An Update

This past year I've been focusing on writing wrestling/MMA articles for Sportskeeda; check them out here!

https://www.sportskeeda.com/profile/lak-gill

Tokyo 2016 - Wrestling

Since I was a teenager, I’ve been a fan of Japanese professional wrestling.

There are no convoluted storylines and twenty minutes interviews like in American wrestling; the in-ring action takes precedence (mostly). Wrestling is still regarded as somewhat of a sport in Japan. Weekly Pro Wrestling magazine has a featured place on newsstands, and the big shows get coverage in the back pages of newspapers.

Japan has the most pro-wrestling companies in the world. In Tokyo, there is usually 4-5 events in a week. Along with the major companies, there are also niche shows with unique characters. Here are some stories from the shows I’ve been to.

Inside Korakeun Hall

The mecca of pro wrestling - not just in Japan but in the world is Korakeun Hall. Located under the shadow of the Tokyo Dome, the venue has wrestling shows from the biggest company (New Japan Pro Wrestling) to the obscure (DDT - Dramatic Dream Team, a promotion that has matches between men and blow-up dolls).

Getting to Korakuen involves walking up five flights of stairs (or waiting about ten minutes for the one elevator). The stairwell is filled with messages from the multitude of wrestlers who have competed there. I took my brothers who were visiting from London to Korakeun Hall for a Pro Wrestling NOAH show. As this was their first time in Tokyo, I chose to shell out for the expensive tickets just behind the front row.

The semi-main event was a 6-man tag (3 vs 3) involving Minoru Suzuki, a grizzled veteran who has competed in mixed martial arts fights. Suzuki was embroiled in a feud with Katsuhiko Nakajima, a plucky youngster looking to make a name for himself. Nakajima was on the opposite team for this match. During the bout, the wrestlers tumbled out of the ring. Suzuki dragged Nakajima around the outside by his hair. Suzuki then unhooked the guard rail and came towards us. He signalled for the crowd to move and then flung Nakajima by our feet. Nakajima clawed up the steps in the seating area; Suzuki met him at the stairs with a swift kick to the face. Now, I know that professional wrestling aims to present a show without legitimately hurting each other, but there was nothing ‘fake’ about that kick.

The venue I’ve been to the most is Shinjuku FACE; It’s on the 7th floor of the Humax Pavilion in Kabukicho. The floor used to be home to the Liquid Room nightclub. The former owners kindly left behind a blaring sound system that ensures that your soul feels each wrestler’s theme.

The most notable event I’ve been to at the venue was Stardom, a women’s wrestling show. I was with my friend Luke who had never been to a wrestling show - let alone a women’s show. The seats we booked were opposite the Hard Camera in the second row. The Hard Camera is where the women were posing and doing their big moves towards. So essentially, we were sitting in the Ass Row.

The view from Ass Row

FACE is an intimate venue; there were only about 300 people in the room. Despite the size, the women are also prone to some out of the ring shenanigans. During a tag bout, one of the wrestlers, Kagetsu, grabbed a vacant chair in the Ass Row (chairs are a wrestling trademark). Not happy with just the one chair, she ordered a male fan in the front row to give him his chair, he dutifully complied. A man behind us yelled at Kagetsu; she made a beeline towards him. Unfortunately. Luke and I were in between a raging Kagetsu and the heckler. Kagestu shouldered me, which caused me to hit Luke, who spilt his drink. She continued yelling at the man, ignoring me pressed against her and Luke’s fallen drink.

The night’s main event was between the champion Kairi Hojo and an American wrestler called Chelsea, who wore a ring outfit that made me glad to be sitting in that particular row. I tried to get into the action as it featured Hojo, who is considered one of the best wrestlers - male or female - in the world. But as the match went down, Chelsea’s outfit rode up. It was a great bout, but it was hard to concentrate with all that ass.

Kagetsu piles the chairs on her foe

I’ve been to three major shows, two of which were held in Ryōgoku Kokugikan (try saying that three times) or, as it’s known to westerners - Sumo Hall. This is the venue where the bimonthly sumo tournaments are held.

The seating arrangement at Sumo Hall is unique. The lower floors have traditional seating, but fans have to sit in 4 person boxes in the upper levels. The floor of the boxes is a thin carpet which is not very comfortable; fans usually bring cushions to the shows. You must also remove your shoes before sitting in the boxes, so make sure you don’t wear socks with holes.

The two Sumo Hall shows I’ve been to were promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). Many of the wrestlers in NJPW are hurting bad, but they always deliver intense action on these shows.

My first Sumo Hall show was titled Invasion Attack, and the main event was an IWGP World Heavyweight Title match between the top star of the company Kazuchika Okada vs Tetsuya Naito - the lead bad guy in the promotion. Naito used to be a bland good guy who reinvented himself after a trip to Mexico. Naito is booed in the rest of Japan, but the diehard Tokyo fans love Naito and go nuts whenever he enters an arena.

The match raged on for 30 minutes; it seemed that Okada was on the way to retaining with his trademark finishing move, the ‘Rainmaker’ before Naito reversed the move into his finisher, the ‘Destino’ for the three count. The crowd erupted. We had just witnessed the crowning of a new heavyweight champion! When awarded the title belt by the referee, Naito looked at the belt, flung it into the air and walked away.

As awesome as Invasion Attack was, the event was usurped by the G1 CLIMAX Final in August. The G1 is a month-long round-robin tournament that takes place in arenas all over Japan. The final takes place at Sumo Hall. After a lot of kanji translating and research, I found out the tickets went on sale at 10 am on a Monday. I ran to my local convenience store to order the tickets; after one minute, the chair seats had gone, I managed to snag two upper-row seats for me and my friend.

The final ended up being contested between two men no one expected to be there. Firstly, perennial underdog Hiroki Goto advanced to the final. The other semi-final was between Naito and a Canadian wrestler called Kenny Omega in a rare bad guy vs bad guy match. Everyone assumed that Naito winning the G1 was a foregone conclusion, but Omega ended up picking up the victory with his finisher, the One-Winged Angel.

A shot from the Omega/Naito match (Omega is the one in the air)

The atmosphere in the arena was electric. The fans knew, either way, history will be made. Omega was looking to become the first foreigner to win the G1 Climax in the tournament’s 26-year history, while Goto needed the victory badly for his career after years of near misses.

In a perfect piece of storytelling, Omega hit moves from his friends and rivals of yesteryear. Despite those big moves, Goto wouldn’t stay down. Finally, Goto hit his finishing move, the Shouten Kai for the one...two...KICK OUT!! To the surprise of everyone, Omega kicked out! Shortly after Omega hit his finishing move, the One-Winged Angel, the referee counted. One...two...three! Omega had done it! We had witnessed history!

In the post-match celebration, Omega spoke in English. Omega has been living in Japan for over five years and can speak Japanese, but he only talks to the crowd in English after becoming a bad guy. Because only bad people speak a foreign language. Omega continued speaking in English, most of the audience looked around bemused; a few fans shouted “Nihongo!” (“Speak Japanese!”). I felt incredibly special as I was one of a few people in the building to understand what he was saying.

If you are in Tokyo, I highly recommend checking out a wrestling show. Even if you are not a wrestling fan, Japanese pro wrestling shows a unique side of the capital. Just be careful if you are sitting near the front row.

Bonus pic: Luke and I in between a Japanese wrestlers legs

7 Directions for Brock Lesnar in WWE

The unthinkable has occurred. The Streak has been broken.

The consensus among fans was that if The Streak were to end, then an up-and-coming superstar like Roman Reigns or Bray Wyatt should be “The One” to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Coupled with the poor build-up and Lesnar’s established rep as a star, the belief was that ‘The Beast’ would be “just another victim” (to quote Taz). He didn’t need the title of “Streak Conqueror” to his already lofty trophy cabinet.

After the jaw-dropping outcome, Lesnar now holds that honour (whether people like it or not), but how should WWE capitalize on Lesnar’s historic feat? Brock’s appearance on the Raw after WM did not indicate the’ The Beast’s future direction. Here’s seven scenario’s WWE could utilize for Lesnar.

vs Taker at WrestleMania 31: Career vs Career

Much like when Undertaker sought vengeance against Triple H for the beat down ‘The Game’ inflicted on him at WrestleMania 27, surely Taker would want revenge against Lesnar for ending his precious Streak.

In this scenario, The Undertaker returns in the run-up to ‘Mania 31, demanding a match with Lesnar. ‘The Beast’ approves, but only if Taker puts his career on the line. Taker goads Lesnar into agreeing to the same stipulation. Lesnar - full of confidence after already beating Taker at ‘Mania, acquiesces to Takers demands. In the build-up, WWE could reveal that Taker has never beaten Lesnar one-on-one (a fact WWE didn’t bring up in the run-up to WM30).

Undoubtedly, an Undertaker WM match’s most significant selling point is gone, but WWE in 2015 would be all-but-out of the Pay-Per-View business. Getting fans to buy the WWE Network for $9.99 is their priority; the days of trying to shift a WrestleMania for $60 are over; WWE PPV’s are essentially just monthly specials; a marquee match at WrestleMania has less importance.

Lesnar’s contract expires at ‘Mania 31, and if the rumours are true, ‘The Beast’ is clamouring for a return to the UFC. The consensus among wrestling fans is that The Undertaker would retire when someone breaks The Streak, so if he were to return for one more match at Mania 31, it would undoubtedly be his last.

One’s man career will come to an end; it’ll be a can’t miss encounter.

vs Kane

On the ‘Mania after Raw, Stephanie McMahon told Kane to forget about “what happened to your brother at WrestleMania.” It’s been a long time since WWE mentioned Kane and The Undertaker’s relationship, so there could be a reason for Steph’s seemingly throwaway comment.

Kane would slowly start to defy The Authority. Finally, after he’s had enough of being Triple H and Steph’s lapdog, Kane would tear off his suit and revert to “The Monster.” He would reveal that his anger is not directed against The Authority but against the man who ended his brother’s career, Brock Lesnar.

Kane would demand a match with Lesnar. Paul Heyman agrees, but with one caveat, ‘The Big Red Monster’ would have to put his career on the line. Kane is winding down his in-ring contributions, and what better way for Kane to bow out than in a headline match with Brock Lesnar. After despatching Kane, Lesnar and Heyman would have even more to crow about, ending both of The Brothers of Destruction’s careers.

WWE could also concoct a reason for why Kane joined The Authority in the first place.

vs. the WWE World Champion at WrestleMania 31

After some time away from WWE, Lesnar (alongside Heyman) makes a surprising return on Raw, decimating 3MB/Zack Ryder or some other disposable talent. Heyman lists Lesnar’s numerous accolades (again), including his most impressive – ending The Streak. But there is one more thing Lesnar wants to accomplish: Becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion. And he wants to lift the title in the main event of WrestleMania 31. The Authority would have no choice but to accept.

This challenge would nullify the Royal Rumble, but WWE has already butchered the Rumble winner’s prize over the years. The winners of the past nine Rumbles have only main-evented WrestleMania three times and won once. Fans will primarily watch the event on the WWE Network – which should be accessible to the rest of the English speaking world by Jan 2015, so buyrates would not be a priority. WWE can change the Rumble prize to a World Championship match at Elimination Chamber, opening up a bigger pool of potential winners, creating a more exciting match.

No one can argue with Lesnar’s credentials; he won the biggest prize in all of WWE. A match in the main event losing to whoever the champion is (hopefully, still Daniel Bryan) would be a fitting farewell for Lesnar.

vs Cesaro

Cesaro’s baffling switch to the Paul Heyman camp could be a set-up for a Cesaro vs Lesnar match at SummerSlam. A match between the two would be a spectacle and a career-making moment for Cesaro. Brock has only fought “stars” since his return to WWE in 2012. A match against an up-and-comer like Cesaro would be a fresh feud the vocal WWE hardcores can get behind.

The likeable ‘King of Swing’ could be a valuable asset for WWE in Europe with his ability to speak six different languages; he could become the biggest star in Europe since Bret Hart. A victory over Lesnar would be a boon for Cesaro, but it’s unlikely WWE will allow ‘The Swiss Superman’ to defeat Lesnar right after The Beast ended The Streak. But a competitive showing by Cesaro would be enough to establish him as a main-eventer in WWE.

The sight of Cesaro giving Lesnar a Cesaro Swing would be a career-maker by itself.

vs CM Punk II

Punk walked on WWE after this year’s Royal Rumble for a multitude of reasons. One of those could have been that his much-anticipated feud with Lesnar ended. Lesnar ended with a one-and-done match, which Punk lost. However, a way to tempt Punk back would be to dangle a rematch with Lesnar in front of him.

The previous feud between the two didn’t meet the expected heights. The second time around, I’m sure both men would set out to tell a more compelling story. Heyman is currently at the top of his game on the microphone. A verbal duel between him and Punk over CM’s genuine walk-out would be must-watch TV.

Lesnar’s monster aura is even more enhanced after accomplishing what Punk couldn’t, beating The Streak. The match between the two at SummerSlam last year was voted Match of The Year by many publications. However, the two are capable of bettering their SS bout.

vs Batista

A long-time dream match that has yet to materialize in WWE (the two clashed in OVW when both were rookies).

This scenario would involve Lesnar turning babyface on Heyman. Considering that WWE has Lesnar for a limited number of dates, WWE doesn’t have the luxury of doing a ‘slow burn.’ Instead, they could do the turn in one long segment. Here’s how it would play out: Lesnar and Heyman are in the ring. Heyman is gloating, referring to himself as the greatest manager of all time and the man who beat The Streak. This boast will irk Lesnar as he is the one who pinned Taker. Heyman would argue that Lesnar would be nothing without him. Lesnar would be fuming, and the crowd will be clamouring to see Lesnar destroy Heyman. Right when Lesnar is going to attack Heyman, Batista runs in from behind and clocks Lesnar. Batista reveals himself as the newest Paul Heyman Guy.

There is the potential, though, of the match divulging into a giant mess. When two’ power guys’ like Batista and Lesnar clash, the results are not usually pretty, Lesnar vs Goldberg being a prime example. Although, WWE’s vindictive match layout is considered the primary reason for the poor quality of the bout.

If WWE layouts a compelling match and if both men perform in front of an appreciative crowd, this dream match may be a classic.

vs Bryan – WWE World Championship at SummerSlam

The most logical and likely match to make for SummerSlam. Lesnar’s storyline reason for returning this year was to win the WWE World Title before he got sidetracked by The Undertaker.

After defeating Batista, Orton and Triple H in the spring and summer, The Authority would be at their wits ends on how to strip Daniel Bryan of the belts. In enters Lesnar.

Bryan can match anyone’s style; this would be a classic bout and one where the outcome could go either way. WWE would be insane not to do this match.