Sometimes when a person is given too much in too little time they self-destruct. Even worse this dilemma is not just limited to people with the first name, “Warrior,” but has affected people ranging from Corey Haim to Axl Rose to Dave Chappelle, sometimes tragically, sometimes in cases that bring out schadenfreude in just about anyone.
Kazuchika Okada undoubtedly had the most successful year of his career last year. That is until at least this year ends as the last few weeks have shown Okada may eclipse his previous success. Aside from winning the NJPW New Japan Cup 2013 in March, earlier this month he earned his second IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Let’s back up a bit.
Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata vs. Riki Choshu and Kazuchika Okada
This match is from 2009, which doesn’t seem so long ago until you look at how different Okada looks from the previous hype video. Yet, Okada’s performance shows his talent even back then. He starts off with a killer looking dropkick, does a plancha over the top rope to the floor and sells like a champ throughout. Having been ready for so much more at this point and being given so much less has no doubt at least in part shaped his mindset to keep his success. Of course Chappelle, Rose and yes even Haim had to work on their craft to some extent before breaking through…and later breaking down. So far it looks like Okada can only reach higher ground as he helps carry NJPW, but no matter where he goes, the Rainmaker has already made his mark.
Yes, in this bout Tanahashi uses the same strategy that the fearsome Cobra Kai used on poor Ralph Macchio. As talented as Tanahashi and Devitt are the logic behind this bout is baffling. Sure, Tanahashi targeting Devitt’s leg makes sense since Devitt is an incredible high-flyer, but then…Devitt completely no-sells it. Okay, well not completely, but there are athletes who could train for the rest of their lives and never hit a pele kick. Yet, Devitt lands one with a bad wheel? It’s kind of tough to suspend disbelief for that. By the same token if Devitt sold the injury it would be even worse since spectators would miss out on all his high-flying awesomeness. It’s lose-lose, really.
As flawed as it is at least the match has psychology. Tanahashi goes after Devitt’s leg early after Prince gets it caught in the ropes. Despite being a way less hated Japanese version of John Cena, Tanahashi busts out some heel moves by slamming Devitt’s leg against the ringpost. Devitt acts hurt, but unrealistically waves it off to dropkick Tanahashi out of the ring and then flip over the top rope to land on his opponent. Some more dropkicks are thrown along with the aforementioned pele kick and a double stomp for Tanahashi.
At least Devitt shows Tanahashi some respect in this match from the 2010 G1 Climax. He only wins after barely managing to roll Tanahashi up after Tanahashi had him beaten.
Here is a nifty exhibition from yesteryear. In this case the yesteryear of 2007 is not that long ago though this clip features current 61 year old grappler, Riki Choshu. He is in his mid fifties here, but aside from the gut he barely looks it. The action is methodical with not a lot of fast paced action, but plenty of Choshu and Ishii feeling each other out.
Choshu gains the early advantage by pushing Ishii to the ground with a shoulder block. Ishii’s first successful offense is pretty weak as he performs a light chopfest in the corner. Tomohiro then adds insult to injury by placing Choshu in a sharpshooter, which of course Choshu helped innovate in the East. From there Ishii gets Riki back in the corner and this time comes alive with his blows. He must have thought of Kenta Kobashi because the forearms and Kenta-esque chops he lays in are vicious!
All these attacks eventually cause Choshu’s temper to go off. Choshu begins his comeback after Ishii fails to deliver a top rope move and instead gets punched to the mat by the wily veteran. From there Choshu wallops Ishii with not one, not two, but three lariats! The last of these moves looks like they nearly take Ishii’s head off! After the bout Choshu no doubt celebrated his spot as one of the cornerstones of modern Japanese wrestling and also as master of the Asian shake weight.
For American wrestling fans the smoke is still clearing from WWE’s 2013 Royal Rumble. While there was plenty of entertaining action and even more for people to complain about there was no match quite like this on the card. The entire bout is Tanaka and Ishii trying to one-up each other while being as stiff as possible. First they begin by slugging it out. From there the two move onto chops. This is just one chopfest of several that leads both competitors with beat red chests. Before long both are on all fours and are headbutting each other in an attempt to see who is tougher. Really, this looks barely like a worked match.
As far as wrestling moves go they appear rarely. Ishii delivers a powerbomb at one point that must bring up some memories of Mike Awesome for Tanaka. Tanaka also at one point is able to reverse a German suplex. Other than those and a few trademark moves used in Japanese strong style bouts (brainbusters, lariats, etc.) it all goes back to the striking. So who is more man? Only one way to find out, watch the clip!
On a random note also look out for one spectator trying in vain to start a Japanese ECW chant.
Hulk Hogan, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Christopher Daniels…what do these names have in common? Well, if Christopher Daniels’ momentum continues than he has a shot at reaching a level in TNA only previously occupied by former longtime WWE and WCW guys…and possibly AJ Styles.
The first trait that Daniels has that makes him an attractive talent is that he knows how to work an audience. Whether he is getting a reaction out of them through his promos, in-ring work or a mixture of both he never leaves a crowd apathetic. Beyond this he also has a tremendous depth of skill and can tailor his style not only to his opponent, but any type of fans he works in front of.
In the above clip, we have serious Daniels as opposed to silly Daniels. While battling Naito it seems like he ignores the crowd completely, but in actuality is pacing the match to please the fans as best as he can. Playing the no-nonsense heel he stays grounded much of the match, has a few mildly underhanded spots and even beats Naito into the audience briefly. Still, the fans came to see Daniels so he has to bring out a few trademarks. He wallops Naito with his best moonsault ever finisher and grabs the pin.
Thank you for your bandwidth. I’m Madman Szalinski, and I’m just about done with this shit. By shit, of course, I mean this six-part series on great matches that might be a bit obscure. First, I’d like to go over the five matches I’ve already chosen, along with the main reasons for doing so:
#1 was chosen due to the extreme effort by both participants. For a matchup of two big men, moves were used that defied logic it seemed. I knew immediately when I started that I would be including this match for my list because I knew it was an overlooked match due to the main event, and that it exceeded many expectations coming into the opening bell.
#2 was chosen because of the historical significance, and the quality of the match itself. There’s no question, we had Taka Michinoku and the Great Sasuke in there, they both could be hungover and shitting Yoohoo, and still put on a three star minimum. I just didn’t thnk they’d ever be able to do it in America. This match, in my eyes, was much higher than three stars. This was a major shift in the WWF, and it was the first time any WWF fan had ever seen cruiserweight action like that. Another no-brainer to me.
#3 was chosen for, again, historical significance. The match itself was standard 1970′s Southern ‘rasslin. The Bombers weren’t the seasoned veterans we came to know them as (Honky Tonk Man and Moondog Spot) and I’m willing to bet they weren’t ready for what was going to happen that night. The brawl post-match, where the bare-plywood-for-walls concession stand got ripped apart, was where the true gem shined. Again, for a hardcore brawl, it’s tame by 2012 standards (unless you’re a mark for mustard.) But in the big picture, this match was actually very well done and even though I don’t like what it did to the business, I appreciate the entertainment value it gave me. So it was in.
#4 isn’t so obscure, I don’t think. Several people know about that match, and it’s been reported about more than once that Regal was intentionally shooting. When I first heard of the match, it was on Armpit Wrestling’s legendary listing of backstage fights. The following quote was straight from this list: “Regal could lead a dead man through a believable sequence, and I believe that’s what he was trying to do here. However, Goldberg flopped around and looked like an idiot.” I don’t know who wrote that, but dude…we didn’t watch the same match. Regal shot on Goldberg thinking he was going to kill the Goldberg myth once and for all. Goldberg came back and used more moves in one match than he had pretty much his entire career up to that point. While it was clear that Regal did prove the experience factor, Regal still got his ass beat (and countered cleanly a few times). Goldberg showed everyone that he COULD wrestle. It wasn’t just that he only knew two moves, but those two moves seemed to work for him. Hey, nobody is going to argue that Bret Hart knows more than five moves, but the Five Moves of Doom seemed to work for him, right? This match was chosen for the shooting, and the outcome.
#5 was the encompassing definition of what it took to make this list. The action was beyond expectation, the match was entertaining, and I never heard about the match to watch it before. I’d heard that Bas Rutten, one of my few favorite MMA fighters, had worked for New Japan. I found the match and watched it, expecting a Bam Bam/LT type match-up where only the most fundamental basics of pro wrestling would be used. What I saw was Bas and Koji telepathically agree that if there was a script, they didn’t need the motherfucker. And of course, there was this.
Yeah. Let’s move on before I laugh myself into asphyxiation.
So…the final video was kind of hard for me. I spent a week doing nothing but watching and searching YouTube like a Deep Web bot. I had included a big man contest, a hardcore brawl, a cruiserweight match, a worked shoot and a shoot shoot. I wasn’t sure what else to do. I was this close from just pulling a bait and switch, doing some M. Night Shyamalan shit and rambling about how “any match you haven’t seen before that entertains you is number six.” Fortunately for you, I’m not retarded and I found this.
6. Earl Caddock vs. Joe Stecher (Madison Square Garden, 1920)
This match is OLD. So old, it predates every promotion in existence today. So old, it predates the modern preconception of a wrestling promotion. It’s so old the copyright on the footage expired. This is one YouTube match that won’t be in danger of getting taken down anytime soon. But I wouldn’t wait forever to go watch it.
You want to know what you’re watching? Real wrestling. THIS, my friends is what professional wrestling forgot. These two aren’t showboating, although their personalities and characteristics are distinct. They are completely focused on the ring and what’s at stake inside of it. And that’s another thing. They’re not superstars or performers, or even talent. They were real fucking wrestlers doing real fucking wrestling. Nobody in that crowd questioned the “workrate” of these guys. They knew what they were getting was real. And there is some debate as to whether or not this match was worked. Remember, this was 1920 and Kayfabe Commentaries didn’t exist yet. There was no way of knowing for sure. Nobody wrote that shit down. And you know what? THAT’S FINE WITH ME. I don’t need to know everything going on in the locker room to enjoy pro wrestling.
Was it a shoot? A work? I don’t know, but you don’t fake the effort these guys put on in the ring. You might not see a shitton of bump taking or many Irish whips to the ropes for that matter. But you will see two guys legitimately scrapping with each other on the mat, clawing for the championship that was on the line. And to let you know how wrestling has changed, the match ended in two hours (video only shows around 25 minutes.) The length of an entire episode of Smackdown or Impact, being just one match, no commercial breaks…yeah, we’re getting robbed. Oh, and the finish? A leg-scissors and wristlock combination. The leg-scissors was a common finisher for this guy. His opponent wouldn’t submit, so he turned him over and pinned him.
I also saw Jiu-Jitsu rear mounts in there, I saw armbars and toe locks, I saw punches and I saw elbows. I saw a real wrestling match that entertained me greatly, with moves I haven’t seen for a long time in the ring. I knew these were two guys who could finish this match, and then beat the shit out of every man in that building who dared say something. I’d love to see a group of Marine thugs in Syracuse try to tackle one of these two on the street. You just know watching these two that they could shoot on virtually ANYBODY in the business today, and nobody could stop them. Legit tough men, with legit grappling skills, trying to get paid and get respect. Not show-offs or prima donnas who couldn’t wrestle, so they learned how to get beat up by the men who truly could. Now, don’t get me wrong…I am not disrespecting those men at all. Shawn Michaels is one of my all time favorites and he sucks worse at shooting than Dick Cheney. But I’m saying that pro wrestling needs legit wrestlers, tough men who can wrestle, in order to be taken seriously again. It needs men like these two, who knew how to cater to the fans or how to rouse them, yet understood that it began and ended IN THE RING. That’s what matters to those casual fans, the total marks, the smart marks, and overall to me as well.
And while this might have been a World championship match…neither Caddock or Stetcher were considered close to “the best in the business”, not then nor now. That’s the thought I wish to leave you with.
I’m Madman Szalinski, and in the words of Teddy Hart…”All that really matters is I took three hours of your day where you didn’t have to think about your bills, your pains, or your worries. You got to live in a reality called professional wrestling. Don’t let it die, my friend.”
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
Now that this massive piece is finished, what the hell should I do next? Any comments, suggestions or death threats? There’s a comment button right below me, so feel free to give me an idea of what you’d like to see me do next (or tell me how I did with this effort). And if you’d rather do it privately, I’m sure there’s a link to my e-mail somewhere around here. Again, below me.
This match is brief, but Nagata manages to pack a feud’s worth of psychology into it. While there have been rumors as of late that the WWE is interested in signing Kazuchika Okada, which would no doubt be a major steal from the company, Nagata might be a more helpful signing.
After all if you look at the submission specialists that WWE has now none of them wrestle like submission specialists. The wrestler who comes closest would probably be Alberto Del Rio. Then again take a closer look at his matches. Even Del Rio rarely targets the arm throughout. Sure, he’ll go after it eventually and the psychology of the match is then helped by the commentators pointing it out, but he doesn’t touch Nagata’s level of commitment. The old technical wizard targets his opponent’s arm early and often, which adds to the realism of the bout. That way by the end of the match even if Nagata just tugs lightly on his opponent’s arm we can buy that, that would cause his foe who has had his arm punched, kicked and pulled for the entire match would tap.
Even though Nagata doesn’t get a chance to make Yano submit in this one there is always the thought that Nagata could bust out a hold and make Yano tap at any time.
Interviewer’s Note: “The Juice” JT Dunn is a wrestler who estimates to spend his time working for about 12 promotions regularly. He considers Premier Wrestling Federation-New England (PWF-NE) his home promotion and has made a splash at Beyond Wrestling. At the latter company he was part of the heel stable, The Professional Revolution. Yet, typically his high-flying arsenal has made him a favorite amongst independent wrestling audiences. He can be found on Facebook here, on YouTube here and can be followed on Twitter @thejuiceee. If you’re interested in booking The Juice then you can drop him a line right here. In this interview Dunn and I focus on the topic of wrestling for a lot of promotions at the same time.
Daniel Johnson: My first question is in a nutshell how would you describe yourself as a performer? JT Dunn: I would describe myself as a performer who gives it his all every time I’m in the ring. I’m a performer who loves the chance to learn from those who are willing to teach, and give the fans their monies worth.
Daniel Johnson: How many promotions do you currently wrestle for on at least a semi-regular basis? Also, out of these which one did you work for first? JT Duun: Oh man, I would say at least 12 different promotions on a consistent basis. The first I believe was PWF-NE.
Daniel Johnson: Was PWF-NE your home promotion starting out? If so then how often do you still work your home promotion? If not then what happened to your old home promotion? JT Dunn: It was one of them, but now has taken the sole spot. Northeast Championship Wrestling (NCW) gave me opportunities that no one else would. PWF-NE allowed me to creatively be me and gain great exposure working with the top talent from the area. I currently work for PWF-NE on every show they have. My loyalty will always be with those involved. No matter how “popular” or “famous” I become (if it ever happens), PWF-NE will also be on my schedule.
Daniel Johnson: Who are some of the wrestlers from PWF-NE that you enjoy working with and have you worked with them beyond PWF-NE? JT Dunn: Triplelicious is definitely atop that list. We fought for near 18 months, and in every type of match they had. It definitely helped me cement my name in PWF-NE. To this day I still believe if it wasn’t for New England Hall Of Famer TJ Richter, I wouldn’t be in PWF-NE. My first few matches there were because someone didn’t show, my phone rang and I showed up. TJ made me look like a star in the ring, and I felt like we both had a lot of fire for each other. Him to prove he can still hang with younger guys, and me to fight for respect and approval from a veteran who was there from the start. Other guys on the roster would be Ryan Bisbal, Biff Busick, Da Hoodz, Brickhouse Baker (my original trainer), David Baker and John Munroe just to name a few. All who I have worked with outside of PWF-NE as well. Referee Rich Bass also helped me with my feud with Triplelicious. His personal connection to Trips only played perfectly into the magic we were creating.
Daniel Johnson: How did you get to wrestle beyond PWE-NE? Are there any wrestlers who have spoken up for you to get you work or have you gotten all your bookings by yourself? JT Dunn: Sure there are plenty of others who have spoken up for me. I keep to myself, and just do my job. So with that I’ve made a lot of friends who will put in a word. A lot of my bookings do come from me personally reaching out to promoters or going to visit a promotion to express my interest. I have been lucky as of late that people come to me, meaning I’m doing something right and my name now carries some value.
Daniel Johnson: How do you decide if you’re going to work a promotion regularly? What, if anything, can a promoter do to keep you around? JT Dunn: I like this question a lot. Things that I look for are: A good track record with other wrestlers, a locker room filled with talent who I can learn from and put on great matches with. I look for how the promotion uses it’s resources to spread the word about their shows, I like to know how they are going to treat me and what I have to offer the right way. I know that if I can help make them money, everyone wins. If everyone wins, then wrestling is a success. To keep me around is simple, stick to your word, stay loyal to me and others on the show and put out what you want in return.
Daniel Johnson: Ever work for a company just because there was one particular opponent you wanted to wrestle? If so what was the company and the opponent? If not then who are some wrestlers out there currently that you would like to work with? JT Dunn: I’ve done that a few times. Some promotions have plans set for what they were going to do with talent. If I personally want a match with someone I’d look elsewhere. One guy that comes to mind was probably my second biggest feud of 2012 “Devils Reject” Brandon Webb. Him and I never worked consistently for one promotion, we feuded at several for over a year. It’s rare that promotions will bring in a match who’s battle started elsewhere, but Brandon and I were able to do so. It was a great time and I’m sure in 2013 we will be back at it. Guys out there that I would like to work with are, in no particular order: ACH, Johnny Gargano, Uhaa Nation, Akira Tozawa, Brian Fury, AR Fox, Sami Callihan, Aaron Epic (in his area), Rich Swann, Mike Quackenbush, Drew Gulak…off the top of my head.
Daniel Johnson: You mentioned Akira Tozawa who has done a lot of work stateside as well as his native Japan. Do you have any plans to wrestle in Japan? What about other countries? JT Dunn: I’m a huge fan of his work and also of Kenny Omega. It is my dream to perform in Japan full-time. I have currently performed in Canada and will be back in 2013. Japan is my ultimate goal. The best performers in the world get to perform there, it shows your hard work and effort are valued.
Daniel Johnson: Are there any particular international promotions that stick out to you? JT Dunn: There are tons, each with different aspects. New Japan, WXW, DDT, Dragon Gate for example.
Daniel Johnson: What is the furthest away company from where you live that you’ve worked? Was it one in Canada? How often do you work for that company? JT Dunn: Canada was the furthest so far. It was my first time this year, but I plan to return multiple times next year.
Daniel Johnson: Switching topics years ago an attribute that ECW had that made it stand out was it’s unique atmosphere. What promotion that you work for do you think has the most unique atmosphere and what if anything makes it stand out? JT Dunn: Hands down Beyond Wrestling. Beyond has such a unique atmosphere. Its studio tapings bring top talents from around the world to perform in front of the other workers. The hardest thing you can do is get a positive reaction from those who know how it works. Also, Beyond’s live shows are like none other. Having some of the wrestlers ringside watching the matches with the fans, interacting the whole time is awesome. Beyond also has the top following for pro wrestling online. It’s YouTube account sets a new view count record with each new upload. I think 2013 is going to be a big year for Beyond Wrestling and those who work hard in it.
Daniel Johnson: For those who don’t follow Beyond Wrestling, what are you doing in the company now and what can you tell readers about it so that they’ll check it out? JT Dunn: I am currently tagging with “Sure Thing” Mark Shurman. We were recently part of a faction called The Professional Revolution, it wasn’t what Shurman and I wanted out of pro wrestling in Beyond. Now as fan favorites, I’m able to refocus and climb the rankings. Those who don’t follow Beyond really should, you see some of the greatest matches and most innovative styles of wrestling.
Daniel Johnson: I was also just curious what do you think of the idea of the ranking system that Beyond uses as opposed to having titles? JT Dunn: I enjoy it. Mostly because it’s different. I like the fact that every match is important, you literally have to fight for your spot.
Daniel Johnson: Getting back to some of the other companies you have worked for what company had wrestlers with a style most different from your own that you have worked? Did you try to adapt your style to fit the needs of the promotion? JT Dunn: I like to think that my style is hybrid. I’ve trained in all aspects of wrestling from anyone who could/would teach me. This prepared me for situations like that. I think Beyond has the biggest style difference because of all the people that come in. Other promotions where I needed to step up were CHIKARA, AIW and PWF-NE.
Daniel Johnson: What would you say are the best benefits of working a lot of promotions at the same time? JT Dunn: I get to stay busy and work with tons of talent. I’m able to showcase my abilities to a different audience all the time. I think it’s what wrestling was meant to be like. Traveling all over, living the dream.
Daniel Johnson: On the other side of the coin what are the drawbacks of working a lot of different promotions at once? JT Dunn: It’s a definite drain on my body. I allow myself no time off. The stress of constant travel, having to deal with tons of different people who run promotions a different way. Not that those are that bad but it’s just part of the career I’ve chosen.
Daniel Johnson: As you mentioned working for so many promotions takes a toll on your body. Ever get any injuries or have you been able to avoid them? JT Dunn: When I first started out I dealt with quite a few. My body nor my life was ready for it. I have broken he right side of my face, dislocated shoulders, hyper extended elbow, broken every finger, popped my hip out of place, then the countless sprains, bruises cuts and such. Now though I’m very good at avoiding them. I have tons of people around me to keep me healthy. I also stretch an hour a day to stay limber.
Daniel Johnson: Speaking of difficulties in wrestling what is the toughest crowd that you have ever had to work in front of and what did you do to get the best reaction possible out of them? JT Dunn: The CHIKARA crowd. The first time I was there I didn’t know how they were going react. I stayed calm, and just did what I would normally do and by the end they were cheering, “Please Come Back.”
Daniel Johnson: Nice! Again, on the other side of the coin what was the best crowd you worked in front of and what did you do to get the best pop possible? JT Dunn: I think one of the best was at PWF-NE when I wrestled Triplelicious in both our ladder match and cage match. Crowds were sold out and were into our match.
Daniel Johnson: Looking to the future in the United States what, if any promotions have you yet to work for that you would most like to? JT Dunn: CHIKARA full-time, DGUSA, EVOLVE, PWG, ROH,TNA and WWE.
Daniel Johnson: Ever think about auditioning for TNA Gut Check? JT Dunn: Sure have.
Daniel Johnson: Have you filled out their audition application or anything or just thought about it so far? JT Dunn: I have not, just a thought.
Daniel Johnson: I also had some more general questions, where would 2012 fit in your career so far? Would you say it is the best year that you have had as a wrestler? JT Dunn: Hands down the best year for me.
Daniel Johnson: I always like to hear about ribs and road stories. Do you have any that you would be willing to share? JT Dunn: I’ve been there for tons of ribs in all kinds of promotions. I will not mention names, but one time a wrestler took another wrestler’s gear and nailed it to the ceiling. The dude spent over an hour trying to find it, couldn’t find it before his match and had to borrow gear. Only to come back sit down look up and see it on the ceiling. A fun time I had on the road was driving to Cleveland, Ohio. I survived a few snow storms, some crazy car accident, not sleeping for 72 hours, melts with some good friends (Uhaa Nation, Aaron Epic, Eddie Graves). Then being able to perform for AIW Gauntlet For The Gold 7.
Daniel Johnson: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment in wrestling thus far? JT Dunn: Competing in Young Lions Cup for CHIKARA, wrestling my mentor Dave Cole, wrestling the best in my area Brian Fury. My 18 month feud with Triplelicious, being able to travel internationally, and being labeled as the fastest rising star in New England.
Daniel Johnson: What would you like to say your biggest accomplishment in wrestling was when all is said and done? JT Dunn: That I was able to provide for those close to me, and be recognized as one of the best.
Daniel Johnson: What plans do you have for the upcoming year? Any New Years Resolutions? JT Dunn: Travel more internationally, work for more promotions that have top talent. Just be a better role model, and man than I was this year. I want to inspire and motivate people.
Daniel Johnson: Do you have anything that you would like to promote? JT Dunn: My Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube. All the ways people can reach me. A promoter/promotion can reach me via e-mail.
Daniel Johnson: As part of my last few questions I like to ask five non-wrestling related questions just to bring a little uniqueness to the interview. If you don’t have an answer or don’t want to answer one of them just feel free to say, “skip.” Outside of wrestling, what television shows do you enjoy watching these days? JT Dunn: I’m a huge fan of Netflix. I watch all kinds of things: The Walking Dead, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. On regular TV I just watch SportsCenter.
Daniel Johnson: What was your favorite movie that came out this year? JT Dunn: The Dark Knight Rises.
Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite food that you tried for the first time this year? JT Dunn: Honestly, apples. I never ate fruit, then this year I changed my diet and I love apples now.
Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite song to come out this year? JT Dunn: Hmm…I really enjoy the song “Clique” by Kanye West.
Daniel Johnson: Did you vote in your last local election? If so would you be willing to say for who? JT Dunn: I did vote, if I have an opinion and the forum to express it, I certainly will. Who I voted for I’ll keep that to the secret ballot. Haha.
Daniel Johnson: What is the weirdest part of being a professional wrestler? JT Dunn: Being half naked in front of people you don’t know, and it’s considered normal haha.
Daniel Johnson: Haha, then is there anything you would like to add? JT Dunn: Just thank you for the time, and a big thank you to all of those who support me, my dreams and independent professional wrestling. Without all of the support I and others wouldn’t be able to do what we love. Also, for my sponsors: Check out Gimmick Wrestling Tees and SBV Fitness.
Get a taste of The Juice in action! Take a look at this match from UFO Wrestling that Dunn personally suggested. Also, check out this AIW match from the official YouTube channel of Beyond that pits Dunn against Aaron Epic:
5. Bas Rutten vs. Koji Kanemoto from NJPW, October 26, 2002
Thank you for your bandwidth. I’m Madman Szalinski, wishing you all a Merry Chr-what? Oh yeah, that’s right. Christmas already happened. I’ll put videos of my presents up on YouTube someday. Well, whatever holiday is up next…New Year’s. Happy New Year’s. And oh yeah, we’re going to Japan to watch Bas Rutten do some professional wrestling. (And for all you workrate marks out there who haven’t busted one yet to this match, Daniel Bryan is in Bas Rutten’s corner.)
I love Bas. Not only as a fighter who has won many matches for many companies with many sets of rules, but as an entertainer. He has a great sense of humor and a rather down-to-earth personality about him. Bas has the mindset to succeed in this business. Problem is, he’s spent his whole life knocking people around with intent to kill. In pro wrestling, you’re not exactly fluffing your opponent like a pillow…but you must protect your fellow wrestlers, because all of you have to go out there and do it again the next week, or maybe the next night. None of you can do that if someone tries to show off and take unnecessary liberties in the ring, because that’s how people get injured. Bas Rutten understood that, I believe. And in Japan, the lines between work and shoot in the ring are so blurred, that the doors are not only open for an MMA fighter to make the transition to pro wrestling, there’s probably a piece of paper with an arrow drawn on it taped to said door. Bas’ colorful personality coupled with his in-ring ability made him a natural for puroresu.
His opponent for this match is Koji Kanemoto, also known as Tiger Mask III. No slouch. While he, unlike many of his fellow Japanese wrestlers, is actually not known for his shooting capabilities, he is known for being a good all-around worker, who was able to change his style as needed when age and injuries prevented him from working the light heavyweight style associated with the Tiger Mask gimmick. As he had been fitted with a shooter gimmick in recent times before this match, the setup made a lot of sense to me, who does not follow any Japanese promotions regularly enough to get the storylines, or even any of the commentary. It’s just a nod to how you don’t even have to know the language to be entertained by what you see in the ring.
The stage is set: a pro wrestler trying out being a shooter versus a shooter trying out pro wrestling. This should be interesting. It’s clear about a minute into the contest that Bas is not a worker. He’s an awesome wrestler, a tremendous athlete, and a very stiff striker. But he is not much of a worker. Thankfully, Kanemoto doesn’t give a fuck. Bas isn’t too much for selling either, although he’s not no-selling in a disrespectful “burying you for political reasons” way. It’s more of a “come on, we both know you’re going to need a pick axe to break that bone.” And again, thankfully, Kanemoto happens to have pick axes for legs and Bas has no choice but to sell some of Kanemoto’s offense as Father Physics whispered in his ear “sorry, sir, it’s the law.” That or Bas is selling just to see the look on people’s faces. “Frank Shamrock couldn’t do shit to this man, but Tiger Mask III just put him on his ass? WOWZA!” Roughly halfway into the match, the two begin to trade kicks until Bas briefly forgets that he can’t actually kill his opponent in this sport. Kudos to the ring crew for New Japan, any wrestling ring in America would have fallen apart and flown off into the crowd at that kind of impact.
On the ground, there are plenty of restholds. So many, that they don’t really rest…they just transition from one hold to the next, cranking for a second or two here and there on each hold. So I guess you can’t call them restholds, or not really holds at all as nobody seemed to keep anything for any period of time. It was just seamless transition on the mat. But at 8:41, things take a turn. THINGS TAKE A FUCKING TURN. You see, so far, we’ve been watching two men doing some bad ass moves in there. Bas Rutten is making a decent transition, if a tad green, from competition fighting to professional wrestling. Koji Kamenoto has been his usual self, reminding us why he once donned the Tiger Mask. Until 8:41. That is when Koji Kanemoto did this.
Look familiar?
I swear I’ve seen this spot before…
How about now?
Dead serious, that’s exactly what it looked like. Watch the tape of this match, then go dig up the Sharmell/Jenna match and fast forward to that spot. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. Koji Kanemoto, a man who had been going toe-to-toe both on the ground and on their feet with Bas fucking Rutten, was now reduced to slap fighting with all the technique and intensity of a six year old girl whose brother just fed her favorite Barbie to the dog. At this point, I had to pause the video. My wife thought I was dying and it took five Brawny paper towels to get all the Kool-Aid off my monitor. I finally quit laughing and hit play on the window to finish the match, and Koji quickly went for a triangle choke within a second or two afterwards in order to make people forget what the fuck he just did. Bas powerbombed the shit out of him, dead lifting Kanemoto from the mat while in the hold, and we all went back to watching two bad ass guys do their thing. Pretty good match-WHAT THE FUCK BAS JUST KICKED HIM IN THE HEAD WITH BOTH FEET AT THE SAME TIME!
I thought that move only happened on Power Rangers.
You know what…just watch the match. It’s obvious why I put it in this list by now. Bas Rutten in wrestling. Against Koji Kanemoto. And Koji SLAP FIGHTS THE MAN. If that isn’t a great match, then there is no such thing.
Next week, we end this series with a bang. And by bang, I mean something other than an exploding ring match. DDP being involved is a possibility. I’m Madman Szalinski, and in the words of New Jack…”yes, I’m under the influence right now, and I’m not givin’ a fuck. I gotta do a show tonight, catch a red eye, fly to Atlantic City, then go over to Detroit, then go home and lay down, and let my girl suck on my thing-thing.”
Okay, you TNA haters. It is true enough that the company has been guilty of all of these sins to some extent. Still, the asylum (or former asylum anyway) is nowhere near as badly run in TNA as it was in WCW. However, here are a few wrestlers TNA could sign to start fixing that. Why, you may ask? Just for giggles.
1. Vader
Vader made a brief return to the WWE earlier this year and promptly squashed Heath Slater. He then followed this up by coming to blows with a nearly 70 year old Harley Race. Even with Vince Russo gone the company has shown a desire to continue booking worked-shoots. Well, using the WCW philosophy there is no better way to trick an audience into believing something might be real than hiring someone who may actually have a screw or two lose. How else can you explain Scott Steiner’s 2000-2001 push? Sure, the mastodon may not be as fearsome as he once was and there is no way he can cut a promo like Scott Steiner (who can?), but to live up to WCW’s name TNA needs to starting taking chances. Incredible chances, illogical chances, idiotic chances! With TNA’s riskiest recent signing being Christian York a guy who probably should have been signed to a major company ten years ago and probably gets paid with Monopoly money, TNA needs to throw some big bucks at Vader to balance things out.
2. Shark Boy
With TNA showing some love for underwhelming reveals recently the company has taken some strides to resemble the old WCW. But was Devon really as bad of a reveal as Road Warrior Animal? Perhaps. Still, sometimes “perhaps” just isn’t good enough. A way to top this would be by running some short vignettes saying that “3:16 is coming to TNA” only to reveal that instead of Austin, TNA has brought back Shark Boy with his tribute to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin gimmick. Actually, going beyond just for giggles bringing back Shark Boy may not be that bad of an idea. He could work with a lot of the X division guys and TNA could probably get away with not paying him that much. Of course as long as York is willing to share his Monopoly money with Shark Boy then why not?
3. Adam Bomb
Now, I know what you’re saying. “Isn’t that guy dead.” No, that’s Brian Adams. Yes, it is easy to get the former Demolition Crush mixed up with people whether it be his former tag team partners or a Canadian singer-songwriter. What you also may be saying is, “Hasn’t Bryan Clarke been retired for like 10 years? God knows what kind of shape he is in?” To that I answer that if Brock Lesnar can return to the WWE in 2012 then surely Adam Bomb can return to TNA in 2013. If nothing else he could be signed to a short term contract and fed to a bigger hoss the way that he was fed to Bill Goldberg in the original WCW. I think Samoa Joe is hungry.
4. El Generico
Like Shark Boy this guy could fit in great by wrestling the X division roster. Plus, one of the legacies that WCW left behind was the company’s tendency to sign world class talent and do absolutely nothing with them. They had the technical wizard himself, freaking Yuji Nagata for over a year and the most he did was briefly feud with Ultimo Dragon and then was quietly swept under the ring. Just think of all the potential they could pee away with El Generico. Generico is one of the most well traveled independent wrestles out there and has wrestled in countries as random as Peru, Chile and Sweden. TNA signing him to an exclusive contract could kill that traveling act just like Nagata’s commitment to WCW prevented who knows how many potential great matches for NJPW. Somewhere John Laurinaitis’ mouth is watering.
5. Kevin Steen
El Generico and Kevin Steen go together like peanut butter and ketchup to a weirdo without taste buds. For some reason you can’t have one without the other. If TNA signed El Generico then it stands to reason that they would have to sign Steen…then promptly make no mention of their past history together. Steen is the kind of guy who could come in and if positioned right could look like a legitimate challenge to someone the company has already built up. Say Bully Ray for example. Of course if they were to follow the WCW model they couldn’t book him that well. After all his name is Kevin Steen, not Bil Goldberg or Lance Storm. So if TNA signed Steen then perhaps the best he could hope for would be a one sided feud with Bully before quickly dropping down the card. Alternatively, they could throw him in with Aces & 8s since the company loves to throw away talent that way.
6. Scott Steiner
As mentioned earlier no one can cut a promo quite like Scott Steiner so why not bring him back? He’s already suing TNA anyway so what could be a more amicable way to end this bad blood then with a nice fat paycheck. On the negative side Scott Steiner has been hit or miss in the ring for a while now and he’s not getting any younger. On the positive side the man has that Ultimate Warrior kind of appeal that can only come from some legitimate insanity. Kind of like why Damien Demento developed a cult following after he started making Internet videos a few years back. Wait! That’s it! Give Steiner his own Internet recap show! License to print money.
