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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2018 13:03:04 GMT
^ Noooooooice.
Also if Jay White and Pete Dunne reproduces I can't imagine how punchable the face would be.
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Post by Emperor on Oct 8, 2018 21:07:05 GMT
King of Pro Wrestling results below. Look away if you care about spoilers.
Los Ingobernables introduced Shingo Takagi, former Dragon Gate top star, as their newest member. Apparently he is being brought in as a junior, but he's probably the biggest-looking guy in the stable, so I doubt he'll stick around there long. Establish himself until Takahashi returns, then advance to heavyweight.
EVIL and ZSJ was a no contest. EVIL had an elaborate entrance with Undertaker-style druids. One of those masked druids was an infidel who jumped EVIL during his entrance. It was obvious from the get go that it was none other than Chris Jericho! Jericho laid a vicious beatdown on EVIL and then left of his own volition. ZSJ talked trash while this was all happening. He then tried to get the referee to start the match, but it was declared a no contest. ZSJ immediately put the ref in an armbar and started beating everyone up. He locked the defenseless EVIL in a vicious hold until Naito sprinted to the ring to chase him away.
KUSHIDA won the vacated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title in a decent match against Marty Scurll.
Tanahashi narrowly escaped the devilish tactics of Jay White and Gedo. Tanahashi had the match won before Gedo pulled the ref out of the ring. It then became a handicap match, and Tanahashi looked dead to rights after taking a chair to the head. Jay White picked him up for a Blade Runner to seal the deal but Tanahashi somehow small packaged White for a miracle save. Tanahashi is headlining the Tokyo Dome.
That wasn't the end. White put a beating on Tanahashi until Okada ran to the ring. Enormous pop. Pop of the night and one of the biggest reactions Okada has ever received. By the way, White had monster heat right from his entrance. Gedo has crafted, and now manages, a killer heel. Okada got his hands on Gedo, hit him a few times, then out came Jedo to play peacemaker. We're not done. Suddenly the Bullet Club OGs come out. After a bit of teasing they jump Okada and now Jay White and Gedo are in with Tama Tonga's lot.
Go out of your way to watch the main even Triple Threat because it's amazing. I won't even say the result.
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Post by Emperor on Oct 9, 2018 16:36:07 GMT
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Post by Big Pete on Oct 10, 2018 3:50:59 GMT
Have you had the chance to check out Jay White's interviews with Alicia Atout? I found them really interesting at the start of the year when I wanted to learn more about the guy and see what Gedo saw in him. That's where I heard about the Finn Balor story and how crazy his rise into NJPW was.
Jericho & Naito will enter their respective matches as heavy favourites, but I'm pulling for ZSJ. A win like that could elevate his chances of receiving a NEVER Openweight Championship shot, and I think he'd make a tremendous champion.
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Post by SM on Oct 11, 2018 2:59:25 GMT
I finally watched KOPW and I thought it was a great show. The 3-Way main was great and so was Tana/White.
Power Struggle card looks really good.
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Post by Ice on Oct 14, 2018 20:06:19 GMT
I haven't been able to finish it yet, although I'm pretty sure I know all the results. Really interested to see where all of this is going.
Meanwhile, what does everyone make of all this stuff Meltzer is going on about everybody being upset in the company? The way Tama Tonga is firing back makes me think even Meltzer is getting worked here. I've heard some rumblings about it being a giant Being The Elite storyline but I'm a few weeks behind on that and don't know much about it.
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Post by Emperor on Oct 14, 2018 21:00:11 GMT
To elaborate on Ice's comment, NJPW have had a recent change in personnel at the top to help with the international expansion. According to Meltzer and others, some of the New Japan talent feel they are mistreated/not respected by the new management, morale is decreasing, which makes them more likely to jump ship to WWE.
Personally I don't really believe any of this because I don't think Meltzer and Alvarez and whoever don't have many sources within the company. Might only just be Kenny and the Bucks, if that. So a lot of speculation and hyperbole in my opinion. It could also be The Elite working the journalists as part of some elaborate plot. Wouldn't put it past them. They've been blurring the line between kayfabe and reality for a while.
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Post by Ice on Oct 15, 2018 2:54:39 GMT
Fair point I was kind of vague there. I too am leaning towards it being a work. I feel like Tama rapming up his character work, feeding Meltzer bullshit and this who "my last Bullet Club affiliated shirt" thing that seems to be going around with all of the Elite guys it feels like all one big storyline that's going to come crashing together at some point.
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Post by System on Oct 18, 2018 15:33:47 GMT
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Post by Emperor on Oct 18, 2018 15:37:33 GMT
That's right. Bullet Club OGs brought him in to team with Ishimori in the tournament. I watched their first match and it was OK. Eagles was good but didn't strike me as anything spectacular.
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Post by Emperor on Nov 4, 2018 15:33:11 GMT
Power Struggle was a decent show, although it lacked any great matches.
Naito vs ZSJ was easily the best match of the show. It didn't grab me as much as their previous two matches from this year, but the storytelling was great and ZSJ displayed some amazing long-term selling.
Jericho vs EVIL, while very good, was unsurprisingly a slightly worse version of Jericho/Omega and Jericho/Naito.
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Post by Big Pete on Nov 5, 2018 15:34:16 GMT
I've yet to watch the show, Emp but would I be right in saying that there weren't any major debuts on the show? It seemed like tradition that these shows would feature at least one big debut like Jay White in 2017, Hiromu Takahashi in 2016 and EVIL in 2015.
What did you make of Suzuki/Ishii?
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Post by Emperor on Nov 5, 2018 18:34:45 GMT
No major debuts. Suzuki/Ishii was pretty good. Exactly what you'd expect.
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Post by KJ on Nov 8, 2018 3:44:48 GMT
Has anyone noticed how wrestlers always talk about Adam Page like he's super tall, and he's shorter than Cody?
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Post by SM on Nov 13, 2018 21:44:26 GMT
Has anyone noticed how wrestlers always talk about Adam Page like he's super tall, and he's shorter than Cody? That is a bit. Cody also always calls him a Texan when he is really from Virginia.
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Post by Big Pete on Jan 5, 2019 12:00:18 GMT
New Year's Dash was fairly ho-hum.
Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi re-joined the Bullet Club.
Chuck Taylor laid out Juice Robinson.
TAICHI laid out Tetsuya Naito.
Jay White laid out Hiroshi Tanahashi, with Bad Luck Fale taking care of Okada.
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Post by Emperor on Jan 5, 2019 21:39:26 GMT
A surprising lack of big things happening at New Year's Dash. Perhaps the most notable thing is the absence of Kenny Omega, and The Elite as a whole.
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Post by RT on Jan 6, 2019 1:25:01 GMT
If Omega was a lock to be in NJPW going forward, I fully think they have him come out at the end and kick Jay White’s teeth in, making the save. How do you not have that closing shot of three of the greatest NJPW stars in Tanahashi, Okada & Omega standing in the ring against Jay White, Gedo, and the resurgent Bullet Club? You don’t pass that up if you can help it.
The next year is going to be really interesting as far as NJPW and AEW go.
Also I’ve read more than one rumour that Omega was offered huge money by the WWE. I know, I know...they’ve probably made him dozens of offers. You don’t just not try and throw money at a guy like him every now and then. And we’ll never know what’s true and what isn’t. But if McMahon/Triple H finally saw an opening and made a huge offer, promising the same treatment as AJ Styles...fuck who knows.
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Post by NATH45 on Jan 7, 2019 8:12:24 GMT
Word on the grape-vine is, the money is huge, there's creative control and a WWE title run in the deal.
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Post by NATH45 on Jan 7, 2019 9:55:56 GMT
With all the rumors rampart around Omega, WWE, The Elite, AEW... you may have missed the news Kushida has announced he will leave NJPW at the end of the month, he will " head overseas and to see the world of pro wrestling " - whatever that means. NJPW is losing a lot of talent.
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Post by Big Pete on Jan 7, 2019 11:43:36 GMT
Not a bad move for either party. KUSHIDA had reached his plateau in NJPW and paled in comparison to the Will Ospreay's, Hiromu Takahashi's and the like coming through. KUSHIDA needed a change of pace and in NXT he'll find a lot of familiar opponents like Kyle O'Reilly whom he had great chemistry with.
In all likelihood KUSHIDA will have a couple of stand-out matches in NXT, coast for months, wind up on 205Live and no one will care about him because the WWE doesn't want you to care about him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 12:32:17 GMT
Dude had to leave since it was obvious they weren't moving him up. So even if he does nothing it's a payday and gets his name out there for more eyes. At the end of the day winning the junior belt for the 18th time just seems hollow.
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Post by RT on Jan 7, 2019 16:49:23 GMT
Meltzer broke the “KUSHIDA to WWE” news last month but a lot of people missed it. Not sure why. I thought it was common knowledge he was done after WK.
I hope he does well and wins over some fans. I think a faction in 205 of Itami, Tozawa and KUSHIDA would be neat.
...
Omega gave an interview in Japan saying he was taking time off, but he did the same thing last year and the interview reeks of a work. I think he signs another year in NJPW. Either that, or the presser for AEW tomorrow is going to drop some big news.
I’ll be stunned if he ends up in WWE this year.
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Post by KJ on Jan 7, 2019 17:04:38 GMT
Unless AEW legitimately is offering "WWE-level contracts," I hope he goes to the money. His style right now is so brutal, I'd love to see such a gifted performer cash-in on his talent and take the biggest/best offer.
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Post by RT on Jan 7, 2019 17:29:56 GMT
Unless AEW legitimately is offering "WWE-level contracts," I hope he goes to the money. His style right now is so brutal, I'd love to see such a gifted performer cash-in on his talent and take the biggest/best offer. As much as I think he’ll stay in Japan at least one more year, this is what I’m hoping for too. Maybe it’s selfish of me but I want to see him cash in too, and if he’s smart and can somehow work in a guaranteed title clause in his contract then adding the WWE Championship to his repitoire would be great to see. Do what Styles did and sign for 2-3 years and get similar treatment to him. If you decide you don’t want to be in the WWE after that, he can go back to Japan in his late 30s, probably still in good shape, and do whatever he wants there.
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Post by KJ on Jan 7, 2019 18:24:45 GMT
If he did a 3-year contract, he could return to BJPW even younger than Styles was when he left. There's so much opportunity.
I selfishly want Kenny vs. AJ, Bryan, Seth, Cena (even as he's on the decline), Shinsuke (please God) and who knows how many NXT guys on the cusp of being called up.
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Post by Emperor on Jan 7, 2019 18:49:51 GMT
Pretty sure he's making great money in NJPW plus the other promotions he works for. Sure, not WWE money, but I don't believe money is something that would sway him so easily. I'm guessing he hasn't committed yet which is why there's been no announcement and why he didn't appear at New Year's Dash. I honestly think it's more likely he goes to AEW than WWE, but for me personally that's the worst case option.
My selfish side wants him to stay in NJPW, because it's the only company I watch and he's one of their best wrestlers. If he leaves, I'll get over it, just like I did with Nakamura and AJ, and NJPW has more than enough talent to fill the void, but it would still be a pretty hefty blow.
I had no idea KUSHIDA was leaving until yesterday, but good for him. I remember a few months ago when KUSHIDA and Ospreay had this vision to make the Junior Heavyweight Division as important as the Heavyweight Division. Remove the barriers. Now Ospreay has gone Heavyweight and is changing his style. Maybe KUSHIDA feels betrayed, maybe he's bored of being the Junior Ace. A fresh start would do him good, I think, and I'd certainly welcome a TakeOver match with Kyle O'Reilly. Those guys are gold together.
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Post by PB on Jan 7, 2019 19:45:18 GMT
I think if they promise him AJ at Wrestlemania that's enough for Kenny to go to WWE even if it's only for a few years.
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Post by RT on Jan 7, 2019 19:57:43 GMT
If money were an object Kenny would have gone to WWE two years ago when they were buying up everyone else. Clearly that isn’t an issue to him, especially now that his loyalty has paid off and he’s able to make bank through NJPW, merch, All In, etc.
The press conference for AEW is going to tell the whole story, I think. If he isn’t there, or they don’t mention his involvement in any way, I don’t think he’s going. Could be that he doesn’t want to commit to that full-time and now that we know NJPW isn’t going to work with them, Kenny is shying away from the idea.
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Post by KJ on Jan 7, 2019 20:42:33 GMT
There's some contractual quirks, though, right? NJPW contract goes through January, so can he announce he's going to sign elsewhere before his contract ends?
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