[1/4/18]NJPW Presents: Wrestle Kingdom 12

[The Intergalactic Koala]

Finishing up on watching WK12 and I came to the conclusion that it's was a pretty okay event. Not bad, but extremely overhyped due to the main events. The undercard was underwhelming but effective. The 4 way match, Tana/White, and Suzuki/Goto were my MOTN due to the storytelling, fukkery, and overall appeal of those matches. Cody/Kota was good, but forgettable because Cody Rhodes. Now we get to the meat and potatoes:

• Jericho/Omega- Good friggin match, but the flaws killed the "OMGZ MELTZ 600 STARS" factor such as the match being extremely long for no apparent reason (I know NJPW does long matches, but this deserved 20 at best), the "no DQ" rules being laughable, and just the slow moments that felt like the match needed to be condensed a bit. Overall it was a pretty good match, I'm still trying to cut the crow as I'm typing this review
• Naito/Okada- Yeah yeah yeah OKADA WINZLOL, but to be fair it was a pretty good match with dope storytelling. Naito going full "tranquillo", while Okada did a different approach. Rainmaker embraced a different side to the game as he was doing more strong style shyt, compared to his usual moveset. I mean dude was doing knee attacks and strikes like fukking AJPW in the 90s. If folks look at the fact that Okada had a ace up his sleeve to go against the threat of Naito, the sting wouldn't hurt as much. Yeah its shyt booking, but I'm used to shyt booking in wrestling for two decades. Hell, if you look at NJPW matches in the 80s, its pure uncut fukkery that would make cokeboy blush. Bottom line, WK12 was a 7/10 for me. It's not messing with WK 7 or 9, but it's better than 10 by miles.

 

[stro]

Stray thoughts about the top three matches at WK:

-Something quite telling happened during the main event: Naito hit the second Destino and went for the cover as the crowd was going absolutely insane, seemingly for Naito finally getting his redemption for the WK8 snub and beating Okada on NJPW's biggest stage. Then Okada kicks out and, instead of any type of excited roar, the crowd actually just quiets down a bit and never really hits that level again for the rest of the match. Almost as if they watched their hopes for Naito winning the match die with that nearfall.

If that doesn't tell you that Okada winning was the wrong decision, I don't know what will. Apparently Gedo has a plan for Okada and Naito over the next year, but there's something to be said for striking while the iron is hot. Naito is the hottest thing in New Japan right now (and it actually doesn't seem to be that close. He was comfortably the most over guy in the building last night) and there's no reason why he needed to get sacrificed at the altar of Okada AGAIN, even if it is in the service of a long-term storyline. Sometimes its just someone's moment, last night should've been Naito's.

Also, the match really wasn't that great. It was good, but really wasn't into it the way I have been into other NJPW main events. And, really, it was because of Okada, not Naito. Maybe I'm officially beginning to feel some Rainmaker fatigue, I dunno. I'm certainly not into him starting his comebacks by doing WWE midcarder shtick and ending with...the usual Okada finishing run. Dude needs something new fast, at least to keep my interest.

Naito has been the hottest guy for 2 years now, and they've had Okada kill him twice in that time when no one wanted it and everyone was let down by it. If they're trying to redo the Okada/Tanahashi dynamic then . What the fukk was the point of that 1 defense IWGP reign last year?

 

[3Rivers]

fukk Gedo:nakamuramiddlefinger:

Word to @Jmare007

 

[3Rivers]

And Tanahashi had the nerve to rock a ponytail extension

 

[Nero Christ]

Jurina Matsui

yes...yes

I knew she was fine from how she sounded

 

[ThePsydeFX]

When did Okada start wearing pants? Them shyts is horrible.


Didn’t have the time or stamina to watch 6-7 hours like I did last year and only watched the Bucks match, Ibushi/Cody, Alpha/Omega, Naito/Omega and the finishes to the rest.

Jericho really surprised me and showed out. That’s my Attitude Era No.3 GOAT

 

[3Rivers]

@Jmare007 @Beautiful Bobby Eatin @Honga Ciganesta @3Rivers @Don Ibiza Ibrahimovic @Ace of the Metropolitan @MightyHealthy

Work's largely kept me out of the New Japan loop, so maybe one of you guys (or the other puro followers on the board, apologies for not tagging y'all) can explain to me why Gedo thought it was a good idea to rehash what was a kind of unnecessary storyline when it first happened (the Okada/Tanahashi WK9-10 story) in a context which renders it even more pointless, stupid, and possibly damaging to the company.

I don't even know breh. I straight up was when the red shoes hand slapped the mat for the third time. Straight up dumbfounded

 

[3Rivers]

When did Okada start wearing pants? Them shyts is horrible.

Last night was the 1st time afaik

 

[MightyHealthy]

@Jmare007 @Beautiful Bobby Eatin @Honga Ciganesta @3Rivers @Don Ibiza Ibrahimovic @Ace of the Metropolitan @MightyHealthy

Work's largely kept me out of the New Japan loop, so maybe one of you guys (or the other puro followers on the board, apologies for not tagging y'all) can explain to me why Gedo thought it was a good idea to rehash what was a kind of unnecessary storyline when it first happened (the Okada/Tanahashi WK9-10 story) in a context which renders it even more pointless, stupid, and possibly damaging to the company.

@Jmare007 warned us. Told us what would happen. Took the quasi-miser status in stride.

Today, we are all @Jmare007

Can't wait for New Year Dash, though

 

[MightyHealthy]

@3Rivers do you think we can get another sticky for New Year Dash, perhaps? Only thing really popping tomorrow morning, plus the stream is free...

 

[stro]

So what do you guys see coming up in the next few months? Who possibly is there left for Okada besides Jericho or another outsider? Do they rerun Okada/Naito at New Beginning? Does Naito go after the US title? I assume White/Tanahashi will have a rematch with White winning and no one caring. Goto will probably be defending his title against like...idk, Cody or ZSJ or some shyt. Bucks and R3K will have a match on every card this year. What's Ishii going to be up to?

Future looks kind of bleak for this year unless there are some big surprises tonight, tbh.

 

[TOAD99]

So what do you guys see coming up in the next few months? Who possibly is there left for Okada besides Jericho or another outsider? Do they rerun Okada/Naito at New Beginning? Does Naito go after the US title? I assume White/Tanahashi will have a rematch with White winning and no one caring. Goto will probably be defending his title against like...idk, Cody or ZSJ or some shyt. Bucks and R3K will have a match on every card this year. What's Ishii going to be up to?

Future looks kind of bleak for this year unless there are some big surprises tonight, tbh.

Maybe they’ll pull the trigger on Ibushi

Or it’s all Building to Okada vs Tanahashi. Heavyweight champ vs IC champ at WK
Dream match

 

[FromStLouis]

Just finished the main event, first njpw ppv I've watched entirely. As of right now, I am not looking forward to WM34.

 

[Mikael Blowpiff]

link

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

So what do you guys see coming up in the next few months? Who possibly is there left for Okada besides Jericho or another outsider? Do they rerun Okada/Naito at New Beginning? Does Naito go after the US title? I assume White/Tanahashi will have a rematch with White winning and no one caring. Goto will probably be defending his title against like...idk, Cody or ZSJ or some shyt. Bucks and R3K will have a match on every card this year. What's Ishii going to be up to?

Future looks kind of bleak for this year unless there are some big surprises tonight, tbh.

Yeahhh...unless something pop off like Ios breaking up, CHAOS turning on Okada, or some sort of fukkery, I really think I'm good after WK. It was a good show, but they clearly blew their wad trying to do whatever the fukk without having some sort of "what if". It just seems like a TV series that abruptly ended without any plot between the last episode.