5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (July 13)
4. A Work, A Shoot, Or A Rib?
Hiromu Takahashi's injury was far from the only talking point generated by New Japan's umpteenth awesome show of 2018.
In what was a spellbinding, ultra-authentic fight, Juice Robinson captured the United States Championship from Jay White, the main narrative of which centred around the elevation of both men. Juice triumphed in a finish of pure catharsis, adding a gritty and credible badass layer to his plucky underdog bit. Jay White meanwhile finally projected himself as a dangerous and despicable heel. It was superb storytelling adorned with inventive variations on the classic wrestling brawl, the most grimacing of which saw Juice throw Jay to the ringside mats with a Russian Leg Sweep off the apron.
The subplot, however, saw Jim Ross take an unintended bump. "They need to get theit sh*t together," he raged.
If it was a work, and it's wrestling, so best not rule it out completely, the commitment to it was immense. White and Robinson hurled each other into several ringside barricades, none of which were fixed in place. Wouldn't it have been conspicuous, if only the guardrail protecting Ross and Josh Barnett was?
After White sent Robinson careening into said guardrail, the momentum sent Ross flying backwards out of his chair, legs akimbo, in a blackly hilarious visual. Ross hasn't been floored like that since Kaitlyn last tweeted a gym pic. The very real rib injury suffered by Ross, however, brought on waves of guilt in the aftermath.
Adding to that authenticity, or the simulation, an apoplectic Barnett stormed the ring to confront White. Unlike Barnett, who used the opportunity to get himself over, we extend our best wishes to JR for a speedy recovery. After an injury like that, any criticism of his poorly-researched and distant commentary work seems pedantic.
Still, in this heavily choreographed modern era, a bit of chaos - a bit of genuine insanity - was some palette-cleanser, one that elevated the match in parallel with its breakthrough performers.