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Post by elliott on Sept 9, 2019 3:26:09 GMT -5
Ok pretty much everyone crapped on the Miracle Violence Connection, but I'm wondering what people think of Williams overall? I also needed a place to pimp this Hansen vs Williams 4/14/92 match I just watched. I don't ordinarily seek out Dr Death matches but I randomly saw this and clicked on it and the first few minutes with the headbutts hooked me. This doesn't even have a thread at PWO but it ruled. Just two hosses killing each other. Williams doesn't hit the OK Stampede, but he crushes Hansen with a powerslam & the gut-wrench powerbomb. Hansen sells like a fucking champ and hits hope spots like the Hansen drop kick and a fucking Lou Thesz press. Hansen even throws a fucking axe kick to Williams draped over the middle rope. This was awesome. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp8hlOQFkwE |
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Post by bossrock on Sept 9, 2019 5:12:57 GMT -5
Love the finish.
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Post by elliott on Sept 9, 2019 18:24:27 GMT -5
Finish of that match or Dr Death's Back drop driver? Both would make sense  I've literally never been a fan of the Oklahoma Stampede. Or running powerslams in general. I feel like they rarely end up looking good while a traditional powerslam usually looks fucking great. Williams was a really awesome offensive wrestler at his peak in mid 90s AJPW. |
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Post by elliott on Sept 10, 2019 4:56:03 GMT -5
Watched two more Williams vs Hansen matches from 6/90 & 4/94 respectively. Both were pretty much the definition of "good not great." Hansen was better in both matches but Williams was fine. The 92 match was definitely the best. The finish of 6/90 (lariat reverse of OK stampede) was fucking spectacular.
Also watched the 4/96 Akira Taue match and it was spectacular. If someone said it was the best Taue singles match I wouldn't argue much against it. Its not nominated but people should watch it ASAP.
Williams is a weird one. He has some great high points, but he feels like more potential than reality outside of a 2ish year stretch. He's like a combo of Windham & Bigelow. At his best he was an incredible offensive wrestler and a surprisingly good bumper. He was good against fellow big dudes. His rivalry with Gordy in Mid-South is his best singles rival, his singles matches with Taue & Kobashi are probably his best singles matches and the Hansen matches are all good.
Dr Death Matches to Watch:
Williams & Dibiase vs Roberts & Barbarian 7/14/85
Williams vs Buzz Sawyer 1/28/86
Williams vs Gordy 6/22/86
Williams vs Gordy 9/15/86
Williams vs Gordy 9/28/86
Williams vs Gordy 12/26/86
Williams vs Gordy 12/28/86
Williams vs Dick Murdoch 6/13/87
MVC vs Hansen & Spivey 4/18/91
MVC vs Steiners 6/16/92
MVC vs Windham & Rhodes 10/3/92
MVC vs Jumbo & Taue 10/7/92
MVC vs Misawa & Kawada 1/30/93
Williams vs Kobashi 8/31/93
Williams vs MIsawa 9/3/93
Williams & Bossman vs Misawa & Kobashi 12/1/93
Williams vs Kawada 3/29/94
Williams vs Kawada 4/16/94
Williams vs Kobashi 4/15/94
Williams & Ace vs Misawa & Kobashi 7/22/94
Williams vs Misawa 7/28/94
Williams vs Kobashi 9/3/94
Williams & Ace vs Misawa & Kobashi 3/4/95
Williams vs Akira Taue 4/20/96
Williams & Ace vs Misawa & Akiyama 6/7/96
Williams & Ace vs Misawa & Akiyama 9/5/96
Williams & Ace vs Kawada & Taue 11/22/96
Williams & Ace vs Misawa & Akiyama 11/16/96
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Post by bossrock on Sept 10, 2019 17:38:41 GMT -5
The 5/6/90 match with Hansen is indeed terrific. Williams is such a monster and yet Hansen turns in a pretty awesome selling performance. He's practically an underdog babyface.
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Post by elliott on Sept 14, 2019 15:38:23 GMT -5
I watched 2 1/2 of the 3 big Dr Death vs AJPW Pillars matches last night and the Misawa match knocked my socks off to the point where I might call it a top 3 Misawa singles match. The Kobashi match was great but the finish was so awful it really hurts the match for me. The Kawada match made me fall asleep on the couch.
I'd encourage everyone to watch Williams vs Kobashi 8/93, vs Kawada 4/16/94, vs Misawa 7/94 and vs Taue 4/96 all in a row. Not only to revisit Dr Death's peak as a worker, but also to see how each of the 4 pillars approached working a match in their prime against the same opponent also in their prime who isn't just another one of the pillars.
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Post by bossrock on Sept 14, 2019 15:53:32 GMT -5
Kobashi was always my favorite opponent of his. The Misawa title change is great and I recommended the '97 match in the Misawa thread. I agree the Kawada TC match isn't terrific but I sort of appreciate them taking a more conservative approach.
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Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2019 2:50:01 GMT -5
The Kawada match that put me to sleep was the Champion Carnival final. I'm not looking for conservative out of Dr Death. That's not where he excels.
I haven't revisited the 94 Kobashi match recently and it is I match I dread rewatching. Their 93 match is great up until the ridiculous finish. They definitely match up really well and have chemistry but booking always hurt their matches for me.
I'd like to watch more matches with Misawa.
At this point, Terry Gordy is probably my favorite Williams opponent from Mid South. Which is kinda perfect.
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Post by KB8 on Sept 15, 2019 5:53:48 GMT -5
I haven't watched the Kawada, Kobashi or Misawa matches vs Doc in at least ten years, but I watched the Taue match from '96 recently enough to say with confidence that it is indeed awesome. Doc was an absolute machine in it and I love how you could see the obvious relief in Taue's face any time he was able to counter one of his big bombs down the stretch.
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Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2019 22:54:46 GMT -5
Watched the 93 and 97 Misawa matches and enjoyed both quite a bit. The 93 one was especially great.
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