steve Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Interesting thing to ponder, they have 4 biggish shows upcoming: 2 in Sapporo, 1 in Osaka and few in USA, but I think only one is actually bigger. Now each of those shows needs title defence to headline. We got, most likely: Juice/Beretta for USA, Naito/Suzuki and Tanahashi/White for two Japan shows. And last champ is Ospreay? Is he ready to headline, most likely, Day 1 Sapporo? And who could be his challenger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 1 minute ago, Archibald said: And last champ is Ospreay? Is he ready to headline, most likely, Day 1 Sapporo? And who could be his challenger? I think they need to find out. If he moves tickets while holding the NEVER title, well, they've got something. I think either Goto or (preferably) Ishii would make a good first challenge for an in-between class guy like Ospreay. Show he can slug it out with a traditional NEVER title holder and then let him carve his own identity. When he's back, Hiromu needs to get a shot, and a couple bigger juniors--Shingo, SHO--should also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Match of the Night was Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. Glad Ace won as I'd hoped. I preferred Chris Jericho/Tetsuya Naito II to the original and Omega/Jericho a year ago at Wrestle Kingdom 12. I was pleasantly surprised how Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White turned out, not because I doubted Okada as he's the best in the world but more White. Probably my second or third favourite match from the show. Least Knife Pervert didn't drop a stinker like he did a year ago. Hot athletic opener in Will Ospreay vs. Kota Ibushi. Shame he got concussed. Show flew by when compared to WWE events of the same length. Some matches needed more time while others required trimming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 I didn't have a problem with the shorter match times for the midcard. I guess the shorter run time might have made the show seem less "epic" than last years, but, at the same time, I think matches like Tanahashi/White and the Junior 4-way didn't need to go as long as they did and, in fact, were hurt by seeming to go on forever. Naito/Jericho was better match than Omega/Jericho and was, like, 15 minutes shorter, to boot. Like, maybe the 2 tag title matches could've found another gear with an extra 5 minutes or so to work with, but did they really need to? And could they not just as easily have turned into a meandering mess like the Junior 4-way from last year? As it was, they accomplished what they needed to and got outta there. The only match that I think you could argue should have gotten more time was Okada/White, based on its incoming hype and place on the card. However, I think the length of that one was probably a strategic decision to absolutely, positively make sure White didn't have another high-profile WK flop that could derail this push. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Okada/White could have done with a bit more time but with what happened last WK out in Tanahashi/White. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 One interesting thing that might be completely irrelevant. Arena that they announced for G1 first night is same arena where Dallas Mavericks are playing. And those who don't know, Cuban is CEO of AXS tv and an owner of Dallas Mavericks. As I said, might be nothing, but might hint at something as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 That main event. Goddamn. Tanahashi continues to amaze and, as mentioned by someone on commentary, is a contender for Japanese G.O.A.T. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Congratulations, Hiroshi Tanahashi. One of the greatest wrestlers of all time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 So it looks like Baretta will be Juice's first challenger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Another potential factor in the shorter matches: In most of those, the guys who lost are either on their way out of the company or are rumored to possibly be. (Apparently that may include Okada, based on what some prominent Wrestler Tweeters have been hinting at since last night.) So it might be a case of putting over the guys who are sticking around, definitively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 By the way.....goddamn Cody matches are a chore. Here's hoping he's a better "suit" than he is an in-ring worker. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Not heard that about Kazuchika Okada, that would be a shock to me and a huge blow to NJPW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Where would Okada go? WWE? He's gotta know he'd be exchanging low blows with Tye Dillinger by July. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Okada was advertised for MSG show together with Tanahashi and Naito. So I take it that it means that he is still signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Chris Jericho battered: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Cincinnati Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 5 minutes ago, Ramsey said: Where would Okada go? WWE? He's gotta know he'd be exchanging low blows with Tye Dillinger by July. But he’d have great seats for TakeOver: New Jersey! 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 My review for Wrestle Kingdom 13: Spoiler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Also: GO FUCKIN' ACE! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevendaughters Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Cornette is doing his in character bitch about that modern wrestling thing but to be fair to the old goat Ibushi IS doing a Golden Triangle to absolutely no one when Ospreay kicks him from the apron. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 He wasn't looking. Ibushi never looks which makes his pinpoint accuracy all the more astonishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka-to Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Ramsey said: By the way.....goddamn Cody matches are a chore. Here's hoping he's a better "suit" than he is an in-ring worker. The lines for the bathrooms behind home plate and down left field were so big that they met in the middle during this match. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 I'm glad he added his name value to the NWA title but I would be happy to never see him wrestle a match again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiji Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 It would be fitting that the first time the crowd really loves Okada, he's on the way out. I don't see it but stranger things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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