Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe (10/01/2005, ROH): The crowd is hot for this match right from the opening bell, popping huge fro Joe's first strike (a chest chop) and then Kenta's "receipt." A "This Is Awesome" chant breaks out before we even get the first suplex. Joe dropkicks Kenta into the barrier and then hits a suicide dive, which is met by a "Holy Shit" chant despite it probably being the dozenth one of the night. Back in the ring, Joe gets a two count and delivers a high body slam and then an elbow drop for a 1. Joe applies a rear headlock and a "Kobashi" chant starts up. Joe readjusts into Misawa's finish, but Kobashi reaches the ropes with his foot. Joe hits some chops in the corner but Kenta takes them and delivers a bunch of his own that sound like gunshots. Joe with a series of kicks and an enziguiri to put Kenta down. Joe with some Kawada kicks but Kobashi fires up with more chops and they do it again with Joe finally putting him down with a knee. Knee drop off the ropes by Joe. To the floor they go, where Joe puts Kenta into a seat by the barrier. Ole Kick! He goes for another but Kobashi catches him with a chop to the throat, and then another that seats him, and then a chest chop that sends him over the barricade! DDT on the floor by Kobashi! Back in the ring, Kobashi applies a front facelock, but Joe backs into the ropes. More chops by Kobashi. Those things could fell a tree. Kobashi hits a series of falling chops for a 2 count and then reapplies the face lock. Kenta goes for a suplex but Joe counters it with one of his own before collapsing back down to the mat. Kobashi with more chops but Joe nails him with a kick! Chopfest! Great exchange with Kobashi reigning supreme! Kobashi goes for the pin, but Joe is too close to the ropes. Kobashi applies an abdominal stretch but Joe reaches the ropes once more. Kobashi with another chop on the mat for 2. Kobashi applies a rear headlock and adds a chop to the forehead for good measure. Kobashi seems to be a bit lost, not sure what to do to maintain control, opening himself up for an uranage and a flurry of Joe offense! Joe with a series of strikes in the corner after a senton! After some struggle, Joe hits a buckle bomb! Joe with his signatue boots in the corner and then a big running boot from across the ring! Joe hits the Muscle Buster! 1...2...no! Joe is surprised but doesn't rest for a second, hitting another powerbomb and then locking in an STF! Kobashi is fighting, though, forcing Joe to re-apply and re-configure the hold multiple times. Really cool. Kobashi gets his foot on the bottom rope, though, and the ref breaks its up. Joe is on his feet first and looks for a big boot but Kobashi catches him with a strike and then hits him with a half-nelson dragon suplex. Not the prettiest move ever, but certainly effective. The ref counts both guys down and reaches 5 before they start stirring. Back on their feet, Kobashi with a spinning chop! Rapid fire chops in the corner! Classic Kobashi there! He must've delivered a good 40-50 of them! Three more two-handed chops bring Joe to the mat and then he adds another while he's seated. Kobashi delivers another half-nelson suplex and this one is perfect! Kobashi goes for the cover..1...2...Joe grabs the bottom rope! Kobashi brings Joe up, Joe uses the opening to deliver some chops, but Kobashi catches him in a sleeper and dumps him with a dragon suplex! 1...2...somehow Joe kicks out! Kobashi is enraged and frustrated. Kobashi bring shim up and Joe hits a series of strikes but eats a bunch of spinning chops to the face too! Kenta with a HUGE lariat off the ropes and that is it! Widely considered one of the best matches in ROH history, if not all history, this is a great watch and deserving of its accolades. (5/5)
Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo vs. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki (03/20/1986, JWA): Asuka and Nagayo were known as The Crush Gals while Tateno and Yamazaki were the Jumping Bomb Angels, who appeared on various WWE PPVs in the late 80s and were the reigning WWWA Tag Team Champions. The Bomb Angels come out swinging with two huge crossbodies to the floor, but the Crush Gals are not afraid to work a fast-paced match either and we get some real nifty mat-wrestling once they get back in the ring. Body slams, high knees, Nagayo and Asuka applying all sorts of holds to keep the champions on the mat - its all good stuff and some of it is performed with such remarkable speed it had me wondering if I was watching the match at the wrong rate. Yamazaki finally gets the tag after a lengthy stretch of Tateno struggling to get any offense in and her running clotheslines are incredible. Yamazaki gets hold of Nagayo's wrist and applies an arm bar and then a wristlock before tagging in Tateno and having her take over. There's a weird moment when it seems like Yamazaki slipped or got pulled down off the apron - not sure what happened there - as Tateno applied a rear chinlock. Great back-and-forth follows, neither team able to sustain much of an advantage. Brilliant Hart Attack-esque move by the Crush Gals! Airplane spin by Asuka! Huge crossbody by Nagayo! A piledriver by Asuka wins the Crush Gals the first fall! The tape "jumps" a little bit to the start of the 2nd fall, with Tateno and Asuka squaring off. Again, the back and forth is incredible, with stiff strikes, kip-ups, rapid-fire counters and reversals and dropkicks. Nagayo is in trouble, though, and gets dumped on her head with a nasty German suplex to tie up the match at 1 fall a piece. I'm surprised Nagayo wasn't straight-up paralyzed with that suplex. The third fall begins with Yamazaki on the attack, going after Nagayo's neck. Brilliant missle dropkick by Tateno! In comes Asuka, but she gets caught in a piledriver too. Big back suplex by Tateno, but Asuka gets her foot on the rope. The Crush Gals mount a comeback with Nagayo hitting a big tombstone piledriver on Yamazaki for 2. Awesome german suplex by Nagayo! Somehow Yamazaki kicks out. Nagayo with a bodyslam. Off the ropes comes Asuka, but she misses. Another quick tag. Asuka with a huge bridging suplex on Tateno and then an airplane spin! Crazy camera angle! Its still not enough to end things, though. In comes Nagayo, who hoists Tateno up to the top rope. Tateno shoves her off and lands another big falling back suplex and then a leg drop and a piledriver for 2.9! Nagayo fights back and applies a Sharpshooter/Cloverleaf, but Tateno escapes and applies a Tarantula. In comes Yamazaki, but her offense is countered and Nagayo hits a double-underhook bridging suplex to win the match and the titles! Holy cow. Incredible match between two high-energy teams. There wasn't much extended selling and I could see the argument that there wasn't a clear structure - more "your turn/my turn" than a story built around an extended face-in-peril stretch or a babyface/babyface match where it starts respectfully and gets more and more heated - but when two evenly-matched teams do battle with this much intensity through three falls, it can still work. This worked for me big time. (4.5/5)
Dump Matsumoto vs. Chigusa Nagayo (04/05/1986, AJW): Matsumoto's pre-match Samurai outfit is BONKERS (as is Nagayo coming with a samurai sword of her own). Matsumoto is joined by Bull Nakano and the rest of the Atrocious Alliance, who try to attack Nagayo before the bell as Matsumoto watches. A loud "Chigusa" chant fills the arena as Matsumoto goes to work with a kendo stick, which, I'm guessing means this is no DQ? Nagayo is able to turn this into a wrestling match, but Matsumoto gains control early on, punishing her on the mat with a cloverleaf. Once they're back on their feet, Nagayo attempts some german suplexes but Matsumoto is too big and is able to grab the ropes. Nagayo applies a submission but Dump reverses it and then works on the ankle. Matsumoto attempts a german suplex but Nagayo prevents it by holding the ropes. Matsumoto with a suplex and then a fireman's carry that ends with her sending Chigusa to the mat. Outside they go, but not for long, as Nagayo sends Dump into the rail and then takes the high ground back in the ring. Nagayo with a series of big kicks but Dump lands a german suplex for 2! Nagayo gets the Sharpshooter locked in! Nakano runs in and so does Crane Yu, the Atrocious Alliance members breaking the hold and then assisting for a sloppy spike piledriver. The ref refuses to make the count and out of the ring they go, where Dump nails her repeatedly with a metal box. Chigusa's seconds cover her up to try to prevent more damage and have to take a bunch of blows for their effort before Dump rolls back into the ring. In comes Nagayo, but Dump pulls her by the hair and sends her into the post before gloating on the turnbuckle. Nagayo comes back into the ring and hits a sunsept flip for 2 and then an enziguiri for another nearfall, shocking Dump with her resiliency. Her offensive flurry doesn't last too long, though, as Dump regains control and jabs her forehead with a fork. Matsumoto goes for a cover, but Chigusa bridges out. Chigusa hits some kicks out of the corner and tries for a pin but Dump still has too much left in the tank. Spinning heel kick off the ropes by Nagayo! After a brief bit on the outside, they're back in the ring and Dump gets tied up in the ropes, allowing Chigusa to hit her with some chair shots. In comes the Atrocious Alliance with a huge metal garbage can! Matsumoto uses it on Nagayo, which gets a huge reaction from the crowd. She goes to the use it in the corner but Nagayo ducks out and Dump ends up losing her grip on it when she bashes the post. Nagayo comes around and nails her with an exhausted back suplex (you can see Dump help out by kicking herself off the turnbuckle) to get the W. After the match, Nagayo gets her head shaved and the crowd is basically flooded with girls' tears. It is one of the more emotional scenes I can recall seeing in pro-wrestling. There were parts of this I really loved and the overall performances were exceptional with both Nagayo and Dump playing their roles to perfection. I wish it would've had a stronger finish, though, and there weren't necessarily any true "holy shit" moments that separate a good/great match from an all-time classic. (3.5/5)
The Junkyard Dog vs. Nick Bockwinkel (06/11/1982, Houston Wrestling): Coming into this match, Nick Bockwinkel was the AWA World Champion, but he was challenging JYD for a crown that he had been given by the fans. JYD's entrance song was "Another One Bites The Dust," which is awesome, and he was in great shape at this point of his career. Bockwinkel sells and bumps with his usual enthusiasm, rolling to the outside to avoid anymore of JYD's blows. Bock takes over with some knees after a brief tie-up, but JYD springs right back up and Bockwinkel has to high-tail it out of the ring again. Back in the ring, Bockwinkel backs him into the corner and lays into him with some shots but JYD comes back with punches of his own and a headbutt to the midsection off the ropes. JYD with a surprising Russian Leg Sweep! Wow. Didn't expect that. Bockwinkel manages to lock in a front facelock but JYD lifts him off the mat and tosses him into the corner. JYD applies a claw to his stomach and Bockwinkel has to break free with a headbutt of his own. Bockwinkel goes for a choke, but JYD counters with one of his own. Bockwinkel is able to make it to the floor, but JYD follows him out and slams him into the apron. Bockwinkel counters by sending JYD into the post and climbing back into the ring. Bockwinkel stretches his arms and waist as JYD recovers on the outside, which is nice attention to detail as he sells the damage to his midsection from earlier. Bock goes back and whips the Dog back into the post again, trying his best to prevent him from getting back in the ring. JYD rolls in but is met by Bock's boots. Bock goes for a pin but barely gets 1. Bockwinkel throws a bunch of fists and attempts a bodyslam but JYD cradles him! 1...2...3! Bockwinkel springs right back up and puts the boots to him but this match is over! Heenan comes in (I assume the stipulation was that if JYD won, he got to wrestle the Weasel) and tries to beat up on Junkyard Dog, but JYD makes a near-immediate comeback and gets his revenge, yanking Heenan around the ring by his tights until Bockwinkel comes in to save his manager. This brings Bruiser Brody out and it is absolute bedlam in the ring with the babyfaces running the heels out. All in all, a fun match but certainly not any sort of technical classic. This was a "character-based" wrestling match similar to what the WWE would end up doing a few short years later. A good performance out of Bockwinkel and a hot crowd make this perfectly fine, but I like more wrestling in my wrestling and JYD's limited moveset (and Bockwinkel being perfectly happy to just bump around and stick to punches himself) don't leave much of an impression. (2.5/5)
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (07/17/1999, AJPW): I don't think I've seen much (or any?) Takayama matches before. He's a big dude. Great back-and-forth kickfest with Kawada early on before Takayama takes control with a rear choke. Takayama's strikes look devastating, dropping Kawada to the mat at one point and, soon after, causing him to have to roll out of the ring to recover. Kawada outsmarts Takayama by having him come to the outside and then gaining the advantage with a series of kicks and strikes once he gets back in the ring. Takayama regains control with a wristlock, but Kawada gets to the ropes. Takayama nails a series of knees, but Kawada comes back with a bunch of his own! Back suplex by Kawada and then a pair of enziguiris! A big kick to the skull by Kawada sents Takayama to the floor and leads to a countout finish. I was hoping for a better finish, even knowing that this was a sub-10 minute match. (2.5/5)
Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Yoshitsune (09/01/2007, Michinoku Pro): Yoshitsune comes out flying with some huge aerial moves to open the match and take control. Awesome hot start. Liger is basically dead before the match can even begin, selling on the floor and barely making the count. Yoshi hits a superkick and then a 619 and a 450 off the top rope but Liger kicks out. A bodyslam by Yoshi is followed by him going to the top rope but Liger brings him down with a guerilla press slam and then hits him with a clothesline. Liger with another lariat in the corner and then a nasty Liger Bomb for 2. Brainbuster by Liger also gets 2. Liger puts Yoshi on the top rope, but he escapes by doing a cartwheel on the top rope and then hits him with a nifty 619! He makes the cover and scores the victory, which, based on the crowd response and the folks hoisting him up on their shoulders, was a major crowd-pleasing upset (though I thought Liger was a babyface?). For a match that went under 5 minutes, this was damn entertaining and I liked Yoshitsune's strategy of just throwing every bomb possible as quickly as possible to try to overwhelm the legendary Jushin Thunder Liger. (3/5)
Fit Finlay vs. Meng (01/10/1998, WCW): This is one from WCW Saturday Night. Meng strikes first with a series of blows, but Finlay comes back with an eye rake and then a dropkick. With these two, you know the battle is going to be back-and-forth stiffness and this does not disappoint. Finlay slows things down with a rear chinlock but Meng gets to his feet. Finlay with an elbow to the face but Meng counters with boots and a forearm and then a dropkick of his own for 2. Finlay grabs an ankle and tries to submit Meng, but Meng pulls on his hair and makes it to the ropes. Finlay relying on eye pokes to cut Meng off is brilliant and puts over how dangerous Meng is. Finlay goes to the outside to regroup and is met by chops and a backbreaker when he gets back in the ring. Another eye poke! Another elbow and forearm by Finlay, but Meng hits a back elbow of his own. Finlay regains control with forearms and then a strong clothesline for 2. Finlay goes for an arm bar but Jimmy Hart causes a distraction! Tongan Death Grip! Meng gets the 3. Really good TV match. All killer, no filler. Finlay showing why he is one of the best at what he does when it comes to working a smart, hard-fought match that gets his opponent over without sacrificing any of his own credibility. (3/5)
Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Abdullah The Butcher (04/04/1992, AJPW): Ogawa goes right after Abdullah, running into the crowd to attack him, which is an interesting tactic but not a very effective one. Abdullah whips him into a bunch of chairs by his hair, busting him wide open. Ogawa's blood is NASTY here. A few more uppercuts send him into a bunch more chairs. Abdullah pulls him over to ringside and sends him into the guardrail before leveling him with another big strike. Ogawa is an absolute MESS. Ogawa is barely able to roll into the ring and, as soon as he does, a shoulder block sends him back out. The Butcher follows him out and smashes a table over him. This is an absolute MAULING. Abdullah brings him into the ring and works on his forehead in the corner. Ogawa finally gets a strike or two in but Abdullah uses his power and size to back suplex him into the middle of the ring. Ogawa is basically dead at this point. Abdullah hits an elbow drop and gets the pin in under 6 minutes. Awesome squash match. (3/5)
Jumbo Tsuruta & Kenta Kobashi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Yoshinari Ogawa (08/20/1989, AJPW): Ogawa is super young here - 23 years old by my mental math - which means Kobashi was 22! Ogawa and Tenryu were a team known as Revolution and are wearing some spiffy jackets. Tenryu and Jumbo start off for their sides and trade some chops before Jumbo applies a wristlock. Jumbo looks to make a tag but decides against it and falls prey to a heel hook by Tenryu. Jumbo gets out with a forearm to the face and then hits another before hitting his first big flying knee. Jumbo keeps on the attack, but Tenryu comes back with some strikes of his own. Tenryu hits an enziguiri and then some devastating forearms in the corner but Jumbo doesn't go down. Jumbo comes back with a series of forearms out of the corner and grabs Tenryu's ankle. Tenryu counters it with an ankle lock of his own and the ref breaks it up as a stalemate. Tenryu tags in Ogawa, which Jumbo treats almost as an insult. Ogawa with a big dropkick off the ropes but Jumbo cuts him off and then tags in Kobashi, allowing the youngsters to go to work. Kenta with a big dropkick! Kenta goes for a suplex but Ogawa slips out and they end up on the floor. Ogawa with a suplex on the floor after a whip into the guardrail! Good stuff! Love the story here of the younger dudes putting their foot on the gas. Back in the ring, they botch a counter in the corner, but they make up for it with a series of nifty nearfalls and counters. Ogawa tags out and in comes Tenryu, who waffles Kenta with a chop before tagging back out. Bodyslam by Tenryu and then Tenryu back body drops him onto Kenta! Ogawa with a boot to the head of Kenta, a right hand, and a chop but Kenta strikes back and hits a heel kick. In comes Jumbo, who nails Ogawa with a knee and then sends him into the corner and adds a couple of uppercuts for good measure. Jumbo lands a piledriver but only gets 2. Jumbo hits a double-underhook suplex for 2 and tags in Kenta. Double chop by Jumbo and Kenta and then Kobashi applies a Boston Crab. Tenryu comes in and slaps the heck out of Kenta, breaking the hold. In comes Jumbo to hit a big back elbow off the ropes for another nearfall. Ogawa manages to hit an elbow off the ropes and tag in Tenryu. Tenryu blocks a knee and hits a lariat for 2 as Kenta breaks up the pin. In comes Kenta and Tenryu nails him with a series of super stiff chops to the chest.1...2...somehow Kenta kicks out! Tenryu and Ogawa get a 2-on-1 in the corner as Ogawa gets tagged in and they pick up the pace but we get another "botch"/awkward moment when they collide. Ogawa hits a suplex and a leg drop but misses the second one, allowing Kenta to tag in Jumbo. Ogawa takes the fight to Jumbo, but Jumbo drops him with a big forearm! Really cool moment as Jumbo goes for the flying knee by whipping Ogawa into the ropes, but Tenryu catches him and shoves him out of the way so he can chop Jumbo instead! Ogawa tries to apply a rear headlock, attempts a roll-up, and even tries a sunset flip, but none of it is really effective or well-executed, causing Tenryu to come in and chop Jumbo down himself. Jumbo kicks out but ends up in the corner to eat a dropkick and then a running elbow. Jumbo takes the blows but comes out of the corner with a straight-up shove and then delivers a nasty back suplex, dropping Ogawa on his noggin. Kenta prevents Tenryu from breaking the count. In the post match, we see that Jumbo's nose was busted open. This was really sloppy at times, but still an interesting match. I loved Ogawa's energy and how fearless he was going against Jumbo, even as Jumbo continuously cut him off. I loved Jumbo and Tenryu's interactions and attitude towards each other and their partners. This is one of those matches you can go into with very little knowledge of any of the individual characters but "get" the story just because of the way they work it. Unfortunately, moments of sloppiness prevent this from being a real classic or even close to it. Cool match, though. (3/5)
Kenny Omega vs. Rey Fenix (10/5/2019, AAA): This match was for Fenix's AAA Mega Championship. Some good mat wrestling to start followed by both guys showing their agility. The first huge dive comes from Fenix and it is an absolute doozy, the kind of move you want to/need to rewind to see what exactly he did. Back in the ring, after a Fenix nearfall, Omega hits a back suplex and then another on the ring apron and a third one on the guard rail. Back in the ring, Omega continues with some kicks to the back and then uses his foot to stretch Fenix through the ropes. Omega hits a backreaker but only gets 2. He applies a cloverleaf but Fenix gets to the ropes to break it. At one point, a masked woman makes her way down the aisle but doesn't draw the attention of each competitor. Fenix makes a comeback, springboarding off the middle rope and getting huge air for a cool splash. He goes for another off the top rope but Omega hits a dropkick as he's coming down and Fenix goes to the floor. Omega goes for the Terminator but Fenix catches him with a superkick beofore he can take flight. He hits another. But Omega hits the V-Trigger! Omega with a back elbow but then we get a series of counters and reversals leading to an awesome german suplex by Fenix for 2. Great sequence. To the top rope they go, where Omega strikes at Fenix's head and shoulders, but ends up eating a Spanish Fly off the top by Fenix! A strike exchange follows, but Omega hits the full nelson snap suplex to cut off Fenix's momentum. Then another! Then a third...but Fenix rolls through, springs up, and nails a cutter! To the apron they go, trading blows, until Fenix comes over the top with another neckbreaker. V-Trigger by Omega back in the ring but he doesn't make the cover, opting instead for a bucklebomb and a then a pop-up sit-out slam for 2. Omega calls for another V-Trigger, giving ample time for Fenix to recover, but he nails it! Omega tries for the One-Winged Angel but Fenix escapes and hits an over-the-shoulder piledriver! 1...2...kickout! By this point, Fenix's lip/nose is busted open (I'm guessing hardway) and the bottom of his face is a bloody mess. Its a great visual representation of how a match that started with a bit of an exhibition style has turned into an all-out war. Omega ends up on the top rope and Fenix attempts a hurricanrana but Omega powerbombs him off the top rope! 1...2...kickout by Fenix! Tiger Driver 98' by Omega! Another 2 count! Another V-Trigger and a One-Winged Angel! That ends it. I think what sets this match apart and makes it special is how flawless and impactful Omega's offense looks. This might be the smoothest Omega match I've seen and he's rarely sloppy. With Fenix, you don't necessarily get a ton of great selling, but his toughness shined through because Omega's offense looked so devastating and he ended up sporting a near-literal crimson mask. (4/5)
Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue & Jun Akiyama (12/04/1992, AJPW): By my count, this is the 25th Misawa match I've reviewed and will certainly not be the last. Kawada and Taue start things off with some solid back and forth leading to a Kawada headlock. Taue tries to power out with an atomic drop but Kawada doesn't release the hold. Taue fights out and tags in Akiyama to a sizeable pop. Akiyama applies a hell of a headlock, but Kawada escapes by dumping him on his head with a back suplex. In comes Misawa to a big round of applause and we get a brief-but-spirited sequence of counters and escapes. Taue gets tagged back in and he gets Misawa on the mat with a kick to the back of the thigh before tagging Akiyama back in to do more work on Misawa's left leg. The focus on Misawa's leg gets huge reactions, which I'm guessing is because it was part of a larger story in the build to the match (?). After applying an STF, Akiyama tags out Taue who puts him in a very half-crab (almost a stretch muffler). Misawa rolls into the corner but eats a big boot that brings him back to the mat. In comes Akiyama, who delivers a kneebreaker and then applies a leg lock. Misawa manages to make the tag to Kawada, who hits a nasty spinning heel kick onto Akiyama for 2 and then a body slam and a super stiff kick to the back. He does it again before applying a painful-looking Boston Crab. Taue breaks it up. Kawada tags in Misawa, who delivers some forearms and then some jumping kicks before re-applying the crab, targeting Akiyama's lower back. Akiyama gets to the ropes so Misawa tags Kawada back in. Kawada applies an abdominal stretch, releases it, and goes for a vertical suplex. Akiyama counters it, but Kawada comes off the ropes with a big boot. In comes Misawa, who hits another devastating spin kick right to the head for 2. Akiyama tries to fight back with forearms, but Misawa clubs him and Kawada comes back in. A sunset flip by Akiyama gets 2, but Kawada hits a lariat off the ropes to maintain control. Misawa comes back in, hits a kick, and then a nasty flying clothesline for 2. Misawa delivers a gut wrench slam for 2 and then tags Kawada back in, who delivers another slam-kick combo and then a Sharpshooter. Akiyama reaches the ropes, but is clearly in a ton of pain. Kawada hits a powerbomb and makes the cover but Taue breaks it up! Taue goes to work on Kawada but the ref sends him back out. Off the ropes, Akiyama applies a not-so-great abdominal stretch. Kawada breaks out and hits a bodyslam off the ropes for 2 and then a running powerslam, but again Taue breaks the count. Kawada with the Stretch Plum but Taue attacks again and Kawada is forced to break the hold. Akiyama with a roll-up for 2 and manages to make the tag. A slapfest leads to Taue hitting a big boot off the ropes and then decking Misawa on the apron with a forearm! Taue with a knee to Kawada's midsection, but Kawada comes fighting back and hits a kick. Taue cuts off Kawada, slams his head-first into the mat, and then hits a powerbomb for 2! Taue attempts the chokeslam but Kawada resists. Kawada turns it into a Stretch Plum but in comes Akiyama to try to break it up! Why doesn't Misawa come in to help his partner? Kawada makes the tag and Misawa hits some forearms and then a DDT on Taue for 2. Misawa dodges some of Taue's strikes and kicks but takes a back body drop and in comes Akiyama. Akiyama with an offensive flurry of strikes, but Misawa hits a back elbow in the corner and a snap suplex. Misawa with a rear headlock but Taue comes in. On the outside, Kawada and Taue go at it as Misawa applies a rear headlock. DDT on the floor by Taue! Akiyama won't tap in the ring. Taue comes in and hits the Chokeslam on Misawa after breaking up the submission! Taue and Akiyama hit a two-man combo slam...1...2...Misawa somehow kicks out! High-bridging German Suplex by Akiyama but that only gets 2! Kawada gets rocked again on the apron. Another suplex by Akiyama for 2! They go for another combo move but in comes Kawada! Akiyama hits some dropkicks and goes for the inside cradle but only gets 2! Big forearm by Misawa before he hits a spinning back suplex. Akiyama kicks out at 2. Tiger Driver, but Taue breaks the count! Kawada and Taue go back to the floor to brawl. Another Tiger Driver and this one seals it! I know that my knowledge of Japanese wrestling "rules" and tropes is limited, but there was some parts of this match that did not click with me. They spend considerable time working on Misawa's leg but it doesn't lead to anything and, if anything, Misawa's longterm selling was really selling. Taue's run-ins to break up pin attempts are never balanced out by Misawa trying to help his partner in equal measure. Kawada's offense looked great, but also felt repetitive by the end. (2.5/5)
Meiko Satomura & Sonoko Kato vs. Aja Kong & Chikayo Nagashima (03/20/1999, GAEA): The heels control early with Nagashima locking in a guillotine on Kato before tagging in Kong. Kong's arrogance is great as she punishes the heck out of Kato with a half-crab and then some stiff kicks to the leg. Nagashima comes back in, which gives Kato a chance to fight back, hiting a back suplex and making the tag to Meiko. Nagashima hits an X-Factor for 2 before getting driven into the corner where she makes the tag to Kong. Kong hits a release vertical suplex and a big elbow for 2. Kong hits a powerbomb and makes the cover but Kato breaks the count. Kong applies a somewhat weird front headlock that I haven't seen before and then uses the top rope to try to choke Satomura out. Satomura gets some strikes in, but Kong continues to cut her off with big chops that drop her to the mat. Satomura comes back with some big forearms and a little bit of MMA style ground-and-pound before going to the top rope. She attempts a flying clothesline but gets booted. In comes Nagashima, who hits a series of dropkicks of her own. Satomura gets dumped to the outside and the fight goes into the crowd, with Satomura getting whipped into a whole bunch of chairs by Kong. The heels whip the faces into each other at one point and even roll Kato off a ledge and onto the concrete. It is a beautiful, violent show of dominance. Back in the ring, Satomura nearly gets her face booted off before getting hit with a dropkick. Kato comes off the top with one of her own and essentially tags herself in but ends up on the receiving end of more punishment. In comes Kong and Kato's work against her is incredibly spirited but still not enough, getting cut off by a crazy clothesline. The heels put the boots to her and then Kato delivers a nasty german suplex. A head scissors attempt is countered into a powerbomb but in comes Kong to cut off Kato's momentum again. Kong misses a back elbow from the top and Kato climbs onto her back to apply a sleeper. Kato hits a big bridging suplex for 2! Satomura with a flying forearm! Kato with a leg drop from the top! It only gets 2. Kato seems to go for a back body drop (which has to be one of the dumbest moves to try to perform on Kong) but gets powerbombed for her effort. She gets a shoulder up for 2 but then Nagashima comes flying in with a stomp from the top rope! Dang! Another 2 count and then Kong comes off the top with a metal box, but Kato dodges it and she nails Nagashima. Kato with a spinning Deadeye (reverse piledriver)! Woah. Crazy move for 99'. She goes for the cover but Kong throws Satomura into them to break it. Kato with a fireman's carry into a Satomura frog splash! Satomura with a Pele Kick! The pin gets broken up again by Kong. Headscissors by Nagashima gets 2.5. Kong bashes Satomura with the metal box and Nagashima hits a fisherman's brainbuster, but Kato makes the save! The rapid-fire high spots in this match are insanity. Kong hits a scoop slam and then allows Nagashima to use her shoulders as a launching pad into a pair of devastating double stomps! I have no idea how Satomura's ribs aren't broken from those. Big clothesline off the ropes by Kong, but Satomura somehow bridges out! Another huge clothesline by Kong and another bridge at 2.5! Kong goes for a suplex but Satomura applies a headlock as Kato and Nagashima fight on the floor. Satomura is trying to choke out Kong! Kong looks like she is legitimately losing oxygen here but continues to reach for the ropes. Meanwhile, on the floor, Kato locks in a sleeper of her own, but Kong rolls and gets to the bottom rope! Satomura's anguish and frustration is brilliant here. Kong dumps her on her head with another high back suplex but, again, Satomura bridges out. Now its Kong's turn to be completely pissed and frustrated. In comes Kato, but she gets clubbed with a clothesline. DVD by Satomura...1...2....I swear that was 3, but Kong kicked out. The ref's count seemed a little off (for the second or third time in the match by my count). Kong goes for her finish, but it gets dodged. Kong settles for a huge slap to the face and tries again but Meiko blocks it. Brainbuster by Kong! 1...2...Kato breaks the count again! In comes Nagashima to take her out. Another huge clothesline by Kong and another big slap to the face! Spinning back hand! That does it. Brilliant match with brilliant performances by everyone except the referee, though, to be fair, the ref may have been put in a tough position of not being entirely sure if the wrestlers were going to kickout or not (forcing him to do uneven counts). That slight issue aside, this was a terrific match and another case in the argument that women's wrestling from Japan is the best form of wrestling ever produced. (4/5)
Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (09/15/2007, ROH): I really loved the first bout between the two from a month earlier so I wasn't surprised that this was great right from the jump with Danielson (sporting an eye patch) taking the fight to Morishima, who was the Ring of Honor World Champion at the time, but getting cut off right away with big boots, kicks, and clubbing blows. Danielson turns the tide with a beautifully reckless suicide dive and follows it up with uppercuts and running knees and a triangle choke. Danielson tries to apply a surfboard but has to settle for a not-quite-there bow-and-arrow due to Morishima's size. Danielson applies a rear choke and Morishima is brought to the mat and nearly passes out, but manages to wrest free and hit a scoop slam. Danielson gets Morishima up to the top rope in the corner and hits an awesome back suplex for 1...2....2.9! Danielson hits repeated elbows, but Morishima gets to his feet, only to get brought back with a tiger suplex...1...2...kickout...but Danielson applies the Cattle Mutilation! Morishima won't quit so Danielson boots him repeatedly in the head! Danielson applies another choke, but Morishima powers out with a powerbomb. Very cool sequence. Danielson hits some strikes but eats a huge lariat from Morishima for another 2 count. Beautiful back suplex by Morishima, but Danielson gets his foot on the ropes! A dueling "Lets Go Dragon/Morishima" chant starts up before Morishima unloads on Danielson, even pulling off his eye patch. Small package by Morishima for 2! Another back suplex by Morishima! Morishima strikes at Danielson's eye to a bunch of boos from the crowd. The ref calls it! The crowd hates that finish, chanting "bullshit," and it is an unfortunate ending to a match that seemed to be building to a much more crowd-pleasing conclusion. Storytelling-wise, though, this is excellent stuff with no wasted minutes. (4/5)
Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel vs. Mighty Inoue & Yuki Ishikawa (08/12/1984, AJPW): I haven't seen many (any?) Nick Bockwinkel tag matches, so I was curious how he would work alongside legendary tough guy Harley Race. Bock gets a babyface reaction from the crowd, as does Race. At a relatively scant 10-minutes, this isn't an "epic" but I wouldn't call it a "sprint" either necessarily. Ishikawa and Race start things off, with Race getting slammed right out of the gate before coming back with one of his own. Race hits a nice back suplex and then tags in Bockwinkel, who maintains control with a scoop slam and a headlock. After an Ishikawa hiptoss, Inoue comes in and we get a nice exchange with a series of counters and reversals leading to a Bockwinkel headscissors on the mat. Bock makes the tag and Race punishes Inoue with a knee and a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Inoue hits a flying shoulder tackle and a front-flip senton but Bock breaks the count. Race tags out and Bock connects with a dropkick and applies a front headlock. Inoue gets out with a back suplex and tags in Ishikawa. Ishikawa comes down from the top with a forearm and then lands a beautiful top rope leg drop. Double atomic drop by Ishikawa and Inoue but Bockwinkel manages to tag in Race. After another quick tag by Inoue and Ishikawa, Race seems to be going for a flying headbutt but ends up in a sharpshooter by Ishikawa! Bock manages to break it up and Race regains control, hitting a piledriver that leaves Ishikawa in the ropes. In comes Bockwinkel, who hits a piledriver of his own. Hart Attack from the top rope! Race hits a stalling suplex and Bockwinkel prevents Inoue from breaking the count to end this one. Solid match that was loaded with action and didn't overstay its welcome, but not particularly remarkable. (2.5/5)
Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera vs. La Parka & Psicosis (12/15/1997, WCW): This aired on Nitro and is jam-packed with high-flying and counters and cool double-team moves. Early on, La Parka and Psicosis perform a move I thought was invented by the Young Bucks. Other highlights include a powerbomb from La Parka, Guerrera performing a nifty through-the-legs victory roll I'm not sure I've seen before, a crazy Juvi Driver from the top, Rey hitting a beautiful crossbody splash on both the heels, and stereo somersault splashes to the floor. The referee, Charles Robinson, has no control over the match after about a minute in, but this is meant to a fun, super-loaded match to pop the crowd as many times as possible in a 10-minute span and it absolutely works. There are some unfortunate moments of the guys positioning themselves for the next spot, but who really cares? And, wow, Juvi's 450 at the end might be one of the best I've ever seen. This isn't a match that needs to be analyzed in terms of storytelling, character work, and psychology; it is a match that needs to be enjoyed for the insanity and innovation and energy. (3.5/5)
Shinya Hashimoto & Naoyo Ogawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Keiji Mutoh (07/06/2003, ZERO-1): I found this on YouTube but because it was labeled in Japanese, I had to do some research to even figure out what this was. Kawada and Mutoh arrive first, followed by Naoyo Ogawa and Shinya Hashimoto. Love Kawada being a badass in the beginning, shoving Mutoh to the apron so that he can go right up against Ogawa. The crowd responses early are deafening as Ogawa and Kawada start the match. It's a bit of a stalemate with some wrestling on the mat and both guys throwing stiff kicks to the body and trading knees and forearms too. Kawada gets some sustained offense in, rallying after a series of knees to the midsection, but Ogawa comes back with a back suplex and in comes Mutoh and Hash. Hashimoto is selling a bit of a leg injury from the very start, which Mutoh attempts to target with a dropkick. Mutoh shoots the leg, but Hash uses his size to control and grabs hold of his wrist. Mutoh counters with a leglock, which brings Ogawa in. Mutoh hits two dropkicks into Hash's injured leg and then pulls him into the center of the ring for another leglock. Ogawa breaks it up again and Mutoh tags in Kawada. Kawada hits Hash with a series of kicks and barely gets a 2 count so he applies an ankle lock. Hash uses the ropes to pull himself up and Kawada clobbers him, but this only angers the big man, as he comes back with a series of overhead chops of his own! Kawada kicks him in the leg, which puts him on a knee. Hash with a bunch more chops, but Kawada seems unfazed...so he hits him again and again and now it's Kawada's turn! Epic staredown in the corner before Kawada starts throwing kicks. Hash catches his leg and tags in Ogawa, who targets Kawada's thigh with a series of kicks. Kawada returns the favor and tags in Mutoh, who uses a dragon twist to bring Ogawa down and applies a figure four. Ogawa gets to the ropes so Mutoh drags him back in and tries for it again. Ogawa strikes, though, and then hits him with a back suplex. Hashimoto comes in and, again, Mutoh uses a dragon twist to bring his opponent to the mat. Mutoh does more work on Hash's knee and applies a figure four but releases it rather quickly. He goes for a Shining Wizard but Hash blocks it and hits him with a DDT. In comes Nogawa, who brings him up and down with a series of hiptosses before applying an armbar. Kawada breaks it up, but Nogawa pounds on him before he gets back to the ropes. Mutoh dropkicks him off his partner, so Kawada rolls on top and he wails on Nogawa! In comes Hashimoto! The referee has lost all control and Kawada is a man possessed, just destroying Nogawa with overhand punches! I'm not sure how Nogawa's head was not split open by some of Kawada's punches because they looked stiff. Nogawa crawls his way to Hashimoto and we get another big strike exchange. Kawada connects with a bunch of kicks but Hashimoto powers up! He dodges one and catches Kawada in the back of the knee. Kawada comes back with another series of chops and Hashimoto is down again and looking exhausted. Kawada takes Nogawa out on the apron. Kawada tries an enziguiri but Hash blocks it with a chop! Kawada's leg is in trouble and Hashimoto targets it as Nogawa goes after Mutoh. Hashimoto applies a leglock but it doesn't look all that good and Kawada manages to make it to the ropes. On the outside, Nogawa whips Mutoh into the rail. Hashimoto reapplies the leglock but, again, Kawada gets to the ropes as Nogawa stomps around the ring and pulls him back into the middle of the ring. Mutoh comes in and dropkicks Nogawa and then hits him with a Shining Wizard. Mutoh with the ground-and-pound on Hashimoto, but he keeps the leglock applied. Nogawa is back up to handle Mutoh! Kawada is screaming in agony! Nogawa with a rear choke on Mutoh and Kawada and Mutoh's cornerman finally throws in the towel! I wouldn't call this "must see" as its really no better than what one may expect (which isn't really a knock against it as much as just a recognition that even a "lesser" match from Hashimoto or Kawada is going to feature certain undeniably great elements), but the Kawada/Hashimoto segments are brilliant. Mutoh and Nogawa are good too, but their gameplans are so focused as not to lack much variation or creativity and I kinda wish there was someone in the match who brought a different style or flavor because you can't really "outkick" Kawada or Hashimoto. (3/5)
Chigusa Nagayo vs. Dump Matsumoto (11/07/1986, AJW): Another wild, wild, blood-soaked fight between Nagayo, who delivers a tremendous babyface performance, and Matsumoto, who is an absolute psycho bitch. Before the match can even start, Dump bloodies the referee with her chain. This match is all about the atmosphere and Nagayo's deep crimson mask as Matsumoto dominates most of its 15+ minute runtime aside from the occasional enziguiri or dropkick. The finish sees Nagayo get a lucky roll-up, but its enough to put Dump in the barber's chair. Like their previous Hair match (reviewed above), there were certainly plenty of great visuals to make this match work as an insane spectacle, but I do wish there was more actual wrestling going on and, about 2/3rds of the way through, I found myself getting a little bored by it. (3/5)
Kenny Omega vs. Dragon Lee (12/01/2019, AAA): I really enjoyed the Fenix/Omega match from a few months prior where Omega won the AAA Mega Championship so I was curious what this defense would be like. I don't think Omega has quite the same chemistry with Lee as he had with Fenix, though they attempt many similar sequences. I really liked Omega's smug heel act but I didn't find Dragon Lee to be particularly great in the babyface role and wish he would've gone "bigger" with the emotion and character work and selling. As good as both guys' execution is - and Omega performs some breathtaking maneuvers in this - this did not hit any emotional beats for me and the crowd seemed a bit reserved in their reactions too. On their worst day, these two are so good at wrestling that its hard to call this "average," but that's what it felt like. (2.5/5)
Chigusa Nagayo vs. Lioness Asuka (08/25/1988, AJW): Chigusa Nagayo came in as the WWWA World Championship. I was very surprised that this match was not posted on Cagematch and didn't have a write-up on ProWrestlingOnly because it is a very memorable match and, though I'm far from an authority on the Crush Gals, seems like a major "event" match. While the Crush Gals had broken up a year or two earlier and had had other matches against each other, this one for the top singles title in AJW and features character-defining performances from both women. Asuka is on the attack early, surprising her long-time tag partner with a big kick at the bell and then a moonsault. Asuka is relentless in her attacks throughout the match, ultimately resulting in Nagayo suffering a shoulder injury. She consistently sells the injury throughout the rest of the match and is never really able to maintain control of the match. It is a clear story and a dramatic one, but I do wish there were a touch more "high spots" to keep things interesting. There really are only a handful of great moments in this match - the airplane spin, a straight-jacket suplex, Nagayo getting knocked off the top rope and bumping to the floor - but this one is more about the emotion and the overall story than it is about anything particularly spectacular in the wrestling department. With so much damage to her shoulder, Nagayo is unable to effectively hit a German suplex and the ref calls the match, awarding the match (and the championship) to Asuka. The post-match is an awesome moment as Asuka rejects the championship as she had not truly defeated the champion and then finds Nagayo backstage and embraces her as she is laying down being helped by her team. Cool match, cool story, great performances, very intensely and tightly worked, but not an all-time classic in my eyes just because there weren't as many sequences or big spots that wowed me. (3/5)
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