Considering my last blog post was about NJPW, this post is a nice follow up because, on Sunday, I was lucky enough to go to the joint NJPW show run by Rev Pro at Altrincham Ice Rink which had some of the top New Japan stars and some Rev Pro talent. I found out last week that I was going to be graduating from university with a 2:1 in history, so it was the perfect way to end the perfect week of good luck, good weather and amazing wrestling!
I guess it's easiest to start chronologically but without all of the boring bits. So, I got to the venue at about 1:30 for the meet and greet - it was pretty scary to start with because it was the first time I was going to meet any wrestlers and I was doing it alone. I'd paid £50 for the entry ticket and to meet my favourite Switchblade Jay White and Aerial Assassin Will Ospreay who, if you've read my other posts, will know are my two fave wrestlers. They are probably some of the nicest people (and badass in the case of Jay White because kayfabe) I've ever met and, because I got to the table when there were no queues, I got a great amount of time talking to them and didn't feel pushed for time or rushed by security - it was all so chilled. I also had some artwork that I'd done for both of them (being an avid doodler and procrastinator) and they took one and signed the other, which they didn't have to do! They say don't meet your idols, or in this case my wrestling faves, but these guys are proving the saying wrong! - I do have to say that I was relieved I wore heels because they are two tall ass people and I'm one short ass 21 year old!
So, after getting some food and filing back into the venue, it was time for the show to begin. We started with some great opening matches featuring UK talent Danny Dugan, young lion Shota Umino and Yuji Nagata. It really warmed the crowd up and led up to literally a PERFECT night of matches, like I couldn't fault any of them! We had Chaos v Suzuki Gun with the hilarity of Yano, the vicious Iizuka (who bit everyone in multiple places) and the sneakiness of Kanemaru which helped them pick up the victory. We then had my boy Yujiro get man handled by big bad Walter and a too short match between Will Ospreay and Taichi where Suzuki Gun used their deviousness yet again... which made me, a MASSIVE Ospreay fan sad
😢.
However, they saved the best matches till after the interval and honestly! We started with the fatal 4 way for the British Cruiserweight title with champion Ooh Ah David Star, the Bone Soldier Ishimorii, the legend Tiger Mask and El Phantasmo (who I hadn't heard of before) - it was everything I love about cruiserweights in one match - high risk and fast paced! Not to be bias, but my favourite match was Jay White v Aussie Open's Kyle Fletcher (who replaced an ill Chris Brookes). Fletcher was such a good babyface and made Jay look like such a strong heel from the spitting, those shattering chops and even the way Jay reacted to Fletcher's botch off the top rope which got him the win. The crowd were rooting more for Fletcher (not by much) but I kept the Switchblade chants alive because it was a great match!
Ending with Okada v Zack Sabre Jr and then Ishii v Suzuki for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship was the best way to end the night - 4 amazing wrestlers through and through. You could see this consistency with Okada not really being himself after hitting 2 rainmakers but not pinning Sabre Jr but the match was a great mix of submission and hard hitting wrestling that both guys are great at! After the defeat, Okada still got the appreciation of the crowd and you could tell that everyone respected him as one of the all time greats! Then the main event of Ishii defending his title against Suzuki and it was a war of bloody attrition!
Overall, it was an amazing night and probably the best show I've been too - I mean it must've been good because my mum, who knows about wrestling and has been to a few shows but isn't a fan, has decided that she will no longer go to any WWE matches and only these shows! She hit the nail on the head when she said that this show was more hard hitting and entertaining - even without the WWE promo's in between - they put on a show based on pure wrestling talent! I also enjoyed hearing Will Ospreay chop fans in the intervals (bargain for £10 a chop).
Until Next Time
Bye!
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