Random Matches

Aja Kong vs. Chaparita Asari (12/11/1995, WWE): This was, according to the WWE Vault, Aja Kong's only singles match in the WWE. I've never heard of Asari, but she's super impressive here with backsprings and impressive flying. Kong shuts her down quickly, though, punishing her with snap mares and stiff kicks to the back (and front). Kong hits her with a big vertical suplex but pulls her up before she can get the 3 and then delivers a spinning package piledriver! She covers her but pulls her up once more to deliver more punishment. Kong nails her with another stiff kick to the chest, a splash, and then decides not to take the win a third time. The crowd absolutely hates this. Kong lets Asari strike off but waves off her dropkick and then does a little mocking dance. Asari slaps her a bunch but Kong feels none of it and nails her with a bodyslam. She goes for a splash but misses it. Asari misses a ridiculous corkscrew splash! Kong brings her to her feet and hits the Uraken to get the win. The match went less than 5 minutes but it was a fun squash. (3/5)

Genichiro Tenryu vs. Akira Taue (04/16/1990, AJPW): This is a "fan cam" match and a relatively brief one considering the participants. Taue attacks before the bell and hits a dropkick. They go to the floor and Taue whips Tenryu into the rail before rolling him back into the ring. Taue hits a vertical suplex for 1. Taue with a release bodyslam and then an elbow drop, but Tenryu rolls out of the way. Tenryu tries for a heel kick but Taue catches him in a single leg crab. Tenryu gets to the rope but Taue never really releases the hold, turning it into a "legbar." Taue gets back to his feet and stomps on Tenryu, targeting his knee. Tenryu manages to get back to his feet to hit an enziguiri and then hits Taue with some boots to the face and a stiff kick to the back. Tenryu with a stomp to the head and then a big chop. He whips Taue into the ropes and hits him with a lariat for 2. A strike exchange ensues with Tenryu getting the better of it and dropping an elbow for 2. Tenryu with a body slam and then a falling elbow from the top for another nearfall. The fight goes to the floor and Taue gets whipped into the rail. Tenryu rolls back into the ring and allows Taue to re-enter. Tenryu applies an abdominal stretch, slowing the match down considerably after a pretty hot opening stretch. Tenryu with a back body drop and another kick to the back. He drops an elbow for another nearfall and Taue looks totally spent. Tenryu goes for a suplex but Taue lands on him for 2. Taue hits a not-so-hot chokeslam off the ropes for 2 and then a bodyslam and an elbow from the top for another 2. Taue goes back up to the top rope but Tenryu press slams off of it. Tenryu with some chops against the ropes, wailing on him. He runs into a big boot, though, and Taue lands a nasty lariat! Taue gets him up for a fireman's carry drop for another 2 count. Tenryu reverses an irish whip and hits a forearm off the ropes. He goes for a powerbomb but settles for an enziguiri! Powerbomb by Tenryu to end it! This is what one would call a "sprint" because it is pretty much non-stop action, something I wasn't necessarily expecting out of these two. Good stuff. (3/5)

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet (11/16/2017, WSW): Some good mat wrestling to start this match, as expected, with Sabre and Rico trading submissions and jockeying for position. Ricochet being able to go hold-for-hold with Sabre was a bit surprising considering he's known for more his high-flying. Sabre caught him with a pair of uppercuts to raise the temperature of the match but Rico came back with one of his own before Sabre took him back to the mat with a headlock. Ricochet kipped up from a headbutt to the stomach and a snap mare and delivered an impressive head scissors and dropkick, showcasing his incredible agility and forcing Sabre to take a powder. Ricochet caught him coming back into the ring with some boots and an elbow to the back of the head. After some uppercuts in the corner, Ricochet caught him in a nifty submission and then a spinning drop onto his shoulder. Ricochet continued to target the back of the shoulder but couldn't get more than a 2. They exchanged some strikes and Sabre was able to regain the advantage when he grabbed hold of Ricochet's leg off of an attempted leapfrog. Sabre applied a submission and got a 2 count before going for some joint manipulation. Stomp on the hyperextended elbow! Love that spot. Sabre went after Ricochet's hand in the corner but let him up to his feet. Ricochet caught him with an uppercut but Sabre grabbed hold of his leg and then cranked on his arm once again with his legs. Sabre applied a wristlock but Ricochet fought out with slaps to the face and eventually a series of uppercuts. Ricochet went for a handspring off the ropes but Sabre caught him with a dropkick to the head. That was cool. Ricochet rallied, though, hitting a springboard back elbow, a rolling front dropkick, and then a running standing moonsault. Junior cut him off with a tarantula, though, and got 2 from a roll-up. After a pin sequence, Sabre applied a series of nasty stretches but Ricochet made it to the ropes. Sabre mocked Ricochet with a few light brushes of his boot but then got absolutely destroyed by a Ricochet chop and then another. Sabre went for an ankleock and a release German Suplex but Ricochet flipped out of it. Nasty kick by Sabre but Ricochet sprung up once again and landed a huge clothesline! Both guys sold the exhaustion on the mat and ended up in opposite corners. Another brilliant sequence ensued with neither guy able to lock in anything for long or land a death blow. Sabre was in trouble, on his knees, and got hit by some kicks but managed to get a sneaky pin attempt in. Ricochet hit a weird-looking release fireman's carry-into-a-heel kick thing-a-maroo for 2. Ricochet went to the top for a shooting star press but landed in a Triangle Choke! Ricochet got to his feet and powerbombed his way out of it. He grazed him with a reverse heel stomp and then hit a reverse Rock Bottom-type move and the shooting star press for 3! A very good match, but not necessarily "must see." As much as I like Ricochet and am amazed by his high-flying and smooth in-ring ability, his matches suffer a little bit from being "spot heavy" to the point that the psychology tends to fall apart by the end. Sabre Jr. has become one of my favorites to watch, though, and he's great in this. (3.5/5)

Akira Hokuto vs. Suzuka Minami (04/29/1991, AJW): This is for the All-Pacific Title held by Minami. This is a rough, physical contest with everything worked snug. I dug Minami targeting Hokuto's ankle early on with an elbow drop and then a series of painful-looking submissions. Its terrific stuff for stretch where it lasts and Hokuto is actually selling the damage, but, unfortunately, after a powder on the outside, we don't get a real transition and Hokuto immediately applies a Sharpshooter with seemingly no struggle. She follows it up with a series of beautiful dropkicks and a bridging suplex, pausing only briefly to show any lingering damage to her ankle. Minami applies a surfboard and Hokuto goes back to selling, making the disjointed storytelling even more obvious to me. As much as I love the execution and the selling, the "my turn/your turn" shifts are hard to ignore. Minami hits two awesome knees off the top, the kind of move that somebody should really steal for their finish, but Hokuto hits a German suplex and a scoop slam. She goes for a splash off the top but misses and Minami delivers a powerbomb and then another. Damn. Those had to hurt. Minami gets a 2 count with a fisherman's suplex and then another with a straightjacket suplex that dumps Hokuto on her head. She goes for another powerbomb by Hokuto counters it into a pin attempt and then hits a double-underhook DDT. For 91', this is about as "movesy" as it gets. Hokuto goes to the corner but Minami meets her up there and brings her down with a double-underhook suplex for 2. Minami goes for a splash, misses, and gets German suplexed for 2. Hokuto goes for another scoop slam but gets pinned for 2. After a series of reversals and counters, Hokuto hits a front-flip splash to the outside! Hokuto rolls back into the ring as Minami needs help to get back to her feet. Hokuto goes back to the top and hits a ridiculous front dropkick right to Minami's face! Holy cow. She delivers another! She goes up for a third and connects! She goes back up and hits a front-flip splash and then a cradle driver for the definitive victory. This was an imperfect match and the longterm selling was really lacking, but the finishing sequence was really strong and the overall action was brilliant at times. (3.5/5)

Toshiaki Kawada vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (06/08/1998, AJPW): This match picks up with the Bammer already in control and Kawada reeling. For a guy known for his incredible toughness, Kawada sells a hell of a beating. He fights his way out of a headlock and nails Bigelow with an enziguiri and then a dropkick and a baseball slide that sends him to the floor. Kawada goes for a crossbody but Bigelow catches him and pulverizes him into the floor with a falling slam. There's no way that didn't hurt a little. Kawada comes back in and the Bammer targets his lower back, delivering a vertical suplex for 2 and then a few more headbutts to the lower spine. Kawada rolls to the floor to recover but then gets knees to the back once he re-enters the ring. Kawada tries some strikes but gets cut off and Bigelow hits yet another falling headbutt to the back and then one to the front for another nearfall. The repetitiveness of Bigelow's attack gets a bit stale, but I get the psychology and it does make Kawada's hope spots and comeback feel well-earned. Kawada is able to use his speed to get some offense going but gets snap suplexed when he tries to lift the Bammer. Bam Bam misses a headbutt and Kawada catches him in an inside cradle for 2 and then delivers an enziguiri. He tries for a crossbody, gets slammed, and then gets smushed with a splash off the ropes to end things. I was surprised by the ending as I assumed Kawada would be protected a bit more in the loss. Acceptable match, but too brief to be considered great. (2.5/5)

Tully Blanchard vs. Brad Armstrong (05/09/1987, NWA): The NWA Television Championship, held by Blanchard, was on the line in this match. Armstrong is in tremendous shape and shows great fire during the "shine" segment, running Tully to the floor with a dropkick. Back in the ring, Armstrong maintains control, whipping Tully over the top rope in the corner. They lock back up, Armstrong applies a headlock, hits some big right hands (I love Tully's staggered selling) and a snap mare, gets a 2 count, and then grabs an armbar. Tully gets a boot on the rope to break things off. Armstrong applies a leglock and goes after Tully's knee with an elbow drop. Tully applies a chinlock and rakes Armstrong's eyes, but the challenger will not let go of the hold. Tully manages to turn it into a crucifix pin/body scissors but Armstrong fights out of it and reapplies the leglock. Tully fights out with right hands and Armstrong drives his knee into the back of Tully's thigh and then does it again, refusing to allow Tully to escape to the outside. Another elbow to the inside of the leg by Armstrong before he reapplies the leglock. Tully pulls on Armstrong's hair and right arm but Armstrong won't release the hold. Tully manages to escape and nearly gets a cheap roll-up pin with the tights in his hands but Armstrong kicks out and retakes control. Armstrong drops an elbow and hits a dropkick but Blanchard gets his foot on the rope. Tully comes back with some strikes but misses a knee in the corner. Armstrong goes for the cover but Tully gets the foot on the rope again. Armstrong goes back to the leg and Tully is in agony. I'm not a fan of the repetitive nature here, though they work the hold very well. Blanchard makes it out of the ring but Armstrong follows him out and hits him with an atomic drop. Blanchard rolls back in and Armstrong catches him with a crossbody for 2! Armstrong whips him into the ropes and Blanchard clocks him in the chest with a kick. Tully hits some rights and lefts in the corner. Armstrong retaliates with his own. Blanchard whips him out of the ring by his tights, sending him to the floor. Armstrong goes for the sunset flip pin, but Blanchard sits down on his shoulders and (with help from JJ Dillon) gets the 3 count! This was a weird match that eschewed the classic "shine/heat/double-down/comeback" story as it was pretty much all babyface shine for Armstrong with Tully eventually finding a way to cheat to retain his championship. I didn't necessarily love the layout because, well, as much fire as Armstrong showed in the early going, things got "samey" as he continuously went back to the knee work. (2/5)

Will Ospreay vs. Pete Dunne (09/28/2017, TNT Extreme Wrestling): Fun match between two rising stars in the UK/International wrestling scene with Ospreay a few years away from being heralded as one of the best wrestlers on the planet and while Dunne held the WWE United Kingdom Championship, was a top prospect for the company, and had not yet been relegated to being a fixture on the barely-watched Main Event show as a tag worker and working as an agent/producer. This starts off with a good amount of comedy - arguably too much - built around Will Ospreay's cat ears headband. I'm not sure if that was a regular part of his character/gear or if he just wore it here to add something silly to the match, but the crowd was very into it and it gave Dunne lots to play off of. Once the match gets more serious, we get both guys' greatest hits as Dunne lives up to his Bruiserweight persona with joint manipulation and stiff strikes and Ospreay delivers the good in terms of high-flying. It's a very good match, but not a great one, partially due to a ring that seems to be considerably smaller than what either guy is used to and partially because of how much it feels like an exhibition at times, a showcase match featuring some incredibly intricate sequences rather than an actual fight. (3/5)

 

Aja Kong and Bison Kimura vs. Manami Toyota and Esther Moreno (04/29/1991, AJW): This was excellent. "Jungle Jack" (Kong and Kimura) are a great, dominant heel team while Toyota and Moreno were awesome underdog, high-flying babyfaces. This match took a fairly traditional structure - the entire first fall could be considered the "babyface shine" even if it's not like the heels are outclassed the entire time - and made it feel fresh and exciting because of the pacing and ramping-up of suspense. It's a 2-out-of-3 falls match for Kong and Kimura's Tag Team Championships and has a great "big fight feel." There's so much to love here and so little to criticize. I've never seen Esther Moreno work before (at least as far as I recall), but her offense, bumping, and eventual "color" all made me an instant fan. Loved her and Toyota's tandem offense and dives. Loved Aja Kong having to take to the top rope towards the end of the match because, by that point, they'd thrown everything they could against each other. The suplexes and head drops were nasty, which is par for the course. Loved Bison Kimura locking up Toyota in a submission, Toyota managing to use her core strength to get upright only for Kong to flatten her back onto Kimura's knees (a spot that I've seen plenty of times since but really seems ahead-of-its-time for 91'). This is a match where you don't have to be super knowledgeable about any of the competitors or back story to thoroughly understand and enjoy. I can't think of anything I would change. This is a rare perfect match. (5/5)

Bobby Eaton vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (12/16/1996, WCW): I was hoping for a hidden gem here as I'm a big fan of both guys, but it's clear that they lacked chemistry and that Eaton didn't really know Mysterio's style and signature spots super well. There's a clunky bit on their way back into the ring after some good work on the outside and it never really clicks from that point on. Even the way Eaton takes the hurricanrana is "off" because he flips to the side rather than straight onto his back. (1.5/5)

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Toshiaki Kawada (04/06/1991, AJPW): I'm not sure why Kawada isn't as heralded as Misawa or Kobashi because, in matches like this, he brings so much energy and toughness and his selling is so good that I find myself convinced he is the more enjoyable worker to watch (at least to me). When Kawada is on offense or firing up, this match is great. When Jumbo is in control, it's a little lesser, though the psychology makes sense because he's the heel and his job is to cut off and cut down the challenger at every turn. The match gets better and better as it goes, with the second half and finishing sequence being especially awesome thanks to Tsuruta, realizing he is being tested by the younger, hungrier Kawada, deciding to go all-out with the most vicious lariats and powerbombs he can muster. The absolutely insane commentary and red-hot crowd adds another half-point to this. Borderline "must see." (3.5/5)

Akira Hokuto and Sakie Hasegawa vs. Bull Nakano and Bat Yoshinaga (05/26/1991, AJW): Another awesome match, but who would be surprised considering it involves Hokuto and Nakano? I loved the way this started with Nakano getting the quick pin on Hasegawa after a devastating powerbomb and then Hokuto evening the score by pinning Yoshinaga a few minutes later. This basically turned the match - which was 2-out-of-3 falls - into a single pinfall match, basically negating the stipulation entirely and just letting these two teams do battle. I also liked how having Hokuto and Nakano get quick, rather decisive pins really made it clear who the bosses of the respective teams were. Lots of cool highlights - Nakano's powerbombs and suplexes are nasty, Hokuto's front-flip splash off the top was awesome, Hasegawa's crossbody to the floor was cool...yeah, this is just great stuff. I could see the argument that the amount of head drops and the reckless-looking splashes would be considered unsafe and even poorly executed by today's standards, but I was plenty entertained from beginning to end. I'm not sure what the post-match "4th fall" was all about because I don't speak Japanese, but whatever it was, it came across to me - an admittedly ignorant viewer who doesn't know the full context of this match - that Hasegawa was almost a danger to herself with how much punishment she was willing to take to prove herself (which makes the post-match moment between her Nakano and Bat even cooler because they do end up showing her respect). As others have written, I'm not sure this falls into "must see"/"classic" territory, but its a match that is very easy to enjoy even if you don't know much about the competitors. (3.5/5)

Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (01/30/2016, Limitless Wrestling): Reading about some of the other Hero/Sabre Jr. matches from over the years, I wasn't necessarily surprised to read that this is considered one of their "lesser" bouts. It's not that any of this is bad or even slow or non-impactful - there are great strikes to be found, I love Sabre's submission-based offense and selling, I think they do a nice job of highlighting Hero's size advantage and the differences in style - but it took awhile for things to get to that "next level" and when you wanted the match to go even beyond that "second gear," it didn't get there. I'm not sure if it was the rundown setting (it looks to be an Elks Lodge that seats under 200) or Hero not being in the best shape, but there was something "off" or flat about this match. I think a hotter crowd and better commentary would've helped the presentation of this somewhat underwhelming match. (2.5/5)

Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (08/10/1991, NJPW): This isn't a great match in a traditional sense - it's a great match in terms of telling a story without making it too cute or trying to expand it beyond what it should be. Choshu comes out swinging, attacking Hashimoto right at the sound of the bell and overwhelming him at first. And then things turn and Hashimoto just levels him with kick after kick and his patented DDT. The referee is constantly checking on Choshu, who barely musters any sort of defense in this very brief encounter. Eventually, someone in Choshu's corner throws in the towel but Choshu defiantly throws it back - only to get rocked once more and beaten cleanly. This feels more like an "angle" than a match, but its a great angle. (3/5)

Tully Blanchard vs. Barry Windham (08/22/1987, NWA): This was "clipped" due to commercial breaks, but I'm not sure having the full 25-minute match would've made me enjoy it any more. It's not a bad match, but feels a bit like a "filler" match that was aired just because it was a title match between two stars who were so familiar with each other that this almost felt like they were going through the motions. That's not to say the work is bad, it's just not particularly memorable. (2/5)

Devil Masami vs. Mayumi Ozaki (06/16/1991, AJW): Masami is probably going to end up somewhere on my Greatest Wrestler Ever list despite maybe not having the same "hype" as Aja Kong or Bull Nakano or Manami Toyota or whoever. Anyway, they have a match in 1992 that has some high acclaim and I look forward to seeing it. This is a "fan cam" recording I found on YouTube. Its a short match with a runtime under 15 minutes but it's a fun one and Masami's powerbomb is a deadly thing of beauty. I'm not surprised this one isn't on Cagematch and hasn't been reviewed on ProWrestlingOnly  (2.5/5)

AEW Full Gear 2025

AEW Full Gear 2025

Newark, NJ - November 2025

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the AEW Men's World Champion (as he makes sure to always note) was "Hangman" Adam Page, the TNT Champion was Kyle Fletcher, the AEW Unified Champion was Kazuchika Okada, the AEW Women's World Champion was Kris Statlander, the TBS Champion was Mercedes Mone, the World Trios Champions were held by The Opps (Shibata, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Samoa Joe), and the World Tag Team Champions were Brodido (Brody King and Bandido).

Like the previous AEW PPV, Full Gear 2025 began with a match "in media res" with the CMLL Trios Championship being defended by Mistico, Mascara Dorado, and Neon taking on Okada, Takeshita, and Hechicero. I didn't see the full match so I'm not going to rate it, but I liked what I saw and am amped up for the eventual Takeshita/Okada match. 

The "proper" opening match was Darby Allin vs. PAC in a match that was billed as a "straight-up wrestling match." As one might expect, this was very good with Allin taking two especially nasty bumps to the outside from a military press slam and then an Irish whip into the post that sent him out of the ring. My biggest criticism, though, would be that several minutes later, Allin willingly delivered a missile dropkick from the ring to PAC on the floor (who was seated in a steel chair), essentially taking a third back bump onto the thin protective padding around the ring. Obviously, Allin being a daredevil and being "unkillable" and tough as nails is a huge part of his deal, but this sorta undercut the previous bumps he'd taken, which were rightfully treated as big deals. I liked the finish, which saw Wheeler Yuta cause just enough of a distraction for PAC to connect with a shot using the Stinger bat. Weapon strikes should absolutely be protected more than they often are in AEW and the finish took nothing away from Allin's aura. (3/5)

A four-way tag match was next with "Timeless" Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa, Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron, Marina Shafir and Megan Bayne, and Julia Hart and Skye Blue facing off in a "preview" of the upcoming semi-finals of the AEW Women's Tag Team Championship tournament. Not much to say about this aside from the fact that they squeezed a whole lot of action into their 13 minutes. Storm, Shirakawa, and Bayne were the highlights in terms of performance, but Marina Shafir looked better here than I recall her ever looking and I liked her 619-into-a-head-scissors slam on the apron. Not a bad match at all and the crowd was into it, but nothing special. (2.5/5)

Brodido - Brody King and Bandido - defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against FTR in the next match. This felt "paint-by-numbers" before Brody King launched himself to the outside and took Stokely out of the match, but that's not necessarily a knock against it; This was a smartly-worked, well-executed "classic" tag team match that stuck to a winning formula for its first half and then continued to raise the suspense as it built towards a series of false finishes and then actual conclusion. One really has to wonder, after a match like this and some of their other work in 2025, if Brodido is the best "two singles guy randomly paired up" teams in history. As an FTR fan, I'm happy with the finish, though I am hoping we get at least one rematch because these two teams work really well together. The best match on the show up to this point, but not one I'd consider "must see." (3.5/5)

The Casino Gauntlet Match for the brand new AEW National Championship was next with Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin of the Hurt Syndicate being the first two entrants. I was wondering why being #1 and #2 would be a good thing in a Gauntlet Match but the rules of this match are a bit different from your typical Gauntlet as the match can end at anytime - first to get a pin or submission - meaning that it could even end before all participants had entered (though I'm not sure that has ever actually happened in one of these). Danielson joined the commentary team for this. The 3rd man in was Ricochet, who cut a promo before he joined the match, distracting Lashley and Benjamin so that The Gates of Agony could attack them. Lashley got hip-attacked into the steps by the bigger of the Gates of Agony guys (which brought out a gaggle of referees). 4th in was Claudio, who got a bit of a face pop because Rico had been breakdancing in the ring like a prick. Castagnoli beat the hell out of him but couldn't secure the victory, even after his stablemate, Daniel Garcia, came out at #5. Speaking of Garcia, he teased his trademark dance in the corner but didn't deliver it. The 6th entrant was Orange Cassidy. We got a fun spot with Claudio pulling OC off of Rico by his jeans and then a strong sequence between him and the rest of the participants before Wheeler Yuta came out at #7 and the heels beat up on Cassidy in the corner. Kevin Knight came in at #8. All the while, the Hurt Syndicate seemingly disappeared under the ring (it would've made much more sense for them to be taken to the back after the GOA run-in). #9 was the always-impressive Roderick Strong followed by Mark Davis at #10, who hit an awesome piledriver on Orange Cassidy but was thwarted in his effort to get the pinfall by Yuta. #11 was "Speedball" Mike Bailey, who had a mini-conflict with his tag partner when they both went for a cover at the same time. Garcia locked Bailey in a Sharpshooter as the click ticked down and we got the return of Garcia's longtime bud, Matt Menard! This wasn't at the level of Nigel's return some years back, but it did get a nice pop for what it was. Back in the ring, Davis and Claudio seemed like they were set to square off but got interrupted by Benjamin and Lashley, who had seemingly regrouped and re-strategized. The Syndidate essentially cleared the competition with suplexes and throws and spears and a Dominator to OC after he attempted a crossbody. Ricochet tried to get the jump on them but ended up getting tossed back and forth across the ring for his effort. From there, we got a flurry of signature moves and all-around-mayhem, ending with Kevin Knight hitting a frog splash on Yuta only to immediately get caught with a Ricochet running clothesline to end the match and make Rico the inaugural AEW National Champion. A solid Gauntlet match with the right man coming out on top, though I do wish TK had maybe been a bit more creative with some of the entrants and the pairings as this felt very much like a continuation of multiple stories that really should be wrapped up by now (the Hurt Syndicate vs. The Demand, OC vs. Death Riders). (3/5)

Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O'Reilly in a No Holds Barred Match was next. O'Reilly went right for Mox at the bell and a strike exchange ensued followed by some MMA-inspired sparring on the mat. O'Reilly landed some stiff kicks in the corner that Moxley essentially no-sold and then fish-hooked O'Reilly's cheek with his finger (which Danielson noted was legal in a No Holds Barred match). Mox took a powder to regroup and then pulled a fork out. O'Reilly tried his best to fight it out of Mox's hand but Mox was able to get him on the ground and jab it in his head repeatedly (and then dig it into his back). It was gnarly. Mox continued to torture O'Reilly with blows across the face, bites, and more fish-hooking on the ropes. O'Reilly was able to grab hold of Mox's foot and then apply a headlock, but Moxley dumped him with a back suplex and then pried into his chest with the fork, seemingly attempting to carve out his nipple. Again, gnarly. Mox punished O'Reilly on the apron but KOR managed to slip out, dragon-screw him, and then attempt an armbar. To the floor they went, where O'Reilly catapulted Moxley into the post (cue a Moxley bladejob). O'Reilly delivered some more kicks and set Moxley up on a chair near the barricade and then drilled him with a running dropkick off the apron. Back in the ring, Mox attempted a cutter but couldn't snag O'Reilly, who then applied an ankle lock. Mox turned it into a Triangle Choke but O'Reilly countered it into a "straight ankle" leglock. Mox went for another strike with the fork but O'Reilly caught him in a choke of his own, grabbed the fork, and stabbed him in the head, opening him up even more. If there was any doubt where the blood was coming from, the camera caught it trickling out of Mox's wound and the crowd groaned in disgust. O'Reilly grabbed a chain from under the ring and brought it inside. O'Reilly and Mox managed to wrap the chain around each other's necks and both men attempted suplexes with O'Reilly landing one that brought both men to the mat. They each wrapped some of the chain around their fists and we got a forearm exchange culminating with Mox applying a chain-assisted bulldog choke! O'Reilly rolled through, though, and got in the mounted position and we got another series of counters and reversals with Moxley applying the STF but O'Reilly using the fork to stab Moxley's hand! Mox hit the Curb Stomp onto the chain and then grabbed a chair. Mox "Pillmanized" O'Reilly's arm and it looked nasty on the replay. Mox hit the Death Rider DDT and then went for another armlock but O'Reilly resisted by grabbing his own trunks. O'Reilly managed to apply an ankle lock and then re-applied it with the chain, forcing Mox to once again tap out just like he had done at Blood and Guts. This was ultra-violent, ultra-physical and told a great story that is consistent with the "downfall" of Moxley that was set in motion at All In: Texas so many months ago. After the match, Mox attacked O'Reilly again, getting some of his heat back, though, as I wrote in my review of the Blood and Guts match, I question the "boomerang" booking of Moxley since that loss as the one-time "ace" of the company has now lost pretty much every high profile match he's had over the past 5 months. (3.5/5)

Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe for the TNT Championship was next, another No DQ match (this would technically be the third match in a row where outside interference and weapons were legal, for anyone keeping track) with the added stipulation that if Briscoe were to lose, he'd be forced to join the Don Callis Family. Fletcher and Briscoe had quite a challenge in front of them as the previous match had had plenty of gore and the show was past the 2-hour mark (not counting the pre-show, which featured at least 2 other matches?). They wasted little time busting out the chairs, ladders, and tables (and eventually thumbtacks and even some barbwire too), getting a ton of "color," and hitting some seriously dope brainbusters and splashes. This was about as good a TLC match as we've seen in ages and a large part of that had to do with the emotion more than the spots themselves. Kyle Fletcher's anguished screams and overall performance were excellent. I loved Mark Briscoe toning down any of the comedic elements of his character to make it clear how personal this was. The use of the screwdriver, while certainly not new, felt more dangerous in this match than in previous bouts just because of far they had gone over the course of the preceding 20 minutes. It did not feel at all impossible that someone might actually get impaled, which is absurd. I'm not always a superfan of hardcore matches filled with crazy dangerous spots and blood, but this one hooked me because of the charisma of the performers, the pacing, and the escalation of violence. An instant classic. (4/5)

Josh Alexander and The Young Bucks took on The Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus and Jack Perry) with Kenny Omega in the next match with the winner receiving $1 million. In the early going there was some teasing of the Bucks not going "full force" against their former Elite stablemate, but this soon turned into the exact type of match one would expect between these six guys. I liked Omega's longterm selling of knee damage as the match wore on with him being noticeably "off" and unable to capitalize or execute some of his signature offense. The Young Bucks continue to show why, between bells, they are undeniably one of the best tag teams of all time as their tandem offense, timing, and ability to put a twist on the expected outcome of every sequence leads to great things. Jack Perry had the best overall outing he's had in quite some time too, which is no surprise because he and the Bucks have always had strong chemistry. All that being said, for guys that are known for being pretty overwrought with the histrionics and drama, this was a touch underwhelming as we got your usual very good match followed by a Young Bucks face turn that was predictable, inevitable, and bland all at once. If this was supposed to be some big emotional moment, I don't think many in the audience in NJ or at home were reaching for the tissue box. It deserved a more nuanced build. (3/5)

The AEW Women's Championship match was next as Mercedes Mone, who holds a dozen or so other titles (including the AEW TBS Championship), challenged Kris Statlander. There was some really good action in this match, but the audience seemed a little restless and unimpressed at times. Statlander having the size advantage makes watching her fight from underneath as the sympathetic babyface a difficult thing to sell to the audience, especially as Mone is also the undeniably bigger star who routinely draws the biggest reactions of any woman on the roster (save for maybe Toni Storm). They worked hard to establish that Statlander's forearm was limiting her offense and making her incredibly vulnerable, but as the match wore on, it almost reminded me of the Mox/O'Reilly match from earlier in the show where the heel was so dominant for so many stretches that the comeback felt forced and inorganic. That being said, there were some really cool moments and highlights all throughout this 20+ minute contest including Mone delivering a dozen or so consecutive suplexes, a brillaint rib-breaker off the top by Statlander (a nod to Dean Malenko as they noted on commentary), and some nifty counters and reversals as Statlander tried her best to hit her finish. Also, credit where its due - nobody can say Mone has not put anyone over in her time in AEW as she lost clean here, further establishing Statlander as an equal to herself and Toni even if I'm not sure the general audience fully sees or responds to her as that. (3/5)

Main event time - Samoa Joe challenging "Hangman" Adam Page in a steel cage match for the AEW World Championship. Coming into this match, most fans viewed it as a guaranteed victory for Page due to the feud being a bit paint-by-numbers. Page won their previous encounter and while Joe turned heel immediately after, giving their storyline a much-needed boost of conflict and animosity, most fans still saw Joe and The Opps as just another somewhat generic heel stable in a company that also features quite a few of those (most notably the Death Riders and the Don Callis Family). Despite the show featuring plenty of gore, Samoa Joe managed to break "The Muta Scale" in this one, suffering a deep gash in the middle of his forehead that would not stop bleeding and turned the mat into a murder scene. It was nasty, nasty stuff and they milked it for all it was worth. I'm not sure this match would've been as great without Joe bleeding buckets, but this was an excellent "old school" cage match where the cage itself was the weapon. If you were someone who didn't see the purpose of having a multitude of weapons and furniture wreckage in the Blood and Guts matches a few weeks ago, someone who craves a cage match where the danger of the setting is what is highlighted most, this match was for you. No barbwire. No thumbtacks. No tables. Just guys getting sent into the cage, getting cut open, and then slugging it out. The only other weapon that either guy used was Page's boot, which also felt very much like something you'd have seen an NWA cage match from the 80s. I'm curious if they have may have cut the match short due to Joe's blood loss, but even if that is the case, this delivered what it needed to. The finish also felt like a bit of a throwback, but not to classic NWA as much as peak-Attitude Era WWE with Shibata making a run-in, Kingston making the save, the ref going down and Page getting a visual pin, Hobbs breaking into the cage by pulling off the chain, Page fighing him off and getting a second visual pin, and then HOOK showing up and turning heel to screw the Hangman out of the title. I think HOOK still has lots of improving to do, but storyline-wise, it does make at least a little sense that HOOK would be the ace in Joe's sleeve, a one-man sleeper cell who purposefully gained the trust of Kingston - and, more importantly, Page - in order to strike at the exact right moment. Would I have been happier had it been someone like a returning MJF or Jay White? Sure...but I'm not sure it would've made any more sense aside from those two striking a deal with Joe to help him win the title in exchange for a title shot and I'm not sure that's more exciting than HOOK being the chickenshit heel for The Opps the way Wheeler Yuta is for the Death Riders, a role that is probably more fitting for him now than the "cool shooter" gimmick. I thought the screwy finish was also something of a change-up as, in AEW, they're not as commonplace (on a show with 9 matches, this one and the opener being the only ones with screwy finishes is a clear example of that, though they do tend to happen in the main event more than elsewhere). After Joe was declared the winner, we also saw the return of Swerve Strickland, who got a huge response and looked like a mega badass. Again, from a production level, they knocked this out of the park and Swerve looked like a killer, taking out a bunch of extras before staring down Joe with Page at his side. The show ending a bit like an episode of Nitro in 97' basically meant that, within this single 25-minute block of wrestling, we got moments that reminded me of the most entertaining eras in US wrestling. An excellent way to cap off the show. (4.5/5)

Earning a very strong 3.33-out-of-5 Kwang Rating (the second best score I've given an AEW show so far and probably among the top 25-30 I've reviewed from any promotion), Full Gear 2025 was a consistently great show that offered a ton of variety and excellent performances out of the company's biggest stars, especially Kenny Omega, Hangman, the Bucks, Kyle Fletcher, Brodido, FTR, Ricochet, Darby Allin, and Mercedes Mone. Even the weakest match of the card was no worse than "average" and at least featured some good work out of Megan Bayne and helped raise the stakes for the impending semi-finals of the Women's Tag Team Championship tournament. 

FINAL RATING - Watch It All

AEW Revolution 2023

AEW Revolution 2023

San Francisco, CA - March 2023

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, MJF was the AEW World Champion, Jamie Hayter was the AEW Women's World Championship, the TNT Champion was Samoa Joe, the TBS Champion was Jade Cargill, the FTW Champion was HOOK, The Gunns held the AEW World Tag Team Champions, Orange Cassidy was the AEW All-Atlantic Championship, and the Trios Championships were held by The Elite (Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks). 

Revolution 2023 kicked off with Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Starks in a bit of a grudge match as Starks had defeated Jericho on the first Dynamite of the year (Jericho had also lost to Action Andretti in December) and agreed to have the Jericho Appreciation Society banned from ringside in order to get his win back against Starks. Starks has a ton of energy and delivers a very good performance here, showing great fire and resiliency against a rather dominant Jericho. I thought this was smartly worked, especially the finish as Jericho struck Starks in the ribs with "Floyd" (his baseball bat) but there was enough time between the hit and Jericho's failed attempt at his Judas Effect back elbow to make it believable that Starks would have the mood scouted and the energy to counter it into a Roshambo. I'm not sure why the match didn't immediately end with a DQ when Sammy Guevara showed up, but whatevs. Not a bad opener at all. (3/5)

Christian vs. Jack Perry in a Last Burial (Casket) Match was next. Plenty of heat for this grudge match. They brawled in the crowd a bit and then went to the stage area, not wasting really any time getting to the weaponry and high spots (Perry launching himself off the stage for a front-flip cannonball onto the floor was the match's peak). Christian got bloodied along the bridge of the nose at one point but I'm not sure where. I really liked Christian tripping Perry up on the steel steps at ringside as it looked nasty and was a great prick heel move. Perry eventually won after a vicious-looking Con-Chair-To. Good performances out of both men and the right man won, but there's not much more to say about this beyond that it was a really good 15-minute "sports-entertainment" match. (3/5)

The AEW Trios World Championships were on the line next as The Elite - Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks - defended their titles against The House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Murphy, Brody King, and Julia Hart in tow). Right from the start, the crowd and the commentary team played this up as being something of a dream match and a "guaranteed classic," the audience chanting "This Is Awesome" before anything of real note had happened. This match did not disappoint one bit, though I'm not sure if I'd consider it "must see." The fact is, with these six, you knew you were going to get an extended car crash with loads of high-flying and counters and false finishes and Brody King being a murderer and Kenny Omega and Malakai Black squaring off and superkicks and everything else that these guys do so it was almost impossible for them to overdeliver or exceed expectations. We expected a hellacious fight and that's what we got. I really liked how much they made King look like the difference-maker and a monster. I liked Julia Hart's involvement towards the end, adding yet another layer to the match when I'm not sure anyone was really expecting her to be involved. I thought the finishing sequence and the false finishes that preceded it were really well-executed and actually lent some realism to the match as the House of Black finally put all the pieces together to sufficiently get the W without getting the count broken up by an Elite member. I can see the argument that this match played it safe by being a bit of a Greatest Hits and leaning heavily into all the expected sequences and high spots that one could've predicted before the bell rang. That being said, the beauty here is seeing them deliver on all those expectations without it feeling like they're sleepwalking through the match or doing anything half-assed. This delivered and kept me engaged and enjoying what I was seeing from beginning to end. Imperfect but undeniably excellent. (4/5)

Saraya and Ruby Soho challenged Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women's World Championship in the next match. Saraya was backed up by Toni Storm as the two had combined forces to form a stable of "Outsiders" that looked down on the "AEW Originals." Yeah, it was not a good storyline. Hayter's back-up was fellow "homegrown" talent Britt Baker and Ruby had been playing the role of a "tweener," not siding with either group. Once the bell rang, this was a considerable step up from Saraya's match at the previous PPV, though I think a ton of credit should go to Hayter, who was really good in this and clearly "the glue." Watching this match, you can see why Hayter was considered the best in AEW at the time (and its kinda sad that, post-injury, she hasn't been able to reclaim that mantle). Some of the sequences here were really good and ones I don't think I'd seen before. Unfortunately, the post-match was so bad that it basically ruined what had been an above-average match. In a fit of frustration, Ruby had tossed Saraya out of the ring and then had her hand raised by Hayter (who had won the match clean), signifying that Soho was respected by the AEW's homegrown stars. Inexplicably, Soho turned heel by attacking Hayter and Baker and then spray-painting them alongside Saraya and Storm. Was this the plan all along? If so, why didn't Soho and Saraya team up the rest of the match and make it a 2-on-1? If it was a sudden decision, why did Saraya and Toni trust Soho would join them in the post-match beatdown? Also, this pretty much ended any chance of Soho standing out as her own woman, a role that would've actually fit her image instead of having to be the 3rd banana of a heel team that had little chemistry and felt like a re-hash of better "outsider" stories from the past. (2.5/5)

"Hangman" Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match was next on the card. This one was a brutal, bloody fight with heavy use of barbwire, chairs, and, later on in the match, extensive use of bricks. I liked that they stuck to just those "tools" for violence instead of filling this up needlessly with ladders, tables, and whatever else. Moxley controlled the majority of the early going but got bloodied in the process (Excalibur noted that a light breeze could open Mox up). Page also got cut up by the wire. Other highlights included Moxley taking a great surprise back bump into a bed of wire, Page powerbombing him through the seat of a steel chair, an awesome crash landing Hangman took into another barbwire board and onto the floor, and a whole slew of lariats straight out of Japan. This was not as gory and cringe-inducing as some of the other death matches we've seen in AEW over the years, but that's not to say this wasn't plenty violent. My biggest gripe would be the finishing sequence as it featured some no-selling out of Moxley in order to get to the finish (Hangman living up to his moniker and hanging Moxley with a chain over the top rope). (3.5/5)

Samoa Joe defended the TNT Championship against Wardlow in the next match. Unfortunately, this one gave me 2010s TNA vibes as Samoa Joe did the job here, dropping his title after a "nothing special" match. Credit where its due, Joe was much more engaged and engaging in this match than when he was at his low points in TNA, but this was still nothing to write home about. There were good bits in this - I liked Joe's precision with his kicks to take out Wardlow's knee, for example - but it still didn't feel like it ever got to "the next level" and the crowd seemed spent after the Mox/Page war. (2/5)

The AEW World Tag Team Championships were on the line next as The Gunns defended their titles against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett, Danhausen and Orange Cassidy, and The Acclaimed. Considering the AEW tag team scene was once rich with "true" tag teams - FTR, the Young Bucks, the Lucha Bros, the Jurassic Express, Private Party, The Butcher and the Blade, and, at one point, The Hardys - this was what I considered to be something of a "low point" for the titles as they'd bounced from Swerve In My Glory (two singles guys teaming up) to The Acclaimed (a team I'd consider well below FTR and the Bucks in terms of delivering great in-ring matches) to The Gunns, a very green team. That being said, this was a solid outing that started out hot with some great work out of Cassidy, Lethal, and Jarrett before things got a little unstable once Satnam Singh, Danhausen, and the two less-experienced teams (The Gunns and The Acclaimed) became the centerpiece. (2.5/5)

Main event time - MJF defending his AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson in a 60-Minute Ironman Match. There was much to love about this match as MJF and Danielson did an excellent job of building the suspense and including just enough curveballs to make this match engaging and exciting from beginning to end. Highlights included MJF hitting an absolutely disgusting cradle piledriver that had Taz audibly uncomfortable, a brilliant running knee on the outside by Danielson, MJF going down 1-0 after a Baisuku but then cleverly getting himself DQ'd with a low-blow (to go down 2-0) before scoring two rapidfire pinfalls to even things up, and a wonderful stretch of dizzying pins and counters...and all of this was within the first 30 minutes or so. Its also worth noting that, during the first part of this match, MJF had grabbed a drink from a fan's hands and doused a child with it, a news story that - at the time - got a ton of press and attention on Wrestling Twitter but nobody seems to really care about or ever mention nowadays because, well, it was a bit of a nothingburger and points to how much the "IWC" was focused on turning every AEW event into yet another scandalous affair on the same level as "Brawl In." The second half of the match was as impressive as the first half, if not moreso. I loved both guys going for big swings and desperation moves, upping the ante with high-risk maneuvers and MJF putting Danielson through two tables (one with an elbow drop and the second with a piledriver). I loved Danielson's facial expressions as the match wore on, knowing that the deeper the water got, the more out of his element MJF was. Both guys ended up bloodied, we got some good false finishes after the match was put into sudden death overtime - something we've seen before, most famously at WrestleMania XII - and I liked that, in the end, while MJF had certainly cut corners to get there, Danielson actually tapped out rather than just "going unconscious" after being hit by a weapon. Excellent match and easily one of the better Ironman matches I've seen with great performances out of both men, a hot crowd, and (somewhat surprisingly) solid commentary. (4.5/5)

With a relatively strong 3.13-out-of-5 Kwang Score, Revolution 2023 is arguably the best PPV that AEW had produced since its inception. While its two "instant classics," the Danielson/MJF Ironman Match and the Elite/House of Black showdown, are the show's high points, the first two bouts on the card highlighted AEW's rising stars and the Texas Death Match was plenty violent, rounding out the show nicely. The show wasn't perfect - Joe/Wardlow was a disappointment, the AEW Women's Championship match wasn't great and had a woeful post-match, and the tag 4-way wouldn't have felt out-of-place on a random Dynamite - but what 4+ hour show could ever be?

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

13 More Random Matches

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (04/18/1989, AJPW): This match was for "all the marbles" that would become known as the AJPW Triple Crown - Tsuruta's NWA International Championship vs. Hansen's United National Championship and PWF World Championship in a winner-takes-all contest. Hansen controls most of the first 5 minutes, driving elbows into Jumbo's chest and wrenching on his neck. Jumbo strikes back with a pair of two-hand chops that sound brilliant and hits his patented knee off the ropes for 2. Hansen uses a mule kick to regain control but misses a clothesline in the corner and ends up toppling over and onto the floor. Great bump for a super heavyweight. Jumbo follows him outside, stomping him, clubbing him, elbowing him, and slamming him for 1.5 once he's back in the ring. After Tsuruta tries wearing him down with an abdominal stretch, Hansen rolls out of the ring and basically takes off, a cowardly move that draws a ton of jeers from the crowd but doesn't make a lick of sense in a title unification match. Jumbo brings him back towards the ring, sends him into the post, and then rolls him back into the ring. Tsuruta misses a running knee in the corner and Hansen hits a back suplex for 2 a few minutes later. Hansen hits him with a pair of knees to the back of the neck for another 2 count and then a third right to the forehead that sends Tsuruta out of the ring and to the floor. This gives Jumbo the opportunity to slice himself as Hansen goes to the outside and goes after him, hitting him with a chair. Hansen brings him back in with a suplex and goes for a cover, Tsuruta a bloody mess by this point. He goes for a piledriver but falls back more than he spikes him before hitting him with another knee to the head for 2. Hansen boots him in the face and hits him with a back elbow off the ropes. After a fist drop, Hansen gets another 2 count. Hansen hits Jumbo with his own finish and then an elbow drop for a third nearfall and Hansen is pissed! Hansen calls for the lariat, Jumbo dodges it, and Hansen runs into the ropes and falls back. Tsuruta covers him and we have a winner. Hansen keeps his heat by continuing to attack Jumbo after the match and walloping one of his seconds with a lariat before going into the crowd, still fired up. I get that this match has considerable historical significance, but this did not do much for me as a viewer and the finish was pretty weak. There's enough stiff brawling and Hansen goodness to keep it interesting and the crowd and atmosphere help this, but I wouldn't put this on a list of recommended matches. (2.5/5)

Mercedes Mone/Julia Hart/Skye Blue/Megan Bayne/Marina Shafir/Thekla vs. Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa/Willow Nightingale/Kris Statlander/Jamie Hayter/Harley Cameron (11/12/25, AEW): This was the first ever Women's Blood-and-Guts match, aired live as the kick-off match on a special expanded edition of Dynamite. The match had its ups-and-downs with some of the spots and sequences looking downright bad and awkward and overly convoluted. While it is undeniable that AEW's Women's Division has improved significantly since the company's inception in 2019, there are still depth issues at play and not everyone has the greatest chemistry. There were noticeabl moments of telegraphing and cooperation that are particularly striking and out-of-place in the context of a "War Games." Once again, Shirakawa was given something of a "spotlight" moment, coming in to even the sides after Mercedes Mone and the heels had the advantage, and you could practically hear people chewing popcorn in indifference. On the positive side, for every not-very-good-looking spot there were ones that worked. Skye Blue bleeding a gusher to start the match - it was gnarly - set the tone for the whole evening. I loved Marina Shafir coming in and being the most ruthless woman in the match, shoving Statlander onto a bed of nails (which probably should've been saved for closer to the actual end of the match in order to be sold properly) and stomping on Shirakawa with a glass-covered foot. I really liked the work of the Triangle of Madness, especially the clever way they escaped the cage, and really hope they continue to be spotlighted. The finish was terrific in that it spotlighted the AEW Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament, adding another layer to what I assume will be the eventual finals between Timeless Toni and Shirakawa vs. the Sisters of Sin (while still adding a personal issue for Toni and Mina's match against Shafir and Bayne). Speaking of Bayne, her presentation and power moves were great and though I haven't seen too much of her work since her showcase PPV match against Storm earlier this year, I'm a fan based on what I have seen. This was too messy to be considered "great," but it was mostly entertaining and lived up to the Blood-and-Guts name with the amount of violence and bloodshed they delivered. (3/5)

Jon Moxley/Wheeler Yuta/Claudio Castignoli/PAC/Daniel Garcia vs. Darby Allin/Mark Briscoe/Roderick Strong/Kyle O'Reilly/Orange Cassidy (11/12/25, AEW): The second Bloods-and-Guts match of the evening featured great performances out of Mox, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy, and Kyle O'Reilly, but suffered a bit from sections where nothing really happened aside from the usual brawling. If the Women's match shot for the moon and failed at times, this one settled into a peaks-and-valleys rhythm that worked nicely with the commercial breaks but also made some of the fighting a bit tedious at times. Giving the babyfaces the advantage was a bit awkward, though seeing Wheeler Yuta take so much deserved punishment made it work. They wisely had Mark Briscoe attacked before he could make his entrance, negating the advantage, but it still didn't make much sense why he'd have been alone in the locker room mere minutes before he was set to enter the match, seemingly isolated from his partners. Whatever. Highlights included some rather nasty fork-work by Mox on O'Reilly, Cassidy getting his hands stapled into his pockets, Yuta and Briscoe swinging chairs on top of the cage and eventually going through a table together, Darby Allin's trusty thumbtack-backed skateboard, and a big fire finish that saw the re-emergence of Gabe Kidd as the Death Rider's mercenary. On the negative side, after a year of seeing Moxley and the Death Riders survive all sorts of matches and cheat their way to victories, I wasn't super happy with the finish, which saw O'Reilly force Mox to tap when he applied an ankle lock in the middle of the glass shard-covered mat. I fully get that Mox being a quitter as soon as he's left to fend for himself is "the gimmick," but they've swung the pendulum so far the other way from his days of being the ultra tough bad-ass that its now become almost equally predictable. (3.5/5)

Bull Nakano/Aja Kong/Bison Kimura vs. Manami Toyota/Madusa/Suzuka Minami (07/??/1990, AJW): I couldn't find much about this match as it is not listed on Cagematch. It's a 2-out-of-3 falls match with the team of "Jungle Jack" (Kimura and Kong) partnering with Bull Nakano to take on a babyface trio featuring Madusa Micelli. Nakano gets the first pinfall rather quickly with her leg drop from the top. Kong wasn't quite the monster she would become in the coming years, but she was still plenty physical here and there is some fun in seeing her and Toyota go at it a few years before their classic bout in November 94' (which I gave a full 5 stars in my review). Nothing super special about this match, but not a bad outing at all. (2.5/5)

GUNTHER (WALTER) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Travis Banks (05/28/2018, Defiant Wrestling): This was a few years before WALTER (aka GUNTHER) would begin working for the WWE and lean down considerably, but he already had plenty of aura at this point. I've become a big Zack Sabre Jr. fan over the years, but I was a bit underwhelmed by this match as I expected much more joint manipulation out of him rather than him and Banks really giving most of the match to WALTER and his nasty chops. It is kind of a simple match in set-up and execution, but there were some memorable moments beyond WALTER felling his opponents repeatedly with his strikes such as a brilliant moment when WALTER is about to hit a powerbomb on Banks but Sabre ends up on top of him and the monster has to toss him aside too. Smartly worked but lacking in that extra bit of cleverness that I was expecting from Sabre Jr., who you can usually count on to give you something you weren't expecting. This hit the notes that it was supposed to hit, but nothing higher. (3.5/5)

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel (09/12/1987, AJPW): The final match between these two legends and it felt like it. It is a competitive match with Bockwinkel in control early on and trying to take out Tsuruta's knees but Jumbo is just too tough to stay down for long. I liked their 82' match considerably better, but Bockwinkel was 5 years younger at the time. Jumbo winning with a crossbody off the ropes felt a little lackluster to me. After the match, Bockwinkel waves goodbye to the fans and shakes Jumbo's hand which is a nice send-off, but this was an inessential and forgettable match aside from its historic significance. (2/5)

Bobby Eaton vs. Tracy Smothers (11/11/1990, WCW): I watched this 10-minute match just because I like both guys and I like early 90's WCW. Nothing special here, just solid 'rassling from an episode of Main Event. This was part of an on-going feud that Eaton (backed up by the Freebirds) had going on against El Gigante, Smothers, and the Rock n' Rich Express (Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich). Putting Gigante in the ring with some of the most reliable and over midcard talent in the company was their way of trying to get something out of the guy and there really were fewer smoother workers than Eaton. Still, this is nothing special and certainly not worth seeking out unless you're - like me - someone who enjoys just seeing a good back-and-forth match between two guys that could work a match like this in their sleep. (2/5)

Akira Hokuto and Suzuka Minami vs. Manami Toyota and Kyoko Inoue (11/14/1990, AJW): This is one of those matches that I'm just way higher on than most people (it has a little under a 7 rating on Cagematch somehow) because I thought this was great. Toyota and Inoue, from the very beginning, are not on the same page (I believe Inoue was a heel) but because they are both so talented and fired up, they are giving the champions a run for their money from the very beginning, almost overwhelming them with their energy. The pace of this match is incredible and is so frenetic and action-packed, it would still be arguably "too fast" in 2025 AEW. Wicked powerbombs. Lots of struggle. Nasty submissions. Roundhouse kicks and back elbows to the head. Suplexes. A lucha-inspired splash-to-the-outside sequence. It's a 2-out-of-3 falls match (and one of the pinfalls looks terrible because it is barely a pin) and its "classic joshi" so you're going to get some somewhat wonky psychology, out-of-nowhere transitions that don't really make sense, and refeering that runs contrary to everything I've grown up seeing in American wrestling, but that doesn't mean this isn't a ton of fun. (3.5/5)

Toshiaki Kawada vs. "Dr. Death" Steve Williams (07/27/1990, AJPW): How is this not featured on PWO? This match absolutely ruled based on what I saw of it (it starts "in progress" on the YouTube video but it seems like it only cuts off the first minute or two tops). The crowd is super hot and 10,000% behind Kawada and Williams is a great monster, whipping him into the guardrails and beating down on him in the ring. This is one of those matches where it's not necessarily what these guys do to each other, but how they let it in, the selling and the overall physicality and pace of this match that makes it so good. There is a particularly nasty backdrop spot where Kawada looks like he is truly pausing to think-through whether he is actually capable of standing upright. Its hard to go to high on a rating when it is even somewhat clipped, but this is so terrific that I still have no problem giving it the "should watch/must watch" score. (4/5)

Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (06/05/1989, AJPW): After an initial flurry by Tenryu, Tsuruta slowed this one down considerably (which I wasn't much of a fan of). This match has a fairly high reputation, but it took awhile before it really grabbed my attention (Tsuruta dropping knees from the top rope straight to Tenryu's skull was the turning point for me as a viewer). I like how they really built up to Tenryu's spinning heel kick and eventually the finishing pair powerbombs, which really put Tsuruta over as an incredible challenge for Tenryu that required every last bit of power and strength that the challenger could muster to dethrone him. I don't see this as a 5-star match - to me, you really have to be fully invested in the Tenryu and Tsuruta characters and their style of work (which can be a bit slow) - but the red-hot crowd gave this an incredible atmosphere that pushed it up a notch or two. (3.5/5)

Ricky Steamboat, Riki Choshu, and Shinya Hashimoto vs. Vader, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Animal Hamaguchi (10/11/1990, NJPW): This was a "fan cam" match I found on YouTube. As expected just by looking at who is involved, this is no less than very good for what came across as a "house show" style match and not one where the combatants were going out and trying to put on a classic. Steamboat is terrific with his selling and "playing to the crowd." The too-few moments with Hashimoto and Vader are cool. Riki Choshu is super tough and someone that I really should be watching more of as I get closer to the 2026 GWE deadline because I don't think I've seen him have anything less than a good outing. Way too slight, short, and insignificant to be "must see," but a fun watch for what it is. (3/5)

Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi (08/18/2012, DDT): I've not seen enough Kenny Omega matches from DDT or NJPW to know what is "the most Omega-ish Omega match ever," but this certainly feels like it could be in the running. There's Street Fighter "hadouken" moments. There's "playing to the back row" facial expressions. There's the fact that the match goes over 30 minutes despite featuring multiple moves that could be/should be treated as finishers, including a belly-to-belly release-into-a-wheelbarrow suplex off the top rope that seems beyond even what a video game designer might come up with. At one point, Ibushi hits a hurricanrana off the top rope to the floor and the match goes on from there (to their credit, it is actually sold as a huge deal and not a transition move). This is not a match for everyone, especially if you can't stand guys straight-up no-selling getting dropped on their neck via suplexes or, towards the end, Omega's One Winged Angel finisher, but, if that's the case, you're not the audience for this stuff anyway (and I'm not sure I am either). This is pro-wrestling for the "movez" fans, those that want to see every all-out, insane sequence possible, that not only can stomach blatant "choreography," but appreciate the intricacy of it. Now, that's not to say this match is at all "soft." Ibushi delivers some nasty kicks. Omega's suplexes are cringe-inducing at times. There's a spot in the final minutes when Ibushi performs a hard-to-describe cradle suplexy thing from the top rope and Omega looks like he lands on the top of his head. It is grisly. But then he also kicks out of it just for Ibushi to win with his equally ridiculous corkscrew 450. I can see why this match is so highly-regarded on the IWC, especially over at Cagematch, but I can also see why "purists" would think this to be the epitome of overcooked. Undeniably impressive and entertaining and, while not an all-time classic, I could see the argument that this is close-to-essential viewing for those curious about how Omega came to be seen as a "modern GOAT" even before his AEW run. (3.5/5)

Vader vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (05/02/1999, AJPW): Its a bit weird hearing the "It's Time - It's Vader Time!" intro before a theme that isn't his WWE one. Vader comes into this as the Triple Crown Champion. Definite big fight feel to this. Vader controls early with clubbing blows in the corner and by using his size advantage. The first great spot happens with Misawa goes to the top rope and Vader nails him with a clothesline that sends him all the way to the floor. Vader drops Misawa neck-first onto the guardrail after that. Vader hit a powerbomb on the floor and then a not-so-well executed splash from the apron. In America, Vader was considered "washed," so its a bit crazy to see how well "letting Vader be Vader" still worked in Japan. Back in the ring, Vader continued to control things, even hitting a pair of brainbusters. Misawa is able to come back, though, when he ducks a clothesline and hits Vader with a series of forearms and then a beautiful flying forearm on the floor through the middle rope. Misawa hits a huge german suplex back in the ring for a nearfall and attempts the Tiger Driver but can't get Vader up and settles for a bodyslam. Vader takes a stiff enziguiri to the face but connects with a nasty german suplex of his own. Vader goes for another powerbomb but Misawa slips out so Vader hits him with another nasty german suplex and Misawa lands hard on his neck/head for the second time. Brutal stuff. Vader hits a Tiger Driver of his own for 2.5! Great spot. Vader misses a moonsault but Misawa can't capitalize and Vader goes for another splash. This time, Misawa meets him in the corner and brings him down with a superplex. Misawa hits a frog splash for 2 and sells the exhaustion. Misawa hits a DDT from the top rope for another nearfall and then levels Vader with a spinning forearm for 2.8. Misawa goes for a big lariat off the ropes, Vader dodges it and lands one of his own. A brilliant strike exchange ensues and Misawa connects with a huge forearm off the ropes to get the win. I would've liked to see this go another 2-3 minutes as this wasn't as "epic" as either guy's best matches...but what is there to complain about here? This was a great heavyweight battle. (4/5)