Eastern Lariat

Golden Week traditionally is the week of the year that delivers the most concentration of big shows apart from the first week of January. This year was no different as every major company ran shows during the holidays so the Eastern Lariat's plate was full of matches, developments and surprises to talk about. STRIGGA & Dylan of course focus on the traditional big three, but also dive into Big Japan and DRAGONGATE deeper than they usually do and overall about a dozen companies are mentioned on this year's Golden Week Extravaganza~!

With the announcement of All Together Again on June 9, the Eastern Lariat returns to discuss a possible card for the show and to take a look back in history when STRIGGA & Dylan first fantasy booked All Together shows in 2020. After that the attention is on two of the three companies represented on All Together: Pro Wrestling NOAH presented a loaded show from Sendai that saw Jake Lee vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, Go Shiozaki returning and much more. In All Japan, the Champion Carnival continues and has some good matches and upsets to offer. Finally the Eastern Lariat presents a run down of the shows Big Japan and DRAGONGATE have to offer during golden week. A packed episode as always!

Tokyo once more was the center of japanese pro-wrestling this past Saturday with both New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling running important shows. While New Japan's Sakura Genesis in Sumo Hall produced amazing matches and stunning title changes in front of an ecstatic crowd, the opening day of the Champion Carnival 2023 left a lot to be desired and there were clear reasons for this lackluster tournament opening. STRIGGA & Dylan discuss these two shows and their implications for future developments. Join us a we discuss JUST...TWO...SHOWS!

At the beginning of 2023, japanese pro-wrestling has some great champions and challengers alike to offer. STRIGGA & Dylan discuss the champions of the traditional "big three" as well as those holding the gold in six other companies. With the general rule of thumb of the champion reflecting the state of a company, the Eastern Lariat crew not only discusses potential challengers, but also look at rookies in development and the general state of some of the rosters.

Eastern Lariat is back with a very special episode focused all on Pro Wrestling NOAH and Dylan is joined by his regular NOAH Patreon guest Dean (dnmt) The first part of the show is all about Daisuke Harada's retirement and we talk about his career, Dylan talks about some of his favorite memories and matches of Harada coming in from Osaka Pro to being the NOAH Jr. Ace. After that we talk about their Great Voyage in Yokohama, Dylan has to deal with STINGER once again and Dylan & Dean get into a lively debate on Kaito Kiyomiya and his status.

Check out more of Dean talking NOAH as well as Dylan's coverage of every Japanese and US promotion at patreon.com/easternlariat

Follow us on Twitter @EasternLariat

Follow Dylan @Viva_Zero

Follow Dean @dnmt67

Follow STRIGGA @STRIGGA

STRIGGA returns next time talking everything going on in the busy world of Japanese Pro Wrestling!

What a spectacle it was. Keiji Muto retired on unquestionably the biggest show in japanese pro-wrestling in decades. The Eastern Lariat looks back at the entire show with discussions about Keiji Muto vs. Tetsuya Naito and Kazuchika Okada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya and their implications for the future taking center stage. With Muto presenting this huge event, two questions seem crucial: Can japanese pro-wrestling present something bigger or anything close to this? Who gained the most from this event? Besides that, STRIGGA & Dylan also put every match on the card into perspective and highlight current developments in the respective companies.

Dylan is joined by a shocking return in WH Park from POST Wrestling! And on top of it it's to talk about a full length NOAH show! We go over NOAH's Osaka offering and then use that to talk about the Muto Dome show just one more time before it happens as the show is so prominent, even on the NOAH show with yet another memorable Kaito & Okada main event angle. We transition to NJPW and a little bit on their big show as well, the most notable thing being Jay White losing the loser leaves Japan match vs. Hikuleo. Mostly NOAH but a bit of Muto stuff and also NJPW too, it was great to talk to WH again! And keep your eyes peeled for STRIGGA to return next week talking about the Dome show and all of the other stuff falling out from it!

Follow the Eastern Lariat at the aptly named @EasternLariat

Follow Dylan @Viva_Zero

Follow WH @whpark9 & his own forays into wrestling & the MCU @POSTWrestling

Follow @STRIGGA for his takes on stuff

Check out the Patreon for all kinds of Japanese wrestling coverage including a 7 part episodic style documentary series and matches regarding Keiji Muto's pre-AJPW run Dylan did with Dr. Jonathan Foye: patreon.com/easternlariat

Just for fun check out Dr. J's book on Keiji Muto in AJPW, The Muto Years!: https://www.amazon.com/Muto-Years-Jonathan-Foye/dp/B0BHKGL3Y3

More than ever in the past three years it feels like pro-wrestling in Japan is once again gaining momentum. Therefore, STRIGGA & Dylan first discuss Kota Ibushi's freelance status as well as Keiji Muto's big retirement show on the horizon. With a lot of promotions represented on that show, the Eastern Lariat also looks at the individual shows that DRAGONGATE, AJPW and NJPW put on plus Dylan gives his rundown of the big Osaka show Stardom ran this weekend. Exciting times in japanese pro-wrestling may be ahead, which also leaves the Eastern Lariat crew feel that same excitement!

The great tradition of drafts on the Eastern Lariat continues once more, but in a completely different format! This time, Dylan & STRIGGA don't draft a roster for a fictional parallel reality. Instead the rosters based on 7 divisions and 5 bench slots will accompany both managers for a full year, so much like other fantasy sports work. Join in for the fun, maybe draft your own team and follow along as each month will see an updated points ranking as well as changes within the two teams!