100 Matches You Really Should See...

[ShortOrderCook]

100 Matches You Really Should See

...That You May Not Have SeenSelected By You Lot

So here it is, another list thread. Actually, although this is technically a thread that will contain a list of matches, I hope it doesn't end up as just that. Discussion of the matches is STRONGLY encouraged. Whatever that me be, positive or negative or whatever, watch the match and let us know what you think. There is so much wrestling about now from past and present that is so easily accessible to us in this technically advanced age that there's going to be a whole load of shit that would get missed that you might actually enjoy or find interesting viewing. Similarly, many of us undoubtedly simply dismiss anything from certain promotions with a close minded attitude, hopefully with this thread people will take an open-minded attitude and give stuff a chance, you may well discover some right gems in the process.Having the matches sent to me it's been interesting to see the diverse tastes of us here. There really is so much wrestling and so much different wrestling out there. No doubt there's going to be matches people hate, feel weren't worth watching, etc but that's all part of this thread. I hoped there'd be a fairly diverse selection of submissions and there certainly has. Four different decades are represented, there's great matches that may have simply been missed or forgotten about, matches that are absolutely absurd, so terrible you have to see them, Lucha is represented, Japan is represented, BritWres is represented, womens wrestling is represented. There's content featured from ROH, DragonGate, CZW, PWG, TNA, WCW, ECW, WWECW, NXT/FCW, and of course WWE. Of which there is forgotten Raw and Smackdown blinders, gems from Velocity and Metal and rare house show footage. There's blood, midgets, referees wrestling, blow-ups dolls, Squashes, chickens, 9 year old girls and even Mark Jindrak.Please remember this isn't a 'BEST MACTHES' list. #100 isn't the worst, #1 isn't the best. They are in no specific order, but I will try to post a fairly diverse group together with each group of new posts. This is simply a collection of matches that we feel need to be seen for whatever reason and shared. There was surprisingly a few matches that got submitted more than once, which I will detail when I post them.I'll be posting between 2 and 5 matches each day I post (unless I change my mind later), probably quite a few this weekend to get the ball rolling. I hope you discover and view something that you take some enjoyment from and I hope this thread sparks some decent, passionate discussion about wrestling - what constitutes good wrestling and what doesn't and shows you just how awesome it can be sometimes. A massive thank you to those who made submissions. Obviously this thread wouldn't be possible without that, but also selfishly i'm getting to see some good shit i'd never have thought to watch in the process, having seen about 90+ matches i'd never previously seen.So let's do this.#100 - Do Fixer vs. Blood Generation - Dragon Gate Kobe Festival 2005WATCH IT HEREWHY SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?Let's ask TheCumDoctor;

A lot of people who know of these factions talk about their ROH matches, but this is their best. Two teams who throw out a lightning pace and suck everyone in. It's build up section also flows much better than the ROH match which seems a bit too much like treading water.

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?I was glad to see this submitted. I'd heard of their matches years ago and had always intended to check them out and I've also wanted to see more of the likes of CIMA and Dragon Kid after seeing bits and pieces from both and also wanting to see some DragonGate in general. I enjoyed it, it certainly moves at a hell of a pace. So much so that no team really has the advantage for any sustained period of time, which adds to the excitement but can shade at times too much like 'your turn, my turn' which I generally hate, but because it's always a new guy running in and the two wrestlers currently grappling is constantly changing it works, really. It reminds me of when WWE are selling some big multi-man match and do a segment where everyone gets a bit to get their shit in and hit their finisher, which is always a fun segment. It's almost like a 30 minute match of that. There's something quite impressive about CIMA, I love his look and he seems a right bastard here. He's got lots of swanky offence, actually they all do and seem to have 100 finisher worthy moves each which ventures a little into that much slated Davey Richards style a little due to how fast everything is happening, but again being in the multi-man match environment it gets away with it. I'd like to see more though and some of these guys feature in singles matches later in the list which will be interesting to see how that match may differ in style.

[ShortOrderCook]

#99 - Kurt Angle vs Roderick Strong (WWE Smackdown, 13th January 2005) WATCH IT HEREWHY SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?BigRob will tell you why;

I

[TheShowOff]

This is going to be a great topic, nice work ShortOrderCook.

[ShortOrderCook]

#98 Hulk Hogan vs Stan Hansen. AJPW, 15/4/1990WATCH IT HEREWHY SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?CleetusVanDamme says;

I'm really not sure how popular this match is, or how many people have already seen it. It's on a big dome show, but I figure if I went until recently without seeing it then there's maybe others in my boat (who don't have a clue about Puro) who won't have seen it, either. It's brilliant, completely different from the usual Hogan formula, he's so aggressive, so brutal in this match it's almost like watching Hansen vs Hansen at points. Yet as much as he deviates from the usual routine, the crowd reaction ends up the same; them going ballistic for him. Master at work.

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?A very accurate description from Cleetus there, I can't say much different than he has. This is one of my favourite submissions of the list, totally the sort of thing I was hoping to uncover. I found it quite fascinating, as CVD says, it's such a different style of Hogan from the time and he really is brutal (in a good way). Hansen is compelling as ever to watch. A fantastically bizarre mix, unusual environment to see Hogan in for most and a nifty little match. Loved it.

[Tommy!]

I'll ask now, is there a way, or some one out there who may be willing to, drop the forthcoming list on to a set of disc's?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Gutted. I had my list wrote out as well. I thought the deadline was today.

[Arch Stanton]

I'm certain that SOC won't reject your list Ian.

[KingOfMetal]

I'll ask now, is there a way, or some one out there who may be willing to, drop the forthcoming list on to a set of disc's?

Id also be very interested in these on a set of discs

[PowerButchi]

Ballcocks. I forgot about this in all the "FUCKING HELL IT'S SUNNY FOR A CHANGE" excitement as well.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Looking forward to this. When the topic first came up I realised how little I really know of wrestling, despite watching it since I was 8, most of the great matches I've seen are very much mainstream. I had a couple of matches from WWE's ECW that would have qualified, but beyond that my contribution would have been pretty woeful. Now I get to enjoy the fruits of everyone else's labour

[Endorphin]

Damn, I was meaning to vote on this. Count me as another one of the 'too busy sunbathing in a beer garden' parade. Should be an interesting list anyway.

[ShortOrderCook]

#97 AJ Styles vs Sean Waltman, TNA, No Surrender 2005WATCH IT

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?HarmonicGenerator;

X-Pac had a fantastic summer in TNA - in fact, that little period between them finishing on Fox Sports Net and debuting on Spike, when they were online-only, was my favourite time to watch TNA - and this was the best one, I think. Styles and Waltman both brought their A game. Great match.

WHAT DO I THINK IT?Waltman is such a great talent. I've always liked him, but that is something I've really come to appreciate over the years. He'll be featuring in this list more than once, he's got such an endless back catalogue of stonking matches. So many that there's several that could easily make a list such as this because there's so many that go un-noticed or don't get appreciated enough because he rarely, if ever, has a bad match. He was a game-changer in the industry in the states really, surely a great influence on TNA and of its X Division from its early years here. In another match from 2005 here, (which really was an under-rated year for wrestling in my mind, it's one of my favourite periods), he gives AJ Styles a great match. AJ looks tremendous coming out of this, although I hate the Styles Clash and the one that features at the end of this match looks more like Styles nuts the mat rather than doing X-Pac any damage, which taints it the tiniest amount. Everything before that is cracking though. Some lovely evenly matched chain wrestling to start, building to both guys getting gradually more and more aggressive and eventually resorting to busting out some big, big high-risk offence as you'd expect from these two to get the job done. Styles shows a viciousness that's unusual from him, there's fantastic counters throughout creating a really competitive contest.

[Philjax]

A great idea and maybe if all goes well there will be room for a part 2 with another 100 submissions. I'm gonna go out of my way to watch all these. Cheers for compiling it.

[FUM]

Loving this, also gonna go out of my way to watch all these. Probably try and find better quality if I can than YouTube/Daily Motion because I struggle to watch anything over 10 minutes on them, I'm a weirdo! Thanks a lot for compiling it, looking forward to seeing some things I haven't seen before. Not seen any of the matches posted so far!

[ShortOrderCook]

#96 Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk, Memphis (No DQ) (3/23/81)WATCH IT

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?Why indeed Mr Squtternut Buash?

Two all time greats doing what they do best. Lawler shows his instinctual ability to give and take, sell and come back, to drop the strap and stir the crowd into a frenzy at exactly the right moments. He shows that a perfect right fist is all you need when you're this good. And then there's Funk, unrecognisable from the white meat babyface in Japan and just as awesome.

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?This match is truly incredible. Certainly everyone should watch this, two absolute masters at work here. I haven't seen nearly enough of either mans early work, I really should, two of the very best. This match is almost entirely made up of punches, boots and elbows. Seriously. Yet it's brilliant and totally engaging. Because it's also full of superb selling throughout. This match is a great example of how important body language and selling are, how they are everything in wrestling and moves really don't matter. It matters what you do, how you do it and when you do it. The crowd is whipped into a total frenzy throughout. Jerry pulls off a Hulk-Up routine better than any Hulk ever has himself and the crowd completely lose their shit when he pulls the strap down. The pop is mammoth. For pulling a strap down. Amazing. It's just a fight, just lamping each other, but such a good fight. Punches, boots and elbows. But how fucking good are those punches!? It even ends on a count-out and the crowd love it. Incredible.