When I saw that John had started work on a list of MVPs for 2009, I finally thought that perhaps I should “have a crack” at getting my thoughts and feelings on Osaka Pro-Wrestling out there to those of you who read this site. I don’t possessJohn’s diligence in posting weekly (or near weekly) so I came up with Sporadic Thoughts! as my attempt at conveying my feelings and ideas for the promotion.
Now before I get on to listing my top 5 I must indicate that I have not watched nearly enough Osaka Pro this year as I should have. I am far behind in my DVD watching so my rankings have more to do with match results, storylines, show notes and fan reactions than that of match quality.
Top 5
1. Billyken Kid - This was a surprise to me when I sat down to write out my thoughts on the top 5 performers in 2009, as Billy was initially not included on this list. That’s right, the unquestioned ace of Osaka Pro-Wrestling was an after thought for my top 5. That is where my folly started, Billy is the ace, and as such he delivers a standard of wrestling that we get accustomed to seeing and when that level is not succeeded in any way we can view the year’s accomplishments as “another solid year”, and this was my thoughts on his 2009 output. It wasn’t until I sat down and analysed year he had that I realised what a fantastic year Billy had, a year that more than exceeded being merely solid. It was just that his achievements weren’t truly elevated above everything that happened to the company itself in 2009. Billy was crucial in the elevation of Tadasuke into a rudo threat, which culminated with a very heated Mascara contra Cabellera match on 8/23/09. Of course, there is the continuing battle with LOV. The feud started with Billy and looks to end with Billy. Now, while there can be criticism at the formulaic approach, to what will potentially be the culmination of this feud at Hurricane, and it is warranted, there is reason for it. Billy is the ace, it is his job. When the threat looming is over powering and with every option exhausted, it is the ace that goes into the challenge without question to right the wrongs and to set everything back to semblance of normality. That is Billyken Kid.
2. Kuishinbo Kamen- For a comedy act going into it’s 10th year, Kuishinbo Kamen continues to find new ways to entertain crowds without having to rely heavily on past spots. When called upon, Kuishinbo Kamendelivers in every single match he is in and is one of the few wrestlers out there where you can be assured a good performance each and every time. In 2009 he continued this and capped it off with his eagerly anticipated matches against old foe, Kikutaro, the original Ebessan. 2009 once more saw “Killer Kuishinbo” as Kuishinbo Kamen looked once again to advance into the second round of the Tennozan, for the first time, against Masamune. With Hurricane looming and the unfortunate timing of an injury, hopefully Kuishinbo Kamen can return to the ring and entertain and charm fans once more in 2010 like he has since 1999, a true MVP if there ever was one.
3. Black Buffalo- I knew without doubt that John would have Buffalo on a list of top performers of Osaka Pro-Wrestling, and in truth I knew I would as well. Like Kuishinbo Kamen, since 1999, Black Buffalo has been as the most consistant worker in the company. From his days in the original LOV, his tag team Infinity with Tsubasa, Kishiwada Gurentai, Buraiken, Bad Force, brief runs as part of the Seikigun and back to LOV, Buffalo continues to deliver consistent performances across the board, knowing when to adjust his match structure for the big matches. For years as well Buffalo has been Osaka Pro’s best mouthpiece and this hasn’t diminished over time with fans still hanging off of his every word. In 2009 Buffalo accomplished something he hadn’t done since 1999, and that was to capture a promotions top belt when he became the IWA Heavyweight Champion. With a taste for gold still lingering, perhaps 2010 is the year that Buffalo finally captures the Osaka Pro-Wrestling Title, something that no fan can say he doesn’t deserve.
4. Tadasuke- What a rise to prominence 2009 was for Tadasuke. From being the de facto fall guy in Blood & Guts to having pinfall victories over Billyken Kid as well as a storyline with Osaka’s ace. For a company that does match buildups in often a very straight forward manner, Tadasuke’s elevation was completely out of left field. Revealed as the mystery partner of Orochi for the 2009 Tag Festival, Tadasuke has been on a rampage ever since. Making the finals of the Tag Festival, a top program with Billyken Kid to constant battles with his old team Blood & Guts. Tadasuke has grown into his new persona exceptionally and at first his radical push seemed too much, but after his progression in the year it seems now to have been more than warranted. From being a wrestler progressing nicely in the first half of the year to being one of Osaka’s most dangerous rudos, the sky is the limit for Tadasuke. He certainly is the name to look out for for big things in 2010.
5. Atsushi Kotoge- This may be a surprise entry for some of you but Atsushi Kotoge had quite a good 2009. It was the first time since 2007 that Daisuke Harada hadn’t overshadowed his accomplishments, many of which happened outside of Osaka, in Tokyo working in promotions like BJPW as a part of Men’s Club West and DDT’s BOYS offshoot promotion, where he has made a mark for himself with continual participation. Kotoge continues to make inroads as a wrestler year in and year out with 2010 looking to be a bright year for Osaka’s “Skywalker”.
Those Who Missed The Cut
Daisuke Harada - The “Young Master” continued his valued performance in and out of the Osaka Pro mat, with successful ventures into BJPW and even a big singles match against BJPW supernova, Daisuke Sekimoto. As mentioned above, 2009 seemed to be the year that Kotoge shone brighter than Harada. 2010 will no doubt continue the growth of Osaka’s future ace where hopefully he can shine once more in big match opportunities.
Hideyoshi- After a stellar year in 2008 where he became Osaka Pro-Wrestling champion Hideyoshi continued strongly into 2009. After shaky years in the beginning of his run in the promotion, Hideyoshi became one of the best “big match” wrestlers in the promotion and his battles with Billyken Kid best exemplify this. This was a hard exclusion to make, as Hideyoshi continued to have a good year in 2009 with another tag title reign with Masamune and a well received title match against Dick Togo, when called upon Hideyoshi proved he was more than capable to deliver. He could have easily replace Kotoge in my list as a top 5 performer, and even now in writing this I am tempted to include him.
Tigers Mask- Tigers Mask has really taken to his rudo character with dual role of comedic heel and serious heel. Unfortunately, for me, this transition occurred too late in the year for inclusion in the top 5. After a shaky start to his rudo life, Tigers has since flourished finding a great balance of comedy and serious in his matches, a prime example was his performance in the 2009 SUPER J-CUP. Much like Hideyoshi, this was a tough exclusion to make.
Disappointing Year
Asian Cooger- When I thought of a disappointing year list Cooger’s name appeared to me straight away. Those of you out there reading this may be scratching your heads at his inclusion here and after a brief discussion with John on the matter I can clearly see why many would have thought Cooger a better fit for the list of “Those Who Missed The Cut”. If we break down Cooger’s accomplishments of 2009, he did have quite a good year. He captured the Osaka Pro-Wrestling Tag Titles with The Great Sasuke at the 09 Hurricane, established another fan favourite tag team, Mucha Mucha, with Miracleman and produced another of his popular Mucha Libre Paradise shows. I guess my disappoint stems from Cooger being placed in a secondary role in the promotion and a seemingly constant feud with Orochi dispite his immense popularity withfans. With a built-in fan base with the hardcore fans of Tokyo from his days freelancing the area, Cooger is a wise choice to promote. But, with the new year comes new beginnings and, no doubt, Cooger will emerge with a new role in the company and hopefully will not return to this list again.
Naoki Setoguchi- Injuries continue to hamper what looked to have been a solid rookie for Osaka Pro. Setoguchi looked to be the better of Kazuaki Miharain their first matches together but with continuing injury problems his career seems to be almost certainly diminished if not all together over. Perhaps a transition into the comedy side of things with a new persona could help prolong his career. Here’s hoping.
Zeus - Osaka Pro-Wrestling felt the loss of the “God of Destroy” and it took them a while to recover. Zeus was no doubt slated for big things in 2009 but a desire for boxing lured “The Stronger” away to leave us wondering what could have been. He came in green, nearly maiming people and bending frying pans, I was hooked in an instant.
