goodhelmet

I was at the TLC PPV live and he was pretty fucking over. It didn't feel Pavlovian like "What's Up".

I tried booking these fantasy cards... fuck that. Too hard. I would have included Umaga vs. Bobby Lashley and Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar though.

Unbelievably great spectacle! Seriously, the atmosphere was amazing. It felt liek one of the most important moments in wrestling history and I don't think that is hyperbole. As for the match, I don't get where this is a Hogan match but not a Flair match. It doesn't have the matwork of a Flair-Steamboat but it has the stooging, bumping, showing ass, attack the weakened opponent, cheat at all cost Flair we all know and love. In fact, I think the reason it works so well is because it isn't just a Flair OR Hogan match but you get a greatest hits from both guys. I also want to show Sherri Martel mad love in this. She was great. First as Flair's shield then as his tag team partner, his manager, big bumper off the Hogan strike and then kicking and screaming to the back. She deserved a big paycheck. I agree that the layout was awesome. In fact, the final stretch run was superb. You kept looking fopr the big boot but they would do the ref knocked out spot. Then the Hogan figure four that I thought was going to end it. Then the brass knux spot that should have won it for Flair. Then the final ending. What a run. Completely awesome ending to an awesome PPV.

Yep, my favorite Flair-Jumbo match that I had in my Top 5 on the 80s set. Let me ask you this as you move forward... after geting through most of the decade... lets say through 1985.... let me know if you think Flair wrestled differently in Japan than he did around the territories. We know Hogan has that reputation. I wonder if Flair will get the same rep as time goes by watching the 80s sets in a much different way than they were intended.

I am with EL-P on this one. I thought this built to an excellent match. There was some down time with the arm work but I am patient. Loved nearly the entire match. I'll post the complete Matt D analysis after the P2B podcast on Thursday.

I don't know what version you were watching but the DDT on the comm release is about as clear as day. I have more to say about this match but I think you guys completely undersold how awesome of a performance this was. I will go all Matt D and break it down soon.

I have never heard anyone say it before but I will say it now... when WCW sent Eaton & Arn to ECW, they should have sent Dustin and Buck instead. I think those guys could have matched Sabu & Cactus for insanity move for move, blood drop for blood drop. Would have been a much better match too, maybe the best in ECW history.

That Teranishi match was a blind spot when I was nominating matches for the NJ set but on rewatch, I really enjoyed it. As for Brody-Funk, I joked that for two guys I like the least ever in wrestling, they got the best matches out of each other.

I enjoyed the end angle since Bryan took my advice and gave in. Ultimately, this whole story only matters if the payoff is that DB becomes the new face of the company. If that doesn't happen, this is all junk.

Vader vs. Guardian Angel (Bash at the Beach 1994) - As good if not better than the previous match but it has a super dog shit ending. If this was the 1980s sets, we would accept it and just move on but it would be on a set somewhere. People may be less forgiving because it is 19 fucking 94. Still AWESOME match leading up to the finish.

Add Steven Regal vs. Johnny B Badd from Bash at the Beach 1994. GReat PPV opener, maybe the best of all time. Great arm work, great transitions, solid crowd response, both guys really sticking their offense and an ok finish. Regal is a master.

Exhibit 373 on why the Bret Hart-Jerry Lawler feud was awesome... Jerry Lawler: When God Said "Let There Be Light", Stu threw the switch.

Working on the Lawler set, I may have found more absurd sweaters. Also disturbing is Lawler's love for Mickey mouse shirts and sweaters. Yeah, Lawler is insulting Bowden with Nerd-O.

Finally got to this today with my marathon Lawler work consuming most of my time. ON Schiavone, the reason he faded is because he was instructed to stop calling the action in the ring and talk about the NWO non-stop. At some point, the TV was so nonsensical that it was impossible for any announcer to be good in that environment.

Classic! Mine... more comps, more podcasts, more local indys.

That's awesome. Bryan thought by ridding himself of the racism and pron, his board would improve. It didn't.

Where is this shout out to Dylan located?

I am trying to include all of the Reggie B Fine tags where Reggie walks out on his partner during the match.

Dave… The Jake feud with Earthquake was awesome Other “Greatest Tag Guys of All Time” contenders… Ricky Morton, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, Larry Latham, Arn Anderson, Dennis Condrey, Jerry Lawler On first seeing Goldust… I also had no idea it was Dustin Rhodes. Somebody pointed it out to me and it seemed so obvious at that point. However, Dustin’s WCW peak was when I was the least interested in wrestling in my life. Goldust in the WWF… we need to revisit the 1995-1996 PPV matches because they do not have a good reputation online. Also, he was pushed in some pretty major programs. If he didn’t go higher on the card after this, I don’t know if I don’t blame Dustin for not going higher on the card. Goldust vs. Marty Jannetty (In Your House 4) Goldust vs Bam Bam Bigelow (Survivor Series 1995) Goldust vs. Razor Ramon (Rumble 1996) Goldust vs. Roddy Piper (Wrestlemania 1996) – No need to revisit. Loss likes this. I think it is ok. Goldust vs. Ultimate Warrior (Good Friends, Better Enemies 1996) – I wouldn’t blame this on Goldust. Goldust vs. Undertaker (Beware of Dog) Goldust vs. Ahmed Johnson (KOTR 1996) Goldust vs. Undertaker (International Incident 1996) Goldust vs. Marc Mero (Summerslam 1996) Goldust vs. Undertaker (Mind Games 1996) Goldust vs. Marc Mero (Buried Alive 1996) – I really liked this when I watched it recently. On being over… I can only go by what I heard at TLC recently, Punk is still more over along with Bryan and Cena. I think the Wyatts are getting that vibe going as well. The great thing about Goldust is that they don’t really pop for him during the intro, he grabs that heat by being such a great tag wrestler. Things I wished you covered more... Goldust & Booker T. Creepy freaky Goldust prior to the Born Again gimmick.

Yes.

Dream Machine lived in Memphis . I was at a bachelor party in a Memphis nightclub around that time. Dream Machine's girl friend was either a waitress or a dancer , he was at the club to watch over her. We all got to meet Troy . Really a nice guy . The rumor was that Dream had substance abuse issues . Jarrett would just stopped booking him. The only runs I remember for the Dream were in the outlaw Jackson , MS territory , the two Memphis runs and a stint in Ron Fuller 's USA Pro Wrestling . I think the Memphis runs were from 1981 to 1985/ 86 and then the final short USWA stint. I am not sure , but I think he worked as a bouncer . Unrelated there is a tv segment in 94 where the Dream Machine uses wheelchair bound Scott Bowden as a human shield Check it out.. I am going through the 1994 footage now looking for it. Was it in an arena clip?

Dave knows all.

Never heard of the gas mask suplex... that deserves a gif.

Nice! With all the audio things, still tons of info in here and full disclaimer.. this is not a history of Japanese wrestling. There is some of that. This is more of a pimping podcast where we hype the big players, the big matches and important feuds. It really is designed to convince somebody who is apathetic or hesitant to watch puro that it is worth exploring.

Hell, I have no idea that tragic Dustin in the rafters would be better than Crow Sting. We already know that he rocks the make-up well. We know he can gather sympathy in the ring and in interviews. His offense is credible and snug. HE doesn't have Sting's physique which he would have needed unless he was rocking a Goldust-like body suit. I think Dustin would pull much better matches out of the entire NWO, Hulk Hogan at Starrcade, been credible against Goldberg and have sweet matches against DDP and the cruisers. The entire argument is one of cosmetics.