- Tokyo Sports



I can't even imagine how Naito would ever fit in in WWE.

Wasn't a fan at first, but I'm not writing off the story arc yet. His promo this week was really good.

He'd fit in about as well as Pentagon Jr.

They'd ruin any semblance of his character, and he would suck.

This is really sad. I hope he can make a comeback. Dude's way too young and talented to go out already.

From a selfish pov, Hiromu was easily one of my favorite guys because he was so young and I felt like even though he was already at the top, he had a lot more to offer.

WK card is ass and NJPW is equally ass rn but I'm still gonna watch

I haven't watched a minute of NJPW since the G-1 final but I'll catch WK. Granted I've seen like 5 Jay White matches but wasting Okada on him? Why? I know we have fresh matches at WK but Okada seems to be in the 3rd or 4th most important match after his coronation two years ago.

Usually I'm really excited about WK but I honestly completely forgot it was on until I just opened this thread.

was listening to a podcast but apparently there was some indy guy who did a 450 summersault onto the outside and busted his head open? anyone see that?

No, and don't want to.

I guess I largely agree that this WK 13 card is a little underwhelming. Still pretty pumped for Ibushi-Ospreay and Omega-Tanahashi. Ishii-ZSJ could be decent, too.

There's way more intrigue about what happens after the event, of course.

^^^ seriously I wince from things like Hiromu getting dropped on his neck. Don't wanna see some guy attempt suicide in a match.

Will be watching WK13 live . Excited despite having no expectations

edit: ok that's a lie. I'll be disappointed if Tanahashi doesn't take the title.

Tanahashi winning is a no-brainer. AFAIK Omega isn't under contract after this month.

EDIT: I said Omega-Okada should main event MSG back when Omega won the title. But the contract situation changes that equation. I don't think anyone knows what Omega is going to do, including Omega.

Omega wants to help his friends get the new promotion off the ground so he'll be signing with AEW and splitting time with NJPW.

If anyone gets a creek then please PM

This is what I'm thinking as well but I haven't seen his name mentioned with the AEW stuff at all which is a bit weird. Really hope he doesn't go to WWE.

I feel so out of the loop on NJPW now.

DBS Jr.'s back? Haven't seen him in forever.
MiSu and Goto in the preshow? ****ing MiSu!?!?!?

wrt Omega: if he goes to WWE, I beg of them for a 25 minute ppv match with Seth and Bryan. Not in a 3-way.

This is not a good start.

edit: so postmatch was planned...why?

who told Cody that wearing those tights was ok?

Tanahashi . Probably the only wrestler on the planet where I actually care if he wins or loses. Great main event. Big Dave to give it 8 stars. I was really happy that when Omega did the dragon suplex off the top that Tana didn't take it like Okada two years ago. No need to pretend it's real and actually break your neck.

The show overall was a giant bag of disappointment though. Compared to every WK since I started watching in 2011, this was undoubtedly the very worst one. Main event was superb, Naito/Jericho was good, opener had its moments but other than that, it was meh.

After that show, there's no way I'd sit through another full ppv. Much prefer to watch the main event of a future unspoiled and anything else that gets buzz.

Show had some good matches as expected but nothing that would be considered a MOTY contender.

The biggest issue woth this year's WK and really this year of NJPW booking is their absolute refusal to tell their best stories.

Okada getting built as a god tier neigh unbeatable opponent led directly into him losing to Jay White clean as a whiztle would be like the WWE jobbing out Lesnar to Fin Balor completely clean at this years Wrestlemania. Any rub Kenny Omega got from ending Okada's reign of terror was really cheaoened by everything that happened after it.

Speaking of Omega, his IWGP run had to be one of the worst ever. Every story they built for him (bullet club split/golden lovers) was basically blown off for a nothing story with Tanahashi. That match could have been great if they had bothered to write somethng other than fioreign heel vs face over respect for THIS BUSINESS. I think he'd be an idiot to not go to WWE right now because thats where all his potentially interesting feuds are. I have no desire to see him or any of the Elite again in NJPW for a while.

Cody is legit the worst wrestler I've ever seen hyped so much by the IWC. He sucks and that match with Juice was terrible almost solely based on his schtick.

I just wonder how much more interesting this last year would've been if they told the right story and made Naito as the top guy like they should have last year. The crowd still loves him but he's nowhere near where he was a year ago wrt his popularity.

If you think NJPW is in a good spot right now im kinda side eyeing you because they have completely botched their good will they had built up over that sweet 4 year run and really isnt a great watch anymore

I don't watch the product or know enough about it to get all the stories and what not but I'm always a bit underwhelmed by NJPW over the past year or so I've been aware of it. Maybe the hype just makes me expect too much.

There is something about it that just doesn't click for me, the matches always seem a bit slow? Lots of the moves are ridiculous and look cool but their harder set ups and more forced sequences kind of takes me out of it I think.

I would make an effort to get into it but there is already about 200 hours worth of wrestling a week.

Only seen Jericho-Naito and Omega-Tanahashi. Both were great.

Omega is almost certainly gone from NJPW. Whether you like him or not, that's going to hurt. And there's absolutely no doubt that 1) NJPW is in worse shape today than it was going into WK 12, both storyline-wise and business-wise with the advent of AEW (which will likely feature both Omega and Jericho, two big reasons why NJPW gained so much international interest, whether you like them personally or not), and 2) Not giving Naito the title at WK 12 was a HUGE mistake.

Frankly, with AEW now a thing, I think NJPW's worldwide "push" may be dead in the water. Too early to say for sure, of course.

Track down wk 9 and 10 or the 2016 G1 A block final if you want to understand the hype. This year has been the worst year by far since Ive started watching regularly

I think its fair that this is the worst booking decision sonce Cena buried the Nexus and it might actually have been worse