[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAoPVGt6r1A]
This week’s match comes from WCW’s pre-nWo era and is between two of my favorites, Jushin “Thunder” Liger and “Flyin'” Brian Pillman. Liger was revolutionary, changing the role of cruiserweights on a global scale, and was instrumental in bringing the Japanese flavor to American wrestling. He’s also never aged a day in his life, as this match is over 15 years old, and I attended a match of his against Mike Quackenbush just a few months ago and he was still equally impressive. Meanwhile, Brian Pillman was a master of his craft. No one has ever blurred the line between reality and scripted story more efficiently and convincingly than Pillman, and I’m long been of the believe that he’s one of the greatest wrestlers of all time to have never held a World Championship. If not for his car accident and subsequent pain killer addiction, which was ultimately a contributing factor in his death, Pillman may have been the leading face of WWE’s Attitude Era.
Not only is this match contested between two awesome wrestlers, but it’s a fantastic match in execution as well. Could you imagine this taking place on free TV today? It’s far superior to anything that WWE or TNA runs out there on a weekly basis, and it really makes me miss the Monday Night Wars. The fact that it takes place inside the Mall of America also adds a certain novelty that was exclusively found in the ’90s, and I can appreciate that. Little bit of ProRasslin.com trivia for you too: That’s actually a black and white rendering of Liger diving in the lettering of our banner. Now if only I could figure out a way to incorporate a gun-toting Pillman…
