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NJPW LION'S ROAD EPISODE 11 REVIEW

The show begins with Toks Fale and Tony Kozina sitting down in the NZ Dojo.  Fale says “just another day during the Lockdown”.  We go to opening credits.

Richard Mulu opens a box at the NZ Dojo.  Jake asks him what it is.  Richard shows the camera that is a box of special meats and seafood.  That day was Richard’s mother’s birthday and he wanted to do something special for her.   He shows the box to Fale.  Richard says he wanted to surprise her with a cake of her special seafood.

Home of the Brave

Richard said all the bakeries and shops were closed as the country was still in Lockdown.  But he wanted to give his mom something special.   He was given special permission to drive and deliver the gift to his mom who lived in a different part of South Auckland.   Richard give his mother the gift and she give him a gift in return of some canned vegetables for the Dojo.  

Island Hospitality 

Fale is cutting a metal barrel and making a grill.  He says that a friend of the Dojo is giving them a pig.  They will cook it at the Dojo.   The recruits are asked to prepare for cooking.  Fale says it has been hard during the Lockdown and people in the community know that the recruits can have it tough during training.   Fale explains that there is island hospitality here, when they provide for the community, then the community will share with them.  That is why they are preparing to grill a whole pig.

Tunu Puaka 

They receive the pig and they grill it rotisserie style.   The show clips of the grilling, and clips of the recruits training in the Dojo.   The mood is lighter and positive.  Fale carves the pig and the recruits eat a nice island style meal with all the fixings.   

Well . . .

Fale and Kozina are back in front of the camera.  Kozina speaks of the frustration of COVID throwing everything off kilter.  Fale said this 3 month training helps weed out those recruits who realize that this wrestling life is not for them.  COVID sped that process quite a bit.   Kozina says that they are trying to get these guys ready for the New Japan Dojo.   They have to learn the culture and the lifestyle and have that acceptance to become that person who adopts that lifestyle.   Fale said 90% of the recruits don’t know what it takes to get into the business or just to be an adult.  Fale says many come into the NZ Dojo thinking they will be a superstar in 3 months but it never works that way

Here’s Another Route

Kozina and Fale say 3 months is not enough to learn it all.  It takes repetition and coming back again and again until the process.

Fale said Richard is thriving in this process.  During the Lockdown, Richard Mulu and Michael Richards came to the Dojo to live and train and they are doing well.  Kozina wonders if all the ones who did not come to the Dojo understood that choice.    Fale says in any company, if you are not willing to work hard someone will be there to replace you.   

They speak about Will Averil who also moved to the Dojo.  They say he has charisma but lacks coordination in the ring.   Fale says you cannot teach charisma.   

They speak on Tumanako “T” Te’i.  They say he can do everything, but they do not know if he wants it or if the lifestyle is what he wants.   

Fale says it is very hard to get into a New Japan Dojo in Japan.  But they are providing another route.

Laundry Day

Jake Taylor and Sebastian Matters are driving to do laundry.  They speak how the weeks in Lockdown at the Dojo House really set them back.  Jake said he was nervous moving to the Dojo, because the trainers would be there and there would be no personal time for themselves.  However that was not the case.

They arrive at a laundromat and they were turned away because because they did not have the proper card to use.  They drove back across town to another laundromat to finish their clothes.

The Police Part 2

Michael Richards says that the police come every day to question them.  They say that they all live there.  He feels it is a hassle due to COVID.   Fale says there are new rules which says everyone is supposed to go home, but the Dojo has the ability to be a residence, he says we just have to roll with the punches.

Mark Tui talks to all the recruits by FaceTime on their iPhones.  He says there may be new rules which they may have to follow in the coming days so everyone needs to be prepared.

Fale says that several recruits are dealing with mental health issues and it is important that they stick together and communicate to work better in the ring.

The Last Supper

Fale and the recruits at the Dojo eat the last of the food at the Dojo.  They may have to leave the Dojo based on the new rules.  He knows some recruits are feeling sad about having to separate.  

T speaks about how the last 2 weeks was awesome to their morale.   

Jake wonders how it will be to go back to the Dojo House and if there will be tension with the guys who stayed.

One Week Later...Level 3

Fale and the trainers are able to return to the Dojo House.  The Lockdown forced them to take a week off and they resumed training a week later.   Fale said the week long break disrupted their rhythm but they are working hard to get it back.  

Fale explains that a Level 4 Lockdown means everyone has to stay indoors all the time, only essential business will allow you to come out of the house.   At Level 3, you are allowed to visit family and friends, which allows the trainers to check on the recruits progress.   

Fale says Dan and AJ have left the program and he thinks they did not want to be a part of it anymore.   

It’s Just Life Bro

Warren Walters explains how most of the Australian boys are leaving soon once the Levels drop.  He has been injured which kept him from training.  He says some are stuck in limbo.  He says in a few weeks he will be happy to travel and see the rest of the country.   He said that it’s just life bro.

Fale explains the last week of the program.  COVID has forced them to change their plans.  Normally there would be another exhibition event, but they are going to do it despite COVID, because he wants to give the boys something to work hard for in the final week.  The trainers will prepare assessments of all the recruits and send them to the main office.  They will let Fale know if they want anyone, then on the last week Fale will let them know who made it.

Trainers:

Toks Fale

Tony Kozina

Mark Tui

Tangi Ropati

Recruits:

Tumanako “T” Te’i (new)

Perenise “Eli” Taito (new)

Warren Walters (new)

Will “Southside” Averil (Returning student)

Dan Puru (Returning student)

Michael Richards (Young lion)

AJ Visage (Returning student)

Lloyd Morgan (Returning student)

Richard Mulu (Returning student)

Andrew “A.V.” Villalobos (Young lion)

Jake Taylor (Young lion)

Sebastian Matters (Returning student)

Tim Hayden (new)

Mitch Schoemaker (new)

My review:

Another fine episode.  This was a bridge between the chaos that COVID caused to end the training (and documentary) on a strong note.

It was interesting to see what goes on in another country during a pandemic.  It does show the difference in what lawmakers choose to do in different areas of the world to keep people safe.

Richard’s gift to his mother was pretty awesome while the pandemic was going on around them. Despite the stress from everything, it was cool to see Richard create positivity for his mother.

I sympathize with the recruits who were struggling.  To be away from family and friends during this period must have been a mental and physical drain.  I feel bad that some recruits left, but I understand why.  Hopefully, they will be back in a future intake.

I enjoyed Kozina and Fale speaking on the recruits and giving a fair assessment.  Nothing they have said in the documentary was scathing or unfair.   Everyone was treated fair and equal.

The scene with the cooking of the pig and the community building that comes from such activity is a real thing in Polynesian culture.  In Hawaii, they have large luaus which is the same type of thing.  If nothing else, Fale, Tui and Kozina are sharing wealth of culture, traditions and experiences to these young men that they can take and learn from for the rest of their lives.

Next week will be the final episode of Lions Roar.

Please check out New Japan World at http://www.njpwworld.com, to see this docum.entary.

Thanks for reading.

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