What are you watching?

[Mad Dog]

I have all the AJPW TV from his run on DVD but the match listings I have don't say what are title matches. I'll let you know if I come across some title defense you didn't see.

[rvd356]

You make me wanna quickly watch earlier in 2002 when for like three weeks Deacon Batista KILLED a brand new Randy Orton with that clothesline of his on Smackdown....

Yup yup I just watched that Simmons/Orton v. Dvon/Dave match and Tista murdered him with that thing! I actually love the interaction between all the class of 2002 guys, they all really lay into each other. This led me to moar Brock.

 

Brock Lesnar v. Mark Henry - Smackdown 08.??.02

 

I just can't get enough of Brock squash matches. This is one of the earliest cases where Brock got to throw around a fat guy/ giant and become the master of the 'power wrestler v. Giant' match. One thing I noticed was how much quicker Henry used to be. He really moved around a lot better on his feet in 2002, which is a duh I guess, but all that weight and power lifting took its toll on him by the time he opened the 'Hall of Pain'. There was just too much talent on top in the early 2000's to justify a monster heel run then though. It's too bad Mark couldn't hold the Big Gold Belt untill Mania to do the Bryan match we all wanted. Anyways Not much to this match other than Henry doing a sweet stalling vertical suplex, and I wonder why he hasn't used that on someone huge more because you know he could do it. Well I guess its like when he Military Press Slammed Vader back in 1998 which was definitely the most impressive Press of all time, but sadly Vader took a shit bump off it. Also Brock hits an absolutely beautiful Overhead Suplex on Henry who has no choice but to take a perfect bump on it. F5. Over

 

Brock Lesnar v. Rey Mysterio - Smackdown 11.??.02

 

Skipping ahead a little bit to Brock as WWE Champion. And damn that Undisputed WWE title belt was so clean. Didn't like it as much as the "winged eagle belt", but it looked classy and legitimate and then they had to go and trash it for the spinner title(which was still better than the newest version. This match is a perfect tv sprint without anyone losing and made everyone involved love ok awesome. Brock is the best heavyweight and Rey the best light heavyweight/junior in the world and if two wrestlers have ever existed that could do a "Power guy v. Little" match better, I sure haven't seen it. And this isn't even the really great one!

 

Rey starts by running away from Lesnar on the outside, then hides behind the ring steps and sneaks under the ring. Brock kicks over the steps, turns around and Rey comes off the top with a seated senton which drops Brock, but the monster pops back up instantly. Rey slides between his legs, jumps onto the apron and goes for another one but gets caught and this looks bad for Rey. Brock swings him into the ring post and drops his ass. Vicious. Back in Brock hits a sort of Dominator and a crazy Overhead Suplex. I could watch Brock throw cruiserweights around all day. Brock finally screwed up and misses a running shoulder into the corner, Rey hits A 619 into his gut and a couple front dropkicks to get him into the real 619 position.....h goes for it and? Freaking Ray Traylor catches him. Oh never mind, it's Big Show. Show presses him, and throws him ATLEAST 12-15 rows into the crowd. That is such an awesome fucking spot that I will never get sick of. Of course compared to these days, it would be like doing a Mass Transit spot then. Show hits a mean clothesline on the floor and goes for a table Choke slam and almost loses him, so he kinda turns it into that finisher Rikio from NOAH beat Misawa and Kobashi with(I will NEVER understand that guys monster push). I was digging in his feud at the time and still do, but hey I love all 3 guys, yes even Show. The 'Smackdown Giant' of 02-03 is my favorite Show run of his career, outside of maybe the ECW Champion "Extreme Giant" of 2006.

 

This whole match and segment is everything great about pro wrestling. You have the dominant powerhouse best in the world champion, the ultimate high flyer masked man, and The Giant all going at it with crazy moves that totally accentuate their strengths. Why isn't Raw in 2015 anywhere near as good as Smackdown in 02-03?

 

Next I'm gonna watch the 2003 full length Rey match against "The Real" Brock Lesnar, the last professional wrestling match I ever saw liv, v. Taker @ Unforgiven 02 and my all time favorite Brock squash.

[Tim Evans]

I've been watching a couple things that are totally different from each other.

 

First, I've been watching 1987 NWA based on the Exile podcast on the time. So many squash matches. Even using the same jobbers in multiple matches. I'm up to Crockett Cup 1987 and it's a decent build. Oles babyface turn, Dick Murdoch hurting Nikita's neck with a brainbuster to the concrete and the new Midnight Express. Cornette's explanation on Dennis Condrey leaving was nice. Still, I can't imagine people watching this of WWF at the time with Hogan/Andre and Steamboat/Savage. That's probably my WWE bias and watching it in 2015.

 

I've also continued watching Memphis 1999 between Power Pro and KAW. Some of it is on the yearbook but the full shows are interesting. It's weird seeing a Memphis show at the WMC studio without a Lawler being present full time. Cornette brought some fresh air in his feud with Randy Hales and I like the Angle/Bradley feud. I'm up to August so Doug Gilbert hasn't gone crazy yet. KAW is so awful I love it. Storyline's based on a stolen weed bag, Brickhouse Brown trying to pimp out his opponents girlfriend and Bill Dundee in Zubaz beating people up while wearing a DX shirt. All this taking place in a seedy Strip club in the outskirts of Memphis.

[khawk20]

Watched some Southeast from 1981 over the weekend. I loved seeing an "evil referee" angle going on back in 1981.

 

I love the visual dynamic of Southeast at that time. The Faces have the good ol' country boy vibe going on and the heels are just the greasiest looking and acting men you could ever meet...and then you have Mr. Saito being himself in the middle of it all. He seems both out of place and completely in the right place at the same time.

 

I appreciate that they don't shy away from the arena clips on their TV, either, including a Stan Lane vs. Bill Dundee clip from Femphis that was fun.

 

I also viewed some of Ed Whalen's "Pro Wrestling Plus" TV from TSN in Canada back in the late 80's. Basically the same format as the Pedicino show. Biggest negative in these shows were Ed Whalen himself (never a big fan). The clips were maddeningly short for the most part but that's undertstandable due to the nature of the program.

One other aspect I thought was interesting was Whalen taking time out during one of the shows to go over some "shoot" wrestling news and rumours associated with wrestlers in the WWF. He was talking in one segment how Muraco and the Bulldogs had left the WWF and were heading into Stampede, and in another how the Killer Bees were fired from the WWF and were rumoured to also be coming to Calgary. Nothing eath-shattering, but at the time I can see it being a real "stop and pay attention" point for the fans.

[Grimmas]

I"ve been mixing my time between stuff for podcasts (current, all japan 90's), mask/hair matches and greatest matches ever watching.

 

I am really on board with mask vs mask, mask vs hair, hair vs hair matches as the best wrestling. Even when the work isn't great, the intensity and emotion is.

[goc]

Watched some Southeast from 1981 over the weekend. I loved seeing an "evil referee" angle going on back in 1981.

 

I love the visual dynamic of Southeast at that time. The Faces have the good ol' country boy vibe going on and the heels are just the greasiest looking and acting men you could ever meet...and then you have Mr. Saito being himself in the middle of it all. He seems both out of place and completely in the right place at the same time. .

Glad you're now digging into some of the Southeastern you got from me in the last trade. I need to get back to watching it myself. I really do love Saito in that setting and loved his promo about "American wrestler never train only want to drink beer, talk to girl never go gym like Mr. Saito"

 

Jimmy Golden in particular was an awesome heel in the footage from early 1981 that I've seen. Yea...I really need to start watching that again. Then you got Condrey & Rose there and Condrey seemed to always take a backseat on promos by his partner (Phil Hickerson) or his manager (Cornette) but he's actually pretty good in his own right.

[victory]

I've been watching as many matches as I can find with the Fabulous Ones. I was familiar enough with their MSW and AWA stuff, just not Memphis.

 

I'm almost embarrassed to admit since I grew up seeing these guys in the AWA really how great of a team they were. I guess always kind of dismissed them for some reason.

 

They are quickly moving up my list in the top 25 tag team project. I'm going to rewatch a few MSW and AWA stuff as well.

[goc]

I've been watching as many matches as I can find with the Fabulous Ones. I was familiar enough with their MSW and AWA stuff, just not Memphis.

 

I'm almost embarrassed to admit since I grew up seeing these guys in the AWA really how great of a team they were. I guess always kind of dismissed them for some reason.

 

They are quickly moving up my list in the top 25 tag team project. I'm going to rewatch a few MSW and AWA stuff as well.

If you didn't watch this Fabs match yet I highly recommend it. Video quality sucks and it's a handheld but man it's one of the wildest matches I've ever seen:

 

[cheapshot]

Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Sun City Superbowl [south Africa] • September 14, 1996

 

This was a match I've not seen before that's on the Dungeon Collection DVD. I caught it on the network last night. What was interesting, was on commentary, JR was saying this *could* be Bret's last match, as he's not re-signed and was filling in his contractual obligations, as he was on the shelf since the loss to Michaels. JR mentioned Bret doing Sinbad, and potentially doing more TV & Film work. Was this ever discussed on TV? Did this match air anywhere at the time?

 

The match itself was fun, with both working hard. I'd go ***1/2 with this match between the two. Not a bad match, but the SS96 and WM13 matches are far superior.

[victory]

 

 

I've been watching as many matches as I can find with the Fabulous Ones. I was familiar enough with their MSW and AWA stuff, just not Memphis.

 

I'm almost embarrassed to admit since I grew up seeing these guys in the AWA really how great of a team they were. I guess always kind of dismissed them for some reason.

 

They are quickly moving up my list in the top 25 tag team project. I'm going to rewatch a few MSW and AWA stuff as well.

If you didn't watch this Fabs match yet I highly recommend it. Video quality sucks and it's a handheld but man it's one of the wildest matches I've ever seen:

 

Thanks goc. Yes I did see that one. Going in I didn't think I would like it due to it being a handheld and Rip Morgan being a Sheepherder. Damn was I surprised on how great it was.

[goc]

I just watched The Road Warriors vs. Super Strong Machine & Junji Takano which became Super Strong Machine & KILLER KHAN because The Roadies attacked Takano before the match and beat on him with their spiked wrist bands and Takano was too busted up to wrestle so Killer Khan came out in his street clothes and took his place.

 

Seeing Khan wrestle in regular clothes, much less wrestling in them was weird but this was fun spectacle and Khan is really good as a selling babyface for someone who worked the majority of his career as a monster heel. This wasn't on the level of the Andre match from New Japan (but what is?) but still a ton of fun and then all hell breaks loose and the match gets thrown out and seemingly the entire All Japan locker room comes out to stop it and then Killer Khan attacks Riki Choshu after The Road Warriors finally leave the ring.

 

Apparently there are more matches from All Japan with Killer Khan and The Roadies mixing it up and I'll be watching them soon.

[NotJayTabb]

After enjoying the way he's been used by both goc and Beast in the 1983 Project, I watched a Scott Casey match that I'd added to my Youtube list. This was from World Class against John Tatum, and was a steel cage match with Missy Hyatt (for Tatum) and Sunshine (for Casey) also in the cage (though not as competitiors). Fun match, Casey seemed like a solid brawler and I enjoyed him focusing on Tatum's shoulder by ramming him into the corner following a shoulderbreaker. Obviously, with two managers being in there, we didn't get a clean finish, but this was a decent way to spend 15 minutes.

[Smack2k]

Perro Aguayo vs Sangre Chicana - Hair vs. Hair - 8/28/86

 

Really enjoyed this fight from the start to the end. These two went at it tooth and nail and gave it all they had. LOVED seeing the crowd go scurrying away when one of them went for the suicide dive outside the ring. Some nasty bumps taken by both into the seating area. Hard to tell from the video but it looked like Chicana was a bloody mess (man, I wish I could have seen it clearer) and Perro had some of Chicana's blood on him, but didnt appear to be bleeding. The last few minutes of Perro trying everything to pin Chicana for the third fall (including a pile driver), with Chicana slipping in a pin attempt here and there while clearly spent and out of gas was awesome. The crowd was hot as hell, cheering for both guys at different points, with the Chicana cheers much more audible. Loved the ending to after all that happened in the previous 5-6 min to Chicana...

 

Great stuff overall, and just making me a bigger and bigger fan of Lucha.

[Smack2k]

El Dandy vs. Emilio Charles Jr - EMLL - Hair vs. Hair - 7-28-89

Another decent wager match that has a surprise ending I didnt see coming or thought would stick as the final decision. Outside of that, a decent fight that sees both guys attacking each other, biting, and brawling..all good signs in this fight. Charles and Dandy are both great high flyers for their sizes (this is my first time seeing Charles and only my second or third seeing Dandy in Mexico), and Charles' frog splash / big splash is awesome to watch...really enjoy the third fall in these match types where each guy throws everything at the wall to try and get the final pin and the win, but watching several wager matches in a row, the act starts to get very repetitive, but I get it for each match as a standalone as each guy is trying HARD to put the other away after a long fight and lots of bloodloss. So throwing it all out there and trying pin after pin makes tons of sense in each scenario.

 

 

Heavy Metal vs. El Hijo Del Santo - WWA Welterweight TItle - 8-13-93

 

These two looked to have had a bunch of title matches in 93, and I think I will check more of them out. This one appears to be their second, with the first in May of 93, unless I am wrong. Good technical mat wrestling to start things up through the first fall and part of the second, before it breaks down into more of an aerial match with each guy trying to hit some big moves, with both seeing some success, but Santo coming out the better. Good false ending, leads to an extra fall that finally sees a winner.

[Coffey]

Today I learned that One Man Gang, in WCW at the end of 1995, won the United States title from Kensuke Sasaki. He lost it a month later to Konnan. Apparently in the match, which there's a short clip of on YouTube, Sasaki kicked out at two but the referee kept counting anyway & counted to three. Gang celebrated like he had won. I read, although I'm not sure the validity of it (this is why I'm posting as I'm hoping to get more information) that the referee later restarted the match, Sasaki went on to win but that WCW never recognized the match restarting.

 

So I assume Gang winning was a fuck-up that they just rolled with and that Sasaki was going to drop the U.S. Title to Konnan anyway?

[Ricky Jackson]

No, I think it was that in Japan it aired with him beating Gang after the re-start, whereas in the States they edited out the re-start

[goc]

Yea they wanted Gang to win the U.S. Title (why I don't really know) but obviously New Japan didn't want Sasaki to lose to him so they filmed the re-start to air in Japan only.

[Hawkeye12]

Gang and Sasaki was actually taped at Starrcade 1995. I'm guessing they just wanted the belt back in the US after blowing off the angle with New Japan at the PPV, and also allowed Sasaki to save face at home by claiming he didn't really lose it. Clearly the WCW "Board of Directors" reviewed the tape and agreed with the original decision, recognizing Gang as the official winner

[Smack2k]

Eddie Guerrero / "Love Machine" Art Barr vs. El Hijo Del Santo / Octagon - November 1994 - When Worlds Collide

 

Two words - Holy Shit! Man what a match...what a damn match. I just finished watching it and I loved every second of it, just an amazing, near perfect match. I know this is a known fact about how good this match is, but its my first viewing as my lucha watching continues. Art Barr...man, Art fuckin Barr... I cant wait to watch more of his run in Mexico, what a heat magnet and an AMAZING heel. Eddie is every bit as good as well and as a team, god damn, they were amazing together. I am gonna watch their match vs. Santo / Octagon from 93 soon, not expecting the same thing, but wanting to see more of Art and Eddie. I can only think how good they would have been in ECW as a team and wherever they went after that. Art Barr's frog splash is unreal, and even though Eddie's was great, it didnt touch Art's. Santo and Octagon are good in this match, but its the Art / Eddie show that makes this soo memorable. The heat from the crowd just ups the feel of the match, especially when Art and Eddie are 1 pin away from winning. Outside all this praise for the men, the match is run at an amazing pace and the falls are great and give a real sense of how close Santo and Octagon came to losing their masks and the crowd actually thinking "holy shit, they may lose their masks". One of my favorite matches I have ever seen...

 

Even Art's walk to the back was amazing, with the hate and anger he has looking at those fans...

[Smack2k]

Lizmark © vs. El Satanico - NWA World Middleweight Title - AAA - 9-17-93

 

My initial journey through Lucha continues as I picked this match out of my pile of matches I have accumulated. Its not on the Yearbook, so I have to assume what's on there is better than this. That makes me excited for those matches as I really dug this title match and its my first look at each guy. I know Satanico is on the 80s set a few times but I havent watched any of his matches from the set yet. Good technical match on the mat with some high flying here and there to make things interesting. The thing I really liked is that no matter what position either guy was in, both were looking to the next hold to either get out of the position they were in or to gain a bigger advantage looking for a submission or a pin. The second fall that Lizmark won I didnt fully understand as once he had Satanico in the victory roll (or close to it), he was hopping around on top of Satanico while the ref counted, when Satanico's shoulders werent actually down for 3 at any point as Lizmark kept picking them up. Lizmark's winning fall saw him do the same thing, but stop and keep the shoulders down for the 3 count this time. Either way, I enjoyed it and continue to look forward for more....

 

 

Konnan vs. Perro Aguayo - Steel Cage - AAA - When Worlds Collide

 

Main event from the PPV. Nothing special about this one. Not a very exciting match, but tons of crowd heat as they hate Konnan and love Perro. Perro brings some fire, which isnt bad and takes a hellacious beating from Konnan and some brass knucks.. Eddie Guerrero and Madonna's Boyfriend as well as Cien Caras / Universario 2000 / Mascara Ano 2000 showing up make things interesting and Cien Caras getting involved leading to the finish got the crowd pumped. All that aside, holy fuck did Perro bleed buckets...it was incredible and I wanna see more Perro in bloody brawls and he's one of the best bleeders I have seen...looking forward to more.

[Smack2k]

El Hijo Del Santo / Perro Aguayo / Octagon vs. Mascara Ano 2000 / Jerry Estrada / Heavy Metal - AAA - 7-5-93

 

My first 90's trios match in my lucha journey and this is something I have to get used to before I can really like or dislike a match, although I can say I didnt hate this. This was a ton of action all around, with the Rudos suprisingly getting the victory with Heavy Metal pinning Santo to win the third fall. I really like Octagon's russian leg sweep into a submission finisher he uses (second time I've seen it), not sure what its called, but its cool as shit to watch. Santo got cut open and bled a TON all over the ring and the other wrestlers as it was pouring from his mask. I really liked Mascara Ano 2000's rudo actions and want to see more of him in action, and even with his brothers. Perro Aguayo was again fun to watch, but he spent a ton of the match on the floor, outside a few shots in the ring and hitting his double stomp from the top to help win the second fall.

 

Comes down to Santo and Heavy Metal in the ring near the end. Santo was trying hard to put Heavy Metal away but the blood loss and fatigue were to much and Heavy Metal finally got the rollup to pin him, which shocked me as finish. But I also dont know the Rudo's standing in terms of high or low up the card Heavy Metal was. I am definately seeking out more trios matches to watch as I loved all the action, just gotta get used to it all and the differences in how guys come in an out of the ring and how the pins work.. Also love the group of women outside in the seats wearing the Rudo's shirts and going nuts for them..great to see that stuff.

 

 

Atlantis © vs. Emilio Charles Jr - NWA World Middleweight Title - CMLL - 9-21-90

 

Saw this match listed on Segunda Caida as Matt D reviewed it, so I am not going to even try and go over it as his review of it was damn good, but I watched it before reading his review to not spoil it. Quick match with what I thought was a GREAT, out of no where ending. Had some good technical wrestling early that broke down into more action as the match went along. Too short to be great, but not to bad in my opinion, especially the ending. This was part of an ongoing feud from what Matt detailed. I'd like to see more of this, especially the match a month later at the 57th Anniversario show.

[pantherwagner]

I have been watching some random Memphis TV from 1986 and 1989.

 

Everybody needs to watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYdL1t1AI4

[goc]

That's probably my favorite wrestling music video.

[Smack2k]

El Dandy © / Lizmark / Sangre Chicana vs. Jerry Estrada / El Satanico © / Emilio Charles Jr - CMLL - 11-9-90

 

This was a decent trios match as I am now learning how these matches work and flow thanks to Matt D.

 

Match sees the rudos jump early and take control..match breaks down to just Satanico and Dandy where Satanico gets the submission for fall 1.

 

Second fall sees the rudos continue to dominate early, until technicos take over..end of the fall sees Chicana submit Charles in the corner while Lizmark hits a flying headbut on Estrada for the pin.

Third fall goes back and forth until Chicana takes out Charles and Lizmark takes out Estrada with a sweet cross body from the top rope to the floor. Match comes down to Dandy and Satanico. Dandy gets the submission after a big kick to the back of the head followed by the mexican surf board submission...

Things I really liked about the match:

• Satanico, even after getting a fall on Dandy being like "Oh fuck" everytime it comes to him and Dandy face to face in the ring, including him hiding from Dandy while his team loses the second fall.
• Lizmark's offense is awesome and he hits a NASTY powerbomb on Charles.
• Emilio Charles Jr's bumping is great, which is becoming a trend to me.
• Estrada's HUGE backdrop outside of the ring to the floor he takes from Lizmark that leads to Lizmark's flying cross body from the top

​Couple things I didnt like about the match:

• Chicana coming in the ring multiple times and just standing there over and over almost watching while the rudos work over a teammate, until the refs push him back to his corner. Almost looked like each time Chicana came in he was waiting for the refs to come over to him...didnt understand that.
• Refs pushing technicos away when they enter, yet letting the rudos do their thing and double team (is that a lucha thing?).

[BruiserBrody]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/a-look-at-wcws-slamboree-96/#.Vjym5PmrTIU

On the verge of the nWo takeover, WCW presents a card full of random tag team turmoil. Macho Man is forced to team with Ric Flair, The Steiners and Road Warriors collide and much more! Woo doggy this was a rough one to sit through...