CI Wrestling Thread #56
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New Japan live show thoughts...
It's dumb for New Japan to have a US Championship, just like it was dumb for WWE to have a UK Championship, even if it gives opportunity to wrestlers who wouldn't otherwise get it.
But sure enough, the two US title tournament matches were the best ones on the show. Kenny Omega and Michael Elgin absolutely tore the house down. Really good false finishes with zero finisher kickouts. Something has definitely changed in Omega in the last year. He's got a great old school style about him where everything is about just frantically trying to win the match and nothing else. Elgin would be in WWE right now if he were 5 inches taller. He's crazy strong, can do his stuff with just about anybody...probably should get better at promos though.
Ishii vs. Naito was great too. I'm just a big Ishii mark, I feel like he would be a thread favorite if he were better known. And I love how much Jim Ross marked out for him too. Just a tank. Really good story with Naito doing his heel act and taking Ishii lightly and thereby making him angry.
Cody Rhodes vs. Okada was super interesting. Cody gets great heat, especially considering that American crowds are less inclined to cheer for the Japanese champion over the American challenger. But he also had no business in the ring with Okada at this point and wasn't allowed to get a ton of offense in, which is also weird for the heel in the match.
I'm not just saying this because it involves the Young Bucks, who are terrible, but they need to get rid of the Bullet Club. Did you know there are currently 11 members of the Bullet Club? Did you know that when you factor in part-timers and guys who don't work there anymore, there have been 27 members of the Bullet Club? In 3 years. Have they learned nothing?
I want NJPW to get better and better. WWE is capable of producing amazing content. They still do occasionally. Lord knows the wrestlers are good enough and then some. But WWE is never consistent with it unless there's a gun against their head. NJPW can be the gun. And that show last night was really enjoyable and a good step forward to help the brand in the US. Way better than when they worked with ROH in 2015 and ROH had all their guys beat the Japanese guys except for AJ Styles.
It's dumb for New Japan to have a US Championship, just like it was dumb for WWE to have a UK Championship, even if it gives opportunity to wrestlers who wouldn't otherwise get it.
But sure enough, the two US title tournament matches were the best ones on the show. Kenny Omega and Michael Elgin absolutely tore the house down. Really good false finishes with zero finisher kickouts. Something has definitely changed in Omega in the last year. He's got a great old school style about him where everything is about just frantically trying to win the match and nothing else. Elgin would be in WWE right now if he were 5 inches taller. He's crazy strong, can do his stuff with just about anybody...probably should get better at promos though.
Ishii vs. Naito was great too. I'm just a big Ishii mark, I feel like he would be a thread favorite if he were better known. And I love how much Jim Ross marked out for him too. Just a tank. Really good story with Naito doing his heel act and taking Ishii lightly and thereby making him angry.
Cody Rhodes vs. Okada was super interesting. Cody gets great heat, especially considering that American crowds are less inclined to cheer for the Japanese champion over the American challenger. But he also had no business in the ring with Okada at this point and wasn't allowed to get a ton of offense in, which is also weird for the heel in the match.
I'm not just saying this because it involves the Young Bucks, who are terrible, but they need to get rid of the Bullet Club. Did you know there are currently 11 members of the Bullet Club? Did you know that when you factor in part-timers and guys who don't work there anymore, there have been 27 members of the Bullet Club? In 3 years. Have they learned nothing?
I want NJPW to get better and better. WWE is capable of producing amazing content. They still do occasionally. Lord knows the wrestlers are good enough and then some. But WWE is never consistent with it unless there's a gun against their head. NJPW can be the gun. And that show last night was really enjoyable and a good step forward to help the brand in the US. Way better than when they worked with ROH in 2015 and ROH had all their guys beat the Japanese guys except for AJ Styles.
Sometimes the stigma of WWE holding one back can create a false perception of a great talent post-release. Cody Rhodes is a good talent. He's not great.
Caught bits and pieces of the show last night, will watch the whole thing over the next couple of days.
Couldn't help but laugh when JR said about Cody..."Poor bastard doesn't even have a last name."
Totally forgot Omega was in WWE developmental years ago and was paired with The Miz.
Who has more members the NWO at its peak or the Bullet Club??
Couldn't help but laugh when JR said about Cody..."Poor bastard doesn't even have a last name."
Totally forgot Omega was in WWE developmental years ago and was paired with The Miz.
Who has more members the NWO at its peak or the Bullet Club??
The one guy in New Japan I can't believe hasn't jumped to WWE is Bad Luck Fale.
He has Vince McMahon favorite written all over him.
Could see him and Strowman have a nice little feud next year.
He has Vince McMahon favorite written all over him.
Could see him and Strowman have a nice little feud next year.
The time to do that would've been in 2011 when CM Punk leaving with the title occurred.
I'm more into NJPW and ROH right now too.
Omega asked for his release. His backstory is pretty cool. Check out his podcast with Jericho from awhile back.
Bullet Club is still cool to me. Still cool characters and not old and shit in the ring like nWo.
I've been trying to figure out how he does it as well. By the way, right now, he has the most interesting character in pro wrestling.
One thing New Japan crushes WWE in is the Jr Division/Cruiserweights.
WWE portrays it as an afterthought while New Japan makes it part of the whole brand (Bushi/Takahashi part of LIJ) and makes it feel important.
Also Kushida, Takahashi, Richochet, Bushi would all run circles around any of the WWE cruiserweights.
WWE portrays it as an afterthought while New Japan makes it part of the whole brand (Bushi/Takahashi part of LIJ) and makes it feel important.
Also Kushida, Takahashi, Richochet, Bushi would all run circles around any of the WWE cruiserweights.
Look, you're allowed to swing and miss. I'd say having Billy Gunn in your semi-main event counts as that. Even WWE only did that once.
Although I will say that if that Rock/Billy Gunn feud hadn't happened, we would never have gotten my favorite Rock promo ever.
"Bob?"
It used to be better.
Although I will say that if that Rock/Billy Gunn feud hadn't happened, we would never have gotten my favorite Rock promo ever.
"Bob?"
It used to be better.
Prichard will be covering Canadian Stampede 97 in his next podcast. I watched it start/finish last night on the network, heads up...it's still just great.
You go back and watch WWF during that era, it's unreal how crazy the crowds were. I went back and watched the Lexington Raw not too long ago, and it was insane. It felt like a riot could break out at any time.
I was at that thing and I'm still not sure I've ever been in a rowdier environment.
Too sweet.
No one thinks of Bolly Gunn when they think of nWo. Didn't even know he was in BC until recently. I think of Omega, Young Bucks, Marty and Cody. No one else does anything else. Occasionally Hangman Page.
That's better. I still can't believe that they put him with Tanahashi in the semi-main though.
Hangman Page is a ROH job guy to me. Maybe he's improved, but he was so bland and so mediocre.
Page is that guy your friend claims is the coolest, best dude ever. You hear about him all the time and all the awesome things he's done...annnnd you find out he's not cool nor does any awesome things (pure opposite of Mongo).
Therefore, he's now the guy your mother makes you bring everywhere because no one else wants to.
Therefore, he's now the guy your mother makes you bring everywhere because no one else wants to.
I also was there if you're referring to the Raw after Survivor Series 98.
When Austin's music hit and when Austin hit the stunner on the Rock in the title match (before Undertaker's shovel shot) that building was louder than it gets when UK is kicking a rival's ass on the hardwood.
Incredible time to be a wrestling fan.
I was also at the Rupp show in 1998...agreed with everything you all have said about that show. I need to go back and watch in on the WWE Network.
That was also Hawk falling off the titantron that night, lol
I really hope this acts as a bat signal for the great cbpointblank1979 to come back and tell his hilarious "Hawk falls off the Titantron" story.
So as awesome as New Japan was this weekend the other company put together just as terrible a show.
Whatever they are going to call it now it seems GFW and TNA have merged.
Whatever they are going to call it now it seems GFW and TNA have merged.
I vote for GFTNA.
3 matches in to the NJPW show. One thing I prefer is the shoot/real/press conference feel of the after match segments.
I also dig the guy with the stuffed toy cat.
3 matches in to the NJPW show. One thing I prefer is the shoot/real/press conference feel of the after match segments.
I also dig the guy with the stuffed toy cat.
Yup I throughly enjoy the post-match press conference aspect. Especially when most of the time they are sitting there drinking coors light while they are talking. Gallows and Anderson used to down them like SCSA.
Hiromu Takahashi! (and Darryl)
He went to Mexico a few years ago and came back with this weirdo character, a lot like how Shinsuke Nakamura got to the main roster today, and his matches are fantastic.
He and Dragon Lee (the Ultimo Dragon looking guy in the all-white getup only he's Mexican instead of Japanese) had a killer match back in February that's up there with the best stuff from last year's cruiserweight classic. Highlights were the best I could find.
Oh yeah...Dragon Lee is only 22 years old.
I just hate how far down the crapper WWE is - if they hadn't plucked the NJPW/ROH/TNA talent what would they really have?
Brock
Braun
Women's revolution
Heath Slater
Usos
Ziggler
Orton
Brock
Braun
Women's revolution
Heath Slater
Usos
Ziggler
Orton
Dang it, Roman Reigns too, even if you don't like him.
But that isn't totally fair. Since the Hogan era, how many legit stars have been 100% homegrown without being ripped from at least one non-developmental territory?
The Rock
Kurt Angle
Kane
Edge
John Cena
Randy Orton
Roman Reigns
^These are the only ones I can think of who were world champs. I guess Jack Swagger and Christian too. But the rest of our favorites all got plucked from somewhere.
But my point is not back then but now all on that list that's left is Orton and Reigns - everyone else is part time or no longer in a wrestling role (Angle).
Yes it's not fair but that's my point - New Japan grew the Naito the Tanahashi the Ishii the Okada they know how to develop whereas WWE has become pluck and play...okay okay I'll give WWE credit they developed the Miz.
My main point is from 2002-2012 WWE wasn't developing for today and beyond - they had Sheamus and JBL carrying the straps and not looking years ahead while those guys we're meare stopgaps.
Now they are using the pluck and plug strategy while might be successful they did better having guys like Cena developing in ovw.
Now they are using the pluck and plug strategy while might be successful they did better having guys like Cena developing in ovw.
On this day in 1993 Yokozuna made a challenge that nobody could power slam him.
Thus ended his "Narcissist" run and began an incredibly botched face turn for Lex Luger which inevitably ended with him returning to WCW.
Thus ended his "Narcissist" run and began an incredibly botched face turn for Lex Luger which inevitably ended with him returning to WCW.
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