Puroresu Show Reviews

The real fun thing about this show was that New Japan introduced their new Matrix-type camera that takes 360 degree footage for the replays! It’s really fun watching a move like the Shinning Wizard being done as the camera rotates around the ring giving us a view from all sides! All the matches also had a sub-title, which I've included.

Vol. 1 – Strong Style Neo Creation
Masahito Kakihara & Masayuki Naruse VS Wataru Inoue & Katsuyori Shibata
Two up and coming young lions VS two established young lions. Inoue and Shibata look like jobbers in their matching black tights and boots, and it was cute watching them race each other to the ring from the entrance ramp like two kids rushing to the canteen during recess. Match itself was ok by the numbers. Rating: **

Vol. 2 – Destiny Target
El Samurai & Minoru Tanaka VS Koji Kanemoto & AKIRA
- This was much better than the big 6-man match later in the card, mainly cause they kept a quick pace. Samurai was on form here, though Tanaka did most of the work. I never tire of watching Tanaka (the future Heat) miss his spinning heel kick and land on his feet! AKIRA & Kanemoto were both awesome as well, playing up their heel roles to a tee. Rating: ***1/2

Vol.3 – New Year Rival’s Tag Match
Kenzo Suzuki & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Yuki Ishikawa & Kazunari Murakami
- Pancrase star Yuki Ishikawa shows here why some shoot fighters don’t make good pro-wrestlers. But they don’t seem to care in Japan. You just had to know he could have finished this match anytime he wanted too due to his shoot experience. Tanahashi makes a complete ass out of himself trying to match strikes with Murakami, and pays for it by getting KO’d! Say what you want about Murakami, but I like his no-nonsense style. Rating: *1/2

Vol.4 – Breakthrough The Jr!!
Jushin Thunder Liger, The Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask VS Dick Togo, Jado & Gedo
- I was expecting more considering the talent involved here. Togo has “Dick” written on the back of his tights, I’m sure there’s a joke there somewhere. One scary spot in the match where Togo gave Sasuke a release German suplex on the entrance ramp, Sasuke landed right on top of his head and his body immediately went limp! Jado & Gedo almost seem to break character to want to go check on him, but the ref beats them to it and confirms he’s ok, so the match continues leading to the usual big spot fest at the end. Rating: ***

Vol.5 – Fight In Strange!!
Manabu Nakanishi vs. Giant Silva
- This was fun, though too short. Silva is definitely the better worker of the two giants. High spot of this match was when Nakanishi managed to lift Silva off his feet in the Argentine Back-Breaker! **

Vol.6 – Problem Institution
Kendo Kashin vs. Daijiro Matsui - IWGP Jr. Title
Kashin does his old handshake fake out and Matsui accepts only to get low-kicked by Kashin! But being the shoot fighter he is, Matsui was wearing a protective cup! Match itself sucked once again due to Kashin being lazy. Rating: DUD

Vol. 7 – Translate Trading Pure Pro-Wre’s Love
Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Nishimura
- This match was slow due to all the muga and old-school mat work. In one of the coolest spots ever, Mutoh has Nishimura in a cobra-twist, an Fujinami comes out of nowhere and gives Mutoh a Shinning Wizard! Rating: **1/2

Vol. 8 – Be In The Ring!!
Kensuke Sasaki vs. Naoya Ogawa
- This match had A LOT of heat. Not because it was good, but because it SUCKED! Just some brawling, than Nakanishi and Murakami start brawling as all the cornermen try to break it up, than Ogawa walks out! The referee rules it a no contest and the live crowd booed the hell out of it, you could actually see the hate and disgust on the crowd’s faces! Rating: DUD

Vol. 9 – Internal Trouble of Team 2000
Masahiro Chono & Giant Singh VS Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima
- Chono was smart to carry most of the match for his team as Singh is just so green, pausing after every move and strike he does as he looks unsure of what to do next. Some good spots include TENKOJI double back dropped Singh, The Tenkoji Cutter on Chono, Singh’s high-angle powerbomb and Kojima’s lariat taking down the giant! The ending of the match didn’t go quite as smooth as it should have though. Post match sees the beginning of dissention between Singh & Silva. **1/2

Vol. 10 – The Dream Has Realized
Jun Akiyama vs. Yuji Nagata - GHC World Title
- Don’t know why, but Akiyama had a HUGE bald spot on his head in this match and it really distracted me! Match itself was pretty good as they stiffed the hell out of each other and traded moves that they stole from each other (Exploders, Nagata Lock II, etc). Unlike the crowds that hate Nagata in NOAH, the New Japan crowds reacted well to Akiyama. Rating: ***1/2

Overall: This was a good, ok show despite two duds. At a glance, the card looks really good on paper, but after watching it, you do get the feeling that this shouldn’t have been a Dome show.

Labels: NJPW