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Post by Digital Witness on Dec 20, 2014 17:08:02 GMT -5
TDMK at Wrestle Kingdom is certainly interesting. I wonder if New Japan is interested in bringing them for future events? I hope so. The tag division could really use some depth, even if that depth comes from outsiders. New Japan has all the ingredients for a really deep tag division. They just have to deliver the goods. Between Guns and Gallows, Meiyu Tag, King Ace, KES, TDMK, Naito/La Sombra, combinations of Chaos (Nakamura/Iishi and Okada/Yoshi), and the older teams that can still work on some level like TenKoji and Nagata/Nakanishi, they should be able to deliver. I think a Meiyu Tag IWGP tag title run would definitely be worth it for Shibata and Goto if they get a long run that can establish both of them as the major players that they should be. I'd give them a run somewhere in between the length of Bad Intentions and Guns and Gallows. On a side note since I'm talking about the tag belts, its amazing to me that Karl Anderson is about as well known with the tag straps at this point as Tenzan, Kojima, Chono, Fujinami, etc... That guy alone has represented the tag division for the longest time. I feel like he should have got his due in singles competition as well, but unfortunately his rise was happening during Okada's rise and no one could compete with that.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2014 17:36:18 GMT -5
I hope so. The tag division could really use some depth, even if that depth comes from outsiders. New Japan has all the ingredients for a really deep tag division. They just have to deliver the goods. Between Guns and Gallows, Meiyu Tag, King Ace, KES, TDMK, Naito/La Sombra, combinations of Chaos (Nakamura/Iishi and Okada/Yoshi), and the older teams that can still work on some level like TenKoji and Nagata/Nakanishi, they should be able to deliver. Tanahashi and Makabe aren't a real team and La Sombra isn't around enough to count. And who knows what's going on with TMDK after Wrestle Kingdom. Any team with Nakamura or Okada in it realistically isn't winning the tag belts. The tag division isn't WWE or TNA level shallow, but it's far great. The fact the Meiyu Tag and KES is the only team that Gallows/Anderson has faced this year that they've had any chance of losing the belts to says something. So does the 1,000 matches between KES and TenCozy.
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chrom
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Post by chrom on Dec 20, 2014 17:41:28 GMT -5
On a lighter note, Yano's partners have been revealed: Naomichi Marufuji, Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls. The guy on the far right looks like Dreamer, if Dreamer was about 15 years younger and 30 pounds lighter.
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Post by Starshine on Dec 20, 2014 17:45:46 GMT -5
Would they be just better off just having a single open weight tag division instead since both junior and heavyweight divisions are lacking in their own right?
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chrom
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Post by chrom on Dec 20, 2014 17:50:57 GMT -5
I hope so. The tag division could really use some depth, even if that depth comes from outsiders. New Japan has all the ingredients for a really deep tag division. They just have to deliver the goods. Between Guns and Gallows, Meiyu Tag, King Ace, KES, TDMK, Naito/La Sombra, combinations of Chaos (Nakamura/Iishi and Okada/Yoshi), and the older teams that can still work on some level like TenKoji and Nagata/Nakanishi, they should be able to deliver. I think a Meiyu Tag IWGP tag title run would definitely be worth it for Shibata and Goto if they get a long run that can establish both of them as the major players that they should be. I'd give them a run somewhere in between the length of Bad Intentions and Guns and Gallows. On a side note since I'm talking about the tag belts, its amazing to me that Karl Anderson is about as well known with the tag straps at this point as Tenzan, Kojima, Chono, Fujinami, etc... That guy alone has represented the tag division for the longest time. I feel like he should have got his due in singles competition as well, but unfortunately his rise was happening during Okada's rise and no one could compete with that. Bit hard to believe he's had the straps together with Bernard and Gallows over 900 days. New Japan does need a few more tag teams. TDMK is a good start and The Briscoe Brothers would be good if brought in from ROH as well. I think if not for Elgin's visa issue they would've been in the G1 tag instead of Jay winning the ROH Strap and having to settle for Bennett/Taven. Fale and Tonga are teaming up often as well now.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2014 18:01:28 GMT -5
Would they be just better off just having a single open weight tag division instead since both junior and heavyweight divisions are lacking in their own right? I would say no. Juniors rarely go over Heavyweights over there and I'd hate to see the existing Junior tag teams become jobbers. With one tag division you could have a bunch of teams with one Heavyweight and one Junior, but that would mean breaking up teams I don't want to see break up.
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Post by ________ has left the building on Dec 20, 2014 18:17:51 GMT -5
Would they be just better off just having a single open weight tag division instead since both junior and heavyweight divisions are lacking in their own right? I would say no. Juniors rarely go over Heavyweights over there and I'd hate to see the existing Junior tag teams become jobbers. With one tag division you could have a bunch of teams with one Heavyweight and one Junior, but that would mean breaking up teams I don't want to see break up. Japan is way more stubborn than other countries when it comes to lighter wrestlers moving pass the junior division glass ceiling. It was one of the factoring reasons why Prince Devitt gave up his sweet NJPW gig and took WWE's offer to become Finn Balor. No matter how good you are, you will never be nothing more than a junior heavyweight. Only those who gain a bunch of bulk or wrestle in smaller puroresu promotions are able to escape it. Look at the pairings in the NJPW junior division. Without ReDRagon showing up, everyone in that tag scene has been fighting each other for years and been multi time champs. The junior heavyweight title scene is the same. Closest you had was Liger's short lived heavyweight run as breaking that ceiling. Ibushi is currently in the Intercontinental scene but I don't see him going towards heavyweight anytime soon. And Bushi was diagnosed as having an epidural hematoma. A very serious injury to the point of him returning within 6 months is optimistic.
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Post by Raskovnik on Dec 20, 2014 18:31:22 GMT -5
I'm stoked as f*** to see Marufuji live.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2014 18:31:22 GMT -5
Apparently, 15% to 20% of epidural hematomas are fatal, scary stuff.
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chrom
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Post by chrom on Dec 20, 2014 18:51:41 GMT -5
Apparently, 15% to 20% of epidural hematomas are fatal, scary stuff. Yeah, he dodged a bullet there. I know that's not a high percentage but one out of five people. That's something to consider.
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W?Y
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Post by W?Y on Dec 21, 2014 7:07:05 GMT -5
I predicted TMDK on a total guess, so stoked that they'll be there with Marufuji.
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chrom
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Post by chrom on Dec 23, 2014 13:34:31 GMT -5
New Japan World seems to be starting strong, in the three weeks since they announced it, they have gotten over ten thousand subscribers, a third of what they hope to achieve in a years time.
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Post by chrom on Dec 23, 2014 16:25:56 GMT -5
GFW SET FOR NJPW EVENTS SURROUNDING WRESTLING KINGDOM 9 NASHVILLE – Global Force Wrestling Vice President of International Scott D’Amore said GFW founder and CEO Jeff Jarrett and the North American announce team will address the media as part of Wrestle Kingdom 9’s festivities the day before the big show at the Tokyo Dome. Hall of Fame play-by-play man Jim Ross and Matt Striker will appear at the Jan. 3 “Grand Pro-Wrestling Festival 2015” news conferences at the Differ Ariake Arena in Tokyo, as will all of the NJPW stars, such as Tanahashi, Okada and Nakamura. The Bullet Club, which includes Jarrett, D’Amore, A.J. Styles and IWGP tag team champions Doc Gallows and “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson, also will be on hand. There will be autograph signings and meet-and-greets with Japanese and international fans in attendance between and after the news conferences. The festival even includes two matches. “We’re pleased to be invited to attend the festival and to further the budding relationship between GFW and NJPW,” D’amore said. “When you have an event of this magnitude you always want to include the fans and do what you can to enhance their experience.” GFW announced its partnership with NJPW in June and revealed that it would promote WK 9 in North America on Nov. 4. Ross came on board on Nov. 11, and Striker was added on Dec. 18. “NJPW is one of the hottest promotions in the world right now, and all eyes will be on Tokyo for Wrestle Kingdom 9,” Striker said. “It will be an honor and a privilege not only to sit beside Jim Ross again but to call the action involving many of the best performers this business has to offer on such a grand stage.” “GFW Presents New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9” will air live in North America at 2 a.m. ET on Jan. 4, which is 4 p.m. in Tokyo. The four-hour telecast also will air in primetime in North America at 7 p.m. ET on DirecTV, Dish, AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Verizon Fios and all cable systems in the United States, and in Canada on Bell ExpressVu TV, Rogers, Shaw, Sasktel and Telus. Check your local listings for availability. The show also will be available on the Flipps app on iTunes or Android. Wrestle Kingdom 9 will be the 24th consecutive year for the Jan. 4 dome event, which kicks off the year in Japan and annually is the largest wrestling show in the world outside of the United States, drawing in excess of 40,000 fans. 411mania.com/wrestling/global-force-wrestling-to-be-a-part-of-pre-wrestlekingdom-9-festivities/
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Post by PrinceD on Dec 28, 2014 23:56:02 GMT -5
So I'm stoked to be able to watch a New Japan show on PPV in the US but does it bother anyone else that some people are calling this a GFW show??
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Post by TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out on Dec 29, 2014 1:00:58 GMT -5
Japan is way more stubborn than other countries when it comes to lighter wrestlers moving pass the junior division glass ceiling. It was one of the factoring reasons why Prince Devitt gave up his sweet NJPW gig and took WWE's offer to become Finn Balor. No matter how good you are, you will never be nothing more than a junior heavyweight. Only those who gain a bunch of bulk or wrestle in smaller puroresu promotions are able to escape it. Look at the pairings in the NJPW junior division. Without ReDRagon showing up, everyone in that tag scene has been fighting each other for years and been multi time champs. The junior heavyweight title scene is the same. Closest you had was Liger's short lived heavyweight run as breaking that ceiling. Ibushi is currently in the Intercontinental scene but I don't see him going towards heavyweight anytime soon. I'm neutral on the strict weight limits in Puro. While some of the most entertaining and best performers won't get their due (Devitt and Benoit could have been huge in the HW division), it allows for multiple styles to be on the same card without fear of larger wrestlers being pushed because of their size. The fact that there's a strong chance he can return is amazing itself. That botch was Hayabusa-levels of scary.
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Jeff Mangum PI
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Post by Jeff Mangum PI on Dec 29, 2014 2:47:17 GMT -5
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Post by MrElijah on Dec 29, 2014 8:23:42 GMT -5
Now I can understand why NJPW would keep the divisions separate but a unified Tag division would work.
That and the Bucks deserve a run with the main Tag straps.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2014 15:58:57 GMT -5
Has anyone used the Flipps app before? I'm thinking about giving it a shot for this PPV.
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chrom
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Post by chrom on Dec 29, 2014 23:32:02 GMT -5
So who's excited for this Sunday, I can't wait. I think this might go down as one of the greatest shows of all time with the lineup and the talent involved.
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Post by berlynwright on Dec 29, 2014 23:38:11 GMT -5
i don't know if Okada/Tanahashi will be as good as their previous matches, especially the invasion attack 2013.
Tanahashi looked really beat up during tag league g1. he mostly had multiman matches but didn't do lot of work. i don't know if he's saving himself for big match, but it's clear as a day he has a bad back and was struggling to walk during some entrances.
Nakamura/Ibushi & AJ/Naito should be atleast on par with main event. Naito wasn't loved by Tokyo Dome when he went up against Okada at WK8 and AJ has been getting over drastically. So i expect heel/face dynamic to change during their match.
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