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Post by elliott on Dec 3, 2017 22:33:57 GMT -5
Dump Matsumoto vs Chigusa Nagayo (Hair vs Hair - 11/07/86)
I'll probably end up the high voter on this match. I might end up the high voter on both Dump/Chigusa hair matches actually, and this is the one I prefer. They are both legendary matches with the most emotionally invested crowds in wrestling history, but I think this one is the better wrestling match to go along with the all time atmosphere they both share.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 13, 2018 23:45:37 GMT -5
Not as visceral as 8/28/1985 but it's still extremely dramatic and intense. Has the better Matsumoto performance and Chigusa delivers another epic babyface performance. Cathartic finish and postmatch.
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Post by fxnj on Jan 21, 2018 23:58:43 GMT -5
Thirded. Chigusa displays some excellent babyface selling here, but to me this match is all about Dump being a badass. The pre-match with Dump going wild and bloodying the ref might the highlight of the whole thing. It slows down a bit after the bell rings, but the atmosphere is so incredible it never feels like it drags. The action picks up after Chigusa hits an epic blade job and Dump is awesome working over it with a fork like a female Abdullah. The chain work is probably the highlight of the match for me. Loved seeing Dump dragging out Chigusa with the chain tied around her neck like a dog. Features maybe the best crowd brawling I've ever seen using the chain as a set-up. I kind of wish they had worked in a spot with Chigusa using the chain against Dump as I think that really could have made the place come unglued as opposed to the ref just tossing it out of the ring. I dug Chigusa's sell on getting hit with a trash can towards the end and there was also some good character work by Dump as she started to get frustrated with not putting Chigusa away. The finish with Dump getting her shoulder up at 2.9 only for the ref to count it at 3 is kind of a cop-out way to protect Dump, but it works as a bit of revenge for Dump abusing the ref before the match. Love Dump going berserk in the post-match. When she does get her haircut, Dump just sitting there as if she gives no fucks about it is a really good contrast to the 1985 match's haircut and could even kind of function as a social commentary, though I'm not gonna go down that path. Definitely a great match, but I feel having more of a Chigusa comeback could have really sent this into the stratosphere. Not sure if it reaches the emotional heights of the 1985 match, but still a strong contender. ****5/8
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Post by elliott on Sept 3, 2018 23:18:03 GMT -5
Just watched this again and I honestly might rank it #2 or #3 overall now. Jesus goddamn christ.
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Post by fightingspiritmag on May 17, 2020 9:40:59 GMT -5
Thirded. Chigusa displays some excellent babyface selling here, but to me this match is all about Dump being a badass. The pre-match with Dump going wild and bloodying the ref might the highlight of the whole thing. It slows down a bit after the bell rings, but the atmosphere is so incredible it never feels like it drags. The action picks up after Chigusa hits an epic blade job and Dump is awesome working over it with a fork like a female Abdullah. The chain work is probably the highlight of the match for me. Loved seeing Dump dragging out Chigusa with the chain tied around her neck like a dog. Features maybe the best crowd brawling I've ever seen using the chain as a set-up. I kind of wish they had worked in a spot with Chigusa using the chain against Dump as I think that really could have made the place come unglued as opposed to the ref just tossing it out of the ring. I dug Chigusa's sell on getting hit with a trash can towards the end and there was also some good character work by Dump as she started to get frustrated with not putting Chigusa away. The finish with Dump getting her shoulder up at 2.9 only for the ref to count it at 3 is kind of a cop-out way to protect Dump, but it works as a bit of revenge for Dump abusing the ref before the match. Love Dump going berserk in the post-match. When she does get her haircut, Dump just sitting there as if she gives no fucks about it is a really good contrast to the 1985 match's haircut and could even kind of function as a social commentary, though I'm not gonna go down that path. Definitely a great match, but I feel having more of a Chigusa comeback could have really sent this into the stratosphere. Not sure if it reaches the emotional heights of the 1985 match, but still a strong contender. ****5/8 Well said. With a more definitive finish this would be an all-time spectacle. Really, it still is. |
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Post by Cap on Jun 27, 2020 9:20:30 GMT -5
Finally watched this yesterday. I saw the 85 match a few years ago. This is more of a "match" and the previous one is more of an "event". Dump busting up the ref before the match even starts is fantastic stuff and really sets the tone. There are all timer aspects to this match. On first go, I felt let down by the finish a bit. I get it, but it just felt like Chingusa put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (literally) and I wanted a more definitive finish. However, I loved Dump just staring daggers through Chigusa while she gets shaved was awesome. Wonderful, violent spectacle all the same.
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Post by Kadaveri on Jul 7, 2020 0:30:30 GMT -5
This is definitely better than the 1985 hair match. The finish is perfectly definitive for me for what the story was. Chigusa doesn't need to physically destroy Dump or whatever to come out the victor in this, the important thing is she fought her heart out when all rational hope of victory was gone, but then fate gave her opening and she took it. This is probably a ridiculous comparision but it's kind of like Frodo going to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, an impossible task but it had to be done, and holding on to a Fool's Hope worked out because Gollum stole back the ring in Mount Doom then slipped and fell into the fire with it. Chigusa just kept going, and eventually Dump's hubris and years of abusing referees came back to bite her. A good bit is Dump would have won the damn match if she just hadn't attacked the referee that one last time! He was counting Chigusa out for a KO and she knocked him over for no reason and delayed his count even for Chigusa to jump up and hit the rollup.
One of the worst 5 Star Matches I've ever seen.
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Post by bossrock on Dec 29, 2020 21:14:52 GMT -5
A worthy sequel to their epic match the previous year. It was incredibly satisfying to see Nagayo get her win back after how devastating the first match was. However, I think it would have been better if Nagayo had gotten more offense in. Dump largely dominates here and it's very effective (especially with how great Nagayo's selling is), but instead of mounting an awesome comeback Nagayo just kinda steals a pin. Not to mention it looks more like a 2.9999999 count instead of a 3. Still a great match though and Nagayo's victory is ver cathartic.
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Post by tetsujin on Dec 30, 2020 6:28:20 GMT -5
I didn't like this one as much as the first Hair match. First of all, the entrances were both badass as fuck, Chigusa is ready for payback baby. Then the stupid referee stuff happens, and I'm all in for heels treating referees as garbage, but c'mon, Dump fucking headbutted him and busted him open. As much as randomly funny that whole segment was, it felt totally unnecesary because it made no fucking sense and didn't matter at all in the actual match (I know, the final 2.9 screwy pinfall, but I'd argue that's not something un the match's favour). Dump dominates too much and Chiggy wins by pure luck, and I think that's bullshit honestly. It's still Chigusa Nagayo, over as fuck, and it still a feel-good moment, but It wasn't earned at all, and for a momento +1 year in the making, that surely felt like a waste to me. Hell, Dump's gang even finished at the top in the post match, poor Chiggy can't take a break. This was a very poorly booked match, and sadly I can't get behind it as much as I want to.
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Post by makaiclub on Feb 27, 2021 9:07:03 GMT -5
Undeniably the better of the two hair matches. The atmosphere, like always, is tremendous. And a lot of it comes from Dump and Chigusa, not the crowd which is telling a lot about how serious and intense they played this. I love the angle after the match too. Dump is trying to run away after losing before Chigusa basically cals her back, presumably calling her a coward or something to that degree and Dump is like “fuck that, I'm going back to prove my honour” and takes the hair cut like a champ. Dump is tremendous in his match with her brawling. She has no regard for anyone, including the ref and treats Chigusa like a dog via a chain. And when Chigusa starts gushing blood, she is on the wound like a shark using anything she can to make it worse. Chigusa’s selling is immense in the process. No one sells damage like her and she uses the crowd to her advantage perfectly to come off more sympathetic and make the eventual sneaky win more cathartic. ****1/2
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Post by cactus on Nov 19, 2021 5:35:45 GMT -5
Much like their first hair match, this was total carnage. Dump is downright despicable and Nagayo is over like Hawk & Animal in Chicago. I wasn't a fan of Dump attacking the referee, only for the ref to get up and start defending himself as it made the wrestlers look weak. The referee got color before the bell even rang! Dump pulling out a god-damn sword was insane, but I thought it was way too over-the-top. Nagayo gets worked over for the majority of the match and her bleeding out made for a memorable visual. All the transitional spots were handled well, with Nagayo finding an opening and fighting with all her heart to keep Dump down. This had fantastic performances from both women and it made for a hellish bloodbath, despite my minor criticisms. ★★★★¼
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Post by puropotsy on Apr 10, 2023 17:13:43 GMT -5
Now this is where it’s at. A hate-filled grudge match with great gimmickry, great in-ring work and a great payoff. The 1985 match was not as good in-ring but the angle was all-time and enhanced the finish of this match exponentially. The roles of heel and babyface were performed perfectly.
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