Horangi Posted April 6 Posted April 6 I'm probably the biggest New Japan defender here so hopefully I can provide a relevant perspective. Callum as IWGP Champion: HATED it when it happened, still not completely sold on it and unless Tsuji is winning it back at Dominion I have no idea how this draws, especially over say Tsuji vs Uemura. I'm going to take this as New Japan has him on a 3 year deal and want to get the most out of it before inevitably losing him to AEW or WWE. Beating Nakamura's record just seems like a way to force Newman into a spot he may not be ready for. Yota Tsuji losing the belt: One thing I'd like to point out is that the charismatic anti-hero archetypes rarely have long runs - Tsuji, Naito, Chono (injured yes but never getting another run makes me feel it wasnt going to be a long one), Nakamura (I feel Tsuji will be more associated with the 'white belt' like Nak) and even Choshu to a point are examples. AEW x NJPW: Compared to a lot of the X/Reddit fanbase I don't hate the relationship, things like Forbidden Door are benefiting them financially, if i had any gripes it would just be having so much booking revolve around AEW. Newman winning makes me think we're getting an Ospreay reign and I think native fans are tired of AEW holding the top belt - Moxley was lukewarm and TAKESHITA was very much rejected. Tsuji is probably dropping the Global to Gabe which leads to the possibility of both top titles being on AEW guys. Yes, both have links to New Japan but still, most fans wish they'd prioritise their home talent which just doesn't seem to be happening. I do wish like someone else said AEW would send young guys or those they arent really using for a few tours. The Future: All things aside, if they can sort out their long term booking, they have a lot of very talented guys, possibly one of the most talented generations they've ever had: Uemura deserves to be in the discussion for best in the world at the moment, Umino has found his groove finally, Tsuji is pretty much there as long as he doesnt get screwed by the booking, Oiwa and Yuto-Ice are very good and close to putting it together, Boltin and Wolf will be legit threats, Fujita will be a great junior ace...the problem really comes down to Gedo. I will say the Newman change is a VERY Gedo move though. 6
Casey Posted April 6 Posted April 6 48 minutes ago, sabremike said: While on the topic: Said it before but one thing I would like to see is AEW sending young guys who need reps to NJPW in the same way NJPW sends guys out on excursions. This would also show you the guys who really want it as well because if you are willing to go live and work in Japan for a year you are clearly willing to put in the work and sacrifices needed to make it. I'll never get this mindset when someone like Anna Jay or whoever can just start accepting indie dates instead. Asking a wrestler to uproot their entire life for a whole year isn't the play in my mind, unless they actually want to. And I wouldn't look at it like "they don't want it" if they refused to move to Japan or Mexico for a year. Also for as unwatchable as House of Torture is/was (to Western audiences), I'm pretty sure EVIL and his guys were pretty goddamn popular with the home fanbase.
sabremike Posted April 6 Posted April 6 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Casey said: I'll never get this mindset when someone like Anna Jay or whoever can just start accepting indie dates instead. Asking a wrestler to uproot their entire life for a whole year isn't the play in my mind, unless they actually want to. And I wouldn't look at it like "they don't want it" if they refused to move to Japan or Mexico for a year. Also for as unwatchable as House of Torture is/was (to Western audiences), I'm pretty sure EVIL and his guys were pretty goddamn popular with the home fanbase. 1) The caliber of guys on US indies is generally not going to be at the level of NJPW or CMLL. And I'm not saying you bury anyone who doesn't want to do that, but in any line of work when it comes time for a promotion the guy who goes above and beyond is going to have the inside track. 2) They were popular with the fans who were going to the shows. The problem is that not enough people have been going to the shows. Edited April 6 by sabremike
Casey Posted April 6 Posted April 6 If Hangman wasn't a popular act with foreign audiences but was with domestic ones, I'd argue that Tony Khan should listen to the homebase and not the small number watching overseas (England not withstanding since I guess they get good numbers there, but my point still stands). And maybe indie workers aren't at the caliber of New Japan or CMLL wrestlers, but I stand by my opinion of asking a worker to move to a foreign country for a year is a shitty thing (unless they want to/it's their idea). Especially with the mindset of "if they want this, they'll do it".
Cobra Commander Posted April 6 Posted April 6 Is 1FW a de facto AEW developmental since it's QT's fed or is it just a place that Satnam Singh and Billy Gunn spend their Mondays?
Eivion Posted April 6 Posted April 6 1 hour ago, sabremike said: Was AEW responsible for the unwatchable HOT bullshit up and down the cards or taking a literal national sports hero and booking him in such an awful manner that it defies belief, or the dumb thing with Tsuji refusing to defend the title against non NJPW wrestlers that inherently devalued it? And the life or death comment was in regards to why Tony isn't in a position to send all his heavy hitters over for tours and not just certain dates. The stuff is clearly an attempt to push AEW as the bad guys and it annoys me greatly. Again, I don't think I or anyone else here was trying to defend bad booking by NJPW. You keep trying to make this argument no one is really opposing your view on. We aren't the redditors who piss you off about this stuff. I don't think AEW are the bad guys here per say. I think its up to NJPW to make the smartest decisions for themselves when it comes to this type of stuff. If they aren't then that is on them. 2
SturmCRF Posted April 6 Posted April 6 As a fan of AEW and NJPW about evenly, I love their relationship and am excited by Newman as champ, although it's a shame Tsuji didn't get a longer reign. I'm in favour of wrestlers moving on when they get stale, it's just a shame when anyone I enjoy goes to WWE to rot in midcard purgatory for a decade, like almost anyone not called Cody. Okada was beyond stale in NJPW and seemed to have little interest in putting over the next gen. In AEW he's rarely tearing up trees, but he's been in some very good matches against mainly fresh opponents. I'm sure his going there sucked for New Japan's accountants, but I feel it worked for both companies creatively. If you get rid of House Of Torture and spice up the junior division (I've never liked the concept of a junior division, but they have one so I'd prefer if it was interesting), New Japan is in a great place for me as a viewer. Oiwa, Oskar, Yuto Ice, Boltin, Umino, Uemura should all be future IWGP Champs if they stay healthy, Tsuji and now Newman are already established at that level, and you still have world class veterans in Goto, Sabre and Shingo (although ZSJ should go to AEW at some point, he's done it all in NJPW, he's not a draw as champion, and a whole company of new opponents will be fun). Also there's Aaron Wolf. He seems to have anti charisma to me, but people love him, he's a national hero and his aptitude at the actual wrestling part seems acceptable, so maybe he's also a future Dome main eventer, somehow? 1
Technico Support Posted April 6 Posted April 6 I love the talk of AEW being a bad partner to NJPW when NJPW made ROH look like a bunch of jobbers and a second class promotion during their partnership for years. 1
Raziel Posted April 6 Posted April 6 40 minutes ago, Technico Support said: I love the talk of AEW being a bad partner to NJPW when NJPW made ROH look like a bunch of jobbers and a second class promotion during their partnership for years. And that's not even counting the shit they did to JAPW in the 1st "US Expansion". 1
Shartnado Posted April 6 Posted April 6 On 4/5/2026 at 12:18 AM, Technico Support said: Nothing is better than the tie between AJ Styles’ jizz shirt and the Mistico cock shirt. The Triple H-designed ACH sambo shirt goes pretty hard, though. Misticock?!? 2
The Comedian Posted April 6 Posted April 6 I've got a question for the more Japan-astute folks here. Even with falling off in recent years, New Japan is still the big dog, right? Why haven't they poached more guys from AJPW and NOAH? I know they recently brought in Jake Lee, and I like Jake Lee, but he's kinda like a TEMU Nakajima. Why not just get the genuine article? Kenoh and Kento Miyahara have both done about as much as they can in NOAH and AJPW respectively, they could flip-flop, but so many people have done that (including the aforementioned Lee and Nakajima) that NOAH and All Japan kinda run together like they're the Raw and Smackdown of Japan. Of course maybe part of the problem there is that as we get older, we don't realize what we think of as young is getting older too. I mean, I'm sitting here thinking of 41-year-old Kenoh as a "younger guy". Maybe these guys have already aged out of consideration. But then again, NJPW could always try to rebuild the mess NOAH has made of Kaito Kiyomiya, or snatch up a rising sensation like Ozawa. 2
Shartnado Posted April 6 Posted April 6 1 hour ago, Technico Support said: I love the talk of AEW being a bad partner to NJPW when NJPW made ROH look like a bunch of jobbers and a second class promotion during their partnership for years. Coincidentally, the exact same thing AEW kept on (keeps on) doing after purchasing the brand, so that must go with the territory? 2
Sublime Posted April 6 Posted April 6 1 hour ago, Technico Support said: I love the talk of AEW being a bad partner to NJPW when NJPW made ROH look like a bunch of jobbers and a second class promotion during their partnership for years. And people questioned how the partnership helped ROH back then just like the AEW/NJPW relationship is. So I guess the shoe is on the other foot now Also outside of Omega and Bucks pretty much all the ROH guys of the time fit best as jobbers in NJPW
Dolfan in NYC Posted April 6 Author Posted April 6 Oh boy.... (and yes, we know, you're a better person than him. You don't need to say it.) 1
Dolfan in NYC Posted April 6 Author Posted April 6 The trailer for HULK HOGAN: REAL AMERICAN On Netflix, April 22nd. 2
Cobra Commander Posted April 6 Posted April 6 there's probably some interesting parts of Hogan's pre-1984 story that he absolutely didn't tell us about
Shartnado Posted April 6 Posted April 6 Re: IWGP-champion. I don't know the guy, but I can't help but to think of how Jerry Seinfeld would react if he heard that Newman was the top champion in Japan? Re: That documentary. Not exactly about the documentary itself, but the guy that it's about. It was pretty unfortunate that he lost his eyesight and I suppose his sense of smell, too, by the end. I know there's a soundbite out there of him saying "I see no stinkin' Nazis here" while standing in front of a crowd of literal and most likely stinking Nazis! 2
SturmCRF Posted April 6 Posted April 6 3 hours ago, The Comedian said: I've got a question for the more Japan-astute folks here. Even with falling off in recent years, New Japan is still the big dog, right? Why haven't they poached more guys from AJPW and NOAH? I know they recently brought in Jake Lee, and I like Jake Lee, but he's kinda like a TEMU Nakajima. Why not just get the genuine article? Kenoh and Kento Miyahara have both done about as much as they can in NOAH and AJPW respectively, they could flip-flop, but so many people have done that (including the aforementioned Lee and Nakajima) that NOAH and All Japan kinda run together like they're the Raw and Smackdown of Japan. Of course maybe part of the problem there is that as we get older, we don't realize what we think of as young is getting older too. I mean, I'm sitting here thinking of 41-year-old Kenoh as a "younger guy". Maybe these guys have already aged out of consideration. But then again, NJPW could always try to rebuild the mess NOAH has made of Kaito Kiyomiya, or snatch up a rising sensation like Ozawa. I think it's a Japanese cultural thing where more loyalty is expected and most companies respect that, most of the time. Poaching is rarer, and controversial when it happens. As far as Nakajima specifically, I think it's because he's a notorious dickhead and bully, which is a shame as he's a fantastic wrestler. 1
HumanChessgame Posted April 6 Posted April 6 I'd watch a Hogan documentary if it was in kayfabe with the actual people or re-enactors validating all his bullshit stories, kind of like the Weird Al biopic. 2 3
Shartnado Posted April 6 Posted April 6 Just now, HumanChessgame said: I'd watch a Hogan documentary if it was in kayfabe with the actual people or re-enactors validating all his bullshit stories, kind of like the Weird Al biopic. Would you watch a Weird, Artificial Intelligence kayfabe biopic about Hogan, though? Because I'm pretty sure that could be arranged!
Cobra Commander Posted April 6 Posted April 6 in the spirit of the lameass Pat McAfee going after internet wrestling fans angle going on... let's go a step further and have a wrestler with an anti-technology gimmick. A mix of being a luddite and maybe a tad of Chuck from Better Call Saul where he doesn't use music, insists on dimming the lights for his matches, and is opposed to all the new technologies of course there's a lot of "Daniel Bryan with a wooden title belt saying things that a certain percentage of fans like" to the gimmick of an anti-AI wrestler who also hates electricity and computers and social media a pro-AI heel probably works better in the eyes of the audience but there's probably more you can do with a luddite heel, if that makes any sense. The villainy of a pro-AI heel is probably still a little hard to translate to a wrestling show unless they start making deepfakes of their opponents with breasts or something the luddite heel can win a title and then have matches where he puts his title up and if his opponent doesn't win the title, that opponent has to get off Social Media for 30 days or something daunting like that
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