MrHashasheen
Enjoying Wrestling
Someone's got to get this ball rolling after that excellent PPV we got given, and considering a lot of people aren't familiar to New Japan's scheduling, this thread might also serve as notice. LDs would be difficult considering the time difference in Japan, but maybe at some of the bigger shows that might be cool.
Anyway, to kick things off is the show they ran the day after Wrestle Kingdom, which was NJPW New Year Dash. Aired on Samurai TV in Japan and on NJPW World as an IPPV, it had a pretty decent day-after-card. Note that bolded equals winners and underline is pinned.
Some notes from this IPPV in relation to storyline development (taken from cage-insider, with some thoughts from me):
1. Sho Tanaka is a young lion in NJPW, a cruiserweight (fuck that junior shit) whose been coming along rather well if this opener was any indication. Keep an eye out on him, he might surprise Kenny Omega if Kushida doesn't go for the upset.
2. Jushin Liger retained his NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Championship in the only title defense on the show by pinning Desperado with a brainbuster, despite having to overcome the repeated interference of Tiger Mask. Consequently, Liger chose his next title opponent to be Tiger Mask.
3. Kazuchika Okada's was cleanly defeated by Bad Luck Fale in a tag team match after Fale hit his Bad Luck Fall finisher on Mr. Rainmaker. It looks like Okada is being siphoned off into a feud with Fale as he has to prove himself before getting another shot at Tanahashi. Could be a good thing, though I'm given to understand Fale himself isn't ready for the top of the card and this feud will probably be focusing on rounding him out as well.
4. Yuji Nagata challenged Shinsuke Nakamura to an IWGP Intercontinental Championship match, which Nakamura immediately accepted. Might have been better if he got the opportunity as a result of the New Japan Rumble at the Wrestle Kingdom pre-show, but whatever.
5. Cody Hall (dressed up to look like his Dad during his Outsider days) was revealed as the Bullet Club's new young boy, but he must prove himself first before earning full membership to the band. They need a new jobber and I imagine he'll work six-man matches with Meiyu Tag (Goto/Shibata) from the start.
6. In the main event, The Bullet Club defeated Team Tanahashi when AJ Styles pinned Tanahashi with the Styles Clash, before Styles cut a promo about how Tanahashi had stole the IWGP title from him and he wanted it back.
Not quite the Authority vs. John Cena, is it?
Moving on, New Japan will be running a series of shows in cooperation with CMLL (basically the second biggest company in Mexico, former home of Sin Cara and Alberto Del Rio) throughout the rest of January. Running from the 13th to the 19th, they'll be a mix of televised, IPPV and live events under the Fantasticmania banner, and I'll list them below in a second post.
Hopefully I can keep this going and people who've gotten interested in NJPW keep chiming in. If we've got any puro vets in the forums (I know Papa Pillman is very knowledgable), always feel free to chime in.
Anyway, to kick things off is the show they ran the day after Wrestle Kingdom, which was NJPW New Year Dash. Aired on Samurai TV in Japan and on NJPW World as an IPPV, it had a pretty decent day-after-card. Note that bolded equals winners and underline is pinned.
Some notes from this IPPV in relation to storyline development (taken from cage-insider, with some thoughts from me):
1. Sho Tanaka is a young lion in NJPW, a cruiserweight (fuck that junior shit) whose been coming along rather well if this opener was any indication. Keep an eye out on him, he might surprise Kenny Omega if Kushida doesn't go for the upset.
2. Jushin Liger retained his NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Championship in the only title defense on the show by pinning Desperado with a brainbuster, despite having to overcome the repeated interference of Tiger Mask. Consequently, Liger chose his next title opponent to be Tiger Mask.
3. Kazuchika Okada's was cleanly defeated by Bad Luck Fale in a tag team match after Fale hit his Bad Luck Fall finisher on Mr. Rainmaker. It looks like Okada is being siphoned off into a feud with Fale as he has to prove himself before getting another shot at Tanahashi. Could be a good thing, though I'm given to understand Fale himself isn't ready for the top of the card and this feud will probably be focusing on rounding him out as well.
4. Yuji Nagata challenged Shinsuke Nakamura to an IWGP Intercontinental Championship match, which Nakamura immediately accepted. Might have been better if he got the opportunity as a result of the New Japan Rumble at the Wrestle Kingdom pre-show, but whatever.
5. Cody Hall (dressed up to look like his Dad during his Outsider days) was revealed as the Bullet Club's new young boy, but he must prove himself first before earning full membership to the band. They need a new jobber and I imagine he'll work six-man matches with Meiyu Tag (Goto/Shibata) from the start.
6. In the main event, The Bullet Club defeated Team Tanahashi when AJ Styles pinned Tanahashi with the Styles Clash, before Styles cut a promo about how Tanahashi had stole the IWGP title from him and he wanted it back.
Not quite the Authority vs. John Cena, is it?
Moving on, New Japan will be running a series of shows in cooperation with CMLL (basically the second biggest company in Mexico, former home of Sin Cara and Alberto Del Rio) throughout the rest of January. Running from the 13th to the 19th, they'll be a mix of televised, IPPV and live events under the Fantasticmania banner, and I'll list them below in a second post.
Hopefully I can keep this going and people who've gotten interested in NJPW keep chiming in. If we've got any puro vets in the forums (I know Papa Pillman is very knowledgable), always feel free to chime in.