Superstar Sleeze

Really fun power-throwing, hoss battle between these two. They hit the shit out of each other for a while. Brock turning red, but not moving one inch to no sell Sheamus' massive clotheslines was mark out worthy. Brock did his Germans and Sheamus unloaded with this brutal Brogue Kicks that cut Brock pretty bad under his his eye before Brock went into full BEAST MODE! I still wish we got Brock vs Sheamus at Royal Rumble. I am glad this exists even if it went only about 8 minutes.

Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry “The King” Lawler vs “Dirty” Dutch Mantell March 22, 1982 Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, TN No Disqualification I first watched this days after Jerry Lawler's heart attack and the blog can be found here: http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2012/09/hey-yo-one-of-unique-facets-of-weekly.html I blamed poor video quality for being a bit more lukewarm on the match. I would say my real issue was a lack of familiarity with the style. I find that I need to watch a handful of matches of a particular wrestler or style before I can really sink my teeth into the match. So I tend to underrate the first matches I watch of a wrestler and style. This was definitely the case here as I absolutely loved this match on this go around. Background: Lawler was entangled in his interminable feud with Jimmy Hart and his First Family. He had recruited the Dirty Dutchman to help him wrestle these men in tag team matches. Then one night, the Mantell walks out on Lawler as he is being battered by the First Family. Next week on TV, Lawler calls Dutch yellow and wants to know why he walked out. Dutch noted that it was Lawler’s mouth that got him in trouble and he was tired of fighting Lawler’s battles. Dutch also feels as though Lawler disrespected him by not acknowledging his prowess in the ring. All in all, it is not most unreasonable thing someone has said. Lawler, is pissed because someone he trusted to have his back left him to the jackals. This is when wrestling is at its best, two men who in their own mind have merit to their grounds, but at the same time it is a very contentious issue. Most of the crowd sides with Lawler as he instigates the first brawl. So after a month or so of matches, Lawler and Mantell were contracted to square off in Memphis, TN for the Southern Heavyweight Title in a No Disqualification Match. This was about as close you would get to face vs face in the early 80s. Lawler was positioned as the babyface, but the Dutchman definitely had his supporters. Lawler starts off hot with some beautiful punches and has Mantell rocking. Lawler has some of the prettiest, worked punches ever thrown. They even work in a spot where Dutch whiffs on a kick when Lawler telepgraphs the back body drop, which is a neat little spot I have never seen before. Lance Russell, the Voice of Memphis, even notes how peculiar this fast start is for Lawler given that he is normally slow-starter. He reasons out that it must due to the nature of this heated feud that Lawler just wants to beat the ever-lovin piss out of Dutch and there is no time like the present. I paraphrased that, but you get the gist. Lawler even busts out an enziguri much to the delight of the crowd!!! Dutch takes a powder as he attempts to adjust his strategy. Well when in a No DQ, might as well as grab a steel chair. Lawler ends up with the chair and throws outside the ring and hits Dutch in the shoulder. I am a total sucker for chair throws because they always look so damn violent. Then Dutch totally ups him with the Mother of All Chair Throws: hurling the chair across the ring into the King’s knee with pinpoint accuracy and brutality. Mantell takes over and lays Lawler to waste with punches before applying the Spinning Toehold. Lawler punches Mantell's knee to break free and comes back with his own punches. Mantell dives on the knee and then switches gears to open a cut above the eye of Lawler. He makes up for his lack of creative offense by keeping Lawler on the outside and busting him over the eye. Lawler’s selling is elicits sympathy from the raucous crowd that try to urge him. A great spot is Lawler whiffing on the desperation right and you feel the end is near for our hero. Loved that spot on the second go-around. Dutch gets a two off a vertical suplex and there is all like “Lets quit fuckin around” and pulverizes Lalwer with a chair, BUT Lawler gets his foot on the ropes. Mantell is really hot after Jerry breaks pinfalls off of a knee drop, a PILEDRIVER (Memphis Death Move), and a splash. Great heat segement sequence. Lawler Up and Strap Down and Full Steam Ahead. Rights and lefts leave the Dirty Dutchman reeling and then he sends him into the post for retribution. The crowd is feeling it, but Lawler gets greedy and Dutch catches him with knees on his second splash attempt. Into the finish, we go as they are trading rights and lefts. Their heads collide off a Irish whip spot sending Mantell out onto the floor. Lawler has Dutch at his mercy as he punches repeatedly with Mantell using the ropes to hold him from crashing off the apron. Lawler gets greedy again, playing to the crowd for one more punch, Dutch capitalizes with a gut shot and then slingshots over for a sunset flip and the victory. Your Winner and New Southern Heavyweight Champion “Dirty” Dutch Mantell. Several fans celebrate Dutch's victory showing that King did not have unanimous support in Memphis. I liked that they didn’t run the ropes at all sticking to that real-fight feel that these are two guys that just want to fuck each other up. I like that it was Lawler’s desire to inflict more punishment on Dutch that cost him the match, whereas Dutch was more concerned about winning and thus proving he was the better wrestler. Lawler’s selling was really well done, theatrical enough for the live audience to see it, but not so cheesy that it takes you out of the competition (love that header he took on missing that right). The match had memorable spots like the chair throws. The heat segment was one of the best I have seen in Memphis with Dutch really pouring it on. I think what I really gained on this second watch after having watched over two dozen Lawler matches now was how special this finish was. Lawler's comebacks were a death knell for his opponent and only something crazy like interference would save them from imminent doom. So for someone to actually beat Lawler in the midst of THE VAUNTED LAWLER COMEBACK is a HOLY SHIT momment! Like I said it is because Lawler was being cocky playing to the crowd and wanting to get one more lick in when he had the match won. This was a really interesting dynamic. The finish puts this one over the top for me as the best Memphis match so far and the first Lawler match I am giving *****.

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs Terry Funk - Memphis 4/6/81, Empty Arena Probably the most famous wrestling match in Memphis wrestling history is the unusual Empty Arena match pitting Lawler and Terry Funk together to blow off their feud. Funk having complained of homerism in the Funks' recent matches against Lawler wanted to an old fashioned mano y mano shootout. It is hard to say who is more valuable in this segment Terry Funk or Lance Russell. This may be Russell's brightest moment as he just knocks it out of the park presenting this as a unique, unnerving happening in pro wrestling. Terry Funk is raving mad in this match swearing up a storm. He is the perfect psychopath. First he is happy to prove Lawler is a coward counting him out after demanding Lance do it. Then he switches gears is totally pissed Lawler did not come and made him out to be a fool. A total lunatic. Just as he is about take his frustration out on Lance Russell out walks the King in all his regal splendor as if the Mid-South Coliseum was packed to the rafters. This leads Funk to get in the awesome dig "Don't you know that there is not anybody here...you JACKASS!" The actual match is short and sweet as a shoot bar fight would be and thats what they were going for. Throwing each other into chairs, flailing punches, and hey it is pro wrestling so we get a PILEDRIVER on the floor by Funk. Terry deperately wants Lawler to say I Quit on TV. He goes to stab Lawler in the eye, but The King fights back and kicks the stakes into TERRY FUNK'S EYE! MY EYE! MY EYE! DOCTOR! I CAN'T SEE! MY EYE! Amazing, amazing selling. It is visceral, scary and disturbing. More of an angle than a match, but fuck it, this is an all-timer through and through. ****1/2

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs Dory Funk Jr. - Memphis 3/30/81 The fact that this finished #47 in the Memphis 150 is ludicrous to me. This match is badass and every bit as good as the Terry Funk No DQ brawl from the week before. I liked the sense of escalation of this match a lot. Dory Funk wrestled his match, but did so heelishly and with the purpose of turning it into a brawl. This was a perfect example of how you can use holds to control your opponent to set up big blows. Junior used the headlock and armbar to force Lawler into position where he could unload with his biggest weapon, European Uppercut. When Lawler was really staggered, he drove him head first repeatedly into the table. Dory was not above using hair or powdering to save his ass. As Lawler was raring to go, Dory bailed and Lawler looked to give chase with a wooden board. Back in, Lawler fought back out of the corner and started to kick some Dory ass by throwing him into the table. Junior used a pair of well-timed knees to the Royal Family Jewels to back Lawler off in the corner. You can hold the King down and with the strap down, he made sure to kick Funk in his BBQ Coals and what a great sell job by Dory. Junior throws Lawler into Jerry Calhoun. I forgot to mention Jimmy Hart is suspended above the ring in most uncomfortable fashion of a harness. Hart throws a chain down to Junior who blasts Lawler. Due to Calhoun being down, Lawler is able to kick out. Junior chokes Lawler out with the chain until Calhoun discovers the chain. The King has his own chain and pastes him with the chain! Repeatedly now. The ref tries to assert his control, but is thrown down repeatedly and Junior was the last one to throw him down and called the match in favor of King. Jimmy Hart comes down and tries to ram Lawler with the helmet, but goes flying into the turnbuckles to a big pop. Awesome crowd heat throughout for this. I thought this was a more complete wrestling match than the Terry match with a real feel of progression, but the Terry match had the better finish. Dory crushed it in the heel department. He used every heel trick effectively and really kicked ass in this match. I loved the hook of Lawler paying Dory Funk back at every turn (table shots, ballshot, chain). Better finish and this would be up for best match of the 1980s. Awesome, awesome match. ****1/2

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs Terry Funk - Memphis 3/23/81, No DQ The entrance of Lawler with the trumpets heralding the arrival of The King was majestic and the crowd heat was awesome. I loved the all-white Lawler attire because you knew the blood would flow in this one and plus all white is a bitchin look. The battle of the two best punchers in the history of pro wrestling does not disappoint as this is a rough 'n' tumble affair. Funk's bumps in the beginning are very entertaining especially getting caught up in the rope that acts as the boundary between crowd and wrestlers and letting himself be tripped into the ring. They go blow for blow. The King really takes command when he drives Funk headfirst into the bell splitting him wide open. Lawler looked to have this one in hand, but that pipsqueek, Jimmy Hart, came in and hit Lawler with a cane. This annoyed Lawler more than anything else, but Funk was able to go low and then hit a pair of headbutts to turn it in his favor. Funk started gnawing at the forehead and cut him open. Funk fires away with punches to the top of Lawler's head. Lawler is staggered, but still on his feet. Slowly, but surely he seems to be absorbing the blows of Funk. STRAP DOWN! BOMBS AWAY! Huge rights to Funk's jaw and one says him spinning out of control. Fist drop! The Mouth of South introduces a chair and Lawler blasts Jimmy Hart. Funk is able to recover the chair and drive the chair repeatedly into the knee of Lawler. Jerry really sells this all very well. Funk is able to tear the tights and I think he was trying to move the kneepad off the knee to set up his world famous Spinning Toehold, which is he is able to apply. However, as he is leaning over, Lawler blasts him in the head and Funk's staggered selling is money. Hart throws the chair back in to Funk. Funk throws bellbottom-donning Jerry Calhoun. Lawler is able to get a hold of the chair and give Funk a taste of his own medicine destroying his leg. He really did a number on Funk's leg. Funk's selling and the heat for all this is awesome. Funk is crawling away on the outside on his belly and Lawler is relentless. It is a countout! The beginning was what you expect from a Lawler/Funk brawl with great punches, fun spots and blood, but once the chair got involved the drama went through the roof. Definitely one of all-time great 1980s classics from Memphis. ****1/2

This is definitely more applicable to tag team matches. To me the typical structure was to program two opponents/team together sometime run an angle on TV before or after the loop. The angle would then establish what the hook would be the loop. Then on TV they would advance the program a bit more and establish a new hook for the second loop. Then if it makes a third loop then so on so forth. So within a loop, you get all matches that are samey. From loop to loop, there is usually a different structure. Now WWF almost always still had an angle to motivate a program, but within that program the escalation would happen more loop to loop rather than week to week. Strike Force/Islanders feels more like an episodic blood feud rather than the usual style of a program with a singular angle motivating it. They ran the angle on TV with Islanders turning heel and then taking out Zenk. So from MSG June through October you get the episodic build. Islanders debut as heels with Heenan against the Stallions call out the Can-Ams. Martel answers the challenge is willing to take on both. He keeps getting double teamed and this leads to Tito joining the fray and triggering two great tag matches in MSG. It feels more like a traditional build. WWF was more of a character-driven promotion. You pair up two characters/teams (a face and a heel) shoot an angle and then led the characters and angles give you a hook to the match. Rather than Southern promotions that would build on a week-to-week basis.

How was heel Lawler? That piqued my interest after reading some tweets. Sounds refreshing.

His plancha blows. One of the worst, super minimal impact. Though, recently he has started throwing himself into it. I forgot about that. The selling, guys, the selling! He is good at that. We should support great selling especially when there is so little on the show.

I agree with that sentiment. It is listed as August. It is also most likely a Pro Wrestling USA show in Philly or maybe Maryland. So you would think AWA title being defended in Philly or Maryland would not be hard to pin down.

I dont care for his character. He seems like a spastic, moody, sarcastic teenage loner. He is probably the best seller among the men (Cena used to be the best then he became all bout DEM MOVEZ~!, Rusve might be better than Ambrose), which is why I tend to like him. I think he is incredibly effective in tag team and six-man tags at getting his ass kicked. His offense is fine. I am not in love with moves that come off the top rope onto standing opponents. I love his Tenryu tribute chop/punch. I would say in terms of bell-to-bell, he is a wrestler on the roster I look forward to watching. His promos/angles tend to do nothing for me.

English commentary through me for a loop. Call me crazy, but I prefer Japanese commentary for Japanese matches. The cadence and rhythm follows the action a lot better even if I can only understand the occasional "DAAAANNNNGGGGEERRRROOOUS!" or "BRAAAAAINBBBBBUSTER"! I probably should watch this match again. I tend to underrate the very first match of a style that I am getting back into because I forget all the nuances to look for. Still a great match, but I just didn't see as the classic everyone else made it out to be.

Definitely check out the Tulsa match between these two from the same day. It is even better!

Because we are just 2 SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

- Jumping Bomb Angels - Demolition vs Haynes & Patera

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura - G-1 Climax 25 Finals The finalists of the first G-1 Climax, Keiji Mutoh & Masa Chono, are providing commentary for this momentous occasion. Last year, these two put on a match that I thought was a ***** classic and the second best match of the year worldwide. They have come a long way from their 1/4/05 Tokyo Dome performance. Amazing, these two have been synonymous with New Japan Pro Wrestling for over a decade now. They had a lot to live up to from last year's masterpiece and hell just the night before Nakamura had an instant classic with Okada and two nights before Tanahashi and AJ Styles tore the house down. I acknowledge the route they took was probably the best one given the circumstances even if I, personally, think it leads to diminishing returns. New Japan's strength is their finish runs. They escalate in drama beautifully and climax at the right moment and very rarely hurt anyone's finishes. The difference between modern New Japan and 90s All Japan is 90s All Japan had the accompanying the structure and psychology that takes the exciting and makes it a transcendent and moving emotional experience. On this night, I think everyone knew that a routine New Japan finish would not be enough and credit to them they did not put on the same match from Invasion Attack. I think is a bit of a problem with New Japan is the same-y-ness of their layouts. No, no, Tanahashi and Nakamura dusted off the only style that could really could fit the magnitude for the moment: grandiose pomp and circumstance of the Pro Wrestling NOAH finish run. Kickouts galore, multiple finish hits, overwrought, but glorious at the same time, an overindulgence of machismo and fighting spirit, at the end of the day these two just are not Kenta Kobashi so my revelry was tempered by the lack of effusive emotion, but this was incredible and I am happy that something different was attempted. The first half of this is fucking excellent and really can only be done with these two particular wrestlers because of the history they share. They were just absolute dicks to one another for 15 minutes. Everytime, one showed up the other, they other would make him pay. First, Tanahashi was winning the chaining battles and played air guitar a couple times. Nakamura then proceeded to pass his guard and switch mounts at will reminding him who the better submission wrestler was. Tanahashi did not disappoint by countering the kicks with his patented leg attack. The Dragon Leg Screws were fucking awesome. Tanahashi really hit those from a ton of different starting position throughout the match. But he could not help but mock Nakamura shaky leg in the corner only not to do that and that cost him with a kick to the head. Nakamura could not resist throwing playful kicks at the head of Tanahashi, who went back after the knee only to hit High Fly Flow to the floor. Personally, if they continued on this path, I could easily see myself giving the match ***** and calling it revolutionary in terms of structure. In a way, it would feel too personal and therefore too small for the moment. So they had to kick it up. There had to be three Boma Ye's to the head that Tanahashi kickout. There had to be multiple High Fly Flows with a kickout. There had to be multiple strike exchanges. There had to be crazy armbar reversals. The High Fly Flow on the ropes was awesome and after two more Tanahashi won it. This match is incredibly entertaining and as always Tanahashi's knee attack affords a great home base for them to go to back to. Nakamura's selling was great and kicked some ass. They let it all hand out. I don't think it was as good as Invasion Attack 2014, but I would say this is the second best New Japan match of the year after Nakamura/Okada. They do go overboard, but it is so rare for New Japan to go overboard that it comes off as unique and plus in NOAH there would have been 15 more minutes of wrestling! I feel like I sound more down on the match than I was. I guess part of me really liked the first half so much that it was a bit disappointing that they did not follow through to the end, but in some ways they did. These two just did not want to lose to each other at all. They have been together so long that bragging rights and pride mean everything in this contest. Hopefully, New Japan sticks with their current finish run formula and adds more psychological wrinkles rather than more false finishes, but for one night this was pretty damn great. ****1/2

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kazuchika Okada - G-1 Climax 25 Semifinals Finally, the New Japan boys weave an amazing story to support their uncanny ability to generate dramatic, hot finish runs with their moves. The result was the best New Japan match of the year. Okada is probably my least favorite wrestler in the world, but I will give him his due, he is a proficient wrestler. I just find him dull. He is like a technically perfect robot devoid of all emotion. In this match, he did show more cockiness than usual and that helped. The big boon to the match was Nakamura was selling for two in this match and this has to go down as one of his most masterful performances. This is a rematch of last year's finals where Okada won his second G-1 Climax. Okada had that air of superiority that was quickly effaced when Nakamura took him to task on the mat. In a pure kayfabe sense, Okada is totally out-gunned in this match as most of Nakamura's opponent are. He is probably the best striker and submission wrestler on the roster. In a lot of ways, this is an excellent Tanahashi match without Tanahashi involved. Tanahashi's strategy against these wrestlers (Nakamura, Nagata etc...) is to break them down usually by attacking the leg. Okada used a combination of luck and his best weapon. Okada having powdered before being choked out early was taking a walk. Nakamura, who clearly came in ripshit to prove that he was better, immediately gave chase. Okada managed to whip him into the railing and this allowed to hit him with BANG! A Dropkick, his beat weapon this sent Nakamura back into the railing. From there, he planted him with a Hangmans DDT from the railing. Nakamura never really recovered from that move. Nakamura did an incredible job selling that move and his neck for the rest of the match. Okada naturally has a lot of moves that work the neck so it worked out well (Tombstone on the outside was awesome). Nakamura was great at his burst of knee-based offense, but failing to capitalize because of his neck while Okada was able to use the neck as a cutoff attack especially during strike exchanges. Nakamura first focused on knees to the abdomen, but then started moving towards head strikes (Boma Ye & Kicks) as counters. These took their toll on Okada, who eventually had a hard time regaining control. Probably my favorite strike exhcnage in New Japan ensued with both wrestlers selling their necks incredibly. I loved Nakamura losing his ability to throw a forearm because his neck was so fucked up only to fire back up and drill Okada. Nakamura won with an axe kick and BOMA YE~! Landslide only gets two! Boma Ye attempt, but DROPKICK! He took his fucking head off. Okada knows when to use that dropkick. That big advantage Okada built early in the match has been lost, but he can avoid choking the match away if he can hit the Rainmaker. He nails it! Goes again, Boma Ye attempt, but catches, German, but Nakamura gets a double wristlock now a Tombston! RAINMAKER NO FLYING CROSSARMBREAKER!!! There is some struggle, but Nakamura maintains the hold for the win. Awesome progression from the G1 Climax finals last year with Nakamura going into to prove he can kick this punk's ass and that punk gets lucky and opens up a big lead. Okada works the neck awesomely and comes off like a huge douche. Nakamura sells huge and his hope spots are awesomely timed. There is a real sense he has to claw his way back into the match. Finally his head shots take their toll and Okada looks like he choked away the match. Then they go into a tremendous fireworks finish run. Nakamura proves why he is the best counterwrestler in the game today. Best NJPW match and now a frontrunner for the match of the year for NJPW and WWE. ****3/4

AJ Styles vs Kota Ibushi - G-1 Climax 7/26/15 Kayfabe-wise, this is a match between the #4 and #5 wrestler on the New Japan roster. What separates AJ right now from the rest of the pack is that he is able to beat two of the big three for the IWGP Championship. However, he is more prone than the rest of the Big Three to lose to upper midcard wrestlers like Ibushi and Naito. I like that booking of AJ. He has big credible wins over Tanahashi and Okada, but he is still susceptible to being upset. Ibushi had HUGE showings against Nakamura, Styles and Tanahashi on big stages, but the big victory always eluded him until this night. Not only was this a HUGE victory for Ibushi, but I thought it was even better than the championship match against AJ. The story of the match was Ibushi's kicks & high flying moves against AJ's ability to counter the high flying arsenal of Ibushi. Ibushi was using his kicks to set up his aerial assault, but AJ was able to counter for the majority of the beginning of the match. After the opening chain wrestling, AJ went from his usual leapfrog-dropdown-dropkick, but Ibushi had it scouted and AJ had the Penalty Kick scouted, but Ibushi did miss with his second big kick to the chest. Ibushi started off in control and even swept the leg while AJ was on the apron, which caused an amazing AJ header bump on the apron. Ibushi kicks looked to set up a springboard move, but AJ hung him up neck first on the rope and then followed up with an urnage on the railing. OW! AJ's offense is so fucking crisp right now. He hit a left handed clothesline that was just massive. He has to win Best on Offense this year. Ibushi avoids the quebrada and hits a wicked German and it is back to the kicks. AJ goes after the injured fingers. I would have liked to see more of that. AJ hits a BEAUTIFUL spingboard forearm. Ibushi blockes the Styles Clash by dumping him over the top. He wants his German from the apron, but AJ counters into a Tombstone no wait it is a FRANKENSTEINER! It did not look that good, but it was a fun sequence. Ibushi hit his Asai from the turnbuckle, a good one. He wants his Phoenix Splash, but AJ shakes the ropes. HOLLOW POINT! "OOOOOOOOOOOO SHIT!" - Japanese Announcer. Hollow Point seems to be a set up for the Springboard 450 now, which I wish would finish off some matches. Uncharacteristically, AJ overshoots and Ibushi goes for the pin, but two. They trade strikes and Peles in really entertaining fashion. BLOODY SUNDAY! But only two. AJ goes to the top again. I just dont get it. They try a super duper standing top rope frankensteiner, but does not look great. Ibushi powerbomb and then PHOENIX SPLASH! HE HIT THE PHOENIX SPLASH! 1-2-3! Offensively, this was a fucking clinic. I loved the story of Ibushi taking it to AJ early on and never relenting. Ibushi has been maturing throughout the year and this was his crowning achievement of the year. Such a shame about the injury! These NJPW finish runs are very exciting and really entertaining in how they escalate, but they just dont have the psychology to take it to that next level. I still have Tanahashi/Ibushi as the NJPW MOTY, but this is either #2 or #3 with AJ/Tanahashi. ****1/2

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs AJ Styles - King of Pro Wrestling 10/12/15 I am tempted to just copy and paste my review of the July match. In that regard, this is the most disappointing AJ match so far in NJPW that I have seen. There are enough differences in the finish run that make this entertaining and a great match, but I would have liked to see them depart from the usual New Japan heavyweight main event style. It is a style I do enjoy, but I would have liked to see them venture out into new territory. I am in minority, but I actually slightly preferred this finish run to the last match's finish run. These matches just do not feel complete. The beginning was the same as it saw Okada nominally in control before the Bullet Club got involved this time more forcefully via a powerbomb on the apron. From there, AJ laid the verbal and physical smackdown on Okada. It was a little rougher than last time getting in some railing shots. Again, we see AJ apply the chinlock and that's the transition to Okada overwhelming AJ with European Uppercuts and then dropkicking him off the top rope. I liked the set up in the July match with AJ straddling himself first. AJ goes for the springboard off the railing, but Okada kicks the railing and he takes a nasty spill and then hangman's DDT from railing. Vintage Orton! There are a lot of similarities between Orton and Okada (dropkick, bland, mechanically really good, pretty boys, weirdly over for doing pretty much nothing, pushed). Then they do the 2012 John Cena finish layout, which I actually enjoy a lot. Basically, Okada wants to run through all his set up moves for the Rainmaker, but AJ keeps cutting him off and at the same time AJ is running through his set up moves so it is a race to the finish. It is a pretty neat story, but it does get a little move trade-y. RAINMAKER~! Wow that was earlier than expected. Anderson yanks him out. TOPE CON HILO ON THE BULLET CLUB! That was just TOO SWEEEEEEEEEEET! I like that they put the babyface heat on Okada for wiping out the Bullet Club rather than the ref even if Red Shoes telling AJ & the Bullet Club to suck it was hilarious. CALF-KILLER! This is probably the best part of the match because of the struggle and drama. Okada gets the ropes and hits a tombstone. He sells the knee and cant capitalize. This is what sold me on this finish run being slightly better. They both attempt their finishers a bunch and RAINKMAKER~! It is a really good one, but he hits two more. The Rainmaker does not always look devastating so if he hits one that is awesome looking I think he should just go to the pin because it becomes anti-climatic. I know I sound down on the match, but it was actually entertaining. I think it was just having to watch 56 straight minutes of very samey wrestling from the same two wrestlers instead of watching these matches three months apart like other fans did in real time. It is great wrestling, but just too move-tradey for me and it lacks a story. Okada just does nothing for me. I cant wait to watch some AJ in the G1 Climax against Ibushi and Tanahashi. Only one more Okada match to watch for this year, yay! ****

IWGP Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Kazuchika Okada - Dominion 7.5.15 Okada is by far my least favorite of the New Japan performer. He is just a very dry, emotionless performer that relies on his spots and entrance to stay over. I really dig the entrance, but I wish there was more to him once he stepped in the ring. I do really enjoy his use of the dropkick as his ultimate counterwrestling weapon. I thought his selling was better here at times, but still he had a tendency to drop it or just not fight back enough. I thought AJ's worst main event singles performances last year were against Okada. Nothing has changed as this was my least favorite AJ match of the year, but hey it was still one helluva a finish run. Early on, I enjoyed they both teased dropkicks and each opponent held onto the ropes to avoid it. It shows some familiarity. They outset of the match was built around Bullet Club interference. It was different and fun. The payoff was Red Shoes telling AJ to Suck It and then telling the Bullet Club to suck it before throwing them out. Nick Jackson's reaction was perfect. Back in, Okada, who was getting his ass kicked in the early part by the Bullet Club had start digging himself out of the hole. He did so through his use of dropkicks. They worked some really nice dropkick spots in to counter AJ from running away with the match. Okada managed to nail his elbow drop, but AJ avoided the tombstone and hit the suplex in the corner. AJ afraid of losing control went for the Styles Clash, but was countered into a headdrop. They did an elaborate tombstone reversal with AJ coming out the better, which was cool and then my favorite AJ move Springboard 450 only got two! There were a lot of aimless moments in the match, but none more head-scratching then AJ going to top for I dont know what and then getting dropped on his lower back on the apron. OW! It just didnt make sense why AJ was going to the top. Okada hit a nice missile dropkick and then got his tombstone piledriver. Now it is Rainmaker time! The finish sequence I can see the argument for it being bloated and way too intricate, but I enjoyed it immensely! Basically they traded Styles Clash, Rainmaker attempts and out of a Backslide, Okada nailed the Rainmaker. It was a fucking beauty that could have been the finish, but hit a couple more Rainmakers to seal the deal. I saw this as high as FIVE stars, no way, Jose from this guy. It is a great finish run that takes up the back half of the match. On the strength of that, i can safely say it is a great match, but it is really two just wrestlers working their arsenals in clever fashion, but without much of a story to hold it together. ****

IWGP Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Kota Ibushi - Invasion Attack 4/5/15 Holy Shit! WHAT A FUCKING FINISH! I don't want to spoil it, but I think that's gotta be spot of the fucking year. Absolutely nuts! Ibushi definitely seems like the breakout star of 2015 in spite of his injury late this year. I may not be as high on his Nakamura & Shibata matches, but I still thought they were great. On top of that, the Tanahashi match is killer and then this match is another feather in his cap. It was definitely a massive year for Kota Ibushi. AJ Styles regained his IWGP Heavyweight Championship in a fantastic match against Tanahashi and now faces the burgeoning star of 2015, Kota Ibushi, who won the New Japan Cup to get this title shot. AJ was at his heel best in this match trash talking Ibushi and cheating like a muthafucka. Ibushi responded to the trash talking by showing him up with his speed. Per usual, whenever AJ gets shaken up he thinks Styles Clash, which can work as a psychological tool in addition to trying to win the match. Ibushi comes out a head on the nearfall sequence. AJ tries raking the eyes and a double thrust to the throat, but Ibushi will not be denied. Ibushi looks to land his double jump moonsault on the outside, but AJ takes advantage of him trying to hit this complicated move and deliver a German suplex on the floor that rattles the young challenger. Styles was great at this heat segment. Everything was perfectly executed and all the AJ spots (skywalker knee, dropkick and lariat in corner) were there. I loved him bringing Ibushi over to the guard rail to trash talk him about never getting the championship. Ibushi did ragdoll a bit too much here. I would have liked to seen him more plucky. AJ went for his springboard forearm, but Ibushi caught with a dropkick and AJ went throat first. Ibushi threw some nice kicks, but AJ caught the leg and elbowed the knee joint. Again when AJ is rattled, he recovers by looking for a route to victory and this time he wanted to build to the Calf-Killer. Nice leg work follows and thought Ibushi's selling was better here than earlier. Plus it does not go on too long so Ibushi does not have to worry about selling the leg. The second best spot of the match was Styles went for the basement dropkick and Ibushi avoided it by jumping up with both feet and then landing a double stomp. Very, very cool. AJ powders and Ibushi followed with a top rope double jump moonsault. Now Ibushi rattles off some of his high flying moves and he looks great as he has the champion on the ropes. A suplex struggle near the turnbuckles ensued and AJ hit his snap suplex into the turnbuckles. AJ then proceeded to hit probably his best quebrada into a DDT ever. It looked fantastic. Strike exchange and double Pele Kicks! I dont know if that was the time for that spot, but it was definitely a spot they needed to do given who they are. Bloody Sunday! Surprisingly, Ibushi fights out of the Styles Clash. When AJ switches gears and wraps him up in the Calf Killer. Perfect wrestling by AJ. Ibushi makes the ropes and when AJ wants the Styles Clash again he gets kneed in the face, but Ibushi is hurt now. AJ HITS A MUTHAFUCKIN LARIAT THAT WOULD CREAM JBL'S PANTS! WOW! Uncharacteristically, AJ decides to go for the much riskier Super Styles Clash and pays the price as Ibushi hits a Frankensteiner off the top. Ibushi has trouble with his powerbomb, but eventually gets it and now is looking for the Phoenix Splash. That's where I will leave you. AJ worked another awesome, classic heavyweight title defense. He got shown up early for his trash talking. He tried cheating, but Ibushi kept fighting. Ibushi got cute and AJ made him pay. In the same way, AJ got cocky and was not always following up his moves and Ibushi would make him pay. But every single time AJ was cut off, he immediately regrouped in a way to either apply the Calf-Killer or Styles Clash. The offense in this match was incredible. I don't think this match flowed as well as some of the other better NJPW matches. I think some of the spots could have been re-arranged to tell a better story. AJ's selling was great especially after being hit with the Pele and he is great at being desperate one moment and cocky as all get out the next. Ibushi needs to work on his selling. The offense is there. I would have liked to sene him fight back more too. Still a really, really entertaining match. ****1/4

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs AJ Styles - New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/15 My two favorite wrestlers on the planet right now meeting for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship is always a good thing. I really liked their October title change from 2014 and thought this was even better. They should some learned psychology as Tanahashi had AJ's dropkick scouted early and AJ knew Tanahashi's somersault off the apron. I also thought they did not just do a let me run my spots and now you run through yours, which is really common in this day and age. We did not see every single Tanahashi stock spot nor did we see every single one of AJ's instead they worked in those that made sense and they really really connected each spot very well. I think what I like the most about both Tanahashi and Styles is their ability to be urgent and patient at the same time. Everything feels important without being rushed. I think it is the rushing around that gives a lot of matches nowadays an exhibition feel to them. This felt like a classic heavyweight championship match and these two are the best at that style. I really liked the opening matwork everything flowed from the lockup well. AJ scrambling away from a Tanahashi leg takedown knowing Tana's propensity to target his opponent's legs was a nice touch. I liked AJ really grinding that headlock and Tanahashi moving into a top wristlock and finally some arm work. You dont get to see much arm work from Tanahashi, but it was good and AJ was great keeping it moving while staying in the armbar. AJ broke free was thinking dropkick using his usual criss cross sequence, but Tanahashi put on the brakes and went back to the arm. As a long time AJ fan, it is little touches like that which keep me off balance. AJ eventually did score with the dropkick to send Tanahashi to the outside, but Tanahashi came back into the ring dodging a flying bodypress and hitting his own dropkick. Nice symmetry. However, AJ knew the somersault off the apron was coming and moved leaving Tanahashi to crash and burn. Of course, we got the Bullet Club to lay the boots on Tanahashi. Capn New Japan tried to make a save, but he got creamed. AJ was so fucking crisp on offense and did a great job targeting the back of Tanahashi with some excellently executed backbreakers. I thought Tanahashi did a great job peppering in the hope spots, but did not go overboard. I liked how vocal AJ was like when he went for a top wristlock after Tana's wristlock and said "How do you like it?" or his "WOAH!" taking a backdrop. Screw the haters, Tanahashi full weight somersault splash off the middle rope looks devastating. Tanahashi hit High Fly Flow on the entire Bullet Club was an amazing visual, but unfortunately for he knocked heads with one of the Jacksons and busted himself open by his left eye. OW! Clearly disoriented, AJ was able to suplex him hard into the turnbuckles. AJ looked for Bloody Sunday his set up for Styles Clash to take advantage of the situation as he was now more desperate given Tanahashi recent flurry and wanted to end it sooner rather than later. Tanahashi maneuvered into his setup for High Fly Flow, which is the Human Capture Suplex. I love that sense of escalation. AJ distracted the ref to back leg ball shot Tanahashi, which was a great desperation move and when the Bullet Club tried to further distract the ref it backfired with Tanahashi hitting his OWN BALLSHOT! I marked out for that hard. Great way to level the playing field before the big run to the finish. There were a couple mistimings between these two the most obvious was supposed to be an AJ enziguiri turned Dragon Leg Screw, which ended up just being an enziguiri because he actually kicked him. Tanahashi covered well, but AJ was a little slow realizing what was happening, but once he did he covered nicely with "Oh you want another one." Tanahashi hit Sling Blade, but knees up on High Fly Flow and he did NOT work on the knees. AJ is able to recover faster, but he eats knees on the Springboard 450. Nice symmetry. Tanahashi goes for the HFF again, but Styles lunges into the ropes and Tanahashi falls on his already sore balls. Styles wants the Frankensteiner, but Tanahashi almost turns it into a Style Clash, but AJ knows the counter. Again, AJ freaked out about almost losing, immediately stops dicking around and tries for the win by hoisting Tanahashi off the top rope into a Style Clash and there is a great struggle before Styles just drops down with Hollow Point. I feel like that should be his super finisher rather than just a set up. Bloody Sunday leads to Styles Clash for the win. Amazing escalation from the opening feel out process that established how well these two knew each other and how they will both need to dig deep into their bag of tricks to keep the other guessing, great transition to the heat segment with scouting leading to AJ taking control, transition out of the heat was unremarkable admittedly, great high spot with the High Fly Flow on everyone, really well done escalation from the set up moves, nice fun wrinkle with the ballshots, each going for a home run, but missing, only for AJ to have a little more gas left when knocked Tanahashi off the top. AJ did throw a couple nice hammer punches to the eye, but I would have liked to seen that more exploited. There were a couple botches and really it was missing that really memorable hook to make this an all-timer. As is, this is awesome, awesome heavyweight wrestling that I just love. I have this #2 behind Tanahashi/Ibushi. ****1/2

Awesome resource. Thanks so much. Right now it is between Lesnar/Reigns(/Rollins), Sasha/Becky and Tanahashi/Ibushi, but I have a ton of NJPW to catch up on.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi - G-1 Climax 7/20/15 So I have seen Ibushi go against two hard-hitting badasses. Lets see how he fares against the best counter-wrestler/tactician of this generation. Every NJPW fan and their brother could tell you what would happen in this match with Tanahashi targeting the knee, but predictable is not always bad as this match is fantastic and is currently my NJPW match of the year. Now relying on leg work in 2015 against a high flyer is always a risky proposition and yes the main flaw of this match is Ibushi continuing to wrestle his high flying style after extensive leg work. I felt like he did sell enough and Tanahashi kept going back to it that it did not hurt the match that much even if some of the flips seemed overboard given the psychology. Tanahashi looked great in this and really knew how to escalate the drama in this match. My only complaint about him is the same one was always is that he always incorporates the strike exchanges in his matches even though he is not good at them. I get it part of NJPW, but Tanahashi should avoid them. Some nice chain wrestling to start as usual from Tanahashi. Ibushi scores the first big blow with speed in form of a dropkick and then kicks Tanahashi in the chest. The first fantastic sequence of the match is Tanahashi grabbing the leg elbowing it, but Ibushi avoids the dropkick to knee, but misses the standing moonsault which hurts the knee. That was a great bang bang play. Tanahashi is a master working over the leg and everything looked great. Ibushi was at his absolute selling the knee here. Crawling away from Tanahashi and being very vocal. Tanahashi is so great at playing that subtle dick heel while working the knee. Ibushi taking advantage of Tanahashi turning his back with a reverse crossbody attempt by dropkicking him out to the floor was perfect. It was a very sensible transition that was a pretty big bump for Tanahashi and set up Ibushi taking flight. Tanahashi made a mistake and Ibushi made him pay. Ibushi does fire off quite a few high flying moves (he sells at times) before Tanahashi is able to dropkick Ibushi leg out from under him and Ibushi sells that very well. Ibushi tries to escape, but Tanahashi dives at the leg and then HITS HIGH FLY FLOW TO THE OUTSIDE! That looked way sicker than Ibushi's moonsault. This is by far Ibushi's bets selling performance even if his offense requires him to be spotty. Dragon leg screw in the ropes repeatedly, gotta love that Tanahashi nostalgia! Tanahashi wants the Texas Cloverleaf, wicked kick to head and Tanahashi dropkicks knee and Ibushi fights through it to kick him. I think that was reasonable as Ibushi had to fight through the pain to survive. Strike exchange BOOOOOOOOOO! Kick to knee! YAY! Tana catches a kick and dragon leg screw. He gets the Texas Cloverleaf, but Ibushi makes ropes. Dragon suplex no Human Capture Suplex (with plenty of authority, haters keep hating), he gets Sling Blade on the third try. You know what time it is! HIGH FLY FLOW! Here comes number two! Eats knees, but Ibushi's knee is HURT! LOVE THAT PSYCHOLOGY! I really dug the match up until this point, but this was pretty much the Tanahashi formula just at work. The finish run kicks up to the next level. IBUSHI FUCKING LAWN DARTS TANAHASHI INTO THE TURNBUCKLE! HOLY SHIT BUMP OF THE YEAR! German Suplex over the top rope actually looks good. Wow! Tanahashi avoids powerbomb, but gets kicked in head. Ibushi is cooking! PHOENIX SPLASH CRASH & BURN! Exactly what Tanahashi needed because since the Lawn Dart he has been unable to get any offense. Tanahashi tries for HFF, but PELE! They botch the springboard Frankensteiner unfortunately still got a huge pop on nearfall. I dont really like the transition of the powerbomb with that neckbreaker. I much preferred Tanahashi catching the Pele and turning it into a dragon leg screw. Dragon Suplex sets up the High Fly Flow for the win. Awesome fucking match. Tanahashi is so great at having traditional pro wrestling matches in 2015. There is always a great sense of strategy, flow, momentum and escalation. There is very little move trading. I happen to really like the Tanahashi formula of brekaing down an opponent through his legs to set up the finish run. I thought Ibushi did a great job selling and still got to shing with his high spots, but man did that finish sequence rule all. The Lawn Dart spot was insane. Ibushi really got a rattle off some hot nearfalls on The Man of New Japan. At the end of the day, the fact Ibushi had to turn off the selling does hurt this as do strike exchanges, but those are quibbles. This is fucking awesome. Watch this match! ****1/2

It definitely took me a while to get him. I guess I see him more like Terry Funk than you do. I am definitely in the minority (maybe the only person alive) that prefers Tanahashi to him hands down. I just watched Tanahashi's match with Ibushi from this year's G-1 Climax and thought it was better than more pimped 1/4 match.

Katsuyori Shibata vs Kota Ibushi - NJPW G-1 Climax 7/29/15 HOLY SHIT! DAT SLAP! WOW! That was wicked. I really enjoyed this for what it was your stiff, strike-heavy modern New Japan sprint. Kota Ibushi needs as many of these as he can get. He really ought to have won this match, but that's neither here nor there. This was the inverse of the Nakamura match, I really enjoyed the beginning, but then it devolved into a slap-happy, move-trading spotfest. That's enjoyable, but just not the best. I really liked Shibata kicking Ibushi's ass in the beginning. Ibushi is best coming from underneath. Shibata went for the penalty kick early and Ibushi avoided. He tries something cute and Shibata swats him out of the air with a European Uppercut. Tremendous opening sequence. Ibushi is clearly a much better Naito in terms of charisma and strikes. However, he does have the problem of no selling. I like that he is standing up to these badasses, but he needs to sell too. Shibata working on top was excellent. The exact intensity and urgency you want. I thought he oversold that dropkick that Ibushi used to get on offense. Ibushi should have had to string more moves than that to really take command. The back half was lots of MOVEZ~! The finish sequence was incredible. WICKED SLAP! Sleeper and then PENALTY KICK~! Overall, very entertaining match, but the only thing I will probably remember is that slap. It is great that Ibushi is competitive in these matches, but he needs wins too. ****