1990

We can add to this as we keep watching, but take a shot anytime Jim Ross: - Mentions Lex Luger's 3.78 grade point average - Mentions that Brian Pillman is a "former Cincinnati Bengal" - Mentions that Jim Cornette's partner in mixed doubles tennis was a man - Mentions Stan Lane's educated feet - Calls a Butch Reed punch a "soupbone right hand" These are all Jim Ross-centric, but feel free to add any others to this thread from any promotion as you make your way through the footage. While we're making up the rules as we go, this is guaranteed to get people trashed in the future when watching this thing.

I've been trying to figure out why Yearbook watching as been so hard for me and I think it's because I find all the individual threads fiddly, the matches aren't in order, and I get distracted trying to find them. It doesn't really suit my posting style. Also, I tend to do long-ish reviews of matches, which is time consuming. So I'm trying something new: mostly single-line reviews in the manner of Robert Christgau, all in one thread using the patented letter-grade system for ratings. Picking up in March 1990, I'm going to try finally to finish this Yearbook (it's only been 2 years!) this way. Will try to do an hour or two a day. Nobuhiko Takada vs. Yoshiaki…

1990 was a year that started off solid if unspectacular but morphed into a great in ring year from Mid - August on. Each promotion also took many turns throughout the year. I ranked 261 matches overall. Honorable Mentions: 105. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (AJPW 7/7/90) 104. Ric Flair vs. Tom Zenk (Power Hour 2/2/90) 103. Brian Pillman vs. Rip Rogers (WCWSN 11/10/90) 102. Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 6/30/90) 101. Larry Zbyszko vs. Masa Saito (NJPW/AJPW 2/10/90) I will begin by admitting that the first four picks are sentimental choices. I will argue that all 4 are good matches but they had something in them t…

Trying to compile a list. Want to make sure I don't overlook anything. Make your case for anything and everything that stands out here. Rather than list your favorite matches, if there's a MOMENT that stands out within the match, share that instead. Thanks!

Post them here.

January: #1 - Jushin Liger vs Naoki Sano (NJPW 01/31/90) ****1/2 #2 - El Hijo del Santo, Yoshinari Asai & Gran Hamada vs Negro Casas, Blue Panther & Fuerza Guerrera (WWA 1990) **** #3 - The Rockers vs Powers of Pain (WWF MSG 01/15/90) **** #4 - Ric Flair vs Bobby Eaton (NWA Main Event 01/07/90) **** #5 - Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Isao Takagi (AJPW 01/20/90) **** #6 - Akira Maeda vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWF 01/16/90) ***3/4 #7 - Eddy & Mando Guerrero vs El Hijo del Santo & Blue Demon Jr. (WWA 1990) ***3/4 #8 - Akira Hokuto & Yumiko Hotta vs Toshiyo Yamada & Etsuko Mita (AJW 01/04/90) ***3/4 #9 - Ric Flair,…

I decided to just post the list. I felt like I was just repeating everything I was saying in the thread anyway. My thoughts are in each thread if you want to read them. *** #100 - Ric Flair vs Lex Luger (NWA Capital Combat 05/19/90, Cage Match) #99 - Ricky Morton vs Bobby Eaton (NWA World Championship Wrestling 09/29/90) #98 - Atsushi Onita vs Mr. Pogo (FMW 11/05/90) #97 - Manami Toyota & Kyoko Inoue vs Akira Hokuto & Suzuka Minami (AJW Wrestlemarinepiad 11/14/90, 2/3 falls) #96 - Steve Austin vs Chris Adams (USWA Dallas Sportatorium 08/03/90, Come As You Are Match) #95 - Atsushi Onita vs Tarzan Goto (FMW 08/04/90, No Rope Barbed Wire Electric Explosi…

Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mighty Inoue/Great Kabuki (AJPW 2/21/90) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CDlYdMe0qs Sweet Jesus this RULED. I think after watching this Mighty and Kabuki deserve a closer look at their careers as I didn't realize they could still go this hard into the 90s. Everybody played their roles to perfection and the result was a super gritty, violent spectacle. Tenryu and Kawada were being gigantic dickheads to the old guys, constantly running in and kicking them in their faces, Tenryu gets especially nasty towards the end. Inoue was great as the plucky technician and took horrific abuse, while Kabuki was a tank. I don't know which I loved mor…

New matches in blue. Matches watched (or re-watched) in purple. January: Bull Nakano vs Mitsuko Nishiwaki (AJW 01/04/90) Brian Pillman vs Cactus Jack (NWA Worldwide 01/06/90) Ric Flair vs Bobby Eaton (NWA Main Event 01/07/90) Jumbo Tsuruta, Tiger Mask & Kabuki vs Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (AJPW 01/11/90) The Rockers vs Powers of Pain (WWF MSG 01/15/90) Kazuo Yamazaki vs Yoji Anjoh (UWF 01/16/90) Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Tatsuo Nakano (UWF 01/16/90) Tiger Mask & Kenta Kobashi vs Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith (AJPW 01/20/90) Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Isao Takagi (AJPW 01/20/90) Ron Garvin vs Greg Valen…