Retro Rowe: NJPW Climax 2018 (Part 15)

NJPW G1 Climax 28 (Night 15)

August 5, 2018

-From Osaka, Japan. Our hosts are Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero.

CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii and SHO) vs. IWGP United States Champion Juice Robinson and Shota Umino

It's kind of funny how much of a size advantage Robinson has over the rather scary Ishii, and he wins a running-the-ropes exchange with a shoulder block. Umino tags and Ishii no-sells everything he does. SHO tags and continues to beat up on the young lion. Umino gets tired of being disrespected and finally hits Ishii hard enough for a reaction, and follows with a missile drop-kick. Robinson returns and dominates Ishii with a cannonball. Ishii is selling injuries from his Omega match and is in a daze while Robinson jabs him. Ishii saves himself with a vertical suplex and tags in SHO, who gets dropped hard. Umino gets a hot tag of sorts and manages a spinebuster on Ishii. Robinson spinebusters SHO and sets him up for Umino's missile drop-kick. Ishii saves SHO From the Boston Crab, and Robinson dispatches him with a crossbody to the floor. Umino hangs with SHO for a while but succumbs to a bridged German suplex at 8:12. Just a match, but a good showing for the young guys, **.
Winners: SHO and Tomohiro Ishii

Retro Rowe: NJPW/CMLL FantasticaMania 2014 Review

NJPW Presents CMLL FantasticaMania
January 19, 2014

-From Tokyo, Japan. I will gladly admit I haven't watched much Lucha, so this review could get hairy.

Maximo and Mascara Don vs. Taka Michinoku and Taichi

Maximo is playing a flamboyantly gay gimmick and flirts with Taichi. They exchange arm drags, with Maximo scoring a head scissors takedown. Mascara Don squares off with Michinoku in a more serious fashion. Taichi stops Mascara from a running dive and chokes him with a hammer at ringside. Taichi gets away with using his weapon in the ring, as he and Taka isolate Maximo. Taichi tries to remove Mascara's mask and gets pretty close (to massive crowd heat). Maximo makes a comeback and lands a nice suicide dive on Taichi. Taka scores a flying cross body on Maximo, and Mascara sets up a dive onto everyone else (including his partner). Back to the ring, Taichi rips his pants off to signal the end, but gets caught in a Mascara torture rack. Mascara lands a double missile drop-kick and clotheslines Taka for a near fall. Mascara stumbles through a springboard but holds Taka still for a French kiss from Maximo. Mascara forces Michinoku to submit to his Don de Mariposa at 10:15. Energetic opener that got the crowd going, **3/4.
Winners: Mascara Don and Maximo

New Japan Wrestle Kingdom 2014 Review

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom VIII

January 4, 2014

-From Tokyo, Japan.

Originally written in January 2014.

IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship:
The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) (c) vs. The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley and KUSHIDA) vs. Suzuki-gun (Taka Michinoku and Taichi) vs. Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov and Rocky Romero)

The Time Splitters drive an effin' DELOREAN onto the stage. That's badass and they know it. Suzuki-gun try to top that entrance with an entourage of girls. It's a bit surreal seeing all these American independent stars performing in front of a gigantic crowd at the Tokyo Dome, with major league production values. Koslov attempts to sing the Russian national anthem but is interrupted by Young Buck super kicks. The match is off and running with quick double team spots by the Bucks. The Time Splitters signal dives, but the Hooligans trip them up. Romero goes nuts with repeated clotheslines on Shelley, and Koslov lifts him for a running knee to the chest. Koslov gets in his Russian dancing but Suzuki-gun toss him and take turns mocking his customs. Everyone locks up for a quadruple suplex. Cue the diving sequence! The Bucks top it off with a superplex to the floor on the others. Everyone is nearly counted out, which incites some laughter from the crowd. The match breaks down with everyone picking their spots in the ring. The Young Bucks hit a nasty looking springboard Tombstone piledriver combo for a near fall. They finish Taichi with MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK at 10:35. Nothing like a good spot-fest to open any show, ***.
Winners and still IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks