We’ve just gone through Black Friday, and now here we are on Cyber Monday! No sales here as today the World Tag League continues, this time stopping at Ehime for the latest round of results. Should be noted that again AJ Styles has been taken off this show (where he was scheduled to compete in a prelim tag match); the next time he’s scheduled to compete is on Tuesday so we’ll see if he’s in shape by then.
Block A: Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga vs. Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe
Basic match. Fale worked a lot on Honma and so did Tonga. Makabe made a hot tag. They ended up getting the win after a top rope kokeshi by Honma followed by the King Kong Knee drop by Makabe for the win. Note that Makabe has taken most, if not all the wins in this tournament thus far.
The Kingdom vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Tomohiro Ishii
Another basic match for the most part. More back and forth than the first match. The Kingdom actually channeled the Hardy Boyz at one point and did the old twist of fate/swanton bomb combo for a nearfall. Nakamura made a quick comeback and pinned Taven with a boma ye.
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata
Fine match. Tanahashi and Elgin did their best to make this a fine main event and they succeeded in doing that, but not much else beyond that. Elgin and Nakanishi worked a lot of the match together. Nakanishi was immobile as usual but he and Elgin did big guy power spots that were fine. Double lariats to Tanahashi and Elgin. Nagata had Elgin in a armbar but Elgin lifted him up and threw him into Nakanishi, who had Tanahashi in the torture rack. Nakanishi was double teamed, tried a comeback but Elgin splashed him then hit the powerslam. Tanahashi followed with the high fly flow, then pinned him.
We are back for the sixth day of World Tag League action, but instead of the normal 3-4 matches per card, we’re only up for two as AJ Styles had to pull out of today’s show in Yamaguchi due to a lower back injury. No word on his status for the rest of the tournament, but we do know that his team has officially forfeited this match, so Katsuyori Shibata and Hirooki Goto get an extra 2 points as a result.
The Addiction vs. Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma
Okay match, but nothing special. What I like about the Addiction here that isn’t prevalent in a lot of New Japan matches is that they are heels who cheat, but not like the Bullet Club where there’s a bunch of interference. They just work like heels and that’s kinda cool. They worked on Honma for most of the match. Makabe made a comeback and eventually just pinned Kazarian with the King Kong knee drop. Pretty anti-climatic finish.
Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows vs. Tencozy
Another decent and basic formulaic match, but everyone looked good. Bullet Club jumped Tencozy right at the bell. Anderson worked a lot of the match and was in control until Kojima made a comeback. Kojima kicked out of a gun stun. BC went for the Magic Killer but Tenzan cut them off and they hit a 3D. They got rid of Gallows as Kojima worked on Anderson. Kojima hit the ropes and Gallows grabbed his feet. In a split second, Anderson laid out Tenzan with a gun stun and soon after Kojima met the same fate. BC then hit the Magic Killer as Anderson pinned Kojima.
Here are quick results for the 11/24 World Tag League show held in Ishikawa, Japan:
The Addiction vs. Tama Tonga and Bad Luck Fale
Mostly back and forth. Fale took it into the crowd at one point for a brawl. Addiction worked as the babyfaces and looked great; they have great timing as a tag team. Fale tried to splash Kazarian and Daniels but they moved out of the way and he splashed Tama Tonga. The Addiction then hit Celebrity Rehab and got the win.
The Kingdom vs. Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson
They had a good match. Same Maria spots you’ve seen in every other encounter they’ve had this year- she went into the ring at one point, Anderson danced, Maria danced, and Anderson walked right into a superkick. Gallows and Anderson eliminated Bennett, however, and Taven walked into a Doc Gallows superkick, eventually leading to their win after a Magic Killer.
Kazuchika Okada and Yoshi-Hashi vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata
Decent match. Nagata and Okada were in first and they had a nice exchange. Nakanishi was in there a lot, more than you would think given his limitations. At one point Nakanishi had Okada in the torture rack and Nagata put Yoshi-Hashi in the armbar but both managed to escape. I wish that would be a finish for once, that’d give that spot some credibility. Okada eventually pinned Nakanishi with the rainmaker.
Witnessing a subtle moment transpire before your eyes in professional wrestling can give fans an incredibly powerful and satisfying feeling. Whether it be a spot in a match that’s a call back to a previous encounter, a sly nod or wink to the camera by a wrestler who knows we’re thinking what they’re thinking, or a line in a promo that indirectly references a moment from the past.
These small, easily missable minutiae are what keep longtime fans invested in the product. It’s like a reward for years of dedication and paying attention to detail. In comics it’s like discovering an easter egg: an in-joke/visual gag hidden in the book by the creator for the reader to find. They can easily go unnoticed, which makes finding one all that more rewarding.
NJPW and its cast of grapplers are good at incorporating these moments into matches and storylines, but at King of Pro Wrestling 2015, they decided to go a more straightforward route.
EVIL
Dragon Gate’s Punch Tominaga and Kzy had a love child, and it turned out to be EVIL. Well, no shock there really. What is a shock is that EVIL was revealed as Tetsuya Naito’s “pareja” during his match with Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2015. Formerly Takaaki Watanabe, the Young Lion on excursion in the US, most notably performing in ROH where he was just recently gaining some steam and an inkling of a following, EVIL was the last person expected to be revealed as Naito’s Ingobernable partner in crime.
As the moment of revelation drew nearer, puro detectives online were quick to eliminate potential names, such as fellow Ingobernable members Rush, La Sombra, and La Máscara. Kamaitachi was another name being thrown around but he too succumbed to the process of elimination. Ultimately, the man under the silver Guy Fawkes’esque mask turned out to be Takaaki Watanabe. If he was your pick, someone call Batman and tell him there’s a new detective in town. Also ask him what the deal is with the new “bunny ears” Batman suit while you’re at it.
Watanabe’s name did cross my mind as I was contemplating who the mystery man could be, but I quickly dismissed him, expecting rather a bigger name like one of the aforementioned Ingobernable members. Watanabe’s slow reveal was handled excellently, and added an extra layer of intrigue to the already high stakes match. As Naito made his entrance, he was followed by an identically garbed and masked man, then known only as his “pareja.” The “pareja” didn’t just copy Naito’s look, but also his walk and mannerisms. Even the hair protruding from the back of the mask looked the same.
As the match commenced, the “pareja” stood almost completely still, eyes locked intently on the ring. He didn’t even move when Tanahashi performed his High Fly Flow crossbody to Naito on the floor, forcing Tanahashi to leap over him onto Naito. When the ref took a bump, the “pareja” finally made his move, entering the ring and taking Tanahashi down with a lariat. He removed his mask to reveal his face to the crowd, who sat in silence, not recognising the former Young Lion whom they hadn’t seen for quite some time.
Those who follow ROH recognised Watanabe instantly, only recently seeing him on ROH TV. After the moment of shock wore off, the announcers realised the man in the ring with the darkened eyes and long, blonde and black streaked hair was the man they used to know as Watanabe. Naito and Watanabe beat down Tanahashi until Captain New Japan, who was cornering Tanahashi, and Meiyu Tag came out to make the save (well mostly just Meiyu Tag. The Captain was as always not so effective). The match continued and with the odds evened, Tanahashi came out on top. After the match, Meiyu Tag continued to brawl with Naito and Watanabe. Goto went after Watanabe, but was foiled by a very impressive STO.
In a post match interview, Naito revealed Watanabe’s new name, and here’s where we say goodbye to subtlety in New Japan. Watanabe’s new name is “King of Darkness (Style?)” EVIL. Yes, EVIL in all capital letters, because of course. It was also announced that Hirooki Goto would be facing EVIL at the upcoming Power Struggle event. That’s right, it’s Goto vs. EVIL.
That just feels so weird to say, and instantly makes me think of the hilarious film Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Maybe in a promotion like DDT or BJW, or even Dragon Gate, where over the top characters and creative, if not absurd, matches and gimmicks are the norm, EVIL wouldn’t feel so out of place. But in New Japan, where for the most part pro wrestling is still treated as a legitimate sport, a wrestler with heavy eye makeup and a strong “forces of darkness’ vibe is glaringly outrageous. That probably explains why I love it so much. There’s a clear sense that New Japan has grown stale with its non-evolving top stars (barring Naito whose gradual transformation from Stardust Genius to Ingobernable has been one of the high points of the year.
A stark contrast to Watanabe’s sudden transformation) and lack of developing new top talent. EVIL brings something new to the table, something different to what we’re used to seeing in New Japan. At this point, different is very welcome.
But is it too different, too on the nose? I can’t think of a wrestler being given a name that has lacked this much subtlety. “Evil” Takaaki Watanabe? Sure! Nicknames are one thing, but to be flat out called EVIL is next level stuff. Then there’s the character itself. As I mentioned, if a character like EVIL debuted in Dragon Gate, say as a member of the former Mad Blankey, current VERSERK group, I probably wouldn’t bat an eye. I mean I’d probably think it was great because I have awful taste, but I wouldn’t be surprised by such an overtly cartoonish character. In New Japan, cartoonish characters are not the norm, though there is Kenny “The Cleaner” whom I’ll talk about shortly. I’m interested to see how traditional New Japan fans will respond to EVIL.
Kenny “The Scenery Chewer” Omega
EVIL isn’t the only one giving subtlety the big boot in New Japan. Kenny “The Cleaner” Omega seems to take his character to new a new level of scenery chewing excessiveness each match he has. At King of Pro Wrestling, Omega defended his IWGP Jr. title against Matt Sydal. I loved the match, with Sydal putting on, in my eyes, one of his most solid performances to date: Spectacular moves, great selling, and a good connection with the audience. Omega’s performance was also memorable, but for a different reason.
Omega’s villainous character is something straight out of a manga, mixed with a bit of 80’s action movie bad guy, and dash of Looney Tunes chaos, which can at times stretch the limit of the viewers suspension of disbelief. Personally, I think it’s the greatest. Ridiculousness is my thing if you haven’t noticed, hence my affection for DDT Pro. But is an IWGP title match the right place for such a performance? Traditionalists would likely say no. Others have mentioned that it’s not so much the over the top character they don’t like, it’s Omega’s delivery and believability. I doubt the Golden Globes are going to come calling anytime soon, but I’ve seen worse acting in pro wrestling. And Omega is capable of delivering a more understated performance. Omega was a key part in one of the most compelling moments of the year during the Kota Ibushi vs. A.J. Styles match at Invasion Attack 2015, and it was without saying a single word.
As Ibushi was setting up for the Phoenix Splash, Omega got on the apron and the two simply exchanged a look. A simple distraction that ended up costing Ibushi the match. Afterwards, as his Bullet Club colleagues celebrated, Omega’s expressions told us everything we needed to know (Sadly, all of this led to absolutely nothing, but there’s still hope). No actions, no words. That was a nuanced performance. Not sure when we’ll see one of those again.
HERO HEEL REVENGE
Rounding out the night’s theme is the video package that played before Naito and Tanahashi’s King of Pro Wrestling match. It was a very good video package, as they usually are in New Japan. If you were coming into the match unfamiliar with the two’s rivalry and G-1 history, the video painted a very clear picture. Perhaps a little too clear though, as they literally spelled out the theme of the match with giant, John Cena inspired fruity pebble coloured key words in all caps plastered on the screen: REVENGE, HERO, HEEL. Making the story of the match crystal clear to viewers is in no way a bad thing, and the big blocked words did make for a pretty neat visual
Having said that, I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the imagery. Also, the use of the word “heel” was a little jarring. I don’t know if I’ve heard that kind of insider term used so blatantly in New Japan before.
I hope subtlety in professional wrestling is not a dying art, and that nuances and niceties are not being moved aside for large, brightly coloured key words and self-explanatory character names. Was King of Pro Wrestling simply a night of plainspoken character portrayals and storytelling, or a taste of what New Japan has in store for the future?
Tonight’s matches are from November 8, 2014 in the Bodymaker Colosseum from the Power Struggle PPV.
The first match to air was the NEVER championship match with champion Tomohiro Ishii taking on Hirooki Goto. This was an excellent match live as they just beat the crap out of each other for about 17 minutes and the crowd were into this ass kicking the entire time. Some people don’t like the brutality, and I can see why; during commentary Ranallo specifically mentioned the Frye/Takayama comparisons in this bout, and neither match is for the weak of heart. But it was an amazing bout to witness live. This was clipped due to time constraints, but the highlights were great. Watch this on New Japan World…if you dare.
Fun fact: the NEVER title is actually an acronym for “New Blood”, “Evolution”, “Valiantly”, “Eternal”, and “Radical”. Okay! It’s also a openweight title that Makabe thinks Ishii is a joke and will punch him out. Ishii says that he’ll show him the true style of pro wrestling. Apparently a year later they’re still feuding over this title. The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Next up we have a tag team match pitting the two WrestleKingdom 9 participants in a tag match as Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi take on Kazuchika Okada and Yoshi-Hashi. This was a good, solid tag team match, but nothing that would stand out in the grand scheme of things. This was pretty much a build towards WrestleKingdom since they’re the two headliners. Ibushi pinned Yoshi-Hashi after a phoenix splash. Tanahashi and Okada had a staredown after the match.
Nakamura is interviewed about his match against Katsuyori Shibata, who headlines tonight’s card. He felt like he had to get him back after Shibata beat him during the G1. He forgot what it was like to fight him. His goal was to try and fight against his strengths, as his Tokyo Dome aspirations would crumble without coming up with some plan to retain his title.
The match aired. I gave this ***¾ when reviewing it for Voices of Wrestling last year. Really, really good match, but not to that level of being a stupendous match or a match of the year. They had a good back and forth match. There were stiff shots, but not like you’d see in a normal Shibata match, and it was nothing like the NEVER title match where they just destroyed one another forever. They went seventeen minutes here and had a good main event by New Japan standards. I’m kind of surprised they didn’t protect Shibata’s GTS more. That looks like a move that has to finish an opponent, especially with someone known as being stiff like Shibata. Nakamura kicked out of that, blocked a penalty kick attempt, and fired off two boma yes for the win.
Kota Ibushi immediately runs in once Nakamura starts cutting a victory promo and gives him a snap German suplex. I never thought that was a suplex that could be snapped. He gets a mic and says he wants to be the one to boil his excitement. Nakamura gets up, and after asking the crowd what they think, Nakamura says of course and says yeaoh.
Backstage, he says the Shibata rivalry is over- it started in Osaka, and ended there as well. Nakamura says Shibata might be looking for change, but he isn’t interested in change. He says Ibushi is crazy, and it’ll be a crazy match.
Looking back, Nakamura says he had no plans entering the G1. But for his matches in November, he had to adapt, or something similar to adapting. When it comes to Ibushi running in and giving him a snap German, he just credits it as something crazy Kota Ibushi did to get his energy up, which it did.
Fun episode this week. I wish the opener was shown in full as that was the highlight of Power Struggle last year. But these shows have a format, and the IC title match was the main event, so it all makes sense.
