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It’s like y’all forget he had the white IC belt for a bit recently too and did almost zero with that. He’s completely serviceable but the IWGP title choke streak is more “lol Goto” than sad. Suzuki is understandable, he’s supposed to be a credible heel outsider so that means not a champion in waiting, but Goto is now almost just worst-case-scenario Naito.
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Dec 21, 2017 02:49
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Goto and to a lesser extent Sanada have the same problem with being these stoic, serious characters who lack some kind of defining edge like Ishii (being all world at selling) or Shibata (legitimate looking offense, facial expressions... this can be a longer list). I think Goto needs a complete makeover both in character and approach to psychology. Sanada needs to make some tweaks but doesn't need a top to bottom refresh.
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Dec 21, 2017 03:17
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The crowd at last years G1 final being more for Kenny tells you a lot as to why Goto will never be IWGP champion though who knows what a tour of Mexico could do for him!
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Dec 21, 2017 03:48
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I Before E posted:Chokey Hirooki
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Dec 21, 2017 04:10
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I really hope they pull the trigger on Naito and give him a decent title run. You could invent a dozen reasons not to give Okada an immediate rematch. Maybe you have LIJ take him out on New Years Dash, or have Naito do the Suzuki thing and just refuse to give him a rematch until he's earned it. I just love Naito so loving much so it hurts that his only title run was like 2 or 3 months and he beat Ishii and then immediately lost to Okada again.
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Dec 21, 2017 04:36
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SalTheBard posted:I really hope they pull the trigger on Naito and give him a decent title run. You could invent a dozen reasons not to give Okada an immediate rematch. Maybe you have LIJ take him out on New Years Dash, or have Naito do the Suzuki thing and just refuse to give him a rematch until he's earned it. I just love Naito so loving much so it hurts that his only title run was like 2 or 3 months and he beat Ishii and then immediately lost to Okada again. I'm team Okada as a fan but it's hard to fight the tide on this one. There's a lot more interesting ideas out there with Naito as champion. Okada has had a historically great run but it does feel like the time has come.
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Dec 21, 2017 04:39
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I'd give Naito the belt for six months and go to Omega because it'd probably slightly annoy Naito fans that NJPW won't make him the guy and somehow get him even more over.
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Dec 21, 2017 04:42
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I Before E posted:Chokey Hirooki is the best gimmick and I hope he never wins the big one Goto starts coming out wearing a Scott Norwood jersey.
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Dec 21, 2017 05:07
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MassRafTer posted:I'd give Naito the belt for six months and go to Omega because it'd probably slightly annoy Naito fans that NJPW won't make him the guy and somehow get him even more over. I agree Naito is best when he has reason to feel like he's being hosed over. That's why I think Jericho is a good challenger for the US shows. Giving Naito a 47 year old outsider who is 0-1 in 2018 would be a good source of righteous indignation.
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Dec 21, 2017 05:11
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I hope if Naito wins they don't trot Goto out too early as a challenger to give him some credibility. I like Goto more than most but I just don't buy him as a top contender anymore without a good run of wins or some changes in his presentation.
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Dec 21, 2017 05:19
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I never went back and watched the G1 Final because I was traveling back from vacation. I'm 10 minutes in and 
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Dec 21, 2017 05:27
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I think Suzuki probably is a good first challenger for Naito cause he still has an air of being legit and a LIJ/Suzuki Gun feud will be unique. Than you go into Jericho and maybe Sanada/Evil as the New Japan Cup winner before..Ibushi and Omega.
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Dec 21, 2017 05:30
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30 minutes in. 
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Dec 21, 2017 05:41
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SatoshiMiwa posted:I think Suzuki probably is a good first challenger for Naito cause he still has an air of being legit and a LIJ/Suzuki Gun feud will be unique. Than you go into Jericho and maybe Sanada/Evil as the New Japan Cup winner before..Ibushi and Omega. I don't like Suzuki that much but that sounded pretty good until I realized how bad LIJ and The Goon would make it.
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Dec 21, 2017 05:44
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MassRafTer posted:I'd give Naito the belt for six months and go to Omega because it'd probably slightly annoy Naito fans that NJPW won't make him the guy and somehow get him even more over. Six months would also put him in Osaka, where they despise him and after last Dominion idolize Kenny, so it wouldn't surprise me if this is literally the booking to 1) pop the building and 2) give them a whole plethora of options for WK 13 to work with in the second half of the year. Plus your thesis that the title being ripped away from him only getting Naito more over in every other city in the country would like 110% happen. Chinston Wurchill posted:I hope if Naito wins they don't trot Goto out too early as a challenger to give him some credibility. I like Goto more than most but I just don't buy him as a top contender anymore without a good run of wins or some changes in his presentation. Well, let's see: depending on how they shake the schedule out, there'll be defenses at New Beginning in Sapporo, at Sakura Genesis, at the 46th Anniversary show if there is one (sometimes the anniversary is just celebrated at the New Japan Cup), at Strong Style Evolved, at Wrestling Dontaku, and at Dominion before a long break due to the G1 and a defense at King of Pro-Wrestling to decide who carries the belt into the Dome in 2019. We will, for the sake of simplicity, assume Omega is his challenger at Dominion. Sakura Genesis will be the defense against the New Japan Cup winner. Strong Style Evolved, if we're going to go off of the sniping that Naito and Jericho are doing on twitter and in the press, will probably be Jericho. Fale also technically has a shot lined up because of his win over Naito in the G1 (he would normally have challenged for the briefcase at Power Struggle, but they decided against two defenses this year for whatever reason). I have this wary feeling that Fale's going to lay out Naito at New Year's Dash to get that defense out of the way at New Beginning. So: New Beginning - Fale Sakura Genesis - NJC winner, maybe Juice? I literally can't think of who could win the Cup this year. Strong Style Evolved - Jericho Wrestling Dontaku - ??? Probably the NJC runner-up, that's how Fale got the title shot this year Dominion - Omega
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Dec 21, 2017 05:58
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If I had to guess, and I'm very bearish on Jericho working anything but the dome: New Beginning: MiSu (running a whole LIJ vs. SZGN deal) Sega Genesis: whoever, this could be Goto, ZSJ if the stable angle is still going, Fale's a candidate here, etc... Long Beach: Cody Wrestling Dontaku: Ibushi. Ishii might be a candidate here as well, also at Genesis. Dominion: Omega
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Dec 21, 2017 06:06
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The Cameo posted:New Beginning - Fale I would do New Beginning - Ishii Sakura Genesis - Sanada (acknowledging they don't like doing inter-faction matches, but I think this helps everyone involved) Strong Style Evolved - Jericho (good choice here although I'd hope they don't do Kenny/Ibushi as a semi-main on this show) Dontaku - Suzuki Dominion: Omega, drops the belt. I'm kind of done with Fale challenges like I'm done with Goto challenges.
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Dec 21, 2017 06:06
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The New Beginning- Toru Yano, drop title to YTR in 3 minutes after low blows and a cradle
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Dec 21, 2017 06:16
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^^ That would be worth it if only for the March of Champions video to, if just once, end with Yano doing his v v pose with the IWGP title on his shoulderThat could be possible, but I honestly can't see Sanada getting anywhere near an IWGP challenge until he sprouts a personality. There's dry, there's sand, and then there's SANADA. Not to mention he'll probably still be tag champ at the Cup, which might dismiss him from eligibility since he could potentially defend that title on the same card? I dunno, depends on what they book. But I can easily see him not being in the tournament (they literally had Ishii/Yano drop the straps like six days before the Cup this year, but they were a late addition to the tag title match they won the titles in anyway). I mean the clear outset from WK this year will be "LIJ dominates the company by holding all the major gold (sorry Bushi)" with the IWGP, tag, and Jr. belts. The question is how long they run with that. Maybe they'll remember the point of the NEVER Openweight and have Bushi challenge Goto for the belt post-Kingdom. The Cameo fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Dec 21, 2017 |
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Dec 21, 2017 06:20
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sigmachiev posted:I would do I'm totally down with this.
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Dec 21, 2017 06:20
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Pinwiz11 posted:30 minutes in. Goddamn did the G1 rule this year.
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Dec 21, 2017 06:43
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Jerusalem posted:Goddamn did the G1 rule this year. Yeah, G-1 made Juice. There was that video package that they put together for him that pretty much sold me on the guy, but seeing him literally fight through some of those matches was incredible. I mean both Naito, Okada and Omega all had command performance runs through the gauntlet but Juice was the one that got me most excited.
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Dec 21, 2017 07:06
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The New Japan Cup winner can challenge for the IC belt at Sakura Genesis, right? I can kinda see that happening if they're going to do a title defence at Strong Style Evolved. I hope Naito's New Beginning defence is at Osaka. He deserves to walk out in his first defence as champion and rub it in those people's faces
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Dec 21, 2017 07:30
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The New Japan Cup winner can challenge for the NEVER, IC, or IWGP titles. But why would you choose either of the other two without some deep personal vendetta against a titleholder pushing you away from potentially becoming IWGP champion And even with a deep personal vendetta, you can still rub it in your rival's face that he has the less prestigious title if you win the top belt anyway. Also we're assuming that the IWGP title gets defended at Strong Style Evolved. It might be headlined with a US title match, since presumably the whole event will be promoted on the back of Kenny (which might be why people are thinking that's where they pull the Omega/Ibushi trigger?) given his box office appeal in the States. A lot of that stuff is up in the air, actually, now that I think about it. Like Naito will be on the card, but in a multi-man match involving his Sakura Genesis opponent, could be a potential thing that happens. This US show happening really complicates things since Sakura Genesis would be roughly two weeks later, being the big spring PPV and all. I could see them splitting the title defenses between the two shows - like NEVER Trios, Jr. tag, NEVER title, and US title at SSE, and Heavy tag, Jr. title, IC, and IWGP at SG. But anyway, Naito could potentially defend the IWGP belt at New Beginning Osaka. It might be a bit of a coin flip for which belt gets defended where, and I imagine Sapporo got it in 2017 because it was a new event for the area and they wanted to max their potential ticket sales with what was a hot match of Okada/Suzuki in his first singles match back. It'll all depend on who they think can draw against Jay White since Osaka's a pretty safe town to run, being Japanese wrestling's equivalent to Toronto, crowd-wise. But that's somewhat dependent on how well White gets over at the Dome (because I very much doubt Tanahashi retains, especially with how they're having him sell the Blade Runner like death). If he's over and they figure out a hot feud to run with, he can headline Sapporo. If not, they'll definitely run the IWGP title match there and do the IC match in Osaka since the crowd there will be at least dependably invested, one way or another. That said, they also haven't run the IWGP match on the second show since the first year they started doing two shows for New Beginning (in 2014). Osaka just happened to be the first show of the two in 2015 and 2016. They do have a tendency on multi-day shows with the IWGP and IC belts being defended to have the IWGP get defended on the first night and the IC the second, for whatever reason. They did it with the G1 Special, too. I have no idea if it's just a coincidence or if there's some greater thought process behind booking things that way that I'm just not seeing (particularly if it's multi-city, multi-day). Either way, Osaka is the second show again this year.
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Dec 21, 2017 08:59
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Well until Tanahashi's arthritis came out, I kinda expected he would retain because having the third young lion(s) come back and immediately win a title story in a row would feel a bit repetitive, then having Jay get a rematch and revenge maybe by winning the Cup. Now I'm not too sure, but still not entirely convinced that Tanahashi won't retain. Sapporo is also two days this year, so they need to have two headliners in Sapporo then one in Osaka.
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Dec 21, 2017 09:10
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I Before E posted:Chokey Hirooki is the best gimmick and I hope he never wins the big one This is true. The more Goto loses the more I like him. I hope he continues to choke forever. If he ever wins the big one it should be when he's near 50, and hopefully real fat, cuz the best things a wrestler can ever bare fat and old.
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Dec 21, 2017 09:20
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  Kitamura runs the table to win the first YLC in 12 years Thauros fucked around with this message at 12:07 on Dec 21, 2017 |
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Dec 21, 2017 11:54
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Good for Kitamura. I like his shark teeth and roided out physique.
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Dec 21, 2017 12:07
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Kitamura by clean sweep is an excellent choice. he is likely to survive at least the first three heart attacks
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Dec 21, 2017 14:14
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Does the banner say "Big K, Evolving Monster!!" or can I not see it clearly?
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Dec 21, 2017 15:50
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coconono posted:Yeah, G-1 made Juice. There was that video package that they put together for him that pretty much sold me on the guy, but seeing him literally fight through some of those matches was incredible. I need to find the interview where he was in the midst of his increasingly despairing interviews where he started to analyze and doubt the tactical worth of his own finisher, which is something I'd never really seen before. "It takes too long, guys. Gotta hook 'em, and I can get punched! And then I spin him around, and my whole back is vulnerable! It's got so many problems...but when I hit it, it's so effective!" My buddy and I straight up marked out when he finally got a pin. He sold it so perfectly. HOOOOOOOOOOLY poo poo.
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Dec 21, 2017 16:13
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Draxion posted:Does the banner say "Big K, Evolving Monster!!" or can I not see it clearly? that's exactly what it says 
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Dec 21, 2017 16:57
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also juice cut some incredible underdog babyface promos in the G1 - https://www.facebook.com/newjapaneng/videos/vb.223424251051774/1516640155063504/?type=2&theater
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Dec 21, 2017 16:59
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Kitamura is going to be so over in CMLL.
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Dec 21, 2017 17:01
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MassRafTer posted:Kitamura is going to be so over in CMLL.
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Dec 21, 2017 17:08
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how could i ever cheer against a guy who gets to choose exactly one distinguishing characteristic as a young boy and picks goddamn vampire teeth
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Dec 21, 2017 17:42
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The Cameo posted:Also we're assuming that the IWGP title gets defended at Strong Style Evolved. It might be headlined with a US title match, since presumably the whole event will be promoted on the back of Kenny (which might be why people are thinking that's where they pull the Omega/Ibushi trigger?) given his box office appeal in the States. A lot of that stuff is up in the air, actually, now that I think about it. Like Naito will be on the card, but in a multi-man match involving his Sakura Genesis opponent, could be a potential thing that happens. This US show happening really complicates things since Sakura Genesis would be roughly two weeks later, being the big spring PPV and all. I could see them splitting the title defenses between the two shows - like NEVER Trios, Jr. tag, NEVER title, and US title at SSE, and Heavy tag, Jr. title, IC, and IWGP at SG. Assuming that Long Beach is a double-shot like last year, I'd go Naito/Cody to main day 1, which furthers the eventual Bullet Club breakup and sets the stage for Naito/Omega down the road, and day 2 run Omega/Ishii for the US (Ishii goes over to free Kenny for his eventual IWGP challenge) and Bucks/R3K in a ladder match for the Jr tag belts. Bucks deserve a headlining match for the work they've done, I don't think they could go vs. R3K straight up but make it a gimmick match and you could get away with it. Maybe.
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Dec 21, 2017 18:17
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Kitamura needs to start yelling fangin and bangin in Japanese.
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Dec 21, 2017 18:31
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C. Everett Koop posted:Assuming that Long Beach is a double-shot like last year, I'd go Naito/Cody to main day 1, which furthers the eventual Bullet Club breakup and sets the stage for Naito/Omega down the road, and day 2 run Omega/Ishii for the US (Ishii goes over to free Kenny for his eventual IWGP challenge) and Bucks/R3K in a ladder match for the Jr tag belts. Bucks deserve a headlining match for the work they've done, I don't think they could go vs. R3K straight up but make it a gimmick match and you could get away with it. Maybe. It's one night.
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Dec 21, 2017 18:53
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MassRafTer posted:It's one night. welp enjoy curtain jerking again bucks
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Dec 21, 2017 20:39
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