Programming note: COMMISSIONS ARE CLOSED! The slate’s a little backed up and the holidays will get busy with year ender preparations so I’m giving myself some slack here to cover what’s already been paid for before opening everything back up again.
We’ve got some stuff cooking over at the BIG EGG as well. There’s currently a 20% sale on paid subscriptions so if you want access to the BIG EGG MASTERLIST which ranks every match we’ve covered as a pair, plus our weekly discussions, and Colette’s bonus essays, now’s a great time to grab a sub and enjoy all the goodies. Colette will also be appearing on my Twitch stream this Saturday night to watch to of the matches from our upcoming HOT TAKES MONTH cycle: the Unbreakable three-way and Shawn Michaels’ “retirement” match!
I also recommend everybody subscribe to Wrestling Playlists where the annual Season of Giving write ups are being sent out. It’s all through the month of December, and my own playlist is set to drop in the coming days so keep an eye out for that. Of the ones that have dropped so far though, special shoutout to Verb Abrams’ fantastic piece about great punching.
Maybe I’m a little plugged out as I’ve been busy watching GAEA and 1988 JCP (for the best reasons: pure joy and love of the game), but this felt like a tamer week than usual. After the big chaos of the big catch up, we’re back with just a handful of strong bouts that I caught in the last seven days.
On to the Real…
Adam Priest vs. 1 Called Manders (ACTION With Arms Wide Open 11/22/24)
Reviewed: December 4, 2024
Just all the classic tropes put together here, in exactly the way one would want between Priest and Manders. With the match having no disqualifications, it falls on Priest to differentiate his work in a way that feels slimy and unpleasant enough to still work as a heel. He does that with a healthy mix of cowardice and cunning. We still get that wonderful stooging, aided beautifully by just how vicious Manders’ striking in this is. But there’s a gameplan at play here too, Priest works to take out Manders’ limbs bit by bit using all the weapons he can grab around ringside to do so. He’s never flashy with the weapons, just inflicting direct violence that helps keep him on the darker side of the morality. It works in his favor too, as the targeted attacks weaken Manders’ arm when going for those lariats. It’s a weakness that allows Priest to survive and exploit the right moment to get the big win.
Rating: ****
Darby Allin vs. Brody King (AEW Dynamite: Thanksgiving Eve 11/27/24)
Reviewed: December 4, 2024
This is an interesting addition to the Darby/Brody series. It’s the first after these two displayed a certain respect for each other in the aftermath of their WrestleDream match. In that sense, there’s an adjustment here where Brody doesn’t go in for an immediate mauling but rather lets the match come to him, and only then goes to take advantage. There’s a sporting feel to it, even while it remains vicious. It’s really a wonder how well they retain that tone, even with things like King not being as meanspirited and Darby still scrapping like the psycho that he is. It threads a needle that keeps it from being one of the best bouts in the series but still retaining enough of the physicality that make these two such a delightful pairing together.
Rating: ****
Mistico vs. Hechicero (CMLL Super Viernes 11/29/24)
Reviewed: December 2, 2024
These two wrestled a borderline great if somewhat meandering bout in September where Hechicero got the win. Where that first bout saw Mistico in something of house show mode, playing up his hotdogging and grandstanding to frustrating degrees even for him, here we get Mistico absolutely locked in for the Arena Mexico crowd.
This might just be Mistico’s finest individual performance all decade. Watch a wrestler like him long enough, someone so deeply entrenched into a promotion’s main event scene, the main attraction tasked with sending people home satisfied and happy, and one can see the patterns and rhythms of his work. With Mistico, especially in trios, it’s all about hitting those ropes, gaining momentum, and nailing his beautiful dives and high flying work to discombobulate an opponent enough to get into the La Mistica–an instant match ender once applied.
The beauty of this singles match is that Hechicero constantly disrupts Mistico’s rhythm. For one, Hechicero forces Mistico down on the mat, where Mistico can survive but is far from comfortable. For another, Hechicero’s scouted Mistico’s signature spots probably better than any opponent in the last decade. Every comeback gets cut off, Hechicero always close at hand to snatch Mistico out of the air and bring him crashing back down. Through the whole match, it feels like Mistico has to work twice as hard than usual. His playing to the crowd is limited, he feels a lot more pain from things like Hechicero’s targeting fingers or the arm (though again, long term limb selling just doesn’t stick in CMLL for the most part), and one catches him almost having to stop and catch his breath before charging onward trying to take Hechicero down. Hechicero does a fantastic job of testing the man, really challenging the ace of Mexico, and constantly taking him out of his comfort zone.
But the joy of this match lies in the fact that in the end, that may not matter at all. Pushed in ways he hasn’t been all decade, Mistico swims instead of sinks. Though his La Mistica gets flummoxed multiple times, he remains adaptable. And in this sense, Hechicero gains so much as well. Hechicero survives the octopus hold that Mistico saves for when the La Mistica can’t be applied, surpassing Magnus earlier in the year. And then, when Mistico finally does get that La Mistica, full rotation and grabbing the arm on the mat too, Hechicero endures. Again, victory is 95% of the time instantaneous once Mistico grabs that hold, but this time Hechicero forces the matter and even has enough in him to roll through on the hold, driving Mistico to grasp another arm before getting the win. Despite losing this bout, Hechicero gains more here than in winning the first, forcing the best out of Mistico, and driving him further than anyone else has in this run yet.
Easily Mistico’s best singles match of the decade, and not even Top 2 for Hechicero this year alone.
Rating: ****¼
Meiko Satomura vs. Mika Iwata (Sendai Girls Edion Arena Osaka 2nd Stadium 11/30/24)
Reviewed: December 4, 2024
Iwata’s not always my favorite in this big singles matches, but with a capable hand like Meiko’s to guide her, it all works out. It follows a real great progression of Meiko’s experience earning her early advantages with Iwata’s youth and fire power being the key to make some key comebacks in the back half. But it’s still Meiko’s savvy that wins the day, even from a performance standpoint. Note the way she gives those brief attacks to the arm just the right amount of selling to give it weight or the way she works to position Iwata to get her attacks in. Can’t help but root for the retiring legends in these scenarios, and Meiko pulling out the win feels satisfying and right in a way that suits the rest of the bout.
Rating: ***¾
Hechicero vs. Komander (AEW Rampage 11/30/24)
Reviewed: December 2, 2024
Komander’s an interesting worker as I’ve found him at his best to be among the more adaptable high fliers in AEW. He’s able to do those big fireworks shows with the likes of Mortos and Hologram, but he’s also able to slot himself well into something more grounded when working with the likes of Eddie Kingston. As such, he’s something of a perfect showcase wrestler as is the case here with Hechicero. He’s so great at getting tied up into those notes so we see what Hechicero brings as a threat, but there’s also just enough heart and well-timed comebacks to keep Komander in the game against one of the best in the game today.
Rating: ***¾
Blue Panther vs. Ultimo Guerrero (CMLL Sabados de Coliseo 11/30/24)
Reviewed: December 2, 2024
Karmic catharsis remains one of the most powerful emotions wrestling can elicit from a viewer. Such is the case here with Ultimo Guerrero grabbing the ropes to steal a pinfall in the second fall, only to be hoist by his own petard by match’s end. The final fall sees Ultimo undone not once, not twice, but three full times for his sins. Two attempted repeats of his theft in the second fall get thwarted by the referee, and then for the cherry on top, Blue Panther sneakily grabs the ropes to win the day. I laughed, it was a beautiful feeling, the special kind that wrestling as a medium imparts so wonderfully.
Outside of that, this is another great Old Man Panther performance. Ultimo gets the early jump, putting our hero on the backfoot, which makes all the comebacks all the more satisfying. Panther remains ultra charismatic even at this advanced age. The stomping and clapping, leading the crowd, the way he really struggles to do things like sit up from the stretch on Ultimo’s shoulders. Just great small touches that in turn add all the more to the spectacle of Panther’s topes and leaping tijerases. The old masters at work never cease to amaze.
Rating: ****
