Embracing the fun in Wrestling
It’s often been said necessity is the mother of invention. Having to think fast when you’ve found yourself in a bind can sometimes yield incredible results. All Japan Pro Wrestling found itself in just such a situation while preparing for their annual CHAMPIONS NIGHT show. With reigning Triple Crown Champion, Suwama, forced to vacate the title due to testing positive for COVID-19, …
In the Japanese wrestling scene, junior heavyweights, those two hundred twenty pounds and lighter, are among the biggest attractions in any promotion. With high flyers, power wrestlers, and mat technicians, these talented performers give it their all in every match in order to give fans the best show possible. One junior who is definitely putting the international wrestling scene on …
In professional wrestling some of the best moments are those that have been a long time coming. From Kofi Kingston and Daniel Brian’s huge wins at WRESTLEMANIA, to Kota Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito each getting their crowning moments at WRESTLE KINGDOM, the emotional payoffs are always incredibly satisfying. Another prime example of this was the tournament finals match for All …
All Japan Pro Wrestling’s Champion Carnival is one the industry’s most prestigious tournaments, second mainly to New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 CLIMAX. It is the longest running singles tournament in wrestling, having been held since 1973. It’s arguably AJPW’s most important event of the year. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of competitors has once again …
Passion and fighting spirit are two of the major tenants of the Japanese wrestling culture. Show after show, wrestlers give it their all in awe inspiring displays of talent and tenacity. This is true of the men and the women. Like their male counterparts, the joshi are renowned for their toughness. During the joshi boom of the 80s and 90s, one of …
Sometimes a man of few words can speak volumes in the most epic of ways. New Japan Pro Wrestling has probably the best example of this in the form of Los Ingobernables de Japon’s Sanada. Throughout his fourteen year career, wrestling fans have really grown to love his mix of technical prowess, amazing looks, and quiet charisma. Along the way, …
“I’m a big, fat piece of shit!” Those words defined the man called Vader for the WWF audience. Two years earlier, Leon White was the hottest free agent in wrestling, perhaps in wrestling history. After a run with then-champion Hulk Hogan, the former two-time WCW World Champion had left the company. On paper, Hogan and Vader were a perfect …
The current world climate provided me more spare time than ever before and very little to fill that spare time with. Whilst NJPW was out of action due to Covid-19 earlier this year, I started to dip my toes in the NJPW World archives. I began my journey by watching matches from names I knew of but had rarely …
