G1 CLIMAX 25: DAYS 2 to 5

Fujiwara Armbar is a professional man with a filofax and many meetings to take and right now does not have time to provide premium express content solutions on the matter of New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual heavyweight wrestling tournament. However he was good to fax me the following comments on the back of what appears to be the invoice for 365 pairs of size M black underpants with a note made out to 'John at Bearhugger'.

G1 CLIMAX 25: DAY TWO
Twin Messe, Shizuoka
23rd July 2015

The opening round of Block B fixtures are being presented by a single camera with no commentary in a venue with little atmosphere. Hmm. As much as some may say this is more of a pure experience, I return with i. fuck purity and ii. the televisual production is what replaces the atmosphere of being there. This feels more like standing near the hard camera wearing ear defenders.

NJPW New Beginning in Sendai

New Japan Pro-Wrestling
New Beginning in Sendai
14th February 2015
Sun Plaza, Sendai

The supposed new direction of NJPW in 2015 after part one of this two-part event feels a little familiar, but as Geoffrey Boycott said 'you have to see both sides bat'. I think I can just about shoehorn that one in here.

G1 CLIMAX 24: Day 2

G1 CLIMAX 24: DAY TWO
Aomori Prefecture Budokan, Aomori
July 23rd 2014

Aomori, at the northernmost extent of Honshu and birthplace of famed New York Mets pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, plays host to Day Two. The last time NJPW visited the city itself (having been within the Prefecture a couple of times), Rocky Romero's tag partner was Davey Richards, Wataru Inoue wrestled and Yoshihiro Takayama was part of Suzuki-gun. How times change.

Wataru Inoue

With a stacked card and a good house ready for anything, Day One of the 24th G1 Climax delivered in spades. On paper, day two of the tournament appears to be the one with fewest obvious marquee matches, with star names and favourites mostly spread out. However, the momentum has been set and NJPW has delivered this year with an apparently weak card on more than one occasion. Minoru Suzuki and Katsuyori Shibata have been granted the night off to go fishing, have a beer and saka otoshi everyone in sight.

NOAH Great Voyage in Tokyo vol. 2

Pro-Wrestling NOAH
Great Voyage in Tokyo vol. 2
5th July 2014, Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo

Whilst NOAH events aren't exactly easy to get hold of in the present market, if Ustream get their way then they're not much more hard to get hold of than New Japan events will be. As it goes I found that I really enjoyed the event I considered for the "Investigates" piece and felt that it wouldn't be too difficult to add NOAH's bigger shows to a regular reviews cycle. 

Navigation With Breeze seemed like a decent primer if you ignore the whole 'the biggest star is leaving' deal they hit us with in the penultimate match. That said, if you find me routinely proclaiming ignorance then let me apologise in advance. It's the good will that counts, right?

Tonight's main event: Uncle Yuji vs Sullen Goth Nephew (credit: Keeping The Spirit Alive)

fujiwara armbar investigates: Pro-Wrestling NOAH

An occasional series in which, in a bid to further my spotty knowledge of Japanese wrestling promotions, I watch a recent event and assess whether or not I'd watch regularly given the time, money and ability to access.

Promotion: Pro-Wrestling NOAH

Event watched: Navigation With Breeze, Korakuen Hall, May 22nd 2014

What did I know about the promotion going in?: Quite a lot, as it happens. Enough to probably cover the official versions of the history and a couple of things they would want to hide as best as possible. Formed by All Japan ace Mitsuharu Misawa in 2000 after a significant disagreement with its owner, with the assistance of his friends in the AJPW locker room (nearly everyone) and a major television network, the promotion put on some of the biggest shows of the 00s.