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[British Monsoon]

Since there's a lack of masks in NJPW, all that means is that when a masked wrestler DOES show up, it'll be something special.

There are a couple of young masked wrestlers in New Japan, but they're still at an early level - firstly, BUSHI, who New Japan signed from AJPW last year and who is currently on a learning excursion to CMLL;

Secondly, Kyosuke Mikami, a New Japan dojo student who was sent to CMLL and given a new identity as the masked demon Namajague (although, I think he since has lost an Luchas de Apuestas match and was unmasked, but hopefully he'll keep the gimmick for when he returns to New Japan);

 

[slightconfuse]

Sending guys over seas to learn. is another new Japan does that Isso great. It seems guys seem come back better than ever.

Like I have no idea how okada's TNA run turned him into the rainmaker but it seems to. like some sort of voodoo

Helping guys learn various styles could do wonders for wwe.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Sending guys over seas to learn. is another new Japan does that Isso great. It seems guys seem come back better than ever.

Like I have no idea how okada's TNA run turned him into the rainmaker but it seems to. like some sort of voodoo

Helping guys learn various styles could do wonders for wwe.

Yeah the exchange of talent only helps both camps, really. Amazing stuff, and let's not forget Nakamura's brief foray over to Mexico which resulted in some bitchin-ass matches with La Sombra.

 

[jred2k]

Yknow, a point that's really driven home right now with the G1 going on that I really love about NJPW is the balance of power, and how CLOSE everyone seems to each others' level. I mean, look at WWE - they had R-Truth main event a PPV against Cena once. We knew how that would play out.

Instead, in the G1, you see champions getting beaten - Okada has lost to multiple contenders despite being the champion, and he's not suffering as a character at ALL. You have incredible matchups that can go any way - and every night is exciting because even a competitor like Yano can pull off an upset and it doesn't damage anyone.

Let's Pretend - WWE does a G1-style tournament. Are you even wondering who takes Block A if John Cena or Daniel Bryan is in it? Are you ever going to see Cena lose to a low blow and roll-up by Sweet T?

Yeah I've been thinking about that quite a bit lately, there is an overall lack of competitiveness in the WWE. Thats the main thing that keeps the midcard so dead. They don't make the time to push more than 2 or 3 guys at any time. When they finally do want to push someone it takes so much longer to make them seem credible because of it. There is currently no challenger for the US belt, the IC belt, or the tag belts. Its really weird right now, a lot of championship reigns are long, but they do nothing for the title holder because they defend the belts poorly.

If there was more of a systematic ranking system in place it would allow guys to have slow build-ups and fast builds. Its pretty crazy when you look at how large the roster is and what a small percentage of them actually get used.

 

[Penguin]

Seems like Sheamus is injured and will be out for the rest of the year

 

[miserable]

Seems like Sheamus is injured and will be out for the rest of the year

So he will be back just in time to win the Rumble

 

[Nocturnowl]

A Benoit match on a compilation in full....is this a first?

Also, I hope they have all of the cash-ins and just saved the meh ones for the blu-ray extras.

Benoit was included in the Elimination chamber compilation courtesy of the 2005 NYR match, they clearly edited the commentary at points to remove any praise placed upon Benoit.

 

[British Monsoon]

Derp.

*edit, good god, how is Tony Mamaluke not dead?

 

[Perspicacity]

Benoit was included in the Elimination chamber compilation courtesy of the 2005 NYR match, they clearly edited the commentary at points to remove any praise placed upon Benoit.

I'd be cool with them doing this again for MITB. Or better yet - give me an audio option without commentary.

 

[The Frankman]

*edit, good god, how is Tony Mamaluke not dead?

YOU FUCKING *expletive deleted*

 

[Nocturnowl]

I'd be cool with them doing this again for MITB. Or better yet - give me an audio option without commentary.

Audio option sounds nice, personally the match will suffer a bit for me if the various Benoit heavy segments towards the end keep sliding in and out of silence.

 

[Entropia]

Seems like Sheamus is injured and will be out for the rest of the year

So he will be back just in time to win the Rumble

He will be a well deserved two time winner!!1!1

 

[slightconfuse]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/new-training-center-cultivating-wwes-next-crop

 

[Jamie OD]

Sending guys over seas to learn. is another new Japan does that Isso great. It seems guys seem come back better than ever.

Like I have no idea how okada's TNA run turned him into the rainmaker but it seems to. like some sort of voodoo

Helping guys learn various styles could do wonders for wwe.

I think the Rainmaker stuff was inspired by D'Angelo Dinero although every single thing about Okada's current run was planned by Gedo & Jado.

 

[Marvel]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/new-training-center-cultivating-wwes-next-crop

Patiently awaiting Xavier Wood's RAW/SD debut...

 

[Professor Beef]

Seems like Sheamus is injured and will be out for the rest of the year

Damn, that stinks.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

The REAL Rainmaker inspiration:

 

[Nocturnowl]

Am I the only one who thinks the Summer Slam card is awesome?

It's the first SS card i've been moderately excited for since 2005 so clearly it's doing something right.

 

[Professor Beef]

As always, the heels come off way more likeable in the feud than Ziggler does.

"AJ's Crazy" and "AJ cost me a title mathc" really aren't valid excuses for verbally being a complete and total dick to her. A babyface should be above that kind of stuff, take the high road and what not.

But this is the same creative team that thinks "heel takes a count-out loss" is a valid finish to a match that should be used once every other week.

Keep it up, and AJ just might go out with you!

 

[Kaladin]

So this picture came across my Facebook from WWE, in an article about stables of the past....

Raven looks like he gives fewer fucks than usual in this picture.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

It's the first SS card i've been moderately excited for since 2005 so clearly it's doing something right.

I might actually watch it. Ready to see tears from the Bryan fans. Cena's gonna win, guys.

Spoiler

however they're doing a great job setting the table if Bryan DOES win, right when beards are about to go out of style...

 

[bean breath]

Am I the only one who thinks the Summer Slam card is awesome?

I wasn't onboard until they revealed that The Miz is hosting SummerSlam.

Now it's my most must-see PPV of the year.

 

[Deleted member 8095]

So this picture came across my Facebook from WWE, in an article about stables of the past....

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1098360_10151576546881443_1071838954_n.png[IMG]

Raven looks like he gives fewer fucks than usual in this picture.[/QUOTE]

Remember when Raven had an amazing feud with DDP in WCW? Those were the days. Loved him and I was so pumped when I found out he was coming to WWE, it's a shame it didn't work out that well.

 

[Kaladin]

Remember when Raven had an amazing feud with DDP in WCW? Those were the days. Loved him and I was so pumped when I found out he was coming to WWE, it's a shame it didn't work out that well.

Raven vs DDP was really the last time Raven was truly great.

 

[strobogo]

I believe Raven was back on heroin or something at the end of his WCW run.

Raven vs DDP was really the ONLY time Raven was truly great.

Fixed that. ECW Raven doesn't hold up in the slightest. WWF/E Raven was a joke. TNA Raven was mostly a joke. WCW Raven was by far the best Raven.

 

[British Monsoon]

Classic Match of the Day;

Stan Hansen vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champion Carnival Match - (AJPW 03/24/94)

Kawada would go on to win the 1994 Champion Carnival, but he made a particularly slow start to the tournament, picking up just 1 win in the first four days. Hansen, meanwhile, had 3 wins and has always posed a particularly large problem for Kawada. However, it becomes apparent that, this year, Kawada isn't taking any shit and gives as good as he gets from Hansen. At some point Stan just stops wrestling the man and tries to beat him into submission. Kawada has yet to defeat him in singles competition and is desperate to get the win, but in doing so he only makes Hansen even more mad and Stan goes to work, the viciousness of his attack proving just why they call him 'The Unsinkable Battleship'. Excellent work from Kawada as he goes after Stan's leg in this one, while Hansen sells Kawada's offence expertly. His look of surprise turned to anger is awesome and we see a different side of Hansen. Normally, he's as wild and crazy as they come, but it's times like this where's he's cooly calculating, indiscriminately vicious and totally pissed off that he's to be truly feared. Great finish.

 

[Striker]

The Invasion Raven got such a good pop when he returned.

 

[jmdajr]

So apparently Vampiro is a fucking asshole. Or so Chris Jericho tells me.

 

[Penguin]

So he will be back just in time to win the Rumble

Oh man Sheamus/Daniel Bryan III for the WWE Title... in 15 seconds!

 

[Lambda Pie]

Keep it up, and AJ just might go out with you!

is it stanning or simping in this case?

 

[Kaladin]

Fixed that. ECW Raven doesn't hold up in the slightest. WWF/E Raven was a joke. TNA Raven was mostly a joke. WCW Raven was by far the best Raven.

Any of the variations of Raven vs CM Punk weren't bad.....mostly for Punk though.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxkf7x_fwa-cm-punk-vs-raven-promo_sport

 

[BKJest]

I always assumed there were no more masked wrestlers because Japan likes MMA guys.

I find it funny that Liger would fight in a mask.

Liger fighting Suzuki in a mask and basically saying "Fuck it I have no chance anyway" while going straight for the Rolling Koppu Kick was fantastic.

I can get behind the idea of watching Shibata and Cesaro in a RINGS setting.

 

[British Monsoon]

Any of the variations of Raven vs CM Punk weren't bad.....mostly for Punk though.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxkf7x_fwa-cm-punk-vs-raven-promo_sport

The promos were great, but the matches were mostly a mess. Like that cage match that ended with the lights going out and Punk crucifying Raven on a straight edge 'x', or when Tommy Dreamer turned up and poured beer down Punk's throat.

 

[BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!]

Just platinumed Vanquish a few minutes ago. Put off Challenge 4 & 6 for like 3 years. Fuck challenge 6 man, I was literally legit shook when I finally downed that fucking red Bogey, and my heart was beating like a motherfucker. Glad that's over with, been trying to beat it for the last two days.

In other news, I also platinumed DMC1 & DMC3 the last two weeks. This was a pretty productive summer break, if I do say so myself.

Also: Wrasslin is pretty fun.

 

[British Monsoon]

Article on WWE.com about the Ribera Steakhouse;

http://www.wwe.com/classics/inside-ribera-steakhouse

Liked this bit from Hansen, on the origins of the tradition of gaijin wrestlers heading out to Ribera;

"In Japan back in the late ’70s, early ’80s, steak was still foreign. It was very expensive. Just to get a normal steak was $20 or $30. Wrestlers had a hard time finding a place to eat fairly cheap and everybody loved steak coming from America. Bruiser Brody happened to find this place. He took me soon after he found it. Probably ’78 or ’79. The [owner] was a wrestling fan and became a bigger fan as more and more guys came to eat. He treated everybody really good. He gave us a few little discounts and would pile the food on for everybody. [The owner] became known as Ribera but I don’t know what his real name was."

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Whenever Raven was quoting poetry, or just acting like some early 90s, punk, artistic, "too cool for school, hanging out behind the bleachers smoking a cig, not doing any schoolwork but can ace all the tests" grunge-bum, or whatever, he was cool with me. I liked that part of the gimmick.

The messy garbage matches? Not so much.

Just platinumed Vanquish a few minutes ago. Put off Challenge 4 & 6 for like 3 years. Fuck challenge 6 man, I was literally legit shook when I finally downed that fucking red Bogey, and my heart was beating like a motherfucker. Glad that's over with, been trying to beat it for the last two days.

In other news, I also platinumed DMC1 & DMC3 the last two weeks. This was a pretty productive summer break, if I do say so myself.

Also: Wrasslin is pretty fun.

You're hardcore, bruh. Those Vanquish challenges are crazy. *salute*

 

[strobogo]

Colorado Springs is looking pretty solid. I'd prefer Boulder, but I'm not finding any apartments under $700-800.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

I randomly just watched 'Monte Brown' v Sabu from a TNA Weekly Show #88. It was terrible.

 

[BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!]

You're hardcore, bruh. Those Vanquish challenges are crazy. *salute*

Honestly the challenges aren't impossible by any means (still hard as fuck though). I'd say the biggest problem you'll face in the challenges is Round 5 of Challenge 4&6. Literally everything else the mode throws at you is pretty doable, but these two rounds is when the game turns the shit-dial up to 11; they really test your patience.

If you're interested in trying challenge 6 again, this is the guide that helped me formulate a general strategy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j9JcS_48MY

 

[Net_Wrecker]

:lol, speaking of Raven

Terry Funk and Raven promo- confrontation in some ECW locker room

It's like a scene from The Breakfast Club as written by Paul Heyman in the 90s. The gym teacher attempts to lecture some slacker and they start fighting.

 

[Kaladin]

:lol, speaking of Raven

Terry Funk and Raven promo- confrontation in some ECW locker room

It's like a scene from The Breakfast Club as written by Paul Heyman in the 90s. The gym teacher attempts to lecture some slacker and they start fighting.

Quoth the Funker, Nevermore you piece of shit!

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Colorado Springs is looking pretty solid. I'd prefer Boulder, but I'm not finding any apartments under $700-800.

You can always hoof it to Oklahoma if you so desire. Warning: we don't have much here.

 

[Serpentine]

As always, the heels come off way more likeable in the feud than Ziggler does.

"AJ's Crazy" and "AJ cost me a title mathc" really aren't valid excuses for verbally being a complete and total dick to her. A babyface should be above that kind of stuff, take the high road and what not.

But this is the same creative team that thinks "heel takes a count-out loss" is a valid finish to a match that should be used once every other week.

Yeah he's not a likable babyface (so basically a typical wwe babyface) but AJ is totally not likable either

 

[Perspicacity]

Article on WWE.com about the Ribera Steakhouse;

http://www.wwe.com/classics/inside-ribera-steakhouse

Liked this bit from Hansen, on the origins of the tradition of gaijin wrestlers heading out to Ribera;

"In Japan back in the late ’70s, early ’80s, steak was still foreign. It was very expensive. Just to get a normal steak was $20 or $30. Wrestlers had a hard time finding a place to eat fairly cheap and everybody loved steak coming from America. Bruiser Brody happened to find this place. He took me soon after he found it. Probably ’78 or ’79. The [owner] was a wrestling fan and became a bigger fan as more and more guys came to eat. He treated everybody really good. He gave us a few little discounts and would pile the food on for everybody. [The owner] became known as Ribera but I don’t know what his real name was."

lol:

 

[strobogo]

You can always hoof it to Oklahoma if you so desire. Warning: we don't have much here.

Moving from Indiana to Oklahoma seems like a pretty lateral move.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Moving from Indiana to Oklahoma seems like a pretty lateral move.

Depends on what you want to do. If "exist" is your goal you can do worse.

Or if you mean literally lateral, we're still south!

 

[strobogo]

Exist is basically the goal. But exist somewhere that isn't like Indiana. Oklahoma and Indiana are too similar. I might as well just stay here.

 

[Entropia]

Omg WWE mentioned Colt Cabanana! RETURN IMMINENT?!?!

 

[Kaladin]

Exist is basically the goal. But exist somewhere that isn't like Indiana. Oklahoma and Indiana are too similar. I might as well just stay here.

South Florida....it's the most different place you'll find in the continental US.....it's also expensive.

 

[strobogo]

A. It's Florida
B. It's South Florida
C. Giant snakes
D. Wyatt Family-like cults