WingedEagle Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 For those of you that missed the podcast of the year (reminder link to part 2, with this particular discussion, ), Chad mentioned what I thought was a terrific idea in recapping his & Parv's top 100 matches -- watching a personal favorite match every year on Christmas. This seemed like a great way to get back to an old favorite in the midst of the copious new material that most folks here go through on a regular basis. So in between the diner and basketball I'm determined to kick this tradition off for myself this year and think it'd be fun to hear what match everyone else would or will look back to with this in mind. Chad's match (if it hasn't changed) was All Japan's classic 6/9/95 tag. Personally, I'm also going with Misawa & Kobashi vs. Kawada & Taue, but the 5/21/94 version. I'd seen a little puro here and there, but after getting a tape with this on it I was absolutely hooked. I had never seen anything like this growing up as a fan of the US product and it was just an incredible eye opener that led me down the rabbit hole that finds us here today. Probably wouldn't rank it as the best match I've seen at this point, but its still 5 stars every time out and without this match its possible that the names of these four and men like Jumbo, Tenryu, Choshu, Hashimoto, Liger, Akiyama, Fujinami, etc. might not mean as much to me. Absolutely love it. http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31955-where-the-big-boys-play-76-top-100-matches-special-part-2-50-1/ So what's the big match for the rest of PWO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Set up my son's toys at 5:30 AM and had about 45 minutes before the wife and I was going to wake him up. This allowed me the opportunity to watch 6/9/95. This match just never gets old. What I was struck by with this viewing is how theatrical the whole match is. The pacing and way things organically evolve in this match wouldn't look out of place in some of the better thematic tv shows that have come along in later years like Breaking Bad and Fargo. The opening section isn't boring per say but they do work in a way of teasing certain things with a nod to the viewer that bigger things are to come. I was so ingrained with what happens from the Nodowa on Kobashi's leg onward, that I fail to pay attention to the opening section with great intent. However, this viewer reaffirmed that all facets of the match are great not just the thrilling ending sequence. A great way to start off my Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted December 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 Sounds like a pretty great day. I finished 5/21/94 before NBA tipped off and loved it. It remains one of, if not the best, finishing stretches I've seen. Misawa's first Tiger Driver still popped me at this stage. I've lately been watching a lot of Daniel Bryan Danielson, mid-aughts PPVs on the Network and 80s territories to refresh my thinking for GWE purposes -- and to enjoy some awesome wrestling (skipping many a match on mid-aughts PPVs). But watching this today served as a hell of a reminder that this era of All Japan remains my favorite ever. Misawa & Kobashi are potential #1's on my list, Kawada top 10 and Taue no worse than 15-20. Always looking for something new or a fresh take on something old, but the classics remain classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilTLL Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Not out of tradition, but I did watch the scintillating Flair/Kerry Hawaii match again yesterday. They really had everything working that night, great catch and hold stuff, great bumps and brawling, effortless transitions, incredibly hot nearfalls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 It's weird. I wouldn't have the slightest what to watch here. I'm not sure I could tell you my top ten favorite/best/sentimental match if I had a week to try to figure them out. I'm glad for those who do and who have this as a tradition though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted December 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Where is Kerry/Flair from Hawaii available? Heard it praised in every circle imaginable but never come across it. Please PM if necessary. Matt, perhaps there's a Bock or Buddy Rose match that holds particular appeal? Something out there that just stands out to you as more than just a great match? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 I thought of that but part of the problem there is that I came into Bock and Buddy fairly late in life so there's not that long-time attachment to anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Where is Kerry/Flair from Hawaii available? Heard it praised in every circle imaginable but never come across it. Please PM if necessary. Matt, perhaps there's a Bock or Buddy Rose match that holds particular appeal? Something out there that just stands out to you as more than just a great match? Kerry vs Flair from Hawaii is on youtube in 5 or so parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smack2k Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Where is Kerry/Flair from Hawaii available? Heard it praised in every circle imaginable but never come across it. Please PM if necessary. Matt, perhaps there's a Bock or Buddy Rose match that holds particular appeal? Something out there that just stands out to you as more than just a great match? Kerry vs Flair from Hawaii is on youtube in 5 or so parts Great, Great Match to watch in full.... For me, I really liked the Christmas idea, so once everyone was gone (we host Christmas) and my 5 year old son was off playing with a TON of new toys, I sat down to enjoy my personal favorite - Bock vs. Hennig from New Year's Eve 12/31/86. I know it was taped in Nov, but I saw it New Year's Eve that year in ESPN... Match is still, to me, the perfect 60 min match that builds perfect from start to end, never gets boring, actually has decent commentary (I enjoy Trongrad and Blears on this one), and really gets nasty the last 8-10 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 I'm thinking those sweet spot matches for me would be Bret vs Perfect '91 or Bret vs Owen WM, Rockers vs Demolition from MSG in 88, Rockers vs Hart Foundation from Summerslam 88, Arn/Larry vs Steamboat/Dustin or maybe Pillman/Austin vs Scorpio/Bagwell from Worldwide. Maybe Regal vs Christian from 09. I'm not sure I'd call any of those the greatest contenders, but they're personal favorites. I'd actually be curious to rewatch Brock vs Punk. I should do that sometime soon since that's one of the last matches I was really emotionally invested in while watching it in real time (that didn't have Bayley in it). On the other hand, Christmas Eve here is new pajamas and a movie and furious setting up of stockings after bedtime for the kids. I imagine Chad's traditions will be wildly different in a few years given that strapping young lad he's got in the mix now. 1 year old is very different than 3 years old when it comes to this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazer Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 Where is Kerry/Flair from Hawaii available? Heard it praised in every circle imaginable but never come across it. Please PM if necessary. Matt, perhaps there's a Bock or Buddy Rose match that holds particular appeal? Something out there that just stands out to you as more than just a great match? Kerry vs Flair from Hawaii is on youtube in 5 or so parts Great, Great Match to watch in full.... For me, I really liked the Christmas idea, so once everyone was gone (we host Christmas) and my 5 year old son was off playing with a TON of new toys, I sat down to enjoy my personal favorite - Bock vs. Hennig from New Year's Eve 12/31/86. I know it was taped in Nov, but I saw it New Year's Eve that year in ESPN... Match is still, to me, the perfect 60 min match that builds perfect from start to end, never gets boring, actually has decent commentary (I enjoy Trongrad and Blears on this one), and really gets nasty the last 8-10 minutes. I think I'm going to pull out Bock/Hennig tonight and re-watch it on what will be the 29th anniversary from its original air date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 So my father finally got me to take my VHS collection back with me, it is destined for eBay. There are some upsetting things ... Cases for several shows missing and Royal Rumble 91 is missing entirely! I think maybe there is a whole case missing. But here it is as a memory. I wonder if anyone is still buying VHS tapes on eBay ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Pretty awesome and some absolute old school classics there. Those boxes are just spectacular as its a real shame what became of event posters and boxes over the last 15 years. I rented those Supertapes as often as I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chief Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 So my father finally got me to take my VHS collection back with me, it is destined for eBay. There are some upsetting things ... Cases for several shows missing and Royal Rumble 91 is missing entirely! I think maybe there is a whole case missing. But here it is as a memory. I wonder if anyone is still buying VHS tapes on eBay ... Funny you just posted that. My brother isn't a wrestling fan anymore but he's a big ebay guy and he's always sending me pics of wrestling VHS tapes he picks up to sell. I was also wondering who still buys VHS but apparently there's still some hardcore completists out there. A lot of the mid 1990s WWF stuff from when business was down is pretty hard to find. Anything WCW outside of their NWO boom years usually goes for a decent amount, especially the last few PPV's they released commercially in 2000. Looks like you might have some decent stuff, good luck with those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Early 90s WCW tapes were pretty rare in the UK. I had a little look for Superbrawl earlier and there are currently none listed. Will have to see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhindsight Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 The Superbrawl 2000 PAL disc is currently fetching around $2.99 - which is a shame because when I saw you had such a late era WCW tape, i thought it might be worth considerably more. Early WCW tapes and down-era WWF (as Chief noted) used to fetch pretty well but not sure since the Network launched and made those WCW shows readily available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.