49 replies to this topic

[ChaosLex]

Any New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) fans out there? As dumb as WWE has been as of late (refusing to stop the push of Roman Reigns, pushing jobbers such as Jinder Mahal into the World Title picture, etc.), it feels good to know there's a company out there serious about its product and dedicated to its fans.

 

Not only do they air reruns of NJPW shows on AXS every Friday night (commentary by Jim Ross and Josh Barnett), but they're expanding into the US market as well this summer. And speaking of the Friday night show, there's talk that the time between when the matches are filmed and when they're aired might become shorter starting with the shows film in the US market this summer.

 

If you're a wrestling fan and you're not watching NJPW, you're missing out. Between Kazuchika Okada (arguably the best wrester in the world), Tetsuya Naito (arguably the greatest heel wrestler in the world), Hiroshi Tanahashi (the aging, ultra popular John Cena-esque workhorse), Kenny Omega (leader of the Bullet Club and "The Elite," just ranked behind Okada as the best wrestler in the world), etc., their roster is topnotch. And hell, two of WWE's most popular wrestlers, A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, were both purged from there.

 

Abso-freakin-lutely Phenomenal!

[The Epic]

Well, you already knew, but I'll tell you anyway.

 

I'll watch WK, as well as one-offs. The wrestling is so much better there than anywhere else. For real.

[ChaosLex]

I will say I'm sorry to hear about Katsuyori Shibata's possible (probably) career ending injury in his IWGP Heavyweight Championship match with Kazuchika Okada. After no-selling Okada's Rainmaker finisher, Shibata gave him a *real* headbutt that led to a subdermal hematoma. It's said the fact that the match had already gone on for 30+ minutes didn't help matters either as he was severely dehydrated. Ugh!

[Mike in STL]

When I watched that Kenny Omega match from WK, wasn't that his last one in NJP, and was rumored to be coming to WWE? Did he end up staying there?

[ChaosLex]

No, he re-upped with NJPW on a short-term deal. Rumor is him and the Young Bucks (w/ ROH) contracts might expire at the same time, so The Elite could possibly be WWE-bound sometime in 2018.

[ChaosLex]

This is a .GIF of the aforementioned Shibata headbutt that likely ended his career. Again, this is not a work. Just brutal...

 

http://whatculture.c...e-week-april-16

[ChaosLex]

It's for shows like this that I subscribe to NJPWorld. It's basically the same price as WWE Network. The only problem is that if you wanna watch the events live, you better set your alarm for 2:00am.

http://www.f4wonline...s-lineup-234806

[ChaosLex]

Yeah, the Dominion show in June is going to be lit.

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[Mike in STL]

Yeah, the Dominion show in June is going to be lit.

Is that Cody Rhodes?

[ChaosLex]

Is that Cody Rhodes?

Indeed it is.

Okada (CHAOS) vs. Omega (Bullet Club) for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Naito (Los Ingobernables) vs. Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Suzuki (Suzuki-gun) vs. Goto (CHAOS) for the NEVER Openweight Championship

Elgin vs. Cody (Bullet Club)

War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny (Bullet Club) for the IWGP Tag Team Championship

Roppongi Vice (CHAOS) vs. Young Bucks (Bullet Club) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

[ChaosLex]

https://411mania.com...cast-on-axs-tv/

[ChaosLex]

http://411mania.com/...-finals-review/

 

Kushida won the Finals of the Super Juniors tournament over Will O'Spreay. Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer gave the match five stars, the fourth such match to earn this distinction in 2017 for NJPW. Insane!

 

Kushida will now go on to face Hiromu "Timebomb" Takahashi for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion at the Dominion show on Sunday (early morning).

 

 

[ChaosLex]

Omega and Okada just wrestled to a 1-hour time limit draw. It's said to be just as good, if not better, than their match at January's Wrestle Kingdom (the match that Dave Meltzer rated 6 stars). Insane!

[ChaosLex]

Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega 2 shattered Dave Meltzer's rating system, getting an unprecedented 6 1/4 stars. He says it's the greatest match of all-time. Wow!

 

http://whatculture.c...r-rating-system

 

 

[DuffMan]

Do they have any matches like this?

 

[ChaosLex]

LMAO

 

The guy tapping is Minoru Suzuki their current NEVER Openweight Champion. Don't let the goofy haircut fool you though. He's a legitimate shoot fighter, probably the 2nd biggest badass in wrestling next to Brock Lesnar.

[ChaosLex]

http://whatculture.c...kazuchika-okada

[ChaosLex]

The G1 Special in USA will air live tonight on AXS. I believe it's from 8:00pm until midnight although there's extra time in case it goes longer.

 

Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Marty "The Villain" Scurll, the Young Bucks and Yijiro Takahashi)

vs. 

Briscoe Brothers and Chaos members (Roppongi Vice and Will Ospreay)

 

Jushin Thunder Liger and CMLL stars (Dragon Lee, Titan and Volador Jr.)

vs.

Los Ingobernables de Japan (Bushi, Evil, Hiromu Takahashi and Sanada)

 

Hangman Page

vs.

Jay Lethal

 

Juice Robinson (how in the hell did WWE let this guy go?)

vs.

Zack Sabre Jr.

 

Jay White and Taguchi Japan (David Finlay, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kushida)

vs.

Hunter Club and Tempura Boyz

 

Guerillas of Destiny

vs.

War Machine (currently free agents, might be WWE-bound soon shortly)

 

Tetsuya Naito

vs.

Tomohiro Ishii

 

Kenny Omega

vs.

Michael Elgin

 

Kazuchika Okada

vs.

Cody

 

Both the Guerillas of Destiny/War Machine and Kazuchika Okada/Cody matches are for the IWGP Tag Team Championship and IWGP Heavyweight Championship, respectively. The other single matches the first round of a tournament to decide the first IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.

 

You should watch the show for the last two matches alone as Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada are the two best wrestlers in the world today. Their 1-hour draw earlier this month has some people (including Dave Meltzer) calling it the best match they've ever seen.

[ChaosLex]

http://whatculture.c...sable-this-year

[ChaosLex]

Only one match from the past decade by WWE (Cena-CM Punk) has been rated 5 stars by Dave Meltzer. Cripes!

http://whatculture.c...to-dave-meltzer