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  • 2 weeks later...
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NJPW wants to have a working relation with WWE.

 

 

 

Hum...not exactly.

 

"he wants to get more wrestlers with a relationship WWE involved in New Japan. He says he's going to do that until "the other side" says: "Let's get along.""

 

So basically, he wants to be able to get guys like Jericho, from WWE fame, working in NJPW.

 

So yeah, that "article" title is bullshit. Gotta get those clicks, man.

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Some random questions I don't know or forgot answers to over the last few years: How did people watch NJ big shows before NJPW World? iPPV? PPV? TV? What is NJ's current TV situation? How do they promote stars and matches beyond the NJPW World platform? Is Weekly Pro Wrestling still relevant? What about coverage in daily newspaper sports sections?

Speaking for myself, when I started watching it, I would just download the shows when cappers would post them up on XWT. Turnaround time was usually very fast, especially after Suzuki vs Tanahashi got five stars.

 

 

 

I know I got back into New Japan right at the time of that match (2012?) and they'd just started an iPPV service for the big shows that was relatively Western-friendly. They also did a couple of years with a G-1 package where you got every show (other than the ones on Samurai TV) for something like $90, which seemed like an absolute bargain at the time.

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What worked with Jericho won't work with just any WWE guy. I don't think they could do that with a lot of the guys that are legitimately bigger stars than Jericho. Ideally, the best picks are the ones who've proven they can (and want to) adapt -- dramatically if need be -- to new environments.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Three New Beginning Shows is obviously to make more money, but it's excessive. Two largely average and skippable shows with the exception of three really good to great matches. Tanahashi vs. Suzuki was a far-better executed version of the Okada-Suzuki match from last year's New Beginning, Roppongi 3k-Bucks was as good as their last match, and Omega-White was very good.

 

Seriously, where was THIS Suzuki last year? Guy has been on an absolute roll as of late and is almost 50. Roppongi 3k are one of the best tag teams in the world and the Bucks are much better in NJPW when they're less focused on popping the crowd. Jay White had a much better showing in this match than against Tanahashi. Still not quite there yet but the potential is much more evident. Typical Kenny U.S. title match where he blasts his opponents with repeated knees and dragon's until his opponent can mount a comeback, but White's selling was fantastic. Instead of hamfisting him into a limb-based Tanahashi feud, White's debut should have been saved for New Year's Dash.

 

Oh, and the post-match angle is must-see.

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Hard to say it’s not excessive, but the two shows in Sapporo were both fun with great main events, so not out of line with typical shows.

Add in the faction structure changes that are happening, and new angles being moved to the forefront, and they used the extra show to its full extent.

 

And the Osaka show looks phenomenal with so many straight up singles matches, that I have a hard time complaining.

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Tanahashi-Suzuki was amazing pro wrestling storytelling from everyone involved. Tana being the brave ace fighting through injuries and overcoming the odds until he runs into a bulldozer. Suzuki being a sadistic bastard who could have won the match after hitting the Gotch piledriver but he wanted to make the ace submit because he's a sick fuck. Red Shoes agonizing over stopping the match but realizing he has to since Tana will never quit and Suzuki will rip his leg off if he doesn't.

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Tanahashi-Suzuki was amazing pro wrestling storytelling from everyone involved. Tana being the brave ace fighting through injuries and overcoming the odds until he runs into a bulldozer. Suzuki being a sadistic bastard who could have won the match after hitting the Gotch piledriver but he wanted to make the ace submit because he's a sick fuck. Red Shoes agonizing over stopping the match but realizing he has to since Tana will never quit and Suzuki will rip his leg off if he doesn't.

 

I was underwhelmed with Suzuki as a title challenger coming off a loss, and even though the Goto match was fantastic, his 2017 NEVER run was bad enough that I thought he might be toast as a top level performer. After that match though, I'm very curious to see how this run goes. Presumably Tana returns from injury and avenges the loss, but it's not impossible that Suzuki drops the title to someone in the meantime.

 

All in all, the New Beginnings so far have been an interesting reshuffling of the decks in the upper card.

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I seriously hope SZKG stays in the back for matches like these, because the overbooking certainly hurt a lot of Suzuki's matches last year (although he didn't have a ton of thrilling matches in general in 2017). I'm expecting Tana to be the conquering hero and get his win back, but I really hope they put over someone like Juice or Ibushi instead.

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Juice isn't quite at that level, so I can see him getting a place holder defence maybe. As for Ibushi, he's tied up in the Golden Lovers/BC issue, plus without a contract, I can't see them putting a title as big as the IC on him.

 

Probably jinxing us by saying this, but the SG shenanigans have been limited in 2017 so far, particularly in the Tana match up. I'd prefer them be gone altogether, but as long as they are minimized that's a good thing.

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Does anyone know if/when Suzuki & ZSJ vs. Bate & Seven from the January 20 RPW show will be posted to NJ World? The Sanada/Evil tag from that show is already up so I was curious if the Suzuki/ZSJ tag is being held up for some reason.

I’m guessing it won’t because of Bate/Seven being in it.

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New Beginning should be good, and I'm shocked they're doing as many singles matches as they are.

 

Really hoping Hiromu wins but think they'll keep it on Ospreay. It still blows my mind that they've pushed Hiromu to the side in favor of Ospreay AND Scurll. Ospreay I can sort of understand but why not just have Hiromu keep the title for a year and THEN put over Ospreay? More mad about Scurll honestly because he can be so dang annoying.

 

Okada-SANADA have always had good but not great matches, but with Okada playing heel in this one we might get another match a la Kojima in the G-1, which would be awesome.

 

Goto losing to EVIL would be hilarious not because I have a problem with EVIL winning, but it would perfectly encapsulate everything that makes Goto's character a sadsack loser. Finally gets his big win back only for the guy he beat to upgrade to a better title and then lose in his very first defense.

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New Beginning should be good, and I'm shocked they're doing as many singles matches as they are.

 

Really hoping Hiromu wins but think they'll keep it on Ospreay. It still blows my mind that they've pushed Hiromu to the side in favor of Ospreay AND Scurll. Ospreay I can sort of understand but why not just have Hiromu keep the title for a year and THEN put over Ospreay? More mad about Scurll honestly because he can be so dang annoying.

 

 

Yeah, de-escalating the Hiromu push was strange to me. Especially after the 2 minute Kushida squash I thought they were going all-in on Hiromu as a dominant ace, and instead they had him as almost a pure comedy guy after.

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Does anyone know if/when Suzuki & ZSJ vs. Bate & Seven from the January 20 RPW show will be posted to NJ World? The Sanada/Evil tag from that show is already up so I was curious if the Suzuki/ZSJ tag is being held up for some reason.

I’m guessing it won’t because of Bate/Seven being in it.

 

 

This is probably the case, which from someone who was there live in the building, is a massive shame if you are trying to catch it as I thought it was a tremendous match. The interactions between all four guys was great and in particular Suzuki looked to be having the time of his life. I really enjoy the relationship he has with ZSJ, where he's like his bad influence uncle taking him under his wing and egging him on to be a dick. Prick heel ZSJ is awesome.

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New Beginning should be good, and I'm shocked they're doing as many singles matches as they are.

 

Really hoping Hiromu wins but think they'll keep it on Ospreay. It still blows my mind that they've pushed Hiromu to the side in favor of Ospreay AND Scurll. Ospreay I can sort of understand but why not just have Hiromu keep the title for a year and THEN put over Ospreay? More mad about Scurll honestly because he can be so dang annoying.

 

Yeah, de-escalating the Hiromu push was strange to me. Especially after the 2 minute Kushida squash I thought they were going all-in on Hiromu as a dominant ace, and instead they had him as almost a pure comedy guy after.

He's so awesome and Scurll/Ospreay are so shitty. I've watch Hiromu have great matches with a lot of different guys. I don't hate Ospreay like I do Scurll though. Ospreay is just a spot monkey who doesn't know any better but Scurll. I feel there is a good wrestler buried somewhere deep in Scurll but he just has to overdo everything. Why have one really over gimmick when you can have 20 kind of over gimmicks. I fucking hate the woop woop shit from the crowd too. It's the worst chant ever. I'd rather have the herpes chants.

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