Nineteen

I have friend a who's huge Bullet Club fan and talked himself out of getting the hat since it's just the skull and cross guns and seems... in the same wheelhouse as that I have a friend that I had known for about four years before we realized we were both into wrestling. We met when a friend tried to set us up so in those situations I never bring it up. We ended up not dating and just becoming friends then we both went to a takeover without realizing the other one was there until we both posted pictures of the arena that day.

Kind of impressed how good the ECW/2300/New Alhambra/Arena Arena looks these days. I remember it being such a dive was part of ECW's appeal. I went to a few Ring of Honor shows there as kind of a wrestling fan pilgrimage and even then it still had that dank feeling to it. Really impressed albeit a little sad by how good it looks these days. I wouldn't believe it was the same building if not for being told. Feels like Strong has been, well, stronger than New Japan proper. I guess the benefit of shows hovering around an hour (maybe 90 minutes tops) is refreshing after the slogs that were the G1 this year and the talent pool is way fresher with guys Chris Dickinson, Lio Rush, Team Filthy on top of the bigger names like Switchblade and Suzuki (and I'm psyched for King/Mox vs. Archer/Suzuki round II tomorrow). Also, fun to watch Chris Dickinson without the "Dick Strings" chant. Good on you, ECW arena fans for playing it classier than some other crowds I've been a part of

The ONE TIME a falcon arrow finishes a match and we don't get Excalibur's "No one kicks out of the falcon arrow" call. Really loved the dueling BAY BAYs and keeping Cassidy from getting his hands in his pockets. Not sure what the plans are for the Elite going forward but I'm hoping this Fish/Cole team has some legs, would love to see them vs. Penta and Fenix at some point. 2.0 and Garcia is such a bizarre pairing and it's amazing how these two goofballs have taken murder submission kid under their wing and they just work so well together. King's "just shut up, just shut up, please shut up" popped me pretty good.

When making a list like this I think we all factor in either a whole career or specific timeframe (someone brought up Barry Windham's four years). If I were to put Yano on my list, I feel like it would be for one moment and that is a moment that could earn anyone a spot on a list like this....

Tried doing a top 5 over the summer that ended up turning into a top 10 then into a top 20 Subject to revision but I'm pretty comfortable with 1. Shawn Michaels 2. Minoru Suzuki 3. Bryan Danielson 4. Kenta Kobashi 5. Chris Jericho 6. The Rock 7. Tetsuya Naito 8. CM Punk 9. Undertaker 10. Bret Hart Honorable mentions to Kawada and Okada but if I keep going then I'll waste my day turning this into a top 20 (Flair, Cena, Van Dam, Nigel McGuinness ....) And here's a top 5 for Tag Teams 1. Kings of Wrestling (Hero and Claudio) 2. Revival/FTR 3. Motor City Machine Guns 4. The Briscoes 5. Holy Demon Army

Was really surprised by how much I liked Jade and Velvet. It's fun to watch Jade grow too, how much more comfortable in the ring and how much more confident she and natural she comes off in her character. Velvet is always fun too. I don't watch the web shows but didn't realize Billy joined Cody in getting his last name back. For a while it was Billy AND Austin/Colton Gunn ala Cody AND Brandy Rhodes. Billy Gunn laying into Sting on a real life wrestling show today... who could call have that one?

I was so hyped when they announced this, Danielson defending the ROH title vs. Rocky is my favorite RoH match that no one talks about, and tonight totally delivered too, Just like everything else tonight! Loved Lio and Dante vs. Sydal and Moriarty. Dax vs. Pac was outstanding too, and I know people give Kenny shit for over acting in his promos but everything he said just having been built on the past few years and even before (a tag partner you felt you couldn't live up to), top top top stuff. So pumped for Saturday... though I can't watch until Sunday... but pumped!

I can't imagine being a wrestler dealing with /this/ fanbase and not fantasizing about doing that on regular "Did you say that I'm a Johnny Kickpads that only got over because I work more like a gymnast than a wrestler? "Yeah, and-"

Scarlet Knight Alumn too! Yeah my very class at RU was in that building and when I saw that I was like "You've got to be shitting me but AWESOME!"

Saw him at two GCW shows (vs. Homicide at NYC and vs. Janela at AC), and Dynamite in Newark (end of show beat down with Archer on Mox and Kingston). I remember getting super into his NOAH stuff on Ditch's site after his match with Kobashi. Never thought I'd get to see him live but so grateful that I got see him 3 times over about a month, and that's not counting a Rev Pro show before G1 Supercard (Suzuki/Zack vs. Tanahashi/Ospreay). Kaze ni nare~

Man I really want to be happy for Corey and Carmella but then you remember Corey's ex accusing him of cheating on her with Carmella, everyone denying it up and down until the breakup was official, now... yeah.....

Yeah enjoying the G1 this year on a pretty surface level.

Really liking a potential Danielson vs. Archer or Kingston match in the second round, either should be fantastic. I feel like Luchas/Revival could have been handled better. I feel like if they went in as Super Ranas that's how they should have been announced after the match too, that and... having to defend the belts as Super Ranas going forward. Have this be like when 2.0 also wrestled as The Bad Boyz within the same company. I'm psyched that it looks like we're finally getting Hangman knocking off Kenny but I'm really hoping someday we get Dutch Satan as AEW champion

So who had a match on AEW's B show pre show (say that 3 times fast) ending up on moty lists..... Feels like one of those times where AEW inadvertantly overshadows lots of other good stuff by having one thing be like... too awesome and I can't believe that's something that is even possible. Really liked Ruby and Bunny, wondering who Ruby is gonna get as a partner against Penelope and Allie down the road. Fish has been outstanding in his two outings since getting here. I popped hard for the Gunn Club joke during Dark Order's promo too. Man, Matt Sydal has these sneaky moments where he makes people remember how good he can be, he had that banger vs. Kenny earlier this year now this. Really liking how Punk adjusts based on his opponents too. I know the talk of him being "happy" for the first time ever but this is reminding me of modern Tanahashi where the experience is really shining through which is weird for a dude who was off for 7 years. And yes, because I'm sure we all shouted it, Kaze Ni Nare~

Had a pretty good time at the Sunday GCW show. Brought a few friends for Suzuki but we we all missed that there was a deathmatch on the card (Jimmy Lloyd and Alex Colon). I had a phase when I was pretty into BJW so it was a fun surprise for me but my friends are very much not deathmatch fans sooo.. at least had fun with their reactions. Guessing they're gonna load up the card for the Hammerstein show. This was second time at GCW and was really glad I went both times. With a decent enough card I'll probably hit up Hammerstein too

Night 6 of B Block, first time I've been flat wrong about all 5 matches on one night

They had me biting on a potential Mox win but it was total relief when Cowboy Shit prevailed..... So, can Full Gear top All Out?

Glad for Isaiah but I hope the rest work out, especially with how green Briana looked. Was really surprised by how many picks were just dudes staying put though. Surprised they split up New Day again too. As for the rest of the episode good lord that Seth at Edge's place segment was awful and just, kept, going.

And if I might add Jun Kasais, and Mecha Mummies, and Orange Cassidys, and the puppets from Firefly Funhouse

"Let's call it was it was... the ye-tay was butt fucking Hulk Hogan." - Conrad Thompson

Am I the only one thinking Shane hears about Gage vs. Arquette and thinks "well if the guy from Ready to Rumble can do a deathmatch..."

"They send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue." Shit I didn't know he was serious!

Violent Crown~

I'm not as harsh on MJF as the rest of you but that promo did rub me the wrong way. I think MJF is great where he has a goal in place. His promos on Jericho during the 5 labors were really good and his whole program with Cody even after talking about how there would be no rematch was all fantastic. Having a legit gripe against Cody and wanting to take Jericho's spot gave him that focus. That was just missing from the Kid Pillman thing, just felt like MJF was way above that program. There's definitely something to MJF and Darby having a program though since they are most likely gonna be the franchise at some point but good lord that got off on the wrong foot. I guess what bothered me is MJF didn't have to go that low. The school shooter line really shouldn't have been there (disclosure, I'm a teacher) and bringing up the car accident didn't feel shitty and heelish but... yeah, cheap. MJF could have brought up since Darby hooked up with Sting he lost the TNT title or a host of other things. I'm sure these two have a great program in them and I'd be down for any combination of Pinnacle vs. Mox/Darby/Kingston/Sting at some point though. I... might have teared up a little when -1 hit Uno with the papers. Seconding what everyone else said about how great Amanda Huber was in that moment too. Not really sure what's next for Dark Order if it's something more with Hangman or a new (fiendish?) Exalted One but so many of those guys are so talented (Uno, Stu, Colt) or seem to have a lot of potential (Silver, Angels) that I hope they find some real direction again. (Also the Fatality is one of the dopest finishes in the company).

Classic, my vote goes to this one though https://youtu.be/Ab_kx2e4cXw