Official Puro Wrestling Discussion

[King Of Spice]

So the rumour is that Sabre wrestled his last match for NOAH a few days ago. He's apparently fed up with being stuck in the undercard and has campaigned for months to be in the main event feud with Suzuki Gun, but he was constant refused. Hopefully this means he's going to New Japan to reinvigorate the Junior division. God knows they need him.

[King Of Spice]

I'm guessing this was part of a talent exchange so that WWE could use TAKA but here's an interesting rare match; Undertaker vs Jinsei Shinzaki (Hakushi) from Michinoku Pro Wrestling.

[King Of Spice]

NJPW World Tag League 2015 Day 1 Review

A Block Matches

Toru Yano and Kazushi Sakuraba vs GBH (Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe) (**1/2)

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin vs Kazuchika Okada and YOSHI-HASHI (***3/4)

B Block Matches

Los Ingobernables (Tetsuya Naito and EVIL) vs Bullet Club (Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows) (**1/2)

Meiyu Tag (Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata) vs CHAOS (Shinsuke Nakamura and Tomohiro Ishii) (****)

Overall

This show was solid. I decided to only focus on the actual tag league matches here but the rest of the matches ranged from meh to good. The best match on the show in my view was CHAOS vs Meiyu Tag, followed closely by Tanahashi and Elgin vs CHAOS. I'm hoping Shibata and Goto win but I'll be happy with GBH too. It's worth noting that during Los Ingobernables' entrance, everyone thought that Tetsuya Naito came to the ring, but he removed his mask and was actually revealed to be BUSHI, who has aligned himself with the group. Overall, this was a pretty good show. Elgin and Tanahashi are a really good team.

***3/4 altogether

[King Of Spice]

When your favourite wrestler gets released for beating his girlfriend.

Fuck, man.

[gabe]

Why can no one respect the red and yellow?

Hogan= Racist
Honma= Woman Beater
Curtis Axel= Shitty Jobber

In all seriousness though, this Honma stuff is crazy. Surprised that he'd do such a thing. Really seemed a good guy outside of the ring.

[King Of Spice]

I really don't want to believe these accusations. Honma is my favourite wrestler in the world and it seems weird that she would just come out with these allegations now as he's starting to get a push and possibly about to finally win a Championship. Maybe I'm blinded by my fandom of him as a wrestler and character but.. innocent until proven guilty.

[King Of Spice]

A key story to watch for next month are the Shinsuke Nakamura contract negotiations. There is WWE interest in Nakamura, and unlike with Kazuchika Okada, who has made it clear his goal is to build New Japan up and already had his taste of U.S. wrestling, Nakamura has never had any kind of a U.S. run. From a WWE standpoint, Nakamura is tall enough, which is a current management knock on Hideo Itami on the main roster, but his age, as he’d be 36 before he’d start, is a factor as WWE traditionally doesn’t like to start guys of that age in NXT (Samoa Joe or James Storm are different as the ideas for them were strictly NXT and not main roster, while Nakamura would likely start in NXT but the goal is main roster). Nakamura is intrigued with the idea of being an American star, and the huge reaction he’s gotten on ROH shows may give him the idea that his charisma would carry over. At the same time, owner Takaaki Kidani in the past has said that they may have to offer seven figure or near seven figure deals to top guys, so it’s not a situation like AAA with Alberto where they couldn’t match with WWE offer.

[gabe]

I think it would be something cool if WWE signed him, but I honestly don't think WWE would handle him very well. I wouldn't be sure whether to be upset or excited if he was actually signed. If he does sign, I hope WWE just lets him continue to let him be what he always been and to not change his character around too much.

[King Of Spice]

Spent these past two days at work watching Makabe, Ishii and Goto matches.

Goto is the best wrestler in New Japan to never be Heavyweight Champion.

[King Of Spice]

Looking forward to another day of doing hardly anything but watch New Japan World. About to enjoy some more Togi Makabe matches.

[King Of Spice]

Masaaki Mochizuki vs Shingo Tagaki from Dragon Gate's 1/11 show was absolutely fantastic; great psychology, awesome back and forth action, a really good comeback story from Mochizuki, and an awesome finishing sequence. Really great stuff from both guys.

****1/2

[King Of Spice]

Man, Shibata is just so fucking good. Dude has such a great style and his matches are incredibly fun to watch.

[King Of Spice]

Looking past all of this stuff with Honma. I'm just gonna pretend it doesn't exist until we have a conclusive answer.

Looking forward to the Tag League finals. It's gonna be Los Ingobernables (Naito and EVIL) vs GreatBashHeel (Honma and Makabe). Hope GBH win.

[King Of Spice]

TenKoji, Nakanishi and Nagata might be on their way out of New Japan and over to All Japan.

Jun Akiyama asked Yuji if they're happy with their positions in NJPW and Nagata replied "We're not ok".

[gabe]

Seeing Honma make a babyface save the other day turned me off, just gross. Ew.