Use this thread to talk about 1996 matches, interviews and angles that didn't make the yearbook that are worth watching for whatever reason.
Include an explanation of what makes the addition stand out. This will be considered if/when a supplemental set is made to fill in a few holes throughout the year.
Full Version: Other 1996 worth watching
All Japan
Kawada & Taue vs Kobashi & Akiyama, March 2nd. As usual with notable All Japan matches, it's great by itself and great as part of a larger story. In this case it's the start of All Japan's big focal point of the year, Kawada vs Akiyama. While they had some great exchanges in the April 6-man, this has a bit more to it and really helps make Akiyama's emergence in the May tag title match that much more special.
Fuchi vs Kikuchi, July 24th. A long-overdue payoff to their title bouts early in the decade. It's a bit slow at times, but as a MATCH it's a lot better than the famous quasi-squash from 2/28/93.
Kikuchi vs RVD, October 12th. I'm not sure why or how but RVD was exponentially better at stringing offense together in All Japan than in ECW. It can't just be his opponents, because when you're on offense typically you call the spots, especially with RVD being experienced at this point. Anyway, they tell a story as RVD frustrates the champ with his unusual-but-effective style, and the finishing run is good. Not on par with Kroffat vs RVD from the year before but waaaaaaaaay better than anything RVD did in ECW through '99 or so.
Kobashi & Patriot vs Albright & Sabu, RWTL. A favorite of Dynamic A. There's not much reason for this to work considering the variety of styles, but it does. More 'fun' than 'great'.
Misawa & Akiyama vs Williams & Ace, November 30th. This seems like it would be better than the broadway from two weeks earlier in the context of a comp. A rare TRUE sprint from All Japan.
Other Japan
Hashimoto & Ohtani vs Yamazaki & Nagata, May 28th
Hashimoto, Hirata & Nishimura vs Yamazaki, Iizuka & Nagata, June 5th. The June 12th tag title match is special because of how the Hashimoto vs Yamazaki rivalry is built up. The way Yamazaki goes after Hashimoto in the lead-ins sets up Hashimoto's explosion on the 12th.
Tanaka, Kuroda & Nakagawa vs Kanemura, Hido & Hosaka, W*ING June 12th. A very enjoyable sprint at a raucous Korakuen Hall.
Chono & Tenzan vs Hashimoto & Norton, October 20th (I think). Neat story as Hash/Norton have some miscommunication that later sets up an extra-hot tag and a very satisfying finish.
Tenryu & Araya vs Yamazaki & Iizuka, WAR November 9th. I love that this match exists. I'm a mark for the Yamazaki/Iizuka team, I'm a mark for Tenryu, I'm a mark for Araya, and I'm a mark for split NJ/WAR crowds, and I'm a mark for hot action at Korakuen Hall. This match has all those things. I *really* think it's a match any fan of puro can enjoy. I also think it helps show the incredible versatility of Tenryu. Watch him get all kinds of fire out of the oft-passive Iizuka!
Hashimoto & Hirata vs Choshu & Sasaki, December 1st. Very nice 'bridge' between Hashimoto in the G-1 and the 1/4/97 Dome show. Hashimoto & Hirata were a reliable team, Hash vs Choshu is a reliable matchup, there ya go.
Chono & Tenzan vs Yamazaki & Iizuka, December 1st. One last notable match for Yamazaki/Iizuka, and there's a clear face/heel dynamic that's often missing in Japan.
Kawada & Taue vs Kobashi & Akiyama, March 2nd. As usual with notable All Japan matches, it's great by itself and great as part of a larger story. In this case it's the start of All Japan's big focal point of the year, Kawada vs Akiyama. While they had some great exchanges in the April 6-man, this has a bit more to it and really helps make Akiyama's emergence in the May tag title match that much more special.
Fuchi vs Kikuchi, July 24th. A long-overdue payoff to their title bouts early in the decade. It's a bit slow at times, but as a MATCH it's a lot better than the famous quasi-squash from 2/28/93.
Kikuchi vs RVD, October 12th. I'm not sure why or how but RVD was exponentially better at stringing offense together in All Japan than in ECW. It can't just be his opponents, because when you're on offense typically you call the spots, especially with RVD being experienced at this point. Anyway, they tell a story as RVD frustrates the champ with his unusual-but-effective style, and the finishing run is good. Not on par with Kroffat vs RVD from the year before but waaaaaaaaay better than anything RVD did in ECW through '99 or so.
Kobashi & Patriot vs Albright & Sabu, RWTL. A favorite of Dynamic A. There's not much reason for this to work considering the variety of styles, but it does. More 'fun' than 'great'.
Misawa & Akiyama vs Williams & Ace, November 30th. This seems like it would be better than the broadway from two weeks earlier in the context of a comp. A rare TRUE sprint from All Japan.
Other Japan
Hashimoto & Ohtani vs Yamazaki & Nagata, May 28th
Hashimoto, Hirata & Nishimura vs Yamazaki, Iizuka & Nagata, June 5th. The June 12th tag title match is special because of how the Hashimoto vs Yamazaki rivalry is built up. The way Yamazaki goes after Hashimoto in the lead-ins sets up Hashimoto's explosion on the 12th.
Tanaka, Kuroda & Nakagawa vs Kanemura, Hido & Hosaka, W*ING June 12th. A very enjoyable sprint at a raucous Korakuen Hall.
Chono & Tenzan vs Hashimoto & Norton, October 20th (I think). Neat story as Hash/Norton have some miscommunication that later sets up an extra-hot tag and a very satisfying finish.
Tenryu & Araya vs Yamazaki & Iizuka, WAR November 9th. I love that this match exists. I'm a mark for the Yamazaki/Iizuka team, I'm a mark for Tenryu, I'm a mark for Araya, and I'm a mark for split NJ/WAR crowds, and I'm a mark for hot action at Korakuen Hall. This match has all those things. I *really* think it's a match any fan of puro can enjoy. I also think it helps show the incredible versatility of Tenryu. Watch him get all kinds of fire out of the oft-passive Iizuka!
Hashimoto & Hirata vs Choshu & Sasaki, December 1st. Very nice 'bridge' between Hashimoto in the G-1 and the 1/4/97 Dome show. Hashimoto & Hirata were a reliable team, Hash vs Choshu is a reliable matchup, there ya go.
Chono & Tenzan vs Yamazaki & Iizuka, December 1st. One last notable match for Yamazaki/Iizuka, and there's a clear face/heel dynamic that's often missing in Japan.
Jericho v. Taz with the corrupt judokan as the ref was a good angle as was Taz v. Paul Varlens with Saturn kicking Varlens head in on the finish.
Mike Enos v. Chris Jericho is an awesome Nitro match that is probaby the second best WCW match of Jericho's run.
Mike Enos v. Chris Jericho is an awesome Nitro match that is probaby the second best WCW match of Jericho's run.
Rayo De Jalisco Jr. vs. Apolo Dantes, CMLL 5/31/96 -- epic Rayo match (Rayo being a guy who busts out a big match about once a year like most other Mexican heavyweights.) Probably Dantes' best match as well, as his selling is the perfect foil for Rayo's big match offence. Was part of the abandoned DVDVR Lucha March Madness tournament.
Mascarita Magica vs. Damiancito El Guerrero (CMLL Minis Title), CMLL 2/27/96 -- not the best minis match from this era (those come in '97), but worth considering for the fact that the majority of people are oblivious to how good the Mexican minis are.
Mayumi Ozaki vs. Hiromi Yagi, JWP 3/3/96 -- lengthy television match between Ozaki and one of the most promising workers of the 90s Hiromi Yagi. Quite long so probably has more flaws than I remember, but this along with the Amano pledging angle before and afterwards give more light to what Ozaki was doing in 1996. Personally, I think she was one of the more interesting workers that year. There's a bunch of ***-*** 1/2 star OZ Academy matches split between JWP and GAEA but I can't remember which one stands out enough to encapsulate them all.
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, UWF-i 5/27/96 -- I hate UWF-i like there's no tomorrow, but IIRC this is Tamura's final match before giving them the big finger. He was toying with the idea of heading to Pancrase and you can see how heavily influenced both these guys were by what was happening with that fed. Really beautiful matwork in this match.
Mascarita Magica vs. Damiancito El Guerrero (CMLL Minis Title), CMLL 2/27/96 -- not the best minis match from this era (those come in '97), but worth considering for the fact that the majority of people are oblivious to how good the Mexican minis are.
Mayumi Ozaki vs. Hiromi Yagi, JWP 3/3/96 -- lengthy television match between Ozaki and one of the most promising workers of the 90s Hiromi Yagi. Quite long so probably has more flaws than I remember, but this along with the Amano pledging angle before and afterwards give more light to what Ozaki was doing in 1996. Personally, I think she was one of the more interesting workers that year. There's a bunch of ***-*** 1/2 star OZ Academy matches split between JWP and GAEA but I can't remember which one stands out enough to encapsulate them all.
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, UWF-i 5/27/96 -- I hate UWF-i like there's no tomorrow, but IIRC this is Tamura's final match before giving them the big finger. He was toying with the idea of heading to Pancrase and you can see how heavily influenced both these guys were by what was happening with that fed. Really beautiful matwork in this match.
A match that I recommended to Loss that he couldn't find or something:
Masahiro Chono vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (3/20/96 - Aired on NJPW Classics #812)
Really good match that for whatever reason is worked like a Barry Windham main event match from an episode of Worldwide in the late '80s.
Masahiro Chono vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (3/20/96 - Aired on NJPW Classics #812)
Really good match that for whatever reason is worked like a Barry Windham main event match from an episode of Worldwide in the late '80s.
Was there a reason Jeff Jarrett vs Chris Benoit at Starcade didn't make it? Struck me as being part of that strong four match opener that really gave a snapshot in time of how wide open WCW was right then:
* two juniors/cruisers matches
* womens match
* two smaller heavies getting a push
Then the card transitioned into the "drawing" section:
* current pushed draws Hall & Nash / DDP
* two guys who keep getting push on top despite never taking off (Lex/Giant)
* icons from another era holding down the top in Hogan and Piper
Always thought Jeffey-Benoit was a pretty good match, and a good comp for Jeffey-Shawn which will end up on the comp for its year.
John
* two juniors/cruisers matches
* womens match
* two smaller heavies getting a push
Then the card transitioned into the "drawing" section:
* current pushed draws Hall & Nash / DDP
* two guys who keep getting push on top despite never taking off (Lex/Giant)
* icons from another era holding down the top in Hogan and Piper
Always thought Jeffey-Benoit was a pretty good match, and a good comp for Jeffey-Shawn which will end up on the comp for its year.
John
QUOTE(jdw @ Feb 22 2011, 02:13 AM) 
Was there a reason Jeff Jarrett vs Chris Benoit at Starcade didn't make it?
I guess "Not too much Benoit on the set" was an unwritten rule, especially if Woman was at his side, which for some people might be hard to watch. Oddly I have no trouble with it but I understand some people might have.
I loved this match, which was one of Jarrett's all time best to me along with one match he had with Malenko. His first WCW stint was probably the best in term of matches.
Starrcade 96 was pretty much the best PPV anyone could put out at this time. Great undercard, big drawing matches that worked, crowd going home happy.
QUOTE(jdw @ Feb 22 2011, 08:13 AM)
Was there a reason Jeff Jarrett vs Chris Benoit at Starcade didn't make it? Struck me as being part of that strong four match opener that really gave a snapshot in time of how wide open WCW was right then:
* two juniors/cruisers matches
* womens match
* two smaller heavies getting a push
Then the card transitioned into the "drawing" section:
* current pushed draws Hall & Nash / DDP
* two guys who keep getting push on top despite never taking off (Lex/Giant)
* icons from another era holding down the top in Hogan and Piper
Always thought Jeffey-Benoit was a pretty good match, and a good comp for Jeffey-Shawn which will end up on the comp for its year.
John
* two juniors/cruisers matches
* womens match
* two smaller heavies getting a push
Then the card transitioned into the "drawing" section:
* current pushed draws Hall & Nash / DDP
* two guys who keep getting push on top despite never taking off (Lex/Giant)
* icons from another era holding down the top in Hogan and Piper
Always thought Jeffey-Benoit was a pretty good match, and a good comp for Jeffey-Shawn which will end up on the comp for its year.
John
It was a match Will didn't really care for, and we were iffy about putting too much Benoit on the set.
Tamura vs Peeters, 7/16: Peeters seems to have Tamura's number throughout, with better strikes and plenty of good counters. And he's COCKY AS HELL. Aw yiss.
Tamura vs Ilioukhine, 10/25: Ilioukhine is yet another Russian mat wizard who meshes wonderfully with Tamura.
Tamura vs Yamamoto, 12/21: I think Yamamoto is a much better Tamura opponent than TK. Yamamoto is better on his feet, and still high-end with RINGS-style matwork. More energy and excitement.
Tamura vs Ilioukhine, 10/25: Ilioukhine is yet another Russian mat wizard who meshes wonderfully with Tamura.
Tamura vs Yamamoto, 12/21: I think Yamamoto is a much better Tamura opponent than TK. Yamamoto is better on his feet, and still high-end with RINGS-style matwork. More energy and excitement.
AJW 5/11/1996
(3WA Tag Titles) Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue © vs Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda
Thought this was a really great match, not perfect but the good outweighs the bad. Started to drag a little 30 mins in or so for a bit and the near fall section could have come a little earlier but I was never bored and they kept my full attention for all 52 mins with lots of cool little moments and mini stories though out, never felt like they were just killing time and didn't feel un-natural for them to go this long, as if they were doing it just for the sake of doing it.
Megaupload link
Runtime 1:02:13
Filesize 413mb
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=W9D1NN8G
*EDIT* Updated with the correct link
(3WA Tag Titles) Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue © vs Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda
Thought this was a really great match, not perfect but the good outweighs the bad. Started to drag a little 30 mins in or so for a bit and the near fall section could have come a little earlier but I was never bored and they kept my full attention for all 52 mins with lots of cool little moments and mini stories though out, never felt like they were just killing time and didn't feel un-natural for them to go this long, as if they were doing it just for the sake of doing it.
Megaupload link
Runtime 1:02:13
Filesize 413mb
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=W9D1NN8G
*EDIT* Updated with the correct link
So yeah, one of the biggest omisions of the 96 set is the joshi world getting ignored outside of AJW, JWP & 2 or 3 FMW matches. Especially sucks nothing from GAEA made it.
Not sure how much of it lends itself to the year book format actually since a lot of it's strength comes from the show to show booking. I spent the past 2 weeks or so re-watching their 96 tv set and really, except for the early run of the NWO I don't think there was anything going on in the world of wrestling in 96 that was as compelling as GAEA in terms of episodic tv. Real big growth year for the company with quite a lot happening
- Early in the year sees the feud with FMW winding up & the LLPW & JWP feuds continue.
- 3 new rookies debut, most notably Sakura Hirota.
- Their rookie class from previous year starts really getting established and a few start picking up wins over the older talent for the first time
- Later in the year they get a 2nd tv show on Samurai to go along with their GAORA champ forum slot.
- Sakie Hasegawa stops by on her retirement road for a big match vs Chigusa
- Sakie later joins the company as the host of their Samurai show doing commentary and back stage interviews & special features Mean Gene Okerlund style
- Mima Shimoda who'd play a big role in the company in a few years stops by for the first time.
- Toshiyo Yamada shows up for the first time, working a fair number of shows and having a series of tags & a single vs Chigusa. She'd join the company officially in 97
- Akira Hokuto joins the company which they make a big deal out of dedicating an entire tv episode to it to show press confrences, interviews and training footage.
- Kyoko Ichiki joins the company from IWA Japan
- The LLPW feud spins off into a nice little mini feud between Kato & Nagashima
- Nagashima & Sugar Sato turn heel to join Mayumi Ozaki & Carlos Amano forming the original OZ Academy in one of the all time great angles in joshi. 16 years later OZ Academy is still going strong with 3 of those 4 as anchors.
- The tag division gets established with Nagashima & Sato, Meiko & Kato and Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao being the 3 cornerstones
- Nagashima & Sato win the AJW Tag Titles
- Meiko & Kato become the first GAEA 3AW tag champs beating Nagashima & Kato
- Chigusa becomes the first 3AW singles champ beating Devil Masami
- They do a tour of Singapore & score the deal with WCW
- The Hokuto vs Kaoru feud gets set up for next year after they lose to Meiko & Kato
Best matches, one's in bold are MOTYC lvl stuff
2/16/1996 Eagle Sawai, Jen Yukari & Michiko Nagashima vs Chigusa Nagayo, Bomber Hikaru & Sonoko Kato
2/16/1996 KAORU vs Combat Toyoda
4/3/1996 Toshie Uematsu vs Sonoko Kato
4/3/1996 Michiko Nagashima vs Chikayo Nagashima
4/29/1996 Sugar Sato & Aki Kanbayashi Miss Mongol vs Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao
4/29/1996 Toshiyo Yamada vs Meiko Satomura
4/29/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Sugar Sato vs Shinobu Kandori & Michiko Omukai
6/16/1996 Yasha Kurenai, Carol Midori & Mikiko Futagami vs Bomber Hikari, Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
6/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Makie Numao vs Toshiyo Yamada & Meiko Satomura
7/31/1996 Mayumi Ozaki, Reiko Amano & Sugar Sato vs Kaoru, Toshie Uematsu & Chikayo Nagashima
7/31/1996 Toshiyo Yamada & Sonoko Kato vs Chigusa Nagayo & Meiko Satomura
8/18/1996 Mayumi Ozaki, Reiko Amano, Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima vs Chigusa Nagayo, Sonoko Kato, Toshie Uematsu & Sakura Hirota
9/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo vs Toshiyo Yamada
9/16/1996 (Handicap Match) Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao vs Kaoru
9/16/1996 (AJW Tag Titles) Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima © vs Sonoko Kato & Toshie Uematsu
11/2/1996 (3AW Tag Titles) Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura vs Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
11/2/1996 (3AW Title) Chgusa Nagayo vs Devil Masami
11/16/1996 Mayumi Ozaki & Sugar Sato vs Reiko Amano & Chikayo Nagashima
11/16/1996 Akira Hokuto vs Meiko Satomura
11/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo vs Sonoko Kato
11/18/1996 (AJW Tag Titles) Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima © vs Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao
11/18/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Sonoko Kato vs Kaoru & Meiko Satomura
12/1/1996 Sonoko Kato vs Chihiro Nakano
12/13/1996 (Handicap Match) Chigusa Nagayo vs Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
12/13/1996 Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura vs Akira Hokuto & Kaoru
Not sure how much of it lends itself to the year book format actually since a lot of it's strength comes from the show to show booking. I spent the past 2 weeks or so re-watching their 96 tv set and really, except for the early run of the NWO I don't think there was anything going on in the world of wrestling in 96 that was as compelling as GAEA in terms of episodic tv. Real big growth year for the company with quite a lot happening
- Early in the year sees the feud with FMW winding up & the LLPW & JWP feuds continue.
- 3 new rookies debut, most notably Sakura Hirota.
- Their rookie class from previous year starts really getting established and a few start picking up wins over the older talent for the first time
- Later in the year they get a 2nd tv show on Samurai to go along with their GAORA champ forum slot.
- Sakie Hasegawa stops by on her retirement road for a big match vs Chigusa
- Sakie later joins the company as the host of their Samurai show doing commentary and back stage interviews & special features Mean Gene Okerlund style
- Mima Shimoda who'd play a big role in the company in a few years stops by for the first time.
- Toshiyo Yamada shows up for the first time, working a fair number of shows and having a series of tags & a single vs Chigusa. She'd join the company officially in 97
- Akira Hokuto joins the company which they make a big deal out of dedicating an entire tv episode to it to show press confrences, interviews and training footage.
- Kyoko Ichiki joins the company from IWA Japan
- The LLPW feud spins off into a nice little mini feud between Kato & Nagashima
- Nagashima & Sugar Sato turn heel to join Mayumi Ozaki & Carlos Amano forming the original OZ Academy in one of the all time great angles in joshi. 16 years later OZ Academy is still going strong with 3 of those 4 as anchors.
- The tag division gets established with Nagashima & Sato, Meiko & Kato and Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao being the 3 cornerstones
- Nagashima & Sato win the AJW Tag Titles
- Meiko & Kato become the first GAEA 3AW tag champs beating Nagashima & Kato
- Chigusa becomes the first 3AW singles champ beating Devil Masami
- They do a tour of Singapore & score the deal with WCW
- The Hokuto vs Kaoru feud gets set up for next year after they lose to Meiko & Kato
Best matches, one's in bold are MOTYC lvl stuff
2/16/1996 Eagle Sawai, Jen Yukari & Michiko Nagashima vs Chigusa Nagayo, Bomber Hikaru & Sonoko Kato
2/16/1996 KAORU vs Combat Toyoda
4/3/1996 Toshie Uematsu vs Sonoko Kato
4/3/1996 Michiko Nagashima vs Chikayo Nagashima
4/29/1996 Sugar Sato & Aki Kanbayashi Miss Mongol vs Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao
4/29/1996 Toshiyo Yamada vs Meiko Satomura
4/29/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Sugar Sato vs Shinobu Kandori & Michiko Omukai
6/16/1996 Yasha Kurenai, Carol Midori & Mikiko Futagami vs Bomber Hikari, Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
6/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Makie Numao vs Toshiyo Yamada & Meiko Satomura
7/31/1996 Mayumi Ozaki, Reiko Amano & Sugar Sato vs Kaoru, Toshie Uematsu & Chikayo Nagashima
7/31/1996 Toshiyo Yamada & Sonoko Kato vs Chigusa Nagayo & Meiko Satomura
8/18/1996 Mayumi Ozaki, Reiko Amano, Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima vs Chigusa Nagayo, Sonoko Kato, Toshie Uematsu & Sakura Hirota
9/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo vs Toshiyo Yamada
9/16/1996 (Handicap Match) Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao vs Kaoru
9/16/1996 (AJW Tag Titles) Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima © vs Sonoko Kato & Toshie Uematsu
11/2/1996 (3AW Tag Titles) Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura vs Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
11/2/1996 (3AW Title) Chgusa Nagayo vs Devil Masami
11/16/1996 Mayumi Ozaki & Sugar Sato vs Reiko Amano & Chikayo Nagashima
11/16/1996 Akira Hokuto vs Meiko Satomura
11/16/1996 Chigusa Nagayo vs Sonoko Kato
11/18/1996 (AJW Tag Titles) Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima © vs Chihiro Nakano & Makie Numao
11/18/1996 Chigusa Nagayo & Sonoko Kato vs Kaoru & Meiko Satomura
12/1/1996 Sonoko Kato vs Chihiro Nakano
12/13/1996 (Handicap Match) Chigusa Nagayo vs Sugar Sato & Chikayo Nagashima
12/13/1996 Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura vs Akira Hokuto & Kaoru
I actually wanted to include some GAEA at the time, but the only match recommendation sources I knew of - PUNQ and Lorefice - didn't give a single match higher than ***1/2. So yeah, I acknowledge that not representing GAEA (or LLPW, or Jd') is a bit of a gap, but there were no recommendations out there at that point.
We will do a supplement at some point. Not sure what format it will take or how many discs it will be, but 1996 GAEA will have representation for sure.
We will do a supplement at some point. Not sure what format it will take or how many discs it will be, but 1996 GAEA will have representation for sure.
FMW 4/4/1996 Combat Toyoda & Chigusa Nagayo vs Megumi Kudo & KAORU
So yeah, didn't even know this show existed until a few weeks ago when I was flipping through Lynch's list so I had to get it right away of course. It starts a bit slow and the crowd kinda sucks but otherwise this is quite the rockin tag match.
So yeah, didn't even know this show existed until a few weeks ago when I was flipping through Lynch's list so I had to get it right away of course. It starts a bit slow and the crowd kinda sucks but otherwise this is quite the rockin tag match.
Went through this stuff a while ago, but these two BattlARTS matches I liked a lot:
-Ishikawa/Sho Funaki v Ikeda/Usuda 1/13
-TAKA v Minoru Tanaka 10/30 (30 minute draw, IIRC)
I honestly can't remember anything too specific as I probably watched them 2010, but I definitely thought they were really good. TAKA comes off the top rope in the draw....yep...
-Ishikawa/Sho Funaki v Ikeda/Usuda 1/13
-TAKA v Minoru Tanaka 10/30 (30 minute draw, IIRC)
I honestly can't remember anything too specific as I probably watched them 2010, but I definitely thought they were really good. TAKA comes off the top rope in the draw....yep...
Went and watched the Volk Han that didn't make the set. I hadn't watched any shoot style since listening to the most recent Wrestling Culture (which was great, btw), so it was really interesting to see that, for the most part, the crowd was pretty damn hot for the matches. I haven't listened to enough of the podcasts to tell who's voice is who's, but someone said the crowd for shoot style can be silent just because they're bored out of their minds, and I agree, but it wasn't the case for these.
v Nyman 1/24- Watched this last year. Remember nothing.
v Vrij 3/25- If this had some more time they could have built a really, really good match. Fuck, with the six and change they got they built a really good match with. Vrij is a big intimidating bastard and the whole match he tries to knock Han out. Han opts for the submission route so by the time they're six minutes in Han has a flock of red bars from knock downs and Vrij has yellow from rope breaks. Crowd were pretty hot, but I thought it might a "no rolling on the mat" thing.
v Zouev 4/26- This gets upwards of ten minutes, and my thoughts of crowd excitement being a "no rolling on the mat" were washed. They're not reacting on a historically loud level or anything, but there's tons of claps for rope breaks and yells throughout. Really good match.
v Nagai 6/29- Shit hot crowd. Unsurprising seeing as they typically get louder than usual when of their Japan hometown boys is facing an alien. Nagai is such a great Han opponent and this might not be their 93 match, but the key word is "might". I love how Volk makes a submission move look like the end of the world by popping it out of nowhere and giving the guy a panic. Tremendous near 10-count or two in this as well. Who works sub-fifteen minute matches better than Han, ever?
v Tariel 12/21- Han tried what he could to make this interesting and actually did by himself, but Tariel looked useless here. Talked about Han making a submission move look like the end of the world for his opponent, but it means little when your opponent doesn't move. Weaker Han match.
I've seen a few people call Han one of the best guys of 96, and I'm not sure where I'd stand on that, but he'd definitely go up for me after watching the Vrij/Zouev/Nagai matches. Might not look AMAZING if you put them on the same comp as the best Kawada (who I thought was the best guy in 96) of the year, but watching it all in a row....looks pretty spectacular.
v Nyman 1/24- Watched this last year. Remember nothing.
v Vrij 3/25- If this had some more time they could have built a really, really good match. Fuck, with the six and change they got they built a really good match with. Vrij is a big intimidating bastard and the whole match he tries to knock Han out. Han opts for the submission route so by the time they're six minutes in Han has a flock of red bars from knock downs and Vrij has yellow from rope breaks. Crowd were pretty hot, but I thought it might a "no rolling on the mat" thing.
v Zouev 4/26- This gets upwards of ten minutes, and my thoughts of crowd excitement being a "no rolling on the mat" were washed. They're not reacting on a historically loud level or anything, but there's tons of claps for rope breaks and yells throughout. Really good match.
v Nagai 6/29- Shit hot crowd. Unsurprising seeing as they typically get louder than usual when of their Japan hometown boys is facing an alien. Nagai is such a great Han opponent and this might not be their 93 match, but the key word is "might". I love how Volk makes a submission move look like the end of the world by popping it out of nowhere and giving the guy a panic. Tremendous near 10-count or two in this as well. Who works sub-fifteen minute matches better than Han, ever?
v Tariel 12/21- Han tried what he could to make this interesting and actually did by himself, but Tariel looked useless here. Talked about Han making a submission move look like the end of the world for his opponent, but it means little when your opponent doesn't move. Weaker Han match.
I've seen a few people call Han one of the best guys of 96, and I'm not sure where I'd stand on that, but he'd definitely go up for me after watching the Vrij/Zouev/Nagai matches. Might not look AMAZING if you put them on the same comp as the best Kawada (who I thought was the best guy in 96) of the year, but watching it all in a row....looks pretty spectacular.
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 9/14-From South Africa. Not quite as good as the Survivor Series match, but it's in the same vein. In fact, it sort of feels like a test run for that match.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xomlsz_ww...05-1996_animals
Very very bizarre episode of Livewire with lots of proto-attitude era bullshit. Vince Russo shows up as Vic Venom and "shoots" on everyone including exposing Doc Hendrix as Michael Hayes. They further the JR shoot angle and accuse JR of helping WCW steal talent from WWF. Plus Paul Heyman calls in. All of this goes down with Kevin Dunn hanging around in the background. It's all really weird and kind of horrible.
Very very bizarre episode of Livewire with lots of proto-attitude era bullshit. Vince Russo shows up as Vic Venom and "shoots" on everyone including exposing Doc Hendrix as Michael Hayes. They further the JR shoot angle and accuse JR of helping WCW steal talent from WWF. Plus Paul Heyman calls in. All of this goes down with Kevin Dunn hanging around in the background. It's all really weird and kind of horrible.
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