One year ago the beginning of the greatest wrestling thing that has happened in my experience of watching this sometimes baffling pseudo-sport began: the tournament to top all tournaments, 111 beautiful golden memories culminating in a pulsating, trouser-rendering final that left me giddy and bereft of three weeks of my life but also strangely elated beyond any place art or sport had taken me before.
All of this madness was simply for the right for one guy to go to Wrestle Kingdom 9 with a gaudy briefcase containing a contract stating his legitimacy as title challenger, which he promptly lost, bursting into tears having shinned up the biggest mountain in sight and finding, after several exasperating months, that it was a mere foothill.
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| 2014 winner Kazuchika Okada |
That tournament came one year after a tournament they said could not be topped. And it was. Soundly. The benchmark for both in-ring performances and overall storytelling is now impossibly high. The outstanding success of this annual bunfight has led to management to extend the annual tour to near obscene lengths for those at home trying to watch in full. But great if you're in an outlying part of Japan.
This post will detail the excesses, along with the runners and riders, further down the page. Competitive matches will be reduced to one block per evening, with the opposing block set to open the show in various meaningless tag matches that frankly could have been given solely to junior wrestlers or non-tournament wrestlers to allow for a break for everyone else. But that's me thinking that the tournament is the featured star here, rather than the actual stars, who are probably the real stars.
Speaking of breaks, it has been brought to my attention that the disappearance of my Twitter account and sudden halting of posts led to speculation as to my whereabouts and possible sanity (the same way I felt when Yottsume seemed to disappear off the face of the earth). Here's the scoop and forgive the indulgence.
I'm alive. I didn't feel like being part of wrestling Twitter any more. My knee, previously bollocksed from a ligament tear, healed and I was able to resume running - which if truth be told is a hobby I'd place above wrestling in the scheme of things. My band went on tour a couple of times. I went on a jaunt to Korea (really should have just gone a few hundred miles further though, Akito and Daisuke Sasaki had a 66 minute Iron Man match in DDT the week I was out). After that I started looking to change direction in life (successfully handled, I think). And I met Tomohiro Ishii when he wrestled in London and it was pretty much the coolest thing. He didn't smile when we got our photo taken, which is EXACTLY what you want if you think about it.
To quickly recap the gap between posts: I ducked out around the time of New Japan Cup but enjoyed the final and am glad to see Kota Ibushi getting up there. Invasion Attack was kind of a mess but I enjoyed the Styles-Ibushi main event. Dontaku was serviceable, as was that other B show headlined by Ishii-Makabe. I gave all of the Ring of Honor/NJPW events a miss as I was swearing at my bandmates as we were under-rehearsed and we were subsequently in a van for much of the Super Junior tour headlined by an absolute scorcher between KUSHIDA and Kyle O'Reilly. Dominion was a blast from top to bottom with Sakuraba and Shibata turning in one of my favourite matches since Jan 4. Some critics have talked about malaise in the company and stale booking but I don't see it myself. This stage of 2014 was equally paced, and the company still romped away with Best Promotion and various other plaudits. That said it would be an oversight to not point out the Bullet Club-Kingdom stuff has been horrendous.
The schedule is there. 19 dates, with a triple header at Korakuen Hall and Sumo Hall, the latter of which plays host to the final round of block action and finals night. I'm going to cover as much of the tournament itself as I can - no opening tag things, however much I love Tanaka and Komatsu. Some of these might be bound together in omnibus edition posts rather than earnestly running to my blog after each show, but I'll do what I can.
There are better and more timely previews out there on the internet now NJPW seems to be a fairly well-serviced critical object (thus making my disappearance not such a big deal as many people more-than-adequately stepped into my shoes). However, this is a quick blast through the Block participants and a pithy take on their outlook for the tour.
BLOCK A
HIROSHI TANAHASHI
I've not thought too deeply about wrestling for a while but one thought that has come to mind is that Tanahashi is probably the best all-round big stage wrestler there has been since Bret Hart. Yes he's not as sexy as Nakamura or cool as Suzuki or funny as Yano or as hard as Ishii or legit as Sakuraba or athletic as Okada and is possibly a little bit cheesy but he just gets every facet of the business so well and tries so so hard to make his opponent get over. I've gone from being cool on him to being quite the fan. He'll put someone over along the way to not winning here too. I'm hoping it's Ibushi. He needs it.
TOGI MAKABE
The current NEVER Openweight champion has had three gutbusters with Ishii this year, winning them all. Here he'll be using his status as a titled, violent brawling hardknock to put dudes over and maybe stealing a vital win off anyone threatening to run away with it.
KATSUYORI SHIBATA
Unintentionally hilarious and simultaneously one of the realest and best things about professional wrestling as a result of his complete earnestness, Shibata will probably run deep in the tournament but not quite make the final like he always does. It's kind of a shame because I and many of my brothers and sisters in the NJPW community adore the dude but the higher-ups probably don't get Yen signs in their eyes. With the strength in this block, you can at least look to Shibata to impress in-ring night after night.
TETSUYA NAITO
KATSUYORI SHIBATA
Unintentionally hilarious and simultaneously one of the realest and best things about professional wrestling as a result of his complete earnestness, Shibata will probably run deep in the tournament but not quite make the final like he always does. It's kind of a shame because I and many of my brothers and sisters in the NJPW community adore the dude but the higher-ups probably don't get Yen signs in their eyes. With the strength in this block, you can at least look to Shibata to impress in-ring night after night.
TETSUYA NAITO
Naito is on a funny little streak at the minute that is mid-journey so we're not sure where it's headed but gosh if it isn't enjoyable. On an excursion to Mexico, he joined CMLL heel stable Los Ingobernables, and on return he has grown out his beard as best he can and generally adopted the manner of a slightly slovenly disinterested teenager. This runs counter to the milky babyface thing he had going before and whilst it might disappoint some fans, he plays the part hilariously. As for this tournament, I'm not sure. He sowed the seeds of a future feud with Tanahashi with some antics at the G1 press conference, but a win or final appearance seems unlikely.
HIROYOSHI TENZAN
HIROYOSHI TENZAN
Tenzan is the current NWA Heavyweight Champion and something of a G1 hero, winning it 3 times previously. He's rugged and raw and I can't get enough of that Anaconda Vise/Slam thing he does in singles matches. He won't win but he'll try hard in the process.
KOTA IBUSHI
Probably the best worker in the world this calendar year and a star set to rise to the upper upper echelon of the industry, I'd love to think that Ibushi can win it. But the pieces are still being put into place in the grand climb of this all-around dynamo, so I do not expect that anything more than shock wins here and there will occur.
TORU YANO
Yano isn't here to win. He's here to cheat, sell DVDs, have fun, rip the piss, make people laugh, make himself laugh and have a beer. He's living one of the best lives a human has lived.
AJ STYLES
The smart prediction money says that two-time former champ Styles wins the block. Someone more interested in the idea of 'draw' than me pointed out that events with Styles on top on the last few months have done extremely well and presumably as the point man for a lot of NJPW's burgeoning expansion, he must feature in the mix. An undoubted superstar in-ring, my personal hope is that he can push a couple of guys forward in great matches rather than hogging the limelight. He can work anywhere on the card.
DOC GALLOWS
One half of the IWGP tag champs is, in this context, a makeweight. Personally I'd have given his spot to Tama Tonga or YOSHI-HASHI, who are both in positions where they need to make an impact. Gallows will do okay for wins, but will need to up his game in-ring.
BAD LUCK FALE
Dropped down the card a little since his post-WK9 win over Okada, Fale is in the same role as Gallows: take some pins, occasionally steal a win. No chance of going even as far as he did last year, where he was in the reckoning on the final day of block matches.
BLOCK B
SATOSHI KOJIMA
An industrious veteran and impossible to dislike, Kojima's best days of triumph are behind him but he still can go hard with people like Nagata and Okada. Too good to be called makeweight, so let's say his chances are slim.
YUJI NAGATA
An awesome wrestler of sublime skill, Blue Justice is getting up there in years so won't be expected to feature on finals night. Last year he turned out some classics as GHC Heavyweight Champion and then again in the G1, with his penultimate night lungbuster with Tomohiro Ishii a wincing delight. Nagata has been making people look good since he turned up in the business. He won't stop now.
HIROOKI GOTO
The current IWGP Intercontinental Champion, wresting that belt from the hands of Shinsuke Nakamura and then defeating him again in the rematch. Perhaps the worm has turned for the Daredevil, or perhaps, just perhaps, this is a way of putting him in a secure place to allow Goto to take some defeats to push people along and buy him some challengers in the G1 to WK10 run. Either way, Goto gives 100% all the time, and will be forever underrated, even by me.
TOMOAKI HONMA
Honma's accidental and hapless run in last year's G1 was one of the best things I've seen in wrestling from a performance and booking standpoint. Every night he would try really really hard and every night he would come so so close and every night he would find new ways to lose. I'm hoping for a win in a singles match this year. There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. Even if he loses every match again, he'll be a headline grabber.
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Now installed as the Official Best Wrestler In The World, Nakamura is expected to push the envelope by not just winning this block but basically taking the whole tournament. It's a view I find hard not to share; Nakamura's star is white hot and his presence in the next WK10 main event screams big time. I think star Twitter user @indiandeathlock said something like (paraphrase) 'if AJ v Nakamura is the final never will I be so happy for something so predictable to happen.' Concur.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA
Of course, the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion is always going to be a contender. But in reality, only Keiji Mutoh and Kensuke Sasaki have done the champ-wins-G1 thing before. Not to say it can't happen again, but it's a booking dead end; the G1 is a story driver inasmuch as it as story in itself. Okada is having a fantastic year in terms of matches and against the talent in this block, he'll go higher.
TOMOHIRO ISHII
Like Shibata, I have reconciled my love for Ishii's low chances of winning and choose just to enjoy him for what he offers; gut-wrenching matches high on drama. Of late I think Ishii has upped the gut-wrench quotient, whilst his most potent strength is not necessarily his crashing-and-bashing, but his patient way with selling and stringing out high spots to a solid conclusion - win or loss. Always fun though.
MICHAEL ELGIN
You know, I'm not that familiar with Elgin outside of a couple of matches. Word was that Gedo and Jado didn't rate him last year and didn't consider him for transfer. But now here he is at the biggest time of year outside the Dome Show. Strange. From what I've seen, he'll fit right in and have some good matches along the way. Just don't expect him to win.
KARL ANDERSON
A nice guy. A family guy. Good at podcasting. A decent enough wrestler. Won't win.
YUJIRO TAKAHASHI
Gotta level with you - my least favourite wrestler in NJPW. If he went to Dragon Gate, All Japan, DDT, Big Japan, Zero 1 or Union he'd be my least favourite there too. If he went to NOAH, he would have some jabronies to keep him company. Won't win. Will annoy me.
There's the end of the preview. Event starts tomorrow, which means you'll probably not get to read this YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHh!
KOTA IBUSHI
Probably the best worker in the world this calendar year and a star set to rise to the upper upper echelon of the industry, I'd love to think that Ibushi can win it. But the pieces are still being put into place in the grand climb of this all-around dynamo, so I do not expect that anything more than shock wins here and there will occur.
TORU YANO
Yano isn't here to win. He's here to cheat, sell DVDs, have fun, rip the piss, make people laugh, make himself laugh and have a beer. He's living one of the best lives a human has lived.
AJ STYLES
The smart prediction money says that two-time former champ Styles wins the block. Someone more interested in the idea of 'draw' than me pointed out that events with Styles on top on the last few months have done extremely well and presumably as the point man for a lot of NJPW's burgeoning expansion, he must feature in the mix. An undoubted superstar in-ring, my personal hope is that he can push a couple of guys forward in great matches rather than hogging the limelight. He can work anywhere on the card.
DOC GALLOWS
One half of the IWGP tag champs is, in this context, a makeweight. Personally I'd have given his spot to Tama Tonga or YOSHI-HASHI, who are both in positions where they need to make an impact. Gallows will do okay for wins, but will need to up his game in-ring.
BAD LUCK FALE
Dropped down the card a little since his post-WK9 win over Okada, Fale is in the same role as Gallows: take some pins, occasionally steal a win. No chance of going even as far as he did last year, where he was in the reckoning on the final day of block matches.
BLOCK B
SATOSHI KOJIMA
An industrious veteran and impossible to dislike, Kojima's best days of triumph are behind him but he still can go hard with people like Nagata and Okada. Too good to be called makeweight, so let's say his chances are slim.
YUJI NAGATA
An awesome wrestler of sublime skill, Blue Justice is getting up there in years so won't be expected to feature on finals night. Last year he turned out some classics as GHC Heavyweight Champion and then again in the G1, with his penultimate night lungbuster with Tomohiro Ishii a wincing delight. Nagata has been making people look good since he turned up in the business. He won't stop now.
HIROOKI GOTO
The current IWGP Intercontinental Champion, wresting that belt from the hands of Shinsuke Nakamura and then defeating him again in the rematch. Perhaps the worm has turned for the Daredevil, or perhaps, just perhaps, this is a way of putting him in a secure place to allow Goto to take some defeats to push people along and buy him some challengers in the G1 to WK10 run. Either way, Goto gives 100% all the time, and will be forever underrated, even by me.
TOMOAKI HONMA
Honma's accidental and hapless run in last year's G1 was one of the best things I've seen in wrestling from a performance and booking standpoint. Every night he would try really really hard and every night he would come so so close and every night he would find new ways to lose. I'm hoping for a win in a singles match this year. There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. Even if he loses every match again, he'll be a headline grabber.
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Now installed as the Official Best Wrestler In The World, Nakamura is expected to push the envelope by not just winning this block but basically taking the whole tournament. It's a view I find hard not to share; Nakamura's star is white hot and his presence in the next WK10 main event screams big time. I think star Twitter user @indiandeathlock said something like (paraphrase) 'if AJ v Nakamura is the final never will I be so happy for something so predictable to happen.' Concur.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA
Of course, the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion is always going to be a contender. But in reality, only Keiji Mutoh and Kensuke Sasaki have done the champ-wins-G1 thing before. Not to say it can't happen again, but it's a booking dead end; the G1 is a story driver inasmuch as it as story in itself. Okada is having a fantastic year in terms of matches and against the talent in this block, he'll go higher.
TOMOHIRO ISHII
Like Shibata, I have reconciled my love for Ishii's low chances of winning and choose just to enjoy him for what he offers; gut-wrenching matches high on drama. Of late I think Ishii has upped the gut-wrench quotient, whilst his most potent strength is not necessarily his crashing-and-bashing, but his patient way with selling and stringing out high spots to a solid conclusion - win or loss. Always fun though.
MICHAEL ELGIN
You know, I'm not that familiar with Elgin outside of a couple of matches. Word was that Gedo and Jado didn't rate him last year and didn't consider him for transfer. But now here he is at the biggest time of year outside the Dome Show. Strange. From what I've seen, he'll fit right in and have some good matches along the way. Just don't expect him to win.
KARL ANDERSON
A nice guy. A family guy. Good at podcasting. A decent enough wrestler. Won't win.
YUJIRO TAKAHASHI
Gotta level with you - my least favourite wrestler in NJPW. If he went to Dragon Gate, All Japan, DDT, Big Japan, Zero 1 or Union he'd be my least favourite there too. If he went to NOAH, he would have some jabronies to keep him company. Won't win. Will annoy me.
There's the end of the preview. Event starts tomorrow, which means you'll probably not get to read this YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHh!
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