The third instalment of my weekly roundup is here. This week there is plenty to get through including NJPW, CMLL, Marigold, NOAH, Roseland, Marvelous from the week and a look at some classic CMLL and Portland. The fact that my first time covering the Portland territory comes at the same time as one of the biggest Portland shows of 2024 occurs in the Roseland theatre is a complete coincidence. However, it serves as a unique chance to see how much wrestling has changed in Portland in the last 41 years.
NJPW Destruction In Kobe
Douki vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Chris Charlton revealed what I thought was a very interesting fact prior to this match. This is only Kanemaru’s third time challenging for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Kanemaru despite being well in his 40s now is still a very good wrestler and I think him only having 3 title challenges is a testament to how strong the division has been for the last 8 years.
This was a title clash between former stablemates in both Suzuki Gun and more recently Just 5 Guys. Kanemaru of course now being a member of the villainous House of Torture. Douki is a very fun wrestler to watch with his unique style. Kanemaru really focused on punishing the legs of Douki here. Unsurprisingly, for a HoT match, Sho intervened and attempted to cause a distraction at ringside. Douki was able to overcome this and secure the victory. I think on this occasion the interference even helped the match. A future title match was set up between Douki and Sho after the match.
Match rating: 3.75
David Finlay vs Yoshi -Hashi
David Finlay’s IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion is on the line as he takes on Yoshi-Hashi. The story here is that Yoshi-Hashi is a career underdog. Everything he's achieved he's had to work really hard for, success was never easy for Yoshi-Hashi. It took him a long time to progress in NJPW but he has achieved great tag team success since the pandemic and has become a genuinely really good wrestler. Despite this he is still waiting for his first piece of singles gold in NJPW. David Finlay talks down to him saying the reason he hasn't won a singles title is because he simply doesn't have what it takes. He does not possess the qualities necessary to overcome that challenge.
I think it's fair to say that David Finlay can be a bit hit and miss in big singles matches but I thought he and Yoshi-Hashi really brought out the best in each other here. Finlay was great as the bullish heel and Yoshi-Hashi is so easy to root for in these situations. The crowd were really into the idea of Yoshi-Hashi finally getting a taste of that singles success that he has been craving for so long. Finlay was not going to make it easy though, Yoshi-Hashi had to dig deep into his bag of tricks to try and upset the champion. He even brought out the Loose Explosion Swanton bomb that we haven't seen in years. Unfortunately, the hearts of Kobe collectively broke as David Finlay hit the overkill for the victory. Yoshi-Hashi comes up short once again. As I said before these two really brought out the best of each other and this is among my favourite singles matches of either man's career.
Match rating: 4.25
CMLL Noche De Campeones
Mascara Dorada, Neon and Star Jr. vs Averno, Euphoria and Mephisto
The World Trios Title match kicks off the show in what turned out to be a very fun opener. The champion team of Dorada, Neon and Star Jr are all young, fast and exciting. Their opponents Los Infernales have a lot more experience, are bigger and stronger and probably a bit meaner too so the dynamic for this match was clear. Neon and Dorada in particular were incredible in this busting out some pretty arm drags and spectacular dives. It was eventually power and experience that won out with Mephisto submitting Dorada to get the decisive fall
Match rating: 3.75
Atlantis Jr. vs Soberano Jr.
Atlantis Jr puts his World Historic Light Heavyweight Title on the line against Soberano Jr. A meeting between one of the best tecnicos and one of the best rudos in CMLL. Most people had Soberano winning here I think. After his recent heel turn a win here seemed like a good opportunity to cement him as one of if not the top rudos on the roster. That didn't happen. Atlantis Jr successfully defended his title with the torture rack submission hold. This was pretty great for the time allotted to it. It could've done with another 5 minutes or so but it was definitely good while it lasted.
Match rating: 4
Futuro vs Rayo Metalico
The main event is here and it's a surprising one as Futuro defends his Mexican National Lightweight Championship against Rayo Metalico. Futuro has been earmarked for a while as one of the most exciting young prospects in CMLL so it's interesting to see how he can do in a main event spot like this. What is even more surprising is that Futuro’s opponent was even more inexperienced than he is. Rayo Metalico is a rookie who hasn't gotten many big opportunities in CMLL at all yet. He is someone that I'll admit I'm not very familiar with. I do remember him being in the Torneo de Escuelas earlier this year but he was not someone that particularly caught my eye during it (and there was more than a handful who did). It's important to mention that the match order and title challengers for this show were decided by fan vote. Honestly, I'm not sure exactly how that voting system works but this was a really surprising main event, especially considering some of the earlier matches on the card.
This was definitely the biggest match of Futuro’s career and he really aimed to impress. He looked really smooth and hit a wonderful tope suicida. Metalico didn't have an incredible breakout performance but he more than held his own too. Shockingly Metalico got the win with a great crucifix driver after 11 minutes in a big upset. Future had to be stretchered out of the ring. It is rare to see two wrestlers so inexperienced work a singles match in the main event of Arena Mexico but I think they delivered here despite not being match of the night.
Match rating: 3.5
Marigold Dream Star Grand Prix - Day 8
Miku Aono vs Nanae Takahashi
The final day of the Marigold Dream Star Grand Prix has arrived and we were treated to a clash between two of the best competitors on the roster. This went to a 15 minute time limit draw and was a very good hard hitting affair as expected.
Match rating: 3.75
NOAH UK Tour 2024 - Day 1
Lykos Gym vs Los Golpeadores
The NOAH UK tour aired on Wrestle Universe this week and this was probably the best match it produced. Los Golpeadores are strong contenders for tag team of the year. They are operating at a really high level right now and that showed here. This was a fast paced tag but Alpha Wolf managed to surprise me with some really good match work in the early part of the match. The time limit draw finish was a bit disappointing but this was still a really cool meeting between one of Mexico's and the UK’s best tag teams.
Match rating: 4
NOAH UK Tour 2024 Day - 3
Luke Jacobs vs Masa Kitamiya vs Yoshiki Inamura
If you asked me what my number 1 match for a crossover event between NOAH and Progress would be, my answer would probably have been Luke Jacobs vs Masa Kitamiya or Luke Jacobs vs Yoshiki Inamura. Well, they decided to combine it into one big three way for the Progress World championship. This is exactly what you'd expect, a big meat fest with plenty of hard hits, shoulder tackles and suplexes. I only wish it went longer, they definitely had more in the tank when Luke Jacobs got the pin to retain his title after 13 minutes.
Match rating: 3.75
Kaito Kiyomiya vs Ricky Knight Jr.
Kaito Kiyomiya defends his GHC Heavyweight Championship against RKJ in the electric ballroom. The crowd never really got into this but the work is really solid. I guess a lot of them weren't too familiar with Kiyomiya. This was never going to be one of Kaito’s best defences but I think RKJ rose to the occasion reasonably well here. A good title match but not something worth going out of your way to see unless you're particularly interested in either man. Kaito got the win with the shining wizard.
Match rating: 3.75
West Coast Pro/Prestige/DPW Roseland 9
Kevin Blackwood vs Trevor Lee
Before this match, I would have said that Trevor Lee has had a slightly underwhelming post-WWE run but I think this was his best performance thus far as he challenged Kevin Blackwood for the WCP Heavyweight Title. They told the story of Blackwood being inspired by Lee and how they are both similarly styled wrestlers. Now has to prove he is still that guy after his WWE run. These two were very evenly matched, it was a war of attrition where it seemed like neither man would give in. Both guys use a diving foot stomp off the top rope as a finisher so it became clear that the first person to successfully hit it would get the win. That man was Kevin Blackwood and he retained the title to a great ovation from the crowd.
Match rating: 4
Calvin Tankman vs Donovan Dijak
This time Calvin Tankman’s DPW World's Title is on the line against Donovan Dijak. I think Dijak was in a similar boat to Trevor Lee with having a slightly underwhelming post-WWE run so far but this was definitely his best showing since his release. Dijak made his name on the indies working agile big man matches on the indies vs Keith Lee in particular. This match definitely followed that formula. These are both heavyweight guys but they both tried to show the other they were more agile than the other. However, make no mistake they were not shy about showing off their power either. This could especially be seen when Tankman hit Dijak with a pounce sending him toppling over the top rope to the floor. Tankman got the win with the Tankman driver. A big agile meat fest in front of a hot crowd. What's not to love?
Match rating: 4.25
Marvelous 29/09/2024
Takumi Iroha vs Riko Kawahata
Iroha successfully defends her AAAW Title in a fantastic match. Iroha has long been one of the premier joshi talents but this was a huge performance from Kawahata. The best of her career to date
Match rating: 4.25
Classic matches
As always the classic matches are sourced from the Wrestling Playlist project. This is a daily newsletter that takes a chronological look at wrestling footage dating back to the turn of the 20th century. You can subscribe to at https://wrestlingplaylists.substack.com/ This week's matches are from issue #466 of the newsletter.
EMLL 50. Aniverario 23/09/1983
MS-1 vs Sangre Chicana
MS-1 wrestles Sangre Chicana in the main event of the CMLL 50th anniversary show in a best two out of three falls hair vs hair match in front of a packed Arena Mexico. This is probably the most renowned CMLL match of the 80s. There are plenty of people who will tell you this is a surefire 5 star match and an all time great brawl but I wouldn't quite go that far. For me, it is a 1983 match of the year contender but I wouldn't put it in the all time category.
MS-1 jumps Sangre Chicana before he gets into the ring and there is a lot of brawling on the outside in the first fall. Chicana starts bleeding before he can even get into the ring. MS-1 is just pummeling him relentlessly. He rolls Chicana into the ring and hits a diving splash off the top rope to win the first fall. Throughout all of this Chicana has not had a single piece of offence.
MS-1 continues his onslaught into the second fall when the best moment of the match occurs. Chicana dodges a right hand and blasts MS-1 with a haymaker of a right hand causing him to stumble off his feet. We are well into the second fall and this is Chicana’s first offence of the match. He follows up with a second punch and a third causing MS-1 to stumble out of the ring. Chicana’s selling throughout all of this is amazing. Chicana bounces off the ropes and hits MS-1 with a tope suicidal and wins the second fall via count-out. The match becomes a full on bloodbath in the third fall with both men bleeding profusely. The result of MS-1 dominating the early portion of the match so much is the crowd getting super behind Chicana when he is able to finally exact his revenge and he does exactly that when he submits MS-1 with what I would call a version of the stretch muffler to get the win.
This is definitely a great Lucha brawl of the 80s but in my opinion, the El Satanico vs Atlantis match covered last week is better. This is absolutely a match worth checking out for many reasons though. I'm pretty sure it is the earliest Aniverario match we have on tape and that alone makes it hugely significant and as I said earlier many would consider this an all time classic.
Match rating: 4
PNW 24/09/1983
Dynamite Kid vs Buddy Rose
This was my first time watching a match from the Portland territory. Everyone who has watched this period of Portland raves about Buddy Rose and how good he was so I was really looking forward to seeing this. Rose achieved fame in this territory as a heel but by this point, he was a babyface. Dynamite Kid was the reigning champion and this was a rematch for the title. They had a match the week prior that ended in a time limit draw.
This was a best two out of three falls match. The first fall was definitely wrestled at the fastest pace with Rose doing a really good job at keeping up with Dynamite and even coming up with a British style pin to nearly claim the fall. Dynamite Kid won the first fall with a diving knee drop. Buddy began to slow down in the second fall and Dynamite had him locked in a submission hold he couldn't get out of. Buddy Rose then began attacking and gouging at the face of Dynamite Kid out of desperation. Dynamite released the hold and lost the second fall via an avalanche back suplex. In the third fall, Rose thought he had the match won but Dynamite Kid’s feet were on the ropes so the referee waved off the decision and Dynamite snuck a pinfall on Rose while he was celebrating. The heel gets the win and retains the title but the babyface is booked strongly as such to allow this feud to continue in Portland until the end of 1983.
Match rating: 4
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