Tim Cooke

Under rated but not top 100 most likely. His 1990 work in trios matches is at a similar level to easy picks such as Satanico, Dandy, and Atlantis

For the US, it's probably the Rock n Roll Express. They have the Nightmares matches from Memphis, the unheralded 5/85 match vs. Dirty White Boys from Mid South, debut in Crockett against Russians, MX v 1.0 Crockett feud [2/1, 4/12, & 8/16 all being individual great matches], Tully and Arn from Crockett, MX v 2.0 from 1990, and then a full SMW run. I don't like either MX team as much (though I probably like more matches overall from Eaton/Condrey/Lane). Fantastics are great but they really only have the MX feud. For Japan, it's a lot tougher. Much wider field of candidates. The usual suspects: Kawada/Taue, Misawa/Kobashi, Misawa/Akiyama, Jumbo/Tenryu, Choshu/Yatsu. Favorite is probably the Misawa/Akiyama team because of the dynamic story their team goes through in 1996. Mexico tag teams are much rarer so I'm going to include trios. Brazos, Infernales, Bucaneros, GDL are all candidates. My personal favorite might be the Rey/Santo/Octagon AAA mid-90's team. Salvaje/Scorpio Jr. were excellent opposite Santo/Casas. Santo/Casas is a team that I generally enjoy but I much prefer them with different tag/trios partners.

My favorite non-ROH indy matches from the early 2000's are: 7/21/01 Danielson vs. Ki (ECWA) 9/14/01 Ki vs. Red (UCW) 11/30/01 Ki vs. Eddy Guerrero (UCW) 6/7/02 Ki vs. Danielson (JAPW) Obviously Joe vs. Necro as well. Liked the 10/05 Dundee vs. Lawler Virginia match as their last match where Dundee could still do a little bit of stooge bumping.

Next year, I would like to see a lucha maestros team with Solar/Navarro/Black Terry/Villano IV/whoever. Would also like to see a team from MPro, who theoretically would fit in well with the lucha style, although I guess the same could be said for Dragon Gate (which I wouldn't endorse as a particpant). Also like to see Aerostar, Super Fly, and some of the other AAA regulars get a spot. Maybe even put together a team with a mini, exotico/female wrestler, and high flyer (Mascarita, Fabi Apache/Aerostar). Add in a british team, a US indies team, and you could get to 12-16 teams.

Konan's booking is often so illogical that it's easy to mock but he did a nice job booking this tournament with a lot of factors in play: a.) political issues with multiple promotions sending teams b.) a gimmick, that if used poorly, could have really detracted from the matches. Instead, it was used sparingly and thus was important when it came into play. No blow away matches but also no bad matches. In the ring, Rey Jr. was moving like he has zero injuries. He is at 10 for the GWE for me but this AAA run may move him up a spot or two to 7-9. He has the rest of the year to add to his resume. The Lucha Underground referee did a great job with his two submission finishes, jumping up and down, waving his arms like the refs during the heyday of lucha would do. I really liked that added touch. The pop for the finish of the final was awesome. The crowd heat in general was excellent and something you couldn't get outside of Mexico, especially for the foreigners. Paul and I watched the spanish version, more so because I didn't want to be distracted by the announcers and hear the heat, even if Vampiro was supposedly worth listening to, if just for fun. This and Rey de Reyes are my two favorite shows of the year, by a pretty large margin. Again, nothing in the MOTYC territory for either show but I'll always take quality depth over 1 great match and 6-7 stinkers.

Austin was too good to pass up voting for, if just for his 1997-1999 run. Goldust has longevity easily but if I had to take just one, prime Steve Austin would move on.

Couple thoughts after listening to this: * 4/12 Kawada vs. Taue is available in full as a handheld. Dan Ginnetty just got it about 2 months ago. * The AJPW tag style will change in the Misawa/Kobashi vs. Kawada/Taue after the 12/3/93 match. What essentially began with Choshu in 1985 will go in a different direction beginning with their 5/21/94 match.

I'm interested in seeing how this is covered because those who were watching at the time remember that period as a company finally getting back on the upswing booking wise, even in the heavyweight division.

Re-watched this after listening to the podcast yesterday. Steamboat vs. Rude was a match that was laid out really well and executed really well but didn't connect with the crowd enough to bring it to the next level. Steamboat's early arm work gets no reaction, even with Rude's excellent selling. The sleeper spots worked okay for me and Steamboat's reversal into his own got a reaction but an upper echelon match for me needs to combine a great layout, great execution, and a great crowd reaction. 2 out of 3 certainly isn't bad.

Fuchi was slowing down so Akiyama was essentially Taue's number two. Once it was recognized that Jumbo wasn't coming back, the move had to be made. Taue and Kawada went to a 30 minute draw in the Carnival. They shook hands afterwards. Kawada started with Taue on the next tour. I think jdw has gone in depth on this in the past but am having trouble finding the thread.

Favourite style of wrestling? Lucha or really well done Worked Shoot (the best of PWFG, UWF 1-2, RINGS). Favourite way wrestling is presented? NWA 1985-1986. If I had seen more, possibly Joint Promotions from the 70's. Favourite type of match? Lucha trios. Favourite gimmick match? Wargames Favourite wrestler? This changes on a weekly basis. Right now, probably Santo. Favourite match? See above. Probably Misawa/Akiyama vs. Kawada/Taue 12/6/96 Favourite feud? Misawa/Kawada 1992-1995 Favourite angle? The build from 3/30 - 4/13/98 for Austin vs McMahon on 4/13 RAW. Favourite promotion/period of wrestling? 1985-1986 NWA 1993 All Japan 2004 was a great year worldwide as well. Little things that happen in wrestling that you always love? I love the lucha trope in trios matches where the third fall comes down to the two main guys after the dives are done and the crowd reacts with a fever pitch to the final showdown. For being a less traditional company, AAA did this pretty well in the mid-90's and even did it in their most recent TV in the trios main event.

The footage we have from Thesz shows some stooging champion work. Doesn't mean he didn't work like Funk says he did some of the time nor does it mean that he was a bigger stooge than someone like Race or Flair. But relying on any wrestlers memories for detailed information (such as how Thesz worked on a consistent basis) is a slippery slope.

His 2004 resurgance is one of the best "is this guy washed up?" to "holy shit, what a revival!" Maybe Ultimo Guerrero post mask match with Atlantis comes close but that is also still in progress. LA Park introduced the tope into arm drag as a big spot in CMLL in 2004, which was quickly replicated by a lot of wrestlers including the original Mistico. Meltzer claimed Mistico invented this (and also argued that it is a stupid move - it's not) but it was Park in 2004 doing it throughout the second half of the year. His 2004 revival has: 4/18 vs. Ultimo Guerrero (Guadalajara) 4/28 vs. El Hijo del Santo (Juster Promotions) numerous trios matches from 7/30/04 - 11/05/04 that are all solid to good As OJ mentioned above, his AAA 1993-1995 work holds up better than a lot of the AAA work from that time period. I really like his comedy performance in the 6/18/95 Atomicos match where he teams with Psicosis, Fuerza, and Pentagon Jr. to perform a four-man comedy show. He will make my top 100, location TBD.

Porky is the biggest guy, Brazo de Oro always has the yellow sleeve on, and El Brazo is the third guy.

vs Funaki from 12/18/97 from MPro His 1994-1995 Tiger Mask singles series is worth seeing for how a young TAKA holds the hand of a young TM and has some fun matches I think TomK or Phil really liked the Kaz match from AJPW from 2/22/04. I remember it being solid but nothing out of this world

10/31/79 has the great neckbreaker drop finish with the big pop for the title change, right?

Just Vince's 1998 makes this an easy win for him. The 3/30, 4/6, and 4/13 RAW angles and interviews with Vince and Austin are three of the best back to back to back modern day US wrestling segments.

He wears them occasionally through at least August 1990 but it's sporadic after June 1990. Going on memory, he is yellow and black full time by September 1990. He does keep the Footloose music through at least early 1992.

Current favorite wrestler to watch: Hechicero Last fun match you saw: Rey Jr./Myzteziz vs. Perro Aguayo Jr./Pentagon Jr. (AAA Rey de Reyes) Wrestler you want to see more of: Guerrero Mixtico Jr. Last live show attended (if applicable/different from last time you answered): Philly Lucha show in May of last year Match you're most looking forward to watching: Whatever Rey is going to do at TripleMania (or maybe on TV prior) Last fun interview/promo you saw: Steve Austin and Vince McMahon (3/30/98 and 4/6/98 RAW) Last interesting thing you read about wrestling: 4/8/02 WON feature story on how Pro Wrestlers do in real environments. Insightful piece. 2002 WON's are very strong overall, especially considering it was clear that with WCW gone, Dave was very unsure about the future of the business Last worthwhile podcast you listened to: Don't listen to many wrestling podcasts. Probably the Austin show with Bas Rutten, though they didn't talk about Pride at all Most fun you've had watching wrestling lately: Summer - Fall 2004 CMLL . Even with the clipping, Santo/Casas/Parka/Mistico are so over and the rudo group of Perro Jr./Hector Garza/Tarzan Boy/Ultimo Guerrero/Rey Bucanero really does a nice job Favorite recent post on this board: Enjoyed the GWE individual threads quite a bit Favorite thing about the wrestling landscape in the past three months (if you live in the past, then go with your past three months of time-traveling): Black Terry Jr. taping Cara Lucha, Chuilinga Mask, and other indies

Apparently the sumo boxes only hold two people instead of four. Not sure how accurate that is but it would probably account for the 1500-2500 drop off

After saying you can't re-watch a match and re-analyse/judge it (does/doesn't hold up), Dave tweets out that Sting vs. HHH doesn't hold up on tape with commentary. I don't understand why he thinks that but at least when he was just on that side of the fence, I could live with it. Now he is going against his own philosophies. Don't get it.

Jose has talked for years about how this aired in Europe. I'm *pretty* sure this is the match. It looks chopped up but all the participants are right and Perro Jr. does his non in-ring debut. If so, holy shit

Super 8 2001 delivered in the ring. KOI 2001 on paper was stacked but it didn't equate in the ring.

This is tremendous