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NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.


The Natural

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On 12/8/2022 at 10:38 PM, TimLivingston said:

https://twitter.com/wonf4w/status/1600923929774026752

Holy crap. 
 

EDIT: Also, why isn’t this embedded, goddamn it. 

 

On 12/8/2022 at 11:28 PM, Sublime said:

I’m gonna have to renew my NJPW World subscription next month aren’t I.

Hell yeah!

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Might this be the very rare time the secondary championship, the IWGP United States Championship: Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega goes on last over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada? Still remember the public vote for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8 when the fans voted for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi over the IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito. I think NJPW will bill both as the double main event as they've done before at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom.

Edited by The Natural
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33 minutes ago, lostinube said:

Maybe one more match at Wrestle Kingdom will be for the NEVER title between

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Karl Anderson and Tama Tonga. The NJPW announcers expressed some skepticism that Anderson will be there though.

 

Oh God no...

Spoiler

Anderson vs Hikuleo was...well...awful, just strip Anderson of the title and do something else if he's gonna just mail it in like that.

 

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44 minutes ago, Horangi said:

Oh God no...

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Anderson vs Hikuleo was...well...awful, just strip Anderson of the title and do something else if he's gonna just mail it in like that.

 

It is not what that young man needs at this juncture in his career.

Also:

Spoiler

CHAOS rules the tag leagues as Yoh and Lio Rush win the Junior Tag League and Goto and YOSHI-HASHI (obviously a make-up for him not becoming the first ever TV champion) win the World Tag League.

 

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1 hour ago, lostinube said:

Maybe one more match at Wrestle Kingdom will be for the NEVER title between

  Reveal hidden contents

Karl Anderson and Tama Tonga. The NJPW announcers expressed some skepticism that Anderson will be there though.

 

 

48 minutes ago, Horangi said:

Oh God no...

  Hide contents

Anderson vs Hikuleo was...well...awful, just strip Anderson of the title and do something else if he's gonna just mail it in like that.

 

On that...

Spoiler

Fuck Karl Anderson. I'd have stripped him of the NEVER Openweight Championship. NJPW should have kept the NEVER Openweight Championship on Hiroshi Tanahashi and build it up like the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. I really miss that belt. More prestigious than the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship and the NEVER Openweight Championship. Criminal Anderson might get a singles match at the show when Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito don't.

 

Edited by The Natural
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Just now, lostinube said:

It is not what that young man needs at this juncture in his career.

Also:

  Hide contents

CHAOS rules the tag leagues as Yoh and Lio Rush win the Junior Tag League and Goto and YOSHI-HASHI (obviously a make-up for him not becoming the first ever TV champion) win the World Tag League.

 

On that...

Spoiler

Dammit. I was really rooting for the #FTR vs. Aussie Open rematch at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

 

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The tag league final was truly great, but holy smokes, that super junior tag final was fucking bananas.  

Spoiler

The wrong team won the tag league final, yes.  But really, Aussie Open won the tournament.  If you've watched any of the tag league this year, which was surprisingly good overall, you know the real stars are Aussie Open, and then there's everyone else.  Bishamon is the home team, everyone loves pulling for them, but the fans know the truth.  

The junior tag league has been the turning point for Yoh's career.  Teaming with Rush has awakened him somehow. I wasn't sure if he would ever get there, but he's reached the next level, so to speak. 

Kudos to Austin, Bey, and Rush, they were all amazing in that match.  I feel like Austin and Bey absolutely have a future in NJPW if they want it.  

 

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I’m of the mind that FTR/Aussie 2 would’ve been a great match…but most likely treated as a piss break by the Tokyo Dome crowd. At least with Bishamon, FTR has a chance to have a WK match that fans get into.

Edited by EVA
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I was originally very disappointed with the final result (great match though, Aussie Open & Bishamon have really good chemistry), but with time I do think its the right decision. With the NJPW announcement of a big event in "lovely" Wagga Wagga in 2023 (seemingly piggy-backing off Starrcast judging by the 4 day event, which I guess I'll be making the 6 hour drive for), I'm wondering if they'll just hold off crowning Aussie Open until then. Bishamon vs FTR should be a fun 12-15 minute match though at the Dome. 

Disappointed nothing for Naito has been announced, or Tana, but moreso Naito as there looked to be an arc about getting his Dome moment (though this could have just been English commentary making up something which they tend to do at times). I can't see Naito booked anywhere else for the rest of the year, but there is still time. Maybe something can be set at TAKATaichiMania (the last one ever apparently)?

Gabe Kidd called out Shibata in his post-match interview, Shibata did say he'd be involved at WK, maybe something with the LA Dojo boys? Flying Tigers also disbanded, which continues my theory that Robbie is probably going to end up in TMDK if TMDK/JONAH is sticking around as their junior. 

The Suzuki-Gun announcement
 

Spoiler

Gutted its ending, by far my favourite group in NJPW...its the one group where I can say I like everyone. I wonder how this will pan-out...because I just can't see Taichi/Despy in particular separating. Does it just shift into Taichi or Zack-gun (Tekkers-Gun?) or will there be an even bigger reset? I can't see any of the Suzuki-Gun members fitting in anywhere else. Again I think we'll get more clarity at TAKATaichiMania, but I'm also wondering something could happen at the AJPW 25/12 event with Taichi/Kanemaru and LIJ in the main event, LIJ teaming with Jake Lee etc (I'm probably just reading into things here). 


 

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Full January 4th card copied and pasted from f4wonline.com:

  • IWGP World Heavyweight title: Kazuchika Okada defends against Jay White
  • IWGP United States title: Will Ospreay defends against Kenny Omega
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight title match: Taiji Ishimori defends against Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado, and Master Wato in a four-way match
  • Keiji Mutoh, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI
  • NEVER Openweight title: Karl Anderson defends against Tama Tonga
  • NJPW World TV title: Ren Narita vs. Zack Sabre Jr. to determine first champion
  • IWGP Tag Team titles: FTR defend against YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto
  • IWGP Women’s title: KAIRI defends against Tam Nakano
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles: Francesco Akira and TJP defend against Lio Rush and YOH
  • Antonio Inoki Memorial Six-Man Tag: Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata vs. Tatsumi Fujinami, Minoru Suzuki, and Tiger Mask
  • Opening match: KOPW 2023/New Japan Rambo
  • Opening match: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Boltin Oleg in an exhibition match
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5 minutes ago, Control said:

So, what match or matches are you most looking forward to?

Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White, Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega, Zack Sabre Jr vs. Ren Narita and KAIRI vs. Tam Nakano.

Edited by The Natural
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13 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Where's Shingo Takagi?

Probably will be in the KOPW Ranbo with Taichi, Ishii etc. Stark contrast to main eventing 12 months ago but being one night, there always going to be a couple of higher up guys missing out.

KENTA is another glaring omission, I wonder if he's on his way out too.

Really looking forward to Ospreay/Omega, Narita/Zack, KAIRI/Nakano and the junior 4 way the most. After initially being high on Jay as champ after Dominion, I've really cooled on him and have barely any interest in the main. Mutoh 6 man should be fun, and Catch 22 match should be an entertaining sprint.

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Shingo and TAICHI are battling for the KOPW at the TAKATaichiMania on the 19th so maybe he'll be chasing his beloved trophy come Wrestle Kingdom.

Looking forward to Master Wato winning his first of many jr titles.

No O-Khan or Ishii either. The Ranbo is going to be packed this year.

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1 hour ago, Horangi said:

Probably will be in the KOPW Ranbo with Taichi, Ishii etc. Stark contrast to main eventing 12 months ago but being one night, there always going to be a couple of higher up guys missing out.

KENTA is another glaring omission, I wonder if he's on his way out too.

Really looking forward to Ospreay/Omega, Narita/Zack, KAIRI/Nakano and the junior 4 way the most. After initially being high on Jay as champ after Dominion, I've really cooled on him and have barely any interest in the main. Mutoh 6 man should be fun, and Catch 22 match should be an entertaining sprint.

Hell.of a fall going for Shingo Takagi going from main eventing one of the two last year to KOPW. I'd have saved him for the six man.

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