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PeteF3

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Everything posted by PeteF3

  1. PeteF3
    There's still a lot of Cactus here, to Foley and the WWF's credit. Goes without saying that Mankind is Undertaker's freshest opponent possibly ever.
  2. PeteF3
    This was pretty fun, if a bit samey at times compared to matches past and the Peace Festival bout. Rey and Pierroth do some fun Hogan-Zeus type spots, but it doesn't lead to any kind of payoff, which was disappointing. This comes down to Psicosis vs. Rey, as we'd expect, and since this isn't a Rey showcase in front of an unfamiliar audience, they get to work a more traditional technico-rudo bout with Rey getting beaten down and making a comeback, rather than Rey cycling through a bunch of his flying spots. I sure am sick of that finish, though. I don't want to continuously bitch about it, but they keep doing it.
  3. PeteF3
    Well, it wouldn't have been much of a main event if he'd dragged Diesel to Hell 30 seconds in...
  4. PeteF3
    Cornette was completely sour on the national wrestling scene at the time (thanks, Evil Jim Herd) and thought he could make a go of reviving a territory. He sure as hell would have been an improvement over Coach.
  5. PeteF3
    I don't *know*, I just wonder. It almost seemed like every manager got a "turn" on top against Hogan. He went from Blassie to Heenan to Slick, then to...well, the Genius, then to Jimmy Hart, then to Adnan, then to...well, that sort of blows my theory up because Heenan was heavily involved with Ric Flair, but that was partially because Jim Cornette turned them down. Then lastly to Fuji.
  6. PeteF3
    I've started the greatest thread in the history of PWO. Since Matt D's article basically asks the question, this match was taped on 10/15 in Huntsville. This one has a terrific start, as Arn and Windham have a mini-debate right in the center of the ring after the bell, with Arn complaining about how Windham wouldn't listen to him trying to teach him "to be a team player," and then hauls off and slaps Barry. And that awesome start leads to one of the best meat-and-potatoes TV matches you'll ever see. Windham tears up Arn's leg and Arn tears up Windham's arm, and it isn't just to fill time--it's a focus for both guys for the entire match and both guys use the limb work to execute counters later on. Also I've been very down on 1991 Jim Ross but he is absolutely fantastic here, and this may well be one of my favorite calls of his, period. He plugs the right shit (WCW live, upcoming matches) and does a terrific job of getting over both the body part psychology and the backstory. Even the re-start ending works, as it keeps both guys looking strong without coming off as cheap as a DQ, plus it pushes the ill-fated Windham/Simmons team that Ross put over earlier.
  7. PeteF3
    Talk about it here.
  8. PeteF3
    Well, I have a match to seek out now. And yeah, I have that Sting vs. Cactus bout as the 1991 Match of the Year for WCW. I won't argue that Ross is fucking horrid calling it, though.
  9. PeteF3
    Funny how perspective changes things. My criticism of Liger watching these Yearbooks is he loses TOO much--he spent so much time trying to make rivals out of Honaga, Nogami, and others that it tended to undermine his ace status. Still, I was disappointed to see this was an extended squash, with Sasuke getting a run of offense that lasted like 30 seconds before being decisively put away, with not even a few token kickouts.
  10. PeteF3
    Fucking insane. As down as I was on that last WAR match of theirs, Rey vs. Psicosis just never gets old, but they give the other two guys time to show some stuff, too. I hate Ultimo Dragon but this is the best he's ever looked, executing everything crisply and even showing some character work (being in with Psicosis helps in that regard). Metal's good too, though he does blow one spot badly during the missed-dives train. Possibly a top-10 MOTYC. Swap out Heavy Metal and put Juventud in here and it'd be fighting for the top spot.
  11. PeteF3
    Amazingly good match. No, it's not Sting/Vader, but it's not THAT far behind. It's long, but they had me guessing wrong at 2 or 3 instances where I thought it was over and they kept going. Really some of the better "near falls" you'll ever see in a touch-the-corners match. This didn't have any blood, but it felt WAY grittier and more intense than almost any other mid-card WWF match, at least of the time. Finish is a little cliched, but they executed it well and got good heat for it. I've been surprised at how solid the team of Vince & Lawler are this year, as the WWF storylines they call get a little more complicated and mature. But it can't be stressed enough how much the announcing of JR & Perfect added to this, which I don't think Vince & the King could have done as well.
  12. PeteF3
    Heenan dressed in military surplus garb sounds promising, though Cornette tried that in SMW at the end of its run and it didn't work. You can't help but notice that Hogan and Heenan were pretty much done with each other as soon as the Andre program ended in the summer of '88, and I can't help but wonder if that was intentional. And the Cobra Clutch...well, by now that was DiBiase's move, and in the WWF (and other promotions) that stuff mattered. In a way I kind of admire these Sarge promos for their sheer audacity, hooking up to current events in a way that actually felt organic and dare I say "real," and not cheap and desperate like the Gulf War stuff. I still think the out-of-touch '80s relic gimmick had legs to it, sort of a WWF-ized version of the former Marine Dick Murdoch turning on Dusty Rhodes because he couldn't accept Dusty teaming with that Commie Nikita Koloff. If it makes you feel any better, Sarge's "I want my country back" angle is even worse than the absolute worst Iraqi stuff.
  13. PeteF3
    This was a lot of fun, with Yamazaki & Nagata making for a really good team of ratfuck subtle heels, using sneaky double teams and Yamazaki tormenting Hash as he tried to watch from the apron, constantly sneak-attacking him. Hash has some great stand-up exchanges--what else is new--and Nagata, whom I know primarily as the dry heat vacuum in WCW--throws some awesome suplexes. Yet again Otani's worst instincts get the better of him, as he tags himself in when Shinya finds himself in the corner, and acquits himself down 1-on-2 for a little bit before getting caught in a leg submission by Yamazaki.
  14. PeteF3
    I liked this okay--in fact, if not for a lack of heat and atmosphere I daresay I'd rank this up there with their more fabled match at SuperBrawl. Luger and Rick Steiner get involved and this breaks down, as they still seem to be clinging to the ambiguous-alliance storyline with Lex, before bigger things would throw all this out the window. Afterward Scott Hall shows up again at the announcer's desk in a segment I don't remember, and he makes the challenge for WCW to provide 3 top guys. Hall doesn't want this war to be carried out in the newspapers and dirtsheets, which is a great form of shoot-type line. Scott refers to "we"--intrigue already! Bischoff and Heenan are too stunned to even properly sign off.
  15. PeteF3
    I love Tony acting like this is a shoot. Also, "we know who that is" is dropped for perhaps the first time, before TNA ran it into the ground. Hall brings up all the old Billionaire Ted terminology and promises to provide the war that WCW started. And so things will never be the same again.
  16. PeteF3
    These two have some shockingly great chemistry--or maybe not so shocking, as Vader works great with guys who can toss him around, and if nothing else Ahmed can certainly believably do that. Owen Hart, incensed at Ahmed's senseless attack on Jim Cornette, comes to his manager's rescue and clobbers Ahmed with his cast, sending him to his first defeat. Backstage footage of Ahmed on a stretcher, and Goldust is here to offer first aid. Vince: "THAT'S THE MOST REVOLTING THING I'VE EVER SEEN! GET HIM OUTTA THERE!" Ahmed freaks out and abuses Bob Holly, a guard outside Goldust's locker room door, and a cameraman.
  17. PeteF3
    Highlights of the Smoking Gunns using Sunny to win the tag titles from the Godwinns, then Marc Mero beating Hunter Hearst Helmsley, then the lights going out during Savio's entrance. We get footage of matches held in the dark, and Vince hypes tomorrow's live re-airing. This was a huge stroke of luck for the WWF--normally they didn't run encores of In Your House PPVs, but they made an exception here because of Memorial Day weekend. Cut to DiBiase and Austin having a heated conversation and Ted complains that no one could tell how many turnbuckles Savio touched in the strap match. Ted promises to leave the WWF if Vega beats Austin again, which gets Steve's attention but doesn't seem to impress him that much.
  18. PeteF3
    Some gorgeous matwork for sure, though those of you who like a match that builds and builds aren't going to care for this, as these two are so evenly matched that only 1 point is taken the entire way. Blink-and-you'll-miss it finish as Tamura executes a great cross armbreaker takedown for the submission. Looking forward to seeing what Tamura brings to the table in RINGS.
  19. PeteF3
    Clarence Mason always cracked me up--here he's in a neck brace, cast, and walking with a cane because of Gorilla Monsoon grabbing him by the arm earlier in the night. And who is that guy standing behind Perfect & Diana? I'd swear it was Stephen Root, but I doubt it. Cornette announces that he's obtained an "official South Carolina manager's license" for Owen Hart, which Owen even shows to us. Odd bit of detail by WWF standards of the time. Owen's also wearing a University of Michigan jacket for some reason, as my respect for him suddenly lessens. We still don't seem to have all the lights back, and even the segue to the Hendrix-Michaels interview is messed up on multiple levels. Little things like Shawn Michaels not wearing a jacket for his entrance also give this the feel of being "off." Vince has already announced the live matches for the IYH encore show, so at least someone was on the ball to get that done so quickly while the lights were out. Clarence Mason serves Michaels with a subpoena, claiming attempted alienation of affection. I like Vince's indignation at all this. Yeah, what Loss said about the match. The story as I understand it is that Shawn (and I'd assume Bulldog as well) weren't aware that this match was airing on PPV until midway through or afterward, hence Shawn's frustration. as they were clearly going at half-speed thinking this was being done for the live crowd only. There are a few nice spots and a few moments where they're clearly taking it easy, leading to a screw finish, though as screw finishes go this wasn't bad. Owen eats a superkick but otherwise his being swapped in for Cornette plays no role. A disappointing match, but I'm tempted to give the entire company a mulligan on this, as there was no precedent for this sort of thing in the PPV era.
  20. PeteF3
    I did like Woman's groveling apology after the match, and Armstrong looked good, but...sheesh. Flair gets dominated for most of the match, needs bailed out by Woman after Brad hits the Russian legsweep, then gets disqualified? Dumb, dumb, dumb.
  21. PeteF3
    "We're naughty by nature, and violent by decision." The Rock speaks for the very first time. Not quite IF YA SMEEEELLL... Exhibit #307 of why Lance & Dave are the best ever: Rocky hits a low dropkick that doesn't even reach Dundee's chest, and they don't gloss over it--they point out that "it wasn't the best dropkick I've ever seen," and they STILL turn it into a positive by noting how much power Kavana must have to still knock Dundee over without getting the full dropkick. Flex could charitably be described as "raw" here, but the potential and upside are still clear. And there aren't really two better opponents to have for your first TV match.
  22. PeteF3
    Better than the first match, though this is sort of an extended squash by Yamamoto. Ramazi definitely brings more than Nyman did, at least. We get *another* dust-up involving outside help, this time during the match. Now I want to see the RINGS regulars against the outside Russians in an elimination/WarGames match.
  23. PeteF3
    Nyman sucked and this match was almost all stand-up. Now Volk is pretty underrated at standing up and striking, but it isn't really a Volk match without a bunch of tricked-out submissions. Sort of a sprinty match for RINGS with Han on the verge of being TKO'd before he busts out one big submission to get a sudden tapout. Before he breaks the hold he gets leveled by one of Nyman's cornermen and that triggers a crazy brawl. An angle in RINGS??? I've seen everything now.
  24. PeteF3
    This was good, but I was hoping for a little more for Taue's first TC win, and in comparison to the previous classics between these two. This is a shortened version of a standard Misawa formula match--quick start by the challenger, big Misawa comeback, then the finish. In hindsight, I almost wonder if it wouldn't have been better and more memorable for Taue to have the big comeback. Instead, this feels very by-the-numbers. Now, a by-the-numbers AJPW main event is still really damn good, but...well, expectations are what they are. The counterwrestling involving the nodowa toward the end was fantastic, and the finish was quite well-done though I don't necessarily agree with the logic of booking Taue's big title win on a fluke. Misawa was so firmly entrenched on top at this point that it wasn't going to hurt to have him beaten more decisively.
  25. PeteF3
    Abby taking a monkey flip was a standard spot of his. Even against guys like Zeus and Van Hammer who never did the move.
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