bradhindsight

Meltzer remarks that this would be more than just the library and to actually run the company (with the TV on the Network). ROH turned down millions from FloSlam so it's interesting where SBG goes here. ROH has long positioned themselves in the press as wanting to be an alternative where guys can make decent money. Also, to be fair, they've been inquiring with everyone since the summary as they are in an acquisition mode. Even TNA. The awful part of this is limiting options outside of WWE for wrestlers to work and make money. They control the contracts and what guys make (thinking the UK deals here) even more here.

Man I liked this a whole lot - Fale works him over, against the post and outside. Somewhat concentrated arm work that Shibata calls back to during the match selling-wise (and the tape of course).Very similar to EVIL match in the early minutes, but this is paid off better when Shibata was able to dump him over the gate and choke him with his own shirt. Excellent hope spots from Shibata and Fale was on target with each cutoff. I really liked how this progressed, huge kickout of the grenade and then the desperate reversal into the choke - just great stuff. Second choke sets up the PK and he gets the big pinfall. This was so different from Shibata's regular let's forearm each other 100 times match. I was smoothly in at ***3/4.

I didn't find this particularly compelling at all - at least until the last couple minutes, and especially compared to Ishii's other matches in the Cup. Lot of forearms, as expected, and the selling after the 15th or so is good for a moment, until they take turns shooting each other off into the corner running full speed. Don't get me wrong, it's hard hitting, with Shibata (maybe its the lack of elbow pad) really laying it in, but segueing right into running and kicking each other in the corner after a very extended strike exchange was glaring. We then take a detour to guys grabbing a random arm despite no work going into it, which seems like filler. More macho slapping and forearms, and finally some escalation into suplexes. Could certainly weave a story that Shibata's defense shut down what worked for Ishii in previous rounds. They one-count each other (Ishii did this twice) and Shibata goes to the sleeper, PK, wisely back into the sleeper, which finishes Ishii off. I also liked the visual of Ishii post match crawling and continuing the fight. ***1/2

Another very good EVIL cup performance here with him this time taking on a babyface roll in trying to outlast the monster Fale. There's some pretty good power stuff here, most notably the spear Fale hits. I was a little disappointed in the booking since EVIL has had a lot more focus on him in 2017 than Fale. I thought he was a shoe-in for the finals going in. From a booking standpoint, they do keep EVIL strong here. He makes a good comeback after getting destroyed outside the ring early (impressively beating the 20 count, I had no idea how he was going to do that with how fast they count). EVIL had a visual pinfall on Fale, although it was off a lariat; feel like that would have been more impactful if he had hit his finisher. Fale also goes for the big powerbomb after his finish to really put him away. **3/4

^ FWIW, it was only 50 on each ballot. No way was I asking people to rank 100, felt 50 was perfect, even after voting and tabulating everything. Yeah 73-25 or so for the final first place votes - this actually mirrored (ratio-wise) what a lot of the feedback and discussion had when debating the two. I thought maybe in the final vote it would be closer (I also voted for Joe #1), but it was pretty definitive.

SANADA was great here, loved the facials and fight he had trying to break submissions. Definitely a future babyface star with his athleticism too. The only part that was a big whiff for me was the forearm slug-out given Shibata/Suzuki was the next match. Another good Cup finish too with the counter off the moonsault into his finishing hold. ***1/4

I really liked Nagata in both his Cup matches and this had great intensity. Cool aesthetic too with the one hard cam and no commentary. It was a helluva house show match. ***1/2

I dug this a whole lot - their opening sequence of trading counters looked better than a lot of junior choreographed moves. SANADA looks like a boss the entire match, he gets a lot of offense here. Ishii blocks punches in the corner with headbutts because why not? Couple minor timing things, but otherwise this is big power move trading, and then even a pretty convincing roll-up exchange. SANADA is a tremendous bumper too. Comfortably at ***3/4 here.

I felt this was pretty pedestrian from Shibata, but Juice is always good with the fire despite the match being essentially an empty arena contest with how dead the crowd was for them. Finishes in the Cup have been real good the setups for the PK kick is great again here. ***

I'm safely at 4.5 here, contemplated higher but there were some small disconnects along the way. Incredible match from Ishii here with the striking macho exchanges actually building the damaging and him selling the left arm losing feeling (very well could have been). They tease something on the top rope and Ishii pops Omega with a headbutt, great production work here, looks flush and then he hits a rana (!). Omega keeps me engaged in the early parts here, bumping off his head from the lariat was something. really looked like Omega had overcome Ishii and started to hit some of his big signature spots like the snap dragon suplex and some big knees but he just couldn't ice him. Some incredible nearfalls down the stretch, the lariat being a big one as Pete noted. ****1/2

I almost wonder if there was too much build to this eventual match in the sense that Suzuki's has attacked Shibata with the chair around the neck a number of times, and they've traded a gazillion forearms already. They certainly brought it again here, even dialing it up a notch near the middle/end when they were really laying it in. Shibata is a pretty good seller, although that is out the window for both guys by the end. No pointed limb work here, both guys just tried to wear the other down until Shibata hit some suplexes late. good finish also. ***3/4

I thought this was pretty good, and a nice showcase for EVIL. Everything in the build up to this made the chair and ref bumps make sense within the context of this match. Even Tanahashi getting frustrated and throwing Red Shoes down. This was a grudge match in a sense. It never got to the next level for me, but thought it was solid with a good finishing stretch. I get the mist thing as a conduit to the final fall, although to that point EVIL really was stronger in the match anyway. Him standing tall with a foot on a fallen Tanahashi to close the show was a strong moment for him. ***1/2

After a hiatus I think I want to do a match project where something like that can be highlighted and discussed.

Thanks TPC. It was a good June-February project, good amount of time put in. One positive was, even with things like Hero #1 (and that guy actually tweeted at a couple of us and explained why - big point was that Sweet n Sour was his favorite company act ever), with 111 ballots it wasn't like it skewed the final results. Same with people inadvertently leaving off Joe (one ballot) or Nigel, Aries, Jay Briscoe, etc. l expect that those were due to people rushing ballots and finding out about the project late (same with if someone listed a wrestler twice, which happened). Other than Jay - who with one more ballot would have finished 5th - nothing was glaring. CM Punk hit the sweet spot for the votes - a huge proportion of the ballot base were fans from the beginning or golden years and he has three of the biggest company stories/angles ever. Probably most surprising to me was no first place votes for Nigel or Steen, but Punk getting 5 spoke to his importance and company significance.

And the big reveal - the top 25. 111 ballots, good sample size here. Thought this came out well: http://placetobenation.com/the-honor-roll-rohs-50-greatest-wrestlers-ever-part-4-25-1/

I wasn't feeling this one that much. Thought Hiromu was great, and they had done a good job going in of building around the ankle lock. Taguchi's selling was particularly poor here. I did think they did a good job laying out the end of the match, but this never got into another gear for me. ***1/4

#50-26 release today: http://placetobenation.com/the-honor-roll-rohs-50-greatest-wrestlers-ever-part-3-50-26/

I'm with you on this rating, tops out at ***1/2 for me and the match had more in it before the Suzuki stuff. I haven't seen their other encounters, but definitely will seek them out.

This definitely had a pretty middling start, wasn't a lot of focus or energy, but boy did they layer it in later with those shots and closed fists. Two tremendous nearfalls late, I had completely bought in since it was non title. Real strong finish too, unlike the Suzuki match, where Okada hits three rainmakers before going for a pin. ****

This is where I think you start to really see this factor in: Early years (2002-2003) – 42 Golden years (2004-2008) – 45 HDNet era (2009-2010) – 8 SBG era (2011-present) – 16 While there were a couple rogue-like ballots that had Ospreay and Scurll, guys like Silas Young and Caprice Coleman finished real low. Taven and ACH are two other examples; I thought they would finish considerably higher. Dijak is buoyed by a #7 vote (per Rich - DD's mother participated), truthfully if that was taken out he'd only be 5-6 spots back anyway. John Walters was a real good example of getting recognition by a good chunk of voters, but his average ballot spot was always going to be in the 40s. I thought Xavier got a good amount of respect with the 40 ballots figure also. He is the first champ off the board - the rest are in the top 50. I think you can definitely draw a conclusion that the significance of that held a lot of weight for voters.

Big release today - 100-51: http://placetobenation.com/the-honor-roll-rohs-50-greatest-wrestlers-ever-part-2-100-51/

One reminder - although we all went through GWE. As with these early results, the most ballots for this group was 6 out of 111 (5.4%) so there is the regular odd ranking (say, ranking non-wrestlers - or Tanahashi real high) on one ballot that supersedes the smaller scores for guys that made a couple.

Here's part 1 from earlier today (apologies, was out of pocket): http://placetobenation.com/the-honor-roll-rohs-50-greatest-wrestlers-ever-part-1-166-101/

Yes. We're aiming to do a results podcast tomorrow night that would come out Friday morning (the top 25 reveal is that day to wrap the project). There's also a show out right now behind the pay wall at F4W with Alan 4L, Joe Gagne and Mike Falcone (who was one of the founders of the project with me).

Part 1 of the Top 50 reveal starts today at noon ET at PTBN - 166-101. 111 ballots tabulated with 166 different names getting at least one vote.