Sky's Good Matches Thread (formerly You Decide What Sky Watches)

[Sky]

Match #57
Sting (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
TNA Victory Road - March 13, 2011​

Look, you know how this match goes. You know exactly how this happens, how Jeff Hardy comes out to the ring clearly out of his mind and everyone around him has to scramble so he doesn't cripple anyone else or himself. You also know I hate the match and it's not going above my bottom three. So, this time, I want to put a positive spin on the match. I want to take a look at how everyone involved managed to avoid an even greater disaster.

But first I want to point out how the tale of the tape says there will be "no excuses" for Jeff Hardy. Oddly prescient.

Another Me hits, and I timed it myself: it takes 45 full seconds for Hardy to stagger out. Somehow nobody in the back stopped him. He lip-syncs his theme out of time to the camera, and then tries to take a fan's Australian flag. Sting has probably seen what's happened early, and he tries to distract from what's in the ring by appealing to the crowd. Though, in some shots, you can notice he has a face like an absolute slapped arse. When he enters the ring, we get a really brief shot in the background of the ref throwing up the X, to confirm what Sting already knows, that Hardy can't compete. In a wide shot, we also get the same referee relaying this fact to SoCal Val (good to see she's recovered from the Bully Ray assault) who will soon go to the back and tell them to improvise.

JB really stalls the special in-ring introductions (well, only partly in-ring, because Hardy's wandered off). Hardy flips off the crowd, which they edit for Impact Plus, rather than doing the sensible thing of editing out the whole match. Also, Brian Hebner looks silly holding the Immortal "crayon in ass" belt.

Sting's thrown a bit off guard by Eric Bischoff coming out (to his solo music, rather than the Immortal music, so you know this is unplanned). He delivers a promo that, while clearly coming right off the top of his head, actually explains a valid reason for what he's about to do. The Network interfered by bringing in a mystery opponent in Sting recently, so Immortal's going to interfere now by doing something Hardy will expect but Sting won't: make the match a No DQ. (Of course, this is done to give Sting more avenues to finish the match early.) All the while, he communicates to both Hardy and Sting the new finish (which he does to Sting while looking like a smiling fucking mug showing respect. Who said Bischoff can't act?). Now all that's left is for Sting to deck Bischoff so the match can begin.

And begin it doesn't, since Hardy spends a minute teasing throwing a shirt into the crowd. At least he isn't doing anything else. Sting HATES this. He corners Hardy, at which point the "Enigma" just decides to drop his shirt on the ground. They lock up, and you can see on some later shots that Hardy actually cut Sting with his nails. Not wanting to get an infection from whatever dirt and drugs are on there, Sting goes for some really stiff shots, and drags him into the middle of the ring for a Scorpion Death Drop. Despite Hardy trying to pathetically kick out, it ends in a three count.

The crowd chants "bullshit" as they've had a non-finish followed by a 90-second match. Sting agrees as the production crew scrambles to replay LITERALLY EVERYTHING on the show to fill in PPV time.

Not much to say, is there. When Hardy came out, it was a matter of damage control, and everyone tried their hardest to control damage.

 

[Chris]

The BFG 2010 main event for the vacant title was Jeff vs Kurt Angle vs Ken Anderson and Anderson was the only one not around for the attitude era and did win the belt off Jeff for a few weeks so if anyone maybe him for some reason but that doesn't seem very plausible to me

 

[Chris]

Sting agreeing with the bullshit chants is a pretty great moment tbh

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Sting agreeing with the bullshit chants is a pretty great moment tbh

its the only saving grace of the entire segment for me lol

 

[Chris]

Watching all of that live is probably one of the most surreal things I've ever experienced lol I wasn't here yet but there were a few more of us on my old site watching still and we were just fucking baffled

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Watching all of that live is probably one of the most surreal things I've ever experienced lol I wasn't here yet but there were a few more of us on my old site watching still and we were just fucking baffled

yeah like how did that feel like? did anyone think it was a work?

 

[Chris]

yeah like how did that feel like? did anyone think it was a work?

Not really, it was at least super obvious by the next day that it wasn't. The weirdest part was Sting had just returned a couple weeks prior and also squashed Jeff in a short match to win the belt so before we realized he was just fried out of his mind, we were confused why they'd book a second squash like that. Don't think Jeff was fucked up for the first one either so still not sure why it went down like that

 

[Sky]

And with that, Victory Road 2011 is concluded and we return to the Wheel.

 

[Death By Looch]

Watching all of that live is probably one of the most surreal things I've ever experienced lol I wasn't here yet but there were a few more of us on my old site watching still and we were just fucking baffled

I wasn't watching TNA at that exact point, but immediately downloaded it the moment I saw a cryptic thread title in another forum. For all the wrong reasons it's one of those extremely rare moments in Wrestling history, which you'll never forget.

I can only imagine what and how people who watched it live thought and felt. Almost makes me think it's very comparable to the Montreal Screwjob.

 

[Chris]

I wasn't watching TNA at that exact point, but immediately downloaded it the moment I saw a cryptic thread title in another forum. For all the wrong reasons it's one of those extremely rare moments in Wrestling history, which you'll never forget.

I can only imagine what and how people who watched it live thought and felt. Almost makes me think it's very comparable to the Montreal Screwjob.

Hard to remember exactly since I'm sure my thoughts changed a lot the more details I found out, but I'm pretty sure I went from thinking it was just dumb TNA booking to an actual thing when Sting started saying it was bullshit before the show went off the air

 

[Chris]

The funny part for me specifically too is I don't think I'd watched very many PPVs live at that point bc I'd just learned how to figure out the streaming sites early 2011 or late 2010 lmao

 

[Alexa]

I am just waiting for Sky to do a deathmatch

 

[Sky]

Match #58
The Headhunters vs. Brett Sanders/Julio Sanchez
IWA Puerto Rico Zona Caliente - November 19, 1999​

When we last saw the Headhunters, they were being thrown out as random jobbers in the 1996 Royal Rumble. Here they're more in their element (that is: in Puerto Rico, with their actual gimmicks). Julio Sanchez is Julio Dinero from ECW very briefly, and Julio Fantastico from Heroes of Wrestling. Let's hope this is good!

We start with Headhunter A (apparently, not like you can really tell) against Sanders. Headhunter A starts with clubbing forearms until he turns and pops the crowd, so Brett can get a few shots in too. Brett gets a drop toe hold and starts to work A's shoulder. In comes Julio, and it's clear he's outmatched. Not only does he take two dropkicks to drop A down, the pin attempt is kicked out of so hard that Julio goes flying across the ring. B comes in for a double headbutt. Julio kills B's charge with a spin kick, and a moonsault gets two. B pokes Julio in the eyes and tags in A. At this point I realise there's actually a way to tell the difference between the two, at least in this match. Headhunter A is the fatter one. Speaking of A, he rope-chokes Julio for a bit and brings in B.

Julio tries to sunset flip a much larger man, which is about as unsuccessful as you'd expect, until Brett and A rush in, the referee is distracted by A, and Brett lariats B down! Julio gets a visual pin! Presumably B is in no hurry to kick out as he sees the ref is looking away, and he gets out before 1 when he's noticed. Headhunters get back in control and hit a pretty nice drop toe hold - leg drop combo. Big splash by A gets only two. He later sets up Julio in the corner and goes for a second rope senton, but misses!

Julio slips through A's legs and tags Brett for the hot tag! He downs A with chops and a DDT, then does the same to B! Both non-Headhunters chop both Headhunters into the corner, try to drag them into each other... get reverse... Brett and Julio stop at the last minute, then dodge so the Headhunters crash into each other after all! Julio hits a missile dropkick to take B out of the ring... then splashes him on the outside! Back in the ring, Brett's beating A in the corner until A gives him a powerbomb! A 330-pound moonsault follows, and the Headhunters win this!

Decent little watch, nothing special though. Was surprising end-to-end for what looked to me like a jobber match.

 

[Sky]

Match #59
The Dicks vs. Paul London/Brian Kendrick
WWE Velocity - February 18, 2006​

Okay, who put this one on the wheel? Someone just wanted to make me see a Dicks match. Well, here you go. Here's your Dicks match. It's not going to be terrible, but it's not going to be good either. It does have London and Kendrick, though. Let's go.

And on top of this being a Dicks match, we've got Josh Mathews on commentary. Why is Josh Mathews on commentary? What's the point of it? London takes one of the Dicks' mirrors and gives it a try. It's going to be hard to comment on this because, unlike the Headhunters, I can't tell the Dicks apart, there's no distinguishing features. And commentary isn't telling me shit because they're obsessed with what Gregory Helms has been doing recently. Anyway, one of the Dicks is applying a wristlock really hard on Kendrick. Like, really wrenching it. I only find out that it's Chad Dick in the ring right now when he shouts "James, you want in?". He tries to tag in James but gets armdragged by Kendrick.

James doesn't want to tag in now, given that he's seen that his opponent is actually good. He does get initial control with a big boot, some forearms, and a knee lift, but his attempts to lift Kendrick see the lighter man drop off and tag in London. We get power vs. speed as James strikes London in the corner, whips him to the other corner, but London floats over (very standard spot). London then gets distracted by Chad and takes a couple of cheap shots. A bit of 2-on-1 and now it's Chad just beating up London. Back to James who does a rope choke, then distracts the referee while Chad gets a stomp in. Commentary couldn't care less, they're talking about MNM's open challenge tomorrow at No Way Out.

Chad's jerking a headlock and London fights his way towards his own corner. James distracts the ref again... while London reaches and tags in Kendrick! Yep, it's our old favourite, the missed-tag spot! Not deflating at all! Chad drags London back in to the Dicks' corner. London gets a neckbreaker out of nowhere. Kendrick FINALLY gets the hot tag and is dropkicking both Dicks. The faces do their split-legged dropkick spot and then seem to be going for a stepping stone corner forearm, but one Dick pushes the other out of the way and Kendrick smashes into the corner. Chad holds Kendrick for James to spear, but Kendrick dodges (of course). London hits some sort of corkscrew senton over the top to James, while Kendrick hits Sliced Bread #2 on Chad for the win.

Yeah, that was just a regular WWE C-show match, but it wasn't bad at all.

 

[Sky]

Match #60
Command Bolshoi vs. Tiger Honey
2-Count Fall Match
JWP Exercise Hall 3-Day Festival - August 12, 2005​

It's been a while, hasn't it? I've been through the wringer emotionally and also in terms of responsibilities recently, so found it hard to be enthusiastic for random wrestling. Thankfully all that seems to be passing by, and so I can enjoy whatever the wheel chooses for me! Which, this time, is a bit of joshi with some interesting rules. I don't exactly know how 2-count fall matches will work, but let's see!

Command Bolshoi has masked seconds. Before the match starts, they have what appears to be a volleyball toss-up, which Honey wins. From what I gather, that was apparently to decide the stipulation, and Honey decides 2-count falls. Bolshoi goes straight for a schoolgirl pin as soon as she can, which makes sense. They both scramble to the mat, try to establish control, Bolshoi gets a cover to which Honey kicks out before one! Honey breaks a test of strength with a kick, which is something I haven't seen before. After an exchange of wristlocks, Honey's drop toe hold takes Bolshoi to the mat... then she rolls back for a double knee backbreaker rack (so cool) and rolls it into another pin attempt to get the first 1-count of this match! Nice!

Bolshoi gets a sick armdrag but Honey bridges out of the pin. Bolshoi then puts on an armbar, Honey tries to roll out, but Bolshoi covers her midway! Then, something similar happens with an ankle lock. Unique offense, the sort of thing you can only really do in this match type. Bolshoi's charging to the ropes but Honey trips her. She then motions for the Tiger Feint Kick (because it's seemingly the law that every Tiger Mask-like wrestler has to do that move) but Bolshoi easily gets out of the way and trips Honey. She sends Honey to the ropes but Honey does a Tiger Feint to the AIR so she can dodge Bolshoi's charge! That is GREAT. A Honey butterfly suplex gets 1.

Honey teases the Tiger Suplex but Bolshoi gets out of it. Is her gimmick that she tries to do all the Tiger Mask moves but never hits them or something? A Honey backbreaker gets another 1-count. She misses the diving headbutt and takes a Bolshoi standing rana for 1. Bolshoi seems to be trying to kill this match off quickly with repeated uranages. She can't though, and Honey's German suplex forces to her to kick out at 1-and-a-half! Now both women are trying and failing to go for the Tiger Suplex. Honey seems to be about to get it but Bolshoi rolls through. They each try to roll each other up. Honey goes for an electric chair move but Bolshoi rolls through again! She tries to roll through a third time, but Honey stays on her feet and puts her in a bridging pin for the 2-count and win!

That was really fun! A lot of unique moves and counters were enabled by that stip. Good short match.