Gordi the BJW fan

As a friend, I implore you: Please, lighten up a little. It's OK for wrestling to just be fun sometimes: That is gorgeous. That is lovely. That is a group of people spontaneously enjoying themselves. That is a sense of community. That IS a positive part of what pro wrestling can be, these days. Not every match needs to take the crowd on a complex journey (although it's great when that happens. It's the best). This kind of silly fun is also good, though. One nice thing is: Obviously your irrational hatred of maximalist flippy overkill and crowds going into business for themselves hasn't killed your love of pro wrestling overall. Possibly, it helps you enjoy the kind of wrestling you love even more; having something to contrast it with. Similar, perhaps to how my (entirely rational and logical) loathing of corporate sports entertainment superstar culture probably helps me love my precious goofy honest indie bullshit pro wrestling even more. But. Please. If you cannot enjoy those creative and spontaneous Kyle chants, you are REALLY missing out on some fun.

If AEWCW releases a "Kosher Pickle" t-shirt I will buy at least one. if they release "Kosher Pickle" undergarments, I will buy at least seven pairs. Great to see Ibushi (and Trent!) looking good in there.

Ten times more handsome and virile, obviously.

Cody & Brandi! Remember when they solved racism?

Just shorten it: The In-Continent Title. Problem solved!

I've said it before (and might say it again) but... What the fuck happened in Tony Khan's life that we have moved from the "Ring of Friendship" "Spark Joy in the Fanbase" "Good Guys Win Through The Power of Support and Trust and Cooperation" gorgeous joyful early days of AEW into this current Ayn Randian hellscape of constant betrayal and attempted murder where the heel groups all seem to have each other's backs (for selfish reasons) but the good guys have to stand alone? Where trying to convince flawed but loveable guys to work together sparks a brawl? Where friendship and trust basically no longer exist? How did we get to the point where a "downer show" seems to be the most likely outcome? In AEW? Fuck's sake. Craig H's scenario at least would be a dramatic payoff to at least one thread of this constant misery Werner Herzog's Atlas Shrugged booking... Keeping my fingers crossed

HarryArchieGusstrodamus!

Did anybody catch how long the broadcast of Fyter Fest is going to be next week? Commentary may have mentioned it. About 150,000 times.

Fuck CM Punk

Why isn't Gabe in Anarchy in the Arena? Wasn't that run-in to set that up? Are they Kidding? Gabe us hope then tore it away! Now I'm a mad man, you know?

Ah, he only looks relatively scrawny because he's standing next to me, and I'm FUCKING HYUUUGE (Seriously, though... Yeah, you can see the toll being a damn death match legend can take on a man's body). Hey! Look what showed up on my YouTube feed! I didn't even know they were taping it! It's a real 80s style Strong Style match with two beefy dudes in black trunks just laying it in and everything looks rough and dangerous and like a real struggle. Jacob Crane's reactions at ringside are great, too. A couple of times, when the hard cam pulls back a bit, you can clearly see the back of my big old shiny bald white dome in the crowd, and my gorgeous karaoke drinking and wrestling buddy Yuki beside me. What a massive happy surprise to find this in my YouTube feed today! One more story from Saturday: I actually made Sekimoto laugh while he was fighting. He was really heeling it up, grinding his boot on Nakanoue's throat, so I started booing loudly. He GLARED at me (which is LEGIT intimidating) and I gestured like, "oh, no, that wasn't me!" and pointed at the elderly woman sitting near me like " it was her! " and he corpsed. Later, during clean up, he walked past me and hard whispered "Thank you!" in English. Not sure if that was for helping out, or making him laugh, or for being a good fan and booing the heels. Made me happy, tho.

Big Japan Wrestling Road Report May 17, 2025 Yodogawa Community Center, Osaka Japan: Excuse the blocks of text. I cannot post pics on Chrome but I can't make paragraphs in Firefox. I'm going to try and do the whole thing on Firefox this time. I'll be saving occasionally so as not to lose everything I have typed. The finished report will have an even ONE DOZEN pictures. As always, it was a great time. Lots of good wrestling, an INSANE main event, a lot of delicious food and drink, and many kind and friendly people. I think this was my first time in Yodogawa/Juso. Like pretty much every neighbourhood in Osaka it is interesting to walk around and there are tons of places to get food and drink. I immediately got a couple of big cans of beer then I bumped into a guy wearing a LIJ hoodie and it turned out he was from Tokyo and he was going to the show, too. So we set out to find the venue together. When he figured we were really close, I went into a 7-11 to buy a couple of sandos because I hadn't eaten yet (even though it was about 4:30 pm) and I didn't want to goon my beer on an empty stomach. There were two UNREASONABLY hawt women lounging outside the convenience store and I asked them if they knew where the community center was. They got all bouncy and said "Me, too! Me, too!" by which they meant that they were also going to the Big Japan show. Turns out their seats were right in front of mine. And "The Boys" kept spilling out of the ring and doing business right in front of them. That was REALLY entertaining. Also turns out that the community centre was DIRECTLY across the street from the 7-11 The Main Event Trios Death Match was absolutely f'n INSANE. Chaos. Madness. But, no light tubes this time, which made clean-up WAY easier. Pondo is pretty much everyone's favourite guy now. Both in and out of kayfabe. He so obiously LOVES being here (in Japan. And in Big Japan) and doing his very particular thing night after night. Living his best life. AKIRA was in a MUCH better head space this time around, which really made me happy. There was a near-botch on the finish of the main event, which to me and also to my new friend Yuka, actually made it BETTER and I got to tell him that but I think he thought I was just being nice. I totally meant it, though. It looked dangerous as fuck but nobody got injured. It also kind of came across as an accidental Sabu tribute, which I (obviously) mean as a huge compliment. Also there was a guy there who looks a tiny bit like Okada in my opinion and he was wearing a Sabu shirt and when I was moved by that he and (particularly) his buddy got really moved by that... It was a nice, genuine, wrestling fan moment. A bit misty, to be honest. And Pondo shouted out Sabu on the mic, too. And Dale and Akira did the Sabu gesture... And we all did another gesture... It's 2:30 am here! We went to our friend Yuki's karaoke bar after the show. I caught the last train home. I need to wrap this Road Report up quickly. Turns out Leighton Buzzard was NOT the first unfriendly gaijin wrestler I met in Japan. I'm still batting a thousand in terms of everyone being genuinely likable. Buzzard was super friendly. And very good in the ring. I was happy to see he's on the poster for the September BJW show in Osaka, so I'll see him again. He was champ of a Scottish fed (ICW?) and made a name for himself in a match with Ospreay back in 2023 or so, when Bruv was doing his fight everyone, fight everywhere goodbye to the indies tour. I have a million little stories just from today... Let's see... My friend Bodyguard was there but couldn't fight because he hurt his knee. We reminisced about our first time drinking together, back in 2011... The upside to no Bodygaaaaa was I got to meet Sean Lao, a wrestler from Funk Country! I know this is shocking, but he was... Super nice. Very athletic in the ring. For the first time, I got a little present for helping out (some healthy drink powder) and also a delicious sando! I appreciate being appreciated. I was wearing my Has Been Drinking t-shirt, which some of you will recall is Hangman Page merch, and Pondo and Dale and Jacob Crane all cracked jokes with me about it... I think I must sometimes come across as full of shit with how much fun and how delicious and how kind and friendly everything and everyone always is... But I am legit living some kind of charmed Wrestling Fan in Japan life. And loving it. Anyway, pictures:

Sorry, brother, it's not even close

So you're saying she hides behind a smile, and understanding eyes... But she's A LIAR A LIAR A LIAR A LIAR? And while I'm here, in my opinion The Doors' Horse Latitudes is an absolutely slapping jock jam. Best way to get psyched up for a set of heavy(-for-me) deadlifts:

According to Cagematch, he's never had a fight in Osaka. He was in BJW's death match tournament in Tokyo in January, and he toured up north in Hokkaido (of all places) with them in July last year. Also per Cagematch he teamed up with Mad Dog Connelly on last week, which sounds cool. (edit: Yesterday, according to AxB) If you don't mind my asking, how old are you? If you're calling Beastman "kid" you've got to be close to my age (I'm 59). In addition to Bakka Gaijin (Pondo and Dale Patrick) and Akira, there are two more gaijin wrestlers on the show: Jacob Crane (a nice kid and good wrestler from Poland) (really a "kid" he's just 23) and Leighton Buzzard (a British wrestler whom I've never seen, looking forward to meeting him/watching him fight). Great name, that. Curious if he'll be the first unfriendly gaijin wrestler I've met in Japan. There was an unfriendly gaijin at my gym last week. Although that might have been my fault for laughing at him for screaming while doing cable curls. Although, the last "unfriendly gaijin" in my gym turned out to be just kind of shy and is now a drinking buddy. This most recent curl-screamer (definitely a "look at me" kind of scream) was most likely just visiting Japan, so that's unlikely to happen. I'm on a VERY long run of pro wrestler after pro wrestler being incredibly friendly, here in Japan (and back home in Vancouver, too). It's been ridiculous. Bodyguard is on the BJW card, too. Teaming with Sekimoto! I'd consider Bodyguard an actual friend. I hope he'd agree. Sekimoto is often too busy to chat, but he did do posedown pictures with me once, so he gets a permanent pass. All that friendliness, and the real sense of community I feel in the Osaka (and Vancouver)wrestling scene, really inform the way I approach AEW. (bringing it back on topic). Curious if you get a very warm welcome if you go to local shows. I'm assuming comped tickets, hanging out before doors open, afterparties, etc etc.

I understand the whole "booking for the sickos" mindset, I think, and I know there are people here who love this sort of thing... And this might even be hypocritical considering I'm all excited about going to a Big Japan show with a death match main event on Saturday... But in my opinion the violence in AEW has REALLY gotten out of hand recently. NSFW: The Big Japan main event, if anyone is curious: * I'll most likely do a road report in the Navel Gazing thread.

Well, dang! I got EXACTLY what I hoped for! Claudio vs Joe was stiff as fuck, they kept the interference until after the match, and the good guys stood tall at the end of the show. And they had Mercedes fight instead of talk! And there was a lot of fun, crazy action in general. I'm pretty f'n happy right now. Way to go, AEW! Cheers for that.

Hart of Glass? Hangman on the Telephone? One May or Another? Joe vs Claudio? Yes, please. But PLEASE leave the House of Moxture run ins for AFTER the match. Team Kenny vs Team Okada, minus Kenny and Okada? Sure, why not. Should be lots of fun. Hayter sit down interview? Obviously, some of us would very much prefer "standing up, filmed from behind" but I am actually interested in what she has to say. Very much hoping that Mutie Suzuki doesn't interrupt and take over the interview. (Other nicknames for Mercedes: The Great Mute-a, Call of Mutie, Mutie and the Blowfish, Judge Mutie, Mutie Pie, The Mute-est in the World). Y'know, because every time she starts up with that WWE Newspeak, I am hitting the mute button hard. tl/dr: This could be another GREAT Dynamite if they let the wrestlers wrestle but it could be kind of awful if they overbook it (and also feature Mone on the mic instead of in the ring) Which is basically true most weeks, lately.

Do you think she somehow texts in that same weirdly unnatural WWE Superstar cadence? NINERS! Fan. Innnnnn... CONNECTICUT!!!! Thank. YOU! For joining. The. MERCEDES!!!!! MONE!!! Definitely not AI. Text! Friend! Grrrrrooouuup. Probably not, right. That would be exhausting.

RIP Mongo

That's two Dynamites in a row that I really enjoyed! In particular, I LOVED that all of a sudden good guys have friends that run out to help them again!! One of my favourite ways that AEW distinguished themselves from WWE. SO HAPPY to see that happening again! Plus an ex WWE superstar actually put over an ex ROH pro wrestler! Also, apparently that whole Cash Wheeler thing was a giant misunderstanding. He spilled some gas on his sleeve filling up his car. Then lit a cigarette while drivingand his sleeve burst into flame. So he stuck it out the window and waved it around to try and extinguish the fire. But he got arrested

Anthony Bowens (literally): "I. HAVE. FIVE. TOOLS." Me (out loud, even though I was on my own):

Yep. I literally came here to post that it was a damn near perfect pro wrestling TV show. Didn't expect to end up agreeing witn 9ers but here we are. That was incredible. Moleymoleymoley vs Bruv got me to tune in. VERY glad it did, and that I stuck around until the end. No way to hide it baby, no place to run... That pulled the trigger of my... Also, Tetsuya should start his own small indie that only runs weekend house shows:

BIG JAPAN ROAD REPORT I'll add a ton of pics to this, but I need to change browsers to do so. (Edit: pics added) Today's show was in the Imazato neighbourhood of Osaka, near the wonderful Korea Town of Tsuruhashi. As usual I met friends there before the show and we went shopping for snacks and drinks for ourselves and each other and for "the boys" It's become a lovely tradition, just a very nice part of my life. Likewise the feasting afterward. No pictures of that today, I'm afraid. Food was amazing, though. Sushi and yakitori, mainly, and the beer flowed like wine... Hey! I met Hashimoto and Ohtani today! Daisuke Hashimoto and Joji Ohtani, but still... Very nice guys. And terrific in the ring. Hey Natural! I bought a new zip hoodie! One I can wear with pride (now that AEW has gone mainstream and lowest common denominator) Heath is a Japanese clothing brand. Normally I don't wear clothes with brand logos but it was the only one in my size (Japanese 3L) I bought it from Kamitani. he was really nice, and helpful. As was everyone. I possibly made two new friends today, Rie and Subin (or maybe Soobin). Looking forward to seeing if they light up when they see me at the next show. In May. Assuming we all make it out. In 2012 I took shirtless pics with Quiet Storm. Today we did a new one! That was fun. He's ENOURMOUS now. Damn near Sekimoto size. Legit 50 cm arms. Semi main was an ultimate BMMSM match: ISHIKAWA vs SEKIMOTO!!! They beat the absolute shit out of each other. It was insane. The main was a light tubes tag title death match between Bakka Gaijin and AKIRA & Miyamoto. (GCW/MLW AKIRA, not Nogami...) He really tapped a gusher. At first I thought it was his eye, but in fact it was near his temple. It was bad enough to be legit disturbing. Talking to him afterward, he seemed pretty shook up, in the moment, and I cannot blame him at all. Pondo bled some, too. And hammered spikes into Miyamoto's head. And so on... It was insane that six guys took things that far in the last two matches of a house show that wasn't even being taped! I spent more than half an hour after the show sweeping up broken light tubes and jamming (often blood-soaked) streamers into garbage bags. That was one hell of an interesting experience!! There's glass embedded in the soles of my shoes now That's a unique souvenir! I'm basically part of the furniture there now. Everyone is used to seeing me help out after their Osaka shows. That means a lot to me. Legit warms my heart.