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WWE teases one of the most significant bulk talent acquisitions in WWE history

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dream said:
AJ Styles is approaching 40.
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Probably 90% of why this deal is even happening. AJ just wants to have 1 run in WWE while he is able. Both parties have talked before but never reached a deal. Now is probably the last shot.

I am happy he has one go even if he will probably be treated like ex WCW guys where.

BoboBrazil said:
He has to have the foreign heel feud vs. Cena first so Cena can overcome the odds and win then send him into the career spiral.
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Why wait? Have him job to Cena in his debut match like so many US open challenge victims. So many up and comers got a boost from taking a L to Cena in that one right. RIGHT?



But I do feel for any talent who will be working on the main roster inthe foreseeable future. WWE creative has nothing for anyone bar Cena and Reigns. Everyone else is interchangeable pawns to them.
 
dream said:
AJ Styles is approaching 40.
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Age doesn't matter as much in pro wrestling as in other sports. Ric Flair was 40 when he had his matches against Steamboat, Shawn Michaels was great well into his 40s, Terry Funk was great too etc. Wrestlers even get better in their 40s a lot of times. They might not be able to be as physical but they've learned so much more about milking the crowd and psychology that they are just better overall.

Now once wrestlers get into their 50s, that's when their bodies start to break down and they can't do anything.
 
Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku! said:
Age doesn't matter as much in pro wrestling as in other sports. Ric Flair was 40 when he had his matches against Steamboat, Shawn Michaels was great well into his 40s, Terry Funk was great too etc. Wrestlers even get better in their 40s a lot of times. They might not be able to be as physical but they've learned so much more about milking the crowd and psychology that they are just better overall.

Now once wrestlers get into their 50s, that's when their bodies start to break down and they can't do anything.
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Flair and Funk were never as broken-down as AJ Styles though, who is now paying the price for working an indie high spot style for the past 15 years. And I take your point about older wrestlers being able to slow it down, but I think there's a very good chance that they're bringing AJ Styles in to fall off ladders and do big bumps.
 
Kuroyume said:
Nakamura and Styles are cool but Omega is really the diamond of Japan. Has the wrestling talent AND can cut a promo. Can cut a promo better than Styles and Nakamura, and the entire WWE roster. Look at this motherfucker:

tumblr_nhog39dMiO1qlmfquo3_250.gif


More charisma in his pinky than the entire roster

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SMH

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This chump jobbed to a little nine year old girl.

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God are they gonna feed Nakamura to John Cena or Roman aren't they?

I'm still holding hope for Daniel Bryan vs Nakamura


Just get Scott Steiner back on my TV please
 
If they have the bulk of these guys show up in NXT first (which is the right thing to do regardless of how big of a name you are), then NXT TakeOver: Dallas will be the greatest event in the history of this fucking company.
 
I don't see any way Nakamura isn't going to that Performance Center even for a couple of months. Walking straight from top level New Japan matches (and he's a career puro wrestler) to RAW just doesn't seem like it would end well. There's a blue and gold luchador sized reason they always have people go through developmental now.

But that obviously doesn't mean he would be on NXT TV, he can skip that if they so wish.
 
I'm pretty sure these dudes are going to be jobbing to Kevin Owens.
 
What a way to put over Nakamura in that article. They see the global crossover potential, like I do. Seriously if he hits big, I can see crowds mobbing him at airports, and girls fainting in the stands like they did for MJ.

Ithil said:
I don't see any way Nakamura isn't going to that Performance Center even for a couple of months. Walking straight from top level New Japan matches (and he's a career puro wrestler) to RAW just doesn't seem like it would end well. There's a blue and gold luchador sized reason they always have people go through developmental now.

But that obviously doesn't mean he would be on NXT TV, he can skip that if they so wish.
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The difference is that Nak has that "It Factor", that only once in a lifetime stars have.
 
You know what they did with KANA, where she is basically just KANA transplanted to the US but named Asuka instead? Do that with Nakamura (preferably without the name change but it's not a dealbreaker).
 
Ithil said:
I don't see any way Nakamura isn't going to that Performance Center even for a couple of months. Walking straight from top level New Japan matches (and he's a career puro wrestler) to RAW just doesn't seem like it would end well. There's a blue and gold luchador sized reason they always have people go through developmental now.

But that obviously doesn't mean he would be on NXT TV, he can skip that if they so wish.
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Yeah, there's no way. They need to "teach him the WWE style" first. Same with AJ, even if he debuts at the Rumble. I think all of them will hang around NXT for a while.
 
Ithil said:
You know what they did with KANA, where she is basically just KANA transplanted to the US but named Asuka instead? Do that with Nakamura (preferably without the name change but it's not a dealbreaker).
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They are going to call him Shinji Ikari
 
They better not change his name, or AJ's. Seriously, fuck them, if they did.

Anth0ny said:
Yeah, there's no way. They need to "teach him the WWE style" first. Same with AJ, even if he debuts at the Rumble. I think all of them will hang around NXT for a while.
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NJ Style is the current WWE style.
 
SiegePhalt said:
For somebody who isn't too familiar, what/who is The Bullet Club? What makes them so exciting for wrestling fans, because I, as a wrestling fan, have only heard of 'em a few months ago and still don't understand the hype.
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They're not really that exciting, but basically they're a big stable of foreigners (and one Japanese guy) in New Japan that started in 2013. Their whole shtick is to be an American style obnoxious heel stable in the Japanese promotion with lots of interference and weapons using and taunting opponents. They ape nWo a lot, including the having too many members part.
They were probably best when more lean and fresh in 2013, they're just kinda there now.

Their shirt is also really popular right now for whatever reason, you see it even at WWE shows.
 
Prime Bullet Club is probably Prince Devitt vs Gedo at one of the summer PPVs in 2013, I remember that being really fun.
 
dream said:
Flair and Funk were never as broken-down as AJ Styles though, who is now paying the price for working an indie high spot style for the past 15 years. And I take your point about older wrestlers being able to slow it down, but I think there's a very good chance that they're bringing AJ Styles in to fall off ladders and do big bumps.
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the fuck, he just had an amazing match, what are you talking about. flairs back was torn to bits and funk was very fat, aj is in fantastic shape. age doesn't matter in wrestling, its how you perform.
 
Funny thing is a week or so ago I was watch the Road to Tokyo Dome and daydreaming about what a Nakamura surprise entrance to the Rumble would be like. Thought about it for a hot second then shrugged it off thinking it would never happen. Anyone know how his English is? One of the biggest differences I've noticed between NJPW and the WWE is how little exposition there is in NJPW. Shinsuke being Shinsuke could be awesome, but if he's forced into situations where they make him talk I'd be a little nervous.
 
ThreePiMatt said:
Funny thing is a week or so ago I was watch the Road to Tokyo Dome and daydreaming about what a Nakamura surprise entrance to the Rumble would be like. Thought about it for a hot second then shrugged it off thinking it would never happen. Anyone know how his English is? One of the biggest differences I've noticed between NJPW and the WWE is how little exposition there is in NJPW. Shinsuke being Shinsuke could be awesome, but if he's forced into situations where they make him talk I'd be a little nervous.
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He speaks English fine, and reads/writes it. Far more than most Japanese wrestlers including Itami and Asuka when they showed up.

TheXfactor said:
it honestly got popular when aj ran it, not prince.
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That's not what I said, though.
 
funkystudent said:
The actual faction is the lamest part of Bullet Club. They are just kids cosplaying the nwo.

But some good wrestlers have passed though their ranks and when they are not doing heel faction-y stuff and just wrestling most of its members do good work.

And they have a cool shirt. A shirt so good even WWE shamelessly rips it off.

http://shop.wwe.com/Finn-Bálor-"Bálor-Club"-Authentic-T-Shirt/W10083,default,pd.html
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Weren't the short-lived Shield masks also a bit of a Bullet Club "homage"?

The_Shield_as_face_2014.jpg
 
ThreePiMatt said:
Funny thing is a week or so ago I was watch the Road to Tokyo Dome and daydreaming about what a Nakamura surprise entrance to the Rumble would be like. Thought about it for a hot second then shrugged it off thinking it would never happen. Anyone know how his English is? One of the biggest differences I've noticed between NJPW and the WWE is how little exposition there is in NJPW. Shinsuke being Shinsuke could be awesome, but if he's forced into situations where they make him talk I'd be a little nervous.
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they are dumb as fuck if they put Nakamura out there and have him cut an unintelligible English promo with his thick, Japanese accent. he automatically becomes a comedy character because "hurr durr he talks funny". the audience won't take him seriously and vince would probably laugh his ass off. fate is sealed right there.

Every single promo should be in Japanese, intense as fuck, pre-recorded with subtitles and shot like this. In front of the fans? His off the charts charisma, body language and in ring ability will do all of the work, not him on a mic.

7D9Zxzy.gif
 
Have to agree with the masses on this one.
Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito... all would have been better grabs by Vince and company.

I'm happy for Styles as he deserves to cash in.
I'm happy for Bálor as he gets to work with some of his buddies again.

I've had the rare privilege of watching Nakamura live before Vince ruins him... and would love to see him in a match against D.Brine (who is effectively retired) that's given 20+ minutes or so. Nakamura is one of the most charismatic wrestlers... ever.

But otherwise? Not exactly a great investment for WWE and a legit loss for NJPW that further compounds their own talent issues. This could be one of those lose-lose situations for fans across the board when we look back on it and that's unfortunate given the state of wrestling in 2016.
 
Ithil said:
Naito? Why him?
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He's 33 and has talent. He's also not fighting off injuries.

Forbes.com - WWE Has No Business Signing Shinsuke Nakamura, Bullet Club
This is great news for hardcore wrestling fans, but befuddling to anybody paying attention.

The average age of this grizzled quartet is 35. The highest profile signings—Styles and Nakamura—come with major red flags as they head to an already decimated roster.

Styles dealt with a back injury as recently as December. Nakamura, affectionately nicknamed the King of Strong Style for his physical offense, was recently hobbled as well. His most recent ailment was an elbow injury in July that caused him to miss one match during the G1 Climax tournament.

They now join a WWE and/or NXT roster currently dealing with big-name injuries to Hideo Itami, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Daniel Bryan and Sami Zayn, who recently returned to NXT following an eight-month layoff from a dislocated shoulder. If WWE wasn’t already an app, it would be WebMD.
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UberTag said:
He's 33 and has talent. He's also not fighting off injuries.

Forbes.com - WWE Has No Business Signing Shinsuke Nakamura, Bullet Club
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He's a great wrestler and all but he doesn't stand out to me as a guy who would be successful in WWE. Nakamura has his obvious flashy charisma, and he has height that can counter the "short Japanese" perception. A guy like Goto looks really cool, the look being so emphasized in WWE. Ibushi has his spectacular flips and is a prettyboy. They have stuff that can translate easily.

I think Naito is much more suited to New Japan.
 
Ninja Scooter said:
Whatever you do WWE do not package them into an invasion angle. For the love of god no more invasion angles.
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The WWE's current creative team only knows how to recycle the same half-dozen or so angles. So I would fully expect that's exactly what they'll do.
 
UberTag said:
The WWE's current creative team only knows how to recycle the same half-dozen or so angles. So I would fully expect that's exactly what they'll do.
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"Who's that at ringside JBL? Is that...is that AJ Styles?"
"ITS AJ STYLES FROM NEW JAPAN MAGGLE! WHAT'S HE DOING HERE? AND WHO'S THAT NEXT TO HIM?"
"I believe he is also from New Japan, he goes by the name Karate Sensai"
 
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