NJPW Destruction in Beppu/Kagoshima/Kobe

[alstein 487]

They've announced some of who will appear: R3K and Rock N Roll Express are who I remember off top of my head.

 

[Archibald 479]

They have announced some talent for meet and greets: Tanahashi, Ibushi, Evil, Shingo, Sanada, Rocky, Archer along with R3K and RnR. Figures they'll be on the shows as well.

[Pete 13,704]

19 hours ago, alstein said:

They've announced some of who will appear: R3K and Rock N Roll Express are who I remember off top of my head.

Per Meltzer, the RNRs got booked because Gedo was a huge fan of theirs when he was getting into US wrestling, and I'd be shocked if he doesn't book himself against them on the tour. Good for him and good for them- should be their best gig in years.

[Curt McGirt 8,138]

Methinks we would all watch the shit out of Jado and Gedo vs. the Rock'n'Roll Express. 

[Pete 13,704]

1 hour ago, Curt McGirt said:

Methinks we would all watch the shit out of Jado and Gedo vs. the Rock'n'Roll Express. 

I was going to say Jado hasn't looked so hot lately. Does he have some sort of balance issue? 

[Raziel 7,187]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

I was going to say Jado hasn't looked so hot lately. Does he have some sort of balance issue? 

When 50 years old you will reach, look as good you will not, hmm?

[Ryan 4,913]

He had a bad neck injury. That probably didn't help.

[Ryan 4,913]

Sabre learned well. He's renamed his Jim Breaks Armbar to the Clarky Cat. Which is a highly obscure reference to a British show called Brass Eye that ran mostly in the 90's.

[Ryan 4,913]

 

 

[Archibald 479]

Main event was good, semi-main was weird, everything else was what you could expect from this type of the show.

[ComingToAmerica 1,012]

Tbh I would have expected him to go with Alabaster Codify if he was going to do a BrassEye reference.

 

[The Natural 23,382]

 

[Ryan 4,913]

I saw the Ibushi/KENTA match and a guy gave it one star and I thought that was a bit harsh, but a good point was made that KENTA still seems out of it after his concussion and he took most of the match and it had minor shenanigans in it. Probably should have held off on it. I'd still give it 2.5-3 just because there wasn't anything actively horrible,  but it was pretty listless.

[Archibald 479]

I actually liked Ibushi/KENTA and thought it was best KENTA's match so far. What was so bad about it?

[Ryan 4,913]

KENTA took all of it, he seemed out of it, didn't bump much, the Bullet Club stuff, etc. I thought it was fine.

[Raziel 7,187]

 

My God, we're gonna get MiSu vs. Kishin Liger at the fucking Dome and I'm gonna lose my shit!

[Archibald 479]

I think it is unavoidable that we will get Bullet Club stuff with KENTA. I don't really like it either, but it is 100% in character so it has to happen.

[PB-13 160]

So Liger faces Suzuki on one Dome show and Phantasmo on the other?

[Raziel 7,187]

I'd rather change out Hiromu for ELP, but if MiSu/Liger goes on before the Title for Title Night 2, then it'll be all good.

[Ryan 4,913]

ELP takes Liger's mask and he works as himself vs Suzuki in his final match. It would be stupid as hell, but I'm calling my shot now! Gedo is reading this for sure.

[lostinube 159]

I think the way the main was worked was fine. There was no way Ibushi was losing in his big homecoming show. And with the way KENTA heeled it up plus the Bullet Club stuff having a more traditional style NJPW finisher trade-off wouldn't have been counterproductive. Plus, they got the crowd to pop for a Yoshi-Hashi save.

[The Natural 23,382]

 

[Ace 4,589]

I quite enjoyed Birds of Prey vs. Phantasmo/Ishimori.

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 19,297]

13 minutes ago, Ace said:

I quite enjoyed Birds of Prey vs. Phantasmo/Ishimori.

 

I did as well. Those four are four of my favorites right now. Everything they do looks so smooth. Robbie is so much better suited as a face. I'd like to see him float between Jr. and heavyweight like Ospreay to possibly get the Birds of Prey vs. GoD. There's nobody I'd rather see win the tag titles. 

Ishimori and ELP are so good together. I liked their nod to the Hart Foundation with Taiji holding Robbie in the backbreaker position and ELP connecting with the point of the elbow off the second rope. ELP is a much better fit for BC than Eagles. Robbie just seems like too much of a nice guy while ELP just oozes slimeball, albeit a cool slimeball. 

 

[Archibald 479]

I had a very strange thought today. It is not as much strange as completely crazy.

So, here are two things:

1. I assumed that ZSJ talking about being first every triple crown NJPW champ was just him shooting on what he'd like to have, a misdirection in other words. But then I started thinking who he could face at WK and couldn't really find a good enough opponent for him. Ospreay is probably retaining against ELP because ELP/Ishimori are likely walking as jr. tag team champs into WK. Suzuki is likely facing Liger. Tanahashi is so overdone that I can't see it happening again at WK. In theory it could be Sanada because they have faced each other a lot, but Sanada might as well be in tag titles match with Evil again.

2. On another side we have Moxley/Juice III happening at KoPW and again, assuming that Juice wins it is not clear what exactly he'd be doing at WK. Same for Mox really. On paper Mox/Juice III sounds like a WK match, but it is happening at KoPW. So I'm thinking, what if Mox retains and cuts a promo about becoming first ever triple champ as well?

They obviously can't have a single-elimination tournament with 6 people in it so maybe what we get instead is Ibushi/Okada and Naito/White mini tournament for IWGP and IC belts. Then ZSJ and Mox also face each other in title vs title match and we get two double champs after second day of WK is done.

So you know, they announced that New Beginning in Osaka is moving to Osaka-Jo Hall. A big upgrade from what they usually run there. They need a big match there and it just so happens that Mox has defeated Naito during G1 and, in my scenario, they would be heavy favourites to both become double champs at WK. So you know, Naito gets his win back and gets 4 belts? I know, completely crazy.

Edited September 17 by Archibald