Eastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 291: Back in the ZoneEastern Lariat
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'...
info_outline Episode 290: However Many GuysEastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 289: Age of the FoolsEastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Eastern Lariat 2024 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Special (w/Gerard di Trolio)Eastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 288: A New FrontmanEastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 287: Just unleash, man!Eastern Lariat
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.
info_outline Episode 286: There's at least hopeEastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 285: G1 Climax 34 MegashowEastern Lariat
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...
info_outline Episode 284: Big Summer PotpourriEastern Lariat
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...
info_outlineSTRIGGA & 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.