Superstar Sleeze

I don't really see why Jinder should even have the belt just because WWE is touring India. I mean they would never do the same thing with the UK so don't really see the big deal in it. Even if they are trying to get a deal done over there just making Jinder champion for the sake of it seems pointless. Id rather Cena have just stayed Champion. They are already established in the U.K. and they did use British Bulldog as a draw for Summerslam 92. Don't underestimate civic and ethnic pride.

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Hiromitsu Kanehara - KINGDOM 12/8/97 I thought this was damn near the most realistic shoot style match I've ever seen. I think most casual fans of pro wrestling & MMA would be worked by this. I really couldn't think of one moment they exposed themselves. Great submission work and loved the urgency to get the ropes. Some real slick ways to get holds. Like the transition to stand up with good knees and Kanehara kicking Sakuraba's head off was a great finish. Unexpected since Sakuraba was the bigger star but he didn't really sell it afterwards. Great work all around. ***1/2

Kazushi Sakuraba vs Hiromitsu Kanehara - KINGDOM 12/2/97 i see why people prefer this over the rematch. Some awesome stand up exchanges in this! Kanehara blasts Sakuraba with a punch and kick that I can't belueve he got up. Like I thought it was a shoot KO. Kanehara was up 3-1 through asskicking. LOVED Sakuraba catching the axe kick. Matwork and takedowns were great. Nice inside heel trip at one point. Sakuraba knots it up with a choke and leg hold. The 1-1 sudden death next hold wins was hot. Sakuraba wins with a cross arm breaker. I enjoy Shoot-Style a lot but it is rare that it blows me away. It just lacks that narrative and stickiness factor. Those strikes were awesome, Kanehara really teed off. ****

I read a headline "Why has Randy Orton 2017 been so bad?". This is totally ludicrous right? He has been carrying the Jinder feud showing great charismatic energy, working hard and some great babyface shines. I guess Bray Wyatt was shit, but Orton is not a miracle worker.

Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda - BattlArts 9/1/97 Two things I love about BatBat are the register of moves and the transition of defense to offense. The register of suplexes as dangerous but not world ending is great. Perfect between not selling and selling too much. In addition plenty of showcases of them being pinned and instead of kicking out transiting into a hold through a bridge. Great BattlArts match with insanely violent strikes and heated struggles on the mat. Ishikawa had control with stiff punches to head and holds. Ikeda made in roads with shots to head. I loved Ikeda being pissed outside in the ring when he couldn't get the submission was great. Triangle choke was big for him to get back to even. I also loved Ishikawa going for suplexes having Ikeda DEFEND that and transition into a choke or armbar. Brilliant! Ikeda seemed obsessed with leg work kicks targeting Ishikawas leg or a dropkick. He gets a rolling heel hook takedown and then a kneebar. Finally Ishikawa looks in danger. Ishikawa makes his last stand throwing hands and Ikeda BLASTS him with a lariat. As Ishikawa was standing shaken Ikeda grabbed a choke and won. Brutal (duh!) I liked how everything was set up. Story of Ishikawa slowly losing control and Ikeda hanging on getting kneebars but like all great Ishikawa/Ikeda it is decided standing up. ****1/4

Genichiro Tenryu vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara - WAR 11/22/97 WAR is on its last legs but produces one last stone cold classic as these two 80s deliver a violent, hotly contested affair. Fujiwara goes for an armbar takedown complains he can't get a good grip and goes to wipe his hands on the ropes and Tenryu hip check him. The ensuing strike exchanges were intense. Tenryu's sumo slaps and chops against Fujiwara punches and head butts. Fujiwara punches him so hard that he opens him up hardway. Fujiwara controls most of the match when he gets an armbar in the ropes. Fujiwara absolutely tortures the arm. Tons of armbar takedowns. There was one flurry of Tenryu offense (poorly set up Fujiwara just let him up) enziguiri and powerbomb and after the cover Fujiwara immediately grabbed an armbar. Another good Fujiwara spot was he was covering and just went for a double wristlock. This definitely felt one of those matches that Fujiwara completely had overwhelmed Tenryu with arm work and glorious punches to the head (open wound) that even though it felt like Tenryu had no chance you knew he would pull it out and they did it in a very inventive way. Tenryus desperation offense was awesome punches,kappo kicks and throat chops. He was swinging for the fences to win by knock out. Tenryu just lunged at him with punches to the head after a cover was great. Throat chop and Fujiwara goes down for a close three and Fujiwara immediately goes for a double wristlock but the match was over. I loved the finish as something realistic but rarely seen. Fujiwara dominated but Tenryu just was trying to eek out the win by phasing him enough with head rocking strikes. Tremendous action bolstered by star power, great Tenryu selling, awesome Fujiwara heAvy breathing & hard work and excellent strategies. Watch it for the brutal strikes and great story. ****1/2

Kiyoshi Tamura vs Bitzade Tariel - RINGS 7/22/97 Tariel Chris Webber's himself and loses the match going for a rope break when he had none left. Simple but effective match layout. Tariel was a bruising, straight ahead and relentless. It is all stand up. Tariel is clearly uncomfortable on the mat and doesnt have great balance. Tamura gets most of his early takedowns because Tariel lost his balance. Tamura can't do much even when he get his back. Rinse lather repeat but as Tariel fatigues Tamura can get his takedowns and get heel hooks and choke. You see how useless Tariel grabs a front chancery and can't hold on. Tamura slips out and rear naked choke. Tamura wins with protection when Tariel grabs ropes when he doesn't have any left rather than tap out. Great early UFC match. ****

Daisuke Ikeda vs Alexander Otsuka - BattlArts 11/5/97 BattlArts does a great job incorporating pro wrestling into shoot style. It felt like a throwback to the Original UWF, more pro wrestling than shoot-style. Ikeda throwing wild kicks but Otsuka trying to take it to the ground. I loved Ikeda basically getting a Fujiwara armbar takedown but with his legs to quash a Otsuka takedown attempt. Huge headbutt and kick to the head send Otsuka to the floor. Otsuka looked like his leg was going to get fucking but reversed into his own legbar. At one point, I was watching the head/neck area but it was Otsuka's leg that was fucked. Thats the difference between BattlArts and RINGS. In RINGS, they register. In BattlArts, they sell. Otsuka selling his leg is bad for business because it gives Ikeda a real target to zero in on. Otsuka does a great job setting up his pro wrestling spots with holds or disorienting spots. Like the Dragon Leg Screw sets up the Giant Swing sets up Piledriver sets up the top rope diving headbutt (I felt like I was watching Tiger Mask) or the dive to outside or sleeper to try for German suplex. Ikeda gets away and hits a spinning heel kick. Really stuns him and that head rocking move sets up his asskicking segment. Not often you think of the Russian Legsweep as a KO blow but Ikeda hits it with force. Ikeda is PISSED that he was losing so handily. He just SNAPS! Boots to the face and throat until Otsuka ends up out of the ring. Otsuka pulls him out, bad move, Ikeda SLUGS him with a closed fist. Ikeda was amazing on offense just brutal. Loved two feet to face and punch to outside. Ikeda just was destroying him with lariats and could never see how he would lose. Ikeda really did kick Otsuka's shit in, but Otsuka would show signs of life and pepper in some hope spots like reversing weight on a back suplex. I really thought Ikeda had him after a barrage of strikes knocked him down in the corner ala the Tiger/Fujiwara finish. Otsuka did a great job grabbing an arm bar takedown on one of Ikeda's big wind up lariats. This began his mounted comeback by dumping him on his head using a variety of suplexes but most importantly a dropkick to head (Ikeda was showing signs of life and struggle up until that dropkick to the head). Then Otsuka just suplexed him to death for the victory. This was a great head hunting fest. Both made comebacks by going for head rocking. Ikeda ran out of gas and just couldn't put Otsuka away. Otsuka just poured it on. Otsuka looked like he was paying tribute to Super Tiger and Ikeda gave one of his most asskicking performances. Brutal match and great strategy. ****1/4

I have really like Enzo's promos recently. They are earnest and they have a pizzazz to the, It sounds authentic and are entertaining. People are surprised that a guy that looks like Enzo actually acts like a guy who looks like Enzo. That's ridiculous. Fuck all these strait-laced, sterile dudes. Enzo's got personality and he should do his thing. I think Enzo & Big Show have been great. Enzo is a great face in peril and does a great glassy eye sell. Enzo feels like pro wrestling and does pro wrestling. We need more pro wrestlers and Enzo is one of them.

LOL @ Jinder being squashed. I usually roll my eyes at people who call a heel losing "a squash", but Jinder got two cutoffs in and that's it. It was all Orton, all the time. Orton has been fantastic offensively in this feud. Having fun and kicking ass. Great energy and urgency. Jinder is fucking useless. This made me very happy.

Lol. The only man to have a bad match with Greg Valentine in 80s WWF. Those were some borefests.

I mean regardless if matches happened there that qualify as the Best of the 80s they should be counted. I think a case for Flair vs Kerry from Hawaii as the best match of the 80s can be made. Just because Hawaii was a layover/working vacation spot doesn't DQ it from contention. Leave no ROCK unturned

So we are 100% sure Bayley's injury is a shoot? I mean the selling & the fact Nia kept on the injured arm screamed Work to me. BEST Roman VS BRAUN match? I need to watch them all again. Ambulance match was my least favorite. I think May was my favorite until this one.

Nia Jax finally impressed me! Great performance in that triple threat.

Flair vs Brody, no? Never seen it. There are better Flair vs Kerry matches. I feel like there is something obvious from St. Louis, I am missing.

There should be a way to remember miscellaneous territories: St. Louis, Houston (which has had a huge boom), Southwest, Canada, Continental etc... American Power Six WWF - 1. Sgt Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - MSG 6/16/84 2. Tito Santana vs Greg Valentine - MSG 6/16/84 3. Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - MSG 5/19/80, Texas Death JCP - 1. Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton - Horsemen DVD Steel Cage Match 2. Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA - Starrcade 85 I Quit Cage Match 3. Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper - Starrcade 83 Dog Collar Match AWA - 1. Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig - Hour Draw 2. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs Midnight Rockers - Blood In The Sand 3. Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel - Winnipeg 9/20/84 Mid-South - 1. Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - New Orleans 6/1/85 2. Ted Dibiase vs Hacksaw Duggan - Houston Loser Leaves Town, Tuxedo Coal Miners Glove Cage match. 3. Hacksaw Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer - New Orleans 11/11/85 Memphis - 1. Jerry Lawler vs Dutch Mantell - 3/22/82, No DQ 2. Jerry Lawler vs Bam Bam Bigelow - Texas Death Match 3. Jerry Lawler vs Austin Idol - 4/27/87, Cage, Hair vs Hair WCCW - 1. Freebirds vs Von Erichs - 7/4/83 2. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes - Loser Leaves Town Cage Match 3. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - Texas Death Match America Misc: 1. Randy Savage vs Ronnie Garvin - ICW 2. Terry Funk vs Bob Orton - Southwest 3. Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel Japan Big Two: AJPW - 1. Funks vs Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy 2. Funks vs Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka 3. Stan Hansen vs Terry Funk - 4/14/83 NJPW - 1. Andre The Giant vs Stan Hansen 2. Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan 3. NEED TO WATCH MORE Japan Misc: 1. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 12/5/84 2. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 9/7/84 3. Fujiwara vs Super Tiger - 6/24/85

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Stan Hansen vs Dr. Death - AJPW 9/1/90 This was the title match on the big Budokan Misawa vs Jumbo rematch card. Interesting how the gaijin (Hansen vs Doc/Gordy) have been the main thrust of the title picture while Jumbo vs Misawa is going on. Jumbo vs Misawa didn't need the title so this raised the stakes of the Hansen vs Gordy and Hansen vs Doc matches. I think this is the match I have seen in the past not the June match because I distinctly remembering Hansen steamrolling the flower girl. I was confused in the June match when it did not happen. It also explains why the June match was so much better than I remembered it being. This was really good as a match type I like without being my favorite. I love big, burly, uncooperative, raw bone, sloppy brawls between two big, ugly heavyweights. I enjoyed this immensely for that while realizing it is not the best that genre has to offer. They just beat the shit out of each other and everything felt so urgent. I loved Hansen grabbing the ropes for dear life on the Oklahoma Stampede and just how desperate Doc was to get the Stampede. The finish of Hansen missing the Lariat, Doc getting the Stampede only for Hansen to roll through was awesome. This was Hansen only successful title defense of this reign. Recommended for those who love Mid-South style heavyweight wrestling. Definitely watch their June 1990 match though. ***1/2

Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi vs Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 10/19/90 First 15 minutes: Lots of heat segments early on. Each of the Four Corners take heat in the first 15 minutes. Two out of four were started by Jumbo ramming a huge kneelift to the gut. See 9/1/90 which how he started with Misawa then bouncing him off the ropes and punching them in the midsection. Notice how each heat segment ends when the New Generation army gets the best of Taue. Interesting Kawada goes to the floor pretty early with Taue. I was like when too early and rolled my eyes. Wouldn't you know Taue reverses it and bodyslams him on the floor! Awesome, I love Kawada being punished for being over eager. You need to earn that floor bump. He pays for it when the bigger Taue counters him. This sets up Kawada taking heat on the back. So Jumbo bounces him off the ropes and hits him in the back. All three of the New Generation guys are great sellers in three completely separate ways. I love how once Kawada gets out of the predicament against Taue that once Misawa softens him up that he takes him out to the floor to suplex him on the floor. Kawada is such a prick. Taue takes heat but manages to get a way from Kobashi. JUMBO DRILLS KOBASHI WITH A LARIAT! Then blasts him in the face with a punch that Kobashi sells like he is Ricky Morton in 1985. Glorious! Final minutes: Awesome finish stretch! The work on Kobashi's nose was brutal. Fuchi was just torturing him throwing his face into the steel and those nasty stomps. He got Koashi's nose nice and bloody. The only thing better than Misawa's elbow was Jumbo's Lariat in 1990. That shit looked he was hitting people like he was a Mack Truck! Kobashi's selling and hope spots par excellence. Notice how he overcame Taue to get the tag to Kawada. KAORI BAR THE DOOR THERE IS A PIER-SIX BRAWL A BREWIN'! I loved Kawada coming in like a whirlwind and Taue Sumo Slapping his ass back into the corner. Kawada vs Jumbo is great as Kawada ducks the Jumbo Mack Truck Lariat and hits his Spin Kick to get Misawa in. Misawa vs Jumbo was molten hot! The elbows and that High Knee from Jumbo. I love how Taue just flies out of the ring to wipe out Misawa when Misawa is going after Jumbo. Kobashi vs Taue is great, but Taue tags out to Fuchi thinking he has Kobashi under control. The rolling cradle->moonsault is the most Kobashi thing ever! I bit hard on those nearfalls where Jumbo was killing Kobashi. I really think the finish should have been Jumbo blasts Misawa in the head and powerbombs Kobashi into smithereens, but the kick out did get a big pop and Kobashi chant. I think that went a long way to making Kobashi credible. Kobashi actually looked poised to hit the moonsault on JUMBO! But Fuchi stalled him out long enough for Jumbo to hit two Back Drop Drivers to win the match. Lots of heat segments early on. Kawada/Taue is established. Misawa/Jumbo makes the match feel hot, but they don't over do either. They strike a healthy balance. Fuchi is a nasty bitch to Kobashi. Kobashi looks great as he takes the best heat segment, but gets a big nearfall on Fuchi and looks totally credible down the stretch against Jumbo. I think Kobashi is the big winner in this match. From Kobashi getting punched in the face on, this is just classic All Japan. ****1/4

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 9/1/90 Have watched this match in the past and I know it is the REMATCH~! I am twenty minutes in and I am pretty underwhelmed. Transitions have been poor and the story has just been lets hit each other really hard. The beginning was great with each blocking the other's elbow, but Jumbo sneaking in a short elbow. Short heat sequence on Misawa's abdomen with a big Misawa reaction. I thought this was going somewhere good. Liked Misawa's quick reverse crossbody headbutt and chinlock to quell Jumbo's momentum. Then match lost me. Poor transition into the surfboard test of strength. A really lazy Misawa armbar. There was a long stretch where the match did not feel like anything was being accomplished. Misawa would elbow the hell out of Jumbo and then Jumbo would elbow the hell out of Misawa. But the energy was not there. It was more of each other just taking it. Jumbo was doing a lot of holds that ultimately did not mean anything. Misawa was also hold happy. Thing that really stuck out to me was Jumbo hitting a piledriver and a butterfly suplex and Misawa just popping up, it was not a no sell, but a not sell. No selling is a form of selling that can pop the crowd. This is a not sell. It was jarring. The match finally kicked into gear when Jumbo threw Misawa's head to the ground. The Thesz Press. Now it felt like things had consequence. When Misawa elbow, JUMBO WENT BEZERK~! HERE WE FUCKING GO! Loved the play off the 6/8 finish with Misawa shifting his weight on a back drop driver and then Jumbo floating over for two. Jumbo tossing him out repeatedly and whacking him with a chair was great. They were really hitting each other hard. This is the match that established the Misawa Elbow as The MISAWA ELBOW~! You can see how much he relies on it and never gives up on it. He was really bashing Jumbo and he eventually does make in roads with it. Jumbo resorts to primal counters like nasty headbutts. I loved Jumbo's dropkick with the explosive extension at the end. Misawa-rana out of the powerbomb is that debut or was he doing that as Tiger Mask II? Misawa is unrelenting with that HUGE elbows. This is classic Misawa. Loved the German. Jumbo gets him with a supeplex and then a Back Drop Driver. Kick out, damn I bit hard on that! Classic All Japan is here. Huge Misawa elbow to the side of the face. Loved the finish. It was who could pull the trigger first with Jumbo hitting the lariat before Misawa could hit the elbow and Jumbo wins with a back drop driver! JIP to Jumbo losing his mind and going to town on Misawa and this is ***** easy. What is interesting is that while this firmly confirms Jumbo as the Ace with the clean victory with his finish. Misawa did kick out of one Back Drop Driver and really had Jumbo reeling. This was not a dominating Jumbo victory. Jumbo had to be resilient. It was a great fight. The thought first half meandered a lot and drops this out of greatest match of all time discussion, but still a classic. I think I prefer 6/8 for the entirety of it and the cool finish. This had the better finish run. ****1/2

I thought what confused me was how dead the Philly crowd. I know that they were having trouble selling tickets but it felt like they were out West with these reactions. New Day/USOS were great! I really liked the first AJ/Owens match in May but this one was tepid. What was up with the finish? Nattie winning was sad! Cenas first PPV match against Rusev was a waste should have been the main event of Independence Day SD! Orton vs Indian Midgets continues to be amazing. I thought Orton has been great in this feud. Mahal is a black hole of suck. Great Khali eye roll.

I popped for this!

It is weird to think Internet wrestling fans suck at understanding wrestling. There are plenty of people that get annoyed about excessive PDA or couples that are incredibly involved in themselves. This is an incredibly common trope in Sitcoms and common thing for people to BITCH about. Thus it is an easy way to get heat. This is NOT difficult to get

Got interrupted re-watched the whole thing. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW 12/7/90 First Ten Minutes: I feel like Misawa & Kawada always come off heelish in 1990, but are still wicked over. They are the original anti-heros. Japanese crowds tend to root for whoever is getting beaten up so there were plenty of Taue chants. Interesting to see Taue do well against Misawa until Kawada kicked him in the back early while running the ropes. Taue tagged out and Jumbo just steamrolled Kawada and elbowed Misawa off the apron. Crowd popped huge for that! This was pretty much who could beat up the junior member of the team more. At the end of the first ten minutes that was Taue who seemed to hurt his knee on a kneelift (which he may have hurt early running into the buckles). Kawada was just merciless with the leg holds on Taue. In a fracas, Misawa hit a massive diving elbow to Jumbo (great save by Misawa as Jumbo was out of position so he hit a baseball slide and re-established the setup it was noticeable but a logical save). So Jumbo is out holding his head, which was pretty much his 1990 and Taue's knee is fucked. How will they come back? Or will Misawa & Kawada cement their rise? Second Ten Minutes: Seven minutes of very good Taue heat segment. Lots of varied offense from leg holds to double teams to strikes. Suplex on the outside by Kawada was nice. Frogsplash by Misawa for a nearfall. Taue was really good at selling, which not something we talk about a lot. Most of the heat was around Jumbo and his injury. Taue gets an enziguiri early into heat segment, but finds out that he has no one to tag, which is a spot I always love. Then when Jumbo has recovered to finally get in and help, Kawada hits a barrage of knees to the injured head to draw boos. Taue finally gets a back suplex outta the corner. They do the WWE spot where both men fatigued and battered tag their partners. Who will win this oncoming clash of Misawa vs Jumbo? JUMBO! JUMBO! JUMBO! He throws Misawa DOWN on his head. THEN DECKS HIM WITH A LARIAT! He smacks Kawada off the apron for good measure. He annihilates Misawa, but Kawada keeps saving. Taue sumo slaps Misawa into Kawada. Kawada gets sumo slapped to the outside. AIR TAUE~! THIS IS FIYAH~! Jumbo is PUMPED! Rips off mats and Taue slams him on concrete. Superplex by Taue! Last three minutes were hot and I mean double hot! Last five minutes: Taue slows down due to constant Misawa interference. Last 90 seconds is insane. Misawa looks to destroy Taue with a Hart Attack Flying Forearm and then Jumbo but Jumbo obliterates him as he is coming with an elbow. Jumbo Backdrop Drivers Kawada to Hell. JUMBO IS A MONSTAH IN THIS! Taue only gets TWO! Taue runs into a Misawa elbow when Kawada ducks. Awesome spot! Kawada German -> 2! Misawa dropkicks Jumbo into corner. Kawada CLOBBERS Taue with a lariat. Kawada goes for powerbomb but Jumbo murders him with an elbow. Misawa takes out Jumbo with a wicked elbow to the back of the head! AWESOME KAWADA POWERBOMB 1-2-3! Barnburner of a match! The last ten minutes or so is insane. Hate, energy, urgency tons of stiff shots. Just such captivating energy. Jumbo is standout in this. Selling Misawa's elbow and how he is just out to murder Misawa & Kawada with each shot. Taue was so dynamic here best selling of the match, but also bringing the offense. Misawa & Kawada were an excellent team so much offense and so hungry to win. This feud just keeps on giving an giving. ****1/2

Miracle Violence Connection vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada - All Japan 10/7/90 There are no world tag team champions in All Japan because Kabuki left AJPW for Tenryu's SWS. The tag champs would decided as a part of the Real World Tag League. This was a series that was the signature feud of the tag division in 1991 All Japan. There was a weird opening moment where Gordy takes Misawa out to the crowd and then does not do anything. The beginning was Misawa was pretty aimless. The Kawada stuff was great. Taking it right to Gordy with Gordy needing a dramatic fall off the top rope and Doc distracting Misawa to hit a powerbomb on the floor to gain the advantage. Kawada's selling and tight back psychology make for a solid FIP segment. Doc, who I have LOVED in 1990, had a tendency to sit in some pretty loose restholds. Best Gordy has looked outside of the RWTL Finals. He was moving with zip and hitting with vigor. Clothesline was vicious. Loved the hope spot where Doc hits the corner and Kawada gets a back drop driver. Doc & Gordy just keep pouring it on. There is way more standing around and breathing in this match than ultra sprint that was Hansen/Spivey vs MVC RWTL '90. The rifling kicks from Doc & Gordy were great. The hope spots with the crazy knees to Gordy's head was awesome. Tag frequency in All Japan is so well done. Doc called a great sequence. Missing clothesline and eating a crossbody, but kicking out at two. So he shoves Kawda in corner and goes for the big tackle and Kawada hits an explosive clothesline out of the corner. Awesome! Misawa and it is dropkicks for everyone. Stampede on Misawa? Misawa slips out and gets a Fisherman's Suplex? That's different! Doc big reverse elbow and powerslam. Kawada saves. Gordy takes a German suplex from each of the natives in the finish sequence. Gordy misses the same corner clothesline and it is a Kawada powerbomb on Gordy!!! Holy Shit! I love Doc just shouldertackling mutahfuckas. Kawada tries running at Gordy eats a boot to gut and it is a powerbomb for the finish. There is a brawl post match Misawa attacks MVC, but is overwhelmed and Kawada runs them off with a chair. It is JIP and first 11 minutes is basic, sold pro wrestling good transition to the heat with fall off the top and powerbomb on the fall. I thought the transition to the hot tag was great just when you think Kawada is dead meat he hits a massive clothesline The finish stretch was a good amount of fireworks, Kawada hitting a powerbomb was good comeuppance. Eventually he ran into the brick wall that was Gordy and got nailed with a powerbomb. Establishes Kawada as a force, but MVC are still the bigger, badder team. ***1/2

Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace - AJPW 10/7/91 I should watch a Johnny Ace shoot and read an interview he did because I would be interested to know what the Four Corners like as people outside the ring. He is by far the most mediocre talent All Japan had but he still could hold his own with the best wrestlers of all time, which is saying something. The Ace Crusher looked more like a shitty Stunner than a Diamond Cutter in this match, but overall I thought Ace was pretty good in this match. Loved the beginning with Kobashi trying to dive on Jumbo but eats a knee as we JIP. Jumbo sells the knee, but then gives him repeated kneelifts. All of sudden, Taue loses control and Johnny Ace of all people is world beater. He is killing Taue with dropkicks. Taue plays face in peril so weird. He kinda just ragdolls. Kobashi just takes him up and powerbombs him at one point and then moonsault. Not a lot of hope spots or selling. I felt like Jumbo & Taue were phoning it in more than being giving. The one heated section was Jumbo finally starts to interfere after like 5-7 minutes and Kobashi blasts him off the apron with a Lariat. Jumbo gets the hot tag and Johnny Fucking Ace of all people overwhelms him with slaps. WHAAAAAAAT??? Ace Crusher and they do a finish run on Jumbo. Before Jumbo gets a Thesz Press and goes home pretty quickly pinning him with a back drop driver. Unexpected layout. Felt more like an offensive exhibition for Kobashi & Ace and Jumbo just showed up at the end to win the match. Taue had this one in cruise control also. Kobashi & Ace looked pro here.