sevendaughters

Really is going full nWo isn't it

sneaking in to say Suzuki-Tanahashi was very good, my kind of pro wrestling, excellent Volk Han style calf slicer at the end. off to catch the top 2 of today now.

I didn't love the Okada-Suzuki title match but the G1 match was lordly. Gonna catch the title match in the morning. Long day. Can't wait for it.

there's an edited video of Drone going round in the middle Korakuen where he looks drunk as shit, I didn't quite notice as I wasn't paying loads of attention to his match, maybe it's become a bit of a jolly for some of the CMLL lads, free money and it doesn't harm their standing back home.

yeah this was probably my least favourite iteration of Fantasticamania all told. *shrug*

yeah I'd be up for AJPW trying to seize hold of the shootier-end of the mainstream in Japan while NJPW are doing their PWG thing but not like that! presume Fujita and Suwama will reignite their never-ending war. if they send Marukami over then we're talking.

Ryoji Sai's promotion did 400 in Seoul the other night which seems pretty good. Often wondered why they don't hit Korea more, or why Korea doesn't have much of its own wrestling scene. I know there's racial and historical tension there but Rikidozan, Maeda, Choshu are all Korean, and it's not like there is no fight culture there.

Suzuki's drop kick = most underrated.

omg I see it now classic NJPW mystery "X" challenger video plays ominous trap beat slogan appears "I been here before" rap rock remix of Ode to Joy with excessive widdly solo Gedo books the redemption of Rikio (postscript: Kidani has a heart attack, sells the company, audiences return to 2003 levels)

btw I frickin love Red Shoes immensely

I gave my marks upthread but within an hour of the close. Rewatched it the other day with English commentary and here are my updated marks. RUMBLE: *** - look they don't do Rumbles like the US, there's more standing about and the booking is non-existent other than who will win and maybe this guy will fight this old foe but it is FUN. R3K - Buxxx - **** - up from last rating. Really solid tag match and they probably could deliver more in a better spot. Sho and Yoh are legit and that is HEARTWARMING. Gauntlet - *** - it's one match Dave. Yano's timing is very good. Ibushi - Cody - ****1/4 - yep, very good, Cody can do it, this wasn't just Ibushi wrestling a broomstick. KES - LIJ - **** - exactly what was needed in the spot and Archer was GREAT. If the heavy tags could be "ten minutes of mayhem" then I am in. Goto - Suzuki - ****1/4 - Goto's extended selling of the choke was probably realistic but his flopping around a lot slightly took away from a very good and intense match. Ending was perfect, that simple symbolism that New Japan do well often and WWE occasionally get right. Jr 4 way - ***. Originally gave it a DUD to be provovative. There's enough good stuff around the annoying stuff, and it's unfair on the effort of Hiromu and the good bits that Scurll did (also cool entrance). Tana - Jay ***1/4 - back to the drawing board for Jay. Kenny - Jericho ****1/2 - slightly overlong brawl but really excellent in parts. Okada - Naito ****1/2 - quarter off for the trousers.

I endorse these except the junior match which he overrates and the Rumble which he underrates.

found them

it's out! post 'em!

to me this call is as good as any of JR's big ones

I watched a match with some friends with English comms around when Corino was doing it and it was way better than when Striker was doing it, but I too am Japanese all the way. I've picked up a little of the language too - though I can't tell what they're saying when this happens: Shibata-san Hai? LONG QUESTION LONG ANSWER Liger groans Nogami's emotion is incredible. His breaking down in tears at Nagata's G1 retirement will stay with me for ages. What is kind of amazing about the Japanese comms is that only some of the announcers are NJPW employees - some are networks guys doing the job, and yet they still sound less forced than WWE. Not that we should keep comparing NJPW & WWE and there is a long history of great English language announcing. Just not much at the present.

I would love a UWF rules belt so put me down for that

in a sense you're right, it is a silly title, but I do think it has been booked well (if not enough actual Openweight) and the matches for it are generally a thing to enjoy. Having the US title as a sop to the new fans is what annoys me, to be honest. Merge two of them.

some good cards here. I must admit the Osaka show without the foreign talent does interest me most. mainly because it's focused.

Tanahashi & Okada are working the tour but not these dates. Odd, but presumably they can rely on the event drawing.

It's one of the most wonderful times of the year! Here's the cards for the three Korakuen Hall shows from purolove.com NJPW "NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2018", 19.01.2018 (NJPW World) Tokyo Korakuen Hall 1. Fuego vs. OKUMURA 2. Rush, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Satoshi Kojima, Dragon Lee, Star Jr. & Hirai Kawato 3. Atlantis, Mistico, Volador Jr. & Drone vs. Ultimo Guerrero, El Barbaro Cavernario & Disturbio 4. CMLL World Middleweight Title: Angel de Oro (c) vs. Cuatrero 5. Mexican National Welterweight Title: Soberano Jr. (c) vs. Sanson 6. CMLL World Light Heavyweight Title: Niebla Roja (c) vs. Gran Guerrero NJPW "NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2018", 21.01.2018 (NJPW World) Tokyo Korakuen Hall 1. Drone & Star Jr. vs. Puma & Disturbio 2. Soberano Jr., Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. OKUMURA, YOH & SHO 3. Rush, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Satoshi Kojima, Atlantis, KUSHIDA & Hirai Kawato 4. CMLL Brothers Tag Tournament - Semi Final: Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero vs. Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro 5. CMLL Brothers Tag Tournament - Semi Final: Mistico & Dragon Lee vs. Sanson & Cuatrero 6. NWA World Historic Welterweight Title: Volador Jr. (c) vs. El Barbaro Cavernario NJPW "NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2018", 22.01.2018 (NJPW World) Tokyo Korakuen Hall 1. Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Puma & Disturbio 2. Star Jr., Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & KUSHIDA vs. OKUMURA, Rocky Romero, YOH & SHO 3. CMLL Brothers Tag Tournament - 3rd Place Match: 4. Hirai Kawato Send Off Match: El Barbaro Cavernario & Gedo vs. Atlantis & Hirai Kawato 5. Volador Jr., Soberano Jr. & Drone vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI 6. Special Singles Match: Satoshi Kojima vs. Rush 7. CMLL Brothers Tag Tournament - Final: Really up for the Brothers Tag tournament and Kawato's send-off but for me the big draw is BREAD CLUB REPRESENTATIVE SATOSHI KOJIMA vs. THE ORIGINAL INGOBERNABLE RUSH

yes that was match #1 and he won it

KENTA did a great one way back, had wars against Misawa, Kobashi, Takayama, Akiyama, Marafuji, Ogawa, and, er, Juvi Guerrera.

I have a working theory that the Tanahashi match was probably going to be Shibata, and that Shibata was kind of the glue holding things together wrt the wrestling keeping more of a realistic feeling. His absence is keenly felt. Particularly by me. I enjoyed WK12 & NYD but I feel there is a definite PWG/fantasy fight thing happening in NJPW that I would love to have reigned in a little.

I'm happy for CHAOS to be the cool dads who go to Yano's bar guys, LIJ are the cool sort-of heels now and that is fine by me. It's just they're not that cool anymore. Aside from this: