Beech27

@Pete He apologized for not wearing makeup for the occasion, then encouraged fans to keep buying his DVD. Then: The people running the account just launched a website, which should be a fun resource for the G1.

For all that I enjoyed Naito and Ibushi trying to end one another, this was probably my favorite spot of the night.

Worth the sleep deficit. -Fun tags, which got me excited for a few matches to come. Hard not to look too far down the road, but Omega/Suzuki is enough to keep me focused on what's in the immediate future. Mostly. (Yano's beating Suzuki in 30 seconds to open the door for Omega or Okada, isn't he?) -I generally like ZSJ (I know, right?) and the ingredients were all there for him to tap Tanahashi, but I still didn't expect it. So, that was a pleasant surprise that also makes the bracket even more interesting. ZSJ can believably steal a quick pin on anyone, and Tanahashi is credible enough to beat anyone (he faces Naito on the block's final night, probably with a chance to play spoiler) but damaged enough to drop falls to everyone. -Ibushi and Naito was incredible, and sets up what I hope will be a compelling chase the rest of the tournament. Ibushi's gonna Ibushi, but he looks really at home in these heavyweight main events. Wouldn't mind seeing him settle in for a bit. -Slight non-sequitur: Now with the benefit of hindsight, it seems pretty safe to say both ZSJ and Ibushi are better off missing out on 205 live, doesn't it?

It feels oddly prescient that I rewatched some of the Hashimoto/Takada and Hashimoto/Ogawa matches yesterday. (It was actually just the gifs thread that did it, but still.) This is a rather Inoki finals and angle, by the looks of it.

Sorry if this has been covered, but is there any way to buy an individual show or match on floslam? The service is more content than I care to have, and more money than I care to spend each month, but there are still cards I'd pay to see.

That's fair, depending on definitions. I disagree, though I'm ill-equipped (and even less motivated) to unpack post-Arendt political philosophy, and whether any such distinction can be meaningfully drawn. Certainly I'd argue common usage draws no such bright line, which is enough for this context. No, pro wrestling shouldn't have much to do with congressional house rules, district maps, etc.; but it has always dealt with what many people consider to be political issues.

I don't agree with this at all. The history of pro wrestling feuds is the exploitation of gay panic, nationalism, racism, class struggle, etc. Boo the foreigner, the commie, the flamboyant man, the butch woman; cheer the common man, who is like you, the real Americans, or the ideal version thereof. Wrestling has always been intensely political.

His match with Shibata is out there, for anyone who might like to see him match up with a similarly styled opponent. (Not linking, since it's NJPW, but it's right at the top of a google search, so.)

Nak doesn't have the briefcase, though. I guess he could win it off of Corbin, but I don't see the feud getting those stakes.

For reference, Cagematch has Bray at 81-324-3 on house shows, 83-51-2 on TV, and 35-21-0 on PPVs. I'm certainly not going to defend the trajectory of his career's narrative arc, but his record in matches that are generally considered canon seems fine.

When were they interviewed? I saw Shinsuke get interrupted by Corbin, and Dillinger discuss his strategy with that new broadcaster--there are new ones so often--but I don't remember others.

Really wish Breezango was on the show, but I enjoyed it anyway.

I kinda like the V-Trigger as Omega's jab, honestly. It's easy to hit, and allows him to stifle opponent's offense, or set up his own. Signature strikes, though, are a guilty pleasure of mine. (Especially when they look and sound so brutal.) What bothers me is when offense is omnipresent, not unique to anyone, and used the same way. Forearm exchanges as a match reset, in every match, for instance.

Weird and somewhat long tangent, so I'll put it in tags. But I don't think wrestling and other types of fiction are totally different, regarding what makes a character compelling or not:

Cody is either a poor actor, or a decent one who hasn't figured out how to play "Cody" yet. He speaks like he's reading from a cue card, even now that he's free to say whatever he wants. All of his facials and actions in-ring seem similarly calculated. These deficiencies are more glaring to me now that he's essentially playing himself. (But who the hell is he?) During his Stardust/Dashing/Mask years, that sort of disconnect can be part of the act. Indeed, it was part of it. He was a crazy person, miming at how a human might act in a professional athletic setting. That you could see the seams where it all barely fit together--and sometimes, came apart--was why it worked. Now, instead of playing a comic book villain, he's just a boring jock doing stuff from the Heel 101 coursebook.

So they really are going all in on Omega as the North American audience's (f)ace. I suppose there's something to be said for just putting the belt on the most over guy, and seeing what happens. Incredible match to crown him, also.

Elgin first beat Naito with a burning hammer, so that's the thing he could win with, most likely. The thing about getting a big match finisher though, is you necessarily devalue all the moves a tier below. (Which is why it's interesting to me that Omega has kept the OWA so protected for so long; and conversely, how Okada's managed to avoid finisher escalation, even while the rainmaker is nowhere near a sure winner on its own anymore.)

That's my guess. Lethal winning is a nice bone to throw ROH after Cody lost; ZSJ already works the USA a ton, and is a bigger star here than in Japan anyway; Ishii, well, they don't seem keen to put any major title on him, so the US belt would be a good gesture. Omega is the only one left with other--bigger--things to do in the company.

How about this: Coming into their match--let's say the last night--Omega needs a draw to advance, whereas Okada needs a win. This gives Omega the "champions advantage" Okada enjoyed during their last match, and would let Omega win without winning.

Probably no need for the tags, but:

Hmm. Something doesn't add up with The Ascension's story. Grindcore and thrash metal are distinct genres--though mutually influential, there's no such thing as "grindcore thrash metal." Furthermore, their occult symbology and aesthetic borrows more from goth, deathrock, and industrial than either. Add it all up, and it doesn't hold the water in Fandango's squirtguns. Keep an eye on them, Fashion Police. These are not honest men.

Having no idea, of course, I'll nonetheless predict an Ibushi/Omega finals, with Omega winning. It's simply really hard for me to imagine anything but Okada/Omega headlining the dome show. (Even if he is leaving soon after, the 60 minute draw leaves more to tell than a G1 match can accommodate.)

Is that a given? I can't help but feel they're dangling the prospect of a title win at the dome if he commits for another year (or more).

So that's Kenny Omega's first main roster feud written.

I agree with this. There's not a better story going, nor is there someone the crowd so badly wants to see win the belt. (I'd have listened to an argument for Shibata, but obviously that's not happening.)