Craig H Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 9 minutes ago, Oyaji said: I feel completely the opposite. Okada reaching Misawa-God level has been incredible to watch and really grown on me the past year. His flexibility and storytelling is next level. However, Naito's popularity has skyrocketed the past few years and it makes sense to capitalize on that at the biggest show of the year. I'm repeating myself, but Naito winning throws a wrench in my second most anticipated match (Kenny finally beating a fully fit Okada for the belt and that's a long term story they've done a masterful job building towards), so I'm pulling for Okada but expecting them to do what makes sense business-wise. That's what I keep going back and forth on. It's incredibly long term booking, but doesn't it make more sense business-wise to keep the belt on Okada to continue the build to Omega defeating Okada for the belt? That means keeping the title on Okada for even longer, an eon in modern times, but you get Okada as a god losing the belt to Omega. Or is that problematic because if they go that route then the new champion will be seen as a disappointment since no one else could possibly have the run Okada had? Eh, who cares, it's all really great. I haven't been this excited for a show since WM30. And yeah, the matches probably won't be as good as WK11, but the build up has been crazy good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 From a performance standpoint, Okada feels more like a world champ than anyone in the business, and I wouldn't complain about seeing his reign continue. But Naito winning is the story, and it's one of the best/longest in wrestling. It's gotta be his night. (On the business angle: He's such a star in Japan, putting the belt on him only helps the company. Omega doesn't need the title to keep growing the western audience, though he should get it eventually.) (Admittedly, Okada being on the Misawa-tier is a good shout, so he could always win, and win, and win.) Otherwise, I'm hoping to see: RPG3K get a great put-over, Ibushi win, Jay White look like he belongs, Y2J and Omega deliver on their promise of vioence (and then Ibushi challenges the bloody, victorious Omega, because I'm gonna see a promise of this feud in every bit of booking until it's impossible). Hell, I'm already stoked for New Year's Dash. Wrestling is pretty good, sometimes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 New Year's Dash is low key one of the more fun shows of the year, regardless of promotions. Last year's was so.much.fun. Norton hucking around Cheeseburger . The thing about Misawa-God level champions is that they, from time-to-time, have to loan out their belt to the demi-gods. Misawa had a gravitational pull with the Triple Crown, as it would always come back to him no matter when it looked like one of the other three pillars had finally "broken through". This would be the time for Naito to get a good 6-10 month reign and Okada to win it back. Dream world/fantasy booking nonsense = Naito wins, Omega beats Ibushi in the G1 final, Okada beats Naito in October after beating Naito in the G1 to earn the shot, Omega beats Okada WK13. That's the long-term storytelling they've been building for like two years now. Naito can't retain against Okada, Omega finally gets his big win. Then Naito can beat Omega for the belt later and perhaps successfully defend it against Okada, learning from his past failures. And, yeah, my most anticipated match is Omega vs. Ibushi. I doubt it'll happen, but I want Ibushi to sign on full time this year and commit to New Japan 100% so they can give him some big wins they may have been reluctant to previously. He did make an indirect comment last year that kind of hinted at that. I don't care how old he is, he should be somebody New Japan is using at the very top and willing to give wins over their top guys because he's such a unique talent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 It's stunning to think about how young Okada is. He's potentially got another 5-7 years before he even really kinda starts feeling old. But Naito is red hot now. Give him the belt for awhile. Let Tanahashi heal up for a few months and run back Naito/Tanahashi (you can take your six star Omega/Okada matches, for my money Naito/Tanahashi was the best in ring feud NJPW had in 2017.) If you don't pull the trigger on Naito for real this time, when do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I think they should, and will, keep Naito on the title for a long spell. Naito-Kenny for the title at some point, maybe a defence and then comeback arc for Kenny at WK13? Would be money and a title win at the Dome would be a real capper for a long climb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 52 minutes ago, Oyaji said: New Year's Dash is low key one of the more fun shows of the year, regardless of promotions. Last year's was so.much.fun. Norton hucking around Cheeseburger . Also, you know they're going to hot-shot something. 2016 was Omega turfing AJ, 2017 was Suzuki-gun's return... they should have something epic in the works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Bullet club split could be this years New Year Dash moment 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Tama Tonga is going to murder Kenny. Hopefully Ibushi is somehow involved. Tonga's never been too subtle with his hatred of The Elite, but he's been even more open with criticisms of Kenny lately in backstage interviews (though never saying it directly). I'll be surprised if it doesn't happen. OG BizCliz vs. Elite could be fun. I want a Bucks vs. Fale handicap match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I'm hoping for an Okada win, but I'm expecting him to lean heel in the match given how popular Naito is. Actual outcome? Probably Naito. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 The RPG3K/Bucks match is interesting, because if 3K wins, it puts them over huge...but then they'll have literally smacked down the whole junior tag division within, like, 4 months of showing up, because it's so, so shallow. On the other hand, if the Bucks win, 3K actually has a story going forward as they try to conquer them. But then, the Bucks are hardly around except for the big shows these days, so putting the belts on them probably isn't viable in the long-term. Ibushi/Cody is also pretty intriguing from a booking perspective, as its a matchup of guys who are kinda half-in/half-out on NJPW and NJPW seems half-in/half-out on them. I think how this match plays out should tell us how the company intends to use each guy in 2018. If Cody wins, I feel like that makes it almost a certainty that they'll finally pull the trigger on the BC split and try to do something with him as a main event guy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted January 4, 2018 Author Share Posted January 4, 2018 If I want to so predictions... Honma returns and wins the Rumble Roppongi 3K retain Bullet Club retain Ibushi over Cody LIJ win the tags MiSu retains, Goto snaps and goes badass. Takahashi wins the Jr Title White wins the IC, Tanahashi takes off until Long Beach Omega retains Naito wins the Big Belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 With Jay White cosplaying Kenny more or less at this point, could he be a candidate for Bullet Club? The more I think of it, I'm starting to believe Tama will be BC Japan's leader and Cody will lead the ROH version, but I do remember something about Cody wanting to take more dates in Japan this year, so... Either way, New Year's Dash will be fun. Honma returning would be the absolutely best possible way to start the evening short of a Shibata return (but that would likely be in the Goto match and in a non-wrestling role). I hope Suzuki/Goto surprises me because I have low expectations... Like bathroom break/get a snack sort of expectations. Agree with pretty much all of your predictions, outside of maaaybe the Bucks winning and maybe Tana barely holding on and then vacating due to the injuries and beating White gives him. White winning won't feel all that earned and it follows a predictable path of excursion returnee winning a championship or getting skyrocketed up the card immediately. Bitter Jay White having to overcome some adversity before winning the IC title (a super prestigious title mind you, basically how WWF booked it in the '80s) I think works better but I won't cry if he wins it tonight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Yeah, I think the fact that they've had Tanahashi hang a lampshade on all the kids challenging for titles as soon as they get back from excursion maybe means there's a chance he's going to buck that trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Yessss thanks to work policy I get a snow day tomorrow so I should be able to watch the whole show during the day. Can’t try to watch it live cause I still have to get up early but I can avoid spoilers easy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Fwiw, the Bucks—at the fan fest last night—said they’ll just retire the jr tag belts if they win them, which might just be them agitating for a thing they really want, but (to me) suggests they’re losing and moving to heavyweight. If the BC does split, I think NJPW would want them in a bigger role as Kenny’s lieutenants. I also remember Cody saying he wanted to do more japan dates. Something about being ROH champ keeping him out of the G1, since he’d have to drop too many clean falls. Whatever happens against Tana, Jay White does need a stable home, and the BC is home to the company’s pacific island contingent already. Goto snapping and going heel faction boss would be cool, but I just don’t expect anything that interesting from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I don't see an Elite/Island BC split unless the Islanders start a new non-BC group. The merch is still too hot. Goto needs to lose and join Suzuki-gun. Go to Mexico and come back somebody new. Fale gets fatter everytime I see him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I enjoyed him yelling "FAWKIN' NEEEERD!" at reporters during post-match interviews though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 I don't watch as much of Being the Elite as most and I watch even less of ROH, but was the beef between Cody and Kenny just swept under the rug? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 minute ago, Craig H said: I don't watch as much of Being the Elite as most and I watch even less of ROH, but was the beef between Cody and Kenny just swept under the rug? I think it's been kinda buried on NJPW/ROH TV, but it's still alive on BTE. Cody paid Flip Gordon to shank Kenny backstage a little while back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 It was so great when they did a charade of making up and there's Kenny making eyes for Cody's lady and Cody's plotting against Kenny. That shit was youtube gold. I am an unabashed fan of BTE. The over dramatic Kenny poisoned dialogue was next level hamming. Don't know how they didn't crack. Oh, and "... canyousignmyfuckingcock?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalysis Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 11 hours ago, Oyaji said: I feel completely the opposite. Okada reaching Misawa-God level has been incredible to watch and really grown on me the past year. His flexibility and storytelling is next level. However, Naito's popularity has skyrocketed the past few years and it makes sense to capitalize on that at the biggest show of the year. I'm repeating myself, but Naito winning throws a wrench in my second most anticipated match (Kenny finally beating a fully fit Okada for the belt and that's a long term story they've done a masterful job building towards), so I'm pulling for Okada but expecting them to do what makes sense business-wise. Have Kenny beat Naito for the belt during the year- then defend it while being worn down vs Okada. Betting if the Bucks and Scruill lose tonight that Kenny will get screwed by BC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 What I'm feeling now: Spoiler What I'll be feeling by the time we get to the really good shit: Spoiler By the time the show ends: Spoiler aaaand here we go! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Just now I’m overcome with the crippling fear that NJPW’s servers are not equipped to deal with the traffic they’re about to get hit with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 That's a new look for Henare, right? Never mind that shit, here comes Pieter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Campbell Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 4 hours ago, L_W_P said: Kenny wins it later and then we get the story of Okada chasing an underdog champion in Kenny who will be desperate to prove he can do this alone now that he has split of the BC. Exactly what I was thinking. - Naito wins at the Dome. - Omega drops the IWGP U.S. strap sometime in the next couple of months. - Omega wins the New Japan Cup to get a title shot and wins the title from Naito. - Omega defends against Okada, letting their series continue, with a new twist now that Okada is chasing Omega. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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