AEW World's End 2023

AEW World's End 2023

Long Island, NY - December 2023

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, the AEW World Champion was MJF, the AEW Women's World Champion was Toni Storm, the AEW World Tag Team Champions were Big Bill and Ricky Starks, Billy Gunn and the Acclaimed held the Trios Championship, Orange Cassidy was the International Champion, the TBS Champion was Julia Hart, and the TNT Champion was Christian Cage. 

The opening contest saw Continental Classic also-rans tagging up in an "All Star 8-Man" with Claudio Castignoli, Bryan Danielson, Daniel Garcia, and Mark Briscoe taking on Brody King, RUSH, Jay Lethal, and Jay White. Lots of good moments here in a match that went close to 20 minutes (more with entrances). Brody King's work with Matt Menard on commentary was gold and has me wondering if Brody King might not be worthy of including in my Greatest Wrestler Ever list as he's excellent in this match and the verbal smackdown he lays on Matt Menard is just brutal (it almost seems like Menard might cry). I also really liked the not-so-subtle work that Garcia and Danielson did building up their rivalry. Castignoli delivering an airplane spin to King is unreal. The finishing stretch is exactly what one would expect with all 8 men delivering - or getting cut-off from delivering - their signature moves. Really fun opener. (3/5)

Andrade El Idolo took on Miro in the next match. The story here is that Miro's real-life wife CJ Perry had become Andrade's manager, which angered the self-proclaimed Redeemer and led to this match. I wasn't a regular viewer of AEW at the time so I don't know who the face was and who the heel was and I'm not sure the New York audience knew either. Good action overall with heavy emphasis on CJ on the outside as she yelled and screamed, encouraging Andrade and instigating her husband. Perry eventually cost Andrade the match by breaking up his Figure Eight submission, essentially turning on her client. Miro then dropped him with a devastating kick but it only got 2 (it should've been the finish) and applied the Accolade (camel clutch) for the W. I didn't really understand the "turn" here and wish it would've been built up with CJ appearing more conflicted throughout the contest. (2.5/5)

Toni Storm defended her AEW Women's Championship against the first woman to hold that title - Riho - in the next match. The crowd did not seem to care much about this match, which wasn't surprising considering Riho, like Hikaru Shida, has never been particularly over even with the AEW die-hards. They got 12 minutes and there were some good moments - Storm getting onto Luther's back to run Riho off the apron and onto the floor, the should've-been-the-finish Storm Zero piledriver at the end - but this lacked heat and Storm still felt a bit like a work-in-progress at this point balancing her character work and her physicality. (2/5)

Swerve Strickland took on Dustin Rhodes in the next match. The match started so promisingly with Swerve attacking Dustin before the bell and stomping his ankle into a concrete block (which broke into pieces). I wasn't a fan of the usage of the phony concrete in the match with Hangman, but I would've accepted it here had they treated it seriously. Instead, the medical team rushes out, Dustin looks like he's being carried out with a legitimate injury, and then instead of allowing Swerve to bask in the heel heat and treating this as an angle, Dustin comes back and they proceed to have a near-10 minute match in which Rhodes manages to get some offense in and even a couple nearfalls. As big of a fan as I am of both guys, this was ineffective in every way. Rhodes didn't need to be protected but was given superhuman abilities that undercut Swerve's push as being the most dangerous heel in the company. Even knowing that this was booked-on-the-fly due to an injury to Keith Lee (as of this writing, 2 and a half years later, Lee has yet to return to the ring), this was bad. (1/5)

A second 8-Man All Star match followed with Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Sting, and Darby Allin taking on the team of Ricky Starks, Big Bill, Konosuke Takeshita, and Powerhouse Hobbs. This started out okay but then just descended into a sloppy mess. Sting's retirement run was generally good with lots of well-placed "smokes and mirrors" to make it work. Here, his age shows terribly as the little bit of offense he tries to execute barely connects and he's moving like he's wearing actual concrete blocks on his feet and not whatever Swerve used earlier. Chris Jericho, who gets booed by what is essentially his hometown crowd, doesn't fare much better. Hobbs was wasted and practically invisible while Takeshita had a few brights spots but not enough to save the match. Big Bill has a noticeable botch and Sammy Guevara's final 450 hits Starks' knees, which are two small critiques but are also just more blemishes on this match. Darby Allin throws himself into everything he does and there is a great hemoment when Hobbs and Bill swing him across the ring, but this was a mess. (1.5/5)

Julia Hart defended her TBS Championship against Abadon in the next match. This was fought under "House Rules" but it's unclear what that even means or how it makes it different from any other match because the stipulation's elements - no rope breaks, 20-counts for countouts, the challenger getting to select the type of match (Abadon selected "biting is legal") - don't make this too much different from any other AEW match (where guys bite eachother on the reg). I like Abadon's presentation but she's a mediocre wrestler. The same is true of Julia Hart, unfortunately, which means you didn't really have anyone "leading" this match that is better than average and capable of connecting the dots. This went 11 minutes but had lost the crowd and my interest about halfway through. A point for the effort. (1/5)

Adam Copeland and Christian did battle in a No DQ match next, saving the show from being an all-time stinker. Christian took a hell of a beating to start things out, with Copeland attacking before the bell and taking him all the way into the stands. There were chairs, there were tables, there was even fire (though Copeland was in such a rush to powerbomb Nick Wayne through the burning table before the flames went out that he nearly killed him). In AEW, where No DQ and Texas Death matches tend to result in buckets of blood, Copeland and Christian's work could be described as "tame," but because of their chemistry and timing, the match worked for what it was even if it didn't really touch the level of sadism that Hangman and Swerve hit at the previous pay-per-view. The post-match - which saw Killswitch/Luchasaurus lay out Edge and signal that he intended to cash-in his guaranteed TNT Championship title shot only to give the opportunity to his "father" Christian - was an unexpected twist, though I can understand why some fans may have felt like it was unnecessary and took away the strong sense of finality that the match itself had done a good job of delivering. The clear match of the night up till this point. (3.5/5)

The finals of the Continental Classic was next with Jon Moxley taking on longtime friend Eddie Kingston (with Kingston also putting his Ring of Honor World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship on the line too). I'm not sure why this match worked when so many of Kingston's other AEW PPV matches over the years have left me cold, but he and Moxley just have the pacing and intensity and chemistry to somehow get a match like this over against each other and very rarely anyone else. This was super physical with lots of intense striking and grappling, very much inspired by the puro resu style of 90s Japan, which means it also got a bit repetitive towards the end. Just like with some of the King's Roads classics, the final 5 minutes or so wasn't necessarily about who was going to bring some new, surprising move to the table as it was about who was going to connect at the right time with the right strike. I find Mox and Kingston to both be pretty uneven, but this was really good. (3.5/5)

Main event time - MJF defending the AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe. Before the match, a video plays with various "Long Island folk" proclaiming that MJF is "their scumbag." Its fun. MJF comes out to a big ovation and a "He's Our Scumbag" chant and then points to the entrance ramp, welcoming Adam Cole to the ring, who comes out on crutches. They start with a collar-and-elbow tie-up before gets in some boots. Joe shuts him down with his signature "STJoe" sidewalk slam and then batters him with punches in the corner. Joe goes to work on his previously injured shoulder (MJF is wearing a sports brace on it), even attempting a Muscle Buster early. MJF tries a series of quick pins, using Joe's momentum and size against him, tiring Joe out but in the process. Joe turns a Kangaroo Kick attempt into a catapult but MJF catches the ropes. When MJF tries to pull himself back into the ring. Joe boots him in the face in a terrific spot. Joe follows it with a suicide dive to the floor and then a DVD in the ring. MJF gets some chops in but Joe hits him with a German and then a dragon suplex and a straight-jacket suplex (something he doesn't always bust out, as Tazz noted on commentary). MJF tries to go to the outside to regroup but ends up on the apron. Joe follows him out and hits him with a Muscle Buster on the apron! Holy cow. Because its AEW, MJF kicks out. Yuck. That's the kind of move that should be protected. Joe goes for another one but MJF blocks it with headbutts and escapes the corner. MJF gets some offense in, but its mostly just fists. He goes for another Kangaroo Kick but it gets blocked. Joe goes up to the top rope but MJF grabs hold of him, attempting a Samoan Drop. MJF crumbles under Joe's weight but does manage to hit a double stomp on Joe's arm as he holds onto the ropes and then bumps him onto the apron and hits the Heatseeker. MJF goes for another, but Joe counters it by climbing into the ring with MJF on his back. Joe goes for an Alabama Slam but MJF counters that into a Fujiwara Armbar that Joe then counters into one of his own. Good, effective sequence there. MJF gets to the bottom rope to break the hold, but Joe locks him in a sleeper soon after. MJF backs him into the corner, inadvertently taking out the ref in the process. With the ref down, MJF is able to hit a low blow and an impressive F5 but Remsburg doesn't wake in time to make the count. MJF looked to Cole to give him the Dynamite Diamond Ring but Cole didn't get it quickly enough and Joe locked him up into the Coquina Clutch! Remsburg raises the arm once...twice...and the third time, it falls to his side! A bit of a flat finish just because it was so unexpected and so (relatively) clean that the audience didn't seem to register it as it was happening. As a Joe fan, I dug it. I also thought MJF's selling, from beginning to end, made it one of the more "believable" losses I've seen as MJF never did get a string of offense going. The crowd chanted "Bullshit" until a group of masked men surrounded the ring. They held down MJF and Cole and threatened to hit one of them with a chair, but then the lights went out and, when they came back on...Cole was sitting on the chair with the masked men behind him in a terrific image. The masked men then revealed themselves to be Roddy Strong and some other dudes. They beat down MJF, with Wardlow hitting him with a powerbomb. Cole put on the mask, making it clear that he was "The Devil" all along. In terms of longterm storytelling, I didn't love that it was Cole who was The Devil, mostly because it was widely predicted, but the actual execution of the angle here was excellent after one of MJF's best performances. (4/5)

If it weren't for the last three matches on this show, this would've easily been the worst AEW PPV in company history - and it still might be depending on your appreciation of an aging (but, in my opinion, still capable of brilliance) Samoa Joe, MJF's babyface work (which I thought was more palatable here than in any other match from that run), and the Christian/Copeland match (and post-match), a match built around two guys that nobody could be blamed for being a little tired of in 2026. The rest of the card was mostly disappointing aside from the opener, which would've felt like a "TV match" had it not been for the crowd's enthusiasm. With a Kwang Score of just 2.44-out-of-5, World's End 2023 falls into the category of...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

Random Matches

Bull Nakano vs. Yumi Ogura (07/??/1985, AJW): Nakano goes on the attack immediately, nunchucks in hand, sending Ogura into the table (and ring bell) and then into a bunch of chairs, injuring her knee. Back in the ring, Nakano maintains control, punishing Ogura by dragging her face across the top rope. Ogura constantly tries to get a quick pin but Nakano kicks out of them and instantly takes the match over again with bites and submissions. Ogura finally gets some offense in with a crossbody off the ropes and a bow-and-arrow but Nakano pulls the nunchucks out of nowhere and the heels turn things into chaos with one of Nakano's stablemates pulling the ref out of the ring too. Nakano uses the nunchucks to try to choke out Ogura but she manages to survive and kick out of a pin attempt. Ogura's resilience allows her to mount a bit of a comeback as Nakano looks winded, hitting her with a bodyslam and then a diving headbutt and another scoop slam, but Nakano rolls over to prevent the pin. Ogura applies a painful-looking double-underhook submission and then brings the fight back to the floor. Back in the ring, Nakano hits a series of body bumps and then a devasating top rope legdrop followed by a falling fireman's carry and a vertical suplex but Ogura prevents the pin. Great flurry of offense there. Nakano gets her in a body scissors but Ogura somehow stands up and pushes her off in a crazy show of strength and grit. Nakano hits a back elbow off the ropes, another chest bump, and then a bodyslam that finally ends things (anticlimactically). This had some good, fun moments, but then lost me in the end when both women started doing more and more but selling less and less. The finish came out of nowhere and was lackluster. (2.5/5)

Kyle Fletcher vs. Will Ospreay (02/01/2019, Fight Club: PRO): Fight Club: PRO was an indie promotion based in the West Midlands, England. Ospreay got a huge babyface response, the clear fan favorite. Some good stuff early on with the fight ending up on the stage, where Ospreay takes a wicked back body drop. As Fletcher tries to drag him back into the ring, Ospreay nails him with a half-and-half that brings Kyle's neck straight into the ramp. For two guys known for their workrate, there's a surprising amount of selling early on, with Fletcher nearly counted out (lunging into the ring at 19, which is something I really hate). Back in the ring, Ospreay hits some chops and a falling dropkick in the corner and then sells that he's hurt his foot and starts hobbling around. Fletcher capitalizes by stepping on his toes to cut him off. Fletcher goes after the foot, twisting and turning it, and then kicking Ospreay's shin. After an attempt at a sunset flip powerbomb to the outside. Fletcher hits Ospreay with a ridiculous vertical suplex onto the guardrail. Wow. Fletcher runs him into the guardrail and then over the opposite one and into the stands. He does it a third time before breaking the count and slamming Ospreay back into the mat. Again, for guys known for going 100 miles an hour, they let plenty of this breathe. Back in the ring, Fletcher continues his work on Ospreay's foot. Fletcher no-sells Ospreay's strikes for a little bit but Ospreay finally catches him with a couple of chops. Fletcher cuts him off again and Ospreay hurts his own foot attempting one of his signature handspring flip moves. Ospreay connects with a top rope 619 and then an absolutely breathtaking double stomp on the apron! Credit to Ospreay, he continues to sell the damage to his foot throughout, grimacing and pulling on it after every big move. I didn't love Ospreay stepping on his ow foot to "pop it into place" (did he have a dislocated toe?) but whatever. Ospreay goes for a Tiger Driver but Fletcher counters it and then catches him coming off the ropes and lawn darts him into the corner for 2 in a slightly messy sequence. Fletcher delivers some strikes of his own but Ospreay powers through them and we get a forearm exhange and then another half-and-half by Ospreay that sends Fletcher rolling out of the ring. Ospreay hits a huge handspring diving back flip to the floor but only really catches Fletcher his elbow. Ospreay follows it with an insane top drop dropkick to the back of Fletcher's head for 2. That looked way better than some of the more "flippy" stuff Ospreay was doing around this time. Ospreay goes for the short-arm clothesline but Fletcher counters it and hits him with some brutal kicks and then a big standing lariat, but Ospreay won't go down. Great, stiff lariat exchange and then Ospreay finally hits the short-arm clothesline, both men collapsing in a heap. Ospreay never lets Fletcher's wrist goes and kips up to deliver a kick to the chest and then another. Ospreay calls for another stiff kick to the chest but Fletcher catches him and nails him with a kick of his own. Ospreay with a kick to the back of Fletcher's head and then a big series of counters and reversals from both men - Spanish Fly by Ospreay for 2! Oscutter connects for 2.5 because Ospreay tries to showboat with his pin! Wow. Ridiculous sequence there that defied logic and the story they were telling, but who cares, it was sweet. Fletcher is dazed and hurting, slumped over, so Ospreay pulls him up to his feet. Fletcher slaps him but then eats a brutal right hand and a series of stomps to the face over the bottom rope. Brilliant selling by Fletcher there, to the point he's actually sympathetic and Ospreay looks like a bit of a bully. Ospreay punches him repeatedly in the back of the head in the corner, Fletcher looking completely unable to defend himself. Ospreay hoists him up to the second rope and delivers a series of kicks to his face as it hangs on the top turnbucke. Nasty stuff. Adding insult to injury, Ospreay pours a bottle of water over his head and you can hear more of the audience begin to rally around Fletcher a bit. They do some back and forth on the top rope with Ospreay again teasing some sort of Tiger Driver but instead Fletcher pulls him off the top rope with a lawn dart into the middle of the ring. Fletcher connects with some big offense, which feels like a bit of a betrayal from the great selling he was doing just moments earlier. Fletcher pulls one of the corner pads off from the turnbuckles and tosses it to the floor. He goes for another lawn dart but Ospreay escapes, catches him with a kick, and then brings him up in an electric chair and, from the second rope, flips him down into the middle of the ring for 2. Ospreay tries for an Oscutter but Fletcher counters it and we get some more reversals, ending with a reverse hurricanrana out of Ospreay and eventually an actual Oscutter and the Stormbreaker to end things. There are some folks who somehow called this match "boring" and "flat" on Cagematch, which makes me wonder if we watched the same match. There was nothing boring or flat here. My biggest criticism would actually be that after setting a pace early on that allowed for big moves to be sold and treated as dangerous, with Ospreay selling damage to his foot and Fletcher playing the methodical heel, they turned the second half of the match into an altogether different contest with dizzying counters and reversals and strike exchanges, often negating the work done in the first half. Still, as a whole, I enjoyed it despite the disjointedness and thought, at various times, Fletcher and Ospreay had brilliant moments. Not as must-see as their better work, but a very good 25+ minutes of action. (3.5/5)

Bull Nakano vs. Yumiko Hotta (06/08/1988, AJW): Nakano makes her way to the ring with an entourage that includes Aja Kong and is sporting crazy red-and-white facepaint. Hotta, meanwhile, comes in wearing a Robocop/Gladiator-esque chest protector. Nakano grabs a wrist and goes after Hotta's hand with a spike, not exactly a fair start, and then bites the wound! Brutal! Hotta is bleeding profusely from the arm and goes to the outside to regroup. She grabs a mic and yells at Bull as a second referee comes to the ring and the two refs go at it! I don't think I've ever seen that before. The refs need to be pulled apart and the match grinds to a halt before it even truly begins. Hotta comes back into the ring with the second referee now officiating. German Suplex by Hotta for a big 2 count. Hotta goes to the top rope and gets dragged into position by Hotta's second - crossbody off the top rope for another nearfall. Hotta with some knees and then a scoop slam. She goes for the falling back elbow but Nakano evades it. Back suplex by Nakano and she gets 2.5. German suplex by Nakano for another 2.5! Bull brings the nunchucks out and goes after Hotta and the ref too! Hotta's teammates cover her up and the ref pushes her away. Nakano continues her attack, beating down on Hotta with a bucket and taking out the ref too! Insanity. Nakano gets handed a chair and bashes the referee and tries to get to Hotta but Hotta gets protected by a whole army of protectors. She manages to get a few shots in, but this match has completely gone off the rails and we go to commercial. I'm not sure if this even qualifies as a "match" because it is more of an angle than anything, but it is excellent for what it is and a ton of fun to watch. Cool stuff. (3/5)

Bull Nakano and Kyoko Inoue vs. Bison Kimura and Mika Takahashi (03/17/1991, AJW): I haven't seen many Kimura matches and even less from Takahashi. Nakano has tremendous aura and is in her "classic" get-up. She has an intense staredown with Kimura which means we're about to see some shit. Nakano and Takahashi start things off with Bull in full control. Takahashi tries to take her down with dropkicks and a crossbody but Nakano shrugs it off and drops her on her head with a back suplex. Nakano wants Kimura so she sends Takahashi into the corner! Awesome start. Kimura shoulders her into the corner and hits her with a big chop and a then a series of slaps that Nakano no-sells. Nakano with a big lariat and then another off the ropes. In comes Inoue, who leapfrogs over Nakano and drops her wait on Kimura. Great spot. Dropkick by Inoue but Kimura comesback with an overhead chop and a body slam. In comes Mika with a big crossbody and then an underhook suplex for 2. Inoue with a fallaway slam off the ropes and then double chops and an underhood suplex of her own. Inoue with some nifty and painful-looking submissions before she tags out to Bull. Mika is in trouble now. Nakano destroys her with a lariat and then a piledriver for another nearfall. Nakano brings her up with a choke but Kimura breaks it up and goes for a choke of her own. Nakano with a back suplex on Kimura and the ref makes the 2 count. I didn't see any tag, but who cares? This is a war. Kimura with a series of jumping overhand chops and then a tight headlock. Takahashi comes off the top with a dropkick and Kimura maintains the sleeper. Nakano is able to roll onto her stomach, but Kimura turns it into a full bodyscissors and they roll to the outside. Kimura whips her into the guardrails a couple times as Mika and Kyoko do battle as well. Chairshots by Mika! Nakano whips Kimura into the bleachers. Kimura grabs a chair and is merciless with it against Nakano! For 1991, this is ridiculously violent and stiff. Back in the ring, Nakano regains control and in comes Kyoko and Takahashi. Really athletic stuff out of both women with Takahashi hitting a suplex for 2 and then applying a figure four (into a figure eight!). Kyoko is in pain and reaching for a tag but can't make it. As Kyoko tries to pull free, Kimura nails her with a big splash out of nowhere. I wish Kyoko would sell a bit more from it, but she manages to scoot to the bottom rope to break the hold. Mika pulls her back in and applies an Indian Deathlock! Kyoko won't give up and manages to get to the bottom rope again. In comes Kimura to apply an STF. Wow. John Cena should've taken notes because it actually looks brutal. It's unclear (and classic joshi storytelling) that Nakano doesn't break up any of this. Kyoko manages to get free and ends up on the second rope, where she is pulled, by hair, and spun back to the mat. That was great. Kyoko tries to get the tag but can't get close enough as Kimura applies a half-crab. Nakano reaches and makes the tag and immediately begins to kick ass, nailing Kimura with a suplex for 2. She goes for a lariat but Kimura hits her with some chops and tags out to Mika, who comes in off the top rope. Running strikes from Mika, but Nakano is hulking up and Mika's swings aren't hitting their mark! Mika knows she's in trouble now as Nakano stares her down! Incredible! Nakano nearly takes her head off with a lariat and then dumps her with a powerbomb! Kimura breaks up the pin attempt so Nakano hits a vertical suplex for another 2 count. Falling piledriver by Bull for another nearfall and then a DDT! Kimura breaks up the pin, stomping on Nakano. Nakano sends Mika into the corner, drawing out Kimura, and in comes Kyoko. Springboard back elbow by Kyoko! Kimura comes back with a chop and tries for the electric chair by Kyoko counters it into a victory roll for 2 and then hits a falling back elbow drop from the top! German suplex by Inoue for 2.9! Inoue hoists her up for a release airplane spin and gets another nearfall as Kimura bridges out. Its 2-on-1 and they hit a double stun gun and then Nakano drops her on her head with another powerbomb! Nakano runs Mika off the apron. Scoop slam by Kyoko and then a guillotine leg drop from the top! Mika breaks it up ith a chair! Holy cow. Nakano eats some chairs to the head and in comes Aja Kong to help Kimura lift Nakano up so Mika can bulldog her off the top rope. German suplex with a bridge by Kimura and I'm not sure why the referee doesn't make the count, though he points to Mika on the outside and I'm guessing that means he believes she's the legal man? In a match like this, I'm not sure why that rule is even being enforced at this point. Mika comes in and hits a bridging german suplex of her own for 2. 2-on-1 time and Kimura and Mika hit a double back suplex. In comes Kyoko, who gets taken out. Kimura and Mike charge at Nakano, sending her to the outside. We get double dives but Takahashi's doesn't connect and she ends up on the floor in pain. Nakano is back in the ring and she levels Mika with a clothesline in the corner. Dropkick by Kyoko! Scoop slam by Kyoko and a front flip leg drop by Nakano ends it! Great, great match. (4/5)

Swerve Strickland vs. Flip Gordon vs. Brody King (01/19/2018, PCW): Shane is a bit closer to his current form here, bringing a bit more swagger than in some of the other pre-AEW matches I've seen of him. King, meanwhile, has longer hair but is every bit as intimidating as he usually is. King starts things off by taking out Gordon with a big boot and then clotheslining the heck out of Swerve and gets him in the corner for some chops and boots. King tries to run into him in the corner but Swerve gets his feet up and hits him with a running knee to send him out of the ring. Gordon and Swerve have a nice sequence that looks a tad rehearsed and too cooperative for me. Gordon goes for a dive but gets caught by Brody in the ring, who hits him with a front waistlock suplex. Swerve pulls King's legs out and he goes to the floor, allowing Strickland to grab a chair. Strickland sits him down and hits him with some rights and then comes off the apron with an attempt at a stomp, but King catches him and powerbombs on the apron! Damn! King rolls him into the ring and stomps on his lower back to further damage. Gordon comes back in and hits Brody with some strikes but King brings him down with a DVD and then powerbombs Swerve on top of him, the big man using his power and size to maintain control. He goes for a double pin but only gets 2. King performs a "Meeting of the Minds," bashing Gordon and Swerve's heads together and then delivers a few big clotheslines in the corner. Gordon cuts him off and hits some fancy stuff, including a springboard slingblade that sends King to the floor. Swerve catches him with a brilliant springboard Flatliner and then a head scissors takedown on the floor. Back in the ring, he hits a rolling cutter on King but eats one of his own from Gordon (who noticeably slips up on the second rope in an unfortunate "botch" that makes Swerve look like he's waiting for the move). He goes to the ropes but King hits him with a pop-up neckbreaker of his own and all three men are down now. Strickland and Gordon team up a bit to try to take down the big man, getting him into the corner and then whipping him into the opposite post. Their partnership dissolves almost immediately though and King takes out Swerve with another nasty lariat. King calls for the end but gets superkicked and then hit with a Samoan Drop from Gordon! Gordon with a dive to the outside and then a springboard 450 for 2! King's manager gets involved but gets booted off the apron too! In comes Strickland, who rolls up Gordon for 2 and then tries for a half-and-half but gets backed into the corner. Gordon with a running knee and a Pele kick. King tries for a German but Gordon lands on his feet. Gutwrench powerbomb by King! He had to work for that one. Cannonball in the corner onto Swerve! King with a fireman's carry into a cradle piledriver! Gordon breaks up the count! Some very good stuff all around there. King brings Swerve up and hoists him on the top rope. Gordon breaks it up with a kick to the head and then goes to the top himself only to get shoved off. Gordon tries for a superplex but King gets under him and brings him down with a powerbomb for 2. Strickland gets King to the outside and hits him with a running kick before going to the top for a Swerve Stomp on Gordon in the ring! JML Driver by Strickland and he gets the 3 before King can break it up. A bit of a flat finish with King unable to break up the pin. Good match with a few minor hiccups in it in terms of telegraphing, overt cooperation, and timing. (3/5)

Kenta Kobashi vs. The Gladiator (Mike Awesome) (09/04/1999, AJPW): You can really see in this match by the US wrestling companies of the day - ECW, WCW, and WWE - might've been interested in Mike Awesome because he looks pretty great here, not only cosmetically but in terms of "aura" and ability. This match isn't a 5-star classic or anything, but it is a good heavyweight battle with two guys that know how to deliver a hard-hitting match with peaks-and-valleys spread out over close to 20 minutes. Solid stuff. (3/5)

Akira Hokuto and Kyoko Inoue vs. Bull Nakano and Aja Kong (06/03/1993, AJW): This isn't quite as good as one would expect/hope for, but make no mistake about it, there is plenty to enjoy here in what is essentially an all-star match. Stiff strikes, some awesome high-flying out of Hokuto, Inoue's submissions - all present and accounted for. The crowd is hot from beginning to end, which is the opposite of a surprise. Some of Kong and Nakano's suplexes on Hokuto are incredible (and look like they may have legitimately knocked her out). This is a really digestible match too as it only goes about 20 minutes but doesn't quite reach "must see" territory. (3.5/5)

Aja Kong and Akira Hokuto vs. Dynamite Kansai and Yumiko Hotta (08/24/1994, AJW/LLPW/JWP): A really, really fun and physical match with great performances out of everyone, even Hotta (who I'm not always a fan of). Kansai and Hotta are a great tag team with very similar offense and strike-based strategy while Kong and Hokuto are a bit more of an "odd couple" but know each other so well that you'd think they were longtime partners and not longtime opponents/rivals/enemies (who also happen to tag on occasion). This is an elimination match so while the first half is really good, the match certainly picks up once Kong gets eliminated (Kong being eliminated first is also a brilliant surprise that really changes the dynamic of the match entirely) and the stakes and circumstances get higher and more dire. (4/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (01/20/1997, AJPW): Rightfully considered one of the greatest matches of all time, there's not much to say - and almost nothing to criticize - that hasn't been said before. For its entire 42-minute runtime, Kobashi and Misawa put on incredible performances from the awesome, unexpected "cut-offs" to the tremendous spots on the outside to the minor character details that make Kobashi and Misawa among the best to have ever stepped foot in the ring. There were multiple times when I audibly gasped at what I was watching (which can be sorta awkward on an elliptical at the Y, but who cares). I've seen this match described as a "slow burn" but I'm not sure at what point this was "slow." Now, that doesn't mean you have a million bombs a minute or that there's no submissions, but everything is so purposeful that the breaks in the action don't feel like them buying time at all. It is just a brilliant, gimmick-less match (aside from, arguably, an incredible spot in which Misawa hits a suicide dive/flying elbow into a guardrail and it looks like he may have legitimately broken his arm). The finishing stretch is arguably overkill as we get kickouts on moves that could be/should be/would be career-enders, but in 1997, that sort of style hadn't been done to death and, because its Kobashi and Misawa, two babyface superheroes, I think it works. Oh, and the crowd. The crowd's shifting chants are so fun to hear and really add a tremendous atmosphere to the match. They're not just hot, they're thoroughly invested, going along on the journey - which includes a stretch where Kobashi is almost working heel as he targets Misawa's elbow/arm, knowing it is his clearest (and only?) path to victory. Amazing. (5/5)

Alundra Blayze and Kyoko Inoue vs. Aja Kong and Tomoko Watanabe (11/20/1995, WWE): Between the abysmal, grating, insulting commentary from Lawler and Vince to the midsection of this match being gutted by a TV commercial, this is not the great "sprint" that I was hoping for when I saw a runtime of 8 minutes. Inoue delivers some of her signature stuff, as does Kong, but this was a disappointing viewing experience. Blayze hits a surprisingly stiff enziguiri, but Kong's finishing combo goes unnoticed and underplayed on commentary. It isn't a "bad match," but it is marred by production choices that undervalue what is happening in the ring. (2/5)

Jack Perry/Darby Allin/Bandido vs. Mark Davis/Konosuke Takeshita/Andrade El Idolo (04/09/2026, AEW): This was the opening match on an episode of Dynamite designed to build up some of the matches on the weekend's Dynasty PPV. Nothing super special in 2026 but that's only because Darby's crazy bumps are a weekly thing, Andrade's heartthrob gimmick can be shoehorned into just about any match, and Takeshita and Bandido are so consistently good that their highlights no longer really "pop" the way they do in higher profile matches. The surprising MVP of this match might have been Mark Davis, who is getting in better shape by the week and has also started to shine on his own after getting a bit of an unfortunate tag as a "the other guy in Aussie Open" after Fletcher broke out. Jack Perry was okay, but seems like he's devolved as a character a bit, basically the "same ol' Jack Perry" he was before his heel run instead of being a character that has developed beyond the original "Jungle Boy" gimmick. Kind of your typical AEW fare in that the live audience probably enjoyed this more than viewers at home who might've felt like they'd seen it before. (2.5/5)

Kyoko Inoue vs. Bull Nakano (09/03/1995, AJW): This is the kind of match with the kind of performances that make wonder if 90s joshi really is the peak of "go-go" style of pro-wrestling and that everything we see today is missing the point that you could deliver non-stop, hard-hitting action but still do it without looking over-rehearsed, too cutesy, too cooperative, etc. Kyoko and Nakano bust out all their signature stuff but also some unexpected moves - Nakano's hanging DDT, for example - and while there's a ton of long-term selling built around specific body parts, they let things breathe just enough to make the shifts in momentum and the comebacks/cut-offs work. Not every move is delivered perfectly, but those "botches" didn't bother me at all because this match felt like an actual fight and competition and not an exhibition or just "staged combat." Loved Nakano hitting multiple leg drops on the floor. Loved the finishing stretch even more as Inoue went all-out, powerbombing the heck out of Nakano until she was completely done. Terrific match. (4/5)

KENTA Kobayashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (08/28/2004, NOAH): A fun match - not necessarily great - but fun in the sense that it tells a clear story of Misawa, the aging veteran, taking on the cocky upstart in KENTA. I really liked the way KENTA sold the hell out of Misawa's strikes (and Misawa did the same for KENTA). The finishing stretch was good too and definitely put KENTA over as he kicked out of the Tiger Driver. The match only goes about 15 minutes so it isn't at the "epic" level of Misawa's more famous 90s and early 00s output, but that's not necessarily a complaint. Cool match. (3.5/5)

Will Ospreay vs. Tommy End (Malachai Black) (09/26/2015, SWE): This is about as "indierific" as it gets, which means it won't be everyone's cup of tea. Before the bell, Tommy End (now more famously known as Malachai/Aleister Black) tells Ospreay that he is going to kick him so hard that his mother will feel it in her uterus, which is an incredible mental image and gets tremendous heat because Ospreay's 'rents are actually in attendance. SWE - which stands for Southside Wrestling Entertainment - is based in the UK with this show happening in Essex and this match being promoted as a battle to decide "the Best in Europe." Ospreay was not yet as big as he is now and End has noticeably less tattoos but they both have a fair amount of their signature stuff already working for them - End's Muay Thai-inspired strikes, Ospreay's incredible feats of agility and speed, and the ability to counter and dodge each other's best offense with dizzying speed. The "story" of the match becomes all about End punishing Ospreay's damaged knee and then Ospreay, whose selling was really passionate and believable throughout, showing superhuman resiliency and mounting a big comeback before the finishing stretch. I could see people really hating Ospreay "ignoring" the damage to his knee in order to hit multiple high-flying moves and handsprings and whatnot, but I didn't find it nearly as egregious as some of the matches we see today. Ospreay nearly botches a springboard cutter at one point which looked ugly, but this was mostly a fluid, hard-hitting match that didn't feel overly cooperative despite the complexity of some of the sequences. (3/5)

Kota Ibushi vs. Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) (06/13/2010, NJPW): Fans familiar with Ibushi and Balor in his younger days won't be surprised by anything they see in this match as these two go all-out for 15 minutes or so with crazy sequences and high-flying and pop the crowd with incredible moves in what Todd Pettengill used to call "a game of who can top this." There is an "exhibition" quality to this match that sometimes happens when you have two over babyfaces going at it, but that doesn't mean there's not intensity, just that there's not so much "heat" as there is a competitive spirit around the whole thing. Ibushi gets injured towards the end on a 450 splash and the match wraps up in the next few minutes, which is an impressive show of toughness out of Ibushi. A good match but maybe not the "classic" I was necessarily expecting as there was a lot of flash to it, but not a ton of substance. (3/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Kaoru (12/29/1996, WCW): This is from an episode of Worldwide, a staple of Saturday morning TV. Hokuto is accompanied by Sonny Onoo and has a huge all-white getup. The match goes under 5 minutes and Hokuto doesn't bust out too many high spots, giving a fair amount of their limited time to Kaoru before ending the match with a powerbomb. (1/5)

Dan Kroffat vs. Yoshinari Ogawa (09/30/1995, AJPW): I just recently learned that Dan Kroffat and Phil LaFon are the same guy. Anyway...Kroffat/Lafon comes in as some sort of champion but I'm not familiar with the title he's holding. Really heated and fun start with Kroffat whipping his coat at Ogawa, who then tosses it into the crowd (which infuriates his opponent). The crowd is very much behind Ogawa and Kroffat has shown more personality in the first 3 minutes of this match than I think he did in his entire WWE run with Doug Furnas. A test of strength turns into a nifty near fall and then a rear choke as Ogawa and Kroffat show off their technique in the early going. Ogawa hits a chinbreaker and then some strikes in the corner, but Kroffat strikes back with chops and then applies a headlock. Kroffat maintains control after a rope break by paintbrushing Ogawa with a slap and eventually cinching in a leglock. Ogawa gets to the ropes and then we get a standing switch with Kroffat mulekicking Ogawa in the groin for a good bit of heat. Kroffat delivers some stiff kicks and then a few rope-assisted knee drops before locking Ogawa up and going for another pin. Ogawa sells the hell out of a wristlock behind his back but manages to get to the ropes and out of the ring. Kroffat follows him out and slams him on the announce table before getting back into the ring. Kroffat pops the crowd by spitting up into the air and catching it in his mouth. Ogawa comes back in, gets suplexed and slammed and then hit with a big senton from the top. Kroffat reapplies the wristlock, fully controlling the match at this point. Ogawa makes a bit of a comeback with an atomic drop, a dropkick, and then some strikes in the corner. Ogawa goes for a back suplex, settles for a hiptoss and an ugly basement dropkick, and then hits an enziguiri and a lariat for 2 soon after. Ogawa gets another 2 with a fisherman suplex but misses a dropkick and eats a running senton. Kroffat attempts a Tiger Driver, can't get it, and hits a running powerbomb instead for 2. Wow, that was impressive. Wet get a good sequence of counters and reversals for another near fall before Kroffat clobbers Ogawa with a stiff clothesline. Ogawa can barely stand but he counters a Tiger Driver with a back body drop and then hits one of his own for 2! Ogawa whips Kroffat into the corner, but he catches him with a back kick and gets him up in a fireman's carry. Ogawa slips out and hits a big back suplex for 2. The finish comes a bit out of nowhere as Ogawa counters Kroffat's attempted crossbody from the second rope into a roll-up. All in all, not the prettiest, most exciting, or most creative match but Kroffat was excellent in it and I'm a big fan of Ogawa so I thought this was still solid, straight-forward with a good build that paid off in a strong last few minutes. (3/5)

Random Matches

 

Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis vs. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin (08/27/2022, TNA/Impact): Something of a "dream match" but not really as it never really gets to that "epic" level that one might expect from an Aussie Open/Motor City Machine Guns match. The way Fletcher and Davis switch off on a vertical suplex is a bit too cutesy for me, but there was more than enough good action to offset it. The commercial break meant that we missed some of the "meat" of the match, which took me out of things a bit. Both teams wrestled with the intensity that the stakes - a shot at the Impact Tag Team Championships - warranted, but whether it was the somewhat abbreviated runtime or just the fact that the two teams didn't have the familiarity necessary to make this as great as one would hope, this match didn't exceed or really even meet my expectation of greatness. (2.5/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Rumi Kazama (08/25/1993, AJW): Sorta like the last Hokuto match I reviewed in that Hokuto is the big star and Kazama is rep'ing the LLPW and is definitely coming in as the underdog. As per usual, we get the big stiff kicks, the powerbombs, a piledriver, and then eventually a decisive victory once Hokuto hits her finish, the Northern Lights Bomb (which I hate as a name because it implies a powerbomb-type move but is actually more like a scoop slam-brainbuster). I liked the logic and story of Kazama constantly going for submissions to weaken Hokuto's knee, though it certainly isn't revolutionary or anything. After the match, Hokuto calls out Kandori. Solid match, but nothing special. (2.5/5)

Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel and Blackjack Lanza (12/09/1978, AJPW): More scientific wrestling out of Bockwinkel and Jumbo. After a good, energetic opening, this one lost me once it got to the headlock-fest portion. I liked Baba and Tsuruta going after Lanza's hand in attempt to neutralize the Claw. I'm not a massive fan of 70s wrestling so this didn't really blow my mind or anything, but I can see superfans of any of the four enjoying this for what it was. (2/5)

Manami Toyota and Yoshiko Tamura vs. Rie Tamada and Toshiyo Yamada (08/30/1996, AJW): Not much to this match beyond Manami being Manami - loud selling, good dropkicks, the usual - though I did like Tamada and Yamada as a team (I had to look back to learn that Yamada is someone I've actually seen more matches from, usually as Toyota's partner). For an 11-minute match, they pack a ton of action into this, which makes it typical of the genre (as does the poor refereeing and near-total disregard for things like actually tagging in from the corner and not just stepping into the ring and then making the tag). Inessential viewing, but not bad. (2.5/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Chigusa Nagayo (03/19/1989, AJW): Hokuto was not yet the star she would become in the 90s, but it's clear that she was special and, though I'm likely reading far too much into the match, it's fun to see Nagayo recognize it in real time as she's forced to up her game to take on a spirited youngster (the two had met in the ring a few times before this when Hokuto wrestled under her real name Hisako Uno). I really liked how Hokuto came out of the gate on attack and the story that unfolded from there as Nagayo turned the tides and then put on a mostly dominant performance. Like some of the other joshi matches from this time, the transitions were a bit jarring and out-of-nowhere; for example, at one point, Nagayo has been working Hokuto's leg and knee mercilessly and then, a moment later, Hokuto applies a Sharpshooter. (3/5)

Nick Bockwinkel vs. Lanny Poffo (09/18/1984, Pro Wrestling USA): Cagematch  has this listed as being from Pro Wrestling USA, a promotion I had to read-up on. It was essentially a joint promotion between the AWA, the NWA, and Continental Wrestling (Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler's Memphis territory), which helps explain Nick Bockwinkel's promos before and after the match. This was pretty much a squash, but Poffo takes a great bump to the floor and does hit a moonsault towards the end - pretty cool for 84' - to give this one some life. This isn't Bockwinkel's finest work, but it is representative of his scientific style and purposeful, deliberate pacing. (2.5/5)

Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo vs. Yukari Omori and Itsuki Yamazaki (11/1984, AJW): This match is labeled as taking place in November 1985, but a commentator corrected it (?) and said it was from 1984, which does make a touch more sense considering the Crush Gals were fairly inactive in 1985. This is your typical Crush Gals match with the crowd going absolutely apeshit for them, a bit of crowd brawling, an airplane spin, and just all-around good action. There are moments in this match that almost seem "sped up" with how fast the work is. There's also some slams that look a bit "loose," which I tend to prefer to everything looking crisp and rehearsed. This might be something of a hidden gem just because I couldn't locate any info about it on Cagematch but if you're a fan of the Crush Gals or even their opponents, who are also great in this, check it out on YouTube. (3/5)

Taka Michinoku and El Desperado vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Yoshinari Ogawa (05/10/2015, NOAH): Over on Cagematch, this match has only one rating it is a lowly 4 but I liked this considerably more - probably because I'm a bit of a mark for Sabre Jr. and Ogawa these days, both of whom have swiftly become among my favorites to watch. Unlike some of the other tags I've seen from Ogawa and Sabre from a couple years earlier, Zack is much more confident here and busting out a ton more of his signature stuff and Ogawa also seems a bit "looser" here and more eager to bust out things that lean more into the entertainment side of things as opposed to his technical skills. I'm a fan and feel like the match is much more enjoyable because of it compared to a six-man I watched with some of these same workers a few weeks back. Fun match. (3/5)

Swerve Strickland vs. Kenny Omega (03/25/26, AEW): While not quite as good as their match in February, this was still great. I wasn't a huge fan of some of Omega's mannerisms, but, as per usual, his execution offensively and the way he took Strickland's best maneuvers was flawless. Strickland might have had an even better performance overall, selling everything that Omega threw at him brilliantly. This match really did feel like one where Omega was in the driving seat most of the time and while Strickland had some moments when it looked like he might pull out a victory, Omega's win felt earned but also, in a sense, inevitable. It was Omega's "night" just like it was Swerve's in February - though Strickland did have to bend the rules, pulling Aubrey Edwards into things, to get that W - and I'm eager to see the eventual rubber match. (3.5/5)

Yumiko Hotta vs. Aja Kong (07/14/1996, AJW) - Hotta comes out swinging with some kicks and takedown and both women get some shots in on the mat. Kong delivers some knees and kicks and goes for a submission but Hotta gets to the ropes. Hotta goes to the outside for a breather before they lock back up in the middle of the ring. Kong gets a takedown but can't do much with it because Hotta is covering up. Kong starts swinging with big right hands before going for an armbar. Hotta counters it with some strikes of her own and then a series of kicks to the head and back. Kong takes each one defiantly as Hotta hits more and more, eventually getting to her feet and applying a leglock. Kong drops a knee onto Hotta's leg and then applies a half-crab, really wrenching it back. Hotta grabs the ropes but Kong keeps the pressure on, pulling Hotta's leg onto the apron, sending her into the crowd, and then bashing her knee with a chair. She sends her into another pile of chairs and then cracks her with a stiff chairshot to the body! Damn. Kong sends her into another pile of chairs and then slams a metal sheet onto her. I must admit to enjoying seeing Hotta take this much of a beating as she's usually the one dishing out reckless offense in the name of realism. Hotta hobbles her way back into the ring but Kong goes right back to the knee/leg, applying an ankle lock. Hotta grabs the bottom rope to break. Kong continues her attack on the knee, even standing on it at one point. Hotta comes back with a heel kick off the ropes but she gets cut off again. Kong drops her with a body slam and goes to the top rope, hitting a giant splash on Hotta's knee before locking up the leg once more. Hotta hits another rolling kick in the corner and then some sharp kicks to the face. She misses a rolling kick in the corner but connects with one in the middle of the ring for a surprising nearfall. Hotta goes a double underhook powerbomb (?) but Kong is too big and she has to settle for an armbar. Kong gets her foot on the rope to break it up and Hotta attempts the double underhook again. Missed Uraken by Kong but Kong gets an ankle lock instead! Hotta goes to the ropes but Kong hits her with a back suplex. Hotta no-sells it and applies a sleeper, trying to choke the life out of Kong. Kong gets to one knee and eventually to the bottom rope. Hotta goes once more for the double underhook but Kong escapes and goes for a backslide, to which Hotta just lets her fall to the mat and gives her a quick kick to the face. Hotta with another rolling kick but Kong essentially blocks it by turning her back towards her and Hotta is in pain! Kong hoists her up to the top rope only to get knocked off. Hotta tries a kick from the top but misses and Kong grabs her knee once more! Hotta gets to the rope but the damage is clearly becoming too much. Kong goes back up top, Hotta meets her down, and down they come in a heap with Kong on top. Kong applies the leglock but again Hotta gets to the ropes. Kong misses the Uraken when Hotta ducks, but Kong hits her with one from her other hand instead! Damn! Somehow Hotta kicks out! Another Uraken! And then a leglock attempt, but Hotta counters it into an Anaconda Vice (keylock)! Kong taps! I didn't like that the Uraken wasn't sold as the death move it should've been, but the finish did establish Hotta's keylock as an immediate match-ender. Cool match. (3.5/5)

Bull Nakano vs. Akira Hokuto (12/30/1995, AJW): I loved this. Reading up on this, I had no idea that this was one of Nakano's last matches and that she came into it injured because she looks as good as ever here. There are some excellent moments in this - the piledriver on the table, Nakano hitting a front-flip legdrop, some absolutely nasty head drops, it's all so good. My only criticism would be Hokuto's comeback as she goes from "dying" to mounting a spirited comeback in very little time and without much of a transition. Cagematch has this match going close to 18 minutes, but the video on YouTube is somehow only 12, but I didn't catch the clipping. Regardless, this is a blast to watch. (4/5)

Will Ospreay vs. Naomichi Marufuji (09/17/2023, Pro Wrestling NOAH): Marufuji starts things off with a huge chest chop before we get some nifty stand-up grappling that ends with a rope break (and Ospreay covering up his chest to block any further chops). Things pick up as they run the ropes and both men attempt dropkicks. Ospreay goes for a handspring but eats a basement dropkick and Marufuji grabs a wrist and then hits him with another knife-edged chop in the corner. Ospreay ends up sending Marufuji to the floor and then into the guardrail from an Irish whip. Ospreay's delivers some forearms but Marufuji counters with a dropkick, another chop, and then a jumping back elbow. Ospreay ends up on the apron so Marufuji hits him with a cool springboard dropkick and then a spinning crossbody to the floor. Marufuji hits some Kawada Kicks but Ospreay comes back with an insane series of backflips and handstands and then a springboard forearm for 2. Ospreay delivers a few Kawada Kicks and then a nasty chest chop of his own! Marufuji tries some strikes, which don't look too pretty, and Ospreay comes back with a kick of his own and then a ridiculous aerial maneuver to the floor. We get some good work built around the guardrail and the post as Marufuji retakes control. Ospreay hoists him over the top rope, hits him with a superkick, and then delivers a Shooting Star Press for another nearfall. A sitout powerbomb gets him another 2. Ospreay heads to the top rope after a scoop slam but Marufuji rolls away, forcing Ospreay to settle for just a plain ol' awesome dropkick. Ospreay attempts a Stormbreaker on the apron but Marufuji counters it into a Sliced Bread #2 (Shiranui)! Great spot and they actually sell it with Ospreay barely able to beat the count back into the ring (where he's met by a springboard dropkick for 2). Marufuji slaps him around a bit and we get a forearm exchange that includes some absolutely nasty chops from both men. An insane sequence follows as Ospreay looks for the Oscutter but ends up taking a neckbreaker and then another Sliced Bread #2. Ospreay rallies, though, connecting with the Hidden Blade out of nowhere! After a spinning/falling kick, Ospreay connects with the Oscutter but only gets 2. Ospreay goes to the top rope but Marufuji meets him up there and takes him down with a Spanish Fly! Ospreay comes back with a Tiger Driver but it only gets 1! Ospreay hits some big forearms and goes for another Hidden Blade but Marufuji cuts him with a heel kick for 2. After a headbutt and a knee to the head, Marufuji hits a Tiger Tilt-a-Whirl Suplex (no idea what else to call it). We get some more knees and more kicks, but its clear that Marufuji is running out of steam as Ospreay nails a pair of Hidden Blades and then a Stormbreaker Zero for the win. Over on ProWrestlingOnly, the three reviews are loaded with the usual criticisms of this sort of match - that not enough is sold, that it is more an exhibition of athleticism and "callback spots" than a competitive contest, that strike exchanges have become as perfunctory as a collar-and-elbow tie-up, that this is too self-conscious an "epic," a great match-by-recipe not by innovation. While I agree with most of these criticisms, they didn't ruin the match for me and I thought the good outweighed the bad. I liked the story of Marufuji, the veteran, having to sneak in his spots to try to cut-off the younger and more dynamic Ospreay. With Ospreay, instead of a killer instinct, he wrestled and performed like he was in awe of his opponent, living out a fantasized dream match. Was it a bit corny? Sure...but I found it endearing too. Ospreay was clearly "pulling back" in terms of his workrate, but, if anything, that worked to the matches favor by allowing it to flow without an overwhelming number of crazy moves and sequences. Overall, a very good match and showcase of both men's talents. (3.5/5)

Yoshinari Ogawa and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV (12/07/2013, Pro Wrestling NOAH): I wouldn't call this a hidden gem, but it's pretty darn good for what it is - a straightforward, heated tag team match featuring at least three superb workers (I'd say four but I can't really speak too much on Tiger Mask IV). Sabre Jr. puts on a very good fired-up babyface performance, while Liger leans into his heelishness. Ogawa plays the face-in-peril for awhile too, a role that he isn't particularly known for (though the beatings he took for Kobashi and Abdullah and Misawa always made him seem a bit sympathetic to me). There's not a ton of high-flying from Liger or Tiger Mask, unsurprising considering their ages at the time, but because all four guys are world-class technical grapplers, the match doesn't feel slow or lazy. Loved Sabre Jr.'s second suicide dive to the floor as he completely threw himself into it. The feel-good ending got a huge response from the crowd. Good match. (3/5)

Mayumi Ozaki vs. Hiromi Yagi (03/03/1996, JWP): Mayumi Ozaki is terrific and vicious in this, though I was also impressed by Yagi's performance. The match goes a tad long but feels like an absolute war. There are great moments sprinkled throughout this match, including some wicked brawling on the outside (especially Yagi's use of a steel chair), but also some not-so-subtle gaps and a bit of a scattershot approach in terms of the layout with lots of limb work that doesn't really go anywhere and some random-but-vicious powerbombs that are beautiful to see but don't play into the finish at all. I really liked Yagi here and am hopeful to see more of her as I make my way through 90s joshi, but the fact that I haven't seen her name brought up as one of the all-time greats in the genre has me wondering if this wasn't her "career match." Good match. (3/5)

Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet (04/01/2017, The Wrestling Revolver): This match happened on the weekend of WrestleMania, which is alluded to a few times on the commentary (speaking of the commentary, AR Fox joins the team for this match), and was hyped up as something of a dream match despite both guys being really only known to indie wrestling fans. Strickland was not yet the Swerve we know and love today and wrestles a more high-flying/faster-paced style. Ricochet had not yet come to the WWE but had built up his reputation in Lucha Underground and NJPW as one of the best high-flyers in the world. Good mirror work to start the match before we start to see all sorts of ridiculous sequences and counters, which is pretty impressive considering this is their first 1-on-1 match against each other. They load so much into the 18-20 minutes that it can be a bit dizzying and I could see the argument that they do too much and could've told a more character-driven story if they had slowed things down a bit. Of course, in 2017, Ricochet and Swerve didn't yet have the strong characters they have now so it's hard to criticize them going with the explosive, dynamic, non-stop action style that brought them to the dance. (3/5)

"Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Billy Jack Haynes (Wrestling Challenge): Savage was the Intercontinental Champion coming into this match, but it was non-title. As was typical for the time, this didn't go long and seemed to be designed to mostly get over Savage as incredibly unlikeable, sneaky, and a jerk to Miss Elizabeth. For what it was, it was pretty entertaining, though, and I really liked the way Savage escaped Haynes' Full Nelson by kicking off of Earl Hebner. Danny Davis shows up to disqualify Haynes, which was part of his "evil referee" gimmick. I wouldn't call this a carry job because Haynes isn't all that bad, but this wasn't designed to be a great match and it isn't one. (2/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (05/01/1998, AJPW): For close to 30 minutes, Misawa and Kawada put on a match that isn't a breath-taking masterpiece as much as almost the "perfect version" of a story that needed certain imperfect elements to exist. Misawa came into this match banged up and injured (my understanding is that this is also played up by the commentators) and never really take the driver's seat beyond a minute or two. Kawada's cut-offs, often coming in the form of big boots, are nasty and on-target throughout the match, which further bolsters the idea that not only is Misawa a step behind but that Kawada is having the best match of his life, every dart thrown hitting the bullseye. Kawada's victory is definitive but well-earned because of Misawa's toughness and resilience, keeping the match from feeling "cheap" or like it was just your basic "injured underdog vs. healthy heel" story. Well worth checking out. (4/5)

Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe vs. KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji (03/25/2006, ROH): A love letter to the classic tags of AJPW in its structure but wrestled firmly like a 2006 battle with all four men bringing their working boots. KENTA and Samoa Joe's interactions are the best parts of the match, but Danielson isn't phoning it in one bit. The crowd was super into this from the very beginning. A very, very good match but a bit like an All-Star Game in that, as good as it is, there is an "exhibition" feel to things despite the intensity of the moves themselves. (3.5/5)

Kyoko Inoue vs. Manami Toyota (12/08/1996, AJW): This match might best be described as "Oops All High Spots." The first 7-8 minutes are so incredible that you wonder if they haven't worked themselves into a match that has nowhere to go but down and then it just keeps going at a breakneck pace with wilder and wilder suplexes and slams and off-the-top-rope headscissors and dives and...it's about as action-packed as any match you can name. There are a handful of unignorable botches too, but even these moments add to the overall feeling that these two women are throwing everything they can think of to win the match. There's a noticeable lack of submissions, something I usually like to see from Inoue especially, but it actually works to the match's favor because neither woman is required to do much long-term selling, an element that can become quickly forgotten in a bomb-throwing contest with as many false finishes as this one. Speaking of finishes, the refereeing in this match is about a million times better than in their 60-minute match from the previous year, a bout that was named Match of the Year in The Observer but that I, and many others, dislike. This is the match that that match wishes it was. (4.5/5)