Loss
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Everything posted by Loss
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This is the best display of heavyweight offense in a long world title match that I've ever seen. The match is all action from the start, but really settles into a groove when Misawa injures his already padded elbow and gives Kobashi a target. Not sure if it's because I've jumped around in years, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how over Kobashi's arm submissions are as potential finishers. Kobashi's moves and holds to work over the arm are all pretty awesome. The best thing about this match was the shifts in momentum. Every spot that changed the course of the match (Misawa's bump outside that injured his elbow, Kobashi lariat countered by the Misawa elbow, etc) was especially well done. My personal favorite was the spot where Misawa got just enough of an elbow in to block Kobashi's lariat attempt, which started his comeback. That finish of Misawa using the elbow after all the work that was done on it was so perfect in this case, like it was a last-ditch desperation move he was going to give everything he had since he had tried the tiger suplex and tiger driver, and neither was enough to put Kobashi away. I think Kobashi lost the match because he took a risk he didn't need to take. When he attempted the powerbomb from the apron and was countered by Misawa's rana, the match was no longer in his control. Misawa regains the Triple Crown and Kobashi's first reign comes to an end. Fabulous match, and if I see anything that touches this all year, 1997 will be quite a treat.
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Last few minutes. Austin and Funk tear it up. Funk puts on a hell of a show while he's in. Doing a screwjob finish to a Rumble seems lame, but I understand the value in Austin winning and Bret getting screwed to fuel future storylines. Bret has a great tirade after the match -- one of many to come this year.
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FLIK's #5 GAEA match of the year. This was really good, but I felt like Chigusa dragged this match down at times. I usually like her, but she works like she's lost a few steps from her prime, and she is physically awkward in a way I've never seen from her before. She's not really "old" at 32, but she seemed old, if that makes sense. I hated her wiping the floor with Ozaki so much early on, but I changed my tune on that when Oz's team started building some heat later on. I was really glad Ozaki's team won at the end. I was rooting for them the entire time. Ozaki, by the way, is so good it's ridiculous in this match. She's working like a total veteran at this point, but she's young enough that she hasn't lost a step physically either. This isn't her best match by any means, but it may be one of her standout performances. This was my first glimpse at some of the wrestlers who will pop up a lot in future years like Satomura and Nagashima, and they looked really good in this, even if they weren't the focus here. Oz/Satomura is a singles match that seems like it would be good. But one thing that is clear here is that while everyone is fundamentally strong and is playing their part in the overall storyline just fine, Ozaki is the only one that really has her entire act (ringwork and character) down pat. I hope we get to see personalities from some of the younger wrestlers as this set and future sets progress. Here, Ozaki's personality made her head and shoulders above everyone else in the match. I like that they are using the feud between Oz and Chig to let the others rub shoulders with the big names and create a few new stars. Hopefully that continues.
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Short, but action-packed. They mention that the rumors of Goldust being "with child" were off the mark and Vince talks about it being an attempt at humor, which makes me wonder if they cancelled a planned payoff based on outside criticism. Terry Funk runs in and goes after Austin and the ring fills up with all sorts of wrestlers and we have a big brawl. This stuff really makes me want to see a longer Austin/Funk match from around this time.
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"Oh my goodness, Terry Funk is here." -- Vince McMahon's delivery of that is really funny. Austin is on commentary and Funk shows up excited to be in Texas and ready to fight. Funk wants to know what number he's going to be, and says George Bush designated him to represent Texas. He wants to start the Rumble now and asks if he can fight Pettengill, who is understandably not interested. He calls everyone in WCW scum-sucking snakebags and calls Vince McMahon a yankee bastard! He tells Pettengill his mother is a whore! Then he sees Steve Austin and attempts to start a fight. Austin doesn't bite at first, but finally has enough, saying this ain't the Terry Funk Show. Funk slaps him in the ring and they end up in a fight, which is broken up way too quickly for my tastes. Everything about this is awesome.
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Joined in progress with the BWO coming out. Sandman spits beer in Raven's eyes. He can't see. He starts attacking BWO guys then Stevie helps him see. Raven shoves Stevie and Stevie shoves him back. He finally works up the courage to stand up for himself, but Raven ducks and Sandman eats a superkick. They play it ambiguously at this point which side the BWO is on. Stevie does end up superkicking Raven, which pops the crowd in a big way. I don't know much about '97 ECW angles, but Raven/Richards is a feud I could get into. The match continues after the run in, with Raven eating cane shots to the face while tied up in the ropes. The match just sort of ends, and Sandman takes Raven's belt with him. Once again, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed all of this.
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Ricky Morton in ECW! I can't wait! I've never seen someone sell a garbage can shot so much. I think this environment and style of match is beneath him, but it's not like there were plenty of good places for someone like Ricky Morton to work at this point. Rich accidentally decks Morton during the match and then eats the pin. Short, but fun. Morton was a little upset at Rich over the punch and the two ended up in a bloody brawl. Joey Styles even called it Southern style (*roll eyes*). Rich got a cheap win with his feet on the ropes. I wasn't expecting a lot, but I was hoping for a lot. If I want to see Ricky Morton do his thing, I should probably just watch JCP.
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Return match. The last match had Regal shoving the referee out of desperation, keeping his title on a DQ. Psicosis does an incredible wristlock counter that I've never seen and Regal throws some wild punches and a dropkick! About as good as a sub-5 minute match can be. Psicosis made a career out of playing catcher for Rey, but what this match shows me is that he could have done so much more in the U.S. I still like the idea of him teaming with Juventud Guerrera. Anyway, check this out.
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I think Luger was taken out early because people were suspecting him as the third man. Luger making his triumphant return at the end of the match, only to turn, would have fit the storyline with Sting that had been building for months, and also seems like something WCW would have booked at the time.
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I just think from a kayfabe perspective, the only difference between that style and pro wrestling is the rules.
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I'm surprised by this. How did the Apter mags define it?
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Big ratings ploy. They started the match with about two minutes of airtime left. The same night, TNT was debuting a new Robin Hood series. They told viewers they would continue to air the match during commercial breaks of Robin Hood, in an attempt to drive up Robin Hood ratings. They made the match seem like it lasted 45 minutes through all the breaks even though it was only a five minute match. Tony Schiavone kept calling it and saying it was happening in real time. They never did that again after lots of fan complaints, and the WWF poked fun at them for a while too.
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Replay of the top rope powerbomb on Flanagan in the tag earlier in the show. The announcers tell us he has a neck injury, then show PG-13 giving Flanagan a spike piledriver and continuing to attack them after the match. A mysterious woman shows up and hands them a cane, and the announcers have learned that she is Wolfie D's mother. Can Memphis be any more awesome, even as a dying town? Now, PG-13 are out with Reggie B. Fine (billed as Kareem Olajuwon) to celebrate winning the tag titles earlier in the show. Jamie Dundee gets personal, telling Bill the day he walked out on his mom is the day Bill lost his son. The Memphis version of the Nation of Domination is far superior to the WWF version.
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Nice old school studio tag match, and while 1997 has other great things going for it, I don't expect to see too many more matches, if any, like this in 1997. Another good example of what you get from a heel PG-13 with their typical style of doing standard Southern tag finishes as false finishes. Good stuff.
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The infamous Robin Hood match. As much as I would have loved to have included the entire episode of Robin Hood, that's a lot of real estate on a yearbook. A fan throws a rubber chicken at Hogan on his way to the ring! Hogan decides to play Lawler and do some stalling on the mic at the start of the match. Hogan selling the bodyslam in his sunglasses is awesome. Everyone knows the story with this match, right?
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