http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2013/08/2...est-month-ever/

 

Joe and Rich are back with a brand new Voices of Wrestling podcast talking WWE SummerSlam 2013, why Daniel Bryan wasn’t buried, if August 2013 is the best month in wrestling history, AJ Styles’ contract situation, breaking news about NJPW stars coming stateside and much more!

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There is no way that August of this year is the best in wrestling history.

There is no way that August of this year is the best in wrestling history.

With an amazing G-1, three strong Summerslam matches, some really good WWE TV matches and other odds & sods I think there's a strong case to be discussed. Going by the calender there's 3 PWG shows this month too.

 

In the comments section of W2BTD's link April 1992 & 1994 are offered too. No doubt a chronological list of the 80s project stuff would uncover more.

Not mentioned by rovert as strong support:

 

-Ibushi vs Okada from DDT

-PWG TEN

-Two very well received ROH shows

-Cesaro vs Zayn from NXT

-8/1 Dragon Gate & 8/23 Dragon Gate Korakuen Hall shows

 

Of course this is all dependent on your taste in wrestling. G1 was without question the greatest G1 ever and perhaps the best week of wrestling of all time. SummerSlam had two classics and a third match that was very strong. RAW & SD produced some strong TV matches.

 

Also PWG has two days of BOLA that hasn't even happened yet on 30 & 31.

 

Some recent April's, including this years, are worthy of discussion as well now that everybody piggy backs WM. This past WM weekend, when you consider NJPW Invasion was Sunday morning, was pretty incredible.

NJPW Invasion was funny. Those who watched it had their "Wrestlemania" for breakfast.

Charles Lucero vs. Rey Hechicero, Monterrey 8/4

 

This is at worse the third best match of August.

 

I was the one that offered up both April 1992 and 1994 as contenders. I did those because those two months have a wide variety of really great stuff from all over the place. I think August 2013 being a contender lives and dies with how into the New Japan product you are currently.

rovert forgot the match of the year between Rey Hechicero and Charles Lucero.

 

In all seriousness I think it is way too much to declare it the best month ever but before the podcast gods erased it from memory Dave and I did a whole show basically dedicated to the end of July through the end of August because there was so much good stuff during the period. I think one of the key reasons it stands out is because it wasn't just one place that was hot, but several and that is fairly rare in recent years

Note that I am by no means a NJPW fanboy (though I consider myself something of a fringe fan in that I watch a lot of their shows and enjoy several of their wrestlers), but I still really liked the G1 as a whole. Best G1 ever? I have no idea though I doubt I would really feel that way if I went back and watched them all. Good stuff considering the fact that I really dislike half of the guys who were in the tourney? Yes.

Can somebody point me in the direction of this Charles Lucero vs. Rey Hechicero match, please? Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcMnLmT5Vi8

 

They had a match the week before that was very good to. This match has the first caida which is some brillant mat wrestling and a third fall with my spot of the year and them throwing bombs at each other.

I'm at work so I can't grab it now but it is linked in a thread at DVDVR in the Lucha section.

 

I want people to be honest with me. I haven't watched Okada v. Ibushi and really don't care much for either guy. Should I watch the match? As someone dedicated to two grandiose projects I feel like I really should but I do worry that it will be a massive waste of my time.

 

Also - and I realize this isnt' really the thread for it - someone suggest a couple of DG and Big Japan matches for me to watch. Those are my only two big blind spots of the year and while I don't like either company I should at least give the best stuff a shot

Charles Lucero vs. Rey Hechicero, Monterrey 8/4

 

This is at worse the third best match of August.

 

I was the one that offered up both April 1992 and 1994 as contenders. I did those because those two months have a wide variety of really great stuff from all over the place. I think August 2013 being a contender lives and dies with how into the New Japan product you are currently.

Agreed. I have no interest in current New Japan and there are G1s from the past that interest me way more than the current one.

 

I still need to see that Lucero match.

For some reason I think it's funny that goodhelmet is lower on current NJPW than I am.

 

The Ishii matches I think could be polarizing though I liked the most pimped ones a good deal and a couple of the lesser pimped ones a lot more than others. Nakamura v. Ibushi has to be the most surprisingly great match of the year, but that's Nak for you

I'm at work so I can't grab it now but it is linked in a thread at DVDVR in the Lucha section.

 

I want people to be honest with me. I haven't watched Okada v. Ibushi and really don't care much for either guy. Should I watch the match? As someone dedicated to two grandiose projects I feel like I really should but I do worry that it will be a massive waste of my time.

 

Also - and I realize this isnt' really the thread for it - someone suggest a couple of DG and Big Japan matches for me to watch. Those are my only two big blind spots of the year and while I don't like either company I should at least give the best stuff a shot

You aren't going to like Okada/Ibushi, as it's probably exactly what you think it is in your mind. However, you have surprised me before.

 

I would be very interested in what you think of the Shingo/CIMA title match from Kobe World. could see you loving it or loathing it. There is also a tag match that people are raving about (some gave it 5-stars) that you will absolutely hate (A.Tozawa & BB Hulk vs Ricochet & N.Doi) that was an athletic spectacle and will likely be the DG match of the year.

 

Here is my review of that show if interested: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2013/07/2...review-results/

Thanks for the recommendations. I will watch both matches. If you have any BJPW to pimp please do as well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcMnLmT5Vi8

 

They had a match the week before that was very good to. This match has the first caida which is some brillant mat wrestling and a third fall with my spot of the year and them throwing bombs at each other.

Will check it out next weekend when my exams are over.

 

Any other Lucha matches from this month that are considered ****+ type matches?

I have too much on my plate with the 80s sets and yearbooks to invest my time into the current stuff. I saw a couple of hyped matches (couldn't tell you who was who) and wasn't blown away. I think one was Tanahashi and another guy was Oba or Odu or something. Much like Richards-Elgin, I have a disconnect with why people think that shit is good.

Some browsing in some of the 90s yearbook subforums would probably disprove the "best month ever" idea pretty quick but it was an exceptionally great wrestling month IMO, and probably the best in many years. If someone told me Punk/Lesnar and Cena/Bryan were both in their top 10 WWE matches ever I wouldn't think it one bit odd. And I've hated a lot of NJ stuff that NJ fans love, and I absolutely loved the G1 this year, though people who I tend to agree with have been less high on it than me so maybe I'm somewhat of an anomaly. Still I thought it was a blow out great week of wrestling with a couple great matches and I thought the shows tended to be very enjoyable overall with decent variety.

 

I came out of the G1 not hating Okada. I think his number one huge glaring problem is his awful moveset, but if he amended that (he won't) I think he'd be a legit good wrestler as I think he works the NJPW big moves and counters style pretty well for what it is and is a very good seller. I'll probably watch that Okada/Ibushi match out of curiosity.

Some browsing in some of the 90s yearbook subforums would probably disprove the "best month ever" idea pretty quick but it was an exceptionally great wrestling month IMO, and probably the best in many years. If someone told me Punk/Lesnar and Cena/Bryan were both in their top 10 WWE matches ever I wouldn't think it one bit odd. And I've hated a lot of NJ stuff that NJ fans love, and I absolutely loved the G1 this year, though people who I tend to agree with have been less high on it than me so maybe I'm somewhat of an anomaly. Still I thought it was a blow out great week of wrestling with a couple great matches and I thought the shows tended to be very enjoyable overall with decent variety.

 

I came out of the G1 not hating Okada. I think his number one huge glaring problem is his awful moveset, but if he amended that (he won't) I think he'd be a legit good wrestler as I think he works the NJPW big moves and counters style pretty well for what it is and is a very good seller. I'll probably watch that Okada/Ibushi match out of curiosity.

I'm glad somebody else has noticed Okada's excellent selling. His selling in the most recent Tanahashi match was fantastic, especially after seeing Naito's awful, awful selling all week long.

Blue Panther/Negro Casas/Atlantis v. Black Terry/Negro Navarro/Solar 8-16 CMLL

 

 

I thought this was great maestro style action. I know Dylan in his comments said he was fairly low but I think he would still consider it a good match. I would have this as one of 4-5 lucha MOTY so far and it is a good candidate for Casas being one of the top workers with his exchanges vs. Terry and Navarro.

 

Blue Panther, Rush, Super Porky vs Averno, Felino, Negro Casas - CMLL 8/17

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx29hfHLnhY

 

Casas vs. Rush has been a super feud and actually Joe I think a FOTY candidate that you guys were talking about on the pod. This I wouldn't classify as great but was a lot of fun and a worthy addition to padding the resume for August 2013.

Just watched Okada vs. Ibushi. Check it out Dylan. I will say I think its one of my favorite Okada performances. He remains focused on the work on the neck, busts out a lot of different stuff while on top, and does less of his "looking to the heavens" or constantly going for the rainmaker which annoys me in other matches of his. The finish even pays off that work well. Ibushi of course does bridges on his neck immediately after it getting worked on but I would probably go YES for if it was nominated at WrestlingKO and have no problem ranking it around 3.5 to 3.75 stars overall.

Watched Okada/Ibushi myself just now. Eh, I wouldn't recommend it but I won't countermand anyone else's recommendation. Thought they got off to a quite good start actually then settled into one of those puro matches where they're just trading moves and it's not particularly interesting -- excepting one cool dive by Ibushi. A couple decent spots at the end and a pretty neat finish. It's a fun match if you're into that style, and parts of it can be enjoyable even if you're not, but I don't think it's in any way a GOOD match.

Those two trios are fine, good matches, but nothing even close to outstanding. When I get home I will drag over some of my thoughts on August matches from WKO

Let's look at other months. This is all of course only based on my own ratings and opinions, but for the purpose of comparison, here's the number of 4*+ matches every month from January 1990 - June 1997.

 

1990

January - 5

February - 4

March - 1

April - 4

May - 3

June - 6

July - 2

August - 2

September - 3

October - 7

November - 7

December - 3

 

1991

January - 5

February - 2

March - 5

April - 9

May - 7

June - 2

July - 2

August - 9

September - 3

October - 2

November - 5

December - 7

 

1992

January - 8

February - 13

March - 2

April - 8

May - 8

June - 7

July - 6

August - 8

September - 2

October - 6

November - 6

December - 5

 

1993

January - 4

February - 9

March - 6

April - 13

May - 8

June - 10

July - 10

August - 11

September - 2

October - 6

November - 9

December - 8

 

1994

January - 5

February - 6

March - 7

April - 11

May - 8

June - 6

July - 6

August - 2

September - 2

October - 6

November - 4

December - 6

 

1995

January - 3

February - 2

March - 9

April - 10

May - 0

June - 10

July - 8

August - 7

September - 4

October - 4

November - 3

December - 2

 

1996

January - 1

February - 2

March - 4

April - 3

May - 4

June - 6

July - 4

August - 6

September - 9

October - 6

November - 8

December - 8

 

1997

January - 5

February - 1

March - 6

April - 8

May - 3

June - 4

 

The months with 10 or more 4* matches were:

- February 1992 (13)

- April 1993 (13)

- June 1993 (10)

- July 1993 (10)

- August 1993 (11)

- April 1994 (11)

- June 1995 (10)

 

For purposes of comparison, February 1992 had:

 

#1 - Silver King, El Texano & Gran Hamada vs Negro Casas, Dr Wagner Jr & Rambo (UWA 02/29/92) *****

#2 - Jushin Liger vs Norio Honaga (NJPW 02/08/92) ****1/2

#3 - Jushin Liger vs Pegasus Kid (NJPW 02/10/92) ****1/2

#4 - Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs Steve Austin & Larry Zbyszko (WCW SuperBrawl II 02/29/92) ****1/4

#5 - Silver King, El Texano & Gran Hamada vs Negro Casas, Dr Wagner Jr & Mike Lozansky (UWA 02/16/92) ****1/4

#6 - El Canek vs Dos Caras (UWA 02/02/92) ****1/4

#7 - Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Yusuke Fuke (PWFG 02/24/92) ****1/4

#8 - Hiromitsu Kanehara vs Masakazu Maeda (UWFI 02/29/92) ****1/4

#9 - Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat vs Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (AJPW 02/22/92) ****

#10 - Sting, Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham & Ricky Steamboat vs Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko & Bobby Eaton (WCW Saturday Night 02/22/92) ****

#11 - Jushin Liger vs Brian Pillman (WCW SuperBrawl II 02/29/92) ****

#12 - Jumbo Tsuruta vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 02/27/92) ****

#13 - Rick Rude vs Ricky Steamboat (WCW SuperBrawl II 02/29/92) ****

 

April 1993 had:

 

#1 - Akira Hokuto vs Shinobu Kandori (AJW Dreamslam I 04/11/93) *****

#2 - Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs Mayumi Ozaki & Dynamite Kansai (AJW Dreamslam II 04/10/93) ****3/4

#3 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/12/93) ****1/2

#4 - Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (JWP 04/18/93) ****1/4

#5 - Sabu vs Lightning Kid (NWA Grand Slam 04/17/93) ****1/4

#6 - Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 04/16/93) ****

#7 - Takako Inoue & Kyoko Inoue vs Mayumi Ozaki & Cutie Suzuki (AJW Dreamslam I 04/02/93) ****

#8 - Barry Windham vs Steven Regal (WCW Worldwide 04/18/93) ****

#9 - Manami Toyota & Yumiko Hotta vs Aja Kong & Kyoko Inoue (AJW 04/24/93) ****

#10 - Ultimo Dragoncito & Orito vs Felinito & Ultratumbita (EMLL 04/30/93) ****

#11 - Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu (NJPW 04/06/93) ****

#12 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 04/14/93) ****

#13 - Ciclon Ramirez & Corazon de Leon & Oro vs Felino & Javier Cruz & Negro Casas (EMLL 04/30/93) ****

 

June 1993 had:

 

#1 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/01/93) ****1/2

#2 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue & Yoshinari Ogawa (AJPW 06/03/93) ****1/4

#3 - Genichiro Tenryu vs Shinya Hashimoto (WAR 06/17/93) ****1/4

#4 - Wild Pegasus vs El Samurai (NJPW Top of the Super Juniors Final 06/14/93) ****1/4

#5 - Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto & Tatsumi Fujinami & Masa Chono & Hiroshi Hase vs Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara & Takashi Ishikawa & Tatsu Goto & Super Strong Machine (NJPW 06/15/93) ****

#6 - Hiroshi Hase vs Samson Fuyuki (WAR 06/17/93) ****

#7 - Barry Windham vs 2 Cold Scorpio (WCW Clash of the Champions XXIII 06/16/93) ****

#8 - Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect (WWF King of the Ring 06/13/93) ****

#9 - Marty Jannetty vs Doink the Clown (WWF Monday Night RAW 06/21/93) ****

#10 - Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow (WWF King of the Ring 06/13/93) ****

 

July 1993 had:

 

#1 - Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 07/29/93) *****

#2 - Sakie Hasegawa & Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue & Aja Kong vs Mayumi Ozaki & Dynamite Kansai & Hikari Fukuoka & Cutie Suzuki (JWP Thunderqueen 07/31/93) ****3/4

#3 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi (AJPW 07/19/93) ****1/2

#4 - Felino vs Ciclon Ramirez (EMLL 07/09/93) ****1/4

#5 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue & Yoshinari Ogawa (AJPW 07/02/93) ****1/4

#6 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW 07/29/93) ****1/4

#7 - Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama (AJPW 07/09/93) ****1/4

#8 - Hollywood Blonds vs Arn Anderson & Paul Roma (WCW Beach Blast 07/18/93) ****

#9 - Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Paul Roma vs Hollywood Blonds & Barry Windham (WCW Saturday Night 07/03/93) ****

#10 - Great Sasuke & Sato vs Super Delphin & Gran Naniwa (Michinoku Pro 07/26/93) ****

 

August 1993 had:

 

#1 - Aja Kong vs Dynamite Kansai (AJW 08/25/93) ****3/4

#2 - Naoki Sano vs Yoji Anjo (UWFI 08/13/93) ****3/4

#3 - Steve Williams vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 08/31/93) ****1/2

#4 - Genichiro Tenryu vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/08/93) ****1/4

#5 - Manami Toyota vs Akira Hokuto (AJW 08/21/93) ****1/4

#6 - Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat vs Kenta Kobashi & Satoru Asako (AJPW 08/20/93) ****

#7 - Yoshihiro Takayama vs Gene Lydick (UWFI 08/13/93) ****

#8 - Hiroshi Hase vs Shinya Hashimoto (NJPW G-1 Climax 08/03/93) ****

#9 - Bret Hart vs Yokozuna (WWF MSG 08/13/93) ****

#10 - MS-1 vs Cien Caras (AAA 08/22/93) ****

#11 - Akira Hokuto vs Harley Saito (AJW 08/13/93) ****

 

April 1994 had:

 

#1 - Steve Williams vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/16/94) ****1/2

#2 - Chris Candido vs Tracy Smothers (SMW Bluegrass Brawl 04/01/94) ****1/2

#3 - Great Sasuke vs Jinsei Shinzaki (Michinoku Pro 04/29/94) ****1/2

#4 - Jushin Liger vs Great Sasuke (NJPW Super J Cup 04/16/94) ****1/2

#5 - Wild Pegasus vs Great Sasuke (NJPW Super J Cup 04/16/94) ****1/4

#6 - Rock & Roll Express vs Heavenly Bodies (SMW Bluegrass Brawl 04/01/94) ****1/4

#7 - Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/10/94) ****

#8 - Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (WCW Spring Stampede 04/17/94) ****

#9 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama vs Stan Hansen, Giant Baba & Takao Omori (AJPW 04/16/94) ****

#10 - Dustin Rhodes vs Bunkhouse Buck (WCW Spring Stampede 04/17/94) ****

#11 - Jerry Lawler vs Dream Machine (USWA Mid South Coliseum 04/25/94) ****

 

June 1995 had:

 

#1 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (AJPW 06/09/95) *****

#2 - El Hijo del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr & La Parka vs Pentagon, Blue Panther, Psicosis & Fuerza Guerrera (AAA 06/18/95) ****3/4

#3 - Manami Toyota vs Aja Kong (AJW 06/27/95) ****1/2

#4 - Yoji Anjo vs Naoki Sano (UWFI 06/18/95) ****1/2

#5 - Volk Han vs Yoshihisa Yammamoto (RINGS 06/17/95) ****1/4

#6 - Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata vs Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW 06/12/95) ****1/4

#7 - Hayabusa vs Hisakatsu Oya (FMW Korauken Hall 06/27/95) ****

#8 - Octagoncito, Mascarita Sagrada, Torerito & Super Munequito vs Espectrito, Espectrito II, La Parkita & Fuercita Guerrera (AAA 06/18/95) ****

#9 - Rob Van Dam vs Dan Kroffat (AJPW 06/09/95) ****

#10 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Satoru Asako vs Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue & Tamon Honda (AJPW 06/30/95) ****

I haven't seen a single thing from August 2013 but my complete initial reaction to the thread title would be "better than April 94"? You're setting the bar high for me. Just imagining when the 2013 yearbook is released 20 years from now if we are clamoring about August 2013 being the best.