Must See Matches

Might-as-well-be-the-third-man, Eamonn Bell joins Mark and Kieran once again to debate the merits of Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA from Glory By Honor V - Day 2, from September 16, 2006. PLUS: RevPro at the 229, Gadge, Ian Hamilton, show-off heels, technical difficulties, Baldur’s Gate, D&D, Lykoses, Kamala, FIP, Cyber Kong, Hideo Itami, interpromotional politics, Samoa Joe, New-Japan, Scrubs, Butlins...

The marvellous Sarah Flann returns to discuss a dream collision for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke MNakamura vs. Kota Ibushi from Wrestle Kingdom 9 on January 4, 2015. PLUS: more Cardiff ramen chat, Tetsuya Naito, Jeff Jarrett, not that Kevin Sullivan, “wobby-wobby dubstep”, metaphorical hats, Transformers, Kieran channels Leonard Nimoy, Ong Bak, Bruce Lee, Bishop Brennan, callba...

Kieran and Mark go tandem to talk the most epic chop battle in pro-wrestling history... oh, and the rest of the match around it: Kensuke Sasaki vs. Kenta Kobashi from NOAH Destiny 2005 on July 18, 2005. PLUS: suspect mathematics, the handling of the GHC Heavyweight title, highly dated references, Heavies and Juniors, The Wrestling Channel, Coventry, Mark Haskins, Riki Choshu, the “Triple Clown” ti...

Even the flu couldn't stop Eamonn Bell from joining Mark and Kieran on their first BONUS episode, as all concerned decided Fuminori Abe vs. Takuya Nomura from Kakuto Tanteidan: We are the Fighting Detectives on October 12, 2023 needed to be talked about. PLUS: the live experience, encounters with a mysterious western wrestler, Hipster Pro-Wrestling, the worst of the Tigers, a struggle to describe...

The incomparable MOJ joins Kieran and Mark once again, this time for the “fierce battle” of Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masanobu Fuchi from AJPW Fan Appreciation Day on April 20, 1991. PLUS: an immediate tangent, Mark’s trip to Japan, the history of Fan Appreciation Day, Taue’s hair, cardigans, hatred, donuts, Fuchi the evil little pric...

It's every man for himself as Kieran, Mark, Andy Ogden and Eddie Sideburns get to grips with the 1992 Royal Rumble from January 19, 1992. PLUS: other Rumbles we love, This Tuesday in Texas, the rest of the card, Steve Keirn, Jack Tunney, all-time great commentary, a legendary promo, Play Your Ages Right with some shocking results, more cowbell, more of Mark’s sporting misadventures, The Z-Man, vin...

Kieran and Mark seek solace in the arms of Andy Ogden and Eddie Sideburns to escape the unrepentant violence of WALTER vs. Ilja Drgunov from NXT UK TV on October 29, 2020. PLUS: Gardening, Covid era wrestling, Rhea Ripley, E. Honda, corned beef, Hajime no Ippo, gurning, enormous hairdressers, Nigel vs. German and several other languages, immigrant dreams, Stand By Me, Bray Wyatt, Fujita vs. Shioza...

Kieran and Mark revisit the "can't miss" period of New-Japan Pro Wrestling as Strigga returns to talk Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada from Invasion Attack on April 7, 2013. PLUS: no crying over spilt pepper, potential credit card fraud, burning Christmas trees, a “triple main event”, card games, Michael Nakazawa, Don Fujii, Flair/Steamboat, The Thing, Captain fuckin’ New Japan,...

Parm Singh Mann is back to help Kieran and Mark talk about a match twice as old as he is! The classic Hair vs. Hair match between MS-1 and Sangre Chicana from EMLL's 50th Anniversary show on September 23, 1983. Also, big thanks to The Cubs Fan (@luchablog) for helping us source the show image. PLUS: excessive heat, serial killers, Lucha Underground, Zona 23, When Worlds Collide, current-day CMLL, ...

This time we’re-a stand up and shout with the returning Dave Ryan as he and Kieran tell Mark why they both put Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock from WrestleMania X-7 (April 1, 2001) on their Must See Matches lists, and of course we talk about THAT video… PLUS: the insanity that was US wrestling at this time, the WrestleMania 19 match, the overall quality of WrestleMania X7, (lack of) memories...

Fiery underdog Kenta Kobashi takes it to wild veteran foreigner Stan Hansen on July 29, 1993, and returning guest MOJ helps Kieran and Mark with history, context and insight. PLUS: John Cena, running over title belts, Pete Roberts, Caswell Martin, The Destroyer, Kieran is an idiot, rubbish masks, Marvel comics, Kenta Kobashi’s vigilante justice, the eyesight of one John Stanley Hansen, Lost in Cle...

The Power Slam Man, Fin Martin from Inside The Ropes goes to WAR WAR WAR WAR with Kieran and Mark as they talk about the Sting’s Squadron vs. Dangerous Alliance War Games match from WCW WrestleWar ’92 on May 17, 1992. PLUS: VERY brief All In chat, Superstars of Wrestling, Power Slam, World of Sport, Strike Force vs. Demolition, Mickey Rourke, WCW repeating TV matches, “don’t take steroids”, the We...

The English language voice of Dragon Gate, Jae Church, joins Kieran and Mark to talk the history, the action, the legacy and the importance of Toryumon's first-ever four-way trios match: DoFixer vs. Shin M2K vs. CrazyMAX vs. Italian Connection from August 30, 2003. PLUS: piracy, “Quick Draw” Rick McGraw, a dial that only goes to 10, the DreamCast, HoHo Lun, Tomohiro Ishii, Detective Alan Kurok...

The best place to end a trilogy is in the middle. The man behind No Context Flair, Jack Milner, jumps in at the last moment to help Kieran and Mark talk Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair from Clash of the Champions VI, on April 2, 1989. An excellent match that famously drew very poorly, for reasons we shall discuss. PLUS: other wrestlers bereft of context, “the wilderness years”, Preston, “the big cag...

Unfortunately, we have to talk about Chris Benoit again. Feel free to skip this one if that still feels icky. This is the last time. Kieran & Mark saddle up the tandem for their obligatory coverage of Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit from the Royal Rumble on January 19, 2003. Apologies for Mark sounding a bit RoboCop this week; technical difficulties. We’ll reboot him and upgrade his firmware for next...

Rewinding almost exactly 40 years from last week, wrestling historian, author, referee and promoter, Patrick W Reed joins Mark and Kieran to talk the oldest match to make the 104: Andre The Giant vs. Stan Hansen from September 23, 1981. PLUS: wrestling in Jersey, Drew Gulak, George Hackenschmidt, how tall was Andre really, Samuel Beckett, Pat Roach, Conan The Destroyer, Andre’s crazy schedule at h...

The bendiest of boys, Parm Singh Mann makes his long-overdue return to talk the I-can't-believe-they-put-this-on-free-TV match, Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson from AEW Dynamite Grand Slam on September 22, 2021. PLUS: Mark’s escapades with suits of armour, 1PW, Fight Forever, Jim Ross, CM Punk, Team Taz, “the Duggan button”, The Suzuki Incident, the return of crowds to American wrestling, shoe...

Yes, the one with the eye... Plucked from Guerrilla Island, Sarah Flann comes to talk about Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima from Ring of Honor's Manhattan Mayhem II on August 25, 2007. Unfortunately, Sarah’s audio had a habit of dropping out mid-sentence. The options were to spend a lot of time editing around it, trying to keep as much of what she is saying, or leave it as is, and let ou...

For "the match to change All-Japan", Misawa vows to go all out, and so does our guest. Former ring announcer and podcaster, MOJ, joins Kieran and Mark to break down the epic Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa Triple Crown match from January 20, 1997. PLUS: cartoon WWF goes hardcore, VHS (again), hair chat (again) Atsushi Onita crying (again), “The Pisstaker” Kazuchika Okada, Kinch Stalke...

Wrestling video essayist Squill joins Mark and Kieran to discuss a classic of the modern New-Japan golden age: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki from King of Pro-Wrestling on October 8, 2012. PLUS: DDT, rain, Pancrase, nerdy details, Suzuki and New-Japan history, Ayumi Nakamura and Kaze ni Nare, dubious hair decisions, One Piece, John Cena, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Okada’s terrible submission holds, d...

In a change to scheduled programming, FMW historian Bahu (Bret) joins Kieran and Mark to talk through the history, action and legacy of the first ever women's No-Rope Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match: Megumi Kudo vs. Combat Toyoda from FMW's 7th Anniversary on May 5, 1996. PLUS: PowerSlam, Fire Matches, VHS, dubious production values, the mystery of the colourless commentator, Mark watche...

GRAPPL Spotlight's Matty Edwards joins Kieran & Mark once again to mark the 25th anniversary, and talk the on- and off-screen build-up, legend and legacy of the original wild stunt match: Undertaker vs. Mankind from King of the Ring on June 28, 1998. PLUS: cavemen, angry beard trimming, Trainer Talk, BJW, horrible injuries, and more than one shocking revelation... Follow the project and po...

Guard your larynix and other fictitious bodyparts! In a change to the scheduled progamming, Mark & Kieran traverse the aisle in their little ring cart to discuss one of Kieran's nominations and a true 80s classic: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat from WrestleMania III on March 29, 1987. PLUS: Rain, sausages, DDP, accidental VHS theft, Dynamite Kid vs. Tiger Mask, on-air admin, Charles Robi...

To celebrate the 18th anniversary, Eamonn Bell returns to discuss one of his favourite matches and a true must-see: Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher from IWA: Mid-South Something to Prove on June 11, 2005. PLUS: The Wrestling Channel, does long equal good, who or what is a “Necro Butcher”, Sylvester Terkay, RoH vs. CZW, The Wrestler , laying it in, IWA: Mid-South’s mark on US independent wrestling, New...

Were you there? With wrestling at Wembley Stadium currently a hot topic, Allan Cheapshot is in the guest seat - whether he wants to or not - to talk the history, build-up, dynamics, action and fallout of Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy Smith from SummerSlam '92 on August 29, 1992. PLUS: Elton Welsby, Video+, anime on the Sci-Fi Channel, Landover, WWF home computer games, “Ultimate Wins WWF”, Burger King,...