Schneider Comps!
Jan 20, 2022 15:33:04 GMT -5
Post by elliott on Jan 20, 2022 15:33:04 GMT -5
Started on a new project where I'm gonna watch all of the Schneider Comps. I had a bunch of them back in the day and they were awesome. There's some matches I'm dreading and some matches that I'm excited about and some I have no idea what to expect. These are a fun time capsule. I'm including Phil's original comments and my comments on the matches are in bold.
Schneider comp 1
(0:00:00) New Japan - Ultimo Dragon vs. Jushin Liger (WCW/Japan Supershow - 1/4/93)
This match is the first time these two great wrestlers ever met. It opens with great mat wrestling and then some great high flying moves including a somersault cannonball from the top rope to the floor by Liger, a plancha from the top to the seats by Dragon.
Ah yes, Ultimo Dragon. The wrestler you’d most associate with a Schneider comp. God and what a boring match. Just a typical 90s junior match with a meaningless time killing first half and then spots & nearfalls. There are some great spots & Ultimo fucks up a couple too. Not a great start.
(0:25:42) World Class - Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs. Terry Gordy/Buddy Roberts (Badstreet 2/12/88?)
A Freebird Death Match it is great brawl with an especially nasty piledriver from Gordy. A great feud and a boss match.
Now we’re talking. No date here so we’re gonna say it’s the 2/12/88 Badstreet Match. Classic brawl. The sort of over the top violence and uncooperative feel you want from a heated brawl. Awesome crowd, super pace, they’re whipping each other in the face with belts and shit. This rules. Everything you want from Von Erichs vs Freebirds
(0:39:20) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Bobby Eaton (WCW Pro - 9/90)
(0:49:46) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Ric Flair (WCW Sat Night - 9/90)
(1:00:43) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Arn Anderson (WCW Main Event - 9/90)
These three matches are Gauntlet matches. Scott wrestled one on WCW Pro, one on Saturday Night, and one on The Main Event all three are good matches and it includes the first time Steiner wrestled Flair.
Fun matches. Steiner really could have been pushed as a singles star so much quicker. He’s crazy over here. The Eaton match is probably the best and the Flair match the worst. Anytime Flair has to do something outside of his comfort zone he really seems to struggle. But this was neat. Fun little angle.
(1:10:12) ECW - Cactus Jack Interview
This is the one of the best pro wrestling interviews I have ever seen. Cactus talks about the John Stosell 20/20 piece, losing his ear and about how the fans laugh at Tommy Dreamer and how Tommy's hardcore image is his fault and that because of it his place in eternity is insecure. Incredible stuff.
I’m not watching this. These are great though.
(1:18:36) WCW - Cactus Jack vs. Sting
This is a Submit or Surrender match and is a great brawl. With some nasty bumps by Cactus including bouncing a chair off the ropes back into his head.
This is a ton of fun. Great chemistry for these two. Excellent sort of pre-Attitude brawl where they’re using plunder and its clearly a fight, but its not like the Freebirds/Von Erichs match where they really push the intensity a step further. This is like a really awesome corporate wrestling national TV brawl.
(1:32:58) All Japan – Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue vs. Misahira Misawa/Kenta Kobashi
The beginning of this match is clipped and then the last half hour is shown in it's entirety. These four consistently put on four star + matches and this one is no exception.
Ah darn, no date.
(1:55:33) Global - Jerry Lynn vs. Lightning Kid (12/27/91)
This is a two out of three falls match hold vs. hold, Piledriver vs. Sleeper for the Global Light Heavyweight title. Good high flying by both - possibly the best match ever in Global. The very end is cut. Voted one of the Top US Indy Matches of the 90s.
Terrific match that still looks great. Waltman really was a prodigy. Some great spots but a lot of simple & well executed storytelling as well. Well worth revisiting.
(2:10:40) ECW - Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis (2 out 3 Falls - 10/7/95)
This is the best of the three matches these two great wrestlers held in ECW. Amazing stuff from both, a hurricanrana from the apron to the floor and a springboard 1 and 1/2 Thez press into the barrier by Misterio, a huge leg drop through a table by Psicosis. Wrestling Observer gave this match ****3/4 stars. Voted one of ECW's Top Matches of the 90s.
Fantastic match. Just tons of insane spots from both guys. Exciting because Psicosis gets a rare win. Probably their 3rd best match together but still an all timer.
(2:28:16) WCW - Chris Benoit vs. Brad Armstrong (Clash of the Champions XXII - 1/13/93)
This is from the Clash of Champions during Benoit's first trip through WCW. Great work by both including an amazing clothesline from the second rope to the ring apron.
(2:39:03) New Japan - Chris Benoit vs. Koji Kanemoto
This is the last 8 minutes of an 11 minute match. Has a hot ending sequence.
I’m not watching the Benoit matches.
(2:48:18) New Japan - Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Liger (1/4/96)
This is from the Tokyo Dome show and is a great match. With Liger doing an incredible twisting press to win the IWGP title back. (JIP)
Yuck. I was sort of dreading this and then was pleasantly surprised at how well it was turning out and then Koji just egregiously blows everything off. “Technically great” probably. But also your typical juniors match. Starts off hot with some spots. Then we go to the same time killing mat work you see in juniors matches. Then a hot finishing stretch with lots of moves. This was too many moves and kickouts and it all felt totally meaningless by the end. No thanks.
(3:02:27) New Japan - Big Van Vader vs. Antonio Inoki (1/4/96)
A surprisingly good match from the Dome. Inoki takes a pounding and both juice. This is the best match on the card believe it or not. People may call Inoki the Japanese Hulk Hogan but Hulk never worked a match this good in his pitiful career.
Hulk Hogan’s “pitiful” career is some funny shit. I’ve seen this so many times over the years and I feel like it just gets better and better. One of my all time favorites.
(3:21:50) UWFi - Nobahiro Takada vs. Super Vader (8/18/94 - Pro Wrestling World Tourney Finals)
This match is for the UWFI title and Lou Thez's old World Title belt. It has a great atmosphere and feel. A DVDVR 100 match.
Maybe the best or 2nd best match either guy ever had. Just a classic. Not as awesome when they’re on the mat but when they’re standing its just incredible. The selling and drama is just fantastic. Amazing must see match.
(3:59:13) NWA - Great Muta vs. Arn Anderson
This is for Muta's NWA TV Title and is a super match during Muta's NWA run.
This was good but ultimately pretty forgettable I think.
(4:13:31) WCW - Midnight Express vs. Steiner Brothers (9/15/90 maybe)
A match for the U.S tag belts between two of the best teams in the sports history.
Good match. I think its 9/15/90. Hot crowd. Scott looks awesome. Midnights are Midnights. Can’t complain with this matchup. The sort of wrestling I could watch all day.
(4:26:36) New Japan - Tiger Mask vs. Kuniyaki Kobyashi (NJPW – 10/26/82)
(4:45:05) New Japan - Tiger Mask vs. Kuniyaki Kobyashi NJPW – 11/4/82)
Two good matches for the WWF Jr. Heavyweight title with the first ending with Kobyashi ripping off Tiger Mask's mask. Both matches have amazing moves from Tiger Mask.
Not sure on the dates but I think I got them. First match is really very good. Some dull bits when they’re doing mat work but even some of that is good too. Sayama looks…really damn good. Interesting.
Shit the second one was awesome. Starts super hot. Tempers are flared from the beginning after the finish of their last match and this has a nice edge to it for a flashy juniors match. Terrific match. These are worth your time for sure.
(5:11:42) WCW - Big Van Vader/Rick Rude vs. Ron Simmons/Sting (WCW 12/5/92)
Good tag team match from WCW Saturday night which amazingly does not have a Dusty Finish.
Fine match. Vader takes a ridiculously over the top bump off a drop kick. Pretty forgettable though to be honest.
(5:27:23) WWF - Ric Flair vs. Shawn Micheals (Superstars - 1991)
The only time these two ever wrestled . A good match from back when Michels was a Rocker. You can see his star power in this match which included a nasty missed plancha.
This was a rough watch. Flair by numbers at its absolute worst. He gives Shawn the majority of the match including the dreaded back drop & press slam off the top. Out of context this is fine or whatever. But maybe Flair shouldn’t have given so much of a match to a Rocker so soon after his debut? The inability to change up at all is so frustrating.
(5:40:34) All Japan Women - Kyoko Inoue vs. Aja Kong (Calling this 8/30/96 for lack of a date)
Super match between two of AJW's best.
This left me flat for the first 2/3 or so of the match because it just felt kinda solid but from Aja’s tope on this is straight fire and turns into a terrific match.
(6:01:52) All Japan Women - Manami Toyota vs. Aja Kong (Based on the WON rating, we’ll call it AJW – 3/26/95)
Wild match between two of the top joshi puroresu stars. Observer rated this match ****1/2 stars.
Big Moment that I think is a very good match that is kinda hurt by the fact that they top it twice with a 9 month stretch. But you can never go wrong with these two.
(6:30:11) New Japan - Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Ohtani
The last 3 minutes of this match, but it has high spots galore.
No date and just the last 3 minutes. Not worth figuring out what it is. Its Liger vs Ohtani though so its guaranteed to be great.
(6:33:55) WCW - Sting/Nikita Koloff/Steiners vs. Big Van Vader/Super Invader/Jake Robets/Ric Rude (WCW – 9/2/92)
This is an elimination match which has great work from start to finish. Rick Steiner does some amazing suplexes on Vader.
Oh this was a blast. Honestly the Rick Steiner vs Vader parts went back and forth for me. There were some amazing spots and then they’d kinda just get up and move to the next one. Vader goes way up over the top for Steiner but Steiner totally sandbags a chokeslam. But then the Steiners try to give goddamn Vader a doomsday device and damn near kill everyone in the process. Aside with some selling quibbles this is a really fun all action high impact match with good storytelling.
(6:54:47) New Japan - Sting vs. Kensuke Sasaki (11/13/95)
This is the match where Sasaki wins the U.S. title. A better match then their one at Starcade.
I got nervous when I saw this video was 24 minutes. But there’s entrances, national anthem Bischoff is there with his serious face on so they’re treating this like a really big deal. And its pretty ok. Some big spots but I don’t think it was very interesting between the big spots. Sting blows a DDT. Akira Hokuto on commentary is the highlight of the match.
(7:10:29) ECW - Terry & Dory Funk vs. Public Enemy (No Rope Barbed Wire Death Match – ECW Heatwave – 7/16/94)
A bloody barbed wire match that ends with the mutants throwing chairs into the ring burying P.E under a sea of chairs. For two 50 year old men the Funks can sure work.
I mean its cool we get a Terry match on the first comp but goddamn its with Dory & against Public Enemy. Ugh. I’ve seen this but don’t remember what I thought about it. So lets see. Its pretty good. Violent and hard hitting. Chair throwing from the crowd feels organic as opposed to later ones. Not the sort of take 3 minutes to set up a spot, do the spot sort of brawl. More of the punch each other in the face and try to murder each other with barbed wire sort of brawl. Fun Stuff.
(7:32:30) New Japan - Kenji Muto vs. Tenzan (Calling it NJPW – 6/14/95)
This is a good match for the IWGP title. All the typical Muto highspots.
Christ, the video I found is almost 25minutes long. I need the nice 10min Schneider cut. Well damn another really pleasant surprise. Once you get through the typical 90s Muto mat work this really picks up and turns into an awesome match. Muto looks really good. Good stuff.
(7:42:19) WCW - Z-Man/Brad Armstrong vs. Cactus Jack/Abdullah The Butcher (WCW - 1/18/92)
A good match from Sat Night with a post match brawl between Abdullah and Cactus.
This OPENS with a Brad Armstrong monkey flipping Abdullah the Butcher on the floor. So we’re starting at 5 stars I see. Really though this is a fun short quick TV brawl. Good work while its happening & the sort of match I’ll always enjoy but not exactly memorable.
(7:49:13) New Japan - Sabu vs. Gran Hamada (11/25/93) (I think the date is 11/23/95)
A good match with cool moves from both Hamada and the usual Sabu Insanity. Has Sabu winning the UWA Jr. title.
Ok match. Sort of typical juniors. Forgettable. Needed to be more of a Sabu match and less of a Hamada match.
Fun Comp overall. Some great matches, some surprises and only a couple that don't look good these days. Looking forward to the next one!
Schneider comp 1
(0:00:00) New Japan - Ultimo Dragon vs. Jushin Liger (WCW/Japan Supershow - 1/4/93)
This match is the first time these two great wrestlers ever met. It opens with great mat wrestling and then some great high flying moves including a somersault cannonball from the top rope to the floor by Liger, a plancha from the top to the seats by Dragon.
Ah yes, Ultimo Dragon. The wrestler you’d most associate with a Schneider comp. God and what a boring match. Just a typical 90s junior match with a meaningless time killing first half and then spots & nearfalls. There are some great spots & Ultimo fucks up a couple too. Not a great start.
(0:25:42) World Class - Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs. Terry Gordy/Buddy Roberts (Badstreet 2/12/88?)
A Freebird Death Match it is great brawl with an especially nasty piledriver from Gordy. A great feud and a boss match.
Now we’re talking. No date here so we’re gonna say it’s the 2/12/88 Badstreet Match. Classic brawl. The sort of over the top violence and uncooperative feel you want from a heated brawl. Awesome crowd, super pace, they’re whipping each other in the face with belts and shit. This rules. Everything you want from Von Erichs vs Freebirds
(0:39:20) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Bobby Eaton (WCW Pro - 9/90)
(0:49:46) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Ric Flair (WCW Sat Night - 9/90)
(1:00:43) WCW - Scott Steiner vs. Arn Anderson (WCW Main Event - 9/90)
These three matches are Gauntlet matches. Scott wrestled one on WCW Pro, one on Saturday Night, and one on The Main Event all three are good matches and it includes the first time Steiner wrestled Flair.
Fun matches. Steiner really could have been pushed as a singles star so much quicker. He’s crazy over here. The Eaton match is probably the best and the Flair match the worst. Anytime Flair has to do something outside of his comfort zone he really seems to struggle. But this was neat. Fun little angle.
(1:10:12) ECW - Cactus Jack Interview
This is the one of the best pro wrestling interviews I have ever seen. Cactus talks about the John Stosell 20/20 piece, losing his ear and about how the fans laugh at Tommy Dreamer and how Tommy's hardcore image is his fault and that because of it his place in eternity is insecure. Incredible stuff.
I’m not watching this. These are great though.
(1:18:36) WCW - Cactus Jack vs. Sting
This is a Submit or Surrender match and is a great brawl. With some nasty bumps by Cactus including bouncing a chair off the ropes back into his head.
This is a ton of fun. Great chemistry for these two. Excellent sort of pre-Attitude brawl where they’re using plunder and its clearly a fight, but its not like the Freebirds/Von Erichs match where they really push the intensity a step further. This is like a really awesome corporate wrestling national TV brawl.
(1:32:58) All Japan – Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue vs. Misahira Misawa/Kenta Kobashi
The beginning of this match is clipped and then the last half hour is shown in it's entirety. These four consistently put on four star + matches and this one is no exception.
Ah darn, no date.
(1:55:33) Global - Jerry Lynn vs. Lightning Kid (12/27/91)
This is a two out of three falls match hold vs. hold, Piledriver vs. Sleeper for the Global Light Heavyweight title. Good high flying by both - possibly the best match ever in Global. The very end is cut. Voted one of the Top US Indy Matches of the 90s.
Terrific match that still looks great. Waltman really was a prodigy. Some great spots but a lot of simple & well executed storytelling as well. Well worth revisiting.
(2:10:40) ECW - Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis (2 out 3 Falls - 10/7/95)
This is the best of the three matches these two great wrestlers held in ECW. Amazing stuff from both, a hurricanrana from the apron to the floor and a springboard 1 and 1/2 Thez press into the barrier by Misterio, a huge leg drop through a table by Psicosis. Wrestling Observer gave this match ****3/4 stars. Voted one of ECW's Top Matches of the 90s.
Fantastic match. Just tons of insane spots from both guys. Exciting because Psicosis gets a rare win. Probably their 3rd best match together but still an all timer.
(2:28:16) WCW - Chris Benoit vs. Brad Armstrong (Clash of the Champions XXII - 1/13/93)
This is from the Clash of Champions during Benoit's first trip through WCW. Great work by both including an amazing clothesline from the second rope to the ring apron.
(2:39:03) New Japan - Chris Benoit vs. Koji Kanemoto
This is the last 8 minutes of an 11 minute match. Has a hot ending sequence.
I’m not watching the Benoit matches.
(2:48:18) New Japan - Koji Kanemoto vs. Jushin Liger (1/4/96)
This is from the Tokyo Dome show and is a great match. With Liger doing an incredible twisting press to win the IWGP title back. (JIP)
Yuck. I was sort of dreading this and then was pleasantly surprised at how well it was turning out and then Koji just egregiously blows everything off. “Technically great” probably. But also your typical juniors match. Starts off hot with some spots. Then we go to the same time killing mat work you see in juniors matches. Then a hot finishing stretch with lots of moves. This was too many moves and kickouts and it all felt totally meaningless by the end. No thanks.
(3:02:27) New Japan - Big Van Vader vs. Antonio Inoki (1/4/96)
A surprisingly good match from the Dome. Inoki takes a pounding and both juice. This is the best match on the card believe it or not. People may call Inoki the Japanese Hulk Hogan but Hulk never worked a match this good in his pitiful career.
Hulk Hogan’s “pitiful” career is some funny shit. I’ve seen this so many times over the years and I feel like it just gets better and better. One of my all time favorites.
(3:21:50) UWFi - Nobahiro Takada vs. Super Vader (8/18/94 - Pro Wrestling World Tourney Finals)
This match is for the UWFI title and Lou Thez's old World Title belt. It has a great atmosphere and feel. A DVDVR 100 match.
Maybe the best or 2nd best match either guy ever had. Just a classic. Not as awesome when they’re on the mat but when they’re standing its just incredible. The selling and drama is just fantastic. Amazing must see match.
(3:59:13) NWA - Great Muta vs. Arn Anderson
This is for Muta's NWA TV Title and is a super match during Muta's NWA run.
This was good but ultimately pretty forgettable I think.
(4:13:31) WCW - Midnight Express vs. Steiner Brothers (9/15/90 maybe)
A match for the U.S tag belts between two of the best teams in the sports history.
Good match. I think its 9/15/90. Hot crowd. Scott looks awesome. Midnights are Midnights. Can’t complain with this matchup. The sort of wrestling I could watch all day.
(4:26:36) New Japan - Tiger Mask vs. Kuniyaki Kobyashi (NJPW – 10/26/82)
(4:45:05) New Japan - Tiger Mask vs. Kuniyaki Kobyashi NJPW – 11/4/82)
Two good matches for the WWF Jr. Heavyweight title with the first ending with Kobyashi ripping off Tiger Mask's mask. Both matches have amazing moves from Tiger Mask.
Not sure on the dates but I think I got them. First match is really very good. Some dull bits when they’re doing mat work but even some of that is good too. Sayama looks…really damn good. Interesting.
Shit the second one was awesome. Starts super hot. Tempers are flared from the beginning after the finish of their last match and this has a nice edge to it for a flashy juniors match. Terrific match. These are worth your time for sure.
(5:11:42) WCW - Big Van Vader/Rick Rude vs. Ron Simmons/Sting (WCW 12/5/92)
Good tag team match from WCW Saturday night which amazingly does not have a Dusty Finish.
Fine match. Vader takes a ridiculously over the top bump off a drop kick. Pretty forgettable though to be honest.
(5:27:23) WWF - Ric Flair vs. Shawn Micheals (Superstars - 1991)
The only time these two ever wrestled . A good match from back when Michels was a Rocker. You can see his star power in this match which included a nasty missed plancha.
This was a rough watch. Flair by numbers at its absolute worst. He gives Shawn the majority of the match including the dreaded back drop & press slam off the top. Out of context this is fine or whatever. But maybe Flair shouldn’t have given so much of a match to a Rocker so soon after his debut? The inability to change up at all is so frustrating.
(5:40:34) All Japan Women - Kyoko Inoue vs. Aja Kong (Calling this 8/30/96 for lack of a date)
Super match between two of AJW's best.
This left me flat for the first 2/3 or so of the match because it just felt kinda solid but from Aja’s tope on this is straight fire and turns into a terrific match.
(6:01:52) All Japan Women - Manami Toyota vs. Aja Kong (Based on the WON rating, we’ll call it AJW – 3/26/95)
Wild match between two of the top joshi puroresu stars. Observer rated this match ****1/2 stars.
Big Moment that I think is a very good match that is kinda hurt by the fact that they top it twice with a 9 month stretch. But you can never go wrong with these two.
(6:30:11) New Japan - Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Ohtani
The last 3 minutes of this match, but it has high spots galore.
No date and just the last 3 minutes. Not worth figuring out what it is. Its Liger vs Ohtani though so its guaranteed to be great.
(6:33:55) WCW - Sting/Nikita Koloff/Steiners vs. Big Van Vader/Super Invader/Jake Robets/Ric Rude (WCW – 9/2/92)
This is an elimination match which has great work from start to finish. Rick Steiner does some amazing suplexes on Vader.
Oh this was a blast. Honestly the Rick Steiner vs Vader parts went back and forth for me. There were some amazing spots and then they’d kinda just get up and move to the next one. Vader goes way up over the top for Steiner but Steiner totally sandbags a chokeslam. But then the Steiners try to give goddamn Vader a doomsday device and damn near kill everyone in the process. Aside with some selling quibbles this is a really fun all action high impact match with good storytelling.
(6:54:47) New Japan - Sting vs. Kensuke Sasaki (11/13/95)
This is the match where Sasaki wins the U.S. title. A better match then their one at Starcade.
I got nervous when I saw this video was 24 minutes. But there’s entrances, national anthem Bischoff is there with his serious face on so they’re treating this like a really big deal. And its pretty ok. Some big spots but I don’t think it was very interesting between the big spots. Sting blows a DDT. Akira Hokuto on commentary is the highlight of the match.
(7:10:29) ECW - Terry & Dory Funk vs. Public Enemy (No Rope Barbed Wire Death Match – ECW Heatwave – 7/16/94)
A bloody barbed wire match that ends with the mutants throwing chairs into the ring burying P.E under a sea of chairs. For two 50 year old men the Funks can sure work.
I mean its cool we get a Terry match on the first comp but goddamn its with Dory & against Public Enemy. Ugh. I’ve seen this but don’t remember what I thought about it. So lets see. Its pretty good. Violent and hard hitting. Chair throwing from the crowd feels organic as opposed to later ones. Not the sort of take 3 minutes to set up a spot, do the spot sort of brawl. More of the punch each other in the face and try to murder each other with barbed wire sort of brawl. Fun Stuff.
(7:32:30) New Japan - Kenji Muto vs. Tenzan (Calling it NJPW – 6/14/95)
This is a good match for the IWGP title. All the typical Muto highspots.
Christ, the video I found is almost 25minutes long. I need the nice 10min Schneider cut. Well damn another really pleasant surprise. Once you get through the typical 90s Muto mat work this really picks up and turns into an awesome match. Muto looks really good. Good stuff.
(7:42:19) WCW - Z-Man/Brad Armstrong vs. Cactus Jack/Abdullah The Butcher (WCW - 1/18/92)
A good match from Sat Night with a post match brawl between Abdullah and Cactus.
This OPENS with a Brad Armstrong monkey flipping Abdullah the Butcher on the floor. So we’re starting at 5 stars I see. Really though this is a fun short quick TV brawl. Good work while its happening & the sort of match I’ll always enjoy but not exactly memorable.
(7:49:13) New Japan - Sabu vs. Gran Hamada (11/25/93) (I think the date is 11/23/95)
A good match with cool moves from both Hamada and the usual Sabu Insanity. Has Sabu winning the UWA Jr. title.
Ok match. Sort of typical juniors. Forgettable. Needed to be more of a Sabu match and less of a Hamada match.
Fun Comp overall. Some great matches, some surprises and only a couple that don't look good these days. Looking forward to the next one!
