New Japan/Puroresu Thread

[Bandit]

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Bandit]

So I won't give spoilers, but it was a good show. Ibushi was diagnosed with a concussion. So what happened wasn't an angle.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Bandit]

[Big Boss Man]

Story in Tokyo Sports is that Kenny Omega has announced he's leaving or has left New Japan.

https://www.foxsportsasia.com/wwe/10122 ... -with-wwe/

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Was just about to post the same news.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Bandit]

Jay White beat Tanahashi. Kenny definitely won't be back any time soon.

[Big Boss Man]

Yea Jays getting the push that Kenny was going to get. I've heard not good things about White, is he that bad?, Or is because they are comparing him to Kenny Omega and has a lot to live up to?.

Also Kota Ibushi will be staying with New Japan til 2021 according to what he said at New Beginning

https://www.f4wonline.com/japan/ibushi- ... cup-276716

[Bandit]

He's very good ring work wise. The only issue is his push was way too fast because they knew Omega probably wasn't staying so needed a white guy who would be there full time (unlike Jericho) that can headline outside of Japan. So he got a hard push and isn't really connecting with fans because it's too much too soon. Nobody likes a wrestler coming in and being unbeatable unless it happens organically. Like with Goldberg the plan wasn't on day one he'd be unbeatable and win the title in a year and a half. They saw he connected with fans and went with it.

Omega was in New Japan a long time before his world title push. He started full time with them in 2013 and the first Okada match wasn't until 2017. White made his full time debut at the last Wrestle Kingdom, starting off in an Intercontinental title match, and is IWGP champion a year later. So the fans know it's just New Japan saying "Quick, we need a white guy who speaks English for this MSG show."

[Bandit]

Here's the match last night. I think it's a pretty flawless match, but not quite as good as Omega vs Tanahashi.

[Big Boss Man]

He's very good ring work wise. The only issue is his push was way too fast because they knew Omega probably wasn't staying so needed a white guy who would be there full time (unlike Jericho) that can headline outside of Japan. So he got a hard push and isn't really connecting with fans because it's too much too soon. Nobody likes a wrestler coming in and being unbeatable unless it happens organically. Like with Goldberg the plan wasn't on day one he'd be unbeatable and win the title in a year and a half. They saw he connected with fans and went with it.

Omega was in New Japan a long time before his world title push. He started full time with them in 2013 and the first Okada match wasn't until 2017. White made his full time debut at the last Wrestle Kingdom, starting off in an Intercontinental title match, and is IWGP champion a year later. So the fans know it's just New Japan saying "Quick, we need a white guy who speaks English for this MSG show."

Thanks, I'll definitely check the match out. Yea Kenny worked his way up in the ranks in New Japan so like you say that push was more organic. I guess Switchblade will grow on the audience overtime, but I think what adhered Kenny Omega to the Japanese fans was the story with Kota and that he's a fan of their culture & fluent in their language.

[Bandit]

Yea Jays getting the push that Kenny was going to get. I've heard not good things about White, is he that bad?, Or is because they are comparing him to Kenny Omega and has a lot to live up to?.

Also Kota Ibushi will be staying with New Japan til 2021 according to what he said at New Beginning

https://www.f4wonline.com/japan/ibushi- ... cup-276716

All the women cried when he announced he was staying. Kota makes all the ladies horny. He will only move to America once he's had sex with all of the sexy women of Japan.

[Big Boss Man]

If Kota's that popular with the ladies you'd think that they'd make him the Ace for New Japan and appeal to the female demographic.

[Big Boss Man]

Tanahashi v Omega (WK13, the full match in HD)

[Bandit]

If he signed a long deal they will.

New Japan has a big female fanbase. When you see crowd shots they have more women than WWE. And they come for Ibushi, Okada, Tanahashi, Sanada and Naito. There's a joke that ugly wrestlers have to go to All Japan because New Japan just wants the hot dudes.

[Bandit]

Tanahashi v Omega (WK13, the full match in HD)

That's MOTY right now. You have to watch it a few times to appreciate how intricate it was. Both of them are genius wrestlers, even though they butted heads both wanting to be the ring general, but Gedo sorted them out. Kenny said the best wrestlers are artists and he's right. WWE is Michael Bay and New Japan is Akira Kurosawa.

[Big Boss Man]

If he signed a long deal they will.

New Japan has a big female fanbase. When you see crowd shots they have more women than WWE. And they come for Ibushi, Okada, Tanahashi, Sanada and Naito. There's a joke that ugly wrestlers have to go to All Japan because New Japan just wants the hot dudes.

Yea I totally agree with Kenny's point. Bret said in the WWF 1992 Timeline he did that when he planned out the Summerslam 92 match he had with Davey that he felt like Beethoven. I think the very best wrestlers do see wrestling as an art form and they should. A lot of them do call it in the ring but I think the very best matches are usually planned out step by step. Like Macho did with the WM III match with Ricky. That match still stands up now I think and is arguably one of the best WWF matches in its history. It also I think influenced and paved the way for the more high flying style we see now.

[Bandit]

I think pretty much everything is planned now. The matches expected are too complicated to call it all in the ring now. Maybe not step by step on everything, but every big spot is worked out.

And yeah, if Bret could bring his 1994 self to 2019 in a time machine he'd be having incredible matches in New Japan since he thinks like they do, although he's not a fan of doing too many highspots. But Bret doesn't need highspots, he told stories.