chrom
Backup Wench
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Post by chrom on Oct 21, 2021 14:14:16 GMT -5
A couple points, I share in the frustration of staleness going on with NJPW. I know they advance storylines through every match, and thats great, one of the reason I started following, but the never ending rotation of tag matches is being exposed as boring when there isn’t fresh talent. With travel restrictions it’s obviously not Gedo or NJPW’s fault, it just is what it is, and frankly its boring right now. The G1….I mean what a heap of crap this year was. EVIL going more than 10 mins every time doing the same match will just kill your spirit. I liked Jeff Cobb getting some shine but once he got to 5-0 and you looked at the schedule you knew he was losing it the last day to Okada on a tie breaker. I legit thought Naito was supposed to win his block, still do, and they had to book on the fly after that. It looked like ZSJ was gonna get some prominence and yet we still got Ibushi. I understand that this is a Japanese promotion and Japanese talent will always be the focus but I personally would have loved a ZSJ/Okada final. Speaking of final, an Ibushi/Okada match can be great…this just wasn’t it. Not for lack of effort, an injury is an injury and I can even appreciate the realism that New Japan strives for by having a major bout stopped due to injury. It just seems the perfect cherry on our shit sundae G1 this year. ZSJ/Shibata was something I didn’t know I needed in my life, but I sure was left wanting more. I don’t need a Pure division because, again personally, I would get tired of it all the time. But as a unique stipulation busted out every once in awhile, it can be refreshing. Its grim right now overall, but Im not going anywhere. This is a period we’ll all look back on as the Covid era, and will be a keynote in the timeline when we are celebrating New Japan’s resurgence in a couple years. STRONG is a fantastic product right now and will be the infusion the main roster needs when the two rosters can start crossing over more Yeah, Strong is the easiest show to get through the week.
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on Oct 21, 2021 14:20:38 GMT -5
Last nights finals was like a game of corrupt a wish.
“We want Shibata to return.”
“Granted but, the G1 final will end on an injury.”
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clifford
King Koopa
Shingo Takagi stan
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Post by clifford on Oct 21, 2021 14:24:58 GMT -5
Its grim right now overall, but Im not going anywhere. This is a period we’ll all look back on as the Covid era, and will be a keynote in the timeline when we are celebrating New Japan’s resurgence in a couple years. STRONG is a fantastic product right now and will be the infusion the main roster needs when the two rosters can start crossing over more Oh for sure. This is a low point, but I know the only place to go from here is up. The established gaijins returning, plus new ones from Strong, will be fantastic. And we have genuinely one of the most promising YL classes posed to break out big time in the near future. They will regain their mojo, and even in a down year, they are still putting on some of the best wrestling in the world. This G1 weren't it though. I am TIRED lol. Just need to recharge the Puro batteries is all.
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on Oct 21, 2021 14:32:35 GMT -5
I don’t have any mixed feeling about Shibata wrestling again at all. I’m ecstatic.
Like with Edge, Christian, and Danielson, if the doctors say he’s cleared to wrestle, then he’s cleared. If they believe he’s in shape to do so then, until I see something different, I’m inclined to believe them. They know more about these things than I do.
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chrom
Backup Wench
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Post by chrom on Oct 21, 2021 14:35:28 GMT -5
I don’t have any mixed feeling about Shibata wrestling again at all. I’m ecstatic. Like with Edge, Christian, and Danielson, if the doctors say he’s cleared to wrestle, then he’s cleared. If they believe he’s in shape to do so then, until I see something different, I’m inclined to believe them. They know more about these things than I do. Well the last report said that there was no way that he could possibly wrestle again, I wonder what's changed.
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Post by Alice Syndrome on Oct 21, 2021 14:39:01 GMT -5
I think Ibushi was supposed to win. Okada looked absolutely lost out there.
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clifford
King Koopa
Shingo Takagi stan
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Post by clifford on Oct 21, 2021 14:49:32 GMT -5
I want to say one more thing about the G1 final. Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton did such a great job at the booth during the Ibushi injury. Their genuine concern was apparant and they were so calm and professional. Red Shoes and the medical team also did great work. Props all round to how they handled that.
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chrom
Backup Wench
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Post by chrom on Oct 21, 2021 14:55:53 GMT -5
I think Ibushi was supposed to win. Okada looked absolutely lost out there. Looking at his face and body language, you can tell that something wasn't right.
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Post by Fade is a CodyCryBaby on Oct 21, 2021 15:39:34 GMT -5
I think Ibushi was supposed to win. Okada looked absolutely lost out there. Looking at his face and body language, you can tell that something wasn't right. Quoted for truth. Okada’s reaction told everything.
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Convoy
El Dandy
Rusev admits to being a sex addict to large applause.
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Post by Convoy on Oct 21, 2021 16:24:12 GMT -5
God, what a heartbreaking situation. I froze when Red Shoes called for the bell, and everything after felt hollow. Ibushi sad, broken and asking for forgiveness was nothing I ever wanted to see.
That being said, Okada was my expected victor, and hopefully Ibushi will be back and healed relatively quickly.
B Block was underwhelming with the route they took on Okada/Cobb, but I'll again sing the praises of Bullet Club (minus EVIL) who many were upset to see in the line-up, but who delivered all tournament. MVP honors goes to Zack, who looked the best he has since G1 2018. The A Block in general was really fun, even with the Naito injury.
Aside from all that - Shibata's return and exhibition against ZSJ was like a fever dream. If this is the beginning of a full comeback, that would be amazing. He would have so many fresh matchups and give the overall roster a boost.
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Mochi Lone Wolf
Fry's dog Seymour
Development through Destruction.
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Post by Mochi Lone Wolf on Oct 21, 2021 17:07:24 GMT -5
I give Red Shoes a lot of crap for his theatrics but, he excelled at his number one job as a referee: protecting the wrestlers. He deserves credit for that.
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Post by AwamoriRock on Oct 21, 2021 17:26:38 GMT -5
Now's the time to bring in new talent to freshen things up and fill the void. They cannot subside on sacks of crap like Yano and Jado Zeus left All Japan I heard, bring him in. Zeus is leaving AJPW to head and revive Osaka Pro. I’d be surprised if NJPW and him have even talked. Dude is amazing and one of the most underrated guys going in Japan at 39. I don’t think NJPW would be into him. NJPW’s ticket to freshening things up is GLEAT. Good relationship off the bat and they have star talent.
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chrom
Backup Wench
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Post by chrom on Oct 21, 2021 17:34:54 GMT -5
Now's the time to bring in new talent to freshen things up and fill the void. They cannot subside on sacks of crap like Yano and Jado Zeus left All Japan I heard, bring him in. Zeus is leaving AJPW to head and revive Osaka Pro. I’d be surprised if NJPW and him have even talked. Dude is amazing and one of the most underrated guys going in Japan at 39. I don’t think NJPW would be into him. NJPW’s ticket to freshening things up is GLEAT. Good relationship off the bat and they have star talent. That's if Gedo will actually sign talent, he's refused to sign or bring in any new talent for the past year
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Allie Kitsune
Crow T. Robot
Always Feelin' Foxy.
Celestial Princess in Exile.
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Oct 21, 2021 17:38:07 GMT -5
Zeus is leaving AJPW to head and revive Osaka Pro. I’d be surprised if NJPW and him have even talked. Dude is amazing and one of the most underrated guys going in Japan at 39. I don’t think NJPW would be into him. NJPW’s ticket to freshening things up is GLEAT. Good relationship off the bat and they have star talent. That's if Gedo will actually sign talent, he's refused to sign or bring in any new talent for the past year Is that on Gedo? Or on Kidani?
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Post by AwamoriRock on Oct 21, 2021 17:39:53 GMT -5
Zeus is leaving AJPW to head and revive Osaka Pro. I’d be surprised if NJPW and him have even talked. Dude is amazing and one of the most underrated guys going in Japan at 39. I don’t think NJPW would be into him. NJPW’s ticket to freshening things up is GLEAT. Good relationship off the bat and they have star talent. That's if Gedo will actually sign talent, he's refused to sign or bring in any new talent for the past year I mean, I wouldn’t want or expect them to sign. GLEAT wrestlers have their own company they are signed to on deals and it’s a growing company I want to see get bigger. Good wrestlers, women’s division, great presentation etc, but guest wrestlers for tours, tournaments and shock title contention is something NJPW needs bad. It’s amazing to me Sekimoto was never a guest. Some of the best Okada matches were against Marufuji and the crowd dynamic was a spectacle
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Chiral
Salacious Crumb
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Post by Chiral on Oct 21, 2021 17:41:16 GMT -5
What a heartbreaking ending, damn.
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Post by Starshine on Oct 21, 2021 18:33:55 GMT -5
I'm honestly surprised we don't see more injuries like this out of these guys. What a damn shame that it had to end like that. Hopefully Ibushi's injury isn't too serious.
This G1 was certainly... unique. I definitely think it will go down as the weakest in at last the last 10 years. I liked some of the ideas they had, like Cobb and Okada just steamrolling their blocks. Booking of the G1 gas typically been so 50/50, keeping most everyone alive, that it's nice just to see something different. Plus, let's be honest, besides Evil, no one else had any chance of winning that block anyway.
I think Cobb's the big winner of this tourney, he looks like such a beast right now. So I hope they do something big with him over the next year. He's been pushed too hard to fall back into being Ospreay's muscle for much longer. But we'll see where all that goes following WK.
With WK being 3 nights, I expect we'll get some weird series of matches between Okada, Takagi, and Ospreay; leading into a big title unification match on night 3. Whatever it ends up being, it's probably going to be needlessly messy.
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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 Oct 21, 2021 18:52:21 GMT -5
I'm honestly surprised we don't see more injuries like this out of these guys. What a damn shame that it had to end like that. Hopefully Ibushi's injury isn't too serious. This G1 was certainly... unique. I definitely think it will go down as the weakest in at last the last 10 years. I liked some of the ideas they had, like Cobb and Okada just steamrolling their blocks. Booking of the G1 gas typically been so 50/50, keeping most everyone alive, that it's nice just to see something different. Plus, let's be honest, besides Evil, no one else had any chance of winning that block anyway. I think Cobb's the big winner of this tourney, he looks like such a beast right now. So I hope they do something big with him over the next year. He's been pushed too hard to fall back into being Ospreay's muscle for much longer. But we'll see where all that goes following WK. With WK being 3 nights, I expect we'll get some weird series of matches between Okada, Takagi, and Ospreay; leading into a big title unification match on night 3. Whatever it ends up being, it's probably going to be needlessly messy. In a just world, KENTA would find a way to pull the rug out from under them all and come out as Champion.
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lionheart21
Patti Mayonnaise
Once did a thing...
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Post by lionheart21 on Oct 21, 2021 19:04:43 GMT -5
First Naito goes down with a knee injury on the first day, and it ends with Ibushi suffering a serious injury in the final match. I swear, this G1 was cursed. 2 of their biggest talents out for the foreseeable future.
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Post by 1 Free Moon-Down with Burger on Oct 21, 2021 19:15:37 GMT -5
Man. I couldn’t be less excited at the idea of Shibata wrestling again.
I like the guy. But they had to cut a portion of his skull to reduce brain swelling. Maybe take the hint.
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