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WK9 live thoughts


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Suzuki as one of the founders of MMA?

 

That's not outrageous.

 

 

Agreed.

 

Striker saying that if MMA had a HOF, Sakuraba and Suzuki should be the first two in was absurd.

 

I thought Ross did a really good job with the commentary getting Sakuraba over to the US audience. Meltzer prepared excellent notes for him. Kept talking about Sakuraba taking on guys 30-60 pounds heavier than him and beating a lot of them.

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I enjoyed the show even though I feel asleep during the IWGP tag team match during the live broadcast of the show. I thought the Nakamura/Ibushi match was awesome and the Tanashashi/Okada match was much better than their last Dome match. I get the criticism with their series because it gets repetitive but they do a great job this.

 

As for the production of the English broadcast, I thought it would be more in terms of breaks and even vignettes for Global Force but there was none of it. Because of the time block on American PPV, this show felt rushed.

 

If they do any more PPVs in America, Global Force has to get people from AXS Tv to see how they did it with those K-1/DREAM shows and how they put there announcers on camera. I was surprised they didn't even have a translator sitting next to JR and Striker to tell what guys said when they did a promo.

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Nagata challenged Nakamura for his title yesterday. Whilst I can see Nakamura moving back into the IWGP Heavyweight title picture, I don't think Nagata being the one to end his IC reign is right.

 

Also betting that Okada is going to go on some sort of a losing streak for a while. It gives them a new developmental angle culminating in some kind of redemption where he gets another shot at the IWGP heavyweight title and wins it.

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Came across the JR/Striker version of this show online and decided to give it a try. I've tried in the past to get into Japanese wrestling, but apart from watching Terry Funk compete there and really getting into Hayabusa, other than catching the occasional match here and there, I have never been able to really get into it. I think it is the silence of the crowds, I know that probably sounds odd, but I grew up watching the super loud Crockett crowd, so it is very strange to me. Anyway....

 

IWGP Jr. Tag: There was nothing offensive here, and all of the guys worked really hard. I honestly thought I would like this more seeing I really like everyone involved (although I have not seen much Kushida) but for all the talk JR and Striker did about "Fast Paced Action" I honestly thought this could have used less time and more of a high paced PWG style finish.

 

6 man tag: Why the fuck is Jeff Jarrett on this show? I was tired of him in 1995, let alone 20 years later. Is Honma supposed to be like Japanese Eric Young? Fale doesn't seem very good. Yeah, I didn't care for this at all.

 

8 man tag: IIzuka seems like an interesting character, but he certainly didn't get a chance to do much here. Benjamin seems to be doing the same shtick he's been doing since he started. I liked Marafuji during his run in Ring of Honor 8 or 10 years ago, and he doesn't seem to have changed much. Holy Shit, Archer certainly learned to throw a nice looking choke slam. I was hoping to see more of Smith in this to see if he ever reached the potential everyone thought he had, but he didn't do much. TMDK seem like guys I would like to check out more of. Way too many people in way too short of a match.

 

Suzuki/Sakuraba: This was fine for what it was, I really don't have a whole lot to say about it.

 

Makabe/Ishii: Now this was fun. Two guys beating the hell out of each other. Psychology with the shoulder work, commentary making the title mean something. I wish the version I was watching didn't have a slight audio issue causing me to hear the shots before they connected, because they sounded nasty as hell, but that disconnect took away a bit and made it have less impact. Not the matches fault though, good stuff.

 

Omega/Taguchi: Hmmm. I like Omega, but I didn't care for this. All of his stuff looked crisp, but I felt like this was much more about getting his character over than the actual match, and I felt like Taguchi who I have no previous experience with was just there, so I got no feel for him. Not good.

 

IWGP Tag Title Match: This was fine. I can't say anything about it was overly exciting, but there was nothing bad. Gallows seems to be improving a bit working in Japan, so that is a good thing. The camera lingering on the girl was a bit strange, since she wasn't doing anything.

 

Styles/Naito: This was pretty good. Styles has been on fire this year everywhere, and I actually watched a few of his pimped G1 matches which is my only recent NJPW exposure. They pimped the Styles Clash as a killer move, and the crowd reacted to it as such when he went for it right away, and then they built to it all match which was awesome. My only gripe is that Striker mentioned Naito using the Star Dust Press multiple times, and I don't think he ever even attempted it. Minor bitch, just seemed odd. Best match of the show so far.

 

Ibushi/Nakamura: Nevermind, best match of the show so far! This started off a little slow, and I found Nakamura being goofy a bit off putting, but holy fuck did this pick up. I had some experience with Ibushi from his stint in the states a few years back, but he has definitely matured in his offense, and Nakamura was crisp as hell. This was super fun, and I may actually watch it again!!

 

 

Unfortunately, I can't watch the main event yet, because the show was put up in segments, and the last segment is currently missing. If it goes back up, I will watch it and add my thoughts.

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Nagata challenged Nakamura for his title yesterday. Whilst I can see Nakamura moving back into the IWGP Heavyweight title picture, I don't think Nagata being the one to end his IC reign is right.

 

Also betting that Okada is going to go on some sort of a losing streak for a while. It gives them a new developmental angle culminating in some kind of redemption where he gets another shot at the IWGP heavyweight title and wins it.

 

Dave says to expect a title change in Nagata/Nakamura. I'm only okay with that if it's just a short reign like Sombra, Tanahashi and Fale had before Nakamura gets it back. That's been Nakamura's belt for the majority of the past three years and putting an end to that dynastic reign to give it to a guy in the tail end of his career is a tremendous waste. Ibushi should be the one to get the rub from that. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure we're going to get Nagata and Marufuji feuding for the belt (since Marufuji ended Nagata's GHC reign), which I'm sure Dylan is thrilled about :P

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I like Nagata, and think he could be built up to making a run at/near the top. But, he wasn't even main card at the Tokyo Dome. He needs a solid six month run building him back up to make a win like that either mean anything or be plausible.

 

He and Nakamura will have a good match though, and that's what's most important.

 

Also, since I figure Nakamura holding a belt and Okada not is going to be the impetus of the build to their eventual match, I can't see him losing it now.

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AJ winning the title back seems dumb. It makes Tanahashi's win over Okada, which Okada sure sold as a big deal, a lot less meaningful and what is AJ going to do with it? Continue with his heel champion leader of the Bullet Club schtick with them interfering in all his title matches? Please no.

 

I'd like Ibushi to win the NJ Cup and challenge Nakamura for the IC title at Invasion Attack.

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I think they learned their lesson with AJ and the imterferance. They tried to book him like the IWGP champion version of Devitt. Devitt had a history in NJPW and he wasn't defending the big belt so it worked for him. If Styles gets another run with the IWGP title we'll see him booked differently.

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AJ is said to be the hottest guy in the company right now, with his merch (his, meaning not BC, stuff with his name on it) being the current #1 seller.

 

The turning point with AJ was the G1. He got over with his work, and there was no BC shenanigans. He beat Naito clean as a whistle, in a match where he basically dominated, again with no BC nonsense. I took plenty of heat from the hardcore New Japan fans for saying early on that using the BC shortcuts with AJ was a mistake, but he failed to get over due to that stuff, and now he's over like crazy without it. He's been a "clean" heel since G1.

 

If Styles beats Tanahashi, Okada can then beat Styles, avenging the original Styles title win. Then Okada can defend against Tanahashi and win, maybe at Dome again. Okada already has two title wins over Tanahashi, getting his title win back vs Styles is a decent idea if that's the plan.

 

I'd like to see one more long Nakamura run, but hes in a unique position where he doesn't really need it and the company doesn't need him to have it. He was the go to draw all of 2014 anyway without the title.

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AJ is said to be the hottest guy in the company right now, with his merch (his, meaning not BC, stuff with his name on it) being the current #1 seller.

 

The turning point with AJ was the G1. He got over with his work, and there was no BC shenanigans. He beat Naito clean as a whistle, in a match where he basically dominated, again with no BC nonsense. I took plenty of heat from the hardcore New Japan fans for saying early on that using the BC shortcuts with AJ was a mistake, but he failed to get over due to that stuff, and now he's over like crazy without it. He's been a "clean" heel since G1.

 

If Styles beats Tanahashi, Okada can then beat Styles, avenging the original Styles title win. Then Okada can defend against Tanahashi and win, maybe at Dome again. Okada already has two title wins over Tanahashi, getting his title win back vs Styles is a decent idea if that's the plan.

 

I'd like to see one more long Nakamura run, but hes in a unique position where he doesn't really need it and the company doesn't need him to have it. He was the go to draw all of 2014 anyway without the title.

 

Yeah, I definitely think Okada winning the title from somebody else and then successfully defending against Tanahashi to redeem his loss at WK9 is probably going to happen, I just don't think it should happen at WK10, or if it does, it should not be the headline match. Tanahashi and Okada are incredible and put on amazing matches against each other, but it's getting to the point where NJPW seems to be relying on them, rather than attempting to utilise others.

 

Specifically, I'd like to see Nakamura headline next year's Jan 4th show, I think that Nakamura is by far the best overall wrestler and performer in NJPW and him headlining the Jan 4th show, even if it isn't for any title, would display just how skilled he really is. This is in the sense that I believe he has the ability to make a Dome match feel even more important than having the IWGP heavyweight title (or the IC title in the case of WK8) playing a factor.

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Was glad to come on here and see the more measured praise of this show after seeing Meltzer's ratings for the top two matches. I really liked the show, had a lot of fun watching and want to watch more... but the main event was the only one I had at ****, and then probably barely.

 

I did come out of the show liking Okada a lot, and also Nakamura. Excited for the AXS TV show to begin to catch some of the prior matches.

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So I finally got around to watching the final two matches. I'll get around to watching the rest of the show eventually.

 

I have no problem calling Nakamura/Ibushi a MOTYC, albeit a rather low-end one. I absolutely loved it up until the first run of sustained Ibushi offense, at which point they kind of lost me. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Nakamura's performance, though. If he's not the best wrestler in the world, I don't know who is. Their G1 match was better, though.

 

Tanahashi/Okada kind of fell flat for me. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing particularly wrong with it. It was well-structured, had some cool shit, and never dragged (I was legit shocked at the 30 minute announcement). But it never hooked me in. I think it was the sense that I've seen it all before. I like both these guys, but they really need to stop wrestling each other for a while. They peaked at Invasion Attack, and they've been moving backward ever since. For the record, both their elbows are fine. I honestly have no idea why you guys have a problem with them.

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