Archibald Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 Why would it be a bigger deal after G1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 I'm thinking they would have the United Empire win it once they are all back in the country. Build up a feud during the G1. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Z Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 On 8/1/2021 at 1:58 PM, Spontaneous said: Show today was worth watching if you have enjoyed NJPW this year. The send off matches were what you'd expect. Tsuji-Naito was slightly better overall but I liked the finish to Uemura-Okada better. Uemura just not quite there yet, so close. Did it ever get confirmed exactly where they are going on excursion? I've heard both are going to Mexico but I don't follow lucha so I have no clue what the state of the scene is. I presume it'd be CMLL then. Yota Tsuji is going to RevPro starting in September: Awesome! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 Owens and Yano are going to be meeting for the KOPW title in either a Texas Strap match (Owens choice, with touch 4 corners rules) or an I Quit match (Yano's choice). I really hope the I Quit match wins cause while I imagine Yano could think of some fun shenanigans for a touch 4 corners gimmick I really hate those kind of matches and want to see if Yano will follow up his words of showing Owens how serious he can get and see if he goes back to his more violent roots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 I imagine Yano wins since the fans have voted for his stipulations every match before. Didn't they already do a Texas strap match anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Spoilers for last Road to show: Spoiler Sho/Yoh team was doing real bad and eventually Sho turned on Yoh. Likely going to United Empire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horangi Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 Shingo and BUSHI just both tested positive for COVID-19. They should hopeful clear in time, but still if not, that title is definitely cursed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted August 18, 2021 Author Share Posted August 18, 2021 3 hours ago, Horangi said: Shingo and BUSHI just both tested positive for COVID-19. They should hopeful clear in time, but still if not, that title is definitely cursed. Damn. The NJPW World Heavyweight Championship really is cursed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 Looks like first night is going to have Tanahashi/Ibushi for USA title. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted August 18, 2021 Author Share Posted August 18, 2021 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Archibald said: Looks like first night is going to have Tanahashi/Ibushi for USA title. I like that. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi in the G1 Climax 28 Final is one of the best matches of all time, *****. I hope we don't get a third NJPW United States Championship title change in quick succession. I'd like Tana to get the long reign he didn't get as NEVER Openweight Champion wanting him to build the belt up with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship getting retired. Edited August 18, 2021 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted August 18, 2021 Author Share Posted August 18, 2021 MOTYC. Glad Kota Ibushi is on the mend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted August 19, 2021 Author Share Posted August 19, 2021 Here are the announced lineups for both nights: NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night one, Saturday, September 4 -- IWGP United States Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb Provisional KOPW 2021 No DQ I Quit match: Chase Owens (c) vs. Toru Yano NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night two, Sunday, September 5 -- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. EVIL IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi If I had to watch one show, 4th September it is for Tanahashi/Ibushi and Okada/Cobb. EVIL sucks. So does SANADA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted August 19, 2021 Share Posted August 19, 2021 I'm guessing a jr tag title match will be added to one of the nights since they just had the Jr tag league end and didn't announce anything. Could see Sho vs Yoh get added since they won't have anything to do during the G1, might as well do it now unless they are facing off in BOTSJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horangi Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 A couple of new young lions debut tomorrow - Ryohei Oiwa and Kosei Fujita. Both have amateur backgrounds, Oiwa is a little bigger (180cm/90kg vs 178cm/83kg) but Fujita is the first from the dojo to the debut born after 2000 (he's 19)...boy do I feel old haha. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Hiromu vs Douki from today's show was fantastic. Go out of your way to see it. A brutal jr match. Eagles vs Wato was solid. Wato has moments here and there where he still seems out of place. I did like him clawing at the referee while in Robbie's leg submission. He has improved a lot from one year ago. The two new rookies look to be very promising. Excited to see them develop. I love the journey NJPW gives their young lions, it's exciting to watch them from day one. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horangi Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 (edited) DOUKI has really upped his game in the last 12 months, he might be the most underrated guy on the New Japan roster. Really good match! I was worried DOUKi was going to land on the railing when he did the DOUKI Bomb... Robbie and Wato was good too. I remember their BoSJ match being very sloppy, so I had my reservations about this. I'm hoping Robbie gets a bit longer with the belt. As much as I love Hiromu, I want to see him chase again. Hiromu and Robbie had my favourite non-final match of the BoSJ last year so I'm really looking forward to this one. Agree with Fujita and Oiwa looking good so far. Nakashima getting frustrated on the outside will hopefully lead to some fun young lion rivalry stuff, I'm guessing he is very close to an in-ring return. Edited August 28, 2021 by Horangi Adding part about young lions 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 After testing positive for COVID-19, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI have been medically cleared to appear at NJPW's Wrestle Grand Slam. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo will return at NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome on Sunday, according to Tokyo Sports. BUSHI's return has been announced for a tag team match on night one on Saturday. Shingo and BUSHI were pulled from a Summer Struggle show on August 15 after presenting with fevers. Both would undergo PCR tests. NJPW announced on August 18 that both had tested positive for COVID-19. They missed the rest of the Summer Struggle tour. Six wrestlers who were identified as close contacts with Shingo and BUSHI worked the show on August 15, but were then pulled from the remainder of the tour. The six close contacts were Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, Gedo, Dick Togo and Yujiro Takahashi. Of those wrestlers, EVIL, Tetsuya Naito and SANADA are all still listed for the Sunday Wrestle Grand Slam show, although no specific announcement has been made regarding their status. Here are the lineups for both nights at MetLife Dome: NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night one, Saturday, September 4, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World -- IWGP United States Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb Provisional KOPW 2021 No DQ, I Quit match: Chase Owens (c) vs. Toru Yano SHO vs. YOH Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI Pre-show: STARDOM exhibition match TBA NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night two, Sunday, September 5, 2 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World -- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. EVIL IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan Pre-show: STARDOM exhibition match TBA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted September 2, 2021 Author Share Posted September 2, 2021 Hiroshi Tanahashi sporting a full beard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 YANO WINS OR WE RIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 31 minutes ago, sabremike said: YANO WINS OR WE RIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spoiler This. Glad Yano won but his match with Owens went too long, 25+ minutes. It's a criticism I have with NJPW more so this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) Wrestle Kingdom 16 announcement: Spoiler Wrestle Kingdom 16 keeping the 4th/5th January format at Tokyo Dome and adding the 8th in Yokohama Arena, first time since 2014. NJPW's 50th anniversary year. Edited September 4, 2021 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 7 minutes ago, The Natural said: Reveal hidden contents This. Glad Yano won but his match with Owens went too long, 25+ minutes. It's a criticism I have with NJPW more so this year. Spoiler The Magnum TY finish made it all worth it. If this had taken place in front of an AEW type of crowd people would've been going crazy for that finish. Also remember the length of matches is in part because the company is short handed so to fill out the show matches are longer. Will agree if they shaved 10 minutes off the match it would've been even better but the story of Yano going back to his roots as a brawling heel and that finish still made it a big thumbs up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 On 8/18/2021 at 7:51 AM, The Natural said: I like that. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi in the G1 Climax 28 Final is one of the best matches of all time, *****. I hope we don't get a third NJPW United States Championship title change in quick succession. I'd like Tana to get the long reign he didn't get as NEVER Openweight Champion wanting him to build the belt up with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship getting retired. C'mon Hiroshi Tanahashi! Amazing how he's still going as he has. Go Ace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted September 4, 2021 Author Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) On 8/18/2021 at 7:51 AM, The Natural said: I like that. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi in the G1 Climax 28 Final is one of the best matches of all time, *****. I hope we don't get a third NJPW United States Championship title change in quick succession. I'd like Tana to get the long reign he didn't get as NEVER Openweight Champion wanting him to build the belt up with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship getting retired. Spoiler Right result with Hiroshi Tanahashi retaining the IWGP United States Championship. I liked the shorter match length as well, 17:47 because NJPW matches tend to overstay their welcome recently. Case in point, Yano/Owens on the same show going 28:03. Great effort from Kota Ibushi in his first match back in two months after aspiration pneumonia. Edited September 4, 2021 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horangi Posted September 4, 2021 Share Posted September 4, 2021 Spoiler Can't believe I sat through 28 minutes of Yano/Chase and didn't hate it. Not saying it's a classic but boy I was dreading this one. Popped huge for old blonde heel Yano coming back. SHO/YOH I enjoyed, but like most criticisms for current NJPW, needed time shaved off. I'm hoping this House of Torture actually splits from BC at some point because BC is stacked (especially with higher tier juniors). Could also be a good way to fix EVIL. I thought Ibushi put in a hell of an effort considering the time he missed, and all things considered the match was enjoyable. Glad Tana won, he's a good one to hold the US belt as he's someone the US/AEW audiences will recognise when he goes over to defend. Need to rematch Cobb/Okada as I had to do some work, but I did catch some spots. I know it gets said a lot but damn Cobb is impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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