New Japan Pro-Wrestling General Discussion Thread

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Another great match. 1-1 in the series. Really strong episode of Strong so far
 

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Hikuleo vs. The Drama King. This BBQ - literally has no young boys. What an episode of STRONG!
 

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Big Leo with another dominant win
 

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Juice and Hiku - tables match. Calling it
 

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NJPW STRONG REPORT: ALEXANDER VERSUS GARCIA, AND MORE
By Richard Trionfo on 2021-09-04 19:19:00
We are in Los Angeles, California and your announcers are Shigeki Kiyono and Satoshi Kojima (in Japanese) or Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov (in English).

Match Number One: Daniel Garcia versus Josh Alexander

Alexander goes for the leg and takes Garcia to the mat. Alexander with a front face lock. Garcia with a hammer lock. Alexander with a head scissors and Garcia escapes but Alexander is on the ropes. They lock up and Alexander tries to grab Garcia by the legs but Garcia kicks him away. Alexander with a wrist lock and Garcia goes for a drop toe hold but Alexander maintains a front face lock. Garcia with a single leg trip and Alexander escapes.

They have a Greco Roman Knuckle Lock and Garcia with a side head lock and he holds on when Alexander tries to send him fof the ropes. Alexander with a belly-to-back suplex but Garcia holds on to the side head lock. Garcia with a shoulder tackle but Alexander does not go down. Alexander with a leg sweep. Alexander catches Garcia on a leap frog attempt. Garcia with a leg sweep and a rollup for a near fall. Alexander with a side head lock and Garcia with a drop kick to the knee. Garcia with a leg drop to Alexander;s leg and he works on the heel with an uppercut to the leg. Garcia with forearms and chops but Alexander with a German suplex.

Alexander kicks Garcia and connects with a forearm. Alexander with a forearm to the back and a back breaker. Garcia with a chop but Alexander with a forearm. Garcia with forearms and an elbow. Alexander with a shoulder against the ropes followed by a Northern Lights suplex but Garcia rolls through with a guillotine. Alexander with forearms and a boot to the head. Alexander with a delayed vertical suplex for a near fall. Alexander with a knee drop. Alexander chops Garcia and sends him into the turnbuckles. Alexander goes for a suplex but Garcia blocks it. Alexander with an Irish whip but Garcia with a boot. Alexander gets Garcia to flinch and he punches Garcia and follows with a European uppercut. Alexander with a forearm but Garcia pops up and he blocks a chop and connects with forearms.

Garcia with forearms but he misses a back fist. Alexander with a European uppercut but Garcia kicks Alexander in the knees and he applies a guillotine with a body scissors. Alexnder gets to his feet and he goes for a suplex but Garcia counters with a rear naked choke. Alexander gets to the ropes to force a break. Garcia with a kick and then he applies a figure four leg lock. Alexander gets to the ropes to force a break.

Alexander with elbows and a punch to Garcia. Garcia runs into an uppercut. Garcia with a drop toe hold and a crossface, but Alexander with a rollup for a near fall. Garcia with a Saito suplex. Alexander blocks a kick and he hits a back breaker and applies an ankle lock. Garcia kicks Alexander and Alexander with a back breaker and butterfly piledriver for the three count.

Winner: Josh Alexander



Match Number Two: TJP versus Rey Horus

They start off with a Greco Roman Knuckle Lock but TJP pulls away. TJP with a wrist lock and Horus with a reversal. TJP with a head scissors take down. Horus tries to escape but TJP takes Horus back to the mat and gets a near fall. TJP gets a near fall. Horus goes for a monkey flip but TJP with a cartwheel and he lands on his feet. Horus tries for another monkey flip and TJP escapes but Horus with an arm drag and he goes for a cover but TJP with a crucifix for a near fall. Horus gets a near fall.

They lock up and TJP backs Horus into the corner and TJP with a shoulder. TJP with an Irish whip and Horus floats over and connects with a forearm. TJP with an Irish whip and elbow. Horus with a body scissors off the turnbuckles and TJP goes ro the floor but he rolls back in and drop kicks Horus into the ropes. TJP with a springboard drop kick to Horus.TJP with a knee drop for a near fall. TJP with a back breaker for a near fall. TJP with a knee to the back and a reverse chin lock. TJP with an arm bar into a front face lock. Horus with punches and chops. TJP with a kick and drop toe hold and a drop kick. TJP gets a near fall. TJP sends Horus into the turnbuckles and then he kicks Horus in the corner. Horus blocks a kick but TJP rolls through and applies a heel hook. TJP continues to work on the legs but Horus tries for a head lock to get out of the hold. TJP is able to continue to work on the legs. Horus with a head slock but TJP escapes and he hyper-extends the arm. TJP with a brainbuster and he gets a near fall. TJP with a face wash in the corner and then he tries for a running boot but Horus with a drop toe hold. Horus sends TJP to the apron and then he kicks TJP to the floor. TJP moves when Horus tries for a dive to the floor but Horus with a plancha over the ring post to TJP. They return to the ring.

Horus with a clothesline in the corner and he puts TJP on the turnbuckles. TJP punches Horus and gets him on his shoudlers and then TJP drops Horus on the turnbuckles. TJP with a face wash and running boot to the head. TJP sets for the Detonation Kick but Horus escapes and gets a near fall. Horus with a Spanish Fly for a near fall.

Horus goes to the turnbuckles but TJP stops him. Horus pushes TJP off the turnbuckles and Horus misses a cross body. TJP with an octopus but Horus gets to the ropes. TJP with a slam and he goes to the turnbuckles but Horus stops TJP. TJP with a Detonation Kick and then he hits a frog splash for the three count.

Winner: TJP

After the match, TJP tells Rey Horus there is a saying in wrestling. A good wrestler never has a bad match twice in a row. A great wrestler never has a bad match. I have never had a bad match. I will never lose to you two in a row. Whenever you want the rubber match, the ball is in your court.

We go to a cleaning and disinfection break.

Match Number Three: Hikuleo versus Matt Morris

They lock up and Hikuleo backs Morris into the corner and he pats Morris on the top of his head because Morris is shorter than him. They lock up and Hikuleo pushes Morris to the mat and Morris acknowledges Hikuleo. They lock up and Morris with a hammer lock and a side head lock. Morris floats over in the corer and Hikuleo catches him. Morris goes for a rollup but Hikuleo does not go down. Morris goes for a rollup but cannot get a count.

Morris with a waist lock and Hikuleo with a back elbow. Hikuleo with a forearm to the bac and a double sledge. Hikuleo with a punch to the midsection. Hikuleo with a forearm and he chokes Morris against the ropes. Morris drop kicks Hikuleo to the floor. Morris goes for a pescado but Hikuleo catches Morrisn and runs hhim into the ring post. Hikuleo runs Morris into the apron and then they return to the ring. Hikuleo with a forearm to the back for a near fall. Hikuleo sends Morris into the turnbuckles and connects with a forearm to the back.

Hikuleo iwht a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Hikuleo sends Morris into the turnbuckles and then he chokes Morris. Hikuleo with forearms and he gets a near fall. Hikuleo with a reverse chin lock. Morris with a jaw breaker but Hikuleo with a clothesline for a near fall. Hikuleo with a splash to the back as he sends Morris into the turnbuckles. Hikuleo misses a splash when Morris moves and then he misses a splash into the corner.

Morris with a splash into the corner but Hikuleo with an Irish whip. Morris with a forearm from the apron and then Hikuleo goes over the top rope to the floor when Morris drops down. Morris with a cannonball and punches. They return to the ring and Morris with a flying boot and he hits a swanton for a near fall. Hikuleo grabs Morris by the throat and Morris with kicks and a super kick. Hikuleo catches Morris out of the corner. Hikuleo with a boot to the head for a near fall.

Hikuleo gets Morris up but Morris counters with a sleeper. Morris gets his boots up and Hikuleo with a power slam for a near fall. Hikuleo with a Michinoku Driver for the three count.

Winner: Hikuleo

After the match, Hikuleo attacks Morris and connects with a series of forearms. Hikuleo goes to the floor and he gets a table from under the ring. Hikuleo sets up the table in the ring and he looks around. Hikuleo gets Morris on his shoudlers but Juice Robinson comes out and he tries to send Hikuleo through the table, but Hikuleo gets to his feet and he goes to the floor.

We go to credits.
 

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Alex Zayne, Jake Atlas, Jonathan Gresham, and Chris Bey added to the Philly tapings
 

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Strong card for this Friday, last time before they move to Saturday:
EPISODE_57_3.jpg

Main event: Karl Fredericks vs Ren Narita
Singles record: 1-0 Narita

Headlining the second LA Dojo Showcase, Ren Narita takes on Karl Fredericks with a history dating back to the 2019 Young Lion Cup. There, Fredericks’ overall victory was blemished by a defeat to Narita. Narita’s ultimate runner-up finish prompted the young man to head to LA for his excursion where two years later Ren meets the now graudated Alpha Wolf once more. As Fredericks’ status has continued to grow, can he prove his dominance over Narita this time? Or will Narita’s diligent efforts pay off with a second victory in our main event?
EPISODE_57_2.jpg

2nd Match: Alex Coughlin vs Clark Connors
Singles record: 1-1-2

With a history even further back than Fredericks and Narita in our main event, Alex Coughlin and Clark Connors lock horns in the second match of the evening. The first two products of the modern LA Dojo to wrestle one another back in 2018, Connors and Coughlin have been evenly matched, equally strong and equally intense ever since, wrestling to a win apiece and two time limit draws. But since their last summer 2020 encounter, Connors has gone on to graduate from the LA Dojo and rebrand himself as the Wild Rhino, appropriately following a match with Karl Fredericks at the last LA Dojo Showcase. Could this bout be a coming of age moment for Coughlin as well?
EPISODE_57_1.jpg

1st Match: Kevin Knight vs The DKC
Singles record: 1-0 The DKC

The two newest entrants to the LA Dojo face off in the first match of the night. On the New Beginning USA series, The DKC picked up a victory over Knight, but will he retain the edge in our opener?​
 
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Despy vs Eagles Junior Heavyweight and Junior Tag Titles on the Line possibly on this Show?:giveme
 

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I was browsing Reddit looking for a thread, and stumbled upon someone explaining Taichi's backstory and gimmick
One, as other commenters have stated, is his relationship with his trainer, Kawada. Kawada never taught him any of his moves and used him as a glorified servant. In HUSTLE, Kawada’s now defunct comedy promotion, Taichi’s character was the young boy who’s a little annoying, justifying everyone else including Kawada brutally attacking him in the waiting room as soon as he started to speak. That was when their relationship was on good terms. Eventually Kawada betrayed Taichi and joined a heel stable, and Taichi increasingly desperately tried to get him back in a series of matches that included him trying to capture Kawada in a net for the win. It didn’t work. From the beginning, Taichi was told that he had no future, and he would always be a failure. I won’t pretend that it’s unusual in Japanese wrestling to use beatings as a teaching style, but this relationship seems like it was much worse than the other ones I’ve seen.

(Then why does Taichi’s moveset almost entirely consist of Kawada moves? Well, apparently he taught them to himself by watching footage of Kawada’s matches. It’s a sort of revenge to be successful using Kawada’s work while doing things that Kawada would hate, though recently Kawada has actually said he’s proud of what Taichi’s achieved. On the other hand, using his moves at all certainly implies appreciation for his craft!)

Taichi got ready for his next trauma upon entering New Japan, as part of the four Black Saints (wrestlers who against the odds joined New Japan in its so-called darkest period). At that time he wrestled a generic high-flying junior style. Taichi was put in a singles feud with the more experienced Milano. They had such good chemistry and got such backlash from the older guys in the locker room about their matches that they decided to become a tag team to prove themselves. Babyface Taichi looked up to and would be influenced heavily by Milano, picking up his slightly heelish mannerisms and flashy costume, not minding that he always ended up taking pins and being in the support role for Milano. The problem was that Milano had known for a few years that his wrestling career was coming to a close. He had a severe eye injury that made it difficult for him to see well enough to wrestle. Taichi tried to train with him to alleviate it, but just made things worse. Before they could accomplish much, Milano was out for good, and Taichi was alone again. In the Unione Telepro, Milano said: "Because you were such an affectionate person, you struggled a lot (with my retirement). That's why you became the Holy Emperor Taichi, who claims to have abandoned all compassion. You didn't want to feel pain anymore, so you abandoned love after returning from Mexico."

Mexico is where Taichi had his real excursion, under the influence of heel mentor Okumura. In kayfabe, it was unsuccessful and ultimately humiliating, as he had to survive a whole crowd seeing him bawl as his hair was shaved off. He couldn't return to NJPW as a hero or a star, because he had neither the skills nor the personality to pull it off. "Not everyone can be Tanahashi, even if they tried," said a dejected young Taichi. So instead he returned as a lackey for heel faction leader Kojima. He has started to learn how to be annoying and how to be hated, how to shut off any expectations people may have for him so that he can't disappoint them. The crowd screamed at him to disappear as he unrepentantly cheated for Kojima in exchange for meager care and praise. If you're just going to fail, why even try? Why show your full abilities to an audience that doesn't deserve it? In the cruel world of pro-wrestling, where talent is often in-born and losing changes your worth as a person, many more than just Taichi are driven to reject an effort-based approach.

Eventually Kojima became obsessed with beating Makabe without cheating, and mistreated Taichi even more just for trying to help. Incredibly, Taichi decided to throw out and chose Minoru Suzuki as his new leader. This is who taught Taichi how to be the heel we know today, and who gave Taichi the opportunities for success that eventually turned his inferiority complex into superiority. The story for Taichi now is how he’s finally decided to grow up and seek better for himself than being a prank-pulling lackey. We get to watch him struggle in real time between cheating, where he has full control, and sincere effort, where everything is up in the air, and how he grows as a result. Studying him is difficult but rewarding. He constantly lies in order to make himself seem disinterested in what he wants and easily underestimated. Yet multiple others and Taichi himself has said he's a dedicated analyst, constantly studying others and different fighting styles, wrestling and non-wrestling. And, if you watch really closely, you can see that deep down Taichi still wants his idols' approval, showering them with tsundere-like gestures that vacillate between threats of violence and expressions of admiration.

The aesthetics of his character mostly come from the real person. He really does have an interest in idols, sumo, and anime, and apparently really is cringey when it comes to sex. This part of himself is exaggerated 200 times into the pathetic, nerdy sleazebag we know and love.
 

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What are some of the best matches to watch in NJPW? I've been getting really in the mood for it. I feel like I should probably watch a lot of Omega's earlier work considering he's become one of my favourites in AEW to watch in-ring. I have definitely seen one of his Okada matches and the Jericho one, can't remember much else off the top of my head.

I'm up for anything really. I know NJPW matches are on the longer side, but I do enjoy that as long as the pace remains at a good level throughout the match. Mox's matches for example have been something I enjoy. Very high energy and hard hitting.
 
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Omega/Okada series and Okada/Tamahashi series for sure. Also Tanahashi vs Suzuki from KOPW 2012 I'd recommend a lot too
 
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Marty McFourth

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Omega/Okada series and Okada/Tamahashi series for sure. Also Tanahashi vs Suzuki from KOPW 2012 I'd recommend a lot too

I can't remember which one I watched from the Omega/Okada series but all I know it was amazing. I've heard good things about their G1 Climax match.