Current New Japan

[Jmare007]

Lol, who in All Japan could pull that kind of political move? Suwama?

[kas]

NOAH's fascination with trying to keep Muto as strong as possible is baffling.

[Makai Club #1]

Which makes it all the more amusing that the obvious next for Mutoh is to get a New Japan run. Mutoh vs Okada seems like the likely step in the near future. 

[sek69]

https://shop.njpw1972.com/products/tonga-charity-t-shirt

New Japan selling a Tongan flag themed Lion shirt with all the proceeds going to aid Tonga after the volcano that cut them off from the rest of the world.

[strobogo]

Okada has already broken pretty much every NJ record there is to break, maybe he can start a legend killer run.

 

Tenryu, Mutoh, Fujinami, Fujiwara, Kabuki, all those old fucks still shambling around for a couple of matches every year

[El-P]

You know who had a terrific match last week on Strong ? Jay White and Christopher Daniels. And although it did not had the same grand scale as Punk vs MJF of course, in term of pure pro-wrestling and pacing and structuring, it was a whole lot better. Crazy to think that Daniels at 51 had still this one in him. He was having great matches 22 years ago already. Of course, Jay White is one of the most pleasing pro-wrestler to watch, he's just that smart, smooth and displays his great heel personality. So glad he's working IMPACT these days too. After the match he made a reference to his next "challenger", as his running a open challenge series, and it may be Adam Cole. Me salivating now.

[kas]

Okada vs Naito was the best match of pandemic era New Japan. 

[Boss Rock]

Wasn't my favorite between them, but it was really good. Maybe it was because it wasn't a "big" show, but I hope both Okada-Naito and SANADA-Tana going under 30 minutes (but just barely, ha) is a sign they're shortening main events.

[WingedEagle]

13 hours ago, kas said:

Okada vs Naito was the best match of pandemic era New Japan. 

I haven't watched their 2012 match in years but I'd put today's outing as their 2nd or 3rd best. Easily behind 2020 WK and likely behind 2012, but this was a fantastic showing from both with dueling neck work and your prototypical stretch run with a few unusual, fun wrinkles.  That last counter leading into the finish was so well executed.  Hell of a match.

Really intrigued to see what's in store for the NJ Cup.

[Jmare007]

Feel more curiousty about Fujinami and Fujiwara working a six man tag for the anniversary show with Okada and Tanahashi than the 48 man New Japa Cup field. Hopefully Togo actually wrestles a real match and gives us something worth a damn after the last couple of years. CIMA being the only "outsider" in such a huge field is hilarious. It's like NJPW is trolling us or something.

[El-P]

NJPW is so *there* now. Unless there's a really big match pimped after the fact (really enjoyed SANADA vs Tanahashi, another feather in the cap of Tana), I'm so over NJ at this point, as the shows are basically a bunch of tag matches that never produce anything special even when great workers are involved. The main take from the Anniversary shows to me, is that aging does suck. And that GLEAT has some cool guys.

Main event was pretty fun, legit great during the Okada vs Suzuki parts of it. Fujinami was in great shape for his age and did nothing really notable or fun (shocking I know), while Fujiwara at 72 in tights is not a visual I needed but he was as fun as one could expect from a 72 years old Fujiwara. The mount of goodwill from the other workers was way past the Hansen-sells-for-Baba-in-93 though, let's be real. 

And now this ridiculous Japan Cup with a hundred guys ? Hard pass. NJPW badly needs some outsiders (hello AEW) and some more interesting booking, because there's no way I'm going through 3 hours shows with about one worthy match, there's already way too much good stuff out there.

[kas]

Okada vs Despy was great and definitely worth checking out. Struggling to pick between Okada and Go Shiozaki as WOTY at this point in time.

[Boss Rock]

So far Desperado-Okada and Shingo-Ishii have been the only must-watches of the tournament (big shocker). But Okada being a jerk to Wato was fun. And we saw some flashes of the old Dick Togo before more House of Torture nonsense.

[sek69]

Still trying to figure out how New Japan is going to break out of their doldrums when they won't be able to create the same buzz as before (no one is able to share clips and gifs of awesome spots/matches without getting DCMA'd to hell). A good chunk of their latest boom period came from Western fans going nuts over things they saw on Twitter, and they did an excellent job squashing that.

[Migs]

20 hours ago, Boss Rock said:

So far Desperado-Okada and Shingo-Ishii have been the only must-watches of the tournament (big shocker). But Okada being a jerk to Wato was fun. And we saw some flashes of the old Dick Togo before more House of Torture nonsense.

Agreed. They've really punted on the first section of the tournament for the most part. Hopefully it means a stronger back half, as they're really clearing out the juniors and low level guys.

[Boss Rock]

Couldn't get through the whole show, but Douki-Sabre was a hoot. Ospreay-ELP was pretty good and had a cool finish, but nowhere near what they've done before.

[WingedEagle]

Seconding the praise for ZSJ vs. Douki.  Great energy from both and one of the tourney's most fun matches thus far even if it was perhaps just shy of great.  Boss Rock nailed it that Ospreay/ElP had a great finish.  Good match even if not at the level you expect from big show Ospreay.

[Migs]

Thought both were good matches that suffered because NJ is just not going to put anything other than their top junior over a heavyweight. That's been a running problem with the tournament so far, just way too many matches with foregone conclusions.

Watching today's show, and it's nice to see at least a little drama in the matches. At least the very chalky first two rounds have set up an interesting third round.

[Boss Rock]

Hiromu-Suzuki was really good, like the Taichi-Ibushi G1 match but with overhand chops instead of kicks.

Unless we have a major upset coming, I'm guessing the semis are going to be Okada-Cobb and Ospreay-Shingo. Thinking Cobb wins the whole thing.

[kas]

Hiromu making Suzuki's chest bleed just minutes into the match set the tone well. Really good match there. Didn't like Ospreay vs El-P that much, but the finishing stretch was fire.

[Migs]

13 hours ago, Boss Rock said:

Unless we have a major upset coming, I'm guessing the semis are going to be Okada-Cobb and Ospreay-Shingo. Thinking Cobb wins the whole thing.

I think ZSJ goes over Ospreay (with Ospreay getting the shot at Sanada at the April big show). Also think Cobb doesn't win the tournament (not really a point if he's beating Okada, which I think is the likely scenario too), leaving the winner of the other side of the bracket as the winner (I have ZSJ, but could easily be Shingo as well).

[Boss Rock]

Okada-Taichi was really good, but still not as good as their New Beginning match in 2020. CIMA-Goto was also pretty fun. Shame they didn't get the rest of Stronghearts in this tournament.

[Migs]

2 hours ago, Boss Rock said:

Okada-Taichi was really good, but still not as good as their New Beginning match in 2020. CIMA-Goto was also pretty fun. Shame they didn't get the rest of Stronghearts in this tournament.

Couldn't find a spot, needed to get in one more Gedo match.

[kas]

Guys this might shock you, but Naito and Tanahashi had a very good match.

[El-P]

Keep on pimping the good matches, I'll probably do my cherry picking after the fact (if I'm not burned out). CIMA advancing is pretty cool.