Sublime

Oaf that's a long match, I enjoyed their BOSJ finals match but felt it was too long then. NJPW is really having a problem with these long matches. Long matches can be wonderful Okada has had plenty but not ever long match is great and not every wrestler is an Okada level talent (he's a top 1% worker of all time) who knows how to make those matches work. Just stop with these forced epics.

I have no problems with wrestlers failing their goals. It’s just that lately goals are rarely achieved it makes it so there is no investment in the goals wrestlers set because it’s almost a forgone conclusion that they won’t happen. That’s how NJPW has mostly been for the past few years so when a guy says I’m going to do this it’s pretty much a signal that they won’t do it (unless it’s at WK). I’m fine with people failing as long as we get to see success too.

Those spoilers are something.

This is such sad news. OSJ is someone I had a few direct interactions with over the past two decades but he was always nice to me when we did. I'm gonna miss the stories of his cats and all his knowledge he'd drop about old wrestlers, comics, and authors.

The problem with All Japans influence is also we had the 2000s Indy style being created by a bunch of workers who were influenced by what they saw of the promotion and wrestlers without all of the context. And that style became really ingrained in the US scene all the way to the WWE so we have an idea of these highly dangerous spots and moves being what is good rather than stories that build to the need of those spots

Yeah I always saw Michaels Mr Wrestlemania thing (in it's early days at least) not about him being dominant at Mania but more that he would always put extra effort into his Mania matches from both a kayfabe and shoot perspective. He would give his opponents the hardest fight and put the most effort in when the lights were on bright

Sending a letter to the courthouse explaining that you are an anarchist who does not believe in the laws of man worked well for.....someone (until they moved to another area anyway).

I almost canceled my NJPW world sub. last month and kinda wished I had. My interest is so low both in NJPW and wrestling in general (the deaths of Brodie and Hana really drained me last year) and putting Ospreay on top makes me not care about the upcoming dome shows, which I was holding out for hoping they’d do something interesting there. The new era is shaping up to be one that isn’t what I want to see.

I was just starting to like Ospreay when the speaking out stuff came out. He was strating to put things together better but yeah my opinion of him dropped back down last year (he's heel turn has been lame as well) The only time I thought Scurll looked good was against Okada at All In, I thought maybe I can get into this guy he's never looked this good, turned out you just look great when you're in the ring with one of the best of all time. Ospreay/Okada at WK is easily Ospreays best match too and the only worthwhile thing to come out of his turn (well heel Cobb is good too). Stormbreaker

I thought the belt might grow on me the more I saw it but no, I'm liking it less each time. There's something about the shape of it that just seems off. I don't know if widen the bottom half would help but it wouldn't hurt. I don't like how much strap is visible in the front. I think it looks fine with Ibushi it fits him but I can't really see it as a belt others would wear with pride. I literally can't picture Tanahashi with that belt or Okada for that manner, it lacks the feel of grandeur that a main belt should have. I think shaping it more like the previous belt and more emphasis on the id

I had to look him up too and I still don’t know who he is. He definitely picked up the carny aspects of the business during his training though that’s for sure

Thank you Dolfan. This thread has been a great read and a one of the consistent ways I’ve been able to take my mind of the virus over the past year. Also I’m sorry you’ve been impacted so much by it. The past year has been stressful for us all. As someone who works in public health and holds an advanced degree in it as well, this year has been frustrating as well, watching as basic public health measures are undermined, ignored or mocked. Having outlets like his has been great for my mind. I and my immediate family as well as some extended, contracted the virus in December, we were excee

If they had let DDP end Goldberg’s streak that would have been the best ending of a win streak because the diamond cutter was over enough that it would have been convincing but not hurt Goldberg’s aura. But yeah I can’t think of a win streak that was booked well when it ended.

I see the challenge as more

Yes hopefully this will lead to a Roku NJPW World app it would make watching more convenient for me anyway, I usually watch on my laptop but most of my watching is on the weekend and I don't always want to get on a computer after a week of work. I'll be interested in seeing how the show is set up and presented.