Brian Fowler Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 5 minutes ago, Casey said: Sanada outright challenged Okada in the backstage interviews after the show was over. EVIL challenged Goto, and Takahashi challenged Ospreay as well. Another chance for a big LIJ night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalysis Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The end bit with Jericho attacking Naito makes me understand the booking of WK a bit more. You've got Jericho, Jericho-Okada isn't going to have any drama, because we know Okada wins that. Jericho-Naito at least has a bit of drama, and you can't really plan Jericho-Tanahashi because of Tanahashi's medical issues. If they want Okada to break the defenses record, Sanada can take a loss here easily- it won't hurt him at all, then find two more goobers before having Omega beat Okada in the summer. (I don't think there's anything special about anyone in LIJ outside of Naito and Hiromu) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, alstein said: (I don't think there's anything special about anyone in LIJ outside of Naito and Hiromu) Someone didn't have a merry darkness christmas... (Just to admit my bias, I am one thousand percent sold on EVIL's cornball Lisa Frank goth judo... thing. All in.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 My take on LIJ is that Naito and Hiromu are division-leading geniuses (and I'm more in on Hiromu than Naito) while SANADA and EVIL are just really good upper-midcard guys, and BUSHI is certainly capable on the right night. Is BUSHI the Japanese Fantasia/Badstreet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Sweetser Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 BUSHI has yet to really wow me, but I've never been disappointed in his work. I liked his little mini-feud with Fale recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Writing down some entirely too early title predictions based on today, because I'm severely bored at work on a Friday afternoon, and I want to look stupid in the future: Jay White probably shouldn't take a second high-profile loss right now, so he beats Omega for the US belt with a BC distraction--but not outright interference--assisting. (Whether he joins the faction or this is just because Cody et al hate Omega, I don't know.) You can then run the BC ~explodes~ match at Long Beach, and it's a big enough deal--especially in the States--that it doesn't need a belt. White, meanwhile, probably struggles with being not-Omega, a problem the next champion is bound to have regardless. EVIL beats Goto for the NEVER title, and it doesn't really matter much, I guess, for either guy. MiSu beats Tana and puts him on the shelf. He's probably not the first challenger, but Ibushi eventually avenges his fallen idol and capitalizes on his Nakamura fanboyism by capturing the IC title. I think he probably defends against Omega and a returning Tanahashi at some point; either would be a Dome-worthy match, depending. Hiromu beats Ospreay, who, despite the loss and the insistence of the new champion, remains not a cat. Okada's beating Sanada. After that, I really don't know. Naito and Omega are the only guys who feel capable of shouldering the burden--because that's what it will be--of taking the championship from him. I guess the exception would be a magically healed, cleared, and returned Shibata--but let's assume that's not happening. I still think Naito is the guy, whether after a New Japan Cup win or another G1 triumph. Whoever has the title, it feels to me like we're headed towards a rematch at WK13. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Fuck, I love New Japan for the subtlety. Gedo and company do such a brilliant job of leaving some loose ends out there that we've grown accustom to having to ignore from other companies, but they actually leave them there for a reason. The constant talk of which WK match was the "real main event" between Naito and Jericho was purposeful and not just Jericho's egomaniac character work. A lot of people noticed it but I don't think (m)any of us believed it would come to fruition. I wonder if it happens at any of the big shows between now and LA or if they hold off until late March to do it stateside. I was so fucking ready for the big Kenny turn/Golden Lovers reuniting but they keep teasing us, closer and closer it comes. JERKS! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tromatagon Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I still think Jay White sucks and looks like a kid cosplaying as someone in a cool costume 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 51 minutes ago, Tromatagon said: I still think Jay White sucks and looks like a kid cosplaying as someone in a cool costume So you're saying he's ready for NXT? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tromatagon Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Chikara midcard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Jay White in CHAOS? PIVOT! PIVOOOOOOOT! /ross geller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 And he basically told Okada "I'm going to turn on you eventually" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Jay's got some really good ideas in his promos but his delivery isn't there yet nor is his ability to pull off the character. It would be nice for Chaos the stable to have some element of chaos to it and not be The Establishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 I'm happy for CHAOS to be the cool dads who go to Yano's bar guys, LIJ are the cool sort-of heels now and that is fine by me. It's just they're not that cool anymore. Aside from this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 I have a working theory that the Tanahashi match was probably going to be Shibata, and that Shibata was kind of the glue holding things together wrt the wrestling keeping more of a realistic feeling. His absence is keenly felt. Particularly by me. I enjoyed WK12 & NYD but I feel there is a definite PWG/fantasy fight thing happening in NJPW that I would love to have reigned in a little. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubbymark Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 13 hours ago, Keep Calm, Akira Hokuto On said: So you're saying he's ready for NXT? That would be Marty Scurrl according to some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I'd love to have been a fly on the wall for White's booking meeting with Gedo for this show. GEDO: "We're gonna do a big angle where you join Bullet Club-- JAY: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ GEDO: "--but then you're going to immediately turn on them. It's gonna be great! Jay, you feeling okay?" JAY: 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 White just lost to busted up Tanahashi. I'm sure SuperOkada is shaking in his boots for when White turns on him. I don't like Jay White that much. When I hear his promos I just think about how much better Neville is at what White is trying to do. Then when I see him in the ring, I again think Neville is way better than White. Basically, I'd take Pac/Neville in a heartbeat over this emo dork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 That's a fair comparison if you look at White six years down the road. Bit silly to compare a 25yo who's just returned from excursion to a vet who spent years in Japan and then WWE, now 31. No shit Neville is better. It took him to this stage to not be a disaster on promos too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Okada, of all people, should know you don’t judge a guy based off of a shitty Dome debut. Yeah, he won; but it was against YOSHI-HASHI, and the performance was a dud. The gimmick looked bad, and he looked bad at it. Anyway I dunno, I kinda liked White’s press conference. He’s not supposed to be portraying some outwardly deranged psycho all the time. He’s handsome, presentable, articulate—but entitled, scheming, and sadistic. Wrestling lets him indulge the latter. I mean, he obviously needs to get better at portraying that, and there are a dozen little tweaks I’d make ASAP. But it’s crazy to write him off already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shibata Is My Homie Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 4:49 AM, Oyaji said: Going to see if I can make it through this one. Fuck yeah Kitamura trial series! I don't want to see Tanahashi getting tortured by Suzuki right now. It'll be too god damn much. Seems like they're going for a possible EVIL/Naito combustion with match placement. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. What does the trial series actually mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 It's not exclusively for young lions but generally speaking it's usually allotted for guys on the cusp of leaving Young Lion status. They have a series of matches to see/test where they're at and they almost inevitably lose all but maybe one match. Sometimes older wrestlers do it to see if they've still got it, but it's generally for young boys and serves as a tool to highlight a wrestler and his/her struggles and growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 KENTA did a great one way back, had wars against Misawa, Kobashi, Takayama, Akiyama, Marafuji, Ogawa, and, er, Juvi Guerrera. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 You gotta be kidding me. Juventud? I presume he won that one because Juvi was too zonked on Juvi Juice, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Curt McGirt said: You gotta be kidding me. Juventud? I presume he won that one because Juvi was too zonked on Juvi Juice, right? yes that was match #1 and he won it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now