Robert S Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 I suppose Okada will get his win back against Danielson. Though politically this does not make that much sense. On the one hand is Okada not someone who gets hurt by losing to a US star (in North America), on the other hand it seems that Okada might leave New Japan anyway. If New Japan gets Danielson to do a job in the Dome, there are a lot of better candidates who would benefit from the rub (and I doubt that AD would refuse to lose to e.g. Umino). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Slice Posted December 11, 2023 Report Share Posted December 11, 2023 It’s the inverse of Omega/Ospreay. Each man gets a win, except it’s on home turf instead of on the road. Pretty basic stuff. Okada leaving isn’t set in stone; it’s absolutely something the dirt sheets are talking up but there’s no indication that he’d leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted December 15, 2023 Report Share Posted December 15, 2023 https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/njpw-joins-united-japan-pro-wrestling-industry-group-joint-event-announced Well that is certainly something. I wonder how much concrete measures in term of working together will be made, but that's pretty much unheard of in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Bologna Posted December 15, 2023 Report Share Posted December 15, 2023 Nice to see Sakaguchi staying busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNLister Posted December 16, 2023 Report Share Posted December 16, 2023 18 hours ago, El-P said: https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/njpw-joins-united-japan-pro-wrestling-industry-group-joint-event-announced Well that is certainly something. I wonder how much concrete measures in term of working together will be made, but that's pretty much unheard of in Japan. From the full press release it sounds like it's mainly about being an industry body rather than any kind of promotional alliance. They're doing a one-off joint show, but the main aim seems to be lobbying so that they get proper government assistance if they have to shut down in another pandemic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted December 21, 2023 Report Share Posted December 21, 2023 Taichii vs Kanemaru in a whisky bottle ladder match. Gedo be like "Hey, that Russo fellow had good ideas". Yeah, well, Okada at Mania, why not after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted December 22, 2023 Report Share Posted December 22, 2023 9 hours ago, El-P said: Taichii vs Kanemaru in a whisky bottle ladder match. Gedo be like "Hey, that Russo fellow had good ideas". Yeah, well, Okada at Mania, why not after all. It was goddamn awful but at least I made good use of the time and only let it serve as background material. That NEVER Trios Title main event was terrific though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control21 Posted December 22, 2023 Report Share Posted December 22, 2023 Gedo has done some good for NJPW overall, but stuff like a "Whiskey Bottle match" and a "Coffin match" screams the worst of his tendencies. If it isn't Gedo, I would be shocked because it feels like these ideas come out of 1988 Memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alucard Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 Apparently Ohbari has stepped down and Hiroshi Tanahashi has been appointed the new President of NJPW. "After a meeting of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's board of directors and shareholders today, December 23, 2023, the following personnel change has been made in Company management. Reason for personnel change: Alterations to management structure Newly appointed officials: President & Representative Director: Hiroshi Tanahashi Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto (Chief of Business Production, TV Asahi) Director: Taro Okada (President & CEO, Bushiroad Fight) *Mr. Okada's position is on a part time basis Effective December 23, Takami Ohbari and Michiaki Nishizawa will step down from their positions as President/Representative Director and Director respectively." There will be a press conference on December 26, and Tanahashi will address the fans directly in his new role as President at Wrestle Kingdom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autistic Dragon Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 I actually found out about this a minute before you posted it. Good for Tana. I wonder how this will change things going forward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 Imagine now if Tanahashi decided "Hey you know what, that working relationship with AEW? That's gonna be a no, dawg." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autistic Dragon Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 2 minutes ago, SirEdger said: Imagine now if Tanahashi decided "Hey you know what, that working relationship with AEW? That's gonna be a no, dawg." Okay I get that you're joking but is that something he'd actually do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 45 minutes ago, Autistic Dragon said: Okay I get that you're joking but is that something he'd actually do? I mean, I don't think New Japan has gained anything significant out of that relationship. AEW wins most of their interpromotional matches -at best they can get the payback W, and most of the time it's not even in Japan, Okada beating Danielson is gonna be their biggest win in forever-, they very rarely lend main event talent for shows, they actually sign wrestlers that were important for New Japan and they haven't been able to come up with a useful excursion either. New Japan Strong has been the one that has gotten to rip some benefits but they are such a small operation that it doesn't really matter. At worst, they should sit with Tony and revise what the fuck is point (for New Japan) of having that working relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 The honest truth is that the relationship is primarily for AEW's benefit and any benefit to New Japan is basically a favor to them from AEW. But like I said previously, New Japan is simply isn't in AEW's league financially and thus has no leverage to dictate terms. If they don't like what AEW is offering them, they can end the partnership and then AEW will just take whatever they want from them and give them nothing in return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 The more interesting question is about the overall direction of the company booking wise, as Gedo seems like he's burned the hell out by now. Tanahashi basically saved NJPW with his own approach. Maybe he'll have a vision of what NJPW should be in the future that will demand Gedo to tweek his formula a bit, if not a lot. Or not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 And so Ohbari being replaced by Tanahashi appears to be at least partly a way to appease Okada and maybe prevent him from leaving. Pot thickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Slice Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 I do find it strange that Gedo hasn’t been replaced by someone like a Lyger or other big name of his ilk to book given the transition. Or even Tanahashi himself. Though you wonder if they wait post-WK to go that route. I do feel the Okada talk was more smoke than fire anyways; WWE seems like it would be tough to break through given how top heavy the roster is right now, and he can do AEW basically whenever already. Although he more than likely would get the Road Warrior Pop if he debuted at the Rumble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 Just now, Timbo Slice said: I do find it strange that Gedo hasn’t been replaced by someone like a Lyger or other big name of his ilk to book given the transition. Or even Tanahashi himself. Though you wonder if they wait post-WK to go that route. I'm guessing Gedo still has quite a bit of power and pull backstage, although he's living off his rep by now considering some of the really bad choices made in the last 3 years. If anything, get rid of Dick Togo immediately, he's been called responsible for everything House of Torture and EVIL since the beginning of his ill-fated main event push. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 It's weird that I, someone who cut my proverbial internet wrestling teeth watching low quality Realplayer vids of Japanese wrestling in the late 90s, completely forgot WK was tonight until I saw the live update pop up on the Observer site. I did notice on the NJPW World app that the Japanese feed for the show has Sanada/Naito on the banner and the English feed has Okada/Danielson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 lol Tanahashi becomes office and beats ZSJ for the TV title, that's the most Japanese way to play HHH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 The Nemeth bros showing up at WK? The hell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 Bryan looking like the happiest bastard on the planet for getting to finally have a big Dome match is heartwarming as fuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strobogo Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 Am I seeing right that Finlay vs fucking Dolph Ziggler is the plan for the Global championship? Lmao. Unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 11 hours ago, sek69 said: Bryan looking like the happiest bastard on the planet for getting to finally have a big Dome match is heartwarming as fuck. Yeah, the image of happiness right there on his one-eyed face. It was awesome to see. Match was awesome, surly Okada is the best. Tama vs Takagi, Hiromu vs Despy and the opening junior tag match were also terrific, and the three-way was an excellent garbage clusterfuck. President Tana vs ZSJ was very good, because it always is, at the very least. Main event was what it was, they had some issue at one point with Destinos but the ending stretch was great, and Naito being that charismatic mofo carried the whole thing the whole way through. The post-match run-in was infuriating at first by it actually had a reason, being giving SANADA the chance to save Naito and therefore get some of that rub. Naito got to end the show and it was a great feel-good moment indeed. Tsuji and especially Umino losing was head-scratching at best (man, Narita being in House of Torture is such a kiss of death, what an horrible idea). The Nemeths showing up was kinda cool in a very much WTF is happening now way. It's not like I spent the last 15 years watching Dolph Ziggler matches, so at least whatever they do will be fresh to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 4 Report Share Posted January 4 As expected, Danielson vs Okada was much better with an actual story for them to sink their teeth in. Loved how the crowd reacting at every move Dragon pulled when hurting Okada's arm. I'm still not convinced they have good chemistry but this was much much better than the Forbidden Door matchup. Watched the final minutes of the main event and gawd damn is Naito still over as fuck. Fucking EVIL of all people showing up and Umino and Tsuji getting pinned. I fuking hate Gedo with a passion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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