Saturday, December 21, 2024

WWE, New Japan, and more in August

On a day towards the end of August I go for Jake Paul, brother of Logan Paul. He has WWE connections hence why I wanted him. Going in the MMA event he didn't stop. So I enter the event and get an op with ring girls Janey Lee and Holly Barker. I later left to wait outside which was a fatal mistake because he apparently did combos inside after his segment. PUNCH! 

While waiting out I get co owner of the league Donn Davis and figher/boxer Francis Ngannou. Some other people came out and I couldn't get them but don't know who they are. 

Jake Paul finally comes out and he agrees to the op. Guards are physically trying to stop me despite that. I get the op but don't like the photobombing guards, so I run to the car and get a roll down shot. Stupid guards if not for them I wouldn't have bothered him again.

After this success it was off to the airport for WWE flights. First up, Michael Hayes. Wasn't too nice about signing but I get another op. Then there were 2 mass flights on opposite ends of the airport. The timing would have worked out if the flights were on time. But 1 flight was delayed and 1 flight was early. Meaning they were both landing at the same time. The worst possible outcome timing wise. One flight had Jacob Fatu, and one had Blair Davenport, both of whom I need. To add further insult, Tama Tonga (who I need) came in at the same time in another airport. 

Wait for the first flight and saw Grayson Waller walk by. He barely acknowledged. Thankfully had no need to bother him. The first flight lets out. Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fato were both dicks with Jacob saying he is still mourning his uncle Sika's death. This sucks because I need Jacob Fatu. I didn't ask Nia Jax or Tiffany Straton but Nia shot down on Tiffany's behalf when someone asked. 

Saw Naomi who hugged me. I asked for autos. She said sure but no ops since she's not looking great. I said it's ok I have so many ops with her. She says "I know". Got her on my WWE_E V4. Then I rush to the other end of the airport as I don't want to miss Blair Davenport. 

I arrive in time for the max exodus. Sadly my teammates did not make it in time so I have no one to take a cool Santos/Angel/Berto/Elektra group op for me.

I saw but didn't ask

Santos Escobar
Angel
Berto
Kevin Owens (who barely acknowledged)
Appollo Crews

I got selfies with Elektra Lopez, Blair Davenport, Isla Dawn. Then I go next to Blair who was next to Piper Niven to get Blair autos. She is nice as can be. I tell Piper that I got her before and don't need to bother her this time. She goes "no worries". I also get a selfie with B-Fab.

Jake Paul

Blair Davenport

Full list of photo ops

Blair Davenport autographs


Two days later it was time for a book festival and a mass WWE outbound. At the book festival my main goal is author James Patterson. I bought the book from Barnes and Noble since it would be cheaper than buying it at the festival. They had said no posed photos. But I managed to score the op. On my way out I saw author Doris Kearns Goodwin was doing an interview and when she was done I got the op. Then it was back to the airport.

I stop by a hotel near the airport and run into Byron Saxton (who knows me). I shoot the breeze with him and he told me how he's going to visit some museums before flying out. 

On to the airport and wait for check ins and see no one. Turns out most had already checked in! Now it was time to go to another part of the airport. I see both Jade and Theory just sitting down. Soon after they start lining up and it is chaos as 2 WWE security guards are trying to stop us yelling at us that they're trying to get on a plane. 

I get a combo with Cody Rhodes (signed my WWE_E V4), I get a dual shot with the Street Profits. My first time getting both Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford in the same op. The whole time I'm trying to focus to find Tama Tonga. I see AJ Styles declining ops but I didn't ask him. 

I saw Bayley, Indi Hartwell, Naomi, Tiffany, Nia Jax line up but I didn't ask them. I told Naomi to have a good trip. I saw Johnny Gargano and Candice Le Rae, Tommaso Ciampa, and Pretty Deadly arrive. I get an op with Tanga Loa but he shoots down autographs. This is my first op with him since the Camacho days.

As my dumb luck would have it, after everyone else is loaded on the plane and it's almost time for the plane to leave, Tama Tonga is seen running with Jacob Fatu. Of course Tama has the "I have a plane to catch" excuse and Jacob goes "we're still in mourning". 

In hindsight, I should have done Tama Tonga at his inbound then woke up early for Blair Davenport. But presumably I would have had multiple opportunities at Tama Tonga leaving but that would not happen.

On to another flight saw Shinsuke Nakamura. And as I was leaving the airport saw Ilja Dragunov.

Cody Rhodes

Street Profits

Full list of photo ops

James Patterson signed book


During the last days of August I would try for the first time in my life New Japan Pro Wrestling. First I would try an inbound flight for Hiroshi Tanahashi. I met him in 2011 but I thought it's enough of a big name to warrant an update and autographs. Since it's a flight from Tokyo I also hope for more people on the flight. Unfortunately I see nothing which is shocking. In a somewhat humorous incident, I see someone who looks like he could be a Japanese wrestlers. I ask him for an op and he doesn't even speak English. He does the op. But upon an image search turns out he's a Hispanic singer from Panama named Flex. 

Flex


Next day it took a lot of hard work and time spent searching but I finally found the NJPW hotel. As a result of the time it took, I could only do them coming back from the show. I arrive at the hotel and get James Drake (fresh), Zack Gibson (upgrade). Sadly it turns out they are leaving via private plane to make the next AEW show. This meant Lio Rush and others I was hoping to get would be doing the same thing. PUNCH.

When the NJPW bus arrives it is pandemonium. I get Matt Vandagriff (fresh), Kevin Knight (fresh), Robbie Eagles (fresh), Mikey Nicholls, (fresh), TJ Perkins (downgrade), Tomohiro Ishii (update), Royce Issacs (fresh), Yoshi-Hashi (fresh), Hiroshi Tanahashi (update), Shane Thorne AKA Slapjack (downgrade), Dan Moloney (fresh), and Hiromu Takahashi (fresh). At this point an older Japanese lady is yelling at me demanding to stop saying this is private property. I see Zack Sabre Jr and others go upstairs while I'm being yelled at. 

After this woman is gone the lobby is mostly empty. But Zack Sabre Jr (fresh) comes back down and I get him. Then I get Gabe Kidd (fresh). I see some NJPW women out and about and people at the bar. I wait for a good time to strike. But the women rat me out to the hotel staff and that ended my time. While I didn't get "everyone" it was still a solid sweep of largely fresh ops.




Next day I had two flights at two different airports. Hiroshi Tanahashi leaving and David Finlay (son if Fit Finlay) leaving. And they were leaving around the same time. I chose to go to Hiroshi Tanahashi for some autographs because it was the easier airport for me. He was super cool. Got a great shot sitting next to him and photos signed.


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