The Hideo Itami Experiment

[HIM]

Remember that?

I'm listening to Becky's book and I'm at the part where Kenta, Owens and Balor show up and man I really forgot about his time in WWE. Dude was there for 5 years and I can't remember a match or angle of his. Thank God he left and joined NJPW because he's one of the biggest cases of "well sometimes talent doesn't fit in an organization."

[Nosnorb]

He had serious shoulder problems which put him on the shelf for much of his tenure, and when he wasn't on the injured list, he looked like a shadow of himself.

[A Little Doo Doo]

He was there for 5 years?!?

[Big DSR Energy]

All I remember about his NXT run was the injuries.

[A Little Doo Doo]

May 27, 2024 4:05:28 GMT -5 Big DSR Energy said:

All I remember about his NXT run was the injuries.

He looked like a badass in his debut, that's all I remember.

[HIM]

May 27, 2024 3:56:57 GMT -5 A Little Doo Doo said:

He was there for 5 years?!?

Yeah but it wasn't 5 full years. From 2014-2017 he was in NXT and then he was on 205. I forgot he went there.

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

He could have succeeded, but was just snakebit. His run being a "failure" is nobody's fault, just kept getting hurt at the worst possible times.

Also, he was besties with The IIconics.

[Squirrel Master]

“My style is KICK”

[Celexa Bliss]

I remember when he returned at the second Brooklyn Takeover and how over he was when he confronted Aries. The roster was so lit at the time, then within a couple of months, him and Aries were both on the shelf. His return just never really worked and the heel turn ruined him in NXT. Then they just wasted him in a team with Tozawa on 205 because "well, pal, they're both Japanese, goddamn is that some good shit!"

[TOK Is the Target Demo]

Being injured constantly and not being able to do the G2S for the first 2 years of his run killed him.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

May 27, 2024 3:51:50 GMT -5 Nosnorb said:

He had serious shoulder problems which put him on the shelf for much of his tenure, and when he wasn't on the injured list, he looked like a shadow of himself.

That and, having a reputation as a stiff worker, he over corrected and his strikes rarely looked very good. I seem to remember hearing he was super paranoid about stiffing people and it really f***ed with his in ring confidence.

[JCBaggee]

Dude came in like a rocket. He looked incredible, fans were behind him, his matches were great. I was really, really ready for him to take off.

Then the shoulder injury put him on the bench, and the injury just didn't heal right or something else went wrong. I can't remember what happened.

By the time he was back...Nakamura had joined up. He was a way bigger deal, and fans had already forgotten about Itami.

I wonder what would have happened if the Vince departure and Triple H takeover had happened while Itami was still in the wings, if they would have made him a bigger focus somewhere or just called it a wash still. Glad he's killing it in NJPW, but always wondered what could have happened.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

Without injuries, I am 100% sure he'd still be there in WWE kicking ass as someone who was made but like... just too many injuries. You wanna talk about a guy who was cursed from the jump in WWE history, he is near the top.

[A Little Doo Doo]

Side note: I kinda miss The Ascension. I'd take those two goofballs over The Good Brothers and Gallus.

[ruthlessko04]

He had so many injures during that time. Plus, WWE was more invested in Finn Balor as he was arguably the rising sensation in NXT while Hideo kept having too many injuries at that time.

[67 more]

I remember his RAW debut he destroyed Kendrick's face and got his GTS banned.

[4real]

My favourite Itami moment in WWE is when he was attacked in the car park and Kevin Owens walks by and says “Well that’s a shame” sarcastically.

Sums it up really. And yes nothing has changed in the NXT car park.

[Nosnorb]

May 27, 2024 12:17:43 GMT -5 A Little Doo Doo said:

Side note: I kinda miss The Ascension. I'd take those two goofballs over The Good Brothers and Gallus.

They were great ham and eggers and showed a lot in their skits with The Fashion Police and their brief team up with Stardust.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

May 27, 2024 12:17:43 GMT -5 A Little Doo Doo said:

Side note: I kinda miss The Ascension. I'd take those two goofballs over The Good Brothers and Gallus.

nobody would believe it now with how destroyed they were on the main roster but there was a time where I really looked forward to their matches in NXT. they weren't like... great or anything but you knew they were gonna kick some team's asses for sure.

[City Duck]

Shoutouts to him but Hideo Itami vs Bobby Roode for the title still gives me nightmares