This is really the best blog ever.

Fighting Depression #34/’rassling roadtrip #1

Yeesh, another seven months without posting here.  Kinda good, kinda bad.

I’ve been busy a lot of that time, with work and going to some wrestling shows and seeing movies (got the MoviePass last month, have seen ten movies with it already) and playing video games… but also wasting a lot of time, dealing with a lot of mental stress and whatnot.

Hoping to be more active here – been really lax on social media for the most part.

Also, with this part, I’m starting a new post – ‘rassling roadtrip.

(If you want to watch the free stream of the event, you can do so here.)

So, Friday was CEOxNJPW – a New Japan Pro Wrestling affiliated show promoted by CEO GAMING, during the first evening of their three day “Fighting game championships” tournament/convention/thing.

A little history: I’ve been aware of New Japan Pro Wrestling since the early to mid 80s.  Even in Florida, we saw various faces and personages from NJPW, when they came over to spend time abroad (something the Japanese wrestlers generally do in their early years as a wrestler, to gain experience and exposure to other styles and culture – and my summation is horribly terse and probably inaccurate in capturing the spirit of things.)

Throughout the 90s, World Championship Wrestling routinely brought over wrestlers from Japan, and they had a strong working relationship with NJPW.  From The Great Muta (whom I’d been a fan of since the 80s) to Masahiro Chono, Big Van Vader, Ultimo Dragon and others.

I’ve always been a fan of the Japanese style of pro wrestling – the strong style, the athleticism, the high flying.  Even in the 2000s, they started working with TNA/Impact, Ring of Honor, as well as other international companies, like RevPro UK, and I’ve been lucky to have seen many of these events and their up and coming stars and established wrestlers doing “tours”.

So, long story short, I’ve been a fan of NJPW before I ever saw any of their events… and most of the events I saw were through tape/video trading and the like for many years…

Recently, NJPW has increased their worldwide exposure, more tours, more cross-branded events, and their own streaming service, NJPW World.

Last year, NJPW had their first US event, over in California.  This year, I believe they have several coming up this month.  But, flying to CA wasn’t even remotely possible last year (still isn’t really that budget-friendly right now – with plenty of time to save up, I’m sure I could make it happen.)  This was very cool, and gave me hope that I might one day get to attend a live show.

Then, a few months back, CEO Gaming announced a wrestling show would happen at their gaming event in Florida.  In Daytona Beach.  At the Ocean Center.  Thirty-two miles from my house.

Thirty-two miles.  About half an hour’s drive.  From my house.

I had to see this.  I didn’t care how much a ticket cost, I. HAD. TO. SEE. THIS.

So, I did.  I got the day off work (yay, vacation days rule), bought a second row seat on the day tickets were available, and I went.

Actually… and this more of the “Fighting Depression” stuff… I won’t say I almost didn’t go, but I did have to fight a buttload of anxiety.  Since I had the day off, I had a lazy morning, drank coffee, played video games, ate breakfast, and got ready.  Left the house about 1pm, went to Tomoka Eye in Port Orange to order my company-paid for prescription safety eyewear.

I’ve been a permanent employee since October 30th.  I’ve had the paperwork since then, and I just haven’t been able to make myself go.  Several times, my team leader has (good-naturedly) razzed me about still wearing safety glasses over my regular glasses when I should go get my ‘scrip ones.  And she’s right… and I make plans… and stupid depression/anxiety, whatever gets in the way.

But, I finally did.  Then, as it was only 2pm by time I was done there, I caught OCEAN’S 8 at the Regal Pavilion Stadium 14

(The movie was good, story was a bit rote, but it was fun.  The performances were great.  I have a few non-major complaints, but they’re spoilery.  I’d call this a good popcorn flick.)

After that, and after dealing with some anxiety-related intestinal issues, I headed to Daytona.  Got my parking spot, scoped out the Ocean Center (I haven’t been there for any event since the late 90s; my friends and I used to go there for wrestling shows and hockey quite a bit, back in the day.)  Figured out where and when I needed to be, then grabbed lunch at Hog Heaven BBQ.  (Their pulled pork sammich is yummy.  Fries are pretty good, mac n cheese is excellent.)

After that, walked back to the OC and got in line.

And waited.

And waited.

This was my view of the line:

The only complaint I have about the show was waiting.  It started late, the doors opened late, we got seated late, we waited, there were a couple dark matches, we waited some more, there were a few more matches, then some more waiting…

And, really, it wasn’t that bad.  In line, got to chat with some cool cats, check out everyone’s ‘rassling tee shirts (from Lucha Underground to WWE to NJPW to MLW and more.)  Once inside and seated, all was good, as my back and knee were starting to bother me.  (Silly me, I hadn’t thought of bringing any Aleve.)

I’m not going to do a match-by-match breakdown.  Most of my pictures suck, and you can find better pics and more comprehensive reviews written elsewhere, I’m certain.

This was my view of the ring:

It was a great view.  The fans about me were all sorts of cool – no assholes.  The crowd was hot for the show – excited and vocal.

The two dark matches were decent.  Aaron Epic lost to Chasyn Rance and then, in a complete surprise, Michael Nakazawa showed up to issue an open challenge.  Michael is a great talent, does the comedy wrestler bit wonderfully, and as evidenced at the show, can get cheap heat real fast.  (I’ve seen Michael on CHIKARA Pro videos and have always enjoyed his schtick, so I was really excited when he was announced.)

He talked trash about American wrestlers (and American gamers; as at least half the crowd were people with CEO Gaming attendee badges on, this was easy heat) and issued his challenge to anyone in the crowd, or in the back, who was American.  Of course, dozens of guys volunteered from the crowd, until a young wrestler came down.

We never learned his name, but Michael called him “Skinny Boy”, so that’s what we chanted during the match.  He was young and skinny, so it fit.  And he lost in pretty short order – he got a few good moves in, but Michael won.  And he got back on the mic and started talking more trash, saying he wouldn’t leave the ring until he fought everyone there and the like… until the event organiser, Alex Jebailey, came down in his wheelchair.  (He legitimately hurt his leg a couple days prior to the show.)

Almost defeated from getting in by the security railing that wouldn’t separate, he got the security guys to help lift him over the railing, and he got into the ring on crutches.  It seemed that Alex was going to answer Nakazawa’s challenge… and Michael kicked the crutch out from under him and the bell rang to begin the match.

Jebailey did wonderfully, not being a wrestler and working with one foot in one of those soft casts.  (He later told us that he’d hurt himself training for the match, attempting a flying dropkick off the top rope, IIRC, and is having surgery this coming Thursday for it.)  Michael, of course, being the heel, targeted the injury as much as possible, but in the end, Jebailey pulled out the victory to the delight of the crowd.

All the matches were fun.  I was so excited to see Jushin Thunder Liger, the Guerrillas of Destiny, Rocky Romero, Los Ingobernables de Japon, The Golden Lovers, Ryusuke Taguchi, Dragon Lee and the rest.

We laughed, we clapped, we booed, we cheered, we chanted.

The guy next to me (I originally wrote ‘kid’, and he was pretty young, but hey) was named Louis.  He wore a blue staff shirt for the CEO event and was excited, as this was his very first live wrestling show ever.  I was thrilled for him.  Towards the end, during the main event (The Golden Lovers of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi of Los Ingobernables de Japon), when all four guys were down after hitting moves on each other, he started a “This is awesome” chant.

He needed a loud voice to back him up, to help the chant spread.  I’m pretty good at that, and I totally agreed with his assessment, so I helped his chant by booming it out.  Others jumped in… and in seconds, it had swept across the arena.  He was stoked and I am so glad to have been a part of that.

My favourite moment (outside of being shocked that Nakazawa was there) was when, at the start of the main event, Kota Ibushi demanded to face off against Daryl Jr.

Daryl Jr is Takahashi’s plush cat.  (There was a Daryl, but he got his head torn off.)

Here’s a pic of Daryl and Kota facing off in the ring… (Daryl was seated facing him, but the ring shook and he tipped forward.)

I love that, as serious as Japanese wrestlers can seem, they can be some of the silliest, and most fun, guys out there.

Once again, I want to thank Alex Jebailey, Kenny Omega, and everyone who helped make my dream of seeing NJPW live happen.