Jimmy Redman Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Sorry for the massive dump, here are links to C Show and other random stuff for your perusal: Chris Masters vs Drew McIntyre - Smackdown 11th February My favourite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgiDwvE6ey4 Drew McIntyre vs Evan Bourne - Superstars 19th May 2011 I thought this was borderline, but having rewatched it now it is AWESOME and a slam dunk recommendation. Bourne flips and bumps like a nut and Drew is vicious as fuck cutting him off and killing him. (starts around 6:00 in) Usos & Trent vs Kidd, Gabriel & Slater - Superstars 11th June Good shit from everyone involved and featuring an insane highspot that made people shit themselves. Rey & Riley vs Miz & Swagger (Tornado Tag) - Raw 27th June A really fun, fairly balls-out sprint for a Raw match. The finishing stretch is awesome. Natalya vs Alicia Fox - Superstars 7th July Hilarious hair work. Chris Masters vs Jack Swagger - Superstars 1st August Masters' "Fuck all y'all" parting shot since he was endeavoured by the end of the week. Masters rules of course, and this was just a really well worked match. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr8SAqhlTSI Tyson Kidd vs Trent Barreta - NXT 23rd August They had about ten thousand matches in '11 and all of them were really good. This may be the pick of the bunch, although it has a different dynamic from the others since they are in Canada and Tyson plays face. Randy Orton vs Ted DiBiase - Smackdown 26th August I loved Orton in '11, and I really loved this out of nowhere as a nice little ace vs midcarder match. It's probably the best singles match Ted ever had. Randy Orton vs Dolph Ziggler - Smackdown 28th October To me this was the pick of all their matches. The superkick nearfall sent me airborne when I saw it live. Drew McIntyre vs John Morrison - Superstars 3rd November Drew was awesome in '11, he was great here, Morrison holds up his end with nutty spots, mixed in with some hard shots. Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes (Street Fight) - Smackdown 4th November To me the great thing about this is that they build this nasty, hateful brawl of a Street Fight without using any weapons. Like, at all. And another match where Orton makes a midcarder look like a million bucks. Sheamus & Zack vs Dolph & Swagger - Smackdown 25th November One to go alongside the AirBoom match and the tornado tag as the best tag of the year. Really simple but really well done. Randy Orton vs David Otunga (Miracle on 34th Street Fight) - Smackdown 29th November The precursor to the Cena/Alberto Christmas romp, and I like this even better. Orton looked like he was having a ball throwing gift boxes and Christmas trees around, and Otunga has never even come within light years of being this entertaining before or since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Thanks! Added everything to the master list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Kevin Steen vs Chris Hero (PWG 01/29/11) This is the first time I've seen Hero since his Barry Windham makeover. It's a good look for him. This match didn't really stand out much for me. Some great strikes from both guys. Not a fan of the crowd brawling. Hero's comeback was good and he times the "smack" sound effects on his spots really well, but I don't like the flippy floppy stuff from him. It looks too contrived. Too many kickouts in this one too. I will say that it's interesting how basic indy wrestling has become compared to where it was a few years before this. (I say that not having seen any ROH or DGUSA yet.) But this is definitely worked as an actual heavyweight match. Even though I don't think the match was all that good, I do appreciate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Claudio Castagnoli vs El Generico (PWG 01/29/11) This was a great match, probably my favorite so far. My first time to see El Generico, who I really liked. Claudio was a great base for all of Generico's offense. I loved the backbreaker on the apron spot that gave us Claudio control. Claudio works over Generico's knee and Generico sells it well. I think Generico's good underdog selling and Claudio's unique offense are what makes this work. Again, I'm surprised at how different this is than indy wrestling was in 2006. They aren't really breaking new ground in most of what they're doing, but so what? Both guys are confident in their act, and this has some awesome looking spots, a nice basic narrative and gets the crowd involved. What's not to love? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Naruki Doi & Ricochet vs Masato Yoshino & PAC (Dragon Gate 01/29/11) These guys are amazing athletes, but if pro wrestling had a Harlem Globetrotters, it would be this style. Something I can appreciate, but not really what I want my wrestling to be. PAC is almost inhuman and it's impressive as hell. But wrestling that seems like choreographed stunt work is just not my thing. Still, more power to them for doing what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concrete1992 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 CC vs Generico was easily one of my favorite indy matches of 2011. El Generico was essentially Mr.Underdog when he was on the indies. As an indy fan I look forward to your thoughts on most of that especially those 3 wXw 16 Carat matches you've got on the list. Haven't watched them in awhile but I remember enjoying the whole tournament a good deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda (DDT 01/30/11) This is my favorite match of 2011, the first real classic I've seen from the year, and something that would hold up well next to almost any match ever. Stiff as hell with really engaging matwork and nice psychology. Togo sells his ass off for Honda's tremendous attack on his arm, which starts right from the opening bell and which probably wasn't too difficult considering the beating he was taking. Honda lands a beautiful tope. Togo rallies a nice babyface comeback and makes Honda pay for his crimes, with Honda covered in blood and falling prey to some incredible punches from Togo. But Honda still has some fight in him and delivers an amazing comeback on his own. Every time I think this match has peaked, it peaks higher. Some really outstanding and desperate nearfalls in the last few minutes of this and a nice decisive finish. Just a brutal match and a total war. This is what wrestling is all about, and if I ever had a compilation commissioned of my all-time favorite wrestling stuff, this would absolutely be on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Best of January 2011 #1 - Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda (DDT 01/30/11) ***** #2 - Claudio Castagnoli vs El Generico (PWG 01/29/11) **** #3 - Dingo vs Akira Tozawa (ACW 01/16/11) ***3/4 #4 - The Miz vs John Morrison (WWE Monday Night RAW 01/03/11, Falls Count Anywhere) ***3/4 #5 - Mark Sterling vs Jeremy Wyatt (3XW 01/07/11, No DQ Iron Man Match) ***1/2 #6 - Yoshihiro Takayama vs KENTA (NOAH 01/15/11) *** #7 - Naruki Doi & Ricochet vs Masato Yoshino & PAC (Dragon Gate USA 01/29/11) #8 - Kevin Steen vs Chris Hero (PWG 01/29/11) #9 - Big Show vs Cody Rhodes vs Dolph Ziggler vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Friday Night Smackdown 01/07/11) #10 - Rey Misterio vs Alberto Del Rio (WWE Friday Night Smackdown 01/07/11) #11 - Derrick King Enterprises vs Picture Perfect (SAW 01/22/11) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda (DDT 01/30/11) This is my favorite match of 2011, the first real classic I've seen from the year, and something that would hold up well next to almost any match ever. Stiff as hell with really engaging matwork and nice psychology. Togo sells his ass off for Honda's tremendous attack on his arm, which starts right from the opening bell and which probably wasn't too difficult considering the beating he was taking. Honda lands a beautiful tope. Togo rallies a nice babyface comeback and makes Honda pay for his crimes, with Honda covered in blood and falling prey to some incredible punches from Togo. But Honda still has some fight in him and delivers an amazing comeback on his own. Every time I think this match has peaked, it peaks higher. Some really outstanding and desperate nearfalls in the last few minutes of this and a nice decisive finish. Just a brutal match and a total war. This is what wrestling is all about, and if I ever had a compilation commissioned of my all-time favorite wrestling stuff, this would absolutely be on it. That is incredibly high praise. I'll have to check this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Schneider Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Here is my Segunda Caida review of that match Dick Togo v. Antonio Honda DDT 1/30/11-EPIC The Dick Togo singles match train continues. Gem after gem, his last six months have been incredible. Honda is a comedy guy an used to be Togo's partner in the DDT Italian Horseman. This is clearly the match of his life, and I give him a ton of credit for stepping up and bringing it to Togo like he did. Early part of the match had Honda working over Togo's arm. Togo did a really nice job selling, and it makes total sense to give him a ding to make Honda's offense credible, still Honda's attack was a little pedestrian. Match really kicks it into gear when Honda hits a nice tope and comes up bloody. After that, the match morphs into a Mid South Coliseum main event, with Togo working over the bloody babyface and Honda making awesome valiant comebacks. Togo has him in the corner, smashing his head into the turnbuckle and punching him, and Honda does a full on Lawler 1986 TX Death Match comeback, dropped strap, 17 punch combo ending in a huge uppercut for a near fall. Such a neat moment, which Togo sold perfectly. We get a big near fall run, which is really something that Dick Togo does better then anyone in the world, and then take a trip back to TN with an awesome punch Lawler v. Mantel style toe to toe punch exchange. Hell of match, the kind of thing only Dick Togo can deliver in 2011. If he really retires in June it will be at the height of his game, like Jordan leaving in 93, lets hope Togo does a season of minor league baseball and returns to the game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Angel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro & Angel de Plata vs Cancerbero, Raziel & Virus (CMLL 02/04/11) Really good working of the trios match formula that starts with strong rude dominance before the technicos stage their comeback in the second acid. Virus's team, whatever they are called, have some really excellent teamwork in this one. The technico team with their overreliance on superkicks is what they are (I don't want to sell them too short, as they have some tremendous highspots at their disposal) but Virus's team is off the charts. How exactly did Virus transition from minis anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLIK Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 These are matches i've got on my "best match ever" list that haven't been mentioned yet. Should be able to find all of them online 05/15/2011 Yuzuki Aikawa vs Ayumi Kurihara 09/11/2011 (Hardcore Match) Sexy Lady vs Ludark Shaitan 09/17/2011 Psycho Circus vs Fake Doink the Clown, Giant Clown & Beast the Clown 12/08/2011 (NWA Southern Title - No DQ) Se7eN © vs Drew Haskins 12/19/2011 (APW Universal Title vs Blackwell's Career) Jeckles © vs Larry Blackwell 12/31/2011 Team Ken Ohka vs Team Ryuichi Sekine Whole Indy Pro Wrestling World Great Battle 74 Person New Year Bonus Track Tag Match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 How exactly did Virus transition from minis anyway? C&P from Luchawiki: In the last Arena Coliseo show of 1997 there was an eight minis elimination match in which the winner would get the right to wrestle in a regular tag match with the "big guys". Damiancito won that match, that also featured Tritoncito, Cicloncito Ramírez, Pequeño Cochisse, Platita, Guerrerito del Futuro, Pequeño Sayama and Fierito. He got his try-out as promised, but as he is not a midget and he worked so well with the big guys because he's such a good worker, he moved on to the full sized wrestlers division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Maasaki Mochizuki & Don Fuji vs Ryo Saito & Genki Horiguchi (Dragon Gate 02/06/11) This was very good. Lots of heel aggression with a nice in-match storyline. Much better than I expected based on previous Dragon Gate I've seen. They do a great job working over Saito's neck. Saito plays FIP and is the weakest guy in this match, but he's carried nicely and the work from Fuji and in particular Mochizuki is enough to overcome it. The guy looks like someone with superstar potential. Horiguchi is wacky enough as a personality that he makes a really fun cleanup guy after the hot tag, to a point where I wasn't crazy about Saito recovering so quickly after the beating he took. This isn't a perfect match, but anyone who's not a fan of DG should probably check this out, as it's not all a standard spotfest and you might be surprised by the solid match layout, pacing that allows everything to have meaning and even the healthy dose of violence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 James Mason vs Dean Allmark (ASW 02/06/11) I don't really know enough about this style to call this average, but this sure felt average. No real drama or excitement building within the match. Just a lot of wrestling exchanges that never really take the match anywhere. I didn't care for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Man I love those Mason v. Allmark matches. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhindsight Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 I haven't seen it since it aired but I remember thinking there were some disastrously awful moments in that match, but it redeemed itself with a great finish It was a great finish, but I was surprised in that I didn't really catch any awful moments at all. I was surprised at how good their stuff looked. It would have helped both guys if that was the Raw Main Event versus leading off the show. Good mini feud between ppvs for Miz as champ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Edge vs Rey Misterio vs Big Show vs Kane vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) Edge and Rey do their thing, then Wade Barrett joins them, then Kane joins them, but this match is a total snoozefest until Drew McIntyre tags in and is awesome, going on a tear and showing tons of aggression. Everyone is busting their asses, don't get me wrong, but Drew seems to be the only guy wrestling like something really special is at stake, so I give him tons of credit for that. Big Show comes in and follows suit, as does everyone else, but Drew was the guy who took ignited this match so it could go to the next level and I wish he could have lasted longer. Edge and Rey start this off and finish this off, and have a really great final stretch with some awesome familiarity spots and counters to each other's big moves. Edge vs Rey stands as a great WWE-style match on its own. The best EC match I can recall seeing, as it's usually not a match that does anything for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 The Miz vs Jerry Lawler (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) This was good, but I think their first match on RAW was much better than this. Lawler shows that he's barely lost a step from his peak (if in fact he has at all). I realize they are setting up Wrestlemania, but Michael Cole is completely unbearable and destroys this match for me. Cole taking the bump was a really satisfying moment though, for that precise reason. Lawler is still executing superplexes and DDTs, jumping off the top rope and keeping the crowd involved with some tremendous false finishes, so I give him lots of credit. I also think Miz did a good job of making Lawler look like a worthwhile challenger (which admittedly wasn't too hard) and Alex Riley was such an effective heat seeking second for Miz. But I think this is more a match to point to that says Jerry still had it in 2011 than it is a great match. It wasn't the in-ring work, it was the overall presentation that took it down a notch. There's too much you'd have to look past or ignore to appreciate this, and it's sad because most of it is out of control of Lawler or Miz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 John Cena vs Randy Orton vs CM Punk vs John Morrison vs R-Truth vs Sheamus (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) Some of the small stuff here bugs me, like Orton going for a suplex and Sheamus putting himself perfectly in position for it without Orton even having to struggle much. The stuff before everyone was in the ring was much better in this match than in the Smackdown version thanks to Orton delivering a strong performance. I loved the stuff they did with Punk getting quickly eliminated because he got stuck in the pod, and even the bullshit with the GM announcement. What would Hornswaggle's motivation be for helping Punk? I probably shouldn't ask that. Anyway, this was far more violent and interesting early on than the Smackdown match. The Orton/Punk stuff really works in building heat for the Mania match with Punk doing some really terrific heel stuff. I love that booking. I also thought they did a really good job of getting over the idea that John Morrison was willing to sacrifice his body to win and he sold his knee injury really well. On the downside, check out Sheamus bushwhacking Cena before he gets out of his pod and trying to do the same to R-Truth to no avail. I really hate that spot because Truth shouldn't be getting out of stuff that takes down Cena. It seems backwards. Morrison's spot from the ceiling seemed like it was going to be something cooler than it was too, considering how it started. But those things are really my only quibbles here. I like the Smackdown match better overall despite this match having generally higher peaks, simply because it also had lower points too. Still, this was a really terrific match that capped off a strong PPV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Best of February 2011 #1 - Edge vs Rey Misterio vs Big Show vs Kane vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) **** #2 - John Cena vs Randy Orton vs CM Punk vs John Morrison vs R-Truth vs Sheamus (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) ***3/4 #3 - Masaaki Mochizuki & Don Fuji vs Ryo Saito & Genki Horiguchi (Dragon Gate 02/06/11) ***3/4 #4 - Angel Azteca Jr. , Angel de Oro & Angel de Plata vs Virus, Cancerbero & Raziel (CMLL 02/04/11) ***1/2 #5 - Jerry Lawler vs The Miz (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) *** #6 - James Mason vs Dean Allmark (ASW 02/06/11) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Triple H vs CM Punk (9/18/11 Night of Champions - No Holds Barred Match) Lost in the Kevin Nash BS, THIS IS PHIL BROOKS TALKING TO PAUL LEVESQUE, Punk not going over, etc was that this was an excellent brawl where Punk looked great and HHH had one of his best performances in a long time. You keep worrying it'll break down into a paint by numbers WWE main event style brawl but it never does and makes me wish Punk could have more opportunities to do stuff like this, which is much better than the Jericho match several months later. HHH getting sandbags chucked at his head is awesome. Triple H vs Sheamus (3/17/11 MSG - No Holds Barred Match) More of a yearbook pick than a best matches of 2011 pick, but it's by far the biggest WWE house show match in years, as they booked the Sheamus blowoff for HHH's MSG tuneup match since he was shifted to facing Undertaker at Mania. Very good match with a really hot crowd and an interesting comparison to the Punk match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Redman Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 I love that Smackdown Chamber so much. Drew Mac was so beastly in it. I also remember Rey Mysterio throwing his head into various solid surfaces way too hard for our entertainment as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conker8 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvKg1pEFQDQ The Miz vs Daniel Bryan, 14/02/2011 John Cena vs. C.M. Punk (WWE, 2/23/11) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJ4UShQwHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingears Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Edge vs Rey Misterio vs Big Show vs Kane vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Elimination Chamber 02/20/11) Edge and Rey do their thing, then Wade Barrett joins them, then Kane joins them, but this match is a total snoozefest until Drew McIntyre tags in and is awesome, going on a tear and showing tons of aggression. Everyone is busting their asses, don't get me wrong, but Drew seems to be the only guy wrestling like something really special is at stake, so I give him tons of credit for that. Big Show comes in and follows suit, as does everyone else, but Drew was the guy who took ignited this match so it could go to the next level and I wish he could have lasted longer. Edge and Rey start this off and finish this off, and have a really great final stretch with some awesome familiarity spots and counters to each other's big moves. Edge vs Rey stands as a great WWE-style match on its own. The best EC match I can recall seeing, as it's usually not a match that does anything for me. WWE did a similar match in 2009 coming down to Edge and Rey as the final two for a long one-on-one showdown. It was probably my favorite match of that year and, when they got picked to start this one, I thought my hopes for seeing that revisited were sort of crushed. Not so! I definitely recommend the 2009 version if you liked this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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