Superstar Sleeze

I agree and should have phrased that better. However, if the commentary pointed to that (it might have; I don't speak Japanese) it is still just one interpretation. We have to call them as we see it.

Russian Daydream, If you pay attention really closely they actually both roll through those DDT attempts and I don't think them as much as no sells as there was no impact. It is one of those "Did the move hit or not?" spots that can really go either way. One of those times that either knowing Japanese or English commentary would be helpful. I noticed the "super-enthusiastic girls" too! They looked like they were having the time of their lives. AJPW Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue - AJPW 9/11/98 Kobashi is so versatile. We see him work great underneath against Kawada and Akiyama and now as champion he works so well on top against Taue. This is not easy for any wrestler to do especially still maintain babyface status. Really well-worked Clash of Titans match everything was built around bombs and EARNING those bombs. Taue is the only Pillar that can match Kobashi in the power game due to his sheer size. He works a great headlock and it is very hard for Kobashi to escape. Taue goes for NODOWA~! early, but Kobashi freaks out and hits a big spinning back chop and then a delayed vertical suplex. I love that Taue is looking for the win early this freaks Kobashi out and motivates him into action. Kobashi works through his awesome, basic opening match offense and now he is ready to go for his bomb, the powerbomb. Taue is now pressed into action and takes a page out of his partner's book with a big spinning heel kick that wipes out Kobashi. AIR TAUE!!! So clumsy and so awesome! Taue using a lot of dropkicks to inflict damage and keep Kobashi off balance. Kobashi tries to escape to the apron. Bad idea as Taue is the greatest apron worker of all time. He wants the death blow: Nodowa From The Apron. Kobashi is like HELL NO! DDT on apron, but as he climbs the top rope Taue meets him and wants the Nodowa from the top to the floor (That would be the ultimate holy shit moment) Kobashi hits a spinning back chop and then a Powerbomb on the floor for his big bomb. He is the first to score. That transition took roughly 2.5 minutes. It made that Powerbomb feel so much more important. I thought Kobashi did a great job working through suplexes with struggle, another powerbomb before moving to the moonsault and again Taue is spurred into action to save himself and hits a Tenryu enziguiri as he scales the ropes. Taue clobbers Kobashi with a big kick to the head. Kobashi's great selling actually gets this over as a big nearfall. Seriously that move should have been a nearfall with no heat but Kobashi makes the spot. Greatest. Wrestler. Ever. TAUE HITS THE NODOWA FROM THE APRON TO THE FLOOR!!! If this was 1995, that would be a death knell for Kobashi and we would be seeing a new champion. NODOWA~! HUGE KOBASHI CHANTS!!! The Women in the front row are losing their minds. DYNAMIC BOMB~! Kick out. Yep, Taue is toast. Taue wants a running kick or something but if you give Kobashi an inch then he will take a mile and it is a Lariat. However, Taue is up first! To quote The Body "That's just depressing as hell." NODOWA/LEGSWEEP COMBO!!! LOVE IT! I liked how Taue looks progressively more and more fatigued with his sumo slaps. Taue misses the big boot in the corner. All Japan & modern wrestling in general needs more missed moves as transitions. Big fight breaks out and Kobashi wins with a Big Lariat. KOBASHI PUMPS THE FISTS! MOONSAULT~! Only two! BURNING LARIAT~! WOMEN LOSE THEIR MIND! 1-2-3!!! Right up there with their 2004 GHC classic. The women in the front row having the time of their lives makes this match. Loved Kobashi being able to work so strong for the first 15 minutes and then play that classic underdog babyface that he does so well. Every bomb is earned. At first both try, but that spurs the other into action. Until finally the NODOWA FROM THE APRON HITS! now Kobashi has to come from behind and he shows resilience and it is not just one Lariat but he has to fight through Taue's offense to the bitter end before winning. Excellent match. ****1/2

Jun Akiyama vs Yoshinari Ogawa - AJPW 9/11/98 Just rewatched this and this fun as fuck. Don't usually describe AJPW in the 90s as fun, but this was wicked fun. Budokan was totally 100% behind the Rat Boy Cinderella as he Lied, Cheated, Stole their hearts. The DDT at the beginning got a massive pop and when Akiyama rammed his shoulder into the post the crowd was cheering. Surreal. Ogawa did a great job working some nifty submissions and outsmarted Akiyama on a drop down sequence. You know how I know he pointed to his head. Akiyama had enough of this bullshit and just throwing elbows and murdered him with a high knee. Rat Boy never says die and hits a freaking superplex and then a fucking TIGER DRIVER! The crowd loses their shit! Just starts chanting Ogawa! He was having so much fun. Nice cradle back drop driver and he cant believe he did not get three. Akiyama fires up off Ogawa punches, but cant get Exploder and we get a barrage of Ogawa cradles including the jackknife pin that won him the six-man. This was a super hot sequence! Of course, Akiyama finally wrangles him in and DESTROYS RAT BOY WITH EXPLODERS. Awesome, fun match. A great fucking way to spend 12 minutes of your life. Both wrestlers played their characters to a tee and the Budokan was AWESOME! ****1/4

I thought about this some more and I agree with Stacey this more of an outstanding individual performance than a great match. Like if this was cinema, AJ Styles would be nominated for best actor, but the movie itself would not fare well. Still I feel the match should be rewarded. So I retract 5 stars and will downgrade to ****1/2, but I am glad I overreacted and got you all to watch. It was a fun conversation. We should do it again sometime!

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 7/24/98 I love that even something as well-defined as the All Japan canon can still be re-evaluated and hidden gems found. Before the release of the 98 yearbook in 2014, I had never heard this match discussed in the same breath as Kobashi/Kawada from this year or as an All Japan classic. Watching it now, I definitely it belongs in the same class as the other All Japan epics. At the Champions Carnival 98 Akiyama developed a penchant for attacking the knees of his opponent and with Kobashi having one of his knees heavily taped, you know this will come into play as soon as the first dragon leg screw is attempted within the first five minutes. Akiyama is aggressive as fuck in this match. The beginning is pure intensity. He just elbowing through everything. Kobashi is fighting back, but Akiyama just keeps coming and coming with those vicious elbows. Kobashi tries his old tricks to slow it down like going to the test of strength, but even there Akiyama eventually gets back to the elbows. Akiyama hits a MONSTER HIGH KNEE to the side of Kobashi's head and Kobashi sells it like death. What is interesting about the beginning is that Akiyama fights so hard to get control, but then does not seem to know how to follow it up. Twice, he goes for chinlocks and both times Kobashi powers out and regains the control. The second time, Akiyama decides this is no time to fuck around and dropkicks the knee. I love the initial struggle to hit the second dragon leg screw attempt with Kobashi desperately chopping Akiyama's neck, but it is to no avail as Akiyama wrenches the knee. Kobashi's fire up after this is fucking so invigorating. I was tired going into this match from a day of hiking and swimming in Greece. Watching Kobashi fire up, fired me up! Kobashi knows his only chance to try to finish this match quickly so they trade big suplexes and then on the outside Kobashi kills Akiyama dead with a half nelson suplex. Akiyama is doing a great dead weight sell. Crisis averted. Kobashi nails a DDT, typically great Akiyama sell. Kobashi's bum wheel prevents the first powerbomb attempt, but he is fucking Kobashi so bites the bullet THROWS AKIYAMA DOWN! He cant capitalize and Akiyama rolls to the apron. Kobashi gives pursuit. Then in what appears to be the turning point of the match, Akiyama whips Kobashi off the apron by the knee. OW! Just like that Kobashi looks like dead meat. Akiyama is able to take his time stalking his prey delivering damage to the knee and while also regaining strength. Kobashi crawling away on all fours in the ring in desperation to get away from Akiyama only to be dropkicked in the knee is why I love pro wrestling! Great figure-4 and then Scorpion Deathlock. The transition here is pretty weak. Others have lamented the half-nelson suplex transition (could be seen as pop-up, no sell) and even the dragon leg screw (overreliance on apron spots), but to me those totally fit in the match. The first one was all about crisis management and the second one was Kobashi giving pursuit and basically falling into a trap. This one is that Akiyama basically had Kobashi dead to rights, but the ref told Akiyama to get off Kobashi, BUT he did not submit. He just wanted to check on him, which is pretty bullshit. Kobashi is able to hit a wicked, desperation lariat that knocks the wind out of Akiyama. They both sell for like a minute. Love they milked that spot. Kobashi using the ropes to stand and hobble over and then hold himself up while violently chopping Akiyama down is why I love pro wrestling. Kobashi definitely gives an all-time selling performance. First it is the freak out about the attempted attack, then it is the selling of the attack and finally it is fighting through the pain. I am lapping this all up. This is a great reminder why I chose him as the greatest wrestler ever. He is teeing off on Akiyama with knife edge chops to the head. Half nelson suplex...Akiyama back kicks the bad knee!!! Fuck yeah! Akiyama lunges and chop blocks the bad knee as Kobashi is trying to get up using the ropes. He hoists Kobashi on his shoulder and drive the knee into the top turnbuckle to set up the big elbow to back of the neck for two. He signals for an Exploder, gets the first, dropkick to knee and second is unsuccessful. The Budokan is RUMBLING! It is back to the figure-4 smart strategy. Akiyama is giving an all time great offensive performance in his laser focus on the knee. This reminds me a lot of his all-time great performance in the Misawa 2000 match where he was laser focused on the neck. He give sup on figure-4, not my favorite. BRAINBUSTER!!! Only two. Yep he is cooked. He goes for the cover again. Don't like his chances. Kobashi blocks Wrist-Clutch Exploder and as he is on his way down he clubs him in the back of the head. Kobashi needs a Hail Mary. Exploder->Pop Up Lariat. Ok, that was unnecessary and worthy of lamentation. Kobashi sells the knee like a champ and "KO-BASH-I" rings throughout the Budokan. He uses the ropes to hold himself up and applies the sleeper smart move for a man with a bum wheel OH SLEEPER SUPLEX!!! LARIAOTO! 1-2-KICKOUT! BURNING LARIAT MURDERS AKIYAMA WHERE HE STANDS! I was not really much of a fan of the Kobashi/Akiyama pairing in NOAH. The matches were epics and were great just not my favorites. Hands down the best match they have ever had in my opinion. Loved the dragon leg screw and back kick on half nelson suplex as transitions. Akiyama's offense was killer. Kobashi's selling was sublime. The issue was getting Kobashi back on offense. The ref thing was bullshit and the pop-up Lariat was All Japan excess. Enough to keep from that upper echeleon of AJPW classics, but still one of the classics and superb performance from both wrestlers. ****3/4

Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka - RINGS 8/24/96 So this is RINGS, human pretzel making. A sick part of me wishes Uncle Eric brought in these dudes to WCW so I could hear Tony, Dusty & Bobby call the action. Dusty would say "uncle" and "uncler" so much. Han gets the coolest, most organic figure-4 you will ever see from a standing half guard. Yep, believe the hype brutha, Volk Han is legit. Thought the escapes from Kojsaka on the figure-4 and cross arm breaker were too easy. Then they started using rope breaks which I liked better. Han lets Kohsaka take him down and grabs a double wrist lock. The double wrist lock seems to be the base for everything. In kayfabe, it seems like Han is being presented as the better wrestler. I hate the bundle of legs dueling submission as a spot no matter what. Han drops down with a rear naked choke and Kohsaka comes up with a sick counter of basically an inverted deadlock on the legs. I marked out and Kohsaka has a renewed sense of confidence. That felt like a big moment where the momentum could have shifted to Kohsaka. He grabbed a rolling leg takedown but in the pretzel he created he left his arm exposed and Han grabbed hyperextended it and since Kohsaka was in pretzel of his own creation he had no escape and was forced to tap. Even though I haven't watched much shoot style I gobble it up with a spoon when I do. It was exciting to see my first Volk Han match thought he lived up to the hype. Definitely some mark out moments like the figure-4 and just some of those wrist lock grabs and chains. The counter to the choke by Kohsaka was my favorite spot felt electric and like everything was going to go his way, but then he taps in his own trap! Thought some escapes were little too easy in the beginning and in shoot style I like narratives of contrasting styles didn't feel that here. It was an incredible display of grappling wizardry. ****1/2

Rewatched this today and have not much to add to my original review, but I liked that Kobashi basically controlled the first ten minutes with his macho tactics (test of strength, strike exchanges), but that the champion ultimately got the best of him with a lariat. For the rest of the match Kawada wrestled like he was Ali, no body shots, everything was directed at Kobashi's head. This felt more American with the very extended heat segment by Kawada on Kobashi. After the powerbombs and back drop driver, you can feel Kawada running out of steam and the Kobashi train ready to pick up. Some really great selling by Kobashi just to plant a seed of doubt. I liked the desperation Kawada at the end trying to kick Kobashi's arm off, running around to escape, throwing wild kicks to head. This is the ultimate "NOT AGAIN" match. Gets the monkey off his back beating Misawa a month prior in the Dome, only to open a big lead against Kobashi here and choke. I was kinda not feeling wrestling when I first watched this (I was forcing myself to watch) that is the only explanation for the low ball rating. Don't think it is 5 star transcendent, but it is an incredibly gripping, interesting and dramatic story. ****3/4

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW Tokyo Dome 5/1/98 It has been about a decade since I saw this. With the advent of Youtube in 2006, the Misawa/Kawada rivalry was one of the first things that grabbed me. For all those that argue that story of All Japan should be told through the eyes of Kawada this is validation and for their hero vindication for being the ultimate choke artist. On the main event of the first AJPW dome show with the Four Corners at the forefront, Baba booked Misawa vs Kawada not Misawa vs Kobashi and it was Kawada FINALLY scoring the pinfall victory over his archrival in a Triple Crown match that was the story of the Dome show. I was unaware going into this match that Misawa was very badly injured. It explains the sluggishness of the match and why a lot of the match did not really stick with me on first viewing. Kawada kicks the leg of Misawa at the beginning and Misawa fired off some kicks of his own, but he still sold his leg. This told me something was up I thought it was due to the Akiyama match, but perhaps he was nursing an injured leg. I would say Misawa was generally in control of the beginning and had an answer for everyone of Kawada's shots and ultimately hitting his massive suicide dive elbow to the outside. Kawada turned the tide with his trademark close range spinning heel kick. I loved Kawada quick follow ups anytime Misawa looked poised to make a comeback, he would fire off a big kick to the face. He seemed more tempered in this match and only became urgent when he felt like it may slip away. This is not a bad narrative to cover up the sluggishness due to Misawa's injuries. Misawa mounts his first comeback with his elbows. He looks for the Tiger Suplex that won him the match at 6/3/94, but Kawada gets to the ropes and finally kicks the bad knee of Misawa. I like that Kawada felt he was in danger and finally pulled out trump which was attacking the bad wheel. Great knee work single leg crab, figure-4 good struggle over the holds and great Misawa selling, facially and verbally. Given his health, this was the best and smartest work until the finish sequence as it required little movement, but created big drama. Misawa ELBOWS THROUGH A BLOCK! I love that shit. Misawa is obsessed with the Tiger Suplex, big elbow to the back of the nexk and finally hoists him over for two. Misawa goes to block an enziguiri and hurts his arm. Damn, he can win. Elbows, but wrings his arm out. I wonder if Kawada notices. He kicks Misawa's arm off and then tries a cross armbreaker. He noticed. I didn't feel like the cross armbreaker was being respected here. Misawa elbows, but his arm is shot and now he cant follow up. Now he is moving onto the Tiger Driver nice backdrop, pinfall, reverse Tiger Driver sequence. Kawada blocks elbow and Misawa's elbow is very damaged. This is something Kawada has tried to do for five years, finally destroy Misawa's base, his elbow. Misawa fires off a couple suplexes for two. Without his elbow, can Misawa finish off Kawada? Kappo Kick by Kawada and Enziguiri right on the forehead swings the momentum in Kawada's favor. Misawa backdrops out of first powerbomb, big lariat and throws him on German, enziguiri. Misawa not stirring. Kappo Kick to the head, headrop German and enziguiri. Kawada is just repeating headshots to lead to Brainbuster! Powerbomb struggle this is the story of Misawa/Kawada right here. He drops him down for two and then powerbomb again and THROWS HIM DOWN FOR THREE!!!! KAWADA WINS! KAWADA WINS! KAWADA WINS! The finish is the best part. Even if Misawa and Kobashi have surpassed Kawada as my favorites, you cant help but rooting for Wile E. Coyote and his neverending quest to get the Roadrunner. He finally did it here. Good for him! The last 15 minutes are great, but the first 15 are pretty passé. Once Kawada kicks Misawa in the leg because he is scared of the Tiger Suplex, I thought this picked up. It never felt like that super epic AJPW match nor did tell this great narrative within the match, but it was a strong episode in the greater Misawa/Kawada story. Kawada finally achieves damaging Misawa's elbow almost by accident. Misawa just wanted to block a kick and from there his arm is shot. Misawa never really recovers, which shows Kawada's strategy was right all along he just needed executed it this well. Between his elbow gone and other injuries, Kawada goes in for kill with a barrage of shots to the head, every kick, throw is targeted at knocking Misawa out. Great finish. The Loveable Loser is the Champion! ****

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 4/18/98 Much better than their January match. Far more energetic. Akiyama looks to start off hot like in January, but Misawa comes roaring back with elbows, no selling every vicious shot to say he is here to win as much as Akiyama. He even gets the Tiger Driver early. Akiyama powders which seems smart as Misawa is raring to go, which is unusual given his penchant for slow starts, extended comebacks. However, as pointed out, he is not the champion in this match as it is a Carny final so he needs to win. Akiyama hits a Northern Lights Suplex on outside and big diving elbow from top to outside. On an Exploder attempt, Misawa kicks off apron to crush Akiyama's ribs into the railing. Really nice counter. Misawa's control is pretty straightforward, he lays everything in and front facelock. Match picks back up again when Akiyama catches Misawa with a dragon leg screw off the top. The first move Akiyama tried in this match was a dragon leg screw so he definitely came in with a game plan coming off the big Kobashi draw. You don't see Misawa's legs targeted too often. Thought this was a great mix of selling from Misawa and work by Akiyama. Suplex struggle turns into a dropkick to the knee by Akiyama cements his control, good work on outside before transitioning into the inside working holds. Akiyama tries the dragon leg screw from the top but Misawa counters with a missile dropkick to the face! Right on the button! Misawa works the front facelock and Akiyama is able to get back to the leg to turn the tide. In return for the missile dropkick, Akiyama rides Misawa's face down with the knee. Here comes the big finish run for Akiyama: Spike Pedigree, top rope diving elbow to back of head, reverse powerbomb quick snap German, takes out knee, Exploder only gets two. The knee work has served Akiyama well and he is getting in position to hit multiple Exploders, but it just does not feel like he something that would fell Misawa. He comes rushing in for that trademark high knee in the corner, but is met by an elbow. Couple absolutely wicked Germans (Akiyama takes them and sells them well) and Misawa does a great job registering the previous damage but moving on. The Tiger Suplex which defeated Kawada at 6/3/94 is now just a nearfall move before the Tiger Driver, weird. Misawa is really flicking the sweat from his eyes. Akiyama's brainbuster is his last stand. Akiyama goes for Exploder, his one bomb, but Misawa hits a massive elbow combination (Roaring, Spinning Back, Roaring) and a sweet Kappo Kick before the blowaway elbow wins it for the Man. The decline of Misawa is already evident at this point to me. He still has plenty of classics left in him and his matches are great, but he is missing that spark in his control segments. He has it in the finish runs. His selling is still top notch. This felt routine but with good energy. Strong beginning, lull (Misawa control) until the hook of the knee attack by Akiyama, lull (Misawa control), finish stretch. One of those this would be great for everyone else, but for All Japan this gets lost in the pack. ****1/4

Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 4/11/98 Kobashi, my man, welcome back to my life! He totally dominates the first ten minutes as he should because he is the greatest offensive wrestler in history and he proves in these ten minutes. I liked the early blocks from each man. Kobashi blocking the knee and Akiyama blocking the chop. Kobashi getting Akiyama to fall for the test of strength only for Akiyama to outmaneuver him was great. The rest was all Kobashi as he landed the first heavy blow in the form of big chops. He threw some heavy hands with great sound. Those running kneelifts were awesome and so was the Russian Legsweep. He crossfaces Akiyama ferociously and then hits a picture perfect delayed vertical. Boston Crab that looks great with plenty of struggle and back to crossface in ab stretch. Kobashi looks to run away with this, will Akiyama make a comeback or is he just all hype? Well you knew things were going to break Akiyama's way. Kobashi is perched on top and Akiyama dragon leg screws him from the top. Kobashi sells like his knee has been blown out. I realized how much I missed having Kobashi in my life. Absolutely great knee control segment. Awesome selling by Kobahsi, Akiyama always going to knee for cutoff anytime Kobashi tries to chop his way out of trouble. Good use of Texas Cloverleaf. Kobashi able to block a high knee in corner by throwing him down and then hotshotting him. Kobashi looks to headdrop his way to victory with two awesome DDTs made awesome by Akiyama selling and a Dragon Suplex. Goes for killshot with moonsault, but Akiyama dragon leg screws him off. Awesome! Great work on the knee again kneecrusher, dropkick that sets up some big time Germans and elbow to the back of the head. Akiyama has successfully come from behind and made the most of his opportunity will he get the biggest singles win of his career or will the fighting spirit of Kenta Kobashi prevail! Love the work into the Exploders. Kobashi grabs ropes, then armdrag out then tries spinning back chop and then Akiyama finally hits Exploder that's great wrestling. Big high knee sets up Second Exploder only gets two. Third Exploder and Kobashi elbow and nice STO takedown to stymie Akiyama. Kobashi gets the half nelson suplex and gets a second one for a big two count. Anybody's ball game right now! Loved the struggle over the powerbomb Kobashi really struggled hard. He threw Akiyama down. Akiyama has been taking Kobashi's offense like a champ. Kobashi wants the lariat badly, but Akiyama looks for the Exploder. Kobashi hits a DDT and then this absolutely sick Vertical Suplex into Powerbomb! ALL HAIL KOBASHI THE GOD KING OF OFFENSE! As time is winding down, Kobashi wants the moonsault, but Akiyama rolls away and the crowd audibly groans. Akiyama begins kicking the knee just to survive, they work one more half nelson suplex as a nearfall before time limit expires. Big time draw for Akiyama to show his growth. Much like Kobashi drawing Kawada in the mid-90s. Akiyama is gradually working his way the top. Kobashi worked really strong here with great offense and selling. Thought Akiyama ate Kobashi's offense like a champ and when it came time to work the knee he did a great job. Thought the finish sequence was exciting, lots of struggle and drama down the stretch. Not an all-time All Japan classic, but definitely one of the mid-tier, under the radar ones worth checking out. ****1/4

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 1/26/98 Pretty standard Misawa fare here, but I did think Akiyama gave an urgent performance. This was the biggest match of his career up until that point and he wrestled like it was . Given that he was a young challenger you expected a hot opening flurry and that's what you see. He blitzes Misawa with a wicked high knee. He wants the Exploder immediately. Misawa uses the elbow to create space, but Akiyama dropkicks him off the top rope and hits a tombstone on the outside. Hey is this where Okada got it from. I will say as much as I don't like Okada, he does a better job using these spots as transitions and letting them have weight. Akiyama settles into a neck control segment, which is usually his bread and butter, but it is kinda boring. Misawa hits a wicked spinning back elbow that is just an inch or two higher would have hit Akiyama in the Adam's Apple. I thought Misawa's kicks looked a lot better than they usually do. Akiyama's transition is a pretty weak modified slam. It is gets very 1998 round this part with Akiyama throwing out all sorts of suplexes, Pedigrees, Rolling Germans, Misawa dumps him over the top. Hits a beautiful diving elbow. Then in a moment when I realized how much I missed Misawa, he does his characteristic wipe the sweat from his brow with one finger like a windshield wiper. I remember how much I like him and missed him being in my life. He then hits a senton and a wicked plancha on Akiyama still laying prone on outside. I love when people use their body weight as a weapon. Best sequence of the match. Misawa is totally in cruise control. Akiyama grabs a dragon leg screw. Here come the headrops and the finish stretch. I will say the reverse powerbomb where Misawa catches the turnbuckle was a very nasty spot and that with awesome high knee and Exploders felt very exciting. Akiyama sold it well as his big moment. He does the Angle climb the ropes and suplex him off the top. This is avant-garde for the time since most of the wrestlers that rip him off hadn't done it at the time, but feels played out in 2016. Brainbuster is his big hope spot. I really like Misawa going a cartwheel on his elbows to avoid an Exploder and ROARING ELBOW~! Probably should have been the finish, but it is All Japan. Some really fierce elbows that really, really should have been the finish. Emerald Flowsion finishes it. Definitely not a match that was befitting of an Emerald Flowsion finish. Standard Misawa is at least very good and Akiyama did make the beginning and end feel very important. Not even close to their 2000 classic. Disappointing for these two, great for anyone else. ***3/4

People can have tragic pasts and still enjoy life ya know. They don't have to be sad and mopey. I don't think Vince is forcing him. He geniunely likes to dance. Just like I do. He does not have to be Eeyore out there! Swann was way more hard hitting than I expected. Cedric is such a fucking badass. Sells like a champ and such a sweet punch. My pick to be the breakout star. Loved both!

Did Ke$ha make the list? Otherwise the entire thing is a sham.

AJ Styles vs Kurt Angle - TNA Sacrifice 2012 Cant sleep so lets watch another AJ match. I am skipping March PPV because Mr. Anderson is AJ's tag partner against Daniels & Kaz. I am skipping April PPV because it is a Lethal Lockdown featuring the Bischoffs. I am not too excited for this match either as I generally dislike this pairing, but I did enjoy their match at Slammiversary 2013, which I was live for. I would say this is probably the best match I have seen between these two until I rewatch the Slammiversary match. Angle is just absolutely horrid at transitions. Transitions are really important to me and he is just the dirt worst. AJ actually created his own transitions just to make this match watchable. Probably the reason I thought this was their best match is because it was just a routine, standard match so there was no chance for Angle to royally screw up a storyline. Basically, AJ does the dumb thing of trying to best Angle, an Olympic Gold Medalist or is it dumb? Angle gives AJ as to say go ahead try to take me down so when Angle goes to squash it, AJ kicks him in the head. The beginning of the match actually does a pretty cool story. It is AJ's pro wrestling against Angle's amateur style. Angle is able to take AJ down at will and use his superior grip strength to control. However, whenever AJ is in trouble he does the old pro wrestling standby of punch someone in the face. They don't teach you that at the Olympics, Kurt! I loved how Aj was always shortening the distance between him and Kurt with dropkicks and punches. He totally decks Angle right in the face. It feels like AJ is wrestling very heelish but it is compelling. Angle is totally useless at selling any of this. Angle throws AJ with a high overhead belly to belly and is quite impressed with the tilt a whirl backbreaker AJ feeds him. Then it is snoozefest ville with Angle working lame holds. AJ hits a beautiful punch for a hope spot, but Angle barely even registers. You are horrible! They both his crossbodies at the same time. AJ is up first and mounts a comeback. Two Phenomenal Forearms, one to the floor, but he really hurts his back. This is what I mean by creating your own transition as he sells the hell out of it. Angle ignores and instead sets up for his run up the ropes belly to belly suplex, which does not even look that good this time. The finish stretch is fine it is Styles Clashes (by both men), Angle Slams and there it is entertaining. AJ fucks up a Springboard 450, which becomes a Springboard 270. Which was actually quite impactful. Daniels and Kaz interfere. Angle Slam->2 and Anglelock with grapevine taps AJ out. But hey Angle the Good Samaritan that he is saves AJ from Daniels & Kaz. AJ looked good. Liked the beginning a lot. Once Angle took over, it got pretty boring. Finish stretch was pretty standard stuff. Hard to have a bad match with AJ, more boring than bad. Still enough good to be considered a good match. ***

Don't worry, I am not going to make everyone watch this match. AJ Styles vs Kazarian - TNA Against All Odds 2012 It is my least favorite storyline, wrestler A forces wrestler B to wrestle wrestler C against his will. Why should Kaz be reluctant to wrestle AJ? The objective of wrestling is not to hurt your opponent just pin or submit him. If you respect someone, just wrestle a clean match. It is the stupidest storyline in wrestling. Lets try to get past that. Oh by the way, Daniels is back from his pathetic exit at Bound for Glory and he is forcing Kaz to wrestle AJ because he has something on him. Eventually Kaz just joins him outright and this becomes the Claire Lynch saga. Cant say Im too excited for that, but hey I just watch PPV matches for a reason! The beginning of the match is by far the best part. AJ wrestles like a man possessed. He sets the tone that he is pissed at Kaz & Daniels. He rips Kaz's shirt (it is a Fallen Angel shirt) right off his body. Credit where it is due, Daniels gets a ton of heat throughout this match (lots of Daniels Sucks chants throughout). AJ wrestles this like a blood feud match, snug headlock, chucks Kaz, always has a mean glare towards Daniels and then will rifle Kaz with a stiff shot. Kaz needs to wake the fuck up because he is in a fight. Kaz is actually really good at bumping and selling for AJ. His offense later on is way too 2000s for me (everything is "modified"), but taking moves he is quite good. Actually his best spot went nowhere, which was a same. AJ charged into the corner and Kaz floated over, but on his way down he grabbed AJ's chin and yanked him down. It was very violent and sudden! Should have been the transition, but alas AJ made a quick comeback. The real transition to heat was a MONSTER MONKEY FLIP! AJ GOT SOME SERIOUS AIR! I thought Kaz's gutwrench looked good really threw him down, but he kinds ran out of stuff to do. Once AJ started his comeback via forearms, I thought they had a hard time moving to the next level. Just lots of move trading. Stuff like Kaz hitting a big time DDT on the apron, only to then to slingshot AJ in to hit a Diamond Cutter and neither move finishes him. It did not feel like the moves had weight. I will say the actual finish was fucking awesome. AJ is ready to hit the springboard forearm. He gets on the ropes, hesitates, and hits a fucking moonsault on Daniels. HOLY SHIT! One of the coolest, most athletic things I have ever seen. Totally had me faked out. The balance that takes and mental concentration is phenomenal (literally the first word that came into my head). Daniels selling of this top notch. Styles gets a modicum of revenge, but because he took his eye off the prize it leaves him prone to Fade To Black. I liked the finish a lot. AJ gets to look good by getting one up on Daniels physically, but it costs him the match so everyone looks good. The beginning of the match was really strong, but they just kinda trade moves in the middle. That moonsault was pretty nutty. I say it was probably 3.5, but damn that moonsault was so awesome so lets go ***3/4.

If people love Glorious so much, there is a whole genre called Power Metal and it is GLORIOUS! I had not heard this until both Matt & Stacey brought it up. Yeah that sounds like the best Iced Earth, Stratovarius song ever. Whats funny is between Ascension (best Morbid Angel/Death Metal song ever), Seth Rollins (best Slipknot/Metalcore song ever), Jim Johnston has to be the greatest heavy metal song producer of the 2010s. If you throw in Shawn Michaels' theme (Johnston did that right?), that is a legit great Glam Metal song. He should have done a Black Metal song for the Stinger. I want to thank everyone for watching. Stacey, I see your point and I think this is not a match that is supposed to stir a great deal of emotion in you. I think AJ was keeping everything alive but completely dying and the Roode shoulder injury was enough to keep the match close. If the TNA fans were not stupid idiots and were rabid for AJ to win, I think it would be a better match. They are invested in the highspots. not characters. Matt, I think you are a little harsh on the outset. AJ comes into the match with a bum knee, he is doing what he can to protect it, but at the end of the day he does have to try to win the match. He is saving himself by not giving chase to Roode and by using the side headlock. Still he has to do shouldertackles, which he sells the knee and he needs to bring it to Roode, fighting through the pain. I think we agree for the most part on the latter stages. I think I was a little more into the selling performance than you but we agree it was a consistent narrative. I think it is a difficult, challenging and jarring match to watch because it is very different than typical pro wrestling. It does not build to righteous babyface fury. In fact it is incredibly anti-climatic. But given the context of the match, I don't think it could. AJ was too hurt to ever really gives us that performance. There were highspots like Springboard 450 and the righteous fury after the cheap win, but they were all he could give due to his knee. I don't think there are too many pro wrestling matches structured this way. I think it is another reason to watch it because at the very least it is unique.

Hey Yo Mr. Matt D, watch the match! We need to know your hot take on this nearly 5 year old match that is causing quite the stir!

I 100% agree with you about the lack of heat. I think it is directly correlated to the match they worked which was radically different than typical TNA match at the time. A match completely based around selling and taking what the match gave you RATHER THAN working through your moveset and hitting highspots. They did not know how to react because they only react for highspots not for the characters themselves. This was a character driven match. If you put a lot of stock in heat like a Kelly Nelson, then this match will not do much for you. I think heat can add to a match, but I think if they play to crickets, but I am hot for it then I still will give it a high rating. I see your point the finish is anti-climatic. I would have put the cheap Roode pinfall to tie at about the one minute mark. I think those are your strongest points. I think I did get so caught up in the uniqueness of the match that I may have overrated it. I will watch it again. Don't see myself going below 4.5, but 4.75 is probably more appropriate given the fact they did not really build to a fever pitch.

Parv it is like we watched two different matches. GOTNW, I would love for you to give this a look see when you get a chance.

TOTALLY DISAGREE!!! The selling here was off the charts! He started selling before the chop block. He was selling as early as the drop toehold within one minute of the opening bell. Did you notice how he landed on his back on a kick out from the headscissors to avoid landing on the injured leg! Did you notice how he clamped on a front chancery to avoid Roode decimating the leg early? Did you notice he could not even run properly at all in this match? DO YOU THINK THAT IS HOW AJ STYLES TYPICALLY RUNS??? He ran like that to sell the knee! Once the knee clips happens, he is fighting back because he does not want to die. He is actually selling rather than dying, which makes the comeback credible. None of his three falls came from bursts of energy. Fall #1: Kicks Roode off with good leg causing shoulder injury. That "Rock Bottom type move" was a Single Arm DDT which he landed completely on his back totally avoiding landing on his legs. Then he rolled over in pain to get the crossface. Fall #2: AJ taking advantage of Roode injuring his own arm when he went for an ill-advised clothesline. Hardly, a burst of energy! Fall #3: HE LANDS ON ONE FOOT ON THE TURNBUCKLES AND THEN LANDS ON ONE FOOT TO DO A QUEBRADA ALL IN THE NAME OF SELLING!!! Look at his face when he is about to Springboard 450 that's the look of a man that knows this is going to hurt like Holy Hell, but damnit winning the match means that much more to him. There is NO stop-start selling of the leg. He is literally selling the leg the whole time! Steamboat and Savage sell the leg in very dramatic fashion. This was a very realistic style of selling. Watch his face, watch how he moves in every punch and every chop, there is always a wince and there is always a sense that he has to fight through it.

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles - TNA Final Resolution 2011 30 Minute Iron Man The video package before the match was fantastic. I loved Roode's parents condemning Roode's actions and that they did not raise their child to be like this. I loved Roode's wife staying he is not the one here at home that has to explain to their children why their daddy is a cheater. Great touch. Spitting on Dixie and then taking on AJ's knee. Hell they are trying to get Roode over as the top heel I will give them that! First ten minutes: AJ Styles gives a ***** sell job of his knee. Maybe the greatest ten minute selling of the knee I have ever seen period. What makes it so great? We all know Kawada in 12/3/93 and Savage from SNME 11/87 against Bret, those are great "my knee is totally fucked, I cant do anything performances". AJ puts a twist on this. This is a great "my knee has been injured before the match and it is affecting every single thing I do" performance. They trade waistlocks at the beginning Roode gets a drop toehold and AJ scrambles and immediately favors the knee. Every single time he runs; he runs with a limp. The way he throws chops and shouldertackles he favors the knee. He is using side headlocks to control the match because it is the one thing he can do that does not hurt his knee. When he needs to escape out of a headscissors, he bridges on ONE LEG and then kicks out in such a way that his left leg feels no impact. Taz points this out too and kudos to him. To paraphrase Taz, this selling has been simply phenomenal pun intended. We saw in the last match AJ constantly being on the attack and suffocating Roode. Here Roode can take walks and AJ does nothing about it because he does not want to risk his leg. Another way Roode can dictate the match now. I am not exaggerating or kidding when I say literally ever MOVEMENT that AJ does that could affect the leg he sells. In the corner, Roode crowds and picks the leg so AJ clamps on a front chancery. The tension is so high in this match because you know AJ's knee is going to get fucked, but you don't know when and as a big AJ fan you don't want it to happen. They have been teasing it, but he is still standing. Nice nearfall barrage, AJ favors knee on hiptoss and armdrag, but his hesitation costs him as Roode gets a shoulder tackle. Roode hits a kneecrusher, fuck...AJ avoids elbow on knee...AJ clamps on side headlock, but is in visible pain. He is a gamer and is trying to fight through it. Roode chopblocks the knee while AJ is in the ropes and Roode picks up the win. To go up 1-0. The first fall was ten minutes. The greatest ten minute match I have ever seen. I would give it ***** without a doubt. I am actually scared to watch the next twenty minutes because AJ wrestled at such a high level for the first ten minutes. Next Five Minutes: WHO AM I TO DOUBT AJ STYLES? We are halfway through and still totally at the ***** clip! AJ fights through the pain roaring back with vicious punches and chop. Roode is totally overwhelmed in the corner and goes to the eyes. AJ is a sitting duck and Roode clips the leg and AJ is down in pain. Roode tortures AJ. I love AJ's selling mixed with his fighting spirit. He never drops the selling for one second, but he never dies either. He fighting back with chops and punches but through the pain. You can see that pain etched on his face. Roode always has the ability to stymie AJ with a knee attack. AJ goes for the rana off his back, but has no strength in his knee and this leads to a Single leg crab...so dramatic watching AJ make the ropes. Only for him to succumb to the figure-4. Incredible, incredible, incredible. This is the pro wrestling I live for! I am excited for the next fifteen minutes! Next Five Minutes: So you know something had to break AJ's way otherwise this was just going to be a blowout. AJ kicks Roode off with his good leg and Roode hits the turnbuckle and comes up favoring his shoulder!!!! AJ SINGLE ARM DDT! Landing completely on his back! It is the little things people! Crippler Crossface! Tap out. 2-1 Roode! Go AJ GO! He goes for a Nagata Style armbar, Roode counters using the tights into a single leg crab and AJ reaches back and rakes the eyes! AJ is going to destroy this arm. He wrenching it in every way and just teeing off on Roode. He is selling his leg like a million bucks. Roode hits a clothesline, but his shoulder is shot and he cant follow it up. Cradle by AJ, 1-2-3! It is all knotted up! Ten minutes to go! WOW! I am shocked at how good this is. Next Five Minutes: They trade shots at each other's weaknesses, great selling all around. AJ hits the enziguiri, but he is stuck writhing in pain by the time he gets up Roode is able to hit a spinebuster for two. Roode back to the leg, but AJ kicks his bad shoulder with his good leg. Then the greatest thing ever happens. Roode catapults AJ who LANDS ON ONE FREAKING LEG ON THE TURNBUCKLES COMES OFF WITH A QUEBRADA LANDING ONE FREAKING LEG TO HIT THE INVERTED DDT!!! THAT'S COMMITMENT!!! GREATEST SELLING PERFORMANCE EVER! AJ puts it all on the line hits a Springboard 450 to complete the rally and go up 3-2!!!! Holy Shit! AJ's reaction to this is incredible. You feel like he is in the worst agony imagaineable. AJ fires off headbutts and goes for an armbar takedown, but Roode squirms out and he goes for a single leg. AJ wrenches the arm against the apron and slingshots in for a sunset flip, but Roode drops down and gets the ropes for extra leverage to knot it up at 3-3. Cant wait for the last 5 minutes! Last Five Minutes: AJ IS PISSED! He lunges at Roode and beats the holy hell out of him. Once that burst of anger wears off, his pain in his knee overtakes him. Tries Superplex, but settles for an armdrag off the top. Goes for a suplex, but Roode kicks him in the bum knee. Fisherman's Suplex Attempt-cradle-KICKOUT, PELE FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! GO AJ GO! Styles Clash and OH MY GOD AJ'S KNEE BUCKLES! Like I literally gasped the way he buckled his knee. Holy shit. Roode says fuck this noise with 90 seconds left and heads for the outside. AJ says Fuck it too and just dives out onto him. The way he sells the impact is just money. Holy shit great! The finish is Roode stalling for a draw with AJ chasing after him more like limping after him. Tie goes to the champion, Bobby Roode retains. Not for one second in a thirty minute match did AJ let up on selling his leg. AJ worked a completely different match doing almost ZERO of his typical spots. Relying completely on selling, punches and what the match gave him. Total pro. Honest to God, one of the top tier individual performances I have ever seen in a pro wrestling match. Greatest TNA match in history and one of the greatest matches in history. *****

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles - TNA Turning Point 2011 When I used to watch TNA, I did not think Roode was a particularly interesting pro wrestling and hey what do you know he was not in this match! I actually remember the angle he did when he bashed Storm with the beer bottle to win the title. Strong angle. AJ Styles is out for revenge against Roode on Storm's behalf. Good booking, giving Roode a credible series of victories of a very established babyface before going into the blood feud with James Storm. AJ Styles gave a typically excellent performance in this match, but it was not carry it over the hump. Roode reminds me a lot of HHH. Mechanically fine, knows what he is supposed to do, but does not do it in a particularly compelling way. AJ started off red hot with lots of wicked fists and chops. He was all about that full court press and falling Roode. I really liked Roode trying to get the cheapshot out of the corner look for AJ to shake it off and punching him. Then he complained to the ref about AJ's punch when he did it first. That was probably the best thing he did in the match. As AJ was trying to get back in the ring after kicking some ass Roode dropkicked him out and then slammed him into hard objects. Choking. Cutoffs. Everything was the ring thing to do well I could have done without the Kan Snuggle, but it was just done without emotion. Superplex jumpstarts the AJ comeback. This brings me to the point I really wanted to make. AJ was really good at covering up miscommunications in this match. On a torture rack that failed and then Roode being out of position for the Springboard forearm AJ compensated in ways that made sense in Kayfabe without repeating the spot or losing that rhythm. Yes, it looked awkward because I have been watching wrestling for almost twenty years so I notice these things, but from a kayfabe point of view everything still made sense. The finish stretch was a bit move-tradey at first. The Styles Clash->Crossface->Styles Clash was bit convoluted. The crowd did not seem very hot for it. Once they got back to face/heel dynamics the match got its heat back. Roode ballshotted AJ and hey he sold it! One thing 2011 TNA does better than 2002 TNA! He even got the ref with that ballshot. AJ decks him out of desperation. Roode begs for forgiveness and AJ lets him have it, middle finger and just beats the shit out of him 2002 AJ Styles style! He goes for the dive and crashes and burns. AJ's saw red and seemingly lost because of it. AJ does a great job selling and fisherman suplex 1-2-NO!!! WTF?!?! That would have been a great finish. Styles Clash attempt, but Roode grabs the tights for the win. That finish does set up the rematch better. I think you combine the ballshot with the tight grab for the win. When the match relied on face/heel dynamics, it was pretty damn good and AJ has proven to be a damn good fiery, asskicking babyface. When it was move trade-y, it faltered because Roode is not very good at that. I thought they crammed too much stuff in the finish stretch. There were like three possible great finishes in there. ***1/2 mostly because I could watch AJ punch and chop for days and his ability to hold this together was pretty superb.

X Division Champion AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn - NWA-TNA 11/6/02 AJ is 100% in this heel and establishes he is a very cocky little shit. This allows Jerry Lynn to take advantage when he is showboating. They also establish that they are very familiar with each other with all the reversals and misses, but it is Lynn that seems to be the one left standing. The first time it looks to shifts to AJ is when he hurdled the railing and he superkicked Lynn as he tried to give pursuit. AJ then tries a springboard guardrail move, but takes a kick to midsection. His cockiness gets the best of him again. AJ was ha been selling and bumping so much better than Lynn in this match. AJ baseball slide into a slingshot plancha. AJ even sells his own move! They trade attempted finish attempts. Styles wants the Styles Clash again, but Lynn forces AJ to settle for a Boston Crab, but he just gives up. Ugh. I hate when that happens. You could say AJ was in an awkward position. Plumtree distracts the red on a Lynn pinfall attempt. AJ ballshot and quebrada/Slop Drop. I hate how ballshots are no sold! How is anyone supposed to get heat if ballshots are sold like any other punch or kick!!!!! Lynn hits a sitout powerbomb to level the playing field. Lynn starts his comeback back drop, clotheslines and hits a Northern Lights Suplex into the turnbuckles for two. Pretty gnarly bump by Styles. AJ & Plumtree collide heads and Cradle Piledriver. I bit on that finish as that is a pretty typical finish. TKO and Sonny Siaki pulled out ref (forgot that Sonny Siaki existed). Lynn ends up head first into a chair that Plumtree set up. Styles Clash -> 2. Only fair since AJ got to kick out of Cradle Piledriver. Spiral Tap!?!?!? Crotched. Lynn Superplex!!!! They do the WCW tombstone reversal spot with Lynn hitting a Cradel Tombstone. I actually enjoyed the home stretch of this a good bit. Lots of hot nearfalls and it was exciting. The beginning was pedestrian, but effective. I thought the middle just meandered. Match elevated by the hot, dramatic finish run. ***1/2

X Division Champion Low-Ki vs AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn - NWA-TNA 8/28/02 "Jerry Lynn is the only man in this match not to win X-Division gold." " This is Jerry Lynn's chance to finally win the gold." "Finally after all these years!" I thought the next sentence was going to be Jerry Lynn dreamt of this moment his whole life! Gimme a break, the fucking title has existed for TWO MONTHS! I cant say this enough, the commentary is god-awful. Better spotfest from earlier in the month. Ki is really good at these offensive showcases and AJ is a bumping freak. Jerry Lynn well he is Jerry Lynn. I really don't have much to say just a fun, entertaining spots. AJ taking Northern Lights Suplex on the ladder looked painful as fuck. The finish is three ladders. There is a hard to explain spot where all three on ladders and basically AJ and Ki figure out a way to ricochet off the ropes back up. AJ ends up taking a dive off the top. Low Ki eats a piledriver off the ladder, which was pretty damn sickkkk. Definitely a fitting end to the match. Very good spotfest. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ron "The Truth" Killings vs Low-Ki - NWA-TNA 10/02/02 The Truth is pissed off that everyone is talking about the X-Division and they are the best wrestlers. Well he is the World Heavyweight Champion, goddamnit! Another great TNA match from 2002! I know that the storylines were probably insufferable that 75% of each show was garbage, but they do seem to consistently put on one great match a show. I loved seeing Ki in this setting against a more conventional heavyweight wrestler and being able to work underneath and really sell. I thought he was great in the shine with his chops and kicks. The transition to heat was great with Killings sending him flying off the guardrail WIPING OUT THE FANS! Awesome moment. I usually hate arena brawling thought this was good and loved the climax of him wheeling a trunk right into Ki. Back in the ring great work on the ribs, awesome selling by Low Ki. Every time we get a hope spot, Low Ki's ribs slow him down. Killings in order to prove he is just as good as these X-Division goes up top and CRASHES & BURNS on a 450 splash! Great way to show how his jealousy may cost him. Low Ki tries to capitalize but again the ribs are hindering him. He gets the Dragon Clutch in the ropes, but it is not enough. Ki meets Truth on the top but a jab to the ribs and Truth hits a super front suplex for the win. Really nice showcase for Low Ki's selling in a more conventional match and nice story woven through with Killings disdain for X Division almost costing him in the match. ***3/4