Random Matches

Johnny Saint vs. Dave "Fit" Finlay (04/09/1988, All Star Wrestling): There's probably better matches to serve as an introduction to British wrestling, but I wouldn't know of any. It's a bit jarring to see a match broken up into 3-minute rounds with the winner decided by a 2-out-of-3 falls decision and that there also additional rules/warnings around disqualifications and penalties. Even with these differences (and how they play into the psychology and flow of the match), the basic story isn't vastly different than what you might get in a typical 2-out-of-3 falls match with the heel gaining the early advantage, the face making a comeback to tie things up, and both guys slowly bending the rules and sneaking in some "cheap shots" to gain the advantage. I really liked the finish of this match too as it actually makes getting tossed to the hardwood floor outside the ring as painful and potentially injury-inducing as it really is, the kind of thing that most wrestling fans take for granted but actually should be played up more. (2.5/5)

Dave "Fit" Finlay and Ricky Moran vs. Ross Hart and Owen Hart (03/31/1984, Joint Promotions): Another match from the UK's World of Sport series, this one features an 18-year old Owen Hart and a 24 year old non-mustached Finlay. Not too much to say about this one beyond it being a decent showing of technical wrestling and grappling with Finlay getting the clean win with his fireman's carry senton slam after 10 minutes or so. Even as a curio to see a very young Owen Hart, this doesn't offer much to maintain one's attention or make you think that Owen was destined to be considered one of the best in-ring workers in the WWE in the 90s. (2/5)

Kota Ibushi and Naomichi Marufuji vs. Mark Briscoe and Jay Briscoe (01/07/2007, NOAH): A hellacious tag team match with the Briscoes looking particularly strong here. I was expecting maybe a touch more "dazzle" out of Ibushi, though even when he's giving a more "restrained" performance or has to share the spotlight in a tag match, he still delivers all sorts of crazy moves and sequences. Some really good nearfalls towards the end. The match seems a bit slow at first and the crowd almost seems unfamliar with the Briscoes or at least not too impressed until they start busting out the bigger spots and tandem offense. As someone who hadn't seen all that much of the Briscoes' work before Mark became a fixture in AEW, it's funny to see that he already had some goofiness and volume to his work. Good stuff. (3/5)

Yumiko Hotta vs. Plum Mariko (07/31/1993, JWP): Watching this match, I didn't realize that Plum Mariko was legitimately concussed for parts of it, though I absolutely should've: Yumiko Hotta's ridiculously stiff kicks to Mariko's face were gasp-inducing. On the other hand, Mariko somehow manages to continue working through a 10+ minute match instead of just collapsing (which shows how incredibly tough she was). Reading up on Mariko and learning that she eventually died in the ring from a Liger Bomb by Mayumi Ozaki and I can understand why this match - and others of its ilk - have such a troubling reputation. Its hard to rate something like this because of the difficulty in separating what we are watching on our screen as entertainment and the real-life consequences of a style that emphasized people kicking, punching, and slamming each other with maximum force. That being said, if Mariko survives the way Aja, Hokuto, and Manami Toyota did, a match like this would probably be more easily revered and not reviled. (2.5/5)

La Parka Jr., Mistico, Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. John Morrison, Pentagon Jr., and Judas Mesias (06/14/2015, AAA): I do not remember Rey Mysterio Jr. leaving the WWE in 2014 and, aside from an appearance The Greatest Royal Rumble, not returning to the WWE as a regular performer for 4 years. I had vague recollections of Rey doing some Lucha Underground but I always thought that was just a few matches here or there. Anyway, it did happen and during that time, Mysterio shared the ring with a real Who's Who of top talent in Mexico and the US - including Mistico (wrestling as Myzteziz in this match), future AEW and WWE stars Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix, The Young Bucks, Ricochet (wrestling as Prince Puma), Zack Sabre Jr., Will Ospreay...the list goes on. Anyway, this match happened fairly early in Rey's "indie run" and features El Mesias (who wrestled as Judas Mesias in TNA), La Parka (but not the real La Parka that most of us know and love from WCW), and John Morrison wrestling as "Johnny Mundo." It also features Arnold Schwarzeneggar introducing Rey Mysterio to cross-promote the failed (but, in my opinion, underappreciated/underrated) Terminator: Genisys and Rey rocking some Terminator-inspired gear and facepaint. When we finally get through all the intros and some stalling to start, the action is pretty good and I actually thought La Parka's work in the middle of the match was maybe the most entertaining 1-2 minutes of the whole thing. Its also fun to Morrison in a "All American Pretty Boy" gimmick, not exactly a super innovative or original character but one that he clearly was having fun doing and that he was comfortable and confident doing too (in comparison to some of his WWE runs in which I'm not sure he ever looked 100%  confident with his stature in the company). I'm not surprised this doesn't have any reviews on Cagematch because this plays very much like a fun "house show" main event. Watchable but not particularly memorable. (2.5/5)

Naomichi Marufuji vs. Roderick Strong (07/25/2008, ROH): As good as the action is in this match, I never felt "pulled in" or invested emotionally and, in a nutshell, that's why I'm hesitant to consider Roderick Strong for my Greatest Wrestler Ever ballot. In terms of in-ring skill, moveset, agility, and execution, Strong is one of the best workers of his generation. In the right contexts, he can be very, very entertaining (I really liked his role in the Better Than You Bay Bay storyline from AEW a few years back and have loved his on-screen interactions with Marina Shafir this year), but as someone who was never immersed in Ring of Honor (let alone NOAH), this match does not come across as the sort of "Dream Match" that maybe some fans regarded it as at the time? To me, this is just two excellent wrestlers with deep bags of cool moves pulling out every nifty counter and sequence they knew and going wild for nearly 20 minutes. It's incredibly impressive, sure, and there is something to be said for two guys of very different backgrounds essentially "speaking" through pro-wrestling, but in terms of emotion or story, this had little to say beyond the athleticism on display. (3/5)

Toshiaki Kawada vs. Akira Taue (01/15/1991, AJPW): Taue gets busted open early on in a match that doesn't go all that long but packs in plenty of nasty offense - kicks to the face, forearms and palm thrusts, a knee-first slam on the table by Taue, etc. - and some really good character work to get over the fact that these two guys hate each other. I wasn't a massive fan of the finish, but I could see the argument that part of that is because a full-force clothesline to the back of the head (the Axe Bomber) is not an established or credible finish in the US, but was a "death blow" in Japan. (3.5/5)

Yumiko Hotta vs. Mitsuko Nishiwaki (06/17/1990, AJW): This match didn't leave much of an impression on me. I was also surprised to learn that this match was part of a 1-night tournament and was Hotta's second bout because she holds nothing back in this. Hotta's whole deal seems to be that she can deliver the most brutal kicks of any woman - or man? - on Earth and we get a ton of those here, but Nishiwaki is no slouch and there are some good nearfalls towards the end that make it seem like it could be anyone's match despite Hotta's early control. Another example of how polarizing Hotta can be because, as nasty as her offense looks, it's questionable how much of it was "pro wrestling" and how much of it was legitimately dangerous and unprofessional. (2.5/5)

Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland (03/08/2019, DEFY): The DEFY promotion is based out of the Pacific Northwest, started in the late 2010s (2017 according to Cagematch) and still running today. This match was Swerve's "send off" before he (somewhat briefly) went to NXT, but because this isn't ECW in the mid-90s, the crowd is actually really happy for the guy and not booing him for "selling out." His opponent on this night is longtime rival Darby Allin so, as one might imagine, this match goes from delivering some good wrestling in the beginning to some incredible high spots and hardcore craziness as it progresses, including Darby hitting a chair-assisted Coffin Drop, Swerve taping Darby to a chair so he can hit him with a Swerve Stomp, and then thumbtacks for good measure. I could see some people not liking how far they push things or that they cram so much into the 20-minute runtime that none of it really "sticks," but this was a match designed to be an emotional "thank you" from Swerve to the fans that not-so-subtly gave him one last opportunity to put on the kind of match that the WWE would likely never allow him to do again. A damn good match. (3.5/5)

Chigusa Nagayo vs. Mayumi Ozaki (JWP): Nagayo's bizarre MegaMan/Ancient Rome pre-match get-up earns this match a point before it even starts because it is bonkers. Ozaki struck first with a jumping DDT and then a splash to the floor. Ozaki pulled Nagayo through the crowd and hit her with part of the guardrail! She grabbed a nearby screwdriver and, though its impossible to see due to poor lighting and the crowd, opens Nagayo's forehead with it. Back in the ring, Ozaki grabs the mic. An angry Nagayo marches back into the ring, blood trickling from her forehead. Ozaki continues her attack but Nagayo stuns her with an absolutely nasty powerbomb! Holy shit! If this match ended right here, it'd be an all-timer. Ozaki is nearly counted out but gets to her feet to eat a spinning heel kick and then a kick to the face. Nagayo applies a headlock, hits a very snappy DDT, and then reapplies the choke. Nagayo releases the hold, hits a suplex, and then tries to reapply the hold but Ozaki counters out and gets some offense in, including some biting of Nagayo's wound. Ozaki goes to work with a socket wrench (?), which gets a big reaction from the crowd but doesn't seem to do much damage. Back in control, Ozaki applied a seated arm bar and then just wailed on Nagayo with strikes before landing a dropkick and series of running boots. Nagayo fought back, though, and managed to apply a standing leglock of her own. She flips off the crowd too, which is not something I think I've seen in any joshi matches before this. I wasn't familiar with the story but it seems like this match was maybe an inter-promotion one as Ozaki, clearly wrestling as the heel, has her fair share of supporters. From here, we get all sorts of cool moments - Nagayo applying a nasty Sharpshooter and then beating the hell out of Ozaki in the crowd, Ozaki defiantly re-entering the ring with blood pouring out of her head and smeared across her face, more vicious use of the guardrail and chairs, a splash to the floor by Nagayo, knees and kicks and boots to the face galore...even if Ozaki didn't have one of the deepest crimson masks I've ever seen, this match would be an undeniable epic. After going to the floor a third time, Ozaki hits a fisherman suplex back in the ring but Nagayo kicks out at 2 and applies another choke. Ozaki's selling is masterful, as she looks like she is legitimately struggling to breathe/stay awake. Nagayo brings her up for a vertical suplex but drops her stomach-first on the top rope. Ozaki goes to the floor and Nagayo hits her with a suicide dive! Ozaki comes back with a cannonball splash of her own to the floor! There seems to be some sort of hiccup during the next sequence but they right the ship with Ozaki countering a gutwrench powerbomb into a hurricanrana and then a snapdragon suplex ala Kenny Omega. A half-nelson suplex also gets 2 and Ozaki hits yet another for 2.9! The crowd is going ballistic at this point as Ozaki delivers a third half-and-half! Ozaki goes for the Whisper in the Wind but Nagayo dodges it and then hits a running over-the-shoulder backbreaker to get the W. Wow. This blew me away. This had every great element one could want in a wrestling match. It wasn't perfect - there was a lull at one point in the first third or so and I'm not necessarily a fan of mid-match promos - but those are very minor flaws in an otherwise absolutely amazing, all-time great match. (4.5/5)

Terry Gordy and Michael "P.S" Hayes vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and The Great Kabuki (01/22/1984, AJPW): This is about what you'd expect - not a workrate classic but you get plenty of "color" as Kabuki gets opened up and the crowd is pretty hot. The finish is kinda cool as Kabuki blinds Gordy with the mist, which causes him to exit the ring and go out into the stands, leading to a count-out finish. Nothing super special here but at least they kept things moving and didn't bog it down with rest holds. Plus, Kabuki does really bleed a gusher to get over the intensity. (2.5/5)

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Darby Allin (01/03/2024, AEW): This is why AEW has swiftly become my "go-to" promotion in terms of modern, accessible mainstream wrestling. There's not a ton of "story" behind this match aside from the fact that Allin (and Sting) had been feuding with the Don Callis Family. They were involved in a very poorly-received match at the World's End 2023 PPV, but most of that was because of how sick the audience was of Jericho. This match was a "banger" as the kids say, a perfectly respectable TV match that showcased Allin's high-risk offense as well as Takeshita's power and ruthlessness. Highlights included Allin getting knee'd in the face when he attempted a suicide dive, a German Suplex from the top rope, rolling suplexes on the entrance ramp, and something I'm not sure I've seen before when Takeshita broke the ref's count by shoving Allin into the ring and then yanking him out by a single leg. I also really liked the definitive finish, which put over Takeshita strong but, because of the beating he took, it's not like Darby lost a single bit of credibility. Not a "must see" match but a good example of how high the bar is in today's wrestling landscape when a match like this could almost be considered just average. (3/5)

Tiger Mask II (Misawa), Jumbo Tsuruta, and The Great Kabuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada, and Samson Fuyuki (01/11/1990, AJPW): Not a particularly memorable match, but there is some fun to be had in seeing a relatively young Misawa (wrestling as Tiger Mask) and Toshiaki Kawada mixing it up. I was shocked at how good The Great Kabuki was in this, his uppercuts looking devastating at times. From what I've seen of Kabuki over the years, he's never struck me as a particularly good worker. Tsuruta and Tenryu are clearly the biggest stars of the bunch and their moments together get the biggest reactions and have the most intensity. Inessential "filler" type match that does showcase some of Misawa and Kawada's athleticism and toughness, but neither is as polished as they would become in the months and years after this and its noticeable. (2/5)

Dynamite Kansai vs. Kyoko Inoue (11/19/1994, AJW): This is a great match. Kyoko Inoue is someone who I may or may not get to see enough from in the next month to rank on my Greatest Wrestler Ever list but will probably make the extra effort to just because I enjoy her work so much. As usual, she executes some cool submissions, but I was extra impressed with the amount of springboard and power moves she pulled out. Kansai ends up getting the W with an awesome Razor's Edge from the corner that feels like an absolute death move. A real treat of a match to watch and I'm not surprised it has many admirers on Cagematch. (3.5/5)

Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody vs. Nick Bockwinkel and Harley Race (11/13/1984, AJPW): For a guy with a reputation for not being a big seller, Brody doesn't seem to have any issues selling for Bockwinkel and Race in this match. Speaking of Bockwinkel, he's my favorite performer in this contest by a good bit with his non-stop energy and involvement. After about 10 minutes of back-and-forth, the match turns into a melee on the floor with everyone grabbing chairs and going at it until the match gets thrown out. The best thing that can be said about this match is that its too short to be boring and everyone is over enough that the crowd is into it for what it is. Disappointing considering the talent involved. (2/5)

AEW Grand Slam: Australia

AEW Grand Slam: Australia

February 2026 - Sydney, South Wales, Australia

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the AEW World Champion was MJF, the Women's World Champion was Thekla, the AEW World Tag Team Champions were FTR, Kyle Fletcher was the TBS Champion, the TNT Champion was Willow Nightingale, Kazuchika Okada was the International Champion, the Trios Champions were "Hangman" Adam Page, Mike Bailey, and Kevin Knight, Jon Moxley was the Continental Champion, Ricochet was the National Champion, and the Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron) were the AEW Women's Tag Team Champions. 

AEW Grand Slam: Australia was a TV special that aired in place of the usual Saturday show, Collision, though the card had me wondering if this was a PPV when I first heard about it. At the very least, this was a show built-up comparably to a Clash of the Champions from WCW in the 90s (when you might see a major title change on cable). 

Konosuke Takeshita challenged Jon Moxley for the Continental Championship in the opening match. I'm a big Takeshita fan and I liked a lot of Moxley's high profile matches in 2025, but this was not great. The final 5 minutes had the urgency that the rest of the match lacked as these two worked their way through a long, physical contest that ended in a time limit draw. I think I've come to terms with the idea that I really only enjoy Moxley in heated blood feuds, gimmick matches, and multi-mans. Takeshita also felt a bit muted in this match after a few months of him feeling like he was about to breakout as a bigger babyface deal. The post-match attack on Moxley, something of a "tweener" these days, was confusing in that regard. A disappointment. (2/5)

Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale, the reigning AEW Women's World Tag Team Champions (and collectively known as The Babes of Wrath), took on Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford in the next match. This went 11 minutes but felt like the same length as the last match. They packed of a ton of action into it, but this match wasn't as "fun" as I wish it were. If anyone should be busting out more comedy/fan engagement spots, it should be Harley and Willow. Cameron and Ford are not super smooth workers, which could be expected out of Cameron but Ford is a 10-year veteran and is serviceable at best. The debut of Lena Kross was puzzling. If you're going to debut and take aim at the tag team champions, why do so alone? If you're coming in as the "third" to an established team like Ford and Bayne, like some sort of weird Crush-in-Demolition thing or "Freebird Rule" aspirant, why debut after the match and not help your partners actually win the titles? The effort was there, Willow looked good, and the crowd was into it, but this probably could've been edited down a couple minutes without losing anything. (2/5)

Andrade El Idolo vs. "Hangman" Adam Page to determine the Number One Contender for the AEW World Championship was the first match of the night to feel like it at least got close to expectations, though it did hit a bit of a lull after the commercial break. I loved the opening spot where Andrade took a wicked kick to the face while in a handstand position, enjoyed the fun "beautiful woman in the crowd wants a selfie" shtick that Andrade has been inserting into his matches as of late, and, later on, Page hitting an awesome fallaway slam on the floor into the barricade. I really liked the finish too as Andrade once again went for a low blow - the same way he managed to eke out victories over Omega and Swerve - but Page saw it coming and gave him a taste of his own medicine before hitting the Buckshot Lariat to score the W. This also felt like the right booking decision as the company builds toward Revolution. Not a Match of the Year contender or anything, but a mostly solid match. (3/5)

Orange Cassidy teamed up with "Timeless" Toni Storm to take on Marina Shafir and Wheeler Yuta in a Loser Must Shave Their Head mixed tag next. Cassidy and Storm brought the fight right to the Death Riders, attacking them as they made their way to the ring. Crowd-brawling ensued with Yuta drawing some extra heat by piledriving Storm on the cases. With Storm taken out of the match for a bit, Shafir and Yuta double-teamed Cassidy until the commercial break. Storm came back when we returned to the action, hitting Shafir with  aseries of big German suplexes. Shafir got some strikes in but then got hit by a Beach Break from Cassidy! Yuta broke up the pin attempt after a bit of hesitation and then ate a Slumdog Millionaire and a signature tornado DDT but when Cassidy went for the Orange Punch, Shafir countered it. Storm applied a chickenwing on Shafir while Shafir applied an ankle lock on Cassidy. After releasing their respective holds, we got a strike exchange between the two ladies with Storm dropping Shafir with a headbutt but then getting clobbered by a Baisaku Knee from Yuta! Dang. Moments later, Yuta went for another on OC but Cassidy ducked and he hit Shafir! Hip Attack by Storm on Yuta! Orange Punch! Storm Zero on Yuta for the feel-good win! This was a fun match with a satisfying finish, though I do think it was a bit of a cop-out that only Yuta had his head shaved when I think most fans would've expected that both losers would've had their heads shaved. I also really liked Jon Moxley being the one to force to Yuta to live up to his words and that Mina Shirakawa got the first snip (Yuta and Shafir had cut off some of her hair on Dynamite before this and Yuta had even braided it into his own hair for this match). (3/5)

The TNT Championship Ladder Match was next - Kyle Fletcher defending against Mark Briscoe in their seventh match against each other. Briscoe hit a cannonball dive early but then took a half-and-half on the floor. Fletcher grabbed hold of a ladder but got dropkicked. Briscoe whipped Fletcher into it, followed it up with a suplex, and then went to the top of the ladder only to be snap mared off of it, into the ropes, and onto the apron. Fletcher then hit a moonsault off the ladder to the floor, which would've been a huge spot two decades ago but almost looked too easy and "light" here. Back in the ring, Fletcher lawn darted Briscoe into a ladder that was hanging in the corner and it looked absolutely nasty. Fletcher set up a ladder in the center of the ring but Briscoe caught him and hit him with a super stiff Russian Leg Sweep off the ladder and onto the mat. A commercial break followed and when we came back to the action, Briscoe was hitting Fletcher with a Froggy 'Bo from the top onto a ladder set up across the apron and the barricade. Briscoe went climbing but Fletcher, who had been busted open sometime during the break, grabbed hold of his foot. Fletcher pulled Briscoe down and powerbombed him through a ladder! Fletcher hit his patented running boot and sold on the apron while Fletcher brought in yet another ladder, setting it up between the corner and the ladder in the middle of the ring to form a "catwalk." Briscoe and Fletcher climbed up the post as the crowd chanted "Please Don't Die." Briscoe then hit a double-underhook piledriver through the ladder! It didn't look super "clean," but it probably could've/should've been the match ender instead of being undersold and treated like just another spot (Fletcher climbed the ladder to stop Briscoe from grabbing the title within 15-20 seconds of taking the bump). With Briscoe almost taking hold of the title, Fletcher met him at the top and brought him down with an incredible vertical suplex from the top of the ladder! Wow. Now it was Briscoe's turn to undersell a should-be "death move" by grabbing a ladder and setting it up beside Fletcher's. They traded some blows on the ladder before Fletcher simply shoved Briscoe's ladder, sending him crashing into the ropes, and grabbed the title in a rather anti-climactic ending. This was good but poorly structured with the biggest and most dangerous spots being undersold and then the finish happening off of a comparably "simple" bump that we've seen dozens of times before. (3/5)

Main event time - MJF defending the AEW World Championship against the number one contender, Brody King. A "Fuck ICE" chant started as the bell rang, though it wasn't as loud and spirited as the one that happened on Dynamite a couple weeks earlier. MJF did chickenshit shtick to start things off but ended up eating a huge Brody King lariat despite his best efforts to avoid the monster. Brody followed it up with some nasty chops and then a press slam. Brody missed on the cannonball as MJF slipped to the floor. MJF went to work on Brody's knee, wrapping it around the post. Back in the ring, MJF applied a nifty ankle lock and then cut off a Brody King comeback by going after King's knee once more. MJF brought back an oldie-but-a-goodie by hitting the Kangaroo Kick and then flipping off the crowd. MJF hit a dive on the floor and then rolled King back into the ring. He attempted a sunset flip, dodged a senton, and then reapplied the ankle lock, grapevining it this time. King crawled his way to the bottom rope, forcing a break before the last commercial break of the evening. Soon after we returned, King hoisted MJF up with a back body drop and attempted another cannonball but couldn't execute the move due to his damaged knee. King went for the hanging headlock but MJF escaped by biting his arm and then grabbed a chair. King bit him back and sat him on the chair and hit him with a running crossbody. King, still selling the knee, rolled MJF into the ring (as he couldn't win the title on a countout) and set him back up in the corner for a third attempt at a cannonball. This time, he hit it! MJF kicked out at 2.5, though, the crowd barely reacting to the predictable nearfall. MJF managed to apply a sleeper and King fell to the mat. I really liked the way he sold that. Bandido ran down the aisle to cheer on King, yelling at him not to give up. King fought back to his feet and fell backwards, crushing MJF beneath him to break the hold. MJF rolled to the floor as King attempted some sort of dive only to get caught by MJF and driven neck-first across the middle rope. MJF hoped for a count-out victory but King got to his feet. MJF went for a dive but King caught him, hoisted him up in a fireman's carry, and then drove him through a chair into the barricade! Wow. That looked sick. King got to his feet and helped MJF back into the ring, once again recognizing that a count-out wouldn't win him the title. King couldn't capitalize in the ring, though, clutching his knee. MJF took out the Dynamite Diamond Ring but Bryce Remsburg caught him! King decked him with a huge punch and then applied the hangman headlock! King released the hold after 5 and MJF fell to the floor. King went for the Gonzo Bomb and hit it! 1...2...MJF kicked out! MJF brought King down to the middle rope with a drop toe hold and then went back to attacking the knee, taking off King's knee brace and biting it! King went for a Gonzo Bomb on the apron but couldn't hit it and settled for a back elbow. King went for another big hangman headlock off the top rope but MJF escaped again and MJF hit him with a piledriver-esque front-falling slam on the apron! Heatseeker! I can see people not liking the finish as it feels like its been awhile since MJF put anyone away with a single Heatseeker, but it made sense here and gives credibility to the move as a match-ender. Easily the match of the night with a great performance out of Brody King especially. (3.5/5)

While this show was certainly a step up from your average Dynamite, it didn't reach the heights of your typical AEW PPV (even with a runtime of 2.5 hours, roughly the same as the WWE's monthly PLEs). The Takeshita/Moxley was underwhelming for most of its duration and the Women's Tag Team Championship match was also just "so-so," but the show picked up considerably as it went on with the main event delivering the best, most coherent story of the night without needing to "spam" dangerous high spots or gratuitous weapon use. While none of the matches on this show will likely land on anyone's Top 10 of the year in December, if you're an AEW fan, this show offered plenty to enjoy.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

Random Matches

Kyle Fletcher vs. Tommaso Ciampa (02/11/2026, AEW): This was a match for Ciampa's TNT Championship on Dynamite just a few short days before AEW's next big PPV, Grand Slam (which was held in Fletcher's home counry of Australia). Ciampa had come into AEW just a few weeks before this and defeated Mark Briscoe for the TNT Championship in his second match with the promotion. This is non-stop, physical action, but the first half of the match felt a little emotionally "hollow" to me with too much back-and-forth bomb-throwing and not enough story. Fortunately, after a commercial break, things got more heightened and you got a stronger sense of urgency as the timekeeper announced there were 10 minutes remaining and then 5 minutes remaining and we got a whole bunch of finisher kickouts and some spectacular 2.9999 kickouts out of Ciampa especially. I also really liked Danielson on commentary for this as you can always sense his enjoyment and appreciation of a great match and a great performance (and you can tell how impressed he is out of Fletcher, who is silky smooth in the ring but also makes everything look like it genuinely hurts). The finish absolutely "got" me as I was expecting this to go to a time limit draw once we got within 2-3. Really strong match with an unpredictable finish in front of a crowd that seemed to start out a bit tepid but then got fully into it. (3/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Jun Akiyama and Kenta Kobashi (10/23/1999, AJPW): With these four, its hard not to go into this match with high expectations. Akiyama and Ogawa start things off, but its not long before Kenta gets the tag and demands some time with Misawa. After some chops from Kobashi and a big knee from Akiyama, Misawa ends up on the outside getting whipped into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Misawa makes a comeback and Ogawa hits a back suplex on Akiyama. Suicide dive by Misawa to Kobashi on the floor! We get a dosey-do spot with Misawa getting whipped into Ogawa and Ogawa whipping him back into Kobashi to deliver a forearm. Its a little silly but I dug it. Back into the ring they go with Misawa and Ogawa in control and Kobashi taking punishment. Misawa applies a chinlock and then tags Ogawa back in for a bit of tandem offense. Ogawa applies a rear headlock but Kobashi fights back and hits a shoulder tackle before tagging Akiyama again. Jumping knee by Akiyama, elbow in the corner, snap mare, dropkick to the back, and then a headlock. Ogawa gets out via rope break and tags in Misawa and we get a forearm exchange with Akiyama getting felled. Back on the outside, Ogawa gets whipped into the rails by Akiyama and then eats a DDT too. Akiyama only gets a one count though and tags in Kobashi. Inverted Atomic Drop by Akiyama into a huge chop by Kobashi. Kobashi delivers a delayed vertical supplex for 2 and then applies a crab. Akiyama hits a forearm on Misawa on the outside to prevent him from breaking the hold but Ogawa won't tap and Misawa rolls in to break it up anyway. Akiyama hits a bunch of forearms to Ogawa's lower back but gets sunset flipped for 2. The match falls apart a bit as Kobashi and Misawa go after each other, but the ref regains control and the match returns to the ring where Ogawa gets beaten up for a bit. Misawa gets the tag and hits a huge flying forearm off the top rope and then a lariat off the ropes. Misawa attempts a Tiger Driver by Akiyama breaks it up. Misawa clobbers Akiyama and hits the Tiger Driver after all for 2! Frog Splash by Misawa for another nearfall. Kobashi applies a sleeper and then flips Misawa with a ridiculous sleeperhold suplex! Running knee in the corner by Akiyama and then another! Underhook DDT by Akiyama and then a flying forearm to the back of the head for 2! I'm not a huge Akiyama fan but that was crazy. Misawa escapes Akiyama's finisher attempt, hits a forearm, and then tags in Ogawa. Ogawa with a heel kick to Kobashi and hits a DDT and a back suplex on Akiyama for 2! Nifty tandem offense by Misawa and Ogawa, including a brilliant German Suplex by Misawa into a Back Suplex by Ogawa sequence. Ogawa with a Tiger Driver on Akiyama for 2.5 while Kobashi and Misawa duke it out on the floor! Another nearfall by Ogawa after his third (or fourth?) chin breaker (preceded by an eye poke). Kobashi and Misawa both get tagged in and Misawa delivers a Tiger Driver for another nearfall. Misawa with a flying clothesline/bulldog off the top and then hits the spinning forearm and gets yet another nearfall after a sick tiger suplex! Misawa goes for a scoop slam but Kobashi fights back with a series of nasty suplexes of his own! Kobashi hoists him up and positions him for Akiyama to deliver a powerbomb from the top rope! Dang. Misawa gets to his feet and gets some shots in but Kobashi clobbers him with a huge lariat for 2. And then another! Ogawa breaks the count but that looked like it could've been the finish. Double shoulder tackle by Akiyama and Kobashi on Ogawa. Big knee to the back of Misawa and then a Kobashi clothesline to the back of the head! Kobashi with the Burning Hammer (Torture Rack Driver) to end it! Wow. This wasn't perfect but it was very, very good and I really liked Akiyama's somewhat subtle heel work and, of course, Ogawa being so fun to watch as a foil to the stoic, super-serious Misawa. (4/5)

Kyle O'Reilly vs. Zach Sabre Jr. (03/17/2017, AAW): This was about what I expected with O'Reilly and Sabre both being submission specialists, though it didn't hook me from beginning to end. I think better commentary might've helped too. Move-wise, these guys wrench, twist, and lock each other up in a variety of ways to start before the action becomes more intense, faster-paced, and strike-heavy as they build to the finish. Not a match I'd recommend unless you're a superfan of either of these two, but good enough. (3/5)

Alundra Blayze (Madusa) vs. Bull Nakano (08/25/1994, WWE): This is a fun watch just because it is a "fan cam" from a house show at Madison Square Garden and the "commentary" is provided by the guy holding his camera and his son. Blayze and Nakano were working through the match they'd have at SummerSlam just 5 days later, though this is obviously not as good as that one (a match that, in my review all the way back in 2021, I described as "arguably the best [WWE] Women's Match of the 90s." This is very much a "house show match," but that doesn't mean Madusa and Nakano were half-assing it as much as it just means, as the father on commentary notes, most of the spots and sequences are pretty predictable. (2.5/5)

La Parka vs. Super Calo (09/28/1998, WCW): Your standard filler match from Nitro designed to showcase WCW's lucha talent. They only get about 5-6 minutes so there's not nearly enough time to do much but fly around and hit high spots. Throwing so much into such a short match means that nothing really resonates or stands out as particularly memorable, especially because La Parka can be hit-or-miss with his execution and doesn't have the speed and agility of a Rey Mysterio or Juvi Guerrera. Super Calo doesn't have their execution either and doing "more" ends up making them both look sloppy. The most memorable part was probably Calo attacking La Parka with his own chair during the post-match. (1.5/5)

Jay White vs. Will Ospreay (05/12/2017, ROH): This felt like a showcase match for White way more than it was for Ospreay, which makes a bit of sense because White had only been on "excursion" (as the commentators explain) for a relatively brief amount of time. It's clear that Ospreay and White were already tremendous at the in-ring "movez" part of wrestling and, in front of this crowd, that's enough for this match to get huge reactions for the big spots and counters...but Ospreay had yet to become as great and innovative as he would be and Jay White was lacking the cool, cunning Switchblade character that made him one of AEW's most reliable stars (before injury seemed to derail all his momentum). So, despite all the thrilling action, the match didn't pull me in the way it probably would today. (3/5)

The Great Sasuke vs. Jushin Thunder Liger (06/01/1996, World Wrestling Peace Festival): This match was part of a "festival" that also featured wrestlers from WCW, New Japan (I think?), and either AAA or CMLL (if not both). Dan Severn was even on this show! Anyway...I went into this match thinking it would be great and was a bit underwhelmed. The second half is much more interesting and exciting than the first half and, as always, Liger's offense is the high point, but this wasn't "special" the way I expected it would be considering Sasuke and Liger's history (their J-Cup match in 94' is frequently cited as one of the best matches ever). There's enough good work to put this firmly in that average-slightly above average range. (3/5)

Tajiri/Psicosis/Mikey Whipwreck vs. Little Guido/Tony Mamaluke/Big Sal Graziano (08/18/2000, ECW): This goes under 6 minutes, which is a shame because Tajiri and Guido are probably in my top 10 favorite ECW workers. With such a short runtime, we don't get much comedy, which is what Big Sal did best. I liked the finish, which saw Tajiri accidentally blow mist into Psicosis' face and then get kicked in the junk as payback (giving the FBI the victory). Fun match that I wish would've been twice as long. (2.5/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (01/26/1998, AJPW): I'm always a little confused when I see a match like this and see such conflicting views of it on Cagematch and at ProWrestlingOnly. I think most "serious" wrestling fans would consider this to fall into that great-classic range as Akiyama brings to the fight to Misawa, his former tag partner/mentor, delivering every possible big-time move in his arsenal, but ultimately falling short as Misawa is able to once again withstand the best that his opponents have to offer and hit his own "death blow" (the Emerald Flowsion) to finish off his exhausted adversary. I'm sure the formula gets a bit tiring for those that have seen dozens and dozens of Misawa matches (or matches with similar layouts), but I'm not one of those people and I don't personally know any either - which is how you end up with the glowing praise on Cagematch and the more dismissive/lukewarm reviews on ProWrestlingOnly. I'm with the former. This match ruled and I audibly gasped at certain spots. Very, very much worth-watching. (4/5)

Bull Nakano vs. Shinobu Kandori (07/14/1994, LLPW): Take Bull Nakano, AJW's resident monster, and Shinobu Kandori, LLPW's ace (or one of them), tie them together with a chain, let them loose, and you'll end up with an awesome fight. These two don't bother with many holds or slams as they go at each other with the chain, wrapping it around each other's necks, whipping each other with it, wrapping it around their fists and legs to deliver to strikes...and, no surprise, it doesn't take long before they're both bloody messes. This match was so visually stunning and captivating that I didn't even realize that there was no commentary (at least not on the YouTube video I watched) until towards the end. It was also funny to me that, reading some of the reviews on ProWrestlingOnly, it was noted by a couple fans that this match felt more "hardcore" than anything ECW was producing at the time and I had the exact same thought. This sort of wrestling was very out-of-fashion in the mainstream US promotions and even ECW wasn't putting on matches that felt this truly intense and emotional. If you're at all into the violent side of wrestling, this is a must-watch. (4/5)

Akira Taue vs. Kenta Kobashi (07/26/1991, AJPW): I was surprised to see that this match didn't warrant a thread over at ProWrestlingOnly as Taue and Kobashi doing battle in singles, tags, or six-mans is almost always worth watching. There's lots to like about this match with Kobashi taking early control with a DDT on the floor but Taue rallying and eventually hitting one of his own. I really liked Kobashi's extended selling of knee damage and wish Taue would've targeted the knee more instead of going after the neck. For a 30-minute match (that ends with a time limit draw), they worked a really good pace and didn't over-rely on submissions or overselling. Even just 3 years into his career, Kobashi had the crowd fully supporting him and treating him like a huge deal and the same is true of Taue, who had made his name tagging with Jumbo Tsuruta. Good, not great. (3/5)

La Parka and Silver King vs. Damien 666 and Ciclope (06/07/1999, WCW): This was a "Falls Count Anywhere Mexican Hardcore" match from an episode of Nitro that I was surprised to learn was not booked by Vince Russo. No, this was just WCW throwing a ridiculous gimmick match in front of the crowd with seemingly little to no direction or long-term booking in mind. Fortunately, you don't need much of a "story" when you have these four going out and going wild with tables and chairs and trash cans. This isn't a "good" match and Schiavone's enthusiasm sounds forced in a way that, say, Dustys' commentary never did. Heenan seemed to enjoy the chaos but didn't add anything to the presentation either, which is a shame because there are other times when his excitement for the work of Rey Mysterio and Juventud Guerrera is beneficial. (2/5)

Eddie Kingston vs. Kevin Steen (08/11/2012, ROH): This was an "Anything Goes" match for Steen's ROH World Championship so they don't waste much time doing any wrestling and just go straight for the furniture usage/wreckage. After Steen delivers a powerbomb on Kingston through a table suspended between the apron and the guardrail (with the bottom of the table and all its metal framing pointing up), we get an extended stretcher "moment" that allows Steen to cut an angry promo against the fans in attendance and the challenger. It goes on for too long, though, and hurt the momentum of the match. It also doesn't help that, while the spot is certainly not something you see every day, Kingston (and Steen, for that matter) were known for surviving and battling through more brutal and violent incidents. Steen insults Kingston's former rival and longtime friend Larry Sweeny, which is really shameful and cheap (even if Sweeny might've approved), and Kingston rallies back into the ring. After a bit of a comeback by Kingston, including an awesome suplex that gets a big nearfall, Steen regains control, does a cannonball into a chair that is laying across Kingston's chest and then hits him with his F5/AA-type move through a table and then a pair of chairs to finish him off. (2.5/5)

Alundra Blayze (Madusa) and Bob Holly vs. Bull Nakano and Hakushi (03/13/1995, WWE): This was a rare mixed tag match filmed for the WrestleFest 95' home video. Gorilla Monsoon and Stan Lane provide the commentary for this. The best parts of this match all come from Blayze and Nakano, who had great chemistry (even if I'm guessing most of their minutes were made-up of stuff they'd done before). Holly and Hakushi are a bit clunkier together, slow moving and less impressive overall (though I do love Hakushi's handspring back elbow). Fine for what it was: a dark match in front of a crowd that wasn't super interested in any of it. (2.5/5)

Randy Savage vs. Bobby Eaton (09/20/1997, WCW): I'm guessing that Savage and Eaton had much better matches than this at some point in their early careers but this is not the "hidden gem" that I was hoping for. As good as Savage was up till the mid-90s, by this point, he was more "miss than hit" outside of the DDP feud. Eaton is also someone who is usually reliable for a decent contest but this was boring and slow and lacked any creative energy. This isn't one-sided enough to be a squash or action-packed enough to be a sprint. This is two guys going through the motions on one of WCW's C-shows, Worldwide. (1/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshinari Ogawa (04/15/2000, AJPW): Ogawa and Misawa were former tag partners and Misawa was Ogawa's mentor. This isn't great. It starts a bit slow with Ogawa working the heck out of simple headlock and while there are moments when things pick up, the match never reaches the heights of Misawa's more revered singles matches. Connoisseurs and die-hard fans of the Kings Road style would probably consider this match highly effective and even brilliant due to the story that is told and built here with Ogawa, despite showing technical skill and lots of determination, not being in Misawa's league and Misawa basically just letting him exhaust himself until he puts him down definitively in the final minutes. As much as that story makes logical sense, it doesn't make for much drama because it never really feels like Misawa is in trouble. (2/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. 2 Cold Scorpio and Doug Williams (01/23/2005, NOAH): This is a long, weird match. For starters, the crowd is surprisingly dead for way too much of this, which makes me wonder if maybe there were low ticket sales or if this was just a low period for the promotion because Misawa looks miserable and tuned out for the first 2/3rds but comes alive in the final 10. 2 Cold Scorpio does some tremendous work at times and tries his very best to get the crowd into things, but reactions are just mild throughout (even when he hits the 450). I really loved the way he targeted Ogawa's arm at one point too and wish Scorpio had worked with similar intensity in the WWE (though, as the Flash Funk it wouldn't have worked and by the time The Job Squad thing began, he was clearly being phased out with no intention of getting another look). With Misawa seeming almost disinterested at times, the match lags at points and really didn't need a runtime of close to 30 minutes but because this is a title match, I can understand the desire to go "epic." Misawa takes some crazy bumps in the final minutes and it is enough to save things, but this is not a match I'd necessarily recommend. (2.5/5)

Bull Nakano and Lioness Asuka vs. Aja Kong and Reggie Bennett (11/18/1995, AJW): This isn't perfect, but its pro-wrestlng through-and-through and there are some excellent moments in this wild fight. For example, at one point, Asuka and Nakano look like they nearly break Aja Kong's neck with an attempt a tandem powerbomb and its impossible to call that "good wrestling," but its memorable and the fact that Kong gets up and continues fighting is remarkable. Ditto for a Reggie Bennett powerbomb that is just brutal-looking. I was also somewhat surprised how much Nakano and Kong's presence outshines that of Lioness Asuka, who had changed her style and look considerably since the heyday of the Crush Gals, working as much more of a bruiser/brawler than when her and Chigusa Nagayo were known for their quickness, agility, and technique. A fun match, but I can see why this would be considered "inessential" viewing unless you're, like me, on a quest to watch 20+ Nakano, Aja Kong, and Lioness Asuka matches before April! (3/5)

Yuji Nagata and Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Naomichi Marufuji and Ricky Marvin (01/25/2014, NOAH): This is a great match and my introduction to Naomichi Marufuji (and, to a lesser extent, Yuji Nagata, who I remember just a little bit from his brief WCW run). It wasn't till I read up on this match that I learned/realized that Liger is working a heel here, though having now seen more of Liger, I've been able to see more and more of how his cockiness/arrogance can make him something of a "tweener" at times. These four do so, so much in this match and it just builds and builds beautifully as it goes. I was surprised this didn't have a write-up on ProWrestlingOnly as Liger, Nagata, and Marufuji are all popular there, but whatever - I dug this quite a bit and am looking forward to watching more Marufuji as I enter the homestretch of my GWE viewing. (3.5/5)

Manami Toyota vs. Yumiko Hotta (09/03/1995, AJW): An easy must-watch to my eyes, this absolutely ruled. Loved all of Toyota's springboard stuff. Hotta's kicks were absolutely nasty. Some insane suplexes and head drops. Lots of could-be/would-be/should-be (?) nearfalls in the closing stretch to keep it super suspenseful. The folks over at PWO did not heap a ton of praise on this one, though that seems to be partially based on just an overall dislike for Hotta, who I thought looked like a killer here. This was excellent and I even dug the finish, though I can understand why it may have seemed like it came out of nowhere. To me, it read as these two being so beaten up and out of gas by the end that it really came down to who could outsmart the other with an inventive pinning combination. Great, great bout that I'm not surprised is hovering around a 9 on Cagematch. (4.5/5)

Jon Moxley vs. Mark Davis (02/18/2026, AEW): This match from Dynamite was considerably better than the Mox/Takeshita match from a few days prior, which lacked the urgency and "hook" that this match had. Early on, Mark Davis punched the ring post and busted open his hand. I'm guessing it wasn't "hard way" but it looked absolutely brutal and realistic and Moxley did a fantastic job of targeting it repeatedly throughout the match. Speaking of Moxley, the crowd was super into him and this match in general. At one point, Davis hit a gut wrench piledriver that looked brutal. I'm not sure if the "Eliminator" format is better or worse than just giving someone like Davis a random title shot, but at least AEW is consistent with guys having to earn actual championship opportunities. (3/5)

Naomichi Marufuji and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. KENTA and Takashi Sugiura (08/24/2013, NOAH): My second Marufuji and my first Nak-in-Japan review! I thought this was a ton of fun and worth checking out if you're a fan of any of these four. I was "all in" on Nakamura after I first saw him in NXT as I couldn't believe his natural charisma and how much mileage he got out of somewhat simple offense and character work. He's excellent here for similar reasons but it's interesting to see him in his "natural habitat" rather than the more alien context of the WWE. Nakamura comes off as less of a singular/unique worker working alongside the equally confident and charismatic Marufuji, but he's still a captivating presence and it's easy to see why he got so over in his home country. KENTA's NXT run practically everything Nakamura's wasn't, but this match shows why he was considered such a big signing a year or so later. Hard-hitting strikes, really good cut-offs and sequences, a hot crowd...my biggest gripe would probably be that there was at least one save/nearfalls that looked a little sloppy and mistimed. (3.5/5)

Dusty Rhodes and The Junkyard Dog vs. Ted Dibiase and Kamala (08/12/1983, Houston Wrestling): The match itself doesn't offer much more than JYD and Rhodes beating the tar out of the two heels (opening up DiBiase in the process), but paired with the pre-match promo out of Rhodes and JYD, this is a good 15-minute clip available on YouTube. The match is a "Texas Tornado Dog Collar and Bullrope Match," which is a convoluted way of saying that JYD will have his weapon of choice and Dusty will have his and DiBiase and Kamala are going to get their asses kicked. And that's pretty much exactly what happens save for a very brief 20-30 seconds when the heels get a minute amount of offense in. The crowd loves every second of it, though, and there is something to be said for giving the audience what they want without sacrificing any of the heels' overness and credibility. DiBiase takes some cool bumps too. (2.5/5)

Bull Nakano and Dump Matsumoto vs. Lioness Asuka and Devil Masami (10/27/1984, AJW): This is a bit of a curio as it features Bull Nakano before she was the Bull Nakano that we all know and love. Wrestling under the name Keiko Nakano, she's almost invisible in this match, little more than Dump Matsumoto's "back up." This is a solid, spirited fight that gets a bit too wacky with weapons and whatnot, but I've learned that's pretty typical of Dump's matches and part of the fun. This is not your typical tag match, but its entertaining and really liked Asuka's intensity and Masami pulling out a kendo stick to even the odds against Dump's chain. Cool watch. (3/5)

Toshiaki Kawada and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshinari Ogawa (10/02/1991, AJPW): Even as someone that is still relatively new to All Japan and its major characters, I thought this was really interesting and, dare I say, "educational" towards better understanding Kawada's story and how he came to be the win-at-all-costs, borderline heel that I know him as from what I've watched of his later in the decade. In some ways, this match played to me as a bit of a "Jumbo Show," but, in this case, that's a good thing because he's so animated and is such a great asshole throughout. Kawada brings the same passion, but he's not yet as arrogant or willing to bend the rules as he would be later on. It's almost like he's not yet embraced that ruthlessness, which is interesting to see. Ogawa is fun to watch for similar reasons as he does have some of his trademark offense and technique locked in, but, from what I can gather, had not yet started to tag with Misawa regularly. There's enough great character work out of Jumbo and Kawada and quality wrestling to make this a fun watch and, having not seen much (any?) Kikuchi before, I thought he was also solid and took a hell of a beatdown. (3/5)

Swerve Strickland vs. Kenny Omega (02/18/2026, AEW): The crowd was absolutely hyped for this first-time ever match-up and Swerve and Omega definitely delivered. Some incredible spots - snapdragon suplexes and Swerve Stomps on the apron, incredible knees-to-the-face by Omega - but really what wowed me most was the execution of every sequence and move. The performances of Swerve and Omega were razor sharp, including during the post-match. I even dug the false finish built around Aubrey Edwards taking a V-Trigger. As this was the main event of an episode of Dynamite, the match went about 15-20 minutes, but nobody would've complained if it had gone twice as long; Omega and Strickland had the kind of instant, obvious chemistry that warranted the "Fight Forever" chant that rang out after the commercial break. Really, really great stuff. (4/5) 

Vader and Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa (11/14/1998, AJPW): I was surprised to see that this was from 1998 because, watching it, it felt like something that could've happened earlier. Vader did not at all look like the guy who had fallen to the lows that he did in WWE and Hansen could still deliver an ass-kicking as good as anyone. The two heavyweight monsters dominate most of the match and Misawa even takes the pin, which is somewhat surprising considering Ogawa had the reputation for often being "there to take the fall" and not for his own merits as an elite, top level worker. The match doesn't overstay its welcome but doesn't reach the heights that one might hope for considering the talent involved. (2.5/5)

Bull Nakano vs. Lioness Asuka (05/14/1989, AJW): More "angle" than match, this was for the famous AJW "Red Belt," the WWWA World Championship, held by Lioness Asuka. Asuka controls early with an awesome giant swing and a nasty kick and Nakano ends up busted open. They go out to the crowd and its Asuka's turn to bleed after a chair shot. Nakano then takes the turnbuckle apart and basically all hell breaks loose as Nakano continuous to go for pins and covers as she uses more and more weapons (and gets some extra help from her gang at ringside, which includes Aja Kong and Bison Kimura) to try to beat the champ. Because the "rules" were super loose in 80s/90s joshi (I'm not sure if its still that way today), nobody gets DQ'd until Nakano beats up the referee for refusing to make a count. As a "match" its not great and, even as an angle, it seems to be a bit of a retread of what Dump Matsumoto did a few years prior with her blatant disregard of any sort of "fairness," but the crowd's excitement and anger and the ridiculous lengths that Nakano goes to hurt Asuka make this entertaining enough even if it isn't the most original thing I've seen this year. (2.5/5)