NJPW Thread (New Japan Pro Wrestling)

[Spens1]

Well what a show that was. Crowd was hot for Naito, man might be the best heel in the world

[WRau1]

That Naito promo was fan **** tastic.

[Spens1]

That Naito promo was fan **** tastic.

It really was, Naito might be the best on the mic in Japan right now, he is absolutely amazing right now on the mic

[Spens1]

New Japan wtf

did Shibata just drop the NEVER Title to Nagata, i love Nagata don't get me wrong but Shibata's run was amazing so far, why are you doing this to us :'( Hopefully this means that he's moving up in the world *cough*IWGP World Heavyweight Champion*cough*. Title has done nothing to live up to its name (new age lol)

the 6 man tag team titles mean absolutely nothing at this stage and is being hot shotted from PPV to PPV, though i think it confirms Tanahashi will become the Intercontinental Champion which i have no issues with given that Kenny's reign has fallen off just a bit.

Naito beat Ishii, it was a good match and i'm not surprised that Naito retained, and he needed to. Ishii is a solid talent though, i'd imagine he'll get back the Never title sooner rather than later.

Another title that means nothing at this stage is the Jr tag team titles and Riccochet and Sydal got it back a PPV later, seriously decide who you want as champion and keep them there, this is the area New Japan need to focus on.

G.O.D retain the Tag team titles and this surprised no one. I think Honma and Makabe break up again, only issue is who goes for the titles now?

Kushida retained over Liger, i liked this match to be honest, it was a fun match, hopefully we get a good contention group for the title.

Also the BOSJ brackets have been drawn:



A BLOCK

- KUSHIDA (2015 Winner)
- Ryusuke Taguchi (2012 Winner)
- Kyle O'Reilly
- Matt Sydal
- Rocky Romero
- Gedo
- BUSHI
- Matt Jackson

B BLOCK

- Jushin Thunder Liger (1994 & 2001 Winner)
- Tiger Mask IV (2004 & 2005 Winner)
- Ricochet (2014 Winner)
- Bobby Fish
- Barreta
- Nick Jackson
- Volador Jr.
- Will Ospreay

Block B is strong, Ricochet vs Ospreay good god. also Volador Jr in the BOSJ should be great, hopefully the chance of Dragon Lee coming over for this is there (though he would have to be in block A, which isn't nearly as strong), also Gedo booking himself for this

[Spens1]

So Ospreay won the BOSJ, beating Taguchi (really, REALLY, Taguchi made the final, a comedy jobber ). Think it should have been O'Reilly vs Ospreay in the final (especially since O'Reilly is an upper-mid carder in ROH, if he won the ROH title tomorrow it wouldn't be a surprise).

[Spens1]

Dominion was rubbish. Its like opposite day, WWE had a very good event, New Japan had a pretty bad event, has been a while.

Okada is a 4 time world champ (jesus he's only 28), beating Naito for the belt in a good main event match (poor Naito only held onto it for 70 days, but damn that reign was fantastic) and LIJ lost all 3 of their matches with Yoshi-hashi tapping out Sanada (you know, the former x division champ and Mutoh's protoge).

Elgin beat Omega is fine, i don't like Lelgin but Omega just stopped being serious and is entering DDT levels of comedy again (not good), he needs to get it together and be what he was at the start of the year.

Opening match between the oldies and dojo kids was short but it is what it is

Bullet Club beat that tatsu and Captain New Japan (inb4 Prince Devitt) as well as Makabe. Why was this a thing, honestly this return to japan has been so lackluster for tatsu, competing in 6 man tags already.

Goto beat EVIL (why they gave him that name i will never know, at least let him be Evil Watanabe). This was relatively short but Goto's momentum is dead, its deader than dead actually, he got a decentish pop but really nothing will save him other than a betrayal of CHAOS (actually, CHAOS in general has been bad aside from the regulars, even poor Ishii is getting no love nowadays, the loss of Nakamura is really irreversable, Okada is a beast but he isn't the charismatic phenomenon that is Shinsuke Nakamura).

Young Bucks win the Jr tag team titles, again...... Seriously they need actual teams now, spend some money and actually bring in some good japanese teams and overseas junior teams and not just have the same people going for the title over and over again, that is some wwe nonsense.

Kushida beat Ospreay in an underwhelming match, shame too i expected a lot more, still though Kushida's reign has been pretty good and this feud is doing a decent amount. Maybe a triple threat needs to happen at WK (Ospreay v Ricocchet v Kushida).

Very glad the Briscoes won the belts off Tonga and Loa, Loa....... what a sad sad state of affairs with him

same with Shibata getting that win over Nagata, anyway hopefully this leads to Shibata winning G1 as champ, that would make that belt (well, they'd have to screw Shibata out of the belt pre WK otherwise he won't win, no way they have a dual champ, if they do Okada will do it).

This company......... (i never thought i would say that in regards to New Japan). It was easily their worst event of the year, in fact its probably worse that most of the events last year from them also. Gedo's booking at times is just annoying, predictable and downright painful.

[Spens1]

G1 this year what on earth is going on. At this stage Yano might win G1

Seriously though Shibata is all but mathematically out (which sucks, also why did he lose the NEVER championship to a 48 year old Nagata then if he wasn't at least making a serious run at G1 this year).

Surely Naito wins, though in Okada wins then just don't even bother having a title match cause champ ain't going to lose till WK12. Though i did see somewhere that someone suggested having Okada win, then have him challenge both Naito and Omega (leaders of Los Ignorables and Bullet Club) in a triple threat. I mean Omega has no hope in hell and will most likely eat the pin but it would give Okada an out at least (though Omega has lost momentum, is a gaijin and its WK against the two biggest stars in the company plus if the Bucks leave for the E, then Omega is on his way when his deal is done). I imagine Naito wins

must note though, Fale has actually been incredible, like wow the contrast, he has had the best stretch of wrestling in his whole career now, seriously if he keeps this up give him a world title run or at least an IC run (have him beat Elgin at the Dome). Also wouldn't even mind Fale, if Omega leaves being the new leader, he has been their since the beggining and is finally showing that he can go in the ring (to go with his decent enough mic skills) and most imporantly he would bring that legitimacy back to the group.

[jr lucosa]

Fale has been improving steadily for a long time, and when you put him in matches with main eventers he usually looks the part.

I'd be down for another Bad Luck IC title run, he had a pretty successful run last time and hasn't held another singles title since.

[Dr Positivity]

Just watched Nakamura vs Ibushi Wrestle Kingdom 9, wow, that's going on my all time favorites

[Spens1]

both are amazing thats for sure. Kind of hope Ibushi comes back to New Japan or at least we get Ibushi vs Nakamura in a long term feud in the WWE (done right that is).

G1 as it stands at night 16 is still up for grabs, Naito is ahead in his group but its a 5 way tie in the other group.

Hoping Naito doesn't win, but then screws whoever wins G1 for the briefcase at KOPW and wins the title at WK11 (a saturday night wk cause mid week wrestle kingdom = no buys and no seats sold).

Wasted potential though i feel, should have had Naito hold the gold until WK11 (though it shouldn't have been a clean win, Goto should have screwed Okada and gone with Goto as a top heel) with Shibata winning G1 over Okada (again, Goto screws Okada). For good measure why not have Goto win the IC title at some point (Kenny loses to Elgin at Invasion attack, Elgin holds the belt till dominion and loses it to Goto for e.g). Note* Naito sits out G1 cause he just couldn't care less, he's champ and does what he wants, making way for Minoru Suzuki in G1

Naito-Shibata - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (shibata goes over, creates a new star as a main eventer)

Goto-Okada - IWGP Intercontinental Championship (making the IC title great again after what Omega did to it, Okada goes over and restores the belts prestige)

Omega-Tanahashi - basically the third most prestigious match on the card, both basically have a similar G1, finish 2nd in their respective groups behind Shibata and Okada respectively (at the end of the day Tana coming 2nd to Okada doesn't really deal as big of a blow as lets say finishing 2nd to Shibata could have done, Omega probably loses less cred from finishing 2nd to Shibata).

Ishii-Suzuki - NEVER Title - cause stuff it they're stiff and it would be one of the most glorious, not overused matches they could have for that title.

GBH vs Los Ignorables (Sanada & EVIL) - IWGP Tag Team Championships - as great as Tonga has been lately his brother certainly hasn't been good at all, GBH are decent enough and Ignorables going over increases both Ignorables's stature.

Kushida vs Ricochet vs Will Ospreay - IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship (Ladder Match) - This is one of the few matches that works for a triple threat, dream match if you will, now people want them to do a gimmick match for the heavyweight title but that may actually detract, with these high flyers it can only add to it.

Young Bucks vs MCMG - IWGP Jr Tag Team Championship - Literally couldn't think of anything else that wasn't beaten to death. Shelly is over in japan at least.

Tama Tonga, Bad Luck Fale & Tanga Roa vs Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Trent Baretta - NEVER Trios Titles - Again cause bugger it, Fale and Tonga may actually do something and the old CHAOS vs Bullet Club story ain't too bad occasionally.

Micheal Elgin vs Adam Cole vs Jay Lethal - ROH Title (Cause Elgin needs a match and Adam Cole can get super over as a heel in Japan by beating Elgin)

Either way as long as we don't get Okada vs Tana for a third year in a row i'm ok with it (i mean its a great match but they told the story they needed to already).

[Spens1]

Ryback could be on his way to Japan according to the meltz, they're in deep negotiations for him (bullet club member please). You know Japan loves its big men so this makes perfect sense, give it two years and WWE will offer Ryback a seven figure salary guaranteed as well as a good push. Smart move on his behalf, for Japan getting a guy who can and most likely be a legit main event star is huge as they need the star power since AJ and Nakamura left.

[Spens1]

final night of G1 group A and wow what a night thus far

You know the tag team division is scraping the bottom of the barrel when (as Devitt would put it) CAPTAIN FOOKIN NEW JAPAN is in the match, just go sign some actual tag teams New Japan, hell bring War Machine over permanently if you have to since they're not doing a thing for ROH right now (actually sign Daichi Hashimoto and have him tag with a vet if you have to, just something other than Tatsu and Captain New Japan, please). Obviously Briscoes win because honestly this shouldn't have been a match in the first place

Juice Robinson (former CJ Parker) and Manabu Nakanishi was pretty well played out in an 8 man tag team match, vets vs young lions with vets going over is expected, standard match but the storytelling with robinson and nakanishi surely rolls over to lions gate.

CHAOS's trolling throughout G1 (ok mainly YTR and Yoshi-Hashi) caught up and they get rekt

LIJ vs Bullet Club, simply Naito is the best thing in New Japan today, good ode to Austin in a way with Naito giving Omega the finger Naito better be getting the title back soon, he's too damn good not to (also with the current Okada being overly cocky, even by his standards, i think he drops it at Wrestle Kingdom anyway). But they lose here, not too surprising cause LIJ always lose these matches

Tenzan is getting a good farewell but Sanada needed the win and finishes on a very respectable 8 points in his first G1, not bad at all (he could be a future star for them so hopefully they build him up nicely). Still though the feels, Tenzan may not have gone out on a super high but what a legend, go enjoy the retired life big man, you earned it.

Ishii vs Makabe sweet jesus, stiff as always, Ishii's lack of a neck really helps him since he gets dropped on his head at least 4 times a match. Ishii finishes on 8 points which is about par but maybe deserved a bit more after the year he's had, hoping he gets an IC run in the near future because he has earned it with his great performances.

Marifuji, jesus them chops are rough, i know he is from NOAH and those guys don't play but the man's chops are brutal

Tama and Fale, yeah idk, this was confusing since shouldn't fale get it? either way Fale is another guy who had a great tornuament, much improved, which is a worry because wwe will probably try to sign him (though at 6'4 he is not really big by their standards).

Goto going over really makes things interesting, he is on 12 points also, Goto vs Naito would be very very interesting (as seen later)

Tanahashi looked desperate and i love it, looks like he has something to prove, and no result means Goto in the finals,time limit draw is a bit of a surprise but it keeps both competitors really strong, but Okada the champ, failed to make it out of the group, two years running i might add, that is awkward. either way both Tana and Okada finish on 11 points and 1 point behind Goto. MOTN though and may get 5 stars from Meltzer (it deserves it what a match as always, actually would be a bit blashphemous if it didn't get it), great way to culminate what was a great week of wrestling. People talk about the big 4 from NOAH, i think in the same way people will talk about Tanahashi and Okada (as well as Nakamura) in the same light down the line, Tanahashi and Nakamura being the catalysts to reviving the company and then the trio, and now Tana and Okada having constant classics. If you haven't watched this match, watch it, it will not dissapoint.


i might of jupmed the gun on block B, they all have 1 match to go, so in theory i think Shibata is still in with a shot, Elgin i think is out and Omega can only win if both Shibata and Naito lose their matches and i'm not even entirely sure if Omega has the head to head advantage over Naito. Thinking either Naito-Goto final or Goto-Shibata final (Goto-Shibata with Goto winning only to lose to Naito would probably drive Goto insane so i could see that happening)

[Spens1]

Going into the final matches for group B

Shibata wins the block IF:

Nakajima beats Elgin
Omega beats Naito
and he beats EVIL

Omega wins the block IF:
EVIL beats Shibata
he beats Naito (i think, not sure if Omega losing in the head to head hurts him)

Elgin is out due to head to head mathematically

Naito just needs to beat Omega to go through or if he loses, Shibata needs to lose against EVIL i think

Either Shibata or Naito vs Goto (and then Naito/Shibata vs Okada) would be great main events

[Spens1]

Omega has won his block, wow.

Shibata choked against EVIL (being shibata is suffering), elgin lost to nakajima and omega somehow beat naito.

Someone's going to lose their chance to main event i think.

Anyway its going to be Hiroki Goto vs Kenny Omega in the G1 finals, don't think anyone would have predicted that at the start

[Spens1]

KENNY OMEGA HAS WON G1. WHAAAAAAATTTT.

#ripgoto #pray4goto

Yet again Being Goto is suffering

but seriously it was a great match between the two and Goto being the ultimate bridesmaid fails to win again. Give the man a broken Matt Hardy gimmick (brotha gedo, i knew you would come ).

Omega cut a promo saying that he won't go 'there'

'if you don't support me, I hate you! like me or not, Japan is my home, New Japan is home! So whatever happens, I won't go *there*'

you don't understand! So I'll speak Japanese from now. You're surprised, right? Sorry, but I can speak Japanese. I'm a heel!'

(obviously wwe, and thank god too, 1. Omega seems to be loving life in Japan making major coin as it is 2. I would not trust WWE pushing him as a world title contender, i mean i am sure they'd push him to an extent but he wouldn't be near the world title). Though saying that he was a heel probably gave Jim Cornette a coronary and/or he just combusted in a ball of pure rage.

Also who would have thought Omega would be revived in 2 days, that ending sequence with a bloody sunday, styles clash and a one winged angel was mind blowing.

Just going to directly rip-off wreddit for the key parts but

Okada "Fale! It doesn't end at the [G1] league match! You can't escape from me! Aand there's one more person I want to face. Marufuji! I want to show that the IWGP Heavyweight Champion is superior in every way. Let's do it one more time... with this belt on the line." Marufuji "I've been waiting for you to say those words. But I want to hear from the fans here... So there you have it."

so Okada vs Fale and Okada vs Marifuji, hopefully this is motivated G1 Marifuji not cruising NOAH Marifuji.

Shibata's NJPW team and the NOAH team come to a massive multi-man brawl, and are separated by officials

this was Shibata's team (him, Tenzan, Nagata, Nakanishi) vs NOAH (Nakajima, Shiozaki, Maybach Taniguchi, Kitamiya), give me Shibata vs Nakajima and moreso, Shibata vs Go Shiozaki any day of the week. Shame he couldn't win G1 but if he defends the NEVER Belt at wrestle kingdom against either of those guys all will be well, not to mention, the crazy guy headbutted Nakajima HARD (so hard he drew blood from himself and Nakajima and had Nakajima floored)

Also there was a really weird 90's looking vignette promo for power struggle, though hopefully that means Suzuki-gun are finally coming home

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpzeE2UWIAEkUBH.jpg

not sure why

Also after the match, Omega had a little bit to say (and by a litte, so much so the person on wreddit didn't finish it because its so damn long)

Omega "Before the G1... during the G1, a lot of people said the Bullet Club is over, the Bullet Club should disband. Nah, the Bullet Club ain't never over, the Bullet Club after all is 4 Lyfe. Some people wonder if the Elite is over - Nick and Matt are not here, but The Elite is not over. Without THe Elite, Wrestling is boring and it sucks. But there's something I must say to you - days like today, they happen maybe once in a lifetime, so take it from me, don't be afraid to dream, don't be afraid to reach for the stars. But let me warn you now, right as you're about to reach that dream, someone like me swoops in and takes it from you. Because I am the best, I am more talented, I have more drive, more determination, and I'm not like anyone of you. But I wrestle for you. So I'm going to say now... Okada, you are the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. I have never beaten you, nor have I wrestled you, but I think that is not the likely scenario

Anyway he is the first North American to ever win G1, actually maybe the first foreigner ever to win G1?

Also this match is most likely getting 5 stars so you know its worth a watch.

Come on Naito win the title so we get Omega-Naito for the title (yes, two heels vying for the title in this case makes sense because Stone Cold Naito and Rocky Omega would probably get cheered )

[jakecronus8]

Ryback could be on his way to Japan according to the meltz, they're in deep negotiations for him (bullet club member please). You know Japan loves its big men so this makes perfect sense, give it two years and WWE will offer Ryback a seven figure salary guaranteed as well as a good push. Smart move on his behalf, for Japan getting a guy who can and most likely be a legit main event star is huge as they need the star power since AJ and Nakamura left.

Anything is possible but I just don't see it. Nothing about Ryback to me says main event star other than maybe look, but even in that regard his body just looks manufactured. They tried several times to push him in the main event scene with worse results each time.

Seems to have a good heel persona, but he can't talk and he gets people hurt. Maybe he'll learn how to wrestle in Japan.

[Spens1]

Ryback could be on his way to Japan according to the meltz, they're in deep negotiations for him (bullet club member please). You know Japan loves its big men so this makes perfect sense, give it two years and WWE will offer Ryback a seven figure salary guaranteed as well as a good push. Smart move on his behalf, for Japan getting a guy who can and most likely be a legit main event star is huge as they need the star power since AJ and Nakamura left.

Anything is possible but I just don't see it. Nothing about Ryback to me says main event star other than maybe look, but even in that regard his body just looks manufactured. They tried several times to push him in the main event scene with worse results each time.

Seems to have a good heel persona, but he can't talk and he gets people hurt. Maybe he'll learn how to wrestle in Japan.

Japan loves that look though, i don't think he is going to go straight to winning the IWGP title but theirs nothing preventing him really being an upper mid carder for New Japan really. Also his in ring work isn't that bad, he is a lot (A LOT) better than he was in 2011, i mean he saved Kalisto's life basically in one of their matches earlier in the year and is no where near as reckless

[TaxiDriver]

Just watched the G1 Climax finals. Holy ****!

[jr lucosa]

Just watched the G1 Climax finals. Holy ****!

Crazy match! I thought it was over plenty of times

[jr lucosa]

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