Episode 302: A Wrestle Universe Podcast
Eastern Lariat
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....
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Episode 301: Golden Week 2025
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 300: Stardom All Star Grand Queendom, Meiko Satomura Retires, NJPW Update
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Eastern Lariat Special: Jeff Cobb, BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito OUT of NJPW
Eastern Lariat
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....
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Episode 299: Authenticity
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 298: Hanami Potpourri
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 297: Show, don't Tell
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 296: 2nd Eastern Lariat Hall of Fame Class
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 295: Nuthin' but a Goto Thang
Eastern Lariat
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...
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Episode 294: Year End Awards 2024
Eastern Lariat
info_outlineJoin 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.