Puroresu Love & Resources V3

[cobainwasmurdered]

April 9th Hyper Battle Card

• Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
• El Desperado vs. SHO for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title
• Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb for the IWGP Tag Team Championship
• EVIL vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the NEVER Openweight Championship
• Toru Yano vs. Taichi for the provisional KOPW 2022 trophy
• Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato vs. El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship
• Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay and Aaron Henare
• Jado, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale, Gedo, Yujiro Takahashi, and Chase Owens

I hope Hiromu wins but I would expect EVIL to get his win back especially with BOSJ coming up. EVIL being mired in the midcard is about the best we can expect.

Lot of people joking/hoping that Francesco Akira left AJPW and is the guy in the video. Would be cool if so.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1509089718205485058

wish I'd known about this from the start. Watching 8 hours of Hiromu trying to sleep isn't the same unless it's LIVE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoesS-i1hQE

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

NJPW LoneStar Shootout
5:00 PM
Fairmont Hotel
Dallas, Texas
Watch Live (FITE Fest 2022 Bundle)
Watch Live

• Chris Dickinson vs. Tomohiro Ishii
• Jay White vs. Mike Bailey
• Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Kevin Knight & Daniel Garcia vs. Máscara Dorada, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks & Yuya Uemura
• Ren Narito vs. Rocky Romero
• Killer Kross vs. Minoru Suzuki
• Alex Coughlin, Fred Rosser, DKC vs. Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Royce Isaacs
• Blake Christian vs. JONAH

This looks like a fun show. Kross is a moron but him vs MiSu should be good. Jay Vs Bailey, JONAH is great, Ishii beating up mofos etc

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

女児救ったオーカーンに警察から感謝状　駅構内で泥酔男を取り押さえ「余の正義を貫いたまでじゃ」 | 東スポWEB

　新日本プロレスのグレート―Ｏ―カーンが女児を暴漢から救う手柄を立て、警察から感謝状を贈呈されることが１日までに明らかになった。駅構内で酒に酔った男性から迷惑行為を受けていた女児から助けを求めら...

www.tokyo-sports.co.jp

Great OKhan saved a girl from a sexual assault.

 

[King Kamala]

Legendary Joshi promotion AJW now available on IWTV

IWTV and Japanese media company Lady's Ring, have formed a partnership to bring classic footage from the legendary Joshi promotion, All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) to IWTV.

independentwrestling.tv

Paging @HarleyQuinn

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Legendary Joshi promotion AJW now available on IWTV

IWTV and Japanese media company Lady's Ring, have formed a partnership to bring classic footage from the legendary Joshi promotion, All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) to IWTV.

independentwrestling.tv

Paging @HarleyQuinn

More Joshi is Great Joshi!

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

NJPW LoneStar Shootout
5:00 PM
Fairmont Hotel
Dallas, Texas
Watch Live (FITE Fest 2022 Bundle)
Watch Live

• Chris Dickinson vs. Tomohiro Ishii
• Jay White vs. Mike Bailey
• Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Kevin Knight & Daniel Garcia vs. Máscara Dorada, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks & Yuya Uemura
• Ren Narito vs. Rocky Romero
• Killer Kross vs. Minoru Suzuki
• Alex Coughlin, Fred Rosser, DKC vs. Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Royce Isaacs
• Blake Christian vs. JONAH

This looks like a fun show. Kross is a moron but him vs MiSu should be good. Jay Vs Bailey, JONAH is great, Ishii beating up mofos etc

This starts at 3pm pacific time today. I gotta time my pizza run right for this.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

narita and yuya both look great

 

[King Kamala]

Japan to lift COVID entry ban for 106 countries including U.S.

Japan plans to ease COVID 19-related border restrictions by lifting its entry ban for foreignnationals from 106 countries including the United States, Britain and France on Friday, the government said.

www.reuters.com

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Haven't watched the show yet but Francesco Akira formerly from AJPW debuted as a member of United Empire and announced for BOSJ (I predicted that to @Slayer so I'm happy I was right on that!). He's really good so that's a solid get for them. Okada also challenged Naito after the main event as he is unhappy about having lost to him in the Cup (their life time singles series is currently even as well iirc).

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1512758854416990208

I guess Despy doesn’t really care about having two kidneys.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

apparently Ohtani was badly injured at the Z1 show today to the point of needing to be removed by paramedics.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Haven't seen a major confirmed update on otani but there have been reports he couldn't move his hands and legs. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/shinjiro-otani-hospitalized-following-injury-on-zero1-show

bunch of NJPW news/cards

NJPW reportedly securing Japanese visas for foreign talent

For the first time since 2020, NJPW is reportedly securing visas to bring foreign talent to Japan.

www.f4wonline.com

They're securing visas for foreign workers right now so that's great news for the G1 and possibly BOSJ

Here is the full card for Wrestling Dontaku, which takes place at the Fukuoka Dome:

• Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyweight title
• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States title
• El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title
• EVIL vs. Tama Tonga for the NEVER Openweight title
• YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan vs. Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens for the IWGP Tag Team titles
• Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and DOUKI for the IWGP Junior Tag Team titles
• Tanga Loa vs. Yujiro Takahashi
• Tatsumi Fujinami, Shingo Takagi, and Hiromu Takahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, and Taka Michinoku

The top 3 matches and the Fujinami tag all sound good to me.

Hopefully once they have all the foreign talent available again they are planning a long succession of other feuds for Okada and Naito and will keep them apart for a couple years like they did with Tanahashi and Naito when they ran that feud into the ground. They haven't gotten to the point of ruining it as a draw like they started to with Tana/Naka but it's a risk if they keep it up.

 

[Valeyard]

Last I read on Otani he was in exactly the same shape now as he was right after the injury.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Yeah latest is he still isn't moving his arms and legs. Really awful news.

 

[King Kamala]

411MANIA | Shinjiro Otani Has Successful Surgery On Cervical Cord Injury

ZERO1 announced that Shinjiro Otani has had successful surgery and has been moved to another hospital for his neck injury...

411mania.com

Ohtani’s cervical cord surgery was special and it looks like he is starting the long rehabilitation process.

Juice Robinson Leaving NJPW After Contract Expires In April

Juice Robinson announced Wednesday that he is leaving NJPW when his contract expires on April 30. Robinson joined NPW in 2015.

www.wrestlinginc.com

Also it sounds like Juice Robinson is retiring when his NJPW contract expires at the end of his month.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

ishii/misu and mox/ospreay were both great. the finish to mox/ospreay got fucked up by the ref i think which sucks but still a great night. Mox challenged Tanahashi. Kingston came out and challenged Ishii.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1517340688077443073

GAMMA and Super Shiisa leaving DG. Gamma will be retiring on a self produced show in August. Shiisa has been a pretty irregular worker (i think he did some training and other things) for at least a decade. @Slayer might have more thoughts on both but I'm pretty good with this. Gamma has been basically an open match guy for years but I have never forgotten/forgiven his reign of terror in Muscle Outlaw'z in the main event.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Tatsumi Fujinami, Will Ospreay test positive for COVID-19; Ishii, “X” step in | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

Thank you for your support of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Aa a result of PCR testing, it has been determined that Tatsumi Fujinami and Will Ospreay are both positive for COVID-19, and will not be able to wrestle on Sunday May 1 at Wrestling Dontaku...

www.njpw1972.com

Ospray and Fujinami tested positive for COVID so instead of Ospreay Vs Tanahashi we get

Tanahashi Vs Ishii for the US belt. Yeah I'm pretty ok with that one.

Also,
Shingo Takagi, BUSHI & X vs Zack Sabre Jr, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi

--
In other COVID news Kaz Fujita gave up the GHC title. As @Slayer noted to me this is another example of him being snakebitten and not dropping a belt in the ring.

 

[Slayer]

Snakebitten I think would be more appropriate for how this makes the third major puro reign of the last year to end in a forfeit, adding in the two Triple Crown vacancies with Suwama's COVID and Jake Lee's injury. Fujita's history is more of all his IWGP reigns ended (#1 was a legit injury forfeit which wasn't an issue, but then there was the fuck finish for #2, while #3 was the 3-way match where he didn't take the fall), and while those were all nearly two decades ago his attitude in NOAH the last year+ hasn't shown that much change from his days as Inoki's prize pupil

That said, speaking of the GHC title, this morning in the replacement match for the original Fujita/Shiozaki GHC defense, Go instead faced and defeated Kaito Kiyomiya for the vacant belt. I didn't even know about them subbing in Kaito for the vacant title match until I woke up this morning, but that def makes this a 180 from me not caring about this morning's show to looking for time this weekend to watch the highlights and main. After the main Go's first challenger showed up and it is... Satoshi Kojima, set for the CyberFight Festival on 6/12. Naturally love me some Kojima and will be watching, buuuut at the same time it doesn't detract from the cracks about NOAH becoming NOSAWA's Senior League the last couple years, even if Kojima is on the list of 50+ y/o guys who can still go

 

[Slayer]

GAMMA and Super Shiisa leaving DG. Gamma will be retiring on a self produced show in August. Shiisa has been a pretty irregular worker (i think he did some training and other things) for at least a decade. @Slayer might have more thoughts on both

Not too much admittedly. With Shisa as you said he's largely phased out in the ring and had only been working Kobe shows the last few years; he had been the primary trainer at the dojo but I suppose he phased out of that role too (shallow search didn't find who the current trainers are). If he's not hanging it up right now I do hope at least he returns when he retires as I imagine all the OG Toryumon class (save maybe CIMA, depending on where his relationship with DG is at that time) will get nice sendoffs when their careers are done. As for Gamma, I liked him more than you, but he'd been a non-factor the last couple years where it's not a huge loss. Him doing a self-produced retirement show rather than within DG is interesting though; considering his origins working in Osaka Pro, I've been wondering if he's going to help with Zeus' rebuilding of that fed

Last bit on DG is their first major event of the year Dead or Alive is coming up on 5/5. Here's a good preview of the event from Reddit (along with the annual round-robin King of Gate starting after DOA) that also saves me from any more lengthy writing. No cage match this year which is somewhat disappointing but at the same time maybe good to give that a breather as it's probably not easy to conceive new cage gimmicks every year, plus not having any storylines/builds feel appropriate for one

In All-Japan, the Champion Carnival is winding down with the finals on 5/4 as defending champ Jake Lee is back in the finals facing against Yuma Aoyagi. Between the lackluster field and personal business I largely didn't watch any of this but kept my eye on cagematch and other reviewers, with not paying attention appearing to be for the better with most matches ranging from middling to forgettable, the only standout matches being Kento/Nomura and the Kento/Aoyagi block finals. The latter match is also interesting in that Yuma advanced on a time-limit draw (Kento needed to win outright) meaning Yuma still lacks that big win over Kento that he could potentially get with the title shot from winning the CC, which is what I'm strongly rooting for

Regardless, gonna be a busy and maybe fun week with those two events plus Dontaku tonight

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

was doing a full writeup and then KING FUCKIGN SWITCH ATTACKS OKADA!


JAY WHITEOOOOOOOOH

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Super eventful NJPW show tonight. Tons of title changes and returns as well as the blocks revealed for BOSJ.

Fale/Chase won the Tag Belts, Tama Tonga won the NEVER belt, Ishimori won the Jr Title, Tanahashi won the US belt. Wato/Taguchi retained as did Okada.

Anderson/Gallows returned and attacked Tama Tonga after his title and they clearly set up Karl vs Tama next.

after Tanahashi won Chase Owens came out and I was terrified we'd have to see him get a title shot but instead a masked man came out in a BC vest anda tttacked Tanahashi. it's JUICE ROBINSON! so Juice is staying NJPW and is BC.

After the main event Jay White attacked Tanahashi and all the non HOT BC guys came out and cut a promo about it being Bullet Club's birthday and them ruling blah blah. I don't give a shit about BC but it's nice to have Jay and Juice back. BC itself needs to just fucking die.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Block A
Ryusuke Taguchi
Hiromu Takahashi
YOH
Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Taiji Ishimori
SHO
Clark Connors
Alex Zayne
Ace Austin
Francesco Akira

Block B
Master Wato
Robbie Eagles
BUSHI
DOUKI
El Desperado
El Phantasmo
Titan
TJP
Wheeler Yuta
El Lindaman

 

[King Kamala]

I probably picked the wrong week to cancel my NJPW World subscription, huh?

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

NJPW's Tetsuya Naito to undergo eye surgery - WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW results

This will be the second operation for Naito on his right eye.

www.f4wonline.com

second surgery he's had on this in his career. He should be back by the super show if the timetable for the previous one is the same as this.

 

[King Kamala]

Looking at the results for the big NOAH show this weekend. I laughed and laughed at Satoshi Kojima storming out and immediately challenging Go Shiozaki for the GHC Heavyweight Title. I guess he saw Suigura was down and was like "Damn. Enough of being a NJPW Dad, I'm old enough to go to know NOAH and become a World Champ again!"

I did NOT laugh at the fact that NOAH is bringing in Michael Elgin. WTH?

 

[Slayer]

Watched DG Dead or Alive from this morning, from beginning to end easily the most enjoyable puro show outside of NJ so far this year. Nearly every title match went the exact opposite of what I was expecting with the stories going in with the exception of the Dream Gate which I thought was a 50-50 tossup given the stip of "if KAI wins, Susumu must leave Natural Vibes and revert to his real name Susumu Mochizuki"

Ending:

Spoiler

KAI defeats Susumu (clean) to add key #3 to his Dream Gate belt. Post-match, Susumu said his goodbyes to NV in an emotional promo, after which Genki cuts his own heartfelt promo and voluntarily chooses to leave NV to support his longtime friend. Show closes with the pair and remaining NV members sharing one last dance in the ring

May have more detailed thoughts later about the rest of the show

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

paging @Brocklock ! that Kim Duk retirement match has your name on it brother. This card even beyond the old man stuff looks interesting. Shingo and THawk teaming up together against the Aoyagis? Kento/Misu/Akiyama Vs Jake Lee/Omori/X? Suwama/Nagata Vs Taichi/Taka? Fuck yeah I'm in.

 

[JHawk]

Kim Duk was past his prime 30 years ago. He's 74 YEARS OLD. How TF is he just now retiring.