I can't believe she's calling herself "The CEO"

It's got the same energy as Kurt Angle saying "It's real...it's damn real" in TNA!

The Mayu Iwatani match is probably my least favorite of Mercedes in Japan.

Also the outcome...

SPOILER: Click to show

was disappointing was hoping Mone would retain.

And that is why do you want until last minute to re-sign your contract.

I mean I figured they were going that direction because otherwise congrats you beat someone who sucks. Like a victory over Kane.

Apr 23, 2023 22:58:53 GMT c said:

And that is why do you want until last minute to re-sign your contract.

I suppose that's true.

Although, didn't Kairi just become the first ever IWGP champion back in November? Three different champions, over a six month period also kinda looks bad.

Apr 23, 2023 23:44:05 GMT Lony said:

Apr 23, 2023 22:58:53 GMT c said:

And that is why do you want until last minute to re-sign your contract.

I suppose that's true.

Although, didn't Kairi just become the first ever IWGP champion back in November? Three different champions, over a six month period also kinda looks bad.

Welcome to NJPW booking of titles!

Titles change hands every couple months until they decide someone is going to go god-mode and hold it for 2 years. Happens all the time.

I'm surprised she lost before Forbidden Door if I'm being honest. I thought for sure she was walking into that show with it. She still might, unless they have other plans or Mercedes isn't going to be there.

Apr 24, 2023 0:21:57 GMT RT said:

Apr 23, 2023 23:44:05 GMT Lony said:

I suppose that's true.

Although, didn't Kairi just become the first ever IWGP champion back in November? Three different champions, over a six month period also kinda looks bad.

Welcome to NJPW booking of titles!

Titles change hands every couple months until they decide someone is going to go god-mode and hold it for 2 years. Happens all the time.

I'm surprised she lost before Forbidden Door if I'm being honest. I thought for sure she was walking into that show with it. She still might, unless they have other plans or Mercedes isn't going to be there.

Fair enough.

Like you, I kinda figured Mercedes would have held it, until at least Forbidden Door.

Asuka went in on STARDOM/Japanese media, fresh off her Kabuki Warrior buddy coming back stateside. I wonder what is going on with that promotion. I wonder if there are skeletons in the closet or something. 

This is OLD drama from NEO Japan Ladies' Pro Wrestling.

Once upon a time there was a stable Passion Red. Was Kana (Asuka), Nanae Takahashi and Natsuki Taiyo. At some show or another Kana and Takahashi got into a fight backstage and the stable suddenly ended without any mention of why.

After this Taiyo turned on Kana saying she worked stiff was hurting people.

After the fight, NEO Japan Ladies' Pro Wrestling folded and Takahashi would found Stardome, with Taiyo one of the big stars announced at the Stardome founding. Kana was not invited to either and had to work Tajiri's Smash, then his Wrestling New Classic. Then there was drama there and Kana quit claiming she was not paid. She retired for a while then whole working for Reina Joshi Puroresu Del Ray pushed on WWE to get her ASAP. If NXT did not her, there was so much drama with Kana in Japan over the years likely she would have retired like Mio Shirai (Io's sister) did. They both kind of left together originally, but Kana got sucked back.

After all of the drama, Kana ALWAYS held a grudge against Stardome as it really was founded on the no Kana allowed principal and she was pissed. All of Kana's old stablemates were working there but she was blackballed.

Always was interesting me Kana has so much heat backstage in Japan, but absolutely none in the US.  Everyone like loves her.

So weird seeing everyone learn about Kana today. Also not mentioned often is that Japanese media in the Kana vs Joshi fight sided against her claiming Kana repeatedly was so dangerous people did not want to work with her due to her shoot style. Even in SHIMMER she was played as a deadly shoot wrestler with ruthless kicks and dangerous holds. And Asuka is basically the same wrestler as Kana was, so everyone can see, clearly she is not working a deadly style. Her kicks and submissions really did not change and are totally fine in WWE today.  

Apr 23, 2023 22:50:22 GMT Lony said:

The Mayu Iwatani match is probably my least favorite of Mercedes in Japan.

I finally got around to watching this, and I'd agree, it was by far the weakest of her three matches. I normally prefer a short match but the way they worked this made the ending feel very abrupt and not nearly as satisfying as the three-way which hit on all cylinders all the way through. Still very watchable though, the meteora to the outside was a sick bump and I did like Mercedes trying to pin Mayu about 10 times after hitting the Mone Maker. 

Wonder if we see Mone before WK. WK has to be her vs Giulia. Timing is funky to have to do a Stardome program before that.