After a day off (during which I was silly enough to watch Battlegrounds) the G1 is back with one of the more exciting cards being served up by B Block. Kojima vs. Elgin, Juice vs. Suzuki, Evil vs. Tonga, Okada vs. SANADA and let’s face it, Yano vs. Omega, what’s not to like?
The matches are coming thick and fast and keeping up with the G1 now feels as much like a challenge as a pleasure. Thankfully, it’s far from a chore as New Japan continue to deliver a sensational in-ring product. This is a catch-up as we round up days 3, 4 and 5 and it’s also going to be the moment where I tap out on the undercard. I did watch it, but it all blurs together and one tragic incident aside, I don’t have much to say. Anyway, on with the puro!
After a fantastic opening night of the G1 Climax from Block A, it was Block B’s turn to step up to the plate. It’s perhaps the weaker of the two, but there’s still a hell of a lot of talent on show, and once again New Japan had a card perfectly capable of delivering match of the year contenders. So let’s start dishing out those stars.
It’s beginning to look a lot like G1… Yup, it’s that time of the year, folks. If you are into the puro, wrestling is about to take over your life. Whether you’re planning on watching every second (no cheating, that includes the undercard) or dipping in and out when you hear Ishii has done something amazing or Okada went and did Okada stuff again, it’s hard not to be excited for what’s to come. If for some reason you weren’t, then I can’t imagine that apathy extended past night one. New Japan did what New Japan does and put on one hell of a show. Here is that, but in a lot more words.
There aren’t any pictures up of the second night yet, so these all come from the first. Credit: NJPW
For months now we’ve been building up to New Japan invading America. For one weekend, the wrestling in Long Beach got a little bit puro, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to call it an unqualified success. We got some brilliant wrestling, a little bit of storytelling and a new champion crowned. So here are ten things we observed when New Japan came to Long Beach.
My New Japan Pro Wrestling education swung into Osaka on Saturday as they finished off The New Beginning Tour with one hell of a card. While you could argue that a lot of the star power was on the first show, this second card looked like the workers time to shine and the sold out building is a credit to those involved. Now, let’s see what we learnt.
After the madness that was Fantastica Mania New Japan gets back onto the serious stuff with The New Beginning in Sapporo, a show that kicked off Suzuki-gun’s invasion of New Japan proper. Even with a second event next weekend this was a stacked card and gave me plenty to think about as I continue my New Japan education.