WWE Royal Rumble Predictions

Three women's matches on the Royal Rumble card? Times have indeed changed. This build has actually been solid. Nia as a monster destroying Sasha is a smart route. The main issue is that, as much as the crowd likes her, Sasha is miscast as a babyface. She's so much better as a heel, it isn't even funny. Nia needs the win here and Sasha wouldn't be hurt by it. I think the best route is for Nia to win and Sasha to look resilient, trying to fight through the pain of past injuries. Sasha should turn heel before Mania and I'd do Sasha/Bayley there, though I'm sure we're getting a four way.

Winner: Nia Jax

Cesaro is the king of the makeshift tag team isn't he? The dude just gets it. He and Sheamus have become a pleasant surprise and one of the better things on Raw. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows seem to be going through the motions in the WWE thus far, having only a handful of matches I'd call good. The one with Cesaro and Sheamus a few weeks ago on Raw was one of those, despite the dusty finish. I could see them finally capturing the Tag Team Titles, but I also don't see Cesaro and Sheamus dropping the titles yet. With Mania looking more crowded than ever, I sense they enter as champions to guarantee their spot.

Winners: Sheamus and Cesaro

The Smackdown women's division continues to excel where the Raw division fails. I care about most of the women in this match (sans Nattie and Naomi). This could really go either way. I could see the babyface team winning for a feel good moment since I see the other two women's matches ending with heel wins. However, I could also see the heels winning so Mickie James wins in her return. That's what I'm going with. Mickie pins Naomi most likely, solidifying her return. I get the feeling these six might do the first women's Elimination Chamber in a few weeks (I miss Carmella). Also, I think the best choice for a Mania match would be Becky/Mickie but I doubt that happens.

Winners: Alexa Bliss, Mickie James and Natalya

I think the right decision here is to put the title on Neville. He has breathed new life into the division and his own career. Neville has been another of the few highlights on Raw. The problem is that the Cruiserweight Title has changed hands quite a bit in its short history. Not NEVER Openweight Six Man Title levels but still. TJ Perkins held it for just over a month and the same goes for The Brian Kendrick. Rich Swann is right around the sam mark for days as champion. I'm going with Swann retaining, sending Neville further into his anger. Maybe he'll grow his beard more and his theme will get even slower.

Winner: Rich Swann

Oh my god, I don't care. Raw has done a phenomenal job of taking people I like (Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Bayley, etc.) and making me apathetic when they show up. Bayley comes out and I'm not overjoyed or even smiling. She's just there. Charlotte is a charisma vacuum and is probably the main reason I couldn't care less about the women of Raw. Charlotte is gonna retain here so she can move to 106-0 on Pay-Per-View. Everything points to her dropping the title at Mania, but the same thing could be said last year and she inexplicably walked out as champion. There are three people I refuse to bet against in these things and Charlotte is one of them. She is gonna set all sorts of records, win so many titles, be the focal point of the division and cut putrid promos. Life goes on.

Winner: Charlotte

As I said, Raw has made me not care about certain people. I love Kevin Owens but I'm so beyond sick of seeing Roman Reigns, Owens, Chris Jericho and Seth Rollins compete in some combination. I think the best route would be for Owens to retain here and lose to a returning Finn Balor at WrestleMania. The first Universal Champion comes back for the title he never lost. I don't think that happens. Reports seem to indicate a Jericho/Owens match at Mania, which I don't want because they're so good as allies. I've learned not to pick against the big dog and that isn't changing here.

Winner: Big Dog gotta eat

On the flip side of what Raw does, Smackdown makes me interested in people. I've more interested in this incarnation of John Cena than I have been in years. "I'm John Cena. Recognize." It's just heelish enough to wink at the fans booing him while staying face enough for the kids to love it. AJ Styles has been doing spectacular work as champion and I'd love to see him enter Mania as champion. I hope he doesn't end up working Shane McMahon or even Samoa Joe at Mania. Let him enter as champion and do Undertaker vs. Cena in a straight up match. This is John Cena though. I saw he gets sixteen here because I can't fathom a world where WWE has Styles beat Cena three straight times in singles matches (and a triple threat).

Winner: John Cena

This is the most excited and scared i've been going into a Rumble in years. I honestly have no idea who wins. I'm scared because Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker are viable options to win and I think none of them should. I'm excited at the outside prospect of a guy like Miz, Baron Corbin or even Sami Zayn winning. I'm most excited because Finn Balor could be returning. It would make for a great moment and I'm all for him winning. Brock and Goldberg will most likely cancel each other out, Sami will last long only to get eliminated and Baron and Miz will most likely not win. Despite my wishes that it doesn't happen, I predict the Undertaker wins this thing. I know reports have said they won't do the match, but I'm still going with Undertaker vs. Cena to close out Mania.

Winner: The Undertaker

2017 Prediction Record: 0-0
2016 Prediction Record: 65-37

NXT TakeOver: San Antonio Predictions

This is a strange TakeOver card. A lot of the show doesn’t have great build, and none more than this one. There was some interaction in a fatal four way match and then a few words exchanged. That’s it. Still, I’m a fan of both guys and this match has potential. Andrade Almas has looked rejuvenated since the heel turn and though Roderick Strong hasn’t impressed much in NXT yet, this could be the breakout match he needs. I was originally going with Almas, but I predict a fair amount of heel wins on this show, so I’m gonna say Roddy takes this.

Winner: Roderick Strong

Considering the story, I think this calls for a Tye Dillinger victory. He’s looking for his place in NXT and needs a win on a major show. He has never won on a TakeOver. However, I don’t see him staying with NXT much longer. Part of me believes he’ll be the tenth entrant in the Royal Rumble and carve out a niche in the lower midcard of Smackdown or Raw, similar to where Apollo Crews is (though both could do more). SAnitY is a cool group and though I’m not a big Eric Young fan, their leader should get his first major win here. Tye leaves NXT with a loss.

Winner: Eric Young

#DIY had a great 2016. Their matches with the Revival and even the one with Akira Tozawa and Tajiri were awesome. They started 2017 strong as well and could be the team to lead the division for a long time. I just don’t think they retain here. I really want them to, but the Authors of Pain have been built up as a big deal and I don’t see them losing their first title shot. It could happen on some sort of fluke, but I think Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa get the Sami Zayn run. They fought hard to win the titles and had great matches, but ultimately get a short run in favor of a monster champion.

Winners: The Authors of Pain

Call me crazy, but this is the match I’m looking forward to the most on this show. I’m a huge fan of both Peyton Royce and Billie Kay and have been dying to see them get TakeOver shine. They both deserve it. Check out their recent Performance Center videos posted on Twitter. They’re delightful. Nikki Cross has been great in her current role, which if you watched her on the indies, you wouldn’t have expected it to be a character she’d portray. Also, Asuka has been a dominant champion, but a multi-woman match isn’t a position we’ve seen her in before. Everything also feels fresh because none of these women have had a significant match with the other. Plus, the last women’s fatal four way on a TakeOver was awesome (****1/4 at Rival). I say Asuka retains and heads into Mania weekend nearing a year as champion for a clash with Ember Moon.

Winner: Asuka

Similar to Tye Dillinger, part of me senses that Shinsuke Nakamura is about done with NXT. He could enter Mania weekend as champion to help promote that show but I think he possibly makes the Mania card against the Miz or something. Bobby Roode is wildly over and is a good choice to help lead the brand moving forward. The one negative is that a lot of the best guys in NXT are also heels (Aries, Almas, Young, Joe, etc.) Still, Roode against a returning Hideo Itami, Roderick Strong or even singles runs for Gargano and Ciampa could be interesting. I’m gonna say Roode wins a good match, though I’m not expecting great.

Winner: Bobby Roode

Evolve 76 Review

Evolve 76
January 27th, 2017 | Woodlawn Park Gym in San Antonio, Texas

My Royal Rumble weekend of wrestling started with an NJPW show this morning but this was the first show I was truly looking forward to. With a new FloSlam account, I plan on catching as many Evolve events as I can. The final weekend of Chris Hero’s run with Evolve is upon us, along with a big Tag Team Title match and the debut of ACH.

Catch Point opened the show. Their new theme is lame. Matt Riddle had his PROGRESS Title. Tracy Williams said Catch Point is the standard around here and they are going to prove it tonight.

Jaka def. Peter Kaasa in 9:22
Jaka and Chris Dickinson are the newest members of Catch Point. Kaasa cut his hair and instead of looking like a shitty Scott Steiner, he now looks like a shitty Mason Ryan. He kept a rat tail though, so he looks absurd. There was more striking and fighting than mat wrestling here, which is different from the usual Catch Point stuff. Kaasa got most of the offense and did his typical flippy stuff. Jaka nailed a nice dive outside of his own too. Kaasa got two on a super Angle slam but the middle rope broke on his next spot attempt. Kaasa fell awkwardly and Jaka finished with a sitout powerbomb. Nothing special for the opener. I liked some of what I saw from but still can’t get into Kaasa. The finish was abrupt, most likely due to injury. **½

After the match, Jaka checked on Kaasa and hugged him before leaving. While they fixed the ring, they ran several video packages.

When the show resumed, Catch Point returned. Williams talked about them proving that they’re the best again. Dickinson took the microphone, which barely worked. He shouted about opportunity and called out his opponent.

Darby Allin def. Chris Dickinson in 6:14
Darby is part of Uncle John’s Friends in FIP. He’s also known for taking big bumps, so facing Dickinson could end badly for him. Allin avoided Dickinson’s grasp early on but once he got caught, he took a beating. Dickinson went for a Razor’s Edge off the apron but had it countered into a rana. Back inside, Dickinson took over again with Germans and a vicious clothesline. Just when things looked their bleakest for Allin, he pulled Dickinson into a victory roll for the upset. About what I expected here. Dickinson threw Allin around, who was more than willing to bump. They told a tried and true story that almost always works. The upset was a nice touch. **¾

Chris Dickinson jumped Darby Allin after the match but Catch Point broke it up. That’s not the Catch Point way.

Jason Kincaid def. DUSTIN in 10:53
It’s future PWG Champion DUSTIN! Like Allin, Kincaid is a different kind of performer. He used that style to makes things fun in the early stages. DUSTIN’s serious heel offense just doesn’t fully click with me. He sent Kincaid into the steel steps at one point and it just looked so weak. Kincaid’s rally saw him bust out some more of his unique offense and I noticed the middle still doesn’t look strong. DUSTIN comes back and DID THE DEAL but only got two. Kincaid’s attempted tope suicida DDT saw DUSTIN catch him and hit a great walking, stalling vertical suplex outside. DUSTIN tried using a chair but the referee stopped him. That opened the door for Kincaid to go on a flurry, ending in a submission for the win. Another upset but not as good as the previous match. Kincaid was impressive but DUSTIN’s offense, outside of the suplex, just didn’t interest me. He controlled most of the match and when he did, it was dull. **

Grudge Match: Ethan Page w/ The Gatekeepers def. Zack Sabre Jr. via disqualification in 12:56
Zack Sabre Jr. attacked Ethan Page from behind during his entrance. He went wild and managed to take out both Gatekeepers, showing a more vicious, aggressive side. They continued the fight outside for a bit until going in and finally starting the match. They were back outside quickly, where Sabre nailed a tornado DDT. The things they do all look good and painful. Page took control for a while and Sabre turned it around with a brutal sounding strike. Page was too strong for a lot of Sabre’s typical submission offense. RK Ego only got a near fall shortly before Sabre worked a modified triangle choke to make Page submit. Sabre refused to let go of the hold, so the Gatekeepers ran in. Darby Allin entered and somehow that was enough to send them packing. Some bodyguards. Allin smiled at Page as he passed out. The referee reversed the decision and gave Page the win. Good match that did what it needed to. There was a heated intensity to this, which the match needed given the grudge match billing. ***¼

Matt Riddle def. ACH in 13:48
There are two matches on this card I was excited for and this was the first. They shook hands and went to the mat. ACH got the surprising upper hand first, but Matt made him go to the ropes on their next exchange. We got a standoff, showing how these two scouted one another. Riddle started in with some brutal chops and strikes, so ACH answered with a sick sounding soccer kick. They continued to trade vicious chops, kicks and even some snap Germans. Riddle laid in a string of chops and ACH hit a superkick. Riddle nailed a kick of his own, the Bro to Sleep and a fisherman buster for the 1-2-3. Easy match of the night thus far. ACH played to Riddle’s strengths and hung tough with him on the mat and with the strikes. Staying in the sub-15:00 minute range always works for Riddle. This was awesome and 2017 feels like it could be the year of Riddle. ****

They hugged after the match and Riddle cut a “bromo” saying he would hold some WWN gold by the end of the year. DUSTIN attacked from behind with a steel chair. He said that there were rules in the Octagon but there won’t be in their No DQ match tomorrow.

Evolve Tag Team Championship: Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams (c) def. Jeff Cobb and Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher w/ Stokely Hathaway in 15:42
This was the other match I was pumped to see. Stokely Hathaway wore the Evolve Title to the ring. There’s a new (improved) remixed version of Thatcher’s theme. Both Yehi and Williams got a chance to take on the Evolve Champion in the first few minutes. Cobb came in and made a difference because he’s so thick. He threw Yehi around and Thatcher was more than happy to take advantage. Yehi took a small heat before finding an opening to tag Hot Sauce. Williams went nuts, suplexing Cobb and beating the champ up. The challengers turned it around and took turns working Williams over. Thatcher was a dick, booting Yehi off the apron. Yehi got the hot tag and did his thing, complete with “THIS GUY’S IN TROUBLE” yell towards Thatcher. He nearly won but Cobb broke things up with a suplex. Williams dealt with him outside, leaving Yehi and Thatcher alone. Yehi trapped him in the Koji Clutch and made the Evolve Champion tap out! A huge win for Yehi and I love all the shine he’s getting lately. A good tag match, mainly due to Yehi and Williams. Cobb was good but didn’t do too much, while Thatcher was kind of just there. ***½

Larry Dallas entered the ring in a Miami Vice style suit to interview Hathaway about Thatcher rebounding from the loss in time for his match tomorrow. Hathaway yelled at Cobb, calling him a fat slop and saying it’s his fault Thatcher tapped. Cobb responded by saying he’s taking the title tomorrow and wanted to know when Thatcher became Hathaway’s bitch.

Chris Hero def. Keith Lee in 21:43
There was a big deal made about Lee signing but I honestly have never seen him before. These are two big boys. This got off to a slow start with the guys trading headlocks. After about five minutes, the feeling out process ended and Lee sent Hero into the ropes, which broke again. Hero’s lucky he didn’t get hurt. They remove the top rope to do things with just two. My friend was there live and said Gave was livid at the ropes giving out again. Apparently, Riddle watched form the merchandise table and chanted “these ropes suck” with the crowd. Hero demanded they move outside, where Lee beat his ass with some brutal shots. Hero delivered some of his own as they just wailed on each other. He somersaulted off the apron onto Lee in a rather impressive spot. There was a funny moment where Hero shouted “NO COUNTOUTS, IT’S MY WEEKEND” but then thought countouts were okay when Lee was outside. As they seemed to near the finish, Lee went for a high risk move off the second rope and it broke again! Lee still hit a huge powerbomb for two. Hero was out of it but fired off a series of elbow strikes. Lee wouldn’t fall, even after one to the back of the head. He used a Gotch style piledriver to win it. It’s hard to rate this since they had to change things up due to the ring problems. They still managed to have a damn good performance despite it, which is a testament to their skills. Lee impressed me and I look forward to more from him in a better environment. I would love to see a rematch at some point, with a working ring. ***¼

Chris Hero got on the microphone and put over Keith Lee. He said Lee had everything but a killer instinct, which is something he developed over the past few years. In his mind, once Lee gets that, he’ll be unstoppable. Zack Sabre Jr. arrived to tell Hero that his sendoff doesn’t end until he beats him. He said Chris Hero can stay but Kassius Ohno can piss off to Florida and left. Hero said he’s gonna beat Zack’s ass tomorrow and shook hands with Lee to close things.

Overall: 7/10. A good show from Evolve. Matt Riddle and ACH had the match of the night, but there were other strong outings. I enjoyed Sabre/Page more than I expected to and the Tag Team Title match was fun. I also loved Yehi making Thatcher submit. The first two matches were decent and I wasn’t a fan of DUSTIN’s performance. The main event was strong, especially when you consider the ring. The ring messed up a few things on the show but they mostly worked well around it. A good start to 2017 for Evolve.

NJPW Road to the New Beginning Review

NJPW Road to The New Beginning
January 27th, 2017 | Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan

With New Japan’s New Beginning events coming up in the next two weeks, things got started with a “Road to” show here. The show also marks the start of a busy wrestling weekend that will include Evolve events, TakeOver and the Royal Rumble. This isn’t a major NJPW event but it’s meant to build to the New Beginning shows.

Yuji Nagata def. Tomoyuki Oka in 7:41
I’m almost certain this is the first Korakuen match, at least televised, involving Oka. He’s a young lion. He also happens to be one of the bigger ones I’ve seen. I’d say his build reminds me of Manabu Nakanishi. Nagata struggled with his size as Oka would give back his strikes as much as he took them at times. Oka applied the young lion special (Boston crab) but Nagata survived. They exchanged strikes until Nagata hit an exploder. He slapped on a crossface and Oka eventually submitted. Fine start for Oka, who looked good. There’s potential there. Some hard hitting fun involving a new wrestler and a legend to start us off. **½

Tiger Mask IV and YOSHITATSU def. Henare and Jushin Thunder Liger in 9:01
Another young lion! Next month, Tatsu heads to CMLL so I won’t have to deal with his shitty matches anymore. Henare did early work with Tiger Mask and none of it was impressive. Henare hasn’t looked bad in his run, but Tiger Mask is so bland. Tatsu busted out a plancha in his lone highlight. Tiger Mask and Liger renewed their friendly rivalry for a bit here too. They worked the hot tag to Henare, who ran over Tiger Mask. There were a few close calls before our resident Triple H cosplayer won with a lame looking Pedigree. Henare brought effort and Liger looked alright. That’s about it.*½

CHAOS (Jado, Gedo and YOSHI-HASHI) def. Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado, Takashi Iizuka and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) via disqualification in 8:20
Iizuka is still playing the lunatic gimmick, attacking a commentator and ripping his shirt up. SHIRT RIPPER! Like all heel factions in NJPW, Suzuki-Gun attacked before the bell and it led to a brawl outside. There are clear patterns in Gedo’s booking that are overused and that’s one of them. This was mostly the bottom of the barrel of both stables except for YOSHI-HASHI. Tacos was the clear star here and hopefully is given the chance to do more going forward. Just as YOSHI got going, Iizuka hit him with a chair, resulting in the DQ. The match itself wasn’t good, but there were a few wacky antics that were a bit fun. *¼

Killer Elite Squad def. TenKoji in 12:13
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. These teams met a bunch during the original Suzuki-Gun run in NJPW. Archer towers over nearly everyone in New Japan, while Smith looks to be in the best shape of his life. Smith and Kojima had some fun exchanges, reminding me of their good G1 Climax match in 2013. I hope Smith and Archer are in the G1 again this year. Kojima ended up taking the heat for most of the match. The crowd was into everything and loved the hot tag to Tenzan. The finishing stretch saw several near falls and close calls before Kojima went down to the Killer Bomb. Good stuff from two teams that know each other well. The crowd was hot and the work was strong. **¾

During intermission, Yuji Nagata gave the commentator a new shirt.

Great Bash Heel, Juice Robinson and RPW British Heavyweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata def. CHAOS (NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto, IWGP Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano and RPW British Cruiserweight Champion Will Ospreay) in 14:00
This sets up three matches for the New Beginning shows (the tag teams are involved in a title match, Ospreay faces Shibata and Juice takes on Goto). I love the Ishii/Yano dynamic. Yano carries both titles and Ishii is content to let him do it as long as he gets to kick someone’s ass. Ospreay and Shibata started and went right after one another. They instantly did a great job of showing that Ospreay is a threat to Shibata’s title, despite being a junior heavyweight. If their interactions here are any indication, they could have the best match on the New Beginning shows. The tag guys did well together, especially the Honma/Ishii interactions. The preview of Goto/Juice was rather fun as well. There was a barrage of offense from everyone in the closing minutes, making for a frantic pace. It ended with a Honma Kokeshi on Yano, to cap the most fun I had all show. Great work and it made me more excited for the NEVER and RPW Title matches on the upcoming shows. ***½

Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, EVIL, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito) def. NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, KUSHIDA and Michael Elgin in 12:58
Being the fool that he is, Taguchi came out dressed like EVIL. Nakanishi wore shades and I loved it. Taguchi also mimicked BUSHI for a bit before the match. This set up Naito/Elgin at New Beginning, but also reminded us that EVIL, BUSHI and SANADA will probably get a NEVER Tag Title rematch soon and KUSHIDA/Takahashi II is coming at some point. Taguchi had fun early before we got a bit more serious. KUSHIDA took the heat for team and had his arm worked on. Elgin and Naito showed off their great chemistry before he started tossing everyone around. Nakanishi got a relatively hot tag near the end and the good guys looked like they would win at several points. SANADA and Nakanishi traded the rack and dragon sleeper until BUSHI spit mist at Nakanishi. SANADA put him in the dragon sleeper and won. Again, nobody does the multi-man tag quite like LIDJ. Lots of intensity and close calls down the stretch, while setting up future matches and angles. ***½

Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and TAKA Michinoku) def. CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Roppongi Vice) in 16:43
Just hearing Suzuki’s theme again is awesome. While I love Minoru, I hate Taichi. TAKA is kind of just there. This was all about reminding people that Minoru Suzuki is one bad dude. He wrapped Okada up in an armbar and beat him in the crowd with a chair. It was just abuse. He even choked Okada with the Heavyweight Title. The junior tag teams handled most of the in-ring action, which was fine. Taichi went for a cheap win with a title belt shot but it was broken up. Okada beat up the juniors until big bad Suzuki returned. Suzuki put him in the sleeper, while TAKA had Beretta in a submission, allowing Taichi to pin Rocky with a powerbomb. Good main event with some intensity throughout. I’m still not pumped for the Jr. Tag Title match but Okada/Suzuki is something I’m truly looking forward to. This did a great job of showing how much of a threat Suzuki is. ***

Overall: 6.5/10. About what I’ve come to expect from “Road to” shows. Some easy to skip stuff early on (though Nagata/Oka was solid) before the big stars bring the fun in multi-man tags. They did a great job of hyping New Beginning as I’m more invested in Suzuki/Okada, Juice/Goto and Shibata/Ospreay after this show. I also got reminded of the chemistry between Elgin and Naito, making me look forward to their upcoming match. They also set up a future NEVER Six Man Tag Title match and KUSHIDA/Takahashi in an entertaining two and a half hours.

Top 135 Matches of 2016: #25-16

25. Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Katsuyori Shibata – NJPW G1 Climax 7/24/16

When the G1 Climax blocks were announced, this was instantly my most highly anticipated match. Katsuhiko Nakajima is my favorite NOAH guy and, while Katsuyori Shibata is only my second favorite NJPW guy, I knew their styles would make for a great match. It’s two guys that hit and kick hard and they don’t hold anything back. Shibata started with stiff shots, but Nakajima gave them right back, including to Shibata’s taped shoulder. Shibata sold it well, rolling back outside to rest right after Nakajima brought him in. Nakajima began to do some of Shibata’s offense, playing the brash youngster heel role. That was actually when he was at his best in this tournament. They would pop up after offense from the other to show how evenly matched they were. Despite Shibata firing up and kicking ass, Nakajima found himself in control down the stretch. He got too big for his britches though because when he tried to win with Shibata’s Penalty Kick, Shibata caught it. He withstood shots from Nakajima, slapped on the sleeper hold and won with the PK at 14:09. I know people loved a lot of the last few days of the G1, but this was my favorite G1 match this year. Shibata has earned that distinction two straight years now. ****½

24. Open the Dream Gate Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. YAMATO – Dragon Gate Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival 7/24/16

Admittedly, I don’t watch a ton of Dragon Gate. Even so, one guy that always gets talked about is YAMATO. The champion entering this match, Shingo, is my favorite Dragon Gate guy ever since I saw him live at an ROH show back in 2006. Shingo has been a fixture at the top of the company for a long time. This match came off as something of a passing of the torch. Before we get to that though, I must point out that this match is nuts. For 33:46, YAMATO and Shingo went to war. There are so many twists and turns throughout and I can only imagine how it would have made me feel if I was more invested in the company’s stories. YAMATO went after the arm and the crowd was on the edge of their seat each time he applied the cross armbreaker. The challenger came in with a game plan and had Shingo well scouted. The sheer amount of close calls and near falls down the stretch here was breathtaking. Shingo survived the armbreaker, a rana and several enziguris. YAMATO did the same on last falconry and a pumping bomber. Finally, YAMATO won after a second gallarea. Not only did he win the title, but it cemented him as the new ace of Dragon Gate. The match was special and needs to be seen. ****½

23. WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – WWE Extreme Rules 5/22/16

An Intercontinental Title match featuring four of the WWE’s top performers in 2016? Yes, please. There were so many things to love about this. The Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn feud came right into play with a Helluva Kick after the opening bell. Cesaro then laid out Miz and gave us a renewal of the excellent Zayn/Cesaro rivalry from their NXT days. Besides the existing feuds being touched upon, each guy played their role perfectly. Owens was a total asshole, Zayn was the fiery babyface, Cesaro ran wild with his crowd pleasing offense and Miz played the cunning heel. Again, there were some great moments like a massive tower of doom spot to Cesaro German suplexing Zayn who was hitting Miz with an exploder. Owens did a cool cannonball barrage after Cesaro’s trademark uppercut train. These incredible sequences all featured some perfect timing from everyone involved. The fans totally bit on a Skull Crushing Finale near fall down the stretch. Miz tapped to Cesaro’s Sharpshooter but a Maryse distraction saved him. Not only did they expertly tease a Cesaro win, they had Miz nearly steal it several times. So much that it was to the point where you thought it wouldn’t happen. Just when Sami hit the Helluva Kick on Cesaro, Owens pulled him outside and they brawled, allowing Miz to sneak in and retain at 18:18. They nailed everything in this match. I love how they played with the emotions of the fans. The quality of IC Title matches dipped for the next two PPVs, but picked up for the rest of the year. ****½

22. NEVER Openweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii – NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2/11/16

People can give all their praise to the Tanahashi/Okada rivalry, but for my money, this is the best rivalry I’ve ever witnessed in terms of pure in-ring quality. I’ve watched all their matches since 2013 and have never gone lower than ****¼ on one. Though they had a match I gave the full five to back in 2013 (in this same city no less), their two matches this year were among the best they’ve ever done. After stealing a show a month earlier at Wrestle Kingdom, this was Tomohiro Ishii getting his rematch for the NEVER Title. Ishii and Shibata know what works for them and they deliver it each time. For 18:47, they beat the living hell out of each other for our enjoyment. They follow a similar pattern but each time out feels unique. For example, this time around, there was an emphasis on submissions as they built to the climax. At one point, Shibata hit a spinning back fast that made me gasp loudly. They’re known to trade big strikes so they upped the ante and traded brainbusters. They’re that insane. The closing moments were nuts and Shibata finally hit a shot hard enough to knock Ishii loopy. He used the sleeper hold and penalty kick to retain the title in another fantastic war between two incredible wrestlers. ****½

21. WWE World Championship: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. AJ Styles – WWE Backlash 9/11/16

After beating John Cena cleanly at SummerSlam, the next logical step for AJ Styles was to challenge for the WWE World Championship. Styles and Dean Ambrose had a simple but effective buildup to this match and it worked. This felt like a big fight. Like the matches against Cena, Styles was in control for a good chunk of the 24:56 outing. AJ nailed every cocky mannerism as he just continued to be a step above everyone else in the world. Dean more than held his own though and his wild offensive style made for a great contrast to AJ. There were some scary moments in this, like a super back suplex spot and AJ taking a ridiculous bump into the ring post. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t injure himself on it. AJ worked the leg to set up some great Calf Crusher teases, though Dean’s selling of it could have been slightly better. Both guys busted out the big spots, from AJ’s springboard 450 splash to Ambrose’s diving elbow into the crowd. The final few minutes of this were among the best in WWE all year. Styles hit the Pele and Dean answered with the rebound lariat. Some people didn’t like the finish but I loved it. Sure Styles used a low blow before winning with the Styles Clash, but it wasn’t like he came off as a weak heel who needed it. It felt like he was capable of beating Dean and was a cunning enough competitor to take advantage when he found one. AJ’s win cemented his legacy. Everywhere he goes, he reaches the top. TNA Champion. IWGP Heavyweight Champion. WWE World Champion. Phenomenal is more than just a moniker for him. ****½

20. NXT Tag Team Championship: The Revival (c) vs. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 8/20/16

2014 was the year of great NXT Title matches. 2015 was the year of great NXT Women’s Title matches. 2016 was the year of the tag teams in NXT and The Revival was a large reason why. After regaining the titles from American Alpha, The Revival needed a new challenge. Enter Gargano and Ciampa, fresh off a great match against one another in the CWC. These two teams took what AA and the Revival did so well and managed to best it. Tag team wrestling is simple to get right. It’s about deprivation and hope spots and the Revival have mastered it. As for Ciampa and Gargano, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands. There was an emotional impact to this match (and their rematch) that other tag matches lacked. Ciampa left ROH a while back and his future was uncertain, while Gargano left a comfy spot as WWN’s ace. You felt that the fans badly wanted them to succeed here. #DIY were great sympathetic faces, while the Revival nailed every heel tactic and mannerism. I seriously can’t say enough about them. The false finishes were perfectly done. The reaction when the fans thought it ended but Dawson put Dash’s foot on the bottom rope at the last minute was priceless. Just when it looked like we’d have new champions, Dawson pulled Ciampa out and sent him into the post. An inverted figure four was placed on Gargano who desperately tried but had to give up at 19:10. A fantastic blend of indy style and old school tag work. The emotion of this put it over the top. It was one of those cases where the losers gained a ton. Gargano and Ciampa became stars on this night. ****½

19. CMLL World Lightweight Championship: Dragon Lee (c) vs. Kamaitachi – NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania 1/24/16

Towards the end of last year, I kept hearing about this incredible series of matches between Dragon Lee and Kamaitachi in CMLL. I got to see a pretty great one after my 2015 list was finalized and was excited to see they’d do it again at this joint NJPW/CMLL event. This was apparently the tenth match between them and it was nuts. They knew each other so well that the pace throughout was bonkers. Their chemistry is a sight to behold. From Dragon double stomping Kamaitachi outside to Kamaitachi’s insane senton to the floor, the spots were out of this world. Seriously, this was one of the greatest spot fests I’ve ever seen. The crowd at Korakuen Hall ate it all up and added a lot to the atmosphere. There was a great intensity in the things they did and even if you didn’t know about the feud, you could buy into it by watching this. There is something truly special about these two together. Kamaitachi won the title after countering a Phoenix plex into a ridiculous flipping piledriver at 18:33. An absolute must see match. I would have done more play-by-play or talked more about specific moves but it wouldn’t have done it any justice. Kamaitachi would return to Japan for good at the end of the year and jump right into the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title picture. ****½

18. Fenix and Pentagon Jr. vs. Heroes Eventually Die – PWG Battle of Los Angeles 9/3/16

Lucha Underground stars Fenix and Pentagon Jr. are brothers in real life though it isn’t mentioned on the show. It was front and center in this non-tournament tag match during PWG’s annual Battle of Los Angeles weekend. They sported matching masked that fused their normal masks together for a dope visual. Heroes Eventually Die consists of Chris Hero and Tommy End. Almost everything about this match ruled. Pentagon yelling obscenities in Spanish at everyone, Fenix and End going at each other viciously and the insane spots from the brothers. At one point, Pentagon launched Fenix up onto his shoulders and Fenix then moonsaulted off onto Hero and End on the outside. Heroes Eventually Die took over as the brute tag team, while Fenix and Penty got to play the resilient babyface duo. Fenix took a beating like a champ before doing some cool double team moves. In the end, it came down to Fenix and End, who just destroyed each other. Fenix scored on a super rana and then a springboard 450 splash to pick up the win at 18:22. This was the second-best tag team match of the year and the best match of PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles weekend. Pentagon Jr. and Fenix should team up more often around the indies because they are fantastic together. ****½

17. KUSHIDA vs. Kyle O’Reilly – NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 5/21/16

In my opinion, the two best junior heavyweights in New Japan Pro Wrestling were KUSHIDA and Kyle O’Reilly until Kyle moved to heavyweight. In the finals of this tournament last year, these two faced off in the finals. KUSHIDA won and went on to win the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title because of it. In the first main event of this year’s tournament, they had their big rematch. Their finals match went 30 minutes so both guys tried for their signature submissions out of the gate. I loved the way O’Reilly altered his game after losing last year. He didn’t just go after the arm, instead adding in some leg work to hurt KUSHIDA as much as possible. Their work is so smooth together that watching them catch each other in various submissions is a thing of beauty. That even played into possibly my favorite spot of the year, when O’Reilly sat KUSHIDA in a chair and leapt off the apron to attack him, only to get caught in a mid-air armbar. It sounds so difficult to pull off but they nailed it perfectly. After some spectacular counter wrestling and playing off past matches, O’Reilly nailed a Brainbuster and took the kickout right into stomping on KUSHIDA’s face. He turned that into an armbar and made sure to grab at the leg, again playing off earlier work. KUSHIDA fought hard but fell into a tough position and had to tap at 20:08. Unfortunately, O’Reilly didn’t even make the finals, so we never got the NJPW tiebreaker. Still, this is a tremendous must see match. ****½

16. Aztec Warfare II – Lucha Underground 3/23/16

Aztec Warfare is three for three in producing great matches. Season two’s edition was not just the best so far, it was also a top three Lucha Underground match ever. The reigning Lucha Underground Champion Fenix entered at one and the Temple came unglued when Rey Mysterio Jr. debuted at number two. That set the stage for a match filled with awesome moments. This match had a little bit of everything. Famous B at ringside scouting potential clients was hilarious, Joey Ryan being sleazy and handcuffing himself outside to avoid competing was perfect character work, the debut of Mysterio was handled expertly and several feuds were furthered. For example, Drago and Jack Evans continued their beef, while former champion Mil Muertes was taken out almost instantly thanks to interference from his rival Pentagon Jr. Pentagon wasn’t allowed to compete thanks to Mil’s manager Catrina, since she was running the Temple at the time. After all twenty participants entered and Mil (#20) was taken out, Catrina’s night got worse when Dario Cueto returned to take back his Temple. He brought out a 21st entrant, his debuting brother “The Monster” Matanza Cueto. Matanza proceeded to eliminate every remaining competitor in an incredibly dominant display before defeating Mysterio in the end to capture the title. When a match goes 52:49 (with commercials) and has non-stop action, while being an absolute blast, continuing existing stories and setting up future ones, you know you have something special. Even with everything I covered, there are still plenty of things I didn’t mention. This match was that awesome. ****½

CMLL/NJPW Fantastica Mania Night Seven Review

NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania 2017 Night Seven
January 22nd, 2017 | Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan

It’s the final night of the NJPW/CMLL joint series of events!

Barbaro Cavernario, Gedo and Jado def. Blue Panther Jr., Henare and Soberano Jr. in 7:45
Man, Jado just sucks. He did his shitty Shawn Michaels poses throughout this match and was never entertaining. Shit talking Gedo was around, so that helped. Henare took the heat for his guys, which was expected. When Soberano got the tag, the match finally got interesting. He’s been my favorite CMLL performer on this tour, along with Dragon Lee. It came down to Panther and Barbaro inside and Panther tapped out to a surfboard style submission. More dull stuff from Jado, fun antics from Gedo and great work by Soberano. **

Jushin Thunder Liger, Stuka Jr. and Tiger Mask IV def. Hechicero, Okumura and Raziel in 6:58
After some back and forth to start, Mima got involved again. She was quickly disposed of by Liger. Raziel went after Tiger Mask’s mask, so Liger went after his. That led to a train of guys trying to removing the mask of the guy in front of them. Tiger Mask and Raziel both had theirs come off, and they ending up swapping masks. In a funny moment, Liger thought his partner was Raziel and hit him with a backbreaker. Stuka continued to deliver his cool “I don’t give a fuck” dives outside. Tiger Mask won it with a tiger suplex. As decent as the opener, but I give it the slight edge for the funny mask swapping spot. **¼

BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi def. Dragon Lee and Titan in 9:04
This was the match I was most looking forward to today. Hell, possibly for the entire tour. I loved that instead of Los Ingobernables attacking before the bell, the babyfaces hit them with dives in a nice twist of fate. LIJ still took over and tried to remove Lee and Titan’s masks. There’s been a lot of that on these shows. There was only a bit of leg work on Titan today, so him still hitting his high spots was fine. He had some great interactions with BUSHI, while Takahashi and Lee did their expected awesomeness. Just as things truly got going, BUSHI used a low blow to score a backslide pin on Titan and win. About what I was hoping for, though it might have been better with a bit more time. Still, a fun tag match featuring four guys I enjoy. The hatred between Lee and Takahashi has been expertly handled on these shows. ***½

Dragon Lee and Hiromu Takahashi brawled and had to be separated after the bell. Takahashi stole his mask to gain the upper hand.

Ephesto, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay def. Juice Robinson, Maximo Sexy and Ryusuke Taguchi in 8:17
Pharaoh Taguchi was back. Okada came out dressed as King from Tekken, complete with Tekken clips in his tron. It’s the most I’ve ever liked him. Ospreay and Juice started things before Sexy came in to have some fun. Sexy attempted to kiss Will but got Juice instead. Taguchi and Okada had fun as well. Sexy got a thrill when his three opponents took turn slapping his ass. He tried to kiss Will again only to get kicked. Sexy finally got him, leading to Juice kissing him again. Taguchi picked up a few near falls on Okada before falling to the Rainmaker. Good old fashioned fun. A match that wasn’t meant to be taken seriously and is enjoyable if you look at it that way. Plus, Okada as King is dope. **¾

Despite the loss, Maximo Sexy kissed a commentator and Okada after the match.

Los Ingobernables (EVIL, Rush, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito) def. Atlantis, David Finlay, Hiroshi Tanahashi and KUSHIDA in 9:58
Tanahashi again had his half mask on (or paint, I couldn’t tell), while KUSHIDA entered in a mask of his own. As usual, an NJPW heel stable attacked before the bell. We got the standard brawl around the ring involving everyone before KUSHIDA got left alone with Naito inside. He took the heat and had work done on his shoulder throughout. Rush went after Atlantis’ mask. It’s officially overused on this tour. Tanahashi got the hot tag and did his thing before the match broke down. Nearly everyone got involved in the closing stretch, with KUSHIDA taking out SANADA and EVIL with a plancha. In the end, Finlay got left alone with EVIL and Naito, who hit a double team press slam that got the 1-2-3. Another strong effort from a multi-team match. Lots of action here and almost no dead spots. ***¼

After the match, Naito and Rush worked together to try and destroy KUSHIDA’s arm.

Mistico def. Euforia in 11:22
There was a quick opening exchange that ended with Mistico hitting an Asai moonsault. Euforia came back with a buckle bomb inside before Mistico got in a great springboard SSP. It’s as if he was making up for the tag match where he was mostly grounded yesterday. They continued to do a good job in the power against flight battle. Mistico climbed into the stands and jumped over a few rows to deliver a great flying head scissors. He added another by coming off the top rope and snapping it off outside. Mistico was on his game here. Both guys picked up near falls down the stretch. Euforia missed a big swanton, which allowed Mistico to slap on mistica and make him tap. They did a strong job of playing off previous matches on the tour. Mistico was on fire and the crowd was invested in everything done.***½

Volador Jr. def. Ultimo Guerrero in 15:50
These two had awesome exchanges in the tag match yesterday. On the past few shows, Guerrero has attacked Volador with his leather jacket, so Volador does it back to him here for revenge. Guerrero tossed Volador around outside for a while, but Volador came back with a rana. His next high risk attempt ended badly when Guerrero caught him with a powerbomb on the floor. I appreciate angry old man Guerrero. He hit a dive of his own, just to show he can. Volador knocked him outside and followed with a diving rana. The intensity picked up when the match moved back inside. Volador used several big ranas, while the Guerrero special wore him down. Volador captured the victory with a top rope Spanish Fly. They saved the best for last because that was the best match of the tour. They seemed to go all out, had some great spots and played off their previous matches on the tour. ***¾

Overall; 7.5/10. The best of the three shows that aired on NJPW World. Several matches came in at over three stars and the ones under were mostly enjoyable. Okada as King was awesome, as was the tag between BUSHI/Takahashi and Lee/Titan. The final two matches were a fitting end considering how they were built up. A strong end to a fun series of shows.

CMLL/NJPW Fantastica Mania 2017 Night Six Review

NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania 2017 Night Six
January 21st, 2017 | Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan

So I made a mistake yesterday and listed my review as “night one.” It was the first night posted on NJPW World, but actually the fifth Fantastica Mania show of the year. I’ve fixed that for this show.

Ephesto, Gedo, Jado and Raziel def. Blue Panther Jr., Henare, Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV in 6:49
I am just not a fan of Jado. I just wanted to throw that out there. The heels attempted to be sneaky at the start but Tiger Mask went on a hip tossing barrage. He seriously hit all opponents, teammates and the referee with one. It might have been the most fun I’ve ever had watching him work. The heels took over for a while, working heat on Henare. Liger got the hot tag and did his thing. Panther got the tag but didn’t do too hot and got rolled up by Ephesto to lose. Decent enough multi-man tag opener, but nothing special at all. **

Stuka Jr. def. Okumura in 7:55
These two met in a tag match yesterday and it wasn’t bad at all. They went right after one another aggressively before Stuka nailed two suicide dives. Okumura DID THE DEAL but only got a near fall and Stuka came back with more high flying offense. He moves rather well for his size. He looked to take to the skies as often as possible. A woman, who I found is known as Mima, ran in but got suplexed and splashed by Stuka. She also took an accidental senton from Okumura and Stuka splashed them both off the top for the win. More fun than I expected. I even enjoyed the Mima run-in since it was something different. **¾

Barbaro Cavernario, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay def. KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi and Soberano Jr. in 9:42
Interesting that, as far as I can tell, everyone here is a babyface. KUSHIDA and Taguchi were dressed in ridiculous entrance attire, which I like since you can see how much fun these guys have on these shows. KUSHIDA had a giant watch on his head. Okada and Ospreay brought their belts with them today. Ospreay and Soberano got off to a quick start and showed their athleticism. Okada and Taguchi had fun together, with Okada being confused at his antics. Okada removing Taguchi’s pharaoh mask got a good pop. Barbaro didn’t do much since he banged up his shoulder yesterday. The amusing stuff continued, followed by high spots. We got some interaction between Okada and Soberano, which was appreciated. Barbaro won it by making Soberano submit. Exactly the kind of fun match I expect when watching a show like this. Nobody took it seriously, it’s the perfect environment for Taguchi, Okada looked to have a good time and I was impressed by Soberano again. Put him in the BOTSJ this year please. ***¼

Los Ingobernables (BUSHI, EVIL, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito) def. David Finlay, Dragon Lee, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson and Titan in 8:57
Instead of making his typical entrance, Naito snuck around and attacked Milano Collection AT on commentary. The heels attacked before the bell and it led to a big brawl. I enjoyed the back and forth between Lee and Takahashi, as well as the short stint between Naito and Tanahashi. They’re no strangers to each other and the chemistry between Takahashi and Lee wowed again. It was cool to see Finlay and SANADA, two personal favorites in NJPW, mix it up. We don’t get that often. We got the typical NJPW tag frantic finish, ending when EVIL hit Finlay with a chair, leading to him tapping to SANADA’s dragon sleeper. Probably my favorite match on this tour so far. Nonstop action with fun interactions and great previews for upcoming matches. ***½

Euforia and Ultimo Guerrero def. Mistico and Volador Jr. in 13:39
An interesting thing to note is the entire second half of this show is all CMLL guys. Euforia and Guerrero were quick to attack (a theme on this show) and they brawled outside. Some of the shots delivered were intense. I assumed Euforia and Guerrero were the heels judging by their attack and the crowd loving Volador. The heels took time to taunt while on offense. The match went along at a decent clip until we got, arguably, the spot of the tour. Volador launched Mistico over the ring post and he connected on a smooth rana, leading to the babyface comeback. The final stretch saw the heels continue to try and use their power advantage, but see it slowly slipping away. Guerrero countered a super rana into a powerbomb, but Volador’s second attempt at it worked for a near fall. Flippy Mistico offense failed when Euforia caught him and slammed him face first into a table by the entrance. Guerrero hit a reverse superplex to get the 1-2-3. Right on par, if not slightly better than the previous match. The powerful heels trying to murder the flippy guys was great. They told a good story and set up some singles matches for tomorrow. ***½

Rush def. Atlantis in 10:46
Rush came out with Atlantis’ mask on his hand, since he ripped it off yesterday. Rush attacked before the bell and why not, everyone else did it. He beat the hell out of Atlantis outside. Rush nailed the heel mannerisms like mocking Atlantis throughout and ripping at the mask again. Atlantis rallied with a suicide dive and they traded chair shots a bit. Atlantis ended up busted open under his mask. He hit a rana and more chair shots but ran into a trio of backbreakers. He slapped on a torture rack until the rest of Los Ingobernables ran in. That allowed Rush to hit the Rush Driver and win. Solid little match but I’m surprised Rush needed help to beat Atlantis. I know heels cheating is standard but I think a clean win would have been better. **½

CMLL Heavyweight Championship: Maximo Sexy (c) def. Hechicero in 15:59
Their interactions in yesterday’s tag were pretty good. There was some early stalling, involving some wacky Maximo antics. They fought outside for a bit, then Hechicero nailed a slingshot senton back inside. Each time it looked like Sexy would get going, Hechicero had an answer. I liked that he continually went for covers because it showed how much he wanted to win the title. It’s a little thing, but it added a fair amount for me. He got a close near fall on a muscle buster before Maximo fired up. They traded some shots before Maximo accidentally kissed the referee. To be fair, he was going after Hechicero. The referee’s sell job led to him missing a Hechicero pin. They fought to the top, where Maximo scored with a rana to retain. Like yesterday’s main event, I found this good but nowhere near great. The crowd was into it but it missed something. There was no drama down the stretch and I never believed the title would change hands. **¾

Overall: 6.5/10. Very similar to night five. The two main events were underwhelming, but there was a fair amount to like here. The tag match involving Okada was good fun, the Los Ingobernables tag was better and the Volador & Mistico vs. Guerrero & Euforia one was my favorite of the shows so far. The shows fly by and are rather enjoyable, which is all I can ask for.