Official Lucha & Puro Discussion Thread

[Second City Saint]

I figured we need a thread to discuss the wrestling going on in Japan and Mexico. Feel free to discuss all promotions including AJPW, NJPW, NOAH, HUSTLE, DDT, Big Japan, Dragon Gate, Zero One, Michinoku Pro, CMLL, and AAA.


If anyone is interested in checking this stuff out, DVDs can be purchased here
http://www.purodvdsource.com/

additional discussion and information can be found at iTunes under the Figure Four Daily Podcast. The Adam and Mike show covers the major topics in Japan every week and it's a free show :yes:


So get to discussing folks

[Eddie Colon]

Another great and even cheaper dvd source:

http://www.ivpvideos.com/main/index.php?PHPSESSID=4a9553369eee31193a315bfacb55d0 68

[Defrost]

The problem with both those sites are the search functions on them.

[Second City Saint]

I'll start the discussion:

For the world X cup, TNA has aquired Jushin Liger, Black Tiger (Rocky Romero), Minoru Tanaka, and Hirooki Goto from NJPW. If you had access to anyone on NJPW's roster, would you replace any of these four?

I'm cool with Black Tiger and obviously Liger, but I'd rather see Tanahashi than Goto. I don't really know much on Tanaka so I can't say anything on him, but I'd get a kick if he was replaced by Curryman.

[Bothead]

I would have put in Tiger Mask, but then again that would be difficult because he and Black Tiger are meant to be arch rivals.

[darkhorse]

I've been watching quite a bit of CMLL lately. Pretty entertaining stuff.

[Eddie Colon]

I used to get some mexican company (don't remember if it was CMLL). It was a one hour show in fox sports.

What I found was that in every single match, at the exact same time, every singe fall, there would be a triple tope spot, to the point where it became sort of routine and I could sinchronize my watch to match the tope.

Those where good times.

[Andy Wild]

The only Lucha show I've seen (apart from random one off matches and TWC stuff) is When Worlds Collide from 1994.

It's done in California with English commentary from Mike Tenay and someone else and it's one of the best shows EVER.

It's got the amazing 2/3 Falls Match Mask vs. Hair Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero vs. El Hijo Del Santo and Someone else (I think) Amazing heat. Amazing match.

Great show.

Also KENTA > Marufuji.

[Eddie Colon]

Also KENTA > Marufuji.


Thats not saying much.

[Andy Wild]

That was just a playful jibe at MWS.

What do people think of Go Shiosaki?

He's probably one of the best rookies I've ever seen and in the future will be a GHC Heavyweight Champion I'm sure. He's an incredible talent and a tough bastard too.

[JamieB]

The only Lucha show I've seen (apart from random one off matches and TWC stuff) is When Worlds Collide from 1994.

It's done in California with English commentary from Mike Tenay and someone else and it's one of the best shows EVER.

It's got the amazing 2/3 Falls Match Mask vs. Hair Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero vs. El Hijo Del Santo and Someone else (I think) Amazing heat. Amazing match.

Great show.

Also KENTA > Marufuji.
Octagon was Hijo Del Santo's Partner. I have seen that match on the Eddie Guerrero DVD

[Second City Saint]

That was just a playful jibe at MWS.

What do people think of Go Shiosaki?

He's probably one of the best rookies I've ever seen and in the future will be a GHC Heavyweight Champion I'm sure. He's an incredible talent and a tough bastard too.you chav. (yes I'm up with your British slang, yo)

I think Go could be the future if NOAH doesn't push him too soon. Let him get comfortable with the role he's in and gradually escalade his status in the company.

[Andy Wild]

you chav. (yes I'm up with your British slang, yo)

I think Go could be the future if NOAH doesn't push him too soon. Let him get comfortable with the role he's in and gradually escalade his status in the company.

:cry: Emo! :D

Knowing Japan, Go will be taking a hefty beating for many years to come and he'll earn his way to the top. I love his name to GO!

It's so awesome.

I think tommorow I'll watch some classic NJPW Junior stuff from 1996. That was a great time in wrestling.

[Tainted Eclipse]

the only place(s) for puro tapes are

bluethundervideo.com
or
goldenboytapes.com

if you live in north america

I just ordered Phil Schneider Complations 3,4 and 5 :yes:

[Second City Saint]

I just found out I get free Lucha - CMLL I believe. Anyone with comcast who is curious about this, quote this or pm me.


Kawada vs. Misawa - AJPW 1994 (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RYPLG8PV) (one of the greatest matches ever)

[Second City Saint]

I watched an odd 12 man tag in a cage match today. I didn't know who was on whose team and I was curious as to why every wrestler who participated was a jr. as in El grande luchador jr. (there was no El grande luchador jr. but I needed to use that because I forget all the names). Anyway, what made it so weird was that after 9 guys escaped (leaving a 2 on 1), they all came back to help their team. Not only that, but when the 3 who hadn't escaped got out, the match kept going so that those who'd already escaped could escape again. Then when the last guy was in the ring, he took off his mask and cut a promo where he was pissed and possibly crying. I wish I spoke Spanish.

[Second City Saint]

Bryan Danielson vs. Marufuji
(http://download.yousendit.com/6B90AF323217497F)

[Second City Saint]

Results - New Japan 4/30 Hyogo, Amagasaki Park Gym (Bernard vs. Nagata)
04/30/06-06:32 New Japan ran their April 30th rally in Hyogo at Amagasaki Park Gym, claiming 5,200 paid. Results:

1. Yujiro defeated Mitsuhide Hirasawa in 7 minutes, 36 seconds with a crab hold.

2. Shin'ya Makabe defeated Takashi Uwano in 10 minutes, 1 second with a lariat.

3. Jadoh & Jushin Liger defeated Prince Devitt & Sangre Azteca in 11 minutes, 16 seconds when Jadoh used the cross-face hold on Devitt.

4. Tiger Mask IV defeated Gedoh in 11 minutes, 2 seconds with a cross-arm scissors hold.

5. Masa Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, & Black Strong Machine defeated Takashi Iizuka, Naofumi Yamamoto, & Riki Choshu in 10 minutes, 40 seconds when Chono used the Shining Yakuza kick on Iizuka for the win.

6. Koji Kanemoto & Wataru Inoue defeated El Samurai & Ryusuke Taguchi in 19 minutes, 35 seconds when Kanemoto used a moonsault press on Samurai for the win.

7. Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Toru Yano & Scott Norton in 11 minutes, 6 seconds when Nakanishi used the Mana Bauer (German Suplex Hold) on Yano for the win.

8. New Japan Cup 2006 Finals: Giant Bernard defeated Yuji Nagata in 19 minutes, 40 seconds with the Bernard Driver.

[Second City Saint]

Puroresu Power Hour Boards - 2005 Puro awards

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling MVP

Winner: Satoshi Kojima (40.3% - 23 votes)
Runner-up: Kenta Kobashi (38.5% - 22 votes)
Third place: Razor Ramon HG (7% - 4 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Technical Wrestler

Winner: Minoru Suzuki (28% - 14 votes)
Runner-up: Yuji Nagata (22% - 11 votes)
Third place: KENTA (20% - 10 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Most Damaged Goods

Winners: Mitsuharu Misawa & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (35.8% - 19 votes)
Third place: Hiroshi Tanahashi (13.2% - 7 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Worst Wrestler of the Year

Winner: Riki Choshu (55.1% - 27 votes)
Runners-up: Arashi & Ryushi Yanagisawa (12.2% - 6 votes each)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Foreign Wrestler (Best Gaijin)

Winner: Brock Lesnar (30.7%, 16 votes)
Runner-up: Ricky Marvin (20.7%, 11 votes)
Third place: Jamal (18.8%, 10 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Tag Team of the Year

Winner: KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji (32%, 17 votes)
Runner-up: Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima (22.6%, 12 votes)
Third place: Minoru Suzuki & Naomichi Marufuji (15%, 8 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling: Fighting Spirit Award

Winner: KENTA (28.8%, 15 votes)
Runner-up: Katsuyori Shibata (23%, 12 votes)
Third place: Kenta Kobashi (13.4%, 7 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Newcomer/Rookie of the Year

Winner: Go Shiozaki (63.6%, 35 votes)
Runner-up: Razor Ramon HG (20%, 11 votes)
Third place: Yinling the Erotic Terrorist (10.9%, 6 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Worst Tag Team of the Year

Winner: Matt Morgan & Mark Jindrak (29.1%, 14 votes)
Runner-up: Kenzo & Hiroko Suzuki (20.8%, 10 votes)
Third place: Chuck Palumbo & Johnny Stamboli (18.7%, 9 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Promotion

Winner: NOAH (68.9% - 40 votes)
Runner-up: New Japan (13.7% - 8 votes)
Third place: Hustle (6.8% - 4 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Matchmaker

Winner: Misawa, Nakata, and Momota of NOAH (61.8% - 34 votes)
Runners-up: New Japan management & Sakakibara of Hustle (12.7% - 7 votes each)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Worst Promotion of the Year

Winner: New Japan (62.2%, 33 votes)
Runner-up: Hustle (18.8%, 10 votes)
Third place: NOAH (9.4%, 5 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Worst Matchmaker

Winner: Inoki, Chono, and New Japan management (65.3% - 34 votes)
Runner-up: Misawa, Nakata, and Momota of NOAH (17.3% - 9 votes)
Third place: Tanigawa & K-1 of WRESTLE-1 (9.6% - 5 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling Heavyweight Match of the Year

Winner: Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Kenta Kobashi & Go Shiozaki (11/5 Nippon Budokan - NOAH. 46.6%, 21 votes)
Runner-up: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Satoshi Kojima (2/16 Tokyo, Yoyogi National Stadium Gym II - All Japan. 20%, 9 votes)
Honorable Mention: Kenta Kobashi vs. Kensuke Sasaki (7/18 Tokyo Dome - NOAH)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Best Jr. Heavyweight Match

Winner: KENTA vs. SUWA (9/18 Nippon Budokan, NOAH. 37.5%, 18 votes)
Runner-up: KENTA vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (7/18 Tokyo Dome, NOAH. 29.1%, 14 votes)
Third place: Marufuji & KENTA vs. Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita (5/8 Differ Cup. 16.6%, 8 votes)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Worst Match of the Year

Winner: Charlie Haas & Mark Jindrak vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Kendo Ka Shin (10/8 Tokyo Dome, New Japan. 29.1%, 14 votes.)
Runner-up: Takeshi Rikio vs. Akitoshi Saito (4/24 Nippon Budokan, NOAH. 25%, 12 votes.)
Third place: Misawa vs. Tenryu (11/5 Nippon Budokan, NOAH. 14.5%, 7 votes.) and Bob Sapp vs. Giant Bernard (8/4 Ryogoku Kokugikan, WRESTLE-1. 14.5%, 7 votes.)

2005 Japanese Pro-Wrestling's Most Overrated Match of the Year

Winner: Satoshi Kojima vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2/20 Tokyo, Ryogoku Kokugikan, New Japan. 38% - 19 votes.)
Runner-up: SUWA vs. KENTA (9/18 Nippon Budokan, NOAH. 16% - 8 votes.)
Third place: Takeshi Rikio vs. Kenta Kobashi (3/5 Nippon Budokan, NOAH. 14% - 7 votes.)

[Eddie Colon]

:no:

[Second City Saint]

would you like to contribute a bit more than a smiley?

[Second City Saint]

hxxp://download.yousendit.com/1CB64A6D34848106

Marafuji versus Kenta Kobashi (Yes from the April NOAH show) .

[Andy Wild]

I've just downloaded the NOAH TV show with that match on. It's got some funky NOAH execs dancing to YMCA right at the beginning. Awesome.

[Cactus Lem]

I want to buy a DVD containing a whole load of KENTA. I've watched a few matche's of his lately and really dug him, and would love a combo with 10 or so, of his best matche's.

Looking through some of the old cards from NJPW/AJPW on the DVD istes, and there are some real lost gems on some of the DVD's. Jushin Liger vs Finlay for example :hyper: for me that's a real dream match.

[Second City Saint]

I want to buy a DVD containing a whole load of KENTA. I've watched a few matche's of his lately and really dug him, and would love a combo with 10 or so, of his best matche's.

Looking through some of the old cards from NJPW/AJPW on the DVD istes, and there are some real lost gems on some of the DVD's. Jushin Liger vs Finlay for example :hyper: for me that's a real dream match.I found a best of KENTA & Marufuji DVD review (http://www.insidepulse.com/articles/45524)

[Cactus Lem]

Thanks. I'm seacrhing thorugh the site it gives as a link to the DVD and I can't actually find the DVD on there.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Anyone see the new KENTA/Ishimori match from 4/23? It's great, Ishimori does and 619 ... and the announcer calls it as a 619! SITS WHON NYNU

[Eddie Colon]

Meh, Ishimori is crap. That mach was just a pure spot/stiff fest.

Marufuji/Kobashi was better than anyone thought it would be, just a timely mix of Kobashi still having it and Marufuji not sucking for once.

[FutureNWAChamp]

I get CMLL on channel 44 here its some Latino/Spanish channel,pretty entertaining wrestling.

[Second City Saint]

I get CMLL on demand here (comcast cable). Lucha is fucking crazy.


I am a huuuuuuuge Ultimo Guerrero mark

[Tainted Eclipse]

Brock Lesnar is absolute shit in NJPW. His title defenses are painful to watch. Giant Bernard(A-Train) should've won :(

[Defrost]

Some news



Today marked the second show for Pro Wrestling SEM, NOAH's offshoot promotion for its younger stars. 450 fans lined up in the rain to attend today's show, as tickets are only available on the day, exceeding projections by the show organizers and requiring more seats to be made available.

Much like on the first SEM show, a bonus match occured after the main event which saw KENTA team with the unannounced Kikutaro in a losing effort against the gaijin team of Scorpio & Ricky Marvin. Kikutaro seized the mike after the match and announced that the newly formed team of Kikutaro & KENTA would target the GHC Tag Team Title in the future, and told Morishima & Yone to be prepared. KENTA did not seem to share much of Kikutaro's views on their budding tag team.

Taiji Ishimori participated on today's NOAH show, having graduated from the stands (where he watched the first SEM show) to the ring. Ishimori formed an 'odd couple' type tag team with SUWA. The two have a Toryumon connection of course, with SUWA being part of the first graduating Toryumon class and Ishimori the ace of the Toryumon X class, but given Ishimori's nickname of 'sexy boy' and SUWA's well known distaste for ikemen the two invariably had communication problems along the way. The team managed to capture victory after Ishimori hit the Superstar Elbow on Aoki. SUWA broke up the pinfall himself, not allowing Ishimori to gain victory, and sunk Aoki with the FFF. Ishimori said after the match that he was not considering any promotion other than Pro Wrestling NOAH at present, intending on participating in NOAH as often as possible in the future.

NTV has scheduled the show for a 2 hour G+ block on the 22nd, so only a two week delay for airing.

[Second City Saint]

Lesnar promo post-Akebono match (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp7SOVJlUMk&search=brock%20lesnar)

[Eddie Colon]

So yeah, I on't really know where this should go but:

Anyone notice that in old Puro, when someone would get thrown out of the ring and the other guy was getting ready to do a dive, there would be a slew of what seems like cameramen and reporters at ringside running to the spot?

I always liked that, added a certain something special to the moment.

[Tainted Eclipse]

So yeah, I on't really know where this should go but:

Anyone notice that in old Puro, when someone would get thrown out of the ring and the other guy was getting ready to do a dive, there would be a slew of what seems like cameramen and reporters at ringside running to the spot?

I always liked that, added a certain something special to the moment.

I fucking LOVE the ringside reporters, especially in AJ. It gives it such a huge atmosphere, especially when fighting on the outside.

[Eddie Colon]

Anyone have any place to get Lucha dvds?

I absolutely need to get me some lucha. Especially recent CMLL and old El Dandy matches.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Anyone have any place to get Lucha dvds?

I absolutely need to get me some lucha. Especially recent CMLL and old El Dandy matches.

I've got three Phil Schneider comps comming loaded with high end Lucha :yes:

[Defrost]

The winner of the 6/3 Battle Royal gets a title shot at KENTA on 6/4.

[Second City Saint]

Speaking of KENTA, I showed my dad a match of him (versus Marufuji) today so he wouldn't keep thinking we were seeing Kobashi 6/17, and he loved it. That's always a good sign if I can get my dad to like a non-WWE wrestler (he hates ROH guys).

[Second City Saint]

KENTA vs. Marufuji (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I1X0O7KX)

[V-Line]

Brock Lesnar is absolute shit in NJPW. His title defenses are painful to watch. Giant Bernard(A-Train) should've won :(

Do you or anyone else have Lesnar vs Bernard. Really want to see it.

[Organasm]

Does anyone have Dragon Gate info on how Blood Generation splintered into two groups (BG & Muscle Outlaws) and how Jack Evans came into the equation?

[Eddie Colon]

I really think Lucha gets slept on by everybody. When discussing MOTY or greatest matches ever there are absolutely no Lucha matches.

I'm about to see Albert vs Yuji Nagata :hyper:

[Second City Saint]

I love Mistico vs. Averno (sp?) from last year, amazing match.

[Second City Saint]

Found this on the ROH boards, good news for NOAH fans


Hey guys, The official NOAH USA site states that Official NOAH DVDs will be sold from early June with free shipping and at the bargain price of $24 (I was expecting to have to pay alot more)!

The first show to be released will be Spring Navigation 2006 featuring

"Heavyweight Title Match Jun AKIYAMA vs. Masao INOUE,
Jr. Heavyweight Title Match KENTA vs. Taiji ISHIMORI,
Special Match: Kenta KOBASHI vs. Naomichi MARUFUJI.
Mitsuharu MISAWA & Yoshinari OGAWA vs. Minoru SUZUKI & SUWA,
Takeshi MORISHIMA, Muhammad YONE, & Takeshi RIKIOH vs. Keith WALKER, Nigel McGUINNESS & Doug WILLIAMS and many more"

The DVDs will also feature full English commentary.

[Second City Saint]

KENTA vs. Low-Ki from ROH Final Battle 2005 (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XOGPCH5J)

[Andy Wild]

Fuck Yeah about the NOAH DVD deal!!!!

I think that will make all Japanese wrestling a lot more accesible to all people.

[Second City Saint]

I heard it'll be sold at ROH's site and events so you guys might be able to snag some at the show.

[Andy Wild]

As long as the commentary is good it'll be worth it, because a lot of tape traders sell Puro for dirt cheap prices.

[Second City Saint]

As long as the commentary is good it'll be worth it, because a lot of tape traders sell Puro for dirt cheap prices.It'll probably be Dr. Keith and Adam or Mike (can't remember which) from the Adam and Mike Audio Nightmare, they do those kind of things for puroesau source.

[Thomas G]

The NOAH Matches are going to be clipped.

[Andy Wild]

The NOAH Matches are going to be clipped.

That sucks Koala balls!

What's the point in going to this bother to get a clipjob?

[Second City Saint]

The NOAH Matches are going to be clipped.Here's the cover

http://www.noah-usa.cc/411.23%20DVD%20cover%20revised%205%208.jpg

[Andy Wild]

115 minutes!

Pah!

[Second City Saint]

KENTA/Rey Mysterio's old theme 'Ill Harmonics' (http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=0DA62B2E1E7267B3)

[Organasm]

Do you or anyone else have Lesnar vs Bernard. Really want to see it.

http://forums.rajah.com/showpost.php?p=4431257&postcount=14794

[Cactus Lem]

I got excited about the NOAH stuff, but non fucking way am I paying for clips.

[Eddie Colon]

I already have the main events of that show anyways, and you can get NOAH dvd's at puroresudvdsource or other sites that cost much less.

[Eddie Colon]

So NOAH now has an english site:

http://www.noah-usa.cc/

Still a work in progress

[Second City Saint]

2 Cold's looking very old in his picture.

[Eddie Colon]

Now base himself in USA he participate for ROH and many other independent promotions.
British Style Wrestler Who seeks GHC Tag Title with Doug Williams as Partner.



Seems like they got an english speaking japanese guy to do it. Would have tought they would have got an american NOWA mark or something.

[Ricky]

PWT membership gets me weekly NOAH TV downloads.

:yes:

[Ricky]

Here's a column from Joshua Hughes about the state of AJPW.


On June 16, 2000, Mitsuharu Misawa announced that along with the entire native roster of All Japan Pro Wrestling (apart from Toshiaki Kawada, Hiroshi Hase - who was part-time anyway and Masanobu Fuchi) he was leaving Zen Nihon and forming his own promotion, christened symbolically as "Pro Wrestling NOAH" the following day. The move was expected as at the end of May, Misawa had been removed from his position as President due to differences with the wife of the late Giant Baba, Motoko (who had inherited her husband's company) and several members of the main roster had quit the board earlier in June. With the company and roster gutted, All Japan brought back Genichiro Tenryu, who Giant Baba had sworn would never step foot in an AJPW ring again when he quit the company to join the doomed SWS group in 1990, booked more gaijin, indy talent and eventually opened its doors to working with arch-rivals New Japan, leading to a series of great matches that did big money and kept the company going through the rest of 2000 and 2001. In January 2002, disillusioned with the direction that Antonio Inoki was taking New Japan, Keiji Muto, who had formed a close friendship with Mrs. Baba while Triple Crown champion in 2001, jumped to AJ after being promised the role of booker as well as president. He brought the talented Satoshi Kojima with him as well as Kendo Kashin along with backroom staff like Hideyuki Watanabe, who's credited as having one of the best wrestling minds in Japan right now, coming up with many successful concepts.

Muto, however, wasn't ready for the role and in 2002 & 2003, despite some successful periods, he made some extremely costly errors and generally ran the promotion into the ground. Concepts like the disasterous WRESTLE-1, which combined pro wrestling with MMA in a sports entertainment manner, lost them a massive amount of money and they overspent (reportedly in the region of $500k for two dates) on bringing in Bill Goldberg in August 2002. None of those shows drew and the company took a massive hit. Muto also largely allowed himself to be out-booked by Shin'ya Hashimoto of ZERO-ONE, during their inter-promotional feud, making the company look weaker as a whole for it. There was a failure to promote new talent as well, as Satoshi Kojima was legitimately ready to be used as a major player in 2002 but consistently was booked to choke in his big singles matches, losing over and over the older stars. In February 2004 after a run of poor houses there, the company was forced to withdraw from Tokyo Nippon Budokan (16,300 seats, give or take), the site of many of the group's greatest moments during Giant Baba's glory days. Attempts at running the smaller Sumo Hall (11,500 seats) also did poorly without outsiders like Mitsuharu Misawa and even a relatively big match like the 12/04 Kawada vs. Tenzan match for the Triple Crown did a disappointing house. The company, like it's old enemy New Japan, killed their business in Tokyo with disappointment after disappointment and, unlike NJPW, All Japan was never particularly strong outside of the nation's capital. They were basically forced to start at the bottom and rebuild from there, moving to the 5,500 seater Yoyogi National Gymnasium #2 for big shows.

In 2005, Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada, Jamal and Giant Bernard all left the company. Some of them, like Kawada, were believed to have left due to money issues as the company has long been rumoured to be struggling to even keep paying the talent. Watanabe, who had come up with the RO&D, VOODOO MURDERS and other concepts (he also played a big part in getting them Akebono last year, which was a big shot in the arm for their business, though with Watanabe leaving, Akebono also moved on) that had played a big role in keeping the company going once the bottom fell out in 2003 also left due to differences with Muto, recently heading back to New Japan to produce their WRESTLE LAND brand. There has been an awful lot of backstage turmoil, generally, for AJ recently which hasn't helped matters. In addition to this, talented youngsters like Masayuki Kono, Kazushu Miyamoto and Taichi Ishikari departed. Though they've made moves to replace those who have left by bringing in the likes of Minoru Suzuki, Yutaka Yoshie and Milano Collection AT, as well as pushing Kohei Suwama and Taiyo Kea harder than ever, none of them have any real drawing power. The only person from that group with real long term potential for them is Kohei Suwama, who only debuted in the Autumn of 2004 and even despite his recent heel turn has struggled to generate fan interest due to his lack of personality. They also have Brute Issei who debuted at the beginning of the year, but it's likely going to be close to the end of the decade before he's anywhere near ready. Katsuhiko Nakajima is a sure-fire superstar but he's not contracted to AJ and companies like NJ & NOAH who aren't as restricted financially will likely end up nabbing him when he's older.

The top three names in the company right now, both in terms of rank and star power, are probably Satoshi Kojima, Keiji Muto and Kensuke Sasaki. Kojima finally got his big push in late-2004, winning the Triple Crown on February 16, 2005 from the soon-departing Toshiaki Kawada and after winning the IWGP title just four days later, became All Japan's success story of 2005, winning the MVP in puroresu award from the media over the likes of Kenta Kobashi. There's still enough steam left in his reign to see him through the end of the year (the excellent booking of the Champion Carnival set up Taiyo Kea, Kohei Suwama and Minoru Suzuki as challengers while Yutaka Yoshie could likely also go for it), but then there's nobody for him to drop it to unless they put it on Kensuke, though he's not actually contracted to AJ and it's entirely possible that he could move onto another promotion at some point in the future. Muto is an option, but only as a nostalgia reign and his knees are so far gone at this point that he's really incapable of more than one or two really good performances a year. They could try with Suwama, but he'd likely tank both in terms of carrying the role and drawing fans due to his inexperience. Taiyo Kea had great support from the fans en route to winning the 2006 Champion Carnival and while it's probably worth a shot to try him as champion given their limited options, it's more likely that he'd fail than succeed, sadly.

So, this begs the question - where next for All Japan? The company is $2m in debt with no major backers, relatively poor TV coverage and with one viable star that's actually contracted to the company. Even then, there have been strong rumours that Kojima wants to follow Watanabe back to New Japan, such is his admiration for the man and he probably sees the writing on the wall for AJ, to some extent, too. There have even been rumours of some kind of merger with New Japan, or the company being absorbed into it. This would likely be the best thing for business with Muto & Kojima being New Japan Trueborns while Issei, Suwama, Kaz Hayashi and Taiyo Kea all having potential to add a lot to NJ's roster, which took a major hit in January as a lot of lower/midcard wrestlers decided to try to their luck as freelancers or even retire. There's potentially money in matches like TC champion Satoshi Kojima vs. IWGP champion Brock Lesnar and Koji vs. generation-rivals like Nagata or Nakanishi, who he's been apart from for some time now. If I had my way, this is what would happen as Japan really needs a few strong promotions right now rather than a lot of weak ones.

If Muto decides to plough ahead and continue trying to turn All Japan around, I'm really not sure how he's going to do it. There is young talent there and there's apparently a number of people in the dojo with potential, but the problem is keeping things ticking over long enough until they're ready and realistically, it's going to be at least another two to three years before the two main candidates - Suwama and Issei - are ready to become major stars and accepted by the fans. That's if they're actually used in the right manner. Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi, who got somewhat similar pushes in NJ in terms of how quickly they were advanced up the card, still aren't really accepted yet by the fans, over four years later.

What was once the greatest promotion in the world in terms of their in-ring product is now a shadow of its former self, with nobody left capable of working the style that made it famous, giving the product its feel and identity. Its spirit long since transferred to NOAH and extinguished with the departure of Toshiaki Kawada. Meanwhile their current style is one that is not unique to them while all of their top stars are from other promotions (or in the case of Sasaki, made their name elsewhere), originally, apart from Kea and Suwama. One of them isn't Japanese and the other has already strayed from being someone who the fans could look up to and follow. Many of its fans either followed Mitsuharu Misawa or grew disillusioned by Muto's booking during his first two years with the company. What made people love All Japan in the first place is gone and they've failed to build anything substantial in its place. As much as I want All Japan to survive and become something special again, part of me wishes that it would be stopped before it sinks even further. Both for the good of its legacy and for the good of the industry as a whole.

:yes:

[mth]

I was looking into CMLL when i was looking up Mr. Aguila recently (Essa Rios mark here), and i found a really nice site of pictures from their shows....
http://alexiscmll.blogspot.com/
Looks like it's really fun and crazy bananas....i'm going to have to see if we get the channel it's on here, 'cuz i'd really like to watch it.

[Organasm]

Good read Ricky, I've always wondered how they went from the huge buildings of the Misawa era to the small buildings of the Kojima era in such a short time.

Pro Wrestling NOAH have an offshoot promotion now.
"A spinoff league called Pro Wrestling SEM has recently been announced. Similar to NJPW (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Japan_Pro_Wrestling)'s "Young Lions" system, it will function as a training facility for rookies. Naomichi Marufuji (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomichi_Marufuji) and KENTA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenta_Kobayashi) will act as trainers. The name "Pro Wrestling SEM" is once again an allusion to the Biblical story of Noah, Sem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shem) being Noah's eldest son."

You can find the main event from the first show here (http://forums.rajah.com/showpost.php?p=4445705&postcount=15040).

[Cewsh]

Training from KENTA and Marufuji?!

:panic:

[BenoitMachine]

Yeah. you get to learn how to kick real hard and then blow 4 spots in a row!

[JAYD]

AJPW sounds like its in bad shape...

Wrestling in Japan in general sounds like it's taken a real big downturn in the past 5 years or so.

[Eddie Colon]

http://www.slambamjam.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

Great source for lucha dvds.

[Organasm]

Inspired by the ROH thread:

WhAT's YouR FaV PUro ThEmE?
What is your favourite puro entrance theme?

It's pretty much impossible to choose just one since there's so many great ones.

Kobashi's Grand Sword and Burning are both excellent.
Marufuji's techno theme.
Morishima's theme.
Kojima's theme, and probably the best of the bunch.
Kensuke's present day theme.
Tenryu, Tsuruta and Hansen are great old school ones.
And Shibata has a theme suitable for one of the most entertaining wrestlers in Japan currently (Think of KENTA as Diet Shibata, without caffeine).

[Kure]

Liger's music makes me happy.

[Eddie Colon]

Sasaki and Kobashi's theme remind me of Dragon Ball Z for some reason.

They get the nod.

[Organasm]

Kenta Kobashi - Grand Sword (NOAH Version) (http://www.rajahmedia.com/newupload/download.php?file=33183fd13e0a8257a63619f2c1d7b40b )

[Organasm]

www.madsplash.com (http://www.madsplash.com) has a boot load of Puro theme tunes in the media section.

[Eddie Colon]

I don't know if Minoru changed his, but I :heart: it.

[Andy Wild]

I watched the famed Kikuchi/Kobashi vs. Kroffat/Furnas match today.

What a match! What a crowd! One of the best tag team matches I've ever seen. Loved it.

How come Kikuchi didn't grow into one of the top players in Puro?

[Cactus Lem]

Did you download it? If so, do you have a link?

[Organasm]

Did you download it? If so, do you have a link?
There's links to some Pre-split AJPW / NOAH archives on the PWT forums (Indy/Other Forum) and Death Valley Driver Video Review message board (Matches, Matches Everywhere folder). I'd gladly link you myself, but there's a 'no linking to matches without permission' disclaimer and I wouldn't want to break the rules. ;)
Far from complete (i.e. Not many pre-Triple Crown matches or early Triple Crown matches like the first few Misawa/Kawada or Jumbo/The World matches) But well worth the trouble of signing up for.

[JAYD]

Great video from the CZWFans board:


DRAGON GATE 2-24-2006 PPV
SONG: "Death of a Martian" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
LENGTH: 3:23
LINKS:
http://www.themvzone.com/videos/mattdaniels/19_dg2-24-06_high.mpg
- High-Quality - 100 Meg's
http://www.themvzone.com/videos/tagcomp/021-DG2-24-06_med.wmv
- Med-Quality - 24 Meg's

Watch this!

[Demonz]

I watched the famed Kikuchi/Kobashi vs. Kroffat/Furnas match today.

What a match! What a crowd! One of the best tag team matches I've ever seen. Loved it.

How come Kikuchi didn't grow into one of the top players in Puro?

His body was so broken down by the time of the AJPW/Noah split, that he could not but on top notch matches anymore, and of course there was his old man selling he looked like he was about 50 in the ring.

[Defrost]

NOAH, 6/4/06 (NTV/G+)
Sapporo Media Park Spica
2,400 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. SUWA & Akihiko Ito beat Mitsuo Momota & Atsushi Aoki (10:12) when SUWA used the FFF on Aoki.
2. Junji Izumida, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Low Ki beat Masao Inoue, Kishin Kawabata & Ippei Ota (16:04) when Kanemaru used a brainbuster on Ota.
3. Akitoshi Saito beat Jason Bates (8:26) with the Sickle of Death.
4. Scorpio, Bison Smith & Bobby Fish beat Akira Taue, Takuma Sano & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (19:35) when Scorpio used the 450 Splash on Kikuchi.
5. Jun Akiyama beat Shuhei Taniguchi (11:56) with the Exploder.
6. Takeshi Rikio, Kentaro Shiga & Naomichi Marufuji beat Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa & Ricky Marvin (17:06) when Marufuji used the Shiranui on Marvin.
7. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title: Takashi Sugiura beat KENTA (c) (25:42) with an ankle hold to become the 11th champion.
8. GHC Tag Team Title: Kenta Kobashi & Tamon Honda beat Takeshi Morishima & Mohammed Yone (c) (33:31) when Honda used a cross-armed Dead End on Yone to become the 12th champions.

[Andy Wild]

I saw Yone and Morishima's last victorious title defence!

:eek:

[Tainted Eclipse]

I watched the famed Kikuchi/Kobashi vs. Kroffat/Furnas match today.

What a match! What a crowd! One of the best tag team matches I've ever seen. Loved it.

How come Kikuchi didn't grow into one of the top players in Puro?

He's well established. He may not be pimped on the iwc much or anything, but the average japanese wrestling fan certainly knows him well.

[Defrost]

NOAH "Let's Have Fun", 6/9/06 (NTV/G+ Live)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,100 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. Tamon Honda & Masao Inoue vs. Akitoshi Saito & Kishin Kawabata went to a draw (15:00) when the time limit expired.
2. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Ricky Marvin beat Takuma Sano & Akihiko Ito (14:28) when Marvin pinned Ito.
3. Jun Akiyama, SUWA & Atsushi Aoki beat Junji Izumida, Kentaro Shiga & Ippei Ota (18:22) when Aoki used a northern light suplex hold on Ota.
4. Captain Fall Elimination Match - Over The Top Rope: Takeshi Morishima, Mohammed Yone, Takeshi Rikio (c) & Go Shiosaki beat KENTA, Naomichi Marufuji, Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) & Takashi Sugiura (30:55). Kanemaru threw Morishima over the top rope (20:07). KENTA used the Go 2 Sleep on Shiosaki (25:17). KENTA threw Yone over the top rope (27:22). Rikio threw Sugiura over the top rope (27:36). Rikio threw KENTA over the top rope (28:45). Rikio used the Muso on Kanemaru (30:55).

[Organasm]

4. Captain Fall Elimination Match - Over The Top Rope: Takeshi Morishima, Mohammed Yone, Takeshi Rikio (c) & Go Shiosaki beat KENTA, Naomichi Marufuji, Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) & Takashi Sugiura (30:55). Kanemaru threw Morishima over the top rope (20:07). KENTA used the Go 2 Sleep on Shiosaki (25:17). KENTA threw Yone over the top rope (27:22). Rikio threw Sugiura over the top rope (27:36). Rikio threw KENTA over the top rope (28:45). Rikio used the Muso on Kanemaru (30:55).
I've got this, although the ending is clipped slightly, it goes from Rikioh kicking out of the Brainbuster to Rikioh sitting on Kanemaru while Naomichi tries to get in the ring. No Muso. :( It's really good and the Over-the-top-rope rule adds to it as people can be eliminated when you least expect it, but the end of the clip spoils it slightly.

I'm pretty sure it was KENTA who eliminated Sugiura as an FU for taking the GHC Jr. Title off him. Sugiura was laying across the top rope when KENTA assisted on getting Yone over, then booted Sugiura over afterwards. KENTA's elimination was more of an 'I fucked up' thing with his tornado rope smack thing that usually sets up his springboard dropkick. Rikioh lariated Morishima over the top after Kanemaru ducked too...

[Second City Saint]

There was an article on SANTO in the Boston Globe today :yes:


KENTA in 4 days :hyper:

[Organasm]

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/headlines/images/20060613/20060613-00000034-spnavi-spo-view-000.jpg

Takayama returns to NOAH! Soon!

"Yoshihiro Takayama will make his long awaited return to professional wrestling on July 16th in the green ring, as NOAH will host his return. Takayama's opponent is currently undecided, but a date has finally been set for the return of the massively popular big man. This will be Takayama's first match since August 8th, 2004.

NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Yoshihiro Takayama vs. X"

His match against Kobashi in NOAH is recommended viewing for those not familiar with him. Also Don Frye pounding his face in at PRIDE 21.

"Tanahashi is wasting no time during the current tour's ongoing break, and rushed back to Tokyo to train at the dojo, already preparing for his matches with Bernard and Lesnar. Tanahashi said he has the same excited feeling now as he did when he was supposed to face Bob Sapp in 2004, and this time is the added incentive of having to face Bernard. Tanahashi is devising new strategies to match bigger wrestlers, and is focusing on things they can't do, but he can. In a shocking announcement that topped today's Tokyo Sports pro wrestling headings, Tanahashi suggested he will retire if he fails to win the title from Lesnar! Tanahashi's fellow Gifu resident, Shinya Hashimoto, did this in 2000 before his final match with Naoya Ogawa, and ended up (temporarily) retired. Tana thinks his life as a pro wrestler could truly beginning with this match, and yet also feels this could be his last chance (I'm not sure why, as he is young), so failure is out of the question for him. He will throw everything he has learned and will learn over the next month at Lesnar and risk everything on the match."

[Organasm]

http://www.njpw.co.jp/newsdata/003835/main_201.jpg

[BenoitMachine]

Takayama needs to not return in "Head Drop" NOAH. He was out of injury because he almost had a freaken bomb explode in his brain from a Sano sheer drop NLB..which shouldn't have been a sheer drop

NOAH is all about the head drop..and thats something Takayama needs to avoid right now..he should have returned in that sinking shimp of Uei's "Big Mouth Loud" and he can work a little stiff match without having to do to much.

[Osi]

I figure this is the place to ask and if I'm in the wrong spot I apologise. Can someone define "go-go-go" style for me? From what I've read it replaced King's Road in the mid-late 90's through guys like Kobashi moving away from story based matches and building to more of a high spot fest so to speak. I think I've got an idea of what it encompasses, but the right words escape me. People seem to use the term negatively too, so I was hoping I could get it cleared up.:p

[BenoitMachine]

I've written it a few times before. but hell one more can't hurt

The Royal Road, the Oudou that Jumbo defined was all about the slow build throughout a series of matches and years. Take a took at the Misawa/Kawada matches, each one of them (before the NOAH split) built off one another. It's a very subtle style. It takes The wrestlers must be in complete understanding of each others styles and moves that have been done throughout those matches.

for the Misawa & Kawada style matches, their first few matches were built off of a mutual respect, they both built those matches very slowly with not to many big moves thrown in until the end. By the time 6/3/94 came around, Kawada had become accustom to taking Misawa's Tiger Drivers and Tiger Suplex's, so he was able to deal with the pain because he had taken them so many times before. Hence why the Tiger Driver 91' was used, that move "broke" Kawada's spirit and after that Misawa was able to defeat him quite comfortable in following matches. But each of their matches played off, not just the last singles match they had, but ALL matches they had with one another. Tag, Singles, etc.

Jumbo was the master of the subtle match work, he made Oudoud, which was the natural evolution from the British style and the early American style of the 70's. It took smart build leading appropriate moves for the match. A feeling out process, and of course as said before, if you had faced this person before, you could "no-sell" the moves you had taken often.

Jumbo was never a man to throw out wild lariets or straight backdrops, they were done when the match called for them and the work that he had done in the match beforehand all lead up to that. look at Misawa/Jumbo from 1990, it was the straight backdrop that jumbo had been leading up to that became his downfall, as Misawa shifted his bodyweight and smartly took out Jumbo's main weapon.

The problem with the Oudoud style was, you eventually top yourself each an opponent so much, you run out of ways to do it. This is where the "Go-Go" style and Mr. Go Go himself, Kenta Kobashi came in. Kobashi was always a fairly good worker, I put him behind Misawa and Kawada in the "4 pillars of heaven". Even Taue on a good day was a "smarter" worker than Kobashi (and still is)

Kobashi, and its clear in his matches, that he didn't work as smart as the other 3 men. When he was first coming up, he was the underdog (see him V. Hansen) and it worked perfectly for him. He wasn't leading the match, and that was good. When it came time for him to be the one who lead the match, they slowly degenerated into a blur of half nelson suplex's, dragon suplexs, backdrop drivers and burning hammers.

Things for very bad when the NOAH split happened, Kobashi had been nursing a lot of injuries and when he returned from then, he completely threw out anything he had known in All Japan and became just randomly no selling and doing half nelson suplex's to everyone. I loved his match V. Akiyama in 2004, but damn was that a "spot" match.

Another problem was, with the heat between Misawa/Kobashi, etc and Kawada by the end of All Japan, no one wanted to work a smart match with Kawada anymore. Misawa fell into the same routene, age, weight and injuries caught up with him and he rarely sells anymore.

When it comes down to it, Baba would be disgraced. With Kawada in that abomination HUSTLE, Misawa being fat and lazy, Akiyama being completely misused, Taue not often wanting to work and Kobashi just wanting to go drop people on their head and then no sell whatever they do back. It's safe to safe that the Oudoud is dead, and it wont ever come back.

I hope this helped a little, my brain isn't working correctly right now, so I may have to edit this later.

[Organasm]

"NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: "Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa Vs. Kenta Kobashi & Yoshihiro Takayama"

[Organasm]

I found part of the answer to a question I asked previously. What's the deal with Muscle Outlaws and Blood Generation.

"4/23/2006 Tokyo, Ota-ku Gymnasium, 4622 Attendance

7. Blood Generation Unit Name Decision Tag Match
Naruki Doi{W}, Gamma (18:35 Chair assisted Bakatare Sliding Kick) CIMA, Don Fujii{L}

-The Blood war was a violent, heated brawl. All of Dois' group was out, and CIMA had Jack Evans with him. CIMA and Gamma took turns disgracing the other with spraypaint. CIMA painted Gammas' hair black, and later put HAGE on his back (which is an insult to anyone not named Genki). Gamma countered by painting "Busu" on CIMA. This means "ugly woman" and is a very very crude insult. The final moments saw it totally break down. Naoki mis-aimed and hit Doi, but Yoshino intruded to stop a Schwein. Kanda stepped in and took out Yoshino. After a protein and chair attack, Doi used another chair with the Bakatare. Dois' team won the Blood name, but....
-After the match Doi renounced the name, and formed a new unit called "Muscle Outlaws". They called Kishiwada and he joined them. The fans didn't seem to react well to the name, since it's ... interesting. They began a beat down on CIMA and Fujii until Magnum and Mochi came to save. After some brawling, and an appeal to Kanda, a match for 5/10 Korakuen was made. The original generation stars; CIMA, Mochizuki, Magnum, and Fujii vs. the Muscle Outlaws; Doi, Yoshino, Naoki, and Gamma. Shingo was not involved.

In the aftermath:

CIMA will be keeping the Blood Generation name, and predictably will be adding Evans and Matt Sydal when he arrives, for the stretch run to World (An upcoming show name)."

So, does anyone know the Why of the BG/MO split?

[BenoitMachine]

"NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: "Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa Vs. Kenta Kobashi & Yoshihiro Takayama"


Wow, I guess no one learned from the Masakazu Fukuda incident. Their head dropply madness is going to get Takayama killed. he allready said this might be his return match and his retirement match

[Organasm]

I attempted to watch the CMLL Mask Vs. Mask match between Atlantis & Villano III. Jesus Christ it's horriblé. They practically pirouette into each others moves and the referee is monumentally slow and does the Stop-hand-over-canvas thing that just screams 'FAKEEEE!'. This was voted Match Of The Year 2000 by Wrestling Observer readers... Just plain rancid. The ref was the worst thing ever.

[Tainted Eclipse]

I attempted to watch the CMLL Mask Vs. Mask match between Atlantis & Villano III. Jesus Christ it's horriblé. They practically pirouette into each others moves and the referee is monumentally slow and does the Stop-hand-over-canvas thing that just screams 'FAKEEEE!'. This was voted Match Of The Year 2000 by Wrestling Observer readers... Just plain rancid. The ref was the worst thing ever.

... :blah:

It was a MASK vs. MASK match, the biggest deal you can get in Mexico. Plus it was one fall. The slow count put ephesis on how important the match was. I don't see how you can't like this match. It's my favorite match of the decade thus far.

[Organasm]

I understand the context totally, it's just the slowness kills dead it for me.

And to the future: "(Big Mouth Loud) also announced was that Katsuyori Shibata will face Kensuke Sasaki on 7/2 at Kouraken Hall."

YES!!

[Andy Wild]

Big Mouth Loud are hosting that match?!?!!

Aren't they just a comedy promotion?

Should be a cracking match.

[Fanny Batter]

How many people have worked NJPW, AJPW AND NOAH? Did Kobashi ever work New Japan? Liger All Japan?

[Organasm]

How many people have worked NJPW, AJPW AND NOAH? Did Kobashi ever work New Japan? Liger All Japan?

Toshiaki Kawada, Kensuke Sasaki, Keiji Mutoh have worked in all three at some point, they mightn't have been full-time tenures but they were definately in all of them. Probably Tenryu too since he wasn't in AJPW for most of the 90's. Add in Yuji Nagata too.

[Eddie Colon]

Tenryu was the first that came to mind.

[LarryLuv]

I was watching some Lucha Libre, AAA last night (4am on Galavision ;) )...and I have to say, Martha Villalobos has to be the roughest woman in a wrestling ring. Big fat bitch no sells like no other.

She reminds me of Roseanne Barr as a wrestler. But she seems pretty damn over with the crowd.

Holla @ seeing Shocker though...

[Second City Saint]

MEDIA!

Jumbo Tsuruta VS Mitsuharu Misawa (http://youtube.com/watch?v=OZEZBQYEd3Q&search=misawa)
Misawa & Ogawa vs KENTA & Marufuji (http://youtube.com/watch?v=q82p8_1wnXo&search=misawa)
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Takeshi Morishima (http://youtube.com/watch?v=wk7xfKZ0vxM&search=misawa)
Misawa/Kobashi vs Kawada/Taue (http://youtube.com/watch?v=EmLt-_LXuuE&search=misawa)
Misawa vs Kawada Tribute (http://youtube.com/watch?v=hDYZOdJor1E&search=kawada)
Kawada vs Kobashi (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5ANvKlcT6F4&search=kawada)
Kenta Kobashi VS KENTA (http://youtube.com/watch?v=QPzRYno11DQ&search=kobashi)
Steve Willams vs. Kenta Kobashi (http://youtube.com/watch?v=6AsjhRd9JHU&search=kobashi)
Chris Benoit / Steve Williams vs Owen Hart / Bam Bam Bigelow (http://youtube.com/watch?v=J0nlu16w5vc&search=pegasus%20kid)
Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) Vs. Chris Jericho Part #1 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=eJH1TMpePR4&search=chris%20jericho%20njpw)
Wild Pegasus (Chris Benoit) Vs. Chris Jericho Part #2 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=FBdDkp19hW8&search=chris%20jericho%20njpw)
Black Tiger II vs. Wild Pegasus - BOSJ 95 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Usii3HfaHhs&search=eddie%20njpw)
Juushin Liger vs. Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero) (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ixbkSjLYgFo&search=eddie%20njpw)

[Tainted Eclipse]

I was watching some Lucha Libre, AAA last night (4am on Galavision ;) )...and I have to say, Martha Villalobos has to be the roughest woman in a wrestling ring. Big fat bitch no sells like no other.

She reminds me of Roseanne Barr as a wrestler. But she seems pretty damn over with the crowd.

Holla @ seeing Shocker though...

Isn't that CMLL?

[Organasm]

HUSTLE - Tajiri Vs. Esperenza (Takada in disguise!)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4BE6Z7WR

I found this enthralling. How can the HUSTLE squadron stop the MONSTER army when they have this guy on their side!?!

On a semi-related note I'll up some matches from Zero-One MAX's Stop The Matsunaga storyline, if and when the server ever works again.

[Organasm]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/sXeGreg/KojiKea.jpg

I smell the "33th" Champion retaining.

[Defrost]

Is it just me or fo Dragon Kid and Mushiking Terry kinda look alike?

[Big_Dre]

was watching some Lucha Libre, AAA last night (4am on Galavision )...and I have to say, Martha Villalobos has to be the roughest woman in a wrestling ring. Big fat bitch no sells like no other.

THANKS! Just got my Comcast cable back and was wondering what happened to my Saturday afternoon Lucha action. It's on another channel Saturday's at 11 AM...forgot the name...I'll post it after I look it up later.

[Defrost]

News on Kobashi's replacement.



Yoshihiro Takayama's tag team partner, replacing Kenta Kobashi, is none other than the last man to face Takayama in a wrestling ring, the returning Kensuke Sasaki!

Another match has been announced for the Budokan, and it is a new generation battle as the team of Wild II, dominant in the tag division during their NOAH tenure, takes on the all conquering former Jr. Tag Team Title team of Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA!

[Organasm]

Recent Dragon Gate results:
"7/2/2006 Hyogo, Kobe World Hall
1. Shisa Family First Meeting
Ryo Saito{W}, Genki Horiguchi, The Turboman (Dragon Suplex Hold) Super Shisa, Shisa Boy{L}, King Shisa
2. K-ness Return Match
K-ness{W}, Keni'chiro Arai (Aoki Hikari) Akira Tozawa{L}, Takayuki Mori
3. Dos Caras (Power Bomb) BxB Hulk
4. Yutaka Yoshie (Diving Body Press) Shingo Takagi
5. Naruki Doi{W}, Masato Yoshino, Naoki Tanisaki, Gamma, Dr. Muscle (Chair Assisted Bakatare Sliding Kick) Yasushi Kanda{L}, Don Fujii, Matt Sydal, Jack Evans, Roderick Strong
6. Revolution Special Match
Magnum TOKYO{W}, Geni'chiro Tenryu (Zetsuen) Masaaki Mochizuki{L}, Minoru Suzuki
7. Open the Dream Gate
Susumu Yokosuka (Avalanche Style World Liner) Dragon Kid
*V2 for Susumu
0. No Rope Bonus Match
CIMA (Mad Splash from the ringpost) Magnitude Kishiwada

-Genki has a new costume. The Shisa Faimly showed some nice teamwork, including a triple dive sequence.
-K-ness won in dominant fashion, first taking out Mori with the Kaishaku, then submitting Tozawa. Good marks for this match thus far.
-Stalker intruded directly after match 2, doing a bit of a Tozawa-juku spoof. He wore a regent style hair cut, and entered to High School Rock and Roll. He was ignored, and they went on to match 3.
-Match 3 has received some poor reviews so far, a lot of them due to Hulk.
-Even in defeat, Shingo showed some ridiculous feats of power, by giving both a Brainbuster and the Last Falcony to Yoshie.
-Kinta referee'd the 10 man. His heel tactics ended up dictating most of he pace. Kanda had the match won with the Gekokujo Elbow, but Kinta broke it up. After the match, they continued attacking Kanda until CIMA showed up. Kinta appealed to be ref for CIMA/Kishiwada, but CIMA Schwein'd him, eliminating that possibility. Dr. Muscle never tagged in.

President Okamura opened the second half with a speech. He announced DG would invade Osaka Prefectural Gyms 1st Stadium for the first time on 11/23. They usually run in the smaller 2nd stadium. He also said that the US was the target for 07. He also announced tonights attendance was exceeding 8000 people, which is a new World attendance record for DG.

Kid wore his white cos, while Susumu wore yet another new one, that had some similarities to his Mochizuki era cos. The match was yet another classic between the two. Kid worked over Susumus' arm, to set up the Christo. Big moves were exchanged at the end. Susumu kicked out of the Ultra Hurri, and Kid kicked out of the World Liner and Mugen. It took a top rope version of the Kid Killer to win.

Here's a pic of Susumu, as even I'd never heard of him:

http://dragongate.puroresufan.com/susumu.jpg


The last match turned into somewhat of a death match. CIMA brought a ladder out with him, along with Hulk as a second. Kishiwada retaliated with a barb wire board. It was a wild match, with both props and tables used. CIMA was nearly counted out. Hulk saved CIMA from a Last Ride, after he failed at a ladder-assisted Tokarev. CIMA kicked out of a diving body press form the ladder, then a Last Ride. Kishiwada tried to Last Ride him onto the barb wire, but CIMA escaped and got a Schwein. Kishiwada kicked out of the 2nd, but the 3rd kept him down for the finish."

Yeah, match 5,7 and '0' sound brilliant. Hope someone ups them sharpish after they air.

As for the DragonGate/Ring Of Honor/Pro Wrestling Guerilla matches that'll take place within the next month the DGUSA site said they'll air at the end of the month so it'll probably be August before we see them. :(

Anyway, Shibata Vs. Sasaki is just a few days away. YES!

[Ricky]

I think 0 is more like a dark match.

[Tainted Eclipse]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/sXeGreg/KojiKea.jpg

I smell the "33th" Champion retaining.

hahahahahha

Isn't Kojima the 3rd longest raining Triple Crown champ by now?

[Organasm]

According to Wikipedia (Errk! might be wrong) he's held it for 501 days which puts him in 3rd place.

1st - Mitsuharu Misawa - 705 Days (August 1992-July 1994)
2nd - Toshiaki Kawada - 529 Days (September 2003-February 2005)
3rd - Satoshi Kojima - 501 Days (February 2005-Present Day)
4th - Mitsuharu Misawa - 466 Days (January 1997-May 1998)
5th - Jumbo Tsuruta - 374 Days (January 1991 - January 1992)

Hopefully Kojima's reign doesn't mimic Kawada's in that they put the belt on him because he's one of the few left, then take it off him due to his contract ending.

Ricky: Sounds a bit over the top for a dark match!

[Ricky]

Just the fact that it's Match 0.

[Organasm]

I was just thinking of something. Was Keiji Mutoh/Great Muta under contract exclusively to WCW at the time of their buyout or was he doing the whole NJPW/WCW working agreement thing? If it was an exclusive contract and WCW stayed running for a while longer, it might have been AJPW that bit the bullet.

Afterall it was Keiji breaking away from NJPW after WCW's death and heading to AJPW that gave them a ready made main eventer, a draw and a shockingly good wrestler (Considering the age) that pumped some life back into them when things looked dire. I believe the Mutoh/Tenryu matches of 2001 were huge critical successes if not box office successes.

Just something to think about in the same vein of 'What if Hunter wasn't at the Curtain Call'.

[Tainted Eclipse]

I haven't seen much Kojima, how's his reign doing? Any good matches?

[Organasm]

His title victory against Kawada was a pretty good match, then he had a match against Tenzan 4 days later that was meant to be a 60-minute draw, but then Tenzan gassed out, fell on his arse and couldn't get back up so they just gave the IWGP Title to Kojima. This was pretty good. Kojima then had an actual 60 minute draw with some NJPW guy (Nakamura?), I think I saw this when I had no idea who either man was and got bored 15 minutes in. Dropped the IWGP title back to Tenzan in what was said to be a 'letdown' haven't actually seen it though. Had a good match with Kensuke Sasaki in November. Beat The Great Muta this year. That's pretty much all I've heard about the reign.


Well, it's over now. :(

http://abechan.keyblog.jp/image/10016612.jpg

[Andy Wild]

Where does Tenzan rank among the best Puro wrestlers of the last 10 years or so?

I've seen a few matches of his and they are always decent-good, but never amazing or blowaway, have I been watching the wrong matches?

[Organasm]

I'm pretty much the same situation as you, seen some matches and he looks solid.

Anyway some more matches have been announced for NOAH's upposed big show this year (Since they aren't doing a Tokyo Dome Show this year, much like Madison Square Garden, the price to even get in the building has gone up):

1. Mushiking Terry Return Match: Mushiking Terry, El Angel & Taiji Ishimori vs. Mushiking Joker, Psicosis & Charly Manson
2. Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikioh vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA
3. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Kensuke Sasaki

I believe Psicosis is the 'Fake' Psicosis from AAA not the current WWE Psicosis/Nicho The Millionaire.
Kensuke Sasaki has replaced Kenta Kobashi so he can go and sort that out his tumor, which is a plus on both sides for Sasaki wrestling and Kenta living.
Match 2 looks interesting with the supposed future champ Morishima teaming with the champ who bombed Rikioh against NOAH's most notorious two-piece.

Plus other news on the first GHC Junior Heavyweight Title defence of Takashi Sugiura's second reign:


*Drum roll*



Takashi Sugiura will make his first defense of his second reign as GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion as he takes on the man who pinned Go Shiosaki last year in Germany, Murat Bosporus!!! :hyper:

wXw, 7/23/06
Musikpalette

1. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title: Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Murat Bosporus

:blah:

[Fanny Batter]

Charly Manson won Wrestler of the Year on my TEW. Is he actually any good?

[Organasm]

Never heard of him personally.

[Ringo]

..

Here are this year's G1 participants:

Block A:
1. Manabu Nakanishi
2. Giant Bernard
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi
4. Jushin Thunder Liger
5. Satoshi Kojima

Block B:
1. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
2. Yuji Nagata
3. Togi Makabe
4. Koji Kanemoto
5. Naofumi Yamamoto

MON THE BERNARD.

[Andy Wild]

I like the look of matches 2 & 3 for NOAH, but unfortunately lacking that big one on one mega super dream uber match that normally headlines their Dome shows could leave a feeling of underwhelmedness.

Match 2 should be a lot of fun though, Morishima is awesome.

[Organasm]

http://forums.rajah.com/showpost.php?p=4566376&postcount=16821

The majority of Zero1-MAX's 'Stop The Matsunaga' storyline can be found there.

Pro Wrestling NOAH:
"Full 7/16 Tokyo Nippon Budokan Card Announced!
The full 7/16 card is intriguing on many levels; the show starts off with one of NOAH's undercard feuds which has been developing for a while now, as Mitsuo Momota takes on the dastardly SUWA. SUWA has targetted Momota for a while now, as SUWA was a fan of Momota's long time rival Haruka Eigen. Momota managed to backslide SUWA to eliminate him from the junior battle royal last tour, and this is the perfect opportunity for SUWA to gain revenge.

Fresh from his first singles win, Ippei Ota will team with Yoshinari Ogawa to take on the team of Akira Taue & Katsuhiko Nakajima. This is Nakajima's return to NOAH, with his last appearance being a loss to Mushiking Terry in January. Will Ota, a handful of years Nakajima's senior but clearly his junior in terms of ring experience, be able to gain a result here?

The most interesting of the added matches pitches Go Shiosaki, returning to the Budokan for the first time after injury since facing Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima alongside mentor Kenta Kobashi last November, taking on Minoru Suzuki. This is the first time the two have met in ring so it will be intriguing to see whether Shiosaki can take the match to Suzuki and rattle the sneering exterior that he is known for.

NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Mitsuo Momota vs. SUWA
2. Mohammed Yone, El Oriental & Atsushi Aoki vs. Junji Izumida, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Abismo Negro
3. Tamon Honda, Takuma Sano & Kentaro Shiga vs. Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue & Kishin Kawabata
4. Yoshinari Ogawa & Ippei Ota vs. Akira Taue & Katsuhiko Nakajima
5. Mushiking Terry Return Match: Mushiking Terry, El Angel & Taiji Ishimori vs. Mushiking Joker, Psicosis & Charly Manson
6. Go Shiosaki vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikioh vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA
8. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Kensuke Sasaki"

I hope Go Shiosaki doesn't ham it up too bad with his Kobashi-lite in an attempt to get over.

Dragon Gate:
"7/9/2006 Saitama, Honkawagoe Pepe Hall Atlas
1. Magnum TOKYO, BxB Hulk, Matt Sydal{W} (Shooting Sydal Press) Gamma, Naoki Tanisaki, Jimmy Rave{L}
2. Magnitude Kishiwada (Diving Body Press) The Turboman
3. 3 Way Match
Chris Bosh (Maximum Bosh) Akira Tozawa{L}, Keni'chiro Arai
4. Dragon Kid, Genki Horiguchi, King Shisa{W} (BT Bomb) Masaaki Mochizuki, Susumu Yokosuka, Az{L}
5. Austin Aries (450 Splash) Ryo Saito
6. Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino, B-Boy{W} (Delicado) CIMA, Jack Evans{L}, Roderick Strong

Rave did indeed get his toilet paper entrance.
Turbo-yan made his debut after match 2. He entered to Ave Maria. Its Don Fujii up to his usual shenanigans. Kishiwada called him out on it, making a match for tomorrow."

[Organasm]

What was the official number of chops in the middle of the Kobashi/Sasaki match last year? I just watched it and counted 189, but there's always the possibility of being wrong.

[Andy Wild]

I :heart: Shiosaki.

[Organasm]

Dragon Gate:
"7/9/2006 Tokyo, Differ Ariake
1. Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito{W}, Magnum TOKYO (13:25 Dragon Suplex Hold) Chris Bosh{L}, B-Boy, Naoki Tanisaki
2. King Shisa (16:09 Henkei Mexican Stretch) Takayuki Mori
3. Gamma, Magnitude Kishiwada{W} (10:03 Diving Body Press) The Turboman{L}, Turbo-yan
4. 3 Way Ladder Match
Jack Evans (8:29 Fushichoukon) Genki Horiguchi, Akira Tozawa{L}
5. Jimmy Rave (14:09 Greetings from Ghana) BxB Hulk
6. Masaaki Mochizuki, Susumu Yokosuka{W}, Keni'chiro Arai (16:00 Mugen) CIMA, Matt Sydal, Az{L}
7. ROH Tag Titles
Austin Aries{W}, Roderick Strong (18:49 450 Splash) Masato Yoshino{L}, Naruki Doi
*V11 for GeNext"

CIMA & BxB Hulk challenged Austin Aries & Roderick Strong to an ROH WORLD (Yay!) Tag Team Title match. The challenge was accepted with te reply of "Anytime, anywhere".

A fan's photo album from the event.
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f221/debatermanx/

[Andy Wild]

Chris Bosh??!?!?

He's a very underrated indy worker. It's cool that he's getting around a bit more now then.

[Organasm]

"It has been reported that "Foreign Enemy" Samoa Joe has rapidly surfaced as one of the front runners for Captain Charisma Jun Akiyama's GHC Heavyweight Title. Akiyama said that he had read a story that Joe was interested in challenging for the title, and that sooner or later once Joe had earned the shot he would be happy to defend the belt against him. Akiyama believes Naomichi Marufuji is at present more deserving of a title shot given his excellent performances this year, but the "Mystery Man from Samoa" definitely appears to be threatening the title scene in NOAH."

Go Marufuji Go!! :hyper:

[Fanny Batter]

CIMA/Hulk vs. Strong/Aries sounds good. :heart: CIMA.

I would say it'll happen in Dragon Gate as Strong/Aries schedule in ROH is packed through August.

[Ringo]

:irked:

GIVE IT TO MORISHIMA

[Tainted Eclipse]

"It has been reported that "Foreign Enemy" Samoa Joe has rapidly surfaced as one of the front runners for Captain Charisma Jun Akiyama's GHC Heavyweight Title. Akiyama said that he had read a story that Joe was interested in challenging for the title, and that sooner or later once Joe had earned the shot he would be happy to defend the belt against him. Akiyama believes Naomichi Marufuji is at present more deserving of a title shot given his excellent performances this year, but the "Mystery Man from Samoa" definitely appears to be threatening the title scene in NOAH."

Go Marufuji Go!! :hyper:

Captain Charisma Jun Akiyama?

[Defrost]

"It has been reported that "Foreign Enemy" Samoa Joe has rapidly surfaced as one of the front runners for Captain Charisma Jun Akiyama's GHC Heavyweight Title. Akiyama said that he had read a story that Joe was interested in challenging for the title, and that sooner or later once Joe had earned the shot he would be happy to defend the belt against him. Akiyama believes Naomichi Marufuji is at present more deserving of a title shot given his excellent performances this year, but the "Mystery Man from Samoa" definitely appears to be threatening the title scene in NOAH."

Go Marufuji Go!! :hyper:

I would love to see Joe vs. Akiyama. I would love to see Marufuji be champion. A Junoir being Heavyweight Champion is diffferent. Although NOAH doesn't have the strongest Heavyweight lineup.

[Organasm]

Dragon Gate:


"7/11/2006 Shizuoka, Kira Messe Numazu



1. Magnum TOKYO, Dragon Kid{W}, BxB Hulk (Ultra Hurricanrana) Masato Yoshino, Jimmy Rave, B-Boy{L}

2. 3 Way Match
Turbo-yan (Diving Body Press) Chris Bosh{L}; Masaaki Mochizuki
3. Mexico Rules
CIMA, King Shisa, The Turboman (2-1) Magnitude Kishiwada, Gamma, Naoki Tanisaki
-Naoki (Implant) Turboman
-CIMA (Mad Splash) Gamma
-Turboman (Small Package Hold) Naoki
4. Susumu Yokosuka (Mugen) Matt Sydal
5. ROH Tag Titles
Austin Aries{W}, Roderick Strong (450 Splash) Ryo Saito, Genki Horiguchi{L}
*V13 for GeNext


Doi, Evans, and Az remain out injured.





10 Jul 2006 Dragon Gate - 7/10 Wrestle JAM

7/10/2006 Kanagawa, Yokohama Red Brick Arena




1. Dragon Kid{W}, King Shisa (12:41 Ultra Hurricanrana) Susumu Yokosuka, Keni'chiro Arai{L}

2. Naoki Tanisaki, Gamma{W} (8:01 Blitzen) The Turboman{L}, Turbo-yan
3. Masato Yoshino, Magnitude Kishiwada, Jimmy Rave{W} (11:35 Greetings from Ghana) Ryo Saito, Magu-yan, Genki Horiguchi{L}
4. Masaaki Mochizuki (13:46 Shin Saikyou High Kick) Roderick Strong
5. 3 Way Tag Match
CIMA, BxB Hulk def. B-Boy, Chris Bosh; Matt Sydal, Austin Aries
-B-Boy (10:30 Low Blow->Schoolboy) Sydal)
-CIMA (13:48 Schwein) Bosh


Doi and Jack were both out injured today. Jack was seen wearing some protection around his rib area."

[Organasm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LIthJ04sEs

New Japan Wrestlers Vs. A House
Featuring:
Shinya Hashimoto
Jushin Liger
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto (Eventually known as Tenzan)
Satoshi Kojima
Akira Nogiwa
Koji Kanemoto

[Tainted Eclipse]

I just posted that this morning here. Best thing ever :)

[Tainted Eclipse]

Lesnar stripped of the IWGP Title:


The worst possible scenario has happened, and Simon Inoki is hanging his head in shame today. Due to "problems with a working visa" (well, there's a new one), Brock Lesnar cannot attend Monday's Tsukisamu Green Dome show and New Japan has stripped him of the IWGP Heavyweight Title. For many, this was expected when he first won the belt, but when he kept returning and returning, doubts started to fade. Whether there is any truth to the "working visa" reason I don't know, but the fact is again an overpriced and undertalented primadonna has turned out to be nothing but a problem for New Japan. Simon Inoki posted a formal apology on the official site and gave refundment details (they don't usually do this, but they realize the severity of this incident), but there will be a tournament on Monday to determine a new champion right before the G1. On a personal note, and I try to stay positive (I will always support New Japan, but not everyone will), Simon Inoki should take all the blame for this and instantly be removed as New Japan president (or better yet, resign his post and take responsibility). Lesnar has been Simon's project when opposition in the company has called for him to get the belt off Brock for months now. There was a high chance that could have happened at the Green Dome, but we'll never know. After regaining so much trust this year, New Japan has again taken a step back and again has to restart from scratch in building fan trust. There may come a time, and it could be this one, that it is too late to do that. There is also the question of how this will effect wrestlers. The tournament on Monday has to be done as well as possible in this situation, and the G1 has to be done even better. The 9/1 Budokan show, an Inoki(s) brainstorm, should be axed immediately by Yuke's, and Naoki Sugehayashi or someone equally suitable has to replace Simon as president.

from SSS

[Organasm]

Altogether now, YOU'RE SHIT-AHHHHHHH!!!

So much for that ride that Mr. Lesnar claimed he was going to take us on back in October. For what it's worth, I think Brock's title reign was worse than Christian Cage's which had a nice in-ring celebration, Jarrett being bottled and a decent match at LockDown. Lesnar's reign had nothing. And my God, those kicks he threw were horrid!

I'll put my money on......Yuji Nagata winning it. He's over and good.

[Tainted Eclipse]

BERNARD TO WIN IT

[Organasm]

Correct me if I'm wrong but this is VACANT's third world title this year (WWE World Heavyweight, NWA World Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight), not to mention a US Title reign. Wow. Truly a champ amongst champions.

I'll get my coat.

[Ringo]

..

Fuck sake. I was hoping he'd lose it to Tanahashi anyway.

I agree, give it to Bernard. :hyper:

[Tainted Eclipse]

Is the new Triple Crown champ any good?

[Ringo]

..

I don't think he's anything special, but everyone seems to think he deserves the win, because he's been loyal to AJPW throughout all the shit.

His first title defence is against Kawada, so that should be interesting.

[Defrost]

Pro Wrestling NOAH returns to the Tokyo Nippon Budokan for the first time since April, as they present a show highlighted by the return of Yoshihiro Takayama. Takayama, a victim of his own busy schedule and persistent injuries in 2004, returns in the main event at what some call the greatest stage in wrestling, the Budokan. GHC Heavyweight Champion Jun Akiyama teams with Mitsuharu Misawa to take on the team of Takayama & the returning Kensuke Sasaki, but it is interesting in that all three of Akiyama's peers in the match can be counted as top contenders for Akiyama's belt, so Akiyama will no doubt be keeping one eye on his partner Misawa, who recently nominated himself to re-enter the title scene after Kobashi's condition was announced.

The younger generation is highlighted on Sunday, as the semi-main event sees Wild II, former GHC Tag Team Champions Takeshi Rikio & Takeshi Morishima, take on the highly decorated junior team of Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA. Marufuji will be looking to garner a victory here to confirm his status as Akiyama's top challenger for the GHC Heavyweight Title, while all three other men will no doubt be looking for a big win here.

The man a lot of fans worldwide have pinpointed as Pro Wrestling NOAH's great young hope, Go Shiosaki, is in singles action for the first time at the Budokan. Shiosaki, who has continued to expand his arsenal of wrestling moves by incorporating the Orange Crush into his moveset, among other moves, takes on the dastardly Minoru Suzuki who will look to ensure that he is not upset by the spunky young Shiosaki.

Definitely a fascinating card on paper, and I will be doing a live chat tomorrow at 8am GMT, or 2am Central Time. Just invite yourself on AOL Instant Messenger to "ProWrestlingNOAH".

NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Mitsuo Momota vs. SUWA
2. Mohammed Yone, El Oriental & Atsushi Aoki vs. Junji Izumida, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Abismo Negro
3. Tamon Honda, Takuma Sano & Kentaro Shiga vs. Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue & Kishin Kawabata
4. Yoshinari Ogawa & Ippei Ota vs. Akira Taue & Katsuhiko Nakajima
5. Mushiking Terry Return Match: Mushiking Terry, El Angel & Taiji Ishimori vs. Mushiking Joker, Psicosis & Charly Manson
6. Go Shiosaki vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikio vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA
8. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Kensuke Sasaki
.

[Organasm]

NJPW have announced a tournament for the IWGP heavyweight strap featuring;
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Yuji Nagata (C'MON~!)
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Giant Bernard
Akebono
and... Tomko

Yeah, that Tomko.

It think it's meant to take place this coming Monday.

[JAROTO]

Its a shame what happened with NJPW/Lesnar...I was starting to get interest in puro, but now that Lesnar is gone I dont care anymore about it. Lesnar should return to the WWE!

[Defrost]

Its a shame what happened with NJPW/Lesnar...I was starting to get interest in puro, but now that Lesnar is gone I dont care anymore about it. Lesnar should return to the WWE!

Lesnar sucks. I hope he never wrestles anywhere again.

[Ringo]

..

He doesn't 'suck'. He just sucked in Japan.

[Defrost]

..

He doesn't 'suck'. He just sucked in Japan.


He sucked in WWE too. Unless he was wrestling Angle or Benoit or Guerrero he was awful, and he was a shitty promo.

[Tainted Eclipse]

He had a good match with Mysterio :)



LETS GO BERNARD~!!!~!~!~!~!~@!!@#~!~@!~!@#$$!@#$!

[Horatio]

He sucked in WWE too. Unless he was wrestling Angle or Benoit or Guerrero he was awful, and he was a shitty promo.

He had really good matches with Undertaker and The Rock and Big Show and Bubba Dudley and John Cena and Chuck Palumbo and several other wrestlers, too.
Go back and watch his matches and see what a wide variety of matches he could have with a wide variety of opponents.
Lesnar was a really, really talented guy.

He wasn't a shitty promo, either.
He was green on the stick, but he was very comfortable and always improving.

That said, I don't mind that he's out of NJPW as he was obviously just there for a paycheck.

[Ringo]

:yes: Well put.

[Organasm]

NOAH Spoilers (Takayama return show):

Full 7/16 Tokyo Nippon Budokan Results by RD - 15 Jul 2006
NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
16,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. SUWA beat Mitsuo Momota (7:49) with a lariat.
2. Junji Izumida, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Abismo Negro beat Mohammed Yone, El Oriental & Atsushi Aoki (12:56) when Negro used the Martinez Special on Oriental.
3. Tamon Honda, Takuma Sano & Kentaro Shiga beat Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue & Kishin Kawabata (15:46) when Sano used a Northern Light Bomb on Kawabata.
4. Akira Taue & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Yoshinari Ogawa & Ippei Ota (15:20) when Nakajima used a German Suplex hold on Ota.
5. Mushiking Terry Return Match: Mushiking Terry, El Angel & Taiji Ishimori beat Mushiking Joker, Charly Manson & Psicosis (17:21) when Terry used the Mist Crash on Psicosis.
6. Minoru Suzuki beat Go Shiosaki (16:46) with a sleeper hold.
7. Takeshi Rikio & Takeshi Morishima vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.
8. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa beat Yoshihiro Takayama & Kensuke Sasaki (22:30) when Akiyama used the Wrist-Clutch Exploder on Takayama.

[Defrost]

NOAH Spoilers (Takayama return show):

Full 7/16 Tokyo Nippon Budokan Results by RD - 15 Jul 2006
NOAH, 7/16/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan
16,500 Fans - Super No Vacancy

1. SUWA beat Mitsuo Momota (7:49) with a lariat.
2. Junji Izumida, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Abismo Negro beat Mohammed Yone, El Oriental & Atsushi Aoki (12:56) when Negro used the Martinez Special on Oriental.
3. Tamon Honda, Takuma Sano & Kentaro Shiga beat Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue & Kishin Kawabata (15:46) when Sano used a Northern Light Bomb on Kawabata.
4. Akira Taue & Katsuhiko Nakajima beat Yoshinari Ogawa & Ippei Ota (15:20) when Nakajima used a German Suplex hold on Ota.
5. Mushiking Terry Return Match: Mushiking Terry, El Angel & Taiji Ishimori beat Mushiking Joker, Charly Manson & Psicosis (17:21) when Terry used the Mist Crash on Psicosis.
6. Minoru Suzuki beat Go Shiosaki (16:46) with a sleeper hold.
7. Takeshi Rikio & Takeshi Morishima vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.
8. Yoshihiro Takayama Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa beat Yoshihiro Takayama & Kensuke Sasaki (22:30) when Akiyama used the Wrist-Clutch Exploder on Takayama.


I don't quite understand the booking of the last two matches.

[Ringo]

How so?

[Andy Wild]

I'd like to see that Shiosaki vs. Suzuki match and the main-event and the 2nd main-event if Rikio was kept out of it in the majority.

[Defrost]

How so?

Well they seem to be having trouble coming up with contenders for the Heavyweight Championship. Marufuji seems to be in line for a shot, and they never give Juniors Hevyweight title matches, I thought he'd pin Rikio or Morishima. I also didn't think they'd hype Takayama just to have him lose and kill any chance of him and Akiyama fighting.

[Organasm]

Perhaps Akiyama dumping Tak on his head (He was put out with a head injury/problems) is building to a match at the year's end. Seems logical to me.

[Defrost]

That could work. Good call.

[Organasm]

...And the IWGP Tournament has taken place...

1. Takashi Uwano, Taichi Ishikari & Mitsuhide Hirasawa beat Takashi Iizuka, Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito (11:37) when Hirasawa used a chickenwing armlock on Naito.
2. IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament - Round 1: Akebono beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (6:55) with a running body press.
3. IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament - Round 1: Yuji Nagata beat Travis Tomko (7:48) with a backdrop hold.
4. Koji Kanemoto, Negro Casas, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt beat Minoru, Jushin Thunder Liger, Jado & Gedo (10:35) when Kanemoto used a Tiger suplex hold on Minoru.
5. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Riki Choshu & Naofumi Yamamoto (10:38) when Yano used the Oni Koroshi on Yamamoto.
6. IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semi Final: Giant Bernard beat Akebono (4:45) with a horizontal cradle.
7. IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semi Final: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Yuji Nagata (13:46) with a ground Cobra Twist.
8. NWA Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask © beat Wataru Inoue (12:13) with a Tiger suplex hold (2nd defense).
9. IWGP Provisional Tag Team Title: Manabu Nakanishi & Takao Omori beat Shiro Koshinaka & Togi Makabe © (15:17) when Nakanishi used the Hercules Cutter on Makabe to become the new champions.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Giant Bernard (17:44) with the Sling Blade to become the 45th champion.

"{The winner} was in fact given the second generation title (Hashimoto's, the Crown version), because the other one is in America, and its former holder, Brock Lesnar, told Tokyo Sports (through someone else) that he isn't giving it back, because he is the true champion. Many fans rushed to ringside after the match, and the heat was said to have been absolutely incredible."

Wow, what an utter tosser of a move by Brock. Good luck to the new champion.

[JAROTO]

He sucked in WWE too. Unless he was wrestling Angle or Benoit or Guerrero he was awful, and he was a shitty promo.

Lesnar vs Undertaker HIAC = best match of 2002....and Lesnar vs Rock at SS was great!

[Eddie Colon]

I'm downloading Takayama/Bashi vs Misawa/Akiyama.

Apparently a motyc

I :heart: Akiyama btw, favorate noah guy right now.

[Second City Saint]

I'm downloading Takayama/Bashi vs Misawa/Akiyama.

Apparently a motyc

I :heart: Akiyama btw, favorate noah guy right now.Wrist Clutch Exploder:yes:

[Tainted Eclipse]

Is there a Marufuji/Kobashi rematch schedueled? Just watched their first and it's my 2nd MOTY.

[Defrost]

Is there a Marufuji/Kobashi rematch schedueled? Just watched their first and it's my 2nd MOTY.

No one knows when Kobashi is coming back.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Oh yeah ... forgot about that :(

[Eddie Colon]

oh.

Ended Sasaki/Takayama vs Misawa/Akiyama halfway through, just my problem with a few noah matches that have the same sequence repeated over and over again.

Misawa and Sasaki going on an elbow/chop battle, and after a Sasaki chop misawa non-chalantly walking to his corner and tagging Akiyama was greatness.

[Organasm]

I've got a Morishima & Sugiura Vs. KENTA & Shiosaki match from SEM if anyone wants it. It's not very heated, but if anyone wants it I can up it.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Just watched KENTA/Marufuji vs. Morishiam/Rikioh and if you haven't seen it, do it. Easy #2 MOTY for me right now, and possibly the best and most true to form big man vs. little man tag match I've ever seen. I think I'll write up a review later.

[Eddie Colon]

I watched it this morning, loved the KENTA/Morishima segments, every time Morishima came into the ring he did something to make my jaw drop.

It seemed like every time Fuji and Rikioh where together there was a botch though.

[Tainted Eclipse]

I really liked most of the Fuji/Rikioh stuff, I really don't see why everyone seems to think it drastically inferior to the Morishima/KENTA segments, as awesome as they were. The only real bad botch I caught was Maru slipping while running the ropes, which I wish Rikioh had covered better by making it look like he pulled him off. Morishima was godly the whole match.

[Eddie Colon]

There was the botch where Maru went for an apron DDT.

I really liked Rikioh stepping on KENTA, and Mori piggybacking.

I didn't really like the Marufuji/Rikioh segments, seemed like the usual "to make sure the match is 70 minutes long" noah tag stuff.

[Defrost]

Just watched KENTA/Marufuji vs. Morishiam/Rikioh and if you haven't seen it, do it. Easy #2 MOTY for me right now, and possibly the best and most true to form big man vs. little man tag match I've ever seen. I think I'll write up a review later.

I'm starting to watch that show right now. Who is this old dude wrestling SUWA?

[Eddie Colon]

Mitsuo Momota.


SUWA's tights in that one are AMAZING

[Defrost]

SUWA just punched the guy in the balls.

:heart: SUWA

[Eddie Colon]

If SUWA went to mexico, he'd win the trios title...


...all by himself

[Defrost]

If SUWA went to mexico, he'd win the trios title...


...all by himself

Him and that briefcase should be tag champs.

[Eddie Colon]

And the co-GHC champions

[Defrost]

And the co-GHC champions

Damn right. He should not be geting beaten up by two old guys and a referee in the first match on the card.

[Organasm]

Could someone here kindly up the KENTA/Marufuji VS. Rikioh/Morishima match? I tried the same megaupload link for several days in a row and it always stops at 13%.


Anyway, Takashi made his first defence successfully. Shocking.
wXw - July 23rd
GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Takashi Sugiura © b. Murat Bosporus (16:03) via Avalanche-Style Olympic Slam

[Defrost]

Just watched KENTA/Marufuji vs. Morishiam/Rikioh and if you haven't seen it, do it. Easy #2 MOTY for me right now, and possibly the best and most true to form big man vs. little man tag match I've ever seen. I think I'll write up a review later.

It's the best tag match I've seen all year. The botches hurt it, but the last five minutes are incredible. Especially KENTA and Morishima. KENTA looked better in this match than he has in awhile.

[Andy Wild]

Suguira and Kanemaru were in the UK yesterday. I couldn't get to the shows but apparantly they delivered big time.

[Tainted Eclipse]

It's the best tag match I've seen all year. The botches hurt it, but the last five minutes are incredible. Especially KENTA and Morishima. KENTA looked better in this match than he has in awhile.

This year? It might be the best tag I've seen since No mercy 02.

[Defrost]

This year? It might be the best tag I've seen since No mercy 02.

There are a few other KENTA/Marufuji matches I'd put ahead of this. Like the match they won the Junior Tag Belts.

[Defrost]

.

Akitoshi Saito participated on the last ever WAR show today at Korakuen Hall.

WAR "WAR Final-Reborn to Future-", 7/27/06
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Genichiro Tenryu, Kouki Kitahara, Masao Orihara & Don Fuji beat Shiro Koshinaka, Akitoshi Saito, Michiyoshi Ohara & Masashi Aoyagi (15:23) when Tenryu used the 53 Years Old on Aoyagi.

Partial cards for NOAH's two show "NAVIGATION" tour, and the 2006 edition of the Michinoku Fairy Tale Story show have been released.

NOAH, 8/13/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Differ Ariake

1. Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa & Mushiking Terry vs. Akira Taue, Kentaro Shiga & Mushiking Joker
2. Takeshi Morishima vs. Masao Inoue
3. Jun Akiyama & Atsushi Aoki vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA
4. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita (c) vs. Takashi Sugiura & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

NOAH, 8/14/06
Zepp Sendai

1. Akira Taue & Kentaro Shiga vs. Mohammed Yone & KENTA
2. Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa & Mushiking Terry vs. Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue & Mushiking Joker
3. Tamon Honda & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji
4. Jun Akiyama & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Takeshi Rikio & Taiji Ishimori

NOAH "Fairytale Story in Michinoku", 8/15/06
Minase Village Office Ground Special Ring

1. Takeshi Rikio vs. Kishin Kawabata
2. Akira Taue vs. Masao Inoue
3. Tamon Honda & Kentaro Shiga vs. Naomichi Marufuji & KENTA
4. Jun Akiyama, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Mushiking Joker vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa & Mushiking Terry

[Defrost]

From
http://www.noah-usa.cc/newsandtopics.html

Kenta KOBASHI released from Hospital!
Kenta KOBASHI was released from hospital 7/27 (Japan Time)
His right kidney was removed and the tumor was detected as cancer, but they
did not find any cancer spread to other organs.

[JJB]

Look my last DVD order:

http://wrestlingdvd.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=288

And my next order will be:

http://wrestlingdvd.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=30_37&products_id=642

Now,that's what I call compilations :eek:

I will make you to take advantage of that in the multimedia thread ;)

[Kold_Of_Caelin]

JJB, j00 own :D when i get 500 posts ill rep you like a rabid wolverine.

[Second City Saint]

Look my last DVD order:

http://wrestlingdvd.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=288

And my next order will be:

http://wrestlingdvd.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=30_37&products_id=642

Now,that's what I call compilations :eek:

I will make you to take advantage of that in the multimedia thread ;)Does anyone know where I can get that stuff from Americans?

[Andy Wild]

I've got volume 1 and I think Volume 2 of that first set, the best of AJPW. Fucking amazing DVDs.

[JJB]

Sorry Second City Saint,I searched for you,I didn't found a US site which sells the full compilations.I think you should do like Andy, try to find them one by one,it should be easier

[Organasm]

I've never understood why whoever owns the master tapes of all those AJPW matches doesn't just release them on DVD and make an absolute killing.

After watching Tanahashi's title win I have to say that Sapporo has the worst crowds in Japan. They're ridiculously quiet during the body of the match and then only about half of them react to the finish. The crowd pretty much no-sold Giant Bernard's F-5 more than Tanahashi did.

[Second City Saint]

From WON:



—CMLL apparently is the first to sell 15,000+ seats in the same building four weeks in a row in Mexican, American or Japanese history, and the recent Santo/Mistico/Casas vs. Ultimo Guerrero/Atlantis/Black Warrior drew apparently the third largest crowd in Arena Mexico history, with the match being lauded as the Mexican MOTY. This sort of thing is why I pimp Santo as maybe the top worker in the world even if he's only showing up on tape every six months, incidentally.Nice to hear.

Although, Ultimo Guerrero > El Hijo de Santo.

[Organasm]

NOAH news:

GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Takashi Sugiura & Yoshinobu Kanemaru regained the titles from Hidaka & Fujita yesterday (13th August). This makes Takashi a double champion (Jr. Tag & Jr. Singles belts)

GHC Heavyweight Championship: Jun Akiyama Vs. Naomichi Marufuji goes down on September 9th.

[Fanny Batter]

Bryan Danielson told a fan in the UK that he should be making his NOAH debut some time in November, according to the TWC Boards.

I wonder if he'll be defending the ROH Title? If not, I'm guessing he'll lose 1 match on the tour (to Marufuji?) to set up a title match in the future.

[Vice]

When does KENTA get his title shot?

It'd be shit for ROH fans who want to see the match, but I think storyline-wise it'd be neat if KENTA made Danielson come to NOAH to defend it on his(KENTA's) grounds.

[Fanny Batter]

KENTA gets a shot at Glory By Honor weekend, the day before Dragon's 1 year anniversary as Champion.

[Second City Saint]

I remember hearing something about a Puro wrestling game that was possibly coming out in America.

Anyone hear that too?

[Kold_Of_Caelin]

rly? and for what console was that planned? or you dont know?

[Defrost]

.

9/3, 9/9 Cards Updated! Shibata Returns to NOAH!
Katsuyori Shibata makes his long awaited return to Pro Wrestling NOAH on the 9th of September, as he reunites with KENTA to reform "Takeover". Shibata resigned from Big Mouth Loud today, and this is his first scheduled date as a freelancer.

NOAH, 9/3/06
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

1. Mushiking Terry & Ippei Ota vs. Mushiking Joker & Atsushi Aoki
2. Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Bison Smith & Ace Steel
3. GHC Hardcore Openweight Title: Scorpio (c) vs. Kentaro Shiga
4. Takeshi Rikio, Mohammed Yone & KENTA vs. Yoshihiro Takayama, Takuma Sano & Takashi Sugiura
5. Jun Akiyama & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji

NOAH, 9/9/06 (NTV/G+)
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Mushiking Terry vs. Atsushi Aoki
2. Akira Taue & Go Shiosaki vs. KENTA & Katsuyori Shibata
3. Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Bison Smith & Keith Walker
4. Takeshi Rikio & Takeshi Morishima vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Takashi Sugiura
5. GHC Heavyweight Title: Jun Akiyama (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji

[Fanny Batter]

What the FUCK is Ace Steel doing in a match with Misawa? How did that happen? WHYYYYY?!

[Defrost]

What the FUCK is Ace Steel doing in a match with Misawa? How did that happen? WHYYYYY?!

Because Misawa booked it that way.

[Organasm]

Fuck yeah, Shibata rocks.

Lucha must have sucked this year if Santo/Mistico/Casas vs. Ultimo Guerrero/Atlantis/Black Warrior is considered a MOTYC.

I don't expect Marufuji Vs. Akiyama to be that good judging by how they worked together in the KENTA/Marufuji Vs. Akiyama/Aoki match I posted before Rajahmedia went down.

I'm not too high on the Rikioh/Morishima Vs. KENTA/Marufuji match as some of you are, sure some of the stuff in it is pretty great, but I'd like my tag MOTY's to have good work from all 4/6/8/Whatever involved instead of just one pair of them.

Triple Crown News: Taiyo Kea's first defence is against KAWADA~!, his second will me against Minoru Suzuki a few weeks later. Hopefully that's more like their Champion's Carnival match and not the 20-minute draw they had.

[Andy Wild]

I just watched a shitty Kobashi vs. Tiger Mask 2 match from the Budokan in 1990. I was disappointed in how shitty it was, nothing happened till the last 4 minutes. I was bored out of my brain till then.

[Defrost]

I just watched a shitty Kobashi vs. Tiger Mask 2 match from the Budokan in 1990. I was disappointed in how shitty it was, nothing happened till the last 4 minutes. I was bored out of my brain till then.

Kobashi was still pretty much a rookie then.

[Andy Wild]

Kobashi was still pretty much a rookie then.

It showed. He botched a neckbreaker.

[Organasm]

Taiyo Kea's Triple Crown win was pretty bad, it was pretty much them just doing moves to each other and not a whole lot else, then Kojima gets up a couple of seconds after the finish, shakes Kea's hand and walks off selling nothing in the process. No rubbing, no wincing and no ice packs!

The markout moment of the entire clip was TAKA getting on the mic, firing up the crowd (...and this after the match is over) and asking Kea "Who's next? Kenskee? Minoru Suzuki? The Great Muta? Who's next?". Kea's answer had my going Hell fucking yes, do it now! :hyper: It was simply....

"Kawada, Toshiaki."

Awesome. Tanahashi's title win was a better watch than this and I'm pretty sure you know how bad that match was.

On the other hand Kojima's pretty good at playing the heel in the G1 Climax finals which fits with his I Don't Wanna Be Here demeanor that he's had since 2006 began (Not getting a pay rise, despite winning the MVP award?) Not breaking holds until 4, attempting to get a count-out victory IN THE FINALS :eek: and even using the Anaconda Vice on Tenzan. The finishing move Tenzan hits looks amazing. He looks weird(er) now that he's got a smaller body but still has a massive head.

[Organasm]

I was bored and coughed up this, feel free to steal it.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7804/mwithmorishimav3cg8bz4.jpg

[Organasm]

Oh, I've also read something about Danielson going to NOAH in November. A fan claimed that Bryan personally told him this. Maybe the fan's a liar, maybe Bryan's a cocktease, maybe it's the truth, I wouldn't put too much in it at this point.

[Andy Wild]

Ricky Marvin and Taiji Ishimori have just been added to a show I'm going to in September...

How are these guys?

[Defrost]

Ricky Marvin and Taiji Ishimori have just been added to a show I'm going to in September...

How are these guys?

They're decent. Ishimori should be better than he is.

[Second City Saint]

Question: Is Marufuji's finisher pronounced the SHEER - A - NA - GEE or the SHEER - A - NEW?



...And no 'Sliced Bread #2' answers either.

[.invurzion.]

Well, from the way this guy (http://www.puroresucentral.com/moves/Shiranui.wmv) says it ... I think it's SHEER - A - NEW - EE.

But it does look like the Sliced bread #2 also. :D

[Andy Wild]

They're decent. Ishimori should be better than he is.

I remember Ricky Marvin from like 1996 or something, where he looked like a pretty girl. Decent wrestler too at that time.

Haven't seen him in forever though.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Question: Is Marufuji's finisher pronounced the SHEER - A - NA - GEE or the SHEER - A - NEW?



...And no 'Sliced Bread #2' answers either.

What is the spelling?

[Eddie Colon]

Marvin is fucking immense, Ishimori is shit.

[.invurzion.]

What is the spelling?

Shiranui

[Tainted Eclipse]

sheer-ahn-nai i think

[Second City Saint]

sheer-ahn-nai i thinkUltra Mantus Black of Chikara fame pronounced it SHEER - A - NEW during commentary but I have a feeling it's SHEER - A - NA - GEE

[Tainted Eclipse]

probably with a japanese accent it would sounds like a gee when it's really an ai

[Defrost]

The 9/9 NOAH show looks amazing.

[Fanny Batter]

Card?

[Defrost]

1. Mushiking Terry vs. Atsushi Aoki
2. Akira Taue & Go Shiosaki vs. KENTA & Katsuyori Shibata
3. Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Bison Smith & Keith Walker
4. Takeshi Rikio & Takeshi Morishima vs. Yoshihiro Takayama & Takashi Sugiura
5. GHC Heavyweight Title: Jun Akiyama (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji

[Fanny Batter]

The KENTA tag sounds good. I like what I've seen out of Taue (from TWC) and Shiosaki (live), so that should be a fine bout.

Morishima is immense from the clips I've seen of him. That bout interests me. Is Sugiura the guy that beat KENTA?

Jap Veterans vs. Gaijins looks decent. I actually like Bison, he's got a good look and fits in well.

Akiyama vs. Marufuji is HUGE over there, right? First Junior to get a title shot? Do you think he'll win?

I really should watch more NOAH on TWC...

[Defrost]

The KENTA tag sounds good. I like what I've seen out of Taue (from TWC) and Shiosaki (live), so that should be a fine bout.

Morishima is immense from the clips I've seen of him. That bout interests me. Is Sugiura the guy that beat KENTA?

Jap Veterans vs. Gaijins looks decent. I actually like Bison, he's got a good look and fits in well.

Akiyama vs. Marufuji is HUGE over there, right? First Junior to get a title shot? Do you think he'll win?

I really should watch more NOAH on TWC...

Sugiura beat KENTA twice. He pinned him to take the Junior Tag Belts off KENTA and Marufuji and to win the singles Junior title.

I don't know what is going to happen in the Heavyweight Title match. Misawa has treated the juniors in NOAH better than any company other than WWE if you really look at how Vince pushed guys like Guerrero, Benoit, Rey, HBK etc. I have no idea who could eventually beat Akiyama. Morishima maybe. NOAH is kind of hurting on Heavyweight contenders so I could see Marufuji winning, but he is still a junior so I have no idea what is going to happen.

[Organasm]

NJPW "EXPLOSION", October 9th 2006 (WPW)
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Koji Kanemoto (c) vs. Minoru
2. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hmmm, odd that they'd have Tenzan and Tanahashi face off so soon. Someone's momentum is dying that night!

New Japan's new mascot, that's yet to be named...give it a try.
http://www.njpw.co.jp/newsdata/004602/main_401.jpg

also Milano Collection AT appears to be working with New Japan now.

[Eddie Colon]

He has better hair than tanahashi...

[Second City Saint]

I can't remember if it was AJPW or NJPW, but one of them is teaming up with Hello Kitty. That's fucking awesome.


Milano Collection AT in TNA? :fingersx:

...I think I saw his first American match - not sure if it was though.

[Andy Wild]

What's Great Sasuke up to now?

[Second City Saint]

Last I heard he was on the Japanese Diet.

But that was in '03.

[The Ricochet]

Ultra Mantus Black of Chikara fame pronounced it SHEER - A - NEW during commentary but I have a feeling it's SHEER - A - NA - GEE

If Ultramantis Black said it, it's gospel.


The KENTA tag sounds good. I like what I've seen out of Taue (from TWC) and Shiosaki (live), so that should be a fine bout.

Morishima is immense from the clips I've seen of him. That bout interests me. Is Sugiura the guy that beat KENTA?

Jap Veterans vs. Gaijins looks decent. I actually like Bison, he's got a good look and fits in well.

Akiyama vs. Marufuji is HUGE over there, right? First Junior to get a title shot? Do you think he'll win?

I really should watch more NOAH on TWC...

Whole card looks great. Anyone have anything they can tell me about the Gaijin team though? I'm drawing a huge blank here.


I can't remember if it was AJPW or NJPW, but one of them is teaming up with Hello Kitty. That's fucking awesome.


Milano Collection AT in TNA? :fingersx:

...I think I saw his first American match - not sure if it was though.

God, Milano Collection A-TNA would rock so hard. *hopes*

[Defrost]

What the FUCK is Ace Steel doing in a match with Misawa? How did that happen? WHYYYYY?!


9/1 Nagano Movement Park Gymnasium NOAH, 9/1/06
Nagano Movement Park Gymnasium
1,050 Fans

1. SUWA beat Atsushi Aoki (8:35) with the FFF.
2. KENTA & Taiji Ishimori beat Ricky Marvin & Ippei Ota (10:17) when KENTA used a Tiger Suplex hold on Ota.
3. Scorpio & Joe Legend beat Mohammed Yone & Kishin Kawabata (13:40) when Scorpio pinned Kawabata.
4. Akitoshi Saito & Masao Inoue beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Takashi Sugiura (13:17) when Saito used the Death Brand on Kanemaru.
5. Takeshi Rikio, Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji beat Tamon Honda, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Go Shiosaki (15:23) when Morishima used a backdrop on Kikuchi.
6. Akira Taue & Takuma Sano beat Jun Akiyama & Kentaro Shiga (14:21) when Sano used a Northern Light Bomb on Shiga.
7. Bison Smith, Keith Walker & Ace Steel beat Mitsuharu Misawa, Yoshinari Ogawa & Kotaro Suzuki (20:06) when Steel used the Steel Spike on Suzuki.



:lol:

[Defrost]

NOAH, 9/3/06
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
3,800 Fans

1. Mushiking Joker & Atsushi Aoki beat Mushiking Terry & Ippei Ota (14:39) when Joker used the Stag Beetle on Ota.
2. Masashi Aoyagi & SUWA beat Masao Inoue & Mitsuo Momota (11:04) when Aoyagi used an enzugiri on Momota.
3. Akitoshi Saito & Kishin Kawabata beat Tamon Honda & Go Shiosaki (17:28) when Saito used the Sickle of Death on Shiosaki.
4. Keith Walker & Joe Legend beat Akira Taue & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (13:02) when Legend used a modified facebuster on Kikuchi.
5. Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa beat Bison Smith & Ace Steel (9:23) when Ogawa used a cradle on Steel.
6. GHC Hardcore Openweight Title: Kentaro Shiga beat Scorpio (c) (20:01) with a jackknife hold to become the 5th champion.
7. Yoshihiro Takayama, Takuma Sano & Takashi Sugiura beat Takeshi Rikio, Mohammed Yone & KENTA (21:33) when Sano used a Northern Light Bomb on Yone.
8. Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji beat Jun Akiyama & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (18:35) when Morishima used a backdrop on Kanemaru

Scorpio losing the belt must add to the WWE rumors.

[Eddie Colon]

Minoru Suzuki won the triple crown



YUSS

[Organasm]

All hail your new Triple Crown Champion MINORU SUZUKI~!

http://ca1n.c.yimg.jp/sports/sn20063523212m0003283m/sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/fight/pict/200603/im00032831.jpg

Better than Kea that's for sure.

[Defrost]

The guy who beat Kojima didn't last long huh?

[Horatio]

Scorpio stiffing it out with Finlay & Regal on SmackDown is disgustingly too wet-dreamy for me.
I couldn't handle it. I'd explode.

What's wrong with Ace Steel being on a team that goes over Misawa?

[Organasm]

A whole 2 months and one successful defense!

I've just realised the title change was in SAPPORO, don't expect a hot crowd in the slightest.

[Fanny Batter]

AHAHAHA for fuck's sake. ACE STEEL won in a NOAH main-event AND is apparently in the MOTY so far. CRAZY.

[Cactus Lem]

A whole 2 months and one successful defense!

I've just realised the title change was in SAPPORO, don't expect a hot crowd in the slightest.

Thats where England played Argentina in the 2002 World Cup. Wow!

Scorpio coming to Smackdown would be :hyper:

[Organasm]

Thats where England played Argentina in the 2002 World Cup.

Yowza!





Anyway...

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5259/10021246oo3.jpg

[Defrost]

Since I'm mostly focus on NOAH I was wondering if anything worthwhile was going on in NJPW or AJPW other than the Triple Crown Title change.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Just watched Akiyama/Inoue and it's pretty great. Top 10 of 06 definitely. Can't wait for Akiyama/Marufuji, whens it?

[Second City Saint]

Just watched Akiyama/Inoue and it's pretty great. Top 10 of 06 definitely. Can't wait for Akiyama/Marufuji, whens it?The 9/9 show

[Second City Saint]

9/3 AJPW results


AJPW, 9/3/06 (GAORA TV)
Sapporo Media Park Spica

1. Nobutaka Araya beat Kikutaro (10:14) with a lariat.
2. Masanobu Fuchi beat Akira Raijin (12:06) with an inside cradle.
3. Nobukazu Hirai & Ryuji Hijikata beat NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA (11:36) when Hijikata used a Jumping high kick on MAZADA.
4. RO'Z, D-Lo Brown, Buchanan & TAKA Michinoku beat TARU, Suwama, Shuji Kondo & "brother" YASSHI (15:36) when TARU was dsiqualified due to referee violence.
5. Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi beat Toshiaki Kawada, AKIRA & Katsuhiko Nakajima (21:24) when Muto used the Shining Wizard on AKIRA.
6. Triple Crown: Minoru Suzuki beat Taiyo Kea © (34:52) with a sleeper hold (Suzuki becomes the 35th champion).

[Organasm]

Since I'm mostly focus on NOAH I was wondering if anything worthwhile was going on in NJPW or AJPW other than the Triple Crown Title change.

AJPW:
Kaz Hayashi won a Juniors tournament a while back (3rd July) and should be getting his shot against the Jr. Champ if he hasn't already (Kondo?)

NJPW:
Tenzan Vs. Chono feud.
Tanahashi Vs. Tenzan title match coming up soon.

[BenoitMachine]

While I don't often post in this thread due to the high number of the sucking of the allmighty NOWA's nuts I am happy to see Minoru Suzuki as a champion

I've LOVED Suzuki since UWF and Pancrase. I love him as a fighter, as a pro wrestler and his attitude is fantastic. He is one of the single best heels in puroresu in my opinion. What he lacks in "workrate" he makes up for in charisma and charming the fans (and a nifty haircut)

[Organasm]

Oh, I also forgot Kawada might be doing more All Japan dates in the future. Don't know how I forgot that and remembered the Kaz thing.

[Defrost]

Anyone know where I can find

Jushin Liger vs. BADBOY Hido July 30, 2006?

[Organasm]

Ha, Jun Akiyama hasn't gotten a win on the past 6 NOAH shows. Way to build the champ.