champchumpchange
Don Corleone
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall.
Posts: 1,682
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Post by champchumpchange on Jun 26, 2023 6:09:08 GMT -5
Preface - I have never watched NJPW or any Japanese wrestling promotions. The only exposure I have gotten from that side of the worlds wrestling is through AEW.
This man always elicits a big reaction when he’s announced, and for the life of me, I don’t get it. I’m sure he’s at the later part of his career, so perhaps someone can enlighten me which matches made him as beloved as he is, because everything I’ve seen from him has been underwhelming.
I don’t get it. He is slow. His aerial offence is laughable when you put him next to others in AEW. He plays an invisible guitar, I guess?
What am I missing here?
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Post by "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik on Jun 26, 2023 6:14:15 GMT -5
You're missing the prime of his career. He's one of the most charismatic and dynamic wrestlers in the history of New Japan. It would be like judging Kurt Angle based on his last year. And even with his limitations, he's a smart worker who knows how to connect with the audience.
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Allie Kitsune
Crow T. Robot
Always Feelin' Foxy.
HaHa U FaLL 4 LaVa TriK
Posts: 46,208
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Jun 26, 2023 6:53:00 GMT -5
Anyone else read the topic line in Jerry Seinfeld's voice?
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lucas_lee
Hank Scorpio
Heel turn is finished, now stripping away my personality
Posts: 6,756
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Post by lucas_lee on Jun 26, 2023 6:54:15 GMT -5
Preface - I have never watched NJPW or any Japanese wrestling promotions. The only exposure I have gotten from that side of the worlds wrestling is through AEW. This man always elicits a big reaction when he’s announced, and for the life of me, I don’t get it. I’m sure he’s at the later part of his career, so perhaps someone can enlighten me which matches made him as beloved as he is, because everything I’ve seen from him has been underwhelming. I don’t get it. He is slow. His aerial offence is laughable when you put him next to others in AEW. He plays an invisible guitar, I guess? What am I missing here? This is him way past his prime. He hasn't taken time off to heal up. He's way better than what he showed, he wouldve wrestled circles around MJF if it was 2012 Tanahashi
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MiLB Fan
Fry's dog Seymour
Posts: 20,407
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Post by MiLB Fan on Jun 26, 2023 6:58:04 GMT -5
As you can see, the deal with Tanahashi is that he’s a professional wrestler. He’s in his mid-40s, unmarried, and currently resides in Japan.
Thanks for writing!
(Sorry, had to.)
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Post by Final Countdown Jones on Jun 26, 2023 7:01:55 GMT -5
Tanahashi is most of a decade past his glory days now and he's been aging pretty rough for years, because New Japan's main event style is so demanding and he just never took any time off, so even now as a midcard guy he's really showing his struggles. "Japanese John Cena gets" used as a comparison because they were both dominant top faces coming up around the same time, with the big differences that Tanahashi was the vanguard pulling the company out of a slump it was going in and gave himself up to rebuilding the company big time, and that he was one of the absolute top workers in the world while he was on top. Nowadays he's mostly playing the hits and coasting off of spectacle because he's slowed down a lot, but you're getting a view of a guy who has spent two decades destroying himself working a pace that was always going to destroy him given that he's incapable of taking time away to rest.
As far as matches that make him so beloved, I'd recommend just any of his big title matches against Okada, because those are all way better demonstrations of a god-tier wrestler in his prime and because there's almost no match you can pull up a result for "Tanahashi vs. Okada" with that won't be an all-timer. The Tanahashi of today is a nostalgia guy playing the hits and taking too long to fall away, sort of like later years Undertaker when it was clear he didn't have it anymore but couldn't quit.
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Post by Super Duper Dragunov on Jun 26, 2023 7:53:26 GMT -5
I felt bad for him in this match. Go search out his glory days, there's a reason he saved NJPW. He was on another level. Now he's held together by scotch tape and cotton candy.
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salz4life
Grimlock
Prichard is a guy who gets that his job is to service his boss.
Posts: 14,045
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Post by salz4life on Jun 26, 2023 8:14:10 GMT -5
I don't watch much of NJPW, but Tanahashi is great. I didn't watch last night and it sounds like he wasn't at his best, but as others have said... he's nearing the end of his career and his way past stinker matches (if last night was one) having any effect on his status.
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champchumpchange
Don Corleone
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall.
Posts: 1,682
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Post by champchumpchange on Jun 26, 2023 8:41:16 GMT -5
To those of you who referenced Seinfeld and the Simpsons - I thank you very earnestly.
To those suggesting matches - I also thank you. I'll look into it.
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Post by Ganon83 on Jun 26, 2023 8:56:45 GMT -5
It's gotten to the point with Tana that I was watching this MJF match and was amazed that this guy was about to be in G1 again. At this rate he really, really needs to just take a year off to fully recover, at least as much as he can.
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Post by Denny Zen is Cooking™ on Jun 26, 2023 8:58:19 GMT -5
He's 46 years old and in the twilight of one of the most physically intensive professional wrestling careers there's ever been. He's still got the intangible charisma that made him the biggest star in all of modern Japanese wrestling, but his body just can't go physically like he used to.
I do think that the American-style turnbuckles really messed with him though. He was noticeably struggling to get his balance when he went up top.
His knees are completely and utterly shot. It's kind of like watching a modern Rey Mysterio match. You know he's awesome, and in his prime he was one of the best, but these days you're just excited to still see a legend going out there because you never know when it will be the last time you get to see him.
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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Jun 26, 2023 9:06:45 GMT -5
He's 46 years old and in the twilight of one of the most physically intensive professional wrestling careers there's ever been. He's still got the intangible charisma that made him the biggest star in all of modern Japanese wrestling, but his body just can't go physically like he used to. I do think that the American-style turnbuckles really messed with him though. He was noticeably struggling to get his balance when he went up top. His knees are completely and utterly shot. It's kind of like watching a modern Rey Mysterio match. You know he's awesome, and in his prime he was one of the best, but these days you're just excited to still see a legend going out there because you never know when it will be the last time you get to see him. Tanahashi needs to go to Rey's stem cell doctor. Rey can still go.
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Post by eJm on Jun 26, 2023 9:18:46 GMT -5
Tanahashi needs to go to Rey's stem cell doctor. Rey can still go. To be fair, there was a long ass period where Rey couldn’t go due to the same problems Tanahashi has now (along with WWE expecting him to be the most bulked up Luchadore in the world for some reason) so maybe that’s not the worst idea. I don’t know, man, I’m not going to rag on a guy whose closer to 50 than 40 and been in the business for most of his life and carried New Japan on his back for a good majority of them. MJF/Tanahashi was the best you could do under the circumstances. You're missing the prime of his career. He's one of the most charismatic and dynamic wrestlers in the history of New Japan. It would be like judging Kurt Angle based on his last year. And even with his limitations, he's a smart worker who knows how to connect with the audience. This too. Like, even if he’s not as mobile as he once was, he’s probably the most WWE-like guy to never go near WWE in how he gets the crowd invested and I say that entirely as a compliment. He’s the guy people talk about when they talk about doing more with less which, frankly, is why he’s one of the genuine greatest of all time with anyone you can think of.
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Post by Denny Zen is Cooking™ on Jun 26, 2023 9:48:19 GMT -5
Tanahashi needs to go to Rey's stem cell doctor. Rey can still go. To be fair, there was a long ass period where Rey couldn’t go due to the same problems Tanahashi has now (along with WWE expecting him to be the most bulked up Luchadore in the world for some reason) so maybe that’s not the worst idea. That's where I'm at on it. I agree that Rey can still go, but nothing like he could in his prime, and only after he took a significant period of time off to really receive treatment on his nagging injuries and recuperate. Tana would really benefit from doing the same. He just outright looks like he's in pain when he wrestles, like Rey did about 5-6 years ago.
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MrElijah
Crow T. Robot
Posts: 43,332
Member is Online
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Post by MrElijah on Jun 26, 2023 9:53:47 GMT -5
Tanahashi is most of a decade past his glory days now and he's been aging pretty rough for years, because New Japan's main event style is so demanding and he just never took any time off, so even now as a midcard guy he's really showing his struggles. "Japanese John Cena gets" used as a comparison because they were both dominant top faces coming up around the same time, with the big differences that Tanahashi was the vanguard pulling the company out of a slump it was going in and gave himself up to rebuilding the company big time, and that he was one of the absolute top workers in the world while he was on top. Nowadays he's mostly playing the hits and coasting off of spectacle because he's slowed down a lot, but you're getting a view of a guy who has spent two decades destroying himself working a pace that was always going to destroy him given that he's incapable of taking time away to rest. As far as matches that make him so beloved, I'd recommend just any of his big title matches against Okada, because those are all way better demonstrations of a god-tier wrestler in his prime and because there's almost no match you can pull up a result for "Tanahashi vs. Okada" with that won't be an all-timer. The Tanahashi of today is a nostalgia guy playing the hits and taking too long to fall away, sort of like later years Undertaker when it was clear he didn't have it anymore but couldn't quit. It's truly a testament to his ability to connect to fans on level that you want to see him kick some ass and beat the bad guys. Last year alone, he was getting Moxley booed before the heel turn because he's such a babyface.
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Post by eJm on Jun 26, 2023 9:58:28 GMT -5
To be fair, there was a long ass period where Rey couldn’t go due to the same problems Tanahashi has now (along with WWE expecting him to be the most bulked up Luchadore in the world for some reason) so maybe that’s not the worst idea. That's where I'm at on it. I agree that Rey can still go, but nothing like he could in his prime, and only after he took a significant period of time off to really receive treatment on his nagging injuries and recuperate. Tana would really benefit from doing the same. He just outright looks like he's in pain when he wrestles, like Rey did about 5-6 years ago. And, like, compare Rey when he finished up with WWE after his (what felt like) 65,826 injury, what he was doing after that (LU, AAA, All In) and then when he came back to WWE, they’re practically different stages. I think the G1 might be his last real major thing and then they’ll let him rest considering the younger talent coming through. Hopefully. I mean, it is Tanahashi, you can take the man from being the Ace but you can’t take the Ace out of the man.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Jun 26, 2023 10:12:17 GMT -5
He’s just older and banged up. That’s what happens to the body of a high level main event wrestler for two decades straight carrying a company. Time comes for all of them.
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Post by eJm on Jun 26, 2023 10:20:59 GMT -5
He’s just older and banged up. That’s what happens to the body of a high level main event wrestler for two decades straight carrying a company. Time comes for all of them. It’s why I use the Cena comparison a lot with him. Like, I’d argue Tanahashi is what Cena would be if his film and TV career didn’t take off because both men have a) dragged their companies almost single handedly from stagnation or worse and b) have been willing to do anything to make sure their respective companies stay on that solid ground. And I’m not just saying that to you because you’re seen as the Cena guy, just thought it was apt in response. 😋
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 28,017
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Post by chazraps on Jun 26, 2023 10:23:05 GMT -5
Preface - I have never watched NJPW or any Japanese wrestling promotions. The only exposure I have gotten from that side of the worlds wrestling is through AEW. This man always elicits a big reaction when he’s announced, and for the life of me, I don’t get it. I’m sure he’s at the later part of his career, so perhaps someone can enlighten me which matches made him as beloved as he is, because everything I’ve seen from him has been underwhelming. I don’t get it. He is slow. His aerial offence is laughable when you put him next to others in AEW. He plays an invisible guitar, I guess? What am I missing here? Watch Tanahashi vs Nakamura from Wrestle Kingdom 8 and Tanahashi vs Naito from Wrestle Kingdom 11. Two absolute masterpieces - you'll get it.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Jun 26, 2023 10:25:17 GMT -5
He’s just older and banged up. That’s what happens to the body of a high level main event wrestler for two decades straight carrying a company. Time comes for all of them. It’s why I use the Cena comparison a lot with him. Like, I’d argue Tanahashi is what Cena would be if his film and TV career didn’t take off because both men have a) dragged their companies almost single handedly from stagnation or worse and b) have been willing to do anything to make sure their respective companies stay on that solid ground. And I’m not just saying that to you because you’re seen as the Cena guy, just thought it was apt in response. 😋 It is an ideal comparison, especially in how at points in their careers they could get heat by being the ace champion obstacle for rival faces like Naito/Punk respectively without making their characters flat-out evil.
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