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Post by Kadaveri on Sept 15, 2020 12:22:35 GMT -5
This isn't quite great enough to make my Top 100, but I thought I should nominate it as I still think it's a better match than a load of the 90s Joshi getting votes Plus this is the least famous of these matches so perhaps many people here just haven't seen it. Wasn't on YouTube till I uploaded it the other day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFV-mpEzTDY
Not as shockingly violent as their cagematch or as historic as the DreamRush match, this is Aja and Bull having a straightforward heavyweight title match. Aja's not as good as she would be in a couple of years but Bull looks like such an elite wrestler in this. Other than a bit of weirdness in the opening minute this a hard-hitting epic war, some serious clobbering with those lariats in particular. Within a few minutes Bull gets a cut above her eye after taking a beatdown on the outside, and she continues selling the injury all the way into the post match just holding her head. Bull also has one of the best versions of the "I can't believe they kicked out of that!" face in wrestling history here. Aja kicking out was actually a genuine shocker, she wasn't just going through the motions of reacting to a nearfall. Plus she followed it up by hitting a rarer finisher, adding to the gravity of it all. From watching AJW chronologically, this feels like the real moment Aja Kong became established as a top star.
****1/2
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Post by changoxtreme1982 on Sept 15, 2020 16:04:34 GMT -5
Seconded. Amazing, amazing match as only they can do it. BTW. Just watched the 2 steel cage classics from 1990, followed by this one and the one that followed on November of that same year. All of these matches are all-time classics in my view and the action and storytelling between them are absolutely top of the line. Definitely one of my top 10 greatest Women's Wrestling rivalries of all time.
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Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2020 17:00:03 GMT -5
I didn't nominate this match already? One of the 10 greatest rivalries in wrestling history.
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Post by KB8 on Sept 18, 2020 8:34:58 GMT -5
I don't know if I liked this more or less than the cage match. It was certainly different though, and I was interested to see how they'd work a straight singles match at a point where Aja was a little closer to claiming the throne and Bull was a little closer to relinquishing it. Nakano was really good here as 1994 Stan Hansen, where she probably knew deep down that her time on top was limited but she'd be fucked if she was going to accept it on the night. Aja borderline mauled her for about half of this and there were a few close-ups of a bloody Bull looking very "why am I actually doing this again?" Even when Bull makes her comeback there's a sense that Aja can swing momentum again quickly. There's one part where Bull's laying into her and Aja seems to recognise that she's the heir apparent, lashes out with a wild attempt at a backfist, and as Bull steps back to avoid it there's a ripple of shock that runs through the place. The fact Bull has to take a second just to register what happened gives Aja the chance to follow up again and this time she actually connects with it (and about four more after that). The sequence was significant in that it never felt like your typical response from Aja. It didn't come off like a hope spot where she'd try and fire back before being cut off again, which it would have a year earlier. This time it felt sort of dismissive, like that beating Nakano was putting on Aja really didn't have the same mustard behind it that it once had. I thought the finishing run was strong and largely paced well, and if there was one thing they knocked out the park it was THE big kickout and Bull's subsequent reaction. The match as a whole wasn't super tight, but they absolutely nailed the last few minutes and the finish was great.
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Post by Cap on Dec 13, 2020 17:01:03 GMT -5
I just finished this match and think it is awesome. At least ****1/2. Not a real contender for my list, but also a match that is 100% worth considering and part of a feud that is - as Elliott said - probably top 10
One thing... Was Bull going for a fucking top rope canadian destroyer in this? It could just be a sunset bomb and maybe it is why it didn't work, but it seemed like she jumped at an angle shooting for a destroyer.
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Post by elliott on Dec 13, 2020 17:25:48 GMT -5
Its bonkers that this is at best the 3rd best singles match Bull and Aja had together.
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Post by mvz on Mar 7, 2021 21:21:49 GMT -5
I thought this was great! This had a big fight feel, Bull came across as really tough thanks to her long term selling. As noted, i wasn’t crazy about their earlier cage match but Kong felt more compete and effective. The back fists and trash can shots were more effective because they were somewhat limited. We’ll see what the future holds but I do find it interesting that I liked this classic style as opposed to the cage match. We’ll see what happens later this year!
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Post by Kadaveri on Apr 22, 2021 23:10:46 GMT -5
One thing... Was Bull going for a fucking top rope canadian destroyer in this? It could just be a sunset bomb and maybe it is why it didn't work, but it seemed like she jumped at an angle shooting for a destroyer. I'd never really paid attention to this moment before as it happens really quickly... But this pretty fucking nuts:
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Post by elliott on Apr 23, 2021 0:03:14 GMT -5
Oof!
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