new japan wrestling

[erickman]

it starts on axs ch tonight at 10 est after impact.

[Sepholio]

it starts on axs ch tonight at 10 est after impact.

Nice. Gonna have to czech it out.

[Sepholio]

Is it just regular NJPW content with english commentary? Or is it a seperate division with its own program?

[erickman]

that's what i am thinking wonder who they get hope jr is one of them

[Mr. Nerfect]

Is it just regular NJPW content with english commentary? Or is it a seperate division with its own program?

I think it’s the former. NJPW Strong is the English division show. I watched my first full episode the other day. I have to say I rather enjoyed it. Not enough to go on a binge, but enough to maybe watch one a week.

Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov were outstanding on commentary (especially Kelly). The first match had this LA Dojo guy named Alex Coughlin, who looked like a million bucks. He wrestled some dude named Bateman who could do all the moves, but was way too indy for me.

Then they did a tag between Karl Fredericks and Brody King against Danny Limelight and JR Kratos. It was fine. Limelight is good in the ring. The big guys are just big guys who slap each other lots. Fredericks is supposed to be really impressive, but he was just there. The booking was clearly designed to get him over though, and it worked as a middle of the show thing for that.

The main event was Fred Rosser against Hikuleo in a No DQ Match, which was hyped so well as something they don’t usually do, and why they are doing it now. I absolutely detested Darren Young in the WWE, but he was fantastic here. He’s kept at it, worked hard, and you can feel the other talent’s respect for him. His psychology was there, he talked trash when appropriate and not too much. It actually channelled some of the Roman Reigns stuff on SmackDown in subtle ways, which was smart (Rosser would call Hikuleo “Uss” and about how he respected what his extended family has done for wrestling, etc.). But it wasn’t too on the nose. The match structure was great. There was a great spot where they were brawling in a truck, Hikuleo went to slam the back on Rosser, but Rosser got out of the way and was in the truck. Hikuleo had to open the back to get to him, but was like “oh shit” because he knew Rosser was waiting for him. He opened it and sure enough Rosser dived right out onto him.

They kept times, had corners (don’t know if this is a hard and fast rule, but generally I find New Japan puts faces in the red and heels in the blue — so that can be a useful storytelling device too) and it flowed from match-to-match well. Overall, NJPW Strong got my seal of approval.

[Mr. Nerfect]

that's what i am thinking wonder who they get hope jr is one of them

Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton handle a lot of it these days, I think. I thought Rocky Romero did a bit, but he seems to be off that listing. Maybe he’s just a talent now? Alex Koslov is the other English language guy.

[Fignuts]

I imagine it's just going to be Kevin Kelly and that other guy that translates japanese.

[erickman]

just saw preview it is a rerun of jerico vs kenny o

[Jordan]

just saw preview it is a rerun of jerico vs kenny o

No.....:(

[Jordan]

NJPW Returns March 3rd they said. I guess it's replays of the AEW crew until then!

[erickman]

guess it will take a month to edit the jan shows

[erickman]

ok tonight it starts

[Mr. Nerfect]

I just watched an episode of NJPW Strong. I did a big write-up on it but lost it, haha. Oh well.

It wasn’t easy. Last time I kind of liked it. Fred Rosser and Hikuleo had a really good brawl. This week kind of sucked. A bunch of meaningless tags with no psychology. I did a big write-up about how way too many guys are playing babyface and heel without actually doing anything to draw emotion out of people.

Kevin Kelly is a really great announcer. A lot of their wrestlers have really good looks. The guy who always stands out to me is Clark Connors, and this week he was just in the intro to the show. But that guy’s got something.

[Mr. Nerfect]

NWA totally mopped the floor with them this week.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Don’t know why I came back, but I’m giving New Japan Strong another chance this week:

* Kevin Kelly a really good commentator still. This was taped for around Labor Day last year.

* Love Josh Alexander. He’s so good. He’s wrestling Daniel Garcia, who looks hilarious. Like a shrunken Fandango.

* Garcia can do the holds and stuff, but his psychology fucking sucks. He keeps going to run the ropes by turning his back to Alexander and Alexander just grabs him and does something to him every single time, lol. Stop that bad fucking habit.

* Josh Alexander is really good. Needs to be said again. Daniel Garcia is boring.

* TJP vs. Rey Horus. Thinking about skipping this because of TJP.

* Match is so boring. TJP is just standing there waiting for Horus to dive onto him with a flying body scissors and Kevin Kelly has to cover it up.

* TJP cuts an awful promo after the match. Something about a good wrestler never having two bad matches in a row, and a great wrestler never having a bad match. He says he’s never had a bad match. He just did. The goal of wrestling is not to have a good match anyway. Fuck this idiot.

* Matt Morris vs. Hikuleo. Was interested to see Morris. He does some things very well, but other things just aren’t there. I can see why WWE moved him out of the ring. He’s trying to work like he’s Shawn Michaels or something, and he just isn’t.

* I was impressed by Hikuleo in the brawl against Fred Rosser. Not so much here. He’s clunky and awkward. He’s got potential, but Morris was not the guy to bring it out.

Overall a VERY boring show. So many guys in New Japan really need to work on their psychology. Alexander was easily the best guy on this show. He and Kevin Kelly are the most professional things about it. Morris and Hikuleo wasn’t insulting, I guess.