Puroresu General Discussion for 2018

[Kang]

I have nothing against BJPW but they don't seem to have tall heavy contracted wrestlers. I'm not a sizest but I prefer traditional types.

I tired watching Dragongate over the years but not many workers appeal to me. I don't tend to like Junior types except in rare cases.

 

[Eivion]

I mostly watch Stardom though I have started to catch some NJPW via AXS.

[Control]

AJPW is really hit and miss, but it’s the only fed I follow. Actually just watched Miyahara v Yoshitatsu from today, which was quite good I thought. Most of the random tags they’ve had recently w Akiyama on one team and Jake Lee on the other have been worth a watch.

[Ryan]

If you don't like Hideki Suzuki, you're a meanie.

[Control]

People seem to like this Shotaro Ashino chap in Wrestle-1, but I admit that nothing about W1 has ever peaked my interest enough for me to go check it out.

[jaedmc]

2 hours ago, Control said:

People seem to like this Shotaro Ashino chap in Wrestle-1, but I admit that nothing about W1 has ever peaked my interest enough for me to go check it out.

I like a lot of the guys on the W-1, but like I said, after the split I just couldn't get into it.

I'd never seen Ashino so I looked up him vs. Shuji Kondo. I used to love Kondo when he was wrecking juniors. I don't think I dig him as a heavyweight, his burst of speed made him exciting because he could keep up with the swifter guys. Now he looks a little more allergic to the cardio. The match was okay, but I can't say it was really because of anything Ashino did. Not that he didn't provide anything, he certainly can hang. I think what I found weird was that he'd following the "amateur wrestler" blueprint Kurt Angle did. Suplexes, ankle locks. Sugiura did it. Jack Swagger did it. Now this guy. I do like that he started out working the leg to set it up later. 

He seems more like a potential great guy, so I'm surprised he's "the" guy right now. He's a good looking dude and he does connect to the audience, which is great, but his ring work feels like it fits a mold more than it feels like a part of his storytelling ability.

[Curt McGirt]

6 hours ago, jaedmc said:

the "amateur wrestler" blueprint Kurt Angle did. Suplexes, ankle locks

God, not another one...

Good to know Kondo's still at it. I think if he had came around these days in NJ he might've ended up working Heavy. 

EDIT: Read a little closer and you said he was actually working Heavy, duh. I always thought he would've been good if he moved up, sucks that isn't working out as well.

[Control]

 

Kondo just worked AJ’s junior tag tournament, and according to Cagematch, Ashino is 5’9” and like 187 lbs. so, think they’re both juniors, but I think many of W1’s titles are necessarily open weight.

if you wish to continue you Ashino dive, his matches v Soya this year are supposedly his best.

[Ryan]

Shuji Kondo is 40 years old. Cut him some slack. Ashino also wrestles bigger than he seems. Remember, Kondo's not that tall of a guy, it's why he's never been used as a heavyweight. That and preference.

http://www.w-1.co.jp/Player/
Look at the goofs they use. Be mystified by their temporary usage of Kenichiro Arai in a mask as Drunk Andy. They have a lot of young homegrown guys. Kind of like BJW's huge roster of their own guys.

[Control]

On 7/16/2018 at 12:30 PM, D.Z said:

Royal Road 2018. Ishikawa wants another shot at the Triple Crown before this, making him the possible next challenger for Kento for Aug.

 

Bumping this as the tournament is now underway~!

Right now I’m thinking Suwama takes his side of the bracket. Other side is a bit harder to call, with Jake and Hino both likely candidates, but who will have to overcome Miyahara.

 

[Kang]

Joe vs Jake Lee for the finals? Joe wins maybe. Still too early for Jake to be pushed that fast, better to hold that push for next year when he turns 30. 

[jaedmc]

On 9/16/2018 at 6:55 AM, Ryan said:

Shuji Kondo is 40 years old. Cut him some slack. Ashino also wrestles bigger than he seems. Remember, Kondo's not that tall of a guy, it's why he's never been used as a heavyweight. That and preference.

http://www.w-1.co.jp/Player/
Look at the goofs they use. Be mystified by their temporary usage of Kenichiro Arai in a mask as Drunk Andy. They have a lot of young homegrown guys. Kind of like BJW's huge roster of their own guys.

I actually just looked up how old he was before I read your post and was going to bring it up.. It's a lot of mileage for sure. Regardless he was still the best part of the match.

That roster does not inspire excitement. 

On 9/16/2018 at 6:00 AM, Control said:

 

Kondo just worked AJ’s junior tag tournament, and according to Cagematch, Ashino is 5’9” and like 187 lbs. so, think they’re both juniors, but I think many of W1’s titles are necessarily open weight.

if you wish to continue you Ashino dive, his matches v Soya this year are supposedly his best.

Thanks!

I watched Soya vs. Ashino from 3.14 and it's better. For one Soya is so fucking great as Nakanishi 2.0. For two, Ashino is a FANTASTIC dick. I hate his smug everything and he milks it really well. I can see the appeal for sure.  

The story is him just killing Soya's arm and Soya trying to overcome that so he can use his arm. Ashino still goes for an ankle lock, which is fucking dumb at that point, because it hasn't been the focus.

However in the full story of the match it WORKS because he tries to do this Tequila Sunrise ankle lock so he gets the arm and the move he wants. When that DOESN'T WORK, he's like "Fuck the Ankle Lock," and sticks to trying to destroy the arm. 

If this were a YES/NO thread it would easily get a Yes. I didn't know who was going to win and I loved the finish. There's a great moment where Soya tries to strike Ashino with his injured arm, and Ashino no-sells it to let Soya know he's got nothing left in that arm. It's weak. Soya is great here because he's not striking very hard, to sell the idea that it's hard to hit and he just looks so goddamn upset that he can't hurt this guy. Very cool match.

[Control]

Yuji Hino and Bodyguard had the best  Yuji Hino and Bodyguard match possible yesterday. Just ridiculous.

[Belgian_Waffle]

On 9/13/2018 at 11:30 AM, Beech27 said:

 

Here's something amusing, at least:

 

There was a great section of the old shoot tape George Hines did for Highspots where he describes working with True and says something like "I would never try a spot with Taue. He wanted to go in there, give you his backdrop, give you his big boot, give you his choke slam. Maybe take one bump. Then go back to the locker room and smoke a lot of cigarettes." 

Sometimes I think Taue must be one of the most self aware wrestlers of all time. He knew how to stay special: take it easy for the tour, work like hell in the big title matches/tournament finals. 

[Dolfan in NYC]

Bullet.  Club.  Is.  Fine.

 

[Pete]

On 9/13/2018 at 11:30 AM, Beech27 said:

Here's something amusing, at least:

 

I'd read that his "official" debut match was the following day... against BUDDY F'N LANDEL. Tell me you don't want to see that somewhere...

[Jiji]

The wrestling gods giveth ZSJ vs. Hechicero in PWG but taketh away our bronzed jacked freak (from today's Observer):

Quote

NEW JAPAN: The actual Katsuya Kitamura hasn’t been around is because one of his legs was crushed in a horrible scooter accident. It’s not 100 percent that he won’t be able to come back but we’re told it doesn’t look promising. That’s a real sad story because he had superstar presence and most figured he’d be fast-tracked, because of his age and look, to main event status. He was just starting to do some really good singles matches in prelims so he was getting it down. 

In slightly better news:

Quote

OTHER JAPAN NOTES: The comeback of Takeshi Morishima that was scheduled for next month had to be canceled since Morishima fell ill with sepsis. He’s expected to be hospitalized for at least another month and he is still planning a comeback, but it doesn’t look like it will be until the spring. 

Edit: Dave also gave three AJPW matches from the 9/17 show 4 stars or above. 

[John E. Dynamite]

I want a different Kitamura retirement reason every month, regardless of anything. Like Spinal Tap drummer obituaries.

[Archibald]

So if I'm not mistaken: It was concussion, then it was a cover up for something else, then there were rumours about drug use and bad behaviour behind the scene, then he was fired and rehired as a disciplinary action, now his legs got crushed? I also don't really understand the reasoning behind using concussion to cover up that his leg was crushed.

To me all this stuff points towards Dave having no idea what he is talking about and that he doesn't have any native sources.

[Kang]

Seems like Zeus is slowly replacing Suwama in the order maybe. Eventually Kento, Zeus, Jake Lee, Yuma, Nomura will be the top 5 guys in few years from now.

[Ryan]

Zeus is starting to get up there in age, so he'll be the old guard as strange as that sounds. Bodyguard's already ancient.

[Jiji]

DDT spoilers:

Spoiler

Dino won the triple threat to regain the title and will face Daisuke Sasaki in the main event of Peter Pan in the Budokan, October 21st. That is such a strange main event to one of their biggest shows of the year. I love Dino and all but I'm disappointed Meiko didn't retain.

Cima vs. Takeshita is also booked. That should be rad. Here's the full Peter Pan card from Dramatic DDT

Quote

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2018 ~FALL WRESTLING CULTURE FESTIVAL~”, 21/10/2018
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Mina Shirakawa DDT First Participation War! Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Miyu Yamashita, Yuki Kamifuku & Mina Shirakawa Vs Yuka Sakazaki, Mizuki & Shoko Nakajima
0. Time Difference Battle Royal: Gorgeous Matsuno Vs X
1. Gauntlet Tag Match: KUDO & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Tanomusaku Toba & Keisuke Okuda Vs Tomomitsu Matsunaga & Michael Nakazawa Vs X
2. The World’s Crazy Couple Battle: Makoto Oishi & Misaki Ohata Vs Joey Ryan & Laura James
3. ALL OUT Vs STRONG HEARTS! Special 6-Man Tag Match: Akito, Shunma Katsumata & Yuki Iino Vs T-Hawk, El Lindaman & Tian Yunan
4. The Difference In 27 Years Of Age! Representative Director And President (48 Years Old) And Belonging Wrestler (21 Years Old) Waste Blood Washing Conflict Play – Final Settlement Weapon Rumble!: Sanshiro Takagi Vs MAO
5. Will You Eat Or Be Eaten!? Giant Special Single Match: Super Sasadango Machine Vs Andreza Giant Panda
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Soma Takao, Tetsuya Endo & Mad Paulie (c) Vs Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Yuki Ueno
7. Dramatic Dream Match: Konosuke Takeshita Vs CIMA
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki

Meiko Satomura and Maki Ito will be on the card. Guys like HARASHIMA, Kasai and the RENEGADES are currently missing too.

SSM vs. Giant Panda will steal the show. MAO vs. Takagi is another classic in the making. I hope Maki gets a big moment to shine.

 

[Eivion]

That is disappointing.

Spoiler

Meiko possibly main eventing was the first thing that had me interested in DDT in years.

 

[RIPPA]

 

[Pete]

Ohhhhh yes. In my head I'm picturing them running the Elmcor Center or La Boom, basically 15 minutes from my house...

EDIT: La Boom it is!