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

[Reality Check]

Fact: All Elite Wrestling had more performers than Ring of Honor at Wrestle Kingdom 14.

Do ROH & NJPW have a contract currently to exchange talents or is it just a handshake agreement? A NJPW/AEW partnership, along with how Jericho and Mox (and probably Brodie Lee when he signs) have been booked would be a huge draw for some of the guys in WWE who might eye an exit.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

NAITO NAITO NAITO Night 2 wasn't as great as Night 1 to me but it was still a great show with a great finish. Okada and Naito did some nice limb work, limb selling in the finish there. Naito finally climbed the mountain at the Tokyo Dome. Much deserved.

I see some bytching online about KENTA. But look, I understand the "Kane feud" talkin point but let's not pretend their match won't be piff

I'm ready for New Year's Dash

 

[Bryan Danielson]

How was the show?

Infinity Stars

 

[Legal]

NJPW's most effective heel

 

[stro]

Night 2 was definitely a much stronger show.


Jesus Christ at how terrible Jericho looked. What the fukk. New Years must have been a 2 week event for him. Is...is he too fat for his weight belt and can't buckle it around the center of his gut? All the talk about Jericho always reinventing himself is so dumb. In the US, he's straight up 2002-2003 Jericho. In Japan, all he does is steal whatever his opponent is doing. You know the next time he comes back to Japan he's going to keep doing the air guitar thing, so he'll have that, Evil's face paint, Okada's nickname. Also lol at doing a lionsault immediately after taking 6 dragon screws in a row. That's the psychology of a dude in his 20s, not a 50 year old with 30 years of experience.

Naito/Okada didn't do much for me because I completely checked out of Naito's story a good 2 years ago. It certainly didn't feel like a king making moment to me and I'm conditioned to expect Naito to drop the belt(s) by the G1 at the latest and Okada to be the champ again by the end of the year and heading into next year's WK. I certainly don't expect him to drop the title(s) to KENTA in February but lol if that happens. Naito ending the night a hobbled mess with his head down after having his most triumphant moment cut short is certainly in line with his booking arc

I really didn't like the ref bumps over the two shows, Jay White's matches suck the air out of the building. 80s American heel work in New Japan sucks. People groan at his shyt. There was some real heat for KENTA interrupting Naito's celebration, people just groan and sigh during White matches. Kind of felt like there was a real booking theory that since you're going to get what you want with Naito, you aren't going to get anyone else you want winning. Sanada loses again, Ishii loses, Ibushi is 0 for 2, Tanahashi tapping out, Liger dropping both matches (expected but no one was happy with Taguchi pinning him). Really surprised Shibata wasn't involved at all in Goto/Kenta. Wasn't that whole match built around him?

 

[FooFighters]

So - hold up - SANADA is the only breh in LIJ without a title now?

Yep

 

[FooFighters]

I don't remember Tana or Okada getting their celebrations interrupted It's hilarious.

They didn't

 

[krackdagawd]

Dragon Lee a real one

Liger

 

[Rayzah]

Im still watching but I just came in to say I dont like Jay White, he looks so generic, he seems bland. or am I hating?

 

[stro]

Hot take: El Phantasmo does the stoogy white guy bullshyt better than Jay White while also still having entertaining matches

 

[PlayerNinety_Nine]

Im still watching but I just came in to say I dont like Jay White, he looks so generic, he seems bland. or am I hating?

You're hating

 

[Peter Popoff]

I'm late, I need to check this out. Naito the GAWD got all the straps?

 

[mannyrs13]

Tetsuya Two Belts


A magnificent event as usual.


Hopefully I can catch new years dash thru out the next few days and then see what's next up for NJPW.

 

[Max.]

Night 2 was definitely a much stronger show.


Jesus Christ at how terrible Jericho looked. What the fukk. New Years must have been a 2 week event for him. Is...is he too fat for his weight belt and can't buckle it around the center of his gut? All the talk about Jericho always reinventing himself is so dumb. In the US, he's straight up 2002-2003 Jericho. In Japan, all he does is steal whatever his opponent is doing. You know the next time he comes back to Japan he's going to keep doing the air guitar thing, so he'll have that, Evil's face paint, Okada's nickname. Also lol at doing a lionsault immediately after taking 6 dragon screws in a row. That's the psychology of a dude in his 20s, not a 50 year old with 30 years of experience.

Naito/Okada didn't do much for me because I completely checked out of Naito's story a good 2 years ago. It certainly didn't feel like a king making moment to me and I'm conditioned to expect Naito to drop the belt(s) by the G1 at the latest and Okada to be the champ again by the end of the year and heading into next year's WK. I certainly don't expect him to drop the title(s) to KENTA in February but lol if that happens. Naito ending the night a hobbled mess with his head down after having his most triumphant moment cut short is certainly in line with his booking arc

I really didn't like the ref bumps over the two shows, Jay White's matches suck the air out of the building. 80s American heel work in New Japan sucks. People groan at his shyt. There was some real heat for KENTA interrupting Naito's celebration, people just groan and sigh during White matches. Kind of felt like there was a real booking theory that since you're going to get what you want with Naito, you aren't going to get anyone else you want winning. Sanada loses again, Ishii loses, Ibushi is 0 for 2, Tanahashi tapping out, Liger dropping both matches (expected but no one was happy with Taguchi pinning him). Really surprised Shibata wasn't involved at all in Goto/Kenta. Wasn't that whole match built around him?