puropotsy

Just finished the book, one of my favorite wrestling books up with Have a Nice Day, John Molinaro's Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All time, Hooker and the Andre book from last year. More than any of those, this is the one I most wish I had written

This book is a great read and page-turner for me. I love that it is in chronological order I assume using illustrations was partially to get around photo rights but it makes this a comic-like experience as well and that is one of my other great loves so wins all around I prefer the black and white, makes me feel like I'm reading From Hell rather than Spawn which is a good thing I am making a playlist of all the matches but have not been able to find one online for Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs 6/13/1983 other than a clip under two minutes

This was another great shoot-style match between these two. Makabe mixed in a dropkick and an enzuiguri with his shoot-based offense and did some great selling. Thatcher mixed in some mauling with other mauling as he is wont to do. Makabe has a really cool cattle mutilation in which Thatcher is in a seated position, it looks painful.

This was similar to one of the shoot-style matches from WXW Ambition but with regular rules so guys could get counted for pins when going for submissions. I feel this was up there with their WXW Ambition match from earlier in the year. Lots of trading of ankle locks and the likes. It was really cool that with the change in rules Ishikawa would throw in pin attempts like a small package and a backslide, transitioning well from submission work. They traded several cross amrbreaker attempts and Fujiwara armbar attempts through the match. Thatcher finally got Ishikawa in the Fujiwara and sunk it in deep and Ishikawa tapped out. The match got a standing ovation and was classic.

This surpassed even my wildest expectations and was possibly a star-marking performance for Threat. They went back in forth with tags making sure not to mix genders until both Brookes and Threat tagged in. Brookes asked them on commentary to get Triple H on the phone and ask if it’s ok. The commentator gets on his cell phone and explains the situation, says “I know you didn’t sign him” then tells Brookes that Uncle Paul is upstairs and says he can do what the fuck he wants. They go at it and Threat hits a ran followed by a delayed vertical suplex. Starr and Grace are in and Grace wins a test of strength that Starr breaks by getting the ropes. Brookes and Grace did do Brookes’ wet willie spot together on Starr. The action got so fast and intense that it is again difficult to fully recap but a highlight was Brookes and Grace doing a doomsday tope suicida on Threat, it needs to be seen to be believed. For the finish, Grace powerbombed Threat and put her in an octopus while Brookes put Starr in an octopus and Threat tapped out. This was the match of the night on the best show I have ever been to live.

Thatcher gets a takedown early and goes for a choke. Makabe goes after the leg. Thatcher mounts him and throws some slaps. Makabe moves into the guard. Thatcher grabs a hammerlock but there’s a rope break. They’re on their feet and Thatcher goes for a cross armbreaker and get it but Makabe escapes and works the leg. They have a rope-break and then start trading uppercuts. Thatcher applies a leglock. Makabe grabs him and they battle for position. Thatcher headbutts Makabe in the back. Thatcher gives him a gutwrench suplex then gets his back and throws elbows. Thatcher tries a choke but Makabe transitions into a cross armbreaker. Thatcher gets a single-leg crab and Makabe counters into a cross armbreaker and they get the ropes. Thatcher hits an enzuiguri. Makabe does a single-leg crab into an STF. Thatcher moves into a Fujwara armbar and they’re in the ropes. Makabe throws two dropkicks and Thatcher hits him with an enzuiguri. The referee counts and Makabe gets up. Thatcher slaps him down and there is another count. Makabe gets up but is struck down for a technical knock-out win by Thatcher. This was the fourth match between the two (first in WXW) and was tremendous.

This was a classic match with a great hype video showing the history between the two. They were both trading shoulderblocks early on and Walter did an impressive leapfrog. There were lots of strike exchanges and lots of Sekimoto attempting power moves on the huge Walter and eventually getting the bodyslam. Walter also hit a huge tombstone on Sekimoto who later got Walter in a deadlift bridging German suplex. Sekimoto hit a top rope splash and then came backward off the ropes missing an elbowdrop. Walter gives him some big chops and puts on a sleeper. Sekimoto fights out but Walter boots him in the face and gives him an emerald frozien for the pin. After the match Walter cut a promo talking about having six matches in the past three days and one more to go (later tonight on SMASH). He appears to be putting over the product and fans but then turns and says it is an absolute disgrace to be wrestling on independents and how he deserves better things. He rips on the fans and on independents until David Starr runs in, hits a German Suplex and a tope suicida and they brawl ringside to end the show.

I attended nine shows in four days in Toronto this week. I consider this to be the best match I saw all week, just ahead of Walter vs Sekmioto. They started with some shoot-style wrestling. Mercedes applied a camel clutch. Grace hit a toprope senton. They traded strikes on the floor. Grace used a Michinoku Driver. Mercedes did a dragon suplex. Grace gave her a spinebuster. They went to the top and Mercedes hit a top rope death valley driver. Mercedes brings in the belt and misses a belt shot. Grace ends up grabbing the belt but Mercedes hits her with a big boot with the belt. Mercedes then gives her a fisherman buster on the belt and gets the pin to keep the title. Mercedes cuts a great promo on her afterward.

Just wanted to add in that Petitpas was much better pre-1988 when he and Leo Burke were touring All-Japan, with Petitpas working as A. Sheik (I know Tony Stubbs worked that gimmick in earlier years but in 1988 it was Petitpas). Anyway, apparently a magazine was photographing Petitpas and his tour partner Tiger Jeet SIngh playing basketball when Petitpas blew out his knee. There are some good matches of him from the Maritimes as well as Montreal where he worked as Sheik Ali, a bumping big man heel. Rip Rogers did a tour of the Martitimes as Hercules Simard in 1978. He was brought in and made champion in 1988 and then again in 1990. A lot of guys liked working the territory as it was seasonal (spring to fall) and they got to work seven days a week during that time. Also, it was a nice area to vacation in summer so it was a bonus that way. Here are a couple of Rogers matches from 1988. Rip Rogers vs Leo Burke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_UkFBGoedI Rip Rogers vs Rock N Roll Rebel Dino Ventura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3iX1I8bzWg

This is pro wrestling's answer to The Room, apparently the bed bad movie of all time. I don't know what I love more, that Zeus' overhand strikes were so bad or that Abby's scar-tissued forehead was so paper-thin that he still bled.

I thought Zack's submission and arm work here was amazing as usual and Goto looked great fighting his way through it. The interference takes the match down slightly for me but Goto looked good fighting off Suzuki. Sabre's near-fall after the match was also good and Goto shined in the finishing stretch. ****1/4

Rush was great as the high-flying babyface toughing it out against the technical wizard. This show was amazing and this match was part of that. ****1/4

I would have liked to see it go a little longer but man this was great. Riddle was in a role of having surpassed Thatcher but still had to duke it out with him here. Great technical wrestling. ****