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.
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.
No, you’re avoiding watching that ROH show! A couple of days after doing the first-ever Stardom show, I’ve come straight back to do number two. If I keep this rate up, I’ll make it through most of World in less time than it takes to watch an hour-long four-way Iron Man match.
March 2020 might be the month the wrestling died, but there was still a remarkable amount of the stuff despite that sad state of affairs. There was certainly more than enough to make up my monthly top ten, and if you’re looking for something to pass the time, well, I guess you better read on because that might not be the case in April.
Look, this review probably should be of ROH’s Crowning a Champion. However, do you know what Stardom has that ROH doesn’t? A show not headlined by a four-way hour-long Iron Man match, that’s what. So, I’ve decided to dive back into the archive on Stardom World and watch their first-ever outing. I’m not sure if this will become a recurring series, but I had a lot of fun, so don’t be surprised if it does. Enjoy!
The best friends give you a kick when you’re down. Credit: SEAdLINNNG
Yes, Japanese wrestling has ground to a halt outside of a handful of empty arena shows, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still things for me to ramble on about! First up is SEAdLINNNG’s show from earlier this month, which took place in a time where crowds were still allowed. Quick reminder, this is only the second SEAdLINNNG review I’ve done, so if I make any mistakes/miss anything out, please let me know.
Suddenly, we’re getting all the Ice Ribbon shows nice and promptly. Then again, considering we’re about to enter a Japanese wrestling dry period, maybe we should ask them to slow it down? Hm, well, that’s not an option now, and we’ve got a fun show from Skip City to look at, so let’s get to it.
Hey Covid-19, fuck you. Stardom had a pretty dress on the line, and they were gonna run the Cinderella Tournament whether you liked it or not. Although judging by the fact Korakuen was near-empty, the Japanese public wasn’t quite ready to return, and with what’s happened since, it’s probably the last time we’ll see this for a while. Oh well, that’s all the more reason to enjoy it now.
I haven’t stopped feeling weird about Japanese companies going back to hosting live wrestling shows, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy having the Up Up Girls kick off a show. Tokyo Joshi was back in front of fans and, to celebrate, were giving us the next chapter in the feud of the year. Misgivings or not, it’s hard not to enjoy that.
Here’s a rarity, an Ice Ribbon review of a show that happened relatively recently. This went out on Samurai TV, giving me a chance to watch it before it gets too out of date and also providing us with more wrestling to beat away those Corona blues.
A wee reminder before I get started that this is only the third Ice Ribbon show I’ve watched, so don’t expect me to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the promotion. If I make mistakes/miss anything important or obvious, please let me know. I like learning about things.