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Fighting Spirit Review: SEM “SEMex IN SHINJUKU VOL. 3”

By
Kevin Wilson
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0

Date:  October 2nd, 2014
Location:  Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance:  320

SEM is a bit of an odd ‘offshoot’ of NOAH.  They don’t have a lot of shows and do use all of the big stars of NOAH, but it also uses a fair number of indy wrestlers as well.  In a way it feels like a NOAH house show with some assistance from other smaller promotions such as Big Japan, and usually there is also a Joshi match as there is here just to fill out the event. Here is the full card:

– Genba Hirayanagi vs. Kenou
– Kana vs. Rina Yamashita
– Maybach Taniguchi and Hajime Ohara vs. Mohammed Yone and Taiji Ishimori
– Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls, and Ogawa vs. Takashi Sugiura, Saito, and Daisuke Harada
– Quiet Storm vs. Takeshi Morishima
– Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Mitsuhiro Kitamiya
– Daisuke Sekimoto, Miyamoto, and Isami Kodaka vs. Marufuji, Atsushi Kotoge, and Kumano

Let’s get started.

Genba Hirayanagi vs. Kenou
Hirayanagi dares Kenou to hit him with the kendo stick before the match starts so he does, Kenou quickly covers Hirayanagi after the bell rings and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Kenou

Hirayanagi wants the match re-started, and after a bit of back and forth it finally does.  They immediately trade elbows, Kenou goes off the ropes but Hirayanagi hits a dropkick.  Stomp by Hirayanagi, he gets the kendo stick and he goes to hit Kenou with it, but changes his mind.  Stomp by Hirayanagi, Kenou gets back up and Kenou kicks Hirayanagi in the chest.  Hirayanagi catches a kick and hits a dragon screw leg whip and Hirayanagi applies a Scorpion Deathlock, but Kenou quickly gets to the ropes.  Kenou kicks Hirayanagi back as he gets to his feet, back kick by Kenou but Hirayanagi grabs Kenou low and Hirayanagi hits a backdrop suplex.  Hirayanagi flings Kenou to the mat, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and delivers a missile dropkick, cover, but it gets a two count.  Hirayanagi picks up Kenou but Kenou elbows him off, Hirayanagi goes off the ropes but Kenou puts the referee in front of him and the referee gets hit.  Jumping double knee by Kenou in the corner and he hits a sliding kick to Hirayanagi.  Kenou gets a kendo stick but Hirayanagi avoids the shots, Hirayanagi goes off the ropes but Kenou traps Hirayanagi’s arms behind his back with the kendo stick.  Kick by Kenou, he goes off the ropes and hits a double knee to the back.  Kenou goes for a kick but Hirayanagi ducks it, swinging kick by Kenou and he delivers another kick to the head of Hirayanagi.  Cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Kenou

Match Thoughts:  Since Hirayanagi doesn’t usually mind cheating I don’t know why he wouldn’t use the kendo stick and then lost due to shenanigans.  Well technically he lost twice.  This match wasn’t really long enough to be good, the two matches combined were less than four minutes total.  Which is a shame as I think both are capable of doing more.  The kendo stick being used to tie up Hirayanagi’s arms was a fun spot, not really logical but interesting none the less.  Not a bad opener, just short and not much to it.  Score:  4.0

Kana vs. Rina Yamashita
Tie-up to start, waistlock by Kana, reversed by Yamashita but Kana applies a wristlock.  Yamashita reverses the wristlock but Kana applies a hammerlock, side headlock by Kana and she takes Yamashita to the mat.  Yamashita gets out of it and they jockey for position before trading elbows, Irish whip by Kana but Yamashita hits a dropkick.  Yamashita goes off the ropes and hits another dropkick, but Kana avoids the third.  Kick by Kana and they trade elbows again, Irish whip by Yamashita but Kana elbows her.  Irish whip by Kana but Yamashita shoulderblocks her down.  Stomp by Yamashita and they trade elbows, stomp by Kana and she kicks Yamashita in the head.  Kana hits a cross armbreaker takedown but Yamashita gets a foot on the ropes.  Kana puts his knee in the back of Yamashita’s head and applies an armbar before putting her in a chinlock, crossface by Kana but Yamashita gets into the ropes.  Kicks to the chest by Kana, she goes off the ropes but Yamashita hits a lariat.  Yamashita goes off the ropes again and hits a second lariat followed by a pair of shoulderblocks.  Another shoulderblock by Yamashita and she hits another.  Cover by Yamashita but it gets a two count.  Irish whip by Yamashita to the corner, reversed, lariat by Yamashita and she hits another one in the corner.  Irish whip by Yamashita and she hits a lariat.  Cover by Yamashita, but it gets a two count.  Yamashita picks up Kana and goes for a backdrop suplex, but Kana blocks it.  They trade elbows and Kana hits a release German suplex.  Kana goes off the ropes and kicks Yamashita in the head, cover, but it gets a two count.  Armbar by Kana and she applies a front facelock and then puts Yamashita in an armbar.  Yamashita gets a foot on the ropes and Kana kicks Yamashita in the chest.  Another kick by Kana but Yamashita catches one, Kana applies a side headlock and Yamashita hits a backdrop suplex.  Cover by Yamashita but it gets a two count.  Yamashita goes off the ropes and hits a lariat, she hits a second one but Kana doesn’t go down.  Leg kick by Kana, cover, but it gets a two count.  Kana picks up Yamashita and she hits a neckbreaker.  Cover, but Yamashita kicks out.  Kana picks up Yamashita and hits a German suplex hold but it only gets two.  Kana goes off the ropes but Yamashita rolls her up for a two count.  Inside cradle by Yamashita but that gets two as well.  Backslide by Yamashita, but it gets another two.  Kick to the head by Kana, cover, but it gets a two count.  Kana quickly applies a cross armbreaker, Yamashita tries to powerbomb out of it but Kana gets it locked back in and Yamashita has to tap out.  Your winner:  Kana

Match Thoughts:  First of all, I love Kana.  Even though I rarely get to see her matches since they don’t all make tape she is probably current Top 10 for me.  That being said this was a pretty average match.  Yamashita just didn’t have a lot to offer here, she must have hit a dozen shoulderblocks and lariats.  It just gets repetitive when a wrestler hits the same move over and over again.  Kana’s focus on the arm was good, she stuck with it through the match and then won with an arm submission, so kudos to her for trying to keep to a structure but it just wasn’t interesting when Yamashita was on offense.  Pretty lackluster but not a bad match.  Score:  5.5

Maybach Taniguchi and Hajime Ohara vs. Mohammed Yone and Taiji Ishimori
Taniguchi and Ohara attack their opponents before the match starts, and Ohara stays in the ring with Ishimori.  Ohara picks up Ishimori, Irish whip, reversed, and Ishimori hits a swandive crossbody.  Headscissors takedown by Ishimori, and Ohara falls out of the ring.  Ishimori knees Ohara as he gets back into the ring, and Ishimori tags in Yone.  Double shoulder block to Ohara, cover by Yone but it gets a two count.  Yone picks up Ohara and he hits a scoop slam.  Leg drop by Yone and he applies a neck crank to Ohara.  Yone tags in Ishimori, Ishimori picks up Ohara and hits a snapmare.  Reverse chinlock by Ishimori and he knees Ohara in the back.  Ohara gets a foot on the ropes and they trade elbows, Ishimori goes off the ropes but Ohara dropkicks him in the knee.  Ohara tags in Taniguchi, and Taniguchi kicks Ishimori repeatedly in the leg.  Taniguchi picks up Ishimori and he twists Ishimori’s leg in the ropes.  Taniguchi tags in Ohara, and Ohara twists on Ishimori’s leg.  Ohara pushes Ishimori into the corner and twists Ishimori’s leg in the ropes before hitting a dropkick.  Ohara applies a reverse figure four but Ishimori inches to the ropes to force the break.  Ohara picks up Ishimori and he tags in Taniguchi, kicks to the leg by Taniguchi and he kicks Ishimori down in the corner.  Irish whip by Taniguchi but Ishimori kicks Taniguchi back and hits a reverse STO into the corner.  Ishimori tags in Yone, Yone charges Taniguchi in the corner but Taniguchi boots him back.  Lariat by Yone, Taniguchi goes off the ropes and Yone hits another lariat.  Yone picks up Taniguchi and hits a scoop slam.  Yone goes up top but Taniguchi grabs him by the throat and pulls him back into the ring.  Taniguchi charges Yone and hits a lariat in the corner, he applies a waistlock but Yone elbows out of it.  Chokeslam by Taniguchi, cover, but it gets a two count.  Taniguchi picks up Yone, high kick by Yone but Taniguchi hits a powerslam. Taniguchi tags in Ohara, Ohara picks up Yone and they exchange elbows.  Backstabber by Ohara and he goes off the ropes, but Yone delivers a dropkick and tags in Ishimori.  Ishimori charges Ohara in the corner and hits a jumping double knee, he then hits another running knee in the corner.  Cover by Ishimori, but it gets a two count.  Ishimori picks up Ohara but Ohara punches him off, waistlock by Ishimori, Ohara Irish whips Ishimori but Ishimori hits the handspring into a cutter.  Cover, but Taniguchi breaks it up.  Yone comes in and throws Taniguchi out of the ring.  Ohara is thrown into the corner, lariat by Yone, Ishimori goes up top and hits a swanton.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Ishimori goes off the ropes but Ohara slams him to the mat.  Cover, but it gets a two.  Ohara goes off the ropes but Ishimori catches him with a double knee to the chest.  Swinging kick by Ishimori, cover, but Taniguchi breaks it up.  Ishimori picks up Ohara and slams him in front of the corner, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but he is hit from the floor with a kendo stick in the leg.  Ohara picks up Ishimori and hits a backbreaker.  Ohara applies a figure four leglock, Yone is nowhere to be found and Ishimori has to tap out.  Your winners:  Maybach Taniguchi and Hajime Ohara

Match Thoughts:   Not a whole lot to the match but nothing really wrong with it.  They did a good job of targeting Ishimori’s leg during the match…. not that it really stopped him from running around but at least the bad guys didn’t forget about it.  Not a lot of selling or structure beyond that but it was a solid match if not unforgettable.  Score:  5.5

Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls, and Ogawa vs. Takashi Sugiura, Saito, and Daisuke Harada
Haste and Saito start things off.  Tie-up, Saito pushes Haste into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Side headlock by Haste, Saito applies a wristlock but Haste reverses it.  Haste goes off the ropes and applies a waistlock but Saito shrugs him off and hits a shoulderblock.  Haste rolls out of the ring but returns after a moment and tags in Ogawa.  Saito tags in Harada, Ogawa pushes Harada into the ropes and gives a clean break.  Tie-up again, Harada pushes Ogawa into the ropes and Ogawa squirts away when Harada goes for a strike.  They trade wristlocks, hammerlock by Harada and he applies a side headlock.  Ogawa reverses it, Irish whip by Harada and Ogawa hits a shoulderblock.  Side headlock by Ogawa and Harada tags in Saito.  Ogawa tags in Nicholls, Saito and Nicholls tie-up, Saito gets Nicholls into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Side headlock by Nicholls, Saito Irish whips out of it and they collide with no result.  They trade elbows, kick by Saito and he goes off the ropes, but Nicholls hits a spinebuster.  Nicholls picks up Saito and throws him out of the ring, and Haste throws Saito into the guard rail.  Back in the ring, Nicholls stomps on Saito and tags in Ogawa.  Ogawa and Nicholls Irish whip Saito and they hit a double elbow smash.  Ogawa tags in Haste, Nicholls and Haste Irish whip Saito and hit a double elbow, cover, but it gets a two count.  Haste picks up Saito and tags in Ogawa, Ogawa and Saito trade elbows, takedown by Saito and he applies an ankle hold.  Everyone brawls for a moment, things settle down as Haste stomps on Saito but Saito elbows him back.  Uppercuts by Haste but Saito returns with elbows.  Saito goes off the ropes, uppercut by Haste but Saito catches him with a spear.  Saito picks up Haste but Nicholls attacks Saito from behind, double Irish whip to the corner but Saito boots Nicholls and then knees Haste.  Big boot by Saito in the corner but Haste comes back with a leg lariat followed by a cannonball in the corner.  Haste picks up Saito and goes for a powerbomb but Saito gets out of it with a hurricanrana.  Waistlock by Saito, but it is reversed and Haste clubs Saito in the back.  Release German suplex by Saito but Haste fires back with a lariat and both wrestlers are out on the mat.  Ogawa and Harada are tagged in, enzigieri by Ogawa and he goes off the ropes, hitting a DDT.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Ogawa throws Harada into the corner and then hits a backdrop suplex.  Cover, but Harada kicks out.  Irish whip by Ogawa to the corner but Harada kicks him back and rolls up Ogawa for a two count.  Stomp by Ogawa, Irish whip, reversed, and Harada hits a jumping elbow in the corner.  Cover by Harada but it gets two.  Harada picks up Ogawa but Ogawa manages to tag in Nicholls, Irish whip by Nicholls to the corner and he hits a lariat.  Irish whip again but this time Harada boots Nicholls back and he hits an elbow.  Another elbow by Harada and he hits an overhead suplex before tagging in Saito.  Saito hits a lariat on Nicholls in the corner and then hits a vertical suplex.  Saito goes off the ropes and hits a lariat, cover, but it gets a two count.  Saito picks up Nicholls, Nicholls goes off the ropes and he hits a lariat.  Saito comes back with a lariat of his own, double Irish whip to Nicholls and everyone hits running strikes in the corner on Nicholls.  Diving elbow drop by Harada to Nicholls and Saito hits a diving headbutt.  Cover by Saito but it is broken up.  Saito picks up Nicholls and fits a Final Cut.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Saito picks up Nicholls, he goes off the ropes but Haste runs in and dropkicks Saito.  Double Irish whip to the corner, and both Nicholls and Haste hit lariats.  Double neckbreaker to Saito, cover, but it gets a two count.  Nicholls picks up Saito and they trade elbows, knee by Saito and he hits a scissors kick.  Chokeslam by Saito and he hits a release German suplex.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Saito picks up Nicholls but Nicholls hits a lariat.  Death valley driver by Nicholls, cover, but Saito breaks it up.  Nicholls and Haste drop Saito, they then go to Saito and pick him up, but Saito fights them off.  Saito goes off the ropes but Haste hits a lariat. Sliding lariat by Nicholls, cover, but it gets a two count.  Nicholls picks up Saito and hits the Mikey Bomb, cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winners:  Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls, and Ogawa

Match Thoughts:   Well this match certainly had a lot of issues with selling.  I mean they were hitting big moves on each other and then just popping up like nothing happened.  And not in a ‘fighting spirit’ way, but in a ‘we didn’t feel like figuring out a transition’ way.  So it just came across as lazy and poorly thought out.  Just a middling six man tag match with some solid action but lack of real direction.  Score:  5.0

Quiet Storm vs. Takeshi Morishima
They circle each other to start, tie-up, Storm pushes Morishima into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Tie-up, Morishima pushes Storm against the ropes and he gives a clean break as well.  Side headlock by Storm, Morishima Irish whips out of it but he can’t shoulderblock him down.  Irish whip by Morishima but Storm hits a successful shoulderblock.  Chops by Storm but Morishima punches him back and they trade blows.  Clubs to the back by Storm, he goes off the ropes but Morishima hits a hip attack.  Morishima picks up Storm and stomps him down in the corner.  Hip attack by Morishima and he hits another one.  Morishima picks up Storm, he puts him over the second rope and chokes Storm with his leg.  Morishima picks up Storm, snapmare, and he applies a reverse chinlock.  Storm elbows out of it but Morishima applies a sleeper.  Irish whip by Morishima from the corner but Storm avoids his charge.  Storm goes for a bodyslam but Morishima blocks it, Morishima goes off the ropes but Storm hits a bodyslam.  Storm goes for a suplex but Morishima clubs out of it, Northern Lights Suplex by Storm but it gets a two count.  Storm picks up Morishima and hits a reverse side slam.  Cover, but it gets two.  Storm goes off the ropes  but Morishima catches him and hits a suplex.  Lariat by Morishima, cover, but it also gets a two count.  Morishima picks up Storm and goes for the backdrop suplex, but Storm gets out of it.  Vertical suplex by Storm and he hits a lariat in the corner.  Storm goes off the ropes but Morishima ducks the lariat.  Storm hits a lariat anyway, cover, but it gets another two count.  Storm picks up Morishima, he goes off the ropes and Morishima hits a backdrop suplex.  Delayed cover by Morishima, but it gets a two count.  Back up they both go for lariats, high kick by Morishima and he nails the backdrop suplex.  Cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Takeshi Morishima

Match Thoughts:   Quiet Storm joined NOAH in the summer but even still I don’t really know what the deal was here.  It didn’t seem like these two were feuding at all, it was just a random match.  Obviously Storm wasn’t beating Morishima but he did get in some spots anyway and Morishima didn’t treat him like a far inferior wrestler.  They had a weird thing going on where Storm would miss a move, then promptly successfully hit that same move, it happened several times to the point it stuck out.  Nothing really bad, just random and short.  Score:  4.5

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Mitsuhiro Kitamiya
Tie-up to start, Kitamiya pushes Nakajima into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Waistlock by Kitamiya, Nakajima applies an armbar and they get into the ropes again.  Side headlock by Nakajima, Kitamiya elbow Nakajima and eventually Irish whips out of it but Nakajima shoulderblocks him down.  Side headlock by Kitamiya, but Nakajima hits a backdrop suplex.  Nakajima pushes Kitamiya into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  They trade elbows, Kitamiya goes off the ropes and he elbows Nakajima to the mat.  Kitamiya charges Nakajima in the corner and hits a jumping elbow smash followed by a vertical suplex.  Texas Cloverleaf by Kitamiya but Nakajima quickly gets out of it.  Kick by Nakajima, snapmare, and he kicks Kitamiya in the back.  Snapmare by Nakajima and he kicks Kitamiya in the back again.  Back up, elbow by Kitamiya but Nakajima snapmares him and kicks Kitamiya before applying a crab hold.  Kitamiya gets a hand on the ropes to force a break, kicks by Nakajima and Kitamiya goes back to the mat.  Nakajima picks up Kitamiya and applies a reverse chinlock, Nakajima goes for a suplex but Kitamiya blocks it.  Vertical suplex by Kitamiya, he picks up Nakajima and hits a suplex.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Kitamiya picks up Nakajima, Irish whip, and Kitamiya hits a spear.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Elbows by Kitamiya, back kick by Nakajima and he hits a running elbow.  Kick to the chest by Nakajima and he kicks him again.  Nakajima goes off the ropes but Kitamiya applies an Octopus Hold.  Elbows by Kitamiya but Nakajima kicks him in the chest.  Backdrop suplex by Nakajima, Kitamiya gets up and Nakajima drops him with a second one.  Nakajima hits a third backdrop suplex.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Nakajima picks up Kitamiya and goes off the ropes, hitting a PK.  Cover, but Kitamiya gets a shoulder up.  Brainbuster by Nakajima, cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Katsuhiko Nakajima

Match Thoughts:   A really basic match with really nothing to make it special.  I am guessing that at this stage of his career this is the best type of match that Kitamiya can have as obviously Nakajima is capable of more, and the size of the show may have factored into things as well.  But this was like an opener at a normal event, just some strike exchanges, a few suplexes, and the ending.  No real crowd involvement or effort to make the match memorable, so it wasn’t, even though the action itself was fundamentally sound.  Score:  5.0

Daisuke Sekimoto, Miyamoto, and Isami Kodaka vs. Marufuji, Atsushi Kotoge, and Kumano
Sekimoto and Marufuji start things off.  They trade chops back and forth, tie-up, side headlock by Marufuji, Sekimoto Irish whips out of it and Sekimoto hits a shoulderblock.  Drop toehold by Marufuji and he dropkicks Sekimoto in the head.  Cover, but it gets a one count.  Shoulderblock by Sekimoto and he tags in Kodaka.  Kotoge is tagged in as well, dropkick by Kotoge and he slides out of the ring after Kodaka, hitting another dropkick.  Kodaka and Kotoge return to the ring, cover by Kotoge but it gets a two count.  Reverse chinlock by Kotoge and he elbows Kodaka in the head. Kotoge picks up Kodaka and he tags in Kumano. Kicks by Kumano in the corner and he clubs Kodaka in the back. Kumano and Kodaka trade elbows. Kodaka tags in Miyamoto, Miyamoto and Kumano tie-up, waistlock by Miyamoto but Kumano applies a wristlock. Kneelock by Miyamoto and he applies a stretch hold. Wristlock by Miyamoto and he elbows Kumano in the arm. Miyamoto tags in Sekimoto, scoop slam by Sekimoto and a cover, but he gets a two count. Sekimoto picks up Kumano and throws him in the corner before tagging in Kodaka. Kodaka twists Kumano’s arm in the ropes and he yanks on Kumano’s arm. Kodaka tags in Miyamoto, double Irish whip to Kumano and he gets hit by a double elbow strike. Miyamoto goes for a cross armbreaker on Kumano but Kumano quickly rolls into the ropes. Miyamoto tags in Sekimoto, Sekimoto picks up Kumano but Kumano clubs him in the chest. Sekimoto absorbs Kumano’s blows and chops him to the mat. Sekimoto throws Kumano into the corner, Irish whip, and Sekimoto kicks Kumano in the chest. Sekimoto goes for a suplex but Kumano lands on his feet, dropkicks by Kumano but he can’t knock Sekimoto down. Sekimoto throws Kumano into the corner but Kumano knocks him back and hits a missile dropkick. Kumano makes the tag to Marufuji and Marufuji boots Sekimoto in the head. Lariat by Marufuji but Sekimoto stays up, dropkick by Marufuji and Sekimoto finally is knocked off his feet. Irish whip by Marufuji to the corner and he hits an elbow followed by a doublestomp to the head. Superkick by Marufuji, cover, but it gets a two count. Marufuji picks up Sekimoto and goes for the Shiranui but Sekimoto blocks it and hits a backdrop suplex. Sekimoto picks up Marufuji, Irish whip to the corner and he hits a lariat. Another lariat by Sekimoto, he picks up Marufuji and hits a vertical suplex. Cover by Sekimoto but it gets a two count.

Sekimoto goes off the ropes but Marufuji ducks the lariat and hits a couple kicks. Sekimoto avoids the next kick attempt and levels Marufuji with a lariat. Both wrestlers are down, Sekimoto makes the tag to Miyamoto while Marufuji tags in Kotoge. Kick by Kotoge but Miyamoto elbows him and they trade shots. Kotoge goes off the ropes and he hits a reverse DDT. Miyamoto crawls to the corner and Kotoge elbows Kodaka on the apron. Kodaka snaps Kotoge’s neck on the top rope, Miyamoto goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kotoge blocks the diving attack. Kodaka then jumps off the top turnbuckle onto Kotoge, and Miyamoto applies a stretch hold to Kotoge. Double Irish whip to Kotoge and he is hit with a double flapjack. Cover by Miyamoto, but it gets a two count. Miyamoto tags in Kodaka, Irish whip by Kodaka and he hits a dropkick. Kodaka charges Kotoge but Kotoge drop toeholds him onto the second rope. Kotoge kicks Kodaka out of the ring, Miyamoto comes in but Kotoge dropkicks him out of the ring as well. Kotoge goes off the ropes and sails out with a tope con giro onto Miyamoto, Kodaka gets a running start in the ring but Kotoge quickly rolls back in and hits him with a cutter. Kotoge tags in Kumano, and Kumano hits Kodaka with an elbow. Dropkick by Kumano, cover, but it gets a two count. Irish whip by Kumano and he hits an elbow in the corner. Kumano goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kodaka avoids the missile dropkick. STF by Kodaka to Kumano, but Kumano gets to the ropes. Kodaka throws Kumano into the corner and Sekimoto hits a lariat. Miyamoto and Kodaka hit a double backdrop suplex onto Kumano and Sekimoto comes off the top turnbuckle with a diving body press. Cover by Kodaka, but it gets a two count. Marufuji and Kotoge come into help, they throw Kodaka into the corner and everyone hits a running strike. Kumano goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick while Marufuji and Kotoge both hit superkicks. Cover by Kumano, but it is broken up. Kumano picks up Kodaka and gets him on his shoulders, and he hits a bridging suplex for a two count. Kumano picks up Kodaka but Kodaka elbows him off and they trade strikes. Punch to the stomach by Kodaka, Kumano goes off the ropes but Kodaka sails out of the ring onto Kotoge. Miyamoto slides in, Kumano kicks him back, Irish whip by Kumano but Miyamoto hits a handstand elbow strike. Kodaka comes back in and applies the 689, and Kumano submits. Your winners: Daisuke Sekimoto, Miyamoto, and Isami Kodaka

Match Thoughts: This was a good tag match and a solid main event. The teams both worked together well, it helps to have matches with real teammates rather than wrestlers just thrown together as some of the spots were well-timed and everything flowed. It never dragged anywhere as they kept fresh wrestlers in to keep things interesting. The only real knock on the match is Kumano’s inclusion as it just made it obvious who was going to drop the fall, but he did get some good experience in there and he wasn’t completely treated as nothing but a whipping boy. Overall it was a fun way to end an otherwise lackluster show. Score: 7.0

Final Thoughts:

Best Match: Daisuke Sekimoto, Miyamoto, and Isami Kodaka vs. Marufuji, Atsushi Kotoge, and Hitoshi Kumano. By default, but it was a pretty good match. The teams worked really well together and there were some clever spots in the match. It never dragged since they changed around who was in the ring on a regular basis, and even though the ending was predictable it made sense. A fitting main event for a house show.

MVP:  Hitoshi Kumano.  I could have picked about anyone from the main event, but Kumano’s strikes seem to be getting better and he had some good exchanges with Sekimoto and Kodaka. Even though he lost, he looked strong since he was not put down easy as he was constantly being double teamed. I don’t think Kumano shows much as far as being a superstar but he is definitely improving.

Overall: For the most part this was just bland house show fodder. I was hoping the Joshi match would bring it up a bit, but it didn’t, and most of the rest of the matches were just basic and uninspired. The main event was fun, but the match would fit in fine on most mid-cards, it only fit as a main event because the rest of the card was so unexciting. Just a flat event, I know they use these shows to try out newer wrestlers and its not meant to be a major event, but it was just too dull for my taste. No real reason to watch this show.

Grade: D-

Update On Kurt Angle’s TNA Status, Plus TNA Staying With Spike TV?

By
Brian Grey
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0

Source: PWInsider

There’s a strong feeling within TNA that Impact Wrestling will end up staying with Spike TV, which means TNA would likely have to settle for the lesser pay that Spike wants to pay them.

A Spike TV source confirmed this week that the two sides are still talking and people in TNA note that the two sides have never stopped talking and re-signing with Spike has always been a possibility.

– TNA stars Robbie E and Brooke Tessmacher survived another week of CBS’ The Amazing Race. They finished 5th out of 7 teams on Friday’s episode.

– As of Wednesday morning, Kurt Angle still had not signed a new deal with TNA. We noted before that Angle’s talks with WWE were believed to be finished and he’s expected to finish his career with TNA. Angle reportedly wants to sign a part-time deal with TNA so he can focus on outside projects, possibly a deal for 12 months or 18 months.

TNA will air the three-hour One Night Only: Victory Road pay-per-view on Friday, December 5th. They will also premiere a one-hour Unfinished Business: Beer Money pay-per-view on Saturday, December 6th. Below are previews and posters from In Demand:

Victory Road: “Join TNA as the Stars compete to advance to a 12-Man Gauntlet Match at the end of the night for a chance at $50,000”

Beer Money: “Join TNA Wrestling for a look at one of the most successful Tag Teams of all time. This action-packed hour features three must-see matches including their first Tag Team championship win!”

Reliving A Feud – Issue #4: Sting vs. Vampiro

By
Bob Colling
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2

By the spring of 2000, World Championship Wrestling was in some serious danger and needed to create new stars. They seemingly stumbled upon one with Vampiro, who had a big run in Mexico and was getting some good babyface reactions in WCW. However, once Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff did a reboot for the company, Vampiro was turned heel and began a feud with arguably the most popular wrestler in WCW, Sting.

Vampiro and Sting were initially dubbed “brothers in paint” and formed an alliance in the early months of 2000. It would be assumed that Vampiro was in line to be a top babyface after aligning himself with the Stinger. That all changed on April 10th when Vampiro decided to associate himself with Russo and Bischoff. Vampiro cost Sting a match against Diamond Dallas Page that night by hitting Sting with his finisher, “the Nail in the Coffin”.

The two former friends would meet at Spring Stampede 2000 in a US Championship Tournament Semifinal match, which saw Sting win the match cleanly. Vampiro wouldn’t settle for the loss. Instead, Vampiro would cost Sting a chance to win the WCW United States Championship, as during the Finals of the tournament Vampiro pulled Sting under the ring and bloodied him. This ultimately led to Sting losing to Scott Steiner. Vampiro’s complete heel turn had effectively taken place.

On the April 24th edition of Nitro, Sting challenged Vampiro to a first blood match. No one would bleed, but a red liquid came from the ceiling and landed on Sting. Vampiro would also hang Sting from a cable to embarrass him.

The following week on Nitro, Vampiro invited Sting to come to a graveyard, shown on TV live via satellite. While there in the graveyard, Vampiro told Sting that he was the monster that Sting should have been. Vampiro would attack Sting by breaking a tombstone over his head and tossing Sting into an empty grave. But, since Sting is super natural, he would quickly recover. Literally, later on in the show, Sting would attack Vampiro in the ring with a baseball bat. That pretty much damaged Vampiro as a threat to Sting.

At Slamboree 2000, Sting would once again beat Vampiro clean. You would think that this would be the end of the angle. After all, Vampiro had lost two straight pay per view matches cleanly. If you were to think that, you’d be wrong. It must continue!

The following night after Slamboree on Nitro, Sting had a chance to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Jeff Jarrett. Everything was looking good for the Stinger until Vampiro popped up from under the ring once again and pulled Sting under the ring… again. Vampiro covered Sting in blood and Jarrett retained.

On the May 15th edition of Nitro, Vampiro lost to Sting in a ‘House of Pain’ match. Sting won the match by shackling Vampiro to the steel cage. That would make it the third major loss for Vampiro against Sting in one month. Two days later on Thunder, Vampiro challenged Sting to a ‘Human Torch’ Match, where you have to set your opponent on fire in order to win the match. The match would be slated to take place at the Great American Bash in June.

Heading into the Bash, Vampiro earned a major win on May 22nd when he pinned Hulk Hogan after help from Billy Kidman. Afterward, Vampiro tried to lite Hogan on fire, but Sting made the save. That’s one major win for Vampiro, even though it wasn’t clean. Two days later on Thunder, Sting was interviewed by Mike Tenay. The set ended up being set on fire while Vampiro continued to play mind games. Vampiro would try to lite Sting on fire once again on the May 29th edition of Nitro when he brought a gasoline truck to the show. However, security prevented that from happening. Later on in the show, Vampiro nearly put Sting’s head into a trash can on fire, but Kronik saved the Stinger.

Vampiro finally got some decent momentum going against Sting on the June 7th edition of Thunder. Vampiro would attack Sting while Sting was competing against Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller. Vampiro ended up pouring gasoline on the announcers table and tried to put Sting through a flaming table. Sting avoided it, and put the fire out. However, Vampiro was still able to put Sting through a non-burning table leading into the Great American Bash PPV.

At the Bash on June 11th, Vampiro was able to beat Sting by lighting ‘Sting’ on fire. Yeah, it was a stuntman as ‘Sting’ was shoved off a steel trust above the big screen and was sent plummeting down through a “stage” while lit on fire, but still, Vampiro got a win over Sting. The incident would cause Sting to be off television for several weeks.

Watch Stuntman Sting Take The Flaming Fall Below

Sting would return by mid July, but was under a mask to protect his apparent burnt face. Sting would unmask on July 31st to show that he was completely healthy and scar free. His feud with Vampiro seemed to be dying out, as he was having matches with Booker T among other main eventers. Sting had a title match against Booker T on the July 31st Nitro but Vampiro and his associates, the Great Muta and Demon, got involved. They ended up putting Sting into Demon’s KISS coffin and lit the coffin on fire. They sure do love fire!

The singles feud between Sting and Vampiro is no longer really a top priority on WCW television. In fact, at the ‘New Blood Rising’ PPV Sting simply squashed the Demon. The night after, Sting cost Vampiro and the Great Muta their newly won WCW World Tag Team Championships. Sting continued to get the better of Vampiro and his friends when he won a four way match against all three in just over two minutes.

In what should probably be considered the end of the feud, Sting would beat Vampiro once again in a singles match on the September 6th edition of Thunder. The match had the “Anything Goes” stipulation, but that didn’t sit well with Vampiro. It wasn’t over. Sting had to beat Vampiro AND the Great Muta in a triple threat match at Fall Brawl 2000. Thankfully, it was finally marked the end of the feud.

This feud could have been a great opportunity for WCW to make Vampiro a star for them. He was actually really over as a babyface, so it’s probably a questionable decision to have even turned him heel in the first place. The feud lost a lot of momentum when Vampiro wasn’t able to actually beat Sting in the ring. Sure, he had mind games going for him and whatnot, but he never once put Sting’s shoulders down on the mat for a three count. I find that rather interesting considering Vampiro pinned Hulk Hogan, a guy widely known for not wanting to put people over.

As you can see, Vampiro lost three matches to Sting within the first month of the reboot of WCW. The one match he actually won, wasn’t even by pin fall or submission but rather because he was able to lite stuntman Sting on fire. Sure, that makes Vampiro look deranged and spooky, but he was never near being a threat to Sting or any other main event guy.

Once Sting got back from the fire incident the feud was pretty much done. It had been going on for three months and Vampiro hadn’t done anything to keep the momentum going. Even the attempt to bring in more guys (Demon/Muta) to keep the feud going was a failure because Sting would never lose to them, ever.

It could’ve been a great way to diminish Sting’s role and an even better way to build up Vampiro as a star for WCW. But, instead Sting was just fed three guys for five months and Vampiro was off television by the end of October. It was a wasted angle all around.

What are your thoughts on Vampiro vs. Sting feud? Feel free to share your comments!

Check out Bob’s Wrestling Recaps blog: http://wrestlingrecaps.wordpress.com/

Colling’s Corner: Goldberg – A Failed Heel Turn: Turning Da’ Man Into A Bad Guy

By
Bob Colling
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1

goldberg2

The world of professional wrestling always needs a little bit of shock. You know, that surprising moment where fans were not expected it, but yet it was something they had always wanted to see. Unfortunately, WCW had a hard time understanding that concept.

For nearly three years WCW had a money making draw with Bill Goldberg. Goldberg made his debut in September 1997 and proceeded to go on a hot streak, winning 176 matches in a row. Sure, the number of wins may be inflated a little, as one week he’d have 30 and the next he’d somehow be at 38. Nevertheless, the company had the next draw to lead them for the next several years, similar to what Sting and Hulk Hogan had been prior.

Despite some horrible booking of their top star beyond his first year, Goldberg continued to have a huge fan following. His record came to a screeching hault at Starrcade 1998 when he lost the WCW World Title to Kevin Nash, and he wasn’t given a rematch for the Championship until a year later at Starrcade 1999, which he was screwed out of against Bret Hart.

On December 23, 1999, Goldberg suffered an arm injury, nearly having to have his arm amputated after putting his forearm through a limo window. He was out for five months following the incident. By the time the spring of 2000 came around, fans were waiting with anticipation for Goldberg’s return.

On May 29th of that year, Goldberg returned to action, and was his usual “baby face” self. He helped his friends fight off the New Blood faction and everything seemed to be fine. Sure, at this point Goldberg came across like a superstar playing for the minor leagues as WCW had fallen far from grace, but he added a much needed spark to the show.

WCW couldn’t possibly ruin the one top baby face they have in the company, right? They can’t be that stupid…

But, remember, it’s WCW.

At the Great American Bash 2000, the show had been centered around a “big surprise” from the duo of Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff. Something fans would not expect, something that would “change the landscape of the business”.

However, that ‘surprise’ didn’t deliver. If you watch the show, there are a few signs in the crowd, and one that is clearly seen on camera right before the turn, stating “Goldberg Is New Blood”. It was as if the fans and critics expected the turn to happen, and of course, it did.

It’s one of the dumbest things WCW could have done. Heel turns make sense when fans want to boo someone or have had enough of the character. You look at a guy like Hulk Hogan when he turned in 1996. The fans were tired of him. Sure, some people cheered him afterwards, but far more people booed their former hero.

However, there was no interest in booing Goldberg. He was the hero that made the shows worth watching. They wanted Goldberg to kick ass and take names. It was so evident that they didn’t want to boo him that the experiment lasted all of two months. By August of 2000 Goldberg was back to being a baby face.

WCW tried their hardest to make Goldberg into a hated superstar. On an episode of Nitro, Goldberg brutally beat up sickly Jim Duggan, who had just beaten cancer. They had Goldberg brutally attack Sting several times, but nothing managed to generate real hate for the truly beloved Goldberg. Fans weren’t cheering him, but they weren’t into the heel turn either.

During this heel turn, Goldberg cleanly lost on Nitro to WCW World Champion Booker T in under two minutes. A guy who went 176 matches straight without losing had now lost in under two minutes. It’s rarely mentioned it seems, and for good reason.

I’m not saying a heel turn from Goldberg shouldn’t have happened at some point, but at a time when WCW didn’t have an established baby face outside of stale acts like Sting and Nash, he needed to remain in that role and have the Championship. Instead, it seemed like Russo and company had tried to sabotage his career for whatever reason.

Decisions like this is why WCW in the latter years is remembered in a negative light, and ridiculed, and made fun of.

What are your memories of Goldberg’s heel turn? Did you think it was a good idea? Leave your thoughts below.

Thanks for reading.

Fighting Spirit Review: NOAH “The Second Navigation” 2/8/14

By
Kevin Wilson
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0

Date:  February 8th, 2014
Location:  Tokyo, Japan
Announced Attendance:  1,700 (No Vacancy)

It has been awhile since I jumped back to NOAH but with January finally done (for now) I am the ‘farthest’ behind with NOAH of all the major promotions. This was a big card for NOAH, as Morishima defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Yuji Nagata. The rest of the card was faction based, with TMDK taking on all comers. Here is the full card:

– Genba Hirayanagi and Daisuke Harada vs. Taiji Ishimori and Hitoshi Kumano
– Kenou and Hajime Ohara vs. Yoshinari Ogawa and Mitsuhiro Kitamiya
– Jonah Rock vs. Yoshihiro Takayama
– Mikey Nicholls vs. Xtra Large
– Maybach Taniguchi vs. Shane Haste
– Mohammed Yone and Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Shinya Ishikawa and Ryuichi Kawakami
– KENTA and Takashi Sugiura vs. Naomichi Marufuji and Atsushi Kotoge
– GHC Heavyweight Championship: Takeshi Morishima vs. Yuji Nagata

No six man tags, hooray!  Let’s get started.

Genba Hirayanagi and Daisuke Harada vs. Taiji Ishimori and Hitoshi Kumano
Harada and Ishimori start things off.  Tie-up, waistlock by Harada but Ishimori reverses it into a wristlock.  Harada reverses it back, Irish whip by Ishimori, reversed, and Ishimori hits a headscissors.  Harada falls out of the ring but he gets back in, Ishimori goes for a superkick but Harada avoids it.  Hirayanagi is tagged in, so Ishimori tags in Kumano.  Kick by Kumano and he applies a side headlock, but Hirayanagi reverses it.  Shoulderblock by Hirayanagi and he stomps on Kumano in the back of the head.  Irish whip by Hirayanagi, reversed, and Kumano delivers a dropkick.  Kumano picks up Hirayanagi and throws him into the corner but Hirayanagi hits a lariat.  Hirayanagi tags in Harada, and Harada stomps Kumano.  Elbow by Harada but Kumano returns fire, and Harada hits a hard slap.  Harada tags in Hirayanagi, and Hirayanagi stomps on Kumano.  Hirayanagi picks up Kumano and he clubs Kumano in the back.  Irish whip by Hirayanagi and he hits a back elbow.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Reverse chinlock by Hirayanagi but Kumano gets a foot on the ropes.  Hirayanagi tags in Harada and Harada stomps on Kumano in the back.  Harada picks up Kumano, Kumano clubs Harada in the chest but Harada elbows him back.  Hard elbow by Harada, Harada picks up Kumano and he hits a scoop slam.  Harada goes up to the second turnbuckle and he hits a diving doublestomp.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Harada picks up Kumano and he tags in Hirayanagi.  Hirayanagi kicks Kumano in the ribs and knees him in the chest.  Hirayanagi and Kumano trade blows, Hirayanagi throws Kumano in the corner and Kumano kicks Hirayanagi back.  Kumano goes for a dropkick but Hirayanagi side steps it.  Hirayanagi picks up Kumano and goes for a vertical suplex, but Kumano blocks it.  Kumano hits a vertical suplex, but Harada runs over and knocks Ishimori off the apron.

They pick up Kumano, double Irish whip but Kumano throws Harada into Hirayanagi and then dropkicks Harada.  Kumano makes the hot tag to Ishimori and Ishimori hits a missile dropkick onto Hirayanagi.  Ishimori kicks Harada out of the ring and then hits a jumping double knee strike on Hirayanagi.  Reverse doublestomp out of the corner by Ishimori, cover, but it gets a two.  Ishimori goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits the Meteora.  Cover, but it gets a two.  Ishimori applies a modified Camel Clutch, Harada runs in but Kumano dropkicks him out of the ring.  In the ring, Hirayanagi makes it to the ropes, Ishimori picks him up and goes for a piledriver but Hirayanagi grabs Ishimori low and then hits a suplex.  Hirayanagi tags in Harada, Harada kicks Ishimori, Irish whip and Harada hits an overhead suplex.  Jumping elbow in the corner by Harada and he puts Ishimori up on the top turnbuckle.  Harada joins him and he hits a superplex.  Facebuster by Harada, cover, but it gets a two count.  Harada picks up Ishimori but Ishimori elbows him and they trade shots.  Superkick by Ishimori, he goes off the ropes but Harada hits a roaring elbow.  Harada puts Ishimori on his shoulders and hits a death valley driver.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Harada goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a diving elbow drop.  Cover, but Kumano barely breaks it up in time.  Harada picks up Ishimori, Irish whip, Ishimori goes for a handstand elbow strike but Harada ducks it and gets Ishimori onto his shoulders.  Ishimori lands on his feet when Harada goes for the Turn Over Knee, kick by Ishimori and a cover, but it gets a two count.  Ishimori picks up Harada and he goes for a suplex, but Harada gets out of it.  Harada delivers the Henkei Knee Upper, but Ishimori quickly hits an Aussie Suplex Hold for the three count.  Your winners:  Taiji Ishimori and Hitoshi Kumano

Match Thoughts:   This was a really good match and the type of match that I think more wrestling events should start off with.  It was not only fast paced to get the crowd excited but it had some really good spots in it.  The handstand elbow into the attempted Turn Over Knee for example was really well done, the saves were all timed perfectly, and it was just an exciting match.  The time felt right as it didn’t go too long, and all four wrestlers got a chance to shine.  I didn’t love Ishimori essentially no-selling the Henkei Knee Upper but besides that this was a really fun match.  Score:  7.5

Kenou and Hajime Ohara vs. Yoshinari Ogawa and Mitsuhiro Kitamiya
Kenou and Ohara brawl with their opponents before the match starts, and they spill outside of the ring.  Kenou and Ohara double team Ogawa on the floor, and Kenou uses the kendo stick onto Ogawa.  Ohara finally slides Ogawa into the ring where Kenou was waiting.  Kenou and Ogawa trade chops, kicks by Kenou but Ogawa catches one and hits a dragon screw leg whip.  Ogawa goes off the ropes but Kenou kicks him in the chest.  Kenou picks up Ogawa and he throws Ogawa into Ohara’s knee.  Snapmare by Kenou to Ogawa and he applies a reverse chinlock.  Elbows by Ogawa, he goes off the ropes but Ohara applies a sleeper.  Cover by Ohara but it gets a two count.  Ohara throws Ogawa out of the ring, and Kenou hits Ogawa with the kendo stick.  Kenou slides Ogawa back into the ring, cover by Ohara but it gets a two count.  Ohara throws Ogawa into the corner and he tags in Kenou.  Snapmare by Kenou and he applies a reverse chinlock to Ohara.  Kenou chokes Ogawa with his wrist tape before picking him up, snapmare by Kenou and he hits a slingshot doublestomp.  Cover by Kenou but it gets a two count.  Kenou tags in Ohara, he then takes Ogawa out of the ring and twists him around the ring post.  Kenou slides Ogawa back in, Ohara picks up Ogawa and he hits a snap vertical suplex.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Irish whip by Ohara but Ogawa blocks the hiptoss.  Hiptoss by Ogawa, he goes off the ropes and Ohara hits a backbreaker.  Ohara picks up Ogawa and he hits a swinging side slam onto his knee.  Ohara goes for a submission but Ogawa gets out of it and hits an enzigieri.  Ogawa throws Ohara into the corner, reversed, back elbow by Ogawa and he makes the hot tag to Kitamiya.  Kitamiya elbows Kenou off the apron, he Irish whips Ohara into the corner and hits a running elbow strike.  Snap suplex by Kitamiya to Ohara, he picks him up but Ohara clubs Kitamiya in the back.  Back elbow by Kitamiya and he hits a suplex for a two count.  Kitamiya goes up to the top turnbuckle and he hits a missile dropkick.  Cover, but Ohara kicks out.  Kitamiya goes off the ropes, slaps by Ohara and he kicks Kitamiya in the chest.  Dropkick by Ohara, and Ohara makes the hot tag to Kenou.  Kenou kicks Ogawa off the apron, and Kenou hits a double jumping knee onto Kitamiya.  Sliding kick by Kenou, cover, but it gets a two.  Kenou applies an ankle hold to Kitamiya, Ogawa comes in the ring but Kenou catches his kick and kicks Ogawa in the leg.  Kenou picks up Kitamiya and rakes him in the eyes.  Irish whip by Kenou to the corner but Kitamiya hits a spear, Kitamiya picks up Kenou but Kenou gets away and kicks Kitamiya in the chest.  Another kick by Kenou and he delivers a kick to the side of Kitamiya’s head.  Cover, but Ogawa breaks it up.  Kenou and Ogawa trade elbow strikes, Kenou goes off the ropes but Ohara hits a hiptoss.  The referee gets knocked down from the hiptoss as well, and Ohara hits Ogawa from the floor with the kendo stick.  Kitamiya goes off the ropes but Kenou hits him with a big boot, high kick by Kenou to Kitamiya and he applies a modified Camel Clutch.  Ogawa is still outside the ring and Kitamiya is forced to submit.  Your winners:  Kenou and Hajime Ohara

Match Thoughts:  This was a good match, I enjoy a good heel vs. face tag match from time to time as it helps keep things interesting.  Fair ‘see who is stronger’ match-ups are fun too but seeing teams that cheat to beat the poor fan favorite still has a certain amount of extra charm.  Kenou and Ohara are also good wrestlers which helps so they don’t have to lean on the ‘heel’ crutch too much, and Kitamiya continues to improve.  Nothing special but a solid mid-card tag match.  Score:  6.0

Jonah Rock vs. Yoshihiro Takayama
Rock attacks Takayama before he can get into the ring, he then punches Takayama down in the corner.  Shoulderblocks by Rock but Takayama hits a big boot.  Rock rolls out of the ring, Takayama goes out after him and he chokes Rock with his shirt.  Takayama throws Rock into the guard rail and then rams him into the ring post.  Takayama slides Rock back into the ring and hits him from the floor.  Takayama rolls back in and kicks Rock into the corner, Irish whip by Takayama but Rock moves when Takayama charges in.  Body avalanche by Rock, he pulls Takayama’s leg outside of the ring and rams it into the ring post.  Rock slams Takayama’s leg into the post again and a third time.  Rock stomps on Takayama’s leg back into the ring and he applies a single leg crab hold.  Takayama quickly gets to the ropes, Rock turns Takayama over and applies a kneelock.  Takayama rakes Rock in the eyes to get out of the hold, and Rock kicks Takayama in the leg.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Rock jumps down onto Takayama’s knee and then does it a second time.  Takayama goes for a leg drop but Rock moves out of the way, Rock goes off the ropes and he hits a lariat.  Takayama doesn’t go down so he hits a second lariat.  Rock goes off the ropes and he elbows Takayama in the head.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Rock picks up Takayama but Takayama hits a sunset flip for a two count.  Knee to the chest by Takayama, cover, but it gets a two count.  Takayama picks up Rock and he hits a backdrop suplex.  Cover, but Rock barely gets a shoulder up.  Running Kneelift by Takayama, cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Yoshihiro Takayama

Match Thoughts:   I am not really sure why this match existed.  Takayama was not on any of the matches for the rest of the tour, so it didn’t really set up anything.  It was short, which is to be expected but it just meant that not a lot happened.  On top of that we all knew there was a 0% chance that Rock was winning so it wasn’t suspenseful.  Just an unusual match to have and it lacked a redeemable quality.  Score:  3.5

Mikey Nicholls vs. Xtra Large
Tie-up, wristlock by Nicholls but Xtra Large reverses it.  Side headlock by Xtra Large, Nicholls pushes him into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Tie-up, Nicholls gets Xtra Large into the ropes again and he hits a chop.  Kick by Nicholls, snapmare, and he applies a reverse chinlock.  Xtra Large struggles back up and hits a series of elbow, Irish whip by Nicholls, Xtra Large flips himself out to the apron and then back in the ring before hitting an armdrag.  Dropkick by Xtra Large, Nicholls rolls out of the ring as Xtra Large goes up to the top turnbuckle, but Nicholls jumps up on the apron and knocks Xtra Large back to the mat.  Nicholls gets on the apron but Xtra Large knocks Nicholls out to the floor, he then gets on the apron and hits a shoot star press down to the floor.  Xtra Large slides Nicholls back in the ring, cover, but it gets a two count.  Xtra Large goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a tornillo, cover, but it gets another two.  Nicholls roils out of the ring to re-group, Xtra Large slides out of the ring and throws Nicholls back in.  Nicholls rolls himself out to the apron and he kicks Xtra Large when he comes towards him.  Nicholls picks up Xtra Large and elbows him in the head.  Elbows by Nicholls but Xtra Large elbows him back, slaps by Nicholls and he hits a lariat in the corner.  Chops by Nicholls in the corner and he applies a reverse chinlock, snapmare by Nicholls and he puts on the reverse chinlock again.  Nicholls knees Xtra Large, Irish whip to the corner but Xtra Large kicks Nicholls back.  Strike combination by Xtra Large, Irish whip to the corner and Xtra Large hits a jumping kick.  Running double knee strike by Xtra Large, cover, and it gets a two count.  Xtra Large puts Nicholls up on his shoulders but Nicholls elbows him off.  Chops by Xtra Large, Irish whip, Xtra Large kicks Nicholls back and he hits a quick lariat.  Spinebuster by Nicholls and he hits a sliding lariat.  Cover, and it gets a two count.  Nicholls picks up Xtra Large and goes for a suplex but Xtra Large lands on his feet.  Nicholls drops Xtra Large out on the apron, Xtra Large goes for a swandive move but Nicholls catches him with a lariat.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Nicholls gets Xtra Large up on his shoulders and he hits a death valley driver, cover, but Xtra Large gets a shoulder up.  Mikey Bomb by Nicholls, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Mikey Nicholls

Match Thoughts:  I hate to always point this out but the name is misleading, Xtra Large is smaller than I am.  This was a pretty good match, its best trait really being that for the entire match they kept it moving so it never got a chance to drag or get boring.  I was impressed that everything was pretty crisp, sometimes odd pairings don’t come out well but they had pretty good chemistry together.  I am not sure where the SSP came from but I love the move so I am not complaining.  Nothing memorable but nothing really wrong with it either.  Score:  6.0

Maybach Taniguchi vs. Shane Haste
Marufuji punches Haste in the corner as the match starts and they trade elbows.  Haste throws Taniguchi into the corner and hits an elbow, but Taniguchi switches positions with him and chokes Haste in the corner.  In the middle of the ring they trade elbows, Taniguchi pushes Haste in to the ropes but Haste throws Taniguchi out of the ring.  Taniguchi gets on the apron but Haste dropkicks him to the floor.  Haste goes to do a tope suicida but Taniguchi hits him in the head with a chair as he dives out.  Taniguchi picks up Haste and throws him into the guard rail.  Taniguchi then takes Haste up into the crowd and hits him with a chair.  Taniguchi picks up Haste and throws him into the crowd again.  Taniguchi picks up Haste and brings him back towards the ring, and he throws Haste into the guard rail again before returning to the ring.  Kenou slides Haste back into the ring, Taniguchi picks him up, Irish whip, and Taniguchi hits a back bodydrop.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Stomps by Taniguchi to the back and he clubs on Haste.  Haste fights back with elbows and an uppercut, Haste goes off the ropes but Taniguchi hits a shoulderblock.  Taniguchi picks up Haste and hits a scoop slam before applying a camel clutch.  Haste makes it to the ropes to force a break, elbows by Haste but Taniguchi rakes him in the eyes.  Irish whip by Taniguchi from the corner and Taniguchi hits a lariat.  Irish whip by Taniguchi but Haste uppercuts him as he charges in and then hits a dropkick.  Taniguchi falls out of the ring and Haste sails out onto him (and an angry woman in the front row) with an elbow suicida.  Haste slides Taniguchi back into the ring and hits a jumping kick in the corner.  Cannonball by Haste, he picks up Taniguchi and goes for a suplex but Taniguchi lands on his feet.  Powerslam by Taniguchi, he picks up Haste and goes for a chokeslam but Haste pushes him off.  Haste charges Taniguchi but Taniguchi puts the referee in front of him and Haste hits the referee by accident.  Taniguchi gets his big metal stick and hits Haste with it, he then pins Haste in the corner with it but Haste throws some nunchucks at him.  Lariat by Haste and he applies a choke with the  nunchucks.  Kenou and Ohara run in to stomp on Haste, but Haste fights them off and hits a lariat onto Ohara.  Haste goes off the ropes and hits a lariat to Taniguchi, he picks him back up and a sit-down powerbomb, cover, but Taniguchi gets a shoulder up.  Haste picks up Taniguchi again and nails the Bomb Valley Death, cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winner:  Shane Haste

Match Thoughts:  I’m one of the few people apparently that likes Taniguchi’s gimmick, NOAH was so boring for so long with no real ‘characters’ that I am enjoying they finally made one.  The lady in the front row getting mad that Haste landed on her was hilarious and made the match worth watching just for that, I mean if you are in the front row at a wrestling show these things happen.  The match got a little plodding a few times and the stands brawling went on a bit too long, but overall it was a good match.  Haste is really being put over strong as he essentially got over on the entire Morishima Army (except Morishima himself) and picked up the convincing win.  An enjoyable match.  Score:  6.5

Mohammed Yone and Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Shinya Ishikawa and Ryuichi Kawakami
Nakajima and Kawakami start things off.  Tie-up, Kawakami pushes Nakajima into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Waistlock by Nakajima, reversed by Kawakami but Nakajima reverses it back.  Wristlock by Kawakami but Nakajima rolls out of it and reverses the hold.  Kawakami reverses it back but Nakajima applies a hammerlock.  Kawakami reverses it, side headlock by Nakajima, Kawakami muscles out of it and applies a side headlock of his own, Nakajima Irish whips out of it and kicks Kawakami.  Kawakami fires back with a shoulderblock, and Ishikawa runs in to knock Yone off the apron.  Double Irish whip to Nakajima and they hit a double shoulderblock.  Kawakami stomps Nakajima and elbows him but Nakajima elbows Kawakami back and they trade shots.  Kawakami goes off the ropes but Nakajima knees him in the stomach.  Kawakami rolls out to the apron and Nakajima boots him down to the floor.  Yone slides Kawakami back into the ring, and Nakajima hits a scoop slam.  Nakajima tags in Yone, and Yone hits a scoop slam.  Leg drop by Yone and he knocks Ishikawa off the apron.  Yone kicks Kawakami in the back, cover, but it gets a two count.  Yone tags in Nakajima, Irish whip by Nakajima to Kawakami and he hits a back elbow.   Nakajima knocks Ishikawa off the apron, Nakajima picks up Kawakami and kicks him in the back again.  Big boot by Nakajima to Ishikawa, Nakajima then applies a reverse chinlock to Kawakami.  Headscissors by Nakajima but Kawakami gets into the ropes.  Nakajima tags in Yone, snapmare by Yone and he applies a headscissors to Kawakami.  Kawakami gets into the ropes again, and Yone tags in Nakajima.  Nakajima picks up Kawakami, elbow by Kawakami but Nakajima elbows him back.  Kawakami goes off the ropes but Nakajima applies a sleeper.  Kawakami gets into the ropes again, Nakajima throws Kawakami into the corner, reversed, and Nakajima boots Kawakami in the head.  Flapjack by Kawakami, and he makes the tag to Ishikawa.

Ishikawa Irish whips Nakajima and he hits a hard elbow.  Ishikawa picks up Nakajima, Irish whip to the corner and Ishikawa hits an elbow.  Another elbow by Ishikawa, cover, but it gets a two count.  Ishikawa picks up Nakajima, Nakajima goes off the ropes but Ishikawa apples a cobra twist.  Nakajima gets into the ropes to force a break, stomps by Ishikawa, he picks up Nakajima and applies a waistlock but Nakajima gets out of it and reverses the hold.  They trade waistlocks, elbow by Ishikawa and he goes off the ropes but Nakajima kicks Ishikawa in the chest.  Nakajima tags in Yone, Yone kicks Ishikawa when he charges in but Ishikawa kicks him back.  Elbow by Ishikawa but Yone delivers a jumping kick.  Kicks to the chest by Yone but Ishikawa gets back up and they trade elbows.  Yone goes off the ropes but Ishikawa catches him with a dropkick.  Ishikawa tags in Kawakami, elbows by Kawakami, Irish whip, reversed, and Kawakami hits an elbow.  Irish whip by Kawakami to the corner and he hits an elbow.  Double Irish whip to the corner to Yone, Ishikawa hits an elbow and Kawakami hits an elbow as well.  Double vertical suplex to Yone, cover by Kawakami but it gets a two count.  Waistlock by Kawakami but Yone elbows out of it, German suplex by Kawakami but Nakajima runs in.  Yone lariats everybody , and then both he and Nakajima kick Kawakami.  Cover, but Ishikawa breaks it up.  Nakajima dumps Ishikawa out of the ring and goes out after him, while in the ring Yone goes off the ropes and hits a shoulderblock.  Kawakami doesn’t go down, Yone goes off the ropes again but Kawakami hits an exploder.  Kawakami goes for a slam but Yone elbows him off and they trade elbows.  Kawakami goes off the ropes, lariat by Yone and he delivers a high kick.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Yone puts Kawakami up on the top turnbuckle and he hits a Muscle Buster.  Cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winners:  Mohammed Yone and Katsuhiko Nakajima

Match Thoughts:   Yone was the person I least wanted to pick on the win so of course he did, I just think in general he is a waste of space at this point in his career.  Anyway aside from that this was not a bad match, but not a great one either.  The big moves didn’t mean much as it wasn’t long before they were just trading elbow again, and the submission holds on Kawakami came across as just filling time since they meant nothing in the grand scheme of the match itself.  The action was fundamentally sound but lacking anything interesting.  Score:  5.0

KENTA and Takashi Sugiura vs. Naomichi Marufuji and Atsushi Kotoge
Marufuji and KENTA start things off.  They jockey for position to start, wristlock by KENTA but Marufuji reverses it.  KENTA reverses it back but Marufuji flips out of the hold. Kick to the leg by KENTA but Marufuji ducks the PK and returns to this feet.   KENTA pushes Marufuji into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Marufuji pushes KENTA into the ropes this time and Marufuji also gives a clean break.  KENTA pushes Marufuji back into the corner and Marufuji tags in Kotoge.  KENTA tags in Sugiura as well, Kotoge and Sugiura circle each other, side headlock by Sugiura, Kotoge can’t Irish whip out of it and Sugiura keeps the hold locked on.  Kotoge finally gets out of it but Sugiura shoulderblocks him down.  Waistlock by Sugiura, snapmare by Kotoge and he goes off the ropes but Sugiura ducks the kick.  Kicks by Kotoge in the corner, Irish whip, and Kotoge hits a jumping elbow.  Kotoge hits an armbreaker but Sugiura elbows Kotoge away.  Kick by Kotoge and he hits another armbreaker.  Elbows by Sugiura but Kotoge hits him back and they trade elbows and headbutts.  Kotoge gets the better of it with his headbutt, he picks up Sugiura and tags in Marufuji.  Marufuji drops to the floor and hits a running dropkick while Sugiura’s head is on the second rope.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Marufuji applies a reverse chinlock to Sugiura and rakes his eyes with his boot.  Neck twist by Marufuji, cover, but it gets a two count.  Marufuji picks up Sugiura, he chops Sugiura into the corner and he tags in Kotoge.  Kotoge and Marufuji both put pressure on Sugiura’s arm in the corner and Marufuji hits an armbreaker over the ropes.  Snapmare by Kotoge and he drops a knee onto Sugiura’s arm.  Kotoge applies a stretch hold to Sugiura, they trade elbows and Kotoge hits a big boot followed by a dropkick.  Sugiura falls out of the ring, Kotoge goes to do a dive but Sugiura catches him and hits a gutwrench suplex onto the floor.  Sugiura drives Kotoge into the guard rail and pounds him in the back.  KENTA comes over and kicks Kotoge in the back, KENTA picks up Kotoge and drives her back-first into the apron.  KENTA picks up Kotoge and slides him into the ring, cover by Sugiura but it gets a two count.  Kick to the back by Sugiura and he tags in KENTA.  KENTA applies a crab hold to Kotoge but Kotoge gets to the ropes.  KENTA tags in Sugiura, and Sugiura puts Kotoge in a crab hold as well.  Marufuji comes in and elbows Sugiura, but Sugiura knocks Marufuji out of the ring with a big boot.  Sugiura picks up Kotoge, headbutt by Kotoge, Sugiura goes for a suplex but Kotoge lands on his feet.  Dropkick by Kotoge and he makes the hot tag to Marufuji.  Marufuji elbows both Sugiura and KENTA, he goes off the ropes and Marufuji hits a lariat.  Marufuji picks up Sugiura and applies a cobra clutch into a Backstabber, cover, but he gets a two count.  Irish whip by Marufuji, reversed, Marufuji kicks Sugiura back and he rolls up Sugiura, but Sugiura gets out of it.

Spear by Sugiura to Marufuji and he hits a big boot in the corner.  Jumping lariat by Marufuji, Irish whip, reversed, high kick by Marufuji and he hits a second one.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Marufuji picks up Sugiura and goes for the Shiranui but Sugiura blocks it and hits a release German suplex.  Superkick by Marufuji but Sugiura hits a series of elbows and both wrestlers fall to the mat.  Sugiura tags in KENTA and KENTA hits a swandive missile dropkick.  Kick by KENTA in the corner and he hits a running dropkick.  Kotoge runs in but KENTA knocks him down with a lariat.  KENTA picks up Marufuji and goes for the Go 2 Sleep but Marufuji gets out of it, Marufuji goes off the ropes but KENTA hits a powerslam for a two count.  Marufuji picks up KENTA, Irish whip by KENTA but Marufuji dropkicks KENTA.  Marufuji tags in Kotoge, Kotoge charges KENTA but KENTA moves out of the way.  KENTA dropkicks Marufuji off the apron while Sugiura comes in the ring, Irish whip to Kotoge to the corner but Kotoge avoids both of their charges.  Face crusher by Kotoge to KENTA and he dropkicks Sugiura.  KENTA goes up to the second turnbuckle, he grabs KENTA and applies a choke over the top rope.  Kotoge goes out to the apron, he rolls in and hits a cutter.  Cover, but it gets a two count.  Kotoge picks up KENTA and goes for the Killswitch, but KENTA blocks it.  Drop toehold by KENTA and he applies a STF, but Kotoge makes it to the ropes.  KENTA picks up Kotoge, he puts Kotoge on his shoulders but Kotoge slides off and hits an enzigieri.  Kotoge goes to the apron, Marufuji kicks KENTA as Kotoge goes for a swandive body press, but KENTA gets his knees up.  Sugiura grabs Kotoge from the floor and then gets in the ring, and Sugiura plants Kotoge with a spear.  KENTA goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving doublestomp.  Cover, but Marufuji breaks it up.  Sugiura throws Marufuji out of the ring again, KENTA picks up Kotoge but Kotoge hits a backslide for a two count.  Roll-up by Kotoge, but he gets another two.  Superkick by Kotoge and he hits a second and a third.  Leg Kick by Kotoge, cover, but KENTA barely gets his shoulder up.  Kotoge picks up KENTA and goes for the Killswitch, but KENTA blocks it.  Kotoge drop toeholds KENTA into the second rope and kicks him, he goes off the far ropes but KENTA moves and hits a lariat.  Cover, but it gets a two count when Marufuji breaks it up.  Kick combination by KENTA and he hits the Busaiku Knee Kick.  Cover, but Kotoge gets a shoulder up.  KENTA picks up Kotoge, elbows by Kotoge and a headbutt, more headbutts by Kotoge but KENTA gets Kotoge on his shoulders and hits the Go 2 Sleep.  Cover, and he picks up the three count.  Your winners:  KENTA and Takashi Sugiura

Match Thoughts:  I loved the match until the end, but even with that it was really pretty great.  Kotoge got an equal chance to shine against Sugiura and KENTA, even winning a strike battle against Sugiura, so I am glad I am not the only one that sees a lot of potential in him.  KENTA and Marufuji of course have great chemistry together as they have wrestled with and against each other for over a decade now.  I really didn’t like the end where Kotoge shrugs off the Knee Kick, gives KENTA a few hard headbutts which KENTA then promptly shrugs off and wins with the GTS, I don’t mind some ‘fighting spirit’ but it just wasn’t very well done and made the moves seem a lot less significant.  Still, it was a great fast paced and hard hitting match that I’d definitely recommend for a view.  Score:  8.0

(c) Takeshi Morishima vs. Yuji Nagata
This match is for the GHC Heavyweight Championship.  Tie-up to start, Nagata pushes Morishima into the ropes and he gives a clean break.  Tie-up, Morishima gets Nagata to the ropes but Nagata ducks Morishima’s lariat and hits a series of elbows.  Morishima returns fire, Nagata goes off the ropes but Morishima hits a shoulderblock.  Nagata rolls out of the ring but quickly gets back in, Morishima ends up on the apron and Nagata boots him off down to the floor.  Morishima returns after a moment and they jockey for position, takedown by Nagata and he applies a knee lock.  Kicks to the leg by Nagata and he applies a single leg crab hold.  Leglock by Nagata and he pulls back on Morishima’s leg.  Morishima gets to the ropes to force a break, back up they lock knuckles, Nagata pushes Morishima into the ropes but Morishima chop him.  They trade elbows, kicks to the arm by Nagata and he knocks Morishima off his feet.  Morishima rolls out of the ring and Nagata goes out after him, knees by Nagata and he throws Morishima into the railing.  Morishima fires back with a lariat, and Taniguchi stomps on Nagata. Nagata fights back, Kenou comes over to help and Nagata is double teamed while Morishima gets back into the ring.  The referee goes out to restore order, Nagata gets back in the ring and Morishima stomps Nagata down in the corner.  Butt smash by Morishima and he hits a second one.  Morishima delivers a third running butt smash, Morishima picks up Nagata and he throws him into another corner.  Morishima puts Nagata over the second rope and he chokes Morishima with his leg, body press by Morishima but it gets a two count. Morishima applies a reverse chinlock, he picks up Nagata as Taniguchi comes in the ring, they throw Nagata into the corner but Nagata boots Taniguchi and Morishima.  Kick to the chest by Nagata and he kicks him again.  Nagata picks up Morishima and knees him in the chest.  Nagata knocks Morishima into the corner and hits a few more elbows.  Irish whip by Nagata and he hits a big boot in the corner followed by an exploder.

Nagata picks up Morishima and hits an armbreaker.  Another armbreaker by Nagata and he applies a seated armbar, Kenou and Taniguchi get on the apron but Nagata knocks them off.  Nagata goes back to Morishima and clubs him in the back, Morishima chops Nagata and they trade strikes.  Nagata goes off the ropes and hits a big boot, sending Morishima into the referee.  Shoulderblock by Morishima, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Nagata has recovered and joins him.  Headbutts by Nagata but Kenou runs in the ring and hits Nagata with the kendo stick.  Ohara comes in the ring too, Nagata is thrown in the apron and both Kenou and Ohara hit running strikes.  Lariat by Morishima and he goes for a backdrop suplex, but Nagata elbows out of it.  Elbows by Nagata, he goes off the ropes but Taniguchi hits him with a chair from the floor.  Heel kick by Nagata and both wrestlers are on the mat.  Exploder by Nagata but Morishima fires back with a lariat, waistlock by Nagata but Morishima elbows out of it.  Jumping kick by Nagata, he goes off the ropes but Morishima hits a lariat.  Another lariat by Morishima, cover, but it gets a two count. Morishima picks up Nagata and drops him with the backdrop driver, cover, but Nagata barely gets a shoulder up.  Lariat to the back of the head by Morishima, he goes off the ropes but Nagata kicks him in the arm and hits a release German suplex.  Release backdrop suplex by Nagata and he hits a knee in the corner.  Morishima chops Nagata off but Nagata applies the seated armbar.  Morishima gets a foot on the bottom rope, Nagata picks him up and he hits another jumping kick.  Wrist-clutch exploder by Nagata, cover, but it gets a two count when the referee is pulled out of the ring.  Kenou gets in the ring and kicks Nagata, then Ohara hits a sliding kick.  Chokeslam by Taniguchi, Ohara gets a table and slides it into the ring.  They set up the table, they put Nagata up on the top turnbuckle but Haste and Nicholls run down and clear the ring of the Morishima Army.  The table is laid back down, and Nagata hits a brainbuster onto the table.  Nagata picks up Morishima and he hits a backdrop suplex.  Cover, but Morishima gets a shoulder up.  Nagata picks up Morishima, Morishima clubs him off but Nagata hits a high kick.  Nagata picks up Morishima and nails the Backdrop Hold for the three count.  Your winner and new champion:  Yuji Nagata

Match Thoughts:   The action itself was fine, it was more the story I had an issue with.  Morishima is of course a heel and cheated during the entire match with his cronies (apparently this was an unannounced No DQ match), but Nagata was an invading wrestler with no prior ties to NOAH.  The crowd kinda cheered for Nagata since he was the face, but on the other hand normally the invading wrestler from New Japan is not cheered.  They spent a few months putting over the Morishima Army, and the wrestler they have to overcome the odds and beat him for the belt is a wrestler from another promotion?  Just very confusing, it pretty much killed the Morishima Army and they didn’t put over any of their own wrestlers in the process.  Aside from some selling issues the match itself was perfectly acceptable although nothing special, but the layout was just too odd for me to fully comprehend.  Score: 5.5

Final Thoughts:

Best Match: KENTA and Takashi Sugiura vs. Naomichi Marufuji and Atsushi Kotoge. Aside from them getting a little carried away at the end, I thought that this was a great match. Kotoge is really coming into his own, he isn’t a flawless wrestler by any stretch but everything he did in this match was on point and he was given a lot by KENTA and Sugiura. Marufuji has been wrestling KENTA and Sugiura for so long they have great chemistry, and the match never slowed down for twenty minutes. Really entertaining co-main event.

MVP:  Atsushi Kotoge.  Even though he got pinned, Kotoge stood out the most on this event. He went toe to toe with both Sugiura and KENTA, and at times came out ahead of both of the veteran NOAH stars. He hit all his moves very crisply and sold moves well also, if this was a main event this could have been a star-making match. He still needs to pick up a big NOAH win, but he definitely appears to be going in the right direction.

Overall:  Except for the main event not delivering on a logic level, this was a good event. I am really enjoying the different factions in NOAH, even though the Morishima Army didn’t come out looking great at least TMDK did, and it made the matches a lot more interesting. There was only one not particularly good match on the card and most were above average. The main event from an in-ring standpoint was fine, I just didn’t like the story it was trying to tell, I think a NOAH wrestler would have been better in the Nagata role. Overall, a light recommendation.

Grade: B-

Kevin Wilson of Puroresucentral.com

Honky Tonk Man Owns Trademark To Another Character, Bobby Heenan Celebrates Birthday

By
Jim Somers
-
0

– WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan turns 70 years old today while former WWE Superstar Tyler Reks turns 36.

– WWE Legend The Honky Tonk Man noted on social media that he owns the trademark for “The Patriot” and that the trademark was recently accepted for renewal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Former WWE star “The Patriot” Del Wilkes still uses the name on the indies. Honky, who has apparently owned the trademark since 2007, wrote the following on Twitter:

“Del Wilkes has no claim to my trademark.”

WWE Comments On Current Lawsuits, Says Billy Jack Haynes Claims Are Without Merit

By
Brian Grey
-
0

Source: PWInsider

WWE filed their 10-Q quarterly report with the SEC today and commented on current lawsuits against the company, including the lawsuit from former WWE star Billy Jack Haynes. They wrote:

“On July 26, 2014, the Company received notice of a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, entitled Warren Ganues and Dominic Varriale, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Vincent K. McMahon and George A. Barrios, alleging violations of federal securities laws based on certain statements relating to the negotiation of WWE’s domestic television license. The complaint seeks certain unspecified damages. A nearly identical lawsuit was filed one month later entitled Curtis Swanson, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Vincent K. McMahon and George A. Barrios. Both lawsuits are purported securities class actions subject to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”). On September 23-24, five putative plaintiffs filed motions to be appointed lead plaintiff and to consolidate the two cases pursuant to the PSLRA. The Company joined the motion for consolidation made by the putative lead plaintiffs. The Company believes the claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against them.On October 25, 2014, the Company received notice of a purported class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, entitled William Albert Haynes III, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. alleging, among other things, that the Company concealed and denied medical research and evidence concerning traumatic brain injuries suffered by WWE’s performers. The Company believes the claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against them.

In addition to the foregoing, we are involved in several other litigations and claims that we consider to be in the ordinary course of our business. By its nature, the outcome of litigation is not known but the Company does not currently expect this litigation to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. We may from time to time become a party to other legal proceedings.”

CM Punk Resumes Tweeting, WWE Looks At The ‘RKO Outta Of Nowhere’ Video Craze, Trish Stratus

By
Jim Somers
-
0

– WWE looks at the “RKO Outta of Nowhere” viral video craze in this video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnTw569xlhw

– Trish Stratus briefly trended as the No. 1 topic on Yahoo.com this afternoon.

– Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has resumed tweeting after sending out an angry message last month about a picture that was being sent to him on the social media platform—believed to be a photo of himself and AJ Lee from his wedding day. He sent out this message and re-tweeted several photos of fans dressed up as him for Halloween.

View image on Twitter

Coach        ✔ @CMPunk

Seriously, Happy Halloween!

Meanwhile, Madusa posted this photo of herself with Punk at a Monster Jam show that took place earlier this year in Chicago, Illinois. Punk was complementary of Madusa in a “WWE Countdown” episode looking at the most dangerous Divas.

#tbt look who likes monster trucks…. Yeppers #cmpunk came out to say hello

A post shared by Madusa/AlundraBlayze (@madusa_rocks) on

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