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JULY WRESTLING DISCUSSION


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Even longer ago than that really. 1994/1995 is roughly when it started. RSPW and Compuserve users know all about this mysterious Satoshi Tajiri the WWF is bringing in!

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If Bryan comes back, having him be KENTA's first big feud on the roster would be a great way to give him instant credibility. 

 

Personally, I just want KENTA to succeed because it opens the door for them to sign more Japanese wrestlers, keeping my fantasy booking of bringing in Nakamura as Dean Ambrose's brother and having them run roughshod over the tag division like a modern day Dudley Boys alive.

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The thing about Japanese wrestlers is that by my informal count since 1989, maybe 2 of them have ever really gotten over in the United States on a consistent basis on a big stage (The Great Muta and Tajiri).  Now, I'm not a Vince Russo, so I know it isn't about them being Japanese so much as it is about them not being able to cut promos and have a character people could hang on to.  If the past is any indication, KENTA is going to have to go all in on maximizing his physical charisma to a level I'm not sure I have seen out of the guy.  Being a hard kicker and stealing all of CM Punk's move set (TA-ROLL) is not going to keep the guy over for the long haul but it may open the door for him.

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Pokemon is still really popular and the crossover between Pokemon players and WWE fans is probably very high. I say bring in KENTA as a trainer with his Scyther (Devitt in lime green bodypaint) and Snorlax (Steen).

That's another great trio right there.

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I think guys like AJ, Daniels, maybe even Joe if he can ever get out of his deal, would make great NXT mainstays. Like what Benoit's role on WWECW was supposed to be before he fucked up real bad that time.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them on Monday nights, but at 35-40 years old or whatever, I can't see them investing much in guys like that. Especially with DB's injuries. But this would be a cool way to get them a WWE gig. Heck, there are tons of WWE "castoffs" that you could plug into roles like that. Guys like Shelton Benjamin, John Morrison, London & Kendrick (though I doubt they'd go back).

Actually, I have a question: why has there never been any interest from WWE in the MCMGs? That TNA stank?

My phone won't let me easily emphasize it, but this post has the second IRL phrase I'm stealing from the board for m'self.

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I think having KENTA in NXT is good for a few reasons.

 

1) It will help them figure out a gimmick for him that works without throwing him out there to sink or swim (cf Husky Harris vs. Bray Wyatt)

 

2) If there's any language issues, he'll have that much more time to work on his English before hitting the main roster

 

3)The overlap between NXT viewers and puro fans is probably decent (better than the greater WWE/puro ratio) but definitely not 100%; with luck, it will result in a) a bit of a boost to viewers/the Network; b) more familiarity with his work amongst the WWE viewership.

 

Sure, you could fantasy book KENTA vs. Daniel Bryan til PPV headline matches til the cows come home, but rushing anyone into a main roster debut is a good way to risk another Sin Cara or Tensai. (At least if Tensai had started on NXT they might have eliminated the fetish diaper before everyone saw it.)

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Will they acknowledge Punk stole his move set whole sale?

 

I look forward to the video packages tweaking Punk and building up KENTA at the same time by noting that the latter invented Punk's move-set and is the true innovative wrestler everyone should love and cheer and chant for and forget that other quitter guy with the bad tattoos and the skinny-fat body already, people, please. 

 

On another note, I have this dream that when HHH is in charge, we'll get a WWE/NJPW relationship like WCW had with New Japan so we can get a Cena/Tanahashi tag team champions run in a few years when Cena is too broken down to work at a high level without some help. 

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“I am humbled to join WWE’s NXT division and look forward to honing my craft with the global leader in sports-entertainment,” said Kenta.

 

 

I am sure he said all of this with a perfect British accent.

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The thing about Japanese wrestlers is that by my informal count since 1989, maybe 2 of them have ever really gotten over in the United States on a consistent basis on a big stage (The Great Muta and Tajiri).  Now, I'm not a Vince Russo, so I know it isn't about them being Japanese so much as it is about them not being able to cut promos and have a character people could hang on to.  If the past is any indication, KENTA is going to have to go all in on maximizing his physical charisma to a level I'm not sure I have seen out of the guy.  Being a hard kicker and stealing all of CM Punk's move set (TA-ROLL) is not going to keep the guy over for the long haul but it may open the door for him.

I'd like to add Liger and Ultimo Dragon (in WCW) to your informal count, but again both of them are 1. amazing and 2. have physical charisma.  Liger shows more emotions with a mask on then most wrestlers do without a mask.  

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All those guys except for Tajiri got over with the help of working a style that most of us non tape-traders had never seen before which makes me wonder if the constraints of the WWE style will hamper KENTA's ability to get over just on his work.

 

Also, the guys who got over through their ring work got over in front of WCW crowds. I feel like WWE crowds traditionally prefer charisma to the in-ring stuff, which is part of what explains why a guy like Hakushi couldn't get over. If Jinsei Shinzaki ends up in 1995 WCW, does he get more over in comparison to how well he got over in WWE? I feel like that's true.

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NXT is awesome. Anyone upset he's going there first is crazy.

I hope he never leaves NXT, honestly.  My biggest fear is "creative" getting a hold of him.

 

I'm with you on this one. His in ring work will get the "sport entertainment" polish to make him more palatable to the non-puro fans (aka, the vast majority of wrestling fans) but creative has been soooooo shitty with the transitions from NXT to the main roster, this could end horribly.

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Nah, WWE is all about charisma over moves which is why Sasuke (who I think actually did that move on WWE TV) got passed over for Taka.  Taka might be closer to a number three than either Liger or Ultimo Dragon to be honest.  Jushin only ever made very short stays in WCW so I wouldn't call him consistently over like Muta and Tajiri.  And Ultimo I don't think was ever over to the same extent even in WCW and benefited from a feud with Rey Mysterio before fading.

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