wrestling / Video Reviews
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Wrestling’s Highest Flyers – Disc 1
Loading...Josh Matthews is the host of the DVD.
Ricky Steamboat gets the first spotlight. There’s a montage of him flying around the ring.
WCW Halloween Havoc
October 25, 1992
Ricky Steamboat vs. Flyin’ Brian
Ricky went after Pillman’s left arm early like all great high flyers are wont to do. Pillman got control after a headscissors takedown and worked Ricky over for a bit. Ricky threatened to come back a few times, but Pillman managed to maintain control a few times. Ricky dived off the top rope with a sunset flip, and they traded pinning combinations until he successfully pinned Pillman.
The athleticism on display here was fun to experience, but this match was nothing special or anything like that. A fine way to start the DVD though.
Match Rating: **3/4
Evan Bourne gets the montage treatment next.
WWE Superstars
June 11, 2009
Evan Bourne vs. Zack Ryder
Both guys were having good matches on WWECW at this time. This could be quite good.
Ryder managed to get control after a knee to the gut. He then worked Bourne over. Ryder was still in control after a commercial break. Bourne briefly had a single leg crab, but Ryder cut him off again. Bourne finally made his proper comeback after avoided a dropkick. Bourne kicked out of the Rough Ryder. Bourne then avoided a superplex and hit the SSP: 1…2…3
This was fine. Ryder had a sound strategy of going after Bourne’s midsection, but it did not really go anywhere. There are dozens of matches that showcase Bourne’s spectacular high flying ability. This was not one of them.
Match Rating: **1/2
Matthews and Bourne then did a segment where Bourne did a SSP onto a crash pad. Bourne attached a camera to his chest so we could “experience” the SSP from his perspective. This was a relatively clever idea for this DVD.
Jimmy Snuka was the next person focused on. In a surprise move, they did not discuss how he murdered a woman.
WWF
February 20, 1984
Jimmy Snuka vs. Samula
Snuka got attacked from behind to start the match, but he quickly came back. Samula drove Snuka into a corner to cut him off, and he then got control. Samula used a nerve hold. WRESTLING’S HIGHEST FLYERS DVD~! Snuka finally escaped and hit a leaping headbutt to take Samula down. He then hit a vertical suplex and a diving crossbody: 1…2…3
This was pretty boring. I’m not sure why this match was selected to spotlight Snuka.
Match Rating: *
Josh Matthews talks about the cage match with Snuka’s infamous dive. Certainly would have made more sense to include that match!
“WCW Cruiserweights” is the next chapter. Kidman, Malenko, Liger, La Park, Psychosis, Juventud were especially put over.
WCW Bash at the Beach
July 13, 1997
Hector Garza, Juventud Guerrera & Lizmark Jr. vs. La Parka, Psychosis & Villano IV (w/Sonny Onoo)
Hector Garza~!
The tecnicos mostly were in control early on. They hit the rudos with stereo dives. Right after that, Juvi got cut off and briefly worked over. The match broke down very quickly though. They did an amusing sequence where they all missed dives in the ring. There were some sloppy moments for sure. Juvi did a fucking tremendous dive off of Garza’z back in the clear highlight of the match. Villano V ran in pretending to be Villano IV. That backfired though, and he got pinned by Garza with a standing moonsault.
This was easily the best match on this set so far. The crowd did not get into it much, but there were a ton of fun moments. It made for a solid midcard affair. As usual, Garza stood out as the most exciting wrestler here. He really could have been a bigger deal in America.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Shelton Benjamin was focused on next. From 2006-2009, nothing would make me happier than Shelton getting pushed strongly in WWE. Then, he got released and proceeded to mostly suck in ROH and NJPW (with a handful of exceptions).
WWE Raw
May 2, 2005
Shelton Benjamin vs. Shawn Michaels
This was a first round match in a tournament to crown a number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. Shelton was the Intercontinental Champion at the time of this match.
Shelton was a step ahead of Shawn a lot early on. Shawn was very frustrated as they went to a commercial. Shelton reversed a super back suplex into a crossbody. Shawn briefly looked to have control, but Shelton made a comeback quickly enough. They did dueling kip ups. Shawn ate the Stinger Splash, but he avoided the exploder. Shelton avoided the superkick and hit the spinning leg lariat. Shawn hit the diving elbow, but Shelton avoided another superkick. Shelton hit a diving shoulder tackle for a nearfall. Shelton went for a springboard, but Shawn hit the superkick: 1…2…3! One of my favorite finishes ever.
I loved this match even more this time than the first half dozen times that I’ve seen it. How many non-gimmick matches did Shawn have that were better than this one? Can you count them on more than two hands?
Shawn did a ton to make Shelton look good, and you would think Shelton was on his way to becoming a main eventer after this match. Shawn’s frustration at getting nothing going made Shelton seem like an all-star caliber wrestler. Just the simple in-ring deal of Shawn needing three attempts at the superkick in such a short match made Shelton seem better than he probably was.
Sadly, this ended up being the peak of Shelton’s in-ring career. Between the 2005 Money in the Bank match and this one, Shelton seemed like a star on the rise. He would never be this good again. Watch this great match right here.
Match Rating: ****1/4
Ultimo Dragon was the next subject.
WCW World War
November 24, 1996
Ultimate Dragon (c) (w/Sonny Onno) vs. Rey Misterio, Jr. [J Crown Title]
Dragon got control early on. He hit a Silverking Dropkick and a German for a nearfall. Rey ate a ton of big moves like an Argentinean Backbreaker (one of my favorites), a brainbuster, a tombstone, and a pescado. Back in the ring, Dragon got a nearfall with a frankensteiner. Liger Bomb: 1…2…NO! Rey managed to hit a spinning heel kick and then kind of pulled off a springboard moonsault. He followed that with a Silverking senton. Back in the ring, Rey cartwheeled into a Mysteriorana: 1…2…NO! Genuinely shocked that wasn’t the end. Dragon reversed a springboard ‘rana attempt into a rebound powerbomb: 1…2…3!
This match gets a ton of credit for not ending with a hurricanrana! Dragon dominated 90% of this match since it was a WCW Mysterio match. I feel like that formula has a bit of a ceiling if the crowd doesn’t get too hot, but this was obviously quite a bit of fun.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Eddie Guerrero was the last subject of Disc One.
ECW Hardcore TV
July 21, 1995
Eddy Guerrero(c) vs. Dean Malenko [ECW Television Championship]
They went back and forth for a while. Eddy finally got the advantage by going after Dean’s left leg. Dean quickly came back by going after Eddy’s midsection. Eddy came back by going after Dean’s back. He hit the frog splash for a nearfall. They traded a bunch of nearfalls, which seemed tonally off with the rest of the match. They spilled to the floor, but that didn’t go anywhere. They traded more nearfalls. They did a great pinning combination trading sequence that Malenko eventually got the better of to win back the title.
The first half of the match was cool and well-done. I thought they got away from that too much in the second half, and the match just became about trading moves. It was a fun match overall, but I expected more based on the first eight minutes or so. I’m not disappointed that this match found its way onto the set, but it certainly does not showcase Eddy as a high flyer.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Special Features
WCW Uncensored
March 16, 1997
Ultimate Dragon (w/ Sonny Onno) vs. Psychosis
Dragon got control early and worked Psychosis over. Psychosis fought back and hit a Deadman Suicida. He then hit a slingshot legdrop to the floor. Dragon came back with an Asai Moonsault. Sonny gave Psychosis a big kick. They went back and forth in the ring anyway. Dragon hit a Liger Bomb, a sloppy tornado DDT, and then a bridging tiger suplex: 1…2…3
This match featured enough cool movez and scary moments for me to enjoy it. Those aspects made for the lack of structure and focused story.
Match Rating: ***
WWE Smackdown
April 16, 2008
Jamie Noble vs. Chavo Guerrero (w/ Bam Neely)
BAM FUCKING NEELY!
Chavo dropped Noble on the ropes to get the advantage. Jamie hit a neckbreakr to stop the Three Amigos. Chavo dropped Noble on the ropes again and then hit a frog splash: 1…2…3
Matches like this convince me that the process of selecting matches for these sets is far more cynical than I would like. This match clearly existed to get Chavo and Noble additional merchandise royalties.
Match Rating: *
Josh Matthews and Jamie Noble did the sky view deal like Josh and Bourne. Noble did it with a moonsault though.
Flight Turbulence
This was a just a collection of some of the scarier bumps/dangerous-looking botches involving heights.
Check out free cruiserweight matches:
WWE
Jeff Hardy & X-Pac vs. RVD & Billy Kidman
WCW
Rey Mysterio vs. Eddy Guerrero (THE Eddie/Rey match)
Juvi, Super Calo, & Hector Garza vs. La Parka, Ciclope, & Damien
Blitzkrieg vs. Juventud Guerrera
AJ Styles & Air Paris vs. Jung Dragons
Blitzkrieg & Kaz Hayashi vs. Silver King & Juventud Guerrera
Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio
Ciclope, Juvi, & Super Calo vs. Konnan, La Parka, & Villano IV
ECW
Eddy Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko
NJPW
Kota Ibushi vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
Prince Devitt vs. Kota Ibushi
Davey Richards vs. Kota Ibushi
AJPW
US Indies
El Generico vs. Davey Richards
El Generico vs. Kota Ibushi vs. Jigsaw vs. Nick Jackson
Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog and an archive of all my 411 video reviews.
