1. IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title: Jay White [c] vs. David Finlay (JIP) (4/24/18)
This is joined about halfway through, but it’s another Jay White New Japan Main Event that completely loses even the easiest of crowds. AXS joins it at a weird quiet moment where White is awkwardly selling and it never really picks up. There’s a couple table spots. Jay White kicks out of a Finlay move by barely lifting his shoulder off the mat which is a cool idea in theory but why this fuckin’ match? They get some pops by throwing out some big moves and kickouts at the end but who doesn’t at Korakuen Hall? Up until the last 30 seconds nothing grabbed me, nothing was interesting. It was an attempt at an epic that was mediocre personified, just no good. **
2. NEVER Openweight Title: Hirooki Goto [c] vs. Juice Robinson (4/27/18)
When is the last time a junior heavyweight challenged for the Openweight Championship? What is Hirooki Goto afraid of?
I liked portions of this match but it’s another New Japan main event that I’d look back on more fondly with 10 minutes shaved off. Not that my dirty Western opinion has an affect on any of this – the crowd sure seemed into a lot of it. I just know – if I’m pitching this up-and-coming New Japan product to a pal of mine – a 25+ minute Hirooki Goto/Juice Robinson match isn’t the first or tenth thing I’d recommend to hook them.
Juice does so much I like and has become such a seasoned wrestler but at the end of the day I don’t always buy him as Serious Japanese Competitor and that hurts the matches. This match gets past that though and sticks to what he’s good at – selling his ass off and trying to keep up with this Japanese Warrior of a man, Hirooki Goto. Goto meanwhile is such a weird guy for me. I can’t point to anything in particular he does that I actually like and he’s had some real dead matches, but every few months he’s a part of something kind of incredible.
After some obligatory NECK WORK they built this sucker into a nice dramatic affair – double-downs, chops to the throat, guys using ropes to struggle to their feet. Juice Robinson’s hurt neck, babyface charm, and the fact that 75% of the ladies in the crowd would love a night with Juice Robinson pays off at the end as this man’s struggle to win brings the compelling professional wrestling. The crowd was ready to volcanically erupt for some of the stuff towards the end here and it was special to see. ****
I want to watch Ishii vs. Henare. AIR WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, MARK CUBAN.
