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Post by AwamoriRock on Feb 28, 2020 23:56:43 GMT -5
W-1 just announced that they will be indefinitely suspending all activity--not simply canceling shows but actually going on hiatus as a company/promotion.
It's rather easy to assume this is coronavirus related, as other companies in Japan have taken measures to counteract the outbreak, but none as far as to halt as a company. W-1 has been tied to rumors, along with BJW and Sendai Girls, as a possible part of the rumored WWE Japanese Performance Center and launch of NXT Japan (apparently Ikemen is already signed with WWE and he's the most popular non NJPW wrestler in Japan), so there are a lot of rumors about W-1 shutting down to essentially become NXT Japan.
W-1 has struggled a lot financially and in terms of drawing fans. They are often the butt of jokes in that regard but there's some really talented wrestlers there (imo they have a handful of guys who would be an instant boost to NJPW/AJPW/NOAH/DDT). If they become NXT Japan that's one thing, but if the roster splits and everyone goes their own way that could be very big in the Japanese wrestling landscape. Ashino and Kodama would become fairly big free agents. Saiki Reika too.
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Post by mcmahonfan85 on Feb 29, 2020 0:00:43 GMT -5
if they're closing up shop completely, its got to be bigger than the coronavirus
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Feb 29, 2020 0:54:07 GMT -5
W-1 just announced that they will be indefinitely suspending all activity--not simply canceling shows but actually going on hiatus as a company/promotion. It's rather easy to assume this is coronavirus related, as other companies in Japan have taken measures to counteract the outbreak, but none as far as to halt as a company. W-1 has been tied to rumors, along with BJW and Sendai Girls, as a possible part of the rumored WWE Japanese Performance Center and launch of NXT Japan (apparently Ikemen is already signed with WWE and he's the most popular non NJPW wrestler in Japan), so there are a lot of rumors about W-1 shutting down to essentially become NXT Japan. W-1 has struggled a lot financially and in terms of drawing fans. They are often the butt of jokes in that regard but there's some really talented wrestlers there (imo they have a handful of guys who would be an instant boost to NJPW/AJPW/NOAH/DDT). If they become NXT Japan that's one thing, but if the roster splits and everyone goes their own way that could be very big in the Japanese wrestling landscape. Ashino and Kodama would become fairly big free agents. Saiki Reika too. Imagine if they had Sanada all these years with him coming into his own and not had Impact f*** him up and them lose faith in him |
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Post by Natural Born Farmer on Feb 29, 2020 0:57:17 GMT -5
Weren’t they always kind of regarded as a joke on the Japanese scene anyways?
Coronavirus might just be a good excuse, or maybe they coincidentally lucked into a sale to the ‘E around this time.
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Post by Cyno on Feb 29, 2020 1:06:57 GMT -5
It could be both. Wrestle-1 has struggled a lot lately and a major health crisis like the coronavirus outbreak is going to hurt a company like that a lot more than financially stable companies like New Japan. A WWE buyout would also allow them to have some dignity versus simply folding up shop.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2020 3:32:51 GMT -5
Mutoh did an interview where he confirmed the company was always in the red and only stayed in business as long as it did because the owner made up the shortfall.
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chrom
Backup Wench
Master of the rare undecuple post
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Post by chrom on Feb 29, 2020 7:46:40 GMT -5
The company never could find its footing or who was the face of the promotion.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2020 13:02:08 GMT -5
Weren’t they always kind of regarded as a joke on the Japanese scene anyways? Coronavirus might just be a good excuse, or maybe they coincidentally lucked into a sale to the ‘E around this time. Remember that taped Bound for Glory TNA ran? That was... that was something. |
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Post by AwamoriRock on Feb 29, 2020 22:35:24 GMT -5
Mutoh did an interview where he confirmed the company was always in the red and only stayed in business as long as it did because the owner made up the shortfall. It looks like this may be the case. Their investors just reached their limit and couldn’t support it anymore. After the March show everyone is a free agent I think. Whoever lands Ashino, Kodama, Inaba etc is gonna be very lucky. I don’t see any of them moving stateside but AEW would obviously benefit. |
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Fundertaker
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Post by Fundertaker on Mar 1, 2020 6:33:05 GMT -5
Mutoh did an interview where he confirmed the company was always in the red and only stayed in business as long as it did because the owner made up the shortfall. It looks like this may be the case. Their investors just reached their limit and couldn’t support it anymore. After the March show everyone is a free agent I think. Whoever lands Ashino, Kodama, Inaba etc is gonna be very lucky. I don’t see any of them moving stateside but AEW would obviously benefit. I can see NJPW taking a flyer on Kodama or one of the youngins, Ashino and Inaba landing in AJPW/NOAH/BJW, Kondo going to DG and the rest either forming another indy or going around freelancing for a while, if they stay in the business. |
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El Pollo Guerrera
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Post by El Pollo Guerrera on Mar 1, 2020 13:14:55 GMT -5
Laat I heard, Kaz Hayashi was the company president? Shuji Kondo was in the office? Are they still good in the ring? Where would they end up?
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Post by XaviersSS2015hair on Mar 1, 2020 20:49:12 GMT -5
Forgive my ignorance but I thought Muta owned this company? I really know very little about it aside from that Bound for Glory that TNA did in conjunction with them.
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Convoy
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Post by Convoy on Mar 2, 2020 1:11:34 GMT -5
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Facetious
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ADAM COLE BAYBAY
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Post by Facetious on Mar 2, 2020 3:54:04 GMT -5
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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 2, 2020 6:56:48 GMT -5
Seriously, please say it ain't so, Uncle Jun. |
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Post by BRAINFADE on Mar 2, 2020 7:48:49 GMT -5
Kento Miyahara alone is too good for WWE. |
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Post by eJm on Mar 2, 2020 7:54:41 GMT -5
I feel like it should be pointed out that the companies that are partners with WWE are their own entities with no real parent company and the ones who've passed on WWE connections are companies with significant parent companies.
I'm not saying that having businessmen with logic supporting you helps in not teaming with a company with a history of shunning partner promotions and raiding their talent but...
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Facetious
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Post by Facetious on Mar 2, 2020 8:05:22 GMT -5
Kento Miyahara alone is too good for WWE. Yoshi Tatsu is probably screaming internally |
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Allie Kitsune
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Always Feelin' Foxy.
Celestial Princess in Exile.
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Mar 2, 2020 10:00:01 GMT -5
Kento Miyahara alone is too good for WWE. Yoshi Tatsu is probably screaming internally <HHH> So, I heard you've been infringing on my gimmick... |
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