Kevin Wilson Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 In my opinion (I know this is personal taste), Kairi would be a clear third fiddle to Asuka and Io. Now if its her dream to go to WWE I wouldn't blame her for still going, and she could grow there into being much bigger. But for the first year I see her having more of a slow Ember Moon type build at best, while Io I think could pretty quickly either move to the top of the division in NXT or even go to Smackdown directly if they don't plan on moving Asuka up. This never got clarified by Enuhito: So I don't know if by 'condition' he means contract-related or health-related. Or if he means for the tournament or ever. Or if he was just intentionally being vague. One of the downsides of not understanding Japanese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trocar Slush Weasel Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 I'm assuming he means it's in Hojo and Io's court now, he's made his offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshuks Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 People are talking about Stardom being screwed when/if Kairi and Io leave. JWP seems likes it's taking just a big of a hit. Miyu and Nakajima leaving/appearing less frequently means their best signed non-Bolshoi talents are Leon , Nakamori, and Katsu . Stardom roster sans Io and Kairi Mayu Yoko Kyona Momo Hiromi Azumi Arisu Natsuko JWP sans Miyu and Nakajima Bolshoi Leon Nakamori Katsu Yako Fujigasaki Rydeen Hagane Kazuki JWP's roster is probably a bit stronger because of veterans like Bolshoi and Leon. But still if the WWE is going to really starting poaching Joshi talent, there is really no point in there being so many promotions out there. Some are going to have to merge/work closely or just die out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 I just never considered JWP as having a strong roster in the first place. Stardom is a bit different since they don't share the Freelancer Pool that all the other promotions do, if JWP has a big show they can always pull in half a dozen other wrestlers seemingly at will. Since Nakajima won the belt I assume she will still be around JWP at least for their big events, otherwise they wouldn't have given her the belt. Their 'base' roster is definitely not ideal, I just mean most of their events use so many other wrestlers that it shouldn't matter too much. JWP's last big event had wrestlers from Actress girl'Z, WAVE, Sendai Girls', Ice Ribbon, Diana, and SEAdLINNNG as well as a few Freelancers. So them having a weak home roster is easier to cover up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.STAP Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 JWP still books Yoneyama so you may be right about that, but I think the plan here is for Arisa to put over Hanako as the new ace on her way out. It's always good to have a solid native roster even if the shows are mostly freelancers, and Miyu and Nakajima were the young best wrestlers they had... Katsu and Hanako are not very good at all. The quality of their shows is going to take a hit from this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trocar Slush Weasel Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 One person we haven't mentioned when talking about Japanese women getting poached by WWE is Hana Kimura. She's got a great look and is already about as good as the average NXT woman now. I don't know if she speaks English but I'm pretty sure she understands it. Of course, WWE might still be smarting from the last teenage woman they signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overly Critical Man Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 There's literally a universe of difference between trained second generation current multi champion wrestler Hana Kimura and swimsuit model turned stripper turned "wrestler" Kelly Kelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zev Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 What about trained 2nd generation wrestler Paige? Might that be the "last teenage woman" they signed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JML Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 1 hour ago, Trocar Slush Weasel said: One person we haven't mentioned when talking about Japanese women getting poached by WWE is Hana Kimura. She's got a great look and is already about as good as the average NXT woman now. I don't know if she speaks English but I'm pretty sure she understands it. Of course, WWE might still be smarting from the last teenage woman they signed. I honestly think Stardom has big plans for her after her run with the trios title. After seeing the SamuraiTV version of the Korakuen show, it's not a question they are looking at her to the future. She is striking looks wise when you first see her and if she becomes really good, we could definitely be asking the same thing. Like you said, WWE is probably not going go after a 18/19 year old but you never know with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 I'll all aboard the Hana Kimura bandwagon but I don't see WWE being interested in anyone under 21 so she has a few years to continue to get better. Most of her matches have been against veterans which really helps, but when wrestling less experienced wrestlers it is more obvious she is still just a rookie herself. Which isn't a knock on her at all, but she has been blessed in that she moved up the card faster than most rookies and got to work against/with some of the better wrestlers in Japan. WWE was smart last year grabbing two of the most charismatic Japanese wrestlers in Shinsuke and Asuka, and Io I would consider in the same mold, but I hope they are careful going forward as I am afraid if they bring over one that doesn't work they may sour on the entire thing. It doesn't take much for Vince/WWE to get discouraged. It wasn't that long ago puroresu fans were lamenting how KENTA was being used by WWE (I know he got hurt, but people were complaining before that too), it isn't always a success. It will be interesting to see where all this goes in the next six months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 I can't really see Hana being on their radar. She only debuted this year, is terribly young, and has no connections to anyone who would put her in WWE's sights. Her push right now probably comes mostly from Kyoko. How well she does once Kyoko is retired after January will be an interesting. Io vs. Bito finally showed up on Stardom World today, and I thought it was pretty good. They worked well within Bito's limitations, and Bito herself gave a good performance. Hopefully she continue to grow a decent pace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.H. Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Is Kyoko still going to work behind the scenes at Stardom after she retires though? Because if so then Hana's push is bound to continue (not that it wouldn't without her beign there in some form) James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 I wasn't aware she was working behind the scenes now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JML Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 7 hours ago, Eivion said: I wasn't aware she was working behind the scenes now. I think people assumed she was because she's continuously worked for Stardom and she was there at the press conference after the shoot incident with Nanae, Fuka, and Rossy Ogawa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trocar Slush Weasel Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 Look at this match from a show yesterday at Shin Kiba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JML Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 Here are my thoughts about Stardom's October Showdown Show and the future of Stardom. http://wrestlingwithwords.com/stardom-october-showdown-review-results-october-30-2016-and-whats-the-future-for-stardom/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ligerbusa Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 That Madusa promo was super awkward. That's a promo for NXT not the promotion that's going to be hurt when they leave. I like Saori Anou and appreciate her coming out to Megitsune but she's not on the Kairi/Maki level just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overly Critical Man Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 Man that Madusa promo was cringey. Never let her speak again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.STAP Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Io and Hojo may be staying with Stardom. Quote The situation with Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo reported here originally, where both were contacted by WWE and told the Stardom office they were going to leave around the spring of 2017, has changed again. Shirai, whose leaving was believed to have been a definite the way she told the company, is reconsidering. Hojo, who had gone back-and-forth on the decision before last week saying she was going, is also reconsidering. Both received new offers to stay and are thinking that they have sure things in their home country if they stay, and if they leave, it’s a shot in the dark and uncertainty. The big picture is that NXT is going to need some quality women wrestlers to work with the less experienced wrestlers, unless they never bring up Asuka (and at first Asuka was not brought in for the main roster, but simply to have her in NXT). Shirai and Hojo are both pretty, and are excellent wrestlers, smoother technically than almost anyone, men or women, now on the roster. But they still may leave. The situation is also that there is the sense of loyalty in Japan to their company. They realize if both leave, the popularity of Stardom will fall greatly because there are no replacements. Shirai and Asuka also have past heat and Shirai has had people tell her that Asuka being in NXT will limit her upward mobility since Asuka got there first and is already a star, with the idea Asuka may be going nowhere, and that WWE isn’t going to push two Japanese women to be dominant on a roster at the same time. Shirai is a lot younger than Asuka, which works in her favor, and wrestles well, but doesn’t project the badass aura that Asuka is so good at getting over even though Asuka is not very big. Take this with a grain of salt of course... I think Meltzer doesn't know anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Honestly, Kairi should stay unless its real dream for her. She would have a hard time regardless of the situation. I think Io would do well even with some bad blood between her & Asuka. Asuka won't be in NXT forever and just the necessity of needing good wrestlers at the moment would insure she doesn't get left behind. Besides I would think knowing Stock might also help Io out a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Could you expand on why Kairi should stay? She has such an endearing personality in and out of the ring that I think NXT fans would really get attached to. She's a great worker. What am I missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I just don't think Kairi's personality would translate well, particularly with language barrier. She isn't a great talker and lacks the physical charisma and character both Asuka & Io have. She is more the passionate fighting spirit type which isn't something WWE really does or push to the extent she works it. And while NXT is nice I'm pretty sure her goal goes beyond that to the main roster where even under the best of circumstances its sort of random how well a person take offs. Its not like I think its impossible or anything, I just think she has greater chances of success staying in Stardom even if Io were to stick around. That said, I have to admit I sort want one to stay and the other to go just to see how they fair. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Another reason is just knowing WWE and that they aren't going to push three female Japanese wrestlers at the same time, it would be completely out of character. So if Asuka, Io, and Kairi were all in the same place at the same time, Kairi would be third in line for the foreseeable future. Its nothing against Kairi, I just think with her skill set she is the worst fit in WWE of the three. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Dave claimed (in the newsletter) that Kairi is mostly interested in jumping to WWE to try and prove that she's better than Io. I definitely feel like she'd be better off staying in Japan, at least for now. She'd probably win over the NXT crowd, but she could do that and still not get called up in Io and Kana are also around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I get that WWE is archaic and racist but do you guys feel like if their best three performers were Japanese they'd really shoot themselves in the foot like that long term? I'm not so sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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