every Kong match on Impact was a must see for me and my brother. It was great going back and watching these two PPV matches against Gail Kim. I think I liked the first slightly more, but this was still excellent. In both cases, I thought the finish was the worst part of the match which is a shame. Just like the first match, Kong shoves Kim right off the apron, but this time it seems Kim is more prepared as he is fighting back. I think what makes these matches great is how much Gail Kim fights back. She is constantly peppering her with shots even if they have limited effect. Kong hits a massive chop and then clothesline on the floor. Kong is such a great force. One of the best spots of the match is when Kong wants the powerbomb on the floor and Kim from a bent over position kicks her with the flat of the foot in the head. What agility is right Don West. Kong bullies her hard into the apron. As much as I like Nia Jax, Awesome Kong is still the best big woman's wrestler I have ever seen, the closest thing to Vader I have seen (I need to watch Joshi, but bear with me). Kong puts her foot on Gail's throat and it is just a perfect statement of dominance. Kim is so good at selling the beating, but always fighting back. Gail Kim never lets herself die. Kong swings Kim around in a choke hold, but Kim just keeps trying to elbow out of trouble but Kong just SWATS her with a Spinning Back Fist. HOLY SHIT! Again on the outside, Kim is trying to fight for her life but Kong swats her down. I love that swinging move that Kong does to drive her into the railing. That was always one of my favorite Kong spots. Strong arena brawling. Kim beating her with an empty soda bottle was funny because I know it doesnt really hurt but it makes a great sound. I like the desperation. Kong throws her down the stairs, which always freaks me out. The only rule in my house growing up was no fighting on the steps. Kong rams herself into the board when Kim moves. This is the first time of the match that Kong has missed and this is a perfect opportunity for Kim. Great Job by Kim to kick the arm, hit a springboard using the railing to hit a double axehandle on the bad arm and then hammerlock the bad arm into the post, but it is short lived as Kong just drills Kim with big clubbing blows. I like that hope spot. Kong grabs the chair but she missed and Kim kicks the chair into Kong's face another great hope spot. Gail Kim tries to hurl her body into Awesome Kong, but she just catches her and drives her into the apron. It looks like all hope is loss for our fearless hero. She tries in vain to hit elbows and Kong just hits a series of back fists. Powerbomb, no, Sunset Flip, Kong sits down and Kim moves! Kim tries to keep moving but Kong is just so strong and Kong slams her down. Kong is besides herself so she POWERBOMBS the ref! I love ref abuse! Kong starts slamming the ref with chair shots until Kim grabs the chair and Kim wrestles the chair away. Kim creams her with the chair in the head not once, but twice! Holy shit! Top Rope Splash! But there's no ref! Here he comes...1-2-NO! Kong Chokeslams Kim! Kong is gonna kill this ref! She goes for the powerbomb, but Kim rolls her up and the ref falls on top and then counts the 1-2-3! I didnt like the finish because it didnt feel like Gail Kim did it on her own. Still this was an excellent David vs Goliath match. Kong is an awesome force of nature. The usual good psychology of Kim selling, but always fighting back but really her only chance is when Kong hurts herself or when Kim can use a weapon. I think I liked the first match slightly more because I thought Kong's offense was cooler and Kim's offense more clever, but both matches are definitely worth watching. ****1/4

Kurt Angle vs Jeff Jarrett - TNA Bound For Glory 2008 Jeff Jarrett is returning after a two year absence due to his wife losing her battle with cancer. They made this match very personal with Angle bringing up Jarrett's three daughters and Jarrett saying his daughters are his source of strength when he thought he would have none. Pretty heavy stuff. Basic opening to the match. Angle dominates early showing Jarrett's ring rust. They give Jarrett a little bit of shine with a dropkick and knocking Angle over the top rope. Jarrett eats steel off the apron, but that does not really go anywhere as Jarrett is hits signature stradle and then Fargo Strut. They are giving him some stuff to get the crowd invested in them. He is definitely over they are popping for him. On the strut, Angle clotheslines Jarrett out of his boots and cinches in a chinlock. Thus far basic, fundamentals match a little bit of Jarrett shine with Angle cutting him off. Basically this becomes a Best Hits of Jeff Jarrett with Kurt Angle throwing his stuff in there too. Things Like Angle charging and hitting the post hard only to charge back and eat DDT just undercut the legitimacy of the match and the spots. Jarrett and Angle trade some bombs. The superplex and figure-4 was a nice 1-2 combo for Jarrett. Then Angle makes the ropes and hits three Germans. Pretty typical Angle match. Here comes the Anklelock. Ugh. Olympic Slam. Like that will win the match. Ref bump. Mick Foley is the enforcer so you knew that was happening. Jarrett actually hits some pretty good kneelifts to set up the Stroke. 1-2-NO! Good nearfall. Angle low blows Jarrett. Nice! Angle creams Foley and Jarrett with chairshots. Ok, this match is picking up. Foley drags out the ref at 2. Mr. Socko and Jarrett smashes the Guitar over head for the feel-good ending. Sue me, I liked the finish. Everything before was pretty blase and typical Angle just hits spots for the hell of it. I wanted to watch this before the more heralded Genesis 2009 match, but this is totally skippable. ***

ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson vs KENTA - ROH 9/16/06 I really like their match from NOAH from the same year lets see how this one holds up. KENTA does not give Danielson any clean breaks. First time missing with a roundhouse kick and then second time bitch slapping him. Danielson starts slapping himself to fire himself up. Danielson does not give him a clean break the next time but KENTA unleashes a furious kick to the injured arm of the Champion. Danielson is nursing a right shoulder injury from his last defense against Colt Cabana. KENTA mercilessly decimates the arm with wicked kick after wicked kick. This is definitely one of those great asskicking matches. KENTA is just pulverizing him with great kicks. I like Danielson's mini-comebacks using left hand slaps and punctuating with a headbutt but more often than not KENTA is able to get back to the arm. I liked KENTA heeling it up a bit in America as Danielson was trying to draw on some sympathy. Danielson tackles him when he turns his back to him. I love that type of fire and pride. Ultimately, KENTA is able to get back to working the arm, but Danielson showed that he had some life left. I know Danielson was doing a subtle heel champion gimmick at this time, but I thought the choking, taunting the fans on a surfboard and not breaking on the figure-4 were not warranted, made more sense to go full babyface. I did like Danielson targetting the left leg of KENTA. After all it is that leg that had been kicking his bad arm all this time so it made sense he wanted to rip it off. Too little thus far as KENTA is able to regain control with his big time kicks and hits a springboard dropkick his first big highspot. I loved the Butterfly Suplex ->Cross-Armbreaker by KENTA it feels like the match is really kicking into gear now. Danielson does a beautiful single leg takedown. Diving feet first through KENTA's legs and then picking the left leg and rolling through into a single leg crab. Great transition and works on the most offensively active part of KENTA's body. KENTA makes the ropes and hits an enziguiri. This is classic KENTA The Destroyer in the style of Hashimoto or Kobashi as their asskicking best. He is moving forward, but he is not moving too fast. He has targetted a body part. Danielson has shown fighting spirit cominh back with the left hand and submission work to try to neutralize KENTA's greatest asset: his left kick. I knew once the Go2Sleep was attempted this where the match would be make or break for me because they were going into the finish stretch with about 15 minutes left of video. That's a long time. They did falter at many spots. The most egregious being Danielson taking a nutty bump where he eats KENTA's feet on a top rope headbutt. He really took that shot hard. He was the one that hit the next move when he hit a dropkick to the midsection of a sprinboarding KENTA. I love each of those spots as a transition or counter, but space them out. Hard for me to respect the match if they are not respecting the moves. Each individual move looked great and it was exciting, but they were losing their impact because the moves were not having consequence. They do a fighting spirit sequence that was great. I loved Danielson's headbutts and KENTA's kicks, but I dont remember who won they both just went down. It just felt pointless after it was done. I thought the match did get back on track after Danielson's big dive. The crowd really got behind Danielson and he goes for a roaring elbow with his bad arm and KENTA wrestled him to the ground with a Fujiwara armbar. Great counter! Danielson's comeback is red hot, reverse cradle suplex and a super back suplex and Cattle Mutilation. I like that it is sustained offense. Danielson wants the top rope headbutt but KENTA meets him there (not my favorite way to do this, but whatever). KENTA gets knocked off and Danielson jumps on KENTA's shoulders. It was impressive that KENTA is that strong. GO TO SLEEP! 1-2-FOOT ON ROPES! Great nearfall and big pop. KENTA wants his big knee, but cant get it. Tries for Go 2 Sleep in the middle of the ring, but Danielson gets crucifix pin. I like how sustained the run up to the finish is. Danielson does the barrage of elbows, Tiger Suplex, more elbows then Cattle Mutilation for the win. There was a lot of struggle there. Awesome, awesome match. Some miscues here and there arent enough to ruin the match. It does feel a little disjointed they went from an asskicker with Danielson trying to survive into a bomb throwing finish run. The front half was truly excellent. The second half was mostly a hit with some misses. The last five minutes or so was absolute gold. The Fujiwara Armbar and Go 2 Sleep were great nearfalls for KENTA and Danielson really earned that finish by struggling through to dominate KENTA. I like the Morishima match more and the Low-Ki match from Round Robin Challenge too, but this is another classic Danielson/ROH match. ****1/2

X-Division Champion AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - TNA Against All Odds 2005 Ironman Match There is no doubt in my mind that AJ Styles was Wrestler of the Year in 2005. He had three match of the year contenders including this one and was really good in every role he was called upon in TNA. First Fall: They did a great job building to the first fall in the opening 15 minutes of this classic. I really liked how Daniels made AJ earn his dropkick. Leapfrog->nope Daniels Rollup. Dropkick -> nope Daniels holds the ropes. Then AJ just nails one when Daniels is unaware. Shows they really know each other. Good chain wrestling early and strong quick covers. AJ Gets a couple big highspots. AJ's balance on the ropes is so good! When Daniels pulls in the ref, AJ is able to pause on the rope and come back down. Daniels uses the momentary hesitation to knock AJ off the apron onto the railing. Daniels works a clinic on AJ's ribs. AJ sells so well sucking for air and bumping in such a way that he lands on his ribs. The Split Leg Moonsault was a good nearfall. AJ gets a mini-comeback where he hits a lot of his low-grade signature spots. However, when AJ goes for 450 splash he eats knees. "Where?" Mike Tenay asks, "RIGHT ON THE RRRRRIBBBBBSSSSS" - Don West exclaims! I loved it. AJ did a full layout on this because he is All Man and he takes the Angels Wings full layout too. Great stuff. Daniels goes up 1-0 in a super tight 15 minutes. Second Fall: Daniels continue his work on the ribs. I like how he has added taunting and trash talking to each move now that he is up 1-0. Lots of great gutbusters and selling by AJ. I loved the abdominal stretch as a cutoff against one of AJ's comebacks. It was sudden and tight. AJ never died and kept fighting. The Phenomenal Forearm was a good nearfall. I love the Pele Kick. It is just a great transition. It comes from out of nowhere and it is a head kick so it stuns the opponent and really feels like a momentum change. They throw out a little too much stuff here. The takeaway is AJ hits the Angel Wings to get two. AJ wants the Styles Clash, but thats reversed and he reverses into a rollup for three to tie it up. Third Fall: I love Daniels reaction to Styles' pin. He very forcefully shoves AJ out of the ring. He has snapped and wants the title. He drives AJ's head hard into the ringpost busting him wide open. Daniels works the cut great lots of punches and headbutts. That one headbutt was a great nearfall. AJ shows some fire under a minute, but Daniels plants him into the Koji Klutch. Great visual with clock winding down and the blood pouring from AJ's head like a faucet. The match goes to a draw or does it...Daniels feels like he would have won the match if he just had one more minute. He calls for Sudden Death and Dusty Rhodes agrees! Daniel beats AJ down and crosses himself with AJ's blood. Cool visual but the follow up move was pretty lame. He should have hit Angel Wings or the Best Moonsault Ever. AJ throws him off the top rope and then hits a rana to set up the Styles Clash and win. Awesome match from an awesome year from AJ Styles! Not quite as good as his matches with Abyss and Samoa Joe, but this still ruled. Great ribs work that was sold well and Daniels did a great job working on top. I thought the third fall was awesome in its urgency and a great comeback for AJ. ****1/2

America's Most Wanted vs XXX (Daniels & Skipper) - Turning Point 2004 Six Sides of Steel There have been a lot of crazy spots in the history of pro wrestling, but I still think this one is the craziest. Skipper really could have died in the spot that made this match iconic and I think everyone knows the spot I am talking about: the tight rope walk across a top of the cage into a hurricanarana. I mean that was a narrow pipe we was walking across. I dont blame TNA one bit for constantly replaying that for the next five years. That was truly incredible and insanely dangerous. If he lost his balance, it was over man. They were chanting "Please Dont Die" and you know what it was earned. Probably the single most iconic spot from TNA. It is funny the match is so known for that spot that you forget there is a great match going on before and after the spot. I thought this was a great combination of spotfest and bloodbath. Daniels gets busted open early during the shine. AMW take him to task. Skipper ends up saving him and they work over Harris. Nice little mini-comeback for AMW where they go for the Death Sentence (badass name for the move)n but settle for the high crossbody. The match goes to the next level when they use AMW's handcuffs to cuff Harris to the turnbuckle. I have seen this match before and my recollection was that this kinda drags, but it was shorter than I remember. I really love Daniels jabbing the key into Storm's head. AMW are both bleeding at this point. Good heel miscommunication and then spear by Storm to get the key. Then it is a lot of great double team moves and cage spots. XXX hits both the crossbody/suplex spot and the Death Sentence. When that does not work, Daniels wants Skipper to go all the way up and this leads to the iconic spot. After that, Daniels hits a top of the cage elbow drop which would be insane if it was not for what just happened. Nice barrage of highspots and nearfalls ensue. They cuff Daniels in retribution and then XXX's finish to pin Skipper, win the match and XXX can never team again. One of the best non-AJ Styles TNA Matches of all times and a great confluence of blood & guts with highspots and of course it will never be forgotten due to that insane Skipper spot. ****1/4

American Dragon vs Low-Ki - ROH 3/30/02 The more I watch really early independents (focused on Danielson, AJ, Joe and Ki) the more you do NOT see the All Japan or New Japan Juniors influence instead the influence truly is strong style (the style of Inoki & Karl Gotch) that being New Japan Heavyweights and BattlArts. That is not something I was expecting. So often you hear "Strong Style" confused with "King's Road" or any wrestling that is stiff. Strong style to me is way more mat-based and strike-oriented. It is one shade away from shoot-style. This has been an excellent strong style match. Note the physical contact time in this match. There is flesh on flesh and body on body for the vast majority of he first fifteen minutes as opposed to rope running and Irish Whips, none of that bullshit. Ken Shamrock is the Special Guest Ref to add cred to this match, his mutton chops are out of control. The chain wrestling is good in this match. I cant do it justice so I will just give snippets here and there. I really liked Danielson doing the ankle cross to avoid a Low-Ki choke. Low-Ki was an excellent ground-pound dude. He was using headbutts, elbows, knees and kicks while on the ground to constantly add a different look. Danielson turned that ankle cross into a rocking horse, which was insane. Like I said it was so hard-hitting and the submissions were so tight. Everything looked like a struggle. The complexion of the match changes around the ten minute mark. Each man had wrestled the Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels earlier in the night as a part of a Round Robin Challenge. Ki won and Dragon lost. In Dragon's match, he got a cut on his eye. Ki blasted him with a kick to the bad eye that sent Dragon to the outside. What I loved about this was each time Ki got a shot to Dragon's bad eye he would powder and come back even more furious. Dragon applied two wicked submissions on Ki in response to this first salvo to his eye. Ki wriggled free and blasted Danielson in the eye with Kawada Kicks (so there is some All Japan influence :P) Again, Danielson comes back more furious. Great lock up and Ki tries to knee him in the eye, but Danielson wrestles him down into the mat. I love how Dragon is going for Cattle Mutilation and then a Dragon Suplex but settles for a back suplex. Why did I like this because there was no break in physical contact. It was all struggle. Ki was blocking and Danielson was responding by switching holds. Danielson is working a hold and Ki is throwing these nasty knees from a seated position to Danielson's bad eye. Ki gets up high enough to hit that insane Kawada flip kick (the one Kawada usually uses to block a German Suplex) from a crazy spot and Danielson is down again due to his eye. First half of the match has been so insanely good just dripping with urgency and struggle. From here the match turns more into an All Japan style bomb throwing match, but there is still plenty of submission nearfalls and work that is rooted in the front half. Ki pulverizes Danielson with chops and kicks. There is one kick to the back that I thought was so hard that Danielson were going to pop out of his head. Ki is able to use his Dragon Clutch and a rear naked choke to drain the life out of Danielson out on the floor. There is an insane spot here Ki hits a double stomp, stands on Danielson, Danielson bridges and then Ki hits a double stomp. MARK OUT CITY! Ki looks to finish him with the Ki Krusher, but Danielson hits a roaring elbow. Danielson hits a top rope diving headbutt stupidly I may add and I love that it is Ki that actually gets the cover on that move. Serves Dragon right. Ki hits his back handspring jumping kick that looks phenomenal. Ki applies Cattle Mutiliation, but Danielson wriggles free into a Dragon Clutch. I think that was the best finisher stealing spot I have ever seen. I was pumping my fist. Danielson starts throwing Ki around with some big suplexes and for the first time it looks like Danielson is in charge. Low-Ki wants his Tidal Wave which is his big transition move. Danielson hits a picture-perfect dropkick to the midsection to block. Oooooo I didnt love Low Ki hitting a brainbuster there. I didnt feel like he earned it. Up until that point, the transitions were perfect. Ki has a handful of hair and just destroys Danielson's face with a barrage of Kawada kicks. Brutal to the max, brutha! KI KRUSHER! 1-2-NO! Low-Ki & I cant believe it. Ki decides he knows to go one louder and is going for the Phoenix Splash. Low Ki may be the most complete wrestler ever from an offensive standpoint. The Phoenix Splash is off target and eats knees. DRAGON SUPLEX! But American Dragon cant hold the bridge and only gets two. The match does go a little NOAH in the sense they go overboard with the highspots...Dragon hits a Super Back Suplex and then Ki hits a Super Ki Krusher...which is not the finish. This has been an amazing cardio exhibition they are going hard and there has been almost zero downtime in this match. Dragon catches Ki in the back handspring...Dragon Suplex...No...Reverse Cradle Suplex wicked snap to that. Dragon needs two Cattle Mutilation but Low-Ki taps out! Wow! What a match! I am exhausted just watching this. Incredible work from these two. You had it all: amazing chain wrestling, stiff strikes, big time bombs and a hot finish stretch. Do they go a little overboard yes, but goddamn this is intense wrestling. Everything felt urgent like both men wanted to win this match so badly and they were struggling for every move. I have really enjoyed going back and watching early 2000s Indy Wrestling. ****3/4

Genichiro Tenryu & Orihara vs Great Kabuki & Kitahara - WAR 7/14/92 I just watched my friends unleash an 11-1 drubbing in Rocket League and I don't think that was as bad as how Kabuki & Kitahara massacred him. Tenryu and Kabuki have a great exchange early each leaving the other gasping for breathe after thrusts to the throat. Once I saw how young & skinny Orihara was I knew exactly what this match was going to be like. This is one of my favorite genres of puroresu: Ace & young lion vs two dick heels. Kitahara tries to kick Orihars's head off and then Kabuki comes in and just stiffs the fuck out of him. Kabuki' powerbomb draws Tenryu on the save. Orihara makes a comeback with kicks to the head. Tenryu gets hot tag but it is attacked at the pass. The heels do a number of Tenryu but he makes a comeback and I'm surprised tags Orihara back in. Orihara hits a moonsault from the top to the floor! His big spot! Tenryu whacks somebody with a chair. Tenryu was really into bootlace kicks. He was just stiffing the hell out of the opposing team and he busts up Kitahara's nose. This is brutal. ORIHARA GETS GANSO BOMBED! Tenryu tries to save with kicks but I feel like he just gives up and realizes it is a lost cause. Kabuki hits a bunch of powebombs to win. Brutal, stiff asskicking and a welcomed addition to a great genre of tag wrestling. ***3/4

Re-watched this one my phone this morning and I liked it a lot better than my recollection. One of the best spotfests of all time and maybe the best triple threat of all time (Cena vs Lesnar vs Rollins) may have something to say about that. I really liked the opening with Joe & AJ one upping each other on the heel Daniels. I liked Daniels being treated as a strong heel. We know Joe & AJ hit hard as fuck but Daniels was just as stiff as them. The highspots were really HIGH! The AJ Shooting Star Press, Spiral Tap into the Kokina Clutch and Joe's insane dive were all BADASS like the greatest spots ever. Finish was incredible. I like how the undefeated Joe eliminated himself by missing a dive. I liked AJ reversing the Angels Wings into a pinning predictament of his own for the win. My complaints as always with a spotfest is things comes too easy no struggle. I also thought they peaked mid-match with the unconventional highspots so when come time for everyone to hit their stock highspots it was not as hot. Still never a dull moment and just absolute mayhem, maybe the best spotfest ever. ****1/4 Man, I just re-read my review and gotta say chill out, bro. What an angry young man. I popped for Saying Daniels turns off heeling. I Think overall I was too hard on Daniels in my first review except the heeling. Definitely needed more heeling. But yeah I needed to take a chill pill.

X-Division Champion AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe I wrote in 2013: Greatest AJ Styles Performance Ever? I will say his performance against Bobby Roode in an ironman match at Final Resolution 2012 is his greatest performance of all time, but this is probably a Top Ten AJ Performance and thats saying a lot because he has had so many great ones. My favorite moment when I watched in 2013 is the same as when I just watched it again: When Styles does a float-over off a Joe suplex attempt onto the apron instead of doing it fluidly he lands on the ropes to sell the exhaustion. I was in awe. He takes that extra couple seconds to really sell. Consequently instead of immediately following his forearm on the apron he sold more exhaustion before finally to trying to hit a springboard and ate a Joe powerbomb. Sublime. What I think stands out the most about this match compared to so many X-Division matches is the physicality. This match was a fuckin war and AJ got a nice busted up lip for it. Each wrestler earned everything they got. AJ set the tone charging at Joe and manhandling him. You dont see Joe manhandled too often, but AJ was all piss & vinegar. AJ hits fucking hard and he was blasting Joe. I love how pumped AJ was after his snap suplex and his trademark dropkick. This does not get brought up enough, but AJ is so good at his dropdown. The whole point of the dropdown is trip your opponent while he running the ropes OR mess up his timing. Watch that Joe really has to step over AJ because AJ does his dropdown so tight. Since Joe is thinking about that, he does not think about the dropkick. Once Joe gets a hold of AJ the match really gets brutal. These are some of the sickest, stiffest kicks you will ever see. AJ did that sick bump off the apron onto the floor again and took Joe's offense like a champ. Joe kicked is leg out from under him and took a header on the apron. Then the real exclamation point is how Joe just slung him into the railing. This was a total shitkicking. Credit to AJ that he sold like a champ and bumped like a madman, but he never died. He always let us know he life left in his body. Thats huge. There is a great moment when AJ was looking to start a comeback but Joe just shoves him down and then hits a flying kick right to the face. I love how simple & brutal the match is. I loved the transition to AJ's comeback as it was Joe being overzealous and AJ having the presence of mind to back body drop outside the ring. Then he capitalized with a beautiful Fosbury Flop. I love how after each move AJ was going after pins because he knew he was weak and this was his shot. It really sold the urgency, you could feel that his time was fleeting and if he didnt capitalize now everything was lost. I loved the cat and mouse game they did late in the match with AJ duckin' and divin' not allowing Joe to get that full 100% impact. The busted lip happens here and it really had a big fight feel and that moment epitomized it. AJ continues back with flying kicks especially that wicked spinkick that rocks Joe. AJ needed those big bombs and head shots. Tenay & I think he going Styles Clash, but he hits a massive powerbomb for two. AJ tries to charge Joe, but it is a WICKED LARIAT (this lariat is insane; JBL would have creamed his pants for sure) and then a wicked Tiger Driver, but each time AJ kicks out at one. FIGHTING SPIRIT~! There is a great vicious sequence, Joe hits a wicked slap and then AJ hits his Pele Kick. That's the head rocking, stun kick, AJ usually uses to set up the Styles Clash, but here AJ sets the big man up on the top rope. which I dont love. The one flaw is the fact that AJ tried twice to setup Joe for moves on the top turnbuckle, which seemed odd. The second time it led to an awkward sequence and a lame AJ powerbomb (more like a double leg takedown), which only existed to give AJ a way to hit the Styles Clash. It was a minor flaw. AJ goes for a victory roll, but Joe traps him in the clutch and it is Goodnight Irene for AJ. After the match, Joe beats up AJ and tries to give him a musclebuster on a chair, but Daniels saves. I liked this match a whole lot, but I think I liked AJ/Abyss a hair more (I wrote that in 2013 and still feel that way now), but both are neck and neck for Best TNA match ever at this point. I have no idea why the Unbreakable match is the more famous match. This match blows that match outta the water. Again, it is the finish that holds this match back from being *****. To me this combines BattlArts brutality with really awesome bumping from AJ and start of the art offense with a strong story of urgency from both men really wanting to win. ****3/4

Low-Ki vs Bryan Danielson - ECWA 7/21/01 SGR: Ricky Steamboat Low-Ki had to be the first superstar of 2000s Indies boom. He is very over in every match. This was a very popular match in the early 2000s and along with Low-Ki vs AJ Styles the biggest feud of the indies. Danielson is playing the heel. Steamboat seems pretty into the match throughout. These two are just so explosive. Some great chain wrestling and kicks thrown. I love their dueling bridges spot, really good stuff. Ki throws some ferocious kicks that really tag Bryan in the head. It really gets good when Danielson dropkicks Ki's arm just as he is doing a back handspring. Great spot and great writhing by Ki! Danielson goes right to work on the injured arm. You know Bryan is all tight holds and some innovative ways to dish out pain. Bryan shows great urgency always staying on Ki and Ki is very good at selling the arm. You know when you have Steamboat wincing in pain, that there are some ferocious chops being thrown. Ki gets a lucha armdrag hope spots but Bryan pops up and kicks the arm. Great heat segment. I loved Bryan's snap fireman's carry in response to Low-Ki firing up in in a chop battle. Bryan wants the cross-armbreaker, but settles for a short arm scissors (love that move). Low Ki kicks him in the head from his back showing great flexibility. On the second one, he gets him pretty good and even the camera guy oohs at that. Bryan goes for the Cobra Clutch and Ki fights out. He finally evens the playing field with a Tidal Wave. Steamboat pops for it and the crowd chants "Low Ki!". Really well-timed spot. Low-Ki is still selling the bad arm as he hits a forearm and realizes he needs to use his feet. Explosive Kappo Kick in the corner. Bryan grabs a cobra clutch on the apron and Ki bucks him off the apron in a crazy spot. Low Ki gets his Dragon Clutch on the top rope and bends back into a Tree of Woe, but he loses control of Bryans head. They go into a strike exchange, but it is better than your typical New Japan one because they are reacting and trying to find new angles. Poor transition into that strike exchange. Bryan finally blasts through Ki's defense with a Roaring elbow. They headbutt each other from their knees as if they are rams battering each other. Ki hits the Ki Krusher '99 for two, but cant capitalize because of his bad arm. This is the first big nearfall and it is well-timed. Couple good blocks as Ki cant hit another Ki Krusher, Bryan cant hit the Dragon Suplex and Ki misses a flying Karate Kick. This last one affords Bryan the opportunity to hit a German and roll into a Dragon Suplex for two. Bryan wants his super back suplex, but Ki bucks him off and hits a Phoenix Splash for two. I like how missed moves are setting up the nearfalls. Low Ki pays tribute to Masa Chono from 1991 and just starts Yakuza Kicking Bryan in the face repeatedly only getting two. As he signals for the "FINISH HIM" Kick, Bryan wrangles him down in Cattle Mutilation and Low Ki passes out from the pain. I dont know about that finish. I mean Bryan worked over the arm, but I didnt think he really destroyed the arm and I thought Low-Ki passed out way too quickly. Then again, I dont really want to languish in that hold either. It was just a weird hold to pass out to. Weird finish aside, I really enjoyed this. It is very explosive and exciting. Bryan's heat segment is great and Low-Ki sells well and peppers in enough hope spots. Tidal Wave was the perfect tide-turning move. They lost me from the apron spot through the strike exchange. I thought the transitions were not as tight. The finish sequence was awesome. The nearfalls felt big and were set up really well. To me this is the first truly great Indy match. ****1/4

Low-Ki vs Samoa Joe - ROH 10/5/02 The only thing the Smackdown roster is missing right now is Low-Ki. Imagine just a revolving door of AJ, Bryan, Joe & Ki tearing it up on Smackdown every week. I loved this match! It was BattlArts in America. No rope running. No Irish Whips. No intricate sequences. Just hard-hitting, smashmouth in your face action. Neither man giving an inch. They were constantly kicking out at one to prove a point that the other man had not hurt him even though they were beating the dogshit out of each other. Just a great combination of strikes, throws and submissions. This is Samoa Joe's debut and he is a hired gun for the top heel faction led by Christopher Daniels. This is a Fight Without Honor but there are no weapons or cheapshots just man on man, flesh on flesh. They set the tone early with some of the best pro wrestling ground and pound you will ever see. Those punches were STIFF! Ki's chops to Joe's back were brutal throughout. Low-Ki's suplexes looked so damn good in this match. Joe was looking slim & trim. Joe was kicking ass too. Loved the powerbomb into the STF. Joe got a big nearfall with the Island Driver. I love how Ki did NOT do any of his big highspots. No back handspring elbow or Tidal Wave. It shows his versatility and intelligence. You do those in matches with Amazing Red, not Samoa Joe. I love that thought process. He did go for his Dragon Clutch, but that's a submission that was his big nearfall compared to Joe's Island Driver. Then came the ending. Holy shit! They beat the shit out of each other and MY GOD Low-Ki DESTROYED Samoa Joe with those Kawada kicks. It looked like he was shoot kicking him in the face repeatedly. I love the Samoa Joe bellow before Low Ki clubs him to death for the win. When is the last time there was no highspot to win, you just clubbed youre way to victory. Awesome! Yes, they complaint is that the transitions arent that memorable and there is no grand story, but who fucking cares, they kicked ass so hard and it was fucking awesome! ****1/4

Thats why I am leaning towards not watching it. I have no feel for CZW. I think going cold into that match would not do that match justice.

Samoa Joe vs Necro Butcher - IWA-MidSouth 6/11/05 A very famous violent bloodbath that totally lives up to the hype. I am like 95% sure I have seen a Necro Butcher match live in Ring Of Honor in like 2009, but other than that I have never seen a Butcher match. Joe is a great asskicker and Butcher can sure take an asskicking so this makes for a match made in heaven or should I say Hell? There is bleeding hardway from headbutts, there are chair throws, there is a powerslam on Necro's forehead, yes forehead, CM Punk and I are incredulous. Oh by the way, the worst part of this match by far is the commentary. Eddie Kingston is fine. CM Punk's smarky commentary is bad. The most brutal part is Dave Prazak. You know what's worse than Joey Styles, a Joey Styles tribute act, Goddamn you Prazak you fucking blew in this match. Back to the match, the punches were incredible in this match. Rapid fire and stiff as fuck. The Holy Shit Spot for me in this match was when Joe spiked him on his busted open head from the apron to the floor on an exploder. That was fucking crazy. Dave Prazak fucking sucks in this match. The powerbomb on the railing was pretty nuts and one foot cover with bicep flex, but only a two. Wow! German Suplex on the chair! Necro Butcher is Mick Foley nuts! Necro's big comeback with these punches was incredible. Great punches and then Joe just unleashes the most brutal flurry of kneelifts. He nearly takes off his head and then kicks his head straight off for the KO victory. Total asskicker of a match! ****1/2

ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima vs Bryan Danielson - ROH 8/25/07 "He has such a tight small package" - Only in pro wrestling is that a compliment. While not as gruesome as Vader vs Stan Hansen, this was just as scary. You cant really say this is Danielson's best selling performance because he is in very legitimate pain as his retina is detached in the match. The anguish on his face makes it hard to watch at times but it is not as bad as Vader literally putting his eyeball back in his head and the swelling keeping it in place. Speaking of Vader, this is a Vader 101 match through and through. If Morishima even had an 1/8th of Vader's charisma then this would be ***** classic. As it is, Danielson basically figured out a way to drag an amazing match out of Morishima but it almost cost him his eye. Imagine how Vader sells Tamura's or Yamazaki's kicks in UWFi, but now he is selling Danielson's kicks here. Oh my God that would be tremendous! Lets stop talking about Danielson vs Vader dream match and instead talk about the match we got which was really good. They do a great extended sequence where Danielson is evading Morishima at every pass but also sneaking in stiff kicks to the thigh of Morishima. Morishima just cant seem to wrangle the elusive Bryan. He finally corners him and just clubs him into submission. He targets the eye from jump. So really stiff forearms to the eye has Danielson clutching it immediately. Morishima facewashes the eye and then goes so far as to blast on the outside. It is brutal. I am pretty sure that's where he injured it because Danielson is in an insane amount of pain immediately. Morishima drives his ass into Danielson and then the next time Morishima runs into the railing. Danielson dumps him into the crowd and hits his signature springboard somersault into the crowd. The look on his face as he is grabbing his eye is just painful to watch. He whacks Morishima's leg with a steel chair. The dueling psychology is great and both are exploiting it though I am worried for Danielson. I wonder with the language barrier if they were able to explain to Morishima in the middle of the match that Danielson was actually hurt. The rest of the match is Danielson working underneath rolling into crazy leg submissions from all angles while Morishima is just picking up and slamming Danielson to the ground any chance he gets. Morishima kicks out of a leg submission by raking the boot across the injured eye. Great! Danielson tries a barrage of cradles and roll-ups, but on a sunset flip, Morishima just squashes him by dropping his ass on his chest for two. Danielson recovers and fells the Giant with more kicks to the leg. When Morishima crumples, the crowd pops! Fancy that! I loved the urgency in the run up to the finish...German...Elbows to the head...Kicks to the head...Cattle Mutilation...he was suffocating Morishima. Great work! But then he does the dumbest thing imagineable he tries for a Super Back Suplex, Morishima counters mid-air and lands with all his body weight on Danielson. Morishima OBLITERATES Danielson with a lariat for two and then a Back Drop Driver and it is academic. Danielson gave a performance of a lifetime under severe adversity. Danielson was so feisty in this match. He was always fighting back even on his back. I loved his urgency. He was suffocating Morishima every chance he got. Offensively his strategy was sound and focused. It was only when deviated by going for the suplex that he did himself in. Honestly, Morishima's greatest attribute was his weight. He was this riddle that Danielson was trying to solve. Occasionally, the giant riddle would sit on him or come crashing down with all his weight. Ultimately, it was Morishima's sheer size that won him the match. If Morishima had any charisma or just sold better, this would be an all-timer, still an excellent David vs Goliath match and may be Danielson's best individual performance of his career. ****3/4

Good news, I just watched 6th Anniversary Match between Danielson and McGuinness and it is far, far better than the Unified match. I really enjoyed it. I am going to watch a ton of Danielson vs Low-Ki. I have seen the JAPW match before I want to watch that again along with ECWA and the ROH match. I have not seen that much pimped about Danielson vs AJ, but I LOVE AJ so I will definitely be checking those out. Danielson vs Morishima the eye match is a must for me to see. Has the Joe vs Punk trilogy aged well? It does not seem to get much play anymore (I remember on the internet when I was in high school people going nuts for it). I really liked Danielson vs KENTA from NOAH in 2006 so I will check out their ROH match. I am going to watch Low-Ki vs Samoa Joe and Samoa Joe vs Kobashi.

ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness vs Bryan Danielson - ROH 6th Anniversary Show 2/23/08 Before the match, Danielson agreed not to attack the head of McGuinness, who has been struggling my concussion issues. They had been doing a slow burn heel turn for Nigel and finally exploded this night as everyone in the Manhattan Center thought he was being a chump. I really feel the dynamics of this match are far better with Danielson as the babyface and McGuiness as the heel. I really like how character driven this is. Danielson remains true to his word throughout the match and never attacks the head of McGuiness even thought he has plenty of opportunities. I always like when a heel wrestles the match straight at the beginning and only resorts to heel tactics when the match is slipping through his fingertips. They start with some of their chain wrestling which I thought had more struggle to it and Danielson clearly had a comfortable lead winning these exchanges. I really liked the callback where Nigel does the headstand in the corner, but this time Danielson dropkicks him in the chest instead of the head. Nice job! Danielson is kicking the back of Nigel and hits a back suplex, but all these shots rattle Nigel's head. I love this because Danielson is staying away from the head, but he cant help it a lot of strikes and suplexes will rattle the head. The fans get on Nigel's case for being overly sensitive. Nigel loses his cool and decks the ref to trigger the DQ. I really liked that spot. Austin Aires & Co. say they will not let Nigel disgrace the title like that and order him back in the ring. I like that it was wrestlers instead of an authority figure that did that. Nigel takes over on the restart, not the best transition, but the heel work on top is solid. He is working on the arm and he is doing a lot of jaw jacking with the crowd. Danielson is very good at selling. Danielson strings together a couple moves, but Nigel ends up suplexing him from the apron to the floor. Nigel rocks him big time European Uppercut up against the railing. Danielson gets a desperation backdrop into the crowd and then hits his big springboard somersault into the audience. Great highspot! I really thought the rest of the match picked up in a big way from here on out. Danielson looked poised to capitalize in the ring when Nigel hits a big time lariat. Danielson does an incredible job selling the lariat. The insufferable ROH fans chant "Same 'ol shit!" and I roll my eyes. I will say the ROH announcers were really good. I was not expecting that at all. The best spot in my opinion of the match was when Danielson goes for a suicide dive and Nigel hits a European Uppercut. Then Nigel summarily hits a Tower of London from the apron. I loved how they both sold, they both bladed especially how Nigel sold the head injury because of the force of his own blow. Since it was on the outside and they were selling, it made sense that Danielson could kick out. Nigel goes for Cattle Mutilation, but cant hold the bridge and Nigel misses his big rebound lariat, but he hits the one when Danielson is hung up on the corner. TOWER OF LONDON! 1-2-NO! Reverse Top Wristlock by Nigel. Danielson finally catches a break with Chaos Theory! Danielson cant capitalize he has taken too much punishment and his arm is just slung to his side. Danielson goes all Fujiwara on us with TREMENDOUS body shots and even busts out a Fujiwara armbar and then elbows to the body. All the while, Danielson refuses to elbow Nigel in the head instead he hits a Tiger Suplex. I really liked when Danielson told the ref to count Nigel for ten after a barrage of body shots. Danielson go home sequence was so great. He stayed away from highspots focused on strikes to the body and submission holds. The best part of the match by far is when Nigel uses headbutts to crack Danielson in his bad eye (Morishima match) repeatedly then elbows him in the head repeatedly in Danielson like fashion. I love that after all that shit was made about Nigel's head he used it as a weapon and went after Danielson's own injury. That is beautiful heel work. Danielson passes out in the reverse top wristlock. Far superior to the Unified match. Great character work from both wrestlers. Danielson was a great babyface fighting from underneath trying to winning earnestly and respectfully. I can get behind that and really sunk my teeth into Danielson's quest to do it a specific manner. Nigel was a great heel he was a prick and he was great at all always selling his head. Of course, the grand hurrah is that after all that stink, Nigel uses headbutts to attack Danielson's bad eye long enough to KO him with Danielson-style elbows to the head. Great finish. There are certain 2000s things that bother me (like people waiting to be hit with moves) and a lot of that is just Nigel's offense. Beautiful story with Nigel making a big stink about his own injury only to exploit Danielson's most famous injury is just excellent pro wrestling. ****1/2

I hit a wall with puroresu. I need to switch it up. Ring of Honor is a massive blind spot for me. This is generally considered the best Ring of Honor match seems like a good place to start. ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson vs ROH Pure Champion Nigel McGuiness - ROH Unified 8/12/06 The ROH Pure Championship was a neat idea to create a different type of match that would showcase technical wrestling by changing the rules. I think they should have gone full RINGS rules, but still included pinfalls to really make it distinct as is it was just watered down shoot style rules. I think everyone in Ring of Honor realized this and decided to abandon the championship by unifying it with the World Championship. Apparently, these two had to two prior matches in Cleveland. I am coming into this cold so sorry in advance if I miss any callbacks. Danielson is in the midst of an epic World Title reign. You know what I was going to review this and then finish with this, but I am just going to start with it. What's the big deal? I mean the match is good, but what about this is exceptional? I don't even know what the story is. It was not limb psychology. They dropped that. They kinda teased a brawl twice, but the match was not a brawl. It is not very character-driven. Danielson is kind of a dick. Not doing a Mexican Surfboard as a means to get heel heat is really strange to me. It is not like my entire night was dependent on whether I see a Mexican Surfboard. A reviewer mentioned Nigel's gave a great fiery comeback. I don't know, have I been spoiled by Shinya Hashimoto? It was a fine comeback. It is a not a spotfest in sense that they were not just throwing out highspots. It wasn't overkill at all. I thought it was quite economical. The spot that clearly is the BIG spot of the match is when Nigel headbutts the steel ringpost repeatedly to bleed hardway. That was some Foley Theatre of Masochism. Then he headbutted Danielson repeatedly and I dont think he drew blood but just got his blood on Danielson. I mean writing that does make me feel like that should have been an epic spot of revenge, but it just rang hollow to me. I dont know the match; just felt good. So what did I like about the match? I liked the symmetry of the beginning. Each winning two chain wrestling sequences (a little too slick on the chaining, but it was fine). I liked Danielson slapping the shit out of Nigel and not giving a clean rope break. Nigel earns his slap back by winning a wristlock sequence. That was great. Danielson's work on the arm was really tight. He had to earn his Butterfly Suplex into the cross-armbreaker. It drives me nuts when people stop selling when they make the ropes. It totally undercuts the whole five count. The heel is being evil. He is applying an excoriating hold for an extra four seconds that could be the difference your arm being broken. Fucking sell! Nigel attacking the arm out of revenge was good even if the transition was just ok. The transition back to Danielson was unmemorable thats when the lame Mexican Surfboard spot happened. Danielson hits two big bombs, superplex and diving headbutt, could have used more struggle. He then applies Cattle Mutilation. I hate this submission hold, but that a personal preference. It is very hard to make compelling via selling because your face is buried. It should be a quick tap out or nothing. It is a cool move because I love bridging, but it drags when it is just held. Nigel makes the ropes. Then Nigel just pops up and cuts Danielson off and hits Tower of London. I am just going to say it. If Danielson was not in this match, anyone else would be crucified for allowing that spot. This costs Danielson a rope break and Nigel applies Cattle Mutilation to eliminate Danielson's second rope break. They brawl on the outside. I really liked this spot where Danielson showed a lot of aggression bouncing Nigel's head off the table then trying to choke him out with the table and win by countout. Great spot! The best spot of the match is when Nigel goes for the Ultimo Dragon headstand in the corner and Danieslon dropkicks him in the head. YES! Finally someone smart enough to do that. I marked out for that. Danielson follows this up with the Crossface Chickewing, which is a great submission and Nigel makes the ropes. Danielson is quite smug that Nigel has lost all his rope breaks. Danielson wastes too much time and misses a diving headbutt. At this point, they should just go all in with a character-driven match. Big babyface comeback and all that jazz. But instead they do a bunch of 50/50 wrestling that is not driving the plot forward. Then Danielson does a Crossface Chickenwing on the top rope. I get that Nigel has no rope breaks, but I dont think that means the match becomes Falls Count Anywhere. Head-scratcher! Ok so then we get the stupidity of Nigel headbutting a ringpost to get color hardway. I like brutality in wrestling but this just looked like Nigel headbutting a ringpost. Obviously, there is no safe way to do it, but the safest way to do it is have Nigel be in complete control so Danielson is barley pulling him so it just looks like Nigel is headbutting a ringpost for shits & giggles. The Springboard Somersault into the crowd is always a pleaser. Back in the ring, Nigel hits those revenge headbutts. They just don't look as good as Fujiwara's and he is not roaring in a way that I am invested. I figured it out. I just was not invested in this match. Don't tell me it was because I came in cold to this match. I watched Chris Harris vs James Storm bloodbath cold. I could not give two fucks about Harris or Storm, but they sucked me into their match. Great wrestling can do that. Cattle Mutilation...McGuiness reverses and it is a barrage of Hammer Elbows to the head that KO's Nigel for the win. The finish was great, I will give them that. It was just a match where they did stuff. I dont see the big deal. They gave me no reason to invest in the match. No hook. If this is the best Ring of Honor has to offer color me underwhelmed. ***1/4

Best of Other Heavyweight Puroresu (RINGS, UWFi, PWFG, WAR, SWS, FMW) 1989-1995 Some people find God, I found Volk Han. The Wolf Khan is an absolute master at every facet of pro wrestling. He is a magnificent seller (when he scrambles for the ropes it is a big deal or when he crumples in a heap after a liver shot). His character work is sublime (I love his fist pump celebrations or how pissed he gets when he rarely loses). His greatest trait is his offense. He is the Russian Mat Wizard; he makes every submission move look like the coolest thing ever. Nobody has ever made ankle crossing look so badass. His double wristlock rip takedown are so forceful and compelling. Then if that's not good enough he will just randomly throw an axe kick during stand up. The Man is a God. If you have not watched this Soviet Maestro perform his craft change that pronto and let his saving grace wash you anew. Discovering Volk Han is just one reason why my Pro Wrestling Love burns as bright as it did over twenty years because it just how versatile a form of entertainment it is. In addition to Volk Han, there is a match where the referee is dressed as beekeeper because the ring surrounded in exploding barbed wire and did I mention the ring explodes at the end of the match? Genichiro Tenryu has badass matches with Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shinya Hashimoto in the early 90s (now thats a trio!). Of course, the Nobuhiko Takada vs Super Vader trilogy. I would argue as would many that PRIDE FC and the UWFi invasion of New Japan would not be as big of deals or straight up dont happen if Vader does not MAKE Nobuhiko Takada a superstar with his terrific selling during their trilogy together. Vader made Japanese Mixed Martial Arts possible now theres your hot take for the day! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2019/02/pro-wrestling-love-vol-34-best-of-other.html

Real World Heavyweight Champion Super Vader vs Nobuhiko Takada - UWFi 4/20/95 Crazy to think Vader was recognized as a World Champion in Japan for 8 month all the while holding the US Championship in America and feuding with Hulk Hogan. Well, Takada is planning on his big pay day by invading New Japan so he needs fake real world championship back. This is regarded as the least of three, but I thought it was just as good as the December '93 match, but the finish is not as epic. Vader is at his best when he is selling. The way he contorts his face when he is in anguish is so compelling. Vader slaps Takada to start. Takada roars back with kicks that send Vader out to the floor. Red hot start. Vader is pissed and CHOKESLAMS TAKADA! This is one way to start match. It looks like this match is going to go the way of the '94 match, but Takada has a new strategy go all in with the leg kicks. He kicks the shit out of Vader's legs and Vader is such a masterful seller. Vader gets his licks in, but this is all about Vader's selling. When Takada gets him down, he is still trying submissions like the cross armbreaker or choke, but nothing doing. Takada does one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. He has Vader rocking with his kicks, but he closes the gap and clinches Vader. What a moron! Vader CLOBBERS HIM! POWERBOMB! It looks like it is over. Takada gets up. VADER TACKLES HIM! This is insane. Fujiwara armbar by Vader, but Vader cant finish. Stand up. Takada clips him in the chin with the big left kick. The big man is rocked. Takada pounces; he pours it on with big kicks and a huge left KO's the big man. This is a great comeback match from the 1994 match were the valiant hero is able to vanquish the monster. ****1/4

Real World Heavyweight Champion Nobuhiko Takada vs Super Vader - UWFi 8/18/94 What if Goliath wins? Yngwie Fucking Malmsteen of all people is there to present Takada with the flowers. I did a little digging and I guess Malmsteen composed/plays Takada's theme. That has to rank as one of the most Japan things ever. Lou Thesz says that his Original World Championship is on the line. I think viewing this through a shoot style lens is pretty unfair. It is an old school pro wrestling in the sense that there are no Irish whips and rope running, but the idea was to present realistic pro wrestling as opposed to realistic fighting in my opinion. It is all a work anyways. I am choosing to watch this as if I am watching a New Japan match rather than get hung up on the fact that Vader ain't Volk Han out there. Interesting start as there is no shine. Takada is trying to avoid early, but gets caught in the corner with those rhythmic Vader forearms. Vader THROWS HIS ASS DOWN not once, but twice. Takada is starting in a hole. Takada goes after the legs and anytime he can he is trying to apply the cross-armbreaker, which had won him the match in December,. Takada is such a great valiant babyface in this match. This reminds me of a Puroresu version of Vader vs Sting from GAB '92. Sting & Takada get in their hope spots, but neither one has a chance when Vader is in this zone. I think they told a tremendous story of for every three Takada shots, one Vader shot could put Takada down. This is some of the best stand up you will ever see. It was hard hitting and dramatic. Vader was lighting Takada up with palm strikes and forearms. Takada's kneelifts were vicious. Of course, Takada caught him a couple times with that trademark kick combo where the left foot catches you right under the chin. Really strong stand-up. On the mat, I liked it. It was not Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura. It was ugly but effective. Vader used his weight well and when ever he was in trouble he would just palm strike Takada in the face. Works for me! At one point, Takada got pissed about this and just start blasting Vader in the face. Takada never did get his cross-armbreaker applied. It really became a great stand up battle as the match worn on. Just a slobberknocker. The turning point was when Vader was getting rocked and he just grabbed a waistlock on Takada and hurled him in a wicked German suplex. Takada would get a few more hope spots, but they were few and far between. Vader just dominated from there on out with some massive forearms. That deadlift powerbomb as insane. I remember that as the finish, but Takada stood up. The finish was inevitable and eventually succumbed to the might of Vader. Goliath won with exactly what brought him to the dance, raw, unadulterated power and brute force. Vader really sold Takada's attacks well. His register is so good. He would take three heavy shots and then come back with a wild swipe and knock Takada's ass down. Takada would have to start from square one. I think Takada got enough "nearfalls" in his few knockdowns to make it dramatic, but Vader was on fire here, very much like GAB '92. So what happen when Goliath wins? Well David gets a rematch of course. ****3/4

There was no upset in the Super Bowl, but much like Riki Choshu's booking of New Japan in the 1990s there are plenty of upsets in the rankings for the Top Six New Japan Heavyweight Matches of the 90s found in Pro Wrestling Love vol. 33. I will not spoil anything, but was not an upset was the man who is featured in five of the top six bouts and that is Shinya Hashimoto! Shinya Hashimoto garnered a cult following in the 1990s. While many American fans were being wow'ed by Jushin Liger and the aerial tactics of the juniors and others were wrapped up in the incredible drama of All Japan in the 1990s, there were a select few that touted the hard-nosed, no-nonsense style of Hashimoto the Destroyer. He did not have the flash of Liger or the moveset of Four Corners of Heaven, but what he brought to the table was an asskicker's mentality, silent, but deadly. With the Right Hand of Hashimoto, he struck down invaders like Genichiro Tenryu from WAR and Nobuhiko Takada from UWFI and kept his fellow Musketeers, Chono & Mutoh at bay. Is there any scene in pro wrestling more epic than when Hashimoto bellows "CHOSHUUUUUUUUUUU" in his epic confrontation with 1980s New Japan star, Riki Choshu in 1996? Since his tragic death in 2004, the cult of Hashimoto has grown to include more and more fans, myself included who had overlooked him for the All Japan boys and Liger & Co. Time has validated Hashimoto and his American fans showing that his work is truly timeless and something every pro wrestling fan should see. But this is only in regards to his American popularity, his popularity in Japan was always evident as he main evented many, many 50,000+ Tokyo Dome shows. Us Americans can sometimes take a little while to catch up is all. This is my Pro Wrestling Love letter to Shinya Hashimoto The Destroyer, Defender of the New Japan Realm! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2019/02/pro-wrestling-love-vol-33-best-of-90s.html