Random News and Thoughts

RAW flickers
Though I couldn't catch RAW this week due to the stupid French Tennis Open, from the reports I read off the net, it really wasn't that good a show. The only highpoints being the opening tag title bout and the Benjamin/Orton match. Hopefully I can catch the replay later tonight to see for myself how bad the rest of it went.

Sapp vacates IWGP Title
Bob Sapp has officially ran for the hills with his tail tucked between his legs as he officially vacated New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight title, but not in person! Oh no, the biggest sports figure in Japan instead handed the belt to K-1 and asked them to give the belt back to New Japan before runnng back to America. To say the first half of 2004 has been a roller-coaster for New Japan is an understatement.

Pro Wrestling NOAH news
- Jun Akiyama finally completed his V2 defence of the GHC Hardcore Crown as he defeated Masao Inoue by referee stop on 5/30/04.
- Akiyama scored a big blow to Kobashi yesterday as he choked him out with his front neck lock, now called the "Tarapagani Lock" or "King Crab Lock'. This was related to a bizzare training accident where Kobashi had a nipple bitten off by a crab (?!?). Akiyama & Saito actually lost to Kobashi & Honda, but it didn't stop Akiyama from choking him out.
- On NOAH's big 6/1/04 show, Daisuke Ikeda dethroned long running WLW champion Takeshi Morishima to become the 13th champion, winning with a series of hard kicks to the head at 12:38. The same show was main evented by KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji making their successfull V6 defence of the GHC Jr Tag Titles, beating Kotaro Suzuki & Ricky Marvin in 32:59, Marufuji pinning Suzuki with the Shiranui.
- Word is now going round that Yoshihiro Takayama and Minoru Suzuki will defend the IWGP tag team titles against Takeshi Rikioh and Takeshi Morishima (WILD II) at NOAH's 7/10 Tokyo Dome show. It's a good step in using outside talent to help draw for the show.