Jiji Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 They are building Ishii & Yano up for a tag title challenge. They couldn't do a more direct build because EVIL & SANADA were both in high profile singles matches for this tour. SANADA doesn't work outside of NJPW, so I imagine he's on a regular contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Did anybody listen to the English commentary, and if so, did they explain the significance of Goto's necklace? I mean, I could cue it up on NJPW World, but I'd rather not sit through any of that bummer of a match again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clintthecrippler Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 21 minutes ago, EVA said: Did anybody listen to the English commentary, and if so, did they explain the significance of Goto's necklace? I mean, I could cue it up on NJPW World, but I'd rather not sit through any of that bummer of a match again. Don Callis made a shitty joke about how Goto has a "tremendous set of balls." Kevin Kelly didn't acknowledge the joke, so Callis said it again, it was like the time Bischoff repeated the "scissors" reference on that Nitro while shouting to Sid. Kevin Kelly then started mumbling something about the necklace being Buddhism ritual wear, then Don Callis started obnoxiously yelling that Kelly just looked it on Google while Kelly sounded legitimately pissed that Callis was yelling about that. I actually like Kelly/Callis as a team more than most people, but that seriously may be an all-time contender for worst 30 seconds of wrestling commentary. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 They talked something about it being related to Buddhism or something like that and I suppose Goto is Buddhist? Nothing specific from what I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Yeah, Kelly seemed legit angry that Callis told us he was googling it. Kelly also asked somebody at the Japanese table, but all he got was the Buddhist symbolism thing. And since I know nothing about Buddhist symbols... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Japanese religious practices blend a lot of Shintoism with Buddhism. Goto is SAMURAI and stuff too, so the religious shtick makes even more sense in that regard. Before joining Chaos, he went all dollar store version of Hakushi with the all white (Shintoism) IIRC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Yeah, it reminded me of Hakushi trying to ward himself against Muta. Prayer beads against EVIL. A bit obvious, but. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 He was talking about bringing some light to the scary DARKNESS World, so that was almost assuredly the connection. Question: Hirooki or Tatsutoshi the better Goto? Tatsutoshi kind of sucked but he was in some fun stuff with Tenryu and Heisei Ishingun in the mid '90s. Plus that mustache. Hirooki has been part of some excellent matches but is almost always the beneficiary of being carried by all-time greats rather than leading or sometimes even carrying his own weight. I mean, I'm leaning Hirooki but God damn is he stale and lame. He's another guy I'd like to see go elsewhere for a while and maybe come back with a few new ideas in a year or two. Too much stagnation and comfort with some of these guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I thought it might be something religious. At the contract signing, Goto said something about how he felt there was a dark spirit in the ring with EVIL. Maybe the necklace was some kind of talisman to ward it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 They're extremely large prayer beads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Lord Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 8 hours ago, Ace said: They're extremely large prayer beads. Well, he could be compensating with his partner having all those upside down crosses. I only saw I think the second half of the show. NJPW really needs to get a better way of saying what time these show's start at specific time zone's. Goto vs. EVIL was a fun match. I'm still confused about the purpose of the Never Openweight championship, but man the matches for them are so fun. Naito vs. Yoshi Hashi was a damn good match. I was honestly surprised that Hashi didn't win a couple of times. Osprey vs. Takahashi was also pretty damn good. I was never really into Osprey, especially with all of his flippy stuff. But I think this match finally sold me on him. The counter of the Osprey cutter into a German suplex made me jump when I saw it. Also you have to applaud or shake your head at Osprey taking a powerbomb to the floor. But yeah, I finally see what the big deal is with him. Okada vs. Sanada was probably my second favorite match of the year all ready. Just behind Gargano/Almas. Sanada was on a whole other level with Okada. I don't know if it's Okada bringing it out of his opponents or what, but everyone seems to raise their game against him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 If you hit the English translate button on their website, it generally lists the start time for several different timezones. Right now it's 14 hours ahead of EST, but they don't observe Daylight Savings Time so that will change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubbymark Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Thanks to New Japan putting English subtitles, count me in on the Heavyweight Taichi bandwagon... But...Naito goes from main eventing Wrestle Kingdom to a feud with Taichi??? I suppose it makes sense in that he lost to Okada so he goes to the back of the line, but the iron was red hot for Naito at Wrestle Kingdom... I was overjoyed Minoru Suzuki won the IC title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 I think/hope the idea is to keep him in featured singles matches without saddling him with a secondary belt, both because that story has been told and it would--presumably--mean he couldn't challenge for the big prize. He's also due for a match against Jericho--now rumored to be at Dominion--so that could springboard him to a title challenge if Okada's still got it. I mean, he'd have defended against everyone credible by then, so coming back around to Naito would make sense, especially considering Kenny looks to be busy with BC/GL stuff for a while. (I guess Ishii's still got that dangling win over him, but that's so long ago now... and while White's been hinting at a challenge, he's got a belt. I'd be cool with giving Nagata a chance to defend his defense record, and then Tanahashi as well. But they both feel unlikely to win.) You're definitely right, though, that we may have missed what would have been Naito's best moment to win the title. Still... he feels like the most likely guy to finally knock Okada off his throne... right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 7 minutes ago, Beech27 said: I think/hope the idea is to keep him in featured singles matches without saddling him with a secondary belt, both because that story has been told and it would--presumably--mean he couldn't challenge for the big prize. He's also due for a match against Jericho--now rumored to be at Dominion--so that could springboard him to a title challenge if Okada's still got it. I mean, he'd have defended against everyone credible by then, so coming back around to Naito would make sense, especially considering Kenny looks to be busy with BC/GL stuff for a while. (I guess Ishii's still got that dangling win over him, but that's so long ago now... and while White's been hinting at a challenge, he's got a belt. I'd be cool with giving Nagata a chance to defend his defense record, and then Tanahashi as well. But they both feel unlikely to win.) You're definitely right, though, that we may have missed what would have been Naito's best moment to win the title. Still... he feels like the most likely guy to finally knock Okada off his throne... right? Him or Omega. Anyone else would range from mildly surprising to "wut da hale?" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Yeah. I'd say Naito's the most likely, followed by Omega, and then you can get a little (or very) weird. I'll try not to go too far off the deep end (Danielson!), though, and gently suggest that both HANDSOME BATTLE participants wouldn't be totally insane options. Ibushi's perpetually almost a top guy, and the crowd adores him; Cody is (I think?) locked up longer than Omega, via his ROH deal, and could solidify whatever BC heel faction he ends up leading/be an American face (heel). This could go on forever, though. (Which I love, honestly.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 At this point, I hope he holds on to it long enough that SANADA gets another crack and wins. That's my hill I'm dying on. But Ishii and Ibushi should challenge before he drops it. Problem being nobody would believe Ishii has a chance though they'd have a lights out match, G1 win or not. I could see Ibushi making some believers though. Ideally Tanahashi is the record breaking defense but I honestly hope guy gets whatever operations he needs to not become all atrophied and Mr. Wonderful 2.0. Wrestling congruity isn't worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 If we're being patient: Okada holds it until Umino goes on excursion, comes back, and wins the title on a Red Shoes fast count. Or maybe just do a Yano dick punch/rollup finish. Ogawa's GHC title run was such an immense hit, after all... (I'd hope it was obvious, but text doesn't always convey tone, so please let me be very clear how sarcastic this is. Of course, having said that, I've ruined any humor there might have been. Oh well. There's wasn't a new BTE episode this week, and I'm thrown off, because--and I hate this--I'm way too invested in that silly little show.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 I'm happy they're not rushing through the story. I was honestly surprised we got anything post-split, but it was so perfect. There was a bear mascot at the ROH show this weekend wearing a "Bullet Club is FINE" shirt, so that'll be in the next episode I reckon. I do feel like at this point, they've almost booked Okada so strong I don't want any of the obvious contenders to win. What could Naito do that he didn't already do? Hit the Stardust Press? Not hesitate that wee bit? I guess, but he's already a huge star. Do you think he's really the guy to take them to the next level that Okada isn't already doing at his age with the mileage on his body? I don't see he or Omega doing that (in Japan anyway, I think Omega can really help them make serious inroads in NA if they went full bore). So I'm now more of the mind they should use this opportunity to make a new star. HOWEVER, it would be easy to fuck that up and push somebody who isn't ready for it. NOAH was great at that and have been paying the price for the last 12+ years. You don't want somebody so unestablished it isn't believable and you don't want somebody that isn't capable of making at least a very good showing for themselves. SANADA could be the generational rival for Okada if he could make those few additions discussed ad nauseam. Nobody else really fits that criteria (most are too old, others too young or junior heavyweights). Saying that, I expect another Naito win at Dominion. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Hey, sounds like another opportunity to pitch my "Naito should be a tag team division ACE" idea... But yeah, I also think that best thing would be someone like Sanada eventually winning it due to his age. But if thats not in the cards then probably Omega to get some extra exposure for USA market. If not that then Ibushi? Basically my list in order would be: Sanada, Omega, Ibushi, Naito. As for Sanada making those few additions. Well he did add (and remove) some things that made him look like more of a main eventer so I'm optimistic that in few more months he'll fix some other issues too. It is not Goto or Yoshi-Hashi situation after all where it looks like both guys are frozen in time and are completely fine with that. But I was also wondering about people saying that Okada probably drops it at Dominion... Wouldn't it make sense to break the record at second biggest show of the year? But obviously if he does it at Dominion then there isn't much time for him to drop the title to anyone before G1 and WK... unless he ends up winning G1 as the champ and picks his own challenger? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Okada winning the G1 as champ would be too much even in this current direction. It would kill the prospects of anybody ever beating him. I say this but I could actually envision him just scraping by in his block which would set up some eventual challengers, but that's still a hard pass from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 If the story last year framed Okada as too weary from title defenses to really key in on the G1 with the necessary focus, that should be even more true now. But then, it's hard to bet against him at this point, and the trajectory seems to be set on giving him all the records. (Not that he'd be the first champ to win the G1, but it would still be another major accolade. Maybe he could just be the first to go undefeated?) We'll see, though. Naito winning became pretty clear once he bombed out of the US title tourney and dropped the IC belt, and we don't have any tea leaves to read right now that are nearly so predictive. I could see an interloper in the finals (Miyahara?), the Ibushi/Omega match they might not otherwise have (since they reconciled already), Naito and/or SANADA... I do like the idea of Naito et al. making the tag belts show closers again, though. He could elevate Hiromu (if that's ever a plan) in the process, face the GL, Young Bucks, SANADA/EVIL, GOD... lot's I'd like to see. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Ibushi beating Okada makes it feel like Kenny would almost have to turn on him again out of jealousy or something. But, yeah, more seriously I'd be fine with Kota, but I don't really expect it. I expect them to run back Omega/Okada sometime this year at least. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 God damn it, they just got back together. Don't do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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