VOW Flagship: BOSJ Finals, Dominion, TakeOver XXV & Aoki

[Rich Kraetsch]

This week on the Voices of Wrestling Flagship Podcast Joe and Rich review the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors finals including a MOTY contender in Will Ospreay & Shingo Takagi, preview NJPW's upcoming Dominion 6.9 show, recap NXT TakeOver XXV, discuss the life, career and unfortunate passing of Atsushi Aoki and debut a brand-new game show segment!



MP3: https://audioboom.com/posts/7282846-vow ... v-aoki.mp3

[armsofsleep]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

[Ckkj14]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Who?! Ospreay?!

[armsofsleep]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Who?! Ospreay?!

Okay I was unfair the ELP vs Ospreay match was ***1/4 but man that Eagles match sucked.


edit: oh no I got to the "best tournament of all time" thing hahahahahaha

[Ckkj14]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Who?! Ospreay?!

Okay I was unfair the ELP vs Ospreay match was ***1/4 but man that Eagles match sucked.

Jesus

[armsofsleep]

Who?! Ospreay?!

Okay I was unfair the ELP vs Ospreay match was ***1/4 but man that Eagles match sucked.

Jesus

okay ill show my work

OSPREAY BOSJ RATINGS (OFFICIAL, INARGUABLE)

vs BUSHI - **1/2

vs Romero - ***1/2

vs YOH - ***1/2

vs ELP - ***1/4

vs Bandido - ****

vs Narita - **3/4

vs Eagles - **3/4

vs DOUKI - ***1/2

vs Taguchi - ***1/4

vs Shingo - ****1/4

I would qualify that as a very good tournament! "great" even. Like I said my "hate" for Ospreay is that I think he's just very very good and not the greatest wrestler in the world.

[Ckkj14]

Okay I was unfair the ELP vs Ospreay match was ***1/4 but man that Eagles match sucked.

Jesus

okay ill show my work

OSPREAY BOSJ RATINGS (OFFICIAL, INARGUABLE)

vs BUSHI - **1/2

vs Romero - ***1/2

vs YOH - ***1/2

vs ELP - ***1/4

vs Bandido - ****

vs Narita - **3/4

vs Eagles - **3/4

vs DOUKI - ***1/2

vs Taguchi - ***1/4

vs Shingo - ****1/4

I would qualify that as a very good tournament! "great" even. Like I said my "hate" for Ospreay is that I think he's just very very good and not the greatest wrestler in the world.

I didn't ask for them. Big Dave wouldn't be calling you if his accurate star rater mate got ill though

[armsofsleep]

I didn't ask for them. Big Dave wouldn't be calling you if his accurate star rater mate got ill though

I could never take the place of Kenny Omega

[supersonic]

14:30

[Joe Lanza]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Wouldnt be shocked at all if Will isnt in the G1, as that is prime "we worked ourselves into a shoot" territory. Thats why analyzing a lot of this is sort of pointless without knowing for sure if that's what's looming. Someone told us Shingo is NOT in the G1, but it was harldy a rock solid source or confirmation. I'd say Will is 75%, Shingo 25%. Decent chnace neither is in.

[armsofsleep]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Wouldnt be shocked at all if Will isnt in the G1, as that is prime "we worked ourselves into a shoot" territory. Thats why analyzing a lot of this is sort of pointless without knowing for sure if that's what's looming. Someone told us Shingo is NOT in the G1, but it was harldy a rock solid source or confirmation. I'd say Will is 75%, Shingo 25%. Decent chnace neither is in.

Your little rumor has me thinking Mox/Cobb/Taichi.............................KENTA? could be the four newcomers. And honestly I'd be totally fine with that. I want Shingo as a heavy but it feels like with SHO and Hiromu he has unfinished business, and Ospreay is young he can wait a few years. Absolutely no rush with him despite fans being eager to push him to the main event right now.

[Joe Lanza]

Are we absolutely sure Ospreay is going to be in the G1 this year? And that's why he "couldn't lose to a junior"? Because he's going to have to either lose to Dragon Lee or go into the G1 with the junior title. So Ospreay is going to lose to a junior no matter what. If he was going to lose to Hiromu or someone who is a clear top tier main event guy I could understand........ but Dragon Lee?

If the logic is "Ospreay is taking a huge scalp with him to offset him losing to a junior" I can sort of understand that and then you have Shingo beat a heavy (but stay as a junior) to offset his loss a bit. But I don't know, that just seems so convoluted.

Also as the resident Ospreay HATER (in that I think he's a very good wrestler with some very bad tendencies and like a lot of his matches) I thought the Shingo match was a very very good ****1/4. I think even Ospreay despisers liked this match (it helps that Shingo was definitely the star of the match in a way). I'm totally comfortable praising him here because he laid eggs against Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo in BOSJ and Douki had a much better tournament then him.

Wouldnt be shocked at all if Will isnt in the G1, as that is prime "we worked ourselves into a shoot" territory. Thats why analyzing a lot of this is sort of pointless without knowing for sure if that's what's looming. Someone told us Shingo is NOT in the G1, but it was harldy a rock solid source or confirmation. I'd say Will is 75%, Shingo 25%. Decent chnace neither is in.

Your little rumor has me thinking Mox/Cobb/Taichi.............................KENTA? could be the four newcomers. And honestly I'd be totally fine with that. I want Shingo as a heavy but it feels like with SHO and Hiromu he has unfinished business, and Ospreay is young he can wait a few years. Absolutely no rush with him despite fans being eager to push him to the main event right now.

I think its a little too soon for Shingo myself, and as you say he has interesting junior stuff on the table. I agree, I can wait. Will has already dabbled with heavy stuff and sort of did it all as a junior. I'm a bit more bullish on him than Shingo in terms of making the move now.

[Bloodbuzz Bunk]

Fuck onions! Amen Rich!

Seriously why onion enthusiasts always try to sneak them into every damn casserole, soup, meatloaf, pizza, and whatever the fuck else ESPECIALLY when you have expressed the preference that you hate them. “You can’t even taste them” they say but my response is always “If you can’t fucking taste them than can’t we just leave them out? Because I do taste them!”

Anyways good show. Ospreay v Shingo was 5 stars and is definitely MOTY up to this point. I would put both of them in G1 along with Moxley and Taichi. I think Moxley will be fine in the G1. He will definitely fall into some Minoru Suzuki style walk brawl 11 minute specials but I think the great will assuredly outweigh the bad.

[Joe Lanza]

I enjoy onions in most things but I unserstand why people domt like them. Especially raw.

A nice carmalized onion topping on a steak? C'mon, man. Thats good stuff.

[Danwaka]

People who hate onions are missing a piece of their soul. Or never had an Arab roast, for lack of a better term.