Red's Wrestling Blog

Match from Pro Wrestling NOAH Higher Ground 02/16: 1.Nakajima vs Hideki ***1/2 Thoughts: This one was a slow burn, though it's worth noting it did feel a bit like they were stalling at times. Considering that the outcome was a time limit draw, my suspicions are likely correct on that note. Still, this was pretty damn fun once it opened up more (about 20-minutes in). Before that, it was a competent outing, but nothing really noteworthy. Honestly, I'd have preferred that they start the match that way and just have the thing end in DQ when the ref got tired of their shit. Likely would've been better. Still, I'll land on the rating you see above seeing as overall it was indeed very good, but your mileage may vary heavily on this one.

Match from DDT Sunday Kasukabian! 02/09: 1.ALL OUT(Takeshita,Iino) vs HARASHIMA, MAO *** Thoughts: I'm nearly caught up on NJPW, but I let DDT content slip past me for about a month so let's fix that fuck up now. A reminder that DDT is one hell of a promotion and well worth checking out. They're far more than meme and gif providers. This one was a house show style tag affair, so there were touches of comedy mixed throughout in a way that only DDT can provide. This, of course, was mixed alongside some decent action, too. While I can't say this hit recommendation levels within the bells, I will say this was pure fun if you need a breather from the seriousness of life. Click play if you need a break.

Match from All Japan Excite Series 02/11: 1.Triple Crown Title: Kento(c) vs Yuma ****1/4 Thoughts: Kento Miyahara is easily one of the top five wrestlers in the world and his defenses of the Triple Crown Championship are becoming the thing of legend at this point. No matter who you put him up against, you're going to have something worth seeing. It of course helps that AJPW is full of talent, but I think Kento surely deserves a world of credit for his part and any attempt to diminish that should be met with the same reaction you'd give someone waving a nazi flag in public. You get a prize if you understand the reference made in the title this time, by the way. No offense to Aoyagi, but this is a filler defense and a relative footnote in Kento's reign. Despite that, this came off as a must-see experience. The arm work from Yuma as well as Kento's selling, the piledriver on the apron to buy breathing time, the no-sell sequences, the increasingly cocky attitude of

Matches from NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 02/09: 1.IWGP Jr HW Tag Titles: R3k(c) vs Suzuki-gun(Desperado,Kanemaru) ***1/2 2.IWGP Jr HW Title: Hiromu(c) vs Ryu Lee ****1/4 3.IWGP US Title: Mox(c) vs Suzuki ****1/2 4.IWGP HW, IC Titles: Naito(c) vs KENTA **** Thoughts: I had two others I considered watching from this show, but ultimately decided against them. That said, let's take a look at the matches I did pull, which just happened to all be championship contests. Up first, the Junior Tag belts were on the line. Good use of story and strong work in general made this a very good defense. SHO and YOH are so damn entertaining and both have major potential to be big stars down the line on their own. Next, we get the next chapter in one of the best feuds in wrestling. Hiromu's return was one of my favorite things about 2019 and a rematch versus Dragon Lee was inevitable once we learned that NJPW would continue to use him despite the CMLL bullshit. These two are incapable

Episode Card: 1.Ito, Shibayama vs Kondo, Niki + 2.Alejandro, Kono vs Inaba, Ganseki + 3.Enfants Terribles(Ashino,Kodama,Kuma) vs Kaz, Soya, Seigo ++ Thoughts: This week's edition started with Ito continuing to be a royal dick and then was followed by Alejandro and Kono taking out Ganseki and Inaba in a more highly clipped match than usual. The last match shown from that gig saw the Efants unit looking fucking dominating. I'm going to really miss that group. They closed talking about the promotion's upcoming end as well as their last big show which is set for the 15th of this month. More than Enfants Terribles, I'm really going to miss WRESTLE-1 in general.

Like last week, this go around was all about the top series. I've been rather cautious about getting too excited about watching this company again, especially considering my thoughts on several subjects regarding NASCAR and the reasons I gave up on them years ago. It almost feels a bit hypocritical in my mind for me to be watching while also having given up completely on WWE. If not for my son's interest in the sport and my love of seeing him light up while we watch, I would likely still be MIA from anything involving the league. Alas, here we are and, as a competitionist, I am back for the Auto Club 400. I'm far more excited for when we get to the damn road courses and, my personal favorite, Bristol. Until then, looking at the schedule, it looks like we have another month of ovals but the better ones are nearing. Auto Club Speedway in Fontana is a two-miler and, admittedly, one of tracks that, even when I used to watch far more regularly, never stuck in my mind. It&#

Match from NJPW Road to the New Beginning 02/06: 1.NEVER OW Six-Man Titles: LIJ(SHINGO,EVIL,BUSHI) (c) vs CHAOS(Ishii,Goto,Eagles) ***3/4 Thoughts: I'm nearly caught up with NJPW. Can I get my award now? No? Well, this time around let's take a look at those LIJ boys defending the NEVER Openweight Six-Man belts against a strong selection from CHAOS. I like the dynamic here, by the way. Two tough ass dudes and a flippy worker versus the same. Flies and stronks. For 22-minutes, these six put in for a great one with multiple enjoyable interactions, some nice near fall moments, and a decent finish following strong levels of action. Thumbs up.

Match from Dragon Gate Truth Gate Tag 2 Night Show 02/02: 1.Elimination: Team Toryumon(Doi,Yoshino,Susumu) vs R.E.D.(Eita,BxB,Big R) vs Team DG(YAMATO,KAI,Kzy) ***1/2 Thoughts: For a throwaway, B-show cluster, this was pretty good. I mean, it's Dragon Gate so it's hard to be shocked at that, though. They kept the action moving at a good pace and never really let up. Eita costing his unit the match could mean something later. Dragon Gate is off to a pretty nice start this year, and this is worth checking out if you're coming along for the ride.

Time to close out the first month of the year with an assorted grab bag of pulls that caught my last minute attention. I'll do this throughout the year to ceremoniously close out a month, and note that there are links below for those who are interested in checking them out! Match from SLA Gateway to Anarchy 01/10: 1. Jay vs Stallion  ***3/4 Match from MCW Vendetta 01/11: 2. Ospreay vs Dowie  ****1/4 Matches from Promcion 915 & 656 01/12: 3. Aramis, Freelance, Black Terry vs Angel Jr, Esfinge, Sky Bird  ***1/2 4. Dragon Bane, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Toxin vs Rafaga Jr, Ricky Star Jr, Piloto Suicida Jr  ***3/4 Match from PROGRESS Ch.101: Dalmations 01/19: 7. PROGRESS Unified World Title, Elimination: Cara Noir vs Ilja vs Fletcher vs Robinson  **** Match from SEAdLINNNG 5th Anniversary 01/24: 7. Arisa vs Yoshiko  ****1/4 Match from IWRG Torneo FILL 87 01/29: 8. Copa Higher Power Cibernetico: Gym Zeus vs Gym Tepito  ***1/2 Thoughts: Up first, a trip to Saint Lou

Matches: 1.Parka Negra, Maravilla, Hiedra vs Dinastia, Mami, Iguana ***1/4 2.Familia Real(Hijo Park,Park Jr) vs Jinetes del Aire(Myzteziz Jr,Octagon Jr) vs Super Fly, Villano III Jr ***3/4 3.Faccion Ingobernable(Rush,Park,Bestia) vs Lucha Bros, Laredo Kid ***3/4 Thoughts: Remember when Angle wore that wig to cover his bald head back in the day? Maravilla is wearing a beanie to do the same. The opener was a fun trios encounter, with some continued drama from Mami/Maravilla tacked on and solid action. The put up the damn kiss cam during an Iguana/Hiedra spot, by the way. The second match was a very good spotfest. The Parks were super over, Jinetes killed it once again, and even the worst team here still looked good in defeat. Great stuff here, worth seeking out if you love this type of match! Argenis attacked Myzteziz Jr and Negra Parka attacked Hijo Park after. Fenix dove well past Park and straight into the crowd in the last match of the night. The Ingobernable unit works

Match from ROH TV #441 : 1.MexaBlood vs Briscoes **** Thoughts: Ring of Honor has been making far better moves this year which, if we're being honest, is essentially the antithesis of what they were in 2019. If they can keep the upward swing, I'll be thankful. A strong ROH is good for everyone, and they have the roster to be one of the best things in the game. Now, this episode is getting fairly good support from fans but I only had time/interest for one select match this time around. I would point out, though, that they've pissed off fans for so long, so badly, that despite this match taking place on the Free Enterprise show, it's not a full house. I wish them the best, but it's an uphill climb. Know what helps, though? Shit like this! This match was balls to the wall action, showcasing both teams' abilities pretty dang well. Fantastic, back and forth tag contest well worth checking out, and I encourage you to do exactly that at the link above. T

Matches: 1.Dark Order vs SCU(Kaz,Sky,Scorpio),Colt ***1/4 2.Swole vs Leva NR 3.Pac vs Taylor *** 4.Hager vs QT NR 5.Inner Circle(Jericho,Guevara) vs Mox, Darby ***1/4 Thoughts: They did the smart thing and kicked the episode off with Mox. "You deserve it" chants as expected. I agree. He cut a pretty nice promo, playing up his people's champion everyman role, putting over AEW and the fans in general in the process while reminding that his shit with the Inner Circle isn't over yet. Good stuff. His words, "I dare you," brought out Jericho and crew. I love the new GNR themed shirt that Sammy was wearing here (and on BTE). That damn song will be stuck in my head again, by the way. The Inner Circle is now a hit squad out to destroy everyone, apparently. Mox's response to Jericho's promo and the stip Chris added were both entertaining. Years of WWE's antics had soured me on talking segments and the like, but props to AEW for making me enj

Match from MLW Fusion #99: 1.Lumberjack: Los Parks(Park,Hijo Park) vs CONTRA Unit(Gotch,Josef) **1/4 Thoughts: The Josef promo to kick off the episode was a nice touch. I then jumped to around 39 minutes in to see the promo package before the contest began. They did a good job hyping this one, for sure. I guess they also promoted Kross nicely despite his appearance being a one-off. Entrances start at 46 in. Admittedly, an arena wide, walk-and-brawl with a touch of color and a hardcore spot or two versus a lumberjack would've been far better in my opinion. I mean, that's what Park does best and it would have helped the intensity factor. Instead, this was a bit messy and overall I felt they were hindered by the stipulation. They even added some Injustice drama ringside for no reason. How did Hijo not spike his leg on that dive? Anyway, this was sadly underwhelming and not really anything worth seeking out. Skip!

Following BTE, we see the other end of the phone call. Matt requests the Bucks of Youth to appear at his compound and assist him in his next journey. The cross is made, the letter written, and the Bucks arrive just in time. Now, we await what comes next. Real quick, I'd like to thank Matt Hardy for sharing these posts every time. Not for the boost in views, which I actually don't care much about. No, I thank him because I just appreciate it. I grew up a major fan of the Hardy Boyz and have followed their entire career since I was a child. I'm now 30 and still consider myself a fan. Vince is out of touch and hoards talent for the sake of hoarding them, much like he hoards wealth. He's an elder dragon and Matt was being kept in a dark cave while under contract in WWE, just because Jeff was out of commission. I am beyond excited for what is next for the Broken genius and am eager for Dynamite tonight where I hope answers await. Make sure not to miss it!

Cody talks about his new ink to start this, and I loved the segment. I'm one of the few who don't hate the tat. I like what Pillman said about it and agree. It is funny that his wife hates it, though. Colt spits about his new gig. If used properly, I'm all for him being on the roster. I trust AEW to do just that. His sitdown was well done, too. Havoc's package, no doubt put together by Mondo, rocked. I am very excited to see where this angle goes. Amell, the Green Arrow, being with Cody at Revolution was one of my favorite moments. Seeing him get a spot on this week's Road to installment was icing. I sincerely hope to see him back. A music video highlight reel from Revolution plays before they aired Mox's post-match promo to end this one. Let's hope tonight's episode keeps the roll going they've been on.

Omega and the Bucks are banged up after their banger. Nick announces he's having a third child, which happens to be the result of a different kind of banging. Yea...I'll see myself out. Alright, am I out of time out now? CD seeks consultation and wisdom from the almighty, Orange Cassidy. The secret is in the glasses! The Librarians sit through a different kind of reading (tarot), fight, and fuck around with bad mojo. The Bucks made a fan's dream come true (thanks to State Farm) which was a pretty cool thing. AEW cares more about their fans than just about any other fed in the world. Cody covered his tat with a scarf. I am still seeing a lot of heat due to his new ink. Chill, people. I dig that comic style tee. Those interactive wristbands from Revolution get talked about a tad, and we see the choir practicing, "Judas", which I'd like to note was stuck in my head for two days. Cutler and Sammy share a moment. That superkick on Guevara is sti

Match from IMPACT Wrestling 03/03: 1.IMPACT World Title: Tessa(c) vs Taya *** Thoughts: Tessa's polarizing reign moves along, this time adding what I'm sure is another controversial chapter that'll piss off fragile little infants that think their dick makes them special. I do agree that if IMPACT is going to head this direction, they should consider unifying the Knockouts and World Championships, for what it's worth, but it's whatever in the grand scheme. From a quality standpoint, this was good stuff and they largely kept the bullshit out of it. Bravo's moment didn't fuck up the finish nor did it last too long, so I can forgive it even if it was needless. Sadly, I can't say this hit recommendation levels, but for a throwaway title defense it was enjoyable enough. Skip it, but know that Tessa's reign is going decently so far. She just needs better opponents and plots moving forward.

Matches from NWA Powerrr #20: 1.NWA TV Title: Starks(c) vs Dice *3/4 2.NWA Tag Titles: Storm,Drake(c) vs Bouncers **1/4 Thoughts: I've been disappointed with how the third season has been in relation to the second. This week, they gave us two title matches so I checked those out alongside select promo segments. Up first, Starks put the Television Championship on the line against Dice and, for whatever reason, the NWA brass thought the best idea was to have a title change here. I question that call and would note that the match itself was just about as iffy. Whatever. The Latimer/Galli stuff was decent, the Aldis/Scurll package was well done, and Pope's promo was solid once again. I cut the rest of the fat. The show's main event saw former TNA wrestlers and current NWA Tag Champions, Eli Drake and James Storm, defending against Pope's new asskissers and ROH tag team, The Bouncers. Decent, but forgettable. When you tape so much content at the same time, i

Matches: 1.Donna del Mondo(Giulia,Maika,Syuri) vs TCS(Hana,Hirsch,Death) *** 2.Wonder of STARDOM Title: Hoshiki(c) vs Utami ***1/2 3.SWA Undisputed Women's Title: Utami(c) vs Hayter NR 4.Kagetsu, Mayu vs JKGReeeeN(Jungle,Momo) ***1/2 Thoughts: This week's episode started with a nice focus on the Giulia/Hana rivalry, this time with the two fighting alongside some allies. While the content was good, and the underlying plot is one of the better ongoings in STARDOM, the match itself was just below recommendation levels by a few hairs. That's okay, as it was still a solid opener. The next bout, on the other hand, was something to check out if you're just going to skip around. Speaking of... Utami got cracked open the hard way early on, clearly rocking her. This added to the story, the visuals, and the idea that the champ, Arisa Hoshiki, is a fucking beast. Every one of those beautiful follow up strikes from the wonder, her cocky action of pulling up the challe

Match from NJPW Road to the New Beginning 02/05: 1.Elimination: LIJ(Naito,Hiromu,SANADA,BUSHI) vs Bullet Club(White,KENTA,ELP,Ishimori) ***1/2 Thoughts: Getting closer to being caught up on New Japan. While the corona virus stuff is going on, one of the few bright spots is that them sadly cancelling shows will help me catch up faster. So, here we have another of those fun, New Japan style elimination unit cluster matches that I tend to enjoy the hell out of. The fact that they are essentially torneo ciberneticos is a large part of why I like these so much, alongside the fact that they feature some of the best workers in the world, of course. The expected chaotic brawl kicked this one off, followed by a stretch with Bullet Club in control while they beat down on the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. The story work, as they built to the bigger matches on the remaining (then) upcoming New Beginning gigs were on display here especially, and the unit warfare style approach here rea

Matches: 1.Starks vs Cross vs Dice **1/4 2.Murdoch vs Question Mark NR 3.NWA Women's Title: Rosa(c) vs Melina NR Thoughts: Tim Storm studio time to kick start the episode. Luckily, they're dropping the fake mama shit, it appears. This went a tad too long but I like the setup involving Dane. Man Camp sounds shady as fuck. Cross' promo was good and I truly am hopeful the dude gets a good run in NWA. The fact that he wasn't the fall guy in the three way is perhaps a good sign. The match itself was decent. Too short and more about story progression between Dice and Starks, but decent nonetheless. May Valentine's Diary...no thanks. Stevens...no thanks. Question Mark getting squashed by Murdoch...sure, why the fuck not. This entire midsection of the show is not for me, at all. Luckily, the Aldis/Scurll segment was far better and got the show back on track. Nick rocks in these spots. I'm pretty sure someone shouted against trickle down, which was

Matches: 0.Dark Order vs SCU(Kaz,Sky) **3/4 1.Dustin vs Hager ** 2.Guevara vs Darby ***3/4 3.AEW Tag Titles: The Elite(Omega,Page) (c) vs The Elite(Young Bucks) ****3/4 4.AEW Women's Title: Nyla(c) vs Stratlander **1/2 5.Cody vs MJF *** 6.PAC vs Orange ***1/2 7.AEW World Title: Jericho(c) vs Mox ***3/4 Thoughts: Cody said that he could see Revolution becoming AEW's version of Wrestlemania. I'll say the hype heading into this was pretty high, helped heavily by how strong Dynamite has been of late alongside the fact that the brand in general has simply been noteworthy since launching. I personally was very excited, so let's dig in! The Buy In was a solid way to kick the show off. Adding the clip of Kazarian and Sky telling CD to stay in the back was a nice move. Did Taz say, "Bad Uno" as a pun or on accident? The world may never know. They put in for a good match and it good the crowd excited. Not much to complain about there, though the finish wa