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Evil Otto

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Everything posted by Evil Otto

  1. Very sad news to hear. I loved Coughlin. An absolute beast. I truly think he had limitless potential, and he was well on his way. That being said, being rational enough to realize how his debilitating injuries would impact his quality of life (or even worse, to be honest) and to make such an agonizing decision to finally let go of his dream is sad, yes, but far more than that, admirable.
  2. Well, here's some good news...Yota Tsuji vs. Jeff Cobb was a fabulous match! Best match of the tournament so far. More thoughts below:
  3. Yeah, something along those lines could work. I actually think Jericho in Arena Mexico would not be a bad idea at all at this particular moment in time. For example, his match with Atlantis Jr. would've gone over much better in Arena Mexico. Atlantis Jr is actually an incredible worker, but he's not super flashy and it takes a few matches (for more causal fans) to see how truly great he is. I get why they had the match due to the history and all that, but I felt a bit bad for the guy, as he came in really cold. That being said, there's at least a short-term storyline that they, both CMLL and AEW, could build on if they wanted to.
  4. 100% agreed on all these points. The first four guys that CMLL brought in, wearing the suits and stirring up trouble, was CMLL putting their best foot forward in this relationship. They need to stick to sending the luchadors who can truly impress. Titan, for example, certainly ticks that box.
  5. Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher was King vs. Armor King in Tekken and I don't give a fuck what that implies because I loved it and the crowd did, too. Stat is a wonderful base for Riho and the two of them really clicked. Great match. Okada and the Bucks actually makes sense. I like Okada as a smug prick. Lots to work with there. It's been so long now, but I thought Kyle O'Reilly was truly amazing right up until he was sidelined with those injuries. So happy to see him back.
  6. Magnus and Rugido are a tag team in CMLL, or at least the last time I checked they were. Honestly speaking, they are not the top-tier workers like the ones everyone saw in the first two weeks or so of this partnership. In other words, good, but not great. As odessasteps has suggested, take a look at the lucha folder and follow the hints to a helpful site where you may find these two. Magnus/Rugido vs. Neon/Futuro from 10/13/2023 is absolutely worth a watch, but it's mainly for Neon and Futuro, who are both well on their way to much bigger things.
  7. My apologies in advance, but FantasticaMania by definition means I need to resort to crossposting to cover my bases, both in the Japan folder and this one: For those of you with NJPW World (or perhaps Cubsfan can help you out) I would strongly recommend four matches from the final two Korakuen Hall nights of FantasticaMania: Soberano Jr vs Templario / Rocky Romero vs. Volador Jr. / Atlantis Jr vs. Hechicero / Stuka Jr vs. Mascara Dorada All great, but in particular I thought the Hechicero match really stood out because he and Atlantis Jr have insane chemistry. I loved Atlantis Jr as a rudo, but here he was definitely a tecnico, and well, he's just great overall! Hechicero was the star here, though. The announcers mentioned Zack a bit during the match, which gives me hope that we'll see ZSJ vs. Hechicero sooner than later. Soberano Jr and Templario tried some incredibly difficult spots (with varying degrees of success) and had much more of New Japan style match than a CMLL one, which is why FantasticaMania can be so rewarding at times. I believe Cubsfan mentioned that Soberano Jr, Templario and Rocky may be going forward as a trio unit in CMLL (and elsewhere?), and I am very much in favor of that idea. It looked to me that there was particular interest in Dark Panther during this tour on the New Japan side. He's a guy with a lot of skills who just seems to lack a few things to bring him up to the next level, such as struggling a bit in longer singles matches and even his gear and overall appearance need more fine-tuning. He would be a great candidate for an excursion in Japan for a while, and I wonder if the powers that be might be thinking the same thing. I guess we'll see.
  8. Slight tangent alert! For those of you with NJPW World, if you're looking for a palate cleanser after last night, I would strongly recommend four matches from the final two Korakuen Hall nights of FantasticaMania: Soberano Jr vs Templario / Rocky Romero vs. Volador Jr. / Atlantis Jr vs. Hechicero / Stuka Jr vs. Mascara Dorada All great, but in particular I thought the Hechicero match really stood out because he and Atlantis Jr have insane chemistry. The announcers mentioned Zack a bit during the match, which gives me hope that we'll see ZSJ vs. Hechicero sooner than later. Soberano Jr and Templario tried some incredibly difficult spots (with varying degrees of success) and had much more of New Japan style match than a CMLL one, which is why FantasticaMania can be so rewarding at times. It looked to me that there was particular interest in Dark Panther during this tour on the New Japan side. He's guy with a lot of skills who just seems to lack a few things to bring him up to the next level, such as struggling a bit in longer singles matches and even his gear and overall appearance need more fine-tuning. He would be a great candidate for an excursion in Japan for a while, and I wonder if the powers that be might be thinking the same thing. I guess we'll see.
  9. Daddy Magic: "I don't get it." Excalibur: "You're Canadian and you don't know who Narduwar is?" Excalibur covered all the (nerd) bases!
  10. Tony for some reason pronounces Sonjay's last name like DOOT and my mind (and Excalibur's) immediately went to Narduwar's signature sign-off. He briefly mentions the name, and Tony and Daddy Magic unsurprisingly have no clue (nor would I expect them to). Moments like that are why I cherish the fact that AEW exists.
  11. Excalibur with a Narduwar reference and I totally geeked out. (Most likely because I am a geek.)
  12. The last two matches on this show were just unbelievable and for completely different reasons, and that's really all you can ask for. I can't decide which ZSJ-Danielson encounter I've enjoyed more, but I know for sure that I've enjoyed both immensely. Having the match in New Japan really felt right, though. Just the overall sports feel of NJPW's presentation, I suppose. Wonderful. The backstage comments by Zack and Bryan were truly heartfelt and as real as pro wrestling promos could possibly get. The main event promised craziness, and actually overdelivered on the insanity. I myself downed a tall can of Sapporo beer as the violence wafted over me, and that certainly worked well! Sure, maybe 10-15 minutes too long, but then again, this was match of attrition and survival, so I just laughed at the absurdity of it all and rolled with it. The War Dogs are lunatics in terms of their characters and they certainly didn't disappoint when presented an opportunity like this to fully prove it. Lots of storylines weaving in and out, everyone gets an entrance and a chance to shine, Ospreay goes out on his sword. The ending with Ospreay and UE was truly a legendary sendoff, perhaps one of the most emotional I've ever seen. On to FantasticaMania! Osaka is the place to be! Good luck, Akira!
  13. The first match on the video is Hechicero vs. Euforia, who were partners at the time (2022) in the trio Los Infernales alongside Mephisto. Euforia is Soberano Jr.'s father, by the way. Strongly recommended. Hechicero and El Desperado vs. Templario and Douki from summer 2023. Super fun match.
  14. Yeah, I think subscribing only amounts to getting updates to your email account but not much else. If you pay to become a member, you get some live streams and Friday shows on a delay. They've also just recently added a tiered system, which bypasses the non-live aspect but the borderline outrageous charges are not enticing to me at all. Cubsfan is your friend, as others have also said. Of course I agree, but I actually bit the bullet and became a member a month or so ago. Now they've added tiers, but I won't be upgrading for reasons I have already mentioned. I'm actually really happy just to have access to full shows again. So many terrific matches in 2023 to go back and watch now.
  15. You know, it's satisfying to have a hunch about a young prospect and be proven right as a wrestling fan. Sure, that's great. But I have to say, it is somehow even better to admit that you've been proven wrong. I can honestly say that I didn't have high hopes for Henare nor Gabe Kidd 2-3 years ago. Henare was good, but never great, for example. Since Gabe has made his "comeback", he's been nothing short of amazing. With the emergence of The War Dogs, Tsuji, Umino and the rest of the promising returnees, I think Henare was put in a bit of a sink or swim position. He decided to swim. Good for him. Glorious violence ensued. Beyond my expectations. Hooray for that!
  16. Haven’t seen it yet, but definitely looking forward to it. Heard the second half of the card was really solid overall.
  17. I'm so happy everyone is finally getting a chance to see just how great Hechicero is. That was the type of match I watch where I felt butterflies beforehand because I wanted the performers to succeed so much. I have nothing but admiration for Danielson for recognizing and highlighting the greatness of others. The beautiful art of wrestling on full display. The first two matches bleeding into one another and being so top-notch, I could've easily stopped there. But damn, Deeb, Aminata, Swerve getting deep on us, Daniel Garcia's continued ascent, what a show. So much more I want to see now, too. Claudio vs. Hechicero? Yes, please. Garcia vs. Christian, of course, but Garcia vs. Wayne sounds equally fabulous. Awesome crowd.
  18. That was a hell of a crowd! Kudos to everyone there!
  19. The CMLL guys made a wise choice to wear the boss suits. Absolutely badass. So excited for Hechicero vs. Danielson. I loved Toa Liona being able to show lots of new offense. I certainly don't like guys cracking skulls with head butts, but the way Bryan Keith and Liona creatively utilize their craniums gets a thumbs-up from me. Yokozuna-esque rope-assisted splashes! Still early days and all, but I reckon this kid's got something. Toni Storm is incredible at this role. It's a roller-coaster ride. Bonus points for Luther's "I'm crushing your head!" in a nod to Kids In The Hall, his fellow Canadians. RVD was kinda awesome in that match. Smart move to not have Nana there tonight. Swerve's victory felt well-earned by the end. In general, I'm really enjoying this Samoa Joe, Hangman, and Swerve scenario. It's a nice new direction.
  20. New Japan's first three cards this year have all been tremendous, and yes, Okada was obviously an important part of that, but he wasn't the only reason. They also had a pretty solid (and underrated) 2023 with a reloaded roster of fresh new faces. I felt the same way about CMLL a couple of years back; unsure but lots of promise on the horizon, and now they (CMLL) are delivering consistently with a couple big stars on top but mainly with a younger roster all hitting their stride seemingly at the same time. I see a similar situation developing with New Japan. Honestly, I've felt New Japan's main event scene has been incredibly stale for a long time. Sure, Sanada was an experiment of sorts (just not for me, but no need to argue that now), but Naito winning at the dome was an inevitability, and then what? As some have suggested, Okada vs. Naito at next year's WK? Groan. Okada is unquestionably an all-timer, but he's done literally everything he could do in New Japan. I think for all parties concerned, a change of pace and scenery is long overdue. Good for him, actually. I wish him well. Jay White never fully clicked for me in New Japan, he's far more engaging in AEW. Ospreay had 8 years for New Japan, and him leaving is actually a bigger blow to them than Okada, in my honest opinion. Change is good. Finally give the belt to ZSJ. Shingo is right fucking there. Tsuji is already 30, Uemura 29. Shota and Ren already have a significant rivalry. ELP, War Dogs, relationship with CMLL stronger than ever. Let's fucking go.
  21. That Battle In The Valley card looks outstanding.
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