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This will be great. Looking forward to it.
Thanks Taker_2004 for the banner!
1st December.
Brother vs. Brother
Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Briscoe - 4th March 2007
There can be no better way to get into the festive spirit than have two brothers beating the tar out of each other. This was a great time in ROH as they were on their Fifth Year Festival Tour. This match is from the finale in Liverpool and is absolute carnage. As they had lost their ROH tag team titles in their 1st defense, The Briscoes decided they needed to MAN UP! and to do that they faced each other. When your opponent is your own brother and have been training with all your life, I guess there are no limitations as to what you can do. They throw their bodies around in total abandon, taking on some seriously risky spots which leads to a highly entertaining match-up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLKMVc9OuuA
Last edited by Rossman (Mon-1-Dec-2014 17:15:53)
2nd December.
Taken By Surprise
Tiger Mask vs. Jose Estrada - 21st November 1982
I've seen this match a few times now and its still so enjoyable to watch. Due to his size and his marvellous bumping ability, Jose Estrada was not much more than a job-guy in the WWF but gained a little bit of a push as one half of the infamous Conquistadors. When he's matched up with someone of equal build like Tiger Mask, the pair mesh really well and put on a fun display of high flying wrestling. Tiger Mask's, Junior Heavyweight Title is on the line and look out for Vince on commentary get confused between a Boston Crab & a Camel Clutch around the 9 minute mark.
3rd December.
Bringing The Fire
Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair - 17th February 1990
If you try to distinguish what 1990 WCW looked like, it was a halfway house of 80's veterans and rising stars who would blossom in a few years. At this point Brian Pillman had not been in WCW for very long but his raw, explosive energy and athleticism really brought something new to the promotion. Everyone knows Flair's credentials and by the early 90's, he was helping shine up new talent like Pillman, as well as main event feuding with Sting & Luger. As Pillman goes for his Flying Clotheslines and big Crossbody Splashes, the sneaky Flair is trying to ground his opponent, grind him down and wear him out so he can apply the Figure 4. The bout runs at a frenetic pace for a 15 minute TV match and makes you think, will the young gun be able to get one over on the champ?
I've only watched Briscoe v Briscoe so far - but a great match and one I hadn't seen before which is always a bonus.
Thanks Taker_2004 for the banner!
4th December.
Time To Fly
La Sombra vs. Dragón Rojo Jr. - 8th March 2014
I have always liked the idea of watching more pure lucha but it usually leaves me disappointed because of their approach and technique. This match though makes you think there is some hope as to how awesome lucha libre can be. Its a lot more US styled in its ring-craft and the action flows in a fluid motion. La Sombra is such a graceful athlete and is silky smooth in his dives. I don't know much about Dragon Rojo Jr. except he's a capable hand, likes to do powerbombs and has a cool mask. La Sombra's, NWA World Middleweight belt is on the line for this 2 out of 3 falls title match.
5th December.
A Real Hidden Gem
Doink The Clown vs. Marty Jannetty - 21st June 1993
This match has to be the definition of a hidden treasure. You wouldn't think Doink & Jannetty would click as well as they do here, they had been in a low key and unimportant feud and this two out of three falls match was the blow off to the angle. Doink is a fairly underrated gimmick, maybe because of how cartoonish he was on the surface. But underneath he was a sinister clown, unabashed of his nasty antics and bullying behaviour. Look at how hard he kicks Jannetty in the back of the head when he's outside the ring. Jannetty is your typical babyface, he can take a beating, get the crowd behind him and then still have the fire to make a comeback, which is perfect for this match. Jannetty also hits a superkick in the match that makes a sound like Doink's jaw has ended up in row Z.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnnQNIHAJ5Y
If the youtube jump to doesn't work. The match starts at the 32 minute mark.
Last edited by Rossman (Fri-5-Dec-2014 08:59:25)
6th December.
Out Of Asia
Hiro Saito vs Brad Armstrong - 16th August 1986
I wanted to include a Brad Armstrong match somewhere, to acknowledge how great the guys wrestling ability was. If he also had the talk and charisma of his brother it would have taken him a lot further. Here he is in the last match of his first tour of Japan and its a tournament final for the Jr. title against Hiro Saito. Saito is a good technician with a strong mat game, he doesn't have an athletic looking body but has impressive cardio levels. He was tipped to win the belt so Armstrong takes the brunt of his offense & can show off his impressive selling and bumping skills. He's doing what Shawn Michaels was doing 5 years later. Armstrong also gets to show what's in his arsenal, no-one does a headlock take down like that anymore. Its all simple moves, that are done crisp & cleanly to perfection.
7th December.
Best Of British
Dave Mastiff vs Stixx - 26th August 2012
It's time to show what wrestling talent we have on British shores. If you have been watching TNA British Boot Camp, you will have seen Dave Mastiff. A breezeblock of a man who calls himself "The Bastard." He can integrate his power with speed and agility which is undefinable for someone his shape. His opponent Stixx has the moniker the "The Heavyweight House of Pain" because he is a big guy but can also fly and has the signature move of a flying turnbuckle crossbody. The two bulls have a good go at slugging it out and look out for Mastiff's finisher. You do not want a 300lb man cannonballing himself through mid-air and landing on top of you.
8th December.
We're Ready For Take Off
PAC vs Ricochet - 1st March 2011
Feast your eyes on two of, if not the best high fliers in the world. This is from Dragon Gate so its ten minutes of non-stop action that is reminiscent of a video game mixed with a car crash. Selling and psychology are obviously lacking here and its replaced with outlandishly spectacular moves that probably don't even have names. PAC is currently doing well in NXT as Adrian Neville and Ricochet still tours the world and has a good spot in Lucha Underground as Prince Puma.
9th December.
Rewind The Clock
Lou Thesz vs Buddy Rogers - 26th January 1951
The Chicago Film Archive has recently discovered a cavalcade of wrestling matches from the 1950's in their vault and they're all in excellent condition. Here we've got the "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers challenging Lou Thesz for his NWA World Title in a 2 out of 3 falls match. There is a lot of exchanging holds and mat work in this one. The bout does open up in the mid stages and turns into a rough house affair due to Roger's volition. Thesz on the other hand tries to stick to a more pure style but sometimes has to match Rogers with the brawling. Look out for the finish in he third fall, that's an easy way to lose an ear.
10th December.
20 Minute Time Limit
Tully Blanchard vs. Terry Taylor - 10th August 1985
This is a really hard fought 20 minute title match between two perennial wrestling technicians. Tully Blanchard the cocky, brash upstart who would rather cheat his way through than play fair. He's a terrific bumper with a nasty streak on the offensive. What Terry Taylor lacked in presence, he made up for in his ability and match psychology. This is a back and forth match with neither getting a real grip on each other. Blanchard's US title is up for grabs and the small crowd which is mainly of the female contingent are firmly behind Terry Taylor getting the victory.
Mastiff vs Stixx - I just want to say that the commentary was hilarious. Mastiff's finisher was unique, I kinda like it. Would only work for a big guy with some agility though.
11th December.
Smash Mouth Style
Miracle Violence Connection vs. Can-Am Express - 17th April 1990
Gordy & Williams were two big bruisers who could create a path through any tag team in Japan. Their size and style was feared because of how dangerous they looked and fought. Here they take on the equally powerful Furnas & Kroffat. The pair are smaller but are compact and have the acrobatics to hit backflips & top tier dropkicks. Kroffat could do a top rope backflip, pick up his charging opponent and then Gorilla Press Slam them above his head. Apart from the Connections stand out year in 1992 WCW, neither team really caught on in the US for a lengthy period which is a shame because they were both highly remarkable for their own reasons.
12th December.
Extreme Lucha
Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis - 17th October 1995
This is a marvellous match up of fast speed lucha libre. 30 seconds in and they've already launched themselves into the front row. The formulae is the Mexican standard for a lucha libre match. The babyface wins the first fall, the heel wins the second fall. Then they duke it out to find a winner. Here they're slinging chairs at at each other, Psicosis is diving into the 3rd row onto Misterio. They're putting each other through tables. Then you've got all of the Hurracarana's, 360 degree Head Scissors and spectacular dives. A crazy match which was only a chapter in a long feud between the pair.
13th December.
The King Is Dead
Jerry Lawler vs. Austin Idol - 27th April 1987
This match was a part of the biggest feud in the Memphis territory in 1987. Austin Idol wanted a title shot but wouldn't get it, so turned on Jerry Lawler. Tommy Rich saddled up with Idol & they had Paul E Dangerously as their manager. The feud spilled over into a hair vs. hair, cage match at the Mid South Coliseum in front of 8,500 rabid fans. This is what real heat is, fans are trying to climb the cage to get in, fights are breaking out in the crowd. The heels needed a circular police escort from ringside otherwise the fans were going to lynch them. The match is a 20 minute brawl, Lawler fights with his fists whilst Idol is using every accessory and accomplice he has to win the match. They don't make them like this anymore.
14th December.
Dragon Slayer
Ricky Steamboat vs. Magnificent Muraco - 23rd September 1985
This feud may not be as appreciated as Muraco vs. Snuka or Steamboat vs. Savage. But the pair have good chemistry together and it was a sure-fire way to get Steamboat over as he entered the WWF. Muraco is generally unrecognised by this wrestling generation for his awesomeness as an arrogant heel and agility for a big man. With the devious Mr Fuji by his side, the pair were a thorn in the posterior for any challenger. Steamboat's credentials don't need to be listed and here he keeps choking Muraco with his coat/belt because it was Muraco who hung Steamboat using his own belt to start the feud.
15th December.
Tag Team Wars
The Sheepherders vs The Fantastics - June 1986
The start of this match has been clipped slightly but I want to show it because its a brilliant example of how wrestling used to be in the Deep South. It kicks off with one of the best dropkicks in the business from Tommy Rogers. The Sheepherders and The Fantastics had wild, intense match-ups that Meltzer rated one of them 5 stars. The Fantastics, similar to the Rock & Roll Express were smaller, athletic wrestlers who were loved by the women. Pioneers in the big men era of the 80's. The Sheepherders were the antithesis in big brawling animals who bludgeoned & battered through their opponents. A stark contrast to what they would become in the WWF.
16th December.
Big In Japan
Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Masato Tanaka - 28th April 2008
This is a colossal battle between two Japanese warriors. Sekimoto is one of the oddest shaped men in wrestling. He's not very tall but massive in size which gives him a strong base for his dead lift German Suplex finisher. After all the crazy hardcore matches Tanaka has been in, his toughness can been seen from the cacophony of scars on his forehead. The pair go nearly 30 minutes of strong style wrestling, hitting each other with hard chops, slaps and forearms. The match permeates to a finale of intense fighting spirit where neither wants to give in.
17th December.
Gold Medal Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle - 23rd January 2003
Here are a third of the Smackdown Six in a fun TV match. Angle currently has the WWE Title and it leads into his epic encounter with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 19. There are a few things in this match which I don't think I've ever seen Angle do before. A Liger Bomb for starters and then his finisher is uniquely inventive. Mysterio is also light enough for Angle to throw around and make moves such as a high angled German Suplex look more potent. Mysterio is also in good form here, hitting a lot of his trademark offense with a few extra bits thrown in to keep things fresh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUNHC5xYvPk
Last edited by Rossman (Wed-17-Dec-2014 08:41:44)
18th December.
Tag Team Spectacular
Kevin Steen & El Generico vs The Young Bucks - 19th December 2009
This is a tremendous match between four very talented individuals. The Bucks have tag team synergy down to a science with the team combinations they achieve. Steen & Generico are mainly single wrestlers but had a good run together as the ROH tag team champions. Here they round out 2009 with a match against the Young Bucks to try and climb back up the tag team ladder. Its a 20 minute action laden bout, with no time for hot tags but plenty of room for high-flying & double team manoeuvres. Keep watching until the end because there's a big swerve that sets up the NXT video.
19th December.
Before They Were Famous
Bryan Danielson vs Tyler Black - 9th May 2008
So the match I wanted to show you (Kevin Steen vs. El Generico from Final Battle 2010) got deleted from Youtube so I'm having to go in a different direction. Sticking with Ring of Honor, here are Tyler Black and Bryan Danielson squaring off in their second ever meeting. This was around the time Black was stepping out of Jimmy Jacobs' shadow and fans started to realise how good he was. It also helps when you're working with one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. The pair work well together and put on a good match that highlights both of their attributes and solidifies why they have made so many leaps into the wrestling big leagues.
20th December.
Match Of The Year
Jushin Liger vs. Naoki Sano - 31st January 1990
This match is absolutely brilliant. It was rated by the Observer as match of the year for 1990 because of its brutal nature and storytelling. Naoki Sano is the young lion who wants to take over from Liger. To start the match Liger goes up to Sano and disrespects him by slapping his face. Incensed by this, Sano goes on a rampage to try and destroy Liger for 20 minutes. Liger has his mask ripped open and his face is battered and bloodied. When the commentators see Liger's face they realise he is Fuji Yamada, the inventor of the Shooting Star Press. They concur that if they are the same person, this means Liger must have the ability to do the Shooting Star Press.
This got a good reception last year so lets bring it back. The 1st of December marks the start of Christmas for me, so lets celebrate together with 25 wrestling matches in an advent style. 1 a day until we reach Christmas Day. I've been searching low and high for the most exciting, involving & maybe concealed matches I can find. We had Savage/Steamboat, Hogan/Warrior last year so these matches will be just as thrilling but more off the radar. All starts tomorrow!
Last edited by Rossman (Mon-1-Dec-2014 17:16:19)