Cool photo. I also am very sad panda over Shibata. He certainly didn't help his cause but it's still tough to read.

I watched it and it was a pretty average match. Cody is really slow executing a lot of moves and Daniels has also slowed down but still really impressive for 47 years old.

No idea why Cody is getting this treatment from all these companies. Bullet Club is really lame now as well.

Matt Riddle vs. Zach Sabre Jr last night (EVOLVE86) was outstanding. Both are defending their titles today at EVOLVE87.


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Anyone watch WrestleCircus last night? The VOD is still on twitch if you subscribe to their channel or they're just showing a replay today. https://www.twitch.tv/wrestlecircus

Was a pretty fun card but way way too long.

Johnny Mundo vs Luchasaurus
Myron Reed vs Michael Elgin
Guerrillas of Destiny vs Roppongi Vice
Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly vs Fenix & Pentagon
Brian Cage vs Sammy Guevara

Bunch of other matches too

What do we have if we take away being Dusty's son? Sure he works hard but lots of wrestlers work hard. He got to the 'E by being Dusty's son, he got to where he is now by being Dusty's son and having name value from WWE. Generic af. *shrug* I'm already preparing myself for him to beat Okada next week.

I dunno, I still think he's talented but just not on a level where he should be on top of multiple promotions at the same time. I think he could be a good midcarder/supporting character, not a leader.

Not only he works hard, but he's got personality, but if you look at the top "heels" in NJPW like Omega and Naito and Hiromu (I know he's a Jr. heavyweight, but this guy has a lot of personality so I have to include him) those guys have an abundance of personality to go with their great wrestling.

Man, if Cody wins the IWGP Championship, this probably will take a hit in their attendance domestically in the short-term. I mean the IWGP Champion not being seen for the next 2.5 months in the shows in Japan due to Cody not being in G1 Climax? That seems pretty risky to alienate your homebase fans that way and does NJPW expanding more to North America make up the losses?

I mean when they gave the title to AJ Styles, he started lukewarm, but it paid off because he was working his butt to produce tremendous matches there, especially at the G1 Climax, and was committed to working in NJPW and the crowds got warmed up to him and became a draw there.

Cody hasn't been there enough and the crowds are pretty much ho-hum during his matches and Cody's does not have the talent that AJ Styles possess nor is he doing enough in the NJPW environment to say, "This guy is really worth watching" compared to the absolute top stars (Okada, Omega, Tanahashi, Naito).

That's just how I feel though. Still, maybe Cody as champion wouldn't be as bad as Bob Sapp and Bork when they had the IWGP Championship.

This quote from a translated Okada interview (before his match with Shibata) makes a lot of sense in that context of what the IWGP Champion should bring as champion. Just replace Shibata with Cody and I think it makes a lot of sense.

https://www.njpw1972.com/6320

Cody Rhodes blows. WWE used him exactly how he should be used as a midcarder through and through.

I'll be pretty surprised if Ibushi makes the final.

Seems like they took the IC title off of Naito for him to win this and become champ at WK didn't they?

Hope so. I'm a huge Omega fan but I feel like they've botched it and need to run with Naito now. If Cody wins the belt and they do some sort of Bullet Club power struggle then I won't give a ****.

If Cody wins the belt there's no chance he main events at the Dome in January. He likely drops it at King of Pro Wrestling in October since NJPW considers that one of their big three next to WK and Dominion.

Please yes to Naito winning the G1.

Please no to Cody winning the IWGP title (as if it needs said), and to a Bullet Club power struggle unless Omega absolutely crushes Cody.

Have Okada win the G1 to set up Okada vs Okada at WK

/Gedo

Actually you could do some interesting stuff post-G1 to figure out the No. 1 contender should Okada win the G1.

Okada won't win LDO.

Schedule for the G1 is out

That sure looks like we're getting Omega/Naito 2 for the trophy (Naito please)

It does look that way. I'd still like to see Ibushi/Kenny but probs not happening. Naito/Omega in the last G1 was amazing so I'd be down for that. Naito vs Okada and Ibushi vs Omega at the Dome. Not sure where this leaves Tanahashi at the Dome though. Tana vs MiSu? Tana vs Goto? Please god no for Tana vs Cody. Tana vs an outsider/freelancer?

Ibushi-Naito and Goto-Ishii on the opener is all kinds of yummy.

I think I found the match I'm most looking forward to: 7/23 Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii. That match is fresh and has the potential to be epic. The A Block is just ridiculously stacked. The B Block is alright and I'm looking forward to watching a bunch of Sanada. Pretty sure I've never seen him in a singles match.

Never watched this. Might check it out this year. Approximately how long are the events?

The shows are usually around 2:15-3hrs. The semifinals on 8/11 and 8/12 as well as the finals on 8/13 are likely to be between 3hrs and 4.5hrs.

They had a really great match, three years ago, for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Ishii had his eye busted open, at one point, but carried on delivering blows like nothing's happened to him. Great stuff.

I must've missed that match or just never went back to watch. Will be watching at some point tomorrow. Thanks for the HU.

Speaking of being busted open. Nagata and Ishii are in the same block . One of my favorite 10 minute matches is these two in an undercard match where Ishii gets a bunch of blood streaming down his face from a stiff headbutt midway through the match. It was during the November 2011 ppv, "Power Struggle".