The title of this thread is purposely written this way so we don't have to have debates over the name of the style being "shoot style" or "UWF style".

 

This is a style that isn't for everyone, and some matches are definitely easier to get into than others. But what are some of the best matches for people who like more traditional pro wrestling to really get into this style? I can list a few of the more theatrical matches I like, but it always seems like those are the matches the really devoted fans of the style don't care for.

 

I'll post some later, but have at it. I do think it's possible for people who start and hate it to eventually like it.

Nobuhiko Takada v Akira Maeda (UWF 10/11/88)

Yoji Anjoh v Masa Funaki (UWF 6/14/89)

Masa Funaki v Tatsuo Nakano (UWF 7/24/89)

Kiyoshi Tamura v Volk Han (RINGS 9/25/96, 1/22/97, 9/26/97)

Kiyoshi Tamura v Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS 9/21/98)

 

these, to me, felt like really big 'epic' fights. The kind of primer a person could use as an introductory and not really having to worry about 'getting' the story or anything. They just felt exciting off of the bat. I don't have any Fuiwara there which feels kind of odd but maybe I'm just forgetting something. I think he's far and away the greatest shoot style wrestler of all time, but he's always been a 'you have to get him/get the story' sort of wrestler to me. I'd say a match like Fujiwara v Yusuke Fuke 2/24/92 could be a good introductory since the story is (or should be) really easy to 'get'. A lot of Fujiwara's appeal are his subtleties which not everyone will give a shit about.

When I went on a big Volk Han marathon a few months back these are the ones that stood out to me as his greatest stuff

 

11-18-1993 Volk Han vs Nikolai Zouev

06-29-1996 Volk Han vs Mitsuya Nagai

09-25-1996 Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura

01-22-1997 Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura

09-26-1997 Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura

 

so we don't have to have debates over the name of the style being "shoot style" or "UWF style".

Do that many ppl call it UWF style? I guess a few do but i've almost always heard it labled shoot style myself.

 

Also do you want this limited to just the above mentioned groups or is this open for Battlarts & others too?

Takada vs. Vader 8/18/94 to me is the easy access point for shoot style matches. Would also include the 1994 Gary Albright & Kazuo Yamazaki vs. Vader & John Tenta tags. These match feature familiar faces and themes to the traditional US style mixed in with some advanced matwork and great strikes.

Not to be too greedy/lazy, but where links to matches are available they'd be much appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egs7y6nWeSI

 

Here is the Vader vs. Takada match I referenced

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEgcvvcK_Oo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJpseiUOFDM

 

These are the two tag matches.

I agree with soup that the best points of entry occur where shootstyle crosses paths with traditional wrestling. It helps ease into things. The second Vader-Takada match is a good one. I'd also recommend the Funaki-Backlund matches as an interesting way to get over the ethos of the UWF movement.

 

I also like the 1/22/97 Han v. Tamura match. It moves quickly and is legitimately great.

 

I wouldn't want to start anyone with something like Tamura v. TK. It's amazing, but moreso when you've grown to appreciate the style. Same with any of the Takada v. Maeda matches which were always so looooong and had lots of deadspots.

Personally, I think the best way to get into a style is to just dive right in and watch as much as you can until things start to make sense. If there are elements of the style that you don't quite understand, you can ask questions. But if those elements are a complete turn-off, you're probably never going to be a fan.

The one thing I would add is might be better to start off with something other than the most pimped matches when getting into a new style. Those Han/Tamura matches are amazing but I wasn't nearly as impressed with them at first. I couldn't fully appreciate the style.

 

My thinking was that if this is the best that shoot-style has to offer, why bother? But there wasn't any fault with the matches, just my expectations.