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Csonka Reviews Impact Wrestling in NOAH

March 22, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
7.5
The 411 Rating
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Csonka Reviews Impact Wrestling in NOAH  

Csonka Reviews Impact Wrestling in NOAH (3.12.17)

In early February, word started to make its way out that Impact Wrestling & Pro Wrestling NOAH may work together. Shortly after that, Pro Wrestling NOAH officially announced James Storm and Eddie Edwards will be joining Moose on March 12th. (NOAH Great Voyage in Yokohama). I finally got around to checking out parts of the show, and thought I would review the matches with the Impact Wrestling starsso you can get a feeling as to how the debut went. Enjoy!

James Storm vs. Kaito Kiyomiya: Kaito Kiyomiya is a NOAH young lion (rookie/trainee) that debuted back in December of 2015. Kiyomiya rushed to the ring Ultimate Warrior style, he’s apparently eager for an ass beating. Storm controlled early, using his size and experience advantage. Kiyomiya fired up and made a comeback, and even avoided the superkick early. They fought to the floor, with Kiyomiya hitting a high cross off the apron. Back in the ring they traded strikes, but Storm quickly cut him off with clotheslines. Storm hit the enziguri and neck breaker for the near fall. Kiyomiya fought off the superplex, and hit the missile dropkick for 2. Storm then hit the eye of the storm for a near fall. Kiyomiya avoided the superkick again, hit a dropkick and then hit a German for a near fall. Storm then hit the lung blower and superkick for the win. James Storm defeated Kaito Kiyomiya @ 8:35 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid match, Storm felt motivated (likely happy to get the chance to perform in a new venue in front of new fans; that sterile Impact zone has to eat away at your soul) and looked like he wanted to impress in the new setting. The crowd did not care much/or react well for him, even though he tried. Storm picks the victory, which came off as a strong and dominating enough effort for his debut (but he gave Kiyomiya a lot). Unless they really amp up the cross promotion or give the fans a reason to care, this felt a bit disappointing.
With Storm facing a young lion, this was a great chance to paint him as an asshole heel, abusing the youngster and really setting an attitude for him. Storm feels like that American mid-carder that will pick up a lot of wins on the under to mid card and maybe earn a title shot down the line after several wins and the crowd hopefully getting invested in him.

Eddie Edwards vs. Atsushi Kotare: they were friends to begin, working a nice back and forth wrestling match with hand shakes and clean breaks. They picked up the pacing and aggression, Edwards avoided a dive and they battled back and forth on the floor. Back in, Kotoge worked strikes until Edwards suplexed him to the buckles and then lit him up with chops. Edwards took control, hitting a back elbow and neck breaker for the near fall. He then slowed the pace; hitting knee drops to the back of the head and another neck breaker. Kotoge then started to fight back, hitting the missile dropkick and countering the backpack stunner; he then worked a variation of the tarantula in the ropes. A rolling cutter followed for 2. Kotoge’s chest is really red from Edwards’ chops. Kotoge up top, but Edwards cuts him off with the running kick and followed with a superplex. Kotoge sent to the floor and Edwards about kills him with the suicide dive. Back in they go, Edwards up top and Kotoge avoids the double stomp but runs into the blue thunder bomb for a near fall. Kotoge then cuts off Edwards with the running kick for the double down. They went face to face, traded heavy strikes and both fired up as they threw big time strikes and chops. Kotoge then lit up Edwards with kick, and they went into a rapid-fire sequence of moves, leading to Edwards leveling Kotoge with a lariat. Edwards laid in more chops, going all Kojima in the corner as he turns Kotoge’s chest into chopped meat. Kotoge had enough of that shit and hit a stiff fucking head butt (busting himself open as he likes to do) for the near fall. he then hits another, but Edwards fires back with the superkick, and counters the RANA into a powerbomb and then the tiger driver for the near fall. Great reaction for that near fall. Edwards then hits the Boston knee party and picks up the hard fought victory. Eddie Edwards defeated Atsushi Kotoge @ 19:18 via pin [****] This match was night and day as compared to the James Storm debut on this same card; Edwards had the advantage of working NOAH before, and Kotoge is a bigger name than Kiyomiya, so the crowd was into this match pretty much from the start. Add into that the fact that these two are better workers and were out there with the goal to have a great match, which they did. This was great, feeling like a hybrid of junior style and heavyweight style; Edwards fits into NOAH extremely well and will thrive here working with pretty much anyone. This was a great battle of guys that felt evenly matched throughout, with Edwards picking up an important victory. I’d like to see them matched up again down the line.

Naomichi Marufuji & Keiji Mutoh vs. Moose & KAZMA SAKAMOTO: Mutoh and SAKAMOTO exchanged what could loosely be called “grappling exchanges” to start things off. Mutoh controlled with ease, working into an STF but SAKAMOTO made the ropes. Moose tagged in and immediately had the crowd behind him. he faced off with Marufuji and tossed him around with ease. Moose dominated Marufuji with the power game, Marufuji fought back with chops and knees, but Moose hit the big dropkick to send him to the floor. Moose worked over Marufuji back in the ring and tagged out to SAKAMOTO as they took the heat. They worked quick tags, with more domination by Moose. The crowd loves anything Moose does, which is slightly surprising since he’s essentially destroying Marufuji here. Marufuji tried to use his speed but ran into a sky high for the near fall. Marufuji then escaped the powerbomb and hit a great spike DDT and tagged in Mutoh. He strolled wildly, working over SAKAMOTO with dragon screw leg whips and a shining wizard but Moose made the save. Mutoh fought him off and hit dragon screw leg whips to both and then the figure four on SAKAMOTO. SAKAMOTO escaped, Mutoh hit a dropkick and tagged out because he was blown up. Marufuji ran wild on SAKAMOTO, but then ate superkicks for the near fall. Marufuji then hit rapid-fire kicks, and the dropkick. The head kick leveled SAKAMOTO but Moose made the save. Moose fired up with jabs, but ate a series of knee strikes. After some time on the apron playing the tired legend card and making Marufuji handle the hard work, Mutoh tags in long enough to hit the shining wizard on Moose and then one on SAKAMOTO so that Marufuji could hit sliced bread for the win. Naomichi Marufuji & Keiji Mutoh defeated Moose & KAZMA SAKAMOTO @ 13:50 via pin [***½] I am glad to report that Moose outshined everyone here; he’s a inconsistent performer, but when he’s on he can do some excellent things. The advantage he had here, especially over someone like Moose, is actually a few things. He had some exposure with NJPW already. He has a catchy chant that the Japanese love and he a big dude who does power stuff and cool moves. Look at Michael Elgin, booked like shit in ROH and in a career tailspin; gets the G1 spot and wows the crowd throughout, is associated with Tanahashi and #BIGMIKE became a thing. The Japanese love big Americans that do power spots, they also love big African Americans like Bob Sapp. Add all of that into a really tremendous effort from Moose and the match was not only very good, but Moose may have made himself a star in NOAH on night one. Fuck it, I’m all in on a Moose vs. Marufuji singles match. This was way more fun than I thought it would be.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.5
The final score: review Good
The 411
This felt like a good first step in the relationship with Impact & NOAH; the wrestling was good, Edwards and Moose killed it in different ways, and it was worth the time to check out. Hopefully, things continue to go this well moving forward.
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