Wrestling: The Baron Corbin Era

[sevendaughters]

Kevin was very big in his dad's territory from the late 70s to late 80s but his decline came around the move to national, by which time I think his heart was less in it for obvious reasons.

[An Actual Propeller]

Fuck, Dominion is on tonight isn't it? I suspect Jericho vs Okada will be a bit disappointing.

8am UK time (if you're in the UK, that is). Set yer alarm clocks.

[peanutbutter]

Kevin was very big in his dad's territory from the late 70s to late 80s but his decline came around the move to national, by which time I think his heart was less in it for obvious reasons.

This is the period I'm on about though, I don't see what David and Kerry offered over him. Unless he was just way worse for drugs than the others. I guess Fritz idea of being worse for drugs was probably a bit fucked up too (I'm imagining him viewing weed as worse than mixing painkillers and steroids).

8am UK time (if you're in the UK, that is). Set yer alarm clocks.

Wont be getting around to it until Monday, probably =/

[hummingofevil]

If this Edge thing is not got the blessing of WWE it is dumb as fuck. If it does have the blessing it is absolutely the dumbest fucking thing going in one dumb as fuck company. What do they think they are doing? WWE admitting to it's fans that it is crap, people are turning off in droves and that it's biggest stars can't draw is bad enough if they did that in a vacuum but given that they have already admitted this on screen and we are now supposed to be in a time where things are improving AND there is soon to be a very obvious alternative.

Multi-billion company. How are WWE investors not absolutely shitting their pants over the way this is going?

[Moribunderast]

Anyone watching the other Viceland docouseries, The Wrestlers? I watched the first, about Gabe Sapolsky and Darby Allin and it was very good. Darby is an interesting guy and also an utter nutcase. There's an episode about Stardom which I've been told is superb. The one episode I watched was miles better than Dark Side Of The Ring.

[Moribunderast]

Halfway through Dominion and the show is flying by - everything good so far.

Moxley feels like a completely different performer in New Japan AND he's going to be in the G1. Really excited to see what he comes up with, wrestling against so many great talents.

Shingo is the fucking man and he is also going to be in G1, which is thrilling, though backing up the Super Juniors tourney with a G1... his body is gonna be thrashed! Kojima was great in their match, too. I love when he or Nagata get chances to do a proper singles match. They still rule.

Tanahashi looks to have a new (not great looking) finisher but fair fucks to the guy, his knees need to stop getting smashed with the High Fly Flow.

Liger buried Yoshi-Hashi (and rightfully so!) slapping him in the face because he was getting the crap kicked out of him. Quality team-mating from cranky Liger. ZSJ and Minoru should be the New Japan tag champs. They are great as a team.

Ishii, like Shingo, is the fucking man and seems to have unlocked the mystery to having a good match with Taichi. The only guy who can regularly do it. Chris Charlton also with accidental commentary hilarity of the night during a striking battle: "Taichi says 'Come on!' and Ishii does come on in his face... oh, uh..." I can only imagine the look he got from Don Callis, haha.

Up to the main title matches now... going to be an awesome show, I think.

[hummingofevil]

I started watching from the Ishii match. That Dragon Lee dive just made me laugh harder than almost anything else this year. Osprey's new "safer style" there. Absolute head cases. It's cracking this.

[Moribunderast]

The moment Lee started setting that up I was saying, aloud, "What the fuck?" And then I screamed when he did it.

[hummingofevil]

Speaking of screaming. These two mad cunts need to be banned from wrestling each other ever again. That Ibushi isn't actually dead from that German is a complete fucking fluke.

[An Actual Propeller]

Ibushi took at least nine neck bumps after the most gruesome German suplex I've ever seen, the mad cunt's going to Misawa himself sooner rather than later. I'm sure that the end result was supposed to be him landing front-first onto the floor but christ almighty man go home early. It's not worth it.

[peanutbutter]

Meltzer claiming Goldberg lost to Taker because Goldberg is WCW is a bit of a stretch imo. He lost to Taker because everyone in WWE has a seriously overinflated valuation for Undertaker in 2019.

[hummingofevil]

And that main event was not to my taste. I just find mid-life crisis Jericho a bit naff. I

If the aim of this show was to further elevate Will Osprey it's worked for me. Loads of ace stuff on that show but those last two matches soured it for me. Actually, still worried about Ibushi.

Count me very unexcited for a Jericho Hangman match in AEW.

[Timothy]

Couldn't agree more. I rather see Jericho as a manager or GM or whatever in AEW then someone who weekly wrestles.

NJPW show was ace but that Ibushi match was just sickening.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Jericho just needs to get in shape, though I can bet hes enjoying this part of his career most of all.

[An Actual Propeller]

Jericho/Okada was still a very good match, just that you'd expect the main event of Dominion and Okada in the mix to deliver at least a ****1/2 barnburner, rather than something hovering in the ***1/2 to **** range. It didn't help coming after the previous two insane matches, mind.

[An Actual Propeller]

NJPW show was ace but that Ibushi match was just sickening.

I can't properly evaluate that match until I know that Ibushi's okay. For something so spectacular, it actually put a bit of a downer on the rest of the show. The match would have been just as good without that fucking apron German.

[Moribunderast]

Okay, finished the show now (it gets less and less "live" for me as I drink more and take more disgusting cigarette breaks)... scattershot thoughts on the back-half of the card:

Tag Title match was fine. I like both teams but, Christ, I feel like that's the Tag Title match on every NJPW show. The tag division (both Jnr. and Hvy.) has been the weakest point of the shows in my NJPW fandom purely based on it revolving around the same 2-3 teams at any given point. A LOT of repetition. The matches are always good but it's hard to care about the result. Sanada's hair is something else, though.

Dragon Lee vs. Ospreay: Holy shit. I didn't get a chance to watch much BOSJ - I plan to go back and check out some matches - but I had heard big Meltz saying Ospreay has turned into the best wrestler in the world while it's going on. On this match as evidence, he has a good case. Will is phenomenal. Dragon Lee is also exceptional but Ospreay is reaching rarefied air. It feels almost a waste for him to be in the Junior division when it seemed like they were gearing him up for a run as a heavyweight but he wouldn't be getting a sniff of the IWGP Title for another year or so anyway so I'm fine with him holding up the division and having some awesome matches. As someone who has front-row tickets to the Melbourne show I got very excited when he announced he'd be doing a title defence there.

Okada vs. Jericho: I will state off the bat that I am SEVERELY biased when it comes to Jericho. He's my all-time favourite. I loved the match. Was it up to last year's Dominion main event? No - but that may be the best match I've ever seen so that's okay. Jericho is carrying some extra weight and is a bit slower but I still pop for his character work. The bell-ringing, the referee abusing, the blatant lying ("He tapped!") and the near-crying desperation when his best shots don't put the opponent down... I love it. Okada, as always, was awesome. I saw the post-match angle coming a mile away when they showed Tana at the commentary booth a few matches earlier. Thought that was well done and I look forward to Jericho/Tanahashi, most likely at Wrestle Kingdom.

Now to Ibushi/Naito... fuck, man. I love these guys. Naito is my favourite character in New Japan and Ibushi my favourite wrestler. And you know why that is? Because my former favourite wrestler AND favourite character in New Japan has been sitting out a year with a broken fucking neck due to taking stupid bumps! I don't know if a match has ever made me so angry. Yes, it was a botch but it was a botch off an inherently dangerous spot and we have several matches of evidence that these guys, together, take far too many risks. I never want to see another Naito/Ibushi match as long as I live. I don't want to see you fucking die in the ring, you fucking idiots! I'll be voting this as worst match of the night in my feedback to the Wrestling Observer because I just can't support the stupid bullshit these guys do when they stand opposite one another. The match should have been stopped after that apron botch - the fact that Ibushi then continued to land on his head and neck made me feel ill watching it. I fucking hated this match and it SEVERELY brought down the entire show for me.

So, yeah - I'll say it was a great show because I don't want to denigrate the hard work of everyone involved and I loved 90% of it but, Jesus, Kota and Naito, fucking stop it.

[Spode]

Yep, not a big fan of Jericho's in-ring stuff lately. He just looks a step behind when he gets in with the best and I can't help but think they could be having better matches with other people. His stuff with Owens is where he should be: brilliant feud with great story telling, the potential to elevate his opponent and a match built on emotion with nobody really expecting a technical masterpiece.

[An Actual Propeller]

I'm still angry about that apron bump.  Fuck's sake.

[sevendaughters]

Enjoyed Dominion. Wrote this on another forum, apologies for the copypasta. There might be a couple of references to posters there here.

Well, interesting move ending on a strangely flat note.

Opening two matches were just what the doctor ordered. Mox squashes Umino, who gets a little heat and some huge respect, Mox gets his character over (ass-kicking violento babyface) and enters G1. BAM. Shingo has a mirror mode match with Kojima, who sells generously. Shingo enters G1. BAM. This is how to start a card. Wrestling. Story. Future plans. I'm in.

The next two matches are kind of just there, good undercard tag stuff, very pleasant, but I was on two monitors and spent a bit of time organising some citations in a document. No shame. Hyped for Liger-Suzuki whenever it happens.

Taichi faked like it was going to be a Taichi fuckbrawl (no offence Oyaji but this is not my favourite thing in the world) but we got a NEVER-style smash'em-up and by the end of this my hands are behind my head and I'm laughing at how good New Japan is compared to other established companies. Great match, also gives Ishii that booking protection he needs to get people over in the G1. With all the new names he might go losing record this time.

Tag team title wasn't brilliant but totally fine, humorous and the BUSHI/Jado bit gave it some levity. But the match was forgotten with the post-match - SHIBATA! KENTA!!!!!!!!! AND HE'S IN THE G1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 WHY DID I HAVE TO WRITE MY THESIS SO SLOWLY AND THUS MEAN I CAN'T WATCH WHAT COULD BE THE BEST G1 YET!!!!!!1

Not the world's hugest fan of Ospreay or Dragon Lee but by golly I was into their match and would probably say MOTN by a short head. That wipeout topé was absolutely sick as hell but well scouted for safety. Strange that there was no Hiromu or Ospreay G1 announcement, but word is Ospreay announced he would enter backstage. BAM.

A few people on Twitter are up in arms about the rough spots in Naito-Ibushi. I'm not one of them but this was probably the hardest to stay on board with. The replay of that German on the apron...I thought I saw a man die there. Biggest cringe since Sid's leg break. Good match but maybe I was taken out a little.

The main event was doubly disappointing inasmuch as it was a fine if forgettable match with a politicsed ending - no way is Jericho going to take a proper 'you got bossed' ending. I get that, but the post-match schmoz was uninspiring too and left Okada looking like a schmoe, Tana like a joe, and Jericho like he should just go.

But I did really enjoy the show. Strange what the ending can do for you.

[Deanjam]

I'm still angry about that apron bump.  Fuck's sake.

It was disgusting. I've said it before, but as talented as they are, I just can't enjoy Naito/Ibushi matches.

[up_the_hampipe]

I want Moxley to be the biggest thing on the indies, to make up for all the years WWE pushed Reigns and Rollins over him when he was clearly the best one.

[up_the_hampipe]

This Jericho tweet made me laugh a lot https://twitter.com/IAmJericho/status/1137762268471369728

[peanutbutter]

Undertaker wearing a nice shirt here

[Dannyhood91]

Undertaker wearing a nice shirt here

wait what

[mikeyg27]

Couldn't agree more. I rather see Jericho as a manager or GM or whatever in AEW then someone who weekly wrestles.

Jericho's inferred he's going to be a Lesnar-style part-timer in AEW which is probably a good thing, because having adequate but not mind-blowing matches with Omega and Okada in the space of two weeks shows the level he's at right now. His character work will get him through short programs just fine. I'd say a veteran's match with Tanahashi is much more enticing than the upcoming Page match.

Glad to see everybody here shitting on the apron spot. The tombstone that happened soon after looked like it was a few inches away from ending a career too.

But overall that was a very good show. KENTA and Moxley in the G1 will be much-appreaciated new faces.

[hummingofevil]

Jericho's inferred he's going to be a Lesnar-style part-timer in AEW which is probably a good thing, because having adequate but not mind-blowing matches with Omega and Okada in the space of two weeks shows the level he's at right now. His character work will get him through short programs just fine. I'd say a veteran's match with Tanahashi is much more enticing than the upcoming Page match.

Glad to see everybody here shitting on the apron spot. The tombstone that happened soon after looked like it was a few inches away from ending a career too.

But overall that was a very good show. KENTA and Moxley in the G1 will be much-appreaciated new faces.

I think the general consensus has always been that "I love Ibushi-Naito matches but they need to knock that shit off"; now I'm more in the "I actively dislike watching this shit as I don't want to watch someone die" camp. As one says, it took me right out of the match and the main event.

I thought Moxley was brilliant and a healthy Kenta with something to prove could be amazing. And, as a total hypocrite, that Dragon Lee dive was just awesome. From the camera angle it looked like a diving headbutt but am I right in thinking it was a shoulder charge with his right shoulder that just looked like a headbutt?

[hummingofevil]

Just watched the Brody doc. Are we to believe Tony Atlas and Dutch? I want to but you always have to factor in pro-wrestler bullshit into any story. As it is presented I don't think I learnt anything more but have to admit that I got bullshit vibes from the one sided presentation. Not saying I don't believe the narrative they presented (I probably do) but it wasn't convincing; in my opinon.

[hummingofevil]

Just watched Jericho Okada back. It was perfectly good match and I apologise for describing it otherwise. I was pissed off watching it thinking Ibushi was dead. it's still no more than a ***1/2  match and the worst Okada match in a long, long time but it's a good match. 6-7/10.


Fuck Ibushi-Naito though. I want to give it zero stars. Wankers.

The forgotten match is Ishii-Taiichi. Cracking match. What a belter. Do the Japanese genuinely like Taiich?

[Moribunderast]

I never had any illusions that Undertaker wouldn't have pretty gross political opinions, if he had any, but that photo of him in an SS shirt is quite upsetting. Eurgh.