Steenalized

I love a ton of the pre-96 stuff I've seen, but if it's pre-96 vs. everything since, including all future wrestling, then I'm going with the latter. If it's pre-96 and then anything after the moment I make this decision, I'll go with pre-96.

Hard to form any thoughts on the matter if the accuser didn't make any specific allegations.

That's true to a degree, but winning and personality are still the biggest draws in boxing. Mayweather is the best example of that, though I'd very much argue he isn't a boring fighter and has had lots of exciting fights, even the one-sided ones. Arturo Gatti became something of a draw thanks to his extremely exciting style, but he couldn't hold a candle to Floyd as a draw or a boxer. Wlad Klitschko is huge in most of the world despite a "boring" style.

Better get Karl Malone on the phone

I enjoyed Shibata using Kawada's own signature moves on him but otherwise didn't care for this that much. It's a fine match, especially for how short it is, but I'd say Shibata probably got too much offense in given how Kawada has been dealing with opponents around this time on the set. The KO punch finish would have been awesome if that was it. Instead we get Shibata trying to stand back up so Kawada has to finish him off with a kick. Well, that and a knee drop just in case. Won't make my list but a worthwhile use of 9 minutes.

My write up: Masato Tanaka vs. Shinya Hashimoto - ZERO 1 - Nov 7, 2003 Hashimoto beat the shit out of Tanaka last time I saw these two together. This one is more even right out that gates. Tanaka gets Hashimoto on his back and into a leghold. The veteran Hashimoto straight up out wrestles Tanaka, working him into a triangle choke. Tanaka tries a test of strength that he wins by headbutting Hashimoto's shoulder. Tanaka immediately works that over. He slaps Hashimoto's shoulder which leads to Hashimoto slapping him back. In the face. Harder and harder. Tanaka looks like a punk compared to Hashimoto. Hashimoto tries to cave Tanaka's chest in with two hard, hard kicks. Tanaka has to roll outside onto the mats below to catch a breather. Hashimoto takes him down the second he reenters the ring. A standing senton flattens Tanaka. Hashimoto claps his hands, getting the audience going once he gets back up. Tanaka boots Hashimoto in the face until Hashimoto finally falls over. His nose bleeds as he clutches the ropes and Tanaka's assault continues. He takes Hashimoto down by the arm, refocusing his efforts there. Hashimoto catches Tanaka's arm as he tries to club away at Hashimoto's shoulder. Hashimoto headbutts Tanaka then goes back to those super stiff kicks to the chest. Tanaka looks like he regrets ever getting near Hashimoto now. The ref chides Hashimoto for continuing to kick Tanaka while he's in the corner. In response, Hashimoto kicks the ref away. The ass kicking must go on. Tanaka surprises everyone with a tornado DDT. He forearms Hashimoto, then his a diving forearm, then two lariats but the big guy is still on his feet. Tanaka hits the ropes, ducks a Hashimoto strike, then finally knocks Hash down with another lariat. He goes up top for a frog splash that Hashimoto dodges. That was a short run. Tanaka eats a big DDT. He kicks out at two on the cover. Hashimoto tries for a brainbuster but Tanaka fights like mad to get out of it. He scoops Hashimoto up for a slam that barely keeps Hashimoto down. A crazy stiff slap and then a discus elbow have about the same effect. Another body slam leads to a frog splash. This one lands. Tanaka tries to double wristlock Hashimoto's arm and almost gets it in. Hashimoto has to grab the ropes to avoid it. Hashimoto shoulders Tanaka after both come off the ropes. he blasts him with another kick. A huge DDT follows. None of it is enough to put Tanaka away. Tanaka can't get to his feet after Hashimoto lays in some more offense. The ref starts the ten count, only for Hashimoto to interrupt it with a double stomp. Hashimoto puts Tanaka in a triangle choke; the ref stops the match moments later. Match rating: *** This is less of an extended squash than the first one. It's almost a real match between two competitors. Tanaka gets a good amount of offense in, especially compared to their match earlier in the set, but Hashimoto looks like he's in a whole different league. This was fun to watch, especially if you like stiff chops and kicks, but I doubt it will make my list.

The siren sound effect could be okay but the rest of Cesaro's new music couldn't be more generic.

The crowd was into it. Kane's fine for a one month hold over and as a resident giant, that's about how long he can get before people stop giving a damn.

Creative editing aside and all, that does look like a good one. Has Piper not done many shoots before?

Right, there's all the shoot style promotions, M-Pro, FMW, etc., I just picked out the big two. All those that I just mentioned, plus many that I didn't, have good to great matches too. I just personally don't see 90s Japan as the pinnacle of wrestling, though I do not fault those who do.

Maybe it's because I was 5-7 years old in the mid-90s or maybe it's purely personal preference, but 1990s puro is not the end-all, be-all to me. From what I've seen, which is admittedly less than what the frequent posters have seen, I'd say I prefer 80s New Japan and All Japan to the their 90s counterparts. I don't deny that the Four Pillars are absolutely great but they aren't my favorites nor do I think they blow away any and every bit of American wrestling like I often heard smarks claim in the past. I'd say that the WWE is the best in-ring company in the world on a weekly basis (big caveat: I watch almost no lucha). I'd rather watch current ROH, i.e. from the last four months, than current New Japan, though both are heavily dependent on the match ups.

I'm not sold on PPV being a dying business, fwiw. Mayweather/Canelo did over two million buys last year. UFC may not be what it was 5 years ago but it's still pulling in millions and millions each year on their PPVs. Cable and PPV may be slowly going away but it's a long process. Court Bauer, who I take with a grain of salt, did make a good point on Wrestling Observer radio this week: PPV may be dead in 2020 or 2018 or hurting in 2016, but in 2014 it can still be a viable option. I don't think getting PPV is a huge deal for ROH but as long as they don't go full ECW and break the bank I think it's a good move.

I watch the ROH TV show each week (on delay as a non-paying member, mind you) and enjoy it. I enjoy it a lot, actually, at least since January or so. That said, there's a 0% chance I'd ever get an ROH PPV. Between the Network, youtube, and their own website I can get all the wrestling I need. Then again, ROH/Sinclair are probably targeting markets like Carbondale and Decatur in Illinois instead of Chicago. Those have ROH TV, we don't.

I'd love to see them pick up Vordell Walker, but a dark match doesn't mean that much.

It was supposed to look like an amateur video. That's the point of the contest they're running, "instagram yourself holding up a WWE Doll and you can win a shopping spree." Now, why Sheamus and Big E walk around Toys R Us stores in their gear, that's another story. It wasn't just the camerawork. The acting was Eagle Man levels of bad.

That was what, four minutes of wrestling? Wish it could have been at least twice that.

Fox yelling "get out of my ring!" after she shoved Paige to the outside was another good touch/

That made local commercials look professional. Does Sheamus walk around toy stores like that?

John Cena vs. Big Show, WM20. Not sure that people hate it, more that no one ever mentions it. But I really liked it at the time and still enjoyed it a lot on rewatch.

8/25/2007 Do you mean 8/24 at the Hammerstein ballroom? That's where he hurts his eye. That match is freakin' nuts, Danielson made it believable that he could take out Morishima. EDIT: Nevermind, it was the 25th

Thanks, that helps. I've also noticed wrestlers saying 'You're going to die', 'die', or some variation of that with or without the other guys name. I can see it working the first time around and in the context you're talking about. Now it comes across as cheesy.

Is Alexander still hurt?

Thanks. I've got a 4 day trip in June to see my sister who I haven't seen in about a year (and I'll bring my materials with me), but otherwise, absolute lock down starting May 10th. So exactly one month. Back to questions not worthy of a full thread. I asked this early but didn't see an answer: does anyone know the origin of US indy workers yelling their opponents them while they charge at them in the corner? I know I've heard it on WWE/NXT a few times but every indy show I go to has it in spades.

My opinions on matches tend to be very different from Superstar Sleeze, from what I've noticed, but I think he's spot on here. That match might as well have been a 2002 ROH main event to me. Togo played a great heel early on with the knee work and the mask ripping, then gave it up. Tiger Mask no selling a pedigree was a bit jarring given how protected that move is in the WWE, but I suppose it isn't really that great of a move to be killer. Spamming it wasn't the right call. The top rope one looked terrible. Tiger Mask's offense was bad, really bad. Half the time it looked like Togo had to do all the work to make it land effectively. This is the lowest rated match of any bolded title in the file. I'd give it maybe **1/2. Suffice it to say, I'm not putting that match on my list.

American law differs by state (hello, federalism), but the traditional way is libel is written, slander is spoken, defamation covers both. I've got three months to go til that. Lucky you. Haven't watched the Nancy Grace video. Not giving that troll any sort of attention.