Report: Japanese Star Getting A WWE Tryout

[Jack-Hammer]

According to prowrestling.net, Japanese star Kenta Kobayashi is scheduled to receive a tryout at the WWE Performance Center sometime this week. The article from the site stated that Kobayashi finished up a tour with Pro Wrestling Noah over the weekend and immediately made the flight overseas to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. He arrived sometime yesterday and is scheduled for a tryout sometime this week, though the article doesn't specify when. Kobayashi was invited for a tryout at William Regal's suggestion.

Kobayashi is regarded as one of the best in-ring guys in Japan and he's spent most of his time working for Pro Wrestling Noah, though he has worked in Ring of Honor during the mid to late 2000s. He's worked with and had a lot of influence on Daniel Bryan &, especially, CM Punk; he's also the innovator of the GTS.

Contrary to what some dirtsheets have claimed, Triple H still scouts talent from the indie scene and from other organizations, but Kenta has a few things that could work against him, depending on what Vince's mood is. Kenta turns 33 in a few months and he's only about 5'8" and 175 pounds. If WWE were to offer him a deal, he's at an age in which spending a year or two in NXT won't do him much good in WWE in the long run.

 

[Best in the World]

This seemed to me more like KENTA wanting to check things out more-so than actually get involved with the company sometime in the future.

I honestly am hit-and-miss about him being in the WWE, WWE has a history of not really giving Japanese talent as much as they deserve, and when it comes to KENTA, the man deserves a hell of a lot, it could be a great sign for the WWE. I don't see it happening though, and frankly, I don't want it to happen honestly.

 

[L'autre frere rougeau]

There's another guy who is just as legendary in mexico as KENTA is in Japan that got release recently. I'm talking about mistico and he turned out to be a flop for many differents reason. Don't get me wrong, if things works out great for him in the wwe i'll be one of the first to tuned in to raw, even more if they end up bringing marafuji along but i fear the results will end the same way as it did with mistico.

 

[Blade]

Part of me would be really excited to see KENTA in WWE. I don't watch a huge amount of Japanese wrestling, but even the most casual of Japanese wrestling fans know who KENTA is. The optimist in me says he could have some wonderful matches and help a lot of younger guys out.

The realist in me, though, is dreading it. Puro is a completely different beast from WWE-style wrestling. What gets you over in Japan is unlikely to get you over in WWE. Wrestlers who are pretty void of charisma and speaking ability can become megastars in Japan if they're able to put on 5 star matches, because that's what the Japanese fans like, it's what they're raised on. WWE fans care about the non-wrestling side just as much as the in-ring product. We like guys who are showmen, guys who can cut promos and play to the crowd. I'm not sure KENTA can make that kind of transition.

Also, let's remember that the last "superstar" from Japan that WWE brought in was Tensai. While I'm not saying Tensai is as good as KENTA, it goes to show the difference in Japanese audiences and WWE audiences. Also, the Sin Cara fiasco.

 

[SinCityBlitz]

Oh god no KK. Stay the hell away before they stick you with a chinese food delivery guy gimmick.

KK is a real wrestler and don't see how he would fit in. The American audience would be chanting boring during his matches. I LOVE watching KK but I don't see how he would get over in the WWE.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

This is a good idea, because if Bryan is gonna be the guy... they're gonna have to have some equally good guys for him to go at - as Punk is clearly gonna be gone come summer.

Those worried about the NXT time won't need to be - he won't spend long there or even show up on TV - they can adapt him at the Performance centre in the main in a matter of months as the japanese system is so good... Tensai didn't need any "declimatisation" either... You just work softer than you do in Japan for the most part. Puro is not fundamentally different, you just learn different cues and rhythms in the ring.

Character-wise I see them just coming in as himself with a Japanese star gimmick, perhaps a manager (maybe Tensai as he has the Japanese experience to have "scouted" him and if he is commentating it seems his ring career might be winding down.) to help with the talking side of things. This is a good steal for WWE... growing your own is great, but you still need to bring some guys in every now and then to shake things up. He'll offer a different option to the roster, even if he's not gonna set the main event on fire, he's gonna be a very solid mid-upper mid guy in time... As for size? Well Rey is going soon, so they need replacements...

 

[jmt225]

I am a gigantic KENTA fan. If I were to make a top ten all time list right now he'd be on it.

That said, I wouldn't expect big things from him in WWE. KENTA works a very hard hitting style and that shit wouldn't fly in WWE. Not to mention he'll have to create an entire new move-set since Punk and Bryan use all his current moves. Not to mention he doesn't speak much English. Not to mention he's not some acrobatic high flyer like WWE would expect from a guy his size.

The great thing about KENTA is that he's a small wrestler who fights like a big man. He's sort of like Steve Smith in the NFL (who's a small receiver but plays like a big one). I just can't see that working for him in WWE, especially when he'd have to pull his kicks and punches.

With all that said though, KENTA is an innovator. I mean, name recently debuted moves that got move over than KENTA's moves that Punk and Bryan use? You can't do it. So nothing is impossible with this guy. He very well could adjust, come up with new shit, and become a player in the company if given the opportunity.

Personally, I'd just love to see the guy get paid. NOAH isn't drawing dick these days and I'm positive KENTA hasn't made anywhere near enough money where he could retire and live off it without having to work again. If he could get a big payday in WWE like Mistico did, even if it didn't turn out well creative wise and he just became another Yoshi Tutsu, yeah I'd be disappointed but at the same time I'd be happy for him making all that cash just to sit on his ass and goof off. He deserves it at this point.

 

[The Eighties]

KENTA was my favourite wrestler next to Kenta Kobashi when I watched NOAH regularly, and I even gathered up his matches from his GHC title run last year, I think he'd gotten even better than when I had seen him last.

Honestly can't see him in WWE though, I just don't see them being interested unless they are really wanting a Japanese star to boost their profile in the Far East. Personally I think Okada is the only guy currently working in Japan that could feasibly be a star in WWE.

 

[Gibby]

Okada was a flop in TNA, then again...TNA.

Haven't WWE just gone back on live TV in Japan again? Reeks of pragmatism rather than WWE desperate to give a former GHC champion a fair crack of the whip. The odds favour his failure but don't write off the fans of WWE who are becoming more attuned to 'in-ring personality' with plenty of intent and firepower, which KENTA has in buckets. Case-in-point would be Daniel Bryan, would it not? Hardly the best promo guy but fans just love the dude.

 

[tomthebodz]

I can't see this happening, mainly because of his size. It seems that WWE are starting to moving away from signing smaller wrestlers, no matter how talented they are.

I don't really want this to happen either, he'd just get given a stupid gimmick.

Has there ever been a successful Japanese wrestler in WWE?

 

[Best in the World]

Has there ever been a successful Japanese wrestler in WWE?

Tajiri would probably be the closest. Had a pretty interesting and fun to watch feud going with Mysterio, a couple decent sized reigns with the Cruiserweight Champion, a Tag Team Championship run with Eddie, among other things. He was probably treated the best out of the bunch... hell of a lot better than Ultimo... that's for sure...

That's of course, unless you count Antonio Inoki... in which case, yeah, Inoki was easily be the most successful Japanese wrestle be in contact with any part of the company (WWWF).