paltaper

The 605 podcast is really good for fans who like scattered old school discussion. Lots of talk about lesser known stuff from back in the day in detail and more light shed on stuff that's already out there.

This is a great show, tons of chat about territory stuff like Koko beating the shit out of a jobber on Memphis '85 TV for seemingly no reason.

I don't usually listen to Colt Cabanas show but his interview with Missy Hyatt is great fun, she comes across as a pretty cool lass but I'd never have guessed she was into that war reenactment malarky.

Will check this out. Reading some columns by her over the years she seems to have a great mind for booking. I don't know if she was always interested in it, or just being married to Eddie Gilbert with Paul Heyman often around just does that to you.

Vince Russo moderating a Google Hangout (or something) between 5 nerds feuding over an E-Fed breakup...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7MJRKGO-w

And, it's part 2. Where the fuck does he get the time??!!

Skinny goth vs Not skinny goth (ft masked goth)

 

Great match! Clone's Clone is dope!

WWE didnt ask McGuinness to get surgery. They said if you get it we may look at you again in 12 months. That's just industry talk for "run a mile from this bloke."

 

One of the worst things I've ever seen was when he allowed Austin Aries to do his super fast topé on him while his back was facing him. Just letting someone dive towards you with no protection. Nigel smashed his head into the guardrail at full force, knocked himself out and could have killed himself. Look at the size of the cut it opened up seconds after contact was made. So stupid.

That is absolutely amazing. I've watched lucha for decades and not once see that. So stupid.

That GIF of Aries being lariated. Jesus Christ. And to think all these jabronies are now going to be the base of the business. Fuck.

 

Seth Rollins looks like Great Khali. And Nigel looks like he might be grabbing his todger, which he no doubt is waving about...as he is won't to do...

Are you sticking with that paragraph? Not going to make an edit to rectify anything?

 

Ah yes, I will. It looks like Nigel is grabbing Rollins snake on the sly. Probably because Rollins probably has his knob out again.

Taken from Reddit. ROH, seven years ago.

 

The fucking state of them!

Seth Rollins looks like Great Khali. And Nigel looks like he might be grabbing his todger, which he no doubt is waving about...as he is won't to do...

For New Japan fans Mao-chan sucking a banana

Makes a nice change from having to endure Joey Ryan, Colt Cabana etc. doing this type of thing to be zany.

YAMMA was good, but it was no X-Arm.

X-Arm was good, but it was no Hip Show!

YAMMA was great for one thing at least, Scott Ferrell as ring announcer, bringing that leverage!

Right! How about Gerard Gordeau vs. Teila Tuli (obviously copied and pasted that name)? That'd be dope!

I would tip my hat to the commission though and allow Gary Goodridge to wear a tin hat. 

Most of the early guys are still about and probably still have that bar fighter mentality to them that if you looked at them wrong they'd glass you (but only in an honorable, manly, bar fight hand to hand styley though). Somebody with a few bob get on to Campbell McLaren and get it sorted.

 

Bellator was great...apart from the early matches which bored me to tears. 

 

Coker needs to man up and not give into the sport side of MMA and continue to serve up the wackiness. No point being TNA to WWE, be something different. Hopefully the ratings will see him and Spike continue down this righteous path.

 

UFC probably shitting their pants that people will see it for what it is - pro wrestling at the heart of MMA and people will burn out on it quick. Fuck contender number 3 vs. chin beard 6 for the gnat weight title.

 

I want to see it burn. DO IT BELLATOR, KILL THE BUSINESS!

 

I want to see the return of this warrior.

 

 

Yes! Bring them all back in a couple of years for a 25th anniversary show!

People always say they'd pay for something but don't really mean it, but I would pay four times a year for the type of shit Bellator put on last week. 

The preview show for the card was amazing with Shamrock going back to the boys home he lived in, Gracie firing guns cursing like a smarmy sailor, Kimbo exasperated by his ex homie and Dada acting like a total mark. An absolutely fabulous build up show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuQ3smBJQIM

Bellator was great...apart from the early matches which bored me to tears. 

Coker needs to man up and not give into the sport side of MMA and continue to serve up the wackiness. No point being TNA to WWE, be something different. Hopefully the ratings will see him and Spike continue down this righteous path.

UFC probably shitting their pants that people will see it for what it is - pro wrestling at the heart of MMA and people will burn out on it quick. Fuck contender number 3 vs. chin beard 6 for the gnat weight title.

I want to see it burn. DO IT BELLATOR, KILL THE BUSINESS!

Road Warrior Hawk and Scott Norton, aged 17. I never knew they went back that far.

From Norton's Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottnorton/status/484869170132041728

The Golden Lovers in NJPW was good stuff alright.

And I loves me a real spotfest. A real spotfest with tons of frantic effort to win with surprising moves. Not Young bucks ticking off a list of spots and adding some awful comedy.

At least Koslov called it a day....then again we got the incredible Trent instead. 

Just going back to the belt situation. They currently have 7 Titles, could be 8 by the time I post this. IWGP speaks for itself. In any given 12-18 month period, there will probably be 4 or 5 players seriously involved at that level, either as holders or contenders. In a situation where they had/have major stars on a similar level; Tana, Shinsuke & Okada for example, it makes perfect sense to create a.n other belt (I.C). Having elevated the status of that, it can be utilised in a similar way to the IWGP Title. NEVER Openweight Title (haven’t seen much of the openweight so far) provides the Company with another ‘trophy’, along the lines of New Japan Cup, G1 etc. In other words it helps create an extra opportunity for someone to say I’m the current….Champion, current holder. Keeps both workers & fans happy I suppose. Personally, I’d like to see more ‘random’ matches for that Title, certainly in terms of contenders.

 

IWGP Tag & IWGP Jr. Titles are historical, in the sense that they’ve been held by some of the greats and at times, had some real meaning. I struggle to reconcile that with the recent era, which to me, has devalued them to the point that I absolutely don’t care who has them. That’s not to say they can’t become something again.

 

As far as I can recall, the Jr. Tag-Titles haven’t ever really been a major thing and recently, they’re pretty much spotfests & hopefully we’d all seen as much of that as we needed by 2005.

 

Business-wise, the recent addition of the 6-Man Titles is a way to build-up feuds & give; 3 more workers a Title and matches a meaning, but whether you choose to care about it, is down to the individual. This individual thinks that 6-mans are shit, unless done properly (with psychology, a fitting story & a worthy match). I don’t see that happening any time soon. I’d put the belts on Bullet Club, make them super-heely & have multiple Japanese teams beaten by them, until X. Create your own ‘X’.

 

The rise of the IC title really shows what you can do if you take something seriously. As a title on MVP, you couldn't pay me to give two shits, yet with the recent years matches with Tanahashi and Nakamura you feel like it's a World title. 

The Jr. Tag titles are a must not see for me. How many 4 way matches can they run with almost always the same teams? Awful stuff!

Styles took Devitt's finish when he left and it didnt do AJ any harm. I dont think it matters all that much. Way bigger things to worry about that stealing a few spots. Kenny Omega is a fantastic wrestler, but if his matches are going to be filled with Young Bucks run ins and the odd comedy spot that he likes to do, its not going to do his cause much good in his goal to become a New Japan headliner.

You're right, I forgot about the Bloody Sunday. Maybe it's just I was happy to see Devitt and his interference style leave, whereas I'm sad to be reminded Nakamura's gone.

Graduation in the Japanese sense doesn't really mean somebody is moving on to bigger and better things (although of course it can) In Japan the word "graduation" is used in a lot of different situations, from school, to moving departments at work, to when pop singers leave their band to either leave the business entirely. It's more about moving onto another stage in life and celebrating the times that person had with the company rather than saying "well done, now you've finally made it to the big time"

 

Goto gets a lot of apathy but I love the guy. 9/10 he will produce something special in a big match situation. Unfortunately Osaka was not one of those times. Both All of Goto and Okada's previous singles matches have been great so I have no idea what happaned there. Maybe Goto, after losing 8 straight World title matches in almost 9 years has just given up

 

Haven't seen the second show yet. Sounds good from the reports but I'm not at all sold of Kenneth Omega the main eventer. Guy can go in the ring but the "Cleaner" character is the worst. Terrible, terrible promos which I think are trying to be so OTT and hammy that they become good but in fact are just embarrassing. He comes across as the massive geek that he is

I remember seeing Omega on DDT shows years ago and being blown away. I couldn't believe he wasn't booked hardly anywhere else. He has good size, a great look, learned heaps of Japanese, and great ability. It's just that comedy that brings it all down. With guidance he'd have real potential. I can't believe Gedo didn't tell him to knock that shit off now. Maybe after singing him singing and goofing at the start of an Ace's push he will. He will, won't he? Please say he will...

That would directly contradict the owner of New Japan, who specifically made the point that they are not and do not wish to be a feeder company, hence the contract restructuring.

Of course it would, but sometimes people say and do two different things. Maybe that's the way they're going to be, God know they should've put foreigners under longer contracts years ago.

But the other week they had no problem presenting a graduation from their company. It made them look second rate. Banging on about him on today's show and doing his spots looked a bit pandering too. Maybe it was just tonight for the title decider, but if they keep referencing him they'll look bad.

Having just read a badly translated article, it appears that New Japan are in the process of restructuring talent contracts. Reading between the lines, it sounds like they were rattled by the loss of; AJ, Nakamura, Anderson & Gallows & don't want to become a feeder / regional Promotion. Sounds like they also want to make Okada a mainstream personality.

I dunno, I think they're kinda coming across like they're happy to be a feeder system. The whole crying in the ring saying goodbye to the graduate was a bit silly, and they wouldn't shut up about Nakamura during the Tanahashi/Omega match. Let alone all the Nakamura spots and references all the way through. What happened to jobbing people on the way out? 

Speaking of Tanahashi vs. Omega. It was alright, nothing much...Omega did some comedy wearing a Naito mask...then he f'd his knee up...then like a couple of shit stains out from under the ring popped the Young Bucks to turn it into an early 2000's RAW match with tons of interference. Including the aluminum dustbin. Then Red Shoes f'd up near falls. Tanahashi looked like his arm might fall off. Then it was mercifully over. Then Omega sang a song and acted like a child for a speech. It was quite the spectacle. Oh, I forgot Omega doing Styles spots too, just to make sure we remembered he's graduated to the big time too.

TOO SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Shibata/Ishii and Goto/Okada were both good. They may have been really good but I kept daydreaming and drifting off during them. They should really try and get somebody new. I'd even take KENTA if that could happen....I think I would anyway...

They should just fold NOAH. Then again we'd have to watch Marafuji matches and that's better off left alone!

Loving the match rating talk above-we are obviously not alone in these thoughts!

From the latest Ovserver:

"Nakamura missing his bout with Michael Elgin with his elbow injury, and when he came back, he didn’t miss a beat."

Didn't miss a beat? Is there another Nakamura knocking about tht I haven't seen? Other than perhaps the final, I would say several beats were missed by old YEAOH.

Some interesting attendance from the last three nights:

"the A block final day on 8/14 drew only 5,658 fans, the company’s smallest crowd in the building since October 10, 2010, even with Tanahashi vs. Styles as the main event. The B block finals, with Nakamura vs. Okada, drew 7,557."

That's pretty awful for AJ/Tanahashi, but maybe people had figured out it was going to be a bad show? I though it was fucking awful bar the main event, so I guess why would you pay for that with two better nights coming up?

NJPWWorld subscribers: 22,000 before G1, 30,000 for it. Hmmm. I'm sure they loved the single camera no commentary experiences!

Anybody been able to subscribe to Samurai TV yet?

 

I agree with and understand both the above.

I've only just realised 'my' ratings are more 'is it worth watching' more than an analysis of quality. It's always going to sound pretentious in some way, but it's like a scale of would I recommend it to anybody.

 

Yeah that does make sense for publicized ratings like these. I just keep mine in a private notepad file so it's not exactly relevant to anybody else, then I might rate the match/event on cagematch.net if I remember/can be bothered to do a small review

Forget Cagematch, stick em up here so we can have a gander, and a scrap

It's only really since NJPWworld started that I'm finding my idea of a good match so divergent to Meltzer. All those Young Bucks matches really amongst the best matches of all time? I think Meltzer, Pollock and the like are so busy trying to watch and cover everything that they don't really watch the damned match, just check off 'big spots' 'crowd into it' 'big selling' and that's all that's needed. If we've seen the same match 5 shows in a row almost spot for spot, surely it is no longer a great match? In a row, I point out, not like similar spots in matches spaced out time wise because that of course ads to them.

Maybe I just need a good kip

I agree with and understand both the above.

I've only just realised 'my' ratings are more 'is it worth watching' more than an analysis of quality. It's always going to sound pretentious in some way, but it's like a scale of would I recommend it to anybody.

It's a lot of matches, giving them all 3*+ makes it hard to whittle down what's good if you don't have weeks of spare time on hand.

AJ by far and away the best guy in it for me. He's had better matches with hard work like Gallows and Fale than Ibushi has.

That said, and despite my dislike for him, I think Ibushi vs. Styles was the best match so far

I'm still watching. Half way through day 16. I am kinder than you on most of it but it is a slog sometimes. AND I'm doing the prelims!

I saw that! Jesus, I think I'd die if I did the tag matches too!

I know my 'ratings' aren't glowing, but I've become pissed off with Meltzer rating anything remotely competent *** and up. I think average matches should be * and go up from there. Kobashi/Misawa matches are debatable four or five star matches, Ibushi in a mid card match is not. Context and perspective is equally as important in how good a match is as the amount and quality of spots is.

Those dire Young Bucks multi team matches no way have ever gone ****1/2 etc. It's fucking crackers!

I think the length of this tourney has knocked some fans off....maybe killed them!

Day 14, Sunday, August 9: Tokyo Korakuen Hall: BLOCK B matches:

Multiple cameras and commentary!

Here's the 08/09/15 show on NJPWWorld.com

http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00333_14_1

1:24:03 mark on NJPWworld;

Karl Anderson vs. Michael Elgin:

Mad long delayed suplex by Elgin. Anderson WAY TOO RELIANT on that Gun stun on ropes, run him into post and then kick off apron DONE EVERY MATCH! Really spoiled surprise element it had originally. I would love to see Elgin in W*ING in an alternate universe. Elgin jumps of the ropes to do a front cracker-kind of like Cena's springboard stunner. Elgin Powerbombs Karl over the top onto Bullet Club, can't believe Anderson did that! Flip splash by Elgin, then a buckle bomb. ELGIN CHANT! Powerbomb reversed into Gun Stun for the win. Was fun, and crowd into it, but was SPOT SPOT SPOT SPOT SPOT! *1/2

1:41:46 mark on NJPWworld;

Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata:

This was alright. They're both knocking on a bit and it shows, especially after multiple matches so far. Match was built around Nagata having bad ribs, with doctors checking. He got the win with the bridging back suplex. Yano laughing all the way on commentary. *1/2

1:59:03 mark on NJPWworld;

Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi:

Mao out with Yujiro. I know her name because of Talking Shop...honest! Match wasn't much halfway through. Okada faked Cody Hall on a Too Sweet Yujiro being the feckless dolt he is body slammed Okada over the top when he obviously meant to drop him neck first on the ropes. He then fucked up a corner charge and basically punched Okada in the nose-ouchy! Okada checked for blood. Okada put Yujiro on the top rope just to dropkick him off! I love this guy! He threw Yujiro over the guardrail then Cody Hall, and then LEPT OVER THE GUARDRAIL ONTO THEM-COOL! Yujiro with a buckle bomb and a Miami Shine slam for an undeserved 2.8! They kept asking Mao for comments-'gambate! she said here. Okada back with a neck drop breaker. Cody Hall in for double team and close fall after ref taken out. Of course IT'S FUCKING RED SHOES overacting as usual. Hall back in but eats a clothesline over the top. Sweet Okada dropkick, tombstone and a Rainmaker on Yujiro's dumb ass for the win. Okada carried it all. Good. *1/2

2:19:04 mark on NJPWworld;

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tomoaki Honma:

Gedo in tondo commentary- RAAAAAIIINNNNNMAKAAAAA!!!! Honma out second, wow! Deserves it though. I saw my first Honma match in 2000. The classic two BJPW deathmatches with Ryuji Yamakawa. He was a real stand out performer. After a few years lost with AJPW and millions of indies it's great to see him really 'make it'. He also has an impeccable tan! Nakamura drops him throat first on guardrail. Well, was supposed to be but more dumped him ribs first-ouch! What's with all the sloppy dangerous botches tonight? That was really sore looking. Honma got a lot of offence, delayed suplex, brain buster, Bernard driver etc. Nakamura kind of fell over sliding past Honma in what was meant to be a Bomaye. Nakamura continues to be OFF THE BOIL. He beat Honma with Bomayes. WAY TOO MUCH KICKING OUT OF FINISHES! Was harmless fun. *1/2

2:35:51 mark on NJPWworld;

Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii:

They exchanged SEVENTY FOREARMS in one exchange! Jesus, these guys really beat the shit out of each other. I started to feel bad for Ishii after he took a TOP ROPE FIREMAN'S CARRY INTO A REVERSE NECK BREAKER-Holy god that looked awful. Headbutts, MEATY clotheslines and BEATINGS FOR ALL! Goto went over with the Shoten Kai. Was very good, but I'm fighting through resistance to the product now that they've wasted so much of my god damned time! **

So much for Tokyo matches being better, crowd was way into it, but action was lacklustre. The americanisation of the product is very disturbing- ref bumps, interfering, kicking out of finishes to build 'epic' matches. The polar opposite of last year where it was exciting that you knew a finisher meant a guy had lost the fight clean. Sad. Main was good, but hard not too feel a little cheated.

Day 13, Saturday, August 8: Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium: BLOCK A matches:

Mr. Bean ring announcer is back. I fucking hate this guy, he's a ring announcer-why's he putting himself over with Tanahashi's haircut? Bring bak W1 guy they got recently!

Cameras but no commentary!

Here's the 08/08/15 show on NJPWWorld.com

http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00333_13_1

1:34:45 mark on NJPWworld;

Kota Ibushi vs. Bad Luck Fale:

Two of my favourites-Flipper Mc Filleto Fish and Bad luck Fail! Fale stopped flipper from doing a patterned moonsault-well done Fale!

Not much too it. Ibushi can have the most incredible comebacks against the top guys but can't beat Fale, eh ok. I suppose he is big and used his finisher, but come on. Crap. *1/2

1:51:00 mark on NJPWworld;

Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano:

I never thought I'd be wondering if Yano can get a good match out of Naito, but such is life and the way it ebbs and flows?! Naito has really lost it with this character, but I suppose his body is knackered already. He takes forever to disrobe, so Yano goes out and puts his jacket back on too-funny! Naito does his knock off of Sombra's lazy lay down pose...and Yano climbs back on the apron and does his, funny again! Naito throws the referee down and spits on him...EH, WHERE IS THE DISQUALIFICATION? NJPW going down the tubes with shite like this. Naito wins with the stupid 'why is the other guy lifting me up' finisher. Crap due to Naito. * for Yano only. Of course Naito attacks the ref after, which is perfectly ok here. Like hits him and later sliding dropkick him.

2:05:10 mark on NJPWworld;

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. A.J. Styles:

These guys had a good match last year I think, and AJ on Observer said he was looking forward to that which was above break from 'I want to face Ibushi' type talk you'd expect. Some good cocky heel talk from AJ early and he ate the guardrails. AJ collided with Red Shoes referee on a sliding dropkick-'what are you, stupid?!'. YEP! Maybe if he'd been watching the match rather than thinking of putting himself over he'd be ok! AJ started acting like a dick doing Tenzan's chops, before eating some and a great bump. Tenzan's always shouting 'oh, ok, come on, yeah!' type stuff, sounds so weird. AJ springboards in to eat a headbutt. Tenzan teases a moonsault-yeah right! AJ eats knees on second rope moonsault. Anaconda submission on for a while, AJ makes the ropes. Roll into a Calf Slicer for AJ. Good psychology and execution. *1/2

2:23;56 mark on NJPWworld;

Togi Makabe vs. Doc Gallows:

A legit semi main event. No joking. What a tournament! Doc is a pretty agile big man. Lots of guardrail brawling. Gallows not wearing his jammies like last year. Great high kick by Doc. Meaty lariat exchange! DVD slam and King Kong knee by Makabe for the win. Good hard hiring brawl. *1/2

2:38:36 mark on NJPWworld;

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata:

Should be great. Strangely we get the direct audio of most of Shibata's music-no complaints there! Same for Tanahashi, bit of a pop and atmosphere killer though. Lots of grappling at the start, which is a nice change compared to a lot of the matches so far. Tanahashi ROUGHED HIM UP! That was role reversal. Took turns Klingon each other with forearms and baseball dropkicks, including one where Shibata had a reason to land directly in Tanahashi's head with a stomp as he slides under-COMPLETELY UNLIKE IBUSHI'S NONSENSICAL VERSION OF THE SAME. Go Shibata! High jumping kicks to Tanahashi on the top rope. DVD by Shibata. Standing High Fly Flow flowed by a normal version-to knees and a roll up for 2.8! Shibata sleeper, Tanahashi fading! Penalty kick miss, Tanahashi with Backlund roll up, Shibata tries another sleeper from this position but is pinned! Very good match, makes me pine for last years G1 where almost every show had 2-3 matches this good, now it's one every 2-3 shows. **1/2