40 and older, one world champ run left?

[Mozenrath]

Feb 3, 2020 17:14:47 GMT -5 Crappler El 0 M said:

Feb 3, 2020 17:00:43 GMT -5 Super Duper Dragunov said:

Minoru Suzuki.

Dude would make the title feel so important. And the storytelling and matches would be amazing.

And just for the record, he is a former Triple Crown Champion (AJPW) and GHC Heavyweight Champion (Noah), but I realize not everyone looks as those titles in the same way as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Those two definitely count as world titles, but that doesn't mean I'd be any less for seeing Suzuki pull it off.

It'd be nice to see a third guy have won all three. Takayama and I think Kensuske Sasaki are so far the only two to achieve that hat trick, as far as I am aware.

[HMARK Center]

Feb 2, 2020 21:39:48 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

If the title doesn't make it clear enough: who are wrestlers who are 40 or older that you could see having a title reign or two at the top left over? This could be a transitional reign, which is probable, or it could be longer. PCO would be a current example, and previously, Christopher Daniels would be another. (Yes, the ROH title is a world title. No, I don't think that's up for any real debate even with the company's issues in the last few years, that isn't how this works. Besides, not every world title is alike in prestige, necessarily, and even the WWE title and IWGP title have had down periods.)

This doesn't necessarily have to be people who have never held it before. Tenryu, for example, won the IWGP title when he was 49, but he had been a world champion elsewhere before.

I think between Hiroshi Goto, Minoru Suzuki, and Ishii, there's a non-zero chance one of the three will yet win the IWGP title, though I doubt it'd be for a long reign. I also listed them in order of probability, though none of them are anything I'd necessarily wager money on. I almost threw KENTA on the list, but he's only 38, and his odds are probably lower than even Goto and Suzuki's, though still maybe higher than Ishii's.

On the WWE front, I wouldn't necessarily put it past Edge to possibly get a final reign, even if I don't think it's that necessary.

I've said it plenty before, but I'd give anything for Suzuki, Goto, or Ishii to even get just a transitional IWGP title run. I just love strong style bruisers and want them to have nice things.

That said, I think you're right on the order of likelihood: Goto has a built-in babyface "one last try"/"for my fallen friend, Shibata" storyline next time he gets a shot, or a heel "screw this, being honorable has gotten me nowhere" angle if they prefer, and his status as a NJPW lifer and dojo product ups his chances over the other guys. Winning with that babyface angle would be a clear transition reign: Goto is not a main draw for the company, and as a live event company NJPW wants and still needs their top draws to hold the belt if they're going to be champ for any considerable length of time.

If Suzuki got the nod, though, they could definitely run longer with it, the dude can draw and is mega over wherever he goes around the world. It'd be asking a lot of a 51 year old man, granted, but if anyone could pull off a 6+ month reign after 50, it's The King. It's often been said, and it's true: the only reason Suzuki has never won the IWGP title is because he's never signed a full time contract. Ishii would rule, too, but again, not a top draw in Japan, it'd be tough; also not a NJPW dojo product, but he's outgrew that "outsider" vibe years ago.

That said, a different angle for a couple NJPW guys? I remember a couple of years ago reading Tanahashi saying he wanted to be ROH champion. I know, the old story was that ROH fed their talent to NJPW too often, but they honestly stopped doing that after awhile (the storyline was "ROH eventually ties up the all time ROH vs. NJPW record"...problem was that by the time they did the perception was already baked in), and a reign for Tana or, by God, Suzuki would definitely put some shine on the title as ROH works to rehabilitate its image, and neither Tana nor Suzuki would be against putting a younger star over when the time was right.

Among the late 30s crowd in NJPW, I'll say Ibushi (it'll happen, just a matter of when), Shingo Takagi (he's a bruiser and not a matinee idol, but he's too damn good and charismatic), and outside chance of KENTA (he's drawing nuclear heat, which makes anything possible).

With WWE, I know they're saying Edge is a part-timer/special attraction on his current deal, but a short reign could certainly happen: he'll be over no matter what, and maybe getting him in an angle where he wins the belt in the fall could add some allure to Survivor Series; maybe have him win the belt in November and hold it until the Rumble? Again, it's not like he'd be against putting somebody over.

In AEW, it might depend how long Omega wants to be a top guy. I think he'll certainly win that belt before he's 40, but he could definitely win it again after, too.

Oh, and in Pro Wrestling NOAH, I'd always, always be happy to see Takashi Sugiura as GHC champion. Or any champion. Sugiura for all the championships, even the Stanley Cup, pls.

[chazraps]

I can see a world title reign happening for...MACAVITY?!?!?!?!

[Mozenrath]

Samoa Joe's 40 now, so I'll throw him in: I think there's a decent chance he'll become WWE or Universal champion, higher chance of the latter, before he hangs up his boots for good.

Granted, it's not like it's something he has to do, he's been world champion before, but it's something I could see happening all the same.

[Larryhausen]

I think Beth Phoenix hits 40 this year, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash at her getting one more run with one of the women's titles.

[Bub (BLM)]

Suzuki as IWGP Champion would be awesome. Suzuki-gun is the perfect stable to do a bracket for a title challenger because they're all so different. First you have to beat Taichi. Then Lance Archer. Then ZSJ. Then finally, if you've made it this far, Suzuki himself. You could spread those matches out over sever months, too.

[Eunös ✈]

Like it or not, I can see atleast one more Cena Title reign happening somewhere down the line.

[The Warthog]

Feb 5, 2020 8:36:50 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Samoa Joe's 40 now, so I'll throw him in: I think there's a decent chance he'll become WWE or Universal champion, higher chance of the latter, before he hangs up his boots for good.

Granted, it's not like it's something he has to do, he's been world champion before, but it's something I could see happening all the same.

It could be a transitional run if they don't want him to have it for long. It's better if he wins as a heel so they can build a face to dethrone him. Similar to what Jericho is doing in AEW where the younger face (Mox) is challenging the older, wily veteran (Jericho). 

[The Warthog]

Feb 8, 2020 2:48:23 GMT -5 Larryhausen said:

I think Beth Phoenix hits 40 this year, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash at her getting one more run with one of the women's titles.

I can see this happening with Edge back. Not that we need it. They have plenty of other women that need the rub more.

[johnnyk9]

Hulk Hogan

[Mozenrath]

Feb 9, 2020 12:10:40 GMT -5 The Warthog said:

Feb 8, 2020 2:48:23 GMT -5 Larryhausen said:

I think Beth Phoenix hits 40 this year, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash at her getting one more run with one of the women's titles.

I can see this happening with Edge back. Not that we need it. They have plenty of other women that need the rub more.

True, though, beating Beth for the title would also probably be quite a rub, too.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Feb 9, 2020 11:30:06 GMT -5 Eunös ✈ said:

Like it or not, I can see atleast one more Cena Title reign happening somewhere down the line.

I can see him doing a Rock style part time reign where he wins it at the Rumble and drops it at Summerslam, but otherwise I would be amazed if they bothered with this based on how he has been booked lately.

[Deleted]

Daniels as AEW Champion would be sick.