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[British Monsoon]

It's interesting in all the Okada is having the best year of wrestling ever talk it's not mentioned that having: Omega, Suzuki, Ibushi and Shibata as opponents sure helped a lot.

It's pretty much all his detractors have been going on about, from the way they talk you'd be forgiven for thinking Okada's some mediocre hack who doesn't deserve his spot and is being propped up entirely by superior talents.

The real test for Okada world beater is gonna be what he can do with Fale.

Hopefully it'll be as good as Naito vs Elgin.

It won't be, but Fale isn't Elgin - that being said, all the previous Okada vs Fale matches have been perfectly fine, but don't expect a ****+ affair. The likes of Styles, Ibushi & Nakamura weren't capable of that either.

 

[SallyIsNow]

I can't explain why I can't get into Okada. It's weird. He's just boring? Is the best way I can put it.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Okada vs Fale past matches were decent, so this one should not be different. But like many here, including you, I did not like his match against Suzuki, but the ones against Omega, anime Ibushi and Shibata were great.

I actually did like Suzuki/Okada I just disagreed with finish as I'm not a big fan of the way Okada is winning recently... but it's part of the story they are telling.

Suzuki/Okada exists in my brain as being both simultaneously fantastic and annoying/disappointing at the same time

 

[slightconfuse]

Okada is great and and has been great to watch all these years.

His series with tanahashi elevated him to another level.

He will always be my boy

 

[excelsiorlef]

It's pretty much all his detractors have been going on about, from the way they talk you'd be forgiven for thinking Okada's some mediocre hack who doesn't deserve his spot and is being propped up entirely by superior talents.

That's also silly.

He's great and his opponents are great.

I just think the quality of his opponents are lost in the 2017 is the year of Okada and Okada is the greatest in the world talk. I think he's part the best of the best but I don't think he's head and shoulders above the rest in that group either

It won't be, but Fale isn't Elgin - that being said, all the previous Okada vs Fale matches have been perfectly fine, but don't expect a ****+ affair. The likes of Styles, Ibushi & Nakamura weren't capable of that either.

True.

I was just hoping for that because Naito vs Elgin is a MOTY candidate for me and it came out of nowhere in terms of expectations

 

[Bronx-Man]

Okada's one of the top 5 in the world, but the nonstop matches with Tanahashi honestly soured me on him. That and taking the title from Naito GODDAMN YOU TO HELL, GEDO

 

[Beefy]

Jesus PWR's heavyweight champ is named El Hijo de Trump.

It's TNA's Eli Drake in a blonde wing pretending to be the son of Trump (hence the name). He has a stable called Border Patrol... fuck

Pic?

 

[excelsiorlef]

I'm also relatively new to NJPW coming in only in Feb

 

[BewareTheBatsie]

I can't tell if the fact Bray isn't even 30 yet is good or not. Because on one hand, he has a lot of years left in his career to hopefully be used properly as a star. Or on the other hand, it's more years for him to job to everyone.

 

[Heroman]

Okada's one of the top 5 in the world, but the nonstop matches with Tanahashi honestly soured me on him. That and taking the title from Naito GODDAMN YOU TO HELL, GEDO

Nonstop? They only wreslter each other like 8 times over the course of 4 years.

 

[FloydtheFathead]

I can't name my team in Persona 'The Dangerous Alliance'

You should have been the Elite..

 

[SallyIsNow]

I can't tell if the fact Bray isn't even 30 yet is good or not. Because on one hand, he has a lot of years left in his career to hopefully be used properly as a star. Or on the other hand, it's more years for him to job to everyone.

Plenty of time to become a joke character and then try to be serious again

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

https://twitter.com/HulkHogan/status/853601337510121473

 

[Zach]

Where's that in the Bible Zach?

Down there.

 

[Sweeney Tom]

I can't tell if the fact Bray isn't even 30 yet is good or not. Because on one hand, he has a lot of years left in his career to hopefully be used properly as a star. Or on the other hand, it's more years for him to job to everyone.

He's gonna make Roman look so strong in the next decade

 

[BewareTheBatsie]

Plenty of time to become a joke character and then try to be serious again

A true Kane experience.

 

[FloydtheFathead]

Down there.

In hell with Eddie?

Zach pls..

 

[BewareTheBatsie]

He's gonna make Roman look so strong in the next decade

Hey at least Roman is only two years older then him. Bray keeps jobbing to anyone who's over the age of 35.

 

[Professor Beef]

He's gonna make Roman look so strong in the next decade

They made each other look strong in the tag match they had.

 

[slightconfuse]

Okada's one of the top 5 in the world, but the nonstop matches with Tanahashi honestly soured me on him. That and taking the title from Naito GODDAMN YOU TO HELL, GEDO

Unlike WWE where no one is a draw the champ matters in Japan.

It's why naito has the IC belt and okada the iwgp. NJPW is doing great business right now

After Kazuchika Okada vs Naomichi Marufuji drew the largest non-G1 paid number to Sumo Hall since 2000 at October’s King of Pro Wrestling, Okada followed that up by topping any Sumo Hall number (G1 show or otherwise) in at least seven years (but probably longer) against Katsuyori Shibata, in what was a long awaited IWGP title challenge for the latter, his first since 2004 and his only since his 2012 return to the company.

The number continues Okada’s hot streak at the gate, and solidifies Shibata as a new main event player. The fans were firmly behind Shibata, with the packed crowd hot for him all the way, and combined with the gate, shows that New Japan’s patient elevation of Shibata worked out just fine for all parties involved.

Okada is peaking right now as a draw, making all of those calls to move the top title to Tetsuya Naito seem very foolish and short sighted in hindsight. Naito is doing just fine selling out his main events as Intercontinental champion, and New Japan is doing their best business in the Takaaki Kidani/Kazuchika Okada era yet. The story of the bend-but-don’t-break Okada being seemingly unbeatable has been a business winner, and they now have three legitimate matches lined up for both King of Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Naito, the looming Kenny Omega rematch, and now Shibata.

 

[SallyIsNow]

Where's that in the Bible Zach?

Penguins was chemically engineered and you'd know that if you read the bible.

 

[FloydtheFathead]

Penguins was chemically engineered and you'd know that if you read the bible.

Was that in the Old Testament?

 

[Bronx-Man]

He's gonna make Roman look so strong in the next decade

We talking about Bray or Omega?

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Okada does very little for me, he's a vessel for other wrestlers to have great matches and little more.

 

[RecRoulette]

Unlike WWE where no one is a draw the champ matters in Japan.

It's why naito has the IC belt and okada the iwgp. NJPW is doing great business right now

The IC belt still sucks compared to the NJPW belt, no matter how much folks spin it. That mentality never made much sense since i started watching NJPW. I heard folks say "Nakamura doesn't need the NJPW belt because he's a great IC champion." which...nah, still the lower belt, even if it's not WWE midcard level.

 

[British Monsoon]

I just think the quality of his opponents are lost in the 2017 is the year of Okada and Okada is the greatest in the world talk. I think he's part the best of the best but I don't think he's head and shoulders above the rest in that group either

I'd agree, I'm probably one of his biggest fans, but while he is having a great year he's also been afforded the opportunity to have a great year - few others have had such a notable 2017 as Okada, primarily because of the quality of his opponents. I see Okada as being in a similar position to Tanahashi about six or so years ago - he's obviously amazing and is clearly presented as the top guy, but a lot of fans enjoyed seeing him chase more than they do seeing him run. That's not necessarily a problem (especially while business continues on the up with Okada at the top), and I see 2017 as being more about making Okada the guy to beat. Whether they push his current title run as far as they did Tanahashi's 2011-run I don't know, but it's going to be exciting to see who can topple him this year, if anyone.

That mentality never made much sense since i started watching NJPW. I heard folks say "Nakamura doesn't need the NJPW belt because he's a great IC champion." which...nah, still the lower belt, even if it's not WWE midcard level.

Nakamura didn't need the IWGP belt because he was still wildly popular with or without it - sure, the IC belt is a clear rung or two beneath the IWGP title, but Nakamura's run with it did a lot to elevate its status. Also, you can't just put the IC belt on anyone - it's not like a WWE mid-card belt because it actually needs to draw!

 

[Data West]

Don't forget the part about Juice Robinson and Okada being the best wrestlers in the galaxy

 

[Hasney]

That observation is so January 2015:

http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=146106590

2015? That's adorable.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=123937259&postcount=2052

 

[Beefy]

Pfft Ambrose is the best Wrestler in all time

 

[The Faceless Master]

Sami Zayn theme playing during this Wizards/Hawks game

 

[SallyIsNow]

I want Pentagon Jr in NXT. He's not doing much elsewhere.

 

[Foggy]

I want Pentagon Jr in NXT. He's not doing much elsewhere.

 

[rrc1594]

Rewatching KO Vs. Seth HiTC this match is way better then I remember.

 

[Sweeney Tom]

I want Pentagon Jr in NXT. He's not doing much elsewhere.

Filth

 

[Raw64life]

Juice Robinson is ok but definitely not great.

Not a fan of him either, but he displays well the difference between WWE and NJPW. He seemed doomed to forever be in the "put over a new debuting star" role in NXT. In NJPW, if you work hard and get yourself over with the crowd, they'll actually reward you for it instead of burying you.

The IC belt still sucks compared to the NJPW belt, no matter how much folks spin it. That mentality never made much sense since i started watching NJPW. I heard folks say "Nakamura doesn't need the NJPW belt because he's a great IC champion." which...nah, still the lower belt, even if it's not WWE midcard level.

"sucks" is a bit strong. It's not on the level of the NJPW belt, but it shouldn't be. It's the #2 belt, and it's on arguably the #2 guy in the company, which it should be. Compare it to the IC belt which is practically worthless.

 

[Professor Beef]

Okada sucks

Zandig also sucks

Is it a coincidence that Snootaaay likes them? NOPE. I'm cracking the code, brothers.

 

[rrc1594]

Pfft Ambrose is the best Wrestler in all time

All joke aside if you look at Ambrose 2016 match catalog, he has been in some great matches.

 

[excelsiorlef]

I'd agree, I'm probably one of his biggest fans, but while he is having a great year he's also been afforded the opportunity to have a great year - few others have had such a notable 2017 as Okada, primarily because of the quality of his opponents.

Yep.

I mean the AJ Styles equivalent would be him beating Cena at the Rumble, and then in the next 3 months beating say: Nakamura, Owens, Zayn each in 40 minutes or so. Also as much as I love those guys the only one who comes close to Omega, Ibushi, Suzuki and Shibata is Nakamura. But that would be the equivalent.

I mean look at Omega he's the other half of the 6* match and he's been left to meaningless tag matches and a 1st round loss in the NJ Cup. He could have been given wins over Ishii and Sanada and then lose to Shibata in the Semis... and then just like that bam he'd be having an amazing year too.


Never seen anyone get the level of talented consecutive opponents the way Okada has. It's nuts

 

[BewareTheBatsie]

I hope you're all ready for the Demon King to bury your faves.

Roman could never!

 

[SallyIsNow]

Filth

Any slim chance that he shows up on SD Lit

 

[excelsiorlef]

Also Naito is quietly having an amazing year himself with that 5* Elgin match and consistently putting on amazing 6 man tag matches.

 

[Foggy]

Naito is exactly where he needs to be at this point and he's having tremendous matches. It's infinitely better than a 50/50 feud or a burial from Okada.

Okada is the best wrestler on the planet right now. Circumstances have dictated his greatness but he's still the common factor having great matches with wrestlers that have very different styles.

Could AJ have had the same kind of amazing match with Shibata or Omega or Ibushi that Okada has? Probably, but he isn't so he's not the best...right now.

 

[British Monsoon]

Okada sucks

Zandig also sucks

Is it a coincidence that Snootaaay likes them? NOPE. I'm cracking the code, brothers.

Will you stop?! Also, you asked for this;

 

[BewareTheBatsie]

 

[SallyIsNow]

Will you stop?! Also, you asked for this;

http://i.imgur.com/0qiC34f.gif[img][img]http://i.imgur.com/cgj9v1V.gif[img][img]http://i.imgur.com/ibBbvxy.gif[img][/QUOTE]
Okada tier trash

 

[Foggy]

Any slim chance that he shows up on SD Lit

Pentagon Jr without promos in Spanish or deathmatches is not a Pentagon Jr we would recognize

 

[deli2000]

I want Pentagon Jr in NXT. He's not doing much elsewhere.

Please god no.

 

[Professor Beef]

Will you stop?! Also, you asked for this;

http://i.imgur.com/0qiC34f.gif[/ig][img]http://i.imgur.com/cgj9v1V.gif[/ig][img]http://i.imgur.com/ibBbvxy.gif[/ig][/QUOTE]

I heard this in Monsoon's voice, so I'm gonna assume that was your intention. :P

Also that Zandig powerbomb where he just gives up halfway still cracks me up to this day lmao

 

[Sweeney Tom]

Okada/Zandig/Reigns would get 8 stars

 

[Angry Grimace]

It's pretty much all his detractors have been going on about, from the way they talk you'd be forgiven for thinking Okada's some mediocre hack who doesn't deserve his spot and is being propped up entirely by superior talents.



It won't be, but Fale isn't Elgin - that being said, all the previous Okada vs Fale matches have been perfectly fine, but don't expect a ****+ affair. The likes of Styles, Ibushi & Nakamura weren't capable of that either.

Meltzer specifically said he expects Okada/Fale to be "great." He did say he was 100% sure it wouldn't be *****, but that he expects it to be "great."