Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
Posts: 24,037 
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on May 21, 2022 12:45:02 GMT -5
In ring wise, the mid 90's AJPW stuff can't really be beat. Misawa and Kobashi are on a whole different level. Add in Kawada, Taue, and gaijins like Hansen and Dr. Death and even Johnny Ace, & its damn near perfect. And Jun Akiyama. Who’s still fantastic to this day. |
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
Posts: 24,037
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on May 21, 2022 12:49:24 GMT -5
They’re not around anymore but, I’d recommend going back and watching UWF and UWF-I. They’re almost the forerunner to mixed martial arts in Japan, and worldwide. There is also GLEAT, which of its current spiritual successor. They’ve been booking New Japan talent for some time, as well.
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Post by Cyno on May 21, 2022 13:57:45 GMT -5
If you want to see a very different side of Hulk Hogan, check out some of his NJPW matches from the 80s. Completely different from anything he did in the US.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,069
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Post by Mozenrath on May 21, 2022 14:02:42 GMT -5
If you want to see a very different side of Hulk Hogan, check out some of his NJPW matches from the 80s. Completely different from anything he did in the US. I remember how jarring it was to see pre-Hulkamania Hogan in black gear hitting a drop toe hold into an STF on Akira Maeda. No disrespect meant to Bruiser Brody, Vader, and Stan Hansen, but if you're curious about the "big scary monster heel gaijin" archetype, Hulk Hogan is definitely part of that conversation. Hogan and Inoki beat the shit out of each other. |
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
Posts: 24,037
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on May 21, 2022 15:13:07 GMT -5
If you want to see a very different side of Hulk Hogan, check out some of his NJPW matches from the 80s. Completely different from anything he did in the US. I remember how jarring it was to see pre-Hulkamania Hogan in black gear hitting a drop toe hold into an STF on Akira Maeda. No disrespect meant to Bruiser Brody, Vader, and Stan Hansen, but if you're curious about the "big scary monster heel gaijin" archetype, Hulk Hogan is definitely part of that conversation. Hogan and Inoki beat the shit out of each other. Love those matches between Hogan and Inoki. |
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
Posts: 24,037
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on May 21, 2022 15:38:13 GMT -5
Speaking of Inoki, it’s important to understand the role both Inoki and Giant Baba played in Japanese wrestling becoming what it is today.
Inoki wanted to stick with the style that emphasized making it look like as much of a shoot as possible, and Baba was more into the traditional aspects of pro wrestling that he learned from his NWA colleagues.
After them, the other major influence is Keiji Mutoh after his return from excursion in WCW.
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Post by Ganon83 on May 21, 2022 15:47:54 GMT -5
Yeah, anybody who claims that Hogan was truly a bad worker prior to around nWo era clearly has never seen his NJPW work.
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Post by thatloser on May 21, 2022 16:31:49 GMT -5
Seeing all this IVP Videos praise has made me want to check it out, and keeping with the theme of Japanese wrestling for some reason I brought the Best of Milano Collection A.T
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Post by Cyno on May 21, 2022 17:02:56 GMT -5
Yeah, anybody who claims that Hogan was truly a bad worker prior to around nWo era clearly has never seen his NJPW work. There's a lot of shitty things about Hogan as a person, but he was a great worker. If anything he's underrated as a seller. |
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on May 23, 2022 10:06:38 GMT -5
In ring wise, the mid 90's AJPW stuff can't really be beat. Misawa and Kobashi are on a whole different level. Add in Kawada, Taue, and gaijins like Hansen and Dr. Death and even Johnny Ace, & its damn near perfect. And Jun Akiyama. Who’s still fantastic to this day. And Yoshinari Ogawa, who was part of some great tag matches. |
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Post by Some Baritone guy IS REDEEMED! on May 26, 2022 18:10:22 GMT -5
All Japan was part of the NWA wasn't it? Yes it was, as was New Japan. Baba was pretty respected in wrestling, so much that his promotion, All Japan, had the last major Champion vs. Champion bout of the territory era, when NWA World Champion Ric Flair took on AWA World Champion Rick Martel. It was often said that Baba was the most honest promoter of all time. Most people in the business said that his word and a handshake meant more than a written contract from most other promoters. Everybody loved doing business with him. |
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Post by havokshofc on May 27, 2022 0:43:55 GMT -5
In ring wise, the mid 90's AJPW stuff can't really be beat. Misawa and Kobashi are on a whole different level. Add in Kawada, Taue, and gaijins like Hansen and Dr. Death and even Johnny Ace, & its damn near perfect. I think Kawada maybe the most under appreciated Japanese wrestler of all time dude had it all for me he blew everyone else away was like a all around better version of Hashimoto. |
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Mozenrath
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Foppery and Whim
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Post by Mozenrath on May 27, 2022 0:47:59 GMT -5
Yes it was, as was New Japan. Baba was pretty respected in wrestling, so much that his promotion, All Japan, had the last major Champion vs. Champion bout of the territory era, when NWA World Champion Ric Flair took on AWA World Champion Rick Martel. It was often said that Baba was the most honest promoter of all time. Most people in the business said that his word and a handshake meant more than a written contract from most other promoters. Everybody loved doing business with him. Yeah, it isn't like people didn't have gripes with him sometimes, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone accuse him of dishonesty. Being set in his ways sometimes, sure, or people saying his wife called the shots, but if he said something, he meant it. |
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