Ramblings About’s Matches of the Months for January 2025

Arai booting 2025 into life. Credit: TJPW

We’re back for Ramblings Abouts’ first matches of the month for 2025. I apologise for missing a few of these towards the end of last year, but I had some personal shit that took up a lot of my brain space, and I’m sure the two of you who read this didn’t even notice. However, I am back for 2025 and planning to watch far too much of this dumb stuff while also complaining that I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to. Multiple big hitters are missing from this list because I haven’t had a chance to watch them yet, but that doesn’t mean what I have seen loses any value. They’re all great matches, which I recommend going out of your way to see. And if you have any recommendations, stick them in the comments below!

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01/02/2025 0

NJPW New Japan Road (20/2/20) Review

If you put Shingo vs Ishii on top of a card, I will come. I’m pretty sure that’s written in scripture somewhere. What religion? I don’t know, one of the good ones? Are there any good ones? Christ, that’s a conversation for a different day. Onto the wrestling!

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24/02/2020 0

NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo (2/2/20) Review

After a beef-fest the night before, New Japan was dishing up a very different meal on night two of The New Beginning in Sapporo. We’ve got a bit of British in there followed by Taichi’s latest attempt to climb the ladder and reach the top of the New Japan rankings. Can he do it? Well, I guess it’s time to find out.

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04/02/2020 0

NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo (1/2/20) Review

Shingo knows what he wants. Credit: NJPW

After a wee break from New Japan (unless you kept up with FantasticaMania) it’s time for The New Beginning, a tour which NJPW has gone all out on this year. They’ve upgraded the final date to Osaka Jo-Hall and are delivering potentially fantastic matches at every destination. Up first was Goto vs Shingo and EVIL vs Ishii, which kind of makes it look like Gedo let me do some booking. He didn’t, but I’m certainly going to enjoy it.

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03/02/2020 0

NJPW New Year Dash (6/1/20) Review

It’s the day after Wrestle Kingdom, and all through the house, everyone is stirring because New Japan had another fucking show. I didn’t go to this one because I nipped over to Osaka instead, but New Year Dash always throws a few curveballs our way and had a certain Jushin Thunder Liger’s retirement ceremony, so I was going to watch it one way or another.

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13/01/2020 0

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom (5/1/20) Review

My final wrestling show of the trip was once again in the Tokyo Dome where, on a stacked card, there was only really one match I cared about. It was time for Tetsuya Naito to fulfil his Destino, and if he didn’t, well, I’d be writing someone a very strongly worded letter.

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10/01/2020 0

Ramblings About’s Top Ten Matches of October 2019

We might be over halfway through November, but it’s time to head back to October and read about my ten favourite matches of the month. Did you see something better? Well, tell me! I’m always happy to watch good wrestling.

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17/11/2019 0

NJPW Showdown in San Jose (9/11/19) Review

For the first time since announcing New Japan of America, NJPW has made the trip over the pond, rocking up in San Jose for some fun. It was a show packed with star power that featured a lot of tags backed-up by a couple of interesting title shots. How would it go? Well, now is the time to find out.

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12/11/2019 0

NJPW Power Struggle (3/11/19) Review

Is that a bump only a man cleared to wrestle would take? Credit: NJPW

Power Struggle is our last big stop before Wrestle Kingdom (no-one counts Tag League), and I expect to come out the back of this show with more of an idea of what to expect on January 4th and 5th. The big question? Is BUSHI challenging Will a sign that Hiromu is returning? Or is my heart going to be hurt once more?

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04/11/2019 0

NJPW Super Jr. Tag League (1/11/19) Review

YOH helping ELP to crack his back. Credit: NJPW

With Power Struggle on Sunday, this is our final stop before the power is fought over. Is that what is happening there? Fuck knows. The point is that we’re wrapping up the Super Junior Tag League with it still being possible for us to have a four-way tie at the top of the block. Fingers crossed that is not the case.

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02/11/2019 0