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NJPW 1/4 WRESTLE KINGDOM 11 in TOKYO DOME


Raziel

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1 hour ago, Phil Schneider said:

Here is my Segunda Caida review of the main, short answer, didn't like it, thought it was paced weird and while the big moves looked cool, the rest of the execution was wonky

 

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2017/01/2017-doesnt-make-list-six-star-edition.html

Worst read ever.

MINUS SIX STARS!

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You really went there, referencing Crossfit and Rollins by name? If Rollins is "Crossfit Jesus", what do you think Kenny's fans are going to come up with? I mean, folks that grew up knowing Austin 3:16 could just cite "I am the Alpha and the Omega" right out of Revelations.

 

 

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They definitely didn't go straight from the table spot to the dragon suplex, though.  Okada got a short run of some of his big stuff in between, including a missile dropkick to a kneeling Omega that he sold like he'd been hit point blank in the chest with shotgun.

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You can't love AJ and Cena and not love Omega/Okada, you can but I don't see a huge difference if the gripe revolves around big moves for near falls or certain moves ending up meaning nothing.

Fwiw, I loved both matches and the setting and the stakes and the crowd are all part of the reason why I feel the near falls are worthy.

Plus, Omega never actually hit his finisher.

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5 hours ago, Phil Schneider said:

Here is my Segunda Caida review of the main, short answer, didn't like it, thought it was paced weird and while the big moves looked cool, the rest of the execution was wonky

 

http://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2017/01/2017-doesnt-make-list-six-star-edition.html

Pretty much hits home with my feelings regarding the match. I agree that there is weird pacing and quite a few odd moments, the first twenty minutes don't fit well with where the match went. 

RandomAct put it well. So many huge spots/moves which both guys couldn't make nearly seem as important as they should have. 

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5 hours ago, Phil Schneider said:

Is that a Rollins thing? He definitely looks like a crossfit guy, didn't know that was part of his gimmick, I admit I fast forward aggressively anytime he talks

http://games.crossfit.com/video/chat-seth-rollins

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/SethRollins

Yeah, Shane even referenced it during the draft.

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Just finished Okada/Omega.

That was a great match. Overall, I was incredibly entertained. This is the most I've enjoyed an Omega match ever. I'm still not crazy about his character work but his in-ring work is world class. Also, let's put to rest the "Okada isn't very good" nonsense. It takes two to tango and those two tangoed their asses off.

There were a couple of spots that made me cringe (the dragon suplex and the missile dropkick) but over all everything seemed to make sense given the fact that it was Omega and it was the biggest NJPW show of the year.

Greatest match of all time? No...that's just dumb.

6 stars? Matches don't go to 11.

5 stars? Not quite in my book but close. Obviously way early to start the match of the year discussion but, unless 1989 and 1994 come back and combine in a single magical 2017, it'll be in the discussion.

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I don't mind people saying it's GOAT. I think they took the New Japan formula and advanced it with crazy athleticism, dangerous spots (though defo not necessary), selling, and tempo. I fully understand that the absurd amount of big spots is not for everybody (though I think after one viewing that they did a great job in spreading them out and selling for the large majority of them), but for people who enjoy the New Japan style, I 100% get why some of them would consider it GOAT. It certainly ranks up there for me. I'd probably still take 6/9/95 over it because of the emotion and the layered, long-term storytelling. That to me is pro-wrestling perfection that only a handful of matches can even hold a candle to. I think, with how Omega and Okada played with certain tropes already, they are capable of perhaps an even better match and that's without the spots I'd totally be okay with them retiring. Mostly the avalanche dragon suplex. They can play off of the spots they hit in this match without doing them too. I'm excited to see where they go and if they can top this. I have faith that they can. An even more desperate Kenny could make the emotions really kick into overdrive, though this isn't an area of strength for Okada. There were glimpses of it and I get that it's not part of his character, but I'd like to see a bit more of an emotional range from him in the likely sequel.

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While we're on the subject of reviews, may as well drop ours in as well, which you can hear at the following link:

https://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/download/w3yyjm/SCG_Radio_108_-_NJPW_WrestleKingdom_11_Review.mp3

Though just to your point Oyaji, I tend to notice that Okada doesn't exhibit that type of range much as champion, but the instances where I do remember him being a bit more animated and emotionally expressive is when he's moving back towards that position (Okada's entire G-1 seemed to have that vibe after losing the title to Styles).

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13 hours ago, Liam O'Rourke said:

While we're on the subject of reviews, may as well drop ours in as well, which you can hear at the following link:

https://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/download/w3yyjm/SCG_Radio_108_-_NJPW_WrestleKingdom_11_Review.mp3

Though just to your point Oyaji, I tend to notice that Okada doesn't exhibit that type of range much as champion, but the instances where I do remember him being a bit more animated and emotionally expressive is when he's moving back towards that position (Okada's entire G-1 seemed to have that vibe after losing the title to Styles).

I mean, yeah, dude cried after losing to Tanahashi at the Dome. We know he's capable but selective of displaying emotions. Misawa didn't have to yell and shit all the time but he showed his emotions through his actions really well. Like elbowing Kawada when he wasn't the legal man and just chilling on the apron, for example. I'd like to see a little bit more of that out of Okada.

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Finally got around to watching (most) of WK11, the main did live up to the expectations in my eyes anyway, I've never been a big Omega fan (and haven't really watched anything from NJPW since WK10, partly due to the Omega push) so this was a bit of a big surprise as to the changes Omega has made in his game, he really stepped up. The show as a whole was fantastic though I still need to go back and watch the NEVER and IC matches, which I skipped because it was getting late and I knew Okada/Omega was long. I know the two I skipped are supposed to be great too so I look forward to watching them. It's crazy that we might have already had the best show of the year. I really like the IWGP Jr heavy title match thought both guys looked great and Takahashi did a great job selling in it too. Cody still doesn't do a lot for me. Liked the Jr tag match alot too even though the Young Bucks schtick is tired to me and really liked the finish run in that. 

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Watched the main event over the weekend, and I share a lot of Sublime's thoughts. I was never an Omega fan -- I thought he came off goofy doing the broom stuff with his Cleaner gimmick. Maybe that was the point, but when I'd read he won G1 (I wasn't subscribed to NJPW World then), I was surprised they'd push a comedy guy as a top heel. He brought it in that main event, though, both with his work and exuding a more serious gimmick. 

I still need to watch the entire show, which I plan to do without the English commentary. Corino and Kelly were old FMW DVD levels of bad.

I'm now an NJPWW subscriber though, so I can finish without having to take Mick Foley's advice and illegally streaming it. 

C1xNKNLXcCABTJw.jpg:large

Seriously, Mick? Not cool. 

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Mick Foley is a shithouse.

Not sure why so many people thought of Omega as a comedy guy in New Japan or even before that. He did goofy shit, of course, but when it was time to go in the ring, he was always able to. His Jr. title reign was pretty great and the chainsaw forearm gimmick was about it as far as comedy goes.

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I agree that on face value, Omega's work has a "goofy" quality to it but as I have said before, he's wrestling for the crowd in-house in Japan; he's not working to please indoctrinated North American wrestling fans.

Once you jump that hurdle, it's not hard to appreciate his work.

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I found Omega to be a bit shtick-y before similar to Ambrose in that it sometimes detracted from the match but atleast going from this match he has changed up to be a main eventer so now it's all his good qualities and none of the bad. The Young Bucks were also a little more subdued on WK which helped me enjoy that match more too.

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4 hours ago, Oyaji said:

Mick Foley is a shithouse.

Not sure why so many people thought of Omega as a comedy guy in New Japan or even before that. He did goofy shit, of course, but when it was time to go in the ring, he was always able to. His Jr. title reign was pretty great and the chainsaw forearm gimmick was about it as far as comedy goes.

I'll admit that my exposure to Omega has been very limited, which speaks to J.T.'s point. I only recently signed up for New Japan World, so what I'd seen was limited to the occasional matches aired here in the States on AXS.

I'm thinking specifically of a 2015 match with KUSHIDA: Fantastic ring work, but his facial expressions were EXTRA exaggerated and sorta wacky. That and coming to the ring with the broom and dustbin made me think he was a comedy character. 

 

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On 1/10/2017 at 4:02 PM, J.T. said:

I agree that on face value, Omega's work has a "goofy" quality to it but as I have said before, he's wrestling for the crowd in-house in Japan; he's not working to please indoctrinated North American wrestling fans.

Once you jump that hurdle, it's not hard to appreciate his work.

There's a reason his fanbase in the US is largely composed of anime types and fighting game players who get pleased by the same schtick.

 

I saw the broom as more mocking and somewhat NWO Scott Hall-ish than a cartoony character.   Cleaner though to me is a #2 in a stable character not the head honcho- more like an Arn Anderson type.

(now I wonder how ugly an Omega/Arn match would be in terms of styles not working together at all)

 

 

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On 1/10/2017 at 3:38 PM, The Iron Yuppie said:

Watched the main event over the weekend, and I share a lot of Sublime's thoughts. I was never an Omega fan -- I thought he came off goofy doing the broom stuff with his Cleaner gimmick. Maybe that was the point, but when I'd read he won G1 (I wasn't subscribed to NJPW World then), I was surprised they'd push a comedy guy as a top heel. He brought it in that main event, though, both with his work and exuding a more serious gimmick. 

I still need to watch the entire show, which I plan to do without the English commentary. Corino and Kelly were old FMW DVD levels of bad.

I'm now an NJPWW subscriber though, so I can finish without having to take Mick Foley's advice and illegally streaming it. 

C1xNKNLXcCABTJw.jpg:large

Seriously, Mick? Not cool. 

Same guy who doesn't have health insurance, so... yeah.

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Will he keep his word? (No, I don't want him to do it, it's just a stupid thing to say.)

Quote

"I wanted to slash my wrists after watching Omega vs. Okada" - Jim Cornette.

 

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Why even bother reading his shit at this point? I enjoy listening to him talk about nostalgia trips and wrestling history but him on pretty much anything past '97 means there's nothing to gain from listening to this guy spout his nonsense. 

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Omega on Jericho's podcast this week was really insightful. It's recorded before the Tokyo Dome but you get some really honest insight into what he's trying to do with his career. He's always come across as a genuinely good guy so I'm pleased that things seem to be working out for him.

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