The Wrestling Thread

[Tam O'Banter]

Pro Wrestling NOAH 10/07/2010

This is the first time I've watched a full NOAH show since the Destiny show back in 2004, but this show looks absolutely stacked, so I can't wait to see what they can do here.

Masao Inoue and Akira Taue vs. Shuhei Taniguchi and Atsushi Aoki ( **1/4 )

Akitoshi Saito, Mohammed Yone, Kentaro Shiga and Genba Hirayanagi vs. Bison Smith, Keith Walker, Taiji Ishimori and Ricky Marvin ( *** )

Kensuke Sasaki, Yoshinari Ogawa and Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Jun Akiyama, Takuma Sano and Makoto Hashi ( **3/4 )

Prince Devitt Jr. and Rysuke Taguchi vs. Eddie Edwards and KENTA ( ***3/4 )

Yukata Yoshie vs. Takeshi Morishima ( **1/2 )

Yoshinobu Kanemaru © vs. Naomichi Marufuji - GHC Jr. Heavyweight Championship ( ****1/4 )

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki ( **** )

Takashi Sugiura © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - GHC Heavyweight Championship ( ****1/4 )

Shuhei Taniguchi and Atsushi Aoki vs. Masao Inoue and Akira Taue

OLD GUYS !!! Inoue and Taue have been around for about 25 years. Christ. Taniguchi is a pretty big guy ! It's amazing that after all of this time, Taue has incredibly skinny arms. Some nice humerous comedy from Taue early, which is nice to see. If yer getting on a bit, you need to branch out. Most guys don't realise that, but Taue clearly does. Inoue's kickout tactics are pretty funny too, as he grabs the nose in lieu of a proper kickout. AWESOME crawling tag from Inoue at one point in this one. All in all this was a good opener. Just enough action and fun to keep the fans interested while not doing too much. Was tempted to add 1/4* for the awesome tags from Taue and Inoue, but f**k it, I'll stick with this. **1/4

Akitoshi Saito, Mohammed Yone, Kentaro Shiga and Genba Hirayanagi vs. Bison Smith, Keith Walker, Taiji Ishimori and Ricky Marvin

This has enough talent to be considerably good, even if it's an undercard tag match. I wouldn't be surprised if WWE were to look at Walker at some point. He's a nasty looking fucker. Might have a wee bit too much of the ol' flab though. His tag partner, Bison Smith, is a charisma blackhole though, so he might just look good in comparison. I love Ishimori and Marvin. Yone has one of the best Leg Drops going, while Saito's name will always sadly be infamous because he was the one that threw the Suplex that killed Misawa. Bison Smith KILLS poor Genba with an Avalanche over the railing to a seat. This match was great fun for the most part, mostly thanks to the awesome Genba Hirayanagi who I NEED to see more of now. ***

Kensuke Sasaki, Yoshinari Ogawa and Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Jun Akiyama, Takuma Sano and Makoto Hashi

This is probably a setup match for an Akiyama/Sasaki match down the line. Nakajima is a truly magnificent up and comer, and had the fued of 2009 with KENTA probably, with two of their matches being genuine crackers. The first probably up there with Taker/HBK as a late contender for match of the decade. The beating that Nakajima takes from Akiyama at one point is certainly worthy of note. I'd love to see those two guys have a match if I didn't know Akiyama would just no-sell everything that Nakajima did. This match was largely uninteresting untill a good final stretch and at least they did the job of getting Nakajima over as a hard mofo. **3/4

Prince Devitt Jr. and Rysuke Taguchi vs. Eddie Edwards and KENTA

This should be absolutely terrific with a hot as fuck crowd thanks to it being promotion v promotion with NOAH v NJPW. I love Devitt thanks to his day as an SWA wrestler back in 2004. He was crazy back then and he's even more crazy now. The NJPW team draw the irritation of the crowd with constant Arm Ringers. Get 'em telt Devitt ! The match is really awkward for the first few minutes, but they then find their flow with each other. This was an awesome finishing stretch away from being something really amazing, but I think they might be setting up for some future shit with that sort of match, so fair enough. This delivered though, as you would expect. ***3/4

Yutaka Yoshie vs. Takeshi Morishima

This is a battle of two big fat fatties. Fat Yoshie is representing NJPW but the audience doesn't seem to care about that. Come to think of it, the audience has been out of it for the majority of this show. I don't think it helped that they were expecting something of a tag team classic from the last match and got a trunciated version instead. Seeing a man of Morishima's size do a Suicide Dive is a pretty amazing thing. I want to see the wee podgy Yoshie do one a lot more though. The audience were just not buying into Yoshie at all and it hurt the match quite badly. I also don't understand why this match got so much time because it was clear from almost the first couple of minutes that they weren't up for it. Fo' shame lads. It's decent enough and has lots of fun action. **1/2

Yoshinobu Kanemaru © vs. Naomichi Marufuji - GHC Jr. Heavyweight Championship

I don't think many people would have suspected that Marufuji would still be battling for the junior title. Kanemaru was a pioneer of the junior tag team wrestling in Pro Wrestling NOAH and had some crackers for the GHC Jr. Title as well. That was six years ago. Six years later and he goes and has another golden match, this time with someone who should have been long gone from the division. They work a real epic match here with some major stuff going on through the match and really tight psychology which is nice to see from a Puro match as those things leave themselves open to too much no-selling. I love how they gave Kanemaru a really decisive victory here as it sets him up as a super champ. Marufuji continues to put guys over for the jr. titles of Japan. ****1/4

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki

This is a battle of the new aces of each promotion which makes this one of the most intriguing matches in recent Puro history. This is a physical war of a match which is two sided and both guys just go all out and try and beat the shit out of the other. Not quite on the level of the previous match and going on so soon after it just highlighted the weakness of this match that little bit more which was a shame. They just didn't seem into it early on and the selling of Shiozaki's knee was just so half baked that even though it was consistant, you just didn't buy into him being hurt and he was only waiting for the next shot to unload. ****

Takashi Sugiura © vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - GHC Heavyweight Championship

Takayama is an absolute beast of a man. Huge in height and hits like a mofo. Sugiura can take unreal punishment though and can hit hard for a little guy. The main story of this match is Takayama's desperation to win the GHC title. He is willing to do absolutely anything and everything short of murdering Sugiura to win that belt. See what I was saying about Sugiura taking punishment ? He does so here, possibly more than he has EVER taken in one match, but as he always does, he sucks it up and just keeps coming back which can be quite un-nerving if your name is Takayama. The final stretch is the real masterpiece though, when Takyama seemingly punches himself out and Sugiura finds that second wind and manages to keep the much bigger man down. Terrific main event. ****1/4

This is a smashing top to bottom card here. Everything fits it's cause perfectly and those last three matches are just a terrific cap off.

Where can I see it?

[Kris Boyd]

Jap wrestling is superb!

[RussellV1]

Cringeworthy TV at it's best there

[The Hero of the Day]

Hero of the Day - The original plan was for some kind of "whodunnit?" storyline, but I don't think any more than that ever came out.

As for wrestling games, you can't beat the WWF Wrestlefest arcade game. Me and my mates used to always play that when it was tucked away at the back of the very top floor of the Hynd arcade in Dundee. Brilliant.

I think they were going to wrongly accuse Linda McMahon for starters on the same night of the memorial service for Vince but thats all I know..

iMPACT on soon, I've been looking forward to seeing what Dixie "El Grande Milf" Carter has to say on her "extreme invitation" I hope this isn't a one night stand kinda thing, they should run with having a more hardcore TNA with more creative control to the wrestlers, also they should be looking to sign Paul E.

I'm not wanting a new ECW in that respect, but I would like it if we had more of an Attitude feel, the way TNA is going is like WCW meets ECW, which may not turn out to be such a bad thing, I'd feel so much better if Bischoff were far far away from TNA though.

I'm sure Bischoff plans to be with TNA for a long time in the future, not sure about Hogan though. AJ with the Global Title makes sense, give it some credibility back, like the Intercontinental and United States Champs did in the 90's. I eagerly await Impact this Saturday at 9.

Anderson came in on the first Hogoff PPV and yes, he has been a huge plus point for them.

An understatement to say the very least, I can't remember an Anderson promo that has been boring or cringeworthy. The guy can work the mic probably better than anyway at the moment.

[The Hero of the Day]

And who is Sabu leg dropping through the table in your avatar?

[RussellV1]

And who is Sabu leg dropping through the table in your avatar?

Roadkill, I think

[forehead7]

And who is Sabu leg dropping through the table in your avatar?

Looks like Amish Roadkill. Who turned down an offer to do the TNA/ECW thing because the offer wasn't enough.

[DomDom]

Where can I see it?

http://destinationwrestling.forumcommunity.net/?t=38988547

Looks like Amish Roadkill. Who turned down an offer to do the TNA/ECW thing because the offer wasn't enough.

The wrestling version of Jimmy Bullard.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Looks like Amish Roadkill. Who turned down an offer to do the TNA/ECW thing because the offer wasn't enough.

I wonder what Roadkill is doing these days that makes him so much money he can turn down the opportunity to work a PPV? I wonder if Justin Credible can be tempted out of Olive Garden for a day to work the PPV, or Perry Saturn out of the samill?

[forehead7]

Just watched Impact.

I think Kazarian would've been a better choice for the Global Champion. AJ was the previous World Champion, just seems like a backtrack but Kazarian has only been the X-division champ.

f**k sake, Beer Money and Guns match was really good but they shouldn't use the ref bump again.

[forehead7]

I wonder what Roadkill is doing these days that makes him so much money he can turn down the opportunity to work a PPV? I wonder if Justin Credible can be tempted out of Olive Garden for a day to work the PPV, or Perry Saturn out of the samill?

Is Perry Saturn not in a wheelchair? I heard he got shot trying to stop a gangrape on some girl. Every one knows he should've just asked if he could join in.

[DomDom]

f**k sake, Beer Money and Guns match was really good but they shouldn't use the ref bump again.

I think they're using the ref bumps as a continual story in the series, so I don't have an issue with it. Makes me appreciate the ref bump in the PPV match a wee bit more as well.

As for Styles as Global Champ, I can only assume it's an effort to elevate the belt.

[Marshmallo]

Anyone been watching NXT? If so, how would rank the 7 rookies left? I'd go:

1. Alex Riley

2. Michael McGillicutty

3. Kaval

4. Husky Harris

5. Lucky Cannon

6. Percy Watson

7. Eli Cottonwood

Cottonwood's moustache promo a couple of weeks back might just be the worst promo I've ever seen.

[forehead7]

Anyone been watching NXT? If so, how would rank the 7 rookies left? I'd go:

1. Alex Riley

2. Michael McGillicutty

3. Kaval

4. Husky Harris

5. Lucky Cannon

6. Percy Watson

7. Eli Cottonwood

Cottonwood's moustache promo a couple of weeks back might just be the worst promo I've ever seen.

Swap 'Riley and Kaval and that's mine

[Big River]

Cottonwood's moustache promo a couple of weeks back might just be the worst promo I've ever seen.

It was indeed terrible. WTF is he even talking about?

[Shuggie_Murray7]

I actually think I hate Cottonwood.....he is utter shite. He walks funny, his promos are shite, he cannae wrestle, how the f**k did he get on the show?

For me I would have:

1) Kaval

2) Alex Riley

3) Husky Harris

4) Michael McGillicutty

5) Lucky Cannon

6/7) Joint last would be Eli Cottonwood and Percy Watson

Cottonwoods tache promo was pathetic. "Real men have moustaches" erm.......Eli.....you don't have a tache you fucking idiot.

[Big River]

I actually think I hate Cottonwood.....he is utter shite. He walks funny, his promos are shite, he cannae wrestle, how the f**k did he get on the show?

For me I would have:

1) Kaval

2) Alex Riley

3) Husky Harris

4) Michael McGillicutty

5) Lucky Cannon

6/7) Joint last would be Eli Cottonwood and Percy Watson

Cottonwoods tache promo was pathetic. "Real men have moustaches" erm.......Eli.....you don't have a tache you fucking idiot.

Thats pretty much how I would have it, although I would rank Charlie Murphy Percy Watson slightly higher than Cottonwood.

[forehead7]

If the person to go out isn't Cottonwood, Watson or Cannon then something is up.

[djchapsticks]

Is Perry Saturn not in a wheelchair? I heard he got shot trying to stop a gangrape on some girl. Every one knows he should've just asked if he could join in.

There have been dozens of rumours about him.

Some say he's dead, others that he's a recluse living in a foreign country somewhere in Europe with a wife. I've heard the wheelchair rumour, he's now a door-to-door salesman and also that he actually lost his mind and disappeared off the face of the Earth without trace.

He didn't even turn up to Killer Kowalski's funeral (who was his mentor and friend). The reality of the situation though is that he's completely dissociated himself with everyone and everything to do with wrestling in a bid to get himself totally clean, and now lives with his new wife in Minnesota.

[Kris Boyd]

yeah it is the Angry Amish Roadkill in my avatar, I love Sabu's moves he does with a chair, the Atomic Arabian Guillotine and the triple jump moonsault are both awesome.

As for the TNA Extreme PPV, I hope that it is not a one night thing, I hope that we see this extreme stuff continue in TNA, maybe if this PPV really sells very highly then it will become something regular, Although ECW was hardcore there was also some of the best wrestlers I've ever seen doing some superb moves in "bingo halls" guys like the human suplex machine Taz, Benoit, Nova, Lance Storm and Chris Candido. as far as pure technical wrestling ECW had guys that TNA would have loved.

I hope we see Super Crazy, this guy is a high flyer of the likes I've never seen before, f**k yer rey mysterio, Super Crazy is the true Latin Maniac. I also hope that this next PPV will be somewhere like the Hammerstein ballroom and not the fucking impact zone.... I'm sure it will be in the zone but it would be so much better to really replecate an ECW PPV which, fair play WWE did absolutly perfectly in 05 and 06.