NJPW FantasticaMania/Junior Festival

[chrom]

Mercedes attended The Mandalorian season premiere having The IWGP Women's Title with her.

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

Mar 1, 2023 14:53:57 GMT -5 chrom said:

Mercedes attended The Mandalorian season premiere having The IWGP Women's Title with her.

Doesn’t necessarily mean she’s appearing in this season(though I think she is) but, that’s huge for New Japan and STARDOM.

[chrom]

Rocky's asking fans who they'd want to see in The US Junior Festival

[clifford]

So I've kind of taken a step back on watching New Japan since Wrestle Kingdom-just got a bit burnt out on it all and needed a break- but wanted to come into this thread saying I watched the two Korakuen Hall FantasticaMania shows and they honestly gave me new life, I thought these shows were incredible. Going to watch the All Star Junior Festival tomorrow.

[ace]

This may come as a shock (it won’t) but Shane Haste and Mike Bailey had a great match on Impact tonight. Kevin Knight and Kenny King had a good one too. They put matches with New Japan talent on World pretty quick so I’d recommend checking them out when they do.

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

When this Junior Festival was first annoucned, one wrestler everyone expected to appear was NOAH's Daisuke Harada in a return from injury.


Now, his doctors have forced him to retire at age 36 due to an abnormality that was found in his neck that is refusing to heal. The condition is called cervical atlantoaxial subluxation. It's serious condition that could lead to spinal cord compression, possible paralysis and respiratory failure. He'll have his final match on the 9th in a one-minute exhibition match with Atsushi Kotoge at Korakeun Hall. That's all his doctors will allow and the NOAH medical staff will be on standby the entire time.

The poster for his final match had this very harrowing warning for other wrestlers in his position.

[chrom]

A real shame

[ace]

Mar 3, 2023 1:06:25 GMT -5 ace said:

This may come as a shock (it won’t) but Shane Haste and Mike Bailey had a great match on Impact tonight. Kevin Knight and Kenny King had a good one too. They put matches with New Japan talent on World pretty quick so I’d recommend checking them out when they do.

These are up on World now…and they put the Ace Austin/Chris Bey vs Motor City Machineguns on there too.  That match absolutely slapped and is very recommended

[theresalwaysanegon]

I've been catching up on Fantasticamania and it's been so much fun! All the CMLL guys really killed it. Out of all the luchadores I hadn't seen before Templario and Hechicero have been my favorites and it's awesome to see how much better Soberano Jr and Atlantis Jr have gotten since the last time they were in Japan. I haven't watched anything from the final two nights yet, but so far my favorite match from the tour was El Desperado, Soberano Jr & Mistico vs DOUKI, Templario & Hechicero from the 26th.

[67 more]

Mar 4, 2023 9:41:57 GMT -5 theresalwaysanegon said:

I've been catching up on Fantasticamania and it's been so much fun! All the CMLL guys really killed it. Out of all the luchadores I hadn't seen before Templario and Hechicero have been my favorites and it's awesome to see how much better Soberano Jr and Atlantis Jr have gotten since the last time they were in Japan. I haven't watched anything from the final two nights yet, but so far my favorite match from the tour was El Desperado, Soberano Jr & Mistico vs DOUKI, Templario & Hechicero from the 26th.

That six-man was great, but I always love when my boy DOUKI gets the win.

Hechicero has some of the best knee strikes I've ever seen, they look absolutely vicious. Atlantis Jr looks so great since his last Fantasticamania, Soberano's popup dragonrana is ridiculous and I really dug Hijo del Villaño III.

I hated Rey Cometa, I thought he sucked ass.

[chrom]

Management apparently pleased with the buyrate of The Festival.