GDT: New Japan/Stardom Thread - Life Post-Okada

[Clint Eastwood]

Sanada - Evil
Okada - ZSJ
Finlay - Ospreay
Naito - Hikuleo

Okada/ZSJ and Finlay/Ospreay should be really good. The other 2 . . . ehhhh.

I'm fully expecting Evil to beat Sanada. I've mentally prepared for it.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

ELP-Ospreay was fantastic.

ELP's new theme reminds me of this lol



Assuming the final is the Ospreay/Finlay winner against Okada.

I could also fully see EVIL beating SANADA to set up a filler title match on the next tour.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

After scrolling the NJPW sub, a lot of fans have been certain about many things and have been wrong about many of them so I don't know what to expect.

I'm thinking Naito wins and we get Naito/Sanada at WK main event so Naito can get his moment (apparently he was robbed of it a number of years ago) but IF (big if) Sanada beats Evil and goes on to face Okada and loses to Okada, then that could set up a title match where who knows what the hell happens.

Either way, I could see this pulling in many different directions with the title match. I'm hoping we get either Kenny/Ospreay 3 at WK or Bryan/Okada 2 at WK. Idk if we get both (although I sure as hell wouldn't complain).

 

[GKJ]

How many times have they done Okada and Sanada?

 

[Clint Eastwood]

How many times have they done Okada and Sanada?

I believe 10 maybe?

Okada is 8-2 on Sanada I believe.

Okada - ZSJ was f***ing fantastic.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Naito/Ospreay (while very scary) and Naito/Okada were f***ing awesome. And that Japanese crowd was red hot. They were going bananas.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Josh Alexander and MCMG vs. Okada/Tanahashi/Ishii for the Never 6 man titles at Destruction in Ryogoku. Oh baby

 

[PuckMunchkin]

They’re allowed to make noise, it’s still generally muted, and they reacted to the video reveal, but it’s still Japan. Japan audiences don’t react to anything the same way they do in North America. Doing it in Japan got attention to their biggest show since it wasn’t a well-kept secret.
Okada winning, that’s what had to happen since this was billed as the Inoki Memorial Show.

The best crowds Ive seen have been japanese.

They just react to the matches not some cartoony mic work.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Ospreay and Tsuji just had a MOTY contender....I legit think Ospreay might occupy 4 of my top 5 matches of the year. Tsuji is the truth to though, I think he is main eventing the Tokyo Dome there within 2 years.

 

[Masked]

Ospreay and Tsuji just had a MOTY contender....I legit think Ospreay might occupy 4 of my top 5 matches of the year. Tsuji is the truth to though, I think he is main eventing the Tokyo Dome there within 2 years.

Only if Ospreay leaves. Otherwise it is Naito vs Sanada next year and Naito/Okada vs Ospreay the year after.

Assen na yo!

 

[GKJ]

 

[yahhockey]

The win secures SANADA’s spot in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 18 against G1 Climax winner Tetsuya Naito.

since the tweet doesn't include what the actual main event is...

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Moxley/Great O'Khan set for Power Struggle. Makes me think we're getting Ospreay/Mox at WK18.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Moxley/Great O'Khan set for Power Struggle. Makes me think we're getting Ospreay/Mox at WK18.

I hope not. Mox can’t hang with Ospreay.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Will Ospreay, while being the best wrestler in the world, is also great on the mic too. My god.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Will Ospreay, while being the best wrestler in the world, is also great on the mic too. My god.

I feel like it has really been over the last 2-3 years where he has kind of found his voice. Truly turned into the complete package. There is no argument to me over who the best wrestler in the world is. Not even close.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Okada/Bryan and Sanada/Naito confirmed for WK

I'm guessing some of the remaining matches are:

Ospreay vs. Mox vs. Finlay - New title replacing the US title
Takahashi vs. Desperado (pretty much confirmed) - Jr. HW title
ZSJ vs. Tanahashi - TV title

Don't know what the NEVER match will be with Shingo. Curious to see what the Reiwa 3 do. I'm guessing Ren and Shota win WTL and get a tag title match. No idea what Yota does.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Looks like Tama/Shingo for the NEVER title at WK.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[SnS]

That’s insane.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I know people have shat on Kevin for his recent work in both NJPW and AEW, but man, those Okada/Omega matches were elevated by his commentary back then. And that's just one example.

I think his "decline" has been overexaggerated, but I'm glad he's leaving now before it turns into a Jack Edwards situation.

 

[GKJ]

Didn’t realize people didn’t like him anymore

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Emperoreddy]

Unless they both show up at Summerslam next year, we probably don't get this match for a long time, if ever.

 

[GKJ]

So, she only has a deal if its against Giulia, and since she’s probably leaving, they don’t want to do it at all because it doesn’t help them.