Timbo Slice Posted February 12 Report Share Posted February 12 Yeah, seeing him celebrate with his kids was awesome. Crowd absolutely lost it for him. Felt like the old days a bit. Great start to the year for them. Hope they can keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dragon Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 As great as the main and the Goto moment was, I feel like Tsuji/Kidd cannot be underplayed with how good it was and how hot the crowd was for it. I’m a rarity: I got into New Japan only recently, as I found the idea of a company this big losing so many top stars due to raiding and just aging out in rapid succession with no real plan for it fascinating, and I wanted to track how they adjusted, and who among their up and comers would step up, if any. Tsuji’s rise has felt “destined” but it was clear even as recent as New Japan Cup or even G1 he just wasn’t there yet, and I was begging for a heel turn by the end of the G1. But I think he really started turning a corner during tag league, the WK Finlay match was quite good, but it really felt like something clicked against Kidd. Not only did it feel like it clicked, it felt like you could see him realize it during the match, like this is the matchup that is going to take him to be one of true top guys in this company for years. That’s super fun to watch. Kidd, on the other hand, the rise feels shocking, out of nowhere, and company defining. He’s gone from a guy I didn’t particularly like, to a guy I really was starting to appreciate, to really good with lesser moments, to suddenly feeling like the clear call to be the cornerstone of the company for the next few years in about 6-8 months. He reminds me of a young Eddie Kingston in terms of just feeling very real in a wrestling world that is very fake. I genuinely am never quite sure what is character work and what is Kidd just being himself, but which is a huge quality to have. And him becoming the guy who wears the logo on the tights, saying the things the fans have been thinking and then backing it up in the ring is perfect. The Omega match was great, but so many people were wrapping that up as Omega being incredible (and he was amazing in that match, make no mistake) that Kidd’s part got downplayed. You can’t downplay the Kidd/Tsuji match though. As much shit as Gedo gets, and seemingly deserves, the decision to tell their 2 best up and comers go before the Goto title win, and just let them tear the house down and get the crowd in on them, even with no good finish is his best work in a very long time. If fans were there to see Goto get his one last big moment, they also got a pretty clear reason to want to stay for the rise of Tsuji and Kidd as well. And nobody cares about the non finish now, because Goto won, and the good will from that far out weighs it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul sosnowski Posted February 20 Report Share Posted February 20 Does anyone know why Fantastica Mania is not being broadcast this year (except for the last two shows on Feb 27th & 28th)? I thought NJPW usually broadcast their house shows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted March 12 Report Share Posted March 12 The Fantastica Mania show from 02/28 was so awesome. Maybe the most purely *fun* night of pro-wrestling of the year so far. Goto vs Tanahashi was a thing of beauty. I almost bought Tana winning. Goto going through Nagata will also be beautiful, most probably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 And Nagata going for the title against Goto at 56 was indeed beautiful. But not as beautiful as Taichi's emotional match against his best friend ZSJ. I'm guessing David Finlay wins it all. Shota Umino doesn't feel like the right move now despite the so-called "redemption road", with him going bald and bland. Unless Finlay manages to get him over big by being a dick, which he's really good at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss Rock Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 So much for Finlay leaving NJPW. Wouldn't be surprised if he wins it at Sakura Genesis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted March 25 Report Share Posted March 25 I like Finlay as a worker a lot. But Finlay IWGP World champ ? No way. Not after ZSJ and Goto's happy endings. My take : ZSJ wins the title back eventually during the year. Uemura or Tsuji win G1. (btw, Hikuleo has signed with WWE in Juy of last year. he has not worked a single match for them yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted March 26 Report Share Posted March 26 22 hours ago, El-P said: (btw, Hikuleo has signed with WWE in Juy of last year. he has not worked a single match for them yet) Be patient. It takes a while to find and work the hard cam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted March 26 Report Share Posted March 26 18 minutes ago, WingedEagle said: Be patient. It takes a while to find and work the hard cam. 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 I truly hope this Goto run is being used to reign down on match length. All his title matches have been shorter than 25 minutes and I fucking love that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted April 14 Report Share Posted April 14 So NJ gave Jeff Cobb the tag titles in hopes he would stay. And he doesn't. Therefore, yet another guy who just vacates his title before going to WWE (that'll be the 4th one in a one year span basically). With the rumors of him leaving out there, why the hell would Gedo do this anyway while Cobb was not under contract anymore ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strobogo Posted April 16 Report Share Posted April 16 Naito and Bushi are also leaving in May. Naito's time to make a move to US wrestling long passed him imo because he is almost as busted as Tana, but I could see him just hanging out in Mexico doing random shows and once in a while pop up in AEW or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted April 16 Report Share Posted April 16 Holy shit ! That's the end of an era for sure. He had been my gateway to modern NJPW. It's insane to think he's gone*before* Tanahashi's retirement. And yeah, I don't see WWE or AEW showing any interest. The guy is *shot*. He's actually a lot more shot than Tana, who has showed he could still have some terrific matches on his way out. Naito being Mutoh leveled shot could end up in NOAH of course, but still. Bushi is the most never happening guy in NJPW this side of Yukihiro Takahashi. Well, he was better (yeah, hard task), but still I think I have never ever seen anything that I can actually remember from him. Apart from a bunch of cool masks. Maybe he was a cool junior worker years ago. I dunno. Anyway, maybe a blessing in disguise for Gedo, as now he just has to push the fuck out of the younger generation. He has no choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 AEW announced they are doing a Grand Slam in Arena Mexico, I wouldn't be surprised to see Naito show up there for old time's sake (since his whole gimmick was based over being taunted by the fans in Mexico. I agree though, not sure where Naito goes from here. He's obviously trying to secure the bag at the end of his run, but he's way too old and busted to survive in AEW and no one past the Raw after Mania crowd will know who he is in WWE. Plus does he really want people's last image of him being whatever stereotypical Japanese gimmick he'd surely end up with? Maybe he just wants to spend his twilight years surfing with Nak, either way he deserves the big payday if he gets it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawadaSmile Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 If MiSu managed to trick people get bookings then I'm sure Naito would be able to as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 4 hours ago, KawadaSmile said: If MiSu managed to trick people get bookings then I'm sure Naito would be able to as well. I don't doubt he can get bookings, but if he left New Japan because they wouldn't pay him what he wanted he sure as hell isn't going to get that kind of money doing random indy shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted May 8 Report Share Posted May 8 Both Dontaku shows had some really good highlights. Was really cool having Tanahashi vs ZSJ one last time. Naito's exit from NJPW was the most Naito thing ever. Like, yeah, whatever, I'm gone now. Meanwhile, Good Brothers are back. Again. With that connection I fully expect them showing up in AEW eventually (I mean, they most probably are tagging with the Young Bucks at Resurgence). It's kinda like a never-ending joke at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strobogo Posted May 9 Report Share Posted May 9 I love being able to easily watch Takeshita on weekly TV basis with little issue legal or not, but NJ really would benefit a lot more than AEW with Takeshita as a top guy for the rest of the year. He's maybe the best guy in the world right now and for the past year or so, but NJ is in real dark age shit again and Takeshita being great in NJ main events is going to do more for NJ than having great TV matches on American TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted May 9 Report Share Posted May 9 I would not say NJPW is in a dark ages period again. It's not even close to being comparable to the early 00's Inoki shit, which is akin to WCW 00's in term of destructive booking and awful product overall. The younger generation is plenty promising. However the global landscape has changed, which makes it a lot more difficult than it was in the 2010's, with so much money that can be made in the US for both foreigners and native workers. But yeah, Takeshita is just way above anyone they have in term of, well, everything. He's easily a top 5 wrestler in the world today, at worst probably top 3. He's charismatic as fuck to boot, he had the credibility. He's absolutely the guy NJPW should build around, that is if he wasn't basically an AEW guy, despite the dual contract. He needs to get that IWGP title reign at one point soon though, and a real, meaningful one too, not just a token "company exchange" reign like Mox last time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Slice Posted May 10 Report Share Posted May 10 The problem is they’d know how much they need to pay Takeshita and the money he’s making with AEW is good enough that NJPW can’t pay him what he’s worth. While some of his complaints a while back were a work, part of it was so he could have a contract that would satisfy what he’s been presented as on TV, and I doubt after letting Naito leave they’ll give Takeshita what he wants given it’s gonna be just as much as he asked for. There’s a chance he might bolt if the US economy downturn to come is bad enough that it’s worth being in NJPW for, but it won’t be anytime soon. Although I do see him being a part of the G1 and probably get to the final this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 Anything of note on the first couple days of BOSJ? It usually looks solid on paper but I feel like its been a long time since this tourney has really shined outside of a big match or 2 near or at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control21 Posted May 17 Report Share Posted May 17 Kosei Fujita vs. Kushida from today's BOSJ show was EXCELLENT. It was one of the best matches of the year. Up until the last few minutes, it was basically a RINGS match without the points system. A total breath of fresh air, because these two put on a clinic. It's depressing to think that NJPW has a bunch of guys who could work this style (Uemura, Oiwa, ZSJ, O-Khan, Boltin, KUSHIDA, Fujita, etc) and yet we rarely see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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