Eastern Lariat

STRIGGA & Dylan return with a deep dive into New Japan Pro Wrestling's Dominion, breaking down the key moments from NJPW's annual big summer event in Osaka. The main focus in this show is on questionable booking decisions, but also on character development and how very little of this development ever matters. With the results of the show and the actual good match quality in mind, they analyze what it says about New Japan's current direction. The conversation heats up with a look at the growing influence of the House of Torture and ongoing shifts in faction dynamics. How are these developments shaping the landscape heading into the summer? This leads straight to an early speculation about who might be the favorites going into the G1 Climax and how this could shape the second half of 2025 and the road to the Tokyo Dome. Disclaimer: The final 15 minutes of the show see Dylan mourn the death of his grandpa Ken.

Wrestle Universe takes center stage in this episode of The Eastern Lariat as STRIGGA & Dylan go though all eight promotions that are on the most comprehensive streaming service for japanese pro wrestling. There's a digest on the current situation and upcoming cards for these promotions as well as viewing recommendations from DDT and NOAH over Sendai Girls to Michinoku Pro. From there, the focus shifts onto the finals of the 2025 Champion Carnival that saw Rei Saito come out on top of a tournament that overall left a lot to be desired, while the Junior Title match delivered on every level. With Kikuta in the Champion Carnival and Dragon Dia in the BOSJ, STRIGGA & Dylan also discuss the news about BIGBOSS Shmizu before finally looking at the Best of the Super Junior so far.

This week, STRIGGA & Dylan start the show talking about the new Hayabusa and from there discuss mask gimmicks in modern japanese pro wrestling including Tiger Mask and Mentai Kid. The biggest point of discussion on the show follows with Wrestling Dontaku, Resurgence and Best Of The Super Junior leaving their marks on New Japan Pro Wrestling in May leading up to Dominion in June. Hirooki Goto still carries the World Title, Yota Tsuji and Gabe Kidd battle for prime positioning and what about Callum Newman? More questions are asked with All Japan Pro Wrestling and their Champion Carnival. Who came out stronger? What about the Saitos and where is it all leading? This brings DRAGONGATE into the conversation as well with Madoka Kikuta turning to Z-Brats, U-T winning the Brave Gate and GOLD CLASS winning the services of Hyo. Finally, the Eastern Lariat team brings up OZAWA vs. Kaito Kiyomiya in Pro Wrestling NOAH that may or may not have an extra stipulation.  

The big 300! Strig and Dylan start the show off reminiscing over where we've come as a Japanese wrestling fan society in the time of these 300 episodes and talk about some of our favorite episodes and moments. From there Strigga bounces back to give his take on the Tetsuya Naito situation in NJPW and where they can go from here. After that we move over to talking about Stardom's All Star Grand Queendom show, the #1 rated non-tribute show of all time on Cagematch currently! We break it down all the way through, match by match, story by story, and even talk about the future of the company and many participants including the two departing ladies of the hour, Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano, and the lead Phoenix of STARDOM, Saya Kamitani. After that we wrap up talking about Meiko Satomura's retirement show and the end of the career of the legendary Joshi Star, her impact as a trainer and her matches all over the world. It was a Joshi focused show, and it was a big one! Sit back, enjoy, let us know what you think of episode 300 of the Eastern Lariat!   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/strigga       https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero   Follow us on BlueSky: @easternlariat.bsky.social   Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat

Just a day after our last show it was announced Jeff Cobb was leaving the company and the tag titles were vacated. Then one of the biggest stunners of the year was announced: Tetsuya Naito (and BUSHI) are out of NJPW. After an alleged mutual agreement Dylan rides solo to go through the history of the 3 men, what they meant to NJPW (including a spicy take or two about Naito's usage through the years) and what the future could hold. What's it gonna be? What led to this? Where is it all going? For Cobb, we pretty much know where he's going. Naito...there are a world of infinite possibilities.   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/strigga       https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero   Follow us on BlueSky: @easternlariat.bsky.social   Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat

Two continents, two shows and the search for uthentic top guys continues for New Japan Pro Wrestling. The Eastern Lariat looks back at Sakura Genesis and Windy City Riot including an incredible Tanahashi vs. Takeshita match, more discussions regarding Shota Umino and the question who could be headlining Dominion and who the G1 winner might be. After that, STRIGGA & Dylan turn to All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and the first two shows they had so far that saw some great matches – including Hideki Suzuki and Kento Miyahara. Other topics are Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura's Kakuto Tanteidan show, HEAT UP on YouTube, more build to Stardom's big show in Yokohama and finally DRAGONGATE's Korakuen from April 7 plus their build to Dead Or Alive on May 5.

With Cherry Blossom japanese pro-wrestling usually gets into second gear after more moderate months. So STRIGGA & Dylan fully dive into the scene, covering everything from New Japan over Marigold to Michinoku Pro. This episode begins with AJPW's latest big show and the upcoming Champion Carnival and then turns to DRAGONGATE's Rey de Parejas final and their road to Dead or Alive. This is followed by a big chunk of joshi wrestling including Marigold's latest Korakuen, Stardom's build to 4/27, and the latest from TJPW and Sendai Girls. While Pro Wrestling NOAH set up a huge title match at Sumo Hall with OZAWA vs. KENTA in May, New Japan Pro Wrestling's Sakura Genesis with Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay is very close by. Buckle up as the Eastern Lariat boils up another potpourri!

The Eastern Lariat returns right before the final stage of the 2025 New Japan Cup with a look back at the tournaments' early rounds, an assessment of the overall tournament quality and where the roads might lead for some of the main players such as David Finlay and Shota Umino and for some up and coming talent like Drilla Moloney and Callum Newman. Besides the New Japan Cup, STRIGGA & Dylan also cover DRAGONGATE's Rey de Parejas tournament trying to figure out how the tournamen could lead to a new challenger for YAMATO. The third big chunk of the show is All Japan Pro Wrestling and their March series including the World Tag Team Title match between the Saitos and Business Tag and a great Junior Title match. The shhow concludes with a brief look at this past weekend's Cinderella Tournament final.

The Eastern Lariat presents the second class of The Eastern Larait Hall of Fame, a pantheon that doesn't celebrate the most successful or necessarily the best wrestlers in japan, but those who matter most to this specific podcast and STRIGGA & Dylan. Some of them might be both the best and those who matter the most – a lot seems possible with this Hall of Fame. In the second half of the show STRIGGA & Dylan return from their trip down memory lane to discuss current events and developments in DDT, TJPW, Marigold and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Join in for some historic and modern japanese pro wrestling talk!  

Join the Eastern Lariat in celebrating the impropable coronation of one of New Japan's most loyal and hardest working wrestlers as Hirooki Goto, despite all the setbacks, despite all the losses and despite all the nay sayers finally won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on a very good show with lots of developments up and down the card. STRIGGA & Dylan discuss how long Goto's reign might be and who might be the next guys to step up until the G1. After this big thunks, the attention is on a quick digest of Stardom & TJPW before STRIGGA & Dylan discuss All Japan's recent events and the Champion Carnival line up including early favorites. Then the attention lies on DRAGONGATE, their Rey de Parejas tournament and once more their disappointing streaming schedule of a major tournament. Finally, let us know who you'd consider for the Eastern Lariat Hall of Fame as STRIGGA & Dylan prepare their induction speeches for the next episode!

After returning from Japan, STRIGGA share some of the stories he's expierenced during his vaction that fell into one of the most busiest times in japanese pro-wrestling. Given that, Dylan not only asks him about all the venues he went to, which food and drinks were on the menu, but they also discuss most of the events from late December until early January which includes DDT & Stardom in Sumo Hall, AJPW in Yoyogi, NOAH in Budokan and of course NJPW & AEW in the Tokyo Dome. Join in and listen to this first hand experience of a wrestling trip to Tokyo!  

The end of the year upon us means time for looking back, and time for looking ahead. This episode we do both! First Dylan gives a preview of the year end awards and talks about last year's winners and how things may play out this year. Then after that we get to predictions dropped on us by YOU. We got a lot from the fans and it's time to talk about all of them, before ending the show with STRIGGA reappearing as if by magic! Dylan and STRIGGA bring up their predictions and set the stage for what 2025 could bring us all, in the beautiful world of Japanese pro wrestling. Happy new year!   0:00-31:00 - Awards Preview 31-1:25:00 - Listeners Predictions 1:25:00-End - Dylan/STRIGGA Predictions   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/strigga       https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero   Follow us on BlueSky: @easternlariat.bsky.social   Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat     Special thanks to Souichi Sakagami & Mikado Miyabi for the OFFICIAL Eastern Lariat theme song: "Rainy Day" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3yWeS1ILdE

A first in Eastern Lariat history, Dylan welcomes on Yannik from the Dramatic Dream Dragons for a fantasy booking special. An idea from the Swiss Icon that takes our draft concepts to a new level, introducing a full fantasy booking exercise. The first half of the show is the draft portion of the show where they select from every Japanese company as well as gain a couple of wild card wrestlers from outside of Japan at various points. The second half shows the creative minds in action for the utterly bizarre companies these two ended up running with, after a shocking trade shakes things up immediately after the draft. Names, matches, titles, factions, stories, it all comes out to play as we put it all on the line to end the year and bring Christmas cheer through the art of Japanese pro wrestling.   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/sbadoosh     https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero   https://www.twitter.com/strigga     Follow us on BlueSky!   easternlariat.bsky.social vivazero.bsky.social sbadoosh.bsky.social strigga.bsky.social     Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat     Special thanks to Souichi Sakagami & Mikado Miyabi for the OFFICIAL Eastern Lariat theme song: "Rainy Day" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3yWeS1ILdE

STRIGGA & Dylan are back in the ZONE and dive into the latest action from Japan including DRAGONGATE's King of Gate tournament that saw Dragon Dia come out on top which offers an interesting main event for Final Gate. Less interesting and somewhat head-scratching is the build for NOAH's big show on January 1st with Kiyomiya vs. OZAWA for the GHC Title. Since the end of the year is always all about tag team wrestling, the Eastern Lariat of course also takes a look at the Tag Leagues in NJPW and AJPW – with diverging interest. In both cases, the discussion turns towards both promotions' big shows on December 31 for All Japan and on January 4 & 5 for New Japan – PLUS Suwama resigning as managing director in AJPW.

It took a while for the Eastern Lariat crew to catch up with the events that took place on Bunka no Hi, the Day of Culture in Japan this past Monday – and it was a lot. STRIGGA & Dylan first discuss New Japan's Power Struggle including the big title matches, SANADA's turn, Umino's challenge and the reaction to it and the Tokyo Dome double shot in January taking shape. Moving on, All Japan's Hokkaido tour was less eventful than the NJPW show, but the sudden title switch to Davey Boy Smith Jr. Caught many spectators off guard and raises the question where former champion Aoyagi goes and for how long Smith holds the championship. The third big topic is last weekend's Gate of Destiny from DRAGONGATE that left many questions unanswered that fans expected to be answered. Finally, STRIGGA quickly goes over the DDT show from Sumida before the team discusses the Kota Ibushi/DDT situation and Yoshiki Inamura leaving for „unsual“ WWE training.

Join STRIGGA & Dylan Fox for episode 289 of the Eastern Lariat podcast as they dive into the latest developments in japanese pro wrestling. First, they discuss NJPW's recent Royal Quest and the difference between the live experience and watching on stream. From there on, they touch on the ongoing Super Junior Tag League, Power Struggle and specifically Shota Umino's role in the lead up to Wrestle Kingdom. The Eastern Lariat crew then turns to AJPW, covering the star-making battle between Yuma Aoyagi and Ren Ayabe and the contrast between ELPIDA and Zennichi Hontai. In Marigold, the standout match was Sareee vs. Bozilla, with the rest of the card leaving more to be desired. The episode also covers the opening of Stardom's Goddesses of Stardom Tag League and finally it preview DRAGONGATE's Gate of Destiny, where a Unit Disbands Match may shake up the promotion's entire landscape.

Against all odds (it was definitely happening all along) The Emerald FlowShow's own esteemed Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame voter Gerard di Trolio (@EmeraldFlowShow on SocMed) returns once again to argue with Dylan about who should be voted in to the Hall of Fame. We discuss every region and every candidate eligible for voting with Japan of course getting the main focus as we break down each candidate individually in the region which includes:   CIMA TenCozy Yoshiaki Fujiwara Hayabusa Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi Kento Miyahara Zack Sabre Jr. Meiko Satomura Tiger Jeet Singh Shingo Takagi Yoshihiro Takayama Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada   Followed by segments breaking down every other region and revealing Gerard's ballot in depth with wrestlers from every region discussed as listed below:   Ballots were sent out to us over the weekend:      This is our ballot for the 2024 Hall of Fame. This ballot is being sent out to major wrestling stars, past and present, major management figures in the industry, writers and historians. If you are getting this, you are being asked your opinion on who should be inducted into this year's Hall of Fame class. The criteria for the Hall of Fame is a combination of drawing power, being a great in-ring performer or excelling in ones field in pro wrestling, as well as having historical significance in a positive manner. A candidate should either have something to offer in all three categories, or be someone so outstanding in one or two of those categories that they deserve inclusion. The names listed below are those under consideration for this year. To be eligible, a performer must have reached their 35th birthday and completed ten years since their debut as a full-time performer, or be someone who has been a full-time pro wrestler for at least 15 years. Longevity should be a prime consideration rather than a hot two or three year run, unless someone is so significant as a trend-setter or a historical figure in the business, or valuable to the industry, that they need to be included. However, just longevity without being either a long-term main eventer, a top draw and/or a top caliber in-ring performer should be seen as relatively meaningless.   There are more changes in the rules this year largely because the modern U.S. & Canada category is so full of viable candidates. Each category is separate and the number of votes in a category allowed will be one in every three people on the ballot, so each category will have a different number. The idea is categories with fewer balloters won't be easier to get in, and categories with a lot of balloters won't be so difficult that it causes a logjam.   The election is broken down into a number of categories. You should check each category for wrestlers that you feel you are familiar enough with based on geography that you've either traveled or are familiar with, and based on the time you have followed pro wrestling. You do not have to vote for a wrestler in every category you've checked. The ballot is also broken down to wrestlers and those who are not pro wrestlers but have been valuable parts of the industry. You can pick as few as zero in categories if you don't believe anyone on this list deserves inclusion or you can skip voting in categories that you don't believe you are familiar enough with to vote in. All responses are confidential. There is nothing to worry about politically about any involvement in this process. Your selections will not be revealed unless you choose to do so yourself.   Anyone who receives mention on 60% of the ballots from the geographical region and time frame (broken down as Continental United States & Canada; Mexico; Japan; and the rest of the world) will be added to the Hall of Fame in the class of 2023.   If you are unfamiliar with any of the candidates due to geography or having never seen them, that is fine. Ballots are sent to many people from all over the world and from different wrestling cultures so that everyone has as fair a shot as possible.   The breakdown for modern and historical performers is 30 years ago, or 1994. So if the last year the person was a headliner, or was a key figure in the industry, was prior to 1994, they would be in the historical class.   All performers who receive mention on 10% to 59.9% of the ballots from their geographical region or era will remain on the ballot for consideration next year. All those who receive less than 10% of the vote will be dropped from next year's ballot. They can return in two years based on if there is significant feedback from voters who say they will vote for them. This is mostly for wrestlers who are still active who may improve their career legacy, but can be for retired wrestlers if voters believe they should be put on or returned to the ballot. In addition, in following the lead of the baseball Hall of Fame, which is the model here, we have a 15-year-rule. The following candidates have been on the ballot since 2008. In baseball, this would be their last year of eligibility. Here, if they don't get at least 50% of the votes in this year's election they will be removed from the ballot. If they are modern candidates, they can be brought back in the historical performers era in two years if it is more than 30 years since their career as a Hall Fame level performer is up:     The following candidates will be dropped from next year's ballot unless they are elected in or garner 50% of the vote:   Johnny Saint Huracan Ramirez     HISTORICAL PERFORMERS ERA (Seven maximum)   Ole Anderson Afa & Sika Anoa'i Bob Armstrong Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/J.J. Dillon British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith) June Byers Wild Bull Curry Junkyard Dog Cowboy Bob Ellis Pampero Firpo Black Gordman & Great Goliath Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart) Sputnik Monroe Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch Johnny Rougeau Iron Sheik Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich     MODERN PERFORMERS IN U.S/CANADA (Seven max)   Asuka/Kana Mark & Jay Briscoe Young Bucks Edge Bill Goldberg Samoa Joe Matt & Jeff Hardy Becky Lynch Jon Moxley Kevin Nash & Scott Hall Paul Orndorff Randy Orton Kevin Owens C.M. Punk Roman Reigns Cody Rhodes Trish Stratus Rick & Scott Steiner Jimmy & Jey Uso Sid Vicious Bray Wyatt Sami Zayn   MEXICO (Four max)   Angel Blanco & Dr.Wagner Sangre Chicana Psycho Clown El Dandy Los Hermanos Dinamita (Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000) Dorrell Dixon Gran Hamada El Hijo del Santo & Octagon La Parka AAA Huracan Ramirez Mascarita Sagrada Volador Jr.   EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/PACIFIC ISLANDS/AFRICA (Three max)   Spyros Arion Dominic DeNucci George Gordienko Billy Joyce Killer Karl Kox The Royal Brothers (Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner) Johnny Saint Adrian Street Jose Tarres Otto Wanz   NON-WRESTLERS (Seven max)   Dave Brown (U.S. & Canada modern) Zane resoff (U.S.& Canada modern) Bobby Bruns (Japan) Bob Caudle (U.S. & Canada historical) Bobby Davis (U.S. & Canada historical) Joe Higuchi (Japan) Jim Johnston (U.S. & Canada modern) Larry Matysik (U.S.& Canada historical) James Melby (U.S. & Canada historical) Rossy Ogawa (Japan) Reggie Parks (U.S. & Canada modern) Morris Sigel (U.S. & Canada historical) Tony Schiavone (U.S. & Canada modern) George Scott (U.S. & Canada historical) Kevin Sullivan (U.S. & Canada historical) Mike Tenay (U.S. & Canada modern) Ted Turner (U.S. & Canada modern) Roy Welch (U.S. & Canada historical) Stanley Weston (U.S. & Canada historical) Grand Wizard (U.S & Canada historical) Koichi Yoshizawa (Japan)   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/strigga       https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero     Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat     Special thanks to Futakuchi Mana & Jun Mitsui for the official 2024 EL HOF Theme Song: "Find Your Flame" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UnGESNUmRI

The Eastern Lariat is back bring you the latest from the world of japanese pro-wrestling. STRIGGA & Dylan kick things off by diving into NJPW's King of Pro-Wrestling that saw the coronation of Zack Sabre Jr. and many more developments! While New Japan has more and more positves to discuss, NOAH's big news of the week was the reveal of TEAM2000X. The Eastern Lariat crew breaks down this key moments of the show plus Kaito Kiyomiya's run as champion and Shinsuke Nakamura coming in yet again! Finally the talk of the town has been the lackluster streaming schedule of DRAGONGATE's upcoming King of Gate so STRIGGA & Dylan also dive into the promotion's developments in recent weeks!

On this episode STRIGGA & Dylan take a deep dive into most recent events in All Japan Pro Wrestling, first and foremost the Oudou Tournament, by analyzing standout matches, the booking of the tournament and its impact on AJPW's future. The discussion then shifts to a spotlight on the best wrestlers in Japan under 30 in Japan and which company has the edge in this category. Lastly, Eastern Lariat crew covers Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Princes V and also offers a look at Marigold Dream Star Grand Prix and where the company stands four months into its existence.

After a very poorly received final of Pro Wrestling NOAH's N-1 Victory The Eastern Lariat looks at what went wrong during the tournament and what bright spots are visible on the horizon for NOAH's Ark. More well received, but not in any way spectacular was All Japan's Summer Action Wars event from Fukuoka. That doesn't stop STRIGGA & Dylan from being excited for the immediate future of the entire roster and its unique characters as well as for the upcoming Oudou tournament. A former Triple Crown Champion was called out by the new KO-D Openweight Champion Shinya Aoki and the Lariat crew wonders if Katsuhiko Nakajima is really gonna wind up in DDT. Another former Triple Crown Champion wound up in NJPW in Jake Lee, which is the final talking point of a show that looks across the scene to find positives during a down time in japanese pro-wrestling,  

The Eastern Lariat returns to action after almost one month for its annual post-tournament edition, as STRIGGA and Dylan Fox dive deep into the just concluded G1 Climax 34. Recorded on the very day the tournament wrapped up, this episode provides the teams' unfiltered reactions and speculations to one of the most grueling and prestigious tours japanese pro-wrestling has to offer. STRIGGA and Dylan break down the tournament structure, standout matches, surprising upsets and key moments that defined this year's G1, while also giving you an in-depth analysis of each wrestlers' performance throughout the group stage not being shy of pointing out disappointments. The discussion leads to the final between Zack Sabre Jr. and Yota Tsuji and what the results mean for the future of New Japan Pro Wrestling heading towards Wrestle Kingdom. The final talking point about the G1 is an attempt to rank this tournament in comparison to the tournaments in the last 5 years. The end of the show gives a quick spotlight to Anzai vs. Aoyagi from AJPW, NOAH's N-1 Victory and Yoshinari Ogawa retiring.

Another big weekend of action in japanese pro wrestling is in the rear view mirror which brought STRIGGA & Dylan back together to discuss five different companies on the newest Eastern Lariat! First, they dive into the opening days of the G1 Climax 34 with the question in mind of who's starting strong and who's already facing an uphill battle. Korakuen Hall saw a double header of TJPW and AJPW with strong title matches on top so STRIGGA & Dylan also break down these two events. Sunday then saw DDT's Sumo Hall spectacle and Dragon Gate's biggest event of the year in Kobe – it was a lot to unpack and unwind, so join in for a potpourri of different takes on japanese pro wrestling!

The Eastern Lariat returns with the big annual Half Year Awards show! Join in for a detailed discussion about YOUR and OUR choices in 12 different categories to explore the very best in japanese pro-wrestling in the fist half of 2024! STRIGGA & Dylan dive into compelling arguments about the MVP winners, what an MVP should bring to the table and what impact business had on these awards. Futhermore, the show offers debates about best wrestlers, outstanding matches, hidden gems, talent in development and much, much more. Guidelined by your ballots, this episode once again offers a comprehensive look at a fascinating wrestling landscape.

Join STRIGGA & Dylan for another episode as they dive into the vibrant world of japanese pro wrestling. First of all, The Eastern Lariat breaks down the G1 Climax blocks and dissects participants as well as potential outcomes. Next, the show shifts gears to discuss Bloodsport Bushido, an unique event blending the worlds of pro-wrestling and martial arts. Stardom's "The Conversion" had the promotion's fans worried what might be conversed, so STRIGGA & Dylan take a look at how the promotion continues to evolve amidst Marigold getting much more attention after their launch. Pro Wrestling NOAH and All Japan Pro Wrestling both have young champions on top, but one is not like the other as the buzz both promotions create from within couldn't be any different.

In this episode of the Eastern Lariat STRIGGA & Dylan look at the grand scheme of things in DRAGONGATE and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Between DG's double shot in Korakuen Hall in early June and Kobe World in July, there are a lot of moving parts that the Eastern Lariat analyses. Who walks out of Kobe World with the belts? Who turns on whom? Which stable is going the way of the dodo? As for NJPW, STRIGGA & Dylan look back at Dominion and the frenetically celebrated Despe Invitacional with STRIGGA presenting a hot take on EL Desperado. Final talking point is  the upcoming G1 Climax. The big tournament of the summer has a new format and with that there need cuts to be made from 32 participants last year to 20 while at the same time there could be newcomers pushing into the field. Other topics include Iyo Sky being announced for Marigold and Katsuhiko Nakajima's appearance at GLEAT.  

Hanami season is officially over in Japan, but the flowers bloom nonetheless with Marigold's debut Show Marigold Fields Forever and the yearly Hana Kimura Memorial show. The Eastern Lariat takes a detailed look at Rossy Ogawa's new project with a match-by-match analysis and a projection for some of the roster members' prospects within the new company. A few days later, also in Korakuen Hall, Kyoko Kimura presented the 2024 Memorial Show for her late daughter Hana. For this one, STRIGGA & Dylan discuss how far you can go with yearly memorial shows of this kind. The men's side of puroresu is represented by Pro Wrestling NOAH's One Night Dream 2 that featured Kenoh vs. Minoru Suzuki and Masa Kitamiya vs. Tomohiro Ishii as well as with a half tiem check on New Japan Pro Wrestling's Best of the Super Junior 31. With the final headlining Dominion, the die seems to be cast – or is it?

In a BIG recap of Golden Week, the Eastern Lariat returns after a month-long hiatus. STRIGGA & Dylan are back to discuss recommendations between April 27 and May 6 including Stardom, Ryukyu Dragon Pro, DDT, Wrestling Dontaku and BJW. The next big chunck of the show revolves around Pro Wrestling NOAH's Wrestle Magic with Kaito Kiyomiya regaining the GHC Heavyweight Championship, DRAGONGATE's Dead or Alive with the highly emotional Cage Match and an unsuccessful All Together. The final two topics fist give you an impression of the situation NJPW in May 2024 between Dontaku, Resurgence and the Best of the Super Junior and secondly deliver a recap of All Japan's 2024 edition of the Champion Carnival.  

Special guest longtime AJPW expert and podcaster formerly of Talking Triple Crown, Jess joins Dylan to talk about the Champion Carnival, go through every single match of the first 3 shows as well as lay out what she thinks will be the final of the tournament. After that Dylan brings it home solo with some breaking news updates and gives his thoughts on the news of the BUSHIROAD corporate reshuffling ending up with Stardom being a subsidiary of NJPW, followed by the news of Jake Lee's shocking attack on Naito, where it could go and the online response to it. Follow Jess and all her coverage of AJPW and consistent updates on her account: https://www.twitter.com/RoyalRoad72 As well as her personal account: https://www.twitter.com/SisterJessiee And if you wanna hear more of us then check us out on our Patreon, she'll be joining me for more show reviews of the CC in the next couple of weeks so you'll always be updated with the tournament + more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: https://www.patreon.com/easternlariat  Follow us on Twitter/X:   https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat  https://www.twitter.com/strigga     https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/easternlariat Special thanks to Souichi Sakagami & Mikado Miyabi for the OFFICIAL Eastern Lariat theme song: "Rainy Day" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3yWeS1ILdE

The second episode of the Sakura Potourri features an extensive look at the joshi scene in Japan as STRIGGA & Dylan not only discuss the Marigold press conference and its future outlook, but they also take a ride through almost the entire scene with a focus on Ice Ribbon, WAVE, Sendai Girls & TJPW before turning to NOAH's most recent Korakuen Hall show and DRAGONGATE's Rey de Parejas Final & Dead or Alive card. Final topic of the show is New Japan with their Windy City Riot featuring Jon Moxley's title win and many more matches to discuss as well as the upcoming cards for Wrestling Dontaku.  

Join STRIGGA & Dylan for another episode as they dive into the ever evolving world of japanese pro wrestling! In another potpourri episode the Eastern Lariat covers a lot of ground covering no less than 8 different promotions. The discussion begins with DDT, TJPW & DRAGONGATE on WrestleMania weekend and quickly moves to a more general discussion about the DG roster and the missing game changing high flyer for all of japanese pro wrestling. This also brings the Eastern Lariat crew to NJPW and the line up for the Best of the Super Junior as well as a discussion about a very mediocre Sakura Genesis show including that Gabe Kidd promo, Tetsuya Naito vs. Yota Tsuji and the possibilities for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title at Windy City Riot. Following that, they take a deep dive into the latest events in AJPW, including some harsh words on Anzai vs. Nakajima, speculations about Nakajima's exit and a the post-title change ramifications for the Champion Carnival.

Welcome back to the Eastern Lariat! STRIGGA & Dylan dive right back into the hottest topics in the world of japanese pro wrestling! As Stardom sees the departure of five wrestlers who are very likely heading to Rossy Ogawa's new project, STRIGGA & Dylan explore the implications for both sides and what impact it could have on the scene as a whole. In NJPW, Yota Tsuji's New Japan Cup victory is the talk of the town right now, while at the same time the quality of the tournament and of the roster as a whole raises questions and concerns about the future. Towards the end of the show, AJPW's Champion Carnival lineup and Katsuhiko Nakajima's Triple Crown run take center stage.

Another Eastern Lariat awaits you with almost two hours full of news, discussions and opinionated takes on the world of japanese pro wrestling. After a brief talk about Jun Akiyama vs. Bryan Danielson,  STRIGGA & Dylan present Wrestle Universe's latest upgrades and price modeling before they go to the much-anticipated and very well received debut of Kasei Takechi. Following some quick notes on Pro Wrestling NOAH & REALZERO1 the next big talking point is All Japan and the Excite series with some questions looming above the promotion and it's direction towards the Champion Carnival. Last and maybe least(?) STRIGGA & Dylan take about an hour to break down the atrocious week in Sapporo with some head scratching title changes and decisions that washed away lots of excitement they had built just two weeks before. While doing so, the Eastern Lariat crew also breaks down the roster in an attempt to figure out who could be trusted with the World Title right now.

The Eastern Lariat returns with an analysis of the most recent developments across various promotions in Japan. From El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.'s GHC Heavyweight Championship win in Pro Wrestling NOAH to Rei Saito's unfortunate injury keeping him out of the Triple Crown match with Nakajima, we discuss championship changing hands, the reasoning behind Kenoh losing YET AGAIN and also look at upcoming All Japan cards. Additionally, we address Bushiroad firing Stardom founder and long time booker Rossy Ogawa amidst accusations of poaching and allegedly being far advanced in setting up a new promotion. This sent shock waves through the wrestling world much like the highly acclaimed Danielson vs. Zack Sabre match and the Dog Pound Cage Match from Osaka. We provide in-depth analysis of the the New Beginning in Osaka including Kazuchika Okada's weird retirement road, so join us for a 2 hour discussion the major stories in japanese pro-wrestling!

After addressing the impact of the Vince McMahon lawsuit on the media and (japanaese)wrestling, STRIGGA and Dylan relax and sit back to give their thoughts on three big shows from this past weekend. First of all, Dragon Gate's Gate of Bayside is in the focus with discussions about Luis Mante as Dream Gate Champion, the Dream Gate & Brave booking as well as Kiyomiya & Alejandro excelling in DG. Championships are also the topic of debate with AJPW's event in Hachioji featuring Nakajima vs. Ashino and Tamura vs. Iwamoto and what possible title matches could be ahead. Shuji Ishikawa leaving is of course another topic that also is connected to DDT, so Dramatic Dream Team's Sweet Dream! 2024 is the final talking point with another look at the champions and the direction of the company at the start of the year.  

This special episode of the Eastern Lariat is all about Kazuchika Okada leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling. Join us as we analyse the immediate ramifications of Okada's unprecedented departure, where he could go and what it means or should mean for management and Gedo. While the first ever full time departure of a true ace guy to America caused shock waves through japanese pro wrestling and for its fans overseas, this is also the time to discuss the exciting potential for new talent to rise to the top and change NJPW as we know it. 

Welcome to the Eastern Lariat Year End Awards 2023 – your ultimate celebration of excellence in the world of japanese pro wrestling! On this show it's time to honor the best of the best with awards that YOU, the listeners voted for. From heart stopping moments over stunning rookies to MVPs, we looked at every corner of japanese wrestling to crown outstanding achievements. For the first time, we present this show at the beginning of the following year to also potentially include matches and developments in late December. On top of the awards, we introduce the Eastern Lariat Hall of Fame on this show with the first two inductees. Join us in our celebration of japanese pro wrestling in 2023!

With the "Big 3" of japanese pro-wrestling running big shows around New Year's Eve, the Eastern Lariat starts off the new year in proper fashion and very much in the tradition of the show's history. Of course one major talking point is Wrestle Kingdom 18 with Tetsuya Naito's roll call and Championship win, Okda vs. Danielson and all the fallout after New Year Dash, but that's not all. STRIGGA & Dylan go into depth with Pro Wrestling NOAH's New Year show in Ariake that featured the already infamous Kota Ibushi vs. Naomichi Marufuji match, but that also saw some great action. A very emotional point of discussion is AJPW and all the developments since mid December until now with a focus on Katsuhiko Nakajima's title run and his defense against WWE's Charlie Dempsey.

With the final episode of the year we introduce a new concept never heard before on the Eastern Lariat: A prediction show! STRIGGA & Dylan go through all relevant promotions in Japan to run down and rate YOUR and each other's predictions on the newly invented state of the art Predict-O-Meter! Join the fun ride for a look into the crystal pro wrestling ball!  

STRIGGA & Dylan return with an impromptu episode after news and cards dropped on a rapid speed at the beginning of the week. Not only did New Japan announce a new Championship, Stardom, NOAH, DRAGONGATE and GLEAT also announced their cards for the upcoming big shows at the end of the year. The Eastern Lariat digests these developments, previews the big matches and while the recording happened, the Tokyo Sports Awards were announced. So this is a jam packed episode putting companies' situations into perspective.

A trifecta of topics marks the return of the Eastern Lariat after a month and STRIGGA & Dylan are jumping right into the final tournament season of the year in Japan. However, at the beginning of the show, they focus their attention on AEW's Continental Classic and compare it to tournaments in Japan. From there this Eastern Lariat episode covers New Japan's World Tag League, All Japan's REAL World Tag League and DDT's D-Ou Grand Prix while there's also a rant about Pro Wrestling NOAH's card for January 2nd sandwiched into the NJPW part of the show. A fun time was had!

This year we see the return of our coverage of the Hall of Fame, said by many experts to be among the most "legit" hall of fames among wrestlers themselves as well as historians and journalists. But more importantly than the inner workings of the Hall of Fame, we're here to discuss the candidates up and down and top to bottom and talk about these historical legends in wrestling. (And sometimes not legends)   Joining Dylan once again is the Emerald FlowShow's Gerard Di Trolio, an active voter in the HOF itself. We end up running down every candidate as well as who he ultimately voted for with some back and forths on a number of people in these regions, which feature the following candidates up for induction:   HISTORICAL PERFORMERS ERA (eight maximum)   Ole Anderson Bob Armstrong Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/J.J. Dillon Jack & Jerry Brisco British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith) June Byers Wild Bull Curry Junkyard Dog Cowboy Bob Ellis Pampero Firpo Black Gordman & Great Goliath Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart) Sputnik Monroe Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch Argentina Rocca & Miguel Perez Johnny Rougeau Iron Sheik Tiger Jeet Singh Sgt. Slaughter Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon Von Brauners & Saul Weingeroff Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich     MODERN PERFORMERS IN U.S/CANADA (five maximum)   Mark & Jay Briscoe Young Bucks Edge Bill Goldberg Matt & Jeff Hardy Becky Lynch Jon Moxley Kevin Nash & Scott Hall Paul Orndorff Randy Orton Seth Rollins C.M. Punk Roman Reigns Trish Stratus Rick & Scott Steiner   JAPAN (three maximum)   The Beauty Pair (Jackie Sato & Maki Ueda) Cima Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan Yoshiaki Fujiwara Hayabusa Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi Tomohiro Ishii Meiko Satomura Shingo Takagi Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada   MEXICO (three maximum)   Angel Blanco & Dr.Wagner Sangre Chicana Los Hermanos Dinamita (Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000) Dorrell Dixon Pirata Morgan Blue Panther El Hijo del Santo & Octagon La Parka AAA Huracan Ramirez   EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/PACIFIC ISLANDS/AFRICA (four maximum)   Spyros Arion Big Daddy Dominic DeNucci Billy Joyce George Kidd Killer Karl Kox Mike Marino Kendo Nagasaki Jackie Pallo The Royal Brothers (Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner) Johnny Saint Adrian Street Jose Tarres Otto Wanz   NON-WRESTLERS (six maximum)   Dave Brown (U.S. & Canada modern) Bobby Bruns (Japan) Bob Caudle (U.S. & Canada historical) Bobby Davis (U.S. & Canada historical) Joe Higuchi (Japan) Jim Johnston (U.S. & Canada modern) Larry Matysik (U.S.& Canada historical) Rossy Ogawa (Japan) Reggie Parks (U.S. & Canada modern) Morris Sigel (U.S. & Canada historical) Tony Schiavone (U.S. & Canada modern) George Scott (U.S. & Canada historical) Sanshiro Takagi (Japan) Mike Tenay (U.S. & Canada modern) Ted Turner (U.S. & Canada modern) Roy Welch (U.S. & Canada historical) Stanley Weston (U.S. & Canada historical) Grand Wizard (U.S & Canada historical) James Melby (U.S & Canada historical)   And we finish off by going over the people that have been talked about and we suggested ourselves to be put on the ballot on 2024!   For more coverage of Japanese wrestling, and wrestling past and present please check out our Patreon for literally 1000s of hours of audio and written content as well: patreon.com/easternlariat    Follow us on Twitter/X:     https://www.twitter.com/easternlariat    https://www.twitter.com/strigga   https://www.twitter.com/viva_zero   Check out Gerard as well and give a listen to his show, the Emerald FlowShow!   https://www.twitter.com/GerardDiTrolio   https://www.twitter.com/EmeraldFlowShow   Special thanks to Souichi Sakagami & Mikado Miyabi for the OFFICIAL Eastern Lariat theme song: "Rainy Day" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3yWeS1ILdE