Juice's Wrestling Diary 2022

[CakeWalker]

A project for me this year - I won't necessarily post something in here every day, but I may make notes elsewhere and then add them into this thread as and when is appropriate. ​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 2nd 2022

First wrestling event of the year that I watched (but also the first wrestling event since November) was GCW's Die 4 This PPV. GCW is still flirting on the cusp of leaving the indies, and becoming something a little bigger in my opinion - but there are always the certain gritty parts to still very much make it an indie.

The most enjoyable match of the night for me, was also the first match between The Briscoes vs. Alex Zayne & Blake Christian, and there is no doubt in my mind that GCW s just the perfect place for Mark and Jay to carry on being themselves without any corporate expectations of changing themselves to fit their environment.

The Rumble was fun as was the Deathmatch, but seeing Scotty 2 Hotty wrestle in what feels like forever - well that was just mark city. Not to forget the fact that Jeff Jarrett took out Effy with his signature guitar show. And I know how cliche of me to watch a GCW show replay, rather than WWE Day 1. But that is just how I roll.

I do intend to watch Day One, as well as the final Stardom Show from last year and possibly the NOAH show. But with Wrestle Kingdom around the corner - very soon that will take my full priority.

And outside of that I won two awards - joint place with HoHo & Chris for Best NJPW/International Poster & Best Interactive User. That was pretty cool.​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 3rd 2022

Watched a few matches from the start of JCW's Dead End PPV - but they were very much warms up and a good way to fill some time in the morning, with neither of the two anything to write home about. Matches you can watch on the backburner (especially with the benefit that they are on Youtube).

Most of my viewing though was spent watching Day 1 - which no surprise to anyone, I am not the biggest fan of the fed in recent years - but thought I'd give it a go anyway. Most of the matches I was fairly disappointed by - and not just because I don't enjoy the overall product, I just don't particular feel they were that good. My favourite match was Edge vs. The Miz - and even that was spoiled by the distraction ending. Brock winning the championship really wasn't a shock - but when I see matches like that, where the winner of the matches really does nothing but being an indestructible force. Meh - that isn't my cup of tea.

Gave it a go though, as well as a honest match rating (although I'm sure people would disagree with some of the ratings I've given).

Wrestle Kingdom next two days - so I can imagine that will dominate my viewing for the next few days.
​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 4th 2022

Spent the best part of the early afternoon watching Stardom Dream Queendom 2021, which for the first time in the long time was me watching an entire Stardom show for quite a while. Was really impressed with the whole show as a complete article, and although I have only watched three complete shows so far this year - there is no doubt in my mind that it was the best so far. The High Speed, Wonder and World Title match were all really good - but there is no denying that the main-event contest between Syuri and Hayashishita was a truly high quality match - and 100% the best match I've watched this year (the event might have taken place on the 29th of December - but six of one half adozen of the other).

Wrestle Kingdom 16 first night took place - and with two days this week as well as the third show on the weekend there is going to be well over 15+ hours of wrestling to watch this week. Managed to fit time for the first three matches, although they were very much warm up to what I am expecting to be some great action in the latter portion of the night.​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 6th 2022

I spent the last two days working my way through Wrestle Kingdom - which as always is never an event that disappoints, so it is even more insane that proceedings aren't over and Day 3 is just around the corner. There were truly some phenomenal matches that took place over both days, but there is no doubt in my mind that the two final matches on Night Two were next level amazing. Tanahashi/Kenta & Ospreay/Okada are two matches that everyone needs to watch, because they will not be disappointed at all.
​

 

[Marty McFourth]

Good to hear you enjoyed Tanahashi/Kenta, Juice. As I said the other day, that is the match that stuck out to me as being up my alley. I'll probably watch that at some point as I enjoy No DQ matches.

 

[CakeWalker]

January 7th 2022

What two more matches from JCW's Dead End PPV - and the match between Big Vin and 1 Called Manders tickled my fancy, but the overall product is still very much build up for a GCW show. Nonetheless, it fills the gap and I will be doing my best to watch the second half of the show when time allows.

Watched Dynamite and MLW for the first in at least a month for Dynamite and probably a good two-three months for MLW. I liked the Azteca feel, but was very much a second-hand not as good version of LU. Although, I always have a smile on my face when the likes of Pagano and Psycho Clown are involved in a wrestling match. Dynamite was a decent enough show, although certainly not the best episode I've watched. That bump that Fenix took when he was sent through the table was nasty AF though, and that very much stays in my mind.

Adam Page versus Danielson was a good match, although it do think that it was a tad shy of being a five star match as some would have you believe - not that it diminishes the contest, but not every match is epic irrespective of it being featured one of the big brands.

I still need to motivated myself to watch the NOAH NY show, especially with the third day of WK about to drop tomorrow. I think Impact might have a PPV as well this weekend, but it isn't on my must watch list.​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 9th 2022

Spent the last two days watching Pro Wrestling NOAH's New Year 2022 show and is seemingly impossible to find one thing about the show that was a negative. Every single of the ten matches was of a high quality, to the point the the lower and middle card were to a standard that quite often other big promotions are simply not able to achieve without relying on cheap comedy or just generally squashes etc.

The match between Nakajima and Shiozaki was without a doubt the best match on the card, but all of the title matches as well as the Six-man tag team match of KENTA & Sugiura-gun vs. Daiki Inaba, Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura. The pure hatred between KENTA and Inamura was unlike anything I have seen on a wrestling show in quuite a while. All in all it was just one of those wrestling events, well you would be foolish not to watch it if you had the chance to.

Also watched Rampage - which was so-so, although perhaps after watching such a high level PPV watching a regular TV show is always going to dampen it. Nonetheless, there was a lot of positives and signs of development taking place during the show.

Will probably watch watch Battle of the Belts and try to finish off the JCW show tomorrow - before tackling Hard To Kill and the third day of WK during the rest of the week.
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[CakeWalker]

January 11th 2022

Finished off watching the rest of the JCW's Dead End PPV, and the remaining four matches were nothing of real interest apart from the clash between Janela and Bononi which had a few interesting spots. The only hope is Cezar gets booked in more indie angle in the next six months or so, in order to real hone his craft.​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 13th 2022

Watched the third day of Wrestle Kingdom - NJPW vs. NOAH and honestly, wasn't the best idea in terms of gimmicks. More so because without any build up to the matches - it really didn't bang in the same way. The last three matches of the night, were the best and perhaps this will act as a bridge so some better singles match between both promotions in the future. ​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 14th 2022

Today was certainly an active day of wrestling for me. As I crammed in NJPW Strong and a double of helping of AEW in the form of Battle of the Belts & Dynamite. Strong continues to be a great platform for development and BotB wasn't too surprising with its result, but I really enjoyed the match between Dustin Rhodes & Sammy.

Dynamite was an improvement from last week, but like any episodic wrestling show - some stuff is always going to be more about storytelling that actual matches themselves as a pure art. The cycles continues and it is what it is - the highlight of today's viewing though was without a doubt Brody King debuting.

GCW show drops tonight, but also want to catch one of the last NOAH's show as well - but also have a number of indie shows that look quite decent as well to watch. NJPW still not back for a number of days, where as always it will take my priority (card providing).
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[CakeWalker]

January 15th 2022

Watched the second MLW Azteca in the morning, but wasn't surprised about the production and lack of creativity by MLW. Fortunately, GCW's Most Notorious proved to be much better and I managed to to watch the first four matches, not including the scramble. Rhino vs. Matt Cardona, was obviously what I enjoyed the most especially now that Cardona is now the ECW TV Champion. The greatest HEAT MAGNET in modern day wrestling.

Also the first time in ages I watched a wrestling stream with some cool cats on the site, the Zicky Dice Outlandish Paradise show. And it was really enjoyable with the MOTN being the main-event between Dice & UNO, but special mention has to go to Myron Reed for his over-the-ropes cutter. All in all, a great day of wrestling - and just need to finish watching the GCW show, before I figure out what to watch next.​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 16th 2022

Finished watch GCW's Most Notorious show and the last three matches were alright, although the top of the show was much more enjoyable. Alex Colon continues to be one of those wrestlers that has me flirting with the Death Match wrestling seen, but I am not sure how much I am completely enthralled by it yet.

Found myself watch Global Syndicate Wrestling's Global Festival, not realised the event took place in August. The show was on a low side of good, although the match between Austin Aries and Gio Galvano was pretty sweet diamond in the rough. Feel like the kid could be a real talent in the future, even perhaps if I am the last person to have heard of him.

- Hot Prospect - ​

 

[CakeWalker]

January 17th/January 18th

Watched Rampage yesterday and it was a fairly decent enough show, although nothing especially to write home about. I watched the first episode of DPW, and I was impressed by the show as a whole - especially for what it was. Rosemary vs. Everett was particularly entertaining.

Spent the best part of the late evening and today's early morning - and then the actual morning watching the GCW show. Really enjoyed and Bandido vs. Christian Blake was certainly the MOTN - but Matt Cardona continues to be one of my favourite things about wrestling.

Got to work through NJPW Strong and then a few indie shows before I see where the rest of the week takes me.
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