Looking forward to see how things shake out

So essentially we all had a match ranked 10th that none of the others included on their lists at all? That's a crazy coincidence

I had to do a double take because I thought there was no way I let that 5v5 slip down to #10 but I guess 1990 had more high end stuff that I assumed. Anyway that match rules like fuck and its one of the few matches I can think of, where I would have been fine with it going another 20 minutes for the hell of it. As long as we still got the payoff of Sasaki blasting Kurisu.

I sort of wish I made time to watch Tenryu vs. Savage, because I bet I like it way more now than I did 14 or whatever years ago. I watched a couple Valentine vs. Garvin matches last year from 1989 but didn't get around to rewatching the Rumble match for whatever reason. I always did like it though.

It took me a couple watches to really get it, but that Kandori/Harley match is just incredible underdog vs. world beater wrestling. Kandori is a really mean grappler in all the best ways. Pirata vs. Faraon is just one of the best brawls ever imo. And there are way worse introductions to classic lucha libre you could give someone, since the basics of what you need to know are "Faraon is a babyface in his 40s, Pirata is a heel in his 20s." I don't think I'd ever seen either of these matches before this project so them winding up in my top five is really cool.

Steiners vs. Nasty Boys is such an awesome match. I remembered it fondly for the epic bomb throwing and all that, but it's also a great 'traditional' tag in how it builds with Scott's FIP to Rick's hot tag. Rick coming to violently level one of the Nastys every now and then of course fits. Knobbs looking like he about broke his frigging neck and spiked his crown on the frankensteiner at the end is insane looking and a perfect finish. Haven't seen that Capital Combat tag in forever but MX can basically do no wrong and I've always adored 89-92 babyface Pillman so I assume it's still really good. Tom Zenk is also in the match I guess.

I definitely feel I shoulda delved into more lucha libre before making my list. Having watched that Pirata vs. Faraon match earlier today, I can honestly say it probably woulda made my list in hindsight. And now I see Garbage has this Dandy vs. Azteca match as his third best match of the year... gonna go ahead and assume it's a badass match as well.

It is! Although it's mat-based instead of a violent brawl, and lucha mat work can be more alienating depending on familiarity with it (whereas 'two dudes whack each other and bleed' like Pirata/Faraon is about as inviting as wrestling gets). I sort of, kind of think I had Dandy/Azteca too low at #3 (lmao) but my #1 and 2 just hyped me up too much.

That NJPW tag is SO awesome. One of the most fun things I watched for this, the crowd are pure electricity by the end of it. #15 actually felt a little low for it too but like I said earlier, 1990 just has some CRAZY great matches. I forgot that Flair/Arn vs. RNR match even happened, I probably would have checked it out again had I not. The Pillman match is a blast. Flair's first few months of 1990 are really fantastic, maybe unsurprising given the legendary 1989 he had.

There are a lot of matches you could point to that represent "hatred" in wrestling, but I had Satanico/Dandy at #1 because its going to be one of my first examples going forward. Pure vitriol and disdain in a way that lucha often does best. Both guys were obscenely good throughout the year and capping it off with a blood match between the two is the kind of fortune that the wrestling gods rarely lay upon us. It's almost a perfect brawl to me, and has a finish that should not work but just does in the context of the feud.

The 9/30 All Japan tag is fascinating because Misawa had only really just become the "new hero" a few months earlier, but he and Kawada were basically in a more heel role here. Whether or not they were justified because of Taue defecting to Jumbo's group is up to the viewer, but they got plenty of boos at multiple points by basically being bullies that made Taue/Jumbo in a way feel more like the team to root for. A bleeding Taue struggling to get a grip was totally engrossing. Match maybe didn't need 45 minutes but I didn't think they wasted time. Goes without saying why I would have Misawa/Jumbo II high at #8.

Definitely a fan of Hennig/Santana. One of the first matches I would name that I'd like to have without a commercial break because it's wrestled at such an exciting pace. Santana had an all time great babyface run between 84 and 87, and this felt like it fit right in there with his peak. Top 5 SNME match, surely. You could say the the best and I wouldn't argue. I would have considered listing Muta/Hase if we submitted top 30s, the competition was just a little too stiff but I'm perfectly ok with it landing in the overall (tied) top ten. I don't remember that Benoit/Liger match at all, unsure I ever watched it. Their August match on the Chris Benoit DVD I gave 5 stars to as a YOUNG LAD and I don't know if I've watched it since but I assume all their matches are at least good.

Crocker said:

9 NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair(c) vs Lex Luger
NWA WrestleWar
February 25th
56 Points
Crocker(3), Jacob Fox(3), GARBAGE(19), Jacob Fox(23)

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For the record it was me who had it 3rd, not Jacob Fox.

Also... what can you say? Flair in 89/90 is God tier. A level that few will ever match. This is hands down the best match Lex Luger ever had.