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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Jul 16, 2023 17:39:53 GMT -5
Damn didn't expect such a good match from Raku, don't know why, it's such a regular thing in TJPW for someone I'd pigeon holed into a certain role to step up like that it shouldn't still be surprising. TJPW is probably the promotion I watch right now that's the best for seeing how wrestling works when the chips are down. There are a lot of midcard matches that aren't that good, and you can kind of see where the inexperience of the roster is the reason that something didn't catch fire. TJPW wrestlers tend to slow down for one another to make the spots work, and the half-dozen 2023 rookies especially are often very obvious when they're getting in position to take a move. A lot of those wrestlers also have some comedy bits that are usually super unconvincing, but over enough to stick around even in serious matches, which is jarring if you're coming from most other promotions. There are also matches where one of those midcarders, without changing a single thing about her act, shows out in a big way because when the drama is built right, all of those simple moves and goofy routines kill in the right context. Raku didn't bust out anything new or revalatory in that match. It's not like she was secretly a different wrestler than we've been seeing in goofy comedy tags every show. Her moveset is still about as simple as it gets. But all it took was a match where every one of those simple moves was well timed and played straight for drama, and she looks like she can beat one of the most dominant wrestlers in the promotion.
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Post by "Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat on Jul 16, 2023 22:24:53 GMT -5
Rika Tatsumi just had a tense main event with Raku. I like Raku, but that really seals the deal that Rika can do no wrong right now. And Suzume/Shoko ruled. Definitely my favorite Shoko singles match since she lost the Princess of Princess title. I feel TJPW has had a “status quo” issue where they knew Miyu/Yuka/Maki were popular (and to a lesser degree Shoko Nakajima) so therefore they got the most spotlight and shine. For a while they’ve had a few wrestlers that could step up but they’ve just not had the opportunity to. Last person that had the opportunity was Rika and they cut her off far too early just so they could have Yuka have the spotlight going into Cyberfight 2021. I was also legitimately surprised when they finally pulled the trigger on Mizuki. If you ask me Rika, Miu Watanabe, Hikari Noa, Moka Miyamoto and Suzume could all step up and have good to great matches at the top of the card. Final thoughts: I’m still bitter about Rika losing the PoP too early.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Jul 17, 2023 6:54:20 GMT -5
I wonder if it might be worth risking a dip in the tag titles' prestige by building the title scene around Daisy Monkey, Free Wi-Fi, Moka & Juria, and Max & Pom for a while. All of those teams are greater than the sum of their parts, and all eight wrestlers are good prospects to push.
It would be a gamble, because it would absolutely diminish the tag belts' drawing power on the short term. But the tag scene is already getting thinner at the top, so getting some title rivalries going among four excellent midcard teams might do a lot to strengthen the standing of the whole roster.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Jul 28, 2023 23:14:39 GMT -5
...what a tournament so far, and only halfway through the quarter-finals. Arai vs. Endo was everything I wanted it to be, just a really intense back-and-forth match. {Spoiler}{Spoiler}{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}Well, except for the result. But I didn't really think Endo had a chance here. Arai winning is the right decision. But right after that was the contrast with Miu vs. Kamiyu. Arai vs. Endo had a lower-card wrestler showing out and proving herself the equal to a former tag champion. Miu vs. Kamiyu was a battle of two former International champions where one was hopelessly outmatched. {Spoiler}{Spoiler}{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}...then won anyway. I'm just really enjoying everything that's happening here.
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Post by AwamoriRock on Jul 28, 2023 23:27:24 GMT -5
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Jul 29, 2023 16:52:15 GMT -5
I really like this tournament's booking, unpredictable while still maintaining the status quo, that's a tough balance.
I have a feeling they're going all in on Arai this year, with Saki Akai and/or Sakisama passing the torch to her.
Based on essentially nothing I predict that new Aussie will have a bright future.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Jul 29, 2023 17:09:48 GMT -5
Based on essentially nothing I predict that new Aussie will have a bright future. I'm on board with that prediction. TJPW making a point that she's their first foreign student gave me an immediate thought of, huh, wonder if she really impressed someone in order to get that position.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Aug 11, 2023 16:17:09 GMT -5
This match seems to have been booked purely for me, can't wait.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Aug 11, 2023 20:17:31 GMT -5
So I swear that the brackets were switched around between the initial announcement and the semifinals matches being announced? Unless I was just reading the images wrong. I saw a pre-semifinals picture of the brackets again today and confirmed that it seemed like it should be Kamiyu vs. Arai and Miyu vs. Rika, not Miyu vs. Arai and Rika vs. Kamiyu as has been announced for the show tomorrow.
I am intrigued by the matches we're getting, though.
Also, happy news: JoShizzle got a new Youtube account at some point in the last few months! NeoJoShizzle now.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Aug 12, 2023 14:15:23 GMT -5
^^ I believe they draw again when it gets to the semi finals. Which is actually really smart as brackets are often essentially spoilers in many tournaments.
God I love Neo biishiki gun, I'm going to miss them.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Aug 12, 2023 23:45:20 GMT -5
Welp. {Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW}I was really pulling for Kamiyu, because I've felt like she was the unsung hero of the midcard for the last few months.
It also feels like a very awkward and unfortunate time to be giving Yamashita her tournament flowers, breaking both her tournament curses in a year where TJPW could really benefit from putting that honor on someone like Kamiyu or even Rika. But also, Yamashita's a really strong challenger for Mizuki now, and I think going all in on benefiting Mizuki is probably the right move.
I just really would have loved to see Kamiyu take it. And I hope this signals a bigger push for her.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Aug 13, 2023 5:42:06 GMT -5
{Spoiler}{SPOILER: CLICK TO SHOW} Yeah I wanted Kami to win too but still cool with Miyu finally winning it. I actually think Miyu has got even better since being in America so often, both in-ring and showing more emotions. Good production helps, there were some nice close ups.
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Sept 16, 2023 19:33:04 GMT -5
I wonder if it might be worth risking a dip in the tag titles' prestige by building the title scene around Daisy Monkey, Free Wi-Fi, Moka & Juria, and Max & Pom for a while. All of those teams are greater than the sum of their parts, and all eight wrestlers are good prospects to push. It would be a gamble, because it would absolutely diminish the tag belts' drawing power on the short term. But the tag scene is already getting thinner at the top, so getting some title rivalries going among four excellent midcard teams might do a lot to strengthen the standing of the whole roster. LOOK WHAT TJPW SEEMS TO BE LITERALLY DOING. Vacant tag titles will be contested between Free WiFi and Toyo Mates. Either of those as champions will put Daisy Monkey and Team Karate into pretty even competition. And in a bit of TJPW ELEVATION WATCH, there's been some interesting movement along the way. The qualifying matches saw Kakuta pin Shoko with her backpack TKO and Kiryu pick up a dominant pin (albeit on Arisu Endo), and Kamiyu's looking really good in the aftermath of the Princess Cup. Really feels like some concerted effort to say: the new faces in the tag title scene are not flukes, they're here because they're ready. It's funny that I didn't mention Toyo Mates in the above post, though, mostly because I was convinced that TJPW was not looking to push Kamiyu and would take more time with Kiryu, but I'm happy I was wrong on those.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Sept 19, 2023 8:25:18 GMT -5
I'm all for those teams being around the tag titles (Toro mates a little less than the others but still fine) but as they're the teams that are always there and aren't facing any outsiders or part-timers I don't get keeping the titles vacant for so long.
They could have have been crowned ages ago and defended them at Wrestle princess.
Also for anyone that doesn't know two tjpw wrestlwrs have title shots in DDT this weekend- Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes and Maki Itoh Vs Cardona
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Oct 2, 2023 18:39:16 GMT -5
Card for Wrestle Princess IV, for reference:
Haru Kazashiro vs Runa Okubo
Arisu Endo & Kaya Toribami & HIMAWARI vs HARUKAZE & Yoshiko Hasegawa & Riara
Moka Miyamoto vs Juria Nagano
Aja Kong & Raku & Shino Suzuki vs Hyper Misao & Wakana Uehara & Toga
Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino vs Miu Watanabe & Yuki Arai
Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel & Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent vs Shoko Nakajima & Suzume & Pom Harajuku & Antonio Honda
Nyla Rose vs Maki Itoh
Princess Tag Title (vacant) Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu vs Noa Hikari & Nao Kakuta
International Princess Title vs. NWA Women's TV Title Rika Tatsumi (c) vs Max The Impaler (c)
Princess of Princess Title Mizuki (c) vs Miyu Yamashita
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Post by ace on Oct 8, 2023 23:49:28 GMT -5
Wrestle Princess IV starts at the top of the hour
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Oct 10, 2023 8:31:27 GMT -5
I'm on holiday in Japan so actually went and watched this live. It was a blast even with some very tjpw booking and a trek to get there. Glad I got a chance to see nearly everyone before things changed (shame about Yuka).
Disappointed by yet another company offering a limited selection of shirts though, they were more focused on portraits which I have no interest in. Did get a cool Hyper Misao one though. just would have liked a special NBG one, I'll miss them, there nothing out there I'm aware of that hits the same notes. I did get to throw steamers for Sakisama though, soon as I was through the door I was given one, he was dedicated.
Random notes, Antonio Honda is over, I'm 98% sure the Aussie trainee took my ticket and I wish I spoke to her, Neko is tiny and I saw her and Aja Kong sat at the back watching the main event (with someone I couldn't identify).
Gcw next! Hopefully I can get an Itoh/Gage shirt there.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Oct 23, 2023 11:35:50 GMT -5
My Hyper Misao shirt.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Oct 29, 2023 17:33:51 GMT -5
Well so much for assuming Saki Akai would pass the torch to Yuki Arai, can't believe she won on the way out.
She's having quite the run though and is retiring at her peak in a way very few get to do.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,589
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Post by Bo Rida on Dec 13, 2023 2:57:04 GMT -5
Damn Yuka's graduation was emotional, I knew it would be but didn't quite expect the full ugly crying.
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