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Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.13.15

March 14, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.13.15  

Introduction
As a reminder, this will not be another traditional recap, but instead it will be a mash up of the Rs, Instant Analysis and my usual Twitter ramblings I would do during the shows; completely uncensored and as the ideas flow unfiltered to the old keyboard. Remember, this is a review; and I am here to review the show. As always, I encourage discussion and even disagreement, just do so in a respectful manner. I will be doing the review for Raw and most PPVs and iPPVs going forward.

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* NOTE: I haven’t been able to cover the series (which I wanted to do) due to the fact that my cable system doesn’t offer AXS TV. Thankfully the fine people at AXS TV have provided me with a way to watch the show online, which means I can not only watch, but also review the shows.

* The Setup: Following a knee injury, Tetsuya Naito returned to action and won the 2013 G1 Climax Tournament. The feeling at the time is that the fans would buy into his return story, and would become emotionally invested. They didn’t. So much so that when they did the fan voting to determine the main event for WrestleKingdom 8, the Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura IWGP IC Title match was selected to main event the show. It ended up being the right call, partly due to the attachment to Tanahashi and Nakamura, and also because it added to the story that helped legitimize the IWGP IC Title. The feud between the company’s top guy (Tanahashi) and the following work by Nakamura as champion solidified that title as almost on par with the IWGP Title. Amazing, a “secondary title” that means something. Considering that it was a title only created for a possible US expansion and put on MVP, the title has come a long way.

* Interview time with Kazuchika Okada: The champion discuses that he was disappointed that they weren’t set as the main event. He felt as if he didn’t have the proper momentum going into the show, and doesn’t blame Naito for that. Okada said that he had to pick up his game to prove himself.

NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.13.15 – Tetsuya Naito vs. Champion Kazuchika Okada from WrestleKingdom 8 (1.04.14): This was a really good match for a co-main event of the year’s biggest show, not a MOTY candidate, but a really enjoyable match. I remember at the time feeling that this match was good, but not quite the level I had hoped for. I still feel that way; part of it was the work, but also the set up. They worked a 30-minute match with a slower, more methodical beginning that evolved into some more lucha like work. I felt that the crowd was into it later in thematch, but not nearly as much as they could have been. The heat level was just not there for a big time, co-main event match. I really think the match was hurt because they didn’t buy Naito winning. When they did the big tag on the December 23rd iPPV, which was a set up for this match, Naito should have beat Okada with the pluma blanca. It would have set up a great tease of a finish here, but instead, it came off like just another move in this match and the crowd reacted to it that way. They did great work, clean work, they built a really good match and by the end they got the crowd into things with good near falls and action, but it never felt like it hit that level of a match you’d remember for a long time. In a few months after this show, it was lost in void of good four-star matches. It could have and should have been better. Kazuchika Okada pinned Tetsuya Naito to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Title with the Rainmaker – [****]

* Post Match: We go to the post event press conference, where Okada puts over being the IWGP Champion while Naito sells complete devastation at his loss and the fact that his dream didn’t come true.

* Commentary: I am not one that needs English commentary to enjoy Japanese wrestling, but I fully understand that this is a barrier for many people. Josh Barnett and Mauro Ranallo are excellent on commentary, and make you feel welcomed with their tone and way they present the information. If the commentary has been a barrier for you in the past, it shouldn’t be any more.

* Next week’s show features the IWGP IC Title match between Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura from WrestleKingdom 8.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia.”

8.0
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
NJPW on AXS TV is a great hour of TV, especially if you’re looking for a way to get into the NJPW product and haven’t had the chance to so far. This show is your way in. It’s an easy hour to watch as we focused on a really good wrestling match and the story behind it. I also love airing the post event press conference footage, as it really shows the emotion of the performers and makes you care about them. Josh Barnett and Mauro Ranallo are welcoming in their commentary and are not only entertaining, but also a wealth of information. This gets an easy thumbs up from me.
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