Current New Japan

[El-P]

Seriously, this is something Vince Russo would have done. Of course I doubt the execution will be as stupid, but still.

[NintendoLogic]

I actually think the lumberjack strap match is the less appealing option due to Okada being a terrible brawler. A handicap match at least leaves the possibility of some mildly amusing Southern heel shtick from Gedo.

[WingedEagle]

I'd really like to know if this KOPW is any kind of a hit or attraction in Japan.  Nothing suggests that to be the case with western fans, so are Japanese fans open to it because their companies haven't been flooded with gimmicks for decades?  Open to anything?  Or are they crapping on it in much the same fashion?

[Coffey]

I don't understand why New Japan is doing this? It feels like something bottom-of-the-barrel WWE would do for a lame b-level PPV... like Extreme Rules: THE HORROR SHOW.

Why is New Japan doing this?

[Migs]

3 hours ago, Coffey said:

I don't understand why New Japan is doing this? It feels like something bottom-of-the-barrel WWE would do for a lame b-level PPV... like Extreme Rules: THE HORROR SHOW.

Why is New Japan doing this?

They like belts and several of them are on the shelf right now? (IC is merged, US is with Mox, Jr Tags are on injured Yoh)

They want to give Okada something to do without challenging for the title?

They're trying to find a way to spice up these cards when they've been running with the same crew for 2 1/2 months now?

[WingedEagle]

I like spice.  This seems more like trying to add a touch of cinnamon to your coffee only the top falls off of the canister and you end up spoiling the pot.  

And that's coming from someone that's generally worshiped at the NJPW for much of the last decade.

[Boss Rock]

Honestly, the only match I don't care for is Okada-Yujiro as Yujiro sucks and there's bound to be BC shenanigans regardless. SHO-SANADA will probably have a repeat of their NJ Cup match which should be fun. Kojima-Desperado could be fun if there are no finishers allowed. Could make for a more interesting finish. And Yano-BUSHI should be high comedy.

[NintendoLogic]

If they go with no finishers, there'll almost certainly be a fuck finish where Desperado hits the Pinche Loco after a ref bump.

[Migs]

12 hours ago, WingedEagle said:

I like spice.  This seems more like trying to add a touch of cinnamon to your coffee only the top falls off of the canister and you end up spoiling the pot.  

And that's coming from someone that's generally worshiped at the NJPW for much of the last decade.

See, I kinda think it's the other way - they went to add cinnamon and added so small a hint as to not be able to taste it. The stips are mostly dull, they've picked such a random group of guys that I can't imagine the four-way will be better than okay, and in a tournament with fresh matchups they've landed on Okada vs Yujiro again. This feels like the tournament they'd have for some weird mix of the European and Hardcore titles on Raw in '98.

That said, if this helps them generate some interesting Okada matches in the fall, I guess it might end up working out.

Really, the only thing for the stadium show that's had a compelling build is the tag title match, where they've really made the most of the million matches they've had over the last couple of months to tell a story about the Ibushi-Tanahashi relationship that's really interesting. Loner weirdo Ibushi getting to team with one of his idols, only to find out the idol is too broken down to carry his end, and then watching Ibushi grapple with that emotionally has been excellent, and I'm legit excited to see where they're going with this. (To be fair, I'm also looking forward to Shingo-Suzuki and Hiromu-Ishimori, which have had straightforward builds but haven't needed much more).

[kas]

I want to see Suzuki challenge for the belt and propose a UWF-i style match.

[Migs]

49 minutes ago, kas said:

I want to see Suzuki challenge for the belt and propose a UWF-i style match.

He has to challenge for it, he's the King!

But yeah, that's exactly the kind of good weirdness the belt should be used for.

[WingedEagle]

11 hours ago, Migs said:

See, I kinda think it's the other way - they went to add cinnamon and added so small a hint as to not be able to taste it. The stips are mostly dull, they've picked such a random group of guys that I can't imagine the four-way will be better than okay, and in a tournament with fresh matchups they've landed on Okada vs Yujiro again. This feels like the tournament they'd have for some weird mix of the European and Hardcore titles on Raw in '98.

That said, if this helps them generate some interesting Okada matches in the fall, I guess it might end up working out.

Really, the only thing for the stadium show that's had a compelling build is the tag title match, where they've really made the most of the million matches they've had over the last couple of months to tell a story about the Ibushi-Tanahashi relationship that's really interesting. Loner weirdo Ibushi getting to team with one of his idols, only to find out the idol is too broken down to carry his end, and then watching Ibushi grapple with that emotionally has been excellent, and I'm legit excited to see where they're going with this. (To be fair, I'm also looking forward to Shingo-Suzuki and Hiromu-Ishimori, which have had straightforward builds but haven't needed much more).

I can definitely see that perspective.  It seems like a waste of Okada in particular, but also Kojima, Sanada and even Despy.  The last thing they need is another title even if a couple are shelved right now.  Would much prefer a simple Okada-Kojima match and you could arguably line up a few other matches to pass the time for Okada without all of the gimmicks.  It also seems like they're using a lot of capital -- social media, road to shows, etc. -- on this idea.  If its actually a hit in Japan then more power to them.  Forget what everyone over here thinks.  I just hope that's the case.

[kas]

A 26 minute main event, hallelujah

[kas]

That was a fun show. Suzuki vs Shingo and Taiji vs Hiromu were both stellar, and the tag title match was good. Yano winning the KOPW title by pinning Okada was perhaps the most unexpected result as well.

[MoS]

Okada getting pinned was a WTF moment

So you think Naito was also scheduled to win back the title, or they pulled the plug on the EVIL reign cuz it was just not working

[kas]

I think Naito was scheduled to win it back. This is Gedo booking 101 in making a new main event heel, it happened with Okada, Naito, Jay, and now EVIL. EVIL's definitely not done in the main event scene yet.

[Jmare007]

I agree that EVIL getting a short reign was most likely planned from the start. I don't think he'll be a lot in the main event scene once the full roster is back. He'll continue to have token title challenges every year and that's about it. He'll be this generation's early 2010's Makabe, with an even more stacked roster.

Yano winning KOPW is hilarious. The resume of Ws this man has, bah gawd.

 

 

In more important news, MiSu is facing Takuya Nomura tomorrow in Big Japan.

[Boss Rock]

Really liked the show, almost felt like a "return to form" after a disappointing return. And although I wish the circumstances were better, I really like that they kept this show under 3 hours. They don't need to do so many undercard tags nor do the main events need to go 30+ every time.

I also agree that Naito was always going to win it back. For at least the past few years, heel Heavyweight champions usually get just one or two title defenses before dropping it to a face. And faces almost always go over in the main event at big shows like these.

Looks like the Golden Aces are done with the tag titles, but it's so nice to see how good the tag division can be without G.O.D. having a stranglehold on it.

[WingedEagle]

Any word on attendance today relative to capacity?

[kas]

They had an attendance of 4,710 with about 11,000 being allowed if they went by the 30% guideline that Japan has. I believe that all the shows leading up to this sold out though.

[WingedEagle]

5 minutes ago, kas said:

They had an attendance of 4,710 with about 11,000 being allowed if they went by the 30% guideline that Japan has. I believe that all the shows leading up to this sold out though.

Ouch.  Curious to hear more about what did or didn't contribute to the house and whether people have generally slow to return to events (capacities at Korakuen and such are small enough to not reveal very much) but on the surface that sounds like an indictment of the Evil reign.

[sek69]

Not  that Evil was going to set the world on fire regardless, but the New Japan fans HATE all the run in bullshit Bullet Club was doing during his run, and not in the "boo I hate the bad guys doing bad guy things" way but the "fuck this nonsense ruining this match" way.  The fans were a thousand times more in to the match once LIJ came out to clear out Togo and Gedo. 

[Boss Rock]

I remember reading 30% capacity somewhere, but it seems like at least as recent as two weeks ago capacity for spectator events was being kept at 5,000. 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/08/ebdfbed2164c-breaking-news-tokyo-reports-389-new-cases-of-novel-coronavirus.html

[WingedEagle]

55 minutes ago, Boss Rock said:

I remember reading 30% capacity somewhere, but it seems like at least as recent as two weeks ago capacity for spectator events was being kept at 5,000. 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/08/ebdfbed2164c-breaking-news-tokyo-reports-389-new-cases-of-novel-coronavirus.html

Thanks.  If accurate that definitely colors things a bit differently.

I finished the show and thought it was on course to be one of the best of the COVID era until the main event.  I found it slower and less compelling than the Dominion title change and without any kind of interesting stretch run.  Yeah, LIJ eventually showing up was nice but we killed 20 minutes to get there and then followed it with a pretty run of the mill finish.  This run likely means Evil has a regular spot rotating in & out of the top of the card, but hopefully its not overdone and we can get back to business with the G1.

On the bright side, I thought Shino/Suzuki and the tag title match were both terrific, with the latter being the best Golden Aces/Dangerous Tekkers tag yet.  Curious to see what's next for Shingo & Hiromu as these seemed like the kind of title losses that lead to bigger things.

[kas]

I personally preferred this main event to the Dominion by a hair, mostly due to the 12 minutes chopped off. I think I've figured out why EVIL isn't connecting with me as the main heel, and that's because he seems intent on working the slow methodical pace that Jay White and KENTA both work. Difference is, both KENTA and White are able to make that slow pace compelling, while EVIL can't. Also, Naito needs to drop that flipping facebuster that he recently introduced, it barely looks good when hit cleanly and it's been botched several times.