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NJPW THE NEW BEGINNING 2019


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4 minutes ago, OctopusCinema said:

Make New Japan Great Again

There is some element of that mentality, of fetishizing a mythological past that was never as perfect as in your imagination. I think it's just... well, nerd communities tend to be this way, a little bit. New Japan started going too mainstream because of The Elite so Kento became the savior (even though he and Kenny wrestle very similarly), only now too many people have heard of him, so it's NOAH, and then Nomura kicking teeth in, etc. And I get it, because some part of me trends that way. (And I'm not saying people only like those things for contrarian reasons. I do love more traditional heavyweight stuff and black trunks clad strikers.) None of us would watch this stuff if we gravitated towards the easiest thing to find and consume, and most of us began watching back when it was harder to follow than it is now. But see, there's me doing that thing again: "Back in my day, we had to wait for uploads and--" Yeah. I think some people just want their fandoms to stay their fandoms, and the more it grows, the more that sense of ownership diminishes. It can be toxic for sure. (What I like about this place is there's very, very little of that.)

2 minutes ago, John E. Dynamite said:

There's this idiotic third level of markdom where kids who grew up with r/squaredcircle resent heel champions not because they're THE BAD GUY but because wrestling like a bad guy means less high spots for them to gawk at. It is infuriating.

This is absolutely true also.

To @Archibald's question: I don't know when or how it'll happen, but I'm certain White and Naito have been kept apart for a reason. The story of the evil wunderkid who is always one step ahead being flummoxed by Naito's perpetual poker face writes itself, as does the tension of New Japan being saved from said evil by the man the fans once rejected, when all the pure heroes have failed.

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I enjoyed the Osaka show on the whole. White is being booked as Okada was, right down to the bookerman in his corner, winning the title against Tanahashi in Osaka, and the population not being entirely certain about whether he is too callow to play youthful asshole or being a future GOAT. Time will tell and the shit needs tweaking, but his last two big matches have shown me something.

Good to see Fale Dudley too.

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1 hour ago, Beech27 said:

To @Archibald's question: I don't know when or how it'll happen, but I'm certain White and Naito have been kept apart for a reason. The story of the evil wunderkid who is always one step ahead being flummoxed by Naito's perpetual poker face writes itself, as does the tension of New Japan being saved from said evil by the man the fans once rejected, when all the pure heroes have failed.

Yeah, it makes sense. But then, we thought that something similar was going to happen with Naito and Omega. And yet their entire "feud" was contained in G1.

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Tana/Okada at MSG made so much sense because it's not a draw in Japan anymore and exactly the kind of match diehard fans want as a main event in America. If the company is tone deaf, fine. But don't argue it doesn't make sense.

Ibushi finally signing only after Omega leaves is some tragicomedy bullshit. Why? Kenny was saying that Ibushi would definitely be showing up at aew in the future. 

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9 minutes ago, Oyaji said:

Ibushi finally signing only after Omega leaves is some tragicomedy bullshit. Why? Kenny was saying that Ibushi would definitely be showing up at aew in the future. 

My hope is that they've made him some pretty compelling promises. I also wonder if the concussion might have scared him. Maybe he's finally feeling the weight of his years and injuries a little, and wants to finally experience the heights his talents merit.

New Japan certainly could use him in that space. Okada/Tana, as you noted, is basically done as a big draw; Tana/Naito had a year long feud already; Okada/Naito really only has one narrative beat left; White is a new main eventer, but has already burned through Tanahashi and started with Okada. Ibushi still needs a big win over Tana, and feuds with Naito and Okada. He and White could easily have animosity over the upstaging of his US title win, and they haven't touched. (AND you could come back around to Ospreay in a bit.)

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One more thing about White... remember how Block A last year didn't have many top guys? That basically means that White can have fresh matches against Goto, Ishii, Sanada, Naito, Ibushi and ZSJ. Ospreay is surely an option as well. He also has enough stuff done with Finlay/Juice to warrant another Juice match or maybe even LifeBlood vs Bullet Club feud due to "clashing ideologies".

Basically Jay being at the top opens up main event scene. So I'd say that his reign shouldn't be short. Obviously if it tanks financially then he should get swapped.

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3 hours ago, Craig H said:

One more knock against Jay White for me...I really don't like the whole "Breathe with the Switchblade" thing. It's lame and sounds like something an edgelord scribbled on the back of a notebook.

It does go with his blue hair. Eventually, White has to get kicked out of Bullet Club for being a whiny emo, much like AOTF Jimmy Jacobs. 

He's fine in the ring, and he's a real heel. There's nothing I currently want to like about Jay White, but there's nothing I exactly want to watch either. I'm going to watch the show tonight, but he's just kind of there. I don't find myself looking forward to his matches.

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32 minutes ago, Oyaji said:

Ibushi finally signing only after Omega leaves is some tragicomedy bullshit. Why? Kenny was saying that Ibushi would definitely be showing up at aew in the future. 

If you are not a fan of Kenny, Ibushi signing means a clearer route to 'Ibushi: IWGP Champion' without Mr Creative Control casting him as a supporting player in a never-ending autobiopic.

If you are a fan of Kenny, Ibushi was signed as the most realistic bait of getting him to come back. New Japan have got two dome shows to fill next year, and someone really wants to have a match against Ibushi there.

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Guest The Magnificent 7
4 hours ago, Craig H said:

One more knock against Jay White for me...I really don't like the whole "Breathe with the Switchblade" thing. It's lame and sounds like something an edgelord scribbled on the back of a notebook.

It’s still a ton better than Omega bringing wack looking guns from video games to a main event of a dome show and doing the Arnold buck naked pose while the Bucks drum on the ring apron. 

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42 minutes ago, The Magnificent 7 said:

It’s still a ton better than Omega bringing wack looking guns from video games to a main event of a dome show and doing the Arnold buck naked pose while the Bucks drum on the ring apron. 

I'm not going to say one is worse than the other, but they're both pretty cringey. That's the one thing I don't get when it comes to Kenny - the entrances. He gets so much praise for them, but they always look low rent to me. It's like the idea in his head is far too grand to properly execute. 

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It's pretty much the only thing signing with WWE would've given him (other than lots of money, not that he won't make a tonne in aew). He could also do that with Khan Family fuck money now too. The FF costumes looked good but yeah, the props not so much. I may be weird but I love the Terminator pose before his dive. He also almost never hits it the first time and has to wear his opponent down before he can get the theatrics in and land it. 

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3 hours ago, Oyaji said:

Tana/Okada at MSG made so much sense because it's not a draw in Japan anymore and exactly the kind of match diehard fans want as a main event in America. If the company is tone deaf, fine. But don't argue it doesn't make sense.

 

I totally agree with this and almost posted as much in the Puro thread a few days ago.  Total no-brainer.  It doesn't necessarily fit with NJPW's US strategy, as previously noted, but their US strategy has been resolutely dumb for a while now.

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6 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

Since I've been binge-watching 1999-2001 NJPW let me just say this.

If you are not a veteran fan of this product and are in any way bitching about this particular "swerve" then you have no idea what bad booking looks like.

Anybody complaining about Naito should have started when they let the Jericho feud persist, since it ate up his entire 2018 and was only going to end with him being saddled with a belt that he kayfabe already resented. That hole was dug forever ago - the sensible way out is to get the IC on Tama Tonga and have Naito beat Jay down the line. But they've got the Kota direction, too. Also, Kenny said NJPW wanted to put the belt back on Okada @ MSG, but Jay/Kota @ MSG would be hot. They've got options.

My dude, I don't want to alarm you, but you should probably see a doctor because I think you had a stroke towards the end of this post, right around the time you suggested putting the #2 belt on Tama Tonga.

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9 hours ago, Oyaji said:

Tana/Okada at MSG made so much sense because it's not a draw in Japan anymore and exactly the kind of match diehard fans want as a main event in America. If the company is tone deaf, fine. But don't argue it doesn't make sense.

Ibushi finally signing only after Omega leaves is some tragicomedy bullshit. Why? Kenny was saying that Ibushi would definitely be showing up at aew in the future. 

I think the plan for Tana/Okada this year is them vs Evil/SANADA to main event one night of the Dome, with Naito/White maining the other night.

 

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4 minutes ago, Oyaji said:

I dunno man but that sounds like a terrible idea. Who on earth would think the LIJ team has a chance?

It would be a hell of a match given time, but they'd have to really go all out to sell it.

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