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Low-Ki
Aug 9, 2019 15:29:27 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Aug 9, 2019 15:29:27 GMT -5
When I was a huge indy fan watching everything I could in the 2000-03 era, Low-Ki was by far my favorite wrestler on the independent scene. His unique style, presence and charisma really stood out at that time and I was surprised how much of that stuff holds up when I watched a lot of it during GWE. Ki's feud with Danielson is to this day my favorite indy wrestling feud and on the short list of best in-ring US rivalries of the past 30 years. Beyond that, Ki had great stuff with Eddy, Red, Xavier, Homicide, Monsta Mack, etc in that early era. I have a lot of gaps post 2003, but off the top of my head I remember really digging matches he had against Necro, Chris Hero and that Kobashi/Joe tag match. I thought his 2015 match with Rey Jr might be the best match I've seen Rey Jr have. He really should have been Rey's top cruiserweight rival of the 2000s.
I actually think there's an alternate universe where Low-Ki turned into the Rey Jr of his generation in terms of stardom and influence.
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Low-Ki
Aug 9, 2019 16:59:47 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by KB8 on Aug 9, 2019 16:59:47 GMT -5
That June 2002 JAPW match with Danielson is like top 75 material to me. Some of the best mat wrestling I've seen in a US match.
The Joe/Lethal v Ki/Homicide tag from Punk: The Final Chapter is also fucking bonkers and maybe my favourite tag in ROH history.
He still feels like a guy with a ton of stuff I haven't gotten around to yet. He was one of the first indy guys I really checked out as well.
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Low-Ki
Aug 9, 2019 17:56:56 GMT -5
Post by bossrock on Aug 9, 2019 17:56:56 GMT -5
I'd seen some of Ki's stuff in TNA but visiting his earlier 2000's work for this project really showed me how he was not only one of the best in the world, but one of if not THE most influential wrestler of the 2000's. I can easily see a guy like Kyle O'Reilly being a fan of Ki back in the day.
The Danielson matches are indeed pretty spectacular and rather ahead of their time for 2002 U.S. wrestling. The ROH round-robin match made my top 100 and the submission match as well as the KENTA Final Battle matches are at least top 200 material.
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Low-Ki
Aug 16, 2019 6:44:25 GMT -5
Post by Cap on Aug 16, 2019 6:44:25 GMT -5
I would say if any one match was responsible for launching me into this deep dork level of wrestling fandom it would be Ki vs Danielson at RRC. I honestly won't be surprised if it winds up being my top rated ROH match next time around. It trended up and Danielson/Nigel trended down a bit. He was also underrated in terms of making Samoa Joe a star before he won the title. Joe vs Ki was crucial in making Joe a credible champion.
To me, Danielson was always a better wrestler, but Ki was so unique. I once heard someone compare him to Sabu as ECW was breaking out, the unique all together different character that you couldn't take your eyes of of and who was really setting the tone for a movement in wrestling. I believe that. Ki was ahead of the game in terms of style and really helped shape the ethos of a boom period in indie wrestling, particularly in ROH.
Part of me wishes he hadn't burned so many bridges, that he just played nicer. We would have gotten a lot more from Ki. On the other hand. I am not sure Ki would be Ki if he did. Part of the appeal of Low Ki is his believably. He just is that dude and you know it.
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Low-Ki
Aug 30, 2019 17:05:44 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Aug 30, 2019 17:05:44 GMT -5
The Sabu comparison makes sense. Not just in the uniqueness factor in the ring, but also the excitement he created among hardcore fans at the time. I think Sabu probably ended up being more influential, but Ki the better wrestler (and I usually enjoy Sabu).
I really think the 2000-01 matches with Homicide was one of the better regular match ups of that time period.
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