(Also Not March Madness): SECRET SANTO March 2020

[Matt D]

Eight + people is what I personally consider enough interest for a week or two's work, so let's do this.

To reiterate: 

SECRET SANTO

1. People add their names to the pool. 
2. People get matched with a random draw (I use list.org).
3. People research some of their match-ee's posts to get a sense of what they like, their blind zones, etc. Maybe ask what they have access to.
4. People suggest a match for their partner to review, something they think their partner would like but hasn't seen (or would hate hilariously, but come on, don't be a jerk). If they haven't seen it yet, they take the next week to watch it and write it up. Can be any year, any genre, just maybe less than 30:00 since we all have only so much time.
5. Redraw on week 2 if the first week goes really well.

TIPS: 

• Don't sign up unless you can commit to selecting a match for your partner in a timely fashion and actually watch a match of your own. If you don't think you're going to check the board for a week, pass this time around. We might do this again.  
• Feel free to actually talk to the person the random draw gets you. Yeah, you can search posts, but asking works too. It'll also help you to figure out if they have NJPW World or just youtube, etc. 
• Don't be daunted by having to write up a match. No one's expecting Roger Ebert Meltzer here. Just jot down a paragraph on why you liked or didn't like the match. Or go nuts and write the great American wrestling review. Just write something.

How this will work:

You guys have until SATURDAY to sign up in this thread. Just say "I'm in." and maybe list what you have access to for streaming services and any particular interest you might have or blind spots you want filled, etc.. By doing so, you're committing to actually doing this.

On Sunday, I will go for the random draw. If there's an odd number, someone can go twice or I'll go twice. We'll figure it out. I'll try to do this in the morning. The goal is that by Monday mid-day, you've picked the match for your partner and posted what it is.

Then everyone has til the end of the day Saturday to watch and write it up. 

If it goes well, then we'll see about a week 2,  with people who have to drop in or out getting to do so. Ideally we get through March, all feel closer to one another, and get to watch some cool wrestling, but it depends on you lot.

So sign up in the thread and we'll get going with this on the weekend.

[AxB]

I'm in. I have access to IWTV and YouTube. Willing to consider getting NJPW or DDT Universe. Will not subscribe to WWE Network under any circumstances (has quite a few WWE DVDs from CEX*).

* It's a second hand shop in the UK. It's not pronounced See Eeh Eks.

[Curt McGirt]

In.

I have access to NJ World. I will pick something on Youtube or Dailymotion so anyone can find it. No point in this being hard to find. 

EDIT: Blind spots would be a lot of classic '90s WCW actually, JCP, Rock'n'Rolls/Midnights, Southern stuff that a lot of people take for granted.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Curt McGirt

[The Man Known as Dan]

Sure, sign me up. Have the WWE Network and not much else at present.

 

Info for me: Currently in a seeming unending march to try to expand my knowledge on older wrestling, have been watching a certain AWA set when I can find the time. Stylistically, lets say I was the high vote for Tajiri and Finley in the GWE, and I recently discovered Daniel Makabe is my 2020 Wrestling spirit wrestler.

 

Blind Spots: World of Sport, 80’s Lucha, 80’s Japan.

Edited March 3, 2020 by The Man Known as Dan

[Octopus]

If this leads to more friendship, then I’m in!

I don’t have the long tenure posting here that most of you guys have so hopefully my involvement doesn’t make things too difficult. 

[NikoBaltimore]

I'm in.  I have access to New Japan World and WWE Network. and my blind zones are basically old school territories and Japanese/Lucha stuff from years past.

[Super Ape]

I’m in. I have IWTV and YouTube/DailyMotion. I will not under any circumstance use WWE Network, or the streaming services of any company doing business with them (EVOLVE, Progress, WXW, AJPW). Pirated matches from those companies, if they can easily be accessed, are fine.

Blind zones; lucha (modern and classic), Showa-era puro (though The Destroyer is my boy), European catch (not modern stuff like WXW or Progress), pre-Hogan WCW or WWF. Honestly, most of everything. I’m not picky.

I don’t know if I’d call it a blind zone, but I am interested in shoot-style and Inokiism-based wrestling.

I don’t have the attention span for a Kenny Omega NJPW Classic. Please, matches less than 20 minutes if possible.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Super Ape

[Ace]

In. I have WWE Network, NJPW World, and Youtube. My blind zones are lucha, Euro, and Joshi.

 

[Spontaneous]

Im in. Impact Plus, iwtv, YouTube, wwe network.

Blind zones are 80s/classic wrestling and lucha.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Six String Orchestra

[Goodear]

In. I have nothing but Youtube and a prayer.

[NikoBaltimore]

31 minutes ago, Goodear said:

In. I have nothing but Youtube and a prayer.

Well, thankfully there's a treasure trove of awesomeness out there on that site.  Shit, look no further than Roy Lucier's channels for tons of old school goodness.  If inclined I'm sure we could do this whole thing using his stuff alone.

Edited March 3, 2020 by NikoBaltimore

[supremebve]

Fuck it, why not.  I'm in.  I have WWE Network, NJPW World, Youtube, and if I have to I'll use Daily Motion.  I guess my biggest wrestling loves are any and all wrestling from 80s-2000 or so...other than lucha and shoot style...I just don't get it.  So, I'd be cool with some hidden gems from those days.  I have some blind spots when it comes to joshi after about 1994 and a lot of the Japanese Indies.  I am very interested in 2000-2015 or so Japanese wrestling, because that is when beer and women became much more interesting than looking for random wrestling matches from the otherside of the planet.  

[Matt D]

Just to note, I am in too. I only have access to youtube and the network. There's a lot of 80s-90s NJPW I haven't seen. I've avoided on purpose modern NJPW but I am more inclined towards modern AJPW. There's probably a bunch of 80s WCCW I haven't seen. Modern Joshi I've only seen bits and pieces. I haven't seen almost any 2019-2020 wrestling. I wouldn't mind an excuse to see some Darby Allin or Daniel Makabe or Gresham for modern guys. I don't know. I've seen a lot but probably not as much as you might think. Don't make me watch some NJPW Kenny Omega epic. 

[odessasteps]

29 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Just to note, I am in too. I only have access to youtube and the network. There's a lot of 80s-90s NJPW I haven't seen. I've avoided on purpose modern NJPW but I am more inclined towards modern AJPW. There's probably a bunch of 80s WCCW I haven't seen. Modern Joshi I've only seen bits and pieces. I haven't seen almost any 2019-2020 wrestling. I wouldn't mind an excuse to see some Darby Allin or Daniel Makabe or Gresham for modern guys. I don't know. I've seen a lot but probably not as much as you might think. Don't make me watch some NJPW Kenny Omega epic. 

Don’t accidentally give yourself a 1994 WCW match.

[Matt D]

I spin the wheel in the morning so anyone who wants  to get in for this week and hasn't already, do so now.

[Matt D]

Ok, here's the pairings:

Goodear
Ace

Super Ape
AxB

supremebve
Curt McGirt

Matt D
The Man Known as Dan

Six String Orchestra
OctopusCinema
NikoBaltimore

We had an odd number and I decided to resolve it this way. Six String Orchestra picks for Octopus Cinema. Octopus Cinema picks for NikoBaltimore. NikoBaltimore picks for Six String Orchestra.

Remember, the plan is to get your partner something today, or at the latest by tomorrow mid-day. I'll nudge anyone that doesn't with a @. Feel free to reach out if you can't decide without more info. Then reviews by end of the day Saturday and if people dug the experience, we'll reroll. Enjoy.

 

[Matt D]

@The Man Known as Dan

Hey, El Dragoncito,

Here are two of my absolute favorite WoS guys paired off against each other. That means it's maybe not the absolute best showcase for either but it ends up being a good showcase for both, if that makes sense:

 

[Super Ape]

Hey @AxB, where do your tastes lie? I wanna get a better idea of what to recommend to you.

[AxB]

I really like technical wrestling and shootstyle, quite like Deathmatches and brawling, tolerate silliness if it's the DDT weirdness (but not Santino doing the same boring thing for the millionth time), and although I can enjoy super-long matches, I really dislike what WWE considers to be an epic match. 

How about you? We both have IWTV so that opens things up quite a bit.

[The Man Known as Dan]

@Matt D

 

I was both hoping for you to get me, because I knew you would give me something I’d be excited about, but was also worried I’d be able to give you a recommendation that would be something worth seeking out. 

 

Then you mentioned Daniel Makabe, Which is already my current rabbit hole, cause god I love me some Daniel Makabe. On YouTube, I think the best stuff I know of is his 3-2-1 Battle work. I’ll stick with the Gresham request,  as that one was fun. Though if you like this, I’d look into the Thatcher series too.

 

 

[Super Ape]

49 minutes ago, AxB said:

I really like technical wrestling and shootstyle, quite like Deathmatches and brawling, tolerate silliness if it's the DDT weirdness (but not Santino doing the same boring thing for the millionth time), and although I can enjoy super-long matches, I really dislike what WWE considers to be an epic match. 

How about you? We both have IWTV so that opens things up quite a bit.

I’m into a lot of that stuff too, though I like comedic tomfoolery a bit more than you do. I like deathmatch stuff, but subscribe to the “less is more” approach when it comes to the kind of bumps utilized (think less Big Japan and more FMW). I’m just starting to dip my toe into shootstyle, but I also dig the “maestro” style of lucha which is basically Old Man Lucha for guys who can’t do the athletic stuff anymore.

And brawling is aces in my book. I’m into the sloppy Memphis kind, or the stuff that just degenerates into a deathmatch by default (Foley/Orton in 2004, JBL/Cena in 2005, or Foley/Edge in 2006 being good examples).

Now, as for my pick for you, since you like deathmatches, I present Born to Be Wired, Terry Funk vs. Sabu in a no-rope barbed wire match for the ECW World title. It’s one of the first instances of a match of this nature being aired on US TV, albeit in edited form, but here’s the whole thing.

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Super Ape

[AxB]

So @Matt D, do we PM our reviews to you, or just post them in the thread ourselves?

And @Super Ape, since you have IWTV, this should be right up your alley. From Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Underground Pro, Those Who Fear Tomorrow (June 2nd 2019). For the SUP Tag Team titles, No Holds Barred: They Might Be Giants vs Violence is Forever. Starts about 1hr 40 into the 2hr show.

[Matt D]

7 minutes ago, AxB said:

So @Matt D, do we PM our reviews to you, or just post them in the thread ourselves?

And @Super Ape, since you have IWTV, this should be right up your alley. From Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Underground Pro, Those Who Fear Tomorrow (June 2nd 2019). For the SUP Tag Team titles, No Holds Barred: They Might Be Giants vs Violence is Forever. Starts about 1hr 40 into the 2hr show.

You posting them here is okay. I imagine this will just last a couple of weeks so everything being here is fine.

[NikoBaltimore]

I sent my pick in to  @Six String Orchestra 

[Octopus]

Hey @NikoBaltimore, I usually see you in the AEW threads and you mentioned a blind spot being lucha. Some people can be on the fence with lucha so I wanted to find something not epically long and having someone from AEW. Dip your toes in to see if you want to expand with any of the people in this match.

El Hijo Del Vikingo vs Taurus vs Jack Evans: 

 This is a match that intrigued me enough to keep digging through AAA stuff from the past year or two. Hope you enjoy!