NJPW things before WK 14

[Archibald]

Figures I'll create thread for happenings that usually aren't very important, but at the same time might set up some future matches for WK or might be fun in general.

November 9th and 11th has shows in USA:
https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/58190?showCards=1
https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/59625?showCards=1

Noteworthy things:

• 9th has last Liger's match in USA, RevPro junior title match in ELP/Sho and USA title match in Archer/Finlay
• 11th has Narita/Ibushi singles match

November 16th - December 8th has WTL shows

This year they don't have finals, team that will get most points will end up winning. Hopefully this means that we won't get some 3-way for finals or tag titles match at WK.

Three Road To Tokyo Dome shows on December 19-21th will probably do some WK preview matches.

Last year Ishii/ZSJ match was confirmed on RevPro's show and since they are feeder fed either way I figure it is worth mentioning their upcoming big shows:

November 24th has British J-Cup that will feature PAC, OJMO, Eagles, ELP, Rocky, Cavernario, Amazing Red and Senza Volto. In theory this could set up some singles match for ELP's title.
December 15th has Uprising that so far has announced Suzuki and Sanada. Sanada has rolled up ZSJ during PS tour so he is likely either challenging here or they'll set up a title match here. Sanada likely is not coming alone and Suzuki has clearly been doing something with Shingo during PS tour as well so I won't be surprised if Shingo gets announced for this as well and this is another WK match.

[matt925]

I’m going to the San Jose show this weekend. Bringing to lapsed fans with me. Definitely not a show worth traveling too but it should be fun. 

[CSC]

Damn you AEW, we all deserve Mox/Shota in the WTL.  

[sevendaughters]

damn they're doing it like some 80s AJPW tag league, kind of into it, and yet am taking this time out to recuperate on New Japan

[Pete]

A 16-team single round robin format sounds like a REAL slog. Tenzan's knees are gonna be gefilte fish when this one is over.

[sevendaughters]

Mikey Nicholls back is something I never thought I'd see after his flop NJ Cup. Then again, seems pretty all-hands on deck.

[Archibald]

I think he also was on their AUS (obviously) and USA shows. Probably they are going to keep using him to fill out the cards when you need bodies.

[John E. Dynamite]

This might end up being a good tournament to cherry pick/watch the good shows. Or it might be like watching grass dry...~

The only teams that could hypothetically win are GoD, EVIL/SANADA or Taichi/Zack, I think? Are Juice/Finlay fringe contenders?

[Ace]

I hope at very least it'd be Taichi/Zack. The tag division is stale as hell. At least put Ishii and Goto together.

 

 

[Jiji]

I may try to get some Zack/Taichi viewing in. They were a blast last year. Zack vs. sempai will be the match I definitely check out if I only choose one.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

5 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

This might end up being a good tournament to cherry pick/watch the good shows. Or it might be like watching grass dry...~

The only teams that could hypothetically win are GoD, EVIL/SANADA or Taichi/Zack, I think? Are Juice/Finlay fringe contenders?

I think they're going to win it. 

I find it kind of funny that Gedo was primarily a tag guy during his career yet New Japan's tag divisions are pretty much an afterthought, especially the heavyweight division. 

Edited November 8, 2019 by Nice Guy Eddie

[Lawful Metal]

Is Shibata really gonna get cleared and return to wrestle?

[Archibald]

If you look at the final day matches then Evil/Sanada vs Juice/Finlay looks like a plausible match to determine the winner.

[Doragon]

[Archibald]

San Jose show was fun and I think that ELP/Sho is worth watching even if you don't have time for full shows.

[Archibald]

NJPW did a poll on who people see winning this:

Favourites are not surprising, but placement of 2-3 and 5 spots is maybe a bit more interesting. I wonder if it is entirely on Suzuki or fans in Japan are also getting hyped for Archer.

[CSC]

7 hours ago, Archibald said:

NJPW did a poll on who people see winning this:

Favourites are not surprising, but placement of 2-3 and 5 spots is maybe a bit more interesting. I wonder if it is entirely on Suzuki or fans in Japan are also getting hyped for Archer.

It's double title fever! 

[Jenalysis]

I thought Zack and Taichi would do better in the polls than Minoru and Archer, even if the Tekkers are the underlings.

[John E. Dynamite]

I guess Zack/Taichi aren't involved in a last-day tournament match, telegraphing the fact that they aren't winning.

The utter transparency of Gedo booking via late-tour match placement is NJPW's biggest problem, I mean it. Other than not booking Zack/Taichi to win, of course.

[Archibald]

They did same with junior tag teams, but it was somewhat reasonable since they left two teams with young lions out of the final day, nobody expects them to win anything. Here I could understand leaving out dad teams or Goto/Karl, but leaving Taichi/ZSJ out is one of those big brained decisions that is difficult to understand.

Anyway, Henare has new gear and looks like a guy who is ready to start moving up the card. I think it would be cool if we got Makabe/Henare in the near future as "passing of the torch" kinda thing.

And ZSJ/Taichi vs Ishii/Yoshi was main event of the first show, so you know, get your ZSJ/Taichi while you can.

[sevendaughters]

On 11/16/2019 at 3:18 AM, John E. Dynamite said:

The utter transparency of Gedo booking via late-tour match placement is NJPW's biggest problem, I mean it. Other than not booking Zack/Taichi to win, of course.

it's a problem for people like us who follow long-term storytelling (which I guess is not everyone, or even half of the people watching) but it does seem to help the houses. bit of a bind. you are right. last few years in G1 i look at Budokan/Sumo Hall and it's there.

[The Natural]

Enjoy:

 

[Archibald]

On 11/17/2019 at 8:28 PM, sevendaughters said:

it's a problem for people like us who follow long-term storytelling (which I guess is not everyone, or even half of the people watching) but it does seem to help the houses. bit of a bind. you are right. last few years in G1 i look at Budokan/Sumo Hall and it's there.

I think that if they started selling out semi-finals shows way in advance like they do with finals now then maybe we'd see more risk taking on last days. Now they still have to sell out semi-final Budokan, asides of Omega/Ibushi that you can't really do again.

[Pete]

Watching the most recent Korakuen show and Cabana has BOOTS BOOTS on his singlet in Japanese. Le sigh... another gaijin let down by the translator.

[Evil Otto]

14 hours ago, Pete said:

Watching the most recent Korakuen show and Cabana has BOOTS BOOTS on his singlet in Japanese. Le sigh... another gaijin let down by the translator.

Okay, I had to check.  It's a close call, but it's ブンブン on his singlet, which is technically correct, but when's he moving, it definitely looks more like ブツブツ (boots boots).  However, if he wants 100% "boom boom" accuracy, he should make it ブーンブーン, with the extended vowel, or even ブームブーム, which would appear to be the most accurate of all.  

Also, something tells me if it were phonetically wrong and said "boots boots", Yano would have told him, or at the very least they would make a in-ring bit out of it, and hilarity would have ensued.   I'm going to give all the parties concerned a pass on this one.  Crisis averted!  ギリギリセーフ！