[WOOLCOCK]

Going off memory it is pretty good, though Gibson is the star IMO with the way they book him and his eventual return. Punk/Aries is pretty stellar as well sans the Punk superhero ending, even if I admire why they executed it the way they did, it still looks total shit to see him pop up from stuff with minimal effort. Maybe Aries' career performance aside from the Final Battle 2004 match vs Joe.

[Obfuscation]

Originally Posted by Yeah1993

Yeah WCW had some really good shit. Eddie had some awesome tags that year. His feud with Chavo wasn't too great, but they had a really good match at a house show. Liked the Kidman match a Starrcade.

Yeah it was the real latter end of the year where he got some good stuff out. His match vs Ultimo Dragon at GAB should have been better. Didn't help that the fans were legit dead silent during it.

Originally Posted by Redead

anyone seen the final punk title defence four way at ROH?

that match was great

I'm a fan. Punk vs Gibson 2 shows before that (Fate of an Angel) was even better, imo.

Punk vs Aries Death Before Dishonor III is at about ****1/2 for me. Not hard to get caught up in the emotion of the bout though. It's the sole reason I purchased the show. Then that post match promo, jesus fuckin christ. I can harp on it for days.

[Yeah1993]

Originally Posted by Segunda Caida

I think you'll really dig it. Briscoe blades a ton and it gets pretty sick by the end (including a pretty disgusting visual of his skin hanging off his forehead), but during this you have Joe excelling as the Champion dominating only to grow frustrated by Jay's resiliency and eventually he shifts into a fearful and apprehensive champion who starts to believe he might have underestimated Briscoe. Jay's terrific working as the disrespectful heel who's tough enough to keep fighting and hit his spots for a comeback, and they even work a really nifty escape the cage attempt by Mark on the outside who then eats a sick bump on the hardwood floor.

Any Joe matches you can recommend? Aside from a Danielson match and that one his 03 is a blank spot for me.

Dan Maff match at WrestleRave is good. Liked the Homicide match at Do or Die a lot and the No Holds Barred re-match was actually pretty fucking great IIRC. Might be the best Joe match I've seen in 03 so far. v London at DBD is also good. Match with Punk (BFSE) isn't THAT good, but it's probably my favourite Punk match of 2003 other than something with Raven. I remember thinking he carried a random dude at the FWA cross show to something pretty good. He's almost always the best guy in four corner matches. He faced one of the Briscoes (Don't remember which - I absolutely cannot tell them apart and will not listen to Gabe's commentary) at Tradition Continues and I liked it. Again not much REALLY REALLY good but he sort of had a sneaky great year.

[Obfuscation]

Match vs Styles @ War of the Wire was pretty grand too, iirc. (which I'm sure I do. they have blazing chemistry)

[WOOLCOCK]

Cheers, will try and track some of them down .

Think someone (Mike, Jawbreaker or sterling) brought up Punk vs Funk from ROH 2003 for the poll. Haven't seen it myself but two of them gave it the thumbs up and said its a legit great match. Built around Punk being a stooge and Funk being well....Funk.

[Yeah1993]

Punk/Funk was fun. Craig adores it. IDK why people think it stinks. I didn't love it but there isn't anything necessarily wrong with it.

[Obfuscation]

It's on the Stars of Honor DVD set. Haven't seen it myself, but I know of the post-match shenanigans. Punk/Jericho feud from this year used it to fuel that progam.

[haribo]

Orton/Del Rio - ***1/4
Hell No/Rhodes Scholars - **3/4
Gabriel/Cesaro - ***
Kofi/Miz - **3/4
PTP/Mysterio & Sin Cara - **1/2
Sheamus/Show - ***1/4
Divas - *3/4
Punk/Ryback - **

Guess I'm the only one who didn't care for the World Heavyweight title match. The first half of it was so, so boring. I didn't really like the PPV on the whole.

[sharkboy22]

Originally Posted by Segunda Caida

Going off memory it is pretty good, though Gibson is the star IMO with the way they book him and his eventual return. Punk/Aries is pretty stellar as well sans the Punk superhero ending, even if I admire why they executed it the way they did, it still looks total shit to see him pop up from stuff with minimal effort. Maybe Aries' career performance aside from the Final Battle 2004 match vs Joe.

I absolutely loathe Punk/Aries. Just a ridiculous match. Cena should be taking notes from Punk on how to do a Superman ending because THAT'S how you do it.

Watching that match felt like playing a WWE video game. A hit there, a splash there, a move there. The match had no sort of structure. In the beginning Aries was working Punk's neck, then out of nowhere he starts doing crazy ass spring boards on Punk's lower back. The match is just a mess IMO.

Also, Punk sprinting back to life after Aries' delivered the Pepsi Plunge- get out of here. I'm not buying into that shit.

[Hohenheim of Light]

Sheamus vs. Big Show was well beyond anything I expected. Brilliant, brilliant match.