Opinion
Andrew’s Top 5 Matches: Week Ending 8/24/2019
So there’s an interesting smattering of companies in the mix the week! If you enjoy women’s wrestling, this might be a Top 5 for you!
So there’s an interesting smattering of companies in the mix the week! If you enjoy women’s wrestling, this might be a Top 5 for you!
Now as we always do, we address the last week vote winner. This is no surprise to anyone, unless you live under a rock, NJPW G1 Climax 29 Finals: Jay White vs Kota Ibushi.
Last week had a nice mixture of things, this week is a…well…different mixture. Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling makes it’s debut with a match in the Top 5 and I think it’s only the second time for Big Japan.
So, WWE fans can skip this week. BUT – with 3 women’s matches, this is a different looking Top 5 than usual.
5. Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 2: Bea Priestley vs Konami
Aside from wrestling recently, these two don’t have much of a built in story either. Of course, Bea being the Red Belt champion makes every match matter for her. Aside from the prospect of a title shot, this ain’t much more than a normal tournament match. So hey, let’s just enjoy it, right?
Konami flies in with a Body Scissors, immediately aiming for a Knee Bar. That was Konami’s bulls-eye all match, she kept focusing strikes and submissions at Bea’s left leg. We saw Ankle Locks, Knee Bars, Stretch Mufflers, all those fun moves trying to take out the leg. The attack is questionable from a logic stance since Konami’s finish focuses on the neck and arm. So it seemed a little weird to be honest.
Aside from me questioning Konami’s game plan, the match was actually well wrestled. Bea tapped into her inner Kenny Omega and hit a few Knee Strikes which I’m assuming she calls Bea Triggers. And if she doesn’t…well dammit she should, it’s right there.
Anyway, Bea kept her distance with Pump Kicks and Bea Triggers until she decided to pull out a few finish attempts. She first went for the Regal Suplex, but Konami kicked out of that. So Bea then uses an Electric Chair Suplex Hold, which thanks to the We Are Stardom Twitter, I learned is called Queen’s Landing.
So the Red Belt champion is off to a fast start and in a three way tie for the lead.
Winner: Priestley via Queen’s Landing
Rating: *** 3/4
4. TJPW Brand New Wrestling 3 ~ Stronger Than Anyone!: Maki Ito vs Mizuki
It’s always funny what draws attention to a show. Maki Ito is a snarky little former Idol (Japanese Pop Star), who likes to flip people off and learn bad English words. So thanks to her entertaining Twitter, and the show containing Mina Shirakawa, as well as, a match between Yuka Sakazaki and Su Yung, I was intrigued.
So this was definitely an odd match to watch visually. Two girls in frilly Lolita style outfits, who seem to hate each other and make this seem like a brawl. Maki wraps a microphone chord around the ring post and Mizuki’s neck just so she can get in her catch phrase of being the Cutest in the World.
What this lacked in technical prowess, it made up for in feeling like a grudge match. The two we literally scratching and clawing to stop one another at different points. Maki has an ever defiant bird to flip to Mizuki, before the Fisherman Suplex Hold finished the match, but it was still damn entertaining. Even with not having a lot of context, a grudge match is easy to understand.
Winner: Mizuki via Fisherman Suplex Hold
Rating: ****
3. Impact Cali Combat: X Division Championship: Jake Crist (c) vs Rich Swann
Rich Swann gets his contractual rematch, and Crist is told by Callihan that he’s on his own for this defense. Crist kicks off the match quickly with a Yakuza Kick, then we get insane amounts of back and forth. Gimmick be damned, Jake is a damn good wrestler, and I appreciate his new attire have his JC initials stylized in a Prince symbol type of thing. Swann did catch Crist with his blitz, his back kick and then a 450 Splash, but the champion didn’t stay down. The heel roll-up with a handful of tights keeps the Golden Draw in tact, but don’t let the heel finish detract from the fact the match was great.
Winner: Crist via Roll-Up
Rating: ****
Honorable Mentions:
Dragon Gate Dangerous Gate: Open the Dream Gate Championship: Ben-K (c) vs YAMATO
Winner: Ben-K via Ben-K Bomb
Rating: *** 3/4
Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 1: Utami Hayashishita vs Jungle Kyona
Winner: Utami via Torture Rack
Rating: *** 3/4
WWE SmackDown Live: Buddy Murphy vs Daniel Bryan
Winner: Murphy via Murphy’s Law
Rating: *** 1/2
TJPW Brand New Wrestling 3 ~ Stronger Than Anyone!: Su Yung vs Yuka Sakazaki
Winner: Double Knock Out
Rating: *** 1/2
Dragon Gate Dangerous Gate: Open the Twin Gate No DQ: Eita & Big R Shimizu (c) vs Kzy & Genki Horiguchi
Winner: Big R via Shot Put Chokeslam
Rating: *** 1/2
Stardom 5 Star GP Red Stars Day 2: Hazuki vs Tam Nakano
Winner: Tam via Tiger Suplex Hold
Rating: *** 1/2
Impact Cali Combat: Rhino vs Michael Elgin
Winner: Double Count-Out
Rating: *** 1/4
Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 2: Utami Hayashishita vs Arisa Hoshiki
Winner: Utami via Torture Rack Bomb
Rating: *** 1/4
Impact Cali Combat: Willie Mack vs Trey
Winner: Mack via Stunner
Rating: *** 1/4
WWE Raw: Ricochet & The Miz vs Baron Corbin & Drew McIntyre
Winner: Ricochet via Recoil
Rating: ***
NXT UK: James Drake vs Mark Andrews
Winner: Andrews via Stundog Millionare
Rating: ***
Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 2: Natsuko Tora vs Kagetsu
Winner: Kagetsu via Michinoku Driver
Rating: ***
Impact Cali Combat: No DQ Match: Tommy Dreamer vs Sami Callihan
Winner: Callihan via Piledriver
Rating: ***
Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 1: Arisa Hoshiki vs Jamie Hayter
Winner: Hayter via Curb Stomp
Rating: ***
WWE Raw: Cesaro vs Samoa Joe
Winner: Joe via Coquina Clutch
Rating: ***
2. Stardom 5 Star GP Blue Stars Day 1: Kagetsu vs Konami
The rematch from last year’s round 1 match! Konami’s Triangle Lancer injured Kagetsu’s neck last year, which may have impacted her ability to win as champion. So does Kagetsu get her win back? Will Triangle Lancer’s winning percentage remain 100%?
Kagetsu hits a Dropkick at the bell, Michinoku Driver and then goes for the Oedo Coaster…but she misses. This was nearly a 30 second match, which would’ve been disappointing. We see some great chain wrestling between the two, Armbar transitions everywhere, great mat work, and a very even back and forth.
Konami lands a Round Kick to Kagetsu’s head, but it just pisses her off, she trips her, slingshots in for a Footstomp, extends Konami’s arm, springboards to the top rope and Footstomps the arm, all setting up for a Fujiwara Armbar attempt. The Prime Minister of Oedo Tai dominates from that point forward. 3 Michinoku Drivers, Avalanche Michinoku Driver and then she hits the Oedo Coaster! It’s over! 1-2-and…Kagetsu picks up Konami. Oh hubris…you cheeky monkey…
Kagetsu tries to drive home the point, but then we get a myriad of counters. Michinoku Driver attempts, Triangle Lancer attempts…and then Konami finally catches Kagetsu and sinks in the Triangle Lancer. Damn well wrestled match.
Winner: Konami via Triangle Lancer
Rating: ****
1. Big Japan Pro-Wrestling: Michael Elgin vs Daisuke Sekimoto
So Big Japan had a hell of a special match penned in for 8/24. Michael Elgin squaring off with arguably the best guy in Big Japan, Daisuke Sekimoto. We’re gonna have two big boys beating the hell out of each other!
The match was a lot of what you’d expect from two thicc power house wrestlers. It started off a little slow, but we saw a ton of power moves, some suplexes off the apron, and just generally great and stiff looking wrestling. Elgin manages to fight out of Sekimoto’s Suplexes and even the Torture Rack. Sekimoto returns the favor by eating two Buckle Bombs and an Elgin Bomb, but still kicking out.
It’s not often that the particular sequence of Buckle Bomb + Elgin Bomb doesn’t finish a match, so that was a big pop moment. Then Elgin props Sekimoto on the turnbuckle, puts him on his shoulders, and actually finishes the match with a Burning Hammer!
My synopsis is a little light on details, but if you like two bull’s charging at one another until one just stops…this is your match. Find it.
Winner: Elgin via Burning Hammer
Rating: **** 1/2
Thoughts:
Since I’m covering the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix with Mathew, the shows I’m consuming are definitely a little different than usual. As much as I’d love to give my vote to Kagetsu and Konami, that Big Mike vs Daisuke match was just great to watch. No need for any context, just two big strong guys beating the hell out of each other. So, Big Japan: Michael Elgin vs Daisuke Sekimoto, gets my vote.
A weird week, I’m fully aware. But hey next week is All Out, that NXT:UK Takeover (I’m pretty sure) and a few other shows. But I think Royal Quest is exclusive to Fite for a week or so, so I won’t be watching that live. So if you’re not familiar with Joshi or non-New Japan, Japanese companies, next week there should be plenty of stuff for you!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS: WWE Bash In Berlin Immediate Reactions
Join DJ and Tunney for their immediate reactions to WWE Bash in Berlin. For the latest, greatest and up to datest, ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit THECHAIRSHOT.COM
Join DJ and Tunney for their immediate reactions to WWE Bash in Berlin. For the latest, greatest and up to datest, ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit THECHAIRSHOT.COM
Powered by RedCircle
@TheMindlessPod @PCTunney @ChairshotMedia
prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – TONS of Great designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY – Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY – The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Listen on your favorite platform!
iTunes | iHeart Radio | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
AJ’s Top 3 Favorite SummerSlams
AJ is back with his annual opinion article, and this time the SummerSlam buzz got him wondering about his personal Top 3.
It’s been a while since I have done any form of writing and SummerSlam is this Saturday. Of all the SummerSlams I’ve seen over the years; which ones are my favorites? While it’s not a revolutionary idea, I figured everyone loves to debate favorites of well, anything. Don’t worry though because this isn’t just going to be pure recency bias. I’ve watched the majority of them so with the ones I put on the list, it hit me more in some way shape or form whether it was story, a really good match or it just felt like a solid event.
At least this proves WWE is trending in a good direction for me, when it gets the ol’ brain juices flowing just because a show is around the corner!
#3: 2022 (Ol’ Brock Lesnar Has A Farm)
Starting off the show, we get Bianca looking for a rematch against Becky from last years SummerSlam and it was better than the 21 second affair that everyone claims was a squash. This time Bianca holds her own and beats the Man in a fairly decent match, good way to get the event started. Next up is the heat seeking missile, Logan Paul against the former heat seeking missile because, well he wasn’t cut out for it and wasn’t a guy in everyone’s eyes, The Miz. After they had their blow off at Mania with Logan coming out on top which… isn’t awful, I just don’t like Logan Paul because he has that dude bro aura and swagger to make him more hateable than any other person on the card. Which I suppose is his gimmick…so…kudos?
First Championship match is for the US Championship and it’s as expected that in Theory, he should never beat someone to the caliber of Bobby Lashley which is no surprise. Dominik and Rey still back when Dom wanted the good fight against the Judgement Day before joining them later. The former Colts players, which they hammered it dahn in this match up showed that the canal swimming, trash talkin’, podcastin’, current RAW Color Commentatin’ goofball we all love, Pat McAfee came out on top again Bum Ass Corbin.
Usos putting the Street Profits on lockdown in the penitentiary since I believe this was peak Bloodline with the belt collecting and running all of WWE. Liv beat Ronda Rousey which isn’t astonishing but it’s not something people had on their bingo cards for anything with WWE so it was a nice little shock factor. The most memorable part of the night is obviously the Main Event, Lesnar brings the tractor, Roman catching the Microphone and Brock stands on top of the vehicle. Damn good match that showed off what they do in the ring since Roman caught his stride as the main bad guy and Brock… liked people after all of this? That is still a weird statement in my head. Brock being a good guy people person. If Liv wasn’t on bingo cards for wrestling, that is not on bingo cards in any aspect of life really.
That is more of the event that had solid matches and story going for it. No weird double count out, multiple people involved, 5 tag matches on the card. Things made sense and weren’t convoluted, had shocking moments that were great to see like Liv actually getting a title defense and there were the results we all expected at the time like Theory losing in 4 minutes to Bobby Lashley.
#2: 2009 (Are You Ready for The Return?)
This event wasn’t that strong. It was strong with the star power involved in 2009 with guys like Rey Mysterio as Intercontinental Champion, Orton and Cena for the WWE Championship as it was becoming as stale as month old chips and CM Punk was facing Jeff Hardy before he ultimately returned to TNA at the beginning of 2010 after this PPV. For me, it’s not so much of the show itself, it was more of the memories because the Balai as our friends Chris Platt and Rey Cash like to call my brother and I, we were just coming back into wrestling and we were TNA Fans. We didn’t watch WWE that much really, it was just what came on after another channel had old ROH shows before they moved to three hours and swallowed the 8pm Eastern Slot. No, the reason why this has so many memories for me is three main reasons. First, Orton and Cena. They have had their rivalry since the beginning it seems, being each others foils like Hogan and Piper before them and there had to be a stipulation where if Randy was Counted Out or DQ’d, he’d lose the championship regardless. This was prime Viper Randy and the obvious joke we had of Super Cena where he very rarely lost, unless it was SummerSlam surprisingly enough.
Number two reason was CM Punk and Jeff Hardy. Hardys known for the Ladder and TLC matches in the past and this being the penultimate match for this feud and it was a banger of a match. If you didn’t know Punk before, it was a great introduction to his wrestling. I used to like Punk a lot because of this match because he could talk, wrestle… and not insanely personal with things in wrestling. In all seriousness, this was a great match. Ultimate risks, high reward for Punk grabbing the World Heavyweight Championship and he was given his next feud because of the final boss of SmackDown at that time. Thanks, Teddy Long.
The main and final reason though why this match gave me the memories flowing back is more of the fact that one of my closest and longest termed friends of 23 years, also loves wrestling. Back when we were younger, he’d do MoCap videos on YouTube with his figures. We’d have friends come over for parties at his house and we’d do the one thing WWE always told us not to do and that was try it at home. He was always stronger than me, I was always more charismatic. He had the power aspect and did things with brute force, I could talk my way out of trouble with parents if we did something wrong. There was always one thing that our respective mother’s always called us though… it’s on the tip of my tongue… oh right, ‘Degenerates’.
As soon as we were called that, we kind of parodied the DX line. I was limber enough to do the HBK pose and do a Superkick before it became the new DDT and he would just Spinebuster people and knew how to do the water spit. So what do you think was the main reason we even ordered this PPV for his 13th Birthday? I think the two guys we were pretending to be were set to return on a tank and toss out some glow sticks. The return of DX, Shawn Michaels coming back after Mania with Triple H to deal with the Legacy problem was an amazing return for them and made everything so much fun.
So we have the solid card and this one has a personal story… what’s my number one SummerSlam? Is it personal? Well yes but not going into that. Is it a good card? To me, it was a phenomenal card! Is it memorable? Seeing how wrestling fans still mention at least three matches to this day.
#1: 2005 (Octopus in the Washer, Lover’s Quarrel and Where the F%#$ is Vickie?)
Quite possibly some of the best matches I’ve seen and one that was just the most hilarious moments of overselling in wrestling history, I know why I love this SummerSlam but it’s also a really good card at the same time. Redacted beats Orlando Jordan in 25 seconds for the US Title and they made jokes about it like, he can make a coffee faster than he beat Orlando and stuff like that, it’s pretty funny. Angle getting sick of Eugene’s antics for his Gold Medal was also a great bit they had play up, the Year long feud of Randy Orton and Undertaker was still going on where Orton comes out on top this time around to get the win back from Mania, Jericho returning for the match with Cena in a whole promotional thing for each other’s groups, Fozzy for Jericho and the Chain Gang doing Bad, Bad Man for Cena leading up to a match for the WWE Championship. JBL won a 20 man battle royal on SmackDown to win the Championship…… Opportunity to face the newest member of SmackDown, Batista but the three main matches that a lot of people talk about to this day; Edge vs Matt Hardy, Rey vs Eddie for Dominik and Hogan vs HBK in the Main Event.
I have reasons to enjoy the Hardy/Edge match but it looked like a real fight, it really made us believe that Matt Hardy was going to kill Edge because real names were dropped during this tirade from Hardy. It wasn’t Edge and Lita, it was Adam and Amy. Matt was so dead set on beating the hell out of Edge that they made a situation into gold and it was a great moment for this match to happen, I believe it was also an Unsanctioned Match too which added the intensity until matt got concussed and knocked senseless that it looked like he couldn’t fight for anything but the build up was what made it seem like a marque match. It made it feel real, it made it feel awesome and it made it feel personal.
Eddie kept tormenting Rey Mysterio about Dominik not being Rey’s but Eddie’s for the summer. That’s all you heard from Eddie being the weasel he was is hanging out with Dominik, making the world believe it’s his son and what not (Let’s not do a fast forward to today where he has the mullet, mustache and everything like Eddie) but they settle this in a Ladder Match where the top of it is a document for the custody of Dominik and my god, this match is better than it should have been. I expect nothing else from Eddie because the man hated having a bad match, Dom got involved and stopped Eddie, Vickie was late and stopped Eddie. The whole match was good it was just very weird with the premise but was a great match. I wonder if Rey regrets his decision to win the match now…
Octopus in a Washing Machine… those five words have resonated with Shawn Michaels’ performance in this match, forever. It was supposed to be an amazing match up between Hogan and Michaels, Icon vs Icon it said and suddenly Hogan’s back gives out, can’t do a trilogy of matches so we can only do the one and then pull out of everything after. This match was set up to be a classic and instead turned into the most unbelievable sell fest ever. A Hogan big boot caused Shawn to tumble 3 or 4 times, getting crotched on the ropes had HBK bouncing higher than he should have, being tossed out of the ring made it look like Shawn never broke his back in 1998 from how much he flopped and flipped around like crazy. It’s bad… or maybe even good that a lot of current wrestlers watched this match that went, “I can sell like that, I want to be a wrestler” and did. So good or bad, I don’t know but for some reason this PPV has always had a place in my heart for how memorable it was.
Those are my top three SummerSlams so far but who knows, 2024 has potential to maybe bump something or at least get me to consider a shift. Should be fun to see how the show plays out! What are some of your favorite SummerSlams?
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!