I hope Tana wins now. I would really love to see Tanahashi and Jericho one on one on Dynamite or AEW PPV.

I am re-watching some of Dave's matches rated over 5 stars this year. I wanted to say Ospreay is amazing.

But with that said Takagi/Ospreay Super Junior Finals is the MOTY. It's like everything all in one match.

One thing that would make NJPW so much better to me would be if they would just subtitle everything for me that is spoken or written in Japanese so I can know everything.

Ospreay easily wrestler of the year. A similar year to Kenny in '18 but maybe even better.

My wrestling dream is that AEW and NJPW to end up working together. That they end up doing an invasion angle that actually works. They can invade both ways and they can do it for like a year or more. All leading up to a giant PPV at Jaguars Stadium, AEW vs NJPW.

I've yet to decide my plan for Wrestle Kingdom. I've watched live two years in a row now and those were on work nights, but I wanted to watch live because I didn't trust being able to stay spoiler-free all day.

With it being a weekend there's no reason I can't just fire up the show once I wake up...but I'll miss out on discussing the show live which has been a blast.

Been thinking the same thing. Either set the alarm clock at 2:30 and wake up. Or, just wake up, have a nice breakfast, and watch late and make a morning of it.

According to the Observer, the reason for NJPW's removal from AXS TV is due to them refusing an ultimatum from Anthem.

Anthem demanded them to start a working partnership with Impact Wrestling in order to keep their show on AXS TV or be punished.

NJPW refused and Anthem kicked them off the network as punishment.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On the new Observer Radio, Dave outright says that Anthem told NJPW they could stay on AXS if they started a working relationship with Impact. NJPW said no and so they got the boot.</p>&mdash; Trevor Dame (@TrevorDame) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrevorDame/status/1212849386113228801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Think something weird and big is coming at Wrestle Kingdom. I don’t know why. Just got a feeling in my bones, I guess. And I’m not talking about a partnership with AEW. Think it’s more surreal.

New Japan really losing out double on that blackmail deal because now they wont be able to bring in hot fresh acts like.... uh... Disco Inferno? Rob Van Dam? Johnny Swinger?

Even if you discount the whole past relationship disaster, Impact has absolutely nothing to offer New Japan. Well, aside from a shitty TV deal apparently.

"What the hell are these Japanese fans doing in the Impact Zone?!"

"Is that... oh my God, it's Okato! The former X division competitor has returned to challenge Tessa Blanchard!"

Night 1 starts at 2 AM Eastern, Night 2 at 12 AM.

Damn. I have a bunch to do on Saturday so if I want to watch both shows live I'm basically gonna have to be up for a day and a half straight. MAYBE I can sneak a 2-3 hour nap in before night 2 if I'm lucky lol.

I really want to try and watch it live.

Assuming both shows are around 5 hours, Night 2 starting at midnight is great for me personally.

Wonder if NJPW did the different hours because they didn't want to burn out their US audience with three major early morning shows in a row.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This means a chance for (legit) over 40,000 <a href="https://t.co/GJez3JbOtU">https://t.co/GJez3JbOtU</a></p>&mdash; Voices of Wrestling (@voiceswrestling) <a href="https://twitter.com/voiceswrestling/status/1213168412685414407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When does it start, what time

2am Jack!

As discussed in other posts, Goto/Ishii vs Shingo/EVIL at New Years Dash was dope.

<iframe width="1019" height="573" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EX8VuXU5-Dg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

NJPW is going to lose another Dad :(

Manabu Nakanishi retiring February 22nd

I didn't mind KENTA ruining Naito's crowning moment but leaving him laying on the mat at both WK and New Year Dash has me worried that only Gedo's boys get to be booked strong as champion. I get that the idea will be that Naito is gonna slap the piss out of him at New Beginning at least so it should be okay.

So unbelievably hyped for Suzuki vs Moxley. I'd like to see Ospreay going for the US title at some point too.

Nagata better be conducting interviews with others to quickly find a new fall guy for him for my TPWW NJPW Survivor's sake.

Nagata has already dumped Nakanishi and is teaming with Kojima on the New Beginning USA tour.

Nakanishi is teaming with Tenzan back in Japan... against Makabe and his numerous partners.

Also Nagata must have taken the news very badly because hes challenging Lance Archer in a singles match on the 26th.

I am going to cry when Nakanishi pins Makabe on the 25th.

Goto & Ishii NEED to win World Tag League this year :rant:

New Beginning cards announced, here are the matches of import:

The New Beginning in Sapporo, Night 1 (2/1/20):

NEVER Openweight Title: Hirooki Goto [CHAOS] (V1 defense) vs. Shingo Takagi [LIJ]
Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL
Kazuchika Okada/Jon Moxley [CHAOS/AEW] vs. Minoru Suzuki/Taichi [Suzuki-gun]
Tetsuya Naito/SANADA [LIJ] vs. Jay White/KENTA [Bullet Club]
Ryu Lee/Ryusuke Taguchi [Main Unit] vs. Hiromu Takahashi/BUSHI [LIJ]

The New Beginning in Sapporo, Night 2 (2/2/20):

Kazuchika Okada [CHAOS] vs. Taichi [Suzuki-gun]
British Heavyweight Title: Zack Sabre Jr. [Suzuki-gun] (V? defense) vs. Will Ospreay [CHAOS]
Tetsuya Naito/SANADA/Hiromu Takahashi [LIJ] vs. Jay White/KENTA/Taiji Ishimori [Bullet Club]
Jon Moxley/SHO/YOH/Ryusuke Taguchi [AEW/CHAOS/Main Unit] vs. Minoru Suzuki/El Desperado/Yoshinobu Kanemaru/DOUKI [Suzuki-gun]

Road to the New Beginning (2/4/20):

Elimination Match: Kazuchika Okada/Will Ospreay/SHO/YOH [CHAOS] vs. Zack Sabre Jr./Taichi/El Desperado/Yoshinobu Kanemaru [Suzuki-gun]

Road to the New Beginning (2/5/20):

Elimination Match: Tetsuya Naito/SANADA/Hiromu Takahashi/BUSHI [LIJ] vs. Jay White/KENTA/Taiji Ishimori/El Phantasmo [Bullet Club]

Road to the New Beginning (2/6/20):

NEVER Openweight 6-Man Titles: EVIL/Shingo Takagi/BUSHI [LIJ] (V1 defense) vs. Hirooki Goto/Tomohiro Ishii/Robbie Eagles [CHAOS]

The New Beginning in Osaka (2/9/20):

IWGP Heavyweight/IWGP Intercontinental Titles: Tetsuya Naito [LIJ] (V1 & V2 defenses, respectively) vs. KENTA [Bullet Club]
IWGP US Heavyweight Title: Jon Moxley [AEW] (V2 defense) vs. Minoru Suzuki [Suzuki-gun]
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Hiromu Takahashi [LIJ] (V1 defense) vs. Ryu Lee [Main Unit]
SANADA [LIJ] vs. Jay White [Bullet Club]
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles: Roppongi 3K (SHO/YOH) [CHAOS] (V1 defense) vs. El Desperado/Yoshinobu Kanemaru [Suzuki-gun]
Manabu Nakanishi Final in Osaka-Jo Hall: Manabu Nakanishi/Yuji Nagata/Satoshi Kojima/Hiroyoshi Tenzan [Main Unit] vs. Togi Makabe/Tomoaki Honma/Toa Henare/Ryusuke Taguchi [Main Unit]

Tampa (January 24) --
Elimination match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Rocky Romero vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Jado
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Lance Archer
Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Zayne
TJP & Karl Fredericks vs. Colt Cabana & Toru Yano
Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Ren Narita & Alex Coughlin
Clark Connors vs. Misterioso

Nashville (January 26) --
Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Rocky Romero vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Chase Owens & Jado
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Yuji Nagata vs. Lance Archer
Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb
TJP & Clark Connors vs. Colt Cabana & Toru Yano
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Karl Fredericks
Ren Narita & Alex Coughlin vs. Alex Zayne & Misterioso

Durham (January 27) --
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Jado
Ren Narita vs. Lance Archer
Jeff Cobb vs. Karl Fredericks
The Rock 'n' Roll Express & Alex Zayne vs. Colt Cabana, Toru Yano & Rocky Romero
Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Clark Connors & Alex Coughlin
TJP vs. Misterioso

Miami (January 30) --
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Rocky Romero vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Jado
Alex Zayne vs. Lance Archer
Jeff Cobb vs. Ren Narita
The Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. Colt Cabana & Toru Yano
Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Karl Fredericks & Alex Coughlin
YOSHI-HASHI & Misterioso vs. TJP & Clark Connors

Atlanta (February 1) --
IWGP Tag Team Champions Juice Robinson & David Finlay defending against Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
Kota Ibushi vs. Chase Owens
Jeff Cobb vs. Lance Archer
Hiroshi Tanahashi & The Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. TJP, Alex Zayne & Clark Connors
Colt Cabana & Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Jado
YOSHI-HASHI & Rocky Romero vs. Alex Coughlin & Misterioso
Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs. Karl Fredericks & Ren Narita

Any of y'all rednecks goin to see that Japanese rasslin?

The NJPW of America tour isn't as bad as I thought. You can't really complain about not enough Japanese stars with Tanahashi, Ibushi, Nagata and Kojima... Rock 'n Roll Express vs Yano & Cabana is going to be a must see! I wonder how NJPW will do with the multi-man and tag main events in the US. We here have been conditioned that a draw main event is a singles match for a championship or a big gimmick match so ... we shall see. I hope they can sell out or come close to each venue.

Also I just want to nut a little bit over the young lions group right now. Each and every one of them can be stars. Alex Coughlin sticks out to me because he is the new Dynamite/Benoit body type and he knows it. But literally all of them are amazing. NJPW will have even more amazing cards in 2-3 years as these young lions start rising against the old guard.

Kojima is a good fit for now since its only against Young Lions but he needs to find a different guy afterwards since Kojima might be higher on the pecking order than him.

Fully confident Nagata will dish out some Blue Justice to the Everybody Dies guy in case Nakanishi fails to take out Makabe.

New Japan has done a really good job fostering its own talent. They've almost got too much. We're at the point where guys like Ishii, Goto and Suzuki are almost afterthoughts, and they've got all these young lions coming up. Sanada and Ibushi are both trying to really find their spot in the established guard too.

I wouldn't be opposed to New Japan trying to do two Dome shows a year, or like another giant venue type thing. The Osaka Dome or something. I mean, I don't really know how that frees up the log-jam.

If it were any other dad I'd be skeptical but yeah Nagata would absolutely no sell death and put it in an armbar.

<iframe src='https://gfycat.com/ifr/PlaintiveFormalArabianoryx' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' allowfullscreen width='640' height='404'></iframe>

I love how socially awkward all three of these guys are.

What the occasion?

Tokyo Sports awards ceremony, only the winners from each promotion attend which is why they have sat them on the same table but it exists in kayfabe so none of them are acting like theyre friends.

Ibushi's influenza illness reportedly is a lot worse than originally stated by NJPW.

https://i.imgur.com/7CpROIz.jpg

Guy can't catch a break.