Raziel Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Anniversary show has some good matches lined up, and will likely announce the NJ Cup brackets: 3/6, Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo. Main Event: Special Anniversary Singles Match - NON TITLE "Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) (IWGP Heavyweight Champion) vs. Will Ospreay (CHAOS) (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion) IWGP Intercontinental Championship Minoru Suzuki (c) (Suzuki-gun) vs. Togi Makabe (GBH) Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables de Japon) vs. Taichi (Suzuki-gun) SANADA (Los Ingobernables de Japon) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS) IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship 3 Way Match Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) (c) (CHAOS) vs. Suzuki-gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI) CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Toro Yano) vs. Toa Henare, Dave Finlay & Juice Robinson Katsuya Kitamura "Best of Seven Trial Series" Final Match Katsuya Kitamura vs. Manabu Nakanishi Jushin "Thunder" Liger, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yuji Nagata, Ren Narita, Tomoyuki Oka, Shota Umino, & Tetsuhiro Yagi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 2016? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Awww son of a bitch. *grumbles and edits topic* 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I’ve been as high as anyone on Suzuki’s ability to go when he wants/needs to, but I just can’t get up for a Makabe challenge. Oh well, the rest of the card looks fun. I’m weirdly interested in Naito/Taichi, and of course, very excited to see the cup brackets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Yeah, as well as they've done building up the match in tag matches and pull apart brawls, I don't think I actually want to see the Suzuki vs. Makabe. Could this lead to an extended period of Makabe going away due to the knee bar + heel hook? Would be a neat thing to build up, Suzuki clearing away veterans until somebody stops him. Who could it be? Triple threat tag match should be fun, I expect insanity in the main event, and I'm all aboard the Taichi Heavyweight Express. Rest of the card is there. If Kitamura loses to Nakanishi again... Speaking of, the vets have been talking of an impending Kitamura excursion, so I guess he doesn't get to skip that. Where would he best be suited? I can't imagine him in CMLL. I'd like to see him in England and Germany to work on some mat skills, so he can bring out more of his amateur background instead of chop-chop-spear-jackhammer or lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I think seeing him in all these singles matches has proven pretty conclusively that Kitamura really needs to go on excursion. He's still so very, very green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 He's got fire and physique but yeah, he's mechanically clunky and needs a lot of work. Nagata proved you can idiot proof a match with him and still be very, very good though. I have high hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 3 hours ago, Oyaji said: Could this lead to an extended period of Makabe going away due to the knee bar + heel hook? Would be a neat thing to build up, Suzuki clearing away veterans until somebody stops him. Who could it be? That's the only thing of interest that could come out of this. Makabe is the Randy Orton of New Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 10 hours ago, Oyaji said: Would be a neat thing to build up, Suzuki clearing away veterans until somebody stops him. Who could it be? I hope this is something like the direction they go. Not that the return pop and subsequent match for Tanahashi taking back his title wouldn't be amazing, but I think--especially if Okada's still champ--there's stability enough elsewhere to give the win to someone who hasn't had the belt before. My original wish was Ibushi, since his Nak/Tana fanboyism aligns well with coveting that title in particular--and he could then defend against Tana, who told him to challenge again!--but maybe he'll be too busy holding the tag belts. There are other guys, like Juice, who could use the win--any big win, really--but if Tama or Cody are gonna be faction leaders, they need to win a big singles title. (But then Suzukigun wouldn't have one, and New Japan generally likes to keep that balanced. So... I don't really know... but posted anyway... just pay KENTA stupid money and put it on him. I'd be happy, at least.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I think people should forget about Kitamura as trying to make him a worker like everyone else. Sure he needs more skills and a lot more refinement. But also I think he should just be an unstoppable monster who only gives a fuck about i. winning and ii. having the best bod. Star ratings will only get so many bodies in the Dome. Huge stars will get you more. Oka is your future skilled heavyweight prospect for the future. Kitamura has a shorter shelf life and not just because he looks like he might literally explode. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 He's already 32. I think that's important to keep in mind. He's greener than grass, but the things he does well do tend to look really good. Nakanishi is no Nagata* but the match should be hard hitting and at least kinda fun. *Do I have to wait until January to pick up my understatement of the year trophy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Their first match was a disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 EVIL is out of the show with a broken orbital bone. Sanada one on one with YOSHI-HASHI, Goto moved down into a six man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 How long broken orbital bone usually puts people on the bench? It is okay for this show since Goto/Yoshi vs Evil/Sanada wasn't that exciting anyway, but if he misses more shows then it is sad news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Depends on severity but seems like it'll be in the ballpark of 1-3 months. Or he could pull a Misawa CC '95 and just have one of the best matches of the year and work 30 minutes with it (against Kawada no less), only to top that by partaking in multiple classics in a short period of time after it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 On 2/15/2018 at 6:22 PM, Raziel403 said: "Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) (IWGP Heavyweight Champion) vs. Will Ospreay (CHAOS) (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 1 minute ago, West Newbury Bad Boy said: What about for 999 yen? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I know this is for the Anniversary show and not the cup but Tanahashi will be back for the New Japan Cup because who needs their health when they can win the cup and lose to Okada for the record/tying the record? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Naito/Taichi a match of destiny. Sounds cringe and epic at the same time. Thou you have to give credit to whoever is searching old video archives to find 11 years old footage of Taichi superkicking Naito in the face. But I suppose they probably have every Naito (and other main eventers) match from 8+ years ago reviewed and with "If Naito feuds with X then use this footage to make it look important" labels. And while watching that part of Naito/Taichi I had one very weird thought. When Naito defeated Yoshi he teased putting LiJ cap on him, but instead decided to spit on him... what if he actually puts his cap on Taichi? And Taichi few months later ends up being sixth LiJ member? I know, sounds absurd, but for some reason thats what came to my head while watching that thing. For me Naito and Taichi have some weird chemistry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 He's already got the merch... and a Looney Tunes style inflatable hand, if the camera angle is to be trusted. (I still want the YOH connection/tease/beatdown to pay off someday.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 The hand gestures kill me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 2 hours ago, Beech27 said: (I still want the YOH connection/tease/beatdown to pay off someday.) Unfortunate timing that he is moving up to heavyweights now while Ropongi 3k started getting matches with Suzuki Gun juniors. Looking back, maybe they should have done Ropongi 3K vs Taichi/X finals for that Jr. Tag Titles tournament? I remember enjoying Super 69 team, but at the same time I don't remember anything specific about it and while Taichi/X would most certainly have produced match of lower quality it might have ended up being more memorable due to that connection and Taichi being heat machine in general. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 caught the last 4 matches, all in the 3.75-4 range for me, a fun night had by all, sorry that Beefy Kitamura couldn't come out to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 Spoiler Did Okada choose Gedo for the next title shot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 Naito was generous as hell, and Taichi was great. I hope he beats Tana, I don't care. (I mean I do care. But.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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