NOAH IWTV Workrate Report
PAS:So IWTV only put up one match from the last show, so we decided to augment this report with some internet Quebecois indies
TKG: I wanted to watch Silva vs. Sasuke too, but that's disappeared from internet.
What Worked
PAS: Kevin Steen v. Player Uno was alot of fun. I had never seen either guy before and I was expecting them to be working a spotfestish match, but this was actually pretty old school top guy v. underdog match. Steen is kind of paunchy guy who works a Mr. Wrestling gimmick, while Uno is working a video game nerd gimmick which is just another sad example of how wrestling has been taking over by geeks. I can't imagine Ron Wright wearing a t-shirt with a Blue Ghost on it. Steen starts out with a series of gutwrench take downs and slaps to the head, which is a neat way to show dominance. They go a long time doing simple stuff, when they pick it up it is also with nifty stuff. I especially dug Steen's firemans carry slam on the ring apron, and package over head suplex. Uno didn't have great offense, but took a nice beating and they timed the comebacks really well.
TKG: I wasn't that bothered by Uno's offense. I also liked a lot of Uno's returning with kind stuff....Steen double stomped Uno early in the match, Uno returns in kind, etc. And it's a little late to start complaining about the NERD invasion of wrestling. I mean it's been almost four years since guys have started showing up with finisher's named Soylent Green or Glimmering Warlock, etc. Wrestling is just overflowing with nerds these days. in the eighties the only real nerds I could think of in wrestling were Lawler and Bret Hart. I mean both those guys made mini comics and well both of those guys were fucking good wrestlers. So I don't worry that much about the nerd invasion. Steens stuff looked good and liked that even his convoluted stuff seemed real simple; rolling takedowns instead of rolling suplexes, his big throw on the floor was a neckbreaker. Steen's missed clothesline is really bad as he really wrenches it back overemphasizing it. Also liked the layout with both guys getting distinct control periods that played into both guys strengths...that layout made it feel more old school than most indy "we're just doing a lot of stuff" matches.
PAS: KENTA v. Kenta Kobashi was pretty fun, as both guys work really stiff with each other. KENTA had a bunch of nifty punk spots, doing Kobashi multiple chops, Kawada kicks, nasty back kick to the face and teasing the Burning Hammer but turning into his dump knee to the head. However the match had some big flaws, KENTA kicked out of way too much stuff, and his comebacks after taking a beating were pretty abrupt.
TKG: for most of Kobashi's career, the top guys in his promotion were himself Taue and two bulked up juniors so he should know how to work juniors. This wasn't as good as those matches, but KENTA not as good as those juniors. For heavyweight vs. junior, I don't know if this was as good as Murakami vs. Koji Kanemoto but I dug this alot. The point of these type of matches is for KENTA to kick out of a lot of stuff so i kind of accept that as coming with the game. I kind of took KENTA's selling for long periods followed by just going onto offense as just another Kobashi spot that KENTA was apeing. the chops, the burning hammer, the no selling...it's a package deal. On the other hand, it didn't need the long Kobashi extended beat down section in the middle which went nowhere. Neither of these guys seem to understand how to work a backslide spot as what started as a hope spot turned into a reinvigorating spot...KENTA backslides Kobashi and then that suddenly gives him the strength to go back on offense. This had a bunch of neat spots including this neat Kobashi abdominal stretch into roll up, the KENTA disdainefull springboard to landing on feet and then just punting Kobashi spot and the burning hammer tease. Its problematic match but I had real good time watching it.
PAS: Yeah I really felt the Kobashi apeing by KENTA too. I was waiting for Kobashi to put him in a long meaningless figure four.
What Didn't Work
PAS: Player Uno v.Freak Zakk Mason, was officially not good. Whole match was back and forth 50 yard line stuff done really poorly. Lots of awkward missed spin kicks and two count roll ups. Uno looked like a fun guy before, but this was rookie backyarderish stuff. Needed to do about a third of the things they did, and at about half speed. Really needed someone with heel shtick like Steen to slow it down. Kate came home during this and seemed to like the camera work, calling it film noiresque, she may have been a little drunk though.
TKG: This was "we're just doing alot of stuff" match with none of the stuff actually looking good. Kate's film noir comment was helpful because I started to watch the match for the shadows and light and it made the time pass quicker.