scraylo187 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 From .Net... TNA issued the following press release to Prowrestling.net regarding its talent being featured on an upcoming Wrestle-1 event in Japan. Building on the popularity of its programming internationally, TNA announced today it will send 11 of its Superstars to Japan for a special event with Wrestle-1, founded by the legendary Keiji Mutoh (The Great Muta), on March 2 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena. The event will feature matches pitting members of the TNA roster against Wrestle-1 talent. Cameras will capture all the action and the footage is scheduled to broadcast as a One Night Only Pay-Per-View (PPV) event later this year. "The Japanese have an incomparable respect and appreciation for professional wrestling," said TNA Executive Vice President John Gaburick. "As TNA continues our global expansion, we are honored to partner with Mutoh and Wrestle-1 to give our fans an exceptional night of unparalleled entertainment. We envision a long and successful relationship with Wrestle-1, as we partner to deliver innovative live events and programming for our fans across the U.S., in Japan and around the world." The TNA Superstars scheduled to appear on March 2 include World Heavyweight Champion Magnus, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe, Gail Kim, Austin Aries, Abyss, Kaz and Daniels, Madison Rayne and the recently signed The Wolves, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. Additionally, Mutoh, along with Wrestle-1 star Seiya Sanada, will be in Miami March 8-9 for Lockdown, where they are scheduled to participate in Fan InterAction and the Pay-Per-View event. Could actually be a really good show. The old 'Global Impact' specials TNA did are one of the few things I've ever liked about the company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazlo Woodbine Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Pretty cool, should get one or two decent matches out of it at least. Are Wrestle-1 still not announcing matches in advance? I know they weren't for the first couple of shows at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGFanJay Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 According to the Observer site, MUTA'S COMING TO LOCKDOWN! And this was all set up by Jeff Jarrett, who is of course gone. Also, W1 featured AJ, and he's gone too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgi86 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm digging this, but then again I usually dig cross-promotional events like this one. TNA is sending a pretty good crew so that's a positive. No big names but plenty of quality talent. I am somewhat surprised Rob Terry is not part of the crew though. He's already done two full tours with W-1 and is yet to lose a match in Japan. Why build him up and not use him on the big show? Not that I'm complaining. Just wondering. Anyway, this is a pretty big gamble on W-1's part. This is their first really big show and Sumo Hall is a big building. It seems like they're putting too much stock in TNA's popularity in Japan and I hope that doesn't come back to bite them on the ass. Also, cool news about Muta and Sanada at Lockdown. As old and broken down as he may be, I always enjoy watching him do his thing. I wonder who they'll put them against. Sting and another guy vs. Muta and Sanada would have been the perfect option, in my opinion, but alas that seems to be off the table now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Muta/Angle should happen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overly Critical Man Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Wait...TNA has a fanbase in Japan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm digging this, but then again I usually dig cross-promotional events like this one. TNA is sending a pretty good crew so that's a positive. No big names but plenty of quality talent. I am somewhat surprised Rob Terry is not part of the crew though. He's already done two full tours with W-1 and is yet to lose a match in Japan. Why build him up and not use him on the big show? Not that I'm complaining. Just wondering. Anyway, this is a pretty big gamble on W-1's part. This is their first really big show and Sumo Hall is a big building. It seems like they're putting too much stock in TNA's popularity in Japan and I hope that doesn't come back to bite them on the ass. Also, cool news about Muta and Sanada at Lockdown. As old and broken down as he may be, I always enjoy watching him do his thing. I wonder who they'll put them against. Sting and another guy vs. Muta and Sanada would have been the perfect option, in my opinion, but alas that seems to be off the table now. Sting would have to re-sign to make that possible and even if he did - there is no guarantee he would work the Japan show. He almost never did the foreign tours because they would have had to pay him extra. Last year they got him to agree to go because of the screw up with Jeff Hardy and that wasnt exactly the easiest thing for them to work out. With the exception of Angle - TNA is pretty much already sending over their biggest names. I have to assume The Wolves will win the tag belts during these UK tapings since the BroMans arent going to Japan and you know TNA will want their champions on this tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgi86 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Also, cool news about Muta and Sanada at Lockdown. As old and broken down as he may be, I always enjoy watching him do his thing. I wonder who they'll put them against. Sting and another guy vs. Muta and Sanada would have been the perfect option, in my opinion, but alas that seems to be off the table now. Sting would have to re-sign to make that possible and even if he did - there is no guarantee he would work the Japan show. He almost never did the foreign tours because they would have had to pay him extra. Last year they got him to agree to go because of the screw up with Jeff Hardy and that wasnt exactly the easiest thing for them to work out. You seem to have misunderstood/misread that part of my post. I wasn't referring to the Japan show. I was referring to Muta (presumably) wrestling at TNA Lockdown in Miami. And as I was saying, Sting being an opponent for Muta is sadly no longer an option (unless Sting re-signs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 The W-1 guys will be used about as well as every other Japanese wrestler that came to TNA. Let's all remember how well they pushed the current IWGP champion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scraylo187 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 The W-1 guys will be used about as well as every other Japanese wrestler that came to TNA. Let's all remember how well they pushed the current IWGP champion. If this is anything like the older Global Impacts, it'll just be matches and no terrible angles or investors or bikers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGFanJay Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Muta/Angle should happen. In a video game, sure. Muta could barely walk down the ramp at the Tokyo Dome show, and Kurt's apparently even less mobile than usual after that cage moonsault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdangerously Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 The W-1 guys will be used about as well as every other Japanese wrestler that came to TNA. Let's all remember how well they pushed the current IWGP champion. And the time Tanahashi jobbed to a Shannon Moore run-in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overly Critical Man Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Apparently Angle is taking some time off for knee surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Ok, so no Angle, no Styles, no Hardy, and presumably no Sting. Is there anybody left on the roster besides Bully who means anything at all in Japan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Conn Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Joe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 That occurred to me, but Joe hasn't given a shit in years, so unless he suddenly gets motivated again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Wait...TNA has a fanbase in Japan? It's Todd Grisham's fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kafkonia Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Ok, so no Angle, no Styles, no Hardy, and presumably no Sting. Is there anybody left on the roster besides Bully who means anything at all in Japan? Daniels? Sabin (I don't know, but Shelley's doing well over there so maybe?) [[REDACTED INVESTOR NAME]]? And if Joe's going to get motivated, Japan's as likely as anything to cause it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Honestly don't know about Sabin one way or the other, but I'd say the other two count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ligerbusa Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Wait...TNA has a fanbase in Japan? No. Nobody gave a shit when New Japan brought all those TNA guys in for the Tokyo Dome and I doubt anyone is going to give a shit here. W-1's first show at Sumo Hall will be the draw or whatever guys W-1 brings in for extra matches. And why would Bully mean anything in Japan? They weren't breaking the gates to see Team 3D as tag champs in New Japan or All Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 My point was not so much that Bully was a big star in Japan, but that he's arguably the biggest star on the current roster when you take Angle and Sting out of the picture, and so the show is going to be MAJORLY lacking in star power on the TNA side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ligerbusa Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Maybe Joe could bring back his sidekick, Okato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leglockwrestling Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Soya just announced that the TNA World, TNA X-Division, and TNA Tag titles will be on the line for the 3/2 show.Davey and Eddie are winning the tag titles. One day Tourny for the next World Title challenger (Funaki vs. Nakanoue and Sanada vs. Tanaka), a Battle Royal for the X, and I'm not sure about the tag (looks like Hayashi/Kondo want to challenge for it, but Desperado want to as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontaneous Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 What was the most successful crossover between an American and a Japanese wrestling company in the last twenty years? Seems like you need more star power for this to work for Wrestle-1 and for their audience to know Puro for this to benefit TNA. We'll see, could be good if it is like previous Global Impacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 The WCW/New Japan Tokyo Dome shows, I imagine. Although the first one was just over 22 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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