G. Badger

Really enjoyed the Sting vs Angle match from Bound for Glory 2007. Most of that enjoyment came from the first 2/3rds. It was very good wrestling although it had a couple stumbles. Then Karen came out, then f-ing Nash, then the ref bumps, then the bat. Sting won so it made him look strong and made me OK with it all, I suppose. But, man there was no reason for all of that crap...I gotta think this was when Russo was on board. If they would have picked just one then, alright, I'm buying. But damn, they pulled out everything but the kitchen sink. Still, a fun match...but messy.

I exhumed a load of reviews from the grooveyard for this one. I'm psyched to do it though. Jun Akiyama is one of my favorites I hope you enjoy reading and you take the time to go back to good old days of 1990's AJPW! OK let's get this started! vs Al Perez, vs Ted DiBiase (1/15 & 10/23/93): Both of these are worth checking out for that fun house show type of match. Both opponents kept the action and pace going for a couple entertaining matches. Its especially cool to see DiBiase back in AJPW after his very good run back in '87. Akiyama & Takao Omori vs The Fantastics (01/29/95): This was a highlight reel match for both teams. It wasn't heavy on the drama or story but damn! it featured quick action Watch for when Jun gets some Hashimoto nose blood. Good match and fans of these guys should take the time to watch it. Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama (Champ Carnival 03/21/95): This seemed like that match people were talking about when they were discussing Kobashi vs. Jumbo back in '91. Just an excellent match that really made Jun look like the future star and it made Kawada look tough yet beatable. Really cool match with Kawada getting really stiff at times. Great Match perhaps a Near Classic Toshiaki Kawada, Johnny Ace & Takao Omori vs Stan Hansen, Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama (04/15/95): All Japan had some of the best six-man matches that you'd think they were M-Pro in '96. But yeah AJ was doing it in the late 80's & early 90's and if you didn't know they were even doing them in 1995 too. This was a surprise for me but, I'm not going to fawn over it. 4 out of the 6 guys are bonafide greats, and Omori has got the chops and Ace knows how to hang with the group too. I mean he's got some 5 star matches to his credit, right? So, you put all of them together you're going to get something enjoyable. That's always been my rating scale on all of these...how much I enjoyed them There were so many neat stories here with everyone being Champ Carny runners-up for one then you've got: Hansen beating Kawada a month earlier for the belts, Kobashi & Ace at the same show went toe-to-toe during their tag war, then you've got Kobashi against Kawada who not only went to a draw in Jan. but they went to one during the Carny, and then you've got Akiyama vs. Kawada which is always awesome and the story of him & Omori as up & comers as well as being All-Asia tag partners (either around this time or in the past.) AND you've got Hansen, the last of the old guard showing he can still go. Whew! The fact of the matter is that with all of this they didn't need to do too much to make this great but, being the best promotion of the 90's they sure as hell did AND then some. The more AJPW you watch the better the match is. Classic stuff! Mitsuharu Misawa/Jun Akiyama vs Steve Williams/Johnny Ace - (06/07/96 Tag Team Titles): A pure 20 minute plus spree of excitement and near falls. Ace has never looked better, and his chemistry with Akiyama is what made this match so great. Doc once out of the limelight really showed his strength as a brilliant tag wrestler. He and Ace were such a standout team because of this dynamic. Akiyama played his role brilliantly and Misawa was ace but also senpai. This was his role here and it was masterful as ever and touched an emotional nerve. The dynamic with Doc and Akiyama was rough in the early going but as it became more heated, one forgot this segment of the action. It was clear this match was for Ace and Akiyama to shine and they did not disappoint. A classic for sure! Kenta Kobashi, Johnny Ace & Johnny Smith vs Mitsuharu Misawa, Jun Akiyama & Satoru Asako (08/22/97): This started out pretty routine although Johnny Smith was the clear bright point. He was very adamant about making the arm work something special. It was different and helped slow down Akiyama who was the fireplug of his team. Jun wanted to take it to Ace and Kobashi but, Smith wasn’t going to be ignored. He darn near ripped the Blue boy’s arm out of the socket. That’s alright because he was pumped and gave the match a little depth. Stop the burgeoning contender! Now, that’s not to say the other guys were slouches but, no one else brought the intensity like he did. That is to be expected in a match like this. Akiyama, Smith, and Asako are the one’s with something to prove. The story was about ranking and status but, ultimately the athletic competition. This set the outcome in question and was exciting as all hell. The execution, pacing and timing was flawless from all. Great final match for a TV episode…I’d love to be a teenager again and see this at 10:30 at night before going to bed and thinking about it all the next day at school! Reminds me of ECW Hardcore TV in that way. Very good match. vs Mitsuharu Misawa (04/18/98 Champ Carnival): Whoa! Blue Bomber coming in with the game plan! This might be the birth of Akiyama - the genius. Here he is precise like a surgeon opertating on Misawa. Elbows, dropkicks, leg locks etc. but, the Emerald ace is double tough & plenty dangerous. This 20 minute match showcases excellent timing and pacing that crescendos with a badass finishing segment. A near classic match, damn might even be a classic in my book. Smart and violent wrestling in the AJ tradition. vs Kenta Kobashi (07/24/98): What a match! I really enjoyed Jun's persistant focus on slowing Kobashi down. He had a slew of surprising attacks against the Orange Crush's knee. They felt so organic. Of course, this all would be meaningless if it wasn't for Kenta's masterful selling. This is the timeless Kings Road 'blurred reality' selling where its very difficult to tell if the damage is real or imagined. I liked this match much more than than the Kawada vs Kobashi 06/12/98 bout. I feel that match-up had been done to death. Besides, I felt Kobashi never fully clicked in singles encounters with Kawada. Also, Kobashi refrained from hulking up which always has to be noted at this point in his career Anyhow, I thought this match was a classic! vs Yoshinari Ogawa (09/11/98): Two geniuses go at it in the squared circle! This is an all action bout with lightning counter moves from Ogawa with Jun keeping pace and selling just enough to keep Ogawa in the fight. Rat Boy is underrated a hell and such a breath of fresh air. I loved this match and so did the fans. Great match! Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama (10/11/98) – This was a great little tag match. Kawada was just pissed and brutal. He was beating Akiyama, he was beating Kobashi, and he himself got beaten for good measure too! We all win! Akiyama had a spirited showing as well. Kobashi and Taue do show their wear and tear so, this wasn’t exactly everyone in their prime but, this still kicked a fair bit of ass. It’s that unpredictable appeal of very late 90’s AJPW that had me interested in this one for sure. Anyone can win in these matches and more importantly- anyone can lose. Great bout. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama (01/07/99) – The first few minutes (?) were clipped from this match. I’m a little bummed of that but, in all honesty I think AJPW’s clippings are superior to let’s say NJ or M-Pro’s clipping of things. They always seem to pick a nice point to pick up the action and ride it on out. Ok so, it starts with the original “Burning” picking apart Kawada’s knee. From there Taue gets in and brings the fire like it’s 1995! He must have gotten a good night’s sleep because he’s kicking with pep. The man’s throwing dropkicks like he’s a youngster. I love it! This is especially the case since Kobashi is all taped up…I think from a bout with Vader perhaps. Anyhow the Holy Demon Army go rabid over this. Akiyama’s there doing his spots and sequences and it’s nice but, Taue really brought the shit tonight! This is an all action match with bags full of energy and pep. The teams were really feeling the electricity in the air on this one. It wasn’t hall of fame stuff but, I still don’t think anyone was doing matches this exciting in 1999 Japan. Great! Burning (Kobashi & Akiyama) vs Untouchables (Misawa & Ogawa) (03/06/99 AJPW): This was a fantastic must see match. That’s not just for very late 90s AJPW either. This was surprisingly awesome. Misawa and Ogawa’s chemistry is great. Burning has come together as a team in their own right and were equally impressive. Plenty of great tag team maneuvers and teases. This was an AJPW style that went back to the early 90s in terms of surprises and timing. This was not the King’s Road pinnacle style yet, there was a glut of excitement and drama nonetheless. I could see anyone who would want to get into the 90s All Japan style to start out here. It’s got everything. It really encourages me to checkout the late 90s AJ scene more. This was a true gem. vs Takao Omori (09/04/99): If you are a fan of either guy then, damn man, you need to watch this!! Knees, lariats, armbars, attacks off the top rope, man! Why did people thing AJ sucked in '99? It has a big match feel, it has a nice early focus on grappling then, organically transitions to big moves but no MKII finishers which was refreshing. This is very similar to 2012-2015 actually Great match! Burning (Kobashi & Akiyama) vs Untouchables (Misawa & Ogawa) (10/23/99 Tag Titles): This maybe one of the greatest action style tag match ever done. Now they did edit out a portion at the beginning but, I can’t think it was too much. The combat here was hot and hard hitting throughout. Ogawa of course brought his chicanery but, worked so fast and tight that he deserved to be in a true title fight. Misawa was not a slouch either, proving he still has it with multiple dives and splashes. Kobashi was Japanese Hercules and Akiyama had finally grown into his boots. The Blue boy brought the moves and stiffness we didn’t really think he had until NOAH. Other than that I can’t say enough good things about the match. So, I will declare it’s not the same match you would expect in the heydays of 93-96 but, it is just an awesome display of grit, drama, and courage. I would seek this match out without hesitation. One of those matches I slept on for awhile but, so glad I finally got it - classic match! Burning (Kobashi/Akiyama) vs NO FEAR (Omori/Takayama) (10/30/99): I hadn’t heard too much chatter about this match until the 1999 PWO Yearbook. It’s certainly one of those matches an AJPW junkie wants to see just in case it’s an overlooked gem. Well, this is an overlooked gem for sure! Takayama is just about on par with the blonde haired bastard from the 2000s. Omori is just a beefier version of the ass kicker from 95-96 that was giving guys a run for their money. So, to give a summary- This was heated and intense. NO FEAR showed they belonged by handing Burning’s ass to them. Takayama was especially brutal. It’s as we’ve come to expect just, a few years earlier that he’s given credit for. It’s a quick match for AJ standards but, it delivers just how you want it to. Very good! Vader & Steve Williams vs AJ Tag Team Champions Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama (02/20/00 AJPW): Vader & Dr. Death are a hell of a team and Akiyama was ready to bring it. Kobashi dogged it a bit but, took some good shots and nice bumps so it didn't matter too much. This is the time and place where Vader & Dr. Death shine. Near Classic to classic match. Thank you for reading!!! Now go watch some wrestling!

This was great 2/3 falls match. I can't do a better write up than the folks above. I waited a while to watch this since I'm lukewarm on Harley but, this was a doozy. Wahoo just tees off on the champion and Race's bumps are fantastic. Of course his headbutts and knee drops look vicious as ever. Do watch for the fan wildin' out in the front row on the camera side of the ring. He's the guy the fuzz have to grab in fall #3. It's pretty awesome. If you like to people watch the crowd during matches then, you gotta watch this one It is a bit of a distraction since it takes like 5 officers get escort the dude but, Wahoo and Race don't let it phase them. Loved the finish! The Chief almost had it!! So close! Great stuff

Just found this promo of Wahoo at home, in a cast, calling out Greg Valentine & Ric Flair for breaking his leg

The surprise of having the first match be Wahoo vs Terry was great. It was short and sweet with Wahoo getting the pin. That doesn't stop the Funker from laying the boots to McDaniel nor is it below Gino to rush the ring to get the jump on him. Wahoo is in a bad way with Gino dominating. Eventually, the Chief gets an opening and lets Hernandez have it. I loved when he had Gino by the head and pointed to the turnbuckle like 'Your face is going right there asshole!' From there on out I was hooked. This is up on the 'tube so check it out. The whole segment is great!

Just a fantastic match where Greg takes the place of his dad. And Wahoo is cool with that since he goes on to beat the crap outta him. Gregster is no bum as he can take a shot as good as he can dish it out. This is just hard hitting no nonsense wrestling and it's hard not to love it. This was a near classic match.

This is probably one of the few 70's Wahoo matches on YouTube. Like Cornette mentions, his physique, stamina, and agility are much greater than in 1980's. He looks like an absolute beast here. There's no finish unfortunately but, the 8+ minutes are great.

Its been over a month since my last blog post but, I've been watching plenty of wrestling. I'm revisiting Kurt Angle's awesome early years in TNA as well as bouncing around YouTube for classic match ups. My Wahoo McDaniel kick has been a blast by the way! In addition to that great stuff, I've been catching up on some Tajiri stuff that I've missed. Not his WWE stuff mind you but, some odds and ends after he went back to Japan as well as some Tajiri as ECW fan favorite era stuff. So here we go! Spotlight: Yoshihiro Tajiri Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Super Crazy (02/06/99 ECW Fancam Taping - Concord, NC) Gotta start with the classic match-up but, a lesser known one. There's something to be said of these fancam tapings. For one, you're not dealing with the doppy fans that most TV tapings have. These people are just there to see some wrestling. Anyhow, these folks got their money's worth in this match-up. They do their perfect blend of lucharesu here and it really rivals some of their best bouts. It was so fast and crisp and surprising. They did counters here that I don't remember them doing, or if anything this was the first time they did them. Plus the crowd made it great because they were reacting to everything. It reminded me of Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite in Madison Square Garden because these people just had never seen anything like this before...the Japanese Buzzsaw and the Insane Luchador were like something from outer space. They were throwing caution to the wind but, it was a brilliant display of athleticism and spectacular spots. Of course, the selling and development of a story were minimal but, this type of wrestling and the burgeoning feud doesn't lend itself to that type of match. I'm not sure that they ever topped this match in terms of execution, "Toyota" pace, and diversity. This really made both men look like budding superstars. Great match vs Steve Corino (05/14/00 ECW Hardcore Heaven) ECW was on one knee at this point and it's apparent in presentation and the audience composition. It just didn't feel like ECW anymore and this somewhat tame spot match reflects that. However, this still outshines what WWF & WCW were doing in terms of the hardcore wrestling style. I mean, Corino is bleeding bad and that is just damn entertaining to see Honestly, I did not write anything of note regarding Tajiri here so, I figure he was pure babyface spotting in this match with his Tarantula which was as over as ever being the key spot. That's cool. This was a good to perhaps very good match depending if you're giving nostalgia points out. And dammit, I am! BIG JUMP in time here vs Fit Finlay (02/19/12 SMASH 25): SMASH was Tajiri's spiritual successor to Hustle and this was SMASH's final big show. There's a really great lead-in video from Tajiri talking about the importance of this match, as well as, talking about the ferocity of Dave Finlay. It really establishes the drama of this title match in that it is not only about Tajiri having the title at the close of the promotion but, also in proving something to himself. The Buzzsaw looked really good early on getting ahead of Finlay. Of course, Fit came back strong by upping the violence. He attacked our hero Tajiri in the ring and on the floor. Yoshihiro wouldn't quit and tried to mount a counter attack but, the Belfast Bruiser was one step ahead. He blocked, reversed or straight countered Tajiri's signature offense. The Japanese man was in the fight of his life (which played off the lead-in video SO well). This desparation made him doubly dangerous and he finally put Fit on defense. Who would survive? This was such a punishing, dramatic match. It was everything I hoped it would be. A near classic (if not a classic) encounter. It is a must see if you're a fan of either man OR just a wrestling fan in general. Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs Yusuke Kodama and YO HEY (05/26/12 WNC): This is from the 2nd show of Tajiri's new company. Mikey gets on the mic and asks the fans if they want a hardcore match ECW style. They're hell yeah! and so am I. He and T have spikes and give the younger team a tour of the building. The Buzzsaw tries to toss YO HEY from the balcony, oh man! But, I could call this a comedy ECW match but, Kodama and YO HEY aren't having that. They bring the offense that forces the vets to up their game. Sure they get a couple more gags in but, it gets good at the end. This was a ton of fun especially if you miss Mikey, he does great and gives an emotional talk at the end. vs Starbuck (02/17/14 WNC): I'll admit I was never stoked on Starbuck from a name standpoint back a few years ago. Clearly, I could only think of the coffee chain store and I was pretty sure that this dude was some kinda high-flyer. Eh...no thanks. But boy! Was I wrong! He's a very solid back to basic European wrestler. Right on! Tajiri was vicious in his armlocks and kicks so 'Buck had to make space whenever he could - rolling out of the ring, getting a rope break etc. The Veteran would not let up but, Starbuck would turn that aggression against him by timing his counters. This wasn't the most modern match but, it was very good stuff. It told a good story, the execution of moves and body language was spot on. It was simple believable stuff and I dug it! vs Sanada vs Matt Hardy (Wrestle-1): Fuzzy on the date but surely after 2014. Another fun nostalgia match but, with some good wrestling and laughs. It was good to see Hardy and Yoshihiro can put on a good three way dance without having to try for their moves of yesteryear...especially since Sanada was more than happy to do it for them! Man, I dig pre-NJPW Sanada. A total feel good smile on my face the whole time match - right on! That's a good way to close out this entry! Thanks for reading and sorry for the long wait!!

I just stumbled upon this match on YouTube and had no idea that it was a classic. I was just thinking "damn this is really good. They've got plans of attack, they're selling the specific damages as well as the overall fatigue. Still, its a heated fight with guys trading great blows and kicking out because the belt is on the line." I think for '84, you could call this a work-rate match but, its deeper than that. The in ring story is so solid and to have it almost spoiled at the end..oh man. Martel whipping the AWA strap around like a wild man at the end just capped off this beauty of a match. Classic stuff!

Well, these two really beat each other from pillar to post! So many hard chops that it really is a wonder that their chests weren't red. Oh and the punches and slams...man, this was a heck of an intense TV televised match. 15 minutes of fighting, I loved it. People have said Garvin wasn't selling but, in his role, I think he should have been ferocious. He was taking the fight to Flair. A very good to great match in my eyes. Quite glad that I stumbled upon it.

I remember really liking this match from about a dozen years ago. I think it was the first Kerry Von Erich match that I saw. I wanted to use this space to mention the Wahoo vs Manny Fernandez Indian Strap match instead. It's probably not worth making its own topic. We'll just use the King vs Kerry match as a catch all for the Superclash III Anyhow, this strap match was pretty darn good. Stiff chops, punches and blood abound! The big surprise was that Tatsumi Fujinami was there! Fernandez was working in NJ in '88 I believe so, I think he was there to keep Manny in check or something. Well, he certainly DOES both at the start and finish...yes! Awesome little interview at the end from Wahoo where he says he wants to literally kill Fernandez.

This has to be a pretty early appearance for Steiner but, not sure of the significance of this match otherwise. Steiner does a good slam on Garvin but, this is a squash. Check out the Wahoo McDaniel vs Manny Fernandez match from this same show instead. Just two big dudes punching and chopping the crap outta each other for 10 minutes. If you dig Tenryu - Choshu - Hashimoto type stuff check this out. It'd be right at home in '88 AJ or NJ.

This is now up on YouTube to watch. Its a damn fine 11 minute long steel cage match. I wouldn't say its tremendously violent but, its expertly wrestled. It tells a nice story with Wahoo as a bit of a heel, getting Magnum bloody on the cage. TA's selling really made this work so well considering he wasn't gushing. A very good match and short enough to just sit down and watch without blocking out your schedule.

This is still up on the 'tube. Ditto to everything said above. This wasn't a long drawn out match. It was simple and vicious. I especially loved the finish (no pins or submissions, one man must drag his opponent to all 4 corners of the ring and touch the turnbuckle). We really need more matches like this in contemporary wrestling. Very good stuff!

This match was a lot of fun and of course had a lot of good highspots with the ladder and penalty box. AJ really put his body on the line as did Christian. I'm watching this as a Kurt Angle retrospective study rather than in context with the day to day booking. El-P's assessment seems pretty spot on. I have to think TNA used the title (the newly created TNA world title rather than the NWA one that they'd used up to this point) to lure Kurt to sign with them BUT also he was the biggest star so, it perhaps would give legitimacy to the title as well as entice new viewers if Kurt was the BIG focus. Anyways, this was a very good match with a ton of action and excitement.

I gotta say that I liked this match more on the 2nd viewing. Everything leading up to the end was pretty damn awesome. The Angle heeling was probably unnecessary from an overall match standpoint but, from a storytelling perspective, Angle had to resort to cheating in order to overcome the Samoan Submission Machine. I didn't mind the chair rebounding into Kurt's face as a setup for a struggle rather than a knock down. It was clear that it was only a slight blow compared to getting hit on the top of the head by someone swinging a chair. A little 3 Stooges but, the finish justifies this all IMO. Its probably on par with the previous month's encounter...great stuff Edit: I also wanted to mention the importance of the fake-out on the cheap finish. I think stylistically TNA wanted to show that (in this feud at least) they weren't going to resort to sports entertainment type finishes. People have always used the threat of a cheap win only for the babyface to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat but, here TNA wanted to continue to differentiate themselves. Because for all intents and purposes, a ballshot and a roll up would have worked and only added fuel to the rivalry. I think we see it too much nowadays where we don't actually believe that a cheater is going to win but, in '06, it certainly was likely especially for more mainstream wrestling. Also, I just finished Angle vs Joe's 30 minute Iron Man from Final Resolution 2007. I thought it was pretty good. It played off their previous stuff and was well wrestled. I particularly liked how the finish was done. It wasn't breaking any new ground so, it seemed like a good way to wrap up this chapter of the rivalry.

Pure pandemonium with both guys trying to clobber each other. Brody vs the Stomper truly delivered despite not being very long. As far as an FMW comparison, this was very much in the same vein as the 1990 stuff. Walloping the heck outta each other but, never backing down...Houston looked like Korakuen Hall.

Excellent write-up! This was just a ton of fun from beginning to end. All the guys coming out at the end made the DQ finish enjoyable rather than a let down. I haven't seen a Duggan match in a long while but, this was a fine one with Dusty The more Dusty I watch, the bigger fan I become. He really was a performer in the truest sense.

This really is an awesome match and the first time I've seen a full Johnny Valentine bout. He and Bull Curry beat each other senseless here...and I loved it! It was really great, simple yet violent pro wrestling. The quality of the footage is excellent as well. So very glad I watched this!

I disagree with the criticism regarding the lack of struggle and think trying to directly compare this with shoot style and counter wrestling in general is off base. TNA was like WCW in that it nearly approached post Inoki NJPW style at times. This match would be a great example of that Choshu style main event. Some wrestling but mainly punches, a couple throws, and fighting for the signature submission win. But getting back to the lack of struggle, I think the key thing to realize/remember is that no one had beaten Joe. Heck, Kurt just looked like another contender ready to get shutdown...The struggle was in the story and the cutoffs, comebacks, and counters. No it wasn't necessarily slick or quick on the mat at the end but, it shouldn't have been. As stated, it was Clash of the Titans done in a Choshu big match way and for that, it was great. ****

Here's my take on some semi-recent NOAH stuff: Doug Williams vs Yoshinari Ogawa (12/16/18): Gosh remember 2018? Man, where has the time gone? Seriously, I know a lot happened last year but, we're a quarter of the way thru 2019 and I'm still trying to get used to that, aren't you? In the same vein, Williams and Ogawa let you know that the past is present. This was like a 1988 AJPW Jr. title match with holds, counters, and good old fashion wrestling. Hey it might be slow for some but, damn this was a fun match!! What a breath of fresh air in this smoggy decade's end! This Decemeber 16th show was a big one for NOAH but, man- I wasn't feeling it...although there was one other match that caught my attention: Kotaro Suzuki vs Daisuke Harada. This match was good but, the last 5 minutes were especially enjoyable. Then we get some post match madness and I always dig that!! The follow up is: Kotaro Suzuki, Yoshinari Ogawa & YO-HEY vs Daisuke Harada, HAYATA & Tadasuke (01/06/19): This is Korakuen Hall six man action and damn it is very good! NOAH still knows how to do this 17 minutes of excitement that cuts out all of the slow extemporaneous bits of of the Kotaro vs Harada match out. This had heat and the tandem moves most notable Ogawa and Kotaro (Misawa's other protege besides Marufuji) doing Untouchables moves - Oh man! so cool to see 20 years later! This was just a great follow up to the above match in more ways than one. SO then I decided to back track: Daisuke Harada vs Kotaro Suzuki (10/30/18): There was a Halloween in 2018?! When the hell was that!? Oh wait I remember sitting in my house with the lights off until 8pm...occasionally glancing out the window making sure no teenagers were fucking up my shrubbery. Ahem...anyhow...We get a much better match than their Jan 2019 encounter. This baby has intensity, the fans were into this, and maybe the moves came across better. I dunno but, this was some very good stuff! I liked this! Trick and treat perhaps? Ehh, that doesn't work in March but, dammit if I'd been on the ball a 5 months ago, that joke would have been spot on! Spot on, I say!!! Hahaha! So, my ever-so-often check up on NOAH was fun. I totally avoided the Go Shiozaki & Nakajima matches since they are the same damn chop-kick matches for the past 10 years. But, I found some fun stuff with Ogawa, Kotaro, and Daisuke Harada and his gang. It's a very Indy feel over on the Ark but, it's fun. I'll be sure to check it out some more this year and maybe you will too! Peace!

Thank you for your patience! I'm going to conclude the singles portion of this project here so, read on!! (6/10) Yoshihashi vs Ryusuke Taguchi: This was OK. I liked the opening mat section but, this felt like a by-the-book junior match. I think there is some drama here as Yoshihashi was part of the NJ main crew but as in a Young Lion/Junior member capacity. I say that as I've seen him paired with Taguchi in some tag matches. So maybe there's something here along the lines of YH proving his worth yadda-yadda but, I'll be honest I might even say SKIP this one. It just wasn't worth the 10 minutes in my mind. Gedo vs Kota Ibushi: Gedo's swearing and trash talking has been a real treat with the project. I crack up every time he tells some one off This match was no exception. His smack talk also strenghtens his dislike for his opponents especially Ibushi. "Come on, Golden Boy!" as Gedo slugs the comely Kota in the jaw. Oh man! That's good stuff K.I. comes back like a technico by finding that opening and wow-ing the fans and his foe with spectacular offensive maneuvers. And dammit! It works here because there's a reason he's doing his flips and dives. He's gotta his skill and agility to best the tough, crass vet! GO KOTA GO!This was a really standout bout in the 2010 BOSJ. 10 minutes of very good stuff here, go see it! (06/11) Jushin Liger vs Davey Richards: A good match that featured a Davey going after Liger's arm. Richards played the young aggressive gaijin going after the never-say-die veteran Liger. If this was a larger show, they could certiainly have put on a great **** match with this story/layout. I really enjoyed this one even though it was only 9 minutes long. Ryusuke Taguchi vs AKIRA: A match of parity and dueling leg work. This was a neat little story as both guys decided they'd hobble each other. There was some good selling and neat transitions but, neither took it so far to delegitimize the previous portion of the match. That is to say, they didn't sell it like a torn ACL only to be running and diving a second or two later. I like this. It was a different match and told a story most people shy away from nowadays. Good match. (06/12) La Sombra vs Jushin Liger: Shades of Liger vs Hayabusa Super J Cup 94 baby! La Sombra was like 'Screw it! I came here to highspots!' JTL hits his backbreaker and shotei palm strike and is looking to make an opening but, the young luchador shuts him down. We get a countout win after he hits a springboard inward somersault facecrusher on Liger on the floor! Now I think it was supposed to be like AR Fox's inward somersault plancha but, how Liger caught Sombra and vice versa made it look like a face crusher/bulldog on the cement. Hells yeah! 5 minutes...sorry to spoil it but, you gotta see it for yourself. Davey Richards vs Kota Ibushi: This wasn't the most developed match and my favorite part was when they were hitting each other BUT dang it! It worked! This was an all action bout and other than an iffy frankensteiner this was spot on. Probably not as good as their ROH bout around the same time (I think) but, this was good to very good stuff. I mean if you're interested in this you'll want to spend the 11 minutes on this match. If you dislike either guy then, uh yeah...I can't say it's what you want Kenny Omega vs AKIRA: I really dug this bout - high level of energy and excellent laser focus from AKIRA on Omega's knee. The Canadian sold it very well. He let us know it was hurting him enough to throw his offensive momentum off but, when pushed he could pull it together. AKIRA kept on it though. Kenny was in real trouble and he needed to put that fact at the forefront of his mind for the rest of the contest if we was going to win. He gave a great performance in building up hope, showing fighting spirit, yet still impressing us with his maneuvers. Likewise, AKIRA put on one of the best outings of the BOSJ round robin in constructing a spirited, intense battle that was believable and interesting even though it focused on a submission based attack in 2010 AND was only 10-11 minutes long! Very good to perhaps great match. So, the MVP of this is totally Gedo! Maybe I'm biased from growing up seeing him in all the sleazies and ECW (check out Jado & Gedo vs Impact Players) but, dammit- he really brought a real sense of hate to his matches. Many of the others we're technically great but, lacked emotion. There were exceptions, notably AKIRA vs Omega and the Hayato matches. This has taken me longer than expected but, it's been fun and something neat to do during the middle of a snowy afternoon. And really, that's the real treat here, NJPW has a bounty of good to great 10 minute matched on Youtube for people to enjoy. So, yeah watch Fujita Hayato's, Gedo's, Omega vs AKIRA and a Davey and Ryusuke Taguchi match and you'll be all set! Thank you wrestling fans!! We'll take a slight detour to some recent NOAH You Might Have Missed and then hitting the 2010 Jr. Tags. There are some real bangers in there!

18 minutes of perfectly executed action. Ibushi was flashy here with a cartwheel move but, I'm OK with the rest of his offence. He made it look natural. However, the real talent of the match was Taguchi. He employed a strong abdomen focused attack on Ibushi from beginning to end. Unfortunately, Ibushi doesn't go very deep in selling this psychology. He lets you know how tired and hurt overall but, doesn't so much as clutch his ribs or chest to convey the strategy of Taguchi...Doing this may have put this into classic Jr. canon contention. Alas, we just get an excellent fireworks match. Plus this is free on the YouTube, so go watch it!

From my blog entry: This was a intense sprint battle. A fantastic Day 2 match for the Super Jrs. league. It was extremely stiff with great suplexes and I loved the heck outta of it. NJPW gatekeeps a lot of their stuff because of their 'network' but, this puppy is floating out there for free on their Youtube channel. If you're a cheap ass like me, and you're reading this becuase you're genuinely interested - watch this bout. It's around the 10-12 minute mark and, even if you don't care for the newer style, this is at the very least a very good popcorn - fireworks Jr. match that'll make you smile and/or cringe. Its not a classic but, dang it is a blast! -I don't get the anti Omega sentiment above. I'd say its more of a style battle than saying Hayato's style exposes Omega. I thought Fujita worked really well with Omega's pro style...it was similar to '87 NJ guys vs O.G. UWF guys. And let's be frank Hayayo is very good (probably a smidgen moreso than Omega in 2010) but, he is pretty one dimensional. Sort of a poor man's KENTA...while Omega is the top talent in wrestling, its hard to buy this as very good just because Hayato is blasting Kenny with potatoes...Its a wholly enjoyable match because of the style differences. Plus we have two puro Indy stars battling it out in a NJ ring and that's neat too!

Sorry for the delay! The weather has been a little bit better the past two weeks and I've been able to get some skating in. Plus I think I needed a little break from wrestling. Nevertheless, I'm ready to pick up where I left off and get back to NJPW's Junior scene circa 2010. We're still watching the Best of the Super Jrs. round robin matches. From June 2nd (06/02/10) Tama Tonga vs Yoshihashi: I missed this one on the previous post but, no biggie. It was an OK match. Nothing fancy but, it was not bad. Just a quick little match. (06/04) KUSHIDA vs Kota Ibushi: It was weird seeing KUSH in something other than his McFly get-up but, even weirder was seeing him in red & gold shorts with bleached blonde hair. Whoa! Anyhow, this was very much an offense oriented match and was quite impressive. The crowd was digging it but, for some reason it didn't "get to me." It was good though and others may like this more. Fujita "Jr." Hayato vs Tama Tonga: A fun match pitting Tonga's power against Jr.'s kicks. It's very simple yet quite satisfying. 9 minute match and I've read that Hayato injured his foot during the match and had to pull out of the rest of the shows. Watch this bout and see if you can figure out where/when it happened. This is a shame since I was very much enjoying his shoot style leanings. (06/05) La Sombra vs Davey Richards: So, we get the first appearance of the American Wolf Davey Richards. Yes! This time with NJ created some buzz back in the day as he used to appear with NOAH fairly often and now he was going to be working with New Japan. His hard hitting style is very puro influenced so, to see him working in NJ gave them impression that they were looking to mix things up in the 2010's. To be honest, the 2000's for NJPW had some high points but, overall it was pretty stale what with dabbling in MMA-centric bouts, tired match ups and uninspiring stables. So, for a big name in the US scene like Davey to align himself was exciting. But to the match at hand - it was a good bout with nice moves. For a small show round robin match, it delivered. Some folks on the YT said it sucked but, that's B.S. They probably thought they were going to go buck wild despite the circumstances. Well, this is a New Japan house show folks... (06/06) Kenny Omega vs Tama Tonga: Bullet Club battle right here! No but, it was a nice Junior power vs power type of match. Like many of these matches, there wasn't a ton of selling but, it was fun watching these guys toss each other. I gotta say the Hadouken and Croyt's Wrath are great here! Prince Devitt vs Gedo: Gedo jumps Devitt from the get-go and dominates him for a good portion of the match. Of course, the Irishman comes back and damn! does it feel good! This is the best match so far in the project. The in ring story is there, the selling is there, the action is there, and we get humor too! Like Gedo telling the ref to "Shut the Fuck up!" on a couple occasions and pretending he's not going to use the ring bell mallet as a weapon AGAIN. Hahaha! Not to be out done, during Devitt's comeback, the Prince advises Red Shoes, in an un-princely manner, "Get the fuck outta the way!" I dug the hell outta this match. - It becoming clear to me that NJPW was trying to rebuild their Junior division much like they did in the 90's Golden Era. Get those talented Gaijin! Thanks for reading! Comment below if you see when Hayato got injured and I hope to be much quicker with my next installment.