NJPW STRONG STYLE EVOLVED (aka the US Show)

[Hagan]

Yeah, I wanna say I watched that Super Brawl match a few years ago and it was still good. Now, for North America at the time it was basically the Second Coming of Christ. 

[John E. Dynamite]

The only part that didn't hold up for me was Pillman wanting to beat Liger for all his friends who got laid off from the car factories on account of those stinkin' Japaneezers.

[Web Conn]

I found a fancam of Liger vs Pillman from a WCW house show two days after the Omni match.

 

[Brian Fowler]

Bucks vs Lovers is announced.

 

[matt925]

They just posted on Instagram the first three officially announced matches (I looked on twitter and the show specific site for a link but so far it looks like just the Instagram post):

Rey Mysterio vs Jushin Liger

Jay White vs Hangman Page

Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi vs The Young Bucks

 

[Brian Fowler]

Link is in the tweet I posted just before you.

Jay White vs Page is the other official match, with Rey/Liger

[EVA]

They're gonna need a bigger boat.

[Brian Fowler]

God they should've booked a building at least twice as big.

[Jiji]

Staples Center, man. Cow Palace they could sell out too. Next year, I doubt they'll have a match as enticing as this they'll want to give away to the American/international audience. We'll see but Golden Lovers vs. Bucks is gotdamn huge. I'd say it's on par with something like Jericho vs. Naito in the US. I guess if Danielson signs with NJPW/ROH/CMLL, they could do something bigger like Kenny vs. Bryan (TOP ROPE DRAGON, BRO). 

[Archibald]

Well they continue to over-deliver so maybe next few times they'll sell out solely on the good will accumulated and won't have to depend as much on having big matches.

[Brian Fowler]

20,000 might be a bit too large bit the Cow Palace is like 12,000 which sounds like a good call.

Hell maybe I'm wrong, maybe they could fill Staples. They've clearly been underestimating themselves.

[matt925]

At this show they need to announce the next US show will be a big ppv at Barclays Center. They’ve been aiming way too low, worst case I think they would break even in an nba arena. They also will get a ton of mainstream publicity and their top guys will look like big stars. After two times in la go to New York and go big. 

[John from Cincinnati]

19 hours ago, EVA said:

They're gonna need a bigger boat.

[Beech27]

I think this is the first we've heard--albeit from one source--that New Japan actually considered Staples, isn't it? And I know, hindsight and all, but I think the heel is right about this one. Maybe it wouldn't have sold out, but they certainly wouldn't have embarrassed themselves in front of a half-full arena. (Of course he's also right that the show will be awesome regardless, and the atmosphere should be insane.)

[John from Cincinnati]

For all we know, "discussed" could mean that Cody or the Bucks brought it up and management thought about it for fifteen seconds before saying no. 

But now that Cody's put that in the water, we're in for a good couple days of reactionary hot takes. So he's gonna get what he's looking for. 

[Pete]

Couldn't they have just stayed at Long Beach Convention Center and used the Arena configuration? They should be able to pull 10K easy there...

[Web Conn]

Anywhere else on the West Coast they can go? Long Beach is cool and all but I'd for them to expand so I can maybe possibly go and not have to spend too much traveling. Seattle maybe? Wonder how well they'd draw in Vegas.

[John from Cincinnati]

Fowler pushed the Cow Palace a few posts back. Like he said, 12,000 seems like a reasonable goal. And I'd guess it's much cheaper than Staples.

[Web Conn]

Cow Palace would be cool. I could stay at my Aunts in San Jose and save on getting a hotel.

[Brian Fowler]

That's what I'd do. Cow Palace next year, if you sell it out then the year after start looking Staples or similar.

[Curt McGirt]

I know I posted this in the AXS thread but they're airing the show live.

[matt925]

Anyone have a guess for what Cody will do on the show? Obviously he’s going to factor into the main event or the post match stuff, but he’s got to have a match right? I was thinking he might challenge for (and win) the us title, even though they had set it up for Page. Just a random match with Ishii or something like that?

[RIPPA]

I thought this was common knowledge (or at least was reported on more)

The Staples Center has the NCAA tournament March 22 and March 24

Unless they were willing to change the date of the show - there was no way New Japan was going to be able to run it

[Beech27]

Being a Kansas grad, I try not to think too much about regional finals.

[Jiji]

Well, the date of the show almost made less sense than the venue size. Why choose one week before Mania? Hardly anybody is going to do both so you just eliminated the majority of out of towners. I think Dave said there was going to be less reliance on travelling fans this time, so from their perspective it ties into the venue size choice. Not great all around. They knew the Sumo Hall wasn't available for the G1 this year, so kicking the tournament off at the Staples Center would be the gutsy aggressive move that the company seems reluctant to make but would've been a big hit I think. I'm sure the wrestlers would've loved the travel days at the start of such a grueling run for them but going to 4 blocks with fewer matches per is probably the answer there regardless.