Eastern Lariat Special: 2025 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Discussion (w/Gerard di Trolio of the Emerald Flowshow)
Release Date: 10/28/2025
Episode 315: 25 under 25
Eastern Lariat
For the final show of the year 2025, STRIGGA & Dylan Fox dive into their 25 under 25 list of the very best Japanese pro wrestling talent under the age of 25. From already main eventing standouts to promising prospects with seemingly limitless ceilings, they talk strengths, trajectories, and who’s in line to define the next coming years of their respective promotion or maybe the entire scene. Join in, come up with your own list or learn about new talent that's about to put their stamp on the next decade.
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Super J-Cup 2000
Eastern Lariat
Merry Christmas from the Eastern Lariat! As a special gift to you, STRIGGA & Dylan go 25 years back in time and present their review of the Super J-Cup 3rd Stage hosted by Michinoku Pro Wrestling on the 1st & 9th of April 2000! This tournament featured a colorful cast of characters from New Japan's Jushin Thunder Liger over Michinoki Pro's Great Sasuke and WCW's Kaz Hayashi to Big Japan's MEN's Teioh and BattlArts representative Katsumi Usuda. Join in as the Eastern Lariat travel back to a different world of professional wrestling!
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Episode 314: From The Other Side
Eastern Lariat
This week on the Eastern Lariat, STRIGGA & Dylan kick things off by talking about one of their japanese pro-wrestling soft spots in ZERO1. As the company is "reborn", they took it to Korakuen Hall where the "reborn" Hayabusa faced Kaito Kiyomiya. Kiyomiya also recently faced "Mr. Smack Daddy" Yoshiki Inamura in the main event, so Pro Wrestling NOAH and their upcoming Budokan card is the next topic. From there, STRIGGA & Dylan take it to New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 20 card that is shaping up nicely. While ZERO1 always seems to be on its last legs, All Japan continues to have boom...
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Eastern Lariat Special: 2025 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Inductees (w/Gerard di Trolio)
Eastern Lariat
With the smoke clearing on the 2025 WON Hall of Fame ballots, we have a whopping 8 new inductees to discuss. With all 7 voted in being candidates voted on by returning guest from the Emerald Flowshow, Gerard di Trolio. We go over the inductees, near misses, surprising totals and the future of the ballots with new and returning candidates being announced, finally with picks suggested by us to big Dave himself that we feel should be on the ballot, belong and deserve a look in the future. It was a fun ride covering it once again in 2025 and for the first time we wrap it up with the results!...
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Episode 313: Favorite Lucha Dumpling
Eastern Lariat
For the firs time in a long time STRIGGA & Dylan invest a lot of time into DRAGONGATE and analyze the current stable landscape of the promotion guiding you through the different camps and what their aspirations and goals are. In doing so, they also discuss the most recent Gate of Destiny and King of Gate events. From there, they take it to New Japan Pro Wrestling in November and on their road to the Tokyo Dome. This episode was taped before Tanahashi's opponent was announces, so part of this speculation is redundant – it's fun nonetheless! Finally, the Eastern Lariat reviews DDT's...
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Eastern Lariat Special: 2025 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Discussion (w/Gerard di Trolio of the Emerald Flowshow)
Eastern Lariat
It's time for the Hall of Fame! Dylan is joined by the Emerald Flowshow and WON Hall of Fame voter Gerard di Trolio to discuss this year's ballot, with particular spotlight on the new candidates on this year. Every single region is covered as he reveals his ballot, with perhaps one Dylan swaying him on somewhat? Buckle up and check out our look at a wrestling history perspective for over 3 hours, with a couple of tangents on the Blue Jays, Gerard showing up to Sweet Daddy Siki's karaoke nights, and who could be next on the pipeline to be placed on the ballot in the future. It was another...
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Episode 312: 10 Years out of the Blue Corner
Eastern Lariat
The guys kick things off with a look at the bad blood between Go Shiozaki and Pro Wrestling NOAH over the ZERO1 Title – a messy situation that All Japan Pro Wrestling could benefit from a lot. From there, it’s over to All Japan, where STRIGGA brings up the point of production values in contrast to NOAH or NJPW. They'll also talk about HAVOC being over with the crowd and how Shiozaki fits into the group and the promotion. From there, they take it to NOAH’s Wrestle Odyssey from Sumo Hall that featured some strong junior matches but plenty of disjointed storytelling. Another question raised...
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Episode 311: Un-affiliated
Eastern Lariat
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Eastern Lariat Special: GAEA Girls 25th Anniversary Review (w/Nello de Angelis)
Eastern Lariat
Eastern Lariat Special: GAEA Girls 25 years after it's release, Dylan is joined by his Wrestle Update co-host and film major, game designer, director Nello de Angelis to give his insights from a directorial standpoint. Hear the two break down the film as well as the content of it as well which focuses on the GAEA Dojo led by legendary Joshi wrestler Chigusa Nagayo which at times devolves into psychological analysis as well as a look at possibly separating the kayfabe from the real The Kim Longinotto & Jana Williams film documents the life of multiple trainees of GAEA over the...
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Episode 310: Glue Guys
Eastern Lariat
STRIGGA & Dyaln are back and cover a lot of ground from late August to mid September! First off, they dive deep into All Japan’s Oudou Tournament and Pro Wrestling NOAH’s N-1 Victory, both of which are shaping the fall landscape in a big way. Over in Marigold, the Dream Star GP ended with two wrestlers gaining a lot from it alongside the surprising news of MIRAI's departure. Might she go back to Stardom? The duo also checks in on Tokyo Joshi Pro's Wrestle Princess VI, Ganbare Pro, Dragon Gate, and DDT to round out another tour across the Japanese scene.
info_outlineIt's time for the Hall of Fame! Dylan is joined by the Emerald Flowshow and WON Hall of Fame voter Gerard di Trolio to discuss this year's ballot, with particular spotlight on the new candidates on this year. Every single region is covered as he reveals his ballot, with perhaps one Dylan swaying him on somewhat? Buckle up and check out our look at a wrestling history perspective for over 3 hours, with a couple of tangents on the Blue Jays, Gerard showing up to Sweet Daddy Siki's karaoke nights, and who could be next on the pipeline to be placed on the ballot in the future. It was another edition at the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame for the year 2025. Below is the full ballot and list of candidates:
I FOLLOWED THE HISTORICAL PERFORMERS ERA CANDIDATES (Six maximum)
Ole Anderson
Afa & Sika Anoa'i
Bob Armstrong
Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/J.J. Dillon
British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith)
June Byers
Wild Bull Curry
Junkyard Dog
Cowboy Bob Ellis
Pampero Firpo
Black Gordman & Great Goliath
Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie
Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart)
Sputnik Monroe
Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch
Iron Sheik
Sweet Daddy Siki
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon
Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich
I FOLLOWED THE MODERN PERFORMERS IN U.S/CANADA CANDIDATES (Six maximum)
Mark & Jay Briscoe
Edge/Adam Copeland
Bill Dundee
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheleer)
Bill Goldberg
Samoa Joe
Matt & Jeff Hardy
Becky Lynch
Drew McIntyre
Mercedes Mone/Sasha Banks
Jon Moxley
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall
Randy Orton
C.M. Punk
Cody Rhodes
Seth Rollins
Sabu
Trish Stratus
Rick & Scott Steiner
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN JAPAN CANDIDATES (Three maximum)
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Hayabusa
Masaaki Mochizuki
Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi
Zack Sabre Jr.
Meiko Satomura
Io Shirai/Iyo Sky
Tiger Jeet Singh
Yoshihiro Takayama
Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN MEXICO CANDIDATES (Three maximum)
Angel Blanco & Dr.Wagner
Sangre Chicana
El Dandy
Dorrell Dixon
Gran Hamada
Los Infernales (El Satanico & Pirata Morgan & MS 1)
El Hijo del Santo & Octagon
La Parka AAA
Mascarita Sagrada
Volador Jr.
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/PACIFIC ISLANDS/AFRICA (four maximum)
Spyros Arion
Dominic DeNucci
George Gordienko
Steve Grey
Billy Joyce
Les Kellett
Killer Karl Kox
Gilbert Leduc
Ted Boy Marino
The Royal Brothers (Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner)
Adrian Street
Jose Tarres
Otto Wanz
NON-WRESTLERS (Seven maximum)
Dave Brown (U.S. & Canada modern)
Zane Bresoff (U.S.& Canada modern)
Bobby Bruns (Japan)
Bob Caudle (U.S. & Canada historical)
Joe Higuchi (Japan)
Jim Johnston (U.S. & Canada modern)
Larry Matysik (U.S.& Canada historical)
James Melby (U.S. & Canada historical)
Bill Mercer (U.S. & Canada historical)
Gorilla Monsoon (U.S. & Canada historical)
Rossy Ogawa (Japan)
Reggie Parks (U.S. & Canada modern)
Morris Sigel (U.S. & Canada historical)
Tony Schiavone (U.S. & Canada modern)
George Scott (U.S. & Canada historical)
Kevin Sullivan (U.S. & Canada historical)
Mike Tenay (U.S. & Canada modern)
Ted Turner (U.S. & Canada modern)
Jesse Ventura (U.S. & Canada historical)
Roy Welch (U.S. & Canada historical)
Stanley Weston (U.S. & Canada historical)
Grand Wizard (U.S & Canada historical)
Koichi Yoshizawa (Japan)
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If you wanna hear more of Gerard and talking about modern NOAH, AJPW, occasionally GLEAT & BJW, check out the Emerald Flowshow!
twitter.com/emeraldflowshow
https://open.spotify.com/show/1sjbd84fZN0VC46hCnyc3V
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