Puroresu Love & Resources V3

[cobainwasmurdered]

He's also 38. Only so much longer a guy that size can do what he is doing before there is a sudden dropoff. For his sake he needs to go make some real money soon.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Yeah. I forgot he was a late bloomer to the business. Being Ospreay's heater would probably be the right call.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1326334514491092992

Just in time for your pro wrestling Secret Santa.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

ah shit buying a copy for @tekcop right now

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Masato Tanaka and Tajiri in Real World Tag League as TEAM ECW and using the ECW on TNN theme as their entrance music.

Fact that All Japan is doing ECW nostalgia in the Year of Our Lord 2020 has gotta make you laugh.

(Although I'm a hypocrite cause I'd mark out if TEAM ECW was announced as entrants for World Tag League but then that excitement would fade away 3 or 4 minutes into their first match when I thought "Waitaminute. These guys are old now!" Although Masato Tanaka looked pretty good when I saw him wrestle last year...)

 

[tekcop]

I haven't seen a Tajiri match in 2-3 years now, but I thought he still had it last I saw.

 

[Slayer]

Tanaka also had a good run earlier this year as the KOD Champion in DDT, and I'd recommend watching any of the matches from his reign, especially his match with MAO. The only match to avoid really would be the one against Shinya Aoki which was a Right-to-Challenge match, DDT's version of a MITB cash-in. While RTC matches do tend to be relatively better than the typical MITB "cash-in on an exhausted champ and beat them in a 30-second 'match'", it's still not worth checking out IMO.

Also want to note that tonight is Dragon Gate's Kobe World show (something probably only @cobainwasmurdered cares about, even though yes I know you have catching up to do), their version of WM/WK which is normally in July but bumped to November this year. Full card here from the official DG site with a good preview write-up at VOW that saves me from doing any more writing myself

 

[Baby Shoes]

Last time I remember seeing Tajiri was when he popped up with the WWE Cruiserweights briefly three or four years ago but he really just feels like one of those performers who seems ageless. Didn’t really look older and worn down, hadn’t really lost a step.

Being in my North American wrestling bubble, I don’t think I’ve seen a Tanaka match since he did the ECW One Night Stand shows. I just looked him up and am shocked he’s only 47 now.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I haven't seen a Tajiri match in 2-3 years now, but I thought he still had it last I saw.

I'm judging this purely on whoever reviews AJPW shows for VOW. He might still be good. Last I saw him was in CWC 4 or 5 years ago and he was obviously washed but it wasn't like it was sad to watch him like RVD & Sabu matches from past 5-10 years.

 

[tekcop]

In my head, Tajiri is still the same guy from his matches with Finlay 8 (!?!?!?) years ago. So I'm almost definitely remembering wrong.

 

[Baby Shoes]

In my head, Tajiri is still the same guy from his matches with Finlay 8 (!?!?!?) years ago. So I'm almost definitely remembering wrong.

nah, @King Kamala just that glass half empty kind of guy!

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Tanaka is like the energizer bunny. Tajiri I haven't seen in anything in years and he often half-assed it.

I've watched several dragon gate matches from august @Slayer. IM GETTING THERE!

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I’d be curious to check out Dragongate and it looks like there is going to be live English commentary for tomorrow’s show for big American babies like me who don’t like not being able to understand the announcers.

 

[Slayer]

I've watched several dragon gate matches from august @Slayer. IM GETTING THERE!

Wasn't chiding you! I just didn't know if you'd be averse to watching the event without being up-to-date on the product

I’d be curious to check out Dragongate and it looks like there is going to be live English commentary for tomorrow’s show for big American babies like me who don’t like not being able to understand the announcers.

Not gonna fault you for that one, in fact I sometimes watch DG in English myself. Ho Ho Lun I can take or leave but Jae is fairly decent and with his encyclopedic knowledge of DG history is good at educating newer viewers, though I will say they have been missing Larry Dallas and Lenny Leonard bigtime this year due to COVID lockout.

Admittedly I dunno why DG's English commentary is not an issue for me, as I largely avoid NJ English commentary like the pandemic, no disrespect (by which I mean some disrespect?) to Kevin Kelly and co

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Dragon Gate is the japanese company i can most accept someone watching in english because it has all the factions and storylines. Back before Jae betrayed us and took down his website (I will never forgive him for not at least keeping it up without updates) we had results with explanations of ALL promos going back to basically the START of the company. It was the best resource for any company. The most essential site for puro (along with the much mourned Ditch sites).

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1327841973013770240

ITS OVER? ITS NEVER OVER!

 

[RedJed]

That Takahashi/Ishimori match from night one of BOSJ was way too dangerous in spots, I just don't get why Hiromu keeps doing unneccesary head bumps, I get the idea here (build the crowd heat) but this just isn't appropriate considering how long he was out with the same issues that one of these spots could bring back on.

Otherwise, a really fun match but yikes, especially the stiff piledriver on the apron.

Cobb going with the Empire group is a good move, but Cobb should have just been in Great O-Khan's spot from the fucking get-go honestly. Looking forward to this heel run for him though here.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

You're right RE: that last point. I can't help but think of how much better it would've been if we get Okada/Cobb at Power Struggle instead of Okada/O-Khan.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Hiromu is a fucking idiot. That's been obvious for a very long time. He's going to end up paralyzed. I love the guy and I'll be very sad but it feels almost inevitable.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

▷ Pro-Wrestling NOAH: 20th Anniversary, NOAH the Chronicle vol.4 - Official Replay - TrillerTV

Official Replay: ✓ Cyber Fighs ✓ Pro Wrestling, Events ✓ LIVE Nov 22, 2AM ET/Nov 21, 11PM PT ✓ Kazuyuki Fujita, Kazushi Sakuraba "The Gracie Hunter", Masakatsu Funaki, Naomichi Marufuji, Kaito Kiyomiya, Manabu Soya, Masa Kitamiya, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Shuhei Taniguchi, Kenoh, Yoshiki Inamura, Go...

www.fite.tv

Fite TV is broadcasting Pro Wrestling NOAH's 20th Anniversary show on Sunday. It's a little rich for my blood given time of year but seeing old Mutoh in a singles match is tempting...

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Main Event
GHC Heavyweight Championship
Go Shiozaki vs Katsuhiko Nakajima

GHC Tag Team Championship
Takashi Sugiura & Kazushi Sakuraba vs Naomichi Marufuji & Masakatsu Funaki


GHC National Championship
Kenoh vs Kaito Kiyomiya

GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge vs Yoshinari Ogawa & HAYATA

Keiji Muto vs Shuhei Taniguchi

Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin & NOSAWA Rongai vs Masa Kitamiya & Manabu Soya & Nioh

Kotaro Suzuki & X vs Haoh & Tadasuke

Muhammad Yone & Hajime Ohara & YO-HEY & Seiki Yoshioka vs Yoshiki Inamura & Junta Miyawaki & Kinya Okada & Yasutaka Yano
---

Shiozaki Vs Nakajima will be a war. Kenoh Vs Kiyomiya should also be great. The GHC Tag match could be a really good stiff older dude match or kinda crappy, hard to say. Any match with Kashin and NOSAWA is fucking unwatchable and I refuse anything to do with it.

Mutoh Vs Taniguchi? eh. Not a guy I'd put in the ring with Mutoh at this point although if Mutoh is going over (which since this is Mutoh he probably is!) then he's safe to beat. Not that Taniguchi is unsafe he's just not particularly good compared to a lot of guys.

I'll check out several of the matches when I get a chance.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Sakuraba looks like he has aged 10 years since his WrestleKingdom appearance 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Has there been a explanation as to why Tenzan is managing Master Wato? It just adds to my confusion as to whether or not, Master Wato is a comedy gimmick.

Mild to medium take: I feel like World Tag League might end up being better than BOSJ? Best wrestlers are in BOSJ but I feel like there's less filler in WTL.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

NOAH is airing their year end PPV with English language commentary on Fite TV again. It's live at somewhat reasonable time of 1 AM EST/10 PM PST.

Card is

GHC Heavyweight Championship
Go Shiozaki vs Takashi Sugiura

8-Man Tag Team Match
Naomichi Marufuji & Keiji Muto & Masakatsu Funaki & Yuko Miyamoto vs Kaito Kiyomiya & Shuhei Taniguchi& Daiki Inaba & Yoshiki Inamura

GHC National Championship
Kenoh vs Kazushi Sakuraba

GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Yoshinari Ogawa& HAYATA vs Kotaro Suzuki & Salvaje de Oriente

6-Man Tag Team Championship Match
Hajime Ohara & YO-HEY& Seiki Yoshioka vs Katushiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya& Manabu Soya

6-Man Tag Team Match
Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge & Junta Miyawaki vs Tadasuke & Haoh & Nioh

Kinya Okada vs Yasutaka Yano

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

looks pretty good. Go and Sugiura have a pretty good history with each other. the 8 man should be solid and Kenoh/Sakuraba should be short if nothing else. 6man Championship looks interesting to me.

Really hope Sakuraba doesn't beat Kenoh but he probably will.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1333843057444315137

OK. They have to strip Moxley of the US Title now, right?

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

eh even if that ends up being for sure true, there is no rush. The belt is still going to be there in a few months when the vaccine is out. KENTA will still have the briefcase. They might as well wait.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Yeah, I guess it's meaningless enough in the grand scheme of things that it being inactive for so long doesn't hurt too much.

Still 1-2 shows behind but I'm loving Hiromu's character arc in BOSJ even if parts of it make me cringe (and will probably look really really bad if/when he does eventually become a cripple). I shouldn't be admiring someone who is so purposely reckless especially since I just finally worked up the nerve to watch the Benoit Dark Side of the Ring two parter. BUT he is rising on my list of favorite wrestlers of 2020. *shrugs*

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

I love Hiromu to death, and it probably will be his death. He's a madman and while that isn't good I still love the act. Just like I couldn't help loving Shibata while he was out there killing himself. Some guys just have that charisma and dedication. Ishii does too in a different lesser way.

I haven't watched any of the BOSJ/TagLeague stuff although I plan to. I've been too busy catching up on Dragon Gate and probably NOAH/BJW/AJPW after that. So much good wrestling. of course @Slayer has been MIA lately. probably took alex's death hard.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

And what stuff you have to catch up on. Master Wato got to main event a show.

Also while we're talking NJPW/Impact/AEW crossover potentials---I'd LOVE to see Hiromu Vs Darby even if one or both of them would probably try to die.