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Microstatistics

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Everything posted by Microstatistics

  1. Microstatistics
    Basically this. A superb sprint. **** 1/4
  2. Microstatistics
    Nearly impossible to go wrong with a bloody lucha brawl. Many of them are formulaic, but it's a winning formula. This one is particularly famous because of the amount of blood and it's true, Santo's head leaves puddles of blood all around the place. Screwy finish but it's a really interesting twist. ****
  3. Microstatistics
    Just a notch below their 1984 matches but still really really good, which tells you about the general quality of the series. It continues the theme of Fujiwara the superior grappler vs. Tiger the superior striker. Snug matwork, good strikes and great selling. Terrific finish as well.
  4. Microstatistics
    Had reviewed this in the Hashimoto microscope thread. This is a polarizing match to say the least with opinions ranging from "it's garbage" to "it's an all time classic". Regardless of the booking, as a match I thought it was pretty excellent. Ogawa was pretty good in this actually with great looking offense (though it did get repetitive) and I liked his frequent taunting. Hashimoto carries it though with his selling and ability to generate drama. There was also a cool spot where he tried to minimize the distance between himself and Ogawa to counteract the strikes. They could have taken it home about 2-3 minutes earlier though because the finishing stretch dragged a bit. **** 1/4
  5. Microstatistics
    This is tremendous, I am surprised people equate it to the WM 25 match because the attempted storytelling is far more obvious and there is much less emphasis on the finisher kickouts themselves. The commentary is beyond atrocious and hurts the match, to the point that I have actively tried to search for versions with Spanish commentary. But I can't fault the wrestlers for that. Jimmy Redman's review is really good and I agree with most of it. I'll say though that I thought Shawn realized he couldn't win after the second superkick kickout which led to the "you have to put me down" finish. All the counters were fresh and logical. Shawn wrestled with this weird mix of desperation/urgency and toned down his usual panache, which enhanced the importance of the stipulation. Taker's selling was superb throughout. One of the best matches in the company's history. ****5/8
  6. Microstatistics
    While this is a pretty good match, I will be happy if I never watched it again. This kind of match/style puts me to sleep more often than not. The usual great Flair character work helps keep it entertaining along the way. ***
  7. Microstatistics
    Good match but felt like a Flair one man show to be honest. His great selling and the usual cage match goodness carry this. *** 1/4
  8. Microstatistics
    Great stuff. Breaks is wary of the fact that he lost 0-2 in their previous match so busts out all of his tricks to gain the advantage. Saint remains focused and aggressive like he was in the March bout. The finish is kind of cheap but the rest ruled. **** 1/4
  9. Microstatistics
    Very good match but I thought they clearly topped it in the title match a few months later. Good exchanges and the cool character work you would expect from Breaks. *** 3/4
  10. Microstatistics
    I would have this behind 6/9/95, 12/3/93 and 6/1/93 so I am lower on this match than most. But this is still very good for sure. The Kawada-Misawa interactions/teases are epic, Kobashi's selling is great, Kawada's mannerisms are tremendous and the crowd is outstanding.
  11. Microstatistics
    Overlooked classic in my eyes. I wish we had the first 7-8 minutes but the rest is terrific. The work on Kobashi's face is brutal and incredibly focused and he sells it extremely well. Frantic pace and a great finishing stretch as well. **** 1/4
  12. Microstatistics
    No way is this a workrate match. They play of the J Cup 94 perfectly with Sasuke determined to prove his win last time wasn't him just getting lucky. They flip the dynamic with Sasuke dominating the majority of the match and Liger teasing/making comebacks and barely managing to win. Superb match and a worthy sequel. **** 1/4
  13. Microstatistics
    Surprised you gave it 9 considering how much you don't like the modern WWE main event style.
  14. Microstatistics
    Except they obviously do Foreigners always get heel heat in CMLL. Rusev's been very successful even after his russian nationalist gimmick was dropped. Japan hasn't booed wrestlers for being foreign since Rikidozan anyway. The idea that masculinity doesn't work in this day and age is the biggest bullshit idea tumblr feminism has produced. The lack of masculinity is actually a pretty big issue in society in general, particularly a lack of a good father figure, which in turn leads to kids acting fucked up and then you get "woke" figures blaiming it on their hyper-masculinity or whatever. It's a joke, especially in wrestling which is built around simulated fighitng. Not to go completely off topic but tumblr is the most radically anti-feminist place imaginable so I doubt that idea is from there.
  15. Microstatistics
    Maybe the best southern-style tag ever and maybe the best crowd ever. **** 1/2
  16. Microstatistics
    That is basically what I would use to defend the excessive/bloated finishing stretch. The TD91 and Tiger Suplex 85 were enough in the past to put down Kobashi but now he is tougher than ever and not only survives but keeps coming back. So Misawa has to bust out something new to put him away. This is a weird match. It's technically perfect given how it's structured and paced. But it lacks the beautiful psychology of their best matches so I can't quite call it a classic even though it is pretty great. Also to Jingus point, I don't think it's fair to call it a self conscious epic but the escalation does feel uncharacteristically deliberate (even though that's not really a negative for me). ****
  17. Microstatistics
    That's a pretty interesting point. For the influence of 90's All Japan on 21st century US wrestling, the crowds could not have been more different. I completely agree with Jvk here. Those crowds are insufferable and often damper my enjoyment of matches, even when the matches are legitimately great. Sad it has gone from "that was a great match enhanced by a great crowd" to "that was a great match despite the crowd".
  18. Microstatistics
    Agreed the I Quit gimmick is overrated but Magnum/Tully transcends it because of the absolutely visceral hatred, great selling and an all time great finish/post-match. I don't like it as much as its biggest fans do but still think it is a classic.
  19. Microstatistics
    I hate the set up of Cena's Five Knuckle Shuffle. The three shoulder tackles, followed by the opponent always throwing one random, wild punch which he always manages to duck to hit the slam. So choreographed and repetitive. Always thought it was far worse than the move itself.
  20. Microstatistics
    Outrageously hipster. I thought this was the "absolute favourite wrestling companies" thread not your most staid opinions on pro-wrestling! Besides, IWRG is the only really hipster pick. Maybe JWP and PWFG but I also included the major promotions for Joshi and shoot style. Fred Kohler's promotion might join my list soon. Don't see the hipster argument. Being a hipster usually implies rejecting "mainstream"/conventional stuff for the sake of rejecting it. Simply liking niche/lesser popular stuff more doesn't qualify. AJW and EMLL are hardly hipster picks anyways. Anyways mine: NJPW 1983-1996, probably the best run any company ever had in terms of variety, range and quality. EMLL 1984-1990 and 1996-97 NOAH, 2001-2006 AJPW, 1986-1995 RINGS at any stage BattlARTS at any stage UWF 1989-90 AJW 1990-94 WCW 1989-92
  21. Microstatistics
    Wait why is not liking 80's US wrestling not acceptable but outright dismissing lucha libre fine?
  22. Microstatistics
    This match. Maybe the most hyped match ever and still manages to easily live up to the hype for almost everyone. The main talking points are pretty famous: Kawada throwing everything at Misawa, Misawa attacking the knee for the first time ever in pure desperation, the work on Misawa's injured neck, the bloody ear, tons of cool counters because of how well they had each other scouted, an all time great crowd, the most exciting color commentary ever, the legendary finishing stretch and maybe the best finish ever. El Clasico it is. **** 1/2
  23. Microstatistics
    - Nobuhiko Takada was as great any of his contemporaries. The backlash against him was beyond ridiculous. - Kawada is actually really overrated at leg selling. While 12/3/1993 is unbelievably great, I have seen quite a number of matches where his selling of knee work is non-existent or really inconsistent. - Shawn Michaels had good looking offense - I think many WWE/WCW midcarders who are decent/good get overrated compared to others who were really great but for seemingly shorter periods of time just because of accumulated volume that is readily available. - Tatsumi Fujinami was really good to great in the 1990s
  24. Microstatistics
    I like Jerry Lawler as a commentator.
  25. Microstatistics
    Misawa was so good at selling during his peak. He was maybe the best seller of all time at his absolute best. Anyways this match is pretty damn good. Great build and everything after the first backdrop driver is crazy good. ****1/4
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