Tim Cooke

Fantastics Condrey/Eaton Eaton/Lane Lane/Pritchard Pritchard/Del Ray Rock n Roll Express - I don't think any pleading is needed for these guys. Tim

Without his behind the scenes games, Trips just isn't a good wrestler. His bumping is average, his selling is average, his punches are average, his move set sucks, and his mic skills are average. Tim

I burned this match out so badly at one point last year from re-watching it. Greatest 70's match from Japan or the world that I have seen. Where are the other matches with this Terry Funk in them? Tim

"That's true, but as a person who was there, my point is the finish didn't exactly send the fans home happy, like Tim Cooke apparently claims." Watching this on DVD, the crowd pops for the post match beatdown. If they were booing it non stop and completely shitting on it, I would agree. "After the show I heard a lot of grumbling about the DQ finish. They all wanted to be sent home on a positive note." Again, the next positive thing after a clean finish is a nice beat down of the heel post match, which the fans popped for. "A postmatch beatdown doesn't change the fact their hero LOST, albeit by DQ. Not to mention it was very unsatisfatory for the people in Los Angeles, who invested themselves in the storyline, seeing JBL crap on their heritage and et al, and we all felt Eddie didn't get the sufficient revenge." WWE booking is screwy. In a perfect world, Eddy should have been able to pin JBL relativly cleanly and JBL still should have been strong enough to challenge the next month. But WWE booking generally sucks. Eddy made the decision to get himself DQ'ed. "Though I do admit the match was great in its own way, it just wasn't what the fans needed." I understand the sentiment but the WWE really doesn't care about the fans anymore. Look back at 2000 and portions of 2001-they would end the PPV's with the match that the face woul win to generally send the fans home happy. HHH coming back in 2002 stopped that trend quickly. If they had any idea of how to build up heels, JBL woul dhave been strong enough to survive a clean pinfall loss. They just don't understand how to do that. Tim

Working in Japan isn't that hard. Having good matches is. Tim

When has the name of a show meant anything in the WWF/E in the past 10 years in terms of a finish of a match? Tim

"Eddy v. Benoit - This would obviously be the selling point for the smart crowd. Then again, they have had some really good matches and some really dismal ones as well so it is a crap shoot." The last time they were supposed to work a more wrestling oriented match was July 2003 PPV for the US Title Tournament Finals. That belt was initially supposed to be Smackdown's "Wrestling Title." That match stunk. I say this all relies on whether or not Benoit brings his A game or his german suplex/crossface game. "Rey v. Psichosis - This one is another match that is up in the air. If they channel back to 1994 in Mexico then rock on. If not, it could be real spotty and real ugly." I haven't seen Psicosis/Nicho in a while as he just hasn't been on tape. I would guess this will be good, if just because Rey doesn't have as many out of this world hard spots. At its best, it could challenge Rey/Chavo as the best WWE cruiserweight match ever....unless they do the un-necessary ECW'ish shit. "Storm v. Jericho - The Thrillseekers explode. This is completely contingent on what Strom brings to the match. I have never been impressed with Storm and have no fiath in him to roll to anything higher than *** match." Jericho needs to bring his A++++ game. Storm blows. "Crazy v. Tajiri v. Guido - Eh... if this is done with three-way-dance rules, where two combatants battle it out at athe end, we may see some nice stuff. If it is one pin wins all then it will be a typical spotfest that we have already seen before" Could be worse but as you said, I don't care at all. "Sandman & Dramer v. Dudleys - Not exactly the best way for the Dudleys to return to the public eye. I imagine it will have a table lit on fire and be the worst match of the show." Duds can bump for both and make them look decent. I think that is the main reason they are in this. Tim

"Jericho does the small things better than Angle." Totally agreed and I am not even a big Jericho fan. The video game comment is spot on as well. But as long as Meltzer believes in Angle, I guess most people will believe too. Or it will be discounted as a recent outlast on the internet against "so and so," Tim

I want the DWB match because their TV studio match was excellent. That Jake/Williams might be on Barnett's. Same with Dundee/Mantel and Slater/Sawyer.

Got it from Tabe a few years back. 4:30 squash. Rogers gets a dropkick in. Flair brings out some good moves but it isn't any better than the average Flair on WTBS squash. Tim

"Fantastics v Rock & Roll Express (04/01/89 - J1116, Matches From 1986-1989)" Disappointing. Held in Costa Rica and just not a good match from either team. Bad handheld camera angle as well. Tim

Fantastics & Duggan v Hercules, DiBiase & Doc (#17 Mid South 10/84-11/84) Tim: I want to see this as Duggan v DiBiase is money and the Fantastics added means it shouldn't be less than good. Fantastics v Ivan & Nikita Koloff (#31 UWF 05/86-08/86) Tim: Need this yesterday. Fantastics v Dutch Mantel & Bill Dundee (#65 Mid South 08/85-09/85) Tim: If this is the pole match on the Barnett series, it is very disappointing Fantastics v Bill Dundee & Dutch Mantel BULLWHIP ON A POLE MATCH (#71 Mid South 09/85-10/85) Tim: I take back the above. This is the disappointing match, I haven't seen the one above. Fantastics v Dennis Condrey & Krusher Kruschev HAIR v FLAG MATCH (#83 Mid South 08/84-09/84) Tim: Watts liked this stipulation. Krusher worked so well with Horner and Armstrong in late 86 that I can't imagine this wouldn't be good. Fantastics v Buddy Landell & Krusher Kruschev (#83 Mid South 08/84-09/84) Tim: Another one I want. Fantastics v Chavo & Hector Guerrero v Midnight Express v Rock & Roll Express (#113 Mid South 03/85) Tim: This is so disappointing if you are a Fantasics or Guerreros fan. Fantastics v Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts (#211 UWF 10/86-11/86) Tim: Even without Gordy, Hayes and Roberts should be able to hold up their end of the deal well enough Fantastics v Original Midnight Express (#391 NWA TBS #10 12/88-01/89) Tim: This is JIP and not too good. Fantastics & Rock & Roll Express v Rotunda, Steiner, Ivan Koloff & Russian Assassin (#411 NWA '88) Tim: Has anyone seen this? Fantastics v Ringlords (#468 Five Star Wrestling 04/90) Fantastics v Wolfe & Nation (#468 Five Star Wrestling 04/90) Fantastics v Steve Pritchard & Mike Jackson (#468 Five Star Wrestling 04/90) Tim: These are from the South Carolina promotion they worked in early 1990. I believe it is the Bobby and Jackie team. Fantastics v Horowitz & Williams (#478 NWA TBS #26 07/90-09/90) Fantastics v Doom (#478 NWA TBS #26 07/90-09/90) Tim: Bobby and Jackie team.... Fantastics v Stan Lane & Jim Cornette (#546 TWA/South Atlantic/ICW) Tim: Comedy, well done but the rube Philly crowd cheers the MX and boo's the Fants....things don't change. Fantastics & Jackie Fulton v Joel Deaton, Billy Black & Jimmy Golden (#600 SMW 03/21/92-04/11/92) Tim: Have not seen this yet but I saw the TV the week after and the final minute looked good. Fantastics v Mike Jackson & Steve Pritchard (#640 NWF 06/92/Heritage '89) Fantastics v Brett Sawyer & Sam Houston (#640 NWF 06/92/Heritage '89) Tim: I would like to see both of these. Fantastics & Brad Armstrong v Larry Zbyszko, Rick Steiner & Al Perez (#940 NWA Philly 1988-1989) Tim: Handheld, can barely see the action from the bad angle. Fantastics v Original Midnight Express (#940 NWA Philly 1988-1989) Tim: Handheld, nothing worth going out of your way for. Fantastics v Midnight Express 2/3 FALLS (#1798 WCCW 06/08/85-06/15/85) Tim: There it is. The date would say the Fantastics had won the titles back, which would make sense if I am remembering the finish correctly.

Wow, this is excellent. Going through it now.