05-18-2018, 11:36 PM | #81 |
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That's what I'm thinking. Especially if they create an overall better game. The 2K games get good reviews, but they are basically updated versions of themselves and they are what they are. They're the McDonald's of the wrestling game. But if New Japan could put out something a bit more sophisticated, with rewarding gameplay, etc. they could get a lot of coverage from gaming websites, etc. Reviews for video games seem a lot more trusted, because reviewers seem to be more in-line with what the gaming community wants. So producing a game that gets a 9.0 or above on IGN is going to get attention.
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05-19-2018, 01:50 AM | #82 |
Hey Mister!
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New Japan having fun with the Fire Pro Sponsorship at BOTSJ. Decorating the turnbuckle pads with "View Japan" which has been Spike's fake name for NJPW throughout the decades.
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05-19-2018, 01:56 AM | #83 | |
Hey Mister!
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Fire Pro has a tremendous pedigree and for decades now, has been seen as one of, if not the greatest wrestling game series of all time by hardcore fans. Even then, the New Japan deal does WAY more for Firepro than it does for New Japan. |
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05-19-2018, 01:57 AM | #84 |
Hey Mister!
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Also, wretling games themselves are a niche genre.
Maybe if NJPW made a really good Battle Royale game lol |
05-19-2018, 01:59 AM | #85 |
Trickster Demon
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05-19-2018, 03:04 AM | #86 | |
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05-19-2018, 03:25 AM | #87 | |
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05-19-2018, 03:37 AM | #88 |
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05-20-2018, 07:19 PM | #89 |
Hey Mister!
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Watching day 1 of BOTSJ. First time seeing ACH or Flip Gordan in action. Initially agreed with others that block A looked a little weak, but I'm feeling a lot better about it after that match. Very impressed with both guys.
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05-21-2018, 02:18 AM | #90 |
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I would like New Japan to make a play for Danielson in September.
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05-21-2018, 09:47 AM | #91 | |
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05-21-2018, 09:53 AM | #92 |
Let me talk to ya
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He'd be stupid to leave WWE. He's not going to get any better medical attention and the pay will be better. He's got a family to think about now and NJPWs style would probably do him in for good.
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05-21-2018, 09:54 AM | #93 |
Trickster Demon
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If WWE had not let him begin wrestling again I'd say chances were high -- since they have I'm not certain DBry has reason to leave WWE w/ potential big feuds with Miz, Shinsuke, AJ, Samoa Joe and so on in his future at some point.
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05-21-2018, 10:32 AM | #94 |
Inno Knows.
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05-21-2018, 04:51 PM | #95 |
Grim Fandango
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He would be working a lot less dates, including a lot of multi man tags and outside of the G1 there would be a lot more recovery time. He won't leave though, they're clearly saving the feuds he actually wants until after he signs a new deal, he has the reality TV gig and they just moved a bunch of his best buds over to Smackdown.
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05-21-2018, 05:14 PM | #96 | |
Former TPWW Royalty
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Agree on his WWE pay being better overall but he just came back from a lengthy battle with WWE over their invalid medical reasons to not clear him. Didn't help their stance by clearing Angle to wrestle and then clearing Bryan shortly after the big concussion lawsuit was no longer an issue. |
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05-22-2018, 12:50 AM | #97 |
Former TPWW Royalty
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05-22-2018, 02:59 PM | #98 |
Inno Knows.
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Everyone needs to get on the Hironmu Takahashi hype train
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05-22-2018, 05:44 PM | #99 |
Grim Fandango
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Never got off it. Would be very surprised if he doesn't win the block and I'm hoping he beats Bone Soldier (who could potentially go in with full points) in the final.
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05-22-2018, 11:13 PM | #100 |
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I think it's very likely they will contact him. I think it's less likely that he will actually go. I think the biggest factor is probably the safety net that is the WWE, who will probably pay him out the ass and offer him what would essentially be a lifetime deal at this point.
It depends what the "artist" in Bryan is feeling, to be honest. WWE sucks right now. Does he want to wrestle Styles and Joe in matches that don't matter, or does he want to try and breathe more life into an emerging promotion that takes its content a bit more seriously? I mean, like a lot of wrestling fans would rather watch New Japan than WWE, I'm sure that a lot of wrestlers would rather work there too, providing that it was viable. Danielson has the advantage in that he's worth investing in. He's probably saved his money, Brie is probably well-to-do too. I have no doubt that he could wrangle a lot of money from New Japan. Karl Anderson was reportedly making $750,000 a year with them, if you believe that. I think Bryan could get paid within the realm of Okada and Tanahashi, and be paid above Naito and Omega. And I'm sure the WWE can offer him whatever New Japan is and just say "double it." But there are sponsorships, merchandising, other promotions he can sign big deals with for limited work (he could possibly convince Sinclair to break the bank on him) and appearances and such. A big thing to think about for him would be where that leaves Brie's career. It obviously throws the WWE reality shows into question, and I don't know if the WWE wants to promote Danielson working in New Japan while Brie decides what outfit she wants to wear. But if Brie is looking to get out of Total Divas/Bellas and take some time off to be a mom or whatever, it may not be the biggest deal in the world to her if she and the WWE part ways too. Also, Cody is kind of setting up the template for how to use a hot wife in wrestling, to the point where Brie's value on the indies probably goes quite high being the supportive husband to Bryan and letting wrestling fans have their wrestler back. To be perfectly honest, Bryan kind of has Vince over a barrel a little bit, because he's realistically got the option of making over $1 million a year working a few dates in Japan. If he holds out, he can try and get some concrete direction for the product he is involved in and a lot of money. I don't think his health is as big a factor as some would suggest. Bryan is cleared. His brain is fine. Sometimes you get a brutal injury in Japan, but you also have lots of guys working into their 40's too. Plus, I'm suspicious of the WWE's medical testing of him. I don't want to cry conspiracy, but I think it was convenient that Bryan had a history of concussions for a period of time for them there. He's probably been ready to go for quite a long while and the downtime has probably allowed him to heal a bit of other wear and tear. Honestly not sure it's "unlikely" at this point. Harold Meij seems like an ambitious guy. I'd be very surprised if he hasn't or doesn't reach out to Bryan at some point and advises him to just string Vince a long for a bit and work out where he really stands in their current plans. Bryan's reluctance to go would probably be the big lifestyle change for Brie and challenging that relationship with WWE and Vince McMahon. Buuuuuuut, he's in a position to possibly change the industry right now. Not in a "cripple Vince" sort of way, but make the declarative statement that New Japan Pro-Wrestling is good wrestling and he would rather be a part of that than the WWE circus, which has been the end-game for 20 years now. |
05-22-2018, 11:28 PM | #101 |
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Another Crazy Noid Hypothesis:
Wouldn't be surprised if Harold Meij reached out to Conor McGregor either. If he wants to get New Japan a worldwide presence as "The King of Sports," then there is no bigger star he could bring in than Conor -- in the same vein that Mike Tyson was important to giving the WWF that spark in 1998. Conor loves money and is currently having some legal issues and his relationship with Dana White and UFC seems "odd." Money talks in Dana's relationships, so I doubt he is done fighting, but I'm sure New Japan and UFC can open channels. There have been Conor/WWE rumors in the past despite Conor calling the entire roster, essentially, pussies, to the point where Vince has had to address them in the past. If Conor is worried about the perception of him entering the scripted promo world of WWE, where they try to talk him into selling for The Miz, then maybe an offer from New Japan would be more appealing? Can you just imagine one of those New Japan press conference things they do with Conor talking about how he heard everyone in Japan is a pussy and where he calls Shibata a vegetable to get some heat with Goto? Fucking tremendous. |
05-24-2018, 08:03 AM | #102 |
Hey Mister!
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Osprey is so god damn incredible. I know he's very spotty, but it honestly doesn't matter to me. Once in a generation, you get a guy that's so good, and can do things that are so incredible, that he can get away with it, as long as there is some semblance of a story in the match.
And it's not just what he does, but how he executes it, that is incredible. The only other person in the history of this business that hits moves with such effortless speed and precision was the original Tiger Mask. |
05-24-2018, 09:42 AM | #103 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Think he's utter garbage
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05-24-2018, 09:43 AM | #104 |
I am the cheese
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Might be the worst worker to get pushed by a major promotion in the history of the business.
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05-24-2018, 09:45 AM | #105 |
boop/bop/beep
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Destor, you are TPWW's Cornette.
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05-24-2018, 02:57 PM | #106 | |
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05-24-2018, 03:11 PM | #107 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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05-24-2018, 03:12 PM | #108 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Tiger Mask was so flawless but his matches looked like a struggle. A contest of wills. Osprey looks like a work. Two guys playing wrestling.
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05-24-2018, 03:27 PM | #109 |
Hey Mister!
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That's true enough. To be fair though, osprey's recent bouts have come off more like fights than some of his over coreograpghed past work. The match with Ishimori being a great example. He's been inserting the wild acrobatics where they make sense more consistently.
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05-24-2018, 03:38 PM | #110 |
I am the cheese
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He's been improving, I'll give you that much.
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05-24-2018, 03:48 PM | #111 |
Former TPWW Royalty
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05-24-2018, 03:50 PM | #112 |
boop/bop/beep
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that promo is amazing
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05-24-2018, 04:09 PM | #113 |
I am the cheese
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Thought it was impressively bad. Like one of those kids that flips the camera off cause they think thats cool and edgy
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05-24-2018, 05:45 PM | #114 |
Let me talk to ya
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I didn't think it was bad but I think that is kind of what he's going for. Naito is the real cool one and Jericho's coming in trying to the bad cool kid so to speak.
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05-24-2018, 06:31 PM | #115 |
boop/bop/beep
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my name is destor and i'm a big gay boy
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05-24-2018, 07:15 PM | #116 | |
Former TPWW Royalty
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According to the Observer, NJPW has only managed to sell around 5k so far for the next US show.
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05-25-2018, 09:30 AM | #117 |
President of Freedonia
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Wonder what the G1 field will look like this year. There are only two definite openings in Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima.
One of the open spots has to go to Jay White, surely? So that leaves one more. They probably can't get Cody for an entire month, so I'll assume he's not an option. So give me Taichi in the G1! Oh, and bumping out shitbag Elgin for literally anyone would be appreciated. But we all know it won't happen. |
05-25-2018, 09:40 AM | #118 |
Inno Knows.
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I'd be all for KUSHIDA moving up in the G1. He has nothing left to do in the Juniors
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05-25-2018, 09:44 AM | #119 |
President of Freedonia
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That would be tight
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05-25-2018, 09:48 AM | #120 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,204
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Hope Elgin stays in he's a good talent.
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