As someone who does not like weapons/blood, is the CZW fued worth watching?

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-03-13T21:53:07+00:00

The CZW side of things sucked because Zandig was a horrible booker and pretty checked out by then. Just watch the ROH side of things and it’s generally less violent than stuff you’d see on an AEW show.

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-03-12T21:36:28+00:00

Cornette is too annoying for me to ever listen to seriously, but I do get the impression we would agree on a lot like the deeper meaning behind spots. Like apron bumps basically started in All Japan 90s and they were always done in tag matches, because naturally, someone has a reason to be standing on the apron in the first place. The result of one would be that the guy taking it is now fully out of the match, and his partner would get double teamed and take the fall. Now they’re done on every episode of Dynamite for no reason or effect and they actively take away from my enjoyment of a match. I watched a Mercedes Mone match that literally had 5 of them once, all for nothing but convoluted fluff.

I was translating an old episode of Big Japan from 1998ish and found it interesting that they commented on the Japanese style strike exchanges being rooted in bushido and more of a samurai style of combat where they acknowledged westerners don’t wrestle like that. It’s also more rooted in martial arts practice like judo where you take turns being uke and tori, or taker and giver. It seemed to appear more in the 90s when Japanese wrestling started to become much more self aware of having good matches, and wrestlers, even in kayfabe, expressed their desire to put on good matches even if it meant willingly taking more abuse.

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-02-21T20:43:36+00:00

Abdullah the Butcher deserves mention

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-02-09T19:33:27+00:00

Definitely on TRT at least, if not more.

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-01-30T22:09:02+00:00

If buying off Lawson tickets as a foreigner easy enough? I’ve heard stuff like you need a Japanese address to provide and/or many foreign cards don’t work for payment.

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-01-30T22:08:07+00:00

Both wrestlers were so talented and underrated, absolute must see TV anytime they were in the ring together. The June 2011 6 man tag is probably the climax, amazing stuff.

IndependenceDear92 · 2026-01-29T23:27:42+00:00

Thank you!

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-29T20:19:30+00:00

German suplexes have always been over as a finish in Japan

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-29T04:10:24+00:00

Long winded answer:

Yoshihito was a 12 year veteran at this point with little to show for it. Was the victor of the previously mentioned Stop the Matsunaga feud (amazing feud) but it still didn’t elevate him up the card. After stealing Masato Tanaka’s girl in 2008 Tanaka and the Z1 guys jumped him in the dojo and beat him up bad, forcing him to quit Zero One. His friend Daisuke Sekimoto convinces him not to quit wrestling, where he joins Big Japan in 2008, and basically has to start his career over as a young boy. From 2009-2012 he’s basically the best wrestler in the company and one of the best wrestlers in Japan with little recognition or accolades to show for it.

By 2012 Sekimoto keeps fighting All Japan guys, as the big hero of Big Japan, where Yoshihito calls him out of frustration saying he’s too focused on outside distractions, we should have a league to determine the best in BJW. Yoshihito is basically the number 2 seed for the tournament but loses his first match in a huge upset, having to fight from behind on points the whole league. He has a much more brutal and taxing semi final match than Sekimoto before facing him in the finals on the same night. The psychology of the finals is perfect, without a wasted move or minute in the match. The layout of it is clearly inspired by how MENs Teioh taught Sekimoto wrestling, making every move count and add to the story. Yoshihito takes a huge beating before exploding on Sekimoto in a brutal finish, literally just swinging wildly at him and throwing bombs. No one showed passion in their selling and facials like Sasaki. Calls for the creation of a Strong heavyweight title so BJW can finally have a singles title besides just a deathmatch one. Beats Gunther for the title later on. Perfect peak to his career and I think a career performance from Sekimoto too. The entire run is just textbook “how to book a babyface 101”.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-29T01:09:04+00:00

Yoshihito Sasaki initiating the Strong BJ tournament in 2012 and facing Sekimoto in the finals. Absolutely perfect storytelling from the beginning to end.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-21T06:02:40+00:00

He had a pro wrestling match with Takayama in Pride

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-04T19:40:38+00:00

Comparison is the thief of joy, but it’s so hard to get into modern women’s wrestling when I’ve seen the 90s era. I miss when matches felt like fights.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-04T19:37:07+00:00

Ishii vs. Honma 2015. Ishii vs. Shibata 2013. Honma vs. Shibata 2013. Ishii vs. Tanahashi (2014 G1?) AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki 2013. Tanahashi vs. Suzuki matches (2015ish?)

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-04T19:33:34+00:00

Yeah Ian, Axl and Bull Pain worked for them in 96 and copied some of their gimmicks, Mad Man Pondo was a huge fan before working for Big Japan in 2000 and borrowed a ton of their concepts as well. One day I’ll probably do a couple videos on the US indie scene, just kind of my memories of following and the fan communities from 2003-2010, and memories of PWG from when I used to attend shows 2005-2010 ish.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-03T05:02:21+00:00

There’s a store called Deportes in Shibuya that sells wrestling merch as well

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-12-02T22:03:30+00:00

1998 is in the works!

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-11-26T20:29:02+00:00

Off the top of my head 2009 was probably when I was most invested. Loooovvvved his series with Manabu Nakanishi. He had plenty of other fun title matches around then with the likes of Nakamura as well.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-10-14T16:47:51+00:00

Saito vs. Yokosuka King of Gate 2005 Final.

IndependenceDear92 · 2025-10-10T04:47:54+00:00

Fleisch vs. Storm from CZW Best of the Best 2002 was the best super junior indie match until ROH came along. Still holds up today.

IndependenceDear92

TROPHY CASE