Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome 1/4/15

[Defrost]

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi(c) vs Kazuchika Okada
http://i.imgur.com/kXS9N2K.jpg

IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura(c) vs Kota Ibushi
http://i.imgur.com/GgAgUwB.jpg

NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii(c) vs Togi Makabe
http://i.imgur.com/8gQvbTp.jpg

IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship: Ryusuke Taguchi(c) vs Kenny Omega
http://i.imgur.com/ilOgQle.jpg

IWGP Tag Team Championship: Machine Gun Karl Anderson/Doc Gallows(c) vs Katsuyori Shibata/Hirooki Goto
http://i.imgur.com/I0zyT6G.jpg

IWGP Jr Tag Team Championship 4 Way Match: reDragon(c) vs Time Splitters vs Forever Hooligans vs Young Bucks
http://i.imgur.com/PScgxJK.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/EVu7aUQ.jpg

Final Conclusion Rules: Kazushi Sakuraba vs Minoru Suzuki
http://i.imgur.com/kCWSrJf.jpg

AJ Styles vs Tetsuya Naito
http://i.imgur.com/EAQwpk2.jpg

Satoshi Kojima/Hiroyoshi Tenzan/Tomoaki Honma vs Jeff Jarrett/Bad Luck Fale/Yujiro Takahashi
http://i.imgur.com/Tx28jpu.jpg

Toru Yano & Naomichi Marufuji & Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls vs Lance Archer/Takashi Iizuka/Davey Boy Smith Jr/Shelton X Benjamin
http://i.imgur.com/DEmkRqO.jpg

New Japan Rumble

[Defrost]

Return of the briefcase

[

[Gibby]

I just passed an audition for a UK TV gameshow. If I get on the show itself and win (I won't win) then I will take one Rajah user to Tokyo with me for the Dome Show. Floor seats. Three concession stand items. One item of merchandise. I'm serious.

[Cewsh]

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EE

[Peter Griffin]

Should be me, just so I can gleefully hold a sign saying wish you were here Defrost? :)

[DDT]

Well obviously it has to be me. I mean, who better than DDT?

[qwertyghost]

Well obviously it has to be me. I mean, who better than DDT?

artie

[Matthew]

hope my best friend gibby selects me

[Psycho666Soldier]

I would love to go, but in all honesty, everyone else who frequents the Puro threads probably deserve it more than I.

[Defrost]

I'd go

[Peter Griffin]

:eek:

[Cewsh]

Peter, please feel free to fuck off. Not because you're picking on Defrost, though you are, but because you're actively in a New Japan thread trying to shame someone for liking New Japan.

[Peter Griffin]

Please feel free to point out specifics of how I am picking on anybody or shaming anybody by posting a fucking smiley in a jesting manner. You are insane.

[Peter Griffin]

If I was actually 'picking' on Defrost you would know about it, but you can't be getting precious every time I make a light hearted post aimed at him.

I do find the shaming comment the most bizarre though, I literally posted I would like to go to rub it in his face and then posted a smiley expressing shock that he wanted to go, again stop being so precious. I thought we had come to a understanding anyway?

[Tainted Eclipse]

yeah that just read like a good natured joke up there

[Peter Griffin]

yeah that just read like a good natured joke up there

I appreciate you cant convey tone in text but if I was having a go at anybody here there would be more expletives in that sentence.

I dont want to derail this thread anymore though, so all I will say is there was no attempt whatsoever to pick on or shame the guy.

[Cewsh]

If I was actually 'picking' on Defrost you would know about it, but you can't be getting precious every time I make a light hearted post aimed at him.

I do find the shaming comment the most bizarre though, I literally posted I would like to go to rub it in his face and then posted a smiley expressing shock that he wanted to go, again stop being so precious. I thought we had come to a understanding anyway?

We did. I have no issue with you. It just makes no sense to continue your deal where you make fun of Defrost for how much he likes Japanese wrestling in a place where people congregate to talk about how much they like Japanese wrestling.

I don't think you were trying to be a dick or anything. The whole thing with you and Defrost is just tired.

[DDT]

I would love to go, but in all honesty, everyone else who frequents the Puro threads probably deserve it more than I.


Damn straight, you dirty pleb!



*stilllovesyouandissorryhehasn'tgottenbacktoyouabo utGundamAbridged*

[Defrost]

yeah that just read like a good natured joke up there

I read it that way actually. There is usually a lot of irrational anger when he goes off on me, and none of that was there.

[Gibby]

Factoring out skill I have a chance of approx 200-1 so please don't go Lord of the Flies on my account.

[Matthew]

i have faith in you gibby

[Matthew]

you know who doesn't?

defrost

he said you can't do it

[Defrost]

Well he says it is unlikely. Are you calling him a liar?

Mathew is calling you a liar Gibby.

[Cewsh]

I would never call you a liar, Gibby. Because we're best friends like that.

[Matthew]

Well he says it is unlikely. Are you calling him a liar?

Mathew is calling you a liar Gibby.
i just think he underestimates himself. you just hate on poor Gibby every chance you get.

like that one time you and cewsh were talking and you were hating on him so hard and cewsh agreed and said that if he ever saw The Gibmiester, he would slap him in the face.

[Defrost]

i just think he underestimates himself. you just hate on poor Gibby every chance you get.

like that one time you and cewsh were talking and you were hating on him so hard and cewsh agreed and said that if he ever saw The Gibmiester, he would slap him in the face.

No you only heard one side of that. Cewsh was hating on him and said he'd slap him and I said if he did that I would rain furious vengeance upon him.

[Matthew]

because you wanted to be the first to slap him

i heard the whole thing bro

[Defrost]

because you wanted to be the first to slap him

i heard the whole thing bro

See now Matthew is twisting my words like a corrupt politician from the opposite side of whatever Gibby's political affiliation is.

[Matthew]

defrost only eats pretzels

[Gibby]

and yet I notice my reputation has not been enhanced once by this.

[takerson]

Gibby should figure out a contest of some sort to determine who he takes with him. XD

[Defrost]

Well this is horrifying news from the Observer


New Japan is seriously looking into doing the 1/4 show at the Tokyo Dome as a regular PPV show in North America. If so, the working idea would be to use high-profile English language announcers.

[JRSlim21]

They're going international. I like it.

[Tainted Eclipse]

The threat always looks that if they expand like this English commentary will be the default and a version with Japanese commentary will be hard to come by

I don't ever want to watch my Japanese wrestling without Japanese commentary dammit

[Defrost]

That's exactly what my fear is

[OD50]

Maybe they will take JR up on his idea that him and Punk do some English commentary. Watching NJPW with JR calling the action would feel weird indeed.

[Gibby]

Provide English comms as an option - GREAT!
Go to the US to draw 5% of their regular audience - STUPID!

[DDT]

The threat always looks that if they expand like this English commentary will be the default and a version with Japanese commentary will be hard to come by

I don't ever want to watch my Japanese wrestling without Japanese commentary dammit


Word. Not even JR can ever replace "LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

[Matthew]

you fuckin wrasslin snobs

CMON ENGLISH COMMENTARY

[LarryLuv]

JR needs to learn "VERY VERY VERY BREAKY BREAKY BREAKY BISHI BISHIIIIIIIIIIII" before I can consider him for commentary on the JAPS.

[Defrost]

Jim Ross' podcast has so soured me on him I would not even accept that

[Beer-Belly]

Even if he is an insufferable prick, New Japan getting him would be a coup.

[Tainted Eclipse]

you fuckin wrasslin snobs

CMON ENGLISH COMMENTARY

People who never payed $15 for a single DVD or VHS and waited 2-3 weeks to get it just to see one match shouldn't even be allowed to watch Japanese wrestling.

[JRSlim21]

I also can't imagine Ross would be a diehard shill for *insert company product here* the whole time on commentary. For those who actually understand Japanese commentary, I'd imagine it's more play calling, for lack of a better term, than WWE's storytelling.

[Tainted Eclipse]

-Bah Gawd, Matt Striker, Katsuyori Shibata just sent Hiroshi Tanahashi straight to hell with that penalty kick!
-What an epic moment JR!!!!

[BabyBooboo]

People actually still want JR as play by play? He was doing some good shit the last couple of years cause he was mostly on color

"Nah-kah-mora has him up on his shoulder and brings down with that-that modified slam!"

[Defrost]

Unless the relationship goes downhill fast all of a sudden the ROH Title is going to be defended on this show. Who are we seeing as champion going into this show? Will Jay Briscoe still be champ? Gotta think him or Adam Cole unless AJ drops the IWGP Title then I can see him being ROH Champ.

[Psycho666Soldier]

Despite his social transgressions, it would be hard for me to not be excited at the prospect of Jay Briscoe vs. someone really stiff in NJPW. With the right person, it could be an absolute slugfest. Briscoe/Ishii? Could be sick.

[Beer-Belly]

I bet Jay Briscoe takes it in the ass.

Also, Ring of Honor sucks.

[Gibby]

admins, can we change the thread title to GFW PPV 1/4/15?

[Defrost]

admins, can we change the thread title to GFW PPV 1/4/15?

:mad:

[JRSlim21]

Ha!

I guess this explains all the American side influence.

[Defrost]

There better be a way to watch this in Japanese. If my only choices are a show where there is terrible English commentary going on and on putting over the GFW and calling the wrestlers only be their last name and knowing roughly 1/16 of the shit I do about what they are commenting on and not watching at all I choose the latter.

[Defrost]

Jeff Jarrett is gonna be at the Sumo Hall show. So he's costing Tanahashi the match. Styles vs Okada and Tanahashi vs Jarrett as your double main event. They'll be lucky to draw 15k with that. All so they can get at best 7000 PPV buys in America. There is nothing that is not infuriating to me about this.

[Gibby]

I think they'll introduce Kurt Angle somehow and it'll be Angle v Tanahashi. Angle is being cagey about his next move, known friend of Jarrett and his timescale for announcement coincides with KOPW.

This post was brought to you by the power of optimism.

[Defrost]

I remember the last time those two wrestled. Suddenly fine with Tanahashi vs Jarrett.

[Psycho666Soldier]

I'll wait until I see the rest of the card before I throw a fit. I think Okada/Styles would be fine, possibly even amazing. Tanahashi/Jarrett has no appeal for me, but there is often a match on the WK card that I don't care for as much, and you never know what will surprise you. If you give Ishii, Shibata, Nakamura, and Honma significant and interesting match-ups, I think it's worth the mediocre-at-worst double main event.

[Gibby]

I'll remain optimistic for the sake of the thread. I don't care about draw, just entertainment. If GFW can sell NJPW to more fans without damaging the company then great.

Short of CM Punk there aren't exactly a lot of stadium-filling names out there in free agency.

[Psycho666Soldier]

I'll remain optimistic for the sake of the thread. I don't care about draw, just entertainment. If GFW can sell NJPW to more fans without damaging the company then great.

Short of CM Punk there aren't exactly a lot of stadium-filling names out there in free agency.

This is my opinion. Fuck the numbers, that has no merit on whether the show will be entertaining. And most importantly, even if the show won't have the best draw, it's not going to put NJPW out of business or anything. At most, they'll look back on it and say, "Well, that was kind of stupid. Let's not do that again." The best companies make stupid mistakes, and this is honestly one of the least stupid mistakes a wrestling company can make.

[Defrost]

Problem with that line of thought is Styles vs Okada already failed in Yokohama

[Gibby]

It did. No way around that. But I think that the occasion of a Dome Show and Styles' increased profile will help. I also think that no one sensed that Okada was actually going to take the title back in Yokohama.

There's also talk of a big IC match with Nakamura and an outside and another PPV for things to take shape at. Sure shows draw on their marquee match, but I'm confident that there will be riches in terms of match quality and spectacle.

[Defrost]

I think I've accidentally sent us spiraling in the wrong direction. My anger is solely based on the fact they are fucking with something I like in the way if it were designed with it in mind that you'd fuck with me personally with. I don't care if it makes them millions. My reaction is totally selfish. And I am way too selfish to let this thread go anywhere else ;)

[Gibby]

I keep juddering in and out of being really fucked off that they're working with a guy who launched a brand new competitor to WWE at a time when they really needed a competitor and one of their opening gambits was The Johnsons, so I understand completely.

My main hope is that Ishii gets a good Dome match. He's great in that closing out the first half slot. He was missed off entirely this year, which I found odd. Surely he's done enough in 2014 to warrant it.

[Cewsh]

Problem with that line of thought is Styles vs Okada already failed in Yokohama

Let's be fair, we have yet to see how Styles draws coming out of G1 where he really made a name for himself. Yokohama was what it was.

I'm curious about how Nakamura fits into the Wrestle Kingdom picture now. We all had him as the guy who the show would be all about this year, but now it's tough to project where he'll be.

[Defrost]

I've calmed down. Realized I've gotten too civilized with how easy it has been to get these show the last few years. Gonna have to go back to the old mentality of following results and waiting however long it took to actually see the show. Gonna wait till someone flying the old Jolly Roger sets sail from Japan and gets a copy out there.

[Percussion]

Can't avoid the results for a day or two at most before catching the event?

[Defrost]

Can't avoid the results for a day or two at most before catching the event?

Well I don't believe in avoiding spoilers for anything in general, but even if that were not the case I don't expect to see this show any earlier than March.

[Gibby]

Heads up, went on this game show, didn't win, Wrestle Kingdom is cancelled.

[Glen]

Judging by Bound For Glory and Team 3D trashing a Bullet Club shirt, I think it might be a decent shout to predict The Dudleys at WK.

[Defrost]

There is zero chance of that happening

[Tainted Eclipse]

lets hope so

[Defrost]

The Dudleys went into business for themselves on a show that had nothing to do with New Japan. That's what happened.

[Peter Griffin]

not saying thats not the case, but how cold you possibly know that at this stage? and whats with 'lets hope not' eh lets hope that the most successful team of all time dont make a appearance! :wtf:

[Tainted Eclipse]

why do i want to see a US tag team from over a decade ago who are mediocre in the ring and have spent the last several years in TNA in a japanese wrestling promotion

[Peter Griffin]

racist.

[Defrost]

not saying thats not the case, but how cold you possibly know that at this stage? and whats with 'lets hope not' eh lets hope that the most successful team of all time dont make a appearance! :wtf:

Most successful at what?

[Peter Griffin]

All kidding aside, whats with the 'we dont want American's' attitude? As a WWE fan there are many Japanese talents I would welcome to the roster, dont discriminate brah :yes:

[Defrost]

Road Warriors, Midnight Express, Steamboat and Youngblood, The Assassins, The Funks, Hansen and Brody, El Santo and Gory Guerrero, The Holy Demon Army... need I go on with more successful tag teams?

[Peter Griffin]

Most successful at what?

:rolleyes:

[Tainted Eclipse]

All kidding aside, whats with the 'we dont want American's' attitude? As a WWE fan there are many Japanese talents I would welcome to the roster, dont discriminate brah :yes:

i dont want boring americans who cant go in the ring at the physical intensity of the japanese style. plus NJPW already has a problem over-pushing foreign talent right now, we dont need another team hanging around the top when there are great and over wrestlers on the NJPW roster not getting their due. i dont mind AJ Styles in NJPW because he's a great worker (he's still over pushed) and there's a number of US guys I'd like to see work for NJPW, Matt Sydal especially. but the dudley boys arent among them.

[Gibby]

Do not want Doodle Bros at WK9.

[Peter Griffin]

I can see the not fitting the style stance, but not the anti American stance, but whatever. Im not a NJPW expert so I guess I cant really pass comment.

[Defrost]

So the main event is set. Record 7 Time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend title against the winner of the 24th G1 Climax Kazuchika Okada.

[Hero!]

Funny, Cewsh told me a couple of weeks ago that this wouldn't happen :p

[Nash Diesel]

Ok original post changed after going back a couple pages. So did Doulbe J broker a deal with Wrestle-1 to do BFG in Japan and now he's latched on to, correct me if I'm wrong, the biggest show in Japan and will co-promote it as a GFW/NJPW event that airs on American ppv as well? Interesting. Man I hope we get some info on GFW.

[OD50]

Yeah, things have been reeaally slow on that front.

[Defrost]

The issue is that cable companies only want to give 3 hour blocks to wrestling, and this show usually runs close to 6.

[Nash Diesel]

Chalk up another for NJPW. 6 hour ppv? Fuck yeah. They should give it to them, have you ever seen the shit on the ppv channel that usually shows wrestling/MMA/boxing? A bunch of garbage like "No Name Comedian 2 hour special" or "Wrestling's bloodiest brawls featuring nobody you've ever heard of, only 20 minutes for $19.99!!" Not to mention, WM usually gets a solid 5-6 hour block when you factor in the pre-show and the 4 hour event.

[Defrost]

Because NJPW wants ROH involvement on this show Jeff Jarrett had a meeting this week with ROH trying to hash out a deal because ROH contract do not allow their guys to go on other PPV in the US. Also was looking for some advertising on ROH TV for the show.

[Panther52]

Road Warriors, Midnight Express, Steamboat and Youngblood, The Assassins, The Funks, Hansen and Brody, El Santo and Gory Guerrero, The Holy Demon Army... need I go on with more successful tag teams?

Nice list :) missing a few big ones, but still nice. Freebirds, Tully and Arn, Steiners, Rock n Roll Express, Though I'm not really a fan of the Dudley's gotta give em respect. if they go somewhere they move to the top of the roster as far as tag teams go. But atleast in the states only two to four tag teams ever had headliner status for any of the major promotions. Hawk and Animal, Horseman and the Freebirds, maybe Midnight and the Steiners.

[JRSlim21]

That's cause in the States, WWE is the big dog and tag team wrestling has been de-emphasized as a marquee matchup. Oddly enough, you can look to the WWE games as proof, as the one that focused on tag team wrestling was centered around D-X who at the time of the game release had never won the tag titles.

[Defrost]

Jarrett announced the PPV. It will be live 2AM ET with a 7PM ET replay. Available in both Japanese and English. There is buzz that ROH will not allow any of their talent on this show now.

[Cewsh]

Oh no, what a tragedy that would be. How will New Japan draw without Jay Briscoe?

[Defrost]

Well Adam Cole is who NJPW wants so figure out who was going to go to that show as champion. Plus reDragon was probably winning the Jr Tag Titles this weekend before this.

[Tainted Eclipse]

it would have been fun to see jay brisco on the show, but probably worth it to keep adam cole and michael bennett off.

[Defrost]

This show only has a 4 hour block. Last year's show went over 5 hours. I fear a Wrestlemania like killing of match times. Like say Ishii vs Honma for instance only getting 4 minutes or something.

[Tainted Eclipse]

didnt even think of that. this jarrett pairing still definitely feels like bad news to me.

[Cewsh]

Bad news how? Just cut some of the undercard fat or make them dark matches.

[takerson]

Yeah, in my experience of watching WK (about 4 years now), I've noticed every year there's a bunch of undercard matches just thrown on there to get the whole roster on the card. They can just, like Cewsh said, make them dark matches.

[takerson]

I wonder what the $$ will be to order it...

[Defrost]

Bad news how? Just cut some of the undercard fat or make them dark matches.

They're not going to do that. The mentality for this show is to get as many people a payday as possible.

[Cewsh]

If they wrestle, they get paid. They don't have to wrestle on the PPV broadcast to get paid. These events have always been more about entertaining the live crowds anyway.

[Defrost]

If they wrestle, they get paid. They don't have to wrestle on the PPV broadcast to get paid.

I don't know how this works in New Japan so I can't argue one way or another. I do know that in the WWF/E this has never been the case.

[Cewsh]

I don't know how this works in New Japan so I can't argue one way or another. I do know that in the WWF/E this has never been the case.

Very true, but the system is very different in Japan. TV and PPV have been such a non factor for so long, that live events have a very different kind of importance.

[Defrost]

From the Observer


Jeff Jarrett and Global Force Wrestling officially announced what had been reported here for some time, that the 1/4 Tokyo Dome show will air on PPV in the U.S. and Canada.

“GFW Presents New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9" will air both live, at 2 a.m. Eastern and 11 p.m. Pacific time on 1/4, which is a late Saturday night/early Sunday morning time slot, starting one hour after the completion of UFC 182, the Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier show.

It will also be replayed in the traditional Sunday PPV time slot, but one hour earlier, from 7-11 p.m. Eastern time.

All major carriers in the U.S. and Canada have agreed to get the show. The price was not announced. Originally the price was to be $24.95, but there were negotiations going on where that could change.

At this point we don’t have any information on how the show will be marketed, as nobody has ever been able to successfully do live PPV pro wrestling events without television backing since the early UFCs. Nobody is expecting big numbers and if they could get 10,000 buys, it would be considered a home run. The plan is not for one show, but to start doing this regularly, if the first show is any kind of success. Whether that would be the monthly PPVs, a big four of Invasion Attack, G-1 Climax finals, King of Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Kingdom, once a year, or never again, will depend on what type of interest this show gets.

There will be announcing in both English and Japanese, the latter to alleviate the super hardcore fan who prefers it in its authentic form.

The negative is the four-hour window. As anyone who watches New Japan shows knows, their big shows are usually four-and-a-half hours and Tokyo Domes closer to five hours. Given all the talent in the promotion, plus the pageantry with the long and elaborate entrances, they will have to cut back on match time to hit four hours, causing them to rush through prelims. Another question would be if they will break Japan tradition and run a show with no intermission, which at least would give them about 20 more minutes to work with, which they’ll need.

There is also a lot of political stuff going on regarding the ROH talent and the Tokyo Dome show. Everyone has a different story on what is going on. Jeff Jarrett and Scott D’Amore met with Joe Koff, the ROH CEO, in Baltimore last week. It was described to me in the end as more of an introduction and shake hands meeting with nothing decided. No deal was reached regarding ROH helping promote the show on its TV in the weeks after Final Battle, which will be ROH’s second live PPV show.

Even more confusing right now is the plight of ROH talent on the Tokyo Dome show. Nothing is for sure, but we do know that Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish and the ROH champion at the time were all earmarked for the show, which was to include both ROH and NWA title defenses, besides those of the Japanese belts.

The talent expected to be on the show from ROH was told that as things stood, they would still be on the show but their match would not air on PPV into the U.S., meaning the matches (believed to be two bouts although nothing is confirmed at press time for any ROH talent on the show) would be dark matches. That’s both good and bad. The ROH matches will probably be good matches, plus, with Fish & O’Reilly winning the Super Junior tag team tournament on 11/3 in Gifu over The Young Bucks, they were supposed to be involved in the IWGP jr. tag team title match at the Tokyo Dome coming off their title shot at the 11/8 Power Struggle show with Alex Shelley & Kushida.

Fish & O’Reilly winning the tournament would indicate New Japan booker Gedo was going with the idea they would be on the Dome show. If they weren’t, the Young Bucks could have gone over instead.

One ROH source said that everything is in flux but at the end of the day, everything will work out. Another person involved in the situation said that they believe, by the show time, it will all work out as well, but right now there is an issue in the sense Sinclair doesn’t really understand wrestling. The feeling is it will hopefully be worked out.

To a wrestling fan, it’s a no-brainer to have ROH talent appearing on the second biggest pro wrestling event of the year, and nothing looks more major league than tearing down the house before 35,000 or more people on an international stage to make you look like legitimate stars as opposed to guys working for a distant No. 3 U.S. promotion.

But from a businessman point of few, it’s very different. This is ROH contracted talent that is not supposed to appear on iPPV or PPVs for any other company. They’ve let it slide with the New Japan shows in the past since it was only iPPV and a very small audience outside Japan watching.

But it can be looked at that ROH is in the PPV business and New Japan is in the PPV business working with Global Force Wrestling. The show is “GFW” branded, and if GFW gets off the ground, they will be competitors to ROH vying for the No. 2 or No. 3 slot in the North American market. Plus, it appears GFW will have the leg up on ROH when it comes to working with New Japan if GFW gets a television deal and starts up as a promotion. While one can argue it can be best for all concerned for GFW, ROH and TNA to all be cooperative with each other rather than adversarial, alliances like that in wrestling historically end up being short-lived, and that’s when they aren’t promoting in the same area. With all three groups promoting nationally, an alliance, while good on paper, will be difficult to maintain because of the competitive situation they are all put in. Plus, GFW and New Japan together, and ROH, are both trying to run regular PPVs.

With the two shows four weeks apart, the New Japan show on PPV can be construed as competition for Final Battle. But more in 2015, if GFW gets off the ground, or New Japan’s show is successful, they and ROH will be competing for the same very small hardcore fan base.

Joe Koff of ROH told us that he doesn’t see it as a story at this point because nobody from ROH is officially booked on the Tokyo Dome show at this time and there’s nothing to talk about until that deal is made.

Two other sources said airfare for some ROH talent has already been purchased by New Japan, which makes things awkward.

ROH talent affected by this, which includes Fish, O’Reilly and Cole are said to be privately very down about all this, as one could imagine. Not just appearing at the Dome before the largest crowd and biggest show they’ve ever been on, but the ability to have it also air in the U.S. and try and have a great match could be career highlights for them.

The one thing is that if it does work out that the ROH talent can’t be on the American PPV, which would mean they would likely be in pre-show dark matches from the U.S. standpoint, the four-hour window for the show will mean there would be less time constraints. Even at five hours they are likely to have to rush the undercard matches through because of how loaded the show is expected to be.

But New Japan has already pushed a 4 p.m. start time in Tokyo, which is 2 a.m. Eastern. So for this to happen, it would mean New Japan would have to change the start time of its show, plus work with time constraints on its biggest show of the year that they’ve never had to worry about.

Still, there are always going to be issues if New Japan tries to break into foreign markets, particularly the U.S. market.

An interesting note is that the announcement of the Dome show on U.S. PPV got almost no coverage in Japan until New Japan owner Takaaki Kidani called a press conference with media.

The time slot will be an issue to all but the audience that already follows New Japan, which is very small in the U.S. There isn’t a big audience that will purchase a PPV on tape when the results are already out there and there’s a good chance the video will be able to be accessed in places before the Sunday night feed. The one thing with Bound for Glory, which based on very limited numbers, looks to have been down 40 percent this year from the prior year and 70 percent from two years ago (more because the show wasn’t promoted as well), is that the footage wasn’t available before it aired on delay, although the results were.

There are talks with Jim Ross and Mike Tenay continuing. With Ross, I’m thinking the deal will either be done or not within the next week or two, but with an offer said to be tied to buys because of the limited budget, that could be difficult. With Tenay, I just can’t see him making a deal until TNA makes its television deal, and then starts making offers to the people no longer under contract. At this stage, Tenay is under contract for voice overs of shows through 11/19, which is the final first-run TNA show, until a new TV would go into place in January, if such a deal is signed.

With UStream no longer airing New Japan shows and the Niconico web site being far too difficult to navigate for a non-Japanese unless you are someone who just has to watch it, there is a potential niche business for Jarrett and New Japan. There are those in ROH frustrated because they had an existing promotion with television and could have cultivated the same thing, particularly coming off the success of the New York and Toronto joint-promotional shows earlier this year.

If it was me, I’d do a deal where the Korakuen Hall shows for the most part, or perhaps others if they see fit, that are already airing in Japan anyway, would broadcast live for free on the New Japan U.S. site or a GFW site, using English language commentary. The idea would be like traditional wrestling, and New Japan does a good job with that, with all the tags on those shows pushing the PPV matches. I’d broadcast all the PPVs once a month on the Internet for maybe $20 to $25. I’d also do a similar G-1 package and also PPV maybe the final show of Fantastica Mania, or when they do the big doubles (split the main matches into two shows in a month as they did a couple of times last year), maybe offer a package of both for $30 type of thing. That way, even if the economics don’t work for 12 live PPVs a year, and that probably isn’t a good idea, the free shows can hopefully cultivate a small audience that will buy the iPPVs, and also perhaps generate enough to where they can do a decent number of buys for the four big ones. It’s still a risk, because TNA had two hours of prime time TV with 1.2 to 1.5 million viewers, with English promos and even people who were well known major stars, and wasn’t able to maintain a traditional 12-show a year PPV business. And today, WWE has changed the fans’ perception of the“value” of watching a major show.

[Cewsh]

Three things I took from that:

- I simply cannot see Ring of Honor's point of view here at all. Their wrestlers would be wrestling on a partner promotion's show, under the banner of Ring of Honor, on a show many times the scale of anything they could produce. Regardless of what the contracts say, this is a complete no brainer, or should be.

- It will be broadcast in English AND Japanese. So fuck those complaints.

- It's the responsibility of any American New Japan fan to get this thing as many buys as possible.

[Defrost]

I am still leaning toward watching it on Nico Nico. Not 100% comfortable with the SAP button working, and that might be the only way to see the ROH guys matches.

[Defrost]

The PPV will cost $34.95. Probably be cheaper on Nico Nico.

[Gibby]

Let's just write this down because it looks fascinating.

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada

IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Togi Makabe

IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Kenny Omega

IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
reDRagon (c) vs. The Young Bucks vs. Time Splitters vs. Forever Hooligans

AJ Styles vs. Tetsuya Naito

UWF RULES
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Minoru Suzuki

Those seven seem like a lock. Then there's probably a heavyweight tag defence, perhaps an ROH match, the whole Jarrett thing, not to mention loads of guys like Honma, Nagata etc without a thing to do! I'd rather they left anything unnecessary off rather than trying to cram things in, but on the strength of these seven I would consider flying to Tokyo, let alone ordering on PPV.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Shibata has to have a big match too, no?

[Gibby]

The general thought is that Shibata and Goto will win the Tag League and challenge Bullet Club at the Dome. It makes sense, I guess.

[Defrost]

No idea how they keep this under 4 hours

[Gibby]

I'm guessing they don't try. GFW air on delay so they'll cut here and there.

[Defrost]

I'm guessing they don't try. GFW air on delay so they'll cut here and there.

It's airing live

[Gibby]

I thought they had the 7pm slot? Just looked and they're doing it live as well. They'll still edit the evening rescreen. There's no way they're making this into a 4hr show and nor should they.

[Defrost]

There is a 2AM slot too.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Could they just join NJPW's Japan stream late? NJPW streams through Nico its usual production. Put the first 2 or 3 matches that GFW and NJPW deem of least interest to American viewers on first, then air a video package as an introduction and sync up with NJPW's stream from there.

[Defrost]

The PPV time matches the announced start time of 4PM for the show in Japan

[Cewsh]

Dark. Matches.

[Defrost]

Dark. Matches.

Half the card?

[Cewsh]

Half the card?

Absolutely. Why not? What's the downside?

They're only dark matches in the US. The rest of the show is what it always is.

[Gibby]

I would be fine if WK9 was just two more matches and they fit it into 4hrs. Give everything its correct time, hype and all that and they should be able to do it. Would rather have quality than quantity, 10-12 matches can be a chore. If they're doing split PPVs in February again then it's a good time to bring back your BUSHI, Kojima et. al.

[Psycho666Soldier]

I really don't see how people think this card can't be fit into four hours. You could give the main event and IC matches 30 and 25 minutes respectively, and everything else expected 20 minutes(that's being generous, I actually tallied it up with more realistic times of 15+) and still have about an hour and a half of programming. 30 min for intermission, probably about 30 minutes of video packages and entrances, and then you STILL have 30 minutes to divide between 2 or 3 matches(which would cor the lack of Shibata, Jarrett, Tatsu, and the tag champs). Then you just do 6/8-man tag or two as dark matches, and BAM! It really doesn't seem like it'd be that hard if they trim the usual fat at WK shows.

[Defrost]

The show yesterday went 4 and a half hours. This show is far more stacked than that. Not to mention at the Dome there is more pomp and circumstance milking even more time. There is no way in the world to keep this under 4 hours.

[Cewsh]

It would be stupid to try.

[Defrost]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOOsS4S-1Fw

Officially announced

IC Title: Shinsuke vs Ibushi
Jr Title: Taguchi vs Omega
Jr Tag: reDragon vs Time Splitters vs Forever Hooligans vs Young Bucks
Never Title: Ishii vs Makabe
Kazushi Sakuraba vs Minoru Suzuki

[Gibby]

Jim Ross on comms for GFW.

[Tainted Eclipse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WoNFO6furg

I do have an interest in hearing what it will be like, but will certainly be watching most of the show live with Japanese commentary.

[Hero!]

I love it. Absolutely love it.

[OD50]

Wonder who will be the color man..

[McBain]

Wow, very interesting development. I'm certainly more likely to check it out now. :yes:

[Defrost]

I'm watching this in Japanese

[McBain]

So what's the deal with GFW? Is this all they will be doing, presenting other promotion's shows?

[Defrost]

No one really knows. I always thought it was a carny thing to keep Jarrett's name out there to keep making himself money so that they're doing this at all is shocking to me.

[Defrost]

Ross has got some homework to do. He was on with Meltzer and Alverez today and Dave made a joke about Iizuka coming to get him and Ross had no clue what he was talking about.

[McBain]

Ross is no mug though, you can damn well be sure he'll do his homework.

[Hero!]

So, what you're saying is that JR should read some Cewsh Reviews?

[Tainted Eclipse]

You know, I think I'll probably watch this show with JR's commentary. I sure as hell don't want to only have NJPW shows with English commentary but WK seems like the right time to try out the novelty.

[Defrost]

So they're gonna try to fit the entire show into the 4 hour block. I have drastically lowered my expectations for the quality of this show because of this.

[Cewsh]

Don't be silly, silly.

[Defrost]

How am I being silly? No way Shinsuke vs Ibushi, and Tanahashi vs Okada are gonna be near what they've done in the past knowing how rushed those matches will be at that point in the show.

[Cewsh]

How am I being silly? No way Shinsuke vs Ibushi, and Tanahashi vs Okada are gonna be near what they've done in the past knowing how rushed those matches will be at that point in the show.

You're still making assumptions. We don't know how many matches will be on the show, we don't know how much time they'll get, we don't know if there will be an intermission, etc. You're doomsaying on limited info. Take it easy, baby. This is the most exciting Japanese wrestling event for US fans in history. Let's enjoy it.

[McBain]

you fuckin wrasslin snobs

CMON ENGLISH COMMENTARY

:yes:

[Defrost]

I am not excited.

[Cewsh]

Okay, well that sucks, man. Because this is a once in a lifetime moment and the culmination of decades of waiting by puro fans. Losing half an hour isn't going to derail that for me.

[Defrost]

Hour and a half. And I personally have not been waiting for this. I have been perfectly fine with the status quo of the last few years. I was perfectly fine with the status quo of waiting weeks or months to see shows.

[McBain]

Half an hour. :lol:

Fucksake Defrost, you're a mentalist. I assumed you were talking about 2 hours difference or something.

[Defrost]

Half an hour. :lol:

Fucksake Defrost, you're a mentalist. I assumed you were talking about 2 hours difference or something.

Last year's show was 5 and half hours. So it is 90 minutes not 30.

[McBain]

5 and a half hours is a ridiculous length of time.

[Defrost]

5 and a half hours is a ridiculous length of time.

Not really. For instance this past weekends PPV, which didn't even feature a Heavyweight Title match and flew through the first half of the card, went over 4 hours. So another hour for the biggest show of the year is not a leap.

You have to remember New Japan does not have an insane amount of TV like WWE does where the PPVs feel like overkill. NJPW has a 30 minute network TV show where they reshow stuff from the PPVs. And they have tv tapings for Samurai TV which are more akin to the WWF Shows from MSG back in the day. Plus NJPW sometimes goes weeks at a time with no shows at all. So one long show a month and one super long show a year isn't a big deal.

[Cewsh]

There is a 30 minute to 1 hour intermission on every major show. Cut it out. Half hour.

The way New Japan runs and shows their shows is changing with the Road To... shows, and now with US PPV. It's changing for the better.

[Defrost]

An hour? 20 minutes tops.

[Cewsh]

You're right. I don't know why it always felt so much longer than that.

But my point remains. Most of the matches on Wrestle Kingdom tend to get too much time. Look at the match times from last year:

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu132/CewshReviews/January4DomeShowWikipediathefreeencyclopedia_zps65 8cbe07.png

That's a whole fuckton of 15 minute matches. Every match last year got time, whether it needed or merited it or not. That is how they've always done it. Now they'll need to pay more attention to match times. Frankly, that's a good thing.

[Defrost]

So looking at what's booked and what's probably coming ie Styles vs Naito, Double J vs Yoshi Tatsu, Adam Cole doing whatever, whatever Nagata/Kojima/Liger/Tenzan et al are doing where is the time coming from?

[Hero!]

Dark matches, DVD exclusive "pre-show" matches, etc. You just said that last PPV was 4+hours, but honestly, there were a few matches that you could have cut or at least cut down their time and built a solid 3 hour show out of. I know NJPW wants everyone on the card, but not everyone has to make the full show on actual PPV. Doing a live stream online beforehand to give people a taste would be cool and could help sell a few PPVs.

[McBain]

When was the last time Jarrett wrestled?

[Hero!]

According to OWW, he's been pretty active in AAA in the last few years. His last TNA match was 2011.

[McBain]

Not too bad then.

[DDT]

Aren't the intermissions where they shill their newest merchandise and sell DVDs of previous shows? If so there's no way they are getting rid of those and you're fucking nuts for suggesting it.

[Cewsh]

Why would showing those to the US audience, who can not order those things, make sense anyway?

[DDT]

It's a live broadcast, isn't it? This means that they really don't have much in the way of choice.

I guess they could edit the re-play version the next day, but they only have so much time to edit; from what I understand professional editing isn't exactly a quick job.

[Defrost]

According to Meltzer the match is gonna be Double J/Fale vs Tatsu/Honma

[Cewsh]

Smart. That protects everyone and gives Honma something high profile.

[McBain]

How many people does the Dome hold?

[Tainted Eclipse]

According to Meltzer the match is gonna be Double J/Fale vs Tatsu/Honma

I don't really mind this at all for Honma. A nice 10 minute sprint with some Honma/Fale segments reminiscent of their awesome G1 match and I'm okay.

[Cewsh]

How many people does the Dome hold?

70,000 for baseball. Maybe 80 for wrestling?

[McBain]

Awesome.

[Defrost]

They're hoping for 40,000 this year

[Nash Diesel]

Honma, how that dude is still going is beyond me. Some of these crazy death match dudes having a 20 year career is mind boggling. Might actually get this, quite a few good matches and with JR doing the English play by play, word up.

[Cewsh]

You definitely should. :yes:

[Tainted Eclipse]

I'm actually looking much more forward to this show than I was last year's. I hope Nakamura/Ibushi can live up to their G1 match. Okada/Tanahashi is a strong main event and even though I don't love the series if they have a much as good as Invasion Attack of KOPW I'll be happy with it. Although I thought their 2013 Dome match was by fair the worst match of their series, I wouldn't even call it good. Ishii/Makabe can be great, they had a damn good match at the G1 last year. Then you have the Jr's tag spotfest and Suzuki/Sakuraba which I hope delivers and isn't rushed. Don't care at all about the Jr's title match though. Hopefully they keep is short and overbook it.

[Defrost]

So they worked something out with ROH. Fish and O'Reilly are fine for the PPV.

[Defrost]

The first post in this thread has pictures now

[Hero!]

Is Bruce Tharpe Desu booked yet?

[Defrost]

nope

[Hero!]

Make it happen

[Judas Iscariot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxKwMrdOC-k

[Defrost]

I’ve been thinking and I really wonder whether or not they’re going to pretend Bullet Club are babyfaces. I know a lot of the NJPW hardcores are sick of them, but if you watch indies where Styles or the Bucks are working they get Bullet Club chants all the time. And that group of fans are the only demographic that could possibly come into this show just because english.

[Cewsh]

I think treating them AS babyfaces would be the worst way they could possibly be promoted.

[Hero!]

I was just at a show last week where AJ was the main event and everyone was going nuts with the too sweets and bullet club flag/bandana deals.

[Tainted Eclipse]

its just because the shirt looks cool

[Defrost]

It is an amazing shirt

[Hero!]

Honestly, it's the Young Bucks who make it cool. They're really great promoting the brand

[Beer-Belly]

Uh, is this legit?

http://blog.livedoor.jp/hbkidcool/archives/51966959.html


NJPW and TV asahi has announced they will start new service called "NJPW World". They will hold press conference on December 1st. But before that, the announcer of NJPW TV on TV asahi Yoshino revealed it on his blog. He said "it is combination pro-wrestling, TV and internet it is ultimate service "It means it is like internet streaming service like WWE network They will reveal the detail at the press conference on December 1st Stay tune..... Note: TV Asahi and the new Consideration of service

. NJPW has announced that NJPW and TV Asahi will start brad new service called "NJPW World". TV asahi broadcasts NJPW TV program for over 40 years. They will hold press conference regarding this service on December 1st. This is not something like "new DVD magazine coming out! "but new service. Among such, Dave Meltzer reporters this new service of the United States of professional wrestling industry paper Wrestling Observer said it would be Nippon Pro Wrestling professional Internet video distribution services, such as the WWE of WWE Network . Is I also 100% agree on this. I think that it may be considered a new video delivery service start arguably. Point's terms would be things that are said to another so-called "own media" and Nico Nico Douga and Youtube or TV Asahi videos such as existing video delivery platform, exist at the moment. Own media rather than to use a third party service and, to thing of platforms with means that their is. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Oberver Newsletter said "NJPW World" may be internet streaming service like WWE Network. Yes. I totally agree with him. This must be new internet streaming service by NJPW and TV asahi.

I saw it on reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle so I figured I'd post it.

[Hero!]

Yeah, we heard something about this at the last PPV

[McBain]

Sweet.

[Defrost]

I think it will end up being more of a UFC Fight Pass kinda thing than the WWE Network. You're gonna get an amazing archive. TV Asahi and NJPW between them have everything the promotion has ever taped. But I don't think a subscription will get you the PPVs like WWE Network. It may have an option to pay more for the PPVs though.

[Cewsh]

The interesting question is what it will carry. I think PPVs will remain PPVs, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the ROAD TO... shows on New Japan World.

[McBain]

I wonder if it's crossed GFW's mind to try and get everyone together for something like this, even getting TNA on board with their library. A rest of the world wrestling network could be a pretty sweet thing.

[Cewsh]

I think Jeff Jarrett will happily watch TNA burn to the ground before he takes a meeting with them again.

[McBain]

Haha, probably true. Let's hope it's soon then.

[Defrost]

Someone pointed something out I hadn't noticed before. The main website is NJPWWorld.com not .jp meaning it is not Japan exclusive.

[Defrost]

Worst part of the Kenny Omega heel turn. We don't get this song at the Dome.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEPmU0bJWTQ

[The Law]

New Japan is coming to American TV. 13 episodes scheduled to air on AXS TV this spring.

Here's an article with a few more details: http://fightnetwork.com/news/52253:njpw-to-air-on-axs-tv-in-2015/

[Defrost]

Yoshitatsu broke his neck in two places taking that Styles Clash. I am guessing he is off this show.

[Ringo]

Ugh, awful. That fucking move.

[McBain]

Jesus. He has to stop using it now, surely. Too many near misses otherwise.

[MikeHunt]

He smashed lionhearts neck with it this year as well did he not. Michelle mccool the innovator of the move has never broken anyone's neck.

[MikeHunt]

I now conclude that mccool should be njpw champion. Bye

[McBain]

He smashed lionhearts neck with it this year as well did he not. Michelle mccool the innovator of the move has never broken anyone's neck.

I'm assuming the McCool thing is a joke. She took it from Styles.

[Ringo]

JR's blog...


Hard to believe that I leave for Tokyo in one month to broadcast the much anticipated PPV in the Tokyo Dome from New Japan Pro Wrestling entitled Wrestle Kingdom 9. I've been preparing daily for this assignment and if it's my last, major PPV pro wrestling broadcast I want to go out in a big way. I hope that you will join me on PPV January 4. In North America you can see it on all majors cable systems and satellite providers plus the Flipps app for countries such as the UK, Ireland and elsewhere around the world except in Japan.

[JRSlim21]

Is there going to be a 2nd guy with him? Are they gonna let JR call a "new" product all by himself.

[ckauffman28]

i think i read somewhere Josh Barnett was going to be calling the action as well

[OD50]

That would be pretty cool, Josh knows his Puro and is a good talker..

[Hero!]

Barnett is gonna be calling the TV show on AXS, so it would be smart to have him do the PPV as well.

[OD50]

What show is that? New Japan?

[Hero!]

Yeah, the show they're gonna be putting out here in America

[OD50]

Nice. :yes:

They should use that older guy that did ROH shows for them (HDNet era), he was pretty good.

[JRSlim21]

You want JR to Slap the Porpoise?

[Defrost]

Rumor is that it will be a Jarrett vs Honma singles match now

[Psycho666Soldier]

Now THAT'S a match I can get behind.

[Cewsh]

Actually, yeah. I love that.

[Cewsh]

Nice. :yes:

They should use that older guy that did ROH shows for them (HDNet era), he was pretty good.

Mike Hodgeman? That dude was excellent.

[OD50]

Could be him, name sounds kind of familiar. I remember really digging him on the HDNet ROH shows. :yes:

[Defrost]

Jushin Liger defending the NWA Jr Title against El Desperado looks probable for this show.

[Defrost]

We got commercials


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNyqrlBVnGE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IveBfP-b594

[Tainted Eclipse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlfOnTE1cI

They need to find a way to shoe horn this clip into the PPV broadcast.

[Defrost]

Edit This might not be accurate.

[Defrost]

NJPW "WRESTLE KINGDOM 9 IN TOKYO DOME", 04.01.2015 (WPW/PPV/iPPV)
Tokyo Dome

0. New Japan Rumble:
1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title, 4 Way Match: Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (c) vs. Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA vs. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
2. Special Six Man Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Jarrett, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale
3. Yoru Yano & X vs. Suzuki-gun
4. NEVER Openweight Title: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Togi Makabe
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Kenny Omega
6. Special Singles Match - Full Conclusion Rules: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Minoru Suzuki
7. IWGP Tag Team Title: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata
8. Special Singles Match: Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles
9. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada

[Fanny Batter]

Does this start pretty much straight after Jones vs. Cormier, Defrost? Worked it out at a 7am start GMT. Might have to watch it later, don't think I can watch men punch each other uninterrupted for 11 hours.

[Ringo]

Well, that 6-man could actually be quite good. TenKoji and Honma are fun and popular enough for it to be a nice little primer for the bigger matches.

Predictions for Yano's partner?

Also, NEW JAPAN RUMBLE.

[Fanny Batter]

Muta always gets on these things doesn't he? I don't think I've ever known an X not to be filled by that man.

[Psycho666Soldier]

What about SHELTON "X" BENJAMEEEEEEEEN


Also, with this card announced, does that mean no ROH Champion on the show?

[Defrost]

Does this start pretty much straight after Jones vs. Cormier, Defrost? Worked it out at a 7am start GMT. Might have to watch it later, don't think I can watch men punch each other uninterrupted for 11 hours.

Pretty much yeah. UFCs end around 12:30 AM EST. The Preshow Rumble match on this should start sometime a little after 1:00 AM EST.

[Cewsh]

I doubt X will be Muta, since he did the same thing with the same partner last year. Pulling hard for Marufuji

[Defrost]

Bob Sapp was X two years ago. It was obvious Muta would be X last year. This year I have no idea. The lack of NJPW talent on the Muto anniversary show tells me perhaps relations aren't that great right now. Or I am reading into it too much.


No one will be announced for the New Japan Rumble. The amount of wrestlers in the match will not be announced. You will only find out who is in it when they're music plays. A new wrestler comes out every 60 seconds.

[OD50]

Has New Japan ever done a Rumble style match before?

[Defrost]

Has New Japan ever done a Rumble style match before?

I want to say the Battle Royal where Jado won the Jr Title was this style of match.

[Defrost]

More pictures in the first post

[Beer-Belly]

Just saw this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHEDt18dbko&list=UUV8DpbMPGY2Zfr5YHaM8rLQ

[Hero!]

Watching now, fantastic little special. JR, Jarrett, and the wrestlers they interview do a great job of making the show sound huge.

[Beer-Belly]

I really hope this does well, man. If Global Force Wrestling became a sort of American hub for New Japan, that would be neat.

[Ringo]

That was cool but would be nice if they'd talked about the matches or, you know, any non-Bullet Club wrestler on the card.

[Nash Diesel]

So if this show gets over 5k buys in the US, does that make it a success? As it weird as it sounds, I would say yes.

[Defrost]

That was cool but would be nice if they'd talked about the matches or, you know, any non-Bullet Club wrestler on the card.

So convinced they're going to try and babyface the Bullet Club on the English broadcast

[Defrost]

So if this show gets over 5k buys in the US, does that make it a success? As it weird as it sounds, I would say yes.

They're gunning for 10k

[Cewsh]

If this show does TNA PPV numbers (around 10K or so) then it's a gigantic success. But even if it only does ROH numbers (3-5k) it's still a success. This is a brand new excursion into a market where their only real advertising is word of mouth.,

[Defrost]

This should be the poster for this show

http://i.imgur.com/Ba5OBD2.jpg

[JRSlim21]

That was beautiful. Seriously. I've never seen a better package for someone to be introduced to a new wrestling product.

[McBain]

I watched one of my first ever NJPW matches earlier, it was the match where Styles won the IGWP belt. Really enjoyed it, and it was cool to see that AJ has expanded his moveset.

[DDT]

I seriously think they are trying to give Cewsh a heart-attack....

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4dcUimCcAAswgz.jpg

[Hero!]

I watched one of my first ever NJPW matches earlier, it was the match where Styles won the IGWP belt. Really enjoyed it, and it was cool to see that AJ has expanded his moveset.

Youd be surprised at how different a gaijin's move set becomes when they go to Japan. Look up some of Albert's stuff as Giant Bernard or check out what Davey Boy Jr and Lance Hoyt are doing as a tag team. It's night and day with their American work.

[Defrost]

I watched one of my first ever NJPW matches earlier, it was the match where Styles won the IGWP belt. Really enjoyed it, and it was cool to see that AJ has expanded his moveset.

You should check out the rematch. Everyone I saw agreed that it was much better.

[Defrost]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbHhMMI4gUk

[Defrost]

So the Yano vs Suzuki-Gun match is an 8 man tag. Yano has three Xs.

[Fanny Batter]

Vader, Stan Hansen and Kensuke.

[Defrost]

I'm watching live on NJPW World. If the show is really good I may give the Ross replay a look on an pirate stream. I'm considering that.

[Fanny Batter]

I'll be watching Sunday evening UK time via NJPW World. Not really interested in the US commentary, as much as I've been a big JR fan I can't imagine how horrendous his marble mouth will be a decade removed from a prime where he was already getting the blond and brunette Hardy brothers confused for one another. He'll need a long lie down after this show.

[Tainted Eclipse]

I'm gonna watch Ross' commentary live. I don't want to watch every NJPW show with English commentary but this seems like the right opportunity to try it out for novelty.

[Ringo]

I'd probably rather watch it with JR's commentary but since I went ahead and got NJPW World, might as well use it. Not sure whether I'd find a good free stream - seem to remember having trouble last time. Plus, I'm used to the japanese announcers and their crazy enthusiasm. Will rewatch the big matches with JR's comms after though.