2003 Watch Project Journal - January

Disclaimer: Pro wrestling, unfortunately, like a lot of other forms of media leads bad people to have a lot of major platforms. This is especially prevalent in the time period of wrestling I have chosen to dive into. I will be praising some bad people in this article, and I hope you understand that I am praising these people’s works, not the people themselves. I hope you all understand and enjoy what I have written. 

I’ve decided that I am going to alternate between two year projects to fill in the free time I have, and I had a really good time with this project. As much fun as 1988 is sifting through the many squash matches and US propaganda, I wanted something to fill the time I had that felt more adjacent to myself, so I decided to pick the beginning of the lauded mid 00s with 2003. I’ll be picking back up on 1988 in the next few weeks, but I had a lot of fun going through this month.

Michiyoshi Ohara & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazunari Murakami & Tadao Yasuda (NJPW Wrestling World 2003 - 1/4/2003) - It feels appropriate to kick off this watch project with the fact that the first match to eclipse the “great” tier being some goblin-brained Inokiism bullshit on the biggest stage. Despite its short running time, this match has a clear thesis: the MMA lads beat up a wounded youngbull Nakamura. Nakamura comes into the match with a bandage over his forehead from a previous attack, and he takes the absolute brunt of the violence between two of NJPW’s shoot invaders. Nakamura’s defensive performance in this match is awesome, Michiyoshi Ohara is able to tag in and bring in some heavy strikes, Kazunari Murakami is one of the best ever and he really brings his egotistical approach to this kind of match and it is absolutely awesome despite it’s bite-sized run time, and despite the glum demeanor from Tadao Yasuda not giving us a real sound performance in terms of selling, as an obstacle for the young and spry to overcome, he is beast. It’s a fun one, and a nice little treat for all the Inokiism goblins out there. - ***¾ 

Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (NJPW Wrestling World 2003 - 1/4/2003) - This is another one of those matches with two names very much up my alley. Takayama is one of the greatest wrestlers of this time period when he was able to really spread his wings across the puroresu landscape, and being paired with a former RINGS standout in Kohsaka really is a match made in heaven. There are so many different forms of inane displays of grappling, it really stands out as one of the most granular matches I have ever seen have the scope of a Tokyo Dome crowd. Takayama is on one of course, absolutely slamming Kohsaka with knees, matching his ground prowess and on the flip side getting to play with Kohsaka’s tight offense to show gracious amounts of peril. Kohsaka is able to really be a perfect dance partner here with his unrelenting creativity on the ground. Finding so many ways to keep the giant grounded. With the 10.5-minute timeframe, it’s just undeniably fantastic, grisly stuff for all the sickos out there. - ****¼ 

Yuji Nagata vs. Josh Barnett (NJPW Wrestling World 2003 - 1/4/2003) - Champ vs. The Invading Shooter is a match formula I oftentimes go wild for, and considering an all-timer talent like Yuji Nagata squaring off with a guy who is brimming with ideas and potential here in Barnett, it truly feels like one of the best aspects of this time for the lion mark. Despite Barnett at this time not having much training, he brings in so many different absurd styles of offense that look absolutely ridiculous. There’s such an absurdity to everything here, which is one of my favorite traits from Nagata’s work. Barnett is especially wild, he hits a knee that I can only describe as insane style where he lands on Nagata’s neck and it is maybe the gnarliest spot I have seen during a time when puroresu as a whole was on some absurd timing. Nagata is able to respond with some absolute god damners, he hits some nasty strikes and weasels out of Barnett’s snug holds. It’s just so goddamn fun, and with the crowd as well as the pageantry on display, it’s an undeniably fun main event to one of the landmark events of every calendar year in pro wrestling. - ****

Mariko Yoshida & Michiko Omukai vs. AKINO & Ai Fujita (ARISON Stardom 2003 - Day 1 - 1/5/2003) - Yoshida & Omukai welcome in a young and spry tag team that looks to box with the top of the promotion, and it was a real fun time. Yoshida is one of my favorite wrestlers to watch scramble on the mat with any performer here. Working with two less imposing performers does her wonders, but it’s especially true when they are also capable of withering their way out of her holds. They also throw down with Yoshida several times, landing some absolute bombs throughout this match. Yoshida’s partner, Michiko Omukai, is awesome here too. She radiates a distinct arrogantness that makes her role fantastic. Everything from her stomping on the back of the head of AKINO to simply walking over to hold AKINO back later in the match to prevent a pin breakup is done with a certain scowl that I really thought was enduring. Ai Fujita especially impressed me with her strikes and ability to play off of Yoshida’s skills. Throughout the match she has these clever counters for Yoshida, and towards the end of the match when the young babyfaces try to use high flying to finish off the match for good, they only fall back into the clutches of Yoshida & Omukai. Simple, yet incredibly effective stuff due to how amazing Yoshida and her compatriots really are. - ****

Low Ki vs. AJ Styles (ZERO-1 U$A 2003 - Day 1 - 1/5/2003) - This was the first match that either Ki or Styles have in 2003 that I would tap into, and what a masterclass it was. It was very interesting seeing both of these wrestlers, at the skill level they are at, work in a Korakuen Hall that likely doesn’t have as much context over these two guys. But yet, their fluidity and their inventive spots won them and myself over watching this match. There’s so much attention to detail, it feels like there was a strong chemistry already bubbling under with their time together duking it out on the various U.S. independents the year before. Between both of them being athletic marvels, an insane kick over the guardrail from Low Ki, a gripping, exciting finishing stretch. All cylinders were firing with these two. A real treat from two of the most notable names in pro wrestling during this time in an unlikely environment for the time. - ****¼ 

Steve Corino vs. Masato Tanaka (ZERO-1 U$A 2003 - Day 2: Fighting Illusion - 1/6/2003) - In a show full of USA spoofs this match was the most charming. Steve Corino brings out his son, future basedgod of 2022 watch project Colby Corino, and participates in an ECW rules match against Masato Tanaka for the inaugural ZERO-ONE United States Heavyweight Championship. Masato Tanaka does one of his best traits of being a hardcore goblin with plunder. He comes out with a pair of tights that have “E C W” plastered on his ass and he has his manager “Manager Mac” (a guy I have never heard of or seen) pretty much double team up on Steve. It’s a very fun little heel performance with a lot of nonsensical charm, especially with the amount of plunder he takes including the insane suplex onto the wooden table. It ain’t much but it’s honest work. Steve Corino also steps up to the plate with an awesome performance. He blades in this match in front of his son, and although he isn’t playing a very complicated role here it’s just so cool seeing Steve work as a face in front of a Japanese crowd, really being a mark for The Funks. It’s a fun one, and although there isn’t much depth too it, the heart of it is just too much to deny, especially with wee lad Colby holding up his father’s new title in front of the heels. - ***¾ 

Akitoshi Saito & Jun Akiyama vs. Emblem [Masato Tanaka & Shinjiro Otani] (Pro Wrestling NOAH Great Voyage 2003 - 1/10/2003) - This is one of the of the many all-star tag matches NOAH does so well. There’s so much personality brimming from this one. Otani and Tanaka are amazing in this one. They have such a swagger to their hatred here, standing on their opponents, pummelling the NOAH lads with nasty strikes, nearly using the tag belts as weapons, and even a spot where Emblem both bite on Akiyama’s thumbs while isolating him in the corner. Otani and Tanaka come off as absolute world-beaters in hatred. Akiyama of course is also fantastic, fighting back from the intuitive offense from Emblem with such a strong intent. He is able to respond by dropping Otani on his dome on the stage. Akitoshi Saito is the face in peril for most of this match and unlikely but incredibly he’s able to throw down with the strikes and bump his ass off, and get his proverbial lick back on Masato Tanaka hitting him with his nasty Death Brand to finish off the match. Just so we are clear for the next eleven months that follow, I love Saito so god damn much. He has a haircut that doesn’t fit him, gigantic 00s Indies trash bag parachute pants, and all of his moves have the word “Death” involved with him. He’s like the one photo of Kevin Gates where “He doesn’t have a single song where he need to be doing this” as a professional wrestler. On top of all that, the crowd is scorching hot for both teams. It's an awesome, awesome tag match that performs at a high level, and there will be plenty more where that comes from with these four. The real hoopers hooping. - ****¼ 

Samoa Joe vs. American Dragon (ROH Revenge On The Prophecy - 1/11/2003) - There’s such a visceral tone to this one. Dragon and Joe are able to work with a timeframe that benefits them so well, and they’re able to ramp up their physicality. There are some awesome moments here with Joe repeatedly just starching the young Bryan with hefty knee strikes and kicks, as well as dropping him ass-first to the hardwood basketball floor in one of the most cringy bumps of the entire project so far. Bryan is able to respond, he’s got such an earnest likability in this match. It’s not the maestro stuff that Bryan would later grow into a year or two later, but Bryan himself makes the strikes from Joe look like inching a little closer to the finish of this match and is shifty enough on the mat for Joe to be stifled several times. Joe eventually hits Bryan with a car accident of a knee strike and stuffs him with an island driver for the win. It doesn’t have the depth of their later matches, against or with each other, but it is the biggest highlight of the first ROH show of the year. - ****

Emblem [Masato Tanaka & Shinjiro Otani] vs. KENTA & Kenta Kobashi (Pro Wrestling NOAH The First Navigation 2003 - Day 1 - 1/13/2003) - This match is proof that interpromotional tag wrestling is quite simply good for the soul. There are so many different narratives going into this match, between Emblem losing to the GHC tag champs, and having to respond against the ascending Kobashi & KENTA. I’ve always loved the pairing of Kobashi & KENTA, they truly feel like the final boss of “don’t talk to me or my son again” in the form of pro wrestling. This match was a god damner of a performance from Emblem. They’re hateful as ever, bringing out the thumb spot on Kobashi, stretching the prodigal son KENTA in front of his proverbial dad, cutting corners, and getting their asses handed to themselves. They are still beloved by the crowd here, but they really hone in on the real hearty aspects of tag wrestling here, which tugs at my heartstrings. There’s a part of the match where Otani emotes Kobashi’s onslaught of chops bobblehead style, he is the man here. KENTA is an awesome David to Emblem’s Goliath. When he’s able to take Otani to the limit KBS Hall is erupting in excitement, it’s one of the major highlights of this match. Kobashi is also the fist-pumping, cartoonish hero that I was so excited to sink my teeth into on this project. He’s an awesome walking piece of comeuppance that Emblem have a lot of difficulty attempting to topple. Eventually, they strategize a way to isolate the younger, and eek out a win. Everything is firing on all cylinders, effective as all hell pro wrestling. - ****¼ 

Nate Hatred vs. Nick Mondo vs. Zandig (CZW Live Again - 1/18/2003) - CZW was a promotion with whole heaps of intrigue going into this year knowing the state of the roster and what would end up happening at their showcase events of this year. This match delivered on what CZW does best: absolutely stupid violence. It’s very much in my lane, between a nasty table bump from Nate Hatred landing very grotesquely, Nate Hatred absolutely braining Mondo and Zandig with various comical weapons, Nick Mondo taking Nate Hatred’s star right to the ribs and then taking a powerbomb onto it. It’s a very fun, nice little slice of American plunder, and even if it is a little sloppy at the end, the carnage is enough to enjoy. - ***¾ 

Jamie Noble vs. Bryan Danielson (WWE Velocity - 1/18/2003) - Real crafty C-Show stuff here. Noble and Bryan are able to sustain a rhythm that is very impressive here. Noble is one of the best TV guys at the disposal of the WWE at this time, and Bryan has the seeds here that would blossom him into one of the greatest TV guys ever. For such a short run time, the most impressive aspect is that there’s no wasted motion, even with the clever counters. Noble and Bryan are very comfortable in their roles in this match with Noble being overconfident and Bryan as the plucky noname taking him to the limit. It’s two roles that suit both performers at this time perfectly. Bryan is able to hit Noble hard too, as he hit’s some gnarly rolling elbows that floor him. But he goes in on that move one too many times and is immediately hit with a wicked spinning neckbreaker. Real fun stuff, easily the best C-Show match of the month. - ***3/4

Kaz Hayashi & Ultimo Dragon vs. GDI [Rey Bucanero & Ultimo Guerrero] (AJPW 2nd WRESTLE-1 - 1/19/2003) - A real fun fireworks show of a match. Bucanero and Guerrero’s craftiness in their offense makes this match really pop. They hit some creative double-team moves, and athletic dives, and are able to work with a young and spry muto-guy in Kaz Hayashi and make him look pretty damn sweet here. Hayashi holds his own by being willing to be thrown around by the older luchadors, and in response also has some of his spots look amazing, such as Hayashi kicking up on Bucanero and in return having Bucanero flying over all three of the ropes out onto the floor. Ultimo Dragon is able to really be the final piece of the puzzle by also playing with the GDI guys by also bringing his exciting offense and blending it in an illustrious environment like the Tokyo Dome, and having two great minds to make all the flash so malleable. Despite it not having the most complete finish, it’s a rad match I had a lot of fun with. - ***¾ 

Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show (WWE Royal Rumble 2003 - 1/19/2003) - Kaiju fights in WWE are a very reliable source of greatness, especially with one of the greatest immovable objects in wrestling with The Big Show. Show is brilliant, he’s able to showcase a vulnerability here and also remains incredibly imposing. However, Lesnar is kind of unreal here, he’s able to heave the giant over his head four times in this match, bumps with awesome ferocity, and is able to be thrown around by Show like a ragdoll. He’s such an awesome, mythic figure despite his young age during this time period. Between Lesnar being thrown over the top rope onto the apron, the suplexes, an amazing chokeslam, a real fun sequence involving Heyman interfering, and a scorching hot crowd, it’s a very strong take on this kind of match. Or as I would call it, beast mode. - ****

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (WWE Royal Rumble 2003 - 1/19/2003) - This match used to be an all-timer match from myself back in the day. I vividly remember watching this match for the first time, and I was excited going into this match. For my money, this is one of the stronger Benoit performances I have seen. He’s able to bring in so many different crafty counters to Angle’s relentless attack on the ankle lock, which is one of the great throughlines of this match. He also is able to really showcase his athleticism against one of wrestling’s greatest freaks of nature, especially with the diving headbutt he goes for where he flies what looks like 3/4ths across the goddamn ring to hit it spot on. Angle can be awesome here too. Somewhat similar to Benoit he’s able to find his way out of the crossface, and the transitions we get between both of these holds are just magnificently done. He also has one of my personal favorite Angle moments in this match where he pretty much completely backflips on his belly for one of Benoit’s german suplexes, which was one of the first few spots I remember screaming at when I was in my early stages of wrestling fandom. For as grisly the action is they’re able to transition consistently enough to where the action goes down incredibly smooth. It does have a little bit of an abrupt ending, and it is a little bit one-dimensional, but I am glad to see this match still holding up a good amount of the quality it has in comparison to that first watch many years ago. - ****¼ 

Azumi Hyuga & Reina Takase vs. Sumie Sakai & Yuka Shiina (NEO Battle Entertainment NEO-1 - 1/22/2023) - This was a pleasant surprise! A lot of joshi in this area is a major blindspot for me so a match like this blindsided me. But yet in a dimly lit auditorium, these four women managed to surprise me by filling in a short timeframe with all killer and no filler. They all hit each other very hard, snitch in some snug holds, and really build a match with a thrilling finishing stretch with everyone chomping at the bit for a win. They really have a great crescendo through the match, where when the action really heats up it feels so satisfying. Once we get a sense of the bombs being thrown it feels like the match can end at any moment, and makes for a real thrilling final couple of minutes. A real fun banger, and that’s all the mileage you need sometimes. - ***¾ 

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - 1/23/2003) - Kurt and Rey are such a great pairing. Rey is one of the most exciting performers alive, and Kurt Angle is a perfect opponent due to the size disparity and moveset being ripe for clever sequences. It’s an even smaller version of their classic SummerSlam ‘02 match. Rey not only gets absolutely manhandled by Kurt several times throughout the match, but Rey’s innovative offense is what outsmarts Kurt so many different times, and each time it looks fantastic. There’s an absolutely gnarly head drop, crisp arm drags, exciting momentum switches, everything you could ask for from this pairing. It doesn’t reach the heights of their previous match, but with it’s crafty finish and tempo, it’s one of hell of a thesis statement for both Mysterio and Angle this year. - ****

Nate Webb vs. Nick Mondo (IWA Mid-South #301 - 1/25/2003) - Good ol’ Clarksville, Indiana nonsense Nate Webb is the fucking man, he comes in with his Teenage Dirtbag entrance dancing with a guy in a spiderman costume, and he proceeds to have one of the most fun matches of the entire project so far against a man willing to take just as many ludicrous bumps in Nick Mondo. Between the fireworks of having a stip like TLC, the awesome acrobatics and plunder, and even some funny moments such as Nate Webb completely missing his moonsault chair spot, before going right into swinging his leg into Nick Mondo’s face to get the spot somewhat off. The environment of IWA Mid-South was a breeding ground for some of the most fun matches in wrestling at this time, and they didn’t go overzealous here as well. The finish is either going to be something you love or hate, with somehow having a double pin in a TLC match, but since I am a sicko who is more tapped into the mannerisms and charm of this match, it was a real “fuck yeah” moment from me. Really fun stuff with circus bumps, and outrageous nonsense. - ***¾ 

Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (Pro Wrestling NOAH The First Navigation 2003 - Day 10 - 1/26/2003) - I said it once and I’ll say it again, inter-promotional tags are good for the soul. There’s a real sense of pure hatred that every single match like this should have, they are scrapping at the bit at the pre-match announcements to decimate each other, playing up this sense phenomenally. Liger is on his NOAH-hater timing and he is absolutely amazing in this match. He comes in clad with bright red that screams “I fucking live and breathe New Japan”. Where he doesn’t eat as much shit as the other matches he has on the emerald mat, but he absolutely clocks in one of the strongest hater shifts ever. He’s so grim here, that he chokes Kikuchi consistently, scraps at him throughout the match, takes brutal bumps, and trades with his combatants with utter disdain. Liger and Kanemoto in control have one of the most captivating control segments of the match where they pretty much play with their food, in this case being a limp Kikuchi. Kikuchi’s body then gets brought into the corner and Kanemoto feigns a tag to Kanemaru with his barely conscious body. This match feels like an awesome introduction to Kikuchi as a wrestler. He turns in an insanely captivating performance in response to Liger and takes some gruesome head bumps from Liger, including a brainbuster off of the second rope that looks like straight murder, and he also throws some gnarly headbutts that showcase how passionate of a performer he is in this one. The other combatants here are awesome. Kanemoto is also on incredible hater timing, but he shows awesome vulnerability trying to compete with Kikuchi. Kanemaru is an awesome force of energy in this match as well. Although he doesn’t bring in as strong of a performance as the other three, his segments of the match are vulnerable to team NJPW’s powerful offense. He’s able to match the fire and be a welcome compatriot to our hero. After the warfare though, a broken Kikuchi has one moment of vulnerability, and Liger doesn’t miss and the match ends on a note that feels abrupt, and truly feels like a monumental release from the violence we witnessed before, where the disappointment begins to set in as you can see on Kikuchi’s face. It’s far from perfect, there are several things that could have been trimmed off, but regardless it is an incredible match that will vie for the top ten matches of the year. A true god damner of a match. - ****½ 

Italian Connection [Condotti Shuji, Milano Collection AT & YASSINI] vs. Anthony W. Mori, Ryo Saito & Second Doi (T2P La Ultima Funcion - 1/27/2003) - The Italian Connection are one of my favorite stables in the world at this time due to how insanely stacked their lineup is. Milano Collection AT is awesome and Shuji Kondo has always been a big agenda guy for myself with his power moves. Bringing in effective wrestlers into the fold with Saito and Doi, and a chaotic environment felt like a recipe for success. It’s the real hoopers of Toryumon hooping here. The energy is off the charts, everyone brings something unique, there’s awesome moves everyone brings into this match, fun story beats that they don’t get carried away with, such as Saito and Doi being at each other's throats while Anthony W. Mori as an outsider has to keep them on track, and a fiery finishing stretch that left me jumping out of my seat with an unexpected moonsault. Effective as all goddamn hell, and what we all came here for when we are talking about the Toryumon/DG world. - **** 

AJ Styles vs. Larry Zbyszko (NWA Total Nonstop Action - 1/29/2003) - How does he does it AJ Styles performance here. Considering it’s 2003 it’s amazing how much he blossomed as a performer already within this year being paired with another one of my favorites, as TNA is calling him, THE LIVING LEGEND Larry Zbyszko. It’s admittedly a really big agenda match for myself, but I had a good time with this one. But with the whole gimmick of if AJ beats Larry Zbyszko he will find a way to get him an NWA title shot, and the ten minute time limit having an awesome “Beat The Clock” type of vibe during this time, it’s an enticing angle that gives us a lot of story beats to sink our proverbial teeth into. I am not sure if I consider this “great TV wrestling” because for some reason Mortimer Plumtree is here with the interference, as he doesn’t need to be involved, but with how they’re able to play up AJ as an overzealous young lad it’s an incredible effective match with what they have planned for AJ this year. Somehow maybe due to dumb luck, or because of that overzealousness, he find himself falling into Larry Z’s offense, and he really puts up the sense of danger he’s in despite them not being the most eye-catching moves for the time period. There’s also some awesome punches from Larry towards the end of the match, AJ really rocks is head back in taking these strikes in a hearty way that wouldn’t look out of place in the ‘88 project. A really fun match, one of the highlights of TV wrestling in the first month of the year. - ***¾ 

Atlantis, Shocker & Vampiro vs. Los Guerreros Del Inferno [Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, & Tarzan Boy] (CMLL On Televisa - 1/31/2003) - There was a batch of CMLL trios that managed to make tape during the end of the month and I was extremely excited to get to this one. GDI are one of the best units in the world at this time. They for some odd reason are in football pads at the beginning of this match, Rey Bucanero is wearing a Mike Alstott jersey to emulate one of the most insane football players in the world and immediately scraps with the Tecnicos, and then Ultimo Guerrero while also wearing football pads spears Shocker into oblivion wearing the football pads. It’s such a weird beginning to a kick-ass match. One of my favorite aspects of CMLL trios is the fact that there is so much to gather upon when done well. GDI in the first fall are absolute killers. They throw Vampiro into the bleachers where Vampiro just absolutely brains himself on them, and they stretch the heroes like putty, but due to their overzealousness and refusal to let the Tecnicos out of their grasp after the first fall, the first fall is awarded to the tecnicos. The second fall shows a lot of great stuff. Atlantis is on one here, throwing around Bucanero and Tarzan Boy onto wild backbreakers that are so shockingly smooth, Vampiro holds his own to a solid performance, and Shocker has an awesome role in the fall. He manages to have a ton of fire and spirit that is so palpable, and it climaxes with the Tecnicos going 2-0 over the fearsome rudos. A really fun trios match where although I do wish there was a third fall to capitalize on the talent in the ring, it still was a really awesome match for the run time it had. - ****

Once again, if you made it this far thanks for reading! Much love.