Current New Japan

[Zoo Enthusiast]

Was it worse than their ROH match from Mania weekend?

[klhare]

I thought it was better than that one but neither were great. 

[Migs]

This was the better match in the ring, but the heat wasn't as good because Kenny was so obviously winning. The ROH match had much better drama but an odd flow in the ring.

[C.S.]

Tough crowd.

I really liked Omega-Cody.

But yeah, I will agree that the outcome was never in doubt.

In fact, has Cody ever won a major singles match in New Japan?

I know he lost to Ibushi at WrestleKingdom. I'm not sure if he's had any main event-level singles matches in NJPW since then.

[benjaminkicks]

Omega, Ibushi, and Okada are Cody's only singles losses in New Japan. He has singles wins over Juice, Finlay, Elgin, Rocky Romero, and Ibushi in the WK rematch from Dontaku this year, all those in New Japan proper. He's beaten Ospreay, SANADA, Liger, and Hiromu on ROH crossover shows in the U.S.

[C.S.]

19 minutes ago, benjaminkicks said:

Omega, Ibushi, and Okada are Cody's only singles losses in New Japan. He has singles wins over Juice, Finlay, Elgin, Rocky Romero, and Ibushi in the WK rematch from Dontaku this year, all those in New Japan proper. He's beaten Ospreay, SANADA, Liger, and Hiromu on ROH crossover shows in the U.S. 

Thanks. So, he's doing pretty decently then. Do you think he'll ever be a future IWGP World Champion? I'm kind of skeptical.

[SirEdger]

Unless Cody makes NJPW his main promotion, I don't think this is happening.

[Mad Dog]

6 hours ago, C.S. said:

Thanks. So, he's doing pretty decently then. Do you think he'll ever be a future IWGP World Champion? I'm kind of skeptical.

I don’t think his inring work is good enough. I think he could be an IC mainstay if he worked there on a more regular basis. 

[C.S.]

Jim Ross legitimately injured?

http://wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0709/642563/jim-ross-suffers-possible-injury-during-njpw-g1-special-in-san/

That would explain the weird commentary bitching about barricade spots during the White-Robinson match and Josh Barnett inexplicably storming the ring.

Between the scary Cody table spot, Takahashi apparently breaking his neck, and now this, NJPW might need to tell its wrestlers to rein it in a bit.

 

[benjaminkicks]

12 hours ago, C.S. said:

Do you think he'll ever be a future IWGP World Champion?

I think New Japan only puts that belt on people who they perceive as draws in Japan, because no matter what time of year it is there's always at least one big show being headlined by the top belt. Cody is treated as a star there, and I think he's done a good job of getting himself over as a heel to the Japanese audience, but he's not a draw there the way Omega and Jericho are, or Styles was. 

I believe the company sees Cody primarily as a means of expanding in the US, where he is legitimately one of the biggest non-WWE stars on the scene. He doesn't need the top belt to help them grow in the States, especially not when they have other gaijin stars like Kenny, White, Juice, and Sabre who are actually signed to the company full time and are more over with the Japanese crowds than Cody is.

I'd say he's a no-brainer as a future United States Champion though, maybe even being the one to beat Juice to garner some heat.

[Migs]

25 minutes ago, benjaminkicks said:

I'd say he's a no-brainer as a future United States Champion though, maybe even being the one to beat Juice to garner some heat.

Yeah, in terms of New Japan, this would be a great spot for him. Second from the top at all the US shows, a star but not quite as high up in Japan.

[C.S.]

So, for a New Japan newbie, which belt is actually more important - IC. or U.S.? Or is it the same as WWE where they're both "equal"? (And thus equally meaningless.)

[Zoo Enthusiast]

The US title is really new.  Lots of great guys have held the IC.

[Childs]

Yeah, the IC title has been held by guys like Tanahashi, Nakamura and Naito, who are roughly on the same level as the IWGP champion. When they've done pairs of big shows in recent years, they often headline one with the IC title bout and the other with the IWGP.  

[Jmare007]

And to think the IC title started exactly like the current US belt. Once Nakamura won it, the whole status of the title began to change.

[klhare]

Except Omega was a star when he won, and MVP was... doing weird Chris Benoit tribute spots in the match when he won. 

[broccoman]

On 7/2/2018 at 1:45 PM, superkix said:

Where the heck is the Okada/Suzuki downpour match? 

They just posted it on NJPW world.

 

[SmartMark15]

I'm sure there are still going to be some detractors here but after the US Title match in San Francisco and the G1 match against Okada, I'm pretty much sold on Jay White.

[fakeplastictrees]

I am with you. The guy works hard. The Tanahashi match was the pits. The next big match I saw featuring White was him against Hangman Page were both guys were trying to kill themselves and each other in front of a San Francisco crowd that couldn't care less. Both guys, who I was never high on, earned my respect that night. White then took it home in his G1 Special build up and match against Juice. I'm surprised he went from 'fire this guy' status to top ten NJPW attraction in my book.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

He still doesn’t do much for me.  I’ve seen Okada get a good match out of Bad Luck Fale so that match didn’t do much to sway me toward being a Jay White fan.  I skipped the G1 Special but Juice is terrific so I’m not surprised if they had a pretty good match, too.  I thought the Okada match was MOTN but otherwise that the show was mostly skippable outside of that and Suzuki/Tanahashi.

[Alucard]

6 hours ago, fakeplastictrees said:

I am with you. The guy works hard. The Tanahashi match was the pits. The next big match I saw featuring White was him against Hangman Page were both guys were trying to kill themselves and each other in front of a San Francisco crowd that couldn't care less. Both guys, who I was never high on, earned my respect that night. White then took it home in his G1 Special build up and match against Juice. I'm surprised he went from 'fire this guy' status to top ten NJPW attraction in my book.

Same here, highly enjoyed that match with Hangman and found both impressive that night.

[C.S.]

Jay White is someone I instantly disliked but have no logical reason why. He certainly tore down the house with Juice in the match I saw.

[Boss Rock]

I thought the Okada match was very good and when you see his matches against Juice and Finlay, he might start turning it around.

[Gutenberger]

I hated Elgin in night 1. His arm got SO destroyed at the beginning, and by the end of it, all his selling was reduced to touching it a couple of time. This really took me otu of it for a while. 

Sadly, this is my biggest take away from the show. Other than liking Jay White, who I've seen two matches from (G1 Climax and this) and I like pretty much all about him, from looks to matches.

[William Bologna]

Elgin is terrible at every single aspect of pro wrestling other than being strong (and look, he's got barbells on his gear!). I sincerely believe that he is the worst guy on the NJPW roster.