Matt D - SC

From the 1/14/77 rematch between Hansen and Inoki.

You thought Hansen was scary before but you haven't seen shaggy late 20s charging out of the corner Stomach Claw Hansen.

Been on the run with family vacations over the last couple of weeks. Did the Vault release anything that we think is new new since the Omni show? (I haven't had a chance to sort that Flair vs Hogan match yet for instance, but you probably know). Thanks.

Scenes from the first Inoki vs Hansen singles match in January 77. It's wild to see Hansen beg off at all and both of them are pretty damn spry down the stretch. Plus your expected crazy post-match.

YouTube video by WCW FULL EVENT: WCW Clash of the Champions VIII | Flair & Sting vs. Muta & Slater; Steiners vs Freebirds

Thanks to @mattd-sc.bsky.social for reminding me I didn't do a thread for everyone hatewatching Summerslam. Hey, if you're watching Summerslam and wish you weren't, you can watch Clash 8 instead! I watched it earlier today and it's a good show!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK9L...

YouTube video by NJ PW Shiro Koshinaka vs Keiichi Yamada

Dawns on me I haven't provided any sort of counterprogramming for people allergic to Dunn Cuts and corporate sports entertainment speak.

But here's some forbidden footage: Koshinaka vs Yamada (Liger) from 1/25/88. Really good Jr. Heavyweight NJPW match. Share and enjoy.

youtu.be/BkHxyTpD4kY

23 year old Roddy Piper scrapping with Inoki. It went pretty well for him right until it didn't.

Unshaven too.

Some rare 1980 Andre spots. First the nastiest cravat you'll see. Then trying to do a Gotch Lift on Inoki. And finally, an apron headbutt that is just brutal looking.

This is my Brody right here. Bumps just as big (if not bigger). Sells twice as much. Offense looks better overall. Has a sword.

Watch Inoki punch up at Studd. Look at the way he wins. What an absolute icon, this guy. Electric. (Studd whipping his head back in the corner and wiping out for Inoki is pretty good too).

YouTube video by Bryan Turner's VHS Rehab All Star Rock N' Wrestling CBS Saturday Spectacular (FULL SHOW) 1985

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xku9...

It’s a great Piper showcase.

Roddy with a truly fitting tribute.

We have some info from the time on him here (plus match links and the amazing Tony Oliver vs Bert Royal match):

segundacaida.blogspot.com/2020/02/tues...

Dr. Adolf Kaiser was using it in France as his finisher in the 50s too.

7/11/86. Doc and Inoki. The fans knew they were going to get something special right on the tag, and they did. They got to see Doc treat Inoki like a little tiny baby.

I had missed the very beginning of Page vs Mox due to parental responsibilities and just went back for it and I can safely say that you guys didn't make a big enough deal out of the whistling.

Roddy Piper and Eddie Gilbert making something out of nothing.

Inoki and Duggan from September 86. Duggan didn't quite fit in at the start of the year in NJPW but he was a lot more fun here. It gets cut off so we don't know how it ends but he and Inoki are quite the meeting of the minds.

Enjoyed commentary throughout Supercard of Honor but I thought @ianriccaboni.com's call of Takeshita vs Bandido was especially good. Super quick thinking in coming up with a plausible cover for the Callis family goading/celebrating the idea of Bandido getting counted out after the ramp brainbuster.

From 2/6/86, I really enjoy this version of Kevin Von Erich as the prototypical American jock heel in New Japan. Kerry didn't quite get how to do it nearly as well, but Kevin was living and breathing it.

Wrote a lot about the TNT Title 4-way match from All In and a little about Athena vs Thunder Rosa from Supercard of Honor. Mostly, I wrote about constraints and how these matches dealt with them.

segundacaida.blogspot.com/2025/07/aew-...

7/4/86, one of the best Spin Wheel Kicks Maeda ever did and maybe the best camera angle on Kimura's Inazuma Leg Lariat I've ever seen.

Start of the pretty great 8/20/87 Maeda vs Super Strong Machine match. Maeda gave way more to SSM than he did to anyone else. Machine returned to NJPW bloodying him up but they were supposed to work together in a faction at this point. That wasn't going so well so Fujinami had them wrestle first.

YouTube video by Matt D Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper

Just some footage that showed up from a MACW/MLW taping. You only get so much of it, but the brawling is amazing for what we get.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aikb...

This 87 Maeda vs Bigelow match built to a pretty amazing sprint.

... if only they stuck the landing.

He's been an amazing beneficiary of new footage over the last ten years.

7/9/83 and 8/4/83 vs Valentine
The crazy Kuwait tag
12/13/86 vs Savage
The 77 NJPW tour and LA footage
The 3/25/84 Andre Tag

And now this. And that's just a taste really.

There was no one like Roddy. Amazing we got to see this after so many years of it being lost to us.

Last minute from an April 87 Koshinaka vs Maeda match. Hierarchy was at play. Koshinaka got to show some fire and survive a few things but Maeda shut him down with two spin wheel kicks and the nastiest capture t-bone powerslam deal.

87 NJPW Doc knew who the boss was but this was the sort of ridiculous, over the top bombastic Inoki being Inoki stuff that you got from New Japan and not All Japan. I think it's awesome and it's aged well, personally.

Bart Vale and Norman Smiley with maybe the most wonderfully ridiculous moment I've ever seen in a shoot style match. (Second try because some things are worth it).