dawho5

I love that little bit they do with the speech for the show. Probably my favorite MST3K moment ever, with the railings and balustrades skit on Space Mutiny coming in a close second.

WWC would like Abby on the 19th of April.

This one is for Jetlag. Edit: Jetlag gave me: I thought it was a fun tag with mismatched teams and a good if hammered-in-too-far story all the way through. Review is below. http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/41216-tarzan-gotomasashi-aoyagiazteca-vs-kai-en-tai-indy-world-72298/

Flair knows a guy. I wonder who that could be?

I'll second the Tonga/Duggan matchup being very intriguing. Martel not getting his win is less than ideal, but leaves things open. That 6-man would have been some kind of brawl.

Flair winning the title from Magnum had to make more than a few people unhappy. Great card that wraps up a lot of the stuff that has been going on in Lutte and MACW for a while. Robinson vs St.Clair or Wahoo vs Race would be my matches of the night. Loved the finish to Hansen vs Inoki.

Great job setting up Magnum/Flair at Battle of the Belts. The Nightmares holding on to their spots with Taylor attacking Pritchard is a really good way to kill 2 birds with one stone. The Fullers vs. Superfly sounds pretty fun.

In response to joeg's match here is my review. http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/41172-kenta-kobashi-vs-johnny-ace-6395-ajpw/ I liked it a lot and the layout was really strong. Played to both guys strengths. I remember Ace being on fire in 97 and wonder if these two didn't have a upper tier AJPW match in them given the right circumstances that year. Hey, PR isn't for everyone. I'm glad you liked some of it anyway.

JIP with a struggle over an apron suplex. Ace hits a rope-assisted Ace crusher while dropping off the apron that looks brutal. Kobashi can't seem to make anything stick for a while afterwards despite the usual 150% effort, and this sequence seems really well done. Ace gets caught during this part while going up for a moonsault. Kobashi is able to interrupt but Ace kicks him a few times and goes back on offense. Ace hits the moonsault but doesn't get 3. Kobashi takes over and hits a series of finisher level moves that he can't follow up on fast enough to make them a finish. It's a good sequence but Kobashi working from underneath is way better than Ace working from underneath. I liked Ace interrupting Kobashi's first moonsault attempt and using the taped , injured leg to drive it home a lot. It's down to one minute left and Kobashi is still on top, but can't keep much moving forward without having to sell the leg. Kobashi hits the moonsault with a little bit to spare, does he get the 3 or is it a draw? Really good way to finish a match with these two. I have some quibbles with Ace's corner lariats and knees. But they told a really good story for what there was (9 minutes). Wouldn't mind seeing the full match at all.

I liked this promo a lot. They get over the idea that the DA is going to run all of the babyfaces out after hurting Sting. Paul not wanting to stop until the WCW is dead sounds really cool. But who is going to sign the paychecks then?

I'd say Heyman's freakout over the Sting deal was an act within the promo. Heyman's intention was to draw Sting out, so he is looking for ways to piss Bagwell off and get him to throw a punch. The condescension is really good from Paul here, but when that doesn't work he changes gears.

Fuller decking Lee was a markout moment for sure. The tie choking was awesome and that promo was such a great fired-up babyface promo. When Fuller leaves I'll be sad he's not cutting these kinds of promos on the Moondogs, but as long as he has promos that make tape and are on my TV I'll be okay.

LOL at the description for the Hansen tag. Damn him for all of those unnecessary flips and twists. Hash vs the Bullies would have been fun. I have this feeling that Baba vs Fujiwara would have been an absolutely fascinating match.

Loved this promo from Piper. Seems like some of it at least is personal, which is probably why the promo comes across as impassioned as it does.

Garvin is surprisingly not shitty as a babyface. I mean, he's lacking polish and not overly good, but the tools are there which is way, way more than I'd say for him as a heel. That being said, did this need to be 2/3 falls? With a guy as limited as Garvin that's just not needed. The figure fours did go on too long and I wish it had been just a 9 minute single fall.

For joeg

February 22nd, 1986 Guaynabo Puerto Rico Ron & Chicky Starr vs. Los Super Medicos Super Medicos get the better of the match early with brawling tactics. Ron and Medico 1 have a great punch exchange capped off by 1's punch rush. Chicky cheats his way to coming back with an eye rake and a low blow. Medico 2 gets the hot tag, but los Mercenarios hit ringside and distract both Medicos. It looks like los Super Medicos are going to win anway when Mercenario 1 trips up Medico 1 running the ropes and Chicky rolls Medico up with a generous handful of tights for the 1, 2, 3. The Starrs advance. Los Mercenarios and the Starrs work on Medico 2 post-match, busting him open with repeated bashes into the post. Multiple chairshots by both Starrs as los Mercenarios hold off Super Medico 1 & 3. Los Invaders come running out for the save, but the damage has been done. Jonathan Boyd & the Crusher w/Barrabas vs. Invader 1 & 2 Invader 1 & 2 work together well, but Boyd and the Crusher are an experienced team and end up slowing down the momentum with stalling enough to get on top. Invader 1 takes a big beating and bleeds through the mask, but makes his signature comeback after a signature kick to the nether regions of the Crusher. Barrabas tries to interfere only to be knocked off the apron. Invader 2 hits big left hooks on Boyd as Invader 1 puts the sleeper on Crusher for the win. Los Invaders advance. TNT w/El Profe vs. Gama Singh This one is an out and out brawl. SIngh throws caution to the wind and charges TNT at the bell. TNT tries to keeo him at bay using kicks and chops, but Singh's fury gets him in close with the advantage as often as not. Singh's anger gets the best of him as Profe distracts him on the apron and TNT puts on the cobra dinamita for the win when Singh passes out. TNT looks at Profe, who shakes his head no and he releases the hold. Owen Hart vs. Ricky Santana Clean match again with a little more intensity. Both men slap each other back and forth a few times. Ricky looks to set up the fisherman's suplex and Owen knees him in the groin before Ricky can pick up the leg. Owen goes up top and hits the missile dropkick for 3 to a lot of boos from the crowd. The Rock 'n' Roll RPMs vs. Huracan Castillo Jr. & Miguelito Perez The two teams work a clean but competitive match with a lot of their big moves on show. The RPMs briefly work over Perez's cut. Castillo and Perez attack Lan's ribs for a short time. The RPMs are able to score the victory with a Davis inside cradle to Perez. All four shook hands after the match. Hercules Ayala w/Invader 1 vs. Al Madril w/Chicky Starr © for the NWA WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship in a submission match If it wasn't nailed down at ringside it was used by one or the other during the match. Both got their heads rammed into the scorers table alongside the basketball court. Madril got his leg draped across it several times. Invader 1 was wearing a new mask and there were several teases of a Chicky Starr/Invader 1 brawl in anticipation of the tag finals. Ayala was able to put the figure four on in the center of the ring and use his strength to keep Madril there. Invader 1 kept Chicky occupied and Madril gave up. Hercules Ayala is the new Carribean Heavyweight Champion. Ayala refused to release the hold and a small brawl broke out as Invader 2 and Colon came out to make sure nobody attacked Ayala. Victor and Ron Starr were unable to make the save and Madril started screaming in pain as Ayala broke his leg. The Starrs helped Madril to the back as los Invaders, Ayala and Colon celebrated. Ron & Chicky Starr vs. Invader 1 & 2 for the vacant NWA WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championships Ron and Chicky are furious, vowing revenge on the microphone pre-match. The Starrs try to go after the cut on Invader 1 but both Invaders are way too fired up. Both Invaders hit ball shots on Ron. The Starrs gain control and turn Invader 1's mask sideways and work the cut. Invader 1 is still fighting but can't see, so he rips off the mask and starts fighting back while the crowd goes nuts. After the hot tag both Invaders bite at Chicky's forehead enough to make him bleed. Invader 1 spills over the top to the floor when Ron pulls on the ropes as he tries to bounce off of them. Chicky gets a counter rollup on 2 and puts both feet on the ropes for the three as Ron pastes Invader 1 with a chair outside. The Starrs are new champions. After the match the Starrs continue to work on Invader 2 in the ring with the chair. Ron takes trips to the outside to attack a badly bleeding and not moving Invader 1 on the floor. Carlitos Colon hits the ring and it takes three chairshots to put him on the mat bloody. The Starrs work on Invader 2 for a while with the chair. Garbage is flying in the ring from all sides. The Starrs raise their arms in victory and exit, leaving both Invaders and Colon bloodied and on the ground. Intermission Los Assassins vs. the Batten Twins The Batten twins with a perfunctory win after a double dropkick. Bam Bam w/Barrabas vs. Abdullah the Butcher w/Chicky Starr This is every bit the battle of the monsters it should be. Abdullah wastes no time carving up Bam Bam with the fork. Within 3 minutes of the start of the match Bam Bam has wrested control of the fork away from Abby and opened up his forehead as well. There is a lot of wobbling as these two bloody behemoths try to knock one another down. Abby scores the first knockdown after going downstairs and followingwith several throat thrusts and a lariat. He hits the big elbow drop on Bam Bam but the young American gets a foot in the ropes at 2. Bam Bam puts Abdullah on the mat with a series of coerner avalanches to set up a slam. He hits the slingshot splash only to have Abdullah put his foot on the ropes. Both managers spend most of the match getting out of the way when anything spills outside. The match ends when Abdullah and Bam Bam brawl all around the court and out the entrance. Chicky and Barrabas look at one another with obvious dislike (or hate), but both shrug and walk away. Bruiser Brody w/Chicky Starr vs. Carlitos Colon © for the NWA WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship Brody is wilder than usual here. Chicky does his best to control him and plead with referee Victor Quinonez to not count the match out. Brody does attack the cut Colon got earlier tonight and bust it wide open. The match goes everywhere in the arena, the scorers table is again used liberally. Brody's head is busted open on it. Colon slams Brody's head into the side of the tunnel leading to the locker rooms as they turn back towards the ring and bounces it off a few more times as they move back into the arena. Brody hits a big boot and screams at some of the fans and Chicky Starr before disappearing into the tunnel. Quinonez calls the match. Brody comes out of the tunnel carrying a spare piece of railing not used in the ring setup and hits Colon with it before going after Chicky. Chicky runs and Abby is out soon to confront Brody. Bam Bam joins the mix and it is a battle of the bloodied monsters as Colon is helped out of the arena and Chicky makes his escape. About the tag match final. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5LKear9iLs Seriously, take 20 minutes and watch it. It encapsulates everything I love about Chicky Starr in a small viewing session. About 4 minutes in (skipping to this doesn't hurt anything) Chicky is demanding that Colon leave so it's not 3 on 2. Once Colon leaves the ring Ron and Chicky feel like picking a fight with just him until the Invaders pop out to join. The match is a master class in how to shine up babyfaces and work a heat. And the post-match is a can't-miss bloodbath. It is my favorite match from PR and one of my top 5 ever. Chicky is in there twice btw.

Posting this as a glimpse into how I see my house shows and a look at the NWA 6-Man belts and Universal title being defended on the loop. I'll have the big show up a little later. WWC House Show 2/21/18 Bayamon, Puerto Rico Los Tejanos vs. The Batten Twins The Batten Twins control with teamwork and get the win with a double dropkick in just over 5 minutes. TNT w/ El Profe vs. Gama Singh Singh is able to control when he can bring TNT to the mat, but TNT makes the most of his TKD backgroud when they are on their feet. TNT is distracted arguing with referee Tomas Marin about El Profe's interference and gets rolled up for 3 in 11:30. Owen Hart vs. Ricky Santana The match is more aggressive on both sides but there is no cheating. Owen gets the win with a rollup and proceeds to yell at Santana about not needing to use the tights. Santana answers with a slap that leaves Owen fuming as Santana leaves ringside. Huracan Castillo Jr. & Miguelito Perez vs. Los Mercenarios This is an out and out brawl with Castillo and Perez looking for revenge after los Mercenarios cost them their quarterfinals tournament match. Within 5 minutes all 4 are bloody and brawling all around ringside. Referee Ricky Vargas counts all 4 out soon after, but the brawl keeps going for a while. Al Madril w/Chicky Starr vs. Hercules Ayala Starr gets involved early and often. Invader 1 is out to balance things and it turns into Madril and Ayala trying to tear apart the other's leg in preparation for tomorrow night. The match turns into a knock down-drag out brawl with both Madril and Ayala bleeding before it reaches the 20 minute time limit. Ron Starr w/Chicky Starr vs. Carlitos Colon w/Invader 1 © for the NWA WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship Colon and Ron have a rugged battle with both taking their lumps for portions of the match. Ron misses a knee drop off the top and this gives Colon the opening he needs. Rapid fire elbow drops to the leg are followed with the figure four and Invader 1 detains Chicky to allow Colon time to get the submission. Armandito Salgado vs. Bobby Jaggers Jaggers pummels Salgado on his way to hitting a big clothesline for the win. Los Invaders vs. Jonathan Boyd, the Crusher & Bam Bam w/Barrabas © for the NWA 6-Man Tag Championships Los Invaders show great teamwork and it neutralizes the 270 pound Crusher. Bam Bam cannot be taken off his feet and puts all three Invaders down after some wobbling. Invader 1 plays face-in-peril and takes a beating from all 3 champs. He is able to make the tag to 2 who cleans house on Boyd and the Crusher. Bam Bam again proves the deciding factor, with los Invaders unable to stop him. Barrabas is caught by referee Victor Quinonez interfering and the resulting argument nearly keeps him from seeing Bam Bam's cover after a top rope splash. Nearly, but Quinonez notices and it does get the champs the 3 count and they retain their belts.

Larry Z needs to start paying more attention. Dusty and Patera tore the house down with that bullrope match. So close for British Steel. And the idea of Bock vs. Blackwell is mind-blowing.

For all the work these guys had to do getting around the ridiculous stips and awful ending, this match really should have sucked. It was actually still really good even in clipped form even if it was not as good as their other matches. Craig and Pritchard did good on commentary, I liked Pritchard a lot as the not quite heel color guy. That's two really cutting edge American matches in a row.

The smark commentary threw me off some. Both of these guys went balls to the wall and threw ridiculous highspots out there in ways that wouldn't be seen until the likes of Rey, Juvi and Kidman in the late 90s. They did bring some really intense actual wrestling and smart spots into the mix as well, which I liked. I agree with Sleeze that they seemed to forget selling as the match went on and focused more on throwing big bombs. I also thought the early going they got into the pattern of quick action -> work a hold and plan the next sequence -> repeat a little too much for my tastes.

The every man for himself match caught my eye too. Can all 3 please stay?? Jeff Jarrett better get himself some wrasslin' boots. Lawler and Nikita sounds like a ton of fun.

I like the Harts/Rougeaus feud as well, but the King Tonga/Stud Stable feud is where my attention would be.

Those were the things that stood out for me too. The main would have been incredible and Savage vowing revenge on anyone is must-see. I do like the focus on the Heenan family here.

The Crusher is Rip Morgan, half of the "other" Kiwi Sheepherders team with none other than Jonathan Boyd. Not sure how I manage that connection with Butch and Luke yet. In truth Victor has been under a jobber mask for a while. He was doing that for the early part of his career to gain experience. I just had to find a sneaky way for Madril and Chicky to try and hurt Ayala one last time that nobody would see coming. Barrabas' whole deal is that he has always been one of the supporting cast. He was never really a star and even as a manager was overshadowed by first Hugo as the big heel manager then Chicky. So I am looking at it as a guy who has never been successful and has always been jealous sabotaging his own chances at success (basically, using Bam Bam properly to make himself a major name) for various reasons. Right now he's being petty when he could be having the titles defended on TV as often as possible to really show the fans that he's got something special. Shooting himself in the foot by trying to get back at the people who have wronged him over the years in his mind (the promotion, the fans). He also has the problem of Chicky Starr being completely willing to cut his knees out from under him any way possible, which is trouble for a guy who is insecure, jealous and petty. What is going on right now is just showing that Barrabas has no idea how to handle success and tends to ruin it for himself.