Matt D

Rah had me watch Cesaro vs Kofi from the 5/1/13 Main Event. Long match, incredible Cesaro performance. He's been so good for so long. http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/25404-antonio-cesaro-vs-kofi-kingston-wwe-main-event-050113/

This is a three segment match. There's an argument to be made that it's Kofi's career singles match but I think that'd be a false argument. What it is instead is an amazing Cesaro performance, one that maximizes Kofi's strengths and minimizes his weaknesses, despite the length. They skip the shine and start with some really compelling matwork/grappling instead. Here, Cesaro is all over him with positioning and attempts at holds, but Kofi's just clinging on at every point like some sort of pro wrestling spider. I don't remember seeing a ton of this stuff in 2013. I don't remember seeing a ton of this stuff EVER in WWE. I don't think I've ever seen it from Kofi before, though I could be wrong. Eventually, Cesaro's strength wins out (with the gutwrench deadlifts out of nowhere) and he takes over. That's most of the rest of the match. Kofi fires back a few times, including once early, where Cesaro takes a powder and Kofi all but dives after him in the moment, with obvious frustration that he lost the advantage that fit into the moment and that I really appreciated. Cesaro's offense is great. It's not about the amount of moves he has but his ability to fill time and keep things gritty and interesting. That said, he does have a lot of stuff and it all looks great, from double stomps, vice locks, to european uppercuts and suplexes. I actually think they're going home in the middle after Kofi fires back (it was all about him getting distance from Cesar) and hits the boom drop but it somehow transitions into Cesaro going after the leg and the third segment is a lot of that, with some of the nastiest half crabs you'll see. The finishing stretch has a lot of call backs and the actual finish is clever and again highlights Kofi's strengths, his immediacy and explosiveness, and ability to hit things from off angles. If you told me this was Kofi's best singles match, I'd believe you. That says a lot for Cesaro, who also has Miz' amongst others.

At least you are consistent, year after year after year.

Are they heating Rollins up because they couldn't get the Rock to team with Rousey?

Alright. Anyone want to jump back on this week? Ill probably spin the wheel tomorrow night.

I loved how he could control the space in the ring, especially in the later footage we had. He was sort of like a gravitational force that drew the heel towards him to pop the crowd with the punch.

This is sort of far afield from even wrestlers' political affiliations though?

They'll probably replace him with Russo in two months?

I tried to make Elliott tell me that a few days ago but he's been awol.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/36925-naomichi-marufuji-vs-kaito-kiyomiya-noah-012117/ I enjoyed this. (With all of two data points), I much prefer old Marufuji to young Marufuji and Kiyomiya feels like someone to watch (not that I actually watch anyone from NOAH, but hey, maybe I should). Thanks for this.

Interesting match. I've only seen one outer Marufuji match in my life, being one from 10 years or so earlier against Taue, and this was a wildly different experience (short story: in this match, he's the Taue). I agree with the posters above that Kiyomiya brought a lot to the table. He had a ton of energy from the get go in how he bounded to the ring and how he was just hyperactively moving about and bouncing while waiting for Marufji to enter the ring. He was just potential energy and youth raring to go, and go he did with the initial assault and then the gutsy performance from underneath throughout. There's a moment mid match where he hits a missile drop kick and just slides across the ring to go for a pin attempt and it's a little bit of enthusiastic movement I'm not sure I've ever seen before. It was well appreciated. I thought they nailed a lot of small things, which really mattered. For instance, in the initial bit of rope running, Marufiji stayed in the center of the ring and it was on Kiyomiya to duck one move after the next before hitting his forearm. Then, when Marufuji really took over, it was a repeat of that sequence but with him running as well, making Kiyomiya reverse course and get nailed. There was a strong sense of everything feeling earned too. Marufuji didn't just take stuff placidly. He tried to get a shot back in. It was the same with Kiyomiya, even as he was getting killed with chops or beaten down on the outside. He tried to get a shot in from underneath. It just didn't matter. Like I said, what did matter was the detail work, because it provided an underpinning to the overall beating of the match. It gave it a foundation that made it more than just Kiyomiya getting his chest reddened and constantly coming back for more. There was a little too much bouncing back after a bit shot (superkick, etc.) but that's the nature of the style and it worked with the crowd. They went to enough effort to have Kiyomiya sell (spoiler: he was probably really hurting so much that he had to) and for Marufuji to show bemusement that I'm not going to fault it, especially because the moment of Kiyomiya shouting through the pain to finally fight his way back mattered all the more for it. There was a split second after the no-assistance German suplex where he locked Marufuji into a Tiger Suplex position where time seemed to stop and there was that pro wrestling magic of Belief in the air. It didn't work out for the kid but I bet it helped him get over.

southofheavy, you know your schedule. If you want to pair with Rah, great. If not, I'll double up gladly. Let us know. If we don't hear by tomorrow morning, I'll pair with Rah too.

It depends on how big a Tito Santana fan you are.

I mean the video in the article is named "Billy Jack Haynes - Go Fund Me request."

So, I'm not even sure where to begin here. Maybe with this disclaimer: Billy Jack Haynes is probably never truthful.

Far out of my wheelhouse. Looking forward to checking it out. Thanks. You haven't been with us all that long, so I only have some sense of what you've seen and what you haven't, so here's something from my wheelhouse, but set in Japan. It's slightly JIP after the entrances, but you only lose two minutes. Terry Funk vs Nick Bockwinkel (07/12/1983) http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/34313-terry-funk-vs-nick-bockwinkel-ajpw-071283/

Week 7. Slow week for us as a bunch of people are taking a week or two off. I've made sure that there are no doubles for the last three weeks. Jetlag Jmare007 HeadCheese fxnj Richeyedwards Matt D Kronos Rah SPS dawho5 Nintendo Logic Tim Evans WingedEagle concrete1992 southofheavy We had an odd number. southofheavy, if no one jumps back in by the morning, I'll double up and pair with you too.

Didn't Austin just downplay War Games 1992 a few months ago?

Where did this person get that talking point? Where are the lists of pimped 70s Onita? I'm trying to remember which Onita tag I really love. Is it: 6/6/82 Ric Flair & Dick Slater vs. Giant Baba & Onita It might be?

Ive been reading back. The moment, in my view, where people went from jokingly upset to actually frustrated, was when Negro Casas hit. (Though there were moments when the biggest shootstyle worker, female, or WoS guy hit too).

And I respect that. Here he is crushing entire style of pro wrestling. That is pretty impressive when you think about it.

Sometimes when I leave this place it feels like this:

What do we do? Try to find someone on Twitter who's watching this and send them a few bucks a month for them to send it to us? 1992 WON letter pages?

It's funny that we don't have anyone from Memphis in the community despite all of us loving Memphis Wrestling so much.

Yep. Ospreay reminds me of Styles at that age. I really look at Ospreay and see a guy who isn't good right now, but is very naturally gifted, very athletic, and just naturally talented. I think 10 years from now Opsreay could be one of the best in the world. There was an echo chamber in 2000, and more so in 2003, but I don't think it's entirely like what young wrestlers have to deal with today.