Matches of the month

[Loss]

January:

 

#1 - Manami Toyota & Sakie Hasegawa vs Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue (AJW 01/04/95) ****3/4

#2 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 01/19/95) ****1/2

#3 - Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW Tokyo Dome 01/04/95) ****

#4 - Bret Hart vs Diesel (WWF Royal Rumble 01/22/95) ***3/4

#5 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 01/24/95) ***3/4

#6 - Rick & Scott Steiner vs Keiji Muto & Hiroshi Hase (NJPW Tokyo Dome 01/04/95) ***3/4

#7 - Cactus Jack vs Terry Funk (IWA Duel of the Wilds 01/08/95) ***1/2

#8 - 1-2-3 Kid vs Bam Bam Bigelow (WWF Action Zone 01/15/95) ***1/4

#9 - Jeff Jarrett vs Razor Ramon (WWF Royal Rumble 01/22/95) ***1/4

#10 - Jerry Lawler vs Dirty White Boy (SMW Super Saturday Night Fever 01/28/95) ***

#11 - Randy Savage vs Arn Anderson (WCW Saturday Night 01/28/95) ***

#12 - Cactus Jack vs Sabu (NWC 01/13/95)

#13 - 1-2-3 Kid & Bob Holly vs Smoking Gunns (WWF Monday Night RAW 01/23/95)

#14 - 1-2-3 Kid & Bob Holly vs Bam Bam Bigelow & Tatanka (WWF Royal Rumble 01/22/95)

#15 - Buddy Landell vs Tracy Smothers (SMW Super Saturday Night Fever 01/28/95)

#16 - El Samurai vs Shinjiro Otani (NJPW Tokyo Dome 01/04/95)

 

Overall thoughts: Some of these may seem a little perplexing, but I really think the Four Corners tag and Steiners vs Muto/Hase were comparable in quality overall. Both had good patches, both had rough patches. Bret/Diesel was a one-sided carry job, but it was a more structured, cohesive match than either of those, which surprised me. And Hashimoto/Sasaki was exactly what it needed to be and fit the setting perfectly. As much as the WWF was in the doldrums at this point, they were doing pretty well in the ring.

[Loss]

February:

 

#1 - Bret Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs Owen Hart & Bob Backlund (WWF Action Zone 02/26/95) ****1/4

#2 - Juventud Guerrera & Fuerza Guerrera vs Rey Misterio Jr & Rey Misterio Sr (AAA 02/06/95) ****1/4

#3 - Hulk Hogan vs Vader (WCW SuperBrawl V 02/19/95) ***1/2

#4 - Shane Douglas vs Marty Jannetty (ECW Return of the Funker 02/25/95) ***1/2

#5 - Chris Benoit vs Al Snow (ECW Double Tables 02/04/95) ***1/2

#6 - Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (USWA TV 02/25/95) ***

#7 - Heavenly Bodies & Jim Cornette vs The Gangstas & D-Lo Brown (SMW Sunday Bloody Sunday 02/26/95)

 

Overall thoughts: The WWF tag was just way beyond anything I might have expected it to be. A really great match, maybe one of the best in the history of the company. I did a pretty detailed review on Misterios vs Guerreras. I gave the WWF tag a slight edge just because the one thing I thought the lucha match was missing was a little aggression to accompany all the other top notch work. The New Japan tag I'm not completely comfortable leaving off, but to explain my thought process, it's really more of an angle than a match. If you look at it as a match, it's really too chaotic and has too much going on to really be good. As an angle/brawl, it's phenomenal and one of the best things on the yearbook. It does have me geared up to watch more Tenzan vs NJ matches throughout this set and it was a worthy yearbook addition. Hogan/Vader was also much better than expected, it felt like a very good New Japan match because for reasons I explained in the thread.

[Loss]

March:

 

#1 - Mayumi Ozaki, Cutie Suzuki, Candy Okutsu vs Sumiyo Toyama vs Dynamite Kansai, Devil Masami, Hikari Fukuoka & Hiromi Yagi (JWP Dead Heat 4 x 4 03/21/95) ****3/4

#2 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 03/26/95) ****1/2

#3 - Mayumi Ozaki vs Dynamite Kansai (JWP 03/17/95) ****1/4

#4 - El Hijo del Santo, Octagon & Rey Misterio Jr vs Blue Panther, Psicoisis & Fuerza Guerrera (AAA 03/16/95) ****1/4

#5 - Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 03/21/95) ****1/4

#6 - Manami Toyota vs Aja Kong (AJW 03/26/95) ****1/4

#7 - Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW 03/07/95) ****

#8 - Wild Pegasus vs Koji Kanemoto (NJPW 03/13/95) ****

#9 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Steve Williams & Johnny Ace (AJPW 03/04/95) ****

#10 - Lioness Asuka vs Yumiko Hotta (AJW 03/26/95) ***3/4

#11 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama (AJPW 03/21/95) ***3/4

#12 - Sandman & Terry Funk vs Cactus Jack & Shane Douglas (ECW TV 03/18/95) ***1/2

#13 - The Gangstas vs Tracy Smothers & Scott Armstrong (SMW TV 03/04/95) ***1/4

#14 - Manami Toyota & Blizzard Yuki vs Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue (AJW 03/21/95) ***

#15 - Dustin Rhodes vs Blacktop Bully (WCW Uncensored 03/19/95)

#16 - Super Delphin vs SATO (Michinoku Pro 03/03/95)

#17 - Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (WWF Monday Night RAW 03/27/95)

#18 - Hulk Hogan vs Vader (WCW Uncensored 03/19/95)

#19 - Rey Misterio Jr, Rey Misterio Sr & Transformer vs Juventud Guerrera, Fuerza Guerrera & Psicosis (AAA 03/05/95)

#20 - Sangre Chicana vs La Fiera (CMLL 03/17/95)

#21 - Ultimo Dragon, Corazon de Leon & Felino vs El Dandy, Negro Casas & Bestia Salvaje (CMLL 03/03/95)

 

Overall thoughts: The most loaded month of the year so far, but I still think the best is yet to come. The Carnival matches have all been tremendous fun. I think because of the 30-minute time limit, the matches are faster-paced than normal. So far, this seems to be a year the women are controlling, and I am curious if that's still the case after a few more months. I still feel like the best of every promotion hasn't happened yet, which is a good thing. Dundee is a tremendous interview, and I'm looking forward to seeing Ric Flair get back in the ring eventually.

[Loss]

April:

 

#1 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/15/95) *****

#2 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/08/95) ****3/4

#3 - Shinjiro Otani vs Koji Kanemoto (NJPW 04/16/95) ****1/2

#4 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/13/95) ****1/2

#5 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Juventud Guerrera (AAA 04/21/95) ****1/4

#6 - Chigusa Nagayo & Dynamite Kansai vs Mayumi Ozaki & Devil Masami (GAEA Debut Show 04/15/95) ****1/4

#7 - Ricky Morton vs Al Snow (SMW TV 04/08/95) ****1/4

#8 - Rock & Roll Express vs Al Snow & Unabomb (SMW TV 04/15/95) ****

#9 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/06/95) ****

#10 - Eddy Guerrero vs Dean Malenko (ECW Hostile City Showdown 04/15/95) ****

#11 - Steven Regal vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW 04/16/95) ***3/4

#12 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/12/95) ***3/4

#13 - Eddy Guerrero vs 2 Cold Scorpio (ECW 3-Way Dance 04/08/95) ***3/4

#14 - Vader vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWFI 04/20/95) ***1/2

#15 - Sting vs Steve Austin (WCW Saturday Night 04/08/95) ***1/2

#16 - Vader & Arn Anderson vs Marcus Bagwell & The Patriot (WCW Saturday Night 04/15/95) ***1/4

#17 - Wild Pegasus & Shinjiro Otani vs Koji Kanemoto & Gran Hamada (NJPW 04/13/95)

#18 - Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs Rick Steiner & Taz vs Public Enemy (ECW 3-Way Dance 04/08/95)

#19 - Bam Bam Bigelow vs Lawrence Taylor (WWF Wrestlemania XI 04/02/95)

#20 - Shawn Michaels vs Diesel (WWF Wrestlemania XI 04/02/95)

 

Overall thoughts: Thanks to the Carnival, this is a pretty loaded month, but even outside of that, Otani/Kanemoto is a lost NJ juniors match that people should check out, and the Rock & Roll Express vs Snow/Unabomb feud is surprisingly great. There are still some All Japan matches worth seeing throughout the year, but I think the bulk of it is over now. Misawa/Taue is an all-time classic and something that should probably be considered near or at the same level as any of the GOAT All Japan matches. I haven't seen 6/9/95 in years, so with all the matches up to this point involving these four, I'm looking forward to watching it again with the strong lead-in. Tommy Rich did one of the best interviews you'll ever see in April and continues to be a highlight of the set. I have enjoyed SMW so, so much more than I did in either 1992 or 1993.

[Loss]

May:

 

#1 - The Gangstas vs The Thugz (SMW Charlotte Memories 05/20/95) ***3/4

#2 - Bret Hart vs Hakushi (WWF In Your House 05/14/95) ***3/4

#3 - Hayabusa vs Atsushi Onita (FMW 05/05/95) ***3/4

#4 - Manami Toyota vs Kyoko Inoue (AJW 05/07/95) ***1/2

#5 - PG-13 vs The Thugz (SMW Volunteer Slam IV 05/19/95) ***1/4

#6 - Daisuke Ikeda & Katsumi Usuda vs Yuki Ishikawa & Shoichi Funaki (PWFG 05/19/95) ***1/4

#7 - Tommy Dreamer & Mikey Whipwreck vs Raven & Stevie Richards (ECW Enter the Sandman 05/13/95) ***

#8 - El Hijo del Santo vs Psicosis (AAA 05/03/95) ***

#9 - Bob Armstrong & Terry Funk vs The Gangstas (SMW Volunteer Slam IV 05/19/95)

#10 - Bret Hart vs Jerry Lawler (WWF In Your House 05/14/95)

 

Overall thoughts: For wrestling, not the best month of the set, but for angles and interviews, it's the best so far. Lawler getting PG-13, Bill Dundee and Brian Christopher on the same page so they can focus on the bigger picture is really one of the best segments I have ever seen, and is in contention for the best wrestling "thing" (match or otherwise) of the year for me to this point. It's great watching Al Snow continue to improve, and I really love the Snow/Unabomb vs Rock & Rolls feud. Toyota/Kyoko had enough going for it in spite of the weaknesses that it deserved a decent rating. It was a good match. It was not an MOTY by any means. Bret/Hakushi from a wrestling action standpoint was the best match of the month, but the heat and intensity in the Gangstas/Thugz match pushes that one slightly ahead. I wish I would have liked Santo/Psicosis more, and Muto/Hash will make a supplemental unedited when we do it, because the finish looked good. I'm even morbidly curious about seeing the full Misawa/Hansen, so we'll see.

[jdw]

It does look like Loss enjoyed Carny '95 quite a bit:

 

Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 03/21/95) ****1/4

Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama (AJPW 03/21/95) ***3/4

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 03/26/95) ****1/2

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/06/95) ****

Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/08/95) ****3/4

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/12/95) ***3/4

Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/13/95) ****1/2

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/15/95) *****

 

I would be interested if he found some time between yearbooks to check out the other matches available from it and what his thoughts are:

 

Commercial

03/21/95 Hansen vs Omori

03/21/95 Misawa vs Furnas

 

Commercial

03/24/95 Akiyama vs Omori

03/24/95 Misawa & Kobashi & Hansen vs. Kawada & Taue & Baba

 

Commercial

03/26/95 Akiyama vs Furnas

03/26/95 Kawada & Taue & Ogawa vs Baba & Hansen & Omori

 

NTV:

03/30/95 Taue & Inoue vs. Misawa & Asako

03/30/95 Kobashi vs. Akiyama

 

Bootleg

04/02/95 Kawada & Taue & Ace vs Misawa & Kobashi & Hansen (WPW Dome)

 

Commercial

04/06/95 Ace & Kroffat & Eagle vs Hansen & Baba & Ogawa

04/06/95 Kenta Kobashi vs Takao Omori

04/06/95 Akira Taue vs Jun Akiyama

 

Commercial

04/12/95 Kobashi & Akiyama & Shiga vs Ace & Kroffat & Eagle

04/12/95 Stan Hansen vs Doug Furnas

04/12/95 Toshiaki Kawada vs Takao Omori

 

Special TV

04/13/95 Stan Hansen vs Jun Akiyama

 

NTV

04/15/95 Hansen & Kobashi & Akiyama vs Kawada & Ace & Omori

 

 

John

[Loss]

Considering how fast I've been breezing through these, two weeks to finish a month's worth of stuff is pretty slow, but I'm trying to pace myself because I was starting to feel a little burned out. Better to slow down than stop completely after all. I should also point out regarding the 6/9 tag that I thought it was an all-time classic and absolutely loved it. I just don't love it quite to the degree that others do. But I do understand the appeal. I hope no one takes me liking Misawa/Taue slightly better as a negative. Also, take a look at the matches here. This was a hell of a month. This and April have been the best months of the year so far. I don't know which is better, and that's a pointless comparison anyway, as they're both great. Anyway, here are my rankings for the month:

 

#1 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/09/95) *****

#2 - El Hijo del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr & La Parka vs Pentagon, Blue Panther, Psicosis & Fuerza Guerrera (AAA 06/18/95) ****3/4

#3 - Manami Toyota vs Aja Kong (AJW 06/27/95) ****1/2

#4 - Yoji Anjo vs Naoki Sano (UWFI 06/18/95) ****1/2

#5 - Volk Han vs Yoshihisa Yammamoto (RINGS 06/17/95) ****1/4

#6 - Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW 06/12/95) ****1/4

#7 - Hayabusa vs Hisakatsu Oya (FMW Korauken Hall 06/27/95) ****

#8 - Octagoncito, Mascarita Sagrada, Torerito & Super Munequito vs Espectrito, Espectrito II, La Parkita & Fuercita Guerrera (AAA 06/18/95) ****

#9 - Rob Van Dam vs Dan Kroffat (AJPW 06/09/95) ****

#10 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Satoru Asako vs Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue & Tamon Honda (AJPW 06/30/95) ****

#11 - Rock & Roll Express vs PG-13 (USWA Night To Remember 06/11/95) ***3/4

#12 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Juventud Guerrera (AAA 06/16/95) ***3/4

#13 - Ric Flair vs Randy Savage (WCW Great American Bash 06/18/95) ***3/4

#14 - Owen Hart vs Davey Boy Smith (WWF Monday Night RAW 06/05/95) ***1/2

#15 - Silver King vs Apolo Dantes (CMLL 06/23/95) ***1/4

#16 - Konnan, Perro Aguayo, La Parka & Octagon vs Pentagon, Cien Caras, Jerry Estrada & Mascara Ano 2000 (AAA 06/10/95) ***

#17 - Cactus Jack vs The Sandman (ECW Barbed Wire, Hoodies and Chokeslams 06/17/95) ***

#18 - Black Tiger vs Koji Kanemoto (NJPW 06/25/95)

[soup23]

The thing that looks cool to me about the month of June is there is 10 different promotions that produced a 3.5 star match or better.

[Loss]

July:

 

#1 - Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 07/24/95) ****1/2

#2 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW 07/24/95) ****1/4

#3 - Espectrito vs Super Munequito (AAA 07/08/95) ****1/4

#4 - Mayumi Ozaki vs Dynamite Kansai (JWP 07/23/95) ****1/4

#5 - El Hijo del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr & La Parka, Pentagon, Jerry Estrada, Psicosis & Fuerza Guerrera (AAA 07/08/95) ****

#6 - Masahito Kakihara & Hiromitsu Kanehara vs Yoji Anjo & Yoshihiro Takayama (UWFI 07/13/95) ****

#7 - Rey Misterio Jr, Octagon & Super Muneco vs Psicosis, Fuerza Guerrera & Blue Panther (AAA 07/04/95) ****

#8 - Shawn Michaels vs Jeff Jarrett (WWF In Your House 07/23/95) ****

#9 - Chris Jericho vs Ultimo Dragon (WAR 07/07/95) ***1/2

#10 - Bret Hart vs Hakushi (WWF Monday Night RAW 07/24/95) ***1/2

#11 - Hayabusa vs The Gladiator (FMW 07/30/95) ***

#12 - Stevie Richards vs Luna Vachon (ECW Heat Wave 07/15/95, Cage match)

#13 - Kazushi Sakuraba & Naoki Sano vs Joe Malenko & Yoji Anjo (UWFI 07/22/95)

#14 - Al Snow & Unabomb vs The Thugz (SMW TV 07/15/95)

#15 - Raven & Stevie Richards vs Tommy Dreamer & Luna Vachon (ECW Hardcore Heaven 07/01/95)

#16 - Jimmy Snuka, Bob Backlund & Mil Mascaras vs The Eliminators & Hector Garza (WAR 07/07/95)

#17 - Barry Horowitz vs Skip (WWF Action Zone 07/09/95)

#18 - PG-13 vs Matt & Jeff Hardy (SMW TV 07/15/95)

 

Overall thoughts: In months where All Japan has featured matches, they're still head and shoulders above just about everything else. Kobashi/Taue I preferred to Misawa/Kawada, although I also thought Misawa/Kawada was fantastic. It felt like a lesser version of Misawa/Taue in some ways because of the similar layout though. The AAA matches are strong and there's some other good stuff as well. This was a great month for promos, and the angles on the USWA TV side of the USWA/SMW feud have been consistently excellent. PG-13, Lawler, Rich, Smothers and the Rock & Rolls are all tremendous interviews at this point, with Landell probably the biggest standout of all.

[Loss]

August:

 

#1 - Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon (WWF Summerslam 08/27/95) ****3/4

#2 - Keiji Muto vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/15/95) ****3/4

#3 - Aja Kong vs Dynamite Kansai (AJW 08/30/95) ****1/2

#4 - Hayabusa vs Hisakatsu Oya (FMW 08/31/95) ****1/4

#5 - Al Snow vs Marty Jannetty (SMW Superbowl of Wrestling 08/04/95) ****1/4

#6 - Keiji Muto vs Masa Chono (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/12/95) ****

#7 - Great Sasuke vs Dos Caras (Michinoku Pro Mask League 08/25/95) ****

#8 - Heavenly Bodies vs The Thugz (SMW Superbowl of Wrestling 08/04/95) ***3/4

#9 - Keiji Muto vs Shiro Koshinaka (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/12/95) ***3/4

#10 - Manami Toyota & Sakie Hasegawa vs Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue (AJW 08/30/95) ***3/4

#11 - Eddy Guerrero vs Dean Malenko (ECW TV 08/08/95) ***1/2

#12 - Shinya Hashimoto vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/13/95) ***1/2

#13 - Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Taka Michinoku (PWFG 08/26/95) ***1/2

#14 - Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/12/95) ***1/4

#15 - Cactus Jack, Dean Malenko & 2 Cold Scorpio vs Eddy Guerrero, Rick & Scott Steiner (ECW TV 08/05/95) ***

#16 - Shawn Michaels vs Buddy Landell (SMW Superbowl of Wrestling 08/04/95) ***

#17 - Eddy Guerrero vs Dean Malenko (ECW TV 08/01/95)

#18 - Cactus Jack vs Terry Funk (IWA King of the Death Matches 08/20/95)

 

Overall thoughts: Shawn/Razor doesn't have the emotion of some of the best WWF matches ever. But it more than makes up for that by being such a soundly executed, smart wrestling match. This is as close to All Japan as the WWF will ever get. Muto/Hashimoto and Kong/Kansai were similar matches in some ways, in that the wrestler being built around in the present beats the big star of the past few years in a big, meaningful way, with a match layout that enhances the result instead of it being happenstance. I would also call Hayabusa/Oya and Snow/Jannetty similar matches -- "technical" matches on shows that weren't going to have much technical wrestling. Hayabusa/Oya I considered slightly better because it seemed like more was at stake. Muto/Chono is another "big", theatrical match worth checking out, and Sasuke/Caras has Sasuke showing off a totally different element to his game. There's flying, but it's the matwork that makes this match so good. This is not at all how I would have expected all of this to shake out going into the month, so you might say August was the month of shattering perceptions that I had that weren't entirely correct -- both in the matches that I loved the most (Michaels/Ramon, Hayabusa/Oya), and those that were good but also a little disappointing (Toyota/Sakegawa vs Inoues).

[Loss]

September:

 

#1 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (AAA 09/22/95) ****1/2

#2 - Manami Toyota vs Yumiko Hotta (AJW 09/03/95) ****1/4

#3 - Silver King vs Miguel Perez (CMLL 09/22/95) ****

#4 - Brian Pillman vs Johnny B. Badd (WCW Fall Brawl 09/17/95) ****

#5 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW 09/10/95) ***3/4

#6 - Ric Flair vs Arn Anderson (WCW Fall Brawl 09/17/95) ***3/4

#7 - Manami Toyota vs Akira Hokuto (AJW 09/02/95) ***1/2

#8 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW Gangstas Paradise 09/16/95) ***1/2

#9 - El Hijo del Santo vs Negro Casas (CMLL 09/29/95) ***1/2

#10 - Chigusa Nagayo vs Mayumi Ozaki (GAEA 09/17/95) ***1/2

#11 - Keiji Muto vs Junji Hirata (NJPW 09/25/95) ***1/2

#12 - Bret Hart vs Jean Pierre Lafitte (WWF In Your House III 09/24/95) ***1/2

#13 - Marty Jannetty vs Skip (WWF Monday Night RAW 09/25/95) ***

#14 - 1-2-3 Kid vs Razor Ramon (WWF Monday Night RAW 09/18/95) ***

#15 - Raven & Stevie Richards vs Pit Bulls (ECW Gangstas Paradise 09/16/95)

#16 - Jerry Lawler vs Jesse James Armstrong (USWA TV 09/23/95)

#17 - Ric Flair vs Sting (WCW Monday Nitro 09/04/95)

#18 - Brian Pillman vs Jushin Liger (WCW Monday Nitro 09/04/95)

 

Overall thoughts: I didn't comment on it last month since I only saw the first match, but Toyota had quite the three day spell. I think the 8/30 and 9/2 matches are wildly overrated, but they're still really good, and the Hotta match is fantastic. Rey and Psicosis had the best match I've ever seen them have together. In fact, it was a really strong month for lucha singles matches, with King/Perez and Santo/Casas also impressing. The Fall Brawl pair are both excellent. WCW is moving in a good direction. Misawa/Taue I criticized and called disappointing, but I did still like the match. There were positives, and I thought they cut a great pace. It was disappointing by the standards of what I was expecting going in, but still really good. Muto/Hirata is the type of match that has been rare in some ways in '95 -- the guy way beneath the champ in the pecking order still making a good showing in a title match. All Japan has that too, but it's easier to overlook because we've seen most of the pairings so many times. Also, see Jannetty/Skip because Marty Jannetty for one match looks like wrestling's biggest star. Pretty surreal. But the WWF is obviously hurting, evident by the darker arenas, and the Clique stuff is starting to swallow everything else whole.

[silverwidow]

Agreed on the 9/2 Hokuto/Toyota as overrated -- people used to pimp it as some 5-star classic when it doesn't sniff their 1993 JGP match or even their 8/90 draw (which hopefully you'll get to at some point).

[Loss]

October:

 

#1 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 10/15/95) ****1/2

#2 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW TV 10/07/95) ****1/4

#3 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright (AJPW 10/25/95) ****

#4 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 10/25/95) ****

#5 - Eddy Guerrero vs Chris Benoit (WCW Monday Nitro 10/16/95) ***1/2

#6 - Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith & Yokozuna vs Diesel, Shawn Michaels & Undertaker (WWF Monday Night RAW 10/09/95) ***1/2

#7 - Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs Blue Bloods (WCW Main Event 10/29/95) ***1/4

#8 - Owen Hart & Yokozuna vs Razor Ramon & 1-2-3 Kid (WWF Superstars 10/28/95) ***

#9 - Keiji Muto vs Nobuhiko Takada (NJPW vs UWFI Tokyo Dome 10/09/95)

#10 - Hayabusa & Mitsuhiro Matsunaga vs W*ING Kanemura & Masato Tanaka (FMW 10/28/95)

#11 - PG-13 vs Tracy Smothers & Jesse James Armstrong (USWA TV 10/28/95)

#12 - The Sandman vs Mikey Whipwreck (ECW TV 10/31/95, Ladder match)

#13 - 1-2-3 Kid vs Razor Ramon (WWF Monday Night RAW 10/02/95)

#14 - The Sandman vs Mikey Whipwreck (ECW TV 10/24/95)

#15 - The Sandman vs Mikey Whipwreck (ECW TV 10/03/95)

#16 - Cactus Jack vs El Puerto Ricano (ECW TV 10/10/95)

#17 - Dean Douglas vs Razor Ramon (WWF In Your House IV 10/22/95)

 

Overall thoughts: A few great matches at the top, but a lot of angle-driven stuff. The match list doesn't really tell the story, but I've enjoyed October quite a bit for the feuds. Last-legs SMW was fun for a while and is starting to look embarrassing. Sandman/Mikey is terrific. Landell is always good for a fun promo, and the Flair/Sting stuff has been hot.

[Loss]

November:

 

#1 - Hayabusa, W*ING Kanemura & Masato Tanaka vs The Gladiator, Hisakatsu Oya & Super Leather (FMW 11/11/95) ****

#2 - Bret Hart vs Diesel (WWF Survivor Series 11/19/95) ****

#3 - Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yoji Anjo & Yoshihiro Takayama (UWFI 11/25/95) ****

#4 - Eddy Guerrero vs Chris Benoit (WCW Saturday Night 11/18/95) ***1/2

#5 - Brad Armstrong, Tracy Smothers & Dirty White Boy vs Heavenly Bodies & Robert Gibson (SMW TV 11/25/95) ***1/2

#6 - Ricky Morton, Tracy Smothers & Dirty White Boy vs Heavenly Bodies & Robert Gibson (SMW Thanksgiving Thunder 11/25/95) ***1/4

#7 - Taka Michinoku vs Tiger Mask IV (Michinoku Pro 11/23/95) ***

#8 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW November To Remember 11/18/95, Mexican Death Match) ***

#9 - Shawn Michaels vs Owen Hart (WWF Monday Night RAW 11/20/95)

#10 - Hulk Hogan vs Sting (WCW Monday Nitro 11/20/95)

#11 - Ricky Morton, Tracy Smothers & Dirty White Boy vs Heavenly Bodies & Robert Gibson (SMW Final Show 11/26/95)

#12 - Diamond Dallas Page vs Johnny B. Badd (WCW World War 3 11/26/95)

#13 - Steve Austin vs Mikey Whipwreck (ECW November To Remember 11/18/95)

#14 - Devil Masami & Mayumi Ozaki vs Hikari Fukuoka & Kaoru (GAEA 11/25/95)

#15 - Jushin Liger vs Barry Houston (WCW Pro 11/18/95)

#16 - Skip, Rad Radford, Tom Pritchard & 1-2-3 Kid vs Marty Jannetty, Hakushi, Barry Horowitz & Bob Holly (WWF Survivor Series 11/19/95)

#17 - Cactus Jack & Raven vs Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk (ECW November To Remember 11/18/95)

 

Overall thoughts: There are a few interesting things going on, but AJ/NJ/AJW not having a lot going on made this a slower month than normal.

[Loss]

December:

 

#1 - Manami Toyota vs Dynamite Kansai (AJW Monday Night Sensation 12/04/95) ****1/4

#2 - Jushin Liger vs Ultimo Dragon (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ****

#3 - Taka Michinoku vs Tiger Mask IV (Michinoku Pro 12/11/95) ***3/4

#4 - Keiji Muto vs Shiro Koshinaka (NJPW 12/11/95) ***3/4

#5 - Ultimo Dragon vs Shinjiro Otani (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ***3/4

#6 - Megumi Kudo & Bison Kimura vs Aja Kong & Megumi Kudo (FMW 12/11/95) ***3/4

#7 - Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith (WWF In Your House 12/17/95) ***3/4

#8 - Ric Flair vs Randy Savage (WCW Monday Nitro 12/25/95) ***1/2

#9 - Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ***1/2

#10 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 12/09/95) ***1/2

#11 - Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW 12/11/95) ***1/2

#12 - Hayabusa, Great Sasuke & Koji Nakagawa vs Taka Michinoku, Super Delphin & Ricky Fuji (FMW 12/21/95) ***1/2

#13 - Eddy Guerrero vs Shinjiro Otani (WCW Starrcade 12/27/95) ***1/2

#14 - Jushin Liger vs Gedo (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ***1/4

#15 - Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ***1/4

#16 - Jushin Liger vs Gran Naniwa (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95) ***

#17 - Mikey Whipwreck vs 2 Cold Scorpio (ECW Holiday Hell 12/29/95) ***

#18 - Steve Austin vs Mikey Whipwreck vs The Sandman (ECW TV 12/12/95)

#19 - Dave Finlay vs 2 Cold Scorpio (Bremen 12/15/95)

#20 - Psicosis & Halloween vs Leon Negro & Ultraman (AAA 12/25/95)

#21 - Megumi Kudo vs Shark Tsuchiya (FMW 12/22/95)

#22 - Ric Flair vs Sting vs Lex Luger (WCW Starrcade 12/27/95)

#23 - Hulk Hogan & Sting vs Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (WCW Monday Nitro 12/11/95)

#24 - Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith (Stu Hart Tribute Show 12/15/95)

#25 - Gran Naniwa vs Damien 666 (WAR Super J Cup 12/13/95)

#26 - Cactus Jack vs Sabu (ECW Holiday Hell 12/29/95)

#27 - Ric Flair vs Randy Savage (WCW Starrcade 12/27/95)

#28 - Bret Hart vs Bob Backlund (WWF Monday Night RAW 12/11/95)

[JKWebb]

I'm back in the saddle of knocking the YBs in order, and just knocked out Jan. of 1995.  1994 ended up being one of my favorite years, so looking forward to what 1995 brings.  Raven coming into ECW has definitely just improved the feel of it already.  I didn't get into ECW as a kid until around late 1996 or so, but Raven was one of the first guys I was drawn to.  I think that was probably the case for lots of teenagers around this time in1995 watching ECW.  He looked cool, and definitely seemed like a big deal right out of the gate. 

Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 01/24/95) was my favorite match for the month of Jan. , however I loved the big hoss battle that was Shinya Hashimoto vs Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW Tokyo Dome 01/04/95).  I think the main thing that edged out the tag was the simple moment of Kobashi almost dying from all the damage, but he keeps kicking out of everything... then there is a moment you finally think the match will conclude, and Misawa comes in with an epic save.  I just loved the moment.  I loved the Hart vs. Diesel Royal Rumble match.  I disagree with the notion of a carry job... Diesel had a ton of charisma and was firing back at Bret when they were trading punches, he had a great match with Bret Hart.  There is lots of interference, but they both delivered, and it's the best WWF match of the month and probably top 10 of Diesel's career.  I also thought that Randy Savage vs Arn Anderson (WCW Saturday Night 01/28/95) is a hidden gem.  I thought it was great.  Savage is explosive, Arn is Arn, I don't know, maybe it's just I love both guys, but I watched it twice.  It's really the first sign of how truly awesome Savage still was, and one can understand why he didn't enjoy sitting on the shelf in the WWF.  Great match, and for my enjoyment ranked up there with the other 4 I've talked about and was a MOTM candidate for me. 
 

I haven’t been back to comment & I’m already halfway into May as I come back here.  I’ll say, overall in 1995 I’m enjoying ECW the most.  I was right in line with Loss for the top marches of Feb:

#1 - Bret Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs Owen Hart & Bob Backlund (WWF Action Zone 02/26/95) 

#2 - Juventud Guerrera & Fuerza Guerrera vs Rey Misterio Jr & Rey Misterio Sr (AAA 02/06/95) 

#3 - Hulk Hogan vs Vader (WCW SuperBrawl V 02/19/95)

#4  Shane Douglas vs Marty Jannetty (ECW Return of the Funker 02/25/95)

March:   Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 03/26/95) then — Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasak

April - April is where 1995 really kicked into high gear for me — it’s hard to even order some of these:

1.  Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/15/95) & Steven Regal vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW 04/16/95) 

3.  Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW ChampionshipCarnival 04/13/95)

4.  Eddy Guerrero vs Dean Malenko (ECW Hostile City Showdown 04/15/95)

5.  Vader vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWFI 04/20/95)

6.  Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/08/95)

7.  Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/06/95)

8. Shawn Michaels vs Diesel (WWF Wrestlemania XI 04/02/95)

9.  Rey vs Juvi - 4/21/95

10. Sting vs Steve Austin (WCW Saturday Night 04/08/95) 

I could on... what a month!  Through April... Misawa is leading the way as the WOTY for me... Malenko has been a highlight on the set for me & just have to comment on Regal/Hashimoto... had seen it before, but damn... blows me away.  Brilliant.  Dreamer/Raven is the feud.

May:  Tommy Dreamer & Mikey Whipwreck vs Raven & Stevie Richards (ECW Enter the Sandman 05/13/95)

June is another LOADED month in 1995.  Misawa still leads that way as far as WOTY, and All Japan leads the way in wrestling overall of course, but I do think I'm still having the most fun following along with ECW.  I'll see how that all pays out in my favorite promotion of the year when I wrap up.  One great thing for me -- I think 1995 is most I have enjoyed Lucha since the 1990 YB (which was packed with great lucha).  So, I have really been enjoying all the great lucha in 1995.  Another great thing about June of 1995, is you get glimpse of the GOAT-level emotional connection that only Savage can do during his match with Flair at the GAB.  The emotion on his face as he approached the ring with his Dad was legit.  Also, in June - We get the most probable MOTY ever.  I guess it could change? Probably not.

June 1995:

1.  Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/09/95)

2.  Ric Flair vs Randy Savage (WCW Great American Bash 06/18/95)

3.  El Hijo del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr & La Parka vs Pentagon, Blue Panther, Psicosis & Fuerza Guerrera (AAA 06/18/95)

4.  Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW 06/12/95)

--- I'm not the biggest fan of RVD overall, but I did love the Kroffat match in June.  It's a great match.  Also -- I Rey had a great month - really enjoyed his bout with Juvi in this month as well. 

As I complete the rest of the year, I'm going to post my favorites from the previous years as a reference for comparison at the end...

Match of the Year (previous years):

1990:  El Dandy vs. El Satanico - 12/14/1990 (but, my personal favorite is Lex Luger vs. Ric Flair from WW90)

1991:  Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior from WM 7

1992:  Sting vs. Vader from Starrcade 1992

1993:  Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi - 7-29-1993

1994:  Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW 06/03/94)

Wrestler of the Year (previous years):

1990:  Mitsuharu Misawa

1991:  Randy Savage

1992:  Randy Savage

1993:  Kenta Kobashi

1994:  Vader

Promotion of the Year (previous years):

1990:  All Japan

1991:  WWF

1992:  WWF

1993:  All Japan

1994:  WCW

YB Rankings:

1.  1991

2.  1990

3.  1992

4.  1994

5.  1993

As I roll into July — all I can think about is how WCW has hit rock bottom... from 1994 to this... it’s the worst decline in such a short amount of time I’ve seen in wrestling content for a promotion ... ha... seriously... the Kevin Sullivan DOD stuff has been laughed at for years, but i can’t even laugh trying to get through it... just TERRIBLE.  I can’t believe they even considered airing it... just wow. Ha.  At least there is Flair & Savage...

I love Buddy Landel promos. 

Really unexpected on my end and awesome to see Jeff & Matt Hardy pop up in SMW!  Also, I really like the PG13 RnR feud - it’s fun to see RnR in sort of heel mode in Memphis.  As far as promos, New Jack can’t be touched, but as far as wrestling ... this feud for RnR seems to have the better matches...

July Matches:  Wow, knew I liked Kobashi vs. Taue from 7/24/1995, but it really struck a chord with me today.  Definitely my favorite match of July, and it is my second favorite match of the year to this point.  That Kobashi sleeper is wicked!  I wish that the sleeper would be utilized in this fashion in current wrestling.  My favorite sequence was the beatdown outside the ropes on the ring apron... they are going back and forth but they look so exhausted and it feels so desperate.... I love that match.  #2 -- Shawn Michaels vs Jeff Jarrett (WWF In Your House 07/23/95).  HBK is showing of his athleticism in this classic.  To this day, it remains my favorite Jeff Jarrett match, but he really is just a bumping machine for this Shawn Michaels showcase. #3  Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW 07/24/95) -- I do love how fun ECW is, but All Japan by this point has gained the momentum as my favorite promotion so far this year.  The matches are just too good. 

In August... Dean and Eddy have their final bout in ECW...

This match is a great example of why I love watching wrestling chronologically.  Yes, the match itself isn't the best, and I think their best vs. each other in ECW is probably the Hostile City Showdown match from 04/15/95.  But, this was all about the moment.  If you follow along their feud in ECW, and it leads you here, you can see and feel the emotion from the crowd and from Dean and Eddy post-match.  I really enjoyed the moment, and what they meant to this timeframe of ECW and ECWs fanbase is probably why this is so fondly remembered and an important addition to compilations.

Buddy’s promo and march with HBK in SMW were both AWESOME.  The first episode of Nitro was a blast and immediately had the feel of something more exciting and more of a sports feel that RAW.  I have always preferred the production of Nitro to RAW.  I’m really getting close to where I returned to my fandom as a teenager now, so that’s pretty cool as well.  Luger is a WCW guy... it’s amazing how much of a better fit he was for JCP/WCW than he ever was in WWF. 
 

Favorite August matches:

1.  Summerslam Ladder Match (Razor/HBK)

2.  Shawn Michaels vs Buddy Landell (SMW Superbowl of Wrestling 08/04/95)

My favorite ECW tape as teenager was either Gangstas Paradise or an ECW Weekly TV set that had the majority of those matches.  Either way, it was around September maybe early October too of 95.  Watching  Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW Gangstas Paradise 09/16/95) and seeing Austin pop up in ECW... it’s just great.  Also, obviously love the Raven/Pitbulls/Dreamer stuff... Loving revisiting this era of ECW right now.

Memphis is having a much better 1995 than I would have thought.  And finally, with Fall Brawl... and Nitro kicking off ... WCW seems to be heading back into the right direction.

September Favorites:

1.  Raven & Stevie Richards vs Pit Bulls (ECW Gangstas Paradise 09/16/95) - kind of like the Over the Edge 98 of ECW - just fun as hell 

2 & 3.  The 2 Rey/Psicosis Matches (9-16-94 & 9/22-1995)

4.  Brian Pillman vs Johnny B. Badd (WCW Fall Brawl 09/17/95)

5.  Flair vs. Arn

Rolling through October... Scott Hall has had a really great year.  I’d put him behind Shawn for WWF WOTY in 1995.  Rey Mysterio has also had an incredible year.  At his point, I’m pretty sure I’ll be sticking with Misawa for 95, but of course Kobashi and Kawada are GOATs too.  If it weren’t for one other match in 1995, Gary Albright vs. Kawada would be my match of the year.  I love that match.  Kawada is so good, as I heard someone else say — Kawada is one of the best at selling the “mind is willing but body is unable.”

October Favorites:

1.  Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright (AJPW 10/25/95) 

2.   Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW TV 10/07/95)

3.  Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 10/25/95)

4.  Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 10/15/95)

5.  The Sandman vs Mikey Whipwreck (ECW TV 10/24/95, Ladder match)

6.  Arn and Pillman vs. Sting & Flair - 10/16/1995 (Nitro)

7.  Sandman & Mikey - 10/31/1995
 

Steve Austin in ECW is just another level.  As well known, be really hits his stride there.  As I plow through November, I’m realizing how Sting was under utilized earlier in the year.  By this point the Horsemen feud really has him fired up in the ring, & that’s when Sting is at his best.  Both WCW & WWF have gotten better as the year has progressed... Hogan in 95 has not.  I liked the 94 stuff in WCW.  Not 1995. Looking forward to rewatching the initial Goldust run...

November Favorites:

1.  Bret Hart vs Diesel (WWF Survivor Series 11/19/95

2.  Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW November To Remember 11/18/95, Mexican Death Match) - Sometimes a match just hits you at the right time.  I had the biggest smile on my face watching this, the crowd reaction, and then 911... What an awesome moment with Reay sending in one of the eliminators by drop kick into the chockeslam… then Rey jumps on his shoulders.  This was one of my most watched ECW matches as a teenager, and I still love it just as much.

3.  Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Yoji Anjo & Yoshihiro Takayama (UWFI 11/25/95) - this match rules.  It was too short!  I wanted it to keep going.  I have probably watched some Anjo in the past, but he really made an impression here that will stick.  This was hard-hitting, action packed, and had great heat.

4.  Sting vs. Ric Flair - 11/6/1995 -- In particular, I just love Sting's energy here.  This match feels heated.

You hear a lot about ECW being ahead of its time... Maybe in the wrestling industry, but really it was just with the times.  The WWF was just behind the times.  ECW is that punk rock band that may not be the best instrumentally, or have the greatest vocalist, but you can feel their energy in your core.  That's why I love this era of ECW, and that's why it's my favorite promotion in 1995.  WCW was going for something else (outside of the DOD/Hogan stuff), and they eventually nail it - which in turn ignites the biggest boom in wresting history.  They have the high end production, the sports-like feel, the bigger appeal to a mass audience.  Once they hit the New World Order portion of 1996, WCW will take surpass everything else for quite a while.  I LOVED the Diesel/Bret Hart sit down interview going into Survivor Series.  It may be my favorite WWF segment of 1995 (as far as build to a main event). 

Marty J and Double J reign atop 1995 as the worst dressed wrestlers.  Bullet Bob has a killer heel promo building up the USWA/SMW feud.  The Jarretts follow with promos that almost put me to sleep.  Overall, the feud has been better than I anticipated.  The crowds seem to be getting smaller.  The SMW Vader rip-off is pretty funny. 

1995 does have the good DDP/JohnnyBB feud.  And, also around Nov. you get the final SMW episode and last few matches.  A fitting group of guys closing it out.  My biggest gripe from November is the ending of WW3.  Like others, I found Hogan to be annoying at the finish and the next night on Nitro.  He comes across so lame... He would have gotten over more had he just let Giant drag him over and congratulate Savage.  He never could just let Savage have his moment.  See the other side - Ric Flair puts over Sting like a champ in the match before. 

 

[JKWebb]

I finished up 1995.  WCW has picked things up with Nitro, and I think the Monday Night War is officially here with Madusa dropping the title in the trash.  I don't believe it was included in the YB though, which I found interesting as it feels like one of the first big blows in the fight.  Really enjoyed Starrcade overall.  I like where WWF is going with Diesel, but they still do feel behind the times.  I'm really looking forward to 1996.  My favorite match in December is:  Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith (WWF In Your House 12/17/95). #2 Flair/Savage 12/25 Nitro & #3 the triple threat at Starrcade.  I also liked the Austin/Sandman/Mikey train wreck of match a lot too.  Austin didn't get a lot of screen time early in the year, but he is my favorite promo of 1995.  I know a lot of folks would probably say Foley, but some of his stuff is a little over the top for me.  Buddy had his premier year in SMW, and from what I understand, got a shot in WWF only to get injured slipping on some ice and it was all over.  Bummer for Buddy.  Memphis still stayed entertaining for me in its own promo, studio style show way. 

Promotion of the Year:  ECW

Wrestler of the Year:  Mitsuharu Misawa (Runner-Up Kawada)

Match of the Year:  Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/09/95)

Here are my favorite matches of the year:

1.  Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/09/95)

2.  Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright (AJPW 10/25/95)

3–way—tie.  Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW 07/24/95) & Flair/Savage Bash 95 & Steven Regal vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW 04/16/95) 

6. Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (ECW TV 10/07/95) -- and probably right there with this one is Gangstas Paradise and November to Remember) 

6.  Raven & Stevie Richards vs Pit Bulls (ECW Gangstas Paradise 09/16/95)

7.  Although the WWF didn't have the best year, they had some classic matches that I'd slot here:  Bret/Diesel (another long time personal favorite), Shawn/Razer Ladder II - I still like X better, but an incredible match, and I also loved Bret/Davey from Seasons Beatings. 

The 1995 Ranking:  At this point, it's kind of hard to remember all of 1990 ha.  But, 1991 is still my favorite.  I loved 1994 WCW, but I think All Japan in 1995 and the fun that ECW brings probably surpasses that year overall.  I think I would have 1995 ahead of 1994 at this point.  But, for sure beats out 1993.  6 years down, 4 to go... on to 1996...

Coming back to note I checked out the Giant vs. Randy Savage from the 12-18-95 Nitro, and it’s a super fun match.  Totally worth checking out.  Savage is probably the 95 WCW MVP.