If CHAOS Breaks Up, How Would You Change It/Who Goes Where?

[HMARK Center]

With the splintering of the Bullet Club now official, lots of eyes are now turning toward the forthcoming Okada/Jay White match during the early nights of the G1 tournament. CHAOS, as a faction, began the year on top of the world, with the Heavyweight, Jr. Heavyweight, NEVER, Jr. Tag, and US titles in their camp at the end of January; now, in July, only the NEVER title remains, RP3K is having a crisis of confidence, Ishii lost his British Heavyweight title to Minoru Suzuki, YOSHI HASHI is getting picked on by Taichi, and even Okada's disco pants have turned red and sprouted Mario Kart battle mode balloons.

Things are, in a word, dire.

With that in mind, and especially considering Jay White's direct words to Okada earlier this year about wanting to challenge him and wanting to tear down the "faction members shall not fight one another outside of tournaments" commandment of NJPW, we've now got a lot of people looking at the oncoming Okada/White matchup with a great deal of curiosity. Is NJPW going to go through with it and split up Shinsuke Nakamura's creation?

There are some reasons to think so. Breaking the roster down by faction, we're now at a point where we have Los Ingobernables with five members, the Bullet Club/Golden Elite with at least seven (likely eight or nine), the Bullet Club Firing Squad with at least three and likely soon to be four or five (or more), and Suzuki-gun with nine. CHAOS, meanwhile, has I believe thirteen at least part-time in ring competitors currently in their ranks (plus, hey, let's give an honorary spot to Sweet Chuckie T). Sure, CHAOS was never depicted as being quite as tight as the other groups and has more of a loose MMA camp style approach, but it's still a notable difference in size, particularly if you focus on the number of legitimate heavyweight contenders in their ranks compared with the other groups.

All that being said, if a split does happen how would you book it, or how would you like to see it booked? Would you prefer a core CHAOS stable remain while a new splinter group splits off, with one group being heel and the other face? Should its members disperse among the various other factions? Maybe some combination of the two? Are there any members in particular you'd like to see in any other particular stable or team, with any corresponding heel/face turns as needed?

I can't say for sure how I'd want to see it booked, but my first instinct is to believe there's a chance that Jay White might join Firing Squad as its soon-to-be ace. I know White refused Bullet Club earlier in the year citing how much he resented the group from his Young Lion days, but he might admire Tama's decision to finally take it to Kenny and upend the status quo, plus Tama's words earlier this year about Kenny possibly being the wrong guy to go out recruiting Jay could be relevant. I'm not saying it's 100% likely, but there's the Kiwi connection with Fale and as of now Firing Squad doesn't have a definitive top heavyweight title contender as Fale is likely more of a gatekeeper. Yeah, it's possible someone else is joining that group and we can't begin to guess who it might be yet, but I just figure that one has decent odds of happening.

Otherwise, I mostly wonder what might or might not work to give Ishii, Goto, and YOSHI HASHI (I know, I know) fresh coats of paint, so to speak. I have a hard time seeing Ishii as anything else but Okada's guard dog, but those are the three main guys in the group who could use something fresh to challenge them as characters.

So yeah, whaddaya got, Okada leading CHAOS Hollywood against CHAOS Wolfpac, lead, obviously, by Trent(?)? Or YOSHI HASHI revealing he's actually been cholo 4 life since his CMLL excursion and joining LIJ? Clearly, the most obvious answers.

[cabbageboy]

I think White would be more inclined to try and usurp Okada since that's been his stated goal since joining. The problem is that any heat he had from having the U.S. title while Okada lost his title is gone now that he too has lost his belt.

The problem with doing some big storyline with CHAOS is that CHAOS is kind of a lame faction really. They're a bunch of...guys. LIJ are the crazy, weirdo antiheroes. The Bullet Club is the gaijin group, along with the newly formed Firing Squad as the scary Tongan version. CHAOS though? They're kinda there. No real unifying theme. What CHAOS do they bring? The leader is Okada, who is about as establishment as it gets in NJPW.

[BlackoutCreature]

As someone who doesn't follow NJPW all that closely (really nothing more then what little leaks over into ROH), I was actually surprised to find out that CHAOS was still a thing. I was under the impression they were just a bunch of random guys who came together to fight the Bullet Club and had no real higher loyalty beyond that. That's the kind of angle that runs its course after a few months and everybody involved moves onto other things.

Honestly I'm kinda surprised that the Bullet Club is still a thing. That's something that really feels like it should have ran its course years ago. Especially since Los Ingobernables seems to have taken their place as the hot, trendy faction in NJPW.

[HMARK Center]

Jul 11, 2018 22:31:49 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

As someone who doesn't follow NJPW all that closely (really nothing more then what little leaks over into ROH), I was actually surprised to find out that CHAOS was still a thing. I was under the impression they were just a bunch of random guys who came together to fight the Bullet Club and had no real higher loyalty beyond that. That's the kind of angle that runs its course after a few months and everybody involved moves onto other things.

Honestly I'm kinda surprised that the Bullet Club is still a thing. That's something that really feels like it should have ran its course years ago. Especially since Los Ingobernables seems to have taken their place as the hot, trendy faction in NJPW.

CHAOS was actually a heel stable in its earliest days; it was formed when Shinsuke Nakamura turned heel and got members of the Great Bash Heel stable (Yano and Ishii) to turn on their boss, Togi Makabe, and begin a stable with the stated purpose of bringing NJPW back to its traditional Strong Style roots (hence Nak getting the "King of Strong Style" moniker). Over time it got a bit more tweener-ish, though Okada was pretty firmly a heel when he debuted with them and immediately won the title.

But yeah, as time went on it became, again, more like a MMA camp than a tight-knit stable; they'd be there to play tweener as needed in different matches/feuds but didn't have a defined singular aesthetic beyond that. To me, that actually makes the prospect of them breaking up or otherwise scattering more interesting, as it offers a chance to inject some of its members with a new purpose or sense of direction, depending on what you do with them.

As for Bullet Club, I honestly think it would have disbanded or otherwise faded away by now if the western expansion efforts weren't bearing so much fruit for NJPW right now; having been in San Francisco this past weekend I can still safely say that despite the love for lots of wrestlers on the roster, in terms of merch and shirts and whatnot Bullet Club still ruled the roost. For now the division between an Omega-led Bullet Club and the new Firing Squad will stand in for an actual dissolution.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

I'm kinda indifferent to it all other than thinking Jay should definitely join Firing Squad. It seemed appropro since the second he rejected Kenny. Kinda killing chaos from the inside would be cool, White joining FS just seems like the perfect piece to complete the puzzle. They need a guy that can go at a high level: Jay is on the cusp of that. Jay needs something after his US title loss (which honestly just pushed him to a whole other level, IMO), and this would guarantee no lack of momentum. Not too mention it gives him time to build while Kenny, Okada, whoever else lingers in the Main event scene.

[Crappler El 0 M]

Jay White-o is the only one who doesn't feel like a good fit for Chaos. I also think he fits in better with the Firing Squad, unless they want that to be an all-Tongan group. Obviously, he has a connection to Fale. They are both from New Zealand and Fale helped Jay get into the New Japan Dojo.

[AwamoriRock]

I'm a bit skeptical about there being a dramatic shakeup until they figure out what they want to do with 3K, but I would totally get Goto out of the group as fast as possible. Him joining Chaos was such a hilarious abandonment. First Naito dunks all over him and when he tries to get a fiery comeback story, Okada literally calls him the definition of an embarrassment, beats him, and then Goto just bows his head and joins his stable. Like, I get that he's not the most charismatic guy in the room, but he could have had a decent run as like...Suzuki's new Sugiura or something.

[Mayonnaise]

I follow along loosely so this could all be a wash with my limited knowledge but here we go:

White, Sho, and Yoh seem like a good fit together. They spent time together in the dojo and had their excursions around the same time, hell even tagged a few times. Have Jay sorta corrupt them, bring up that he knows who he is but they are putting on an act and it is costing them. Maybe throw in someone like Goto and play off his losses in IWGP Title bouts, Okada recruiting him, and stuff like that.

Okada, Ospreay, Trent?, and Chuckie T seem to be close and where Okada goes so does Gedo. Same for Trent, Chuckie, and Rocky. I could easily see them helping Okada find himself so to speak.

Not sure where that leaves the rest though.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

As I proposed in the other thread you need a little shake up

I can see Jay White taking Yoshi Hashi and maybe Goto but he's rebuilding himself well. However, with their history this could be good for Goto. Yoshi Hashi just needs a f***ing hook and going heel with White could be the recipe he needs to have people start caring about him.

Ishii could be a neutral part and stay by himself but I can see him with Okada. Yano as well staying with Okada too would be a good surprise. Rocky and 3K seem like a lock.

Beretta is sort of a toss up. I think joining White would be better for him but having the back of Okada in a closer knit group plus the Rocky connection would probably keep him with Okada

Assuming Takahashi can make a full recovery I wouldn't actually mind seeing Will go with Suzuki Gun. Play up the grappling and the fact he's broken his back for everyone only for them to nag him about his style etc etc

[corndog]

Jul 12, 2018 0:46:28 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

As I proposed in the other thread you need a little shake up

I can see Jay White taking Yoshi Hashi and maybe Goto but he's rebuilding himself well. However, with their history this could be good for Goto. Yoshi Hashi just needs a f***ing hook and going heel with White could be the recipe he needs to have people start caring about him.

Ishii could be a neutral part and stay by himself but I can see him with Okada. Yano as well staying with Okada too would be a good surprise. Rocky and 3K seem like a lock.

Beretta is sort of a toss up. I think joining White would be better for him but having the back of Okada in a closer knit group plus the Rocky connection would probably keep him with Okada

Assuming Takahashi can make a full recovery I wouldn't actually mind seeing Will go with Suzuki Gun. Play up the grappling and the fact he's broken his back for everyone only for them to nag him about his style etc etc

We talked about this in the G1 Special thread, but another reason I see Goto with White, is Goto tried to get White to pose with CHAOS and always tries to include him in things. Whereas Ishii does not trust White at all and just sticks to his job in the ring.

Yoh and Sho definitely need to stay with Okada, they are natural babyfaces and it was kind of weird when they came in trying to work a more heelish style. I could see Rocky going either way, maybe turning on Sho and Yoh or staying loyal to them. Now Trent, I would actually like to see him turn heel(as I love him and Chuck with the "Dicks in Real Life" stuff) and start that with attacking Rocky.

Basically make White's CHAOS side, the overlooked and mistreated members of CHAOS with a surprise like Osprey. I saw you like Osprey in SUZUKI-GUN, but I don't see SUZUKI-GUN having ZSJ and Osprey together, as each member of SUZUKI-GUN has their own identity and that would give them two very similar wrestlers. But I would like to see Osprey embrace his British catch as catch can style and that would fit in a heel CHAOS going back to it's roots of bringing back strong style.

[cabbageboy]

You guys are talking me into this White/Firing Squad idea. Who better to join them than the guy that beat Omega for the U.S. title this year? It would also defuse a certain potentially troubling aspect of this angle and that is the underlying notion that the Tongans were treated like 2nd class citizens and decided to beat up some white boys, haha. I guess they did offer Cody the chair before he started hitting them though.

Truth be told most of the CHAOS guys would be better off as individual wrestlers. The stable has no real unifying hook to it.

[HMARK Center]

Jul 11, 2018 23:42:27 GMT -5 AwamoriRock said:

I'm a bit skeptical about there being a dramatic shakeup until they figure out what they want to do with 3K, but I would totally get Goto out of the group as fast as possible. Him joining Chaos was such a hilarious abandonment. First Naito dunks all over him and when he tries to get a fiery comeback story, Okada literally calls him the definition of an embarrassment, beats him, and then Goto just bows his head and joins his stable. Like, I get that he's not the most charismatic guy in the room, but he could have had a decent run as like...Suzuki's new Sugiura or something.

Yeah, Goto at least beat Naito at WK that year, but it was clear that once Nakamura left they short-circuited whatever story he was in the midst of to get him to fill that spot in CHAOS, and he spent 2016 putting the new big three over (Okada at New Beginning, Naito in the NJC final, Omega in the G1 final).

Back when he first joined a few of us wondered if he'd instead end up in a sort of Starscream role due to his past rivalries with Nakamura and Okada; since then I've always kind of liked the idea of him turning heel and donning a sort of Bret Hart 1997 persona, except his anger is directed at all of the outside, non-Japanese influences permeating the promotion. Something like him and the main Japanese guys in CHAOS splintering off into their own group could work, even if, again, it's hard to see Ishii and Yano away from Okada and the CHAOS name; just change Goto's samurai/monk outfits for something more shogun-like and have him stew on being made to fight so many westerners over the NEVER title or what have you.

On RP3K, I do wonder if there's a chance they could turn just based on their storyline frustration with not being able to overcome heels cheating better than they can. But then, SHO's at least big and intimidating enough that he could be the type of musclebound Jr. heel that Ishimori is, but it's hard to see YOH turning. I think Rocky is a babyface going forward especially since he's scaling back his in-ring work and playing up being a goof, even if he can still work tweener when he's in matches involving the legends and whatnot.

[Fundertaker]

Yano-gun. Greatest stable in history.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Jul 12, 2018 8:55:00 GMT -5 corndog said:

Jul 12, 2018 0:46:28 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

As I proposed in the other thread you need a little shake up

I can see Jay White taking Yoshi Hashi and maybe Goto but he's rebuilding himself well. However, with their history this could be good for Goto. Yoshi Hashi just needs a f***ing hook and going heel with White could be the recipe he needs to have people start caring about him.

Ishii could be a neutral part and stay by himself but I can see him with Okada. Yano as well staying with Okada too would be a good surprise. Rocky and 3K seem like a lock.

Beretta is sort of a toss up. I think joining White would be better for him but having the back of Okada in a closer knit group plus the Rocky connection would probably keep him with Okada

Assuming Takahashi can make a full recovery I wouldn't actually mind seeing Will go with Suzuki Gun. Play up the grappling and the fact he's broken his back for everyone only for them to nag him about his style etc etc

We talked about this in the G1 Special thread, but another reason I see Goto with White, is Goto tried to get White to pose with CHAOS and always tries to include him in things. Whereas Ishii does not trust White at all and just sticks to his job in the ring.

Yoh and Sho definitely need to stay with Okada, they are natural babyfaces and it was kind of weird when they came in trying to work a more heelish style. I could see Rocky going either way, maybe turning on Sho and Yoh or staying loyal to them. Now Trent, I would actually like to see him turn heel(as I love him and Chuck with the "Dicks in Real Life" stuff) and start that with attacking Rocky.

Basically make White's CHAOS side, the overlooked and mistreated members of CHAOS with a surprise like Osprey. I saw you like Osprey in SUZUKI-GUN, but I don't see SUZUKI-GUN having ZSJ and Osprey together, as each member of SUZUKI-GUN has their own identity and that would give them two very similar wrestlers. But I would like to see Osprey embrace his British catch as catch can style and that would fit in a heel CHAOS going back to it's roots of bringing back strong style.

Yea, heel Osprey in Chaos works just as well too

I do kind of want Trent to go heel but I think for right now he would be better off bumping elbows with Okada. However, I do think he can be like Hangman Page where he just sits around for 1-2 years improving and before you know it you realize he's actually talented and learned a lot

Sho and Yoh I think should stay babyfaces but get them away from Rocky

And going back to Goto I believe as mentioned he has obvious history and when he was building his way up to something potentially with Chaos it all went downhill once Nak left. They could bring that up and I think having Goto feud with Okada can be tremendous for him as I've liked the work he's put in over the last year. A heel Goto f***ing shit up in the NEVER division can be good and if he walks out a feud with Okada a victor your looking at a potential IC champ who could do damage in the same way Suzuki did

But yeah I agree of having White feast on the "mistreated" members of Chaos which would give his character a whole new layer.

[Malibu Albino]

I really like the idea of 3K siding with White, maybe they turn on Rocky too since they don't really need him as a hype man now that they've established themselves.

Either way i don't think a CHAOS split is happening until New Years Dash. It would actually be a perfect time. Have Okada win the G1 and promise to win back his title at WK only to come up short and get beat down by White and whoever else he recruits the next night.

[chrom]

Jul 12, 2018 18:41:37 GMT -5 Malibu Albino said:

I really like the idea of 3K siding with White, maybe they turn on Rocky too since they don't really need him as a hype man now that they've established themselves.

Either way i don't think a CHAOS split is happening until New Years Dash. It would actually be a perfect time. Have Okada win the G1 and promise to win back his title at WK only to come up short and get beat down by White and whoever else he recruits the next night.

I'd rather that not happen as it'd be the 7th year in a row the G1 winner lost at WK.

[AwamoriRock]

The August first show has Yoh/White vs. Sho/Yoshi-Hashi.

But to be fair, it's the G1, so almost every tag match is based around inter-faction matchups.

[Allie Kitsune]

I want Yoh with LIJ, but that's not gonna happen.

[Deleted]

Jul 12, 2018 10:30:39 GMT -5 Fundertaker said:

Yano-gun. Greatest stable in history.

As much as I dislike Yano, this is probably the best option for him.

[AwamoriRock]

Jul 13, 2018 0:02:28 GMT -5 Allie Kitsune said:

I want Yoh with LIJ, but that's not gonna happen.

It’s the long game, but you’ll probably get it.