wrestling / Video Reviews
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: NJPW 2015 Blog #5
ROH/NJPW Global Wars
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 15, 2015
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Michael Elgin was the final match that I am looking at from Night 1 of Global Wars. Despite a strong effort from both men, this was no good. Elgin controlling a match just is not working right now. He is working this methodical, emotionless style that is just not connecting at all from what I have seen. It is a shame because he has a lot of talent and was at one point very over with ROH crowds. Tanahashi was fairly generous with Elgin here in terms of how much offense he gave him, but he and Elgin had at least three flubs during Tanahashi’s comeback. I’m not sure who was at fault for them, and it does not really matter. They killed what little momentum the match had. A poor match. (**)
ROH/NJPW Global Wars
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 16, 2015
Since I am such a huge fan of KUSHIDA, I decided to check out his match with Will Ferrara. This was an okay little match held together by KUSHIDA’s work on the arm. KUSHIDA is always fun to watch, and he made me happy that I took a few minutes to watch this one. Ferrara did not impress really at all in his movements or execution of most things, but he sold the arm well enough. (**1/2)
In perhaps one of the best ideas in ROH history, Dalton Castle took on Jushin Liger. I enjoyed this ever so much. They probably did not need to bother with the brief heat segment but everything else about this was fun. Liger ended up winning clean with a brainbuster after Castle kicked out of the Liger Bomb. Dalton Castle/Ashley Remington is one of the more talented wrestlers in America. I hope ROH understands what the have in him. (***1/4)
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito defeated Matt Sydal and ACH after a High Fly Flow on ACH. This was a really fun match that was on its way to over-delivering until Tanahashi failed to get his knees up properly to block a 450 from ACH. Well, that itself was not the problem. The problem was that he just got up, made his comeback, and then pinned ACH as if he had blocked the 450. While this does bother me, I would also greatly enjoy a gimmick where Tanahashi just refuses to sell top-rope moves from junior geeks. (***1/4)
The last big singles match from the NJPW tour with ROH was Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roderick Strong. Much like their later match at Revolution Pro, this felt like it was missing a little juice that prevented it from being truly great. I am having trouble articulating what about their matches is holding them back from their potential. Maybe it will come to me. Regardless, there is certainly plenty to like in this one, as Roddy is just working like a mad man right now. He has managed to combine working with speed and physicality like few wrestlers that I have seen in recent memory. Nakamura is mostly there right with him but he is clearly holding back. Nakamura ended up winning with a running kick to the face. (***1/2)
The final match from this tour that I am checking out is the trios match between CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero, and Trent?) vs. the Bullet Club (AJ Styles, Nick Jackson, and Matt Jackson). This ended up being a heck of a match after they got past the obligatory heat segment. Once they find a way to make that meaningful or skip it altogether, these matches will be even better. Having Okada in the mix made for a nice change of pace and allowed for some more unique stuff down the stretch. I may be finally coming around on him as a babyface, as he’s finally getting the hang of it it seems. Trent? ended up eating the pin after a Meltzer Driver, a bunch of superkicks, and a Styles Clash. A damn fine way to close out the tour. (***3/4)
Watch some ROH vs. Japan matches for free!
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Mike Bennett
Bryan Danielson vs. Jushin Liger
Bryan Danielson vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
The Briscoes & Naomichi Marufuji vs Matt Sydal, Atsushi Aoki, & Ricky Marvin
Homicide vs. Takeshi Morishima
Samoa Joe Vs. Takeshi Morishima
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