A few catch-up items before a big weekend, plus a very interesting item from the ol’ Watch Later list.
Ratings
“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs Samuray Del Sol (Impact Wrestling 10/19/23)
Rating: ***1/4
Gravity vs Angelico (ROH on HonorClub 10/19/23)
Rating: ***
Komander vs Metalik (ROH on HonorClub 10/19/23)
Rating: **3/4
Gates of Agony vs The WorkHorsemen vs Action Andretti & Darius Martin (ROH on HonorClub 10/19/23)
Rating: **1/2
Trish Stratus & Lita vs Mickie James & Alicia Fox (WWE Evolution)
Rating: **1/4
Reviews
No DQ Match: Crazzy Steve vs Black Taurus (Impact Wrestling 10/19/23)
Here’s a case of someone I want to like, and someone I want to be elsewhere. I’m actually a pretty good fan of Impact Wrestling since last year, I’ve really enjoyed the wrestling it’s put on and how it’s picked itself up from the floor to become a solid, steady promotion.
There are still some guys who have been there through the tough times, including Crazzy Steve, who is the person I wish I liked more. I think his aesthetic is really interesting, I like the horror references he’s worked into his gear and look, but I have a hard time getting into what he’s doing. I think it’s the common problem where mainstream wrestling can only go so far; as much as he wants to be a horror movie villain, you know he’s not gonna kill anybody or get too bloody, so much like The Fiend character, it’s hard to really suspend disbelief with what he does. He’s also terminally fine as a wrestler, never rising above acceptable.
Frequently rising above acceptable, and directly into my heart, is Black Taurus. Taurus has impressed me from the first time I saw him a few years ago, from basically every aspect of his game. He’s an exciting wrestler who’s fun to watch, his look is awesome, and I enjoy him practically any time I see him. As much as I like Impact, it is still a relatively minor stage in American wrestling, and Taurus is someone that I feel could really turn a lot of heads if only more people saw him. I’m certainly not privy to any backstage or political reasoning why Taurus has not shown up on AEW when many other luchadors have, but I would just love for him to get a great run somewhere that isn’t Impact, as they seem to only want him at a very specific, limited capacity.
Rating: **3/4
No DQ Match: Terry Funk vs Bret Hart (Terry Funk Presents Wrestle Fest: 50 Years Of Funk)
This one is a real vibes-based gem. It’s a curiosity of its time, with ECW’s Terry Funk facing the WWF Champion Bret Hart in a show featuring talent from both shows. Even better, the version I’m watching is recorded on a good-not-great consumer-grade camera, so the whole thing has a yellowed visual that gives it an archival feel when watching it. The mechanics of the match aren’t super impressive to me, but it’s just an interesting collision of two of the all-time greats, gathered together to celebrate Terry Funk, in some of the same footage that you would see later in Beyond The Mat.
Rating: ***1/2
Have a good weekend!
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