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The Puroresu (Japanese Wrestling) thread

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    Marty Scurll is backstage at NJPW Strong tapings trying to get a deal to work with NJPW.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Marty Scurll is backstage at NJPW Strong tapings trying to get a deal to work with NJPW.

    He'll likely succeed too given how NJPW has ignored Speaking Out and the strong (comparatively speaking for a gaijin junior) reactions he has always received in NJPW and he has guys in Ospreay and ZSJ that will probably put in a good word for him too. Plus with the Hiromu injury they'll want as much star power as they can get as soon as they're able to get him into the country.

    That being said, I'd not touch that guy with a stick.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    NJPW keeping there push outside of Japan going.

    There is talk again today that they are still in talks with a US TV Network in addition to the Roku deal.
    Since November 2009, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and CMLL have enjoyed a unique and prosperous working relationship. This relationship has seen CMLL stars travel to Japan every January for the annual Fantasticamania tour as well as competing in New Japan rings on a frequent basis, and NJPW prospects developing in excursions to CMLL in Mexico. NJPW remains deeply proud of the strong bond it has with CMLL.

    Unfortunately, the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic prevented Fantasticamania from taking place in January 2021. However, New Japan Pro-Wrestling would like to reassure fans that its relationship with CMLL is unwavering, and that CMLL will continue to be the exclusive business partner for NJPW in Mexico.

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling is proud to issue this joint declaration with CMLL to reaffirm our mutual commitment. There is plenty more to come from NJPW’s partnership with CMLL in the future, and we appreciate your support.


    https://twitter.com/njpwglobal/status/1365119754411724802?s=20


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    I enjoyed Mox vs KENTA, it was a good hard-hitting contest but considering the buzz going into it things seemed to die down a bit by the time the match came around. I think that's on New Japan more than anything, their promotion for the match was pretty average and the Strong set isn't one of the better looking empty venue settings.

    I was expecting a KENTA win to be honest but the win does keep Moxley looking strong heading into Revolution. Ren Narita getting a huge victory over Chris Dickinson was good. Speaking of young lions, they need to get Shooter Umino back on the scene, could play into the Mox story nicely.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    They wouldn't let Kairi wrestle at the event however they let Io sent her congratulations with the NXT belt beside her.





  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    Mox vs Kenta was a grand I was hoping for more however it is another match that I think would have been a lot better with a live crowd.

    It must be so hard to wrestle in front of no one and not have a live crowd to feed off.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Enjoyed Mox/KENTA. Really enjoyable 14 minute match. I went 4 stars on it.

    On the opposite side of the spectrum, day 1 of Castle Attack this morning was awful. No other word for it. Awful. The undercard sucked. BC nonsense all night because the theme of the show as BC/Chaos. Honestly nothing topped 3 stars, til the semi main and the main event was honestly just bad.

    Empire match was the best match on the card til Ishii/White. ***

    This is a running theme for BC members but I don't like Tanga Loa. Not in the good way either, the BC heavy stuff has driven my interest in NJPW into the ground over the last year. He's cutting these wacky mid match promos that are so OTT that even Shawn Michaels would cringe at them. Yoshi-Hashi smacks him with 4 superkicks, he no sells them then does a dumb sell for the 5th one. If this was your local indie then OK, who'd care, but it's a singles match for NJPW in Osaka Jo Hall. A distraction finish too. We slate WWE for this all the time, here in a big show singles match it deserves every bit the same amount of criticism. Gimmick or not this guy isn't at the level. *3/4

    They did the Gabe special with the Goto/Tama Tonga match rolling into the previous match. Short match here. **1/2

    Yano/Chase a nonsensical mess. If only the 4th turnbuckle pad counts then why is Yano stopping Chase removing the 2nd one? Ah, a complete mess! *

    White/Ishii was excellent. It wasn't as good as their G1 match, but it had a solid story, the interference didn't inhibit it too much and the work from both guys was really good. ****1/4

    English commentary were even playing on that drinking card meme going around for the main event of this show. I suspect if you did the drinking game you're probably still incapacitated. Awful. Half an hour of awfulness. EVIL drags everything down. The problem is that for 60% of the the match he's a solid worker, but his work isn't good enough to overcome the 40% of nonsense that comes with him. Maybe the Japanese crowd are into this stuff, but his rise to the top has coincided with the drop off in western fan interest in the promotion and I don't think it's a coincidence. An Osaka Jo main event, even with limited capacity, shouldn't look like this. Moments of solid work, but nowhere NEAR what an NJPW main event on a major show should be. **


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    They're doing Ibushi/Despy on 4 days notice at Budokan Hall? What is happening with this company? It's just dumb. You can talk about not wanting to burn off big matches in the Covid era, but we've no idea when this will be over and, aside from the super hardcores of the western audience, they're burning people off.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭NITRO95


    Seems they are running more shows to compensate for the smaller crowds. Depending on how the NJ Cup turns out Sakura Genesis should be a decent show. Having looked at the NJC brackets I think we'll get a Final Four of EVIL/Naito & Ospreay/White


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    You really don't know what you're going to get with New Japan these days do you?

    Like you said LOB the first night was brutal, it was actually painful to watch the majority of the action. But then Ibushi and Naito pull out an absolute banger on night two and you remember why you love it in the first place.

    As far as Ibushi and El Desperado goes, it really seems to be splitting opinions. Meltzer is getting a bit of stick on Twitter for not liking it. I can see both sides but as a huge Despy mark I'm looking forward to it, and considering Covid and Hiromu's injury I don't think it's the worst way they could have gone.

    As for the NJC I like the lineup, some big names gone in the first round. Naito/O'Khan and Okada/Shingo are the standouts for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    The joshi representation in AEW was good but if anyone wants to see great joshi they need to check out STARDOM today at the Budokan.

    A brilliant card from pretty much top to bottom on a historic show, Giulia and Tam went to war in the main event and you also get a rare appearance from one of the legit GOAT's Chigusa Nagayo. Highly recommended.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    NJPW have dropped the idea of hiring Scrull for now due to the backlash it created when it got out he was at Strong tapings.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Apparently Stardom out drew NJPW in Budokan Hall. Despy is a nice wrestler but headlining with him was crazy.

    What they're gonna put on the cards of the Yokohama Dome and Tokyo Dome shows is anyone's guess. I've no ideas what big matches they have in reserve that don't cannibalise their Wrestle Kingdom lineups.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Glad to see Doi back at Korakuen today for Glorious Gate.

    I really liked Dragon Kid/SBK, nothing amazing in-ring but excellent character work from Kento. The cage match being a tag team match is interesting.

    I'd love to see it but I can't see Ishida beating Skywalker this weekend, I think the most likely title switch is in the Twin Gate match. Looking forward to HYO/Okuda for the Brave Gate, the colours and new logo for High End look good too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭NITRO95


    Glad to see Doi back at Korakuen today for Glorious Gate.

    I really liked Dragon Kid/SBK, nothing amazing in-ring but excellent character work from Kento. The cage match being a tag team match is interesting.

    I'd love to see it but I can't see Ishida beating Skywalker this weekend, I think the most likely title switch is in the Twin Gate match. Looking forward to HYO/Okuda for the Brave Gate, the colours and new logo for High End look good too.

    Agreed I don't think Skywalker is dropping the belt to Ishida but it should still be a quality match. Probably going to get a Skywalker Eita rematch at Dead or Alive for the title.

    I love the white and gold colours for High End. Can't wait to see who ends up aligning with them. I still don't fully trust Natural Vibes, there's just something really scuzzy about them even if I do love Susumu's half arsed dancing


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Okada should really take some time off to heal up the back after today. Good match, glad that Shingo won, I'd like to see him win the cup. KENTA/Suzuki should be a cracker!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Champion Gate weekend was good, no surprise really that Yoshida and Mochizuki won the Twin Gate. I really liked the Dream Gate match, Ishida was great and Shun's new gear looked sweet. I can get behind Kazma being the next challenger, he has been excellent lately.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Just finished the 2nd night of Champion Gate. So some takes.

    Shun Skywalker is the best top champion of any company around right now. I don't care what anyone says, bell to bell he's great. His matches since his return against Eita have felt like big time events, they have that big match aura.

    Kaito Ishida in that long sleeved black t shirt before the match nearly had me in tears, he's so beautiful. The larger take here is that both guys look like stars, the gear, the presentation, the new Ishida music. They came across as major league.

    Kaito Ishida is so much more than just a kickboy and this match confirmed it. Watching him here, nobody can tell me he's not a star. Right now he's the 2nd in the heel group in Dragon Gate, but I think his future could be as the top face in the company. He had the best feud in pro wrestling last year opposite Okuda, the kid (he's still so young) has no ceiling.

    This match was magnificent. I'm going ****1/2 but with a real crowd reacting to all of it, I think this could even have been *****. Great, great pro wrestling.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Yo dude, you gonna watch the NOAH show on Sunday with Muto/Kiyomiya?

    Plus Goto/Shingo, KENTA/Suzuki, Nagata/Sanada and Ospreay/ZSJ this weekend too!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    I think I'll go with New Japan, Muto and Kaito doesn't do much for me. The NJC has been decent enough so far, thought Ishii/SANADA was really good. Cobb/EVIL was too but went way too long and would have preferred O'Khan to advance over Yano.

    KENTA/Suzuki though, sign me up. Dragon Gate tomorrow too, YAMATO, DK & Okuda vs Ishida, SBK & KAI is tasty.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Ospreay/ZSJ was so good, loved it, one of the matches of the year for me so far. Also loved no fcuks KENTA before the match with the newspaper :D Good weekend for New Japan!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    NJPW had a great weekend. If you avoid EVIL, Yano, Owens and watch the other stuff then this is a great tournament. I thought Ospreay/ZSJ ****3/4. Ospreay looked like one of the best wrestlers in the world and every inch an NJPW headliner and I thought it was the best ZSJ performance I've seen in NJPW.

    Meanwhile in NOAH, Muto retaining against the young hope Kiyomiya in a 30+ minute match was what you'd expect from that description. Not good. Headlock City for the first half, Kiyomiya wrestling down to Muto's level. **


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Yeh think I'll give NOAH a miss, doesn't sound like it was the best. Sucks about Go Shiozaki though, looks like he's going to be out for about six months after having shoulder surgery.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Apparently Kiyomiya picked up a concussion in the main event just to add to the disastrousness of it.

    NJ Cup today again deliverered though not to the level of the weekend shows.

    YH/Finlay ***1/2.

    White/Tana ***3/4.

    White was superb tonight though pre and post match and that next round match with Finlay should be a banger.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Tana always brings out the best in Jay, really good stuff, I liked that it went under twenty minutes too.

    Has to be Switchblade for the cup surely? A Shingo/White final would be sweet!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Man I really have enjoyed this NC Cup. It feels deadly serious, the screwy finishes have been cut back big style. The matches are delivering, the characters come across so much more effectively in this kind of environment than they do in the heel heat promotion it's been for the last year.

    Finlay/White was real good. White worked the match like he did against Tana, believing that Finlay is not on his level. After Gedo was taken out they had a nice closing stretch and I absolutely adored the finish with Finlay hitting the Prima Nocta, only for White to land on his other shoulder, perfectly set up for the Shiranui. It wasn't a fluke finish, it was clean, but I loved that the element of luck for White to fall right into place for that huge upset was there. Gorgeous pro wrestling and cool to see Finlay get a big win over his career rival. Hopefully this gets us closer to White's transition into a face. **** (throwing basically half a star extra on this for the finish)

    Ospreay/Sanada rocked. Loved the match layout. Ospreay, clearly feeling he had to work quick and get Sanada on the back foot because of his broken nose basically took the entire first 5 minutes of the match, until Sanada grabbed at the nose and that levelled it. One dumb Paradise Lock spot aside, this was excellent. Sanada, when put in there with a master worker (and Ospreay is that) often delivers. The spots all looked clean (another danger of a Sanada match is that they can look messy) but Ospreay is having a great year. Nobody is talking about it very much (which maybe says more to how hot NJPW is in the west atm) but he's had a banger with Okada at WK, a couple of really good matches with Kojima and Tenzan and now a stellar NJ Cup run which he could very well win. I said it after the ZSJ match and I'll say it again, he looks every inch an NJPW headline act. ****1/4


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Caught up on the last few days today, agreed about Ospreay/SANADA, was great. I'm surprised Finlay beat White and I wanted Jay to win but the match was good.

    Ospreay and Finlay was really good too, the other semi stunk out the joint for me but at least had the result. If Ospreay vs Shingo is as good as their previous encounters it could be match of the year stuff. I'd love to see Shingo win!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    The match was so good, the 450 to the outside through the table and the pop-up Poison 'Rana both looked class and the finish was great.

    The post match angle is getting quite the mixed reaction across socials :D I dunno, I was just laughing at the non-reaction to it in the arena!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Man I've just watched the NJ Cup Final. Keep in mind I just watched the putrid Fastlane last night.

    I loved it. I loved the layered stories. I loved how both guys came out of it stronger than going in. We're talking about, genuinely, two of the best pro wrestlers of their era, I'd argue both are within the top 20 pro wrestlers ever. They did magic, pure magic. Different to their BOSJ final. Honestly I can't give enough platitudes to both wrestlers, they're both great, properly great. I think we can all see where I'm going with this. *****

    Ospreay has 3 of my 4 favourite matches this year in pro wrestling. Ospreay /Ibushi has all the potential to be great.

    This tournament has been fantastic, it's everything I want in my NJPW (EVIL aside), it's everything I want in my wrestling.

    Joe Lanza called it ages ago but it's never been more clear, we're now in a new era of NJPW and the guys whose big arcs are just beginning.

    And to cap it off, I really liked the post match too. The visual was great, it played into Will's story throughout the tournament. I'm all in on it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Man I really wanted Shingo to be victorious but winning the cup fits heel Ospreay for sure. Ageeed that the match was top class. I'm hoping this means we're getting Shingo as the G1 winner.

    The United Empire looking strong now, rumours they have a new member from the existing roster lined up too.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Man I really wanted Shingo to be victorious but winning the cup fits heel Ospreay for sure. Ageeed that the match was top class. I'm hoping this means we're getting Shingo as the G1 winner.

    The United Empire looking strong now, rumours they have a new member from the existing roster lined up too.

    That's exciting too. Ye loving the United Empire. And now I can get back onto Twitter and see some of the dirt worst takes about the post match angle.

    Shingo looked great in defeat and the spots with Ibushi during the match were not placed in there for no reason, NJPW don't do that stuff unless there's gonna be some kind of payoff to it down the line.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Did you catch the latest DG show man? Can't believe Stalker didn't win the Sanbo, one of the most esteemed winning streaks in wrestling is done.

    Masquerade/R.E.D was as good as you'd expect and judging from the crowd and Twitter Kazma absolutely destroyed Shun on the mic. Really looking forward to Saturday now, would love to see Sakakmoto win it.

    Not a good night for High End either, was surprised Punch finally got a win over Okuda!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Did you catch the latest DG show man? Can't believe Stalker didn't win the Sanbo, one of the most esteemed winning streaks in wrestling is done.

    Masquerade/R.E.D was as good as you'd expect and judging from the crowd and Twitter Kazma absolutely destroyed Shun on the mic. Really looking forward to Saturday now, would love to see Sakakmoto win it.

    Not a good night for High End either, was surprised Punch finally got a win over Okuda!

    Hey mate, nah I haven't caught it! Can't believe they ended the Stalker Streak though.

    Tbh I've gotten caught up with a mixture of classic PWG's (onto 2012), old WWF (97) and exhaustion from the NJ Cup. But I will absolutely catch the Saturday show with it being a big card. I think there's some NOAH and Stardom stuff I gotta catch up on too.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,812 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Is there anything out there similar to what Pancrase was like back back in the days of the Shamrocks and Funaki, but a bit more openly pro wrestling and with storylines outside of the ring?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Is there anything out there similar to what Pancrase was like back back in the days of the Shamrocks and Funaki, but a bit more openly pro wrestling and with storylines outside of the ring?

    Hey mate, tbh in terms of things that regularly make tape the pickings are pretty slim. Most of the alternative promotions these days in Japan are death match (BJW, FREEDOMS) for the most part rather than shoot inspired. Maybe GLEAT but we'll see.

    If I was recommending something to you it'd be NOAH. It's not Pancrase, though Funaki is a fairly regular roster member. But it's style is more serious and grounded than some of the wackiness you get in the lower levels of the card in NJPW. Plus they've got a load of old shoot guys on the roster too (Fujita, Sakuraba, Kashin ect.) and the matches are very much ground based and hard hitting. The top level stuff last year with Shiozaki on top was supreme, currently Muto holds the GHC Title which some like and some hate. I'd say give it a chance.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,812 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Hey mate, tbh in terms of things that regularly make tape the pickings are pretty slim. Most of the alternative promotions these days in Japan are death match (BJW, FREEDOMS) for the most part rather than shoot inspired. Maybe GLEAT but we'll see.

    If I was recommending something to you it'd be NOAH. It's not Pancrase, though Funaki is a fairly regular roster member. But it's style is more serious and grounded than some of the wackiness you get in the lower levels of the card in NJPW. Plus they've got a load of old shoot guys on the roster too (Fujita, Sakuraba, Kashin ect.) and the matches are very much ground based and hard hitting. The top level stuff last year with Shiozaki on top was supreme, currently Muto holds the GHC Title which some like and some hate. I'd say give it a chance.
    Cool, I'll give NOAH a go. Start off with the old guys that I know and go from there


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Cool, I'll give NOAH a go. Start off with the old guys that I know and go from there

    Ye do! Fujita just had a match with KENOH for the National Title that might be right up your street. Funaki/KENOH from maybe a month back might be worth a watch for you too and I'd check out some of the big Shiozaki defences from last year particularly vs Sugiura (my match of the year), KENOH and Nakajima. Plus with the FITE TV deal it's more accessible now than ever and you should be able to find English commentary for some of those matches and shows.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Today's Memorial Gate show from Dragon Gate was good, solid, an easy watch and I think over delivered.

    Enjoyed Ben K/Hip Hop Kikuta. Huge singles win for Kikuta which made more sense with the show closing angle. Ben K loses nothing from it, they can heat him up anytime. ***1/4

    High End/RED/Masquerade trios elimination Rumble style tag was great fun. Loved Yamato sprinting in and going at it with KAI and the SBK/Dragon Kid interactions. Dragon Gate always make sure those long term and previous feuds play into the matches, I love that stuff. ***1/2.

    Twin Gate match was strong too. Arakan and Kanda brought it. Look at the average age of the guys in this match, it had no right to be this good. Mochizuki, for me, is a genuine HOF guy that deserves all the praise in the world and I'm a huge Arai mark. ***1/2

    I'm the high man on the main event but I love Skywalker. I love his matches, I love the character, how he carries himself. If you're asking me for my top 10 wrestlers in the world, Skywalker is a lock for me. Sakamoto more than held up his end of the match. This was so different to Shun's other Dream Gate defences against the bigger man, he fought from underneath, and the final 3rd of this was fire. ****1/4.

    On a show with, booking wise, weak challengers thus obvious winners, they did really well to overcome that with the matches they delivered. Shun running through RED with Kikuta as the next challenger is a cool story too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Yeh agreed man, a good solid show if not overly spectacular.

    The main was great, loved it. I like Shun but I'm more of a Kazma man, I think he delivered today and helped to shake off the Mr WWE status nicely.

    I wasn't expecting Kikuta to beat Ben and I definitely didn't think he'd be getting a Dream Key this early in his career. I'm all for it though, like you said Shun running through R.E.D is an enjoyable story.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    Yeh agreed man, a good solid show if not overly spectacular.

    The main was great, loved it. I like Shun but I'm more of a Kazma man, I think he delivered today and helped to shake off the Mr WWE status nicely.

    I wasn't expecting Kikuta to beat Ben and I definitely didn't think he'd be getting a Dream Key this early in his career. I'm all for it though, like you said Shun running through R.E.D is an enjoyable story.

    Ye tbf Kazma really did deliver big today. I do think he gets a rough time of it, like he's really better than a lot of people think he is and he was really good here.

    Man Kikuta/Shun is a really good B level defence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    I don't know if I like the new IWGP World Heavyweight championship or not. It looks good on Ibushi but saw someone compare it to the old Divas title and now I can't unsee it. The old belt was such a classic, it wasnt broke and didn't need to be fixed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭LineOfBeauty


    I don't know if I like the new IWGP World Heavyweight championship or not. It looks good on Ibushi but saw someone compare it to the old Divas title and now I can't unsee it. The old belt was such a classic, it wasnt broke and didn't need to be fixed.

    It looked pretty good on Ibushi. But that's Ibushi and everything looks good on him.

    My first impression was it looks more like a Stardom belt than the top title in NJPW. I just don't get why they had to get rid of the IWGP Heavyweight Title. On top of that I don't get why there must be a new lineage either. I get it, it's a new era, that's obvious but that's not cause to get rid of the physical representation of the history of the company.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,753 ✭✭✭✭beakerjoe


    I don't know if I like the new IWGP World Heavyweight championship or not. It looks good on Ibushi but saw someone compare it to the old Divas title and now I can't unsee it. The old belt was such a classic, it wasnt broke and didn't need to be fixed.

    Damn you.... I now cant unsee it either. :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,283 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    Someone on another board said it didn't look good so I looked it up and my first thought was "So that's where the divas title went"


  • Registered Users Posts: 48,990 ✭✭✭✭Lithium93_


    I'm split on the newly redesigned/unveiled IWGP Championship, was there a particular reason for New Japan in unifying the championships?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54,621 ✭✭✭✭Headshot


    https://twitter.com/njpwworld/status/1376837630181081092

    https://twitter.com/TheAerialSecret/status/1376833678496571395

    Besides the comparisons to the Divas Title, to me it doesnt look good either way


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,283 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    Saw another image with the centre plate on on Cody's neck replacing his tattoo.
    What's the overall consensus online?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,880 ✭✭✭✭Agent Coulson


    Wow I did not expect that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Can't believe they had Ibushi beaten already. I like Ospreay and all but still, mad decision. New Japan is not good at the minute.

    Luckily STARDOM was it's usual excellent self, the Dream Cinderella was great. Cracking title switch in the all DDM main-event but the Red Belt match between Utami and Bea was unreal, one of the matches of the year for me.

    That was Priestley's last STARDOM appearance. She's not that great so it doesn't bother me she's apparently WWE bound according to Dave, but that was one of her best matches for sure.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    Kikuta confirmed as a close contact of the trainee who tested positive so he's unable to compete as scheduled in the main event of the Gate of Passion this weekend. Sucks for the big man, was looking forward to seeing him against Skywalker.

    Still a good card though, Diamante vs Bokultimo in Mascara contra Mascara and the Doi comeback in the six-man tag.


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