goodhelmet

That was during his WCW run so it doesn't count But yeah... The Macho Man

Flair

Dynamite Kid- I think Perfect had a couple of ood years in the singles but then he disappeared for years, ringwise. Dynamite was torn up in the Mania match but I think the Bulldog matches from this era are better than anything Perfect was a part of, including the Bret Hart series.

Da Bad Guy

Owen Hart

Ricky Steamboat- Better work, better matches, better person.

RVD- the WWF's wasted opportunity

Austin 3:16

Exactly! Although each week, the SD! spoilers are looking better and better. However, after having my intelligence insulted, week in and week out, I gave up watching on a consistent basis in 2002.

The only problenm is he didn't say that. Also, the business aspect doesn't necessarily justify the 2nd part of the statement "what will compel them to watch each week". I know what compels me to watch each week... Good wrestling and logical story progression.

Agreed... that is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on the internet.

Let me edit when I say I like Kobashi more than Akiyama. Yes, Taue was in both matches. AS for 6-9-95, I think I'll watch it and expand more on why I love it so much but this should do for now. To me, it epitomizes how you can never see a wrestler wrestle, or know anything about the participants but still see a match that is deeper than anything else on the market. Just as you thought Akiyama fit better with Taue, I thought 6-9-95 was all about Kawada and Misawa continuing their story. In 6-9-95, Kobashi is damaged goods. Taue and Kawada abuse his leg and Misawa tries his best to ease Kobashi's suffering. When Misawa is going one-on-one with Kawada, he usually gets the bext of him but he can't compete with both guys the entire match. In the middle of the match, you actually witness the transformation of the sympathetic figure shifts from Kobashi to Misawa. Kawada gets the pin, but he doesn't gloat, he doesn't cry, or cheer. It is just business as usual because he knows it will be meaningnless until he proves it in a singles match. This is what you see going on in the match without knowing the backstory. Hell, the transtitions and different ways they dissect Kobashi's leg are what I like to see in my wrestling matches. to me, this match is similar to the way I reacted to 6-5-89. I had never seen the Jumbo-Tenryu matches that came before this match yet I thought it was one of the most effective stories I had ever seen. These two matches are unique because they don't need the backstory to make them great. However, when you see the matches leading up to them, there is even more depth than before. Add the fact that I had seen Jumbo-Funk from '76 and you see how the crowd reacts to the neck being dropped on the top-rope. But even if you didn;t have that extra depth, you would still be able to praise thespot for the way Jumbo sells it as death. In 6-9-95, If you know this was Kawada's first pin over Misawa, it makes it jsut a little bit more special. THese are great matches that become greater. THe work stands on its own, yet the story becomes deeper with repeated vieiwing.

Tim, What is your take on this match?I personally think it is the best match I have ever seen. I know 12-6-96 also gets tons of praise but I just connected with this one more + I like Taue more than I like Akiyama.

I thought the Heatwave match was also on a VHS release. Maybe I picked up the whole Heatwave show so I'll look when I get home. I do remember not seeing it until after seeing the Tanaka v. Awesome v. Taz match.

Speaking of which, I just finished making Loss a copy of this match. Loss, I'll send it tomorrow so it should get there by Saturday.

This is wierd. I really don't mind FMW, even enjoying most of the angles they ran. However, when I first saw this match, on one of the ECW releases (Path of Destruction? or one of those) and I was really underwhelmed. However, I really liked the matches in late '99 and early 2000. It is possible I wouldn't like any og them now but the Heatwave match was the most uninspiring one I recall seeing.

Please tell me you're kidding. Oh, You Didn't Know?