It should come as no surprise that I spend a lot of time searching for wrestling to watch. Many of you do the same I am sure. I'm writing, copy/pasting, having a bunch of different docs open to cross reference what I have, what I've seen and double checking dates. It's kind of its own hobby actually. And this is just for the things I find online. I'm sure the folks that actually post matches are doing the same thing. Anyhow, if you've been reading my original Puro+More blog, you probably know I get side tracked. My big intention years ago was to buy DVDs of stuff I wanted to watch, watch it and share my views. I don't do well with the absolute wealth of wrestling available online. Part of it was that I really didn't use YouTube that much for wrestling. I didn't care for the small screen in which I had to watch wrestling... OK blah blah blah. So here I am... scrolling YouTube and other sites like a fiend looking for wrestling. I'm not sure to what end sometimes though. I think I'm collecting (or hoarding) to be honest. I know I've done it with DVDs. So rather than keep these lists and links gathering electronic cobwebs, I thought I would start posting the links along with the reason why I wanted to watch these things.

I figure, I still will be promoting cool wrestling to folks. Hopefully my digging will help provide a curated watch list/mixtape for you to check out. For me, I think it'll free up some space on my computer and my mind. I'm only going to link officially released stuff because I don't want any heat on the mom & pop posters sharing good stuff. Besides there's plenty of good stuff being released by the companies nowadays. Additionally, most official promotions channel's old video are a rat's nest of dozens (hundreds?) of videos with no real good way to sort them out. I'm doing some of that work for ya 🙂

This first batch is early 2000's New Japan. There's such a hard time finding much of New Japan on da Tube because of their paid service But back in the 2010's they were posting tons of contemporary stuff. 15 years later, that stuff is vintage wrestling 😁 And in my opinion isn't really marred by the tropes of 10+ years. There's not a ton but again, it's worth checking out.

 
2003

Bucanero & Guerrero vs Super Crazy & TAGUCHI (04/23/03) Rey Bucanero & Ultimo Guerrero were introduced to my through the 2008 TNA Global X Cup. I'm not a lucha aficionado so I can just say that I like them. I have a compilation of theirs that I watched years ago and enjoyed. Seeing them in a match versus Super Crazy & a young Ryusuke Taguchi is exactly the type of shit I dig for.

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CHONO & TENZAN vs TANAHASHI & YOSHIE (04/28/03) After watch 1995 New Japan, Chono & Tenzan are one of my favorite teams at the moment. Seeing them versus baby Tanahashi & big man Yoshie sounds like a good time.

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NAGATA & IIZUKA vs TAKAYAMA & MAKABE (07/05/03) Save Iizuka, this has three of the most interesting workers of the 2000's in it. Nagata vs Takayama is enough to get me interested. Throw Makabe in there...yeah this is worth a watch. You know someone gets kicked or kneed really hard.

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2004

TENZAN & NAGATA & NAKANISHI vs TANAHASHI & NAKAMURA & SHIBATA (10/01/04) This is cool. We've got a representation of New Japan early 2000's stars. These guys weren't setting the internet ablaze in the West but I've come to like all three. Then we have the new Three Musketeers. Korakuen Hall 6 man with vets versus young punks...this has to be a blast.

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Nakamura vs Shibata (07/04/04) The two shoot style leaning wrestlers of the new generation. All said, under 10 minutes long...this should be nasty. I really dig this period of Nakamura.

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2005

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Osamu Nishimura & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shinsuke Nakamura vs Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin (06/19/05) This reminds me of putting a match together in Fire Pro Returns match maker mode. Thinking, "OK I've only got one match slot left. I need to make sure I draw a big crowd. Who do have left on the roster?" It's got almost a 1/2 million views and its in Korakuen Hall. It's worth checking out!

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SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs NAOFUMI YAMAMOTO (12/25/05) Again, I'm interested in this era of Nakamura. Yamamoto is Yoshi Tatsu from WWE. I actually have a 2006 New Japan project that has DVDs. Yeah, holy shit!! 😄 And he's kind of a big deal in those so I thought this would be a good way to get familiar.

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HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs HIROOKI GOTO (12/25/05) Hirooki Goto is one of guys that got me interested in watch "newer" NJPW for a minute back in the 2010's. They don't have a bunch of his stuff on the New Japan channel so I'm going to take what I can get. We'll see how young lion Goto works with Tanahashi.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the wrestling!