I haven't really been following the juniors, so this tournament is hard for me to compartmentalize. Ishimori seems like a good choice to win it, but KUSHIDA, Takahashi, Scurll or even a win by Dragon Lee or El Desperado don't seem like out of this world possibilities to me. They don't really seem to be invested in "a guy" in the division as much as they are others.

NJPW definitely needs to invest in better tables. That Cody vs Ibushi spot. Christ almighty.

He won it cold by using a gimmick cash in, hitting Bubba Ray Dudley with a hammer then held it for a month, had no successful defences. Storm was champ for what, a day? Equally no build, was more over but not main event over, and he wasn't exactly more credible or a better champion. They only gave him the belt for the shock value and an excuse to turn Roode before they strapped him up after six months of build. They shouldn't have put the belt on Sabin sure, but it didn't damage that belt's rep in any meaningful way considering all the shit they'd already put it through. RVD and Jeff Hardy probably did the most damage to it.

Owwwww


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please guys....don’t do this in your next match <a href="https://t.co/cAbRhXyPdu">pic.twitter.com/cAbRhXyPdu</a></p>&mdash; Occasional Idea Havin Paul (@y2stump) <a href="https://twitter.com/y2stump/status/994589245921726465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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That it was cheap is no defense for it being cheap. "It sucked because it sucked" still means it sucked. Storm was champ for a day, but he definitely felt more like a player than Sabin did. Everyone was on Storm's dick as a rising star for a long time.

The RVD and Jeff Hardy sagas were pretty awful, but I don't think they themselves hurt the belt as much as Sabin did by winning it as a mid-carder. Ken Anderson, on the other hand...

Eh, it's TNA, it doesn't matter.

Exactly.

I missed this week's ep on AXS...supposed to show matches from 'Genesis'....will definitely have to watch it, looking forward to Okada vs Sabre Jr.

Catching up on NJPW on AXS tv now

Marty Scurll has good entrance music

What exactly is Marty Scurll's gimmick -- is he a steampunk raven?

Whatever it is, I like it.

Does Will Ospreay always 'punch the ground' like CM Punk?

Love Will Osprey's work, but he seems like such a fucking nerd.

Is Will Ospreay really good at selling or does he almost 'kill himself' like every 4 minutes?

Just read it's based on UK 'Plague Doctors' from the 1600's.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor_costume

Ospreay might have the best superkicks of anybody out there today.

Ospreay busted open really bad from hitting his head on the apron when he and Scurll went over the top rope to the floor.

OMG the replay makes it worse...(this is from Sakura Genesis, the U.S. 1 hr show is finally at that point)

He is really, really lucky he didn't have a severe neck injury from that (Ospreay)

That was a really great match, lasted the whole hour almost of the show but flew by. A little bit of 'too many finishers' towards the end but really great overall.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wPZpT3kXEPU" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yes

New Kushida shirt. Need to figure out how to order off njpw shop

https://i.imgur.com/U0TrSfK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LrQwIRl.jpg

That shirt is fantastic.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi0Et64AV7A/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GP T6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAA AElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; ██████████relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi0Et64AV7A/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Wondered what it’s like to train at the dojo? WELL NOW YOU KNOW! See you soon #Investinyourself #trainingchampions #trainingathletes @toksfale @henarenz @jaywhitenz @hiku_leo @mrginogambino @alii_mareko @afamcgregor10 @michaelrichards_nz @cwalternz @ethanhd312 @j.stevenson96 @joshuastevenson94 @daniel_puru3 @notoriousmulu @jordane_aw @shankyvik @thesamoanwrestlingdiva @jackbonza @robbieeagleshsft @fullrapscallion</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/faledojo/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Fale Dojo</a> (@faledojo) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-05-15T21:48:43+00:00">May 15, 2018 at 2:48pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

lol

The new New Japan President seems like a driven guy. Harold Meij has some very clear goals about where they are heading. He wants to get $90 million per year for New Japan, and he wants to eventually trouble Vince. He's identifying language and culture barriers an obstacle New Japan has to face, but said something like "I am not limited by language or culture -- I'll do business wherever I want." He used to be the President of Coca-Cola Japan, or something, and is one of their first foreign CEOs.

He apparently tripled Takara Tomy's stock price.

Amazing! He's on the move already.

In the past, I should specify. I'm not sure when, haha.

Yeah, can't see them ever troubling Vince, but between Meiji's business acumen, and Gedos booking, I could see njpw's us fanbase growing quite a bit.

It will grow no doubt. Thing is having that financial backing and spot to challenge WWE.

Minoru Suzuki as a child

https://i.redd.it/trvj5r2cfgy01.jpg

i feel really motivated all of a sudden

"Troubling Vince" is a stretch, but if he manages to apply some of that acumen to get New Japan into the visible sphere somehow, then I can see them growing far more than a lot of people might expect, to the point where they are "known," whatever that means today.

I can see international television deals, tours, video games, cartoons, toys and merchandise.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi6Mgfyg8-6/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GP T6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAA AElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; ██████████relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi6Mgfyg8-6/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">ICHIBAAAAN !!! @hikita_t #thank_you #わざわざ #ありがとう</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/suzuki.d.minoru/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> MINORU SUZUKI</a> (@suzuki.d.minoru) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-05-18T06:48:53+00:00">May 17, 2018 at 11:48pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

I'm guessing you mean in a mainstream sense but I can definitely see those merchandise and resources becoming available.

God dammit, Suzuki is terrifying inside the ring but so warm and fluffy outside of it

People say his Instagram ruins in his mystique but I love watching him do old Japanese man things, as well as picking up his manga for the week.

I guess toy shops are closing down now, haha, but I was thinking a line of New Japan toys next to the WWE ones in Toys 'R' Us or something. That's probably an antiquated idea. Or a New Japan anime that gets dubbed and put on US television so that kids growing up here are familiar with them. Try and turn Hiroshi Tanahashi into Goku and then when kids work out he's a real person, maybe they'll be more into him than Roman Reigns?

I'm speaking very broadly and without precision here -- I mean, Tanahashi is coming out of his prime and Reigns is heading into his -- but that sort of thing. I still think that a New Japan video game with a free trial to New Japan World would be a great thing for them to implement. There's the Fire Pro Wrestling World game coming out, but yeah, something to just burst them into the imaginations of people in the United States.

That can definitely works. Gives people an alternative to the WWE 2K games.