Pro Wrestling! (For Everything WWE, Impact, Indies, AEW, & Japan !) 2021

[Noodle]

G-1 31 is getting full English commentary as well as Spanish! Sweet deal.

That's cool and all but announce the competitors, dangit! We're a month away and still don't know who's in it!

Seriously, though, it's cool to have full English commentary, but with some of them I'll probably still watch in Japanese. I have no idea what the commentators are saying but, man, they get so into it you can't help to get hyped.

[BeastieRunner]

That's cool and all but announce the competitors, dangit! We're a month away and still don't know who's in it!

Seriously, though, it's cool to have full English commentary, but with some of them I'll probably still watch in Japanese. I have no idea what the commentators are saying but, man, they get so into it you can't help to get hyped.

Well it starts in September (the 18th I think).

I expect they'll start announcing entrants soon.

Brackets probably won't be till the week before or even the week of UNLESS there are no surprise entrants this year. Last year, it was about 10 days prior.

I would expect the regulars like Okada, Naito, Ibushi, White, Ishii, Shingo, Sanada, EVIL, Tanahashi with the likes of KENTA, Sabre Jr, Osprey, Juice, Yanu, and Finlay rounding out the "expected" entrants. Back Luck Fale, Suzuki, Goto, Makabe have been rumored to maybe not be in this year ... but we shall see.

Moose, Brian Cage, DB's alternate persona the American Dragon (masked B-Dazzler has been the consistent rumor), Moxley, Archer, Nagata, Hikuleo, Lethal, Knight, Jericho (whom was just added back to the New Japan tour roster this week) and Tiger Mask have all been rumored. There's also talk of more juniors in this year because of the travel weirdness.

I kind of wish they would do a split event with all the stateside talent. A/B block in Japan, C/D block in CA. A/B and C/D winners in the Dome after quarantine. Final the same night.

[Noodle]

I would expect the regulars like Okada, Naito, Ibushi, White, Ishii, Shingo, Sanada, EVIL, Tanahashi with the likes of KENTA, Sabre Jr, Osprey, Juice, Yanu, and Finlay rounding out the "expected" entrants. Back Luck Fale, Suzuki, Goto, Makabe have been rumored to maybe not be in this year ... but we shall see.

Ibushi is iffy, as he's still pulled from shows. All of LIJ have been pulled from shows due to COVID issues, although we're still a month away so they could end up getting cleared. Ospreay said he isn't coming back to Japan, so it looks like they're keeping him away for a little bit.

Moose, Brian Cage, DB's alternate persona the American Dragon (masked B-Dazzler has been the consistent rumor), Moxley, Archer, Nagata, Hikuleo, Lethal, Knight, Jericho (whom was just added back to the New Japan tour roster this week) and Tiger Mask have all been rumored. There's also talk of more juniors in this year because of the travel weirdness.

Moose, Moxley Jericho and Archer would be very iffy, as I don't know if Impact of AEW would want them off TV for a month or so.

[BeastieRunner]

Ibushi is iffy, as he's still pulled from shows. All of LIJ have been pulled from shows due to COVID issues, although we're still a month away so they could end up getting cleared. Ospreay said he isn't coming back to Japan, so it looks like they're keeping him away for a little bit.

So he says ... *evil grin*

He does have RevPro stuff going on too, right? Fair point nonetheless.

Moose, Moxley Jericho and Archer would be very iffy, as I don't know if Impact of AEW would want them off TV for a month or so.

Well for starters, they are all rumors (and not reddit or message board talk).

I agree with your overall point. Some notes, though:

- Mox has some dates left he wants to work in NJPW. Not a bad way to knock 'em out IMHO.
- Archer is really not doing much in the states.
- Jericho wanted to do G-1 prior to AEW getting up, and his storyline might have a natural break coming. Jericho stepping aside to let the new toys shine without him might be good for a few months anyway.
- Finlay and Juice are showing up on Impact, so if they're not in, Moose could take a break. And isn't Ospreay going there, too?

Man Will is everywhere!

[BeastieRunner]

Eddie on commentary on Dark is hilarious.

[JBatmanFan05]

Omega vs Andrade failed to live up to the hype, it was frustrating, more circus than a genuine match. Poor chemistry it seemed was part of it. But now I'm wondering if it was because this feud may not be finished:

Andrade El Idolo was originally scheduled to win the AAA Mega Championship from Kenny Omega at TripleMania XXIX, but it was AEW who asked AAA to hold off on the title change, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Meltzer noted that AEW has control over the finishes of Omega’s matches in other promotions.

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...plemania-xxix/

[EmeraldGladiator]

Omega vs Andrade failed to live up to the hype, it was frustrating, more circus than a genuine match. Poor chemistry it seemed was part of it. But now I'm wondering if it was because this feud may not be finished:

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...plemania-xxix/

for me the only Omega that lives up to the hype, because Kenny generates lots of it, has been Okada and Naito. I like the V-trigger but for me he isn't some in ring deity that is must see tv. His Impact and AEW stuff has just me meh at least for me. He appears to be coasting on the rep he made in NJPW. Now maybe it's the competition or maybe he was carried over there but that's just for me. Just not my type of wrestler. I was drawn to the Dynamite Kid/Chris Benoit style of wrestling even before they got over. Right now there is something about ZSJ that I enjoy in ring, his joint manipulations, and I guess Kyle O'Reilly is the closest thing to carrying the Benoit/Dynamite mantle right now (if one of the torch bearers for this type of wrestling can even have charisma they will own the industry). Right now the Elite feels like the bad NWO when they had all the booking power and didn't do anything new, without the benefit of good NWO when the invasion was the best storyline in wrestling.

[Username taken]

Omega vs Andrade failed to live up to the hype, it was frustrating, more circus than a genuine match. Poor chemistry it seemed was part of it. But now I'm wondering if it was because this feud may not be finished:

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...plemania-xxix/

Agreed.

Honestly, I don't think they really have chemistry.

It wasn't a bad match but I expected more given these guys work.

[JBatmanFan05]

for me the only Omega that lives up to the hype, because Kenny generates lots of it, has been Okada and Naito. I like the V-trigger but for me he isn't some in ring deity that is must see tv. His Impact and AEW stuff has just me meh at least for me. He appears to be coasting on the rep he made in NJPW. Now maybe it's the competition or maybe he was carried over there but that's just for me. Just not my type of wrestler. I was drawn to the Dynamite Kid/Chris Benoit style of wrestling even before they got over. Right now there is something about ZSJ that I enjoy in ring, his joint manipulations, and I guess Kyle O'Reilly is the closest thing to carrying the Benoit/Dynamite mantle right now (if one of the torch bearers for this type of wrestling can even have charisma they will own the industry). Right now the Elite feels like the bad NWO when they had all the booking power and didn't do anything new, without the benefit of good NWO when the invasion was the best storyline in wrestling.

I think Omega/Page vs Y.Bucks, Omega vs PAC (Iron Man), and at least 2 or so other matches have lived up to the Omega hype (considering the caliber of opponents and style we have in N.America here), but I definitely understand a lot of your perspective having been a D.Kid/Benoit guy as well (and same with me, before they even got over).

I remember first being kinda wowed by D.Kid when I was young and rented the WWF Wrestling Classic VHS from the library/video store, and it had D.Kid vs Savage in a short 5 min match. I also recall an early WWF VHS match against Bret Hart. And Bret did a lot to be my technical wrestling/high workrate gateway to Benoit when I started watching again in 1997 after quitting watching in 1993. And me determining Benoit had like no worthy opponents left in the summer of 2004 was why I stopped watching WWE regularly on TV (and only AEW has got me watching regularly again), and I found out later I was more or less correct in my presumption because after '04 the only must-see Benoit matches were certain Regal or Finlay matches (and maybe an Edge match or so).

For me Bryan Danielson is definitely a reigning successor to the D.Kid/Benoit mantle, even now. I have to see more of ZSJ and Kyle myself, I'm a bit behind on their work.

Honestly, I don't think they really have chemistry.

It wasn't a bad match but I expected more given these guys work.

If, and I'm being perhaps too generous and lenient, they're saving the real match for a title change match, which is not an uncommon practice, then I will quickly forget about this bout. I have a hard time thinking they couldn't have chemistry (unless they're so far out of their primes). Maybe injuries or a conscious holding back played a part in this letdown.

[Noodle]

So he says ... *evil grin*

He does have RevPro stuff going on too, right? Fair point nonetheless.

I'm not going to list his opponent or anything since it's from the Strong tapings so it's spoilers, but Ospreay is going to be at the Dallas show, which is in late September during the G1. That basically rules him out of being in it.

[Immortal Weapon]

Since we're expressing love for DK and Benoit style of wrestling one of my favorites is Timothy Thatcher. I'll say some of his best stuff was in Evolve and MLW. I like his rough technical style. He wrestles like a guy who enjoys hurting people. Not unlike Benoit when he was working heel.

[Noodle]

Since we're expressing love for DK and Benoit style of wrestling one of my favorites is Timothy Thatcher. I'll say some of his best stuff was in Evolve and MLW. I like his rough technical style. He wrestles like a guy who enjoys hurting people. Not unlike Benoit when he was working heel.

I'd never even heard of Thatcher before NXT, but he impressed the heck out of me.

[steve2275]

It sure beats your great cow fuk analogy. Which made no sense at all.

i thought it was funny

should it be if he did?

[Jcogginsa]

Please, we all know what his entrance will be. This.

[Deathstroke]

I don't know if anyone else saw this story but the NWA plans to honor the career of pioneering women's wrestler Mildred Burke in their upcoming all-female event later this month. SI.com had this story about Burke and the plans for honoring her.