Everything posted by Timbo Slice
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Billy Robinson
He'll be on my list. One of the best workers of the 1970's, if not the best. The Bock match in 80 is tremendous stuff. Automatic in for me.
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Dusty Rhodes
So is the Texas Outlaws stuff any good? I liked the Superstar feud at MSG and I liked his JCP stuff some of the time, but I think the Texas Outlaws stuff will be the determining factor for me.
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Magnum TA
The I Quit match is the best of its kind and I liked the series with Nikita, but I don't see much else for him. Just as he was starting to get good, he got hurt. Don't think he'll be there at the end.
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Larry Zbyszko
I like Zbysko and he has enough top-end stuff to be considered for my list. He'd be at the bottom of it, but I think he'll be there in the end.
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Michael Hayes
Hayes in 1989 was terrific. In a loaded year worldwide, I probably have him in my Top 10 workers from that year, if not that, Top 20. Great tag wrestler, great brawler, knew how to work a crowd...I really want to find room for him on my list.
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Jumbo Tsuruta
Jumbo's one of my favorites of all time. It took him a while to be a true ace, but when he got there, he really had one hell of a run. One match I hope people check out is his match with Taue vs. Kikcuhi and Kobashi from 1/26/92. A true hidden gem from late in his career. And the 10/24/91 match with Kawada is one of my favorite veteran/up-and-comer matches I've ever seen. Not as good as the two Misawa matches from 1990, but just a notch below them.
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Combat Toyoda
Sorry, got the dates mixed up.
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Manami Toyota
So pre-WWWA championship Toyota is really good in tag matches and against better workers who can reign her in during singles matches. Post-WWWA championship Toyota is perhaps the most frustrating wrestler ever. I'm not sure how much of her later stuff cancels out earlier stuff, but she's not a shoe-in for my list.
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Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
Man, I'd have to search for a way to keep him off my list, I think. I like too much of his work. He'll probably be in my Bottom 10 of my 100.
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Masa Chono
Before injuries felled him, he was a great worker. The 91/92 G-1 matches were fantastic. I don't think he'll make my list, though. Just too much of his career bogged down by the nWo stuff.
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Naoki Sano
Didn't get to see much of his UWF stuff, but the Lyger feud is just sensational. I could see him making a list, but I don't know if he'd make mine.
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Hiroshi Hase
I've heard some say that on work he's better than Chono and Mutoh and I agree to an extent. He was also hurt by booking, but he was also as strong a hand as New Japan had during his heyday. I think he has a chance to make the bottom of my list.
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Shinobu Kandori
So off the top of my head: vs. Hokuto 4/2/93 vs. Kyoko 8/25/93 vs. Hokuto 12/6/93 with Hokuto vs. Bull/Aja 3/27/94 That's only four matches, but one of them is the greatest women's match of all time and the tag match is the best non-Toyota/Yamada vs. Kansai/Ozaki women's tag match of all time, and I think it's worse only than the Dream Rush tag. The second Hokuto match is considered a disappointment because of the first match, but it's still compelling. I might put her at 100 on my list. It's hard for me not to include her with those four matches on her resume, especially those two.
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Great Sasuke
I soured on Sasuke over the years, but he was still enjoyable to watch. Won't be making my list, though.
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Taka Michinoku
Early TAKA was as exciting as it got, but I don't think he has enough over time to make a list like this.
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El Samurai
On the edge for me, but he does have one of Lyger's best matches ever and he has the best match in NJ Juniors history with Ohtani on 1/21/96. He has some REALLY high peaks. In the end, I can see him making the bottom part of my list.
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Devil Masami
I was never really a fan of Devil, but I have some matches on a playlist that I'll get to soon that might change my mind. Think on the joshi side there's just too much ahead of her. I wouldn't be surprised if she was on a few lists, though.
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Chigusa Nagayo
While Lioness had the better later career, I'm not sure it was better than Chig's early stuff. She'll be on my list for sure.
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Lioness Asuka
Overshadowed by Chigusa but was definitely as talented as she was. Prefer her match with Jaguar to the Chig match with Devil on the 8/22/85 show, and I think over time, she ended up being the better wrestler. Liked her a lot more than Chig in GAEA. She should make my list.
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Yuki Ishikawa
Shoe-in for my list. My favorite worker of the BATBAT style. One of the best ass-kickers I've ever seen and he took a beating as good as anyone I've ever seen, too. Top 50 off the top of my head, maybe Top 25, although I wouldn't be surprised if someone put him in their Top 10.
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Daisuke Ikeda
Same thing here with Ikeda like it was with Otsuka. Didn't do much for me in NOAH (Although I know there's a couple random mid-card matches he was in that people liked) but he was just something else in BATBAT. Could see him making my list.
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Alexander Otsuka
Will go back to watch some of the older BattlArts stuff since it's been a while, but I think he merits inclusion if you base this on in-ring work as much as a lot of us are. He was a fantastic wrestler for the style he worked. Has a shot of making my list.
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'Gentleman' Chris Adams
Always a weird one for me. He's good in the ring, but outside of the Austin series, I never really connected with him. Can't see him making my list.
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Giant Baba
I want to find a spot for him on this list but going through who's on it right now, he might be one of the last guys out for me. Loved his stuff as ace and he has one of my all-time favorite tag matches in the RWTL match with Rusher vs. Tenryu and Hansen. Hope I can find a spot for him.
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Dynamite Kansai
She's gotta make the list for me. Obviously the tag series with Ozaki vs. Toyota and Yamada. GREAT matches with Aja. Just all around one of the better joshi wrestlers I ever saw.