The Natural Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 24 minutes ago, Archibald said: Either surprise Ibushi return or an outsider. Nothing else really comes to mind? Yoh/Sho and Naito/Cobb are looking like #1 contender matches for New Beginning shows. Oh man, I have bad visions of Murder Ibushi coming out with those slaps and strikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Video announcement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 I could see Suzuki as Shibata’s opponent since he’s someone who can do a lot of grappling in a match if they want to keep limiting bumps for Shibata. If any of his students from the LA dojo are in Japan with him I could see one of them being his opponent as well since they’d be someone he trusts being in the ring with. I 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Noticed there's no Jay White or Minoru Suzuki. NJPW's loss is NJPW STRONG's gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 It seems pretty clear that New Japan just doesn't see Suzuki as a featured player anymore, so he's happy enough to play the hits as a touring legend. I can't imagine the company is as stoked about White's extended absence, and what that could imply about his future plans. (Even if COVID does someday get sorted, it could be suggested that he's expressed his territorial priority, and he already lives in the States.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 (edited) The Shibata match rules are undecided. He will be taking some hits and bumps since it's not grappling rules this time. Maybe UWFI rules with UWF style in ring, or maybe not. I wouldn't mind Suzuki winning the KOPW, and turning the division into the different style fights rules division. Edited December 16, 2021 by D.Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 In 8 hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted December 17, 2021 Author Share Posted December 17, 2021 (edited) Card announced for NJPW/NOAH show and it is all tags with one single match between Sho and Atsushi Kotouge. Edited December 17, 2021 by Archibald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinube Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 https://www.njpw.co.jp/329914 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I feel like the lack of Ospreay on the card is tipping their hand on his chances of winning on night 2. I’d assume they’d want their top champ on this show and really it would make sense to have it on either Shingo or Okada based on the lineup. I feel like the card does the same for NOAHs upcoming Nakajima/Go match cause being matched against EVIL is a terrible thing for a top champ to be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Wish Go Shiosaki had a better opponent than fucking EVIL. The Okada/Tanahashi tag and Suzuki-Gun match are the ones I'm most into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SturmCRF Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Kind of disappointing card, but LIJ vs Kongoh is very exciting on paper. What this card really needs more than a particular match is some angles setting up future crossovers, they need something to freshen them up if Covid will be keeping their foreign talent inaccessible for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sublime Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I think there's a good chance that there will probably be at least one angle that could lead to future crossover with the match where KENTA is wrestling on the NOAH side. KENTA's heel nature would lend him to either betray NOAH or cheat to help NOAH win where either could create future crossover options, with the latter opening a chance for KENTA to leave BC and be leader of a NOAH invasion/faction/something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archibald Posted December 17, 2021 Author Share Posted December 17, 2021 2 hours ago, Sublime said: I feel like the lack of Ospreay on the card is tipping their hand on his chances of winning on night 2. I’d assume they’d want their top champ on this show and really it would make sense to have it on either Shingo or Okada based on the lineup. I feel like the card does the same for NOAHs upcoming Nakajima/Go match cause being matched against EVIL is a terrible thing for a top champ to be doing. I think that nobody from UE getting booked is a bit weird. You'd think that Cobb/O-Khan or Cobb/O-Khan/Henare would be better than having 3 Suzuki Gun matches. 2 Bullet Club matches probably could also be combined into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 The card was bound to be mostly tags because of politics and being safe. Looking forward to the interactions anyway and if anything starts something after. Something was suggested between LIJ and Kongoh, the losing unit losing the color red. But nothing may happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Stray thought: LIJ and Kongoh is a faction vs faction match featuring a world champ on either side, but the world champ isn't the faction leader in either case. That feels pretty unique. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 LOL at ZSJ. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matwarz Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 ZSJ with a British Christmas in a nutshell. Mind you, last time I enjoyed festivities in Blighty I was smashed on fosters and killing myself at Morecambe and Wise 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 27, 2021 Share Posted December 27, 2021 6 hours ago, The Natural said: So he will be taking and doing throws and slams again. The English NJPW website left it out but Shibata mentioned Inoki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Dragon Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 I read that the Yokohama Arena show is sold out, what that means in terms of attendance in this covid era...we will have to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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