POST Wrestling

Episode 16 sees Chris Charlton and John Carroll look at 2004. Despite a strong start to the year, NJPW would struggle, especially through a difficult IWGP title reign for Bob Sapp. Meanwhile NOAH make their Tokyo Dome debut with a fantastic Departure card. The podcast is an audio companion to EGGSHELLS: Pro Wrestling in the Tokyo Dome, available now!

Episode 15 sees Chris Charlton and Jonathan Snowden look at 2003. The merging of the MMA and pro wrestling worlds brought some strange results, as NJPW dabbled with MMA bouts on their cards, while Wrestle-1 put top flight fighters in the bizarrest of pro wrestling scenarios.

Episode 14 sees Chris Charlton and Lee Daly look at 2002, a year of radical change and dissent within NJPW. As many standbys left the promotion, some new faces appeared, significantly Joanie Laurer and Bob Sapp. Antonio Inoki also sought to bring the MMA flavoured UFO to the dome.

Episode 13 sees Chris Charlton and Rich Kraetsch look at 2001. NJPW continued their relationship with an AJPW that was experiencing radical change. This was the last year All Japan ran in the Dome on their own. They’d also have significant presences on New Japan cards, with Toshiaki Kawada rematching Kensuke Sasaki, and Keiji Muto in the mix in both companies.

Episode 12 sees Chris Charlton and Joe Gagne look at 2000, a turbulent year in wrestling history. Mitsuharu Misawa and a swathe of wrestlers defect from AJPW to form NOAH, leaving Toshiaki Kawada and crew to mend fences with NJPW and leading to a Tokyo Dome classic with Kensuke Sasaki.