EricR

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.

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

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.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/02/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv_28.html I thought this was a pretty horrible match this week, with almost all of that attributed to Naito. This guy is a total zero. No sort of charisma, total blank slate of a face, no good at building a logical match. I loved one moment early one where Tanahashi shot him into the ropes and Naito did an incredibly realistic collapse. The problem was that meant he was already selling his knee as if he couldn't put any weight at all on it, and it was only a few minutes into a long match.

I always just thought it was a way to put some distance between you and your opponent.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/02/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv_20.html Thank goodness we got a little Okada vacation this week. Each of his matches they've shown have been worse than the previous one. I mean I don't understand showing a Tenzan singles match on TV, but at least we also got the best puro match of 2013.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/02/lucha-underground-episode-14-workrate.html Pretty rough episode in terms of in ring work, but probably the strongest as far as non in ring goes. Mundo looked awful in his match and the announce team over pushing that phantom "blown out knee" was embarrassing. But all the vignettes were so damn good that I'd call the episode a win.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/02/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv.html Yeah I've been snubbing a lot of my normal life interests ever since I found out that pro graps exists in the Orient. Episode 4 of this show was pretty bad. Okada looked horrible in the main, although I liked Makabe more than I remember. Devitt looked hilariously bad in the "highlights" of the Tanahashi match. Rough stuff. I would really like something other than Okada main events at this point.

Just go by the chubby scale: Cisco is the chubbiest, Bael has a belly, and Castro is the only one who looks like he has picked up a weight.

Yeah, I also just put together that FLIK = BBJ when I saw Dylan had mentioned it. Embarrassing since I've gone out of my way to watch a couple matches on youtube with FLIK but then completely spaced on that fact when I, you know, was talking to you at the show. Whoops.

I want my refs to be wallpaper. This guy desperately wants to be the focal point during important parts of matches.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/01/lucha-underground-episode-12-workrate.html This was my favorite episode so far, even if I hated the even steven nature of the main event. Loved all the vignettes, really dug the other matches.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-tv_30.html Liked the match just fine, although never would have guessed this was the "match of the year". I actually liked the one from 1/4 more. Really think Mauro is a mixed bag as he provides some great information in an easily digestible way, but then he starts screaming and gets really hyperbolic and I think he's horrible. I also officially hate Red Shoes Unno. I hate refs having a "personality" or gimmick, and whatever the hell his deal is gets way too intrusive.

We're literally using a random number generator to decide which years to do next. It's a completely dorky idea that I talked Phil into. I'm really looking forward to people suggesting stuff once we establish a year, to see if they can topple our choice.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-wwe-royal-rumble-live-blog.html We have a Royal Rumble live blog going on at Segunda Caida. Not sure if Phil or anybody else is around, but I'll make the journey.

Boy I did not love the 2nd episode. That Goto/Okada match ticked all of the boxes of why I don't seek out NJ main events. Also not sure why they showed a clipped down version of that 6 man. Surely they could have found another match that fit into their time a bit better? Also it is now on my radar how much I cannot stand Red Shoes Unno. I have never heard of him until I looked him up yesterday, looking for an answer to "Who is this terrible ref who keeps making everything about him and tries to steal the spotlight from the actual wrestlers?" I've seen refs in Guadlajara that were more in the background than this guy.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-japan-pro-wrestling-on-axs-episode.html So I checked out the new AXS TV show and liked it more than I expected. I don't usually go out of my way to watch much NJPW, although I often like Nakamura and Suzuki. So, going into this project with an open mind.

Segunda Caida review up, too much stuff to mention in the Aztec Warfare match. My favorite spot was probably Mundo hitting a crazy crossbody while Muertes was holding Puma prone in the ropes, sending both to the floor with Puma hitting the apron in a nasty way on the way down. So naturally both Phil and I don't mention it in the review. http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2015/01/lucha-underground-episode-9-workrate.html

Wow. I actually hadn't even thought that we actually came through on that promise. It's just been…our life at this point. I see no reason to quit this now. I should also note that Phil started talking stupid numerous times about posting 2-3 things a day. Which is stupid. But there were still plenty of days where we posted two things. I am not going to count, but I bet we threw up over 400 things this year. Stupid. At the start of 2014 I would have optimistically guessed we could make it through February.

I was also surprised Cassandro wasn't booked for this fed. He and Rodriguez even have Texas roots! But I hope Pimpi is more of a regular, I thought he looked flat out awesome.

The Cassavetes set is worth so much more than $47. My favorite Criterion set of all time (with America Lost & Found coming in second). I finally pulled the trigger on the Shoah blu set, which was $38.05 after tax. Yowza.

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2014/11/lucha-underground-episode-5-workrate.html Our Segunda Caida review is up. Another really good week for this program. This thing is too easy to watch, yet they always cram a lot of stuff into each ep…while never feeling like there's an overload. Excellent editing. The main event was my favorite match of the run so far. All the run ins and interference fit in perfectly. Really added to the whole match.

I think Vampiro improving is only an illusion as it's pretty clear a lot of his lines are dubbed in.

Naw, if anything I deserve the blame for willfully watching stuff that I have a good idea is going to be bad, instead of more recommended stuff. But hey you're awesome, and I dig the feedback.

This show is so fucking horrible. "Prenatal Robin Story" is something so impossibly bad that it seems like a too obvious Onion article making fun of nerd culture origin stories. They just went back wayyyyyyyy too fucking far with this prequel. It would be like if Bates Motel were actually about Norma Bates pregnant with Norman Bates, years away from moving and buying a motel. I have no clue who this show is actually for. But I've actually been cracking up all day just saying the words "Prenatal Robin Story". I can picture the writer's room where everybody is going around the table giving their ideas, and the new guy feebly suggest "Prenatal Robin Story?" and the room goes silent, and he starts second guessing himself, and then Bruno Heller just starts with an epic slow clap like at the end of Rocky IV.