DNA 1

DNA 1

(2014/11/28)

Embracing Obscurity

CZW Dojo Wars 29

 (2015/05/27)

Frankie Pickard vs. TJ Sykes

Pickard really impressed me in the amazing Gacy match and that Gulak & Tracy tag, so I decided to check random three matches of his. I’m not feeling robbed of time at all because this was a borderline great little match with super smart body of work. Sykes has the power advantage, but Pickard just kept attacking his legs in a compelling Bret Hart fashion, they made it a story of the match and never abandoned it, I’m such a sucker for tight, focused matches. This was good.

***3/4

Chismo Pick: Best of 2014

I just realized I never posted the list of my favorite matches of 2014, so here's my Top 15. Now, why 15? Why not 10? Or 20? Fuck me if I know. 16 is my fave number but I can't go with that. So I'm going with the closest thing. Then why not 17? Oh well... It needed to be more than 10, though, because 10 matches is way too few considering the fact there are thousands of televised pro-graps matches every year. Ergo:

Rush/Shocker Saga (Cherry-Picked)

CMLL 2013/11/18

Rush vs. Shocker

BJW 2014/10/31

Saikyo Tag League 2014

 (2014/10/31)

NJPW on AXS TV: Episode 13

New Japan Pro-Wrestling on AXS TV

Episode 13, April 10th 2015

This edition is dedicated to the Yokohama Arena show, NJPW’s first show in there since 2003 (I think). They aired the entire Suzuki & Benjamin vs. Yano & Iizuka angle where Iizuka turned on his tag team partner to join SZKG.

Okada talks about the upcoming rematch with Styles.

Back to Yokohama Arena

(2014/5/25)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. AJ Styles ©

Very similar to their first match, only this one barely had anything good in it, unlike the Fukuoka meeting. Again, there was a lot of dead meat and unnecessary parts in there, and I’m saying this again – these two need to have sprints instead of epics, especially with the Bullet Club version of AJ, which is a strange and not so logical character. AJ’s always been the best as a stoic asskicking figure who bumps like a madman and does impressive offense sequences, so putting him in all these heel shenanigans modes takes away from his true being. The Bullet Club AJ is not a true AJ, not even close. AJ’s current role would’ve been perfect for Eddie Guerrero or Bryan Danielson, AJ is a different sort of badass, he’s not cut for cockiness and “dat swag”. It’s no coincidence his title matches underdelivered in New Japan, that’s because Gedo and Jado insist on something he can’t fulfill, plus all the American style interference bullshit, but if you give AJ the ball and let him run with it, miracles will happen. See G1 Climax 24.

**1/2

Backstage, Okada is fucking CRUSHED and Gedo is there for his client. Fantastic selling of a defeat.

Bullet Club celebrates inside the ring, Karl Anderson cuts another LAME slow-talking promo.

Okada reflects on the match, and like a true Jap he only blames himself, not the interferences. Says he’d like to face with AJ one more time, he’s impressed with his skills and super rich moveset.

BJW 2014/9/23

Saikyo Tag League 2014

(2014/9/23)

2.      Isamu Oshita & Toshiyuki Sakuta vs. MEN’S Teioh & Tatsuhiko Yoshino

The centerpiece was Oshita/Yoshino and it was awesome. Teioh works so well with young guns.

***1/4

3.      Ryuichi Kawakami & Kota Sekifuda vs. Shuji Ishikawa & Masaya Takahashi

I love it when puro companies get the very most out of obvious tag matches where you’re 100% sure who’s a fallman. And it doesn’t get much better than this, poor tiny Sekifuda against the surly duo of big bad animals, especially Shuji Ishikawa who’s toying with him until the moment he’s not. Korakuen adores good underdog stories, and so do I.

***3/4

4.      Saikyo Tag League 2014 (Death Block) – BARBED WIRE BOARD STREET FIGHT DEATHMATCH: Heisei Gokudo Combi (Kankuro Hoshino & Masato Inaba) vs. Jaki Numazawa & Masashi Takeda

Wow, this one totally caught me off guard, great fucking match and definitely the best HGC effort ever, by a large margin. This was just a whacky rollercoaster of fun.

****

5.      Saikyo Tag League 2014 (Strong Block): Shiori Asahi & Shinobu vs. Koji Kanemoto & Kazuki Hashimoto

And here is ANOTHER super fun match. Kanemoto and K-Hash are teaming together after the grueling rivalry and obviously they’re stupendously awesome in kicking asses.

***3/4

6.      Saikyo Tag League 2014 (Strong Block): Speed of Sounds (Hercules Senga & Tsutomu Oosugi) vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Hideyoshi Kamitani

Great power vs. speed clash, with a strong subplot of Kamitani digging in VERY fucking deep to justify the privilege of teaming with Sekimoto, this was a captivating story.

****

7.      Saikyo Tag League 2014 (Death Block) – IRON CAGE & LIGHTTUBE DEATHMATCH: Ryuji Ito & Abdullah Kobayashi vs. Yankee Nichokenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka)

Such a neat and proper match to cap off this highly entertaining show. The match wasn’t anything particularly new, but the story of Abby getting some of his mojo back after the return was enough for me and Korakuen to care and enjoy. Pretty damn good deathmatch.

***3/4

NJPW on AXS TV: Episode 12

New Japan Pro-Wrestling on AXS TV

Episode 12, April 3rd 2015

This edition is dedicated to Wrestling Dontaku 2014. Both Junior Heavyweight championships were highlighted through heavily clipped matches, Hooligans vs. Bucks and Taguchi vs. Ibushi. Barnett hates the Bucks, lel.

Okada talks about the upcoming match with Styles, he says he was surprised when AJ attacked him, he remembers him declining in TNA. He says AJ’s Styles Clash feels different and more devastating than Tanahashi’s, probably because of different weight adjustment, which is such a fantastic little detail that tells so much.

Wrestling Dontaku 2014

(2014/5/3)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles vs. Kazuchika Okada ©

Good match but not great, and ultimately disappointing considering the names and potential involved. And it wasn’t all the Bullet Club interference angle fault, even before that last gang attack and Yujiro’s treason the match dragged at some parts, it really could’ve used some fat-trimming. The crowd took their time to get used to AJ’s presence, they only bought him as a serious threat later in the match. If this was a heated 15 min sprint, it would’ve been much better and more effective.

***

Backstage, Gedo is fucking FURIOUS!

Bullet Club celebrates inside the ring, Karl Anderson cuts a lame slow-talking promo.

Okada reflects on the match, says it feels very strange without the belt he was holding for over a year. He says AJ was his old self and is looking forward to face him in a title rematch.

BJW 2014/9/3

2014/9/3

BJW 2014/8/21, 8/24, 8/31

Daisuke Sekimoto 15^th Anniversary

BJW 2014/8/15

Sooo, I'm ridiculously behind with BJW. Like, 8 months behind. Fuck. And I can't even explain why, tbf, they're basically my favorite fed of all time. I follow the stories and results, but for some reason I always delay the watching, it's always "this weekend", lel. That needs to change. I guess what comes next is catching up in some sort of binge-watching, smh...

And what a bad luck, the first show is from 8/15 where they only aired 4 matches out of 7, they fucking left out Twin Towers vs. K-Hash & Kawakami, fuck life.

Big Summer Festival in Korakuen: Ryuji Ito 15^th Anniversary

(2014/8/15)

1.      Toshiyuki Sakuta & Kota Sekifuda vs. Yuichi Taniguchi & Isamu Oshita

Thankfully the eternal jobber Taniguchi didn’t get much ring time, so this was all about Big Japan kids making names for themselves. Good little match.

***

3.      GENTARO & Shinobu vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & MEN’s Teioh

Poor Shinobu just can’t get away from underdog roles, lel. Good match with killer finish, and overall it was fun to see GENTARO hanging with Daisuke.

***

5.      ETC DEATHMATCH: MASADA & Danny Havoc vs. Yankee Nichokenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka)

What a great deathmatch sprint, this was all action and destruction, American guys worked their asses off here, they really stepped it up against the homeboys. MASADA is such a beast, especially in Japan. This was awesome.

****

7.      300 COUNTER LIGHTTUBES DEATHMATCH - Ryuji Ito 15^th Anniversary: Abdullah Kobayashi vs. Ryuji Ito

Another super fun sprint in front of the amazing Korakuen crowd. Abby and Ito had a bunch of 20+ minute long matches in the past, so it was such a nice surprise seeing them in a short helter-skelter. There wasn’t any particular story behind the match, it is Ito’s debut anniversary match and Abby came back to regular competition just five days earlier, and the match is simply about two old pals/rivals having a deathmatch party in Korakuen. Shit son, it was tons of fun. They were just smashing each other with lighttubes like it’s nothing.

****