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G. Badger

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  1. G. Badger
    Found my old review: Baby Toyota vs. Baby Hokuto! This is full of nice surprises especially from Toyota who doesn't have her 90's moveset just yet. So there are no moments where she bites off more than she can chew nor, times where you can call which one of her favorite tricks she is going to do. Here she has a solid match which is fought manly on the ground. This works because Joshi puroresu is still in the old style where singles matches are mat matches with nice highspots serving as points of action and transition. I like this because moves in this match and other great matches of its ilk are used to secure pinfalls or to shift momentum and then take control back on the mat with a hold. So, with that being my preference when all is said and done, I really enjoyed this match. I would call it a great match but, not tremendous in terms of moves or brutality as many of their 90s matches would be. Again, the style had not shifted at this point but, if you want to look at where it would be going-look to this match. It bridges the gap by pushing the speed, complexity, and accuracy of maneuvers, while working submissions aggressively and inserting classic pinning predicaments.
  2. G. Badger
    AJ took it right to Joe and set the tone for this match. Intense and physical as hell. It was full of nice surprises,teases, hard way blood from both guys, and fantastic pacing. Plus, the post match kept the story going setting up Daniels vs Joe. This really is a classic match alongside anything they did in ROH. Its really a testament to how TNA was mismanaged. Styles, Joe, and Daniels could have been having classics like these for the Heavyweight belt for a few years instead we got 2000 era WCW redux and all kinds of other stupidity.
  3. G. Badger
    This was indeed an epic encounter. Stiff, hard fought, with plenty of little touches of violence like a Tsuruta & Tenryu match. It was a little rough around the edges and could have been a minute or two shorter but, that helped in a way. It looked like they really were trying to kick each others ass. Paul London is on of the greats from ROH that may be most overlooked. He was there for a short amount of time relative to Danielson, Daniels, Joe but, was clearly on their level or beyond. Perhaps he went to WWE too soon or he should not have gone at all. Also these earlier matches lack the production quality (announcing is pretty terrible) so they seem more Indy-like than later stuff. Also unavailability of the early shows or even comps has hurt his ROH legacy. He really does shine despite these things. ROH has a Best of Year 2 DVD 2 disc set from 2012 available still which is how I watched this classic match.
  4. G. Badger
    Some thoughts on this match: Larger arena and card than the Champ. Carnival matches from 2016. Very nice to see AJPW in a venue of this size. Its nice to have SUWAMA back as the roster is kinda sparce. On to the match: Great heelish tactics from SUWAMA. Strong focus on the sleeper hold and trying to damage Kento's neck. Fantastic strike exchanges and selling by both but, esp. Miyahara as the babyface champ. Glad to see zero flip bumps taken from a lariat. Miyahara finally looked like a world champ here and felt the torch has been passed in this match. Rather than "put the belt on the young handsome babyface." Traditional puro with little flash or gimmicks. An alternative to the current NJ style. This was a classic encounter especially for 2010s AJPW.
  5. G. Badger
    Champion Carnival match: Solid chop exchange to start with nice selling by Omori. He reminded me of Tenryu with grimaces and a desire to stop getting smacked in the chest once he know he's beat. Takao works so well in keeping Zeus' defeat a reality despite being like a Japanese Scott Steiner. I mean that positively and negatively. In essence, Omori keeps the pace slower and makes Zeusy take his lumps before he can shrug it off and do his power moves...which are cool but, they could use a little teasing or struggle before busting them out. For 2016 "Indy" AJPW Champion Carnival, they pulled out quite a few stops here. I highly recommend checking this out.
  6. G. Badger
    Joe taking on two puro legends in 1 month is pretty remarkable! Amazing cool entrance by Joe and Liger's wasn't too shabby with his NJ music, full shoulder pads, and streamers. Liger, sized wise, looked like a good match for Joe. Shorter but, thick as Joe. Crowd was amped. Joe pretty much did his 'standard' TNA act here but, Liger switched it up from his 2005 routine and played it like a younger junior taking on the heavyweight. So, we got a few moments of brilliance from Liger as well as him taking to the air. The only thing stopping this from being a great match was the time it was given. It reminded me of a Fire Pro Wrestling match where you get a Critical just as you're starting to amp things up. Highly recommended match and a successful dream match in my book.
  7. G. Badger
    I thought this was a fantastic meeting of two of this generation's best wrestlers. It was really everything you could hope for in a match between AJ & Joe. Athletic, intense, and surprising. Also thought the ending was good for the match/story as well. A 100% clean finish or draw would have been preferred but, I think this match is still a classic
  8. G. Badger
    I watched this match twice since I saw that people gave it ****3/4. Here are my thoughts from both viewings: Omega is charismatic and his mannerisms and expressions are indicative of a character he's playing rather than "himself." He engages the crowd very well with these attributes which have a tinge of dark humor. It's fun to watch. I am a fan of Goto especially in his IC fights with Nakamura. I thought this would be similar since Omega is playing something like Nakamura's but, Goto came across as bland. He was not as stiff and or intense as I would have liked. They could have traded out Goto for any big/strong wrestler as I felt this was all Kenny. Watching this made the Naito match all that more worth watching again. All in all this was a great match with the powerbomb fake out and the tributes to Ibushi and past Bullet Clubbers. I was hoping that they would play more off of Omega's knee from the Naito match from the previous night...that would have been awesome and a recipe for a classic but, i just had higher expectations than what this turned out to be. Great match nonetheless
  9. G. Badger
    A very compact 6 man match. I don't believe all 6 guys interacted with one another during the match...I mean of any significance. It seemed like they paired off like first fall in a lucha trios match. For that, things never really kicked into high gear but, this was an impressive match up nonetheless. Zeus and the Bodyguard are great AJ opponents for Strong BJW if you're looking for a big guy match & Akiyama vs D. Hashimoto reminded me of Mr. Sternness teaching Makato Hashi how to be tough circa 04-05. Recommended match and would like to see more of these guys based off this one
  10. G. Badger
    A very short match in K-Hall...featuring 2 cameras! It certainly helped as Jun was blasting Super Tiger with vicious knees inside and out. The only real offense S.T. got was a flurry at the end which knocked Jun out. Too short to be anything special but a fun match.
  11. G. Badger
    A feeling out process with referee Wada getting involved when Miyahara won't release the hold in the corner which starts up the body of the match. This was a nice touch. Tiger is focused on Kento's arm with kicks and some great looking armbars. This was a short match so there was no drawn out selling intended, Tiger was just going for the kill. Kento fought back with his kicks and knees and this turned out to be a intense match with good strikes and suplexes in the end. Highly recommended match
  12. G. Badger
    If we take AJPW as an Indy promotion, then our expectations won't be set too high. At this point, AJ is an Indy and nothing like the venerated promotion of the 90's. Well, except for the style. With Akiyama back and in charge it is decidedly a throwback to the early 90s. Omori & Jun play the tough but a little over the hill vets with champ Miyahara teaching Jake Lee the ropes. Lee has good potential as he's young, a stiff worker, and not too handsome. He'll hone his craft rather than worry about modeling and super stardom. This match was very good at telling the above story to the fans. Everyone was solid and the work was snug. There wasn't anything awesome but, there wasn't anything offensive either. Jake Lee made an impression which was the point, I think. Recommended match
  13. G. Badger
    I liked that Akiyama brought an old trick out of his bag and that Mashimo stayed focused on working the leg. Akiyama sold it pretty well but, this could have used another leg attack or something else to build the drama. It was OK but nothing to actively seek out.
  14. G. Badger
    I go into every current NJ match with an open mind. These big matches can be hit or miss but, I liked this one especially towards the end. All in all this reminded me of a souped up 90's NJ Jr's. match. Didn't get the spitting schtick but, whatever... I'll say this: selling a hurt leg is easy to do. Hop around a little, rub the knee etc. but, selling it well is much more difficult. Omega did a pretty good job down the stretch with nice little touches especially toward the end. Was it Kawada-like? No but, I was believing in a submission... So much modern offense is based on running and jumping that basing a match of a bum wheel can be a recipe for junk but, I have become more lenient in my judgements though. I will give Omega credit for sticking to it as best he could based on his style and the current NJ style. I mean he very well could have blown it off by hulking up, calling upon his fighting spirit or whatever but he did not. Naito was excellent in his selling too...just in a more generalized fatigue/brain damaged kind way. Some of the looks he made after a big move or counter were priceless! So, overall it got me engaged and invested. I bought the leg damage and thought it was a great match. Glad I went out of my way to watch it! The speech afterwards was a nice bonus. Go see this!
  15. G. Badger
    Bigger more involved crowd than the Sekimoto match. The match moved along rather quickly without much build up. Since this was part of the Champion Carnival, I think that's allowable...considering we have Jun Akiyama vs the Triple Crown champ. The finish was done at the right pace and was emphatic enough for me. I recommend this match in terms of the carnival but, as a stand alone its just a nice fun match to watch while having a snack or something...
  16. G. Badger
    I thought this was a pretty awesome little match in front of a small armory, youth rec center sized crowd. There was one fixed camera and the audio mixing was such that the sound of the wrestlers & crowd was muted. I think it worked though because the in ring action was simple yet compelling. Intensity was there despite the crowd and they really picked things up towards the end. Just a nice build without going overboard. No frills puro, highly recommended match.
  17. G. Badger
    Watched ROH Final Battle '07 and the 4 man elimination match was a great example of how to do a 4 man match. Guys and finishers were protected and multiple storylines were tackled. In most cases, these type of matches are 'easy night' matches at their roots just like Battle Royals. You can have big name guys or gals in a 'match' without them busting their butts for 20+ minutes and people can saw they saw Joe or Jill Star. Conversely, you can have a those 3-4 people go all out for 10-15 minutes and give the fans something memorable which are the low card dive fests. Its probably much easier for the big names to go into cruise control for 20 so, we only get a handful of great multi man matches a year and even fewer classics :\
  18. G. Badger
    Hero in the past few years with the weight behind him has made his young KO kid/KO artist/Elbowing bully gimmick truly believable. His weight/build is the antithesis to most Indy wrestlers as well so, when he throws an elbow or kick, that force is there. Its like Hashimoto going up against a young Otani. Still if he puts some more muscle on underneath he'd be a boss like Hansen, Gordy, Hash, or Morishima even...but, I ain't complainin' Has anyone mentioned short wrestlers or guys that appeared too thin BTW? How short is too short to be taken seriously? Or thin?
  19. G. Badger
    Finished ROH Final Battle 2007 and here is my take... Jigsaw/Ruckus vs Matt Cross/Bobby Fish - Fun match Larry Sweeney vs Claudio - Skipped Necro Butcher vs Jack Evans - Both are known to take insane bumps, recommended match Marufuji vs Davey - Fun match, Davey oversold the leg early and it wasn't worth it. But, he went balls to the wall a couple times so it was okay for where it was on the card. Marufuji turned it on later and overall I enjoyed this bout. Six man tables match - OK match, it seemed like they had no idea what to do in between the big spots. Too bad...plus bad booking to have a fight without honor\no DQ match here because it served no beneficial purpose to the show or guys. Rocky vs Ernie Osiris - skipped Roderick Strong vs Erick Stevens - Recommended match. Hard hitting athletic match Morishina, Aries, Hero & Danielson - 4 way elimination - Hashimoto blood, Hero shows his future potential, MMA influence in the end. Great 4 way match with every second of the match being used to tell a story. Great match! Briscoes vs Age of the Fall (Jacobs & Black) - Pretty fantastic with well defined characters. It probably would have been great or a classic with a table spot or two (wish the earlier match didn't blow that) to take it to the next level. Highly recommended match nonetheless! A highly recommended show and very easy to enjoy.
  20. G. Badger
    That's not how Street Fighter works. Supers aren't guaranteed round enders, and even a jab can end a round if the opponent's lifebar is sufficiently depleted. I'd like to see the concept of cumulative damage return to wrestling. When was the last time you saw someone kick out of big finisher and get pinned by a mid-level move? As it is, the escalation train only goes forward, never backward. more emphasis on the flashy moves, less on Street Fighter specifics...I haven't played in 10 years! But yeah, I wish they were like two people playing SFII turbo instead of SF Alpha 3...winning with a Fierce jump kick rather than screwing around until 1 person can do their level 3 super combo where the screen changes color. Mortal Kombat, Power Rangers, Dragon Ball, Kung Fu movies etc. Crazy moves leading to a crazier sometimes elaborate finish. Again, its fun but, the more every match is doing this, people care less & less overall about the matches or story being told.
  21. G. Badger
    Sounds like more of an issue with WWE throwing money around to get guys with a buzz...which is nothing new. Buying guys up, hoping that they fit rather than planning on having a spot for them and booking a year with 'em in mind. Steen/Owens has long term potential but, is still kinda a poor man's Samoa Joe...
  22. G. Badger
    Young Bucks...still don't like them but in a good heel kinda way...I want to see them get smashed every match...
  23. G. Badger

    PWG

    G. Badger replied to BigBadMick's topic in Pro Wrestling

    what's your definition of cool? In wrestling I sorta match being cool with being a sleazeball...like HBK. So he's a cool sleazeball-he probably gets the chicks at the bar after the show, has a honey in every big city etc. Watched a bunch of the previews on PWG's YouTube channel and I'll be darned if they weren't pushing Speedball Mike Bailey and Trevor Lee in 2015. Dimes to donuts Scurll will be on the WWE roster soon enough. Solid skills and clear cut character, good looks, marketable as hell...actually has a chance to go far.
  24. G. Badger

    PWG

    G. Badger replied to BigBadMick's topic in Pro Wrestling

    Brian Cage is out of Sacramento, California...not really SoCal though :\ I think Roderick Strong being the champ in 2015 helped bring him to prominence again. The feud with ZSJ especially. But both guys being known quantities, I think PWG has been more about giving guys a platform to shine. I agree with not watching a show in one sitting...maybe a match or two a day...sometimes in a different order.
  25. G. Badger

    PWG

    G. Badger replied to BigBadMick's topic in Pro Wrestling

    Yeah, that's the vibe I've gotten as well. Its what ROH was back in the day at least in terms of match quality. It seemed almost like a comedy promotion early on but, even if a person checks out their YouTube previews, they've certainly stepped up their game. An observation: The Young Bucks are in essence the stars of the promotion. I hated them but have bought their schtick and they're pretty good heels in this environment. Their go-go style is the template for the majority of the undercard. Black Cole Sun and Don't Sweat the Technique from 2014 & 2015 respectively are good shows to check. I think the BOLA from 2015 had a lot to offer as well.
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