What are some of your favorite wrestling seasons? What show and year and why?

I haven't actually watched it fully, but my research suggests that Georgia Championship Wrestling from about 1979 to 1983 looks like some of the best shit ever ever. I've loved everything I've watched from it so far. It's very angle-heavy and most non-squash matches end with run ins, but so many great promos and storylines. I only have comps, but am thinking about getting the whole season sets because it's just a great wrestling show.

The AWA in 1984 is a personal favourite. A changing of the guard and new direction in the title picture, big names being brought in, the WWF invading the Twin Cities and seeing how much busier the AWA got on a lot of fronts with different angles, the Blackwell face turn and the emergence of the Sheik's army, The LOD-Fabs matches (at a time when they were possibly the two top tag teams going), Slaughter coming in...it was a very promising time for the AWA, even in the face of losing a lot of the old stalwarts like Heenan, Jesse, Vachon, and of course, Hulk Hogan.

84 AWA needed a Greg Gagne heel turn.

 

I love Mid South in 84, with Dundee coming in and heating up the booking. It's got the Mr. Wrestling II heel run and the RnRs and Midnights coming in. There's something pretty special about JCP in 1985 too, with the rise of Magnum and advent of the Horsemen. ECW in 2009 was super enjoyable with Christian as the babyface Ace and a good mix of old and new talent. Portland in 1979 is over the top with Roddy and Martel as the babyfaces and Rose and the Sheepherders as probably the most iconic version of the army. WCW from fall 91 to summer 1992 with a million Dangerous Alliance matches given away and Pillman vs Liger and Steamboat returning and Dustin coming into his own, etc.

World Class 83 would certainly be on my list. After watching the AWA for years World Class was a totally different type of format with competitive matches in front of an ecstatic crowd. I didn't even get to watch the entire year back then since the syndication here didn't start until the fall. Even with only a half year at best I still thought it was great.

 

I agree with KHawk about 84 AWA. Really fun year with so many newcomers that I only read about in the Apter mags at that time.

 

WWF 84 was pretty great. You had four great feuds and Hulk Hogan as champ, who I was wondering where he went since he disappeared from AWA TV. Although you really have to see the house show matches to see the feuds really play out as the TV didn't give you much.

 

86/87 JCP is another favorite. I only saw the syndicated Worldwide show back then. Really enjoyed the arena feel of the program. Even to this day I really don't care for the TBS show and that small studio except for the interviews.

 

UWF 86/87 was also a lot of fun. I never saw MSW up to that point so UWF was my first exposure to that really hard hitting style. Every weeks show seemed to end with a non-finish of some sort. Despite that, it made it a must watch every Sunday morning.

 

I'm a sucker for tag matches which is why I enjoy AWA 88. That year as a whole had some great tag matches. AWA 88 had the potential to rival any promotion when it came to tag teams if they would have been able to keep them on the roster the entire year.

My favourite season has to be WWF Superstars of Wrestling 1989 because it was the first time I watched WWF TV but as I didnt get it till June I missed out on alot of things that happened. Its also got a great match where Demolition got the tag straps back.

As far as living it as it happened, WWF 97 probably. And then as live as it could be since I had to wait for the tapes to get released and buy them from a seller, ARSION 1999.

1996 ECW

 

2006 ROH

 

2012-2013 New Japan

 

For nostalgic reasons, I will second 1989 WWF.

 

1989 JCP/WCW whatever you want to call it. Rewatching this now on the network, really enjoying.

 

1983 World Class is another focused watch i'm doing on the Network & elsewhere, and loving it.

 

Can't narrow down All Japan to a "season", as that was more of an entire era.

 

I think eventually people will look back on 2013 WWE as something really special in terms of in ring. Probably the best year of RAW ever between the ropes.

I really, really love 2008 and 2009 WWECW. It was kind of like watching a small promotion (think Portland, Stampede or the Maritimes even) work shows in front of large crowds every week. The ECW title was booked as a serious belt, and defenses of substantial length and quality were close to a weekly affair (sometimes bi-weekly when Superstars came around). Christian and Matt Hardy both had tremendous runs as aces, but you also had stuff like Evan Bourne showcase matches, Finlay being Finlay, the emergence of Jack Swagger, Regal as a series title threat, et. They did a really good job booking in "special" talent from the "bigger" brands too. Some of my favorite matches and feuds in recent years come from that period. I'd argue that in 2008 half of the ten best wrestlers in the world were WWECW guys and 09 featured the best, week-to-week, episodic championship run I can remember the WWE doing...ever?

Is that the best that ECW ever was, even counting the original run?

Maybe? It's hard to compare because the goals were so different. WWECW was a major company disguising itself as a minor company. ECW was a minor company disguising itself as a major company. I don't think WWECW ever had the sort of storyline delivery as ECW, nor did it have anyone close to as good on the mic as the better ECW guys. But in ring alone the ECW tv shows were never as good as 08/09 WWECW.

And when you add in the fancams?

Stop pimping WWECW to me. I don't want to have to watch it. Stop pimping it to me. Now.

 

(the issue is that there were WWECW matches on regular PPV, weren't there ?)

Seriously, watch WWECW. Start from whenever Colin Delaney showed up and then watch until the end.

I guess 2011 WWE Superstars has to be brought up.

I'd like to watch some Portland as I've never seen any. I think my favorite runs (as a kid) were WWF 94, WCW 97, and ECW 97. I also enjoyed NWA Wildside 99 and MCW 00(?) before it closed shop

NWA Wildside always intrigued me. What was some of the best stuffs from 99?

Actually it was more like 00-02. AJ Styles, Jimmy Rave, JerLo, Suicidal Tendencies, TNT, Blackout. Also had Lost Boys, LAZZ, Jeff G. Bailey. Good stuff from top to bottom.

There should've been a WWECW comp

What was the territory like as a whole. Was it a southern brawling style? Or more of a 00ish indy style? Or neither

I have to concur with WWF 1989. You had Hogan-Savage with Zeus, a pretty solid mid-card and fantastic tag team feuds with Demolition, Brain Busters, Hart Foundation, Rockers.

I have to say 1989 WWF is one of my favorite seasons. Solid main events, but in particular great mid-card and awesome tag team feuds with Demolition, Harts, Brain Busters and Rockers.

Sorry for the double post...screen went haywire.

I'd say it was a mix. Good wrestling and angles

I loved the Mamaluke-Rave feud that spread from Wildside to CZW when it happened live.