Match of the Day - The Hokuto/Kandori Dreamslam showdown!

Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori - AJW Dreamslam I (1993)

Since it's Women's History Month, I've decided to feature one of my favorite female pro wrestling matches: Akira Hokuto versus Shinobu Kandori at All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling's first Dreamslam event as "Match of the Month". This is a brutal bout at my favorite speed for a wrestling match - out of control speed!

Just in the opening minutes of the match, LLPW's Shinobu Kandori, a judo expert with a bad attitude, target's Akira Hokuto's arm in hopes of twisting it right off. Kandori works on the arm until it is clearly out of commission. Hokuto's arm puts her in such a disadvantage that the chance of this match being a technical wrestling showcase goes right out the window. Instead, the match turns into a legit-looking fight. These two scrap it out with each other like two kids in the schoolyard... It's brutal, it's bitter, and it's far from pretty.

Once the match spills out into the ringside area, Kandori counters Hokuto's attempt at a piledriver on the announcers' table and tombstone piledrives Hokuto's head straight into the table leaving Hokuto donning the crimson mask. Not often does one see such brutality and blood in a women's wrestling match, especially not here in America, but this match brings it at full force. This match is a must-watch spectacle that clearly I can not give the justice it deserves just by using words. The only way to experience the power of this match is by watching it.

Match of the Day - The Hart brothers take on those guys with the thongs on their tights

Bret and Owen Hart vs. Well Dunn - WWF Wrestling Challenge (1993)

This week I was looking to see if there were any matches that took place on my birthday. This match between the Hart Brothers and Well Dunn (Timothy Well & Steven Dunn) was the closest match I could find that was at least aired around by birthday (dated November 14th). This match was probably one of the first times that Bret and Owen Hart teamed together on WWF television in a build up for the Hart Family vs. Jerry Lawler match at Survivor Series. You know, the Hart/Lawler match at Survivor Series that never happened. You know, that match that turned into the Hart Family vs. Shawn Michaels and a bunch of jobbers dressed as knights.

Anyways, he's a nice little piece of history from the first day of my life.

Song of the Day - 93 'Til Infinity

Souls of Mischief - 93 'Til Infinity from 93 'Til Infinity (1993)

Chillin' since 93 'til infinity.

Last.fm

Match of the Debut - Forgotten 90's tag team number 101: The Blackhearts

The Blackhearts vs. Dave Hart & Mike Winner - WCW Saturday Night (1993)

The Blackhearts were a mysterious team to say the least. You may notice that these guys look a lot like another forgettable character that only appeared maybe once or twice in the 90's - The Black Phantom. If you did notice this, I'm really impressed and as it turns out, you would be correct - at least with one of them. See, The Blackhearts were a team made up of Tom Nash and David Heath AKA The Black Phantom AKA Gangrel. I have no idea who's who, but apparently Heath was called Apocalypse and Nash was Destruction. Of course, Jesse Ventura had no idea what their names were here during their debut on WCW television, so they were just referred to as Blackheart #1 and #2.

As legend has it, The Blackhearts, who started in Stampede Wrestling, were the bastard sons of Stu Hart. As for the screeching and weird hand gestures they would do, well, that's all apart of the mystery that was The Blackhearts.

Enjoy.

Match of the Day - Kenta Kobashi takes on the American Bossman

Kenta Kobashi vs. The Big Bossman - AJPW (1993)

One of the greatest Puroresu/Japanese wrestlers of all time, Kenta Kobashi wrestled his retirement match today in Japan. Kobashi has wrestled countless five star matches including almost every All Japan Pro Wrestling match rated five stars by the Roger Ebert of wrestling reviews, Dave Meltzer. 

Kobashi's finest matches may have included the likes of Mitsuharu Misawa (and tagging with Misawa), Stan Hansen, Jun Akiyama, Steve Williams, and Samoa Joe, but my personal favorite Kobashi match currently has to be his AJPW match against The Big Bossman from 1993. Kobashi takes Bossman to the limit and really makes him look unstoppable at first. If anything, this match was Bossman's best thanks to Kobashi.

Enjoy.