Fulton & Rogers vs Kikuchi & J. Malenko - 9/1
Fun little sprint match from these guys that basically consists of The Fantastics beating the ever loving fuck out of Kikuchi. He bumps like a madman, including a bodyslam from the apron to the floor which is just sick. Oh how I cringed. Fulton and Rogers majorly go to work on him but he won't stay down no matter how many times he's dropped on his head. Combine Kikuchi flying all over the places with Malenko's intensity and the Fantastics stiffness and it makes for a great little match. Finally after being dropped from a great height for what must be the thousandth time Kikuchi stays down for the three count, but his complete disregarded for the well being of his body has to be commended. This isn't an epic clash like the main-event of this show (see below) but it's not supposed to be. It's a fast and furious mid-card entertainment and it's a fine, fine match, but unfortunately it can't hold up with some of the intense and epic bouts that its surrounded by. So whilst a fun diversion it'll probably be lucky to break into the prestigious the top 50.
Jumbo vs Misawa - 9/1
This is the big rematch. Jumbo is out to prove that he still can hang with the young guys and Misawa wants to prove his earlier victory over Jumbo was no fluke. This has everything I wanted from their first encounter in spades, with huge intensity, crowd heat and drama. Jumbo is a man possessed and really looks like he wants to murder young Misawa just to prove a point. He hits him with everything, including some awesome looking ground and pound and a chair shot in the crowd. Misawa brings his great athleticism and spirit, but Jumbo is just on fire here. Towards the end he looks so desperate to put away Misawa, hitting him a lariats, superplexes and backdrops, but he just can't keep him down for three. Finally a bridged back suplex gets Jumbo the win, but Misawa still looks strong as he survived a mega onslaught here. This is perfect pro-wrestling filled with danger, intensity and emotion. Some of the near-falls are unbelievable and both guys come out of it looking like megastars, which perfectly sets up a rematch for somewhere down the road. This should be a definite top 10 pick, but if there's another 10 matches of this caliber yet to come you won't hear me complaining.
Jumbo/Taue vs Kawada/Misawa - 9/30
The first time that these two teams met out of a total of four meetings. Quite slow and steady in the early going I thought. One major highlight was Kawada and Taue brawling in the crowd until Kawada gets bored and throws Taue into a cupboard. Awesome. Fairly steady and entertaining action, but things relly kick off whenever Jumbo enters the ring. Everything is great when it comes to 'house of fire' Jumbo. He throws laraits and suplexes around like no one's business and comes off as still very much the man. Not a bad match by stretch of the imagination and healthy entertainment, however it just doesn't really do enough to be highly regarded. It'll be borderline if this gets in or not.
Jumbo/Taue/Fuchi vs Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi - 10/19
There were so many great little pieces to this match that it's hard to do it justice. Taue was great at being the whipping boy for the older team, and his interactions with Kawada were gold. Firstly, Taue bodyslams Kawada on the outside, so he retaliates by suplexing Taue on the wooden floor a little bit later. Then when ever they're in the ring they just try the rip each other apart. This match also goes further in cementing my love of all things Kawada. His kicks are lethal and he has this brilliant 'cannot be arsed' look that makes him a complete badass. Kobashi's selling is great as the older team decide to work over his face with all manner of punches, kicks and chairs (well a chair). But things really get turned up when Kobashi hot tags Kawada and from that point on it's completely crazy. Bodies are flying everywhere and the intensity doesn't drop at all. We also get a Kobashi-sault which immediately makes this match worth a million stars. Finish comes with young Kenta surviving a huge onslaught from Jumbo, including an avalanche-backdrop, before eventually being put down. This match made everyone look good, especially Kobashi as he almost gets a fall on Jumbo, and is worth everyone's time. Definitely should make the list.
Tuesday 28 August 2007
Monday 27 August 2007
Best Of All Japan 1990 #1
Jumbo, Kabuki & Fuchi vs Misawa, Kobashi & Taue - 5/26
This one is pure story-telling all the way. Firstly you’ve got the theme of the young upstarts against the old guard. Then within that you’ve got Jumbo against Misawa. Jumbo is clearly the man and he’s out to prove it to these punks. Kobashi shows balls early on by trying to chop the shit out of old Jumbo, but he quickly gets paid back with a flying knee to the face. Kobashi is great here as he just takes a shit load of punishment, but keeps coming back with more and more fire inside of him. Taue is great too, throwing his size around and beating on dudes. But Jumbo is excellent and when the match breaks down into a pull-apart in the middle he looks like he wants to murder Misawa for even challenging him. However as the match wears on he looks more and more like his age is catching up to him and as his allies fall around him he can only watch as his position as top dog looks increasingly unsteady. Misawa finishes Fuchi with a Tiger Suplex and walks away victorious, leaving the unanswered question, ‘Are Jumbo’s days at the top numbered?’ This was simple pro-wrestling done perfectly and set up the next match on list which took place a few weeks later. Not the greatest match ever, but for history it’s very important.
Jumbo vs Misawa - 6/8
Many people will call this a classic, and hell it’s very important in the evolution of All Japan in terms of ‘making’ Misawa. However for me it just doesn’t cut it as an all time classic match. It builds really well with Misawa getting some really credible offence in the middle and Jumbo sells like he’s really fighting to stay in it. Then Jumbo brings the bombs and the many, many lariats, but can’t keep Misawa down. There are some great dives to the outside from Misawa and he really shows off his athleticism well here. For me though the match never enters the super intense zone, in fact I thought the crowd heat was a little low in the early stages, although these two do a good job of drawing them in. I will admit the finish is great, with Jumbo launching himself at Misawa and getting all hung up in the ropes and then a series of reversals ending with Misawa rolling up Jumbo. Great entertainment and a fine match, but does have that hatred that I need to rank it really high up.
Kobashi vs Kroffat - 8/26
A short one as the video is under seven minutes long, but very intense and very stiff. Kroffat kicks the fuck out of young Kobashi here and dominates most of the match. I do wonder why he never made it as a singles star in the US, because he has bags of intensity, talent and great look. Kobashi has great comebacks and he crowd are really behind him. The only thing is, nothing really happens here. Kobashi wins by reversing a dive into a spinebuster, but it looks a bit shoddy. Nice little diversion, but you’ll forget it as soon as you watch your next match.
So there we have 3 down and 5 to go for the rest of 1990. Please leave any comments below or drop me an email and wheatbox@gmail.com
This one is pure story-telling all the way. Firstly you’ve got the theme of the young upstarts against the old guard. Then within that you’ve got Jumbo against Misawa. Jumbo is clearly the man and he’s out to prove it to these punks. Kobashi shows balls early on by trying to chop the shit out of old Jumbo, but he quickly gets paid back with a flying knee to the face. Kobashi is great here as he just takes a shit load of punishment, but keeps coming back with more and more fire inside of him. Taue is great too, throwing his size around and beating on dudes. But Jumbo is excellent and when the match breaks down into a pull-apart in the middle he looks like he wants to murder Misawa for even challenging him. However as the match wears on he looks more and more like his age is catching up to him and as his allies fall around him he can only watch as his position as top dog looks increasingly unsteady. Misawa finishes Fuchi with a Tiger Suplex and walks away victorious, leaving the unanswered question, ‘Are Jumbo’s days at the top numbered?’ This was simple pro-wrestling done perfectly and set up the next match on list which took place a few weeks later. Not the greatest match ever, but for history it’s very important.
Jumbo vs Misawa - 6/8
Many people will call this a classic, and hell it’s very important in the evolution of All Japan in terms of ‘making’ Misawa. However for me it just doesn’t cut it as an all time classic match. It builds really well with Misawa getting some really credible offence in the middle and Jumbo sells like he’s really fighting to stay in it. Then Jumbo brings the bombs and the many, many lariats, but can’t keep Misawa down. There are some great dives to the outside from Misawa and he really shows off his athleticism well here. For me though the match never enters the super intense zone, in fact I thought the crowd heat was a little low in the early stages, although these two do a good job of drawing them in. I will admit the finish is great, with Jumbo launching himself at Misawa and getting all hung up in the ropes and then a series of reversals ending with Misawa rolling up Jumbo. Great entertainment and a fine match, but does have that hatred that I need to rank it really high up.
Kobashi vs Kroffat - 8/26
A short one as the video is under seven minutes long, but very intense and very stiff. Kroffat kicks the fuck out of young Kobashi here and dominates most of the match. I do wonder why he never made it as a singles star in the US, because he has bags of intensity, talent and great look. Kobashi has great comebacks and he crowd are really behind him. The only thing is, nothing really happens here. Kobashi wins by reversing a dive into a spinebuster, but it looks a bit shoddy. Nice little diversion, but you’ll forget it as soon as you watch your next match.
So there we have 3 down and 5 to go for the rest of 1990. Please leave any comments below or drop me an email and wheatbox@gmail.com
Wrestling Potpourri # 1
Terry Funk/Dory Funk Jr. vs. Hansen/Gordy
8/31/1983 - All Japan Pro Wrestling
It’s Terry’s retirement match so being the huge dick that he is Hansen attacks Terry straight after the intros, fighting through all of the thousands of streamers that are still in the ring. They spill outside and it’s a glorious mess with streams of coloured paper and numerous Japanese folk running for cover. Hansen is just a fired-up bastard heel and beats and beats on Dory forever. Gordy plays his role really well, nicely supplementing Hansen. Terry Funk is indescribably brilliant and plays the babyface as only Terry can, and runs wild on the hot-tag. He’s running around all bloodied up, selling a fucked up knee courtesy of Mr. Hansen and it’s just great. Finish comes when Gordy fucks up a top-rope splash and lands on his face, which leads to Terry hitting a Super Sunset Flip. Post-match Hansen beats the shit outta Terry some more and the lays out one of the ring guys with a lariat, which is sold like death, complete with his buddies carrying him out because he’s so fucked up. Then Terry gets on mic and gives a farewell speech which consists of him screaming ‘Japan! Number One! Forever! Forever!’ over and over again. Words cannot describe the brilliance of this video. Pure greatness.
And also a review of the Joe/McGuinness match from ROH in Liverpool earlier this year:
McGuinness vs. Samoa Joe
3/3/2007 - Ring of Honor
So this is Joe's second last match in ROH, against the future ace of the company in the future ace's home country. So right before anything has happen this is already completely awesome. The crowd are pretty split, but maybe a tad more in favour of Joe since he's leaving. Nice show of respect at the start, but then that goes all out of the window when Nigel slaps the fuck out of Joe. Like the most disrespectful, loudest, most awe inspiring slap ever. Then then proceed to punch and kick the fuck out of each other in an awesome manner. Nigel has some awesome lariats now. All of them just look brutal, and the rebound one on the outside was sweet. They tease a Tower of London onto the apron, but then deliver a fucking Muscle Buster on to it instead. That was such a brilliant spot. Nigel is now dead and has to be helped out, but Joe wants him to shake his hand. He shouts at him for a while and then calls him a 'British pussy'. Oh snap. Nigel then comes back to the ring to defend Brits and pussies everywhere, but is still dead from the super Muscle Buster. Joe beats the fuck out of him and hits a normal MB. But is Nigel just going to lay down? Fuck no! He kicks out and proceeds to do the most amazing 'fish out of water, fuck you Joe, I won't be pinned' flopping I've ever witnessed. Then Joe kills him with a lariat and he kicks out, followed by another and he kicks out at one! At this point I have the biggest shit-eating grin on my face, for this is great. Nigel then tries a slick roll-up, but to no avail and then Joe kills him and gets the win. Really Nigel should have pinned him here, because the crowd was totally ready for it, but you can't predict these things ahead of time. Still if Nigel was going to pin Joe once during the FYF I have no idea why they would choose Philly over England. Still this was a great match, not MOTY but still immensely entertaining.
8/31/1983 - All Japan Pro Wrestling
It’s Terry’s retirement match so being the huge dick that he is Hansen attacks Terry straight after the intros, fighting through all of the thousands of streamers that are still in the ring. They spill outside and it’s a glorious mess with streams of coloured paper and numerous Japanese folk running for cover. Hansen is just a fired-up bastard heel and beats and beats on Dory forever. Gordy plays his role really well, nicely supplementing Hansen. Terry Funk is indescribably brilliant and plays the babyface as only Terry can, and runs wild on the hot-tag. He’s running around all bloodied up, selling a fucked up knee courtesy of Mr. Hansen and it’s just great. Finish comes when Gordy fucks up a top-rope splash and lands on his face, which leads to Terry hitting a Super Sunset Flip. Post-match Hansen beats the shit outta Terry some more and the lays out one of the ring guys with a lariat, which is sold like death, complete with his buddies carrying him out because he’s so fucked up. Then Terry gets on mic and gives a farewell speech which consists of him screaming ‘Japan! Number One! Forever! Forever!’ over and over again. Words cannot describe the brilliance of this video. Pure greatness.
And also a review of the Joe/McGuinness match from ROH in Liverpool earlier this year:
McGuinness vs. Samoa Joe
3/3/2007 - Ring of Honor
So this is Joe's second last match in ROH, against the future ace of the company in the future ace's home country. So right before anything has happen this is already completely awesome. The crowd are pretty split, but maybe a tad more in favour of Joe since he's leaving. Nice show of respect at the start, but then that goes all out of the window when Nigel slaps the fuck out of Joe. Like the most disrespectful, loudest, most awe inspiring slap ever. Then then proceed to punch and kick the fuck out of each other in an awesome manner. Nigel has some awesome lariats now. All of them just look brutal, and the rebound one on the outside was sweet. They tease a Tower of London onto the apron, but then deliver a fucking Muscle Buster on to it instead. That was such a brilliant spot. Nigel is now dead and has to be helped out, but Joe wants him to shake his hand. He shouts at him for a while and then calls him a 'British pussy'. Oh snap. Nigel then comes back to the ring to defend Brits and pussies everywhere, but is still dead from the super Muscle Buster. Joe beats the fuck out of him and hits a normal MB. But is Nigel just going to lay down? Fuck no! He kicks out and proceeds to do the most amazing 'fish out of water, fuck you Joe, I won't be pinned' flopping I've ever witnessed. Then Joe kills him with a lariat and he kicks out, followed by another and he kicks out at one! At this point I have the biggest shit-eating grin on my face, for this is great. Nigel then tries a slick roll-up, but to no avail and then Joe kills him and gets the win. Really Nigel should have pinned him here, because the crowd was totally ready for it, but you can't predict these things ahead of time. Still if Nigel was going to pin Joe once during the FYF I have no idea why they would choose Philly over England. Still this was a great match, not MOTY but still immensely entertaining.
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