Paid Members air_raid Posted June 4, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted June 4, 2016 AJ had great storytelling matches with several of the talents mentioned in both ROH and TNA before any of those ex-WWE guys set foot in TNA. Joe and Dragon were not spot monkeys and AJ's matches with them in ROH featured as much mat work as anything Angle and Benoit were putting on in WWE at the time. Abyss was the antithesis of a spot monkey and every match AJ had with him told the "cat and mouse" story, their match at Hard Justice 2005 was a minor miracle considering Abyss' limitations. Chris Daniels may have received loads of criticism but he and AJ had great matches that told stories way back. That Iron Man man match at Against All Odds ( think) 2005, before AJ got to work with any of those guys he's meant to have learned from. Well paced 30 minute match, told a story. Â Paul London? I might have missed that one. Â I'll say one thing he'll have learned from his association with Flair - trying to become someone else when you became World Champion by being yourself is fucking stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted June 4, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted June 4, 2016 Again, can't really agree. I saw Dragon in RoH, and while he did eventually evolve into a stellar worker, I thought his earlier stuff was very spotty indeed. Joe - maybe "spot-monkey" is an exaggeration, but he was still quite spotty in RoH. The matches with Daniels - this might make me unpopular, but outside maybe three matches I've seen between those guys, I think most of them are vastly over-rated, and don't really tell much of a story at all. Â This ultimately comes down to a matter of opinion, I think - I watched TNA regularly for some time, and IMO it didn't seem to me like AJ became such a great worker until he started actually developing a clear character, which, to me, was when he joined Christian Cage's stable. So many of his matches just seemed anodyne and spotty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love-Wilcox Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I've always loved AJ but I agree that he really came on leaps and bounds when he started working with Christian and Angle. I vividly remember internet fans complaining that he was being wasted as Christians goofy sidekick but in my opinion he was doing his best work ever (at the time). AJ has of course become even better since but for me that was a major turning point for him as a performer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_3165 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I am a few days late for the Osprey/Ricochet spot-fest but wanted to add some thoughts to the others people have posted.  The match was great if that is the style that you appreciate. I personally like a bit of variety and for me a spot-fest can be a good thing when done right and it is not the ONLY thing on the show. I have a tendency to be put off by Ricochet because he comes off a bit 'marky' on twitter and his nods to The Rock in the past have been a bit cringeworthy but I can live with that. This style is a niche style and if you can forget the psychology aspect for the 20 minutes or so it can be rewarding.  That said I particularly dislike spots where the pair end up doing the same thing 'in sync' only to pause for the crowd adoration. It feels contrived and whilst I am trying to suspend my disbelief for a moment this is the one thing I go 'AGGHH' at!  People need to be smart. If the posts above are anything to go by Osprey is already becoming a physical wreck and whilst these matches can be entertaining I would prefer to be a boring fucker that has longevity than a guy that does fantastically intricate spots that is wheelchair bound at 40 years old.  What Osprey (and Ricochet to a lesser degree) seems to have forgotten is that you can't keep up that style or pace for twenty years. If you don't hone your psychology and selling skills once you can't do those spots any longer what do you have left?  For example, it could be argued that Shawn Michaels best matches were following his back surgery when he had to be less risk-taking and more focused on psychology. AJ Styles is another who was a great wrestling but became a better worker once he knew how to pace his spots for best effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosler28 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Exactly. Less is more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 FINAL BOSJ TABLES BLOCK A STANDINGS:* Ryusuke Taguchi (5-2) – 10 points* Matt Sydal (5-2) – 10 points* BUSHI (4-3) – 8 points* KUSHIDA (4-3) – 8 points* Kyle O’Reilly (4-3) – 8 points* Rocky Romero (4-3) – 6 points* David Finlay (1-6) – 2 points* Gedo (1-6) – 2 pointsBLOCK B STANDINGS:* Will Ospreay (4-3) – 8 points* Volador Jr (4-3) – 8 points* Ricochet (4-3) – 8 points* Bobby Fish (4-3) – 8 points* Barreta (3-4) – 6 points* Jushin Liger (3-4) – 6 points* Chase Owens (3-4) – 6 points* Tiger Mask (3-4) – 6 points  Must say I am shocked Taguchi won his block, it should have been Bushi. I thought Ricochet would win the other group but I think Ospreay is the better choice but seeing Taguchi in such a major match just seems meh. To me Bushi vs Ospreay could have been a really good Los Ingobernables vs Chaos match at Dominion. I hope to God Taguchi does not win this and then take the title.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingofSports Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) Card for "Dominion" (19/6):  Bad Luck Fale / Yujiro Takahashi / Hangman Page v Togi Mabake / Yoshitatsu / Capt. New JapanYOSHI-HASHI / Tomohiro Ishii v SANADA / BUSHIEVIL v Hirooki Goto[iWGP Jr. Tag-Titles ~ Elimination Match]: Ricochet / Matt Sydal © v Kyle O`Reilly / Bobby Fish v Rocky Romero / Baretta v The Young Bucks[iWGP Jr. Title]: KUSHIDA v Will Ospreay[iWGP Tag-Titles]: Tama Tonga / Tanga Roa v The Briscoes[NEVER Openweight Title]: Yuji Nagata v Katsuyori Shibata[iWGP I.C Title ~ Ladder Match]: Kenny Omega v Michael Elgin[iWGP Heavyweight Title]: Tetsuya Naito v Kazuchika Okada Edited June 10, 2016 by KingofSports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlondonmist Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) If Tanahashi's injuries have gotten the better of him and they need to rest him then I would say do not bother with the Ladder!!!! Save that until Tanahashi is ready to face Omega. First ever New japan ladder should mean something and be in a long standing feud and not a replacement match. Edited June 8, 2016 by westlondonmist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingofSports Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) I posted that fairly mindlessly. Hadn't even looked at the ladder match or noticed the change of partcipants, assuming that's correct. Tana's looked pretty broken down to me for a year or two now. Edited June 8, 2016 by KingofSports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted June 8, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted June 8, 2016 I'm certain I've seen a variation of that 4 way junior tag match about 300 times now. They seem to always do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingofSports Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Anyone know which is correct Tanga Loa or Roa? I had been going with Roa, based on those classic Japanese 'L' / 'R' thingamajigs, like Lob Van Dam or Will Osplay. Not gonna lose any sleep over it, but prefer to name peeps correctly if poss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Statto Posted June 9, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted June 9, 2016 According to the Google search I've just done, "Tangaroa" is the Maori god of the sea so I'd guess the INTENTION is "Tanga Roa". Â "Tanga Loa" returns way more results about the wrestler, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingofSports Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Thanks. There's Beretta / Baretta too, which I now gather should be Beretta. Seemingly the change from Baretta was prior to him working in Japan, so can't blame the Japanese for that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingofSports Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 It occurred to me that Will Ospreay could be the first British wrestler to win something in NJPW (Tournament or Title) since Mark Rocco back in '82, or whenever it was he last held the IWGP Jr. Title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Big Benny HG Posted June 12, 2016 Paid Members Share Posted June 12, 2016 Doug Williams & Magnus won the IWGP Tag Team Titles a few years back, though they did win them on a TNA show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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