I feel like WWE has their own version of this in Piper Niven who they have somewhat fumbled on with the main roster. Niven might even be better if anything.

Willow connects with a crowd as a babyface far better than almost any girl working today. Piper is amazing, but works better as a heel than a face. And does not connect on the level Willow does.

I've been following along Best of the Super Juniors, many interesting things happening.

• House of Torture have come full circle, from insufferably stale cheating heels to...something entertaining. EVIL has been at SHO's side every single match, cheating in the most blatant ways, but somehow it's fun. It's because both SHO and EVIL are almost never winning, having more egg on their face than they did before. It's because SHO and EVIL are cheating from the get go instead of 10 minutes of a normal match before the bullshit happens. It's because the crowd are allowed to make noise and be more participatory in the shenanigans. Good stuff.
  
• SHO kidnapped Hiromu before their match. Hiromu eventually came out with tape around his arms and mouth, and wrestled that way for a while before he received some assistance to tear it off.
• SHO dressed a young lion as DOUKI and tried to fool the referee. Surprisingly, the ruse didn't work.
  
• Taguchi had a bad time, losing every single match, but he made it into a good thing by making the fans crave that one elusive victory, which he never got(?)
• There was a trend of guys brawling in the crowd, specifically spots where they got the crowd to clear out of of their cheap plastic chairs in order to launch their opponents into the empty chairs. I think El Desperado started it and a couple of other wrestlers latched on.
  
• Lio Rush started on a hot streak with 5 or 6 wins in a row including beating Hiromu and Ishimori on consecutive nights. He then lost 2 in a row, cried in his backstage promo, then recovered to beat KUSHIDA. Lio Rush has an authenticity about his promos matched by few others, and he has won over the crowd. He also made a rivalry between himself and Hiromu a big deal.
  
• TJP has won me over. He's a great all rounder wrestler, particularly good at technical wrestling, and his interviews are great. He's a cool cat and he showed a lot of respect towards Hiromu and Rush after he lost to them.
  
• I still don't like Francesco Akira much but I do love how TJP and Akira (tag partners) are using each other's finishers to try and win their singles matches. A cool tag team strategy I've not seen before. Why wouldn't tag partners teach each other their best moves?
  
• There's been a surprising amount of matches won with relatively basic moves. Kevin Knight wins with a jumping DDT. Master Wato wins most of his matches with an elevated German Suplex. Lio Rush wins with a Frog Splash. A lot of rollup finishers too. All of this is good. Anything to counter the predictability that stems from ALL WRESTLERS MUST WIN WITH ONE MOVE AND ONE MOVE ONLY.
  
• Taguchi had a bad time, losing every single match, but he made it into a good thing by making the fans crave that one elusive victory, which he finally earned by tapping out fellow old guard loser KUSHIDA in his final match.
• Former junior ace KUSHIDA also had a bad time, losing to everyone except Speedball Mike Bailey. He did take old rival Hiromu to the limit - they fought outside the arena and it ended when KUSHIDA got counted out after Hiromu rolled in the ring at 19. But a shockingly disappointing performance from one half of the Junior tag champions.
  
• Clark Connors bulldozing people in heelish fashion brings an interesting dynamic as the only power guy in the tournament. His lack of experience shows in some of the losses he received, but if he can tune that up he'd surely be a contender for making the finals.
  
• Mike Bailey is interesting. Wrestles in bare feet. Has some lovely kick combos. Received a gnarly toenail injury in one of the rounds but kept going.
  
• Speaking of injuries, Taiji Ishimori was in a great position to make the finals, but suffered a cruel concussion and neck injury in the penultimate round in one of the tournament's hottest matches: Ishimori vs Hiromu. The referee stopped the match, and Ishimori lost his chance to win the tournament.
  
• 
  

Block A concluded with Mike Bailey defeating Lio Rush, sealing his own place in the semi finals and eliminating the tragic hero Lio Rush. The second spot was determied in the main event LIJ face-off between Hiromu Takahashi and Titán. Titán ended up submitting Hiromu with his Muta Lock variation. The crowd popped huge when Hiromu tapped. Hiromu NEVER submits! And with that, Hiromu won't be winning four in a row.

I'd wager that Mike Bailey and Ishimori were the intended semi-finalists but Ishimori got hurt so they put Titán in his place.

Block B was a competition between Master Wato, YOH, Robbie Eagles and El Desperado. The latter two would meet in the main event. In the undercard Wato defeated Kevin Knight to keep himself in contention. If YOH beat Kanemaru, YOH would make the semifinals in Wato's place, but it was not to be. The wily veteran Kanemaru played spoiler. Eagles and Desperado fought in an awesome main event, but Desperado was that little bit stronger, forcing Eagles to submit to Numero Dos. Desperado seeking the one accolade in junior heavyweight that has escaped him, and he certainly deserves it.

Highlights: YOH vs Desperado, Hiromu vs Rush, Akira vs Desperado, TJP vs Rush, KUSHIDA vs Hiromu, Eagles vs Desperado.

Emperor thanks for the update man. I started following along the first few nights then life got busy and I put it aside. The one downside to these tournaments is when you fall behind a few days, you're playing massive catch up and it's almost better to just wait until it's over.

I thought Mike Bailey vs Hiromu was a really good match too. Of the ones you mentioned I only saw Hiromu vs Rush because I went out of my way to watch it. I knew it would deliver. I'll check out the others.

TJP is that wrestler that you forget exists then when you see him you're like "why isn't this guy more famous?"

Bailey had "losing in the finals" written all over him from day one because NJPW likes to do that with newer guys that are hot. Get them in, have them run over the competition, lose in the finals to their hand-picked guy. Although now that their hand-picked guy is injured, maybe Bailey takes it. Hard finals to predict.

The semifinals are Desperado vs Titán and Bailey vs Wato.

The only result I'm confident about is Desperado beating Titán. Desperado is favourite to win the whole thing but I wouldn't rule out a Wato win. Wato vs Hiromu is a fresh match for Dominion. On the other hand Desperado vs Hiromu is arguably the top rivalry in the junior division so that's the safe option, perhaps needed since there's an unknown entity challenging for the Heavyweight belt.

If the final is Desperado vs Bailey then I'd put Desperado as the heavy favourite. Desperado vs Wato is more exciting.

May 25, 2023 14:37:45 GMT Emperor said:

The semifinals are Desperado vs Titán and Bailey vs Wato.

The only result I'm confident about is Desperado beating Titán. Desperado is favourite to win the whole thing but I wouldn't rule out a Wato win. Wato vs Hiromu is a fresh match for Dominion. On the other hand Desperado vs Hiromu is arguably the top rivalry in the junior division so that's the safe option, perhaps needed since there's an unknown entity challenging for the Heavyweight belt.

If the final is Desperado vs Bailey then I'd put Desperado as the heavy favourite. Desperado vs Wato is more exciting.

I misread your post and thought the finals were decided already and Bailey and Titan had won. I'm tired. :lol:

I think Desperado beating Bailey in the finals is the way it goes but you're right. Wato making the finals would be cool. 

Damn, I was rooting for Leo. Guessing finals are Desperado beating Bailey.

I thought Lio was a lock for the semifinals too. Pretty surprising decision to be honest.

I had him over Desperado in the finals. Thought it was his year.

Wato vs Titán in the finals. Nobody saw that coming.

I don't know if Gedo is going to continue in this fashion and have Titán win. Probably, but I'll stick to my guns and say if it ain't Despy, it's Master Wato.

As long as Bailey lost that's all that matters. If he disappeared forever that'd be even better.

May 25, 2023 14:50:32 GMT RT said:

I misread your post and thought the finals were decided already and Bailey and Titan had won. I'm tired. :lol:

I think Desperado beating Bailey in the finals is the way it goes but you're right. Wato making the finals would be cool. 

I wish given Bailey/Titan would be awesome.

May 27, 2023 22:59:56 GMT @ness said:

As long as Bailey lost that's all that matters. If he disappeared forever that'd be even better.

Stop hating on Bailey because he stole your girl.

May 27, 2023 22:59:56 GMT @ness said:

As long as Bailey lost that's all that matters. If he disappeared forever that'd be even better.

Ness' irrational hates.

Mike Bailey
Zack Sabre Jr.

Anyone else?

May 28, 2023 7:46:30 GMT Emperor said:

May 27, 2023 22:59:56 GMT @ness said:

As long as Bailey lost that's all that matters. If he disappeared forever that'd be even better.

Ness' irrational hates.

Mike Bailey
Zack Sabre Jr.

Anyone else?

To add to the 0% club...

Hiromu Takahashi

Master Wato is the champion! Yeeess!

Well done Master Wato, but shame on you for not wearing a blue suit in the press conference.

Interesting note in regards to Mercedes Mone injury: she was supposed to win the match and called an audible herself when she realized she was badly hurt. What an absolute pro. She just changed Willow Nightingale’s life in a very generous way.

NJPW is saying her ankle isn’t broken but apparently the swelling is still too bad that they can’t tell. It’s for sure a severe sprain and once the swelling goes down they will know more. Fingers crossed nothing is broken and she just needs a bit of time to heal.

Crazy rumors. The audible is insane, as that usually gets you fired. But it makes the most sense in terms of booking. If Mone is out, she should not have the title, and this sets up a match for her return. It was what was best for everyone.

The stuff on the break is really shit reporting. One x-ray you can see if it is broken or not. There are occult fractures but an MRI reveals them.  So I would take that with a grain of salt.  It is either a sprain or ligament damage.  But clear by now if they did not set her for a break, there is no break.  Modern medicine is not in a position of just not knowing if something is broken or not.

Given the ankle stuff does not make any sense, would question the other stuff as well.

I do believe the audible stuff. Why wouldn’t you have Mone as your first champ? Willow has a star-making moment and wins the title later. It explains the screwy finish and the ref not making the 3 count.

Okay lets fucking go. Give us a G1 win to close out the career!!! I would actually watch the whole thing*...

Danielson isn't in the G1 sadly, but he will face Okada at...Forbidden Door?

Okada going into dream match sidequest mode after losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is a great thing for everyone.

All Together Again (June 9)

A crossover show featuring wrestlers from NJPW, AJPW and NOAH. The top two matches are easily the most intriguing since it's NJPW/NOAH/AJPW vs NJPW/NOAH/AJPW. Also further down the card is YOSHI TATSU! Remember him? He's fighting Shota Umino.

Yes, yes I DO remember.

I liked Yoshi Tatsu, when he was on the ECW brand.

For some reason I'm more surprise All Japan is still around, moreso than NOAH which is really stretching reality still existing.

They will keep plodding along forever, much like Impact. It's cool that NOAH and AJPW are getting some exposure from NJPW. Maybe these companies will start to grow as a result.

No idea how good NOAH or AJPW is, as I only watch the occasional New Japan show. Having said that, Impact is for the most part good stuff, a worthy #3 North American promotion.

July 4th show will be Desperado and Jun Kasai vs Moxley and Homicide. Now that is an interesting match.  All four have done deathmatches.