Essential Japanese Wrestling Discussion/News

[Legal]

I mean, you could make a case that now it's not the time because his time was years ago. Now should be Ibushi's time. But regardless of that, I think the whole point of giving Naito the huge double title W was for him to finally get his run out of the way.

If this year is not the time? Are we sure next year will be? What if he gets injured? What about a guy like Kota? or Shota's big return?

I never thought Naito needed a long 1 year run with the main belt (even when I bytched and complained about him getting fukked 3 years ago), I don't think he needed that now. But he needed SOMETHING, and this ain't it. Sure, if he gets it back in August or September, this EVIL thing doesn't really matter but hell man, can we just move on from this dude getting his due by actually giving him his due?


And sure, choosing EVIL as the "champion that will gt 1/3 of the interest when we can only fill 1/3 of every building" during a pandemic is 1 way of doing things. But considering all the possibilities, it sure as hell feels like one of the shyttiest moves they could've made

Oh, Gedo definitely fukked himself by putting Naito's true coronation off as long as possible. The pandemic just decided to come along and fukk things up even further.

Being purely objective about it, I think Naito shouldn't be champ right now, or actually wrestling at all right now. I remember reading highlights from an interview from him not long ago talking about how bad his vision is. Jreh made it sound like he's damn near end of career Michael Bisping status.

But really, I don't care what happens. When Shota comes back, Shota goes over.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Sheeeit, I'm barely US Title levels in the Puro game.

I just listened to all my OGs in this thread

In 2 years I’m gonna challenge you for that title in the Tokyo Dome

 

[DaylitoJames]

I love how any extended explanation of one's thoughts is a "dissertation" on here. As if it's a burden to read a couple hundred words on a subject. Just comedy.



Yeah, I know that Gedo will shake things up and then pull back to an Okada reign and that BC nonsense has been a part of NJPW main events on and off for 7 years now (SEVEN YEARS ), but this one just felt different. If this all happened and the match was really good, then I could at least say that, despite everything, EVIL showed and proved, and that didn't happen. Instead, we got a middling and dull match for the first 25 minutes, then a festival of poorly timed, poorly executed bullshyt as a finish to put over someone who at no point has shown he's on the world title level (and I don't hate EVIL, I just think he's pretty definitively a midcard guy). That's not the kind of thing I remember happening in NJPW much at all over the years. The sum total of everything and how poorly thought out it seems to be is what's throwing me.

Maybe it will end up being more akin to the short Nakanishi/White reigns, but this really did feel like an Inokiist era decision to me. I hate to be that guy, but if this exact same match and this exact same finish happened in a WWE ring, a lot more people would be shytting on it (probably because, unlike us, most NJPW fans are still willing to give Gedo the benefit of the doubt).

As big as a Bullet Club stan that I am I feel like this is the worst crew of the Bullet Club eras for various reasons, I feel like Evil won't get that credibility rub being associated with this stable unlike others before him

 

[Bryan Danielson]

As big as a Bullet Club stan that I am I feel like this is the worst crew of the Bullet Club eras for various reasons, I feel like Evil won't get that credibility rub being associated with this stable unlike others before him

I’m kinda shocked that Kenta still in the US.

I guess I assumed that when he came back to Japan..... he came BACK TO JAPAN


Cuz man.... this prolly could’ve been him right now

 

[TheGodling]

All facts. In fact, I'm about to throw something wild out there, but I think it makes sense.

Now isn't the time for Naito to have an extended run with the title.

No matter how you look at it, business for this year is going to be down for NJPW. Probably way down. Even though they're trying to be cautious, they're probably not going to have full crowds back in the near future. shyt, being able to run shows period is a bad week of new cases, and a couple of bad tests on the roster from getting shut down again. I think what drove this decision was getting the belt off of Naito during a period where they can't capitalize off of him being champ to their full extent.

For all we know, Evil could be eating a Company Man/Take One for the Team run with holding the belt during a guaranteed down period so none of the big names have to have that as a criticism against them (because we all know wrestling fans are reasonable with how they equate a company's health and success with top stars).

Either way, brehs are out here jumping out the window with all the doom and gloom.

But... it's EVIL.

If you're going to do a filler transitional run (with both titles no less) at least give it to Goto or Ishii. Guys who probably never will get a proper run but to many fans would definitely deserve winning the big one once in their careers. Plus Ishii would work his ass off more than he already does to give us piff matches, and I'm sure a motivated Goto would put in work too.

Instead we have EVIL whose ceiling as a wrestler is competing with Taichi as the definition of a midcarder.

 

[Jmare007]

I’m kinda shocked that Kenta still in the US.

I guess I assumed that when he came back to Japan..... he came BACK TO JAPAN


Cuz man.... this prolly could’ve been him right now

Breh the many different levels of political fukkery THAT would've caused

 

[Legal]

But... it's EVIL.

If you're going to do a filler transitional run (with both titles no less) at least give it to Goto or Ishii. Guys who probably never will get a proper run but too many fans would definitely deserve winning the big one once in their careers. Plus Ishii would work his ass off more than he already does to give us piff matches, and I'm sure a motivated Goto would put in work too.

Instead we have EVIL whose ceiling as a wrestler is competing with Taichi as the definition of a midcarder.

Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of Evil, but I imagine from their standpoint, they see it as a no lose. Business tanks, they were thinking it was gonna tank anyway. He somehow gets a good run, they made a new star out of nowhere.

 

[DaylitoJames]

I’m kinda shocked that Kenta still in the US.

I guess I assumed that when he came back to Japan..... he came BACK TO JAPAN


Cuz man.... this prolly could’ve been him right now

KENTA, Jay White and Tama Tonga watching Evil join Bullet Club AND become IWGP Champ:

edit: I can imagine a Bullet Club: Civil War II happening during the COVID Era

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Breh the many different levels of political fukkery THAT would've caused

KENTA, Jay White and Tama Tonga watching Evil join Bullet Club AND become IWGP Champ:

edit: I can imagine a Bullet Club: Civil War II happening during the COVID Era

I know I’m not there yet....


But one day I look forward to be worthy enough to be in the Coli Puro brehs G1 too take on y’all and @TheGodling too


But right now I’m filler tag team match status

Beating up the newer young lions


I ain’t taking no pins though

 

[DaylitoJames]

I know I’m not there yet....


But one day I look forward to be worthy enough to be in the Coli Puro brehs G1 too take on y’all and @TheGodling too


But right now I’m filler tag team match status

Beating up the newer young lions


I ain’t taking no pins though

As long as you're above David Finlay/Yoshi Hashi status then you're on the right path

 

[Bryan Danielson]

Yo..... now I’m thinking about Tama being the Champ Champ


The prospect of that would be


I don’t know if that would be good?
I don’t know if that would be bad?

But gotdammit man that would be an amazing spectacle

 

[Legal]

I don’t know if that would be good?
I don’t know if that would be bad?

 

[TheGodling]

Tama Tonga would actually be interesting as champ. He's limited in the ring but he'd go all-out with the swag and fukkery promo's.

 

[DaylitoJames]

Tama Tonga would actually be interesting as champ. He's limited in the ring but he'd go all-out with the swag and fukkery promo's.

I've been wanting Tama to let his brother Hikuleo take his spot in the Guerrillas of Destiny tag team so Tama could have a solo run with the Intercontinental Title to mix it up with some of the high midcard/main eventers on some card. That's what I wanted from him when The Elite left New Japan but Gedo decided otherways. If Bad Luck Fale can have an IC Title run then Tama can as well

 

[Legal]

I've been wanting Tama to let his brother Hikuleo take his spot in the Guerrillas of Destiny tag team so Tama could have a solo run with the Intercontinental Title to mix it up with some of the high midcard/main eventers on some card. That's what I wanted from him when The Elite left New Japan but Gedo decided otherways. If Bad Luck Fale can have an IC Title run then Tama can as well

See, this is a good idea.

But.

That also means seeing more of Hikuleo's secret third member of LMFAO ass. I don't think I want that.