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Post by elliott on Oct 25, 2019 4:57:53 GMT -5
There's always discussion of the best finish or finishing stretch of a match (I just made a thread!), but I've never seen a discussion of the best beginning of a match. What is the best (some of the best) or your favorite (some of your favorite) beginnings of a match ever?
For example, I love Tenryu hitting Baba with a tope and taking him out at the start of the Tenryu & Hansen vs Baba & Kimura 11/89 tag league match. Another one is the tug of war at the beginning of Piper vs Valentine dog collar. What do yall like?
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Post by bossrock on Oct 25, 2019 18:37:07 GMT -5
Hansen assaulting a ringside attendant only to get thoroughly throttled by Kobashi in 7/29/1993 is probably the best in my book.
KUSHIDA hitting a plancha on Hiromu before the bell and nearly finishing him with a Hoverboard Lock right at the bell at Sakura Genesis 2017. Ditto on Ricky Marvin hitting a tope on KENTA on 10/15/2005 (both matches are less than 2 minutes and highly recommended viewing).
Okada's 2016 G1 had two really good ones: Almost finishing off Tanahashi in minutes with his normal Rainmaker prep formula and trying to force Ishii to wrestle his match only for Ishii to nearly beat him with a lariat.
Ishii and Shibata's charge and salvo in their G1 2013 match.
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Post by elliott on Oct 28, 2019 21:47:10 GMT -5
Hansen vs Kobashi 7/93 was one I had in mind. Really if you wanted you could include everything up until Kobashi dove face first into Hansen's boot.
Some other ones I love off the top of my head:
To keep it with Hansen, the start of Andre vs Hansen is another one of my favorites. Hansen charges at Andre as he's entering the ring so Andre just blasts him with the big boot.
Sticking with Andre, and I don't know why I keep bringing up Hogan/Andre related stuff, but the beginning of WrestleMania 3 still hits the spot. The staredown, Hogan's punches and failed bodyslam are fantastic.
Jerry Blackwell hitting a standing dropkick on Lawler right at the bell.
Murakami jumping Ishikawa at the bell.
Murakami jumping Iizuka before the bell.
Hokuto vs Kandori. The staredown & shit talk. The Hokuto forearm. Kandori's selling. Hokuto's quick promo. Kandori's arm breaking response. Its like Brando in the opening scene of Godfather. "OH FUCK THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING" Maybe my single favorite first act in a match ever. Either that or...
The first Wargames. Just the entire Dusty vs Arn segment is exactly perfect.
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Post by tetsujin on Oct 29, 2019 5:15:52 GMT -5
Ikeda with the most brutal punch ever to Ishikawa at the beginning of their FUTEN classic. Same with Hokuto and Kandori + trashtalking included.
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Post by fxnj on Oct 29, 2019 13:14:20 GMT -5
No love for LA Park lighting a Dr. Wagner T-Shirt on fire at the start of their 2013 match? Kind of iffy on the rest of the match but that start is legendary.
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Post by Cap on Oct 29, 2019 15:31:20 GMT -5
No love for LA Park lighting a Dr. Wagner T-Shirt on fire at the start of their 2013 match? Kind of iffy on the rest of the match but that start is legendary. I loved it!
I think the Hansen/Kobashi 91 match had a great start too.
Sangre Chicana getting beat senseless in front of his chain smoking mother in the front row by MS-1 is up there for me.
I also loved Hokuto dive-bombing Toyota in a black wedding dress to get things started in their classic.
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Post by bossrock on Oct 29, 2019 17:15:51 GMT -5
Just remembered the Hansen-Kobashi '91 match today. Absolutely up there and when compared to the start of the 7/93 match, really great story progression.
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Post by microstatistics on Oct 29, 2019 18:32:21 GMT -5
No love for LA Park lighting a Dr. Wagner T-Shirt on fire at the start of their 2013 match? Kind of iffy on the rest of the match but that start is legendary. I loved it!
I think the Hansen/Kobashi 91 match had a great start too.
Sangre Chicana getting beat senseless in front of his chain smoking mother in the front row by MS-1 is up there for me.
I also loved Hokuto dive-bombing Toyota in a black wedding dress to get things started in their classic.
This has to be in contention for #1. What a visual. I'd add that sumo-esque brawl between Taue and Hansen that starts off their CC94 classic. |
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Post by bossrock on Oct 31, 2019 20:02:15 GMT -5
Rey hiding under the ring and trying to pull a fast one over Kurt at Summerslam 2002 is another great one.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2020 1:54:15 GMT -5
Technically not the start since Lawler wasn't in the ring, but Terry Funk and Lance Russell going back and forth before The Empty Arena match is solid gold.
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Post by andylfc on Aug 13, 2020 6:44:02 GMT -5
I'm going with the Hokuto black wedding dress dive onto Toyota. I watched the match very recently and not only did it hold up extremely well for me, that spot just set the tone perfect for the rest of the bout. Visually it was very cool.
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Post by tetsujin on Jun 17, 2021 4:02:18 GMT -5
I just remembered what could be my personal favourite: Shield vs Wyatts. The Shield on the ring, the Wyatts on the apron, the crowd losing their fucking minds cheering for both teams, a lot of tension in the air while they stare, trashtalk and taunt at each other, and when it finally seems they're all going to their respective corners, Ambrose decides to jump on Bray and a wild brawl starts, with The Shield cleaning the house. This is all before the bell fucking rings, and it's one of the best "prepare to witness an instant classic" moments ever in a match.
Also, Taker throwing Mankind of the HIAC happens in like the first minute of the match or so, so I guess that's the obvious winner. In fact, Mankind climbing to the top at his entrance, forcing Taker to start the fight up there, is in itself a very badass moment.
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Post by elliott on Jun 17, 2021 9:05:18 GMT -5
Hell in a Cell is actually a really good pick.
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Post by mjp7798 on Jun 21, 2021 23:58:49 GMT -5
Kiyoshi Tamura bitchslapping Yoshihisa Yamamoto to set Korakuen alight and proceeding to engage in roughly 2.5 minutes of balls-to-the-wall grappling
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