Two New Signed

[ShinChan]

We’re only one week into the televised Cruiserweight Classic, and PWTorch.com is reporting that tournament stand-outs Kota Ibushi and Gran Metalik have signed contracts with WWE NXT.

Ibushi, 34, has been with New Japan since 2009 and over the last few years has become one of the top pro wrestlers in the world. He is a three-time IWGP Jr. Heavywight Champion, a former Best of the Super Juniors winner, and won the New Japan Cup in 2015. He was voted the “Best Flying Wrestler” four times in five years by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and at the 2015 Wrestle Kingdom pay-per-view, wrestled the match of the year against Shinsuke Nakamura.

Gran Metalik, 27, better known as Mascara Dorada, has been a staple of the CMLL promotion for several years, as well as working tours with New Japan.

Ibushi and Metalik are just the first two in what will likely be a long string of new signings for NXT in the coming days and weeks. Several other top names, including Cedric Alexander and Zack Sabre Jr. are also expected to be offered contracts, if they haven’t been already.

Really excited for these guys. Due to brand extension, major names of NxT are expected to be called up to main roster. These new signings could easily fill that void in NxT in future.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The problem they're going to have is simply learning English, though they'll be able to get the hang of it if given enough time.

Metalik had a good showing for himself, which I figured that he would as he already has all the various in-ring ability. I'm not at all surprised that Ibushi has signed as I figured that it'd already happened or was going to happen since he was actually shown on-screen with his interpreter at the NXT TakeOver: Dallas event. Ibushi has been considered among the top high flyers in pro wrestling for a long time now; that coupled with his preferences for kicking & striking gives him a highly energetic in-ring style.

As I alluded to, the language barrier is an obstacle for some top talent but when it's all said & done, it's an issue that'll have to be addressed sooner or later. With so much potentially great talent out there in the world, I get the feeling that Triple H is aware that wrestling is going to reach a point where 99% of WWE's can't just be counted on to come from the United States, Canada or the UK.

 

[OYDK]

This tells me that we won't see Shinsuke Nakamura on the main roster anytime soon. No way they're not going to go for Ibushi/Nakamura somewhere down the road and, if I'm being honest, there's no reason to bring Shinsuke up yet. He'll probably beat Joe for the title at Takeover Brooklyn and have a lengthy reign while Joe gets the call to the main roster.

WWE needs somebody to take over for Finn Balor as the "icon" of NXT and right now, Shinsuke's the only one who can legitimately take that spot from him.

As for Dorada, I think he's going to have a tough time of it. The NXT crowd really doesn't seem to be as familiar with the Mexican promotions/stars as they are with the American indies and NJPW. Andrade Almas is stark proof of that. Plus he'll undoubtedly have to deal with the Rey Mysterio comparisons and that's not good for anybody. Ibushi will probably be alright in NXT but as JH said, his lack of English will likely hurt him eventually. The crowd will pop for him for a few months and than turn once they realize he can't cut a promo for them.

 

[Papa Pillman]

As for Dorada, I think he's going to have a tough time of it. The NXT crowd really doesn't seem to be as familiar with the Mexican promotions/stars as they are with the American indies and NJPW.

The problem with this assessment is that it ignores the fact that Mascara Dorada left CMLL for New Japan, and had been fulltime with New Japan since the fall of 2014. He challenged for the IWGP junior belt at Invasion attack last year, and went 5-2 during last year's Best of the Super Juniors, while working nearly every NJPW tour in 2015 and being heavily featured during the last couple co-promoted Fantasticamania tours. If the NXT crowd is as familiar with NJPW as you indicate, they would surely be highly familiar with Dorada(which I would argue that they in fact are).

 

[OYDK]

The problem with this assessment is that it ignores the fact that Mascara Dorada left CMLL for New Japan, and had been fulltime with New Japan since the fall of 2014. He challenged for the IWGP junior belt at Invasion attack last year, and went 5-2 during last year's Best of the Super Juniors, while working nearly every NJPW tour in 2015 and being heavily featured during the last couple co-promoted Fantasticamania tours. If the NXT crowd is as familiar with NJPW as you indicate, they would surely be highly familiar with Dorada(which I would argue that they in fact are).

Oh shit, my bad. I knew he made the odd appearance for NJPW but I didn't know he actually signed full-time. I am very behind with everything not WWE related right now.

 

[MoRtAnDaD]

Im actually very excited about these signings. Lets just go back 5 years ago, who would've imagine all these great pro wrestlers being part of WWE. Balor, Nakamura, Joe, Ibushi, Owens, Zayn, Rollins.

I think that WWE (mostly due to HHH having a word now) has opened to the pro wrestling world again, and they are looking for great talent and not just great bodies.