RIPPA Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Per Meltzer - Jeff Cobb and Matt Riddle will be making their New Japan debuts in the Tag League 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdangerously Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I hope someone explains to Riddle about Japan's feelings on pot. Or at least sends him a link to Sydal's wiki page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 That should be awesome. Provided Riddle keeps himself clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I seem to remember someone asking Meltzer that very question on Twitter (re: Riddle knowing Japan's feelings on pot) And Dave said Riddle is very aware Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Cobb/Riddle vs MiSu/ZSJ would be fun. Any combination that yields Riddle/Suzuki interaction, actually. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godfrey Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Excited for that team as both guys seem like a natural fit. Riddle should get over huge for his MMA background and surfer bro good looks. And you're right, Riddle/Suzuki is a match up that needs to happen. I've only seen highlights of Riddle/Shibata but if they're any indication he should match up with New Japan guys pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 That match fucking ruled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 I think Cobb could get over huge if he isn't seen as just another Elgin-style versatile hulk. But this should be good and is a good use of the WTL. More than, say, Billy Gunn and Yoshitatsu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 For sake of clarification - Meltzer updated to say that they both will be "working an upcoming tour" So it could be as a team in the tag league or something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Takayama updates: Takayama released a statement through the DDT website (translated into Engrish, obviously): Not regaining any sensation or movement (below the neck) after 3-4 months makes me think his recovery is going to be very limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Suzuki having to set the mic down to wipe away tears while cameras popopop is really unsettling. It's a press conference, of course, so I'm in no way suggesting it's inappropriate; but intersections of private grief felt by a public figure are always shaking. This, maybe more than usually, MiSu being who he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 They are like best friends, so that's obviously going to get the real him out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 My favourite* take on this on Twitter, since deleted, was that Suzuki had crocodile tears because the cameras were on and if Takayama has been injured so long why didn't they do this sooner. There are just not enough socks filled with horse manure sometimes. *least favourite ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Well, I probably shouldn't have tracked down that take, but here we are, and I'm worse off for it. To pivot drastically: Brian Cage tweeted one of the always popular "here's people I'd like to wrestle" lists, and--since, as even Cage mentions, he's basically on every such list at the moment--Omega was on it. Kenny responded that he'd be interested, and Cage (hilariously, to me) basically said "cool, I know it was my idea, but you do the work to get it booked because New Japan will do whatever you want, k thanks". The match would be a spectacle and the NOAH crowd seemed to like Cage a lot, so hey, maybe; but I'm actually more curious about peripheral implications, should such a match happen. That is, Omega has voiced a desire to defend the US title against talent outside of New Japan--he even said it was a goal before winning the belt--and the office would potentially enjoy having a de facto "super indy" belt they can completely control, instead of relying occasionally on ROH and Rev Pro titles. (Which they, admittedly, seem to be able to control just fine, when they feel like it.) Others have written extensively about the pros and cons of treating the US title as the gaijin belt compellingly enough that I don't have an incredibly strong opinion either way. I am very curious to see what it becomes, however. Perhaps because we seem a long way from finding out? Omega is due to defend against Juice, and then perhaps Elgin. There are more and more Kenny/Kota teases, but when asked specifically if he was interested in the US title, Ibushi responded that he was interested in the holder only. (Which is a point in the gaijin belt column, if you're scoring.) Regardless, Omega's trajectory seems pretty established until January 5, and even after that... well, it's hard to find the time for him to play the promotion hopping touring champ, or even for New Japan to feed him a revolving cast of foreigners. Maybe Juice or Elgin would fit that schedule better, and the former could possibly grow with the belt impressively; but neither currently have the stature Omega does, and the title is still only a one-off tournament's prize. And while it was cool enough as that, a belt you're going to keep around needs to be more, ultimately. (And nobody should spend a morning wondering how or if that will happen, but.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 3 hours ago, sevendaughters said: My favourite* take on this on Twitter, since deleted, was that Suzuki had crocodile tears because the cameras were on and if Takayama has been injured so long why didn't they do this sooner. There are just not enough socks filled with horse manure sometimes. *least favourite ever When you get thrashed that hard for something so fucking stupid without knowing your head from your own ass, you're better off just closing the entire account to boot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 So what were they announcing in the conference, just Takayama's condition or what? God, after Suzuki's done and they pan back and you can see the look on all three of their faces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 A month ago I made a comment about seeing Daniel Cormier, Yuji Nagata and Katsuyori Shibata crying all in the same week but this trumps all three put together. Jeez, man. He turns 50 next year, wonder how much he has left in the emotional tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 4 hours ago, Curt McGirt said: So what were they announcing in the conference, just Takayama's condition or what? God, after Suzuki's done and they pan back and you can see the look on all three of their faces... they're doing an event for Takayama, a benefit, and there's going to be a paypal people can donate to. couple of anecdotes about how much they love the guy. Takagi is devastated too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Excerpts from a twitter thread with some levity. Quite the feud. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Iron Yuppie Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 1. I've seen Shibata vs. Riddle in its entirety and can confirm it's awesome. 2. Cage vs. Omega stateside for the United States title would be aaaaamazing. I might be biased as a Southern Californian who'd throw my wallet at NJPW if it happened, but, I tend to believe that with the success of the Long Beach show, New Japan could run regular satellite shows in the Los Angeles area. A card headlined with Kenny vs. Cage for the United States Championship, with the Bucks somewhere underneath and a sprinkling of NJPW "names" working indie talent would do strong numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Seeing this made me curious: I knew Kento's first reign was very long, so I wondered how long his second would need to be in order to pass Kobashi--who won the belt(s) three times, but never seemed to hold them for long--on the list of most days spent as TC Champ. In fact, Miyahara's first reign was enough, at 464 days; Kobashi only held the belt(s) for a total of 431 days. Not really shocking, considering Kobashi's famous ace run was in NOAH, whereas Misawa basically dominated the title scene in All Japan. For reference, he totaled 1799 days (a record) over five reigns (tied with Suwama and Kawada for the most) with 21 defenses (also the most); all marks, you have to think, Miyahara might eventually threaten. (He's at 8 defenses already.) I suppose I've got records on the mind, considering what Okada is on the verge of accomplishing with his current IWGP reign. (An aside: It's awesome that Kobashi posing happily has become such a prolific genre.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Sweetser Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 On 9/3/2017 at 8:04 AM, RIPPA said: I seem to remember someone asking Meltzer that very question on Twitter (re: Riddle knowing Japan's feelings on pot) And Dave said Riddle is very aware That was actually me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinube Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 PRESENTING THE GREATEST CARD OF 2017 (or maybe of all history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Good lord, he actually put Montanha Silva in a match again... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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