NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 Review

The Tokyo Dome gave us something Western TV wrestling rarely does anymore: matches that mean something when the bell rings. We showed up for Wrestle Kingdom 20 a little rusty on New Japan’s rhythm and got a masterclass in pacing, selling, and stakes—from the Young Lions’ Boston Crabs to a farewell that actually felt like goodbye.

We break down how New Japan’s touring model changes storytelling, why Stardom continues to set the standard for women’s wrestling, and how a simple finisher spam becomes art when the body remembers every hit. You’ll hear our take on Bullet Club War Dogs vs United Empire, Andrade finding his gear outside U.S. booking, and the junior heavyweight four-way as a gateway for new fans. Then we dive into two show-stealers: Evil vs Aaron Wolf, where an Olympian strips away the gimmick and chokes out chaos, and Konosuke Takeshita vs Yota Suji, a brutal “Alpha vs Gene Blast” sprint that turns a spear into a closing argument.

Finally, we sit with Okada retiring Tanahashi—not as a stunt, but as a story ending. The final High Fly Flow on knees, the last Rainmaker, and the quiet line that cut deepest: “You look tired.” The locker room tribute, Kabashi’s lock-up, and the weight of legacy brought real closure. If you’ve been missing consequence and continuity, this card might reset your bar.

Subscribe for more deep dives, share with a friend who needs a reminder that wrestling can still feel like sport, and drop your pick for match of the night. Who leads United Empire next—and did Suji just enter the best spear conversation?

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Chapters

• 0:10 Banter And Monikers
• 2:01 Why Watching New Japan Feels Different
• 9:45 Pre-Show Young Lions And Boston Crabs
• 12:34 ELP vs Chris Brookes TV Title
• 16:44 New Japan’s Touring Model Explained
• 25:02 Rambo Rules And TMDK’s Push
• 34:45 Stardom Deep Dive And Joshi Storytelling
• 42:25 Double Women’s Title Showcase
• 55:20 Bullet Club War Dogs vs United Empire
• 1:08:30 Andrade’s Odyssey And Commentary Gaps
• 1:19:08 Junior Heavyweight Four-Way
• 1:26:47 Evil vs Aaron Wolf Stipulations
• 1:37:10 Wolf’s Debut, Selling, And Finish
• 1:45:20 Takeshita vs Suji: Alpha vs Gene Blast
• 1:56:25 Spear Psychology And Boston Crabs
• 2:01:45 Okada vs Tanahashi: Final Chapter
• 2:11:30 Farewell Ceremony And Pillars

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:10

Welcome to another episode of the Big Brothers of Destruction podcast. It's your host who likes to post the Mazaku. Is that the one we're sticking with?

SPEAKER_02: 0:18

Yeah, I like that. The host who likes to post. Because I saw you post I saw you did that in the video that we put on TikTok. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. And so, but uh, it's your boy. Swatch switch in the building.

SPEAKER_01: 0:31

Yeah, I think it's a little bit more clean than the demon that be making your girl screaming or some shit like that. Like it's a little bit more clean. I I mean, sure. But the host who like to post is, you know, say we we try to promote posting more and doing more stuff.

SPEAKER_02: 0:47

So I I I just thought that was gonna be that was just for the fact that you was posting the video. At this point, in my mind, I'm like, you're just gonna change it every time we do it.

SPEAKER_01: 0:55

Nah, nah, I'm I'm sticking to the host who likes to post. I I like that.

SPEAKER_02: 0:58

The host who likes listen, listen, Mr. McKinnon always went and really got you out here. Yeah, man, that joy is fire, bro.

SPEAKER_01: 1:06

I got because you gotta make it, you gotta have a moniker, you have a thing that makes you who you are, just like how you were saying in one of the matches we're gonna talk about.

SPEAKER_02: 1:13

Mr. McKinnon always winning the and he's the host with the most, if I'm not mistaken.

SPEAKER_01: 1:19

Oh man. Um he's the host who's the most oh man, because I said host like the post. Oh man, that kind of almost sounds like a biting. Shit. Yes, he is the host with the most. Oh that's a that's a normal one that people have said before. So like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:34

But you know, but but his main one is Mr. Ken always winning. So there's so that listen, it is up to your discretion. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He seems like a cool guy. I'm sure I'm sure he won't see it as your biting. If anything, he'd probably feel honored that like I that you've inspired that that he's inspired you to want to get get something like that going. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There is that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:56

But but I know you guys are not here to talk to hear us talk about our intros. I know you guys are here for Wrestling. Man, boy, Wrestle Kingdom 20 was an event. I will say that much. Watching Tag League all the way up to Wrestle Kingdom has been a journey to get back into New Japan because I haven't been watching New Japan since 2015-ish, I think it was, when it was starting to peak. And uh, we had AJ Styles, we had Shinsuke still there, we had, you know, Okada, Omega. We even had Chris Jericho over there at one point. So it was like it was a very peak season for New Japan, and for it to now have a is the this is technically the end of an era. As uh Hiro Tanahashi, um he has uh he has retired. He has retired with this match, and we're gonna go over this card because it's a very interesting card. Some matches you're like, oh, I'm actually excited about that. And some matches like I miss a match.

SPEAKER_02: 3:01

So I would easily say, because this honestly was really dang it. There we go. What the fuck? Anyway, this honestly was my this is easily has been from going through the tag league to this, this is my very first ever New Japan run of watching the product kind of thing. Cause like in the past, New Japan was always you hear about it, and and certain small, very, very small sectors of friends would talk about it, but it was never something that I necessarily locked into. And there was a point where I did really want to lock into it when I when Cody Rhodes went over there, but I still never did, and that was mostly just because I'll be honest with you, I am a lazy watcher of content, okay? Like, I've always been, and I still am that way. If it's not live on TV when I'm watching it, or if I'm not going to go watch it at like an event or a movie or something like that, nine times out of ten, I'm not going to see it. And so it's like with New Japan, because there's no A watch on on Nickelodeon, New Japan at nine o'clock, you know, like that is crazy. That was like for I don't know why that was the first like. But because it's new, because it's in? However, it may be, because New Japan didn't just come on like a regular channel for me to watch it, I didn't watch it. Like when TNA lost its channel to watch TN TNT or whatever Spike. Exactly. So when when it lost the channel that could be watched on on Spike TV, that was the end of me watching TNA for a very long time. And then when it came back on TV, by the time it did that, I was living in a place where I did not have cable. Therefore, I couldn't watch it. Just like how with uh with Lucha Underground. Now I will say, Lucha Underground first started off with the fact that I didn't even know it was existing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we stumbled upon it, and I did watch it when I could see it on TV. But once cable was gone, I'm not I'm not, I'm not, I've never been one that goes out of his way to find a streaming platform and go to or or a website back then. I was never one to go to a website and then try to watch a TV show or watch something that I was interested in. It's pretty much you put it in your face, you know, you gotta watch it. Exactly. Like, cause because with that way, I don't have to make uh I the time has already been made. I just have to be there for the time for it to show. That's why I like with what regular wrestling right now, I know I need to be somewhere in front of a TV at 8 o'clock to watch Raw on Monday. I know I need to be in front of a TV at 8 o'clock to watch uh uh uh NXT or AEW on the days that they come on. With uh with TNA, it's a little it's still a little harder for me to watch it because it's like I have to go to a particular website at this time when they post it, and it's like I I prefer that I I like that live element because then it's like I know okay, that's when it shows up. Alright, I know I need to be there for that. Because in other ways, when it comes to certain content like that, if I know that, oh hey, uh this just got this got posted this morning, go watch it whenever you can. Alright, cool.

SPEAKER_01: 7:04

You know, there's nothing that's forcing you to watch it because it's like if you miss like back in the day when you watched wrestling in the 90s, if you miss Raw, you missed it. Like exactly, and you could not miss it. So uh when you know DVR and stuff like that came out, it was like, okay, you could consume wrestling, you can miss it, and you could pick it up if you missed it, but it it removed the element of it must see TV because you could just record it now.

SPEAKER_02: 7:32

Yes, and I'm unfortunately I I have in more recent times kind of broken that a bit about myself. So it's like I like with with the way that New Japan was for me, I had to throughout my day makeshift my own time to watch New Japan. And in the midst of those times, you know, those times where it's like I could watch New Japan or I could sit here and play all my game or or or go and do this or go and do that.

SPEAKER_01: 8:05

Yeah, but very much similar mindsets, by the way. Very, very similar mindsets.

SPEAKER_02: 8:09

So it's all like I'm like, but now now I have, but because it's just it's there for me to watch it, but it's not like a uh if I don't watch it, it's going I won't be able to watch it again type thing. It's it's that whole idea of like, oh well, I guess I'll watch it later. I'll watch it later. And then all of a sudden now I'm super backed up on my animes and TV shows and still haven't watched Wednesday and Stranger Things, and so so it's it's a process. But going back into the experience of like really finally getting my like getting my hands on some new Japan, it has been it's been fun. It's also been refreshing because the storytelling is different, but there is still some kind of storytelling. Now, granted, there are certain points where I'm like, well, the wrestling business is still gonna be the wrestling business because Jesus Christ, Zack Saber Jr., but you know, we're gonna get into all of that here shortly.

SPEAKER_01: 9:17

Which again, like I said, uh, yes, it will be the business, but at least in a lot of these matches, I I do get surprised by some wins. There are gonna be some matches where I was surprised by the win. There's one match when we get to it. I was like, when you told me what is the stipulation for the match? I already know fucking wins. I already know. So, uh, let's go ahead and talk about the pre-show. Pre-shows with some young lions. Uh, one of them was uh Matsumoto, uh, I think another one was um Yasada, and uh that was another team, by the way. Matsumoto was on a team with um damn, I can't remember the other name. But I remember Matsumoto and Yasada because they were the ones that finished the match. And it finished with a Boston crab, which uh Swag noticed that the Boston crab was a bit different because normally as you apply a Boston crab, you just you sit on it, but this dude was bouncing and adding pressure to the lower body, which is a listen, I was I was what when watching this because at first I didn't even realize this was a pre-show.

SPEAKER_02: 10:26

It wasn't like because like I turned it on and I it was like this pre-show is like two matches. Yeah, and it was like though. And I was like, cuz because you told me it was like, oh, it starts at one. I'm like, alright, cool. I put it on, I was like, alright, so that match that happens. I'm like, oh, it's young lions, okay, cool. It's all young lions doing their thing.

SPEAKER_01: 10:44

And then there was the second match that happened, and after that second match, it like It went back to the It went to that little screen where the music's playing, and I'm just like I ain't gonna lie, I thought for a second mine was off, or like maybe the pre-show was like, okay, this the pre-show. Now you gotta actually go to the the to the video to watch the real show.

SPEAKER_02: 11:08

Bro, like you like it was I literally did that, and then it's like, oh no, it's oh okay, because as I'm now trying to read the stuff that are that's on there that was readable for me, it showed, and then all of a sudden 2 a.m. 2 a.m. Okay. 2 a.m. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:32

I thought we was getting started now. That's what it said on the flyer. I even sent you the flyer, it said 1 a.m.

SPEAKER_02: 11:39

Which you're not wrong. It's just that that was the the pre-show, yeah, which is still considered part of the show, yeah, but it was not the show, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:54

Which I was like, man, but even at 2 a.m. I was like, oh, that's rough. That was exactly what I said next.

SPEAKER_02: 12:01

I was like, oh, okay, 2 a.m. And at this point, I've been up all day playing games, doing this and that.

SPEAKER_01: 12:07

And I'm like, I'm like, I don't know if I'm gonna make this, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 12:13

Oh, this is about to be a this is a marathon right here. Okay, yeah. Yep, yep, yup, yup. So I strapped in.

SPEAKER_01: 12:20

I I will admit, I was in, I've I was in the space for a minute, and you know, my wife sitting next to me as I'm I'm working on something, and I was like, man, it's one o'clock. I guess I'm gonna watch the pay-per-view and babe, because I'm like, man, all right, it's cool. So I started watching pay-per-view, and again, we get to the first match, which is the pre-show, and the second match is ELP versus Chris Brooks from DDT, uh, for the uh the TV, excuse me, the New Japan TV title, which I I'm kind of confused, like how the fuck you got a TV title, but y'all don't have like regular weekly TV.

SPEAKER_02: 12:58

Listen, talk to talk talk to uh goddamn uh ring of honor about about that.

SPEAKER_01: 13:03

Well, they technically post on YouTube, so like they do lives on YouTube, at least uh you know uh all right, but like New Japan system for anybody who's watching New Japan for the first time, New Japan doesn't have a RAW or SmackDown, they go off of a touring system. So what they do is they travel across multiple locations in Japan, and every event you go to is a house show, it's a house show until you get to a pay-per-view, and oftentimes for American audiences, we're weekly episodic shows where we're building storyline to get to a match, right? But New Japan, because of their touring system, every map, every every event is a house show, and because they're house shows, you're getting nothing but tag matches, tag matches, tag matches, and then like one match that builds on story. And some of the tag matches can also build on story too, depending on who they go against. It could be like, for example, TMDK and the knockout brothers, like say Tag League, that whole storyline of them like disliking each other, and you see how uh Yoto Yoto Ice and uh uh uh Zack Saber Jugi, they're in each other's faces, like oh fuck you, fuck you, you know, doing all this shit. And you see uh uh um well though this was a different situation because it was yo it was Yoto and um somebody else, but they were like, no, excuse me, it's gay kid and um Yuda, Yuda Suji, and it was Yoto Ice and uh Oscar, and then you also had Gay Kid. So Gabe and Yoto are in each other's faces, and I forgot who else it was, but it's like two Japanese individuals like just let them do their thing, you know what I'm saying? So they're they're building on a story and elements after the match and causing conflict and stuff like that, but there's no backstage segments, there's no like you know, hey, let me see what you're doing here and then causing conflict, you don't really see those.

SPEAKER_02: 15:04

So and I feel as if that for a while that was uh as someone at the time who was on the outside looking in. It was like I've I used to, and I did say the fact that, you know, New Japan does not have story, but after watching it and you know seeing it up until this point for the last what two months now, I was like, I realize it's not New Japan doesn't not have story, they just tell stories in a very different way. In a different way. Yeah, they tell no it's not just in the ring, but like their stories are long term. They're like like they they are almost the epitome of long-term booking to a certain degree.

SPEAKER_01: 15:56

Yeah, like what kind of wants to do.

SPEAKER_02: 15:58

Yes, and that's because of the fact that New Japan, I feel they they pay and I think also because of the fact that the way that they that New Japan runs, which makes it easy for them, but it's like their their continuity amongst their wrestlers in their character is what is what keeps their stories going, kind of thing. Because as you said, their stories happen in the ring and happens in the match, and the match themselves are what tell the stories. So, for example, when you look at, you know, the main event of tonight, which was Okada going up against Tanahashi, kind of thing, the story between them is not so much of what they've said, it's more so looking at the battles that they've had and the things and their reactions to those battles and what those battles have meant leading up until this point.

SPEAKER_01: 17:08

Yes, and that's why, you know, when everybody was seeing the Okada and Kenny match, Kenny Omega matches, people were loving them because the storytelling in every match leading up to the point where you know Okada's getting ready to do the Rainmaker, and Kenny just drops down because he's not trying to get hit by the uh the Raymaker, so he just collapses, and people were like, that is storytelling. His body just went into you know uh fight or flight moment and said, Hey yo, he's about to do the rainmaker, fuck this. So, yes, their storytelling is definitely different, but the consistency of their characters are what's very prominent because like I was just saying with Yoto Ice and Gabe Kid, these are two hot heads. So if they're gonna get in the ring, they're gonna talk shit to each other, and they're gonna do it every fucking time. There's not gonna be like, oh yeah, we were just talking shit to each other. Hey man, you cool with me, bro. Yo, you're not gonna see that next week. It's yo, anytime I see you, nigga will suck. So I do like that consistency too. But getting back into this match, uh, ELP, which is El Fantasmo, versus Chris Brooks. Chris Brooks was from uh uh Dream is DDT stands for Dream. I want to say it's destination team, I can't remember it, but it's that's what it means. But it's DDT, uh, which is a promotion that actually Kenny Omega and um Takesha are both were both in. Oh yeah. If you notice when the Takesha was coming out, he has uh New Japan, AEW, and DDT as his uh as a his connections because you know a lot of people see DDT as a comedy uh promotion, and but there is some comedy, there's a lot of comedy in it, but there is also uh real wrestling. So um ELP going against Chris Brooks is an introduction to Chris Brooks for me. Pretty decent match. Um there were some spots in there that I was like, man, Chris Brooks, okay. He's a pretty good kid, pretty good, pretty good wrestler. I can see that. But uh ELP, I don't know if he just got this the the the green light from Tanahashi, but he starts Eric Eric guitaring now, and he's somewhat still connected to him. He also had Bret Hart trunks.

SPEAKER_02: 19:28

I yeah, I I I uh I took a note on that. I was like, all right, Brad, I see what we're doing. Because he's Canadian. Oh, oh, oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 19:37

Yeah, even uh even uh ELP's signature is the Canadian Revolution 2. I don't know what the first Canadian Revolution is.

SPEAKER_02: 19:47

Who knows what the first one was?

SPEAKER_01: 19:48

I don't know, I don't know what it was, but Canadian Revolution 2. And actually, a funny thing is there is a website that actually shows wrestlers' finishers, but like from AEW. didn't remember, but LP uh ELP actually was in AEW for a little bit for a couple of matches. So I found a website and I was like, I remember them saying that one of his moves was Thunder Kiss uh 86. And I know there's a song called Thunder Kiss 65, and I was like, wait, did he name it? So I had to look it up. And I looked it up, and there's a website that literally shows them doing all their moves in the moveset. Like literally, like video, like somebody took video and their gifts of them doing the moves.

SPEAKER_02: 20:31

That's actually kind of dope. That that's something. Number one, someone took some time for that. Yes. But that's also just a really dope thing for someone to want to archive and create.

SPEAKER_01: 20:51

Just to be like, what's that person's finisher? So you can see it.

SPEAKER_02: 20:55

Like, it's funny because like because the only other ways that you really see that is if you is if someone actually did find a way to get uploaded on YouTube. Like I was looking up a uh a test not too long ago, and I was looking at how like he did the test driver and stuff, and I was like, It's crossroads. It's it's the crossroads, but Jesus, it's so much better, bro.

SPEAKER_01: 21:21

Like snaps it, that's why.

SPEAKER_02: 21:22

Yes, and that and that and that's what makes it so much because like because I and now now that I'm saying this out loud, the reason why I was looking it up was like, why do I why am I so eh on the crossroads? But I know I like the test drive so much that I'm pretty certain that I, on like the wrestling game, for a while was rocking the test drive. Yeah, because the way they did it was and then he snaps with it, and then the person comes up like, oh you know, yes, because of the because of the t the it's the twerk of when he like just kind of hits that spin. And of course it's the sell. And it's like Cody Rhodes, he doesn't a DDT almost. A little bit. Because it's like, number one, Cody Rhodes does not add nearly enough twerk into it. And it's like, yeah, it's really just like uh, you know, as were Tess was like, uh, yeah. Fuck like straight. Oh man. Listen, Tess drive and the test big boot undefeated latest.

SPEAKER_01: 22:31

Oh yeah, no, Tess was uh a legendary wrestler, but overall with this match on ELP and Chris Brooks, what were your thoughts about it?

SPEAKER_02: 22:39

So as someone who had no idea who any of these motherfuckers were, uh, as and especially also still like in this the the of not of trying to figure out when does this show actually start. Because I'm like going into it, I'm like, I don't remember them talking about this on like any of the promos. Like, where is where the fuck does this match come from? And then but it was a really good match, and I was like, oh, okay, this is this is nice, this is nice. And then I was hit with that, alright, because like that match happened, and it was like 20 minutes till the actual pay-per-view.

SPEAKER_01: 23:16

Yeah. That match was longer than definitely the uh Young Lion match.

SPEAKER_02: 23:19

And so it's like, it's like one, it's like 140, and I'm like, alright, cool. And then it goes to that stream, I'm like, did I click the wrong thing? Am I I thought I said to watch the actual pay-per-view. Is did this happen prior or where are we at?

SPEAKER_01: 23:38

Yeah, no, it it is definitely a a moment where you're curious, like, what the fuck's going on? And then we actually go into the real first match, technically, because in my brain, we on match three. That part.

SPEAKER_02: 23:52

That part.

SPEAKER_01: 23:53

He's on match three.

SPEAKER_02: 23:54

And also, let's just to give an extra special light to New Japan, because this is like the first like New Japan exclusive pay-per-view we've talked about on this podcast. Yes. And so it's like, granted, you know, we we in the very beginning, we said, like, yeah, we're gonna cover New Japan. And it took us a minute. Yeah, but we're here now. And so shout out to New Japan for uh for for showing up. Boy, they showed up tonight, too.

SPEAKER_01: 24:24

Also, shout out to their website that gives you like everything. Like, say if you missed it and you want to be able to talk about it, they give you the entire card, who won, who lost, and how the match ended. And also the time frame. So, like, if you're like, oh yeah, the match was, I don't remember, was it 30 minutes? And it's like, nope, everything is right there.

SPEAKER_02: 24:43

Yeah, no, I like as I was like kind of like like peeping at this uh thing, it's actually real it's really cool because yeah, it literally this next match that we're about to talk about, the the never open six-man tag team tornado tour uh it it was it's a tornado ramp.

SPEAKER_01: 25:02

Yeah, Rambo, yeah. So the the stipulation for the match is you can lose via throwing over the top rope, you can lose from submission, you can lose from pin. So it's pretty much like a Royal Rumble. But here's the thing if you get eliminated, your entire team gets eliminated. So that's the part that really fucking sucks. Because if you're the one that gets bruh, going to the back, it's like, bruh, how the fuck? So yeah, but uh a lot of different tag teams that came in, well, that a lot of different trios, excuse me, uh that came in there. I know it was my boys, the knockout bros with um who was it? Uh was it not bonus? Uh who was their third man? I can't remember their third man right now.

SPEAKER_02: 25:47

It was um wasn't it uh uh Clark Clark Connors?

SPEAKER_01: 25:51

Let me see. Um let me check. So the knockout bros, knockout bros. Okay, so no, uh Oh, it was Clark Connors. Okay, yeah, yeah. So you got Master Wada, you got Yo, you got Yono, which uh Master Yodo actually came out as Yono himself, which is really funny. Um, you got Bolton, you got Yushi, you got Gotto.

SPEAKER_02: 26:15

So for me, when it came to this match, right, I will easily admit I was lost.

SPEAKER_01: 26:25

Yeah, they got photos and everything of this shit too. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02: 26:27

I was I was so lost watching this match because I could not quite grasp what the process was and what was happening. And it was just it was just a lot of it was just a lot of people in the ring and in that space. Although it's interesting because it's like they're coming out because I think they're coming out like one team at a time. Yeah, and so the whole thing like a Royal Rumble, yeah. But like uh it's it's like a Royal Rumble where you come out, but like it's instead of it's just you, it's the whole team coming out there. And I think which I kind of grasped that part, but then it's like if one of your members get out, you're all out. And I think what I think the thing that was kind of like making it not really stick too hard in my brain because like I was getting so how I was getting so confused is that you don't know who's who's part of what team at one point. Yeah, like I don't know who's on whose team, and then it's like literally as people are coming out, people are going as people are coming down to the ring, people are getting eliminated and and going up and back out or or going out the back of the ramp. And I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a second. And so there was never a point where it was like, you know, how when you watch a Royal Rumble or a battle royal of any kind, and then there's just a whole bunch of dudes or motherfuckers fighting in the ring and just throwing hands and just you know doing all that. Then the ring never actually got full.

SPEAKER_01: 27:57

That's a thing that New Japan does, is they they try to honor who's in the ring in one-on-one competition. So a lot of times you just see people outside the ring and they're just like chilling, waiting for the next spot.

SPEAKER_02: 28:10

That part as well was the other thing that had me completely. So, like, all right, so these people are fighting, and these people, there's dudes just outside the ring hosting up, and I was like, what are we doing here? What what's happening? What is happening? And then by the time it really started to sink into how things were going, everything was turning south because here comes Zack Sabre Jr. and his squad.

SPEAKER_01: 28:37

And I'm just like dyed his hair blonde too.

SPEAKER_02: 28:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 28:41

And I was kind of pissed at that. I was like, are you trying to be Zach Saber Jr. now?

SPEAKER_02: 28:46

Bro, bro. Brother. As soon as Zack Saber Jr. showed up, I'm like, no, we're not doing this, are we? We're not doing this. I didn't think they would either. And then at that, and also to add on to that fact for me, like, nah, they're not doing like in my mind, I'm like, and as I'm thinking about it, the commentators say, I'm like, then aren't they supposed to be fighting for titles already? Yeah. Why are they in this match? Literally, and then I and then it's like I see, you know, Yoto Isen and uh uh Oscar in the ring, and I'm like, and then they have and then they start fighting each other, and it was them that eliminated.

SPEAKER_01: 29:31

And that pissed me off.

SPEAKER_02: 29:32

I was like, no, no, we're we're we're really about to do this, huh? We're really about to just ride the jock strap of uh Zach Saber Jr. Zach Saber Jr. and what what the what does he call this? His little clip. This TMDK fucking I'm like uh come on.

SPEAKER_01: 29:50

He's the front man.

SPEAKER_02: 29:52

Yes, yes, he is. Because he he is all wrestling and nothing else. And that's and and and boy, oh boy, does New Japan love their white men who really just love the wrestle?

SPEAKER_01: 30:06

Yeah, they do. They love their gaijans.

SPEAKER_02: 30:08

They don't listen, they they love their guidance. Well, uh, apparently at this point, that well, I guess in their defense, Zack Sabre Jr. is the Gaijan of that company.

SPEAKER_01: 30:20

He's yeah, he's not going to be able to get the bigger. So it's like he's not.

SPEAKER_02: 30:22

You know, in the past where they've had Finn Balor and uh AJ Styles with the Good Brothers, when they've had the the the Bucks, Omega.

SPEAKER_01: 30:34

The Bucs was also really good guyjens. They also protected, but then they left right down.

SPEAKER_02: 30:39

Yeah, they had they had like because like they had the the bucks they had Bucks, Omega, Omega, and Cody Rhodes, the nightmare. And so when you look at their Gaijan landscape right now, as far as namesake value and uh overall status, Zach is the guy is all they have.

SPEAKER_01: 31:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 31:04

And that to me is horrible.

SPEAKER_01: 31:07

I mean, you do have David Finley, but like But he ain't there yet.

SPEAKER_02: 31:10

No, he ain't there. Cause I do agree, I think David Finley can be there, but like they're not looking at him like that right now. Yeah, they're not pulling the trigger on him. I mean, great, and he does have a match later on in this, which that match is bonkers, but in all the right ways, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01: 31:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 31:34

But like, when this one when this match was starting to subside, and it was starting to click in my mind, like, okay, I'm finally understanding what this match is already over and where it's going. And then I'm listening to the commentators, and they're dropping in hints that are really pissing me off, because they're all like uh uh the the the two guys that Zach Saber Jr. is with or you know, they're gonna Shane or they're going on and on talking about how like, you know, these guys have trained half of the new Japan roster and and many other people who've gone out into the wrestling world to become, you know, really big names and really popular and win titles. Yeah, Harley and uh and they're like and these guys, you know, they've trained all of these champions, but they themselves have never had titles before. And I'm like, y'all really, y'all really boy, I I like for uh can I solve the puzzle? Uh winners are uh TMD. You guessed it. That's how I felt watching this match in like the last like like 10 minutes of the match.

SPEAKER_01: 32:51

And that's how I felt with Evil and Wolf when we get there.

SPEAKER_02: 32:54

And I'm just like, well, I guess, and now as I'm watching this at the time, uh uh one of my my roommate, uh Ray Xeon, um he was also watching it. And he came in and he was talking to him. I was like, really, Zach Savage Jr. is like, bro, it has to be that way. And I'm like, why?

SPEAKER_03: 33:23

There's there's so many other because he's gotta carry the company.

SPEAKER_02: 33:27

I'm like, and then they're gonna give them the tag titles.

SPEAKER_01: 33:36

No, they're not. They better not.

SPEAKER_02: 33:37

They better not. You cannot sit here and look me into my optic stem. I swear to God. And not tell me that they're not gonna take these belts off of these boys.

SPEAKER_01: 33:51

They're not going to because it's the never open weight, and then there's the actual tag champions. Nah, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 33:58

Bro, it's it's a it's a d- Let me put it this way. They was winning before this became a situation. Now that this is a situation, which now I'm thinking back to it, this is a direct callback to when they won the whole, when they won the tournament. Because as he's sitting here icing his nips with the colas, and he's all like, don't worry, guys, I'm gonna put belts on you guys. We're gonna get some belts. Everyone's gonna have belts when we're done with this, I'm telling you. And all this other stuff, with his no charisma having ass.

SPEAKER_01: 34:31

Just this all just the funny part about it is I played Retro Mania recently. He has so much charisma in the game. Like, his his character is a heel, but he's a pompous heel who actually talks. And like you play the game, and I'm like, wow, where is this Zack Sabre Jr.?

SPEAKER_02: 34:47

Yes, where is that Zach Saber Junior? Where is this motherfucker? That's what I want to know. Like, I I would love for him to prove me wrong. And instead of me just just just hating his presentation, maybe I could just hate his character. But but but until then.

SPEAKER_01: 35:03

You just hate his character.

SPEAKER_02: 35:04

Here we are. As he's about to take all of the gold. That's not all right.

SPEAKER_01: 35:12

What's his next match?

SPEAKER_02: 35:13

I think it was uh was it the women's uh so fun story about this women's match, because yes, it's the IWGP title and the strong women's double championship match.

SPEAKER_01: 35:27

Yep, yep, yep.

SPEAKER_02: 35:28

So, because I didn't know this was my this match was on the card.

SPEAKER_01: 35:32

I didn't know either.

SPEAKER_02: 35:33

But like literally, what was it? This was like Thursday. I literally gave you a video.

SPEAKER_01: 35:38

You talking about the video? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was Thursday, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 35:41

It was Thursday. We were specifically talking about uh was it uh uh Saya?

SPEAKER_01: 35:48

Uh Saya.

SPEAKER_02: 35:49

We were we were he lit we were literally talking about Saya. Kimitami about we was talking about Kimitami, and and he brought it up because he was saying the fact that we gotta start watching Stardom. And he sent me this video, which I need to remember to send to Ray Zion, because I told him about it, because he he apparently has been watching this girl as of this year, kind of thing. And the video that he found was some a YouTuber who was specifically talking about her rise and her rivalry against her uh her mentor, her mentor, yeah. And the one who taught her and everything. And and it's also through that video that really helps solidify my the the way that New Japan tells stories.

SPEAKER_01: 36:38

Or Japanese wrestling tells stories.

SPEAKER_02: 36:40

Uh there you go. How Japanese wrestling tells stories. Because if I was to make a comparison of how Japanese wrestling tells stories, imagine it's it think of the think of Kane and Undertaker and and you look at the legacy of matches that they've had against each other, kind of thing. And where, you know, maybe at different points, you know, whatever it was they was fighting about type thing, you know, take out maybe, you know, take out some of the theatrics, but and more so just focus on the right the wrestling part in the matches. So it's like and like it's like the overarching story kind of thing, but it's told through the matches. So it's like you could say Undertaker has his match, and then he finds out that he has a brother coming. And his next match is him facing off against his brother. So then you have that match that they had at WrestleMania, and then the next time that they have a match is that Inferno match type situation. And then another match, and then later on down, you have the match that happens, but then Undertaker gets jumped, and then Kane saves him. Then the Brothers of Destruction are born. And then you have the matches of them being a team, and then Undertaker turns on his brother type situation. And if you look at their matches in that type of if you look at the Undertaker and Kane rivalry and story like almost like match-based in that kind of format, that is similarly how you could see New Japan tells their stories. Or Japanese wrestling, yeah. Japanese wrestling, how Japanese wrestling works. Yes. Because seeing as how Saya how her story was with her mentor and the way it was presented and how they talked about, it's like it is through these matches, these different things happening, leading up to when she finally break and then it's like when she talks about how she turns, and the fact that she blames all of this on her mentor about all the things that had happened when she went on her little losing streak and she lost everything, lost her group, and da da da and then now she became this new version of herself, which is the Phoenix Queen. The Phoenix Queen. Which is uh her presentation is so chef's kiss. Yeah, no, uh it's such a it's such a cool thing to see, and it's such a cool story, but it's also one of those things where to truly get all of it and for it all to make sense, you have to be watching.

SPEAKER_01: 39:30

You have to and that's what kind of makes it musty TV at that point.

SPEAKER_02: 39:33

Correct. You have to watch it. Because where with rap with WWE wrestling, you could miss the actual wrestling and just watch the end of the match. Yeah, watch the end of the match or watch the vignettes or the post match stuff or the pre match stuff, kind of thing. Because what happens in the actual ring, especially nowadays, very seldomly has anything. It usually what happens in the ring ends whatever the story has been up until this point. Most times. Yeah. And the worst piece that I feel with American wrestling versus Japanese wrestling, and American wrestling is getting so, so far away from this bit, is the fact that American wrestling just likes to ignore continuity of the situations that they've created way too often.

SPEAKER_01: 40:30

Yeah, they'll be like, oh yeah, this situation happened, and the next week, oh yeah, like that thing that just happened. Yeah, it didn't happen. No, it didn't happen at all. Don't worry about it. But I I will agree with seeing that video and then looking up stardom information, I was like, man, I gotta watch stardom now. Like I can see why Grizzly FOG, he's a big stardom guy. He big on stardom. Big on stardom. So I was like, yo, bro, I even actually reached out to him. I said, yo, how do you watch stardom? And then, you know, it's pretty much just like New Japan. They have a streaming service, which is uh New Japan World, and then they have Stardom World. But the thing about Stardom World is stardom doesn't stream anything live on their website like New Japan does. Literally, stardom world is their archive. If you want to watch any matches ever happen, and it all has English translation, by the way. You watch it, all has English subtitles and stuff like that. So you're never not wondering what are they saying or like what's going on, it's all in English. Um, and then two, they also have a similar system with New Japan about the touring and everything. So, you know, their storytelling, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna do a deep dive and kind of explain how stardom works for anybody in the future. Now that I've shown him this video, I understand it a little bit more. So when you get to this match, you now understand Saya, and but the opponent, I think she was an MMA artist first, and then she became a wrestler.

SPEAKER_02: 41:57

Yeah, they mentioned that.

SPEAKER_01: 41:58

Yeah, if if it's the person I think it is, uh, I think she knocked out her opponent and then twerked on her. I think it's the same one. If it's if it's her, I'm like, wow, that is a big transition. But um, man, yes, uh, Saya's presentation, man. Ugh the flag coming down to the ring, she is gorgeous.

SPEAKER_02: 42:18

Oh, listen. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01: 42:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_02: 42:25

So going into this match, because at first, like when they did like the like they were showing who was fighting next, I was like, wait. That's her. That's her. I literally just had a crash course on this girl. And then she comes out and she's got the fucking flag, and just I'm like, I'm melting in my seat, bruv. I'm just like, like, one of those things. It's like if someone like just learned about something, they're like, oh my god, that might be my favorite wrestler. And also you go to an event, and all of a sudden, oh my god, they're my wrestling wrestler. They're actually here. I didn't know this was gonna happen. Now, I would say unfortunately, she lost, but man, this match, bro, especially since now New Japan is uh officially pulled up to the table. WWE and AEW got they shit together. They go and very specifically, I mean, all around, but like the women, the women in in wrestling right now, on on the America side. Listen, I would be hard pressed if we see better wrestling from any of the females this year that even can look this match in the eye.

SPEAKER_01: 44:00

Well, again, this is why you can understand EOSky is the best in Raw because she came from stardom. She created Queen's Quest. The faction that she lost, she created Queen's Quest.

SPEAKER_02: 44:13

That's right, they did say that. And it's one of those things where looking back at our last video, who did we say had match of the year?

SPEAKER_01: 44:22

EO Sky.

SPEAKER_02: 44:23

Or, and even if we didn't specifically say, two of the matches that were nominated had her in it. Her versus Rhea, her versus Rhea versus Bianca Bel Air. Like, the common denominator right there is stardom.

SPEAKER_01: 44:42

I mean, if Asuka's from there, fucking uh Kyrie Sang, all of them. All of them. And it makes sense.

SPEAKER_02: 44:50

It does.

SPEAKER_01: 44:51

Especially with Asuka.

SPEAKER_02: 44:52

Yeah, but it's one of those things where it's one of those things where, and funny enough, this will come up again later. It's like where they're wrestling at right now, they are just just to make an easy comparison, they are Super Saiyan gods who are just fighting as base Super Saiyans.

SPEAKER_01: 45:23

Are you talking about the the Jo the the Joshi wrestlers? The wrestlers? Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 45:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 45:30

When you saw the video and you see, you know, Saya versus her mentor, and there's that one spot she did where she climbed uh the the raptor thing and then she fell off and she apparently hit her elbow, and then now her mentor's like, oh snap, is this my fault? Did I do this? Oh my gosh. And there's like that storytelling and building up and everything, and then it's like the aura those women have, bro. The aura. There was the point where her mentor's trying to shake her hand, and she's like, nah, bro. I'm I need to win before I shake your hand. It's just like they they do shit different over there, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 46:05

They they they really do. And but it is one of those things where, like, like I said, with this match, for these for the two titles, right? In my mind, when I watch this, and then I think about the things that I've seen EOSky do, and the things that I've seen Asuka and Kyrie do, it's like being them being over in WWE, and you can even throw Shinsuke in there as well. These Japanese wrestlers, they are chilling. They are, oh, Bing's chilling, bro. Like they are out here, um, they're they are like I said, they are literally out here Super Saiyan gods fighting at base Super Saiyan because they have no need to go higher than that. Now, as of right now, out of all of them, I feel EOS guy is the only one right now who cranks it up. She cranks it at least Super Saiyan 3. Like, she well, she did at least against Rhea. Like, like, I feel the the match that her and Rhea had, it that is probably the closest. That is probably going to be the closest to uh Eo Shirai.

SPEAKER_03: 47:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 47:27

That is probably gonna be the closest to Eoshirai WWE is going to get in a while. Until they allow her and Rhea to probably lock it up again.

SPEAKER_01: 47:39

You know, Eo actually has one of the most dangerous spots in wrestling.

SPEAKER_02: 47:42

What's that?

SPEAKER_01: 47:43

So you know how, okay, you know how when you go to a stadium and you know how they have the you go down the steps and you go to the okay, like say you got the upper level, say, um, say section, and you can go up the stairs.

SPEAKER_05: 47:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 47:55

And you know how there's that gap? She did a backflip off the gap, and that gap is huge, and there's a large margin for error. If she fucks this up, she's hitting the stairs. There's no gap like you know in AEW where it's the floor. No, it's the stairs, bitch. So if you miss this gap, think of like you know remember the Royal Rumble and how there was that taxi up there. Think of that, and how if Jeff Hardy did that swanton and he misses, he's hitting stairs.

SPEAKER_00: 48:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 48:29

So Eo did that multiple times multiple times, and and most of the stadiums they went to, she would just do the spot, and people are like, bro, the margin for error is very, very high. And she's like, not even looking back to gauge, just it flips.

SPEAKER_02: 48:51

I'm like, well, okay, fam, fam, Eo is is wild and uh and I'm crazy, is is this really that and considering the fact that like where she came from, girls like this also exist there too. I get it.

SPEAKER_01: 49:12

Like I said We haven't even talked about the match yet, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 49:14

We talked about it, but we haven't talked about it but but it and and and that goes to show how good this match really was. Yes, these girls were good, they went at it, bro. And another thing that I was also okay with, because like but because it's all about how you do it. When the as people like to complain about, you know, finisher spam. Yeah. There is a way to do it, and you have to sell into it. And these girls did it. These girls, what was it? She has the Star Crusher, yeah, which is basically like Falconero.

SPEAKER_01: 49:50

Yeah. Which is such a cool name, knowing stardom, Star Crusher. Yeah, listen. Come on, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 49:57

Like, like I think like she had to hit her, I th I'm pretty certain, like, with three Star Crushers. Yeah. But it's like what other wrestling does not do sometimes, or very much a lot, is the fact of selling the fact that you got hit with the finisher, and then selling the fact that you got hit with the finisher again. Okay? It's like people will get hit with, like, you look at people who get hit with the AA, right? It's a transitional move. At this point, the AA really is a transitional move. People get hit with the AA and they get up like they just got regular slammed. Freaking, this girl gets hit with the Star Crusher, and she is sluggish and out of it for like the rest of the match as it's going on. You like she's she is visually digging in deep to find that inness that is necessary to continue on to perform in this match. And every time, you know, a big move happens and she tries to pin, and it's like old girl still kicks out, she's like, I'm fucking exhausted. I need this bitch to stay down, kind of thing. It's like, uh what do I gotta hit her with? Kind of thing. We don't, especially this past year, there's not a whole lot of that in uh in Western wrestling right now. Where it's like I miss the times when a match would happen and the winner doesn't get up. They're just still laid out in the ring. They just take the belt and they drape that shit on top of them.

SPEAKER_01: 51:34

And that and that's New Japan. New Jap or New Japan Japanese wrestling, because I mean, shoot, even with uh Tanahashi's match, after he was done, Burat Man was on the flow.

SPEAKER_02: 51:45

Yeah, like we don't though though there are those are things that you don't see in wrestling anymore. You'll see someone, only because it's freshly in my mind, you'll see someone like John Cena get beaten and he gets choked out, and he gets up, stands up, waves, and walks away like he didn't just have a grueling match with this big bad man kind of thing. But and and not to just point out John Cena, he was the first one that came to my mind, but that's with any matches that you see right now, you'll see someone go through this grueling match in AEW, they'll go through a blood-girling, cruel, freaking short of actually stabbing someone in the eye or taking a pistol to their head kind of match, and they go through all that, and then after at the end of the match, they just stand up, bow, and they walk away.

SPEAKER_01: 52:42

Yeah, no, like that match didn't happen. The young lions, their whole crew has to carry you to the back, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 52:48

Listen, what why are we not doing that in Western wrestling? Because that brings that realism back, makes you believe it more. And and maybe it's because of the fact that Western wrestling wants to, like, you know. Transition to the next match, please. Keep it going, like, do away with, I guess, the K fabe or something. Like, I I don't know. But like, I miss when Shawn Michaels would win a match and you're like, at what fucking cost? Yo, like, yo, Hunter used to drape the belt on him, and he'd be bro, like what that that is still that's wrestling to me. Now, unless you were the one who won it, you just fucking smoked this dude.

SPEAKER_01: 53:30

Especially bad blood, especially that bad blood cage match, bro. Hunter, bro, you HBK couldn't even walk.

SPEAKER_02: 53:37

Fam, like that this match, that's what we got. No blood, though.

SPEAKER_01: 53:43

Yeah, no, Matthew.

SPEAKER_02: 53:44

Which is great. And and perfectly fine. No, and the pay-per-view was damn, well, I won't say flawless, but it was great.

SPEAKER_01: 53:54

It's definitely a contender. It's definitely a top contender. I mean, and I'm looking forward to seeing more new Japan pay-per-views this year.

SPEAKER_02: 54:01

Listen, they like this match though, like, I mean, I mean, outside of the fact that I ain't gonna lie to you, I'm kinda infatuated. Like, she is fucking, but like, uh, the other girl, which I'm I'm probably gonna butcher the name, which that'll probably be my goal for this year to get these new Japan wrestlers, these these Japanese wrestlers' names correctly. So crucify me if you must, but I think it's uh Sir S uh Suryu or Sarai. What was her name? Uh the one who won.

SPEAKER_01: 54:29

Uh Surai. I think it's Sarai.

SPEAKER_02: 54:31

I think it's Sarai. Yeah. Like, I gotta give it to her. Especially with like knowing how dangerous the queen is here. Okay. Yeah, and I thought she was gonna win, too. And not only that, she even cheated too. She had her girls on the outside interfering and all this other stuff. Like, so it's like great he'll work.

SPEAKER_01: 54:52

Yes, that's what hate is all about. And hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.

SPEAKER_02: 54:57

Hey, hey, hey, hate, hey, hey, hey, hey.

SPEAKER_01: 55:00

You corny. Anyway, uh uh great match. Uh, very sad about the finish because I definitely want Saya to win. Because I'm, you know, just watching that video, and I'm like, man, I want to see how she how she finishes matches. And then she finished it good, but it was just like, oh man, I kind of want to be finished.

SPEAKER_02: 55:16

I want to see how she finishes matches. Apparently on her back.

SPEAKER_01: 55:22

Let's go to the next match if I say something that's out of pocket, bro. Oh boy.

SPEAKER_02: 55:28

Respectfully.

SPEAKER_01: 55:29

Respectfully. Very, very respectfully. I would have to actually say that in Japanese respectfully. I'm gonna have to look that up. It would be respectfully in Japanese.

SPEAKER_02: 55:42

Please do. That's necessary. So then we had this special 10-man tag team match, bro. Yep. So going into this match, I thought this was mostly between um Dave Finley, and what was his name? And uh in uh in Newman. Because during the tag team tournament, Newman like jumped Dave Finley and busted him open.

SPEAKER_01: 56:15

Yeah, they kept having those moments. Yeah, that was a good thing.

SPEAKER_02: 56:17

And then Finley was all like, you know, Newman made me realize who I am. And after tasting my own blood, I realized I gotta get back to beating the shit out of people and all this other stuff. And I'm like, oh, so they about to have a match with each other, kind of thing. I thought they were just having a match with each other, not their whole their whole families coming out having the match.

SPEAKER_01: 56:42

This was pretty much Bullet Club War Dogs versus United Kingdom.

SPEAKER_02: 56:46

Got it.

SPEAKER_01: 56:47

Even though um Takahashi, he's not, he's technically uh, he was still technically part of Nido's group, but I think he's unaffiliated right now. I don't think he's part of any group.

SPEAKER_02: 56:58

Which they kept on talking about the whole unaffiliated situation thing going on. And so originally this match originally this match, when I was watching it, I um I watched almost to the end. Now grant it's like three o'clock in the morning.

SPEAKER_01: 57:26

Oh, I was I was asleep at this point. I fell asleep after the I fell asleep in the the Rambo match.

SPEAKER_02: 57:33

Let let me and and just to address this, because as as it is known, we are we're Florida boys, so we're here on the East Coast. This this was all taking place. We're watching these matches originally at two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock fighting sleep. Let me not kid myself. Three o'clock fighting sleep. We were sleeping four o'clock and five o'clock. I'm sitting in my chair. Oh that's literally how I oh shit. Oh shit. Oh man, I missed that match. Well, maybe I should.

SPEAKER_01: 58:22

That's literally how I felt, especially watching the Okada and Tadahashi match, because I was like, oh man, there's probably certain parts that I'm not important. Let me just set my phone down and just listen. Actually, I should be watching it.

SPEAKER_02: 58:35

Like, I like literally by the time by like I said, by the time I was like, I see like, oh, it's the final match. Well shit. Let me let me let me let me watch this. And I sit up and I'm like, what's what time is it? Press the phone. Five o'clock in the morning. And the match is just starting? I'll watch it when I wake up. We'll uh we'll we'll I'll just uh it's about an hour to get to LJ's house sometimes with traffic.

SPEAKER_01: 59:23

I'll just I'll watch it as I'm getting ready to go to So going back to the Fireman tag, apparently uh Dave Finley is also a fan of Brian from Tekken. I don't know if you noticed the Gallic gun. Yes, yep.

SPEAKER_02: 59:39

I was I couldn't put I was trying to figure out where is this gun from, kind of thing. And I couldn't put my finger on like what he was representing. And I don't remember hearing the uh announcers bring it up or anything.

SPEAKER_01: 59:56

I just know he's a fan of Brian because he's done a Brian cosplay before.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:00

Okay. Which honestly. The Savage King. It checks. Like it. If so or so is like, oh yeah, you know, he plays Brian. Look at him like, yeah, he's a fucking Brian. All right.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:12

Yeah, he I really do miss the the connection that New Japan had with Tekken. I really do need them to to do that for Tekken 8 already. Because I miss having Ace's theme song on Lars and the the attire.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:25

That was a thing.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:26

Yeah, Tekken 7, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:28

Who else would they have like that they paid homage to? Because I know that it was time. I know they did Tana.

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:33

Okado. He was king. Oh, that instead a if you wore his outfit, he would do the rainmaker finish as his rage art instead of his original rage art. So he would he would hit you and then he'll do the and then the money will fall and then he would grab you and do the rainmaker.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:50

Okay. Alright. That that because I I remember that being a thing. And so I was like, yeah, that that's that that's that's kind of cool. That that's that checks.

SPEAKER_05: 1:00:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:00:59

But like, so first off, the mist the mystery person. The the this this mystery person, okay? Jake Lee. Which is funny, because it's like Jake Lee being the mystery person, but they also did not say or bring up the fact that Mr. L. Eagolo was gonna be in this match.

SPEAKER_01: 1:01:32

They did it in the promo. Oh, so they did, so we knew if you if you were to watch if you'd have watched December 24th episode, they showed it there. He did a whole thing where he's on screen and he's like, I'm gonna come help United Kingdom, blah blah blah, and all that kind of stuff. So, yeah, that was when we found out that he that I think it's when you told me WWE said, nah, he can wrestle. It's okay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:01:56

Okay, got it. Because yeah, that is actually around the time when that happened. Which I love the fact, like it's so funny to me because it's like he I there I almost feel there's like a it almost feels like there's a desperation for Andrade. It's like he is so thirsty to get in the ring and show himself off. Cause it's like when he because you know when he was in WWE, they didn't do shit with him.

SPEAKER_01: 1:02:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:33

And it's like as soon as as the ink on the paper of resignation wasn't even dry, and he shows up at AEW and he fucks himself.

SPEAKER_01: 1:02:45

Well, he's also the first wrestler who went from WWE to AEW to DAC to WWE to back to AEW ever.

SPEAKER_02: 1:02:54

Yes, yes, this is true. Which is not entirely his fault because Creative has been failing him on both ends. As a matter of fact, when he went back to AEW, I think Creative was failing him again, in my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:12

By going against Kennedy?

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:13

No, by throwing him in the fucking Don Callis family.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:16

Oh, that, yeah. Yeah. Like he had his own family last time.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:20

Exactly. He had his own shtick back then. Like he was the leader of his own group when he was last at AEW, kind of.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:29

No, yeah, he was a leader.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03:31

But he combined with uh Matt Hardy. Yeah, he just combined with Matt Hardy.

SPEAKER_02: 1:03:35

But it was like, yeah, he like he had his own group when he was there. And then for him to now come back and he's part of the Don Callis family, a family that already has like 35 niggas in there. Yes, the NWO. And so it's like okay. But it's like seeing him here, number one, him being watching him do his thing in New Japan was like, damn, I forgot how good Andrade really is. Yes. Like We only saw that in NXT. Facts. And I and that's also the reason why I'm like, I feel like Andrade, he's just so thirst. I feel like he he let his thirst for wrestling and wanting to perform get the best of him and put him in an extremely shitty ass backwards situation. Yes. Kind of thing. Because he Andrade, I feel legitimately just wants to go out there and show himself off. Because when he was in WWE, once again, a Super Saiyan god fighting as a Super Saiyan. Suppressing his abilities to the max. Because I know that whole suppressing of abilities, that's the reason why I got damn uh uh um uh our our our baldy boy um with um Moxley or Cape Kidd? No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_01: 1:05:08

Oh, um I don't know why his name is escaping.

SPEAKER_02: 1:05:13

Ricochet.

SPEAKER_01: 1:05:13

Oh Ricochet, yeah, yeah, yeah. Eddie Kingston's God's hair. Uh sticking. Yeah, but yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, no, Ricochet in Lucha Underground in New Japan, saying God.

SPEAKER_02: 1:05:26

And it's like, I feel in AEW, he is he's he is more free. He is free to do what he wants to, but right now the only reason why he's not doing so is because of story.

SPEAKER_01: 1:05:40

Yeah, he's super saying too in the story and mid-card.

SPEAKER_02: 1:05:44

Because now, if we can finally get to a point where we can if we can figure out how to get Ricochet in the main event with with his uh MJF? Yeah. Or Will Ospreay. Oh man. Or Swerve.

SPEAKER_01: 1:06:03

Their first match, everybody hated that because it was flippy shit always.

SPEAKER_02: 1:06:07

I feel flippy shit's not bad initially. And I feel like their their flippy shit that they do together isn't necessarily bad, but it's you just gotta there you gotta they have to find the purpose behind the flippy.

SPEAKER_01: 1:06:25

I think it's it's the mentality of going into slug fest matches where you got big men slapping meat and also you got niggas flipping everywhere. It's like, wait, where the fuck is it? When was this ballerina? When where's where's the fist? Where's you know, and you got acrobats going on. They're gymnasts, they're literally gymnasts. And if you go in the mindset of knowing who the wrestler is, okay, I see Ricochet and I see Will Ospreay going out to the ring. Oh, I know what kind of matches is, I know what is.

SPEAKER_02: 1:06:56

And I I do think that there is a bit of that, but I also do know the fact that Will Ospreay being a big pretender of this is the fact of like relying way too hard on the flippy shit. And and sometimes all of the flippy shit in the in in the finisher spamming, you lose some of the story that's supposed to go into the match. Yes, it is a performance, but even more, yes, there is a story and a narrative that needs to be told within the match, and sometimes that gets lost when you're performing a spot fest.

SPEAKER_01: 1:07:38

Hey, yo, I ain't gonna lie, this is a side note because we need to get back to the match. Kyle Fletcher in in in New Japan.

SPEAKER_02: 1:07:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You you ain't wrong now. You is not wrong. Listen, I'll take him over a Saber Jr. any day.

SPEAKER_01: 1:08:02

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02: 1:08:04

Listen, he in my he could take the belt off of a Zach Saber Jr., okay?

SPEAKER_01: 1:08:09

Like I feel like if he went against Yot Yoto, I'd be like, look, man, uh Ayuda, look, I'm here. I'm here for it. Oh, him and you the the Gene Blast? Bruce is the Proto Star?

SPEAKER_02: 1:08:21

Listen, listen. Let's let's listen. Let's let's get to that. But before respectfully though, with when it came to this match, though, um with being able to watch it over now, I think that uh this match, it was solid, but like understanding the story between all the characters and and and understanding why Jack Lee was such a deal. Yeah, Jake Lee, yeah. Because I will, I'll admit, when they were like when he came out, I was a little underwhelmed. I'm thinking like some some big dude or some crazy, but this guy comes out with his like this this this lost, somber expression on his face, like as if like, oh, you guys forgot about me, but I'm back again. And I was like, not knowing at the time, like, who is this guy? What is he doing? I don't know what's I don't know what's going on. Now, once he got to the ring, I'm like, oh, okay, I see what we're doing here. Okay, this straight, this straight.

SPEAKER_01: 1:09:37

So I had to also explain that with Jake Lee, he was out for a knee injury, which was like a 15-month knee injury, apparently.

SPEAKER_02: 1:09:44

Damn.

SPEAKER_01: 1:09:45

And he was a part of the board uh the War Dogs, and he's known as the smart bastard, but he's also told his team, do not trust me. I'm in it for the money. I will backstab you. But I'm here right now. You know what I'm saying? I'm here for it. So whenever he was coming out to the ring, you see Dave Finley, you see Gabe Kid. The cameras kept panning it to them, like, what the f how are you supposed to do with us in? So he's just like, You already knew what was up. I don't know why you get mad.

SPEAKER_02: 1:10:14

Yeah, that part. That which once he explained to me, I was like, ah, this makes so much more sense of why how upset these guys are. But then it's like, but he already told them the prophecy. So it's like when he turned code, it's all like, I told you this was gonna happen. It is what it is, it's the business.

SPEAKER_01: 1:10:37

And uh, it also had to explain the whole tax system in in New Japan where New Japan wrestlers don't stay on the apron. They don't. They they hang, they hang outside and let the spot happen. And I believe it's because of camera-wise, if you see all these guys on the apron, how do you focus on the in-ring? And I think, and it's it is the reason why with the lighting situation, it's fitting to do that because if you don't look outside, it's dark. You can't see the wrestlers. And WWE, you couldn't do that because the light is always on them.

SPEAKER_02: 1:11:13

Yeah, it's always on them. And then also with the way that the light is you making that comparison to like, you know, Americanized wrestling versus the, you know, the uh Japanese style. And and more specifically, in this, when they're in this, like in a in an actual like stadium type situation, it's like where in WWE there's a focus on the fans and the signs and all this other stuff. Damn nearly. Honestly, I would just say in the West in Western wrestling, there's such a focus on the fans. But in the Tokyo Dome, and and I would say whenever they have their big stadium shows, from what I've observed, the only thing that you see is the Titentron and the people in the ring. Yep. Like, there's no I'm there might be signs in the crowd, but it's like you don't see them.

SPEAKER_01: 1:12:16

You'll see them pant them every once in a while, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:12:18

Yeah, it's like you'll you'll see you'll see some you'll see some signs in the crowd, but at the same time, that's if you can even see the crowd. Because it's like with the show, with the match that we were watching, it's like I literally actually asked him about like how big is the because with the way that they have everything format, the Tokyo Dome looks humongous. Like it's fitting like upwards of crazy amounts, but it only fits 40, like you like 40,000. 49,000, which, you know, is a lot of people. Don't don't don't don't don't don't uh get that twisted. Don't get that twisted. But it's like in my mind, when I watch, it's like there's 49,000 people that are in that building, but I did not see a damn soul. That's where, you know, WWE, they love to highlight that shit. You'll see a big open stadium and they'll do a crowd pan of the whole bitch. So that's like, hey, yo, look, we want you to see all these people who are here to watch this 10-minute match where they don't do anything because that's the kind of content WW's been giving us. As where over here, they're not even flexing how many people are in the ring or or in the arena. You know, uh yeah, and even with commentary, now granted, I did spend a decent amount of this sleeping. I had to go back and watch. But even with commentary, you don't hear them talking about how many people are there.

SPEAKER_01: 1:14:04

Apparently. They they did mention it though.

SPEAKER_02: 1:14:06

Okay, so okay, they did. But even then, it's like they they only mentioned it. You know what I'm saying? But it it that but they're focused on the product that's going on in the ring, which is great. Because that's why we're here. That is why we are here. We don't cool, it's nice to know that there's a lot of people watching this because that adds importance to the event kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01: 1:14:27

As but it's like, you know, in honestly, the Tokyo Dome could have fit more if it wasn't a baseball stadium. Because you gotta remember, it's only a you because if it was a whole, it would be more.

SPEAKER_02: 1:14:39

Oh, yeah, yeah, it definitely would have been more. Yeah, so but like, but it's like the the aesthetic of it all, and and and even then, though it's not more, the way that they set everything up made you feel like it was so many people in there.

SPEAKER_01: 1:14:54

Yeah, that shit like it's huge. It looked so big. The stadium is so fucking big for no reason, and that ramp is so like that ramp is tiny, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:05

But uh, but yeah, no, overall though, like when it came to this match, I um like cause this cause once things started making a bit of sense, and I also went back and actually watched the ending and how everything went down, I am now very interested to see what Lee is what Lee's about to be about going forward with with this portrayal.

SPEAKER_01: 1:15:34

I feel like he should be the new leader of the United Kingdom because they don't have a leader to my knowledge, because Will Osprey was the leader, but he's gone now. But Jake Lee to me he should be the leader.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:47

That's interesting.

SPEAKER_01: 1:15:48

I feel like it'll be chaotic enough that he would be he'll be an interesting leader.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:53

Chaotic enough.

SPEAKER_01: 1:15:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_02: 1:15:55

That's the thought. But uh, but yeah, no, overall, I mean, it was a dope match. It was great seeing for me, it was great seeing uh uh David Finley do his thing because I he has made me a fan. But uh, but seeing Andrade and how good he looks might need to, you know, back lay off the gas pump the brakes on the gas there a bit, but like hey gas like gas.

SPEAKER_01: 1:16:21

Listen because our homie be jacked but still doing like fucking top rope moves. You're like, what the fuck, bro? Chill out.

SPEAKER_02: 1:16:28

Yeah, like when he did that fucking like like like corkscrew fucking uh lie detector out the ring from off the top rope, like alright. I was like, Elo, bro, do you care about your body? I mean Andrade, yeah. You listen, you you almost wouldn't wasn't able to fight for a year, so you've been itching for this fight, huh?

SPEAKER_01: 1:16:48

He's like, man, I need to do this so bad, like pump it in my veins.

SPEAKER_02: 1:16:52

And the other thing I did want to also bring up was the fact of I really enjoyed how the commentary kind of sort of like played how they kind of played off the fact of his whole situation with uh with his contract because they were talking about how, you know, because Andrade is always depicted as like he he's like this rich man. Yeah. He got all this money and everything, he's got so much backing behind him. And they were playing that up about him when he was coming down to the ring, about how like, you know, he ran the contracts for everyone in this match and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:17:30

And they were saying the fact that uh, you know, he runs the contracts, he he runs the contracts, he makes sure like whatever happens, he's the fronting of the United Kingdom right now. And so for anybody who knows about his situation with him leaving WWE and going AD AEW and his contract breaching, it was like I see what you did there.

SPEAKER_02: 1:17:52

And they made up and and the way they kind of talked, the way they kind of talked about it, like like use that as a uh as like a uh a talking point without really saying it. They said so they were saying something along the lines of the fact that, you know, you know, he's got good uh you know, he you know, he runs the contracts and he does the funding. That's why he's got, you know, that's why on his end he's got such good people on his team that they was able to get his contract in just in time to be a part of this show. And I was like, that's that's that's how you take the negative spin to the positive.

SPEAKER_04: 1:18:37

That's there you go.

SPEAKER_02: 1:18:39

Please use uh please you use that. Use that because it's not like we don't fucking know, so might as well use it for story and use it as lore, please. So so yeah, hell yeah to Andrade. I'm glad he's able to wrestle again. I hope you learned your fucking lesson, bruv. But okay.

SPEAKER_01: 1:19:04

Uh I think the next match is the Doki games.

SPEAKER_02: 1:19:08

It is the uh the four-way uh IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. The Doki Games. So this match I originally barely saw and almost did not know existed. After watching it, like this match was this match was okay. Yeah. This is what I'm saying. There's some matches like, it's a match. Yeah, it wasn't, it wasn't anything crazy. Uh I mean, I'll give them the credit for it's always like one of those deals where it's like there wasn't much for this match. But once the match kind of got off and going, it was like, all right, well, I mean, I'm I'm here for the entertainment. It's cool. I'll watch. You know, it it was it was a very AEW type situation. Where it was all like not necessarily like a real build or anything. And even on on even more so for me, I'm like, I don't know any of these guys.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:20:11

So I'm I'm more so watching it to become interested in who these people are.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:15

And uh they showed out to a certain degree, I think. Show is a very funny comedy wrestler who is like he he talks big shit, but then there's moments in the match where he's like getting jumped and he's just like pleading for his life.

SPEAKER_02: 1:20:30

Yes, that shit was hilarious.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:31

It's like, bro, he's such a a comedy character who he's like San uh uh uh uh Santino, not Santino, um Santino Morella. But like if he was a heel, he's a comedy wrestler who he he does if he if you actually probably heard him in English, he probably would say like certain goofy shit, like oh it's a John Asina, like you know, just dumb shit like that. So then when he was Dick Toga, which Dick Toga is part of the house of torture, and apparently he was away at the time, and so Dick Toga will always accompany evil. So when he was gone, Sho just says, I am Dick Toga, and we're like, No, you're not. So then he comes out the next week and says, I'm Dick Toga, too. And he would just cut promos. And I really wish I knew what he was saying, because I'm like, I know this is comedy gold, bro. I know it's comedy gold, I know it.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21:30

Yeah, the I don't even I think on that particular episode, like they had a like a different announcer on there. It's William, it's the same guy. He just doesn't speak Japanese. And he and unf and it was but it was just him by himself, yeah. And so we didn't get the translation like we normally would.

SPEAKER_01: 1:21:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21:46

Which I need I need the guy from Britain to be on every episode. So it's funny bringing that up, uh, is the fact because like what's the up the with the first one's name? What was the one?

SPEAKER_01: 1:21:56

William, I think it's William.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21:57

So I like William as a an announcer and doing the play-by-play. He sounds great. The British guy, yay, and I'm glad he can translate, but he's so boring on the microphone, bro. That's probably why he's not there every week. Like, but I feel like as a dynamic duo, they're good. Now, together, they're great. Yes, but it's like separate, I can take one by himself, but the other one, I'm just like, oh my god, this guy's stick. Like, there was a couple of times where it's like where it's where it was just him during like the tag teams, and I'm just like, boy, this is this and then it doesn't get any better because boy, wrestlers can wrestle, but not all wrestlers can do commentary.

SPEAKER_01: 1:22:52

Are you talking about uh monster sauce? Just, I mean, he is one. The A yo.

SPEAKER_02: 1:23:01

The key has been inserted into the hole. But like, there, who else? There was another person.

SPEAKER_01: 1:23:08

There was Monster Sauce, and then there was uh uh uh uh uh what's his name? Um Lance Archer, he was one, and then Don uh Don Fallet was one. Don so Lance Archer wasn't terrible. Drilla Driller was one.

SPEAKER_02: 1:23:21

Drilla was garbage. Yeah. Uh uh Lance God damn. Just Drilla was like you just remembered it. He was not because he cause he's because he's he's British, right? He's got like an accent, right?

SPEAKER_05: 1:23:36

I think he does.

SPEAKER_02: 1:23:36

But he used to be in NXT. There was because one of the guys, there was one time where it was him and the other British guy. And they're sitting there and they're talking. I'm just like, oh my gosh, shut up, boys. Just just watch the fucking damn match, dog. Like God. But like Lance Archer, he was fine. He knows he knows how to carry himself to a certain degree on commentary. Although it's weird sometimes, because like when they're on now, granted, like K Fabe to your character in New Japan is kind of weird, but it's like Lance Archer. I feel like he like he was he was trying to be himself, but he was also trying to commentate at the same time, and he he was he was clashing with himself a little bit.

SPEAKER_01: 1:24:18

Don Fallet, though, not so much.

SPEAKER_02: 1:24:19

Now, Don Fallet, number one, he was in character the whole time. And but it's like the kind of character that he had he is, he don't say much. He because he doesn't need to.

SPEAKER_05: 1:24:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:24:35

He's got other people to do all that talking shit for him. He's just supposed to stand there, look like a fucking monster, and smoke his cigar and wear his cool ass shades. Like that's that's what he does.

SPEAKER_01: 1:24:47

Japanese godfather, bro. I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_02: 1:24:48

It's like literally the whole time he's on the commentary, it's what it felt like he was doing.

SPEAKER_01: 1:24:54

Just like, man, I'm just here, bro. What the fuck you want?

SPEAKER_02: 1:24:58

100%. But like go going back into uh um the commentary or the the match match. The the match type thing, it's like for me, like it was it was a good introduction for uh to a couple of these guys. And I think the other and and the other bit about that, it made me think about uh the video that we posted about how the fact that like this pay-per-view for New Japan, they had to make sure that they went all in, no pun intended, on their matches and what they were going to do because the world was watching this. And from watching this, people who've never watched New Japan are watching this, people who are coming back to watch it are watching this, and so it's like if y'all don't show out tonight, then then y'all are going to need AEW for the rest of your lives. And that's good for nobody because AEW needs somebody for them right now. And so I think this match was almost like the epitome of that, like, I don't know who these guys are, but I fucking like this. Like, that's I watched more of this.

SPEAKER_01: 1:26:15

That that's that's where I was at. So yeah, uh, in uh um El Desperado won, which he's been junior heavyweight champion before, so it was like pretty like okay, we're we're getting back to that probably that program again. But um match was pretty decent, nothing too much for me. He pretty much said everything I need to say. I was like, I've I'm familiar with El Desperado, I'm familiar with Show, I'm familiar with a lot of the people in that match, so you know, nothing too crazy. So now the next one is uh is evil versus Wolf. Yes, sir. Aaron Wolf. This match was great. Absolutely. I said to me, match of the night. Until I saw until I saw the heavyweight title match. Then it that's that's close contender.

SPEAKER_02: 1:27:00

Those two are battling with each other hard. I'll I'll yeah, alright, so agreed. I can agree on that one. This match was so they because they did a vignette, because once again, thank god they did this, because I was like, I don't know what's going on.

SPEAKER_01: 1:27:16

And I had to translate the vignette for them, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:27:19

Because like when I was trying to watch this when it was happening and I was half asleep, there was a point where I woke up and I was like, wait, I didn't know a young lion was fighting somebody tonight. Mm-hmm. And then the next thing I remembered, like, it was like blink eyes wake up again, and I just see the because every time they do the the evil, it's like they it's like the camera's all like and then it zooms in on them, so it's like it's always like I woke up as the camera is shaking. I'm like, what what what and I just see people holding the title like, oh, it's my boy. And I missed a good match because after watching it back over.

SPEAKER_01: 1:28:02

I woke up at this match. I woke up at this match, and I woke up happy because I was like, alright, man, let's see what this match is. So the stipulation for the match was Evil is is defending his never open weight title against Aaron Wolf. Now, Aaron Wolf, for what Evil wanted, he says, hey, if I'm gonna lose something, you gotta lose something too. If you lose the match, I have to shave your head and I get to shave your beard, and you can never wear a judo ghee again. Which he for Aaron Wolf, Aaron Wolf is a judo Olympian winner. He is a gold, uh, he he's a gold medal winner uh for judo. And so he's also been a fan of New Japan, and he's respected New Japan for representing Japan and being the best of wrestling in Japan. And he's obviously represented Japan in the Olympics, being the best. So he was like, two and two, I now want to, you know, transition into wrestling. And a big thing that wrestling promotions love to do is let's take a gold medalist and make him a wrestler. They've tried it so many times, and only two people made it work in in America, and that's Mark Henry and Kurt Angle. All right.

SPEAKER_02: 1:29:10

Now I will say that that uh there's a black girl that's an NXT. She about to be she about to be the next good girl.

SPEAKER_01: 1:29:17

Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:29:18

I I I can't think of her name right now, but like she she good with it.

SPEAKER_01: 1:29:22

She's real nice with it. Okay. But those are the only two Olympians that I'm aware of that are are in wrestling that are great. There's probably other ones, but those are the twos that stand the fuck out.

SPEAKER_02: 1:29:33

I think the better term would be to say gold medalists. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01: 1:29:39

But did did Mark Harry win a gold medal?

SPEAKER_02: 1:29:41

Actually, not just did he? I just remember he was Olympian. I think, oh, you know what? I think he was an Olympian, but he won other things outside of the Olympics. The world strongest man, yeah. He he was legitimately the world strongest man.

SPEAKER_01: 1:29:58

Which that story always is is crazy when you hear it, and Vince saying, hey, there I don't have the second world strongest man. So either you go there and you do it, or don't come back. And I was like, damn.

SPEAKER_02: 1:30:10

Well, I actually what I really like about that is when I watch stuff that's completely not wrestling related, and they're talking about Mark Henry being the world's strongest man. Because usually it's always in a wrestling atmosphere where I'm watching and seeing, but it's like every once in a while someone I'll see someone scrolling and they'll talk about like the one-inch freaking dumbbell that people can barely lift, and they're all like, Yeah, well, it's like, yeah, that this was made by so-and-so, and for a long time that guy was the only one who could make it, could lift it. Until Mark Henry came along, and and they start talking about Mark Henry. I'm like, Yeah, we respect that nigga.

SPEAKER_01: 1:30:47

Yeah, respect that nigga.

SPEAKER_02: 1:30:48

Respect that nigga.

SPEAKER_01: 1:30:49

He's from my realm, bro. Um, but to go back into this match, so that was the stipulation. And uh, evil, when you see evil, you immediately think of Japanese Undertaker. Because that's what I think when I see him. But like, take as as Swag said, take Ministry Undertaker and make him a shitty, shit-grinning, evil villain. But like, even though he's technically evil when he was in the ministry, but he was doing like cult-like stuff. This is a this is a version of Undertaker where he just does not give a fuck. He will do everything to win. He will cheat, he will lie, he will do anything to win. Uh-huh. And that is evil. And you know, I really wish his presentation was more devastating to me. Like, like more of a heel that if you lose to him, it means a lot more because he doesn't lose. But evil has lost a couple of matches as you're watching in the tag league and stuff like that. Um, so it's like he has he has a presentation to him to being a top-tier talent, but in the vortex of we just chilling.

SPEAKER_02: 1:32:03

Yeah, evil is uh is a uh he he is he is a villain's villain. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? He's a Disney villain almost. Like that like that's that's a good way, yeah. That's a good way to put it. He he he is very much so a a Disney villain as opposed to an evil movie villain. You know what I'm saying, with a sinister plot kind of thing. It's like, now he has that, he looks like the way he looks and the way he presents himself, he should be. Could do that.

SPEAKER_05: 1:32:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:32:38

Like if he wanted to flip the switch and go from, you know, to truly a ministry, you know, leader of the ministry of darkness, it could happen. He could do that. It could be happy. It would it would be believable. As well as say, he got that dog in him, but the dog is sleep.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32:53

The dog is chilling. Same thing for Sonata. There's a lot of people in that group who were former heavyweight champions, but they just chilling. Sonata used to be a New Japan heavyweight champion, and then now he's a fashion icon. What the fuck happened?

SPEAKER_02: 1:33:06

So like these with these yellow freaking Astro Boy Crocs.

SPEAKER_01: 1:33:12

Yo, that shit was crazy. But this match for me, man, uh Aaron Wolf comes out, he comes out his gi, and which it this once I knew the stipulation, this is what I was talking about before. When I knew the stipulation of, okay, evil can lose his title, but this man could lose his hair and his gi. Yeah, no, uh, you're not gonna disrespect an Olympian like that. Evil's losing the fucking match. Man, come on, man. You just you destroyed it for me now. Because I knew what was the outcome just from you telling me the stipulation. There's no way evil's winning this. So as Aaron comes out to the ring, he already shaves his fucking head and he takes off his gi.

SPEAKER_02: 1:33:52

So it's like, nigga, he's already- Yeah, he I I was like, wait a second. So if he if those were stipulations, well, he took the stipulations away from him now. Because he literally came out there with the gi on, but it's like head shit clean shape. Well, his head is buzz-cut now, and his beard is nicely trimmed. Buzz cut trim. I'm not sure what you call that, but it's like, and then it's like he literally takes the ghee off, and he's out there looking like a young lion on his debut match.

SPEAKER_01: 1:34:25

And that that actually was very dope to me because normally most times celebrities in in WWE standpoint or anywhere else, they come in, they got their flair. But anybody who's a young lion who's training in the dojo, you're supposed to be wearing black tights and everything else. And when he did that, I was like, ah, I like that.

SPEAKER_02: 1:34:42

Yeah, that was that was a nice presentation. But the overall match, and I think honestly, this is probably this was this was my first time watching evil have a one-on-one match with anybody. And uh listen, he he he is he's absolutely a trip. And and and to that point of like the cop person, like literally, he threw everything at this dude, including the kitchen. Fam, that table was the stiffest, most painful looking table spot I have like oh that table was sold that shit.

SPEAKER_01: 1:35:20

Like everything that was happening, he was selling like he'd been in the ring for years. Bro, listen. I was like, bro, you are selling good.

SPEAKER_02: 1:35:28

It was it was a slam of a match. Like they they and I and yeah, I have to give it to Aaron Wolf. He he earned that belt.

SPEAKER_01: 1:35:36

Yeah, the submission lock he put him in, it looked like he had him in a a waist lock with like a triangle hold. And it was like, oh, oh, evil's dying.

SPEAKER_02: 1:35:45

Listen, and I I was saying the fact that uh when he locked that submission in, like, I have to give it to Evil because Evil sold that move. Like after he got done, Evil was sitting there. I'm talking, he was like laid out. He was laid out, his eyes was rolled in the back of his head.

SPEAKER_05: 1:36:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_02: 1:36:04

Like, eyes rolled in the back of his head, he was like uh gone, gone. At the end of that match. It's like just how he was laid. He was lifeless. I was like, I see, that's how you sell a finish. That's that's how you fucking sell a match. That the like I he gave him his best, and he made he choked his ass out, and now you're and now you're out, and it took his boys to come out there and like, hey, wake him up, wake up, wake up. And his boys literally had to drag him out of the arena because of how he was beaten. It's like, man, I really wish we could start doing this back over in the Western wrestling, because you know, niggas.

SPEAKER_01: 1:36:45

I feel like I feel like by the end of 2026, Swag is gonna be like, man, I like Western wrestling for the you know, for the nostalgic, but this new Japan shit might start hitting for this motherfucker.

SPEAKER_02: 1:36:59

It it if it if things keep up like how this is right now, it very much might. And it's more so it's more so just there are certain small nuances that go on in a in a ring and in a match that Western wrestling is like shying away from. And as someone who has trained to be a wrestler before and still trying, it's like those things that Western wrestling is going away from are literally the things that when you go to a hole-in-the-wall school, you know, that's in a garage, like, you know, in an industrial area, and they really trying to grind you and cut your teeth and and you know, really get you to figure out and learn the way that this business should be going and how to actually wrestle and move a crowd and entertain them and and keep them in the palm of your hand without even throwing one punch. Like when you get that kind of training and you see what people are doing, it's like, why are we working so fucking hard? Why are y'all working so hard when you can go five minutes into a match and not even touch each other one time and have the crowd eating out the palm of your hand? It can be done. Instead of they're relying on these spots and the flippy shit and all this other stuff, gore and blood and plunder and weapons, when literally, if you put things together the right way, I can stand face up with somebody, and the crowd can go crazy for two minutes straight, off of me just going face to face with somebody in the anticipation of what's about to happen. But now it's but a lot of that is gone. A lot of that is gone. But New Japan, from what I've come to see, at least they still remember. Certain things change, yeah, sure. But there are still elements that they still remember that are exactly like that. Hell, they do them mid-match, like mid- everything's going to match, and they have that double down moment, and then all of a sudden it's like they get back up and they're face to face with you know their fucking forehead, the forehead and all this other stuff.

SPEAKER_01: 1:39:33

That was definitely happening in the in the uh Utah in um Takesha match, which is the next match, by the way.

SPEAKER_02: 1:39:40

Yeah. Um so it's like, and honestly, and we can't go ahead and get into that match because as we're we're homie because number one, the the the evil match was kind of like that, you know, the big experienced guy is trying to embarrass and put down this new blood. Yeah. And then gets his ass handed and his egg on his face, and he legitimately gets gets submissioned and he is laid out, eyes glazed over. Which to me, that was that was such an important touch to that match in my eyes, because it really sold the fact that he fucking lost. Like he lost, and then his boys had to roll him out the ring, and both two of them are like, alright, well, fuck, I guess that's that's it type situation. And so it was like, I thought that was great. And then we get into the other competitor for the best match of the night. Goddamn Takeshka and uh what's his name? Suji. Suji. Takeshka and Suji. So they showed a vignette and they kind of talked about the little story between them. And it's the fact that uh Suji is like, you know, he wants to bring New Japan back to the way that it used to be, and having this prestige, the title and everything, and all this stuff like that. And Takesha is all like, bro, quit being an old head, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01: 1:41:05

Like, quit living in the past, create a new era.

SPEAKER_02: 1:41:08

Like this, this the now. Like, make the now, make the now better type situation.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41:14

Now, in my mind, because I know didn't he like just get this belt? He got it from uh Godo like months ago, because Godo, again, we is going away so that way he can be Honda for Street Fighter, and that's why he lost the belt. So he's been the champion for maybe like two, three months, but this was his second defense, by the way. He won it, and I think he defended it one time, and then after that, this was his second defense.

SPEAKER_02: 1:41:45

Okay. Cause at first, to me, I was feeling like, why did they make Takeshka such a transitional champion? In my mind, he still kind of is.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41:57

They needed somebody. That's the it's weird that, you know, uh Suji even said, hey, he doesn't like the partnership with AEW, but like, who else in the New Japan roster would have given you this match with the star power you needed? There was nobody else in that roster that I can think of that could have held that belt and made you say, I need to watch Suji win this, because he's gonna be the new person that leaves New Japan. Besides Takesha.

SPEAKER_02: 1:42:27

I agree. And it helps because it is one of those things. Literally, going back to that video is the fact that it's like he's complaining about the fact that, you know, we don't need them, and we should be able to push this on our own when at the same time, I'm pretty certain he understands the fact that there's nobody here to make us better, so we have to get somebody over there to come over here to help boost it. And for all intents and purposes, Takeshka filled that role, I think, pretty well. He is the alpha, bro. And like, me, like I said, my my opinions of Takeshka, and I'll make sure and I'll openly admit this, my opinions of Takeshka solely come from what I've seen of him in AEW. And some would say that his presentation in AEW has been meh. However, if you consider what he has done in AEW meh, if you're comparing it to what he used to be, sure. But as someone, you know, never seeing what he did before, I mean, until now, not seeing what he did before, and seeing what he is doing right now, I mean, his meh is another one's goddamn, in my opinion. And it's like Takeshka, it the honestly, the only thing that's holding him back is booking in AEW.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:06

I mean, he he would be so much better in New Japan, personally. Agreed. Agreed. It's it's what I'm noticing is that a lot of the foreigners coming from New Japan or any of these promotions in Japan are literally at Super Saiyan God level. And then they'll come to America. Even the bulldog, by the way. Even the bulldog in Japan, did you not see how he that that motherfucker is like, I will fuck everybody up here.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:32

Listen, I love you.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:33

But in America? In the conglomeration, he looked like an old nigga.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:37

He bings chillins out here, bro.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:39

Yeah. Like he that's his 36th. He's been in, he, he's he's been to, I forgot how many Wrestle Kingdoms he's been to. He's been almost to everyone, by the way.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:49

Yeah, that when they gave that stat, I'm like, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:51

I'm like, nigga.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:52

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:53

36 years of the business.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:54

I mean, that's that's hella dope.

SPEAKER_01: 1:44:56

Yeah, that's crazy. And my man, Bulldog, I'm still doing this, bro. Ain't nobody stopping it. Like, like it's nothing. Mikey, he still got that dog in him. Literally.

SPEAKER_02: 1:45:07

He never, and I don't think he'll ever lose it.

SPEAKER_01: 1:45:09

It's stone, it's stone bulldog for a reason. But uh, back to this match. I mean, at first I was really confused on what what does gene blast mean? I kept seeing that in his Titan trial. I'm like, what the fuck does for Susie? What the fuck is a gene blast? And it finally took commentary to tell us gene blast basically stands for almost pretty much being an alpha, being, you know, genetically capable of doing these things as an athlete. So when I'm hitting you with the gene blast, I'm hitting you with every fiber of my being and giving you all of my momentum, giving you all I have into this move. It is literally a gene blast. And I was like, hmm.

SPEAKER_02: 1:45:51

Listen, it listen, uh listen, Japanese wrestling is so goaded with anime, bro, it's ridiculous. It's so, it is ridiculous. Like, if Japanese wrestling is an anime, then yes, Western wrestling is a soap opera.

SPEAKER_01: 1:46:10

It is my nigga. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02: 1:46:12

It is it's it's so prominent.

SPEAKER_01: 1:46:14

I'm sorry, that's just almost like Asian media in general, because me and my wife have been watching Culinary uh Class Wars.

SPEAKER_00: 1:46:21

Culinary Class Wars.

SPEAKER_01: 1:46:22

Nigga, that is an anime. I swear to God, it is a live action anime. I swear to God, bro, they're like showcasing each other on like anime levels. There's literally a guy whose eyes he's that anime character. Oh, he's literally that anime character. His eyes do not open, my nigga.

SPEAKER_00: 1:46:45

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01: 1:46:46

And he wears headphones while he cooks, so he's just like, he does his thing, and this is what he's in interviews. Just like and then he's only ever done this like three times. And I'm like, bro, this is this is fucking anime. This is literally, I'm telling you, if you got a chance, watch Culinary Class Wars, it's fucking anime. I swear to God. I would I actually almost want to make a video about it because there's so many moments of like, this is anime, this is anime. I'm sorry, but yes, get back to this match. Yes, Japanese wrestling is literally anime. Literally. The way they come out to the ring, the way their oh my god, their interest is. I mean, talking about Saya's interests alone is anime.

SPEAKER_00: 1:47:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 1:47:28

Literally, yes, but um the gene blast versus the alpha, it's literally two alphas going against each other. And you know, I've no I didn't notice the psychology of this match until we finally got to the ending of the match. If you didn't notice, it literally what Suji was all he was trying to do was hit him with the gene blast. As if he was setting his body up. Because notice he never Takesh kept hitting him with elbows, he kept hitting him with body blocks, body blows, body blows. He kept trying to do an overhand punch, body blow, body blow.

SPEAKER_02: 1:48:01

Yeah, there was that one time. Kitesh came in and he came in there, blah!

SPEAKER_01: 1:48:04

Fucking lifted, listen, Takeshka, hit that freaking lift up off the ground and land it face for like God, that the wrestling psychology of him, he's he's lowering the the the he's making the body red. So whenever he hits him with the gene blast, it was over. Because every time, every attempt he tried to do with the gene blast, it got blocked, it got blocked, it got blocked, it got kneed. It was like there were so many attempts, but literally as that point in the match where you get to where by the way, as as the alpha is, he his psychology, he's very slow with his wrestling, and like he'll do a move and he'll be like, Alright, next move.

SPEAKER_02: 1:48:46

Yeah, Takeshka has that, and I think that's also one of the things that I've picked up on in my journey of really enjoying Tekeshka's work. He's got that, even though he's not a slow and methodical like individual, but when he does things and he moves in the ring, he's very calculated and he's really smooth with it, kind of thing, and and very precise.

SPEAKER_01: 1:49:10

It's almost like he has a strategy every match. Like, this is what I'm gonna attack, this is what I'm gonna do, but I'm gonna also just be me at the same time. So as you kind of get to a boiling point when you get to the end of the match, where this is the spot, and I told you, I was like, I like this spot because Takesha has his own knee attack, and then the gene blast is a spear. So now you have the two hitting the turnbuckle and saying, Alright, we're gonna he's a Ikaze, which means let's go. So Ikaze, they get to the turnbuckle, he does his taunt, he's in sprint mode, and you're like, who is gonna hit who? Because it's literally a a a Western like gunfight situation, and then he hits him with the gene blasting. Nigga, Roman Reigns. I mean, brawn breaker, I was almost a brawn breaker. Spear.

SPEAKER_02: 1:50:02

So I we've had the discussion about spears in the past. Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 1:50:08

And he has to be in the contender now.

SPEAKER_02: 1:50:11

Now, I have only seen one gene blast in my life.

SPEAKER_01: 1:50:16

I've seen a couple of them, they're pretty good.

SPEAKER_02: 1:50:17

And so, because like I said, I I'm watching this cold turkey without looking at their past stuff right now. But I have to say, the way that he uh uh made Takeshka's body go from flatbread to taco, like, bro, he I'm talking, he literally hit that like with that spear. That spear was so that's that spear was devastating as fuck, bro. And so I'm like, if he hits it like that every single time, if he folds niggas like this on a regular basis with the spear on every shot, hey listen, he I guess he can be a contender. Cause even Braun Breaker don't perfectly fold people like he do.

SPEAKER_05: 1:51:13

Nah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:51:13

Now I will say, Bronn Breaker, I think Bron Breaker has been experimenting and trying to figure out what's the best spear. What should be his spear. Because before, when he like before when he was spearing people, it was very edge-like, and then it was and then it kind of got into like very much like the Roman Reigns S spear, which to me personally, Roman Reigns spear is the most basic of spears that you can do. And then, ever since he hit Carlito with that that run that that running that running lunge spear, that that that javelin, like, ever since he did that, he was all like, wait a second. Now, how do I do this all the time? And it's like, ever since he did that javelin spear, he's been he's been hitting and missing. Sometimes he can get the javelin in, sometimes he's just he just does a football spear or football tackle for all intents and purposes. Where you get him right here, you kind of lift them up and you lay him and you drop them to the ground. As opposed to freaking the javelin, you lunge forward, you freaking make them taco, and fucking they drop.

SPEAKER_01: 1:52:28

I think a part of it is because the opponent needs to also move forward to give it the momentum of two opposites colliding. Because if one doesn't collide, it's just it's all force in and push.

SPEAKER_02: 1:52:42

So the other the opponent needs to also be coming at the same speed, which is why the Gene Blast and this match made so much like yes, yes, and I I and that and that is probably the important piece. But like, as far as the first display, I'm like, alright, I guess he can do the spear, it's cool.

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:05

And then the Boston Crab, which I was surprised that he ends the match with a Boston Crab.

SPEAKER_02: 1:53:09

Bro, Boston crab, Boston Crabs was everywhere.

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:12

Apparently, Boston Crab is a deadly finish in New Japan.

SPEAKER_02: 1:53:17

You would think that was fucking listen, what how many Boston Crab finishes did we see in the tag team? There was at least two or three of them.

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:24

It was like four or five almost. It was definitely always on the young lions, though. So I was like, y'all, yo, my y'all lower backs gotta be shit.

SPEAKER_02: 1:53:32

Lion tamer. Ha ha. Of course.

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:37

Of course. You know, you know, Chris Jericho actually did that, but he elevated, you know, he put the knee in it. So yeah, it was something he did in New Japan. There you go.

SPEAKER_02: 1:53:49

Damn. Yeah, tame it. You know what?

SPEAKER_01: 1:53:57

You know what? It all see Japanese wrestling, bro. God damn. Alright. So that match was great. And then, man, we get to the main event. Okada versus Takesha. And man, as I went into this match, bro, I already knew Okada, bro. Okada has already goaded. But in a new Japan arena in his music hits.

SPEAKER_02: 1:54:26

I ain't gonna lie, fam, like that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:54:28

It's crazy because I don't feel that in AEW. You only get it because he has that red light on him and he does the pose.

SPEAKER_02: 1:54:38

It looks dope, but it's and not even not so much just the entrance. It's just the aura that he has in New Japan, comparably speaking, feels like you didn't pay the bills in AEW. The light and the aura and shine that Okada has, or at least I should specifically in this match, when he came out there, it's like, damn.

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:08

Because he was. And so when he went to AEW, it made no sense. He is literally a made man in New Japan. Why would you leave? Why? And that's why it never made sense to me.

SPEAKER_02: 1:55:22

The answer is uh, you know that noise that you hear in the beginning of his theme song?

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:28

The coin?

SPEAKER_02: 1:55:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:29

Yeah. That's why he's an AEW. Currency. Which I also thought the song was currency, is Curiosity.

SPEAKER_02: 1:55:36

Um, and which I was like, that makes sense if it was currency, but listen, in my humble opinions, based off of nothing but from what I've just watched and hearsay, Okada left New Japan because they could not afford.

SPEAKER_01: 1:55:55

Well, though, in reality, he left because he was like, there's nothing else for him to do there. Which is been their heavyweight champion, he's had some of the most devastating matches, the best matches ever. And it was like, I mean, I could win the title again, but at that point, I don't want people to get stale. You know, I there's nothing else for me here. I've done everything. Let me go over here and see what I can do. And that's literally what happened.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56:17

What the fuck is he doing?

SPEAKER_01: 1:56:19

He's a Continental Champion. Well, he was.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56:21

Bitch!

SPEAKER_01: 1:56:22

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Didn't he lose the belt?

SPEAKER_02: 1:56:26

Bro, we're not talking about AEW shit right now.

SPEAKER_01: 1:56:29

Yeah, because he had the belt when he was there.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56:31

Bro, we're not talking about a that I just realized Bro, that is a next week's podcast episode. Oh my god, bro. Okay, listen. That is a next week's episode podcast episode.

SPEAKER_01: 1:56:45

I'm gonna need to check on that because he did come out with a belt. I need to see what's happening.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56:49

Afterwards, I'll briefly explain to you the stupidity of AEW right now with the Continental Classic and then No, no, no, no. Once again. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01: 1:56:59

Let's get to the match.

SPEAKER_02: 1:57:00

Let's get to it. We will we will address that.

SPEAKER_01: 1:57:03

Yeah. We got time. So, so so being that this is the Ace's last match, man, the the environment definitely felt different compared to John Cena, which by the way, John Cena, I want you to watch this match and realize this is a retirement. This is what retiring looks like, okay? If you're gonna go out on your back, you don't do you know, you don't do that, okay? You go out like fucking Takesha did. And he went out like a fucking G. Okay. He gave it everything, bro. He even he even had one homage callback to Shinsuke Nakamura because you know WWE is a nice.

SPEAKER_02: 1:57:47

Takesh, you said Takesh.

SPEAKER_01: 1:57:48

I mean, yeah, Takashi, excuse me. Uh uh Tanahashi. Um he he gives a callback to uh uh Shinsuke Nakamura, which is one of his greatest rivals, by the way. Which, to be honest, that match against him and Tanahashi would have maybe made more sense. But with Okada, the whole stipulation is like, hey, I started going against you. It might as well end with me going against you. And uh I hope you enjoy your retirement. Because I'm retiring you. I just want you to know that. That is literally how Okada went to this match. Is I know you, you must be tired.

SPEAKER_02: 1:58:25

Which I love that that's how he ended the match. He's all like, at the end, when he does eventually pan him, Okada ends up winning. Uh he grits the microphone, he looks, and he's all like, You look tired. A says, Thank you, and he bows.

SPEAKER_01: 1:58:42

And gets out, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:58:43

And he leaves. And to me, which is kind of funny, because once again, the in-ring story, that felt like that was the story that we had going into it. And when you look at what Tanahashi has done from the time that he said, like, hey, this is my last run, homie's been going at the speed of a bullet. 100%. Like, the few times that he showed up in AEW, and then me watching him through like the tag team tournament, and he was, I mean, he was out there laying it out like as if that those were going to be his last matches. He put all of his shit into these matches. And then by the time we get to this match, the way the match was fought for me, like from what the way I perceived it, it was almost as if like he's been running so hard that once he's gotten to this match, he was tired. He still left everything he had in that ring and literally, you know, used the last bit of energy that he had. And funny enough, you know, in that comparison to an anime, it's like. When you watch like that, the the you know one of the main good guys, and you're like, damn, he's not going to win against this bad guy, but he's going to hurt this bad guy enough. So when the next person comes through, who's supposed to be the new kid on the block, that's supposed to take this bad guy down after this, after the the the master is finally done.

SPEAKER_01: 2:00:22

So like a piccolo. Because piccolo will like wear down most villains so that way Goku can come up. He'd be like, Alright, man, you take it from here. Ugh.

SPEAKER_02: 2:00:31

Yeah, to a certain degree, kind of like that type situation. As far as like just kind of sort of the way it was like presented. Because it's like he's out there. And for the most, for most of the match, Okada had his number. Like Okada was beating his ass. Beating his ass. But like, but he had his comeback moments. And then he had his like big shining moments where you really thought, like, oh, he's really about to put him down. But it's like once he like gets to that point, like what what he what they call it? The uh uh The Bomboy AD? No, no, no. It was the high-fi flow? Not not that no, before that, he because when he hit him with his own version of the Rainmaker, but they called it, they called it something else. The shine uh I can't remember. It made me laugh because uh because where Okada has the Rainmaker, it's like Tanahashi.

SPEAKER_01: 2:01:25

He's all about the sun.

SPEAKER_02: 2:01:27

They they they called it I think that's what they called it. They yes, that's exactly what they called it. The Ace Maker. That's funny. I wish we did that more with finishers. You know, instead of calling it the rock bomb, oh, it's I mean, that's a horrible example. Yeah. Because it doesn't sound as cool. It'd be the stone bottom, the stone go bottom. But but but but in but in that particular fact, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, but um, you know, people's elbow up, the the rattlesnakes bite hits the elbow drop type of thing.

SPEAKER_01: 2:02:09

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The snake, then the oh wow, yeah, the rattlesnake bite. Yeah, that'd be interesting, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 2:02:14

But you know, I I just thought that was a really cool touch. But it was the fact like he like he hits him with that, and then he gets up and then he hits that frog, the the high-fi flow. He hits the high-fi flow on him and everything, and then like when he kicks out, he's all like, uh, I gotta I gotta do a little bit more. But the problem was when he's trying to get that extra bit in, he's tired. He can't get up there as fast as he was, as fast as he did the previous time. And fam, when he hit that, when he attempted to hit that high five flow. Oh, yeah, when that man put the knees up, bro. I'm driving and I I see that. I he was like, damn, bro. All that stuff. I felt that from Japan to Florida, my guy.

SPEAKER_01: 2:03:02

All that stomach, bro. Like he rib cage. That was almost like some skate shit when you go ragdoll, bro, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 2:03:15

And then I'm like, wait, when that happened, I'm like, oh damn, here it is. He hit that freak, that that last Rainmaker.

SPEAKER_01: 2:03:22

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02: 2:03:23

I was like, yeah, he ain't getting back up after that. And it was uh he did not get back up. But like, I really, I really enjoyed the story of that match. Because it's one of those things where I'm like, in my mind, I'm like, nah, I know Okada's not losing. You know what I'm saying? But but the way that Okada won, and and the way that that match took place and how everything calling it, it was like this was really good. This was a good retirement match. And it's hard to say that because there's not a whole lot of good retirement matches that exist, you know. And even then, like, yes, I would say the match was good. I will give it that. But like when I look at Sting's retirement, I look at his his retirement as a whole, not so much the match. You know what I'm saying? Like another comparison is like when Ric Flair, his original retirement, that was that was a good send-off. Like, going into it, he was he was having some really great matches. And every match that he had, he's like, listen, if I don't win this match, I'm done. So literally every match was a retirement match leading up to his match against Shawn Michaels. And of course, you know, Shawn Michaels didn't want to do it. Riffler's like, nah, fight me, bitch. And so so not you pulling Okada, bitch. Bitch. But uh, but like, you know, so it's like his little run, little bit going into the match, and then the match itself, it was great. And uh and that little and his his last little run, it was nice and it was rememberable, it was cool and all. And I feel going with with this one right here, this run, flawless. Almost flawless.

SPEAKER_01: 2:05:24

Takesha, yeah. Takesha. You talking Takesha or you're talking about.

SPEAKER_02: 2:05:27

No, no, no, Tanahashi.

SPEAKER_01: 2:05:28

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 2:05:29

You got Takeshka on the mind. I don't know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 2:05:31

Because that match was good. Tanahashi, yeah. No, this run was good. I mean, from the tag league and him running, he every every match, and he would go out to the crowd every time, wipe his sweat on their towels, do everything. Like Tanahashi.

SPEAKER_02: 2:05:44

Which I think that's like such an interesting thing. It's like, ah, then they're going, they're like, he's high-five. Yeah, like the ladies want his sweat. That's crazy. But I also get it. That's it, hey, people do things different differently.

SPEAKER_01: 2:05:59

I mean, some shortties want some dudes bathwater, these shortties want their sweat.

SPEAKER_02: 2:06:03

I mean, there's I mean, we when you could make that comparison, it's actually not that weird anymore.

SPEAKER_01: 2:06:08

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 2:06:08

I mean, it still is, but like, you can't get can't can't do worse than bathwater.

SPEAKER_01: 2:06:14

Yeah, no, absolutely. That's gross. But uh, yes, so as uh Tanahashi loses, you know, he lays in a ring, and you're just like you're settling with yourself with the damn it's over. You know, he sits there, he lays there, he has a moment with himself, and he finally starts getting up, and you see the locker room starts to come down to the ring, and you know, paying homage to him, and then we start getting wrestlers coming out to pay respect. We got Jay White, we had Omega, we had uh uh uh Will Ospreay, which I was like, alright.

SPEAKER_02: 2:06:50

Um what's the what's the guy who was with Omega? Uh Kodo Bucci. Listen, shout out to Kodo Bucci.

SPEAKER_01: 2:06:56

That nigga has a broken femur, bro.

SPEAKER_02: 2:06:58

Out here hobbling to the ring, which I was like, that's dedication. That's respect. Out here and he made the walk without without help. He walked all the way down that steep ass ramp. Got into the ring. And there's and it it dips too. Yes, I was watching. Let me put it this way: watching them come down to the ring and then watching them turn, I was like, oh, that's a tricky ramp.

SPEAKER_01: 2:07:26

I thought it was a straight ramp. It's not.

SPEAKER_02: 2:07:27

No, it's it's absolutely not. It's it's like kind of straight, then it then it evens out a bit, and then fucking Yeah. And so when he was going on that last bit of I'm I'm watching intently, like, don't hurt, don't hurt yourself, don't hurt yourself. And he just went up the steps. Just grab his hand. Just grab his hand.

SPEAKER_01: 2:07:43

Went up the steps too with no help. Got in the ring, no help. I'm like, bro, crazy, my alright, all right. Listen, built different.

SPEAKER_02: 2:07:53

Japanese boys, I'm telling you, man. But uh, I think out of all the guys that came out, I think my my favorite one and Kabashi. Uh yes. Kabashi. Yeah. When he came out, and then they that one got me emotional.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08:12

That got me. I actually cried. I low-key cried. I'm in the bed and I'm watching it, and he was like, Oh man, fuck this shit. Take my shirt off. Yo, hey yo, slap me, lock up. Lock up one last time.

SPEAKER_02: 2:08:25

Like when like when they like they slap, like when they like he took the shirt off, I was like, what's happening? And it's funny, because like at first the music play is like, and it everything paused for a moment, and then they go into it, and go into it, and then like after they lock up and he gave them that hug, the emotion, fam. That emotion was so tight. I was all like, ooh, man. Oh, they uh I was like, man, fuck. I'm not even friends with that. I'm over here, I'm like, I only just met this guy and I'm feeling it. Like, I already feel his presence being missed.

SPEAKER_01: 2:08:58

Because it's there's something, it's not even it's this, it's the fact that, yeah, he's not gonna wrestle again. And he's had these matches with these people, and then to be like with you know, Kabashi, Kabashi will never wrestle like he used to. He will never wrestle like he used to again. And now that he's an AEW, he's not had the chance to wrestle, you know, Tanahashi because he's been in AEW. And so this is the last time I'm gonna be able to lock up with you in front of people in the Tokyo dome. Yeah, I gotta get this moment. I need to lock up with you real quick.

SPEAKER_02: 2:09:31

Yeah, that was uh that was very powerful emotion because it was like, number one, his reaction when his music played, when Tanahashi's reaction, he almost completely broke down. I saw it. I was like, oh, oh man. Cause oh, these these guys are boys, boys.

SPEAKER_01: 2:09:50

They they've been to war. These act they're actually one of the three pillars. Oh, okay. Yeah, it was Kabashi, Shinsu, Nakamura, and um Tanahashi. They were the three pillars.

SPEAKER_02: 2:10:00

And so it was like seeing that, I was like, 'cause see seeing that off rip, I'm like, oh, oh, the history is deep here. And just their reaction, their embrace, I was like, mm. Oh yeah, this we that we're definitely about to go on to something new here. Man, I wish I felt more of that in John Cena's, man. I tell you, dog. It it's it's baffling to me. It is like the fact that we have to look at John Cena's retirement. The fact that we gotta look at John Cena's retirement, and all we can do is look at it and criticize how good or how bad or how lackluster it was, and then here we turn around and look at this man's retirement, and we're not talking about how good or bad it was, we're just talking about how it made us feel. There's a problem. Yes. There's a whole ass problem with the system. And and and they freaked it.

SPEAKER_01: 2:11:02

Yeah, and that's why when somebody said, yo, John C needs to go call up Brian Danielson and go over to Tony Khan and do that shit right away. It's like, damn, bro. Hey, uh, dude. Right back. Pull up pull a Ric Flair and TNA. That's how you ruin your that's how you ruin that's that's that's the point when you well, I don't know. We got the Ric Flair and Jay Lethal moment, and that that was a good moment. Sure.

SPEAKER_02: 2:11:35

But was it worth the Hulk Hogan bullshit?

SPEAKER_01: 2:11:39

No, but we didn't we talk about Hulk Hogan bullshit. We talk about Ric Flair.

SPEAKER_02: 2:11:44

But see, that's the thing.

SPEAKER_01: 2:11:45

We when you talk about Ric Flair and TNA, we got that we gotta talk about the whole thing. We got that Ric Flair versus Mick Foley match where he never respected Mick Foley, but then he had that hardcore match with him. He's like, oh, oh no, I respect him now.

SPEAKER_02: 2:11:58

There, listen that TNA, Ric Flair's TNA run was not terrible. Not by a long shot. It's just that it didn't make sense and it completely ruined his original retiring moment. However, at the same time, you know, you can't get too mad at him because, you know, divorces mean you got bills to pay and and and an ex-wife to feed. So Which sign a prenup.

SPEAKER_01: 2:12:26

But anyway, uh but um overall, this was a very good pay-per-view, and as New Japan was showing, like I think at the end or in the middle of the pay-per-view, they were showing all their future pay-per-views. I'm excited for the G1 now. I know that shit about to slap.

SPEAKER_02: 2:12:47

This uh as someone who is just taking their first steps in New Japan, uh, this pay-per-view was a refreshing start to the year. Because I'll be honest with you, going into this year without New Japan, that bit that you started to bring up, and I said we'll talk about that next week. Yeah, bro. Uh there's a reason why I didn't watch any wrestling this week outside of New Japan. There's a reason. Cause because Lord knows we're on that sting New Year, new me, take off the mask, still got the face paint on. That's that's what wrestling looks like they're trying to do. But hey, the year is young. We're just taking our steps into it. At least New Japan out here with some uh with with a uh with a new mindset of trying to move things forward. So I guess we're gonna see what the year has to held for us.

SPEAKER_01: 2:13:44

The New Year Dash is tonight, and that's pretty much the equivalent of the raw after mania. So there's some big shit that's supposed to happen on New Year's Dash.

SPEAKER_02: 2:13:52

Oh, great. So we have even more things, even more wrestling to look forward to in that. So we'll see how things stack up for next week. I'll be watching it during the day. I'm not gonna watch it during the day. Oh, oh god, no. No, listen. I'm stream, I'm going to attempt to stream tonight because I ain't gonna lie. I still feel that new Japan hangover from last night, bro.

SPEAKER_01: 2:14:12

Take one of my sparkling ices with you, bro. I'll try to tell you, my girlfriends are gonna come over in a little bit. I'm like, I'm gonna drink one of sparkling ice, man.

SPEAKER_02: 2:14:20

And they when they want to hang out and chill, I'm gonna be like, Alright, just don't be mad if I Yup, I gotta drink one on, bro. Just throw a blanket on me.

SPEAKER_01: 2:14:30

But uh overall, final thoughts. You you feel like the the show was good, correct? Oh, show was great.

SPEAKER_02: 2:14:37

Easily out easily a B plus B high B. Like freaking almost an A.

SPEAKER_01: 2:14:46

I feel I feel like if you went in newing a lot of the wrestlers and a lot of the stuff, it probably would have been A for you.

SPEAKER_02: 2:14:53

I would agree. There were there were if I would have understood some of the extra nuances, because like knowing the wrestlers would help, but just understanding some of the other nuances about New Japan that I'm also still slowly learning, that would have it probably would have tipped it more into the A. But because of, you know, not knowing disqualifications don't exist here. Not not knowing certain things and and and not understanding some, you know, a couple of things fully, because it because it definitely wasn't anything with the wrestling. And honestly, once I've understood the story, it's like, oh, this is even better. But it's okay because moving forward, we're in there, we're getting it. We understand it, or we're understanding it.

SPEAKER_01: 2:15:34

I'm excited about it because is again coming from watching New Japan and now getting back into it, man. You know, I was I would try to dip in during the pandemic, and I remember seeing Kodo Bushi win the title and seeing Sonata win the title and seeing certain people win, and I was like, I don't like any of these guys. So it was very difficult for to watch New Japan around that time. But now, going into this new era, I'm excited to see what happens. And Suji, you better bring back that fucking heavyweight title now. You can't call yourself the heavyweight champion when technically you are the world heavyweight champion. I better see that fucking belt tomorrow, bro. We're gonna have a fight. That's all I gotta say. I need that belt back. But uh this is another episode of the Big Brothers of Destruction podcast, guys. If you've liked our content, please uh choke slam the like button, tombstone the subscribe button. We're here every week with new content and new videos as we're gonna try to get back into posting a lot more on TikTok and uh Instagram. But uh, as always, uh the ring is sacred. The questions are real, the destruction is guaranteed. It is your host who likes to post the MasterCoup.

SPEAKER_02: 2:16:49

And it's your boy, Swag Switch in the building.

SPEAKER_01: 2:16:52

Till next time, guys. Have a good one and go get some sleep if you watch this shit too. Because god damn.