[1/4-1/5]NJPW Presents: Wrestle Kingdom 14(2 Day event)

[123456789]

Not to break up the WK talk...but I'm thinking about finally jumping into this New Japan thing but I hate just watching a product without knowing what's been going on.

I know AXS TV has thrown NJPW in the bushes now....but is there anywhere I can find all of their hour-long episodes from the past 4 or 5 years?

If I could run through those, I feel like I could get caught up on the jist of the Omega/Okada/Bullet Club/Nakamura's last days/non-stop tourny fukkery before I start watching the current stuff.

 

[krackdagawd]

Gonna miss the shows live.

Hopefully I can find a good D/L . The WW sites are fukkin terrible now.

My son will be terrorizing the 120lb division Sat morning ill catch it in the afternoon. I was gonna stay up for it this year too

 

[MenacingMonk]

My son will be terrorizing the 120lb division Sat morning ill catch it in the afternoon. I was gonna stay up for it this year too

I start a new job early in the morning on Friday. I'm a night owl, so my sleeping rotation is gonna be fukked this week.

There may be a chance to watch some of it live, but that depends on how my sleeping hours go.

 

[MenacingMonk]

Not to break up the WK talk...but I'm thinking about finally jumping into this New Japan thing but I hate just watching a product without knowing what's been going on.

I know AXS TV has thrown NJPW in the bushes now....but is there anywhere I can find all of their hour-long episodes from the past 4 or 5 years?

If I could run through those, I feel like I could get caught up on the jist of the Omega/Okada/Bullet Club/Nakamura's last days/non-stop tourny fukkery before I start watching the current stuff.

NJ doesn't deal with storylines like the E. They set-up feuds/matches differently. WK11 was my first NJ show and I had no idea what was going on with feuds and shyt.

You can quick a rundown online or watch the show and find out through the commentary (if you watch the English broadcast).

 

[Legal]

Not to break up the WK talk...but I'm thinking about finally jumping into this New Japan thing but I hate just watching a product without knowing what's been going on.

I know AXS TV has thrown NJPW in the bushes now....but is there anywhere I can find all of their hour-long episodes from the past 4 or 5 years?

If I could run through those, I feel like I could get caught up on the jist of the Omega/Okada/Bullet Club/Nakamura's last days/non-stop tourny fukkery before I start watching the current stuff.

To piggyback off the post above mine, the English commentary team does a GREAT job of summing up storylines before and during matches. One of the commentary guys lives over in Japan, so he'll translate stuff, and give cultural and historical context for stuff too.

Your biggest resource is probably going to be the NJPW YouTube channel, though. Their Recount and Wire videos do a great job of summarizing what's going on with a specific storyline or wrestler heading into a big show. They also clip out the backstage promos all the wrestlers cut in case you want to watch those, too.

 

[TheGodling]

To piggyback off the post above mine, the English commentary team does a GREAT job of summing up storylines before and during matches. One of the commentary guys lives over in Japan, so he'll translate stuff, and give cultural and historical context for stuff too.

Your biggest resource is probably going to be the NJPW YouTube channel, though. Their Recount and Wire videos do a great job of summarizing what's going on with a specific storyline or wrestler heading into a big show. They also clip out the backstage promos all the wrestlers cut in case you want to watch those, too.

Adding on to this, most of the WK storylines are set up in the G1 Climax or after. The history might go further but you only need to check stuff from the past six months to get an idea of why who is facing who.

 

[mannyrs13]

How'd it end up being a two match thing for the heavyweight title?

Wrestle kingdom plus start of nfl playoffs means ima be eating good this weekend. Prolly be tired as fukk also.

 

[DaylitoJames]

How'd it end up being a two match thing for the heavyweight title?

Wrestle kingdom plus start of nfl playoffs means ima be eating good this weekend. Prolly be tired as fukk also.

It all started last year when Chris Jericho and Tetsuya Naito were having a blood feud over the Intercontinental Title. Jericho was able to win the title but eventually Naito was able to win it back. Given the fact that Naito was not in the Heavyweight Title picture AT ALL throughout 2019 Naito made the promise to become "The First IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion" by winning the G1 Tournament.

A lot of people tend to forget that compare to most belts in New Japan, the Intercontinental Championship is relatively new and was to be taken to main event heights when Shinsuke Nakamura had the belt and his popularity soared during that time period. This also goes along with the lowkey storyline that Shinsuke being in the main event with Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 8 years ago bumping at the time babyface Naito who won the G1 for the first time off the main event and it kinda mentally broke him making him become the loveable filthy ungovernable that we know him today and he has a deep hatred for the Intercontinental Title itself.

Along the way guys like Taichi, Jay White, Zabre Jr., Ibushi and others started to claim that THEY wanted to be the first duo champion. This concept became a reality with New Japan making Wrestle Kingdom 14 a 2 night event for the first time ever due to the Olympic Games being held in Tokyo this year. So that's why whoever is the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champions after the end of Night 1 will compete in Night 2 for the chance to become the first ever Duo Champion in New Japan history.

 

[mannyrs13]

It all started last year when Chris Jericho and Tetsuya Naito were having a blood feud over the Intercontinental Title. Jericho was able to win the title but eventually Naito was able to win it back. Given the fact that Naito was not in the Heavyweight Title picture AT ALL throughout 2019 Naito made the promise to become "The First IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion" by winning the G1 Tournament.

A lot of people tend to forget that compare to most belts in New Japan, the Intercontinental Championship is relatively new and was to be taken to main event heights when Shinsuke Nakamura had the belt and his popularity soared during that time period. This also goes along with the lowkey storyline that Shinsuke being in the main event with Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 8 years ago bumping at the time babyface Naito who won the G1 for the first time off the main event and it kinda mentally broke him making him become the loveable filthy ungovernable that we know him today and he has a deep hatred for the Intercontinental Title itself.

Along the way guys like Taichi, Jay White, Zabre Jr., Ibushi and others started to claim that THEY wanted to be the first duo champion. This concept became a reality with New Japan making Wrestle Kingdom 14 a 2 night event for the first time ever due to the Olympic Games being held in Tokyo this year. So that's why whoever is the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champions after the end of Night 1 will compete in Night 2 for the chance to become the first ever Duo Champion in New Japan history.

Yeah I saw the G1 and know that Naito had the IC belt back then and I thought they were gonna have him win it and be champ vs champ at WK. But when he lost I lost any hope in that. Just hadn't kept up with anything since then except hearing Moxley lost his title. Meant to watch some random ppv they had but never got the chance. I think it was the one that Okada defended against Sanada. I mostly been watching the WK event only since the one right before AJ and Shinsuke left so yeah this two night event thing is new to me also but doesn't seem like a bad idea with all the talent and matches they have prepared for us.

 

[DaylitoJames]

Yeah I saw the G1 and know that Naito had the IC belt back then and I thought they were gonna have him win it and be champ vs champ at WK. But when he lost I lost any hope in that. Just hadn't kept up with anything since then except hearing Moxley lost his title. Meant to watch some random ppv they had but never got the chance. I think it was the one that Okada defended against Sanada. I mostly been watching the WK event only since the one right before AJ and Shinsuke left so yeah this two night event thing is new to me also but doesn't seem like a bad idea with all the talent and matches they have prepared for us.

Moxley lost his title due to a tsunami that was going on in Japan at the title and his flight couldn't get to that venue. New Japan has a rarely used rule that a champion booked for a event MUST be at the event otherwise he's stripped no matter what.

Luckily for us that New Japan actually has commentators that do a great job of informing people at home watching for the first time of what's going on so you shouldn't be too lost during the ppv nights.

 

[Legal]

Moxley lost his title due to a tsunami that was going on in Japan at the title and his flight couldn't get to that venue. New Japan has a rarely used rule that a champion booked for a event MUST be at the event otherwise he's stripped no matter what.

Luckily for us that New Japan actually has commentators that do a great job of informing people at home watching for the first time of what's going on so you shouldn't be too lost during the ppv nights.

Like all commentary teams, they have their shytty moments, but they're easily the best commentary team right now. Pretty amazing considering the only person that's guaranteed to be there 90% of the time is Kevin Kelly. It really can't be overstated how good they are at giving info for context/educating possible first time viewers with coming off as patronizing, or over explaining for those that already know.

 

[Doctor Doom]

And hell, you could just watch a Recount or Wire to catch up on everything, then watch the actual matches with the Japanese commentary. It can be kind of weird, but imo, its night and day with the English commentary team. While of course there is the language barrier, the hype the Japanese commentary team brings is pretty much second to none imo. Nogami and Milano bring it everytime they're at the desk, legit world-class.

What I wish the English team did a bit more (theyre getting better about it) is being more neutral and calling it straight. Kevin Kelly is great at this, but anytime they had Callis or Corino at the desk, it was insta-mute status. I've heard good things about Romero and Gambino though, so I might give them a shot again.

 

[bigdaddy88]

Okada over ibushi, u hate to see it but there is no way they dont their ace double main event

Naito over Jay White( if i had it my way white-o wins)

White over Ibushi ( unless omega makes a surprise return)
Naito over Okada( okada wins lol could happen)
Jericho over Tana that whole thing about the AEW belt to me its just a work but maybe just maybe they let tana challenge for the AEW BELT

Taka over opreay

Moxley might win to job 24 later to robinson

 

[DaylitoJames]

And hell, you could just watch a Recount or Wire to catch up on everything, then watch the actual matches with the Japanese commentary. It can be kind of weird, but imo, its night and day with the English commentary team. While of course there is the language barrier, the hype the Japanese commentary team brings is pretty much second to none imo. Nogami and Milano bring it everytime they're at the desk, legit world-class.

What I wish the English team did a bit more (theyre getting better about it) is being more neutral and calling it straight. Kevin Kelly is great at this, but anytime they had Callis or Corino at the desk, it was insta-mute status. I've heard good things about Romero and Gambino though, so I might give them a shot again.

I really like Gambino, the only time he is bias is when Bullet Club is out because he's a member... so you know he is gonna be rooting for Jay White heavily.

 

[Doctor Doom]

My predictions

Night 1

Mox beats Archer
FinJuice beats GoD

Takakashi over Ospreay (Ospreay finally moves to Heavyweight after this I'm hoping.)
Naito beats White-O
Okada beats Ibushi


Night 2

Phantasmo and Ishimori over RP3K
SANADA over ZSJ
Juice beats Mox
Ibushi beats White-O
Naito over Okada


As much as I love White-O, and how I -think- Gedo does his booking, I dont see White-O making it out of either championship match. The big money match for Night 2 is easily Okada vs Naito and I dont see Gedo letting Okada not main event twice. Anyone else, Ibushi would have had a shot.

Building a new ace route would be Ibushi/White-O winning both nights. Naito's popularity will never wane, but I can definitely see some backlash with an Okada double win.