InYourCase

This thread was broken down post-by-post on the latest #WasimCast. Lanza coming in as the Kensuke Sasaki to me, Katsuhiko Nakajima, made for some great podcasting.

What do you want me to say man? I think they're terrible in every possible way. Spotty no selling bullshit from bell to bell that drives me nuts. Terrible tag match structure with little to no meaning behind moves and such. You get the point... I know, I know. I'm just messing around. I totally understand they aren't your cup of tea.

Good input, Bill. Top 10 contender for me. Currently going through a bunch of their matches on my Dragon Gate review blog. They had so many great matches and were able to make them all feel just a little bit different. Their last run in 2012 for WORLD-1 International didn't do anything for me, but between their Muscle Outlawz stuff and their WORLD-1 stuff, they could crack my Top 10 and most likely will.

Hashimoto is the first one that comes to mind. He always looked like he belonged on the biggest stage and always seemed to deliver.

Absolutely no chance. Very few matches I've enjoyed and nothing that I thought was "great".

Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino http://openthereviewgate.blogspot.com/2015/07/making-case-for-speedmuscle-volume-1.html ^three reviews on the link

Glad this thread got bumped, I've been meaning to post here. I've narrowed my #1 contenders down to Danielson, Kobashi, and Hansen. Unless someone really blows me away between now and April I just don't see how it couldn't be one of those three. Kobashi, at this point, is my #1. Starting at the 9/4/91 match with Hansen, Kobashi was able to produce MOTYC for almost 15 years straight. 1999-2002 are the only areas I'm a little fuzzy in with him because I haven't seen a lot of late All Japan-early NOAH and Kobashi was hurt for most of that time period. That comes down to him simply having the most "great" matches. In terms of pure in-ring work, I don't think anyone touches him. Danielson is slotted in my #2 but he and Kobashi are basically even at this point. The thing that impresses me most about Danielson is how he was able to produce classics in just about every match style/structure, expect Lucha. He has brawls with Morishima, technical bouts with Doug Williams, strong style matches with KENTA, and shoot-style matches with Sawa and Hayato that I think are all examples of him mastering a certain style. Depending on how I'm feeling, that could put him in the #1 spot. When I watch Hansen, I can't help but feel like he's one of, if not the best ever. I've seen a fair amount of his All Japan work, the Colon feud in Puerto Rico, a handful of his New Japan matches, and nothing from his work in the States. I have a lot more of him to watch but I would be shocked if he didn't finish in my Top 5. Other guys contending for my Top 10: -Genichiro Tenryu -Mitsuharu Misawa -Masaaki Mochizuki -Tatsuami Fujinami -Rey Mysterio Jr. -Ric Flair -Toshiaki Kawada -Kurt Angle -Volk Han -Shinya Hashimoto -KENTA -Chris Benoit -Vader

Very good wrestler but not enough volume to make my list. Could make the cut 10 years from now.

Tanner and Sam are back, back again. Guess who's back...Case Lowe (@_InYourCase) I guess. Also, for the first time ever, TJ Hawke (@TJHawke411) from 411mania and head honcho of https://freewrestling.wordpress.com/. This week, we talk about Night 1 of the G1 Climax, the worst looking matches of the G1, Dragon Gate being bad, and if Kevin Owens is better than Phil Brooks. Also, we talk about a weird Gabe Sapolsky story, The Big Dog, and most importantly, Brad Ward's tweets. https://www.spreaker.com/user/fourcorne ... autoplay=1 It's up on iTunes also under the 4CR network.

Having a blast going through Fujinami stuff right now. He's already moved into my Top 20 and will continue to climb. The Choshu series was simply excellent. He was such a great babyface. The Dynamite Kid match was really good. I've actually seen very little of Kid and I thought Fujinami came across as a much better worker than him in that match. Will be getting to a lot of his tag work soon.

vs. Akiyama: 7/27/01 vs. Takayama: 9/23/02 w/ Shiozaki vs. KENTA & Shibata: 4/12/05 vs. Morishima: 3/5/06 vs. Morishima: 3/2/08 Besides the Kobashi match, I think the two Morishima matches are probably his strongest NOAH performances. He's old, but he's really, really good in those.

I second the comment about Stan Hansen messing people up with that knee drop. What a wonderful thing. Dragon Gate makes a big deal out of playing the Japanese national anthem right before their Open the Dream Gate Championship (their top championship) matches. It's something that as I went through the Countdown to Kobe series (which you can read by clicking the link in my sig) I really grew fond of. Dragon Gate certainly isn't the most intense promotion but this adds a really special layer of intensity to those big matches. The camera work there is excellent, also.

Very slim shot of him making my list, despite the fact that he's had a few matches I really enjoy. His match with Kurt Angle from February 2006 adds to both of their cases. Excellent work in a really underrated match. Still haven't seen the Shawn matches from Wrestlemania. I like both guys just fine, just have no motivation to watch those. If I get around to it and he impresses me I could see him sneaking onto my list.

I'd like to dig a little deeper into Marvin's career. He's very good from what I've seen (I love his run in NOAH) but I haven't seen enough. Certainly someone that I will be looking at shortly.

Nope. He was one of the best workers in 2014 (I think I had him in my top 20) but I don't see him progressing much anytime soon. He was excellent at those 6-8 minute sprints with Swagger and Big E but with the way he's being booked, I don't see those returning anytime soon. Looked like he could be something special, how he's just a guy. One good, not great year is not going to put him anywhere near my list.

I don't really like lucha but if anyone has Super Crazy recs from Mexico, send them my way. I REALLY like the guy and could see him being in the 90-100 spot on my list.

Completely agree. I think he's garbage. I think his tag run is incredibly overrated, as well. He wouldn't sniff my Top 300.

I will probably never agree with something Parv says so much ever again. Nearly identical ratings and same thoughts on the feud. Hansen really shot up my list after watching these matches.

I'm literally scared to listen just because I know I'm getting buried 10 feet under.

Listening to the Bill show right now and it's really good. They've already taken a few SHOTS at Dragon Gate, but I can work through that. I really enjoy the WasimCast popping up in my feed every week. Give it a listen.

I'm not really a Thatcher fan but the match with Gresham is decent. I like Eddie Edwards and Silver Ant isn't bad, but I don't understand how people aren't voting for the Nick Gate match. Baffling to me.

I liked Dorada a lot here. I don't follow lucha so I don't know what he's done in Mexico, but I've been really impressed with his New Japan run. Wish they'd push him more.

LIES!

A very strong contender to be my #1. They're that good. In the end I think they'll lose out to Kawada & Taue, but I can't see them finishing outside of my Top 5. I can't say enough good things about this team.

I don't think I've enjoyed an act more than the Young Bucks over the past few years. Since 2009 their PWG stuff has been can't-miss. After their first ROH run which was lackluster they came back motivated and have delivered in nearly every situation. In New Japan, they've been a breath of fresh air in the junior tag division and constantly find themselves in the ***3/4-**** range. A strong shot of being in my Top 20.