This week on Random Reviews, we’re going to have a look at some good matches to get me over that 1,300 review mark!
Last night’s Cruiserweight Classic finale (plus NXT and other reviews we’ll have coming up on the site in the coming weeks) took my total number of matches viewed this year to 1,299. So, I’m going to drag myself over that imaginary line with some good matches.
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata (New Japan, G1 Climax 23, Day 4; August 4, 2013)
Recommended (indirectly) via Jim Smallman, this particular card from 2013’s G1 tournament came highly rated by Dave Meltzer, who gave five of the matches four snowflakes or higher. Including this one…
The pair charge into each other from the bell with forearms a-plenty, with Shibata pounding on Ishii like he owed him money. Ishii takes a Yakuza kick in the corner, before chasing Shibata into the opposite turnbuckle for a lariat, as a forearm sends the “Stone Pitbull” into the ropes.
Ishii and Shibata trade some stiff forearms, before a big boot takes Ishii to the mat, where he’s met with some knees to the ribs. Shibata invites a series of chops, and Ishii literally asks for some kicks. Wash, rinse, repeat, and finally a kick to the pectoral muscle from Shibata takes Ishii into the corner.
A series of forearms in the corner only angers Ishii, but he’s still beaten to the mat, and sits prone for a diving dropkick. The referee checks on Ishii, who gets kicked off the apron to the floor by an ever-caring Shibata, before they go back to the phase of inviting attacks as Ishii takes a series of kicks to the chest, with Shibata kindly sitting him up for the next one.
Ishii hauls himself to his feet bu using Shibata’s kneepads, before a big boot angers him some more, and finally Ishii drops Shibata with a powerslam off the ropes. Ishii gives some receipts for those earlier kicks, and lands a brainbuster for a near-fall. Shibata catches an attempted PK and responds with a lariat to take down Ishii, which acts as a prelude to a Boston crab.
After grabbing the ropes, Ishii’s dragged back into the middle of the ring for an STF, but again, he makes the ropes. Shibata drops him with a German suplex, before Ishii pops back with one of his own, then gets a lariat as both men drop to the mat.
Ishii lights up Shibata with some rapid-fire forearms, before a kick from Shibata earns him just a one-count. Another lariat drops Shibata… for another one count, and these men are far from done! They continue to trade forearms from their knees, before Ishii clonks into Shibata with a headbutt. Shibata fights out of a brainbuster attempt and replies with a headbutt of his own, and after both men pick themselves up, Shibata locks in a rear naked choke.
Ishii foams at the mouth as he fights for freedom, which he gets via the ropes, and surprises Shibata with an overhead kick. Shibata returns with another kick, before a lariat gets Ishii another one count. Another lariat, another near-fall for Ishii, who then goes for a brainbuster and that’s the win. Well, Meltzer gave this the full five stars, and I can’t disagree – in twelve minutes, you had it all. Violent action, guys trying to win a fight… then a match. Pure short-form perfection. *****
Now, to take us into the 1300s, some matches courtesy of Allan Blackstock’s much vaunted playlists – https://www.youtube.com/user/allanblackstock/playlists
Flamita vs. Dragon Lee (Lucha Libre ELITE, August 21, 2016)
From the “Under the Radar MOTYCs” playlist here, we’ve got the former Octagon Jr against Dragon Lee – someone who’s already had two fantastic matches this year against Kamaitachi. Dragon Lee comes out with a selfie-stick, because it’s 2016…
Flamita starts with a waistlock takedown, as Dragon Lee goes for some reversals, before he ends up in a wristlock. Dragon Lee swings and misses with a kick, and we quickly end up with a stand-off. A shoulder tackle from Flamita has no success, and he runs into a spinning back kick, before a dropkick sends Dragon out of the ring.
Flamita just about lands on his feet as he misses a shooting star press off the apron, and gets clotheslined into the crowd. Dragon brings him back towards the ring so he can throw him into the post, and tries to remove the mask… with no success. Dragon Lee chops Flamita in the corner, and takes a handspring back elbow after Flamita worked free.
We go airborne as Flamita gets the first dive of the day, courtesy of a tope con hilo to the outside. Back in the ring, Flamita kicks at Dragon Lee, but telegraphs a back body drop, only to roll through a sunset flip attempt and connect with a kick, then a standing shooting star press for a near-fall.
Dragon Lee reverses an Irish whip and takes down Flamita with a diving boot to the head, before a snap/deadlift Regal Plex gets a near-fall. The pair trade forearms, then slaps, before Dragon turns a handspring into a German suplex or another two-count. Flamita ducks a charge in the corner and lands a 619, before he connects with a Frog Splash… for a near-fall.
Flamita hits a superkick, but runs into a Spanish Fly for a near-fall. He returns the favour, before getting dropkicked off the ropes as Dragon Lee hits a hurricanrana from inside the ring to the floor, taking Flamita off the apron in mid-air. Dragon Lee sets up Flamita on the top rope, and they end up sitting facing each other on the turnbuckle… Flamita drops back into a Tree of Woe, but takes the double stomp, and then a Phoenix Plex (package fallaway powerbomb) for the win!
As a match, it seemed a lot slower and deliberate than other matches I’ve seen with Dragon Lee. The slower paced referee counts count put off some, but as a match, this us up there with the best of this year, but isn’t likely to make too many top tens, I’m afraid. ****½
David Flair vs. Chris Benoit (WCW Monday Nitro, August 9, 1999)
We end with a squash from Allan’s playlists – although I’m being lazy and watching this off the Network.
Dusty Rhodes books this after Benoit had caught David Flair in a crossface backstage after Flair’d called Dusty “old man”. Oh God, I forgot David Flair was the United States champion, although by this point, I’d tuned out of WCW.
Flair’s out with Torrie Wilson, with Asya in tow. Y’know, Asya… because WWE had Chyna.
Charles Robinson gets ejected as referee because, you know, bias. Nick Patrick’s replacing him, and Flair starts by ducking a punch, as he then tries to run away from the match. As he backs up the aisle, the rest of Benoit’s Revolution stablemates accost him as Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko march him back into the ring.
Benoit corners Flair and sends him into the ropes… and again David tries to flee. Again, Saturn and Malenko surround him, and it seems that David’s adopted Dusty’s famous splotch. On his face.
Benoit lights up young David with a chop, then a snap suplex, before a pendulum backbreaker drops the US champion. Some fans in the crowd try to parade a “Rock” and “WWF” sign on Nitro, just because they can, as Benoit again chops Flair to the mat. It looks to come to a merciful end as Benoit slams Flair as a set-up for the swandive headbutt, but Chris Kanyon sprints down the aisle… and he gets cut off by Saturn and Malenko, so the headbutt connects and Benoit wins the title. *
Well, that was a lot of nothing. Good basics, but the match was designed as an ass-kicking… and when you end up confusing the finish by showing a run-in that ends up going nowhere… this took a lot of the sheen off of things. Post-match saw DDP drop Benoit with a Rock Bottom, before the Revolution run in to clear the ring.
Right, that’s us over the 1300 mark… let’s see if match number 1400 is as good as 1300!
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