Kronos

I have not seen SHINE. But I was a big SHIMMER, WSU, ChickFights, etc fan from about 2008-10. When I look at that stuff now and/or think about myself back then, it just seems so seedy.

What about Velvet Sky? She came up through the indies, seems to really love the business, and has been a top star in TNAs knockouts division - including around 2008-09 when the KOs were the best thing about the program. And yet, she always looks green when the bell rings. And as a talker she's just okay. And as long as I've gone the TNA route: How about Abyss? Even when I was actively followed the promotion (pre-Hogan), I would often skip over his stuff.

I'm watching Fully Loaded 98 right now, and they just had Henry vs Vader. Terrible match. Vader is obviously taking it easy with the green Henry. He comes across as gentle and even tentative. I hate Vader Time Vader. Oh but imagine the greatness of prime monster Vader vs circa 2011 Henry. Wrestlegasm!

Parv, I have to agree you're going to probably need more letters as you get into the decade. Next time, I'll be sure to watch for the post and view the matches before listening so it's fresh in my mind. Another home run!

I was very pleased to discover Lynch is Rebecca Knox, who was a fantastic young talent about 8 or 10 years back and then retired due to injury. I spent her whole segment on this week's NXT thinking, "From where do I know this girl?" I am torn about Superstars as a show these days. The matches tend to be very good on average, as they have since the show started some years back (2010?), but the constant RAW clips and such give me tiredhead. OTOH, between Main Event and Superstars, I don't need to watch RAW. So that's something.

Your first definition fits Sabu vs Mr. JL on Nitro in Oct 1995. No story at all - just an exhibition of highspots. Sabu even stops at one point and stands there as he waits for Jerry to get into position for something. Might as well be Dragon Gate.

Just finished the feud podcast ep this morning, and I'd love to see anything you want to share!

Parv, you're taking this Strongbow bloke very personally, and it's liable to affect your blood pressure. But keep it up, please. It makes for terrifically entertaining reading!

It sounds like you're on more of a Lucha kick, but you might check out Little Beaver vs Tom Thumb from the Chicago Archives. Beaver has a cool Mohawk, boatloads of personality, and could easily have been a luchadore with a little training I think. He's great fun to watch, and the 20 min flies by. Plus, Russ is terribly un-pc (but never mean), and it makes for cringeworthy good times on commentary.

That Bruno promo is astonishingly good. He had me fired up to see the match so he could get his revenge. Compare to this promo from Hogan, 10/16/95, that I just happened to see today. He's not even Hogan here - he's a cartoon of someone parodying Hogan. http://youtu.be/hyMxmcf-4z0

Nitro 10/9/95 Hogan debuts the black gear and no mustache (thanks to being shaved the week before). He's getting a lot of boos, though Gene and Bischoff try to chalk it up to people being shocked at the clothing change. He's acting like total dick heel here. I am digging Disco Inferno just inserting himself into the show. This time he felt the need to taunt Hawk - seems a bad idea, mostly because it means more Hawk on my tv. The Flair/Arn feud continues to be awesome, especially now that Pillman's involved. This week has a cage match - which the commentary team makes clear really ought to have been on PPV but "aren't we awesome for making it free?" Pillman takes a nasty bump off the cage when trying to interfere. And Flair - in a lovely shade of Boehner Orange - cuts a wildman promo after Arn apparently international objected him. He looked nuts - it ruled. Sabu vs Jerry Lynn is what you'd expect only more so. Oh, and it's our first view of Benoit, arriving in a limo. They're treating him like a pretty big deal. I'm not sure I'll be able to watch him. Bit of fun as the announcers are all in Bears jerseys. Heenan's jersey has number "?". Good ep. I do get tired of the constant references to the enemy and such. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

I was just turning on my next Nitro, and I actually read the disclaimer at the beginning, it amuses me that they refer to the participants of the show as "actors".

Bloody hell, that was fun indeed. Dorada's amazing. I like that he works this match like Rey against a big dude, getting all his cool spots in but being careful not to get caught. At one or two points he does get caught, and it leads to something nasty like a backbreaker. So there's a sense of drama going on while he's doing his flashy move sets. And yes, that little stomping spot popped me as well. Greatness.

Saba vs Sandman sounds painful. I'm tempted to watch it as car crash tv. Did you mention Tammy was on this show? I didn't realize she'd moved to ECW that early.

RAW upload during the build for WM 13. Amazing to think we're 17 years later and the presentation basically hasn't evolved. So then a little over a year later. I'll bet it was a massive innovation. But you're right, there hasn't been much since. Sad.

Cholak has a lot of personality, in a cartoonish way. But neither guy throws a convincing punch. I liked how Wright kicks out immediately from the pinfall attempt following Moose's splash.

I agree: that headlock attempted escape, which Rogers tried a couple of times, really helped to make something of that very slow opening. Calhoun is surprisingly mobile for a guy his size. I'm in the middle of losing a lot of weight, but my largest size of 464 pounds made me virtually immobile.I doubt Calhoun was actually 600 pounds, or I would think he couldn't walk. So it's impressive that he moves as well as he does. Which doesn't mean he's any good. Rogers works really hard to make something of this match. And because of it, we get something entertaining. I agree with everyone about the rope break ending being pretty awesome. That was a wicked bump Calhoun took to the floor.

I can't find "Google Wrestling Podcast" anywhere on iTunes. Can someone ask Will for the link? :-P

They buried Goldberg pretty hard on the Goldberg episode the other day, even having Regal talk some shit about him. :-P I throw in $10 for a months worth. If you're another $10, then we just need four more people to buy his six-month subscription.

Kick ass work, guys; listened earlier today. I just grabbed these from XWT a few days back bc couldn't be arsed to pull them off YouTube. Started Thesz/Verne last night in bed, but was too tired for an hour. Now I think I'll watch Calhoun/Rogers before going back to Verne.

For sure. I was thinking Hogan v Giant, specifically. It's clear that the feud is leading to a big match between them. But there's been no mention of it on TV, except for the commercials for the pay-per-view. I just thought it felt weird to already be advertising it.

You can agree that Shawn is a good or great wrestler and still think that the WWE's packaging of him is over the top. They treat him like he's as big of a star historically as almost anyone and as if he is the best wrestler to ever be in the company. In the WWE's version of history, the Hogan era transitioned to the Michaels era and then onto Austin and Attitude. It makes sense from a business standpoint, I have to admit. That version of the mid 90s flows better than the truth, which is that they flailed about for a few years until stumbling upon Steve Austin. So who would've been their other options to latch onto? Bret was estranged for many years. Nash and Hall? Too unpredictable - and of course poster children for the enemy. Shawn came back and declared himself a company man. And he did bring the flash and pizazz, even if it often feels a bit obnoxious to me.

Layers upon layers. Maybe Steph-the-Human, unlike say, Bradshaw, doesn't want to be hated even onscreen. She likes playing a bitch, but still doesn't want to be hated totally. But it looks like I've gotten us off track for this thread. Interesting side discussion, though.

Even though Hogan and The Giant have not even been able to have a discussion about the fact, commercials are already running for Halloween Havoc 95 and a title match between them -- a good four or five weeks early. Was that typical of everyone at the time, or is it a WCW thing to advertise the PPV card before the in-ring angles have "created" the match? Now that I think about it, it's not like they could simply list the card on their website a few days before the event. So perhaps this is their only choice. When did Titantrons become widely used? It's definitely not here, which means they can't show backstage clips and random vignettes to the crowd. Also, interesting that The Giant throws himself to the mat also when he choke slams anyone. Is that a case of his being green and nervous about throwing someone down from such a height? I'm trying to remember if I've seen anyone else through a choke slam that way. He certainly doesn't do it later.

Are you saying Steph-the-Character wants to be cheered? [i guess she would, wouldn't she, because the best villains are the ones who believe they are right.] Or that the crowd wants to cheer her, despite her being a heel (because she's so good at it)? Because the latter is how I feel.