Childs Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I've made an effort to watch some of the most pimped Thatcher matches from 2015, and I just don't see greatness in him. He's definitely good--sells well, works with intensity, snug on the mat. My problem is I don't find him very interesting when he's in control of a match. His offense seems blah. I watch him next to a guy like Sabre Jr., and Thatcher is a more polished package. But I'm more excited to watch Sabre Jr. because he's trying a bunch of interesting shit to see what sticks. I'm saying all this off a relatively small sample, but he hasn't popped for me the way I had hoped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 EVOLVE Wrestling: 45 (07-10-2015) Timothy Thatcher vs. Drew Galloway Read the review at Blue Thunder Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 EVOLVE Wrestling: 46 (07-11-2015) Chris Hero vs. Timothy Thatcher Read the review at Blue Thunder Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 EVOLVE Wrestling: 47 (08-15-2015) Zack Sabre Jr. Timothy Thatcher Read the review at Blue Thunder Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 EVOLVE Wrestling: 48 (0816-2015) Biff Busick vs. Timothy Thatcher Read the review at Blue Thunder Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Good stuff BiIl. I loved the finish to Busick/Thatcher. I liked Busick/Thatcher more than the Sabre match. Which did you prefer Bill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Good stuff BiIl. I loved the finish to Busick/Thatcher. I liked Busick/Thatcher more than the Sabre match. Which did you prefer Bill? Busick/Thatcher, loved the grittiness of what they ere doing more than the intricacies of the Sabre/Thatcher match, though I thought that match was great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 I had Busick/Thatcher at 4 1/2* and Thatcher/Sabre jr at 4* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 I had Busick/Thatcher at 4 1/2* and Thatcher/Sabre jr at 4* I had both around ****1/4 I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Pro Wrestling Guerrilla: Mystery Vortex III: Rock and Shock the Nation (06-26-2015) Timothy Thatcher vs. Biff Busick This is the match that Thatcher and Busick have taken to various promotions, albeit slightly shortened. That means that all the regular bells and whistles are hit, but in an abbreviated fashion. More than anything this is a chance to see whether the Thatcher approach translates to a crowd that is notorious for being in love with the go, go, go style. To be honest Thatcher didn't change things up much at all, and neither did Busick. The main change was that instead of 15-20 the match was only 11 minutes. That was an important change as it allowed for the crowd to get a taste of Thatcher and for him, and the grappling heavy style, to not overstay its initial welcome. I'll say this much, the crowd seemed to really be digging what Thatcher was offering, going with intricate joint manipulation really played to the crowd methinks. The match itself is really good, just short of great. Most of my issues are with Thatcher's non-European Uppercut based striking and Busick's on again-off again selling of his injured hands. With Busick I didn't like him going to Knifehand Chops so often when Thatcher had spent most of the match working on both of Busick's hands. It popped the crowd sure, but it didn't make much sense. Thatcher's strikes are improving, but when he's throwing regular Punches, Kicks, and Forearm Shots there's a lightness, a sense that Thatcher either can't let go or is afraid to let go that is very noticeable. That's not the case with his European Uppercuts, and that's why he really should stick with those more often than not. Like I said, real good match, but a little creaky here and there. Still, seeing Thatcher is the Reseda environment was borderline surreal, and hearing the crowd eat up his act was a pleasant surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Childs Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Have you watched his BOLA match with Hero yet? Probably not their best but very good, and Thatcher does make an effective counterpoint to some of the goofier PWG stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 Not yet, will hopefully be getting to it in the next couple of weeks. Have heard very good things about it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 I just watched the BOLA match, and loved it. Thatcher gives me "There Will Be Blood" vibes. It was sandwiched between Jack Evans vs. Angelico & a Lucha Underground tag match, but the crowd ate this up still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Pro Wrestling Guerrilla: Battle of Los Angeles '15 - Day 2 (08-29-2015) Timothy Thatcher vs. Chris Hero Read about this one at Blue Thunder Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted November 9, 2015 Report Share Posted November 9, 2015 Pro Wrestling Guerrilla: Battle of Los Angeles '15 - Day 3 (08-30-2015) Timothy Thatcher, Drago, Mark Andrews, Andrew Everett, & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Drew Gulak, Drew Galloway, Aero Star, & Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent) Context is often king in pro wrestling, and this match came at just the right moment in PWG's annual tournament. I was starting to feel the length of the event, nearing burnout levels. Then this match came about and I felt refreshed. There are people who would absolutely hate a match like this, the slow motion segment in particular. I think a lot of people would peg me as the type to hate this, but I pretty much loved it. Not a great match or anything like that, but a heck of a lot of fun. Everyone was great at what they were doing, with the two standouts being Galloway and Taylor. Thumbs in assholes, an entire crowd, announcer, and group of wrestlers working together to create a super long slow motion segment; it all equals some fun had by me. As for Thatcher, he was really good here. He did his usual stuff, had a nice exchange with Gulak, and was more than willing to play along with the dynamics of the match. If I hadn't of seen Thatcher in death matches I would say him being so heavily involved in the slow motion segment was his most out there moment. It's still pretty zany though, with Thatcher fully committing and adding to the fun of it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted November 13, 2015 Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 Beyond Wrestling: Greatest Rivals Round Robin (09-26-2015) Timothy Thatcher vs. Eddie Edwards Very much a sprint in the #GrappleFuck style, and it turned out really good. Loved the focused limb work from both Edwards and Thatcher, especially that it directly played into setting up the finish and the actual finish itself. Never been a big fan of Edwards, but he looked real good here. His selling in the moment was great stuff, really getting over the work that Thatcher was doing to his arm. This is the sort of match that highlights why Thatcher is the best wrestler in the world, all the details and little things he does are on full display. The pressing down on the injured arm to enable a reversal, or slowly working his knee over the top of Edwards' knee so that he can use it as a fulcrum to power out of a hold. The final minute is a bit iffy just because their timing was off. The Knifehand Chop to the head was a great idea, but Edwards was a tad slow to be in position to throw it and that made Thatcher look bad. Otherwise, really good match, very brisk as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew79 Posted November 13, 2015 Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 Timothy Thatcher vs. Johnny Gargano (EVOLVE 51, 11/6/15) I was excited for this given the reviews and that I’d seen neither man in action before, but it ended up disappointing and being good rather than great. First the positives: The time flew by - At no point was I bored or wanting them to get a move on. The selling - The limb work was sold throughout by both men and factored into the finish. The focus - Other than one unnecessary dive, the work was tightly focused around Gargano’s arm and Thatcher’s leg. And the negatives: The commentators - They shilled the WWE Network. They talked too much. And they didn’t seem to get the finish or the story of the match. The work - Not enough variety by either man and too much “you do a couple of holds then I’ll do a couple” which leads into my biggest problem with the match... The drama - There was no struggle, no passion, neither man seemed like they were in a must-win fight. Entertaining enough, but too much like an exhibition rather than a struggle for victory. ***3/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted November 13, 2015 Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 Beyond Wrestling: Greatest Rivals Round Robin (09-26-2015) Timothy Thatcher vs. Biff Busick Was really digging this until the last couple of minutes. They built off of previous meetings very well, and I liked how the match was centered around the idea of exploiting one tine opening. Thatcher goes to town on Busick's arm, and even busts out some of his heel shtick by taunting Busick's fans in the corner. I liked all the arm work, and I liked Busick's selling in the moment. The big problem I had with the match was in the final two minutes where Busick throws Knifehand Chops with his injured arm, hits a textbook Half and Half Suplex with the injured arm, and locks in his finisher with the injured arm. That was some bad long form selling from Busick and it drags the match down considerably. Still good, but not great like it could have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew79 Posted November 14, 2015 Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 Timothy Thatcher vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE 47, 8/15/15) Not sure why the Gargano match is held in higher regard. This has better work, better pacing, and the will to win is evident in both men. If anything this shows Gargano was holding Thatcher back, as with Sabre he’s able to work a faster, more fluid and organic style of mat-work. And Sabre not only keeps up, but brings plenty to the table himself. If you want a quality, almost exclusively mat-work driven match, you can’t go wrong with this. ****1/4 I'm going to keep on my Thatcher journey and add Sabre to my "To watch" list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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