80s Europe #12

 Alan Dennison vs. Jim Breaks, 7/14/1980

1980 was a really fucking good year for European wrestling. This would be a slam dunk MOTY for WoS in most other years, hell for almost any promotion in any year. One thing here is that we get to see Breaks working a long form two out of three falls bout over 40 minutes, which he does a brilliant job at. The other unique thing is Breaks opponent. Alan Dennison is this strongman guy who really works like an old timey strongman. His thing is that he has absolutely inhuman strength. So Breaks is really good at breaking a guy down and bending them into weird positions, and Dennisons thing is that he powers out of all of Breaks holds from any angle. Like Breaks would take him down, try to step on his arm/shoulder and Dennison would slowly throw him off etc. There was a part where Dennison even challenged Breaks to put a leg hold on him just to immediately blow him away with a sweep of his leg. Another moment saw Dennison going into a neck bridge with Breaks trying to pull his head like a cartoon character. It was the biggest bullshit you’ll ever see, but it was absolutely brilliant bullshit. When Dennison gets fired up he has these crazy facial expressions, even shit talking Breaks to his face, he throws these stiff armed punches where it looks like even he himself can’t bend his arm anymore. He also has a thing where he grabs Breaks face or pectoral muscle as if he’s going to tear him apart with his freak strength. Truely awe-inspiring performance from Dennison. Breaks was freaking brilliant as usual. He’s a total master at cheapshotting someone between rounds, I loved how he started by “accidentally” scraping Dennisons face with his boot several times. He is just so in the moment and never ever misses a bit, like he will go out of his way to sell the most miniscule stuff in really over the tope ways, such as the spot where Dennison clapped his hands together to escape a hold. Breaks got more mileage out of his hurting fingers than a lot of wrestlers have ever gotten out of anything. Match also had the usual super intense Breaks armwork which saw him doing a bunch of vicious dropping Dennison shoulder first into the ropes. His vocal performance was also great, I loved him yelling “His arm is gone!” and urging the ref to stop the match after nailing a particularily nasty armbreaker. They also make brilliant use of the 2 out of 3 falls structure, and the story of the Breaks Special vs. Dennisons double armlock is so simply but brilliantly done. Very unique match and both guys looked like absolute masters going 40 minutes without slowing down or ever letting the match drag.

Alan Dennison vs. Jim Breaks, 8/30/1980

Didn’t have the epic scope of the title match, but it was a very good match in its own right. Faster pace, plenty of cool wrestling, and lots of Breaks bitchslapping Dennison, garnering tremendous heat. An Dennison is just a crazy power machine. He punched Breaks in the face a lot in this. I am just amazed how much different stuff they did compared to the previous match. Granted, the basic themes of strength vs. grinding limbwork were there, but they built in a lot of different keypoints. The match was also a cool piece in the story of their feud, as this was a non title bout with Breaks looking to piss off Dennison.

80s Euro Master List 

Tenryu Project 11/13/2022 - Part 2

 

Kohei Sato vs. Hikaru Sato

5 minute match. First 2 minutes or so they did an endless back and forth chest slap exchange. Last 3 or so minutes were much more interesting and pretty good due them working the match as a violent short eruption but ultimately wasn’t very good due to Kohei completely lacking any kind of fire, who can blame him. You may fast forward until Kohei Sato hits his elbow.

Keita Yano vs. Takuro Niki - FUN

Pretty much Yano doing his thing, and doing a really nice job at it. I liked Nikis spunkiness in the previous match but he showed none of that here. He had a nice dropkick and pretty much nothing else. Still, I love to watch Yano doing his thing. He had some really cool arm works and several crafty pin combos and holds, my favourite being the Kido Clutch he set up in a cool way.

Kotaru Nasu & Oji Shiiba vs. Kazumasa Yoshida & Kenshin Chikano

I would’ve liked to see a bit more of the Nasu vs. Chikano match up here. Both guys are shooty and can take and give hard kicks. Chikano was hit and miss. He had some good offense but also did some missable stuff like a terrible looking knee strike. Japanese undercarders of the past were definitely better at picking offense that suited them, you would’ve never seen Jun Izumida throw something as bad as that knee. I liked some of Shiibas kicks, particularily the big enzugiri to the back of Chikanos head. Okay-ish formula tag overall.

Keita Yano vs. Hikaru Sato - GREAT

These two are pretty much a guaranteed good match up at this point. This was another good entry in their series, not as good as their other matches but there was a ton of cool matwork thanks to Yano and some insane stiffness. Yanos carny stuff ruled and while Sato wasn’t as ON as he has been in their other matches, he did almost knock Yano into a coma with a nasty headbutt and he engaged well with Yanos crazy holds. 

Keita Yano Documentation Project

The Library

Assorted Lucha Libre

 

Hassam el Genio/Lamparin/Super Muneco vs Los Desastres (Terremoto, Marimoto & Hecatombe) (AAA April 25th, 1993)

You know I love serious no frills wrestling but sometimes I just wanna watch a bunch of super athletic guys with distinct characters do highly athletic wrestling with a bunch of amusing shtick. No clue who Hassam and Lamparin are but they looked really good here, Hassam is a tubby looking guy who despite his really uncomfortable looking blue genie suit moves really well and has great fatboy athleticism, Lamparin may be Kendo, really light footed wrestler with cool spin kicks and lots of amusing mannerisms. They are billed as Nuevo Trio Fantasia but I guess that didn't last long. Los Desastres have really rough put together outfits in comparison but they are very competent rudos. Lots of really cool unique armdrag variations in this match and fantastic rudo stooging and bumping, just one cool exchange after another. I especially liked the bit where one rudo accidentally leapt into his partners arms and then accidentally got dropkicked over the top rope. Rudos also had interesting ways to beat on their opponents, such as a nasty Marimoto dropkick through the ropes. Third fall had some intense brawling, big dive train with tubby Hassams plancha being the highlight and a cool finish. Even Super Muneco was bringing it hard so you know it has to be a good match!

Winners/Super Calo vs Dr. Maldad/Mr. Maldad (AAA June 8th, 1992)

Dr. Maldad and Mr. Maldad, what a team. They totally carried this match though. Not that Winners and Super Calo are bad, they are perfectly good athletic technico fodder with fantastic dance moves, but the rudos did a supreme job here. The opening fall stooge a ton was a ton of fun, just two evil guys in goofy masks bouncing themselves around to make these two dancers look awesome. They also displayed some cool rudo tactics such as a 2 on 1 gory special and a spot where one Maldad stepped on the others back to land a cool diving stomp. Technicos also bumped big for the beatdown. This seems to be Super Calos first ever match on tape, and he had a kind of cursed protooutfit where he doesn't have his cool mask and hat but just a mask that looks like a pair of sunglasses and a puffy broccoli haircut. He would be trendy in 2023. Still a fun match. Third fall was brief but culminated in an awesome dive.

El Matematico/Goldman/Matematico II vs Dr Maldad/Juventud Guerrera/Mr Maldad (AAA April 4th, 1993)

This was pretty great. Matematicos are just amazing technicos, their agility and body control is really next level, and with a pair of truely dedicated rudos like Hermanos Maldad you got a dynamite match up. Juventud was barely 18 here and he looks 5 years younger than that, but he was a strong addition to the match. His match up vs. one of the Matematicos was really fast and athletic, maybe like something his dad would have done in the early 80s. Goldman is the grandson of El Santo who wound up having a sort of not super spectacular career, this is his 2nd match ever and while he is predictably green executing some spots a bit sloppy, he pulls off a lot of difficult stuff and one of the Maldads has the grace to work a segment reminiscent of Hijo del Santos 80s work against him. The first fall of these matches is kind of always the best since you get a bunch of high end sequences plus rudos complaining and being bumbling, but the rudo beatdown was also top notch here and the match built to a crazy dive train in the last fall and a brief but good finishing sequence.

2 Cold Scorpio Documentation Project #5

2 Cold Scorpio vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, NOAH 6/9/2001 - FUN

One of those short matches that was meant to showcase how much stronger Misawa is than the midcarders. For a 3 minute match Scorpio really gave Misawa some hellish chairshots and hit a cool punch combo on the floor. Effective for what it was, but you do wish they had done a bit more.

2 Cold Scorpio & Vader vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Izumida, NOAH 11/20/2002 - GREAT

Routine tag but with every part being extremely well executed, a testament to the skill of these guys. Scorpio vs. Misawa exchanges were brief but really good, I imagine if you edited all their 30 second exchanges they had in various multiman tags together you’d have an excellent singles match. Vader is great as a force that waltzes in and destroys people, and he and Scorp set each other up extremely well. There is a heat section on Izumida where you actually buy Izumida getting pinned before the hot tag, and the ending with Scorpio refusing to be a loss post is all kinds of fun.

2 Cold Scorpio & Vader vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Daisuke Ikeda, NOAH 12/2/2000 – FUN

Slower paced beginning here, which is good because it means we get Scorpio working segments with Ikeda and Misawa. You’re not sure how Scorpio would do with Ikeda but they mesh really well, with Scorp doing smooth movements and Ikeda kicking him really hard. I love how they played with averting the expectations of a heat section, and Vader continues to be awesome in these matches. Everytime he steps in and does something it feels like it could believably turn the match. Ikeda trading blows with Vader was also great. The match was cut short by Ikeda getting pinned early, but it was still a cool 8 minutes where every part was a hit.

2 Cold Scorpio vs. Satoru Asako, NOAH 11/4/2000 - GREAT

Extremely routine singles match, but every part was very well executed. Scorpios basic rope running and matwork looks really really good as always. Asako is one of the least talked about Japanese wrestlers ever, he’s not bad but he doesn’t do a ton to stand out either, that said if Bret Hart did the leg work segment Asako does here, hitting Scorp in the leg with the ring bell and then working him with a bunch of nice stretches, a lot of people would fawn. Scorp coming back with some well timed kicks while selling the leg was great. Good stuff that does as decent of a job of an opening match you can ask for.

 

2 Cold Scorpio Documentation Project Master List

GWE Watching: Koichiro Kimura

 

Koichiro Kimura vs. Brahman Shu & Brahman Kei, FUTEN 9/26/2010

A shootstyle handicap match which ends up being really compelling. Normally handicap matches would be unfair but Kimura is such a monster that it easily becomes believable. Kimura rip your arms and legs off and potatoe you really hard, plus his lethargic selling actually makes him look unstoppable. This had a lot of Brahmans getting stretched and mauled, until they were able to play the numbers game, spit some water and hit some cool double teams. Brahmans were kicking really damn hard too, almost like it’s FUTEN or something. I really liked how Kimura got water in his face but went straight back to mauling a Brahman. By the end he was getting swarmed and trying to get just one of these pesky Brahmans off long enough to put the other in a submission, until he succeeded with a Volk Han-ish leglock. Pretty unique stuff.

Koichiro Kimura vs. Makoto Hashi, FUTEN 7/25/2010

This was basically the two FUTEN monsters facing off so it was a compelling match up. You have to keep in mind that almost every FUTEN guy is some kind of indy wrestler doing shootstyle matches, so Koichiro Kimuras no frills RINGS grappler act feels different. As such the early goings of this was mostly grappling with Hashi not being able to do much against the superior grappler. This sets up the really intense second half of the match. Hashi moves in to go for headbutts so pissed off Kimura laid in some FUTEN level brutal stomps in the corner to him. After that it was Hashi as underdog vs. a tough shooter. Hashi grabbing a desperate Goriman suplex was really great. The second half had some really brutal hard hitting, Hashi using his brute force and some excellent submission counters from Kimura. 

 

 Koichiro Kimura vs. Kazuki Okubo, FUTEN 6/27/2010

Koichiro Kimura vs. Kazuki Okubo, FUTEN 10/24/2010

Two matches worth watching. The 10/24 is slightly better I thought, due to a more frantic Okubo performance but they didn't give each other much, the first match also had a cool surprise Okubo flying armbar and suplex. Both are pretty much the same layout, Kimura is an unstoppable monster who wastes his opponent with these brutal ground knees and stomps and some leg crushing cross heelhooks and legbars, and Okubo is really spunky laying it into him. I was surprised Kimura gave Okubo a lot of offense in these while maintaining his monster aura, and Okubo was so stiff that Kimura shrugging off the barrages of kicks was impressive. Not top tier FUTEN stuff but I found it to be a pretty enjoyable match up both times.

Tenryu Project 11/13/2022 - Part 1

 

Don Fujii vs. Kohei Sato

Haven’t seen a Fujii match in a while, but based on this I should probably watch some. Fuji is all kinds of fun here sumo rushing Sato, trying to force a count out, hitting cool lariats and chops and a big knee drop. It could have been a cool under 5 minute match had Sato done anything at all but he simply won with a sloppy Magistral after absorbing all of Fujis cool offense. What, you’re Kohei Sato, are you not gonna at least recklessly potatoe your opponent with a headbutt or something?

Keita Yano vs. Naoki Tanizaki - SKIPPABLE

Wow, Tanizaki may be one of the worst wrestlers I’ve ever seen. He’s sloppy, adds nothing interesting to the mat exchanges, and out of position. Yano makes the most of this stretching this guy a bit although it was quite painful watching him trying to make something out of a guy who messes up the easiest stuff. Yano is still able to work a crafty finish, so go Yano!

Hikaru Sato vs. Kouki Iwasaki

Good stuff early on with Iwasaki trying to outgrapple the Pancrase veteran early on. I’ve no idea if I would be into what Iwasaki is usually doing with way different guys than this, but he had basic skills and I found him engaging. Second half was really good with Sato constantly attacking the arm and some stiff, unpredictable kicks being thrown. Few neat counter spots, especially dug the struggle over Sato trying to throw Iwasaki over his targeted arm. Crafty finish. This well exceeded expectations. 

Added to 2022 MOTY List

Mizuki Watase vs. Takuro Niki

This Takuro Niki guy is spunky. He gets on Watases grill and bitchslaps him in the mouth, causing Watase to jump him and beat on him in the ropes for a cheap DQ win. Watase annoys me with his no selling but at least I am looking forward to seeing more of Takuro Niki.

SUSHI vs. Kenichiro Arai vs. Rey Paloma vs. Masayuki Kono

In theory, a 4 way with these guys in their working boots could be fun considering you have two tricky technical wrestlers and two big lugs in Sushi and Kono there. In reality it was mail-it-in city with lots of butt-centric comedy.

 

Keita Yano Documentation Project 

The Library

Ryuji Walter Matches

 

Ryuji Walter vs. Manabu Hara, Ryuji Walter Produce 8/23/2015

This was Ryuji Walters retirement match. Most retirement matches are easy going, let the guy get his spots in and end the match, but not this. This was a freaking war from the first second as they just go at each other for 7 minutes, both guys throwing shooty strikes and nuking each other with spine compressing suplexes and powerbombs. There was some great shoot-flavoured Lawler/Mantell exchanges with both guys trading on their knees, Walter eating an insane punt kick to his face etc. Really great going out on your sword-type match. You’d wish Walter had done more pro wrestling. Current pro wrestling sure could use more straight no frills asskicking matches like this.

Ryuji Walter vs. George Terzis, Ryuji Walter Produce 2/5/2011

 

Cool match which felt like a modern PWFG match. Terzis is the dominating foreigner who Walter has to overcome. Terzis hits lots of cool slams and ground and pound to control Walter, who comes back with surprise punches and slams. Terzis hits a nice shootstyle powerslam among other things and generally looked pretty good here until Walter is able to hit a Crucifix Bomb and punch him into oblivion. Nice stiff, I hope the rest of this event also shows up at some point, Mr. Walter if you are reading this, you are cool and it would be nice to see more Tempest Dragon videos!