NMB Wrestling Archive

and I'm loving it. Jim Cornette on commentary is gold! Talking about Melina: "If that dress was any shorter, it'd be a necklace." Why does the ring look so big though?

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks. PLEASE ONLY VOTE IF YOU ARE CHANGING YOUR VOTE FROM THE PREVIOUS MATCH BETWEEN THESE TWO. THANK YOU.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks. PLEASE ONLY VOTE IF YOU ARE CHANGING YOUR VOTE FROM THE PREVIOUS MATCH BETWEEN THESE TWO. THANK YOU.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks.

Harley Race v Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 08/01/82 The latter stages of this matches are really good, but the earlier stages don't really work out so well. They're just performing a bunch of moves without any real rhyme or reason, although Jumbo's bladejob is amazing and makes for some really awe-inspiring images, especially when his facial expressions are so great. They fight back and forth for the first 14 minutes of this 16 minute match, and while it's all executed fine, it's not really much of a match. Neither guy takes control for any length of time, but when they get into the nearfalls, things pick up substantially, especially when the hot finish and Race's sympathy bl…

Way to be a baby Bubba.

Ric Flair v Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 10/09/81 They had a match in 1978 that I haven't seen, but this is Flair's first world title defense of note in Japan. It's two out of three falls, and features two wrestlers who would become the defining figures of their respective companies in the 1980s. Needless to say, that factor alone contributes a lot to the atmosphere here, as the crowd is very excited about this match and pops huge every time the workers goad them in that direction. The first fall sees Jumbo work a headlock most of the time with many fast-paced sequences in between to keep things interesting. Flair would work his way out, and try something different, and end r…

Jumbo Tsuruta v Ricky Steamboat - AJPW 12/01/80 This is a very nice match, but it's not at the level you'd expect it to be considering that Jumbo Tsuruta is wrestling Ricky Steamboat for a half hour. The problem isn't the quality of the wrestling, which shouldn't be surprising; the problem is the direction of the wrestling, which probably is surprising. This is basically an extended feeling out process that lasts an entire thirty minutes, with flashes of good offense mixed in. Both deliver some great butterfly suplexes, both work the mat very well, both sell well. In that sense, it's a good match. What this match was missing was any sense of urgency at all, as any pin…

Looking at the bracketing, I don't think some are getting a completely fair shake in this tournament. Chris Jericho, for example, has made it further than he maybe should have, while someone like Shawn Michaels stands a chance of not even making the finals, which is ridiculous. Therefore, we'll still do round robin, but instead of doing round robins of the top 8, we'll do it of the top TWELVE to make things a bit more unpredictable and fair. I should have thought this out ahead of time, but the results are a little fishy-seeming, so we are now officially in the finals.

Vote for the wrestler that you think had the better career in WWE (whether you base that on impact or match quality is your decision), from 1985 to 2005. Voting will end tomorrow morning at the latest. Please give the wrestler's name first and any explanation thereafter. Thanks. PLEASE ONLY VOTE IF YOU ARE CHANGING YOUR VOTE FROM THE PREVIOUS MATCH BETWEEN THESE TWO. THANK YOU.

I pulled the next tape off the stack this morning and smiled because it was one of my favorites. It's an NWA comp of TV matches from late 1988 and early 1989. The tracking has always been an issue, but I've usually been able to watch it. It would appear old age has finally caught up with it, though, as the tape was totally unable to be watched. Goodhelmet, I've got to send this to you to see if you can salvage it. Check out these matches: Barry Windham v Eddie Gilbert - NWA Saturday Night 12/24/88 (14:26) Fantastics, Eddie Gilbert & Italian Stallion v "Original" Midnight Express, Rip Morgan & Al Perez - NWA Main Event 01/01/89 (10:43) Sting & Lex Luge…

I went ahead and closed this off since at this point, there were no ties, and some were getting to a point where there might have been had even one more person voted. Ultimate Warrior (11 votes) defeated Bam Bam Bigelow (4 votes) -- Warrior will face loser of Steve Austin v Mr Perfect match Chris Jericho (13 votes) defeated Taka Michinoku (0 votes) -- Jericho will face loser of Kurt Angle v Rob Van Dam match Demolition Smash (8 votes) defeated Randy Orton (7 votes) -- Smash will face loser of Razor Ramon v Ric Flair match Bob Backlund (9 votes) defeated Jeff Jarrett (6 votes) -- Backlund will face loser of Owen Hart v Randy Savage match Ma…

The following wrestlers have been officially eliminated from the tournament. We at NMB wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the eliminated wrestlers, and will be starting a scholarship fund in their honor. Should anyone have any memories of any permanently eliminated wrestlers which they would like to share, they may do so here. Yes, it may hurt, but your NMB brethrens will remain by your side. I will continue to add to the deceased list as we continue to find eliminated wrestlers among the carnage. Services will be held whenever those who are voting in the tournament are online. All eliminated wrestlers have requested to be cremated. *bong* …

Antonio Inoki v Dusty Rhodes - NJPW 11/01/79 This match relies more on big moments than the rematch would, but this is still a fun outing. What I mean by that is that they sacrifice some of the coherency to work a few bigger and more meaningful sequences, which makes the match very fun, even if I do still prefer the rematch. There's a much faster pace to start out with Dusty doing what he can to frustrate Inoki, but being unable to turn that into anything resembling control. He quickly realizes this and bails, and Inoki catches him immediately upon his return to take him down with a front facelock. Dusty has flashes of success -- he tries to work over Inoki's arm and …

Bob Backlund v Stan Hansen - NJPW 09/30/80 Stan Hansen is the perfect opponent for a whitebread champ like Bob Backlund -- he's chaotic and marches to his own drum, and in some ways, he's even more of a daring heel than Dusty Rhodes was in Backlund's May title defense, which is reflected in his refusing to shake Bob's hand at the outset. The match starts out with Backlund using what one might now refer to as "shock-and-awe" tactics -- he outmanuevers Hansen at every turn. Hansen tries to take it to the mat and Backlund has his number. Hansen tries to take a swing and Backlund has his number. A very simple, yet very clear pattern is developing -- regardless of what Han…

Bob Backlund v Dusty Rhodes - NJPW 05/27/80 Usually, even the best matches require patience, because there's a feeling out period where they're building toward something better and more fulfilling as the match progresses. Here, that patience isn't really necessary because it's clear from the opening bell where they're going and that they are out to put on a great match. Backlund showing up Dusty on the mat at the beginning is one of the most awesome things I've ever seen, with Backlund totally outclassing him and showing him up. Even stuff like armbar reversals is fun, because they know how to get the most out of the least, but what puts this over the top is that they…