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Defrost
June 9th, 2011, 10:46 PM
Bret Hart vs Diesel (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6722602&viewfull=1#post6722602)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock: Episode 1 (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6725647&viewfull=1#post6725647)
Keiji Mutoh vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6741828&viewfull=1#post6741828)
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6749508&viewfull=1#post6749508)
Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6756711&viewfull=1#post6756711)
Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6765847&viewfull=1#post6765847)
Coliseum Video Presents: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6768785&viewfull=1#post6768785)
Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6771991&viewfull=1#post6771991)
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6778676&viewfull=1#post6778676)
Keiji Mutoh vs Steve Austin (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6782247&viewfull=1#post6782247)
Brian Pillman vs Jushin Thunder Liger (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6786742&viewfull=1#post6786742)
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6789808&viewfull=1#post6789808)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6798434&viewfull=1#post6798434)
Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6805156&viewfull=1#post6805156)
Booker T vs Rick Martel (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6818270&viewfull=1#post6818270)
The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6825802&viewfull=1#post6825802)
Michinoku Pro vs Kaientai DX (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6830754&viewfull=1#post6830754)
Shawn Michaels vs Sid (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6838310&viewfull=1#post6838310)
Kenta Kobashi vs Vader (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6841654&viewfull=1#post6841654)
WCW Presents: Ric Flair vs Macho Man Randy Savage (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6843019&viewfull=1#post6843019)
Mr Perfect vs Doink (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6852584&viewfull=1#post6852584)
Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Pro Wrestling NOAH (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6868056&viewfull=1#post6868056)
Hardy Boyz vs Dudley Boyz vs Edge/Christian (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6887994&viewfull=1#post6887994)
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6904527&viewfull=1#post6904527)
KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6936441&viewfull=1#post6936441)
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6942546&viewfull=1#post6942546)
Triple H vs The Undertaker (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6946286&viewfull=1#post6946286)
Greatest Match of All Time (forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6957825&viewfull=1#post6957825)
Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6961197&viewfull=1#post6961197)
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6964077&viewfull=1#post6964077)
WARGAMES (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6967486&viewfull=1#post6967486)
Steve Austin vs Ricky Steamboat (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6974697&viewfull=1#post6974697)
Great Muta vs Masahiro Chono (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6976860&viewfull=1#post6976860)
Hulk Hogan vs Mr Wonderful (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6978683&viewfull=1#post6978683)
Rockers vs Brain Busters (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6982672&viewfull=1#post6982672)
Yuji Nagata vs Jun Akiyama (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7003151&viewfull=1#post7003151)
Sting vs Big Van Vader (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7004048&viewfull=1#post7004048)
The Rock vs Mankind (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7016968&viewfull=1#post7016968)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7043844&viewfull=1#post7043844)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7058582&viewfull=1#post7058582)
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7088330&viewfull=1#post7088330)
Rob Van Dam vs Eddie Guerrero (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7096666&viewfull=1#post7096666)
2013 Wrestlemania Special (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7102802&viewfull=1#post7102802)
Defrost Reviews Addendum 1: Tanahashi vs Okada Invasion Attack (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7104869&viewfull=1#post7104869)
Owen Hart vs Jushin Liger (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7117558&viewfull=1#post7117558)
Taz vs Sabu (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7121599&viewfull=1#post7121599)
Cryin' with Kenta Kobashi (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7127962&viewfull=1#post7127962)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock: Episode Deux (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7132324&viewfull=1#post7132324)
Chris Jericho vs Kurt Angle (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7149688&viewfull=1#post7149688)
The Mega Powers Explode! (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7154390&viewfull=1#post7154390)
G1 Climax Special (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7167928&viewfull=1#post7167928)
The Hart Foundation vs The Rockers (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7174994&viewfull=1#post7174994)
Ric Flair vs Sting (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7178204&viewfull=1#post7178204)
Prince Devitt vs Naomichi Marufuji (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7184661&viewfull=1#post7184661)
Defrost Reviews Addendum 2: Stone Cold vs Bret Hart Flag Match (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7185599&viewfull=1#post7185599)
Terry Funk vs Jerry The King Lawler (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7187960&viewfull=1#post7187960)
Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio Jr (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7191959&viewfull=1#post7191959)
J-Crown Tournament (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7196995&viewfull=1#post7196995)
Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7206193&viewfull=1#post7206193)
Shawn Michaels vs Owen Hart (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7211107&viewfull=1#post7211107)
Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7215858&viewfull=1#post7215858)
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Ultimate Warrior (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7231914&viewfull=1#post7231914)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7244818&viewfull=1#post7244818)
Champion vs Champion (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7285030&viewfull=1#post7285030)
Chris Jericho vs Eddie Guererro (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7349090&viewfull=1#post7349090)
WWF Presents: Ric Flair vs Macho Man Randy Savage (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7353633&viewfull=1#post7353633)
Stone Cold vs Shawn Michaels (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7380756&viewfull=1#post7380756)
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kazuchika Okada (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7405657&viewfull=1#post7405657)
Bret Hart vs Hakushi (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7445643&viewfull=1#post7445643)
Wrestle Kingdom Special (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7448807&viewfull=1#post7448807)
Chris Jericho vs Triple H (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7459083&viewfull=1#post7459083)
NJPW World Presents: Andre the Giant vs Antonio Inoki (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7462876&viewfull=1#post7462876)
Rob Van Dam vs John Cena & Edge (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7473829&viewfull=1#post7473829)
Jushin Liger vs Koji Kanemoto at the Tokyo Dome (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7476080&viewfull=1#post7476080)
British Bulldog vs Owen Hart (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7483141&viewfull=1#post7483141)
Wrestlemania Play Button Preview Part 1 (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7491225&viewfull=1#post7491225)
Wrestlemania Play Button Preview Part 2 (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7497793&viewfull=1#post7497793)
Chris Jericho vs Ultimo Dragon (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7520605&viewfull=1#post7520605)
Keiji Muto vs Shinsuke Nakamura (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7577481&viewfull=1#post7577481)
Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio Jr (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7592887&viewfull=1#post7592887)

5 Star Matches

WWF/E
Wrestlemania 13(Rosemont Horizon)
Submission Match w/ Guest Referee Ken Shamrock
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Wrestlemania X (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel)

Summerslam 1994 (United Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/Steel Cage Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

In Your House: Badd Blood (Kiel Center)
Hell in a Cell Match/WWF Championship Contender Match
WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels (w/HHH, Chyna, & Rick Rude) vs Undertaker

Wrestlemania XXV (Reliant Stadium)
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels

Wrestlemania X-7 (Astrodome)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/No DQ Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin


NWA/WCW

Wrestlewar 1989:Music City Showdown(Nashville Municipal Auditorium)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat vs Ric Flair

Superbrawl II (Milwaukee Theatre at the MECCA)
WCW World Light Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

Wrestlewar 1992 (Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
Sting's Squadron (Sting/Ricky Steamboat/Barry Windham/Nikita Koloff/Dustin Rhodes) vs The Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude/Steve Austin/Arn Anderson/Bobby Eaton/Larry Zbyszko)

Halloween Havoc 1997 (MGM Grand Garden Arena)
Máscara contra Campeonato
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Misterio Jr

Memphis

CWA 4/6/81 (Mid-South Coliseum)
Empty Arena Match
AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry The King Lawler vs Terry Funk

NJPW

New Japan Explosion 2007 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

G1 Climax 1991 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Final
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome (Tokyo Dome)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship/NWA World Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta vs NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono

Invasion Attack (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)

King of Pro Wrestling 2013 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada(w/Gedo) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi


AJPW

AJPW 1/19/95 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 6/3/94 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada

AJPW 6/9/95 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

AJPW 12/6/96 (Toyko Nippon Budokan)
1996 Real World Tag League Final
The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama



NOAH

NOAH 10/29/06 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji vs KENTA

NOAH 7/15/07 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
NTV Cup Final
KENTA & Taiji Ishimori vs Naomichi Marufuji & Kota Ibushi

NOAH Winter Navigation 2007 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Kenta Kobashi Return Match
Kenta Kobashi and Yoshihiro Takayama vs GHC Heavyweight Champion Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama

DUD or Worse


In Your House #6(Louisville Gardens)
Steel Cage Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Diesel

Fall Brawl 1993 (Astro Arena)
Wargames
Vader/Sid Vicious/Booker T/Stevie Ray vs Sting/British Bulldog/Dustin Rhodes/Shockmaster

WWF on NESN 3/18/89 (Boston Garden)
Rockers vs Brainbusters

Memorial Rainbow Dash35 (Nagoya Rainbow Hall)
Yuji Nagata 11th Anniversary Match
Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jun Akiyama & Takeshi Rikio

In Your House: Rock Bottom (GM Place)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/Vince and Shane McMahon) vs Mankind

King of the Ring 2002 (Nationwide Arena)
Undisputed WWE Championship
Undisputed WWE Champion Undertaker vs Triple H

In Your House: Buried Alive (Market Square Arena)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley

SWS Wrestlefest (Tokyo Dome)
The Hart Foundation vs The Rockers

Rebellion 2001 (Evening News Arena)
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs WCW US Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle

WCW Saturday Night 8/21/93 (Center Stage)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Sting

TWA Winter Challenge II (Penn Hall)
USWA World Heavyweight Championship/Fan Participation Lumberjack Match
USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion Terry Funk vs Jerry The King Lawler

In Your House: Beware of Dog (Florence Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) vs The British Bulldog (w/Jim Cornette, Owen Hart, and Diana Hart Smith)

Fully Loaded 2000 (Reunion Arena)
Last Man Standing Match
Triple H(w/Stephanie McMahon Helmsley) vs Chris Jericho

Wrestlemania VII (LA Sports Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Sgt Slaughter(w/Gen. Adnan) vs Hulk Hogan

Wrestlemania 13 (Rosemont Horizon)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Sycho Sid vs The Undertaker

Wrestlemania 2000 (Arrowhead Pond)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/No DQ Elimination Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Triple H(w/Stephanie McMahon) vs The Rock(w/Vince McMahon) vs Big Show(w/Shane McMahon) vs Mick Foley(w/Linda McMahon)

Wrestlemania XXVII (Georgia Dome)
WWE Championship
WWE Champion The Miz(w/Alex Riley) vs John Cena

chotliwala
June 10th, 2011, 12:11 AM
Really enjoyed this Frosty. More please. :yes:

nerfherder
June 10th, 2011, 8:33 AM
holy crap that was fun. Good job!

Cewsh
June 10th, 2011, 11:30 AM
Great shit, Frosty. You're the best. :yes:

takerson
June 10th, 2011, 4:31 PM
Fantastic! Keep it up!

mth
June 11th, 2011, 12:42 PM
It sucked.




lol jk Frosty, good stuff, keep it up. :yes:

Defrost
June 11th, 2011, 2:01 PM
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the test run of the new review scenario the DRS2EBRaSAG-G. Here at the DRS2EBRaSAG-G we, the royal we, will embark on a journey where we shall take a look back at the some of the great series of matches in wrestling history. Once before I reviewed Raw here on these here forums, but I hated that show so much that I just sorta stopped doing it. Today DRS2EBRaSAG-G should have no such problem. The matches are hand picked, and there is no schedule. Perfect set up.

Now this is a test run because the DRS2EBRaSAG-G has a format in flux. For instance should the latter day Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker matches be considered their own entity or should they be considered a part of a series along with Ground Zero, Badd Blood, and Royal Rumble 1998? We, again the royal we, have no idea. So some kinks need to be worked out. By calling it a test there is no embarrassment if it turns into a disaster.

We begin the life of the DRS2EBRaSAG-G by assuming that all matches should count. Therefore the series of matches that birthed this idea will have a fourth added to it. Four times Bret "Hitman" Hart faced Big Daddy Cool Diesel for the World Wrestling Federation Championship with the first two built into the third match. That makes the fourth a bit of a black sheep. Let's see how this goes.

King of the Ring 1994(Baltimore Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart(w/ Jim Neidhart) vs WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel(w/ Shawn Michaels)

Royal Rumble 1995(USF Sun Dome)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Diesel vs Bret Hart

Survivor Series 1995(USAir Arena)
No Holds Barred Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Diesel vs Bret Hart

In Your House #6(Louisville Gardens)
Steel Cage Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Diesel

Off the top I'd be remiss if I did not comment on Art Donovon's commentary in the first match of this series. King of the Ring 1994 took place in Baltimore. Donovon was a defensive lineman on the Baltimore Colts in the 1950s, and was a great player. He's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So someone in the Triumvirate of JJ Dillion, Pat Patterson, and Jerry Jarrett who were running the WWF at the time, this was during the steroid trial when Vince McMahon had stepped down from running the company to avoid seizure from the government, decided that this was enough qualification to be a wrestling announcer. Now this is a legendarily bad decision in the history of pro wrestling. The atrocity that was Art Donovon on this show has been recounted by several sources better than this. For more on this I would direct you to this link (http://www.wrestlecrap.com/classic27.html).


Amazingly enough just after writing that paragraph I heard someone ask a question about why Art Donovon worked this show on Wrestling Observer Radio.


In the buildup to the third Diesel vs Bret Hart match the WWF made every effort to reference the previous two matches. Whether it come from the wrestlers, commentators, or via video there was a sense of continuity going in. No winner came from the first two matches because of outside interference. Both wrestlers had been saved from defeat in this way. The third match was built as No Holds Barred. Meaning there had to be a winner.

The strategy used by the wrestlers was identical in the first two matches. Bret Hart used his technical wrestling ability to ground Diesel and work over the left leg. Punishing it and using the figure four leg lock. Diesel on the other hand used his power and strength to beat Bret down until settling in to work on the back with slams and an over the shoulder backbreaker submission hold. When that failed Diesel tried to use an exposed turnbuckle against Bret only for it to back fire on him both time with Bret trying to follow that up with punches to try and knock out the dazed Diesel. Whereas Bret's mistakes consisted of him trying to be a high flyer. Getting caught on the top rope in all four of their matches, not to mention missing planchas in the first three.

The difference between the first match and the second was the aggressiveness of Bret Hart. Bret was constantly smashing Diesel's leg on the ring post and going for the figure four repeatedly he even used a chair on Diesel. Bret was always good at going heel in these face vs face matches. All that time on his back may have been to help Nash though. In their first match Nash blew the fuck up in the last third of the match. He was not even able to make it from one end of the ring to the other near the end of it. Another cool spot/smoke and mirror used in the second and third match was Bret tying Diesel's leg to the ring post. It was awesome and put Bret's brilliance and aggressiveness over while letting Nash just lay in a corner. Again in the second match Diesel tried to ram Bret into the exposed turnbuckle, exposed by Shawn Michaels as it had been in the first match, and again failed with Bret beating him down with punches afterward again. Shawn Michaels was fucking amazing as a manager in the first match and running in on the second by the way. Both men used their finishers, but the run ins left it impossible to tell if Bret would survive the Jackknife or Diesel the Sharpshooter.

That brings us, the royal us, to match three. The match starts out all Diesel. Just beating on Bret. Getting revenge from the chair shot at Royal Rumble with one of his own. However, he is not continuing his strategy of working Bret's back. A strategy that had not yet failed given that Bret never beat him. Meanwhile Bret continued his strategy of working the big man's leg. It should be noted that as these matches went on Nash got incrementally better at selling the leg. Going from no selling at King of the Ring, to sporadic selling to the point Vince mentioned it on commentary at Royal Rumble, to selling it really well all the way through in match three. Coincidentally the matches get better as they go along as well. Bret again used the figure four a move, which was pointed out on commentary, had not made Diesel submit in their prior matches. Bret again tied Diesel to the ring post and laid in chair shots to the leg. Bret again rammed Diesel into the exposed turnbuckle and tried to punch him out. Notice again Nash having to move very little.

Nash is able to make his comeback when, after failing in the first two matches, was able to whip Bret chest first into the exposed turnbuckle. Bret made a brief comeback, but for the third time in three matches epically failed going for a plancha. This brings us to the finish. Diesel holding the high ground was able to send Bret into the Spanish Announce Table as he tried to reenter the ring. From here we get to this finish, but to analyze said finish we must first return to the first match in the series. At King of the Ring 1994 Bret tried to pin Diesel with an inside cradle. Bret used the ropes to flip over Diesel on a backslide attempt into an inside cradle for a two count. At Royal Rumble 1995 Bret got his legs tangled in the ropes after being smashed in the head over and over by Diesel's forearm. Bret faked a knee injury and played possum trying to quick pin Diesel with an inside cradle, but only got a two count. Finally at Survivor Series Bret was actually beaten down by Diesel. He was total dead weight when Diesel tried to use the Jackknife Powerbomb. A move Bret had never kicked out of, but had never been pinned with either. Diesel was in the midst of a series of moves with Bret the first time. Diesel had his guard up he second time. The third time however Diesel thought Bret was finished. He showed mercy by just not powerbombing him to death. His guard was down. That was the mistake that allowed the inside cradle to finally work and finally get a winner between the two. The evolution of mid flow of a match to faked injury to beaten down man is an interesting one that had to be well thought out by whomever put the match together and deserves much credit.

Now you may have noticed the lack of mentions of their fourth match. That would be because literally nothing happens in that match. Neither man seems to particularly give a fuck. It was just an exercise to kill the 15 minutes before Undertaker ran in. I would call it a shit match, but I can't. How can you call absolute zero shit? Shit exists. Shit is something. Shit consists of matter which cannot be created nor destroyed. This was a big nothing. That's all that can be said about it.

Kevin Nash is not Ricky Steamboat. That is a nice way of saying he is not a good wrestler. Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers ever. Aside from the black hole that was the cage match Bret got good to great matches out of Nash. Interestingly the matches seemed to get better as they went on. It seemed that they fleshed the problems out from one match to the next. As mentioned before the first match fell apart near the end due to Nash blowing up. The next match was fixed this by being heavy with spots where Nash had to do little work. The third match refined this so such spots came off less like rest holds and more like important points in the match. Another thing I would point to is that the third match had a better finish. However, the lack of Shawn Michaels involvement probably cancels that out. Then finally there is commentary. The first match was an abject disaster in that regard. The second match was much better, but Vince and Lawler can get grating after a while. The three match was great. The additions of Jim Ross and Mr Perfect really got the match over as important and special.

Results and Ratings

King of the Ring 1994
WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart via DQ when Jim Neidhart attacked Diesel at 22:51. Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: ***)

Royal Rumble 1995
WWF Heavyweight Champion Diesel and Bret Hart fought to a draw when the referee deemed himself unable to maintain order at 27:18. Diesel retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Survivor Series 1995
Bret Hart defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Diesel via Inside Cradle Pinfall at 24:54. Bret Hart won the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: ****1/4)

In Your House #6
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart defeated Diesel via escaping the cage at 19:13. Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship. (Star Rating: DUD)

Average Rating: **3/4

So that concludes the first test run at this. Feedback on what worked and what did not would greatly appreciated. Next time out for test run #2 will be a case of two wrestlers who worked against each other several times, but the focus will be on three matches that represent the one time they had a series of matches as opposed to a match here and a match there.

Next up Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock from RAW is WAR 11/16/98, Wrestlemania XV, and Backlash 1999

Defrost
June 14th, 2011, 11:14 PM
Welcome back everybody. We're, the royal we're, are delighted to bring to you the next installment of DRS2EBRaSAG-G. The format is still is flux. This time out the DRS2EBRaSAG-G will focus on a particular point in time. That point in time brings us to the first time Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock battled over the WWF Championship. It also brings us to a time where a man named Vince Russo was booker in the WWF. Aside from a pole this is pretty obvious watching these matches. I'll get to Vinny Ru later. So we shall now see if this is a better way of analysis, whether last time was, whether the next one will be, whether it doesn't matter, or whether in the immortal words of The Total Package Lex Luger I don't know. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHTj7qfnTak)

RAW is WAR 11/16/98(Rupp Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock(w/ Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, Ken Shamrock, Big Bossman) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Wrestlemania XV(First Union Center)
No Holds Barred Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Backlash 1999(Providence Civic Center)
No Holds Barred Match w/ Guest Referee Shane McMahon/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock

Attitude Era Syndrome is a bandied about term. A term I have never agreed with. After watching these there might be something to it. All of these matches are overbooked to bejesus. Run ins in every match. Run ins on guys only tangentially involved. Run ins on guys' seconds. Refs bumps and guest refs and everything in between. This leads to an inevitable discussion of Vince Russo. He loves some nonsensical plotlines and recycles the shit out of them. For anyone who follows TNA, why would put yourself through that, there is apparently a power struggle going on. Mick Foley has some power, Hulk Hogan does, Dixie Carter does, I think Jim Cornette still does even though he doesn't work there anymore, Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko say hi. The prototype for this is Shawn Michaels as commissioner. Despite being hired by Vince McMahon and his boss being Vince McMahon as commissioner Shawn Michaels somehow had more power than Vince McMahon. Well he had that power whenever it was convenient. For instance he could do nothing about Steve Austin being #1 in the 1999 Royal Rumble, but he could change Vince McMahon's number from 30 to 2. Why? Fuck if I know, but what I do know is Russo's propensity of starting angles without having a payoff planned ahead of time leading to plot holes the size of the god damn moon.

Now as overbooked as the first two matches were the booking of the Backlash match is mind boggling. Check this out. The deck is stacked against Steve Austin. Shane McMahon is the evil ref, who doesn't just Montreal him but that's another complaint entirely, who is actively helping Rock and refuses to count three on him. Not to mention if Austin touches him he forfeits the title. Austin is able to overcome this because Vince McMahon runs in with the Smoking Skull Belt attacking Shane and making Earl Hebner the ref. Now this was revealed to be all part of Vince McMahon's master plan to get the WWF Title off of Stone Cold. Let me repeat that for everyone who is now experiencing massive pain in the brain region after reading that. Vince Russo booked Vince McMahon to save Stone Cold Steve Austin's title reign from certain doom as a way of certainly dooming Stone Cold Steve Austin's title reign. Vince Russo is a shit booker. That makes no sense. The only thing that could possibly make less sense would be booking Mr Kennedy as your promotion's champion. Wait, what?

On to the actual wrestlers. Following Stone Cold's return from being dropped on his head by Owen Hart the WWF main event style became a brawling style. Crowd brawling became the new big thing in every Steve Austin match. A lot of that had to do with his inability to take many bumps. Crowd brawling is prevalent in these three matches. The Raw match only goes six minutes and they managed to squeeze it in. Plus this was the heyday of the continual deaths of the Spanish Announce Table. Then once out of the crowd there would be brawling everywhere else. Most of their matches at Wrestlemania and Backlash were spent brawling in front of the entrance way. Rock and Austin took turns throwing each other into the set at Mania and Backlash. At Mania Rock reversed a suplex outside, and Austin returned the favor at Backlash. The Stunner reversed into a Rock Bottom reversed into a Stunner was dropped on the Backlash match after being used in the first two matches. The crowds on all three shows were many many times hotter than anything you see in WWE these days.

I remembered their first Wrestlemania match as being better than it was. I also didn't remember Rock getting as much offense in the first two matches as he did. Not that it mattered since Austin no sold everything and it seemed the Rock only knew three moves. It is amazing how great Rock would be a year after this. All Rock had in the first two matches were a ton of clotheslines, I mean a comical amount of clotheslines, long chinlocks, and an occasional swinging neckbreaker. Rock backdropped Austin leg first on the set and beat on Austin's leg with a chair and Austin never made any attempt at limping. Austin was stunningly bad at Wrestlemania and Rock came across super green. I remembered it a lot more fondly.

However, once you got past the head scratching booking the Backlash match was great. I have no idea what got into Austin but he was doing a mid 1990s Shawn Michaels impression here. He was diving off all sorts of stuff on the outside. He took a flip bump on the concrete floor after the Rock rolled one of those giant cases at him. Austin took a Rock Bottom through the Spanish Announce Table. He was getting thrown through the set then diving on Rock through it. I was surprised by this. Plus this match allowed The Rock to cut some corners and allowed him to cut back on the, still way too many, clotheslines. The Rock taking the headset and cutting a promo, or taking the camera and filming as Austin gave him a Stunner on the announce table. I have no idea what a Stunner on a table does, but whatever it was fun. At least he avoided a chinlock.


Resutls and Ratings

RAW is WAR 11/16/9
Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock via DQ when Undertaker hit Stone Cold in the face with a shovel at 6:00. The Rock retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating *1/2)

Wrestlemania XV
Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock via Pinfall after the Stone Cold Stunner at 16:52. Stone Cold Steve Austin won the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating **)

Backlash 1999
WWF Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated The Rock via Pinfall after Stone Cold hit The Rock with the championship belt at 17:07. Stone Cold Steve Austin retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating ***3/4)

Average Rating: **1/2

Welp that's another one in the books. Next up is a pairing that only occurred three times thus this is yet another new set up here. Not having to decide what fits and doesn't. It is also the first trip outside 1990s WWF as we set off to the land of the rising sun to check out the three times Keiji Mutoh faced off against Hiroshi Tanahashi. As always feedback is appreciated. Until next time everyone.

Defrost
July 4th, 2011, 2:49 PM
Preview of review coming later today

By 2008 Tanahashi had reached the peak of his powers. His rise coincides with New Japan hitting rock bottom. And by rock bottom I mean Brock Lesnar.

Cewsh
July 4th, 2011, 4:08 PM
Oh snap. This is going to be awesome.

Defrost
July 4th, 2011, 4:22 PM
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2186/71388513.jpg
We're back, back in the New York groove. Oh Yeah, we're back, back in the New York groove. Here we are back again for the third installment of the DRS2EBRaSAGG. It took a little while to get here, but shit happens. So let's get away from that and get to the action. For the first time we, the royal we, will be heading to the land of the rising sun. Puroresu is to be represented here today. Represented by the three matches between the 100% Ace of the Universe Hiroshi Tanahashi of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the legendary Keiji Mutoh of All Japan Pro Wrestling.


http://images.wikia.com/idomination/images/9/93/All_Japan_Pro_Wrestling.png
AJPW REALISE 2/16/05 (Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2)
Keiji Mutoh vs Hiroshi Tanahshi(New Japan Pro Wrestling)

AJPW CHAMPION'S CARNIVAL 4/7/08 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
Keiji Mutoh vs Hiroshi Tanahashi(New Japan Pro Wrestling)

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom III 1/4/09 (Tokyo Dome)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Keiji Mutoh(All Japan Pro Wrestling) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tma1NH0doEs/TMVtfhIvpEI/AAAAAAAAABo/6FkArMPODro/s1600/njpw+logo.JPG

The concepts of Senpai and kohai are important in the Japanese culture. The Senpai is the person senior to the kohai. The kohai is expected to show respect and perform duties seen beneath the Sempai. Meanwhile the Sempai is expected to take something of a mentor role. When Hiroshi Tanahashi graduated from the New Japan dojo in 1999 he was often seen seconding Mutoh as a young boy. Keiji Mutoh along with Shinya Hashimoto and Masahiro Chono were called the Three Musketeers. When Hashimoto left and Mutoh and Chono old and starting to break down NJPW looked to the future. They dubbed Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Katsuyori Shibata as the New Three Musketeers with Tanahashi in the Mutoh role.


http://www.keijimutohcentral.com/Images/20026titles.jpg

2002 was an important year for both. That was the year Keiji Mutoh jumped from New Japan to All Japan after being a major cog in the All Japan/New Japan feud following the NOAH split. It was also the year that Hiroshi Tanahashi was literally stabbed in the back by his girlfriend as described in this NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/05/style/05iht-glob5_2.html?scp=7&sq=tanahashi&st=cse). From that point on their careers went along with Mutoh trying to keep All Japan afloat and Hiroshi Tanahashi being pushed sometimes beyond where he should have been sometimes not.

At the point in time of the first match Hiroshi Tanahashi had just come off losing the U-30 title in the main event of the 1/4 Toyko Dome show against Shinsuke Nakamura which on paper was the weakest dome main event NJPW ever ran. New Japan was a sinking ship at the time due in large part to years of mismanagement from the Inoki office. Tanahashi was seen as a hot commodity. He was a huge part of this show for All Japan. A few months later he would challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Title on the biggest show Pro Wrestling NOAH ever ran in front of 55,000 in the Tokyo Dome. A match where going in most people thought he was taking that title. Meanwhile, Keiji Mutoh was fat. Like really fat. I'm not sure why. I checked to see if there was an injury issue at the time and found nothing. I mean his knees have been shot for years, too many moonsaults, but that has not stopped him from being in great shape before or since. 6 years later with even worse knees he is in great shape. So it's not that. I have no idea why he was so fat.

Tanahashi was not at the peak of his powers in 2005. He was very hit or miss at the time. This really made Mutoh's lack of conditioning in the first match an issue. Mutoh blew up quick. Tanahashi did everything he could to save it. He starts diving out of the ring, and dropping Mutoh on his head with suplex after suplex like a old King's Road style match. It wasn't enough. There are long stretches of rest holds. At least Tanahashi's Dragon Sleeper was over, but by the third time it is grating. Mutoh gathers enough energy for a few Shining Wizards and a moonsault and that is that.


http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/fishbulb-suplex/Wrestlers/Hiroshi%20Tanahashi/akbd16009.jpg?t=1242195871

By 2008 Tanahashi had reached the peak of his powers. His rise coincides with New Japan hitting rock bottom. And by rock bottom I mean Brock Lesnar. Brock Lesnar won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match in. The match blew, All of his matches in New Japan blew. Not only that there was no interest in him either. So you had lightly attended shit matches thanks to Brock and Inoki. The light at the end of this tunnel was to come on July 16, 2006 when Tanahashi was scheduled to beat Lesnar for the title. Lesnar refusing to job no showed and kept the belt. Tanahashi won the title in a tournament final against Giant Bernard and would hold the title for 9 months before embarking on an epic trilogy of matches with Yuji Nagata in 2007 that ended with him regaining the title in the blow off. He would again main event the 1/4 Dome Show against Nakamura losing again and dropping the title. Meanwhile, Mutoh was not fat and was still chugging along running his company.

This match is a great lead in to their third and final match. Mutoh was less than three weeks away from taking the IWGP Title from Nakamura, and once that happened it was basically a given that he'd be dropping it to Tanahashi going into the Dome. So going into this match everyone involved knew where everything was headed. Given that I think a perfect place to start is actually the end. The finish of their match during the Champion's Carnival, an annual tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, was Mutoh poised on the top rope ready to come off with the moonsault when the bell rang signaling the 30 minute time limit was up giving the impression that Tanahashi was saved by the bell. Fast forward 8 months to their title match. At 30 minutes in Mutoh comes off the top with the moonsault. The moonsault that won the first match and was thought to be moments away from winning the second. Tanahashi moves out of the way. He goes to the top and nails the High Fly Flow. He goes back to the top. A second High Fly Flow. New Champion of the World. Great set up there. Making it seem one way in the draw only to be shown to be something else in the biggest match of the year. Beautiful subtle stuff. It gets the big thumbs up here at DRS2EBRaSAGG.

Keiji Mutoh is one of the greatest draws in wrestling history. His biggest match was his defense of the IWGP Title in the Tokyo Dome against Nobuhiko Takada on October 9.1995. The show broke the record for the largest gate, money made on ticket sales, in wrestling history and drew a monsterous TV rating for a live special. PPV was a non entity in Japan at the time. The major theme of the match was Keiji Mutoh, pro wrestler, using Dragon Screws and the Figure Four Leg Lock to defeat Takada, faux shooter the ace of UWFi. Mutoh went to WCW in 2000 doing wacky Russo shit under his Great Muta guise with Vampiro and Sting. When he came back he had shaved his head and because of his knees worked a different style including inventing a new finisher the Shining Wizard. Mutoh is king of doing a little and making it look like a lot. In his matches with Tanahashi there are a ton of dragon screws, figure fours, and shining wizards. Yet it seems so substantive. Mixing this with Tanahashi who is great and dong his thing everything clicked in these two matches. There are like whole ten minute chunks of Dragon Screws, Shining Wizards, and Sling Blades, Tanahashi's float around Baba Lariat, and nothing else and it is awesome. Masters at work.


http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3677/njpwwrestlekingdomiiiin.jpg

The last subject of interest is the different crowds they worked in front of. All the matches did take place in Tokyo, but different buildings in Tokyo have very different feels to them. For instance Differ Ariake and the Ariake Colisuem are known for dead crowds meanwhile Korakuen Hall is known to have the hottest crowds in all of Pro Wrestling. First of all you have the attendances for the matches. The first match was in front of about 6,000 fans, the second in front of about 1,500 fans, and the third in front of about 30,000 fans. The first two matches were in front of All Japan crowds that were not fond of Tanahashi and the third in New Japan where Tanahashi was ace, but Mutoh was an all time legend. The crowds were good for all three. The best crowd was Korakuen which is a given. The Tokyo Dome had really good noise for a half full stadium. The fans in Yoyogi were not given much to work with which is fine given the fact Kawada and Kojima followed them with a MOTYC.


http://www.majhost.com/gallery/rollinman09/Stuff-5/sc9uuv.png

In the end you can see the praise I have heaped on the second third of the three matches here. Once Tanahashi came into his own he could have great matches with anyone and Mutoh is an old master who was in shape for those.

Rating and Results

AJPW REALISE 2/16/05
Keiji Mutoh defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi via Pinfall with the Moonsault Press at 18:49. (Star Rating **)

AJPW CHAMPION'S CARNIVAL 4/7/08
Keiji Mutoh fought Hiroshi Tanahashi to a draw at 30:00 when the time limit expired. (Star Rating ****)

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom III
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Keiji Mutoh via Pinfall with the High Fly Flow at 30:22. Hiroshi Tanahashi won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating ****1/4)

Average Star Rating: ***1/2

And thus ends our Oriental Odyssey. Next time we return to 1990s WWF. You may have noticed a certain wheelhouse here. We will watch matches from the Kuwati Cup, from South Africa, from Survivor Series 1996, from The Final Four, from WrestleMania 13, from Revenge of the Taker, from Raw is War, and from the Canadian Stampede. That's right. It is time to take a look at Bret Hitman Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Cewsh
July 4th, 2011, 4:54 PM
That was a great fucking read, Frosty. I had only seen the third and final match of the trilogy and was blown away by it without even being aware of the history.

Now having it in context just makes it that much crazier how good it was.

Chris
July 7th, 2011, 2:29 PM
However, once you got past the head scratching booking the Backlash match was great. I have no idea what got into Austin but he was doing a mid 1990s Shawn Michaels impression here. He was diving off all sorts of stuff on the outside. He took a flip bump on the concrete floor after the Rock rolled one of those giant cases at him. Austin took a Rock Bottom through the Spanish Announce Table. He was getting thrown through the set then diving on Rock through it. I was surprised by this. Plus this match allowed The Rock to cut some corners and allowed him to cut back on the, still way too many, clotheslines. The Rock taking the headset and cutting a promo, or taking the camera and filming as Austin gave him a Stunner on the announce table. I have no idea what a Stunner on a table does, but whatever it was fun. At least he avoided a chinlock.
I enjoyed your review of this feud and I agree about their Backlash match - Austin really had a fire lit under him, with all the bumps he took. Interesting that he didn't go balls to the wall in a setting like Wrestlemania the previous month. I think their final encounter at Wrestlemania 19 had some reflections of this match - mostly the shenanighans by The Rock. I think the dynamic between their two characters was sorely missing during their face vs face match at Wrestlemania 17.


We will watch matches from the Kuwati Cup, from South Africa, from Survivor Series 1996, from The Final Four, from WrestleMania 13, from Revenge of the Taker, from Raw is War, and from the Canadian Stampede. That's right. It is time to take a look at Bret Hitman Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin.
I look forward to your thoughts on the forgotten Austin vs Hart match at Revenge of the Taker, and the 10 man tag from Canadian Stampede. I absolutely love the latter - such an amazing atmosphere.

Defrost
July 13th, 2011, 10:27 PM
http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/fishbulb-suplex/Wrestlers/Bret%20Hart/Survivor_Series_1996_-_Bret_Hart_Vs.jpg

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend. Come inside come inside. Time to go to the fourth DRS2EBRaSAGG and it is out largest undertaking. A massive 8 matches taking a whopping 2 hours 39 minutes 16 seconds to watch. Took a few days. The subject of that marathon is the legendarily epic feud between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Subjectively it was a magnificent creative success. Objectively it set Steve Austin on the path to becoming the biggest draw in the history of Professional Wrestling. Now we, the royal we, set off on our, the royal our, own path to dissect what made this so.

Kuwait Cup 1996(Al Arabi Sports Club Arena)
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

WWF 9/14/96(Sun City Superbowl)
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Survivor Series 1996(Madison Square Garden)
To determine the #1 Contender for the World Wrestling Federation Championship
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

In Your House: Final Four(UTC Arena)
4Way Elimination Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Undertaker vs Vader(w/ Paul Bearer)

Wrestlemania 13(Rosemont Horizon)
Submission Match w/ Guest Referee Ken Shamrock
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

In Your House: Revenge of the Taker(Rochester War Memorial)
Bret Hart(w/Owen Hart, British Bulldog) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Raw is War 4/21/97(Broome County Arena)
Street Fight
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

In Your House: Canadian Stampede(Saddledome)
Hart Foundation(Bret Hart, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart, Brian Pillman) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin/Hawk/Animal/Ken Shamrock/Goldust

‪Stone Cold Calls Out Bret Hart For The First Time‬‏ - YouTube

When looking at these eight matches there are some very interesting dividing lines and transitions. Their first two, rarely seen, matches are easily seen as prototypes for what came at Survivor Series. Survivor Series has seeds for the kinds of matches worked afterwards. The roles of heels and faces are in flux over time which may mean less than one would originally think.

Their first two matches were shown on live TV. I am unsure as to where the first one was shown, the only tape is from a Coliseum Video where the match is joined in progress and Jim Ross is in mid sentence, and the second was a South Africa only telecast. You can see what Bret and Austin were working on in ostensibly House Show matches prior to everything coalescing at Survivor Series even if that was not in the cards at the time. Their first encounter was months before the famous Austin 3:16 promo. Hell it would be another three weeks before Ted Dibiase stopped being his manager. Their second match was Bret's last contracted date and he had a huge offer from WCW. So even though Austin had already begun doing promos on Bret there was no guarantee that was happening.

The first match is basically Bret Hart vs Stunning Steve Austin. Which is very different than Bret vs Stone Cold. Austin immediately submits to the Sharpshooter in match #1. However, some things remain to the second match and then on to Survivor Series. What is interesting here is not only to see how spots make their way from House Shows to tv, but the added bonus here is seeing the evolution of the Stone Cold character. In the first match like I said he is basically Stunning Steve. He does his cheap heel antics you'd see in WCW. Some of this does continue over to their second match, but there is far less generic heel stuff and far more aggression. You don't see begging off or the disingenuous hand shake for instance. You lose the petulant reaction to the crowd in favor of jaw jacking with them. By the time of Survivor Series the Stone Cold character is the one we know and love and already getting cheered. Watching the matches it is interesting what stayed and what went. The limb work on the arm of Stone Cold is present in the first three matches. As well as Austin cheaping his way out of a test of strength by sucker kicking Bret. A spot that would be subverted during the Canadian Stampede 10 Man Tag when Bret did it to Austin to a huge pop. Everything Bret did got a huge pop in that match. There is a cool spot in the second and third matches where Bret is set up for a suplerplex, but reverses it to a Gordbuster then comes off the top with his usual second rope elbow. This was a real high spot in the second match which was really nothing more than a high end House Show match. Good not great. Not as much put into it as Survivor Series.

There is one spot that deserves special discussion. A spot these two fell in love with. A spot performed in all eight of these matches. The dreaded Jawbreaker. In every match Bret Hart puts Stone Cold in the Sleeper Hold only to get his jaw broke. You'd think that after the first 7 times he would have learned his lesson. Nope. Jawbreaker.


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Their Survivor Series match was not as good as I remembered it. There is a lack of focus on the submission story they seem to be booked to tell. Vince and Ross go on and on about Austin wanting to beat Bret via submission yet Austin never goes for any submission holds. Only near the end are there a few generic attempts before the famous finish of the Million Dollar Dream reversal. I'm not sure if Austin and Bret were unaware of plans, if they called it in the ring and it just happened, or they overpushed it to set up the finish, but it is major flaw. Obviously the submission theme carries on to Wrestlemania, a gimmick Austin was not in favor of, however there is another important thing that carried on far beyond that. Crowd brawling. Survivor Series starts out with the aforementioned arm work on Austin. Then Austin gets the heat with the Stun Gun until Bret makes his comeback. Bret makes his comeback by clotheslining Austin over the guardrail into the crowd. Bret torn down the guardrail and went after Austin in a brief flurry. This was expanded up at Final Four. A match that also was not as good as I remembered. The guys involved didn't really seem to know how to work it. Kevin Dunn didn't seem to know how to direct it. There is TNA level shit camera work going on in this one. Not to mention every elimination is over the top rope which I was not a fan of. Plus Taker botches the Stone Cold Stunner in an epic fashion. The crowd brawl in question is once again instigated by Bret Hart. This time though he does it to Vader clotheslining him over the guardrail. Which is sorta odd. One wouldn't really expect Bret Hart to be manhandling Big Van Vader. Oh well. The apex of the crowd brawling, and the apex of the series, is at Wrestlemania 13. After Austin crotches Bret on the guardrail he clotheslines him into the stands and the first epic crowd brawl of the Attitude Era begins. I was under the impression that Austin changed his wrestling style, and being the top guy the promotion's style, after his injury. Continually playing off his most famous match ala Keiji Mutoh as reference in the previous review. However, you see brawls into the crowd, or the stands in the case of the lightly attended Revenge of the Taker, from Survivor Series on except for on Raw which was more an angle than a match and Canadian Stampede could be looked at as Bruce Hart just being his normal jackass self. What's interesting about that is that the style of the early Attitude Era could be mostly attributed to Bret Hart. The pure wrestler who was about to take off. I mean even Montreal starts off with a giant brawl. Going through late 1996-1997 you can see that the style given credit to Austin for leaves Bret shortchanged. He was the one that brought this out. It's amazing the things you can learn.


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At Survivor Series Ross and Vince were begging the fans to hate Stone Cold. It was sorta comical. Especially since MSG was into him. Obviously the payoff to the growing Steve Austin love was the greatest double turn in Pro Wrestling history at Wrestlemania 13. That match is one of the greatest of all time. Everything going on makes sense. Bret attacks the injured knee, more on this later, of Stone Cold. Stone Cold tries to beat the shit out of Bret and get the Sharpshooter on him, more on this later as well. There was some subtle stuff going on here. Austin finally nailing a superplex, a babyface spot, Bret using the eye rake Austin had been using to get out of the Sharpshooter, and Bret trying to Pillmanize Stone Cold. Bret gets the heat and Austin is making babyface comebacks which were great. Stunningly great, pardon the pun, given that Austin had never been a babyface ever. He was a heel in Dallas. He was a heel in WCW. He was a heel in ECW. He was a heel his entire time in the WWF. Hell he worked heel in New Japan too. So pulling off a babyface turn is even more of an accomplishment looking back on it. Although acting heelish was not a way to lose babyface cred at the time either. At Canadian Stampede The Hart Foundation do not work babyface. The crowd is head over heels in love with them. Other than a goofy angle taking Austin and Owen out this is a great great match enhanced by an amazing crowd. Pillman is great. Bret is great. The match flows and everyone is with it. Like I said the weird knee injury deal is the major issue with it.

‪(HQ) 3/31/1997 Stone Cold Steve Austin talks about Bret Hart‬‏ - YouTube

Speaking of knees Stone Cold blew his knee out at Final Four when he was backdropped over the top by Undertaker. Bret attacks the knee at Mania. Vicious chair shots onto the knee brace. Busting out the figure four leg lock around the ring post. Then the famous bloody Sharpshooter finish. Revenge of the Taker is all about knees. Bret Hart once he gets the heat after Austin kicks the hell out of him in the early part of the match focuses on the knee. You get the normal everyday elbow drops on the knee and leg stretching and stomping and whatnot. You get the smashing against the ringpost. the figure four around it and many chair shots. All during this Austin keeps throwing brief flurries reminiscent of Ricky Steamboat. Steamboat's theory of babyface selling is that a babyface has to be trying the whole time or look bad. He can't lay there and get beaten on. That is how Austin works this which makes a ton of sense. His most common opponent in WCW was Ricky Steamboat. They feuded over every title in that company except the World Title. Bret rips the brace off of Austin's injured leg and goes for the Sharpshooter. This turns out to be a big mistake because Austin is able to use it as a weapon and get Bret into the Sharpshooter causing the run in giving Austin his one win in this feud. After the match Austin bangs Bret's knee with the chair and reapplies the Sharpshooter until he is torn off and Bret is carried away by Owen and Bulldog. This is a great and focused match. Austin is the babyface brawler and Bret is now a cheating wrestler looking to twist and turn the babyface's weak point into something much worse. I loved the brace coming back to haunt Bret. I loved Austin getting Bret in the Sharpshooter. I loved that they were so good the match genuinely felt like they were trying to hurt each other. Of the 8 matches only their Wrestlemania match the month before is better which is amazing given that Bret had been a face for 9 years and Austin a heel his entire career.


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The irony of Bret working over Austin's bum knee is that Bret needed knee surgery. Their match the night after Revenge of the Taker is the angle that was to explain why Bret would be in a wheelchair for awhile. It starts off with Owen and Bulldog joining Bret in a Triple Team until Shawn Michaels runs in with a steel chair setting up Shawn and Austin vs Owen and Bulldog. Then Bret gets the chair to Pillmanize Austin ala Wrestlemania and misses and gets hit in the knee with the chair ala the night before. Austin opens up on Bret with the chair and then put Bret in the Sharpshooter which for unknown reasons causes all the refs to run out and throw out the Street Fight. It was a fun 8 minutes.

‪Steve Austin attacks Bret Hart on his way to the hospital 4/21/1997‬‏ - YouTube

Eight matches and not a dud in the bunch.

Ratings and Results

Kuwait Cup 1996
Bret Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via submission with the Sharpshooter.(Star Rating: **)

WWF 9/14/96
Bret Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via pinfall with a small package at 19:55.(Star Rating: ***1/4)

Survivor Series 1996
Bret Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via pinfall with a bridging pin reversal at 28:36.(Star Rating:****1/4)

Final Four
Bret Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin, Vader, Undertaker via last eliminating Undertaker over the top rope at 24:05. Bret Hart won the World Wrestling Federation Championship.(Star Rating ***)

Wrestlemania 13
Bret Hart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via Austin losing consciousness while in the Sharpshooter.(Star Rating *****)

Revenge of the Taker
Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Bret Hart via DQ when Owen Hart and British Bulldog interfered and attacked Austin.(Star Rating:****3/4)

Raw is War 4/21/97
Bret Hart fought Stone Cold Steve Austin to a No Contest when a bunch of refs randomly run in at about 8:00.(Star rating:**1/2)

Canadian Stampede
Hart Foundation defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin/Hawk/Animal/Ken Shamrock/Goldust via pinfall when Owen Hart school boyed Stone Cold at 24:31(Star Rating:****1/2)

Average Star Rating: ***3/4

And that is a wrap on the most epic of all the DRS2EBRaSAGGs yet. Next time it will be back to a paltry three matches. Next time will also be the first trip to the NWA and that murky time called the 1980s. NEXT ON DRS2EBRaSAGG: Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in 1989.

Defrost
July 20th, 2011, 6:46 PM
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To be the man you have got to beat the man. Diamonds are forever and so is DRS2EBRaSAGG. In 1989 Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat embarked on a series of matches over the NWA World Title. Three of these matches were televised. Two on pay per view and the other on the Superstation TBS. The above mentioned matches are considered three of the greatest matches of all time, and have gained legendary status by virtue of coming one after another in a matter of a few months. Pretty interesting given that not many people actually saw the matches as they happened. But DRS2EBRaSAGG has seen them. So away we go.


Chi-Town Rumble(UIC Pavilion)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair(w/Hiro Matsuda) vs Ricky Steamboat

Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun(Superdome)
Two Out of Three Falls Match/NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat vs Ric Flair

Wrestlewar 1989:Music City Showdown(Nashville Municipal Auditorium)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat vs Ric Flair

In late 1988 George Scott became the booker of World Championship Wrestling. George Scott had been fired as booker of the World Wrestling Federation. According to Bret Hart in his autobiography this was due to disputes with Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper. In late 1988 Dusty Rhodes was fired as booker after booking Ric Flair to lose the title at Starrcade to Ric Steiner in less than 5 minutes. Dusty and Flair were in a political battle behind the scenes and Flair won which ended with Dusty Rhodes wearing polka dots for Vince McMahon. This was just after Jim Crockett Promotions was bought by Ted Turner. Crockett had gone through a lot of money consolidating the NWA into his promotion and going to war with Vince McMahon and Titan Sports. When the war was lost Crockett was broke. However, Turner wanted wrestling on TBS and since Crockett and Vince were the only promoters left in the country basically he bought Crockett out. And that is how for all practical purposes the NWA became WCW. Ricky Steamboat had originally been brought in to Jim Crockett Promotions in 1977 by George Scott who was booker. Then when Scott was WWF booker Steamboat showed up there. And finally with Scott in WCW Steamboat was brought back to feud with Ric Flair.


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Dusty Rhodes' booking badly hurt JCP. When JCP tried to leave the South and go National their best market was Chicago. Chicago home of the Road Warriors. Starrcade 1987 emanated from Chicago. The main event was Flair vs Garvin in name, but Arn and Tully vs The Road Warriors in reality. The Road Warriors lost. That killed the town. It wasn't until the nWo that the company would draw there again. Then there was the ubiquitous Dusty Finish. The finish to the match in Chicago, first issue on the drawing front, was a very smart takedown of the Dusty Finish. Referee Tommy Young gets bumped. Teddy Long counts the fall for Steamboat. So everyone expects Young to reverse it, but he raises Steamboat's arm as well. George Scott's booking hurt too despite that clever finish. He believed the most important thing were the house shows. If you could see important stuff on tv why would you leave the house. So Clash of the Champions VI was not promoted. They only drew 5,500 to a 65,000 seat building. It drew the lowest tv rating of the first 6 Clashes. That got him fired and replaced by Ric Flair.


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The thing that sticks out from these matches above all else is how we'll these two build drama. The matches were very compelling and not what you'd expect in a lot of ways. A lot of the normal Ric Flair schtick is missing from these matches. No one is in control for long periods of time. They seemed very equal. There were back and forth chop battles. Steamboat made Flair submit. Steamboat was great selling the leg. And the way he injured it in the third match was great. Flair coming off the top with the crossbody. Rolling through for the bad leg cradle instead of falling on top. Everything that happened in these three match fed into the notion that these two were neck and neck for the greatest wrestler.

Jim Ross was horrible announcing these matches. Listen I know part of Ross's gimmick was burying the competition. He did it to the NWA to the WWF to WCW. He was so over the top insufferable with it especially in the first match that it was Michael Cole/Matt Striker annoying. Going on and on over and over about how no one is posing to rock music. The first time was fine. The second time was eye rolling. The third time was infuriating. We got it Jim. This is where wrestlers wrestle and all that happy horseshit. Thankfully Terry Funk was able to defuse him a bit in the second match.

Results and Ratings

Chi-Town Rumble
Ricky Steamboat defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair via pinfall with a cradle at 23:18. Ricky Steamboat won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship(Star Rating: ****3/4)

Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
Fall One: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat via pinfall with an inside cradle at 19:33
Fall Two: NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat defeated Ric Flair via submission with the Double Arm Chicken Wing at 34:14
Fall Three: NWA World Champion Ricky Steamboat defeated Ric Flair via pinfall with the Double Arm Chicken Wing at 55:32
Ricky Steamboat retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship(Star Rating:****1/2)

Wrestlewar 1989:Music City Showdown
Ric Flair defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat via pinfall with a cradle at 31:31. Ric Flair won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship(Star Rating:*****)

Average Star Ratings: ****3/4

And that ends our first trip down south. Next time we return to the 1990s. We also return to Japan. Specifically our first trip to Giant Baba's All Japan. Next time: Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada.

Cewsh
July 20th, 2011, 6:59 PM
There is nothing I like better than to just read Frosty talking about wrestling history.

Another enjoyable read, though light on actual talk about Steamboat and Flair perhaps.

Defrost
July 20th, 2011, 7:01 PM
There is nothing I like better than to just read Frosty talking about wrestling history.

Another enjoyable read, though light on actual talk about Steamboat and Flair perhaps.

Honestly couldn't come up with anything other than, "Those matches were really good" I had these matches watched by Saturday.

Cewsh
July 20th, 2011, 7:02 PM
Fair enough man, certainly been there.

Those matches are fucking good.

Torn
July 20th, 2011, 7:22 PM
As I have mentioned in the MSN chats I really enjoy reading these Frosty, good work.

Hero!
July 20th, 2011, 7:57 PM
Defrost, your reviews don't suck.

Thats as close to a compliment as you're gonna get from me.

DDT
July 20th, 2011, 8:18 PM
Can't wait for Kobashi/Kawada.

takerson
July 20th, 2011, 9:02 PM
Really good stuff 'frost. :yes:

I've never seen the Chi-Town or Clash matches, but the WrestleWar '89 match is fantastic... and their 2 matches in 1994 are phenomenal as well. I recommend those. Spring Stampede 1994, and the rematch like a week later on free TV.

Chris
July 21st, 2011, 10:04 AM
Defrost, your overview of Austin vs Hart was terrific. I love how you pulled all the interesting ironies and themes. I especially liked your point about Austin's surprising transition to working as a face, considering the extent to which he had worked as a heel prior to that.

Ringo
July 21st, 2011, 10:24 AM
Great stuff from Defrost. The Bret/Austin post is particularly compelling. Looking forward to Kobashi/Kawada. :yes:

Defrost
July 21st, 2011, 2:21 PM
Thanks guys

Cewsh
July 21st, 2011, 2:22 PM
YOU SUCK DEFORST

Defrost
July 21st, 2011, 2:31 PM
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh

Vice
July 21st, 2011, 2:48 PM
Not bad for a microwave button.

As I've said numerous times over the years, you're one of the best people here when you type more than two lines. :heart:

Defrost
July 28th, 2011, 10:18 PM
Here are the matches reviewed next. Bonus points to whomever figures out why these four.

AJPW 1/19/95 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 1/24/95 (Yamagata City Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

AJPW 10/15/95 (Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 10/18/96 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada

Cewsh
July 28th, 2011, 10:29 PM
:hyper:

DDT
July 28th, 2011, 10:36 PM
Here are the matches reviewed next. Bonus points to whomever figures out why these four.

AJPW 1/19/95 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi

Kawada's first and only successful title defense until after the split;widely regarded as the greatest one hour match in history.


AJPW 1/24/95 (Yamagata City Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

Famous match that aired eight times.



AJPW 10/15/95 (Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi

One of the three greatest matches in All Japan history, which makes it one of the greatest of all time. Some (including me) think it's the greatest tag match of all time.


AJPW 10/18/96 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada

No idea, honestly. What's so important about this one, Frosty?

Defrost
July 28th, 2011, 10:43 PM
Kawada's first and only successful title defense until after the split;widely regarded as the greatest one hour match in history.



Famous match that aired eight times.




One of the three greatest matches in All Japan history, which makes it one of the greatest of all time. Some (including me) think it's the greatest tag match of all time.



No idea, honestly. What's so important about this one, Frosty?

On the third one I think you are thinking 6/9/95. As a spoiler 6/3/94, 6/9/95, and the final of the 1996 Real World Tag League are going to be a review someday in the far flung future.


These four matches are the only 60 minute draws Baba booked in the 1990s. All and four involved Kobashi and Kawada being on opposite sides.

DDT
July 28th, 2011, 10:44 PM
So it is! Silly me.

Defrost
July 30th, 2011, 8:47 PM
Preview of upcoming review


Foolish Kobashi goes all raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah again. Chop right to the fucking throat. You sell god damn it.

Defrost
July 30th, 2011, 10:13 PM
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Here DRS2EBRaSAGG goes again on its own. Down the only road its ever known. And that road leads to Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling. This time DRS2EBRaSAGG takes a look at all four 60 minute draws to occur in 1990s All Japan. As a bonus all four involved perhaps the two greatest wrestlers of all time, Kenta Kobashi and Toshiaki Kawada, facing off. As a further bouns Mitsuharu Misawa pops up and he may be the best wrestler ever. We are inundated with maybes here on this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.


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AJPW 1/19/95 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 1/24/95 (Yamagata City Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

AJPW 10/15/95 (Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 10/18/96 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada

These reviews usually start out talking up some back story or intricate psychology going on. Fuck that. Let's talk throat chops. Kenta Kobashi is famous for his chops. Toshiaki Kawada for his kicks. Mitsuharu Misawa for his elbows. That is not to say Kawada would not chop the shit out of you. In the first two matches Kobashi and Kawada would go back and forth with short arm chops then throw their opponent off the ropes into a chop. When Kawada did this to Kobashi instead of selling it Kobashi went all raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah and screamed in Kawada's face. This did not please Kawada. You sell for Kawada or Kawada will make you sell. That poor bastard ended up getting chopped right in his fucking throat. Here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ there was much laughter. Then a mere five days later Kawada whips Kobashi into the ropes. Then comes the chop. Foolish Kobashi goes all raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah again. Chop right to the fucking throat. You sell god damn it. Although that was probably better than the bloody ear stomping he took in their second Triple Crown 60 minute match.


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This would probably be a good place to explain what a Triple Crown is and what was going on in All Japan in the 1990s. The Triple Crown was formed when it became obvious as to the fate of the NWA. Once JCP consolidated all the NWA territories All Japan ceasesd getting dates on the champion. So they entered an agreement with the AWA that ended when Stan Hansen ran over the AWA World Title belt with his pickup truck and mailed it to Verne Gagne. So they needed to create their own World Title. So on April 18, 1989 Jumbo Tsuruta the NWA International Heavyweight Champion defeated Stan Hansen the PWF Heavyweight Champion and NWA United National Champion to unify the three titles to create the Triple Crown. The first major feud over the Triple Crown was Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu. Then a money mark gave Tenryu a bucket full of money to start his own promotion. So they need a new foil for Jumbo. That man was Mitsuharu Misawa. Misawa's Super Generation Army, which included Kawada and Kobashi, feuded with Jumbo's Army, which included Akira Taue, until Jumbo was diagnosed with Hep B and his career was basically over. So now Misawa needed a new foil. Kawada and Taue had a number of bloody brawling type matches. Then at the Champion's Carnival in 1993 they had a regular All Japan style match that ended with them shaking hands and forming The Holy Demon Army. Kawada stopped teaming with Misawa and became his #1 foe leading to a Misawa and Kobashi against Kawada and Taue rivalry. Also the Tag Titles were created the same way as the Triple Crown. The PWF Tag Champs Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu beat the NWA International Tag Champs The Road Warriors to unify the titles to create the AJPW World Tag Team Titles.


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There are certain things you have to do to go 60 minutes even with the best of cardio. Unless your name is KENTA or Naomichi Marufuji it is not the kind of match where you can go at a breakneck pace the entire way. Even in the first Kobashi vs Kawada draw, which is the best 60 minute match I have ever seen, you get the ubiquitous side headlocks and head scissors to kill some time. The first two matches are most similar in the gimmicks used to kill some time. Which makes sense in that they came 5 days apart, but is a little counter intuitive given one is a singles match and the other is a tag. They use moves that were over like a sleeper or a stretch plum to kill oodles of time. There is a lot of leg work in the first two matches that led to long sequences involving half crabs and the figure four. The figure four served a dual purpose in the two singles matches. It killed time as well as put over Kobashi being the man with the most brute strength which was another theme. Kobashi would just run over Kawada, or do a delayed vertical suplex for instance. In the figure four there would be struggle sequences where Kobashi would drag Kawada away from the ropes and vice versa. What they're really great at is the bursts of action. These burst eventually became the head dropping fighting spirit style. By the last match you can really see it evolving to that with Kobashi now using his lariat as a finish, guess he got sick of the knees destroying moonsault not working, and the popping up after head drop suplexes. The problem with that last match is that all the both guys laying down selling spots that are super boring. Especially when you are really tired watching the match at 3 in the morning. Another great thing Kawada and Kobashi did in the first two match was getting the crowd going with staredowns. You get them circling each other and a collar and elbow. Then Kawada would do something to piss Kobashi off. The crowd would pop. There would be a staredown and the crowd would go apeshit. They did next to nothing for two minutes and had the crowd the whole time.


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The 10/15/95 match is weird. First it should be noted that this is the rematch of what many consider the greatest match of all time on 6/9/95. Here is the cliffnotes on that one. Kobashi has a bum knee. Kawada and Taue exploit that. With Kobashi out of the picture they beat the crap out of Misawa until he stays down. Back to the match reviewed here. Kenta Kobashi works like 45 minutes of it. Misawa is taken out by a Taue chokeslam off the apron and then a DDT to the exposed concrete. At first I assumed it would be the reverse of 6/9/95 and the idea would be to be at down Kobashi as Misawa can't help him. He is not seen again until about 25 minutes in. Then he never stays in for to long and is clutching at his chest the whole time. His chest is never worked on in the match so I guess it is a legit injury. Then I thought the idea was for Kobashi and Taue to work most of the first half and Kawada and Misawa the second. It was mostly Kobashi which is nothing to complain about since he's great it is just that Misawa standing on the apron for 20 minutes after laying on the floor for 20 minutes is odd. Although it did lead to a great Kobsahi reaction.


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Kenta Kobashi has the best facial expressions in the history of pro wrestling. The look of incredulous betrayal that Kawada would use a rope break to kick him is amazing. He could not believe that someone would do that. Or the look on his face after Taue chokeslammed Misawa off the apron. The look of, you hurt my friend and now you will die, is something to be seen. Then there is Kobashi looking like the walking dead after Kawada managed to actually powerbomb him. Kenta Kobashi is the king of backdropping guys trying to powerbomb him, but after a couple dozen gamengiris it is hard to fight it off anymore I guess. Then Kobashi's frantic desperate crawling to the ropes to try and avoid that one last huge move is just fantastic selling of the situation. The selling of these guys is great. And it is not just limb stuff. Like he kicked me in the leg now I must limp. No the selling here is selling the exertion of energy and selling the beating and selling how little they have left but are still fighting. It is dramatic as hell.


Results and Ratings

AJPW 1/19/95
Triple Crown Champion Toshiaki Kawada fought Kenta Kobashi to a draw at 60:00 when the time limit expired. Toshiaki Kawada retained the Triple Crown Championship (Star Rating: *****)

AJPW 1/24/95
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi fought The Holy Demon Army to a draw at 60:00 when the time limit expired. Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi retained the AJPW World Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ****3/4)

AJPW 10/15/95
AJPW World Tag Team Champions The Holy Demon Army fought Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi to a draw at 60:00 when the time limit expired. The Holy Demon Army retained the AJPW World Tag Team Championship (Star Rating ****1/4)

AJPW 10/18/96
Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi fought Toshiaki Kawada to a draw at 60:00 when the time limit expired. Kenta Kobashi retained the Triple Crown Championship. (***1/2)

Average Star Rating: ****1/4

Thus ends another foreign excursion. Next time will be a special edition of the DRS2EBRaSAGG. Instead of reviewing all those highfalutin ppv matches or high profile TV stuff or famous foreign matches we instead will be going to a staple of the youth of any WWF fan of the mid 1980s to the early 1990s. Next up: Coliseum Video Presents Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels.

PS a review of New Japan's Dominion PPV is forthcoming in Cewsh Reviews

Cewsh
July 30th, 2011, 11:21 PM
WOOO we got a plug in DRS2EBRaSAGG! Fucking awesome. :D

This was great stuff, too. I was just relating the history of this to Psycho, and he, and everyone else, would benefit from reading this for a more in depth look.

Defrost
August 3rd, 2011, 7:38 PM
http://users.zoominternet.net/~Duday/wwf/coliseumvideo.jpg

It began over 5,000 years ago when civilization was young...

Every major culture, Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, Japan, studied it, practiced it, perfected it to a fine art
They admired its Olympian demands: strength, speed, agility, skill, grace and courage.
They did it to honor their gods...
They did it to honor their kings...
They did it to train their soldiers...
They did it to compete...
and they did it for fun...
It has come down through the ages to us today...
It is...
DRS2EBRaSAGG

Invasion of the Body Slammers (Syracuse War Memorial)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels(w/ Sensational Sherri)

Rampage 1992 (Ottawa Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels(w/ Sensational Sherri)

Grudges, Gripes, and Grunts (Worcester Centrum)
WWF Heavyweight Champion Macho Man Randy Savage/WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs Ric Flair(w/Mr Perfect)/Shawn Michaels(w/ Sensational Sherri)

Smack'em Whack'em (Portland Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels(w/ Sensational Sherri)

Bret "The Hitman" Hart (Utica War Memorial)
Steel Cage Match
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels

Hits From the Heartbreak Kid (Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium)
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels(w/Diesel)

‪Coliseum Video Intro‬‏ - YouTube

I may have made a mistake here. Nostalgia and all that stuff may have led to a rose colored glasses situation. I can remember heading to the local VHS rental establishment and being so excited to see the newest Coliseum Video. These were the days of Superstars and Wrestling Challenge and all their squash matches being the only wrestling I got. The only time actually stars wrestled was on Pay Per View four times a year. I remember first seeing the ladder match reviewed herein in clips during the Making Some Noise music video they made for Bret Hart after he won the WWF Championship. It shows Shawn being slingshotted into the ladder. I had no idea what was going on there. Being 7 years old at the time I desperately needed to find out what was going in here. Fast forward a bit and low and behold I run across a WWF Tape in the Toys R Us on Route 4 in Paramus New Jersey. On the cover of the video are Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels fighting on a ladder.


http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x310/The_Ultimate_Wrestling_Gallery/Shawn%20Michaels/ShawnMichaels022.jpg

Well watching these many years later is sorta like watching Voltron or Thundercats. My memories are a lot better than what things actually are. Although the ladder match is quite good. Best match of the bunch here. The only good match reviewed here. The rest are house show matches worked at marathon tapings where the wrestlers work more than once. The first and last matches are the biggest offenders there. Not much happens. Very short to begin with then adding long arm bars and chinlocks. Getting a little outside interference from Sherri and Diesel respectively and that is all you get. The second match is basically the exact same as the first. You have the same exact arm work. The same spot of Sherri nailing Bret with a forearm to the throat. The same comeback by Bret getting the feet up in the corner out of a wacky Shawn Michaels pirouette and hitting him with a second rope clotheline. That spot makes it into every single match. What sets the second match apart from the first is the extra 5 minutes it gets. As boring as the first 8 minutes are the last 5 are quite great. The finish is long and great sequence of pinfalls and reversals. Small packages and backslides and schoolboys and whatnot until Shawn drops Bret with the reverse crescent kick. This leads to a awesome reversal of the Teardrop Suplex, which really is an awful looking thing, into a sunset flip. This outrages Sensational Sherri who jumps up on the apron, but in a shocking twist Bret moves out of the way and Shawn runs into her leaving him open to a schoolboy and the lost. That is also the finish of the tag match. A dream tag match looking at the names involved. Not that good. Bret is barely in it. Shawn sorta meanders and Flair is doing his Flair act. The guy who does his damnedest to save it is Macho Man Randy Savage, but even as great as he is that was not enough.

‪you gotta be bold to wear the gold!‬‏ - YouTube

The ladder match was booked as a proof of concept, and it shows. They work a ton harder in this match than in any of the others. The idea was that if Summerslam 1992 was in England, as it was, the IC Title match would be Bret vs Bulldog. If not it would be Bret vs Shawn. Bret pitched a ladder match for Summerslam if it was with Shawn and this match was booked to prove to Vince McMahon that it could work. There is a lot here that would wind up in the Shawn vs Razor match at Wrestlemania X. Like the finish for instance and the consternation of Bret Hart. What is especially good about this match and great in the Mania X match is the psychology. These days you have guys taking 20 minutes just to set up tables or ladder bridges for ridiculous Rube Goldberg-esque spots instead of trying to actual win the match. Novel concept right? This match is all about beating your man down and the second you see an opportunity scramble up the ladder and grab the belt. It is old school and refreshing all at the same time. Of a somewhat similar interest is the cage match. The cage match is not particularly good, but there are spots that find their way into the great Bret vs Owen cage match. Most notably the finish is recycled much like the ladder match.


http://cdn3.iofferphoto.com/img/item/119/814/489/avDh.jpg

Mike McGuirk! That woman's hair. And clothes. And everything about her. It is just so wacky. Also wacky are the announcing teams. You got Gorilla and Ross. Ross and Heenan. Hayes and Mooney. Gorilla and Hayes. Gorilla and Lane. And the best announce team Gorilla Monsoon and Johnny "Don't Call Me Raven" Polo. I have seen Coliseum Video matches where they are the announce team before. Always surreal. However, the cage match takes the cake. Whether it be Gorilla trying to pry the secret of Johnny Polo's Philadelphia Phillies fandom out. Or Polo and Monsoon discussing what rules in wrestling they want to see changed. Or Polo forgetting that he managed the Quebecers and burying Canada and then trying to walk it back. It was just awesome and helped prop up a boring match. A boring cage match. Between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Sigh, Coliseum Video. I feel like my childhood was raped. Damn you George Lucas.

Results and Ratings

Invasion of the Body Slammers
Shawn Michaels defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart via countout at 8:50. Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star rating: *)

Rampage 1992
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart defeated Shawn Michaels via pinfall with a schoolboy at 13:31 Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (**)

Grudges, Gripes, and Grunts
WWF Heavyweight Champion Macho Man Randy Savage/WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair/Shawn Michaels via pinfall when Savage used a schoolboy on Shawn Michaels at 17:16 (Star Rating **1/2)

Smack'em Whack'em
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart defeated Shawn Michaels via retrieving the belt at 13:46. Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Bret Hart defeated Shawn Michaels when he escaped the cage at 11:36(Star Rating: **)

Hits From the Heartbreak Kid
Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart via Disqualification when Owen Hart ran in at 7:42(Star Rating: *1/4)

Average Rating: **

And there you have. A trip to my youth. Now it is time for a trip to when I became a teenager. A time where I would stay up until the wee hours on a Friday night to watch a wrestling show. A wrestling show that was rebellious. A wrestling show that was extreme. It is time to add ECW to the list of promotions covered. Next: Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn

takerson
August 3rd, 2011, 8:44 PM
GREAT stuff about the Bret/Shawn matches. Coliseum Video was great though, all those house show matches. Sure, they weren't great.... but it was still cool to see the rare stuff.

Monsoon & Johnny Polo's commentary during the HBK/Jannetty cage match is fucking GOLDEN.

RVD vs. Jerry Lynn FTW!

Just their PPV Matches?

Living Dangerously '99
Hardcore Heaven '99
Hardcore Heaven '00
Guilty As Charged '01

I assume?

Maybe you'll include their TNA match from Destination X this year. :)

Defrost
August 3rd, 2011, 8:53 PM
Just the ECW PPV matches is the plan

Defrost
August 7th, 2011, 7:32 PM
http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/257/036/6_display_image.png?1276416229

In this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG we, the royal we, take our first look at Extreme Championship Wrestling. Back in the day we, the royal we, were huge fans of ECW. And of Rob Van Dam in particular. This is back in the day when Rob Van Dam was at his athletic peak and was in a promotion that had a competent booker. Unlike say now. Back then he was compared to Shawn Michaels and that was a big dream match. WWE squandered that one. Anyway off that digression and on to the review.

Living Dangerously 1999 (Asbury Park Convention Center)
ECW World Television Championship
ECW World Television Champion/ECW World Tag Team Champion Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) vs Jerry Lynn

Hardcore Heaven 1999 (Mid-Hudson Civic Center)
ECW World Television Championship/No Time Limit
ECW World Television Champion Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) vs Jerry Lynn

Hardcore Heaven 2000 (The Rave)
Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso & Scott Anton) vs Jerry Lynn

Guilty As Charged 2001 (Hammerstein Ballroom)
Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn (w/Cyrus)


http://www.freewebs.com/wwe4life12/ecwtvtitle.jpg

While there is a choreographed quality to some of it there are some amazing sequences of moves in these matches. Given the participants involved such things have a very low margin of error going on. Everything is flawless in the first match. Past that it gets sketchy. For instance in the first match you get a sequence where Jerry Lynn goes for his piledriver which is reversed into a bridging pin by RVD stood up upon by Lynn into a DDT which is blocked into a Northern Lights Suplex attempt by RVD which is Lynn floats over to hit a reverse DDT onto a steel chair. Or the Tornado DDT countered into a Northern Lights into a DDT which the Northern Lights works in the second match or the ridiculous sequence in the third match that goes Tornado DDT into Northern Lights into DDT into a ducked high kick into a double clothesline spot and in the last match it goes Tornado DDT into Northern Lights into reverse DDT into snapmare. Got all that? Anyway like I said this is done brilliantly in the first match. Everything looks great. Plus the booking of that first match is perfect. When the match begins no one cares about Jerry Lynn. He is the heavy underdog. He dominates the early part of the match partially with awesome moves sequences as mentioned above. Or something like powerbombing RVD out of the corner onto a chair after avoiding the monkey flip. Which happens in every match. Which given how all the reversals and such evolve you'd think he'd learn. Anyway the match is so great and Lynn looks so good that the crowd starts to chant New Fucking Show at him as a take off of RVD's Whole Fucking Show. This leads to a funny moment when RVD kicks a chair into Lynn's face as he was perched on the top rope which causes him to fall to the floor and through a table. You can hear someone in the crowd say, "I guess you're not the new show no more". The booking was great even up to the point where after the time limit expired the ref wanted to award the match and the title to Jerry Lynn. Lynn asks for five more minutes which is just long enough to catch a chair thrown in by Alfonso, walk into the Van Daminator, and eat a Five Star Frog Splash for the loss.


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4M1RS_iZ_cg/SnaGmeblXxI/AAAAAAAAAKs/pPLxuPfkP1g/s320/ecw+living+dangerously.jpg

While the first match is perfect there are issues with the others. First red flag is that there is hardway blood in all of them. The biggest surprise there is that Lynn is the one causing RVD to bleed more often than not. Except one major event. The second match starts as great as the first one was. You get more elaborate sequences of moves until you get to RVD kicking a crotched Lynn to the floor ala the aforementioned table spot. The problem is that due to some action outside the ring the mats had separated and Lynn landed face first on the concrete knocking himself out. The match dies for a while here as RVD tries to kill time until Lynn wakes up. Then things get sloppy. Although to their credit there is some awesome stuff here. Playing off a tornado DDT to a table on the floor for instance. A table that RVD's head just bounced off of since the table didn't break in that first match. In the second Lynn goes for it but ends up clotheslined back into the ring leading to the famous sunset flip powerbomb putting RVD through the table. That came after the genius idea of RVD reversing Lynn's Frankensteiner into a backdrop off the top to the floor after Lynn already had a cracked skull.


http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/3002/296345-debut_show___rvd_goes_through_table_super.jpg

Let's talk about the manager of champions. The man who calls it right down the middle. Mr Bill Alfonso. If you really think about it RVD was a total heel. He was super arrogant and had a manager that constantly interfered. He was beloved anyway. Alfonso was booked as the difference maker for RVD a lot of the time. Throwing the chair to RVD's opponent who would then walk into a Van Daminator much like Lynn did to lose their first match. Lynn smartened up in the second and third matches by throwing the chair right back in Alfonso's face. The issue with the third match is the insane amount of interference though. Not from Alfonso. The third match was RVD's return from breaking his leg and the Network angle was in full swing. So Network representative Cyrus had everyone and their mother run in. Then Scotty Anton, the Marty Jannetty of the American Males think about that one, turned on RVD giving Lynn the win. Overbooked even by ECW standards.


http://pwa.wrestlingx.net/wrestlerimages/gallery/bill_alfonso1.jpg

The last match was the last match. It was the last match on the last ECW PPV. Rhino had just beaten Sandman, who was conned into a match by Cyrus after winning a ladder match, for the ECW World Title. Cyrus challenges anyone to face Rhino right then and there and RVD makes his surprise return. RVD had bailed since his checks were bouncing. This match has what you'd expect. RVD bleeding hardway. Lynn missing a chair shot ducking the Van Daminator dodging the sweep kick and leg dropping RVD onto the chair. The powerbomb out of the corner on the chair etc. What was different about it was the Bill Alfonso was nowhere to be found while Cyrus was in the corner of Jerry Lynn. So the roles had been reversed here. Lynn has a man getting him chairs this time. That is until Joel "I shoot out a full condom filla and it tastes like vanilla" Gertner comes out to take out Cyrus and hold the chair for the Van Terminator. This was a fine match. On par with their second effort. There are a few depressing things. Like Styles talking about a nonexistant future. Or the "this is awesome" chant. I, like most people, had cut out of ECW once the top guys were Justin Credible, Steve Corino, and Rhino. No offense meant to Steve Corino there. So I was always under the impression that chant was an obnoxious post ECW thing. Apparently it was a dying days of ECW deal. Made me feel bad.

Results and Ratings

Living Dangerously 1999
ECW World Television Champion/ECW World Tag Team Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Jerry Lynn via pinfall at 22:18 with the Five Star Frog Splash. Rob Van Dam retained the ECW World Television Championship (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Hardcore Heaven 1999
ECW World Television Champion defeated Jerry Lynn via pinfall at 26:57 with the Five Star Frog Splash. Rob Van Dam retained the ECW World Television Championship (Star Rating:***3/4)

Hardcore Heaven 2000
Jerry Lynn defeated Rob Van Dam via pinfall at 19:50 with the Cradle Piledriver onto a steel chair (Star Rating:***1/4)

Guilty As Charged 2001
Rob Van Dam defeated Jerry Lynn via pinfall at 24:30 with the Van Terminator (Star Rating:***3/4)

Average Rating: ***3/4

That ends our first trip to ECW. Next week is a special tie in. This Sunday is Summerslam. The main event is a match where two wrestlers claim the same title. So on Summerslam Sunday we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG will look into the past to the last time that happen. Next Time: Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon.

Vice
August 7th, 2011, 7:57 PM
Did you see their TNA match, Frosty? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it, despite it being outside of this series.

Cewsh
August 7th, 2011, 7:58 PM
Really great read by the way, Frost man. Love these.

Defrost
August 7th, 2011, 8:02 PM
Did you see their TNA match, Frosty? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it, despite it being outside of this series.

I liked it. It was sorta of greatest hits deal and trying to get around the chair spots without getting dqed was wacky. I thought given age and all that and the lack of crowd heat is was a really good match.

Vice
August 7th, 2011, 8:07 PM
Good deal. :yes:

Defrost
August 10th, 2011, 4:54 PM
Reminder that the next review is coming to you mere hours before Summerslam this Sunday. Matches to be reviewed

Wrestlemania X (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontental Champion Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel)

Raw 8/1/94 (Beeghly Center)
Shawn Michaels (w/WWF Intercontental Champion Diesel) vs Razor Ramon

Action Zone 10/30/94 (Westchester County Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship
WWF World Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel vs WWF Intercontental Champion Razor Ramon and 123 Kid

Summerslam 1995 (Pittsburgh Civic Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon

Defrost
August 14th, 2011, 11:40 AM
http://i55.tinypic.com/o0ck69.jpg

It's Summertime, but the living is anything but easy because it is time for DRS2EBRaSAGG. Tonight at Summerslam 2011 two wrestlers claiming to hold the same championship will have a match to determine the real champion when WWE Champion CM Punk takes on self proclaimed WWE Champion John Cena. However, this is not the first such occurrence in this company. In this edition of the DRS2EBRaSAGG we will take you back 17 years, holy shit it was 17 years ago, to 1994 when Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels staked a claim to the WWF IC Title and had a legendary ladder match. So on to the show.


http://i51.tinypic.com/oiul4.jpg


Wrestlemania X (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel)

Raw 8/1/94 (Beeghly Center)
Shawn Michaels (w/WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel) vs Razor Ramon

Action Zone 10/30/94 (Westchester County Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship
WWF World Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel vs WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon and 123 Kid

Summerslam 1995 (Pittsburgh Civic Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon


http://i52.tinypic.com/1zd3ka9.jpg

Most everyone knows the story. Shawn Michaels was in his second reign as WWF Intercontinental Champion. Sometime after Summerslam he was popped on a drug test. Shawn vehemently denied being on steroids pointing out that he was basically fat and out of shape at the time so that made no sense. Shawn quit the promotion and refused to send the belt back to the WWF. In the meantime a battle royal was held on Raw with Razor Ramon and Rick Martel as the last two entries left. The next week Ramon beat Martel to become the new Intercontinental Champion. Then Shawn's issues with Vince got cleared up or WCW low balled him whichever and he came back. Instead of doing what they do now and rush the shit out of everything, and by they I mean Vince McMahon, the WWF held this match off for months until Wrestlemania X. The second ladder match had no such interesting angle going into it. It was basically said that new WWF President Gorilla Monsoon liked the first match so he wanted to see a rematch. In reality the Summerslam 1995 was so god awful they thought they needed such a match to drum up interest.


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff277/prowrestlingplus/summerslam/ss95_pic2.jpg

Best way to start this is by comparing the ladder matches. The first one is better. A lot better. The first match is one of the greatest matches of all time it just so happens that it involves a ladder. A great touch right off the bat is that Razor Ramon is not announced as Intercontinental Champion coming to the ring. As mentioned in a previous DRS2EBRaSAGG when discussing Shawn vs Bret the psychology is so much better here than in later ladder matches. The entire idea is to beat your man down and climb the ladder instead of setting up ridiculous spots. Shawn's bumping is a major bonus here too. For instance Shawn taking the ladder right to the jaw and flying over the top rope. Instead of setting up all kinds of furniture Razor saw this as an opportunity to win the match which leads to another amazing spot as Shawn comes off the top right as Razor gets to the belts and nails the double axe handle only to have the ladder fall on him. This is jettisoned in the second match in favor of a lot of work on HBK's leg that is frankly boring. At one point Razor just drops on elbow on his leg over and over and over. This would be fine if it didn't take up so much time, or was no sold completely. Working the leg stops Shawn from climbing the ladder right? Didn't stop that moonsault off the ladder. Actually off a rung lower than the top rope and almost had Shawn Hayabusa himself by landing on the top of his head. The major issue with that match is not the bizarre spot where Razor gets up, gets a second ladder, climbs in the ring, grabs Shawn off the ladder with the Razor's Edge, and then just lays there for a minute selling God knows what. No, the worst part of the second match was the ban on using the ladder as a weapon. Vince was on a kick to reduce the violence on his show at the time. Might have been caused by repairing the image of the WWF after the steroid trial. So Shawn and Razor were not allowed to use weapons. In a ladder match. Which had a comical quality to it since there were wink nudge spots where one or the other was accidentally hit by the ladder. When that happened Vince would go out of his way to cover it up explaining them as accidents. It was really annoying. Then you have the famously botched finish. You have Shawn and Razor on top of their respective ladders. Shawn hits a very weak looking Superkick that was the planned finish. However, Shawn's ladder was too far away and his brilliant plan B where he jumped and tried to grab the belt was an epic fail. Plan C involved Razor going for the Razor's Edge up against the ropes and getting backdropped over. What exactly is his plan there? If Razor is that close to the ropes where exactly is he doing his move? There is no room. It happened in the first match and he ended up backdropped on the exposed concrete. You'd think he'd learn. He learned other things which will be gotten too. So anyway Shawn goes back up to grab the belt but can't pull it down and falls off the ladder. Pissed he climbs again and finally gets it.


http://www.wineandbowties.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/razor.jpg

That last passage makes it seem like we, royal we, here at DRS2EBRaSAGG hated that match. That is not the case. It is a fine match. By far the weakest of the four reviewed herein, but still good. So let us take a look at the finer points of the second ladder match. As mentioned earlier Razor learned him some things from the first match. Shawn's oft replayed splash off the ladder onto Razor for instance. In the second match Shawn ups the ante by going all the way to the top of the ladder only to have Razor get out of the way. Also Razor learned to avoid the baseball slide. The first ladder match really got going with its awesomeness when Shawn used a low dropkick to ram the ladder into Razor's gut. In the second match Shawn tries this again. Razor moves the ladder out of the way and catches Shawn with a right hand. That goes both ways though. As mentioned early Shawn was a bumping machine in his prime, and the first ladder match is a perfect example. At one point Shawn and Razor are fighting for control of the ladder and it ends up propped up in the corner. Shawn gets whipped into the ladder and takes a header over the post to the floor. In the Summerslam ladder match the ladder is just propped in the corner willy nilly, but this time Razor is thrown into it. He does not take as great a bump as Shawn did. Both Shawn and Razor were great. Despite some obvious flaws it is a very entertaining watch. I'd recommend it. Bottom line it is an inferior sequel that has some good ideas going for it. The issue is that it comes after one of the great matches of all time. A match that had flawless logic to it. A match with a clear babyface/heel divide. Babyface vs Babyface can work, we've seen great matches between babyfaces, but it just didn't work for the second Shawn/Razor ladder match. It cannot be stressed enough how great Shawn was bumping around for Razor, and working Razor over with the ladder with the one goal of beating him down to climb the ladder and get the titles. We, the royal we, can think of nothing that could be done to improve that first ladder match. Just greatness.


http://www.wwe.com/f/imagecache/gallery_photo/photo/image/2009/03/9557892.jpg

Shawn Michaels might be the greatest American Pro Wrestler. That is to say American style and not that of Japan, Mexico, or Europe. The non ladder matches here are great and the reason for that is mostly Shawn. I mentioned Shawn's bumping before, but his bumping and selling in the two non ladder matches is great. Starting out the tag match for instance taking the Razor's Edge right off the bat. As he is lifted up he is fighting and looks terrified right before landing on his head. That is a great match. Shawn and Diesel worked great as a tag team. Really good double team stuff while getting the heat on Razor or tossing around Kid. It is a great dichotomy seeing Shawn flying around, in his prime Shawn was fucking fast in the ring, and then Diesel tossing people around. Some the stuff with Diesel and Kid was awesome. It is a pity Shawn and Waltman never get a really long match against each other back in the day. There were some sub 10 minute matches, but never a long 25 minute one in the vein of Bret Hart vs 123 Kid. There is a theme that runs through this and the singles match. Other than the finish which is the same. In the singles match Shawn misses a belt shot and as the ref goes to get the belt out of the ring and Diesel boots Razor behind the refs back allowing Shawn to get the pin. In the tag match Diesel had been accidentally taken out by the Superkick. As Shawn was doing a magnificent job surviving Diesel awoke and booted Kid in the face allowing Shawn to get the pin. The other theme is that Shawn should never go for a back body drop. Every time he put his head down he got punted or set up for the Razer's Edge or taken over for a backslide which Vince McMahon identified as a Razer's Edge. Somehow he was not the worst commentator in that match. Dear God Todd Pettengill sucked.


http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/76/1181501854_1.jpg

Another announcing note. The Raw singles match between Razor and Shawn, which was Shawn's first match since Wrestlemania X and served as a lead in to the Razor vs Diesel Summerslam title match. was the first taping after Vince McMahon was acquitted in his steroid trial. So Savage is just peppering all this references to it in commentary. For instance Savage says we shouldn't confuse Shawn Michaels with Sean O'Shea the US Attorney who prosecuted Vince McMahon. And talking about hung juries. Vince is taken aback. Like for real. Vince is not that good an actor. This was also just a couple of weeks before Savage was gone. Weird. The singles match is great. Shawn makes Razor look like a million bucks heading into the PPV. The match even manages to make DRS2EBRaSAGG's least favorite move, the Bear Hug, interesting. Shawn reverses a Bear Hug into an awesome sunset flip nearfall. We here at DRS2EBRaSAGG feel this match is slept upon. This is a great match you never hear anyone talk about. You should go out of your way to watch it. Shawn is in his prime and amazing. Hall is not a complete mess. It's great.


http://www.wrestlingvalley.org/wp-content/uploads//13760/13760.jpg

Results and Ratings

Wrestlemania X
WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels at 18:47 by retrieving the belts. Razor Ramon became the Undisputed World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion (Star Rating: *****)

Raw 8/1/94
Shawn Michaels defeated Razor Ramon via pinfall at 23:00 with a school boy (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Action Zone 10/30/94
WWF World Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon and 123 Kid via pinfall at 22:02 when Shawn Michaels school boyed 123 Kid. Shawn Michaels and Diesel retained the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ****3/4)

Summerslam 1995
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Razor Ramon at 25:03 by retrieving the belt. Shawn Michaels retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: ***1/4)

Average Star Rating: ****1/2

Thus ends our look at the last time two wrestlers staked a claim as champion. Hopefully tonight lives up to it. Meanwhile we break new ground in our next edition. It will be an edition of multiples. Multiple promotions. Multiple countries. Even multiple personalities. Next Time: Steve Austin vs Keiji Mutoh.

Defrost
August 14th, 2011, 11:41 AM
edit

Psycho666Soldier
August 14th, 2011, 1:34 PM
Sometime, I'm gonna find the time to catch up on all of these. I read the first two you did, and they were really fine reads.

Keep it up, man :yes:

Defrost
August 14th, 2011, 3:40 PM
Aha got that first picture fixed

takerson
August 14th, 2011, 9:36 PM
STEVE AUSTIN vs. KEIJI MUTOH?!

How did I not know of this match's existence.... much less a FUCKING SERIES?!

Defrost
August 14th, 2011, 10:09 PM
Neither did I until I stumbled into it

Defrost
August 15th, 2011, 5:14 PM
I should have probably told takerson what the matches were there

G1 Climax 1992 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax 2nd Round
Keiji Mutoh vs Steve Austin

Spring Stampede 1994 (Rosemont Horizon)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Heavyweight Champion Steve Austin(w/ Col. Robert Parker) vs The Great Muta

NJPW 5/26/95 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Keiji Mutoh vs Steve Austin

takerson
August 15th, 2011, 5:15 PM
SICK.

Defrost
August 17th, 2011, 8:04 PM
http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/fishbulb-suplex/Wrestlers/Steve%20Austin/mutoaustin.jpg


Pro Wres love inside a can of whoop ass on Hollywood and Vine on this edition of Defrost Reviews Stuff 2: Electric Boogaloo Rewatching a Series A Go-Go, never used the full title in one of these before. Not only that, but DRS2EBRaSAGG is for the first time taking a look at a series that spans multiple continents. Not only that but it spans multiple personalities. This edition once again takes a look at Steve Austin, however he is not Stone Cold but rather Stunning, as he takes on Keiji Mutoh and his alter ego, although we are supposed to pretend otherwise, The Great Muta.

G1 Climax 1992 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax 2nd Round
Keiji Mutoh vs Steve Austin

Spring Stampede 1994 (Rosemont Horizon)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Heavyweight Champion Steve Austin(w/ Col. Robert Parker) vs The Great Muta

NJPW 5/26/95 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Keiji Mutoh vs Steve Austin


http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/pictures/s/steveaustin/79.jpg

First we must make those who are unaware aware of the difference between Keiji Mutoh and The Great Muta. They are two entirely different animals and in kayfabe land not the same person. Hell in kayfabe land Muta is not even a person but a dragon demon or something. In real life of course The Great Muta is Keiji Mutoh with some paint, and these days a mask thing, on his face. Mutoh and Muta wrestle very different styles. In the time period being looked at here Mutoh was an athletic wrestler who could work on the mat and fly through the air, and he had many great wrestling matches. Great Muta wanted to stab your eyeball out with a screwdriver. After that he wanted to piledrive you through a table. Finally he wanted to gnaw on the ropes a little. So those are differences. Mutoh was a beloved babyface and had some massive matches that sold out stadiums such as the Takada match mentioned in an earlier edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. Great Muta was mostly used for special occasions in Japan and rarely in the main event of any major show. His most interesting period was when nWo Japan was feuding with the New Japan Army and Great Muta joined the nWo, but Keiji Mutoh didn't. That confused the hell out of everyone. Great Muta's biggest main event was probably his match in Jingu Stadium against Atsushi Onita. That show drew a little under 50,000 fans to see a No Rope Explosive Barbed Wire Barricade Explosive Land Mine Death Match between The Great Muta and The Great Nita. Match sucked. Most of Muta's matches were meh while Mutoh had great matches. Well not in this bunch, but usually.


http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/g/greatmuta/16.jpg

Their first encounter comes during the second G1 Climax Tournament. The G1 is an annual tournament in New Japan, and is one of the highlights of the year. Most years the G1 final is the second biggest show of the year and a guaranteed sellout of Sumo Hall. Most years it is a round robin format with wins equal 2 points time limit draw equal 1 point and everything else 0 points. In 1992 when Keiji Mutoh wrestled Steve Austin it was a single elimination tournament and the winner would become the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The title was vacated when Ric Flair went to the WWF. The second match happened since Mutoh happened to be in America. The third match takes place a mere 3 weeks after Keiji Mutoh regained the IWGP Championship defeating Shinya Hashimoto in the Fukuoka Dome. Well technichally it was the first time he won it. Remember the difference between Mutoh and Muta. It was Muta who was IWGP Heavyweight Champion previously. Muta was also WWF World Martial Arts Champion and NWA World Heavyweight Champion at that same time kinda sorta. That is a situation to be explained in a later DRS2EBRaSAGG review and not here so back to the matter at hand.


http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q285/XHW-E-Fed/WCW/7317.png

There was really no reason to explain the difference between Mutoh and Muta because all three matches are basically the same. The match with Muta is not a blood soaked brawl. There is no stabbing. No one is piledriven through anything. Muta doesn't write DIE with Austin's blood. Not even any mist. How can there be no mist in a Muta match? Most of all three matches take place on the mat to varying degrees of success. There are some epic failures when it comes to finishers though. Not sure if Mutoh in the first match or Austin in the second was more embarrassing. To us, the royal us, here at DRS2EBRaSAGG find their first match to be a curiosity more than anything. Before his run in the WWF and his injuries mounted Steve Austin was a much different worker. He was more of a mat wrestler who as a heel cheated a lot. There is no cheating in the first match. Austin is kinda bland in the first match. There is a handshake to start, and Mutoh works over Austin's leg to which Austin's comeback consists of knee drops and a running big boot so you know so much for that. Austin with the drop toe hold floats over into a front facelock which is reversed into a wristlock. A lot generic wrestling stuff like that out of Austin in this one. What's most interesting about this match is how frantic Mutoh is it. There are a lot of spastic movements from him in this match. Even to the point where he botches his finisher worse than any botch of a finisher I have ever seen. His finisher the moonsault press, which he made famous in America as The Great Muta, requires him to go to the top rope and do a backflip. In this match Austin goes to the top and misses a frog splash of all things, which actually isn't the most random top rope move he'd bust out in these matches, and that leaves him on the mat and prompts Mutoh to go to the top for the moonsault. Earlier in the match Mutoh had no problem going to the top for the move in a spot where he flipped all the way over and landed on his feet as Austin moved out of the way. At the finish Mutoh goes up the ropes and trips and lays gut first over the top and then slowly slides off all the way down to the floor. It takes about 45 seconds from the trip to landing on the floor. So Mutoh comes back in hits a backbreaker and does his finish correctly to which Austin kicked out right after the three count. That was very odd.


http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/fishbulb-suplex/Wrestlers/Steve%20Austin/026uy5.jpg

The second and third matches are similar to the first in most way except how frantic Mutoh moves around. He looks far less like he was on a mixture of cocaine and Red Bull. There is still a lot of mat wrestling. In the second match that translates to side headlocks and rope assisted abdominal stretches. That also brings us to the second disaster of a finishing move attempt. At the time Austin had created a new finisher the Hollywood and Vine which was a wacky looking leg submission hold. Austin really had nothing going on as a finish until the Stone Cold Stunner. His other finisher, the Stun Gun, was really just a transition move. Though it was used well in these three match with Austin doing it to Mutoh on the guardrail outside the ring in the matches in Japan and Muta doing it Austin himself at Spring Stampede. Anyway back to the clusterfuck that was the Hollywood and Vine. In the match it ends up as this rolling leg twisting mish mash that looks terrible and botched and horrible. Which is still better than the actual finish of Muta being DQed for backdropping Austin over the top. I get New Japan not wanting Muta to job. I get WCW not wanting to put the title on a guy there for a one shot. That raises questions of why it was booked or why Muta didn't just fucking mist him. I will say that the commentary was stellar. I mean Heenan is Heenan, but Tony Schiavone was so good putting over Muta and the importance of the US Title and what it would mean if Muta took it back to Japan. Watching the third match you totally understand why Austin shaved his head. In this match you get the missed handspring elbow into the guardrail and the stun gun on the guardrail and the leg work Austin no sells. Although Austin is a more overt heel here than in the first match. Austin busts out some new offense like a gordbuster, but the second attempt does get reversed into a DDT. He also busts out the second random top rope move of his in these matches. The Calf Branding. The Calf Branding is a move where you stand on the top and grab your opponent by the head. You place your knee right behind your opponent's head and bulldog him into the mat. Then Mutoh hit a super frankensteiner and a moonsault and won.

Ratings and Results

G1 Climax 1992
Keiji Mutoh defeated Steve Austin via pinfall at 17:05 with the moonsault press. Keiji Mutoh advanced to the Semi Finals of the G1 Climax. (Star Rating: **3/4)

Spring Stampede 1994
WCW US Heavyweight Champion Steve Austin defeated The Great Muta via DQ at 16:20 when Muta threw Austin over the top rope. Steve Austin retained the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating:**1/2)

NJPW 5/26/95
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Keiji Mutoh defeated Steve Austin via pifall with the moonsault press (Star Rating: **3/4)

Average Star Rating: **3/4

We believe in fairness here at DRS2EBRaSAGG. So seeing as this edition feature two New Japan matches to WCW's one we thought it would only be fair to flip that around in the next edition. Plus we feature only one of the Hollywood Blonds and that's not fair. Next Time: Brian Pillman vs Jushin Liger.

Cewsh
August 17th, 2011, 9:39 PM
I'm devastated that those matches were so shitty. But realistically, if they hadn't been I imagine we all would have seen them by now.

takerson
August 19th, 2011, 10:34 PM
I'm devastated that those matches were so shitty. But realistically, if they hadn't been I imagine we all would have seen them by now.


Folks, Imagine this EXACT sentence... being posted by ME as well. :yes: My sentiments EXACTLY.

Defrost
August 21st, 2011, 5:01 PM
Matches that will be reviewed sometime this week. Probably

G1 Climax 1991 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

Superbrawl II (Milwaukee Theatre at the MECCA)
WCW World Light Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

WCW Monday Nitro 9/4/95 (Mall of America)
Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

Psycho666Soldier
August 21st, 2011, 5:07 PM
I will definitely be reading that. That sounds wicked. I'll probably watch all those matches in the next upcoming days.

Defrost
August 23rd, 2011, 5:38 PM
http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/427/142/pillman_display_image.jpg?1286242190

"DRS2EBRaSAGG Sword!" The god gives the sword of justice
"DRS2EBRaSAGG Slash!" Descended from the holy
Our fighter, DRS2EBRaSAGG, DRS2EBRaSAGG, DRS2EBRaSAGG
Raging Beast God DRS2EBRaSAGG

DRS2EBRaSAGG respects you bookerman

This edition: Brian Pillman vs Jyushin "Thunder" Lyger

G1 Climax 1991 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

Superbrawl II (Milwaukee Theatre at the MECCA)
WCW World Light Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman

WCW Monday Nitro 9/4/95 (Mall of America)
Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman


http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/j/jushinliger/01.jpg

Jushin "Thunder" Liger is, in the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG, the greatest junior heavyweight pro wrestler of all time. Flyin' Brian Pillman was a great worker prior to his car accident that caused his ankle to be fused and heavy drug use that led to his death. So these are good matches. Superbrawl II, which was the first match on the show try following that, is one of the greatest matches of all time. These are three similar matches. Kinks that were worked out in the first match show up shiny and mesmerizing in the second and the third match plays like Superbrawl's greatest hits.


http://i56.tinypic.com/2re1w6f.jpg

The first and second match have many similarities and a few notable differences even down to the finishes which are a microcosm of this. In the first match Pillman gets the heat for a bit and then they go nuts on a final stretch. First there is an awesome slap fight that enrages Pillman to the point that he puts Liger on the top rope dropkicks him to the floor, exposes the concrete, and piledrives Liger on it who barely beats the count. Liger is caught on the apron, but blocks the suplex in and teases suplexing Pillman to the exposed concrete. Pillman blocks it and gets Liger into the ring. Pillman whips Liger into the ropes and gets hit with the Rolling Koppu Kick when he puts his head down. Pillman fights off Liger with headbutts and comes off the top with the missile dropkick which gets 2, but then misses a Superfly Splash. Liger hits a top rope flying headbutt for 2. Then Liger nailed a Ligerbomb where Pillman lands on his head. Pillman stops another Liger top rope move, but gets dropkicked coming off the top. Liger drops him on his head again with a Tombstone Piledriver and goes up top for another flying headbutt which gets the three count. There is no heat sequence in the Superbrawl II match since they go balls out the whole way through, but the finishing sequence is easy to identify. They go move for move equal with each other for the last five minutes or so. Pillman returns the favor on Liger from the first match by dropkicking him when Liger came off the top. However, Pillman goes up and Liger catches him with the drop kick. Then they both go for the spinning heel kick at the same time. Pillman catches Liger for a powerslam that gets 2. Liger then gets a bridging german suplex for 2. There are a few more near falls until Liger superplexes Pillman off the top and goes back up. He comes down with the flying headbutt, but this time Pillman is ready and moves out of the way and flips him over with his legs and get the pin with a bridge avoiding his fate and the finish of the first match.


http://semcatch1.chez.com/ppvWCW1992/Superbrawl1992logo.jpg

As mentioned the second match they go all out with everything they have for the duration as opposed to a more normally put together match in their first encounter. What must be remembered is that Junior Heavyweights were an accepted part of Japanese wrestling whereas in America it was the land of the giants even outside of Vince McMahon's sphere of influence. The WCW Light Heavyweight Title was only months old at this point so they needed something special there to get it over. So that night Liger and Pillman went out to get it over and they had one of the great matches of all time with many callbacks to their first match. As mentioned earlier the finish of the first match, the flying headbutt, plays a huge part of the finish at Superbrawl II. That teased suplex out of the ring and to the floor from the first match is followed through in this match when Pillman suplexes Liger out of the ring and out to the floor then comes off the top with a plancha onto Liger as he had done in the first match. The story of Superbrawl is that Pillman and Liger are equal. Starting off with them countering in and out of arm locks into a standoff off of a double dropkick. Or Pillman with the mule kick while Liger was out of the ring but being caught with a moonsault when he brought him back in. Pillman using the wacky octopus stretch on the mat he used in all three matches, and escaping Liger's surfboard more than once. Pillman was great selling the desperation to avoid that move. There was a great reversal of the shotei into a crucifix by Pillman, but Pillman misses a corner knee and Liger works over the leg including the figure four. Pillman made a comeback and led into the amazing back and forth finish already chronicled in this review.


http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/j/jushinliger/03.jpg

The third match exists as a lesser miniature version of the Superbrawl match. It was the first match on the first episode of WCW Monday Nitro which emanated from the Mall of America which had the benefit of being a very interesting looking place to hold a wrestling show. By lesser we, the royal we, are not only meaning the time discrepancy, which is actually not all that noticeable, but the execution and ambition. For instance a famous spot in the Superbrawl match is Liger coming off the top with a hilo onto Pillman on the floor. For the Nitro match Liger comes off the apron for that spot instead. The Ligerbomb in the Superbrawl match had Pillman landing right on his head whereas it was tons safer on Nitro. The Liger moonsault spot is far less out of nowhere and less convincing as a possible finish. There is a badly botched Frankensteiner by Pillman. Then you have some greatest hits. Like Pillman suplexing Liger out followed by the plancha. The finish is a play off a near fall near the finish of the Superbrawl match. Liger goes for a german suplex but Pillman is able to cradle Liger for the three in the first salvo in the Monday Night War.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VJexVVkzpzQ/TTowGa-WlsI/AAAAAAAAC8c/qB5SiddSLYw/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-01-21-19h17m04s166.jpg


Results and Ratings

G1 Climax 1991 Final
Jushin Liger defeated Brian Pillman via pinfall at 13:53 with a top rope flying headbutt (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Superbrawl II
Brian Pillman defeated WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger via pinfall at 17:00 with the rolling leg clutch with bridge. Brian Pillman won the WCW World Light Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: *****)

WCW Monday Nitro
Brian Pillman defeated Jushin Liger via pinfall at 6:50 with a cradle. (Star Rating: ***)

Average Star Rating: ****

That ends our two edition Hollywood Blonds induced sojourn of dual NJPW/WCW match series. Next time we return to the World Wrestling Federation. We again take a look at one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. We look at brother vs brother. Next Time: Bret Hart vs Owen Hart.

Defrost
August 27th, 2011, 7:32 PM
Next batch of matches

Wrestlemania X (Madison Square Garden)
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

Summerslam 1994 (United Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/Steel Cage Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

Action Zone 10/23/94 (Westchester County Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

Defrost
August 28th, 2011, 2:32 AM
Hurricane induced early completed review


http://i52.tinypic.com/11ug28w.jpg

Kicking legs out from under legs in this edition of the DRS2EBRaSAGG. This time we will rock you like a hurricane as we go back to the year 1994 in the World Wrestling Federation and take a look its top feud. That was the year brother would square off with brother. Owen felt he was stuck in his brother's shadow. Then Bret blew their shot at the tag belts. The temerity. So onto confrontation it had become.

Wrestlemania X (Madison Square Garden)
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

Summerslam 1994 (United Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/Steel Cage Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart

Action Zone 10/23/94 (Westchester County Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart


http://images.teamtalk.com/09/03/800x600/Wrestlemania-10-Owen-Hart-Bret-Hart_2069700.jpg

There is an obvious difference with one of these three matches. While the cage match gimmick does make the match very different from the other two there is an interesting similarity with the Wrestlemania match. One thing that strikes are the finishes. Now you may ask how can the finishes be at all similar when WWF Big Blue Cage matches required you to flee the ring and at Wrestlemania the finish was a pinfall. It is very simple. Near the very end of the match at Wrestlemania Owen Hart puts Bret in his own finisher the Sharpshooter. Bret reverses it but Owen gets to the ropes. They immediately then go to the blocked Victory Roll for the finish. In the cage match Owen again puts Bret in the Sharpshooter. Bret again reverses it. Then they go to the finish which is the exact finish of the Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels cage match from an earlier edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.


http://www.retrojunk.com/img/art-images/owenandbrettlh.jpg

The story of the first match is that Bret is the better wrestler. Even as Owen declares victory over minor things, such as kipping up out of a head scissor, Bret is consistently one step ahead of their early mat wrestling until he sends Owen to the outside and Owen, furious, rushes in and slaps Bret. That is the first of many shortcuts Owen takes to stay with his technically superior brother. There is a lot of hair pulling for instance. Owen's way out of the Sharpshooter is pulling Bret by his hair as a matter of fact while late in the match Bret reverses his way out of the Sharpshooter and puts it on Owen too close to the ropes for the win. However, there is foreshadowing toward the finish in the match. It is not as if Bret slips on the proverbial banana peel and his loss means nothing. One standout spot is Owen reversing his way out of the German Suplex spot from the Summerslam 1992 main event. In that match Bulldog tried to suplex Bret from the apron into the ring. Bret floated over and nailed a picture perfect bridging German Suplex. At Wrestlemania X Owen tries to suplex Bret in, but Bret floats over and grabs the waist lock. Instead of getting the German Owen performs a standing switch and hits a perfect German Suplex of his own. Now this shows Owen is aware of former Bret matches. Perhaps even the final of the 1993 King of the Ring where Bret beat Bam Bam Bigelow with a Victory Roll.


http://cdn2.iofferphoto.com/img/item/182/520/799/best-of-bret-hart-vs-owen-hart-8-discs-free-postage-dfdba.jpg

The Action Zone match starts off exactly like Wrestlemania X which led us at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ to suspect a Pillman/Liger on Nitro situation in that it is a miniature lesser version of a famous earlier match. Instead Owen grabs a chinlock that lasts the entire middle portion of the match and really bored the crowd and us here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ. Coming off of that Owen does the exact same sequence of moves working over Bret's leg as he did at Mania. I mean the exact same down to the placement of where Bret is standing in the ring. In both of those matches Bret is Dragon Screwed out of the corner and put into a Figure Four Leg Lock. In the Mania match the leg work makes perfect sense. His knee was ravaged at The Royal Rumble and when he came down wrong on the pescado he reinjured it and Owen went to work on the leg he kicked out of his leg to turn heel in the first place. That coupled with Bret's perfect selling made the leg work in that match pitch perfect. Bret's selling was not perfect in this nor was the story telling. It was easy to understand the story of the leg at Mania whereas it took rereading of the notes to even remember why Bret's leg was getting worked over at all. Then there is the finish. Owen gets crotched on the top rope by Bulldog and immediately pinned. No one ever loses after getting crotched and that is not even taking into consideration the 9,000 times it happened at Summerslam and was never a finish. The Action Zone match is by far the weakest of the three reviewed here.


http://www.carloricohermoso.net/images/random/617/01.jpg

The Big Blue Cage era of the WWF did not offer up many great matches compared to the NWA, and that is not a dig at Hulk Hogan in comparison to Ric Flair. As a matter of fact two of the best Big Blue Cage matches were Hogan vs Big Boss Man and Hogan vs Paul Orndorf. It is just that the escape the cage rules were always sorta weird and far too conducive to contrivances and at that time in WWF history blading was forbidden. The Bret Hart vs Owen Hart match at Summerslam 1994 is the best Big Blue Cage match of all time. That is why it is rated higher than the Wrestlemania X match in the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG even considering how great the Wrestlemania match is. As mentioned in an earlier review of a Wrestlemania X match we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ do not like contrivances in our matches. That is why Shawn vs Razor gets ***** and that is why Bret vs Owen gets *****. It is all about getting to a point where you can escape. Not only that but they have brilliantly dramatic sequences fighting each other perched on the top rope. And that is not only because of the famous superplex spot which, truth be told, can actually be found in the earlier and aforementioned Hulk Hogan vs Big Boss Man cage match. The match starts in a different way than the other two. Owen waylays Bret as he gets into the cage. Then they go back and forth including the best work using the door ever seen in one of these. The back and forth trying to desperately dive out and trying to desperately keep the other guy in including some awesome finger biting by Owen. Just the best possible way to work this match. Plus there was little to no using of the cage as a weapon. No throwing your opponent into it, and it goes a long time. Over a half hour. Damned impressive.


http://thumbnails.hulu.com/10/686/37306_384x288_generated__dx-V2el3AUGS7gYhyqFmgQ.jpg

Now for some random thoughts. That spot where one guy comes off the ropes and the two wrestlers crack skulls is insanely popular. Not a review goes by without that spot it seems. The United Center looked awesome as a wrestling venue and wrestling needs to be in the round enough of the overly elaborate sets taking one entire side. Todd Pettengill sucked. Whenever Bret went for a regular elbow drop instead of a forearm drop off the second rope you know he's missing. Chinlocks suck.

Results and Ratings

Wrestlemania X
Owen Hart defeated Bret Hart via pinfall at 20:21 after blocking a victory roll (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Summerslam 1994
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart defeated Owen Hart via escaping the cage at 32:08. Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: *****)

Action Zone 10/23/94
WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart defeated Owen Hart via pinfall at 15:00 after Bulldog crotched Owen on the top rope. Bret Hart retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: **3/4)

Average Star Rating: ****

That is all for the brother vs brother edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. Next up we have a special treat as we review a gigantic 10 matches. More matches than have ever been reviewed here at DRS2EBRaSAGG. It will be a titanic undertaking and hopefully a boat will not be needed here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ to do it. Next Time: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

Cewsh
August 28th, 2011, 2:40 AM
:hyper:

Bert
August 28th, 2011, 2:59 AM
http://www.retrojunk.com/img/art-images/owenandbrettlh.jpg


You should get this addon for your browser (you just right click a picture and click rehost image and it uploads it.):
http://imgur.com/tools/

Example image:
http://i.imgur.com/VTGEC.jpg

The image I quoted says I <3 Retrojunk.com

Defrost
August 28th, 2011, 3:02 AM
Thanks Bert

Defrost
August 31st, 2011, 4:36 PM
Matches to be reviewed eventually when I actually get around to watching them

NJPW 1/24/02 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW 9/3/04 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Cup 2005 (Sendai Sun Plaza)
New Japan Cup Round 1
IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

NJPW 2/19/06 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Cup 2006 (Tottori Industrial Gymnasium)
New Japan Cup Semi Final
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Brave (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2007 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Final
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

New Japan Explosion 2007 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW "NEW DIMENSION ~PRAY, HOPE, POWER~" (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2011 Day 1 (Fukuoka International Center)
G1 Climax Block A
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

Cewsh
August 31st, 2011, 4:48 PM
Fucks sake. And people say Tanahashi and Nakamura wrestle too much.

DDT
August 31st, 2011, 7:51 PM
They do. Nagata > Nakamura though, so that's a-okay.

Defrost
September 1st, 2011, 11:57 PM
That list doesn't actually represent every one of their televised matches. It represents all of the matches I happen to have.

Defrost
September 5th, 2011, 6:14 PM
It is Labor Day and pouring outside so I have been working on the Tanahashi vs Nagata review. The only preview I can give is that it is going to be long. Very very long.

Defrost
September 6th, 2011, 6:09 PM
http://i56.tinypic.com/2nv840h.jpg

When the idea for DRS2EBRaSAGG was birthed it was conceived with two sets of matches in mind. One was Bret Hart vs Diesel which became the first ever edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. The other was Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata in 2007. So that was always in the queue of reviews here at DRS2EBRaSAGG. It has grown over time. Most of these just involve matches that are already on the DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ super computer and need an excuse to be watched. There are five matches reviewed here that sat on that computer for a long time. They got watch. Now read as they get reviewed.


http://i52.tinypic.com/fjpwky.jpg

NJPW 1/24/02 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW 9/3/04 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Cup 2005 (Sendai Sun Plaza)
New Japan Cup Round 1
IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

NJPW 2/19/06 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Cup 2006 (Tottori Industrial Gymnasium)
New Japan Cup Semi Final
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

New Japan Brave (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2007 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Final
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

New Japan Explosion 2007 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW "NEW DIMENSION ~PRAY, HOPE, POWER~" (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2011 Day 1 (Fukuoka International Center)
G1 Climax Block A
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yuji Nagata


http://i53.tinypic.com/25fhwcx.jpg

10 matches. There can be a lot of variation over 10 matches. However, the strategy of Yuji Nagata is uniform over all of these matches. His strategy is simple. He is going to grab that fucker Tanahashi's arm and try and twist it off. This makes sense since one of Nagata's finishers is the Nagata Lock II. The Nagata Lock II may be more familiar to some as the Crippler Crossface. All of the matches start in one of two ways. One way is that Nagata and Tanahashi start of with arm ringers until one flips around and kicks the other guy off. The interesting thing about that is that at the beginning of the series Nagata gets the best of the that and kicks Tanahashi off him while later matches those roles would be reversed as Tanahashi worked his way up the card. The other way the matches would start was with a series of standing switches that would always end with Nagata grabbing an arm bar. In the first match this strategy pays off in the most obvious way given that Nagata forced Tanahashi to tap out to a cross armbreaker. In the later matches that Nagata won by dropping Tanahashi on the top of his head with either a backdrop suplex or a wrist clutch exploder. Again the arm worked over and Tanahashi worn down for those to work. The Nagata Lock II works the arm and the neck so a head dropping suplex its perfectly into Nagata's plan of attack.


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Speaking of Tanahashi's neck in the best match of this series, the October 2007 Match at Explosion, featured Tanahashi overcoming a lot of damage to his neck to regain the IWGP Title. Nagata began the match predictably going after Tanahashi's arm. After going back and forth a bit they find themselves outside the ring. Rewinding back all the way to their 2005 New Japan Cup match you come to the first time Nagata hit a brainbuster on the floor. In their very next match in Sumo Hall in February 2006 Nagata takes Tanahashi to the outside and exposes the concrete before delivering another brainbuster. However, this stopped working once they got to their famous 2007 series. In their first match at NJPW Brave where Nagata won the title Nagata tried it again, but Tanahashi blocked it and hit a demon neck screw instead. It was the same story at the G1 Climax final that year. For the third match in their 2007 trilogy Nagata softens Tanahashi up first. Tanahashi gets whipped into the guardrail and then Nagata follows up with a running knee to the chin. The kind of running knee that CM Punk does in the corner. Nagata peels the mats away and nails the brainbuster on the cement. He leaves Tanahashi out on the floor looking for the countout, but Tanahashi makes it in at 19. In Japan a countout is at 20 not 10. Nagata immediately picks Tanahashi up and drills a beautiful jumping piledriver dead in the center of the ring. After working over the neck with some stiff clubbing blows Nagata gets Tanahashi into the Nagata Lock II. A move he used to defeat Tanahashi's mentor Keiji Mutoh in the final of the 2001 G1 Final. Tanahashi managed to survive, but heavy blows from Nagata in a slap battle left him vulnerable and Nagata upped the ante by hitting an Exploder off the top rope further damaging Tanahashi's neck. After an exchange of enziguris that Nagata got the best of due to Tanahashi's damaged neck he hit the move that felled Tanahashi in the 2006 New Japan Cup Semi Final, the wrist clutch exploder. However, Tanahashi showing fighting spirit kicked out at the count of 1. Tanahashi would use that fighting spirit and leg work, more on fighting spirit and strategy in regard to Tanahashi later, to win this match. This match is incredible. It is a top 5 all time match for both guys and was even better than their previous two matches that year which were top ten matches of 2007. Tanahashi and Nagata's selling and execution were flawless. Tanahashi's neck, and Nagata's leg selling, especially at the finish, told a great story. There is nothing that we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG can think of that would have made this a better match. What is scary is Tanahashi would have an even better match in Sumo Hall a month later with Hirooki Goto. What is even scarier is that neither the Nagata nor Goto match is my 2007 MOTY.


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We have taken a close look at Nagata's strategy, especially how he worked it in the October 2007 IWGP Title match. Now it is time to take a close look at Hiroshi Tanahashi. Over the course of these matches we see Tanahashi grow up. Nagata is already a wizened veteran by the time of their first encounter. Tanahashi barely had 2 years in the business while Nagata was 2 months away from winning the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Nagata had won the previous year's G1 Climax and had main evented the last two New Japan Tokyo Dome shows. He was a ten year veteran and he even had a run in WCW. Tanahashi was barely out of his Young lion black trunks and was just starting to tag with Kenzo Suzuki of all people. Hell, he hadn't even been stabbed yet. He looks like he was separated at birth with current day Tetsuya Naito as a matter of fact. The basic idea here is the veteran gives most of the match to the young guy to make him look good before he beats him. Tanahashi's offense is of real interest here. Something that stood out early on was Tanahashi mimicking Nagata. Nagata would turn a wristlock into a half nelson pin and Tanahashi immediately reversed and did the same. Nagata did a forearm/enziguri/german suplex combo and Tanahashi made a comeback doing the exact same thing. There are some good near falls here with Tanahashi using the half hatch suplex and a series of bridging Germans. In the most surprising spot of the match Tanahashi is whipped into the corner and stops himself by jumping onto the second rope with Nagata coming in behind him for the running boot. This is a spot Tanahashi does all the time where he jumps to the second rope with his opponent coming in room behind and coming off with the crossbody. So that was the spot we, the royal we, were expecting. Instead he comes flying out of the corner with a Lionsault. Can't remember moonsaults being in Tanahashi's arsenal outside of a really ugly one at NOAH Destiny. The last point to mention here is Tanahashi working it Strong Style. He goes back to the well of the cross armbreaker over and over. He gets into Nagata's guard and goes into a ground and pound. Then there is the first of many slap fights you get in these matches. They unload on each other during these things where Tanahashi gets the better of it most of the time leading to a Nagata Flop. Their first match here was a very good young vs old 10 minute match. A good beginning to the watching.


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The next four matches reviewed here come at the time Tanahashi was beginning a push from the lower midcard to the main event. He was in the midst of a long reign with the U-30 Title a title created for him. 3 weeks before the first of this set of four Tanahashi had reached the final of the G1 Climax pinning IWGP Champion Kensuke Sasaki in the process. Later that year Tanahashi would team with Shinsuke Nakamura to win the IWGP Tag Titles beating Kensuke and Minoru Suzuki. A month later Tanahashi and Nakamura faced in the 1/4 Tokyo Dome Main event. Now the problem was that New Japan was horribly booked basically from 2001 until the middle of 2006. It is actually hard to compare the bad booking to a TNA or WCW. It was more insane than stupid. Pushing MMA guys in wrestling matches. Putting Yuji Nagata in shoot fights with Cro Cop and Fedor. Having Tanahashi lose on 1/4/06 to Shibata, a guy who didn't work there, then beginning a push to the title for Tanahashi right after which included a loss to Yuji Nagata in the 2006 New Japan Cup. Meanwhile guys like Kaz Fujita, Bob Sapp, and Brock Lesnar were champion and business was tanking. These four matches take place in this climate. Which explains the insane ending to the 2005 New Japan Cup match where Nagata goes insane and gets DQed. Nothing came of it. Why would it? Why make sense Inoki?


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Anyway the actual match content. For whatever reason it seems part of Nagata's gimmick was to have a short fuse. In the 2004 match Tanahashi slaps Nagata and Nagata goes off including tossing the ref and beating Tanahashi down with a chair. Similar actions would get him DQed in their 2005 New Japan Cup match. What is interesting is seeing what is new from 2002 with Tanahashi and what has stuck around in his repertoire. For instance Tanahashi's jumping elbow drop and sommersault splash are there in 2004. In this entire period his finisher was either the Dragon Suplex or Dragon Sleeper. He still uses the Dragon Suplex, but the Dragon Sleeper is not used often at all. By the Sumo Hall 2006 match the Sling Blade one of Tanahashi's trademark moves makes its first appearance in this series. These four matches are good, but nowhere near the level of what would come after. Tanahashi just wasn't there yet. He did some great stuff. The New Japan Cup 2005 match brings back the mimicry with Tanahashi using the Nagata Lock II and Nagata using the Dragon Suplex on Tanahashi. The brightest spot in these matches has to be headbutt battles from their two 2006 matches. The best of their first five matches is the fifth one and their struggle bashing each other's skull into the other is a major reason. Just a great spectacle full of drama.


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Now we get to the meat of the sandwich. Their epic 2007 trilogy. Tanahashi has grown into a main eventer as Champion. He was not accepted at first. New Japan was at its all time low following the Lesnar debacle, and Tanahashi was seen as a pretty boy who didn't deserve to be champion. It was 2007 that changed that. Even starting with the match where he dropped the title to Nagata there is less than a half house. It would be optimistic to say there were 3000 people in the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium . To put it in perspective a Tanahashi title defense in that same building three months ago sold that building out. Tanahashi was far more polished in these matches, and Nagata was not burdened with whatever the latest insanity was. Tanahashi was great working the leg and rolling with however the crowd was reacting. If the crowd was chanting for Nagata then he'd take his leg and post it for instance. Tanahashi busts out some moves not seen before or since, with the Sambo Suplex and Capture Suplex. The first match sees Nagata move out of the way of the Suicide Dive which Tanahashi had used in their 2006 matches. So Tanahashi would go with the running apron hilo in the next match. That match, the G1 Final, also saw Tanahashi do his new finish the High Fly Flow, frog splash, with Nagata on the floor. That was insane and Tanahashi heavily bled from his elbow the rest of the match. Other great touches was in the first match when Tanahashi reversed the corner knee into a powerbomb so from that point on Nagata would grab Tanahashi by the throat and throw him into the corner first. The finishing stretches of all these matches were amazing. In the first match there are so many great near falls. Like the Octopus Rollup, or the straight jacket German. Or the first of the many reverses of the Sling Blade into a Backdrop Suplex. Or Nagata getting his knees up on the High Fly Flow and getting a close two on a small package. A spot repeated in the second match. However, part of the brilliance already gone on about of the October 2007 match is the finish. Tanahashi has thrashed Nagata's leg as badly as Nagata as thrashed Tanahashi's neck. So when Nagata gets the knees up he is hurt worse than Tanahashi. So Tanahashi is able to go back to the top and hit his finisher. Which only gets 2. Then after all the epic headbutt and slap fights they have one on the top rope which Nagata loses. A second High Fly Flow finishes. Just beautiful storytelling.


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We said we'd get back to the issue of Fighting Spirit. In their early matches after taking an Exploder Suplex off the top rope Tanahashi would pop right up and attack Nagata no selling it to show fighting spirit. Sometimes it would go well and he'd hit Nagata with, say, a Shining Wizard. Sometimes it would go badly and he'd get Nagata's boot in his face. Once you get to the 2007 matches that no longer happens. Now a trick used to get guys over is to have them kick out at one or no sell when up against a tougher opponent to show their inner desire to win and whatnot. In the 2007 matches Tanahashi does not show fighting spirit after taking the Super Exploder. Tanahashi was a main event guy so he did not need such things since Fighting Spirit spots were not part of New Japan's Main Event style. Other places such as NOAH the Fighting Spirit spots are a mainstay in the main event. So instead of popping back up Tanahashi eats a Shining Wizard. So maybe he should of just popped up. Then you get to the much talked up in this review October 2007. Tanahashi takes the wrist clutch exploder and kicks out at 1 and goes on to regain the title.


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Then we come to the matches from this year. Tanahashi is the man at this point. He is the 100% Ace of the Universe. A moniker given to him after defeating Keiji Mutoh, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Kurt Angle in early 2009. Tanahashi is the #1 wrestler in Japan bar none. He is so comfortable in the role that it was sorta jarring seeing his post match interview after the amazing October 2007 match where he regained the title. He is stiff and seems nervous whereas now he is amazing in post match interviews and even performs air guitar concerts. Both men go into their 2011 title match using the strategies that worked in the past. Tanahashi works over Nagata's leg with Dragon Screws, a Figure Four, and his awesome looking Texas Cloverleaf. Nagata goes to work on the arm including an amazing counter of the Sling Blade into the Nagata Lock II. Tanahashi blocks the Super Exploder, but that just means Nagata nails a really violent looking overhead Belly to Belly off the top. It is a great match in front of a super hot crowd. The crowds in Korakuen Hall are the best in the world. Tanahashi got the win there after a long back and forth finally countering a backdop suplex off the top and hitting his finish. The 2011 G1 match is really good, but more of a greatest hits deal. The most interesting part of it was that going into the G1 Nagata had won the other two big Heavyweight Tournaments in Japan the New Japan Cup, which is how he got the aforementioned title shot, and All Japan's Champion's Carnival.


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Here are some random thoughts: sad that we shoot past the at Tanahashi era here however it will be covered in a later review of the time that Tanahashi and Nagata invaded NOAH. Tanahashi wearing trunks is weird. Tanahashi has the worst cauliflower ears ever. God was New Japan in a bad way in the middle of the decade.

Results and Ratings

NJPW 1/24/02
Yuji Nagata defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi via submission at 9:36 with the cross armbreaker (Star Rating: ***1/4)

NJPW 9/3/04
Yuji Nagata defeated IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 19:23 with a bakdrop hold (Star Rating: ***1/2)

New Japan Cup 2005
IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuji Nagata via DQ at 24:12. Hiroshi Tanahashi advanced to the 2nd Round of the New Japan Cup. (Star Rating: ***)

NJPW 2/19/06
IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 21:11 with a Dragon Suplex (Star Rating: ***)

New Japan Cup 2006
Yuji Nagata defeated IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 18:49 with a wrist-clutch Exploder. Yuji Nagata advanced to the Final of the New Japan Cup. (Star Rating: ***3/4)

New Japan Brave
Yuji Nagata defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 23:34 with a backdrop hold. Yuji Nagata won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (****3/4)

G1 Climax 2007 Final
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 19:02 with the High Fly Flow. Hiroshi Tanahashi won the 2007 G1 Climax. (****3/4)

New Japan Explosion 2007
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 31:05 with the High Fly Flow. Hiroshi Tanahashi won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: *****)

NJPW "NEW DIMENSION ~PRAY, HOPE, POWER~"
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 35:30 with the High Fly Flow. Hiroshi Tanahashi retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****3/4)

G1 Climax 2011 Day 1
Yuji Nagata defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 18:19 with a backdrop hold. (Star Rating: ****)

Average Rating: ****

We leave New Japan and return to the World Wrestling Federation in our next edition. You may have noticed a pattern at this point. We take a look at a far more famous feud of former Tag Team Champions. Next Time: Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

JAYD
September 12th, 2011, 2:54 PM
This is a great thread, will take me a while to get through it but your Rock/Austin reviews were interesting. I need to rewatch because I friggin' loved the WM15 and Backlash matches as a kid and want to see how they hold up. WM15 was so bad maybe that match got overrated a bit and crowd was hot because they were so over.

Defrost
September 13th, 2011, 10:23 PM
Next batch of matches to be reviewed

Royal Rumble 1993 (ARCO Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 5/17/93 (Manhattan Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 7/19/93 (Manhattan Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 7/1/96 (Brown County Expo)
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Defrost
September 15th, 2011, 2:58 PM
http://i53.tinypic.com/vdh8w0.jpg

Cain and Abel. The North and the South. Ernest Hemingway and his favorite shotgun. Once united then the most mortal of enemies. That is also the story of the Rockers nee Midnight Rockers. Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty had done it all. Won the AWA Tag Team Titles. Were former Southern Tag Team Champions. In an alternative universe were even WWF Tag Team Champions. This all came crashing down when Shawn Michaels, in all of his hubris, superkicked Marty through the window of the Barbarshop. Well that isn't how Marty went through the window, but it is the way everyone describes it so why bother to argue? Or it all came crashing down when Marty decided to give notice and call up WCW without talking to Shawn first. One or the other. What is the moral of the story? That is what we'll seek to find out in this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.

Rockers Breakup - YouTube

Royal Rumble 1993 (ARCO Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 5/17/93 (Manhattan Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 7/19/93 (Manhattan Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

Raw 7/1/96 (Brown County Expo)
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty

marty janetty gets revenge on shawn michaels - YouTube

The moral of the story is to never put your head down nor rush into the corner. Well at least that is the moral of the story you'd get from these matches. Every time someone put their head down for a back bodydrop or tried to rush their opponent in a corner it was met with disastrous results never ever learning the lesson. Hell in the first match Marty puts his head down allowing Shawn to gab him and whip him into the ropes. Now you'd think he'd realize the error he just capitalized on, but no Shawn puts his head down and gets his face driven into the mat. This first match is the weakest of the four. It starts out great, but drags once Shawn gets the heat. This is something we, the royal we, here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ. Pre Wrestlemania X heel Shawn Michaels was not very good while on offense. He always made the babyface look like a million bucks with how amazing of a bumper he was, but the match would just sorta die when he got on offense. Shawn back then was king of the chinlock, a throne now sat upon by Blandy Orton. In their Rumble match it wasn't a chinlock so much as arm work that leads to nowhere, and that is the problem. Back then Shawn's heat was mostly time killing stuff because it was just the point of the match where the heel gets the heat. No real psychology to it. Then once the comeback starts when Shawn did his wacky pirouette before rushing Marty in the corner and posting himself, see told you about those corners, the match gets good again.


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The match on the night Marty returned to Raw does not suffer from this problem quite as badly. Part of the is based on the fact that the match is shorter and there is a commercial in the middle of it. Part of it is based on losing the arm work. Part of it is Marty being on offense for a higher percentage of the match. That makes it a far more exciting match even if it is held back a bit by Shawn's lack of compelling offense. That is glaring when after Marty tries one head scissor too many and gets throated in an awesome spot Shawn meanders a bit before grabbing a chinlock. So while the problems were less they were still there. Then there is the fact that Marty still had not learned his lesson when it come to putting his head down. Twice in the match Marty put his head down only to take a kick to the face, and then have the back of his head driven into the mat by his hair. Shawn and the wacky pirouette chronicled in the Shawn vs Bret review appears again. In the third match Marty continues to put his head down, but it seemed to a least work out a bit this time. When he puts his head down Shawn grabs him and lifts him for the powerbomb, but Marty is able to turn it into a hurricanrana for a close 2 count. Too bad he took that dive over the top and got pinned. Of the IC Title matches the July 1993 Raw match is the best. It flows the best with the rest hold Shawn uses being a front facelock with his feet on the ropes. There is good continuity with the aforementioned head down/corner spots as well as Marty again coming off the top for the fist drop with Shawn moving out of the way. Marty lands on his feet and nails a DDT. Unlike the first two matches that got a three, but Shawn's foot was on the rope so the match was restarted. It was also the first time they played up how well the two knew each other with great spots of reversals and ducking moves early on. Also a plus is it was the first match that didn't end with Marty acting randomly heelish.


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Good thing that Marty was a heel in the last match. It was sorta weird that after the ref bump the returning babyface calls in the nefarious heel manager to attack his opponent only for the arrogant ignoble heel to duck having the interference backfire on the babyface and the heel then hitting his move for the clean win. In the second match Shawn hits his superkick, which while not yet his finisher at the time was the move he finished Marty with in their first match, then he gets distracted by Mr Perfect allowing Jannetty to roll him up and win the IC Title. A total heel move. In the fourth match Marty Jannetty is brought out by Jim Cornette, Shawn was feuding with Owen, Bulldog, and Vader at the time, to soften up Shawn prior to International Incident given his knowledge of Shawn. There are some interesting reverse callbacks here. In the match where Marty won the IC Title Marty catches Shawn with his head down again and after a series of Japanese Arm Drags and a head scissor he was in control of the match. In the 1996 match Shawn catches Marty with his head down and after a series of Japanese Arm Drags sends Marty to the floor with a dropkick. Shawn fakes a crossbody off the second rope which caused Marty to duck so he goes up top and hit it from there which Marty had done in their previous match. Marty even goes with the chinlock. Marty with, let's say it together, his head down ends up in powerbomb position where he once again takes Shawn over with a hurricanrana, but Shawn turns that into a sunset flip. Finish comes on the fourth time Shawn moves from the flying fist drop, but instead of going for a DDT he goes for a suplex to which Shawn floats behind Marty, nails a perfect piledriver, comes off the top with a flying elbow, sweet chin music, and the win. This was the best match of the bunch. Shawn in 1996 was in his absolute peak prime. Marty was working super hard here. Maybe he was looking for a way out of his tag team with Al Snow, oh wait I mean Leif Cassidy. So both guys were totally on. Marty was given a good chunk of the match since the story they were telling was how well he knew Shawn, and they told this story the best of any of the matches. Shawn as a babyface having to make a comeback in 1996 was so much better than Shawn as a heel on offense in 1993. So this is probably the least known yet the best.


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Random observation time. No idea what the color of the IC Belt was at Royal Rumble 1993. Shawn spiking Marty into the ringpost at the Rumble was awesome. Gorilla and Heenan were great together. The crowds were not particularly hot for the IC Title matches. An amazing transition from a leap frog to a sunset flip in the title switch. Nash was great at the subtle manager stuff.


Results and Ratings

Royal Rumble 1993
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Marty Jannetty via pinall at 14:20 with a Superkick. Shawn Michaels retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: **3/4)

Raw 5/17/93
Marty Jannetty defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels via pinall at 11:00 with a small packcage. Marty Jannetty won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Raw 7/19/93
WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Marty Jannetty via pinall at 23:00 after Jannetty missed a pescado. Shawn Michaels retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: ****)

Raw 7/1/96
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Marty Jannetty via pinall at with a Superkick (Star Rating: ****1/4)

Average Rating: ***1/2

And much like Aesop we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG strive to teach you the important lessons in life. We hope you have learned much today. Now it is time to go onwards into that good night and all that as we take another look at the defunct promotion once known as World Championship Wrestling. We take a look at a bright spot in the darkness of a sinking ship where the rats didn't so much leave as chew more holes in the boat. Next Time: Booker T vs Rick Martel.

Defrost
September 15th, 2011, 2:59 PM
m

LOCONUT
September 15th, 2011, 4:25 PM
Excellent work here.

Defrost
September 29th, 2011, 2:36 AM
Next set of matches to be reviewed

Souled Out 1998 (Hara Arena)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Booker T vs Rick Martel

Nitro 2/16/98 (Tampa Fairgrounds)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Booker T vs Rick Martel

Superbrawl VIII (Cow Palace)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Rick Martel vs Booker T

takerson
September 29th, 2011, 12:31 PM
Eeeeeewwwwwwwww.

Cewsh
September 29th, 2011, 12:36 PM
I'm really interested in this one, because I haven't seen any of these matches.

Atty
September 29th, 2011, 12:45 PM
Sounds like a good one. Might I make one suggestion, though? A special review of the Red Sox season.

DDT
September 29th, 2011, 1:37 PM
I'm really interested in this one, because I haven't seen any of these matches.



Me either; really weird actually.

takerson
September 29th, 2011, 1:51 PM
I've seen the "Souled Out" one. That's what I based my "Eeeeeeewwwwwwww" off of. :yes:

Defrost
September 30th, 2011, 2:36 AM
http://i.imgur.com/cTvMV.png

After a slight sabbatical we are back and better than ever. This time around we take a look at post Starrcade 1997 WCW. Post the first of many many stupid decisions that would lead to the death of WCW. So painting the picture of the situation this is basically the beginning of an End of the World movie where there is still some hope, but everything is fucked already. In that period there are some rays of sunshine. Well if you ask some people. For years Rick Martel's return to the national wrestling scene in WCW has been looked upon fondly. We here strive to see if such fondness is warranted.

Souled Out 1998 (Hara Arena)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Booker T vs Rick Martel

Nitro 2/16/98 (Tampa Fairgrounds)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Booker T vs Rick Martel

Superbrawl VIII (Cow Palace)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Rick Martel vs Booker T


http://i.imgur.com/x5r7s.jpg

No, it's not warranted. These matches were selected because even here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ we are not immune to nostalgia. In other words I remembered these being much better than they actually were too. There is nothing to these matches. Booker throws some shitty looking kicks. Grabs an armbar that kills some time in pretty short matches. Martel works over the back a bit and goes for a Boston Crab. That's it. That is all that happened. No analysis to be had in these. No real entertainment value either. Yet they have gotten a reputation as being much better over the years.


http://i56.tinypic.com/255mdj6.jpg

Not sure why that is. Was it just because there was such a blowback against Hogan and all of the terrible WCWness? Was it because most of the 1980s guys brought in sucked and sucked hard? The Friends of Hogan era of WCW pre nWo is another blight in the history of WCW. Bringing in guys like Honky Tonk Man, who was one of many old WWF guys who WCW signed and kept paying not even realized they were employed based on a scam where guys would sign them in at the arenas like they were there when they really weren't, who added nothing to anything or guys like Jim Duggan who they pushed over people like Steve Austin. So maybe Martel working hard and not being a disaster helped? Maybe Booker T getting to do anything in an environment where no one got pushed ever was something people remember far more fondly. We don't have the answer here for this disappointment.

Results and Ratings

Souled Out 1998
WCW World TV Champion Booker T defeated Rick Martel via pinfall with the Harlem Hangover at 10:48. Booker T retained the WCW World Television Championship (Star Rating: **)

Nitro 2/16/98
Rick Martel defeated WCW World TV Champion Booker T via submission with the Quebec Crab at 8:02. Rick Martel won the WCW World Television Championship (Star Rating: *3/4)

Superbrawl VIII
Booker T defeated WCW World TV Champion Rick Martel via pinfall with a Harlem Sidekick at 10:32. Booker T won the WCW World Television Championship. (Star Rating: **3/4)

This ends our journey into the Night of the Living Dead era of WCW. Interestingly enough in our next edition we will take a look at another rise that led to not a whole helluva lot as we return to the World Wrestling Federation to look at a rising star that never fulfilled the hoped for potential. Next Time: The Ultimate Warrior vs Ravishing Rick Rude.

JAYD
September 30th, 2011, 3:16 PM
I think we remember a lot of stuff being better than it was, based on variables like crowd noise at the time, how excited we were for the characters at the time, announcers putting a match over that wasn't that great (JR is great at this), etc.

Cewsh
September 30th, 2011, 3:26 PM
*cough*AES*cough*

Cewsh
September 30th, 2011, 3:26 PM
*cough*AES*cough*

takerson
September 30th, 2011, 6:06 PM
Warrior vs. Rude.

That's what I'm talkin' about. :yes:

Their WM V and SummerSlam 1989 matches are surprisingly good if I remember correctly from my WM/SS marathon last year.

JAYD
October 1st, 2011, 11:12 AM
Hmmm weird I remember the SS89 match being garbage but it's been a long ass time since I've seen it

Defrost
October 5th, 2011, 3:32 PM
Matches to be reviewed

Wrestlemania V (Boardwalk Hall)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Summerslam 1989 (Meadowlands Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs The Ultimate Warrior

Saturday Night's Main Event #27 (Omaha Civic Auditorium)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Summerslam 1990 (Philadelphia Spectrum)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/Steel Cage Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Cewsh
October 7th, 2011, 3:32 PM
How did I miss this?

Super psyched for this. Aside from the Savage match, this was the best series that Warrior ever had.

Defrost
October 8th, 2011, 3:03 PM
http://i53.tinypic.com/140euxv.jpg

What I'd like to have right now is for all you basement dwelling internet idiots to keep the noise down while I show you all the next edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.

Wrestlemania V (Boardwalk Hall)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Summerslam 1989 (Meadowlands Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs The Ultimate Warrior

Saturday Night's Main Event #27 (Omaha Civic Auditorium)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Summerslam 1990 (Philadelphia Spectrum)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/Steel Cage Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan)


http://i51.tinypic.com/2drgcj.jpg

The Ultimate Warrior was never known for his heaps of intricate psychology, a statement that is applicable both as a work and as a shoot, so it is interesting that the one match where Warrior has a discernible strategy is by far the worst. Warrior goes to work on Rude's back from the outset. Literally throwing him into the corner then slamming him repeatedly until grabbing hold of the single most boring move in wrestling the Bear Hug. This goes on awhile. Then Rude breaks it. Then Warrior grabs it again. Very tedious. Seeing as this is the only match Warrior loses it is safe to say that this strategy did not work. Following this Warrior goes back to his tried and true method of trying to run through his opponents. The matches also lose the dead time that comes from such things as Bear Hugs making them much more exciting. Now calling Warrior matches exciting may seem a tad odd. However, something happened when he got in the ring with the likes of Rick Rude or Randy Savage. It might be that they were able to focus the match, it might be that something about Warrior's style just clicked with those two, or it may just be that they were that much better than anyone else Warrior worked with. Not only that, but Warrior seemed to do more against them. Not that we, the royal we, think it was wise of Rude to allow Warrior to German Suplex him off the second rope. Just an observation.


http://i.imgur.com/5KF8u.gif

While Warrior's strategy changes after his loss to a more familiar style Rick Rude is consistent in his plan of attack. His plan is to beat Warrior about the head until he is knocked out. Starting out with the greatest top rope missile drop kick of all time at Wrestlemania V Rude again and again came up with new and innovative ways of trying to bash Warrior's skull in. Then at Summerslam 1989, the best match of the bunch, Rude not only piledrives Warrior he then picks him up again but instead of piledriving him he nails the GANSO BOMB of all things ten years before Toshiaki Kawada would do it to Mitsuharu Misawa.

Toshiaki Kawada inadvertently invents the Ganso Bomb - YouTube

The Summerslam '89 match is the second best Warrior match by DRS2EBRaSAGG calculations only surpassed by Wrestlemania VII. There is a flow to it that creates a sense of drama. You have very credible nearfalls coming from such things as a GANSO BOMB and Warrior flying off the top rope. The match also has Jesse Ventura infamously tearing into Tony Schiavone after he tries to explain that it was okay for Warrior to hit Rude with the IC Title Belt because they were on the floor. This leads to a great moment in their Saturday Night's Main Event match when both man are on the floor and Heenan is distracting the ref Rick Rude smashes Warrior in the face with the WWF Championship Belt getting his revenge as well as furthering his focus on the head with the idea of softening Warrior up for the Rude Awakening.


http://i.imgur.com/kV196.jpg

Finishers playing an interesting part in these matches. Whether it be the neck breaker known as the Rude Awakening or Warrior's Gorilla Press/Splash combo the way they were used in these matches was very well done. In Rude's case in every match he found Warrior fighting his way out of the Rude Awakening. Warrior powered out of it at Wrestlemania V and at Summerslam 1989 and then Rude would eat a clothesline. At Saturday Night's Main Event Warrior again powered out of the Rude Awakening. However, this time Rude ducked the clothesline and caught Warrior in the gut with a back kick dazing him enough to nail the Rude Awakening for the first time on The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior kicked out, but it was still an awesome spot. After that Warrior began Shakin' Dem Ropes and they went to the finish. There are a lot of really nice little touches in that SNME match actually. For instance after the aforementioned belt spot Rude goes back into the ring and starts counting Warrior down with the ref. Heenan runs over, says something, and Rude tears ass to the floor so he can throw Warrior back in the ring. Presumably Heenan reminded Rude you can't win the title on a countout. After the match Rude cut a promo stating his intentions for the Summerslam 1990 cage match including his plan to come off the top of the cage onto the Warrior.


http://i54.tinypic.com/357otg5.jpg

At the Summerslam 1990 cage match the finishes of the two men intersected. In every match Warrior's first attempt at the splash was always met by him landing on Rude's knees. In the cage match after Warrior powered out of the Rude Awakening yet again he went for the big splash and Rude got his knees up yet again. This allowed Rude to immediately hit the Rude Awakening. Instead of going for the pin, WWF rules with the big blue cage were random on whether pins/submissions counted here they did, or trying to escape Rude fulfilled his promise by climbing to the top of the cage and coming down onto the Warrior's head. Then instead of trying to win he did it again, but it was pushing luck too far as Warrior caught him with a shot to the gut on the way down followed by the Gorilla Press Slam allowing Warrior to escape the cage and retain the title. There might be some overrating of this match here, but they worked this cage match like a cage match. There was blood which is a quaint notion these days. The cage was used as a weapon. There were familiar spots. Rude came off the top. There was some serious drama especially when Heenan tried to help Rude escape, but Warrior fended him off. It was a much better cage match than you can possibly see today in WWE.


http://i.imgur.com/7KLRS.jpg

Results and Ratings

Wrestlemania V
Rick Rude defeated WWF Intercontental Champion The Ultimate Warrior via pinfall at 9:42 when Bobby Heenan tripped Warrior as Warrior suplexed Rude into the ring. Rick Rude won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship (Star Rating:***)

Summerslam 1989
The Ultimate Warrior defeated WWF Intercontental Champion Rick Rude via pinfall at 16:02 with the running splash. The Ultimate Warrior won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship (Star Rating:****1/2)

Saturday Night's Main Event #27
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior defeated Rick Rude via countout at 9:43. The Ultimate Warrior retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating:***3/4)

Summerslam 1990
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Ultimate Warrior defeated Rick Rude by escaping the cage at 10:06. The Ultimate Warrior retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating:****)

Average Rating: ***3/4

Well that does it for this edition. After an extended stay in the good ole US of A it is time to go abroad once again. Not only that, but we take a look at an innovative and interesting style not looked at in these here pages thus far. Next Time: Kai en Tai DX vs Michinoku Pro

Cewsh
October 8th, 2011, 3:27 PM
I am seeing those two Summerslam matches after reading this. Fuck yes.

Defrost
October 11th, 2011, 1:48 PM
Next set of matches

Michinoku Pro 6/23/96
Great Sasuke/Super Delfin vs Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh

Michinoku Pro "These Days"
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Tiger Mask IV/Masato Yakushiji

Inoki Festival 1996
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke/Super Delfin/Gran Hamada/Masato Yakushiji/Naohiro Hoshikawa

Michinoku Pro 12/9/6
Elimination Match
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke/Super Delfin/Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Tiger Mask IV

Michinoku Pro 12/16/96
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Masato Yakushiji

takerson
October 11th, 2011, 1:50 PM
Why not include the one from ECW Barely Legal 1997? :yes:

Defrost
October 11th, 2011, 1:55 PM
Why not include the one from ECW Barely Legal 1997? :yes:

Okay that one too

takerson
October 11th, 2011, 4:22 PM
:yes:

Defrost
October 13th, 2011, 9:39 PM
There is no choppy of the pee pee here on DRS2EBRaSAGG because we are going to take a look at one of the greatest wrestling stables of all time before Vince McMahon had the opportunity to ruin it. In this edition we take a look at the lucharesu stylings of Dick Togo, Men's Teioh, Shiryu aka Kaz Hayashi ina hood, Shoichi Funaki, and Taka Michinoku as they take on their foes in Michinoku Pro.

Michinoku Pro 6/23/96
Great Sasuke/Super Delfin vs Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh

Michinoku Pro "These Days"
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Tiger Mask IV/Masato Yakushiji

Inoki Festival 1996
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke/Super Delfin/Gran Hamada/Masato Yakushiji/Naohiro Hoshikawa

Michinoku Pro 12/16/96
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Masato Yakushiji

Barely Legal 1997
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Men's Teioh vs Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Masato Yakushiji

Lucharesu is what it looks like a combination of Lucha Lubre and Puroresu. More to the point it mixes the flashyness of Lucha as well as the sharp Rudo/Tecnico divide as well as following lucha libre rules with the Jr Heavyweight style of wrestling innovated by the original Tiger Mask, Kuniaki Kobayashi, and Dynamite Kid in the early 1980s in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The father of the style was Gran Hamada who was one of the original graduates of the New Japan dojo, but was thought to be too small so he was sent to the Universal Wrestling Association in Mexico. There he learned lucha and he began to create a style. When the UWF formed Hamada was one of the original members of the promotion and continued his vision of Jr Wrestling combining the gymnastics of lucha with the impact, suplexes, and whatnot of Jr Heavyweight puroresu. Hamada would start Universal Lucha Libre with his protege Yoshihiro Asai, more famously known as Ultimo Dragon, That promotion would train Great Sasuke, Super Delfin, Jinsei Shizaki, Kaz Hayashi. Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo, and basically everyone the would go on to Michinoku Pro after Sasuke left the Universal Lucha Libre to found the promotion. Hamada himself would follow shortly thereafter. Asai would sign with CMLL in Mexico and later WAR in Japan. He would later continue the lineage of lucharesu with Toryumon which begat Dragon Gate the current standard bearer for the style.

Kaientai DX were heels. More to the point they were Rudos. In Japan heels are either foreign, outright gimmicks like Great Kabuki. Kaientai were not that even if Kaz Hayashi wore a mask. They were just a bunch of cheating little pricks. They always played the numbers game. Which in a match where Sasuke and Delfin, the Mega Powers of Michinoku Pro, took on three of them at once there is an obvious advantage that Kaientai used in their advantage to win even if Sasuke and Delfin had Teioh and Shiryu beaten only for Togo to make the save. Kaientai would always go 5 on 1 while the faces would not. Kaientai used weapons when their opponents never did. Although on the 12/16/96 match that backfired when Sasuke dodged a thrown chair and Togo ate it instead.

This style is all about how things flow. Beyond certain things such as Kaientai being underhanded the structure of the matches follow are far different in terms of psychology from other styles. Tags are not needed to switch in and out. So once two guys have their back and forth and one gets the better of it off the loser went and a teammate comes in and starts trading spots. The 12/16/96 match is the best for this. Everything is seamless. That is the main issue with the style. Everything has to flow for it to really work. That doesn't mean botching. There is a botch in the ECW match, and in front of that crowd you know how that went down, and that match is still great. It is more timing and whatnot. Slight hesitation throws things off. You have to hit your spot when the time to hit it is and when you hit the ring you have to hit it. That makes or breaks in this style. 12/16/96 flowed the best.

Results and Ratings

M-Pro 6/23/96
Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh defeated Great Sasuke/Super Delfin via pinfall at 17:26 when Togo pinned Delfin with a top rope senton (***1/2)

Michinoku Pro "These Days"
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki defeated Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Tiger Mask IV/Masato Yakushiji via pinfall at 32:07 when Togo pinned Delfin with a top rope senton (***1/2)

Inoki Festival 1996
Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki defeated Great Sasuke/Super Delfin/Gran Hamada/Masato Yakushiji/Naohiro Hoshikawa via pinfall at 16:38 when Togo pinned Yakushiji with a top rope senton (***)

Michinoku Pro 12/16/96
Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Gran Naniwa/Super Delfin/Masato Yakushiji defeated Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Shiryu/Men's Teioh/Shoichi Funaki via pinfall at 22:50 when Hamada pinned Shiryu with a hurricanrana (****3/4)

Barely Legal 1997
Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Masato Yakushiji defeated Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Men's Teioh via pinfall at 16:55 when Great Sasuke pinned Michinoku with a bridging Tiger Suplex (****1/4)

Well that is a look at an athletic high flying pinpoint style. So where to look for something different for the next review. What could possibly be the opposite of these guys. Egads who could do justice for such a concept. What a vicious conundrum we have here. We'd have to be psycho to lay to such a challenge. Wait a minute... Next Time SID vs Shawn Michaels.

cactusmaac
October 14th, 2011, 10:37 PM
Kudos to Defrost for an awesome series of reviews. Very sound on the history and psychology involved. I hope these will be archived somewhere.

Defrost
October 23rd, 2011, 6:07 PM
Next batch of matches

Raw 9/11/95 (Canton Memorial Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Sid (w/ Ted Dibiase)

Survivor Series 1996 (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) vs Sid

Royal Rumble 1997 (Alamo Dome)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Sid vs Shawn Michaels (w/ Jose Lothario)

Defrost
October 24th, 2011, 5:46 PM
http://i52.tinypic.com/idhend.jpg

WHAT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS EDITION OF DRS2EBRaSAGG will be looking at the RIVALRY BETWEEN shawn michaels and the master and the ruler of the world.

Raw 9/11/95 (Canton Memorial Civic Center)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship
WWF Intercontental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Sid (w/ Ted Dibiase)

Survivor Series 1996 (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) vs Sid

Royal Rumble 1997 (Alamo Dome)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Sid vs Shawn Michaels (w/ Jose Lothario)


http://i52.tinypic.com/300fkw5.jpg

This is your quintessential big man vs little man match up. Shawn uses his speed while Sid uses his power. The monster gets heat in one shot while the spunky babyface has to fight and fight to the delight of the audience. At least that's the idea. An idea the crowd in MSG shit all over. The IC Title match starts off differently than the other two. Of all these matches it is the first one that seems most designed to make Shawn look good. Shawn spends almost the entire first half of the match, which stemmed from Sid turning on Shawn the night after Wrestlemania XI, running circles around Sid. Sid is able to get Shawn down with some brutal shots that look less than stellar, then he randomly kips up out of a headscissor for no reason before going to the finish involving a top rope crossbody and several Superkicks in a row to fell the giant beast. It is a fine match. Shawn Michaels in 1995 is not having a bad match with anyone, but the psychology seems off. It is supposed to be Shawn's revenge for the vicious, no pun intended, beating he received from Sid yet there is nothing going on to suggest anything other than a normal title defense is going on.


http://i51.tinypic.com/155rytk.jpg

On that theme of odd psychology we come to their match at Survivor Series 1996. Most matches begin with the babyface running wild until the heel cuts him off and gets the heat and the match builds to the babyface making a comeback. Shawn is supposed to be the babyface here and Sid the heel. You can tell that is supposed to be the dynamic since Sid is booked to give an old man a heart attack. So in front of a crowd that is already grumbling in Shawn's direction and gave Sid a gigantic pop the match starts with Sid tossing Shawn all over the place until Shawn slides through Sid's legs and bitch slaps him. Let me repeat that. Shawn, with the crowd already turning on him and Sid looking good, bitch slaps Sid. No reason for it. Just does it. After that Shawn runs away from a Sid Powerbomb attempt and then clips Sid's leg from behind and loses the entire crowd. At the point when Shawn begins working over Sid's leg the boos start cascading down on him. Sid makes the big comeback catching Shawn coming off the top with the crossbody which worked in the first match, but didn't here as Shawn ended up eating a backbreaker. Shawn comes back with a bodyslam, but comes off the second rope and eats Sid's boot. The best part of the match follows with Shawn and Sid replaying the finish of the WWF Title match from the year before only Shawn was not able to get the 3 count Bret got. Sid then hits Lothario with a camera causing a heart attack to a monster pop. Shawn Superkicks Sid to massive boos. Shawn goes to check Lothario instead of pinning Sid protecting him. By the way Shawn got booed trying to help his dying friend. Sid then hits Shawn with the camera and the Powerbomb and we had a new World Heavyweight Champion.


http://i52.tinypic.com/fu87qb.jpg

So to recap the IC Title match on Raw was all about putting Shawn over and making him look good. The Survivor Series match had some bizarre psychology in front of an already hostile to Shawn crowd, but Shawn was booked to retain his heat because the presumed end game at the time was Shawn going over big in a stadium show in his home town. On the booking front things changed because business was down and Vince decided what he needed were big men in the main event. On the work side of things Shawn Michaels had a bad case of the flu effectively making the match a series of rest holds by Sid hampering the match quality. Back to the booking. Shawn does not go over anywhere near clean here. There is a ref bump at which point Sid chokeslams Shawn and visibly pins him for about a ten count. The idea was that Shawn had to win in his home town or it'd kill him, but that Shawn would drop it back to Sid. The edition of Raw where he vacated the title due to injury and gave the infamous "I Lost My Smile" speech was to be the time and place. That is the most interesting through line in these matches. The booking goes from putting Shawn over strong to protecting Shawn to begrudgingly letting Shawn win. Knowing what we know now it's safe to say Vince should of stuck with his first instinct.


http://i.imgur.com/wJnf6.jpg

Results and Ratings

Raw 9/11/95
WWF Intercontental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Sid via pinfall at 8:00 with the Superkick. Shawn Michaels retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontental Championship (Rating: **1/4)

Survivor Series 1996
Sid defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels via pinfall at 20:02 with the Powerbomb. Sid won the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Rating: ****1/4)

Royal Rumble 1997
Shawn Michaels defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Sid via pinfall at 13:49 with a Superkick. Shawn Michaels won the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Rating: **)

Well that does it for this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. Next time we return to Japan to take a look a our first native for gaijin series. We also take a look at the revitalization of a great career. NEXT TIME: Kenta Kobashi vs Vader

Defrost
October 25th, 2011, 3:51 PM
Preview of Kobashi vs Vader review

Moonsault Fail - YouTube

Defrost
October 26th, 2011, 6:15 PM
Next batch of matches

AJPW 1/15/99 (Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium)
Kenta Kobashi vs Vader

Champion's Carnival 1999 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Champion's Carnival Final
Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 2/27/00 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi

NOAH 1/13/01 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue vs Vader and Jun Akiyama

DDT
October 26th, 2011, 6:34 PM
Lucky bastard; have fun. :mad:

Defrost
October 28th, 2011, 5:20 PM
http://i44.tinypic.com/o7j155.jpg

It's Time. It's Time. It's DRS2EBRaSAGG Time. After Vader's ignominious exit from the World Wrestling Federation in 1998 he returned to the place of his biggest success in wrestling having worked major stadium shows and winning World Titles for both New Japan Pro Wresting and UWFi. His return to Japan in 1998 took him to a third promotion, All Japan Pro Wrestling where he had fresh matchups with the likes of Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Jun Akiyama, Akira Taue, and the series looked at here with Kenta Kobashi.

AJPW 1/15/99 (Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium)
Kenta Kobashi vs Vader

Champion's Carnival 1999 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Champion's Carnival Final
Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi

AJPW 2/27/00 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Vader vs Kenta Kobashi

NOAH 1/13/01 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue vs Vader and Jun Akiyama


http://i39.tinypic.com/i79b9y.jpg

The predominant style of New Japan is Strong Style. UWFi was a Shoot Style promotion. All Japan's style was King's Road during the Baba Era when Kobashi came up. So there is some clashing of styles here. They work these matches very simply. Vader beats Kobashi up, and Kobashi makes comebacks to the delight of the crowd. Most of you know Vader's offense. The stiff head and body shots. The Vader Attack. The Powerbomb. The Vaderbomb. The Moonsault. A move he used in Japan, can't remember him ever using it in America, was the most gigantic German Suplex you will ever see. The famous usage of the move would be Vader's match with Antonio Inoki in the Tokyo Dome. Vader sent Inoki high into the air and Inoki came down right on his head. He does that to Kobashi several times in these matches. He does all those moves to Kobashi several times in these matches.


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Kobashi is great on comebacks. After eating a powerbomb on the floor or getting brained with a steel chair Kobashi, who has the greatest facial expressions in the history of wrestling, would stay up on something like a short arm lariat, make a face that would pop the crowd, and start beating on Vader. Dive off the top to the floor onto Vader then rip up the mats and DDT him. Or comeback with his trademark chops. Or bust out his punches. Kobashi has a great worked punch, but the style of wrestling in Japan there are rarely, very rarely ever punches in matches. However, in the end, the onslaught brought on by Vader proved too much in their first two matches. In the first match after Vader won a striking battle he squashed Kobashi with a splash in the corner, nailed the gigantic German, two Vader Bombs, and finally a splash off the second rope for the win. In the second match after Vader ducked a Kobashi Lariat grabbed Kobashi for the German, nailed the Moonsault which got a 2 count. A Powerbomb got Vader another 2, and then Vader finished Kobashi over with a Vader Attack. In the third match Kobashi is able to stem the tide. After two Vader Chokeslams is looked like all was lost for Kobashi, but he came back with a Lariat from out of nowhere. He followed that up with a perfect Moonsault which garnered him a 2 count. Vader was able to get in one Vader Attack, but that led Kobashi to bounce off Vader and then off the ropes and hit a Burning Lariat on Vader to win the match and the Triple Crown.


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A major point the first and third matches had in common were injuries to Kenta Kobashi. In the first match Kobashi had a bandage above the eye covering stitches and in the third match his ribs were taped up. The first injury was a shoot not sure about the second. but they played into the matches in different ways. The first match is far more subtle and not coincidently the better match. Early on Kobashi makes his comeback so Vader gets a shot in on the wound. Then later when Kobashi is going for the victory he pops the crowd by ripping off the bandage which leaves it open to Vader and thus begins Vader's finishing stretch and victory. The third match revolves around Kobashi's ribs. Vader works them over most of the match. It is the entire psychology of the match. In the first match it is a few effective shots in a match built around other things which is very subtle and clever, but the third match is overwhelmed by the rib work. Especially since Kobashi doesn't really sell it, which is odd since he is a great seller.


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The NOAH tag match is being reviewed here because Vader almost murders Kenta Kobashi with a moonsault at the finish.It is a very good match, but the focus is on Kobashi and Akiyama. It is good enough to look out for. But seriously the ending is hilarious because it is Kobashi's skull and not mine.

Moonsault Fail - YouTube

Results and Ratings

AJPW 1/15/99
Vader defeated Kenta Kobashi via pinfall at 16:59 with a splash off the second rope (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Champion's Carnival 1999
Triple Crown Champion Vader defeated Kenta Kobashi via pinfall at 19:11 with the Vader Attack. Vader won the 1999 Champion's Carnival (Star Rating:****1/2)

AJPW 2/27/00
Kenta Kobashi defeated Triple Crown Champion Vader via pinfall at 19:49 with a Lariat. Kenta Kobashi won the Triple Crown (Star Rating:***1/2)

NOAH 1/13/01
Vader and Jun Akiyama defeated Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue at 25:50 when Vader pinned Kenta Kobashi with a Moonsault Press (Star Rating: ****1/4)

Average Rating; ****1/4

That does it on this look at a wrestler reinvigorated by leaving the WWF. In the next edition we take a look at another wrestler who jump started his career by leaving the WWF as he takes on someone with which he had a famous match in that company. Next Time: Macho Man Randy Savage vs Nature Boy Ric Flair

Vice
October 28th, 2011, 5:27 PM
Fucking hell. That moonsault is disgusting.

Defrost
October 29th, 2011, 1:06 PM
Snow induced review headed your way

Starrcade 1995
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW Champion Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Nature Boy Ric Flair

Nitro 1/22/96
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW Champion Nature Boy Ric Flair vs. Macho Man Randy Savage

Superbrawl VI
WCW World Heavyweight Championship/Steel Cage Match
WCW Champion Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Nature Boy Ric Flair

Defrost
October 30th, 2011, 1:18 PM
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Oooh Yeah, Wooooooooo DRS2EBRaSAGG is back to style and profile dig it. In this snowy day edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG we once again take a look at a man who left the World Wrestling Federation in search of greener pastures. In this case it is the Macho Man Randy Savage who left the WWF for reasons that seem to be money and working as a wrestler and not as an announcer even if there are other rumors floating about the miasma of such things.

Starrcade 1995
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW Champion Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Nature Boy Ric Flair

Nitro 1/22/96
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW Champion Nature Boy Ric Flair vs. Macho Man Randy Savage

Superbrawl VI
WCW World Heavyweight Championship/Steel Cage Match
WCW Champion Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Nature Boy Ric Flair


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Let’s get something out of the way right now. The first two matches reviewed herein suck. They suck hard. Savage is basically useless due to a torn muscle in his arm that he was working through for what seems to be the sole reason of working Dave Meltzer. He first won the title on the show where Hulk Hogan famously burned a copy of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reporting Savage’s injury saying that Meltzer had gotten worked. Savage was then seen with an arm heavily wrapped and obviously smaller than the other one and worked the match as his arm was injured and lost to an arm bar to Lex Luger. In the first two matches reviewed here his arm is still heavily wrapped and basically hangs limp at his side most of the time. I guess working hurt to get one over on the dirt sheets was worth it or something.


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Then there is the cage match. You sorta know going in what to expect from a Ric Flair cage match. Flair will throw a ton of chops and go for the figure Four. His opponent will brawl with him all over the cage and toss him into said cage. Flair will go for the eye or balls and take control of the match for a while. Flair will bleed all over everything. It will be entertaining. It will be entertaining even with a one armed man. Which coincidently would still be the description of Randy Savage. Whether it was smart booking, bwahahahaha, or just happenstance working a cage match doing nothing but punches, eye rakes, and ramming someone into a fence is all you need to do. That is all he does, and where it was boring as hell in the first two matches it was great here. You know maybe there is something to hiding guys weaknesses. Or you know just getting the surgery.

Ratings and Results

Starrcade
Nature Boy Ric Flair defeated WCW Champion Macho Man Randy Savage via pinfall at 8:14 after Flair hit Savage with Brass Knuckle. Nature Boy Ric Flair won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: *˝)

Nitro 1/22/96
Macho Man Randy Savage defeated WCW Champion Nature Boy Ric Flair via pinfall at 8:35 with the Flying Elbow. Macho Man Randy Savage won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ľ*)

Superbrawl VI
Nature Boy Ric Flair defeated WCW Champion Nature Boy Ric Flair via pinfall at 18:52 when Flair hit Savage with Elizabeth’s shoe. Nature Boy Ric Flair won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****)

Average Rating: **

So thus ends another trip to the clown show that was WCW. Speaking of clowns we take a look at a literal one in our next review. Next Time: Doink vs. Mr Perfect.

Defrost
November 9th, 2011, 5:13 PM
Matches to be reviewed

WWF Superstars 5/1/93 (Tucson Convention Center)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink

Wrestling Challenge 5/16/93 (America West Arena)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink

Raw 5/24/93 (Manhattan Center)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink

Defrost
November 10th, 2011, 11:07 PM
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Doink the Clown was a clown. He did clown things. Like make children cry, and cheat to win pro wrestling matches with the help of a doppelganger hiding under the ring. Wait a minute clowns don’t do that. Clowns don’t have doppelgangers.

WWF Superstars 5/1/93 (Tucson Convention Center)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink

Wrestling Challenge 5/16/93 (America West Arena)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink

Raw 5/24/93 (Manhattan Center)
King of the Ring Qualifying Match
Mr Perfect vs. Doink


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Here’s a question; how is it that these two got match after match to qualify, but Shawn Michaels and Crush got one shot and were both out after their draw? Doesn’t seem fair. Ironically Doink would cost Crush the Intercontinental Title on that show.


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Really liked how the three matches start off. In the first match Doink hides behind the ring steps and attacks Perfect from behind on the floor. In the second match Perfect hit the ring first so this time it was him who attacked Doink on the floor before the match began. In the third match Perfect comes to the ring second, and as he did his usual routine of jumping over the top rope and throwing his towel to the referee Doink jumped him and started to choke him out with the towel. These matches get a lot more heated than one would expect from Doink. Thinking about Doink what most people come away with is how super cartoony he was. That and the midget clowns. However, Matt Bourne, the wrestler under the makeup, had a long career in many territories portraying an eclectic array of characters. He was a tag champ in World Class with Buzz Sawyer. He danced with bears in WCW. So he can do it all really. So it should come as no surprise how heated this matches became.


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Mr Perfect’s plan to defeat Doink was to work the legs. Not sure why. Doink isn’t bigger than him. Working the legs doesn’t set up the Perfectplex. Let it be said that Doink sells the shit out of it though. Bourne really sold the leg work all the way through. Doink went the straight cheating route and that ended up with his downfall. Doink’s big gimmick was that there was more than one Doink. A second Doink would always run in and cause shenanigans. It backfired this time. After going to two draws Doink tries to pull the old switcheroo and it was Doink II that ate the Perfectplex and got pinned. That’ll teach ya clown.


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Rating and Results

WWF Superstars 5/1/93
Mr Perfect fought Doink to a time limit draw at 6;39 (Star Rating: **)

Wrestling Challenge 5/16/93
Mr Perfect fought Doink to a time limit draw at 7:03 (Star Rating: **1/2)

Raw 5/24/93
Mr Perfect defeated Doink at 15:00 via pinfall with the Perfectplex. Mr Perfect advanced to the King of the Ring tournament (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Welp that does it for our look at an evil clown’s battle with a flawless man. For out next trick we’ll take a look at an outside invasion where the invaders actually win some matches but then lose in the end. So you know that there is no way it took place in America. Next Time: Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Pro Wrestling NOAH

Defrost
November 11th, 2011, 5:03 PM
Next batch of matches

NOAH 9/12/03 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion/GHC Tag Team Champion Kenta Kobashi vs. Yuji Nagata

NOAH 11/30/03 (Hokkaido Sports Center)
GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Champions GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda vs. Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi

NOAH 12/6/03 (Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium)
GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Wild II

NOAH 1/10/04 (Tokyo Nippon Budoan)
GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa

NOAH Destiny (Tokyo Dome)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Rikio vs. IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi

Defrost
November 29th, 2011, 9:44 PM
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Back once again with another first here at DRS2EBRaSAGG. In our short lifespan we, the royal we, have kept our focus on series of matches that involve the same two guys. Here we take a look at feud spanning an entire promotion. Or you know six guys against two really. So sit back and relax and we’ll see where this experiment takes us.

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NOAH 9/12/03 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion/GHC Tag Team Champion Kenta Kobashi vs. Yuji Nagata

NOAH 11/30/03 (Hokkaido Sports Center)
GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Champions GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda vs. Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi

NOAH 12/6/03 (Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium)
GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Wild II

NOAH 1/10/04 (Tokyo Nippon Budoan)
GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa

NOAH Destiny (Tokyo Dome)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Rikio vs. IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi

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The nWo came from a trip Eric Bischoff took to Japan to do business with the New Japan office. In the 1990s New Japan saw a boom in live attendance and one of their go to angles during that time was an outside invasion of another promotion. New Japan sold out stadiums by bringing in guys like WAR's Genichiro Tenryu, UWFi's Nobuhiko Takada, FMW's Atsushi Onita, and even having their own version of the nWo. The heat of the foreign invaders coming in was always off the charts. I mean the age of the comment section is all you really need to take a look at to see how irrationally tied to a product people can get. Look at how the Nintendo, XBox, and Playstation fanboys bicker at each other. However, in the US this angle has never particularly panned out well. The two most famous iterations of it were abject failures. When Jim Crockett Promotions bought Bill Watts' UWF and when the World Wrestling Federation bought World Championship Wrestling. However, unlike those the types of invasion angles done in Japan involved companies that still existed which is a world of difference. Such angles as when New Japan's Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi made advances upon Pro Wrestling NOAH.

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Let's take this match by match. The first match pitted Mr GHC vs Mr IWGP. Kenta Kobashi defending the GHC Heavyweight Championship against former IWGP Heavweight Champion Yuji Nagata. Kobashi was 6 months into his epic 2 year reign as GHC Champion while Nagata was coming off his year as IWGP Champion which included a record 10 successful title defenses. A record that will stand until Sunday when he loses to Hiroshi Tanahashi ironically. Right off the bat Budokan Hall is hot in its hatred of Yuji Nagata and its usual unconditional love of Kenta Kobashi. So Nagata does what anyone would do in that situation. He slaps Kobashi right in the face. The problem for Nagata is that this angers Kobashi. Cancer angered Kobashi once. Cancer lost. Kobashi goes berserker mode on Nagata raining kicks and chops and stomps on the poor man. Nagata is able to regain control with an over head belly to belly suplex on the ramp outside the ring. Then Nagata goes to work on the arm of Kobashi setting him up for his plethora of Nagata Locks. That is another interesting thing about this type of feud. Different promotions have different styles. New Japan employed Strong Style which featured many a submission whereas All Japan where Kobashi came up employed King's Road Style where there was nary a submission. Kobashi is smashed this way and that by Nagata including the sickest backdrop suplex ever. Kobashi being the monster he is just keeps coming to the delight of the fans. Kobashi's facial expression are the best in the history of wrestling. Hell maybe the best in the history of Earth. Kobashi's reaction to an enziguri is amazing. That Nagata followed that with 5 more enziguris is just awesome. This is a all time great match in the midst of a period where Kobashi was not only the biggest draw in Pro Wrestling, but may have been the best wrestler period. And his knees were beyond shot. This match is a must see and cannot be recommended enough.

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Having failed at his chance for Kobashi's singles title Nagata went back to the drawing board and decided to make a bid for the Kobashi's other belt the GHC Tag Team Championship. He brought in another double champion to combat Kobashi and his partner Tamon Honda. Nagata choice of a partner was IWGP U-30 and IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi was getting a push after he returned from injury. The injury caused by his ex-girlfriend plunging a knife into his back. Literally. So this match you know who the captains of the teams are. You have Kobashi and his drinking buddy against Nagata and that guy who got stabbed by a girl. Shows how things change since now Tanahashi is by far the biggest star in Japan and has a solid case as being the best wrestler in the world. Since Nagata had already lost and he and Tanahashi were scheduled for the next couple of big shows they were obviously winning. Nagata was already over so this match had the task of getting Tanahashi over to the NOAH audience. They almost book him as a babyface. He takes a wicked beating from Honda and especially Kobashi. Despite that he keeps getting up though. So you can see them portraying Tanahashi as a tough competitor. The beating is wildly entertaining though. Second best match of this bunch. Shocking that both feature 2003 Kenta Kobashi.

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The first GHC Tag Title defense for Nagata and Tanahashi came against the team of Takeshi Morishima and Takeshi Rikio better known as Wild II. Wild II had previously held the titles after beating No Fear and then lost them to Jun Akiyama and Akitoshi Saito. The Bunka was rocking for this match. Nagata and Tanahashi were super hated and doing things like Nagata flagrantly choking Morishima and Tanahashi accosting the referee for refusing to count the pin got nuclear heat. Interesting that once again there is a long stretch of time where Nagata is laid out and Tanahashi takes a beating. I understood the point of it the first time, but it really doesn't work here. The match is still very good, but most of the best stuff is in the first half with Team Shin Nihon being all evil. Post match is a great with Tanahashi cutting a promo and the fans throwing stuff and the NOAH guys starting a brawl which set up a Tanahashi vs Naomichi Marufuji match a few days later on a New Japan show.

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There are some things learned in the match where Nagata and Tanahashi lost the tag titles. For instance 4 Tanahashi elbows equal 1 Misawa elbow. Also Yoshinari Ogawa can kill a crowd. The crowd in Budokan Hall is really hot to start off, but there is an insanely long segment of this match devoted to getting heat on Ogawa that is really really boring. Like John Cena being beaten up by Miz and Truth boring. The fans were interested in Ogawa at first. Really like seeing Misawa beat up Tanahashi. Were mostly there to see the Misawa vs Nagata matchup. It cannot be said just how badly this thing dies with Ogawa selling. Boring boring match.

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Finally we come to the failed GHC Title reign of Takeshi Rikio. Rikio ended Kobashi's two year reign as GHC Champion. At first there was some buzz, but that quickly died after a disaster of a first title defense against Akitoshi Saito and the match with Hiroshi Tanahashi at the Dome was not helpful. There was real talk going in of Tanahashi winning and of the two was far more over in front of the 55,000 fans at NOAH Destiny. Even if the U-30 belt was one of the uglier belts ever. This is a rematch of sorts from Nagata and Tanahashi's defense against Wild II. Rikio tried to muster any crowd support after Tanahashi slaps him and he goes off all Kobashi and Nagata but it really isn't the same. Tanahashi works circles around him in this match and really should have won. The best spot of the match was three consecutive suicide dives by Tanahashi.

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Ratings and Results

NOAH 9/12/03
GHC Heavyweight Champion/GHC Tag Team Champion Kenta Kobashi defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 30:13 with the lariat. Kenta Kobashi retained the GHC Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****ľ)

NOAH 11/3/03
Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated GHC Tag Team Champions GHC Heavyweight Champion Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda via pinfall at 33:29 when Nagata pinned Honda with a Backdrop Hold. Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi won the GHC Tag Team Championship. (Star Rating: ****)

NOAH 12/6/03
GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Wild II via referee stoppage at 28:34. Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi retained the GHC Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ***1/2)

NOAH 1/10/04
Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa defeated GHC Tag Team Champions Yuji Nagata and IWGP U-30 Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 29:41 when Misawa pinned Tanahashi with an Emerald Flowsion. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa won the GHC Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: **Ľ)

NOAH Destiny
GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Rikio defeated IWGP U-30 Champion/IWGP Tag Team Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 17:11 with the Muso. Takeshi Rikio retained the GHC Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating: ***Ľ)

Average Rating: ***˝

The next WWE is TLC. So let’s roll with that. Next Time: Hardys vs. Dudleys vs. Christian & Edge

Defrost
November 29th, 2011, 9:44 PM
edit

DDT
November 30th, 2011, 12:21 AM
Surprisingly, I still haven't seen any of Tanahashi in NOAH. Maybe I should check it out.

Defrost
December 30th, 2011, 1:33 AM
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Tables, Ladders, and Chairs oh my. In the early part of the last decade saw the last golden period of tag teams in the WWE nee WWF. The Hardys and Edge and Christian put themselves on the map with their famous ladder match at No Mercy 1999. Meanwhile The Dudleys had gotten over putting women through tables. Following the fall of the New Age Outlaws and the ending of many makeshift tag teams ie Rock n Sock and Taker/Show these three teams were on the forefront of the tag division and the midcard of the WWF. Their famous ladder match series is reviewed herein.

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Wrestlemania 2000 (Arrowhead Pond)
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship/Triangle Ladder Match
WWF World Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boyz vs Christian and Edge

Summerslam 2000 (RBC Center)
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship/TLC Match
WWF World Tag Team Champions Christian and Edge vs Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boyz

Wrestlemania X-7 (Astro Dome)
World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship/TLC Match
WWF World Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boyz vs Christian and Edge

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One complaint right off the bat is that these matches started the trend of awful psychology that see guys setting up furniture for minutes on end instead of trying to win a match. It was a pleasant surprise to see that this was not the issue it was expected to be in the first two matches. In those match it is really only the Dudley Boyz who are guilty of it, and that can be written off as their gimmick. They got the tables in every match. Even matches where using them would be a disqualification. Jerry Lawler still begged them to climb the ladder instead of stacking tables though. The Wrestlemania X-7 match is a problem. There is a ton of guys laying around selling for inordinate amounts of time while the Dudleys set up in inane amount of tables or the Hardys get the ladders in the right places to do their movez off of instead of trying to get the belts. Thinking about it Edge and Christian are the only two who are innocent of dicking around with all the plunder, and in the end always won these matches. Perhaps there is some hidden psychology to that. No, that's not it. That is just a weird coincidence.

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The first two matches begin with guys getting jumped to start wild brawls that eventually bring in all the plunder. You start the fight, the guys with the advantage grab the weaponry, away you go. This formula is even more pronounced in the first TLC match which is 8 minutes shorter than the original Triangle Ladder Match and the match is laid out with a lot of the fat cut out. It is consequently the best match. What is odd is that TLC II has a similar running time, but all the fat stays in. It is consequently the worst match. Not only does it have the most egregious cases of overselling to kill time so a Rube Goldberg device can be erected, but there are run ins galore which serve no real purpose. The first match has the benefit of being first so everything was new and the workers were nowhere near as beat up. Especially the Hardys. The second match took the lessons of the first and was even more of a great match . Then the third with the complaints already chronicled.

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Now to the meat of the thing. These matches are about moves and who takes them through what thing. The first match sets the bar. The Hardys are taking bumps onto the ladders from such moves as Jeff with a 450 Splash and Matt, in the best shape of his life, with a moonsault. Christian takes his first bump off the ladder to the floor and you have the famous Jeff Hardy massive swanton in the entry way. That swanton off the huge ladder is a recurring theme. At Summerslam 2000 Bubba Ray moves out of the way, and Jeff takes out interlopers with it at Wrestlemania X-7. Edge's famous spear at Wrestlemania X-7 is actually the evolved form of a spear where he leapt off the top rope as Jeff Hardy was climbing a ladder at Wrestlemania 2000. Everyone goes through tables all the time and the seesaw spot that killed Joey Mercury is seen. The point is that if you can create a flow with these stunts then it is really something to see, but it can drag.

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Results and Ratings

Wrestlemania 2000
Christian and Edge defeated Hardy Boyz and WWF World Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz at 22:29 when Edge retrieved the belts. Christian and Edge won the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ****)

Summerslam 2000
WWF World Tag Team Champions Christian and Edge defeated Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz at 14:51 when Christian and Edge retrieved the belts. Christian and Edge retained the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Wrestlemania X-7
Christian and Edge defeated Hardy Boyz and WWF World Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz at 15:41 when Christian retrieved the belts. Christian and Edge won the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: ***1/2)

So after a long holiday break we have returned, and there is even more to come. In the next installment we take a look at a feud spanning multiple promotions, multiple countries, multiple continents. Next Time: Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis

Defrost
January 10th, 2012, 9:15 AM
Next batch of matches coming sometime this week

AAA 9/22/95 (Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera)
WWA World Welterweight Championship
WWA World Welterweight Champion Psicosis vs Rey Misterio Jr

November to Remember 1995 (ECW Arena)
Mexican Death Match
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis

Super J Cup: Stage 2 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis

Bash at the Beach 1996 (Ocean Center)
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psychosis

Hacksaw
January 10th, 2012, 11:11 AM
One complaint right off the bat is that these matches started the trend of awful psychology that see guys setting up furniture for minutes on end instead of trying to win a match. It was a pleasant surprise to see that this was not the issue it was expected to be in the first two matches. In those match it is really only the Dudley Boyz who are guilty of it, and that can be written off as their gimmick. They got the tables in every match. Even matches where using them would be a disqualification. Jerry Lawler still begged them to climb the ladder instead of stacking tables though. The Wrestlemania X-7 match is a problem. There is a ton of guys laying around selling for inordinate amounts of time while the Dudleys set up in inane amount of tables or the Hardys get the ladders in the right places to do their movez off of instead of trying to get the belts. Thinking about it Edge and Christian are the only two who are innocent of dicking around with all the plunder, and in the end always won these matches. Perhaps there is some hidden psychology to that. No, that's not it. That is just a weird coincidence.

I always thought it was more than hidden psychology. JR would openly talk about how the Hardy's cared more about taking risks and the Dudley's more about putting people through tables.

Defrost
January 10th, 2012, 11:26 AM
You don't think that was just JR covering up well since he is great at his former job?

Cewsh
January 10th, 2012, 11:56 AM
No real reason why it can't be both, since Edge and Christian were chickenshit heels.

It makes sense that they'd let the other four kill each other and pick the bones. Especially after it worked the first time.

Hacksaw
January 10th, 2012, 12:34 PM
You don't think that was just JR covering up well since he is great at his former job?


No real reason why it can't be both, since Edge and Christian were chickenshit heels.

It makes sense that they'd let the other four kill each other and pick the bones. Especially after it worked the first time.

If it was JR just covering up for them in the first match, they turned it into a storyline - Edge and Christian weren't heels before the WM 16 Triangle match.

So, either way - whether a) it just worked out that way, JR nailed the match and they'd ran the storyline accordingly, or b) E&C acting smarter in that match in order to distinguish themselves as part of their heel turn was entirely planned - it was executed wonderfully.

By the TLC Matches, though, it was well-established that E&C were the chickenshit heels fighting against the daredevil teams. Their actions in those matches and the way they were booked suited their characters. I won't say they were perfect matches or anything, but they were fun and all the characters acted in ways that were sensible.

Cewsh
January 10th, 2012, 12:36 PM
I more meant that that was the plan all along, and JR pointed it out because he's a great announcer.

Hacksaw
January 10th, 2012, 12:39 PM
I figured that's what you were getting at, and realized my post didn't initially acknowledge that. DAMN YOU for beating my edit!

Cewsh
January 10th, 2012, 12:40 PM
:cool:

Cewsh: Forum Ninja.

Defrost
January 20th, 2012, 12:23 AM
Lucha Libre is what wrestling is called in Mexico. Honestly, that is about the sum of knowledge we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ have about Mexican wrestling. So back in the day it was very important to listen to what Mike Tenay had to say during those matches on Nitro and whatnot. This is pre-TNA Mike Tenay when he was the only guy on commentary not talking about Hulk Hogan the entire time. Listening to Tenay we learned that masks are important. Well no shit. That's about it. So we'll try to divine what it is all about here and now.


http://i.imgur.com/7aROJ.jpg

AAA 9/22/95 (Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera)
WWA World Welterweight Championship
WWA World Welterweight Champion Psicosis vs Rey Misterio Jr

November to Remember 1995 (ECW Arena)
Mexican Death Match
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis

Super J Cup: Stage 2 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis

Bash at the Beach 1996 (Ocean Center)
Rey Misterio Jr vs Psychosis


http://i.imgur.com/48Ljf.jpg

What is interesting about these particular matches is that they span different companies and different countries. So in many ways after the AAA match reviewed here Rey and Psicosis were tasked with proving themselves in all three of the other matches. Now in our research it has come to us here at DRS2EBRaSAGG HQ that the AAA match is highly regarded. This makes sense since the highspots pop up in the other three matches. However, that AAA match is very different from the other three besides that. The AAA match is heavy on mat work. Lucha mat work is a tad different than anywhere else mostly due to the nature of the holds. Lucha submission holds are kinda wacky. Lots of twisting pretzel kinds of things that are hard to describe. The best example is the hold Rey Jr uses to win the third and deciding fall in the AAA match. It should be noted that a traditional Lucha match is always 2 out of 3 fall, and that in recent years AAA has moved away from it while CMLL has continued said tradition. While there is some mat work in the WCW and WAR matches, nothing to the extent of the AAA one, there are no holds that would be considered exotic in those. Your mileage may vary given that, but the AAA is very good despite a severe Rey Jr botch that depending on how you are when watching wrestling can take you totally out of the match. To a Lucha novice this is the second best match of the bunch. It is very possible that with more understanding that it could be higher.


http://i42.tinypic.com/1zxw0ns.jpg

As mentioned before the next three matches represent the same thing. Rey Jr and Psicosis going out to a new audience and having to get themselves over. ECW offered them their first chance to shine in an American promotion, this was not their first work in America given that AAA used to run in the Southwest portion of the country, the 1995 Super J Cup was their first foray into Japan, and Bash at the Beach 1996 offered a far broader American audience than ECW did. The ECW is the first and least of these three which is due in large part to the rules of the match. To win you had to pin your opponent and then they had to answer a ten count. This leads to a long stretch of Psicosis hitting a move and then standing around which gets old fast. Rey Jr epically botching a moonsault off the guardrail, with the customary ECW Arena reaction, did not help matters at all. However, once Rey Jr got on offense the match quality did pick up noticeably. Most of that would have to boil down to Rey Jr not hitting a move and standing around. At the part of the match it became a wild brawl that ended with Misterio's famous stage dive hurricanrana. So the back half really made this something and showcased Rey Misterio Jr very well.


http://i42.tinypic.com/ulaua.jpg

This brings us to their match at the second Super J Cup in front of a much different crowd. To start it should be noted that this match was not part of the tournament, but was a special exhibition match that was in the semi main event slot on the show. This is very much a greatest hits of the AAA match. There is a particular spot that keeps appearing from match to match to match all the way to the Bash at the Beach. Rey and Psicosis find themselves fighting on the apron when Psicosis gets the better of it and Rey Jr ends up flat on his back. Psicosis goes for the kill, but Rey Jr monkey flips him high into the air and Psicosis goes face first into the post. Then there are the myriad of dives done by these two. The Super J Cup match takes high spots from the AAA match to show the Japanese fans what they can do and they win over the crowd to the point that they would be brought back by WAR. The WCW match is similar in that respect, but takes it to an entirely new level. It is in the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG that the WCW match is the best of the bunch and one of the best opening PPV matches ever. On the same show where the nWo was birthed these two stole the show. You have some familiar spots such as the aforementioned apron spot and various dives and asai moonsaults. What makes this match standout are some of the insane things added to the greatest hits. You have Rey Jr coming off the top rope onto Psicosis and nail a beautiful huricanrana to the floor. Psicosis coming off the top to a prone Rey Jr on the floor with a senton. And as everyone knows that Billy Kidman can't be powerbombed there is the corollary that Rey Misterio Jr can't be Splash Mountained. It is an insane match and really brought the cruiserweight division to attention in WCW. Too bad it was WCW and nothing was really done with guys who would wind up being money for Vince like Rey or Eddie Guerrero. It is also too bad that by the time anything was done with Rey he was neutered by a combination of the WWE and injuries because back in the 1990s he really was amazing.


http://i.imgur.com/mPbpp.jpg

Results and Ratings
AAA 9/22/95
Rey Misterio Jr defeated WWA World Welterweight Champion Psicosis at 22:05 via submission in the third fall. Rey Misterio Jr won the WWA World Welterweight Championship (Rating: ***3/4)

November to Remember 1995
Rey Misterio Jr defeated Psicosis at 11:47 via ref stoppage (Rating: ***)

Super J Cup: Stage 2
Rey Misterio Jr defeated Psicosis at 9:39 with a Hurricanrana (Rating: ***1/2)

Bash at the Beach 1996
Rey Misterio Jr defeated Psychosis at 15:18 with a Hurricanrana (Rating: ****)

Average Rating: ***1/2

Well that does it for this globe hopping edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. Next time we settle ourselves in Japan as we take a look at the best series of matches of the new millennium. NEXT TIME: KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji

Cewsh
January 20th, 2012, 12:30 AM
:panic:

KENTAFUJI

Defrost
March 2nd, 2012, 4:10 PM
With the fall of megaupload and the subsequent domino effect it had on other file sharing sites this thread was setback a bit, but the return is coming sometime in the next week with these matches

NOAH 11/13/04 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
KENTA 7 Match Trial Series Match #7
GHC Jr Tag Team Champion KENTA vs GHC Jr Tag Team Champion Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 1/26/06 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 10/29/06 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji vs KENTA

NOAH 7/15/07 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
NTV Cup Final
KENTA & Taiji Ishimori vs Naomichi Marufuji & Kota Ibushi

NOAH 10/25/08 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship/AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Championship
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA vs AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 6/6/10 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship Contendership/KENTA Return Match
Naomichi Marufuji vs KENTA

NOAH 12/5/10 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Naomichi Marufuji Return Match
KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji

Cewsh
March 2nd, 2012, 4:18 PM
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu132/CewshReviews/Miscellaneous/funny-gifs-reprise.gif?t=1330719232http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu132/CewshReviews/Miscellaneous/ClP2X.gif?t=1330719246http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu132/CewshReviews/Miscellaneous/1280235400688.gif?t=1330719156

Defrost
March 12th, 2012, 3:44 PM
http://i39.tinypic.com/33wmyiu.jpg

After a lengthy absence caused by megaupload being run by Caligula we are back with another riveting edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG. And what an edition it is as we take a look at the greatest rivalry of the new millennium between Pro Wrestling NOAH's KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji. KENTA and Marufuji's combined story began when they formed a tag team and became the first ever GHC Jr Tag Team Champions. At that time Marufuji had already been GHC Jr Champion and KENTA was just starting to get a push so Marufuji was the senor member of the tandem. KENTA and Marufuji's collectively known as KENTAFuji went to have a nearly 2 year reign that is legendary for the amazing match quality involved. From their they went their separate ways, but will always be linked to each other and have since gone on to have many classic matches against one another as will be chronicled herein.

NOAH 11/13/04 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
KENTA 7 Match Trial Series Match #7
GHC Jr Tag Team Champion KENTA vs GHC Jr Tag Team Champion Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 1/26/06 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 10/29/06 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji vs KENTA

NOAH 7/15/07 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
NTV Cup Final
KENTA & Taiji Ishimori vs Naomichi Marufuji & Kota Ibushi

NOAH 10/25/08 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship/AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Championship
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA vs AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH 6/6/10 (Tokyo Korakuen Hall)
GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship Contendership/KENTA Return Match
Naomichi Marufuji vs KENTA

NOAH 12/5/10 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Naomichi Marufuji Return Match
KENTA vs Naomichi Marufuji


http://i44.tinypic.com/5kkmtk.jpg

There is a three match stretch in this rivalry that is the peak of this feud. The stretch includes their two Budokan main events, the heavyweight title match and the double title match, and the final of the first NTV Cup Tournament. So what makes these stand out in a series of already great matches? As great as KENTA is the man does have one glaring flaw. He does not sell leg work. No matter what moves or what holds happen in the match he will not sell it if it involves his legs. Most of the issue there being that his main offense involves running and kicks. For the most part he is not asked to do that in those three matches. There is a small section of it in the sixty minute broadway which is why it is not as highly rated as the other two matches in this review despite being an amazingly fast paced match given the amount of time they had to go. Instead of working KENTA's leg Marufuji instead, in the singles matches, focuses on KENTA's neck. And Marufui uses some innovative offense to do so. Marufuji uses the Cobra Clutch to wear KENTA down for instance. In the Heavyweight Title match he transitions that to a Cobra Clutch Shiranui (Sliced Bread #2) in the double title match he transitions it to a wrist clutch bridging Cobra Clutch Suplex which was all kinds of awesome. One of the crazier moves is during the title vs title match when Marufuji drops KENTA head first with the brainbuster on the guardrail. This was perfect for their heavyweight title match given that it built toward a finish where Marufuji debuted the Pole Shift a move that is a fisherman buster sitout piledriver.
While Marufuji was apt to go after the legs or neck of KENTA, KENTA had his own strategy. As noted before KENTA's offense is kick based. There are many kicks to the head and chest in his matches and in the best of these matches, the Heavyweight title match, KENTA focuses all of his attack on the chest of Naomichi Marufuji. Whether it be dropping Marufuji chest first over the guardrail or doing a springboard double stomp all the way from the top rope to the floor on Marufuji the strategy was to not allow Marufuji to breath. And it was a botch that probably helped Marufuji sell it. Marufuji goes for a top rope Asai Moonsault over the guardrail unto KENTA. Problem is he undershot the target and landed throat first across the guardrail and caught KENTA in the face with his feet busting him open. Obviously having a smashed throat is going to help sell the notion you can't breathe.


http://i39.tinypic.com/sd376b.jpg

Another interesting thing is watching them use each other's moves. Whether it be set up by the Tree of Woe or just his opponent crawling into the ring Marufuji would springboard from one side of the ring and go coast to coast with a dropkick to the face. The move can be seen in all of these matches. In the first match however it is KENTA that does it to Marufuji. After KENTA stops the Shiranui Marufuji finds himself in the Tree of Woe and KENTA comes off the top from the opposite corner into his face. Marufuji would get his revenge by using the Busaiku Knee Kick against KENTA. The Busaiku Knee Kick was KENTA's finisher before the Go 2 Sleep.


http://i44.tinypic.com/29puufm.jpg

That also dovetails with their knowing each other so well that they can stop what was coming. The aforementioned Asai Moonsault for instance. In every match their is an instance of Marufuji attempting it. KENTA knowing what was coming would kick the legs out from under him stopping said maneuver. Although given the near decapitation Marufuji caused himself perhaps stopping him was not the smartest move. There is an awesome reversal in the Trial Match where Marufuji begins his flip in the Shiranui when KENTA catches him and drops him down in the Tombstone Piledriver. That spot would be repeated more than once however KENTA would drop Marufuji onto his shoulders in position for the Go 2 Sleep which also tended to be quickly reversed by Marufuji most notably by Marufuji driving his knee into KENTA's face instead of the other way around. KENTA blocking one move only for Marufuji still ending up one step ahead is another running theme. In the Trial Match Marufuji drives KENTA off the apron to the floor with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb. The next time Marufuji tried it was with KENTA perched on the top rope, but this time KENTA blocked it and fought him off. However, this allowed Marufuji to jump to the top rope and ram KENTA's face into the ringpost. As befitting his senior position amongst the two it does seem as though Marufuji tends to be a step ahead in such things. That psychology also befits Marufuji's record of 8-2-1 in singles matches against KENTA. Refreshing is booking and psychology that goes hand in hand.


http://i42.tinypic.com/250m0lg.jpg

There are also things that never get countered or always get countered in every match. Naomichi Marufuji felt the need to try and leap frog over KENTA in every match. All that got him was a boot right to the chest. Or you'd think they'd both realize that the sequence where KENTA moves out of the way of the a low dropkick and then Marufuji ducks a running kick by KENTA was getting neither of them anywhere.


http://i40.tinypic.com/2mcxcfa.jpg

As mentioned the matches where Marufuji works KENTA's leg like KENTA's Jr Title defense and KENTA's return from knee surgery were lesser than the others. The Trial Series match is very fun, their last singles match is solid and then there are the big three. There has been much discussion of the two singles matches in those three so in this last paragraph let us discuss the tag team match. Kota Ibushi is an amazing high flyer from the independent promotion DDT. This was his coming out party. Since then he has had a hell of a run whether it be in DDT or New Japan. He is the best flying wrestler in the world and can kick as with the best of them. That is part of the psychology of the tag match. That Marufuji found himself a better version of KENTA. Taiji Ishimori meanwhile is an acrobat. He is a pseudo new version of Marufuji for KENTA. So those are the battle lines. What really puts this match over the top is the indescribable last 10 minutes. That stretch is in the pantheon of the great stretches in wrestling history. It is such that there is not more than can be said about it.


Results and Ratings
NOAH 11/13/04
GHC Jr Tag Team Champion Naomichi Marufuji defeated GHC Jr Tag Team Champion KENTA via pinfall at 22:23 with the Shiranui Kai (Rating: ****1/2)

NOAH 1/26/06
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA defeated Naomichi Marufuji via pinfall at 29:19 with the Busaiku Knee Kick. KENTA retained the GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship (Rating: ***1/2)

NOAH 10/29/06
GHC Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji defeated KENTA via pinall at 35:34 with the Pole Shift. Naomichi Marufuji retained the GHC Heavyweight Championship. (Rating: *****)

NOAH 7/15/07
KENTA & Taiji Ishimori defeated Naomichi Marufuji & Kota Ibushi via pinall at 21:43 when KENTA used the Go 2 Sleep on Kota Ibushi. KENTA and Taiji Ishimori won the NTV Cup (Rating: *****)

NOAH 10/25/08
GHC Jr Heavyweight Champion KENTA fought AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Champion Naomichi Marufuji to a time limit draw at 60:00. KENTA retained the GHC Jr Heavyweight Championship. Naomichi Marufuji retained the AJPW World Jr Heavyweight Championship. (****3/4)

NOAH 6/6/10
Naomichi Marufuji defeated KENTA via pinfall at 26:51 with the Tiger Frosion (****)

NOAH 12/5/10
KENTA defeated Naomichi Marufuji via pinfall at 19:09 with the Go 2 Sleep (****1/4)

Average Rating: ****1/2

All well that ends well as we disembark from the SS DRS2EBRaSAGG. Our next voyage shall take us back to the shores of the World Wrestling Federation. Next Time: Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker

Vice
March 12th, 2012, 4:24 PM
Busaiku Knee Kick:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/Envious_Vice/General%20wrestling%20GIFs/KENTA.gif

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/Envious_Vice/General%20wrestling%20GIFs/KneeKick.gif


Marufuji goes for a top rope Asai Moonsault over the guardrail unto KENTA. Problem is he undershot the target and landed throat first across the guardrail and caught KENTA in the face with his feet busting him open.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/Envious_Vice/General%20wrestling%20GIFs/Moonsault2.gif

Defrost
March 15th, 2012, 7:16 PM
These are the next batch of matches

In Your House: Ground Zero (Louisville Gardens)
Shawn Michaels (w/ HHH & Chyna) vs Undertaker

In Your House: Badd Blood (Kiel Center)
Hell in a Cell Match/WWF Championship Contender Match
WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels (w/HHH, Chyna, & Rick Rude) vs Undertaker

Royal Rumble 1998 (San Jose Arena)
Casket Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels (w/HHH & Chyna) vs Undertaker

Wrestlemania XXV (Reliant Stadium)
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels

Wrestlemania XXVI (University of Phoenix Stadium)
Streak vs Career/No DQ No Countout Match
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels

Now I mentioned in the Wrestlemania thread that the original idea was to post this on the day of Wrestlemania. Then I thought to do this sooner and do Taker vs HHH that day. So if you have any thoughts I'd like to hear them

DDT
March 15th, 2012, 7:27 PM
That sounds like a good idea; great idea actually.

mth
March 15th, 2012, 8:57 PM
http://i39.tinypic.com/sd376b.jpg
This picture is eight kinds of badass. And that Busaiku Knee is Kick is incredible.

takerson
March 16th, 2012, 12:23 AM
That sounds like a good idea; great idea actually.

Agreed. :yes:

Try to include their forgotten match at Insurrextion 2002. Fantastic match, much better than their match at the King Of The Ring 2 months later. :)

Defrost
March 16th, 2012, 7:08 PM
Agreed. :yes:

Try to include their forgotten match at Insurrextion 2002. Fantastic match, much better than their match at the King Of The Ring 2 months later. :)

Is that the match where the ropes broke?

Vice
March 16th, 2012, 7:40 PM
And that Busaiku Knee is Kick is incredible.

It's magnificent.

KENTA Busaiku Knee Kick - YouTube

KENTA Rush,followed by an Busaiku Knee Kick - YouTube

Doomsday Busaiku Knee Kick~! - YouTube

takerson
March 16th, 2012, 11:17 PM
Is that the match where the ropes broke?


YES. Adds a lot to the match, I think.

Defrost
March 17th, 2012, 6:05 PM
Watching these matches, Shawn has been losing his hair for a while

Chris
March 19th, 2012, 11:49 AM
I'm looking forward to your Taker/HBK and Taker/HHH reviews. Taker/HBK is one of the things that I'm most thankful for from wrestling - the fact that these guys had a great series of matches back in 1997 and 1998, only to find each other a decade later and end up headlining Wrestlemania with a retirement stipulation...it's just amazing to look back on.

The Royal Rumble 1998 match is one I always find to be underrated, though everyone focuses on their Hell in a Cell and Wrestlemania matches for good reason. I really enjoyed their clash at the Royal Rumble 2007 too, despite it not being a singles match.

Now we're seeing Taker and HHH cap off their own history, with a third encounter on the biggest PPV of the year. Despite aspects of WWE that might be perceived as disappointing or cringeworthy, this is the kind of stuff that shines through on the force of the personalities and performances alone.

Defrost
March 19th, 2012, 5:47 PM
Work on the review has begun. Spoiler alert, Wrestlemania 25 is better than I remembered. Wrestlemania 26 is a lot worse than I remembered.

Defrost
March 22nd, 2012, 10:01 PM
This Shawn/Taker review is going to be much longer than I expected it to be

takerson
March 22nd, 2012, 10:12 PM
Still gonna be able to squeeze in Taker/HHH before Mania?

Defrost
March 22nd, 2012, 10:13 PM
Yeah no problem

Defrost
March 23rd, 2012, 10:11 PM
http://i42.tinypic.com/k3tcfb.png

It is Wrestlemania season and here at DRS2EBRaSAGG we have Wrestlemania fever. Well maybe not a fever, but there are some sniffles going on. So in tune with our need of NyQuil we are going to delve deeply into the most interesting match coming up at Wrestlemania XXVIII. HHH vs Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels acting as referee. For the first of our two special Mania editions we give to you our review of Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker.

In Your House: Ground Zero (Louisville Gardens)
Shawn Michaels (w/ HHH, Chyna & Rick Rude) vs Undertaker

In Your House: Badd Blood (Kiel Center)
Hell in a Cell Match/WWF Championship Contender Match
WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels (w/HHH, Chyna, & Rick Rude) vs Undertaker

Royal Rumble 1998 (San Jose Arena)
Casket Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels (w/HHH & Chyna) vs Undertaker

Wrestlemania XXV (Reliant Stadium)
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels

Wrestlemania XXVI (University of Phoenix Stadium)
Streak vs Career/No DQ No Countout Match
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels


http://i44.tinypic.com/51zgur.jpg

The basic thrust of this piece is going to be to compare and contrast the Pre Taker breaks Shawn's back matches to the Post Taker breaks Shawn's back matches. So to start off the top it is the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG that the first Hell in a Cell match is the greatest match the WWF, WWWF, WWE, Capital Sports whatever you want to call it has ever produced. And since we're on the subject of their Casket Match is the best one of those, which admittedly is faint praise. It is for those reasons that the idea of Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXV was not as appealing to DRS2EBRaSAGG as it was to a lot of other people. Already had seen it, and it was of such quality anything less would just be a downer. So let's see how it stacked up.


http://i42.tinypic.com/25fk7jr.jpg

Wrestlemania XXVI is to Wrestlemania XXV as Royal Rumble 1998 is to IYH: Badd Blood. That is to see Wrestlemania XXVI is a poor man's version of Wrestlemania XXV just as the Casket Match is to Hell in the Cell. Not just that but where Wrestlemania XXV is great it is not as good as Hell in a Cell and Wrestlemania XXVI is not as good as the Casket Match. By the way from here on out Wrestlemania XXVI will be referred to as Streak vs Career to avoid confusion between the two Wrestlemania matches. Going back to the thesis of this paragraph what does it mean that the Casket Match and the Streak vs Career matches are lesser versions of Hell in a Cell and Wrestlemania XXV? As already declared the first Hell in a Cell match is DRS2EBRaSAGG's choice for greatest WWF match of all time. So when they came back with it 12 years later there it was stunning how great it was. Most everything in that match works past a couple of nitpicks like the amount of time it takes between the mess of Taker's dive with the failed catch and the ref starting the count and Shawn botching a DDT counter of the Tombstone. The problem came the next year when they decided that everything that was great about the match was the last quarter or so of it when they started kicking out of finishers. Now before any critique of the Career vs Streak match can begin there needs to be a discussion of the apocalyptically bad commentary that damn nears ruins the match on its own. Dear God was the Teacher a garbage announcer. Literally every vapid cliché that he spewed forth was cringe inducing. Said spewing manages to be so horrible yet so much of a nothing that none of them spring to mind to even quote yet the douche chills remain even thinking about them. Then you have Cole and Lawler. While the Teacher makes them look like John Madden and Pat Summerall in comparison they're god awful during this match too. There was a point where the match had to be watched on mute or not watched at all.


http://i40.tinypic.com/10riq9g.jpg

Well that rant went a little too long so new paragraph. As mentioned the problem with the work in the Streak vs Career match is that they go straight to the part of the match where they start kicking out of each other's finishers. The previous year's match built toward it. Now time may be an issue. By going on last they didn't have the luxury of going long as they did in the middle of the card the year before since they were up against the end of their TV time. Perhaps some slack is to be given on that point. Although there are things like the Tombstone on the floor which are just too much, or things such as Shawn going for the Ankle Lock or a long Figure Four which was aping Shawn using his wacky leg lock thing or the Crossface in the first match however they way they were used in the first Mania match made sense for the psychology, Shawn trying to figure out a way to keep Taker down early on, and in the Streak vs Career match they were just used sorta randomly. This isn't to say it is a bad match. It is good. Good not great. There are things to like in the Streak vs Career match. Love the reversal of the Gogoplata into a Jacknife Pin by Michaels. Shawn's Moonsault through the table, where he landed on Taker's leg which would fit the psychology but there is no way that's what he was actually aiming for, followed by the Superkick led to an amazing nearfall. The finish is brilliant. Taker pitying Shawn then Shawn doing the throat slash and slapping Taker and then pissed Taker nailing a jumping Tombstone Piledriver. Great way for Shawn to go out. Just wish the first 18 minutes were as good as the last 5.


http://i.imgur.com/RUwtO.jpg

Now where the Streak vs Career match was lesser for going straight to the well remembered finisher fest of the prior match the Casket Match is a copy of Hell in a Cell in that Shawn, as the heel in those matches, gets the heat and keeps it in the exact same way. You get Shawn ducking punches and throwing jabs. You get Shawn attacking with a steel chair and the steps. You get the Piledriver on the steel steps. Shawn arrogantly goes through his signature spots including the Sweet Chin Music only for that to be the exact moment Taker makes his comeback. Hell Shawn wins both matches because of a Kane run in. The only differences are that one match has spots using the cage and the other has spots using the casket including the back body drop that broke Shawn's back. Instead of climbing the inside of the Cell and coming down with an elbow drop on Taker he comes off the top rope and onto Taker who was inside the casket. The only differences really are that the lack of a cage allowed for HHH to interfere, and a couple of cool spots. One where Taker has Shawn up for the Chokeslam but Shawn is too close to the turnbuckle and is then able to come off the top onto Taker with the Moonsault, and the other where Taker Tombstone Shawn off the apron and into the casket. Even if it is just the same match it works much better because everything makes sense whereas in the Streak vs Career they followed up an Oscar Winner with pure pop corn by going straight to the climax.


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Before we move on this paragraph will discuss their first match which was more of an angle than anything. The match gets thrown out for referee abuse. Hell the first move of the match is Taker punching out the ref and then throwing him at Shawn Michaels. The whole thing was to set up a bigger match, their first match was in a 4,000 seat building and Hell in a Cell in an 18,000 seater, which worked since their next PPV did a great gate. You have Rude, HHH, and Chyna all interfering to set up the cage to keep them out and then it ends with the big dive on the entire roster. It is a fun watch more or less. There are dead spots, but watching Shawn bounce around like a super ball is always entertaining.


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On that subject that is the psychology of their first three matches. Shawn bumps like a maniac while Taker kicks his ass. Boiled down to their core that is what those matches are. Other than when Shawn cheats or has outside help it is a one sided ass kicking where there is no illusion that he can possibly win. Until he does. This is very different from their lost two matches where he is Taker's equal and has as good a shot as any to win. Until he doesn't. The beating Shawn takes in the first three matches are what makes it. Especially the epic beating in Hell in a Cell climaxing with Undertaker braining a bloodied Shawn Michaels with a steel chair. Remember their first feud revolved around Shawn repeatedly smashing Undertaker in the head with a chair. Before his back injury Shawn's ability to bump was extraordinary. He hit the ceiling of the Cell on a back body drop for Christsake. By the time of the their Wrestlemania matches Shawn was old and broken. Still the best worker in WWE, but old and broken nonetheless. So he's not going to be able to take a 30 minute ass kicking nor would that make sense. Shawn was a legendary babyface at that point not the prick heel of a decade prior. So having him be on par with Taker made perfect sense just like the one sided ass kicking he took in their first feud made sense then. Judging by the ratings the prick heel getting beaten on average worked better which may be due to the angles leading to the matches and matches are not held in a vacuum. However, while the stronger of the best two matches, Hell in a Cell, also had a stronger angle that the second best match, Wrestlemania XXV, the second best angle overall led to the Streak vs Career match that was on rewatching a disappointment. So who knows.


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Results and Ratings

In Your House: Ground Zero
Shawn Michaels fought Undertaker to a No Contest at 16:03 (Star Rating: ***1/4)

In Your House: Badd Blood
WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Undertaker via pinfall at 30:00 when Kane attacked Undertaker with the Tombstone Piledriver. Shawn Michaels became #1 Contender for the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: *****)

Royal Rumble 1998
WWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Undertaker at 20:37 after D-Generation X closed the casket lid after Kane Chokeslammed Undertaker into it. (Star Rating: ****)

Wrestlemania XXV
Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels via pinfall at 30:56 with the Tombstone Piledriver (Star Rating: *****)

Wrestlemania XXVI
Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels via pinfall at 23:59 with a jumping Tombstone Piledriver. Per prematch stipulations Shawn Michaels was forced to retire (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Average Rating: ****1/4

Well that wraps up part one of our double Mania main event. Check back next time on the morning, Eastern Standard Time, of Wrestlemania for the second half of the Mania special. Next Time: Triple H vs Undertaker.

McBain
March 23rd, 2012, 10:47 PM
3 and a half stars for 26? You're having a giraffe.

takerson
March 23rd, 2012, 11:01 PM
Good stuff and brilliant observations. I don't agree with all of it, but a lot of thought put into it. Good job. :yes:

Atty
March 23rd, 2012, 11:31 PM
Nice read. Clearly aimed at getting me to read it. ;)

With the Oscar analogy for Shawn/Taker 26, I'd say 26 wasn't the popcorn flick follow up to an Oscar winner as much as it was that movie that someone was getting an Oscar for no matter what even though they've done better. It's like Meryl Streep this year—she deserves all the awards in the world, but it's more recognized due to what she's done in the past.


I didn't really buy the bit about the moonsault to the leg not counting because it wasn't intentional. It fit into the story they were telling well and, accident or not, it played into the psychology of the match. That said, I've had much the same rewatch reactions to 25 and 26. Every single time I've seen 25, I like it more, where 26 has lost a bit as the emotion of Shawn leaving bumped it at the time.

Defrost
March 24th, 2012, 2:31 AM
3 and a half stars for 26? You're having a giraffe.


I had to talk myself into rating it that high

Vice
March 24th, 2012, 10:43 AM
The sheer rating difference between their matches at 25 and 26 pleases me, Frosty.

Good stuff overall. :yes:

Chris
March 24th, 2012, 2:06 PM
Great read. I particularly liked the comparisons between Hell in a Cell and the Casket match.

I'm the opposite on the Wrestlemania matches - 25 has lost a bit for me, while 26 is still holding steady. I didn't mind the attempts at finishers so early in 26. The stakes were higher for both men - Taker had been given a run for his money the previous year so it was a tall order to beat Shawn twice in a row, while Shawn was fighting for his career this time. Also, the early Tombstone attempt seemed more like a hint of desperation on Taker's part, as he had started to notice that something was wrong with his leg and wanted to put Shawn away before Shawn could exploit it. I think it's tough to have two matches in a row be really different, when the setting is the same, the match type is the same and the characters are essentially the same. Taker and Triple H at least have Hell in a Cell this time around to spice things up.

dillo123
March 24th, 2012, 6:00 PM
Really enjoyed that. I think it's practically impossible for two people to completely agree on the quality of a string of matches like Taker/Shawn and although I don't agree on some things I did enjoy seeing it from another perspective. Good read.

I've not seen the 2nd Mania or the Casket match for a while. I think I'll give them another watch and see if my opinion changes. I seem to remember enjoying the Streak/Career match a tad better than the 1st one. I thought it had more psychology and story built into it but maybe I was blinded by the fact it was Shawn's last match. We'll see :)

Look forward to the Taker/HHH one next!

Defrost
March 25th, 2012, 6:17 PM
Not to give anything away for next week, but holy shit it feels like they worked that King of the Ring match in quicksand

Fanny Batter
March 25th, 2012, 6:29 PM
Oh man that Hogan/Triple H/Undertaker triangle of PPV main events was the drizzling shits. The King of the Ring match felt so, so long. Undertaker is such an oddity, how he can have some absolute classics and seem like the smartest wrestler around as to where he places his high spots, facial expressions etc., then he'll go and half arse an absolute shocker of a match next time out. Probably the only person to have great and memorable/very, very crap matches with the same opponent. Michaels, Edge and Batista were usually good shouts for consistency wth him, then you've got situations with guys like Austin, Angle and HHH where there's some shockers in there.

Defrost
March 26th, 2012, 5:13 PM
Matches to be reviewed this Sunday

Shotgun Saturday Night 2/8/97 (Penn Station)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Undertaker

Raw 8/18/97 (Atlantic City Convention Center)
Undertaker & Mankind vs Shawn Michaels & Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Chyna & Rick Rude)

Wrestlemania X-7 (Astro Dome)
Undertaker vs Triple H

Insurrextion 2002 (Wembley Arena)
Undertaker vs Triple H

King of the Ring 2002 (Nationwide Arena)
Undisputed WWE Championship
Undisputed WWE Champion Undertaker vs Triple H

Wrestlemania XXVII (Georgia Dome)
No Holds Barred Match
Undertaker vs Triple H

Badger
March 26th, 2012, 5:27 PM
Not to give anything away for next week, but holy shit it feels like they worked that King of the Ring match in quicksand
Oh fuck man, that was god awful. Slowest match in the history of man.

Just read the Shawn/Taker stuff. Nice to read a review with something I'm familiar with. Good work. :yes:

Atty
March 27th, 2012, 12:38 PM
Defrost: Really looking forward to this set and don't want to add more to it, but wanted to remind you of the end of the 2009 No Way Out chamber where HHH and Taker went 5-10 minutes at the end and had a little match.

Defrost
April 1st, 2012, 1:09 AM
I guess I got to get this thing written now

Defrost
April 1st, 2012, 4:39 AM
http://i42.tinypic.com/k9alww.jpg

It's a double main event! It's Wrestlemania! Welcome back to DRS2EBRaSAGG's celebration of the only match that matters at Wrestlemania XXVIII Undertaker vs Triple H. In our last installment we took a look at Undertaker taking on Shawn Michaels, and now to the matter at hand we take a look at a handful of the previous matches between Undertaker and Triple H including their two previous Wrestlemania matches. Tebow Time.

Shotgun Saturday Night 2/8/97 (Penn Station)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Undertaker

Raw 8/18/97 (Atlantic City Convention Center)
Undertaker & Mankind vs Shawn Michaels & Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Chyna & Rick Rude)

Wrestlemania X-7 (Astro Dome)
Undertaker vs Triple H

Insurrextion 2002 (Wembley Arena)
Undertaker vs Triple H

King of the Ring 2002 (Nationwide Arena)
Undisputed WWE Championship
Undisputed WWE Champion Undertaker vs Triple H

Wrestlemania XXVII (Georgia Dome)
No Holds Barred Match
Undertaker vs Triple H


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So Wrestlemania 27 was one hell of an outlier. And the interesting thing about it is they didn't do a hell of a lot. The least amount of notes taken was for that match and it is by no means the shortest or least interesting. Also the only match that doesn't consist 75% of punching. I've seen prize fights with less punching than these matches. Never seen slower punches than that King of the Ring match though. Even the good matches, only Wrestlemania 27 can be qualified as great, are mostly punches. Rewatching their first Wrestlemania match was actually jarring due to this. That is a fondly remembered match and before getting into it the match is entertaining for the most part. Until the chokeslam onto the crash pad there are like three moves other than punching and two of those are neckbreakers by HHH. Neckbreaker spots, it must be noted, that came from their Shotgun Saturday Night match of all things. Odd to play off a match a handful of people saw on the biggest wrestling PPV of all time. Much like the Insurrextion match the last 1/3 of the match carries the entire thing. That Insurrextion match only gets interesting after the ropes break much like their X-7 match is not much until they brawl into the production area. It is at that point that things pick up. The first part of those matches make sense in that brawling works in context of the feuds, but there are only so many punches you can see until you get very tired.


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These two never learn. Old School never works on HHH, and despite it always ending badly HHH always goes into the corner with Taker. Every time Taker goes to the top rope he is, as Jim Ross liked to describe it, jerked off...the top. Always with the pause there. Every time Triple H goes into the corner with Taker whether it be the punching or going for a suplex or something his ass ends up eating the turnbuckle or getting powerbombed. Almost as bad is the referee getting bumped over and over. In the exact same way. With someone getting slingshotted into him. Not even the same ref yet the same result. Nothing is ever learned by these long time veterans of the squared circle.


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A special discussion needs to be had about King of the Ring 2002. This match stinks on ice. It was like watching two guys fight underwater. All of the punches, oh god the punching, looked like someone slowed down the video. Not only that Taker would throw a punch, and then there would be a full half minute lag until the next thing that would happen. Which would be yet another punch. Then there is a ref bump yet again and a spot so horribly botched it was unidentifiable. So HHH and Undertaker who have barely moved at all decide to lay down for awhile allowing The Rock to go through his entire entrance routine. The finish is a disaster. Apparently that was because Triple H got hurt and they had to go home early. No idea how he could have gotten hurt its not like he was doing anything. Thinking back on the pantheon of terrible WWE main events, Hogan vs Undertaker, Hart vs Backlund, Diesel vs Mabel, Cena vs Miz this match is right near the top. It's like Lesnar vs Goldberg without the funny chants.


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And in the interest of equal time Wrestlemania XXVII. At least there is no ref bump. Just joking this match is legitimately great. What they do is make a ton of drama while not doing a lot. Undertaker still does his dive despite being broken, but other than that there are no huge bumps from him. HHH's biggest bump is the backdrop off the table which seemed to legit screw up his arm. The brilliance of the match is that it makes you think it is something that it isn't. The match wants you to think it is going to become a finisherfest much like the Shawn/Taker matches became or started in the second matches case. When you see Trips kick out of the Last Ride and Tombstone and Taker out of the Pedigree it looked pretty rote. Then Triple hit another Pedigree. And another. Then beat him down with chair shots and it was pretty clear this was different. This was about Taker surviving. Not since Giant Gonzalez was that the story of a Taker match at Mania. Taker was beaten down. Beaten down to the point that we here at DRS2EBRaSAGG thought that when Triple H Tombstone Undertaker that the streak was over. Making anyone think that the Streak ending is even a remote possibility is an amazing accomplishment. If there are any complaints about the last ten minutes then perhaps it is that Triple H should have passed out in the Gogoplata instead of tapping out. Some complained about the lag time between some moves, but that fit the match. Other than that it was pitch perfect way for the match to end up.


Results and Ratings

Shotgun Saturday Night 2/8/97
WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Undertaker at 9:58 via DQ when Undertaker hit Helmsley with the Intercontinental Championship belt. Hunter Hearst Helmsley retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: *)

Raw 8/18/97
Undertaker & Mankind defeated Shawn Michaels & Hunter Hearst Helmsley via DQ when Shawn Michaels hit Undertaker with a steel chair (Star Rating: **1/2)

Wrestlemania X-7
Undertaker defeated Triple H at 18:17 via pinfall with the Last Ride (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Insurrextion 2002
Triple H defeated Undertaker at 14:31 via pinfall with the Pedigree (Star Rating:***1/4)

King of the Ring 2002
Undisputed WWE Champion Undertaker defeated Triple H at 23:44 via pinfall with a low blow. Undertaker retained the Undisputed WWE Championship (Star Rating: dud)

Wrestlemania XXVII
Undertaker defeated Triple H at 29:26 via submission with the Gogoplata (Star Rating: ****3/4)
Average Rating: **1/2

Well that raps that up. Hopefully everyone can enjoy Wrestlemania tonight. For our next edition we will take a look at perchance the three greatest wrestling matches that there ever have been. Next Time: 6/3/94, 6/9/95, and the 1996 RWTL Final

takerson
April 1st, 2012, 6:34 AM
Great job Defrost. :yes:

:hyper: WRESTLEFUCKINGMANIA! :hyper:

McBain
April 1st, 2012, 6:51 AM
I'd forgotten about Takers penchant for dropping a dud from time to time. I knew there was a reason I wasn't his biggest fan at one stage.

Loved last years match - and it was definitely helped by the context of the card (that the other matches sucked). Hopefully they can top it this year, but I have my doubts.

Defrost
April 19th, 2012, 11:11 PM
Next review coming soon

AJPW 6/3/94 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada

AJPW 6/9/95 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

AJPW 12/6/96 (Toyko Nippon Budokan)
1996 Real World Tag League Final
The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama

Vice
April 19th, 2012, 11:15 PM
Awwww shit.

Defrost
April 22nd, 2012, 4:36 AM
It has been said that the greatest era of wrestling was the 1990s in All Japan Pro Wrestling. So it stands to reason that the greatest match of all time must come from that place in that time. So to narrow it down. Even amongst a litany of the most amazing wrestling matches ever there are three matches that stand above. It is these three matches that will be our subjects in this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.

AJPW 6/3/94 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
Triple Crown Championship
Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada

AJPW 6/9/95 (Tokyo Nippon Budokan)
AJPW World Tag Team Championship
AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs The Holy Demon Army

AJPW 12/6/96
1996 Real World Tag League Final
The Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama

Now it is not as simple as just watching these matches and comparing what does and does not continue on or is played off of from match to match as is usual in these reviews. The style of All Japan booking dictated that there is a ton of baggage leading into all these matches. Kenta Kobashi's leg in the tag title match, or what Kawada pinning Misawa meant. So instead we're going off format and will instead give you the reader the case each match makes as being the best of all time. With the cases made we will then give you the DRS2EBRaSAGG verdict on this matter.

Before that it should be noted that going into this it was the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG that the final of the 1996 Real World Tag League was the greatest match of all time. However, this was not an opinion come to after watching all three matches in a row.

6/3/94
This is the finest hour of Mitsuharu Misawa. He was at the peak of his athletic abilities and everything he does in this match looks so fluid and so crisp. He is perfect in this match.
The psychology is pitch perfect. Kawada has been less than Misawa ever since Misawa beat Jumbo 4 years earlier. Kawada has never beaten Misawa in a singles or a tag match. Kawada has had enough of the existence of Misawa. His frustration boils over at points where he stomps on Misawa's head instead of going for the win or his disgust when Misawa works over his leg
Speaking of the leg when Kawada takes a clear advantage Misawa goes to the leg that he, and his regular tag partner Kenta Kobashi, had been attacking for months.
Kawada's main striking are kicks. The style of selling is that the matches involve a struggle and as time goes on one man is worn down more than the other and eats one finisher too many and loses. So since Kawada's leg had been worn down over months his kicks had nothing left at the end so there was nothing to stop the onslaught on elbows and suplexes from Misawa until being finished by the Tiger Drive '91 a move Misawa had not used since the year of its name.
Special consideration must go to the crowd. The crowd is awesome. Chanting for both guys at just the right time. The whole atmosphere makes it feel huge.

6/9/95
Have to begin at the end. Kawada pins Misawa for the first time. For half a decade Misawa had been the #1 native talent and Kawada #2. And Misawa had beaten him like a drum. Like Bugs Bunny to Daffy Duck beaten. No matter what Kawada would do Misawa always made the comeback. No matter the punishment in the end Kawada would be taking elbows to the face, getting suplexed on his head, and Tiger Driven to death. Not here. He finally breaks through.
There are heels and babyfaces in this one! That was never the case in All Japan. It was pure sports. But here Kawada and Taue attacking the injured leg of Kobashi incited the wrath of the crowd.
Kenta Kobashi is amazing in this match. The best performance of his career and he is in the shortlist of greatest wrestler ever. Misawa and Kawada are also on that list. Kobashi is great at selling being the weakened warrior, but his greatest contribution is during the finish. Kobashi's leg is shot to the point he is of no use to Misawa. All he could do was lay on top of Misawa and act as a human shield as Kawada and Taue rained blows from above. Great drama during the finish
The leg work is the crux of the thing. Kobashi had his leg worked over in a six man tag leading up to this show by Kawada and Taue and he had his like wrapped like a mummy in this match which just made it more a target. As mentioned the crowd hated when Kawada and Taue attacked it, and attack it they did. Taue chokeslammed Misawa onto Kobashi's leg and then Kawada came off the second rope onto it. Whenever, Kobashi gained any momentum they'd go straight to the leg including a sneak low dropkick by Taue for which Kobashi in his comeback would get his revenge and do to Taue. Kobashi's comeback consisted of going ape on both his opponent's legs and teasing the one legged sault. After many thwarted attempts Kobashi did finally come off the top with a one legged sault onto Kawada for his last bit of offense. However, in the end he was a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.

1996 Real World Tag League
Akiyama was not yet a main event guy. A plucky young guy ,who happened to be amazing, was where he was at. He had been working a lot with Kawada developing a rivalry and had started using the Exploder as his big move not long before this. Kawada had beaten him in their matches, the only guy Kawada was beating in 1996, but the early part of this match shows Akiyama's growth with him getting the better of Kawada to start out.
Taue was having a great year in 1996, winning the Champion's Carnival and the Triple Crown, and he saves Kawada from a beating from Misawa and then takes out Akiyama with a chokeslam off the apron to the floor which takes Akiyama all but out of the match.
The last ten minutes of this show was the greatest finishing stretch of any match ever. As mentioned Akiyama was gone, and Misawa was left to the wolves. Or Demon Army. Whatever. So Misawa fights. He fights both of them at the same time. He had spent the entire year saving Akiyama from beatings and now when he needs Akiyama he is nowhere to be found. So he takes suplexes and chokeslams and powerbombs, but he still keeps coming. It is easy to lose count of the elbows to the faces of Kawada and Taue. It was like Die Hard if Alan Rickman won in the end.

So there are the cases. After careful deliberation DRS2EBRaSAGG has come to a verdict

6/9/95

Results and Ratings

AJPW 6/3/94
Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Toshiaki Kawada via pinfall at 35:50 with the Tiger Driver '91. Mitsuharu Misawa retained the Triple Crown Championship (Star Rating: *****)

AJPW 6/9/95
The Holy Demon Army defeated AJPW World Tag Team Champions Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi via pinfall at 42:37 when Kawada pinned Misawa with a Powerbomb. The Holy Demon Army won the AJPW World Tag Team Championship (Star Rating: *****)

AJPW 12/6/96
The Holy Demon Army defeated Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama via pinfall at 31:37 when Kawada pinned Misawa with a Powerbomb. The Holy Demon Army won the 1996 Real World Tag League. (Star Rating: *****)

Average Rating: *****

CASE CLOSED. Things go back to normal next time as we take an in depth look at Excellence vs Perfection. Next Time. Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect

Mills
April 22nd, 2012, 4:57 AM
Yes!

DDT
April 22nd, 2012, 8:17 AM
Fucking told your ass 6/9/95 was the best match ever.

Ringo
April 22nd, 2012, 9:12 AM
When I rewatched these matches last year I came to the same conclusion as Defrost, having originally favoured 12/6/96 as well. Good job!

DDT
April 22nd, 2012, 11:29 AM
That's because you are both stupid-faces who should ask me from now on. :p

Defrost
April 25th, 2012, 9:53 PM
Next batch of matches

Prime Time Wrestling 11/6/89 (Wheeling Civic Center)
Mr Perfect (w/Genius) vs Bret Hart

Summerslam 1991 (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr Prefect (w/Coach) vs Bret Hart

King of the Ring 1993 (Nutter Center)
King of the Ring Semifinal
Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect

Uncensored 1998 (Mobile Civic Center)
Bret Hart vs Curt Hennig(w/Rick Rude)

Defrost
April 28th, 2012, 9:15 PM
http://i45.tinypic.com/2v9tzyx.jpg

You can call DRS2EBRaSAGG excellent. You can call DRS2EBRaSAGG perfect. As a matter of fact you should. Section 1 Exhibit A. Now to the review.

Prime Time Wrestling 11/6/89 (Wheeling Civic Center)
Mr Perfect (w/Genius) vs Bret Hart

Summerslam 1991 (Madison Square Garden)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr Prefect (w/Coach) vs Bret Hart

King of the Ring 1993 (Nutter Center)
King of the Ring Semifinal
Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect

Uncensored 1998 (Mobile Civic Center)
Bret Hart vs Curt Hennig(w/Rick Rude)


http://i47.tinypic.com/u0i01.jpg

Time for a rant. Whenever you get wrestlers talking about their famous matches on DVDs or wherever they always claim that there are tons of house show matches nobody saw that were way better than that. Bullshit. An earlier DRS2eBRaSAGG took a look at the Coliseum Video matches of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Those were basically very basic very scaled down matches that they had on TV tapings. TV tapings back then were basically super long house shows. The Prime Time Wrestling match between Hart and Mr Perfect is another example. In his DVD Bret claims that he and Curt Hennig had many a great match on that house show circuit that would make Summerslam 1991 pale in comparison. There are recognizable spots in the Prime Time match. Spots that show up in all four matches. Being beeled by the hair, Hennig kicking out sending Bret to the floor setting up the sunset flip, Perfect getting flung by Bret and then spinning all the way out to the floor, etc. However, it is missing a few things. First of all it never kicks up another gear. It is a spot followed by a headlock over and over again. No momentum is ever strung together. There is no feeling of intensity to any of it.


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Their most famous match was at Summerslam 1991. Perfect's last match for over a year and Bret's first singles title win in the WWF in the last of the vapors of the 1980s Hogan boom period. This was Bret's second singles push after 1988-1989 period that saw these two work a lot on the House Show circuit, including the Prime Time match, but didn't take since the first thing they had done with him was job him out to Bad News Brown. Basic story of the match was Bret being a better wrestler, but Perfect getting the better of him by being a complete dick until being a complete dick bit him on the ass and he lost his title in a bit of poetic justice. As mentioned there are some spots common to at least the first couple of matches. Bret gets an early near fall with a crucifix, which in this match when he tries it again later in the match it is turned into a Samoan Drop, the flinging and spinning, Perfect beeled and then crotched on the post, etc. Perfect was limited by his back so there was a lot of character work and drama and with the crowd loving Bret it really works.


http://i49.tinypic.com/5ponc2.jpg

Their King of the Ring match is the best of the four reviewed in this edition. This is the only match where Perfect comes in as a babyface, and has no one on the outside with him. Although that didn't matter in the Prime Time match because The Genius didn't do anything, but Coach and Rick Rude were very liberal with their interference. Bret comes into this match with his fingers taped from the stomping his hands took in his first round match with Razor Ramon. Probably a kayfabe injury since Ramon worked the hands and then when Bret went for the Sharpshoot Perfect attacked his fingers to stop him. Perfect starts out as a babyface but works subtle heel throughout doing spots from previous matches. Bret damn near gets killed when he is shoved off the apron and misses the guardrail which due to drawing issues was farther away from the ring than it was at Summerslam 1991. They had a babyface version of the Prime Time finish. There Perfect turned Bret over on a rolling pin and grabbed the tights. Here Bret reversed a small package. Another babyface as opposed to heel spot was Perfect going to the top. In every other match Perfect going to the top ended with him getting caught up there by Bret. Here he comes off the top with a dropkick. The commentary team of Ross, Savage and Heenan were great as well.


http://i49.tinypic.com/2hqbdsm.jpg

Looking at Hennig in the Uncensored match it is easy to understand why his heart exploded. He is jacked to the gills here. The biggest he was in any of these matches which is amazing when you consider that in the 1980s you ended up with 60:1 testosterone levels in the WWF looker room by osmosis. This is a less than stellar greatest hits match. Nothing looks as good as it did when they were in the WWF, which to be fair was par for the course in WCW. Also of interest was Rick Rude's constant interference where he moved around the ring better than Hennig or Hart despite being retired due to injury. Not much to it beyond the interference and the familiar spots actually. Also the commentary team of Schiavone, Tenay, and Heenan were pretty bad.


http://i47.tinypic.com/9u1cg9.jpg

Results and Ratings

Prime Time Wrestling 11/6/89
Mr Perfect defeated Bret Hart at 17:20 via pinfall with a roll up (Star Rating: **1/2)

Summerslam 1991
Bret Hart defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr Prefect at 18:02 via submission with the Sharpshooter. Bret Hart won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: ****1/4)

King of the Ring 1993
Bret Hart defeated Mr Perfect at 18:55 via pinfall by reversing a small package. Bret Hart advanced to the Final of the 1993 King of the Ring. (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Uncensored 1998
Bret Hart defeated Curt Hennig at 13:50 via submission with the Sharpshooter. (Star Rating: **1/2)

Average Rating: ***1/2

That does it from here. As for next time King of the Ring 1993 was such an interesting show let's keep it there. Next Time: Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow.

Atty
April 28th, 2012, 10:43 PM
Most interesting to see KOTR over SS. Good stuff. :yes:

MichaelC
April 28th, 2012, 11:01 PM
Most interesting to see KOTR over SS. Good stuff. :yes:

King of the Ring is a better match as Hennig isn't injured and can go.

Atty
April 28th, 2012, 11:05 PM
He was injured for SS and his selling was therefore more believable.

Defrost
May 4th, 2012, 5:43 PM
next batch

Global Warfare (Palau Sant Jordi)
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow

King of the Ring 1993 (Nutter Center)
King of the Ring Final
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow

Monday Night Raw 7/26/93 (Manhattan Center)
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow

Defrost
May 5th, 2012, 6:28 PM
http://i46.tinypic.com/j66i5z.jpg

When thinking of wrestlers named after Flintstones characters Bam Bam Bigelow has to quickly spring to mind. No disrespect intended to the likes of Barney Irwin, Wilma Gordon, or Fred "Shockmaster" Ottman intended. Here we take a look at what is probably Bigelow's highest profile match, sandwiched between two others, in North America sans his loss to convicted sex offender Lawrence Taylor. That match being the final of the first televised King of the Ring tournament. A tournament he faired far better in than the WWF title tournament where he was beaten in less than 3 minutes by of all people the One Man, I was never over, Gang. On to the review.

Global Warfare (Palau Sant Jordi)
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow

King of the Ring 1993 (Nutter Center)
King of the Ring Final
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow

Monday Night Raw 7/26/93 (Manhattan Center)
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow


http://i46.tinypic.com/2drfnut.jpg

Bret has a certain style when working men bigger than him. Not bigger as in taller since he worked a different style altogether with the likes of Diesel, Sid, and Undertaker. No, bigger in this case means wider ala Yokozuna or the man he faced in the matches reviewed in this edition Bam Bam Bigelow. Bret attacks the head. Bret throws more punches in his matches with Bigelow and Yokozuna than against anyone else like combined maybe. That was hyperbole for those on the internet obsessed with 100% accuracy. Bret softens up the head then climbs to the second rope for a leaping bulldog or clothesline. Since the Sharpshoot tends not to work, it did at Wrestlemania IX it was the salt to the eyes that got him, so the finish better be something else. Whether it be whatever Wrestlemania X was or using the Victory Roll against Bam Bam.


http://i49.tinypic.com/280sdoh.jpg

Bam Bam's strategy is the strategy you'd expect for a man named Bam Bam. He hammers Hart with forearms and his array of headbutts working over the back of Hart. He would lift Hart high into the air and bring him crashing down with an awesome looking back suplex. Could have done without the long bear hug spots. The bear hug being by far the most boring wrestling hold there is in the opinion of DRS2EBRaSAGG. He had Luna Vachon running around to interfere on his behalf. Problem is he was agile for his size which was to his detriment. When he'd lose it would invariably be because he missed something off the top rope.


http://i47.tinypic.com/20h0d1c.jpg

As for match quality the Coliseum Video rule applies to the first match. There is a lot of stalling for a match that goes less than 12 minutes. The holds that you see in other matches, such as the aforementioned bear hug, goes on a little longer than at King of the Ring. It is the dreaded house show match previously discussed. Their best match was at King of the Ring. It had the built in story of Bret working more matches than Bam Bam, standard WWF tournament booking, and being obviously banged up from those matches. There was no stalling or needlessly long holds. Nor was the booking wonky. The angle that finishes their Raw match makes sense, but the execution was horrible. The angle is that Bret Hart's family is up in the balcony and Jerry Lawler appears to insult them to get heat for his Summerslam match with Bret Hart. Makes sense. Problem is it goes on forever. It is not yet halfway over and you start thinking that it needs to wrap up. The match before that begins was shaping up to be the best of the three, but the Lawler stuff gets to the point of unwatchability dragging down that match.

Results and Ratings

Global Warfare
Bret Hart defeated Bam Bam Bigelow via pinfall at 11:56 with the Victory Roll (Star Rating: **3/4)

King of the Ring 1993
Bret Hart defeated Bam Bam Bigelow via pinfall at 18:18 with the Victory Roll. Bret Hart won the 1993 King of the Ring Tournament. (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Monday Night Raw 7/26/93
Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Bret Hart via Countout when Hart went into the crowd to attack Jerry Lawler (Star Rating: ***)

Average Rating: ***1/4

Did we mention Shockmaster? Next Time: WARGAMES!

Defrost
May 10th, 2012, 10:50 AM
Next batch of matches

Great American Bash 7/4/87(The Omni)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, JJ Dillon) vs Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering

Great American Bash 7/31/87(Orange Bowl)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard)/War Machine vs Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering

NWA 7/16/88(Greensboro Coliseum)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, JJ Dillon) vs Dusty Rhodes/Lex Luger/Nikita Koloff/Steve Williams/Paul Ellering

Wrestlewar 1991(Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair/Arn Anderson/Sid Vicious)/Larry Zbyszko vs Sting/Brian Pillman/Rick Steiner/Scott Steiner

Wrestlewar 1992 (Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
Sting's Squadron (Sting/Ricky Steamboat/Barry Windham/Nikita Koloff/Dustin Rhodes) vs The Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude/Steve Austin/Arn Anderson/Bobby Eaton/Larry Zbyszko)

Fall Brawl 1993 (Astro Arena)
Wargames
Vader/Sid Vicious/Booker T/Stevie Ray vs Sting/British Bulldog/Dustin Rhodes/Shockmaster

Fall Brawl 1996 (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
WCW (Sting/Ric Flair/Lex Luger/Arn Anderson) vs nWo (Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash/Scott Hall/nWo Sting)

Defrost
May 15th, 2012, 1:31 PM
http://i.imgur.com/9Re7i.jpg

Wargames and the match beyond. Beyond what? Fuck if I know. Maybe Thunderdome. Then again WCW did Thunderdome too. Well the copywrite friendly Thundercage anyway. So to review the rules of War Games. There are two rings surrounded by a cage. There are two teams. A member of each team starts out for a 5 minute period. At the end of this period there is a coin toss won by the heels unless Vince Russo is booking. The teams alternate sending a new man in every two minutes after that. Once everyone has entered the match it goes to the aforementioned match beyond where the match ends when someone surrenders. Got all that? Good for you you're already a step ahead of Michael Buffer. On to the review.

Great American Bash 7/4/87(The Omni)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, JJ Dillon) vs Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering

Great American Bash 7/31/87(Orange Bowl)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard)/War Machine vs Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering

NWA 7/16/88(Greensboro Coliseum)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, JJ Dillon) vs Dusty Rhodes/Lex Luger/Nikita Koloff/Steve Williams/Paul Ellering

Wrestlewar 1991(Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair/Arn Anderson/Sid Vicious)/Larry Zbyszko vs Sting/Brian Pillman/Rick Steiner/Scott Steiner

Wrestlewar 1992 (Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
Sting's Squadron (Sting/Ricky Steamboat/Barry Windham/Nikita Koloff/Dustin Rhodes) vs The Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude/Steve Austin/Arn Anderson/Bobby Eaton/Larry Zbyszko)

Fall Brawl 1993 (Astro Arena)
Wargames
Vader/Sid Vicious/Booker T/Stevie Ray vs Sting/British Bulldog/Dustin Rhodes/Shockmaster

Fall Brawl 1996 (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Wargames
WCW (Sting/Ric Flair/Lex Luger/Arn Anderson) vs nWo (Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash/Scott Hall/nWo Sting)


http://i.imgur.com/AZGkw.jpg

What a shitty gimmick this turned out to be. Wargames has a reputation for being this amazing gimmick with tons of great matches leaving people bemoaning the fact that Vince wants nothing to do with it. This is simply not true. There are only two great Wargames matches. The rest are ok to downright putrid and all for different reasons. It should also be noted that this review avoided such Wargames matches as the one with Bunkhouse Buck and Col Parker and the oh so epic Hulkamaniacs vs Dungeon of Doom match. Imagine how much worse this review would have ended up being with those atrocities included.


http://i.imgur.com/bk7KT.png

The beginning is the best place to start as any. The issue with this match actually gets pretty comical. The second a member of a team would enter the ring all of his teammates would immediately stand up and stop selling. The only one who even paid the slightest bit of lip service to selling once their teammate hit the ring was Nikita Koloff getting up slower than the rest instead of popping right up when Hawk comes in. 30 seconds after Koloff took two Spike Piledrivers. This match also begins the running theme of the heels making no effort whatsoever to save their teammates from giving up even when it is well within their power to do so. I guess the Four Horsemen really like losing this match. Also of note is the horror that is Dusty Rhodes and Animal trying a double dropkick spot. Compare that to the nonsense going on in the 1988 Wargames. Arn somehow gets a hold of a wrench. The wrench randomly disappears. No need to use a weapon in this match anymore. Tully comes in with a chair. After using like twice he calmly slides it under the cage to the floor. Why not? Not like that would be at all useful. Then there is once again the finish where you have everyone wandering around aimlessly including Steve Williams just hanging out by himself in the corner. Have to give the finish credit though at least Barry Windham tried to save JJ. He was over powered though. By Paul Ellering. Manager of the Road Warriors. Not one of the Road Warriors. Not Hawk not Animal not Kensuke Sasaki not Heidenreich hell not even Droz. Paul Ellering. Over powered Barry Windham. That was the finish. Yeah.


http://i.imgur.com/6zQ7f.jpg

The Wargames 1991 match is a good match except for one glaring issue. Sid Viscous is in this match, and dear God is he awful. There are two instances of awfulness that stand out. One of which is not 100% his fault. In this match their is a close up right in his face shot of Sid telling Rick Steiner he is going to whip him into the opposite corner. Now obviously the director deserved to be fired for that, but the fact that it did not occur to Sid to avoid a rather detailed description of what he was about to do when a camera was right in his face is mind boggling. Then there is the far more egregious issue. The match ends when Sid botches a powerbomb so horribly he injures Brian Pillman. Then in a moment of brilliance Sid decided to pick up the injured Pillman and powerbomb him again. Which was botched again. It is impossible to not hold this against the match.


http://i.imgur.com/X8xpb.jpg

Remember what was said about the Four Horsemen not caring if they win or lose? Stevie Ray is the worst offender. By a lot. He just stands there staring at Shockmaster as he puts Booker T into a bear hug from which Booker T eventually submits. Nothing was stopping him from attacking Shockmaster. Do you also remember the shitty direction that was previously mentioned? This match starts out with a panning shot of the crowd or lack thereof. What you see is many empty seats in an already pretty small building. ECW ran bigger buildings than this for their PPVs back in the day. Just needed to be mentioned. Since we are going down memory lane remember Erik Watts? In this match Dustin Rhodes gets the full Erik Watts treatment. For those that don't remember when Bill Watts was booker his son Erik received an unwarranted push. To put it nicely. So this match starts out with Dustin Rhodes bravely overcoming his injured ribs and rushing into battle with Vader and friends. 10 guesses who was booker at the time. 10 guesses who was also tight with that booker. Here's a hint: Tugboat. So between the shit booking at the beginning and end you'd at least hope for something in the middle. Nothing. Not something good. Not something bad. Just a black hole. Better off watching grass grow honestly.

All that needs to be said about the nWo vs WCW Wargames is that the two guys trying the hardest are Hulk Hogan and Lex Luger.


http://i.imgur.com/xaVz6.jpg

In all of this there are two standout matches. The second ever Wargames on the last show of the 1987 Great American Bash, before becoming a PPV the GAB was a July long series of shows, and the match at Wrestlewar 1992. The second Wargames instilled a lot of hope for the future of the match. The issue of the cycle of no selling which plagued the first one was fixed. The match was suitably back and forth with the babyfaces in control when it was 4 on 5 which makes sense since how much help was Ellering going to be without Barry Windham to push around anyway? Horsemen were still shit at making the save, but at least it was some jabroni named War Machine and not their manager taking the abuse this time. Then you have the best of the bunch from Wrestlewar 1992. The work is great and plays to all the existing storylines going in. There is some interesting stuff involving the set up with the cage and the two rings, driving Anderson's head between the ring and Austin and Steamboat hanging from the ceiling are two examples. There is no needless no selling. The finish does not involve one team to act like complete morons. It is great. Every complaint about the others matches are fixed and there is innovation on top of that. Perfect.

Results and Ratings

Great American Bash 7/4/87
Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering defeated the Four Horsemen at 22:10 when JJ Dillon surrendered after the Doomsday Device (Star Rating: **3/4)

Great American Bash 7/31/87
Hawk/Animal/Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff/Paul Ellering defeated the Four Horsemen & War Machine at 19:38 when War Machine surrendered after Animal drove a spike into his eye (Star Rating: ****1/4)

NWA 7/16/88
Dusty Rhodes/Lex Luger/Nikita Koloff/Steve Williams/Paul Ellering defeated the Four Horsemen at 21:10 when JJ Dillon surrendered to a Dusty Rhodes Figure Four Leglock (Star Rating: *3/4)

Wrestlewar 1991
The Four Horsemen defeated Sting/Brian Pillman/Rick Steiner/Scott Steiner at 21:50 via ref stoppage when Shooter Sid Vicious attempted to murder Brian Pillman (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Wrestlewar 1992
Sting's Squadron defeated The Dangerous Alliance at 23:27 when Bobby Eaton surrendered to Sting's arm bar (Star Rating: *****)

Fall Brawl 1993
Sting/British Bulldog/Dustin Rhodes/Shockmaster defeated Vader/Sid Vicious/Booker T/Stevie Ray at 16:39 when Booker T surrendered to a Shockmaster bear hug (Star Rating: -*)

Fall Brawl 1996
nWo defeated WCW at 18:15 when Lex Luger surrendered to nWo Sting's Scorpion Death Lock (Star Rating: ***)

Average Rating: **3/4

Well in the end the only way to win is to not play at all. Oh wait wrong Wargames. Anyway keeping it in WCW in the next review. Next Time: Ricky Steamboat vs Steve Austin

mth
May 15th, 2012, 4:17 PM
When thinking of wrestlers named after Flintstones characters Bam Bam Bigelow has to quickly spring to mind. No disrespect intended to the likes of Barney Irwin, Wilma Gordon, or Fred "Shockmaster" Ottman intended.
Dino Bravo?

Defrost
May 15th, 2012, 4:43 PM
Good call

Mills
May 15th, 2012, 5:22 PM
terry bam bam gordy?

Defrost
May 19th, 2012, 10:09 AM
Steamboat and Austin wrestled each other about a thousand times on TV. Other than their two Clash matches and their Bash match I am not sure what I am reviewing yet.

Defrost
June 2nd, 2012, 1:06 PM
This is what I narrowed it down to

WCW Worldwide 1/18/92 (Georgia Mountains Center)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Madusa) vs Ricky Steamboat

WCW Saturday Night 8/1/91 (Center Stage)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Paul E Dangerously) vs Ricky Steamboat

Clash of the Champions XX (Center Stage)
No Disqualification Match/WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Paul E Dangerously) vs Ricky Steamboat

Bash at the Beach 1994 (Orlando Arena)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Champion Steve Austin vs Ricky Steamboat

Clash of the Champions XXVIII (Five Seasons Center)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Champion Steve Austin vs Ricky Steamboat

Defrost
June 4th, 2012, 4:58 PM
http://i50.tinypic.com/2n7fcso.png

This week's, well month's honestly, edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG features Stunning Steve Austin and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Two men that wrestled each other every other week from December 1991 to September 1994 in one form or another. So this raised the conundrum of what exactly was going to be watched. The ingenious solution? Watch whatever popped up on the first page of the youtube search.

WCW Worldwide 1/18/92 (Georgia Mountains Center)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Madusa) vs Ricky Steamboat

WCW Saturday Night 8/1/91 (Center Stage)
WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Paul E Dangerously) vs Ricky Steamboat

Clash of the Champions XX (Center Stage)
No Disqualification Match/WCW World Television Championship
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin (w/Paul E Dangerously) vs Ricky Steamboat

Bash at the Beach 1994 (Orlando Arena)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Champion Steve Austin vs Ricky Steamboat

Clash of the Champions XXVIII (Five Seasons Center)
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WCW US Champion Steve Austin vs Ricky Steamboat


http://i47.tinypic.com/se7vit.png

So everyone recognizes that Ricky Steamboat was a great wrestler. Known for his amazing arm drags, his signature move. After said arm drag Steamboat tended to grab an arm bar. Having watched hundreds of Ricky Steamboat matches, many of which are all time amazing, there seems to be a direct correlation in match quality to the amount of time he sits on that arm bar. For instance one of the most painfully boring watching experiences would his match against Rick Rude at the Royal Rumble. Almost twenty minutes of nothing with long arm bars that has shit finish. That would also fit almost to the letter as the description of the worst reviewed match in this bunch.


http://i47.tinypic.com/29pahj8.jpg

It is too simple to say that the reason the US Title matches are better is that Austin gained experience. That was the point of the last paragraph. Not to say that Austin having more experience is not a major factor, it is, nor is it just to make a controversial statement or whatever. There are other issues with the TV Title matches. The 10 minute draw is burdened by the short time limit where the selling makes little sense. You see these guys go twenty easily and here they are selling the last 5 minutes of a 10 minute broadway the same way they'd sell it if they were going 60. First 5 minutes are great. Then they lay down and play dead. The Saturday Night match as mentioned is inflicted by the arm bar disease. Not only that but Austin is not exactly a cure. Steamboat goes into the match with taped ribs, he would also have taped ribs a month later at their Clash 20 match which means it was either legit or Bill Watts being annoying, so the entire heat is devoted to abdominal stretches. In other words dull as dirt. As for the third TV title match reviewed it is the best of the three because it minimizes the issues with the other two. Arm bars are not an issue, and the less than dynamic rib work is muted. Biggest issue is booking it as a no DQ match which meant nothing to the way the match was worked. Matter of fact it is almost the inverse of the first match reviewed. The first 5 minutes are a lot of nothing, but the last 5 are great. The last five are very much a preview of what was to come in their US Title matches.


http://i47.tinypic.com/282fjw2.jpg

The US Title matches are great. Some of the stuff from the aforementioned Clash XX TV Title match are built upon. The multiple tombstone reversals and the insane finishing stretches stand out. One pinning combination after another in the epic last few minutes of the match where Steamboat wins the US Title makes Steamboat vs Savage look quaint in comparison. What is great is how that played off their Bash at the Beach match. Not just in Austin's taunting and paint brushing of Steamboat and being just a general dick instead of going for the win becoming worse from one match to the next. His assholeness didn't hurt him at the Bash at the Beach so he took it up a notch in the rematch. The only thing is Austin could not get his feet on the ropes so he could not keep Steamboat down. Instead they kept the string going until after a bit of a struggle Steamboat was able to cradle Austin and keep him down. Their match at Clash of the Champions XXVIII is must see and see how it built off the Bash at the Beach match makes it sweeter. However, it should be pointed out that the Clash XXVIII match is where Steamboat injured his back forcing him to retire in a bit of a dour note.


http://i46.tinypic.com/ippb44.jpg

Results and Ratings

WCW Worldwide 1/18/92
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin fought Ricky Steamboat to a draw at 10:00 when the time limit expired. Steve Austin retained the WCW World Television Championship (Star Rating: **1/2)

WCW Saturday Night 8/1/92
WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin defeated Ricky Steamboat via disqualification at 18:08. Steve Austin retained the WCW World Television (Star Rating: *3/4)

Clash of the Champions XX
Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin via pinfall at 10:46 with the Crossbody off the top rope. Ricky Steamboat won the WCW World Television Championship (Star Rating: ***)

Bash at the Beach 1994
WCW US Champion Steve Austin defeated Ricky Steamboat via pinfall at 20:10 with a cradle with feet on the ropes. Steve Austin retained the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Clash of the Champions XXVIII
Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW US Champion Steve Austin via pinfall at 16:08 with a cradle. Ricky Steamboat won the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****3/4)

Average Rating: ***1/2

Well after spending some time in WCW it is about time to get globe hopping again as we take a look at two guys who spent some time in that organization. Next Time: Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

Defrost
June 5th, 2012, 12:06 AM
The first post now has links directly to the reviews and a running list of DRS2EBRaSAGG's Five Star Matches

Defrost
June 7th, 2012, 2:13 AM
Special thanks to Bert for finding one the matches that will be reviewed in the next edition

Defrost
June 7th, 2012, 3:43 PM
Next batch of matches

G1 Climax 1991 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Final
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

Starrcade 1992 (Omni)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono vs IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta

Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome (Tokyo Dome)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship/NWA World Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta vs NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono

NJPW 9/23/94 (Yokohama Arena)
Great Muta vs Masahiro Chono

Battle Formation 1997 (Tokyo Dome)
Great Muta vs Masahiro Chono

Nitro 5/26/97 (Nashville Municipal Auditorium)
Masahiro Chono vs Great Muta (w/Sonny Onoo)

Wrestling World 2000 (Tokyo Dome)
If Chono loses Team 2000 must disband/If Mutoh loses nWo Japan must disband
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

Defrost
June 9th, 2012, 10:19 PM
http://i46.tinypic.com/2hrjrqe.jpg

This time we take a look at two members of the legendary Toukon Three Musketeers. Those three were the catalyst for the boom in popularity New Japan Pro Wrestling enjoyed in the 1990s. They were the late Shinya Hashimoto and the two men being looked out in this edition Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh. It might be more accurate to say Masahiro Chono and The Great Muta since Chono wrestled Mutoh's alter ego just as often. So without further ado on to the show.

G1 Climax 1991 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Final
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

Starrcade 1992 (Omni)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono vs IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta

Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome (Tokyo Dome)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship/NWA World Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta vs NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono

G1 Climax 1994 Day 2 (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Block A
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono

NJPW 9/23/94 (Yokohama Arena)
Great Muta vs Masahiro Chono

G1 Climax 1996 Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Semi-Final
IWGP Tag Team Champion Masahiro Chono vs Keiji Mutoh

Battle Formation 1997 (Tokyo Dome)
Great Muta vs Masahiro Chono

Nitro 5/26/97 (Nashville Municipal Auditorium)
Masahiro Chono vs Great Muta (w/Sonny Onoo)

Wrestling World 2000 (Tokyo Dome)
If Chono loses Team 2000 must disband/If Mutoh loses nWo Japan must disband
Keiji Mutoh vs Masahiro Chono


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In a previous DRS2EBRaSAGG (http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6782247&viewfull=1#post6782247) we took a look at The Great Muta/Keiji Mutoh and the differences between the two when we looked at three matches he had with Steve Austin. In this edition we have to start off by differentiating between squeaky babyface Masahiro Chono and black Masahiro Chono. Although there could be a whole essay on Keiji Mutoh's hairline if we're talking transitions. The first four matches reviewed fall under the banner of babyface Chono. This Chono is the clean cut final student of Lou Thesz. This Chono is a technical mat wrestler that likes to go hold for hold until he can set up his finisher the STF. This Chono came to America and feuded with Rick Rude over the World Title. Then there is heel Chono. This Chono wears all black. This Chono deals in cheap shots. This Chono finishes you with a Yakuza Kick. This Chono came to America and joined the nWo.


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Babyface Chono had way better matches than heel Chono. Babyface Chono was also about a zillion times healthier. That is reflected in these matches more or less. Their best, and most famous, match was the final of the first G1 Climax tournament. This is also that match that serves as a template for their matches until Chono donned the black. Including the double title match where Mutoh was in his Muta persona. Basic structure has the match start with back and forth mat wrestling that Chono tended to get the better of followed by either Mutoh/Muta doing some submission work or some brawling outside the ring which would transition to a super hot finish. Well except their Starrcade match with never gets out of first gear. Rumor on that one was that Bill Watts actually asked them not to go all out and outshine all the WCW wrestlers thus making it the worst of the babyface Chono matches. Now then on to their strategies. Chono was all about setting up the neck and the legs for the STF. Chono piledrives Mutoh on the floor and kicks at his legs. This also has the added benefit of softening him up for the Powerbomb he used to win the first G1. Meanwhile Mutoh's strategy was to go straight to several different submission moves: Muta Lock, Figure Four, Cattle Mutilation, etc and then go for one big move after Dragon Suplexes and giant lariats and the like and then finish with the Moonsault. Chono won more of these matches because he had more options. He could finish reversing into a cradle or using the STF or the Powerbomb. Mutoh's Moonsault was kicked out of several times by Chono and Muta had to resort to using it over and over to finally win the NWA Title.

The 1991 G1 Final and the Double Title match fit very well together. Not only are they two of the greatest heavyweight matches in New Japan history, the G1 Final being the best ever, they build well off each other. Now the first assumption would be that given the differences between a Great Muta match and a Keiji Mutoh match this would not be the case. As a matter of fact Muta's toned down nature allowed for the gimmick to actually add some flourishes to the match. Such as the famous running down the length of the ramp to lariat Chono which became a part of Muta's and Mutoh's offense from there on out with Chono being ready for it when they wrestled at the Dome again. Although Chono's shot at it failed in that match too. In both matches Chono works to set up the STF while Muta is going for big moves and stuff off the top. Chono gets in trouble though instead of trying every which way to win which worked in the G1 he gets too focused on the top rope Shoulder Tackle that he used to beat Rick Rude for the NWA title. He goes for it one too many times and allows Muta to sidestep and drive him into the mat. Two Moonsaults later and Muta held two World Titles. As a cherry on top of the World Title finishes playing off each other sundae Muta had won the IWGP Title from Riki Choshu by using the Moonsault twice after Choshu kicked out of the first one just like Chono.


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They also know each other so well they end up stalemated frequently. They love them the Grecco- Roman Knuckle Lock. If babyface Chono got the better of it he would drop toe hold Mutoh, and Mutoh would take him over and try to pin him. Heel Chono just kicked him in the gut. There is a great spot in the G1 Final match where Mutoh is coming off the top and Chono is waiting for him with a dropkick, but sees it coming and jumps super high over Chono. This seems to evolve into a spot that starts in the double title match and carries its way through where Chono and Mutoh trade Kenka or Yakuza kicks and dropkicks back and forth. The punchline there to tie it all together is in the match from the 1996 G1 where Chono seems to get the best of the exchange only to get dropkicked coming off the top rope.


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The match of The Great Muta with heel Chono is problematic. Especially the first time. In their match from September of 1994 Chono was newly christened as a heel. He even had the Fu Manchu Mustache and same hair cut he had as a babyface while wearing his heel gear which is sort of disorienting. The issue here is that Muta at his the height of his Mutaness is not apt to help a heel get heat. Their match consisted of Muta stabbing Chono in the forehead with the handle of a hammer and Chono bleeding everywhere until Chono survives the onslaught including a Moonsault and uses his wrestling skills to pin Muta. Plus there was no heat for the match at all. It gets rated here at all because DRS2EBRaSAGG believes someone getting stabbed in the head over and over is funny. Their Tokyo Dome match at Battle Formations has some fun echoes of their double title match, such as the aforementioned stuff regarding the sprinting ramp lariat, but that's about it. A lesser match that had more to do with setting up Muta joining the nWo somehow. Really makes little sense since Muta is very anti nWo spray painting nWo on Chono's back and misting it followed by being attacked by nWo Japan members Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Hiro Saito and then sending them packing yet randomly shaking Chono's hand. Whatever.


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Finally let's look at Keiji Mutoh vs heel Chono. Here you have one really good match and one match that has a reputation for being putrid. The good one came first so let's start there. The semi final of the 1996 G1 Climax. Heel Chono works best here. He jumps Mutoh at the bell ensuring a hot start. At several points there is a rake of the eyes or low blow. Add that to his striking over wrestling offense as a heel and he has a new dynamic as did Mutoh. This was their first match after Mutoh's famous match with Nobuhiko Takada that has been chronicled before in DRS2EBRaSAGG. So the Dragon Screw and Figure Four were super over and leads to Mutoh making the same mistake Chono did in their double title match. As mention in this review Chono got in trouble in that match going for the top rope Shoulder Tackle he beat Rick Rude with to win the title. Here Mutoh goes for the Figure Four one too many times and he ends up getting cradled by Chono and taking the loss. Really good stuff there. Then there is the bad one. Their third match against each other in the Tokyo Dome. This match has problems. The first 10 minutes are boring as hell and lead to nothing. Then when they try to go up a gear Chono nearly kills Mutoh by screwing up a Samoan Drop and dropping Mutoh on the top of his head, and then Mutoh screws up a Frankensteiner and drops himself on the top of his head. A combination of the last few minutes getting pretty good, going to the greatest hits to be frank about it, and knowing just what physical wrecks these two were is why the rating is as lenient as it is. Chono's body had been slowly falling apart after Steve Austin dropped him on his head on a botch Tombstone, and Mutoh had no knees. The next year he would adapt to that fact by becoming Shining Wizard Mutoh and having as great a year as anyone ever in 2001, but he was far from that here.

Results and Ratings

G1 Climax 1991 Final
Masahiro Chono defeated Keiji Mutoh via pinfall at 29:31 with a Powerbomb. Masahiro Chono won the 1991 G1 Climax (Star Rating: *****)

Starrcade 1992
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta via submissin at 14:32 with the STF. Masahiro Chono retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: **1/2)

Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Masahiro Chono via pinfall at 19:48 with a Moonsault Press. Great Muta retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Great Muta won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating: *****)

G1 Climax 1994 Day 2
Masahiro Chono defeated Keiji Mutoh via pinfall at 27:28 with a Cradle (Star Rating: ***1/2)

NJPW 9/23/94
Masahiro Chono defeated Great Muta via pinfall at 19:40 with an Inside Cradle (Star Rating: **3/4)

G1 Climax 1996 Final
IWGP Tag Team Champion Masahiro Chono defeated Keiji Mutoh via pinfall at 24:43 with an Inside Cradle (Star Rating: ****1/4)

Battle Formation 1997
Great Mura defeated Masahiro Chono via pinfall at 14:09 with a Moonsault Press (Star Rating: ***)

Nitro 5/26/97
Masahiro Chono fought Great Muta to a no contest at when Great Muta joined the nWo (Star Rating: N/A)

Wrestling World 2000
Masahiro Chono defeated Keiji Mutoh via submission at 25:00 with a Cross Style STF. nWo Japan was forced to disband. (Star Rating: **)

Average Rating: ***

Thus ends the first year of DRS2EBRaSAGG. It has been a ride of some sort. Not wild really. Anyway come back to see out first look at a Real American. Next Time: Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff

Defrost
June 14th, 2012, 7:17 PM
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The Four Demandments of DRS2EBRaSAGG

1. Training
2. Vitamins
3. Prayers
4. Read DRS2EBRaSAGG

Whatcha gonna do when DRS2EBRaSAGG runs wild on you?

Wrestlemania (Madison Square Garden)
WWF Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan and Mr. T (w/Superfly Jimmy Snuka) vs Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff (w/ Ace Cowboy Bob Orton)

The Big Event (CNE Stadium)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan)

Saturday Night's Main Event #7 (Richfield Coliseum)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan)

Saturday Night's Main Event #9 (Hartford Civic Center)
Steel Cage Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan)


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Orndorff got cheers in this. At first it was just written off as Toronto being bizarro world. Then prior to their first Saturday Night's Main Event match Hulk Hogan cut a promo on the "confused" fans who were siding with Mr Wonderful. Let's start at the beginning of this. After Orndorff was pinned at the first Wrestlemania Roddy Piper and Ace Cowboy Bob Orton turned on him. Hogan came to his defense and they became tag partners. In a match against Heenan Family members Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy there is a bit of miscommunication and Hogan accidentally knocks Wonderful off the apron. As accidentally as Hogan can make anything look. That may have been part of the issue. The match gets thrown out as Bundy and Studd are double teaming Hogan. Wonderful comes in to make the save and then clotheslines Hogan for the first of the umteen times a partner would turn on Hulk Hogan.


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If you go back and watch pre Andre Hulk Hogan he very much is a different animal. He wrestled like a guy named Hulk. In a weird way he was a kiddy version of Bruiser Brody. Not only that he took a lot more bumps. there were the famous things you'd already know like his normal finishing sequence however after Wrestlemania III it seemed he worked that match over and over pretty much the rest of his WWF run. Not abnormal since most wrestlers just coast off their most famous match. Paul Orndorff tosses him around in these matches quite a bit which is the point of bringing that up. The only real action at Wrestlemania, not supplied by Muhammad Ali who was the best thing in the match, comes when Orndorff gets the heat on Hogan suplexing him a few times. The best two matches, the Big Event and the Cage, are all out brawls. To add to the Hogan taking more theme in their Big Event match he gets suplexed on the floor. In the Cage he gets whipped with the title belt which can't feel good. Hogan as a masher worked really well back then. Before he started working with monster of the week he did dwarf his opponents ala the Incredible Hulk. He was much bigger than Piper or Wonderful. So they had to be sneaky. Wonderful went for the throat. Worked it over and over. Didn't get him anywhere.


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Orndorff never piledrives Hogan. What you expect is for a guy to hit his finish, and then for Hogan to Hulk Up. That never happens in these matches. Hogan always avoids the piledriver, except in the original angle and there he sold it, by backdropping out of it. Looking back was there any other opponent who had their finisher protected in such a way against Hogan? Piper refused to job to him so maybe his sleeper hold. Even when he put over Warrior he kicked out of the Gorilla Press and the Big Splash. He totally no sold the Tombstone against the Undertaker. So this is an outlier in that regard.


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Results and Ratings

Wrestlemania
WWF Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan and Mr T defeated Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff via pinfall at 13:33 when Hogan pinned Orndorff after Orton hit him with the cast (Star Rating: *)

The Big Event
WWF Heavyweight Champion defeated Paul Orndorff via disqualification at 11:05. Hulk Hogan retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: ***1/4)

Saturday Night's Main Event #7
WWF Heavyweight Champion defeated Paul Orndorff via disqualification at 10:12. Hulk Hogan retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: **1/2 )

Saturday Night's Main Event #9
WWF Heavyweight Champion defeated Paul Orndorff at 10:42 when he escaped the cage. Hulk Hogan retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: ***)

Average Rating: **1/2

And that does it for a famous feud in the WWF from the 1980s. Keeping it in the same place and roughly the same time we're going to take a look at same tag teams of the 1980s in the WWF. Next Time: Rockers vs Brainbusters

Defrost
June 23rd, 2012, 6:22 PM
Next set

WWF on Z Channel 1/29/89 (Los Angeles Sports Arena)
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/Bobby Heenan)

Saturday Night's Main Event #20 (Hersheypark Arena)
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/Bobby Heenan)

WWF on NESN 3/18/89 (Boston Garden)
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/ Bobby Heenan)

Saturday Night's Main Event #24 (Expocentre)
2 out of 3 Falls
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/Bobby Heenan)

Mills
June 24th, 2012, 1:35 AM
Nice work frosty

Defrost
June 25th, 2012, 8:52 PM
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The Brain Busters were managed by The Brain and busted people for a living. Just now got that.

WWF on Z Channel 1/29/89 (Los Angeles Sports Arena)
Rockers vs Brainbusters

Saturday Night's Main Event #20 (Hersheypark Arena)
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/Bobby Heenan)

WWF on NESN 3/18/89 (Boston Garden)
Rockers vs Brainbusters

Saturday Night's Main Event #24 (Expocentre)
2 out of 3 Falls
Rockers vs Brainbusters (w/Bobby Heenan)


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Bobby Heenan didn't work house shows. This creates a different dynamic from their happened to be televised house show matches and their Saturday Night's Main Event matches in which Bobby is a major factor. In the first Saturday Night's Main Event match Heenan is booted to the back due to his interference. That happens conveniently enough right before a commercial break. The second match is totally an angle. It is the last time you see the Brain Busters in the WWF before Tully would get legit fired and Arn went back to WCW. Heenan is berating his team until they quickly lose fall 1 and he bails on them. This is actually the catalyst that leads to them taking fall 2. The Rockers take the final fall in a fun little sprint actually sending the Busters on their way. You would not expect a 7 minute 2 out of 3 fall match to be as fun as this was. Their first SNME match is their best match. Playing off a wild brawl from Superstars this match has the "Tag Team Specialists" The Rockers in an all out fight where the pretty boys convincingly hold their own against the Busters which makes them look really good. Also what the hell is a tag team specialist.


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The first match is interesting in that it doesn't just pay off in anything the Busters did with the Rockers, but also set the template for the match they'd have with the Hart Foundation at Summerslam 1989. For those that don't remember the traditional roles of babyface and heel tag teams were switched in that match with the Busters tags not being allowed since the ref doesn't see them and the Hart Foundation never bothering to tag. The heels getting their comeuppance and all that. The second part of the match is where the Busters and Rockers show what is to come in the future. The entire heat segment where the Busters work over Shawn is repeated move for move almost in their first SNME match with the sole difference is that they are working over Marty instead of Shawn. From the start, missing a tag to Arn and getting smashed, to the finish, Arn going into the air and eating knees, it is the same. Coincidently they are the best two matches.


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The WWF used to have as many as three touring groups running house shows at the height of the 1980s boom. And then sometimes they'd have crews doing double shots. For instance the Rockers and Brain Busters worked in MSG and the Boston Garden on 3/18/89. That seems to have been an issue as there is no life whatsoever in their Boston Garden match. Nothing happens. Marty just grabs an armbar for like 10 minutes then Arn puts Shaw in a headlock. It is terribly boring, and on top of that there are botches in this match. You never see botching with these guys involved. Nothing about this justifies its existence. It is not even bad enough to be something. It is just there. Like cardboard.

Results and Ratings

WWF on Z Channel 1/29/89
Brainbusters defeated Rockers via pinfall at 18:21 when Blanchard pinned Jannetty after Anderson tripped Jannetty (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Saturday Night's Main Event #20
Rockers fought Brainbusters to a draw when both teams were counted out (Star Rating: ****)

WWF on NESN 3/18/89
Rockers defeated Brainbusters via disqualification at 22:25 when Anderson pulled the referee out of the ring (Star Rating: DUD)

Saturday Night's Main Event #24
Rockers defeated Brainbusters at 7:31. Fall #1: Jannetty pinned Blanchard at 1:50 with a Sunset Flip. Fall #2: Blanchard pinned Michaels at 2:09 after Anderson dropped Michaels throat first across the top rope. Fall #3: Michaels pinned Anderson at 3:33 with a Top Rope Crossbody (Star Rating: ***1/4)

Average Rating: **3/4

That does it for this stop at the well that is 1980s WWF. Now we take another look a look at some matches omitted from a previous DRS2EBRaSAGG. Next Time: Yuji Nagata vs Jun Akiyama

Defrost
June 26th, 2012, 8:53 PM
Next batch of matches

Zero-1 Truth Century Creation (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Toukon vs Royal Road
Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama

Wrestling World 2002 (Tokyo Dome)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

NOAH 7/16/03 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2003 Semi Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Semi Final
Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

Memorial Rainbow Dash35 (Nagoya Rainbow Hall)
Yuji Nagata 11th Anniversary Match
Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jun Akiyama & Takeshi Rikio

New Navigation 2010 in Osaka (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Jun Akiyama & KENTA vs Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi

NJPW 5/13/11 (Shinjuku FACE)
Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Jun Akiyama & Tamon Honda

Defrost
July 19th, 2012, 7:38 PM
One of the next set of matches is the worst match ever reviewed in this thread

Defrost
August 16th, 2012, 1:46 AM
edit

Defrost
August 16th, 2012, 1:47 AM
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This sucked. That's the intro.

Zero-1 Truth Century Creation (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
Toukon vs Royal Road
Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama

Wrestling World 2002 (Tokyo Dome)
GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Champion Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

NOAH 7/16/03 (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

G1 Climax 2003 Semi Final (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
G1 Climax Semi Final
Jun Akiyama vs Yuji Nagata

Memorial Rainbow Dash35 (Nagoya Rainbow Hall)
Yuji Nagata 11th Anniversary Match
Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jun Akiyama & Takeshi Rikio

New Navigation 2010 in Osaka (Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
Jun Akiyama & KENTA vs Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi

NJPW 5/13/11 (Shinjuku FACE)
Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Jun Akiyama & Tamon Honda

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The lost Third Generation.

And maybe they deserved it because this was all kinds of awful. And the awfulness built. You start with the Zero-1 debut show main event which seemed more a beginning building toward something than worked as a dream match, Misawa and Hashimoto worked a similar tag in NOAH, that never led to anything besides a slightly interesting match involving Misawa and Naoya Ogawa. Then you move onto their Tokyo Dome main event which was a last minute thrown together thing.

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Now this needs its own paragraph. The history of the failed third generation of Japanese Wrestling. Rikidozan being the progenitor followed by the Inoki/Baba group which included the likes of Jumbo Tsuruta, Riki Choshu, and Tatsumi Fujinami. This was followed by the second generation with the 1990s stars of Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi in All Japan and Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Muto, and Masahiro Chono in New Japan. That group was wildly successful. Many gigantic shows with ten of thousands of people. However, a few things happened in that time. The biggest two being the rise of MMA and the loss of television at a time people are awake. It was into this that the next generation led by Jun Akiyama, Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, and Satoshi Kojima came into the main event. The loss of tv was alleviated by a booming wrestling magazine business that made it easy to follow. Internet killed that. However, of all the issues, and to be fair this generation was not as good as the previous one which is a huge problem, the biggest issue of all was the booking. Inokism damn near killed New Japan. Inokism for those that do not know is an obsession with getting wrestlers murdered in shoot fights then booking them to lose wrestling matches against low level Pride and K1 guys who didn't know how to work. NOAH's problems are just what they are. Akiyama drew better for New Japan than he did as champ in NOAH so he lost in 4 minutes to Misawa's little buddy. Then after Kobashi left with cancer NOAH did nothing other than sabotage any chance Naomichi Marufuji and KENTA had at being main eventers. So there's that. Only New Japan seems to have succeeded in making a new star, and the have been able to rebuild around him. That star being Hiroshi Tanahashi.

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So back to the match which was not supposed to happen. Nagata was supposed to face Kazuyuki Fujita for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but Fujita being one of those Inoki guys was hurt and forced to vacate the title leading to them having to bring in a different companies champion for the main event. Not that this was the gorilla in the room. No that gorilla was named Mirko Cro Cop. At Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001Yuji Nagata fought an MMA match against Mirko right leg hospital, left leg cemetery Cro Cop. Inoki's brilliant idea to make Nagata a huge star was to have him fight a Kickboxer because Nagata could obviously take him down because he wrestled in college 10 years earlier. That did not go well. Did not go well to the tune of a knock out in 21 seconds of the first round. If anything a late stoppage. So now they want to build the company around that guy. So he loses to the champion of a rival promotion. Decisively. In a pretty boring match. The first half is dreadfully boring with a random tombstone on the floor thrown in. Headlocks and Tombstones on the floor. Like a shitty indy match. Finish was entertaining when Akiyama started to slaughter Nagata.

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Next two matches are really good. Like the eye of a hurricane. The NOAH singles match is a sprint, that if anything, would have benefited from being even shorter. They rush at each other and start throwing bombs. Akiyama lays out Nagata on the floor with 4 DDTs on the ramp followed by an Exploder Suplex on the floor. Nagata barely beats the count makes the comeback and wins in short order. Could have done without the long 19 second slowdown there. Their next match was less than a month later in the semi final of the 2003 G1 Climax New Japan's annual round robin tournament. It is the exact match one would have expected from these two the entire time actually. Suplexes, crisp mat work, great flow, everything. Guys surviving big bombs and submissions and making the comeback. No deadspots or low intensity that plagued the rest of the matches. Knowing what comes next makes it hard to extol the virtues of this match. Just know that if you want to watch a singles match between Yuji Nagata and Jun Akiyama just watch their match from the 2003 G1 Climax.

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Now what comes next. This is the match that has delayed this review for weeks. The Akiyama/Takeshi Rikio vs Nagata/Tanahashi tag match is the worst match reviewed in DRS2EBRaSAGG history and there is not a close second. One of the worst matches this reviewer has ever seen. They work this 30 minute tag match like a singles match that was set to go 3 hours. All that happens is 4 guys taking turns grabbing a headlock. For half an hour. Actually to be fair there was the point in the match where Nagata threw a kick, waited around for 10 second threw another kicked, waited around some more and another kick. The most interesting thing going on was this weird growth on Rikio. He looked diseased. This match made me happy Cro Cop kicked Nagata's head in. Just utter shit.

Rounding things out is a match that is great because KENTA is in it and another clunker in a tiny building when most of the New Japan crew was in New Jersey.

Results and Ratings

Zero-1 Truth Century Creation
Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama defeated Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 19:10 when Misawa pinned Hashimoto with a Release German Suplex (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Wrestling World 2002
GHC Heavyweight Champion Jun Akiyama defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 19:58 with a Wrist Clutch Exploder. Jun Akiyama retained the GHC Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: **)

NOAH 7/16/03
Yuji Nagata defeated Jun Akiyama via pinfall at 6:39 with a Wrist Clutch Exploder (Star Rating: ***1/4)

G1 Climax 2003 Semi Final
Jun Akiyama defeated Yuji Nagata via pinfall at 16:11 with a Wrist Clutch Exploder. Jun Akiyama advanced to the Final of the 2003 G1 Climax (Star Rating; ****1/4)

Memorial Rainbow Dash35
Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi fought Jun Akiyama & Takeshi Rikio to a draw at 30:00 when the time limit expired (Star Rating: -**1/2)

New Navigation 2010 in Osaka
Jun Akiyama & KENTA defeated Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi via pinfall at 22:24 when Akiyama pinned Taguchi with a Vertical Drop Exploder (Star Rating: ****)

NJPW 5/13/11
Yuji Nagata & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Jun Akiyama & Tamon Honda via pinfall at 17:11 when Nagata pinned Honda with a Backdrop Hold (Star Rating: *1/2)

Average Rating: **1/4

That sucked. So getting back to something that is given to be really damn good. Next Time: Sting vs Big Van Vader

Mills
August 16th, 2012, 2:53 AM
I love love LOVE Sting/Vader

Defrost
August 16th, 2012, 8:59 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccG3UM2ilEQ

Preview of the next review in THE WHITE CASTLE OF FEAR

Defrost
August 19th, 2012, 7:12 AM
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Sting and Big Van Vader. Two tragic stories of men with no names. You see he is just the man called Sting and Vader is the man "They" Vader. Who is this mysterious "They"? Is it a cabal of shady people who conspire to run people out like circus animals and rip every dime out of their bodies and then move on without a care about them? Oh, wait it's the wrestling business. That's exactly who "They" are.

Great American Bash 1992 (Gray Civic Center)
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting vs Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race)

Starrcade 1992 (The Omni)
King of Cable Tournament Final
Sting vs Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race)

Superbrawl III (Asheville Civic Center)
White Castle of Fear Strap Match
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race) vs Sting

Slamboree 1994 (Philadelphia Civic Center)
WCW International World Heavyweight Championship Decision Match
Sting vs Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race)

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Vader's style is all ahead full. He is a monster and monsters smash. Sting is a plucky babyface. He can take a beating and comeback. He is capable of feats of strength such as suplexing a man much larger than himself. These styles match up well together. Sting's intelligence meanwhile seems to vary based on the situation. The matches are worked in a similar way. Vader tries to trap Sting in the corner so he can lay in blows to the head while Sting tries to work out different ways of survival. In their Great American Bash 1992 title match tries to use his speed to little effect and when that fails goes for some big moves like a vertical suplex, or just out wits Vader when Vader tried to sucker him into a test of strength and Sting just poked him in the eye. However, all of this amounted to nothing when a mistake led to his downfall and loss of the title to Vader. So comes the rematch and Vader does what Vader do. Sting keeps his hands up and absorbs all of punishment using the Rope a Dope. Now hard to say whether this worked or not since Sting's win had nothing at all to do with Vader getting tired. So really the finish was odd in that way of not syncing with the psychology just as the first finish was odd in making Sting look stupid. At least the next couple of finishes worked.

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Thing is as smart as Sting was sometimes there were moments that made him look like a moron. Like the finish of GAB match where he dropped the title to Vader. Now it is understandable that Watts, who was booking WCW at the time, wanted to keep Sting strong in the loss. However, not sure how Sting jumping over Vader and cracking his own skull in makes him look good. Now earlier in the match when Sting had a visual pinfall on Vader with a Bridging German Suplex, an impressive move to do to Vader and one Sting would use again, but the ref had bumped. Really that would have been enough and not made Sting out as a goof.

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The match at the Great American Bash 1992 is very good, and that is improved upon in their match at that same year's Starrcade. The Rope a Dope works well. Vader swaps out a terrible looking Scorpion Death Lock, which did have one great touch when Sting tried to push himself up Vader kicked backward at Sting's arm, for random rest holds. That and the Rope a Dope not paying off would be the two big complaints about the Starrcade match. Some good continuity in it from the GAB match. Vader had sat down and crush Sting on a Sunset Flip attempt and here Sting moves out of the way. Or Sting's rather unique reversal of a short arm clothesline into a backslide. They even played off the GAB that has been criticized. Really the issue with both of the matches discussed so far is the middle portions of them with rest holds or bad looking Scorpion Leglocks.

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Sting could always be counted on for a hot start and finish to a match. His issue was always the middle and how good that was depended on the opponent. That issue has shown itself so far. That issue is resolved in their third and probably most infamous. Not infamous for anything that happens in the match, but for the unfortunate way the match was promoted. In that era of WCW there were a couple of mini movie made featuring everyone's favorite one eyed midget Cheatum. In said film Sting takes a trip to the inner sanctum of Vader. A place called the White Castle of Fear. Something better seen than described. As to the match it is easily the best of the bunch, and for a simple reason. They beat the unholy hell out of each other. Sting whips Vader so hard he bleeds rather heavily from his back. Although that pales compared to the gusher brought forth from Vader's ear. Blood all over the place. Sting gets opened up too. It is just a great great fight.

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Their fourth and final PPV match was thrown together at the last minute. Rick Rude was supposed to defend the WCW International World Title against Vader, but he had his career ending injury in the match where he won the title back from Sting in the Fukuoka Dome and by definition did not work this match. Basically they just worked what can be easily imagined as their routine house show match. Can't really hold it against them since it was put together so late in the process. What was most interesting about the match is that it took place at Slamboree 1994 which just happen to take place in Philadelphia. During Sting's entrance you see a fan wearing an ECW hat. Which led to wondering about whether ECW was anywhere near the point that their fans might be disruptive, and that's when the "Sting loves cock" chant started. Question answered.

Results and Ratings

Great American Bash 1992
Big Van Vader defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting via pinfall at 17:17 with the Powerbomb. Vader won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Starrcade 1992
Sting defeated Big Van Vader via pinfall at 17:39 with a Powerslam. Sting won the King of Cable Tournament (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Superbrawl III
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader defeated Sting at 20:55 by touching all four corners (Star Rating: ****1/4)

Slamboree 1994
Sting defeated Big Van Vader via pinfall at 13:54 with a Splash off the top rope. Sting won the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: **)

Average Rating: ***1/2

Thus we leave the White Castle of Fear. Next time we return to the land of Titan. Next Time: The Rock vs Mankind

Defrost
August 28th, 2012, 12:09 AM
Next batch of matches

In Your House: Breakdown (Copps Coliseum)
Steel Cage Match/WWF Championship #1 Contendership
The Rock vs Mankind vs Ken Shamrock

Survivor Series 1998 (Kiel Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship Tournament Final
The Rock vs WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind (w/ Vince and Shane McMahon)

In Your House: Rock Bottom (GM Place)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/Vince and Shane McMahon) vs Mankind

Raw 1/4/99 (Worcester Centrum)
No DQ/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/The Corporation) vs Mankind (w/D-Generation X)

Royal Rumble 1999 (Arrowhead Pond)
I Quit Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock

Halftime Heat (Tucson Convention Center)
Empty Arena Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/ Vince McMahon) vs Mankind

In Your House: St Valentine's Day Massacre (Memphis Pyramid)
Last Man Standing Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock

Raw 2/15/99 (Jefferson Civic Center)
Ladder Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock

Atty
August 28th, 2012, 12:35 AM
Very excited about this next batch. Always love seeing what people think of the Rumble match.

Tainted Eclipse
September 14th, 2012, 8:09 PM
HEY DEFROST. i recall you back in the day saying you thought Shawn/Taker HIAC was the best WWE match ever. have you seen it lately. i'd be interested in seeing you review it because i watched it about 2 months back for the first in a long time and actually though it was straight up BAD.

Defrost
September 14th, 2012, 8:17 PM
HEY DEFROST. i recall you back in the day saying you thought Shawn/Taker HIAC was the best WWE match ever. have you seen it lately. i'd be interested in seeing you review it because i watched it about 2 months back for the first in a long time and actually though it was straight up BAD.

Can be read here

http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=6942546&viewfull=1#post6942546

Defrost
September 24th, 2012, 12:44 PM
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The Attitude Era. WWF's answer to WCW during the Monday Night War. There were man legendary figures and many legendary feuds during this period. Four men stood out in the WWF at the dawning of the 21st Century. Those four being: Stone Cold Steve Austin, HHH, The Rock, and Mick Foley. It is the latter two and their feud that is the subject of this edition of DRS2EBRaSAGG.

In Your House: Breakdown (Copps Coliseum)
Steel Cage Match/WWF Championship #1 Contendership
The Rock vs Mankind vs Ken Shamrock

Survivor Series 1998 (Kiel Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship Tournament Final
The Rock vs WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind (w/ Vince and Shane McMahon)

In Your House: Rock Bottom (GM Place)
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/Vince and Shane McMahon) vs Mankind

Raw 1/4/99 (Worcester Centrum)
No DQ/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/The Corporation) vs Mankind (w/D-Generation X)

Royal Rumble 1999 (Arrowhead Pond)
I Quit Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock

Halftime Heat (Tucson Convention Center)
Empty Arena Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock (w/ Vince McMahon) vs Mankind

In Your House: St Valentine's Day Massacre (Memphis Pyramid)
Last Man Standing Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock

Raw 2/15/99 (Jefferson Civic Center)
Ladder Match/World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock


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This feud best served the style of the WWF main events of the time. The wild brawling all over the place almost ECW-lite style. It is a jarring thing to witness the use of weaponry in matches with no stipulations and then see someone DQed in modern day WWE for using a fist. So obviously to start you have to look at the first match of the bunch which had none of the wild brawling all over the place because it couldn't. There was a cage you see. Which also brought up another issue. Seeing as how that match also involved Ken Shamrock it would be interesting to see how they worked a three way match. The usual formula for the match in the WWF/WWE has always been two guys working while the third sells on the floor. So without that option where were they going to go with it? They went to the corner is where they went. It was sorta comical to see a guy walk into a clothesline and then scurry to the corner while the other two guys worked through a couple of spots. Not to say the match isn't good. The Cage Match is very good. Even the much overused one guy steals anther guy's pinfall finish worked in this one because of the many ways of winning a Cage Match in the WWF. Instead of the usual dopey ass guy hits a finish then gets thrown out of the ring bullshit at least Foley was busy attempting to win when Rock pinned Shamrock. Not to mention the crowd dynamic. Going into the match Rock and Mankind were heels and Shamrock the babyface. The Canadian crowd was having none of that and were solidly behind Nation leader The Rock. Instead of being the overly scripted debacle you'd get these days in the FCW trained Randy Orton clones littering WWE these guys went with it. Once it became plain that double teaming Shamrock wasn't going to get heat they went to Plan B and it was Rock who was double teamed. It played off a few certain things. Such as the finish of the Mankind/HHH Cage Match from Summerslam 1997. Only this time Foley missed when coming off the top of the Cage. Plus you had Foley coming so close only to be foiled by The Rock which is a perfect set up for what is to come.


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Another match that needs be taken on its own is the Final of the WWF World Championship tournament at Survivor Series 1998. This is the only match where Rock is a babyface. Well a babyface on purpose at least. Bizarro World and all that. This match is a wild brawl. Foley gets smashed about the head and body with a chair and steps. Rock gets beat with a table. Foley goes through the Spanish Table. Why does no one go through the Spanish Table anymore? I blame Linda McMahon trying to pander to Latinos. Rock made the comebacks here. For instance later on Mr Socko would be used to stymie the Rock whereas here it was Rock who used the Rock Bottom to get out of Socko much to the delight of the crowd. The dynamic is a bit off here because of this. They just work better with Rock as the heel and Foley as the underdog. Not calling this match at all bad. It is good. The issue is that these two would go on to prove they had great in them. What this match does need to be credited with is that the swerve at the finish makes sense. There are no obvious holes. Especially remarkable given the fact Vince Russo was booker. The McMahon's were ostensibly in the corner of Mankind who had been a McMahon puppet in his war with Steve Austin for the better part of 6 months. Earlier in the night Shane had turned heel by helping Foley defeat Austin in a very Russoriffic storyline. Meanwhile on the Raw prior to this show Rock had given the People's Elbow to Vince McMahon. So in this match the McMahon's are in Foley's corner only to prove to have been with The Rock the whole time by recreating Montreal one year later. Now what makes this stand out is that the McMahon's did nothing to help Foley during the match. These days when you get a turn you have guys trying to actively help the guy they are about to screw over. Good luck that the first 20 minutes of the match didn't see the guy when or the swerver would have egg on his face. That didn't happen here and seeing as how TNA would fuck this up every month with Russo booking that seems a miracle.


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The run of matches people remember start with Foley's famous title win where Tony Schiavone gave away the finish on Nitro which promptly sent everyone over to watch Raw, and ran all the way through four title changes. What people tend to not remember, or at least suppress the memory of, is the Vince Russo special at Rock Bottom. Whatever sense their Survivor Series match can be credited with is thrown right the fuck out with this one. First of all you get about ten minutes of a shit angle where Foley has it in the contract that Rock can't back out of the match due to injury without forfeiting the title. So Vince tries to talk him into ripping up the contract. This is so bad and they say the same thing over and over and it feels like it goes on forever. Then they basically work an average 10 minute Raw main event including another angle in the middle of the match where Vince instruct the ref to DQ Foley for anything. But he coup de shit in this one is the finish. Foley chokes Rock out with Socko. So Foley wins the match, but because it was not a pinfall or submission Vince says Foley is not the Champion. Yet in the entire history of wrestling that is not how that works. It was a shitty way out of putting the title on Foley which makes no sense since like a week later they put the title on him. What sense did it make? The only fathomable reason is that they were in the CM Punk slot of PPV title matches where CM Punk not being near the star of the likes of Cena, Rock, or Brock Lesnar the champion is solidly a midcard act. Like Papa Shango. Or CM Punk. Oh wait that's not fair. Papa Shango actually showed up in the main event of Wrestlemania once and didn't even have to dress up like Al Capone.


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Now to the meat of the thing. The basically skeleton of their famous matches starting with the Raw match where Mankind won the title basically sees brawling all over the place with special attention given to the announce table where Rock would get on the headset and then take a beating. How far that brawling would go through the building depended on whether or not it was a 10 minute Raw main event or had more time to spread out. Not coincidently the matches where they are allowed to spread out are of a higher quality. Really the match where Foley won the title could be called a rich man's Hardcore Title match. Lotta brawling, some random weapons, many run ins. Their last match works better because it is given more time and has the Last Man Standing match from the previous night to give it a higher level of psychology. Nor does it have the weight of the Corporation/DX stuff weighing it down. Allowing them to have an above average match. So that brings us to their most famous match at the 1999 Royal Rumble. Probably Foley's second most famous or infamous match in the WWF after the Hell in a Cell match at the King of the Ring 6 months earlier. The reason for both of those is the insane and ill advised beatings Foley took in both. Any review of the match has to start with the 800 pound gorilla in the room. That being the finish. Foley take 11 unprotected shots to the head with a steel chair. His family's reaction to this was chronicled in the documentary Beyond the Mat. This sounds horrible, but despite the damage Foley's brain endured it really did add a ton of drama to the match. It is a damn good match with a few glaring issues, the dopey electrical spot and the table breaking under Rock and Foley for two, but that finish does take a very good match and makes it a great one.


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Speaking of finishes the finish of the Halftime Heat match was wacky as fuck. There are odd quirks in these matches that stand out. Probably because all of these matches, outside the cage match, are basically the same match over and over. It is the flourishes that make the difference. Such as the finish of the Royal Rumble 1999 match. With the empty arena you get to hear everything Rock and Foley are saying. Plus you get them fighting through the kitchen and catering which leads to a hilarious spot where sauce is thrown in Foley's face leading to Foley screaming about his eye. Now a bit of backstory. The most famous Empty Arena Match of all time is the Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk one. The finish sees Funk taking a spike of wood into his eye and Funk screaming "My eye!" "My eye!" over and over. So here Foley starts screaming about his eye. Then Rock tastes the sauce and says that it's mild at which point Foley jumps him. It is a super fun match that has some laugh out loud moments in a good way. The finish with the POV cam on the forklift lowered onto The Rock is laugh out loud in a bad way though. Also amusing is Vince bitching about high concession stand prices after seeing how much the cotton candy, yes cotton candy, Rock hit Foley with cost. Very very fun match. Very fun is also a good description of the Last Man Standing match. Again it is the same match these two kept having. Brawling, Rock promo, Foley doing something stupid. By that point the template was there that they could work in their sleep. Probably did.

Results and Ratings

In Your House: Breakdown
The Rock defeated Mankind and Ken Shamrock at 18:46 after pinning Ken Shamrock after Mankind hit Shamrock in the head with a chair. Rock became #1 contender for the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ****)

Survivor Series 1998
The Rock defeated WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind at 17:15 after Vince McMahon called for the bell while Rock had Mankind in the Sharpshooter. Rock won the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ***)

In Your House: Rock Bottom
Mankind defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock via knockout at 13:33 when Rock passed out to the Socko Claw. Vince McMahon ruled that since Rock was not pinned nor submitted that he retained the WWF Championship (Star Rating: dud)

Raw 1/4/99
Mankind defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock via pinfall at 8:48 after Steve Austin hit Rock in the head with a steel chair. Mankind won the WWF Championship. (Star Rating: **)

Royal Rumble 1999
The Rock defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind at 21:47 when a tape of Mankind saying I Quit was played in the arena. Rock won the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ****1/2)

Halftime Heat
Mankind defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion The Rock via pinfall at 17:19 after dropping a forklift on the Rock. Mankind won the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ***3/4)

In Your House: St Valentine's Day Massacre
WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind fought The Rock to a draw at 21:54 when neither man could answer a 10 count. Mankind retained the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ****1/4)

Raw 2/15/99
The Rock defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Mankind at 13:00 after retrieving the title belt. Rock won the WWF Championship (Star Rating: ***1/4)

Average Rating: ***

That wraps this edition up. At the start there were four men mentioned. Now, Linda McMahon's lawyers permitting, the plan is to take a look at the other two. Next Time: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H

takerson
September 24th, 2012, 7:10 PM
Fantastic read. Good job, man! :yes:

Looking forward to Austin/HHH.

Defrost
November 15th, 2012, 8:48 PM
Next batch o matches

In Your House: Buried Alive (Market Square Arena)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Summerslam 1999 (Target Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship w/Guest Referee Jesse Ventura
WWF Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Mankind vs Triple H (w/Chyna)

No Mercy 1999 (Gund Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/No Holds Barred Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Triple H vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Survivor Series 2000 (Ice Palace)
No DQ Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H

No Way Out 2001 (Thomas and Mack Center)
2 out of 3 Falls Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H

ECDUB
November 15th, 2012, 10:20 PM
Foley goes through the Spanish Table. Why does no one go through the Spanish Table anymore? I blame Linda McMahon trying to pander to Latinos.

Hilariously put.

Defrost
November 22nd, 2012, 2:58 PM
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After a search on par with that of the one for the Holy Grail DRS2EBRaSAGG returns with a review that is a spit in the eye of Linda "Don Quixote" McMahon's political career as we take a look at the PPV matches of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H. Having failed at bringing down the windmill of respectability she even failed at keeping us from seeing the main event of Survivor Series 2000. Though the booking may have kept people from seeing the 2012 version. Not to be edited off the DVD nor handed a condom in envelope DRS2EBRaSAGG comes to you right now.


In Your House: Buried Alive (Market Square Arena)
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Summerslam 1999 (Target Center)
World Wrestling Federation Championship w/Guest Referee Jesse Ventura
WWF Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Mankind vs Triple H (w/Chyna)

No Mercy 1999 (Gund Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Championship/No Holds Barred Match
WWF Heavyweight Champion Triple H vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

Survivor Series 2000 (Ice Palace)
No DQ Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H

No Way Out 2001 (Thomas and Mack Center)
2 out of 3 Falls Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H


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The only good match here is the Three Stages of Hell which is actually quite great. The rest are bad to decent. So with that out of the way we can discuss something that really stood out watching these. The difference in the WWF main event style during the first half of the Attitude Era and the second half of the Attitude Era. Or the Austin/Foley style vs the HHH/Rock style when there was a switch among the four of who dominated the main event of the show. The Austin/Foley style has been discussed many times in these reviews ironically with matches against one of the men who would deviate from it, The Rock. The may or may not, usually not, start in the ring. From there you were guaranteed to have the match spill into the crowd. Then there would be some table and blunder thrown about and maybe some cheesy Plan 9 level special effects ala Royal Rumble 1999. Not much in the way of wrestling just brawls. No blood except in the instance of hardway or a First Blood Match. Really best described as a hybrid of the Hart/Austin Wrestlemania 13 match and your standard 1998 era Hardcore Match. Triple H and the Rock worked more in way of wrestling matches that happened to have things like Rock Bottoms or Pedigrees through tables thrown in. Blade jobs became more of a thing. Matches went from having few nearfalls to having several. Part of the sea change can be place on Triple H and The Rock being in better physical condition than Foley, who had taken legendary beatings, and Austin who was famously dropped on his head by Owen Hart. After his neck surgery Austin seamlessly fit into this new style as evidenced by his No Way Out 2001 match with Triple H. Not only that but this period also coincides with an influx of great workers, Jericho, Angle, etc into the WWF. Austin with a Staph Infection and a bad neck ain't going 60 with Kane. Triple H and The Rock could do that.


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What is most interesting is that the pivot point can be found in this set of matches. No Mercy 1999 shows signs of transition out of the first style and into the second. Look back at the main events prior to No Mercy 1999. This match starts out on in the aisle and works its way quickly into the stands. The first half of it being a stereotypical 1999 WWF main event. It takes 8 minutes for them finally to get into the ring and when that happens there is immediately a ref bump and visual pins for both guys. Then the change. HHH blades. Then in a weird transition in the match, something that makes no sense and really does hurt the match, they go from wild brawling down to working body parts and holds. Now following a wild brawl with that makes no sense at all. However it is evidence of the sea change. If one were to switch the first and second half of that match it would be similar to the structure WWF main events of 2000 and 2001 would eventually take. Add to the fact that it was Triple H's first ever WWF Title defense on PPV and Austin's last PPV prior to his neck surgery and you get a perfect spot from where one ends and one begins.


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Well to have a third paragraph here are some quick thoughts on the matches. Their first match featured a pre-Chyna Hunter Hearst Helmsley taking on Stone Cold Steve Austin one month prior to his first match with Bret Hart and the first match to feature Austin's famous glass breaking theme music. That is all that is interesting about the match. Nothing happens. Well unless you consider a shitty JR's headset doesn't work angle something. Summerslam 1999 was a middling WWF three way formula match and most of the focus was on Ventura anyway. No Mercy is the one match already discussed and the reasons why it fell apart explained. Survivor Series 2000 suffers from a shitty finish and the fact Austin was not all the way back by that point. It is a fun brawl for a bit and then it starts dragging. No Way Out 2001 is great. After a bit of a dubious start where it seemed like Austin and HHH were working different matches, which keeps the match from All Time status even if you gain the comedy of HHH yelling spots at Austin, things settle in and the match is awesome. They sell the hatred the match needs. Austin has great intensity and HHH sells a beating. It is great.

Results and Ratings

In Your House: Buried Alive
Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley via pinfall at 15:30 with the Stone Cold Stunner (Star Rating: dud)

Summerslam 1999
Mankind defeated WWF Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H at 16:25 after pinning Austin with a Double Arm DDT. Mankind won the World Wrestling Federation Championship (Star Rating: **1/2)

No Mercy 1999
WWF Heavyweight Champion Triple H defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin via pinfall at 21:53 after The Rock hit Austin with a sledgehammer. Triple H retained the World Wrestling Federation Championship. (Star Rating: **1/2)

Survivor Series 2000
Stone Cold Steve Austin fought Triple H to a no contest after he tried to murder him (Star Rating: ***)

No Way Out 2001
Triple H defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin at 39:23. Stone Cold Steve Austin won fall #1 via pinfall with the Stone Cold Stunner. Triple H won fall #2 via pinfall with the Pedigreee. Triple H won fall #3 after hitting Austin with the Sledgehammer. (Star Rating: ****3/4)

Average Rating: **1/2

That does it for our look at the intricacies and subtleties of an era of fake fighting sandwiched in between women rolling around in gravy. For Wrestlemania this year there were reviews of Undertaker against HBK and HHH. This review has frequently looked at Japanese rivalries so it would seem appropriate with Wrestle Kingdom 7 coming up to do the same for that event. So DRS2EBRaSAGG will be your place to get reading for the big show in the Dome. Next Time: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada.

takerson
November 22nd, 2012, 3:08 PM
Good stuff, Frosty. Glad to see this return!

Psycho666Soldier
November 22nd, 2012, 3:11 PM
Aye, I enjoyed the read-through. The best part was you pointing out the "sea of change," because it's a strong point that not everyone may notice initially, myself included. Tanahashi/Okada should be a fun one.

Defrost
November 25th, 2012, 11:28 PM
The next set of matches

NJPW 1/31/10 (Tokyo Differ Ariake)
Kazuchika Okada Farewell Match
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada

The New Beginning (Osaka Bodymaker Coliseum)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP H eavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)

Dominion 2012 (Osaka Bodymaker Coliseum)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

VHS
November 25th, 2012, 11:48 PM
Nice stuff, Defrost. The HHH/Austin/Mankind breakdown was a good trip down memory lane.

Defrost
November 26th, 2012, 2:17 AM
From one reviewer to another thanks for that


As a preview of what is coming people on this here board may have noticed I am not a fan of current WWE. And by current WWE I mean really everything since they changed their name to WWE. Well I am their biggest fan compared to what I think of TNA. TNA is a company where Tanahashi, the BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD, once came in for, and a company that used Kazuchika Okada, perhaps the second BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD, as a knock off Green Hornet character. TNA is not going to far well at all in this review. So if you have nothing but utter contempt for TNA as I do this will be the review for you.

Cewsh
November 26th, 2012, 11:56 AM
From one reviewer to another thanks for that


As a preview of what is coming people on this here board may have noticed I am not a fan of current WWE. And by current WWE I mean really everything since they changed their name to WWE. Well I am their biggest fan compared to what I think of TNA. TNA is a company where Tanahashi, the BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD, once came in for, and a company that used Kazuchika Okada, perhaps the second BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD, as a knock off Green Hornet character. TNA is not going to far well at all in this review. So if you have nothing but utter contempt for TNA as I do this will be the review for you.

:hyper:

son_of_foley
November 26th, 2012, 1:57 PM
If you have nothing but utter contempt for a wrestling company one would suggest a review of your life priorities might be more in order.

son_of_foley
November 26th, 2012, 1:58 PM
Now imagine me typing that whilst smoking a pipe and drinking brandy

Defrost
November 26th, 2012, 6:44 PM
If things were kept in proper perspective the internet would be no fun

Defrost
December 25th, 2012, 6:48 PM
review should be out tomorrow. It would have been sooner, but this one has kinda gotten away from me and I've written way more than I had expected to when I started.

Defrost
December 26th, 2012, 10:49 PM
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On the 4th day of January in 2013, fuck you Mayans we're still here, New Japan Pro Wrestling will hold their annual biggest show of the year in the Tokyo Dome. This show will see a main event where the company's two biggest stars, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada, face off not only for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but to see who will go forward as the Ace of the promotion. Tanahashi, 36, has been undisputed Ace since 2009 following wins over Keiji Muto, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Kurt Angle, when prior to that it seemed the company had Tanahashi and Nakamura on equal footing on top. Okada, 25, has had a magical year. Returning to Japan at last year's Dome show, and oh we'll get to what he was doing before that, Okada has had a year where he won the IWGP Title from Tanahashi, became the youngest winner of the G1 Climax, and was named Tokyo Sports 2012 MVP. Looking at this situation it looks like a changing of the guard, even if Tanahashi has never missed significant time to injury other than that time his girlfriend tried to murder him, with the young lion overcoming the old. We will see on that day. Now to the review.

NJPW 1/31/10 (Tokyo Differ Ariake)
Kazuchika Okada Farewell Match
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada

The New Beginning (Osaka Bodymaker Coliseum)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)

Dominion 2012 (Osaka Bodymaker Coliseum)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi


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The first match is Okada's last before heading to American and the second is his first ever PPV main event coming less than two months after returning. Looking at that you'd get the impression that there was a massive amount of growth and experience gained by being place in an environment that would nurture his career and allow him to blossom into what he has become. What if I were to tell you that the place New Japan sent him was akin to wrestling Purgatory? You'd realize that impression was wrong because he had been sent to the dirt worst wrestling promotion in the world Total Nonstop Action. For over two years that dead end nothing going on company had a young talent who was soon to become one of the brightest stars in the business, and what did they do with this raw talent in their midst? Okato. A knockoff of a character made famous by the greatest martial artist who ever lived, Bruce Lee, in a show called the Green Hornet. Okada is Japanese. Bruce Lee was an American born to parents from Hong Kong. Guess to Dixie Carter and Co. they all look the same. Maybe a TNA fan, probably dropped on their head as a baby, would try to argue that TNA had no way of knowing that some kid from Japan was going to be what he has become, and have the potential to go well beyond even that. To that I would point out that TNA has had the best wrestler in the world and the other man involved with this review, 6 time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, 2 time Tokyo Sports MVP. 2011 Wrestling Observer Wrestler of the Year Hiroshi Tanahashi, come in and did dick all with him. To be fair TNA always seems to have important things going on like AJ Styles' crack baby mama, the Sons of Ana... Aces and Eights, Abyss the lawyer, Brooke Hogan blows a Dudley Boy, or Mr Kennedy. And how could we argue the Total Nonstopness of that Action?


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Having gotten that out of the system let's talk about the matches a bit. The three matches exist as a time line in the evolution of Kazuchika Okada. Almost like that chart of man that goes from a chimp to a caveman to a dude in a suit. You have the first match where Okada is the black trunk/black boot wearing young boy who Tanahashi makes look good before he takes off on his foreign excursion. The second match wherein you can see Okada go from being a tentative guy thrust into a position to being The Rainmaker like something just clicked in his brain ten minutes into the match. The third match is where you see Okada the main eventer. The guy who believes this spot should be his.


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A deeper look into the matches reveals the following. There is the age old booking of a match where you have a young guy the promotion sees a lot of promise in and throw him into a decently high profile, ie not a run of the mill house show, match against a well establish main event guy to make him look good. He is going to lose. Probably take a beating. But in that beating the youngin shows personality and fire and endears himself to the promotion's fans. Not only that but it is the duty of the veteran to give enough of the match to their opponent that it allows the crowd to get behind him. That perfectly describes their first match which is a very good showcase for Okada and a very good match. Nothing MOTY quality, but probably be the best Raw main event in years. Okada acts a bit cocksure. He blocks Tanahashi entrance to the ring while keeping his back to him. He plays to the crowd. He bites off more than he can chew in exchanges with Tanahashi and gets beaten down for his troubles. Make a comeback, but get too full of himself. In this case Okada tries to crib a Tanahashi signature move where Tanahashi hops up to the second rope, does his Tanahashi pose, and then come off with a forward flip into a senton. This does not work for Okada as you'd probably expect. What you wouldn't expect is that it doesn't work for Tanahashi either. As a matter of fact it never works out for Tanahashi. Whether he misses or is caught on the second rope and dropkicked to the floor that move never works. Though it should be noted that in the second title match Tanahashi is able to catch himself and skin the cat back into the ring showing a better level of preparedness than the first title match which is a theme we will get to when discussing those matches.


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That discussion begins now. The back half of their first title match is excellent, and their second title match won the Tokyo Sports MOTY and here at DRS2EBRaSAGG we have it as the second best MOTY behind Tanahashi vs Suzuki from King of Pro Wrestling. So the question is what about that front half of their first title match. As alluded to earlier it was that match where things seem to click in Okada's brain. Prior to that things had not gone well. His return match at the Dome did not go over well, nor did his challenge of Tanahashi after the main event. Okada was visibly nervous and the crowd turned on him. In that context he was challenging Tanahashi who was in the midst of an epic 404 day reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a reign only comparable in the last 10 years to Kenta Kobashi's 2003-2005 2 year run as GHC Heavyweight Champion. So when he challenged it was a bit of a head scratcher, but most expected Tanahashi to beat Okada and keep the title. Then about a week before the match it was reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Okada was going to win the title. This news caused a bit of a meltdown. How could this guy of all people be the one to beat Tanahashi? Why was Tanahashi losing the title now? Etc.


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That context is important for what was to come. When their first title match begins Okada is a step slower than Tanahashi. He finds himself out of position more than once. Tanahashi, the best wrestler in the world, does the smart veteran thing and grabs the shit out a headlock and holds it until Okada calms down. From that point on Okada has been on an insane tear. As mentioned the rest of that match is great. He went on the have a MOTYC with Tetsuya Naito. Then another stellar main event with Hirooki Goto, and finally another MOTYC in the rematch with Hiroshi Tanahashi. Okada was given the ball and proved himself despite the doubts of really everyone not named Jado or Gedo.


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The Tombstone Piledriver. In the title matches everything revolved around the Tombstone Piledriver. The Tombstone on the floor marked the beginning of the end for Tanahashi in the first title match. In the second match as with many other things, such as Tanahashi anticipating Okada knocking him off the second rope, turning the DVD into the Sling Blade, or reversing Okada's neckbreaker into a sunset flip, Tanahashi was this time ready for it and blocked the Tombstone at every turn. The match is a back and forth affair with Okada going back to the Tombstone again and again, and it is only when Tanahashi reverses and does a Tombstone of his own that the match is decided. Perhaps at the Tokyo Dome it will be decided once more by this move.

Results and Ratings

NJPW 1/31/10
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada via pinfall at 13:26 with the High Fly Flow (Star Rating: ***1/4)

The New Beginning
Kazuchika Okada defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 23:22 with the Rainmaker. Kazuchika Okada won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Dominion 2012
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada via pinfall at 28:06 with the High Fly Flow. Hiroshi Tanahashi won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (Star Rating: ****3/4)

Average Rating: ****

That does it for the DRS2EBRaSAGG warm up to Wrestle Kingdom 7. For more coverage check out Cewsh Reviews. As for us next time we ping pong back to 1980s WWF action. Next Time: Macho Man Randy Savage vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

Defrost
March 1st, 2013, 10:00 PM
It's Coming Back!

Next batch of matches

The Wrestling Classic (Rosemont Horizon)
Quarter Final Match
Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/22/86 (Broome County Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

Wrestlemania III (Pontiac Silverdome)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat (w/ George the Animal Steele)

WWF 5/15/87 (Sam Houston Coliseum)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky The Dragon Steamboat vs Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth)

Cewsh
March 1st, 2013, 10:43 PM
:hyper:

Defrost
March 3rd, 2013, 11:35 AM
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Your increasingly sporadic fix for the best reviews of a handful of matches featuring specific wrestlers returns with a look at a rivalry made famous by a match many consider to be the best of the first nine Wrestlemanias. At a time when the WWF was more akin to the WBF than a wrestling promotion you had two athletic wrestling prodigies showing what they could do in the second biggest match on one of the most successful wrestling cards of all time. Not to mention having that match coming off such a hot angle, the skit where Steamboat learns how to speak again notwithstanding, and everything was there for something memorable. So does it stand up? Are there comparable matches in their history with one another? Let's find out.

The Wrestling Classic (Rosemont Horizon)
Quarter Final Match
Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/22/86 (Broome County Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

Wrestlemania III (Pontiac Silverdome)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat (w/ George the Animal Steele)

WWF 5/15/87 (Sam Houston Coliseum)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky The Dragon Steamboat vs Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth)


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Ricky Steamboat is great. I love watching Ricky Steamboat. That said there is something about him that makes it rough to do any long form writing like this. Not even nit picking his love of doing a long arm bar after arm drag or anything like that which can get grating if you see it enough times in a row. This was noticed in the DRS2EBRaSAGG review of his 1989 series of matches with Ric Flair which are considered one of the great series of matches of all time. Beyond saying, "Damn those were some great matches" there was not really much else to glean from it. That phenomenon continues here where most of this review is going to be praising of just how awesome Randy Savage was in their Wrestlemania match more than anything else. No idea why but for whatever reason while writing these Steamboat seems a tough nut to crack.


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Before getting to the main event lets take more of an overview of the matches and talk a bit about the three matches on here that are not from super famous wrestling events. First of all their match at The Wrestling Classic might be the best 2 minute match ever. The Wrestling Classic was the second of the WWF's national Closed Circuit/PPV super shows after the first Wrestlemania. It was a tournament much like King of the Ring, and what springs to mind are the Owen Hart/Sean Waltman KOTR matches that get a lot of love for being super fast paced super short matches which is what Savage and Steamboat did here. Those two go a 1000 MPH and the finish is the same as the match where Savage would win the IC Title for Tito Santana. Another note on that match is Savage kicking out of the top rope crossbody which in their second match would keep Savage down for a 90 count and leading to the big problem with that match which was the booking. Now the Savage/Steamboat Superstars match is famous for the angle where Savage crushes Steamboat's throat, but before that there is a ref bump that leads to Danny Davis coming out and preventing Steamboat from winning with said crossbody. Danny Davis was playing a heel ref gimmick and would hook up with the Hart Foundation. Steamboat gets screwed here and never has anything to do with Davis, and Savage only fleetingly had anything to do with him thanks to a retcon by the WWF so this was totally unnecessary and takes you out of it. Decent enough TV match otherwise. The last match was a fun house show type match where there are high spots from their previous matches mixed with crowd baiting from Savage and the like. Comes from a show from Houston had their house shows shown on tv like NY had on MSG, Boston had on NESN, or Philly had on PRISM.


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Now onto the main course that is Wrestlemania III. This match is the Randy Savage show. Everything he does in this match looks amazing. His ability to go so fast and be so smooth was amazing back in the day. If you've never seen his stuff in Memphis before going to the WWF seek it out by the way it is even more amazing. Savage does the heel thing and works over the throat of Steamboat and takes the match all over ringside. Including sending Steamboat flying over the time keeper table and into the stands. Steamboat being the ultimate babyface was able to play off this effortlessly. There was something that was annoying in this match. Savage was working it logically to the storyline, but Steamboat who should hate Savage and want to kill him comes out with a lockup. Now this may be Savage's fault. Savage will gain some praise for his notorious habit of choreographing his matches move for move later on so he does deserve some blame for the opening of the match. Past that you have the famous thousand pin attempts and the big win for Steamboat. One thing that stands out in all of these matches is that Steamboat doesn't go crazy with his arm drag into an arm lock spot that he loves and once you see it a couple dozen times in a match can become grating. Savage keeping that under control was a big deal. Does this deserve to be considered the best Wrestlemania match prior to Shawn/Razor coming along? Thinking about that question the first thing that strikes you is that the candidates all have something in common. You got Savage/Steamboat, Savage/Hogan, Savage/Warrior, and Savage/Flair. Before Shawn Michaels came along Randy Savage was Mr Wrestlemania. Now looking at what he had to work with one would be prone to tap the Wrestlemania VII match as Savage's greatest performance. Warrior while not as bad as some make him out to be was never exactly what you'd call good. That is probably the one thinking about it. In conclusion Macho Man ruled.

Results and Ratings

The Wrestling Classic
Macho Man Randy Savage defeated Ricky The Dragon Steamboat via pinfall at 3:22 after using a foreign object (Star Rating: **1/2)

WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/22/86
WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage defeated Ricky The Dragon Steamboat via countout at 7:03. Macho Man Randy Savage retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: **)

Wrestlemania III
Ricky The Dragon Steamboat defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Macho Man Randy Savage via pinfall at 14:35 with an inside cradle. Ricky Steamboat won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: ****1/2)

WWF 5/15/87
WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky The Dragon Steamboat defeated Macho Man Randy Savage via pinfall at 10:57 when Savage hit himself in the head with the ring bell. Ricky Steamboat retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship (Star Rating: ***1/4)

Average Rating: ***

Well that wraps that up. However we will continue our look at the Intercontinental Champion with a jump 15 years into the future. Next Time: Rob Van Dam vs Eddie Guerrero

Defrost
March 10th, 2013, 11:26 AM
Next batch of matches

Backlash 2002 (Kemper Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam vs Eddie Guerrero

Insurrextion 2002 (Wembley Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam

Judgment Day 2002 (Gaylord Entertainment Center)
WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam

Raw 5/27/02 (Skyreach Centre)
WWE Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam

Cewsh
March 10th, 2013, 11:45 AM
That will actually be a fascinating read. I remember them as having a lot of chemistry, and it being the feud that really revitalized Eddie's career in WWE.

Mills
March 10th, 2013, 12:16 PM
And he punched a fan, good times for all

Defrost
March 15th, 2013, 7:39 PM
And he punched a fan, good times for all

Was the fan punching shown on the original broadcast? I watched the match on the Eddie DVD and there seemed to be an edit there.

virms
March 15th, 2013, 9:43 PM
Nice work Defrost. Lots of good memories coming from these. Loved Steamboat/Savage and Rock/Mankind write up especially.

I want to watch me some Steamboat/Savage now.

Defrost
March 24th, 2013, 2:36 PM
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DRS2EBRaSAG Heat! DRS2EBRaSAG Heat!
Chica, tu quieres jugar con un DRS2EBRaSAG
DRS2EBRaSAG Heat! DRS2EBRaSAG Heat!


Backlash 2002 (Kemper Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam vs Eddie Guerrero

Insurrextion 2002 (Wembley Arena)
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam

Judgment Day 2002 (Gaylord Entertainment Center)
WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam

Raw 5/27/02 (Skyreach Centre)
WWE Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero vs Rob Van Dam


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For years and years the WWF Intercontinental Championship was considered the workhorse title compared to the star power Heavyweight Title. You had guys like Tito Santana, Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, Mr Perfect, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels carrying the wrestling load while holding that title. During the Attitude Era of the WWF this changed. The main event carried the cards while guys like Godfather and Road Dogg held the title. The less said about Chyna here the better. Then the exodus from WCW began and you had the likes of the Radicalz and Chris Jericho come in and revitalize the midcard of the WWF. Eddie Guerrero and Rob Van Dam very easily slip into the athletic tradition of the title they were feuding over in these matches. Look no farther than their match at Insurrextion, an UK only PPV and the last broadcast under the World Wrestling Federation banner, where they totally coasted on doing athletic things for 10 minutes. They put together a very watchable match by sandwiching flurries of some awesome looking stuff in between chin locks and other restholds. It was really more a solid Raw main event than anything. But still better than a Road Dogg vs Val Venis match.


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The Backlash and Judgment Day matches are the exact same, but opposite. In the Backlash match Eddie gets the heat by getting his knees up on a Rolling Thunder attempt and then working over RVD's back for a good portion of the match the climax of which was putting RVD in the Surfboard following a Tilt-a-Whirl Backbreaker. In the Judgment Day match RVD takes most of the match controlling it after RVD faked out Eddie and landing a Split Legged Moonsault onto Eddie's back climaxing when RVD put Eddie in the Surfboard following a Tilt-a-Whirl Backbreaker. Both are very clean well worked matches. RVD has been known to get sloppy at times. None of those issues in their two PPV matches. Both matches had hot finishes that end with Eddie winning via cheating however the Judgment Day match just holds together better. Not to mention that the finish where Eddie cheats is much better at Judgment Day. There is something very awkward with a neck breaker onto a belt.


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Finally you come to their most famous match, the ladder match from Monday Night Raw. While best remembered and highly rated this was the sloppiest match between the two. There is really not much to say on this one when you get right down to it. The match is a spot fest with two super athletic guys doing awesome things with a ladder. Plus Eddie punches a fan. It is a good watch. Very entertaining. Would recommend it. Not much to say about it though.

Results and Ratings

Backlash 2002
Eddie Guerrero defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam via pinfall at 11:43 with a Frog Splash. Eddie Guerrero won the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: ***1/2)

Insurrextion 2002
Rob Van Dam defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero via disqualification at 11:23 after Guerrero pushed the referee. Eddie Guerrero retained the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: **3/4)

Judgment Day 2002
WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie Guerrero defeated Rob Van Dam via pinfall at 10:47 with a backslide and feet on the ropes. Eddie Guerrero retained the WWE Intercontinental Championship. (Star Rating: ***3/4)

Raw 5/27/02
Rob Van Dam defeated WWE Intercontinental Champion Eddie at 20:2. Rob Van Dam won the WWE Intercontinental Championship.(Star Rating: ****)

Average Rating: ***1/2

And that is that. Next time you see us it will be the 2013 Wrestlemania special! Last year featured reviews of matches between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels as well as Undertaker and HHH. Problem you run into this year is that Rock and Cena have only wrestled each other once, HHH and Brock have only wrestled each other twice, and Punk and Taker have only wrestled each other in shitty matches. Shoutout to McBain who suggested reviewing their first Wrestlemania's. So Next Time: 2013 Wrestlemania Special. See you April 7th.

Cewsh
March 27th, 2013, 12:15 PM
The first one of these is up on the main page in all of it's glory. I'm planning to put them up in order on a weekly basis until we're caught up to the present, so just let me know if you want anything changed. :yes:

Defrost
March 27th, 2013, 8:12 PM
Can't think of anything offhand.


The 2013 Wrestlemania Review Special thing was so easy to write it is already done. Guess when only one of their debuts went longer than 10 minutes and only 2 went longer than 5 that helps.

Kev
March 27th, 2013, 8:58 PM
Hey mate, I thought it was a great read. Informative as I've never really been bothered watching a match with Bret Hart or Kevin Nash in it.

Here's some minor stuff I might suggest:

I think because I don't view the forums as much as others I'm not really aware of whether or not your personality shines through in your posts, so in time I suppose some of your personality will shine through, but maybe your bag is more that you're a relatively unbiased journalist (which, thinking about it, is quite a change in the world of online wrestling writers, and really refreshing).

Doing more to break up your paragraphs and working on allowing readers to take a breath during your writing. One of the things I've found with a lot of columnists is that if there is quite a chunk of information that they deliver, they either allow for a brief analysis to break up everything and feel that it flows better. Cewsh does this with Gifs or with interjections from guest writers, other columnists will either offer an opinion, or will take a moment to focus on an unspoken yet incredible thing about the match that helps the reader understand another intangible of what makes it so great.

The reason why I suggest that is simply because there's an area in our brain that tends to get bored very easily when we understand patterns. It's why we get bored after 11 minutes of listening to a lecture that is eerily familiar to the week before, or why good preachers change up their sermons after ten minutes or so to make sure people don't fall asleep. By interrupting the pattern you're refreshing your audience and keeping their interest piqued.



But really, u da b0mb.

Kev
March 27th, 2013, 9:07 PM
Forgive me if that makes little sense. I tend to type as I think and it's very I guess... stream of consciousness, if that's what you call it.

My fiancee hates it because she'll text once, and I'll text eighty times and she won't know where exactly to begin responding. If that doesn't help at all just ignore it mate.

With me and the Mrs. it's like...

"I saw the Spiderman movie with my little brother."

My next ten replies.

"He should read ONE MORE DAY"

"And Superior Spider-Man"

"And basically all of Dan Slott's run"

"Oh you don't know who Dan Slott is"

"He's the turnip who's been writing Spiderman for quite some time"

"Also the Avengers comics seem to capture his personality quite well"

"I find he's a lot more full of quips and puns which really is what has always made Spiderman so entertaining to me"

"Yet I hardly ever see it"

"BASTARDS"

"Hello?"

Defrost
March 27th, 2013, 9:09 PM
I think because I don't view the forums as much as others I'm not really aware of whether or not your personality shines through in your posts, so in time I suppose some of your personality will shine through, but maybe your bag is more that you're a relatively unbiased journalist (which, thinking about it, is quite a change in the world of online wrestling writers, and really refreshing).

Doing more to break up your paragraphs and working on allowing readers to take a breath during your writing. One of the things I've found with a lot of columnists is that if there is quite a chunk of information that they deliver, they either allow for a brief analysis to break up everything and feel that it flows better. Cewsh does this with Gifs or with interjections from guest writers, other columnists will either offer an opinion, or will take a moment to focus on an unspoken yet incredible thing about the match that helps the reader understand another intangible of what makes it so great.

The reason why I suggest that is simply because there's an area in our brain that tends to get bored very easily when we understand patterns. It's why we get bored after 11 minutes of listening to a lecture that is eerily familiar to the week before, or why good preachers change up their sermons after ten minutes or so to make sure people don't fall asleep. By interrupting the pattern you're refreshing your audience and keeping their interest piqued.



But really, u da b0mb.

Yeah early on writing these I figured out the paragraph thing and started using pictures to break up the paragraphs to avoid walls of text. I'm not sure if I started that on the next one Cewsh is going to post or the one after that. Nor do I know if those can go in on the front page thinking about it now.

Cewsh
March 27th, 2013, 9:12 PM
How come?

Defrost
March 27th, 2013, 9:15 PM
I haven't been to the front page in years so I have no idea about what is or is not up there in general.

You were asking why I was unsure whether or not pictures can be posted on the front page right?

Cewsh
March 27th, 2013, 10:02 PM
Oh, they definitely can. I do it all the time.

Defrost
March 27th, 2013, 10:04 PM
Good then there is a way to avoid the wall of text going forward then

Cewsh
April 4th, 2013, 6:26 PM
Austin vs. Rock is up on the main page. It didn't have pictures in it, so I just went ahead and added some. If you want any changes just let me know.

Defrost
April 4th, 2013, 6:36 PM
I am curious why you choose a picture of Mr Kennedy to put in it

Cewsh
April 4th, 2013, 6:42 PM
I am curious why you choose a picture of Mr Kennedy to put in it

Because you referenced him immediately before the paragraph break is the only reason. You made a joke about him having an organization's title, so I threw in a picture of him with it.

Defrost
April 4th, 2013, 6:52 PM
Ah ok

Cewsh
April 4th, 2013, 6:53 PM
I'll take it out since it doesn't match the tone of the review, looking at it now.

Atty
April 4th, 2013, 7:26 PM
The link to the forums works. Nicely done, Cewsh. :yes:

The Law
April 4th, 2013, 8:56 PM
I watched the Wrestlemania 15 and Backlash 1999 matches recently. My thoughts are similar to yours: The Wrestlemania match was pretty crappy and the Backlash match was quite good. The Wrestlemania match is pretty much the most generic Attitude Era main event you can imagine: fight on the floor, fight in the crowd, choked with the camera cables, announce table spot, fight at the top of the stage, run-ins, finishers. The crowd heat was excellent, but the match was basically just kicks and punches.

The Backlash match is kind of the same match, but with a lot more energy and creativity. The throws into the set that knocked down the fences were strangely effective. The image of the fences collapsing and the sound of them hitting the ramp just made it seem like it really hurt even though it almost certainly didn't. But isn't that the point of wrestling? You want to make it seem like you're hurting each other while not actually hurting each other. Basically if I had to make a hierarchy of pain, it would look like this:

1) Things that look like they hurt but don't actually hurt
2) Things that look like they hurt and actually hurt
3) Things that don't look like they hurt and don't actually hurt
4) Things that don't look like they hurt and actually hurt

Also, Rock filming Austin and then the POV shot of Austin's middle fingers and the Stunner was awesome. Like you, I don't really know what a Stunner on the table is supposed to do, but it looked really cool and added to the chaotic feeling of the match. This match was a bit less overbooked than some from this era. Really, all we had was Shane officiating (only played a role when he refused to count Austin's pinfall) and Vince taking out Shane. Of course, Vince helping Austin keep the title would make no sense once he was revealed as the Greater Power. But in their defense, they probably hadn't decided Vince was going to be the Greater Power at this point. Is that actually a defense?

Basically, the Wrestlemania and Backlash matches are opposites in the sense that one is the Attitude Era at its best and the other is the Attitude Era at its most formulaic and overly complicated. The Backlash match is definitely worth checking out, the Wrestlemania match is really dull and disappointing.

Mills
April 4th, 2013, 8:58 PM
Nice work Frosty. Thought though, but maybe a name change for the reviews? Defrost reviews stuff doesn't have a good ring to it

Defrost
April 7th, 2013, 7:28 AM
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Preface

One year ago a tradition began. A tradition that almost died in the crib. Last year for Wrestlemania you were given not one, but two exception essays leading into that grand event. This year, however, was bereft of such suitable material to work with. The choices either have not worked enough together or when they have it was nothing interesting or worth writing about. In lieu of such material instead let us look at firsts. The first Wrestlemania appearances of the six men in the top three matches of Wrestlemania XXIX. So now the debuts of Undertaker (Wrestlemania VII), Triple H (Wrestlemania XII), Rock (Wrestlemania 13), John Cena (Wrestlemania XIX or close enough), Brock Lesnar (Wrestlemania XIX), and CM Punk (Wrestlemania 22).


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Chapter I: A Wrestling Promotion Celebrates a War Fought Over Oil Interests By Having a Zombie Drop a Fijian Man on his Head

Wordy, I know. Ah, Wrestlemania VII. A show that was supposed to fill the LA Coliseum with 100,000 WWF fans and instead they had to heavily paper a 17,000 seat arena move the show because of a bomb scare. Wink Wink. Had to know they'd stir up a hornet's next with the Iraqi Republican Guard knowing the war could not officially end without Hulk Hogan defeating a GI Joe character. Gorilla Monsoon even said so. On that show the epic streak of the Undertaker began. Began a run of Undertaker taking on and defeating the likes of El Gigante, King Kong Bundy, Big Bossman, and Lord Tensai. His first opponent at Wrestlemania was Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Now you may remember the early days of the Undertaker when he no sold everything and slowly walked around the ring. Maybe a claw hold thrown in for good measure. Well luckily that was not the case in this match. Mostly because it was 3 minutes long and Snuka was given no offense. Also Taker botched the finish. USA USA USA USA!


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Chapter II: Ultimate Warrior vs Hunter Hearst HAHAHA

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahah



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb26bEuoKzE

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha



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Chapter III: Wrestlemania 13 was the Drizzling Shits

God Damn was Hart vs Austin an island in a sea of shit. The match hasn't even started yet and I want to strangle Lawler and Honky Tonk Man. Oh, did I forgot to mention? Honky Tonk Man was on commentary for this barn burner pitting Intercontinental Champion Rocky can't smile enough Maivia against not Fatu and not yet Rikishi but for some reason a wrestling Sultan accompanied by pre twitter Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund. For whatever reason. So Rocky is green as grass and Rikishi is working a shit gimmick so we all know where this one is headed. That's right the dreaded nerve hold. Grab onto a guys shoulder like Mr Spock and kill 3 minutes out of a 9 minute match. Because you have to bring the crowd down from the excitement of all those punches and clotheslines. Or hell maybe just wanted to give an excuse to start the Rocky Sucks chants. Oh, good now we get a chinlock. Well at least Rocky was able to break it up with some of the worst drop kicks this side of Wrestlemania 25. Although compared to the School Boy that finished this one he looked like Kazuchika Okada on those drop kicks. Christ that match sucked. Rocky really did suck.


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Chapter IV: Johnny John and the Not so Funky Bunch

John Cena went from a Ruthless Aggression Prototype to a rapping white boy from the suburbs in late 2002. So coming into Wrestlemania XIX WWE had the idea to have him battle rap famous rappers because they love thinking they are a big deal by having famous people show up. Problem is they are not really a big enough deal to get truly famous people to show up so Jay-Z turned them down. Someone came up with the idea to have John Cena battle rap cardboard cutouts of Jay-Z dressed as Austin Powers, Jay-Z had done work on the Goldmember soundtrack, and Fabolous as Mini Me. Maybe funny in 2003 now not so much. Cena comes out to dual with them and his mic doesn't work. So already Cena's best Mania appearance right there. Other than it coming off as sorta WWE's usual level of butthurtedness the rap is actually fairly good. Cena was a lot better doing that than whatever he is supposed to be now. Can't really rag on this one. Meh.


Chapter V: Shooting Star Splat


What the match is most remembered for is what holds it back from being remembered as a great match. If Brock Lesnar lands on Kurt Angle instead of on his own head this is remembered as one of the great Wrestlemania matches, but with the way the ending falls apart is can't be considered as such. In the first part of the match is chain wrestling from an NCAA Champion and an Olympic Gold Medalist. As Michael Cole reminds us repeatedly. Actually Cole and Taz and really damn good in this match which makes one wonder what the hell happened. In the next part of the match Angle works over the ribs which in an angle were injured by Team Angle prior to the event. Some awesome stuff working the ribs like a German Suplex in the corner. Then you get a surprisingly great Lesnar comeback, who would think Lesnar would be anywhere near a decent babyface, followed by the finishing stretch which suffers from something a lot of Kurt Angle matches suffered from. That Ankle Lock. He gets someone in that thing for far too long and then it proceeds to be basically no sold. Then the ending where things go to hell. I will not dwell on the oft discussed irony of Lesnar being the one that left a mess when everyone was worried about Kurt Angle's neck and whether or not he'd die or something, because wrestling fans are drama queens, or the subplot where Steve Austin was secretly in even worse shape at that show. I wish the ending had worked out as planned. As memorable as the Lesnar taking a header was I am not that much of a sadist to really enjoy it. Maybe you people are. What is wrong with you people? SMDH.


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Chapter VI: I want you to find this nancy boy Eliot Ness. I want him dead! I want his family dead! I want his house burned to the ground!

At Wrestlemania 22 CM Punk was in the main event. Well slightly before the main event. Dressed like someone employed by Al Capone. Not exactly a Big Time debut.


Postscript

Well for most of these guys I think it is safe to say that even if things end up underwhelming they'll still be ahead of where they were their first time out. There are some ignominious moments in there with really only Taker and Cena coming out unscathed and even then Taker's match still sucked. So the only debut that you can really say went as well as it could have was John Cena of all people. Good for you John. And with that I wish you all a happy Wrestlemania day. I hope you all enjoy the show.

Defrost
April 9th, 2013, 2:27 PM
Coming next time the first ever DRS2EBRaSAGG Addendum

Invasion Attack (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)

Defrost
April 10th, 2013, 3:34 AM
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A new feature! One of the facts of life in a doing a format that involves looking at several matches between two wrestlers as a whole is that the completion of that whole may come in the future. There have been several times that there have been rematches to prior reviews. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yuji Nagata, KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji, and Undertaker and Triple H to name a few. So birthed is a new feature the Defrost Reviews Addendum! Complete with logo created after literally minutes of work. Birthed because of a very special match. Prior to Wrestle Kingdom 7 we, the royal we, reviewed three matches between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada who main evented that super event. You can read that here (https://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?143105-Defrost-Reviews-Stuff-2-Electric-Boogaloo-Rewatching-a-Series-A-Go-Go&p=7058582&viewfull=1#post7058582). Then I joined Cewsh for a review of the entire event which can be read here (http://cewshreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/njpw-wrestle-kingdom-vii.html). On April 7th, 2013 they wrestled again. This is that story.

Invasion Attack (Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan)
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada (w/Gedo)


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This match is the culmination of their previous three IWGP Heavyweight Championship matches. Counters to counters. Tanahashi had gone for the legs of Okada in every match. This time Okada sees it coming. Dodges the low dropkick. Fights off the Dragon Screw. However, this opens up Okada's arm. His lariat arm. The arm he uses to complete his finisher The Rainmaker. A move where he spins his opponent into a short arm lariat. The only move that in the last 27 months that was enough to keep Tanahashi down in an IWGP Title match. And Tanahashi beat the hell out of this arm. And Okada sold it. Including one of the great subtle brilliant small things I have seen, and can not remember seeing before. After getting Tanahashi down Okada switches his elbow pad from his good arm to his bad arm. That's genius. Then the payoff to arm work. Since Okada came back to New Japan from Total Nonstop Action, or as I like to call it the clutches of Beelzebub, on January 4th 2012 no one had ever kicked out of The Rainmaker. Every time he hit the move it was the finish. Including the match where he defeated Tanahashi for the title in February of 2012. However, this time it was not the case. Okada was able to do the move, but his arm had been so mangled that he was unable to make the cover. Instead writhing in pain on the ground and by the time he crawled over to Tanahashi he was able to kick out at 2.999999999. They built that move up for 15 months and you could not ask for a better payoff. Just amazing story telling.


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Speaking of story telling there is one spot in this match that still gets me. I have watched this match repeatedly since Sunday morning when I first watched it live. Tanahashi comes off the top with the High Fly Flow to a standing Okada. Follows it up with the Sling Blade and finally a bridging Dragon Suplex. No matter how many times I see this I am convinced it is the finish. This match is perfect. Even when things go wonky when Okada tries yet another wacky submission that takes multiple tries to work his sheepish reaction to it is so genuine and so awesome when he finally gets it that it makes the spot better than if it actually worked the first time. Oh there is always a special place in my heart when Tanahashi acts like a dick. Early on instead of Okada's normal fake out of a chop on a clean break in the rope Tanahashi grapples him into the corner then sucker kicks him in the gut. He follows this by attempting The Rainmaker and when Okada ducks Tanahashi does the Rainmaker Pose. Finally the Tombstone Piledriver. The overall thesis of the original review was that whoever hits the Tombstone wins. And that follows through to the Dome. Okada Tombstones Tanahashi on the floor in the first match and he never recovers. In the rematch Tanahashi blocks and reverses the Tombstone for one of his own and regains the title. At the Dome it was a Tanahashi Tombstone that was followed by the High Fly Flow. In this match they struggle over the move. Then Tanahashi attacks the arm yet again and gets him up for the Tombstone. Only this time Okada kicking his legs is able to take Tanahashi over and piledrive him followed by another Rainmaker and we have a new Champion. Wonderful playing off history in this match.



Result and Rating
Invasion Attack
Kazuchika Okada defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall at 31:41 with The Rainmaker. Kazuchika Okada won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. (Star Rating: *****)

So that is the first Addendum. You can expect more in the future. And speaking of the future there is an all new review coming up. Two men who have shown up in these here reviews and are sure too again hook up in out next edition. Next Time: Jushin Liger vs Owen Hart.

Cewsh
April 11th, 2013, 4:47 PM
Good god what a gorgeous new logo.

Cewsh
April 18th, 2013, 11:36 AM
It's Defrost Reviews Stuff Day on the main page. WOOOOO

Ringo
April 18th, 2013, 2:20 PM
Have you seen the main yet Cewsh? Invasion Attack might actually be worth a review - although I'm sure you've got a lengthy queue already.

Cewsh
April 18th, 2013, 2:25 PM
Frosty and I are set to review it for 2 weeks from now. :D

I actually haven't seen the show yet. Hoping to this weekend.

Ringo
April 18th, 2013, 2:27 PM
:yes: It's definitely another good-un.

Cewsh
April 25th, 2013, 4:02 PM
Defrost Reviews Stuff - Flair vs. Steamboat. Live and in color on the main page. :D

Defrost
April 28th, 2013, 6:20 PM
Hopefully this week will be a new review. Been a hectic month. Next batch of matches

NJPW 6/10/88 (Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium)
IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champion Owen Hart vs Keiichi Yamada

NJPW 1/30/90 (Gifu Industrial Hall)
IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender Tournament
Jushin Liger vs Owen Hart

NJPW 4/28/91 (Omiya Skate Center)
Top Of The Super Junior 1991
Jushin Liger vs Owen Hart