Weekly Watchlist 031 - January 12 2025

What's new, wrestling fans?!

Coming off the heels of a fairly light week of Roulette, I decided to go all in this week and watch, quite frankly, an insane amount of wrestling. Like, not since I was sick for a week have I watched this much. I'm on some sort of stupid juice this week to watch as much as I did and still keep up with the reviews. That's just the cross I'm forced to bear as the overseer of the Wrestling Vault.

Now, what matches did I watch and review this week? You'll just need to read more and find out!

NJPW

Weekly Roundup

Here's what I watched for the week;

But wait! There's more!

 

I finally did it! Two screenshots for one week of wrestling! I need to re-evaluate my life.

 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom & Wrestle Dynasty 

I was able to catch the joint New Japan shows this week finally. I didn't have the time to watch them the week they dropped but was able to snag a copy of each show and give them the proper time this week. It's been probably 7 years or more since I've watched any New Japan, and I gave it a solid try back then, but the G1 tournament was far too daunting for me to get into, I'm sorry to say. I only knew like, Okada, Suzuki, and Omega back then. 

I won't go over these shows match by match like I do for WWE or AEW shows, as I'm far too casual a fan to critique every match like that, but I will say this;

-Get well soon DOUKI, your match was on pace to be fantastic but a freak accident can't be planned for. Rest up.

-Brody King was an animal in his match and I was so fired up for all of it.

-Yota Tsuji is fantastic.

-Welcome back Kenny Omega! Looking better than ever. 

-Ricochet in a Tokyo Dome main event match felt... good? ZSJ was great both nights but Ric more than held his own and didn't feel out of place. Good shit.

 

Brief disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos included in this post, nor do I claim ownership. All photos are screenshots and are attributed to the promotion they are taken from. If you would like the photos removed, please contact me directly at cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com

 

Jake Something & Mike Bailey vs. Alec Price & Kevin Blackwood - DPW You Already Know 2024 - 01/21/2024

This Speedball and Something guy have got something, y'know? DPW

I told you guys I'd be working my way through the DPW library this year! And I kept my word! Look, I want to get caught up really badly. I've got another big project I want to start and it involves me going front to back on a couple promotions, and I refuse to start another deep dive before I finish this one. Once I'm basically current, I'll be happy. But being a full year behind still doesn't sit right with me. Getting two shows knocked out in two days this week felt great. Let's keep that momentum going!

It gets said a lot, by me, and mostly on here, but DPW has probably got the best tag division of any company right now. Indies or not, DPW tag matches never disappoint. I'll plant my flag on that statement right now. The team of Speedball X Something, which they are not yet going by, are having their second match together here in this match and as soon as they get in the ring side by side, their chemistry and excitement as a team is radiating off them. They're almost giddy dapping each other up in the corner. A horrifying sight from someone as monstrous as Jake Something. Price and Blackwood are a "thrown together" team for this match, but not without purpose. Blackwood has been on a losing streak and is trying to find success. Price is loudmouthed and confident and, despite only winning one of his DPW matches, always comes to the ring with the confidence of a champion. 

It's Speedball and Price to start things off and the crowd is begging for Bailey to beat this dude up. Something to do with hockey rivalries or whatnot, so says commentary. Beats the hell out of me. They're fast and loose in the opening moments, with Price being the first to try a pinfall before Bailey counters with a pin of his own. A kip up from both lands them in the centre and evenly matched, circling each other hesitantly as Bailey offers a handshake. Price seems to oblige his opponent, but a gut kick removes any hope of a respectful exchange. 

Price gets sent into the corner and rolls out before a Mike Bailey foot crushes his skull. His foot still on the top buckle, he tags in Something as Blackwood gives Price a chance to roll out and recover. From the second both feet are in the ring, Something is moving at full steam. He runs through Blackwood with a combo I like to call "Don't. Stop. Moving." Realistically, it looks like a bump drill that you'd do in your first month of wrestling training, but when Something does it, it's a whole other world of cool. 

Don't. Stop. Moving. DPW

Blackwood is able to get off his feet and caught in the arms of the monster as opposed to being crushed with the Vader-like barge he tends to finish this sprint off with. A less painful option initially, but it can't be too comfortable up there. Something hoists Blackwood up to try and shoulder him, but Blackwood slips behind and tries to chop down the redwood. A forearm to the base of the skull sends a shiver down his spine, and kicks to the back of the leg drops Something to one knee, but only momentarily. Bailey is in to stop the interference from Price, but Something is ultimately the one to dispatch the intruder with a fucking enziguiri. He can leave his feet too?! God help us all. 

We get a glimpse at their tag team pose, Something shouting "what's my name!" while Bailey fires off a volley of kicks, but Price gets on the apron to break it up, only for Bailey to try and break his face with a kick. Something offers himself as a launchpad for Bailey to take a dive, and when he hits the ropes to launch, Blackwood pulls him to the outside. Something is quick to aid his partner, missing Blackwood as he makes it to the floor and turning around just in time to spot, and catch, a diving Price. Wasting no time, Blackwood goes for a dive himself but Something tosses Price into Blackwood! He hit one motherfucker with another motherfucker!

It's two on one in the ring until the referee sends Price to the apron, but not before they're able to take Something off his feet with the high crossbody/low kick combination. Something is clutching his neck and reaching for Bailey, seated in the centre as Blackwood tees off with a kick across the back. Like the flicking of a switch, whatever pain Something felt is gone as his eyes lock with Blackwood's, his body language screaming "that was not a good idea." Something rises to his feet and welcomes the forearm shot, eating it with ease and asking for more. A chop almost hurts Blackwood's hand more than the pec of Something, who bellows for more. Going for broke, a kick upside the head of Something drops him to a knee, with a second kick sending him prone for a two count. 

Somehow, Something is fighting from underneath as Blackwood pulls him to his corner and tags in Price. He pulls Something to his feet and tries for a suplex, but Something is the one to get him up instead. Price shoots his knee out and crowns Something, bringing him back down to earth before the suplex can be pulled off. Price keeps hold of Something, keeping him down with a side headloock until Something is able to get Price off his feet. He sends him back into the ropes and goes for a back body drop, but Price fires his legs out in a piston-like dropkick to the jaw of Something, who still can't mount a comeback. 

The price you must pay. DPW

Something back into the corner, counting his teeth as Price charges in with a pair of running knees under the jaw. He crouches in the corner with Something slumped over, head resting against Price's back. He charges out of the corner and catches Bailey off guard with a knee to the face, running back for a kick on Something but he's up in a flash, charging to catch Blackwood unaware with a shoulder tackle to knock him off the apron. He charges back to get Price while he's compromised, but he's not quick enough, eating a knee from Price as he rebounds off the ropes for his troubles. 

With Something stunned in the centre, Price decides to get flash and climbs to the middle rope, taking flight for a leg lariat but gets his head blown clean off with a forearm from Something, who crumples beside his prone opponent. Mercifully, he's able to crawl to Bailey and make the tag, who rushes Price and uses his educated feet to even the score in seconds. A kick to the chest of Price plants him on his back, and a standing shooting star press brings Bailey a close two count. A half and half suplex from Price plants Bailey long enough for him to leap for the tag to Blackwood, who finds Bailey on his feet in the middle and meets the striker with strikes of his own. 

A wordless challenge is made as Blackwood tees off with a kick to the chest of Bailey, who responds in kind. Back and forth they kick each other about as hard as they can manage, its a terrifying barrage of feet. A bold move on the part of Blackwood, as someone who practiced taekwondo in his youth, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near the feet of Bailey. Unsurprisingly, Bailey gets the better of the exchange, knocking Blackwood off his feet as well as Price as he tries to run interference. Blackwood gets back up and levels Bailey with a kick of his own and this time, its Something running interference, Blackwood lands a kick on the barn door sized chest of Something, but he barely flinches. 

Bailey and Blackwood are back in the middle all alone Blackwood tries to take Bailey over with a sunset flip, but he gets blocked and crushed with moonsault double knees. Both men are down and crawling for the tag, with Something and Price locking eyes from across the battlefield, crossing the threshold to go to war once again. With unrivalled confidence, Price marches up to Something and literally puff up his chest to try and make himself look as big as his opponent. More amused than annoyed, Something crosses his arms behind his back and encourages Price to take the first shot. 

Sometimes, your best just isn't good enough. DPW

Chop number one. Something walks off dismissively as Price shakes feeling back into his hand, his face betraying his confident demeanour. Once again, Something challenges Price to take his best shot. 

Chop number two. Price tries the discus variation of a chop but it has the same result. Something walks to the top rope and leans out towards the crowd, more frustrated that Price isn't hurting him like he wants him to. He marches back to the centre and gets in the face of Price, once again shaking his hand back to life. Be bellows for him to try again, challenging Price to give him everything he's got.

Chops three, four, five and the rest of his volley land on the chest of Something with pitiful impact. Each time, Price's shots get weaker and weaker as Something's face looks more annoyed with each hit. 

Fed up, Something swings for a lariat but Price ducks and lands a superkick under the jaw. Something falters, but tries again, the result the exact same. Something keeps begging for more before Price grabs the wrist of Something to shoot him into the ropes, but Something doesn't budge. Like a tree rooted in the ground for a century, Something stands his ground and shoots Price into the ropes instead. He flies with a springboard crossbody and connects, rolling through only to find out that no, he didn't really connect with the move. Ripping Price up off the canvas, Something deadlifts Price and drills him with a huge driver for a close two count, broken up by Blackwood.

I can imagine about 500 places I'd rather be than where Price is here. DPW

Somehow, Something seems to have found a second wind this far in the match and is eating every shot Blackwood throws at him. He even goes for a double chokeslam, but they're able to break the grip and drop Something to his knees with a pair of kicks to the head. Bailey ducks a rebounding lariat from Price, with Something taking the shot instead and crumbling to the canvas. Bailey rushes Blackwood in the corner but gets shoved up onto the shoulders of Price and caught in a torture rack! With insane cohesion for being a "put together" tag team, Price dumps Bailey down off the rack into the kick of Blackwood! 

They continue to make a great case for teaming together as Something goes for the waistlock on Blackwood, but he's able to slip out and get behind Something as Price takes off for the ropes. With perfect precision and timing, Price springboards off the middle rope and kicks Something's head off his shoulders the exact second Blackwood rips Something off the ground with a german suplex. Unreal. With Something prone, Price and blackwood move in to finish the job but they're a step too slow. 

Pinpoint. Pricepoint. DPW

 

As they bend down to pull Something up, the meathooks Something calls hands shoot up and latch onto the throats of Blackwood and Price, kipping up while keeping hold of his prey. He bellows like a monster rising from the deep and drills both Blackwood and Price with a double chokeslam. Adrenaline and fire are coursing through the veins of Something as he marches towards Blackwood, trying for a powerbomb but Blackwood slips out at the top and pulls Something down for a double stomp across the shoulders. 

Bailey and Price try to clear the ring for the advantage, but Something is able to get back in and on his feet to send Blackwood through the ring with an ungodly powerbomb. Ring crew needs a raise for putting this ring together tonight. Could survive a war. It only grants Something a two count, so he seizes control again and places Blackwood on the top rope, fighting through the pain in his neck as he sets up a superplex. Price tries to pull Something down but Bailey is on him in seconds, dumping him outside.

Two matches in, and Speedball x Something looks to be a team that was meant to be together. "Jake! Move!" is all Bailey can manage as he charges for the corner where Blackwood is seated. Something takes a step back as Bailey uses the middle rope as a springboard to moonsault onto Price on the floor.  Alone in the ring again, Something cracks a forearm across Blackwood as he begins to stir, grabbing him for a superplex as Blackwood fights the grip with a headbutt. Stunned, and in a place he's not used to being, Something loses his balance and falls back, catching the top rope before he lands on the canvas. 

Something is frantic here, which I love. Too often guys willingly hold themselves vulnerable in the corner while their opponent slowly climbs higher to land a double stomp or whatever. Something is actively trying to escape, changing his grip or reaching for the feet of Blackwood. It's not a lot, but it really is. Does that make sense?

His struggle is futile, as Blackwood is able to stomp through Something and land on the canvas. Or so he thinks. Much like Price earlier in the match, Something is able to turn his opponents offence into his own, catching the legs of Blackwood and rolling through, sending Blackwood flying with a release powerbomb!

Jake could probably catch an actual bullet. No gimmicks needed. DPW

Price is back in and takes Something down to a knee again, lining him up in the corner as Bailey charges in, kicking Price in mid air and saving Something from the knee of Price. Bailey drops Price in the corner and lands the Ultima Weapon, marching out the corner with the energy of the crowd fuelling him on. Unfortunately, Blackwood is on the top rope now, his feet like a missile driving straight through the chest of Bailey. 

Unfortunately for Blackwood, Something is on his feet again. He charges in the ring and rips Blackwood up, around, and back down with Into the Void, pinning him for the three count. 

The Void takes you. DPW

Good fucking god, I loved this match. One of the bast tag matches I've seen in a long time and one of my favourite writeups for the blog that I've ever done. This match had me in a fucking trance writing it. I was locked the fuck in. Everything about it was hitting in ever way and I was losing my shit near the finish. Hooting and hollering. Does it help that I fucking adore Jake Something? Yeah, it does, you wanna fight about it? Is Mike Bailey quickly becoming one of my favourite indie-style guys around? He is! He rules! Do I need to take a walk after this match to cool down, probably! I'm so amped up right now, it's unreal. Spend the money for DPW on Demand and watch this match. Now. Leave my blog in the dust and watch this shit now.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW/CMLL/AEW Wrestle Dynasty - 01/05/2025

The Alpha and The Pitbull sounds a lot less biblical. NJPW

I'll be honest with you guys, I wasn't sure if I was going to review this match for a couple days. It's not that I didn't think I could do it justice, in fact, pretty often I feel I fall short describing just how good a lot of the matches I watch are. No, this time it was all due to copyright. I know New Japan, or more specifically, TV Asahi, one of their owners, are insanely strict about copyright laws. I was afraid posting any screenshots of this match would land me in hot water. But, the way I see it, photos should be just fine. Plus, they haven't come after me for any of the other New Japan matches I've reviewed. Should be totally fine! Right?

Let's find out! As I was watching these New Japan shows, I started to wonder why it wasn't split up into its usual night one/night two blocking. Then I realized that Wrestle Dynasty was taking place the next night. Sure, it's not strictly a New Japan show, but it may as well be. CMLL wrestlers appear in two matches, AEW guys showing up in Japan isn't anything new at this point, so it may as well just be a New Japan show. 

The night before, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Shingo Takagi in a match that was, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, utterly fantastic. With that win came another belt for The Alpha to hold onto, the NEVER Openweight Championship. NEVER is an acronym for "New Blood", "Evolution", "Valiantly", "Eternal", and "Radical" and was initially a title exclusive to New Japan NEVER branded events  meant to feature up and coming talent. Since its inception, however, it's transitioned to a midcard title (Intercontinental/International championship equivalent, for us American fans) that became known for featuring hard hitting matches. Tomohiro Ishii has become synonymous with the belt, being the only person to hold it 6 times, with Shingo Takagi close behind with 5 reigns. Tonight's match is for not only the NEVER Openweight Championship, but the AEW International Championship as well. 2 belts Alpha has his work cut out for here in this match. 

Ishii and Takeshita start the match out exchanging their version of pleasantries. Ishii cracks Takeshita with chops and forearms that barely faze the Alpha, while Takeshita runs into Ishii with a shoulder barge that would have yielded the same result if he ran into a brick wall. They bark at each other and agree to hit the ropes, meeting in the middle with shoulder barges again. Takeshita rebounds off the ropes with another barge and this time Ishii is taken off his feet. 

Ishii is back on his feet, chopping the champion over and over, with Takeshita responding with a forearm under the jaw that stuns the Stone Pitbull. He stumbles back a step, but comes back ready to continue his onslaught until his brain catches up with his body as he falters and drops to a knee. Takeshita stands stoic in the centre of the ring as Ishii crawls to the ropes, uncharacteristically looking for respite this early in a match. 

Takeshita continues the assault in the corner, with Ishii barking back in defiance between strikes until a boot to the chest drops the veteran again. It feels like a mugging this early in the match, with Takeshita looming over Ishii as he tries to muster the energy to stand again. But it's important to remember, this is the Stone Pitbull we're talking about here. All it takes is one kick to the head and Ishii is awake again, turning the tables and leathering Takeshita with chops again. 

With both men back in the centre again, Takeshita takes off and tries for the Takeshita Line but Ishii rolls through the attempt, avoiding a kick and a back elbow to crack Takeshita in the jaw with a forearm that sends him stumbling back to the corner. With Takeshita seated after missing a senton on Ishii, he ducks a sliding lariat and grabs Ishii in a waistlock. Commentary is quick to remind us that Takeshita knows a good degree about the move he's pulling Ishii up to hit with, he wrote his thesis on the german suplex after all. Ishii lands high, slow to sit up after the impact and pays dearly for it as Takeshita slides in with a forearm to the face for a close two count. 

"This is gonna hurt, isn't it?" NJPW

Back to where these two are the most comfortable, Ishii tries to drop Takeshita with a lariat but it's not quite enough to drop the Alpha. He takes a running shot at him this time, with Takeshita ducking the shot and pulling Ishii up and around with a huge Blue Thunder Bomb! It's another close two count as Takeshita lines up Ishii for a big lariat of his own but gets blocked and sent to the corner, with the Pitbull slow to meet Takeshita in the corner in himself. He sets Takeshita up on the top rope for a superplex but is a step too slow, his move getting turned into a huge Falcon Arrow off the top for another close two count. 

Ishii is back on hit feet now, able to block the running knee from Takeshita and come back with a few forearms to the jaw. His offence gets snuffed out quickly when Takeshita picks him up for a Bastard driver, followed by a huge wheelbarrow suplex. It's insane seeing Takeshita hit that move on anyone, let alone someone as solid as Ishii. As I wrote that last sentence, Ishii is already on his feet and fired up, ready for more! Takeshita is happy to oblige him, running through with a lariat that decapitates him. Takeshita falls for the cover but referee Bryce Remsburg can't even count one as he forces Takeshita off him. 

Takeshita knows he needs to end this match quickly if Ishii is just going to eat his offence like that. He gets him up to deliver Raging Fire, but Ishii squirms out and goes behind, taking the Alpha up and over with a nasty german suplex of his own! Takeshita rolls through and rises to his feet, summoning whatever energy he has left to fight through the pain and charge back towards Ishii, but gets caught with a lariat! Ishii goes for the pin and- no! Takeshita is out at one! In perfect sync, both men rise to their feet and stumble back, collapsing from exhaustion and pain together. The crowd (as well as me) gasp in unison before they explode with applause.

Getting his thesis read back to him, it seems. NJPW

Rising only to their knees, Ishii and Takeshita crawl to centre to meet once again, their eyes lock and so do their skulls. They collide bone on bone with headbutts until they rise to their feet finally, eye to eye, ready to spar once again. This time, Takeshita is the first to engage. He grabs Ishii's belt and makes sure to get a good hold, encouraging Ishii to do the same on his waistband. Locked together, they trade forearms with horrific intensity. The same intensity that sent each other crumbling to the canvas earlier, the same intensity they're able to pull out now, nearly spent from the war they've found themselves locked in. Untimely, it's Ishii who gets the last shot, dropping Takeshita with one final forearm shot to the jaw. Commentary says it far better than I ever could; "straight murder."

Ishii pulls Takeshita to his feet slowly, which ens up being his fatal error. The Alpha was lying in wait, rising to his feet and crushing Ishii with another forearm that sends him falling back to his feet like a plank. He pulls Ishii to the corner and forces him onto the top, giving his back to the Pitbull as he ascends to the middle rope and pulls Ishii onto his shoulder. He looks to have victory close in hand, but Ishii is able to fight back with elbows to slow Takeshita's momentum. With stunning speed and precision, Ishii rips Takeshita down from the top with a huge head scissiors! 

Down like a stone! NJPW

Firing himself up by headbutting the corner padding, Ishii is feeding off the energy of the Tokyo Dome now, he sprints for the ropes and rebounds with a lariat but Takeshita is still standing. A headbutt rocks Ishii and a forearm nearly drops him, but he holds on and headbutts Takeshita back, catching him as he falls forward. Out on his feet now, Takeshita gets his head blown clean off with a another lariat from Ishii. He beckons for the champ to get up, hitting the ropes again and cuts Takeshita off with another lariat, somehow only getting a close two count. 

 Ishii gets Takeshita back up and tries for a suplex, but Takeshita find it in himself to get him up with a huge brainbuster of his own. Keeping wrist control, he rolls through and tries to get Ishii up again but he slips out and lands on his feet, crushing Takeshita with another forearm to the jaw. These guys are going to need some serious dental work after this match. Holy hell. 

When another suplex from Ishii is attempted, Takeshita slips out again and takes advantage of his positioning, pulling Ishii down with a spiking poison rana. Takeshita is ready to end it, mercifully, tossing aside his elbow pad and trying for another lariat, but Ishii ducks and tries for an enzuigiri, only for Takeshita to hold his arms in front of his head to nullify any impact. With Ishii down and slowly rising to his knees, Takeshita charges in with the Power Drive knee but Ishii, somehow, someway, eats the shot and rises to his feet.

Raging Fire is all she wrote. NJPW

 

He's able to block the second Power Drive and land an enzuigiri, but one final forearm from Takeshita is the prelude to Raging Fire and the final three count. 

God damn, those two aren't the only ones collapsing in a heap after the final bell. This was a fucking war. I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times, Takeshita is one of the very best in the world right now. He's got the perfect combination of power and agility, and a size that betrays how quickly he can actually move. For him to be able to go shot for shot with someone as strong and resilient as Ishii is an incredible feat, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire match. Just incredible. Hope these guys can get a package deal at their dentist after this.

 

 

Wow. What an unreal pair of matches I picked for this week. I really don't know what else there is to say.  Fate has a funny way of working sometimes and the gods just dropped these two gems in my lap and said "here! Go nuts!" and I, indeed, went nuts. 

If you got any matches, comments, questions or billion dollar family inheritances you want to send my way, cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com is the line. Fire away.

Until next time, take it easy friends and stay safe. 

Cliff Morgan