PeteF3
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Everything posted by PeteF3
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These guys really do try hard under the circumstances, but there's only so much you can do when the highspots involve the truck turning or slowing down. There's an urban myth that the uncut, unchopped version of this is much better and it's kind of something the twisted side of me really wants to see. This is certainly an early sign of Bischoff not being afraid to fail in the most spectacular, ballsy manner possible as would become a regular feature on Nitros to come. Fare thee well, Dustin. As a pure worker you won't really be the same for another 19 years (!).
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Douglas walks out on Cactus after an early argument when an overzealous Shane accidentally canes Jack. For a second I had hope that this stupid partnership was over with, but then Douglas is back minutes later. Dammit. He certainly acquits himself well in the match however, taking some sick bumps and working a shockingly effective FIP segment, though that's when the match really drags. Finally this picks up again when Cactus makes the save, and he and Douglas do a great spot with Douglas whipping Jack into the guardrail and flipping him into Sandman who's in the front row. Funk grabs a toolbox from under the ring and raises it over his head to use as a weapon, but the box opens and he knocks himself out with the tools. Funny spot if intentional (or if it wasn't, frankly). Overlong but pretty good, and the final payoff with the flaming branding iron sort of justified the length. Cactus goes down exactly when he should.
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Terrific angle, the best one the Big Two have run all year, and the high watermark for the Dave Sullivan character. I mean that only half-jokingly. Vader hits an absolutely awesome top-rope splash, and things get so bad that Heenan "breaks character" and tries to pull Flair off. Everyone plays their roles here great, including Schiavone and Bockwinkel. Also a convenient way to get the US title off of Vader, who I can barely remember ever carrying the belt with him, much less defending it.
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Fun to see New Jack finally freaked out and out of sorts. New Jack vows that Undertaker won't get his hands on him, and brings out Killer Kyle to watch his back. Kyle has ditched his Big Bubba gear and actually SPEAKS. He quickly shows why he stayed silent for so long.
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I don't quite get how Cornette can sign a match for Tracy Smothers, just like that. Cornette name-drops the mystery partner: The Undertaker. Quite a coup for Cornette, though I don't know if it was worth the payoff. Undertaker is offended by the Gangstas burying people with a flag, and plans to show them what a real burial is like. The "loser salutes the flag" stip is absolutely fucking abhorrent. For all the talk about how the Gangstas only represent themselves, SMW sure has gone out of its way to portray the entire Black community as heels and white southerners as babyfaces in recent weeks.
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MOTY (to this point) as far as I'm concerned. It's not a perfect match--as already mentioned, the ending is pretty wonky. I mean, it's not a bad finish in a vacuum, but it seems out of place here. But for as long as it was this never really wore out its welcome, and these two know how to lay a match out in addition to showing violent intense hatred. Each lady is in control for extended periods and the other has to make a more gradual comeback before they can sustain offense of their own, and they incorporate wrestling moves into the garbage brawling pretty effectively. And some great creative use for the chain all throughout the match. The brawl outside was crazy as well, including the "found footage" handheld camcorder stuff. I only knew these two as an outsider tag team facing the AJW girls, so what caused the fallout? Or were they already enemies who were just aligning for promotional pride reasons?
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Awesome, awesome match, as enjoyable as anything this year. If Santo and Panther weren't content to stay in the background until their quick run at the end with the insane tope to the floor, this would be my running MOTY. Just a great blend of character work and some awesome flying--the offensive kind for Rey and some truly loony bumping from Psicosis. The star power is off the charts, too--and that matters.
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In fairness, Meltzer was down on Hash for quite a while too--most of the first half of the '90s. Keith's hatred for Gedo stemmed from him getting into the finals of the '95 Super J-Cup just because WAR hosted it. And, naturally, because he beat Benoit to get there.
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Badd vs. Regal from the year before is great, too. An improvement over the Bash at the Beach match is quite good in its own right.
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Enough of this. I absolutely HATE this Jack/Douglas combination I can't quite explain why but I think Shane is an albatross around Cactus. Great, they trained together, that doesn't mean they mesh as personalities at all. Douglas is still acting like his heel Franchise self and still buddy-buddy with Jack which is nonsensical. A smolderingly sexy Woman responds, followed by an oddly edited promo from Sandman and Funk.
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I agree on the Benoit-as-best-in-the-world thing, not quite as high on the match itself, though it is really, really good. I just thought it went on a little too long towards the end. Up until they overextended themselves, Benoit was great as the dominant champ leading the less experienced, lower-level Kanemoto through some great work. Kanemoto gets a few hope spots but doesn't really appear to be on Benoit's kayfabe level, but keeps kicking out and coming back and the almost-overlong finishing stretch actually serves a purpose, as Kanemoto busts out a weird-looking top-rope body scissors/huracanrana thing to shock Benoit for the IWGP Jr. title! Finally, after a number of months, we get a patented Choshu upset that feels like it serves a purpose instead of a shock finish for shock's sake.
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I love Regal's dapper suit and glasses--he's way more comfortable in this role now than he was last year. It contrasts wonderfully with Eaton's writing-covered white t-shirt and pink pants. Regal takes up Eaton's challenge for next week if Eaton brings his grotty wrestling gear with him. Good segment with ridiculous canned boos.
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Cornette will have a mystery partner to combat the Gangstas. New Jack ain't worried about Cornette and ain't worried 'bout no mystery partner. New Jack can bring a whole busload of them up here--"you'd think we were making a Tarzan movie!"
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The action is okay but Bill Rush should have been hospitalized for as many times as he was knocked out in this span. This was pretty lazy booking despite the unique stip and three ostensible babyfaces all going at each other.
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I THINK Funk was impersonating those noises Cactus makes while wrestling, and evidently he felt that was cartoony. Funk rambles a bit but the promo is still awesome and a lot of what he says rings as very true in retrospect. Funk complaining about how Cactus is a fat mockery of wrestling while aligning with the Sandman is pretty amusing and some classic heeling.