NJPW southern showdown

[Earth Child]

Hi everyone

So tonight I’m going to the second and final show of NJPWs southern showdown tour.

Got meet and greet tickets too.

Even though I went to last years show, I’m still not sure what to expect. Last night they did Melbourne who got the better card (title matches included) so I’d imagine some of the wrestlers are pretty tired.

Nevertheless, looking forward to the show. BRM, I’ll try my best to keep the crowds stupid chants to a minimum. Though can’t promise much. It’ll just me and my dad.

I’ll try and post a review later tonight if I’m still awake. and photos too if I can figure it out.

[Big Red Machine]

Nevertheless, looking forward to the show. BRM, I’ll try my best to keep the crowds stupid chants to a minimum. Though can’t promise much. It’ll just me and my dad.

I'll also be counting on you to translate the chants from Aussie to English.

[Earth Child]

Nevertheless, looking forward to the show. BRM, I’ll try my best to keep the crowds stupid chants to a minimum. Though can’t promise much. It’ll just me and my dad.

I'll also be counting on you to translate the chants from Aussie to English.

As long as you can distinguish “fuck” and it’s variations, you’ll be fine

[Earth Child]

So I want to post a review buuuut. There were some wrestlers I didn’t catch the name of (fale dojo guys) and I didn’t take photos so I can’t remember the order of matches. I’ll try my best anyway

First match was the natural classics (or so I think...) verses some of the fale dojo guys
Considering these guys are still training, match was entertaining and no obvious botches. One of the natural classics took a bump to the outside right next to us...

Oh did I mention I scored literally front row seats? We were row A, seat 3 and 4

Anyway, he hit his elbow on the guard rail that was not gimmicked. It sounded really painful!!
The fale dojo guys won. Who came out 10 minutes later to be part of the ring crew. Double duty points.

Overall 6 out of 10

Next (again, best to my memory!!) was Rocky Romero v Tony... Somthing. Some old dude who looked like Gilberg and so the crowd chanted this at him. Plus old man jokes

For an old man though, he took some decent bumps. Match was entertaining too. Rocky won
Another 6 out of 10

Next was Chase Owens v ... I want to say Kevin, but I could be wrong, last name Sollow

Chase interacted with the crowd the most out of the whole night. Responding to the louder fans shouting stuff at him.
The actual wrestling was just above average, again no obvious botches, but nothing mind blowing.

The was one spot on the outside, chase motioned to the section we were sitting saying ‘MOVE! MOVE!’ So we all scramble to get out of the way, expecting a big spot, only for him to go, psych!!!!
It was hilarious. I got my one banter in, doing the Italian hand gesture for asshole saying you got me up for nothing. He responded that I needed the exercise. Good come back mate
Chase Owens won

7 out of 10.... for the crowd engagement

Next was some PWA guys. Sargent Bonzo v Mick Moretti
A lot of the crowd was familiar with these guys so they all enjoyed the match. Good wrestling and selling. Thought babyface Moretti would win but Bonzo did
7 out of 10

Next was Tao Henare v Tomohiro Ishii
Very hard and loud with the knife edge chops and forearms and headbutts.
Ishii won
7.5 out of 10

Next we had G.O.D and Gino Gambino v Juice Robinson, Yano and Mikey Nicholls
Man, Gino is funny in the ring. He had everyone laughing with and at him

Very entertaining match. Especially the stuff on the outside. Mainly because it was so up close and personal. Since there were three separate brawls, it was like tennis, my head was whipping back and forth to get everything inand also trying not to get hit by arms and legs. It was nothing like I’ve experienced before at a live event.

Yano also had people in stitches. Some guy in the crowd paid him $70 for the DVD(? I think it was a DVD. that’s what it looked like) he brought out with him. He was showing it off to Juice and Mikey. Hilarious! Most expensive non DVD Box set I’ve ever seen :p

Good wrestling and good comedy. 8 out of 10

Then our main event. Bad Luck Fale, Jay White and Robbie Eagles v Okada, Tanahashi and Ospreay

So the home town crowd was solidly behind Eagles with about 10% also cheering Ospreay. I think Eagles was a little taken aback that we were all chanting for him, a little for Ospreay and basically nothing for Okada and Tanahashi.
Don’t get me wrong, when those two wrestled they got cheered over Fale and White. But the crowd went nuts for Eagles. White definitely had the most heat. Fale got some “thank you Fale” chants. He was integral in getting us these shows

Again the action was solid and entertaining. Both in the ring and outside. After Ospreay got the pin, the heels attacked and separated him from Okada and Tanahashi. White tried to get Eagles to hit him with a chair but he instead turned on the Bullet club and decked White and Gedo.

9.5 out of 10. They lost .5 because Robbie took the pin.

In the end, the four babyfaces stood tall and took turns thanking the crowd, and said they’ll be back next year.

I’m there baby!!!

Robbie confirmed his reaction earlier saying he never thought he’d get cheered over Okada and Tanahashi. Home crowds really do wonders for wrestlers.

After that they did a lap of the crowd, I got a HUG!!! From Tanahashi. He said something like “ this is better than an autograph”

And after the show officially ended got a selfie with Robbie and had a chat with him.
He is such a lovely guy. He could have disappeared and got ready to go home but he was cool with the photo and small talk. Going to check out some PWA now.

Before the show we got photos with Okada, Tanahashi, Bad Luck Fale, Ospreay(got to hold the belt!)
And Jay White who said I couldn’t take a photo with him with my Los Ingobernables shirt on, so I zipped up my jumper lol

All in all, it was fantastic show. 10 out of 10, would go again!!
The venue was tiny but it made the show 1000 times better than Super Showdown at the MCG last year. Ring side is where it is at mates and I will never go back to being in the nosebleed section
(Snooty I know, but I work hard and my dad is my favourite person in the world so I’ll continue to fork out the money for me and him to go ring side. But no more stadium shows!)

Thank you NJPW for a F’ning fantastic night!

[Earth Child]

Just going to shamelessly bump my own thread with one more story I forgot

Whilst getting a photo with Ospreay he had Motley Crüe playing from his phone. The following short convo then occurred:
Me: loving the Motley Crüe
Him: oh yeah love the Crüe
Me: did you see The Dirt on Netflix?
Him: yes I really enjoyed it! It gave me some inspiration to do some crazy things. *pauses* wait, not like that!

Each to their own buddy! No judgement here

If you have seen The Dirt you know it could mean