Trying to juggle some family plans. Know the Men’s Rumble doesn’t always finish the show (I was in Philly for the ‘18 Rumble and the men’s match was middle of the card).

Any indication of where on the card or what time the Men’s match will start?

Some of the ones I saw for previous years are amazing and I'm having a few people over for a watch party!

In ECW, Tommy Dreamer, Raven and Sandman were the holy trinity. All 3 combinations of them feuding with each other were golden, and arguably the three greatest feuds in company history.

What I loved about their dynamic is that they were all very similar character-wise and basically extensions of each other; Tommy was a nice version of Raven, Sandman was a mean version of Tommy, Raven was an intellectual version of Sandman.

Moreover, all three used the same finisher (DDT), and Raven and Tommy even shared the same pose.

I'd love to see this done in a major company today - three guys, very different but ultimately very similar, that use the same finisher, and are the protagonists of the promotion that whenever they feud, it's money.

It is a seemingly small change, but the way WWE has used Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, Wade and especially Tessitore has made the show so easy to watch. They have so intentionally served as tour guides for new viewers and it's the first time I've really felt connected to announcers since the attitude era.

Opening the show with Cole and Tessitore running down the card makes it feel like a sporting event. They also allow natural breaks so you can breathe throughout the show.

Tessitore has been great in his role. He comes across like a genuine sports broadcaster and it was nice to see him so professional and unbiased when interviewing Owens last night. It makes the heels more dislikable because the announcers aren't acting disingenuously outraged towards everyone.

Also, the Pat McAfee opening in Indianapolis was electric. Even the way they show all the broadcasters who are covering the show is a nice touch.

Would love to hear what everyone else's thoughts are. Do you prefer this type of announcing?

P.s. I still miss Mauro and felt the same about him

Thought I'd put some faces to names. Thanks to u/zeitgeistbouncer for the game. Using his points I just put together a little scoring sheet for tonight, with some basic graphics, etc...Put some faces to names.

Everyone tonight is going to pull a random number for each rumble and then track their superstars throughout the match. At the end they will total up all points for all entrants they received and we'll see who scores the highest!

Sorry, they are Google Drive links. Hope that's OK to share here.

Rumble 2025 - Page 1

Rumble 2025 - Page 2

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It doesn't take place often, but three at the top of my head are:

Cactus Jack vs. Triple H ~ Madison Square Garden ~ RAW September 22, 1997/Royal Rumble 2000 (both contested under Street Fight rules; though the first had falls count anywhere)

Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin ~ San Jose's Compaq Center ~ RAW January 8, 2001/SummerSlam 2001 (they even switched roles in the second and both matches are great examples of bangers where a disqualification finish didn't hurt it)

Ric Flair vs. Vince McMahon ~ Atlanta's Philips Arena ~ Royal Rumble 2002/RAW June 10, 2002 (both were no holds barred)

There's also No Mercy 2007, where Triple H/Randy Orton bookended the show, but that doesn't count.

Not a match per se, but the video package at the 2004 Rumble for Triple H/Shawn Shawn Michaels was built off a promo on the January 12 RAW at Nassau Coliseum where they specifically allude to their match in the same building at SummerSlam 2002.

Any more examples along these lines?

ETA:

Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker ~ Kansas City's Kemper Arena ~ Over the Edge 1999/Backlash 2002 (both ended in shenanigans with the special referee)

The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar ~ Staples Center ~ Unforgiven 2002/Hell in a Cell 2015 (coincidentally they happen to be their first and final matches against each other on PPV)

ChocoPro Special: Gatoh Rhapsody On the next ChocoPro: The one day mixed tag tournament formerly known as the Green Curry Cup has returned with a new name! EggTart battles SMILE CLOVER to begin the Opening Round, followed by Justified Violence facing Black Comaneci to finish the Round. Nonoka Seto, Hiyori Yawata, & SOY take on Kaho Hiromi, Sayaka Obihiro, & Kaori Yoneyama in a wild Trios bout, the BestBros face the winner of the First Match for the first of the Semi-Finals, followed by Lion Dance taking on the winner of the Second. CDK fights Shin Suzuki & Mune, and finally the winners of the Semi-Finals collide in the Finals. Who will win the first Gatoh Rhapsody tournament? Let’s Go, ChocoPro Wrestling!

🍫 When it airs, it will be available HERE! (Usually at night around 9 pm EDT / 6 pm PDT / the next day at 2 am BST, 10 am JST) on YouTube!

Don't forget to Adjust Your Volume, Wrestling is Loud!

Need a change of pace? ChocoPro Wrestling is built different. Join us for this episode or check out the back catalog of hundreds of episodes on the YouTube channel...400+ ChocoPro’s with stories and pro-wrestling like you've never seen. New to the promotion? It features a roster of skilled veterans, rising stars, and wonderful guests usually fighting in the strange and wonderful ChocoPro Arena: Ichigaya Chocolate Square. This is not your regular wrestling show! In Ring Shows will be uploaded sporadically as well!

###EGG TART (Chie Koishikawa 🏵️ & Hagane Shinno ⚔️)

###VS

###SMILE CLOVER (Miya Yotsuba 🍀 & HARASHIMA ⭐)

#Gatoh Rhapsody Opening Round, Match One

“Say Hellooooo!” because EGG TART is ready to win it all as one of ChocoPro’s most mysterious but potent tag synergy combinations. Chie Koishikawa & Hagane Shinno are the epitome of a hot and cold team. Opposites definitely attract, and the polar opposition results in some of the craziest team attacks you will ever witness. Shark Girl Chie has “Too Much Energy” and brings an uncontrollable excitement wherever she goes, sprinting around the Square and delivering lightning quick striking. Her tightly locked Stretch Mufflers and eye catching arm drags will have you shouting as much as she does. The Frantic Fencer is perpetual motion weaponized! On the other hand, her enigmatic partner is a remorseless killing machine that will look to grind their enemy’s momentum to a halt. This former Super Asia Champion’s icy ferocity usually brings about unsettling thuds from his heavy striking and brutal slams. The “Cold Killer” earned his moniker by easily dispatching some of the best the promotion has to offer. This ageless assassin only shows emotion around his chaotic partner...and together they amplify each others personalities. EGG TART is on the road to the Asia Dream belts. What better way to secure a challenge than to win the Mixed Tag Tournament? Watch out for those double pins and submissions!

SMILE CLOVER (Miya Yotsuba & HARASHIMA) might be brand new but they’re also looking to make it big! As Ichigaya’s Lucky Charm and Duolingo enthusiast, Miya has made another powerful ally in DDT’s handsome veteran ace. They even have a team pose! The popular supercharged Setouchi Powerhouse is also aiming for the title of Ace, with the skills and potential to back it up. Getting more opportunities to team with the DDT legend will help further her journey to Ace-dom. She brings explosive might and a full power style that is incredibly flashy (especially those backbreakers and that Miya Hammer). Meanwhile HARASHIMA is always willing to have some fun in ChocoPro...and he’ll have the room to hit his finisher with ease this time. It is an honor to have him around, as HARASHIMA is the soul of DDT and one of the most consistently excellent wrestlers you’ll come across. Expect him to once again deliver his signature strikes and explosive technicality. This fountain of charisma is one of the most versatile fighters on the scene, so Miya will benefit greatly from getting another chance to see someone hit techniques with the level of impact she’s eventually going to achieve. SMILE CLOVER joins a long list of ChocoPro Wrestling’s bizarre and wonderful tag team names, as evidenced by this tournament.

###Justified Violence (Sayaka 👗 & Sawasdee Kamen 💛)

###VS

###Black Comaneci (Tokiko “Otoki” Kirihara 💃 & Antonio Honda 🍯)

#Gatoh Rhapsody Opening Round, Match Two

Justified Violence is back for the Gatoh Rhapsody tournament! “Smiling Violence” Sayaka pairing with the grumpy and mysterious hero, Sawasdee Kamen, is strange at first but makes sense almost immediately. While our resident cosplayer, shop clerk, & gamer keeps a pretty busy schedule, Sayaka’s ungodly striking power finds new levels when she is in her element. The Empress looks to start off 2025 with a tournament win...and even more intimidation, flash pins, and lots of devastation. Even Emi wonders: How can she hit that hard!? Sayaka’s famous precision on her dropkicks works well with the Yellow Angel of Thailand’s technical ability (not to mention his unpredictability!). Sawasdee Kamen might not be the most valiant hero, but his skills show his own brand of justice. This enigmatic man comes and goes as he pleases, but he always brings his A game for ChocoPro. Will SK, the Symbol of Gatoh Move, ever transform into a Symbol of ChocoPro Wrestling? Will Sayaka reveal more of her beloved bully mode? With a big win here, Justified Violence might just begin a new journey as well.

Can the Asia Dream Tag Champs make history by winning the first Gatoh Rhapsody tournament while belted up? Either way, Black Comaneci (Antonio Honda & Tokiko Kirihara) look to remind everyone who the Asia Dream Tag Champions are. These strange champs also have a ton of odd outfits, change their name to suit the current gimmick, and are entirely unpredictable. Anton is a comedic sadist & storyteller that bends the rules of reality. His jokes take on a more vicious angle when he pairs with Otoki. He is a solid wrestler (and singer) with a brilliant mind for improv, and he can really go when he needs to. Tokiko “Otoki” Kirihara is a straight forward combatant and genuine threat across the board. She is known for her hiking and heavy striking...but isn’t opposed to some prop comedy violence herself. This former kickboxing champ has got legit fighting skills paired with the ability to turn anything into her signature Comaneci (including that awesome pinning combination). They’ve started the new year out strong, but how will the champs handle a such a difficult task? These ruffians have promised to make the belts shine even more than Popcorn Carnival did, so be prepared for anything!

###Nonoka Seto 🍋, Hiyori Yawata ☁️, & SOY 🐸

###VS

###Kaho Hiromi ⛵, Sayaka Obihiro 💙, & Kaori Yoneyama 🍚

#Trios Clash

Can raw rookie passion overcome genius and experience? With Erii taking some time off to recover (come back quickly, Opera House!) ChocoPro’s beloved Doukies Trio have a pretty good subsitute...but the enemy they face is a combination of their only junior and two of the strongest that the promotion can field! Luckily the massive combined spunky rookie energy of this team is off the charts. Stylish Setouchi Lemon Nonoka Seto has a wealth of passion and a knack for pro-wrestling...not to mention that killer set of new gear! This energetic rookie specializes in the Cravat technique, but also has a depth of counters and boundless possibility. Nonoka’s agility and magnetic charm are beginning to shake the hierarchy. Next up is the underdog rookie, Hiyori Yawata. In every bout, she taps deeply into her joyful passion and unbreakable heart. The Cloud Girl might have a lack of experience compared to her seniors, but she wins over the audience with her resilience and magnetic charm. Also she designs and crafts her gear, like that wonderful pom-pom hat! Tenacious Hiyori’s potential is above the clouds. Facing difficult odds, enduring setbacks, and growing stronger makes every success feel earned and rallies support behind the sky-blue rookie. Finally, the Frog lover and charismatic rookie SOY returns to the promotion she’s an active viewer of! The Pro-Wrestling Evolution crossover is strengthened by the jumpsuit powerhouse making another appearance. EVO started as an offshoot of AJPW but has quickly grown into a collection of truly special talents. An avid ChocoMint, SOY is already beloved by the ChocoPro audience: she managed to fit in as if she’s always been there, while bringing a new energy to the mix. Now she’ll be testing her power in throws and submissions in a spicy Trios match! SOY has a tremendous amount of potential, which becomes quickly evident in her dedication to wrestling. You’ll definitely find yourself naturally drawn into her magnetic personality. These three will probably get along well, as the EVO representative is basically an honorary Doukie.

As for their opponents, first off is the newest rookie of ChocoPro, Kaho Hiromi! So fresh to pro-wrestling that she doesn’t even have a Cagematch profile yet, Kaho is one of the best new prospects of the promotion. This quick and tactical sailboat enthusiast astounds wrestling fans with her sheer creativity. She has a unique approach to the basics coupled with clever transitional setups to make up for her lack of size and power. She’ll be backed up by the technical magic of Baseball and Rocky enthusiast Sayaka Obihiro! Obi has long been a staple of the tag scene, considering Popcorn Carnival only recently ended their super fun reign as the Asia Dream Tag Champs. This super charismatic veteran will now be looking to secure a victory over the rookies (with a rookie of her own). Obi is one of the most entertaining characters in the promotion, a full time certified Chef who dishes out heavy chops, fresh reversals, and lots of tasty flash pins. Watch out for that Obi Magic and those Hell Thrusts. The speed and power the Soul of ChocoPro can unleash on a whim catches both fans and her opponents off guard. Lastly, Kaori Yoneyama is commonly known as the smoking clown Fukigen Death in STARDOM, but in ChocoPro she tends to skip the face paint while still bringing the same level of tomfoolery. She's even been known to take the camera (or cameraman) for her attacks, giving the viewers a POV wrestling experience. Though that might be a bit more difficult at a ring show! The original goblin is famous for her bamboozle pins and surprising bursts of technical mastery amid the comedy shenanigans. You simply can’t look away from her skill in both wrestling and mischief! It is great to have Yoneyama back once again, but also you should keep an eye out for all the wild antics she takes part in across the scene. Seek out the Gokigen promotion.

###BestBros (Mei Suruga 🍎 & Baliyan Akki ♠️)

###VS

###Winner of the Opening Round, Match One

#Gatoh Rhapsody Semi-Final, Match One

With their travels at an end for now, the BestBros (Mei Suruga & Baliyan Akki) are always ready to prove they are the best Mixed team in ChocoPro. There are few teams of any format in the world that can match their indescribable chemistry, after all. Super Asia Champion and rumored “Apple Goblin” Mei Suruga is a force to be reckoned with. This Pin Specialist and Submission Innovator is known for her vibrant charisma, effortless skill, and infectious energy. Mei combines boundless creativity with a warm but mischievous personality, capping it all off with cunning counters and lightning quick thinking. If you thought she was ruthless in a normal setting, just imagine what she would do to win a tournament for a chance to return to (purple) belt days! Meanwhile the Ace of the promotion still sets the pace, because Baliyan Akki is a versatile performer who excels in every aspect of the craft of pro-wrestling. Fresh off celebrating his ten year anniversary in pro-wrestling, Akki combines brutally efficient technical mastery with top of the line high flying innovation and shocking bursts of devastating power. His ability to adapt seamlessly to his opponents and crank up the intensity is simply awesome. The Ace delivers a show stealer in any match, but expect him to be in rare form due to this being a tournament. Hopefully he’s recovered after fighting most of the roster in the last episode! These two will also be looking to outdo one another as always, while showing total excellence in synergy and tactics. Whoever wins that first match had better beware: the BestBros are looking to win the whole thing...”Right there”!

###Lion Dance (Leon 🦁 & Choun Shiryu 🐉)

###VS

###Winner of the Opening Round, Match Two

#Gatoh Rhapsody Semi-Final, Match Two

A brand new team (with a great name) appears for the Gatoh Rhapsody tournament? Lion Dance is such a formidable pairing! The first half of this ungodly combo is the Queen of Beasts, Leon. This Masked Lioness (and phenomenal wrestler) has also fought all over the world but currently calls PURE-J home. While she originally came from a Judo background, she possesses smooth striking complimented by a knack for high flying...but she won’t be out done on the technical side! You’ll be immediately captivated by her ferocious style. Leon is super underrated and you’ll overwhelmed by her sheer ability. I hope this return is the first of many! She’ll be tagging with the Dragon of ChocoPro, Choun Shiryu. This combat specialist makes every ChocoPro match look like an action film, and is a great pick-up tag partner. Choun is the gift that keeps on giving for the promotion, as his flashy style is timeless and provides a lot of explosive moments. The Kung Fu master is tricky and technical, a deadly combination! Can the Dragon’s alternative striking and unique tactics sync up with the excellence of the Queen of Beasts? Lion Dance is gonna give the winners of the second match of the opening round an immensely difficult challenge. What a team!

###CDK (Chris Brookes 🐙 & Masa Takanashi 🍶)

###VS

###Shin Suzuki 🍙 & Munetatsu Nakamura 🥔

#Tag Clash

The Calamari Drunken Kings (Chris Brookes & Masa Takanashi) are back in ChocoPro! These two have demolished teams across the globe and even formed a Unit in DDT called Schadenfreude International! KO-D & BKG Openweight Champion Brookes wields a grim technical style and monstrous presence that demoralizes his opponents long before he’s got them tapping out. His incredible reach and explosive movements make him a major threat at all times. We’re glad to have the Tsundere Submission Specialist back and wearing those pretty belts (I love the BKG belt so much)! Chrissy B’s partner is just as dangerous though...beware the Counter-Fighter. Masa’s laid back personality and reversal style make him seem passive, but the Drunken Monkey can show ruthless aggression when he needs to. His crisp technique and general fluidity pair well with his partner’s sadistic impactful skill set. CDK is one of the greatest teams out there (and both these dudes are part of a lot of great teams), so it’s awesome to have them in the mix once again.

GanPro’s Fiery Youth and the Balance King team up! Munetatsu Nakamura and Shin Suzuki will be pairing once again. Mune is undaunted, even against all odds. This rookie of GanPro is rapidly growing in potential! With his promotion now firmly in a new era, he’ll be looking to show their rebellious spirit as well. With a strong resolve, growing mastery of the key basics, and a clever wrestling mind, Mune just has to get the reps in to ascend. He’s got some great backup with Shin Suzuki! Shin is known in the Chocolate Square for his unpredictable acrobatics and fighting spirit. His solid skills and magnetic personality adds a lot to the formula of ChocoPro. Shin’s strong sense of balance, precision, and timing make him a great pick-up partner. Shin’s mastery of the fundamentals should pair well with Mune’s youthful drive. Who will come out on top of this clash? The boys are back in town!

###Winner of the Semi-Final, Match One

###VS

###Winner of the Semi-Final, Match Two

#Gatoh Rhapsody Finals

Who will Main Event the first Gatoh Rhapsody? Who will win the rare one day Mixed Tag Tournament? We might see some new challengers for the Asia Dream Tag Team Championship at the end of the show...

Until next time!

ChocoPro Wrestling is a free online & promotion (that also runs ticketed live in ring shows) run by AEW's Emi Sakura, that often takes place in the legendary Ichigaya Chocolate Square! It features a steady pace of Episode releases, fan interaction, long story arcs, and much more! A place where the turnbuckles are replaced with 14th floor windows, the ropes are replaced with fans, unforgiving walls provide creative avenues for skills otherwise unthinkable, and you can take solace in knowing that the referees usually do nothing. While it might be a shocking change at first, the intensity and storytelling will leave you wanting more. Think of it like the Hart Dungeon but as a promotion, if that helps! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

I’m not sure if any Australian-based promoters are active on here but I recently reached out to John Nord (The Berzerker) to enquire if he has any international dates for Q&A nights and he replied with this:

“Currently, there is nothing scheduled down under. If you know of any promoters or promotions that would be interested, please share my info.

Huss! Huss! -John”

Hopefully there’s some Australian promoters who would be interested in adding him to the bill.

In case you missed it, NJPW announced just a few hours before showtime (11pm PT/2am ET) that they would be running a “test stream” of this show, with no commentary and with a possibly unstable streaming connection. We’ll see how much of the show we actually get to watch. There also is not planned to be a VOD of this stream, it is for live viewing only. (Also for those who care, I messed up a little, tonight is Night 5 of the tour not Night 4.)

Card:

Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, Yujiro Takahashi, Ren Narita vs Masatora Yasuda, Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg, Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs Daiki Nagai, Tomohiro Ishii

Togi Makabe, Shota Umino vs Jakob Austin Young, Great-O-Khan

Francesco Akira, Jeff Cobb vs Jado, El Phantasmo

Taiji Ishimori, SANADA vs TAKATaichi (TAKA Michinoku, Taichi)

Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney, Gabe Kidd vs BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji

Elimination Match: Hartley Jackson, Robbie Eagles, Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa, Zack Sabre Jr. vs Tomoaki Honma, YOH, El Desperado, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto