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Post by microstatistics on Dec 29, 2018 11:26:57 GMT -5
Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Super Tiger (UWF, 9/7/1984)
This works as a lot of things: striker vs. grappler, established vs. young, BattlARTS before BattlARTS existed. Excellent selling and body language by Fujiwara and Tiger is good in the underdog role. Pretty great body part psychology near the end too, something I didn't really notice before, as Fujiwara targets the legs to take out the kicks which Sayama sells well.
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Post by microstatistics on Dec 30, 2018 0:57:36 GMT -5
El Hijo del Santo/Bestia Salvaje/Scorpio Jr. vs. El Dandy/Negro Casas/Hector Garza (CMLL, 11/22/1996)
Chaotic brawl and a great character based match with Santo's obsessive hatred for Casas being the glue. Nice stuff like Garza initially pleading with Santo as the latter aligned himself with the rudos to him and Dandy finally losing it and attacking Santo aggressively. Santo is MVP here with a really interesting and unique heel performance.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 1, 2019 8:48:03 GMT -5
Daisuke Ikeda/Takahiro Oba vs. Makoto Hashi/Kengo Mashimo (Futen, 10/24/2010)
Epic Ikeda performance. Great story of the battle hardened veteran being forced to dig deeper than he ever has before. Hashi takes a lot of punishment as well. Oba added a ton too with the young guy initially trying to prove himself and then later supporting Ikeda's fight. The comedy spots were a good contrast to the sickening headbutt exchanges.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 6, 2019 14:09:40 GMT -5
El Satanico vs. Gran Cochisse (EMLL, 9/14/1984)
Another one of those matches that is not quite as great as I remember but still great enough, and in a different and more rewarding way. A great story told via expert body language and very basic wrestling. I mean there are some cool looking spots but the wrestling itself is pretty simple. Cochisse's arm selling in the second fall is excellent. Dramatic third fall. I still don't like the standoff thing they do at the end of exchanges but that criticism is not really specific to this match.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 18, 2019 14:55:53 GMT -5
Negro Casas vs. Mocho Cota (CMLL, 9/23/1994)
Worked like a pseudo-squash with Cota playing the terminator/unkillable slasher role. Great selling and desperate defensive counterattacks by Casas. A dream for limb work enthusiasts. Finish is pretty anticlimactic but sort of works if you consider Cota simply ran out of steam.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 18, 2019 15:03:13 GMT -5
Shinya Hashimoto vs. Genichiro Tenryu (NJPW, 8/1/1998)
Just a balls to the wall slugfest as the old foes clash on Hashimoto's path to G1 redemption. Really focused attack by Hashimoto as everything targeted the upper chest and neck region and Tenryu selling the overhand chops like someone has worked over his shoulder is cool psychology. An interesting theme was Tenryu taking advantage of any momentary pause from Hashimoto to sneak strikes in, even if he had to sort of no sell to do so. The avalanche DDT should probably have been the finish though.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 19, 2019 18:06:03 GMT -5
Naomichi Marufuji vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa (NOAH, 12/9/2001)
I ended up liking this more than ever. Excellent offensive performance by Takaiwa. His crowbar style worked well because everything looked pretty devastating. His heel stuff was really good too. The holds on the mat were also really snug. Really tight and focused first half. I thought they escalated a bit too suddenly because out of nowhere bombs were flying left and right but the selling remained solid. I can see people hating Marufuji's knee selling here but it worked for me because it was pretty consistent and he sold it like the injury was actively hampering him from setting up big spots or capitalizing on an advantage. There is a really great spot later on when in between the carnage Takaiwa grabs a sharpshooter and goes for a submission, continuing the leg psychology. Though the lack of crowd reaction at that spot diminishes it but I guess that's what happens when you condition your audience to only react to the big stuff.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 26, 2019 2:50:57 GMT -5
Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima (ROH, 8/25/2007)
Sometimes I feel if many of Bryan’s matches were 15-20 instead of 35-40 minutes, he would be a Top 3 wrestler of all time. Bryan pulls a Misawa and incorporates a horrific eye injury into a match superbly. Really good leg selling and focused attacks from Morishima.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 26, 2019 2:55:43 GMT -5
Bryan Danielson vs. Homicide (ROH, 12/23/2006)
One of the most overlooked matches in US indie wrestling. Heel masterclass from Bryan and a focused Homicide performance, which makes his character moment near the end more rewarding. Excellent dueling arm work and pretty consistent selling from both. Great continuity with the past and the finish has 1/20/97 vibes to it.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 26, 2019 2:59:32 GMT -5
Volk Han vs. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (RINGS, 7/16/1996)
Fiery young wizard pushes the master to the limit. Compelling points battle as both lose and regain the initiative. They manage to make dueling leg locks compelling. Sudden finish but it works as an all time level KO
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Post by fxnj on Jan 28, 2019 10:23:03 GMT -5
Is Han/Tamura 7/96 online anywhere?
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 28, 2019 20:40:41 GMT -5
Is Han/Tamura 7/96 online anywhere? Ditch has it
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 29, 2019 15:22:19 GMT -5
Cactus Jack vs. Triple H (WWF, 1/23/2000)
Still a classic street fight with great psychology. Foley’s pseudo no selling worked well to get him over as the indestructible madman. Good character work too. I’m neutral about the Rock spot, it was sort of like a payoff to the stuff that happened the year before but it wasn’t really needed. Some terrific nearfalls and not just the pedigree kickout, which is probably top 3 of all time.
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Post by microstatistics on Jan 29, 2019 16:12:58 GMT -5
Yuji Nagata vs. Togi Makabe (NJPW, 7/6/2007)
The find of the project for me so far. Absolutely insane bloodbath, which happened in NJPW of all places. Intensity, hate, heel vs. face, violence, hot crowd, stiff strikes, aggressive brawling, interference spots. Even the ref plays a key role. It’s far from perfect though with some popping up from moves and iffy transitions near the end. I’m pretty sure Nagata busted Makabe hardway with elbows, Brock style, considering he had a crimson mask almost instantly.
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Post by fxnj on Jan 29, 2019 18:23:25 GMT -5
Is Han/Tamura 7/96 online anywhere? Ditch has it Great match. That finish looked like the same thing that happened at the end of Lawler/MacDonald 2.
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