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Catch all NJPW of/in America thread

King Kamala

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Feels like official TV debut of NJPW of America justifies its own thread outside of the puroresu stuff but Idk.

Their first show STRONG debuts tonight on NJPW World at 10 PM EST/7 PM PST. Show begins with an eight man NJPW Cup USA single elimination tournament to determine the #1 contender for the IWGP US Heavyweight Title. It's been so long since the last appearance by the IWGP US Heavyweight Champ that I had to look up to remember who it was. It's still Jon Moxley! I thought it was Juice.

First round matches are

KENTA Vs Karl Fredericks
Jeff Cobb Vs Tanga Loa
David Finlay Vs Chase Owens
Brody King Vs Tama Tonga

Semi-finals happen on 8/14 and Finals happen on 8/21. Who the hell knows when Jon Moxley shows up in NJPW (..of USA?) again to face the winner but I am excited at possibility of KENTA Vs Mox.
 
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Big Beard Booty Daddy

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Fredericks and Cobb had an tremendous match a couple weeks back on Lion's Break Collision (which itself was a really fun show). I'm looking forward to this, although I really hope that neither Tanga Loa or Tama Tango go far. Both are incredibly overrated by the BC fans. Personally, I'd love to see all the BC guys knocked out (I love KENTA, but I want that Cobb vs Fredericks rematch).
 

King Kamala

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It seems obvious to me that KENTA is going to win barring something unexpected. None of the other guys in the tournament besides maybe David Finlay seem like people NJPW currently has any real interest in pushing. Though maybe someone that isn't Gedo is booking the NJPW of America shows.

I didn't realize that this tourney was half BC dudes. I think that's what NJPW fans think American fans want...which actually might be true for casual fans but I have my doubts.
 

Big Beard Booty Daddy

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I belong to the Pro Wrestling Tess VIP group on Facebook. If they aren't jizzing themselves over the latest AEW shirt, then it's all BC talk. I hate it there, but I find out early if there are sales or what new shirts come out. I one time posted a collage of shirts I bought from indie wrestlers, jokingly saying that PWT sells more than just BC shirts (this was pre AEW), and so many people got offended that I made the joke.
 

King Kamala

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Also Alex Koslov is going to be color commentator for the show (presumably with Kevin Kelly). Which seems really random but he lives in L.A. and they're taping these at the pavilion Championship Wrestling from Hollywood tapes at so maybe they wanted someone local.
 

King Kamala

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KENTA now has the same haircut as mid '00s David Spade. Haven't caught Lion's Break Collision yet but liking Karl Fredericks Ultimate Warrior-esque tights.

Seems very un NJPW like that they're gonna plow through the first round in 55 minutes.
 

King Kamala

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Jay White is going to be on the series finale for NJPW Strong. Which answers the question where the hell Jay White has been the past five months.

I would've rode this out in New Zealand if I were him but only people to wrestle there are Travis Banks and Bushwhacker Butch.
 

King Kamala

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Jay White is going to be on the series finale for NJPW Strong. Which answers the question where the hell Jay White has been the past five months.
Update so it's going to be Jay White & Chase Owens Vs Flip Gordon & Brody King tonight. Sounds p. good!

I wonder if they're going to continue Villain Enterprises with the other three guys in the stable and ignore Marty Scurll's existence?
 

King Kamala

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So KENTA very predictably won the NJPW USA Cup but he implied he was gonna cash in his title shot against Moxley in Jacksonville.

Not so predictably, the former Villain Enterprises went over the Bullet Club. I thought they were teasing a Jay White-Brody King for a few seconds until Hikuelao (or however you spell Haku’s youngest tallest kid) showed up and squared off with Brody. Announcers put over Brody big. I hope he goes to New Japan as he really is a better fit there than ROH. And NJPW needs a big nasty gaijin when this is all over.
 

cobainwasmurdered

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big fan of brody from the few times I've seen him and agree he's a great fit for NJPW
 

King Kamala

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Just changing title to a general NJPW USA thread. Judging from lineup of this week's show (Debut of ROAD TO FIGHTING SPIRIT UNLEASHED), it seems like very much its own separate thing with its own roster that is 99% different from NJPW's main brand.


Also I feel like NJPW of America is going to need a name change in the near future? It's really confusing branding to me.
 

Broward83

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So, does NJPW still list Mox as the US champion? I saw Mox say he's not under contract with them anymore as well as the fact that his AEW contract prevents him from appearing on any televised cards.

Any thoughts that since Cobb crashed Kenta's win, they'll vacate the title and have those two fight for it?
 

King Kamala

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Yeah. NJPW still lists Moxley as the US Champion and KENTA cut a promo on him (and implied he was going to show up on Dynamite to fight him) after he won the NJPW USA Cup.

History would assume Moxley would get stripped of the title since they're notoriously strict about stripping people who aren't able to defend the title (Mox got stripped last year because he missed his flight due to A MONSOON) but COVID-19 has made things strange. Like YOH is out for months with an injury but they haven't stripped Roppongi 3k of the Junior Tag Team Titles.

Also NJPW is no longer televised in the USA so I don't think that aspect is a factor anymore. I'm assuming Moxley has assured them that he can compete for them at some point in the relative near future.
 

King Kamala

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I kind of wish NJPW would stop with the tournaments. Each one has less starpower and means less than the last. At least, those chodes TJP and Flip aren't in this.
 

Big Beard Booty Daddy

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I kind of wish NJPW would stop with the tournaments. Each one has less starpower and means less than the last. At least, those chodes TJP and Flip aren't in this.

I'm a tournament fan, so the more the better for me. I like this one. They're trying to establish these guys as their American roster. I love that Blake is here, but I wish Zayne was as well. Danny is one of my boys, I've become friends with him over the past few years. He's a great dude, so I'm so happy for him. And to have Rocky (who is one of my favorites) take him as one of his guys is so great. I'm guessing he has a great run here, or wins it, as he's Rocky's guy.
 

King Kamala

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Catching up on last week's episode this AM. I love how genuinely, deeply annoyed ACH looks walking to the ring with TJP and how he straight up ignored TJP's offer of an elbow bump and just kind of glared. How did the guy who got fired/quit WWE over racist mistreatment end up paired with wrestling's #1 galaxy brained alt right shithead!?

I really hope NJPW brings ACH back to Japan once he's allowed to travel there. I think he'd be a fantastic addition to the Junior Heavyweight roster. It seems like they might be able to squeeze in a Best of Super Juniors this year so knock on wood.

Edit---of course, TJP comes in and rubs ACH's head after they win the match. Jeez.
 
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King Kamala

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Really good looking show tomorrow with Jay White Vs Rocky Romero main eventing plus GoD Vs Villain Enterprises and ACH Vs Karl Fredericks (plus FKA DARREN YOUNG Vs Clark Connors)
 

King Kamala

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I made a bit fun of Fred Rosser but Kevin Kelly spoke very highly of him on Chris Samsa’s Podcast as one of standouts of last NJPW USA taping. And if he really is committed to learning a new style, he could be a great little pickup for NJPW’s North American expansion.
 

Big Beard Booty Daddy

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His first match with them, he didn't even look like a former WWE wrestler. He worked a completely different style, and was highly impressive.

Random, he follows me on Twitter. He was having a match against Chris Masters on UWN Prime Time Live, and some random person commented that they lost a viewer by booking that match and that no one wants to see it. I responded that I did because Fred has impressed me since his return to the ring, and he followed me after reading that.
 

King Kamala

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So like with New Japan Cup, NJPW of America is going to have its own mini Super J Cup with talent from Impact, ROH, and the indies featured. Notably Lio Rush and @Big Beard Booty Daddy ’s pal Chris Bey making their debuts.


Also it is a trip to see NJPW’s website mention GCW but they were going to let Suzuki wrestle at Spring Break in April before the GD pandemic hit.
 
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