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RADICAN'S NEW JAPAN TV ON AXS BLOG 1/23 (Eps. 2 & 3): Tanahashi-Okada feud highlighted, incredible presentation, more

Jan 24, 2015 - 11:33:40 AM
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By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

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RADICAN’S AXS NEW JAPAN TV BLOG
EPISODES 2 & 3
AIRED JAN. 23, 2015 ON AXS TV
BY SEAN RADICAN, TORCH COLUMNIST


The first three episodes of New Japan TV on AXS make for a fantastic trilogy of pro wrestling TV shows. The first episode was incredible with Mauro Ranallo and Josh Barnett doing a great job of provide background on the Tanahashi vs. Okada feud heading into Wrestle Kingdom 7. Their ability to call the matches as if they are live is incredible given that they’re commentating matches from 2013.

The second and third episodes of New Japan TV continue to tell the story of the feud between Okada and Tanahashi. The subtitles add a new dimension to watching NJPW, as viewers can get a sense of the level of charisma of Okada and Tanahashi that is missing when you have to go online to find a translation of what they say in Japanese. Okada’s promos during this period are particularly fantastic. He’s cocky and brash, but it’s the manner in which he says the things that he says with confidence that adds to his aura. He talks trash, but he does it in a calm and collected manner and that type of arrogance matches what he does in the ring against Goto and Tanahashi on episodes 2 and 3 respectively.

Episode two begins with a Six Man Tag match with Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii & Jado vs. on Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer & Taka Michinoku from the New Japan World Cup Finals at Korakuen Hall on March 23, 2013. This was a solid match that allowed Rannalo and Barnett to highlight the personalities of the wrestlers and factions involved. It was a good introduction to Nakamura, Ishii, and Suzuki. Ishii pinned Michinoku after a brainbuster while smiling in Suzuki’s face as he was held back from making the save. The match had an obvious edit to cut down on time, but what was shown served the purpose of the segment.

The post-match was particularly interesting, as Ishii challenged Archer and his partner Davey Boy Smith Jr. to a match for the IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Titles. It was great to read the translation with Ishii calling Smith & Archer weak and telling them that he knew that he and Nakamura could beat them for the title. Smith then came down to the ring and challenged Nakamura to a match for the IWGP IC Championship. Nakamura was fantastic here asking the crowd if he should accept Smith’s challenge. He then answered it with a resounding Yea-oh! It got even better when the cameras followed Nakamura backstage and he called Smith and Archer dummies and said they would teach them a lesson.

The remainder of episode two was dedicated to the Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada 2013 New Japan World Cup Finals. The production team did a fantastic job setting up the match. Okada was shown talking about how he had lost two matches since losing to Tanahashi at WK 7 back in January. He said he knew sooner or later he would beat him for the title, but the opportunity to face him again came with the New Japan World Cup.

They did a good job of setting up the background of the New Japan Cup and how the winner gets a shot at the IWGP Hvt. Championship. Okada was great talking about how the New Japan World Cup winner is usually called the number 2 guy in the promotion and gets a title shot, but he brought prestige to the tournament and would never be in it again after he won it because he would be the IWGP Hvt. Champion. He then put over Goto and said he hoped he didn’t have to take his body avalanche, which is one of the top three moves he hates to take. He said if Goto hits the move, he might not be able to continue.

The Goto vs. Okada 2013 New Japan World Cup Final match then aired. This was a bit slow at the start, but Ranallo and Barnett did a really good job of filling in the background of both men. They talked about how Goto had won this tournament before and the adjustment he had made after putting on weight and becoming a hard-hitting heavyweight. The action was really hot down the stretch with some great sequences that got the crowd hot. Okada got the win with the rainmaker lariat in what was easily a **** match.

The post-match segment in the ring was really good, as Okada celebrated his win. Tanahashi came down to the ring and Okada got on the mic and told him it was a miracle that he beat him at WK 7. Tanahashi then told Okada that he doesn’t get that in a war between love and money that love always win. This was a great look at the brash and cocky personality of Okada contrasted with Tanahashi’s pure babyface personality. In a fantastic bit of showmanship, the segment concluded with Okada telling Tanahashi to leave the ring so he could celebrate his win. Tanahashi stole the spotlight a bit with a few strums of his air guitar before leaving the ring.

The third episode of New Japan TV is entirely focused on Tanahashi defending the IWGP Hvt. Title against Okada at Sumo Hall on April 7, 2013. This is the fourth match in their series and is widely regarded as one of the best matches in the last decade. Although episode two would have been more than enough to hold me over until next week, you could tell right away that his was going to be a special hour of pro wrestling.

The first part of the match, which I hadn’t seen before, played masterfully off the first match. Okada is great and comes off like a star with his cocky mannerisms. He looks totally comfortable playing his role in the ring. Tanahashi tries to go after Okada’s leg during the early going and they play off of some of their early sequences from WK 7. Okada has an answer for just about everything Tanahashi throws at him and the crowd begins to turn on Tanahashi once he uses some cheap tactics to work over Okada’s arm.

Okada’s selling of his arm in this match was brilliant and Barnett in particular did a great job of taking fans inside the ring and telling fans just what it feels like to take certain moves and what Tanahashi and Okada were thinking during certain portions of the match. The action really picks up and never slows down during the second half of the match. Tanahashi wins the fans back due to his performance and they build up to a great spot where Okada hits a rainmaker lariat, but because of the damage he does to his own arm, it takes him a long time to crawl over to Tanahasi to make the cover. Ranallo did a great job of mentioning that nobody has kicked out of the rainmaker and talks about how lucky Tanahashi was that Okada was unable to make the cover quickly.

Later in the match Tanahashi is on fire and hits the high fly flow to Okada’s back. He goes for the traditional high fly flow a short time later, but Okada managed to get his knees up. Okada eventually hits a tombstone and connects with the rainmaker to become the new IWGP Hvt Champion. Obviously, this was an easy ***** match.

After the match Gedo declares that history has been changed, but Minoru Suzuki interrupts and cuts a really good promo challenging Okada to a title match. Okada hits the rainmaker pose, but Suzuki slaps him and grabs a sleeper on Gedo before bailing from the ring once Okada recovers. Okada got on the mic and told Suzuki he will be just a tiny piece of his history after he beats him to defend his title. This match won’t air on a future episode of New Japan TV on AXS, but you can find it on NJPWWorld.com.

The post-match interview from Okada was really good. He talked about how he would have been able to beat Tanahashi sooner in their match if it wasn’t for the damage done to his elbow in a sit down interview setting. He also talked about how the crowd didn’t accept the first time he won the title, but said the fans in Sumo Hall accepted him tonight. He said there’s no way Tanahashi can beat him.

Overall thoughts: The first three episodes of New Japan TV on AXS tied together perfectly and it’s worth going out of your way to see them. The first and third episodes featuring the third and fourth chapters of the Tanahashi-Okada feud were incredible. I spoke too soon when I said that the first episode of New Japan on AXS TV was the best hour of pro wrestling I can recall seeing, as it was blown away by the third episode with Okada beating Tanahashi for the IWGP Hvt. Championship.

I can’t say enough good things about the announcing of Ranallo and Barnett. They complement each other so well and do a tremendous job of not only setting the stage for the match their calling and allowing new fans to NJPW an easy way into getting familiar with the modern era of NJPW, but they also have an uncanny ability to call the matches as if they are in the building live. They throw in great little titbits like Ranallo talking about how Sumo Hall is the MSG of NJPW and then Barnett will chime in and talk about what it’s like performing in the building. Their commentary alone makes these shows feel important and special.

Although it appears that future episodes of New Japan TV won’t tie together like the first three episodes did, it’s going to be a blast getting familiar with more of the talent in NJPW thanks to these shows. You won’t find a better pro wrestling show on TV in 2015.

***

Please click HERE and click “like” to join the Radican’s Wrestling Community Facebook fan page.

Follow Sean on Twitter at Twitter.com/SeanRadican

Email Sean at PWTorchSean@Gmail.com


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