NJPW Thread

[Recall]

Had to catch the rest of the show today, everything past the IWGP Tag Title Match to Goto/Shibata was boring.

Maybe so but the good stuff was really fucking good. Those last 4 matches totally made it worth while and then some.

[Shook1]

The tag matches were your standard NJPW tag matches, nothing amazing, but certainly not as bad as some people are making them out to be, in my opinion. I enjoyed the show except for the Gracie's, excited for the DVD to come in so I can watch it again.

[bik100]

Had to catch the rest of the show today, everything past the IWGP Tag Title Match to Goto/Shibata was boring.

Maybe so but the good stuff was really fucking good. Those last 4 matches totally made it worth while and then some.

Yeah definitely, really made it worth the wait tbh.

[Mr. Orange]

1. 4 Way Jr. Tag- ***1/2
2. Heavyweight Tag Titles- ***1/4
3. Goto vs. Shibata ****1/4
4. Devitt vs. Ibushi ***3/4
5. Okada vs. Naito ****1/2
6. Tanahashi vs. Nakamura ****1/4

Overall a great show. I skimmed through the matches which everyone said were boring but I thought the show was great. Okada vs. Naito MOTN followed by Goto vs. Shibata. I wish they shortened the two co-main events though. They were great but they could've shaved some time off and made them even better. The only match I was a little bit dissapointed in was Devitt vs Ibushi. It was still really good but I love both those guys and thought it was going to be the match of the night.

I loved almost all of the special entrances. Time Splitters and Devitt were my favorites. They came off really awesome.

Overall I'd give the show an 8.75 out of 10. I think you should definately check it out. I was very pleased.

[Shook1]

Looks like TAKA is done with NJPW.

[ICHIFUJI]

Looks like TAKA is done with NJPW.

Really? TAKA isn't spoiled yet.
I wanna say so after TAKA lose to greenboys.

[thecanadiandragon]

The word going around on Taka is that he suffered a throat injury from a kick at WK8. It's apparently serious which will affect the way he talks. However, he is on the NJPW/CMLL shows. So I think hes working free lance or something. Not sure what to make of it.

[Shook1]

Yeah I saw something saying he was done before the CMLL announcements saying he might be done from an injury or something like that.

[Big Red Machine]

So... Michael Tarver... Really?

[TYFDK]

So... Michael Tarver... Really?

Explain.

[Hellfont93]

So... Michael Tarver... Really?

Also Big Daddy Yum Yum?

[Shook1]

So... Michael Tarver... Really?

Explain.

He is representing NWA on some upcoming events or something like that.

[TYFDK]

So... Michael Tarver... Really?

Explain.

He is representing NWA on some upcoming events or something like that.

In New Japan?

[Shook1]

Nope, TNA.

Kidding, yes NJPW. I haven't really been able to catch up on all the recent news after the big show, so I don't know the specifics. People thought the same when Gallows was announced, and he is doing well. We'll see how it goes, hope he does well for himself.

[Big Red Machine]

Nope, TNA.

Kidding, yes NJPW. I haven't really been able to catch up on all the recent news after the big show, so I don't know the specifics. People thought the same when Gallows was announced, and he is doing well. We'll see how it goes, hope he does well for himself.

But at least Gallows had been relevant recently. What has Tarver been doing since Nexus disbanded (which was over three years ago)?

[SamoaNOAH]

Nope, TNA.

Kidding, yes NJPW. I haven't really been able to catch up on all the recent news after the big show, so I don't know the specifics. People thought the same when Gallows was announced, and he is doing well. We'll see how it goes, hope he does well for himself.

But at least Gallows had been relevant recently. What has Tarver been doing since Nexus disbanded (which was over three years ago)?

Heck, Shelton was active, and he's been fairly atrocious minus an average match and a half being plagued by a constant case of botchalitus. Even more reason to doubt Tarver, to your point.

Gallows is big, and cool enough to hang with Punk. Even if he struggled, New Japan forgives foreign big guys more than inept strikers who couldn't prove believable with the likes of Yuji, Shibata, etc. Gallows is also in the hottest stable going right now, and Tarver won't be as hidden. He'll have to do a lot to impress, which I certainly welcome.

I just wish ROH took the NWA's place in this talent partnership ...

[DirtyDave]

1. 4 Way Jr. Tag- ***1/2
2. Heavyweight Tag Titles- ***1/4
3. Goto vs. Shibata ****1/4
4. Devitt vs. Ibushi ***3/4
5. Okada vs. Naito ****1/2
6. Tanahashi vs. Nakamura ****1/4

Overall a great show. I skimmed through the matches which everyone said were boring but I thought the show was great. Okada vs. Naito MOTN followed by Goto vs. Shibata. I wish they shortened the two co-main events though.

good ratings. i watched key matches a second time, my rankings...

jr. hw. tag title... ***3/4
heavyweight tag title... ***3/4
makabe vs fale... ***1/4
shibata vs goto... ****
devitt vs ibushi... ****1/2 (will watch for a 3rd time soon)
okada vs naito... ****1/4
nakamura vs tanahashi... ****

i just disagree with you, i don't think the length of the 2 main events were the problem, the junk undercard matches were the problem. the show ran way too long. the re-watch was better because it wasn't a 2:30am-8am time slot, you can watch casually over a few days

it's funny, watching live i liked okada vs naito best, but on re-watch i have devitt/ibushi rated higher. watching live takes on a much different perspective

[donkitrk99]

There were definitely some major sore spots on the undercard, but I seem to be the only person in the world that enjoys the MMA style stuff (maybe because I'm a long time MMA diehard, and I also have zero exposure to UWFi and things of that sort) so that held up the undercard for me better than it did for some others. My ratings for the 4 big matches:

Shibata vs. Gooto ****1/2 - same rating I gave their match from last year that is somewhere around 6 on my 2013 list (although there are some matches I haven't seen that will probably beat it... will probably drop to 10-12 range)
Devitt vs. Ibushi **** - Interference, sometimes, works. And at other times, its too chaotic and happens in front of the referee too often and this was one of those times. Then the Bullet Club got sent to the back and these guys wrestled at a ****1/2 sort of pace, but the beginning hurt it a little too much.
Okada vs. Naito ****1/2 - MOTN for me - very high end ****1/2. Almost gave it the extra quarter but just didn't quite have that Near Perfect feel. If not for the 'moment' that would accompany the end of the IC title match (ie based purely on match quality) this should have closed the show. Loved that it was a 30 minute match and the guy who won only hit his finisher once (as silly as the two tombstone set up may have been...)
Nakamura vs. Tanahashi ****1/4 - This was close to being ****, I thought. Something was missing. Still really good though. Maybe these guys go title vs title next year and they were holding a little something back.

Can't help but think the right direction to go with this card would have been Okada/Shibata and Nakamura/Tanahashi. Shibata would have been a great G1 winner. Shibata is my new favorite wrestler, or very close if not. With Okada getting Goto next, has it been announced who Tanahashi faces next? If not Nakamura (or after he faces Nakamura again) I think it should be Katsuyori. Would also enjoy a Shibata/Goto part time team.

[Northwoods_Nightmare]

Can't help but think the right direction to go with this card would have been Okada/Shibata and Nakamura/Tanahashi. Shibata would have been a great G1 winner. Shibata is my new favorite wrestler, or very close if not. With Okada getting Goto next, has it been announced who Tanahashi faces next? If not Nakamura (or after he faces Nakamura again) I think it should be Katsuyori. Would also enjoy a Shibata/Goto part time team.

I'm looking forward to Goto/Okada. I'd like to see Ishii elevated to some higher profile matches. A rematch with Tanahashi of their G1 match would be great. Ishii had such a stellar G1, but has kind of been lost in the mid-card shuffle since.

[donkitrk99]

Can't help but think the right direction to go with this card would have been Okada/Shibata and Nakamura/Tanahashi. Shibata would have been a great G1 winner. Shibata is my new favorite wrestler, or very close if not. With Okada getting Goto next, has it been announced who Tanahashi faces next? If not Nakamura (or after he faces Nakamura again) I think it should be Katsuyori. Would also enjoy a Shibata/Goto part time team.

I'm looking forward to Goto/Okada. I'd like to see Ishii elevated to some higher profile matches. A rematch with Tanahashi of their G1 match would be great. Ishii had such a stellar G1, but has kind of been lost in the mid-card shuffle since.

Ishii is amazing too. Real shame he wasn't on the 1/4 card. I've only seen two Goto matches, but they were both against Shibata and awesome. Even though Tanahashi seems to have him beat in match quality, Okada is (at least) the most aesthetically pleasing worker in the world in my eyes, if not the best - him vs. Goto should be great.