Jump to content
Pro Wrestling Only

Current New Japan


pol

Recommended Posts

On 6/9/2019 at 7:19 AM, SmartMark15 said:

A year out and it seems that Okada-Omega IV was the natural climax of the 2010's New Japan style wherein it finally reached the maximum of its potential. It's my hope that a fresh evolution of the style comes into play, ideally along the lines of what Jay White's recently.

It felt like an evolution of a sort was what they were trying for in the main event, although it only half-worked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 3k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Dunno, really enjoyed most of the show. Moxley is the G1 = exciting. Takagi in the G1 = exciting. KENTA in the G1 = different (and maybe really cool). 

I thought Ibushi vs Naito was nowhere near as horrific as it's been portrayed. Well, except Das Bump, of course, which looked like Ibushi didn't exactly took it the way he intended. One of the grossest bump ever. Naito really did not take any hard neck bump, he really tuck his head on the tombstone. Ibushi on the other hand, really tried to bump on his head the most time possible. I don't care, I call this a great match, although Das Bump was the stupidest thing ever, especially on the eve of Misawa's death anniversary. But the story of the match itself, in all its sacrificial glory, was quite compelling. As the meme says :

Ibushi : if you want to beat me, you're gonna have to kill me !

Naito : hold my beer.

Now, I'd wish Ibushi would stop doing that and do tons of cool kicks and face palms and roll up counters and some cool flying instead. Please ? 

Naito still is a great, great pro-wrestler. His heeling was glorious and he looked legit deranged at times. Posing with his feet on the head of Ibushi was the cherry on the cake.

Undercard had that really cool Takagi vs Kojima match, which was as good as a Koji match in 2019 can be and really flowed well for a veteran vs aspiring heavy goes.

Ospreay vs Dragon Lee developed into a great match. Match of the night too. But I think Ospreay was kinda hurt after his amazingly strong MOTYC against Takagi.

Loved most of Jericho vs Okada. Great match for a while but the ending kinda fell flat to me (for execution issues, not the fact it was basically a Bret Hart finish, which I like), although the reason was obvious. I really enjoy old-ass Jericho. Now against Tana ? Why the fuck not. They have to mix things up a bit. The crowd booing loudly at the end, not too sure if this was in kayfabe mode or if they got pissed by the bullshit.

The Guerrillas of Destiny are beyond tired and the whole bullshit with Jado is already old. The Tongans could vanish from the promotion tomorrow honestly, although Tama is pretty good. The tag team scene is pretty dull. 

Me want Liger vs Suzuki.

I'm a Taichi fan and he showed up again, although I didn't think it was as good as the latest Ishii match. Still very enjoyable, love Ishii getting Taichi out of his troll shell. Here's hoping Taichi gets in the G1 and goes more and more into Kawada mode.

Excellent card overall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

G1 is going to be pretty stacked, this year if you consider Moxley, Ospreay, Shingo and KENTA are would-be replacements for Elgin, Omega and co. As much as KENTA is probably done, you've got to think he'll be working his ass off throughout it all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Block:

Okada
Tanahashi
Ibushi
Opsreay
SANADA
EVIL
KENTA
Archer
Fale
Sabre

B Block:

Naito
Shingo
Juice
Taichi
Moxley
Yano
Ishii
Goto
Jay
Cobb

Overall, really good and interesting field this year. A Block looks killer but B Block should be really good as well. Only major disappointment is that Suzuki got cut. Would much rather have him over Fale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if Suzuki just opted out this year. Dude's 51, can't take back bumps, and the G-1 is a grind he may just not want to be a part of anymore. The rest of the turnover is cool, though--all the new faces are welcome ones (even Taichi, who got the biggest crowd pop of any announced participant).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, PeteF3 said:

I wonder if Suzuki just opted out this year. Dude's 51, can't take back bumps, and the G-1 is a grind he may just not want to be a part of anymore. 

Yes, probably, and who could fault him for that.

Speaking of G1 being a grind, Tanahashi being in is kinda worrying honestly, he looked in really poor shape at Dominion.

Archer I guess is the surprise low-tier entrant. Anything better than Henare though, I couldn't put myself through a bunch of single Henare matches. He's decent and all, but he annoys the fuck out of me.

Taichi finally getting in is cool. The guys is really underrated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just thought of something. With guys like Takagi, Ospreay and the escape-from-205Live KENTA entering the G1, you know who is probably soooo glad he took that sweet NXT deal ? KUSHIDA. Talk about terrible timing to join the WWE army of shadows. And AEW would have jumped on him for sure of he really wanted to try and make a name in the US. The guy has literally vanished the the radar, and you know he's gonna be completely wasted anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hum... I doubt he got close to the deal Nak got. Plus Nak was broken down and had accomplished everything he could in NJ already. KUSHIDA sure gonna waste a few years of his prime left being taught "how to work" and at best be totally forgotten in 205Live purgatory...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He (KUSHIDA) said in interviews he felt he did everything he could in New Japan, which is probably true since I didn't get the impression they were moving him up to the heavyweight ranks anytime soon.  Seems like he just needed/wanted a change of scenery, and at 36 I'm sure he figured this was his chance to get to do a US excursion for a few years and make some money on a lighter schedule. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard that KUSHIDA has wanted in on the G1 for years so it wouldn't surprise me if he felt frustrated by being defined as the junior ace.

That being said yeah I would have preferred him going to AEW over WWE. But considering how he's been on the E's radar for years it wouldn't surprise me if they gave him a good offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Meanwhile, Will Ospreay had an excellent match with Robbie Eagles in Australia. The interesting thing was to watch Ospreay heeling up and antagonizing the crowd. So, he's also good at this. I thought the match ended maybe a few minutes too late, as Eagles was beginning to look spent, honestly, blowing some kicks and a standing spanish fly. Also, the guy announcing with the NJ regular (don't remember his name) was comically bad, made me chuckle a few times.

G1 is gonna be insane. Crazy to think Mox will come off that crazy garbage match with Janela to work the G1. It would be like having Yukihiro Kanemura in the G1 in 2000.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/21/2019 at 10:48 AM, El-P said:

I just thought of something. With guys like Takagi, Ospreay and the escape-from-205Live KENTA entering the G1, you know who is probably soooo glad he took that sweet NXT deal ? KUSHIDA. Talk about terrible timing to join the WWE army of shadows. And AEW would have jumped on him for sure of he really wanted to try and make a name in the US. The guy has literally vanished the the radar, and you know he's gonna be completely wasted anyway.

So, you're *not* stoked for the chance to see Kushida tear it up on the pre-show scene with Tony Nese?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...