Horangi

All i am going to say

Final is set!

The Complete History of Hiroyoshi Tenzan An excellent YouTube video New Japan has put out in English of Tenzan'a career. Tenzan retires tonight. My favourite Tenzan match remains the 03 G1 Final, a very underrated G1 Final that should be talked about more.

Oh I 100% get it, I couldn't tell you what makes a 5 star match vs a 4.75 vs a 4.5, I just look at it from a perspective of how much fun I had watching and I'm more than happy to watch through a simple lens like that. For what its worth I liked most of the Mie show outside of the Narita match. Ultimately as a G1, I think most have had their stocks rise (Such as Tsuji, Oiwa, Yuya, Wolf), if not remain where they are (Shingo, Goto etc) with the only real exception being O-Khan where pretty much everything has been a stinker. He's been surpassed by pretty much everyone from his dojo group and the next, which is a shame considering his background. I've said it before but will say it again, gutted for Shota Umino as I think he would have excelled in this G1 too. Anyway Hamamatsu...

Tsuji vs Boltin may very well be up there at the end of the year in discussion for Match of the Year (I think Oiwa vs Tsuji should be took, but the red hot Korakuen crowd really made a difference). Boltin has an insane ceiling and really should be in the same discussions as Yuya, Oiwa & co as the future stars of New Japan. I think compared to other foreigners there is a much lower risk of losing him to US companies so it wont surprise me if we see Oleg Boltin - IWGP Champ in the next 18-24 months. Anyway Block A finishes up tomorrow:

I am still thinking of the Tsuji/Yuto match, possibly having the opposite of Evil Otto in that on a rewatch I found I liked it less. I still do really like the story that was told in it, but ultimately spoiling the match by looking at ratings first really did take away the magic I guess. Its probably still a top 5 match of the tournament for me, but on the lower scale. On the opposite end, Oiwa vs Tsuji is probably my match of the tournament so far! Tsuji is on an all-time G1 run at the moment, and Oiwa really intrigues me in that size-wise he is one of the biggest of this group but wrestles more like a technician (like a Zack, or say a Fujinami) than say a Kensuke Sasaki which on his return I thought he'd become more like due to his size. With Tsuji, the new finisher is much better than the Gene Blaster and while I still don't find his new theme a wrestling theme, I do find myself singing/humming along to it so at least it is catchy. Goto vs Takeshita was great too, block A is absolutely killing it. Fukuoka may be my favourite night of Block B. Still feel the Block is a bit disjointed without Shota, but all matches from Fukuoka are certainly worth a look. Zack vs OSKAR was probably the pick of the bunch but I really enjoyed Drilla vs Wolf and, if you're fine with HoT shit, Uemura vs Narita was certainly watchable. If I had to sum up my top 5 at this point: 1/8: Tsuji vs Oiwa 19/7: Uemura vs ZSJ 18/7: Tsuji vs Goto 25/7: Takeshita vs Boltin 29/7: Tsuji vs Yuto-Ice

So I watched it... Forgot to add i also enjoyed Jake Lee vs Boltin. Thats two matches without his facepaint and gimmicks that have been decent!

First night in Ota may have my favourite 4 match run so far (Jake/SANADA, Boltin/Takeshita, Roy/Yuto and Tsuji/Takagi) - best overall show outside of Chicago i think so far. Has anyone had a chance to see Tsuji vs Yuto-Ice yet? Current cagematch rating is a 9.5 and its getting comparisons to Kobashi/Sasaki. Hoping to catch it tomorrow.

Loved Goto vs Tsuji, Oiwa vs Shingo and Ice vs Boltin night 2, and Zack vs Uemura night 3, most of what i think has been said but Non-spoiler for last night but I really enjoyed Tsuji vs SANADA. Best SANADA has looked in forever. Fun watching him play underdog despite being q HoT guy. Definitely check it out.

Gutted for Shota, kind of feels like the Gabe feud is a little snakebit. Shota has had a great 2026 and felt this could really have been a breakout tournament for him. Hoping he's not out too long. Apparently he was a favourite to win....I still think Yuya is the favourite as I think Shota will probably regain the Global title from Gabe somewhere and defend against Moxley at the Dome. I think the winner of this G1 will challenge at the Dome, especially if its a new gen guy.

Jake Lee is perfect where he is, as an undercard oddity. Put me in as one of those that can't help but love the guy, I really wanted him to regain some of his shine he had in AJPW but between injuries and not having Kento & Yuma Aoyagi (who he worked best with), I can't see that happening. Not a lot I want to say about the matches that hasn't been said, will add that I really enjoyed Oiwa vs Boltin. I am hoping this G1 will be Oiwa's breakout tournament, and we can get Oiwa vs Uemura in the semis. Not a fan of Oiwa's new theme though however in saying that the audio was terrible so I'll hold judgment until they are back in Japan with better audio. Surely New Japan could ask AEW for some help with production in the states? Especially with the crowd and music. Looping back to music as that seems to be my gripe, but I am starting to really dislike a lot of the new AI lyrical stuff (Callum's has worn thin on me now, not sure if Oiwa's is AI or not or if it was just bad sound on this show). Hell, even Tsuji's new theme is a good song but just doesn't work for me as a wrestling theme. Tsuji and Oiwa (especially Oiwa) already had good music, so not sure why they are changing them (I guess in Tsuji's case, it has to do with May J being a relatively well known pop singer) . Very minor gripe from a grumpy Horangi!

Patrick Beach was immense for a young keeper, I guess the Turkish now know the difficulties of storming a beach (Obsure WWI reference). Turkiye for all their possession rarely troubled Australia, i think we can frustrate the US similarly and probably get a result over Paraguay. I thought we'd lose this one, so very happy obviously!

One of them (Hinata) already has as part of DDT, I think he's teaming with his dad for the first time on an upcoming show.

Finally caught the final, great match despite some of the criticisms I am seeing specifically on X (I really need to stop paying attention to these people). Also biggest Ota crowd since the pandemic, reasons why I think in the spoiler tag

The above really makes me want to hunt down more Titan. A long weekend and stuck at home with the flu...hmmm... Anyway finals are set!

Two really good nights at Korakuen, most matches were at least fun and nothing overly long (the longest matches on both nights are around that 15 minute mark). On 2/6, Titan and Kosei Fujita had a great match, Fujita is definitely the wrestler of the tournament and Titan as usual is pretty great. Titan is someone that really makes me want to learn and watch more of wrestling from Mexico, I just wish I had the time (and money, saving for a Europe trip at the end of the year is a killer). Kasai vs Wato as well as Wayne vs Valiente Jr are the other major highlights of this show. I like Valiente as well, but I will say some of the camera angles really exposed how much cooperation for some of his big moves is needed (especially both Wayne vs X with both guys having to cross their arms and hold them out for him to do the Valiente Special). I am not sure what Wayne's position is on the card in AEW/ROH but if there is a way he can do more New Japan tours I'm all for it, he's been great. 3/6, the final show before semi finals may be my favourite show of the tour. Kosei Fujita (again) vs Daiki Nagai may be one of the best sub-10 minute New Japan junior matches I have seen in a very long time, I'm really looking forward to the day these two are fighting over the title in a brutal 15-20 minute Korakuen Hall main event - right up there with the best matches of the tournament. Wato vs Wayne was really good too, as was Akira vs Titan. Block B opened the show with the first 5 matches, Eagles vs HYO was a lot of fun but maybe I am liking it more due to my emotional investment in it?

Not really much to say with the smaller shows, some bad atmospheres didn't help but it feels like just about everyone was going through the motions before the final Korakuen push. Numazu on the 27th may be the worst show of the tournament, both Eagles vs Ishimori and Akira vs Kasai were fine but really no need to go out to see unless you're a completionist. Similar story for the 29th in Niigata - Wayne vs Titan, Fujita vs Volador Jr and Wato vs Nagai were fun. If there was a recommendation from the 3 shows, it would be El Desperado vs KUSHIDA from the 30th in Takaoka which felt more like the Eagles match, more about wrestling than silly foot stuff. Block B has been disappointing really outside of the Despy/Eagles/KUSHIDA triangle of matches. HYO in particular I don't think has had much of a chance to show what he is capable of. Standings (from Purolove): Block A: 1. Titan [10] -. Master Wato [10] 2. Jun Kasai [8] -. Francesco Akira [8] 5. Ryusuke Taguchi [6] -. Nick Wayne [8] -. Kosei Fujita [8] -. Robbie X [8] 9. Valiente Jr. [4] 10. Daiki Nagai [0] Block B: 1. El Desperado [10] 2. SHO [8] -. YOH [8] -. Taiji Ishimori [8] -. Robbie Eagles [8] 6. Daisuke Sasaki [6] -. Yoshinobu Kanemaru [6] -. Hyo [6] -. Jakob Austin Young [6] 10. KUSHIDA [4] Block A is the hardest to call, Robbie X is guaranteed 10 as he beats Nagai and then likely loses to Valiente but he has some big tie breakers (Fujita & Akira). Fujita has Titan and Nagai left, so based on Titan's strong start I can see Fujita getting both so I think it'll be him plus one of Wato, Akira or possibly X. I'm leaning funnily enough now to Akira as Wato has 2 x banana peel matches in Kasai and Wayne while Akira has Taguchi and Titan on the last day (which could be a qualification decider main event, though so could Wato vs Wayne to be fair). Block B really feels like Desperado + one other. My heart wants it to be Robbie Eagles, but I just feel like he's going to beat Young and lose to HYO (or other way around, I think he's ceiling is 10 points). I could see this being a group with a log jam at 10 for 2nd place with the four at 8 all going 1-1 which is possible as none of them face each other (SHO has Sasaki/Young, Eagles has Young/HYO, Ishimori has HYO/KUSHIDA and YOH has Desperado/Sasaki). In that case, Eagles would be the one to go through as he and YOH have 2-1 record in the group of four and Eagles has the tiebreak over YOH. I think I am just talking myself into a way Robbie does go through just to inevitably be disappointed.

Taro Okada did state the relationship between NJPW and STARDOM is expected to continue so likely there won't be any immediate changes to how and where the IWGP Women's Title is booked. It is pro wrestling, so I do take these kind of statements with a degree of skepticism however, so I'll believe when I see.

Need a bit of time to digest this but initial thoughts are that CyberAgent can give New Japan what Bushiroad can't through media distribution (especially international, streaming infrastructure and in cooperation with TV Asahi, broader media reach - things New Japan need to be more profitable instead of just breaking even as they currently are. On the negative a CyberAgent wrestling monopoly cannot be a good thing for anyone but CyberAgent itself. I would hope New Japan can maintain a level of independence to a large extent. EDIT: Seems like TV Asahi has the majority and CybrrAgent is more of an investor so likely so. Seen people worried it means they'll work with WWE over AEW but I cant see that being the case.

Quick sum up of recommendations out of Himeji and Kobe: HIMEJI 23/5 - Not much here really, Eagles vs YOH in the main event was fun, but compared to other main events it may be the weakest of the bunch. KYOTO 24/5 - Nice to see KBS Hall! Akira vs Nagai was a lot of fun, Nagai is going to be something special. Robbie X is right up there with Eagles and Akira for non-Fujita wrestler of the tournament and the Titan match is well worth checking out. Very exciting, plenty of counters and flying. Special mention for Nick Wayne vs Jun Kasai. Kasai matches outside Fujita haven't been great (maybe Kasai doesnt do well with luchadores?) but Wayne was certainly up for wrestling Kasai's style and with the hot crowd, I was pleasantly surprised.

Agreed on Fujita vs Robbie X. Will also add Fujita (surprise surprise) vs Wato from last night. It may in fact be my match of the tournament so far. Wato is possibly the most frustrating guy on the roster, he can be so great like here and the match with Titan a few years ago where he won the BoSJ is one of New Japan's best modern junior matches but for whatever reason he is just missing the fire or spark a lot of the time. When he's fired up like here, and has the crowd behind him, he is amazing to watch. In short, fired up Wato + Wrestler of the Tournament Fujita = Really good pro wrestling!

Caught up on Hachioji and Yoyogi shows. Nothing HIGHLY recommended from Hachioji. Did get a laugh from SHO's method of ambush on Eagles by pretending to be a fan. SHO's 3 matches have been fun, still cheats but the no HoT run-ins have made them more palatable. I feel Kosei Fujita vs Nick Wayne was very close to getting to that next level, amazing to think these two are 23 and 20 years old and are as good as they are. Give it a few more minutes and I think they get there. El Desperado vs Taiji Ishimori I think we expect to be good, and it was. Again probably needed more time with the slow start. Still worth a look if you're a fan of either. I enjoyed Yoyogi a bit more than Hachioji, but as we saw at Hachioji the all block matches shows means a lot of the undercard is quick. Feel bad for Valiente Jr, not quite sure what happened there but hope its not serious. Thought Sasaki vs HYO was fun. Nothing better than Night 1 main, but two possible lower end (lets call them 'possible, not probable' matches of the tournament. Kosei Fujita vs Jun Kasai was exactly what I hoped it would be. Kasai looking for ways to incorporate his style into matches is going to be a fun theme. Common theme that Fujita is going to be listed a lot as he has so many main/semi main events and so he should be. There's blood and violence but like Hachioji matches this could have used more time. El Desperado vs Robbie Eagles was the opposite, slower start with both guys targeting legs for their submissions. These two have wrestled a lot over the years with their 2022 match being their best. This was very good but with their chemistry i didn't expect any less. Upcoming Korakuen show Wednesday looks great with Nagai/Kasai, Despy/HYO, Wato/Akira and Fujita/X all on the card. There's also another ROPPONGI 3K EXPLODES match...unfortunately they've never really had a good match together, hoping this bucks that trend.

Night 1 was fun, I'll put match thoughts of what I watch here and then put a summary list of any match of the year contenders in its thread at the end. Probable Match of the Tournament Contender - 14/5: Kosei Fujita vs Francesco Akira Fun Match that won't likely be a Match of the Tournament but I loved it anyway - 14/5: Robbie Eagles vs KUSHIDA

FMW-E?

Kento vs Mashimo was really really good (as expected). I enjoyed this year better than last year - hot Korakuen crowd split between both. Don't know if All Japan requires spoiler boxes but to be safe