Matt D

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/41852-jun-akiyama-vs-suwama-ajpw-champion-carnival-041518/ I watched this on a suggestion, completely out of context. I've seen only a few Akiyama matches from this decade. I'm not sure I've ever seen Suwama. I haven't seen much recent AJPW. These things matter, because here I see these two guys, both in their 40s, one far closer to 50 than 40, the latter being someone who had known real, true glory, battling each other in front of such a small crowd in order to gain points towards an accomplishment that doesn't even matter anymore, not really, but that once was hugely important. It reminded me, oddly enough, of Wahoo and Manny Fernandez killing each other in the late 80s in a dying AWA. Maybe AJPW is better off and more relevant than that, but you wouldn't know it from this crowd or this atmosphere. Despite all that, there was still such mutual, agreed-upon animosity and fury between the two of them. This was a match that had a calf branding from the apron to the guardrail, that had thrown chairs and a thrown rail, with two exploder suplexes (and a transition from a third, blocked one) and a dozen knee variations. It still felt primal and minimalist. I have no idea about the history between these two except for that they have the better part of a decade of it, at least, here in the flagging ruins of AJPW. There was a level of pride to the strike exchanges, but that's not always enough to make them compelling. Here there was also a bitter stubbornness. There was an air of futility of even pointlessness to it, but the only way either of them would be able to recognize that futility would be if they stopped, if they looked down. You got the sense that they were killing each other because if they stopped and thought about it, if they did anything even a little more reasonable, the ground would disappear underneath them and the whole meaning to their lives would crumble. There are moments where you can sense that they can almost see it, that the glimmer of it is there just out of the corner of their eyes, but then one headbutts or forearms the other and the cycle begins anew. I wouldn't want to live in this world, but it's a fascinating place to visit.

I watched this on a suggestion, completely out of context. I've seen only a few Akiyama matches from this decade. I'm not sure I've ever seen Suwama. I haven't seen much recent AJPW. These things matter, because here I see these two guys, both in their 40s, one far closer to 50 than 40, the latter being someone who had known real, true glory, battling each other in front of such a small crowd in order to gain points towards an accomplishment that doesn't even matter anymore, not really, but that once was hugely important. It reminded me, oddly enough, of Wahoo and Manny Fernandez killing each other in the late 80s in a dying AWA. Maybe AJPW is better off and more relevant than that, but you wouldn't know it from this crowd or this atmosphere. Despite all that, there was still such mutual, agreed-upon animosity and fury between the two of them. This was a match that had a calf branding from the apron to the guardrail, that had thrown chairs and a thrown rail, with two exploder suplexes (and a transition from a third, blocked one) and a dozen knee variations. It still felt primal and minimalist. I have no idea about the history between these two except for that they have the better part of a decade of it, at least, here in the flagging ruins of AJPW. There was a level of pride to the strike exchanges, but that's not always enough to make them compelling. Here there was also a bitter stubbornness. There was an air of futility of even pointlessness to it, but the only way either of them would be able to recognize that futility would be if they stopped, if they looked down. You got the sense that they were killing each other because if they stopped and thought about it, if they did anything even a little more reasonable, the ground would disappear underneath them and the whole meaning to their lives would crumble. There are moments where you can sense that they can almost see it, that the glimmer of it is there just out of the corner of their eyes, but then one headbutts or forearms the other and the cycle begins anew. I wouldn't want to live in this world, but it's a fascinating place to visit.

Do not hope and do not dream.

I thought Miz was more or less ready for the face turn when it happened. The crowd was ready for it too. The issue was the execution. If you go back and watch that Survivor Series, he's super over but then just gets eliminated. If they had let him carry his side, he would have had a lot more momentum out of the gate. Obviously, what they did later with Flair was outright bad, but it could have had a much better start.

They blew it with Lashley on that first show by making him just another guy in a six man tag.

Rowan has perfectly fine offense and doesnt swing his arms like a moron when getting kicked.

Beating Brock? He still hasn't done that. Isn't that crazy when you think about it?

Not even you guys made that show better.

He had a bunch of good NXT house show tag matches teaming with guys like Aries and Roode, for what it's worth.

I wonder about what shape Roman's going to be in after all these bumps in 5 years.

Punish Sami for... I guess it was a group punishment?

Sami's face is how I feel about the booking of this show.

Braun just casually running over Owens was pretty good.

I totally forgot this match was on the show, to be honest.

What the fuck kind of bullshit is this???

I'm sure this crowd will be tremendously kind to Roman Reigns now.

Until they don't...

Sometimes I have to hit myself in the back like Nak just did to get up.

We are horrible people but god does blood make everything better in wrestling.

I am on board with this match.

Nak stalling already makes this better than most of their matches.

AJ comes off like a guy who would backpack through Europe, meet people from Georgia, and think that they're from Augusta.

I don't think this helps to accomplish what they want to accomplish long-term.

She sells chops just slightly better than Cass sells kicks.

The only acceptable role for Cass at this point is as Carmella's muscle.