I think it’s hilarious folks are upset at ZSJ losing when it’s pretty clear he’s gonna get groomed for a run towards the top this year. Getting the belt off him couldn’t be a wiser decision given he needs to be up higher in the pecking order ASAP.
The whole “NJPW is cold/needs help/underwhelming” is being compared to an unprecedented run of success for the company in length relative to the state of the wrestling business at large. It’s as big as they’ve been since the multi-year Dome Show years of yore. They’re transitioning into a younger generation and that’s going to take time given the bridges are basically Naito on his last legs, Okada wanting to take a step back a bit even though he’s absolutely the best draw they have, and your mononym folks that Gedo has groomed not panning out. Also, a majority of their top foreigners are not full time anymore and or middling at best. Nemeth will be fun and motivated, but I don’t think he’s gonna be AJ Styles, to throw out an example.
The expectation that a company can’t have its ups and downs is unrealistic and we’d be better off accepting a downturn for a little while that leads to an uptick and ride it out that way.