Sean Liska

The show was brutal to watch but the defense will be if the crowd pops big when Orton and Sting return to fight the Authority. If the internet is right, then fans will be too apathetic about the Authority to care about Sting and Orton getting revenge on them, ratings won't move, crowd sizes will be down, etc. But I bet it works fine.

They're certainly going all-in on Sting. That show was 3 hours of building up heel heat so people pop when he returns to fight the Authority. Rough to watch though. There shouldn't be too many RAWs in the next few months without Bryan, Rusev, Lesnar, or Heyman, so we have that going for us.

This might be a little much but I was bored at work one day and made a compilation of Tenryu matches I haven't seen that I want to catch up on. Basically stuff not between 83-97. And some WAR stuff I haven't seen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0lUCZCdZT4 – vs Kawada from 2000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhh3RDWlTTE – 2008 Kawada, Ohtani, Yoshie & Saito vs Sasaki, Tenryu, Suzuki & Takayama https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geBpm5Nq2yQ – 91 vs. Yatsu from SWS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYLnA1drzAQ – Taue retirement 8-man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO8LxE8QW6w – w/Hara vs Onita and Goto from 94! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YGUYkrBrh8 – Mr. Pogo from 96 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muAgtBbsnuI – KENTA at Korakuen from 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry8vneQKPkY – vs KENTA and Taue from 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjcAR8rwZkc – Tarzan Goto 97 WAR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr0lRWAfgls - Genichiro Tenryu Ashura Hara Ultimo Dragon vs Jim Duggan Jerry Estrada Kamala (SWS 6 16 92). No words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=podr2DxmRe0 – Kawada 2004 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVq2WjzECoQ – w/ Baba against Angelo Poffo and a guy from 1977 CWF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxZE5nZF6CU – vs. Hayabusa 2000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4GATtqAnlo – w/ Baba vs. Shiek and Bugsy McGraw from 1981 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRbBZhSp3UA - vs Araya from 2003 AJPW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN6M8y419K8 – w/ Morishima vs Inoue and Saito 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8seSKUIc4xI - WAR Bam Bam Bigelow, Genichiro Tenryu, Atsushi Onita vs Kendo Nagasaki, Aoyagi, Arashi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Ee7iHrhJI – vs Steamboat from 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNVb3ORBYRE – w/ Koshinaka vs Kobashi and Izumida 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GO-un9Nfas – Morishima/Ionue vs Tenryu/Ogawa from Kobashi retirement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDIjQk2t1Q4 – Kojima from 2002 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiWrPspa3Ew – Onita barbed wire tag from 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNBrCpn6z4E - Genichiro Tenryu & Nobutaka Araya vs. Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka (WAR 11/9/96) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmZPc6fsyKI – Kobashi/Sasaki-Tenryu/Nakajima from 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV7MnBSeRbI - Tenryu, Atsushi Onita & Ichiro Yaguchi vs Riki Choshu, Shiro Koshinaka, Ishii 2003 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqP1Qs-9AfI – vs Hase 2002 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7c2_LQNe_M – w/ Baba vs Roger Kirby and Steve Regal 84 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNQkLJf94xU – w/ Baba vs. Jake Roberts/Jobber from Georgia http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy3ex7_genichiro-tenryu-vs-yoshiaki-fujiwara-war-11-27-97_sport - vs Fujiwara https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d_EWg9tHmU – vs Windham 1983 AJPW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IE9ja_VKZI – squashing Taichi in 03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-bX4rYEVO8 – Araya/Arashi-Tenryu/Fuchi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ6NziGGs20 – vs Murakami 2003 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpG2Ly0roRs - WAR Genichiro Tenryu & Kitahara & Kikuchi vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tarzan Goto & Ryo Miyake (Cage)! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jd9XOp7jUU – Kono 03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAevoVXo53U - WAR Genichiro Tenryu Atsushi Onita, Bam Bam Bigelow vs Earthquake, Hakushi, Ashura Hara https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhGxmurij5A – w/ Kitahara vs Muto and El Samurai, 1994 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uO-miFXWmc - Onita Pro 8-22-99 Main Event featuring Atsushi Onita/Sambo Asako/Sanshiro Takagi/Mitsunobu Kikuzawa vs. Genichiro Tenryu/Shoji Nakamaki/Hiroshi Ono/Ichiro Yaguchi (No Rope Barbed Wire Explosive Land Mine Double Hell Death Match) Onita Pro 8-22-99 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGPuE6KVEQw – w/ Hara vs Kitahara and Nakano (91 WAR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgsruS-Vb-w - Chris Jericho, Warlord, Vampiro vs Genichiru Tenryu, Atsushi Onita, Bam Bam Bigelow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf64wYcxR2c – Miyamoto, 2003 AJPW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JybgD2eAQ2s – vs Naoki Sano from a UWFI stadium show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI7UQFZIlTw – w/ Baba vs Freebirds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thj_vIpvkj8 – in a BJW tag match against Sekimoto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgAWCelHN20 – with Jumbo against Brody/Hansen from Florida http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2bcyim_war-genichiro-tenryu-vs-nobuhiko-takada-ryogoku-revenge-match-12-13-96_sport - v s Takada 96 Sumo Hall http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yxvhz_hashimoto-fujinami-vs-tenryu-koshinaka-njpw-12-04-98_sport - w/ Koshinaka vs Hashimoto and Fujinami, 1998 NJPW http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x13fqhm_tenryu-koshinaka-c-vs-tenzan-kojima-njpw-01-04-99_sport - w/ Koshinaka vs Tenzan/Kojima http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3d1jl_genichiro-tenryu-vs-masahiro-chono_sport - vs Chono, looks like from WAR http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x16aidu_genichiro-tenryu-vs-yuji-nagata_sport - Yuji Nagata 2004 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd1r80_genichiro-tenryu-vs-satoru-sayama-r_sport - vs Satoru Sayama from 2010 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x239gaj_tenryu-sasaki-vs-nagata-nakanishi-njpw-2004-02-01_sport - w/ Sasaka vs Nagata and Nananashi, 2004 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x16c7m7_genichiro-tenryu-masahiro-chono-vs-manabu-nakanishi-scott-norton_sport - w/ Chono vs Nakanashi and Norton, 2004 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81ecl_genichiro-tenryu-riki-choshu-v-jins_sport - w/ Choshu vs Shinzaki and Koshinaka 2003 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3m7bq_genichiro-tenryu-vs-hiroyoshi-tenza_sport - vs Tenzan http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10bwhh_genichiro-tenryu-koki-kitahara-animal-hamaguchi-vs-great-sasuke-masao-orihara-kaz-hayashi_sport - Genichiro Tenryu, Koki Kitahara & Animal Hamaguchi vs Great Sasuke, Masao Orihara & Kaz Hayashi - 30 juin 1994 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdpi40_genichiro-tenryu-vs-yoshinari-ogawa_sport - Vs Ogawa NOAH dome http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x69fzn_genichiro-tenryu-vs-don-fuji_sport - vs Don Fuji Dragon Gate http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xadyt4_koshinaka-liger-nagata-vs-tenryu-ka_sport - Koshinaka, Liger, & Nagata vs. Tenryu, Kawada, & TAJIRI http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6db3f_njpw-genirhiro-tenryu-vs-hiroshi-ta_sport - vs Tanahashi 2004! http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22s0c_dragon-gate-genichiro-tenryu-vs-mag_sport - vs Magnum Tokyo http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7115o_genichiro-tenryu-choshu-chono-vs-to_sport - 2008 NJPW Genichiro Tenryu, Riki Choshu & Masahiro Chono vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x166tj2_genichiro-tenryu-tadao-yasuda-vs-hiroyoshi-tenzan-osamu-nishimura_sport - w/ Yasuda vs Tenzan and Nishimura http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkn2sp_kensuke-sasaki-takeshi-morishima-katsuhiko-nakajima-vs-genichiro-tenryu-yoshinari-ogawa-kotaro-suzuk_sport - Kensuke Sasaki, Takeshi Morishima & Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Yoshinari Ogawa & Kotaro Suzuki 2009 NOAH http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8imy4_kawada-an-jo-shoji-vs-koshinaka-ten_sport - Kawada, An Jo, & Shoji vs Koshinaka, Tenryu, & Nattoman 1 (look for part 2) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7hnqq_ultimo-dragon-genichiro-tenryu-vs-k_sport - w/ Ultimo Dragon vs Fuyuki and Kandori, 1998 WAR http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7zjhx_genichiro-tenryu-vs-riki-choshu_sport - vs Choshu 2003 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x67g8k_genichiro-tenryu-vs-yasushi-kanda_sport - vs Dragon Gate guy http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh49ui_genichiro-tenryu-vs-mike-barton-bart-gunn_sport - vs Bart Gunn

The RAW thing was a bunch of guys opposite the hard cam who brought signs like "Rollins looks so indie" and "Eat, sleep, skip show, repeat". There aren't that many people dumb enough to chant for Daniel Bryan during a Reigns match. I mean, if you want to protest, Ambrose is right there. Don't chant for the guy who we have no idea when he'll be able to wrestle again.

Yeah, I have a ton of respect for Dave so it drives me a little nutty when people try to hold him to the same low standard as mainstream sports journalism or Harry Knowles.

Dave still goes with Koko Ware.

How do we know? Dude never gets to cut promos. Did he ever cut a memorable promo in ROH? As much as I love the guy in the ring, I do find it odd that people get mad about him not being a headliner in WWE when he rarely even main evented in ROH due to his limitations as a performer.

I don't think it's that baffling. They build up guys as threats to Rusev so it's impressive when Rusev cleanly beats them. It's not that they had big plans for Swagger, they just got him hot for a bit so people would be mad when Rusev won. Same thing with Ryback now. They gave up on him like 18 months ago, they're not building him up to headline SummerSlam, they're just heating him up to put Rusev over.

They wouldn't end the show with Ambrose on top if that's what they were doing. He just needs to stop feuding with heels they have big future plans for.

"Love" is too strong but I've never had a problem with Mania 15. I liked the show-long storyline of who was going to ref the main event with the crowd going nuts when Foley came out to eliminate Vince during the Rock-Austin match. Also a good show-long storyline culminating in HHH's heel turn, which was a big deal historically. Bart Gunn getting his head taken off was a spectacle. Austin-Rock and XPac-Shane were both fun. Tag, hardcore, and IC matches were perfectly fine. Bossman being murdered was kind of a cool visual. Show ended with a hugely satisfying payoff of Austin overcoming Vince to win the title and celebrating with his foot on his Vince's chest. I don't know, I didn't have big expectations for WWE PPVs at this time since every show since the prior year's SummerSlam sucked except St Valentine's Day Massacre.

Real sports coverage sucks. Of course long-time readers are going to be worried if he starts doing anything that resembles ESPN.

Interesting that the main reason he wanted to do it was to make sure JR could go out on a high note. I guess I respect that.

No one seems to care about Dave doing the NJPW show because everyone just loves NJPW so much nowadays. But to me that was a pretty crazy thing for Dave to even consider. A pro wrestling announcer is an on-air performer like anyone else on the roster.

Tearing through Southwest Championship Wrestling TV. I love how there are so many random guys who are mixing the lucha style with southern style wrestling. Obviously Tully is amazing. I'm also getting obsessed with Alabama and seeing everything that ever came out of there. The USA Championship Wrestling stuff in this thread sounds amazing. And my other recent obsession is watching every Negro Casas match ever put to tape and stating to really consider him for the GOAT.

Did you guys know that, just last month, Yoshiaki Fujiwara mixed it up with Terry Funk, Mil Mascaras and Masakatsu Funaki? You have to keep your eyes open with the Japanese indies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dn55ZFjdw4

I don't know, are we going to through this every year?

What was Gigantes del Catch? Looks like an TV show from Argentina that had some money behind it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySm1Iy12Rw0

He'd have to be, right? I just can't imagine Dave out there going, "And here's the final chapter in the epic feud Toru Yano and Minoru Suzuki have engaged in over the past year" Here's the quote for context - "My name was in the running in the sense one of Jarrett’s friends pushed hard for me right when it became clear there was no longer even a chance of Mike Tenay being able to do it, so this would be Thanksgiving week. I had no contact with anyone about it until someone close to the show mentioned to me my name was discussed but they didn’t think I’d do it due to my ridiculous schedule that week. I did have an e-mail exchange with Jarrett a few days ago over it, but it was brief, although I’d have done it. "

In today's Observer, Dave mentioned talking to Jeff Jarrett about being JR's partner for the NJPW 1/4 show and being willing to do it. Interesting since I remember him being regretful about even having a brief association in the 80s with WWE and scouting some foreign talent for them and thinking it compromised him.

They're going to get over $200 million in TV money in 2017. They could shut down every part of the business except for producing TV shows and everyone could still make a really nice living. Really tough to turn down.

I'm more thinking that Cena-Reigns is the obvious Mania 32 main event.

Punk? Punk, Ryback, Axel, and Cesaro all suffered after aligning with Heyman. Really, Axel? The least charismatic guy on the roster who was treated as a joke by HHH immediately? Was he going to go places if not for that darn Heyman alliance? And yeah Ryback suffered, his only purpose was to serve as someone for Punk to get his hands on before Punk got Heyman. He was supposed to suffer. He wasn't getting a push. I'm going to need to hear the argument about Punk suffering from being with Heyman because I thought it was the most entertaining manager/wrestler duo since Bockwinkel/Heenan. It was with Heyman that Punk had the best drawing run of his career - the big HITC # with Ryback and the Rock matches. Not that Heyman is responsible for Punk-Rock drawing but I don't see the suffering.

Rollins has main evented the last three PPVs and was involved in the main event in September's PPV. He's not a midcarder. And the Ambrose-Wyatt TLC match was something they announced on the Survivor Series PPV because they wanted a strong hook for all of the people watching SS for free. They clearly put a lot of stock into those guys. Shoot, Meltzer says Wyatt is the plan to work Taker at Mania if Taker can go. They love the guy. I know RAW is boring but people go over the top with the evils of WWE. Wyatt, Rollins, and Ambrose are in the top two matches at the next PPV. Daniel Bryan would be right there if he wasn't injured. CM Punk would be there if he didn't quit. Luke Harper is awesome and getting a push. Brock Lesnar is awesome. WWE booking has flaws but they're generally good about pushing talented guys nowadays.