New Japan Pro Wrestling Refuses to Sanction Title Change

[Harthan]

On July 27, 2009, in Orlando, Florida, in the TNA Impact Zone, the IWGP Tag Team Championships, held by Team 3D, were defended against the British Invasion, consisting of Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams. In this match, a completely unprecedented event took place - the changing of the IWGP Tag Team Championship on American soil, as the British Invasion won the tag team championship from Team 3D.

Except, they didn't.

As reported by The Sun and posted on NJPW's website (Babelfish is your friend), NJPW has refused to sanction this title change, due to it occurring without their permission and not being booked by their own promotion.

First off, what a massively boneheaded move by TNA. Seriously, why would you move another organization's tag titles that are basically on loan to you in a friendship agreement? They just spit right in the face of NJPW with this, and this is going to end badly for TNA. Their occasional partnership with NJPW has done a lot for them, with appearances by Hiroshi Tanahashi in some of their X Division contests and appearances by the likes of Tiger Mask IV and Jushin "Thunder" Liger for them at points in the past. These always produced some fun one off matches that made for nice additions to TNA cards. With this bull that TNA pulled, you have to wonder if we'll see it happen again.

Honestly, is it that difficult to call up NJPW, and ask "Hey, we want to change the tag titles, is that cool with you?"
"Oh, yes, that will be fine."
"Great, awesome, let's continue to do business."

No, instead, at the TNA board meeting:

"Shouldn't we ask NJPW?"
"Fuck them, we don't have the 10 minutes required to sanction this title change."

Really, not a difficult concept. TNA may very well ruin their working relationship with IWGP here, and will probably wind up hurting the British Invasion's credibility when they're inevitable stripped of the titles and inexplicably not in possession of them anymore.

Can't imagine what possessed TNA to go and slap NJPW in the face like this, but there you have it. Thoughts?

 

[Dexter]

I'd be more inclined to suspect this is some sort of a breakdown in communication somewhere. Someone got a wire crossed and this happened. Seems a little premature to be shitting in TNA's bed over it when we only have the one side of the story.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Like most people, I assumed that NJPW was on board with the whole thing. This really was a pretty stupid move on TNA's part, not to mention more than just a touch arrogant.

TNA may have torpedoed what seems to have been a pretty solid working relationship between themselves and New Japan. This really sounds like something that one could picture and halfway expect Vince McMahon doing if he partnered with another well known wrestling company. I didn't expect it from TNA. Just a total lack of respect on their part.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'd be more inclined to suspect this is some sort of a breakdown in communication somewhere. Someone got a wire crossed and this happened. Seems a little premature to be shitting in TNA's bed over it when we only have the one side of the story.

A breakdown in communication? All TNA would have to do is call up New Japan, drop them an email, send them a fax, whatever and say something along the likes of "We have an idea on having Team 3-D drop the IWGP tag titles to a couple of members of our new faction, the British Invasion. Are you guys on board with this? Then wait for a response. If it's yeah, then great. Proceed as planned. If it's a no, then do something different.

 

[X]

Yet another blunder on the part of TNA creative. They can't seem to avoid committing fuck ups for too long before having yet another. I imagine even TNA creative couldn't have been this stupid, and there's a good chance that they may have thought they had permission, but someone else was either lying or hadn't called NJPW yet. If that isn't true, and they just went ahead and booked a title change without NJPW's permission, that's just plain insulting. NJPW, while it may not mean much to most wrestling fans here in the States, is a prestigious name over in Japan and TNA should consider themselves lucky to be able to tap into a market as large as the Japanese wrestling fanbase.

We're going to have to wait and see what other news comes out about this, because it seems unlikely that even TNA would be stupid enough to do something like this on purpose.

 

[Dexter]

A breakdown in communication? All TNA would have to do is call up New Japan, drop them an email, send them a fax, whatever and say something along the likes of "We have an idea on having Team 3-D drop the IWGP tag titles to a couple of members of our new faction, the British Invasion. Are you guys on board with this? Then wait for a response. If it's yeah, then great. Proceed as planned. If it's a no, then do something different.

How do you know? I'm not privy to the details of their arrangement any more than you are. More than likely, lawyers are involved, both sides probably have lackeys that place and receive the phone calls, both sides probably have creative teams as opposed to a single person in charge, etc.

You have absolutely no idea how it works, any more than I do. So ya know... maybe cut them a little slack until we know more about it. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Macca]

To be honest, i am not surprised. I always figured that the NJPW Tag Team straps would never change hands in the US due to the obvious, that it was another promotion's belts. So you can understand my shock and surprise to find out that The British Invasion has beat 3D for them, and I wondered: What kind of booker would allow his championships to change not only outside of his promotion, but in another fucking country? The answer: An imaginary one.

This is obviously the stupidity of TNA creative who think "Hey, the belts are being represented here, so they can definetely change hands here." *cough* Russo *cough*.
The way I see it is there are two endings
1. TNA Management manage to smooth it out with NJPW and either have them change titles back to 3D, or an acceptable American or Japanese team. Everybody drinks sake and all is right in the world.
2. TNA Management don't smooth things out, the titles could be stripped from the Invasion, and never placed on a TNA Tag Team again (along with the Junior Tag Team titles as well) and TNA and NJPW part ways, business wise (which would be a terrible shame, since I mark out madly for the Wrestle Kingdom shows which they provide.)

This is a situation that, with some choice words and business decisions, could fix things, but still, the fact that TNA did this without New Japan permission, does not look good for TNA's business manner.

 

[The REAL Iron Chef]

And then it was like KABOOM! bitchslap straight to the face of NJPW. But really, does this surprise anyone? This is, after all, TNA that we're talking about. Only in TNA could the bookers possibly think that it would be acceptable for them to take an INTERNATIONAL business partner's titles and, without their consent, pass them on to a new team.

It almost reminds me of a classic bait-and-switch. The Dudleyz (yes, they're still The Dudleyz to me) were the bait to reel in the titles, and once they were caught were put on the British Invasion. While I know that TNA didn't attempt any swindling (as far as I know), it was most certainly a completely ignorant and insulting move by the creative forces of TNA. As has been pointed out before, all it would've taken was a quick call/e-mail/fax/telegram to NJPW and all could've been well in TNAville.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

We all seem to be forgetting that this isn't the first time this has happened in TNA. Remember two years ago when they had to create their own belts because the NWA stripped TNA's Wrestlers of the Tag Team and World Championships for not informing the NWA of various title changes. This arrogance by TNA is not new.

I admit that when the Brits won the belts I was suspicious about it because they dont seem like a team that NJPW would want to hold the belts and it reminded me a bit of when TNA was smacked down by the pretty much lowly NWA. The Dudley's could hold the belts not only because they were in TNA but because they are even legendary in Japan; they have never lost a match on Japan soil. They have the notoriety to legitimately hold those belts where the Brits haven't earned the respect of the Japs needed to hold their belts.

Was this a bonehead move? yes. Should TNA get smacked down by another company? yes. Only this time it isn't a company that has been obsolete for 17 years, it will be one of the most well respected companies in the world that will put them in their place.

 

[Vintage Nick]

When Team 3D was faced for the NJPW titles (I believe, memory gets foggy at times) the past few weeks or month, I thought they would be holding onto them for a while before TNA heads back to Japan. However, when they faced the British Invasion, I had a nasty feeling in my gut telling me the title would change hands due to a screwjob. Guess what? It did.

TNA creative probably thought like this: Oh, let's put the NJPW titles on the British Invasion just to pointlessly solidify their merging with the Main Event Mafia! That's brilliant! *Chinks beer glasses with fellow creative members*

Big. Fucking. Mistake.

NJPW should slap TNA, castrate them, take the titles back, and part business ways with them. Imagine the humility.

OR

B.I. could lose it back to Team 3D at Bound For Glory and, when they return to Japan, lose them there.

OR

B.I. is stripped of the titles and they're shipped back overseas to Japan, and TNA will not see Japan for a while as punishment.

 

[Deexter Jorgan]

This seems like obvious TNA mismanagement, I read an article currently about the TNA timeline and pretty much it seems like Dixy Carter was the one who made the change happen, the fact is if they wanted the Brits to take the tag titles why not give them the TNA tag team titles why use belts that they have no decision over?, Russo may think that wrestling belts are "props" but you still need to inform the company that has loaned you the championships in the first place.

Maybe this is miscommunication but in the end this situation will end up causing a loss in regards to a working relationship with new japan and will cause a huge blow to TNA's tag team division.

Lets hope TNA Management learns a lesson from all this which i highly doubt they will

 

[klunderbunker]

I've been thinking this was a bit odd. Japanese titles just don't change hands on the drop of a hat like this, especially in a weird gimmick match like a tables match. It's just not traditional at all and it made me think soemthing was off. I'm not sure if I blame TNA, but it makes no sense to do this. Why are those belts in TNA anyway? Do they need a second set of tag titles? Either way, I had a feeling something like this would be coming soon, and I was right.

 

[StInGeR-HBK]

I have to say, this is just the first of many bad moves to come by Dixie and a Jarrett-less TNA. Now that Jarrett is no longer involved and his people are starting to get fired one by one, Dixie has no idea what the FU** she's doing. She will continue to make stupid decisions and TNA will go down the hole just like WCW did. I am a huge TNA fan and I hate to see this happen but at this point, I think it's inevitable!

 

[ksuperman06]

man you people are fucking morons........lets run down the TNA Hard Justice card shall we?

The British Invasion (c) VS. Beer Money Inc.

and

Team 3D VS. The Harlem Brothers (c)


so here's how this is all going to go down.....

on the August 6th edition of Impact they even continued to mention the shit between BMI and T3D, so both teams have title shots against the oposing champions......BMI win the NJPW titles, and T3D win the TNA titles, only to guess what.......

another


Beer Money Inc. (c) VS. Team 3D (c) title vs title match........its classic oldschool wrestling and you newbie fans are too stupid to fucking realize it.

it soldifies TBI, and MEM get a decent push, and keeps the ongoing fued with Beer Money and Team 3D


to me that is classic Jarrett booking, and no one knows if Jeff Jarrett is done with TNA and we dont even know if the bullshit between Angle and Jarrett is real or fake, and if you aint down with that, i got two words for ya.............

YOU SUCK!

 

[D-Man]

I've been thinking this was a bit odd...

Me too. How could one promotion allow a title change from another promotion's (supposedly) presitigious title belts? It really makes no sense. I mean, is TNA that deperate about finding any way possible to push Magnus, the goon, and the other juicehead in the British Invasion?!? Talk about scraping the bottom of the bottle...

Why are those belts in TNA anyway? Do they need a second set of tag titles?

I couldn't agree more. First off, why have TWO sets of tag titles? TNA is using NJPW titles to give their product some validity, but they should really be concentrating on what they've created themselves. This is TNA's biggest problem... they choose to piggyback and copycat when they should be original and revolutionary. Is it easier said than done? Of course. But this is why they pay professional writing teams. And if they're not doing their jobs, take a tip from the WWE, fire them and replace them with writers that get the job done.

 

[gd]

That is completely ridiculous on TNA's part. Why would they think for one second that they could have Team 3D drop the titles without even asking NJPW? Completely ridiculous. What will they do if NJPW refuses to allow the titles to appear on TNA anymore? I would say give the titles back to 3D as soon as possible, but for some reason they aren't even in a match against the British Invasion as Hard Justice, they are facing the MEM. If I were TNA I would find a way to get the titles back on 3D very quickly, or risk destroying a valuable partnership.

 

[WWF Wrestling Fan]

Heres a thought didnt TNA have to ask NWA if they can put the titles on other people and if so why didnt they ask New Japan you would think these people would have the decenetcy to ask permisson from the orginazation who is loanin you there titles to show on American TV but you know who made the stupid call it could have been Dixie Carter Jeff Jarrett or that Peice Of Shit Vince Russo we will never know who came up with Team 3D losin the NJPW tag team titles but who ever did either A apliogize to NJPW for there stupid mistake or be fired.

 

[MisterRob]

This is pure TNA stupidity. I'm not going to try to name whose to blame because its impossible to know unless that insider information comes out, but the fact is, it was a ignorant and ridiculous move on the part of TNA and it could effect much more then TNA's working relationship with NJPW, and that's the true shame of it. Who gives a shit how TNA's effected by their own stupidity, because its clear what's likely to happen is those tag team titles won't appear again on TNA television. No team will be walking around wearing them and certainly no team will be defending them, they'll simply disappear altogether from TNA. The bad thing is that the Dudleyz will likely have to defend them and be forced to lose them and the Dudleyz will lose a lot of positioning and value to NJPW, and so will any other American wrestlers who compete in Japan. NJPW will be far less likely in the future to put their belts in a similar situation, and so stupid actions taken by TNA (and even the Dudleyz should've known better) now could have lasting effects on much more then just the small little pool that is TNA. That's a damn shame.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

man you people are fucking morons........lets run down the TNA Hard Justice card shall we?

The British Invasion (c) VS. Beer Money Inc.

and

Team 3D VS. The Harlem Brothers (c)


so here's how this is all going to go down.....

on the August 6th edition of Impact they even continued to mention the shit between BMI and T3D, so both teams have title shots against the oposing champions......BMI win the NJPW titles, and T3D win the TNA titles, only to guess what.......

another


Beer Money Inc. (c) VS. Team 3D (c) title vs title match........its classic oldschool wrestling and you newbie fans are too stupid to fucking realize it.

it soldifies TBI, and MEM get a decent push, and keeps the ongoing fued with Beer Money and Team 3D


to me that is classic Jarrett booking, and no one knows if Jeff Jarrett is done with TNA and we dont even know if the bullshit between Angle and Jarrett is real or fake, and if you aint down with that, i got two words for ya.............

YOU SUCK!

Tsk...tsk..tsk

Did anything in that post relate to the question that was asked? I think not. Plus, it's a stupid idea because one team isn't going to hold both sets of titles and they are not going to be united.

If the reports are true, TNA fucked up big time. There are many ways of telling NJPW that they want to have a title switch so I don't see any reason for miscommunication. This could be a huge blow to TNA and it would be tough to recover from.

 

[wewanttables]

What is with all the fuss? The titles can be won back at a house show or at Hard Justice. Does it matter if 3d lost them as long as they have them back at the next New Japan event. This sounds like missed communication and New Japan being a bunch of hot heads.

 

[absent]

Erm, are you sure this isn't part of a storyline plan on the Japan side? Them disputing a title change on foreign soil leading to a resolution match on Japanese soil? Seems like a quite standard cross promotional international booking storyline to me.

 

[Vintage Nick]

Erm, are you sure this isn't part of a storyline plan on the Japan side? Them disputing a title change on foreign soil leading to a resolution match on Japanese soil? Seems like a quite standard cross promotional international booking storyline to me.

Sorry, but I don't find that to be true. There's a very, very, very slim chance that this is a storyline. If B.I. still isn't recognized as a NJWP Tag Team championship holder, then there definately was something wrong.

All we can do is look to the future.

 

[cyborg2040]

New Japan Pro Wrestling is now officially recognizing TNA's British Invasion (Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams) as the 53rd generation IWGP Tag Team Champions. This is a change from last week when New Japan issued a statement saying they were not acknowledging the title change on iMPACT! two weeks ago with The British Invasion defeating Team 3D to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions and that 3D were still the reigning champions.

While it isn't known why the company changed their stance so quickly, the belief is that some outside pressure caused them to do so.

I'd really like to know why NJPW wasn't going to recognize this title change and then changed their mind about it a few weeks later. Maybe it was a situation were TNA asked permission and got it, but the right people didn't ok it or something? I really don't know, but the sudden acceptance of this title change seems odd.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I hope that there was simply a mix up with NJPW and TNA did in fact ask permission, and that's why the title change has since been recognised. If they didn't, I'd say that's a bad move for TNA - angering the people who are helping your company is never a good idea.