[5.0] ""That's bad chicken? Where's the GOOD chicken? " -Bill Goldberg. I came into this knowing HUSTLE as the theatrical weird Japanese wrestling promotion, and I don't know the Japanese language, so I probably missed a fair bit. Overall, a kind of odd show but not in a fantastical way; it was more a weird mix of B minus tier strong style, putting luchadors in odd places, 2000s Dusty Rhodes, and tall people who don't move very well. The show lost a fair bit of steam pretty much from Zebraman to Dusty and Corino beating each other up. At least the opening four-way was fun, Kawada/Coleman had some good potential, and Coleman wasn't half bad."

[8.0] "The show was actually pretty solid for an inaugural show. Takada for certain proved in this that he can be a great heel and this is one big example of that. The main event was also good as well and really reminded me of a lot of the pro wrestling promotions in the west with the over the top gimmicks and storylines. Takada wasn't in his military dictator gimmick yet but he did set the framework for the main storyline in the promotion in its first few years."

[4.0] "It's a pretty weird show overall, there's a few good matches sprinkled in, but it feels like the first HUSTLE is very much held together by name recognition including from a few legends past their primes performing to varying degrees. The main event is a bit of a weird novelty that is worth at least giving a view, but outside of being the first HUSTLE, I don't think there's much to seek out here."

[8.0] "HUSTLE is truly in a league of its own. The product of a pro wrestling environment that tried so hard to look real that it eventually folded in on itself and became the most sports entertainment thing ever. The strange, yet so compelling mix that such an origin implies is seen in this show; You get your zebra costumes along with your Mark Coleman cameos. All matches here are fun, with an all-star cast as diverse as can be. More important than that though is just the sheer presentation. HUSTLE 1 feels like the biggest show ever, and its an atmosphere that is maintained throughout, and which the card ends up justifying. I could not take my eyes off of it for a second. Please be sure to watch Goldberg and Takada's friendship blossom."