sevendaughters

I really did not think Okada-Scurll was good and I like both. Properly plodding.

I was unsurprised that a wrestling show run by and featuring a lot of guys known for knowing self-indulgence ran over trying to get all its shit in. Funnily enough had I been booking this I'd have probably only given 12-15 to that six man, but it wouldn't have been the goddamn main event either. And I don't think anyone needs to see 24/25 mins of Scurll taking on Okada except the mother of Marty Scurll. Heck, nearly everything just went a bit long. Remember when WK9 had to fit into 4hrs with a gigantic walkway and they did it and basically only skimped on matches you wouldn't remember anyway? Snark aside I enjoyed it! Can take it at face value but really helped that I stuck with BTE despite THAT also getting longer and longer. Kenny-Penta was great as expected but Janela-Page was super stuff. Funny how I say that despite my praising the build of BTE - those two matches were only sort of lightly pumped up weren't they? Anyway they did a good job and I'm pleased for everyone concerned, though not quite a SOTY contender (Triplemania English version ahead right now ?). I've always held out hope that the NWA title would get some shine and I'm glad that it's happening. It seems that the direction of travel is that ROH, NJPW, NWA, AAA, and some big indies are - if things hold out - basically going to become the global-era territories, with different flavours of the same big modern wrestling. It'll make purists spit but fuck 'em (us?). Also: three proper world champions on one card and no apparent politics?

new Bullet Club leader on JAN 5

yep. Honma's abuse issue, various dojo beatings, Necrobutcher, Elgin, Rich Swann...i even know a tale of a semi-known worker who was notoriously awful to a string of women before getting a break, wrestling is a grimy place. Maybe it will organically change but right now you accept it or you leave or you are on some level hypocritical however well meaning you are

Apologies, it was 2006, I read the resurfaced story from this year. Genuinely feel that DAVE has atoned here but beating him down is just part of the ignorance of wrestlertwitter (along with defending his wild dickishness). Genuinely think if you're a WWE fan you're not in a position to take any moral high ground at all. Not saying don't watch. But in one hour we could collectively rattle off tales that make Vince and senior management look as conspiratorially awful as the Catholic Church. It's an awful and exploitative business/artform. Arguably necessarily so. Even your progressive favourites like PROGRESS are in bed with WWE whilst pretending to care about inclusivity. Anyway, wasn't Kenny Omege racist three weeks ago? It's gonna blow over.

Dave ballsed up and apologised, Vince sexually assaulted a woman at a tanning salon this year, woke WWE stans need to take looooong look in the mirror.

rewatched the final with English commentary. good enthusiasm, Chris Charlton slightly overdid it as local knowledge guy but he also did seem legit excited to be calling it. lot of details that I forgot to recap yesterday, like Tanahashi doing the Shibata corner stomp and then nodding to him outside. don't know why I'm stalling on calling this 5*, it really was extraordinary.

something about NJPW is bugging me hope you can help me out it's been gnawing at me for a while hope you don't think i'm being stupid but in Juice's theme does the voice say ROAST ROAST BEEF BEEF?

they were doing a storyline thing (I quoth the Tonga nevermore: "fuck a G1") that necessarily dragged matches down. they also protected Fale by giving him a whole bunch of DQ losses.

the quarter stars down near the end are definitely stupid but i find the whole thing funny on different levels. and i guess i do enjoy it too! just try and keep sight of the whole balance of the show, what people are trying to do in a certain spot, and where they might be doing something in the match for the long term booking etc. that's what made Tama so frustrating...you don't feel like there's a possibility they (any of the Tongans) can reward us at the end.

good question. I'd have to let the dust settle a bit before answering. Omega-Naito was one of those matches that seems to spiral upwards and teeter on the edge of overkill and insanity, two outsized personalities at the top of their game - whereas there was a really great control and pacing to today's match between two beloved stars, one in decline and one standing potentially at the crossroads of superstardom or nothing. My gut says last year though.

I feel reasonably confident that this isn't Ibushi hitting the ceiling, that it isn't a case of 'give a final to the old hand' like they did with Goto. He is way too integral to the storyline surrounding the champion and gave them a bunch of awesome matches and a Budokan headliner based on their match. It feels remiss to mention that Tanahashi's film comes out next week.

indulgent post, feel free to skip or @ me G1 CLIMAX 28 STAR RATINGS by me not DAVE (caveat: star ratings are inherently stupid) DAY 01: Makabe-YOSHI 3, Page-Fale 2.75, Elgin-EVIL 3.25, Tanahashi-Suzuki 4, Okada-White 3.75 DAY 02: Ishii-Yano 3.5, Tama-Juice 2, Goto-SANADA 3.5, Ibushi-Sabre 3.75, Omega-Naito 4.5 DAY 03: Elgin-Page 3, EVIL-YOSHI 2.5, Makabe-Suzuki 3.75, Fale-Okada 2.25, White-Tanahashi 3.5 DAY 04: SANADA-Tama 1, Sabre-Yano 3, Ibushi-Juice 3.5, Naito-Ishii 4.5, Goto-Omega 4.25 DAY 05: White-Elgin 3, Suzuki-Yoshi 2.25, EVIL-Makabe 3, Tanahashi-Fale 3.25, Okada-Page 3.75 DAY 06: Yano-Ibushi 3, SANADA-Sabre 3.25, Naito-Juice 4.25, Omega-Tama 2.5, Ishii-Goto 4.75 DAY 07: Elgin-Yoshi 3, EVIL-Fale 0.5, White-Suzuki 3, Tanahashi-Page 3.25, Okada-Makabe 3.75 DAY 08: Yano-Goto 2.5, Naito-Tama 3.5, Sabre-Ishii 3.75, Omega-Juice 3.5, SANADA-Ibushi 4.25 DAY 09: Elgin-Suzuki 3.25, Page-EVIL 4, Fale-White 0.25, Tanahashi-Makabe 3, Okada-Yoshi 3.75 DAY 10: Sabre-Tama 1.25, Juice-Yano 2.5, Ibushi-Ishii 5, Naito-Goto 3.75, Omega-SANADA 4.25 DAY 11: Fale-Makabe 0, Page-White 3.75, EVIL-Suzuki 3.5, Tanahashi-Yoshi 3.75, Okada-Elgin 3.75 DAY 12: Tama-Ishii 3.25, Juice-SANADA 2.75, Naito-Yano 2.75, Omega-Sabre 3.75, Ibushi-Goto 4.25 DAY 13: Elgin-Fale 3, Page-Makabe 3.5, White-Yoshi 3.25, Tanahashi-EVIL 3.75, Okada-Suzuki 4 DAY 14: SANADA-Yano 2.75, Tama-Goto 1, Juice-Sabre 3.5, Ishii-Omega 5, Ibushi-Naito 4.75 DAY 15: Yoshi-Fale 3.25, Page-Suzuki 3.25, White-Makabe 3.5, Elgin-Tanahashi 4, EVIL-Okada 4.25 DAY 16: Ishii-Juice 3.5, Goto-Sabre 3.25, Ibushi-Tama 3.25, Omega-Yano 3.25, Naito-SANADA 4 DAY 17: Elgin-Makabe 3, Page-Yoshi 3.5, Fale-Suzuki -1, White-EVIL 3.5, Tanahashi-Okada 4.5 DAY 18: Yano-Tama 0.5, Juice-Goto 3.25, Ishii-SANADA 4.25, Naito-Sabre 4, Omega-Ibushi 4.5 FINAL: Tanahashi-Ibushi 4.75 Block A average ratings Okada 3.87 Tanahashi 3.67 Page 3.42 Elgin 3.25 EVIL 3.14 YOSHI 3.14 White 3.06 Suzuki 3 Makabe 2.94 Fale 1.58 best match: Tanahashi-Okada worst match: Fale-Suzuki Block B average ratings Ishii 4.17 Ibushi 4.03 Naito 4 Omega 3.94 Goto 3.39 SANADA 3.34 Sabre 3.28 Juice 3.19 Yano 2.64 Tama 2.03 best match: Ishii-Omega worst match: Yano-Tama 4*+ matches G1 23: data missing final: Naito-Tanahashi 4.25 G1 24: 26 in 112 matches (11 x 10 match cards, final, and a runners-up match) = 1 per 4.3 matches final: Nakamura-Okada 4.75 G1 25: 21 in 90 matches (18 x 5 match cards, but Nakamura missed one due to injury) = 1 per 4.28 final: Tanahashi-Nakamura 5 G1 26: data missing final: Goto-Omega 4.5 G1 27: 28 in 91 matches = 1 in 3.25 final: Naito-Omega 4.75 G1 28: 22 in 91 = 1 in 4.13 final: Ibushi-Tanahashi 4.75 verdict: G1 Climax is astonishing value

for me the best Ibushi match is either the original Nakamura match from G1 23 when he was still a jr. He is absolutely at his best when he is mocking the shit out of someone. One of my favourite finishes to a match too.

think there's more of a chance of Tanahashi being the first to lose the briefcase. That said, there's only Jay White in line for a shot.

Okada's certainly been doing a good job of cooling the crowds on him, and Budokan was certainly not with him on Friday, but he might be ridding Gedo to be seen as his own man. It must be so hard to write for a dominant champ after their major reign. You can't shit them back into mid-card. You have to keep them in this spot with a good storyline. Struggling to think of too many from across wrestling.

just prepping a post for later so I have this to hand G1 23 Naito-Tanahashi 4.25 (note: Naito worked two v good matches this night) G1 24 Nakamura-Okada 4.75 G1 25 Tanahashi-Nakamura 5 G1 26 Goto-Omega 4.5 G1 27 Naito-Omega 4.75 (if you check last year's thread I gave it 4.5 but watched it since) G1 28 Ibushi-Tanahashi 4.75

I think the best final was 2015. Another one that I didn't expect Tanahashi to win.

I was very surprised by the ending. I even thought Ibushi is going to hulk out of the HFF, and because Omega-Ibushi felt a little restrained and hinting at a Dome-sized match it is even weirder. But sometimes you have to put aside 'what direction is the company going in?' and just mark out for your favourite wrestler. AISHEMATSU! DOME CARD PREDICTIONS (i am never right) Omega (c) vs. Tanahashi, IWGP Heavyweight Chris Jericho (c) vs. Naito, IWGP Intercontinental Okada vs. Ishii, some kind of CHAOS explodes thing Ishimori vs. KUSHIDA, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight some rotten BC vs. BCOGz tag Young Bucks (c) vs. G1 Tag League winners (let's go Suzuki/Sabre)

wonder the Gedo-Okada split is pretext for Gedo hooking up with his old Team No Respect buddy Lion Do...

DAY 19 (FINAL) INSTA REACTION Tanahashi-Ibushi: super match, loved it, FEEL THE BEST. ****3/4

Really excited for the final. Think it's a great match-up. I think they'll burn it down.

assuming that the final is 4*+, there have been 21 matches rated 4*+ by me in 91 matches. This puts in on a par with G1 24, just behind G1 25, and a little more behind G1 27. Anecdotally it seems a touch better than G1 26 and 23. Those are the only ones I have seen in full. I've just been doing an individual breakdown and will post it after the final (which I might not see live).

that'll be why then!

DAY 18 INSTA REACTIONS watched some of the undercard today. nice to see Honma, the White-R3K stuff was funny, Umino looks like a future hand, Henare seems fine. The commentators mocking Honma's voice was a bit rum. TONGA-YANO get the bullshit out of the way early with Harold Meij-Tunney doing the lawful neutral authority bit. I love Yano but this match was terrible. 1/2* JUICE-GOTO nice for Juice to finally get a win over Goto after losses last year and earlier this year. He seemed to dominate him whilst Goto wrestled like his race had been run. Which it had. Enjoyed Juice's babyface routine arriving and leaving. That stuff never leaves you as a kid. ***1/4 ISHII-SANADA really good stuff. Ishii usually gives whatever is left in the tank on the final night (some great wars with Nagata and Elgin) and this was no exception. Enjoyed the stealing each other's signature moves, and the way all the moves are borrowed from their mentors, it was occasionally flashes of Tenryu v Muta only not quite as charismatic. Just as I thought they were finishing they took it up a gear. ****1/4 SABRE-NAITO well-paced and attractive match. I thought this was Sabre's best of the tournament so far because he did less bullshit and more cutting-off and rubbing-in. Wonder why they booked it like this - can only think there's something down the line, otherwise why would you want to shut off the Naito-backdoor possibility as the clock runs down in the main? **** IBUSHI-OMEGA some thought they'd try and kill each other but I thought the match would look like this (except with some brief interference, reinforced by having Chekhov's Enforcers at ringside in the Young Bucks) - which is to say high intensity, a little messy in parts, undeniably entertaining with a heavy emphasis on story, but not quite the entire package in terms of match quality. Though they did a bit too much trepidatious turnbuckle manoeuvring for my liking, I loooooved Ibushi's huge stomp to Omega's neck. Not sure why a top rope sitout bomb isn't a finish in 2018 either. Anyway, I sound like I'm moaning when I was happy with this and the result and the final match-up. ****1/2 perception change - IBUSHI, SANADA, ISHII - YANO, JUICE, GOTO, SABRE, NAITO, OMEGA - TONGA