Indy: All-Purpose Non-WWE Discussion Thread -- Part 2 [NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco July 7]

[Kimi]

Dominion from Dave Meltzer (major matches):

Young Bucks/Romero & Beretta ****
GoD/War Machine ***1/2
Cody Rhodes/Michael Elgin ***1/2
Kushida/Takahashi ****3/4
Suzuki/Goto ***1/2
Tanahashi/Naito ****1/2
Okada/Omega ******1/4

That is not a typo.

For Okada's title run, including the match where he won the title from Naito, he has averaged at over five stars per match (seven matches total, and one of them was Bad Luck Fale!!).

4.50 - Tetsuya Naito (c) vs Okada
4.75 - Okada (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji
6.00 - Okada (c) vs Kenny Omega
4.75 - Okada (c) vs Minoru Suzuki
5.00 - Okada (c) vs Katsuyori Shibata
4.00 - Okada (c) vs Bad Luck Fale
6.25 - Okada (c) vs Kenny Omega

Okada broke the system. So insanely good.


Also, ******1/4 does actually look ridiculous when it's written down.

 

[SeidoN]

Omega still hasnt had a 5* match this year what a scrub

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

If anyone has AXS TV, they have a big New Japan marathon tommorow night. Shibata-Okada will be one of the matches shown

 

[Disclose]

what the hell and his ratings. its funny.

but i agree it was too damn good, it was fun to avoid the results all day to judge it myself. i can say
i personally liked it better than the WK11 match, indeed.

 

[SeidoN]

Mauro calling McGregor/Mayweather

 

[joshyhockey26]

Most recent NJPW "prospect show" now up on NJPW world, well as of yesterday. It's unreal how talented the up n comers are.

 

[GKJ]

AXS showing most of Sakura Genesis tonight. Just saw Goto vs. ZSJ. What a joy to watch Sabre go. Josh Barnett even let an expletive go.

 

[GKJ]

AXS will also show Okada/Omega from Dominion on June 30, all 60 minutes. Cody Rhodes/Michael Elgin will also be on that show (2 hour block)

 

[Acallabeth]

I feel conflicted on the Omega-Okada match. One part of me says that it's flawed and has made Okada nukeproof, but at the same time it's so amazing I absolutely see why some people think it's the greatest match ever.

 

[Kimi]

I'm not sure you can say it makes Okada unbeatable. He was pinned with Omega's finish, with only a rope break to save him, and he couldn't win in a 60min match. To me he looks beatable, while still keeping him looking very strong.

 

[GKJ]

The angle is such that Omega is someone who Okada has already beaten, and this time he couldn't get the pin on him, even though he never lost. All these brutal and insane matches starting to take their toll, and whoever picks up the pieces would get real heat.

 

[67 others]

I feel conflicted on the Omega-Okada match. One part of me says that it's flawed and has made Okada nukeproof, but at the same time it's so amazing I absolutely see why some people think it's the greatest match ever.

I liked the first match more.

 

[67 others]

I'm not sure you can say it makes Okada unbeatable. He was pinned with Omega's finish, with only a rope break to save him, and he couldn't win in a 60min match. To me he looks beatable, while still keeping him looking very strong.

I was wondering how many Rainmakers Okada would feed Omega before Omega FINALLY landed a one winged angel. The count is like 9 to 1 over 2 matches lol.

When the hell will they let Omega be champion?

 

[The Shockmaster]

I was wondering how many Rainmakers Okada would feed Omega before Omega FINALLY landed a one winged angel. The count is like 9 to 1 over 2 matches lol.

When the hell will they let Omega be champion?

It's bound to happen at some point, they're just building it up for the big moment.

 

[Kimi]

He'll only win the title if he signs a contract with them, and even then it's not a sure thing. I think you can make a case for him to not win if he only signs for one year. But we've no clue on his contract status, and he's always working people with his Styles talk, so we've no idea until he actually doesn't leave to know that he hasn't left lol.

 

[Kimi]

G1 names have been released:

Hiroshi Tanahashi
Togi Makabe
Michael Elgin
Kazuchika Okada
Hirooki Goto
Tomohiro Ishii
Toru Yano
YOSHI-HASHI
Kenny Omega
Bad Luck Fale
Tama Tonga
Tetsuya Naito
SANADA
EVIL
Satoshi Kojima
Yuji Nagata (Nagata has announced that this will be his last G1)
Juice Robinson
Minoru Suzuki
Zack Sabre Jr.
Kota Ibushi

The groups will be announced next week, along with the show cards.


Many hype matches, like every year. Cody is a notable name that isn't on the list, given he's getting a title match and everything.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

The only right thing to do is Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi in the finals.

 

[Kimi]

Wouldn't be against it^^.

Should note that this is actually Ibushi Ibushi, not Tiger Mask W Ibushi. First time he's in NJPW as himself since late 2015.

 

[GKJ]

So Cody is in neither tournament?

I don't know the ins and outs of New Japan booking, but as one man, that might tell me he's beating Okada in Long Beach

 

[Kimi]

So Cody is in neither tournament?

I don't know the ins and outs of New Japan booking, but as one man, that might tell me he's beating Okada in Long Beach

I think it means the opposite, that he isn't winning the IWGP title.


The G1 normally sets up some matches for the title between the end of the G1 and Wrestle Kingdom. Like last year we got the Marufuji match at King of Pro-Wrestling after he defeated Okada in the tournament. So without the champion in the tournament they won't be able to set up those matches. Obviously you can still book matches without the G1, but the G1 does make it all legitimate. Beat the champion and get a title shot is nice and clean.

On the RoH side of things, Cody is rumoured to be winning the title there soon (I don't follow RoH so I've no idea when the show is). If that's the case, RoH aren't going to want their champion to eat a bunch of losses in the G1 right away after winning it, as Cody could easily have to drop four or five matches clean depending on how they book it. They have to protect their champion.

It's even more of a mess when they work shows together too. Matches in RoH have set up title matches in NJPW, and the reverse is also true. Instead of booking into that mess they can just avoid the entire issue by keeping Cody out of the tournament.

 

[GKJ]

I feel like the motivation then for this match is just because of WWE. One of the Long Beach matches is going to be Tanahashi against freaken Billy Gunn. I kind of sense that NJPW doesn't full grasp how much American fans enjoy them because they do what they do and never needed to pay attention to the US.

 

[Kimi]

Indeed

Part of it is down to the fact that the fans and NJPW want two different things. The fans want Okada and Tanahashi, but NJPW wants to expand into an 'american territory' with some american guys. So the cards have ended up like they have.

It's really awkward as there isn't really a good balance they can make to keep current fans happy as well as make the in roads they need to. This show to establish the new title had to happen, and it was never going to look like a NJPW card either, which doesn't help.

But on the plus side, it should still be NJPW presentation, and that's a big selling point. It's still very different from your standard wrestling show. The show will be in a style that we'll enjoy, even if it doesn't have the biggest matches. I think there's room for a NJPW style show with western talent, so hopefully it takes off.


But I do think they made a mistake with Billy Gunn. He's not someone I'd want to showcase at all, I'd probably actively avoid him.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

New thought -

Ibushi vs. Naito in the finals (haven't seen specified blocks yet).

Omega wins the title in the third encounter before the end of the year.

Omega vs. G1 winner Ibushi for the title at WK.

Okada vs. Naito, Tanahashi vs. ??? as the top-3 for WK.

 

[GKJ]

Did Ibushi re-sign full-time? I can't see him getting a huge push in the tournament if he hasn't.

 

[Kimi]

I don't know if he has signed or not, but he'll be getting a big push either way.

He won't win it as a free agent, but I wouldn't have a problem putting him even in the final. He's a big star, and the fans love him. No need to shy away from it or needlessly beat him when he's easily a main event star.