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Post by abjordans on Jan 5, 2018 21:19:39 GMT -5
Ok, so Okada has been the man for like 3 years. But, Tanahashi was the man for like a decade. However, for a little bit Naito was the man. But, AJ Styles and Nakamura were also the top dogs each for a while. How does this timeline work? I can’t see how this many guys having long reigns with the belt worked.
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Post by AwamoriRock on Jan 5, 2018 21:39:42 GMT -5
Neither AJ or Nakamura had huge reigns or were considered top dogs, just super popular. It’s been Okada and Tanahashi. That’s it lol
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Post by The Kevstaaa on Jan 5, 2018 21:46:22 GMT -5
Other than two short AJ runs and a 70 day Naito reign, only Okada and Tanahashi have held the top title since 2011.
Naito is the new Nakamura. Most popular guy (though Naito's the best performer right now), but they keep the title away from him to make sure Okada stays ahead of him.
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Post by abjordans on Jan 5, 2018 21:55:11 GMT -5
Neither AJ or Nakamura had huge reigns or were considered top dogs, just super popular. It’s been Okada and Tanahashi. That’s it lol Oh, I thought AJ main evented two WK’s. I could have imagined that. I thought Nakamura was IWGP Champion as well. |
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Post by AwamoriRock on Jan 5, 2018 22:12:19 GMT -5
Neither AJ or Nakamura had huge reigns or were considered top dogs, just super popular. It’s been Okada and Tanahashi. That’s it lol Oh, I thought AJ main evented two WK’s. I could have imagined that. I thought Nakamura was IWGP Champion as well. AJ never main evented. Nakamura won the IWGP, but never during his current popular character. As Kev said, once he got popular he became the carrot they dangled to the audience but never actually won, very similar to Naito and how the company currently ruins him. |
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Post by cabbageboy on Jan 5, 2018 23:25:29 GMT -5
AJ main evented but not a WK show. He main evented shows during the year though, just to drop the IWGP title before a WK because NJPW is obsessed with keeping Japanese guys only on top for the big show.
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Post by Heeltown, USA on Jan 6, 2018 0:32:35 GMT -5
AJ main evented but not a WK show. He main evented shows during the year though, just to drop the IWGP title before a WK because NJPW is obsessed with keeping Japanese guys only on top for the big show. I mean I agree, but it's a Japanese company. They get a pass on that. |
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Post by Heeltown, USA on Jan 6, 2018 0:34:47 GMT -5
Oh, I thought AJ main evented two WK’s. I could have imagined that. I thought Nakamura was IWGP Champion as well. AJ never main evented. Nakamura won the IWGP, but never during his current popular character. As Kev said, once he got popular he became the carrot they dangled to the audience but never actually won, very similar to Naito and how the company currently ruins him. I'm rolling my eyes on your last sentence. It's pro wrestling. The guy you feel should absolutely go over can't always go over. Peaks and valleys. |
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Post by corndog on Jan 6, 2018 1:17:07 GMT -5
Ok, so Okada has been the man for like 3 years. But, Tanahashi was the man for like a decade. However, for a little bit Naito was the man. But, AJ Styles and Nakamura were also the top dogs each for a while. How does this timeline work? I can’t see how this many guys having long reigns with the belt worked. Being the champion doesn't make you the man, well it does, but in Japan it's a little different. As others have said Tanahashi was the "Ace" and now it's Okada. They are going to be the perennial main eventers at Wrestle Kingdom, whether champion or challenger, but usually champion. That is why this point of the year gets interesting, the next few big shows are usually when the championship will change. AJ and Nakamura were guys in the title picture and could believably win the championship. Now those guys are Naito and Omega, if Tanahashi was 100%, he would be there too. I actually think Omega wins it soon, but he has to drop the US title first. Last year was interesting at this point, because Suzuki and Shibata were both believable at winning the belt. Suzuki has lost that believability for the top belt, but could upseed Tanahashi as the IC champion, which is also an important belt as it main events bigger shows on it's own. I could go on and on, but basically New Japan has a tier system which you can see through their cards and top contenders throughout the year. People can move up and down these tiers at any given time, but it's usually not dramatic jumps crossing over more than one level at a time. Usually it's a giant curve, you start off low and get built up, then you peak in your prime and once you get older you slowly go back down the card. Basically if you are getting near 40 and stuck in the midcard, don't expect to get much higher. The G1 tournament is usually when you see the most regression/progression as you learn who the company is building and who is trending downwards, it's a great barometer of where a wrestler ranks in the company. But at the same time good performances, even despite booking, can be rewarded with title shots and what not. Juice Robinson is a great example, his win/loss record in the G1 tournament wasn't great, but he still beat Omega which gave him a US title shot. |
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Post by AwamoriRock on Jan 6, 2018 2:18:52 GMT -5
AJ never main evented. Nakamura won the IWGP, but never during his current popular character. As Kev said, once he got popular he became the carrot they dangled to the audience but never actually won, very similar to Naito and how the company currently ruins him. I'm rolling my eyes on your last sentence. It's pro wrestling. The guy you feel should absolutely go over can't always go over. Peaks and valleys. And if Orton went over Bryan and Batista? Is that a peak and valley situation or are you going to accept the nuance that sometimes personal preference can be separated from objective opinion? |
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Post by Heeltown, USA on Jan 7, 2018 1:16:12 GMT -5
I'm rolling my eyes on your last sentence. It's pro wrestling. The guy you feel should absolutely go over can't always go over. Peaks and valleys. And if Orton went over Bryan and Batista? Is that a peak and valley situation or are you going to accept the nuance that sometimes personal preference can be separated from objective opinion? Its wrestling. Bryan could have not even gone over Trips that night and he still wouldn't have been ruined. Bryan could have won the title a month later at Extreme Rules and all would have still been good. When a crowd gets that red hot for a guy, the guy doesn't get detroyed just because he doesn't win in the most logical payoff scenario. Naito I dare say even benefits more by not winning at WK. |
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Post by King Devitt: Scrum Guzzler on Jan 7, 2018 22:15:24 GMT -5
THis is what I like about NJPW. The main event scene, even though dominated by Okada and Tanahashi always has legit contendors and challengers that is such a deep of a pool that it's hard to make sense of it.
Where in WWE it's Lesnar, and Roman Reigns steamrolling everyone, ruining momentum and pushes just to go to this one single match.
One could argue AJ, but he's not presented in God Mode like Lesnar and Reigns.
Hell, even Evil beat Okada last year.
NJPW is fantastic at rotating challengers in the main event scene and making people look legit.
NJPW is what WWE could be and then some with the talent pool they have.
The only difference is that Vince McMahon (being head booker, let's be honest) doesn't come to the ring with Roman Reigns during his matches.
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