19) Review

With A Block smashing it out the park on night one, it’s time to wander over to B Block as they kick off their side of the tournament with a card that lacks the wow factor of SHO vs Shingo or Ishimori vs Dragon Lee. Not that there isn’t intrigue to be found. We’ve got El Phantasmo and the mysterious DOUKI competing in straight-up matches for the first time while Will Ospreay’s return to the Juniors after his NEVER run will be interesting. There is fun to be had even if the potential for brilliance is not quite there.

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15/05/2019 0

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku (4/5/19) Review

Night two of Wrestling Dontaku finally brought this never-ending tour to an end. It wasn’t a horrible way to finish things off either. New Japan served up EVIL vs Ishii and a rematch of one of the best matches of the year so far, SANADA vs Okada. There was a real chance they were heading out on a high.

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07/05/2019 0

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku (3/5/19) Review

They might have made their way around 90% of Japan and put on enough shows to challenge the most devoted of fans, but New Japan have finally made it. Wrestling Dontaku. Sure, it’s taking place over two nights, so we’re not actually done, but at least we’re in the vicinity of it.

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06/05/2019 0

NJPW Wrestling Hi no Kuni (29/4/19) Review

Probably not the best idea, Jay. Credit: NJPW

The Dontaku tour continues to wander on, dishing out good matches every now and then but surrounding them with a shitload of multiman tags. While this card has more points of interest than most, I’m not sure they’re necessarily points that entice. It had potential, but not always of the good variety. Sound like fun?

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01/05/2019 0

NJPW Sengoku Lord (20/4/19) Review

Having conquered Madison Square Garden, New Japan could return home feeling rather proud of themselves. After all, they didn’t hire and fire two twats within the space of a few weeks. Anyway, it’s now business as normal as they hit the road for the Dontaku tour, with a brief stop off at Sengoku Lord. It’s a show with a sneakily good card, so fingers crossed it translates to being even better in reality.

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22/04/2019 0

NJPW Anniversary Event (6/3/19) Review

This did not end well for Billy. Credit: NJPW

New Japan’s Anniversary show is an underrated date on their calendar. The last two years have seen Kazuchika Okada take on Tiger Mask W (aka Kota Ibushi) and Will Ospreay while this year sees Will get his second main event in a row against Jay White. Gedo seems to view it as an opportunity to bend the rules a bit, and that’s always going to be fun.

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07/03/2019 0

NJPW Honor Rising (22/2/19) Review

Honor Rising is a weird tour. Much like Fantastica Mania, people treat it like a bit of a joke. Yet, much like Fantastica Mania, I nearly always enjoy it. You get some fun combinations as a couple of matches always deliver. Christ, last year Hirooki Goto had a good showing with Beer City Bruiser, where else are you going to see that? I think people need to stop overthinking it, and just enjoy it.

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27/02/2019 0

NJPW New Japan Road (21/2/19) Review

Takashi Iizuka is hanging up his boot, and despite (at best) being ambivalent about him, I can’t help feeling a bit emotional. Sure, I’ve spent the last couple of years moaning about his bitey ways, but that doesn’t mean I hate the old cannibal. He’s alright really. Let’s see him out in style!

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26/02/2019 0

NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo (3/2/19) Review

Not the angle I’d choose to be suplexed at. Credit: NJPW

Night two of the Japanese New Beginning shows finally saw some gold being placed on the line. Both sets of tag belts and the IC title were up for grabs with Taichi getting another chance to show he can be a big game player. Can he? Well, let me tell you.

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06/02/2019 0

NJPW Destruction in Kobe (23/9/18) Review

The timing on this was sublime. Credit: NJPW

After an underwhelming Destruction tour (the G1 hangover is significant in New Japan), NJPW returns to the feud that built the modern day direction of the company. Okada vs Tanahashi. It doesn’t matter how many times these two do it, it never fails to get the blood pumping. Will Tana keep his spot in the Tokyo Dome? Or will Okada finally extinguish those post-title blues and get back to where he belongs? Time to find out!

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24/09/2018 1