2000

BIGGEST SURPRISES 1. CMLL's WWF-inspired Crash TV format proves to be entertaining 2. Osaka Pro is one of the best promotions in wrestling 3. Joshi veterans aren't as bad as expected 4. New Japan shows brights spots amid Inokism 5. There was so much garbage wrestling that I finally learned to appreciate a good ol' Death Match I guess you could call me a traditionalist when it comes to lucha libre. I don't like anything that deviates from the way lucha was in the 80s and 90s. But I did find myself enjoying CMLL's television booking for the simple fact that traditionally there wasn't a hell of a lot of continuity to CMLL TV. They would simply film Arena Me…

Sort of stealing tim's format here, listing all the great (**** +) level matches I have seen for 2000 so far. 1. Atlantis vs. Villano III (CMLL, 3/17/2000) 2. Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa (NJPW, 4/7/2000) 3. Mariko Yoshida vs. Ayako Hamada (ARSION, 10/17/2000) 4. Cactus Jack vs. Triple H (WWF, 1/23/2000) 5. Aja Kong vs. Kaoru (GAEA, 2/13/2000) 6. Azumi Hyuga vs. Carlos Amano (JWP, 3/20/2000) 7. Shinya Hashimoto/Takashi Iizuka vs. Naoya Ogawa/Kazunari Murakami (NJPW, 1/4/2000) 8. Takehiro Murahama vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa (Osaka Pro, 3/25/2000) 9. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 2/27/2000) 10. Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW, 10/9/2000…

Similar to the MOTY thread, a list of the best wrestlers of 2000 from what I've seen so far. 1. Shinya Hashimoto 2. Yuki Ishikawa 3. El Satanico 4. Aja Kong 5. Jun Akiyama 6. Kenta Kobashi 7. Genichiro Tenryu 8. Takehiro Murahama 9. Mariko Yoshida 10. Azumi Hyuga

January Match of the month: Triple H vs Cactus Jack (WWF Royal Rumble 23/1/00) Perhaps the most violent match the WWF had held in the post-WrestleMania era, this is an absolutely phenomenal performance from both men. Foley is clearly giving every little thing he has to this match, knowing that he is on the way out. Triple H comes out as a fighting champion without making himself a babyface. Wonderful stuff all round. Best moment of the month: Cactus Jack is back! Sorry to harp on about this feud, but honestly it is the best story the WWF has done in years that hasn’t involved Austin. Foley has talked about how important it was not to leave too big a pause …

I'm only going to watch US based stuff, and the likelihood is I'll pick and choose as I don't think I'll have the time to watch everything (which is what the plan at first was). I'm doing it by promotion and sometimes I'll list everything for the month, sometimes a top three. I'll come back and update as I got and lets see how long this lasts! January 2000 APW 1. Michael Modest vs Christopher Daniels (Y2Kaos Weekend 1/22) 2. Westside Playaz 2000 (Robert Thompson & Boyce LeGrande) vs Shane & Shannon Ballard (Millenium Madness 1/15) CZW 1. Low Ki vs Ric Blade (Bloodbath 2000 1/8) 2. Ian Rotten vs Madman Pondo (Bloodbath 2000 1/8) ECW …

**** 100 12/13 burning vs Untoucables 99 12/10 burning vs Untoucables 98 08/13 Piko Gami Tamada vs Aja Fujuta AKINO 97 09/12 Jr Stars vs Liger Makabe 96 11/23 U Tops/ Nakanishi vs LCO/Maekawa 95 09/13 Lynx.Piko Gami/ Tamada 94 Koshinaka/Sasaki vs Nagata/Iizuka [ G1 tag day 9] 93 11/26 burning vs Untoucables 92 06/05 Inoune Sawai Kazama vs Toyota /Watanabe/ Wakizawa 91 07,19 Kawada/Shinzaki vs HawkFild/barton

1) Atlantis, Negro Casas & Mr. Niebla vs Dr. Wagner Jr., Villano III & Pierroth Jr. (CMLL, 1/14) **** 1/4 2) El Satanico, Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero vs Antifaz del Norte, Felino & Tarzan Boy (CMLL, 1/21) **** 3) Tarzan Boy vs Rey Bucanero (CMLL, 1/1) **** 4) Negro Casas, Atlantis & Emilio Charles Jr. vs Bestia Salvaje, Villano III & Fuerza Guerrera (CMLL, 1/28) **** 5) Olimpico, Tony Rivera & Tarzan Boy vs El Satanico, Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero (CMLL, 1/28) *** 3/4 6) Olimpico, Antifaz del Norte & Tarzan Boy vs El Satanico, Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero (CMLL, 1/14) *** 1/4 7) Atlantis, Mr. Niebla & Emilio Charle…

After watching everything on the ballot for 2000, these 11 matches make it to the next phase. (Chronological Order) Mitsuharu Misawa v. Jun Akiyama - AJPW 2/27/2000 Kenta Kobashi v. Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 4/11/2000 Kenta Kobashi v. Takako Omori - AJPW 4/15/2000 Kenta Kobashi v. Yoshihiro Takayama - AJPW 5/26/2000 Shinjiro Ohtani/Tatsuhito Takiawa v. Koji Kanemoto/Minoru Tanaka - NJPW 6/25/2000 Toshiaki Kawada/Genichiro Tenryu v. Stan Hansen/ Taiyo Kea - AJPW 7/23/2000 Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama - NOAH 8/6/2000 Kensuke Sasaki v. Toshiaki Kawada - NJPW 10/9/2000 Toshiaki Kawada v. Genichiro Tenryu - AJPW 10/28/2000 Toshiaki Kawada/Masa Fuchi v. Yuji Nagata/…

Why not? These may not necessarily be the "best" matches or whatever but matches I got the most enjoyment out of, which is why we watch this dumb shit to begin with, am I right? Other than the big names like Misawa, Kawada, and Akiyama, Takehiro Murahama was an easy standout and had one of the best debut years to date. These are just in chronological order. Kensuke Sasaki vs. Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW, 1/4/00) Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Hiroshi Hase (AJPW, 1/9/00) Vader vs. Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 1/23/00) Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 2/27/00) Takehiro Murahama vs. Naohiro Hoshikawa (Osaka Pro, 3/25/00) Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya O…