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Post by shrike02 on Jan 17, 2020 3:36:05 GMT -5
Bret vs. Owen from WM X didn't make the list? You mean my top 100 ever? I really like the match, but I am just a touch lower on it than most. More than a bit lower on it than I am - I would rate it the best match in WWF/WWE history.
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Post by Cap on Jan 17, 2020 7:30:16 GMT -5
Yeah, seems like we are fruther apart on it, but I'd still probably have it in my top 10 (15 at most). It would be on my top 200 list I think. IN the grand scheme of things that isn't THAT far apart haha.
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Post by Cap on Aug 7, 2020 10:28:12 GMT -5
I decided to integrate my comparison and contrasts that I am using to organize my homestretch re-watching to also add here. There will be some overlap.
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin (I Quit Match – 3/23/1997) Current Rank: 29 Trending: Even
Not much to say about this match that hasn’t been said 100 times over. I know some people believe its over rated and I can understand that. I have said this before, but this is one of my most rewatched matches and it always lives up. It’s a match that is just better than the sum of its parts, put together masterfully and executed… dare I say… excellently. I compared this to Misawa/Kawada, two of the most high profile, praised matches from two of the biggest companies in in wrestling history. I wound up preferring this, but only slightly. As much as anything it’s the emotion of this match and my somewhat nostalgic connection to it. When it comes right down to it, I want to watch this match over and over, I have to very much be in the mood to throw on Misawa/Kawada
Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (Triple Crown Title – 6/3/1994) Current Rank: 30 Trending: Down-ish
A buddy of mine introduced this as “probably the greatest match of all time” when he was helping me get into 90s all japan. It was probably a blessing and a curse. Its hard for any match to live up to that. This is a match I always love when I am watching it, but I rarely want to go watch it. It requires a level of attention and focus I think, but pays it off too. It was brought up a while back that one of the issues with Kawada is that a lot of the broader American narrative of AJPW was told as if he were the protagonist because early influencers were into Kawada. I think my first watch of this was really colored by that, because there is a dissonance between that narrative and… well… Kawada. Is this the greatest match ever? To me, definitively no. However, there is a reason it is often put in that conversation. It is great pro wrestling. It will likely creep down my list just a touch because the competition at this level is just fierce.
Can-Am Express vs Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (All Asia Tag Title – 5/25/1992) Current Rank: 36 Trending: Even
I’ve mentioned 100 times that it took me a minute to get this match, but I really love it now. It is everything I like about tag wrestling from different times and places rolled into one. The hot start, the cut offs, the explosive offense. You put what is rightfully considered one of the hottest crowds ever with it and you get something pretty special. I think Kenta Kobashi is – at worst – the second best wrestler to ever step in a ring and Kikuchi is probably my favorite part of this match. That says something about the performance. He really stood out on this recent watch to me. Setting the pace and then really carrying much of the narrative. Just wonderful, captivating wrestling start to finish. That all said, I can see this slipping just a touch, but not likely out of the top 50 this year.
Atlantis vs Vilano III (Mask vs Mask – 3/17/2000) Current Rank: 37 Trending: Down
There are few types of wrestlers I have more faith in than old luchadors to put on an entertaining match. Look, the stakes don’t get any higher than this and you don’t even really have to understand the importance of the mask to come away with that. They make you believe it in through the physical storytelling of the match. Two old dudes putting it all out there for one memorable match. Unfortunately, storytelling and investment are par for the course in the top 100 (especially top 50) matches. I compared this to the Kobashi/Kikuchi v Can Ams match. I don’t want to put too much weight on the physicality part, but this lost just a little ground on that front and might see a little drop by ballot time.
Bryan Danielson vs Low Ki (Submission Match – 6/7/2002) Current Rank: 85 Trending: Up
Man… this match is so god damned good. I’ll just copy what I said in the comparison thread between this and Funks v Abby/Sheik, because I think that sums up this watch best. I think of Dragon's 2002 (and surrounding years) like a great band's first album. It isn't as polished as their later work, but there is something so unique and compelling about it that always stands out. his work with Ki at this time really exemplifies that. I think the best part of early to mid 2000s indy stuff in America is that the people who would become the major players were really pulling from a lot of places and the influences ebbed and flowed depending on what and who you were watching and when. This match has a ton of shoot influence and it is really well placed. They aren't Tamura and Han or anything, but they strike a sort of singular balance between the shoot logic in grappling and transitions and the broader American pro structure. The transitions here are fantastic. This looked great in the early 2000s golden era of indie wrestling. It looks great next to the late 2000s western resurgence of shoot. This likely wont jump their match from Round Robin Challenge I, but it is probably moving up.
Terry and Dory Funk vs Abdullah The Butcher and The Sheik (12/9/1978) Current Rank: 86 Trending: Even or Down-ish
The bones of this story are as strong as any wrestling match ever. It’s up there with Andre v Hogan in that. This also has the advantage of featuring one of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up showing why he is timeless. On this watch I couldn't get over Terry Funk. No one in history is the blend of genuine toughness, believably, charisma, goofy wrestling theater that he is. His performance ties the dated (xenophobic) and caricature dynamics to the gritty violence of everything in a pro wrestling package that is makes this not just palatable, but awesome. This is how you do violence and chaos in a way that tells a compelling story. Even still, while it sits right next to Danielson/Ki right now, the gap between the two will likely widen. This feels pretty spot on in the back quarter of my list.
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Post by microstatistics on Aug 7, 2020 23:09:31 GMT -5
Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (Triple Crown Title – 6/3/1994)Current Rank: 30 Trending: Down-ish A buddy of mine introduced this as “probably the greatest match of all time” when he was helping me get into 90s all japan. It was probably a blessing and a curse. Its hard for any match to live up to that. This is a match I always love when I am watching it, but I rarely want to go watch it. It requires a level of attention and focus I think, but pays it off too. It was brought up a while back that one of the issues with Kawada is that a lot of the broader American narrative of AJPW was told as if he were the protagonist because early influencers were into Kawada. I think my first watch of this was really colored by that, because there is a dissonance between that narrative and… well… Kawada. Is this the greatest match ever? To me, definitively no. However, there is a reason it is often put in that conversation. It is great pro wrestling. It will likely creep down my list just a touch because the competition at this level is just fierce. I agree with this. I think it's one reason why modern New Japan is less revered in our circles. The "This is the greatest shit ever" label is counterproductive since you go in with lofty expectations and end up being disappointed when the matches inevitably don't live up to them. 6/9/1995 might be the one exception to the rule.
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Post by Cap on Aug 8, 2020 10:07:28 GMT -5
Kota Ibushi vs Kazuchika Okdada (IWGP HW Title – 1/4/2020) Current Rank: Unranked Trending: Even
I am hesitant to put really fresh matches on this list because I think you need a little time before you can really tell how great something is. Even still, I had two 2018 matches on my last list (and this one), so I wanted to at least give my running MOTY for 2020 a shot. It lived up to being the 2020 MOTY, but I think it remains comfortably off my list. This is a really great Okada title match, but it isn’t an Okada title match that either integrates Okada’s tropes in an expressly positive way or circumvents them. Rather, it allows them to remain… unmoving. The first part of the match was well executed and built to the latter half of the match well, but parts of it lost my attention just enough to keep it out of that elite range. It was never a complete check out (not close), but it was… well… an Okada match. I loved Okada trying to coax the monster out of Ibushi a lot and thought it made for a compelling story thread. Ibushi’s offense in those moments was probably the best thing about the match. Some really visceral and powerful offense. Even still and even being the top match of the year so far (I think…) this falls a good bit short of GME list for me personally.
Negro Casas vs El Dandy (CMLL Middleweight Title – 7/3/1992) Current Rank: 52 Trending: Down-ish
I forgot how much the walk outs looked like they were straight out of a late 80s movie, splendid. I put this up for comparison to Baba v Robinson and didn’t think much about the commonalities. Both of them really come off as matches that are just great wrestling matches. No gimmicks, nothing crazy… just two matches that excel at wrestling storytelling in their respective genres. This is a fantastic bit of lucha libre business. I think the “Casas Factor” is on full display here. Casas has the ability to make a match feel different. He adds little flourishes and struggles throughout that set the match apart and keep it from feeling quite as cooperative as some lucha can feel. I think we see that from the beginning. I love the grappling early on here. I think it is really top notch stuff. I think they work in an organic feel to lucha grappling that is quite difficult. The last few minute stretch is also really high quality. I thought the end could have been a bit more dynamic, but the home stretch was fantastic. This is as high end as it gets in lucha title matches. That said. In the rarified air of my top 100, this is going to slip a bit. As much as anything, it might just be my mood or the trends in my taste, but this came off as an incredible match, but not one that would exceed its top shelf peers
Billy Robinson vs Giant Baba (PWF Title – 7/24/1976) Current Rank: 51 Trending: Even
As I said, I put this up against Dandy v Casas and I actually think this match takes that with relative ease. I stress relative because we are talking about the top 50-60 matches in the history of wrestling. I just felt pretty confident that this was the better match. Again, these are title matches that tell stories and don’t really have a lot of bells and whistles. This match just connected a little better. The escalation was just a touch more compelling to me. I think it is because I probably find Robinson to be the most talented wrestler of the four involved (which says a lot). This is just fantastic wrestling, storytelling, and chemistry. It also must have been 200 degrees in there because both guys are pouring sweat within minutes. It somehow adds to the idea that this is a visceral and urgent conflict for the belt. Great wrestling.
Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda (FMW Independent Womens Title/ WWA Title. – No Rope Exploding Barb Wire Death match – 5/5/1996) Current Rank: Unranked Trending: Up
Finally got around to watching this recently and I think it might comfortably be my favorite “deathmatch”. It is not my favorite genre on the whole, but this is exactly what I want from the style. These FMW anniversary shows seem to be the place to find the gems. This is all drama and all heart. There is so much to love about this and honestly the violence is completely secondary to the masterful storytelling and orchestration of drama. It is truly stunning. Every big spot feels massive because of how they tease and work up to everything. I familiarized myself with the context a little before going in, but had emotional connection really and they still managed to sell connection and the gravity of the moment to me. That is truly rare. This is going to place quite well for me.
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Post by Cap on Aug 8, 2020 23:52:43 GMT -5
Naoki Sano vs Minoru Suzuki (7/26/1991) Current Rank: 12 Trending: Up?
I can’t really express how much I love this match. To me, it is probably the perfect shoot style wrestling match in terms of mimicking an actual shoot/MMA fight, at least as far as those that go beyond 5-10 minutes. The biggest criticism I have seen of this match is that they gas early and the work gets sloppy. As I have said before. Either 1) they are actually gassed because that first 15 minutes was a sprint and everything they had in they were exerting energy cranking and making look believable or 2) they are doing a brilliant job selling here. I think for Suzuki its at least partially the latter. At the 15 minute or so mark, they have a massive exchange, he gets floored, pops back up with a bloody nose, and changes his entire approach. Throughout the last 15 minutes he is able to turn the energy on and off to match his use of adrenaline and trying to pump himself up. He is also carrying Sano through at least a few sequences in the back half. Sano does strike me as just a hair late on picking up on some things. I think Suzuki tried to give him his back during one transition and in giving up control on that same sequence Sano was really slow in taking the top position. But… its shoot and they sold the gas tank the entire time so it makes sense and really doesn’t diminish the match at all. I just love the blend of everything here. The suplexes throughout are positioned so perfectly. Suzuki making the mistake of not hiding his leg on that 50-50 leg entanglement at the end and getting caught in a potential heel hook that led them to fight over the legs to the draw was a mint ending to the story they told. This is in the elite of the elite to me.
Sangre Chicana vs Perro Aguayo (Hair vs Hair – 2/28/1986) Current Rank: 11 Trending: Up?
Fuck… I put this next to Suzuki v Sano, hoping I would come out confident as to which is the better match. I did not. This is a truly fantastic lucha braw that leans heavily on physical storytelling. I could watch Sangre Chicana stumble around and sell punches all day long. He get so so so much out of so little. It is truly amazing. He takes a real ass beating early in this match and stages some fantastic hope/comeback spots. He is selling to the moon, jumping back into the second row on some very solid looking metal chairs to sell a tope. And this is taking nothing away from Perro. I think he is responsible for setting the tone early, tripping over himself to attack Sangre Chicana, and that tone really carried through the whole thing. I just love this as a truly excellent match that excels at the most important parts of wrestling to me.
Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (Loser Leaves Town vs Hair – Southern Heavyweight Title – 12/30/1985) Current Rank: 43 Trending: Down
This is really unfair. It is a product of the clipping more than the match than anything I think. This is at least the second time where I have watched this match next to matches near it and thought… I have to drop it a bit, but that sucks. From what we have here, this has legit top 10-15 potential. Unfortunately, by the 14 minute mark we get told we are missing about 1/3 of the match. I think it feels a bit disjointed after we get past Dundee’s initial beatdown of Lawler, and I want to give it the benefit of the doubt that everything works in there and looks as awesome as what we have (no reason not to)… but I can’t say that for sure. I also come away wishing the end had more teeth to it. I think it works for the story they were telling and the broader context they were in, but it always feels like it doesn’t quite live up to the rest of the match. It isn’t even that it was a shady finish or lacked a “finisher”. I watched this right after Chicana vs Perro, which ends in a rollup, and that match felt much more like the ending matched the story. This just comes up a hair short for me every time. All of this, especially that last part, is being SUPER picky, but we are talking top 50 matches ever and the competition is rough.
Devil Masami vs Chigusa Nagayo (WWWA All Pacific Title – 8/22/1985) Current Rank: 39 Trending: Up
This is joshi for people who like 70s and 80s NWA Title matches. But it is also, in parts, joshi for people who like territory brawls… and… well…. joshi. It is a match that I think unintentionally serves a lot of masters, brilliant escalation and story telling from bell to bell. I generally really like this era Nagayo, but Devil Masami is out there showing why she is probably better than your favorite wrestler. This is neither here nor there to the match, but I think I have a crush on '85 Devil Masami. I fanboyed here. She has a great performance and levels up at just right time to put this match over that final hump. Devil is fantastic in the final 7 ish minutes and Nagayo matches Devil in her own way. Part of this homestretch performance is actually related to comparing this to the Lawler/Dundee match. If I had any doubts about which match I would vote for they were rendered inconsequential at the end. The punch exchanges are the closest thing – I think – we get to a sort of surface level comparison between these matches and I think Devil and Nagayo hold their own. No, they aren’t as snug on CLOSE examination and they aren't shouldering the same kind of storytelling load on the whole, but they still score well where it matters, storytelling, placement, and timing. The heavy shots near the end from Devil popped me hard. This is moving up significantly, maybe up 20+ spots.
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Post by Cap on Aug 13, 2020 13:35:32 GMT -5
Tying up some loose ends…
Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima (8/25/2007) Current Rank: Unranked Trending: Up
I am so torn on this match. Love it so much. It is so genuinely wonderful in all the ways mid 2000s ROH was wonderful and had the added benefit of being a legit off the god damned rails. I have always had this as a high end ****3/4 match, outside the top 100, but not out of the conversation. On this watch it feels like it inched closer, but I am not 100% sure it cracks the list. This is an all time Danielson performance. He not only works through a pretty serious injury, he leans into it and somehow manages to believably establish dominance over Morishima. In hindsight, even though Mori had a truly splendid run in ROH, this match was crucial in establishing him as a killer. Danielson proves to be the better wrestler in terms of his ability to get the upper hand and impose his will. He hits him with everything he has…. but it isn’t enough. Morishima not only survives… he has enough left to put Bryan away with a few big moves. This establishes Mori as a monster and later they would wind up playing a few matches worth of chess based of this really top notch performance. This might wind up sneaking into the back end of my list.
Kenny Omega and Adam Page vs The Young Bucks (2/29/2020) Current Rank: Unranked Trending: Even
Much like Okada/Ibushi, I wanted to give this one last shot before the list. I wanted to watch Ibushi/Okada because it is my current MOTY. I wanted to look at this because it gets a lot of buzz from a certain section of fans as – perhaps – the greatest (American) tag match ever. I’ve never bought it – and still don’t – but I like to give the bet of the best of a given style a good shot (I usually wind up loving it). With this, I get it. I get the love. The story telling and how it fits the broader narrative is really high quality. By the end, I am lost in the drama. I think that is the strength of the style (esp Omega and to a slightly lesser extent The Bucks). However, the execution (especially in the first quarter) doesn’t quite connect to me. I don’t like the nitpickiness of folks on twitter talking about tag ropes and super kicks and so on that much, but when parsing out the best of the best… it matters a lot. Chris Hero recently wrote a piece about this in a way. The long and short was that you can have really great wrestling ignoring all the rules and what not. However, truly elite wrestling not only accomplishes that within set confines, but uses those confines to its advantage. Now I actually think that is what AEW is starting to do, but there are some inconsistencies here that hold this back. In turn, while I really, genuinely enjoy this match and think it is awesome… it falls well outside my consideration.
Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (4/18/1993) Current Rank: 32 Trending: Down
I decided to give this one more watch because it was a relatively late addition to the list. It is sort of in my wheelhouse right now, so I assumed I might have been a touch high on it. I felt that coming out of this watch. This is a great match. It is a lock for my top 100 (probably sticking around the top 50 – 70 (at the lowest), but thinking about it next to some of those matches in the 30s, it wasn’t quite there. I can’t take anything away from it though. This match is an absolute war. The escalation here is really masterful and the personality they extract from the action is excellent. This is the kind of match that, if you were open to joshi generally, you could watch without any context or knowledge of these wrestlers and immediately “get”. I think where this really excels is being organic. I have watched some of my favorite matches from 2020 recently as well and this just blows them out of the water. It isn’t as tight and neat, but there is just so much more believable hate and organic storytelling that I think is so much harder to capture in the modern mainstream makeup of wrestling. I am sort of thinking out loud about macro level stuff now, but you get the point. This is great wrestling, especially if you miss the visceral, exhaustion you can pretty much only get from the spontaneity of two truly great wrestlers just feeling things out as they go.
Mitsuhara Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta (9/1/1990) Current Rank: 63 Trending: Down
When I submitted my ballot last year there were two matches that felt way too high upon reflection. One of them has completely fallen off the list. The other was this match. Misawa v Jumbo is not likely to fall completely off my list, but it is likely to fall a little bit. I have always preferred this to the one where Misawa bests Jumbo earlier. I think this builds on that story really well as pissed off Jumbo comes out here and really elevates the match with his malice strikes and “fuck you, kid” attitude. It is the sort of match where the story is legible even completely out of context, but is only elevated when you know get that context. In turn, it would be disingenuous for me to call this anything but awesome. However, the devil is in the details here. Little things that don’t quite flow or work like I assume they should and the slightest lull early in the match separate this from the middle tier elite matches it sits around right now. It will likely slide a bit, but not off the list.
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Post by Cap on Aug 17, 2020 19:02:06 GMT -5
2020 Top 10 Rewatch
Shinobu Kandori/Akira Hokuto vs Bull Nakano/Aja Kong (3/27/1994) Current Rank: 10 Trending: Even Just a perfectly orchestrated tag match. The level of difficulty here is through the fucking roof and they knock it out of the park, providing compelling dynamics between every single competitor that somehow work in concern to tell a cohesive and complete story. The thing that really struck me on this watch was how patient this match is. It could have been great and 10 minutes shorter, but they milked the drama, slowed things down, and heated things up perfectly. This match delivers on all fronts: nuance, brutality, storytelling, emotion, drama, finish. It may be #10, but I sort of think of my top 14-15 as my top tier. That is where the cutoff is for me and this is a lock for that tier. I could see this getting bumped a spot or two if something falls a little, but it isn’t dropping from here this year. Eddie Guerrero vs John Bradshaw Layfield (WWE Title – 5/16/2004)Current Rank: 9 Trending: Even I have talked this match to death because I understand I am abnormally high on this. I’ll try not to repeat myself too much. The fact of the matter is, this match shouldn’t work for me. It features a lot of things I generally don’t like: screwy finishes, ref bumps, JBL laying in chin locks. Despite all this though, every single time I watch this match I am reminded why this is my pick for single greatest performance in wrestling history. Yes… it’s the blood, but it isn’t just the blood. Eddie absolutely masterful here and this genuinely captures what WWE does best (and inadvertently why its infuriating when they fail to get me invested). They build a larger than life fight that feels like the stakes are enormous. By the end of this match I am always so genuinely invested in every strike Eddie gets in. It is truly accomplished physical storytelling that crescendos with Eddie – covered in blood – doing his little shimmy before firing off on JBL. If I added up the elements and picked them apart it would be a good not great match, but this match is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is everything I want in my big time pro wrestling: a funhouse mirror reflection of the world that hooks me, tells me a story, gives me a payoff, and makes me want to revisit because its timeless. I doubt this moves up much, but it remains a lock in this tier. Stan Hansen vs Andre The Giant (9/23/1981)Current Rank: 8 Trending: Down? So, this is pretty easily – in my mind, at least – the best hoss match in the history of wrestling. I’m not sure it is remotely close. This match is completely singular in that no two other wrestlers could achieve this together and it has this extra spark of in-the-moment chemistry. They achieve a feeling of chaos that is truly difficult to execute. Stan Hansen fighting from underneath, being completely out matched in all the ways he is used to winning is weirdly refreshing and powerful here. This match doesn’t just feel larger than life, it is even larger than that. It is often called the best wrestling equivalent of a kaiju fight and that seems about as close to accurate as you going to get within the pithy confines of language. What’s more, it does it with none of the bells and whistles and production tricks that the WWE uses to sometimes get that grand feeling. This is two wonderful individual performances coming together and just being fucking great wrestling. It is big and brutal, but it also really smart. I say trending “down?” because I can maybe see this winding up at 9 or 10. I watched this in a block with the previous two matches and felt like maybe this falls behind them. It has nothing to do with any criticism. It is simply a matter of what is registering to me as the better match (often comparing apples and oranges) on this final watch. Holy Demon Army vs Kenta Kobashi/Mitsuharu Misawa (Tag League Final – 6/9/1995)Current Rank: 7 Trending: Up What do you say about this match, honestly? I think it sort of ran away with the top spot last year not because it was overwhelmingly everyone’s #1 pick, but it was the closest thing we all came to agreeing on greatness. This match fell a few spots over the past year, but I think it is probably going to jump back up to around the 4-5 spot. It is just an undeniably great tag match to me. Everything comes together and all the pieces fit together so perfectly. It is all earned and the homestretch comes off as unparalleled in terms of meaningfulness and weight. I said in talking about the joshi tag earlier that all the dynamics work together to tell a complete story. That is very much the case here as well and I think ultimately the final chapter of this story pushes it ahead by just a touch. This is (nearly) universally loved for a reason. It is just top shelf wrestling between four men who have unbelievable chemistry. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (2/3 Falls – NWA Title – 4/2/1989)Current Rank: 6 Trending: Down I feel like the Flair/Steamboat rivalry has lost some steam and some hype, at least in our circle. I am not totally sure I understand why. Maybe it just isn’t interesting. Maybe it was indeed overhyped on the whole. I might even by that latter position, but this match always stands out to me. I love Chi-Town as well, but this one just feels like their masterpiece. Every time I watch it. I come away impressed with their chemistry and timing. I love the drank aesthetic of late 80s and early 90s NWA/WCW. I love the family man vs playboy dynamic. I love the big match feel they create and put over on commentary. In all that, this always gets some nostalgic points from me. However, on this watch I think I felt let down by the finish for the first time really. It is the first time that last few minutes didn’t punctuate the story in a satisfying way for me. It isn’t that I don’t love the match. It isn’t that I don’t think it is GREAT. It is that I find myself thinking I have gone off the rails a bit with how I think of the trilogy on the whole. The other two fell off the list completely and this wound up #6… something is off here. I probably don’t have time to watch the other two seriously before submitting, so I can’t address that. Still, this is an elite match, masterfully put together and maybe still the epitome of the long title U.S. title match. It may fall a bit, but not too far. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (6/27/1998)Current Rank: 5 Trending: Even My pick for the best shoot match ever lives up to my hype and my memory of it every time. I rewatched it recently and it shot up to the 5 spot. I expect it to stay around there after watching it right up against the elite of the elite. This is the high point of shoot style storytelling. It is gritty, urgent, and layered. I mentioned this in the thread earlier, but the rope breaks at the end just elevate everything they have done and make everything feel so threatening and malice. Elliott pointed out that there were no rope breaks early, which creates a wonderful juxtaposition that highlights the escalation of danger with every passing exchange. I would say I might like Sano/Suzuki a hair more personally, but this is the better, crisper, more developed and well executed match. I am not sure anything ahead of it will fall, but this is a match that will be tough to jump. It will likely come down to this vs 6/9/1995 for the 5 spot Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (7/29/1993)Current Rank: 4 Trending: Even/Up? I was reading through the thread for this match recently. I found Superstarsleeze’s great review. He pointed out that there a are a lot of parallels between this and the 93 carnival match. I always saw the Carny match as almost a warm-up for this. You can see some of the parallels and how they try to work similar things into both matches. There are actually some things I like better about the Carny match. I much prefer the finish, which I think is the best finish ever. The finish of this gets a lot of hype, but if this ended with that deathshot lariat when Kobashi comes off the rope (the finish we got in the Carny match) I genuinely think it would be my #1. All that said though, that match, and watching all their available singles matches over the past 12-15 months, has led me to two conclusions. 1) This is the greatest rivalry of all time and it isn’t close (4 matches in my top 100, at least two others serious contenders) and 2) this match is better when you put it in that broader context, their truest masterpiece. This is where their dynamic feels like it exists in its purest form and their chemistry is at its best. Hansen’s desperation shots to keep Kobashi from getting too much momentum are just so perfectly timed. The way Kobashi lays things in and demands the most of Hansen is palpable. This is the perfect wresting pairing having about the closest thing to a perfect wrestling match that exists. It isn’t going down. Nothing I have watched to this point is going to jump it. It could creep up. It is a high bar to clear for the final three matches. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (Triple Crown Title – 1/20/1997)Current Rank: 3 Trending: Even/Down? My god. I knew it would be hard to sort through my top 10 matches, but this is a real challenge. This match is so unbelievably good. It has all the stuff people know and love from the pillars matches, but this feels more grounded and layered somehow. I am not sure if this just isn’t the year for “title match” style wrestling for me, but this feels like it is going to at least get jumped by Hansen/Kobashi. I think it comes down to Kobashi here. He is at his best when he is a fired up babyface fighting back and working to overcome a challenge. While we get a version of that for much of this match, Hansen forces Kobashi’s best out of him bell to bell. There is almost no real feeling out process or laying a foundation to build off of. This isn’t a criticism of this match at all because they did what they did pretty close to perfectly, but just parsing out the #3 or # 4 match… I might have to give to the match that is a little more in line with what I want out of my wrestling from the get go. Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 (Hair vs Hair – 9/23/1983)Current Rank: 2 Trending: Even Things get a little less interesting at the top here because well… I don’t think anything is going change. There are very few matches I remember where I was when I watched them for the first time. Both of these top two matches are among the few. I can’t say anything about Sangre Chinana vs MS-1 that hasn’t been said by better, more articulate fans than I. It is, to me, the perfect lucha brawl… blood, grit, emotion, violence. I don’t want to take anything away from MS-1 in this. He is a wonderful rudo who sets this all-timer tone early and keeps it moving throughout… but this is a story told through Chicana. His selling, movement, comes backs… that is where the narrative beats hit. This is a master class in getting the most out of every movement, punch, submission. Nothing is wasted, nothing lacks emotional weight. You don’t need to do all that much when you do it this well. This is perfect wrestling. Shinobu Kandori vs Akira Hokuto (4/2/1993)Current Rank: 1 Trending: Even I won’t say much here. This is the best single wrestling match I have ever seen and every time I watch it, I am more convinced of that fact. Last year it jumped Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 as my default #1 match and nothing has happened since to change my mind. Kandori provides a mountainous obstacle like no one else could. I don’t think Aja or Bull or Dump or anyone could provide the particular type of malice and danger that Kandori does here. Hokuto is the perfect hero to match it and I don’t think anyone could fire back in the pitch-perfect way that she does. I don’t have a single bad thing to say about this match. It is the best ever.
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Post by microstatistics on Aug 17, 2020 20:47:53 GMT -5
That's a strong Top 10. Eddie/JBL at #9 is awesome.
Tamura/Kohsaka is not the flashiest shoot-style bout and I prefer Tamura vs. Yamamoto/Han/Ito and some Fujiwara UWF stuff. But it finally clicked for me this time around and made my Top 50. They maximize impact of basic holds, pace a 30 minute draw like a sprint and tell a pretty elaborate story. Glad it's Top 5.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2020 23:54:29 GMT -5
Have loved reading through this thread, excellent stuff
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Post by Cap on Aug 23, 2020 15:36:29 GMT -5
Thanks.... Just submitted my ballot. I'll post my list here eventually. Maybe after the overall list is posted because I need to prioritize that and I like to give each match on my list a sliver of context. I did a lot of last minute moving things around, but nothing dramatic. A few things got on the list because of my final rewatches this weekend though.
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Post by Cap on Oct 2, 2020 10:12:38 GMT -5
My final stage for this project every year is to put my list together with comments. It helps me sort of put this list to bed and see what I feel really good about and what feels high or low. It is also the only thing from this project I'll put over on my blog (a blog that has been largely inactive for a while anyway. So... here is the LONG version of my list.
Cap's 2020 List
100. Super Dragon vs Necro Butcher (PWG – 9/2/2006) It dropped off the list and then it jumped back on. I gave it the 100 spot at the end because I just love it so much. Such a wonderful brawl between two of my favorites from a golden era of indie wrestling.
99. Aja Kong vs KAORU (AAAW Title – GAEA - 2/13/2000) Absolutely brutality and violence. It is what Aja does best and Kaoru plays off her really well. It just struck me interesting that I have this higher than any of the Toyota/Aja matches, but this just leaps off the screen to me.
98. Randy Savage vs Ultimate Warrior (Retirement Match – WWF – 3/24/1991) This match is on here at least partially because it has the greatest post match ever, but it is the templet for the WWE Main Event Style. Warrior pulls his weight, as he could when he really needed/wanted, but Savage puts on an absolute all timer here.
97. Pat Patterson vs Sgt. Slaughter (Alley Fight – WWF – 5/4/1981) I sort of feel like this match doesn’t get enough love. This is a pretty awesome bloody brawl that is just dripping with hatred and emotion. It isn’t quite as good as the WWE narrative might have you believe, but still great.
96. LA Park vs el Mesias (AAA – 12/5/2010) I rewatched this between last year’s project and this and was just dumbfounded by how good it is. Best tope ever? Just chaotic violence that never really loses the plot. A real achievement from both men.
95. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi (IWGP IC Title – NJPW – 1/4/2015) A wonderfully worked match from Nakamura’s prime. I think the storytelling might get underappreciated here because everything was just laid in so well. Still stands out among the NJPW work from the past decade.
94. Steve Grey vs Clive Myers (JP - 11/20/1975, [air11/22/1975]) What a technical masterpiece. So fluid and smooth. This was one of the first matches people recommended to me for the style and it still sticks with me as just a joy to watch.
93. Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen (AJPW - 4/10/1994) The first of four matches from these two on my list this year. Hansen’s selling here is divine and Kobashi getting the win after throwing the kitchen sink at the big gaijin was so satisfying.
92. Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine (MA - 7/9/1983) Hidden Gems has given us a lot of… well… gems. This one shines the brightest. I could watch these two beat the hell out of each other all day. Their chemistry was magic. Makes me wonder what we will never see from them.
91. Eddie Kingston vs Chris Hero (Last Man Standing – IWA-MS – 9/29/2007) My favorite brawl from this era of the indies. This is hate filled and violent. Both guys sort of let loose a bit here and create something where the sum is much greater than all the little parts throughout.
90. Terry and Dory Funk vs Abdullah The Butcher and The Sheik (AJPW - 12/9/1978) This feud is an addition to me this year. I love the story of this match. I love the urgency and the violence and the white hot crowd. It is easy to give Terry Funk all the credit, and that probably isn’t fair, but he is really great in this.
89. Mitsuhara Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW - 9/1/1990) Absolute classic that I find myself increasingly detached from. I didn’t want to drop it all the way off the list this year, but it could find itself slipping a bit. It is still a great match that holds up in a vacuum, but has a crucial place in history.
88. Terry Funk vs Harley Race (NWA Title – NWA – 7/1/1977) Another one that I didn’t feel as connected to on this go around, but didn’t want to overreact to. I think the finish of this is fantastic and I think it shows the best of Harley Race in a way, but again… Terry Funk… right?!
87. Nobuhiko Takada vs Bob Backlund (UWFi – 12/22/1988) I love the Takada/Vader matches, but this is great in a completely different way. Bobby is out of his element so we don’t just get super-Backlund, but we do get crazy person-Backlund walking through head kicks. Brilliant dynamic. Lightening in a bottle.
86. Akira Maeda vs Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW – 6/12/1986) Pitch perfect storytelling as part of one of the coolest storylines/feuds ever. Maeda beats the ever loving shit out of Fujinami for much of this and it makes the homestretch so compelling and rewarding. Wonderful blend of violence and drama. 85. Jim Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer (No DQ – UWF – 11/11/1985) One of my favorite 80s territory brawls because I have seen many a fight between similar looking dudes in dive bars and parties in WV. This feels like art imitating life in a way that is hard to achieve.
84. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (GHC Title – NOAH – 3/1/2003) I totally get why people have this higher. I also totally get why some people aren’t a fan. I love it because I love their rivalry and I think this is informed in some really cool and interesting ways by their long and storied history.
83. Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima (ROH World Title – ROH – 8/25/2007) Made my list at the last minute. All-timer gutsy performance from Dragon here. They had wonderful chemistry. I don’t think they ever quite captured the magic of this first meeting. This is something genuinely special from two wrestlers meeting at just the right time.
82. Ricky Steamboat vs Rick Rude (Iron Man Match – WCW – 6/20/1992) Master-class in storytelling and drama. The thing I wind up always loving about this match is that it – more than any match I can think of – feels like a hybrid of Early 90s WCW and late 80s WWE… and that is cool.
81. Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada (2/3 Falls – IWGP HW Title – 6/9/2018) I have come around a little more on some of the high-end modern NJPW stuff. I always liked this, but when you think of all the long-term storytelling and nuance that went into it. I really have a lot of time for this match (which you need… get it... bc its long... I’ll see myself out)
80. Kenta Kobashi vs Steve Williams (AJPW - 8/31/1993) Big boys hitting each other hard and slamming each other harder. Williams has quite a few just outside elite to me, but this one gets over the hump. Maybe it had something to do with him dropping Kobashi on his head like he is doing murder.
79. Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik (Bootcamp Match – WWF – 6/16/1984) Wonderful pro wrestling theater. The WWE can be a maddening organization, but when it hits with its over the top caricature driven violence… it really hits. This is a great example.
78. Manami Toyota/Toshiyo Yamada vs Dynamite Kansai/Mayumi Ozaki (WWWA Tag Titles – AJW – 11/26/1992) These two teams went to war more than once. The pace and level of brutality they keep up is truly fascinating. Here, the typical joshi pacing is punctuated splendidly by some really brutal grappling that balances everything really well.
77. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (Champions Carnival Final – AJPW – 4/15/1995) Haven’t gotten around to this one in quite a while, but it is – in my mind – a bonafide classic and one of the strongest performances from either man. Great storytelling to cap off the longer story of the Carnival that year.
76. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama (GHC Title – NOAH – 4/25/2004) Kobashi and Takayama wound up getting both their big singles matches added to my list in the 11th hour. They work magic together… mostly via Takayama beating the breaks off Kobashi. I love it
75. Terry Funk vs Jumbo Tsuruta (NWA Title – 6/11/1976) A true classic of an NWA title match. Their dynamic is great. Perfect pace and execution. Funk’s character and charisma helps pull out Jumbo’s more subtle personality. Just a great title match.
74. Jumbo Tsaruta and Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu (NWA International Tag Titltes – AJPW – 1/28/1986) Absolutely fantastic tag match that brings all the hard hitting grit of 80s AJPW and some really well orchestrated controlled chaos. I love the bedlam in the middle of this match and the absolute intensity brought by everyone involved.
73. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (Loser Leaves Town – Southern Heavyweight Title – CWA – 6/6/1983) These two were made to try to try to beat each other out of town. This one doesn’t have the same next-level unhinged ethos that the 83 match has. This is top still notch Memphis-ness.
72. Kenta Kobashi vs Samoa Joe (ROH – 10/2/2005) I can’t think of a match with more hype among its target audience than this and I can’t think of a match with this much hype that lived up in the way this did. It is so much more than the brutal chops its remembered for.
71. Manami Toyota/Toshiyo Yamada vs Dynamite Kansai/Mayumi Ozaki (2/3 Falls WWWA Tag Titles – AJW – 4/11/1993) I prefer this one to the 11/92 match by probably more than this list indicates. This has everything that match has with the advantage of the really cool quick fall early on. I also think this is one of the best Toyota performances.
70. Naoki Sano vs Yoji Anjoh (UWFi – 8/13/1993) Between last year’s ballot and this year’s I have added 3 Sano shoot matches. This is the lowest ranked among them and actually may be a bit high. That isn’t to take anything away from it. It is gritty and mean and every bit worthy of the back third of my list.
69. Stan Hansen vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW – 2/28/1993) A highly contested match in this forum. I admit I dropped a bit on it and I feel a good bit better about where I have it than I did before. It is still one of the best 100 matches ever and anyone who says otherwise is a goon.
68. Holy Demon Army vs Mitsuharu Misawa/Jun Akiyama (Tag League Final – AJPW – 12/6/1996) I haven’t watched this match in ages and sort of meant to before submitting. I can’t tell if I am artificially low on it because I haven’t seen it in a while or if I am high because I just accept its greatness. Maybe I’m spot on. Among those who like the style/era, I am probably low. It is a great tag match though. Of that I have no doubt.
67. Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton (Cage Match - NWA World Title – MA – 7/5/1986) Hats off to Superstar Sleeze for inspiring me – and others – to revisit this match. It honestly wasn’t really on my radar for consideration even though I’d seen it years and years ago. This is fantastic wrestling theater combined with the grit of 80s Mid Atlantic violence. Fantastic.
66. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama (Triple Crown Title – AJPW – 5/26/2000) I prefer this one ever so slightly to the later NOAH match. Takayma is a bit more mobile, but no less ruthless. I like how Takayma starts this one and their strike exchange at the end was top notch. If Hansen is Kobashi’s perfect opponent, Takayama is a close second.
65. Bryan Danielson vs Low Ki (Submission Match – JAPW – 6/7/2002) One of my favorite things about early 2000s indie wrestling is how clearly you can see them pulling from various periods and genres. I love the shoot influence here. It doesn’t overwhelm the match, but it sets this apart as somewhat special
64. Shinobu Kandori vs Devil Masami (JPW – 7/14/1988) Two of my absolutely favorites. Kandori is a young gun here trying to knock off the established Devil. This is violent and mean and achieves a level of unhinged violence that is really hard to manufacture.
63. John Cena vs Umaga (Last Man Standing – WWE Title – WWE – 1/28/2007) The larger than life Kaiju battle comes to the big WWE stage. This almost feels like there should be cardboard buildings around it. This company annoys me because they often underwhelm me, but they are also the only company in history that could do this.
62. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk (NWA Title – NWA – 7/23/1989) Another great match that is helped by a great post-match. I think this is where the chemistry between two of the greatest wrestlers ever to walk the earth hit its peak. This is wonderful stuff. Stick to your ribs good wrestling.
61. Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS – 1/22/1997) This is a lot of people’s favorite of their trilogy, but it clocks in at #2 for me. They were made for each other. Han is a wizard and Tamura is so dynamic. It is sort of unfair how good these two are together.
60. El Dandy vs Angel Azteca (NWA Middleweight Title – EMLL – 6/1/1990) Another one that I wish I had gotten to watch again, but am still pretty confident in its placement. One of my favorite technically oriented lucha matches. The pins build really well here. A must see.
59. Akira Hokuto vs Manami Toyota (AJW – 9/2/1995) Best start to a match ever? Yea… Best start to a match ever. Hokuto divebombing Toyota in a wedding dress is divine. It sets the tone for chaotic attempted murder… which is what this match winds up being. They more or less launch themselves into each other with reckless abandon. Chef’s Kiss!
58. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (Triple Crown Title – AJPW – 10/31/1998) You may be catching on… I like Kobashi. I actually don’t think Misawa is his best opponent. He doesn’t always bring my favorite version out of Kobashi. But Kobashi brings out my favorite version of Misawa and they almost always lay out and execute wrestling at the highest level. This is one of the greatest examples of that. 57. Daniel Bryan vs John Cena (WWE World Title – WWE – 8/18/2013) I always say this, but this is the best version of a dynamic WWE leaned on to its benefit in the early-mid part of the 2010s: The Indie Darling vs The Larger Than Life WWE Superstar. Tack on the organic groundswell of support for Bryan and you get absolute magic here. Top shelf pro wrestling.
56. Adrian Street vs Jim Breaks (JP – 2/12/1972) One of the most unique dynamics in wrestling history. It isn’t just the wrestlers. It’s the style and the era. This is ahead of its time wrestling in almost every way but betrays some of my favorite elements from this classic British wrestling era all the same. 55. Negro Casas vs El Dandy (CMLL Middleweight Title – CMLL – 7/3/1992)
A technical masterpiece that really gets pushed over the top by the personality both of these men bring to the ring and the way they escalate the offense and the exhaustion simultaneously. This is top shelf wrestling no matter how you cut it in my book.
54. Akira Maeda vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi – 11/10/1988) Really great coming of age match. Takada has to fight from behind to slay a member of the old guard. I really like the leg locks early and how they mix in brutal kicks. Lots of stuff I like in a really simple, but compelling story.
53. Billy Robinson vs Jumbo Tsuruta (NWA United National Title – AJPW – 3/5/1977) Another classic 70s title match between two master technicians. I love Robinson. He seems somewhat singular in the pantheon of wrestling. I can’t think of anyone who brings what he brings, especially to the big matches we have from him.
52. Black Terry vs Wotan (Chilanga Mask – 8/21/2016) I love this match so much. Pure, in a vacuum, hatred and violence that is held together by Black Terry’s masterful performance. It would be easy to dismiss this as brutality for brutality’s sake, but I think this is structured well… till it ends where it gets out of hand before they fade off, like how so many real bar fights end.
51. Gilbert Cesca vs Billy Catanzarro (France – 5/2/1957) I really wanted to watch more of the French catch stuff before this year’s list, but didn’t get around to it. I also still don’t know what to make of this match. I do know it is fantastic wrestling that feels lightyears ahead of its time.
50. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (Loser Leaves Town vs Hair – Southern Heavyweight Title – CWA – 12/30/1985) I have said elsewhere that if this match weren’t clipped it might be a real contender for top 5 or so… maybe the best match ever. We are just missing quite a bit of it and the clipping happens in ways that take me out of it a bit. Still… what we have is absolutely unreal. Unfortunately, I am having more trouble justifying including it the more competition there is for a spot in my top 100.
49. Billy Robinson vs Giant Baba (PWF Title – AJPW – 7/24/1976) Timeless wrestling is timeless. Simple storytelling, believing what you are doing and – even if you are a big awkward lanky giant – committing to it the struggle and the story. Every time I watch this match I like it more.
48. Steve Grey vs Johnny Saint (JP – 1/28/1980 [air: 2/2/1980]) My favorite match from this style/era. This is a delightful contelation of fluid grappling, detailed story telling, and intense execution. This feels – to me – like the best version of a genre and I really value that.
47. Negro Casas vs El Hijo del Santo (Hair vs Mask – CMLL – 9/19/1997) Two masters of the craft putting an absolute clinic. The fluidity and urgency here are just so on point. I haven’t watched this in a really long time and would love to revisit it before the next list. I could see this creeping up as it might have slipped just from not being fresh in my head.
46. Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (AJW – 4/18/1993) I added this to my list in the last few months before submitting. What a battle, what a wonderfully laid out match that just hit on all levels. It captures the imagination and gets you wrapped up in their drama and hatred. I know this all sounds somewhat vague, but I don’t really know how else to explain what they accomplish. Top shelf wrestling.
45. Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda (FMW Independent Womens Title/ WWA Title. – No Rope Exploding Barb Wire Death Match – FMW – 5/5/1996) Started dabbling somewhat in the “deathmatch” style for this ballot. I watched a lot of the hyped stuff and this came off to me as pretty easily the best of the genre. Every second of this is packed with meaning and drama. This has all I want from the style, no more and no less.
44. Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper (Dog Collar Match – U.S. Title – JCP – 11/24/1983) This was like the 3rd or 4th match I rated when I started a spreadsheet like 6 years ago. I came away rating it quite high, but not thinking it a top-notch match. Since then I have probably watched it 3-4 times, some for this project and other times because its late and I had been drinking and its just me and the tv so let’s do some fun wrestling. No wonder it has risen so much since then.
43. Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen (AJPW – 9/4/1991) Another match between the greatest rivals in all of wrestling history. Hansen tries to murder Kobashi before anything gest started and that sets the stage for a really compelling story between these two. Hansen’s desperation to keep Kobashi down is only underscored by how obvious it is he will eventually – even if not today – fail.
42. Mayumi Ozaki vs Dynamite Kansai (Street Fight – JWP – 3/17/1995) Another match I think I am relatively high on but think is just so objectively fantastic. This is Ozaki’s finest hour. She comes across as absolutely unhinged, a truly elite performance in that regard. This is also probably the best brawl to the outside of a building I have ever seen with at least one or two instances of attempted murder on the way out and back in. Some folks don’t like the finish, but there was no way to keep escalating things. Sometimes a fight ends with a period instead of an exclamation point.
41. Shinobu Kandori vs Yumiko Hotta (WWWA Title vs LLPW Title – LLPW – 3/21/1998) Two of the most hateful, visceral, and violent wrestlers to ever grace this earth go into the ring in 1998 and perform some hate filled visceral, violence on one another. This is physical storytelling at its absolute best. I am a self-aware Kandori mark, but Kandori needed Hotta to produce this particular brand of awesome.
40. Katsuyori Shibata vs Kazuchika Okada (IWGP HW Title – NJPW – 4/9/2017) I am not super comfortable with where any match from the past 5 years goes. Andrade vs Gargano fell off the list this year, but may very well get back on at some point. It just hard to know about a match till it has aged a bit. This is the exception, a modern classic that I feel I am conservative on if anything. It jumped up on this ballot and could again.
39. El Satanico vs El Dandy (Hair vs Hair – EMLL – 12/14/1990) Bless these two for the blood they spilled and the brawl they gave us. This is some fantastic lucha-ness. El Dandy’s 1990 is well known as one of the best single years for a wrestler ever. Satanico’s entire career is well known as one of the best careers ever. They couldn’t help but be awesome here
38. Stan Hansen/Terry Gordy vs Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada (AJ Tag Titles – Real World Tag Finals – AJPW – 12/16/1988) Another tag match I haven’t revisited in ages. I am pretty confident in the placement here, but I want to prioritize this for rewatch before next year This features top notch performances all around and pretty much non stopped action.
37. Atlantis vs Vilano III (Mask vs Mask – CMLL – 3/17/2000) As I have said before, this is the first lucha match that clicked with me in a big way. It was sort of a gatemway match into the broader style. The stakes have never been higher and in turn the drama is so palpable its nearly syrup thick on your screen. Two old men went in and showed the world how it’s done.
36. Giant Baba vs Destroyer (NWA International Title – JWA – 3/5/1969) Love love love this match. It is simple but effect, the essence of wrestling. In reflecting on my list and going down through it in this way I always feel a few matches are just a bit off. This feels like it might be a hand full of spots too high. I see more than a few matches I have just gone through that should be higher, but this is still worthy of a spot on my list.
35. Shinjiro Ohtani vs El Samurai (UWA World Jr LHW Title – NJPW – 1/21/1996) One of my favorite Jr matches. This is violent and mean in a way that sometimes gets lost in the finesse and athleticism. The dueling limb work, the precision psychology… this has everything I want in my wrestling. Sammy didn’t always give you a banger but he when he did, he really did.
34. Can-Am Express vs Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (All Asia Tag Title – AJPW – 5/25/1992) Huge jump up for me on this match. It is a match that I was relatively low on for the longest time. I always loved it, but the line between amazing and elite is a critical. I don’t know what it was, but this finally crossed that line for me. A frenzy of action that is organized so wonderfully. It’s cliché, but this really is AJPW does a southern style tag and it’s just the best.
33. Stan Hansen vs Carlos Colon (Texas Bullrope Match – CWP – 1/6/1987) I’ll always defend this as the best of their rivalry, a rivalry full of stunning violence and urgency. This match reigned them in perfectly. The rope just focuses them in a way that pushes everything to the next level Pitch perfect dynamic to balance the bedlam that was their rivalry.
32. Aja Kong vs Yumika Hotta (WWWA World Championship – AJW – 1/24/1994) I’m going to be honest. I don’t see how this isn’t a lock for almost every list. This is so brutal and so meaningfully violent. It is really singular in that regard. I love how how Hotta takes it to Aja and how Aja reacts by just being “more Aja”.
31. Alexander Otsuka vs Mitsuhiro Matsunaga (BattleArts – 11/9/1999) Elliott got me onto this match and I got sold on it pretty quickly. I watched this three times in probably three months to make sure I wasn’t overreact to his hype and it being fresh in my minds. This is a stunning piece of work that brings various worlds of wrestling together seamlessly. It captures struggling and overcoming the baddie in a really clear, but unique way.
30. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness (ROH Title vs ROH Pure Title – ROH – 8/12/2006) The build to this was absolutely splendid. The chemistry between these two was the stuff of legend. Nigel may have gone out and done something stupid with his head, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that they built a title unification match that actually felt worth the occasion and made it meaningful.
29. Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS – 9/25/1996) I am sort of alone in thinking this was their best. I love the dynamic of young Tamura keeping pace even though he is technically outgunned. I think it gives their work a little something extra. It’s one of the greatest trilogies in wrestling history and this – to me – is the crowning achievement. I honestly think they are all sort of even in quality and it is a matter of taste as to which one someone finds the best.
28. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (Triple Crown Title – AJPW – 6/3/1994) It is weird to be “low” on a match – generally speaking – at #28, but here we are. This is great and I totally understand its broad appeal as a true #1 contender. I find this match undeniably great every time I watch it, but I rarely have a desire to watch it. I’m not sure what to make of that, but it doesn’t really diminish its quality in my mind.
27. Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA (Cage Match – US Title – JCP – 11/28/1985) One of the most universally adored matches ever, methinks. It is a human story in the form of a wrestling match. Tully Blanchard is heel virtuoso. This might be his finest hour. I’m not saying Magnum TA wasn’t awesome, but I’m not sure he was carrying 50% of this performance.
26. Wayne Shamrock vs Naoki Sano (PWFG – 5/19/1991) This is – without doubt – the most impressive physical performance I have ever seen. The speed and snugness of their grappling is jaw-dropping. They really move with purpose and fluidity. It feels like watching two people actually trying to hurt one another in a live roll. I wish we got more of Shamrock in this setting. This match checks a lot of boxes for me and feels like something that shouldn’t exist but does.
25. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin (I Quit Match – WWF – 3/23/1997) This is – rightfully – more or less firmly positioned in the cannon of professional wrestling. It is one of the few matches that is almost as highly regarded outside of the WWE narrative as it is inside. I feel like I appreciate it even more through this project. It holds up with the greatest from every style and era in my mind.
24. El Hijo del Santo vs Negro Casas vs El Dandy (Hair vs Hair vs Mask – CMLL – 12/6/1996) This is a violent match that I keep wanting to describe as delicate. It feels like this could have broken at any moment, but never did. I think what they achieve in a triple threat setting with stakes – even considering that they are three of the true all time greats – is really impressive. This is a compelling, multi-chapter story that doesn’t skimp on the brutality and drama.
23. Jushin Thunder Liger vs El Samurai (Super Juniors Final – NJPW – 4/30/1992) My favorite Liger match and my favorite NJPW Jr. match. El Samurai brings out the beast in this one. The mask rips. The stiffness. The storytelling with the cut offs. This is just awesome. Liger is a real GOAT contender and this is his masterpiece in my opinion.
22. El Satanico vs Gran Cochise (NWA Middleweight Title – EMLL – 9/14/1984) I am surprised I am the high vote on this at 22. This is a really well-regarded match among lucha fans, featuring some sublime lucha grappling and storytelling. Satanico is such a joy to watch and the exchanges here are absolutely phenomenal. They really build tension that doesn’t just invite your investment, they demand it.
21. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS – 6/24/1999) Uncooperative shoot style violence… yes please! This is a toothy, aggressive match… nay, fight. I like how compact this is. There is nothing lagging nor slow about this match. Last year I had this in the 40s and immediately regretted it. This feels much better in this range for me.
20. Bryan Danielson vs Low Ki (ROH – 3/30/2002) There probably isn’t a promotion/era more important to my fandom than 2000s ROH. It got me back into wrestling in a big way. This is my pick for the greatest match in the promotion’s history. It is the perfect blend of the two men and their styles in the setting where the match was given the time and weight to elevate it. I have framed this era of Low Ki v Bryan as being like Danielson’s “first album”. Not as polished as the later stuff, but so fresh, creative, and motivated.
19. Shinobu Kandori vs Bull Nakano (Chain Match – AJW/LLPW – 7/14/1994) Inject this wonderful match into my veins. Every time I watch it I love it more than the time before. Two of my absolute favorites ever get tied together with a chain and beat the ever loving shit out of one another all over the god damned building. Don’t be fooled though. This is a really well-organized match worthy of the intelligent wrestlers working it. Top 5 on my hypothetical (but always talked about) “favorites list”.
18. El Hijo Del Santo vs Espanto Jr (Mask vs Mask – EMLL – 8/31/1986) Good lord, what a great match this is. This embodies so much that I like in wrestling and think wrestling – at its best – is about, boils it down, and delivers it in this gritty, bloody package. I am not sure it is as translatable as some of the other high end lucha matches, but if you are into lucha and you haven’t watched this or watched it in a while, treat yo self.
17. Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi – 10/25/1990) Very few matches excel at pure physical story telling like this does. This is a cerebral yet violent competition between two dudes are really ok with kicking the shit out of each other. I often find myself wanting more strikes in my shoot wrestling, but they did not leave me wanting here. I like Takada a lot (more than many), but Fujiwara is my fucking hero. I actually think this one might belong higher for me. Again… hindsight
16. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu (Triple Crown Title – AJPW – 6/5/1989) Nothing can be said about this match that hasn’t be said 100 times by more articulate fans than I. It is a match that feels modern even today. It is high end wrestling from two all time greats with incredible chemistry. This is pretty close to universally admired and that is well deserved.
15. Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig (AWA Title – AWA – 11/21/1986) Perfect three act play of a match. Bockwinkel is an absolute wrestling genius. That isn’t to take away anything from Hennig, but Bock is the conductor here. It isn’t the best time limit draw (for me), but it is the best hour-long draw in history. Both this and Jumbo vs Tenryu would be matches I would give people to show them what pinnacle of their style/era looked like
14. Sangre Chicana vs Perro Aguayo (Hair vs Hair – EMLL – 2/28/1986) This match dropped slightly for me this year and it had literally nothing to do with the match itself. I just find myself higher on a few other matches. This Perro Aguayo is really good here, but this feels like it is truly orchestrated by Sangre Chicana, who bounces and stumbles around selling punches like no one else could. This is absolute gem, a diamond in the rough.
13. Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW – 4/16/1993) I was really happy to see this get some more attention this year, get some more talk on the board. I find a lot of parallels between this and the July match. It simultaneously sets the July match up beautifully and stands on its own as independently great. This is also my pick for best finish in the history of wrestling.
12. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (2/3 Falls – NWA Title – WCW – 4/2/1989) It was sort of crushing to see this fall outside my top 10, but when push came to shove it felt like my desire for it to stay put was grounded on reputation and tradition more so than how I really felt. Look, this is still a wonderful, elite match, but the finish dinged it just enough for a few matches to jump it for me. Still, elite stuff. This match has one of the coolest aesthetics ever. Family Man Steamboat vs Playboy Flair in the dark semi grungy world of WCW.
11. Devil Masami vs Chigusa Nagayo (WWWA All Pacific Title – AJW – 8/22/1985) One of the biggest jump ups for me. This is an unintentional hybrid match in a lot of ways. It is one part joshi classic, one part 80s title match, one part territory brawl. It’s a fantastic. The punch exchange at the end of this match is up there with favorite moments ever. I have said it before and I will say it again. Devil Masami is better than your favorite wrestlers.
10. Naoki Sano vs Minoru Suzuki (PWFG – 7/26/1991) I watched this match for the first time shortly after submitting my 2019 ballot. Since then I have probably watched it 4-5 times. I kept thinking I would come back down to earth on it, but it never happened. This is absolutely wonderful shoot style wrestling. Violence, exhaustion, malice, desperation, and urgency… all things that define this match and in turn could be defined by it.
9. Stan Hansen vs Andre The Giant (AJPW – 9/23/1981) I could say all the cliché things… and I will…. Best hoss fight ever. Best Godzilla vs King Kong match ever. Best spectacle match ever. I think it is a better narrative achievement than it often gets credit for. Through the chaos and brutality, this tells an excellent story. Plus, you get to see Stan Hansen play a roll you rarely see him in… undersized underdog. I use the term a lot (but I don’t throw it around), but this is absolutely singular.
8. Eddie Guerrero vs John Bradshaw Layfield (WWE Title – WWE – 5/16/2004) I’ve talked this match to death, so I wont here. I love the match. That much is clear. I have it as the best U.S. match in history, no small feat. It was penned in as high as 5 this year for me, but never lower than 9. Lots of these matches up in this rarified air could bounce around, but this belongs among the true greats. If they scaled back the ref shenanigans this might be #1.
7. Shinobu Kandori/Akira Hokuto vs Bull Nakano/Aja Kong (AJPW – 3/27/1994) Highest degree of difficulty on my list. Most complex physical story telling on my list. Four of the greatest wrestlers ever to grace God’s green earth obliterated each other in spectacular fashion. This is an undeniable achievement in every single way to me. Layered storytelling that combines long term rivalries and current feuds so seamlessly mixed with malice and violence.
6. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (RINGS – 6/27/1998) My top-rated shoot match. This is absolutely exquisite grappling. It actually moved up a touch for me this year. It is one of the most complete and coherent matches in the style mixed with some of the best toothy exchanges you will find anywhere. It isn’t a match I entertained much higher than this, but I didn’t imagine it would land at 6 either.
5. Holy Demon Army vs Kenta Kobashi/Mitsuharu Misawa (Tag League Final – AJPW – 6/9/1995) How insane is it that I feel LOW on this match at #5…. #5?! That is why, barring a sea change in participation, this will always be the top dog in this project. It is the closest thing to universal objective greatness we have in wrestling, I think. It is dripping with emotion and drama without sacrificing any of the hard hitting you expect out of four of the best wrestlers of the era (and lets face it, all time).
4. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (Triple Crown Title – AJPW -1/20/1997) I genuinely think the only reason I prefer this match to 6/9/1995 is that I personally prefer the ethos of a one-on-one match. It is just the way my brain is wired. Misawa was the ultimate ace and Kobashi was the ultimate chaser. They have a lot of incredible bouts, but this is their highest achievement bell to bell. They strike the action perfectly without wading into “excess” territory here and it pays off.
3. Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW – 7/29/1993) One of the things I did since last year’s ballot was watch all the available Kobashi v Hansen singles matches. I thought in way it might bring this match down a bit, as it wouldn’t feel quite so special given how many other great matches they had. It did for a minute, but ultimately, adding the broader context made me appreciate this even more as it felt like the best, most compelling chapter in the greatest book in all of wrestling.
2. Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 (Hair vs Hair – EMLL – 9/23/1983) A lot changed on my list, but the top two stood firm in their spots. No one does more with less than these two do here. Its cliché to even use this cliché about this match, but they make every movement count. It’s raw, violent, and emotional. This is your perfect steak and potatoes meal. Doesn’t matter how exotic the ingredients are in other dishes or how advanced the techniques used to cook them… sometimes perfect steak and potatoes is all you need.
1. Shinobu Kandori vs Akira Hokuto (AJW – 4/2/1993) The greatest wrestling match ever. Hokuto is the perfect protagonist. She is fiery, emotional, and relatable. Kandori presents an obstacle like no other could. She is mean, smart, and dangerous. The match isn’t just emotionally exhausting. It is physically exhausting. I penned this in as #1 in the final hour on the 2019 ballot. I feel even more confident in the decision in 2020. Perfect pro wrestling.
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Post by bossrock on Oct 2, 2020 18:48:50 GMT -5
You always have great write-ups of these.
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Post by Cap on Oct 3, 2020 13:46:10 GMT -5
You always have great write-ups of these. Much appreciated.
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Post by Cap on Mar 3, 2021 13:03:10 GMT -5
I've gotten out of the habit of documenting my rewatching.
There are so many joshi threads and things going on right now and I've been kinda swamped with other stuff lately so I drop in here and it is hard to keep up with what all we have. In short. I see so much but I am a bit lost on where to latch onto things
Would anyone mind giving me a few Joshi recs from the new flood of things we got? I'd like to maybe start to dig into some of that this weekend if I have time, but not sure where to start. I'd love to just take my time and work through it all. that just isn't going to happen right now.
I got that Dump vs Yamazaki match Elliott has been pimping on my list. Any other recs for must see stuff that we have access too right now?
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