El-P

If he broke the system with Ciampa & Gargano, less people would complain about him breaking the system (and bitch about the 1989 argument, which indeed reeks of bullshit on Meltz part, but like I said, it really doesn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things because the system is bullshit to begin with). I'm absolutely convinced of this.

Jericho works way better once in a while only. The Climax would indeed kills what makes him special. BTW, do you have the list of participants ? I may try to follow it this year (I passed on watching last years).

I do understand (don't insult my intelligence, thank you very much). I also do think it's completely ridiculous.

You know this is bullshit for the majority of people, right? If he did the same over praising of NJPW, but kept all those matches at 5 stars then nobody would complain about him breaking the system. Come on, people were already complaining about Meltz "overpraising" NJPW way before Omega/Okada cracked the system. Him making stars rain (hey, he's the Starrainmaker !) only made it worst. But the system means nothing to begin with. It's like rating movies, albums, hotels, sex partners, whatever... It's complete bullshit. It means nothing. It's like people crying over not getting the validation of a higher authority. Really, Meltz haters act like disgruntled children who want their daddy to tell them they really are proud of them. And they actually give him and his ratings even more importance by bitching all the time about it. Like I said, major insecurity issues. And as far as NJ (or ROH) announcers using that as a selling point, well, it's pro-wrestling. It bears no more actual value than the old PWI "Best rookie of the year" you'd hear about on NWA TV. (hey, I'm writing music reviews on a webzine. I have to use a star rating with every review. But really, it's a detail. If I could get rid of it, I would, but I'm only a writer on the site, I can't change the interface. What matters is what I write, not a stupid rationalization of something than can't be rationalized)

1 - star rating don't mean jackshit. I have no idea why anyone would get all worked up about any of this. 2 - I believe Meltz would not get the same hate if he would give WWE matches the same kind of snowflakes. Part of the reactions he gets is because he always pimped japanese wrestling higher than US wrestling. And I believe there's a part of insecurity and resentment from US wrestling fans (and guys like Prichard & Schiavone, who when Meltz praise the hell out of a WWE or WCW match find no issue with his views at all) coming from that fact only. The US are supposed to be the "cultural" imperialist of the world, but when basically the only professional reviewer always puts Japan over the US stuff, well... If he had said Ciampa vs Gargano (the previous one) was the best match he had ever seen (and he did praise the match like crazy, mind you), there would probably not be that much outcry about it. But he comes off as the "elitist" (which is quite funny when you think about his crazy praise of guys like Flair, Michaels, Angle, who are the three biggest mainstream US workhorse stars of the last 30 years) and the guy who likes "japanese stuff". The backlash steeming from the Post Benoit Workrate Guilt in our little niche of a niche of a niche (talking about boards and stuff, not PWO per say) saw a wave of reactionary opinions and tastes which happened at the same time when japanese wrestling was in the hole (Kobashi's reign was over, NJ was not exactly back on track yet, joshi was dead) and the US stuff, old (territories) and new (Cena) got praised a whole lot more than before. Loving Japan was not only too "elitist", but it was the roots of evil for a while (Benoit was a product of puroresu-style more than anything else / Misawa dying would add another layer on the idea that what had been praised in the past was stylistically and to a point morally wrong, because too physically damaging, although of course it was a pretty simplistic take on it). Anyway, just rambling, but yeah, I do think Meltz crashing his scale on WWE matches would not get half the hate it gets (not that it matters one bit anyway, cf 1).

HHH vs Taker in 2018. The match of Suck of Doom. Can they make it even more formulaic than the Cena match in Jedda ? Speaking of which, are they gonna do infomercials on Melbourne too ? I mean, they should, women already got the right to drive over there (well, indigenous maybe not, not too sure…).

This show so jumped the shark with me. It's especially ironic to hear Bruce shitting on japanese wrestling because "dirt sheet writers love it" basically and talk about it like it's a "bunch of spots with no psychology". Yeah, let's shit on the 70 years old pro-wrestling history of an entire country because "Meltz" thinks the best wrestling came from there. As far as the Trip ass-kissing goes, Conrad doesn't even try to pretend arguing with Bruce very much anymore. Those Network checks I guess... Still listening to it, and the Sable episode actually intrigues me quite a bit especially in contrast to the gloomy Sunny one, but the fun is half-way gone.

Indeed. That being said, one could argue Megumi Kudo was the first (and only, ever) woman to carry a men's promotion on her back, as that's pretty much what she did after Onita retired. She and Combat should have been the last match at the Kawasaki show in 96, as they were probably more of a draw than the tag match that followed. Her retirement match did close the 97 show. FMW, the true women's revolution.

You mean all those women in the stands frothing when Tana is showing his six-pack and pecs and crying when cuty Omega finally wins the big one ? Nah, they're too busy twitting about how Miho Abe is so scandalous and not empoweringtm. I guess.

And one other thing : you don't *have to* have women on your promotion. It's a men's promotion in a country that has a history of men and women promotions being different beasts (only FMW had a mixed roster on a regular basis, really), always has been. Women were never "special attraction" in japanese pro-wrestling. They were stars of their own. Why should New Japan change now ? Because WWE suddenly discovered serious female pro-wrestler 30 years after the fact and is doing PR about it ? It's ridiculous, honestly. If anything, the WWE is actually hurting joshi puroresu actively by going after the biggest names in an already very fragile scene, but I guess it's ok because it's a women's revolution and shit and they got enough money from the Saoudis and progressive news channel FOX to support this great feminist movem... wait. Oh, nevermind. All in all, I'd enjoy to see an FMW like division in NJPW. But they absolutely don't *have to* do it. It's a men's company, it's as simple as that and it's understood. The argument against that is purely americanized, PC and completely hypocrite because it pretends dealing in morals and shit while still feeding into the global capitalistic entertainment industry. Come on now. As far as NJ presenting women as scantily clad valets, well, yeah, that's really what is striking about NJ's product in the first place when you watch it. Miho Abe being there every other card cosplaying as some evil magical girl and sometime Yujiro bringing a stripper that you see for about 30 seconds. Big deal, really. So shocking and exploitative.

Yeah, really, the idea of the Japanese pro-wrestling culture being behind the times because there aren't women in NJ is pretty comical, considering women only shows were successfully running the Budokan 25 years ago. And it has nothing to do with status of women in Japan either.

Kyoko Hamaguchi is gonna be the star of NJPW women's division soon. Zach Arnold reported it. Some time ago. In the 00's... (honestly, I wouldn't mind a women division in NJPW at all. There are too many belts already, get rid of the NEVER and useless US titles and make some room for some awesome girls by cutting a bunch of gaijins and let's have some great women matches at the Tokyo Dome again)

Greatest match ever. A zillion stars. I was a 14 years old mark again at the end.

I had removed myself from any possible spoilers/hype/hate that this show and main event would surely get. Have not read any reaction yet either. So glad I did. Without getting into details, this was easily a top 10, maybe top 5 card to to bottom. As far as a statement, this was Dreamslam level. The worst match was maybe good/very good. It was paced a way that was super easy to watch, not a dull moment. Cool tag matches, bombfests, comedy, Ishii & Suzuki slapping the fuck out of each other, Rey Mysterio in a terrific legend match, Liger looking great, the super fun three-way (a format I usually don't care much for) although I wish TAICHI would have won (I'm really getting into his bullshit lately, and the fact Miho Abe is hot & slutty as shit isn't even a reason why), Jericho going FMW on Naito's ass. Maybe the one match that kinda "underwhelmed" was Ospreay vs Takahashi, although still an terrifc bombfest, wasn't at the level of the Super Jr. final against Ishimori. And that main event ? Greatest match I've ever seen, possibly maybe. If the 14 years old me would put a fantasy epic match, that would be this kind of stuff. Okada is one of the best big match worker ever and he borrowed his two main spots from Jim Brunzell & Jake Roberts. They teased a table spot that *never actually happened*, how awesome is that in term of getting the most out of *nothing* ? I marked out for Omega winning like a little bitch. Like the Man used to say, like it or don't like it, but learn to love it, cause it's the best thing going today. Also, the right man won. So... "Who are you to doubt Gedo ?" This is everything great about pro-wrestling. And Lucha Underground S4 is beginning this week ? And G.L.O.W at the end of the month ? Gotta love it. Love it love it love it.

Charles, I wish you the best in this future endeavor of yours.

This is the best thread on this board in years. I'm kinda having a break from posting, but I had to say this and I will read that thread. Did you just compare Onita with Mimolette ? I love me some Chabichou du Poitou. And there's no way I'm not posting this :

Cool. I won't even have to get up that early next year to watch Roman Reigns well deserved coronation live. (10000 posts ? What have I done with my life ?...)

Something has to be said about that, as even AJ Styles booked by Vince Russo in TNA was more entertaining and even engaging as a character (yes, even when it was goofy and he played a goofball tag-along having the hots for Karen Angle) than anything he did since he got in WWE, where's he basically been *there* as a "guy who is supposed to have great matches".

Steve McMichael was a better Horseman than Dean Malenko, Jeff Jarrett, Paul Roma, Lex Luger, Brian Pillman or Sting. Not by default, he was actually a good Horseman as a character. He fit, complete with Debra who was awesome as the southern beauty queen airhead.

And he'll probably die sooner than later at this point too...

Hey, if it means Lucha Underground can go on for a S5 with more money eventually, I'm all in (pun int… well, you got it). And yeah for GLOW S2. These two shows have carried my love for pro-wrestling in the past few years.

The Trump Wrestling Federation finally on FOX. All is well in the best world possible.

This TV fees bubble is just ridiculous. Anyway. This means more of "We don't give a shit about our audience" stuff for years and years, most probably, because it doesn't matter anymore.

What happened between Corny & Bolin ? Weren't they like very old friends ?

Meanwhile, those old-school episodes by Corny are super refreshing to listen too. The SMW ones are really cool because you just don't hear about that stuff anywhere else.