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2021 Puroresu General Discussion


Jiji

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Strong spoilers:

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My mind is reeling at the result of the IWGP US Title bout! He seems to have so many other things on his plate right now. I'm surprised they didn't immediately set up the next challenger. Can't wait to see where they go next with this.

 

Edited by El Gran Gordi
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So I signed up for NJPW World to see Moxley/KENTA and I am happy with my purchase even with their clunky UI and lack of app options. Even though they're on the Roku Channel, they don't have a separate app on Roku (my TV is TCL with built-in Roku) and while the lack of a Playstation app doesn't shock me, it would be nice. I'm using a HDMI cord and streaming via my laptop. I'm aware that this is what everyone says when they sign up.

How long before we talk about the match or should that go into the Strong thread?

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Tokyo Sports reports Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi will allow the IWGP and IC to be fully merged and 1 new belt design, the new belt will be known as IWGP World Heavyweight.

The first defense will be vs against the NJC winner.

Edited by D.Z
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Been long time we had only 1 top IWGP belt, I know the IWGP US title exists but that title should eventually be NJPW USA top title. Anyway in other NJPW belt news Tanahashi's plan for the NEVER title is...to raise the NEVER belt's prestige to IWGP, which really just means it will be the secondary title in importance.
 

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Edited by D.Z
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The Eruption vs. Sauna Club (Takeshita/MAO) Tag Title match from the 2/23 DDT show is well worth watching - typically unique stuff from MAO all around, and Higuchi kinda goes next level emotionally towards the end, which works well both in the match itself and with an eye towards his singles title challenge coming up.

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Before we get to the new IWGP World HW title, the Double Crown is getting 1 more defense at the Budokan show, Kota Vs Despy. We are gonna have to wait bit longer for the new title.

Edited by D.Z
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2 minutes ago, D.Z said:

Before we get to the new IWGP World HW title, the Double Crown is getting 1 more defense at the Budokan show, Kota Vs Depsy. We are gonna have to wait bit longer for the new title.

Can see a presentation after the match or during the New Japan Cup. There's also Sakura Genesis.

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On 2/27/2021 at 2:20 PM, Ramo2653 said:

So I signed up for NJPW World to see Moxley/KENTA and I am happy with my purchase even with their clunky UI and lack of app options. Even though they're on the Roku Channel, they don't have a separate app on Roku (my TV is TCL with built-in Roku) and while the lack of a Playstation app doesn't shock me, it would be nice. I'm using a HDMI cord and streaming via my laptop. I'm aware that this is what everyone says when they sign up.

How long before we talk about the match or should that go into the Strong thread?

The app is also on Amazon fire stick (and TVs with built in Amazon fire integration). During the holidays Amazon always has fire sticks on sale for $20, which is a great way to turn a non smart tv into a smart tv. But not suggesting to buy one strictly for new japan. Hdmi from a laptop always gets the job done. 

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I prefer the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship to be separate still. I don't think Double Gold Dash worked out as well as it could. I figured both titles would be defended and sometimes the one. I thought the latter would lead to the titles getting separated again.

I'll miss the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, a secondary title that truly meant something and because of which main evented shows. I'll miss the IWGP Heavyweight Championship Version 4. Both are two of the best wrestling belts ever made. Beautiful. Nearly impossible to follow on.

The new name, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is fitting. If I understand rightly, this will be new lineage with Kota Ibushi as the first. Really don't like that, give a new name to the belt yes, but carry on the title history of legendary names: Fujinami, Chosu, Muto, Hashimoto, Nakamura, Tanahashi, Okada, Naito and Omega. I love how the video plays before the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match of past champions. You've retired a title with 33 years worth of history. The WWE Championship has had different names but still kept their lineage.

I've looked to see the feedback of the announcement that the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship will be unified, will get a new belt design and new lineage. The majority of which are pissed at all three.

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33 minutes ago, TheVileOne said:

Glad they are finally merging the belts. There was no point having them separate anymore ever since WK 14.

Now if they'd only have gotten the US title off of Moxley like they should have.

Yeah, Moxley retaining surprised me. Guessing it'll become NJPW Strong top title and will make some shows in Japan. Like how the WWE United Kingdom Championship made an appearance on NXT TakeOver: Chicago.

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I always felt the IWGP US belt was something for Omega to do until he could dethrone Okada. At least now, in theory, it has some purpose as the NJPW Strong top title. The IC title always felt to me like something for guys to do when they weren't going for the IWGP title.

Would people have been as upset if the NEVER title was combined with the IC or IWGP title? NEVER doesn't even exist anymore but it has a purpose with it being a litmus test for juniors transitioning to heavyweight and as the hard hitting style title matches. I don't think they need anything more than the IWGP and NEVER belts as the main singles titles. 

I too will miss the old lineage recaps before the title matches but it'll be cool to see a new one begin. I always find it funny how the IWGP title was held by Bob Sapp, Kota Ibushi and Brock Lesnar. A very wild history.

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The IWGP Intercontinental Championship getting retired means it's one of the very few things Kazuchika Okada didn't win. Okada's NJPW record:

Five IWGP Heavyweight Championship reigns.

Fourth reign as IWGP Heavyweight Championship is the longest in NJPW history, 720 days and most title defences at 12.

Two G1 Climax Wins (2012, 2014).

New Japan Cup (2013).

Won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, G1 Climax and New Japan Cup at his very first go.

Main evented six 4th January Tokyo Dome shows (2013, 2015-2018 and 2020).

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You know who could become grand slam champion is Jay White, who hasn't held the Never Openweight title. Which just so happens to be held by Hiroshi Tanahashi, who faces the winner of White-Henare in the NJ Cup...

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Keep in mind title lineage and title history are separate things, the lineage of connecting to both IWGP HW and IWGP IC will exist but the title history will start over.

Despy becomes the last guy to challenge for the Double Crown and its separate belts IWGP HW,  IWGP IC ... quite an honor.

Obviously but once the two IWGP titles merge..other promotions will have longer title histories for their respective top titles:  AJPW's Triple Crown title, NOAH's GHC HW,  DDT's KO-D, etc.

IWGP HW was linked to Showa Era to up, the title's youngest and oldest winners and most defenses and reigns and shortest and longest reigns are closed forever.

Edited by D.Z
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