EnviousStupid

Very hard match to get into once they get to the comeback. A case of prioritizing spots over storytelling, and while that's not an inherent problem, I'm left disappointed having familiarized myself with these two over the past year or so. It's also jarring in hindsight with how heated Rush was on the outside early on, only for what felt like the entire second half of the match to be plagued with a plodding back-and-forth of big bumps with little weight given to all of them. The layout, along with the change in production, appeared more a Takeover match than anything from the past 20 years of Ring of Honor. The tope onto Rush's dick was great though.

I've come to view HARASHIMA as a litmus test for his opponents. The dude is great in a reliable sense, where his style of match stays relatively grounded, compact, focused, with intelligible psychology and satisfying climaxes. Think of it like a formula that you could place any wrestler into, regardless of size or speed, and see something that in theory should deliver. If he can get a great match with you, it's a good sign. If for some reason he can't, it's probably not HARASHIMA's fault.

I'm not sure if I have any good reason why I'm not super high on this match, since it has a lot you can appreciate and invest in, but watching it for the first time since I saw it live, I think it's just a great match with incredible parts to it. Goldust puts on an all-time hot tag like he hadn't skipped a beat. Cody has most of the shine here and for his first stint in WWE, was the most over with a live crowd that he'd ever be. Dusty hit Ambrose with his belt and a bionic elbow, which reliably got a strong ovation, and was followed with a perfect sequence of everything working out for the Rhodes family, beating the Shield and saving their jobs for the time being. Maybe the connective tissue wasn't as strong as I'd have hoped for, but matches like this are always more about the moments. For my money, they're still pretty effective nearly nine years later.

Fun match. There's the core idea of size vs. speed from the first lockup, but from then on is more about taking the opponent by surprise with the distinct abilities each wrestler has. Marufuji is quick and can avoid some standard offense, but a flurry of his own can't keep someone like Taue grounded, as shown when both try a dropkick and it's Taue who knocks his opponent down. Taue's still willing to try for moves you'd never expect a guy his size and age to do, like a running sunset flip, top-rope maneuvers and ALMOST pulling out a suicide dive. He's also able to regain the upper-hand through adapting his Nodowa to throw Marufuji into the ringpost - something I can't recall having ever seen before. It's not a long match, however it's clear than both Marufuji's strategy and signature moves aren't working; he manages to kick out of a Chokebomb and Dynamic Bomb (impressive feats for a Jr. at the time), but the match is no longer his to win, so much as it is Taue's to lose. Unfortunately for Taue, that's what ends up happening. I'm guessing this relates to Taue having lost the GHC Heavyweight Title earlier in the year, but he opts to finish the match quickly instead of sticking to his strengths. He goes for a top-rope Chokeslam and Marufuji does one of the most beautifully-timed backflip counters you'll ever see, then strings together a superkick followed by a wrist-clutch cradle pin to snag victory from the jaws of defeat.

I've just finished watching all the matches recommended there for Invader 1 and now view him as maybe the only wrestler from Puerto Rico that has a chance of making my list. Superb brawler and willing to put himself in extremely risky situations in one of the wildest promotions at the time.

This was an exhausting affair, and I mean that in the most complimentary tone. Hayato came back like he hadn't missed a step and MUSASHI made sure not to pull any punches. The multiple striking exchanges between these two would put even the best of present-day NOAH and New Japan to shame. Well worth the time investment. You'd be hard-pressed to find another match from this year that feels as monumental as what these two crafted together.

I would have never thought that Dick Murdoch vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara ever took place, let alone in 1996. Just a lovely piece of wrestling that felt more like a throwback to the 70s - they weren't particularly concerned with the match length or having a clear sense of direction, but rather took things at their own pace, maximizing each move and strike thrown. Murdoch especially was intent on making each of Fujiwara's punches leave an impact. Surprisingly, he's also still really good on the mat at his age. One of my favourite moments had Murdoch catching Fujiwara in a headscissors, and keeping it locked in for well over a minute, through all the standard tricks most wrestling fans have likely already seen before. On the other hand, you have some comedy bits sprinkled in, like both holding down the ropes for each other to enter, before acting like it could be a trap. Somehow this mix of styles works out, and under the banner of a shootstyle promotion no less. They also manage to follow-up on minor limbwork done towards the finish, with Murdoch applying his own version of the Fujiwara Armbar, and Fujiwara countering by going back to the leg. This is full of fun, noteworthy things that should keep anyone watching entertained, but more importantly, it works as a showcase of the breadth of both men's abilities, even when past their physical prime.

Amy Weber Says Bullying by Edge and Randy Orton Drove Her from WWE

Surprised at how well-received (or at least, not criticized online) Christian's promos on Jungle Boy have been so far. While I don't take any significant issue with cheap heat done well, I just would've expected to see some sort of backlash to it by now. I'll be a very happy man when he brings back the classic jacket.

I've been gradually diving into Superhero comics and recently finished Mark Waid's Superman: Birthright. I wasn't sure how much I would like reading an origin story for a figure so well-known in the pop-culture, but it turned out being one of my favourite Superman stories. I had been poisoned in the past with the idea that Superman is a boring character for being the clear-cut good guy and having all the powers you could dream of, not recognizing the human side to him that had me getting so invested in why he became a hero in the first place. Waid adds a few extra story beats that build on this, as well as establish the importance of a symbol to people, before bringing that idea full circle in the final issue. It's surprisingly captivating despite never really doing anything that I wouldn't have expected, and that's probably the best outcome for a tale like Superman's. No need to compensate when you've great characterization already.

What even are Raven's best matches? It's easy for a wrestler to say they never had a match where their potential and ceiling was fully realized (arguably no wrestler does), but I'm not even sure of the quality we're working with here. Just in regards to Tito, he does have a match with Bockwinkel in 81 that I'd consider a classic and one of the best from around that time.

We're still a few years away, but currently I'm holding Megumi Kudo as my #100. She lacks the kind of longevity that I look for in a project like this, but I think spending most of her career in FMW and several deathmatch stipulations on a fairly regular basis makes her decision to retire when she did very understandable. On top of being a great hardcore wrestler during her career, she showed herself to be quite capable in normal matches, with her title match against Aja Kong being especially noteworthy as the invading challenger who convincingly worked on top for most of the match. She also worked at a more preferred pace for me than most of the AJW workers around the time, making her one of the bright spots for me watching through 90s Joshi.

I've been watching quite a lot of Santito lately and something I've started to really notice is the way that he carries himself like a symbol to the lucha crowd. You could chalk it up to him bearing the same iconography as his father or donning all white gear, but I think that's underselling his actions and gestures away from the big spots. The ways in which he interacts with audiences, selling an attack by falling to the floor without any excessive movements, or leaning onto something to hold him upright is quite distinct from many other luchadores I've seen that I'm almost certain is intentional. These are very simple, basic things that I would expect just about any wrestler to be able to do, but the difference with Santo seems to be in how essential they are to how he builds his matches, portraying struggle and hardship at the hands of his opponent, before an inevitable sense of triumph. It's a very fundamental approach to wrestling, coupled with some of the best execution of high-flying moves and comebacks in general. He's not the kind of candidate that excels in the micro-level details, but he also never needed to. His appeal was entirely in the spectacle, and Santito was often spectacular at what he did.

I'm ready for Christian to make Jungle Boy look like the next top face of the company. That's just how he rolls. There's no good reason in my mind why The Hardyz should be AEW tag champs in 2022. Hell, they don't need to be around the title scene. Everyone knows the Hardy Boyz. They were over af during that big multi-man fuckfest months ago. We saw that they can be thrown in a main card PPV match with barely any build behind it.

Just last week, WWE released a video of John reacting to his debut match with Kurt Angle and one of the big takeaways for me was how much he values a crowd's reaction.

Something I think I'll always praise Orton for is even through the middling periods of his career, he's generally been tremendous in the micro-elements of wrestling. Things like footwork, positioning, nuances to his character work, the extra details in putting moves over, how he feeds into an opponent's offense - while they might not leave a memorable impression after all his matches, they're all present in his work and are the things that other wrestlers would absolutely appreciate more than fans. When I think about wrestlers who might've been as talented as Orton in these aspects, they're guys who I expect to have extremely high on a ballot come 2026 (Bockwinkel, Fujiwara, Hart, etc.) That said, I can't imagine Orton landing anywhere close to those names, if at all, for very obvious reasons. One of the most frustrating people to consider, because as great as he has been, his potential was so much greater.

Finally revisited it and while it doesn't hold up quite as well as I remembered, this is still well worth the time to watch. Omega's never been a really great seller to me (usually because of how hokey his reactions often look), but credit where it's due, the guy was incredibly consistent about emphasizing Naito's legwork. There's something really fascinating about their dynamic here too: two leaders of heel factions escalating from the usual shtick and character work they're recognized for early, to an epic back-and-forth that had the crowd cheering on both guys. The big moves all look spectacular, and I really liked how after Omega hit his springboard flip to the outside, he acts in a more urgent and spirited manner, reflective of him being in a must-win situation as he's still two points behind Naito in their respective G1 block. I also got the feeling that Naito's loss was in part because he went along with that shift in pace and tone, opening himself up to the kind of offensive flurry that someone as explosive as Omega could pull off. Doesn't stay with me the same way Okada's matches against Ishii or Tanahashi do, but I could still see why people like this one the most from the tournament.

Strong year for plenty of wrestlers. Styles, Okada, Shirai, Hero, Trevor Lee, Gresham, Zack Sabre Jr. Also secretly a really great year for Mustafa Ali

I always liked this one more than their EC bout. These guys had to have been some of the few active wrestlers whose quality didn't take a noticeable hit from the pandemic, and working to both of their strengths easily made up for a lack of crowd and hollow arena. Loved the change of dynamic since their first match. Bryan and Gulak are now friends, training together, encouraging each other, and strictly working a pure technical wrestling contest here. I don't recall a single strike thrown during the match. Everything was a struggle, tight and never came off performative. It reminded me of the stories about Regal/Benoit at the Pillman anniversary show, where they focused intently on the story they were telling in the ring, turning a crowd that initially chanted boring to being on the edge of their seats. This match might've had even worse circumstances; there was no crowd that they could win over. These two had to stick to what they knew and hope for the best, resulting in some all-time level matwork on WWE programming. The finish is ultimately what puts it over the top for me. If you remember, the feud between these two earlier in the year was built on the idea that Gulak had Bryan scouted, and had found weaknesses in his game. Bryan was able to win that match against someone well-prepared through sheer attrition. Just because you can study and learn from the best, doesn't mean you can beat them. Here, Bryan beats Gulak after attacking the leg with moves that aren't so typical of his repertoire, before locking in a Heel Hook (has never been a common submission finisher of his) for the victory. On top of being a technical clinic, Bryan went outside of the box to defeat someone who had only gotten more familiar with his style since EC. You can learn and study from the best, but the best are always learning, changing, never remaining stagnant. One could say, that's what makes them the best.

Felt the 2nd half was a big improvement on the story being executed. The early grappling and matwork seemed less like Gulak had been scouting Bryan in advance and more that he was just able to hold his own, which still took Bryan by surprise as he had taken this whole ordeal for granted beforehand. The only instance I remember thinking otherwise was Gulak countering the Romero Special, and is genuinely one of the rare times I've ever seen that happen in a Bryan match. Fortunately, Gulak's main offense targeting the neck really helped draw me in to the drama. We all know Bryan's history of head and neck injuries, which he plays to when selling suplexes very well. The finish is also a neat thing of note: Gulak trying to rain down elbows like Bryan used to prior to his WWE career, and it leads to Bryan rolling through another attempted Dragon Sleeper, retaliating with some rough hammerfists before locking in what might be the grossest looking Yes Lock he's ever applied. Great stuff.

This is a match I first saw quite a few months ago and since then, parts of it have never fully escaped my mind. It shares the same kind of dynamic that Terry and Dory Jr. had between Baba & Jumbo - face/face where the gaijins have to figure out a strategy against All Japan's superteam. However the appeal to me is how it stands as one of the oldest examples we have in full of learned psychology across a single match. Plenty of instances throughout of moves being repeated any being countered, either returning the action to a standstill early on, or shifting momentum to the other team. This is all on top of the generally impressive strikes, grappling and pace from all men involved. As far as significance goes, it's also the first time (to my knowledge) when Jumbo gets a pinfall victory over Terry.

This has much cooler spots than their Mania match, with an especially great performance from Razor. Could have been great, but I think it's let down ultimately because of Shawn's immaturity. He's a great bumper at this stage and it's clearly on display, however the selling becomes questionable after his leg gets massacred with a ladder. I don't even understand how some thought Shawn was consistent about it. Once the comeback kicks in, not only is Shawn nailing all his shit no problem (all of which relate back to his legs in some way), but this fucker even lifts Razor up for a body slam without breaking a sweat. Couple an act like that with his tantrum/s at the finish, and I can see why people here are sour on Shawn Michaels in general.

Jay Lethal. While never the flashiest or most standout, Lethal has proven himself one of the most well-rounded and capable wrestlers in the last two decades. Showed promise as early as 2003, became a fixture of TNA's X-Division, before returning to ROH and shifting to a more fundamental approach in his style, where the bulk of his best work lies. Has played babyface, heel, underdog, ace, serious and comedic roles all to great effect, along with consistently delivering on plenty of great matches and performances over his career. That consistency led to him having one of the best midcard title reigns I've ever seen, that transitioned to one of the best world title reigns of the 2010s. vs. Samoa Joe (7/5/2005) vs. Kurt Angle (9/9/2007) vs. ACH (9/8/2014) vs. Roderick Strong (21/8/2015) vs. Jonathan Gresham (8/9/2018)

Stock Up: Riki Choshu: One of my favourite discoveries in the last couple years with an aura matched by very few others. Someone who forced a change in style for both major puro promotions in the 80s. Mechanically, it's also impressive just how many great matches and performances he has with a relatively limited move-set. Could very well end up being my highest NJPW guy. Jun Akiyama: Was great from his rookie year in 1992, and is still great as a veteran in 2022. That's 30 years with few breaks in between, and most of it being available to watch. I expect him to be flirting with the top spot come 2026 Yoshiaki Fujiwara: If we're restricting GWE to just input and individual performances, he's probably the best ever. The man's been wrestling like an old man for the past 40 years or so and is still capable of greatness depending on the setting and opponent/s Mick Foley: Greatest hardcore wrestler of all time? Probably. The best wrestler during WWF's Attitude Era? Pretty much. Just consistently great across nearly 2 decades in all kinds of settings and opponents. John Cena: I starting watching wrestling around the middle of 2007 and missed the best parts of his world title reigns, along with arguably the most vicious and versatile work of his career. Some guys just aren't appreciated as great during their time as an active competitor, and Cena might be the best example of that. Probably won't rank super high for me (I've always found him awkward in how he moves in the ring) but he deserves a spot in the top 100. Pat Patterson & Sangre Chicana: These two are a special case where I've seen enough of them to know I love them, but not enough to feel confident ranking them alongside the greats who we have far more footage of during their peaks. Regardless, I'm fairly optimistic about both and look forward to any more tape of theirs I come across. Stock Down: AJ Styles: He'll still place highly for me, but it's clear looking back at his early 2000s work that his style just doesn't age well in comparison to the likes of Danielson, Low-Ki, Joe, Punk, etc. Also suffers from having stuck in a bad promotion for so long; while it is impressive to still be great in spite of bad booking and awful circumstances, he has contemporaries who didn't suffer like this for so long, and as a result, have a greater volume of quality work to their names. Chris Benoit: This seems more a case of my tastes having changed overtime. Still a great technical wrestler, but his peak work just doesn't get me invested like it once did. Compared to someone like Eddie Guerrero, who has the emotion and character work to go with the work rate, and I definitely know who I'd rather spend my time seeking out.

How much footage is there of Bruno in the 60s? I get the impression that his prime lies in that decade and the clips I've seen of him working the Garden back then looked very promising.