NJPW Thread

[cgstong]

NJPW USA has been announced:

[CEO Takami Obari]: There is plenty still to be undertaken when it comes to furthering the brand in the US. Fans though, have a very close association to talent and core concepts of strong style, as evidenced by market research in Dallas.

Obari: Live events will be an important basis of New japan of America. It is important that fans get close to our wrestlers and see our wrestling close-up.

Obari: What fans in America value is the NJPW brand and concept, and the style of wrestling that represents. The NJPW brand is important, hence the name of New Japan of America.

Obari: There is absolutely no plans to sell the Japanese market short. An office in the US allows for better talent relations in the US, and allows talent to further our brand within the American market, while allowing American fans to more easily support the brand.

Obari on key differences between US and Japanese markets: America is skewed more toward male fans, and they consume content digitally as opposed to through TV.

In the immediate future, US tours will take place while the Japanese schedule is between tours, but there may be cases where tours run simultaneously, with talent schedules an important factor.

Obari: The plan will be to broadcast American events live on World wherever possible. Where that isn't feasible, they will be available VOD on delay.

Obari: 2020 schedules are still being considered, but there could be as many as double the 2019 slate of 12-13 events. There will not be a reduction in the number of Japanese events.

Obari: We have worked well with AXS TV, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Other partnerships may be something we can discuss and consider as we move forward.

Obari responded to a question about the scale of the events NJPW plans to run in the US: "We’re currently running and looking at venues in the 2000 seat range, that may be lower depending on circumstances. We are a live event company, and the first priority of a live event company is to run in more venues. Once people are in those venues, then we can fire them up and have them ready to spread the word to larger and larger audiences. First though, it’s about growing the number rather than the size of venues. The long term plan will absolutely be to run big venues on a regular basis."

NJPW's next shows in the US are set for next month. New Japan Showdown in San Jose is taking place at the San Jose Civic on Saturday, November 9, while the Globe Theatre is hosting New Japan Showdown in Los Angeles on Monday, November 11.

The San Jose event will feature Jushin Thunder Liger's final US match. Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson, Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, Jay White, Chase Owens, Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, and Taiji Ishimori have been announced for both New Japan Showdown shows. Liger, Kazuchika Okada, and Will Ospreay will only be appearing on night one.

NJPW held their first set of solo shows in the US in 2017. The IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was introduced then and is currently held by Lance Archer.

NJPW's US dojo in Carson, California opened last year. Katsuyori Shibata is its head coach.

[Montana]

I'd be curious to see what this looks like for 2020. Its sounds like they will be running regular shows in the US, and they will air on NJPW World, and potentially AXS.

Which makes sense why they would slow down with their ROH partnership. My question is who's on the roster... Here are some assumptions of people heavily involved:

Highly Likely from the LA Dojo:
Alex Coughlin,
Clark Connors,
Karl Fredericks,

Likely from NJPW being regulars in the US:

Juice Robinson
Lance Archner
GoD
Kenta
David Finlay
Rocky Romero
Chase Owens
Hikuleo

Then a sprinkling of NJPW stars as part timers:

I imagine they will sign a few guys, and maybe use some partner talent as well, as time goes on. To me, this venture doesn't make a ton of sense, although maybe it can pan out. It could work out like a Raw/SD brand split, OR like a WWE NXT UK.

Maybe i'm biased, but the NJPW/ROH/CMLL/REVPRO seems like a international powerhouse assuming they can play nice. Clearly, the strength of this alliance is fading fast in 2019. Guess it all comes down to money.

[monster mafia]

not good so far for the san jose show

https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/1C005725F28A8468

[kovs27]

$200 for floor seats. Not in this economy.

[cgstong]

Hiromu Takahashi returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling with Hiromu challenging Will Ospreay for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on Jan 4th.

Tetsuya Naito Challenges Jay White For WK 14; KENTA Attacks Katsuyori Shibata At NJPW Power Struggle which spurns rumors of a possible match at WK

[ICHIFUJI]

And y2J vs. Tanahashi on Jan 5th.
I believe they will make it AEW titlematch.

[Lynx]

Why would they make it a title match? As far as I know they still aren't working together.

[cgstong]

The main event of the second night at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 5 has been set, as a historic double championship match will determine the first ever dual IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion. The first dual title match to take place in the Tokyo Dome since Shinsuke Nakamura unified the IWGP and NWF Championships in 2004, the match will put an end to months of speculation as Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito, Jay White and Kazuchika Okada all vie to determine just who is the ‘strongest and the best’ in professional wrestling today. The winners of January 4’s IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships will collide in one winner-take-all match that will see one man’s name etched in the history books forever; a main event fitting of the ‘pinnacle of strength and birthplace of legend’.

Also announced for January 5 is a singles bout between the two former champions after the first night of Wrestle Kingdom. Far from being a consolation prize, this match will be crucial in determining the pace for 2020, and could keep one participant in the main event conversation for the weeks to come.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I totally marked out on the return of Kishin Liger

[famicommander]

Anyone with recommendations for Tag League, which in the words of Jay Briscoe is "the most boring damn tournament on the whole damn planet"

[Lynx]

Few stand outs in my opinion were:

November 16th Ishii/Yoshi-Hashi vs ZSJ/Taichi
November 17th Suzuki/Archer vs ZSJ/Taichi
November 18th Juice/Finlay vs ZSJ/Taichi
November 28th Evil/Sanada vs ZSJ/Taichi
November 29th Evil/Sanada vs Ishii/Yoshi-Hashi
December 2nd Juice/Finlay vs Ishii/Yoshi-Hashi

Yes, I really like ZSJ/Taichi team. GoD's matches didn't really catch my attention, they have some solid moments, but most if not all of them end with some Jado interference so it is hard to get very invested into them.

[kovs27]

Did anyone watch any of WrestleKingdom.? I don't subscribe to World so I just watched the finishes when people posted them on reddit. Any thoughts on the results and where story's currently stand?

[Wilson]

Did anyone watch any of WrestleKingdom.? I don't subscribe to World so I just watched the finishes when people posted them on reddit. Any thoughts on the results and where story's currently stand?

I think I'm a bigger New Japan fan than maybe anyone on the board, but I was skeptical leading into both shows (splitting star talent between shows, getting a one-day "build" for the double title main event, AEW/NJPW matches that seemed iffy on paper). In terms of quality performances, I thought night 1 had the better top matches, with Ibushi/Okada being the best Wrestle Kingdom match since Okada/Omega. (And night 2's main event was arguably better than that, though luckily he pace between both matches were wildly different.) Most of the results were pretty easy to read ahead and were agreeable outcomes. I imagine White and Ibushi will both be fixtures for the Intercontinental title. I have no idea where Okada goes from here and I have no read on how many defenses the champion will have. Tomorrow is their Raw after Mania equivalent, so even more will be built heading into their big February schedule (which finishes with a New Beginnings show in Osaka-jo Hall, a 10,000 seat building, a much bigger venue than what this show is normally set).

[Montana]

I haven't followed NJPW as much this year... but decided to get a month of NJPW world for WrestleKingdom.

My thoughts.... both shows were very good, but had their flaws as well. I thought the undercard on both shows lacked a bit. The top 2-3 matches on each show really delivered. I think Okada wrestled back to back 5 star matches, and he's really something special. Ospreay and TakaHashi was really good. I thought the Moxley matches were not that good. His best stuff was when Suzuki came out. I also thought Jericho and Tanahashi wasn't that good either. I was into the match, but felt like the NJPW top tier like Ospreay were better. Also seems like their tag divison is lacking post- young bucks.

Night 1 had better matches at the top, but worse undercard with several multi-man matches. NIght 2 had solid stuff all the way through, and a really good main event. In terms of Okada/Niato/Kenta.... i would have prefer Okada retain. I like Niato... but don't consider him a top/top guy, even though he has excellent matches. For some reason i prefer guys like Sanada and Ishii. Either way, i was cool with Kenta coming in and taking him out. I know others weren't.

LIke i said before... i'm a fair weather fan with NJPW. I enjoy their product, but it's not something i call my favorite. They have the best matches, but too much filler, and endless rematches. Their storylines are too far apart.. But i enjoy the matches for what they are. It will be interesting to see what NJPW-A does in 2020. Doesn't look like tickets were moving that well.

[dhads7161]

I like the directions they're going following New Year Dash.
Naito vs. KENTA
White vs. SANADA
Moxley vs. Suzuki
Goto vs. Shingo
FinJuice vs. Tanahashi & Ibushi
Hiromu vs. Ryu Lee
R3K vs. Despy & Kanemaru
ZSJ vs. Ospreay
Okada vs. Taichi (the one blemish here to me)
Possibly EVIL vs. Ishii

[dhads7161]

Picking Sanada to win New Japan Cup. I think he'll have a run with the Intercontinental Championship this year.

I can see an Ibushi vs. Tanahashi feud coming out of them teaming.

[ICHIFUJI]

Naito vs. KENTA at Osaka.
Okada vs. Taichi will be at feb 2 Sapporo(near Taichi's hometown)
FinJuice will in NJPW-USA tour so they need challengers from US.

[dhads7161]

Are we sure Tana & Ibushi won't be on the U.S. tour? If not FinJuice vs. G.O.D. rematch maybe?

[dhads7161]

Well, isn't Osaka a week after both Sapporo and the U.S. tour? FinJuice vs. Tana & Ibushi in Osaka, FinJuice vs. U.S. Challengers (G.O.D.? Would suggest Taichi & ZSJ as they were the only ones to beat them in WTL but you said Taichi vs. Okada was in Sapporo so probably not.

[DXvsNWO1994]

Not sure if this was shared here yet, but Voices Of Wrestling released their annual New Japan Year In Review eBook. Everyone involved (myself included) put a lot of hard work into the book, so if you're interested, there are two ways you can get it:

Here's the page that links to where you can buy the book on Amazon or Payhip:

https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/njpw19book/