Let Me Tell You Something!

One year on from Okada walking away defeated and failing to hold back the tears, he knows it's make-or-break time as he defends his regained IWGP Heavyweight Championship against the man who defeated him a year earlier. If Okada can't beat Tanahashi at a Wrestle Kingdom at the third time of trying, then he probably will never be the Ace of the promotion he already believed he was when he first lay down the challenge to the promotion's undisputed Ace Tanahashi only four years earlier.Another match that has previously been covered as part of the Meltzer Five-Star ProjectApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-meltzer-5-star-project-087-kazuchika-okada-vs/id1330423543?i=1000454635318Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/1HgVtotZIO8lWCQ9MYvLQk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just when Okada thought he was out, Tanahashi pulled him back in. Having lost his final challenge to Okada as the IWGP champion, Tanahashi ventured elsewhere and ended up challening Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and, in an insult to Okada and (particularly) his challenger Tetsuya Naito, ended up being voted by the fans as the match they wanted to see main event Wrestle Kingdom 8.Now as we enter Wrestle Kingdom 9, Tanahashi found himself earning a title shot against the man that took the title from Okada, the new Bullet Club leader AJ Styles, and won the title again at King of Pro-Wrestling, setting him up to defend the title at WK9 against the winner of the G1 Climax. You guessed it, it's Okada!Will Okada finally be able to lance this boil, and avenge his WK7 loss? Or will Tanahashi make the ultimate comeback and defend both the title and the title of Ace? Listen on to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tanahashi puts it all on the line in order to challenge Okada again for the IWGP Heavyweight title. If he doesn't win this match, he never gets to challenge Okada again.Or does he?Another match we previously discussed during the Meltzer Five-Star Project. Link to that episode below.Apple podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-meltzer-5-star-project-082-kazuchika-okada-vs/id1330423543?i=1000454514535Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2If2Oz0AFJIj0o2inr6bwY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time since Okada's return, he faces Hiroshi Tanahashi in a non-title match with a 30-minute time limit. Of course, it's still a highly important match, as both have recovered from a slow start to be in with a shout of winning the A Block of the G1 Climax. Will it be enough to contain them? Let's find out, shall we? Either by listening to the podcast or just looking up the results on Google. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If Tanahashi thought that his successful defence of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Okada at Wrestle Kingdom had been enough to put the 'Rainmaker' back in his place for at least the forseeable future he was much mistaken. Just as he'd been with his first IWGP title challenge, and his first entry into the G1 Climax, Okada won the New Japan Cup on the first time of trying and here we are only three months later.Clearly both have now learnt a lot about the other at this point, and in order to stay ahead they will both have to adapt.This is the first of the Tanahashi-Okada matches to be given the five-star rating from one-time sceptic Dave Meltzer, and as a result, Lorcan and Simon have already discussed this match during the first year of the Meltzer Five-Star Project. Link below if you want to listen to that either before or after this one.Apple podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-meltzer-5-star-project-080-hiroshi-tanahashi-vs/id1330423543?i=1000453641848Spotify:https://open.spotify.c

The year-long rivalry that began at Wrestle Kingdom 6 with the returning Kazuchika Okada jumping the queue to challenge Tanahashi, and then back up his brashness by actually beating the undisputed top guy of the promotion. Tanahashi had to use every atom of energy in his body to reclaim the title, and now they are at Wrestle Kingdom 7, with Okada winning the G1 Climax at his first time of trying and insisting that their title match would take place at the biggest stage of the Tokyo Dome. Can Okada's self-confidence be justified once more, or will Tanahashi re-establish himself as the Ace of the promotion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tanahashi received such a beating that he lost a tooth. Can he reclaim his championship against the upstart Okada? 'The Rainmaker' enters even more confident in himself now that he's backed up his bravado by defeating Tanahashi for the title and successfully defending it against Tetsuya Naito and Hirooki Goto. If Tanahashi reclaims the title it will mean fighting through a lot of damage. Can he do it? You'd assume so, because it would be weird for this podcast series to be done in three episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After breaking the record for the most successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defences, Hiroshi Tanahashi was surprised at the ego on display from Kazuchika Okada who, having just beaten YOSHI-HASHI in an unimpressive return match, challenged him for a title match. Tanahashi accepted the challenge, but warned Okada that he was biting off more than he could chew.Like doing fifteen podcasts in consecutive days just before Christmas that required you to watch wrestling matches that average at over half-an-hour each. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new December tradition, Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) look back on one of the great rivalries in wrestling history match-by-match. They kick things off with the battle for both the IWGP Heavyweight title and the designated 'Ace' positino of New Japan.But before we had a 'Rainmaker', Kazuchika Okada was a young prodigy picked up by New Japan to join their Young Lion dojo, and this first ever singles match against Hiroshi Tanahashi is his farewell match before his learning excursion. Where he learned first-hand how terrible a booker and person Vince Russo is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whilst Hogan and Flair were the stars of the WWF and the NWA, there was still a third major promotion in pro wrestling when the boom period of the mid-80s began. Unfortunately for those involved, its popularity and influence was waning. Despite this, some great wrestling - the foundation of the AWA and its owner Verne Gagne - was still taking place.A textbook example of the young challenger attempting to dethrone the elder champion, a pre-Perfect Curt Hennig takes on the man who had beeen the perennial champion of the AWA for the past decade, and an LMTYS podcast debutant in Nick Bockwinkel. Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) have watched the match and read up long words in their dictionaries in the hopes of not being the wrestling pundit equivalent of an '8 to 5 humanoid'https://pateron.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After watching the first season of the Netflix series, Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) have gone back to the original source material, commercials and all, to experience a full episode of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. As well as the advertised main event, the LMTYS hosts also discuss the other matches on Season 1, Episode 22, which include a handicap match of Matilda the Hun facing the team of Ebony & California Doll, a singles match between Palestina (it's even worse than you think) and Suzy Spirit, and Ninotchka, the inspration for Alison Brie's Zoya the Destroyer, against future owner of GLOW, Tammy the Farmer's Daughter.Along with the matches, there are sketches, ads, and a poorly maintained raps for your visual delight.https://pateron.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Ospreay is now just one match shy of reaching Mitsuharu Misawa's all-time record of matches rated at least five stars by Dave Meltzer. His latest entry is also the first time he's appeared on this series against Tetsuya Naito. Having previously defeated Niato in the semi-finals of this year's G1 Climax, Ospreay is this time defending his United States title against a man who has made his feelings for secondary New Japan titles in the past. Also, Naito nicked Gideon Grey's coat and the United Empire's financier wants it back. To be fair, it's a nice looking coat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taken from us before its time, the people behind 'Orange is the New Black' followed up that early Netflix hit with this series, inspired by the 2012 documentary about the mid-80s wrestling show for which this comedy-drama shares the same name and time period. Starring Alison Brie (Community, Mad Men), Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie), and Marc Maron (Maron, WTF podcast), the show uses the world of pro wrestling as backdrop to comment on women's roles and the moral grey area of real life against the campiness of pro wrestling and the moral vacuity at the heart of Reaganomic/Hulkamaniac 80s America.Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) are here as always to provide a critical eye on things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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FTR continue their remarkable year with another five-star match, this time in the UK against an Australian team for Japanese tag team titles. In a dream match, Dax & Cash face the NJPW Strong Tag Team champions Aussie Open.Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) try to cut-off the podcast from small talk and deliver an incisive and thorough critical assessment of the first IWGP Tag Team title match to gain the perfect score from Meltzer in thirty-five years!https://patreon.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hulk Hogan executing drop toe-holds? It happened in Japan, and that's where we are today as 'Ichiban' returns to the first country that he attained superstar status before becoming the face of the WWF's national and global expansion. He faces off against perhaps the most popular and longest serving Gaijin of all time in the tobacco spitting Stan Hansen. This bloody battle of burly American men in the Tokyo Dome in front of a rapturous Japanese crowd is what Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross)are encountering this week.patreon.com/lmtyspodfacebook.com/lmtyspodtwitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most important figures in the history of professional wrestling died on the same year the promotion he founded celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Antonio Inoki was a lightning rod for controversy and creativity within pro wrestling and even the wider world of politics. Although known for pushing the notion of pro wrestling as the "King of Sports" and engaging in matches with high-profile figures from legit combat, even most famously Muhammad Ali, and as a result being one of the pioneers of what we now know as MMA, he was still a great in-ring technical wrestling. Therefore the LMTYS hosts have chosen to discuss a match from 1975 that is oft-cited as one of his best wrestling matches, and winner of multiple Match of the Year awards in 1975. It's against another innovative and influential figure in wrestling and MMA, Billy Robinson.Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) are here to provide their thoughts on this techinical masterclass, and even fitting in brief side discussions on matters

Be it a manger or an agent, a bodyguard or a valet, or maybe your childhood ventriloquist dummy requisitioned from the remnants of your demolished housing estate, many a wrestler has had a ringside accomplice. Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) accompany each other in a thoughtful conversation about this very subject matter.https://patreon.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walter's second ever Meltzer five-star match was when he defended his NXT UK Championship in Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena in front of 3,600 fans against plucky underdog Tyler Bate.Three years and three days later, he is now Gunther, he's defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship in Cardiff's Principality Stadium in front of just under twenty times that number. This time his opponent is the definition of 'picking on someone your own size' in the 'Celtic Warrior' Sheamus. Thirteen years into his WWE career may not have been when you'd expect Sheamus to gain his first five-star match from Meltzer, but here we are.For the first time in The Meltzer 5-Star Project's history, one of the hosts was live at the venue when this match occurs. Simon (@simoncross3) is here to recount his first-hand experiences, and Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) is here to find a way to still somehow talk more than Simon in the episode.https://pateron.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hoste

The final chapter of the Ospreay-a-thon sees 'The Commonwealth Kingpin' round out the month of August with his fourth five-star-plus match in a third different continent. Having just fallen at the final of the G1 to Okada, and then lost his RevPro title to RKJ, he's headed to the States with his United Empire partners (and five-star debutants) Aussie Open and hope to become the first ever AEW Trios Champions. To do so, they have to get past the trio many think the titles only exist for them, and the man that Ospreay has been sending messages of a subliminal, liminal, and superliminal kind throughout the month, in the recently returned Kenny Omega.Lorcan (@lorcanmullan) and Simon (@simoncross3) are going to watch this melee in the hopes of making some bitingly trenchant points and hope not to get a flying chair into their face for making their feelings understood.https://patreon.com/lmtyspodhttps://facebook.com/lmtyspodhttps://twitter.com/lmtyspodlmtyspod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo