New Japan Pro-Wrestling General Discussion Thread

[Jacob Fox]

I'm happy for Naito's push, but I'll pass on him as champion. Okada should have gotten a longer reign, and Naito shouldn't have won it. I understand the need to add more stars to the ME ranks, but Naito is so bleh.

I like Naito but I just didn't see him as the guy to beat Okada for the belt. I like the evil character, but I honestly don't see that character as the top guy in the promotion.

New Japan told a really good story between Okada losing the belt to Styles and then winning it back. They put his character through slumps, and highs and lows... winning the Climax but losing to Tanahashi, only to have Tanahashi lose back to Styles. He slumped and got mired in that feud with Bad Luck Fale and then he came back and was Okada again...his character got his confidence back and he took down Styles...and then he defeated Styles again... and then he defended against Tanahashi... only to lose the belt to Naito in a match with so much cheating in it that Bobby Heenan would blush.

I dunno, it was a bad way to end the story and a bad way to push Naito as champion. I am not just saying this because I am an Okada fan. I know he was eventually going to lose the belt... but it was just done really poorly in my opinion.

 

[seabs]

It's got to be the first time in a while there's been a title holder who is not AJ, Tana or Okada hasn't it?

Just looked it up, it's the first time in five years, wowza.

 

[Jacob Fox]

It's got to be the first time in a while there's been a title holder who is not AJ, Tana or Okada hasn't it?

Yup. Satoshi Kojima would have been the last one all the way back in 2010 who wasn't one of those guys

 

[Roadster]

Yup. Satoshi Kojima would have been the last one all the way back in 2010 who wasn't one of those guys

I understand why. Okada, Tanahashi and Styles had some of the best and best drawing matches in New Japan history. Those guys brought more eyes to New Japan than anyone before.

 

[Stopspot]

I understand why. Okada, Tanahashi and Styles had some of the best and best drawing matches in recent New Japan history. Those guys brought more eyes to New Japan than anyone before.

FTFY

 

[Leo C]

This years G1 schedule is out.

- 18.07.2016 @ Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center
- 22.07.2016 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 23.07.2016 @ Machida Municipal Gymnasium
- 24.07.2016 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall
- 25.07.2016 @ Fukushima Big Palette
- 27.07.2016 @ Nagano Big Hat
- 28.07.2016 @ Tokorozawa Citizen Gymnasium
- 30.07.2016 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
- 31.07.2016 @ Gifu Industrial Hall
- 01.08.2016 @ Takamatsu City Gymnasium
- 03.08.2016 @ Kagoshima Arena
- 04.08.2016 @ Fukuoka Citizen Gymnasium
- 06.08.2016 @ Osaka Edion Arena
- 07.08.2016 @ Act City Hamamatsu
- 08.08.2016 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
- 10.08.2016 @ Yamagata City Sports Center Gymnasium
- 12.08.2016 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
- 13.08.2016 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
- 14.08.2016 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

18 shows again this year. Honestly not too happy. Way too many filler tag matches for my taste

Yeah, guess those days of 7 ****+ matches per show are done. Although there's always the option of waking up a bit later and just skipping those tags.

So getting through Invasion Attack, two questions:

1: When did Tama Tonga's brother debut?
2: Is it okay to skip some of these random filler-feeling tag matches, or is that part of the experience?

I think he debuted on the 1/4 Road To Invasion Attack show. His "main show" debut was at Invasion Attack, though.
Yeah, you can skip it. Especially if it's the 1st or 2nd matches on the card. If it's higher up and involves bigger names you may miss out here and there, but mostly you can skip some of it.

I like Naito but I just didn't see him as the guy to beat Okada for the belt. I like the evil character, but I honestly don't see that character as the top guy in the promotion.

New Japan told a really good story between Okada losing the belt to Styles and then winning it back. They put his character through slumps, and highs and lows... winning the Climax but losing to Tanahashi, only to have Tanahashi lose back to Styles. He slumped and got mired in that feud with Bad Luck Fale and then he came back and was Okada again...his character got his confidence back and he took down Styles...and then he defeated Styles again... and then he defended against Tanahashi... only to lose the belt to Naito in a match with so much cheating in it that Bobby Heenan would blush.

I dunno, it was a bad way to end the story and a bad way to push Naito as champion. I am not just saying this because I am an Okada fan. I know he was eventually going to lose the belt... but it was just done really poorly in my opinion.

I don't know, I feel the "Okada's true crowning as the ace" arc or whatever you wanna call it ended when he beat Tanahashi. Nothing after WK really plays into that story much imo. The cheating was kinda lame though, yeah.

 

[Stopspot]

I don't know, I feel the "Okada's true crowning as the ace" arc or whatever you wanna call it ended when he beat Tanahashi. Nothing after WK really plays into that story much imo. The cheating was kinda lame though, yeah.

Okada was already the crowned ace after he beat Tanahashi at WK. 3 time heavyweight champ, held it for about year in one reign, 2 time G1 climax winner.

Dude was made way before he knocked Tana off

 

[Jacob Fox]

I don't know, I feel the "Okada's true crowning as the ace" arc or whatever you wanna call it ended when he beat Tanahashi. Nothing after WK really plays into that story much imo. The cheating was kinda lame though, yeah.

That's not really what I meant. I agree with what Stopspot replied. I just mean the arc of Okada's "slump" and reemergence. It's sort of how I saw the story line. I think he was already the "ace" so to speak, but AJ came in and took him down and kept him down. Then Tanahashi, technically the guy that Okada dethroned as the "ace" was able to beat the guy that Okada couldn't beat for the belt..and then Okada failed to be able beat Tanahashi either. Then, he went on this sort of depression and funk for a few months until he regained his confidence and took down AJ. Defending successfully against AJ and then Tanahashi was, in my view, was Okada correcting the defeats of the past year so to speak. It wasn't until he beat Tanahashi that this arc (as I see it...others may not see it as an arc at all) at WK 10 that he was able to put those accumulated failures behind him. From there, the story should have developed into a new title reign arc, but it really didn't. To suffer all of those defeats and then to "avenge" them only to lose the belt in such an unceremonious fashion three months later just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I definitely don't think that anything after WK10 fit into the arc,whether it is how I view the arc or you do. But what should have happened post WK10 is a new progression for Okada as champion...instead, he took that loss in that match which was just pretty sad actually. And it's not because Naito won (although that is part of it) but it is how he won also.

 

[Leo C]

Okada was already the crowned ace after he beat Tanahashi at WK. 3 time heavyweight champ, held it for about year in one reign, 2 time G1 climax winner.

Dude was made way before he knocked Tana off

That is true, he's been up at the top since 2012 and all. But beating Tana in the Dome main event was the final feather in the cap, so to speak.

That's not really what I meant. I agree with what Stopspot replied. I just mean the arc of Okada's "slump" and reemergence. It's sort of how I saw the story line. I think he was already the "ace" so to speak, but AJ came in and took him down and kept him down. Then Tanahashi, technically the guy that Okada dethroned as the "ace" was able to beat the guy that Okada couldn't beat for the belt..and then Okada failed to be able beat Tanahashi either. Then, he went on this sort of depression and funk for a few months until he regained his confidence and took down AJ. Defending successfully against AJ and then Tanahashi was, in my view, was Okada correcting the defeats of the past year so to speak. It wasn't until he beat Tanahashi that this arc (as I see it...others may not see it as an arc at all) at WK 10 that he was able to put those accumulated failures behind him. From there, the story should have developed into a new title reign arc, but it really didn't. To suffer all of those defeats and then to "avenge" them only to lose the belt in such an unceremonious fashion three months later just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I definitely don't think that anything after WK10 fit into the arc,whether it is how I view the arc or you do. But what should have happened post WK10 is a new progression for Okada as champion...instead, he took that loss in that match which was just pretty sad actually. And it's not because Naito won (although that is part of it) but it is how he won also.

Yeah, I may have worded it badly but I do think we're looking at it the same way. This "arc" was Okada failing at the Dome main and such, but coming back against Fale/AJ and then finally Tana at the big one, kinda as I said getting the final feather in the cap. I don't get the bad taste for this Naito win though, I don't know. Part of it is probably that I'm a Naito mark, plus it's something new in an otherwise stale product. I guess I just see it as Okada finally reaching the tippy top or whatever and then he finds new foes. He may have dropped the belt to Naito, but he's probably winning it back at some point and will continue on as champ. For me it's almost like the book until WK was closed and this is a new one; the fact it was just 3 months ago doesn't really make a difference to me. Just different ways to look at it though, I guess

 

[Roadster]

Alright caught up on my New Japan. I only watched KUSHIDA vs. Progress hobo and the ME. I just read the results and I'll be ready for Dontaku. Which already has an amazing card.

Okada v. Sanada :
KUSHIDA v. Liger :
Naito v. Ishii :

::::::

 

[Majour]

Haven't seen all of Invasion Attack yet, only caught Kushidavs Ospreay which was really, really good.

 

[Snowman1]

Gotta say, as an outsider who's just getting into NJPW this is really cool.
Know about the "New Japan Four" and heard all this about the amazing battles they've had with themselves and everyone else on the roster... but after seeing two of them come here to the states, looking at Naito and Kenny Omega with the two biggest belts automatically warms my heart. Invasion Attack was the best thing in general, though!

(Promise not to spam this thread, will lurk like a mofo though.)

 

[Stopspot]

That's not really what I meant. I agree with what Stopspot replied. I just mean the arc of Okada's "slump" and reemergence. It's sort of how I saw the story line. I think he was already the "ace" so to speak, but AJ came in and took him down and kept him down. Then Tanahashi, technically the guy that Okada dethroned as the "ace" was able to beat the guy that Okada couldn't beat for the belt..and then Okada failed to be able beat Tanahashi either. Then, he went on this sort of depression and funk for a few months until he regained his confidence and took down AJ. Defending successfully against AJ and then Tanahashi was, in my view, was Okada correcting the defeats of the past year so to speak. It wasn't until he beat Tanahashi that this arc (as I see it...others may not see it as an arc at all) at WK 10 that he was able to put those accumulated failures behind him. From there, the story should have developed into a new title reign arc, but it really didn't. To suffer all of those defeats and then to "avenge" them only to lose the belt in such an unceremonious fashion three months later just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I definitely don't think that anything after WK10 fit into the arc,whether it is how I view the arc or you do. But what should have happened post WK10 is a new progression for Okada as champion...instead, he took that loss in that match which was just pretty sad actually. And it's not because Naito won (although that is part of it) but it is how he won also.

Okada doesn't need any more long reigns because his first two were so long. There are few fresh matchups for Okada as a champion in a singles division where as Naito offers more possibilities and also gives us the twist of Okada challenging.

Okada's winning the G1 either way and getting the belt back in the dome

 

[Jacob Fox]

Okada doesn't need any more long reigns because his first two were so long. There are few fresh matchups for Okada as a champion in a singles division where as Naito offers more possibilities and also gives us the twist of Okada challenging.

Okada's winning the G1 either way and getting the belt back in the dome

Actually Okada's first reign was his shortest at 4 months.

But I really wasn't trying to comment on the length of the reign as much as, to me, how anticlimactic the loss to Naito seemed to me. I accept the fact that not everyone will see it like I do, but that's just how it felt to me.

 

[Stopspot]

Actually Okada's first reign was his shortest at 4 months.

But I really wasn't trying to comment on the length of the reign as much as, to me, how anticlimactic the loss to Naito seemed to me. I accept the fact that not everyone will see it like I do, but that's just how it felt to me.

NJPW needed to put the belt on Naito. Because the loss of AJ and Nakamura has reshuffled the deck for them and pushes that were planned for down the road have had to happen now instead