It’s impossible to point to one match that has influenced the way American indie wrestling has gone in the 21st century, but, if you had to, you could do a lot worse than wag that finger in the direction of this one. For a large percentage of the audience, this was the first time they’d been introduced to a Dragon Gate style tag as that blend of lucha and puro was brought to the USA. Christ, there is a reason Dragon Gate USA became a thing while the last Meltzer’s Classic I did happened ten years after this, and if you can’t see the links, you ain’t looking. It changed a lot of stuff, and yet, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it. So, the question is, does it hold up to modern eyes?
Continue reading “Meltzer’s Classics: Do FIXER vs Blood Generation (31/3/06)”AJW Throwback: AJW Classics Episode 2 Review
Unlike episode one of AJW Classics, episode two does not take place over a single show. Instead, it spans most of 1984 as we get matches from April right through to September. Sadly, it features our first retirements, but we also meet some legends that I’m sure you’re heard of and follow on from our previous main event. Are you looking forward to it?
Continue reading “AJW Throwback: AJW Classics Episode 2 Review”Stardom Throwback: Osaka 1st RING (3/4/11) Review
For the first time in their history Stardom stepped away from Tokyo and Shinkiba to make their way to Osaka, a city that you could probably call their second home. With a small roster, the chance to go on the road and reach new territories was going to be a pretty essential part of their growth, so let’s see how they did in front of a new audience.
Continue reading “Stardom Throwback: Osaka 1st RING (3/4/11) Review”Tale Of The Feud: Katsuyori Shibata vs The Third Generation
Welcome to Tale of the Feud, a series in which I go back and cover iconic wrestling feuds. Previously, I’ve gone back and looked at the violent rivalry between Bryan Danielson and KENTA before covering the generational battles of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada. Today’s entry, though, is about redemption. It’s the story of Katsuyori Shibata proving himself to the New Japan fans and the legends they revere. Enjoy this dive into Shibata vs The Third Generation.
Continue reading “Tale Of The Feud: Katsuyori Shibata vs The Third Generation”AJW Throwback: AJW Classics Episode 1 Review
Joshi puroresu was a very different world in 1980. Unlike the modern-day where even the biggest companies in the scene draw rather modest crowds, All Japan Women were the big dog. Acts like the Crush Girls and Jaguar Yokota had pushed them into the spotlight, and they were riding a wave. So what better time could be there to go back and explore?
Unlike my ROH or Stardom Throwbacks, this won’t be going show by show. Instead, I’m going through AJW Classics episodes, which Mort kindly posted an archive of at the start of this mess. That means the matches won’t necessarily be from the same show, but I’ll make sure to try and provide context as we go. Fair? Great.
Continue reading “AJW Throwback: AJW Classics Episode 1 Review”Stardom Throwback: Debut Series (27/3/11) Review
I no longer need Stardom as an excuse not to watch hour-long main events, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop making my way through the archive. Diving into their history is proving to be a lot of fun, so let’s keep going!
Continue reading “Stardom Throwback: Debut Series (27/3/11) Review”ROH Throwback: Crowning A Champion (27/7/02) Review
Alright, it’s finally here. Being locked in my house broke me to the extent that I found the time to sit down and watch the Four-Way Iron Man match that was set-up to determine the first ROH champion. Will it be any good? It’s an hour long, so probably not, but let’s find out.
Continue reading “ROH Throwback: Crowning A Champion (27/7/02) Review”Stardom Throwback: Debut Series (27/2/11) Review
Yes, I’m still avoiding going back to that Ring of Honor show. However, it’s not all about that. I’m enjoying this dive into the early days of Stardom, as it’s proving to be a breeze to watch. Eventually, I will return to ROH, but I’m going to have a bit more fun in Japan first.
Continue reading “Stardom Throwback: Debut Series (27/2/11) Review”DDT April Fool (4/4/20) Review
With Japan moving into a lockdown, DDT is back behind closed doors, but not in the Dojo! Nope, this time they took to 2AW Square, a bigger venue for a bigger show, even if the fans were still forced to stay at home.
Continue reading “DDT April Fool (4/4/20) Review”TJPW: Battling Without Fans
When you get past the discussion as to whether wrestling should be running empty arena shows, the biggest talking point for most fans at the moment is how to go about making those shows work. As I write this, the only WWE I’ve watched took place in a graveyard, but it’s safe to say their television efforts have been widely criticised and while AEW hasn’t been quite as badly received, no-one is screaming from the rooftops about them being shows of the year. Wrestling is struggling with how to present itself in a fan-less environment, and it’s quite interesting watching companies scramble for answers.
Continue reading “TJPW: Battling Without Fans”
Ramblings About Wrestling 