General Puro Discussion Thread

[Stopspot]

The Eastern Lariat crew runs down the current NOAH story and the people involved.
audioBoom / Breaking News: Pro Wrestling NOAH SOLD

 

[Roadster]

Getting nervous with the current treatment of Nakajima. Hasn't main-evented a show since winning the title, had a hard time defeating Quiet Storm and even lost to Toru Yano.

But on the bright side, this year's Global League has been p. good quality wise, I'm not sure about attendance, though.

 

[Stopspot]

Getting nervous with the current treatment of Nakajima. Hasn't main-evented a show since winning the title, had a hard time defeating Quiet Storm and even lost to Toru Yano.

But on the bright side, this year's Global League has been p. good quality wise, I'm not sure about attendance, though.

First day drew 1000 people in Korakuen hall with Marufuji vs Go main eventing. Day 2 drew 711 people in Korakuen with Go vs Sugiura in the main

 

[Stopspot]

On this day in 2007.....
Kenta Kobashi made his return to pro wrestling after a 546 day long battle with cancer.

 

[Stopspot]

KAI is (finally) going freelance from Wrestle-1 at the end of the year.

Good. He was shortshafted by that company for its entire run so far. I hope he heads into freelancing guns blazing

 

[Roadster]

KAI is (finally) going freelance from Wrestle-1 at the end of the year.

Good. He was shortshafted by that company for its entire run so far. I hope he heads into freelancing guns blazing

That's a big hit for W-1.

 

[Stopspot]

That's a big hit for W-1.

They don't have it easy right now. They are downsizing pretty hard.

They only ran 5 shows in December, and will only run 4 shows in January and just another 4 in February. So it isn't surprising that a lot of their roster is taking outside bookings now.

All Japan showed that it isn't over until the fat lady sings, so they could turn it around still. But unlike All Japan, Wrestle-1 doesn't have a owner/president who is solely focused on the company (Akiyama) and turning it around, Mutoh has a ton of side projects so he's pretty scatterbrained it seems with what he wants to do. And Mutoh's history as a businessman ain't exactly the best. W-1 also lacks that clear cut young superstar to build around, and the established veterans to put him over.

Biggest blow for Mutoh has to be that all his apprentices have left him bar one. The only one left is Hiroshi Yamato and he is out with a neck injury. Sanada left, Kai is leaving, Bushi left and so forth.

 

[Roadster]

NOAH is unbearable. They've brought in a whole bunch of K-Dojo and independent guys that are sub-par, at best. The shows have no atmosphere and the shows have no direction. If NOAH was on their last legs before, they're already in the grave awaiting the dirt, now.

 

[Stopspot]

NOAH is unbearable. They've brought in a whole bunch of K-Dojo and independent guys that are sub-par, at best. The shows have no atmosphere and the shows have no direction. If NOAH was on their last legs before, they're already in the grave awaiting the dirt, now.

TBF their new president said his first order of business was to make the company start "making money again". That's a pretty big indicator of how bad it was for them.

They will need at least six months before we can see any type of change as stable. Some of those K-Dojo guys are solid as heck as baseline workers. Question is if any of them would agree to NOAH contracts since Taka takes very good care of his roster. Like those guys are pretty darn spoiled.
I know at least one fairly big freelancer who was offered a NOAH contract but turned it down.

 

[Stopspot]

@Roadster

NOAH's traditional home, the Differ Ariake, which hosted its home arena, office and dojo. Is closing around June 2017. Mainly due to the building no longer making money, it being run down and the owners don't see a profit in renovating it.

Another promotion taking a hit like this.

 

[Roadster]

How does NOAH stay alive?

 

[Stopspot]

How does NOAH stay alive?

Who knows? Sponsors, Yakuza money? Mama Misawa?

Apparently some sources are saying that it won't be demolished until 2018 instead, which is when NOAH's lease ends. But some sources say 2017.

They might have to move since real-estate/office space in Tokyo is super expensive. All Japan uprooted and moved to Yokohama when Akiyama took over. Big Japan are also Yokohama based, Dragon Gate are based in Kobé. DDT, Zero1 and Stardom share offices and dojo space in Tokyo to make it possible to stay in Tokyo (and DDT runs a bunch of bars and such to get extra money in), and Wrestle-1 are also still Tokyo based (for however long they stay in business).

Running a wrestling promotion out of inner city Tokyo is hard on the wallet.

 

[Stopspot]

So. NOAH moved out of the Differ and moved to new offices just 5 minutes from Korakuen hall.

Speaking of which, Noah drew a whopping 694 people to Korakuen on January 9. Easily their worst attendance in that building in a while, possibly ever. Show didn't even break even as according to Meltzer you need to put 700 or more in the seats to cover renting it. The card was all singles matches and only the junior title on the line and they ran the building two days prior with a much more stacked card (which did 1066 people). So yeah, Korakuen is going to get abused to hell and back by NOAH in a worst case scenario now. They really need to stop running multiple Korakuens every month, at least not within days of each other.

But on the plus side they are doing interesting things, Kotoge and Kenou has moved up to heavyweight and are working hard to make that work. And Kaito Kiyomiya (their rookie) has gone heel and joined up with Takashi Sugiura as his personal young boy/disciple and dropped the NOAH green gear for all black. He's still a rookie and doing jobs, but he's developing as a character now and getting a mean streak.

In Wreslte-1 news: Jiro Kurishio, Wrestle-1's most over act not named Mutoh is out for at least 4 months with a knee injury. Another big blow for Wrestle-1, who will only run 3 shows in February and none of them on TV, as Mutoh has given the TV slot to his legends wrestling project show instead.

 

[Stopspot]

The top 4 champions in Japanese pro wrestling

Spoiler

The three main champions are even all under 30

 

[Stopspot]

Masato Yoshino, arguably the greatest wrestler ever produced by Dragon Gate (and the most decorated). Is out since a week or so back. He took a death valley bomb wrong and herniated a disk in his back as well as fracturing three vertebrae and lost feeling in his arms once adrenaline wore off. He's still having trouble holding onto things but he has regained feelings in his arms.

Odds are he is out for most of if not all of 2017 but doctors are suggesting retiring.

I'm gutted since Yoshino is one of my favorite guys in the DG system, but if its between his career and his health his health has to come first.

SPEED STAR!