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Post by lemming on Jan 9, 2022 10:46:56 GMT -5
I feel like I'm on a different planet when watching these top AEW matches. I like the company and wrestlers, Danielson in particular, but they never resonate as classics with me, and this one is included. It's a very good match - so my review is hardly negative - with good performances and a gross blade job by Bryan who blew Page's out of the water (who didn't wuss out on the blood either) but this didn't take me on the journey that I need to see this at a certain level. Cody Rhodes vs Dustin Rhodes did, this just didn't. Perhaps its because I'm cold on Hangman Page as a wrestler, champion, just in general but I'm more than open minded enough to see through that. Or that's what I'd like to believe. It's not like I hate him either. In fact, I found his performance to be really good with my favourite spot of the match being Page mocking Bryan, doing his star jumps while sporting bloody. Lots to love about the match but emotionally, this didn't hook me on a level that I to be ****1/2 or *****. This was pretty much my take for this one. Didn't hit me as an all time elite match but obviously good and yet more evidence for the 'I reckon Danielson is quite good at pro wrestling' file.
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Post by elliott on Jan 9, 2022 16:46:51 GMT -5
These AEW matches just aren't for me. More Bloodsport please!
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 9, 2022 19:31:26 GMT -5
I understand these matches aren’t for everybody but after years of NJPW, NXT and PWG matches getting called the greatest matches ever by the week, I’m ecstatic to have these matches tailor-built for me by Punk, Bryan, Darby, Kingston and the like.
I have had so many all-timers in the past 3 -4 months after being pretty dry for a while. And this one is at the top.
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Post by bossrock on Jan 9, 2022 19:58:35 GMT -5
It's going to be very difficult to unseat this as match of the year already. As much as I loved the first match, the increased violence and physicality as well as the more compact run time makes the sequel even better. Even without blood this would have ruled but it's really what took it over the top. A classic.
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Post by Cap on Jan 12, 2022 20:02:53 GMT -5
Well I was hoping for something on this level, but I’m pretty floored by what they were able to accomplish following their hour draw. While this had the advantage of building off of that match, it is still absolutely brilliant in its own right. Dragon starts the way he did last time, trying to play some mind games, control the pace and most importantly in this instance control the distance. He is even going over and doing jumping jacks in front of the judges at one point. Quickly though you learn that Page isn’t going to let him do that. On a rope running exchange Dragon bails and is hit almost immediately by Page who followed him with a dive. It was quick, very little time to set up, awesome stuff. I wouldn’t say they are necessarily right off to the races at this point, but Page doesn’t let Dragon control the pace or distance nearly as well and in turn we get a much quicker feeling match where they are really struggling between Dragon trying to bring page into the "deep waters" and Page trying to push the pace and keep dragon moving and fighting. Page goes for another dive and Dragon throws him into the railing arm first. This leads to dragon working over the arm to prevent the buckshot lariat. However, roughly half way through the match Page gets busted open and Dragon shifts his focus. He goes for the cut like a shark. He also uses this as an excuse to really open page up and make sure that blood is flowing. I like that Tony points out that this is a shift in strategy because I think it plays into the match well. Dragon almost feels like he abandons his game plan a bit and gets in a fist fight with a cowboy, veering dangerously close to playing Page's game. It isn’t long before he is busted up and they are throwing headbutts at each other like two dudes behind a dive bar. It never gets grimy-brawly, but once they are both busted there is more desperation in their movements. We are no longer in a place where Dragon can maintain his apparent original gameplan, the one he employed in the first match. The last third of the match also features a great payoff to much of what Dragon has been doing in AEW. He dives some of his finishers at Page and a few other submissions, but Page keeps powering out, kicking out, or getting to the ropes. The things that have worked in the past don’t work here. This is just a wonderful bit of storytelling that establishes/reinforces hierarchies in the company. Miro got a little of this treatment not long ago, but Dragon was able to find a way to put him away, not so with Page. I bit on a number of these, especially the flying knee. That had me jumping out of my seat. I really loved the spot where Page goes for the buckshot and Dragon passes out. It wasn’t necessarily original, until you realize it was a trap and Dragon goes for a rollup when Page comes back to get him. I read this as Dragon being able to duck it normally, but choosing to lure him in. This puts over the fact that Dragon is throwing out every trick he has up his sleeve. All of his submissions, all of his strikes, all of his actual tricks. Ultimately Page doesn’t just hit the buckshot, he hits it after a small series of offense. He has control at the end of the match. This isn’t a flash win. It is definitive but hard earned as can be. You get the feeling that Page is THE guy here in a way that doesn’t make me think we need a rematch now, but maybe one in 6-9 months would be justified and could be easily framed.
Overall, this was just masterful storytelling that combined grit and finesse in a way that is hard to find now days. The headbutt exchanges put a new twist on a somewhat tired or at least well-worn trope. All of the callbacks are used so well here, almost elegantly. They don’t’ feel contrived, but more like the wrestlers are drawing from their experiences. Dragon managed to make the champion Page feel like he was chasing and that is what Page does best. For his part, Page felt like a star to me here. He felt like a smart, walking tall babyface. He showed off a lot of his physical gifts here. I think people take for granted how strong he is for his size and how quickly he moves. Both men had high standards to live up to and I think they exceeded them. This is AEW’s best match to date and is probably one of the best 100 matches I have ever seen.
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Post by elliott on Jan 12, 2022 21:23:29 GMT -5
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 12, 2022 22:29:45 GMT -5
When I watch Bryan Danielson I never think of lesser wrestlers.
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Post by makaiclub on Jan 12, 2022 23:30:37 GMT -5
In fact, this very spot is done much better in Dragon Gate where both wrestlers land hard on the floor. It's more natural, at least
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 13, 2022 4:36:42 GMT -5
Bryan did the spot against Gulak and it was both uglier and much better.
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Post by elliott on Jan 13, 2022 10:34:12 GMT -5
So thats now a repeating trademark spot?
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Post by cactus on Jan 13, 2022 11:46:15 GMT -5
I'll upload it to the drive.
EDIT: never mind, beaten to the punch
I keep hearing about this drive and I'm intrigued. Is anyone able to hook me up?
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 13, 2022 15:55:59 GMT -5
So thats now a repeating trademark spot? I guess. This is the second match I’ve seen it in. I’m not familiar with the other instances.
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Post by kas on Jan 13, 2022 16:03:08 GMT -5
I don't recall ever seeing it in another Bryan match outside of those two
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Post by bossrock on Jan 13, 2022 19:54:50 GMT -5
Even if it's a tad too clean, it definitely looks better than Davey-Eddie. Neither guy took a bump to follow-up with the suplex.
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Post by Cap on Jan 13, 2022 20:06:10 GMT -5
Like virtually everything in wrestling, when it's done well, it is awesome. It was awesome here.
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