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New Japan gets TV deal in US


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Hey, my back hurts like shit, I have a bottle of voddy, and New Japan is on, so here's

 

NEW JAPAN ON AXSTV REPORT 3/6/15!!!

 

Yujiro Takahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito: Takahashi comes out to a super sleazy theme with sax and girls dancing, I have no clue about this guy so it strikes me as really funny but somehow not sleazy enough. Naito needs to shave that "I just reached puberty" mustache. He should give it to Takahashi maybe. They do some chair stuff and Taka works the injured knee. He really looks like Shinobu went on the juice. Even though Naito's knee is injured he uses a lot of kicks and a sub with the back of the knee against Taka's head... of course. Couldn't possibly switch up your style for the benefit of logic now, could we? They do a nice reversal into the Puma Blanca/Koji Clutch, which of course has no bearing on the match. Also a real nice catch into deadlift German that Adrian Neville just stole on NXT. They do the slap exchange which is the new shoulderblock tradeoff apparently. The Gloria is total shit, the Stardust Press is total shit, and at least Naito seems to realize that by rolling into the Puma Blanca for the tap. This was two guys just doing stuff at random. Naito needs to quit with those blank/vaguely irritated stares into space, furthermore he needs to learn to work a match better.

 

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Naomichi Marufuji: Here is what I tuned in for, I want Nakamura to make Flip Boy's face feel like my back does. Nakamura makes a crack about asking who is whiter, Marufuji or Yano. I suppose he's talking about skin tone here, but who knows with Nakamura. Maru comes out with mask and cape and Nakamura comes out with weirdness. They talk about Nakamura elevating the IC title almost to the IWGP level and you can't help but think that's what they're kinda going for in WWE right now. If that idea won't dissolve in a month, anyway. Marufuji wobbles his titties in Nakamura's face and I laugh. Some good matwork before Nak gets busy with the knees and Maru hits a lariat and then piledrives him right on the apron; he basically just sits down and somehow it looks nastier than if he jumped with it. Neckwork -- hey, psychology! Warmaster calls it "a sense of theme". I'm warming on Flip Boy, especially after the nasty Backstabber to the neck. His cartwheel puts him back down a peg. Cobra Clutch+Triangle Choke though is fucking WEIRD and awesome and needs to be stolen for a finish immediately. For once the Shooey Nooey has a meaning because of the neck work, too. Some of the tradeoffs with the little duck-and-dodge battle they did were whiffed but the last couple hits were solid and of course the better man wins. Apparently they were previous tag partners so I can see why they mixed so well. There was no bullshit from Marufuji this time and everyone sold fine and had a perfectly organic, simple match, very enjoyable. Goddammit now Suzuki is out again, can we FINALLY see them fight?

 

Okada/Naito is next week. Let's see how completely fucking irritating this will be. Nakamura makes me happy, Suzuki's haircut makes me happy, Marufuji working reasonably makes me happy, voddy makes me happy, heating pad makes me happy. A good end to a rough day. YEAH-O~!

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Man, can we get more Nakamura for the next few weeks and pretend Okada doesn't exist? Love the hell out of that guy. Naito continues to be utterly fucking useless, though. Dreading next week's episode.

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http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/03/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv.html

 

I really hated both of the matches. Marufuji has always been my least favorite NOAH guy and his match had all the reasons in spades. And damn Naito may just be the worst worker in a major fed. Just completely clueless in there. 

 

At least we ended on a Nak/Suzuki showdown. There is something to ending things on a good note.

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Guest Stefanie Without Stefanie

To go back to a month or so ago and the Red Shoes Unno talk, I got caught up on NJPW via my DVR and... yeah, I can't stand him. Just the way he checks people for a submission is enough to annoy me. It's like he's leaning in for them to tell him a secret.

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Guest The Magnificent 7

I thought this was probably the weakest show they've had that I've seen.  Naito v. Takahashi was merely decent, and although Nakamura v. Marufuji was pretty good it was also somewhat sloppy throughout the match.  Nakamura is really entertaining, though, and quickly becoming my favorite.  He's just plain odd and looks and acts like he strolled out of a SNK fighting game, with his weird mannerisms and style. 

 

Minoru Suzuki sported the worst haircut in history.  It's like he went to the zoo and threw a monkey a pair of scissors and said "have at it." 

 

Once again in the main event my boys' pick (this week Marufuji) lost.

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Naito is really frustrating to watch. He has all the tools to be the best. Great move set, athleticism, and if landing on your head is a skill, he's second to none in the business, but goddamn does he need some charisma.

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Naito is really frustrating to watch. He has all the tools to be the best. Great move set, athleticism, and if landing on your head is a skill, he's second to none in the business, but goddamn does he need some charisma.

And psychology. And selling. And consistency. If he had all of those, he would be pretty great.

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Naito is really frustrating to watch. He has all the tools to be the best. Great move set, athleticism, and if landing on your head is a skill, he's second to none in the business, but goddamn does he need some charisma.

And psychology. And selling. And consistency. If he had all of those, he would be pretty great.

 

and more than one facial expression.

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Guest The Magnificent 7

Well that Tanahashi v. Nakamura match was pretty swell.  Tanahashi comes out to Marty Friedman playing some HOT LICKS and air guitaring all over the ramp.  Nakamura was just laying into every Boma-Ye.  He's awesome.  Weird as snake's suspenders, but great.  He absolutely destroyed Tanahashi on that Boma-Ye on the outside when Tanahashi was laid out on the apron.  The other awesome moment of the match was that Texas Cloverleaf / Styles Clash thing that Tanahashi did.  Finish was great as Nakamura was laid out sideways and Tanahashi had to greatly modify his High Fly Flow and adjust in mid air.  He nailed it perfectly for the cover and finish. 

 

Post-match, Tanahashi did a jumping windmill Pete Townshend and collapsed when he landed.  Pretty funny and also sold how taxing that match was. 

 

Good stuff. 

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I am home and not completely faded and watching TV so here's NJPW on AXS 3/27/2015

 

Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii: Hey awesome it's Ishii! Oh no it's Naito. Maybe they cancel each other out in some fashion. Crowd boos Naito pretty big which is cool. Clipped to Ishii doing a vertical suplex and Warmaster describing the difference and similarity between suplex and brainbuster in the States and Japan. The Uranage turned into DDT is really cool looking. Everyone is no selling and fighting spiriting up here and there are 1000 clubbing forearms. Ishii wins the NEVER title back with a brainbuster and that was okay to watch for five minutes but the full 17 would have made me change the channel to Guy Fieri or Mad Max or (god forbid) Raw en Espanol. Or start drinking way harder than I am capable of tonight. 

 

Next week is Okada vs. AJ Styles. I'll be at at a friend's house or out on the town for sure in that case. 

 

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. HIroshi Tanahashi: YEAH-OH! it's Your and My Winner of March Madness 2015 versus your Loser of March Madness 2015! Nakamura is bloody as fuck in the ring during the pre-match chat with Tana and I wonder what happened. He's also got this awesome red leather jacket with chain epaulets on coming to the ring, just the best. Tana's got the IC belt and this is their third match from last year. 

 

We start with some nice snug matwork to start. Tanahashi pulls the hair and air guitars but Nakamura grinds him back down again. Finally he gets in the knees and in a funny spot kicks Tana right in the ass on the turnbuckles. Crowd is turning on Tana. Jeez Nakamura runs full speed into the barricade with his knee and we have our setup for psychology~! That looked really painful. Tana starts working the hell out of it, using the rail and the ropes, dropkicks, even grabs the leg and kneebreakers the knee against his own leg. Nakamura goes on offense and still uses the leg, but keeps whacking at it with his hands trying to get the feeling back... I don't know why he wouldn't switch legs. A dragon screw changes things fast and the commentators are doing a great job getting everything over here. Warmaster calls Captain New Japan "Captain Ding Dong", haha. Stupid ass Nakamura uses a backcracker? He's doing a fantastic job at selling though. Sick punch into Boma Ye and Tana's down, but goes back to the knee and Nakamura's howling in pain. Nasty high angle on the Texas cloverleaf. Naka's sacrificing his knee to win, putting them up on a High Fly Flow and such. Long armbar and then a VICIOUS Boma Ye to the back of the head, kick to the face and a third Boma Ye, blocked one, and he switches the leg for a fourth successful one. Fifth one seals it and Nakamura's got the belt back. 

 

"I am still in the process of development" is what Tana yells being carried to the back? Ooookay... Oh god, here's the Gracies to introduce the worst idea of last year that NJPW had. Really good match with Tanahashi turning heel (at least for the night) and Nakamura going all out to succeed. I guess you can complain about the Boma Ye being driven into the ground as a move but the injury aspect kind of negates that. The second one I think could have easily ended the match but they wanted to squeeze a little more out. Dunno what the consensus was about this when it happened but I think it's a good reason that Shinsuke Nakamura is Mr. March Madness '15, his selling, charisma, and stiffness are off the chain and he's just someone you want to watch talk or do anything because of his insane mannerisms. Well worth the watch.

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So, the second season of NJPW on AXS is going to focus on G1 Climax 2014. Good/Bad/Indifferent?

I think it starts with the Best of the Super Jr. and finishes with the G1.  Both tournaments are usually good, and picking and choosing the best matches from each should be great.

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If you can see the April 6th, 2014 Nakamura/Tanahashi match that was aired on last week's show, then make absolutely certain you do unless you just hate great wrestling. Nakamura's selling is immense. Tanahashi has great heel and limb work. Stiff shots and a great finish. Excellent all-round.

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I voluntarily skipped out on the week they showed Okada vs. Naito, but I've been back since and am still enjoying the program more than I thought I would. Tanahashi/Nakamura last week was really great, and I really enjoyed the Bucks match this week, and felt the main event was good if problematic. I thought Styles looked great but also can't fathom anybody enjoying the Bullet Club. I still thought it was a little perplexing they showed a bad Taguchi performance and rough Rocky Romero stuff when there was a really good Ishii match from that same card that could have much better filled that time. Oh, well. 

 

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/04/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv.html

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  • 1 month later...

Hey! New episode on Friday is Ricochet (Prince Puma) vs. Kushida. I can watch that. For half a second I thought Puma without his mask was Davey Richards watching the commercial, but that is neither here nor there.

 

EDIT: Looking it up I guess this is Top of the Super Juniors so there will be some other clipped stuff too

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That Ricochet/Kushida match was really good! Ricochet/Puma comes off great with actual selling and limbwork as a part of the story, which is something that's never happened in any of his Lucha Underground stuff, and Kushida (who I've never seen before) came off well too. Maybe I'm still on a high from watching Fury Road but that was one of the best matches I've seen from this NJ experience yet. That last kick was just brutal. Also, if you squint really hard it looks like Masato Tanaka fighting Davey Richards.

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Really dug the Ricochet/KUSHIDA match, one of the best matches they've shown on AXS so far. The spot where KUSHIDA does a sliding dropkick into Ricochet's arm during a springboard was beautiful. 

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Anybody watch last night? They started with a Bucks/Time Splitters match (totally not my thing) and continued with an atrocious Suzuki/Iizuka vs. Sakuraba/Yano match that Barnett said "as JR might have called that, it was 'bowling shoe ugly'". I barely paid any attention to Ricochet/Ibushi even though I like both guys but of course there were a shitload of highspots and the finish was that crazy suplex of Ibushi's, and it was pretty funny when afterwards he said he invented it because he thought he stole it from Kobashi from an article he saw in a wrestling mag -- the article said "jackknife powerbomb" and it took it literally instead of a powerbomb into a jackknife pin, which is what it really was. Pretty underwhelming episode. 

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