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May Wrasslin' |OT| May I Fancy You To A Nice Arse Whipping?

Not watching Raw continues to feel nice, I watched a few clips and that was good enough... Man, Vince really has a creepy old man boner for Alexa doesn't he? Sasha seems to have become an after thought and holy shit they still can't book more than one angle with the women despite three hours. LOL at Roman beating Finn clean despite his "injuries".

Unless I see it from somewhere other than WWE, Braun is totally going to be back within a couple months as a surprise or at what Vince thinks will be a surprise.

I mentioned this earlier, but apparently Undertaker and Shawn were at the PC when Io was there in March, and they were telling people they were very impressed by her.

She's got a real bright future in that company if she's got those two vouching for her after a few days of basic work.

And considering Io was the first one to commit to WWE before Kairi back in the fall (before they both changed their minds the first time), I'm guessing the long drawn out process was just confliction on her end over whether or not to leave Japan.
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Yeah, saw that when I read the news, that's a pretty big endorsement. I wonder when her leaving will be announced, I figured they didn't want to do it at the same time as Kairi's.

Holy shit that just reminded me that we've been on this Io and then Kairi will they or won't they sign with WWE saga since like September of last year! I really hope WWE doesn't screw this up, I have a good amount of faith in NXT but the main roster being what it is I hope Vince retires (lol) before either move up. Just ridiculous the female talent they now have as a whole if that women's show comes to pass I hope it's done away from Vince. I think I'd rather it be a companion to NXT than what they do with Raw/205 and I hope that's what they're going for.

Really hope Asuka is getting main roster money now because I really don't want her to get called (she was supposed to only work NXT originally, right?) before working with Io in NXT given their history and I'd hope it's used, do Io and Kairi get paired up with Asuka? Oppose her? Putting them together would suck unless it's short term and I do think Asuka's time on top of NXT has to come to a close but I hope we at least get them working together beforehand. Has there ever been anything regarding the heat between them over Io's joining Stardom?

Wonder if they'll keep their names, since they've been a lot more receptive to that recently it'd be weird if they enter the tournament with the names they're known by only to change it later and not that it's stopped them before, changing their names with the tournament. I really hope they don't mess with Kairi's shtick too much or at all.

Io's winning isn't she?
 
Honma's already training to return to the ring!

No new information on Shibata though. New Japan say they're conducting an internal investigation about in-ring safety as a result of Shibata's injury.

*edit, NJPW business growth;

lo1GwpC.jpg


They're already doing better than last year with 3 months left in the financial year.
 
The thing I wonder about is what they will let them do in WWE and even the tournament.

There is just no way they will be allowed to do a LOT of the stuff they do in Stardom and I can't imagine they will work at anywhere near the same pace. They will make everyone else look like complete shit.

I don't want to be too down on it but I am worried about how it will all turn out. I hope they don't fuck it up and everything works out well for everyone.
 

Recall

Member
Honma's already training to return to the ring!

No new information on Shibata though. New Japan say they're conducting an internal investigation about in-ring safety as a result of Shibata's injury.

*edit, NJPW business growth;

lo1GwpC.jpg


They're already doing better than last year with 3 months left in the financial year.

Japanese fiscal year is September to September?

I had no idea. I just assumed it was April to April like here...didn't think about it too much before.
 
New Japan aiming to completely fill the Tokyo Dome by Wrestle Kingdom 14 in 2020!

Japanese fiscal year is September to September?

I had no idea. I just assumed it was April to April like here...didn't think about it too much before.

Just looked it up, their fiscal year's the same as us so the data must be from January.
 
The thing I wonder about is what they will let them do in WWE and even the tournament.

There is just no way they will be allowed to do a LOT of the stuff they do in Stardom and I can't imagine they will work at anywhere near the same pace. They will make everyone else look like complete shit.

I don't want to be too down on it but I am worried about how it will all turn out. I hope they don't fuck it up and everything works out well for everyone.

Depends on the booking but seeing what was allowed in the CWC I think they'd be allowed to go however they like and I imagine they'll be booked with women they have experience with. After the tournament I think they'll be toning it down, less on Takeovers but over all toned down and that'll be good for them.
 

Recall

Member
Attendance figures from Wikipedia so not sure on reliability:

Wrestle Kingdom 8: ~35,000
Wrestle Kingdom 9: ~36,000
Wrestle Kingdom 10: 25,204
Wrestle Kingdom 11: 26,192

I think it will take a lot to draw 50-60k but they are certainly trying their best when it comes to quality in ring product at the moment. I wonder how much of a house hold name NJPW wrestlers have and how much reach wrestling in general has over in Japan at the moment.
 
Attendance figures from Wikipedia so not sure on reliability:

Wrestle Kingdom 8: ~35,000
Wrestle Kingdom 9: ~36,000
Wrestle Kingdom 10: 25,204
Wrestle Kingdom 11: 26,192

I think it will take a lot to draw 50-60k but they are certainly trying their best when it comes to quality in ring product at the moment. I wonder how much of a house hold name NJPW wrestlers have and how much reach wrestling in general has over in Japan at the moment.

TV time slots are apparently really bad. So there would have to be some changes for greater exposure. I heard something about that happening a while ago but cant remember if it led anywhere.
 

Recall

Member
TV time slots are apparently really bad. So there would have to be some changes for greater exposure. I heard something about that happening a while ago but cant remember if it led anywhere.

What constitutes as NJPW TV programming on these bad time slots? Chopped up matches and clips from the current events?

I remember hearing about there being specials either about certain wrestlers or history of certain events either with re-runs of the old events with different commentary or a simple rebroadcast but I've never really understood what it shown weekly or fortnightly?
 
New Japan's TV slot was moved an hour earlier a few months back and is now a full two-hours, iirc. It's still on at like 1am though. Wrestling hasn't been prime time in Japan since the 90's.

Also, only the past two WK attendance records are accurate, the previous year's were exaggerated or heavily papered or both. It was around 18k paid at WK7, now they're up to 26k paid.

What constitutes as NJPW TV programming on these bad time slots? Chopped up matches and clips from the current events?

I remember hearing about there being specials either about certain wrestlers or history of certain events either with re-runs of the old events with different commentary or a simple rebroadcast but I've never really understood what it shown weekly or fortnightly?

It's a weekly show, usually with clipped matches from the recent PPVs and some old-school content.
 
What constitutes as NJPW TV programming on these bad time slots? Chopped up matches and clips from the current events?

I remember hearing about there being specials either about certain wrestlers or history of certain events either with re-runs of the old events or a simple rebroadcast.

I have no idea, to be honest. I'll take a look into it. I think it changes by the show. I remember backstage stories of people worrying when Okada and Omega went so long because they had an hour time slot after WK finished and the match may not have fit into their alloted slot.
 

Recall

Member
New Japan's TV slot was moved an hour earlier a few months back and is now a full two-hours, iirc. It's still on at like 1am though. Wrestling hasn't been prime time in Japan since the 90's.

Also, only the past two WK attendance records are accurate, the previous year's were exaggerated or heavily papered or both. It was around 18k paid at WK7, now they're up to 26k paid.



It's a weekly show, usually with clipped matches from the recent PPVs and some old-school content.

Thanks for the info. Wrestling at 1am is as far away from prime time as possible.

It still seems very much a business that survives on word of mouth and those who love wrestling sticking with it. I guess it would take a big marketing push to get more eyes on the product.

Here being a wrestling fan has that stigma attached, wonder how it is in Japan. Is it a secret hobby where you have to worry about what t-shirt you wear in public or is it just an everyday sport fan hobby due to it being covered in the papers etc. More accepted as a form of entertainment?

I have no idea, to be honest. I'll take a look into it. I think it changes by the show. I remember backstage stories of people worrying when Okada and Omega went so long because they had an hour time slot after WK finished and the match may not have fit into their alloted slot.

Yes I could imagine that a long match like that wouldn't help but it's not like they would air the whole match, right? It's quite interesting to see polar opposites in how wrestling is presented on a TV front.
 
Tanahashi got hurt in Philadelphia ... if it's a partial shoulder tear he'll work through it. If it's a full tear he'll be out months or possibly till the end of the year 8f he needs surgery
 
Seth Rollins is like that guy who really wants to be your friend and thinks he totally is but you can't stand him, and you're just too nice to tell him to go away.


A grade A try hard.


Just getting caught up on Raw:

Bwhahahaha a Goldust heel turn :|... That people cheered

Crowd were like whoa when he hit Truth from behind and then there was a huge cheer. Goldust and Thank you Goldust chants followed.
Even when Bailey was hit by Kendo stick the crowd loved it lol.
 

Pikma

Banned
In Japan that kind of shit actually means something.
"Our guy almost died because of an unnecessary headbutt spot during a 40 minute match"
"Hmmmmm I guess we should do an internal investigation about in-ring safety"

If you want to believe that just because "they're not Vince" then go ahead. Wonder what you'll think when they inevitably allow Daniel Bryan to wrestle in a couple more years.
 

Foggy

Member
The thing I wonder about is what they will let them do in WWE and even the tournament.

There is just no way they will be allowed to do a LOT of the stuff they do in Stardom and I can't imagine they will work at anywhere near the same pace. They will make everyone else look like complete shit.

I don't want to be too down on it but I am worried about how it will all turn out. I hope they don't fuck it up and everything works out well for everyone.

Much like the CWC, I'm sure they won't be as slowed and watered down as they will once they transition to normal WWE matches. Unlike the CWC the overall talent level won't be as high so it'll mostly come down to who they're matched up against, but they will have to slow down considerably.

It'll work out for NXT because the watermark will rise, it'll be good for them because they'll make money, and it'll be good for Full Sail and everyone that watches women's wrestling just through the prism of WWE. If you're Stardom, the joshi scene, or people who liked watching their matches then it's not really good. It mostly just sucks, particularly for Io since she's in her prime as opposed to Kana who was winding down and Kairi whose body is starting to break down. She was spinning her wheels in Stardom, but there was always the chance she would be matched against Kairi or Mayu or Satomura with people like Hashimoto on the horizon. Now she's going to waste her best years in front of the Florida circuit.
 

Pikma

Banned
Gallagher was starting to get over after his feud with Daivari, when he had mic time, and even when he faced Neville the first few times. But now no one cares, not even London cared

It's incredible how Vince has ruined even the little things they had gotten right, which was probably by mistake.
 
lol @ wrestling fans just continuing to cheer for heel turns. Some will say fans are just trying to ruin Vince's stupid ideas on purpose but I mean who really cares about R-Truth enough to be outraged?

BAH GAWD GOLDUST NO!

STOP IT FOR GAWD SAKE, YOU DAMN SON-OF-A...

WHY GOLDUST WHY?????

It's so random yet so eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, they must have known they were going to get Yes! and thank you Goldust chants.

And the commentators trying to act like Goldust had never acted like a heel before lol. Uh huh. :|
 

Menome

Member
The Bigg Dawg lost to the yapping Yorkie?

I believe he is referring to last year's match. Yesterday made sure 50/50 booking returned things to a natural state.

The match itself was decent though, as was most of RAW. I'm stunned they've almost made Titus watchable again.

Also, by odd coincidence, the last content I watched on the Network before my sub lapsed was the Table For 3 with Golddust and R-Truth.

Was sort of hoping they'd be able to move back up the tag-team rankings after watching it. Oh well.
 

Beefy

Member
Sasha losing clean to Alicia is such a what the fuck decision.

She'll probably never turn heel with Alexa around.

Sasha getting a commercial entrance was even better.

Gallagher was starting to get over after his feud with Daivari, when he had mic time, and even when he faced Neville the first few times. But now no one cares, not even London cared

It's incredible how Vince has ruined even the little things they had gotten right, which was probably by mistake.

Getting pinned by TJP time after time does that.
 
Much like the CWC, I'm sure they won't be as slowed and watered down as they will once they transition to normal WWE matches. Unlike the CWC the overall talent level won't be as high so it'll mostly come down to who they're matched up against, but they will have to slow down considerably.

It'll work out for NXT because the watermark will rise, it'll be good for them because they'll make money, and it'll be good for Full Sail and everyone that watches women's wrestling just through the prism of WWE. If you're Stardom, the joshi scene, or people who liked watching their matches then it's not really good. It mostly just sucks, particularly for Io since she's in her prime as opposed to Kana who was winding down and Kairi whose body is starting to break down. She was spinning her wheels in Stardom, but there was always the chance she would be matched against Kairi or Mayu or Satomura with people like Hashimoto on the horizon. Now she's going to waste her best years in front of the Florida circuit.

It does really suck they will probably be on the Florida circuit for so long. You have to wonder how successful a women's wrestling show will be too, if they even know what they will do to make it compelling for people to watch (which is something WWE have been struggling with with basically every show they have this year). Oh well, hopefully it is all as good as it can be.

lol @ wrestling fans just continuing to cheer for heel turns. Some will say fans are just trying to ruin Vince's stupid ideas on purpose but I mean who really cares about R-Truth enough to be outraged?

BAH GAWD GOLDUST NO!

STOP IT FOR GAWD SAKE, YOU DAMN SON-OF-A...

WHY GOLDUST WHY?????

It's so random yet so eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, they must have known they were going to get Yes! and thank you Goldust chants.

And the commentators trying to act like Goldust had never acted like a heel before lol. Uh huh. :|

Pollock and Ting are probably right. People are just happy for any kind of character development/entertainment.
 

Heroman

Banned
Thanks for the info. Wrestling at 1am is as far away from prime time as possible.

It still seems very much a business that survives on word of mouth and those who love wrestling sticking with it. I guess it would take a big marketing push to get more eyes on the product.

Here being a wrestling fan has that stigma attached, wonder how it is in Japan. Is it a secret hobby where you have to worry about what t-shirt you wear in public or is it just an everyday sport fan hobby due to it being covered in the papers etc. More accepted as a form of entertainment?



Yes I could imagine that a long match like that wouldn't help but it's not like they would air the whole match, right? It's quite interesting to see polar opposites in how wrestling is presented on a TV front.
It basically like njpw on axs.
 
Honma's already training to return to the ring!

No new information on Shibata though. New Japan say they're conducting an internal investigation about in-ring safety as a result of Shibata's injury.

*edit, NJPW business growth;

lo1GwpC.jpg


They're already doing better than last year with 3 months left in the financial year.

Glad to see New Japan doing so well, the US expansion I think is going to going to give them another big boost.

Also good to see Honma training for his return but I hope it isn't rushed. I don't want to see him in the ring until at the very least the World Tag League.
 

Slizz

Member
Got an opportunity to go to a SD houseshow in the lead up to Summerslam in June. Worth it? You fellas seem to say the house shows tend to be better than the taped shit.


Last event I went to was a Nitro in 99 or 2000 :lol
 
So Meltzer is saying about Braun that
the six months injury is a work and he'll be back for Summerslam. So Finn wins Great Balls of Fire, fights Brock for that. Either after the match or the next night, Strowman comes out to challenge Brock.
 
Wonder if they held the show on a weekend instead on the 4 would help them get to that goal.

You're in luck, the 4th falls on a Saturday in 2020.

Got an opportunity to go to a SD houseshow in the lead up to Summerslam in June. Worth it? You fellas seem to say the house shows tend to be better than the taped shit.


Last event I went to was a Nitro in 99 or 2000 :lol

Even the shittiest wrestling show on TV is fun in person, especially if you bring friends along. The prices shouldn't be too bad either, so I'd say go for it.
 
So Meltzer is saying about Braun that
the six months injury is a work and he'll be back for Summerslam. So Finn wins Great Balls of Fire, fights Brock for that. Either after the match or the next night, Strowman comes out to challenge Brock.

i just can't buy that, batsie. Braun is a draw and the crowd was hot for the dude. why take him off for 6 months?
 

Slizz

Member

You're in luck, the 4th falls on a Saturday in 2020.



Even the shittiest wrestling show on TV is fun in person, especially if you bring friends along. The prices shouldn't be too bad either, so I'd say go for it.

thisisneogaf.gif

Prices aren't too bad $45 for lower bowl and not tucked into a corner. Gonna see if anybody else wants to go an probably lock em up. They say AJ will be there so fuck it.
 
i just can't buy that, batsie. Braun is a draw and the crowd was hot for the dude. why take him off for 6 months?
If what he says is true
he won't be gone for 6 months and WWE just made that number up. The injury still seems to be legit either way. Braun being out for six months but coming back in two months will make him look like a massive monster which I presume is the point.
 
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