The Puroresu (Japanese Wrestling) thread

SarahVOW

Wanted to get over myself but some real life stuff got in the way. Glad you had a good time.

Agree on the t-shirt quality I have some proper New Japan shirts that are great quality and ended up buying a UK print one at Rev pro without the lion tag I think it was SPLX not PWT doing them at the time and it washed really poorly, print all cracked and got bobbly really fast.

Neil3030

I really would encourage anyone who is currently disillusioned with the state of WWE (as I was) to take out a NJPW world sub, and rather than watch Raw or Smackdown each week, take 2 hours and go through these classic matches: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZsZCBTpKjHzdbCpKZ1No1KAdpmOd2OcgSMfC1-oa7pI/edit#gid=0

Jerichoholic

Neil3030 wrote: »

I really would encourage anyone who is currently disillusioned with the state of WWE (as I was) to take out a NJPW world sub, and rather than watch Raw or Smackdown each week, take 2 hours and go through these classic matches: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZsZCBTpKjHzdbCpKZ1No1KAdpmOd2OcgSMfC1-oa7pI/edit#gid=0

That's f'n great to have. Cheers!

Neil3030

Watching AJ's 2014 series with Okada today - two great matches (3/5/14 and 25/5/14).

Neil3030

Anyone watch KOPW? Pretty good show overall - main event wasn't the best (I just don't buy the Evil gimmick, it's ridiculous) but there were plenty of solid matches on the card - Ospreay v Kushida was class, and I really liked the triple threat for the heavyweight tag titles.

ERG89

Naito vs Okada was never in doubt so maybe it lacked the drama but I enjoyed both the main & co-main.
I'm wondering who this switchblade guy is but it's supposedly Jay Wight back from incursions.

Love Evil myself though. The vtr for the main was so cool

Jerichoholic

Some say Switchblade might be Sami Callaghan. I hope it's not. Don't really see anything in that guy.

Ali Bomaye

I thought Evil/Okada was excellent, though I think it is important to have seen the G1 match between the two before watching this one. All of the big moves Evil hit Okada with in that first match, Okada had a counter for here.

The Heavyweight tag title match was very good, but that division has been so poorly booked. They had the same teams in a triple threat tag title match on all three Destruction shows. Those Destruction shows in the build up to King of Pro Wrestling were dull. Fukushima was bad, and Hiroshima wasn't much better. These Sumo Hall shows always seem to deliver though. The last three matches were all great, though the last two being so predictable didn't help.

I'm glad to see that they're actually doing something with Ospreay. NJPW have wasted Ospreay until now. Having one of the top talents in the world wasting away in undercard tags for over a year was criminal. Annoying to see the constant goofy undercard stuff with Hiromu as well, he looked like such a top star for the first half of the year. Sad to see Ricochet go, I loved his team with Taguchi.

ERG89

Great video on Naito's path to the Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event

Lithium93_

Kazuchika Okada has reached 490 days in his 4th reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

https://twitter.com/rainmakerXokada/status/922063232096804864

490 days.
Thank you.

Cherry_Cola

Worth checking out the main event of today's Road to Power Struggle show.

Dragon Lee was outstanding! Was at the show and it delivered far more than I had hoped. Got a decent haul of njpw merch too, expensive hobby! The fried chicken they sell at Korakuen is out of this world too! I missed it!

ERG89

Interesting take on the NJPW booking pattern. I never noticed a lot of this but it's very clever.

Ali Bomaye

Power Struggle is on Sunday morning and I like the look of the card:

#1. David Finlay vs Katsuya Kitamura- Pre Show

#2. Dragon Lee & Titan vs The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)

#3. Hirai Kawato, Juice Robinson, Jushin Thunder Liger, Kushida and Tiger Mask vs Suzuki Gun (El Desperado, Taichi, Taka Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Zack Sabre Jr.)

#4. Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) and Togi Makabe vs Bullet Club (Cody, Yujiro Takahashi, and Chase Owens)

#5. Roppongi 3K (Sho & Yoh) vs Super 69 (ACH & Ryusuke Taguchi) - 2017 Super Junior Tag Team Tournament Final

#6. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Yoshi-Hashi, and Gedo) vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Bushi, Evil, Hiromu Takahashi and Sanada)

#7. Minoru Suzuki (c) vs Toru Yano- Bullrope Deathmatch for the Never Openweight Championship

#8. Will Ospreay (c) vs Marty Scurll- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

#9. Kenny Omega (c) vs Trent Beretta- IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship

#10. Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Kota Ibushi- IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Main event should be fantastic, and give a clear picture as to what is happening at the Dome. The Bucks are back, so they're more than likely going to be challenging for the Jr. tag titles at the Dome.

Thinking about the potential card for the Dome and I hope the Jr. title is defended in a single's match, and not a triple threat. Ospreay vs Hiromu, with Kushida challenging for the Never belt would be great. Then there's the question of what this Switchblade guy is going to be doing, presumably that'll be a big match.

If all the titles, plus the ROH title, are being defended at the Dome, that'll be 9 title matches. This company has way too many titles. Maybe they'll do a champion vs champion match with Omega challenging the winner of the main event here. And if Omega/Ibushi is happening at the Dome, then I think Ibushi has to win on Sunday, because Omega can't come out and challenge the loser of the match.

Cherry_Cola

They finally put the BC umbrellas on sale on the NJPW store! GF picked me one up, I may have to marry this girl!

Omackeral

Well y2jesus that's some challenge laid out!

montyrebel

hopefully that means Jericho is done with wwe, he hasn't been entertaining in a few years imo or at least to me he hasnt

beakerjoe

Its something new.

Jay White revealed to be switchblade, taking on Tanahashi for IC title.

Better than Sami Callahan

Omackeral

The challenge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzGklJMBe5E

ERG89

AH wanted to see Omega vs Ibushi far more instead

Does NJPW world have old events from years ago on demand like the network or is it only recent stuff?

Jerichoholic

ERG89 wrote: »

AH wanted to see Omega vs Ibushi far more instead

Yeah, me too but it'll happen next month maybe, or at long beach? I'd say Vince is having a fit.

Mr.Nice Guy

Jerichoholic wrote: »

I'd say Vince is having a fit.

Doubt he cares. They've mentioned New Japan on WWE TV several times which says it all about how Vince perceives them.

Jerichoholic

I think he'll care about one his biggest stars jumping ship.

beakerjoe

Its a very smart move by NJPW, hes still a draw and he can still go, even if it has been a while since he had a great match. Omega will get a great match out of him once Jericho does his best to keep up with him

Mr.Nice Guy

I don't remember hearing Vince cared too much about Jeff Hardy or Hogan going to TNA and TNA at that time were a bigger deal in the States than New Japan is now, and those names were a bigger deal than a 46 year old Jericho is now. If this means Jericho is off Mania, and I wouldn't bet on it tbh, really Vince is just losing the chance of having Jericho put over someone up and coming.

My bet is it will be revealed in a Jericho book in a few years that Jericho rang up Vince and told him about this and Vince said "sure, pal, let me know how that Omega kid is in the ring" or something along those lines.

Jerichoholic

When half of WWE's audiences are wearing NJPW/Bullet Club merch, it's a big deal.

sky88

Jerichoholic wrote: »

When half of WWE's audiences are wearing NJPW/Bullet Club merch, it's a big deal.

I really dont think half the auidance has every worn bullet club shirts a lot do but never been tbh id say bullet club are bigger in america than njpw is at the minute

Angron

Wrestle Kingdom looks set to be another pretty great show, really looking forward to it already.

sky88

only dissapointed in cody vs kota seems a waste of kota for me as cody is just not that good however over he somehow is

Jerichoholic

Could have done a Ibushi/Tanahashi rematch and put Jay White with Cody. Jericho changed the card a good bit.