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possible Japanese wrestlers in future
- Thread starter Neilslam
- Start date
no. Goto. Kenny says that you don't know which Goto will show up. if he isn't in the
mindset then he is at best a mid-carder, but if he is focused and brings his A-game,
he is a main eventer. he also supposedly chokes in big moments.
Oh, okay haha. I was just a bit confused cause the thread seemed focused on Okada.
no worries. folks want Okada and maybe Tanahashi to come to the WWE, but I'm sure
they saw Kai N Tai and Tajiri and other Japanese in stereotypical characters. not to mention
JR saying that Vince and friends' mindsets are stuck in WWII. so, if I were them, I'd say
"Thanks. I'm good." as well.
they saw Kai N Tai and Tajiri and other Japanese in stereotypical characters. not to mention
JR saying that Vince and friends' mindsets are stuck in WWII. so, if I were them, I'd say
"Thanks. I'm good." as well.
The Goto "choke artist" thing is more gimmick than real life. He's booked that way for some reason. He's held every heavyweight belt they have except for the world title. But he's also had a tremendous 2016 since he joined CHAOS and became their second in command. He's one of my favs.
What you mentioned regarding Tana and Okada is probably at least partially true. They both have multiple motivators to staying in Japan. Okada had a bad stint with TNA when he was on exodus early in his career that probably still stings for example. And Shawn Michaels is retired so you cannot get Tanahashi by offering his dream match.
Plus New Japan are moving into the USA themselves this year. They are running two shows in LA this summer which sold out in 2 hours. And they also have the shows with ROH so it isn't like they are completely locked out of the Americas if they don't go to WWE.
A key factor in this discussion is loyalty. In Japanese wrestling (and Japan in large) loyalty is very important. You almost never see "poaching" of talent in Japan like you tend to see in the US with WWE signing promising talent from other places. You tend to stick with the company that trained you for your entire career because they took a shot on you, and in return you have a job for life, once you retire from in ring you get a backstage job of some sort and you are taken care off. Whenever we do see talent switching promotions it is either out of an argument/scandal or loyalty related (like when Kojima left New Japan for All Japan in 2001/2002. Mutoh ended up getting fed up with Inoki and wanted to run his own company, and Kojima who was Mutoh's protege followed his mentor out of loyalty).
The easiest way for WWE to get Japanese talent is to look at the independent scene, which primarily houses juniors, for freelance talent not bound to any one promotion and getting them in. Or work with Taka Michinoku like they have in the past (Kazma Sakamoto and Jinzo being the most recent Taka trainees to go to WWE).
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I feel like WWE are mostly looking to poach Gaijins from Japan than actual Japanese wrestlers. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Guerillas of Wrestling/Dave Boy Smith Jr, etc come (back) to WWE at some point or the other.
I hope WWE doesn't coax any top Japanese talent because they'll be treated stereotypically. Although I guess KENTA / Itami is a good step forward in terms of booking Japanese talent but that's still just NXT. Not Vince's playground.
language is also a factor. It's easier to poach an American who has worked in Japan (money, less international travel etc) than poaching a Japanese star (relocating them and their family, learning a new language etc)