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Puroresu General Discussion for 2019


Lawful Metal

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Sounds like a fun back and forth of people being carnies and maybe some miscommunication built in. That's about the least objectionable story about a booker or promoter I've ever heard. Who knows, maybe Gedo was under pressure from those above him to not use him for other reasons. There's always multiple sides. He'd be nice to see in the company still, but what's done is done. It sucks for him.

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I don't think it's a secret that Lance and DBS Jr. weren't best friends. Perhaps Lance asked not to tag with Smith any longer. Who knows. Allz I knowz is Lance has absolutely killed it in the G1.

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Yeah, wouldn't be surprising to me if Archer had something to do with this as well. But despite all that I think it has worked out well for everyone. DBS now has more freedom to work in USA, Archer is killing it in G1 and NJPW will be forced to add new teams to tag team division instead of using same 3 teams for next five years.

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Been reading news about AJP, they want to increase twitter followers, worldwide followers and AJP tv followers.

They want to produce english videos, and expand worldwide some more with their content. Expand their fanbase through advertising and social media.

I think there's more about expanding talking or cutting promos, but i'm not sure about that.

201907290000243-w500_0.jpg

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So how long do you think LiJ sticks around with its current lineup? Naito is top dog still, I guess, but Sanada has the feud with Okada and a lot of popularity, and Shingo could go full heavyweight any time now. Seems like a lot of top card guys all located in one stable.

Edited by Control
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I agree in that something has to give. I don't think being a dirtbag fits SANADA but he needs to be his own man. It could work for EVIL though but I don't think he's ready to be a stable leader (I'm unsure if he ever will be). Naito could go heel again but I doubt that happens for business reasons. Pretty sure I said this in the G1 thread but NJPW should move on from the BC with White leading a smaller group of top flight heels doing something new while removing himself from the stench of the Firing Squad. EVIL as his right hand man would be pretty interesting imo. I don't even think it should happen but yeah, they gotsta figure something out with SANADA if they're serious about pushing him at that top level.

I'm interested in where Shingo goes. He should be, at worst, at the IC level and challenging for the top belt occasionally. 

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50 minutes ago, Oyaji said:

I'm interested in where Shingo goes. He should be, at worst, at the IC level and challenging for the top belt occasionally. 

That sounds well and good but he is 36 years old and indie. He's here to do his thing around the NEVER belt and to be about five years worth of a replacement Ishii when the time comes.

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Is Dragon Gate an indie? He's far more popular than some guy from Big Japan or Kyushu Pro, as a long-term main eventer in Japan's second promotion. I fully understand what you're saying and why but we don't know if Gedo sees him as that long term and that's why I'm so interested to see where he goes from here. He was never going to go from perceived junior heavyweight to earning 12 points in his first G1. There's room for growth.

Who knows how much longer Ishii's body can handle his style but he's getting better with time for now.

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I'm speaking in New Japan logic. Lord knows I've argued with enough mooks on less informed message boards on Dragon Gate being Japan's #2 promotion. But even if Shingo's main events were drawing more than Ibushi's or SANADA's, the lucharesu indy stigma remains. Shingo's on pace to finish at the very bottom of his block - that doesn't really put him in line with new guys on the verge of a breakout push. The last decade's worth of block losers have been nothing but aging 3rd Generation guys, a whole lot of YOSHI-HASHI, Honma and Yujiro, gaijin job guys, never-rans like Wataru Inoue and Hideo Saito. And once, in 2013, Tomohiro Ishii. Maybe he beats Goto but I can't envision a world where he doesn't peak at an occasional NEVER champ who might challenge for the IC once or twice. There's a lot of room for glory on any given NJPW event and I'm happy to welcome Shingo into the tier of show-stealing midcarders.

Edited by John E. Dynamite
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I know it's apples to oranges but I feel like with a sleazy indie dude running the show, their stance on accepting outsiders has softened what with Kota Ibushi potentially winning the tournament, SANADA being elevated, and their ace being an Ultimo Dragon trainee. It's still fairly rigid in comparison to a western mindset but it's not exactly Riki Choshu level of stigmatizing. 

Also, I guess DDT can put an argument for #2, it's pretty close, but Dragon Gate's popularity across the country seems significantly greater than DDT's. Who the hell else even comes close? NOAH is in the gutter and AJPW is stagnating if they're lucky.

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After this G1 I could see most of the participants being able to main event in one way or another, that's how well booked it's been. KENTA, Ibushi, Ospreay, Shingo, EVIL, and Sanada all had great showings that put them in that upper echelon or cemented them there. Mox was good and had some solid wins so he's in that area too. Naito, Tanahashi, White, and Goto kind of tread water but they're in the positions they need to be right now and can move up as needed. Archer brought his game way up and could be a challenger in a tour or two. Sabre and Ishii can win and lose at anytime without issue so they're fine but are regulated to secondary title territory. I think Juice and Taichi will need some building and Cobb didn't do too well but those are the only guys who haven't come out better than they went in. (Full disclosure: I skip most Fale matches so I can't comment on him.)

But the big winners so far are Sanada and Ibushi for sure.

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Did Omega, & Ibushi’s infamous moonsault spot also force wrestling promotions to move fans back a mile away at the Budokan?

All that empty space today, and last year, becomes a super distracting for a long time fan that has watched years worth of Budokan matches.

Edited by LoneWolf&Subs
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20 hours ago, Oyaji said:

Is Dragon Gate an indie? He's far more popular than some guy from Big Japan or Kyushu Pro, as a long-term main eventer in Japan's second promotion. I fully understand what you're saying and why but we don't know if Gedo sees him as that long term and that's why I'm so interested to see where he goes from here. He was never going to go from perceived junior heavyweight to earning 12 points in his first G1. There's room for growth.

Who knows how much longer Ishii's body can handle his style but he's getting better with time for now.

Gedo's booking definitely creates a wide array of (at least) credible title contenders. But in hindsight Okada's dominance has created a backlog of people deserving the IWGP title. The time for a Goto reign has passed IMHO, I'd love a short feelgood one for Ishii at the very least and it's baffling that Naito has just gotten a short two month one. With the emergence of ZSJ, Ibushi, Sanada, EVIL & Jay White as upper midcard options, Tanahashi in the Fujinami role proving he can still go, Kenny's run with the title and Okada improving (feels weird typing this) it's safe to say not every favorite of this board it's gonna get a run.

Question for everyone reading: If you had to choose between Goto, Naito or Ishii getting a title run, who would it be and why?

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Right now Shingo has the three highest user rated matches of 2019 on Cagematch.

1) vs. Ishii (9.61/10, 133 votes)

2) vs. Naito (9.6/156 votes)

3) vs. Ospreay (9.59, 256 votes)

Pretty... pretty good.

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