Puroresu Love & Resources V3

[Slayer]

New Japan Fatigue

Summarizes my general lack of NJ posting, aside from the actual issues with the fed ATM. Plus with the NJC I never have high expectations anyways, as overall it's entertaining but rarely are there any matches I would remember by the time the next one rolls around. It's almost the anti-G1 I think, where G1 becomes so embroiled in the individual matchups that sometimes it feels like the big picture of the tournament gets lost, whereas with the NJC the focus is on the overall tourney such that the individual matches are relatively less important

Funny that it's in March since I think it's very similar to the NCAA tourney were we mainly remember the upsets and close-calls from the opening round. Every so often during the mid-tournament portion you may get a classic like Ospreay/ZSJ but those are far more the exception than the rule and otherwise the tourney just middles about until the finals, and like March Madness even many of the final matches haven't been historically memorable

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I think recent NJPW fans such as myself put more emphasize on New Japan Cup cause 2019 culminated with Okada winning title at MSG and last year's was the first shows back. But I think this year definitely brought a return to normal.

I can't even remember if it was even brought up that NJPW didn't win anything at this year's Wrestling Observer Awards. Only the most galaxy brained Lion Mark stan would refuse to admit that AEW's stolen New Japan's luster with the mainstream IWC. Nobody really has any buzz any more except maybe Shingo and Jay White.

 

[Slayer]

I think recent NJPW fans such as myself put more emphasize on New Japan Cup cause 2019 culminated with Okada winning title at MSG and last year's was the first shows back. But I think this year definitely brought a return to normal.

The post-Cup match is a different story from the tournament itself. Okada winning the Cup and then winning at MSG, yeah big story, but how much do you remember from the actual tourney itself?

Sakura Genesis in 2017 with Shibata challenging Okada is of my fav matches ever and probably my #1 match of the 2010s. What could I tell you about Shibata's run thru the NJC before that? Hardly a damn thing... I remember he beat Fale in the finals, and that's about it. Likewise for other classic post-NJC IWGP matches such as Tanahashi/Okada or Styles/Ibushi

I can't even remember if it was even brought up that NJPW didn't win anything at this year's Wrestling Observer Awards.

That's some disrespect on Zack Sabre Jr winning his seventh straight Bryan Danielson Zack Sabre Jr Award

 

[One Epic Winter (OEW)]

I just saw the video of the earthquake from the weekend. That was NUTS. Bravo to Jay White for (trying) to keep kayfabe while taking shelter. Glad everyone's ok.

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

AEW having stolen their thunder is true but very depressing because neither companies booking is very interesting/good IMO and NJPW still has far better wrestling overall. NJPW needs to do some stuff to really shake things up but I don't see it happening.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Watched the NJ Cup Finals this morning. I got to say I appreciate the English commentary team really undersold the horrible angle that ended the show. When I read the recap, I was assuming we would get annoying Kevin Kelly histrionics but they all just basically ignored it (and Charlton and Gino didn't even say anything before the post show wrap up). I wouldn't be surprised if it was cause they were all pissed IRL.

New Japan is the kind of promotion that does seem to pay attention to internet reaction (such as them editing Marty Scurll off strong) so hopefully they just ignore the whole simulated domestic violence angle.

It is going to be beat this for worst angle of the year (at least non Fiend related). What the hell is Gedo thinking? Isn't Will Ospreay already enough of an unlikable ass? Why do you have to have him beat his wife?

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1375082115147034628

Plus Sakura Genesis on April 4th. What was it I said about New Japan Fatigue? If this were WWE, we would be saying “Hey slow down! This is too many shows!”

Also Wrestle Grand Slam at Tokyo Dome and Double or Nothing being on same day is going to be nucking futs (in a good way) but that eliminates any chance that New Japan can use an AEW star to help fill the Tokyo Dome, right?

 

[Slayer]

It does seem both odd and almost detrimental to choose that particular time during that glut of shows for finally holding a dome show outside January after fifteen years (last was in October '05 with the infamous Lesnar IWGP title win). Are they so wedded to Osaka-Jo that they couldn't have moved Dominion, generally their #2 show of the year, to the Dome for this year?

I do agree though that the summertime would be ideal for the second dome show so that it's almost exactly opposite the calendar from 1/4. As far as running against the G1, if I had my druthers I'd keep the G1 like it was last year in Sep/Oct (which I liked waaaay better than the standard Jul/Aug) and then you could have the second dome show fill in that empty space, like they did with the Jingu show last summer

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Only explanation for doing the Dome at this time point that makes sense to me is that it must be cheap as heck to run at this point. But I mean just because they can run a show at a huge stadium for cheap doesn’t mean they should.

 

[Slayer]

Only explanation for doing the Dome at this time point that makes sense to me is that it must be cheap as heck to run at this point.

Yeah that would make sense, especially if the dome owners are desperate make up for lost revenue from capped attendance at Yomiuri Giants games (the primary dome tenant and source of income) over this summer

 

[Slayer]

New Japan will be debuting the new IWGP Championship belt at the Korakuen show next Tuesday ahead of the Ibushi/Ospreay title match on 4/4 (source)

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Chances that NJPW produces a belt that the majority of fans are happy with? Less than 10%? Less than 5%?

 

[Hoff]

They are replacing two *gorgeous* belts with this one. Bar is high.

I could see Ospreay taking this one; they've never seemed as all in on Ibushi as they could have/should have been, and having Will be the first guy to hold this title after "the angle" and the New Japan Cup win is a statement they could make to solidify him as a top guy.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I'm guessing Ospreay wins the title at Sakura Genesis then drops it to Okada at one of the Dome shows in May and Ibushi wins G1 Climax for third year in a row (1st guy to do it since Inoki) to set up Okada Vs Ibushi at WrestleKingdom for who the real immortal in New Japan is.

 

[Slayer]

They are replacing two *gorgeous* belts with this one.

The main IWGP belt, agreed.

One of the things I disliked about the IC belt though was the design itself. On its own elsewhere it would be a fine belt I agree, but it was too indistinct from the main belt IMO, with the same shape, design and layout, only major differences being the lack of embossed lettering and royal lions atop the belt

 

[Slayer]

re: Ospreay, I do think you both make plausible cases for why he could win next week.

If he does (or maybe even if he doesn't), then it feels like maybe NJ is finally turning a new leaf on their treatment of juniors who bump up to the heavyweight ranks. For years it felt like those wrestlers who did so were still "juniors" (as in "lesser", rather than weight class) in the heavyweight division; consider that before a few years ago the list of men to hold both the junior title and the main title was... Nobuhiko Takada. In just the last few years though, Kenny Omega added himself to the list followed by Ibushi as #3, plus Ibushi also got the honor of being the first to have won a BOSJ and a G1. Ospreay winning the belt would in turn make #4, and the second in a row, I'd say that's a pretty big deal

 

[Hoff]

I'm guessing Ospreay wins the title at Sakura Genesis then drops it to Okada at one of the Dome shows in May and Ibushi wins G1 Climax for third year in a row (1st guy to do it since Inoki) to set up Okada Vs Ibushi at WrestleKingdom for who the real immortal in New Japan is.

yes please

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

re: Ospreay, I do think you both make plausible cases for why he could win next week.
Ospreay winning the belt would in turn make #4, and the second in a row, I'd say that's a pretty big deal

Not only do I strongly suspect Ospreay will get at least a cup of coffee with the big belt at some point this year but I wouldn't be surprised if Shingo made it #5 at some point in near future too.


Actually waitaminute! Shingo never got the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title, just the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag so I guess he wouldn't count.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1376491362506436611

Last day of the double gold. Soak it in, puro fans.

 

[Hoff]

goodbye pretty belts I love you

 

[cobainwasmurdered]

Some wild optimism thinking Shingo is ever going to be the champion. I love Shingo but he's not even third banana in his faction. I get that he just went to the finals in the Cup but that really doesn't mean a lot.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Hey man quixotic optimism is what drove my failed Poster of the Year campaign.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

it could be worse I guess? Certainly distinctive and not bad but I think it looks like a toned down version of a ‘00s WWE women’s belt

 

[Broward83]

Looks like something from a Super Sentai show

 

[Big Beard Booty Daddy]

In a bubble, it's a pretty belt, and fits Ibushi perfectly. Putting it side to side with the IWGP World and IC titles, it's a distant third. I think it's something that can grow on me since it's not dreadfully awful.

 

[One Epic Winter (OEW)]

First thing I thought of is that it has the shape of the Butterfly WWE Divas title.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

In a bubble, it's a pretty belt, and fits Ibushi perfectly.

That's my second thought (after sharing @Springtime for Epic 's thought that it looks like Butterfly Divas belt). It does look it's almost a custom belt for Ibushi. I wonder if it's completely dunderheaded and prohibitively expensive to have a new title design for each IWGP Champion? I just have a hard time imagining Naito with that title and not looking like a friggin goof.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Like I said earlier though, even if this title was frigging awesome (which it is not), I think a sizable portion of the fanbase if not majority would just hate it on principle. Personally, I'm not a BELTZ guy (and I'm only person that thought that red Universal looked fine) but NJPW either doesn't realize or doesn't care how much this upsets their fans (it seems domestically as well as internationally).

 

[Hoff]

It's not the worst belt I've ever seen, but it's not great, even divorced from the wonderful belts it's replacing. It does make one think of the butterfly belt at least a little, but I actually saw more of the current WWE belt silhouette to it, the shape of which is actually quite pleasing (the NXT UK title is a thing of beauty). But the overly pronounced V and the sections of unadorned, exposed leather are huge misses. I'm not a "belt guy" belt guy but I'm not not a belt guy, so this is disappointing for me. I think there's a nice idea here and they just missed the mark on execution.

I'm only person that thought that red Universal looked fine

I thought the red belt looked great; the thing of it is, the logo has red in it, and what they did was flipped things around so the belt was red and the "swoosh" underneath the WWE logo was black. For the homogenized era we're in, it was perfectly acceptable. The blue belt, though, completely loses that, and because of that I hold it in much more contempt than I ever did with ol' red. Blue belt can get fucked

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Side tangent for @Hoff : I was at SummerSlam 2016 and it was easily the most embarrassed I've ever been to be in a pro wrestling audience (at least for a major promotion/not a shindy). OK fine, even if the title belt was absolutely horrible, you don't ruin a damn good main event level match over it by having a collective hissy fit!