Konosuke Takeshita Appreciation Thread

[Dragonfly]

Takeshita ended his excursion today. I cannot wait to see what he does next, whether it's in the US, Japan or elsewhere. So yeah... Raise a Cinnabon to a legit rising star.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Damn wait what I thought he was here for longer.

Amazing wrestler though, holy shit. Every time he did a thing, it was magic.

[thegatewaydrug]

I bet he had a lot fun and make many new friends during his summer semester abroad!

[clifford]

I thought he was sticking around for a year? Huh, well shit. I think that excursion went well for him. You have to wonder how long DDT are gonna be able to hold onto him. AEW, New Japan, hell even WWE if recent rumours about them looking for a new male japanese star is true, will all be keeping a close eye.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

F***. I already miss the guy, he became one of my favourite wrestlers during this excursion and I had zero familiarity with him before this. I don’t watch DDT, hell I barely watch NJPW now

[SHAKEMASTER TV9 is Don Knotts]

From what I read, hes going back for DDTs biggest show Wrestle Peter Pan and the show in his hometown, but he will be back after.

[Deleted]

My one problem with Takeshita was how many times they featured him on Dynamite without him actually winning a match.

[Dragonfly]

Aug 12, 2022 19:19:44 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

My one problem with Takeshita was how many times they featured him on Dynamite without him actually winning a match.

I think he's the one that will beat Pac for the All Atlantic title.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Dude came in, made an instant name for himself, and went back

His stock has risen substantially and for good reason. He's not a secret anymore, and I think when time comes for a contract, he will have a lot of suitors. I think him being in AEW and DDT is a really good deal for him right now though. I can't wait to see him back

[Bo Rida]

I feel a bit bad for DDT. They set out to show their ace off around the world and everybody can't wait to see more of him...in any other promotion.

Understandable, people only have so much time/money and have a list of dream matches. Or maybe did try DDT saw the pheremones and noped out of there.

Anyway I hope some aew guys go over to face him on his home turf.

[Peeetah]

Gonna miss being able to watch him every week, that man is absurdly talented.

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

Aug 14, 2022 8:02:53 GMT -5 Bo Rida said:

I feel a bit bad for DDT. They set out to show their ace off around the world and everybody can't wait to see more of him...in any other promotion.

Understandable, people only have so much time/money and have a list of dream matches. Or maybe did try DDT saw the pheremones and noped out of there.

Anyway I hope some aew guys go over to face him on his home turf.

Soup had done basically everything there was to do in DDT, the excursion was possibly the best thing to happen for him.

[Corre.222]

I see no reason why he cannot have an occasional 20-40 minute match in the NEW WWE, whether as a part-timer or full-timer. The benefits of this would be huge in CONJUNCTION and harmony with their subtle creative storylines, especially with reeling in more casuals & introducing them to the wider world of this fine art. Also, the rosters were thin in WWE after the firings with more hours of airtime, so there's more slots for people

Like to see Stu Grayson & Bandido as well, someone else I'd think would be nice.

If Konosuke is not in WWE, then I concur with the above about him in AEW or Japan.

[Deleted]

Aug 14, 2022 22:02:13 GMT -5 Corre.222 said:

I see no reason why he cannot have an occasional 20-40 minute match in the NEW WWE, whether as a part-timer or full-timer. The benefits of this would be huge in CONJUNCTION and harmony with their subtle creative storylines, especially with reeling in more casuals & introducing them to the wider world of this fine art. Also, the rosters were thin in WWE after the firings with more hours of airtime, so there's more slots for people

Like to see Stu Grayson & Bandido as well, someone else I'd think would be nice.

If Konosuke is not in WWE, then I concur with the above about him in AEW or Japan.

cultaholic.com/posts/exclusive-konosuke-takeshita-not-interested-in-wwe-run-possible-aew-return-date-revealed

"To be honest, now I'm not interested in WWE. My next goal is more fights in AEW I hope."

So that answers that, hopefully. I have zero faith that WWE would have handled Takeshita well even with Daddy H, The Asskicker at the helm given how badly he botched Kushida's run.

[polarbearpete]

Aug 15, 2022 6:35:01 GMT -5 @tacticalsneakman said:

Aug 14, 2022 22:02:13 GMT -5 Corre.222 said:

I see no reason why he cannot have an occasional 20-40 minute match in the NEW WWE, whether as a part-timer or full-timer. The benefits of this would be huge in CONJUNCTION and harmony with their subtle creative storylines, especially with reeling in more casuals & introducing them to the wider world of this fine art. Also, the rosters were thin in WWE after the firings with more hours of airtime, so there's more slots for people

Like to see Stu Grayson & Bandido as well, someone else I'd think would be nice.

If Konosuke is not in WWE, then I concur with the above about him in AEW or Japan.

cultaholic.com/posts/exclusive-konosuke-takeshita-not-interested-in-wwe-run-possible-aew-return-date-revealed

"To be honest, now I'm not interested in WWE. My next goal is more fights in AEW I hope."

So that answers that, hopefully. I have zero faith that WWE would have handled Takeshita well even with Daddy H, The Asskicker at the helm given how badly he botched Kushida's run.

Kushida came in and was being pushed slowly but surely up the card and then the whole 2.0 revamp happened and that changed everything for him. I don’t think there’s any type of booking of Japanese talent issues for Triple H when you look at when he had unfettered control of NXT and booked Nakamura, Asuka and Kairi. Takeshita also seems much bigger and better than Kushida, and would fit in well with WWE main eventers.

[Deleted]

Aug 15, 2022 9:18:11 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

Kushida came in and was being pushed slowly but surely up the card and then the whole 2.0 revamp happened and that changed everything for him. I don’t think there’s any type of booking of Japanese talent issues for Triple H when you look at when he had unfettered control of NXT and booked Nakamura, Asuka and Kairi. Takeshita also seems much bigger and better than Kushida, and would fit in well with WWE main eventers.

I mean even in the black-and-gold days, taking a guy who specifically left New Japan because he was tired of being pigeonholed as a junior heavyweight and putting him in the cruiserweight division (even with the intent of slowly moving him up) does not seem like using him to the best of his ability. Kushida had some damn good matches - I particularly loved his match with WALTER - but his NXT run felt like a lateral move at best, even before things went to hell with 2.0.

And yeah, Takeshita is bigger than Kushida but after the way Nakamura's run has gone (someone who, with all due respect, has got way, way more charisma than Takeshita) I'd have zero faith in him rising above the midcard. 

[Bo Rida]

Sounds like splitting time between aew and DDT and guesting elsewhere would suit him.
I wonder how common essentially having two home promotions will become. Covid has messed things up a bit but there's a few that are essentially already doing that.

That's before the likes of Suzuki who just go anywhere they feel like.

[Fake Jesus]

Aug 15, 2022 9:56:37 GMT -5 @tacticalsneakman said:

Aug 15, 2022 9:18:11 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

Kushida came in and was being pushed slowly but surely up the card and then the whole 2.0 revamp happened and that changed everything for him. I don’t think there’s any type of booking of Japanese talent issues for Triple H when you look at when he had unfettered control of NXT and booked Nakamura, Asuka and Kairi. Takeshita also seems much bigger and better than Kushida, and would fit in well with WWE main eventers.

I mean even in the black-and-gold days, taking a guy who specifically left New Japan because he was tired of being pigeonholed as a junior heavyweight and putting him in the cruiserweight division (even with the intent of slowly moving him up) does not seem like using him to the best of his ability. Kushida had some damn good matches - I particularly loved his match with WALTER - but his NXT run felt like a lateral move at best, even before things went to hell with 2.0.

And yeah, Takeshita is bigger than Kushida but after the way Nakamura's run has gone (someone who, with all due respect, has got way, way more charisma than Takeshita) I'd have zero faith in him rising above the midcard. 

Using Nakamura as an example is weird weird considering Levesque had him as NXT champion - twice - and the guy who booked him in the midcard is headed to Gitmo. People need to update their tropes now. WWE is run by a Wrestling Guy, his wife, and an Actual Marketing Guy who actually understands pop culture. If 2015 Nakamura was in 2022 he'd probably be one of the top stars they have.

[The Ichi]

Aug 15, 2022 11:24:20 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Aug 15, 2022 9:56:37 GMT -5 @tacticalsneakman said:

I mean even in the black-and-gold days, taking a guy who specifically left New Japan because he was tired of being pigeonholed as a junior heavyweight and putting him in the cruiserweight division (even with the intent of slowly moving him up) does not seem like using him to the best of his ability. Kushida had some damn good matches - I particularly loved his match with WALTER - but his NXT run felt like a lateral move at best, even before things went to hell with 2.0.

And yeah, Takeshita is bigger than Kushida but after the way Nakamura's run has gone (someone who, with all due respect, has got way, way more charisma than Takeshita) I'd have zero faith in him rising above the midcard. 

Using Nakamura as an example is weird weird considering Levesque had him as NXT champion - twice - and the guy who booked him in the midcard is headed to Gitmo. People need to update their tropes now. WWE is run by a Wrestling Guy, his wife, and an Actual Marketing Guy who actually understands pop culture. If 2015 Nakamura was in 2022 he'd probably be one of the top stars they have.

I just hotfooted it to the WWE section to see if this was true. Don't get my hopes up like that!

But no, Takeshita is much better off is AEW for now.

[Fake Jesus]

Aug 15, 2022 11:41:58 GMT -5 The Ichi said:

Aug 15, 2022 11:24:20 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Using Nakamura as an example is weird weird considering Levesque had him as NXT champion - twice - and the guy who booked him in the midcard is headed to Gitmo. People need to update their tropes now. WWE is run by a Wrestling Guy, his wife, and an Actual Marketing Guy who actually understands pop culture. If 2015 Nakamura was in 2022 he'd probably be one of the top stars they have.

I just hotfooted it to the WWE section to see if this was true. Don't get my hopes up like that!

But no, Takeshita is much better off is AEW for now.

I don't disagree, but it's weird to see people using Vince-era arguments to prove it. Personally I think he'd be better staying in Japan where he can actually be a star, AEW is very bloated