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Purotopia General Discussion: 2016 Edition


Kevin Wilson

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Ganbare Pro "AUTOMATIC 2016", 14.05.2016
Oji Basement MON ☆ STAR
150 Fans - Super No Vacancy Full House

2. Men's Street: American Balloon besiegt Chikara & Rainbow Kawamura (6:47) mit einer Balloonsault Press gegen Kawamura.

 

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I'll throw this in here since I'm finished going through a bunch of Wrestle-1 and that led me to seeking out everything I could find of Minoru Tanaka in 2016. At 43, Minoru's having one of the best years of anyone in wrestling, IMO. In Wrestle-1, he always has fun six mans and tags on the smaller shows. On the bigger shows, he turns it up in his big singles matches.

His variety is the most impressive part to me. You’ve got a vintage Minoru juniors style match against Kotaro Suzuki. He gets the absolute hell beat out of him in the match against Yuji Hino to put him over as a new champ. It’s probably in my Top 5 favorite matches of the year. He shows up in sleazy little HEAT UP to have a freaking awesome tag match Koji Iwamoto against the supremely underrated Kazuhiro Tamura & Mineo Fujita. He finds his way to Tokyo Gurentai to face the older and almost as ageless Masaaki Mochizuki and they put on a great match. I loved his match in GUTS against Tatsuhiko Yoshino where he works on top and punishes Yoshino. I even saw this fun little shoot style match from China that he did with Hikaru Sato in Hard Hit.

A few random Wrestle-1 notes ... Promotion seems pretty well booked from show to show in 2016. The roster has a few good vets who can still go when called upon but they mainly stick them in tags and six mans on smaller shows. KAI is doing a new brawler gimmick that is a welcome change. However, I was digging Yuji Hino as the monster ass kicking champ so I was hoping he'd get a longer run. Andy Wu is really good. Very smooth, athletic, and it seems like he's picked out a handful of flashy moves and really mastered them. Everything he does looks good and it's amazing he's not doing more. I like Daiki Inaba as a relentless underdog. Ikemen has some goofy charisma but needs to add a few more comedy spots. I got sick of his same little routine every match. When he actually wrestles, he has some talent.

Wrestle-1 Recommended Matches:
Yuji Hino vs. Minoru Tanaka (2/10), Kotaro Suzuki vs. Minoru Tanaka (3/13), Kaz Hayashi & Minoru Tanaka vs. Yuji Hino & NOSAWA (1/16), Andy Wu vs. Hiroshi Yamato (1/10), Jackets vs. Kaz/Minoru/Tajiri (1/31), KAI vs. Kaz Hayashi (3/13), Kotaro Suzuki vs. Tajiri (4/6)

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Its not any of my business so I won't question how someone that wrestled in main events in Japan for over a decade is out of money, but I am sure if they did a donation type show with Sasaki and Nakajima teaming at the top 'one last time' they could raise some decent money. Hokuto is universally loved from what I can gather by both fans and fellow wrestlers, I am sure people would help out.

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I can't believe Sasaki can't get a job as a trainer for NJ or some other group. Hell someone must need a color commentator or resident legend tp act as league "President" ala the PWF Chariman role.

James

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2 hours ago, Kevin Wilson said:

Its not any of my business so I won't question how someone that wrestled in main events in Japan for over a decade is out of money, but I am sure if they did a donation type show with Sasaki and Nakajima teaming at the top 'one last time' they could raise some decent money. Hokuto is universally loved from what I can gather by both fans and fellow wrestlers, I am sure people would help out.

I have no idea how Japanese healthcare works (if there is any system at all). Apparently, Hokuto underwent numerous sessions of cancer drug therapy aswell as surgery. This stuff can be really expensive, I´d imagine.

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There are a couple of different types of medical insurance but the main ones are shakai hoken (the cost is shared between the person and their business) and kokumin hoken (for people who don't work for companies basically). The monthly costs, especially for shakai hoken depend on how much money you make. Either way, in general people pay 30 percent of medical costs. According to this article, In the case of Akira Hokuto her treatment is costing them a minimum of two million yen (about $18,000). I think that's monthly. The article mentions that they have debt from Diamond Ring and stuff. After Kensuke retired I think she was making more money because she had commercial/spokesperson deals and obviously if she's not well that work is not there for them anymore.

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5 minutes ago, Ryan said:

Kensuke couldn't go back to working if he even wanted to, his neck is too messed up.

I mean everyone can do a protected match, agreed if he is injured he shouldn't be doing bumps but he can throw a few lariats :)

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Not sure where this should go, but there is a charity show for RAY/Lin Bairon being held on August 7th at Korakuen called RAY Aid to help with her bills. Onita is working it free of charge from the looks of it and it sounds like her brain tumor has had some issues and whatnot based on rough translation.

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After powering through some 2016 NOAH, can they please give Davey Boy Smith Jr. some more singles matches? He's fucking great now. I watch him in NOAH with Archer then watch Gallows and Anderson in WWE and wish that somehow we could replace Gallows with Harry.

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14 hours ago, Charlie M. said:

After powering through some 2016 NOAH, can they please give Davey Boy Smith Jr. some more singles matches? He's fucking great now. I watch him in NOAH with Archer then watch Gallows and Anderson in WWE and wish that somehow we could replace Gallows with Harry.

Any recent stuff you'd particularly recommend?

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With the brand split now looming, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the WWE made an offer to Killer Elite Squad to help fill out the expanded rosters.  Of course, it also depends on their contract situation.  The two guys are essentially in limbo (aka NOAH) anyway, with New Japan seemingly in no rush to bring them back, which may, unexpectedly, now work to their adavantage.  They're also much better in-ring than when they left WWE, and they're main roster ready.  They're actually in a really nice position in terms of leverage towards both promotions, and while they're not my favorite tag team or anything, they've worked hard and have certainly earned it.  

Bear in mind, I have no inside information on this, just a hunch.  When Da Meltz mentioned guys getting a serious second look, these two immediately came to mind.    Interesting times ahead.  

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