TNA Hard Justice 2009

TNA Hard Justice 2009

Orlando, FL - August 2009

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the TNA World Heavyweight Champion was Kurt Angle, Booker T and Scott Steiner were the TNA Tag Team Champions, the X-Division Champion was Homicide, Mick Foley was the Legends Champion, and Angelina Love was the TNA Knockouts Champion. 

Hard Justice kicks off with a match for the Number One contendership for the X-Divisin Championship - Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Suicide vs. the debuting "Pope" D'Angelo Dinero in an Escape-The-Asylum/X-Division Asylum match. Amazing Red was a recent re-hire by TNA who had tagged with Suicide a few weeks prior, while Dinero had been released by the WWE in November 2008 (he worked there under the name Elijah Burke) and was seen as something a top prospect due to his charisma, a guy that the WWE had "held down" despite him not actually having much of a track record of great matches. Anyway, this is a spotfest and it was designed to pop the crowd and it did so effectively. Dave Meltzer gave this 4 stars in the Observer, but I'll cut him slack because he was reviewing this at the time it happened and, in 2009, this sort of over-the-top multi-man clusterfuck, when executed well, could still be something to behold. Here, the talent involved is so uniformly strong that all the moving parts and pieces never get jammed up and everyone gets a chance to shine. It's not a match I'd recommend seeking out, but as an opener, it worked. Also, extra credit to Kaz, whose bump from the top of the cage looked ridiculously painful. Dinero not going for the win when he had the opportunity was just bad booking considering the stakes while the way Daniels won also felt a bit too heelish and weak, like he'd been "hiding" at the top of the cage for awhile and just waiting for everyone else to wipe each other out. Amazing Red was arguably the most impressive worker in this match in terms of offense while the Guns had the best tandem moves. After the match, Daniels cut a promo about how he didn't care who won the X-Division Championship later in the match as he'd beat them at the next's month PPV. He also sent his regards to AJ Styles, which seemed to telegraph that we'd be getting another 3-way between Daniels, AJ, and Samoa Joe in due time... (3/5)

Next up - Abyss vs. Jethro Holliday (the roughneck wrestler formerly known as Trevor Murdoch in the WWE) in a match where, if Holliday won, he'd had received $50,000 (the bounty put on Abyss's head from Dr. Stevie Richards). This was your standard brawl with Holliday working hard to give a good impression despite the finish being fairly predictable. According to wikipedia, Holliday won the "Future Legend" award from the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2009...not great foresight there. Holliday always had a great old-school looks that would make viewers think he could be or would be the next Stan Hansen but Hansen was more than just a "look" - he was vicious and did everything with gusto and felt larger-than-life. Here, Holliday shows signs of being good but never of being great and that's what it would've taken for this to be anything more than a throwaway match. Abyss, like Team 3D, was a victim of his own reputation in a sense because people always expected thumbtacks and gore from him so when you only get a couple of chair shots, it feels like you're getting cheated. (2/5)

The British Invasion's Rob Terry took on "SuperMex" Hernandez in the next bout. Terry came in with Hernandez' Feast-or-Fired Briefcase in his possession, which held a contract for a TNA World Championship match. Hernandez cut a rather unnecessary promo before the match, essentially challenging all three men to a fight. Despite having the numbers advantage, Hernandez is able to send Magnus and Doug Williams to the floor. The bell rings and Hernandezs hit Terry with a single shoulder tackle to get the win, which...well...I'm not sure what that was about. I like Hernandez but that felt like a bait-and-switch with the "match" going under a minute. I would've liked to see what these two guys could have really done. (1/5)

The British Invasion vs. Beer Money was next. Eric Young joined the commentary team as he had become the leader of World Elite, a stable comprised of the Invasion, Bashir, and Kiyoshi. Beer Money were on a bit of a cold streak after losing the TNA World Tag Team Championships but were hoping to turn it around with a victory against the IWGP Champs. This was a solid if not super remarkable tag team match with some very good teamwork out of both teams and, of course, Doug Williams being super crisp. Not a bad showing and it didn't overstay its welcome, but not anything I'd put on either team's highlight reel. (2.5/5)

Backstage, Cody Deaner makes a rape joke before the next match. Yeah. It is...not good. Then, during his match, tagging with "girlfriend" ODB to take on Angelina Love and Velvet Skye in a match where Love's Knockouts Championship is on the line, he sexually assaults all three members of the Beautiful People. Why, if he "only has eyes" for ODB does he run around kissing the other three women and pantomime having doggystyle sex with one of them at one point? This shit is not funny and Deaner comes across like an ultra-perverted Joe Dirt. Not only is this bad - because not a single performer in the match is a very good worker, including ODB, whose gimmick is reminiscent of an adult Garbage Pail Kid - it is offensive and embarrassing and sub-Attitude Era in terms of "cleverness." Like, Mae Young giving birth to a hand could at least be considered absurd. This is just gross. (0/5)

What's next? Samoa Joe challenging Homicide for the TNA X-Division Championship. This is a disappointment. Joe was not looking good here and might have been going through a career low stretch. His new look - baggy pants and face-paint - wasn't great and he looked a little extra doughy. While he and Tazz may have been buds backstage, they did not have a ton of on-screen chemistry. Being a part of Main Event Mafia ran counter to his whole character. The crowd was behind Homicide - chanting 187 from the very start - and Joe did some good work maintaining that heat, but this match never really got to that "second gear" and the finish felt a bit abrupt. I'm guessing that they had better, more spirited encounters in TNA but this felt like a TV match and not even a very good one. (2/5)

Booker T and Scott Steiner defended the TNA World Tag Team Championships against Team 3-D in the next match. This one was fought on "No DQ/No Countout" rules because, I'm guessing, they realized that having a straight-up match would've been a total snoozefest and that this show needed something a bit stronger to keep the crowd happy. I have to say that I've come around a bit on Scott Steiner's post-WCW career having now watched more of his WWE run in 2003 and now his TNA years. Steiner was clearly not the worker he was 10 years earlier but he puts in more effort than I think some people give him credit for. In this match, he leaps off a fairly high barricade onto Bubba and while its hardly the level of execution of AJ Styles or Rey Mysterio, its still more than a guy the size of Steiner (with his history of nerve damage to his foot) should probably be performing. The rest of the brawling all over the arena is a bit too messy and pedestrian to leave much of an impression, but I liked some of the nearfalls and the teases towards the end. The inclusion of two referees telegraphs that we're going to get a wonky finish but I would say that the execution of the double-pin is good, arguably great. This match didn't leave me dying for another round, but the crowd was hot at the end so I'm clearly not the audience for this feud. (2.5/5)

Kevin Nash vs. Mick Foley for Foley's Legends Championship is next. I'm not sure how Foley had the Legends Championship at this point, but it doesn't really matter. The build-up for this match, aside from the championship stuff, was that Foley (now a full-fledged babyface) and Nash had philosophical differences despite their friendship: Nash was a self-described "athlete" and "professional," while Foley was a "wrestler," sacrificing his body for "art" and not what really matters (money). It is this kind of personal issue and ability to play into Nash and Foley's histories that helped set the stage for what I would pretty confidently - as of this writing - say is Foley's last great match. There's not much technical wrestling on display or anything, but that was never either guy's strength. Instead, this match is just a great, super bloody brawl that features two excellent signature Foley bumps (his classic back-of-the-skull bump into the guardrail and a crash-and-burn elbow from the apron to the floor) performed with the kind of gusto that its hard not to think that Foley believed this would be his last outing. Nash has his work boots on too. He may not be moving as well as he once did, but he bleeds a gusher to nearly match Foley's crimson mask and shows more energy in his bumping, selling, strikes, and overall movement than I think he brought to the Samoa Joe match a few months prior. I wouldn't necessarily call this "must see" because that would be overselling the quality of the action...but this certainly exceeded expectations and was entertaining from beginning to end. The clear match of the night up till this point. (3.5/5)

Main event time - Sting vs. Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan for Angle's TNA World Championship. Credit to TNA here as they planted some interesting seeds in the build-up to this match. Morgan was a "wanna-be" Main Event Mafia member, but had been refused entry into the elite faction. So, coming off some big wins against Abyss and others, Morgan and AJ Styles competed in a series of matches to determine the next number one contender. Morgan came out on top, but Angle convinced him earlier on this show to work together, noting that "As long as one of them left with the TNA World Championship," Morgan would be welcomed into the MEM. This put Sting at a disadvantage, which made him an even more sympathetic babyface. It also made Angle, the cowardly and untrustworthy champion, a bigger heel. Now, I'm not sure anyone expected Morgan to win the title here...but, then again, there was some scuttlebutt at the time about how TNA viewed his potential and their investment in him as a potential "top guy." But enough hype...does the match deliver? I'd argue it features one of the better Sting performances of at least the previous few years and that Morgan and Angle are great playing off of each other. This is not a great technical bout or a high-energy spotfest or a match featuring unbelievable sequences. It is a sports-entertainment match and it is better for being that. Of course, because its TNA in 2009, the finish is overbooked and not well-executed and I still wouldn't consider this a "great" match, but it is likely better than what you would expect on paper. (3/5)

With a Kwang Score of 2.17-out-of-5, Hard Justice 2009 is a mixed bag with some relative highs and significant lows. The ODB match is abysmal, offensive, and supremely stupid, but the main event isn't so bad and Foley/Nash overdelivers. The opener is a fun spotfest and the World Tag Team Championship match is better than expected just by being average. Still, Joe/Homicide is listless and uninspired and the Rob Terry/Hernandez match is a lame bait-and-switch. 

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE Survivor Series 2003

WWE Survivor Series 2003

Dallas, TX - November 2003

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the World Heavyweight Champion was Goldberg, the WWE Champion was Brock Lesnar, the Intercontinental Title was held by Rob Van Dam, the United States Champion was The Big Show, the World Tag Team Champions were The Dudleys, the WWE Tag Team Champions were The Bashams, Molly Holly was the Women's World Champion, and Tajiri was the Cruiserweight Champion.

After the usual lengthy video package, the show kicks off with John Cena spitting a "rap" before welcoming his partners in Team Angle - Chris Benoit, Bob Holly, a babyface Bradshaw, and captain Kurt Angle. Their opponents are a team of monsters - Brock Lesnar, rookie Matt Morgan, Big Show, A-Train, and Nathan Jones. I dug this match. I liked the hot opening with Bob Holly, who had had his neck broken by Brock Lesnar 9 or so months earlier, going right after Lesnar and getting himself disqualified. I liked that Bradshaw and A-Train also got eliminated rather quickly (though we did get to see Bradshaw throw one of his signature lariats). With the babyfaces down 4-3, the rapid-fire eliminations stopped but the action was good overall. The story was simple as the big men tried to wear down their relatively "small" opponents but everyone did their job effectively, not necessarily what one might expect considering how green Morgan and Jones were. Angle was very over with the crowd and match's final minutes were terrific once he got involved. I also liked the unexpected finish with Lesnar tapping out to Benoit's Crossface. I'm not sure if Vince was fully behind Benoit's eventual World Championship push in 2004, but this was certainly a big win for him. (3/5)

Molly Holly defended her WWE Women's Championship against Lita in the next bout. This isn't very good. Holly is a solid hand in the ring, but I wouldn't necessarily call her the most exciting or innovative and Lita was never very polished in the ring. This match lasted about 6 minutes but felt longer because of how slow and unexciting it was. Towards the end, Holly gets a nearfall that came across more like Lita kicked out late and the audience makes it known. The actual finish felt tacked-on after that. I appreciate the effort, but this was far from either's best work. (1.5/5)

Shane McMahon vs. Kane in a rematch from the previous RAW-exclusive PPV was next. This time around it was an Ambulance Match and not a Last Man Standing but it was basically the same match. Shane came out big with an elbow from the top through an announce table as these guys wasted no time at all trying to "steal the show" with big spots. Unfortunately, very little in this match felt "fresh" and I'm not sure there was enough emotional pull to really  warrant this rematch. Sure, the crowd popped for the big moments, but this was a "stunt show" more than it was a heated battle. We got a ridiculous car spot when they brawled in the back, something the WWE did all too much in the late 90s and into the 00s when, honestly, these sorts of stunts are best used sparingly. Things got better when Shane and Kane made their way back into the arena as we got Shane launching himself from the top of an ambulance to deliver a Coast-to-Coast on Kane, who was on the floor (Shane broke his fall on a crash pad, but it still looked cool and got a huge reaction). Ultimately it was a piledriver on the floor that allowed Kane to get the victory. Not terrible and certainly entertaining at times, this felt like a vanity sequel to the Last Man Standing match and not something unique and special in its own right. (3/5)

After a segment that saw Randy Orton hit Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with an RKO, the World Tag Team Championships were on the line as The Basham Brothers (with Shaniqua) took on Los Guerreros. This was about as average a tag match as one could get, but because Eddie was in it, it was serviceable. (2.5/5)

Team Austin vs. Team Bischoff was next. Fighting to save Steve Austin's career was Shawn Michaels, The Dudleys, Rob Van Dam, and Booker T, while Bischoff was repped by Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Christian, Scott Steiner (who I could've sworn was a babyface a week earlier?), and Mark Henry. This is a terrific "old school" Survivors match that benefits from a red hot crowd and real drama about the outcome. This match also gives us some interesting match-ups that probably happened on Raw around this time...but as I wasn't watching, I'm not sure I'd seen as much interaction between, say, Michaels and Christian or RVD and Scott Steiner. Everybody gets a chance to shine, but this becomes The Shawn Michaels Show once the numbers whittle down and it becomes all about how Michaels will somehow overcome the odds down 3-on-1 against Christian, Orton, and Jericho. Michaels bleeds a gusher after getting sent into the post which heightens things even more and makes it clear how far he's willing to go to save Austin's job. The eventual finish is absolutely brilliant and heart-crushing and surprising in the best way as Batista appears out of nowhere to hit Michaels with the Batista Bomb while Austin is distracted by Bischoff and everyone in the arena believes Shawn has the match won (after an all-time great Stunner by Orton). The post-match segment is fine for what it is, but I kinda wish they would've left the Coachman part out. I understand why they wanted some finality with Austin getting his hands on Coach, but it turned a "genuine" farewell that felt special and turned it a bit into just another segment you'd get on your average episode of Raw from that time (and not a particularly great segment because Coach was not entertaining). A hair short of "must see." (3.5/5)

Next up - Vince McMahon vs. The Undertaker in a Buried Alive Match. This one is somewhat infamous for the blade job that Vince does after a single punch from Taker, who was still in Bikertaker mode. It is stomach-churning, grotesque stuff as Vince is leaking blood out of his head at an alarming rate. This is a completely one-sided beatdown, which makes 100% logical sense. I also liked how they could explain away McMahon relying on outside interference because of his arrogant belief that a "higher power" would protect him. Vince doesn't get a lick of offense in until they end up by the burial site where is able to blind Taker with a fist full of dirt. The finish is a bit silly as Undertaker goes to dumb the payload of dirt onto Vince (who is in the grave) but gets stopped by a huge explosion/fireball that is set off/thrown by Kane. Kane then helps McMahon out of the grave and Vince dumps the dirt onto the Deadman. This earned 1 star in the Observer but that seems more like a condemnation of Vince McMahon as a person/character rather than a fair assessment of the entertainment value of this match. I, personally, don't get super into bloodbaths like this...but there is an audience for it and the internal logic of the match did work. Vince got absolutely destroyed by one of the toughest, most badass characters in WWE history and could only survive because another "supernatural" superstar came to his aid. The crowd was into it too, clearly invested for the duration of the match (which didn't overstay its welcome at a relatively quick 12 minutes or so). (3/5)

Main event time - Goldberg defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Triple H. This was Triple H at his most physically bloated and, arguably, his least interesting. People look back at Evolution with weird, undeserved fondness in my book, especially when it comes to Triple H's run as World Champion. There was a better story to this match than their fight at the previous Raw PPV but this is still Goldberg having to work a "Triple H match" and not Triple H changing his style to better suit Goldberg's strengths. Goldberg's ankle had been destroyed by Batista in the build-up to this match, which adds some drama and allows Triple H to focus on a limb. There is a bit of poor refereeing on display as Hebner doesn't break a hold when Goldberg clearly has his arm under the bottom rope (there is no rule that says you need to literally grab the rope despite Lawler's insistence) and, later, Hebner saves Goldberg by not making a 3 count and waiting for him to lift his shoulder instead (this one is on ol' Billy boy and not Earl, if you ask me). The finishing stretch was good as Goldberg essentially annihilates Evolution and throws any semblance of long-term selling out the window, ignoring all the previous work Triple H had done to his leg. The crowd - and I - don't really care, though, because Goldberg works best as an asskicker and not a sympathetic babyface who has to sell limb damage for extended stretches. I also think the live crowd was shocked by the finish after a night of Austin, Michaels, and Taker all getting screwed. I know I was expecting a Triple H victory here too. (2.5/5)

Earning a Kwang Score of 2.71-out-of-5, Survivor Series 2003 is an interesting show/time capsule that really highlights the best and worst of the WWE at the time. Now a few years removed from the peak of the Attitude Era, McMahon was, at least partially, in "throw shit against the wall and see what sticks" mode, testing the audience's interests in new names while still trying to provide his audience with the most star-studded show possible. And so we get Kane and Shane and Taker and Vince in matches explicitly designed and promoted to be outrageous "spectacle" bouts. We get Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H in prominent spots (not to mention Steve Austin as the centerpiece of the evening despite not being able to actually wrestle). But we also get Randy Orton, Batista, and John Cena all being made to look like the next class of Superstars. It doesn't all work. Both McMahon matches feel a little rote and desperate. Goldberg and Triple H's main event isn't very good. The Women's Championship match isn't very good either. But the Team Austin/Team Bischoff match is well above-average and one of the better straight-up Survivors matches ever. 

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

WWE Survivor Series 2024

WWE Survivor Series 2024

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - November 2024

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WWE Universal Champion was Cody Rhodes, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion was GUNTHER, Bron Breakker was the Intercontinental Champion, the Judgment Day held the WWE Tag Team titles, LA Knight was the US Champion, Nia Jax was the Women's Champion, Liv Morgan was the Women's World Champion, the Motor City Machine Guns were somehow the World Tag Team Champions, and Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill were the Women's World Tag Team Champions. 

The show began, after hearing "War Pigs" soundtrack a lengthy video package, with the Women's War Games match: Bianca Belair, Bayley, Naomi, IYO SKY, and Rhea RIpley vs. Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nia Jax, Candice Lerae, and Tiffany Stratton. Bayley and Nia started things off, the crowd fully behind Bayley. The babyfaces had the advantage when Naomi came in and we got a fun spot involving a toilet seat (and then a somewhat scarier one as Naomi and Bayley could barely get Jax up for a double back body drop). Candice Lerae came in next and wisely brought some weapons in with her, including a chair (which led to a pretty eye-rolling "botch" as Nia and Naomi paused the action to make sure Nia didn't brain her with the chair and instead essentially "tapped" her with it on the thigh). Belair came in next and brought in a trash can, a fire extinguisher, and also a table (to a huge pop). Issues with telegraphing continued as Belair and Nia had an awkward exchange. The live crowd didn't seem to catch of it, but on camera, it was very obvious how much cooperation was happening between the opponents. Stratton came in next and...also brought in a trash can. Stratton came in with a ton of fire, taking out Belair and Naomi, and then, in another example of mistiming involving Jax, catapulting Bayley into an awkward Nia Jax clothesline. Honestly, you could've probably helped this match's presentation a whole ton by just keeping the camera off of Jax for minutes at a time as her work was noticeably bad (and I say this as someone who is generally "higher" on Jax's ability than others). In came IYO who...also brought in a trash can (this one painted and featuring a chain that allowed her to climb into the War Games cage with it). Remember when the War Games cage would be famously covered? I do. Anyway, Lerae met her at the top of the cage and tried to suplex her off the cage, but instead nearly got sunset flip powerbombed off of it. I'm not sure if they were going for that spot and opted not to do it or what, but IYO settled for a missile dropkick. A great sequence between IYO and Stratton followed, though I'd also argue that it was somewhat emblematic of the match overall: the best moments of IYO's flurry were the wrestling and character work, not the clumsy chair shots. For another example, minutes later, we saw Nia and Rodriguez hit Super Collider  stereo powerbombs that sent two babyfaces onto the backs of two others and it looked much better than 90% of the weapon shots in the match. Ripley came in next, but the heels were able to cut her off rather quickly. The babyfaces were able to regroup and Ripley smashed the toilet seat over the back of Rodriguez, the match really picking up with Rhea's entrance. With Ripley as the last woman standing in the ring, the cage opened and Liv Morgan...went to the back to grab a baseball bat. I wasn't a huge fan of having all 8 of the other women either selling on the mat or just standing around to give the spotlight to Liv and Rhea, but, hey, its the WWE. Ripley went for a Riptide but got beaten down by the heels. Morgan delivered a brutal series of baseball bat shots to the ribs and back that looked incredible. I'm guessing the bat was hollow or something because, if it were a real bat, I'm not sure how she wouldn't have cracked some of Rhea's ribs. Insane Stratton double-stomp on IYO as we got one of those rapid fire sequences where every participant hits one of their signatures. Really well-executed. Wow. This match didn't start great, but it has picked up big time over the past 5 minutes. Both Stratton and IYO (covered in a trash can) came off the top of the cage and, again, while I really dislike the amount of obvious choreography that goes into a spot like that, it was an undeniably awesome visual and a huge crowd-pleasing moment. Stratton then busted out the Money in the Bank briefcase, which was a brilliant tease as she stood above both Morgan and Jax. Rodriguez interrupted the moment, but then IYO emptied the fire extinguisher! In all this confusion, Rhea managed to handcuff Rodriguez to the top rope. Minutes later, Jax went for an Annihilator on Belair through a table but got interrupted by Naomi, who, with Belair's assistance, powerbombed Jax through the table instead. Morgan broke up the pin to save things for the heels. The focus of the match returned to Rhea and Liv Morgan, as it needed to, for the finishing stretch with Ripley hitting an awesome Riptide from the top rope that sent Morgan through a table to get the win. Its hard to rate a match like this because the first 10 minutes featured some really awkward moments, obvious telegraphing, and weak weapon shots, but then, the match got better and better to the point that I'd consider it one of the best War Games matches in quite some time. Also, just as a side note, I loved the matching heel outfits and the fact that Rhea didn't wrestle the whole match in the mask she wore to protect her injured orbital bone. (3.5/5)

It wasn't a Match of the Year candidate or anything, but Shinsuke Nakamura vs. LA Knight for Knight's US Championship was a solid, above-average match with good work by both men and a great finishing stretch that saw Nakamura hit Knight with a devastating reverse DDT on the steel that attached the two rings set up for the War Games matches and then pinned him clean with the Kinchasa. As the commentators noted, this was a "must win" for Nakamura, who has been a non-factor in the company for a few years now, a former Royal Rumble winner whose last notable storyline was against Seth Rollins in a fairly one-sided series of matches. I predict LA Knight will be regaining the title sometime in the next few months, but whose to say? Knight has often struck me as an overachiever in the same category as Zack Ryder, a guy who has gotten more over than the bigwigs expected and, because of this, has seemingly been "cooled off" at times to "prove a point." At the same time, I don't buy LA Knight as a real main eventer in a field that includes Cody, Roman, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, a soon-to-be-retired-but-still John Cena, Rollins, Orton, and potentially The Rock. Anyway, enough extra-editorializing - this was a good match. (3/5)

The Intercontinental Championship was on the line next as Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser challenged Bron Breakker. Kaiser's mannerisms, expressions, and skills remind me of all the things Austin Theory isn't. I also loved how Kaiser brought in a chair right at the very start, a move that was legal due to Triple Threat rules, but you rarely see anyone do. Kaiser continued to impress throughout the match, putting on a wonderful heel performance that mixed chickenshit coward with just enough legitimate menace that he felt like a real threat that the two larger opponents couldn't ignore. Comparatively, Breakker's "tweener" act didn't do as much for me. I loved Sheamus hitting both Kaiser and Bron with his signature forearms from behind the guardrail (as did the crowd) and the "Chekhov's Gun" element of Bron eating the chair in the corner towards the end. A great false finish followed as Kaiser pulled the ref out just as Sheamus was about to get the W. Kaiser then went to work on Sheamus with the Shillelagh he had brought ringside but Sheamus was able to cut him off back in the ring with a huge knee. The finish sequence was terrific too with Bron hitting an "out of nowhere" spear on Kaiser and then an additional one on Sheamus that didn't look quite as good but was still an effective finish. This was what the kids would call a "banger" and while I'm still not sold on Bron Breakker as being "the future" of the company, I might be convinced that Kaiser is. (4/5)

GUNTHER defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Damien Priest in the next match-up. The outcome of this match was never really in question, but that didn't prevent these two from beating the hell out of each other and delivering a solid title fight. Much of the match was built around Priest suffering damage to his left arm early and struggling throughout the contest. I liked seeing Priest bust out some moves I'm not sure he's utilized before including a Deadman-inspired Triangular Choke and a hurricanrana that would've looked more impressive had we not just seen Bron Breakker deliver the move 15 minutes earlier. Priest eventually hit the Razor's Edge but it still wasn't enough as GUNTHER kicked out at 2. Priest went for the South of Heaven but couldn't pull it off due to the injury to his arm and GUNTHER was able to lock in a Kimura in the center of the ring. Priest  was able to make it to the ropes, breaking the hold and inspiring the crowd to chant "Let's Go Priest." GUNTHER hit a series of short-arm clotheslines before getting hit by one himself and then another big clothesline from Priest for 2. GUNTHER went for a superplex, but he got shoved to the mat while Priest took a nasty fall to the outside, selling damage to his other arm. This led to Finn Balor running in from the crowd and hitting a double stomp on Priest on the floor. GUNTHER chased Balor off and then brought Priest back into the ring where he hit him with a powerbomb and then choked him out. A very good match that might've been a touch overbooked and overlong. I'm also not a huge fan of how long this Priest/Balor storyline has been going at this point as the whole show - top-to-bottom - seems to be revolving around the same feuds that we've had since the spring (if not earlier). (3/5)

Main event time - Bloodline vs. Bloodline in the night's second War Games match as Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Jacob Fatu, Tanga Loa, and Bronson Reed vs. Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn, and CM Punk. Before the match could begin, Tama Spiderman-ed his way around the cage, putting the count of "Cool Things I've Seen Tama Tonga Do" up to a grand total of 1. Jey Uso was the first man in for the babyfaces. He and Tama took their time to lock up, really milking the moment before finally coming to blows. It was a loooong 5 minutes from there, unsurprising considering how unremarkable Tama's WWE run and Jey's unfortunate habit of shrinking in the spotlight over the course of his own singles run. Bronson Reed came in next and tossed a whole bunch of chairs in the ring for no apparent reason considering he and Tama were about to have a 2-on-1 advantage. Jimmy Uso came into the match to even the sides and the crowd popped huge for the reunion, but the action barely picked up. Jacob Fatu came in next and managed to take out both Usos. Fatu was the clear all-star of this match, though the most dramatic moments involved CM Punk and Roman Reigns as they one-upped each other trying to assert dominance over their team. The first big moment occurred when Reigns prevented Punk from entering the match next, instead signaling Sami to do go ahead. Speaking of Sami, in terms of in-ring performance, he was the MVP for the babyface squad, the only guy who really came in and "went off," bringing high energy and simple-but-effective execution to his spotlight minutes. The rest of the heel side came in and then, once it came down to whether Punk or Roman would go in next, it was Punk's turn to take the lead, stepping ahead of the Tribal Chief. When War Games officially began, we got a classic stand-off, a "moment" that feels perfunctory at this point, but not before Roman and Punk once again teased tension as Roman helped up his OG Bloodline brothers but left Punk lying on the mat to dust himself off. The next big twist came as Roman accidentally speared Punk, but it was Punk saving Roman from a Tsunami through a table that was the biggest spot of the match. With the rest of the New Bloodline beaten down, Solo ate everyone's finish to end a match that was heavy on drama but light on brutality. Not necessarily a disappointment as much as a match that didn't exceed expectations. (3/5)

With a solid 3.3-out-of-5 Kwang Score, Survivor Series 2024 was a good show with hints of greatness. The Women's War Games match started off rocky, but picked up very nicely and ended up being the better of the two War Games matches. The match of the night was the Intercontinental Championship bout thanks in no small part to the excellent character work of Ludwig Kaiser and Sheamus delivering the kind of performance that reminds you of how good he is/can be. The biggest disappointment of the evening may have been the main event, which leaned heavily towards sports-entertainment as opposed to delivering the brutality and violence that one would hope for in a War Games match. Still, overall, one of the better and more enjoyable shows of the year for the WWE.

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

20 More Random Matches

Negro Casas vs. Bestia Salvaje (10/18/1996, CMLL): Before either man can enter the ring, Salvaje strikes, knocking Casas to the floor with repeated kicks to the chest. Salvaje's viciousness costs him the first fall as Casas wins by DQ. Casas is down and out in the middle of the ring while Salvaje is pissed off outside the ring. Back in the ring, Salvaje continues his control with a big back suplex and then a powerbomb and a senton for 3. Having now watched a few lucha matches in a row, I'm beginning to see a pattern with the structure...Casas continues to sell and Salvaje drags him out of the ring to eat more punishment on the outside. Salvaje continues his assault, chopping down Casas in the corner. This has been totally one-dimensional, but maybe the theory was that Casas needed a really sympathetic match to cement his status as a babyface after yerars of working heel? I'm not sure. Regardless, this has been 10+ minutes of complete dominance with nary a cut-off or hope spot. Salvaje hits a beautiful dropkick off the top and then another somersault senton for 2. Salvaje tries for a simple senton but Casas evades it and now he's finally getting offense in - a series of big kicks, a body slam, and then some dropkicks from the top. Casas tries for a head scissors but gets powerbombed instead. Salvaje with a dropkick and a then a suicide dive to the floor! Great dive there as Casas is sent all the way into the front row. They do a little work on the apron before we get a series of nearfalls. Salvaje misses a splash and Casas ties him up with a magistral to get the W. I just learned this was the "trademark" pin for the Casas family. This was good for what it was, but not necessarily something I'd consider "must see" or really all that special compared to some of the other lucha stuff I've been enjoying. This just felt a bit overdone at times with how much Salvaje dominated before Casas finally made a big comeback. Maybe some "color" would have helped? (3/5)

Volk Han vs. Masayuki Naruse (10/25/1996, RINGS): And now for something completely different...Heated, intense grappling to start. RINGS is presented as a shoot so everything has to be earned, whether its a half-crab or an abdominal stretch or a wristlock. There are no "rest holds" and the strikes are nasty. Naruse has the advantage early as Volk Han just can't seem to find a way to tie Naruse up or get much offense in. He finally brings him down with a hiptoss-esque throw and then ties him up with a grapevine. Han has the height advantage but Naruse is too wily and is able to briefly apply an armbar as the two try to out-position eachother on the mat. Han with a crazy-looking choke, but Naruse turns it into a headlock of his own. Naruse goes back to the armbar but Han gets to the ropes. There's a scoring system involved here, but I'm not sure I totally get it. Anyway, Naruse gets in some good body shots but Han ties him up again on the mat and Naruse is back to trading submissions. Back on their feet, Naruse puts Han down with some quick strikes and then does it again with a spinning back hand. Dang. That looked incredible. Volk Han manages to back body drop Naruse out of the ring, which is not a spot one would expect in this sort of match. Han grabs a wristlock and back to the mat they go with Han applying a half-crab head-scissor choke that looks nasty and ends the match in somewhat shocking fashion as Han was "down" in points. I haven't seen much of this style of match but will definitely be watching more. (3.5/5)

Volk Han vs. Akira Maeda (07/12/1991, RINGS): Is this the epitome of a "shoot-style" match? The quintessential RINGS concept match? I'm not sure because I know so very little about this genre. Anyway, there is an authenticity to the action that differentiates it from even the most brutal AJPW or NJPW match. The "personalities" of the fighters completely muted. Neither man just stands back and "takes" a strike. The focus is 100% on trying to hook your opponent into a submission and, when one doesn't work, quickly transitioning to another. But there are are also suplexes and takedowns and subtle bits of showmanship and, though the work is incredibly snug, cooperation. A UFC fan would never mistake this for an actual fight. When Maeda, after taking some stiff strikes, finally lands a huge spinning heel kick, Han "sells" it in pro-wrestling fashion and, a few minutes later, taps out to an ankle submission, the sequence of events being about as close to a "finishing stretch" as one could imagine seeing. This is very far from the style of wrestling that I've watched over the past 30+ years, but I'm not against seeing more. (3.5/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi/Akira Taue vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Masanobu Fuchi/The Great Kabuki (05/26/1990 - AJPW): The Great Kabuki looks a little rougher here than I recall him looking in the NWA. In fact, the whole heel team looks a little long in the tooth compared to the babyface side. Fuchi and Taue start things off but the first big spot is Kobashi's dropkick from the corner. Jumbo gets a big reaction just for getting tagged in but Kenta shows no fear and goes right after the big man. Running knee by Jumbo and then he takes out the rest of the babyface side to a big reaction. Classic pro-wrestling there. A "Misawa" chant starts up as the crowd clearly wants to see him and Jumbo go at it. After a flurry of offense from Misawa, Jumbo puts him down with a brutal lariat and then tags in Kabuki. Misawa shows off some agility with some leapfrogs and a dropkick. In comes Taue and the heels put a beating on him using the numbers advantage. Taue is able to tag in Kobashi and he connects with some strikes a leg drop onto Fuchi. In comes Misawa, who hits a crossbody for 2. Tsuruta is a pest on the apron so Misawa gives him a forearm that sends him to the floor. Tsuruta sells on the floor for the next few minutes, confusing his partners and the referee and clearly the audience as well. When he finally gets back on the apron, he goes right after Misawa and the match becomes a wild brawl with Misawa and Jumbo needing to be separated by the other participants. After being separated, Jumbo charges at Misawa again! The psychology and execution here is brilliant and makes it clear that the hatred between Jumbo and Misawa burns stronger than any other rivalry being displayed in this match. The match resumes with Kobashi and Fuchi in the ring and, soon enough, Kobashi plays the face-in-peril as the heels tag in and out. Jumbo applies a nasty armbar which draws Misawa off the apron and he and Jumbo go right back at it. Kobashi is able to tag in Taue and now its him and Jumbo. Kenta comes back in and lands a back suplex but Jumbo cuts him off and sends him to the heel corner. Fuchi dumps Kenta to the floor and sends him into the guardrail and then into the front row. Fuchi continues to attack Kobashi's knee, kicking and stomping on it. Kabuki comes in and drops a knee onto Kobashi's ankle and Kenta's pained moan is audible through the crowd noise and commentary. Taue comes in like a house on fire and takes the fight right to Kabuki. Big dropkick by Taue. In comes Misawa to a huge pop and he lands a dropkick too. Flying clothesline by Misawa and in comes Kenta and then Jumbo. Jumbo's boots are just vicious but Kobashi won't stay down and keeps fighting. Kobashi ends up in a half-crab by Fuchi and then takes another devastating knee breaker by Kabuki. Jumbo with an absolutely nasty body slam and then another. I had no idea body slams could look that good. Tsuruta with a half-crab but Taue comes in and slaps the shit out of him. Misawa comes in and we get a stereo dropkick spot on Jumbo. Misawa with a gut wrench slam and then a huge spinning heel kick! Misawa with a frog splash, but Fuchi breaks the count. Misawa with a body slam and then he tags in Kenta, who misses a dropkick. Tsuruta with a nasty clothesline for 2.9! Jumbo tags in Kabuki but Kobashi meets him with a rolling pin and then a heel kick. In comes Taue, who charges Kabuki with a big clothesline out of the corner and then a DDT for another nearfall. Kabuki with a back suplex before tagging in Fuchi. Fuchi and Taue have a great sequence and this crowd is popping for everything they do. Multiple nearfalls and both sides preventing anyone from getting a clean pin. Stereo dropkicks on Jumbo in the corner! Kenta with a dragon suplex but he can still only get 2! Misawa looks for the Tiger Driver but Jumbo catches him with a lariat and Fuchi gets 2. Misawa finally lands the Tiger Suplex on Fuchi to get a very well-earned 3 count, but what a war that was. This is on the shortlist of best six-man matches I've ever seen, any promotion. The wild pull-apart brawl in the middle of the match sets this match apart, even if it does "break the flow" a bit...but having seen so much wrestling, it is rare when I see a match structure so unique and that's what helps make this incredible. (4/5)

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Funk (06/11/1976, AJPW): I'm so used to seeing these two guys when they're considerably older...Anyway, this is for Funk's NWA World Heavyweight Championship and will be 2-out-of-3 falls. Good back-and-forth wrestling to start with Funk eventually locking in an armbar and really going after the appendage, maintaining control of the limb with a variety of holds and strikes. Tsuruta powers out and sits Funk atop the top rope to break the hold. Funk wears him down with a hammerlock and Tsuruta has to bridge himself out of it but Funk doesn't break the hold and continues his attack on Jumbo's arm. Lots of struggle between these two as Jumbo tries to counter a rear double wrist-lock to apply one of his own. Now its Jumbo who is applying pressure to Funk's arm, the story of these two being so evenly matched made clear with the mirror work. Things ramp up a bit as Funk escapes with a hiptoss, Jumbo tries a backslide, Funk kicks out, and we go back into the armbar to slow the pace down again. Funk gets Jumbo in the corner and slugs him but Jumbo counters with an irish whip and then an arm drag back into the armbar. Even as they go to the floor, Jumbo maintains control of Funk's wrist, pulling and flipping the champ over the top rope and back again. Funk with an atomic drop to break the hold, but again, Jumbo gets the arm drag back into the armbar. If you hate limb work, this match would probably be hell-on-Earth for you to get through, but if you're into this sort of thing, it is incredible how devoted they are to the concept. Funk breaks free and gets on a bit of a run, hitting a butterfly suplex for 2. Jumbo, not to be outdone, shows off some agility as the two do some leap-frogging and rope-running leading to Jumbo scoring the first fall with a sunset flip. There's a brief break before the next fall and Funk takes a breather outside the ring. The second fall has an awesome start as Jumbo looks to lock up but Funk gets under his skin by slapping at him. Jumbo and Funk trade chops, the hometown challenger showing great fire against the frustrated champion. Funk with a swinging neckbreaker for 2 and then an incredible splash to the back of Jumbo as he is sitting up. That looked nasty. Funk hits a piledriver for another 2. If the first match showcased a scientific approach, the champion is now ready to control with some old-fashioned 'rasslin', dropkicking Jumbo on the floor, sending him into the post, and then delivering a snapmare back in the ring before applying a headlock. The gentlemanly sportsmanship of the first fall is over and now we're in a war with stiff strikes and both guys digging into their arsenals. Jumbo hits a forearm that sends Funk to the floor and then suplexes him back into the ring for 2. The second fall ends rather rapidly as both guys jockey for an abdominal stretch for Funk brings him to the mat and they roll around a bunch before Funk finally pins Jumbo's shoulders to the mat. That was nifty. The final round begins with Funk hitting a body slam, but Jumbo is right back on his feet. Jumbo locks in an abdominal stretch and is really wearing down the champion, who manages to hiptoss him through the middle ropes and to the floor. Tsuruta comes back in and gets gut-wrenched but then reverses a second attempt and lands one of his own for 2. Tsuruta with a big forearm to Funk that knocks him to the mat. Jumbo with a big double-underhook suplex for 2 and then a side headlock, but Funk counters with a back suplex. A backbreaker by Jumbo leads to another 2, then its a german suplex for another nearfall. Stun gun by Funk and that wins it! I've always been a fan of that move since it was Austin's finish back in the day as it looks devastating and like it could legitimately catch someone so off-guard that it would put them down for the count or, even worse, break their neck. An absolutely terrific match, though maybe just a hair short of being all-time GOAT level match. (4/5)

Tiger Mask vs. Eddie Gilbert (11/25/1982, WWE) - My ignorance to the history and various wrestlers who portrayed Tiger Mask really showed as I thought it was Misawa under the mask! Whoops! No, this was Satoru Sayama, the Original Tiger Mask. I guess I should've realized that based on how Misawa is a heavyweight and this Tiger Mask was clearly more of a "junior." Anyway...this isn't a stand-out match like the legendary ones that Sayama had against Dynamite Kid, but you do get a good look at his skills. It's also a little fun to see Eddie Gilbert working as a much more "vanilla" wrestler than he did in his days as "Hot Stuff." For 1982, this match features a lot of holds, counters, and high-flying that you wouldn't normally see in the US at this time, but I wouldn't consider it "revolutionary" the way, say, watching Rey Mysterio in 95'/96' was on Nitro. But who knows? Maybe it was? I wasn't born until 2 years after this so who am I to say? (2.5/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Bull Nakano (01/04/1991, AJPW) - This match doesn't necessarily start off crazy, but by the end, it is absolute bonkers and, as someone who wasn't watching Japanese or Mexican wrestling in 1991, I can only say that this match is ridiculously ahead of its time. There just wasn't anyone - let alone women - doing this type of match 30 years. Of course, this type of match may not be your thing if you're not into nasty land-straight-on-your-neck suplexes and an ample amount of no-selling in order to get to the next big spot. But if you're at all into "modern" wrestling, Hokuto and Nakano deliver something that today's fans would still recognize as incredibly violent and hard-hitting. I think knowing the context of this match would've helped it earn an even higher score from me as I am wholly unfamiliar with Hokuto and Nakano's rivalry. This was apparent with the post-match drama, which I didn't understand at all (not the least of which because I don't speak Japanese.) The execution of nearly everything is perfect, though there's a little bit of sloppiness from Nakano at one point (but hey, it helps sell the match as an actual war and the bout could've likely used more of that sort of thing). This match has a pretty strong reputation - check out its Cagematch score - but most people agree that it was almost too much action and not enough selling. I would agree, but would also consider this "must see" for true wrestling heads. (4/5)

Bret Hart vs. Tiger Mask (07/30/1982, NJPW) - This wasn't quite as good as I had hoped only because of some surprisingly dull stretches when Satoyama and Bret bring things to the mat. That being said, there are some remarkable spots in this match and Tiger Mask's quickness is unreal at times. This is a hard match to recommend because its certainly not a top Bret match and I'm guessing it wouldn't rank all that high on the list of Tiger Mask classics either. (3/5)

Delirious vs. Ebetaro vs. Jack Evans vs. Samoa Joe (05/13/2005, ROH) - Maybe this match would be more easily appreciated by fans who were following Ring of Honor at the time, but this match - which was heavy on the comedy - was just not for me. Reading up on Ebetaro, it sounds like he's one of the most famous comedy wrestlers in Japanese history so its not surprising that the other guys in this match leaned into that here, playing to the strengths of their "guest," but that doesn't mean it resulted in a match that I enjoyed bell-to-bell. To be honest, the Kings of Wrestling comedy match I reviewed several months ago absolutely bodies this. I guess, for the time, it might've been cool to see Samoa Joe perform in this sort of context, but because he's more "cool" here than "vicious," the juxtaposition of super serious Pure Champion "slumming it" with the weirdos and dancer doesn't come off as sharp as I wished it would. Not a bad match, but certainly not one I'd ever care to revisit. (2.5/5)

Blue Demon Jr. vs. Dr. Wagner Jr. (08/03/2019, AAA) - This was part of the TripleMania XXVII event. I don't know much about lucha-style pro-wrestling but from the limited amount of matches I've seen, you either get a wild and out-of-control high-flying contest with lots of dives and little to no "rules" being enforced by the referee or you get a super violent, super bloody brawl. This match would fall in the latter category. A wine bottle gets used, a baking tray gets covered in blood, and both guys end up looking like they'll need transfusions by the end. Loved the use of the hammer by Blue Demon. This match reminded me of the gritty, violent matches of the 70s and 80s more than it did anything from this decade (where guys are constantly trying to "push the envelope" with new and innovative spots, but forgetting that sometimes a simple chair shot is sufficient). This sort of match is not for everyone - especially not the faint of heart - but if you're into this sort of thing, you likely won't be disappointed. (4/5)

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (12/07/1982, AJPW) - I've been on a bit of a Jumbo kick after seeing some of his more well-known matches over the past few months. Love how this one starts with both guys just going nuts on each other; Hansen's energy and physicality is incredible but still firmly rooted in traditional pro-wrestling, which I dig more. Tsuruta applies a front face lock and then a tight side headlock to try to get some of Hansen's energy out and while it isn't exactly "thrilling," I like the psychology of Tsuruta wanting to turn this match into an actual wrestling competition and not a wild brawl. Both guys get in some good, stiff strikes before Hansen takes full control and goes to work by strangling Tsuruta with his knee and then booting him out of the ring. Tsuruta manages to apply a Boston Crab but Hansen won't quit and the fight continues, both guys really laying into eachother with their chops and forearms. Tsuruta goes for his high knee but Hansen blocks it and applies a rear chinlock on the mat. Tsuruta manages to escape and goes right after Hansen's arm. I didn't love that transition, or lack thereof, but I do like Jumbo's work on Hansen's arm. Back to the floor they go to continue brawling with Jumbo eventually sending Hansen into the post and continuing to try to attack the Texan's arm. With Jumbo tied up in the ropes, Hansen repeatedly drops elbows on him and that leads to Jumbo's ring assistants getting involved (and absolutely destroyed by Hansen). A double count-out non-finish makes this feel a bit more like an extended angle than a true wrestling match, but I loved the physicality that we did get and Hansen's work was particularly strong. Above-average, but not "must see." (3/5)

Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Shinya Hashimoto & Tatsumi Fujinami (05/24/1993, WAR) - Over the past several months, there may be no wrestler I've become a bigger fan of than Shinya Hashimoto. He is just terrific and it doesn't take long in this match to see that as he and Tenryu are going full-force from the jump. You don't need to know much context to enjoy this - I knew none - because the way each guy presents themselves is enough to get the story over. They're all basically incredible bad asses and there's a knowing respect among them as being capable of lethal offense. I love Hashimoto's kicks. I love Fujinami's chops. I like Tenryu's chops too. It's almost weird to say that the wrestling holds - Hashimoto's DDT, Fujinami's octopus submission, Ishikawa's chokeslam, Tenryu's powerbomb and falling back elbow - are almost comparatively weak "high spots" because the strikes are so explosive. Now, that's not to say that the "meat" of the match is ineffective or ever feels perfunctory. This match, from beginning to end, is worked at a breakneck pace with clear, purposeful psychology  revolving around the heels working on Fujinami's arm before Hashimoto gets the "hot tag" (which feels a bit lackluster, to be honest) and gets to wrecking both his opponents with big kicks and a pair of DDTs. I love the bit where Tenryu breaks up a Hashimoto pinfall and Hashimoto retalliates by absolutely braining him with a heel kick to the skull. I'm not sure if that is expert selling by Tenryu or if he was legit knocked loopy for a second. Fujinami comes in and the heels are able to recalibrate a bit, hitting a surprisingly weak "Total Elimination" at one point. Ishikawa delivers another chokeslam and then applies a cloverleaf, which brings Hashimito out of the corner. Tenryu comes charging but gets sent over the top rope. Fujinami with a kick to the back of the skull as Tenryu and Hashimoto brawl on the outside. Fujinami with a reverse sleeper and then some more dropkicks before returning to the sleeper to finish the contest. All the while, Hashimoto and Tenryu continue their fight on the outside. Sort of a lackluster finisher in terms of how the match itself ended, but I loved the way that Hashimoto and Tenryu continued to get in each other's faces after the bell (to the point that the fight almost kicks off again). Maybe a hair short of "must see" just because you know Hashimoto and Tenryu had more in the tank. Still very, very good. (3.5/5)

Shinya Hashimoto vs. Yuhi Sano (09/11/96, UWF) - As I've come to learn about the "UWF style," this is presented and worked almost like an athletic "shoot" with lots of stiff strikes and realistic grappling, no low blows, no cheap shots, lots of "feeling out" in the beginning. When people talk about Japanese crowds being "quiet," this is what they're talking about as the audience is barely audible for extended stretches. Sano hooks an ankle early on, bringing the fight to the mat, which is good strategy but the best parts of this match are when the two are on their feet trading blows. Back on the mat, Sano applies a headscissors and then an armbar, which Hashimoto sells brilliantly and the crowd finally comes alive a bit. Hashimoto eventually lands a huge german suplex and then follows it up with some devastating kicks and a chop to the back. Sano retalliates with a throw of his own and then reapplies an armbar. Great sequence there. Hashimoto is able to get the rope break and hits Sano with a series of chops to the side of the head to escape a wristlock. Hashimoto goes for the spinning heel kick but Sano dodges and attempts a german suplex, only for Hashimoto to grab hold of his arm and counter it into a wristlock of his own. Sano hits some dazzling kicks and a dropkick to send the big man to the mat and then lands the german suplex! Armbar by Sano! Hashimoto again has to go to the ropes. Sano hits a chop and then another but this is only pissing Hashimoto off, who stares him down and then levels him with a chop to the side of the head and then some kicks to the chest. Hashimoto hits an impressive standing brainbuster to get the victory in a bit of underwhelming finish. Reading up on the context helped me understand the dynamic of this match as Sano was the underdog and Hashimoto was the established superstar. Hashimoto being so "giving" here seems like no accident as Sano came out looking like a formidable opponent even in a loss. Good pro-wrestling, but it won't knock your socks off or anything. (2.5/5)

Toshiaki Kawada & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue (09/30/1990, AJPW) - This match is often lauded as one of the best of all time, but I wouldn't put it on my top 20 or even 50 list. This is for the Japanese wrestling nerds who can understand and appreciate the context (which I am not and can not). Maybe its my natural inclination towards singles matches also? Or just being more understanding of the traditional tag style of the US, where you wouldn't build a match around what was, at one point, an extended heel-in-peril stretch? Whatever the reason may be, while I liked and even loved portions of this match - the final 5-7 minutes are excellent and finally feel like the wrestlers are going for victory after 35+ minutes of tearing into each other - I found myself a bit bored at times. Again, context might help, but I found myself sympathetic towards Taue and Jumbo at one point, which seems to go against what I thought the story was. Maybe I'm wrong, though? This match does feel like a "war," but not one filled with missile launches and big explosions - more like trench warfare at times. This was good, could've used a more decisive finish in my book, but would not be a match I'd recommend to a casual Japanese viewer like myself (3/5)

Bruiser Brody vs. Nick Bockwinkel (08/31/1979, AWA) - This one is for Nick Bockwinkel's AWA Championship and its a 2-out-of-3 falls match. The commentator notes that the AWA Championship is not a World Title, which I didn't know. Compared to the action of today, this one starts out a bit "slow," but everything is sold as high impact so it absolutely works. I love Bockwinkel's over-the-top selling, though I could see the argument that it is "too big" at times (a similar criticism could be said against Flair, Michaels, Hennig, etc.). Brody's dominance early on allows him to get a fairly rapid first pinfall at a little under 7 minutes. After a commercial break, Brody continues to lay in the punishment, whipping Bock into the corner. Bockwinkel is able to get a bit of offense in via an eye gouge and then using the top rope to snap Brody's neck. Bockwinkel's focus here, using the rope to strangle Brody is good psychology and strategy as he knows he can't go toe-to-toe with the brute. Bockwinkel tries a pin but gets tossed off at 2 and then goes back to using the ropes and the apron to beat down the challenger. Brody no-sells some fists and is back on his feet and goes clawing at Bock's head again, biting him for the second time. Brody pulls him to the floor and sends him into a chair at ringside. Brody grabs another chair and levels him with it but Bockwinkel gets his hands up. The ref doesn't call a DQ, but Brody misses a dropkick and Bockwinkel lands a series of knees to the back of the head for a clean W. I think having Bock get the DQ pinfall would've made more sense, but maybe I'm not nitpicky. Bockwinkel starts the third fall on top and bashes Brody's head into the top turnbuckle repeatedly before snapping his neck on the top rope again. Brody sells on the outside and has been cut open and Bockwinkel will not let him back in the ring, kicking at him every time he draws near. Bockwinkel is clearly hoping for a count-out win so Brody grabs a chair. Brody is still unable to return to the ring, his face sporting a full crimson mask. Brody finally manages to get some punches in at Bock and then slams a chair into Bockwinkel's ribs! Brody is back in the ring and the crowd goes wild. Brody unloads a series of big right hands in the center of the ring and we get the classic Bockwinkel staggering sell. Gotta love it. Brody is in full control and hits him with more rights in the corner, but Bockwinkel is able to toss him over the top rope to get himself disqualified. Brody is pissed! He brings a chair into the ring, but Bockwinkel escapes. Classic heel stuff there to retain the title. Better than average just because of Bockwinkel's character work, but not a match you'd put on a Best Of list. (3/5)

Riki Choshu vs. Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa) (03/13/1986, AJPW) - If you get through the first several minutes, which are entirely mat-based and slow, the second half of this match is absolutely incredible. Once these two get to the "bomb throwing" - suplexes and spin kicks and powerslams - it is absolutely terrific stuff. I loved the finish too as Choshu brains Misawa with a lariat that would make Stan Hansen blush. Not a match I'd consider "must see," but maybe a touch more fun and approachable than some of the epics that I've seen over the past few years. (3/5)

Bull Nakano and Aja Kong vs. Akira Hokuto & Shinobu Kandori (03/27/1994, AJW) - The story coming into this match was that Hokuto and Kandori were longtime rivals that were forced to team up to take on Nakano and Kong, two monster heels. From the very start, the tension between Hokuto and Kandori is a key ingredient in the match and one that they revisit time and time again, ultimately leading to a thrilling moment when Kandori and Hokuto finally combine their efforts and apply a double-team submission late in the match. The crowd is red hot for not that just moment, but every big moment in the match - and there are many. This is not a match for those are fans of long-term selling or submission wrestling. This is Piledriver Heaven, though, and Aja Kong's are maybe among the best I've ever seen dished out. Kandori is a badass throughout the match while Hokuto is a great sympathetic babyface. Widely considered one of the best matches of all time, I think one can confidently show this match to someone unfamiliar with the joshi style and they'd "get it." The suplexes and piledrivers and brainbusters are devastating. The emotion is on full blast. The crowd is super invested. What is not to love to about this form of pro-wrestling? I think the only thing that hurts this match is the submission work, which feels like time filler. Everything else is terrific stuff, though I think knowing the context would have probably made this more meaningful to me. (4/5)

Aja Kong vs. Yumiko Hotta (AJW) - Fists go flying to start this match with Aja dominating earlier and beating down Hotta in the corner before pulling her out of the ring and piledriving her on a table. Kong absolutely brains her with a chair and this match is beyond belief within the first 2 minutes. Kong hits another piledriver in the ring and then another. Hotta fires up and blocks a backhand and then delivers a series of nasty palm strikes. These two are beating the holy hell out of each other and it is no surprise that Kong ends up with a bloody nose. Kong applies a front facelock, but Hotta escapes and goes right back to kicking Kong in the back of the skull and then directly in the face! Holy hell, this is the most physical match I've seen in ages. Hotta with a knee to the face and then a piledriver of her own, but Aja manages to apply a camel clutch. She releases the hold but nails Hotta in the face with a devastating kick. How did that not loosen some teeth? Irish whip by Kong, but Hotta hits a spinning heel kick and then comes off the top rope with another. Great accuracy on that one. Back on the mat, they jockey for position with Kong eventually applying a sleeper. Hotta doesn't so much break the hold as Kong just decides to release it so she can kick her full force in the back and change things up by applying a reverse dragon sleeper. Hotta manages to reach the ropes with her left leg so Kong scoops her up and sets her up in the corner so she can hit her with a running splash. Very cool. Kong grabs hold of her hand, which is covered in blood, and inflicts even more damage on it. I'm not sure when Hotta's hand got cut, but it is a total mess. On the apron, a medic wraps tape around her hand. Kong taunts her and Hotta is back up. They do a test of strength - which is brilliant considering Hotta's injury - and Kong stomps on her hand again and then kicks it. Dang. Kong continues her work on Hotta's wirst and arm, splitting her fingers apart in the ropes so all can see the brutality. She double-stomps her hand and this is almost hard to watch at times. Kong with a suplex and then she's right back on Hotta's hand! Hotta manages to kick out of a pin attempt, but she is in serious pain as Kong repeatedly kicks, twists, and even bites her injured hand. Kong goes to the top and it proves to be a super risky move as Hotta meets her up there and catches her with an absolutely awesome dragon suplex to the mat! Hotta makes a bit of a comeback but Kong won't stay down for long. Hotta attempts a sunset flip but Kong reverses it into a stiff back body drop. Hotta comes off the top rope for another spinning heel kick, but Kong has it scouted this time and Hotta eats the mat. Kong with a wild suplex and then, moments later, another one for 2. Big backhand by Hotta to escape a straightjacket piledriver attempt. Hotta goes for one of her own but can't deliver it as she collapses under Kong's weight. Kong hits another skull-cracking backhand! Kong hoists Hotta onto the top rope and there's a bit of a struggle as she attempts to hit some sort of sunset flip powerbomb but, again, Kong's weight is just too much and she ends up landing beneath the monster and pinned to the mat. Incredible, incredible match. (4.5/5)

Shinya Hashimoto vs. Masato Tanaka (11/07/2003 - ZERO-1) - I was shocked to learn that this match is not considered to be as good as their first from a year earlier (which I haven't seen) because its hard to think of a match like this being somehow lesser than a previous bout. This is an excellent, super stiff match where Hashimoto is merciless in his attack but Tanaka proves he is tougher than leather and can take a beating...until, at a certain point, he can't. I love Tanaka's grit and efforts to try to maintain some sort of strategy by focusing on Hashimoto's wrist. It doesn't work out for him too well, but at least its consistent. Hashimoto, meanwhile, picks up on the fact that he may have legitimately caved in Tanaka's chest and, by the end, he targets every kick and stomp perfectly. This is probably the type of match that Bret Hart would've hated because there is no way that any of this didn't hurt. When I was a kid, I remember saying/hearing (without any real knowledge) that wrestling in Japan was "more real," and this is probably what my 14 year old brain meant because these guys beat the living shit out of each other. Really, really tremendous stuff from beginning to end. (4/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori (04/02/1993, AJW) - Not knowing the full story behind this match, I was glad that I did a bit of research. This was a battle of styles as Hokuto was known for being a super tough "pure" pro-wrestler and Kandori had come into the business with a legitimate judo background. Hokuto brings the pain first with a stiff forearm that knocks Kandori to the mat and from that point on, these two are just brutal against each other. Hokuto bleeds a gusher from a pilediver spot on the table within the first few minutes, but Kandori also ends up with a nasty cut on her forehead from brawling in the crowd. Not everything they do looks perfect or is executed graciously, but I love the realism it adds. Nobody is "letting" their opponent do anything, but this is still a pro-wrestling match and not a "worked shoot" like some of the other matches I've reviewed over the past few weeks. There are suplexes and top rope splashes and powerbombs and there's more selling and separation between the big bumps than I've seen in some of the other joshi matches I've reviewed. It all makes for a tremendous match that goes through so many different phases without ever getting dull (the short crowd brawl is the only "low point") or repetitive. Goddamn. This is a phenomenal match. (5/5)